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Ski holidays in South America? What kind of place is that? Isn’t Chile more about forests than about skiing? In truth not. South America is a continent that reaches from the equator down to Patagonia close to the n. of Antarctica. On the spine of South America are the Andes Mountains. They are amongst the most grand ranges in the cosmos and even as the range transits the tropics, the summits are still covered in snow.

South America’s best skiing resorts are to be found in Chile and Argentina with good skiing deals. In the central regions of of both you can find numerous ski towns dotted about across the countryside.. The most notable snowboarding resort in S.America is known as by many Little Schweiz and if you visit you’ll suppose that you’re in Schweiz with the attractive Suisse houses. The snowboarding area has catered chalets, a bowling alley, pubs, and everything to provide a fabulous snowboarding trip. The largest ski area in South America is in Chile. Located hardly 32 kilometres from the main airport you will be able to reach it on a easy drive having flown in non-stop from many towns including Zurich, Stockholm, London, LA and Berlin.

Business cards and greeting cards almost go hand in hand when being used for marketing and business purposes. With a few exceptions. One is bigger than the other, and needs a postage stamp in order to get to it’s desired location, as opposed to the business card which is handed directly to a person or dropped into a fish bowl in the hopes of winning an office party.

Here are a few tips on how to use the business card and greeting card as a sales and marketing tool.

The Business Card

This tip is not just about what you can do with your business cards, it’s about what you can do with other peoples business cards once you receive them.

A business card is normally exchanged before, during, or after a conversation you have with a person. The next time someone hands you a business card, try to remember something positive about the conversation you had, perhaps something personal the person might have said.

Than write it down on the business card so the next time you call them or see them, you can bring it up again.

I once had a business relationship with a person who is now a friend of mine. We met at a business card exchange, as we stood talking over our coffee and donuts, I mentioned how I loved boston creme donuts. Without my knowing, he wrote that down on the business card I gave him, and every time he and I got together, he made sure to bring along boston creme donuts. It wasn’t until later that he told me his secret.

People are impressed with things you remember about them, it makes them feel that the conversation the two of you had was important to you, and it will give you credibility.

This is a great way to strengthen your business relationships in order to obtain referrals.

The Greeting Card

In this day and age of the internet, we seem to have lost the personal touch we once had with one another.

Most of this personal touch has been replaced with e-mails, e-cards, fax machines, and cell phones.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for progress.

That being said, don’t ever underestimate the power of a hand written note or card, it speaks volumes and means a lot to people.

Have you ever heard of someone deleting a Hallmark?

Keep a Rolodex or tickler file handy of all your customers upcoming birthdays, anniversary’s, and special occasions. Send them a card with a hand-written message on the inside, they will love the fact that you remembered them at a time that is important to them.

The same goes for holidays, and don’t forget Arbor day.

When you send the card leave the business card out, don’t give the impression that this is a sales call, at times like these it is important for your customer to understand that they are not just a statistic in your data base.

Also, keep your eye’s and ear’s open just incase your customer looses a loved one or a pet. Send them a sympathy card. They will appreciate the fact that you have compassion.

The business card and greeting card are two effective ways to build and strengthen the relationships you have with your customers, which will ultimately result in more business for you.

Based on the bestselling novel by Candace Bushnell, the HBO original series Sex And The City took the television world by storm following its release in the summer of 1998. Following the exploits of four young and educated female friends living and working in New York City, the show revolves around the various relationships and life problems experienced by each member of the group. Sporting an experienced and talented cast, the show has developed a strong, borderline fanatic following…

Sarah Jessica Parker (the de facto lead character of the show) stars as Carrie Bradshaw, a popular sex columnist for a local newspaper who travels in numerous Manhattan social circles. Carrie is engaged in a tempestuous on-again, off-again relationship with a mystery man always referred to as “Mr. Big”. The young urban professional shares her life with three best friends who have similarly interesting jobs - Miranda Hobbs (Cynthia Nixon), a lawyer tired of being single given the societal ramifications; Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall), a promiscuous publicist who enjoys non-exclusive relationships; and Charlotte McDougal (Kristin Davis), an art museum curator who is relatively less open about her sexuality… Together, the women seek each other’s advice on the ever-present and varying predicaments in which they find their romantic relationships…

