Gemstone Jewelry Secrets Revealed

The mystery and magic of colored gemstones has been an integral aspect or the “Lore” of most cultures for many centuries. Here is what noted gemstone experts Antoinette L. Matlins and A.C. Bonanno have to say on the matter.

“The fascination with colored gemstones dates back to the very beginning of civilization. For our ancestors, the blue of sapphire produced visions of the heavens; the red of ruby was a reminder of the very essence of life. By Roman times, rings containing colored gems were prized symbols of power-and the most powerful wore rings on every joint of every finger!

Since ancient times, colored stones have been thought to possess innate magical powers and the ability to endow the wearer with certain attributes. According to legend, emeralds are good for the eyes; yellow stones cure jaundice; red stones stop the flow of blood. At one time it was believed that a ruby worn by a man indicated command, nobility, lordship, and vengeance; worn by a woman, however, it indicated pride, obstinacy, haughtiness. A blue sapphire worn by a man indicated wisdom, and high and magnanimous thoughts; on a woman, jealousy in love, politeness, and vigilance. The emerald signified for a man joyousness, transitory hope, and the decline of friendship; for woman, unfounded ambition, childish delight, and change.

Colored gems, because of the magical powers associated with them, achieved extensive use as talismans and amulets; as predictors of the future; as therapeutic aids; and as essential elements to many religious practices-pagan, Hebrew, and Christian.”

Natural gemstones are found in nature. Laboratory-created stones, as the name implies, are made in the laboratory. These stones, which also are referred to as laboratory-grown, {name of manufacturer} - created, or synthetic, have essentially the same chemical, physical and visual properties as natural gemstones. Laboratory-created stones do not have the rarity of naturally colored stones and they are less expensive than naturally mined stones. By contrast, imitation stones look like natural stones in appearance only, and may be glass, plastic, or less costly stones. Laboratory-created and imitation stones should be clearly identified as such.

Gemstones may be measured by weight, size, or both. The basic unit for weighing gemstones is the carat, which is equal to one-fifth 91/5^th) of a gram. Carats are divided into 100 units called points. For example, a half-carat gemstone would weigh .50 carats or 50 points. When gemstones are measured by dimensions, the size is expressed in millimeters (for example, 7×5 millimeters).

Gemstone treatments or enhancements refer to the way some gems are treated to improve their appearance or durability, or even change their color. Many gemstones are treated in some way. The effects of some treatments may lessen or change over time and some treated stones may require special care. Some enhancements also affect the value of a stone, when measured against a comparable untreated stone.

Jewelers should tell you whether the gemstone you’re considering has been treated when: the treatment is not permanent; the treated stone requires special care; or the treatment significantly affects the value of the gemstone.

Some common treatments that you may be told about and their effects include:

* Heating can lighten, darken or change the color of some gems, or improve a gemstone’s clarity.

* Irradiation can add more color to colored diamonds, certain other gemstones and pearls.

* Impregnating some gems with colorless oils, wax or resins makes a variety of imperfections less visible and can improve the gemstones’ clarity and appearance.

* Fracture filling hides cracks or fractures in gems by injecting colorless plastic or glass into the cracks and improves the gemstones’ appearance and durability.

* Diffusion treatment adds color to the surface of colorless gems; the center of the stone remains colorless.

* Dyeing adds color and improves color uniformity in some gemstones and pearls.

* Bleaching lightens and whitens dome gems, Including jade and pearls.

In this day and age, gemstones are generally worn for their natural beauty or as a fashion statement, but there are many that “buy-in” to the mythical and mystical symbolisms of gems as well. Whatever a persons reason, the world of gems today offers an almost endless choice. Many new gems have been discovered and are widely available in reds, blues, greens and many unusual shades as well. Enjoy!

For more information or to browse our selection of beautiful jewelry and gemstones besure to visit www.morninglightjewelry.com

Learn How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off. This informative Special Report reveals little-known facts and insider trade secrets that many jewelers would prefer you didn’t know. To get your FREE copy please go to http://www.morninglightjewelry.com.

The Petite Woman - What To Wear?

For those of you who are not sure, petite is someone is 5′4″ or under- size does not matter. Actually, the most common petite woman is 5′4″ and a size 12.

In the past petite women had had to settle of a selection of clothes in regular sizes that did not fit properly. The good news is that now designers and store owners recognize the petite frame as needing different dimensions. You will find more and more stores are devoting sections to meet the needs of petite women.

