(SkyNewswire.com)---In the past, collectors have been fascinated with sculptures of pure white Ivory without knowing the damage it caused to our eco-system. Luckily governments of a number of nations have banned Ivory trade altogether.

Craftsmen from eastern India had been crafting beautiful items of SholaPith (lookaloikes of Ivory) since ages. It is only recently that Sholapith items have got international recognition for its beauty, eco-friendliness and superb craftsmanship. Shola pith is a milky-white sponge-wood that is carved into delicate and beautiful objects of art only in a few states of India. Shola is a plant, growing in marshy waterlogged areas of eastern Indian States commonly referred to as eastern marshy Gangetic plains. It is unbelievable that this plant grows nowhere else in the world. The biological name of Shola is Aeschynomene Indica and it is an herbaceous plant. The Sholapith is the cortex or core of this plant.

(SkyNewswire.com)---Has anyone considered a compromise solution to the issue of legalization of same-sex marriages?

As an attorney who has spent years conducting research on the advantages and disadvantages of marriage vs. living together, my viewpoint is a legal one, unobscured by religious or moral questions. Legal recognition of a status for these couples is called for, as is their current need for self-help in making the laws work for them while they are still in flux.

Traditionally and legally, marriage has been defined as a union of a man and woman. Changing that definition is at the heart of the problem. Marriage, throughout history, has had more to do with procreation than romantic love or legal convenience. This legal definition and the issue of procreation have both been used to bolster the denial of the right of same-sex marriage.

What same-sex couples need, and should have, is the ability to form a legal relationship. The semantics used to describe this relationship should not matter as much as the rights and duties arising from it. Denial of these rights is the discrimination same-sex couples decry. We should not forget that only during the last generation was the denial of the right of marriage to members of different races overturned. The law is meant to serve the needs of the members of society - including same-sex couples.

(SkyNewswire.com)---During a radio-talk show appearance, a caller told me about his unfortunate brush with the legal fiction of common-law marriage. He had been living with a woman for several weeks when he came home one evening to find the woman, his TV and assorted other property missing. He called the police, who mistakenly informed him that the woman was his common-law wife and so they couldn’t help him.

What qualifies as a common-law marriage? Take your pick:

1. Leaving too many clothes at your girlfriend’s house?
2. Living together six months
3. Living together seven years?

Chances are you picked the third answer, but all three response are equally wrong. A common misconception is that the length of cohabitation creates common-law status. This is not true.

Three elements are necessary and none relate to a time-frame. A couple must

1. Live together
2. Agree between themselves to be marriage
3. Represent themselves as married (also called “holding-out.”)

(SkyNewswire.com)---Perhaps you've heard of or seen Hollywood's portrayal of Swiss Bank accounts, Offshore Trusts and Corporations, and Tax Havens of the rich and famous as jet setting moguls live mysterious yet exciting lives.

But in the real world, although these same financial structures (most administrated by reputable and legal banks), have been around for hundreds of years, there are still many people who consider the above strategic asset protection entities as illegal.

I think we need to look at what they were intended to do. Asset or lawsuit protection laws were designed for the very purpose of protecting your assets from being frozen and the possibility of unjust forfeiture.

Still others consider asset protection a moral dilemma... something unethical or dishonest. This is the furthest thing from the truth.

But, at the same time, I'm not trying to start a moral debate here nor am I recommending nor would any attorney in their right mind advise that you avoid paying a judgment or fine that you rightfully owe.

(SkyNewswire.com)---YOU APPLIED FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY AND YOUR CLAIM WAS DENIED AND YOU WONDER IF YOU SHOULD APPEAL?

The answer is if you are working you usually cannot obtain disabilty especially if you make more than $800.00 per month. Also, if your disabilty is temporary less than 12 months in duration then you cannot obtain disabilty. You also have to have a severe impairment in order to qualify. The impairment would be such that it prevents you from working. If you are under age 50, then it is difficult to obtain disability if you retain the capacity to any form of light work. If you are over 50 but yet 55, it can also be difficult to obtain disability if you can still do light work.