The Sex And The City (Season 2) DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” in which Carrie, having broken up with Mr. Big, starts dating a member of the New York Yankees. However, when they run into Mr. Big, she realizes she’s not really over him. Meanwhile, Miranda is tired of her friends talking about nothing but men, and Samantha thinks she’s found the man of her dreams - at least until she gets him in bed… Other notable episodes from Season 2 include “Four Women and a Funeral” in which Carrie’s reflections on the shortness of life following friend’s death lead to a reunion with Mr. Big, and “The Man, The Myth, The Viagra” in which Carrie urges Mr. Big to get to know her friends better and Samantha dates a wealthy man in his seventies…

Below is a list of episodes included on the Sex And The City (Season 2) DVD:

Episode 13 (Take Me Out to the Ballgame) Air Date: 06-06-1999
Episode 14 (The Awful Truth) Air Date: 06-13-1999
Episode 15 (The Freak Show) Air Date: 06-20-1999
Episode 16 (They Shoot Single People, Don’t They?) Air Date: 06-27-1999
Episode 17 (Four Women and a Funeral) Air Date: 07-04-1999
Episode 18 (The Cheating Curve) Air Date: 07-11-1999
Episode 19 (The Chicken Dance) Air Date: 07-18-1999
Episode 20 (The Man, the Myth, the Viagra) Air Date: 07-25-1999
Episode 21 (Old Dogs, New Dicks) Air Date: 08-01-1999
Episode 22 (The Caste System) Air Date: 08-08-1999
Episode 23 (Evolution) Air Date: 08-15-1999
Episode 24 (La Douleur Exquise!) Air Date: 08-22-1999
Episode 25 (Games People Play) Air Date: 08-29-1999
Episode 26 (The F*ck Buddy) Air Date: 09-05-1999
Episode 27 (Shortcomings) Air Date: 09-12-1999
Episode 28 (Was It Good For You?) Air Date: 09-19-1999
Episode 29 (Twenty-Something Girls vs. Thirty-Something Women) Air Date: 09-26-1999
Episode 30 (Ex and the City) Air Date: 10-03-1999

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of the Sex And The City (Season 2) DVD.

Pearls have always held an almost mystical place in the history of jewelry. As early as the 4th century B.C., pearls were already being used by royalty not only to enhance personal beauty, but also to denote their high status. Today, pearls are among the most popular items in the worlds of fashion and jewelry because they are timeless in their elegance and simplicity. But that isn’t to say they’re boring! Oh no. The beauty of pearls is that they are suitable for just about anybody, whether they be naughty or nice.

Pearls have been the favorite of many well-known personalities, both to give and to receive. For instance, it’s a well-known fact that Monaco’s Prince Rainier gifted his bride Grace Kelly with a Van Arpel set of pearl and diamond earrings, necklace and bracelet at their wedding, while Jackie Kennedy received a pearl necklace, a pearl and diamond bracelet, and other jewelry that were given to her as gifts for her wedding to John F. Kennedy. And cinematic siren Marilyn Monroe is said to have treasured a pearl necklace given to her by her husband, Joe DiMaggio, while they were honeymooning in Japan.

Examples of pearls gone wild exist in the celebrity world too. Actress Mischa Barton of “The O.C.” has been photographed wearing strands upon strands of differently-sized pearls, making her look eccentric but more eye-catching than ever. Halle Berry wore a lariat necklace with Autore South Sea pearls nestling tantalizingly on her nearly bare chest during the 2003 premiere of her movie “Gothika.” And viewers of the HBO comedy “Sex and the City” will remember the expression on sex-loving Samantha’s face as she walked up several flights of stairs when she was wearing a pearl thong — an unusual example of the combination of jewelry and lingerie.

That episode of “Sex and the City” caused a sharp increase in the sales of pearl thongs. And buyers have nothing but rave reviews about it. They say that walking or moving with a string of Manacor pearls between the legs is something that has to be experienced to be believed. There are numerous other examples of the use of pearls to enhance sex appeal or sexual experience — or both. A belly chain of freshwater pearls is sure to turn heads at the beach, as would mother-of-pearl toe rings. For those who love body jewelry, there’s a wide selection of belly rings, pierced and non-pierced nipple rings with pearl dangles. And for perhaps the ultimate example of pearls gone wild, think genital jewelry and sex toys. Whether they use faux pearls or real ones, these products have a loyal following among lovers of erotica.

Pearl jewelry is suitable for day and nighttime use, to send a statement of class and elegance. But remember that underneath the serene surface lies a naughty element and that you can use pearl jewelry to show your wild side.

