The ABC's of Himalayan Cat Care

A is for annual check-ups. Himalayan cat care must include an annual visit to the veterinarian. This can be for a routine check-up, annual vaccinations, and a time to discuss any concerns or issues you may have. If your Himalayan is still a kitten, make sure that you discuss spaying or neutering (if you are going to be having this done) at your initial appointment to ensure that all the shots are up to date before the surgery is scheduled and when the vet recommends the surgery takes place. This is not to say that you should be waiting for your annual appointment if you do have any health concerns regarding your cat, in that case make the call and talk to your vet about when you should bring in your cat.

B is for brushing, and a lot of it. For your Himalayan cat care regimen to be complete, your cat will have to be groomed on a daily basis. This includes a good brushing to keep this long-haired breed's fur from tangling. You should also schedule a bath at least once per week, if you start bathing your cat when it is a kitten it should get used to this ritual in time (but may never like it).

C is for culinary needs. A brief Himalayan cat care tutorial would not be complete without mentioning dietary requirements. You should not be feeding your cat scraps from the table, people food is meant for people - instead invests in a premium brand dry food (as recommended by your breeder). In addition, pay attention to the different stages that are available for the brand of food you choose and progress as your kitten grows into an adult cat.

The One Predictable Thing About Technology

... Is that it's unpredictable.

Making predictions about anything is a tricky business. It's often fraught with problems and compounded by two factors: too many variables and too many people.

Making predictions in the world of technology is about as rough as it gets. You see a trend, a fad, or a new craze, jump on it, extrapolate, and then go and get it all totally wrong.

As an example, at the turn of the 20th century, it was predicted that passenger air balloon travel - pioneered by the likes of Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin - would be commoditized and become the pre-eminent means of mass transit. In fact, it would be so popular, by the 1980s, people would have their own personal air balloon as their primary method of conveyance.

Obviously, this gaze into the future didn't take into account the airplane, which put an end to that pearl of foresight.

The main problem with looking forward is that people do it in such painfully straight lines, as the previous example demonstrates. The telephone is another useful example; who could have predicted mobile phones at the time Alexander Graham Bell was fussing around with the technological equivalent of paper cups and wet string?

No one could have. Furthermore, how could anyone have predicted that these mobile telephones would one day have cameras built in? Or that you could send written messages on them? You only have to go back 10 years, and such ideas would be derided as foolish drivel.

The future is a curly thing, and in the wonderful world of information technology, the driving force behind much of the confusion is convergence.

Now there's a buzzword if I ever heard one. And this becomes the next big problem with predicting future trends in technology: let's get two really cool gizmos and merge them; people will love it!

Err, no! What drives desire is anyone's guess. What drives need is utility: two very different parts of the brain are being exercised, here, one more than the other!

If something doesn't fulfill a practical purpose, then it's neither use nor ornament.

This future-predicting thing is even harder these days, but in a way, even the most outlandish theory could have its day. Things are changing so quickly that new technologies are emerging literally overnight. And given that people's needs are also changing, evolving, and emerging, who knows?

Going back even further, desire, need - call it what you will - has a common source. The very engine of change is people, society, lifestyle, and a requirement to manage, re-route and/or if need be, delegate all of this data and information.

The Apple Newton was way ahead of its time. A bunch of clever guys 'n' gals sat in a room and made a remarkable prediction about how people would "consume" data and information, and they were right on the money - the only problem being that they were over 10 years early!

Now, people are on the move. People work on the move, hold down long-distance relationships, work with colleagues across time zones, and manage bank accounts in a cafe while drinking a cup of chai.

The only certainty is the same one that has been pontificated upon since time immemorial: things change. Things often come together in intriguing, mysterious, and eminently useful ways.

So here's my prediction: things will never be small enough, big enough, fast enough, cool enough, or cheap enough! Am I wrong?

Do I Have Genital Herpes?

So you've got some 'funny business' going on downstairs. It might be some bumps, a rash, a burning sensation when urinating or some sort of discharge, or it could be something different entirely. Whatever the reason, you're asking yourself that scary question: "Do I have Genital Herpes?"

