Given a steady wind and a properly balanced kite, the kite will soar to great heights. But if the nose of the kite is pointed downward, the same wind will send it crashing into the ground.
Just as wind can either lift a kite or destroy it, criticism can either motivate you to reach lofty goals or dissipate your drive. Those who criticize far outnumber those who achieve. Yet no statue was ever erected to a critic. Rather than seeking to appease and mollify critics, utilize their admonition to stay on track.
Criticism is human nature. Instead of creating or innovating, people find it easier to criticize. If you want to accomplish something, critics will have an endless number of reasons why you won’t or shouldn’t succeed.
To use criticism to reach great heights, understand that if you are being criticized you are in the company of all great doers. By reaching out and extending yourself you rise above the horizon and become a target.
What kind of criticism do you think the following person would receive? He dropped out of grade school. He ran a country store. He went broke. It took him 15 years to pay off his bills. He married, but had an unhappy marriage.
He ran for congress and lost twice. He then campaigned for the senate but also lost twice. He delivered a short speech and the audience was indifferent. He was attacked daily by the press and despised by half the country.
How many would label this man a loser who would never make it? Who was this man? Abraham Lincoln. What was the short speech? The Gettysburg Address.
Put yourself in this situation. After only three months of schooling your teacher informs your parents that you don’t have the intellectual capacity to pursue an education. So you are taken out of school.
But you have an insatiable curiosity and want to make a living discovering and inventing. Would your dreams be condemned? Might you be laughed at? Probably. However, Thomas Edison did reasonably well with only three months of schooling and an "inferior" mind.
Ponder the plight of this poor fellow. He had a radical new concept for transmitting information. His ideas were so preposterous that his friends and family tried to have him locked up in a psychiatric institution. Undeterred, in the 1890’s, Guglielmo Marconi proceeded to successfully develop the radio.
Are you routinely chided or ridiculed for your dreams, desires plans or goals? If so, take a look at the people offering their negative opinions. Are they experts in the areas that you are striving for? Have they already accomplished what you are trying to do? Are they presenting their "advice" because they want you to succeed? If the answers are no, why would you ever allow their criticisms to deter you?
How do you fly against criticism? Believe in yourself and your goals. You don’t need approval. You aren’t obligated to convince anyone that your ideas are worthwhile. Often it’s prudent to keep your aspirations mostly to yourself. Seek out others who are also working towards their dreams and form a motivational group to help each other.
When you succeed, some people will tell you they knew you could do it. Others will insist you must have been lucky or were in the right place at the right time. These will be the very same people who were convinced you’d never make it.
Use criticism to feed your determination and strengthen your resolve. Make it the wind that will propel you to new and exciting achievements.
Bryan Golden is a self-development and motivational expert, author, and adjunct professor. He is the author of “Dare to Live Without Limits,” and writes a nationally syndicated newspaper column. For more information please visit: http://www.daretolivewithoutlimits.com or http://www.bryangolden.com
Power tools are very expensive and when said and done all the tools can add up to a big expense. So when buying a power tool you want to not only make sure you are getting the most for your dollar, but you also want to make sure you are buying the right power tool. You don’t want to buy a tool that is pure overkill on power or even worst, underpowered. That’s why when you buy a power tool you want to look at the important aspects of the tools and sometimes this can be confusing. One important question to ask yourself is, “What kind of user am I?” Once you find this out choosing the right brand is a lot easier. After you decided what kind of user you are you need to look at some important aspects such as corded vs. cordless, amps and horsepower, return policies and more.
A power tool is an extension of your hands, like Edward Scissor Hands. If you have the right tool and a quality tool, you can create or fix just about anything. One important question you need to ask yourself is, “What kind of user am I?” If you are a light homeowner user, you can get away with a less expensive brand such as Black and Decker. A light homeowner user probably will not put a lot of use and abuse on the tools and power is not a big deal. Remember more power usually means more weight in the tool. Black and Decker designs their tools for the light homeowner use. They are quality built and inexpensive.
