Marti's Supermall

Great T.V. Deals for March!

2009-03-13T09:05:00.000-07:00

CABLE SERVICE:
Found a great deal on cable service? For a limited time, there are 265-plus digital channels availbale, as well as free DVR service for four months, HD DVR receiver upgrade, and installation in up to 4 rooms. Check it out HERE!

SATELLITE DISH:
If you prefer satellite, I found packages ranging from $9.99 to $72.98/mo. There are up to 280 channels available, but the less expensive packages have at least 200 channels, which should certainly be enough television for anyone. One of the current offers includes 15 premium movie channels for free and an HD DVR upgrade. Check that out HERE!

Well, I'm off to find more bargains for you!

See you on the next post!

Marti

Put Passion Back in Your LIfe!

2009-03-10T08:03:00.000-07:00

Is it more difficult to "get in the mood?" Have you lost your passion for your partner? Do you sometimes feel that you could care less if you ever had sex again?

A woman's sex drive and passion can fluctuate, often even seeming to disappear altogether, for a variety of reasons, including:
* Menopause
* Side effects from medication
* Lack of exercise
* Stress and fatigue
* Weight gain
* Moodiness
* Childbirth
* Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

You don't have to kiss a healthy libido goodbye. A new homeopathic spray has been introduced that, when sprayed under the tongue up to 3 times a day, helps promote sexual vitality and revive your passion. This is NOT a hormone therapy and has no negative side effects.

Absorption into the blood vessels under the tongue helps to boost your libido far better than products that pass through the digestive tract, which slows absorption of these orally-administered products. Referred to as "sublingual application," this under-the-tongue method is designed to speed delivery of the active ingredients to your system.

Using plant-based natural relief, one of the herbal ingredients in this product is Chaste Berry, which has been used for years in homeopathic medicine to help alleviate reproductive disorders in both women and men. Also used are Wild Jacob's Tears, which grows wild in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic areas of the U.S., and is used to relieve uterine cramps and feelings of heaviness, as well as St. Ignatius' Bean, which calms mood swings and anxiety and is useful for hot flashes, headaches and other discomforts a woman suffers during mensus and menopause.

This is a safe, all-natural herbal solution to help get your sexuality back on track, without trading one set of side-effects for another. CLICK HERE to learn more about reviving your Passion!

Come back and let me know how this works for you! I'm sure others will be interested, as well!!

Causes of Panic Attacks

2009-02-10T18:21:00.001-08:00

The short and obvious answer: panic attacks are caused by high anxiety. But what exactly is anxiety? Understanding how anxiety crops up will help you defeat panic attacks. One of the biggest myths surrounding anxiety is that it is harmful and can lead to a number of various life-threatening conditions.

Definition of Anxiety:

Anxiety is defined as a state of apprehension or fear resulting from the anticipation of a real or imagined threat, event, or situation. It is one of the most common human emotions experienced by people at some point in their lives.

Most people who have never experienced a panic attack, or extreme anxiety, fail to realize the terrifying nature of the experience. Extreme dizziness, blurred vision, tingling and feelings of breathlessness—and that’s just the tip of the iceberg!

When these sensations occur and people do not understand why, they feel they have contracted an illness, or a serious mental condition. The threat of losing complete control seems very real and naturally very terrifying.

Fight/Flight Response: One of the root causes of panic attacks?

I am sure most of you have heard of the fight/flight response as an explanation for one of the root causes of panic attacks. Have you made the connection between this response and the unusual sensations you experience during and after a panic attack episode?

Anxiety is a response to a danger or threat. It is so named because all of its effects are aimed toward either fighting or fleeing from the danger. Thus, the sole purpose of anxiety is to protect the individual from harm. This may seem ironic given that you no doubt feel your anxiety is actually causing you great harm...perhaps the most significant of all the causes of panic attacks.

The anxiety that the fight/flight response created was vital in the daily survival of our ancient ancestors—when faced with some danger, an automatic response would take over that propelled them to take immediate action such as attack or run. Even in today's hectic world, this is still a necessary mechanism. It comes in useful when you must respond to a real threat within a split second.

Anxiety is a built-in mechanism to protect us from danger. Interestingly, it is a mechanism that protects but does not harm—an important point that will be elaborated upon later.

The Physical Manifestations of a Panic Attack: Other pieces of the puzzle to understand the causes of panic attacks. Nervousness and Chemical Effects...

When confronted with danger, the brain sends signals to a section of the nervous system. It is this system that is responsible for gearing the body up for action and also calms the body down and restores equilibrium. To carry out these two vital functions, the autonomic nervous system has two subsections, the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system.

Although I don't want to become too "scientific," having a basic understanding of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system will help you understand the causes of panic attacks.

The sympathetic nervous system is the one we tend to know all too much about because it primes our body for action, readies us for the “fight or flight” response, while the parasympathetic nervous system is the one we love dearly as it serves as our restoring system, which returns the body to its normal state.

When either of these systems is activated, they stimulate the whole body, which has an “all or nothing” effect. This explains why when a panic attack occurs, the individual often feels a number of different sensations throughout the body.

The sympathetic system is responsible for releasing the adrenaline from the adrenal glands on the kidneys. These are small glands located just above the kidneys. Less known, however, is that the adrenal glands also release adrenaline, which functions as the body’s chemical messengers to keep the activity going. When a panic attack begins, it does not switch off as easily as it is turned on. There is always a period of what would seem increased or continued anxiety, as these messengers travel throughout the body. Think of them as one of the physiological causes of panic attacks, if you will.

After a period of time, the parasympathetic nervous system gets called into action. Its role is to return the body to normal functioning once the perceived danger is gone. The parasympathetic system is the system we all know and love, because it returns us to a calm relaxed state.

When we engage in a coping strategy that we have learned, for example, a relaxation technique, we are in fact willing the parasympathetic nervous system into action. A good thing to remember is that this system will be brought into action at some stage whether we will it or not. The body cannot continue in an ever-increasing spiral of anxiety. It reaches a point where it simply must kick in, relaxing the body. This is one of the many built-in protection systems our bodies have for survival.

You can do your best with worrying thoughts, keeping the sympathetic nervous system going, but eventually it stops. In time, it becomes a little smarter than us, and realizes that there really is no danger. Our bodies are incredibly intelligent—modern science is always discovering amazing patterns of intelligence that run throughout the cells of our body. Our body seems to have infinite ways of dealing with the most complicated array of functions we take for granted. Rest assured that your body’s primary goal is to keep you alive and well.

