Jager Meister Music Tour

Most of us believe that fruits will help us lose weight.
If you are one of them, you are right.

Fruits will give you a lot of energy and will supply essential vitamins and nutrients to your body. They do not have bad fats and they also have fewer calories.

But this doesn’t mean you should eat fruits in addition to your regular diet. You should instead substitute snacks, desserts, or part of your meals with fruits.
By substitution part of your diet with fruits, your calorie intake will not increase. And since fruits do not have bad fats, your diet will be sensible and this will help you lose weight.

Well, what about fruit juices?

Most of us choose fruit juices than fruits.
Juices are less messy and easy.

But if you want to lose weight, stay away from juices. This is no alternative for solid, fresh fruits.
I can give you 3 reasons why you should stay away from juices.

Reason 1

• Weight loss is all about how many calories you eat and how many you burn. The more calories you eat, the more you gain.
  When you eat fruits to lose weight, you actually substitute the food you would normally eat, with fruits. This is quite possible if you eat solid fruits. Solid fruits fill you up and you won’t overeat once your stomach is full.
• But juices are like water. We, in fact, substitute water, not food, with juices. Water has no calories. But fruit juices have a lot of calories. So, by substituting water with juices, your calorie intake will be increased and this will result in weight gain, instead of weight loss.

Reason 2

• Another reason why fruit juices are not good for weight loss is the quantity.
• Let’s take an example.
  When you eat oranges, for the snack, how many would you normally eat? 1, or 2 may be.
  But when you drink juice, how many ounces would you drink. An 8oz glass may be.
  How many oranges does it take to make one glass of juice? At least 3 or 4. Right?
• You see, you are virtually taking 3 to 4 oranges and yet you will not be full.
  These extra calories will, in fact, turn into fat resulting in weight gain, instead of weight loss.

Reason 3

• The 3rd reason to stay away from juices (the commercial juices) is “the added sugars”.
  All commercial juices are loaded with simple sugars. Another unnecessary addition to your calorie intake. And these sugars will also result in an insulin spike, affecting your fat burning ability (metabolism).
  Considering the above 3 reasons, it is safe to say that you should keep away from juices and should eat fruits to lose weight.
• Still, it doesn’t mean that you can eat as many fruits as you want. Even though fruits do not have added sugars, they do have some sugars. (Rule of thumb – All sweet foods have simple sugars.)

So, do not take more than 2 servings of fruits in a day.
That should give you plenty of energy and nutrients to help you lose weight.

Tech geeks everywhere have to relate to what I am about to write. I am sure this applies to plenty of other areas of life too, but since I fit most with the geek side, I’ll share what bugs me on this one. Why is it that people assume what we do, in the tech field, is something they can get from you for free? This is what I do for a living, not tech support per se, but working on the computer. There are other things I do professionally as well, and it should be up to me to determine when I am going to give my services away, not something you can assume that by loose association to me you automatically get for free.

Did that sound kinda strong? Well, maybe my problem is that I am not straightforward when things bug me, but I have been told I wear my emotions very clearly on the face, so either some people choose not to notice, or just don’t care.

As usual, I need to backpedal a little to clarify. I enjoy sharing my abilities to help others. I have fixed countless computers, reinstalled Windows more times than likely most Geek Squad idiots down at Best Buy could even imagine, and given away plenty of old hardware I had laying around than most readers of this site have likely ever purchased. I do enjoy it, I just don’t enjoy people I hardly know making that assumption it is free. A minor point you think? I beg to differ.

How about I approach you and plan on a freebie in your chosen field for supporting your family. You’re a doctor, great! I’ll be making some appointments for my kids and family next time they are sick – and go ahead and skip the bill. Own a fledgling restaurant, I’m gonna love all that free food coming my way! I’ll be sure not to come more than once a week though so I don’t abuse our new relationship. I need to find myself a mechanic friend here soon because I think my car needs a new timing belt. I’ll cover the cost of parts though, okay? I am guessing a mechanic or two will happen upon this post and readily agree with me. I figure mechanics often get their services abused like tech geeks.

