Learn From My Personal Experience About Bahamas Vacation Rentals

Bahamas house rental or a hotel? Vacation rentals are becoming very popular but many people ask the wrong questions when they enquire about a house rental, read this article where I answer many essential questions most people forget to ask when they book a Bahamas house rental or travel to the Bahamas.

Is the beach nearby?

This seems a pointless question, as you are renting a 'Beach House' and the assumption is already there, however prepare to be surprised, almost 30 % of Bahama's Beach Houses are advertised as such but are located up to a mile from the actual beach.

So be sure to specifically ask about the vicinity of the beach to the beach rental house or villa, if they don't mention in the advertising that the beach is just across the road then you can assume it is a fair way away.

Does the villa have beach views overlooking the beach?

If you are paying for a Bahama's beach rental property then it is essential that the rental property has extensive sea views, if it does not then forget it as there is hundreds more beach rentals in the Bahamas that do have a balcony and master bedroom with beach views that cost the same or are similar in price.

If you are on your Bahamas honeymoon getaway or a romantic bahama's vacation then the view is essential for those romantic sunsets and dramatic tropical dawns, enquire as to whether the beach can be seen from the master bedrooms bed, this is an excellent bonus as there is nothing more romantic than cuddling up and watching the moonlit beach, with the soft lapping of the waves and the grand panorama of the bright stars above just framing everything perfectly and providing for some vivid memories that will remain with you for your entire life.

Does the beach rental have drinking water?

Another trite sounding question but one that is very important, most island rentals do not have drinking water, you generally have to buy it to drink and clean with which is an added expense that can become expensive if you are a family with water wasting children.

It is also a chore buying water, every holiday hour is precious you do not want to be spending valuable hours on water trips when you could be in the 'water' swimming, diving and fishing.

Is there a barbecue and patio area?

You gotta have a bbq, there is nothing more delicious than fresh seafood and local produce cooked on the bbq. If you are a family on vacation or a group of friends then eating out every night can be seriously expensive, every good rental house should have a built in bbq area for entertaining and partying.

Find out where the locals shop for produce and meat and seafood, you will find the prices much cheaper and the variety more adventurous and exotic than what is served up to the tourists.

It is almost inevitable in the Bahama's that you will meet new friends while you are on vacation, this of course leads to entertaining which is where the bbq comes in handy, you can show off your spatula and tong skills, mum doesn't have to do all the cooking and all the mess can go straight in the rubbish.

Is there internet access?

This is important to many nowadays, broadband access should be free while you are there. Although we are on vacation many of us still have to communicate with the office or business while we are absent or check email. It is also handy for more local research if you need info on topics you had not previously considered.

Finally if it rains which it probably will at least one day of your vacation the internet is great for entertaining the kids. It is a good idea if you have a digital camera to set up a free photo blog account and upload many of your vacation digital images onto it for both storage and so that relatives and friends can be kept up to date on your Bahama's vacation by visiting your photo blog.

As you can post digital images and write text on your blog it will remain a cherished online record of your vacation for you to visit when you are feeling a little nostalgic.

Does the rental have a laundry room?

If it not mentioned then ask about it. You do not need to bring 3 suitcases crammed with clothes, just bring the minimum wardrobe that you are comfortable with, you will notice everyone dresses casual unless you really need those polyester trousers and socks and sandals.

It is a good idea to pack your essentials and a swimsuit and one casual outfit in your carry-on bag, as it is a common problem to have your luggage mislaid or delayed, being prepared means a lot less stress if this occurs.

Is there cable tv?

Who on earth would want to watch tv while you were on vacation? Who knows but it is handy if you are rained in for a day or having a sleepless night.

Also a stereo or cd player will be handy in case you have a party. Many Island vacation rentals will have a vhs radio in the house these are handy for local news and up to date weather information.

Is there a telephone?

Some vacation rentals do not have telephones. Also you will find many remote or Island vacation rental properties will have poor cellphone reception, so a phone for local calls is essential.

One last thing! Enjoy yourself!

Rob from http://www.cheapbahamasvacations.com shares some vital knowledge about Bahamas villa rentals and Bahamas travel in his detailed article website researched from personal experience of his travels in the Bahamas.

Connect With the Moon Phases to Manifest Your Desires

Connecting with the Moon phases, the Full and New Moon phases in particular, is something anyone can do very easily. It is all about energy (isn't everything?) and directing the energies in a positive way. In other words, there isn't anything "woo-woo" about using the Full and New Moon energies, in case certain images of running around naked and chanting in the moonlight are coming to mind! As many of us already know, we as humans, the animals and our planet Earth are highly influenced by the Moon in various ways.

