Review - Easy BookBinding By Nathan DeStephano

Easy BookBinding, by Nathan DeStephano, is the most current and complete resource I have found for learning how to print and bind your own trade paperback and case bound hardcover books. If you are looking for a step-by-step system for designing, printing, and binding your own books - this might be the resource you have been searching for.

Before I tell you more about Easy Bookbinding let me say one thing, this book is NOT for everyone. It is NOT written for the book arts enthusiast who wants to study the centuries old craft of hand made books. It is also NOT written for those wanting to make arts and crafts projects. If that is what you want, here are a few much better resources:

"The Complete Book of Bookbinding" by Josep Cambras "Book Arts: Beautiful Bindings for Handmade Books" by Mary Kaye Seckler "Bookbinding for Book Artists" by Keith A. Smith and Fred A. Jordan

Easy BookBinding is written for the self-publishing author and for people (like me) who want to bind the many electronic books that are piling up on their computer's hard drive. It will teach you to make trade paperbacks and case-bound hardcover books cheaply and quickly. If you are not familiar with these terms, they refer to the most common styles of books you find at your local bookstore.

Personally, I get lots of e-books every month and prefer to have hard copies of the good ones to read during my commute to work - I like to make notes in the margins. I also like to download public domain classics from the Project Gutenberg website and create printed copies for my library. Occasionally, I make collections of my photos to share with family and friends (this option has become much more popular since the birth of my daughter!) You may have a collection of poems or short stories that you want to share. Whatever your reason for creating your own books, finding good information on bookbinding is challenging.

Like me, you have spent many hours searching the Internet looking for information about creating paperbacks and hardcover books. Most of the websites out there are just copies of 100+ year old books that teach complex methods involving specialized tools and time consuming techniques - how many people really want to sew together a book? (I just wanted to make a plain old paperback.)

Other sites I found that taught more modern methods were either badly done or don't show enough detail to get you through the whole process. You have to get a little info here and a little more there and invent your own method through trial and error. Saving you from wasting time experimenting is where the real value of Easy BookBinding shines through.

Easy BookBinding takes you step-by-step through the entire book creation process. There are tutorials for using a free page layout program (and information on where to get it) to design the cover and interior of your book. Three different binding methods are explained and there is even a set of plans for building your own binding jig to speed up your process.

Easy BookBinding does not leave you with general descriptions of the process and rough sketches. Every step is shown in detail with screen captures and high quality 3D images along with measurements in imperial and metric units so the information is useful around the world.

The biggest downside of the book is the price. It's a little on the expensive side - $49 US as of this writing. I resisted buying it for months and set about trying to figure everything out by myself. If I added up all of the hours I wasted trying to find the information that is available inside Easy BookBinding and multiplied it by the minimum wage, I am sure the number would be 10 times the cost of the book (and there was a trick for making laminated paperback covers that I had not heard before.) In addition, since I purchased my copy, the author has added additional materials to the book and several video tutorials. Every time I revisit the site I seem to discover a new resource that has been added. It seems that Mr. DeStephano is determined to ensure that everyone gets full value for their investment.

Easy BookBinding is a practical step-by-step guide to making your own trade paperbacks and case-bound hardcover books. I recommend it to anyone looking to shortcut the learning curve and start making high quality books at home. I was so inspired when I got my copy, that I printed out the book and bonus materials and bound my first hardcover book - how cool is that?

Auto Auctions Online - The Secret to Buy Any Car at the Lowest Price Ever

More and more people are looking for auto auctions online. It has been known that you can get the lowest price possible for any car that you want through car online auctions website.

1. Used Car Dealers

Used car dealers have been used car online auctions website to find a great deal. Most often they can find a great car at cheapest price that they can sell again at their dealerships to get a hefty profit. Talking about business opportunity, this might be something that you want to look.

2. The Secrets

The secret is to know what you are dealing with. Once you make a bid, all bids are considered final. Before you make a bid you need to join the auto auctions online websites.

There are free auction websites such as eBay and paid websites such as Car Online Auctions where you can access a database containing car auctions across United States. There is one story where one client saved more than $8700 buying car through Car Online Auctions

3. What You Should Do?

The first thing you should do is to research the price at your local dealerships first. This will give you a good idea what you can expect to pay at auto auctions online website. Aim to pay at least 20% lower than the price you have found at your local dealerships.

The next thing you should do is to research other similar listings selling same car. In that way, you can compare different sellers and the offers.

The last thing is to look for the vehicle condition. You need to be aware that there might be few problems hidden by the sellers. It will be wise to bring mechanic or get CARFAX report to inspect the car's conditions.

