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Choose Your Pink Tennis Gear From A Respected Brand

If you like tennis and the color Pink, you can now indulge yourself in some superb tennis gear from a select group of top sporting brands, and help a deserving pink ribbon tennis charity into the bargain. The Pink Ribbon symbol has grown rapidly in popularity and appears on a wide variety of sporting goods, especially golf and tennis. Companies using the ribbon on their product lines promise to pay a percentage of profits or a fixed amount to one of the Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer charities for an agreed period. Though it’s true, that some companies have jumped on the bandwagon, as much in an effort to increase sales as to give to charity, most pink tennis products are supplied by some well known, well respected household names like Wilson and New Balance.

Wilson Give Cancer Sufferers The ‘Hope’ To Overcome Their Illness

Perhaps the best known range of charitable tennis gear is the ‘Wilson Hope’ selection of pink tennis shoes, bags, tennis balls and other tennis accessories. Wilson are at the forefront of ‘responsible’ sports manufacturers with their eco-friendly methods of production. They aim to minimize any harmful effects their business has on the environment. It’s no surprise then, that they’ve embraced the chance to make a positive contribution to the many lives that are damaged every year by this pervasive illness. The ‘Hope’ refers to empowering sufferers to believe they have both the will and the way to conquer their illness. Wilson are noted in the world of tennis for supplying high quality tennis racquets, tennis bags, apparel and shoes to some of the world’s best players like Roger Federer, the Williams sisters and Justine Henin, and some of the world’s finest tennis balls to tournaments like the US Open.

Wilson Pink Tennis Products Deliver Both Style & Performance

Their iconic three racquet ‘Wilson Hope’ pink tennis bags and single racquet backpacks are about the most stylish that money can buy. If you also use a can of the Wilson Hope Extra Duty Pink Tennis Balls for Your Tennis Game, you’ll be making a very powerful statement about your concern for ridding the world of Breast Cancer, whilst encouraging others to take up the cause, and at the same time giving to vital income to charities keen to help anyone affected by the disease. If you’re a woman who really wants to ‘push the boat out’ for Wilson’s chosen charity, The Breast cancer Research Foundation, a pair of Wilson Tour Vision Lady tennis shoes will also benefit the charity and equip you with leading edge tennis shoe technological excellence to rival any on the market, (and they look pretty good too!).

New Balance Are Long-Haul Partners In The Race For The Cure

Speaking of pink tennis shoes, ‘New Balance’ are no slouches in this department too. They’ve been giving money to Breast Cancer Research since 1989. They actually supply the ’760′, the official shoe of the Susan G Koman Race For The Cure, a long established annual walking event in the US to raise funds and awareness for Pink Ribbon Cancer Research and The Susan G Komen Foundation. Susan’s brave fight against cancer ultimately led to the creation of the Pink Ribbon symbol, when, so impressed with her sister’s selfless desire to help others better cope with Breast Cancer during her own fight for life, Nancy decided to carry forward her sister’s wishes on her death. This led to The Susan G Komen Foundation and the ‘Race For The Cure’. During the 1990 Race for the Cure, a handful of participants wore pink ribbons and a few were handed out by the Komen Foundation. Next year, all the walkers were given a pink ribbon to mark their participation. The symbol spread quickly across the United States with the involvement of Self Magazine and guest writer, Evelyn Lauder’s decision to distribute a pink ribbon at all Estee Lauder’s cosmetic counters around the country. Apart from cutting edge athletic shoes, New Balance produce some sporty tops, pants and socks advertising the pink ribbon and your support for the cause. All articles in their ‘Lace Up For The Cure’ Collection will benefit the Foundation by 5% of the retail price. They guarantee at least $500,000 per year.

Reebok, Under Armour And Brooks’ Pink Crusades

Other important brands helping Pink Ribbon charities include sporting shoes and apparel manufacturers Reebok, whose ‘In It To End It’ campaign should provide up to $750,000 for the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade. Top fundraisers during the operation will be rewarded with custom Reebok apparel. Two other notables are ‘Brooks’, with the ‘Brooks For her’ collection, donating 6.25% of the retail price to three worthy Breast Cancer Charities: the ‘Young Survival Coalition’, the ‘Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation’ and the ‘Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center’, and ‘Under Armour’. This rapidly growing American company is fast making a name for itself producing high performance sports apparel, and now has it’s own ‘Power In Pink’ collection to benefit Breast Cancer Charities.

‘Think Pink’ To Help Reduce ‘Pink Abuse’

Though all these charities work hard all year round to benefit Breast cancer Research, October is the month earmarked to draw maximum exposure to Pink Ribbon events. You’ll no doubt notice the ribbon on many products as you shop, not just on sporting goods, but if you’ve time, try to dig a little deeper into just how much of your money will actually benefit which charity, and for how long? There’s been concern recently, due to the proliferation of Pink Ribbon products, that not all Pink Ribbon campaigns are as beneficial as others. The ‘Think Pink’ initiative aims to highlight ‘Pink Abuse’, where campaigns end prematurely though the product is still being sold, where campaign costs outweigh the benefits and where some companies promote Pink products yet are involved in the manufacture of others where carcinogens are used. Don’t worry too much – even an under performing Pink Ribbon product is likely to benefit cancer charities to some degree, but if you have a few moments to spare, just check the percentage of the sale price earmarked for the charity, how long the campaign lasts, and which charity will get the funds. If this isn’t immediately clear, move to the next product, because as with most things in life, transparency goes hand in hand with honesty.

About this Author

Cheri Britton is the editor of ‘Women’s Tennis Apparel’ and ‘Ball Machine For Tennis’. In her tennis fashion and clothing website, she reviews and showcases the latest styles in tennis dresses, skirts and skorts, women’s tennis bags and shoes. She highlights in particular the tennis dress worn by the best women players on the WTA tour, and has an special fondness for the designer tennis clothing of Stella McCartney for Adidas.

Her new tennis ball machine website is devoted to comparing these mini mechanical devices with regard to price, portability, useability, features and suitability to the individual owner or buyer. Quality manufacturers such as Lobster, Tennis Tutor, SAM. Playmate and Wilson produce a range of models to engage the tennis game of beginners through to professional tennis players. The right ball machine will quickly take your tennis to a higher level, at a time place and frequency of your choosing. Oh, and tennis machines are great fun and fantastic for your fitness as well!

On the odd occasion she’s not working on her websites, Cheri watches more tennis than is good for her, reads, visits places of historical interest and beauty, and relaxes with a pint or two of real ale (or something stronger!)

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To exasperate means to “stir up”. To frustrate, vex, annoy or make angry. There might be battles, children with parents; there might be struggles within. If we find that we are warring with our children – fighting battles with them on the home front, or if we see signs of unhappiness, or difficulty, we might discover that one or more of these 30 Ways is the cause:

1. Physical Abuse

Nobody would argue that harsh physical abuse is a one way ticket to a broken child, but physical abuse is so much broader. It ranges in anything from violent beating to repeated hitting. Parental authority should never be abusive. No child should ever be subjected to cruel punishment. Physical violence has no place in the family. A parent needs to ask themselves what their discipline accomplishes and be concerned about the after affects. No child should feel frightened or abandoned, or that they are inherently wicked.

There is a very strong argument that says that there should never be a raised hand to a child – be it a spanking, a caning, use of the hair-brush or slipper.

Being sent to boarding school, I was subjected to corporal punishment, several times subjected to the cane and leather strap. There are some who have the, “it didn’t do me any harm” view, but I can not subscribe to that. It did me a lot of harm, affecting my self-esteem and my view of authority. I harboured feelings of resentment and revenge. In my young mind I wouldn’t have cared if some of those masters had met an untimely demise. This is not a feeling I would want any child to have to deal with.

2. Verbal Abuse

Words Are Powerful. The written word carries much weight, but the spoken word is extremely powerful. Words can embolden and strengthen – but words can also cut like knives. When there is little thought given to how words might affect a child, we could be in danger of saying things which could harm our young ones. Given the more definitive list of fractious words that gain entry to these 30 Ways, this point is somewhat broader. It might include the snarled “Come on!” to the child lagging behind, the hissed “Shut up!” to a child who is too loud for comfort. The gradual wearing down of a little one’s spirit, the relentless chip, chip, chipping away at their self-esteem. The Chinese speak of Death By A Thousand Cuts, and verbal abuse in all its forms could result in the decline of out children’s self worth and desire.

I wonder whether this would include words said in jest, or teasing. If a young child declares, “I want to be a surgeon,” is she met with, “You can’t even cut the bread straight. Did you not see the mess you made of the play dough?” Or the young boy who dreams, “I want to be a fireman!” Is he ribbed, “But you can’t even hit the toilet!” Surely these would be examples of taking away a child’s hopes and dreams, and that is not something we, as parents, would want to do.

Perhaps it is best if jokes are left in the playground. A child needs to return home to a safe haven, knowing that everything said at school can be taken light-heartedly because, at least at home, Mum and Dad believe in me.

In summary: A parent who uses abusive and hurtful speech may raise an angry child, who in turn may grow up to become an adult full of rage. I don’t think anyone would argue that children who are continually screamed at and subjected to psychological indignities, emotionally battered and constantly criticized are having their spirit destroyed.

3. Name-calling

Surely it would be best for parents to refrain from calling their children names. Idiot, dolt, clot, chump, stupid and names of this sort are the mental equivalent of water torture. It might be funny to begin with, but before long it begins to irritate, then aggravate, then anger. I also wonder whether some terms of endearment might be guarded against. Names that we think of as affectionate, might be too much for children to bear. Prince or Princess – more especially, “My Prince/Princess” – terms that might become a habit for us, can begin to irk. I said to my daughter, “Hey, Gorgeous,” and, at two-and-a-bit, she replied, “I’m not gorgeous.” For me, I had to take that seriously, not question it, or argue it, just cut back or refrain.

It made me think that we need to be careful of terms that we understand, but are alien to our children, or terms that might be misunderstood. I still remember being called “pointy-head”. I have lived with it for years. Only recently I looked it up, and it discovered that it’s a reference to being intelligent. However, I know that it was one of those witty reverse-name type things, like when you call a tall child “Titch”. And even if it wasn’t, it doesn’t alter my perception of it. I wonder why a person should have to live with something as simple as name-calling for so long? It is evident to me that the names we call our children – even when we stop using them, can very easily be picked up and continued by them.

4. Labeling

Name-calling can easily turn into labeling. We should not underestimate the power of our words. Children may call each other “stupid” and know it is a joke, but when your mother, father or teacher calls you stupid, then you think it’s true because they ought to know. Labeling a child’s personality could be a factor in a teenager’s low self-esteem, depression and non-communication.

Is our child “lazy”, or “clumsy”, “shy”, or “sensitive”? Have we considered that we could be prompting a self-fulfilling prophecy? If we see our child in a particular role, then we could be inviting the danger of the child adopting the role by default

We might not label them to their face – a tragedy of great proportions – but if we see our child in that role, privately labeling them in some way, then it will make itself known in one way or another. Our child will pick up the vibes, the signals, and and this could cause them to begin to wilt under the branding.

5. Sarcasm

It has been called a sound barrier to learning. The trouble with sarcasm is its invitation to a stinging comeback. It might stir children to a preoccupation with revenge fantasies. There is confusion, resentment, a feeling of being made fun of. Are any of these mental challenges welcome in a family home?

6. Nagging

The connection has been made that parents who habitually make mountains out of molehills, nagging their children mercilessly about trivial matters, are inevitably going to have children who not only lie but are good at it. Habitual, long-winded, or cruel nagging rarely stops the children from doing the things they’re being nagged about. It could, however, stop the children from taking responsibility for their own actions.

This might include the relentless words of warning – every pen or pencil picked up is accompanied with the reminder not to write on walls, or not to run with it. Every plug socket is dangerous, every radiator and oven is hot, every step taken is with a charge to “be careful”. Perhaps, all a child is thinking is “nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag.”

If we have a nagging suspicion that we are nagging – we probably are.

7. Threats and Bribery

“If…then…”, “Wait ’til your father gets home.” Predictions on how a child will turn out if they pursue a certain course. “You’ll never get anywhere with grades like that.” “You’ll never if you…”, “If you carry on behaving like that you’ll end up in prison.” Promising a child a beating or some other punishment. Counting – to whatever number – is perceived as a threat. Threats are very likely to be met with the defiant retort – spoken or not – “Let’s see you try.”

Bribery is the promise of some reward if something is accomplished. Sweets for good behaviour. The problem with this could be the child only doing something because of the promise of reward. The added danger of “If…” is the message it sends: “I don’t think you can.” This might, in turn, lead to a child’s doubting their own abilities.

Above all, a child should never be threatened with abandonment. It can be too easy to let slip, “Okay, well you stay here then. We’re going.” Or jokingly, “Right, I’m calling the removal people, and they will come and take you away.” Threats like this unnecessarily draw on a child’s fear of being abandoned.

