10 Tips For Promoting Through Ezine Articles

What's the most powerful marketing technique on the Web? Search Engine positioning? Perhaps. But did you know that some of the most successful web marketers don't bother much with the Search Engines?

They put most of their effort into another technique that's just as powerful and is much more under their control.

They write Ezine Articles.

There are tens of thousands of Ezines being published every month, with a collective audience of millions.

And the editors of most of those Ezines are all looking for quality content for their newsletters.

If you master this technique you can get your name and your website URL in front of 100,000 or even a million readers.

Right now there's a shortage of good Ezine Articles.

So, if you write well and you know how to do research on the Internet, there's a huge market waiting for you.

But there are some tips for writing and publishing Ezine Articles. Here they are:

(A) Writing Your Ezine Articles:

(1) Pick a topic that you know something about (however little) and then go to the Search Engines and find as many websites as you can that deal with that subject.

As well as collecting information for your article, make a note of any URLs that offer free resources dealing with the topic of your article. Include those URLs in your article.

(2) Once you've done the basic research, write the title of your article in the middle of a blank page and circle it. Then jot down your information in lines that radiate out from your title, like the spokes of a wheel. This technique is called 'Mind Mapping' and it's a very effective way of organizing your ideas.

You can find more information on Mind Mapping at:

http://www.mind-map.com/

(3) An increasing number of Ezine Publishers will not accept articles that are promoting a product you sell. So, keep your article free of affiliate links; avoid mentioning any products or services for which you receive a commission.

(4) At the end of your article, attach a 5- or 6-line 'Resource Box' that includes your website URL and/or your email address.

(5) When you have finished your article, do NOT send it off straight away. Let it lie fallow for 2 or 3 days and then come back and read it again. You'll be amazed at the improvements you can make. Those final improvements are what makes the difference between an article that gets published and one that doesn't.

(B) Publishing Your Ezine Articles:

(6) There are two ways of getting your articles published: 'Individual Submissions' and 'General Distribution'.

'General Distribution' will get your article in front of many more readers, per unit of effort expended, than 'Individual Submission', and I suggest you use this method before making Individual Submissions.

There are basically two kinds of 'General Distribution': Announcement Lists and websites.

Here are some Article Announcement Lists:

article_announce-subscribe@egroups.com free-content-subscribe@onelist.com publishinyours-subscribe@onelist.com articles_archives-subscribe@egroups.com

Here are some Websites that provide Free Content to Ezine Publishers:

http://216.147.104.180/articles/submit.shtml http://www.ezinearticles.com/ http://www.ideamarketers.com/ http://www.isyndicate.com/ http://www.mediapeak.com http://www.MakingProfit.com/articles/ http://www.web-source.net/articlesub.htm

(7) Once you've used these 'General Distribution' techniques, then submit your article to individual Ezines.

However, before making individual submissions, find out (a) if the Ezine Publisher accepts article submissions, (b) what the Publisher's guidelines are for article submissions.

My free Ezine Directory gives you this information, 'The Free Directory of Ezines':

http://www.netmastersolutions.com/

I have also produced an eBook called 'Get Published! The Directory of Ezines that accept Article Submissions' and you can download it free at:

http://www.netmastersolutions.com/getpub.html

(8) Format your article to 65 characters per line and make sure it contains no spelling mistakes. With the availability of spell-checkers there's really no excuse for spelling mistakes. If your article does contain spelling mistakes, many Publishers will just discard your article.

(9) Don't submit articles to the same Ezine Publisher more than once a month.

(10) Address the Ezine Publisher personally, and make sure that the message accompanying your article is very courteous - you're asking the Publisher to read your article and give you some of her valuable time and she probably gets dozens of article submissions a week.

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Michael Southon has been writing for the Internet for over 3
years. He has shown hundreds of webmasters how to use this
simple technique to build a successful online business. Click
here to find out more: http://ezine-writer.com/
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Building Your Dream Marketing Team

The Fantasy: Your marketing budget is packed to the brim with money to help build your dream marketing team. You hire nothing short of the best and life is good.

The Reality: Your staff is overworked, your budget's tight and you complete about half of the projects on your to-do list.

This reality is what many marketing mangers and small businesses face on a daily basis. Even so, you're still expected to consistently produce better results ? and the bar keeps on rising while you keep losing resources. It's situations like these that call for the outsourced consultants and freelancers of the world to help turn your fantasy marketing team into a reality.