Not so convinced?

Try holding your breath for as long as you can. No matter how strong your mental will is, it can never override the will of the body. This is good news—no matter how hard you try to convince yourself that you are gong to die from a panic attack, you won’t. Your body will override that fear and search for a state of balance. There has never been a reported incident of someone dying from a panic attack.

Remember this next time you have a panic attack; he causes of panic attacks cannot do you any physical harm. Your mind may make the sensations continue longer than the body intended, but eventually everything will return to a state of balance. In fact, balance (homeostasis) is what our body continually strives for.

The interference for your body is nothing more than the sensations of doing rigorous exercise. Our body is not alarmed by these symptoms. Why should it be? It knows its own capability. It’s our thinking minds that panic, which overreact and scream in sheer terror! We tend to fear the worst and exaggerate our own sensations. A quickened heart beat becomes a heart attack. An overactive mind seems like a close shave with schizophrenia. Is it our fault? Not really—we are simply diagnosing from poor information.

Cardiovascular Effects Activity in the sympathetic nervous system increases our heartbeat rate, speeds up the blood flow throughout the body, ensures all areas are well supplied with oxygen and that waste products are removed. This happens in order to prime the body for action.

A fascinating feature of the “fight or flight” mechanism is that blood (which is channelled from areas where it is currently not needed by a tightening of the blood vessels) is brought to areas where it is urgently needed.

For example, should there be a physical attack, blood drains from the skin, fingers, and toes so that less blood is lost, and is moved to “active areas” such as the thighs and biceps to help the body prepare for action.

This is why many feel numbness and tingling during a panic attack-often misinterpreted as some serious health risk-such as the precursor to a heart attack. Interestingly, most people who suffer from anxiety often feel they have heart problems. If you are really worried that such is the case with your situation, visit your doctor and have it checked out. At least then you can put your mind at rest.

Respiratory Effects

One of the scariest effects of a panic attack is the fear of suffocating or smothering. It is very common during a panic attack to feel tightness in the chest and throat. I’m sure everyone can relate to some fear of losing control of your breathing. From personal experience, anxiety grows from the fear that your breathing itself would cease and you would be unable to recover. Can a panic attack stop our breathing? No.

A panic attack is associated with an increase in the speed and depth of breathing. This has obvious importance for the defense of the body since the tissues need to get more oxygen to prepare for action. The feelings produced by this increase in breathing, however, can include breathlessness, hyperventilation, sensations of choking or smothering, and even pains or tightness in the chest. The real problem is that these sensations are alien to us, and they feel unnatural.

Having experienced extreme panic attacks myself, I remember that on many occasions, I would have this feeling that I couldn’t trust my body to do the breathing for me, so I would have to manually take over and tell myself when to breathe in and when to breathe out. Of course, this didn’t suit my body’s requirement of oxygen and so the sensations would intensify—along with the anxiety. It was only when I employed the technique I will describe for you later, did I let the body continue doing what it does best—running the whole show.

Importantly, a side-effect of increased breathing, (especially if no actual activity occurs) is that the blood supply to the head is actually decreased. While such a decrease is only a small amount and is not at all dangerous, it produces a variety of unpleasant but harmless symptoms that include dizziness, blurred vision, confusion, sense of unreality, and hot flushes.

Other Physical Effects of Panic Attacks:

Now that we've discussed some of the primary physiological causes of panic attacks, there are a number of other effects that are produced by the activation of the sympathetic nervous system, none of which are in any way harmful.

For example, the pupils widen to let in more light, which may result in blurred vision, or “seeing” stars, etc. There is a decrease in salivation, resulting in dry mouth. There is decreased activity in the digestive system, which often produces nausea, a heavy feeling in the stomach, and even constipation. Finally, many of the muscle groups tense up in preparation for “fight or flight” and this results in subjective feelings of tension, sometimes extending to actual aches and pains, as well as trembling and shaking.

Overall, the fight/flight response results in a general activation of the whole bodily metabolism. Thus, one often feels hot and flushed and, because this process takes a lot of energy, the person generally feels tired and drained.

Mental Manifestations: Are the causes of panic attacks all in my head? is a question many people wonder to themselves.

The goal of the fight/flight response is making the individual aware of the potential danger that may be present. Therefore, when activated, the mental priority is placed upon searching the surroundings for potential threats. In this state one is highly-strung, so to speak. It is very difficult to concentrate on any one activity, as the mind has been trained to seek all potential threats and not to give up until the threat has been identified. As soon as the panic hits, many people look for the quick and easiest exit from their current surroundings, such as by simply leaving the bank queue and walking outside. Sometimes the anxiety can heighten, if we perceive that leaving will cause some sort of social embarrassment.

If you have a panic attack while at the workplace but feel you must press on with whatever task it is you are doing, it is quite understandable that you would find it very hard to concentrate. It is quite common to become agitated and generally restless in such a situation. Many individuals I have worked with who have suffered from panic attacks over the years indicated that artificial light—such as that which comes from computer monitors and televisions screens—can can be one of the causes of panic attacks by triggering them or worsen a panic attack, particularly if the person is feeling tired or run down.

This is worth bearing in mind if you work for long periods of time on a computer. Regular break reminders should be set up on your computer to remind you to get up from the desk and get some fresh air when possible.

In other situations, when during a panic attack an outside threat cannot normally be found, the mind turns inwards and begins to contemplate the possible illness the body or mind could be suffering from. This ranges from thinking it might have been something you ate at lunch, to the possibility of an oncoming cardiac arrest.

The burning question is: Why is the fight/flight response activated during a panic attack even when there is apparently nothing to be frightened of?

Upon closer examination of the causes of panic attacks, it would appear that what we are afraid of are the sensations themselves—we are afraid of the body losing control. These unexpected physical symptoms create the fear or panic that something is terribly wrong. Why do you experience the physical symptoms of the fight/flight response if you are not frightened to begin with? There are many ways these symptoms can manifest themselves, not just through fear.

For example, it may be that you have become generally stressed for some reason in your life, and this stress results in an increase in the production of adrenaline and other chemicals, which from time to time, would produce symptoms....and which you perceive as the causes of panic attacks.

This increased adrenaline can be maintained chemically in the body, even after the stress has long gone. Another possibility is diet, which directly affects our level of stress. Excess caffeine, alcohol, or sugar is known for causing stress in the body, and is believed to be one of the contributing factors of the causes of panic attacks (Chapter 5 gives a full discussion on diet and its importance).

