Emily’s Weblog

August 4, 2008

Ace Ventura (DVD) Review – by: Britt Gillette

Filed under: Uncategorized — Emily @ 6:45 pm
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Jim Carrey’s breakout role, Ace Ventura is one of the funniest films of the 1990s. Written by the former In Living Color writer himself, the film centers around an oddball kook of a lead character who investigates missing pets. If you enjoy Jim Carrey’s brand of humor (and it’s not for everyone), then you’ll love Ace Ventura. A bit more mainstream than Dumb And Dumber, it’s less ridiculous in concept (with the exception of a man employed as a pet detective). If you know how to laugh, then you’ll be hard-pressed to avoid doing so while watching Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.

Jim Carrey stars in the role of Ace Ventura, a Miami-based “pet detective” who has an unusual ability to relate to animals of every kind. For the most part, Carrey spends his days searching for lost and stolen pets. But when the Miami Dolphin mascot turns up missing, the Dolphin front office enlists Ventura’s aid in finding the culprit.

With the help of Dolphins employee Melissa Robinson (Courteney Cox) and law enforcement buddy Emilio (Tone Loc), Ace searches the whole of Miami in an effort to recapture the kidnapped dolphin. But along the way, he butts heads with Miami PD Lt. Lois Einhorn (Sean Young). When Ace discovers that the master criminal is a former member of the last Dolphins championship team, he must uncover the person’s identity if he hopes to find the mascot (leading to one of the more hilarious sequences in the film, when Carrey follows around the former players, searching for a ring with a missing stone). However, the stakes of the investigation are raised when the same perpetrator kidnaps Dan Marino before the Super Bowl. Now, it’s up to Ace Ventura to save the football season for the Miami Dolphins.

Long before his other starring roles, Jim Carrey burst onto the Hollywood radar with this cult classic smash hit. Ace Ventura is utterly ridiculous, but the movie thrives on the back of Carrey’s unique talents. Not since Robin Williams has a comedian of such limitless energy and ability hit the big screen. Ace Ventura showcases the best of Carrey’s talents and accurately embodies (he wrote it) his realm of humor. The constant antics of the film’s hero make for good comedic exchange between Carrey and Young as their two characters battle against each other.

Strange and over-the-top, Ace Ventura hit the big screen as a unique oddity that many have since attempted to replicate. But few actors have the multi-faceted talents of Jim Carrey, and that makes Ace Ventura a rare film indeed. Unlike Wayne’s World, this is one 1990s comedy that hasn’t lost its comedic luster with the passing of time. It’s just as funny today as when first released – if not more hilarious. It’s this timeless quality of its comedy that makes Ace Ventura: Pet Detective a definite must-see film.

About The Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one. Source: http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/02/ace-ventura-dvd.html

What Is Waiting for Us? :: Tomorrow’s SEO Industry – by: Irina Ponomareva

Filed under: Uncategorized — Emily @ 6:44 pm
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Today, SEO is swiftly approaching saturation point. More and more webmasters realise the necessity of learning SEO basics, and as they do so, SEO professionals are facing difficulties finding new clients. With all the niche sites optimised, it will be harder to compete for good key phrases. Link building opportunities will be easily found and utilised by everyone, keyword density will reach its optimum value, meaning that the SERPs will consist of equally good and equally relevant sites – at least from the traditional SEO point of view.

Spammy techniques, still popular and sometimes even effective, will exhaust themselves even quicker. There are, really, not so many different methods of deceiving the search engines and increasing a site’s relevancy artificially; today they just differ in details. Perhaps it explains why we don’t see spammy sites in the SERPs as often as we used to – our smart spiders catch them quite soon and throw this low-rate stuff away to keep the web cleaner. As soon as spiders become smart enough to recognise spam on the fly, the particular class of “SEO specialists” propagating such rubbish will find themselves out of their jobs. It is not really hard to tell an ugly doorway from the real thing.

So who will survive? What is the way to tomorrow in SEO science?

First of all, we should monitor and analyse the latest tendencies, then extrapolate them and make good guesses on how things may look in the future. Finally, we put them to test using logic and common sense.

This will show us the true answers and help us compete when the time comes to offering ground-breaking SEO services that exploit the new qualities of search engines.

