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5 Power Punches to Win Against Winter Colds and Flu

March 7, 2013 By

What Food Kills Bacteria?

Eat wild salmon twice a week for a natural source of vitamin D, a powerful bacteria and “virus-assassin”.

What carved delight boosts immunity?

Carve pumpkins after Halloweeen too! The pulp in them makes a great soup for boosting immunity. The body will convert beta-carotene in this squash into Vitamin A to spur the production of infection-fighting white blood cells.

Which Asian treat fights bacterial Infections?

Shiitake and oyster mushrooms are rich in beta-glucans, which promote the production of white blood cells. Selenium and riboflavin, which help fight bacterial infection, are found in white button mushrooms.

What protein repairs immune cells?

Iron and zinc in lean beef help fight infection, viruses and parasites. Selenium is an antioxidant in lean beef, and it defends and repairs immune cells.

Name a small spherical ingredient iron-packed for immune-boosting power!

Lentils and chickpeas, as well as other members of the herb and shrub family such as peas, beans or clovers are legumes that contain nitrogen-fixing bacteria. These immune boosting goodies are packed with iron, zinc, vitamin B-6.

Treat yourself to this “killer crew” in the winter, and win the fight in the early rounds!

Inspired by an article from Homecare Assistance where the care services professionals are trained in food and nutrition for elderly needs.

 

Jaleh Neshat, Home Care Assistance, Raleigh, NC, where the focus is on The Balanced Care Method™ for home healthcare or care services in North Carolina. Read more how-to information on care in the home on the website.

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The Third Annual Apex Jazz Festival Announces Business Sponsorships

March 6, 2013 By

We would love everyone within Inside919 to consider this business marketing opportunity, not only for your organizations, but for community visibility! Give the numbers below a call!

PLATINUM SPONSOR – $ 5000
• Logo prominently displayed on Apex Jazz Festival website

• Logo printed on all promotional materials including event posters, utility insert mailed to over 15,000 Apex residents* and festival wristband

• Logo displayed on overhead street banners and on main stage signage

• Marketing table and/or opportunity to display your banner in main event area

• Name recognition on all press releases and radio promotions

• Recognition during the introduction of the main concert

• 30 Jazz Festival wristbands for access into beer garden and all event venues

• VIP recognition with entry pass to VIP tent

DIAMOND SPONSOR – $ 1000
• Logo displayed on Apex Jazz Festival website

• Logo printed on all event posters and utility insert mailed to 15,000 Apex residents*

• Company name printed on main stage signage

• 30 Jazz Festival wristbands for access into beer garden and all event venues

• VIP recognition with entry pass to VIP tent

GOLD SPONSOR – $ 500
• Logo displayed on Apex Jazz Festival website

• Logo printed on all event posters and utility insert mailed to 15,000 Apex residents*

• Company name printed on main stage signage

• 25 Jazz Festival wristbands for access into beer garden and all event venues

SILVER SPONSOR – $ 250
• Company name listed on Jazz Festival Webpage

• Company name printed on all event posters and utility insert mailed to 15,000 Apex residents*

• Company name printed on main stage signage

• 10 Jazz Festival wristbands for access into beer garden and all event venues

BRONZE SPONSOR – $ 100
• Company name listed on Jazz Festival Webpage

• Company name printed on all event posters and utility insert mailed to 15,000 Apex residents*

• 5 Jazz Festival wristbands for access into beer garden and all event venues

RUBY SPONSOR – $ 50
• Company name listed on Jazz Festival Webpage

• Company name printed on all event posters and utility insert mailed to 15,000 Apex residents*

• 2 Jazz Festival wristbands for access into beer garden and all event venues

*Sponsorship must be secured by August 16 for recognition on utility insert

Contact Blaine East @ 919-796-6203 or Sue Mooney @ 919-608-6532

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Mobile Websites – What Mobile Users Are Looking For!

March 6, 2013 By

When someone is mobile, they’re expecting an entirely different experience from the one they’ll get on a standard desktop website.

Mobile visitors are typically looking for…

  • Access to information fast & quick.
  • Easy to navigate site
  • Click To Call Buttons
  • Click To Email Buttons
  • Click To Social Media Buttons
  • Directions To Nearest Location
  • A brief understanding about a company
  • An overview of service offerings
  • An option to view main site
  • BIG BUTTONS -for big thumbs

Mobile visitors are not looking for…

  • A lot of graphics – it slows down the load time
  • Making mobile visitors scroll to find information
  • Any fancy scripting, Flash or jQuery
  • Too many web pages or text. Unnecessary information is simply clutter!