The first thing is to clear up some of the myths surrounding Genital Herpes. It's a very common condition, with around 1 in 5 people carrying the virus. Most people will have no symptoms at all, or very light symptoms. It does not make you dirty, it does not mean you can never have sex again, and it is definitely nothing to be ashamed of. It's a virus like any other, and while you can never get rid of it completely, you can control the symptoms, stop the outbreaks and reduce the risk of transmission quite easily through treatment, diet and lifestyle.

First signs many experience are things like a tingling or burning sensation when urinating, discharge from the penis or vagina, or a red rash or tenderness in the genital area. If you are experiencing any of these, you should get checked out by a doctor, regardless if you think it might be herpes.

You may also experience symptoms similar to a cold or flu. These can include fever, headache, aching muscles or tiredness. Another common indicator is a swelling or tenderness of the glands in the groin (the lymph nodes) which you may notice due to pressure from your clothes or underwear, or when moving from a sitting to standing position, or vise versa.

The above are really good reasons to get to the doctor ASAP, because they can also be symptoms of a variety of other STDs. However, if you are asking "Do I have Genital Herpes", you are most likely experiencing the classic symptoms. These symptoms are the appearance of painful blisters on or around the genital area. These blisters can be large or small, can be numerous or low in number, and are often painful and uncomfortable.

The conclusion is if you have to ask "Do I have Genital Herpes", then it's most likely you've got a reason to be checked out by a doctor, regardless of whether it turns out to be herpes or not! Sexual health is nothing to be trifled with, and there's no reason to be scared or embarrassed, doctors also know that Genital Herpes is an overblown and exaggerated disease, and will not make you feel persecuted, distressed or promiscuous. Please get examined without delay, and you'll find that with proper treatment you'll be able to get on with your life and genital herpes will go from 'That Big Scary STD' to a minimal annoyance at worst, or no problem at all at the best.

Get Coached!

Coaching is a hot trend at a growing number of companies, from IBM and Dow Chemical to entrepreneurial start ups. According to a recent survey by The Hay Group, an international human resources consultancy, between 25 percent and 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies use executive coaches. A coach is defined as being "part advisory, part sounding board, part cheerleader, part manager and part strategist (Business Journal)."

Coaching can occur in one-on-one face-to-face meetings between the coach and the business person, over the telephone, in small groups, and even in group conference calls. Recently, a client of mine, who owns an acoustical tile cleaning franchise, was so pleased with the results of our coaching sessions, that she organized group telephone coaching sessions for her and other franchise owners. The benefits are enormous. Not only do the franchise owners save time and money conferring in a group telephone session, they all receive the same information at the same time, there are networking and sharing opportunities, and a spirit of teamwork has evolved.

Coaching does not only occur in the one hour session each week. I give my clients reading assignments and "homework" to do in between sessions. One exercise that I use frequently with clients is to have them look at their entire business and pick two things that would impact their business the most. Then, we determine one or two things in each area that would give them the biggest bang for their buck. After doing this exercise, one client picked getting back in touch with old clients and telling them all of the services her company offers. In one week, she had three new proposals to bid on.

John Russell, Managing Director, Harley-Davidson Europe Ltd, says, "I never cease to be amazed at the power of the coaching process to draw out the skills or talent that was previously hidden within an individual, and which invariably finds a way to solve a problem previously thought unsolvable."

Coaching has not only helped my clients - it has also given me great satisfaction. I enjoy taking my experience working for organizations and owning my own business and helping others grow their businesses. You can almost hear people breathing a sigh of relief. It can absolutely make the difference between where a business person is now and where he/she truly wants to be.

Finding Peace of Mind

Meditation is an incredible tool capable of bringing peace of mind and creating solace in our hearts during challenging times. It has been used since ancient times to facilitate human connection to a source that we have felt to be unreachable.

There are many forms of meditation. I feel that meditation happens when we sit silently in a garden in the presence of nature or when we are perfectly still in the silence of prayer. Meditation gives us the opportunity to understand ourselves better as it is within us that we find what we are seeking to make our lives happy.

Oddly enough, men and women meditate in different ways. Women may sit in a bath with candles, essential oils and soothing music to create a calm environment within themselves. Men, on the other hand, literally “get away from it all” and go fishing. When they journey out into the water and sit in their boats, waiting for the fish to bite, the time spent on the water is a form of calming the mind and soothing the spirit.

I feel that any repetitive activity that creates calm within is a form of meditation.

