Have you ever thought about renting DVD's online?

As they are delivered straight to your mailbox, it is a wonderful way to catch up on the newest movie releases or having another look at those old favourites without leaving the comfort of your centrally heated home.

It cuts out all the inconvenience of that trip to the shop with the inevitable battle for parking space and the frustration of trying to find something worth watching that isn't already out.

Never mind the saving on fuel.

Here are eight useful tips that will help you get the maximum value from your DVD online rental subscription.

1. Choose one of the rental sites that will provide you with a variety of services. A good one here is Tesco DVD Rental, which, in addition to movie DVD's also offers popular TV series. Another is LoveFilm, which offers video games as well as DVD's.

2. Providers like Blockbuster DVD Rental and LoveFilm are both good choices as they allow you to browse by either title or category, taking into account user experience.

3. Make a list of DVDs you would like to see and keep it accessible. This makes for easy selection when faced with a vast choice on the rental site.

4. Use the DVD rental site's search feature to check out what other movies your favourite actors or film directors have been involved in and then add those to your wish list.

5. A site like covers reviews on almost any movie you can think of. If writing your own movie reviews grabs you, some DVD rental sites enable and encourage subscribed members to write and post their own movie reviews.

6. Leisure activities are well catered for on the rental sites and you will find DVD's on just about any hobby or activity you can think of, be it model aeroplanes or pottery.

7. Do remember to mail your movies back as soon as you've watched them. If you are intending to spend a quiet weekend at home watching movies you must plan well ahead to avoid any disappointment. Remember the early bird saying!

8. A really fun thing to do is to organise theme nights with friends. Fancy dress is optional!

As you will discover pretty soon, online DVD rental has made the whole concept of watching movies at home so much easier and cheaper.

To find out more about the different DVD rental services available and also to make the most of your rental subscription, use a UK DVD rental comparison site like ChooseDVDRental.co.uk which will help you select the most suitable provider and package for your individual needs.

Shirley Stevens is an independent film and movie journalist. When not watching blockbusters she writes for UK DVD Rental comparison site ChooseDVDRental.co.uk, the price comparison site that compares 160+ UK DVD Rental packages and helps you find the best one, including the best DVD rental free trials.

The first thing to remember when buying an umbrella is this, a good umbrella will do what it is intended to do, for many years. For instance, a common golf umbrella has a 64" or 68" arc. That is not the umbrella you can carry in your purse! On the other hand, a folding compact umbrella (about 9" long) will not fare well out on the golf course. Are you looking for convenience, durability or fashion? Know what and where your umbrella is going to be used before you begin your shopping. One of my favorite quotes I first heard from Stephen Covey works great with shopping for your rain umbrella; "Begin with the end in mind."

Spring time brings out some of our favorite clothing. Umbrellas can be a true fashion statement with many of these beautiful outfits and can also be used to protect them from the damaging affects of rain. Most umbrella websites will offer a wide selection of colors and sizes. Be sure to determine the size of the folded umbrella and the size of the arc before spending much time on the colors. If you need a compact umbrella to fit in your purse, then you will want an umbrella that folds down to 9" or less. The smallest umbrellas are manual. Automatic open umbrellas are about 8" or larger.

So make some decisions, compact, manual, stick or folding? If you want to cover more than one person, then you will want at least a 56" arc. A few umbrellas even provide automatic open and automatic close options. Once you decide on the size and style, now the big question, what color?

Let me tell you, there are lots and lots of colors to choose from when it comes time to buy your rain umbrella. Every style umbrella will have different color options. What you see in one style, may not be available in another. So if color is important, you may need to shop around to find the color you want in the style you desire.

April showers are coming. You are not going to stop the rain from coming, so look around and see if you can find your rain umbrellas. Do you have the right umbrella for every occasion? Did you get a new purse or a new jacket for Christmas? Does your current umbrella match? Did your kids use your umbrella for a hockey goal this winter and now it won't even open up? Look around, and make sure this spring you will look good and stay dry. Shop at my favorite store, Umbrellas And B and find the right umbrella for every occasion.

Jim Rowland is the creator of Umbrellas And B This website offers Rain Umbrellas for sale with a huge selection of brands, styles and colors. Visit us at

Why Bother With the Box Office?

Every once in a while I read the box office stats. Why? To see if any movie has come close to topping Star Wars as the highest grossing movie off all time. My trust in the box office was firm adn secure until 1997 when Titanic blew everything away and became (and still is) the highest grossing box office movie of all time. What did this mean? Was my world shattered because Star Wars was defeated according to Box Office Mojo? Hardly. All it meant was that people went in huge numbers to see Leonardo DiCaprio while Star Wars continues to be the greatest cinematic experience of all time. The box office make no judgement on movies, it just tells us which movies people are going to see.

But it does affect what people see. That's the catch. If a movie has a high gross at the box office people will perceive it as being good and more will go and see the movie. There are plenty of examples where this is true. the opening weekend for Spiderman 3 was huge and people continued to go see it. The film had more of a run than it should have had because the box office (although not a person) compelled people to go see it. "It must be good because it's a blockbuster!" people would say. Sadly, the movie was poor and if the box office had accurately reflected the picture's quality, the franchise would be in trouble. But the people came, so another movie is sure to follow

What Can We Really Learn from the Box Office?

Movies and the Hollywood industry continue to fascinate us (mostly North Americans but people around the world are being sucked into it's vortex) and the box office is a fun way to track what trends in film are popular. So you can see how reading the box office gross numbers could benefit enyone related to the film industry. Writers, merchandisers, set designers, for example, should keep a close eye on the box office and see what types of movies are doing well at present and what have done well in the past. So the box office can be a valuable research tool for people interested in gaging popular viewing opinions.

The website below contains more articles to help you learn a bit more about the box office. If you love movies new or old, it's always fun to go through the box office stats and see just how much money was spent at the movie theater. Sometimes it's reassuring that good movies are being seen by lots of people. Sometimes you'll be left scratching your head and wondering, "Why'd they go see that?"

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The joys of having a new baby can sometimes be overshadowed by post natal or post partum depression. Post natal depression is commonly known as "the baby blues." It is said to be triggered by hormonal changes after a baby is born. Its symptoms include depression, tearfulness, low self esteem, low self confidence, guilt feelings, insomnia, low appetite, low sex drive and in extreme cases, self destruction.

While serious bouts of depression may require appropriate medication under the guidance of a doctor, it is best to deal with post natal depression the natural way. The following are stress busting tips that you, too, could use to battle the baby blues:

Start and maintain a gratitude journal.

When you're feeling blue, all you'll want is to be by yourself. This may be the best time to pull out a nice clean notebook and to start a journal. Maintaining a journal is a time-tested practice that yields wondrous results for the author. While you may use your journal for letting all your negative emotions out on writing, do make a conscious effort to cite the things that are positive in your life. Happy thoughts can uplift your mood.

Be thankful for the big or small things that make you happy. They remind you that your current situation is just a small event in your life that will inevitably pass. For every bad feeling that starts to creep in, battle it with a happy thought over something that you are thankful for.

Face your situation knowing that you shall be over the hump soon.

The strain you are experiencing now is a result of major adjustments that must be made before things achieve a normal and stable state. Mothers eventually get more hours of sleep as their babies learn to sleep through the night. You, too, will gradually find more and more packets of free time to do some leisurely reading or catching up with old hobbies that you may have left behind.

As your baby grows older, you will experience more joy in being able to play or talk with your baby. Things will lighten up slowly at home after your adjustment period. Life may never be the same again for us mothers, but we do get our lives back on track in time.

Move your body.

Moderate amounts of exercise are known to lift one's mood. When the body is set in motion, feel-good chemicals called "endorphins" are released into your system. This is the reason why children who run around appear to be "hyper" or excited. Cardiovascular or aerobic exercises are common ways to release endorphins and adrenaline. Adrenaline is what makes your body feel energized. A ten-minute routine can produce immediate effects.

Try brisk-walking or hip-hop dancing. Alternatively, there is the low-impact activity of stretching. A few minutes of comfortable stretching from your shoulders to your feet contribute to a feeling of general well-being.

Develop some circuit breakers

Circuit breakers are typically known as mechanical systems for damage control. The same principle can be applied in a human situation. Notice how bad luck may seem to come in a series of events? The same holds true for stress. A bad start in the morning somehow sets the trend for the rest of the day. Sometimes, being tired and feeling low prevent you from doing things right.

If you feel that nothing seems to go your way today, stop right there and put on your circuit breaker. Break a seemingly bad cycle by downshifting or dropping some errands in the meantime.

Your set of circuit breakers should include easy things like stepping out to get some sunshine, reading a few pages of a good book, having a leisurely chat on the phone with a supportive friend, listening to your favorite music or having a bubble bath. Everyone has her own set of circuit breakers. Make a list of what works for you. The short activities that you resort to once in a while may spell the difference between having a bad day and a good day.

Try meditation

Meditation was originally practiced as a way of understanding the mystic forces of life. Its earlier concepts were related to philosophy and even religion. The states of bliss attained by its earlier proponents paved the way for the application of meditation as a stress-reduction technique.

Nowadays, one does not have to be a yogi to practice meditation. Anyone can meditate anywhere. You can learn it under the guidance of a trained instructor or simply follow an instructional video at home.

