Let’s take a look at the amazing avocado. People have enjoyed avocados for more than 500 years, and they are becoming increasingly popular in today’s diet. These remarkable little fruits not only offer extraordinary nutrition, they also deliver many additional health benefits. Packed full of vitamins and minerals, avocados improve a wide variety of health conditions. On top of all of these other pluses, they taste good!

The origin of the word avocado is in a South American Indian language, but the definition has been translated over the years in English to mean “alligator pear.” Contrary to the common misconception that an avocado is a vegetable, it is actually a fruit that is a member of the berry family. Avocados are native to regions as far north as Mexico and to northern South America. They are typically harvested when they reach full maturity and do not ripen until after they are picked. The variety grown most commonly in the US is the Hass avocado, which is the only type produced year-round. Hass avocados have a blackish-green skin with a black pebbly texture and come from California.

Besides being delicious, avocados contain about 20 vitamins and minerals, including carotenoids and lutein, which benefit eye health. They have also been shown to have a positive impact on high cholesterol due to their natural plant sterol composition. Similar to olive oil, they contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are far healthier than the saturated fats that are so detrimental to fitness. Because they are among the few fruits that contain these good fats, the American Heart Association has actually endorsed the inclusion of avocados in the diet. Did you know that the brain is roughly 60% fat? Without good fats, none of us would be here today! Further, without the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, the body cannot absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K.

Avocados offer health advantages to people with heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and lung cancer and may help prevent strokes. They are superior sources of vitamins A, B, C, E, K, fiber, and potassium. When substituted for saturated fats, they can positively impact the outcome for people whose goal is weight reduction. Although more research is needed, results of one study conducted at UCLA indicate that an extract of avocado may even curb the growth of some prostate cancer cells. Another study showed that the Vitamin E content in avocados can help build hormones that can increase libido.

Besides their tremendous value nutritionally, avocados offer a long list of additional bonuses. They are among the first fruits a baby can ingest due to their natural softness and a smart first dietary addition because they offer such excellent nourishment. Avocado is used in cosmetics as a general moisturizer and outstanding natural sunscreen as well as providing relief after sunburn. The high moisture content is also beneficial to individuals with dry scalp and skin, eczema, or psoriasis. Because of their attractive scent, massage therapists frequently use avocado oils as a form of aromatherapy.

Beyond its unmistakable health benefits, an avocado is a tasty and versatile fruit that is used in many cuisines and favorite dishes, the most common of which is probably the ever-popular party addition: guacamole! Other appetizing recipes include dips, salsa, and salads EUR­ and have you tried an avocado-pineapple smoothie? Avocado nicely complements crab, zucchini, and mushrooms as well.

To sum up: avocados are exceptionally nutritious, have an interesting and appealing flavor, are easy to prepare, and are one of nature’s best sources of good dietary fat. They are relatively inexpensive, abundant, and offer a wide range of health advantages. Next time you’re in the produce department, be sure to pick up a couple of these nutritional gems. If you are not already using them often, adding avocados to your menus is sure to inspire your creativity in the kitchen and enhance your well-being!

Mommy and me gymnastics classes are designed for kids 18 months to 3 years old. At this age it is very hard to keep their attention. As a coach it is your responsibility to keep it fun and enjoyable, do not overwhelm them!

Every mommy and me class should begin with a short warm up. I like to start the class with something fun and active like the duck dance. This is followed by stretching. When you stretch you need to use your imagination. You may use little stuffed animals, bean bags or balls to make it more fun. If you make a pike call it an alligator and ask the kids what they want to feed it. After you finish stretching it is time to start your rotations.

Each rotation in mommy and me classes should be fun, creative and short. It is very important not to add too many stations. Too many stations makes it very hard, stressful and over whelming for the little gymnasts, moms and coaches. Make sure you don’t add to many new skills at one time. Repetition is a good thing at this age. You may have two forward roll spots, one on the wedge and one on the floor.

You need to get the kiddo’s attention and keep it by making it fun! Instead of saying jump spot to spot you could say hop like a frog on the lily pads. You could pretend the wedge mat is a big hill. The beam can become a plank that has sharks swimming under it. I can guarantee if you tell the mommy and me classes, “on this spot you do a forward roll, on the beam you walk forward, on the wedge you roll sideways….” You will lose their interest in the matter of seconds. So make it fun, be creative, use your imagination and you will keep their attention and they will learn!