From this calm of meditation comes control of the mind and ease in visualizing our goals. Being calm in our mind gives us the power of intense focus. This intense focus give us so much opportunity to figure it all out. In addition, visualization during meditation is an incredible way to use our imagination to affect healing in our bodies. Many have used meditation to travel into past lives, balance their chakras and connect with inner guidance.

The easiest way to meditate is to sit comfortably in a quiet place. Use music if it works for you. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Make it a game. Feel your breath enter through your mouth and leave your nostrils. Keep focusing and allow your body to relax. Soon you will feel weightlessness. I encourage you to set your intention before you enter into meditation. Is it mental quiet that you seek? or connection to your heart? or maybe it is to fall through time and visit a past life?

A complaint I have heard, time and again, is that most people find it a challenge to keep the mind still. Thoughts seem to fill their heads faster than they are able to remove them. My solution is to allow your thoughts to flow. Watch your thoughts flow through your mind and then watch them disappear in the distance. If you do not fight the thoughts flowing through your mind, you will achieve stillness much faster.

Remember, your ability to meditate will become easier with time. It takes some work at the beginning so don’t feel discouraged right away. Simply begin with a basic grounding meditation and soon enough you will find yourself on the path to inner peace.

To listen to a free snippet of such a meditation, [http://www.soniahaynes.com/page/page/2433134.htm]

A Brief Look at the History of the Ferret

Knowing where we come from is part of understanding who we are. Ferret care begins with an understanding of the history and background of our ferret friend.

Ferrets are part of the Mustelidae family (Mustela putorius furo) and appear to be a domesticated breed of the European polecat. Their name is derived from the Latin term for thief which fits them well as they love to steal and hoard. They are related to the weasel, mink, otter, badger and skunk. One characteristic that separates them from their relatives is the ability to be tamed for life and feel quite comfortable around humans.

Some people confuse the domesticated ferret with its distant cousin the black-footed ferret (Musela nigrapes), a member of the endangered species list. Where the domesticated ferret finds its roots in Europe, the black-footed ferret is native to North America.

Ferrets have been a part of human history for millennia. Their natural ability to hunt rabbits and rodents has been put to good use over the years. From historical references in ancient Rome to the Crusades, the ferret's skill in rodent control is a part of the fabric of Western civilization. As a hunting animal the ferret was used to hunt rabbits for sport or for population control. There are a number of historical references where ferrets were used to control rodents onboard ships as early as the 1700s. In fact, this is likely the means by which they were first brought to America.

Their particular skill in dispelling rodents, rabbits and other pests from their holes made them of particular value to the New World early settlers. Just a whiff of the ferret's scent was enough to cause rats, mice, rabbits and gophers to flee. Their humans counterparts would be ready to destroy the vermin as they fled.

Although valued at one time for their fur. This practice was encouraged in the early 20th century but never really caught on and was made illegal in most states.

Ferrets were the primary means of catching rodents in private residences and on farms until replaced by cats in the late 18th century.

With the ferret's skill in traveling through tunnels, this talent has been put to good use by modern industry. Fitted with a special harness, and carrying a nylon pull string line behind, ferrets crawl through pipes and manmade tunnels long distances. At the other end of his journey the pull string is attached to electrical or electronic cables and pulled back through the pipe. Whether it be on an oil rig in the North Sea or in the underbelly of a jumbo jet, ferrets perform the tricks of their trade for appreciative masters.

As a companion animal, ferrets are a joy to care for and a constant source of energy and playfulness. It is no wonder that the popularity of ferrets has grown in recent years. Some estimates are that ferrets are the number three most popular un-caged pet in the United States and Canada behind the cat and dog. There are a growing number of resources available for the ferret owner: magazines, clubs, forums and newsletters. Movements are increasing to legalize ferrets in every state. Ferret fever is ever-expanding.

We approach our new furry friend with greater respect and admiration as we know his roots.

Apache, MySQL & PHP for Windows

Apache, MysQL and PHP for Windows could be a nice nice thing to have on your Windows workstation. You could try and experiment with all kinds of nice PHP and MySQL based applications right on your Windows desktop running Apache, instead of having to access a full-featured server.