Where Do We Find True And Lasting Happiness?

For the longest time I was convinced that I was not happy unless I had a partner to share my life with. I just knew that having someone to share glorious sunrises and romantic sunsets would make me happy. I even came close to marrying someone who made me feel as if I was the happiest person on the face of the earth only to find out that it was not actually him that made me happy.

This is the mistake most all of us make when we are dating and even more so when we have been married and have become accustomed to having someone around all the time. Suddenly we are thrust back into this crazy dating world that has changed so much since we were gone that we need to go to Dating College to get educated and learn the lingo not to mention the new rules to even be a player in the game. OK, so you think you know the answers, what makes you happy, what will keep you happy and that special something that will attract you and keep you attracted? I think you are going to be surprised at what I have to say.

The greatest lesson I have learned if I have learned anything in my dating trials and tribulations is that I am the only person on this earth that is responsible for my happiness. The only place that happiness lives forever, with or without a partner is within you. You have the power to create and maintain your own happiness. Love is great to have and share, but in order to share what you have to offer, you must first find that happiness within yourself and the person that sees that happiness in you will want to be part of that happiness. So you see, the search and the quest for that fulfillment is endless as long as you choose not to look inside yourself.

Enjoy the journey, experience what life has to offer, always keeping your happiness in focus, first and foremost. YOU, are the reason for your happiness, let it shine, share it with the world and you will receive that happiness back in your heart ten fold.

Doing Things We Dread

As I sit here in front of the computer I am breaking through on something that I have been tolerating for weeks now... actually sitting down to write this newsletter. I wasn't blocked for ideas - I had a list of them. I simply couldn't (yea right... wouldn't) sit down and put my thoughts on paper. The irony, of course is that I coach people through these very same issues and my clients have great success. Ohhhh coach heal thyself! Well the breakthrough came the other night when I was using a wonderful miracle of modern technology... The George Forman Grill! Let me explain.

I love to cook. It is an amazing creative experience for me... and let me give you some advice... remember presentation is everything. A meal can go from fair to fantastic simply by arranging the food on the plate... you sort of fool people into thinking it is actually better than it is... the French have known this for years. But I digress...

So I was in the mood to make a nice meal but didn't want to go to a lot of trouble. Enter the GF Grill. Its very fast and the food turns out great. BUT I HATE TO CLEAN IT. Trust me, it is NOT hard to clean, but it is one of those things that I dread. After previous uses I have let it sit there unclean for a full day simply because I "didn't want to!" This time it was different, however. After the meal, I simply got up, did the dishes quickly and then took the 4 ½ minutes it actually takes to clean the grill so it can be put away. As I was doing this I realized that I wasn't dreading it. What was that about? I usually piss and moan about it and work myself up into a frenzy. Then I realized what was different. I didn't think about it I just did it. I knew I didn't want to wake up to a filthy kitchen, I knew it would take all of 5 minutes to do... and I did it. I was actually grateful that I had used such a simple machine and was so happy when it was all done. Perspective. I had wasted so much energy with the dread of the action that the cost of not doing it was 10 times more expensive than the 5 minutes of the unpleasantness - which, by the way was nowhere near as unpleasant as I was making it in my head.

From this lesson I today now sit down and write my newsletter. I was dreading the time it would take; would it be good; all the what if's; all the mind games; the I CAN'Ts; all that crap. Instead... it is simple... I will or I won't. My choice. (By the way... this newsletter took about 25 minutes to write... hmmm... much less than I imagined!)

A Call to Action and a How to.

1) Realize how much energy avoiding things we "don't want to" do is costing us energetically.

2) Realize that these things almost always seem bigger in our headsw than they actually are.

3) Switch from victim mode: go from "I Can't" to "I Choose Not to." As Yoda from Star Wars says... "Do or do not. There is no try!"

4) Eat That Frog. There is a book on over coming procrastination called "Eat That Frog." A premise of this book comes from the old saying, if the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you can go through the day with the satisfaction of knowing that it is the worst thing you'll probably do all day. Identify the important tasks that you are dreading and just do them... right off... first thing in the morning and look forward to the freedom you will experience the rest of the day.

5) Make your 'To Do' list specific. Vague goals engender anxiety and feel big and overwhelming. Make them specific and measurable. For example "Organize my life" vs. "Spend 20 minutes every morning sorting and filing the papers on my desk." See the difference.