Besides regulating the menstrual cycles of females on this planet and the ocean's tides, the Moon phases affect our moods and emotions. Just ask those who work as police officers, doctors and nurses, restaurant owners - any profession working directly with people and they will tell you without a reasonable doubt that something is different with the behavior of people during the Full Moon and New Moon. If the gravitational pull of the Moon is strong enough to cause tides, just imagine how it affects us and we are made up mostly of water.

Many farmers still plant crops according to the Moon's phases and the "Farmers'Almanac" has been around for a long time and is considered to be a very reliable and valuable guide by farmers. The Full and New Moon phases have powerful influences and indigenous people around the globe have learned to work with these energies spiritually and scientifically. We too can connect with these energies on each Full Moon and New Moon.

How does this relate to manifesting? On these Moon phases, we can use these very strong energies to set our intentions and desires. Everything we want to achieve over the next month (and beyond) we can put out to the Universe. Of course, this can be done at any time but since these more powerful energies are freely available to all of us, it only makes sense to use them to our advantage. On these days, we can use Moon to assist us in manifesting what we want to appear in our lives.

Getting Started

1. On a Full or New Moon, clear the energy in the room by using a smudge stick or essential oils (something calming such as lavender). Both of these can be found in many health food stores and online. Your favorite incense will work very well also. Set the mood with a candle or two and perhaps music, if desired and get comfortable.

2. Write the date at the top of a sheet of paper and make a list of all of your intentions and desires - everything you want to see made manifest in your life.

3. When you are finished, you may want to add the words, "May these intentions and desires manifest for the Highest good of all" at the top or bottom of your paper. If you choose to, you may also add one or more spiritual names you are personally drawn to at the top or bottom of your list. For example, the names of Jesus, Buddha, various saints, Ascended Masters, angels, guides - spiritual names of those who fit in with your belief system can be written on your list for additional spiritual energies.

4. Keep this list very private and close to you, in your wallet or purse, for example.

5. Read this list each day just before going to sleep and first thing upon awakening. Then forget about it. This is the most important part, the letting go of your intentions and desires. Checking for signs to see if your desires have happened yet is exactly like planting a seed and digging it up everyday to see if it has started to grow. This slows down the process considerably and can bring it to a halt. Rather than worry about whether it's working, just let it go. God, the Universe, All-That-Is will handle the rest.

Michael Losier, author of "Law of Attraction: The Science of Attracting More of What You Want and Less of What You Don't", defines letting go as the removal of all doubt. For more information about letting go and the Law of Attraction, visit his website at: www.lawofattractionbooks.com

Where To Find Dates of Moon Phases

There are many sources of moon phases on the Internet as well as the "Farmers'Almanac". Information can be found at: http://www.farmersalmanac.com/

Another good source is the U.S. Naval Observatory at: http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/MoonPhase.html

As your intentions and desires manifest, and they will, remember to cross them off of your list! Again, this very powerful and fun exercise can be done on each Full and New Moon.

Chyrene Pendleton, Metaphysician, Numerologist, Dowser, teaches several workshops on topics including prosperity and abundance, numerology and dowsing. Her articles have been featured in many mainstream and spiritual journals over the years and in her free, online Ezine called, The Isle of Light.

Chyrene is the owner of The Isle of Light Inc., a spiritual, metaphysical online spiritual center dedicated to assisting all to become more empowered and enlightened in a wide variety of ways. She is a certified television show producer and co-produced and hosted The Isle of Light television talk show in Denver, Colorado, which continues to air biweekly. Chyrene is also the producer and host of The Isle of Light Internet radio talk show which airs 24 hours each day at Live365.

Chyrene Pendleton's websites can be found at:

The Isle Of Light http://www.theisleoflight.com

Internet Radio Talk Show http://www.live365.com/stations/avalon22

Chyrene's Prosperity Blog http://theisleoflight.blogspot.com/

Count Down To An Advert

There are hundreds of books available to teach you how to write a good sales letter/advert. If you were to read them all it would be possible to distil all of the recommendations into a 'What to do list' similar to the one below. This list is not exhaustive. No two people would set it out in exactly the same way. It would be quite possible to extend the list a great deal further. This is my version. It works for me. It could work for you.

COUNTDOWN TO AN ADVERT

The headline must grab the readers attention. Make a promise or offer a benefit.

Expand the headline in the lead paragraph.

Don't waffle. You must hold the readers interest.

Make sure that any information that you give is useful.