Is that the key? If you offer a service instead of something tangible, it is obviously something you can give away because it doesn’t cost you anything, right? Wrong! You know what it costs me, time! Time is our most valuable asset. Time can only be spent, never built up or received. How we choose to spend our time is what really defines our lives. That choice is mine, not yours to assume it comes without a price.

Those who know me know that my hobby in recent years is photography. Once I jumped on the digital SLR bandwagon, I have pursued it with passion and enjoyed it thoroughly. I have done a lot of professional work, but I also offer my services for free to a lot of friends & family. This is something I enjoy being able to say “no charge” to those I am closely associated with. I have donated photo shoots to local schools for fundraising and showed up for charitable causes at no expense. These are the occasions when I like to give of myself and my time. This service is also when I have been particularly irked when people assume they have new access to a great freebie. One family, in particular, has requested new family portraits and figured “thanks” was payment enough. I don’t know them all that well, but because we live within a short distance from each other, that entitles them to free access, right? Obviously, I am not bothered enough to send them a bill, but I don’t go out of my way to offer them any extras.

I guess what usually sets me off is when someone wants something for free, but they need me to go out of my way to do it rather than adjusting to my schedule. Just the other day this family had taken some photos with their own digital camera that they wanted digitally retouched. They wanted to transplant some kids heads, airbrush a few things, etc. “I’d like that done quickly too so I can get these printed up, when can you have that done?” No do you mind doing this for us as a favor? No how much do you charge since you do this professionally? The idiot that I am, I did it and kept my mouth shut. Does that mean I don’t get any “heavenly credit” because I performed the task begrudgingly? Probably so. Oh well, perhaps my confession will help me get past it all.

I have also had plenty of friends who I have specifically told I am happy to offer my services for free to them, only to have them bring by a gift certificate to a restaurant, payment or a gift of some kind to say thanks. I have a very hard time accepting these gestures in return for some strange reason. Call it yet another weird quirk of mine. I didn’t ask for it, and I said I was doing my favor for free. I have gotten better over the years in realizing they feel better for not having taken advantage of the situation either. Then they don’t feel bad using me again. It is not quid pro quo though, they just wanted to say thanks, and I appreciate that.

I also appreciate friends who know they are asking for something as a favor, so they work particularly hard to give me advanced notice, make sure I am available and generally speaking ask pointedly if I mind. Just some common courtesies when asking for a favor. That kind of things makes me more than happy to say yes, put it in my schedule and do my best to do a good job when I show up. My next door neighbor requested I take a large (extended) family photo on Dec. 23 because they will have so many people in from out of town. She asked clear back at the beginning of November if I could do this. Now that is some pre-planning that I can appreciate. In general, though, having some flexibility of when something can get done is all I really ask.
Other friends have hired my services, for weddings, events, portraits, etc. I have so appreciated them recognizing that this is a situation where I should be hired, and in return, they get a steal of a rate as my thanks. I will happily perform my services for a far reduced rate as thanks for you recognizing that I am a professional that deserves some compensation.

I think this little therapy exercise has helped me realize I just need to step up say when something is going to cost money. Whether it be photography, computer support, graphic design, etc., anything I do professionally I just need to be clear up front if I would like to offer it for free or offer up what my rates are to see how interested they really are in enlisting my services.

Once again, I need to make sure I haven’t come across as a complete idiot. I do enjoy offering free help in things I know how to do. All friends who are reading this who have had free photo work or tech support from me – don’t get scared off. If I have told you I am happy to do whatever it is for free, I mean it. I am not keeping some list of who owes me some return favors. I find real enjoyment in being able to give of myself when I so choose. I like when my talents are appreciated. This post is not some backhanded attempt at getting money out of you.