Unresolved emotions are often pointed to as possible trigger of panic attacks, but it is important to point out that eliminating panic attacks from your life does not necessarily mean analyzing your psyche and digging into your subconscious. The “One Move” technique will teach you to deal with the present moment and defuse the attack along with removing the underlying anxiety that sparks the initial anxiety.

Learn more HERE

New Health Care Stimulus Review

2009-02-10T08:25:00.000-08:00

Senators should vote against the provisions of the newly-proposed health care stimulus because they are "dangerous to your health," claims Betsy McCaughey, former lieutenant governor of New York and now adjunct senior fellow at the Hudson Institute.

Published in Bloomberg Press, this article outlines the danger that lies in the tracking system to monitor health-care providers, tracking your medical treatments electronically by a federal system. This monitoring device is to be in place to make sure your doctor is doing what the federal government deems "appropriate and cost effective," with a goal of reducing costs and guiding your doctor's decisions.

The stimulus provides for doctors and hospitals to be faced with penalties for non-compliance with vaguely-defined parameters. Affecting every part of health care from "medical and nursing education to how patients are treated and how much hospitals get paid," according to McCaughey.

The health-care industry is the largest employer in America and produces almost 17 percent of the nation's gross domestic product, says McCaughey. She reveals that the bill treats health care as a cost problem instead of a growth industry and encourages doctors to "give up autonomy and learn to operate less like solo practitioners."

I don't know about you, but I want my doctor to operate like a solo practitioner - with what is best for me and my family as their first consideration. Health care is in trouble and you should contact your Legislators and express your wishes on this stimulus bill before it gets voted into place.

For the complete article, click HERE.

YOU: The Owner's Manual

2009-02-05T08:42:00.000-08:00

Between your full-length mirror and high-school biology class, you probably think you know a lot about the human body. While it's true that we live in an age when we're as obsessed with our bodies as we are with celebrity hairstyles, the reality is that most of us know very little about what chugs, churns, and thumps throughout this miraculous, scientific and artistic system of anatomy. Yes, you've owned your skin-covered shell for decades, but you probably know more about your cellphone plan than you do about your own body. When it comes to your longevity and quality of life, understanding your internal systems gives you the power, authority and ability to live a healthier, younger, and better life.

The author of an important new book is Dr. Mehmet C. Oz, the professor and vice-chairman of Surgery at Columbia University and director of the Cardiovascular Institute and the Complementary Medicine Program at New York Presbyterian Hospital. He is the health expert on The Oprah Winfrey Show and writes for O Magazine, Esquire, and Reader's Digest. Oz and Dr. Roizen host a show on Oprah & Friends radio, where they discuss healing techniques, preventative medicine, and the latest in health news, so that Americans can make well-informed decisions about their health.

YOU: The Owner's Manual, Updated and Expanded Edition challenges your preconceived notions about how the human body works and ages, then takes you on a tour through all of the highways, back roads, and landmarks inside of you. In this update, the doctors have included a new chapter on the liver and pancreas, which will finally demystify the most exotic parts of our bodies; a new workout chapter that will finally get you moving; and nearly one hundred Q&As asked by you, the reader. It has also been updated throughout to give you up-to-the-minute know-how to not just understand what to do to keep fit, but also why and how.

The book opens with a quiz, "How Well Do You Know Your Body?," which sets the stage for the following chapters. After taking the quiz, you'll learn about all of your blood-pumping, food-digesting, and keys-remembering systems and organs, including the heart, brain, lungs, immune system, bones, and sensory organs. Each chapter also contains common myths of the particular body part that the authors will debunk.

Just as important, you'll get the facts and advice you need to keep your body running long and strong. You'll find out how diseases start and how they affect your body—as well as advice on how to prevent and beat conditions that threaten your quality of life. Complete with exercise tips, nutritional guidelines, simple lifestyle changes, and alternative approaches, YOU: The Owner's Manual, Updated and Expanded Edition gives you an easy, comprehensive, and life-changing how-to plan for fending off the gremlins of aging. To top it off, this new edition includes even more great-tasting and calorie-saving recipes as part of the Owner's Manual Diet—an eating plan that is designed with only one goal in mind: to help you live a younger life.

Welcome to your body. Why don't you come on in and take a look around? To secure your copy, click HERE!

To Your Health!
Marti

Lady Doctor Reveals TOP SECRET Fat-Loss Secret to the General Public

2009-02-05T08:03:00.000-08:00

A new breakthrough secret is all you now need in order to forever shed countless pounds, stay healthy, and add many years to your life!

A lady doctor from Arizona has blown the lid off the best-kept secret in weight loss ever discovered -- and this has the whole diet food and drug industries turned upside down and in nothing less than a torrential uproar.

Her name is Dr Suzanne Gudakunst, and she's marching to the beat of a different drum. And no, nothing about her "secret" is difficult -- nor does it require that you do something completely out of the ordinary or anything unnatural.

Instead, the Arizonian boasts proudly "...this is something that I caught onto just before 2002 when there was so much research and exploration going around concerning the human colon and digestive system working in harmony with nutritional absorption, and I started doing independent studies just to test things at first ... but which I later expanded on after seeing some fantastic results."

This same woman medical practitioner went on to accurately determine a definitive correlation between harmful plague and parasitic infestations of the human bowel tract, and people suffering chronic obesity -- and who despite intense diet and exercise appeared to be unable to lose any weight whatsoever.

Over the course of six years the Arizona doctor developed a number of natural treatments for the removal of these same harmful, even life-threatening plaques and rapidly reproducing digestive parasites -- and when applied to even worse-case patients suffering extreme obesity (98% of which were in immediate danger of dying) she saw a 100% effectiveness and success rate.

She then borrowed from her research on the severely obese, and applied the same strategies on milder cases of overweight persons -- only to find the same effectiveness and quality results as described above (although the individual weight loss per subject wasn't nearly as much as those obese patients 100 lbs to 200 lbs or more overweight).

So powerful is her secret that she's able to reverse diabetes, rid illness altogether in people suffering from cancer (linked directly to poor diet and overweight factors), as well as an elimination of an entire spectrum of serious and otherwise life-threatening diseases.

Nearly 100% of all her case subjects were told in the alternative by "conventional doctors" that they either had just months or years to live, or they would never live a life anything resembling remotely a "normal" existence -- yet after applying Dr Suzanne's treatments saw a complete contradiction to others doctors' prognoses.

Again, nothing about her secret is unnatural or requires someone to do any major action or modification in their lives.