If you are a Smartphone user, think about your own habits. What do you use your phone for and how are you using it.  What are you looking for when visiting a mobile site. Mobile visitors are busy and on the go, they have a purpose. They are looking for specific information so they can take immediate action.

Here’s 9 Helpful Tips for Optimizing Your Webiste for Mobile Users
Article source: Social Media Examiner

People searching via mobile are ready to act, are you?

Xpress Mobile Solutions is here to help you do it the right way!

We can be reached at: (919) 335-3696 or Info@xpressmobilesolutions.com

Don’t forget about our March MOBILE Madness special website offer!

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Cool Gadget Discovery: Powerful Burning Green Laser Pointer

March 6, 2013 By

Powerful Burning Green Laser Pointers

What You Need to Know

See a video presentation at the bottom of this article or click here.

Green laser pointers have been around for a long time, and have become quite sophisticated. There are several variations in design and output available, but how do you know which one to get? Many retailers and online sellers do not explain the difference in the variations, and more importantly, they don’t differentiate their product from any others.

First, be cautious about purchasing these from international sources. I don’t want to single any country out, because I don’t want to alienate anyone, but there is a particular region which sells these items relatively cheap compared to the North American marketplace. Many suppliers and retailers in this region snag some snapshots of anything remotely related from internet sources and they even go so far as to copy and paste descriptions from other sources, mainly because their English is not good enough to draft their own. This causes a problem, because the description doesn’t represent the product.

The truth is, suppliers in this region offer items for sale before they even have the product. Then, once the sale is made, they quickly seek out a factory or manufacturer or bootlegger that has the item available. For example, let’s say you order a 5mw laser pointer, and in the image it has a button on the back, and the description states that it is 532nm. Then that glorious day arrives and it’s like Christmas, and you can’t wait to tear that package open. But wait! You learn that yes it’s a 5mw laser pointer, but it’s 650nm and the button is on the side. What gives?!

 

You, my friend, just experienced the ole’ bait and switch.

 

So, how do you avoid that? You buy from trusted sources. If it sounds too good to be true, it sometimes is just that. Fight the temptation to fore go good judgement to save a buck. Brick-and-Mortar Retail is the safest bet. You know what you’re getting before you buy it, but let’s face it. The internet is the marketplace of the future. Retail sales take a deeper dive every year, and it’s really only a matter of time. So, buy from sources that accept PayPal or Google Wallet. Consumers are protected with these payment sources, so if you don’t receive the item, PayPal or Google Wallet will refund your money after an investigation. Ebid.net, Ebay.com, and Amazon.com are safe bets, but be sure the seller of the item you’re bidding on or purchasing is from North America, or in your region if you live in another continent. Sorry, Australia. I guess you’ll have to risk it!

Now that you know where to buy, let me tell you how to buy- Laser Pointers. First you need to know the difference. When you see a laser pointer for 532nm, know that it is more powerful than a 650nm laser. It seems backwards, but try to think of it like a knife. The sharper the blade, the better it cuts. The same applies with laser pointers. The output is measured in mW. 5mW is the general acceptable standard for green laser pointers in North America. It’s considered safe by government standards, but you’ll need something more powerful than that if you want to burn anything or really get into the action with laser pointers!

You can burn a match with a 50mW green laser pointer, but you better not make any plans. It will take a while. The most affordable and reasonable output model is a 200mW model. It burns relatively quickly and you can usually find one for around $ 50 – $ 75 if you buy it online. Retail stores, if you can find it, probably don’t advertise the output, but you’ll know it by the sticker price of $ 150 or more. You can go up from there and the power gets better. I saw a 1000mW laser in use recently, and it is very powerful and exciting to see.

If you’re shopping for a 1000mW laser, you’ll likely not find a legitimate seller that advertises the output. You’ll have to use your own judgement on that.

So, for the design. The key option to lock the laser is completely over-rated. What a waste of money. Any idiot can jimmy that lock and so can a 4 year old kid. Look for a laser pointer that has a button on the rear of the pointer that can be depressed which locks the laser on, and then press again to lock it off. I’ve found that it’s very annoying having to hold down a button for continuous streaming of the laser beam.

Don’t spend more than $ 14.99 on a 5mw laser beam unless you buy it from a brick-and-mortar retail store. If you see a 200mw laser pointer or anything advertising “burning laser pointer” for less than $ 50, PASS- In fact RUN AWAY! It’s probably not as “powerful” as the seller or merchant would have you believe. Sometimes a seller will advertise a green burning laser pointer for less than that without the battery, but here’s what you should know:


The 3.6v Battery Retails for $ 19.99 – That’s nearly half the cost of the functional package!

