201 Street

I read on my favorite news site about an archaeological dig that took place in England recently. Many items were found including some fragments of rugs that were used all those years ago. Rugs have been around for as long as man has been living in shelters.

Many old manuscripts include information about the craft of weaving. In fact during the middle ages the profession of weaving was held in high esteem by the local community. As long as 4000 years ago the weaving of pile rugs took place in Asia and the Middle East. Fragments of these rugs have been found in ancient tombs.

Ancient tribes that raised sheep and used their wool for clothing seem to be the first group that actively created rugs with a view to bartering them or selling them. Many of these tribes were nomadic and so travelled around selling their rugs to other tribes and in the cities that they visited. Many of these rugs were put to specific use such as bath rugs or used as an indoor outdoor rug. Today the descendents of these tribes still raise sheep and produce some of the world’s finest rugs.

Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan helped send the stock market reeling in the last half-hour of trading today, after he warned in a CNBC interview that the U.S. was living through a “once-in-a-century” crisis tied to the housing market’s plunge.

He said falling home prices were “nowhere near the bottom,” and he supported the idea of nationalizing mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, saying they were a “major accident waiting to happen.”

Note, though, that this is the same Fed chairman who on June 13 said that “the worst is over in the financial crisis or will be very soon.” Hopefully no one took that as a sign to buy bank stocks in mid-June.

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I joined a classic Corvette car club recently. I belonged to one when I was younger but I stopped going when I got too busy with college. Now I have a little more time and I’m restoring one so I really feel like I get a lot out of it. Some of the other members helped me find rims for sale that were just right. And a few of them helped me install the rims.

Restoring cars is something that a lot of people love to do. I enjoy it because it gets me away from my everyday life and it keeps me from watching television. I don’t want to be stuck inside all of the time with nothing to do. Instead I want to be fixing up my Corvette. And if I’m not fixing it up, I want to be deciding what needs to be done next and where I’m going to get the parts. For instance I knew I was going to need to find great tire and wheel packages.

Fixing it up helps me to feel valuable. I spend over 40 hours a week at a desk, looking at a computer screen. When I get home the last thing I want to do and should do is stare at another one. Fixing it up myself helps me to save money and that makes me feel good. So not only do I enjoy it, it builds my self-worth.

The U.S. Open tennis coverage is always excellent. The Tennis Channel deliver quality coverage with excellent commentary. Most are retired pros. This year will also be great because the Olympics are in the middle of tennis season. The players will play for their countries, get very little rest and jump right into the U.S. Open. And my prediction is that Roger Federer is going to win.

Then again, Nadal won the French Open for a fourth time this year, then beat Federer on grass at the Wimbledon. It was a fantastic match and both men were great sports and wonderful examples. Noticeably missing from the stands is Nadal’s secret girlfriend, Xisca. It’s not a secret any longer that he’s taken. Federer girlfriend, Mirka Vavrinec.

I wonder if we will see either of these ladies at the Olympics. No matter what, the 2008 Olympics in Beijing will be exciting and the U.S. Open will too!

Choosing the right window blinds for you house can seem very trying at times. But getting the right blinds is easy when you go with Next Day Blinds. They have every possible type of blinds available. And they will even go to your home for an in-home consultation.

Next Day Blinds helped me to pick out the blinds I needed and stay within my budget. Their products are reasonably priced and the quality is outstanding. I would recommend Next Day Blinds to anyone.

I was worried that I would not be able to choose the best kinds but with their help, I found the perfect blinds for my decor. I got honeycomb blinds for my bedroom, plantation shutters for my kitchen nook, bamboo window blinds for my living room and wood blinds for my kitchen. It’s amazing how much of a difference new blinds can make.

Next Day Blinds was there every step of the way. And they are even replacing their car fleet with hybrids through the attrition process. That means a lot to me because I am very concerned with the environment. I know that they will do the best job possible for me because they even care about the environment.

In the recent past, most people thought that in order to update the look of their homes, they had to almost re-model and spend a large sum of money. But updating the look of your home doesn’t have to cost a fortune. In fact, with just a few easy changes, you will see your home in an entirely new light. By following these simple steps, you can update the look of any room with a limited budget.

