If you have had trouble planting a tree the River Birch is a choice that is easy to transplant. They are adaptable and grow fast. These trees do not seem to be bothered by the Bronzed Birch Borer which has killed off many White Birches used in urban landscape near Ringoes NJ.

When I was in the 8th grade I would go fishing along the Delaware River at night. I would camp along the river bank and fish into the wee hours of the night. I am always drifting back to those childhood memories when I pass a river birch tree that is highlighted by lights at night. The nightime interest that this tree expresses can help capture moments for you. The main feature of this medium sized spreading tree is its colorful peeling bark. This builds up on the stem and main branches in soft curling layers of orange, pink, grey and brown. Another great advantage of this species is its tolerance of wet soil and seasonal flooding making it an ideal pond or riverbank tree. Specimens often develop multiple stems which increases the attractiveness its shaggy bark. As an ornamental tree it also has bright green, toothed leaves and long yellow clusters of catkins in early spring. It will have a spreading root system that will check erosion. It is hardy and will seldom blow down. The plant is native to the eastern states from Massachusetts to Florida. The range continues along the Gulf of Mexico and into Texas.

At most nurseries you could expect the following prices on birches (Not all sizes and types shown) Betula Nigra Dura Heat River Birch 6-8′ clump $125.00 8-10′ clump $150.00 Betula Nigra Heritage River Birch Clump 6-8′ clump $150.00 8-10′ clump $175.00 12-18″ seedlings @ $2.00 ea. and 1250 18-24″ seedlings @ $3.00 ea. If you need more help on selecting plants go to the following web Sites: http://www.zone5trees.com http://www.seedlingsrus.com and http://www.highlandhillfarm.com

Posted by admin as University of Leisure at 2:30 PM CST

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Why use tarp shelters? The biggest reason ultralight backpackers use them is to reduce pack weight. The lightest tent you can find will be close to three pounds. Some of the newest ultralight tarps weigh just seven ounces.

Weight isn’t the only advantage of tarp shelters, though. They also give you room to move, and you can easily look around. You can quickly take them down when you’re ready to go. If it’s wet, just shake it off and it will fit in an outside pocket of your backpack. Even if they were the same weight, I’d still prefer a tarp over a tent for most trips.

The lightest of my own tarp shelters weighs 16 ounces with all the strings. That seems heavy now, when I look at the new ultralight tarps out there. Integral Designs Sil Tarp 5′ x 8′, for example, weighs just 7 ounces.

The Bozeman Mountain Works Stealth 0 Catenary Ridgeline Ulralight Backpacking Tarp weighs an amazing 5.7 ounces. With a name like that, you know it has to be expensive. Of course, almost any backpacking tarp will be lighter - and cheaper - than the lightest tents out there.

How To Use Tarp Shelters

You’ll probably need a bigger tarp than you think. A seven-foot roof may seem like it will cover your six-foot body well enough, until a blowing rain soaks your feet. Proper use is even more important than size, though.

Pitch the low side into the wind. Keep all sides low if a storm is coming. Evenly tighten guy lines. Use rocks, trees, trekking poles and whatever else helps. Pitch the tarp tightly, to keep it from flapping in the wind too much, which can loosen the strings or cause the tarp to tear.

If you haven’t used tarp shelters before, experiment until you can quickly set up in several different enviroments. Bring lightweight stakes, until you learn how to use sticks and trees and rocks. No stakes means less weight to carry. I’ve always found something to use, even up high on the tundra.

You might have to treat the seams with a sealant occasionally, or at least when you first buy your tarp. Buy seam-sealer anyplace that sells tarps and tents. You’ll need string or cord of some sort for tie-downs. I put varying lengths around the tarp, so I can untie and use the long ones where I need them. Sometimes that tree will be a little too far away.

I use 4′ by 7′ pieces of plastic for groundsheets. They’re opened-up giant garbage bags that weigh 2 ounces. They’re disposable, but I’ve used one for a week in the Rockies, and they’re cheap and easy to replace. Whatever you use, lay your bag on it, to be sure you’ll have room. You don’t want to be touching the wet ground just because you moved a little. On the other hand, if it’s too big it will catch rain out near the edge of the tarp, and funnel it back to you.

Mosquitos keep a lot of ultralight backpackers from using tarp shelters. Repellant is a partial solution, as is using the tarp only when it isn’t too buggy. A headnet helps, but keeping the rest of your body covered when it’s warm isn’t pleasant. Pitch camp in a high, breezy place and you’ll have fewer bug problems.