8. Blaming and Accusing

“You’re always answering back”, “you never listen”, “You are a real embarrassment to me.” Phrases like these could encourage an atmosphere of blame and accusation. They focus on the individual, rather than the problem to be addressed.

Blaming and accusing would also include those questions which could be described as The Invitation To Lie: The parent knows the answer to something, yet they ask their child about it to see what answer they get. It can be confusing and irritating for a young one to be faced with this no-win situation. “Who did it?” is also a question which rarely has a satisfactory outcome.

9. Fault-finding, Being Overly Critical

When our child makes an effort at something, do we first point out the flaws? When the child puts on their own shoes: “Oh, you’ve got them on the wrong feet.” Every defect must be highlighted. The child successfully feeding themselves is told, “Look at you, you’ve got it all down your front, you messy little thing.” The result could be children who are frightened of taking any kind of spontaneous action, helpful included, because they worry that their parents will find some fault in what they have done. They might be criticized, or even punished. Criticism by parents might lead to deep-seated insecurity, or play a part in developing a child’s shyness.

10. Rules, Rules, and More Rules

Do we have rules for everything? Rules which then have to be adhered to, repeated and barked. Rules which tie down and constrain. Rules which have to be explained and numbered. Rules which make living at home seem like living under a dictatorship, under the family society. Already I feel hemmed in and unable to breath. At the same time, children need boundaries, which means that their parents need to set rules and sometimes enforce these rules by discipline. Even so, children must be helped progressively to see the underlying reason for these rules: their parents love them.

11. Praise

It seems as though praise of any kind would be a good thing. However, broad, unspecific praise – “You are such a good boy”, “You are always so kind to your sister” – could result in tension and misbehaviour. A child may not be able to accept this kind of praise because his own idea of himself is quite different. Try it on yourself: “You’re a great father!” How do you deal with that? You didn’t feel so great when you snubbed your child because you wanted to complete some task, or you unthinkingly called him a name. And you know it probably won’t be the last time you do it. Now imagine a child trying to cope with those feelings.

On the other hand, a lack of praise can also lead to insecurity. Sometimes praising in a new way, or praising at all, can take a conscious re-education of the way we parents think and speak. We have to find a more insightful method of praise, one which draws attention to the child’s accomplishments, rather than his personality.

12. Comparing

Comparing to a sibling. Comparing to others at school. Comparing to ourselves as parents. The danger with making comparisons is that it can lead to competition, and experience tells us that intense competition can lead to physical symptoms, emotional troubles, anxiety and hostility. As parents, we want our homes to be havens from this kind of stress.

13. Ignoring Uniqueness

Ignoring uniqueness is not the same as comparing, but it is closely allied with it. It differs, though, in object. Wise parents likewise find ways to express appreciation for each child’s unique qualities, abilities, and accomplishments.

14. Not Respecting Their Struggle

One way to exasperate children is to fail to understand their daily problems and tests.

Growing up is hard work, learning how to do things, how to cope. When parents express how easy certain tasks are – even the ones easy for us, like buttoning a coat, or getting the lid off something – it can be exasperating for children. Homework is not that easy, learning to play the piano or guitar is not that easy.

15. Not Listening

Communication is a two-way discussion. Parents cannot really get to know their children’s needs unless they listen to them. If parents constantly tell children what to do without encouraging them to express themselves, their children may become less and less willing to communicate.

16. Being unreasonable

Are we flexible? Open to discussion? Can we be reasoned with, so that if a child feels that something is unfair, we are approachable and can reason on a matter, perhaps even changing our mind or making an exception to a rule. The inability to do this – the “my way or the highway” approach on all matters – is likely to cause warfare and rebellion in the house.

17. Silent Treatment

Sometimes we need to be silent. Sometimes we feel angry about something, and need moments of silence to collect our thoughts, or even to let the young child recognise that what they have said or done is unacceptable – it has caused a grievance. The danger comes when we use silence as a weapon. Filling the house with an unsettling atmosphere of power and fear.

18. Quick to Anger

Do we fly off the handle quickly? Are the children scared to do anything because of our wrath? Do they need to tiptoe around us lest they set us off?

19. Withholding Independence

Right from the start children naturally desire more independence. This manifests itself from a very early age – putting on their own shoes, taking off their coat, which may be painfully slow to the adult trying to get out the door. However, when a child is often prevented from engaging in activities and assuming responsibilities for which they are ready, this can lead to frustration and resentment

20. Unrealistically High Standards

Being constantly put down by a parent or being measured by unrealistically high standards can be exasperating for children. The inability to live up to high parental expectations could cause significant loss of self-esteem. Our children need to feel it is safe to come to us when they have failed at something, or when something is making them unhappy.

21. Over-permissiveness

Parents must be fair and set good examples, but children need regulations and discipline. A growing child needs a sense of boundaries and limits. If parents condone wrongdoing in their children, they are bound to lose the children’s respect. As parents, we may later find that we have compromised the line of communication.

22. Lack of Headship

When the father – or other significant adult – lives up to his responsibility, the whole family is drawn closer together and strengthened. When parents give in to children, or rely too much on their child’s giving of love, if they are scared of losing their child’s love and affection, or if they are scared of upsetting them, the child might end up assuming the position of head of the house, “ruling the roost”, as it were. It is a position the child does not want and emotionally cannot handle.

23. Inconsistent Discipline

This can consist of disciple that bears little or no relation to the crime being punished – it might include the naughty step, or naughty chair. It can include meting out discipline for a misdemeanour one time, and then not doing so when the same thing is repeated. It does not mean we cannot listen to our child, and our instincts, and sometimes make an exception.

24. Public Discipline

Punishment by ridicule before friends makes the child downhearted, even hostile. It is embarrassing and annoying for children to be disciplined in front of people, the danger being that it is done for the benefit of onlookers rather than the child. As parents we do not want to be viewed as “letting them get away with it” and this is a moment that can tax our determination not to expose our child to public shame and humiliation.

Demanding good manners in a public forum can be demeaning to children, and an affront – “Say ‘Thank You’ to Auntie (Whoever)” or “What do you say?” Of course, we want our children to be polite, so this is another challenging area for parents.

Chastising children in front of their friends, reminding them about an assignment, finger-wagging, can all be terribly embarrassing for a youngster.

25. Hypocrisy

It is irritating and frustrating for children to be told that they should be kind and considerate, and yet they see their parents argue, gossip, act rudely, or get easily upset. Can they be blamed if they act in the same manner? Children can spot hypocrisy from a long way. They are not so young that they cannot spot double standards in adults. As an example: The grown-up who smokes, but fumes when they discover their child smoking.

26. Self-righteousness

This invitation to battle is closely allied with hypocrisy. How can it fail to be. When we demand certain standards we will soon find ourselves unable to meet them. Self-righteousness shows itself in parents ability to lecture and moralise. Going on and on about something. Needing to appear as if we never do a thing wrong, and yet pointing out wrong-doing in others. A self-righteous attitude may not be demonstrated against our children, but if they hear us speaking in a self-righteous way about others this might have a detrimental effect.

27. Passive Aggression

This emotion can often be seen when we act against our better judgment. Then we have pent up feelings of anger which seep out into our activities. We might say we’ll do something when we don’t feel like it, and then sabotage efforts to get ready. Or allow the irritation to build up within us, until it explodes into something else entirely. A good rule of thumb: We can be a little bit nicer than we feel, but not much.

28. Absenteeism

If we disappear from our children’s lives, if our job routinely takes us away from the family home for days, weeks or months, we cannot be surprised that our children will react negatively. Not only will we exasperate them but we may well undermine their self-worth, making them feel unloved and unlovable.

29. Lack of Self-Control

A lack of self-control is not just seen in an ability to get angry quickly, reacting to the merest hint of wrong-doing. It is not only seen in an overindulgence in alcohol or some other habit. A lack of self-control can be seen in a variety of areas, it manifests itself as a general character trait. Self-control is the ability to say “no” to yourself, to be self-disciplined. The parent who lacks self-control, cannot be surprised if he has a child who resists discipline.

30. Spiritual Neglect

Children are curious. They want answers. At some point, they are going to want answers to the big questions in life: “Who are we? Why are we here? What is the purpose of life?” Parents who avoid these questions, or show that such things are unimportant to them, could find themselves with difficulty at home, especially through the teenage years, when young adults are at their most vulnerable.

Further Reading

Between Parent & Child and Between Parent & Teenager Dr Haim G Ginott

Liberated Parents, Liberated Children and How To Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish.

About this Author

Rory Sullivan writes Hamelife [http://hamelife.com], a website dedicated to helping parents negotiate the unpredictable waters of parent-child communication. With the 30 Ways at its heart, Hamelife encourages parents to avoid exasperating their children by embracing empathy, respect, and patience.

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Secrets Of A Professional Dog Trainer was put together by leading professional dog trainer Adam Katz. He states that this book is his attempt to bring together all of the latest tricks, tips and crafts of the dog training profession, and make them accessible to the ordinary dog owner. In doing this I believe he has created the best do-it-yourself dog training system available today.

Secrets Of A Professional Dog Trainer is the most complete dog ownership and obedience training resource I have come across. This book and the bonuses that come with it have changed the way I think about dog training – and no doubt for the better. If you follow Adam’s cutting edge techniques, like I have, you’ll come away with so much more than just a “well trained dog”.

What You Get In The Package

Secrets Of A Professional Dog Trainer Book

This is the main book in the package, when downloaded it’s 151 pages chock full of the

best dog ownership and obedience training information I have seen in any one book. The

book isn’t slick or glossy with lots of pretty pictures, it’s just a great resource of

the latest cutting edge and useable dog training techniques. There is so much to take in and

understand that you will probably need to read through the book at least a couple of times (I still find new things each time I flick through my copy).

The book covers in precise detail every imaginable aspect of dog ownership and is presented

in a no-nonsense, take it or leave it style. Adam gets away with writing in this syle because he has an absolute confidence in his training methods which is based on years of experience and proven real-world results.

I can’t go into too much detail and give away Adam’s secrets, but I’ll just highlight some of

the many topics which are covered. These are just some of the principles I found to be crucial when working with my dogs:

• How to achieve a proper relationship with your puppy or older dog, based on trust and
  respect.

• The overriding principle of this package it to praise or reward your dog when he does something you like, and correct his behavior when he does something you don’t like (sounds simple but you need to know the right way to do this).
• Shows you how to work with the natural drives and instincts of your dog (this is crucial to understand and follow).
• Explains the 3 keys to successful dog training and behavior modification – the first key is “timing”.
• Details the three phases of dog training or the dog learning process.
• Shows you how to communicate with your dog so that your dog understands your commands and those same commands have meaning.
• Explains the top four way to effectively communicate with your dogs. You achieve this
  through replicating how dogs communicate with each other.

• Explains why you the dogs owner are the best person in the world to train your dog.

Dog problems are universal – the good news is so are the answers to these problems.

If you read, understand and then apply the above principles you are pretty much set. All of

your dog training needs can be addressed by adapting these methods to any situation, whether

you are trying to correct a behavioral problem or teach a new trick.

Some of the specific Lessons and Topics discussed within the book – again I can’t go into too much detail here but let me assure you Adam leaves his readers in no doubt about what to do and what not to do in all of these scenarios:

• How to choose the right puppy or older dog for you and your family.
• What your puppy needs at each crucial stage while growing up.
• Tells you how professional trainers raise their own pups.
• How to take any dog for a walk on a loose leash.
• How to perform and hold a perfect down-stay.
• How to prevent or fix canine aggression.
• Stop your dogs excessive barking.
• Five secrets to quickly housebreak (potty train) your puppy.
• The truth about crate training.
• Stop your dog jumping forever.
• The problem with clicker training.
• Which collar is right for your dog.
• Stop your dog digging.
• Stop your puppy biting now.
• How to stop your dog running away from you.
• How to fix separation anxiety.
• How to teach your dog hand signals.
• Socializing your dogs.
• Training with and electronic collar.
• How to give a motivational correction.

The above list of common dog problems barely scratches the surface of what’s included in this book. You’ll find the book addresses all area’s of dog ownership including building a strong relationship with your dog, obedience training and correcting any behavioral problems.

What Adam is really doing in this book is training us the reader, so we can then go and bond with and train our dogs – the right way.

Bonus 1 – Eight Secrets To Becoming The “Alpha Dog”

This proved to be the most beneficial part of the package for me and my dogs. Once I learned and applied the techniques covered in this bonus book everything else I did with my dogs seemed to become easier. Whether I was teaching them a new trick or correcting a behavioral problem, the process seemed to be easier and quicker after we established that I was the Alpha Dog. As Adam outlines in the book (you can also listen to it as an audio file) when you become the Alpha Dog your dogs do these four things:

• Quickly respond to you.
• Respect you in any situation.
• Bond with you in the proper way.
• Really want to please you.

