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In Part 1 of this article we discussed how to select office furnishings and why making the right choices were crucial to your comfort and ability to remain organized. In Part 2 we will take a look at your basic home office equipment needs.

1. Computers

The type of computer that's best for you depends upon the type of work that you do, and whether you spend all of your time in your home office, or go out on the road to meet clients. While there are a seemingly endless choice of makes and models, there are essentially only three basic choices.

For most home office situations, the desktop computer reigns supreme. However, if you are on the road a lot then you can find notebook computers with nearly the same horsepower as the best desktop. If you do choose a notebook, the consider one that has an available docking station. That way, when you are in your home office, you can easily use a standard keyboard, mouse, and monitor.

Even if you have a desktop or notebook, you might have room in your life for a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). PDAs, such as those from Palm Computing, can be a very valuable personal productivity tool especially if you need real-time access to your appointments, to-do lists, and phone numbers. With the growing popularity of wireless Internet access you can even use your PDA to connect to your home office computer no matter where you are.

2. Printers

Your first decision is what type of technology to go with --laser or ink jet. Laser printers use a toner cartridge/drum assembly while ink jets accept ink tank cartridges. Lasers are generally better for high-volume printing and have higher duty cycles--the manufacturer's rating for the unit's recommended monthly workload. Lasers also produce better-quality black text than most ink jets, though some ink-jet models rival low-end lasers.

Lasers are also faster than ink jets, but ink jets offer a lower cost model if you need to print in color. Color laser printers are still very expensive. Since the prices for laser and ink jets are so low, you could consider buying one of each.

Another important item to consider is resolution. A printer's resolution determines the overall print quality of your documents. Resolution means the number of dots per inch that appear on the page as a horizontal and vertical measurement such as 600 x 600 dots-per-inch or dpi. A 600 x 600 dpi resolution produces adequate quality for most projects.

Your final deciding factor is speed. While printers rarely perform up to the manufacturer's claims, you should still use the printer's posted performance specifications as a guideline. An acceptable speed for personal laser printers is around 6 to 10 pages per minute. An acceptable range for ink jet printers is 4 ppm or above.

There are printers that do double, triple, or even quadruple duty as a fax, copier, and scanner as well. You should consider buying one of these models if you have a need for all of this equipment.

3. Internet access

Today you have a wide choice of Internet access protocols. If you access the Internet only to check your email, and browse the web a bit, then you might be able to get by with an inexpensive dial-up account. This type of access generally runs around $9.95 per month and up.

If constant, high-speed Internet access is a requirement for your home office business, then you need to step up to either Digital subscriber lines (DSL), or a cable modem. Both provide sufficient speed for any type of business that you are likely to run out of a home office.

DSL utilizes unused bandwidth on your existing telephone lines to provide a constant connection, while cable modems use your existing cable television network. DSL may not be available in your area. It depends upon your telephone company's technology and how far you are from a DSL access point.

Cable, on the other hand, is available in all but the most remote markets. Still, if you can't get either, then there is always the possibility of a satellite uplink. While this was considered extravagant only a few years ago, it's affordable and no more trouble than installing a small dish antenna on your home and signing up for the service.

4. Telephones

No matter how high-tech your home office is, the telephone is still the most basic and essential of your business tools. Available features are at an all-time high and prices are at an all time low. Almost any home office phone on the market comes equipped with programmable speed-dial numbers, multiple-line capability, speakerphone operation, conference call capability, and headset jacks. In addition, your local phone company offers a wide array of add-on services such as called id, voice mail, flat-rate long distance and more.

If your work keeps you up and around your home office, or if you like to take business calls while out on your patio or while walking around your home, then a cordless phone is a joy to have. There are so many makes and models to choose from that it almost seems like you need a consultant to help you make the right choice. It's not really that hard. Just keep the following in mind:

a) Choose the right technology

Avoid analog phones at all costs. Analog phones are susceptible to interference from other devices and range is very limited. Also, analog phones permit eavesdropping through baby monitors and other cordless phones.

Digital phones have greater range than analog phones plus they offer better call privacy through the use of random codes that scramble communications between handset and base unit.