While not all mothers may experience post natal depression, getting the baby blues is not a sign of weakness nor should it be taken against you. Post natal depression happens to the best of us. Instead of wallowing in self pity and depression, deal with the blues by recognizing it when it strikes.

If you follow the five self help measures regularly, you'll get past this phase even before you realize it. Until then, hang in there and remind yourself constantly that as in all life changing events, this, too, shall pass.

Salena Kulkarni is the creator of the 'Secrets of Extraordinary New Moms' program, which helps new moms feel energized, get back in shape, eliminate emotional overwhelm, and experience fulfillment in 30 days or less! Visit www.NewMommyM to get your FREE audio now.

What is the underlying cause of all fear? It's that you can't handle whatever life puts in your path. It's that simple. If you believe you can deal with anything that comes along, fear fades to the background. The greater your trust in your ability to manage what comes your way, the less fear you will experience. What that translates to is that the better you feel about yourself, the easier it is to face your fears and move through them. The result is that you don't have to control anything in your external world to overcome fear! Instead, look at where the lack of trust in yourself originates: the beliefs you have adopted from others in your life, and from your own past experiences.

It's a good thing to know how something works and why. However, what's more important than knowing where your lack of trust came from is knowing how to develop more confidence in handling anything that comes your way. What we want to focus on right now is how to gain more courage so that choosing from a place of fear is no longer necessary.

When there is fear keeping you from making changes in your life, your body will have the feeling of being closed because you are listening to the parasitic mind and its story, instead of trusting and staying open to the possibilities.

How do you know when your fear is in control? Look at your life. If there's struggle, there's fear at some level. You might have to peel back layers of belief to discover the source of your worry, but trust us, fear is the root of all your conflicts. The struggle comes when you are not truly living in the moment, when you are caught up in the past or the future. Either you are looking back with regret and concern about something you did, or you are looking forward with anxiety about what might happen in the future. Either way you are not present. When you are not in the moment, you are by default stuck in a place of fear. This keeps you out of the flow of life, resulting in struggle and lack, and oftentimes paralysis.

So, what can you do to regain trust in your self? You build trust in small cycles: Belief causes Action causes Results; Bigger Belief causes Bigger Action with Bigger Results. First you have an idea, then you create a plan of action, then you take the first step. Everything else will be dependent on each step, and that's all you have to focus on to be truly in the moment. When something works, take another step. If you have a setback, learn from what didn't work and try it a different way the next time. Every time you give up, you lose more of your self-trust. It's not the boogieman out there that has a death-grip on your reality; it's the parasitic mind and the fear it creates that is in control.

Even if you can't remember a recent time of facing your fears, you have a lot of experience in this area. As an infant and young child, your willingness to face your fears was necessary to your very survival. Have you ever observed a child learning to walk? They fall frequently. Do they curl up in a ball and decide not to try again? No! They try it again and again until they finally take that first step. Then you can't slow them down. When they start moving faster, they usually fall down again. This is how each one of us learned to walk, then to run. It's the same as you take steps to face your fears. Win or lose, taking action is a success. With each success, you will begin to taste what it feels like to have more and more self-confidence. There will be times when what you have to do will be extremely uncomfortable. And sometimes what you do won't work. When that happens, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and try again, just like when you were a child.

Fear is an innate part of our survival. In early human development it was necessary to keep from being swallowed by saber-tooth tigers and other dangers. This instinctual fear still keeps us safe from real harm, arising during in-the-moment reactions. That's a good thing. However, when fear is used by the parasitic mind as a way to control your actions, it becomes the main armor of protection blocking your energy centers. If you pay attention, you can feel its relentless grip on your body, tensing your muscles if the fear is slight, or causing illness and distress when it is more chronic or more pronounced. Your body is always the best indicator for the level of fear you are allowing to come into your life. Pay attention to its messages and you will begin to see how much fear you are carrying.

As your confidence grows, you will notice that fear never really goes away completely, because each time you expand your zone of comfort, you will face new uncertainty. As long as you continue to grow, you will continue to feel fear. As you stretch yourself, taking new risks, you learn to stop waiting for the fear to go away before you take chances. You know what it feels like, you accept that the fear exists, and you know you can move through it.

Marilyn Schwader uses a unique blend of technology, e-commerce, communication, and spirituality to help her writing coaching clients create and market their work. To find more of her tips, resources, and a schedule of her webinars, teleclasses, and retreats, visit

This article addresses five areas of spending that in my experience can determine the health of your household finances. On one hand, they can be a detriment if addressed incorrectly. And on the other, if handled correctly, they can be a source of extra funds for your family.

1. Shopping Blunders

The first mistake many moms make is shopping when we are hungry or bored. For a mom with small children, a shopping trip may be one of the few outings we get in a week. And it is at these times we browse the store more, and buy more. The other scenario is that we shop hungry. You go in the store with a concise practical list and come out with a buggy full of snacks. Eating a snack before you leave the house can help curb this tendency. Another mistake is impulse buying. Really think about the things you buy, and whether or not you need the item. Will it end up in next spring's garage sale? If so, you might want to reconsider the purchase. Avoiding these blunders can add up to big dollars for your family each month or each year.

2. Paying Bills Late

A lot of people may consider paying their bills late no big deal. Or, if you are like me you are terribly disorganized and have a tendency of forgetting until the next day. However, most companies charge late fees for each time you pay a bill late. Do yourself a favor and buy a bill organizer. Also, paying bills late can equal lower credit scores. This is a double whammy, because you will pay a higher interest rate on top of those fees. Over the course of a year, paying your bills on time can add up big time for your family.

3. Eating Out

Because we live such hectic lives, eating out can be a welcome respite for a weary mom. But avoid the temptation to eat out too often. Try to limit "eat out" nights to one or two nights a week (or less if you can). For a family of four, a trip to a mid-priced restaurant can cost upwards of $40 to $50 dollars once you count in the tip. Try cooking at home most nights to save big money. If you are pressed for time, make use of a slow cooker or a programmable oven.

4. Debt

Most of us have debt...there's nothing surprising about that. There are typically two types of debt: secured and unsecured. Basically secured debt is something that can be sold for near value of the debt (like a house or a car). Unsecured debt is debt that is not tied to any property ( like credit cards or student loans). Both can be used for good or bad. An example of good secured debt is a first time home buyer buying a home well in their budget, but a bad example is a person buying more house than they can afford. A good example of unsecured debt is a credit card used for needs and paid off each month to raise a credit score (but most of us are very weak in this area), or a student loan used for an education that will well pay it off or be worth it to the student. Contrary to popular belief, a student loan is not always a good use of unsecured debt. Credit cards are the biggest problem for most families. They are great to have for emergencies, but can be a budget killer when used for non needs items. The balance seems to slowly climb and before you know it you are in deep debt. So to avoid this, think before you swipe. Ask yourself, "Is this item a need at this very moment in time?" and "Is there any other way to pay for this?". By avoiding this pitfall, you do your family and your budget a world of good. Also pay down high interest debt first. Pay minimum on the lower ones, and pool your resources to pay off the high one first. Then after it is paid off you move on to the next one and so on. This is the best proven way to pay down unsecured debt.

5. Unexpected Events

You may have false security that if something unforeseen happens and someone in your family ends up hospitalized, you will be fine because you have insurance. Well, think again. Usually there is a deductible ($500.00 for instance), and you must also consider that 20% and those sneaky things that aren't covered. Also consider meals and needs for the family while the family member is hospitalized and their medications once they are discharged. A lot of people have been told that if you owe a hospital money, they have to by law accept any payment from you no matter how small without collecting. This couldn't be more wrong. A hospital will send you a bill and you have two options. One is that you pay your balance in full right then and there. The other is that you call the billing department to set up payments, and the amount is determined by them and will not be small. Other unexpected events can be replacing appliances, vehicle repairs, and other household repairs. Make sure you have a source for emergency funds. Now, I realize that most of us just don't have it in our budget to save for emergencies all the time. You can take the money you saved from the other tips to save up, or just have a low interest credit card you can use if something happens (keep locked away unless it is an emergency). Your diligence in providing a way to pay for emergencies will more than pay off in the considerable amount of stress you will save you and your family.

Sarah is a stay-at-home mom and devoted wife whose interests include music, writing, theology, learning, and spending time with family. She is a true southern belle hailing from the great state of Mississippi.

Internet games are famous because of the variety of applications that can found at any given time in gaming sites. Card games are for the most part popular among the older crowd, those who are a bit younger often prefer games which have a lot more action and shooting involved, these two characteristics can also be enhanced by maze game types. A clear example of this mixture can be found in tower games such as Ant-Buster.

This game is quite entertaining due to the fact that you need to protect your cake from an army of ants who want to steal it from you. In order to protect your cake you are given many tools which will help you kill those ants before they take your cake away. The tools you are given are nothing less than the miniature cannons which can be upgraded by paying a certain amount of money that a player can earn by killing a number of ants before they reach them take away the cake.

When you first start the game you are given the choice of how and where to place your cannons, placement is actually critical in this game, if you play by placing your cannons too far away from each other you will be risking loosing several slices of cake because each cannon works within a specific range which means that they can't shoot any further unless they are upgraded. Each upgrade costs a certain amount of money and these upgrades are gradual, if you want to be able to combat the huge amount of ants which I will be going your way you better be prepared by upgrading your weapons because the more ants you kill the more will be coming your way and the more resistant they will be.