This occurs because dogs naturally love to have a leader (you the Alpha Dog). They are

happiest when they’ve got a good strong leader, who they know will take care of them and that

they trust.

Bonus 2 – How To Fix Aggression Problems In Dogs

Again this section is available to learn in printed form or as an audio file (I actually

learned these lessons on the train, on my way to work listening to my ipod). This section of

Secrets Of A Professional Dog Trainer clearly defines the four main causes or types of dog

aggression. Adam really digs deep into how to correctly diagnose and fix these aggression

problems. He reveals one simple technique that he has used to fix 90% of the aggression

problems he encountered at his dog training school. What I learnt in this section is that it is the way we communicate with our dogs that is essential to correcting this problem – we

must be on the same page as our dogs.

Bonus 3 – How To Teach Any Dog To Walk On A Loose Leash In Less Than 10 Minutes!

The title says it all really. Adam spells out exactly what to do to stop your dog pulling

on the leash. These techniques work a treat. I’ve got to say it did take me and Pocky (my

whippet) a little longer than 10 minutes to master this skill, but we got there before long.

Bonus 4 – Free $25 E-mail Consultation With Adam

This is a great bonus. if you do decide to go ahead and purchase this package be sure to use

this service. Any specific problems you come across when training your dogs you can get the

answer to here. Also be aware that you will receive free access to heaps of training tips and

advice on Adam’s website. This includes an active forum you can read and participate in (there’s some brilliant tips to be found on this site).

Bonus 5 – How To Choose A Veterinarian

Unfortunately, as dog owners there will be times we need to call on the services of a good Vet. This book outlines some important factors to consider when making this decision. These points are general and apply to all dog owners, regardless of what part of the world you are in.

Bonus 6 – Where To Buy Dog Products At Wholesale Prices

Lists some very cheap suppliers of dog care and training products. This part of the package is most useful to residents of the U.S.A.

Bonus 7 – Dog Training Internet Resource File

This is another good little bonus. It’s an exhaustive list of dog training related web sites,

registries, mailing lists, breeders, kennels, products, articles and information. You’ll find

some real gems amongst this lot.

My Experience Using Secrets Of A Professional Dog Trainer

When I first set out to find a suitable do-it-yourself dog training system, this system is really what I hoped to find. It took me a while to wade through lots of the junk products out there, but it was worth it.

Of all the products I have tested, this one is clearly my personal favorite. It is by far

the most comprehensive and insightful product of its kind. Every stage and thinkable

situation of a dogs life is expertly addressed by Adam.

What Type Of Dog Owner Would Benefit Most From Secrets Of A Professional Dog Trainer?

I’ve recommended this package to many friends who are first time dog owners, I’d be just as

comfortable recommending it to Professional Dog Trainers. All dog owners (and their dogs)

would benefit from learning and applying Adam’s cutting edge training methods. He is the

leading authority on how to properly bond with and obedience train any puppy or dog.

Chris Smith is a dedicated dog lover and creator of http://www.dog-obedience-training-review.com

Train your dog the right way yourself at home. You may just strengthen the bond you share with your dog in the process.

Prior to the invention of automotive GPS units, traveling to unknown areas had to be done through reading a map and/or asking for directions. Both methods had problems. For instance, how can one effectively read a map while driving? Map-reading is only best if there is another passenger in the car, which isn’t always possible. Asking for directions can also be annoying, at least if the person giving the directions does so in a manner that is not as clear.

Fortunately, with the emergence of automotive GPS units the process of map-reading and getting directions has never been easier as each can be done either through voice activation, touching the screen, pushing buttons or a combination. Maps pinpointing the exact location pop right up on the screen, while directions can be given through a computer-generated voice. Nothing could be easier or better. The only issue is deciding which automotive GPS unit should be purchased. This article will serve as a guide telling consumers what they should be on the lookout for when choosing automotive GPS units.

The first area of consideration when buying automotive GPS units is seeing how accurate the device is. One way to determine this is by how many channels the GPS unit has. This is because more channels means the unit will be able to communicate with a larger number of satellites, resulting in more coverage. Another way to determine the accuracy of most automotive GPS units is through how its antenna is designed. Make sure the antenna is placed in an area of the unit where it will be able to stand freely.

The next thing to think about when looking at automotive GPS units is size. There are some automotive GPS units that will not be portable. Onstar, which has to be installed in one’s car, is an example of an automotive GPS unit that can not be moved from car-to-car. Many other automotive GPS units vary in portability.

Thirdly, perspective buyers of automotive GPS units should take notice of a unit’s interface. More expensive automotive GPS units will contain voice-activation and/or touch-screens, while cheaper ones can only be used through a series of buttons. If another person is in the car, using buttons is not as bad, but if only the driver can use the unit, it is important that it be as hands-free as possible. It is also important to try to get an automotive GPS unit that has the capability to give directions through a computer-generated voice. Doing so is another way to ensure that the driver of the car keeps their eyes on the road and nowhere else.

The software that the automotive automotive GPS unit uses is also critical. Most top of the line units have very good mapping software included with the unit. However, as time passes the mapping software becomes out of date. You should make sure that you automotive GPS units software is updated at least once every 6 months. Frequently there is cost for this service but if you live in fast growing urban environment then it is a good investment. Your automotive GPS unit is only as good as its operating and mapping software.

When looking at automotive GPS units one should consider: ease of use, accuracy, size and interface. Keeping these elements in mind ensures that a buyer obtains an automotive GPS unit that is reliable and will best assist them when they are on the road.

James Kesel, MS is the Publisher of GPS Auto Tracker providing information on automotive GPS units and the latest GPS Tracking and Navigation systems.

If you think that tennis balls are simply yellow fuzzy balls, one no different from another, you are most definitely wrong. Tennis balls are much more than that. Here are some facts about tennis balls that you may or may not already know:

Pressurized vs. Pressureless Tennis Balls:

· There are two main types of tennis balls: pressurized and pressureless.

· Pressurized tennis balls have a hollow core, filled with air. Some tennis ball manufacturers use nitrogen in the center, because this air tends to last longer – pressurized balls will lose their pressure after about a month or so after opening the pressurized can that they come in. As they lose their pressure, they become “dead” and do not bounce so well.

· Pressureless balls have a solid core. These tennis balls are great for anyone who does not play tennis that often and/or to use and training tennis balls. These tennis balls do not lose their bounce. However, the felt will slowly wear off, and they will eventually need to be replaced.

Regular Duty, Extra Duty, or High Altitude Tennis Balls:

· When you buy tennis balls, the container that they come in should be clearly marked with what kind of balls it contains – regular duty, extra duty, or high altitude tennis balls.

· Regular duty tennis balls should be used on indoor and clay courts. Extra duty balls would get too fuzzy if used on clay courts.

· Extra duty tennis balls are used on grass courts and tennis courts.

· High altitude tennis balls are used in places like Denver where you are playing 4,000 feet or more above sea level. These balls have different pressure – regular balls would bounce too much at this elevation.

Tennis Ball “Fuzziness:”

· Without the yellow (or white…) fuzziness of tennis balls, the game of tennis would be a whole lot different. The fuzz of the tennis balls creates friction. The fuzziness of the balls creates dray in the air, making topspin and backspin more pronounced and more possible.

Numbers on the Tennis Balls:

· Have you ever wondered what the numbers on your tennis balls meant? Do they reference the weight or style of the tennis balls, etc.? No.

· The numbers on the tennis balls are simply for your benefit – if you are playing with Wilson 1 balls, and the people on the court next to you are playing with Wilson 2 balls, it is easier to retrieve your tennis balls when they wander onto another tennis court. The numbers help you tell your balls apart from other players’ balls (assuming that you are not using the same brand and same number of tennis balls!)

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and sports. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on tennis, please visit E-Tennis.

When it comes to the person who does auto repair, the term “mechanic” no longer applies. With most vehicles having a least a half dozen – and sometimes more than two dozen – electronic components, the term “automotive technician” is much more applicable. Along with the increasing complexity of vehicles’ electronics comes an increasing need for automotive training. A highly trained automotive technician can earn a high income, making automotive training a necessity and the automotive field a popular career path.

Auto training can run the gamut, from high school courses where students work on used engines and used automotive equipment to intensive technical school certification programs with a duration of six months to a year. Some community colleges offer an associate’s degree related to auto repair and technology; these programs are often sponsored by vehicle manufacturers and dealerships, and involve alternating classroom training with hands-on work at a dealership.

ASE Certification

The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, known as ASE, is a nonprofit organization that offers testing and certification to automotive technicians. ASE’s voluntary certification program provides a benchmark for automotive training programs and technicians in that it is a national standard for excellence. According to the ASE, theirs is the “largest occupational testing and certification program in the world.” Many automotive training programs at high schools, technical schools, and colleges are ASE-certified, and automotive technicians sit for ASE exams in order to become certified.

Career Paths

Automotive training typically leads to entry-level positions in the automotive repair industry. Those who have gone through training may begin their careers as trainee technicians or assistants, but can quickly advance as they gain experience. Those who have a complex specialty may have a longer road to travel in order to reach mastery, but their specialized knowledge will translate into better pay. On the other hand, those who do not need comprehensive knowledge of auto repair – such as brake technicians – may advance more quickly but may also more quickly reach the ceiling of earning potential. Those with the deepest knowledge and broadest range of experience have the potential to move into automotive management jobs, which involve the supervision of automotive technicians and specialists.

Demand for Automotive Technicians

Regardless of the state of the economy, the demand for auto repair and thus for automotive technicians remains steady or continues to grow. With the increasing complexity of today’s vehicles, automotive training is continually evolving and becoming more refined. Thus, a career in auto repair will continue to bring financial rewards for years to come.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about Majon’s Automotive directory

Discount pet supplies are definitely for people like me, who end up buying a whole lot more things than they set out to in the first place! I’m a shopaholic alright, and even when it comes to getting supplies for my cat, Tabby, I just cannot control myself. Sometimes I even end up buying things my pet doesn’t even require! But I just can’t help it, and I’m not ashamed to admit it! So discount pet supplies are a boon for me!

Smart Moves

Discount pet supplies lets you have everything your pet needs, but at a much lower price. And as we all know, that’s really important because you need to stick to your monthly budget. You also need to make smart purchases. This is because if you don’t buy smartly, you’re probably going to end up spending a whole lot more than you set out to.

When you’re buying bowls for your pet, for drinking water or even for feeding, make sure you get sturdy, stainless steel ones. They last much longer than plastic and if you get them as part of your discount pet supplies, then it’s a very good buy indeed. Not only are you getting it at a lower price, it will also serve it’s purpose for a longer period of time than it’s fancy plastic counterparts.

Turning To the Internet

You can also look at other avenues for your discount pet supplies. Online stores stock a whole lot of supplies from leading brands and the best part is, they offer these to you at unbeatable prices. For example, for my Tabby, who is quite old and has a whole list of dental problems, I purchase food from there, because they stock foods which are specially developed for cats with dental problems.

You also have the added advantage of getting these items dropped right to your doorstep. Shipping is fast and efficient and totally worth the extra money you are charged for it! Yes you still pay for shipping but it’s still cheaper than going to the store. Remember there’s no gas involved. And depending on where you live, you may not have to pay local sales taxes either.

So the internet is definitely an option when you’re looking for discount pet supply store. Also, don’t forget to look out for the discount coupons and sales which many online stores offer. All you need to do is be vigilant and you’ll get already cheap pet supplies at an even cheaper price!

Discount pet supplies are also offered by your favorite retailer or your neighborhood pet stores, but only during sale season, so just keep a lookout for the “sale” sign when you drive buy. After all, why would you want to pay a steeper price for your pet supplies when you’re sure to get them at a discounted price at certain times of the year? When you find a discount pet supply store both you and your pet will be much happier.

To learn more about how to find a discount pet supply store be sure to visit our website at WholesaleDogProducts.net. And if you don’t mind buying in bulk and storing items, you can also look at getting wholesale dog products or cat products for your pets.

Automotive technology courses will give you the skills you need to turn your passion for cars into a steady, rewarding and long-lasting career. With very high employment rates, graduates of automotive technology courses can go on to apprenticeships in some of the most successful automotive repair and service facilities around the world.

Most automotive technology courses are intensive in focus, providing students with comprehensive training on all aspects of automotive repair and service. This training will cover all aspects of car repair, including extensive training in brake systems, differentials, transmissions systems, electrical systems, heating, air conditioning and fuel injections systems. A graduate of an automotive technology course will be provided with everything you need to be a successful automotive technician.

In addition to learning the nuts and bolts of automotive repair and service, automotive technology courses will train students for personal and workplace safety, professional protocol, performance standards, effective communication skills, and problem solving. With this kind of training you will have the tools you need to launch a rewarding career in the dynamic, fast-paced automotive repair industry.