And common sense tells us that the core purpose of the search engines will never change. They are supposed to deliver the best results they can. If they are not always so good at it today, it is often explained by their restricted resources; but that will change over time.

The search engines of the future will be capable of reading JavaScript, CSS, Flash and other things that are invisible to them now. It is technically possible already, but requires more complicated algorithms and more bandwidth, so they are not so eager to implement it just yet. They prefer to sacrifice additional capabilities in favour of spiders’ speed and the freshness of their indices. But as the technical factors improve, SEs will improve and create new sensations every day, all the more so since they always have to compete with each other.

Thus, JavaScript links will count. CSS spam will be easily detected and banned. Flash sites will become a new niche for SEO specialists – at the moment they require an HTML version to subject to search engine optimisation.

But these changes are not the most important ones. Link popularity analysis algorithms are sure to become more sophisticated – and capable of analysing the “likeliness” of one or another link pattern given the information on a site’s age, size and content. That will mean death to link schemes, link farms, pyramids, automated submissions, and numerous links with the same anchor text – and, perhaps, shake the basis of the today’s reciprocal linking strategies. Relevancy will mean more, and in cases of complementary businesses linking their sites to each other, search engines will become capable of seeing if they are really complementary, not just pretending to be so.

Also, sites written in different languages but relevant in theme will be translated on the fly and count as relevant – which perfectly fits the worldwide tendency of forming international businesses. That makes international SEO companies more likely to survive.

And, most important, search engines will become capable of analysing context. Google is already playing with stemming and buying semantic packages; synonym analysis and related words (i.e. affordable services – low prices – tight budget – financial flexibility – and, perhaps, even small business package in the same row) won’t take long to come.

That will bring revolution to the whole SEO copywriting industry. Today the SEO copywriter’s skills are determined by his/her ability to include targeted keywords in the SEO copy without breaking its readability; in most cases it is bound to reduce the quality of the text, unless you hire a very capable writer. Tomorrow, exact keyword matches will be less important. That will make the copywriters’ work easier in some ways – and harder in others. It could be hard to part with the habits acquired over time and develop totally new approaches and methods.

But the Net will benefit from it.

Those who want to make their SEO copy flexible and artistic might lose points today, but will win tomorrow. And that will be the end for doorways – completely and irreversibly.

Be prepared to accept new SEO This is the only advice that seems reasonable. My forecast may not be precise, but today’s tendencies have already confirmed that this course of events is the likely one.

So, when optimising your site today, think of its contextual relevancy. Of course, include your targeted keywords – but also make sure the overall subject of the site reinforces the point. Do not be afraid of synonyms and related words: they will make your copy more natural and attractive today, and are very likely to make it more relevant tomorrow.

When building links today, vary your titles and descriptions from directory to directory and from link partner to link partner. Throw away all the automated submitters; do it manually. It is hard and time-consuming, but it is also a reliable and strong method of protecting your site from future algorithm whims. It means quality; and I strongly believe that quality will never betray you.

And never stop learning. Visit forums, read fresh articles, exchange opinions with other SEO professionals. Never assume you know everything.

And never be satisfied. It is only inquiring minds that will win in the end.

More on Topic:

There is a new king on the horizon by Rob Sullivan

Are Keywords Destroying the Flow of Your SEO Copy? by Karon Thackston

Search Engines Can Read Macromedia FLASH SDK by Jim Hedger

About The Author

Irina, Ponomareva, 32. I joined Magic Web Solutions ltd. (UK), Dartford, Kent, on March 2003. I’ve been acting as a web master, a developer, and an SEO specialist ever since.

After practising search engine optimisation for a year I then launched Spider Friendly (http://www.spiderfriendly.co.uk) – the autonomous SEO branch of Magic Web Solutions (UK) offering SEO/SEM services – in co-operation with my colleague Dmitry Antonoff.

irina@spiderfriendly.co.uk

Best Recipes: Orange Sunshine Milkshake – by: Donna Monday

Filed under: Uncategorized — Emily @ 6:43 pm
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Need a sunny pick-me-up? Try this delicious orange sunshine milkshake. It’s like transporting yourself to sunny California or a sand-drenched beach in Florida. The orange flavor will burst open in your mouth and put a smile on your face.

Orange sherbet makes this fruit-flavored milkshake a real taste treat. It’s like drinking orange cream velvet on a beautiful sunshine day.