If you are not a light home owner use, but aren’t a serious user, Craftsman makes an exceptional tool. Craftsman actually has other companies make these tools for them; you can see their manufactures through the source code. Craftsman makes a good quality tool that has a lot of features and good power. Plus they have a great return policy if something happens or you are dissatisfied with the tool.
If you are a serious home user or contractor, go with a good brand name such as Milwaukee, Dewalt, Bosch, Porter Cable or Makita. These manufactures pride themselves on making the best tool. They are constantly putting money into their research and development process to make these tools even better. These professional power tools cost more, but they are made with better technology and materials. They also have a better design that causes less fatigue on the user. Not to mention that these tools are made to last a life time.
The tools mentioned above are good quality tools. I would suggest staying with one of the manufactures above for a couple different reasons, but the main reason is efficiency. These power tools will last you a lifetime. They are designed by companies who have been in the business for along time and they understand power tools. They understand quality, safety and what makes a good tool. These are more efficient meaning they can actually transfer more power from the input or batter to the output. This means less work for the user and less frustration. If you would like to learn more about the difference between cheap power tools and professional power tools, please see this article.
Corded Vs. Cordless
Corded power tools tend to have a little more power, while the cordless has the versatility. At least this is the case now. Milwaukee just came out with a new battery technology that might change everything. Cordless power tools are becoming more and more common as they are increasing their power, while lowering their overall weight of the tool. I would suggest going with a cordless tool because of versatility. The only reason to go with a corded tool is if you will be using the tool for long periods of time or the tool you are looking for has a substantial more power capability in the corded version.
Power tools are expensive and I don’t care how carefully any company watches for defect, they will always get one or two pass them by. You never know what will happen. These companies do a very good job and have very low returns on their products, but as a consumer you always want to be prepared. I would suggest going with a store that has an exceptional return policy, such as Amazon. They have been voted year after year as one of the most return friendly stores around. Amazon is also a good place to go because they have user ratings from real people who have used the tools. Just make sure you know your return policy from what ever store you buy from.
About The Author
Eric J
I am the owner of www.professional-power-tool-guide.com on which you will find more in depth information on power tools and free woodworking plans. I started in the construction trade in 1992, but have loved power tools my whole life
© Copyright 2005, Eric, www.professional-power-tool-guide.com
Use this report in its entirety with proper acknowledgement and copyright.
New mothers sometimes experience "postpartum blues." This is understandable. Pregnancy and birth are very dramatic events for your body ? both physically and emotionally. So, it’s common to feel a little weepy, irritable or moody in the first few days after birth.
If you eat well, supplement your diet with high quality whole food supplements (especially omega-3 oils and B vitamins) and get enough rest, mild cases should pass quickly.
But, if "the blues" continue for more than just a few days, or if you’re feeling really depressed and down, please don’t try to tough it out. Get professional help. Ask your midwife or doctor to connect you with someone who can give you appropriate counseling.
Here are some tips that can help prevent or ease the symptoms of postpartum depression:
1. Ask for help after the birth. Here are some things friends and family could do for you during the first few weeks that might work better than giving the traditional baby shower gifts. They can:
Bring you a complete dinner (hot and ready to serve);
Volunteer to do your laundry;
Take care of your house cleaning;
And/or entertain older children with a day of play.
2. Get yourself out of the house ? if only onto the deck or front steps ? for at least a few minutes each day. Set up a lawn chair, wrap up yourself and your baby in a blanket and take a break. Set aside this time for you and baby.
3. Take it easy. Play with your baby. Visit with friends and family. Listen to relaxing music. Watch some old "feel good" DVD’s. Get someone to take you and baby for a long ride in the car. Baby will probably fall right off to sleep and you’ll get a chance to shut your eyes and relax for a few moments too.
4. And most importantly, eat really well and get yourself on a complete whole food nutritional program including pure omega-3 oils with EPA and DHA. I’ve seen high quality whole food supplements, combined with wholesome eating, consistently succeed in overcoming postpartum depression.
