You can sell ebooks without writing one.

I use clickbank and promote other peoples books for profit.

See for example:

• 7 Proven Insider Secrets

See more progress on: sell ebooks

New website!

I’ve just launched a new website at http://www.free-global-rewards.co.uk

Please feel free to come and have a look! :)

Andy

See more progress on: Increase my Clickbank income to $100 per month

This is a great traffic program to ...

... promote your website through …
http://www.adsense-xchange.com/?r=64769

See more progress on: Get more Google-Adsense Traffic affiliates

Tom Cruise's haunted house

Tom Cruise's Beverly Hills home is haunted. Previous residents of the rented house on Alpine Lane that he is sharing with fiancée, and new mum, Katie Holmes, say they have experienced spooky sensations there.

Among them are Hollywood producer Jon Peters and his teenage daughter, Caleigh. According to America's New York Post newspaper, Caleigh has already told friends that while staying in the property she "heard noises" and said the house was "creepy", "haunted" and "full of ghosts".

Meanwhile, Cruise left his wife-to-be and baby to attend the London premiere of his new movie, 'Mission Impossible III'. The star spent four hours meeting and greeting fans and even gave one 80-year-old admirer, Dorothy Milton, a birthday kiss.

However, he was booed and jeered by the crowd when he took time out from his marathon walkabout to go inside the cinema to introduce the film. Cruise wasn't planning to attend the UK premiere of the action sequel because he wanted to spend time with Holmes and their new daughter, Suri. When asked if he was missing her, he replied: "How can you not? She's beautiful." He added that had been in touch with the former 'Dawson's Creek' star - who he is due to marry later this year - "about a billion times" since leaving her bedside.

Indexing of interesting websites!

Delicious is an excellent tool to help you index the thing most important to you! You can then use the TAGS you creates as a ‘Cloud’ on your website

My del.icio.us cloud appears:

• http://www.andysmurray.co.uk/delicious
• http://www.bestmlm.co.uk

Get in touch if you need some help! Or visit http://del.icio.us/netarcher to get started

Andy

See more progress on: start using del.icio.us

Charlotte Church - Crazy Cheques

Charlotte Church has blown £1.3 million in just three years, reducing her total fortune to £3.7 million.
The Crazy Chick singer, who is famed for Champagne nights out and £10,000 holidays, spent £300,000 in the 12 months following her 18th birthday, and another £650,000 on the Cardiff home she shares with her rugby star boyfriend, Gavin Henson.

Charlotte is also alleged to have spent £5,000 on diamonds and £80,000 on a pub for her mother, Maria.

(24 April, 2006, 7:50AM) SOURCE: THE SUN

Interesting advice....

Advice to women, this is NOT a Joke

This is worth reading, it will only take you a minute or so and you or someone you pass it to may be very grateful for the advice.

It’s been said that this number works in the UK - thought you should know this… The number does work from a mobile. This actually happened to someone’s daughter.

Lauren was 19 yrs old and in college. This story takes place over the Christmas / New Year’s holiday break. It was the Saturday before New Year and it was about 1pm in the afternoon, and Lauren was driving to visit a friend , when an UNMARKED police car pulled up behind her and put its lights on. Lauren’s parents have 4 children (of various ages) and
have always told them never to pull over for an unmarked car on the side of the road, but rather wait until they get to a service station, etc. So Lauren remembered her parents’ advice, and telephoned 112 from her mobile phone.

This connected her to the police dispatcher. She told the dispatcher that there was an unmarked police car with a flashing red light on his rooftop behind her and that she would not pull over right away but wait until she was in a service station or busy area. The dispatcher checked to see if there was a police car where she was and there wasn’t and he told her to keep driving, remain calm and that he had back-up already on the way.
Ten minutes later 4 police cars surrounded her and the unmarked car behind her.

One policeman went to her side and the others surrounded the car behind.
They pulled the guy from the car and tackled him to the ground… the man was a convicted rapist and wanted for other crimes.

I never knew that bit of advice, but especially for a woman alone in a car, you do not have to pull over for an UNMARKED car. Apparently police have to respect your right to keep going to a “safe” place. You obviously need to make some signals that you acknowledge them i.e., put on your hazard-lights or call 112 like Lauren did. Too bad the mobile phone companies don’t give you this little bit of wonderful information. So now it’s your turn to let your friends know about 112.
Please pass on to all your friends, especially any females.

See more progress on: give good advice

Using Google Sitemaps

I’ve been working online for nearly 10 years now as an entreprenuer and a marketer, but the other day I stumbled across Google Sitemaps after a recommendation from a fellow onliner (thanks Todd).