What can you outsource?

You can outsource just about anything. With the layoffs and budget cuts that plague marketing departments and agencies, there are a ton of freelancers out there ready and willing to take on your projects. Everyone from designers, to copywriters, to project mangers can be brought in to help with any number of marketing communications tasks. Many times, you can find a team of freelancers that regularly work together. Look for freelancers by doing a Web search, browsing the yellow pages or by referrals from colleagues.

Wanted: good copywriting and design

If marketing communications were a building, copywriting and graphic design would be the support beams. Without these critical components, you really don't have a chance of communicating your message, making a sale or building your brand. Some of the best marketing communications pieces can come from a copywriter/design team, and most freelance copywriters and designers have a colleague they will refer to you.

A good copywriter/designer team should be able to understand your project quickly and get to work on it right away. In addition, they should be willing to work with you, your staff and any other creative partners you need involved in the project. However, don't assume that any freelancer will be able to effectively work with your staff - make sure they have the people skills to do so by interviewing them and checking their references. Often in the freelance industry, you can run across so called "hermits" that enjoy working by themselves and don't do well working with others. Not good if your project requires a lot of teamwork.

Thinking outside the box (or outside of your office)

One of the biggest benefits of working with a freelancer is getting their perspective on your projects. If they are a seasoned pro, they are used to giving advice to clients and should be more than happy to do so. Since you are so close with your industry and work with the same colleagues every day, your perspective can become skewed. Many "insiders" adopt their company's perspective rather than their customer's. A good freelancer can help you avoid this by asking questions and suggesting ideas that you might not have thought about.

No more drained resources

Your full-time employees generally have a full-time workload. Even if you have writers and designers on staff, adding more duties to their already overflowing to-do lists can cause burnout and make your department fall behind on important projects. Bringing in a freelancer can help even things out and give your staff some breathing room.

A dedicated worker whenever you need them and never when you don't

When you hire a full-time employee, it is a big investment. A salary, training, insurance and office supplies are all part of the costs. When you hire a freelancer you pay them only for the project and nothing else. It's like having a full-time professional on call 365 days a year.

You've made the decision, now it's time to hire

When hiring freelancers, don't just look for the best price and quickest turnaround times, look for someone that will be there for the long term and will become more of a partner to your company. Follow these steps and you should be on the right track to building your dream marketing team:

1. First, you need to find a freelancer. Some of the best work will come from referrals - ask colleagues and other creative partners for referrals. You can also do a Web search, browse the yellow pages and check with local business organizations such as the chamber of commerce.

2. Interview the freelancer and view samples of their work. This will help you determine if they do quality work, and if they will fit in with your company and projects.

3. Request references from previous clients. When checking the references, try and get a feel for their timeliness, teamwork and professionalism.

4. Develop a contract or a letter of agreement that details the scope of the project, due dates and payment terms. This will help keep everyone on the same page, and protect both you and the freelancer.

Most companies are looking for ways to reduce costs and keep their staff happy, while building their brand and increasing sales. Hiring a freelancer to help out with your marketing workload can help to accomplish this. You'll put your company on the right track to success and put you on the right track to having your dream marketing team. So what are you waiting for? Start building your dream marketing team with freelancers today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Greg Quigley is a professional business writer and owner of Q-Com Business Writing. He can be reached at 414-347-0660 or via his Web site at http://www.qcomnet.com

Measuring Your Way to Success

Are you a motivational speaker who consistently gets rave reviews yet your ratio of speaking to return rate is not where you would like it to be? Perhaps you are a trainer whose delivery is complimented time and again, and yet you are only being asked by 10 to 20% of the clients you see for a repeat performance?

Are you starting to think that there is something wrong with your message or delivery despite the rave reviews? Maybe you were wondering if your fee is too steep. That may be a valid concern when organizations are faced with discretionary spending, but the rule of thumb is that you are only charging too much if more than 1 in 5 people complain about it. So, if that is not the case what else could it be?

Stumped? Well, I believe I have the answer to your questions and it has nothing to do with either of these scenarios and everything to do with metrics.

If you care to read on, I will shed some light on WHY this buzz word is so important for you to understand, and how you can use the information in this article to increase your business, get ahead of your competition and immediately raise the ratio of clients who call you back for repeat business.