Do you remember the movie Cool Hand Luke? It stars Paul Newman as an anti-hero who has been jailed for committing some felony; and is sentenced to a term of hard labour. The hard labour, which consists of building a road as I seem to remember, is occasionally interrupted by crocodiles. Well … I suppose they would actually be alligators because the movie is set in the American south. However, I think the Crocodile Principle sounds so much better than the Alligator Principle – don’t you?

Anyway, when this happens, the prisoners have to stop the day-job and summon one of the guards in order to deal with the interruption. Only when the crocodile has been dealt with, is it then possible to get back to the more productive business (for the penitentiary at least) of breaking those rocks.

Now I see this whole situation as something of a metaphor for our own situation in the workplace. Here we are doing our level best to be as productive as possible; and we keep getting interrupted by the equivalent of the crocodile. We also have to deal with those interruptions before we can get back to more productive activity.

So what is the answer? Well, I once remember a wise person once explaining to me,

“When you are up to your neck in crocodiles, it is hard to remember the first priority is to drain the swamp”.

That is a very true statement; and it also contains the seed of a really profound answer too.

In order to permanently sort out the crocodile situation in the movie, what is needed is to drain the swamp. Then the prisoners can go about their normal business much more effectively. But before the swamp can get drained, someone needs to first conceive of a situation in which there are no crocodiles – in other words, someone needs to have had the vision.

Once the vision is conceived, it then becomes possible to interleave some swamp-draining activity with the normal, every day rock-breaking activity. Over the course of time, the swap would get drained and the prisoners would then become far more productive.

And so it is with us in the use of our time. First we need to recognize the crocodiles. Then we need to figure out what needs to be done to get rid of them permanently. Finally, we need to interleave some of that activity with our normal every day activity. Ultimately we too can kiss-goodbye to the crocodiles and become far more productive.

To summarise: first conceive of your own vision. Spend time thinking about what the ideal situation looks like for you. Then work out the steps you need to take to make your vision a reality. Finally get those steps into your daily schedule and see them through to completion.

Don’t underestimate the power of this little tip. If you are just committed to taking one activity every day towards your goal of draining the swamp – what ever that represents for you – then eventually you will get the swamp drained; and you will reap the results.

Wallets are made in a variety of different materials. Leather is generally seen as the best material. It is a material that is appreciated for being luxurious, soft and durable. However, there are also options that are practical in different situations. Let’s take a look at a few of the most common wallet materials:

Leather

Leather is by far the most common material used to make a stylish and durable wallet that has the potential to last for the long-term. Also, there are several types of leather to consider.

Cow Leather – this is the most popular choice for making men’s wallets. It has a great look and is extremely durable. But, the quality of cow’s leather can vary significantly, so there is the risk of buying a wallet that doesn’t feel very sleek or luxurious. Calfskin or similar soft leathers give the most luxurious feel.

Alligator skin – this is a type of leather with a very distinctive pattern. The craftsmanship and quality of a handmade wallet in this material is extremely attractive and stylish. But, there are plenty of fake versions of alligator skin products, so it is necessary to be cautious to ensure you are buying the real thing.

Cotton

Cotton is a further popular material for wallets. They can vary greatly in relation to functionality and appearance. One of the most pleasing aspects is the endless color options, which makes it very easy to coordinate with an outfit or personal style. However, this material isn’t as hard-wearing as leather and there is the risk of the wallet wearing down over time from everyday use, such as pulling out of tight pockets.

Also, there are plenty of high-end fashion designers that are starting to create fabric wallets. This has influenced the market and now these wallets are much more appealing to the fashion conscious consumer.

Synthetic

The synthetic wallets are versatile and can be made with very interesting, fun and colorful designs. They can easily be styled to look much like cotton or leather. This gives the option of a much cheaper wallet that still has the ability to provide a real resemblance to the desired look. Also, the synthetic wallets can have very unique designs and can be made with random materials like old tires and seat belts. Even though this type of wallet doesn’t have the stylish looks of real leather, they are still a great option for the casual environments.