This one really burns me – pun intended.

Some sellers get off easy, marketing a product that requires another $ 19.99 just to be functional, and of course, they almost never inform consumers about the upcoming expense. Many buyers are unaware of the cost of the battery when they shop for a burning laser, so they go for the bargain pricing. I suppose it’s the consumer’s responsibility to compare, but until now, I couldn’t find a reliable source, so after fumbling through the process myself, I want to be sure other consumers don’t fall prey to the same fate.

If you have found this article helpful, and you are in the market for a burning green laser pointer, please visit my E-bay.com – 532nm Military Grade Green Laser Pointer – Burn a Match! Ships out next day FREE page or E-bid.net – Powerful Burning Green Laser Pointer – Battery INCLUDED ($ 19.99 Value) in USA page and buy one for yourself, or you can e-mail me directly if you don’t have an account with one of these websites, and I can ship to you after confirmed PayPal or Google Wallet payment.



See a powerful burning green laser in action. Check out the following video I uploaded to YouTube.

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Insurance News 5 Tips for Getting Good Insurance for your Home or Car

March 6, 2013 By

Many people are receiving notices of increasing insurance premiums for their homeowners and auto insurance. You can get quality insurance at a reasonable rate if you know how to shop for insurance.

Not all companies are offering the same options so it is important to shop around to get the best combination of rate, coverage and customer service.

Here are 5 tips for getting insurance for your home or car:

Shop Coverage, Not Annual Premium - While saving money on the premium seems like the obvious choice, if you are underinsured and have a claim you will lose a lot of money. The replacement value of your home and how much you insure for your contents are important so if you have a major claim like a house fire, there is enough money to replace your personal items and furniture.

Increase Deductible - Your premium will decrease if you increase your deductible. Move from $ 500 to $ 1000 for example and save money.

Insure Your Home and Cars with Same Company - Most insurance companies want your business for both your home and your cars,boat, and motorcycle. So they will give you their lowest combined premium if you get their home/auto discount by using that company for both policies.

Review Insurance Annually - It is easy to get comfortable with your insurance when the premium doesn’t go up very much or if you do not file a claim for a couple of years. But asking your insurance agent for an annual review and comparing what you are paying for your coverage to other companies is a good way to save money. Most people do not read the fine print that comes in the mail which details coverage changes so people only act when they see the higher bill arrive.

Check With an Insurance Broker - Insurance brokers can check on the best coverage with a number of companies so you can easily compare the differences in coverage and premium to make an informed decision. A broker will educate you on what some of the differences are in the offerings of different companies.

Keep Your Credit Score High - Insurance is tied into your credit score as well as your driving history, and how many homeowners claims you have filed. Keeping a high credit score will help you get the lowest premium on your home and auto insurance.

Protect yourself by getting quality insurance and using a reputable and local contact for your insurance. A good insurance agent or broker will help guide you through the insurance process, which seems to be changing regularly.

How About You?  Do you find these insurance tips helpful as you investigate coverage and pricing for your insurance? Comment below and let me know your thoughts for connect with Amy Shair here.

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Right Place At The Right Time.

March 4, 2013 By

There are many factors that can attribute to business success. Hard work, determination and the right kind of exposure will definitely help but sometimes being at the right place at the right time can also help.

I can’t tell you how many jobs we have gotten because someone spotted our truck or I just happened to walk into a place and overhear someone talking about carpet cleaning.

I stopped by a carpet store, to tell them about our services. While parked in the shopping center lot, where they were, someone tapped on my and asked for my card. That turned into a steady customer that has referred us to others. We also had made a good contact at the carpet store, as well.

While driving home from a job, someone at the traffic light asked me about our services. I handed them a card before the light changed. that person happened to work for a large property management company that has steadily given us work.

While at a doctors office, I overheard someone talking to their friend about needing a carpet cleaner. I handed them a card and guess what? Another job.

The way I found out about Inside919 is another example. A few years ago, I was heading out to try and acquire some commercial accounts and I stopped in at Common Grounds, for a cup of coffee. There were some people gathered on a Tuesday. I was ready to walk out, after I got my coffee but decided to ask what was going on and that’s how I discovered about Inside919. Had I not taken the time to ask, our business wouldn’t be as successful.

Sometimes you just have to get out there and see what shows up. Is it luck? Yes. It’s luck that is created.

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GRATITUDE! (and why it WILL change your life)

March 4, 2013 By

I heard the following quote one day that changed my life:
‘You cannot attract anything more into your life until you become truly grateful for what you already have.‘

Perhaps it was timing and/or perhaps I was just in the right mental state to appreciate that quote then, but those words resonated with me and helped provide significant reflection for my life at that time.