Orange Sunshine Milkshake

  • 1/2 quart orange juice
  • 1 cup vanilla cream
  • 1 cup orange sherbet

Directions

Combine all ingredients in blender.

Blend until smooth.

About The Author

Copyright 2004
Donna Monday
Easy to make – fun to drink
http://www.1st-milkshake-n-smoothie-recipes.com

The Unerring Truth About “ODS” – by: Joseph R Primm

Filed under: Uncategorized — Emily @ 6:42 pm
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There is no question that the popularity of Online Dating Services has revolutionized the way potential couples meet each other. These days, it is not uncommon for the average single person to participate in an Online Dating Service. In fact, this trend is fast becoming the norm.

In 2004, it was estimated that residents in the U.S. spent more than $460 million on Online Dating Services.

The Internet has become the ultimate haven for singles – without the drunks, the noise, and the exorbitant cost you pay to be in the bars desperately hoping to be noticed.

Thanks to online dating sites, you don’t have to ask your mother or friend to help you hook up with someone they think is perfect for you – which in most cases, they’re not.

Online dating has for some time had an aura about it that people who get involved in it are “losers” who couldn’t get themselves a date in the “real world”. This is COMPLETE AND UTTER B.S.

The main reason that many people fail using Online Dating Services is simply that they don’t have the knowledge to market themselves to the opposite sex.

The fact of the matter is that online dating is all about being able to market yourself to the opposite sex. In that respect it’s very much like a business.

In business the company goes out in search of customers who would have an interest in their product or service. They’d do this by advertising in places where prospective customers would see their advertising.

For example:

If a company made golf clubs it would be ridiculous for them to advertise in a fishing magazine. Why? Because the advert wouldn’t get seen by their target market which is Golfers, not fisherman.

Too many online daters are making a similar mistake. They’re not thinking about their interests and hobbies properly. I’ve been in marketing for a few years now. And when showing people the importance of marketing their business to the right audience I use the following saying:

“You wouldn’t try selling a lawnmower to someone who lives in a townhouse, would you?”

In other words people living in a townhouse won’t need a lawnmower, and therefore, don’t want to buy a lawnmower.

In the same respect your advertising must be designed to sell yourself to those with a similar interest in your hobbies. Think of yourself as the business, and your hobbies as products that you will be selling with your business.

A Word Of Caution: There must also be honesty in your advertsing, One of the problems facing the industry of online dating services is that its participants often misrepresent themselves in the profiles that they create.

Not everyone tells the truth. People have been known to lie about everything, including their marital status. Some married individuals try to pass themselves off as single; while others lie about their physical appearance, age, economic status, and yes, even gender, and so on.

For an inexperienced online dater, the danger lurks at every corner. But there are some safety measures prospective participants can take to help guide them through a safe online dating experience, and there is help always available to guide you through the Online Dating experience so that you can be successful at finding that one very special person.

When you become invloved with an Online Dating Service, there are very specific procedures that should be followed, and others that should be avoided at all costs in order to increase the odds of success. If you fail to understand these details and how to put them to use, you are probably going to wind up just wasting your time and money.

There are also several things that you should be aware of before you even make the decision to join ANY “ODS”. While there are a ton of these services available online today, the quality of the services that they provide vary greatly. Know what you are getting into BEFORE joining!


This article is offered by J.R.Primm- Author of “Reaching Out”, a great new E-book delivered in PDF format and designed especially to guide those who use Online Dating Services to successful and meaningful relationships. This incredibly successful new book is now available online at: http://jrprim.com/index.html

This article may only be reprinted in it’s entirety with the above resource box intact. You may post this article anywhere you wish with the acception of websites or publications that contain pornographic, socially unacceptable, lewd, or otherwise objectionable materials.

Copyright-2005-J.R.Primm Owner/Webmaster: http://jrprim.com

About The Author

Joseph Primm has been involved in research and marketing online since 1997 and is the owner/webmaster at Kleerkode Web Designs, a home based internet business located at http://www.kleerkode.com.

Mr. Primm resides in Fort Mill, South Carolina just a stone’s throw from the hustle and bustle of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Don’t Forget That Manual! – by: V. Berba Velasco Jr., Ph.D.

Filed under: writing — Emily @ 6:41 pm
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No user manual? Surely you jest!

