The LuxMob Info Tags

Denver was the top searched city in the nation for
October:
According to data from Yahoo.com, “Denver Real
Estate” was the second most commonly searched real estate term
in the month of October, 2005 (second only to “Florida real
estate”). When you factor in that “Florida real estate” covers
the entire state, and “Denver real estate” indicates people are
looking specifically for real estate in the city of Denver,
that’s a pretty impressive statistic.

Although Denver Property values have been somewhat stagnant for
the past several months (and some areas have slightly declined)
this statistic appears to be a strong indicator that the Denver
market is still a highly sought after market. The fact that
Colorado real estate was also a top 10 searched term for last
month scores another one for Colorado in general.

Promising features of Denver:
Several surrounding
Colorado cities and amenities add to the popularity of Denver as
a place to live. Denver is less than an hour from skiing, and
within 2 hours of a dozen excellent resorts. Travelers love that
Denver is only about a half-hour from the airport, and the fact
that there are 4 major sports teams (Colorado Avalanche, Denver
Nuggets, Denver Broncos, and Colorado Rockies) doesn’t hurt
either. In addition, there are several extremely competitive
colleges and universities (Colorado State, Colorado University,
Denver University, and Colorado College to name a few.) If
sports isn’t your thing, Denver also has an excellent arts
program, several fantastic museums, any type of dining you
desire, and a solid real estate market.

About Denver
Colorado real estate:
When moving to the Denver area
from out of town, many people envision moving to Colorado and
buying a cabin in the mountains, and are surprised to find that
they can’t get that in the city limits of Denver (or in any
immediately adjacent cities either.) However, several
mountainous towns (such as Evergreen, Golden, Conifer, Bailey,
and Coal Creek Canyon) are close enough to get the best of both
worlds — mountain living, and the conveniences of a big city.

If you’re curious about moving to the Colorado front range,
visit AutomatedHomefinder.com for an instant view of the housing
market. Other resources available are information on schools,
entertainment, and the ability to compare the Denver area to the
area you currently reside.

Summary of top 10 most searched areas:
Here is a list
of the top 10 most commonly searched areas for real estate for
the month of October. Search terms are ranked in order of
popularity along with the number of searches, respectively.

1. Florida Real Estate = 78,554 online searches
2. Denver
real estate = 65,752
3. San Diego real estate = 63,048

4. Las Vegas real estate = 57,951
5. Georgia real estate =
48,918
6. Louisiana real estate = 43,792
7. Colorado
real estate = 42,845
8. Arizona real estate = 42,022

9. San Jose real estate = 38,865
10. Texas real estate =
38,110

You don’t have to suffer in silence. In most cases of panic attack, it usually starts with depression. A female reporter in Hong Kong who successfully juggled the demands of writing for publications around the world suddenly suffered panic attack. She often had panic attacks as she was overwhelmed by feelings of isolation, hopelessness, inadequacy and failure. She would always excuse herself and pretended to have urgent private calls to make so that she could get out and calm down.

A cartoonist for a famous Japanese magazines; suddenly hit a dry spell in 1986 and she was afraid to get out of bed in the morning. She stopped eating and lost seven kilos within a few days. She was left without getting any assignments for a month and spent her time lying in bed, smoking and drinking and was overwhelmed with thoughts of dying. Both the female reporter and cartoonist were suffering from clinical depression.

There are millions of people like them and they kept the illness to themselves. In Japan alone there are more than six millions people suffering from depression according to Dr Takahashi Toru of the Toru Clinic in Tokyo. It is estimated that one in 13 people aged 24 to 64 suffered from depression according to a study done by Singapore National Mental Health survey.

We seldom hear about depression just thirty years ago but the world is different now. People were different then, but presently many human beings have lost their value of life. Many have lost their conscience and killing is everywhere. People live in fear from many kinds of threats and even in the comfort of their homes, danger is there. There is no peace even to just go marketing for fresh vegetables. A bomb may explode anytime, anyplace.

Financial security is one of the main causes for depression. Jobless people or those hardly can make end meet, are usually victims of depression which can after some time of suffering start to have panic attacks. Depressive disorders range from dysthymia – low grade, chronic depression – to bipolar disorder, or manic depression, which causes extreme swings between depressive lows and manic high. Depression remains widely misunderstood and sufferers lead a double life. One minute full of confidence and another minute worse than a little mouse when panic attack. Depression is a taboo among Chinese and if people know that you are depressed, they will avoid you.

I should say broken heart is the worst mental blues and almost everyone gets the blues once in a lifetime. Those who have not experience it are lucky or maybe they have never fallen in love before. They will not be able to grasp the anguish depression brings. It’s so emotionally intense that it paralyses you and says one sufferer, “You never know when it will end, the pain is so overwhelming that you want to end it all.”

People will sometimes give advice with the best intentions for broken heart but says Siti Mohammad, a young female accountant who has lived with depression for much of her life: “Sometimes my relatives will tell me to look at the positive side of things. They say, ‘You have to be strong and believe in God.’ They make it sound as if I could just snap out of it. If it was that simple, I wouldn’t be like this.”