Companies who have introduced performance management cultures into their organizations have been found to have higher profits and stronger market performance. Performance management is the terminology being used in industry today to measure performance against business goals and employee competencies. Is it any wonder then, that if what you are "selling" is not clearly defined in terms of measurable performance markers or proven sustainable outcomes, then your deliverables are of little use to an organization that is looking for that which can be clearly measured..

Organizations are measuring everything from employees skill levels, how many complaints they receive in a given week to how many sick days does an employee take in a given month.. Think about this for a moment. If either you or the person who hired you cannot report measurable performance outcomes for your performance or training program then this may be where the crux of the problem lies. Budgets are dearly coveted and success must be proven and measurable if the coffers are expected to open again. Do you know what success means to you and what it would look like for the organization you just left all hyped and motivated? When it comes to measuring your performance outcomes it is very important that you ask the company exactly what deliverables they are looking for and how BOTH of you are going to know if they have been met.

Before you get on stage, it is vital that you sit down with the company representative and determine what outcomes the organization is looking for, how they will be measured and what would success look like when achieved! For example, let's say you are a speaker who specializes in time management. Some measurable outcomes may look like this:

a.) Work is not piled up on desks, chairs, floors

b.) More work is completed on time

c.) employees work less overtime and you pay less overtime

d.) employees understand how to use identify what is important

e.) Less time off due to exhaustion

These are the kinds of outcomes that you and the company would decide together BEFORE you speak. They are measurable, and they are sustainable. Are you starting to understand?

If you have been following and/or embracing the industry trend for performance measurement these days, then you may be familiar with the studies that have already been conducted on the effectiveness of training with and without coaching. If not then please pay attention to this, because it is very important What you may not know, is the amazing difference that adding 8 weeks of coaching will make to your bottom line in terms of measuring the implementation of your ideas and training.

Organizations that offer training without coaching result in a 22 % improvement, but add 8 weeks of coaching on to that, and the results are a staggering 88% in overall improvement and change.

These days another industry buzz word is ROI or return on investment. In a study conducted by MetrixGlobal, they actually showed that Coaching produced a 529% return on investment as well as significant intangible benefits to the business. When the financial benefits from employee retention were added into the mix, coaching actually boosted the overall ROI to 788%... (Merrill Anderson [merrilland@metrixglobal.net])

Can you imagine being able to offer your clients a proven measurement of 88% in performance enhancement and a 788% ROI? No organization wants to spend thousands of dollars on a speaker or trainer, only to have all that great learning and enthusiasm go out the window within a few days.

For the past 25 years, I have been employed in both private and public sector organizations, working to enhance Leadership and management competencies, envision strategic direction, implement quality service standards, and introduce programs and initiatives that would advance and address organizational wellness and employee morale.

I KNOW how organizations find speakers and trainers and why they ask them to come back or not, because for many years, I was the one in charge of hiring them. My role was to decide on the learning outcomes for the organization, measure the effectiveness of the speaker and the event, and then deliver these numbers to our senior management committee. Whether or not we had this speaker back or even had a budget for another event, depended largely upon the results reported in my feedback! Let me stress this one more time "No organization wants to spend thousands of dollars on a speaker or trainer only to have all that great learning and enthusiasm go out the window within a few days"!

Not only is it time for you to measure for success but if what you are offering to your clients will enhance employee performance or ease the change process and boost organizational wellness,then don't you owe it to your clients to stick around and help them make the transition? Wouldn't it be great to know that your ideas have been implemented, institutionalized and ingrained into the corporate culture?

Challenge yourself to re-examine your business model and think about adding a 12 week coaching component to your package. If hiring you is a numbers game, and re hiring is based on proven performance metrics, then having a track record of 88% in performance enhancement will guarantee an easing of the corporate purse strings. Asking you back just became a whole lot easier, because you now have measurable proof of your successes. Your clients will be astounded by not only your metrics but more importantly the real changes that are going to take place as a result of implementing your best practices.

According to Hay Group,

"To be successful in today's ever-shifting market, people count for more -- they can make or break the best business strategy, be the driver or brake in adopting new technologies. People are not an implementation issue, nor just an operational or strategic asset. People are the raw resource around which business success revolves."

I hope that after reading this article you feel that adding "12 weeks of supportive coaching" to total package makes good business sense,for not only you but your clients as well.