The new high-end calibre collection is created using the style of a classic dress watch, with the design of the vintage looks of Roman numerals, subseconds at 6 o’clock, and an elegant dial.

Its more prominent and unique features include a perpetual calendar, which can be used until the year 2100. Using its Eco-Drive system, it is powered by solar energy, with a large twin date display at the midnight position. With a 24-hour dial close to the 9 o’clock position, it allows for the observation of a second time zone. It is also water resistant for up to a depth of 100m and the watch face made with anti-reflective crystal.

The Calibre 3100 collection actually consists of a total of 7 watches, with the BT0000-15A and BT0003-17A being limited editions. There are only 999 pieces of BT0000-15A currently in the world and all are made of stainless steel, while the BT0003-17A, having only 1500 pieces produced, is made of rose gold-tone stainless steel. Both also have anti-reflective sapphire crystals, and comes with unique genuine alligator straps!

The estimated retail prices for both these limited edition watches are $650 and $675, respectively. The remaining pieces of the collection will be priced between $375 and $500.

In my own opinion, I am really impressed with Citizen, with its job of melding clean looks with modern features, creating a unique watch that will be able to last for many years with zero or little maintenance, showing its users accurate timing all the while.

Visit our store for more impressive Citizen watches.

Organic Hemp Seed Oil is a natural antioxidant, so it’s an excellent anti-aging, incredibly moisturizing balm for your skin that is non-sticky and readily absorbed! It is a very effective all natural moisturizer, because it is dense in Omega 3, 6, and 9 oils that do not clog pores. Organic Hemp Seed oil contains anti-inflammatory agents which multiply the oil’s already natural antioxidant properties. This provides excellent cleansing and toning properties, and it even reduces uneven skin tone. This essential oil naturally contains Calcium and Potassium, making it even more beneficial for your skin.

The oil is dark green in color, in its natural state, with a pleasing, slightly nutty aroma. Organic Hemp Seed oil is pressed from organic Hemp seeds, and is an all natural, effective way to heal and soothe irritated skin. It is extremely beneficial to all skin types due to its strong anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities, is rich in vitamins, minerals, EFA’s and GLA’s (Gamma Linoleic Acids.) It is highly prized for its Essential Fatty Acid (EFA) content and almost perfect 3:1 Ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3, Super Moisturizers that soften and smooth the skin. The oil easily penetrates layers of skin to deeply moisturize and rejuvenate it. Organic Hemp seed oil is dense in GLA’s, skin lipids that are much-needed to promote cell regeneration. This process usually slows with age, so the GLA’s in this oil are definitely age-defying!

Recent studies have shown that Psoriasis is primarily caused by a deficiency of the Omega 6 fatty acids in the body. It makes natural sense, then, that organic Hemp Seed oil is used as a natural remedy and treatment for this unpleasant skin disorder. The skin’s oxygenation and hydration are naturally increased by the essential oil’s rich EFA’s and GLA’s.

Well known for many other health benefits, this nutty essential oil is also proven to be good for the heart, fights against cancer and skin cancer as well! Adding it to your daily organic skincare system will also give you natural sun protection from harmful UVA’s. It has been proven to heal and prevent skin disorders like psoriasis, eczema, acne and dry skin as well. Products containing it are used to increase the levels of essential amino acids and nutrients in the skin and body. If the body is low in Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids, serious problems like genetic mutations and cancer can result. It has been found that cancer patients regularly using hemp oil have experienced increased chances of healing and cure. This is due in part to this miracle oil has almost no side effects!

In addition, organic Hemp Seed oil produces no ”high” in humans because it does not contain the intoxicating compound Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Although all natural Hemp Seed essential oil comes from the cannabis plant, it is pressed from the organic hemp seeds and is prized for many different health benefits. The rich nutty taste of organic Hemp Seed oil can also be used to improve the flavor of meals and is even good for digestive problems.

As children, some of us had a primer to electronic messaging (e-mail, Instant-Messaging and Text-Messaging). Texas Instruments created the predecessor to today’s interactive and animatronic “Leap Frog” toys, it was called “Speak-And-Spell.’

Speak-And-Spell was like and electronic version of your class room spelling bees. The red ginormous machine asked one to spell a word like “alligator,” you thoughtfully pecked out “A-L-L-I-G-A-T-O-R” on the yellow keys and hit answer. Speak-and-spell would repeat the word and tell you if you were correct or not.