Depression is often inadequately treated or not treated at all because the truth of broken heart may not be admitted by the sufferers. For instance, many Malays believe the emotions lie in the liver and will complain about stomach soreness rather than admit to depression. Among the Chinese, the heart is often seen as the source of emotions, so they complain about chest discomfort. Singapore National University’s Kua says these cultural factors lead to misdiagnosis or no diagnosis at all in as many as one-third of cases.

For the elderly, physical ailments can mask symptoms of depression (it is often confused with Alzheimer’s disease), and there is a belief, even in the medical community, that depression is simply a fact of an older person’s life. According to a study conducted in the 1980s by Dr Lee Aik Hoe, president of the Malaysian Mental Health Association, showed that three-quarters of people who had attempted suicide also suffered from depression.

Rose Lee’s depression nearly killed her. As a teenager, she tumbled into a black pit and said, “I was severely depressed – the pain was terrible. It seemed logical to kill myself.” Richard Ng of Kuala Lumpur said he lost his father to suicide. “He displayed signs of depression – being withdrawn and losing his appetite – signs that I recognized but did nothing about, but when he committed suicide, I was shattered.”

The road to recovery is a tough one but it can be treated. If it is not because of broken heart, then the chances of recovery is good with medication. If it is because of broken heart, then there is no medicine that can cure a broken heart. There are many drugs that physicians can prescribe and certain antidepressants really work effectively so as to allow the sufferers to get on with life. But drug may have side effects like insomnia and sexual dysfunction, professional help is advised in such a case to take the right type and also avoid the risk of taking an overdose.

One of the best rescues is interpersonal and cognitive counselling. Therapy can help to change a patient’s thinking and reappraise their external circumstances. Interpersonal therapy focuses on specific-related problems, while cognitive therapy tries to counter the feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness that plague those who are depressed. In Malaysia the “Befrienders” is doing an excellent voluntarily job to make life worth living. The 24-hour helpline, modelled on the Samaritans in the United Kingdom, is one of the oldest services in Asia. It has more than 200 volunteers and fielded 24,000 calls a year.

Suicide is a grave sin according to spiritual teachings in almost every religion. Certain religion says that if a person commits suicide, he will also commit suicide for his next seven future lives. I had a relative who committed suicide many years ago. She was one of the most beautiful women in my hometown and married to one of the richest men there. Very fortunate during her younger days because of her beauty, but when her husband passed away early in life, she was cheated of everything she possessed by a conman who only wanted her properties. Unable to take the pain of her broken heart and loss of all her possessions, she took her life.

Author: T.A Chew

T.A Chew had gone through a very severe broken heart in 1993. Fortunately six months before it happened, Goddess of Mercy showed him a miracle and he realized that Heaven loves him more and it is unconditional love. He understands very well the pain and it is only through doing good deeds and meritorious works that broken hearts can be mended fast. Website: http://www.white-sun.com

With all of the emphasis in the past few years on Homeland Security, many people have overlooked the importance of home
security. While it might not make the first story on the news,
when your house is burgled, safeguarding your home soon becomes
the most important issue in your world.

The Facts

There’s no reason to wait until it happens to you. According to the US Bureau of Justice Statistics, about 75% of all crime
in the United States is property crime. In 2003, there were 14
million thefts of property. In 83% of these crimes, the burglars actually entered the home or some other building to steal property.

According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, residential burglaries in 2003 averaged $1600 in property or cash loss
per incident. This does not include repair of locks, doors,
windows, and other destruction. Are you willing to give $1600
(not to mention the security of your home and safety of your
family) to a burglar?

It can happen to anyone. Whether you live in an urban, suburban, or rural area, you are a target of burglars. What are you going to do about it?

The Options

Never underestimate the resourcefulness of an intruder. Simply
locking your doors and windows isn’t enough. If you can think
of a way to get into your home, surely someone who makes crime
his living will be able to as well.

You also shouldn’t overestimate the resourcefulness of neighbors. Neighborhood watches are fine, but how many of your neighbors spend every hour you aren’t home watching your house? How would they distinguish between a furniture delivery and a robbery? Can you tell just by looking if someone is simply walking for exercise or casing houses for possible burglary attempts? Even houses less than a mile from police stations are easily robbed.

There are more effective options that will prevent break-ins and make your home secure.

Home Alarms

A simple loud noise will not deter a criminal. Your neighbors
are likely to turn up their televisions to drown out the sound.
Battery and even electrically operated sound alarms are easily
thwarted by criminals.

If you are going to use a home alarm, you should use a monitored system. When you decide between monitored home alarm systems, you generally have three choices – a do-it-yourself system, a national monitoring system, and a local home security company system.

The do-it-yourself installation systems are by far the cheapest. You need a bit of technical know-how, and you need to know how an intruder enters. When you buy your own equipment, you have your choice of companies to monitor your system. Some systems let you program additional numbers to be called when the alarm is triggered, which isn’t as helpful as you’d think. By the time you or a neighbor is able to react and call the police, your burglar is usually long gone. It’s best to stick with the pros.