Auto Tech programs often use a unique combination of classroom theory, demonstrations and hands-on instruction to provide comprehensive skills training and help you become an automotive repair and service expert. The very best of these courses benefit from strategic partnerships with high profile industry leaders and are able to provide students with extensive hands-on training on some of the best industry standard equipment around. Students in great auto tech programs will spend the majority of their study time in fully equipped automotive facilities with state-of-the-art technical and diagnostic equipment, such as:

• A chassis dynamometer
• Brake lathes
• Hand-held diagnostic scanners
• Engine diagnostic equipment
• Wireless wheel alignment analyzers

With hands-on training on all this equipment, you’ll have the latest skills and knowledge to excel in any automotive repair and service environment. When you complete an automotive technology program, you’ll be certified as an Inspector, and licensed to handle air conditioning refrigerants under your region’s ozone depletion prevention program and regulations.

As a future automotive technician, it will be your responsibility to help to protect the environment through the safe and responsible handling of ozone depleting chemicals. In compliance with the government’s mandatory certification requirements for all persons handling or repairing air conditioning systems. These certifications, a requirement for any auto tech job, will give you a definite edge in today’s repair and service job market.

Contact Canadian Automotive & Trucking Institute today for more information on Automotive Service Advisor training.

Philippe Taza is the founder and CEO of Higher Education Marketing, a leading Web marketing firm. Taza has worked in the Canadian Education market for nearly a decade, specializing in Google Analytics, Education Lead Generation, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Mobile SMS Alerts, Social Media Marketing and Pay Per Click Marketing, among other Web marketing services and tools.

Unless you are one of those people who tend to stick their heads in the sand, ostrich-wise, there are not many computer savvy people who don’t know what a blog is. However, for the ostriches amongst you, a blog is an online journal where any person online, if they choose to, can write about their experiences, concerns, opinions and ideas and then post this personal record online where all the world can read it. Nowadays there are innumerable blogging sites, specific websites designated to publishing personal blogs and nothing else.

All Blogs are Different

Blogging has come a long way since it was first introduced. There are many blogging websites which have the facilities to include your audio or video files with your blogs. As you read through lots of different blogging sites you will notice one thing that all blogs have in common: that is, they are all different! They each follow different text layouts, a range of styles and a choice of formats, as well as using a diversity of settings.

You are the Author

When you write a blog for publication the final choice as to how it looks after publication is up to the writer – i.e. the blogger: in other words, YOU! So, when you write your blog, include pictures, hyperlinks, unbroken texts, audio, video – whatever you want to include to personalize those thoughts and opinions you are intent on putting into online print. You may prefer to record your thoughts and ideas as words rather than writing it down and then add this audio recording to your blog. This kind of blog is called audio blogging.

The Shape of your Blog

Templates designed to be used for blogging are essentially very simple and you can add new pages without having to perform mental calisthenics! Each template has been designed to fulfill specific settings so that it is extremely easy for bloggers to get on with blogging which is what they are interested in and forget about the complicated bits. Almost all blog template designs have fixed spaces for you to slot into place your title. There is then space left for you to insert your actual blog.

Incorporated into this part of the page is a place for backtracks which enables other websites to link back to the blog you are writing. Each blog you write acquires its own URL once it has been written and published. This is referred to as a permanent link. Finally, at the end of your blog the template allows for comments, offering readers a means to post any comments they might have back to you so you can take on board what your readers might be saying about the subject you have written about, or even how they feel about you – the writer of this particular blog.

A Choice of Templates

Of course, to blog you do not actually need to use a pre-defined template but, if you are new to the world of blogging, then you will certainly find there are certain advantages to choosing an appropriate template design. Nowadays, all the blogging websites – and there are many of them – offer the prospective blogger a wide range and diversity of template designs; one for every situation, in fact.

How to Get Published

Getting published is as easy as falling off a log – no matter how much of a novice you are to the blogging fraternity. Simply ‘Google’ blogging websites and then take your pick as to which ones to join. Your first step really is in choosing which websites you wish to deign with your web presence. Immediately your membership has been approved – a mere formality – you will be a fully accepted member of that particular blogging community.

This enables you to peruse through the blogs supplied by fellow members of this community, incorporate those blogs into yours through embedded linking as well as being able to offer your own comments, opinions and criticisms to any blog you have read within the community you are now a member of. Furthermore, you have full and equal rights within this community to write your own blog and have it published.

Specific Themes

For those of you who follow a specific sport or who is an ardent supporter of a particular actor’s career; maybe you are a Royalist and enjoy following the antics and nefarious activities of some of the more infamous members of the royal families around the world; or, perhaps you are of a more serious and academic style and have an inherent desire to read about all things medical: whatever your chosen interest, there is a blogging community specifically for you.

Once you have found that relevant community and become a member, you can read other blogs and write about your own interests within that specific theme to your heart’s content. All blogs appertaining to that subject and topic matter will be accepted for publication. In fact, blogging has become an entrepreneur’s paradise and an ideal way to market their goods and make money.

From Advertising to Education: blogging makes it happen!

You may have just had your very first novel printed – but, since your income from this novel is directly dependent on the number of books you sell, how do you get the word out? The answer is through blogging. Are you involved in direct marketing informational products online? Again, blogging is the answer to get the word out and about. In fact, there are few places where blogging fails to play its part.

Even in the world of higher education there are going to be students who, for one reason or another have missed a vital class. How do they catch up on the work they have missed? You’ve guessed it – following each class the lecturer arranges for their teaching blog to be updated, with a piece of the lecture presented in blog form for the benefit of missing students.

A Vital Means of Expression

Clearly the blogging phenomena has caught the imagination of everybody from politicians to policemen with just about every other person and his dog writing about their everyday lives and the antics of that said dog, along with blogs now heralded as an opportunity for revealing personal expression as well as keeping the art of writing alive and well. The majority of people treat their individual blogs as a personal rant and cant against the stress their daily lives generate, an opportunity to criticize the government and its policies and generally let off much-needed steam.

This vital means of expression creates a community of like-minded people who can all interact amongst the other people belonging to each blogging community, generating an online community that has replaced many of the social communities displaced by modern city regeneration and the mobile job market fracturing traditional societies as nets are cast far and wide in an ever-widening search for scarce and scant job opportunities.

Where Weblog Rules, there are no Rules

What started out as an online journal known as a weblog soon became abbreviated to blog as its popularity increased all over the world. Blogging communities became the normal way of addressing people’s need to interact with others sharing a similar mind-set and similar opinions. Blogs became the 21st century’s answer to man’s need, as a social animal, to intermingle and exchange ideas with others. One of the benefits of blogging is the fact that there are no rules to inhibit either reader or writer of blogs.

The majority of blogging websites are free to use and, for the members of each blogging site, the word ‘free’ extends to the manner in which blogs are written. In other words, no format is considered wrong and, similarly no style or manner of writing is considered better or worse than any other. The true essence of a blog is to get the idea over to the reader; information the blog writer wants to impart is presented from the blog writer’s heart: that is all that is important for the dedicated blogger.

Benefits of Blogging

The true benefits of blogging is that there are many of them and they are usually free to use. You can consult a blogging directory if you are concerned with finding specific themes. Themes will be organized and collated according to subject and theme, in much the same way that a business telephone directory is organized. Blogging is now such a widespread and popular activity that it is simple to get started and quite easy to find a suitable blogging community to belong to. In fact, you can join as many blogging communities as you want to, each with a different theme – or simply blog on a daily basis using a generic blogging site and the most basic template design. The fact of the matter is that blogging is intended to be straightforward and simple to get involved with and, overall, amongst the blogging communities, there are no rules to adhere to: happy blogging!

Peter Fitzgerald has been involved in online, affiliate and internet marketing for over seven years with various projects. He freely admits that he was knocking his head against the wall for the first three years. Success came to him some five years ago after taking a six month break in order to study the subject of online marketing with some of the leading authorities on the subject. Peter says: “Investing in my self to improve my worth to others is the most profitable thing I ever did.” Peter now spends his time writing successful blogs and fully understands the meaning of blogging. He also enjoys article marketing, finds both activities compliment each other.

A freshwater fish tank is the best option to be considered for either beginners to the world of fish tanks, or for individuals looking to cut down on the time requirement necessary to maintain the tanks. When people think about fish tanks, they are most often picturing the freshwater variety. From cost, to set up, to ongoing maintenance, a freshwater fish tank can be a terrific way to add new pets to your home while minimizing the effort necessary to maintain them.

When setting up a freshwater fish tank, you’ll first need to assemble your supplies. The first supply, quite obviously, is the tank itself. One of the hardest parts of deciding which tank to use is the size of the tank. For a beginning fish enthusiast, your best bet will be to choose a smaller tank. This will mean less water and surface areas to maintain, and less fish to care for. Once your experience with fish tanks builds, you’ll be able to move to larger and more expansive tanks. You may find along the way, however, that a smaller tank is simply a smarter option to maintain in your home.

You will need to gather additional supplies beyond the tank as well. Some of the most important supplies you will need are gravel to line the bottom of the tank, a filter to ensure the exchange of clean water within the tank, a tiny vacuum to help maintain the water and gravel quality within the tank, water test kits to ensure healthy water property levels, a heater depending on the type of fish you will maintain in your freshwater fish tank, and cleaning supplies to be able to perform regular maintenance within the tank.

Once you’ve chosen your freshwater fish tank and assembled your supplies, you’ll next need to locate the perfect spot within your home to set it up. Ensure that you do not choose an area of high traffic – the danger would be too great that someone – human or other pet – would accidentally bump into the tank and cause it to break. Pick a sturdy table, desk, or platform to set the tank up on. Remember that you will also need room to store your supplies nearby. Once you have set up the actual aquarium, carefully wash it, inside and out. Also wash all of the supplies you have chosen for your freshwater fish tank. You can then begin to add water to your fish tank. Do so slowly and carefully.

Once the water is added, you may be anxious to add your fish, but you still will need to test the water, create a balanced pH environment, set up your filter and heater, and ensure that the tank itself is in good working order before fish are introduced. Once you are sure that all other aspects of the freshwater fish tank are in place and tested, you may then begin to add your fish to the tank. Do so one at a time so they can acclimate to their new home. Going forward, with simple and careful maintenance, you can work to enjoy your freshwater fish tank for many years to come.

GetaHugeTank.com offers freshwater fish tanks, large fish tanks and fish tank accessories.

If you are an owner of a vehicle of any sort, you know that every vehicle in this world needs parts and supplies, and same goes for tractors! This is why we have developed a site for used tractor parts. These little buggers can become quite expensive if you start forking over the dough for brand new parts.

Your tractors’ transmission made be experiencing some wear and tear, and when it goes, you may want to have some replacement parts on hand to keep that tractor running.

A tractor is a lot like a large variation of a car, and just like a car, you can’t drive it with a flat tire. Do you have a spare handy, do you have a mount? Maybe you could use a tilt utility trailer about now. These are very handy when it comes to towing a small tractor.

Tractors have multiple uses, more than we can go into in this short article. Because a tractor has many uses, there is a need for many used tractor parts. If you have engineering tractors, you need a backhoe as well as a loader, and these can be connected to your tractor. When you have these parts, you can use your tractor for small demolitions, construction, powering building equipment, digging holes, breaking up asphalt, paving, and light transportation. There are other tools for engineering purposes such as bucket hoes, rippers, dozer blades, and any other used tractor parts that can be attached. Just by attaching a dozer blade, your tractor becomes a bulldozer.

You can find used tractor parts for any of your tractors whether they be road tractors, locomotive tractors, or even artillery tractors,which all have specific parts needed to maintain and keep them running well.

You may not have a large or small farm tractor, but just a small garden tractor. Even the garden tractors need parts and supplies, and cost money to maintain, especially when you start pricing the new parts. When you are looking to have supplies on hand, maintain or repair your tractor, first check the prices of used tractor parts, then realize that you are getting so much more for your money.

Jason White is the founder of UsedTractorParts.net. He created it to make it easier for people to locate the used tractor parts they need. Whether you’re looking for Farmall Tractor Parts, John Deere Tractor Parts, or tractor tire chains you are certain to find what you need.

On-campus education vs. online education! Is one better than the other? Can one completely replace the other? Indeed it seems that online education is the way of the future. Educational institutions, corporations and government organizations alike already offer various forms of electronic teaching. However, can a computer truly replace a teacher and a blackboard?

How people learn

Each individual has a form of learning that suits them best. Some individuals achieve fantastic results in courses taught online, however most people drop out of 100% computer-led courses. Educational institutions, as well as companies in carrying out staff training, must recognize that there is no ideal way to carry out the teaching of a large group of individuals, and so must design programs that best suits the needs of the group as a whole.

People learn using multiple senses. This involves learning through both theoretical components of a course, as well as social interaction with both instructors and other students. Students learn from each other’s mistakes and successes, not just from what they are told by instructors.