By preference, I am a Mac user. On Macs, you can enable an active speaking voice tool from your apple menu. Until now, I though this feature was not very useful, but then I began reading many stories of either badly composed emails or email threads which should have been read aloud on a voice tool or Speak-And-Spell before the email’s composer hit the “send” button.

I’m the only one who’s taken notice of email faux pas. The Learning Channel (TLC) began touching on how lackadaisical we’ve become with email too. This month, TLC created a “Life Lessons” figurine with the caption: “E-mail and Merlot Don’t Mix.”

The figurine touches on the habitual epidemic of sending email correspondence and not thinking anything else of it: type, click, send, don’t think about your email. In some instances, it causes nothing more than embarrassment, other times, especially professionally it can cause dire ramifications: loss of job, company assets accidentally forwarded [http://www.essentialsecurity.com/Documents/article1.htm], etc.

Many embarrassing messages would be averted and data leaks avoided if people simply took a moment to look over their email or read their messages out loud. In lieu of not having a Mac or wiring your old Speak-And-Spell to your PC, here three things you can check before hitting the “send” button:

1.) Avoid emailing when you’re emotional:

For example, work situations may get heated and if you write when you’re angry, some of those emotions may negatively color your correspondence. Step away, get a latte, breathe deeply then type your email. Now that you have some perspective on the matter, double check your email, read it aloud and finally click “send.” Long terse emails like the ones between lawyers Diana Abdala and William Korman (the Bla, Bla, Bla email thread) could be avoided.

2.) Read the email before responding:

A few words: FEMA and Michael Brown. Mr. Brown’s lack of acknowledging the emails content caused him much scrutiny during the Hurricane Katrina catastrophe and later the loss of his job.

3.) Double-check the “To” field:

Assume everyone in your contact group will get your message, the former Golden State Warriors Public Relations Manager, Eric Govan will confirm that this is a good idea . Think twice about forwarded jokes, images, or sending venting messages (see no 1.). The NBA team’s former PR Manager for the Warriors accidentally hit send when he forwarded on a “Ghetto Prom” pictures link. The email went to dozens of newspaper reporters, columnists and sports editors, as well as television and radio stations, instead of a short list of contacts.

Now that I’m done typing, I raise my wine glass to a wonderful communications tool, email and thank TLC for creating the perfect figurine to remind us all to check and recheck our email’s conent and looking twice at the “to” field before hitting the “send” button.

Cheers and Salu.

Objective

This is one of those science fair experiments that are based on a light circuit or an electric circuit. Here you will test how a light circuit is affected by changing a pencil resistor’s length.

Introduction

Man knew about electricity right from the early days when ancient Greeks produced static electricity by causing friction between amber and fur. Benjamin Franklin risked his life to demonstrate that electricity due to lightning was nothing but static electricity.

In 1800, Alessandro Volta developed the first electric circuit. André Marie Ampère, in 1820, suggested that a correlation existed between magnetism and electricity, a concept that was later established. In 1826, Georg Ohm, who continued the work of Volta, determined that the quantity of electricity that moved through a conductor, its strength and the resistance offered, was directly proportional to the electric current produced, which later came to be known as the Ohm’s Law. We can use these principals in literally hundreds of science fair experiments.

In spite of the groundwork done by Ampère, Volta, and Ohm, electricity was not a useful commodity. The use of electricity became practical for the first time when Thomas Edison invented the light bulb in 1877.

This is one of those science fair experiments where you will make use of the above knowledge established by these great men in the form of cells, circuits, resistors and light bulbs.

Materials

• Pencils
• Three wires with alligator clips at both ends
• Battery (9V)
• 9V light bulb (small)
• Bulb holder
• Ruler
• Pencil sharpener
• An extra wire piece
• Popsicle stick
• A coping saw

Preparation

Setting up the circuit board

All connections must be done using insulated alligator clips. Connect two wires to both the terminals of the battery. Connect the free end of the first wire to the contact screw of a bulb holder and leave the second wire free. Now take a third wire and connect it to the bulb holder’s second contact screw. Leave the free end of the third wire as it is.