In fact, her entire treatment is based completely on built-into-nature 'protection agents' scattered throughout the world in the form of select herbs, extracts, and organic constituents, and which can be found in a variety of plants -- but when combined in specific combinations and carefully chosen amounts make for a solution to what is perhaps the world's worst ever plague: OBESITY (and the illnesses and diseases resulting from it -- or at least severely aggravated or exacerbated by it).

Now to everyone else's great gain, whether suffering from just a few extra pounds and inches, to those extremely fat and overweight, this brave, bold lady doctor is releasing to the general public her secret for forever destroying the tight unrelenting closed-fist of obesity's stronghold over the now more than 40% of Americans labeled obese, and others worldwide.

But she's not promising any of us for how long.

Some experts and sociologists suggest that in the bigger scheme of things, the world will never tolerate a discovery of such magnitude, any more than it would be realistic to expect a car that runs on water (even if very real) to ever become commercially available to the general public for day-to-day use.

One well-respected and famous diet & wellness author wrote years ago that if anyone ever "truly unlocked the keys to permanent fat loss, they may actually suffer the same fate as JFK."

It is currently available HERE...

...so you may want to head on over there now and get it and before someone or "something" gets it forever yanked out of ever getting in YOUR hand at least.

It's in a very easily readable format and is quickly and readily understood and mastered by anyone with even a 4th grade reading level.

While you're there, why not scroll down and review for yourself the huge successes others are now having with this incredible breakthrough in rapid, massive weight loss and extremely improved and enhanced health, now made freely available to the rest of us?

'Til Next Time!
Marti

How To Stop Thinking Without Falling Asleep

2009-02-01T12:21:00.000-08:00

Make no mistake, the stressors of everyday life are overwhelming for everyone. Because we need to relieve these stressors to be everything we can be, it is important to turn to resources to help us achieve what we cannot do alone. Conventional medicine is not the answer; rather, the ability to go within for peace of mind is the preferred method on the road to mindfulness and inner healing. Meditation is the “quiet answer.”

Don’t be confused by the jargon of meditation from the ‘60s. Meditation is merely going within, but this is a practice that none of us can accomplish without direction and help. Today’s world moves too fast and we are products of a society which ignores the practice of “quiet time” to go within.

With meditation, the things that we view do not change; it is our mind that changes – and when our mind changes, we can see fullness and connectedness, as well as individuality and separateness, in all things we view. Healing comes from within and is often a product of attitudinal and emotional transformation, accompanied by major reduction in physical symptoms and improvement in our physical condition.

Meditation is, quite simply, conscious relaxation. We start by paying attention to our breathing. Counting our breaths from one to ten, while clearing our mind of all other "clutter," enables each of us to manage the daily concerns that crowd our lives. Everyone deserves this kind of personal attention! Through meditation, we are empowered to be capable of having the life we love. The world is simply a better place when we practice meditation. Through meditation, we come to "live on purpose."

Meditation techniques involve a transformation process through which we recognize negative thoughts and change them to peaceful and positive thoughts. By using this self-healing process, we can avoid chronic stress that often leads to disease of the body.

We must remember to be very patient when we meditate, as the mind does not always want to focus. A sense of expectation can create pressure and interfere with the enjoyment of the experience of meditation. Practiced regularly, meditation provides a wonderful sense of the self and embraces the positive attitude that makes all things possible in our lives.

My personal favorite meditation program was developed by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, Professor of Medicine emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. This amazing approach rescues us from the damage of stress. In “Full Catastrophe Living,” Dr. Kabat-Zinn has created a practical guide to mindfulness meditation and healing. He explains the power of paying attention and increasing awareness.

The title is adopted from “Zorba the Greek” in which Anthony Quinn’s title character proclaims he has experienced “the full catastrophe” of the ups and downs of family life. In “Full Catastrophe Living,” Dr. Kabat-Zinn reminds us of Zorba’s philosophy that all things are extraordinary, even miraculous.

This program was developed to help people cope with chronic pain, both post-surgical and traumatic, for which there is no medicinal relief. In his stress clinic, Dr. Kabat-Zinn’s clients often have sudden and dramatic experiences during meditation that lead them to new ways of seeing the stressors – and pain sources – in their lives. Out of this shift of perspective comes an ability to acutely deal with our issues with greater balance and inner security.

Tapes are included that provide guidance for a body scan that allows us to separate from our physical selves and relate to the more spiritual essence which we all share. Laying still and concentrating on relaxing our entire body – and staying awake in the process – allows us to see both ourselves and our problems from a perspective of wholeness. This practice allows us to change our perspective from feeling out of control to a sense of acceptance and inner peace and control.

Another favorite is "8 Minute Meditation: Quiet Your Mind, Change Your Life" by Victor Davich. Offering a simple no-nonsense approach to help reduce stress and experience increased focus, this program teaches the basic principles of meditation on a simplified basis for the beginner.

Davich has practiced meditation for more than 25 years and has studied with some of the finest teachers, bringing the full spectrum of his knowledge in this work for those of us who may have been swayed by the many myths surrounding meditation.

For those who wish to manifest changes in our lives, I recommend "Meditations for Manifesting: Morning and Evening Meditations to Literally Create Your Heart's Desire" by Dr. Wayne Dyer. This audio CD, complete with background music, propels the meditation without overwhelming the primary focus of the breathing and necessary affirmations for bringing about positive results in our lives.

Wayne Dyer is a true "renaissance man," creating a medium for all of us to change our lives through the power of meditation and focus. You must be prepared to suspend all your disbeliefs and be assured that whatever you are manifesting will come into your life. Be careful, though! Use this with caution and prepare to be amazed. The Universe responds and gives us what we tell it to. Once your intention is clear, things that you meditate upon will come into your life instantly. Change the way you think and you change your life!

May you always enjoy peace of mind!
Marti

Rich Retailers You've Never Heard Of!

2009-01-14T10:38:00.000-08:00

Now, I know you've heard of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs! But there are other "under the radar" folks that are flourishing in the retail world in spite of the state of the economy. I've done some research and am revealing just a few of these "secret billionaires" in this post.

Lego is the sixth largest toymaker, as rated by sales. This Danish company was started in 1932 by the grandfather of the current owner, Kheld Kirk Kristiansen. Lego's success has created a net worth of $6.5 billion for Kristiansen, as reported in March of 2008.

Another retailer you may not know is Jorge Paulo Lemann. This former tennis player is now a major shareholder in the world's largest brewer, InBev, including such products as Budweiser, Stella Artois, Beck's and Michelob. Lemann's March 2008 estimated net worth was reported at $5.8 billion!