You will find petite styles are the same colour and style as regular merchandise but have been tailored to fit the petite figure. Petite styles have slightly slimmer lapels; shorter sleeves, a shorter body and the armholes are just a little higher.

Women with petite frames can wear almost any style and look slimmer by using a few simple strategies. If you are petite and overweight avoid bold, large patterns and heavy fabrics such as, velvet, corduroy and fur. Also, avoid styles that draw the eye to the waist or hip area.

Style Tips and Strategies

1. Keep prints in proportion to you figure

2. Wear 3/4 sleeves

3. Avoid too much jewelry

4. When layering, wear light weight materials

5. Wear monochromatic colours

6.Wear cuffs only if hosiery and shoes are the same colour

7.When wearing separates avoid contrasting colours such as a navy skirt and a white top

Sheila Dicks is a wardrobe and image consultant who teaches women
how to look slimmer by dressing to suit their body type. Visit her at
http://www.sheilasfashionsense.com to download a copy of her e-book
Image Makeovers and get How to Build a Wardrobe and style consultations free.

An Easy Way to Find a Mechanical Engineering Role

Gaining a degree in mechanical engineering which is usually thought to be the broadest of any of the engineering science disciplines you have numerous roles in this field to pick from. Industries may include power and heating systems, cooling systems, and also air-conditioning design; the automotive design industry, heavy plant engineering; pipes and pressurized systems. Careers may be as varied as positions involving selling, administration and management, further examples are agriculture and production fabrication.

Just how much should an engineer hope to make?

We recommend you check out our detailed #1 source for mechanical engineer salary pointers!

Information from a 2003 salary survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, a position in mechanical engineering may often provide an income ranging from $40K per annum to as much as $93,000, salary is dependent on training and your work experience. Another factor which may affect a mechanical engineering earnings is the field of engineering you have selected. Strategies for discovering your top engineering position

A current and well-rounded resume is absolutely essential. When you are satisfied with your curriculum vitae, you are ready to get going and start hunting. So, how can I discover jobs?

Attending employment fairs: The engineering science department in your school should have information about local job fairs. These events may give you the opportunity to meet with the individuals responsible for hiring. Internships: Your college can extend assistance with an internship. Many firms which use interns will regularly take on the same interns upon graduation, internships could also have an effect on the kind of remuneration you might hope for. Joining groups: Mechanical engineering groups and meetings can provide you with a way to learn more concerning engineering, but in addition it gives you a chance establish your own network.

Read the papers: Engineering firms advertise in the press just like any business. Check everyday; send your cv and always to follow up. Tenacity is essential. Use internet sites: Find the big recruitment websites online and send in a CV. Log into the LinkedIn web site, make a personal profile and make new business contacts online. Make good use of the net to speed up the search for the ideal job.

Finding the ideal role will require persistence and networking. Ensure that your name and curriculum vitae circulating; never forget to follow through on any leads; utilize the might of the internet to make new engineering contacts, take time to post a personal profile. All these actions can help you get your perfect job.

All the Info Students Need to Understand about Medical Insurance

Something that is usually found at the bottom of the list whilst budgeting for a college education is medical insurance for college students. Most students are in the mindset where the need for health insurance is not the first thing on their mind. Teenagers are likely to suppose they are immortal and that they will not become ill.

Unfortunately, this is seldom true no matter how fit a person may seem. Affordable medical insurance isn’t a luxury, it is an absolute necessity. Those fortunate enough to be covered by a parent’s medical insurance are by and large covered up until they turn 23. For those who do not have coverage through a family insurance, finding insurance plans for affordable student health insurance must be apart of getting ready for a college education.

What must you look out for in medical insurance designed for college students? What’s your deductible? This is an annual payment which must be made prior to your medical benefits commencing, much the same as an auto deductible. An example might be, should your deductible be five hundred dollars, you have to pay that sum prior to getting any payment from your insurance. What’s a co-pay? Once you meet your deductible, nearly all insurance policies require you to pay a portion of the cost for every doctor’s visit, medicinal drug or procedure. This is called a co-pay.

What does the health insurance plan extend to? Numerous medical insurance policies are HMO or Partnership for Prescription Assistance. This could mean certain doctors may possibly be omitted from your authorized medical providers and may not be included on the medical insurance plan. Virtually all programs provide a detailed listing of participating professionals, consider this thoroughly when you take out a health insurance plan designed for students. Catastrophic health insurance coverage: There is often a restriction on student medical insurance policies as far as terminal illness, and for most medical insurance for students, it’s normally significantly less than any standard medical insurance plan.