National alarm system monitoring services (such as ADT or Brinks) are the most popular. Common customer complaints include being taken advantage of on installation. The national companies contract installation with independent dealers. Many ADT and Brinks customers have reported outrageous quotes, having to negotiate with the installer, and advertised specials being worthless. Other problems include monitoring errors and slow reaction time. When an alarm is triggered, the company calls you to determine if the alarm went off by accident (the large majority of home alarm triggers are accidents by the home
owners). If they cannot get you on the phone, they will then
call the proper authorities. Unhappy customers have reported
no calls at all or very delayed calls. These companies also
require you to contract with them for a specified amount of
time, usually 2-3 years, even if you are unhappy with their
service.

Local alarm monitoring systems are usually less expensive with
higher levels of customer satisfaction. A local company will
have fewer customers, so you are more important to them. You
will get a less expensive, yet completely effective installation by an actual company representative. Because these companies rarely require long-term contracts, you have more freedom to change monitoring companies. Knowing this, they will usually charge less per month and put forth more effort to keep your business.

Any home alarm system comes with a useful lawn sign indicating
that your home is protected by an alarm system. This, alone, is a form of prevention as a thief is more likely to hit a house without an alarm system. Alarm systems are also great for fires and other emergencies. Usually as an added feature, you can hook smoke alarms up to your monitoring system. If a smoke alarm goes off, the fire department is notified. This is
especially beneficial during the night or if you leave pets at
home during the day. Panic buttons are good if you happen to
be home during a break-in or you have a medical emergency. You
should also get a break on your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance when you have a system installed. Monitored home alarm systems are definitely worth the investment, but you shouldn’t stop there.

House Sitters

Even if you have an alarm system, house sitters are invaluable.
If you leave your home to go on vacation, your best defense is
having actual people in your home. The majority of burglaries
in the United States happen during the day while people are at
work. Criminals will take the easiest route. If people are in
their targeted home, they will move on to a house that appears
empty. The problem with traditional house sitting services is
that they simply make one or two trips to your home a day to
collect mail, open curtains, water plants, and throw off
criminals. That still leaves about 23 hours in the day that
your home is vulnerable to intrusion or fires.

The best house sitting option is to have people living in your
home. If you have a friend or family member stay at your home
full-time throughout the length of your vacation, you will worry less about burglaries, fires, and other problems such as coming back to a flooded home because of a broken hot water heater.

Having a house sitter also cuts down on preparation time and
expenses before your vacation. You won’t have to have your mail stopped (all a criminal has to do is watch your postal carrier skip your house to assume you’re on vacation), buy and set light-timers, or even board the dog.

Don’t have a friend or family member who can stay at your home?
There are services available that match up people and live-in
house sitters. It’s as though someone is renting your house
while you’re on vacation, only they generally don’t pay you
rent. They will pay utilities, mow the lawn, take care of your
mail, pets, and home while you’re away. They will notify you of any problems. The services help you screen candidates and find the perfect person, couple, or family willing to take care of your home.

The Solution

The very best prevention you can implement is a combination of
24-hour home alarm monitoring and a house sitter if you are going to be away for any length of time. Don’t become a statistic. Start protecting your home today!

Copyright © 2005, Ian White

Author Ian L. White specializes in helping people who are
interested in finding a house sitter in their town, or for more
information about the benefits of house sitting. To find out
about these services, visit http://www.housecarers.com today.

Registration is free for homeowners (and they’ll never have to
rely on cousin Eddie again.

As a Christian and a martial arts student, I have often wrestled with the idea of self-defense. Does God expect me to defend my family and myself when physically attacked or am I to “turn the other cheek” and endure it in the name of Jesus? As I considered the many comments I encountered on this topic, I became even more confused. Some advocates for “religion” have gone as far as to say that anyone who practices any form of martial arts is without a doubt bound for hell. It wasn’t until I committed myself to a more thorough study of the scriptures that I discovered the truth for myself. The Bible gives more than a few examples of the practice of self-defense and the idea of martial arts. I would like to share some of what I have learned in this study of the Bible - Old Testament and New. The Bible is, in fact, the very word of God (II Timothy 3:16-17).

God and Warfare

The first example of a physical struggle in the Bible is in Genesis chapter 4. It is here that Cain kills his brother Abel. This is an act of violence condemned by God for two reasons. First, the violence was out of anger and jealousy because his brother’s actions were better than his own (Genesis 4:4-7). Secondly, the violence was pre-meditated. God confronted Cain before this violence occurred. He told Cain that he would need to figure out how to master the sin of anger and jealousy that was trying to overtake him. What this scripture teaches is that God does not want us to initiate violence but he wants us to train ourselves to master our emotions when tempted with feelings of anger, jealousy and rage. He wants us to prepare our hearts to respond humbly. I believe the study of martial arts can provide this kind of training. I have seen it in my son’s martial arts class. His sensei (teacher) may spend up to half of the one-hour class teaching the children humility, manners, concern for others and peace-making. They are taught to avoid violence and stay calm in situations of conflict. This kind of character training is right in line with the example of God’s training of Cain.