There are also mesh shelters you can pitch under your tarp. The lightest I’ve seen weighs 1 pound, 7 ounces. With a 7-ounce tarp, you’d be under 2 pounds for a shelter, and it comes with a floor, so you don’t have to bring a groundsheet. Ultralight tarps and tarp shelters, by the way, weigh less than 20 ounces, a standard I just invented, but it seems reasonable.

Steve Gillman is a long-time backpacker, and advocate of lightweight backpacking. His advice, stories and tarp recommendations can be found at http://www.TheUltralightBackpackingSite.com

Posted by admin as University of Leisure at 9:34 AM CST

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One of the most important gears a climber should have is a good pair of shoes. As any experienced enthusiast of the sport would advise, you need to have comfortably tight fitting rock climbing shoes. Ordinary rubber shoes may work for easy climbs, but you need shoes that are specifically made for rock surfaces if you intend to be serious about the sport and your safety.

As you grow into the sport, you will need to invest in a good pair of rock climbing shoes. If you are into the sport more for the walking and the simple climbs it allows you, then you may only need a comfortable pair of shoes that are non-slip. But when it is serious cliffhanging that you do, you need performance shoes.

There are different types of shoes for different types of rock climbing activities. For example, you need shoes that are made specifically for bouldering. These shoes are what professional and advanced rock climbers use. They are designed to channel power to the big toes. They also have soft soles that allow the feet to feel for tiny cracks and slim ledges.

For trad climbing, choose ones that have stiff soles. They are designed to support the feet and allow a firm hold on narrow ledges and cracks. The stiff soles prevent the shoes from folding in under pressure. This also prevents toes from being pinched together that can be painful for a climber. These shoes are used by climbers who do more rappelling and belaying activities than bouldering.

Whatever kind of shoes you choose, the most important thing to consider is comfort and the material used. When shopping for rock climbing shoes, always go to sports stores that have rock climbing walls. You must try on the shoes and test them on the wall. Find out how they feel as you try varying amounts of pressure on them as you engage in different twists, turns and reaches.

Posted by admin as University of Leisure at 10:44 PM CST

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It was the end of my first year as a graduate student, and my personal stock had risen somewhat due to long hours of hard work. Now a fabulous opportunity presented itself in the form of a research project in the northern Sierras in a locality known as Haypress Creek, which fell into my lap as a result of shifting academic fortunes. The hapless fellow who had been slated to go began an academic tailspin despite the initial excitement generated in the department by his excellent undergraduate grades. Meanwhile, my long hours of diligent work that first semester, in contrast to undergraduate grades that had not only failed to generate excitement among the faculty, but had gained grudging admittance on a probationary status, captured the slot. Good, graduate school had been an all-or-nothing proposition on which everything was gambled on making a success of the first semester.

I rolled northwest out of Fort Worth in my bright blue 1973 Dodge Charger, sliding past the luxuriant green prairie toward Amarillo. The Charger had been with me for just over five years, since being resurrected from what amounted to an open grave where it moldered under a tree in a biker-guy’s yard. Acquired in California during the Army, it had made several cross-country trips with its new engine, and I had little doubt that it would make the journey from Texas to California. Besides, as a poor graduate student, there was really no choice but to utilize the resources at my disposal. The character of the country changed as I approached Amarillo, the green waving grass replaced by blowing dust. Mexican migrant workers shuffled along the road, bandanas tied over their faces as protection against the sediment-laden driving wind, in a scene reminiscent of the Grapes of Wrath. The dust storm cleared, revealing layered red, beige, and white sandstone and scrub grass, heralding my entrance into New Mexico. The varicolored desert slid past interminably as the blazing sun beat down. Due to the expanse and sameness of the scenery, a fixed point on the horizon never seemed to draw closer. Objects on the lateral horizons never seemed to draw abreast, making it seem as though I were simply sitting on the highway with the engine running. The thermometer on my Avocet watch read 105, but continuous glances at the temperature gauge revealed no impending doom beneath the hood.