This is a special time for both you and your baby. It’s important to relax and enjoy it. And remember, if your depression continues for more than a few days, please don’t be afraid or ashamed to ask for help. Support is only a phone call away at the National Post Partum Depression Hotline 1-800-PPD-MOMS (773-6667).
Moss Greene makes it easy for you to create buoyant, vibrant health. Learn the simple things that make a big difference in how you look and feel. To receive your free newsletter visit her Health and Fitness Newsletter page.
A tomato importer, John Nix, decided to challenge the law after scrutinizing the Tariff Act. His case relied on the fact that tomatoes were a fruit and not vegetable, therefore, it should not be subjected to the Tariff Act. Nix’s objections brought the case to the Supreme Court in 1893. Although Nix had a solid case, the Supreme Court rejected the botanical facts and continued to refer to tomatoes as a vegetable.
Plant family
Tomatoes belong to the genus Lycopersicon, while potatoes belong to the genus Solanum; Both of which belongs to the same “flowering plant family” solanaceae. The similarities in leaves and flowers justifies this taxonomic grouping.
The UK - Introduction of the tomato
When the tomato plant was first introduced into the UK, some areas were not willing to consume the fruit because they were considered poisonous. Other plants that were poisonous, and in the same family as the tomato, such as the henbane, mandrake and the deadly nightshade were reasons to be concerned.
The deadly nightshade (Atropus belladonna), in particular, resembled the tomato plant the most, and was used as a hallucinogenic drug, as well as for cosmetic purposes in various parts of Europe. In Latin, the name “belladonna”; literally means “beautiful woman.” The women in medieval courts would apply drop of deadly nightshade extract to their eyes, dilating their pupils, a fashionable statement at the time.
When the deadly nightshade was taken for it’s hallucinogenic properties, the consumer would experience visuals and a feeling of flying or weightlessness. German folklore suggests it was also used in witchcraft to evoke werewolves, a practice know as lycanthropy. The common name for tomatoes in Germany translates to “Wolf peach,” which was simply another reason for Europeans to avoid the plant.
North America - Introduction of the tomato
Tomato plants were transported by colonists from Britain to North America. The plants were most valued for removing pustule (Pimples, Blisters - Pus filled, inflamed skin). The inventor of peanut butter, George Washington Carver, strongly urged his poor Alabama neighbors to consume tomatoes because of their unhealthy diet. However, he had little success convincing them that the plants was edible.
Early efforts by merchants to sell tomatoes were not very successful. It is said that the fruit was brought to the liberal hamlet of Salem, Mass. in 1802 by a painter who also found it difficult persuading people to try the fruit. New Orleans cuisine was reported to have used tomatoes by 1812, however, doubts about the fruit lingered in some areas.
It’s thought that doubts about the plant’s edibility was laid to rest, when Colonel Robert Gibbon Johnson announced that he will consume a bushel of tomatoes in front of the Boston courthouse at noon on September 26, 1820. Thousands of spectators turned out to watch the man commit suicide (At least, so they thought) by consuming the poisonous fruit. It is said that spectators were shocked when they realized the Colonel will survive after consuming numerous tomatoes. This story is from an old farm journal and may not be very reliable, however, it’s quite entertaining.
Tomato popularity on the rise
Throughout the western world, tomatoes began to grow in popularity. In the 1820s, several cookbooks included recipes which required or called for tomatoes. Tomatoes were sold by the dozens in Boston’s Quincy Market in 1835. In Thomas Bridgeman seed catalogue, 4 varieties of tomatoes were listed: Cherry, Pear, Large Yellow and Large Squash.
Bruist, a seed merchant commented on the tomato in 1858 - “In taking retrospect of the last eighteen years, there is no vegetable on the catalogue that has obtained such popularity in so short a period as the one now under consideration. In 1828-29, it was almost detested; in ten years almost every variety of pill and panacea was extract of tomato. It now occupies as great a surface of ground as cabbage, and is cultivated the length and breadth of the country.” - www.heirloomseeds.com
That year, Bruits had eight cultivatars listed in his catalogue. A few years later, in 1863, a popular seed catalogue had 23 cultivars listed. One of the listed cultivars was Trophy, the first modern-looking, large, red, smooth-skinned variety which was sold for $5.00 for a packet of 20 seeds.
