Archive for December, 2007

Engineers and Their Career Paths

Monday, December 31st, 2007

By Bruce Taylor A True Story Years ago I was working on a large, complex Java application for a medium-sized software company. In the middle of the projects chaos, one of our engineers shone out like a beacon. She estimated tasks accurately, she always made her deadlines, her design was imaginative and efficient, her code was elegant, and her testing was impeccable. If they presented MVP awards for software, she would have won it unanimously. After the project was released, our director rewarded her with a large bonus, a corner office, and a hefty promotion to project manager. Within six weeks she had found a new job and turned in her notice of resignation. When I asked her why she was leaving she told me, They rewarded me for doing my job well by taking me away from everything I love doing. Sometimes Sideways is Upward Engineers dont think of career paths in the same way managers do. If you ask an engineer about her career path she will look confused and give you a vague, ambiguous answer. But if you ask her, What would you like to do at the end of this project? she will probably have a definite, well-though-out plan of exactly what she needs to do next. She may ask to work on the next green fields project, or to work with a group of engineers that she respects, or to work on a project that uses the latest technology. These are the elements of an engineer’s career path: getting larger challenges, working with smarter people, and staying current with the next technologies. In comparison with these, titles, bonuses, and perks dont mean that much. How to Promote a Programmer So what do you do when an engineer has clearly outgrown her current job and deserves a position that gives her more scope to excel? Rule number one is, Dont surprise her. You should be having frequent conversations with her about her plans and goals, and the promotion should come naturally out of your discussions. Rule number two is, Ask her what she wants to do next, and pay attention to her answer. Dont assume that you know what is best for her career, or what challenge she needs next: at most you might give her some coaching to help her think through her next steps. Rule number three is, When she tells you what she needs to do next, find a way to make it happen. You may have to get creative with assignments, and you may have to bend some of the rules, but you need to start a process for putting her into the position she has chosen. How Tall is Your Technical Ladder? Most engineering companies now claim to have dual career ladders, meaning that employees can advance either as technical contributors or as managers; and from time to time you really do need to promote engineers, in order to give them the salary they deserve. But what do you do with a very senior engineer who is already in a Director-level position, and deserves another promotion? Do you have another rung on your technical ladder, or must she switch to management in order to be promoted to VP level to claim those rewards? If its the latter, go back and re-read my true story, because that may be the reason she decides to take her career elsewhere. About the Author Bruce Taylor is the owner and principal of WorkingInUnison, an Organizational Development consulting firm located near Boston, Massachusetts. Bruce helps software organizations of all sizes to create low-stress, supportive, adaptable working environments, so that the engineers, leaders, and managers can work as effectively as possible. He provides executive coaching for senior managers who are creating superior organizations, management coaching for technical leaders who are adapting to new agile practices, and individual coaching for engineers who are upgrading their skills. Bruce has a Masters in Computer Science from Duke University, a Masters in Community Psychology, and a Certificate in Job Stress and Healthy Workplace Design, both from the University of Massachusetts. He can be reached at http://www.workinginunison.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bruce_Taylor http://EzineArticles.com/?Engineers-and-Their-Career-Paths&id=199151 cheap phentermine 37.5 phentermine with out prescription doctor’s pharmacy phentermine online pharmacy selling phentermine

Fast Weight Loss Tips - Fast Weight Loss Tips For Immediate Results!