After making the diversion to the Grand Canyon, too close to pass up spending half a day to see it, I resumed the westward journey on I-40. Nearing Kingman, the signs for Needles again reminded me of the Grapes of Wrath, although my path led northwest across the Hoover Dam. Fantastic rock formations, representing massive mudslides of past eons, lined the twisting descent into the concrete modified canyon, through which the hot breath of the desert was channeled. Crossing the dam, with the distinctive four intake towers protruding what appeared to be a short distance above the surface of the reservoir on the right, belied the dizzying crag on the left. The 318 chugged and rattled up the steep incline, straining to propel the steel body of the Charger onward to Las Vegas. Dusk, then darkness, descended as I guided the Charger along the bustling thoroughfare, nervously increasing speed well above the posted limit, but still cars flowed past me like water diverging around an obdurate boulder in a stream. My plan had been to stop for the night in Las Vegas, where it was rumored that good hotels were cheap. A casino hotel beckoned from the urban strip off the highway, but much to my consternation, I was unable to find the road to the entrance and could not reach what stood right before my eyes. Frustrated, I continued northwest, determined to find a motel that required less sophisticated navigation skills to reach. With tired, frayed nerves after a long day of driving, the subsequent miles to Indian Springs were like sleep deprivation torture, but finally a “motel” sign beckoned.

In the morning, much refreshed, I started early in hopes of making a detour through Death Valley. Similarly to my brief detour to the Grand Canyon, I felt that I couldn’t pass so famous a place as Death Valley without seeing it. The thermometer at the visitor’s center indicated 100 at 10 am, as I meandered north through the park. Whether because of the high temperature, or increased air pressure at this low altitude, the Charger’s temperature gauge began a steady, inexorable climb. I watched nervously as the sun-faded orange needle passed middle ground and reached the second-to-highest tick, then began the final push on the short, intervening distance to the last mark. Every extra bit of work required from the engine, even to climb the smallest hill, was matched with a corresponding rise in the temperature gauge needle. On downhill stretches, rolling in neutral at idle forced a retreat of the troublesome instrument. Climbing the last hill, the needle pegged on the top mark as I gently urged the 318 onward. I waited for the impending clouds of steam to boil from beneath the hood, but none came. Upon cresting the ridge of the Funeral Mountains, I immediate shifted into neutral and coasted down the long grade into Beatty, relieved at the corresponding rapid descent of the temperature gauge needle.

Now my spirits rose as my destination seemed within a day’s reach. Passing through Hawthorne stirred memories of a previous visit to the army depot located there, which I had visited six years before. Finally, past Yerington and the short distance to I-80, and I was truly in familiar territory. While in the Army in Monterrey, California, I had traverse I-80 on so many occasions that the route was memorized. I rolled west on I-80, now retracing a stretch of road that was very familiar. Through Reno, there was the famous Circus-Circus that had always attracted my interest on previous trips. Here was some overlap with the past, as I had actually once stayed at the Circus-Circus while traveling for the Army. The hotel was also the last landmark that I remembered before my old 1964 Dodge had thrown a rod in the middle of Nevada, during an attempted return home for Christmas vacation some six years earlier. After Reno, I relived the experience of crossing into California, with the fir-covered slopes opposite the interstate. At last I reached Truckee, where I had also stopped during my first trip to California. In a déj vu-like experience, I found myself in front of the same motel in which I had stayed on that initial trip. It caused me to reflect that history was in some ways repeating itself, as if two lives were superimposed, the present upon the past. Although the places were the same, the circumstances were certainly different. On that first trip, I had been traveling to my first permanent Army duty station in Monterrey, fresh out of High School and running from a dead-end small town. My experiences in the Army had motivated me to go to college, and then on to graduate school. Now, here as a graduate student, I felt that I had come up in the word several notches from the first time that I had crossed the High Sierra.

Years later, I again had reason to return to Reno. This trip, nine years after the summer of field work in Haypress Creek, reflected a continued rise in my fortunes. In the intervening years I had continued in graduate school and acquired a doctorate, and this trip was not undertaken with an underlying feeling of desperation in an old car that required continual observation of the gauge cluster. This trip was all expense paid, accomplished with a cross-country flight and rental car at the airport. But in another episode of déj vu, I found myself at the Reno Circus-Circus! The temptation was too great to resist, and I pointed the rental car west toward Truckee, then north to Haypress Creek. If anything, the area seemed even more primitive, the roads even more narrow. But after working in the Rocky Mountains and Andes, the peaks no longer seemed as high and rugged as when I had first viewed them.