I also greatly appreciate those friends that offer back to me their free help and time when I have asked. I have a former neighbor who I still call upon whenever I build something in my house because he is an engineer and the best at getting things right out of anyone I know. This reminds me, I owe him a good thank you lunch for his recent help. I think I’ll set something up for later this week. Goodness knows I want to make sure he knows I value his time and know when I have been given a great freebie.

Generally speaking, I have my own vehicle to drive to work. I feel fortunate to have this, but of course, I am very used to it as well. I drive the truck, my wife drives the van. It is not something chauvinistic or anything, it just works out because my wife does most of the “bus duties” with the kids throughout the day. Periodically she needs the truck though so I end up driving the van.

So why does this bother me you ask? Ok, maybe you didn’t ask, but I am going to tell you anyway. It is not a guy thing over driving a van. I am comfortable in my manliness which is not harmed by being seen driving the family mobile. Heck, I drove a Miata for a number of years, so obviously I can take the heat for not driving a “guy” car. Actually, the Grand Caravan we have is comfortable to drive and has a little pep in its V6.

No, what bothers me is the sounds, smells and general disarray our kids create in the vehicle.

Sounds

Yes, the sounds. I am not sure what all the kids do to cause this, but the van ends up having more squeaks and rattles than my brain can handle. It is kind of a funny thing because I do not have the best hearing in the world, but I take acute notice to any sounds that are not normal for the car to be making. This “ability” if we can call it that has been good to me over the years, often helping me catch car problems before they get to be something too serious. In the family van, my “something is wrong” sensors are in overload with all the sounds.

Today I was driving along, playing the music a bit loud as I am often found doing when driving alone in a vehicle; I do enjoy my music. I start hearing a buzz from one of the rear speakers that my problem radar tells me is a busted cone in the speaker. I have been there before, so I have a pretty good idea what one sounds like. After parking, I check it out. Busted speaker? No, candy wrapper shoved between the slots of the speaker grill, rattling only with just the right amount of volume and bass. Yes, only something you get with idle kids riding in the back of a family mobile.

Smells

I am not sure if I need to expound on this one much. Kids spill things, leave things on the seat and for some reason pill up the food products between any nook and cranny that happens to be within reach. That food, left in the hot car for any number of days weeks produces the not so pleasant odors that combine for an even less than pleasant smell to the car. My wife and I do our best to keep this cleaned out and teach our kids to be a bit more careful in the car, but we fight a losing battle. So, we have the “kids car” smell. At least it isn’t complemented by the I-forgot-a-dirty-diaper-in-the-back smell as we have never done that before.

General Disarray

Disarray is putting it nicely of course; kids just make a mess. They leave everything where they drop it, figuring they have slaves (read that parent) to take care of it for them. I am not the king of clean these days, but I do like a clean vehicle.

Perhaps what gets me more than when I drive the van for a time, that means the kids end up riding in the truck. Kids in the truck mean the truck is now the family mobile, so all the same things happening to my precious domain. Ah well, time to clean it again anyway.

I have come to the conclusion after extensive research”¦ok not extensive but I did think about it for a few minutes”¦.that ALL my trouble in life (and in the lives of most middle-aged women) is because of BARBIE!!! Now I don’t mean the politically correct Barbie on the toy store shelves today but the 13-inch waist/42 inch bust line Barbie of MY childhood. Remember her? She came with 4 wigs of different colors and styles to fit her mood. Every little girl dreamt of growing up and living in her own “Dream House” one day”¦I know I did! But look at what this innocent plastic toy did to my young developing psyche.

More…

First look at her body!!!! We all shrove to achieve that figure”¦which meant not eating anything larger than a grape and walking on high heels while doing so”¦which I found very hard with being so dizzy from lack of food. And we knew Barbie didn’t exercise to achieve that tiny waistline as her arms/legs/waist didn’t even bend! The only exercise she got was an occasional head turn from side to side as she was being fitted for one of her many wigs. There was a new “bendable” model that was introduced but I soon learned that there was a danger in bending one’s legs too many times as after a few times the joints snapped and”¦well let’s just say we needed a set of Barbie crutches after that. Confirming the belief that exercise does NOT a perfect woman make.