Step 1: Choose your color palette and decide on the color you want your walls to be. Be sure to choose a palette that will go with your sofa. You will keep the larger, more expensive pieces of furniture the same because changing these will cost a considerable amount of money. Decide on colors that you like and that match the larger pieces of furniture that you have.

Step 2: Pick out new rugs for the room. Be sure that you get a rug pad as this will keep the area rug in place and will prevent slips. The rug you decide you decide on should also match your color scheme. The wonderful thing about rugs is that they come in all styles, colors and some ever have patterns. Based on your preference choose one that will go with your sofa. If shag rugs will look best, choose the appropriate size and color.

Step 3: Replace your end tables and coffee tables. If the ones you currently have are expensive and you do not want to replace them, skip this step. If you cannot afford new ones but would like a new look for the ones you have, consider re-staining or painting them. A distressed white look can dramatically change the appearance of the tables and the look of your room.

By following these three steps, changing the appearance of any room is simple and inexpensive. If you are changing a bedroom, insert bedding for sofa and you will find that it is simple to change the look of that room also.

Bank of America’s acquisition of Countrywide Financial has analysts, investors and the media a bit nervous. BusinessWeek took a look at the situation and did not have good news to report. In today’s top story, they exposed the shaky background of Countrywide and its affect on Bank of America (BofA). “. . . The Countrywide buyout brings BofA lots of trouble. The quality of Countrywide’s loans is much worse than the loans on BofA’s balance sheet. BofA said July 21 it will need to deal with $40 billion in troubled mortgage loans at Countrywide.”

This news is softened by the bank’s reported share prices. Although the result was still a loss, share prices were not down as much as analysts had predicted. Kenneth Lewis, Bank of America Chairman and Chief Executive, is using this data as proof of the bank’s strength in the midst of the current economic adversity. However, BusinessWeek was not fully convinced. The upcoming weeks will show if investors buy into it.

The world is buzzing with self-help and personal development systems. I’ve read and studied a lot of them and the only one that really made a difference in my life is the Liberty League Beyond Freedom personal development system. It only took me 90 days to complete and it was easy. I just dedicated some time to it every day and did what it suggested I do. I made little changes to my habits and it made all the difference in the world.

If you watch some of the testimonials on You Tube about it, you will see that financial opportunities are waiting for you. You don’t have to work to help someone else reach their dreams. You can work for yourself and set your own schedule. I wanted more time to spend with my family and that is exactly what I do now. One of my friends that is also involved with Liberty League wanted more time to travel and now he travels several times a year.

I’ve been to Italy, Australia, South Africa, Mexico and Canada for summits and conferences. I leave feeling brave and inspired and I always conquer more fears during the conferences. This program has really changed my life and I can’t believe that I waited so long to join in.

The 2008 Wimbledon tennis tournament began today in England. Defending champ Roger Federer is hoping to make more history by winning for a 6th time. He lost in the recent French Open to clay court king Rafael Nadal, but he hopes to prove he deserves his number one ranking by winning on the grass court. Nadal made history himself when he won the 2008 French Open tennis tournament in Paris earlier this year. He is the first to win 4 in a row. And he is ranking number two.

Winning the French Open will give Federer his career Grand Slam and if he is able to win, he will be able to retire with no regrets. However, Nadal not only doesn’t want that to happen, he wants to win at Wimbledon and become the number one ranked. It is difficult because both of them are so likable and have such great public images. Only one can win and only one can be number one. I guess we’ll just have to wait 2 weeks to see who comes out on top.

The earliest known tattoos date from the Neolithic period and have been practiced in many cultures worldwide. Throughout that time, lines, dots and marks were used to denote status, religious affiliation, disciplinary measures, protection from the forces and much more. Though many choose to decorate themselves with cross tattoos or butterfly tattoos for cosmetic reason there is not much that has changed when it comes to the modern tattoo. Designs can be remarkably simple or a canvas of distinction that consists of astonishingly minute detail. In either case, these tattoos will still denote affiliation with groups, declarations of love or affirm personal merit and distinction.