Coach Frankie Picasso is a Change Management & Vision Coach who works with organizations and individuals to take the Fear out of Change and replace it with excitement and passion for a future filled with infinite possibilities. She is a member of the ICF, as a business and personal life coach. She is also a trainer with the International Coach Academy, a motivational speaker,consultant and author. You will hear Frankie ask time and again?. "So, what's it going to be -Mission Impossible, Mission Improbable or Mission Unstoppable? If you choose Unstoppable, then Coach Frankie will bring you all the way home. http://www.conversationwithmyshoes.com Frankie999@rogers.com 905 495 3699

The Power of Stories and Testimonies

As I am sure you all can tell by now, I am a big believer in sharing with you stories and testimonies of God supernaturally showing Himself in any way, shape or form. I believe that these God-stories are extremely powerful and they all help us to continue to build our faith up in the power of God and the fact that He does want to become very active in our lives if we are open to allowing Him to come in.

I'm sure most, if not all of you, have had some kind of supernatural activity with God where He has shown Himself to you in some specific way - whether it be to help get you out of jam or answer a prayer for a specific need - whether it be for yourself or someone else you had been praying for.

What I have personally found through actual experience is that God really does want to become very active in your daily life and there are quite a few times He will show Himself to you in some kind of supernatural way.

However, I have also found out that a lot of Christians are really scared of any kind of supernatural activity from God. They would prefer to keep God at a distance. It's one thing to know that God the Father is in heaven and can hear our prayers and control things at a "distance."

It's quite another thing however to have God get close to you with some kind of supernatural activity - whether it be a vision, a dream, some kind of manifestation, a visitation, a healing, a deliverance of some kind, a prophecy, etc.

As you can tell from reading some of my articles - myself and quite a few of my friends have had some incredible supernatural activity from God in reference to some deliverance situations where God really did show up in a supernatural way to deliver someone out of a dire situation.

What I have learned the hard way is that some of this heavier stuff does freak people out if they themselves have not had much supernatural activity from God.

To those of you who want to go into deeper waters with God and are not afraid of Him, I believe you will find these stories to be uplifting and encouraging. When you read about God helping someone else out in some kind of supernatural way - it builds up your faith even further because you will come to the conclusion that if God can move supernaturally to help someone else out - then He can also do the same for you since the Bible tells us that God is no respecter of persons.

The Bible says your faith is built up by "hearing" the word of God. When you read these kind of dramatic stories and testimonies, you are actually "hearing" about them - which in turn will help build up your own personal faith levels with God. As I always do, I will end this short article with some extremely powerful Scripture verses to back up my arguments that God really does want us sharing these kind of supernatural stories with others who will feed off of them. He wants us recording them, remembering them and telling and sharing them with others who want to hear about them.

However, the Bible also tells us not to give what is holy to the dogs - otherwise they will just tear to pieces with criticism and condemnation what you have just fed to them and they will then turn around and tear you personally to pieces. These kinds of God-stories are holy and I have personally learned the hard way to be careful who I share them with.

Now here are some powerful Scripture verses backing up my argument that God really does want us sharing these kinds of stories with others who are open to receiving them.

The Scripture Verses

1. This first verse tells us that God has made His wondrous works to be remembered! And the best way to attempt to remember anything is to actually record them as they happen. I personally keep a "God Journal" logging every type of meaningful activity I get from God.

I don't record every little thing that may happen with Him, but I will record the medium to heavier stuff that will make for a good story or a good teaching tool to help others out in their own personal walks with the Lord.

There is no way most of us can remember all of the things God will do with you once He starts to become very active in your life. By logging these events down in some type of journal - you will have something you can share with others to help build up their faith after they initially get saved.

This journal will also help you get through any storms that may come in your life. By going back and remembering all of the things God has done for you in the past will help get you through whatever your present predicament may be. If God helped or delivered you out of something 3 years ago - then He will help or deliver you out of whatever present storm cloud you may find yourself in now.

The Bible says that God does not change. If He helped you in your past - then He will continue to help and preserve you in your present and your future. By going back and seeing what He has done for you in your past will help keep your faith and confidence levels operating at a higher level with Him. All of your past activities with God will serve as good "faith boosters" when you need them for any present storm cloud.

Here is the verse. It is only a one liner, but I feel a very powerful statement is being made. "He has made his wonderful works to be REMEMBERED." (Psalm 111:4). 2. This next verse talks about God making a comment that His people were not "mindful" of the wonders that He had done among them.

Being mindful means you really cherish, think about, meditate on, record, share with others what God may have done with you by way of any type of "wonderful work."