With "under the radar" genuises at the helm, Kingston Technology is another company with "off the map" figures. This company has annual sales that run over $4 billion. David Sun and John Tu, with a combined net worth of $8 billion, are co-founders of this company that makes the memory devices uesd in cellphones, cameras and MP3 players. Kingston is the 79th largest private company in the United States!

Here's an interesting one: Americo Amorim with a net worth of $7 billion. He's known as the "king of cork," of all things. He has turned a small cork factory started by his grandfather in 1930 into the world's largest producer of cork. He is no longer involved in the day-to-day operations of the company but still owns 50% of the group.

Do you know who Ingvar Kamprad is? I didn't think so! But you DO know his products! He's the man behind IKEA. Kamprad was born on a farm in Sweden and began his business endeavors as a young boy, selling matches to neighbors from his bicycle. He credits his dyslexia with playing a large part in the inner workings of IKEA; seems he couldn't remember numerical stock-keeping units and chose the furniture for the uniqueness of name. His estimated fortune is $31 billion, making him the 7th richest person in the world!

How many of you have ever heard of Jack Taylor? I never had! But we've all heard of Enterprise-Rent-A-Car. Taylor was a fighter pilot who started a company to provide replacement cars, eventually renting cars to customers with stolen or damaged vehicles. In the 1970s, his business experienced a peak when insurance companies were ordered by the courts to pay for replacement rentals. The rest is history!

I have to admit I didn't know who Phillip Knight is, but some of you may. This is the genius behind Nike, starting the company in 1964 with a track coach and escalating to the largest sports footwear and apparel company in the world today. Although $3.4 billion was spent last year on endorsements by sports icons such as Tiger Woods, LeBron James and Derek Jeter, Nike remains on the list of the top retailers!

William Cook is a man after my own heart. He is at work by 5:00 a.m. and eats in the company cafeteria. And what does he retail? Health Care, founded by the Cook Group in 1963, is now the world's largest privately-held medical device manufacturer. Although originally developed to produce a cardiovascular catheter, the company also provides stents, embolization coils and vena cava filters. With sales now at $1.5 billion, this self-made billionaire deserves every penny of his $5 billion worth!

Bradley Hughes is not exactly a name readily on the lips of everyone, but this former real estate executive has made billions by giving folks a place to stash their stuff. Hughes created Pubic Storage, now the largest self-storage company in the world, with 2015 locations and 135 million square feet of rentable space in the United States and Europe. At $4.5 billion net worth, this entrepreneur lives on a farm where he raises Thoroughbred horses.

Anybody heard of Micky Arison? This is the man behind Carnival Cruises. Today, Carnival operates 85 ships under 11 different brands, including Carnival, Princess, Holland America, Cosat Cruists and Cunard Lines. With sales of $13 billion in 2007, the company continues to invest in new ships. This billionaire, currently worth $5 billion, also owns the pro basketball team Miami Heat!

Finally, a woman in our midst (no, not Oprah - you've heard of her!) - and it's Joan Tisch. With sister-in-law Wilma Tisch, she controls a family fortune built by their late husbands, including acquiring ownership of Loews Theatres in 1959. Today, their holding company includes Diamond Offshore Drilling and Boardwalk Pipelines. They sold their interest in Boluva watches to Citizen for $250 million in January and spun off cigarette maker Lorillard in December of last year. At a net worth for Joan of $3.8 billion, all I can say is, "You go, girl!"

Power Rangers unite! The marketing genius of Haim Saban, whose estimated worth is $3.6 billion, created the popular kids' show "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" and sold Fox Family Worldwide to Disney for $5.2 billion in a joint venture with Rupert Murdoch's Fox Television.

Robert Schulze sold electronics for his father's company before opening a car stereo store in 1966. Renamed "Best Buy" in 1983, this company went public two years later, with current sales of $40 billion in more than 920 stores, despite today's economy. His estimated worth today is a mere $3.5 billion.

All of this is to say that if you have a dream, go for it! Don't let government statistics and retail sales slumps deter you from your ideas and innovations. These entrepreneurs ignored the trends and "went with their hearts" - and so should you, if you have an idea that you believe is marketable!

See you on the next blog!

Marti

VIDEO VARIETY

2009-01-01T09:46:00.000-08:00

Enjoy your favorite videos from Video Variety - everything from yoga to classic movies!

An amazing way to bring balance to your mind, health and emotions and imbue your life with inspiration and fearlessness is through yoga. Yoga teachers Ravi Singh and Ana Brett have produced a 60-minute yoga DVD to give you a complete workout, no matter what your level of yoga experience. This amazing video guides you through creating a flexible body, which enhances the energy flow. When energy flows, our lives flow in new and surprising ways! This DVD begins with a warm-up followed by an invigorating workout, deep healing relaxation and a moving meditation to leave you blissfully relaxed and ready for your day!

Nothing makes us feel better than to laugh - and no one makes me laugh out loud like George Carlin. I have found a 14-disc career retrospective that includes all twelve of George Carlin's HBO concert specials, guarantee to elicit laughter! Remember "A Place for My Stuff" and "Al Sleet, the Hippie-Dippie Weatherman"? These are absolutely timeless! Spanning performances from 1977 to 2005, this collection also includes two exclusive interview discs with this timeless comic who is missed by all!

I'm a fool for Jack Ryan, the Harrison Ford character from "Hunt for Red October" and "Clear and Present Danger." I've found a special edition collection that includes these two favorites, as well as "Patriot Games" and "The Sum of All Fears." So, get this collection, grab the popcorn and prop your feet up for an entertaining afternoon!

Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin collaborated several years ago for one of the greatest visual comedies of all time in "All of Me." Great physical comedy and the rapier wit of these two awesome comics make this a timeless addition to anyone's video collection!

Tom Cruise has always made my heart skip a beat, and never more than in "All the Right Moves" with Craig T. Nelson (another of my heartthrobs). Not your average film about high school football, this 1983 classic is a helluva coming-of-age story with its look at the hopes and dreams of blue-collar survivors. Cruise's character has an unstoppable determination to avoid the life of his bleak Pennsylvania hometown, the graveyard of the American Dream.

On an inspirational note, the hard-to-find T.D. Jakes video, "It Will All Come Out in the Fire," gives us powerful insight on how to survive life's struggles and explains how God will purge those struggles as we go through the fire and trials of life. This wonderful message will balance your thinking and help you let go and let God do the work that only He can do!