Although I had attained many goals and was quite motivated on future achievements, my focus was not on GRATITUDE. Rather, my focus was always onto the next big goal to accomplish. I was rarely living in the moment because my mind was so fixated onto the future. Something was missing in life and that quote was able to surface my emotions spot on. Can you relate?

While there is nothing wrong with a mindset focused on the future, you have to be living in the present. When I heard that quote, I realized that I was not as fulfilled as I should be in the moment. I had become robotically conditioned to set a goal, accomplish a goal, and then move onto the next challenge before ever truly appreciating the initial achievement.

What good is something if you don’t appreciate it? When you invest your time in something, whether it be your work, a hobby and/or a relationship, you should enjoy its presence and be grateful that it’s in your life to begin with. If you don’t you might lose it. What good is it when it’s gone?

So I decided then to intentionally become more grateful for what was in my life – my family, relationships, health, career, education, etc. Even things that we’re 100% positive or on track, I wanted to appreciate them in the moment like never before.

One way I helped keep focus on gratitude was by keeping a ‘Gratitude Rock’ in my pocket, one in my car, and another in my bathroom. These simple rocks were reminders for me to be grateful for what I had in my life. Every time I touched them, saw them, or even thought about them, I would remind myself of what I could be grateful for in that moment.

Maybe you have heard about a ‘Gratitude Rock’ concept before and thought it was a bit ‘weird’ or ‘New Age-ish.’ Well, I also did the first time I heard about the idea. But guess what … once I gave it a chance, it worked. Best of all, that time ended up being the best year of my life.

My entire attitude shifted and my moments of living in the present (while still having future goals/expectations) were magnified like never before. I attracted more positivity and opportunity in my life as if it was a motivational sun-cloud above my head. I had so many amazing occurrences that I dedicated an entire chapter, Chapter 6, of my first book Think Differently to what happened that year. It was truly amazing and unbelievable … I frequently receive emails from readers who applaud Chapter 6 and it’s intentional example of leadership by GRATITUDE.

Again, that year was PHENOMENAL because of GRATITUDE … my paradigm of so many things shifted and as a result, my successes exploded.

Here’s a simple way of looking at it: People want to be around other grateful people. No one enjoys being around ‘Debbie Downer’ except for ‘Sulky Steve’ and ‘Apathetic Amy.’ Think about it …

So what do you need to change your thinking about right now? What do you need to be grateful for?

By being grateful for what we already have, we create ripple effects of positive change in our life and others.

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USA Yoga Championships

March 4, 2013 By

This weekend, 132 representatives from all over the country are competing in the National Yoga Asana Championship. The finals occur Sunday, March 3rd, 2013. Here is the link for the live stream http://www.usayoga.org/, CHECK IT OUT!

This is the second year that North Carolina sends representatives & this year we sent 4! One of them, Chrisiti Hooten (from http://bikramyogaraleigh.com/) can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXQ4IT6dedw as she exhibited her routine at the North Carolina Yoga Asana Championships on November 4, 2012.

Yoga Asana (Posture) competitions originated in India hundreds of years ago and are still being conducted there today. USA Yoga is now bringing this spirit of healthy competition to the United States, where, according to the most recent study by SGMA (Sporting Association), more than 22 million people practice yoga in the US today.

USA Yoga is a non-profit organization formed for the purpose of developing and promoting Yoga Asana (yoga postures) as a sport. The intention is that the sport of Yoga Asana (Posture) will inspire practitioners to improve their practices and encourage many newcomers to take up the practice of yoga and the sport of Yoga Asana.

These are a few more links to bring you up to date on the National Yoga Yoga Asana Championships:

http://www.usayoga.org/champions

http://www.usayoga.org/results

The information for this article is taken from USAYoga.org. The picture, above, is of Katie Munch; who was last year’s & the FIRST representative from North Carolina to attend the National Yoga Asana Championships.

Experience 30 days of unlimited yoga classes for $ 39 @ http://bikramyogaraleigh.com/ or contact me for private yoga/ Life coaching–olga.dreammaker@gmail.com

Next Time: Hot Yoga: Life Coaching & Bikram Yoga Part 4
How to succeed with life’s unpredictability.

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My Mission: Search Optimize Fuquay-Varina

March 4, 2013 By

I’m on a mission to search engine optimize Fuquay-Varina business websites. I am rolling up my sleeves and getting down to business to ensure that the great businesses at the heart of our small town enjoy big successes online. We are off to a good start already, but there is still much to do.