One of the secrets to getting God to become more supernaturally involved in your life is to be "mindful" and really cherish and appreciate it when He does do something rather dramatic for you. In my own God journal - I not only record what He does for me personally - but I also record what He does for some of my other friends who I am sharing my God-walk with.

This way, I not only learn from what He is doing personally with me - but I'm also learning other things about God from what He is doing with my other friends.

Here is the verse. Again, it is only one sentence, but a lot is being said in this one sentence.

"They refused to obey, and they were not mindful of your wonders that you did among them." (Nehemiah 9:17). 3. This next verse gets right to the heart of this matter. It specifically talks about speaking about the glory of God and to talk about and to make known to others about any of His mighty acts. "They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom, and talk of Your power, to make known to the sons of men His mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of His kingdom." (Psalm 145:11-12)

4. This next verse also drives home the point about making known God's "deeds" to others and to talk about all of His wondrous works.

"Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him ... talk of all His wondrous works! Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders and the judgments of His mouth." (1 Chronicles 16:8-12) 5. Here is another powerful verse telling us to speak about the might of His awesome acts and to "declare" His greatness.

"Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts, and I will declare Your greatness. They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness." (Psalm 145:6-7)

6. This next verse tells us that we should not be afraid or ashamed to speak about God even to "kings" if we have to. "I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed." (Psalm 119:46)

7. Though all of the above verses tell us not to be afraid to talk about God and what He may have done personally for you - this next verse also gives us a solemn warning in that we are to be careful with who we share these kind of stories with.

This next verse specifically tells us not to give what is holy to the "dogs." This verse tells us two things will happen if we do. First, they will just "trample under their feet" what you have just shared or given to them. Second, they will then turn around and tear you personally to pieces for sharing this with them.

I believe the word "dogs" are referring to unbelievers who are not open in any way, shape or form from hearing anything about God in their present situation.

They are full of doubt, ridicule and have very judgmental and critical spirits. I have also found this to actually be true with quite a few Christians. Many Christians really do not seem to be in a real full surrender with God or have established any kind of real personal relationship with Him. As a result, they get very little, if any real supernatural activity with Him. They thus will have a hard time believing you when you try and tell them one of your God stories. They think that since none of this kind of activity ever comes their way - that there is no way that you are actually receiving this kind of supernatural activity from God.

My advice to you would be to just use your good natural common sense and rely on your leadings from the Holy Spirit as to who to share these kind of God stories and testimonies with and who not to. Most of the time, you will have an "inner knowing" from the Holy Spirit as to who to share these stories with and who not to share them with.

Now here is the verse giving us this warning:

"Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces." (Matthew 7:6)

Conclusion

All of the above Scripture verses tell us that God really does want us talking about Him and sharing with others our own personal "God adventures." That is why I have chosen to start up this website - not only to give you good articles about God and the Bible - but also sharing with all of you the actual stories and testimonies myself and some of my friends have had with God Himself.

If there is one thing I have personally found out about God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit is that they really want to show Themselves to you and they really want to become very active in your daily life. But they will only show Themselves to you and become very active in your life only if you really want them too.

This supernatural realm is really for "seekers" only. To those of you who may be a little scared or skittish of having God supernaturally show Himself to you in any way - the one thing that I and the others can tell you, without any shadow of doubt, is that when God does start to supernaturally communicate with you in any way - it is simply pure joy and fun. When you start to meet God "head on" in this realm - you will find out very quickly that there is nothing to be afraid of when He does start show Himself to you.

Our God is a very loving God and He is truly our one and only real Father. He has nothing but your best interests at heart and wants nothing more than to establish a personal relationship with each one of you. And in that personal relationship is a desire in Him to want to make contact and show Himself to you - so as to be able to help you along the way in your life's journey with Him.

Article written by Michael Bradley of Bible Knowledge Ministries. Their website is a resource of Bible Knowledge, articles, commentary and teaching. They currently have over 100 Bible articles.

The Bush There Or Here Fallacy and the War in Iraq

Today we wish to examine a fallacy, or error in reasoning, which we have found springing up now and again in today's popular discourse about the so-called War On Terror. This one comes straight from the top -- well, not the VERY top -- but from Washington D.C. You have heard the President say it on national teevee, and so have we: "We either have to fight them [the terrorists] over there [i.e. Iraq], or we have to fight them over here [i.e. inside the U.S. border]."