Digital Spread Spectrum (DSS) is the best of breed for right now. The Spread Spectrum technology uses multiple channels and frequency hopping to thoroughly scramble communicate between the handset and base unit. You also get increased range due to decreased electrical interference, plus DSS phones are permitted to use more powerful transmitters.

b) Frequency

The range of your cordless phone also depends upon its assigned radio frequency. Most home office phones fall into three frequencies.

900 MHz: This is by far the worst choice. This frequency is crowded with devices such as baby monitors, pagers, and cell phones, and is subject to maximum interference. A 900-MHz phone has a range of around 1,500 feet and prices start at $20.

2.4 GHz: While once the best choice available, the 2.4-GHz spectrum is overrun with wireless networking, microwaves, and other devices. A 2.4-GHz phone has a range of 2,200 feet and pricing starts around $50.

5.8 GHz: This is the latest unlicensed spectrum available for wireless devices. Very few devices operate in this spectrum so there is a marked reduction in interference. A 5.8-GHz phone also boasts a range of around 2,200 feet and start at about $150.

c) Other considerations

Make sure that any phone you select has a headset jack, and then invest in a headset. There is nothing worse than cradling your phone on your shoulder while you consult your files or try to type something on your keyboard. A headset frees both hands while you talk.

Don't forget to take a look at your potential phone's battery life as well. Most cordless phones offer at least four hours of talk time and seven days of standby. Make sure that your phone uses replaceable battery packs, and that the battery packs are widely available.

One last thought. Cordless phones are useless without power, so always keep a regular corded phone handy for blackout emergencies.

In Summary

There is a lot more to equipping an efficient home office than first meets the eye. Hopefully this two-part series gets you going in the right direction. Chances are everything that you buy for your home office is tax deductible. Check with your accountant to be sure.

Vishal P. Rao

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Vishal P. Rao is the owner of Work at Home Forum, an online community of people who work from home.
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What if your morning dose of caffeine is responsible for you headaches!

Did you know that caffeine is one of the most usual drugs in our society? You can find this drug (yes it is a drug) in a lot of the food we eat everyday. You can find it in coffee, chocolate and more. This is probably one of the very few drugs that are legal and unrestricted. It is used everyday by millions of individuals if not more. You see the funny thing about caffeine and headache is that its a bit controversial. Some people experience headaches as a result of withdrawals symptoms from the drug, on the other hand Caffeine can help you get rid of a headache. I hope the following information will help you understand the relation between caffeine and headaches.

When Caffeine is the Cause for Your Headaches

Like I mentioned earlier headaches and caffeine have a very special relation. For some people the effect of caffeine withdrawal can actually target headaches. Of course this is not in every case. In fact you need to be a big coffee fan for this to happen (up to five cups of coffee a day). Although it can happen for people drinking less coffee but over a long period of use. You should also note that this drug is kind of unique. What I mean is that its very hard to overuse this drug. As a result those who are suffering from coffee withdrawal are going to have much less severe symptoms than other drugs users.

A good tip to avoid Caffeine withdrawal headaches would be to try to slowly diminish the quantity of products you ingest with caffeine in them. This technique works well when you are trying to keep that pain from happening. Dont make the mistake of quitting completely in one day, this is a very good recipe to get the headaches very quickly.

When Caffeine is the Cure for Your Headaches

On the other hand caffeine can also be used as headache relief. You see caffeine is known in the medical world to help medicine work well. If you take analgesics for example, caffeine is complementing this kind of medicine making it more effective. This theory alone explains why medication like Excedrin contains caffeine. The good side of this is when using painkiller with caffeine for your headaches you will have to take less medication for it to works which is good.

One factor to be aware of is that caffeine can also be responsible for some people migraines. Many people are unaware of the fact that taking caffeine can be responsible for their headaches. For these people it is important to avoid taking coffee as a preventive measure. This is especially true for those who suffer from migraines. If this is your case you should avoid things like:

-Coffee

-Chocolate

-Painkillers with caffeine

I am sure by now you can see how unique the link between caffeine and headaches is. For some it can be a cause, for others a cure.

For more information about Caffeine headache and other headache types visit my website at http://www.headache-solution.com. We provides quality information about the various headache types and headache relief treatments.

Perhaps the most simple, convenient and affordable form of insurance that exists for a specified tenure is Term life insurance. Term life insurance is insurance for a short period of time and is deemed to be pure protection, as it builds no cash value. If the insurer dies within the specified duration of the insurance, the death benefit goes to his or her beneficiary. As the term expires the insurer is not required to payout.

