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If you calculate the number of diaper changes you perform in a day, by the number of baby wipes you use at each change, the result is an estimated 4400 wipes per year. Not only can wipes be wasteful to the environment if they are not biodegradeable, but they can also contain such chemicals as fragrance, chlorine, synthetic preservatives, and dioxin.

Wipes are used, not only for diaper changing, but also to wipe hands and faces, to clean off pacifiers that have fallen onto the street, and to wipe down dirty shopping cart handles. They are terribly convenient, and are an essential in every well-packed diaper bag. The concern is not if you have packed enough for your outing, but what is lurking inside that solution that keeps them nice and moist.

That delicious, fresh baby smell, also known as fragrance or perfume, is found in some brands of baby wipes and can be a potential concern to some. Synthetic fragrances have shown such effects, on baby, as skin irritation, allergic reactions, and headaches. If baby is suffering from eczema, synthetic ingredients can also irritate the issue.

Dioxins, often found in meat and dairy products, are also the by-product of the chlorine bleaching process. The effects of dioxin have been proven to be carcinogenic.

To avoid having to flush or dispose of wipes, and to eliminate the use of chemicals on your baby’s precious skin, make your own washable wipes! They still fit perfectly into your mini wipes case in your diaper bag, and they can be soaked and washed after use, with your cotton diapers, in vinegar and water. Just as convenient as disposable wipes, but friendlier to the environment and baby’s skin!

Recipe for 100% natural baby wipes solution:

In a measuring cup, combine

- warm, purified water
- Aloe Vera Juice
- 1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon grated, unscented soap
Stir until dissolved.

Add:
- 2 Tablespoons Carrier Oil (Calendula, Jojoba, Apricot Kernel)
- Optional: Add up to 4 drops of either or both of Lavender Essential Oil, Tea Tree Essential oil.

Pour mixture over 15-20 baby facecloths, or 10″x10″ cotton flannel squares, in a square plastic baby wipes dispenser. Once container is empty, clean well and repeat! Launder your used cloths with cotton diapers, or soak separately in a container of water, vinegar and baking soda mixture before washing.

written by Jennifer A. Casey
Jennifer resides in Vancouver, BC with her husband and 2 children. She is the President of Canada’s 100% natural baby care line, MUNCHSKINS SKIN CARE. More info at her website Jenniferacasey.ca

Let me ask you this: what do you do if Brigitte Bardot decides all of a sudden to show your listing?

Alright, call me sexist (which, may I proudly point out, my doctor says it’s in my genes), but this is exactly what has happened to me the other day. I receive a telephone call from this chick … hem, lady-Realtor saying she wants to show to her clients this apartment I have just listed in Downtown Vancouver. I should have known that the voice was too suave. So this Brigitte Bardot-at-age-28 look-alike shows up with these couple of Buyers, almost accidentally left by me outside the door as I stood there in a state of subliminal, contemplative amazement. And I thought cloning had been vetoed by President Bush - maybe they approved it in Canada.

It will be recalled that one of the many precepts of sexism, that is the attitude based on traditional stereotypes of sexual roles, is whether the things that men are good at are more or less useful than the things women are good at. And by this standard of measure, by my own reckoning, I definitely lost. This is probably so, because modern professional life is dominated by such skills as emotional intelligence, empathy and communication, all of which this lady had absolutely mastered (besides her looks).

Take for example the description she gave to her clients of my listing (a 500-square foot apartment unit on the second floor of a 30-storey high-rise complex), which lasted a good seven minutes (I clocked her). How many things can a man possibly say on a 500-square foot strata unit, before he gets this urge of setting it ablaze. And the view - oh, the view! I swear, while she was describing the view all I could see was the building across the street. I thought the only way one could possibly see any view from here was to bring my Meade telescope and point it to the Milky Way, in hopes of catching a glimpse of the eleventh planet of the Solar System (that’s because some scientist has just discovered the tenth planet - I saw it on the Science Channel).