Most people have Windows as their workstation and it can be sometimes difficult to switch to another operating system. So, you may have always wanted to run PHP applications on your Windows machine but wondered if it is too difficult to install or if the hassle will be worth it.

This article gives you the essential information to get started right away. Even if you are a seasoned PHP, MySQL and Apache guru, the checklist below will still be helpful in your installation process.

There are lots of 3rd party software that bundles Apache, MySQL & PHP in one package and installs them on our computer. We do not recommend this and suggest that you directly get Apache, MySQL & PHP from their official sites.

Apache

1. Get Apache 1.3.33 from here: http://httpd.apache.org/download.cgi.

2. Choose a mirror close to you and in the same page, look for the Win32 Binary (Self extracting) file: apache_1.3.33-win32-x86-no_src.exe.

3. Download the file and save it on your hard disk. Run the installer and the self- extracting wizard will guide you through the rest of the steps. Choose all the default settings and run Apache as a service.

4. Remember to put "localhost" when asked for a Server name/Domain name. Use "administrator@localhost" when asked for the administrative email account.

5. Now point your browser to: [http://localhost] and you should see an Apache Test Page.

6. You can change this page by creating an "index.html" page here "C:Program FilesApache GroupApachehtdocs".

7. You can manually start and stop the Apache server. In a Windows command prompt, type "net stop apache" or "net start apache".

MySQL

1. Get MySQL 4.1.7 from here: http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/mysql/4.1.html

2. Under the Windows downloads section, choose Windows Essentials (x86) and click on the Pick a Mirror link.

3. Download the file mysql-4.1.7-essential-win.msi and save it on your hard disk. Run the installer and the self-extracting wizard will guide you through the rest of the steps. Remember the root password when prompted for it in the installation process.

4. Once the installation is done, on your Windows toolbar, go to "Start->Programs- >MySQL->MySQL Server 4.1->MySQL Command Line Client".

5. Type the root password and you should be logged in to the MySQL shell.

6. Type "show databases;" to see the list of databases. Type "quit" when you are done.

PHP

1. Get PHP 4.3.10 from here: http://www.php.net/downloads.php

2. Under the Windows Binaries section, choose the file: PHP 4.3.10 zip package size 7,405Kb dated 15 Dec 2004.

3. Download the file and save it on your hard disk. Unzip the file and rename the extracted folder to "php". Now move this folder "php" and place it under "C: Program Files".

4. Move all the files under "C:Program Filesphpdlls" and "C:Program Filesphpsapi" to here: "C:Program Filesphp".

5. Copy the file php.ini-recommended to "C:WINDOWS" and rename it to php.ini

6. Edit your Apache "httpd.conf" configuration file located here: "C:Program FilesApache GroupApacheconf".

7. Add the following lines in httpd.conf:

LoadModule php4_module "C:/Program Files/php/php4apache.dll"

AddModule mod_php4.c

AddType application/x-httpd-php .php

8. Now stop your server by issuing the following command in Windows command prompt: "net stop apache". Then type "net start apache" to start your server. We are now going to test the PHP installation.

9. Go to "C:Program FilesApache GroupApachehtdocs" and create a file test.php

10. Edit test.php and add the following code:

php phpinfo(); ?>

11. Point your browser to [http://localhost/test.php] and you should see a lot of PHP configuration information.

Congratulations! You now have Apache, MySQL and PHP installed in your computer. Now you can install your favorite script right on your Windows workstation.

A Tale of Chocobos

Many thousands of years ago, Chocobos lived in a secret forest. Chocobos were a kind of bird that ran faster than cars and so people used them as vesicles at that time. Chocobos had yellow skin and just looked like little chicken, but they were huge! Anyways, there was a small Chocobo just born. His father was the elder of the Chocobo Village. His name is Bittle. He was a naughty kid and he liked to trick on other Chocobos in the village. So, the Chocobos in the village gave him a nickname, the Bad Boy!

One day, the Chocobos had a meeting and the elder said, "I think it's time for Bittle to go out to see the world and learn to be a good Chocobo." Everyone agreed and they kicked Bittle out of the village the next morning. Bittle did not know where to go, so he went into a forest to find food. He found some apples that lied on the ground and he walked toward to get it. Suddenly, a two-headed wolf ran out and was going to attack Bittle! Bittle quickly picked up the apples using his mouth and threw them toward the wolf, but it did not stop the wolf! Then they both shouted at the same time! When Bittle opened his eyes, he just saw sword cut the wolf's two heads off! He was happy to see that someone killed the wolf but he was also afraid that if the person will kill him, too. Then he heard someone walked toward him and so he turned around. He saw a human who had blonde hair, clothes, eyes, mouth, nose and thins that a human being should have.