Since moving to this close knit community in 2008 I’ve been an active member of the Chamber of Commerce – volunteering first on a committee and as a member of the board of directors and chair of the marketing committee since 2009. I’ve freely shared my expertise in dozens of presentations on search engine optimization, blogging for business, internet marketing and social media marketing.  But, that’s just a start!

This week I launched Optimize Fuquay-Varina website and set a high goal. I won’t be satisfied until every business in my town is ranked on page one of Google for their targeted keywords and key phrases. It is that simple and that big!

How I’ll Search Optimize Fuquay-Varina Businesses

Creating and sustaining growth and success is never an easy task to take on alone, that’s why I am psyched to partner with so many smart business owners to make it happen. Here’s how I see it happening:

Step 1 – Provide Expert SEO Insights

I will continue to leverage opportunities though the chamber of commerce to provide free or low cost seminars to business leaders in Fuquay-Varina. Sessions will be typically be 1 hour and scheduled at convenient times. Contact us if you’d like to schedule a free one hour presentation at your office.

In addition, I will be posting articles on our SEO blog from time to time offering search engine best practices and expert opinion free of charge. You don’t even have to call me – just use the knowledge I share to improve your business results.

Step 2 – Offer Free SEO Audits

If you have an under performing website and would like to learn if it could get better results – contact me for a free  SEO audit today. In short order I will investigate what SEO elements are working on your website and which ones could be improved. You’ll get a complete report and a cost estimate for the work. You can decide to work with me or take our audit report and estimate and shop around.

Step 3 – Design Search Optimized Websites for Fuquay-Varina Businesses

Small business tend not to have the largest marketing budgets and money that is spent needs to show a return on the investment. I understand that. I will work with you and your budget to build a cost effective, search engine optimized website. We can start small and grow as your budget permits all the while sharing hard data that demonstrates the value of your website to your business.

Over the last 5 years I have grown very fond of my new home town. The people, the businesses, and yes, the charm of Fuquay-Varina have become a rich part of the fabric of my professional and personal life. It is only fitting that, in return, I devote my best effort to ensure that my neighbors and fellow businesses succeed locally, regionally, and nationally. How could I do any less?

How You Can Help

You can help me meet my goals. If you know a Fuquay-Varina business owner who is frustrated by a lack of performance of their business website – point them toward Optimize Fuquay-Varina for SEO insights and support. I promise, they will be glad you did!

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Hot Yoga: Life Coaching & Bikram Yoga Part 4

March 4, 2013 By

How to succeed with life’s unpredictability.

Life is unpredictable. Many of us live under the impression that, through our calendars, cell phones, tablets and many other time-management tools; we ‘orchestrate’ our lives. This is an illusion!!

Some of my yoga students walk into class saying, “I didn’t sleep well last night, so I’m going to have a bad class.” or “I feel so strong; I’m going to ‘knock it out’ today.” And guess what? The opposite happens. As we say in Bikram Yoga, “There are only two kinds of classes; a good class and a great class. The only bad class is the one that you didn’t attend.” When you walk into your yoga class with no expectations other than to do your best, each moment takes its own course. By focusing on each movement that it takes to perform each yoga pose you are engaged in a mind/body connection that takes on its own creation.

Yoga is about the journey–enjoy the journey and learn to dance in the rain–not the destination, nor the final expression. While I was teaching class; watching my students in their postures…I got a clear message of how important the ‘journey’ is. Yes, the final expression of a posture and reaching a destination has its value; yet, remember to enjoy the process!

For many, unpredictability is scary. In Life Coaching, I encourage my clients to release as many ‘known facts‘ as possible during a coaching session and invite them to play with viewing life from different perspectives. This frees the mind from old patterns and creates a clear space from which new ideas are created. Being prepared NOT to know is a true recognition that there is a power higher than ourselves. If we are prepared to experience what life has to offer, we have to be prepared for unpredictability. Then, not knowing what will happen becomes for us not a deficiency but a source of creativity.

“There is a place in the depth of our being that is protected and saved for ourselves, an inner, sacred space guarded by God’s presence. It is up to each one of us to find that place. Sometimes we only howl into it when we are broken or wounded and empty, but it is in and through that emptiness that we can find our way into the beauty that transforms us into strong, loving, wise and beautiful people.” (“Gardening the Soul”)

Experience 30 days of unlimited yoga classes for $ 39 @http://bikramyogaraleigh.com/ or contact me for private yoga/ Life coaching–olga.dreammaker@gmail.com

Next Time: Love it, Hate it!

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