Now we have two free ends attached to alligator clips. Now place the light bulb in the bulb holder and touch the free ends of the wires. If the bulb lights up, your circuit is ready. If not, check if all wires are connected correctly.

Making your pencil resistors

Cut various pencils into different sizes such as 3 inches, 5 inches, 7 inches, and so on by using a coping saw. Sharpen each piece at both ends. Please take the help of your parents for this step.

Measuring the pencil resistors

Now using a ruler measure the length of each pencil piece from one lead point to the other. Data must always be accurately recorded in science fair experiments. So, write down the lengths of each pencil piece in a table.

Procedure

1. Now connect each pencil to the circuit one by one. You can do this by clamping both the graphite lead tips of the same pencil with the alligator clips connected to the free ends of the circuit wire.
2. Make a note of the brightness of the bulb every time you connect a different pencil resistor to your circuit. Measure the brightness using a number scale. For example, on a 1 to 5 scale, 1 could mean darkness and 5 could mean brightness. Write the rating besides each respective pencil resistor in the table.
3. I hope you have not forgotten the extra wire piece and the Popsicle stick. Place each of them in the circuit, rating them in the same way. These serve as the control groups. The extra wire piece is your “positive control” and the Popsicle stick, your “negative control”

I’m sure you like my idea of using your pencil as a resistor. Before you go ahead with it, I would like to offer you a free copy of “Easy Steps to Award-Winning Science Fair Projects”, which you can download from the link below right now.

When I was five years old, my mother was too obsessed with finding bargains the day after Christmas to notice I had been left behind. We were visiting the big city of El Paso, Texas where there was, in the middle of downtown, a huge park with an alligator pool as the main attraction. I called it the Alligator Park and those creatures fascinated me. So, finding myself lost in the store, I found my way to the Alligator Park and sat on a bench watching people hurriedly pass in front of me on their way to work or stores. I remember feeling so lost. If only one kind lady would smile at me as she passed by; but no one did. At five years old, I knew what Lodebar felt like.

Lo-Debar (Lodebar) was a real place during the reign of King Saul and then of King David. Mephibosheth, the son of Prince Jonathan, and grandson of King Saul was five years old when his father and grandfather fell in the Battle of Mount Gilboa. The child’s nurse hearing of this calamity fled with the boy from Gibeah, the royal residence, and stumbled. Because she dropped the child on the ground, Mephibosheth was permanently paralyzed from the waste down. He was carried to the land of Gilead, where he and the nurse found a refuge in the house of Machir at Lo-Debar (Lodebar).

Lodebar was a dismal place of no pasture, no hope – total desolation.

You ended up in Lodebar when you were crushed by the storms of life and believed that life was over for you.

Perhaps my love for this story has a great deal to do with being told repeatedly that I was the shame of my pastor-father’s church. When one is made to feel shameful from earliest memory, it sets up beliefs of worthlessness, as well as feelings of fear and self-doubt that must be fought and conquered so much later in life. It makes you hide from life, either through passive behavior or through over-compensating behavior.

I can just imagine this five-year-old’s nurse telling him they would surely be killed if the new King David ever found out they were alive. I can hear her telling Mephibosheth: This is King David’s fault you are like this. You know what would have happened to you after your grandfather died. You would have been killed because it is the custom! If I had not run with you, you would be dead, and if I had not been so afraid, I would not have dropped you. It’s David’s fault you are crippled, but better crippled than dead.

Some years later, when King David had subdued all the adversaries of Israel, he began to think of the family of Jonathan, his best friend with whom he had made a covenant. David had covenanted with Jonathan that when he became king he would never cut off his kindness from the family of Jonathan. So he asked his advisers if there was anyone left of the House of Saul (and Jonathan) that He could bless. He took the initiative to seek out Jonathan’s relatives that might still be living. All his advisers could come up with was there was this crippled kid, son of Jonathan, who was hiding out in the desolate place. David told them to find this boy and bring him immediately.

Now I can just imagine what was going on in the mind of Mephibosheth when the King’s men came to his door and told him King David was summoning him. Think of all he had been told by this nurse whom he had trusted with his life. He had lived in fear of David since he was five years old! My guess is that Mephibosheth thought this was the end for him. He would die.