You can find Google Sitemaps at:

https://www.google.com/webmasters/sitemaps/siteoverview?hl=en

Googles Overview of Sitemaps states….

...Sitemaps are a two-way communication between webmasters and Google. You can give us information about your site so we can index it more effectively, and we can show you how we see your site and tell you about any trouble we’ve had crawling it.

This is excellent news!!!

After adding just a few pages from a number of my websites, Google Sitemaps started to index them and report to me issues around links on my pages that didn’t work and reporting statistics about my websites.

I’ll keep you informed on my progress…
Hope this helps you increase valuable traffic to your website too!

Andy S Murray
http://www.netarcher.co.uk

See more progress on: Create Google Sitemaps for my websites

Bulgaria - Beautiful country.

My wife, Evtimia is Bulgarian and we have our second home in Plovdiv Bulgaria. Superb Skiing in the winter and excellent beach holidays in the summer.

Andy S. Murray (aka NetArcher)

http://www.andysmurray.co.uk
http://www.43places.com/person/netarcher

See more progress on: Bulgaria

Britney and Kevin on the rocks?

Britney Spears has sparked further reports her marriage to Kevin Federline is in trouble, after she failed to attend his album listening party on Friday.

The couple and their seven-month-old son Sean Preston arrived in Las Vegas, Nevada, last week, ahead of aspiring rapper Federline's gig at the Pure nightclub at the Caesar's Palace.

Local newspaper the Las Vegas Review Journal reports the couple were spotted arguing in Caesar's Nero restaurant ahead of Federline's bash and Spears retired to their hotel suite in tears.

Federline went on to perform two songs, America's Most Hated and Rockstar from his debut album Playing With Fire, after an introduction by Paris Hilton's mother Kathy.

Federline entertained a few hundred fans, as well as celebrity friends, former Fresh Prince Of Bel Air actress Tatiana Ali and Kathy's husband Rick - but his superstar wife was nowhere to be seen.

Nicole Kidman - From An Ex To The Next

Nicole Kidman has sent a message of congratulations to Katie Holmes on the birth of her first child.

"I hope both mother and baby are doing well", said Tom Cruise's ex-wife, although she neglected to mention her famous former husband in the statement.

(21 April, 2006, 7:51AM) SOURCE: ANANOVA

Kylie Minogue Makes Dannii Minogue Jealous

It's good to see that Kylie Minogue is really back in it, but it seems not everyone is particularly overjoyed with Kylie's return to the spotlight. While I'm sure Dannii Monigue loves her sister and is truly happy for her having beaten cancer, it seems like sibling jealousy is something you can never outlive. According to The Daily Telegraph, Dannii Minogue has written a song about how her Kylie's cancer was difficult for her.

In the world's saddest case of famous sibling syndrome, Minogue appears to be cashing in on her sister Kylie's battle with cancer, releasing a single about how tough life has been for her since her sister announced she was battling the disease in May last year.

Sadly it is not Kylie's pain which Dannii describes in the single So Under Pressure but her own.

"I want the pain to end, I'm so under pressure" are some of the words included in the lyrics.

Minogue has "poured her heart out" describing the turmoil she felt when her sister was diagnosed in May, reported the UK press as the music video hit British television channels yesterday. Minogue admitted she used Kylie's experience to inspire the single.

"I'd spent all year saying 'everything's going to be fine, we're all strong' but then you hear in the song that some days I actually felt like I was in quicksand," she said,

But while it had been a tough year for her, Minogue said the future was looking much brighter now.

"I'm having the best time now. Last year was a pretty tough one," the 34-year-old said.

Wow, if you didn't care about Dannii Minogue before, I'm sure this is just the thing to make you start. Oh wait, no it isn't. Sure it must suck to always be in the shadow of your more famous sibling, but please, don't try to cash in on it. That just makes you look all the more desperate. If you really want more attention, just go make to getting lesbian lapdances at strip clubs. I'm sure the world will pay attention then.

Renée Zellweger is out to prove it's not just in comedies and dramas that she shines: she's just signed to appear in Hollywood horror movie called Case 39.

According to movie insiders, Renée will play a social worker who discovers something rather sinister about an abused 10-year-old she's trying to save. However, die-hard fans of the Oscar-winning star will note this isn't the first time she's had us hiding behind the sofa: she also took a turn in 1994's The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

(20 April, 2006, 7:44AM) SOURCE: PASSIM

Tom Cruise has had a Baby Princess

Katie Holmes yesterday gave birth to a baby girl.

In a statement last night, the Dawson Creek star's and Tom Cruise's representative told reporters that the couple had "joyously welcomed the arrival of a baby girl, called Suri".