Some of the most distinctive use of tattoos can be found in the Maori, the Japanese and the Aztec Indian cultures. Though previously considered a negative symbol of rebellion, tattoos are now embraced by a wide spectrum of the population, from the sales clerk to the white collar professional on Wall Street. There are now many conferences and festivals that bring together tattoo artists and tattoo lovers for the purpose of seeing the newest art, techniques and equipment in the industry. It is now believed that at least a quarter of the population in the United States alone has at least one tattoo.

Do-It-Yourself is big. People want to restore furniture themselves. Sell their houses themselves. They even want to fix up their cars themselves. What is so great about this is that the independent American spirit soars with enthusiasm and people enjoy a real sense of accomplishment.

By increasing the value of cars themselves, people feel great about the money they spend doing it because they get such a huge profit, especially when they do it themselves. In fact, an easy way to do this is by ordering a chrome rim set, a chrome wheel set or even custom wheels. They can be installed within a day and, of course, you can do it yourself. Another great way to increase the value of your automobile is by adding small but tasteful accessories. New mirrors, a fresh coat of wax and even tint on the windows will increase the value.

The independent American spirit shines through during times when people want their dollars stretched as far as possible. And by getting every cent they can, people know that their work and effort was not done in vain.

Reaching your dreams is something that few people actually accomplish but exceeding them is even more rare. At least, that’s what I thought before I found out about Liberty League Int. Not only will you reach your goals, you’ll discover long-hidden dreams and with Liberty League you will see them materialize before your very eyes. I never thought that I could have financial freedom until I got involved with the Liberty League Beyond Freedom system. It’s the best personal development system you will ever see and you will end up exceeding your wildest expectations!

I made one of the wisest investments of my life recently. You see, I am a very active person. I swim a lot, jog, go to the gym, hike and anything else that you could think of that would mess up your makeup.  I got tired of always having to freshen up or of hearing someone tell me that my makeup was messed up.

So, I invested in permanent cosmetics. I got my lips done and now I don’ have to apply lipstick. I got my eyeliner done so that doesn’t smear or run now. and I got permanent cosmetics eyebrows too. The only thing I do is put on a little powder if I’m shiny or put on water-proof mascara. I save a ton of time and I save a ton of worry. I wish that I had done this a long time ago!

I think that when it comes to improving the environment, small steps add up to huge differences. I just read Next Day Blind’s press release that said they are replacing their company fleet with hybrids as they break down or there is a need for a new one.

They are reducing their carbon footprint and they making a difference to everyone. If more companies took small steps like this, we would have our envirnoment back sooner. It is like how you can change your light bulbs to the new, envirnmentally friendly ones and it makes a huge difference. Why don’t more people do these things?

Drug and alcohol addiction can be devastating to families. But there is hope through drug rehabilitation. The difficulty is choosing the appropriate drug rehabilitation center for your loved one. Finding one that is within your budget and that will meet all of the addict’s needs can be difficult but more doctors will have recommendations.

Questions arise such as, “Should I send my heroin-addicted son to heroin addiction treatment or do most rehabs treat all addictions?” And the answer to this question is that centers such as Gatehouse Academy can treat all addictions and you will not need to enroll your loved one in a center for a specific drug.

This trying time is heart-wrenching but do not let it tear you and your family apart. Instead of letting the addiction win, hold strong to each other. Seek help for yourself. Al-Anon and Nar-Anon offer the support you will need to learn how to deal with this and you will feel better about the choices you have made and are going to have to make.

Those who play golf on a regular basis tend to think that their instructors have the best job in the world. Many wonder just how one goes about landing that fantastic job that keeps them out on the greens nearly all day long. Just like any profession, careers in golf require an individual to have a strong foundation of education to start from. The sport of golf is now a multimillion-dollar industry that stands all on its own and has developed very unique nuances. Getting an educational degree geared for the golf industry is the best way to get one’s foot in the door.

Though there are plenty of curriculums that revolve around golf instruction, there are many more professions that branch out from the golf industry. In fact, there is a golf job for just about any practical skill set. From management to grounds keeping, individuals will be able to find a degree that will get them where they want to go. When one decides teaching golf is truly their calling, they can look forward to a career instructing young children or even big name professionals. The only limits to a career in golf are the ones individuals make for themselves.