But the culmination of the showing was when this gal began her dissertation on Penstemon grandiflorus. Now, if you think that Penstemon grandiflorus is the skeleton of the newest dinosaur they have just unearthed in the Gobi Desert (I saw it on the Discovery Channel), let me inform you right here and now that you are entirely wrong! Although, one might add, I initially thought of that too, but quickly reached the conclusion that a dino would not fit into a 500-square foot apartment unit. Then, for an unspecified glitch in the wiring of my brain, I figured she was referring to the Giant Squid, the one that this professor from the University of Tokyo has photographed underwater a couple of weeks ago (I saw it on the National Geographic Channel - he now wants to photograph Godzilla). But somehow, that too was not it. Nope. She was talking about this flower contained in a vase next to the window-sill in the living room, most commonly know as ‘large-flowered Beardtongue’, as she pointed out to me so as to better render the idea (it did not help, at first). That was exactly the flower I was planning to execute in the next open house - but I digress.

Here is my whole point. Technology and globalization are undermining the usefulness of male skills, and this is all the more evident in real estate, the people’s business par excellence. For instance, studies show that men are better than women at rotating three-dimensional objects inside their heads. Which is great, save and except for the fact that nowadays computers and software are better than men’s heads at accomplishing the same task. Likewise, men are better than women at building machinery, digging tunnels or slinging bridges across rivers. But then again, now that the world has about as many tunnels and bridges as it needs, not to mention machinery of any size, shape and form, the usefulness of male dominance in these fields is being called into question.

Gentlemen, especially those involved in the fine art of real estate sales, would perhaps be best advised to spend as much time as possible with their female colleagues, boning up on how to undermine somebody’s confidence while pretending to boost it, or honing their descriptive skills for the next time they show a 300-square foot cubicle to a client. Such skills are likely to have a greater impact on their overall earnings than the ability to spin an icosahedron inside their heads.

Oh, I almost forgot … that apartment was sold in three days.

written by Luigi Frascati
Real Estate Agent based in Vancouver, British Columbia. He He holds a Bachelor Degree in Economics and maintains a weblog entitled to the Real Estate Chronicle at realestatechronicle.blogspot.com

My practice is approx. 50/50 men to women. I can fully conclude, without a doubt, that men are more sensitive to the needles than women. Restated, men are, on the whole, much bigger babies than their female counterparts! Yes Yes I understand that as a rule men only go to see their doctor when something is either falling off or they are too embarrassed to walk out their door because of some disfiguration, and when they finally do go it is like pulling teeth to get personal information out of them. Why are women so willing to let others help them (collective) and men are stubborn as bulls (competition)?

In the luteal phase of a women’s menstrual cycle (from ovulation to menses, day 14-28) when estrogen levels are quite high women too can be quite skin sensitive to the needle poke. Is there a correlation here? Does men’s estrogen levels rise when they actually let down their guard enough to allow someone to help them? I think this may be a question for Huang Di and Bob Flaws to figure out!

The long and the short of this ramble is that I really feel that it is important to address the need to figure out how men need to be treated differently. Women like the spa-like TCM clinics that are popping up in the western world, but for the most part, I don’t think that men do. This issue must be addressed. I think we exist in medical systems that were built largely by men to take care of/get to know their women (the protector role men carry with such pride). So, different ideas need to come out from the woodwork from the few practitioners that have actually dedicated some focus to male patients/clients on how, and possibly where to treat the fellas.

Spence Pentland of Vancouver BC Canada received his five year Doctor of TCM education from the International College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Vancouver. To complete his studies he spent 500 hours at Anhui Hospital of TCM Hefei City, in the Peoples Republic of China. He is a licensed and registered member of the Canadian Traditional Chinese Medicine Association, and practices at Acubalance Wellness Centre (Acubalance Wellness Centre Vancouver BC) where he treats only Men’s reproductive health (Mens Reproductive Health Information) and Women’s fertility issues (Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Information).

written by Spence Pentland
Fertility specialist; the President of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Association of British Columbia (TCMABC), and practices at Acubalance Wellness Centre (http://www.acubalance.ca/) where he treats only Men’s reproductive health mens.health-info.org and Women’s fertility issues infertility.health-info.org.

Snowcat skiing offers strong-intermediate and expert skiers the ultimate powder snow experience.