WHEN SHOULD I TALK TO AN ATTORNEY ABOUT MY CASE?

(SkyNewswire.com)---According to some recent ads, there's no such thing as 'free' cable or satellite TV.

The bottom line message: television signal theft is just that, theft.

It's all part of a recent campaign program by Canada's broadcasting industry to try and educate the Canadian public to the serious problem of signal theft.

The reason is simple: Hundreds of thousands of Canadian households are estimated to be illegally accessing television services, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars being siphoned out of the Canadian broadcasting system each year.

That translates into lost income and revenue for Canadian actors, writers, directors, producers, technicians, distributors, broadcasters, advertisers and many others employed in the production and airing of Canadian television programming.

It means, simply, less money in the system, fewer productions production, less investment and fewer jobs. Those millions could be going to Canadian companies, paying for Canadian jobs, producing quality Canadian programming and helping drive Canada's economy.

(SkyNewswire.com)---These are turbulent times for all businesses - necessitating streamlined marketing processes that are finely honed to mesh with today’s sputtering global economy.

1. Don’t stop advertising because the economy is sluggish - increase it, as many of your competitors are foolishly slowing down and you can grab market share! Look at what Dell has done to Gateway in the last eighteen months – Gateway has lost 10-20% of their market share and are pulling in their horns, while Dell’s slice of the pie has grown bigger.

2. Negotiate aggressively with media sources – its tough right now for online and offline publishers to generate advertising revenue and they are being forced to consider any and all deals. Note the number of “house ads” being run by major portals like Yahoo and Internet.com, 20-30% of their banner ads or sponsorship buttons are promoting their own businesses.

(SkyNewswire.com)---We are clearly well past the innocent “golden age” of the Internet – Darwinian economics have become the order of the day today. Any company worth their salt must maintain a web site as an information resource and/or to generate incremental ecommerce revenue. Qualified traffic is the name of the game, as it’s the oxygen that keeps a good ecommerce web site thriving. Consequently, it’s very important to have an understanding of your web site traffic or visitor activity; i.e. baseline information that includes the number of visitors during specific time periods, originating location (domain), where the visitors went on a site and how long they stayed on specific sections or pages of a web site. The de facto industry standard traffic analysis tool application is Web Trends, manufactured/supported by netiQ, Inc., which we will focus on in this article.

Fundamentals and Jargon Watch

All traffic analysis tools rely primarily upon information that is extracted from log files; i.e. files that are maintained on your server which show where a visitor came from, what keyword(s) they used to find your site (if applicable), what Operating System and Browser versions they are using, etc. There are literally hundreds of excellent log file analysis tools that can be located via CNet’s Download.com or TuCows – both sites are excellent resources for software and information.

(SkyNewswire.com)---The web and ways to market on the web continue to evolve at warp speed - we see some positive and negative changes occurring - our observations du jour:

1. Publishers are finally starting to charge for branded content. It's still difficult to do, but we are seeing many newsletter publishers charging from $30-100 per subscriber per annum. And, most importantly, many people are finally starting to accept the need to pay for quality content.

2. Contrary to popular opinion, the web's epicenter is not San Francisco, Tokyo, Washington D.C./northern VA, Seattle, London or Austin. There is no epicenter ... it's everywhere. We now have over 427M (Dataquest & Nua) people using the web and its truly become a global medium/marketing venue/information highway.

3. More good news for e-commerce enabled business models. Recent published reports (Boston Consulting Group & eShop) indicate customer acquisition costs have dropped from $45 per individual customer in Q-4 of 2000 to $18 in Q-1 in 2001.

(SkyNewswire.com)---Many of us in the marketing services and/or agency business are starting to see some real tangible marketing patterns emerging that businesses need to be aware of if they want to leverage their marketing dollars in this "post .com implosion economy."