"Finally here's a Chocobo for me to ride!" said the man. Oh yea! Chocobos could understand what human said but human could not understand the Chocobo Language. The man cut a piece of the wolf's leg off gave to Bittle to eat. Bittle ate it happily since he got kicked out of the village and had nothing for breakfast. Well, when people said something to Chocobos, Chocobos usually just nod or shake their head for yes or no. "Hey buddy, do you run fast?" the man asked. Since the guy saved Bittle and so Bittle nodded his head. "All right, my name is Jacobs and I need to go to the Mandy Castle to fight in a tournament to become the greatest knight in the world! Would you ride me to there?"

Bittle nodded again. Then they began their journey.

They arrived the Mandy Castle after about 3 days. They were both very tired. Jacobs said, "The tournament starts 8 days away from today, so let's go get some rest first."

Jacobs brought Bittle to an "Animal Hotel". It did not mean that only animals could stay there and have rest. It meant that this hotel allowed human to bring their pets into the hotel to rest. Since Bittle had met Jacobs for few days and Jacobs gave him food everyday. Bittle did not afraid of Jacobs anymore. Also, Bittle wanted to become a human and could be Jacobs' friend, not just a vesicle.

The next morning, Jacobs tried to wake Bittle up but Bittle never got up. Jacobs then touched Bittle's head and he finally knew that Bittle was sick. He brought Bittle to a hospital but he did not have enough money to pay to the doctor. "I bag you, please cure him!" Jacobs bagged to the doctor. "I'm sorry, I do not work for nothing." Replied the doctor. "Oh right, here's all the things I have." Jacobs said and took out some of his valuable things like necklace and some beautiful rocks. The doctor did not like any of those things but he asked, "How about your sword?"

"No I can't give you my sword, I have to battle in the tournament tomorrow! I cannot go there without a sword!" Jacobs replied. They argued for a long time and Bittle really looked like that he felt very sick. Lastly, Jacobs said, "Fine! I will give you my sword! But promise me that you will cure him!" The doctor replied, "Yes, I will do my best to cure him if you pay me." Jacobs did not have a sword to go to the tournament and so he just went back to the hotel and tried to think of a way to get a new sword. He went to many places to gather the materials for making a sword and he finally made a fine sword before the day of the tournament.

The day finally came. Jacobs brought his new made sword to the tournament. There were 32 great fighters in the tournament. Jacobs won three matches and now he was ready to battle in the semi-final match! He was facing a giant who was 9 feet tall with about 800 pounds! Jacobs had a hard time facing that giant. He won at the end but his sword was broken! Another side of the semi-final's winner was Prince Ryan. Since Jacobs' sword was broken, so the announcer was going to name Prince Ryan as the winner of the tournament. Suddenly, a Chocobo ran onto the stage and holding a sword using his mouth! Jacobs realized that the Chocobo was Bittle! Bittle threw the sword to Jacobs and Jacobs said, "Thanks! Buddy!"

The announcer said, "Oh right! Ladies and gentlemen, we will have our final match for the Greatest Knight right now!"

Prince Ryan and Jacobs stood on the stage and face to face! They took out their sword and battled on the stage with thousands of people surround them! After 10 minutes, the Prince was very tired but Jacobs did not even sweat. Jacobs rushed toward and was going to take the Prince down! Suddenly, he saw a soldier was going to hit Bittle using a mallet, but he could not give up his dream and so he still rushed toward the Prince and took him down. "Ladies and gentlemen, our true Great Knight! The winner of the tournament is, Jacobs Lampson!" Said the announcer. While the people were celebrating, Jacobs ran down to outside of the stage but he did not see the soldier. He only saw Bittle laid on the ground with a lot of blood on his head and eyes closed. Jacobs cried out very loudly, "I am sorry! I should try to help you when I saw the soldier was going to hit you! I am so sorry! Please wake up!"