As you start this tower game each ant will only resist five damage points, this means that if you have a cannon which is firing shots which will affect four points you only need to clean shots at the ant in order to kill it, as the game progresses these ants will need to receive many more shots in order to be killed for instance about 15 minutes in the game you will notice that each ant's resistance is a well over 300 points so you will need a very strong weapon in order to destroy them, you will notice that they can only be killed by the group of weapons you have placed across the field, the key to the game is always the placement of your cannons and how constantly you upgrade them.

In each and every upgrade you are given several choices, so you must take a look at the features each upgrade has for instance some upgrades will make you a lot faster but not too strong, while other upgrades will make your shots very effective but they will only be fired after a certain amount of time making the weapon quite slow, these slow weapons are always needed because they are effective but you will also need fast weapons as you advance from level to level. Make sure to take some time to understand how you can win this game by upgrading your weapons, otherwise you will end up with no cake fast.

P offers a great variety of flash tower defense applications for you to enjoy. Learn more about tower defense games, visit us today!

I don't know if it's because I'm getting older or this world is getting more and more materialistic - but Christmas is really becoming an overwhelming holiday for many people, especially women - and not just mothers.

Everyone has this idealistic fantasy of what a good holiday celebration should consist of: Good food. Presents. Family. Gatherings. Decorations. Christmas lights. Concerts. School plays. The list goes on and on.

Everyone is under some sort of pressure to perform - and if you aren't - then you are under some sort of pressure to appear at someone else's celebration - or you feel like the only person in the world who has no one during the holiday season to celebrate with.

Wherever you fit in, don't forget to have sex!

If you have someone readily available to have it with - then have it. Because as I write articles on stress relievers and blues busters...the one tried and true method for all over stress relief is a good dose of healthy and consensual sex!

Don't let the holidays ruin your sex life ladies. Instead - have fun with it.

Quick tips...

1. Have sex before a night of last minute holiday shopping!

2. Stay in, have sex, and then shop online for everything.

3. Park in front of a decorated house or local xmas tree - and smooch.

4. If your family starts arguing during dinner, take your partner in the guest room!

Lisa Angelettie, M.S.W., is a psychotherapist, author, and online advice authority. Visit her for Advice & Counseling, take a free Depression Screening, or learn about her new Relationship 911! program today at: www.GirlS You can also subscribe to the popular relationship ezine "Better Choices"for free today.

© GirlShrink Inc. The author grants reprint permission to opt-in publications and websites so long as the copyright and by-line are included intact and the article is not used in spam. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.

Imagine a chilling afternoon when it's snowing outside, you have a holiday to enjoy but nowhere to go! Running your favourite movie nth number of time seems like a great idea. What is generally done in such a situation is to avail the DVD rental service offered by various merchants on the high street as well as online. As the high street is becoming passé with each passing day, online movie rental is gaining a stronghold amongst all.

The invention of VCRs about two decades ago introduced the Brits to the concept of watching movies in the comfort of their homes. The DVDs are fulfilling the same purpose but with a picture quality that is much better and advanced. The torturous long queues on the weekends at the theatres are no longer visible as people now prefer this DVD rental option to the other one that is money and time consuming.

One major advantage that online DVD rental service has over others is that in case of most merchants the provision of late fee has been done away with. The merchants who earned pots full as late fee even from their loyal customers have now given up the system due to immense competition in the field. As a result, the advantage lies with the customers and you can make the most of this favourable situation.

Next time the need to rent a DVD arises, consider these online merchants who offer almost every movie of your choice at really low monthly rates. You get your favourite movie in your mailbox in no time and what more, you pay no late fee as you decide to watch the movie again during your next weekend break.

Know more about DVD Movie Rentals and DVD Games here.

Parenting is stressful! Everyone knows that. However, too many of us accept that stress as inevitable and don't even look for ways to make our family life more harmonious.

Any healthy person looks for help when the pain gets unbearable. But what about that everyday, nagging, I-always-thought-my-family-life-would-be-better-than-this frustration. Folks in this category, which is nearly all parents at some point in the parenting process, often just adapt an attitude of acceptance when a few simple changes could bring about very satisfying results.

Parenting stress busters that help the most are often not the simple, step-by-step variety, like "3 Things to do When Bobby Talks Back" or "5 Ways to Get Your Teen to Listen to You". To be sure, those types of solutions often do provide a measure of relief for stressed out moms and dads, but without understanding the underlying issues, these types of solutions are often more band-aid-patches than outright fixes. Before long, you find yourself nagging or being frustrated just as much as before.

I've been parenting for over 25 years and I learned early on that I did not want to keep bumping into the same parenting issues over and over again. In fact, I decided that if I was seeing the same challenges again and again, it was my job to make a change. After all, I'm the adult in the relationship. My kids are, well, just kids. They are looking to ME to come up with answers. Not the other way around.

I didn't want my parenting experience to be filled with only frustration, nagging and wishing for more. I wanted a way to develop healthy long-term relationships with my children. Not to be their best buddy...but to be the best parent I could be.

It was only after I began asking WHY my kids behaved in the ways they did...WHY I reacted the way I did...WHY I was quick to nag (because it's easy) and slow to listen (that takes time) that it became obvious I was sacrificing long term parenting success in favor of short term pain avoidance. Which always led back to more nagging and frustration. More parenting stress.

I have discovered that there are really only a handful of qualities that most parents need to focus on to make this leap from short-term thinking to long-term parenting confidence. Results-oriented parenting stress busters focus on these qualities.

Ideas such as...

* using the everyday grind to learn about personal responsibility.

* using that situation where I could easily nag to instead work with my child to develop a sense of teamwork.

* earning respect and practicing kindness in the opportunities life gives us each day.

* substituting flexibility for frustration.

These are tools that are available to every parent. And when we as parents practice them, our kids automatically are drawn to them, like magic.

It's actually a very cool system. It means parenting is still stressful (though not nearly as much). But now it's also rewarding.

If this sounds useful to you as a parent, you can get more parenting stress busters for free. See the resource box at the end of this article for more information.

Instead of getting overwhelmed with all the parenting advice available today, you can start practicing with a handful of proven tools and watch your household stress levels come down. With consistency it really does work.

And hugs help a lot, too.

Colleen Langenfeld has been a parent for over 25 years and offers free parenting stress busters at .

WE know you want to make the most of your new HD-ready flat screen TV and spanking new home cinema system, but there is no point in shelling out for a new Blu Ray movie, when you can just rent them instead.

The leading online DVD rental services already have large selections of Blu-ray Discs in stock. Some UK DVD rental comparison sites will even list the number of Blu Ray titles you can rent from the various DVD rental sites.

A Blu-ray Disc is expensive to buy, roughly four times what you would pay for a standard DVD, but if you rent online you will pay nothing extra for the considerable benefits the Blu-ray Disc offers, including extraordinarily detailed images, amazing colour and crisper sound than ever before.

Five times the detail

To play Blu-ray Discs you need a Blu-ray compatible DVD player or Playstation 3, and a HDTV to give you the most effective quality.

Blue laser technology porvides up to 50 GB of storage space, five times the capacity of a normal DVD giving 9 hours of HD (high definition) video or 23 hours of SD (standard definition).

HD gives five times the clarity of standard definition and allows you to watch your favourite blockbusters at home with the same dynamic effect and explosive sound you would get in a cinema.

It seems that, in future, exciting features will include the ability to watch live broadcasts of special events, the ability to update content via an internet connection and also download extras.

The major film studios - Disney, Warner, MGM and Fox - are starting to launch Blu-ray Discs simultaneously with Standard Definition DVDs but generally the Blu-ray films fall in the category of popular thrillers, adventure or action.

A good example is Daniel Craig's first outing as 007 in 'Casino Royale', which recently broke high-tech records in North America with sales of 100,000 during its first release as a Blue-ray Disc.

New comedy is proving popular and in addition some old favourites have been converted to the Blu-ray system. We tracked down Steve McQueen's classic 'The Great Escape' for example.

Rent Blu-Ray, don't buy it

In due course Blu-ray is likely to replace standard DVDs altogether, but it doesn't make sense at this stage to get rid of your standard DVDs.

Since Blu-ray is still a lot more expensive to buy and probably will be for a while yet, the smart choice for avid movie fans then is to rent for the time being.

A spokesman for Blockbuster DVD rental, one of the larger and more popular rental sites, has indicated that it intends to buy every Blu-ray DVD that is released.

He also emphasised that they will still buy and supply back catalogue DVDs to members and when Blu-ray versions of those films are released, they'll buy and supply them as well.

You'll need to find a DVD rental site that offers Blu Ray rental (not all of them do).

Shirley Stevens is a movie lover, avid DVD renter and popular entertainment journalist. You'll see many of her pieces on UK DVD rental sites, which let you compare DVD rental services and also includes a useful guide to UK Blu Ray rental.

Seeing the success of Netflix and faced with their growing competition, Blockbuster rolled out their version of an online DVD rental program. It is called Blockbuster Total Access. Now it is very similar to the other online programs but has some other options not offered by their competitors.

Blockbuster Total Access starts with you signing up. You have several different plans to choose from each having different options. The high end plan offers unlimited DVD's through the mail and 3 DVD's at a time for 34.99. The lower end Blockbuster Total Access plan is 3.99 a month and includes 2 DVD's a month. There are also many plans in between so you can find the plan that works best for you.