6) Categorize your to-do's by the resistance factor. Separate them into one of 4 categories; a) have to do / Want to do; b) Have to do / Don't want to do; c) Don't have to do / Want to do; and d) Don't have to do / Don't want to do. Do your tasks in this order: b,a,c.

7) To change your attitude, change your perception. Make a game of it. Create a chart and put up gold stars for every item you complete. Feel good. Play. Is it all REALLY THAT important?

8) Get support. A friend, a coach, a group. Don't face things you dread alone.

9) Be kind to yourself. One step and one thing at a time. It doesn't all have to get done at once.

10) Celebrate. For each accomplishment - no matter how small - celebrate. Plan it beforehand and make it great!!

So what things have you been dreading that you will now choose to take care of? Go ahead. Eat that frog. I dare you to do one thing... just one. Right now. It will feel great.

Go get 'em, Tiger!

Western Leaders Release Video; Urge Muslims To Convert

The leaders of six Western nations whose inhabitants have, at least in the distant past, experienced the redemptive insights of the Enlightenment, with its insistence that reason should play a foundational role in human thought and that an idea like Condorcet's "perpetual peace and progress" might be more than a pleasant alliteration, finally grew weary of the interminable train of vitriolic videos out of the insane mind of Aman Al-Zawahiri, the Egyptian pediatrician turned child killer, and decided to rebut the distasteful propaganda with a salvo of their own righteousness.

The leaders gathered in a video production house in New York. Here are highlights, as recorded:

Jacques Chirac, who was allowed to take the lead, in honor of the French role in the Enlightenment, pleaded with Muslims to convert. Chirac maintained some vagueness about just what he was inviting Muslims to convert to but finally managed to state that they should "convert to the ways of the modern world, by which I mean peaceful coexistence. And while you are considering changing your ways, I want to recommend that you convert from falafel to French pastry."

Next, Tony Blair took the mike and, in his usually affable and self-effacing way, said, "While I would never propose that Muslims become devout adherents of the Church of England or, for that matter, any Christian denomination, I do want to say that you should allow some room for the fact that, since Christians are quite willing to grant you your more warlike religion, we do expect in return some toleration of our own. In other words, let's make a deal. You stop trying to kill Christians and what you consider other nonbelievers, and we'll refrain from informing you in no uncertain terms that religious war does tend to become a two-way street."

Then George Bush spoke, saying, "Now, see here. We don't go around killing Muslims. We respect your religion, even though you've got some questionable passages in your holy book. But it's getting harder for us to grant that respect, because killing people in the name of Allah just gives Allah a black eye. Now, I want you radical Muslims to think about this: if there is only one God and his name is Allah, then he made me and Crawford, Texas, as much as he made you and the wilds of Waziristan. So there's no way he wants you to kill Americans."

Also on hand was a guest speaker, a Muslim cleric who was introduced as liberal. According to the video, he was located after an extensive worldwide search. He spoke, as expected, commendably. "I finally took out some time to do an infidel thing; I read The Bible. And I can tell you there's a lot of stuff in it, too, about slaying your adversaries. So I think if the Jews and Christians have forgiven and forgotten that part of their holy book, we should forgive and forget that part of ours. After all, God apparently usually declines to write down things himself. He trusts human beings to take dictation. And you know as well as I do that humans are imperfect scribes, especially when God appears at night and the tent is dark. Maybe, in fact, we ought to delete that stuff from our holy book. Then when we claim that our religion is better, we might at least be talking about a book that's better when it comes to slaying other people. Hey, think about that. The way we can really distinguish our religion is to refrain in word and deed from slaying other people."

The video is scheduled for release on al-Jazeera Television as soon as it can be hand-delivered across the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and past various land obstacles.

How to Make Professional Portuguese Translation Work for Your Business

Some businessmen make the mistake of thinking they could meet their translation needs on their own. They would just self-study the language prior to their trip to the target country, fully confident that in just a short time they will have a working proficiency of the language. There might be some inaccuracies in their use of the Portuguese language, but maybe the locals would be patient and understand his shortcomings. After all, the Portuguese (specifically those living in the country of Portugal) are known to be a very polite and patient and warm people.

Many other businessmen may opt for just using some free software to do all the needed Portuguese translation tasks. Sure, that perhaps could work-you lug along your laptop equipped with some translation software, and you use it in "real time": you input the words you need translated and use the instant output when discussing with your Portuguese contact.

These mentioned scenarios may or may not work for you-there is a good chance you might present the wrong first impression, which in business could be a deal breaker. For the savvy businessman who does not want to leave anything to chance, there is nothing better than hiring the services of a local language translation company to do whatever Portuguese translation task would be needed throughout your stay in a Portuguese speaking country.