Now we have chosen to examine this particular Bushism because, here, Mr. Bush has offered quite the textbook example of what informal logic-addicts call, a "false disjunction," or simply the "either-or" fallacy. To commit this error in reasoning, you only need to oversimplify a range of many options, reducing it to a pretended range that limits them to two logically-possible options only.

For instance, isn't possible that, if the U.S. pulled its troops from Iraq, using many of them to assist with border patrol duties, that we could avoid fighting "them" here by not letting them in, and yet not fight them "there" either? Now, to be sure, many will hasten to point out that they see this as impractical, ill-advised (for whatever reason), etc. My only point remains this: the option I have mentioned is logically possible. And I could imagine quite a few others.

For instance, the U.S. could spend a handsome little sum on policing our domestic internal affairs, and arrest all terrorists before they can do any harm. We have already arrested quite a few of them here without any fight whatever. One might argue that bloodless arrests seem much better, not to mention a good deal cheaper, than national invasions where the whole countryside gets shot up.

Now, if the U.S. can act with pre-emptive success in Iraq (for the president has suggested many times that it can), why can it not do so also much closer to home? But if the U.S. cannot do so on its home turf, why should anyone think they can do it in Iraq?

Remember, I do not mean to argue here against the U.S. presence in Iraq, but only to critique one particular reason offered for it by the president. He has, after all, listed quite a few different reasons for the invasion, at different times -- which may or may not be a good thing.

For today, then, let the reader take away this lesson in the logic of popular discourse -- never reduce a range of many possible options to two only, unless you prepare well enough to show that the others do not represent truly logical options. Otherwise, you will have committed the either-or fallacy.

Carson Day has written approximately 1.3 gazillion articles and essays, many with very insightful, if alternative, viewpoints. He presently writes for Ophir Gold Corporation, and specialized in the history of ideas in college. He has been quoted in the past as saying "What box?" and remains at large despite the best efforts of the civil authorities.

You can visit the Ophir Gold Corporation blogsites at http://scriberight.blogspot.com (Writing With Power), http://ophirgoldcorp.blogspot.com (OGC's Free Web Traffic), or http://ophirgold.blogspot.com (Church and State 101)

What A 6-Month Old Can Teach Us About Our Eating Habits

Recently, I had the pleasure of seeing my 6-month old niece Rianna in Las Vegas. She has just started eating "real" baby food beyond the formula in her bottle, and I got a kick out of feeding her one of her meals of squash. Okay, so not all of it got in her mouth, but she was pretty cooperative overall.

I was curious as to what else she was eating, and my sister-in-law showed me an assortment of baby food jars containing green beans, carrots, bananas and a variety of other fruits and vegetables.

It was at this moment the following thought hit me. When we come into this world we are "NMP" (a healthy eating style) and then some! We don't start off eating meat, poultry and the various other junk food we become accustomed to later on. The craving for these items is something we learn. And if we can learn it, we can also "unlearn" it. That's what I did when I used my unique Fallback Methods to make the easy, gradual transition to my healthy "NMP" eating style. By the way, I coined the acronym "NMP" for my book "Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too!" to describe my healthy eating style. It stands for "no meat or poultry", but unlike vegetarian diets, includes fish, and its emphasis on converting favorite comfort foods we all grew up on and like to eat out, into more healthful meatless forms.

You can do your children a huge favor by bringing them up "NMP", or at least as "NMP" as possible, and letting them continue with the non-meat/poultry diet they naturally started when they first were introduced to solid food. You can also help the other children in your life--grandchildren and nieces and nephews by teaching them when you have time with them that good food choices are their friends.

There is an epidemic of overweight and obese kids in the United States due to poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle (too much television, video games and computer time). So diseases like Type II diabetes which are supposed to be "adult onset" are starting to show up even in teenagers. Researchers have shown that arteries can begin being clogged by poor diet from the early years of childhood on. It's never too soon to adopt healthy eating habits that can put a child in the best possible position to have a very long and healthy life.

So does this mean that as your kids grow they cannot have all the "traditional" kid fare that all of us love like hot dogs, hamburgers and chicken nuggets? Not at all! There are healthy and delicious non-meat/poultry versions of all of these foods that you can use, and feel good about giving your child. So your kids can definitely "have their cheeseburger and keep their health too!" There's even one company, Yves, that has introduced a line of "lunchable"-type meals that mimic those incredibly unhealthy, heavily-advertised meals that kids are often sent off to school with.