After signing up for Blockbuster Total Access you need to start by selecting the movies you want to watch. You have to browse through the over 80,000 titles available for rent. You then select the ones you want to see and they are added to what is called your queue. You can have hundreds of movies in your queue or just a few the choice is up to you.

Next, the movies in your queue will be mailed to you. How many at a time depends on your plan. You then can watch the movies or wait for the right time. The idea of this Blockbuster Total Access is no late fees so you do not have to return them by a specific date. You can just keep them as long as you would like.

The thing that makes Blockbuster Total Access different than their competitors is the return process. With each movie you rent a return envelope is sent to you with prepaid postage. You can use this to send back the movie that you watched or go another route. You can just drop them off at a Blockbuster location near you and they will mail the movie for you or do an in-store exchange. Meaning, you can go to your local Blockbuster store and pick a movie off of their shelves and rent it. This will be considered an exchange for the movie you got in the mail. It depends on your Blockbuster Total Access plan how many in-store exchanges you are allowed. The higher end Blockbuster Total Access plan allows for unlimited in-store exchanges. If you do mail them back, Blockbuster Total Access will just send you the movie from your queue.

This program has only been around since 2004 and Blockbuster has really focused on growing this part of their business. It is reported that Blockbuster Total Access had over 3 million subscribers by the beginning of 2007. This subscriber based will only grow with time as even more of their frequent store renters transition to online DVD rental.

To read more about Blockbuster Total Access visit Kyle's website. There you will find more information about Blockbuster DVD rental.

If you suffer stress from the tedium of boring, repetitive, and meaningless work, then it's time you changed your attitude. Simply by seeing work as adventure, service, ritual, self-expression, and meaningful, you can transform the very nature of the daily grind.

1. Work as Adventure. Many people might laugh at you if you suggested that a humdrum job could become an adventure. But here are three ways you can turn every day of working life into one of surprise and discovery. Make it…

• a challenge, in which you create our own targets. "I'm going to be the best cocktail-maker in town."; "I want to complete the dish-washing in the fastest time."

• learning, in which you develop your curiosity about the job, how things are made and work, as well as trying out new skills to see if the job can't be done in a better way.

• a game, in which you create interest and fun by injecting a new twist into the job, such as the bartender who took to compiling lists of barstool bores.

When work is seen as an adventure, with new things to explore and learn, you'll look forward to Monday mornings with a new-found spirit of wonder.

2. Work as Service. Much of the stress we experience in the workplace originates from an excessive pre-occupation with ourselves and others with whom we work. Some of the particularly strained relationships we can experience arise out of...

• internal politicking

• departmental rivalries

• poor or mismanaged relationships

• game-playing

• bad supervision and management of people.

While these situations are not solved overnight, we can make major changes in how we see them and how we feel when we shift our perceptions from an internal to an external focus, from ourselves to others, from those we work with to those we work for. Then work ceases to be about us and our survival and becomes an act of service.

3. Work as Ritual. When we see work as ritual, no matter how mundane it may be, it is lifted into something more meaningful. We do it not for the rewards but for its own sake. It is like the Zen Buddhist monk who sweeps the snow from the monastery steps even while it is snowing - simply because it is snowing.

• when we see work as ritual, it becomes absorbing

• when we see work as ritual, the minutest details are as valuable as the grandest gestures

• when we see work as ritual, we connect with it, become part of it, are joined in the rhythm of it

• when we see work as ritual, we develop a natural pace and flow and go with it as in a dance.

"The best work is done without strain, as if we had no goal in mind."

4. Work as Self-Expression. When we perform routine work, we have the choice whether to see it as a chore and a means to an end or to turn it into something special. When work is made special, it becomes an art form: a way of putting on theatre; a form of self-expression. This can apply to the way we make a slab of pizza dough, to the way we stack supermarket shelves, to the way we take care of the school hall. No matter how repetitive and routine, each act can have our own distinctive stamp on it.

"I don't like work - no man does - but I like what is in work: the chance to find yourself, your own reality - for yourself, not for others - what no other man can ever know." (Joseph Conrad)

5. Work as Meaningful. Much of the stress of routine work comes from not knowing -- or seeing -- the results of our efforts. Warren Bennis is professor of management at the University of Southern California in San Diego, a particularly parched part of the state. Every day when he goes in to work, he notices the beautifully-kept lawns and flower beds and wonders: "Does anyone ever thank the gardeners for lifting our spirits?" When we know what our work does for others, whether routine or creative, we get a glimpse of our significance in the bigger scheme of things.

Marilyn Ferguson says that we can transform the stress and boredom of our daily work by changing our attitude. "New attitudes change the very experience of daily work. Work becomes a ritual, a game, a discipline, an adventure, learning, even an art as our perceptions change. The stress of tedium and the stress of the unknown, the two causes of work-related suffering are transformed. A more fluent quality of attention allows us to move through tasks that once seemed repetitious or distasteful. We see that meaning can be discovered and expressed in any human service: cleaning, teaching, gardening, carpentry, selling, caring for children, driving a taxi."

© Eric Garner, ManageTrainL

For instant solutions to all your management training needs, visit and download amazing FREE training software. And while you're there, make sure you try out our prize quiz, get your surprise bonus gift, and subscribe to our fortnightly newsletter. Go and get the ManageTrainLearn experience now!

There's a certain breed amongst us that salivates at the thought of seeing a movie. Watching flicks from the treasured classics to the newest crop of screen entertainment is their cherished pastime. Know at least one guy or gal who fits this description?

Well, there's a way to cater exactly to their passion when it's gift-giving time. There's also a strategy to accomplish this challenge in as little as 10 minutes. What's the secret of meeting both of these daunting challenges? What's a win-win situation for all concerned?

Glad you asked! There's a proven remedy available to anyone who wishes to get the deed done in the most time-efficient way. The answer is buying Movie Gift Baskets online. This strategy will guarantee that the recipient will be able to get the movie that he or she desires in addition to a bevy of delectable treats. It will also save you a whole lot of time that you could use for other matters in your life.

So what do Movie Gift Baskets contain that are so special? First off, they can have within a $10 or $15 Blockbuster gift card. That means that the precise movie desired can be obtained by the one that you wish to make happy. Imagine the look in their eyes while being captured by the action thriller, comedy, "chick flick", or whatever type of film makes them come alive.

What else makes Movie Gift Baskets an exceptional choice? This gift idea also can be packed with treats such as popcorn, cookies, Cracker Jacks, peanuts, and candy - plus even a bottle of soda pop! Nothing is better than munching on these delightful goodies while being captivated by a good flick - Especially for those that are Hollywood fanatics that you know of!

OK, so far so good. You now know that there is a way to provide custom entertainment for anybody within their own comfy home. There's also a known way to include yummy snacks with the Blockbuster gift to complement the movie theatre feeling. And everything is packaged in a movie-themed container that will add to the splendor of it all. But the big question is – How do you get one into the hands of the beneficiary?

Piece of cake, my friends. Just use technology, as in the internet, to complete the mission for you. Go to your favorite search engine of Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc and type in keywords or keyword phrases that fit the product desired. Examples could be "Movie Gift Baskets", "Movie Lover Gift Baskets" and so on.

Review the choices that are given on the search engines and pick the one that is within your price range. Next you would fill out the shipping, billing and safe credit card info. Finally, you have the option to type in a personal message to the recipient. This could raise the gift experience to a whole new level if you put your mind to it. Might be the perfect opportunity to creatively express some of your keen wit!

The whole shebang could easily take a mere 10 minutes - or less! You can now forget about the hassles of mall shopping and wasted time and gas money.

So, you now are armed and ready to get the job done in the most effective and efficient way. Go forth now and win yourself an Oscar in the eyes of someone else by the giving of a Movie Gift Basket today!

Brian is the owner of Gift Basket Paradise and offers an awesome gift idea for anyone who enjoys watching movies and munching on delectable snacks at the same time. He invites you to visit his Movie Gift Baskets webpage at http://www.agiftbasketparadise.com/movie_gift_baskets.html for some very entertaining ideas!

I'll bet that you are a movie lover. I think this because I know myself and generally I think that all people are the same. Movies take a large part of our lives, and we simply cannot resist watching them. They give us feeling of unreality, which can be really great especially with modern times: people are now dissatisfied with the way they live, and they are desperately searching for new experience. Movies have come as a substitution for the way of living that we don't have; movies relieve our stress and help us come back to our lives freshened up and ready to fight with reality again.

People adore watching all kind of movies, because every genre touches some important string in their herats. But neither one of us can afford to buy all the movies they fall for. That's when blockbuster video rentals come in line and help us watch everything that we want on a minimal or close to a minimal price. Blockbusters Video rentals is the greatest video chain in the whole country. It can offer you virtually EVERYTHING, which makes going there a must to all blockbuster fans.

All kinds of genres possible can be rented from Blockbusters Video rental. It depends on your personal taste, and also on the options that your whole household makes. Blockbusters Video rentals is largely a family place: as it offers everything, it can be suitable for parents and children at the same time. You can always bring your loved little ones and pick up a movie of their choice. You can rent a video that your wife falls for. You can find that old movie that your mother has been craving to see for some time.

The best thing about Blockbuster video rentals is that you can always be sure that they have your favourite movies on rent there. How come? By just browsing through the net. You just need to go online and make an online rent, which is easier than going to the place yourself and pushing your way through the crowd. Use the possibilities that Internet has in store for you. By visiting the online department of Blockbuster Video rentals, you can be quite sure that you will have all the movies you chose. Always click online before attempting to make a nice movie evening with your family, and you will never be disappointed.

Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning entertainment. Get the information you are seeking now by visiting Blockbuster Video Rentals

I've been a NetFlix member for nearly two years now and up to Monday of last week I have had no complaints. I noticed however, that BlockBuster has a similar online DVD rental service but goes beyond NetFlix by allowing its user to also be able to return movies to their local Blockbuster store. Netflix DVDs must be mailed to them and even though there is no shipping charge, the difference in time between driving to a store to return a rental and mailing the rental via the post office is more than a day. That is why I decided to sign up as a BlockBuster Online user and try out both services. As I will show in this review, even though NetFlix invented the online DVD rental service, Blockbuster is right at its tale.

I can only guess that Blockbuster had to come up with a creative way of persuading people to try their online DVD rental service and at the same time stay away from the negative publicity their retail store received. What Blockbuster came up with was genius in my opinion: "Let users receive the DVD rentals over the mail, similar to NetFlix, however, unlike NetFlix allow users to return the DVDs to their local store". This was probably the selling point BlockBuster was going to use. Another feature that BlockBuster implemented to allow it's customers to receive movies faster was by initiating an agreement with the Post Office. An article from the Boston Globe describes how the company has asked the US Postal Service to scan Blockbuster return envelopes and send the firm an electronic notification so customers don't have to wait until the envelopes are actually delivered before having the next movie on their to-see list sent out. What does this mean? Basically here is the advantage to the renter:

1. Monday: You receive your DVD movies through the mail, 1 from BlockBuster and 1 from NetFlix.

2. Tuesday: You drop off both movies at your local Post Office. The Post Office Scans in both movies. However, the difference is that BlockBuster HQ is electronically notified that their movie has been returned to the Post Office. BlockBuster knows that you have returned the movie, so they send out your next movie. NetFlix has not yet received their movie so they have not sent out there movie.

3. Wednesday: You receive your second movie from BlockBuster Online. NetFlix has just received the movie you sent on Tuesday. They ship your next movie.

4. Thursday or Friday: You receive your second movie from NetFlix.

Anyone can clearly see how BlockBuster movies arrive at least one to two days sooner than NetFlix.

Another reason why I switched is that BlockBuster sends me coupons that allow me to rent 1 movie per week from their retail store. This definitely comes in handy on a Friday night when you assumed you would have received a movie in the mail but realized you wouldn't get it till the next day.

If you are interested in renting DVDs online, I recommend you try both services. You can try them both free for 1 month (BlockBuster Online or NetFlix) then decide which one you want to stay with. For me however, I have already decided.

Try BlockBuster Online Free for 1 Month Here.

Try NetFlix Free for 1 Month Here. I am currently an instructor at a trade school in New York. I run two websites: and

Bathing suit season inspires many women to set – and passionately pursue – fitness goals. But even the most committed woman can find her fitness regimen derailed by very real exercise issues specific to her gender. Hormones, a woman’s physical structure, the toll of care giving for a family, and even footwear choices make women more likely than men to incur injuries that can put a sudden halt to summer fitness activities.

Research shows biomechanical differences between the sexes make women more than twice as likely as men to suffer ACL tears, carpal tunnel syndrome and many types of knee pain. In fact, fluctuating hormone levels may make women more vulnerable to ACL tears during certain times in their monthly cycles according to a recent University of Vermont study released this year.

“During the summer months I tend to see a higher incidence of musculoskeletal injuries because everyone is more active in the warmer weather,” says Dr. Jennifer Solomon of the Hospital for Special Surgery, Women’s Sports Medicine Center. “However, women are at a higher risk all year round for certain injuries, so to reduce their risk, it is vitally important for women to take extra precautions before, during and after any fitness activities.”

Dr. Solomon offers the following tips to avoid being sidelined from summer fun:

1. Balance Footwear Fashion with Function: From towering wedges to flimsy flip flops, this summer’s footwear fashions may look good, but many make women more vulnerable than ever to ankle sprains. And while fashion sneakers may look stylish, they lack the support necessary for use while exercising. If you do suffer an ankle sprain, follow the “RICE” regimen – rest, ice, compression and elevation – to help relieve pain and swelling.

2. Strengthen and Stretch: Whether you are getting ready for a leisurely walk, a round of golf or a friendly game of tennis, strength training and stretching is key to staying in shape. “Even one or two days a week of strength and balance training can reduce the risk of injury,” says Dr. Solomon.

3. Try Female-Friendly Support: To reduce pain, try wearing a knee, ankle or wrist support that provides light compression and stability. Until now women had to make due with bulky, unisex braces that didn’t address their bodies’ needs, but Wellgate for Women has developed the first-ever line of over-the-counter supports made specifically for women. Information on the high-tech and stylish supports can be found at

4. Make Time for Your Own Health: Women often assume the role of primary caregivers for their families – whether they are the mothers of newborns or baby boomers caring for elderly parents. It’s easy to place your families’ health before your own, and put off dealing with aches and pains until they become major health issues. A visit to the physician at the first sign of pain can decrease rehabilitation time and help you avoid future injuries.

This summer, don’t lose sight of your fitness goals. Prevent injury and take action at the first sign of pain to keep your workout goals on track and your exercise routines uninterrupted. - ARA

We have been trying to alter the weather for years! American Indians tried to produce rain in times of need, and for many centuries it was believed that the people of Finland were able to control the weather. The Vikings refused to take Finnish sailors on their raids for fear that they would whip up an ocean storm. And Finns were often refused passage on ships into the 20th Century for these same superstitious reasons.

Probably the earliest and most widely used method of weather control is the lightning conductor (or lightning rod for my American friends). These conductors are usually made of copper or aluminium and are placed strategically on the high points of trees, buildings and other structures in a network to channel possible lightning strikes safely to the earth. And very successful they have been too.

In the 1950's Wilhelm Reich attempted to influence streams of cosmic rays with a device known as a 'Cloudbuster' which, he felt, would cause rain and thus dissipate the clouds. And any fans of Kate Bush out there will know that this inspired her hit 'Cloudbusting'

A common technique for inducing rain is 'Cloud Seeding'. This involves releasing silver iodide or dry ice into clouds, by plane or by small rockets or from a ground generator, and increasing cloud condensation on these particles to increase the overall precipitation. And while there are some companies dedicated solely to the practise of cloud seeding, the quantifiable results are somewhat limited. There have been experiments that show that cloud seeding does indeed alter a clouds structure and size, however there is limited evidence that this actually converts to greater precipitation at ground level. The use of alternative substances, such as salt, are being tested as they are providing more promising results.

Between 1962 and 1983 the United States government ran Project Stormfury. This was an attempt to lessen the devastating impact of tropical cyclones and hurricanes by flying aircraft into them and releasing silver iodide. The idea was that this would disrupt the inner structure of the storm and thereby lessen its impact. However over the 20 years of experimentation no conclusive proof was found that the hurricanes that did dissipate, would not have dissipated of their own accord. Although the final Project Stormfury flight was flown in 1971 it wasn't until 1983 that the project was officially closed.

There are already plans for the future control of our weather systems. For instance an idea has been proposed to gently heat portions of a hurricane with microwaves from space to help steer it away from a possible damaging land fall. The implications are huge. How would this effect the natural ecosystem? Does one country have the right to reduce or alter the precipitation of another? And the idea of microwaves being fired deep into a hurricane from space fills me with a certain amount of trepidation.

Whatever will happen remains to be seen, but in the here and now, the Chinese authorities have 30 aircraft, 4,000 rocket launchers and 7,000 anti-aircraft guns ready and waiting to shoot various chemicals into the clouds to reduce rainfall for the 2008 Olympics. And good luck with that!

Mark Boardman BSc dip.hyp is a leading author and expert on world weather. For more information about cloud seeding and the weather, go and look at these sites.

Mark's Hypnotherapy Site.

You are either attracting abundance or blocking it. Clutter will block the flow of energy in your environment and in your life, and that is enough to block abundance from flowing to you.

Clutter is anything unfinished, unused, unresolved, tolerated or disorganized. Clutter is emotional constipation!

Letting go of something that no longer makes your heart sing, can mean letting go of a person, or something no longer relevant in your life. It can be part of a process of grieving, enabling you to move into your present and future.

Everyone has their own patterns of attracting abundance and blocking it. Do you recognize any of these?

1. Physical Clutter - Clutter is dead, stagnant energy and will block the flow of energy in your life. The energy that flows around your home and office is like a river, bringing abundance and fortunate blessings in all areas of your life. A pile of clutter or something you're putting up with in your life will bog the energy down. Ask yourself: Do I love it? Do I use it? Does it make my heart sing?

2. Purchasing clutter - If you make purchases when feeling angry, sad, stressed, fearful etc. you are spending money to to suppress those feelings rather than feeling them and letting them go. This means emotional energy will attach itself to the item and you will experience its vibration, even on an unconscious level whenever you look at, wear or use the item. These items will not make your heart sing and will not support your prosperity. Are you ready to let them go? Are you ready to become a conscious shopper?

3. Growth creates clutter - As you make changes within yourself, more of your belongings will fit the definition of clutter. Having the urge to discard things in your home or office is a sign of you stepping more fully into yourself and your abundance. If you don't address the clutter, it will hold you where you were. It's natural to create clutter. If you are growing and changing you are continually moving away from things that used to be important to you!