The next biblical example of a conflict involving a physical struggle is found in Genesis chapter 14. In this chapter, kings are at war and Abram’s nephew, Lot, and Lot’s family are taken captive. In response to hearing the news about his relatives, Abram sends men to rescue them. In Genesis 14:14-16, Abram sent out “the 318 trained men born in his household”. It seems that even though Abram was not at war, he had a training program for his family and household. It was obviously a training program for warfare of some kind – and a good one, at that, since they were victorious in returning Lot, his family and all of their possessions from the hands of warring kings. After Abram’s successful rescue, he is honored by God and reminded that God had made him successful against his adversary. God later renames Abram, “Abraham” and he becomes the founding father of faith for the Jewish people (and later Christians as well).

To clarify the meaning of the term “martial arts”, Webster’s defines the word martial as “warfare” or “warrior”, and arts as “a skill acquired by study”. In the story of Abram rescuing Lot, the Bible gives us an example of warrior training. Not everyone in Abram’s household was a part of the 318 trained men, but the ones that were had excellent martial arts training. And God helped them to be victorious as they executed their warfare skills.

Here are a few other brief examples of warfare, from the Old Testament, that could be studied further:

• Genesis 32 - Jacob avoids war with his brother, Esau. He prepares for battle but orchestrates a peaceful resolution.
• Deuteronomy 20 - God goes with the warriors to fight against their enemies.
• II Samuel 23:8-39 - the Bible describes David and his mighty men of battle.
• Nehemiah 4 - the builders of Jerusalem’s city wall carry weapons to defend themselves during the rebuilding.

There are many more examples in the Old Testament, with a wide variety of scenarios and many unique resolutions. The subject of warfare is very complex and each situation needs to be considered carefully. Therefore, when faced with adversity, wisdom needs to be applied.

An Eye For An Eye

Even with the Old Testament of the Bible showing support for martial arts training, some might argue that the God of the Old Testament is different than the God of the New Testament – that God’s position on warfare changed when Jesus came on the scene. It might be said that the God of the Old Testament was about war and the God of the New Testament is about peace.

The Bible, however, does not support this. James 1:17 says that God does not change, and Hebrews 13:8 says that Jesus Christ [God] is the same yesterday, today and forever. Therefore, the God of the Old Testament is the same God of the New Testament. As we continue to study this topic, we will see that the New Testament also discusses self-defense and the idea of martial arts.

Matthew 5:38-42, in which Jesus talks about “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth”, has been used to condemn martial arts. It reads, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” At first glance this passage seems to be advocating a reversal of the Old Testament laws. I was swayed by this argument myself, and was torn in my own convictions for some time. But when I finally decided to dig deeper into the Bible, I was amazed and encouraged to find some answers.

Many people who want to obey the Bible simply gloss over this scripture, like I did, because they are torn between what they think the Bible says and their consciences telling them to prepare for warfare and to protect.

The truth is that Jesus never intended to abolish the Old Testament laws. He only intended to clarify them, to reinforce them, fulfill them, and reveal God’s heart behind them. This is what Jesus says just moments earlier in Matthew 5:17: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the [Old Testament] Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” When Jesus speaks about “turning the other cheek”, in Matthew 5, he is referring to the Old Testament Mosaic laws found in Exodus 21, 22 and 23. These chapters in Exodus contain the laws God gave to his people, which reinforce and further detail the famous “ten commandments”. Jesus is specifically referring to Exodus 21:22 where God explains what punishment should be given if men are fighting and an innocent by-stander is harmed (in this instance, a pregnant woman). This is not a scripture about self-defense but about restitution and punishment for a crime. Jesus referred to this scripture because the people, in religious self-righteousness, were using this particular scripture to justify retaliation and vengeance. “An eye for an eye” had become an excuse to be intolerant and merciless toward one another. A closer look at the “act of aggression” that Jesus refers to as a strike on the cheek, will reveal that he is talking about an insult rather than a fighting fist. The word “strike” is translated from the Greek word “rhapizo” which is used interchangeably with the word “slap”. In the Jewish culture (as in many other cultures), a slap in the face was a form of humiliation or rebuke. It was not necessarily a physical attack and was not meant to result in physical harm. Even Exodus 21:21 (regarding “an eye for an eye”) says that if, as a result of a conflict, a pregnant by-stander is forced to give birth pre-maturely but there is no serious injury to the woman or the baby, “an eye for an eye” should not be applied as a punishment. Jesus is confirming that this Old Testament law regarding punishment is not to be used as an excuse for retaliation when inconvenienced or insulted. Jesus is exposing the heart of man and is further clarifying the Old Testament Law. God’s desire is that we don’t retaliate but rather that we restrain our emotions in the heat of conflict and maintain righteousness and mercifulness. We are not to pounce on our adversary at the first sign that we have been offended. The ultimate goal of God is to win over the offender, help him to see God’s mercy and institute a change of heart in the offender (see 2 Peter 3:9-15 and Luke 9:51-56 for further study).

Guidelines For Martial Arts

The Bible provides some guidelines for practicing self-defense and martial arts as it aims to clarify what is and is not acceptable in the face of conflict. II Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture [the Bible] is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” I Corinthians 13:7 says, “[Love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres”. Using the Bible as a guide, a person can become thoroughly equipped to be a protector.