Sam Serio is an Internet Marketer, musician, and writer on the subject of jewelry and gemstones. For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit http://www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of “How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off.” This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at http://www.morninglightjewelry.com Also includes informative articles, comparison shopping, rare book excerpts, & link directory.

In recent times the most prominent public role for Peter Sutherland as chairman of BP PLC was hosting the company’s annual meeting. But after a string of oil spills, deadly accidents and an energy-trading scandal at BP, the 60-year-old former rugby player has charged head first into the scrum.

Last year, the Irish politician and banker forced Chief Executive John Browne to publicly identify his retirement date. After Lord Browne’s unanticipated decision last month to depart a year and a half earlier than previously planned, Mr. Sutherland must now buff BP’s image and manage the company’s first executive-suite transition in more than ten years.

Despite soaring oil prices its shares rose just 4.5 per cent in 2006, compared with a 36 per cent increase by Exxon Mobil Corp. and 15 per cent at Royal Dutch Shell PLC. Yesterday, the company reported 4th quarter net income decreased by 22 per cent, in part reflecting lower production and lower natural-gas prices.

BP, meanwhile, faces U.S. criminal probes on three fronts — corrosion and oil spills in Alaska; a March 2005 refinery blast that killed 15 in Texas; and its energy-trading practices, with federal officials alleging BP traders surreptitiously influenced propane markets in 2004. BP denies manipulating markets and says it is cooperating with investigators on all three inquiries.

Mr. Sutherland’s prominent public standing also underscores a trend that goes further than BP: a shift in the boardroom dynamics at many of Europe’s biggest publicly traded companies. The criticism is often leveled that nonexecutive directors leave too much of the decision making to the executives. In recent times, many companies are moving to shore up their boards with strong and independent directors.

Until the point at which Shell faced an accounting controversy in 2004, Shell’s British holding company had as its chairman a professor of geology. After the drama, it recruited Jorma Ollila, former chief executive officer of Nokia Corp as chairman. Unilever appointed an outside chairman last month to cap a restructuring at the Anglo-Dutch consumer-goods giant.

Mr. Sutherland’s mission at BP from the beginning has always been to focus on establishing a “robust” and independent board of directors he was quoted as saying in an interview recently. After stints as Ireland’s attorney general and Europe’s competition czar, Peter Sutherland in 1993 was instrumental in taking forward the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade in Geneva. There, he clinched the Uruguay Round, an important trade agreement that set the foundations for today’s World Trade Organization. For a man who has achieved so much it is difficult to forsee where he will find his next challenge.

Engagement presents are gifts given to the couple at any time throughout their engagement. It celebrates the next significant and important step in their relationship. Antique engagement rings also help the couple out tremendously with useful items for their new shared home or to help them on their way to a fun and memorable honeymoon and life together.

Customized Engagement Rings

One sure way to make a lasting impression is to give a customized engagement present that is designed solely for the special couple. There are several creative ideas that will be cherished forever. For example, you can have a painting made of their engagement portrait. You can create a shadow box of the flowers from all the bouquets he has given her while they were dating. Jewelers can design a special piece of jewelry for the husband to be to give his fianc© to commemorate the official announcement to family and friends. She can then wear this on her wedding day.

Engagement Parties

Engagement parties are the perfect opportunity to give engagement gifts and let family and friends join in the celebration. Gifts given at engagement parties can include linens for their new home, useful small appliances, luggage or towels for a beach honeymoon destination.

Many couples will register at specific stores to make gift giving easier on friends and family and help them get the presents they really want and need. A gift registry will give a full list of everything the couple indicated they would like. There are presents in every price range, so the gift giver can select something appropriate within their budget.

Once someone has purchased an item from the gift registry, it is no longer on the list. This helps avoid duplicate gifts.

More and more couples are having longer engagements. Some are several years long, while others still prefer to tie the knot as soon as possible after getting engaged. It doesn’t matter how soon after the engagement the couple plans to marry, it is still appropriate to give both engagement and wedding presents. The longer the engagement however, the longer the time frame for giving engagement presents.

Guy Morris reveals frequently for the guide and news area of www.antique-engagement-rings-guide.com . Within his publication he is featuring jewelry and articles on wedding and engagement presents.

A newcomer to the world of investments in the notion of “Virtual Real Estate Investing“. What is meant by “Virtual Real Estate Investing” ranges from online games like SecondLife (where real profit can be made) to the use of internet technologies to make normal real estate investors more profitable.