Next Barbie taught us that everything can be obtained in life by buying accessories. When Barbie wanted to change her lifestyle she didn’t attend Self Help classes but bought a new outfit. She could become a nurse on a whim”¦become a research scientist with a lab coat and a pair matching high heels. She never held any job for very long as clothing items became outdated or lost. But somehow she was able to afford a Dream House and corvette. We know Barbie didn’t need a man to buy her these luxuries as LOOK even KEN was a fashion accessory! They never married”¦he only had clothes to match Barbie’s needs. Ken didn’t have a Bachelor Pad (mine lived in an old Keds shoe box), a car of his own (I did allow him to drive Barbie to parties) and he only came into any scenario when Barbie needed a date. Or if you had to play with your boy cousin you hated so you “let” him be Ken. I admit there are times I would like my husband to move into a shoe box and my Dream House would be a simpler place.

And Barbie’s friends were even made to compliment her. Again I am talking about the Barbie of my youth (yes I believe she had a pet dinosaur) before ALL the Barbie Friends came about with their perfect tans. I’m talking about Midge”¦good old simple, mousey bad permed brown hair Midge. She didn’t upstage Barbie with her prefect hair and eye makeup (I’ll discuss that later). She didn’t have her own place (don’t tell my dad but she did cohabit with Ken in the Keds box) and her clothes were the outdated outfits that Barbie no longer found exciting or your latest attempts at sewing your own Barbie clothes”¦I think for a whole fashion season my Midge doll wore an outfit made from an old tube sock. Midge never had a say in parties to attend, where to have a picnic or giving of dating advice to Barbie. And when the Alan doll came on the scene as preferably a date for Midge”¦he became an arch-rival for Ken and spent most of his time in fights over winning Barbie’s affections. Barbie would sit”¦.legs out straight in front of her like ALL nice young ladies while Ken and Alan duked it out for her”¦Midge was usually lying on the side in her tube sock formal waiting for the outcome. I think Barbie coined the phrase, “It’s ALL about ME!”

I really think my growing up during the Barbie era warped my perspective on life. To this day I still think blondes have more fun, fashion defines you, accessories make life better, a girl can never have too many shoes, every girl should have a sports car, a true dream house doesn’t even HAVE a kitchen and men should show up when called upon with flowers and be wearing a tux. Hmmm looking back that doesn’t sound so bad! I’m a Barbie Girl”¦in a Barbie World”¦.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Homestake Mining have reached an agreement requiring Homestake to assess contamination and address safety hazards at four abandoned uranium mines in the Mariano Lake and Smith Lake on the Navajo Nation.

Jared Blumenfeld, EPA Administrator in the Pacific Southwest Region, said, “This work, which will cost about $500,000, is another element in our partnership to deal with the toxic legacy of abandoned uranium mines.”

Ove the next several months, Homestake will conduct extensive radiation survey of the mine sites to measure risks, backfill open holes and mitigate surface features that pose physical threats to people or animals. The company will also post bilingual warning signs around the mine sites, as well as sample surface and subsurface soils in the areas around the mines. This first phase of clean up of the uranium contamination is expected to be completed by fall 2015.

The Mariano Lake mine operated as a uranium mine from 1977 to 1982. From 1944 to 1986 nearly four million tons of uranium ore was extracted from mines on Navajo Nation lands.

The Navajo Nation holds nearly 27,000 square miles of land spread over three states in the Four Corners area of the Southwest.

EPA and the Navajo Nation will oversee the work at Mariano Lake and Smith Lake and Homestake will set aside funds for EPA’s oversight of future cleanup, said the agency.

Tahoe Resources president and COO Ron Clayton recently received the Cambridge House 2014 Silver Baron Award, which embodies 365 days of hard work and perseverance in the mining space, especially within silver.