The child's name apparently means "princess" in Hebrew or "red rose" in Persian, said the representative, adding: "The child weighed 7 pounds, 7 ounces and was 20 inches in length.

Both mother and daughter are doing well." Little Suri was born in a hospital in LA in the end, despite Cruise having equipped his mansion for a home birth.


(19 April, 2006, 7:56AM) SOURCE: PEOPLE

Carmen On Marriage Troubles

Is Carmen Electra's marriage in trouble?

The lady herself has spoken out to clear things up.

And the answer is... no.

Carmen told OK! magazine that rumours of her relationship with Dave Navarro turning sour emerged after her OWN careless whispers:

"I made the mistake, because I'm so open, of saying how hard it was over the summer (2005) because we spent so much time apart."


"We don't like to be apart from each other but somehow that comment turned into: 'We were having problems.'"

And to fully clear up any split chat, Carmen dished out some advice on how to have a successful marriage:

"I think that you really need to know your partner before you get married. And make sure that you are both in the same place and have the same goals."

(Soruce: Sky Showbiz - Wednesday April 19, 2006)

Tom Cruise is losing the plot!

Tom Cruise plans to eat his baby's placenta.

The Mission: Impossible III star allegedly told America's GQ magazine: "I'm gonna eat the placenta. I thought that would be good. Very nutritious. I'm gonna eat the cord and the placenta right there." And if that wasn't enough to make your stomach turn, wait until you hear what he has to say about sex. "Great sex is a by-product for me of a great relationship, where you have communication," he mused. "It's an extension of that. If you're not in good communication with your partner, it sucks."

(18 April, 2006, 8:06AM) SOURCE: GQ

A Substitute for Bankruptcy

A SUBSTITUTE FOR BANKRUPTCY
Whimps Need Not Apply...

Dear Friend,

You may think the statement above is a little inappropriate - so be it...

It serves a purpose. I want to make absolutely sure that everyone who reads this page understands that the information we offer isn't for everyone. Its most likely the best - most effective information available - but...

In the five years we've been successfully helping people eliminate credit card debt we've learned that it takes a certain type of individual to use and benefit from our information. The last thing we want - is to be accused of taking advantage of unsuspecting souls. So...


Click here to read the rest of..."How to Get Rid of Bad Debt"

Choosing a Child Trust Fund

Choosing a Child Trust Fund


The Child Trust Fund, a government-savings scheme which gives parents £250 vouchers to invest on their children's behalf, is open for business on 6 April.
Many parents - who are entrusted with investing the funds until their children reach 16 - may be struggling to know where they should invest.

Here is a guide to the scheme and what to look out for.

What's it all about?

The Child Trust Fund is a government-savings initiative, aimed at encouraging children to save and to help them get a "better start in life".

The money cannot be accessed until the child reaches 18, although at the age of 16, the child will take over the responsibility for managing the account themselves.


HOW MUCH WILL YOUR CHILD RECEIVE?*
01/09/2002 to 05/04/2003: £277
06/04/2003 to 05/04/2004: £268
06/04/2004 to 05/04/2005: £256
06/04/2005 onwards: £250
*Parents of families on low incomes receive an additional £250

Every child born in the UK on or after 1 September 2002 will get at least £250 as a starting voucher. Families on low incomes should receive an additional £250.

Children born between 1 September 2002 and 5 April 2005 will get slightly more to take into account the fact that Child Trust Fund accounts are only available from April 2005.

The government will also top up accounts on the child's seventh birthday. Plans for another payment when children turn eleven are currently being discussed.

Can I invest more?

Yes. Every fund may also be topped up by families or friends, up to a maximum limit of £1,200 a year.

There will be no income tax or capital gains tax to pay on the account.

What do I do with my voucher?

Two million vouchers have been issued since mid-January to parents of children born after 1 September 2002.

This will be followed each month by the issue of 60,000 vouchers, one for each new-born baby.

Parents can't spend the money or pay it into an ordinary savings or investment account. It must be invested by parents into a Child Trust Fund, run by an authorised Child Trust Fund provider.

Parents' right to choose a provider expires one year after the voucher has been issued. At that point the Inland Revenue will pick a fund.

Parents who haven't received a voucher should contact the Child Trust Fund helpline (details on right). All parents have to do to get a voucher is claim Child Benefit.

But there are so many providers, how do I choose?

The Child Trust Fund is a very simple savings concept, but choosing the most suitable home for your voucher may prove taxing for many parents.

WHAT IS A FRIENDLY SOCIETY?
They have no shareholders and are owned and managed by their members
They have a long tradition, growing in popularity during the nineteenth century. People invested in these societies to protect themselves and their families from hardship in the absence of the welfare state
Friendly societies now provide financial products, notably pensions, healthcare, insurance and banking and some specialist tax-free products

This is because there are a lot of options.