It may seem comical, but it’s a surprisingly common situation. I’ve encountered many companies that don’t provide any user manuals with their products. If they do, their manuals are often horribly incoherent, or else years out of date. It shouldn’t happen, but it happens all the time.

Now, this problem is less common when buying off-the-shelf software or consumer electronics. That’s because these products typically come from large corporations that pay attention to such details. Among smaller engineering firms though, this is a frequent occurrence. In fact, I’d estimate that about half of the small engineering companies that I’ve encountered are guilty of this offense.

I remember how one engineer told me why his company didn’t provide any user manuals with their products. In hushed tones, he said, “It’s because we don’t make any money by writing manuals. It’s not a money-making venture, so our management doesn’t want to waste time on this.” An annoyed expression crept into his face, then he leaned closer and said, “We have lost so many customers because we don’t have decent documentation. Talk about being penny-wise, pound-foolish!”

It’s not just the customers who suffer when manuals are inadequate or non-existent. What about the employees themselves? What happens when a new engineer comes on board, and has to learn quickly? Or what happens when existing engineers need to familiarize themselves more with unfamiliar aspects of their product lines? The user documentation, if properly written, can provide a gentle and efficient way of bringing the up to speed. Without it, they will be forced to rely more heavily on other engineers to educate them, thus wasting the time of everyone concerned. Weeks, if not months, of valuable manpower can be squandered in this fashion.

At times, a company will pay lip service to user documentation by slapping together some hastily written document that is difficult for a new user to digest. “Who cares about wording anyway?” I’ve heard many engineers say. “We’re not writing poetry or screenplays here. What matters is that the manual must be technically accurate.”

This is an appallingly short-sighted view. Technical accuracy is indeed important, but so are presentation and style. Few engineers would listen to a job applicant who shows up in a bathrobe and slippers, or a litigation attorney who speaks like a valley girl—and yet somehow, these same engineers expect their customers to slog through pages of meandering, poorly phrased text. Even matters as fundamental as spelling, grammar and proofreading are often treated as mere annoyances—piddling details that are worth nothing more than a cursory glance.

(To my relief, I have not encountered any such attitudes at my place of employment. I hasten to say this, lest anyone think that I’m complaining about the people that I work with! No, I’ve found that we all appreciate the value of excellence, for which I am always thankful. But I digress.)

Mind you, I understand that there are times when a company might not choose to invest an all-out effort in user manual development. This can happen during the early startup stages, for example, when manpower is in short supply and the products are still undergoing refinement. Unfortunately, many small companies never grow past that stage. Even after many years, they continue to thinks of user documentation as a trifling detail which deserves only a modicum of effort. By perpetuating that mindset, they ultimately shortchange both the customers and themselves.

Like it or not, a company’s user documentation (or lack thereof) is a reflection on the company itself. You can be sure that your customers will notice if the user manuals are poor or non-existent. In today’s busy world, where people need to absorb information as efficiently as possible, the lack of quality documentation can be nothing short of disastrous.

About The Author

V. Berba Velasco has been plying his trade for nearly a decade. During that time, he has repeatedly discovered the importance of good technical writing, and the pitfalls that can occur from ignoring its value.

Dr. Velasco currently works as a senior electrical and software engineer for Cellular Technology Ltd (http://www.immunospot.com, http://www.elispot-analyzers.de, http://www.elispot.cn). Dr. Velasco takes great pride in the company’s commitment to user-friendliness and product excellence.

Make an Easy Lotion For Your Skin – by: Danielle Sims

Filed under: personal — Emily @ 6:40 pm
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Years ago I found out how incredible easy it is to make lotion. It is so inexpensive and organic that I wondered why anyone would even consider spending a dime on the chemical rich lotions on the market.

Besides I had an added incentive, I have eczema, so I am extremely sensitive to what I put on my skin. Making my own lotion was a great alternative for me.