Each individual student has an ideal learning pace. Instructors are therefore faced with the challenge of designing courses that move forward such that those students with a slower learning pace do not get left behind, while not moving so slowly that students with faster learning paces get bored.

Online education

In the age of high-speed information transfer, online education is becoming a popular and cheap means for delivering teaching to individuals outside the classroom, and in some cases all over the world. Teaching can be via CD, websites, or through real-time online facilities such as webcasts, webinars and virtual classrooms. However, different methods of online education each have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Online education is still a relatively new concept, and in many respects still in the teething stages. As such, various problems arrive across different online education environments. For example:

1. Lack of immediate feedback in asynchronous learning environments: While some online education environments such as webcasts, webinars and virtual classrooms operate live with the addition of an instructor, most do not. Teaching that is delivered through a CD or website, although having the advantage of being self-paced, provides no immediate feedback from a live instructor.

2. More preparation required on the part of the instructor: In an online education environment, an instructor can not simply stand in front of a whiteboard and deliver a class. Lessons in online education environments must be prepared ahead of time, along with any notes and instructions that may accompany the teaching.

In many cases it would also be necessary that the instructor not only understands the concepts being taught, but the technology used to deliver that teaching. This therefore increases the skill-levels needed of online education instructors, placing greater demand on educational institutions.

Staffing levels may also be higher for courses run in an online education environment, requiring for example:

The Instructor – able to teach both course content and be skilled in the use of technologies involved

The Facilitator – to assist the instructor in delivering content, but may do so remotely

Help Desk – to offer assistance to instructors, facilitators and students in the use of both software and hardware used to deliver the course.

3. Not all people are comfortable with online education: Education is no longer only sought by the world’s youth. With an increased trend towards adult and continuing education, there is a need to design courses suitable for students over a larger age-range, as well as students from different and varied backgrounds. It is difficult, however, to design online education environments suitable for everyone.

4. Increased potential for frustration, anxiety and confusion: In an online education environment, there are a greater number of parts making up the system that can fail. Server failures may prevent online courses from operating. Software based teaching applications may require other specific components to operate. Computer viruses may infect software necessary to run online education environments. If these systems are complex, students may choose the ease of On-campus education rather than taking the additional time and effort necessary to master the use of online education systems.

5. The Digital Divide: Many people who live in remote areas and developing countries do not have access to computers, making any form of online education virtually impossible. For this reason, online education is only able to be targeted at the people lucky enough to be able to take advantage of the technology involved. Similarly, offering live teaching across the world means that different time zones and nationalities increase the demand for multi-skilled instructors.

In addition to these, there are also several legal issues associated with maintaining an online education environment. For example, intellectual property laws, particularly those relating to copyright, may or may not fully cover electronically created intellectual property. For example, information on a website is not necessarily considered to be public domain, despite being available to everyone. However, the Australian Copyright Act was amended in 2001 to ensure that copyright owners of electronic materials, including online education environments, could continue to provide their works commercially.

On-Campus Education

Still the most common form of instruction is traditional classroom-style learning. These instructor-led environments are more personal than online education environments, and also have the advantage of allowing for immediate feedback both to and from student and teachers alike. However, the classroom allows for less flexibility than courses run in online education environments.

Instructors in modern classroom environments are still able to take advantage of several forms of electronic teaching tools while still maintaining the atmosphere associated with the traditional classroom environment. For example, PowerPoint slides can be utilized instead of a whiteboard or blackboard. Handouts can be distributed via course websites prior to the event. However, on the day, students are still able to actively participate in the lesson.

Like online education environments, On-campus education comes with certain drawbacks, the most common of which is the classroom itself. This requires a group of people which, in a university for example, could reach a few hundred people in size, to gather in the same place at the same time. This requires enormous time and financial commitment on behalf of both the students and the educational institution.

However, it is this sort of environment that is most familiar to students across the world. People of all ages can access a classroom environment feeling comfortable with the way that a classroom-run course is carried out. Older students who may not be comfortable with the use of information technology are not required to navigate their way through possibly complex online education environments, making On-campus education the most accessible form of teaching.

On-campus education has one advantage that 100% electronically delivered courses can not offer – social interaction. Learning comes from observing, not only what is written on a page or presented in a slideshow, but what is observed in others. Most students are naturally curious, and so will want to ask questions of their instructors. The classroom environment allows students to clarify what is being taught not only with their instructors, but with other students.

So, Which is Better?

There is no style of instruction that will best suit every student. Studies have shown (Can online education replace On-campus education) that courses where online education is used to complement On-campus education have proved more effective than courses delivered entirely using only one method. These courses take advantage of both online education materials and a live instructor, and have produced results higher than those of students in either 100% online education or classroom environment courses. Students have the advantage of the immediate feedback and social interaction that comes with the classroom environment, as well as the convenience of self-paced online education modules that can be undertaken when it best suits the student.

It would seem that online education environments will never completely replace On-campus education. There is no “one size fits all” method of teaching. Teaching styles will continue to adapt to find the method that best fits the learning group. Using a mix of online education environments and classroom sessions, educational institutions, corporations and government organizations can ensure that training is delivered that is convenient and effective for both instructors and students alike.

Mathew Simond is a journalist and copywriter. He is also a webmaster of many websites including http://www.paralegal-degree.org and http://www.humanservicesdegree.net

He aims to provide healthy information and advice on academic degrees.

Over the years as a recruiter and resume coach, I’ve seen the consequences of poorly written resumes. Unfortunately, most people don’t seek professional career help until they experience the frustration of a long and fruitless job search. It’s surprising how many of their problems can be traced to the top five resume mistakes.

#1 No resume focus.

The most effective resumes leave no doubt as to the job seeker’s career objective. A one-size-fits-all resume gives the impression that the job seeker is uncertain of his career goal. An employer once told me that if a candidate is interested in two completely different positions, he must not be very good at either. If you have more than one career objective, you need more than one resume.

#2 Lack of marketing strategy.

Job seekers rarely see their search for what it is-a sales campaign. Think of your resume as marketing material designed to create a powerful first impression and win a multitude of job interviews. A resume coach can help you translate your career history into an effective marketing piece by selling toward the reader’s buying motives: solving problems, saving money, or increasing profits.

#3 No accomplishment statements.

95% of all resumes lack accomplishment statements. These statements allow employers to visualize your contribution to their company. A resume coach can help you move from a job description type resume to a resume with quantifiable statements that motivate employers to call you before their competition does. These statements can dollarize your worth and increase your bargaining power.

#4 Lack of resume keywords.

These days, resumes are screened by both humans and computers. A resume lacking in keywords runs the risk of being read by neither. An average screening of a resume is 15 seconds or less, so more attention is paid to resumes using the same words found in the job description. Candidate-tracking software retrieves resumes by keywords. A keyword-focused resume will put you front and center.

#5 Incorrect resume format.

Basically, there are three resume formats: chronological, functional and hybrid.

Chronological: The chronological is best known and easiest to write, a timeline style resume. This format works well if your objective is to remain in the same industry or occupation.

Functional: The functional resume places transferable skills and accomplishments at the beginning of your resume. However, a poorly crafted functional resume can be confusing, causing the reader to believe the candidate has something to hide.

Hybrid: The hybrid resume combines the best features of other resumes. It showcases skills and accomplishments while maintaining ease of reading. This is the best format for job seekers of all level, but it is also the most difficult to write, requiring thoughtful planning to identify the most critical transferable skills that will attract potential employer attention.

Once your resume is designed to avoid the top five resume mistakes, you will be well on your way to winning interviews and reaching your career objective. How much is you old resume costing you in lost opportunities?

Deborah Walker, Resume Coach, has spent years studying the art of fine resume crafting. Her career-long focus on all phases of the employment process provides a solid base of knowledge for resume advice and coaching. Learn more about resume coaching at http://www.AlphaAdvantage.com

Many Americans rely on their automobiles to get to work. No automobile means no job, no rent or mortgage money, no food. A single parent, struggling to make ends meet in the suburbs with 100,000 miles on the odometer, would presumably welcome the guaranteed opportunity for low-priced insurance that would take care of every possible repair on her auto until the day that it reaches 200,000 miles or falls apart, whichever comes first. Especially if the insurance is valid regardless of whether she even changes the oil in the interim.

So why aren’t the auto insurance companies writing such coverage, either directly or through used auto dealers? And given the importance of reliable transportation, why isn’t the public demanding such coverage? The answer is that both auto insurers and the public know that such insurance can’t be written for a premium the insured can afford, while still allowing the insurers to stay solvent and make a profit. As a society, we intuitively understand that the costs associated with taking care of every mechanical need of an old automobile, particularly in the absence of regular maintenance, aren’t insurable. Yet we don’t seem to have these same intuitions with respect to health insurance.

If we pull the emotions out of health insurance, which is admittedly hard to do even for this author, and look at health insurance from the economic perspective, there are several insights from auto insurance that can illuminate the design, risk selection, and rating of health insurance.

Auto insurance comes in two forms: the traditional insurance you buy from your agent or direct from an insurance company, and warranties that are purchased from auto manufacturers and dealers. Both are risk transfer and sharing devices and I’ll generically refer to both as insurance. Because auto third-party liability insurance has no equivalent in health insurance, for traditional auto insurance, I’ll examine only collision and comprehensive insurance — insurance covering the vehicle — and not third-party liability insurance.

Bumper to Bumper

The following are some commonly accepted principles from auto insurance:

* Bad maintenance voids certain insurance. If an automobile owner never changes the oil, the auto’s power train warranty is void. In fact, not only does the oil need to be changed, the change needs to be performed by a certified mechanic and documented. Collision insurance doesn’t cover cars purposefully driven over a cliff.

* The best insurance is offered for new models. Bumper-to-bumper warranties are offered only on new cars. As they roll off the assembly line, automobiles have a low and relatively consistent risk profile, satisfying the actuarial test for insurance pricing. Furthermore, auto manufacturers usually wrap at least some coverage into the price of the new auto in order to encourage an ongoing relationship with the owner.

* Limited insurance is offered for old model autos. Increasingly limited insurance is offered for old model autos. The bumper-to-bumper warranty expires, the power train warranty eventually expires, and the amount of collision and comprehensive insurance steadily decreases based on the market value of the auto.

* Certain older autos qualify for additional insurance. Certain older autos can qualify for additional coverage, either in terms of warranties for used autos or increased collision and comprehensive insurance for vintage autos. But such insurance is offered only after a careful inspection of the automobile itself.

* No insurance is offered for normal wear and tear. Wiper blades need replacement, brake pads wear out, and bumpers get dings. These aren’t insurable events. To the extent that a new car dealer will sometimes cover some of these costs, we intuitively understand that we’re “paying for it” in the cost of the automobile and that it’s “not really” insurance.

* Accidents are the only insurable event for the oldest automobiles. Accidents are generally insurable events even for the oldest autos; with few exceptions service work isn’t.

* Insurance doesn’t restore all vehicles to pre-accident condition. Auto insurance is limited. If the damage to the auto at any age exceeds the value of the auto, the insurer then pays only the value of the auto. With the exception of vintage autos, the value assigned to the auto goes down over time. So whereas accidents are insurable at any vehicle age, the amount of the accident insurance is increasingly limited.

* Insurance is priced to the risk. Insurance is priced based on the risk profile of both the automobile and the driver. The auto insurer carefully examines both when setting rates.

* We pay for our own insurance. And with few exceptions, automobile insurance isn’t tax deductible. As a result, the fear of increasing insurance rates due to traffic violations and/or accidents changes our driving behavior and we sometimes select our automobiles based on their insurability.

Each of the above principles is supported by solid actuarial theory. Although most Americans can’t describe the underlying actuarial theories, most everyone understands the above principles of auto insurance at the intuitive level. For sure, as indispensable automobiles are to our lifestyles, there is no loud national movement, accompanied by moral outrage, to change these principles.

Unsustainable Market

In contrast, similar principles are routinely violated in health insurance. To demonstrate this, let’s return to the same suburban mother from the opening paragraph. She’s busy working, driving to and from work, and driving her kids to school and activities. She ends each day exhausted, sitting on the couch with fast food. She’s obese, has a sedentary life, a bad diet, and hasn’t taken the time to go to the doctor in years. After a simple injury doesn’t heal for weeks, she turns up at the emergency room and learns she has type II diabetes. Although type II diabetes is controllable, changing diet and exercise habits and properly tracking her condition takes time and effort and she’s never quite successful in implementing the necessary lifestyle changes.

So the initial emergency room visit is only the first of a long list of health care related to non-controlled diabetes and other problems associated with obesity. Whether she has individual or group insurance, her insurance pays for each episode of care, without singling her out for a premium increase, and without charging her any more cost sharing than is charged to the healthiest and most medically diligent insureds. Her coverage continues until she voluntarily changes insurance companies and/or employers or becomes eligible for Medicare. If she’s covered under group insurance she may not even pay any premium. Her insurance continues unabated, even though the disease was caused by neglecting her body and she maintains her poor lifestyle even after the disease becomes known.