Permanent injury or death can occur as a result of practicing martial arts. This does not make martial arts unacceptable to God but God clarifies what is and is not acceptable in regard to deadly force in various situations. For example, Exodus 21:12-14 says that if a person is killed unintentionally, the killer is not guilty of murder. If it is intentional, the killer is to be sentenced to death. Exodus 21:18-19 says that if men are quarreling and one strikes the other and injures him seriously but not permanently (even with a weapon), he is responsible only to compensate the injured man for loss of time and medical expenses. I point out these scriptures to show that God is concerned with the attacker’s and the defender’s intentions as well as the outcome of the conflict. We cannot simply say that anyone who harms or kills another man is guilty and has committed a sin. It depends on his intentions. Also, we see that using extreme force, or even a weapon may be acceptable if it is used in a way as to not intentionally inflict permanent damage.

The Bible refers to another situation in which self-defense may be used during a robbery, in Exodus 22:2-3. If a man is being robbed, he is entitled to protect his property, his family and himself. If the attempted robbery takes place at night and the actions of self-defense result in the death of the robber, the defender is not guilty. If the attempted robbery takes place in the daytime and the robber is killed, the defender is guilty of sin. The difference may be that in the daytime, the defender should have more control of his actions and should be able to subdue the robber without killing him. Self-defense is warranted but control must be applied. At night, in the dark, maximum force would be acceptable since it is more difficult to assess the threat that the robber poses. It would be more difficult to tell if the attacker had a weapon, or to assess his physical strength.

God expects us to constantly make decisions about the situations we are in. In regard to martial arts and self-defense, it seems that God is concerned with our intentions. Guilt and innocence, to him, are a matter of the heart. God expects us to be directed by the heart of the scriptures in the Bible. We must be directed in our actions by scriptures such as Deuteronomy 5:17, which says, “You shall not murder” as well as I Corinthians 13:7 which says, “[Love] always protects”. As the Bible states in II Timothy 3:16-17, all Bible scripture is relevant and useful. During one of my martial arts classes, one of my fellow students asked our sensei, “What attack should I make now?” He had just finished practicing a series of intense self-defense tactics on his partner, rendering him harmless. Sensei replied, “Run”. No final “kill-move”? No, it is time to make another decision about the threat the attacker poses. If the attacker has been successfully rendered harmless then you shouldn’t stick around to inflict more damage or further risk your own safety. The Bible gives us specific guidelines for martial arts but God also communicates his heart about how he wants us to treat one another. He wants us to treat one another with love – even in conflict.

Weapons

I have also wrestled with the question of whether or not it was right for weapons to be used as a means of defense. Should I own a fighting knife, a sword or a gun? Isaiah 2:4 says, “…They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.” If this scripture were taken out of context with the rest of the Bible, to use a weapon would be a sin. But this scripture has to be balanced with others. In the context, this scripture is describing the contrast between the nations of that time and the type of nation Jesus would establish in the future. The nation that Jesus would establish would have no military and there would be no physical walls to defend. It would be a spiritual nation, not a physical one.

The New Testament clearly confirms the right to bear arms. Romans 13:4 says, “For [the governing authority] is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.” Even Jesus directs his disciples to acquire weapons as the time of his crucifixion approached. Luke 22:36 says, “He said to them, ‘But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.’” And in Luke 22:38, “The disciples said, ‘See Lord, here are two swords.’ ‘That is enough,’ he replied.” Peter soon after uses the sword to protect Jesus and Jesus rebukes him for it. This was not to say that it is wrong to use a weapon to protect someone. Peter had earlier been rebuked by Jesus for trying to keep him from fulfilling his mission of dying for the sins of the world (see Matthew 16:21-28). Jesus was re-stating that Peter was not to protect Jesus from going to his death. This was not the correct time to use the sword. Jesus had his disciples arm themselves because Jesus was not going to be with them, physically, any longer. They would need to protect themselves and each other and Jesus gave them the right to bear arms in order to do so.

Martial Arts Is Not Religion

It is important to note that martial arts is not religion in that it is not an institute of service and worship of God. It is only a tool to accomplish a necessary training. There will be flaws in all martial arts training and even things taught that are contradictory to the Bible. This will happen even when the martial arts style or system is advocating biblical-based training. Romans 3:4 says, “…Let God be true and every man a liar.” My son was recently taught by an instructor during class to avoid talking about politics and religion in order to avoid conflict. Though I appreciate the effort made to train the kids to keep the peace, the concept is biblically flawed. I spent the next week teaching Bible scriptures to my son such as Acts 4, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey [man] rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” It is each person’s responsibility as a Christian to know what the Bible teaches. Even in Acts 17:10-11, when the apostle Paul taught the people of Berea, the Bereans were honored by God for having a noble character because, “they received the message with great eagerness and examined the scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” Each of us has the same responsibility to examine the scriptures to see if what we are being taught is true, whether it be a teaching from our martial arts instructor, school teacher, neighbor, or religious leader.