All the people stopped celebrating, they all looked at Jacobs and Bittle. Then a lot of people started to cry, too. Now, an old man walked toward Jacobs and said, "Young man, you picked your choice of being the greatest knight. Now, let me ask you a question, do you want a friend or to be the greatest knight?"

"I want a friend." Jacobs replied. "Young man, if I use my magic and take you back to the 30 minutes ago, will you go save your friend?" the old man asked. "Yes!" Jacobs answered. After he said "YES", when he opened his eyes, he was on the stage in front of the Prince again and the Prince looked very tired. Jacobs did not care about the Prince this time, he looked outside of the stage and saw that Bittle was there and the soldier who hit Bittle was behind Bittle. Now, he jumped down outside the stage and used his sword and pointed on the soldier's throat. Jacobs said, "You! Don't even try to touch his hair! He is my friend!"

The soldier dropped his mallet. Since Jacobs jumped outside of the stage and it meant that he lost. "Ladies and gentlemen, our winner of the tournament is, Prince Ryan!" All the people ran down to the stage from the audience seats and began to celebrate. Now, Jacobs was along with Bittle outside of the stage. "I think, you've got the right choice this time." The magician, who helped Jacobs before, said and walked toward them. "Thank you so much!" Jacobs replied. "I've made you a wish." The magician said to Jacobs. "Now, what do you wish?" He asked Bittle. Bittle said something in Chocobo Language and the magician said, "Oh right, I will turn you into human!" BOOM! Suddenly, Bittle turned into a human! "Thank you!" Bittle said to the magician. Jacobs was very surprised and asked, "You are...?"

"My name is Bittle! Can we be friends?" Bittle answered and asked Jacobs. "Yes! We are always friends and we will always be friends!" Jacobs answered very happily. "Young man, I have to leave now, I am very happy that you finally choose the right choice." Said the magician. "Wait! May I please know your name?" Jacobs asked. "I will say it once only, so remember it, my name is, Jacobs...Jacobs Lampson."

Book Review for "Prescription in Russian"

Written By: Mona Risk Wild Rose Press ISBN: 1-60154-889-3 Avail in: ebook/print 5 Stars

Dr. Jillian Burton is a dedicated pediatrician sent on assignment to Belarus. Jillian is calm under pressure and used to working in third world conditions. She finds there's much to be done in Belarus, but she's never been attracted to a man like she is to Dr. Fyodor Vassilov, the director of the Minsk Solitary Hospital. Can Jillian finally find a family and love in Fyodor's arms?

Set in Minsk, Belarus, Jillian Burton works for the American Health Delegation. Her assignment is to help modernize the Solidarity Hospital, but she doesn't expect the director to be so charming or attractive.

On her first day, Jillian helps Fyodor deliver a baby. They learn the young mother is destitute and her family has disowned her. To Jillian's shock, the mother leaves a note giving Jillian custody of the baby.

Fyodor offers to help Jillian care for the child until she can arrange for an adoption. Jillian soon learns Fyodor is a widower with four sons. While Jillian loves working with children, she doubts herself when it comes to motherhood. And that's the crux of her problem. The chemistry between her and Fyodor is combustible, but Fyodor also comes with four children. As Jillian assignment comes to its end, she has to confront her demons and make some tough choices. Will Jillian choose Fyodor or run away to her next assignment?

Risk does a wonderful job establishing the setting by sharing the customs, food, and climate of Belarus with the reader. Her rich details bring a wonderful authenticity to the story.

Risk's writing is crisp and easy to read, engaging the reader on the first page.

What makes "Prescription in Russian" shine is the rich characterization. Fyodor is handsome, honest, and noble. He knows what he wants - and he wants Jillian, only he has to confront the ghost of his dead wife in order to open up his heart to love again.

Jillian is dedicated with a soft spot for children, but she's forever tortured by a dark secret that has hardened her heart toward love and motherhood. In order to give Fyodor her love, she has to find a way to let the ghosts of her past go.

The supporting cast is wonderful and so deliciously human. I was on the edge of my seat wanting to know what would happen to Lisa and Bashir.

The story is sophisticated for romance readers and the love scene is tasteful, evoking a rich, sensual chemistry that Jillian and Fyodor share.

"Prescription in Russian" is a lush, international contemporary romance you can't put down.

Reviewed by: S. Burkhart