Good Web Site Design increasingly More Important

It's imperative for a company to have a quality web site today - but many firms are still throwing up web sites that are just poorly designed or overly complex. Poor navigation (menus and overall site structure) when coupled with low quality graphics is really problematical (!) - online visitors think less of your company as a result which will hurt revenue in the long run. Many think just doing a minimal job is sufficient but they aren't factoring in how close your competition is! On the web any potential customer is only one click away from seeing a high quality web site that is well designed and conveys a quality image

(SkyNewswire.com)---Ever wanted to learn how to knit? Here are some simple descriptions of key terms that will help you get started with this “age old” new craze!

To "Cast On":

First you need to put the stitches on the needle. This is called "casting on":

Measure 8 inches from the end of the yarn and make a slip knot here. Slip in the needle and tighten yarn.

Hold the needle like a pencil in your right hand. Loop yarn around left thumb, grasping it with last three fingers. Move needle down through loop, and slip thumb out. Tighten stitch by pulling yarn gently. Make nine more stitches, keeping them loose.

To knit:

(SkyNewswire.com)---This can be as simple & basic Or advanced & professional.

There are many books, booklets, pamphlets, reprints, even articles describing how to assemble a simple article cut from a basic design which is purchased as a kit from a supplier. There are even sets of instructions available on the internet.

This is fine for the person who just wants to enjoy making some simple article for themselves or a youngster wanting to make a present for their favourite Aunt.

Should however you wish to make something more complicated, earn an income, make a living at a Craft, become a Craftsman/Artisan, Make & design you own range of Quality Leathergoods, then the above brief explanations are not going to help you.

There used to be some advanced college courses available on the subject. The best of these was offered in the UK by Cordwainers College & students came from all over the World for the 2 year Leathergoods Craft Courses & took the City & Guilds Leather Goods examinations.

(SkyNewswire.com)---Art is anything that people add to their 'output' which is not functionally necessary and is other than the default properties of that output. The word "art" has been derived from the Latin word 'ars', which, loosely translated, means "arrangement" or "to arrange". This is the only universal definition of art, that whatever it is was at some point arranged in some way. There are many other colloquial uses of the word, all with some relation to its etymological roots. This word comes from the Greek technic meaning art.

Art and science are usually treated diagonally opposite to each other. While science means some phenomenon resulting in truth, which is universal and objective in nature. In other words, science findings can be repeated under the same set of circumstances anywhere in the world at any given point of time. Same cannot be said of art. Art, on the other hand is purely subjective in nature. Take for example, a painting - while one calls it a masterpiece, same feelings cannot be expected from other individual.

(SkyNewswire.com)---Once you've decided on your leather craft project, you'll need the right tools and room to do the work. Being prepared ahead of time will make your task more enjoyable and give you a sense of satisfation when you're done. If you're like most of us you'll probably be working on more leather craft projects over time, so creating a designated area is probably a good idea.

What to Cut On

Regardless of the project, you’ll need to cut your piece of leather. Choose a flat surface protected with a rubber mat. The latter will help protect your tools and prevent them from becoming blunt. Alternatively, you can purchase a self-healing cutting board that comes with a grid work. Any cuts made in the board seal up. This product is readily available at such shops as Staples.

(SkyNewswire.com)---You may have heard the terms proof coin and un-circulated coin, but what's the difference between these two? To understand the difference between a proof and un-circulated coin, let's first answer the question, "What is an un-circulated coin?"

Un-circulated means a coin has not had any wear, such as the wear a coin might experience when it is used in commerce. Handling a coin, as well as improperly storing a coin, can result in wear on the surface of the coin. This wear, even if very minor, will cause a coin to no longer grade un-circulated.

When coins are minted they often bump into each other and receive small nicks and abrasion marks during the production process. These marks also occur as coins are transported in large canvas bags. These marks, sometimes called "bag marks", are more noticeable on larger coins, such as half dollars and dollars. Typical "bag marks" do not keep a coin from grading un-circulated. However, they can be an indicator of how high of a grade the un-circulated coin might receive.