There are more than 70 different providers and distributors, including banks, friendly societies and fund managers.

Providers range from the Ancient Order of Foresters Friendly Society and the Police Assurance Society to bigger High Street names, such as Halifax and Nationwide.

Parents should have received provider details in their information packs. Alternatively, a full list of providers can be found on the government's Child Trust Fund website.

What's the difference between a savings, stakeholder and share account?

There are three different types of account to choose from: savings, stakeholder and shares.

The simplest and safest option is to deposit your voucher into a straightforward cash deposit savings account.

STAKEHOLDER: KEY FEATURES
Penalty-free transfers between accounts and Child Trust Fund providers (except for stamp duty and dealing expenses)
Minimum subscriptions of £10
'Lifestyling'
An annual management charge capped at 1.5% of the fund's value

The investment performance of the account will depend on interest rates, currently between 4% and 6%.

Some providers offer extra "bonus" interest when additional money is paid into deposit accounts.

Details of cash Child Trust Funds can be found on the Moneyfacts website (see link on right).

Secondly, there are "stakeholder" accounts, which invest in a pool or fund made up of a variety of company shares.

As a share-based investment, this is more risky than a cash account, because returns are not guaranteed.

However, stakeholder Child Trust Funds should be "lifestyled". This means the account should be invested in less risky investments, such as bonds and cash, once the child reaches 13.

This is designed to protect the investment from any sudden downturns in the stock market as the fund nears maturity.

The main feature of a stakeholder account, however, is its low annual management charges. Legally, these must be no more than 1.5% a year - the equivalent of £1.50 on every £100 invested.

Once the account has been set up, the provider must also be prepared to accept minimum top-ups of £10 a time.

Thirdly, there is a "shares" option. As the name suggests, it is also a share-based investment.

Unlike stakeholder Child Trust Funds, its charges are not capped.

These accounts are generally aimed at more experienced investors who are looking for a wide investment choice or people who are prepared to take more risk.

For example, a "self-select" Child Trust Fund may allow parents to invest in individual shares, but also in international equities.

Which type of account is likely to provide the biggest profit over 18 years?

Past performance is no guide to the future. Performance of a fund will depend on a wide variety of factors, many of which cannot be easily predicted.

Stocks and shares traditionally outperform cash deposits over the longer term.

The best option for the less sophisticated investor is to go for a basic cash-based account or a stakeholder account

Julian Crooks, a financial planner

However, evidence so far suggests many parents are shunning the stock market and investing their vouchers into deposit accounts.

Julian Crooks, a financial planner at the Financial Planning Service, says novice investors should perhaps stick with cash deposit or stakeholder accounts.

"The best option for the less-sophisticated investor is to go for a basic cash-based account or a stakeholder account, such as an index tracker with lifestyling," said Mr Crooks.

"The self-select funds are really for more experienced investors, who have probably got an existing investment portfolio and they are conversant with more risks."

Can the money be swapped into a different account?

Before parents panic, they should remember that they can change their minds.

Child Trust Fund providers cannot charge for transferring an account.

But if the fund is a stakeholder account or one that invests in shares, the provider may deduct costs - stamp duty and dealing charges - in selling any stocks and shares that form part or all of the account.

The government advises investors to check with the provider about charges before they sign up and before they transfer an account.

How would other relations access the account to add money?

Family and friends can contribute up to £1,200 a year to a Child Trust Fund.

They will need to get the account details from the parents in order to do so.

If a child has a stakeholder account, family and friends can pay into it by cash, cheque, standing order and direct debit.

For non-stakeholder accounts, it's up to the financial providers who manage the account to choose how they accept payments.

The material is for general information only and does not constitute investment, tax, legal or other form of advice. You should not rely on this information to make (or refrain from making) any decisions. Always obtain independent, professional advice for your own particular situation.

Britney Spears - Son, Heading For Trouble

Britney Spears' son, Sean Preston, has suffered a suspected fractured skull after falling from his high chair.

The injury reportedly occurred at the beginning of the month and although a doctor gave him the all-clear at the time, nearly a week later Britney decided to take him for a second opinion after he become "tearful and groggy".

Due to the nature of the injury, medical officials were obliged to report it and Britney and her husband Kevin Federline have since been quizzed by the Los Angeles child welfare department.

In a statement yesterday, sergeant Ken Scheurn of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Lost Hills Division said: "Deputies from this division carried out escort duties for the Department of Child Services to Britney Spears' home".