Traveling is one of my absolute favorite things to do. I love traveling across the United States, Mexico and Europe. But what I get myself as souvenirs from these trips surprises people a lot of the time. Instead of bringing home a sombrero from Mexico or a miniature Leaning Tower of Pisa, I keep my maps as a keepsake from trips. I went through all of my storage boxes a few years ago and I found trinkets from past trips that did nothing but collect dust and take up space. That is why I now keep my maps as souvenirs.

My Italy map has cappuccino spots on it. While I was there I drank coffee all day long. I walked around the country or took buses everywhere that I went. My map got a lot wear and tear. It’s wrinkled and stained but it has a lot of character and I have it framed. It hangs on the wall of my study.

I am from the Heartland of American so I grew up in the perfect position to drive around and see this great country. Needless to say, my maps of United States are very worn. I have been from Oklahoma to Florida, Oklahoma to Michigan, Oklahoma to California and everywhere in between. I am not even close to finishing my U.S. travels so that map will not be retiring any time soon.

And my Mexico maps have seen better days. I tend to fly to Mexico because it can be dangerous to drive around that country. But once I’m in the area that I want to be, I rent a car and see all of the sights. I saw the entire city of Mexico City and even the ruins of Chichen Itza. The beaches were beautiful and that trip was one that I will never forget. I did retire those maps because they were really used. I think I’ll treat myself to a new souvenir the next time that I take a trip to Central America.

I was tired of the way my life was going when I stumbled across Liberty League on YouTube. I couldn’t believe all of the testimonials about how Liberty League International was changing their lives. I decided to give it a try and now I’m hooked. I got the Beyond Freedom system and I’m well on my way to reaching every single dream of mine.

I went to the Liberty League conference in Hawaii and I learned so much about myself. All I had to do was change everyday habits and routines and instantly my life improved. I quit my job and am now financially free. I was so tired of working 60 hour weeks to help someone else realize his dreams. What kind of life was that? They weren’t interested in my well being. They were only interested in their making their pocketbooks fatter.

Now I’m ready to be involved in my own life. I don’t live in fear anymore and I do things that I never thought I could do. 

I am a big fan of the San Francisco Ballet and as a patron, I often run into the same people. Last year I ran into Arthur Trueger. He is one of the most well-established patrons. He doesn’t ever seem to miss an opening. And whenever I go, I always hear people saying, "Look, there’s Arthur Trueger." That makes me wonder if he feels like the paparazzi is following him.

Not only is he a fan of the ballet, he loves the Japanese culture. He is learning how to speak Japanese and he is a member of the Japan Society of Northern California. He must be involved with other NorCal arts groups. I know that Arthur Trueger is a patron of the Oregon Shakespeare Society. He really loves the arts which is great because he is always busy in the venture capital world.

So, whenever I spot him at the ballet, I always smile to myself because his presence and participation in the ballet makes me realize that life can’t be all about business. We have to find other things that we love and pursue those or we’ll end up being unhappy and in need of culture. Mr. Trueger is a man of many talents. But I like the fact that he is a man of many interests.

Tattoos have become very popular in the past few years and as a result, all-things-tattoo have improved. In the past when you would go into a tattoo parlor, they often looked dirty and they did not smell very sanitary. One would never know if the equipment was properly cleaned. And often there would be a tattoo artist that was rude and sort of elitist.

Times have changed and so has the tattoo industry. The assortment of tattoo flash that customers can choose from seems endless and a lot of the time the tattoo artist will even draw or customize one for any of their clients. They usually have the most state of the art tattoo equipment. And as an added bonus, artists just starting out have access to amazing tattoo starter kits. They practice on materials that feel and look like human skin. This adds to the talent level of the individual artist.

Also, since all of these advancements the ink has improved and it keeps its brightness for longer and they do not discolor the way they used to. Cover ups, new tattoos and touch ups are all improving because the industry has been streamlined. And the growth does not seem to be slowing down. Tattoo artists make a good living so they work a lot and they depend on repeat clients. When the artist depends on you as well, the product improves and improves.

This year’s French Open is sure to be as exciting as ever, maybe even more so. That is because the defending champ, Rafael Nadal, lost a match on the clay court recently. The past two years have shown Nadal versus Roger Federer in the French Open schedule of the final match. Rafael Nadal plans on defending his title but Federer wants the Roland Garros trophy to complete his collection.