“We are very pleased to present the 2014 to Mr. Clayton who has spent most of his career working for the betterment of the industry,” said Jay Marton, Cambridge House president.

The 56-year-old Clayton is a silver miner to his very core beginning with his first job working for Homestake Mining in the Bulldog silver mine in Creede, Colorado.

Growing up in Alamosa, Colorado, Clayton delivered auto parts for his father part-time during high school. One delivery was to a perlite mine in Antonito, Colorado. Bob Drips, who was running the perlite mine, had more of a background in silver and uranium mining in New Mexico, and got Clayton interested in mining.

As a result, Clayton said he pestered the Bulldog people in Creede, Colorado until eventually he got his first job.

“I love it. I love the people. I love being underground,” Clayton said during an interview on Friday with Mineweb. “Sometimes I get to the point where I’ve been away too long and want to get underground.

“I think that’s what’s missing in our world today. There are a lot of very narrow-vein deposits out there, really narrow stuff, that the talent and skill to mine those things is going away,” he suggested.

“I started out about as low as you can get on the totem pole. I was a supplier hauler and I cleaned out the honey buckets,” he recalled.

Since that first job, Clayton graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a B.S. in Mining Engineering, held a number of engineering and operations positions with Homestake and the Climax Molybdenum Company, eventually becoming senior vice president of operations for Hecla Mining Company. The result was 30 years of operating experience, primarily in silver mining.

In 2010, Clayton joined Tahoe Resources (THO), which has an operations office in Reno, commenced commercial production at the Escobal mine in Guatemala about a year ago and plans this year to produce at least 20 million ounces of silver at a total cash cost of $5.65-$6.25/oz and all-in sustaining costs of $8.85-$9.85/oz net of by-product credit.

When asked what changes he has seen thus far in his three-decades of mining, Clayton observed, “The transitions that I’ve seen probably run more to the demands of the deposit than they are to modernization, really.”

“If you think about the processing part of it – we’re still using pretty old, standard technology. The pieces of equipment are newer and more modern. And they’re controlled by computers. But we still crush it, grind it and float it; depress the zinc and float the lead and hope all the silver goes with the lead.”

Silver price
“The biggest difference is, obviously, the silver price and that’s being driven by the change in the way silver is being used,” Clayton observed. “You think back about how many years we spent trying to make money at $5, $6, $7 silver, you have to go clear back to when the Hunt Brothers did their thing.

“It’s not an easy business, being in the primary silver business,” Clayton observed. “There’s an awful lot of by-product silver out there, that’s always going to have some pressure down on the price.”

Nelson Bunker Hunt and his brother William Herbert Hunt attempted to corner the silver market, causing a panic in financial markets in general, as well as commodities and futures, on March 27 1980, as the Hunts lost over a billion dollars in the incident.

“The point is that there were some companies even back then that could make a profit at $7 silver, including Homestake’s Bulldog mine in Creede and the Lucky Friday in Idaho in its heyday,” according to Clayton.

“Today the cost profile has gone up enough, I was looking yesterday at something BMO put out where a lot of the primary silver producers’ all-in costs right now are higher than the spot price,” he said.

“The demand for silver has gone up because we’re not relying on photography any more. It’s more electronics, cell phones, that kind of thing,” he observed. “The real difference that it makes at the end of the day is a foundation on the bottom. I don’t think that physical demand really drives price, I think it’s investment.

“I am a real believer that silver is still an investment vehicle and that’s what creates the pricing and the new industrial uses are keeping the floor up a little higher,” Clayton stressed.

“My philosophy is an awful lot like Kevin’s [Tahoe Resources CEO Kevin McArthur]. We’re precious metals miners. We both strongly believe that the silver and gold prices are more related to the real value of a dollar, which is constantly going down; so it takes more ounces of silver to make a dollar all the time.”

“Maybe it’s a year out, maybe it’s two, things are going to change as they always do and the prices will go up relative to the dollar.