Term life insurance is an incredibly beneficial policy. The policy has proved its worth at the time of natural disasters and other calamities. For instance term life insurance was a great financial support and source of mental peace to the survivors of 9/11 and Katrina.

The popularity of term life insurance is witnessing a surge day by day. Term life insurance is cited as one of the hottest products in the latest Fitch ratings. As per the annual 2005 Review and 2006 Outlook for the US insurance industry, term life insurance is the hottest pick in the insurance industry today. In terms of Julie Burke, managing director, Fitch Ratings, a product like term life insurance can create reserving and capital changes for insurers, which can be addressed by scale.

The primary reason behind the booming popularity of term life insurance is a drop in the premium rates of the policy. Even though term life policy comes at very low interest rates yet a major drop in the premium rates of insurance is expected this year. According to Insurance Information Institute, the premium rates for insurance are expected to drop by 3 percent in 2006. The drop is a consequence of immense competition in the market and the diminishing mortality rate amongst human beings.

However the case is not the same in China. China Life Insurance Co. has increased the rates for term life product. China Life has increased the premium rate on the Kangning Term by 30%.

Lately Kanetix, Canadas leading insurance marketplace and MetLife, renowned insurance company have made it to the news because of their new attempts in the field of term life insurance. Kanetix has launched a new term life insurance quote service, with standard and preferred rates highlighted for insurance shoppers. The quotes are in an easy-to-read and comparables format. The quotes are available for a coverage of $250,000 and above and the preferred rates can cause saving of up to 30% off the standard rate. According to the company nearly 50% of the people applying for life insurance coverage through the portal can benefit from some savings. The estimate so made is on behalf of the past study of the portal. The portal would permit the shoppers to review the price range offered and make an informed choice.

MetLife has come up with three term life insurance products for people who seek to have a non-permanent insurance. The three products are One Year Term Insurance, Scheduled Term Insurance and Level Term Insurance. These three forms are ideal for individuals who require a large insurance cover but have limited budgets.

Mansi Aggarwal recommends you visit Term Life Insurance News for more information.

At the end of June 2007 the Supreme Court made a split 5-4 ruling that limits the ability of schools to use race as a factor in determining student participation in academic programs like magnet schools. Around that same time, the Alliance for Excellence in Education released a study out of Princeton University that reports the cost of high school drop-outs to the country over the next decade will be about $3 trillion.

Houston Schools will have to make some decisions in years to come based on both of these results. The Supreme Court decision has been brewing for decades. While Houston Schools do not use race as admission to magnets, the specialized schools were started for the purpose of desegregation. And the current battle over the issue of achieving racially balanced schools by using race as a factor is a tense one. Houston Schools wont have to make changes to its magnets, as other schools in the country will. But the Houston Schools will still need to focus on ways to address the huge racial achievement gap.

The Princeton study, conducted by Cecelia Rouse, a professor of economics and public affairs, released some disturbing statistics for both Houston Schools and the entire state of Texas. Individually, every high school drop-out costs the United States $260,000. In Texas, only 66.8% of high schoolers make it to graduation. And a 2006 USA Today article reported that less than 50% of Houston Schools students graduate on time. In that same year the Princeton Study reported that drop-outs cost the state of Texas over $31 billion.

What explains these numbers? Educators in Houston Schools arent surprised by the numbers. They have know for years facts that the study cites from numerous sources; that high school graduates in the Houston Schools (and the nation) are less likely to become teen parents than drop-outs; they raise healthier and better educated children; commit less crimes; and use less public services (welfare, food stamps) and less government healthcare. Its the cumulative cost of these factors that make the drop-out rate so costly for Houston Schools.

How is that affected by the recent Supreme Court Ruling? The question is race. Houston Schools face a significant gap in graduation rates between white and non-white students. In 2006 the racial breakdown of the percentage of students who graduated on time from Texas Schools looked like this: Asians 83%, Whites 75%, African-Americans 60% and Hispanics 25%. Houston Schools follow these numbers closely.