Operators provide full-service guided tours into remote high-mountain regions. Powder snow and “fresh tracks” are the norm. Uphill transportation is provided by a tracked snowcat having warm, comfortable cabs. They usually accommodate 12 guests, two guides and a driver.

Some snowcat operators are based in towns or near highways and offer guests continued access to “civilization”. In some cases, guests use local hotels and restaurants for accommodation and meals. Such operators may offer single-day trips.

Other snowcat operators use remote lodges high in the mountains, far from cars and telephones. These lodges provide a multi-day backcountry experience in the midst of pristine alpine wilderness. They also place guests very close to their skiing.

Many backcountry “cat skiing” lodges offer double-occupancy bedrooms complete with private ensuite baths. They have cozy and comfortable sitting areas, dining halls with cathedral ceilings, drying rooms for boots and outside clothing, games rooms, well-stocked bars and “commercial” kitchens. They offer exercise areas, video players, satellite telephones, perhaps a computer with Internet access and, of course, a well-stocked bar. Guests can enjoy a social drink and spectacular views while luxuriating in an outdoor hot tub, and then step right to their bedrooms for a shower or a nap.

No special equipment is required for cat skiing, just boots and clothing. Powder skis can be rented at the lodge. However, snowboarders should bring their own boards. Guests will make the most of their snowcat skiing tour by being in good physical condition.

Lodge life is informal and relaxed. Juice and fruit and coffee are served at 7:00 AM and a buffet breakfast is available at about 7:30. Snowcats depart between 8:30 and 9:00, when guests are ready.

The first day of a tour is special. Guides take the first hour or so to make sure guests understand safety procedures. Everyone has practice using the radio beacons that the operator supplies. No one goes out without one.

The first run of the day is rarely more than 20 minutes from the lodge and the last run of the day can end at the lodge door. During the day, the group moves around, sampling different areas and never staying long in any one spot. Each run is in fresh, untracked snow.

On “bluebird” days, the guide will head for the high alpine. Perhaps for two or three runs on a glacier before trying the big open slopes, taking a run or two in each before heading to the next. The highest skiing elevation can be close to 10,000 ft and the views are spectacular. There is always time to pause for pictures.

If visibility is poor or if the alpine snow is unstable, it’s off to one of the many ridges to “ski the trees”. Tree skiing is amazing! The tree-protected snow is usually deeper and softer than in the alpine. It is consistent, light, and there are no moguls. The short, fat “powder skis” are easy to control. Forget the trees. Just ski the openings! Intermediate skiers who may never before have skied in trees find that they can not only do it, but that it’s fun.

In the old burns, the trees are gnarly, but very widely spaced. The living forest has closer-spaced trees, but offers beautiful glades and tree stands that may have been thinned. Some of the glades are as open as some ski-area runs. The old cut-blocks are great fun. Snow-buried stumps create “pillows”, small mounds to ski around or “pop” off. Landings are nearly always the same, soft and forgiving. It’s amazing!

Guests team up in pairs in the trees and the guide keeps a watchful eye. No one gets separated. When a guest “augers in”, his partner or the tail guide or someone else is close at hand to assist.

The speed of the group depends on it’s ability. A group of good skiers may ski non-stop to the bottom; perhaps 1800 or 2000 ft. of pure joy, with lots of “whoops and hollers”. Slower groups will stop more often to rest, share experiences, take pictures and “smell the roses”.

Guides are very responsive to the needs of the group. The guests set the pace. There is no pressure to maximize equipment usage. Each group has a dedicated snowcat that moves at the pleasure of the group. Guides are expert at providing for different skiers in their group. Stronger skiers may enjoy some “steeps”, “drop-offs” or other challenges, while others are guided down more “mellow’ lines.

By the end of the day, everyone is tired out. Guests who tire early can “sit out” a run and keep the driver company on the way back down the hill. If a guest wants to quit for the day, a staff member will shuttle them back to the lodge on a snowmobile. It’s all very relaxed and very friendly.

Packed lunches are eaten in the snowcats, as guests feel hungry. It’s possible to browse all day on a selection of sandwiches, wraps, cakes, cookies, buns and drinks. “Hip flasks” are definitely NOT welcome. Guides are extremely safety conscious and they want guests to be alert and functioning well at all times.