Large scale breeding for desirable traits became common in the 1870s in both the US and UK. In fact, by the 1880s several hundred cultivars had been named and it was clear that tomato had grown on the western culture. According to a study conducted at Michigan Agricultural College in the late 1880s, 171 of the named cultivars represented only 61 truly unique varieties, many of which were only marginally different.
Heirloom varieties
Although Central American is thought to be the center of domestication, throughout Europe and later in North America, further domestication occurred on a more intense level. Eastern Europe appeared to produce large numbers of high quality varieties. Tomatoes are self-pollinating plants which tend to become genetically homozygous after many generations. Tomatoes will rarely cross breed and usually produce plants will similar characteristics as the parents.
Because of tomatoes natural breeding process, early cultivars did not change much and were kept in a family or community for a long time, hence the name heirlooms. There are cultivars that dates back to over one hundred years that are still produced today. Most heirloom varieties are different in color, size and shape. Some varieties are black, red with black shoulders, dark purple, rainbow and green. In terms of size, some are the size of a cherry to larger varieties weighing over 2 lb.
Heirlooms - a story
Some heirloom varieties have interesting histories as well; at least I think so. Lets talk about the story of a heirloom name Mortgage Lifter. A radiator repair shop owner, Charlie, experienced hard times, as did much of the nation through the Great Depression. Because of financial reasons, most people abandoned their cars and Ol Charlie’s business too a hard hit. He decided to use his four largest fruit producing tomato plants to cross breed repeatedly with each other to create a plant that produced two pounds of fruits.
Claming that his plants could feed a family of six, Charlie peddled the crops for a dollar per plant. Within four years, Charlie generated enough money to pay off the $4,000 dollars mortgage on his home, which led to the heirloom name “Mortgage Lifter.”
Heirlooms - names & origins
In general, the names of heirloom varieties links directly to their history. For example, the Baptiste family in Remis, Fance cultivated the First Pick variety. Picardy’s history also dates back to France (1890). Besser arrived from the Freiburg section of Germany, while Schellenburg’s Favorite came from the Schellenburg family near Manheim, Germany.
Elbe was cultivated in 1889 near the Elbe River in Germany. Since the 1870s, the Amish in Pennsylvania cultivated the Amish Paste variety. Brandywine was also cultivated by Amish farmers near Brandywine Creek in Chester County Pennsylvania in 1885. The hills of Virginia is thought to be the origin of the Hillbilly variety. Old Virginia was cultivated in Virginia as well in the early 1900s. In 1953 Campbell Soup Co., introduced the Ace variety which is still popular for canning. On Edgar Allan Poe’s estate, a cultivar found growing there bears his mother’s maiden name, Hopkins.
Please bear in mind that these heirloom stories may be true or false, in part or whole, and may be inaccurate or exaggerated.
This article is courtest of HydroponicSearch.com - The Agriculture & Gardening Search Engine.
Making Your Baby’s Clothes Last!
by: Kirsten Hawkins
As any mother with a young child will tell you, babies grow very quickly. So for new mothers, making the most out of baby clothes is of the utmost importance. So what do you do when those onesies just don’t quite snap anymore? How do you get an extra month out of those jeans that are a little too short for the winter months?
The great thing about onesies, is that they’re a very workable cotton fabric, and there really isn’t any hemming necessary to turn a couple of onesies that fit at five months into a couple of shirts that fit at eight months. Simply cut them off right at the leg holes, and gently pull the material around the edges so that it rolls a tiny bit. This way there are no exposed threads for baby to pull at or chew on. The same can apply to footsie pajamas. By simply snipping off the feet, you can easily get another month’s wear out of the sleepwear.