“When gold’s coming down, it (silver) will beat it to the bottom, and when gold starts up, silver is going to close the gap. I have seen it happen every time,” he observed.

Tahoe Resources began as a public company with a C$6 share price, which is now trading at $20-22/sh.

“It’s (Escobal) a hell of a deposit,” Clayton observed. “It has a really good team. Frankly, we’ve done everything we told people we were doing in Guatemala. Out of the mine’s roughly 900 employees, only 25 are not Guatemalans. Most of them had never been in a mine before.

“Right now our miners, between their safety and productivity, are as good as miners anywhere in the world,” he noted. “Sometimes, it’s really good to take farmers and teach them how to be miners and millers.”

A number of the employees in Escobar’s metallurgy and processing are women. “Women can’t work underground in Guatemala, it’s the law. So the way we get around that law is that geologists don’t work underground all day,” he added.

Social license to operate
Located on the outskirts of San Rafael las Flores, Escobal operates in an area where a large number of families survive on subsistence farming. Local communities started organizing protests against the mine in 2011.

Clayton told Mineweb that the bulk of anti-mining activity occurred between September 2012 and April 2013, and that Escobar hasn’t had a single protest since April 2013.

“There’s a lot of money coming into the country that’s anti-mining development,” Clayton said. “It’s always going to be a lot of noise.”

On May 2, 2013, Guatemala’s president declared a state of siege around the Escobal “to quell criminal gangs,” the BBC News reported in June of this year. “Thousands of troops were deployed, constitutional rights were suspended and scores of anti-mining activists arrested.”

Nevertheless, Clayton insists Escobal has made considerable progress in securing mining’s social license to operate in San Rafael las Flores.

“In my opinion, what it takes to get through that is you have to do what you said you are going to do; and you have to follow through and do that day in and day out, as consistently and persistently as you can. People will eventually come around to the idea that progress is a good thing,” he said.

Clayton said he is “really proud” that many of the small children, who used to work with their parents in the field, are now wearing clean clothes and going to school. “So there is more money in the area,” he noted. “People can afford to hire help to go out into the fields. They can afford to buy clean clothes and send their kids to school.

“I get slightly testy when I hear people complaining about the people from Central America that are coming into this country illegally,” Clayton remarked. “They’re coming up here not because they want to live here, but because they’re oppressed. Part of that is there’s no rule of law, which we could much more cost effectively help with down there than deal with the problem up here. Part of that would be if governments would just help countries like that develop the rule of law and help them attract foreign investment into the country.”

Tahoe Resources is now the largest taxpayer in the country. “Once you got us in there, we’re more than willing to be good neighbors. We have people moving back from the US to San Rafael las Flores because they can get a good job now. They can feed their kids. It’s a relative area of safety. It’s one of the things I am really proud of,” he stressed.

During Clayton’s tenure with Hecla Mining, the company sold its Isidora gold mine in Venezuela to Rusoro Mining as the Chavez Administration expropriated foreign-owned businesses in the country.

“Actually Venezuela was lot more difficult to deal with,” Clayton recalled. “The reason it was because we get strong support from the community and the government (in Guatemala) and we never got that in Venezuela.”

Guatemala is a democracy with a single house legislature. The country’s President Otto Perez Molina, the former head of the nation’s army, is supportive of Escobal, Clayton asserted, adding that Perez has been very good about trying to minimize corruption in Guatemala.

“This president still views us as a model for attracting investment into the country,” said Clayton, adding that Escobal officials talk to oil and gas, railroad companies, and maquiladora clothing manufacturing companies.

“I like doing business in Guatemala. It’s a good place to do business,” he added.