And, just because you're not a kid (at least in numeric age) anymore yourself, it doesn't mean that you can't asily "unlearn" and improve upon your current eating habits. "NMP" eating is designed to allow you to eat healthfully, yet still have all your favorite comfort foods. "NMP" also teaches you to avoid hidden food dangers. It's the unique combination of the two that gives you the best of all possible worlds when it comes to diet and your health. So why not make "NMP" the healthy eating style of choice in your household? It's never too early and it's never too late!

Note: Please check with your pediatrician or other healthcare professionals to determine the best way to incorporate healthy "NMP" eating in your child's diet and it's applicability to his or her particular needs.

(c) Copyright 2002 By Melanie R. Jordan E-Publishing

About The Author

Melanie is the author of "Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too!" This Booklocker.com print best seller uniquely shows how healthy eating achieved with favorite comfort foods is deliciously possible! Melanie also publishes a free monthly e-zine called "Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too! Update" (subscribe by e-mail to healthycoach@aweber.com). Visit her web site Healthy Eating Coach's Corner at http://www.healthyeatingcoach.com

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The Marriage Test

Love should not blind a couple to the realities of their legal status of husband and wife, for they are bound by an unwritten contract of marriage governed by the laws of the federal government, the state they live in and the decisions of the judiciary. Every bride and groom must learn that the state is at the altar with them.

You would never sign a contract without reading it or seeking an attorney's advice. Those about to marry, however, have never been told how important the fine print is. No options are offered, no negotiation allowed, and no warranties extended, express or implied, when you say "I do."

If all the terms were fully disclosed, who knows if you would sign on the dotted line without further negotiations? Take the test below to evaluate your knowledge of the marriage contract.

The Marriage Test

* Do you know how state law controls the property you acquire during your marriage?

* Do you know what interest the state says your spouse has in the income-producing (i.e. interests, dividends, rents) assets you owned before marriage?

* If your spouse died without a will, do you know if your state would require you to share your marital estate with his parents or siblings?

* Do you know how debts or obligations your spouse has before marriage can impact your pocketbook after marriage?

* Do you know if your marriage is the victim, or potential victim, of the "marriage penalty tax" in the Internal Revenue Code?

* If you move into a home that one of you already owns, do you know what the tax ramifications of transferring title to a new spouse could be?

* Do you know what interest your state says your spouse has in any inheritance or personal injury award you receive?

* If you move to another state after your marriage, do you know how the assets you own can be affected?

* If you and your spouse executed a will in one state but moved to another, do you know what potential impact this could have on your estate plan?

* If this is a remarriage for either of you, do you know how benefits from a prior marriage, such as alimony, social security benefits, pensions, retirement benefits, medical insurance, will be affected by your new legal status?

* If you or your spouse have children from a prior marriage, did you know that some states differentiate between children of a current marriage and children from a prior marriage when someone dies without a will?

You may believe the idea of a premarital agreement is unromantic, but marriage itself is a contract between man, woman and the state. Often, it isn't until death or dissolution of the relationship that couples find how intrusive the state-controlled marriage laws can be.

The state's marriage contract is influenced by old-fashioned assumptions about the American family, assumptions that have little basis in today's reality. No matter how distasteful this control is, our intimate personal relationships are regulated by duties and responsibilities determined by the legislatures and the courts.

Marriage, even in the midst of the changes in our society today, is here to stay. For those whose faith in the institution of marriage remains hopeful, the secret to success is knowledge of the legal and financial ramifications of the union.

An understanding of how assets acquired in marriage are owned, both during the marriage and upon death or dissolution, is fundamental. The fifty states are divided into separate and community property states. However, within each state, the rules vary widely and are continually reevaluated as society demands.

Do you know what the laws of your state are? If not, check out loveandthelaw.com for an inexpensive and easy way to find out.

The love and the law newsletter is written by Johnette Duff, Attorney at Law*

Copyright 2004 by Johnette Duff

Ms. Duff is licensed in the State of Texas

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About The Author

Johnette Duff is the author of The Spousal Equivalent Handbook: a legal and financial guide to living together, The Marriage Handbook: a legal and financial guide to your spousal rights, and Love After 50: a legal and financial guide. Nationally, she has appeared on Today, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning and in various publications promoting information on love and the law. Ms. Duff has recently opened a web site titled, love and the law. johnetteduff@aol.com