Although Houston Schools magnet programs arent currently affected by the new ruling, expect to see more changes on the horizon. The ruling only prohibits schools from using race as the single determining factor for admission to magnet programs. It still leaves room for questions about- using it as one of many factors, the role of charter schools, and the multitude of ways schools try to achieve racial balance. The parents of Houston Schools students are torn. Some are ready to scrap any evidence of racial profiling for use in academics. Others fear that the elimination of attempts to balance racial mix will result in a return to largely segregated schools where minority and low income students suffer in the worst areas, in crumbling buildings, and with the least qualified teachers. The future of Houston Schools success at closing the achievement gap is still murky. But the vision of further initiatives, court rulings, and studies on the role of race in education is certain.

Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. For more information please visit Houston Public Schools

Biggest loser is a wonderful weight loss program that provides guidelines as to how to lose weight fast, but at the same time in the most natural manner. By following certain tips, anyone can shed weight like anything. You will be amazed to see the magical effects of the biggest loser weight loss plan. There is a need to strictly follow the diet plan as well as ensure a regular regime of workout. Not eating extra calories does not suffice the purpose of losing weight, especially in case of obese people. On one hand, these people need to cut down their intake of high calorie food; while on the other hand; they are required to exercise on a regular basis to shed the excessive calories they have already gained.

The biggest loser weight loss program brings forth the success stories of people, who took losing weight as a challenge and proved that they can also attain a slim figure. There are personal trainers in the biggest loser show, who teach people as to how to modify their lifestyle and adopt healthy habits. The overall weight loss is primarily based on eating low calorie nutritional diet and making exercise an integral part of the daily routine. To lose weight, there arises a need to cut down on the carbohydrate content and consume calories in moderate quantities or to put succinctly; the calorie intake should be as per the requirement of the body. Fasting is indeed a wrong practice and leads to loss of energy. Thus, it is better to consume food at a proper time and in the right quantity. The food you take must contain the essential nutrients, but at the same time, they should not be too fatty.

The diet plan that is prepared for the contestants of the biggest loser show has a high content of lean protein. It offers numerous varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables, which nourish the body completely. The intake of processed foods should be totally minimized. Biggest loser weight loss plan teaches people to cook food using the fresh ingredients. There are plenty of biggest loser recipes that are quite simple to prepare, but very enticing to look at. Well, it is not just the taste that is good, but also the dishes are very appetizing and at the same time quite filling.

Another aspect that is emphasized in biggest loser weight loss plan is a good exercise plan. Its exercise plan requires you to perform a cardio workout for 12 consecutive weeks. It serves as a great fat burner strategy. The workout plan is designed in such a manner that, it consists of a circuit training that makes use of nine different kinds of specific moves and that too in a sequence. There is a short time period available for taking rest between the sets. It is basically a 30 minute long exercise plan, which requires you to workout only three times a week. As your body becomes accustomed to exercising, it becomes quite easy to increase the number of sets. The biggest loser weight loss plan is sure to give fruitful results.

These are just the basics of losing body fat, so do a little research by discussing your fat loss program with your doctor and doing some online research to help you find what works best for you. The following link is a great way to get started. Click Here to get your FREE diet plan and body composition profile

For thirty seven years I have3 seen students perform in musical programs and plays. I have written most of the ones that my students participated in. They are always fun because students like to show off.

After retiring I had a Physical Education teacher come to me and ask if I could write a program to showcase the skills she teaches in Physical Education classes. What an interesting idea.

Most school programs and plays are put on on the stage so that the audience can see the students. How do you show off basketball skills and track skills on a stage. We solved the problem by putting the audience on the stage and if room around the outside of the gym. The gym floor then became the stage where the students performed they skllls they had learned during the year.

Decorations for the programs was the equipment that was to be used by the students. Scattered around the outside of the gym so that the students could access them when needed.

Speaking parts were minimal and used just to tell the audience what skills they would be observing. Only about eight to ten speakers were needed.

The skills they showcased were the skills the teacher had taught them all through the year. She did not make them learn anything new, just for the program, because that would have defeated the purpose of the program.

Some skills every students displayed. Other skills were only displayed by a few students, but several skills were being displayed at the same time.

There was only one part of the program where the students sat and watched their peers. That was the part where individual students brought and displayed individual physical activities that they were good at doing. Examples would be like gymnastics, skate boards, a short two minute basketball or soccer game, dancing, baton twirling, wrestling, etc.