At 4:00pm, guests are welcomed back at the lodge with special snacks or hot soup. Guests then have over two hours to relax, shower, read, play pool, soak in the hot tub or hold up the bar. Other diversions are possible. Guests might have the opportunity to try out a snowmobile for the first time, to learn how these machines are driven, and to do some exploring.

Dinner is served at about 7:00pm and is of very high quality. Most operators provide gourmet cuisine with extensive wine lists and will carefully cater to guests with allergies and special needs. No one “dresses” for dinner. It’s a relaxed, laid-back and friendly affair. Staff mingles with guests and share tales of the day’s conquests. Amusing speeches and special “award” ceremonies are common. Everyone gets to know one another. There are no “loners”.

After dinner, guests disperse to read, watch a video or to congregate in the bar or games room for some friendly darts or pool. At about 9:30 PM guests start to depart for their beds. The bar usually shuts down by 10:30 PM. Everyone is tired and looking forward to the next day!

Some photos of cat skiers at play can be found by following the links located at the bottom of the Chatter Creek Cat Skiing photos Web page at: www.backcountrywintervacations.com/snowboarding-pictures.html

written by Lockie Brown
Cat skier for about 10 years, he is taking groups of 12 and 24 friends to different cat ski venues in British Columbia. For more information, please refer to the Chatter Creek Web site at http://backcountrywintervacations.com/

By now everyone knows that links are a very important factor in getting traffic and high rankings in the search engines. Link are essentially a key part of the search engine optimization process. Without links you will never achieve a front page listing in Google. But, on the contrary this does not mean that with a million links you will receive top ten listings no matter what. Below I have listed the 8 steps to take to create a successful link campaign, to help you gain better rankings.

Step 1Create a marketing plan. Write down a goal, such as, to have 300 links coming to my website. Then write down how you are going to achieve it. For example you might say, I am going to find 100 directories to link to me, request 100 link exchanges, post on forums and write 5 articles.

Step 2Read everything you can about search engine optimization and link building campaigns. Every article and every book! The internet is a great source of free information. Read everything you can about link building, this is a great way to build your overall search engine optimization knowledge.

Step 3Brainstorm of all the places you could place your link that has to do with your target market. Post on forums, place paid ads, submit your website for review. There are many different places to submit your link to.

Step 4Submit to the ODP or DMOZ and as many other relevant directories as you can find. The value of a link from a directory is higher than you might imagine. Don’t forget about local directories! Now if you have a brick and mortar storefront you should definitely sign up for Google’s local directory.

Step 5Create a link page on your website. Make sure to fill it with text, not just links. You should only exchange links with relevant websites. You should also make a point to regularly check that your link is still on your link partners website. Make sure the links on your website are HTML, no javascript or links from Flash websites, as these are harder for search engines to follow.

Step 6Make sure to include your keywords in the link text that links to your website. Also, keep changing the link text but, only slightly. This prevents the search engines from thinking that your link is automatically generated.

Step 7See who your competitors are linking to. Then place your links on those websites. If they have exchanged links with your competition, send an email and kindly ask if they would exchange links with you too. Make sure to outline the benefits of exchanging links with you and include the code you would like them to use on their website.

Step 8Now revisit your marketing plan. Since you first wrote your marketing plan I am sure that you have had many more ideas on how to get links. Make sure to constantly update your marketing plan and set time aside each week to work on it.

As long as you have completed all 8 steps, I guarantee your search engine rankings will improve. It might not get you top ten in Google, but I can guarantee it will improve.

written by Alicia Harper
Professional website designer and internet marketing expert. She lives and works in Vancouver BC. Her company, Be Seen Web Design specializes in creating search engine friendly websites. 

Email has resulted in a revolution in marketing-an explosion in messaging.

For some it is a god-send, a technology and a method that allows people to sell products and services quickly and effectively.

For others, it’s a doomsday machine, a spam filled mailbox filled with angry mail from people who will never again be customers.

Website Conversion Expert Dan Lok says you have to learn several special techniques before you can truly leverage and make maximum use email — the Internet’s wonderchild.