To separate fact from fiction, I asked Bryan Ellis for comments. He’s the man many consider to be the father of this new form of investing.

When I began using the term virtual real estate investing in the late 1990s, I did so because I saw clear parallels between the strategies used for profiting from physical real estate and those that would create income in the online world, said Ellis.

Bryan Ellis cites the similar strategies one can employe to make money from “virtual property” and “physical property” as a primary parallel of the two markets. “There’s a huge difference between a website and a piece of real estate, but the ways you can profit from them are similar: ‘flipping’, rental/leasing, advertising sales, etc…all of these apply to both markets” he states.

I must admit: Its easy to see the parallels. After all, if you own a valuable piece of real estate, it’s “valuable” because other people are interested in that specific piece of property. Similarly, ownership of a desirable domain name is valuable for the same reasons. So it doesn’t matter if you own physical real estate or virtual real estate - you’ll likely use similar strategies to turn them into money in your pocket.

In our next installment of this series on virtual real estate investing, Bryan Ellis will share the internet analogies to the physical concept of real estate development.

Long before The Passion of the Christ, Mel Gibson directed another cinematic masterpiece, Braveheart. Filmed against the backdrop of majestic mountains and rolling meadows, it tells the historically-based (yet not entirely accurate) story of William Wallace, a common man’s warrior who led the Scottish people in rebellion against King Edward I, also known as “Longshanks”. Written by Randall Wallace, an American tourist fascinated with a Scottish statue of his namesake, the script collected dust in Hollywood for over a decade before Gibson made the brilliant decision to put it on the big screen. Just like The Passion, it’s a decision he would not regret…

Set in the 11th Century, Braveheart catalogues the struggle of Scottish serfs who labor under the brutal oppression of English occupation forces. Amidst these terrible conditions, William Wallace (Mel Gibson) falls in love with Murron MacClannough (Catherine McCormack). Insistent on not sharing his wife (a proclamation by the king gives local rulers “first-night rights” to new brides) Wallace secretly marries Murron. Nevertheless, an English knight assaults her, sparking a fight with Wallace. Fleeing the village, Wallace believes Murron has escaped and will soon meet him at a secret rendezvous point. But Murron is captured and executed by the king’s emissaries.

Angered by his wife’s murder, Wallace instigates a local rebellion, slaughtering all the king’s loyalists in his village. As his rebellion grows, a distraught Longshanks (Patrick McGoohan) dispatches his fabled Northern Army to destroy it. But the heroic Wallace delivers a stirring speech to rouse his men, while deploying an ingenious battlefield trick to defeat the king’s cavalry.

With the power and legend of Wallace growing day by day, Longshanks relies on his daughter-in-law, Princess Isabelle (Sophie Marceau) to broker a truce. But Isabelle’s power is limited, and Wallace realizes his people can only win freedom if backed by the Scottish nobles. Their appointed leader is Robert the Bruce (Angus MacFadyen) who vacillates between his own idealistic views and his father’s pessimistic pragmatism. Will the nobles join with Wallace? Will the Scots win their freedom? Only history tells us the answer…

With elaborate costumes, vivid battle scenes, and a noble hero as its focal point, Braveheart is more than your typical run-of-the-mill action movie. Part history, part Hollywood heroism - its timeless idealism strikes a cord with every viewer. In fact, the movie itself led to a revival in nationalistic pride that fueled the successful Scottish independence movement of the 1990s. It’s a testament to the strength and character of the real life William Wallace. A thousand years later, his enduring legacy continues to transform the European landscape, and Mel Gibson captures the noble warrior’s passion with an awe-inspiring Academy Award-winning masterpiece…

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of the Braveheart (DVD).

Therabands are great to have even if you have a gym membership. They’re small, convenient and weigh about 50grams, which means they’re perfect to take on holiday. They can be used in or outdoors and are great fun.

Because of its flexibility, there are endless possibilities when it comes to creating workouts with the theraband, and as you get more advanced you can start creating your own individual workouts, but here are a few upper body movements we have designed for you…

Chest Thera-flyes Lie down on a bench or flex ball. Extend your arms in front of you, holding a theraband. Stretch the band until the middle of it touches your chest, hold for a count of one and return to the starting position, relax and repeat

Thera-pec deck Sit on a chair with your back straight. Hold a theraband directly in front of you. With your arms extended outwards. Pull the band outwards as far as you can, until the middle of it touches your chest, hold for a count of one then return to the starting position. Relax and repeat

Shoulders Front Raise Lay the theraband flat on the floor and stand along length of it with one foot in the almost in the middle. Bend down and grab the front section of the band with your left . Stand up, and without bending your elbow, lift the band until your arm is extended straight out and you hand is at the same level as your forehead.

