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A matter of great debate in the car and driver world is one that has no real promise of beings resolved: whether it is better to drive manual or stick shift or whether an automatic transmission is better. As I see it, it’s a simple case of having to weigh the pros and the cons.

Automatic transmissions clearly have the advantage of being convenient. You simply turn on the car, put it into gear, and you’re off – you never once have to worry about shifting a stick, stepping on a clutch pedal, stalling, or any of that. That’s a huge convenience, especially given how hectic the roads can get these days. But with an automatic transmission you lose a few features.

First, you lose the ability to downshift as you can in stick shift, which can give you the speed you need to pass someone or else slow you down quickly without having to apply the brake. Second, because you can’t downshift and because the high gears of automatic transmissions tend be a little tighter than the high gears of manual transmissions, gas is burned faster in two ways. Because slowing down in a car with an automatic transmission requires the brakes, re-accelerating without momentum will burn more gas; and because the high gears tend to be tighter in an automatic, the engine will work harder at higher speeds to maintain speed.

Manual definitely has the disadvantage of being annoying to drive. The co-ordination of a clutch pedal and a stick to shift is more than a hassle and is actually probably a little bit less safe since the shift requires a hand that could otherwise be used controlling the wheel.

But what manual lacks in convenience it makes up for in control. Being able to downshift enables the driver to accelerate and slow more quickly than an automatic transmission will allow, and more predictably since the driver is controlling the action; being able to shift into looser high gears also makes it easier to conserve gas on the highway without overworking the engine.

But why choose if you don’t have to? Semiautomatic transmissions offer the best of both worlds; automatic shifting with the ability to downshift and shift up as necessary.

Plasma cutters and tig welders operate on opposite ends of the spectrum, one being used to cut metal while the other produces a high quality weld that will bind metal together under the strongest conditions. Yet they are both tools that make some of the strongest metals adaptable to the talents of the welder. But they are not for beginners. Tig welding creates stronger high quality welds, offering the welder greater control over other welds like gas metal arc welding and shielded metal arc welding, but it’s also a process the requires more technical skill.

Tig welding is considered to be the most difficult in the industry. The welder must employ a short arc length, and it requires great skill and experience to prevent contact between the electrode and the work piece. But if used correctly, the process can result in a high quality weld. Because the weld material is not transferred directly over the electric arc, a great deal of welding material is available to the welder, which can be used to create multiple high quality welds for maximum strength. It allows the welder to segue materials in a variety of configurations, more in fact than any other weld.

When manipulating metals, a plasma cutter is just as important. Construction involves not only building, but removing and taking away in order to adapt the metal to fit the needs of the structure. Using a high grade plasma torch, a plasma cutter can cut through the strongest metals like they were liquid. A plasma cutter sends gases through a small channel with a negatively charged electrode. As power is applied to the negative electrode, a powerful spark surges between the electrode and the metal, heating the gas into plasma. At extremely high temperatures, the plasma reduces the metal to vapor and molten slag. It cuts metal like butter, making the strongest materials adaptable and changeable.

Plasma cutters and tig welder are ideal in an industrial setting and should be used only by qualified and experienced welders. While tig welding offers greater control, there are considerable safety risks to heed, as the process produces intense ultraviolet radiation that can lead to skin cancer. It also requires high skill to control and create a suitable weld. The strength and quality of the weld, however, can’t be matched by any other process, as welding material can be applied to the weld in a variety of configurations.

With the financial markets in complete turmoil – the S&P and Dow both closed below their 1997 lows today – many investors are asking where they can safely put their money, or even grow it, after they have been burned by so-called safe investments and strategies. Buy-and-hold investors have watched their wealth disintegrate as they’ve held the so-called ‘blue chip’ stocks like General Electric, Pfizer, AT&T, Philip Morris, and Citigroup all fall to fractions of their 52 week highs; and more conservative bond investors have found their portfolios crushed by bid/ask spreads that are wider than ever or else declining mutual fund NAV values, as once AAA-rated companies and securities find themselves tiptoeing toward junk credit status and a price to match. Now more than ever, investors want simplicity, transparency, and stability, which makes it a great time to be selling annuity products to the millions of Americans who really want to buy annuity products.