Here are some of the Dan’s most important keys to successful email marketing campaigns:

1. Get Permission. Use web page sign up forms or post card return cards, but get permission in a valid way. Create and offer incentives for people to sign up online to receive value-added information.

2. Target carefully and make it relevant. Send only relevant email to opt-in subscribers. Develop and give people what they wanted and what you promised. Don’t send email that is outside the scope of what was promised to people who opted in. Target and segment your subscriber base and tailor your messages to specific demographic characteristics.

3. Your Subject Line is Critical. Don’t make it look or sound like spam. The purpose of the subject line is NOT to sell, but just to get people to open the email, that’s it! Be careful of the words you select. Check your email against a spam checker to see that it doesn’t contain words that will automatically result in deletion.

4. Use your personality. Talk in the first person. Develop your persona as a friend or as an expert. Define your persona based on your customers’ needs and desires and based on professional behaviors.

5. Don’t sell. Advise, advise, advise. Offer value-added problem solving information, advice, tools and help. Use email to get people to use your email as a reason to call you or visit your web site. Offer people more of what they like to build and your personal relationship and their satisfaction and your personal connection with your customer.

6. Create a single, clear and benefit laden call for action. Focus on getting people to take one action. Don’t offer more than one action. Identify the action clearly and persuasively and track the results. Get them to click and go to a relevant landing page to net them to take further action.

7. Create a life-cycle campaign. Design a program that results in you sending out four to six messages over a six to eight week period. These recurring campaigns can be created in advance and operated in a totally automated fashion.

8. Use triggered email. Design and set up automated email campaigns so that when clients order product or sign up for items or request information online, that a suite of email messages are then sent to them periodically automatically.

9. Use email to get them to Click! Keep the email short - no more than 3 or 4 pages. Relate first paragraph to subject line. Drive people to a web page and then close the sale, don’t try to close the sale with an email. Don’t mention price or cost in email. The purpose of the email is to PRE-SELL, not to sell. Again, it’s to get them CLICK, then go to your web page. Then you can do the selling there.

10. Comply with CAN-SPAM Act requirements. Send from a valid address. Respect all remove requests promptly. Never send a second email to someone who has requested removal.

written by Dan Lok
A former college dropout, Dan Lok transformed himself to a multi-millionaire. Today, Dan is one of the most sought-after business mentors on the Web. He lives in Burnaby BC. His website is http://www.WebsiteConversionExpert.com

You’ve worked long and hard to get traffic to your web site.

Now you’ve got to persuade them buy something from you. This is called web site conversion.

It is defined as the number of visitors that turn into customers of your products or services. If they don’t buy something, then all your efforts are for nothing.

Website Conversion Expert Dan Lok says that you don’t need as much traffic to your web site if the people who do visit purchase when they are there.

Here are some of the Dan’s most important keys to online conversion success:

1. Revise and Update Your Web Copy. Use true success stories that reveal techniques and tactics. Create the desire to know or have the product by focusing on the benefits and ease of use. Test and revise till you know the copy works.

2. Find Out Where Your Visitors are Coming From. Track and analyze your web site traffic and learn the sites where your traffic is coming from. Know which advertising or marketing activities produce your true customers so you can focus on those areas and make them grow.

3. Find Out What Your Visitors Are Looking For and Deliver It. Ask your visitors to tell you their needs or wants. Identify the patterns and most common requests. Then modify your offering to meet these needs.

4. Develop A Relationship Before You Try to Close the Sale. Share your knowledge and expertise. Offer free samples or reports. Provide free recommendations. Get the prospect involved and demonstrate you can communicate and are trustworthy.

5. Add Audio to Your Web Site. Pop their interest and surprise them. Many people will respond more effectively to audio. Give them audio messages that educate them and teach them some thing that has real value.

Use these techniques to resuscitate your web site and watch your conversion rate increase dramatically.

written by Dan Lok
A former college dropout, Dan Lok transformed himself to a multi-millionaire. Today, Dan is one of the most sought-after business mentors on the Web. He lives in Burnaby BC. His website is http://www.WebsiteConversionExpert.com