However, the Spears family lawyer told People magazine: "While there was an automatic report by the hospital to the Department of Children and Family Services, DCFS immediately responded and determined there was no problem and no reason to open a formal investigation.

They determined that the parents were not involved in any injury and that nothing improper was done within the home".

It is not the first time Britney's parenting skills have been questioned by the media: earlier in the year she had her knuckles rapped after being photographed driving with Sean Preston on her lap.

(12 April 2006) SOURCE: DAILY MIRROR

Prostate cancer cholesterol link

Scientists have produced evidence linking high cholesterol levels to a raised risk of prostate cancer.
The Italian researchers, who analysed data on 2,745 men, say more work is needed to establish a firm association.

However, they believe the key may be that cholesterol is used by the body to produce male hormones which have been linked to prostate cancer.

Other experts said the Annals of Oncology study findings were plausible, but disputed the hormone theory.

The researchers, from the Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri in Milan, admitted the study had to rely on patients reporting details of their own medical conditions.

However, they said the apparent association between high cholesterol and prostate cancer seemed to be a real one - particularly as the study uncovered no evidence of a link between the disease and ten other medical conditions.

The researchers examined data on 1,294 men with prostate cancer, and 1,451 men admitted to hospital with non-cancerous conditions.

They found men with prostate cancer were around 50% more likely to have had high cholesterol levels.

The association was particularly strong among men diagnosed with prostate cancer before the age of 50, and after the age of 65.

Both these groups were 80% more likely to report high cholesterol levels than men free from cancer.

Gallstones

The analysis also found prostate cancer patients were 26% more likely to have had gallstones. Thinner men appeared to be particularly vulnerable.

Researcher Dr Cristina Bosetti said: "Androgens - hormones that have a role in prostate tissue and cancer - are synthesised from cholesterol, suggesting a possible biological relationship between high cholesterol and prostate cancer.

"Gallstones are related to high cholesterol levels as well and are often composed of cholesterol.

"So, the direct relationship we found between gallstones and prostate cancer, while it was not statistically significant, suggests a similar biological mechanism may explain the link."

Dr Bosetti said there was some evidence suggesting cholesterol-lowering statin drugs may help protect against prostate cancer.

However, she said studies investigating the link had so far been limited and inconclusive.

Professor Nick James, a cancer specialist at the University of Birmingham, said it was "entirely plausible" that cholesterol was linked to prostate cancer.

He said: "There is a lot of circumstantial evidence suggesting that diet is a factor in developing prostate cancer. For instance, the disease is more common in northern European countries, where consumption of animals fats is relatively high.

"This research carries a positive message: it suggests that people can do something themselves to reduce the chances of getting a disease which is among the biggest killers of men."

However, Professor James was unconvinced by the idea that male hormones were key.

Instead, he said some of the chemicals produced by the breakdown of cholesterol were known to be carcinogenic.

Chris Hiley, of the Prostate Cancer Charity, said: "Further research is needed to confirm this but in the meantime the health benefits of a varied diet are indisputable.

"We encourage men to cut down their intake of fatty foods and red and processed meat, but continue to eat oily fish and a high fibre diet with porridge oats, as well as plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables daily."

Source: BBC News

The Cellulite Zapper

If your thighs resemble cottage cheese and your derriere is more orange peel than peach-like, then you won't be looking forward to summer.

It's a condition which affects us all - even the rich and famous.

Demi Moore, Paris Hilton, Jodie Marsh and Jerry Hall have all been pictured with wobbly thighs, while Penny Lancaster claims she lost her cellulite through exercise and drinking water.

But it's time to stop sobbing into your detoxifying green tea.

Help could finally be at hand, thanks to a laser beam that blasts away layers of fatty tissue without even scratching the skin.

Scientists have invented a fat-seeking laser that melts away unsightly cellulite.

Not only that, the hi-tech breakthrough can also be used to target fatty plaques that build up in the arteries and lead to heart attacks.

An experiment conducted on pig fat found that infrared beams zapped through skin for about 16 seconds broke down fat.

Professor Rox Anderson, a dermatologist at the Massachusetts General Hospital, who led the experiment, said the results shows that heating tissues with light could have medical implications in the future.

He said: "We can envision a fat-seeking laser and we're heading down that path now.

"If successful, new laser capable of producing the appropriate wavelengths can be commissioned to target fat or plaques in patients."

It is also hoped that the laser could be used to treat acne.

Top 10 - Ten Worst Things To Do To Your Body

In 2005 Forbes.com suggested the first 9 of the following 10 things as the worst things you can do to your body. I've added number 10.