Sunday, December 30th, 2007

By Damien Ng Its hard to find a diet program that works every time it is tried. It seems like every time one turns around there is a new fad diet and many fast weight loss tips. But true weight loss cannot usually be found in a fad diet or a diet pill. In fact, it is usually found in something that has been around for ages: regular exercise and good nutrition. That plan usually has a very high success rate and includes fast weight loss tips you should be aware of. The military of every country world wide knows that exercise and good nutrition is critical to health weight maintenance (which they must maintain). And when those two factors are combined with miscellaneous fast weight loss tips they are fit to be deployed anywhere. No military subscribes to fad diets but subscribes to exercise, good nutrition, and other fast weight loss tips such as the following: Weight Loss Tip 1: Get active and decrease focus on dieting. This is Burning more calories than you take in is far more effective than dieting usually. There are so many ways to do this too. Youll see that people will run, run up stairs, ride a bike, do intense yard work, and chop wood. Not having enough time is no excuse. All you have to do is leave the car at home one day and walk or bike to work. You can even walk during your lunch break. Weight Loss Tip 2: Eat right. Dont eat snacks full of sugar and cut down on your portions at meals. Eat a balanced diet. Also remember that the proper weight loss is not achieved by starting yourself. It is better to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. Weight Loss Tip 3: Eat breakfast. It is the most important meal of the day. This meal is for the brain and it is proven that if you eat a good breakfast, you are less likely to snack on sugary processed foods later on in the day. Plus there is less likelihood that you will stuff yourself with a huge lunch. Weight Loss Tip 4: Keep meal patterns regular. If you can possibly try to avoid having long spans of time in between meals it will help to keep you balanced both mentally and physically. It also helps to keep your metabolism stable. Weight Loss Tip 5: Dont eat before going to bed. Think about it. You are going to eat a dinner meal and then rest for 8 or 9 hours. This is probably the surest way to gain weight as you will not be active to burn calories. Plus you will not have a comfortable sleep as your food is digesting. There are many more fast weight loss tips but remember that the key is to burn off more calories than you take in. As you get older, your metabolism decreases so you will probably have to exercise more and intake less. Damien Ng is a health enthusiast and an active sportsman. Are you interested in a revolutionized and healthy way of losing weight? If you are, you can learn more about this at http://www.atkinsdiet-recipes.info/ Fast Weight Loss Tips Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Damien_Ng http://EzineArticles.com/?Fast-Weight-Loss-Tips—Fast-Weight-Loss-Tips-For-Immediate-Results!&id=439444 buy phentermine with no perscription overnight pharmacy phentermine online pharmacy phentermine 37.5 online pharmacies phentermine

No Sew or Easy Sew Decorating Ideas

Sunday, December 30th, 2007

By Steve Miers For those of you who don’t have a lot of time to worry about sewing pillows, curtains and other fabric decorations, there are plenty of no sew projects or projects that require minimal sewing. Even for the beginning sewer, the projects just require you to be able to sew in a strait line with no fancy sewing stitches or techniques. One of the easiest chair covers, pillows and curtain toppers that you can make involves using cloth napkins. You can find cloth napkins in a variety of colors, patterns and sizes. You can use cloth napkins to cover seat cushions or to throw over the top of a curtain rod to make a curtain topper. If you sew two cloth napkins with their right sides together, you can then turn them right sides out and stuff them to make instant pillows. You can often find cloth table clothes that match napkins and you can use them to cover an ottoman or sew two together to make curtains. Using cloth napkins and table clothes that already have finished edges gives them a professional look for just a little bit of money. If you are going for a more casual curtain look, you can buy sheets for decorating. Whether you choose chambray sheets or white sheets, once they are hanging on the curtain rod nobody will ever know that they are sheets. All you have to do is hem them to the correct length, which can be done by sewing or by using fusible tape and an iron. Depending on the window size, you may have to cut the sheets in half in order to avoid having a bulky fabric look. If you cut them in half you will need to fold in the cut edges to form a smooth edge which can be accomplished by sewing them or using fusible tape. A sheet can also be used to cover an old sofa and will look similar to a shabby chic sofa cover. If you have left over fabric from any of your projects there are a number of easy projects that you can do to use this fabric and help tie things in your room together. You can cover a lamp shade with fabric by using shades that you can buy at a local craft store that are specially designed for fabric. Thin strips of fabric can be used to tie curtains back. A long piece of fabric or sheet can be used for a table runner. In addition to these no sew or easy sew decorating projects you can find hundreds of ideas on the internet for other projects. You are only limited by your imagination not by your inability to sew. Making your house into a home by adding personal touches couldn’t be any easier with all these simple project ideas. I enjoy writing and creating websites. For more of my websites please visit my algabra, medicalcoding, yamahamotorcycles websites. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Miers http://EzineArticles.com/?No-Sew-or-Easy-Sew-Decorating-Ideas&id=217364 buy phentermine cash on delivery classic pharmacy phentermine buy phentermine cod no prescription phentermine without a dr prescription

How Large A Loan Can You Afford?