What is an annuity? An annuity, in a word, is a series of payments made from one party to another for some period of time, usually as a fraction of some principle amount. In the case of annuity products, a saver will give the salesperson a certain amount of principle in return for a steady stream of income that usually will last until death or at very least until the principle has been repaid (in inflated, future dollars.) Since many fear outliving their money, guaranteed income until death is an attractive insurance policy, and is a risk that the sellers of annuities are willing to take, as the amount of the annuity takes the ‘risk’ of someone living to be 120 into account. Within the annuity universe, there are different types – fixed and variable, leveraged and unleveraged – each of which are tailored to meet a different kind of saver’s needs.

You could be making a lot of money by selling annuity products to anyone planning for retirement. Since the cost of providing the annuity payments is viewed as more or less fixed according to actuarial tables, the commissions associated with the sale of an annuity product are on par with any other insurance policy commissions, with the caveat being that principle amounts regularly exceed $500k, translating into whopping commissions for you and a great deal of comfort and security for whoever it is that chooses to buy annuity products from you.

Selling annuities is a great for you to make good money while providing much-needed peace of mind to savers who have watched their fortunes collapse.

My teeth had always been a source of embarrassment for me. They were dull and discolored and had been in poor condition since my early twenties. I had never even visited a dentist’s office until I was nearly thirty, and by then I needed some major dental work. But no matter what procedure the dentist performed, there was nothing that could turn back the clock and improve the condition of my teeth. By the time I turned fifty, I had many people suggest to me that I should just get dentures. But the thought of having every last remaining tooth yanked out of my mouth sounded entirely too painful. There had to be another option.

Then I heard about porcelain veneers. I knew that many celebrities had undergone some type of procedure that dramatically changed the appearance of their teeth. I saw on magazine covers before and after photos of several well know actors and actresses illustrating the amazing transformation. Some of them had teeth lengthened and gaps closed. Others had their entire smile made over. I knew that I would love to be the recipient of a similar type of dental makeover buy unfortunately I did not have the same income as a celebrity.

Dental work was expensive and painful. I did not want to spend the rest of my life undergoing extensive dental work. It seemed as if I were going to the dentist every couple of months to have a cavity drilled and my teeth bleached. I began to see advertisements in local magazines for cosmetic dental offices. Once I found out that porcelain veneers were affordable and that there were cosmetic dentists in my area that were able to provide these services, I knew exactly what I needed to do.

I made an appointment for a consultation and was happy to find out that I would make an excellent candidate for porcelain veneers. The cosmetic dentist took an x-ray of my teeth and showed me exactly what he intended on doing to fix my dental problems.

A month later and I had beautiful new dental veneers on all of my front teeth. The process was quick and absolutely painless. Even though I was nearly sixty years old this simple cosmetic procedure increased my self-confidence and made me feel good about myself. I could not stop smiling. Everyone in my family noticed the difference in both my smile and in my entire personality.

Hosted PBX networks have been a weapon in the cost-cutting IT department’s arsenal for years. It provides all of the benefits of private branch exchange but drastically reduces the cost of administering a PBX network in-house because none of the expensive network hardware needs to be on-site or owned by just one company. Yet for some reason or another, many companies still opt to host their own networks in-house, and, in so doing, overpay tremendously for a service is simple as basic voice telecommunication.

Here in Los Angeles, hosted pbx networks make even more sense for a savvy miser than they do elsewhere. Because of high commercial density, hosting companies are able to provide hosting at a fraction of the cost of ownership and administration, since there are so many clients who share the expense of the host’s network hardware. Outsourcing of the phone network administration is smart also because it virtually eliminates a role – administering phone systems – that is a real distraction to people like you, who are trying to focus on their business’s core competencies.

Teaming up with a local ISP to implement your network is a good idea as well because substantial savings can be realized not only from the implementation of the pbx, but also by its integration with VOIP or voice over IP phone service. Only a few of the locally-based Los Angeles hosted PBX network providers are also ISPs, so shop carefully. Integrating your phone system into a custom-tailored internet solution – hosting, colocation, wimax, wireless, etc – will save you money and save your accounts payable department a lot of time, as they will have one bill to pay instead of the dozens that come with administering networks in-house: bills from Cisco, Oracle, Level 3, Nortel, Lucent, and more…

Simplifying your life and your business’s phone service at the same time has never been easier. Count on local businesses to help show you “the light”: you don’t need your own PBX network just like you don’t need to host your own services; let the professionals take care of it, pay a fraction of their costs; and have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that everything is being looked after by someone else BUT you – so you can focus on the things that matter, like growing your business during this tough economic climate.