1) Smoking tobacco

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S and most countries around the World. Along with other forms of tobacco, it kills more than 400,000 Americans each year. It contributes to many cases of cancer, mainly of the lungs and other organs, as well as cardiovascular disease. Although smoking poses major health risks, that doesn't seem to stop enough people. In 2004, more than 20% of the U.S. population smoked.


2) Poor nutrition

More than 60% of the U.S. population, 20 years old and older, are obese. Deaths due to poor nutrition and lack of exercise are increasing. Every year about 400,000 people die from one or both. It is difficult to separate the two categories because they usually both result in obesity. That doesn't mean you can eat what you want and simply exercise more, or vice versa. For proper health, you must have a balance of each.


3) Inactivity / poor exercise

2004, only about 30% of Americans took part in some form of regular leisure-time physical activity. The rest were sedentary. Getting plenty of exercise will improve heart conditions, give you more energy and help you sleep well at night. It correlates directly with obesity problems, and each year the combination of lack of exercise and poor nutrition kill about 400,000 people a year, with the numbers rapidly increasing.


4) Drinking alcohol

Almost 100,000 deaths were caused by misuse of alcohol in 2004. Abusing the booze can give you liver cirrhosis or cancer. If that isn't enough to kill you, it also increases your chances of fatal accidents--for instance, in a car or drowning. In 2004, about 20% of adults had five or more drinks in one day at least once in the past year. Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis killed almost 30,000 Americans, while there were about 20,000 alcohol-induced deaths that don't include accidents or homicides.


5) Microbial agents / poor hygiene

About 80,000 Americans die each year from some type of infectious illness (not including HIV), and some of them could possibly be prevented. Many infection-control measures, like immunizations, prevent about 100 million other infections. Infections, like influenza and pneumonia, used to be the leading cause of death in the United States and are still a large threat, especially to people with prior health problems.


6) Toxic agents

We can't help but be exposed to toxins, whether it's at the job, in the environment or in the food we eat and drink. But they account for about 60,000 deaths among Americans each year. They can include exposure to dyes, mineral dust, and air pollutants that contribute to problems like allergies and asthma. But even more seemingly innocuous products, like some makes of paraffin candle, contain carcinogens.


7) Sexual behavior

If you aren't using protection during sex, you're increasing your risk of death. Each year about 20,000 people die in the U.S. from preventable sexual diseases, and millions more are infected with a sexually transmitted disease. The two leading STDs are HIV, with an estimated number of 14,000 deaths in 2002, and hepatitis, with about 5,800 deaths that year.


8) Illegal drug use

Millions of Americans have serious drug problems, and almost 15,000 die annually from illicit drug use. There's a reason why drugs are regulated: They are harmful and potentially fatal, not to mention addictive. Drugs increase your chances of being in an automobile accident and contracting HIV and other STDs.


9) Tanning

According to the American Cancer Society, almost 8,000 people will die from melanoma, the deadly skin cancer associated with tanning. Tanning wasn't on the CDC's list of top actual causes of death, but we included it because of rising cases of melanoma. There aren't studies that prove tanning is the result of the increase in deaths, but we do know there is a correlation.


10) Lack of Sleep / Sleep deprivation

Without enough sleep on a daily basis the human body slows down and doesn't perform all it's duties as well as it should. Poor sleep has serious effects on our brain's ability to function. Sleepiness have been linked to stress and high blood pressure. Research has also suggested that sleep loss may increase the risk of obesity because chemicals and hormones that play a key role in controlling appetite and weight gain are released during sleep.

Key Facts about Influenza and the Influenza Vaccine

What is Influenza (also called Flu)?
The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and sometimes can lead to death. The best way to prevent this illness is by getting a flu vaccination each fall.

Every year in the United States, on average:

~~5% to 20% of the population gets the flu;
~~more than 200,000 people are hospitalised from flu complications, and;
~~about 36,000 people die from flu.
~~Some people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious flu complications.

Symptoms of Flu
Symptoms of flu include:

~~fever (usually high)
~~headache
~~extreme tiredness
~~dry cough
~~sore throat
~~runny or stuffy nose
~~muscle aches
~~Stomach symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, also can occur but are more common in children than adults


Complications of Flu
Complications of flu can include bacterial pneumonia, dehydration, and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes. Children may get sinus problems and ear infections.

How Flu Spreads
Flu viruses spread in respiratory droplets caused by coughing and sneezing. They usually spread from person to person, though sometimes people become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose. Most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 days after becoming sick. That means that you can pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick.

Preventing the Flu: Get Vaccinated
The single best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu vaccination each fall. There are two types of vaccines:

~~The "flu shot" – an inactivated vaccine (containing killed virus) that is given with a needle. The flu shot is approved for use in people older than 6 months, including healthy people and people with chronic medical conditions.
~~The nasal-spray flu vaccine – a vaccine made with live, weakened flu viruses that do not cause the flu (sometimes called LAIV for “Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine”). LAIV is approved for use in healthy people 5 years to 49 years of age who are not pregnant.