Restrictions: Student health coverage plans usually include some restrictions. Study your policy and discover what is and isn’t covered.

Keep any health insurance documents nearby at all times. It’s not just not possible to plan for accidents or illness, but they are most likely to happen at the worst possible time. Make sure to be au fait with your college medical insurance plan even if you are included in a family insurance plan.

Do you really need a friend quiz to tell if someone is your friend?

Q. I took a friend quiz in a magazine and it says that I don’t make a very good friend. Can that really be true?

A. First, let me say congratulations! If the quiz said that you don’t make a very good friend then you must have answered the quiz honestly, at least from the friend quiz author’s point of view.

Now let’s delve into the content of the quiz. The bad thing about a friend quiz is that it is automatically biased by the author’s opinion of what makes a good friend.

For example: There might be a question that asks:

Your friend wants you to cover for her by telling her mother that she is sleeping at your house when she is really going to an all night party with her boyfriend. Do you say:

A. “No problem.” B. “I’ll do it but I’d rather not.” C. “No way, you’re on your own girlfriend.”

What’s the right answer? Well, the morally right answer is obviously “C”. Would that make you a better friend that either “A” or “B”? Yes, actually, it would. There is a very good chance that something bad is going to come out of the all night party. Your friend could get drunk and become a victim of date rape, get injured or killed in a car accident, or get arrested if the police raid the party. As a good friend, you should care more about your friend’s safety and security than her having a good time doing something that she has to lie about.

However, if the friend quiz rates you a snitch because you answered “C”, then, according to the author, you’re not a good friend.

Look. You don’t need a friend quiz to know if you’re a good friend, or if someone else if a good friend to you. Take the quiz for the fun of it, but don’t take it seriously. Your heart knows if you are a good friend and what it means to have a good friend. Trust your instincts and not some stranger’s value system. A person’s friendship is far to valuable a gift to trust the results to a friend quiz.

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Brian Fong run the popular quiz site http://www.QuizFaq.com
Quiz Faq - Your solutions for the quiz.
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Moving to the Other Side of Box

Few books have impacted my perspective on human psychologically and behavior. A little over a year ago I read a book by Dr. Martin Seligman called, “Learned Optimism”. Seligman was intrigued by an experiment he had witnessed involving dogs who exhibited inexplicable behaviors. His curiosity led him to create the “Shuttle box” experiment. Without going into great detail, the two-phased experiment went along these lines.

Phase 1: ‘Group A’ dogs were individually placed into a harness with a bar in front of them. Each dog was then administered a mild electroshock periodically. After some time, the dogs realized that by tapping the bar, the shocks would stop. The experiment was repeated with a second group of dogs (Group B) but with one great exception, there was no bar provided to stop the shocks.

Phase 2: Group A dogs were now individually placed put into a shuttlebox having two compartments with a small barrier in the middle. Again, a shock was administered periodically and after some time each dog got up, stepped over the barrier and moved to the other side of the box where the shocks stopped. Group B dogs were then placed individually into the same shuttlebox. The electroshocks were again administered periodically. Unlike the dogs in Group A which chose moved to the other side of the box, the Group B dogs didn’t; they just laid there and whimpered.

Seligman concluded that since Group B had learned to be ‘helpless’ in the first phase of the experiment, they didn’t move in the second phase. In other words, the dogs were conditioned to feel helpless when they couldn’t stop the shocks while in the harness. So now, with the harness removed, the dogs just simply gave up. They had lost their ‘optimism’; the belief that change was possible! Therefore, they just laid there and whimpered.
Now we as human beings don’t whimper, we whine! Many of us complain about what’s wrong with our lives, careers or relationships. And much like the dogs in Group B, instead of doing something about, we just mentally lie down and whine instead of getting UP and moving to the other side of life’s box.

As we look forward to a new year, I want you to commit to ‘getting up’ and moving to the other side of the box. If there is something you’ve been wanting to do, do it! If there is something you’ve been wanting to try, try it! The only harness holding you back from success is the one wrapped around your mind.

Victor Gonzalez, top Hispanic motivational speaker and author of “The LOGIC of Success”. For more info go to: www.thelogicofsuccess.com or by email victor@thelogicofsuccess.com

Hydration in Bodybuilding

So many people don’t realize how important it is to keep your body hydrated, especially during work out. Also most of them will work out too much adding to the negative effect dehydration can have. What is really concerning is that in bad conditions like extreme warmth and an excessively long work out with lack of water several incidents like strokes can happen. This should be avoided and it helps more than you’d imagine if you drink enough water.