It was well received by the parents and the kids had fun because it wasnt sit down and be quiet program, but full of running and playing.

Resource Box - Caroline Mackay 2006
Caroline Mackay is a retired teacher of thirty seven years and writer and producer of many school programs. She is the host of http://www.ezeducationplays.com/

And http://www.ezelectronicelements.com/

Over the past five years addictions to gambling have grown at an accelerated rate. Not only adults, but teenagers are gambling with out realizing the consequences. Most States including Connecticut have created agreements with Indian reservations for self gain. The states are now realizing the negative impact the Indian casino reservations are having on their taxpayers.

Gambling is a silent addiction. Most people can go years with out anyone ever discovering that they gambled. Besides the local Casinos people can now even gamble online.

With todays modern technology, if you want to gamble you can so long as you have the resources. Once your resources are depleted and youre in debt, you will begin to seek help. This is where many states are taking notice due to people claiming bankruptcy, not paying their state taxes, getting caught committing petty crimes and even suicide.

The I Stopped Gambling So Can You website continues to receive alarming emails from friends family and the compulsive gambler. The site was developed to help people associated with compulsive gambling addiction.

The alarming rate in the rise of addicted individuals has caused the states to rethink what they are doing and how to help this segment of the population. The individuals who sought help through various programs now know they are not alone. The unfortunate part is in most cases they are starting all over. If the States would reach out and help these people then the outcomes may be different.

If a person goes into a bar and is apparently drunk, the bartenders are not going to serve this person any alcoholic drinks and may even recommend a cab. At a casino, people use the cash machines until they are unable to take out any more money. People cash checks and even take cash advances from their credit cards, but no one at the casinos is willing to step up to the plate and help these people out.

I have talked with hundreds of people who excessively gambled. These people knew they were addicted and always planned to spend a specific amount of money. After being at the casinos with all the lights, bells and whistles they fell into a trance and no longer had any control.

Once the gambler leaves the casino reality sets in. They now realize they've lost a lot of money. They ask themselves: How did this happen? They themselvesthey will never due this again only to repeat the same behavior patterns over and over until they hit bottom and lose everything. These people were spending anywhere from $100.00 to $5,000.00 per week on their addiction. In a majority of these situations they realized they lost everything. Even after filing bankruptcy they still owed a significant amount in back taxes.

The State of Connecticut receives revenues from their two Indian Run Casinos. If a taxpayer wins a Jackpot equal to or greater than $1,200.00 and resides in Connecticut they will be subject to Connecticut State Tax. The Internal Revenue Service lets you deduct your winnings against your losses but not in Connecticut.

The various states are now realizing they created a major problem, but are not willing to discuss it openly. Various news stations have been reporting the negative impact, but due to the revenues generated, no one is willing to step up to the plate and help these people out.

Until the local authorities take action, many lives will continue to be destroyed.

Future articles will address the compulsive gambler, gambling addiction and a search to find a solution to this growing problem.

You may find the following websites helpful:

I Stopped Gambling So Can You http://www.istoppedgambling.com/

Compulsive Gambling Addiction http://www.compulsive-gambling-addiction.org/

Mr. Howard Keith has an extensive background in dealing with compulsive gamblers, relatives and friends of gamblers and teenage gamblers. Mr. Keith believes there are many alternatives to aid in the recovery of a gambling addiction verses a twelve step program. A large percentage of his emails were from compulsive gamblers looking for an alternative to Gamblers Anonymous and twelve step programs. Gamblers Anonymous also helps a significant number of people each year but there is a large percentage that they are unable to reach.

For more information on gambling addiction and stop gambling you can check out

You can also check out Mr. Keiths other website Take Flight with Reliable-Marketing http://www. reliable-marketing.com/

Introduction

The medical, as well as the dictionary, definition of a nurse is the healthcare professional engaged in the practice of nursing. Nurses are men and women responsible for the safety and recovery of chronically ill or injured people, and treatment of life-threatening emergencies in a wide-range of healthcare settings. Nurses are involved in medical and nursing research. Nursing schools are educational institutions, where aspiring nurses undergo training to become a full-fledged nurse. The nature of training and qualifications varies considerably across the world. Currently, nursing schools offer more than 350 master's programs in nursing. The degrees awarded by various schools may differ, but the core or essence of most masters' programs remains similar.