To begin, for a lotion base all you need is water, oil and an emulsifier. An emulsifier is simply an ingredient that blends the water and oil together. Here is the base that I begin with to make my lotion:

½ cup distilled water
½ cup oil (I usually use olive, almond, macadamia nut, or grape seed)
1 TBS liquid lecithin

You can experiment from here by adding essential oils, combining other oils; you can steep beneficial herbs into your water before you add your oil, etc…

Here is a nice winter lotion to get you started:

½ cup distilled water
½ cup olive oil
1 TBS lecithin
6-8 drops of geranium oil
2-4 drops Myrrh oil
400 IU Vitamin E oil (1-2 open capsules)

Geranium oil is good for supporting balance and rejuvenating dry skin conditions and for wrinkled and matured skin. Myrrh is a gentle oil that is effective in replenishing moisture.

Vitamin E oil is an excellent antioxidant and helps to protect the skin as well as a nice preservative.

Blend all ingredients in the blender either on whip or cream. You will have a nice creamy firm lotion. Add more water to make a lighter lotion. Store in the refrigerator in hot climates or store in a cool place. Shake well before use.

Enjoy your lotion. Hopefully this little recipe will inspire you to become creative!

About The Author

Danielle Sims explored her library of alternative health, herbal books, and aromatherapy books and created a blueprint for making her own body wrap formulas at home. Now she offers this information in an e-book entitled Wrap Yourself Slim: Body Wrap Exposed. Monthly newsletter is also available at her web site. for more information go to http://www.wrapyourselfslim.com
links@wrapyourselfslim.com

Children Get Constipated, Too – by: Dr. Loretta Lanphier, ND, CCN, HHP

Filed under: health — Emily @ 6:39 pm
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Do you notice your child putting off going to the bathroom because he/she is busy doing more important things? Do you notice avoidance of the bathroom for fear of a painful bowel movement? Is your child not experiencing daily bowel movements? These actions may be signals of constipation.

Parents often hope their worries about their children’s bathroom habits will end with the final diaper. But successful toilet training doesn’t prevent occasional troubles with bowel movements. Constipation is among the most common but should never be considered normal.

Unfortunately most of the medical literature defines childhood constipation as not the frequency of bowel movements but the hardness of the stool. According to the Physicians’ Manual for Patients, “Daily bowel movements are not essential to health.” Parents are told that as long as the child is having three bowel movements a week AND they are soft that this is totally normal. Not so! Just as we eat three meals per day, a child should be experiencing between 1 to 3 bowel movements per day. Food should never be sitting in the digestive track longer than 24 hours. Ideally, everyone should have comfortable, unforced bowel movements 20-30 minutes after every meal.

Because the discussion of bowel movements between child and parent usually brings out total dread in parents, it is often ignored and assumed that the child is experiencing bowel movements each day. Many of us remember cringing when a grandparent asked us “Have you had a bowel movement today?” The cringe was not necessarily because of the question but because it was usually asked very loudly at the dinner table! You see, in their generation this was considered a very important function for good health. Somewhere along the line we have stopped looking at this as an important clue in overall health. Digestive track health is considered by many to be the most important function in keeping the body healthy.

Causes Of Childhood Constipation

  • Diet & Nutrition – Not eating enough foods with fiber; Dehydration; Consuming a lot of sugar and desserts; Milk and dairy products; Food Allergies; Acid forming foods (meat).
  • Lack of Exercise – With the popularity of computer games and TV many children are leading a very sedentary lifestyle.
  • Emotion Upsets & Anxiety – Fear, grief, worry and frustration have all been known to affect the digestive tract.
  • Holding stools – This means the child has the feeling of needing to have a bowel movement, but ignores the urge. Reasons such as not wanting to take the time to go to the bathroom, unfamiliar bathrooms or pain in passing a stool are very common.
  • Prescription Drugs – Antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Temaril or Benadryl), found in nonprescription cold medications; Antidiarrheal medications; Antispasmodics, such as atropine and scopolamine; Narcotics, such as codeine and hydrocodone; Chemotherapy; Anticonvulsants, such as carbamazepine and valproic acid; Tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline hydrochloride or doxepin hydrochloride; Iron supplements.
  • Other less common causes of constipation are depression, attention deficit disorders, and sexual abuse.

Constipation Symptoms

  • Less than 1 bowel movement per day.
  • Stools that are hard and difficult to pass.
  • Headaches, fatigue and/or depression.
  • Encopresis, or accidental fecal soiling. Often if a hard stool is present in the rectum, liquid feces can leak around the hard stool and pass out the anus without the child’s control. This can happen many times during the day. The child cannot do anything to prevent or withhold it.
  • Abdominal pain near or around the navel.
  • Bed-wetting.
  • Decreased appetite and nausea.