(SkyNewswire.com)---Fresh air, natural light and open space are key elements in today's home designs. New home buyers and existing homeowners alike want more open living and homes with a seamless connection between indoors and out.

For example, courtyards are appearing in more home designs across the county. Often connected to several rooms in the home, the courtyard serves as a central gathering spot for busy families or for entertaining guests. The courtyard is designed to flow from the inside of the house and appear more seamless than a traditional deck or patio.

"People hunger for sunshine, for glimpses of flowers, for the fun of watching their kids play in the back yard. For people who work in windowless, fluorescent-lighted offices all day, it's a joy to come home to a cheery sunroom or outdoor areas that let us drink in fresh air and views," said Joan McCloskey, an editor with Better Homes and Gardens magazine.

(SkyNewswire.com)---Three thousand parts. According to the National Association of Home Builders, that's what the typical home contains. And when you're building a home, you're faced with hundreds of decisions regarding those 3,000 parts. One or two car garage? Carpet or hardwood floors? White or oak cabinets? Paint or wallpaper? Chrome or polished brass fixtures? And the list goes on and on.

While these questions may seem overwhelming at first, it's important to take your time and closely consider each decision you make. And it's not just the major choices that matter when building a home. Equally important, if not more so, are the smaller decisions, such as accessories. Items such as lighting, towel bars, glass shelves and more can make all the difference in a room's décor.

These items make a significant difference in particular areas of the home, especially the bathroom. According to Eric Jungbluth, vice president and general manager of Creative Specialties International, a leading designer and manufacturer in the bath accessory marketplace, "A bathroom is a reflection of a homeowner's personal style. Our research shows consumers truly seek an emotional benefit from their baths ... a sense of comfort, serenity, and of style. The right accessories and finishing touches can add these feelings to the bath in an instant."

(SkyNewswire.com)---For most people, they can count the times they redecorate their homes in a lifetime on one hand. It's a shame because this is not because they don't have great ideas about how they want their homes to be, but that the thought of redecorating brings the following obstacles to mind:

* Where to put up if I am renovating?
* I have accumulated a lot of furniture and household items, how in the world can we integrate them with this ultra modern design I am interested in?
* We have spent all that money doing up the place when we moved in and now we have to do away with it? What a waste.
* It's one big financial outlay!

But our tastes change, moods change over time. New notions inspire us even after we completed our renovations. Is there a way to invest in our homes in a flexible, relaxing and manageable way? To be able to afford stylish home transformations year after year?

(SkyNewswire.com)---Ever wonder why those delicious little chocolates hardly ever melt in your hand? Pop them in your mouth, and they transform into soft, gooey liquid. Here's the secret…

The way chocolate is manufactured has changed considerably. Originally, chocolate was made with cocoa butter, derived from cocoa beans. Cocoa butter naturally melts at the temperature in your mouth: 37ºC. This is about as hot as a tropical jungle! Over time, the price of cocoa butter escalated, and its supply became somewhat unstable. As a result, chocolate manufacturers turned to cocoa butter alternatives like those derived from coconut oil, palm oil, and shea oil – which comes from the Shea-Karite tree, native to tropical Africa.

However, these butters don't possess the same melting point as cocoa butter. A precise science, called "hydrogenation", is required to alter them. Hydrogenation is the process of inserting hydrogen gas into hot oil, at scalding temperatures between 120ºC and 210ºC. Upon completion, the substitute butters have new solidifying and melting points.

(SkyNewswire.com)---There are many reasons to install a camera system. If you own a business, you may want to be able to identify or avoid theft or keep vandalism from your property. Or you may just want to be able to keep an eye on things without actually being there physically. As a homeowner there are a bunch of other reasons to have a camera system. You may be having trouble with a neighbor, trespassers, vandals, or perhaps you have kids and want to be able to keep an eye on them but you can’t be there every minute of every day.

Whatever your reason for wanting a camera system if you don’t get the right kind of equipment based on your needs, you will just waste your money. So if you are thinking of getting a camera system, you will need to look at your situation in order to get the right system.