Saturday, December 29th, 2007

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Peter_Kenny]Peter Kenny The first step to finding the right home for your needs is to work out how much money you can afford to spend on the property. Although you want to get a good property, you also want it to be affordable, and knowing what you can spend will help you to find the right home at the right price. If you are unsure about how much you can afford to spend on your mortgage loan, then here is some advice to help you work it out. How much do you earn? Your mortgage loan will be secured against your new property, but to work out how much you can borrow the lender will look at your earnings. They do not just want to know how much money you have now, but what you are likely to earn over the next 20 or 30 years. Mortgage loans last a long time, and so the lender has to see that you will be able to pay off the loan both now and in ten years time. The more you earn and the more stable your job, the better the chances of you getting a larger mortgage. Credit history Another important factor that determines how much you can afford is your credit history. The lender will do a credit check to make sure that you are a responsible borrower, and that you dont have any past financial problems. Before applying for a mortgage loan, you should check that your credit report is in order and that there are no mistakes. A good credit history will allow you to borrow more. Timescale How much you can afford to borrow will allow depend on how long you want the mortgage loan term to be. If you want a long mortgage term of 25 years, then your monthly payments will be much lower, but you will pay back a lot more in interest. However, getting a mortgage loan term of 15 years will mean higher payments, but less overall costs from interest. Also, if you are only planning to stay in a property for a few years, it may not be worth getting a mortgage. Changing properties will involve many costs, and so it might be more cost effective to rent until you can afford a property that you will stay in for longer. Be honest with yourself As well as the lender deciding how much you can afford, you need to be honest with yourself about your financial capabilities. Just because a lender will loan you a certain amount of money does not mean you can really afford it. If you cut back on everything else then you might be able to afford the mortgage. However, if your lifestyle is more extravagant, then getting a large mortgage may not be a good idea. Try and be conservative, and borrow an amount that you can afford easily. This will make the mortgage loan less risky and allow you to make payments even during tough times. However much you decide to borrow make sure you can afford the payments, because you never want to be in a situation where your house is taken away from you because you cannot pay. Sacrifice that extra bedroom for financial security and you will benefit in the long-term. Peter Kenny is a writer for The Thrifty Scot, please visit us at [http://www.loanwize.co.uk]Personal Loans and [http://www.thriftyscot.co.uk/Loans/]LoansVisit [http://www.thriftyscot.co.uk/Loans/]http://www.thriftyscot.co.uk/Loans/. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Kenny http://EzineArticles.com/?How-Large-A-Loan-Can-You-Afford?&id=344350 tree top pharmacy phentermine buy phentermine us phentermine overnight without a prescription where can i buy phentermine

Hands-On Entertainment: Watch TV, Play Music and Have Fun with Your Pocket PC and Smartphone