4. Unconscious clutter - Do you have beliefs that create conflict? Do you think wealthy people don't care about people? Do you think you can't be successful working 4 days a week? These beliefs will be affecting your prosperity. Take time to re-examine them.

5. Clutter Vibration - everything has a vibration. If you have a feeling of not enough time, money or love in your life, it sets up a vibration that will block abundance. And, focusing on the fear of not having enough time or money draws more of that to you. On the other hand, the vibration of gratitude is the same as the vibration of abundance. Create an attitude of gratitude. Each night before you go to sleep write in a gratitude journal 5 things you're grateful for today. Focusing on gratitude rather than lack is one of the most powerful things you can do to attract the abundance vibration.

6. Language Clutter - The word 'want' means to desire without having! When you say you want something you are resonating with the vibration of lack, rather than flowing with the vibration of abundance. You are also complaining, at a subtle level. The Universe will answer requests, not complaints. Change the word 'want' to 'choose' and you'll be creating a different flow of energy.

7. Does your prosperity area feel abundant? Ask yourself, what do I currently own that represents abundance to me now? Once you have cleaned and cleared the clutter from your prosperity area, place this object there to create the vibration you choose to attract. The prosperity power spot in your home is in the far left corner when you're standing at your front door looking in.

8. Try this game. Place a bowl in the prosperity area of a room. This is the far left corner when you're standing at the door looking into a room. Each day, take a coin, give thanks for the abundance you already have, and the abundance coming to you and place the coin in the bowl. The increasing coins represent your increasing abundance. At some point when it feels right and the bowl is nearing full, make a decision about what to do with that money and start over. This will work best once you have cleared the clutter and cleaned the area. And remember, what you focus on expands.

Clearing clutter is an important part of Feng Shui. Before you can create something new you need to make space for it. The changes you make in your environment are mirrored in your life and support you in making emotional shifts. Feng Shui can provide a welcome boost in living the life you want.

©2007 Vicky White, All Rights Reserved. Vicky White works with women in the midst of life, to empower them to live lives of passion, purpose and meaning. Get her free report, "The 5 Biggest Attraction Mistakes: and How You Can Avoid them" and see what manifests in your life!

Global Cash Flow Network (GCFN) Creates Revolutionary Work at Home

CMPS (Certified Media Placement Specialist) Program and Raises Money for

The Boys and Girls Club

Global Cash Flow Network (Global CFN) announces the prelaunch to create Certified Media

Placement Specialists (CMPS) and time tested proven training, coaching and support in the home

business industry.

Tempe, AZ (PRWEB) October 10, 2006 -- Global Cash Flow Network announced the pre-launch of its new

Certified Media Placement Specialist (CMPS) Program that trains prospective home business and work at home

entrepeneurs with online training,courses and coaching services geared to break through and show these

entrepreneurs how to build success.

Mary Gersten the VP of Operations was instrumental in creating this revoutionarynew concept. "The biggest

factor why 98% of businesses fail today is because

they don't understand the 5 (Real) Keys to Building a Business. The days of get rich quick are over. Today we're

finding that clients want a legitimate way to make money from home while doing something they can believe in.

We're committed to provide a broad spectrum of support and educational products for all types of people in the

home business and work at home industsry- everything from our free tips (http://www.24hourwebcash.com/herman0803) andonline course to those who want a business working to become a Certified Media Placement Specialist.

Once a person learns the keys, there's no limit to what they can achieve.

And, in a commitment to walk our talk, we contribute a percentage of the sales we generate to different causes

and organizations. I'm proud to say that this past month we donated over $2,500.00 to the Boys and Girls Clubs of

America.

We're expanding our pre-launch with the new CMPS program and our goal is to donate $10,000 by December.

We also expect to contribute to other great causes like the Boys and Girls Club and Habitat for Humanity.

It's great creating a winning environment where we know that everything we do helps our clients live their

dreams and also impacts great causes too."

With Global Cash Flow Network's unique system, a client simply places media and promotes their business,

website and unique 1-800 number and extension. There is no selling. No phone calls. No talking to friends and

family. No meetings.

"Not to mention that last month we were ranked by one of the Internet's premier Scam Busters -

and the editor and reviewer gave us the highest review of any home business

program (out of the 300 they have scoured,researched and disected). It's an incredible honor and a testament that

we believe our new CMPS program offers all types of people the opportunity to build a business they will love.

PRWeb eBooks - Another online visibility tool from PRWebEveryday I get to help people get closer to their dreams, start their own business, and part of the money we create

goes to good causes and organizations that provide real value. It's a dream come true."

Along with the free online course and now an expose from we are encouraging

others to apply for our Certified Media Placement Program by offering turn-key tools and ongoing support with

our media coaches.

The free expose and course is available at

Page 2/3

If you have any questions regarding information in these press releases please contact the company listed in the press release. Our complete disclaimer

appears here. - PRWeb eBooks - Another online visibility tool from PRWebContact Information

Mary Gersten

GLOBAL CASH FLOW NETWORK

800-719-8270 ext: herman0803

Online Web 2.0 Version

You can read the online version of this press release here.Page 3/3

If you have any questions regarding information in these press releases please contact the company listed in the press release. Our complete disclaimer

appears here. - PRWeb eBooks - Another online visibility tool from PRWeb

Frequent Steam Cleaning can drastically improve the visual aspect of carpet and upholstery. One of the biggest advantages many folks do not associate with Steam Cleaning is the health benefits it provides to those who suffer from allergies and asthma. The EPA has discovered indoor air pollution as one of the top five urgent environmental dangers to public health. When your home is polluted with allergens and dust, your lungs are expossed to greater health risks. Your lungs can't process oxygen into carbon dioxide as effeciently as they should. Routine Steam Cleaning can actually reduce allergens and dust and help your lungs breath easier.

One of the most trouble-free small business opportunities you can own is a Steam cleaning franchise. It's an easy business to run and business evaluation stability charts show steam cleaning franchises with a high rating. Because the investment level to start up a steam cleaning business is very low, it is a excellent small business opportunity for any person from any background. Many entrepreneurial minded individuals run extremely profitable steam cleaning businesses that were initially started with very low capital. These folks hold the knowledge that steam cleaning is a low investment business with the potential to earn a very high income. For those with access to minimal funds, starting a steam cleaning business can be a win-win situation. For those who are unfamiliar with business ownership, starting a small steam cleaning business can be a nerving situation. A lot of newly opened businesses fail because of mistakes that could have been avoided. Therefore, building a business plan before jumping into a new venture can mean either success or failure for your business. Subsequently, the two biggest fears for future business owners would appear to be job security and the failure of their new business. If one of the biggest fears people have about starting a small business is the fear of having no real security.

You can easily start a steam cleaning business with as little as $1000. It is feasible for some people to start the business with less than $500 under the right circumstances. If you own your own equipment and transportation vehicle, it will mean less money from your pocket. Realistically, most people who want to start a steam cleaning franchise don't own cleaning equipment. Alternatively, if you're just starting out and if you want to own an independent operation as opposed to a franchise, you have the option of leasing the cleaning equipment for a very small fee. Contrarily, Consider the benefits of a cleaning franchise. Although the initial investment to start a franchise may be higher, the benefits you will receive can have a huge impact on the success of your business. Brand-name recognition, an established customer base, and extensive training and support are fundamentally important to the success of any franchise. But the two most important are the training and support because they eliminate the guesswork that comes ever so often when starting a new business.

You can find several steam cleaning systems out on the market. Before starting your cleaning franchise, it is a good idea to research the various systems that are available. Some steam cleaning systems are more complex and more costly than others and achieve different results. Commercial cleaning companies commonly utilize truck mounted systems for their commercial strength and unique ability to cut down the time spent on a job. Many steam cleaning franchise companies utilize the truck mounted cleaning system.

A small steam cleaning business can turn some amazing profits. You won't find the flexibility and depth that the cleaning business holds in any other industry. And you can grow your steam cleaning home business as large as you want. Steam cleaning is a billion dollar a year industry and it's growing bigger every day. Deciding on a business with all the right properties is an important decision you will have to make if you plan to be your own boss. For every potential opportunity that presents itself, retain as much information about that business as possible to reduce problems in the future. A new business venture can be an exciting and rewarding journey. Sticking to your business plan staying focused can ensure the success of your franchise.

FranchiseForS is a leader in online franchise advertising industry, as it has gained ground as the industry's best directory of franchise and business opportunities. Visit Franchise for Sale Today and browse through some of the best Steam Cleaning Franchises available on the market

Many Internet businesses sell intellectual property. For example, they sell a book, eBook, audio CD, DVD, or software. Selling intellectual property can be very lucrative. You can sell intellectual property that is in a digital format such as an eBook. You can have customers download the eBook directly off of your website.

Downloading a digital product is easy, but what if you want to send a CD or DVD to your customer? Many customers still prefer an actual CD or DVD. If you offer these products then you have to deal with fulfillment of packaging and shipping. You can work through a fulfillment company, but many fulfillment companies provide less than desirable services.

So how do you act as your own fulfillment company? Let's say that you have digital MP3 audios that you want to put into CD format. You also have an eBook that you want to print and send as a hard copy book. You also are new to the Internet business scene and are on a tight budget.