Some questions to ask yourself:

1. Is what you want to see indoors or outdoors?

2. How many areas do you want to see at your location?

3. Is there a lot of light available throughout the day and night?

(SkyNewswire.com)---Even though the popularity of mobile phones is at an all time high, the complexity of the systems driving this technology usually means that only those involved with the industry have a complete understanding on how mobile phones actually work.

Until recently, and like most of today’s millions of mobile phone users, I found myself confused by the amount of information on the subject, and even when I found information which was relevant, the terminology used was best suited to someone with a degree in telecommunications.

In truth, the technology is very easy to understand when the information is presented in simple terms. In this article I’ll try to do just that – simplify the technology.

The concept:

Even though technology has become widely known as wireless, this is only true between your handset and your nearest receiving antenna. After that the connection goes through a series of telephone wires until it reaches the antenna nearest to the person you are calling – assuming the call is to another mobile.

(SkyNewswire.com)---The plasma television has many advantages and benefits for you and your entertainment needs and wants. The plasma tv gives you incredible picture quality, it has a sleek design, and it is HDTV compatible.

Plasmas provide sharper images and more vibrant colors. You can display both HDTV and DTV signals as well as computer signals such as XGA, SVGA, and VGA.

Plasmas Superior to Both CRT's and LCD

Plasma screen televisions provide sharp, clear pictures, plus no image distortion. CRTs can't match this. Plasma tvs have brighter pictures and provide a better viewing angle at 160 degrees, than LCDs. For the best technology in display panels, choose plasma technology.

High Resolution

Plasma display televisions have higher resolution than most standard TV sets. They are able to display full HDTV and DTV signals as well as XGA, SVGA, and VGA signals from a computer. If a plasma has a resolution of 1024x1024 it can display images from 1080i and 720i HDTV resolution, plus 480i and 480p HD signals.

(SkyNewswire.com)---Computers:

First Computer Invented:

Most people when they think of first computer invented they think Bill Gates. This, however, is not true, for the computer was invented long before Bill Gates was around. Bill Gates only revolutionized the computer, buy creating a more compact and useful form of the computer and making it available to everyone with a job.

There are many people out there who would say that the first "computer" was the abacus, invented in Asia about 5000 years ago. I however, wouldn't.

The first of the "modern" computers was invented during World War II, in 1941 by a German engineer named Konrad Zuse. Its name was the Z3 and it was used to help design German airplanes and missile's. Then in 1943, the Allied forces developed a computer called Colossus. It helped decode German messages.

(SkyNewswire.com)---Just about every leading mobile phone provider now offers some sort of prepaid calling plan in order to fit their customers' budgets. But is is right for you?

The first question you'll need to ask yourself is how often you'll use your wireless phone?

Since the biggest benefit of a prepaid wireless phone is there is no monthly contract, you'll pay a little more for the prepaid minutes you purchase. But if you plan on using your phone strictly on an as-needed basis for emergencies, etc., a prepaid wireless program could be just what you're looking for.

The biggest mistake most people make when choosing to go prepaid is not reading the "fine print" of the providers' terms and conditions.

In most cases, the prepaid minutes you purchase will expire after a certain period of time, usually two or three months down the road. What this means is, if you buy 300 minutes today and fail to purchase more minutes anytime during the next few months, the unused portion of those 300 minutes will be unuseable!

(SkyNewswire.com)---You probably think you know all the facts when it comes to the topic of minor wound care - if you cut your finger, just dab a tissue on it and you're ready to go! Unfortunately it is not as simple as that. Minor wounds deserve special treatment in order to heal most efficiently and minimize the appearance of scars. So before you peel off that bandage make sure you know the difference between the facts and the misconceptions on minor wound care.

Misconception: It is best to let a minor wound heal over with a scab.

Fact: Scabs actually impede the healing process by creating a barrier between healthy skin cells. The cells have to work their way under the scab in order to form new tissue and heal. Scabs can also be easily torn or scratched, causing re-injury.

Misconception: It is best to let a wound "breathe" or air out.