This just wouldn’t happen in auto insurance. This scenario is the auto insurance equivalent of guaranteed access to low-priced auto insurance that takes care of every possible repair, including damage already done, until the day the car falls apart so completely it’s unsalvageable (death) or reaches 200,000 miles (Medicare), regardless of whether she even changes the oil (takes care of herself) in the interim.

As a society, we don’t expect this in private-market auto insurance, but we expect it in private-market health insurance. Furthermore, there’s a chorus of national and state interests, which continuously pushes us further away from the auto insurance principles.

The current private health insurance market isn’t sustainable. Prices have been consistently increasing faster than inflation for decades. Each year, insureds use more health care than ever before and more people have no insurance at all. Most actuaries and other people in the private health insurance market don’t want national health insurance with its bureaucracy and one-size-fits-all benefits. Yet, we’re trying to sustain a private insurance system, which violates the very principles we know are necessary for private insurance markets.

Yes, health insurance involves the sacredness of human life and is therefore different from auto insurance. But if we’re to sustain a private-market solution to health insurance, actuaries need to explain to the larger society, in terms that society understands, the rationale for the following principles:

* As sacred as health care is, it’s still an economic transaction that has to be balanced by individuals and societies, against other economic choices. It can’t be unlimited. Sometimes it will be secondary to other choices. On a given day, for example, the mother in our scenario may value her car more than her health.

* Insurance premiums should be paid by the individual and tied to controllable risk factors. This will provide the best incentive for the control of risk factors.

* Although it’s hard to draw the line between abuse, neglect and ignorance, self-abuse shouldn’t be insured and we need to draw that line somewhere.

* The private market can’t provide unlimited, self-directed health insurance.

* Routine care and ongoing treatments of chronic conditions can be pre-funded, can even be subsidized, but they don’t constitute “insurable events.”

* Insurance can’t be expected to keep every human body in pristine condition. No amount of health care will prevent everyone’s ultimate death.

* Comprehensive, unlimited, non-subsidized private-market coverage isn’t possible for people with severely impaired health.

* The private health market can provide limited non-subsidized health insurance, such as protection from accidents, to even health-impaired individuals.

* Individuals who can afford to do so and who take good care of themselves should be able to “buy up” to better coverage. People have the option of buying up for everything else in life.

Discussion of these principles is lacking from most of the current health insurance debate. If society can intuitively understand how similar principles apply to health insurance, then they should be able understand the principles in the health insurance context. We need to initiate the debate.

This commentary is solely the opinion of its author. It does not express the official policy of the American Academy of Actuaries; nor does it necessarily reflect the opinions of the Academy’s individual officers, members, or staff

Precedent puts a new spin on health insurance. Learn more at http://www.precedent.com. [http://www.precedent.com]

Nowadays, children, besides of going to the school, practice a sport, mostly a team sport. And just like so many things, this also has its advantages and disadvantages on physical, emotional and mental field.

The decision of which one is greater, the advantages or the disadvantages depend on the point of view of the parents and of the children.

Emotional advantages:

- They will learn the value of teamwork

- They will learn how to work in a team

- They will develop their ability of trusting someone else

- They will learn how to select the trustful people

- They will make more friends

Emotional disadvantages:

- the pressure of being the best

- the possibility of not being the best

- possible emotional implications of not being the best can affect the self-esteem of a child

Mental advantages:

- physical activity stimulates the brain

- sport is a way of relaxing of the stress and pressure from the school, therefore, after exercises, the lessons will be automatically easier to understand and to learn

Mental disadvantages:

- competitive sport takes precedence over a child’s education

- learning may be neglected

- lack of mentally challenge

Physical advantages:

- they will learn the benefits of being fit, limber and strong

- it ensures a great and healthy growth of the body of the child

- they will be protected by obesity

Physical disadvantages:

- the danger of long-term injury

- early overuse of joints, ligaments and muscles can lead to joint and tendon problems, arthritis, back and neck problems

These issues have to be considered again and again before deciding on the type of sport that your child will be practicing.

For further information regarding sports, you can always rely on the Sport Folks Site!

The love for pets pushes their owners to try to do everything possible to keep them healthy and fit. The best pet products from the best pet supply stores are needed and a lot of research has to be done to offer the right care to those animal members of the family.

Although not a primary concern for many (because they are not aware of the existing dangers), pet nutrition plays an important role in the care of an animal. Many pet owners go to a pet supply store and buy pet products, but they are not always very careful. They sometimes make mistakes by buying canned food and thinking that it is equivalent to meat. Feeding their pet with that food every day is not a good idea, because it may contain toxins and preservatives that can harm their pets. Some of them are dangerous even for the owners. So, when you decide to buy food for your pet, be very careful and avoid those containing organophosphate pesticides (Ops). The seven OPs that must be avoided are: hlorpyrifos, dichlorvos, tetrachlorvinphos, malathion, diazinon, phosmet, and naled.

The ideal food for a pet is the one made at home and combined with several vitamins bought from a pet supply store. But in many cases the owners do not have the time to prepare the food themselves. Luckily, there are some alternatives such as ready-to-eat freeze dried and frozen materials or raw meals. Pets will just love this kind of raw food. These food products have supplements and can be a good substitute in case you can’t feed your dog with bones for example. They can also be found in any pet supply store so there is a double advantage: they are nutritious and easy to buy.

One must give special attention to the pet supply store from where you buy the food. A pet supply store situated in a good area can provide food of higher quality and the risks of this food being expired or rotten are substantially reduced. Of big importance is the producer of these food products. Some of them may seem a little expensive, but, in most cases, they are better than cheaper products. Made from natural food (for example from chicken raised without steroids and hormones) and containing important vitamins, fats, minerals and fatty acids, these products are important for the health of your pet. The assistance offered by the employees of your pet supply store is also very important in deciding what kind of food is suitable for your pet.

If you are not satisfied with what you found in different stores or you just don’t have the time to search, the internet is a very good alternative. You can look for advice regarding the best food and the best pet products and find out that everything can be available very quickly at the push of a button. Buying for your pet online is very easy. All you need to know is what kind of food you want and then start filling your cart. If you are unsure what kind of food or other pet products are good, just use an internet search engine and type “pet products” and you will be given a list of websites that offer pet products. They will help you find out more about the food suitable and also other important advice regarding the health of your pet.

Online shopping for your pet doesn’t refer only to food. It also gives you the opportunity to find other pet products. This kind of shopping gives you access to online forums with veterinarians or food experts. This type of shopping is for those who prefer staying at home with their children or even with their pets than going into a pet supply store. The only major disadvantage in online shopping is that you can’t see the products with your own eyes until they are delivered. In some cases one can be disappointed by the delivered pet products. In a pet shop, products can bee seen and no surprises can be expected. However, if a surprise can occur in a “live” store, you won’t be able to detect it right then and there. The expired products will surely affect your pet. This is why online stores are better.

The time of delivery is also very important in the case of online shopping. If bought from the nearby area, the products are delivered immediately and help save time for searches and bargains. The search is a lot more pleasant because it is done from the comfort of your own home. But, if the pet products are ordered from a different area, it can take some time until they are delivered. Then there is the problem of shipping fees which are cheaper if the pet products are purchased directly from a pet supply store. However, online shopping saves time and a lot of headaches.

In many shop, especially on the web, there are a lot of special offers for pet products. Although they are appealing, the owner must be very careful if he wants to buy a large quantity of food or other pet products. The expiration date needs extra attention. One must also check the products to find out if they are OPs free and in case of some pet products, such as leashes, he must make sure that they are not dangerous for their pet and for the other members of the family.

If you’ve decided to buy online for your pet, be sure you can find hundreds of pet products and lots of advice for pet owners. There is a lot of information available. Pictures together with pet products that have a very friendly design will make your online visit a delight. If you are not satisfied with your findings, you can always use the internet search engines and look some more for the perfect pet products. You will eventually find exactly what you want.

If you donÂ’t know what the best Pet Products are or what Pet Supply Store to choose, donÂ’t worry! YouÂ’ve found the right place to start looking.

When you buy a used car it can be a frustrating experience with many people feeling helpless and frustrated with no clear direction to go in. Buying a used car in a private sale will take a great deal of time but by reading into the content of the used car ad you can get a good idea as to the mentality of the seller and potentially the condition of the car as well.

Ads that are very descriptive, including pictures, and detail the vitals about the car, its previous history, as well as the past and current mechanical condition are best. By providing detailed information about the car you are more easily able to determine if the car is a potential candidate for a good deal and worth taking the time to arrange an in person inspection with the seller. You could literally spend a lifetime looking at overpriced and unreliable cars when searching for a good deal.

Identify sellers who are serious about selling their used car. A descriptive and detailed ad will tell you that this car owner is serious about selling the car and understands what information is needed in order to actually consider pursuing the car further. A used car ad should tell you the following information:

-Year of the car
-Make and model of the car
-The mileage currently on the car
-Engine size
-Transmission type (standard or automatic)
-The current mechanical condition
-Previous maintenance and repair history
-Location of the car
-Certifications & emission test information
-Asking price
-Telephone number

Avoid wasting time by skipping poorly written car ads. Ads that include less information than this are a time waster. If you are very interested in the car, or you suspect that the car might be a good deal despite the lack of information available in the ad, you can elect to pursue the car further by contacting the seller via email or telephone.

The only real downside of chasing the seller around for more information is that you can easily find a never ending supply of used cars for sale with non descriptive ads. You are better advised to spend your time pursuing the used cars for sale in which the current owner has made a concerted effort to provide you with the pertinent details about the car already.

Used car ads that have some information but lack certain critical information like the amount of mileage the car has are likely a waste of time also. Any person who posts an ad for a used car without the mileage of the vehicle is either trying to hide something or is simply not serious about selling the car. The vehicle mileage is one, if not the most important feature of a used car and should be included in every used car ad. A great all around car with very low mileage is worth a lot of money. A great all around car with very high mileage is basically worth nothing. In almost every case where a somewhat descriptive ad for a used car exists where they do not specify mileage you will find that the car has high mileage. This is especially true with used cars being sold by dealerships as they specialize in promoting the good aspects of the car while neglecting to mention the negative aspects of the car.

Local classified newspaper ads are a great location to begin your search for a used car. Most small and local publications will have the classified section available online in addition to being in print, however many of these local publications charge for placing ads. This can help to eliminate some of the less serious sellers from testing the waters with an asking price well above the actual value of the car.

If you are going to shop from free online classified ads for a used car you will need to become very discerning about which vehicles you pursue to avoid wasting your time. Shopping from local paid classifieds that are listed online will be the best of both worlds as they are quick and easy to navigate while discouraging to sellers not motivated to sell their car.

The most popular location for used car ads is currently available online. Just ten years ago local newspapers and simply “driving around” were the best ways to shop for used cars. Now you can find hundreds of used car ads every day on online resources and classified websites like craigslist, kijiji and various buy / sell publications.

Any person who has ever sifted through the craigslist used car section knows just how much garbage is floating around on the internet. Since you can post an ad for completely free in seconds from the comfort of your own home there are many cars for sale which are well overpriced. Additionally to the convenience of these selling mediums, the fact that the ads are free encourages people to post cars for sale when they are really only testing the waters so to speak.

Free online classified car ads can be a waste of time. If you had to pay to post an ad to sell your car you would probably take more time to write the ad and determine the actual value of the car before trying to sell it. For this reason, and more, online classifieds require additional scrutiny over more traditional methods of used car shopping.

The best used deals come from motivated sellers so try to locate used car classifieds which require payment in order to place an ad. This alone will weed out the vast majority of overpriced cars being sold half heartedly by people. This will allow you to dial in on the cars which are being sold by eager sellers who are willing to part with a little money if it helps facilitate the vehicle being gone. If you can find a seller that really needs to be rid of their old car, the likelihood of getting a good deal dramatically increases.

It is not uncommon to buy a car from someone who has already bought a new car. These used car sellers are especially susceptible to low-ball offers to take the car off their hands. By contacting sellers who appear to be in a hurry to sell their used car you can increase your chances of finding someone who will take a low offer.

When you call a seller you are evaluating them not just the car. In addition to the ad itself, you can learn a great deal about a used car by speaking with the person selling the car. It takes absolutely no technical skill to be able to evaluate the motivations of a person selling a used car, however this is one of the most important things that you can do increase the likelihood of finding a good deal on a used car while mitigating the risk of buying a lemon.

You can tell how eager someone is to sell their used car by simply asking them if they are open to offers. The ideal situation is to have the seller reveal that they will accept offers as they need to get rid of the car quickly.

Steven Goodale is the author of the Used Car Buying Guide which explains in simple English how to inspect a used car before you buy it – step by step.