Friday, December 28th, 2007

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Rene_Tse]Rene Tse Can you watch TV, listen to songs and play games without wires? Yes. Most Smartphones in the market have built in Wi-Fi capabilities. These same Smartphones are also capable of Wi-Fi roaming between cellular and Wi-Fi networks. You are probably wondering what does this have to do with watching a movie or TV show on your Smartphone. It has everything to do with it. Not only is your Pocket PC a great communication device for business use, but it has the ability to be your entertainment center. Now that Wi-Fi hotspots with high speed data capability are so popular you can watch a short film while waiting to pick your friend up at the airport, or the mall via mobile phone networks. T-Mobile has installed Wi-Fi hotspots in over 2000 Starbucks locations and in Borders bookstores. You can find free public gateway access points in many lounges and major hotel chains. You never expected so much so soon! It gets even better. Did you know that you can watch TV, movies, videos and listen to Internet radio shows (podcasting) using your Windows media player and pocket PC? Say goodbye to stress and take a mini-vacation with your pocket PC and Smartphone Here is you can find a world of relaxation. First say goodbye to being stressed, upset or tired. These are problems of the past, not the present. Now you can transfer audio and video data over the Internet in a continuous stream known as, Streaming Media. This formula for relaxation uses the streaming media capability on your pocket PC or Smartphone. Many streaming media portals are free to access. You dont have to drop what you are doing and wait 30 minutes to download a movie onto your pocket PC. With streaming media you have a continuous stream without having to download the entire movie, TV show or video clip. Simply click on a link and you can watch the Pink Panther or your favorite movie on your Pocket PC. Combine the luxury and comforts of a fine urban life with the secluded wilds of a National Park forest. Take your Pocket PC with you to a Forest resort with Internet high speed connection and enjoy a variety of streaming media that is especially customized for a small screen. Take a test drive and try out these streaming media websites: http://www.ppcvidz.com/small/mainmenu.asp. This service is mostly free. If you want to watch feature movies they charge $4.95/ month or $50.00 a year. With this service you get access to 117 live TV stations. If you want some international flavor, you can enjoy broadcasts from over 30 different countries. http://www.pocketpcmedia.nl/movietrailers.php3?cat=new. Would you like to watch: X-men, The Last Stand, Flight 93, or Superman Returns for free? Heres what Dave Ipaq has to say about Pocket PC Media, This is a neat mobile site that will keep you informed and entertained. If you find the movies to be quite tasteful, you can donate some money to Pocket PC Media via Paypal. With streaming audio you can watch: Web TV, geek gadget news, short movies, and Internet radio, etc. Many of the streaming media is hosted on Pocket PC Medias website. They also recommend links to other excellent streaming media websites. Pocket Medias head office is in the Netherlands, so if you speak Danish, you will enjoy some of their Danish media content too. With Pocket PC you will be relaxed and connected as you choose from over 50 short movies and new Movie releases that you would otherwise rent from your local Blockbuster video store. http://windowsmedia.com/MediaGuide/Home. Why not enjoy free streaming radio and short movie clips on a Windows Media website? With this resource you can tune into a wide range of Internet Radio stations for free. Going into the wilds without the Internet?Stay connected to civilization with Audio Books What if you are not connected to the Internet? It could happen if you going on a road trip in the back woods either camping or bird watching. You could get yourself a pair of binoculars and a copy of National Geographic field guide to the birds of North America and start making friends with winged creatures. There wont be a Starbucks or Borders bookstore anywhere where you will be going. This is the time when subscribing to www.audible.com comes in handy. For only $14.95 a month, you can download one audio book and one month magazine subscription. If personal growth interests you, why not download Wayne Dyers The Power of Intention, or My Life by Bill Clintons audio book onto your Pocket PC. Some samples of magazine subscriptions you can download include: Harvard Business Journal, The Scientific Mind and Forbes magazine. If you are a real streaming media enthusiast, you can capture streaming media on your laptop or PC and then transfer it onto your Pocket PC to enjoy later. There are software programs that can do all of this for you. Before you forgo access to a free Wi-Fi hotspot and go out in the woods, download your favorite audio book, radio show, or favorite magazine. Give your eyes a much needed rest and listen to content of your choice. Enjoy the streaming audio adventure. Copyright Rene Tse, the founder and president of the website: Free cellular Phone Deals. Rene has been writing about wifi roaming since buying her first smart phone back in the Jurassic age. Since then, Rene has written hundreds of articles on which : [http://www.free-cellular-phone-deals.com/camera.html]camera cell phone, video streaming website and a consumers guide to which [http://www.free-cellular-phone-deals.com/MP3.html]music cell phones & options is right for you and your family.Learn more about what other mobile phone subscribers are saying about their cell phone service experience with the various wireless providers. I grant permission to publish this article, electronically or in print, as long as the bylines are included, with 2 live links, and the article is not changed in any way. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rene_Tse http://EzineArticles.com/?Hands-On-Entertainment:-Watch-TV,-Play-Music-and-Have-Fun-with-Your-Pocket-PC-and-Smartphone&id=183303 cheap generic phentermine online pharmacy phentermine 37.5 buy cheap phentermine paradise pharmacy phentermine

Nokia N95 - Work Smart!