About The Author

I am a geologist, and have had some interesting experiences and travels over the years. I thought this was a particularly fun story because it shows how a person’s condition in life can improve as measured against something stationary, like a place that you visit under different circumstances over the years. My real emphasis is on geology and mining, but it is fun to write some short stories. I have some more serious geology-related items at my web page:

http://sedward.home.netcom.com/petrography.html

sedward@ix.netcom.com

Posted by admin as University of Leisure at 3:48 AM CST

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Sun, Sand and Surf - an apt description for Goa? But Goa is much more. Ancient temples and old churches? Yes. Portuguese Colony? Carnival City? The original refuge of the hippies? Yes again! Beach Paradise, India’s holiday capital… the list goes on.

Goa, ‘Pearl of the Orient’, is located in South Western India on the coastal belt known as the Konkan. While naturally blessed with a fortuitous combination of vast expansive beaches, forested hills and fertile plains, Goa’s potential as a holiday hotspot is the result of potent intermingling of historical occurrences and the absorption capacity of its own compelling spirit.

Goa, Past and Present

Its creation divinely attributed to Lord Parshuram, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Goa’s ancient rulers included the Rashtrakutas, Kadambas, Silahar, Chalukyas and the Bahamanis.

More recently, significant from the holidaymaker’s point of view, Goa became a coveted colony of the Portuguese, remaining so till liberation by the Indian Army granted it Union Territory status, later upgraded to State of the Indian Republic.

It is to this fact, perhaps more than any other, that a Goa holiday owes its special appeal. For, had Goa been a British colony, history would have been written very differently. Under Portuguese domination, the Iberian culture found a ready crucible to amalgamate with the original sensuous, fun loving Goan spirit. The best of what both worlds had to offer was assimilated into one people, leading to a flowering of the aesthetic, musical, even culinary arts.

The spirit of Sucegado - carefree enjoyment and tranquil peace is probably Goa’s most important, if intangible, export to the leisure holiday industry. Also reflected in his ‘happy’ acceptance of the Portuguese cultural invasion is the Goan’s inherent adaptability and willingness to mix, qualities that hold the holiday and tourism industry in good stead.

A melting pot of races and religions, the fusion of the Eastern and Western cultures into its own unique ethos of mirth and self-contentment is what attracts Indian and foreign tourists, choc-a-bloc, to holiday in Goa.

Such a thriving holiday destination on the world tourism chart, Goa has many attractions to offer. Carefree beach bumming in the true spirit of Sucegado, adventure, watersports, high culture, churches and the appealing anachronism of Old Goa, wild party hopping, culinary adventures … Goa’s holiday tourist is charmingly eclectic in his calling.

Beaches Holidays in Goa

India’s unchallenged beach capital, Goa’s coastline is generously sprinkled with sand and surf: From popular tourist spots where one usually sees more skin than sand, to untouched havens that are worth taking that extra trouble to discover.

Starting from Calangute in North Goa , clustered around Panaji, the capital of Goa, and further down, Margao in South Goa, are the most popular beaches on the tourism circuit. These are thickly surrounded by the usual agencies of tourism - hotels and facilities offering modern day luxuries, restaurants, shops, resorts, entertainment centers, spas, resorts, the works.

Outside this ring, moving either North from Calangute or South of Margao the Goa’s beaches become refreshingly more pristine and unpopulated. There, it’s just the sea, surf washed sand, sparkling or alternatively shaded by abundant palms fronds, and you!

Some of Goa’s Popular Holiday Beaches

Vagator: 22 km from Panaji, this crescent shaped beach on the Chapora River basin, in the shadow of the Chapora Fort, is a quiet place to unwind, but during the holiday season is a scene for all night parting.

Anjuna: 18 km from Panaji, nestled between the sea and hill, this is a scenic beach with superb natural beauty makes for an excellent holiday.

Baga: One of Goa’s northern beaches, it is comparatively emptier and surrounded by scenic beauty.

Calangute: A favourite with holidaymakers, Calangute in North Goa, 15 km from Panaji, is the ‘Queen of Beaches’. The down side of holiday rush means that this stretch of sand is overcrowded at any time of the year.

Sinquerim: 13 km from Panaji, Sinquerim is a popular holiday beach for its water sports facilities offering water-skiing, para-sailing diving and surfing.

Miramar: Located just 3 kms from Panaji, it understandably sees the tourist rush and is dotted with holiday homes of the rich and famous. However, lying along the mouth of the Mandovi River as it meets the sea, it is interesting for its view of the Aguada fort.