Water is a big part of our body (55 to 75% of our body weight) and also think about the fact that blood is 90% formed of water. Now just think about it! What can happen if your blood does not have enough water? It’s very simple, it will thicken and the natural flow of it will be damaged. Also, the muscle is formed of 70-80% water.

Many people ask: how can they know how much water to drink during a workout? It is a simple procedure that should be followed. All you have to do is weigh yourself before exercising and you have to have the same weight when the work out is done. If you weigh less then you are dehydrated.

On the other hand drinking too much water will lead to a condition called Hyponatremia. This can also lead in extreme cases to serious accidents like strokes and comas. Too much water is also bad as you can see.

The kidneys are very important in our body when talking about hydration as they regulate the fluids by controlling the flow of urine. Have you ever noticed the difference in color of the urine? If it is excessively clear then you are over hydrated and if it is too dark then you are dehydrated.

Be attentive to the levels of hydration in your work out. As you can see it is very important and as a general rule it will also help you have a better and more productive exercise session.

Tim Santorini has developed a resources guide to everything you need to do with bodybuilding.

Want to know what the professional bodybuilders use? Tim Santorini has discovered it. Visit : http://www.your-bodybuilding.co.uk

Choose Good Cheap Printer Cartridges for the Printing of Perfect Images

Good quality cheap printer cartridges printer ink is essential for clear and perfect images. A wide variety of printer ink toners and inkjet printer inks are available in the market to cater to the varied requirements of customers.
The quality and reliability of printer ink is very important for the efficient functioning of any type of printer and for ensuring perfect image quality. Although a huge variety of printer ink toner and inkjet printer ink are available across a wide price range, some still suggest the use of toners and cartridges recommended or manufactured by the printer manufacturers themselves for best results.

Types Of Printer Ink Toner And Inkjet Printer Ink

Printer users have the option of using manufactured by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) or cheaper non-branded alternatives. Until a couple of years ago, inkjet printer manufacturers used to sell their printers at a marginal profit while selling the ink cartridges for these printers at high prices. But alternatives emerged in the form of cheaper cartridges. These non-branded inkjet printer ink cartridges are much cheaper than the ones offered by the OEMs and are therefore extremely popular.

How Good Are Third Party Printer Supplies?

The manufacturers say that research and other costs that have gone into the development of the ink as the reason for their ink cartridges being expensive. Manufacturers say that their production methods are unique and cannot be copied by anyone to produce the same quality of products. However, actual usage has shown that many third party products can frequentlybe as good as OEM printer supplies.

Best For Photos And Text Material

OEMs say that perfect images are only possible with a combination of printer and ink manufactured by the same company. However,this argument no longer stacks up. Now you don’t have to be well-off to experience the same level of print quality as those who use branded ink toners and cartridges.

Oh, God. What Do I Do Now?

Uh, oh. I’m in trouble now. I found God. Now what do I do with Him?

It’s not like I can just ask Him to go sit in a corner while I go on about my life. He’s kind of hard to ignore. And while he seems kindly enough, and a whole lot more patient than I am when bumping up against the obstacles in my life, just knowing He’s there makes me squirm.

Once I thought it would be cool to know Him. You know, like hanging out together. Maybe even throwing down a couple of cold ones while we shot the bull. In some regards, I think it can still be like that. But He’s like, so, well, unusual that people are starting to look at me like I’m weird.

Did you ever walk into a room and know all eyes were watching your every move? Now imagine it was because you came in with someone who looked so good that you felt like an ugly duckling by comparison. And you knew they just wondered, “Why in the world is he/she hanging out with that geek?”

That’s sort of how I feel now. He glows in the dark. That light is SOOOO bright it’s blinding. At least, it sure seems to have that impact on everyone else I meet. They act like they don’t see me at all any more. Or if they do, they treat me like I’m a leper. I can almost hear the whispers behind the stares. “There’s the guy that goes with God. Oooh, yuck. Get away from him.” Not God, but me.

Sometimes I get the feeling they’re jealous, and that if I would just disappear, they’d all be circling Him and wanting an autograph, or some other piece of Him they could take home and put up on the wall. But since He’s with me, they try to pretend they’re not looking at either of us.

Funny, they didn’t act that way before I found Him. I had a lot of friends, and thought people liked me. I guess, at least as much as you like your local pit bull. But now that I’m hanging out with Him, it’s like I’ve got coodies or something.