Federer has been ranked number one in the ATP for 223 weeks consecutively. And for the past 144 weeks, Nadal has been in second place. These two will surely face each other in the French Open 2008. Federer hired Jose Higueras to help him master the skill needed to win on the clay court. Higueras has coached others to the top, including Michael Chang who won in 1989. I think this is a last-ditch effort for Roger to win this tournament because retirement is looming on the horizon for him.

But the rivalry is always fun to watch between these two. In 2007, they had a special court designed for an exhibition game. It cost more than a million dollars and was half grass and half clay. Nadal won this but both said they had a lot of fun and want to do it again. I think that they should do it as a fundraiser. What a waste of money to build an elaborate court that will only get used once. They could make money off of it and give it to those in need.

Either way the French Open of 2008 will be fun to watch. Nadal was hurt and we’ll see if it affects his game. Federer wants the title so badly he can taste it and we’ll see if he gets to with his new coach.

When a corporation needs to provide professional development, Dale Carnegie is the company to seek in order to get what is wanted. They do everything from provide presentation skills in Minneapolis to presentation skills North Dakota. In fact, DCT is in almost every state and usually in a couple, if not more, cities within a given state.

Productivity often increases after sales training has been completed. This is because customer relations skills are learned or relearned and because people often feel refreshed after their routine has been broke. Not very many things can do all of this so when you find it, you should use it forever.

Dale Carnegie wrote How to Win Friends and Influence People and that is what started this business. He was a salesman and he was professionally trained as a teacher. He was truly able to do so much with his life because he realized how to work with what he had.

I have had problems deciding on cheap rugs, outdoor rugs, and modern rugs several times in my life. Because of that I have decided to put together a questionnaire to help myself and anyone like me with the decisions.

* Do you want it to be the focal point of the room? if yes, go for a bold, bright with contrasting colors rug.

* Do you want it to define a furniture grouping? If yes, make sure it’s large enough for all of the furniture to partially or completely touch. Use it to define an area by creating an island.

*Do you want it to enhance the room’s color scheme? If yes, select one that captures dominant or accent colors. If you have a subdued color scheme in the room, choose a lively colored or contrasting colored rug.

* Do you want it to add warmth? If yes, choose one that is a warm, neutral color.

Once you determine its purpose, choose the size. Get your tape measure out and decide on how much floor you want it to cover. When you know the approximate size you want, be sure to not settle for one that is smaller than you need. You will regret it.

I have been very lucky in life and I’ve been fortunate to have had the opportunities to travel quite a lot. I always write in my traveling journal and I always make notes on the maps that I use to get around. I’ve found that the notes, journal entries and photographs of the places I’ve visited help me to remember better. Last year I spend several months in Asia and I was able to spend quality time in several countries, rather than just hop from one to another.

My map of Philippines is quite worn. I used it to get everywhere. There are food stains on it and some stains that I have no idea what it is. I wrote in my journal quite a lot. One thing that I remarked on quite a bit was the attitude of the people. Most seemed very pleasant and welcoming. I would like to visit there again simply because of the people.

I spend a month in Malaysia also. I used several maps to keep from getting lost and all of the maps of Malaysia are stained and worn. I feel like the older my maps look, the more I saw of the country. I wouldn’t want to spend all of that time and money to visit another culture and find that I didn’t see much of it.

I would have to say of all of the Asian countries that I spent time in, Thailand was my favorite. My once crisp and nice Thailand map is not crumpled, stained and there is writing all over it where I took notes of the places that I went to.

I don’t think that I would be able to remember those countries and my time spent in them as well if I did not have the entries from my journal, the pictures that I took there and the maps that I used to get around. I never go anywhere without all three of these things.

I’ve never been much of a daredevil. In fact, I have roller coasters and anything related. But when I got to the convention of Liberty League International, I’ve found that I don’t have to be afraid.There is a video about Liberty League online if you want to learn more about them. I’ve found that in order for me to good in my life, I have to do good by me. I’ve been able to with some inspiration.