Shoulder Press Sit on a chair with your back straight, holding the theraband above your head, thumbs touching each other. Keeping your arms straight, pull the band outwards. Hold for a count on one and return to the starting position, relax and repeat.

Back Lat extension Sit on a chair with your back straight. Holding the theraband behind your neck, as if you were holding a bar, hands slightly further than shoulder width apart. Pull the band outwards. You should feel the squeeze in your shoulder blades. Hold for a count of one and return to the start position, relax and repeat.

Bent over row Wrap the band around your left food and stand with your right foot just behind, hip distance apart. Stick your buttocks out, hold your back flat, resting your left hand on your front knee. Grab the theraband with your right hand keeping your fist pointing towards the ground. With your elbow close to your side, lift and lower, the band.

Triceps Triceps extensions Sit up straight on a chair. Hold the theraband lengthways behind you. Your right arm should cross above your head and left hand grabbing the band underneath. Keeping your left arm still, lift the band with your right arm until it is extended straight. Lower and repeat

Triceps kickback Lay the band flat on the floor, and stand along it lengthways with one foot towards the middle. Bend down and grab the band just behind you foot. Stand up keeping your arm parallel to the floor. Without moving your elbow lift your fist until your arm is straight. Hold for a count of one, lower and repeat.

Biceps Hammer curl Wrap the band around one of your feet. Stand back, putting your weight on your opposite foot. Grab the ends of the band keeping elbows tucked and fists facing front. Lift your hands to shoulder weight, hold for a count of one, lower and repeat.

Bicep extension Place a theraband across your neck. Wrap the band around your left arm to hold the one side above your head. Using your right hand, grab the other side and pull, so that your arm extended straight out to the side. Hold for a count of one, relax and repeat.

Obliques Oblique twists Stand with your feet slightly more than shoulder width apart. Place the theraband behind your neck. Make sure you keep it straight and tight, holding it at both ends. Keeping your hips still, turn your body as far as you can to the right, then to the left. Make sure you keep your abs contracted.

Side bends Lay the band flat on the floor. Stand with you feet slightly more than shoulder width apart. Grab the ends and keeping your arms straight and the band tight. Pull the band as high as you can with your left arm while bending your body to the right. Hold for a count of one, relax and repeat with the opposite side.

Creating workouts with your theraband can be both fun and effective, so keep stretching those bands and coming up with new ways to this technology to keep your body fit and healthy.

The high number and severity of the hurricanes this season has brought about a new level of awareness to severe weather safety. One of the essential items in severe weather safety is the weather radio. Although the radio can be used at any time, it is most important when electricity is not available and severe weather is approaching. During storms, it is quite common for power to be cut off for any length of time. It is important to know where the storm is, how severe it is, and where it is headed. The weather radio can provide this information, allowing you and your family to seek shelter and take the precautions necessary to survive a severe storm.

Weather radios are unique from regular radios in many important ways. First, weather radios are designed to receive NOAA weather signals 24 hours a day that provide current weather conditions in your area. This information is crucial as allows you the time to seek shelter if a storm is approaching. The weather radio is also often smaller and lighter than most other radios, which allows it to be easily carried around from room to room in your house, to work, or in the car. Some radios allow you to select your state and county, thereby setting your regional channel. A few even come with graphical LCD displays, capable of showing thousands of US county maps.

There are dozens of weather radios currently on the market. One of the newest ones, the handheld WR102 portable NOAA weather radio is a popular choice. This device resembles a modern walkie-talkie - small and lightweight with a simple display. The radio can be placed into a pocket and easily taken camping or to ball games.

Another popular weather radio is the Graphical Interface Emergency Radio with LCD display. The device looks a lot like a small GPS, with a detailed, monochrome map showing your location and the warnings currently posted for the area. The device will warn you about a vareity of disasters including tornadoes, thunderstorms, hurricanes, flash floods, mudslides, nuclear radiation hazards, chemical releases or oil spills, and even homeland defense alerts.

Bradley James is a senior editor at SciNet.cc, a website containing many helpful consumer electronics review articles. For more information on severe weather alert radios, please visit our severe weather radios webpage.