The objective here is, of course, to ensure a smooth discussion or negotiation of all aspects of your business. The language translation agency (if they are competent and have been engaged in the translation industry for a respectable number of years) can also help not only with the translation of your business documents and in providing interpretation services to you, but may also provide some assistance in terms of educating you on the particular culture of the locals.

If you are, for instance, in Portugal, there are culture-related factors you must know to make sure that you do not botch up the negotiation process. People in Portugal are generally reserved and very hierarchical-you may only need to speak with one person, and that person would often be the one who makes all the decisions. Knowing the unspoken subtleties of the culture and the language is critical to the success of your mission. This is especially important during the initial negotiation phase when things tend to be delicate.

Although others might insist that you settle with good old translation software for your Portuguese translation needs, we insist you stick with professional human beings-they are the only ones who understand the cultural nuances of a language. As complete understanding is crucial in speaking with your Portuguese hosts, using the services of a professional language translation agency would be the smartest thing you can do.

Arizona Long Term Care Insurance - 5 Things To Ensure Before You Buy

1. Don't purchase any Arizona long term care insurance policy that does not offer a guaranteed renewal not minding how cheap it is. With this feature an insurer can't cancel your policy or refuse to renew it because you've become too old or have some form of mental/physical deterioration.

2. Ensure it has a non-forfeiture benefit. This guarantees you get paid a good part of your benefit if you allow your policy to lapse without knowing or choose to end the policy.

3. Is there any clause that ensures your benefits are untouched by inflation or possible rise in the cost of long term care? Be certain that they have such and that their terms are acceptable to you. A good example of this kind of component is an inflation adjustment feature which ensures that the benefits an individual receives down the road reflect the cost of it at the time.

4. Find out the conditions on which they pay out their benefits. It's really important that you understand what they give per day in diverse settings.

Find what they'll pay you per day, for instance, if you need to live in a nursing home. Do you know what they would pay if it is assisted living on the other hand? Are you aware of their maximum lifetime limits where they have such limits? Be diligent enough to grasp this area very thoroughly since that's what you'll be entitled to if you ever need long term care.

5. It's equally important to verify if an insurance company is licensed to offer Arizona long term care insurance. Don't buy from a company unless you've checked their legitimacy, reputation and standing. This is where services such as BBB, Standard & Poor's Insurance Rating Services and others are very helpful.

By the very nature of claimants of long term care, it's tough for them to enforce their rights making it more critical for their insurer to be such that quickly takes care of its policy holders. You don't like yourself or family to be stressed because an insurance company doesn't like to fulfill its policy terms.

You can bring down your costs by asking for quotes from a minimum of three good quotes sites.

The plain reason for this is that you'll get many more quotes from many more insurers. This raises your chances of getting better rates.

Art Deco - Almost 100 Years Old and Still Has Its Place

The term Art Deco can generate a range of emotions dependent on a person's age and tastes, but many speak about this design style as an era referring to a period in the 1960's. Well known for its influences in architecture, jewellery design and artwork, you may be surprised to learn that the Art Deco style remains extremely popular in interior design today. Not necessarily known as Art Deco, the modern home décor now uses many of its design concepts such as clean lines and symmetry.

At it's best; Art Deco represents elegance, glamour, functionality and modernity all of which can be achieved in the modern home through the use of mirrors.

The birth of Art Deco was actually much earlier than the 1960's and came to life in Paris at the turn of the century when a movement was taking place which changed the way art and design was viewed by the wider world. In Paris 'La Societe des Artistes Decorateurs' was being formed. It wasn't until the 1920s and the 1930s that the movement came to light however, as it did in all its splendour at the International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Art in the French capital in 1925.

Following the First World War, Europe was faced with a massive rebuilding task, whilst the U.S was also struggling to rebuild its economy after the 1929 Great Depression, it is therefore surprising that the period over the 1920's and 30's had such a lot to offer and shaped the way we live our lives today.

It wasn't long after this time that the 'Decorative Arts Society' movement gathered steam and its famous curvilinear designs started cropping up in places such as the Paris Metro and the famous Chrysler Building and Radio City Music Hall in the U.S.

It was actually the Art Deco name itself, which became popular in the 1960s, when Bevis Hillier in his popular "Art Deco of the 20's and 30's publication" coined the phrase.

Not to be confused with its predecessor Art Nouveau, a design style known for its asymmetrical curves and flowing patterns encapsulating political and philosophical intentions, Art Deco's linear symmetry draws inspiration from ancient Egyptian and Aztec times and is purely decorative. An innocent style that simply suits raw materials such as glass, it is not surprising that modern mirrors showcase this design movement so well.