Aguada : Famous for the17th century Portuguese fort, this has now been converted into a Hotel. Though it’s grounds occupy much of the area around, the beach is open to general tourists.

Agonda: Secluded, this beautiful stretch of silvery sand is refreshing - just the holiday to unwind on the sand and listen to stories of the sea. The nearby Cabo de Rama is historically interesting. Local legend has it that Lord Rama stayed here with Sita during his exile.

Majorda: A local version of the ‘Ramayana’ has it that Ram was kidnapped as a child and brought up at Majorda. Later Jesuits discovered the best Goan toddy here and today’s holiday attractions remain the bakeries, the best in Goa.

Colva: 39 km from Panaji and immensely popular, Colva offers a comfortable holiday with hotels, discos, shops and restaurants. Colva is also famous for the Church of Our Lady of Mercy, which has the statue of Menino Jesus.

Benaulim: Less than 2 kms from Colva, this lovely holiday destination also has thriving handicrafts center attracts tourists for its traditional rosewood furniture. The Church of St. John the Baptist on a hill is quite famous as is the monsoon feast of Sao Joao celebrated as thanksgiving.

Varca, Cavelossim, Mobor: These beaches south of Benaulim are really inviting. Cleaner and less crowded than others, they are studded with some exclusive beach resorts in Goa and food shacks. A holiday here also offers opportunities for watching wild dolphins.

Palolem: 70 km south of Panaji, this white sandy beach is some commercial activity, including restaurants and shops. Weekends especially tend to get crowded here.

CHURCHES IN GOA- HOLIDAYS

Another contribution of the Portuguese rule to Goa’s holiday potential is the occurrence of splendid churches, especially in Old Goa. Originally spread with passionate fervour by the former rulers, Goa, Rome of the East, sees the dominant influence of Christianity, both in the religious and cultural spheres. Visible expressions of this are the Churches of Old Goa. Historically, these can be classified into the following periods, reflecting changing architectural styles and iconography.

Early Period: Typified by Goa’s oldest surviving church, Our Lady of Rosary on Monte Santo in the ‘Manueline’ style named after King Emmanuel of Portual. This is a blend of Gothic and Renaissance with the motifs featuring Portuguese seamanship. The construction being unsuited to Goa’s weather, very few of these can be seen by tourists today.
Baroque Period: ‘Golden Goa’ time of hectic missionary activity including the arrival of St. Francis Xavier, saw many grand churches in the contemporary European style built. These include the Basilica of Bom Jesus and the Augustine Church of Our Lady of Grace.

Indian Baroque Period: Reflecting local Goan influences in style and design, including the outer faade and inclusion of tropical motifs such as flowers and fruits. Outstanding amongst these are the Church of St. Francis of Assisi and the Church of Holy Spirit, Margao.
Rococo Period: Typified by the smaller size of construction but with excuisite ornate finishing with local motifs, it is also known by the use of Stucco on the exterior faade. St, Stephen at San Esteyan near Panaji is a notable example.

Modern Period: Starting from the nineteenth century onwards, this period saw the liberation of Goa’s churches from the rigid norms of the past as different styles flowered. An example is the Nossa Senhora employing the gothic style.
Most churches in Goa continue to fulfill their spiritual purpose, revered by Hindus and Christians alike, while also serving as artistic and cultural attractions for tourists.

Goan Hindu Temples

Goan Hindu Temple architecture is another tourist attraction of a Goan Holiday, typified by the influence of local style over the rigid architecturally rigid structure. The maratha influence on Goa’s religious architecture lies in the Deepmal or Lamptower which is from two to six stories high, decorated with oil lamps on festive occasions. Mughal influence seems to express itself in the dome that covers the central shrine in place of the traditional shikhara, as also the Naubat Khana - a small tower at the entrance of the courtyard. Portuguese Christian influence is visible in the curving roofs of the Mandapas.

Not many of Goa’s earliest temples survived the Moghul and later the Portuguese invasions (exceptions are the “Pandava Caves” dedicated to Lord Shiva, located at Aravelam and the Shiva Temple at Tambdi), which saw temples being razed and churches erected in their place. As a result most surviving temples that the tourist in Goa comes across are comparatively modern. The Mahalaxmi Temple in Panaji was the first temple allowed by the Portuguese, following much deliberation, in 1818.