The good news is that you can burn the CD and print the book yourself. Buy a CD and DVD burner program called "BravoPro". BravoPro lets you burn CDs and DVDs quickly and easily. You can burn CDs and DVDs at your home. You can print out the CD and DVD covers yourself.

Tip: Don't buy BravoPro off of ebay just to save a few bucks. If you do then you won't have access to BravoPro support. So if your program breaks or you have questions about features than you are left out in the cold.

The next question is how to package the CDs and DVDs. You need a CD jewel case and/or a DVD case. Did you know that you can actually find DVD cases for free? Head out to your local Blockbuster. They often throw out DVD cases after a hit movie goes onto the regular shelves. So go to your local Blockbuster and ask them when they throw out their DVD cases. They will often be happy to give you the DVD boxes. Using the free DVD cases will save you loads of money.

Burning your own CDs and DVDs is fun at first, but after awhile you may want to outsource the job. It's up to you. Just know that you can provide fulfillment for these types of products on a budget.

Matt Bacak began investing his first earnings at the tender age of 12, a young businessman in the making. Now, 15 years later, Bacak survived failed businesses, botched partnerships, heavy credit card debt and bankruptcy - all in preparation for the accomplishments he has achieved today as a well-established Internet millionaire and best-selling author.

For more information, visit Bacak's site at or sign up for his Powerful Promoting

Tips at

Online DVD rental business started its journey only in the last part of the twentieth century. But it has never looked back since then. The online disk rental trade became a huge success and attained unimaginable popularity among the viewers. The popularity was first attained in the USA and UK where the viewers were overwhelmed by the exclusive and convenient way of watching a movie. The Internet DVD rental trade did not restrict itself in these countries but spread to all other major countries of Europe and Asia.

The online DVD rentals offer an easy and convenient way of ordering for a movie. The viewer needs to go to the website of the rental company. He will need to register himself at the site. Then he can choose DVDs from the list of films provided in the website. After choosing the desired DVD he will need to sit back and relax. The ordered DVDs will be sent through post practically in no time at all.

There are no hidden charges or any kind of late fees applicable on these orders. There is no due date either and so the customer does not need to worry about sending the DVDs back. They can be sent back free of charges. The customers can return the DVDs at their own will. But he will get another DVD only after returning the previous one.

The membership fee is quite small in the online rental services. The both ways postal charges are included in the membership fees. So, after paying the membership fees the customer can stop worrying about extra charges.

Before the online DVDs rental trade started viewers had to go to a shop to get a DVD and had to keep the due date of retuning the DVD failing which extra charges would have to be paid for late returns. But with the advent of Internet DVD rental trade things changed dramatically. And people all around the world have understood the benefits of ordering online for a DVD.

The most famous name in the field of web DVD rental trade happens to be that of Netflix that introduced web DVD rental trade. Another big name is Blockbuster. Blockbuster had already created a name for itself as a very popular DVD rental shop. Blockbuster went online and took a very large share in the market. Blockbuster controls over a quarter of the market and has increased emphasis on its online division. Another giant named Lovefilm also has a prominent presence in the online DVD rental business. Lovefilm mails out over two million DVDs per month.

The DVD rental market will probably continue its explosive growth for at least several more years as it is becoming increasingly powerful, driving many street video shops out of business in the process. It is a huge market and the fabulous consumer friendly offers of this business make the online DVD rental business a complete success story.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for used DVDs, used movies, and used car stereos. You can find the best marketplace for used DVDs, used movies, and used car stereos at these sites for Online DVD rental business, Netflix, Blockbuster, Lovefilm, used movies, and used car stereos.

INTRODUCTION

If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It

A motorist asks a farmer for a glass of water. The farmer obliges, using a hand pump to draw water from a well. The pump handle turns close to a board, and the farmer curses as he scrapes his knuckles against it.

Motorist: Why not move that board? It serves no purpose.

Farmer: It's been there since my father's time. If it was good enough for him, it is good enough for me.

Aping Human Beings

Imagine a cage containing five apes. In the cage, hang a banana on a string over some stairs. Before long, as the story goes, an ape will decide to go up the stairs to grab the banana. As soon as that ape touches the stairs, spray all the apes with icy water. After awhile, another ape will approach the stairs with the same result: All the apes are sprayed with cold water. Do this repeatedly and then just watch when another ape tries to climb the stairs. The other apes will attempt to prevent the ape, even though no cold water is sprayed on them.

Next remove one ape from the cage and replace that ape with a new one. The new ape sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To its horror, all of the other apes attack. After another thwarted attempt, the new ape knows that if it tries to climb the stairs, it will be assaulted. Now remove another of the original five apes and replace it with a new one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer enthusiastically takes part in the punishment although it has no idea why it was not permitted to climb the stairs.

After replacing the third, fourth, and fifth original apes, all the apes that had been sprayed with cold water are gone from the cage. Nevertheless, no ape ever again approaches the stairs.

Why not? 'Because that the way it's always been around here.' Sound familiar?

TRADITIONAL WAYS TO TOE THE LINE

The Pecking-Order Tradition: ' After You, Alphonse '

In most organizations, decisions have to follow a certain pathway. Someone who needs a decision begins the process by asking his or her boss. The boss asks her or his boss. This process continues until someone has the authority and wants to decide. When the decision is finally made, communicating the answer has to follow the same path in reverse down through the organizational pathway. Nothing has changed about this process since the days of feudal kings and their lords. But is this the fastest way to make progress? Hardly.

The Hazing Tradition: Get Down!

Organizations don't like to allow newcomers to become part of the group until the new people are put through some ridiculous initiation that had humbled the organization's veterans. Having humiliating experiences in common makes everyone feel more comfortable with one another. The apes in the cage would recognize the process.

The Slow Walking Tradition: Take the Tour

Few people like it when pressure is put on them. To avoid that pressure, many people will pretend to be at full effectiveness ' while working well below their self-perceived potential. When the big bosses arrive for an inspection, those who host the visitors will take the big brass on a long, slow tour designed to demonstrate that everyone is fully and effectively engaged. Every stop will have been rehearsed for weeks in advance, and everything will be perfect.

This tradition has been around for a long time. During a famine, Catherine the Great took a tour of Russia to see how the peasants were doing. A prosperous-appearing village was erected along the banks of the river just before her arrival. That night, the village was disassembled and transported down river to be erected again for viewing by the Czarina the next day in a new location.

The Time-Is-Money Tradition: How Much Is This Conversation Going to Cost Me?

Many organizations run themselves to be cost efficient. With stop watches and clipboards in hand, cost analysts ensure that activities not earning an adequate profit are ruthlessly slashed. In this way, profits are increased. Or are they? Sometimes the effects of the cost cutting actually harm profits.

Here's an example: There's no profit in taking back unsatisfactory products. Stores will put as few people as possible working on this task. There may be 30 customers in the store and 19 of them will be in line to return items while a single clerk works as slowly as possible. But wait in too many of these long lines and customers will buy somewhere else ' where the return lines aren't so long. A lost customer can cost a company thousands in profits. Sometimes that short-term cutting focus is the wrong way to look at things.

The Isolation Tradition: Solitary Confinement for Learning Development

Most organizations are reluctant to credit innovations and ideas that have prospered in other organizations. Engineers often skeptically refer to the sloppy work that everyone else does. Ironically, this approach is more often known as the 'Not Invented Here' Syndrome that almost always means falling behind the competition because everything 'Not Invented Here' is shunned.

The Inertia Tradition: Millwork Is My Trade

In 1848, gold was found at Sutter's Mill in northern California. There were literally large nuggets sitting in the river beds that could be picked up by the handful. Five minutes' labor would pay for a week's expenses. Sutter lost his business as a result. He kept trying to earn money with his sawmill while workers quit to carry off fortunes in gold. Similarly, many organizations focus on their past activities rather than grasping the great potential of the present.

STALL ERASERS

Many people find it hard to challenge their old ways of doing business, especially when stalled by tradition. Here are some examples of how leaders have been able to erase harmful traditions:

' Pretend to be a new management team that has been asked to turn around the problems brought about by the prior management's complacency.

' Take the least productive tasks you do now and delegate them to someone else who will do them well and appreciate the opportunity. Encourage that person to delegate her or his least productive tasks in the same way. And so on.

' If the methods you've been using don't work, begin controlled experiments to test all other ways even ways that call for reversing your direction.

' Turn the best performer's approach into a simple process that those with no experience can duplicate through automated promptings.

' Make it easy and quick for customers to solve the problems they encounter. Assume customers will behave honestly if that can help speed up and ease problems. They'll reward you with continual word-of-mouth praise and increased loyalty.

STALLBUSTERS

Identify Your Organization's Traditions and Their Original Purposes

Most traditions start with a purpose, but others start by accident. Before changing something, you should find out if the tradition still serves some useful purpose by asking the following questions:

' What traditions does the organization have that slow down or increase the cost of accomplishing important results?

' What benefits do these traditions provide?

' What values were intended to be served by the traditions?

' What problems are created by the traditions?

Identify Empowering Traditions You Can Use to Improve Performance

Traditions are powerful management tools for reinforcing good habits. People are more willing to abandon their own traditions when they learn that another organization's different traditions have led to high performance.

' What traditions do other organizations have that speed up progress, improve the results, and effectively reduce costs?

' Which of these traditions are consistent with your organization's values?