I’ve been to several places to hear people from Liberty League Intl speak and I always leave feeling great. Not only do I dislike things like roller coasters, but I dislike people a lot. I’ve learned how to deal with them also. I’ve learned how to like people by liking myself more. It just takes me knowing myself and what I’m capable of. I didn’t think I would ever finish my master’s but I did. I didn’t think I would ever like zip-lining but I did. I find that Liberty League knows how to inspire me.

I’m going to Rome this year for another conference. I cannot wait. I want to eat real Italian food and to drink Italian wine. I bet the cappuccino is top notch there also. I always bring my journal with me wherever I go and I bet that I will fill it up while I’m there.

I’m a sucker for sports!!  I’m one of these guys that can watch sport all day long, every day.  It doesn’t have to be a special event or a big match up.  It just has to be live sports!

I also like to go to watch live sports.  Whether its boxing, football, basketball or baseball, I love being in an audience and enjoying the atmosphere.  In the past I’ve had trouble getting tickets for some of the big ones - the ones that are sold out.  A friend suggested that I lookout for sold out sports tickets on the web.  It was great as I found the sold out basketball tickets and sold out baseball tickets that I was looking for.

From now on if I am looking for any type of hard to find tickets online I will do an internet search.  The tickets are easy to buy online and there is fast delivery.   Its just another great way to fuel my obsession with sports!!

I got a flat tire the other day and when I went to the tire store I found that a toyo tire was too expensive. So, after I got home I went online and found the same tire for a lot less! In fact, I was able to get the tire I needed plus high quality cheap chrome rims. My car has never looked so good, except of course when I first got it.

I’m planning on taking a road trip this summer from California to Chicago on the historic route 66. I’m planning on stopping at several classic diners and I really want my car to look great. I think that it will now that I can afford auto tires all around. I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t found this web site.

It seems like I’ve spent a fortune with the necessities of my car but now I know that I was just being ripped off before. Performance Tires Plus provides great cheap rims and tires and they have excellent customer service. I should have been shopping through them for years. Now I know what I’ll do when I need something for my car.

A printable map of the United States ended up saving me in 1st hour yesterday. My students don’t have the best textbooks in the world for geography but they’ve been okay thus far in the year. I had them open there books to page 68 yesterday and we found that the old geography teacher had them all ripped out for some reason. I quickly gave them a new assignment.

I went online to find a map for them to use. First I found maps of Asia and then maps of Mexico. At last I found a printable map of the United States. We got enough for the whole day and my students were able to get to the assignment at hand. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do because they had to do that assignment at some point because the objectives align with several of the state’s and the district’s.

I don’t know what I would have done for that assignment. I guess I’ll have to push the district to get them new books. I wonder if they will or if I’ll have to continue to purchase supplies for my students.

My boss asked me to come into her office to chat a few weeks ago. She asked me how I thought morale was and if everyone was being productive. I told her that everyone seemed happy enough and that I wasn’t hearing a lot of complaints but that since it will be a while before we have another holiday and three day weekend, they seemed to be bored and in need of corporate team building, to break up the day-to-day routine.

She thanked me and a week or so later she announced that we were all to take a leadership training course. She said the reason for this was two-fold. First, she knows that sitting in front of a computer day after day gets old and she knows that the only days off in the next few months are personal days.

The course was a big success. Not only did we all learn a lot but morale picked up and everyone was smiling. Our boss seemed very human in the eyes of everyone in her department because she seemed like she understood what it’s like to be one of us. Now everyone’s productivity has increased because of the team building programs and I’m up for a promotion since the boss appreciated my honesty and opinion.

Last week my husband and I decided we were going to make our house look nicer by getting a few new accessories. He wanted all new lamps but I thought that curtains and rugs would make the difference. I figured that new area rugs would be less expensive than new furniture.

We found a huge selection of braided rugs and my husband really liked that style. They were not only functional but they were stylish. We both really liked the way the braided rugs matched almost all of our furniture. If we had known about all of the inexpensive ways to give our home a facelift, we would have done that years ago!

So after the living room was finished I thought we would call it a day but no. My husband wanted to do the kitchen and then the bathrooms. All I really thought we would do was pick out a few wall decorations and some accessories. Now I get to redo my kitchen!