Don’t think I’m imagining things. I’ve heard what they’re saying. That I’m blaspheming by making God one of the guys. That I should have left him up in His ivory tower instead of dragging him down here in the dirt with me. Or that I can’t know Him because I don’t hang out in the same places as they go on Saturday or Sunday to try to find Him. Or eat the right foods or mumble the right prayers.

Maybe they’re right, and I’m the crazy one. Perhaps it’s all in my head, and I’m talking to some giant, invisible rabbit. All I know is they sure seem uncomfortable. And that rubs off on me.

I don’t want to make Him feel unwanted. Heck, I worked hard to find Him. Besides, He’s been a good friend, always there when I needed Him, and quick to dry my tears when things weren’t going so good. In fact, only recently I’ve started noticing the many gifts he’s casually dropped into my life, even when I was so stuck up I thought I was doing it all by myself. And not once did He ever ask me for anything in return.

At least, that’s what I thought. But the more I got to know Him, the more I realized there was something He wanted. Something I’d been afraid to do for the longest time. One day as we were talking over a cup of coffee, he finally blurted it out.

“If you love Me, then love yourself,” He said in that soft whisper He uses in those moments of our greatest connection. “You are everything I wanted you to be when I sent you here.” I just looked at Him as He continued. “There is nothing more I ask of you.”

I tried to defend myself. “But what about all those things I have to do? I thought you wanted me to love others!”

“If you truly love yourself, you won’t have to try. It will happen naturally,” was His reply. “You’ve been parading me around town, thinking that somehow showed you’re now a better person, secretly hoping others would think more of you. Life’s not about how they see you, but how you see yourself.

“Don’t hold Me up as something to show off to your friends. Just let me stoke the fire of love that already smolders inside you. When it’s fanned to a flame, they’ll naturally come closer to warm themselves. And in so doing, it will strike a spark that will spread ’round the world.”

He reached over, and with his index finger touched my heart. “This is where I am, and will be. Find yourself, and there you will find Me.” And with that, He smiled, and faded into my memory.

So, maybe all those other people were right. I am different, and my flame isn’t bright enough yet for them to see. But it will be.

In the meantime, I know where to find Him. In me, where He’s been all along.

Copyright 2004 by John Dennison. John is a voice for those who do not hear or know they have an inner voice. Author of Whispers in the Silence: Living by the Light of Your Soul, he can be reached at
john@WhisperZone.org or visit him at WhisperZone.org, home for those who know their own way.

Skincare Tips for “All Skin Types”

These all around tips are for everyone! It doesn’t matter if you
have oily skin, dry skin, combination skin, normal skin or even sensitive skin; all of these tips will work for you.

To minimize wrinkles, sleep on your back. When you sleep on your back, the effect of gravity on your skin is minimal. Besides, when your face is pressed against a pillow, you wake up to more puffiness.

Do Not go outside without sunscreen, even if it is for a short period of time, or on a cloudy day. This is absolute Best thing that you can possibly do to prevent wrinkles.

If your skin has a tendency to break out or get bumps, it could be your detergent. Try using with no dyes or perfumes.

No matter what your skin type is, the best cleanser is one that is water-soluble. For it to be truly water soluble, it should be able to be removed easily by splashing, and not wiped off with a wash cloth. Wash clothes can cause irritation to the skin. It should not leave a greasy residue, nor cause any irritation or dryness, nor burn your eyes.

To refresh your face after a long day, spritz some mineral water on it. You can also use a light spritz to set your makeup.

Warm skin absorbs ingredients in your products better. Make sure that your skin isn’t cold. If so, apply a warm towel to your face.

If you use an alpha hydroxy acid, let it dry thoroughly before applying moisturizer. This will maximize the effectiveness of the AHA.

Be careful not to use an exfoliant or scrub to often. It can lead to irritation. For dry skin, 1-2 times per week is enough. For oily skin, 2-3 times per week is enouh.

All makeup lasts longer and looks better if you apply it to slightly moist skin. Dry patches alter the distribution of pigment. Before applying foundation, mist your face with water and pat with a tissue. You want it to be be slightly damp, not drenched.

My final and I feel most important tip:
What you do today to take care of your skin will determine how young and healthy it will look five and ten years from now.

Marylee Evans
Indepent L’Bri Consultant
http://www.NaturalSkincareSolution.com
Commited to solving your skin care and beauty issues!