' How could the traditions be made more consistent with and supportive of your organization's values?

' Which aspects of these traditions are exciting and fun for people in your organization?

Establish New or Amended Traditions

What aspects of your organization do you want to have operating on automatic pilot for all employees? One of the best examples of automatic response is a tradition at Ritz-Carlton hotels. Whenever an employee notices or is told by a guest about a problem, the employee has the responsibility to fix the problem immediately. That tradition ensures that guests receive quick, courteous solutions while feeling encouraged to bring problems to the staff's attention. Higher guest satisfaction and loyalty usually follow from that tradition.

To create or change traditions in your organization, ask the following questions:

' What are the three most useful traditions your organization could have?

' How can the new traditions be established so that everyone will be delighted?

' How can you combine elements of existing traditions with useful elements of these new traditions?

' What has been the best way that your organization has previously launched traditions?

DVD rental industry came into being in the last decades of the 20th century. Around 1999, companies began to come up with the idea of online DVD rental system. The system soon became a great success as it offered convenience with no extra charges.

The convenience of ordering for a movie from home became hugely popular. And with the additional facilities like cheap rentals, no late fees, and no due dates, it really caught up with the market. Even postal charges were not included and the viewers could order online 24 hours a day from a huge collection of movies.

From the very beginning the DVD rental industry became quite fashionable and it outdated the general DVD rental shop, which had all kinds of extra charges. The online system became immediately popular as the viewer did not have to go anywhere to watch his favorite movies.

The process of ordering the DVD became simple like never before. The viewer just had to visit the DVD rental company's website, get a membership and choose from the list of movies available on the site. He can then order for the movies and the movies will get delivered by first class post to him in no time at all. In some ways DVD rental industry has given a big boost to the postal system also of every country.

The DVD rental by mail idea was pioneered by the US film Netflix, launched in 1999, to take advantage of the power of the internet and cheap and easy delivery of DVDs by post, while eliminating late fees or any kind of hidden charges. Netflix was the first one to introduce online DVD rentals and was able to get a patent on this business idea. They are the pioneers in the online DVD rental industry. Netflix is the ideal model for the entire industry and is still the dominant company in the U.S.

Another DVD rental industry giant, Lovefilm, alone controls 23 percent of all DVD rentals from all over the world. Lovefilm delivers out over 2 million discs per month. It is a UK based company that offers various types of membership plans and facilities as well.

The other big player in the DVD rental industry is Blockbuster which controls over a quarter of the market and has increased emphasis on its online division, with quality probably just as good as its brick and mortar store. Blockbuster claimed one million online customers in August 2005, two million by March 2006, and finished the first quarter of 2007 with three million.

DVD rental industry had an explosive growth in 2005 and 2006 and is expected to continue for at least several more years. And the DVD rental industry will probably continue this excessive growth for at least several more years as it goes for the big picture, driving many street video shops out of the way in the process.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for used DVDs, used movies, and used car stereos. You can find the best marketplace for used DVDs, used movies, and used car stereos at these sites for Netflix, Blockbuster, Lovefilm, used movies, and used car stereos.

A mind-set is simply the way we organize our thinking, whether consciously or unconsciously. Most of the time, we act based on unconscious mind-sets that simply repeat what we've done most recently. In a new situation where our conscious mind is engaged, we may also repeat past behavior because when faced with a new choice, we often search through our alternatives in a predictable pattern that includes some perspectives while ignoring many others.

Organizations develop their mind-sets through rules, processes, and rituals, as well as through the mind-sets of those who work in them. The fewer people who enter an organization, the more likely the organizational mind-set is to become fixed.

The Individual Stall Mind-Set

Are you awake, aware of, and working on what you want to accomplish … or are you usually daydreaming? It's easy to spend most of your day with your conscious mind turned off while you endure your commute, struggle to stay awake during meetings, listen to long-winded people on the telephone, exercise, perform routine chores, and watch television. The focus for your whole mind starts in the conscious part of your brain. Keep that conscious focus turned off, and the whole brain runs on automatic instructions.

Overcoming that lethargy is pretty easy. Take these steps:

1. Create written goals for what's important.

2. Read those goals aloud twice a day.

3. Write out plans to help you accomplish your goals.

4. Increase the number of hours a day when you are consciously working on those goals.

5. Tell others what you want to accomplish and ask for their help.

6. Check your progress daily against your goals to identify where you need to shift to doing something more effective.

7. Get help in looking for ways to improve in those lagging areas.

8. Put improvements in place as soon as you can.

Some people tell us they don't have the time to add any new activities. We suggest you check out that belief. Write down everything you do and when over 24 hours a day for 14 days. Add up elapsed time totals for each category (such as spiritual activities, sleeping, eating, commuting, various aspects of work, activities around home and in the community, exercise, and recreation). Then create an ideal time allocation for how you would like to spend your time. If you are like most people who do this exercise, you'll find that you can shift 25 hours each week from what you do now into things you would like to be doing.

At this stage, some people are still confused about what to do. They don't see a role model or example that seems to perfectly fit what they would like to be doing. Relax. That's a good sign! It means that a lot of people are stalled in pursuing what you want to do. So there's lots of untapped potential for you to grasp. Try selecting some ideas for improvement from one person's example and other ideas from a different example. Put the combination together in a new way and try it out in a low-risk test. Many such tests won't succeed, but the ones that do will cause you to zoom forward.

The Organizational Stall Mind-Set

Since the advent of military organizations, the goal of many groups has been to focus and direct each person's attention to a narrow, predictable path. Since communication used to be almost impossible in large organizations, there was little choice but to try to do little in order to accomplish anything. Such groups are now called command-and-control-style organizations.

Today's fast-changing world is filled with much better educated people and more ways to communicate, so organizations can aspire to be very responsive by having those who first notice a problem or opportunity move quickly to take appropriate action. This works better if each individual knows that this should be done and develops her or his ability to notice problems and opportunities and to take appropriate, timely action.

Too often, however, the habits of command and control are carried over intentionally or unintentionally into a free-form world that most closely resembles a fast-break opportunity in basketball. Here are some examples of progress barriers created by command-and-control stalls:

• Meetings that focus on permanently fixed agendas drive out time and initiative that could be used to work on more important, but unperceived, issues.

• Compensation systems that reward you for doing only part of your job encourage you to ignore what else needs to be done.

• Lacking a focus on learning, many organizations spin their wheels by superficially reexamining areas that have been studied to death by predecessors.

• Rigid protocol often requires that you cannot speak directly with your counterpart in another part of the organization, leaving your efforts isolated and ineffective.

Decision makers live in isolated fortresses with lots of guards around to keep others away, leaving decisions in limbo.

Become a Stallbuster

You now have a better idea of what a stall is. You may doubt that people can change mind-sets and become vastly more productive in short periods of time. But such rapid changes may be easier than you think. "Necessity is the mother of invention" is a motto that applies to successfully dealing with crises. A big challenge can also cause that motto to come to life.

Stallbusters

Be Aware of Your Habits

Most people are better at identifying others' habits than noticing their own. Ask others to tell you what habits they see in you. Then keep a diary to see which of those habits are done without much conscious thought. Next review what you have learned and think about the patterns. When would you have been better off changing the patterns?

Be Aware of Your Organization's Habits

For the next week, write down everything that your organization does without much thought. Pay particular attention to how problems are addressed. Consider the habitual items on your list and ask yourself the following questions:

• Why are these things done?

• What is the benefit?

• When are these habits harmful?

• When might these habits stall progress?

• How should the habits be changed?

• Does the organization have an effective method for making the changes?

Be Aware of How the Habits of Others in Your Organization Affect You

Many ambitious employees soon begin to sound, look, and think like the CEO ― down to the tiniest variation in cadence and phrase. The more you think about habits, the more you will notice them and create the needed adjustments. Answer the following questions to gain perspective:

• What habits do people in your company pick up from the CEO?

• What are the benefits?

• When are these habits harmful?

• When might these habits stall progress?

• How should these habits be changed?

It's a good idea to repeat this investigation for other leaders who serve between the CEO and the bulk of those who work for the organization.

Be Aware of How Your Habits Affect Others in Your Organization

Habits can come from being with anyone. In fact, you are creating quite a few habits in others through your actions. Because you are the source, such habits will be easier to change than the others we describe in this section. To increase your awareness, ask yourself the following questions:

• What habits do people in your company pick up from you?

• What are the benefits?

• When are these habits harmful?

• When might these habits stall progress?

• How should these habits be changed?

Practice Soaring Like an Eagle

Most impassable barriers to progress occur only in the mind. In fact, there is usually a way around (over, through, or away from) the barriers that will work just fine. To improve in seeing past your habitual ways of thinking and acting, you need success in doing something that seems impossible. An example might be to sell more of your company's products at a higher price with less marketing and to enjoy a higher profit margin. Pick such a business objective that's way beyond what anyone thinks is possible and then address the following questions:

What would have to happen for this result to be possible?

If your organization had all of the resources and time in the world, could it be done?

How much would it be worth to accomplish this objective?

How much can your organization realistically afford to spend to reach the objective?

Do other people see this objective as being impossible, or, rather, do they see it as difficult or inconvenient?

Assuming for the moment that you could know how to reach the seemingly impossible objective (such as selling more of your company's products at a higher price with less marketing while earning a higher profit margin), what is the answer to the seemingly impossible objective?