Goan Cuisine

Food is another attraction for the tourist in Goa. Touring in Goa is a wonderful way to encounter Goa’s inimitable cooking is as much a mélange of different cultural invasions as its art, music, culture and literature. The staple for Hindus and Christians alike is rice and fish curry. And while tourist’s taste buds succumb to the temptations of Ambot Tik (Prawns/fish in a sour hot gravy), Sorpotel (fiery wet pork) and Xacuti (spicy meat dish), washed down with Feni (a pungent potent brew made from cashew nuts) it can be too much for the uninitiated palate to handle. Deserts in Goa come in the form of sinfully delicious Dodol (made from coconut and Goa jaggery) and Bebinca (a baked dish with coconut juice and egg yolk)

Truly, this amazing pot-pourri of beach, nature, food and drink, culture and kitsch, religious fervour and profanity and fun galore that represents tourism in Goa would be hard to find anywhere else in the world.

Roozbegh Gazdar
Content writer
http://www.traveljini.com
seo@traveljini.com

Posted by admin as University of Leisure at 3:23 AM CST

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Native trees tolerant of wet soils are special group of trees. These trees are able to be in soils that retain water for sometimes weeks on end. I have compiled this list to help you find suitable trees for the north east. This is not a complete list but one of common EZ to plant nursery stock

Red and silver maple (Acer rubrum, A. saccarinum)

River Birch Trees a tree for wet areas!!!! (Betula nigra) Catalpa spp.

Ash (Fraxinus spp.) Cottonwood (Populus deltoides) Swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor) Sycamores (Platanus spp.)

Native shrubs tolerant of wet soils: Red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea) Leatherwood (Dirca palustris) Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) Sparkleberry holly A great berry producer!!!

Inkberry (Ilex glabra) Pussy willow (Salix discolor)

Willow Trees Trees for wet areas!!!!

Shrubby cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa)

Spicebush my long time favorite!!

Black Chokeberry produces great berry crops for the birds!!

You can see more plant info at my web site http://www.seedlingsrus.com

Posted by admin as University of Leisure at 4:58 PM CST

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The Roth IRA is the simplest, easiest, most effective tax-free savings plan imaginable. Not only do your earnings accrue on a tax-free basis, but withdrawals are free of taxes as well.

If you’re confused about the myriad of retirement plans that you have to choose from, let me make it easy for you. The Roth IRA is probably going to be your best bet, hands down. It’s more flexible than a 401(k) or a traditional IRA and it will probably allow you to accumulate more money for retirement.

I can think of one exception where the 401(k) may be better. If your employer matches your contributions, you probably want to contribute to a 401(k). But contribute to it only to the point that your employer matches your contribution. Beyond that, put your money in a Roth IRA. And even if your employer matches your 401(k) contribution, it is usually the case that you have to stay with the company for a certain number of years before you actually own your account. If you don’t plan to be there that long, then opt for the Roth IRA.

Maximum Contributions

For 2005, the contribution limit to a Roth IRA is $4,000 if you’re under age 50 and $4,500 if you’re 50 over. However, there are proposals before Congress to raise that limitation or remove the limitation altogether.

Income Ceiling

If you’re single and your adjusted gross income is higher than $95,000, or $150,000 if you’re married, the amount you can contribute to a Roth IRA begins to decrease. It reaches zero for incomes of $110,000 for single people and $160,000 for those who are married. But there are proposals to remove the ceiling, making all Americans eligible.

Tax Advantage

The big attraction to the Roth IRA is the tax break it gives you. If you contribute to a 401(k) or a traditional IRA, you get a tax deduction in the year of your contribution, which reduces your taxes for that year. And you won’t pay taxes on interest, dividends, or capital gains while you’re working. But you will pay taxes when you go to withdraw the money at retirement.

With a Roth, you don’t get the tax reduction on contributions, but after that it’s completely tax-free. You never pay taxes on interest, dividends, or capital gains — not while it’s growing, not when you make withdrawals. Never. That’s a huge benefit.

No Distribution Requirements

Remember that a 401(k) account and a traditional IRA are just tax-deferred, not tax-free. The government wants its money when you make withdrawals. So you are required to start making withdrawals at age 70 1/2. But since Roth IRAs are tax-free, the government doesn’t care how long you let it grow. So if you don’t need the money you can just keep letting your account grow, free of taxes, for as long as you want.