Conclusion

Martial arts training has its place. It can help people learn to deal with the inevitable conflicts in life. There is no escaping battle in life. God wants people to be prepared to handle these battles, whether it is to turn the other cheek to an insult, find a peaceful resolution, or physically defend themselves or others. Martial arts and self-defense are not sinful or inherently wrong, but without the guidance of God and the Bible, martial arts could be misapplied. Without proper biblical training we are left to our own sinful nature, which tends toward retaliation, haste, fear, hatred, pacifism, and intolerance. Martial arts is a biblical concept, but even more attention should be given to biblical training. The Bible should be used in conjunction with martial arts training. In conclusion, I Timothy 4:7-8, which says, “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”

Tom Katch, Christian and martial artist. CEO of Kataaro - Quality martial arts uniforms and custom embroidery and screen printing at http://www.kataaro.com. Translations are available in Chinese, Japanese and Korean.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

tomkatch@kataaro.com

Key Facts:

Size: Large
Height: 58.5 - 68.5 cm (23 - 27 inches)
Weight: About 50 kg (110 lb)
Life Span: 12 years
Grooming: Simple
Exercise: Medium - demanding
Feeding: Demanding
Temperament: Courageous & trainable
Country of Origin: Germany
AKC Group: Working

Physical Characteristics:

General Appearance: Solid, powerful and protective.
Colour: Black with tan markings on the cheeks, muzzle, chest, feet, over the eyes and beneath the tail.
Coat: The outer coat is flat, coarse and of medium length. The undercoat is thick and must not show through.
Tail: Customarily docked and carried horizontally.
Ears: Set high, small, triangular and pendant.
Body: The shoulders are long and sloping with a broad chest and well-developed sternum. The ribs are well-sprung and the back is firm and straight. The body is longer in length than in height and the croup is wide and slightly sloping.

Temperament:
Highly intelligent, bold, courageous, obedient and protective. Rottweilers are extremely protective and loyal to their families and tend to be one-person dogs. They are dominant in nature and need a confident, fair handler to provide consistent training. If they are raised properly they happily get along with children and people whom are familiar to them. They need early socialization with household pets to prevent difficulties when they are fully grown. They are superb watchdogs and guard dogs and will not let strangers onto the property.

Grooming:
The coat of the Rottweiler is relatively easy to maintain. When it’s moulting it is best to use a rubber glove to remove the loose hairs rather than a normal brush. To bring out the shine in the coat there are special lotion that can be used. The ear canals need to be kept clean and the claws trimmed short.

Exercise:
Rottweilers are reasonably demanding with their exercise needs. They enjoy running freely in the country and retrieving objects. These dogs tend to stick by their owners without running off when being taken for walks. Good activities for Rottweilers to burn energy include running alongside a cycle (once fully grown) and going swimming.

History:
These dogs come from the Asian Mastiff family and look like a heavier version of the Dobermann. They were used by the Roman armies for fighting, cattle droving, guarding and as draught animals to carry their goods. When the invading soldiers moved on from the town of Rottweil in southern Germany, some of their dogs were left behind with the locals. The dogs were then used to drive stock to and from the markets and the farmers would tie their money to the dog’s collar for safety, as no bandit would take on one of these dogs. At one stage Rottweilers were called Metzgerhund (butcher dog) as their main job was to haul carts for butchers and cattle dealers.

Additional Comments:

Generally it is necessary to be firmer with the dogs than the bitches, as the females tend to have a slightly gentler nature.
Rottweiler’s are ideal for security work and defence dog training and sports. They are used by the police and army for defence purposes.

About the Author

This article provided courtesy of http://www.dooziedog.com/dog_breeds/rottweiler/

Some fr*ee tools that are very helpful while working on the computers, that every computer user should have on their desktop are available as free downloads.

Every computer that you own should have the following tools, as they are helpful in the making your work on the computer easier. To download these tools from the internet sites, you must be connected to the internet.

1. Winzip - Win zip compacts the big and heavy files. Therefore many users like to zip documents before sending them as files on the internet as mails. To read these zip files you will require the unzipping tool, to unzip the zipped files. Winzip is the tool to zip and unzip the files. It is available as free download at http://www.winzip.com/downhome.htm

2. BigFix - It is an excellent program available as a free download at http://www.bigfix.com. It reviews your computer and the software installed on it. It also gives you a list of free upgrades available to fix small problems and conflicts that your computer is facing.

3. Acrobat Reader - Many files and e-books etc available on the internet are in the acrobat .pdf format and to access the contents of these acrobat files you need acrobat reader on your computer. To download a copy of the acrobat reader on your computer visit http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

4. IrfanView32 - This is a lean graphics utility, to view all your graphics images, without having to open it in image editing or other high overhead software. It also offers a feature of viewing the images in a folder one after the other by simply pressing the space bar. You can download a free copy of the utility from http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,5648,00.asp

5. Bc_wipe - When you delete files and empty recycle bin of your computer, the files actually do not get deleted, they can still be retrieved from the hard disk of your computer. This can pose a security problem when you dispose off your old computers, because others can recover your personal files. Bc_wipe is a utility that deletes files and folders and cleans the hard drive on your computers in a way that they cannot be recovered again. To download the free version of Bc_wipe visit http://www.jetico.com/index.htm#/bcwipe.htm .

6. FTP- LE (or CuteFTP) - It is an essential tool for anyone using web, for upload and download of files, to and from sites that you have FTP access to. With the help of FTP you can your site, move files from your computer to your website and download file back ups from your site to your computer and many such things. You can download either CuteFTP or FTP - LE, and to check out which one you would prefer visit http://www.ftpplanet.com/tutorial/LE_archive/install_ws_ftple.htm

These tools will make your work on the computer much faster and enjoyable. So without waiting you can visit the respective websites and download them.