Prevention

  • Diet—The most important thing is to increase fluid intake. However, some children get into the habit of only drinking sodas to satisfy their thirst. Most children are dehydrated from sugary drinks and from not taking the time out to quench thirst. Offer clean, pure water. A child should be drinking half of his/her body weight in water each day. Include servings of fresh, organic fruit and vegetables. Teach your child to eat raw as much as possible. Make 50% of each meal fresh, raw, unprocessed foods. Include whole grains, nuts and seeds in the diet. Limit white flour, chocolate, sugar, dairy and milk products. Train your child to eat slowly and moderately. Provide a relaxing environment while eating. Take a probiotic supplement daily to facilitate the growth of “friendly bacteria” in the colon.
  • Bowel habit training—Your child should be taught not to wait to have a bowel movement. To establish a regular bowel habit, ask your child to sit on the toilet for at least 10 minutes at about the same time each day, preferably after a meal. Make sure your child can place his or her feet firmly on the floor while sitting on the toilet. If this is not possible, put a footstool in front of the toilet. While your child is sitting on the toilet, you might let your child read a storybook or listen to the radio. Educate your child, at an early age, on the importance of good bowel habits. Let them know that this is not something to be embarrassed about but a normal and very necessary function for good health.
  • Exercise—Make sure that your child is getting enough exercise. Children spend way too much time in front of computers and TV. Encourage outside activities as much as possible. Physical activity speeds the movement of waste through the digestive tract.
  • Stress—Yes, children experience stress! Children are some of the busiest people I know. Stress causes the body to break down and constipation can be a result. Talk with and spend time with your children. Teach them how to relax and to be calm. Encourage them, support them and speak encouraging words to them. Teach them how to handle difficult situations, to be happy and to communicate their problems. Most important—model this behavior in front of them.
  • Keep The Bowel Clean—Keeping the bowel clean is a great preventative step and very necessary in keeping the body in good health. For complete cleansing of the digestive tract we recommend a product called Oxy Powder. Oxy Powder is a safe and natural way to cleanse the whole digestive track while also providing the body with oxygen. Consult your healthcare practitioner for dosages appropriate for children.
  • Chiropractic Adjustments – Helps prompt bowel movements. The waves that move material through the colon occur as a result of nerve excitement that originates at the spinal nerves. Adjustments also help normalize the action of the ileocecal valve, the valve that separates the large from the small intestine.

Constipation can undermine the whole body and it is now known that irregular bowel movements are directly related to serious health conditions. Constipation does not have to be a problem if you will practice prevention with your children and implement the suggestions found in this article. Regular bowel movements are an important mechanism for removing toxins from the body and thus keeping the body healthy. Remember: Prevention is always the key. As always, if severe symptoms persist, do not hesitate to see your healthcare professional.

About The Author

Loretta Lanphier, ND, CCN, HHP is a Doctor of Naturopath, Certified Clinical Nutritionist and Holistic Health Practitioner in the Houston, TX area and Vice President of Global Healing Center, Inc. A teacher and educator, she counsels Global Healing Center clients on the aspects of getting the body healthy and keeping the body healthy. As a cancer survivor, she is able to relate extensively, both as a patient and a practitioner, to clients suffering from disease. She is also involved in researching new alternative disease treatments and products. Dr. Lanphier is Assistant Editor and contributor to the worldwide newsletter Alternative Health & Healing. Visit us on the web at: www.globalhealingcenter.com or email: staff@globalhealingcenter.com

Beverly Hills Cop (DVD) Review – by: Britt Gillette

Filed under: Uncategorized — Emily @ 12:57 pm
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Starring in arguably his most memorable role, Eddie Murphy lights up the big screen with his 1980’s blockbuster hit Beverly Hills Cop. Showcasing the unique comic talents of a young career on the rise, the former Saturday Night Live cast member’s smiling humor and charismatic onscreen presence take an adequate screenplay and turn it into a smash film. Appearances by Paul Reiser and Bronson Pinchot (as the trendy ‘Serge’) combine with Murphy’s antics to make Beverly Hills Cop a hilarious and highly entertaining movie.