When it comes to technology for small businesses, finding the right fit can be difficult and frustrating. Between the lack of information for businesses of a smaller size and the difficulty in understanding what all these new advances in technology do, sometimes it feels like it’s not worth the hassle of upgrading. Maybe you have had your Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) since the business began but now you are hearing about all the advances with VoIP-based phone systems. The real problem now is how to figure out if the new systems are a good fit for you. Well fret no more, SMBs! Hear what some other small businesses are saying according to the findings in the newest report from telecom reviewer and comparison site Software Advice, “VoIP Software Small Business BuyerView”.

What are other Small Businesses saying?
If you are one of the many small businesses evaluating other software options, scalability is probably somewhat of a concern for you. One major factor that calls for companies to need scalable systems are when the small business is dependent on mobile devices. If the company needs to switch from a mainly mobile base to a cloud-based or on-premise system, the transition might not be easy because the systems don’t have all the necessary features. With the new technology available to all size businesses, VoIP systems have become a hot commodity because of their capability with mobile devices.

When it comes to on-premise versus cloud-based systems, you may be surprised to know that businesses are pretty evenly split on which system they prefer according to the findings in the Software Advice article called, “VoIP Software Small Business BuyerView”. One of the main reasons for the recent rise in cloud-based systems is partially because of the savings for the company as well as the low maintenance of the systems. On-premise systems need updates and consistent maintenance to keep them running at their full potential which can be a headache if you have a small or non-existent IT department. If you are ready to be rid of the extra hassle of an on-premise system then this can be beneficial, but some businesses would rather manage their own systems.

The Desired Functions
A large issue with researching new phone systems is that some of the information is just difficult to understand. Let’s be honest, technology is not always explained in the simplest terms and that can skew what you think your business needs. You may have ideas on what you want but when you go to research what is out there, the information is overwhelming. Other small businesses struggle with the same problem. In a recent poll by Software Advice, the most critical option wanted by small businesses in a phone system was auto attendant and automated call distribution.

Another functionality that small businesses definitively wanted was the capability for call-forwarding. For small businesses looking toward PBX solutions, this is one of the functions that is valued, especially for companies that place an emphasis on mobility.

The Next Steps
Figuring out the next steps in upgrading your phone system can be a daunting task, especially with all the information out there. For small businesses, this task is even more difficult. In order to get the most information when upgrading your phone, it helps to turn to your colleagues.

One of the best parts of winter is the arrival of snow. Snow opens up a whole world of fun activities for the entire family. Below is a list of activities that children can enjoy. As with all activities, be sure to supervise for safety and security. There are many great ways for kids to enjoy the outdoors during winter.

Sledding
A great snow activity is to go sledding. Sledding is affordable and fun. If you don’t have a sled, you can use a trash can lid, lunch tray, garbage bag or even just slide down on your back. Find a hill and have fun. Remember to be safe. Check the hill first for rocks or anything that could hurt on the way down.

Skiing
Skiing can be a lot of fun for kids. Many resorts and snow parks offer classes for children to learn to ski. Not only is it a lot of fun, but it’s also great exercise, and a sport that kids can continue with for many years to come.

Snowboarding
For those kids who don’t want to ski, snowboarding can be a great alternative. Many snow parks offer classes to teach kids how to snowboard. Kids can start off on the bunny slopes and work their way up to more difficult runs. Like skiing, snowboarding is great exercise and can be continued for many years.

Snowball Fights
A classic snow activity, snowball fights can be a lot of fun for kids. All it takes is a pile of snow, packed into a ball. Be sure not to pack the snow too tight, as it can hurt on contact. Snowball fights are an inexpensive, fun way to enjoy the snow outside.

Snow Angels
Another classic snow activity, snow angels are a great way for kids to enjoy the snow. Just lie on your back and move your arms and legs from side to side. When you stand up, the impression you made in the snow will look like an angel. This is a simple, safe and easy way for kids to have fun in the snow.

Build Snowmen
Building a snowman is a great activity for the entire family to do together. Grab items from around the house to decorate your snowman and see what you can make. Older kids may want to try making other types of snow structures, like an igloo or a sculpture.