These days’ pet supplies can cost you a fortune, which is not necessarily a concern for most when it comes to pampering their pets. However, it essential that the products, you purchase for your little pals, turn out to be the healthier option and provide the apt nutrition required. Some pet products tend to be tagged at exorbitant rates, but these products may not be enjoyed by your pets, or would not meet their basic nutritional needs. It has been seen that most people buy these supplies from online stores, or jut pick up something which they liked at the supermarket. However, it should be kept in mind that your pets have diverse requirements for nutrition, flavor, and health. You may opt for the latest pet product based on the television ad, but you need to keep in mind that what’s on the television is not real and should not be taken at face value other than the oddball television news.

Before you start storing your ladder with heaps of pet supplies, it is better for you to consult your vet. The vet is the best person to guide you about what would be a healthier choice for your pet. For example, there are separate ranges of supplies available for small and big dogs. These products are normally based on the dog’s capacity to chew food, how much they can digest, and also the amount, which is required by their bodies. Hence you should consult the vet on these issues, and thus purchase products, which meet the above requirements. Remember that your cat would not enjoy the taste of the biscuits, which were bought for your dog. So, if you’re planning on getting your dog to snack on kitty snacks, you’re bound to be disappointed. And if somehow you do manage to feed kitty food to your dog, better be prepped to receive some nasty morning surprises on your carpet.

The other factor you’ll need to keep in mind is that you’ll need to purchase pet supplies your dog or cat enjoys snacking on. It is not advisable to buy a new product in bulk because your pet may not like eating the same. Often pet owners buy huge quantities of these products on discounts or online sales, but the end result, hungry pets and a cartload of useless pet supplies residing on your kitchen counter. Also, there are chances that your pet could be allergic to certain kinds of pet foods. Hence, you should try and make them taste certain products and wait to see if there are any reactions. If you are planning to purchase new pet food products, it is better to get it in small quantities, check to see if your dog or cat takes to it and then if needed, buy more. The normal dog / cat food items ranges from the usual low priced products to the high end products, selecting the right sort can take some time, but some of the pet food products are not healthy for your pet, so do consult your vet prior to purchase.

Not all forms of pet supplies are appropriate to meet the nutritional requirements of your pets. Think about it, would you enjoy eating canned or processed foods the entire day? Then how do you expect your pet to do the same? It should be kept in mind that your pet supplies should be used once a day on a regular basis. You could use more only if the vet has asked you to do the same or if you are unable to make them regular or freshly cooked meals. Always check for the expiry dates of the pet supplies since there are chances that discounted products have crossed the required date. Remember, that discounted products tend be closer to the cut off date, so if you’re getting supplies at a discount, take care to read the expiry date on every product. The supplies for your pet include products like biscuits, chewing bones, tuna cans, milk based products, ready or processed forms of meats, and various other related options. You can either use them straight from the pack, or heat them before serving your pets. Make sure that you read all the mentioned specifications on the product so that you can feed your pet with healthy food options instead of the usual “come as you are”. Most of the pet products these days are more of “hype” than providing the usual value added nutrition for your pet. There are quite a few brands out there so sorting out through the lot can take a while. It is not only advisable but rather essential that you get an idea of what’s good for your pet by consulting your veterinarian. You’re not going to get this info off the television. Or you can opt to go online, read the reviews and make an informed decision all on your own.

There are some more wonderful resources out there like this site about Pet Supplies. Alternatively, for more information on other topics such look for sites like this one on bird supplies.

A review of the literature reveals that the area of forensic questioning of young children in relation to child abuse is fraught with differing opinions and controversy. The clear need for courts to have accurate information concerning perpetration of abuse on children by adults will continue to exist as long as child abuse does. In the guidelines for the evaluation of allegedly abused children, the American Psychological Association Committee on Professional Practice and Standards (1998) indicates that forensic data and expert witnessing may help the court in understanding, gaining perspective, and increasing the fairness of determinations. Professionals in psychological treatment may be asked to determine if abuse has been perpetrated, and may use the diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress as a proof that it has. (Regan, Johnson, Alderson, 2002). In the case of People v Stritzinger (1983), the Supreme Court ruled that unavailability due to a “mental infirmity” must be determined either by the witness refusing to testify, or on the recommendation of an expert witness. While the expert may recommend the child not testify due to PTSD, the expert would be on shaky grounds to state that the PTSD is proof of the abuse. While Fisher and Whiting (2001) agree that some aspects of PTSD symptoms are consistent with a child’s behavioral reactions to abuse, an unreliable pattern of abused children with PTSD make using the diagnosis as a proof a very flawed reasoning. They do add though, that if abuse has been founded, the diagnosis becomes a framework to determine level of impact on the child and as a treatment springboard. This would also then seem to be recursive, with the diagnosis of PTSD following a founded case to suggest the question: should the child be returned to the custody of, say, a parent offender, or a non offending parent who failed to protect the child, and the child is highly reactive to as a reminder of the abuse? Since the persistence of PTSD symptoms are likely closely related to the intensity, volume of critical incidents, and duration of abuse, it would appear that there is no current predictive tool to ascertain how long treatment will take. This situation serves to complicate custody issues, not to mention issues of the child having visitation contact with a person who could be a perpetrator. Further, if the child’s symptoms worsen following contact with their biological parent(s), is it ethical to desensitize a child to contact with their perpetrator in order for the child to return the perpetrator’s care? If there is no “return home” goal, and the child will be adopted, what is the therapeutic point of continuing exposure?

There is of course, no current, valid, and reliable tool to predict if an individual will develop PTSD following a trauma. (Walters, Bisson, Shepherd, 2006) Perry and Azad (1999), in a study on the incidence of PTSD, found that 34% of a sample of children who had been identified as being sexually abused, and 58% of children identified and being both sexually and physically abused met the criteria for PTSD. In addition, the study found that all of the children, while not fully PTSD, had clinically significant symptoms. The children in the study that had only partial symptoms may very well continue development on to full PTSD status. Thus, children diagnosed with PTSD as a result of abuse become a special concern outside of the population of children who have experienced abuse, but have not been diagnosed with PTSD.

Though common sense informs that special care needs to be given to children who have experienced traumatic events, the issues of their post-trauma care can become quite complex. Lieberman and Van Horn state that:

Responses to early trauma need to be understood as the initial manifestation of long-term risks to the child’s unfolding development. (p. 112)

Briere and Spinazzola (2005) assert that in the case of a lengthy history of family interpersonal trauma, a complexity of traumatic stress develops that negatively effects the child’s attachment with the parent. Such complexity of this population of child victims gives rise to the need for specialized attention, study, and formulations of forensic and treatment approaches. In a study concerning the “pathways” to PTSD in abused children, Kaplow, Dodge, Jackson, and Saxe (2005) found that behavioral signs noted immediately after disclosure of abuse might constitute discrete reactions that include avoidance, anxiety, and dissociation. In turn, these then become foundations for further and longer-term symptom development. Briere (2006) notes that the connection between trauma and dissociation may not be as simple as it first appears; there may be multiple components that produce the dissociation effects, including early attachment issues, emotional neglect, and neurobiological disturbances. Briere also states the possibility that dissociation may exist before trauma and be a risk factor for victimization. Again, this points to possible ethical questions: is any forensic questioner trained adequately to assess what may be very subtle and internalized symptoms presenting? One might assume, due to the nature and purpose of forensic examination, the child may reveal critical incident material that was not formerly revealed. Is there any data to show that forensic questioning does no further harm? If the long term research answer to that question is eventually found to be true, professionals may be trapped by the terrible dichotomous question: catch the perpetrator, or heal the child?

In addition to these complexities, the age of the child when victimization occurs becomes a factor in forensic examination and treatment, along with the traditional problem in most witnessing, memory. Nader (2001) states that at issue in younger children are their very age: they may have “literal interpretations, animistic thinking, faulty hypotheses, and inaccurate associations.” (p 281) Nader also asserts that age not only plays a role in perception, but also what details the child attends to, and how the child’s state of mind at the time of the trauma affects encoding of the memory for later recall. And of course, memory of the child victim is key to child protection assessments, police investigations, courtroom proceedings, and to a lesser degree, subsequent treatment.

Leiberman and Van Horn (2001) address the problem of the traumatized child’s behaviors in relation to memory:

Traumatized reminders tend to remain unidentified when they operate outside of the child’s conscious awareness or when the child cannot use language to describe what is happening. The child’s behavior may be strongly influenced by stimuli that act as triggers for memories of traumatic experience. (p118)

This assessment also seems to point to the problem of preverbal memories that do not readily find verbal expression or discernment by the child or the forensic investigator. Ceci and Bruck (1995) expands on the memory issue by asserting that due to the overwhelming amount of simulation during abuse there are likely some parts of the trauma experience that were never encoded in memory, so were never ‘stored’. Furthermore, they cite studies that demonstrate that errors in children’s accounts are most often omission rather than commission errors. Such studies reinforce the oversimplified truth that just as in adult female rape victims, child victims do not generally lie about sexual abuse.

With such complexity, subtle nuance, and discrete aspects, how victim witness information is gained and used in child abuse cases becomes likewise a complex and delicate matter. Public opinion, media enthusiasm, multiple court opinions and those falsely accused of maltreatment of children all attest to the struggle to get the process accurate, fair, and unbiased. Many of the criticisms of particular cases, usually targeting child protection agencies and workers, while made by individuals not educated in the nature of trauma or PTSD in children, have validity and serve to press the field into doing a better job. (Wexler, 1995)

 In 1990, Congress enacted the Victims of Child Abuse Act that contains a detailed Article (IV) to guide investigations, prosecutions, and corrections of the Justice Department. These guidelines are an obvious improvement over a system that appears to have had a public reputation for at least some inconsistent and even unethical forensic and clinical approaches. But a simple review of these guidelines reveals that a body that does not nearly understand the nuances and complexities of the problems has created them that child (PTSD) victims suffer. There appears to be no such required guidelines for most county level child protection services. Also in the mix of complications in achieving the truth and attaining justice is the difference in training and philosophical foundations between law enforcement, courts, and the field of psychology. (Wrightsman, 2005) Even a cursory review of questioning tactics between the disciplines yields a wide difference in styles, approaches, and objectives. Not all of these approaches may be sensitive to the victim’s emotional, developmental or mental state. In fact, a very real question is exactly how many police departments have a specially trained staff member to question a child victim. Clinicians may cringe at the image of a rough and tumble officer who has never questioned a child abuse victim doing their best to pick their way through a child’s critical incident account.

Children usually reveal issues of abuse by either deliberately or spontaneously telling someone, or they make an unintentional reference to the abuse. (Ceci, et al., p.75) While these could be done for the first time in the presence of a child protection worker or police officer, they more likely are done first in the presence of a trusted adult. The time lapse between the first telling and the second forensic telling is a time frame that bears study as to the emotional impact and time impact on the child’s memory. This becomes especially concerning in child protective services that have extraordinarily large caseloads in ratio to workers, where time between report and questioning may be days, or even weeks.

 In addition, such aspects as linguistic problems associated with the child’s developmental level and cultural environment add to the challenge of accuracy. (Ceci, et al. p. 76) One also needs to consider the variable of culture, ethnicity, and quite possibly religious background. Should the forensic investigator be less than sensitive, or just perhaps ignorant of a particular culture, response of the child would quite conceivably be altered.

 In cases of sexual abuse, London, Bruck, Ceci, and Shuman (2005) conducted research that found child sexual abuse accommodation syndrome (CSAAS) to be quite valid. The effects of CSAAS are generally accepted as impacting the pattern of disclosure in a particular case, with gradual disclosures, not to mention recantations quite common. A very simple and unpublished experiment in a county in Pennsylvania asking five child protection workers if they had ever heard of CSAAS yielded a negative response in all five. If those so closely associated with child protection are not aware of valid supportive research that has been around for approximately twenty years that so articulates child victim’s experience, there indeed is much training to do.