Make sure your product is of interest to this particular audience.

Stress all of the benefits, As many as possible.

Curiosity creates interest.

Solve your reader's problems.

Talk to the reader as a person.

If you make a promise, make sure you keep it.

Decide what you want your readers to do next and ask them to do it. Make it easy for them.

Ask for an action, 'click here, buy now' etc.

For more information, 'Do this. Do that. Go to.'

Make it easy to sign up. In the copy and at the end of the copy.

Offer a freebie for signing up. (Make sure that it is relevant and of high perceived value.)

Ensure that any links in the copy are working properly.

If you are using an autoresponder, give them a way of contacting you. Your email address at least, your phone number will give people confidence.

If you feel that I have left out something of importance, let me know. I would prefer that you email me but my phone number is there if you should need it.

Bob.......

About The Author

Robert J Farey

Bob has been on line for over five years. He loves affiliate programs because all of the technical stuff is done by the owners of the programs. Leaving him free to concentrate on the promotion side of the business. If this article has set you thinking. Please take a look at: http://www.33daystoonlineprofits.com/video/?robertjay

Dont Need No Stinking PR?

Almost assuredly you do, especially when your most important external and internal audiences behave in ways that stop you from achieving your organizational objectives.

With that attitude, you could have a long wait before you see community leaders strengthening their bonds with you; customers making repeat purchases; unions bargaining more frequently in good faith; prospects becoming customers; employees beginning to value their jobs; political leaders and legislators starting to think of you as a key player in the business community, and suppliers working hard to expand your relationship.

Lighten up and use public relations in your own best interest, and benefit from a really cost-effective assist to your business, non-profit or association.

And there's another reason to do so. Tough times require tough tactics. Luckily, PR firepower can do for you what it was meant to do ? help you achieve your operating objectives by moving those people whose behaviors have the greatest impact on your organization, to actions YOU desire,

You know it's worth it, so give it a shot!

Best place to start is by listing your most important audiences, or "publics," and ranking them according to the impact they have on your enterprise. Let's work on the outside audience at the top of that list.

How aware are you and your colleagues as to how that audience views you? Could there be negative perceptions out there that, inevitably, will morph into behaviors that hurt your organization?

You really can't afford to ignore that possibility.

So get out there and interact with members of that target audience and ask questions. The alternative is to spend a LOT of money on a professional survey. Instead, make the time commitment to do some home-grown research. After all, PR best practice says you should be in regular touch with target audience members anyway, so this interaction is probably long overdue.

Ask questions like "Do you know anything about us? Have you heard anything good or bad about us?" Stay alert to hesitant and evasive responses. Notice any negative undertones? Do inaccuracies crop up? Any misconceptions or rumors that need your attention?

The answers you gather are the fodder for your new public relations goal ? i.e., the specific perception to be altered, followed by the behavior change you want.

Which requires that you set a public relations goal aimed at clearing up that misconception or nameless concern, correcting that inaccuracy or untrue belief, or disarming that rumor for good.

Now, what happens to that goal? You select a strategy to get you where you want to be. The choices are few indeed when it comes to perception and opinion. You can create perception where there isn't any, change existing perception, or reinforce it. That's it. You should, however, match your strategy selection to your newly-established public relations goal.

Clearly, the most sensitive, even difficult step in this problem- solving sequence is message preparation. At ther same time, it's your opportunity to write something that will change somebody's opinion, and that is a really satisfying experience.

First, your message must stick to its knitting and not ramble. Address the inaccuracy, misconception, untruth or rumor clearly and in a believable and as compelling a manner as possible. Remember what it must do if the public relations program is to be successful ? alter, change or reinforce what a lot of people believe. And that is a big job and a big responsibility.

If the message is the bullet, your "beasts of burden" are the gun, the means by which your communications tactics carry your message to the eyes and ears of members of the target audience.

And what a list of tactics offer themselves to you. Everything from open houses, feature articles, press releases and speeches to personal contacts, broadcast appearances, newspaper interviews and so many more.

Your measuring stick for each tactic is, does it have a proven track record for reaching people like those who make up your target audience?

So, you will get antsy and wonder if you're making any headway with your new public relations program. Best way to tell is to monitor target audience perceptions all over again. Use questions similar to your first monitoring session.

Big difference this time, however. Now, you need to see indications that perceptions are being altered as a result of your corrective message.

If you want to speed things up, you can always add a few more tactics to the mix, AND increase some of their frequencies. The message should also be re-evaluated for the strength and persuasiveness of its underlying facts, as well as impact and clarity.