But what choice did he have? Surrounded by these representatives of The King, he had no choice but to proceed with them. Little did he know that the thing that brought him out of hiding was grace – grace from the absolute authority of King David.

Now, flash forward. Picture Mephibosheth sitting at The King’s table! He looks like royalty; he smells like royalty; he speaks like royalty; and with his crippled legs under the King’s Table, he appears to be royalty to everyone else in the court!

Each of us has experienced our own Lodebar. Some are hiding out because of the shame of divorce, or abuse, or economic disaster. But everyone has been to Lodebar. And it is only the benevolent grace of Almighty King of Kings, Jesus Christ that can bring us out of hiding. Sometimes the shame we feel or believe is nothing but a lie we have believed. Some one fed us the lie, and for whatever reason, we believed it.

Even those who seem to have everything valued by this fallen world can be lost in Lodebar. They are lost. They need a Savior – a King – who takes the initiative of bringing them out of their lost-ness. His name is Jesus, The Name above all names, and He offers redemption to all residences of Lodebar!

Sometimes, those who know Christ as Redeemer and Savior can visit a psychological Lodebar. How long the visit is and how desolate depends on how intimately they know God and His Sovereignty.

A husband betrays a wife after thirty years of marriage and everything she thought her life was about is now gone. Who is she now? Was the whole Christian Marriage just a big sham? Where can she go? Every place they shared is uncomfortable. Even friends are now distant, uncomfortable, and suspect. Stuck in Lodebar, she cries out to God: Is this how a daughter of Yours is meant to live? People look at her with that question in their eyes: What did YOU do to break up your marriage?

Creedence Clearwater Revival had a hit song, Lodi in 1964. Though hardly as profound as being spiritually lost, a thumbnail view of being lost and trapped, both literally and metaphorically, was given by John Fogerty. So this is not a foreign concept, even to those who don’t know Jesus. It is no fun being trapped in any way.

Even at five years of age, I knew what it was to feel both trapped and lost. It was the first of many times, and God has extended His Grace to me in the most unusual and unexpected ways. I suspect I will feel the pull toward Lodebar again and again before I meet Jesus face-to-face; but each time I visit is a shorter visit than the time before. It is not because of who I am, but Whose I am that makes all the difference. He knows the way out of Lodebar and I know the way to Him!

©2008 April Lorier

Sources:

I Samuel and II Samuel, Old Testament

Covenant between David and Jonathan: I Samuel 18, 20, 23

http://www.biblestudytools.net/Dictionaries/SmithsBibleDictionary/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_and_Jonathan

Day to day problems of the business often prevent leaders from taking the time out to think, plan and act in order to make the kind of transformational changes that are needed in organizations. In the Heart of Change, John Kotter presents the case study “When Alligators Are Nipping at Your Heels” as an example of a leader who decided to deal with the crisis confronting him and his organization before he began to look for ways to transform the organization. Kotter quotes Nick Pearce as saying that “you have to focus on putting out the big fires and on anything that can quickly restart those fires” before you can begin working on bigger transformation (Kotter, p. 25).

However, the pace of work and change is happening so quickly in today’s work environment, a leader runs the risk of using “putting out fires” as an excuse of not finding the time, energy and focus to address the very real issues that need to be changed within an organization. The felt need to focus on the fires, in fact, can derail any effort for implementing change. “Many of the current struggles with transformation are a result of leaders not attending to the cultural, behavioral, and mindset components of transformation or not attending to them in ways that make real impact” (Anderson and Anderson, p. 16).

Managers are often compelled to deal with the business issues of the day. They feel their expertise and experience is needed to help “put out fires” in their area of expertise. Leaders however, recognize that they must focus on the business of building “burning platforms” that help people and organizations realize the need for change, that compel them to move out of their comfort zone and begin to change (Kotter, p. 27). This takes time, energy and focus. Using excuses that the organization has too many fires to put out only distracts from the real attention and encourages employees to fall back in the old way of doing things rather than focusing on the change at hand.

References:

Anderson D. and Anderson L. (2001). Beyond change management. San Francisco: Jossey – Bass/Pfeiffer.

Kotter, J.P. & Cohen, D.S. (2002). The heart of change: Real-life stories of how people

change their organizations. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.