Multiple cases presented sensationally in the media attest to the importance of questioning techniques. The use of leading questions, questions that are posed in a manner assuming a specific answer, or questions that are too complex for the child’s age are common examples of problematic methods that can cause the child to offer often elaborate confabulated material. (Wrightsman, 2005) Such inadequate methods that ignore the child’s developmental level can produce dramatic, hysterical reactivity in the community, as in the case of People v Raymond Buckey. A number of collected studies indicate that children do make commission errors about things they have never experienced, and can create fantastic, well-constructed, believable accounts of abuses that have never occurred to them. Especially when faced with an adult questioner who is using repeated suggestive methods and has a confirmatory bias, children’s witness accuracy suffers. (Ceci, et al., 1995)

Compounding simply bad questioning and investigative techniques, is the issue of how the symptoms of PTSD interact with forensic questioning. The DSM groups symptoms into three basic categories of re-experience, psychobiological alterations, with avoidance, numbing and detachment comprising the last category. Wilson, Friedman, and Lindy (2001) contend that there may be a need to add three more categories to fully articulate PTSD, including problems in interpersonal relationships, disturbance of ego structure, and alterations to the victim’s psychological makeup. Schuder and Lyons-Ruth (2004) articulate the list further by describing a variety of attachment behaviors that can be seen in traumatized infants. There is some evidence that there are child specific behavioral signs of PTSD, such as precocious development and behavioral regressions. (Nader, p284)

In light of what has been demonstrated thus far in the research on the effects of PTSD in abused children, a diagnosed child pressed into courtroom testimony appears to be contraindicated as to future treatment concerns. It would stand to reason that due to the nature of forensic evidence and information gathering, either by a forensic mental health professional, child protection worker or a police detective, all of whom are focused less on treatment than on the goal of successful litigation, future treatment is a secondary concern. It would seem that the very approach of an investigator and the nature of the questions would have the clear potential to trigger re-experiencing, avoidance, numbing, detachment, and physical agitation. If unenlightened questioners, or questioners not taking into account the child’s developmental level are added to this mix, it would seem likely that triggering may occur with some reliability. This would appear to be a ripe subject for research and testing. Even a child who has experienced abuse and is not diagnosed with PTSD may find the courtroom experience daunting. Wrightsman (2005) explains:

“It can be argued that for any victim of sexual abuse or rape, whether an adult or child, the experience of facing your alleged attacker in court is particularly stressful. The trauma is compounded if opposing attorneys view the children as especially susceptible to intimidation during cross examination, and judges remain oblivious to efforts to “break down the child on the witness stand.” (p 285)

Though one might hope that the aforementioned Article VI of the Victims of Child Abuse Act guidelines would directly address questioning tactics by attorneys, examination of the Article reveals no such measures. It should be noted, though, that the Article does provide for measures that make an attempt to be sensitive to the child’s emotional state such as video taped or closed circuit video testimony with an adult supportive attendant in close proximity to the child. But even these may not be enough to mitigate all of the possible cues and triggers to (post traumatic) stress reactivity. One wonders why these same supportive measures (perhaps with the foster parent or therapist of the child attending) are often not provided routinely, and as mandatory in cases of repeated forensic exam per CSAAS.

The legal and therapeutic aspects of child abuse cases are inextricably entwined. Without accurate information and proofs of abuse, the child may be returned to a perpetrator. The process of gaining that accurate information and proof may negatively impact the child’s symptoms and progression of treatment. Crouch, Smith, and Ezzell (August 1999) cite the fact that research in developing valid and reliable tools to measure relevant variables of outcomes is lacking. One of those variables that bear study is the determination of abuse process and the subsequent legal forensics process to ascertain if there are long lasting effects of the child moving through such a gauntlet. While psychologists may use a collected battery of standardized tests and measures in the determination of a PTSD diagnosis, these may not be sensitive enough to pick up discrete impacts and effects of the abuse on the child. The tools may even misidentify the impacts and effects as an entirely other diagnosis. (Briere, Elliott, 1997) It stands to reason that the same measures may be inadequate to determine if the protective process itself is causing further harm to the child. There are tailored checklists and inventories available, such as the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children and the Child Sexual Behavior Inventory (Biere, Spinazzola, 2005), but these appear to have inherent limitations. The TSCC is a self report for children ages eight to sixteen, and the CSBI, while evaluating children between the ages of two to twelve, only evaluates sexual behaviors. Given the complexity of ‘complex PTSD’, there may be no adequate tool to ascertain the full, unique impact of the critical incidents on a specific child. Schuder, et al. (2004) speaks about ‘hidden trauma’ that is an integral part of the child’s relational experience and may include behavior sets and interaction qualities that are not noticed as problematic by even a trained observer. Even with the current state of the art questioning environments and protocols, expectations of adults for children to readily speak with a relative stranger following what may be a traumatic and embarassing abuse episode, and that challenges the child’s family loyalty is a tall order.

It is well established that the diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was developed out of the middle of the last century’s experience with combat in various wars. The diagnosis was not designed with abused children in mind. Marshal, Spitzer, and Liebowitz (1999) conducted longitudinal studies that used Acute Stress Disorder criteria that suggest that there is a need to reevaluate the DSM approach to stress syndromes. This clearly is the case when considering the expansion of understanding of the experiences and behaviors, and special needs of abused children with PTSD diagnoses. Briere and Spinazola (2005) opine that clinicians often may need to make decisions on what part of the stress complex is most relevant, and that ever more precise tools are needed to fully understand the unique dimensionality of a survivor of trauma. Such understanding should lead to improvements in the forensic questioning of child victim witnesses and legal interventions, as well as treatment. A valid and reliable progress measurement tool for use at the commencement and duration of treatment would bring a wealth of information to the process and outcome of treatment efforts.

There are several efforts attempting to design best practices training programs in forensic interviews of abused children, among them the American Prosecutors Research Institute’s National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse, the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, and the National Children’s Advocacy Center. (Siegal, 2004) The National Children’s advocacy Center states on their website that their training has an efficacy of gaining enough credible factual witness information to prosecute in 64% of their cases (www.nationalcac.org) The National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse program strives to get training to half of the nation by 2010. There was no current information on the website concerning how many States have thus far been sufficiently trained.

It would appear that Daubert case may point to more than just the ‘junk science’ worry; it may in fact point to the need for some vehicle to educate judges as well as front line workers in the care of abused and PTSD diagnosed children. In May of 1996 in the Supreme Court of Tennessee, a dissenting opinion from Judge Leon Burns typifies the this particular difficulty:

The social worker’s testimony discounted all the familiar facets of impeachment. First, she told the jury that recollection and memory, often and first-line attack in credibility skirmishes, was not important with child victims and should not be considered. Secondly, she discounted the importance of detail, another fertile basis for cross-examination and impeachment. Finally, and more subtly, she explained away the importance of inconsistencies in children’s testimony.

Clearly, Judge Burns was not afforded adequate educational forensic information on disclosure patterns and the many biological effects of PTSD on a child. Had Judge Burn’s opinion been in the majority, the child in question (and perhaps many children to come) may have had a very different outcome.

As stated thus far, there are likely many variables of outcomes from forensic examination of a child who is traumatized by abuse. It perhaps goes without saying that ill managed or outright botched forensic efforts leave behind children who have been further damaged by the ordeal. One might expect that if some kind of ‘psychological first aid’ were to be provided very soon after the child revealing, this might mitigate development of PTSD symptoms, and thus make for a more accurate forensic exam, but Bryant (2007) found that there was no solid validity to the claim that critical incident debriefing was effective in preventing subsequent PTSD. Regardless of the preventive hope for CID, the practice does provide the victim with a here-and-now supportive care. A review of the Field Operations Guide of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (2006) shows a highly supportive approach that might be typified as quite gentle, un-pressured, and decidedly ‘un-questioning’. Without such debriefing support at the time of forensic questioning (and one might reasonably contend that a goodly number of children do not receive such debriefing), the initial forensic effort with its primary focus and objective on fact finding, has the great potential to add unnecessarily to the child’s stress load..

Court examination is of course, forensic in nature, and due to the basic philosophy of adversarial face-to-face confrontation of one’s accuser, drastically in counterpoint to PTSD treatment in children. Wilson, et al. state that a “core treatment approach removes obstacles so that the organism can heal on it’s own.” (p40). Most reasonable adults would agree that placing a child on a witness stand, either in front of a jury or just a judge would qualify as an intimidating ‘obstacle’ to the child’s best interest of healing from PTSD. Walters, Bineman, and Wright argue that hearsay testimony by professionals who have worked with the child, though clearly not the norm in a court hearing, is a clearly reasonable alternative to risking further damage to the child. While protecting the child, this may place the clinician in a gray area where the dual role as the therapist and expert witness may come up. Strasburger, Gutheil and Brodsky (1997) note that this can be come very ambiguous, but also may be somewhat unavoidable when clinicians identifying themselves as expert witnesses are unavailable due to locality and economic reasons. In addition, clinicians serving a case may be routinely asked to provide clarification in the form of education concerning PTSD in children to help judges more fully understand the issues.

As time marches on, it becomes ever more clear that specificity in treatment needs to be developed to address the particular idiosyncratic presentations of abused children diagnosed with PTSD. The literature is rife with calls for even more research to study the efficacy of existing treatments and to develop new ones. (Lombardo and Gray, 2005) This wheel turns exceedingly slow. Nader (2004) advises that the practitioner who is going to work with PTSD children who are victims of abuse needs to have a good working knowledge of psychotherapeutic principles as well as a specific, experienced trauma background.

Most models of treatment for PTSD in children are simply derived from adult models, mirroring the earlier criticism of more specific diagnosis criteria for children with the disorder. Most current approaches include multiple recounting of the critical incidents, re-attribution of erroneous responsibility, regaining a sense of safety, and helping the child regain a sense of control in their lives. (Nader, 2004) Other well-known approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, with a focus on trauma seem to be consistently cited as providing significant improvement over other forms of treatment such as child-centered therapy. (Cohen, Deblinger, Mannarino, and Steer, 2004). Other therapies such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) have considerable continuing debate over efficacy and validity with adults, let alone children.

Lieberman and Van Horn (2004) begin to refine a more child sensitive approach by noting that two very important focus areas for children with PTSD as a result of interpersonal violence are re-establishing care giving routines and positive reciprocity between the child and care giver. Gaensbauer (2004) refines this child sensitive approach further, stating that clinicians intervening in the child’s life must take care not overwhelm and allow the child’s emotions to get out of control due to history material. He also comments on “spontaneous play”, but is not clear if this is in opposition to structured play therapy (p. 199) Gaensbaur goes on to note that: “probably the most important contribution we can make as therapists to the child’s recovery is to help parents to deal with the child’s symptoms in the home environment.” (p.199) This certainly would apply equally to foster parents when a child has been removed from an abusive parent(s). Gaensbaur addresses the behavioral acting out related to PTSD by suggesting a two pronged approach that includes firm limit setting and demonstration of empathy for the child’s expressed emotions as attached to the critical incidents. (p. 200)

This author’s anecdotal experiences in the field treating abused children with PTSD for some ten years is that there are many front line clinicians that while having adequate training and experience in psychotherapy and other multi modal techniques, have but a rudimentary understanding of PTSD. In addition, they generally and largely rely on behavioral approaches and techniques to address an abused child’s behavioral expressions of the disorder. Admittedly anecdotal study of the efficacy of such singularly behavioral techniques has demonstrated that the application appears to reliably escalate the child’s symptoms and move them towards ultimate life and developmental altering decompensation. The problem appears to be that children with PTSD often present strong oppositional symptoms that are likely attached to their allosatatic reactivity. This may be in addition to co morbid diagnoses. Many adults, even trained clinicians, reflexively react to a child’s opposition with an increase of pressure by way of behavioral techniques. Such a shift to a behavioral pressure stance can be quite subtle, and even unconscious on the part of the adult, but no less real in effect on the child. Adults, who serve as child protection workers, police officers, attorneys, therapists, and judges, to a child, may begin the cuing and triggering of the child’s stress just by their titles.

Conclusions and Directions

There appears to be enough evidence to show how children who have been abused experience and demonstrate PTSD is qualitatively different from adults. Specific research into these qualities and even possible child-specific symptoms and discrete behavioral episodes need to be explored. Ascertaining if current formats of forensic questioning contribute to driving PTSD symptoms deeper, contribute to their escalation and intensity, or are supportive of healing appears to be a fair area of concern. The development of ever more specific and specialized forensic and treatment approaches, as informed by valid scientific research on child victim’s expressions of PTSD is needed. Accurate tools to guide the process of treatment and measure outcomes are needed. High quality comprehensive education of all professionals involved with child victims about the nature and peculiarities of PTSD in children would allow for more accurate and effective litigation and movement of the child towards and through treatment. There is no specialized, specific, and individualized treatment modality for treating PTSD in children who have been victims of interpersonal abuse. Though all of the mentioned therapy alternatives certainly implicitly contain empathy and gentleness, none articulate gentleness as a key aspect of treating abused children. Perhaps after all of the research and articulation of therapeutic and legal approaches and modalities, simple gentleness may be the healing salve that is needed. Certainly pressing a child through a legal process does not qualify as ‘gentle.’ It is time for the clinical healers to move forward out of repetitions of ’the need for more research’ on the development of more effective forensic and therapy approaches, and do the developing right now, in the field.

William Krill is a clinician working in central Pennsylvania with children who are survivors of interpersonal abuse. He has over twenty five years of experience in the human services and ministry fields. A book about this fresh and innovative approach, entitled “Gentling: A Clinician’s Guide to Treating PTSD in Abused Children” is currently going to press. You can read more of his helpful articles at: http://www.freewebs.com/krillco

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