Early Withdrawals

Withdrawals from a traditional IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement plan before the age of 59 1/2 could led to taxes and penalties. That may not be true with a Roth IRA. You can withdraw the money that you contributed at any time without penalty. However, the earnings on your contribution may be subject to tax and penalties. So a Roth also has an advantage over other retirement plans if you plan to retire early since you can first remove your contributions without tax or penalty.

If you appreciate the tremendous advantages of tax-free savings and investing, the Roth IRA is hard to beat. Do you have one yet?

Copyright Larry Holmes

Larry Holmes invites you to visit http://www.Money-Management-Wisdom.com/
You will learn how to become debt-free, save and invest money, cut taxes, manage risk, and achieve financial freedom in a much shorter time than you dreamed possible.

Posted by admin as Better Investment at 8:18 PM CST

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You Could You could stand on top of my world and my life would still be the better…for nothing compares to the awesomeness of your presence in my life, You could smile at something else other than and my heart would still skip a beat…because nothing gives me more joy than seeing the beauty of your happiness, You could pose for the greatest artist ever known in existence and you will never be captured entirely… for nothing can define the incredible splendor I see when I look at you, You could be lying naked on the bed and I swear the hands of time themselves would stop…there is nothing created in this world that conforms to the shape and curve of your body, You could have your face covered and be standing in total darkness and still I would know where you are…for nothing holds my entire soul captive as my every thought of you, The word beautiful is use to describe the magnificence of something and still that very word in all its inconceivable brilliance has no essence on exposing the enchantment that esteems the creation of the day you were born. You could be born in another time and place and perhaps someone else would have the indescribable pleasure of knowing you as I do now…and for the rest of my life I will be traveling with no destination only in search of the one unique star that would lead me to you…the other half of my soul. k.goss

www.originalpoetry.com

Posted by admin as Be A Beauty, Relationship Management, Warlocks Den at 6:19 PM CST

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According to Alexander Paul Morris, Top Trader and Creator of the Highly Acclaimed tymoraPRO Trading Platform, a big key to successfully trading the markets is having the best analytical, scanning, and execution tools available in one place, so that traders can quickly and easily assimilate all relevant information, and then be able to make an immediate trading decision with exacting precision. Many of the best trading opportunities occur at a moment’s notice. Without all the right tools in place, an active trader’s best trades could come and go in a blink of an eye.

Apparently, an increasing number of traders are taking notice of Mr. Morris’ efforts, as evidenced by David Penn’s highly positive product review in the November 2005 issue of Technical Analysis of Stocks & Commodities Magazine, which should just now be hitting newsstands everywhere. For those interested, a free issue of the magazine is available by visiting www.traders.com and completing a simple form, and for a limited time the article will be available for free download at www.yourika.com/tasc. Back in July, Mr. Morris was also featured in an interview with Dave Goodboy of www.realworldtrading.com, where they discussed what day trading techniques are currently working. tymoraPRO can also be seen live and in action at www.TheMarketVuShow.com.

Mr. Penn’s review describes many of tymoraPRO’s key features, and makes tribute to the software’s design by its amazing ability to manage such a tremendous real-time information “datastorm” and present it in a meaningful and actionable way. He also describes how tymoraPRO feels a bit like a “back to the future ride” with its ability to keep traders focused on all market timeframes right down to the micro-level of market-maker trading and tape reading. Mr. Penn concludes by reminiscing about day trading in times past, and remarks how more than a few of the next wave of active traders will likely be armed with tymoraPRO - and be grateful for it.

tymoraPRO is a complete advanced trading platform that generates sophisticated real-time trading alerts, offers proprietary charting algorithms, and provides a completely unique view and methodology of analyzing the stocks, futures, and forex markets. The platform is compatible with data vendors such as eSignal, and is also offered as a complete trading solution through affiliated broker-dealers. Direct access routes supported include NYSE’s SuperDOT/Direct+, the Chicago, Boston, Pacific/ARCX, and Philly exchanges, as well as SLIPS/ESSEX, INET, and BRUT. A limited time 14-day free trial of the platform is available to those visiting http://www.yourika.com.

Posted by admin as Better Investment at 2:26 PM CST

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The

Dr. Sakena Yacoobi wins the Henry Kravis Prize for Leadership.

Marie Josee Kravis was recently featured on Panache Magazine.

Eric Sedler part of the transformation of the rejuvenation of Chicago’s meatpacking district.

Posted by admin as Be A Beauty, Fitness + Training, Health Tips at 4:48 PM CST

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