We are talking official "classic" with the 1954 blockbuster "The Student Prince." This beautiful musical takes me back to my childhood when all movies had a happy ending. Ann Blyth's beautiful voice enchants us all, and Edmund Purdom's impeccable tenor renditions makes all our hearts sing. Purdom was a newcomer to the Hollywood scene when this movie debuted, but later became the "behind the scenes" voice for Mario Lanza when Lanza's size exceeded his ability to deliver musically.

For lovers of avant garde musicals, "All That Jazz" is a must-have! Rory Scheider's character of Joe Gideon is a rawly biographical portrayal of the genius choreographer-turned-director Bob Fosse and provides the viewer with a soul-baring look at a life of extravagance, self-destruction and self-loathing. Jessica Lange's performance as Gideon's largely allegorical Muse is mixed with poignance and perfection. From the knock-out opening, scored to George Benson's unforgettable styling of "On Broadway," to the very last scene, this is a hard-edged, caustic and joyously physical look at the genius of Fossa - and Scheider (I actually thought he could dance when I left the theater after seeing this the first time)!

Go to Video Variety now to enjoy your favorites - and discover some new ones!

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MARTI'S HEALTH HAVEN

2009-01-01T08:30:00.000-08:00

Check out the amazing array of product at Marti's Health Haven!

At the top of my list is a foot massager - and the Vibration Foot Massager combines the ancient Asian principles of Shiatsu and reflexology for stimulating acupressure points. No need for pain meds when you can manage your foot pain with this deep stimulating massager. My doctor told me that having a foot massage helps the cells in the foot loosen up and expand to reduce the pain. This is a "must have" for women who wear high heels all day long or men who are on their feet throughout their workday!

A friend of mine introduced me to the Egyptian Magic All Purpose Skin Cream - and I owe her big time! She keeps an extra jar in her home first-aid kit for treating burns, scraps, skin irritations and the like for her family. Using it twice a day for a regular health/beauty regimen does wonders for creating soft, smooth skin - and it's great as a moisturizer and anti-wrinkle skin care cream. While I certainly make no medical claims, Egyptian Magic's ability to heal new scars makes it popular with plastic surgeons who recommend it to their patients.

One of the most amazing things you can do at the end of a hard day is to relax in a hot bath - and Dr. Bonner's Pure Castile Soaps are a great way to enhance the experience. My personal favorite is the Tea Tree for its soothing properties. All natural organic ingredients make this a perfect purchase for the eco-friendly bather!

I would soooooo recommend the Tourmaline detox foot and body pads/patches. Made in Japan, the Tourmaline exerts a cleaning and liberating energy on your entire nervous system with a clearing and stabilizing effect. Also known to increase the alpha brainwaves, this product can enhance creative problem solving, accelerated learning, mood elevation and stress reduction.

For use with abs training, yoga and Pilates, I recommend the One Ball for All Kit! Made by SPRI Products, the leading manufacturer of products for the health and fitness industry, this comes with a compact air pump and an exercise chart to get you started! The ball has a maximum inflation rate of 65 centimeters - but be advised this size works best for those of you who are 5'8" to 6'3" tall.

Previously only available in Germany, the Venta Air Humidifier and Purifier is an all-in-one system that produces visible purifying performance. The pure water evaporates, leaving dirt trapped in the tank like salt in the sea. No filter pads are necessary - since the water is in the filter itself, this cleans and purifies rooms up to 1000 square feet with a consistently high level of effectiveness. Quiet and easy to use, this is ideal for the bedroom, as well!

All women want a flawless look to their complexion - and Bare Escentuals Warmth All-Over Face Color is the ideal product. Adding a candlelight glow to your complexion, light is infused into your skin so it appears to be coming from within. It glides onto the skin like silk, giving a natural, velvety and warm finish to your skin. Trust me, people are going to ask what you have done to make yourself look so radiant!

Almay has a product for night use that I highly recommend. Branded as Repair & Rejuvenate Night Concentrate, it works with your own skin's night renewal cycle to counteract the effects of skin damage incurred during your stressful day and helps repair visible evidence of past damage. Containing kinetin (an anti-aging discovery found in green leafy plants) and gluoconamide, this unique hypo-allergenic formula works deep within the skin's surface layers to rejuvenate your appearance while you sleep! Eight weeks of clinical testing has shown a significant reduction in the look of fine lines and wrinkles, fading the look of brown spots and uneven skin tone, and even greatly reducing the appearance of pores by improving skin firmness and elasticity.

The QLink EMF Protection Pendant is a new addition to my favorites list. "EMF"" stands for the "electromagnetic field"that is generated by electronic devices, and everyone needs to increase your energy sapped by EMF, as well as strengthen mental, emotional and physical resilience. World-class athletes report that the QLink Pendant improves their mental focus and endurance, giving them a specific competitive edge. Even non-athletes have found new emotional balance and stamina. So, take care of YOU and simply wear this every day!

Check out the amazing array of product at Marti's Health Haven!

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BOOKS, BOOKS & MORE BOOKS

2008-12-31T05:52:00.000-08:00

Visit Books, Books & More Books to add to your library today!

Love to read? Browse to your heart's content among everything from cookbooks to New York Times bestsellers to classic literature!

One of the most fun cookbooks features Food Network star Guy Fieri. Enjoy a tour of America's most colorful diners, drive-ins and dives, complete with recipes, photos and memorabilia. Fieri hot-rods around the country, discovering places most of us have never heard of. Visit the Squeeze Inn in Sacramento, California for legendary burgers, learn the baking secrets for a Peanut Pie from Wakefield Virginia's famous diner, or discover Panini Pete's great sandwiches from Fairhope, Alabama. Told you you'd never heard of these places!

Mel Bartholomew has brought a whole new dimension to creating your garden area this spring with "All New Square Foot Gardening." You can leave the worries about fertilizer and poor soil behind, because you'll be growing above the ground to achieve incredible results, even if you've never created a garden before.

If you want to laugh out loud, check out "In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash." Jean Shepherd has, as one critic termed it, "bridged the gap between James Thurber and David Sedaris" and has put Holden, Indiana on the map with nostalgic recollections about growing up grounded in Midwest America. Bringing back an era of innocence when life was good, fun was clean, and station wagons roamed the earth, Shepherd has captured a piece of American history that many of us longingly remember and others have never experienced!

Planning to down-size and reduce your clutter in 2009? Peter Walsh has created a new clutter-management offering that takes the reader on a journey from discovering how clutter happens to how to take control. Funny and upbeat, this book treats the task of organizing your clutter as "a thrilling archeological dig" and guides you through discovering which are the most important things in your life and which are dispensable so you can enjoy a richer life with less "stuff."