About two weeks after vaccination, antibodies develop that protect against influenza virus infection. Flu vaccines will not protect against influenza-like illnesses caused by other viruses.

When to Get Vaccinated
October or November is the best time to get vaccinated, but getting vaccinated in December or even later can still be beneficial. Flu season can begin as early as October and last as late as May.

Who Should Get Vaccinated?
In general, anyone who wants to reduce their chances of getting the flu can get vaccinated. However, certain people should get vaccinated each year. They are either people who are at high risk of having serious flu complications or people who live with or care for those at high risk for serious complications. People who should get vaccinated each year are:

People who should get vaccinated each year are:

1.) People at high risk for complications from the flu:

~~People 65 years and older;
~~People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities that house those with long-term illnesses;
~~Adults and children 6 months and older with chronic heart or lung conditions, including asthma;
~~Adults and children 6 months and older who needed regular medical care or were in a hospital during the previous year because of a metabolic disease (like diabetes), chronic kidney disease, or weakened immune system (including immune system problems caused by medicines or by infection with human immunodeficiency virus [HIV/AIDS]);
~~Children 6 months to 18 years of age who are on long-term aspirin therapy. (Children given aspirin while they have influenza are at risk of Reye syndrome.);
~~Women who will be pregnant during the influenza season;
~~All children 6 to 23 months of age;
~~People with any condition that can compromise respiratory function or the handling of respiratory secretions (that is, a condition that makes it hard to breathe or swallow, such as brain injury or disease, spinal cord injuries, seizure disorders, or other nerve or muscle disorders.)

2.) People 50 to 64 years of age. Because nearly one-third of people 50 to 64 years of age in the United States have one or more medical conditions that place them at increased risk for serious flu complications, vaccination is recommended for all persons aged 50 to 64.

3.) People who can transmit flu to others at high risk for complications. Any person in close contact with someone in a high-risk group (see above) should get vaccinated. This includes all health-care workers, household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children 6 to 23 months of age, and close contacts of people 65 years and older.

Is CDC recommending that flu shots go to “priority groups”, as was recommended last season?
To ensure that those who are at highest risk of complications from influenza have access to vaccine this season, CDC recommends that people in certain priority groups receive inactivated influenza vaccine (i.e., the “flu shot”) until October 24, 2005:

~~people aged 65 years and older, with and without chronic health conditions
~~residents of long-term care facilities
~~people aged 2–64 years with chronic health conditions
~~children aged 6–23 months
~~pregnant women
~~health-care personnel who provide direct patient care
~~household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age

Beginning October 24, 2005, all persons can get a flu shot.

Use of the Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine
It should be noted that vaccination with the nasal-spray flu vaccine is always an option for healthy persons aged 5-49 years who are not pregnant. This vaccine is not subject to prioritisation and can be given to healthy 5-49 year olds at any time.

People Displaced by Hurricane Katrina
Influenza vaccination is recommended for all people 6 months of age and older who have been displaced by hurricane Katrina and are living in crowded group settings.

Who Should Not Be Vaccinated
Some people should not be vaccinated without first consulting a physician. They include:

~~People who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs.
~~People who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination in the past.
~~People who developed Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) within 6 weeks of getting an influenza vaccine previously.
~~Children less than 6 months of age (influenza vaccine is not approved for use in this age group).
~~People who have a moderate or severe illness with a fever should wait to get vaccinated until their symptoms lessen.

If you have questions about whether you should get a flu vaccine, consult your health-care provider.

Bad Debt Personal Loans - Even A Bad Credit Has Something Good About It

Debts aren't always bad. Sometimes they can serve as an important source to finance your needs and desires while on the other side, failure to repay any of the due payments on them can result in getting you black listed as a defaulter and gifted a "bad debt" tag.

Bad debt is considered to be bad by many lenders and most of the time they have to face the refusal and denial regarding a loan application, they are looking for. If you too are tired of hearing "no" from the lenders, a bad debt tag can now get a bad debt personal loan for you that can bring back the relief in your life.

Bad debt personal loans help people with bad debt to access the cash needed with a loan tailored specifically for them. A bad debt can be a result of the defaults, bankruptcy, late payments, county court judgment (CCJ) or individual voluntary agreement made by you in the past.

Before going out to find the bad debt personal loan that matches your needs and expectations, find out how bad your credit score is. When you get your credit report prepared make sure that the credit rating agency, you are applying to, is registered and reliable. Experian, Transunion and Equifax are some of the credit rating agencies from where you can get your credit report.