Yes, you may believe you "don't need no stinking PR," but there's no denying that people in your area behave like everyone else ? they take actions based on their perception of the facts they hear about you and your operation. So, you must deal promptly and effectively with those perceptions by doing what is necessary to reach them.

And what that means is, in your own best interest, you must persuade many of your stakeholders to your way of thinking, thus moving them to take actions that lead to the success of your organization.

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net.

Robert A. Kelly ? 2003.

About The Author

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to general management personnel about the fundamental premise of public relations. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; Director of Communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and Deputy Assistant Press Secretary, The White House. mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net. Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com

Influencing Adolescents - Guided Democracy

You need to smart to be able influence adolescents. You need to be able to stand back a little, hold your tongue and wait your turn to speak.

Recently, Sam my seventeen year old son, said "No way" to our requests to wear some decent clothes to an upcoming on-stage event. Sam was chosen to read a piece of his written work on stage in front of 200 people in a plush venue the coming Friday night.

Our suggestions to wear a decent set of threads as opposed to the thread-bare, bum hanging out of his pants attire that was his norm was met with defiance. His is jutting jaw and arms folded he said determinedly, "No way, I am dressing for me not for you! I want to feel comfortable on stage, and I won't feel comfortable dressed like a dork."

My experience dealing with him lead to me to believe that meeting him head-on was like waving a red rag to a bull, and he would have only stood his ground and not shifted on principle. I wanted him to feel comfortable with his clothing but also that he needed to dress according to the dictates of the situation. We wanted him to be himself, just a souped-up version of himself for that night.

It was time to instil a few doubts and chip away a little at his suit of defensive armour. I said, "Maybe you won't feel comfortable if the other kids are wearing good clothes and you're not. It can be awful being the odd one out. A bit like the only one wearing fancy dress at a party" He didn't reply but I could see by the look on his face that I had given him something to ponder. Time for a retreat and allow him some time to chew it over.

That evening he brought the matter up to his mother and I. Sue suggested some clothes he might wear. "Why not wear your grey pants, your good black shoes and a shirt?" "No way, not my black shoes, no way," he replied.

"Okay, but if you wear your check shirt then you are making a real fashion statement."

"I could wear my check shirt?"

"Yes, of course. I wouldn't want you to look like a dork on stage."

My wife then left him to think on this. It was obvious that he was thinking, pondering and getting used to the idea of wearing decent clothes and the option we suggested was not such a bad one. We wanted him to think that his choice of clothes was his decision. This is guided democracy at work

On the night of the reading he appeared with freshly pressed grey pants that covered his boxer shorts, black leather shoes and a very smart check shirt. With hair jelled and pointy he scrubbed up well. He looked like we hoped he would look ? like a seventeen year old who had made the effort to bridge the gap between the more conservative adult world and his own adolescent world, at least for a night.

"How do I look? Do you like my clothes?"

His mother threw a huge smile his way, hugged him tight and said, "You look very handsome Sam. Can I go out with you tonight?"

An awkward smile lit up his face and I swear I saw him grow a few centimetres in that instant.

He held out his arm and said, "Mum you're on. Let's go."

As he walked out the door with an air of confidence I knew that we had made the right decision to push him to dress appropriately. I also knew that it had to be his decision to wear decent clothes ? he just needed to be given some time and a few things to think about in the meantime.

Michael Grose is Australia's leading parenting educator. He is the author of six books and gives over 100 presentations a year and appears regularly on television, radio and in print.

For further ideas to help you raise happy children and resilient teenagers visit http://www.parentingideas.com.au . While you are there subscribe to Happy Kids newsletter and receive a free report Seven ways to beat sibling rivalry.

Choosing a Voice Mail System

Voice Mail put simply
In its simplest form a voice mail system is essentially just another phone answering system. They store their messages on a computer disk. Each user is assigned a mailbox where they only have access to his or her messages. They are also password protected so only the assigned user can access the messages in their mailbox. Voice mail systems also allow each user to create their own greeting message. This enables the user to pass on instructions or important messages without taking the call.

Voice mail systems can allow companies to redirect callers to other company employees. A voice mail system can answer calls rather than a member of staff; provide them with a common greeting, then guide the caller to an appropriate department through a selection process. This is more commonly known as the voice mail systems Auto Attendant feature.

Voice mail systems can merge fax, e-mail and voice messages into just one screen of a users PC. Some voice mail systems even offer voice recognition technology. A caller's voice is recognised by the voice mail system and the system acts accordingly to pre-defined instructions. This is known as Interactive Voice Response.