Training

Nursing is one of the most satisfying careers to pursue, but is not what you see in movies or soap operas. It is hard work, and learning to become a nurse requires dedication and long hours of study and preparation. Unlike many other disciplines in which the academic curriculum has foundation courses with many related subject areas, nursing schools offer courses usually build on one another. As such, a weakness in one area may cause academic problems in the remainder of the nursing sequence. In nursing schools, some programs are specially designed for students who are already registered nurses, but want to give their career that extra boost. The students should make certain whichever school they attend, is accredited by the National League for Nursing (NLN).

There is an ever-increasing demand for nursing school graduates in hospitals, schools, clinics, public health agencies, and many other establishments throughout the world. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) predicts a nursing shortage of 12% by year 2010 or an estimated shortage of 260,000 professional nurses. For prospective nursing graduates that represent an astounding opportunity, to safely secure their career both on a personal and financial level. The opportunities presented are all the more, for students graduating from top nursing schools.

Capitalizing on these mind-boggling figures, the number of nursing schools in recent years has grown exponentially. Therefore, the aspiring student must verify the credentials of nursing schools, before actually enrolling in one. Nowadays, a variety of online nursing schools have also spawned for working professionals. These online institutes allow the students to attend their classes virtually, and complete the training modules from the comfort from their homes. However, the sustainability and dependability of such online nursing schools is very much in doubt, since the students need on-site clinical training if they aspire to work in the healthcare industry.

Keith Londrie II is a successful Webmaster and the owner and publisher of http://www.nursing-info.info/ A website that specializes in providing tips on nursing that you can research in your pajamas from the comfort of your own home. Visit http://www.batteries-info.info/today!

Gone are the days of using the mobiles only for chatting. But now the technology has crossed millions of miles away and the advancement it has reached is really unimaginable. Now, anything can be possible with this small magical device. The features including music and camera influenced the rapid sale of mobile phones initially. However, the present mobile devices hold more useful and innovative features meeting the needs of people.

Now people expect more than this, that is why mobile phone manufactures have introduced new features in their handsets. To satisfy people, they have launched mobiles with internet connectivity, in which, they have steeped in advance by launching wireless internet connectivity for laptop users as well as mobile users.

Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) describes the wireless interface of mobile computing devices and the common uses include internet, gaming, VOIP phone access and network connectivity for TV, digital cameras and DVD players.

With this technology in mobile phones, you can book even tickets, send mails to your friends, get update hot news, and even update sports information. BT Fusion is widely popular broadband which offers instant call connections. Some of the advantages of Wi-Fi technology are:

As every coin has 2 sides, it possesses certain disadvantages too. Some of the drawbacks of this feature are listed as:

Choose your Wi-Fi Mobile Phones by reading UK Mobile Phone Reviews and you can choose Cheap Internet Connections from UK internet Providers.

Migraine is a neurological disease. A migraine is a very painful type of headache. In some cases, these painful headaches are preceded or accompanied by a sensory warning sign (aura), such as flashes of light, blind spots or tingling in your arm or leg. More than 29.5 million Americans suffer from migraine, with women being affected three times more often than men. This vascular headache is most commonly experienced between the ages of 15 and 55, and 70% to 80% of sufferers have a family history of migraine. Migraine is the second most common type of headache syndrome in the United States. Tension headaches are the most common. Migraines most commonly are found in women, with a 3:1 female-to-male ratio.

In childhood, however, migraines are more common in boys than in girls. More than 80% of patients who develop migraines will have a first attack by age 30. Migraines continue through the patient's 30s and 40s. Less than half of all migraine sufferers. Migraine is often misdiagnosed as sinus headache or tension-type headache. Migraines' secondary characteristics are inconsistent. Triggers precipitating a particular episode of migraine vary widely. The efficacy of the simplest treatment, applying warmth or coolness to the affected area of the head, varies between persons, sometimes worsening the migraine. A particular migraine rescue drug may sometimes work and sometimes not work in the same patient.