Thursday, December 27th, 2007

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Caitlin_Lucy]Caitlin Lucy Nokia N95 is a 3G phone, that integrates the best of form and features, to pose as a strong contender amongst its competitors. This slider phone comes in an attractive exterior and reaffirms Nokia’s endeavours to presents its customers mobiles that are rich in multimedia, entertainment, business and communication needs. Nokia N95 is a serious phone and is unique in the genre of ‘N’ series phone. The device is a smart phone loaded with software to enable professionals meet their daily requirements in the most convenient way. What we have in Nokia N95 is plethora of connectivity options like - USB, Blue tooth, Infrared, Wi-Fi, UPnP, GSM, WCDMA, HSDPA and WLAN and 5 Mega pixels camera (with VGA video capture). And all these features are packed within a compact design, making the phone extremely handy. Nokia N95 measures 99 x 53 x 21 mm and weighs 120 g only. Nokia N95 also comes with some real neat value addition. For example the GPS and automatic turn by turn voice instructions makes Nokia N95 a user’s delight. As far as the design of Nokia N95 is concerned, it is a device that looks as smart as it works. The handset comes with a slider mechanism and exudes a sober charisma, like that of a dedicated professional. The slide is extremely smooth and can be easily operated through a small push of a thumb. There is a well laid keypad, with a good tactile feedback. It seems like the overall design of Nokia N95 was conceived just to suit the persona of the business men. Nokia N95 is empowered with host of multimedia features. The gadget comes with a good camera that uses Carl Zeiss optics. Further, on the back of the device there is ‘ring-slider’ which open and closes the shutter. Camera options now include 4 ISO settings, contrast and sharpness adjustment, and an enhanced burst mode. Camera options now include 4 ISO settings, contrast and sharpness adjustment, and an enhanced burst mode. For pulsating music, Nokia N95 comes with an impressive music player. The player is compatible to all popular formats and hosts number of features for editing, storing and downloading. Nokia N95 has an internal memory of 160 MB and it can be further expanded. Caitlin Lucy is a Expert Author. She has written good quality articles on [http://www.121mobileshop.co.uk/]T Mobile Phones and [http://www.121mobileshop.co.uk/contract-mobile-phones.asp]Contract Phones Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Caitlin_Lucy [http://ezinearticles.com/?Nokia-N95---Work-Smart!&id=537608 ]http://EzineArticles.com/?Nokia-N95—Work-Smart!&id=537608 buy cheap phentermine without a prescription phentermine online next day phentermine online physician buy phentermine online saturday delivery