Chicago has the nightlife, the art museums, a music scene that gave birth to the blues, not to mention Chicago-style pizza and some of the best restaurants in the world. Why wouldn’t you want to live in Chicago?

But like many great cities in America, rental housing in Chicago is unstable. It’s difficult to find an open lease, and when one lease runs out, the landlord can easily rent it to someone else, leaving you to scramble for housing at the last minute. But while it’s not a good market for renters, Chicago real estate is a buyer’s market for people looking to own their own home. With Chicago condominiums, you get the best of all possible worlds. You get the stability of owning your own home, the communal use of pools, gyms and tennis courts, and you enjoy the nightlife of one of the most exciting cities in the world.

The recent burst of the housing bubble make for an ideal time to invest in Chicago condominiums. There are plenty of deals to be had, and you can pay a fraction of the price for a home as what you’d have paid a year ago. That makes a condominium an ideal investment. When you buy it this cheap, your condominium will only accrue in value as the housing market heals itself. Buy yourself a small nest egg and let it incubate in value. It’s the perfect way to build equity and invest wisely in your own future.

The deals to be had these days on condos also make it an ideal time to invest in a vacation home. Why not own real estate in a city that boasts more arts, music and culture than almost anyplace else in the world? When you need a break from the rush and hustle of the professional world, why not treat yourself and someone special to an impromptu romantic evening eating the finest in Chicago cuisine, enjoying the Chicago nightlife, absorbing the rich culture of Chicago art? Owning your own condo is the perfect way to get away from it all in a city that is known for getting away with everything.

Own a piece of Chicago with your own condo. The market is ideal, and you’ll be surprised at what you can afford. It’s the perfect investment, a better way to enjoy your equity than letting it collect dust in a bank.

There are so many schools of massage available that it is difficult to find the one that will provide you with the tools and knowledge to be successful in the massage therapy field. Many schools can claim to provide you with everything that you need to start a career in massage therapy, but how valid are their claims? Every school is not created equally. Make sure that you find the right program that will fit into your schedule and provide you with the proper information to pass the necessary licensing exams.

When comparing several schools of massage here are some helpful tips that will help you to recognize which program has the most to offer:

First of all, select a program that has a wide variety of options that will fit into your schedule. A school that only offers classes during the day might be impossible for someone who still has to work a regular nine to five job. Make sure that the program that you choose is one that you will be able to attend on a regular basis.

Secondly, find a school that does not neglect to teach you the importance of learning about the anatomy and physiology of the body. Knowledge of these two subjects is crucial to your understanding of the human body. You will not be able to understand a person’s medical history and what type of injury that they may have if you have not mastered the body’s anatomy and physiology.

Thirdly, make sure when combing through schools of massage that you find a school that devotes an adequate amount of time to practical hands on training. The only way that you can master the skill is by lots of practice. Find a program that has an equal amount of time spent learning about the scientific elements of massage therapy, then the professional and ethical side of massage therapy, and finally the clinical hands-on element.

Finally, remember that you will be required to take a standardized National Certification Exam and a state licensing exam before you can legally perform massages under the title of massage therapist. Finding a massage school that can guarantee you that they will supply you with all of the information that you need to know in order to pass these exams is imperative. But, if you have followed all of the steps above you will be prepared to take and to successfully pass all licensing and certification exams.

Wearing an Air Force medal is more than a matter of personal pride. It’s the pride of being part of something greater, of carrying the honor of service to those who gave their lives. More than self-recognition, medals serve as tributes to those cadets who are no longer with us to wear them proudly themselves

When you wear your Air Force service uniform, it should glow with pride and dignity. In uniform, you become a symbol of the glory of America’s armed services. You should stand out in the crowd, whether you’re in church, visiting an elementary school, or marching in a community parade. You wear it for more than just pride in yourself. You wear it out of honor for those who made the greatest sacrifice possible for this country, those who lay down their lives to preserve our most precious freedoms.