Migraine pain is caused by vasodilation in the cranial blood vessels (expansion of the blood vessels), while headache pain is caused by vasoconstriction (narrowing of the blood vessels). Migraine is three times more common in women than in men. Some people can tell when they are about to have a migraine because they see flashing lights or zigzag lines or they temporarily lose their vision. Migraines are classified as either "with aura" or "without aura." An aura is a group of neurological symptoms, usually vision disturbances that serve as warning sign. Patients who get auras typically see a flash of brightly colored or blinking lights shortly before the headache pain begins.

However, most people with migraines do not have such warning signs. Migraines often begin in adolescence, and are rare after age 60. Eighty percent of migraine sufferers experience "migraine without aura. Some of the symptoms associated with migraine headaches, such as nausea (80%), vomiting (50%), yawning, irritability, hypotension, and hyperactivity, can be associated with dopamine receptor activation. Dopamine receptor hypersensitivity has been shown experimentally with dopamine agonists such as apomorphine, bromocriptine, and pergolide. Dopamine antagonists, such as metoclopramide (Reglan), haloperidol (Haldol), and prochlorperazine (Compazine), have been shown clinically to treat migraine headaches effectively.

There is no specific cure for migraine headaches. Many factors may contribute to the occurrence of migraine attacks. They are known as trigger factors and may include diet, sleep, activity, psychological issues as well as many other factors. The goal is to prevent symptoms by avoiding or altering triggers. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are helpful for early and mild headache. NSAIDs include acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen, and others. A recent study concluded that a combination of acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine could effectively relieve symptoms for many migraine patients. Migraine-specific medications and analgesia are the keys of ED care.

Triptans are a mid-line treatment suitable for many migraineurs with typical migraines. They may not work for atypical or unusually severe migraines, transformed migraines, or status (continuous) migraines.Rest in a darkened, quiet room is helpful. Alternative treatments are aimed at prevention of migraine. Migraine headaches are often linked with food allergies or intolerances. Identification and elimination of the offending food or foods can decrease the frequency of migraines and/or alleviate these headaches altogether. Herbal therapy with feverfew (Chrysanthemum parthenium) may lessen the frequency of attacks. Some patients find cool compresses to painful areas helpful.

Juliet Cohen writes articles for acne treatment and depression treatment. She also writes articles on skin disorders.

In "Why Choose a Buyers Agent When Looking for your New Home", I talked about choosing a buyer's agent based on a call Toby took while on floor-duty.

I received an interesting question from Janice:

"Thanks for the advice, but what should I be asking in this interview?"

That's a great question Janice! A buyer's agent should be able to do four things for you:

Find a Home

In the age of sites like Realtor.com and Zillow, this has taken on a different angle than in the past. Experienced agents could hold the MLS over the head of prospective home buyers and they would feel that the agent had more information than they did.

But, we go back to Toby's favorite saying "information is cheap, don't be cheap." So what is an agent's role in finding you a home? They can work with you to find the home, but it is the agent's role to point out issues with the home things that an agent will see more because this is what they are trained to do. Spotting potential defects or even things that the seller may have omited that could increase the homes value (for example, hardwood floors under the carpet).

Negotiate Your Home

What is the goal of a buyer's agent? To get you the home you want in the best possible deal. Note that, I wrote deal it isn't always the best price. It is the combination of the sales price, financing options, downpayment, etc. that leads to a great deal that will ultimately provide the purchaser with the most enjoyment of the property.

Manage The Deal

Buying a home is extremely stressful situation for a buyer, and if their agent is always saying "let me check." Don't you think that will add to the stress level? So you want an agent that is experienced and keeps involved in the transaction from the beginning to the end of the deal.

Meet Expectations

There are a lot pitfalls that can send a deal packing as it heads through the stages. And you need to know what they are and the positive and negative reactions to your decisions. The entire deal is a "game of chance", and you need to know the odds before playing.

The easiest example would be if you can only buy a home in the $100,000 range and the agent is showing you homes in the $300,000 range. Well you are never going to find a home that can meet your expectations in that location.

Good luck in your pursuit!

Toby Boyce, MBA, is a Realtor with Disbennett Real Estate Company in Delaware, Ohio. He specializes in the buying and selling of real estate in the greater Central Ohio area. Prior to becoming a Realtor he spent 15 years as a professional writer with several daily newspapers and colleges. He can be reached via e-mail, or by visiting his Web site or Blog.