The 3 Biggest Lies About Promotional Pens

Tuesday, December 25th, 2007

By Cindy Carrera Every time you turn around there’s someone on your phone or doorstep, trying to sell you pens for you to use for promotional items. Every time they show up, you buy a few hundred or thousand, though more than likely you have a storage closet somewhere that’s full of them. That’s because you’ve bought into lie number one: Pens are a great way to easily promote your business. The truth is a pen is good for branding your business, but it does little to promote your business. Why? Because it doesn’t do any real promoting! A pen with your logo, name, address and phone number just tells people who you are. It does nothing to make them want to use your company’s product or service. Worse, it just lies around, waiting to be picked up and used-and mostly it will be used to make a grocery list, not to find your company’s name and address! Lie number two is that pens are a great way to inexpensively market and promote your business. This isn’t true, and that closet full of pens should be proof enough. Yes, you can get fairly cheap promotional pens, but you know what they really tell people about you? That you’re cheap! People aren’t stupid. They know a cheap item from a more expensive one. And even though they will take and even use your pen, they will not connect you to quality. If you want a pen to do that, and you do or why bother, you’re going to have to buy more expensive pens that show you’re a class act all the way. This kind of promotional pen costs a great deal of money, so you won’t get away, um, cheaply. Quantity and/or quality will, either way, cost you money, so pens aren’t really a cheap promotional item after all, are they? Now, for lie number three. Yes, it’s the big one! Because everyone gives pens away as promotional items, you should too in order to compete. Remember being in high school where everyone dressed the same way? Look back at your yearbook and you’ll see that everyone pretty much looks the same. Only a few brave souls who dared to be different stand out. Same thing with promotional pens. There are a gazillion of them out there. And they all pretty much look the same and say the same thing: logo, contact information and website URL. If you want your promotional item to wow your customers and potential customers, you won’t do it with a pen, most likely, unless it is one killer, expensive pen that does everything a cell phone can do. The promotional arena is just saturated with promotional pens. So break away from the herd! If you feel you have to use a writing instrument as a promotional item, look into buying some cool mechanical pencils! They’re easily available and are far more effective for promoting your business than promotional pens for two reasons: 1) Not everyone else is giving them away, so they’re automatically different, and 2) (and this is a secret!) people want them. Why? They’re great for kids to use in school or to do homework. And help one of today’s busy, overly zealous parents out by giving them something little Jake or Jane can use, and I guarantee you’ll be remembered-and better, called on for your product or service! Cindy Carrera is a freelance author who has written numerous articles about creative promotional gifts. Learn how to choose the right corporate holiday gifts and make a lasting impression in the business arena. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cindy_Carrera http://EzineArticles.com/?The-3-Biggest-Lies-About-Promotional-Pens&id=111417 buy ultram where buy tramadol prescription ultram online pharmacy buy chea tramadol

Reiki Manual

Monday, December 24th, 2007

By Eric Hartwell The Reiki Manual would be like any other manual or a guide to the principles and ethics of Reiki. This manual is not a hard and fast compilation but most Reiki manuals given out to students and teachers alike would contain similar thoughts in order to maintain the ideals of this spiritual tradition. Hough you might see the contents differing from branch to branch and from Master to Master the primary principles remain very much the same. Of course a Reiki manual is a constant work in progress. Here we are going to list out some of the commonly included topics in a Reiki manual: Ethics Since the nature of Reiki is for the most part, healing there are certain requirements that need to be observed. The greatest requirement for a healer is to have the permission of the person to be healed. We all know that healing begins from within and as a healer it is not possible to force healing on anybody. So it is a must to obtain the permission of the person to be healed especially in situations where there is a tendency to judge others X is addicted to drugs and requires healing but you as a healer arent a judge of that. Though Reiki is the way of compassion it may need being hard-hearted sometimes. Healing is not always curing, never promise a cure as this is not something that is under your control. Never attempt to give medical advice or ask anyone to refrain from medication.Respecting client confidentiality is imperative to a Reiki practitioner to ensure trust. Never let the power of Reiki turn you into a Godman or Godwoman by others or yourself. The energy is just being channelised by you but it is not you that is bringing about the healing. Be responsible about the energy you are directing, energy should be used with caution and respected. Symbols There are three kinds of symbols that are used in Reiki imparted to the student at level 2, the fourth symbol is disclosed in level 3. These symbols dont have any power of their own but are generally used as a focal point or for meditation or as a trigger to connect with and focus the different frequencies of the Universal Spiritual Energy. Using the symbols is a personal choice and may be used always or till you would like or not at all. Use your intuition to guide you as there is no right or wrong way to do Reiki. Later more symbols have been added to the original four and symbols from other traditions like Om from Hinduism is also widely used. There are multiple ways to use these symbols and attuning to these symbols may differ from school to the other. Reiki Grounding Grounding is needed after performing spiritual exercises in order to break connection with the astral plane in the absence of which you could feel spaced out. Reiki energy is great for grounding. Many people have different ways of grounding their excess energy. You can use Reiki energy to balance your chakras and ground yourself. As a closer knowing or practicing Reiki is not away to enlightenment but it is a life long journey that walks in a spiral to the Divine. Read opinions and promote your views at The World’s Best Homepage and read and submit reviews and opinions at Free Opinions and Content - improve yourself with Reiki Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Hartwell http://EzineArticles.com/?Reiki-Manual&id=475442 prescription services ultram buy tramadol online without a prescription cheap tramadol without prescription online prescription tramadol without