Which is why when you publicly wear a uniform, you should always strive to look your best. An Air Force medal not only adds color, dimension and dignity to a uniform, it serves as a reminder that freedom is never gotten for free. It must be taken, bought with the price of those who have fallen so that we may be free. The more decorated a uniform, the more that tribute is recognized. An impressive collection of medals stands out in a parade, reminding us all of the meaning of complete sacrifice.

Ideally, medals should always be kept polished. Pride is in the details. It shows a drive to succeed, a reflection of extra effort to go the extra mile to get the job done. The reflection of polished medals bestows honor to a uniform, reminds us all of the responsibility bestowed on those pledge to protect our freedoms. It also suggests that you strive for perfection right to the last detail. Let your medals shine admirably by keeping them freshly polished and cared for.

Wear your Air Force medals with pride. You represent something greater; in fact, you symbolize the sacrifices of those who gave their lives before you. When you step out into the community in your Air Force uniform, let your medals reflect honorably as tributes to those who gave the greatest sacrifice- giving their lives so that others may be free.

The recent resurgence of the Chicago outdoor advertising business has many a search engine and radio ad sales rep scratching their head. Indeed, classic media for advertisement are now en vogue once again as consumers limit their purchases to the essentials and as local businesses are now cutting prices to compete with large national companies and internet businesses as broadcast media and internet advertising is finding it difficult to make inroads for businesses who can’t differentiate themselves in a five-word advertisement.

Outdoor advertising serves the Chicago business especially well because as a thriving metropolis, there are so many different types of traffic that can be attracted to certain businesses – regulars, passersby, and once-in-a-while customers – all of which require slightly nuanced approaches to be reached, but all of which can be reached efficiently by inexpensive, indelible, and brand-building billboards that boldly look onto the streets and sidewalks of Chicago.

With people spending less and less (purchasing fewer things) fewer and fewer of them are spending inordinate amounts of time shopping around online. More and more, people are “shopping around” their local businesses in the streets, comparing prices at local businesses that they would have never bothered to contemplate just six months ago.

This isn’t all bad news for premium product or quality-oriented product or service businesses. The key for Chicago businesses looking to make a splash is to continue advertising and to shift from online to street advertising. Only by differentiating your business from local competitors can you be sure that your brand is getting a fair shake from customers thinking about buying whatever product or service it is that you sell. Forget the old “new” online advertising format and focus your attention on attracting customers to want what you are selling or to buy from you because you are closer, better, or cheaper.

Any artist knows that the best way to be sure a job is done right is to do it yourself.

Your art is your beauty, your craft honed to perfection. It needs nothing less than a perfect frame, customized to suit its unique size considerations. Your art should be embraced in a frame of professional elegance, a perfect specimen of taste and class.

The trouble is that most professional frame jobs are exceedingly expensive and way out of budget of an artist struggling to make do with limited resources. The truth is that framing your art yourself is easier than you think, and it can be done with a care and craftsmanship that suggests a level of professional sophistication. You can save money and still have your art look professional. The resources are inexpensive, as you can easily find a mat cutter and custom picture frames on the Internet at reasonable rates, often for much less money than you’d find in an art supply store.

Many of the mat cutters available on the Internet are designed for professional artists, crafters, photographers, and framers. With a parallel mat guide, as well as straight and bevel cutting heads, you can cut the mat exactly to your unique specifications. Professional art comes in all shapes and sizes, so it’s good to be able to create a look that’s unique to your art. The key is finding professional tools that go beyond the basics. Finding a professional mat cutter and custom picture frames with variety is easy with the Internet’s wide selection, often at considerably reduced prices too.

Not only can you find a wide selection of frames to meet your artistic needs, you can also find frame sealing tape and mounting equipment to better display the art. Arrange your art in a gallery without noticeable wires or unsightly glue that will stick to the display wall. Mount art in your own home or the homes of your friends with materials that won’t mar or damage the surface of the wall in any way.

Getting into framing is easy with the wide variety of framing supplies on the Internet. The wide selection makes it possible to frame every shape of artwork, and the openness of the on-line market makes it easy to find the materials on a limited budget. Frame your own art with a professional touch with rock bottom prices found on the Internet. Your art will look professional, and your limited budget can be saved for even more art supplies.