What to look for in a voice mail system
Voice mails systems are usually additional features of existing in house phone systems. When deciding which voice mail system to purchase you need to look at two key aspects of each one: the number of user ports and the hours of memory that is allocated to messages.

A good voice mail system will have enough ports to handle incoming calls without delay. If all the ports are full, then any new callers will be delayed in the system until a port becomes available. If a voice mail system has too many ports then its capacity is wasted. The trick is to balance the number of ports with the estimated number of potential customers.

The capacity of a voice mail system depends on the hours of memory it has available. A system with a large number of ports and traffic may need a large number of hours, where as a system with low traffic will need fewer hours. The term hours of memory refers to capacity of a voice mail system to store any messages.

Selecting a voice mail system, check list

1. How do you use your voice mail?
This depends on how heavily your staff will be using the voice mail system. A port is in use whenever the voice mail system picks up a call, someone leaves, someone is transferred, or whenever a message is picked up by a user. All these factors need to be taken into account when looking at suitable voice mail systems.

2. Many older phone systems may not support a modern voice mail system.
Unfortunately many business phone systems that are above five years old will not be able to fully support a fully featured voice mail system. The only solution would be to replace your phone system with a more modern one.

3. Adequate memory.
Most voice mail systems have an adequate amount of memory, usually more than you will ever need. When selecting an appropriate voice mail system it is important that you enquire about the systems memory capacity, because some suppliers now provide relatively inexpensive voice mail systems that do not have a hard disk for message storage. All the messages and greetings are stored on chips, which seriously affects the amount of memory available. These small inexpensive voice mail systems are only really suitable to companies or offices with only two or three phone extensions and not recommended for a growing company requiring a fully featured voice mail system.

4. Expansion and how much it will cost.
When choosing a voice mail system, you need to make sure that any quotes gathered from systems suppliers include a cost for expansion. If you decide upon a voice mail system that is only sufficient for your current requirements, then consider what will happen if and when your office/company expands, and the need for more voice mail capacity outstrips that of your current system. You will also need to ask any prospective supplier how long they will honour their quotation for the expansion of your voice mail system.

5. Remote maintenance costs.
Before purchasing a suitable voice mail system from any supplier, you need to find out what their costs are for remote maintenance. All voice mail systems will at some time require a little care and feeding, which more often than not can only be provided by the system supplier.

6. Voice mail system training.
It is important that all users attend the training sessions of any new voice mail system. Though voice mail systems are not usually difficult to use, some staff may require one to one or even extra tuition. When evaluating the training cost section of any proposed voice mail system suppliers quotation, it is important to ascertain that a low price does not mean a low standard of system training.

7. Additional training.
It is advisable that you acquire a cost for any future additional training sessions that may be required from time to time, as staff come and go and for the re-training of existing staff.

8. Should I purchase a larger voice mail system?
There are two main questions you need to ask yourself in order to determine whether or not you should purchase a larger voice mail system.

Thanks for reading my article

Jason

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Jason Morris is co-author of Business Phone Systems Direct. An established communications company, offering advice and implementation of high quality business phone systems.
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What is a Title Loan?

A title loan is a loan of money secured by a certificate of title to a motor vehicle. The title loan lender keeps the certificate in case the loan is not paid.

A title loan is a way to borrow money on your automobile title. When you get a title loan you receive money on your automobile. The process is fast and easy. If you have a clear title in your name, you are eligible for a title loan.

If you own your car, title loans can be a great short-term loan solution to your borrowing needs. Borrowers should be aware that Title loans, like any other type of short-term loan, attract a high interest rate.

Once a decision has been made as to how much you may borrow, the title loan lender will hold the vehicle title document while you continue to drive the car. After the principal and the interest are paid your title document will be returned.

The title loan lender must give each borrower, at the time the loan is made, a written title loan agreement.

Borrowers should read the contract very carefully and make sure they understand what it means, before they sign it.

If you fail to pay the loan, the title loan lender may repossess your vehicle. However, the title loan lender must first give you the opportunity to make the vehicle available at a date, time, and place of mutual convenience. You have the right to remove your belongings from the vehicle at no additional cost.

If your vehicle is sold, you are entitled to any proceeds of the sale in excess of the amount you owe and the lender's reasonable expenses for repossession and sale.

All title loan lenders must be licensed in order to engage in the title loan lending business. Each title loan lender undergoes a criminal background check to ensure that the lender is qualified to issue a title loan.

You may freely reprint this article provided the following author's biography remains intact, including the live URL link:

About The Author

John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help homeowners find the best available loans via the http://www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.