Eddie Murphy plays the role of Axel Foley, a freewheeling Detroit police officer who witnesses the murder of a close friend on the force during a botched drug bust. Linking the murders back to Beverly Hills, Foley takes an extended vacation from his job in Detroit. But rather than relax, he makes his way to Beverly Hills where he plans on conducting his own investigation.

In pursuit of the murderers, Foley uncovers a massive drug smuggling operation run by one of the elite socialites of Beverly Hills. Digging for the truth, the Detroit cop is forced to butt heads with the Beverly Hills police department and confront the drug ring’s various henchmen. Despite direct orders from their superior, Beverly Hills cops Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and John Taggart (John Ashton) eventually change from adversaries of Foley (attempting to halt his illegal investigations) to willing participants in his uncovering of the illegal drug ring. In the end, Foley finds the murderer, but will he get his revenge? Will the Beverly Hills police arrest him before he does? You’ll have lots of fun finding out.

Complimented by a hit soundtrack which features four smash hits (Glenn Frey’s “The Heat Is On,” The Pointer Sisters’ “Neutron Dance,” Patti LaBelle’s “New Attitude,” and Harold Faltermeyer’s breakthrough hit “Axel F”), the film’s action and suspense sequences play out to the backdrop of adrenaline pumping beats and synthetic keyboard sounds. The music itself provides a small glimpse in the musical experimentation of an age that witnessed the convergence of high technology and sound. In a way, Beverly Hills Cop typifies the decade of the 1980s, but it does so without being so overly engrossed in the cultural fads of the day as to be outdated and ridiculous in the eyes of a modern audience. This is one of the core strengths of the film and one of the reasons millions of fans enjoy watching reruns of the movie on cable.

One of the more unique films of the 1980s, Beverly Hills Cop created a new sub-genre of film by splicing the serious action/suspense genre with the comedic personality/comedy genre. As a rare talent, Eddie Murphy is uniquely positioned to pull off the coup, carrying the film on the back of his personal likeability and hilarious brand of comedy. Performances by Judge Reinhold and John Ashton serve to compliment Murphy, and together, the three form a relatable, “average guy” click that audiences feel inclined to root for. As a result, the viewer is never bored, whether being entertained by mere suspense or hilarious comedy. Without a doubt, Beverly Hills Cop is one of the top ten comedies of its decade, and that’s why it’s a definite must-see movie.

About The Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one. Source: http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/02/beverly-hills-cop-dvd.html

Linking for Fun and Profit – by: Steve Pronger

Filed under: Uncategorized — Emily @ 12:56 pm
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Well actually, linking isn’t fun at all. In fact, it’s quite tedious. Seeking, responding to requests and adding links takes time and effort. But, if you’re not actively building links the RIGHT way you are going to be left behind. In other words, your site will be “Lost in Cyberspace”. The plain fact is Google, and to a lesser extent, other important search engines, reward sites with links from relevant and important pages.

If you want your site to deliver lots of targeted search engine traffic (and who doesn’t?) there are two equally important factors:

1) lots of keyword-rich, search engine friendly content

2) lots of relevant, incoming links from the RIGHT sources

For real success you need to cover BOTH of these strategies. Don’t concentrate on one and not the other.

So, how do you go about building your links? It’s not rocket science, but as I said, it does take time and effort. From my own experiences, here’s what you should do:

1) Download and install the Google Toolbar:

http://toolbar.google.com/

This will show you the PageRank of the page you are viewing. PageRank is a measure, rated from 1 to 10, of the “importance” that Google gives to that page. There has been a lot written about PageRank. You don’t need to become obsessed with it but it IS an important consideration when determining WHO to link to. A link from a PR-5 page is worth FAR more than a PR-0 page.

2) Establish a resource or links directory for your site. This lets potential link partners see that you are willing to exchange links. You should make it clear on your links pages what your linking policy is i.e. under what conditions you will agree to exchange links.

3) Your aim should be to build a resource directory that is relevent to your business. Don’t try to build a mini Yahoo with umpteen different categories. Keep your directory focussed on your site theme. When you first start out you will be inclined to link to anybody in exchange for a link FROM anybody. This is a mistake. Be patient and choose your link partners carefully.