In a time where minimalism, simplicity and block colours are so popular, Art Décor Mirrors can add elegance and glamour into the modern home. A great example of an Art Deco style mirror is one that is made of plain glass with no frame, often with beveled edges or symmetrical designs, the simplicity of these mirrors often means that they sparkle in the light and work well with almost any room décor.

It is hard to believe that by including what may be considered a relatively plain mirror into your room design, is actually reflecting a design period from almost 100 years ago.. and it still works!

Why Career Coaching Works

In a day and time where everyone is talking about life coaches, their applicability and all the benefits they bring to the lives of those they touch, there is another professional who is definitely worth your consideration when it comes to ensuring happiness and stability in the other area of life-your career. A career coach is a professional that is dedicated to helping individuals effectively execute their career searches. For those who are already in a position, career coaches also provide assistance by helping ensure needs and expectations remain realistic and obtainable.

If you are in a job search and are finding it difficult to locate exactly what you are looking for in a company or feel as though your job search keeps coming up empty, it might very well be your search process, the way you are representing yourself in the marketplace, or even misdirected efforts. With the help of a career coach, you will be better able to identify your goals, remain focused on the right things, receive a partner who can help you with interviewing skills and maintain motivation.

Identifying Goals

One of the most important things to know about yourself before embarking on a job search are the goals which you expect to accomplish in the search and in the career. Job searching can be so time intensive, confusing and frustrating, that it is often easier to post a resume to a general site and hope the right organization finds you. But it's not that easy. If you expect happiness and longevity in your future, then you must have clearly defined goals. For example, as a marketing manager, you would like for your next position to offer you more responsibility when it comes to managing events; or maybe as a Vice President for the past ten years, you are really hoping to make the next step up to Senior VP.

A career coach can help you identify your goals. He or she asks probing questions to help you both explore exactly what you desire to accomplish in your new position and where you expect it to lead you in the future. By completing this process, especially if you have never done something similar, you will probably find out more about your direction and drive than you previously knew. Additionally, by uncovering this information, you may even find that the job searches which you have been performing to that point have been futile-searching for positions, companies, or opportunities that in no way could help you accomplish your goals.

Maintaining Focus

The majority of those searching for new jobs abide by the following process:

Sign onto a career search engine Use the standard or saved search criteria Apply for everything that qualifies against the criteria using a cover letter that is slightly modified (i.e. different company name/interviewer name) Cross fingers and wait

While some may strike it rich using these steps, more often than not candidates are paired with positions that do not match their skills, qualifications, needs, or goals for the future because the right screening process is not in place. What you need to understand is that while mass applications assures your information is in the marketplace, it doesn't mean that it is landing in the right place and it also opens you up to a lot of non-specific jobs, which more often than not aren't matches. You will find much more benefit as well as increased "perfect job match" potential if you have clear cut path to follow. Even though the time involvement increases, so does the potential for greater happiness and long-term stability in a job that you were very specifically targeting as the "one" you wanted to land.

Having covered your goals with you and having gained an understanding of where you want to be in your career, the coach has the upper hand in being able to provide you with tips that can help decide on which postings or opportunities should focus.

Practice, practice, practice

As a recruiter, we often talk about how important it is to practice your interview skills, whether it is with another person or using a videotape technique. However, a career coach can come in very handy when it comes to practicing for the "big" day. With a video, you lack the ability to really speak directly to someone (other than the camera) and don't have the benefit of feedback. With family or friends, you may not get the right kind of feedback. Using a career coach, you will have the benefit of a knowledgeable professional who knows how to ask the questions, coach you on your responses, help you improve upon your delivery, and provide you with constructive feedback.

Finding Motivation

Because the search process can be time intensive, confusing and frustrating, it is often a career coach's ability to motivate that can be the most beneficial aspect of such a relationship. Rejection will come as part of the process, but many can find it very discouraging and hard to continue on with the possibility that more will continue to come (and it will). And that is where a career coach comes in. According to Andrea Howard, an employment counselor with the New York State Department of Labor "The job search process can be tough on the self-esteem. Repeated rejections can be discouraging. Coaches support, motivate, and provide encouragement."

Worth it in the End

Once you know what it is that you are looking for and need to find in order to live a more fulfilled life, then the job search will not be so mundane and trivial; it will, in fact, be easier to look at the process as the stepping stone to a better life and a better you. The services of a career coach can help you get there.