Autism strikes more and more families each year, and experts estimate that three to six of every 1000 children will be born with this heartbreaking disease. For those of you that have read Jenny McCarthy's "Louder Than Words," the story of her successful efforts to save her son from autism, her new book about "Mother Warriors" is another inspiration for parents everywhere. She has expanded her message to share recovery stories from parents across the country and teaches parents how to navigate their child through the many autism therapies.

Lee Iacocca has emerged in print again. I've always been a fan of his books because of his very direct approach to the issues on which he elaborates. Another thing that makes him close to my heart is that he donates proceeds from all his books to the John's Hopkins Institute to fund research for a cure for diabetes. In his latest work, "Where Have All The Leaders Gone," he expounds on how government and business leaders have lost their way in providing solutions to American's problems of health care and our loss of a competitive edge in the global market and have instead become obsessed with stock options and multimillion-dollar salaries. He makes very real the need for leadership to help our country heal.

While we're healing as a country, turning to the Bible for comfort is always recommended. Gordon D. Fee has created "How To Read the Bible for All It's Worth" as a guide for understanding this most important of all books. The Bible is meant to be read and comprehended by everyone, not just the gifted and the scholarly. Fee uses clear and simple language to help you accurately understand the Bible from its meaning for ancient civilizations to the implications in today's life, helping you uncover the "inexhaustible worth that is in God's Word."

Remember the Kindle you bought in the Awesome Electronics store? Well, break it out, because it's time to use it. Jane Austen's complete novels have been adapted to Kindle and can be read within a minute of placing your order, all eight novels condensed into one volume. This timeless writer has enchanted readers for years and has used her "realism, biting social commentary, burlesque and irony" to earn her place as one of the "most beloved writers in English literature."

Important to have in your collection if you are a Kindle owner is "The Definitive User's Guide" to enhance your usage, including keyboard shortcuts, how to use Kindle for e-mail, free e-books and much, much more.

If you've ever found yourself reaching for a quote to fit an occasion, get a copy of John M. Shanahan's "The Most Brilliant Thoughts of All Time." A collection of some of the most profound and provocative wit and wisdom in two lines or less, these quotes include timeless messages from Oscar Wilde, Charles de Gaulle, Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill and many others.

Faced with a global economy that is more dire than most Americans have seen, "All Your Worth" is a timely book that reveals the truth about money. Elizabeth Warren and Amelia Warren Tyagi, the bestseller mother/daughter team, reveal how to get control of your money so you can start building the life you want, whether having enough money to cover your bills, saving for your child's college fund or paying off your credit card debt. This no-nonsense uncomplicated approach will give you a new perspective on getting your finances on track!

Melody Beattie brought us to an awareness of the dynamic of codependency years ago and has now expanded on the recovery process in "Beyond Codependency: And Getting Better All the Time." Available in paperback, this is a "must read" for adult children of alcoholics and drug abusers. No family is without dysfunction, and Beattie arms the reader with survival tactics for tackling such issues as self-defeating behaviors, obsession, lack of self-esteem, and many others.

Recalling history and the scandals that involved government an all-too-short thirty years ago, "All the President's Men" is a timely read for today. Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein created an immortal picture of government corruption and their novel has become legend, especially the unrevealed identity of the executive branch contact known as "Deep Throat." Still a fascinating read, this work explores the antics of Colson, Liddy, Haldeman and Donald Segretti during the troubled times of the Nixon years.

First published in 1986, a refreshing read for all times is Robert Fulghum's now-classic "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten." Full of uncommon insights on everyday occurrences, this book will make you laugh, cry, relate and, most of all, think. Fulghum offers the reader a gentle reminder than life is not all about stress, work or proving your intelligence. This proves to be an excellent "end of the day" read to encourage us to "share everything," to "hold hands and stick together" and, most importantly, "look" at everything in our lives through new eyes.

Visit Books, Books & More Books to add to your library today!

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MARTI'S HOME AND GARDEN

2008-12-29T07:31:00.000-08:00

Visit Marti's Home & Garden to enhance your home and garden!

There is no better way to welcome the spring than a backyard cook-out. I've found a set of fine barbeque tools crafted of polished stainless steel. This set comes complete with a sleek professional-looking metal carrying case to protect your tools, as well as provide ease of transport to the barbeque alter!!

To complement the barbeque offering, pick up a kabob set. Weber manufactures a set of stainless steel skewers and a bright heavy-duty plated steel rack. The set of six skewers fits most charcoal grills and is a perfect set-up for a backyard barbeque festival!

A backyard cook-out can become an intimate moment with a picnic set. I've found one that comes complete with four plates, wine glasses, napkins, a cheese board, knife and bottle opener, as well as salt and pepper shakers. Find the romantic moment in your own back yard!

A quick and easy way to preserve fruit, veggies or home-made jerky is available in Nesco's American Harvest Dehydrator. This comes complete with a jerky gun, as well as five drying trays. The beauty of this product is that it dries the food in hours, not days. The specially-designed exterior helps to block harmful lights which destroy the nutritional content of the food that is being dehydrated.

For the creative gardener, I found a mini-garden stacker that can be used for hanging plants indoors or outdoors. This fits in any window sill, patio, deck or garden - as well as your kitchen countertop. Create a cascade of colorful flowers for your entryway or a strawberry or tomato patch for your patio. Superbly portable, this is easily rolled indoors as the weather changes!!

For cat lovers, Frontline Plus provides a 12-month supply of flea and tick protection. In addition to killing 98-100% of adult fleas on your precious feline within 24 hours, Frontline Plus has a special ingredient that kills flea eggs and larvae, as well, keeping all stages of fleas from developing. Break the flea cycle with Frontline Plus and give your cat a season of comfort!

And one more fun thing - "all about cats" wine charms. Attach these to your stemware so each guest can identify their own glass (and not yours by mistake)! Raise a glass to good times, good friends and good pets. This set of six comes complete with a gift box. Other wine charms are available, as well.

Visit Marti's Home & Garden for these and many other items to enhance your home and garden!

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AWESOME ELECTRONICS

2008-12-26T10:34:00.000-08:00

Visit Awesome Electronics for all your needs AND your wants!

Electronics are fun year 'round - and the variety is endless.

Just as I was getting used to the idea of the iPod, here comes Apple with the iPod nano. I have a friend who is an avid yoga practitioner, and I bought one for her to listen to while she does her yoga. This tiny little player has a 250-song capacity and the sound quality is awesome! The one in my store is blue, but other colors are available.