Adding extra buttons to overalls or snappy shirts makes them naturally grow with your child. Perhaps one of the best investments a new mother can make is in a mid-priced sewing machine. This makes alterations and additions a breeze, and gives you a new hobby for when baby naps (Just make sure there is enough wall between you and the crib so that the whirring of the machine doesn’t make undue stress for you!)
Things like adding extra material to the bottom of a dress or skirt can be done in just minutes, as can letting out the hem of a pair of jeans or overalls. Buying clothes initially that are mid-priced and made of a cotton material with a lot of elastic and snaps makes transitions that much easier. Shoes are always going to be a problem, but buying a canvas sneaker in the spring can convert into a mule for summer wear, as long as the baby is not walking yet. Socks without built in heels is key—that way the baby can grow a little bit longer in the socks. Also, even though socks with ducks and elephants are cute, sticking to a plain color can help extend the life of individual socks if one gets lost. In the summer a grey or white sock is less likely to irritate a sweaty baby’s sensitive skin because they don’t contain dyes.
Think of ways that you would extend the life of your own clothes. T-shirts that come three to a pack can easily be downgraded to rags or dust cloths. Jeans and pants that have become worn or are too short can be cut and hemmed for summer shorts. Sweaters can become blankies. Things like first outfits and special occasion’s clothes can be put into a special chest to pass on to your child for when they have children of their own. For the most part, making baby clothes last, laundering aside, is about ingenuity and personality. Learn the basics of stitching and hemming and let the designer in you shine through!
About The Author
Kirsten Hawkins is a baby and parenting expert specializing new mothers and single parent issues. Visit http://www.babyhelp411.com/ for more information on how to raising healthy, happy children.
The purpose of having an analytical brain is to use it to think and make a plan before we act.
Acting spontaneously out of fear, revenge, spite, anger and a host of other emotions is a sure-fire way to set yourself up for failure.
If you plan your moves in advance your chances of success are increased. The most successful chess players do this.
By reacting to outside influences you will always be controlled by those influences.
By being pro-active you are dictating the terms. It doesn’t matter what field you are in - business, a personal relationship, sport, a hobby - planning ahead will always bring about better results. But how many people are prepared to devote time and effort to creating a plan and then execute that plan?
So many people drift through life without a plan. They go to work to pay the bills to go to work to pay the bills and so on. Their days are full of routine and they have to act in accordance to the demands of other people. Does that sound like anybody you know?
The happiest people are the ones who do not believe that they even have a job. Sure, they work. However, what they do is so important or entertaining to them that they would do it without being paid. Some people fall into this naturally. Others can plan their way into such a life.
If you are dis-satisfied with where you are or what you are doing then do something about it. Life is very short. Every day is precious. As you get older you will realize this. To be trapped in a situation that is painful to you will cause misery.
It is easy to plan your way into something, or out of something. All you have to do is take a sheet of paper and write at the bottom where you are now and at the top where you want to be. Writing where you want to be at the top of the page is important because it shows ascendancy. In other words, it is at the top of your ladder. To get from where you are you need to climb the ladder.
At various intervals between the bottom and top of that sheet of paper you will mark points that represent significant steps along the journey. It’s much the same as planning a journey to another city. You wouldn’t just get in your car and drive. No. You would get out a map then drive from your current position to the next town, then the next and so on until you eventually got to your destination.
Why should life planning be any different? Without a plan you are doomed to mediocrity or failure. You can plan whatever you want. But it must be on paper. Keeping things in your head will ensure that nothing gets done. On paper, where you can see it makes a plan real.
You can plan anything. Get the paper, get the pen. Think out the plan. Write the plan. Act on it and it will become reality. Millions of people have. Billions of people don’t bother. You can do it. Happy planning.
About the author: Gary Simpson is the author of eight books covering a diverse range of subjects such as self esteem, affirmations, self defense, finance and much more. His articles appear all over the web. Gary’s email address is budo@iinet.net.au. Click here to go to his Motivation & Self Esteem for Success website where you can receive his “Zenspirational Thoughts” plus an immediate FREE copy of his highly acclaimed, life-changing e-book “The Power of Choice.”
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