This article was written by Craig Dawber of smarket-associates.com
Need advice and guidance with your online
business check out the resources found in this website.

Ask any online entrepreneur where they spend the bulk
of their time and they’ll tell you they are reading
and responding to e-mail. If you run an online business
you may receive hundreds of messages a day. It comes
with the territory and unfortunately, there’s no escaping
it. Keeping up with your e-mail is very important to your
success online and you should make every attempt to
answer any and all messages within 24 to 48 hours.

Here are some tips for streamlining the amount of time
you spend managing your inbox.

1) Folders: Set up folders to better organize your e-mail
and find things more readily when you need them. For
example, you may want to set up folders named after indiv-
uals you get frequent mail from, folders for ezines you
receive, software receipts, and others. When you need
something, you will know exactly where to find it.

2) Blocked Senders List: Face it, we all get Spam
and the more active you are online, the more of it
you’ll receive. Take it from me, I know. I get
hundreds daily on everything from growing certain
parts of my anatomy (including ones I don’t have),
to how I can become a millionaire overnight. An
easy way to rid yourself of Spam is to highlight
the message and add it to your email client’s blocked
sender’s list. Most all programs include this feature.
Once you add someone to this list you’ll never receive
another e-mail from that address again.

Another option to reduce the amount of Spam you
get is to run a Spam Filtering program
before retrieving your e-mail. SpamKiller.com
or Mailwasher.net both work great.

3) Message Rules: Make sure you set up message rules
or filters as they can automate some tasks and move
incoming messages to their appropriate folders. For
example, you can set up a message rule that says if
email arrives to a certain email address, reply with
a prefabbed text document you have created in advance.
Also known as autoresponders, message rules make it
easy to automatically reply to messages, send messages
directly to the trash and more. This is a powerful
feature; study it and use it.

4) Empty Deleted/Sent Folders: Make sure you go into
your sent box and deleted message folders on a regular
basis and delete their contents. Messages can pile up
quickly and slow down your e-mail client substantially.

5) Software: Many software manufacturers make add on module
software for many of the popular e-mail clients like
Outlook and Outlook Express. If the program doesn’t
have a feature you need, you may find an inexpensive
package that will extend your e-mail client’s capabilities.
For an example: check out a list of freeware at..
http://www.webattack.com/freeware/comm/

ExLife Add on for Outlook:
http://www.ornicusa.com/add-ins/exlife.shtml

About Us Has a nice section here:
http://email.about.com/cs/oetipstricks/

Nelson Email Organizer
http://www.emailorganizer.com/

6) Do Something: Don’t allow messages to build up in your
inbox or before you know it you’ll be buried alive in
messages. As you go through your mail, try to act on
every piece of mail you receive immediately.Reply to
it, delete it, or file it in one of your folders.
Just make sure you do something. If you follow this
advice you’ll never end up with 500 sitting in your
inbox demanding your attention.

7) Print It: If you’re like me, you subscribe to a lot
of ezines. If you don’t have time to read them online
do what I do: print them out and take them on the road
with you. I read them while waiting for appointments or
when I’m on break or lunch at my night job.

Customize Layouts: Most e-mail clients allow you
to customize the toolbars and look of your program.
Add the features you use most often to the toolbars
and change the look of the layout to suit your needs.

9) Return Receipts: Have you ever sent a message and
wondered if the recipient ever received it? Send your
e-mail with a “return receipt” request and you’ll be
sent a notification by e-mail when they have read it.
The reader can stop this message from going out to you,
but nine out of ten don’t mind and allow the reply.

10) Message Priority: When you send an e-mail you
can set the priority of the message to “high,” which
puts a red marker or flag next to it when the recipient
receives it. This tells the reader that the message
is very important and may help motivate them to
reply sooner. Just don’t get in the habit of sending
every message this way or people will get annoyed.
Only use it for important correspondence.

For a great ezine that will help you be even more
productive with your email go to http://www.email911.com/

If you follow these top 10 tips, you won’t find
yourself drowning in e-mails and you’ll spend less
time managing it. Remember, you need to control your
e-mail, don’t let it control you.

Merle has been “working” the Net for over
8 years and has a Special Gift just for you.
Download my FREE E-book “50 Easy Ways to
Promote Your Website”. Get your copy now at
http://www.WebSiteTrafficPlan.com

You have permission to publish this article
electronically or in print, free of charge,
as long as the bylines are included.

Thinking you could use an escape from the wintertime blahs, maybe even that
dream holiday you’ve been thinking about for years? A Caribbean cruise
vacation is the answer! What makes a cruise your dream holiday, you ask?
Well, put simply, a cruise combines all the elements of a dream vacation
into one blissful trip. There is ALWAYS something to do, no matter your age
or interests. Whether you’re on your honeymoon, vacationing with the
family, or spending quality time reuniting old friends, a cruise is
guaranteed to fulfill your dreams.

Picture yourself riding on a beautiful cruise ship, looking over the railing
to see brilliant blue waters, idyllic sunsets, and dolphins playing in the
white-capped waves. Do you feel dreamy already? This fantasy can be your
reality if you choose a cruise for your next vacation.