Transplanting Trees & Shrubs

Saturday, December 22nd, 2007

By R Birch There times when a plant out grows its spot or needs to be moved to make way for a new garden design. When transplanting a shrub or tree be aware of the weather. Though possible, transplanting shrubs during very hot weather is definitely not recommended, it can cause great stress to the plant, even with lots of watering. To ensure the plant remain healthy, transplant in the spring or fall when the weather is cooler. Even then, however, watering is the most important thing you can do. Before you start digging it may be necessary to carefully tie up the existing branches which may be in the way. Doing this will give you a better view of what you are doing. Once youve tied up the shrub, begin to dig around the plants trunk. Its recommended to dig up as much of the roots as possible. Generally, 12 of root ball for every 1 of stem caliper, is adequate. Dig a circular trench around the trunk of the tree or shrub. Dig straight down and pull the soil away from the plant. After youve dug a deep trench around the trunk of the plant, begin to dig across, beneath the plant. Do this from all sides of the plant. Avoid prying the shrub out of the ground before its ready, you could break apart the root ball and loose much of the outer fibrous roots. Once the plant becomes loose youll be able to remove the tree or shrub from the hole. This is the difficult part, especially with larger shrubs and trees. Smaller tree and shrubs can generally be lifted out of the ground with ease. To remove a large plant from the ground, lean it, root ball and all, to one side and place some sturdy burlap or an old blanket beneath the roots. Next, lean the plant to the other side on and pull the burlap though. Two people should be able to remove the plant from the ground with the root ball intact. Plants should be kept moist while out of the ground and should only be out of the ground for a limited amount of time. They should be planted again as soon as possible. When planting the shrub in its new spot follow these general guide lines for planting. Dig a hole twice the diameter of the root ball and just as deep. Place the plant in the hole making sure that the top of the root ball is at the existing grade of the garden. If there are some roots which seem to be getting in the way of the plant sitting properly you can prune them. Never plant new or transplanted tree and shrubs too low or too high, this a major cause of premature plant decline. Back fill the hole with a mix of existing soil, peat moss and compost or manure to the half way mark. At this point water the plant and allow the soil to settle. This will prevent the formation of air pockets in the hole Construct a saucer around the trunk of the tree to prevent runoff and water again. If the plant is tall and exposed to wind, staking may be needed. Though some trees and shrubs are easier and more successfully transplanted than other, these general guidelines will give your plants the best possible chance or survival. R Birch is the publisher of http://www.gardenlistings.com For information on all kinds of garden projects visit http://www.gardenlistings.com/Resources.htm Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=R_Birch http://EzineArticles.com/?Transplanting-Trees-and-Shrubs&id=376171 online cheap tramadol prescription nephro past hours active good order topics tramadol elenta tramadol cheap no prescription buy cheap generic ultram