Check out the Apple iPod classic (6th generation). This model holds up to 30,000 songs; 150 hours of video; 25,000 photos; or any combination. There are new "genius" features that create a playlist to complement the song you're listening to, as well as letting you flip through your music by album artwork. You can even rent a movie from iTunes and watch it "on the go." If you want everything in your pocket, connect the iPod classic to your Mac or PC, and iTunes transfers your music and more in "one seamless sync." Don't forget the car charger!

I also found a splashproof case with built-in speaker for all iPods or any other MP3 players that this device fits. While this will not protect your player if you drop it into water, it will protect it from splashes and sand!

There's a new item for your bluetooth-enabled cellphone. Avantalk Bluetooth visor speaker phone lets you click the button and talk to your caller right away. Nobody wants to get caught talking on your cellphone without a headset, and this speaker phone enables you to talk all you want when you drive - just pay attention!

HP has a new TouchSmart PC that has a 25.5" diagonal hi-def widescreen with an energy-efficient Intel Core 2 Duo Processor. With one touch, you can do everything from download your e-mail to watch your favorite TV show - and an added bonus is a PVR so you can watch, rewind and record live TV. Standard are colored HP ambient lights that let you select a color light to set a mood or to see your keyboard in the dark. Other special features are too numerous to list here, but you should check it out!

Another "fun" thing I found this year was sweatproof earphones called "Wetbuds." These offer excellent resistance to sweat for any music-powered workout!! Most headphones can't take the moisture and will eventually short out - but not "Wetbuds." A fun gift for yourself or anyone who takes their workout seriously!

Whether you're a hunter, a "star-gazer" or just a rabid football fan, Canon has some awesome new all-weather binoculars, complete with case and neck strap. One of the coolest features about these binoculars is the built-in image stabilization, so you can see a rock-steady image each and every time. They are protected with a water resistant non-slip rubber coating. There's a huge discount on this item right now - and you're gonna love this part: batteries are included!

Speaking of batteries (which I do a lot), there is a smart charger for all batteries (AA, AAA, C, D and 9v). This uses a constant-current pulse charging system and has a "negative delta V" cut-off function for better lifetime battery performance.

Canon has a wireless all-in-one photo printer that works via WIFI or you can network it via Ethernet cable and print from a wired computer in another room. You can print photos directly from memory cards, from a compatible digitial camera or camera phone, or even from a Bluetooth device using the optional Bluetooth interface. This printer produces 4.6 photos in about 41 seconds, and its new five-color ink system ensures vivid color photos that will last up to 300 years when stored in an archival-quality photo album.

Protect your data with a portable hard disk. This one created by LaCie offers a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 interface connection - just plug it into your Mac or PC with a USB port and back up and archive all your data. The 250 GB hard disk has a rugged drop-resistant shell and shock-resistant rubber bumper. This is a great device for those of us who travel with our data!

There is a cool new car phone holder for iPod or your iPhone. This handy device transmits music from your iPhone or MP3 player to your car stereo, with the tuner locking directly into the clearest available radio station. WIth a choice of four channels, you can select the clearest channel and have the best reproduction of music in your car radio!

And last but far from least, an awesome reading device is now available for all book lovers. The Kindle is a revolutionary wireless reading device for which many books have been specifically adapted - and it's so simple to use. You don't need a computer, no cables are necessary and no syncing is required, so that you can enjoy your book whether you're in a taxi, at the airport or in the peace and privacy of your own bedroom. Don't forget to pick up your charger kit that includes devices for the car or wall! This rapid-charge technology will keep your Kindle always ready when you are!

Visit Awesome Electronics for all your needs AND your wants!

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MARTI'S TOYS FOR TOTS

2008-12-26T08:53:00.000-08:00

Visit Marti's Toys for Tots !

Looking for the best deals after Christmas for toys for your tots? Are you looking for the perfect gift for the adorable tot in your life?

There is a "bounce and spin" zebra that is soooooooo much fun, bouncing and spinning when your tot moves. There are five sound effects and lots of finger activities on the handlebar - and the handlebar lights up and activates songs. It's called "Go Baby Go" and provides safe fun for your little one. Don't forget the batteries!

One of my favorites is Toddler's First Band Set. It has five musical instruments and includes mini rainboshakers, bells, mini sound sea drums and mini maracas! I know my 19-month-old grandson loves music and loves to dance. Now he has his own band!

Add to your child's room with the PlayTyme Child's rocker. The solid wood construction with a high-quality durable finish allows your child to rock safely without concern for tipping over. This will become a family heirloom to pass from generation to generation.

Reading to your child is always a valuable way of sharing time with your youngster while building their love of books. In the "Story S-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-r-s" series, even the youngest of children will be enchanted with the repetition of words and experiences the stories provide. This series is organized by age and contains 80 age-appropriate children's books and 240 ways to stretch the stories in new ways to enhance the learning process.

If your child has a curious nature about how things work, the "Children's Volcano Science Kit" is a perfect fit! Your junior scientist can make a solid volcano and paint and decorate it with materials provided in this set - as well as putting baking soda and vinegar into the "crater" and watching an amazing eruption of bubbly fizzy lava. Safe to use and fun every time!

For your one-to-three-year-old, there is a a children's light-and-sound play camera that features a flash and realistic camera sounds, as well as a list of funny portraits to scroll through that will provide hours of fun!

Toddler flexiblocks fascinate young children as they build with the blocks and watch them move. Designed for two-year-olds and up, this set includes 120 large flexiblocks and will help your child unleash their creativity!

My son has had an artistic flair since he was just a toddler, and has taken that into his adult years, now a talented commercial and mural artist. Naturally, "How to Teach Art to Children" caught my eye. Children learn about primary and secondary colors and experiment with mixing colors. Included are a variety of projects that emphasize the use of color and that are easy to do with a minimum of suggested basic materials. Cut-out shapes, stamping and rubbings help children to create attractive impressive projects for grades one through six.

For the "Little Princess" in your life, there is a coffee-and-dinner set on a tray and, because it's made in Austria, is free of PVC. It's part of the Little Kitchen Chef and is a perfect gift for any occasion!

For the moms, I would recommend "Healthy Child Healthy World: Creating a Cleaner, Green, Safer Home." Since nothing makes you more aware than becoming a parent, this is an excellent collection of advice from leading medical experts and scientists to help parents detoxify and green your household - lots of good information about "childproofing" your home.

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