With multiple
poolside decks to lay out in the sunshine while enjoying the sights and
sounds of the ocean, along with reggae music and fruity island beverages,
daytime on the cruise ship can be very relaxing. If you prefer to be more
active, most ships are fully equipped with activities. Take a jog around
the boat-top track, or spend the day in aerobics and yoga classes followed
by a massage and facial at the spa. If shopping is your one true love,
you’ll be in heaven with all the shops on the ships, ranging from
inexpensive trinkets to fancy wine and fine clothing.

As if there isn’t enough to do aboard the boat, don’t forget about island
excursions! As the ship makes stops at various tropical paradises, you can
take in the local culture or fulfill your need for adventure. Locals await
you to take you to their favorite coral to swim with the dolphins or on a
waterfall climb. Also, there is unlimited shopping on the islands, so you
can really add to your art collection or your wardrobe. Try the native food
of the islands, and maybe learn a new word or two. By the time you climb
back aboard your ship you’ll truly feel like you’ve visited another world.

Now it’s time to hop in the shower to prepare for the evening. Every night
on a cruise ship is magical. Start out with a five-course meal in the fine
dining room (that’s already paid for!!). Enjoy drinks, piano music, cover
bands, dancing and more in one of the several bars, or try your luck at
black jack or poker in the casino. There are always cruise-wide games to
play on the decks if you want to meet new people or just be silly with your
friends and family. No matter what you are looking for in a holiday
vacation, a cruise is sure to fulfill your dreams!

Keith Kingston is a professional web publisher offering Royal Carribean cruises and cheap hotel reservations.

Defrazzle with Romance

“If you would be loved, love and be lovable.” Benjamin Franklin

I think, if we were honest with ourselves, we would find that
while we, as moms, long for romance and passion, we just don’t
have the energy to make it happen. At the end of our day, all we
really want to do is fall into bed, and sleep the sleep of the
dead (well, not quite dead, but you know what I mean!) We wonder
if passion will ever return, or if we’re doomed to spending the
rest of our lives in dullsville.

There is hope! Romance doesn’t have to be really difficult, and
passion can still co-exist quite comfortably with young kids.
Here are some ideas:

Invest in the “10-Second Kiss”: Every day when you say goodbye
to your husband, take time to kiss him properly for at least 10
seconds. Enjoy the buzz, and savour it throughout the day.

Slow Down: Make sure there is at least one day a week when life
isn’t crazy and hectic. Sit down together and work with your
calendar of activities until you have some space worked into
your schedule. Romance doesn’t work if you’re exhausted.

Schedule Date Nights: Work together with another couple in the
same situation and trade off babysitting every other week so you
can go out with your husband. Just take a long walk, or go for a
drive, or sit in a coffee-shop and just talk.

Dream: dream about your husband, your good memories together,
times you’ve laughed together, times of passion and romance that
you’ve shared. Journal every good experience together and review
your journal often.

Study up on Romance: there are great books in the library on
romancing your husband, and just reading them can often “get you
in the mood”!

Think “Benefits”: a healthy (particularly monogamous) sex life
improves the immune system, releases endorphins that make you
happy, slows the aging process, lowers cholesterol, increases
circulation, reduces stress, and is an excellent form of
exercise!

So, love on!

Darlene Hull

Cystic acne can be called as a form of abscess which is shaped when oil ducts get clogged and infected. Generally, cystic acne is commonly seen in the teenage years and mainly affects on the face. Cystic acne which affects in the deeper skin tissue can result in more superficial inflammation when compared with ordinary acne. Cystic acne breakouts are painful and can result in deep scarring. Most dermatologists consider cystic acne as the most severe of its kind.

Cystic acne takes much time to heal as the infection is affected deep under one’s skin. In most cases the treatment for cystic acne is limited to oral medication and hence it is recommended that all cases need to be taken to a dermatologist. But there are several preventive measures and remedies which can be taken against cystic acne. For those looking for holistic remedies for cystic acne can consult an alternative medicine practitioner, while other more common procedures can easily be performed in the convenience of one’s home with no medical supervision.

Isotretinion is one of the most commonly prescribed drugs for cystic acne treatment. The drug taken in pill form helps to treat inflammation, clogged skin pores, and excess oil production.

For females suffering from cystic acne oral contraceptives are used as a cystic acne remedy. This is considered as a safe cystic acne remedy and helps to suppress overactive sebaceous glands (oil producing). Besides an oral contraceptive, physicians also recommend a synthetic steroid to slow down other hormones which boosts the sebaceous glands.

Whatever cystic acne treatment your physician may prescribe, acne patients are required to be take special care of their health, and of course their skin. Acne patients are advised to cleanse their face daily at least two times a day. Keep in mind that bursting of cystic acne can result in producing scars. Hence keep your hands and fingers away from your face. Consulting a dermatologist is recommended as he/she can help you to choose the best cystic acne remedy which allows you to get rid of cystic acne.

Our experts have executed a research to find the best acne treatments. Find the results only on the How to get rid of cystic acne guide. More valuable acne info on http://www.acne-pimpels-treatments.com