Credit score or FICO score usually range from 300 to 850. A credit score of 720 and above is considered to be good while an individual with a credit score of 580 or below is considered to be a victim of bad debt. Credit score is further classified into a range of grades varying from A to E. "Grade A" reflects excellent credit while people with a credit score of 520 and below are counted in the "Grade E". People with Grade C, D and E are considered in the list of bad debt.

A bad debt personal loan can range from £5,000 to £75,000. You can use the loan money to buy a luxurious car, to make improvements at home, to start a new business or finance the existing one or for any personal purpose. Bad debt personal loan can also be used to consolidate all your existing debts into a single loan. Timely payment of the loan instalments on the bad debt personal loan will help you in repairing your credit score.

Lenders usually find it risky to lend money to people with bad debt as the borrowers may repeat the same mistake they had done in the past. Thus, the rate of interest charged on the bad debt personal loans are comparatively high. The rate of interest popularly known as APR (Annual Percentage Rate) on a bad debt personal loan can be as low as 10% and as high as 20% or even higher, depending on your credit score and the amount of loan that you are looking for.

Online lenders are the best options if you are looking for a fast, secure, low cost and convenient means of borrowing. You just need to fill in an online loan application form with some of your personal details and that's it. By the time you submit the application form, you will be surprised to get a lot many loan offers from the lenders. The growing competition among the lenders to grab more and more customers has resulted in a decline in the interest rate. You too can take advantage of this cut-throat competition to get the desired loan package. Shop around, collect loan quotes from a number of lenders and then compare them to find the best loan deal.

Bad debt personal loans come in the form of blessing from a curse known as "bad debt". Use the money you get with the loan in the best possible manner to get out of the debt trap as soon as possible to ensure a smooth and trouble free life. What if you have a bad debt tag you can now access a personal loan too.

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UK Television Licence Fee Facts

The first TV licence in the UK was in June 1946 and it cost £2 for a black and white TV.

In January 1968 the licence was available in two variations. £5 for a B&W, £10 for colour TV


The current fee, from 1 April 2006, is £131.50 for a colour licence and £44 for black and white.

The licence fee pays for the following television channels;
~~BBC ONE, BBC TWO, BBC THREE, BBC FOUR, BBC News 24, BBC Parliament, CBBC and CBeebies;
~~five network radio services, plus the BBC Asian Network, and digital radio services 1Xtra, BBC 7, 6 Music, and Five Live Sports Extra;
~~regional television programmes and Local Radio services in England;
~~national radio and television in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland;
~~BBCi and bbc.co.uk.

When you move house you will need to transfer your licence to your new address. You can do this online at https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/details/cod_step1.jsp

More facts about UK Television Licencing at http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk

The USB Memory Stick

New Product launch!

It'll blow your mind.

Do you have trouble remembering stuff? Would you sometimes like to share your memories with others?

Well now you can with the IWOOT Memory Stick. Using razor edge technology that's so advanced it's really quite ahead of itself, the Memory Stick enables you to download and upload memory fragments via a temporal lobe sensor and store them on the USB Memory Stick. You can then load the memories onto your computer - essentially backing up your brain for when you forget stuff in your old age!

The PC (not Mac compatible yet regrettably) software allows you to store up to an amazing ten years of memories, sort them alphabetically, and even e-mail them to friends and family - though they will need to have their own USB Memory Stick in order to 'run' them, as well as your security code to unlock them.

This is the first production version and there are some very exciting developments and enhancements on the horizon - we're very much hoping that the V2 Dreamcatcher which will record your dreams (only up one hours worth at the moment, and in black and white) will be ready by Christmas.

Watch this space for more developments.

How it works. Your memories are stored in the Lenthian area of you brain and replayed in your cognitive synapse clusters (CSCs) at the front of your brain. Although you never strictly speaking lose your memories, we all lose the ability to 'recall' them, i.e. to transfer them to the CSC. The TLS (Temporal Lobe Sensor) can record the memories in the Lenthian area, and then store and reply them in the cognitive synapse cluster at the front of your brain. A technical bridge that helps replace the effects of cranial ageing - brilliant.

Features
USB Memory Stick.
2Gig on-board memory (enough for 2½ hours of memories).
USB lead and Frontal Lobe Connector.
Comprehensive CD-Rom Software package
E-mail compatibility.
Firmware upgradeable.

System Requirements:
Windows 98SE,ME, 2000, XP.
USB 1.1 or higher.
P.C Only

Warning: Not to be used if you suffer from a heart condition, work for the security services or hear voices in the night..