4) Before requesting a link from another site, add that site to your directory. Contact the webmaster and tell them you added their link because you believe their site would be of interest to your visitors (and so it should). Give the url where your link is located and ask for a return link, along with instructions on how you would like your link worded. NEVER demand by saying things like “if you do not link to us we will remove your link”.

5) If you have not received a reply after 2 – 3 weeks send a polite follow up. Again, don’t demand. No one is under any obligation to link to you. If you do not receive a reply to your second request it means that the webmaster does not want to link to you, or they are simply too busy to respond. In that case, leave it and move on. I receive dozens of link requests a day. Sometimes it takes me many weeks to get around to responding. You’ll go mad worrying about links that have not been reciprocated. Your time is better spent.

6) When you receive a link request visit the site and check that it meets with your requirements as set down on your link pages. Is it a quality site with good content or just a “link farm”? If it doesn’t meet your requirements don’t link to it.

The webmaster SHOULD have already linked to your site but be prepared to overlook that breech of linking protocol if it’s from a good quality, high PR site.

7) Beware of webmasters who add your site to their “directory” which turns out to nothing but a link farm i.e. has no useful content, just a bunch of links, and asks you to link to an entirely different site, one that HAS good content. These webmasters are playing you for a sucker. The benefit is all theirs.

8) As I said in point #1, links from high PR pages are worth more than links from low or no PR pages. Seek out high PR linking partners but keep in mind it is the PR of the actual page your link is on that matters, NOT the PR of the home page. In other words if the home page PR is 5, but the page your link is on is several layers deep in the directory, it will probably have a PR of 0 and be of little benefit to you. Check the PR of the actual page your link is on, or is going to be on, before agreeing to exchange links.

Each page on your links directory should be no more than one click away from your home page, and your linking partner’s site should be the same. If your link is placed on a page which looks something like this – directory/category/subcategory/subcategory with your link – you will derive NO value from that link.

9) Be prepared to negotiate your links. Savvy webmasters understand the value of links from high PR pages. If you add a link to a PR-0 page on your site don’t expect your link partner to put your link on a PR-6 page, and your link partner shouldn’t expect the same from you. Exchange value for like value.

When you first start out your site may not have any PR due to a lack of incoming links. This reduces your bargaining power. However, you can overcome this by getting your site listed in as many large business directories as possible. Some of these you will have to pay, such as Yahoo and Microsoft’s Business Directory, but many others are free. You’ll find a good list here:

http://www.strongestlinks.com/directories.php

10) Be specific about how you want your link partner to link to you. It is MOST important that the link to you contain your targeted keywords in the anchor (linked) text. When I ask for a link to my site I don’t want the link title to be:

Steve Pronger Web Business Solutions

Instead, I ask for:

Create Website | Small Business Website Designer

or whichever keywords I am targeting at the time. A search for those keywords at Google will illustrate my point!

11) And finally, here is an excellent resource to help you find quality link partners. It’s called Value Exchange, and will put you in contact with like-minded webmasters:

http://www.stevepronger.com/value_exchange.htm

About The Author

Steve Pronger is a website designer and affiliate marketer helping small businesses succeed on the Web. Visit his Web Business Solutions site at http://www.stevepronger.com

Best Recipes: Eggnog Milkshake – by: Donna Monday

Filed under: Uncategorized — Emily @ 12:55 pm
Tags: , , , , , ,

It’s that time of year again when we all get together and share good conversation, merriment, and great food. Here’s a quick and easy recipe for an eggnog milkshake.

This recipe is delicious and an alternative to traditional eggnog. To cut down on the calories you can use skim milk or low fat milk and low fat ice cream.

Make it more festive by using decorative glasses or mugs and adding a candy cane or cinnamon stick for an extra special treat. Eggnog milkshake only takes a few minutes to make but everyone will think you made a special effort.

Just think how nice it will be to sit down in your cozy living room while the Christmas music is playing and the Christmas tree lights are twinkling and savor the cool, creamy flavor of an eggnog milkshake.

May your holiday be truly filled with warmth and joy.

Eggnog Milkshake

  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • Dash salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 scoop vanilla ice cream
  • Nutmeg

Directions

In blender combine first 5 ingredients. Mix until frothy.

Top each serving with a scoop of ice cream. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

About The Author

Copyright 2004
Donna Monday
Easy to make – fun to drink
http://www.1st-milkshake-n-smoothie-recipes.com

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