Mayor Villaraigosa and the Truth About Cats and Dogs

Saturday, December 22nd, 2007

By Charlotte Laws The earth is starting to tremble in the Los Angeles animal community because Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has refused to honor his January 2005 campaign promise to fire the General Manager of Los Angeles Animal Services Guerdon Stuckey, and this broken promise has drawn attention to a potential scandal involving a loss of $1.1 million to the city over the next three years. Even fiscally responsible Angelenos who don’t care about cats and dogs can be officially outraged. Animal advocates might have let the mayor out of the doghouse on his pledge if Stuckey had reformed the department, fostered relationships with the community and saved animal lives. But according to an October 27, 2005 L.A. CityBeat article, a poorly negotiated contract by Stuckey for a spay-neuter van “may have robbed the city of half its needed spay-neuter services” and will endanger animal lives. Due to a shortage of van operating hours combined with the high spay-neuter quota, anesthetized animals will have to be whipped on and off the operating table at great risk to their health. The District Attorney has been asked to investigate. Many animal community moderates–such as the dignified and caring former L.A. Animal Commissioner Erika Brunson–who were originally unwilling to jump on the clamorous “we want Stuckey fired” bandwagon, are now steering their own wagons through the streets picking up angry passers-by, such as the fiscally responsible crowd. The “Reasons to fire Stuckey Email Series” has been circulating for months. Reason number 61 warns the Democratic mayor–who may hope to land in the Governor’s office somedaythat animal advocates will begin cc’ing the California Republican Party with their complaints. Villaraigosa could be one misstep away from tarnishing his dapper suit with controversies much like those that haunted the Hahn administration. The mayor says he has decided not to fire Stuckey at this time because the Animal Liberation Front (ALF)a “direct action” animal rights group that has not injured a human or animal since its inception in 1972recently planted a smoke bomb at Stuckey’s apartment building, making him look like a victim. He says he will not fire an employee who is being threatened or vandalized. It is understandable that the mayor would want to protect city workers. But in an attempt to be tough on crime, Villaraigosa is being weak on his convictions. If he truly believes Stuckey should be fired, why is he allowing himself to be controlled by the Los Angeles ALF? If Villaraigosa intends to be a strong leader, he must do what he feels to be right, despite the acts of a few on the “fringe.” Democratic leaders did not turn away from unions, in spite of the fact that there were 2193 incidents of union violence against people and property in this country between 1991 and 2001, including those related to bombings, shootings and near fatal injuries. Republicans did not become pro-choice after doctors who performed abortion operations were killed. According to the National Abortion Federation, there have been 13,256 “incidents” against abortion clinics or doctors since 1977, including seven murders, 17 attempted murders, three kidnappings, and 41 bombings. The pro-life movement remains firm in its beliefs. Despite media hype that makes it seem scary, the ALF’s credo prohibits injury to humans and animals. The ALF recently took credit for sending cabs, pizzas and prostitutes to the home of an unsuspecting animal services veterinarian. Although one may disapprove of these tactics, they resemble high school pranks more than crimes. Villaraigosa’s new “ALF policy” is good news for those city employees who fear job termination. Anyone whose porch falls victim to a puff of smoke cannot be fired. At-risk employees who fail to command the attention of the ALF might be tempted to place a suspicious package on their own doorstep. The City Council has become so concerned about the ALF and the L.A. protest group called the Animal Defense League that it has approved a plan which provides taxpayer dollars for surveillance equipment at the private homes of animal services employees. With high tech cameras, these workers can weed out door-to-door salesmen and pesky in-lawsagain on the taxpayer’s dime–under the pretense that the big bad wolf, also known as the animal activist, might show up with a feral cat flyer, order them a fake cab or protest on the sidewalk with a sign. Although city workers have a right to feel safe, this measure amounts to another questionable use of limited resources for a city that had 31,000 violent crimes last year. The mayor continues to react to the “ALF threat.” He recently removed Erika Brunson from the Los Angeles Animal Commission and replaced her with surveillance expert Glenn S. Brown. The Commission, which is endorsed by the humane community, provides a compassionate and intelligent voice for the powerless victims of our public shelters: the animals The current commissionersexcept for Mr. Brown–may not be experts on installing cameras to detect fake pizza deliveries, but they are experts on how to combat the violence perpetrated against the dogs, cats and other animals that we have a responsibility to protect. If Mayor Villaraigosa fails to honor his promise to fire Mr. Stuckey and to hire a compassionate and experienced General Manager who can implement a no-kill plan and reform the department, he may find that the animal community is politically-speaking, more bite than bark. A decision to retain Stuckey is likely to become a permanent smudge on Villaraigosa’s finely tailored lapel. The animal community expects the mayor to do the right thing. But in case he doesn’t, they have forwarded this article to the Republican Party. Charlotte Laws, Ph.D. is a member of the Greater Valley Glen Council and is the president of the League for Earth and Animal Protection (LEAP). Her websites are http://www.charlottelaws.org and http://charlottelaws.typepad.com and http://www.leapnonprofit.org. 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