Summer is the season for weddings, despite the warm temperatures. Planning a summer wedding requires a few extra considerations and practical plans to ensure a pleasant event. Comfort should be the first thing that comes to mind when the planning begins. Remember it’s the little things that can make a difference for a summer wedding. Starting a ceremony an hour later, encouraging casual dress and offering items to keep cool helps guests stay comfortable and enjoy a summer wedding.

Things You’ll Need:

• Moisturizer, foundation or powder with SPF Sunblock Bug spray Fans Ice-cold hand towels Bottled water Tent
• Moisturizer, foundation or powder with SPF
• Sunblock
• Bug spray
• Fans
• Ice-cold hand towels
• Bottled water
• Tent

Step 1

Send save-the-date announcements. Summers are prime time for vacations, camps, family reunions and other activities. Send save-the-date announcements early so guests can mark the wedding on their calendar and plan around the date.

Step 2

Schedule an evening wedding. Avoid the hot afternoon sun by planning an evening wedding. Remember the sun sets later in the summer so there is more evening to enjoy. Protect yourself with a moisturizer, foundation or powder containing SPF. Supply unscented sunblock and bug spray to all attendants. Consider placing a basket with sunblock and bug spray in the bathroom for guests.

Step 3

Provide relief from the sun and heat. Consider holding the wedding ceremony outside, but the wedding reception inside. Place fans on guest’s chairs or pass ice-cold hand towels just before the ceremony begins. Put baskets of water near the entrance for guests to pick up as they arrive. Reserve a tent for outdoor wedding receptions. Some tents include portable air-conditioning systems. Rent fans to position around the tent. Provide plenty of cold beverages and water.

Step 4

Choose appropriate attire. The wedding party and guests should feel comfortable—not hot, sticky and sweaty. Choose a light, breathable fabric such as silk. Select a shorter dress for bridesmaids. The groom and his attendants can opt for linen suits. Consider guest comfort when planning a summer wedding. Requesting formal attire for an outdoor wedding is not appropriate. Suggesting comfortable sundresses and khaki pants is more appropriate.

Step 5

Serve light foods and cold beverages. Try summer fruits and vegetables with grilled entrees. Hot summer months and heavy foods are not a winning combination. Consider a non-traditional dessert such as fruit pies, Popsicles or fruit skewers. Provide plenty of water and non-alcoholic drinks. Serve frozen cocktails with summer flavors such as watermelon, cucumber and mango.

Alabama is an US state that earned its reputation due to its industrial sector, especially steel production. Birmingham took the nickname of Magic City because of its fast developing rhythm. The state is an important cultural pillar. It owns the US Space and Rocket Center and one of the best universities in the US. Its med schools attract a great number of foreign students.

If you’re thinking about visiting, don’t hesitate. Alabama is full of nice, friendly people, who will welcome you with an authentic and thick Southern accent. The locals are infamous for their racism, but that’s only a stereotype. It is funny though to ask a person living here about this misconception: they’ll say Mississippi is actually the culprit, while the latter will say it’s Alabama. The prejudice they’re all uneducated ‘rednecks’ is also false. High schools and colleges in Alabama have achieved high rankings for the past few years among the USA. In the past, a tradition among Southern states said marriage between cousins was a good choice. While most people frown upon it, the laws don’t prohibit it.

There is one thing that remains true about Alabama: their love for football. The people here are calm, kindhearted and friendly. They appear patient and forgiving. All the niceness suddenly disappears when the game starts. Don’t say anything bad about the team, not even if it’s true.

Alabama is perfect for road trips and camping. Explore the Cathedral Caverns and the Dismals Canyon. Rivers and lakes are worth a visit. The Orange Beach is a great city for shopping, for the nightlife or for a sunbath in the summer. For those who would like to know more about Alabama, Birmingham’s Arts Museum has an impressive collection and the Vulcan Statue is one of the largest and most fascinating sculptures in the US. Other attractions include Gaineswood, the Forts, the Battleship Memorial or the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville.