Fortunate Contest

Jasmyn Karfeld is the daughter. Ken Karfeld is the father. Jasmyn was what society considered an extreme case of an out of control teen. Now they talk about it. Welcome to Reader Views Jasmyn and Ken.

Juanita: You have written a very unique book that gives a valuable insight into a growing problem that is probably affecting more families than one would think. Why were you inspired to co-author a book about such a raw and personal account?

Ken: While reminiscing with Jasmyn it became apparent there was a misunderstanding of each others intentions and perceptions during her upbringing. The degree of our separation on actual events was intriguing where as our memories of the same events were so different. We believed if we could articulate this in a book we could help others in the same situation gain an understanding that could facilitate growth and healing.

Jasmyn: We thought it was interesting that when talking about various past situations, our perspectives of what happened in any given situation were so different. We thought that reading an account of a child’s life from both her perspective and her parent’s perspective would have been incredibly enlightening, so we decided to write it.

Juanita: What was the first step in opening the lines of communication between the two of you?

Ken: I think even in our darkest times there remained a line of communication between us. Jasmyn coming to us for help when she was at her worst could be considered a first step

Jasmyn: When I had children and became a parent myself, I was able to appreciate that position a lot more, and was more open to communication and advice that came from my dad.

Juanita: What was the biggest differing perception you realized throughout the process of writing this book?

Ken: I don’t think Jasmyn was aware of the turmoil she was creating. A recurring theme in the book is Jasmyn saying “why do they care, it’s my life.” I think she understands after reading the part authored by me the extent we actually did care.

Jasmyn: It was that my dads IDEA of what would motivate me was SOOO incredibly different than the things that ACTUALLY would have motivated me.

Juanita: What advise would you give parents in similar crisis?

Ken: Create positive incentives for change. Find an outlet for your child to express themselves and be challenged. The best remedy is prevention.

Jasmyn: To really listen to their kids, figure out what motivates and drives them, and then USE that to encourage the behavior you want from them.

Juanita: What advise would you give teens in similar crisis?

Ken: Advice is so easy to give but hard to take. Sit down with your parents and be honest. Parents really do care as a rule. Let your parents know what your concerns are and try to understand your well being is and always will be their paramount concern. It is your life but it is your parent’s goal and greatest wish to help you navigate the pitfalls that will keep you from having a great future. Try to remember you are a teenager for only a very short time, and an adult for the rest of your life. Don’t mortgage your future with bad decisions that will stay with you forever. Your parents don’t have all the answers but they have been there.

Jasmyn: To make sure to communicate with your parents, and try to take an active role in your life, by figuring out what you want, how to incorporate that with what your parents want, and talk to them about ways to do that. Come at it from a solution standpoint, instead of a problem oriented one.

Juanita: What were the catalyst and /or turning point in your healing process?

Ken: That would have to be when Jasmyn actually asked for help.

Jasmyn: When I realized that kids meant I now had something to lose. I could make sure they had a good life, or cause them to have a bad one.

Juanita: Parents and teenagers by design seem to have challenges in communication. What do you feel is the biggest challenge teenager’s face in communicating with their parents today?

Jasmyn: A lot of times parents don’t understand where their teenagers are coming from, or how truly important the social aspects and feeling of having some control over their lives is to teenagers. The teenager will be worried about those things, and the parents are more worried about long term goals, such as college and a successful job, so the parent will be concentrated on those things, instead of addressing the immediate.

Juanita: In a situation of so much crisis and fear, how does a parent give unconditional love and acceptance when they are witnessing their teen making destructive choices?

Ken: It’s not easy. One of the things Jasmyn said kept her from doing things that she knew were really wrong was that she never had a sense of desperation. She knew she always had the option to come home to loving parents. As a parent, taking that away would have been devastating. Knowing that you are there for your child is a beacon for them.

Juanita: You have suggested that one of the big influences to the downward spiral was that Jasmyn was very intelligent and wasn’t challenged enough in school. How big of a problem do you feel this is today and what can parents do to help?

Ken: I think this has been a problem since the advent of public schools. Parents need to get involved with all aspects of their kids life. Finding an activity to stimulate and motivate is the key to communication.

Jasmyn: I think that is probably a big problem today with some kids, and I see it in my own daughter. So what I try to do with her is to give her things to channel that intelligence into- things like books, dance, and I’m thinking about getting her into drama as well. Otherwise, she will get bored and channel her energy into things that may not be good for her.

Juanita: You have been asked to speak at a court mediation group regarding how parents and teens relate. How have your unique viewpoints helped in this process and have you any success stories to share?

Ken: Timely question. Jasmyn is speaking next week at a women’s symposium at a correctional facility in Salem, Oregon. As I write this my wife is on the phone with a reader that got in touch with us after reading the book. We are giving her suggestions and support through a very similar situation to our past. We are considering starting a support group as a result of the emails and calls we are receiving

Jasmyn: I think I have a very unique perspective in that I am a parent, but am still young enough to remember what it feels like to be a teen. The fact that my dad and I are so close now makes us a success story.

Juanita: I would like to thank both of you for sharing your thoughts today. With such a unique perspective and unflinching honesty, your book “He Said, She Said” will definitely help many people. Do you have anything else you’d like to share with your readers?

Ken: Yes, Parents can get a lot out of this book and they will read it willingly. For teens, especially troubled teens, if asked to read this it may be looked at as just another lame thing mom or dad wants from them. I suggest picking a chapter that will have particular relevance to your child and making a deal with your teen to read just this one chapter. Then talk about Jasmyn’s and Ken’s experience in that chapter with your teen. Questions like ” Boy, Ken really blew it with Jasmyn there! Have I ever done anything that dumb?” Or ” What do you think Jasmyn and Ken could have done differently to help instead of hurt there relationship?” This will open up those depleted avenues of communication. Have the teen also come up with a few questions for the parents. Once your talking your on your way!

Juanita Watson is Assistant Editor of Reader Views
http://www.readerviews.com

Not what you do but how you do it is the test of your capacity. -Mary Engelbreit

“I’ll take care of your kids,” I heard myself saying to my sister Charlotte when her daughter Katie was two years old and her son Jonathan was 14-months old. “In fact, I’ll ask Susan if she wants to send me her children, Kevin (age 7 years) and Michael (age 10 years) to stay with me too. We can have a cousin’s camp out.”

Charlotte and her husband Joe had been planning a two week cruise for over six months. The original plan was that my parents were going to baby sit Char’s kids. But my parents were unexpectedly called to North Carolina to take care of my mother’s dying uncle. They were unsure how long they would be unavailable. Charlotte feared she would have to cancel her special trip with her husband. So I volunteered to take care of her children. I actually thought having Susan’s older children would help us out.

With those few words to my sister I had committed myself to an expanded family for one summer. Paul and David were just under three years old. Suddenly my husband and I became the “parents” of six children: a 14-month old, three two year olds, a 7-year old and a 10-year old. Actually, we only had the children for two weeks. It just felt like forever!

In the beginning we were in over our heads. First, Kevin took a shower in the master bathroom, using the medicated shampoo that he found there. As Kevin screamed at the top of his lungs, both his older brother Michael and I came to his rescue. He had gotten shampoo in his eyes and thought he was blinded for life. With encouragement he washed his eyes out and discovered he could still see.

Next, Kevin developed severe asthma problems which incapacitated him. At one point I thought I was going to have to take him to the hospital because he was getting so dehydrated. Once again, Michael was able to assist. He encouraged Kevin to remain calm, sipping on ice cubes. The crisis past and soon Kevin was up and ready to play with every one else.

After these initial crises we were able to find our rhythm. Every other day we would go on a great adventure. We went to the zoo, the movies, to visit the battle ship and submarine in Fall River, and went on a picnic. On the alternative days we spent time at home regrouping and hanging out.
Suddenly becoming the “parents” of six kids changed our every day activities into great challenges to meet. Car trips meant we needed three car seats. We didn’t have a car large enough to safely seat everyone. In order to get from point A to point B we needed two cars. Charlotte had left me her large sedan that could safely carry four of us. We also needed to use our only remaining car, a small sports car. Michael, Kevin, Paul, David and Katie were all anxious to be the privileged rider in this convertible. But fitting a car seat in the bucket seats was not easy. Luckily our borrowed sedan had a large enough trunk space so we could carry all the strollers necessary.

Going to the movies to watch Snow White was another puzzle. Could the baby remain quiet enough for the duration of the film? Would the loud movie sound track scare him? We decided that Jonathan and I would forego the film, strolling though the mall while the others enjoyed the movie. As the lights went down and the movie previews began to play on the large screen, Paul sat back in his theater seat. Because Paul was a little boy, the seat bottom collapsed, folding him into the seat. Paul remained standing throughout the movie.

That evening when we returned home from the movie, the four boys played kick ball. Baby Jonathan remained in the house with me while I prepared dinner for us all. But where was Katie? After looking out in the yard and finding only the boys, I become concerned. Looking further, I found Katie in the side yard collecting apples in a bucket that had fallen from the crab apple tree. Katie was playing out the movie, Snow White that they had all just seen.

Another day, after our fun trip to the zoo, I arrived home with 5 children. One car, one husband/father/uncle and one child were missing. This was long before the availability of cell phones. I had no idea where the other two people were. Had they stopped to buy corn for dinner? Had they taken a different route home? Had they gotten stuck in some traffic that I never came upon? Just as I began to get worried, I received a phone call.

Brian’s sports car had a flat tire blow out on the high way. Luckily, he and the two-year old with him were able to walk a short distance and find a gas station. Someone there was able to come to the rescue and tow the car. The two of them were now waiting at the gas station for the tire to be fixed. Every trip after that found us driving in a two car caravan to ensure everyone’s safe arrival at all destinations.

At some point during the two weeks, four out of the six children got sick. Remarkably this only happened on the days where we had nothing special planned. Equally remarkably, none of the illnesses lasted more than one day. Unfortunately, all of the illnesses involved vomiting and diarrhea. Luckily neither adult suffered from the passing “bug.”

Just as we had found the capacity to solve every challenge that we encountered, the two weeks was over. Charlotte arrived to pick up all of the extra four children, delivering Michael and Kevin back to their parents. Once the house was returned to only the usual four of our family it felt almost empty and silent. We all missed the fun and energy of Katie, Jonathan, Michael and Kevin. At the same time my husband and I committed to keeping our family with Paul and David as our only children. We had met the test and found our capacity. We were able to parenting more children than Paul and David, but only for two weeks.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nancy S. Buck, Ph.D. established Peaceful Parenting, Inc. in 2000 to bring her knowledge and experience with effective parenting to the greatest number of parents and other caretakers of children. She developed the Peaceful Parenting® program from her 25 years of experience as a developmental psychologist, trainer and educator with The William Glasser Institute and as the mother of twin sons. Her genuine, warm and authentic teaching style is clear and concise, helping learners move from the theoretical to real life situations.

http://www.peacefulparenting.com

Improve your family - Improve your world

While a virus, in Medicine, is the smallest infectious agent, it is an extremely potent strategy in Marketing speak with similar abilities to proliferate. It is an effective means of advertising and relies on an understanding of what individuals may accept, should the price favour them.

Viral marketing by definition is any type of a marketing campaign that encourages those in receipt of an advertising message to voluntarily pass it along to friends, family and others that may be interested. [unlike a bad “virus” which one would not want to knowingly spread or pass along.]

Examples of successful viral marketing are: hotmail and their simple teaser at the bottom of all their emails that stated “Get your free private email at www.hotmail.com.“

In its first 1.5 years, Hotmail acquired over 12 million subscribers.

eGroups.com [Yahoo Groups] is a free place on the Net with tools for groups to share ideas, coordinate schedules and exchange documents. It reached 4.1 million users at a faster pace than Hotmail did.

MeMail.com, the Canadian publisher with over 300,000 subscribers, has 97% of its new subscribers from direct referrals.

Every time a subscriber passes along a story or joke, attached is a subtle endorsement for MeMail.com brand.

Other forms of viral advertising are based on the idea, that people will pass on and share cool and entertaining content, which is often sponsored by an individual or company.

This is looking to raise awareness and use of a product or service. These viral commercials can take many different forms: funny video clips, interactive Flash games, images, or even text.

R.S.S. is not just a gift, but a means to propagate your brand via incoming links. It will provide content to any who wish it, but its true purpose is to infiltrate the market, virally.

Viral marketing is usually carried out by email, although it is not the same as email marketing.

Email marketing is a message that is sent out by a company to a database.

In Viral marketing a conventional database is not used. The idea is to get your reader to pass your message on to their friends, family or associates. The message then carries a powerful personal endorsement and is much more likely to be read and/or acted upon.

When a viral campaign is properly constructed and executed, you will be rewarded exponentially by the spread.

Example: 2 readers tell 2, which in turn tell 2 more and so on. It spreads 2+4+8+16+38+64 and hopefully swells to a reach
massive number of readers that act on your offer or message. Ironically, even without action or direct financial participation, a mental impression can be formed through branding.while no-one will click on the large billboards that fill the landscape, the memory of it, can prompt future action with the sponsor in question. Exposure and impressions have consequences, both on and off line.

Most internet programs including mlm’s initiate novices by impressing them to harvest their “circles of influences”. This involves such novices telling everyone that they know, and giving the product a personal recommendation, or endorsement.

Some insist that a circle of influence strategy could spread the word to an incredible nine hundred people.

Examples of viral marketing can be seen everywhere: free email addresses, branded software, branded ipods or accessories, bravenet tools, some newsfeeds, syndication and other content, jokes (via email and offline), quotations even, anything that people want for nothing but agree to a link, like phpnuke or WordPress.

Look at the Marlboro Cigarettes campaign suggesting saving miles to purchase merchandise. Most items purchased are branded physically or by word-of-mouth, “I got it from Marlboro catalogue by saving miles”.

Miles that can only be accumulated by purchasing a pack of their cigarettes.

By offering a simple download with an email or as a bonus to your offer your branded name will become known. For instance you can go here and download a great set of tools that will benefit webmasters at any level. This branded tool will benefit both the consumer and the one making the offer.

E Books are invariably information products that can be branded and embedded with affiliate links. These are often given away as free reports, but with the firm consciousness that they will be passed on to enhance a viral campaign.

Brand it, and recieve widespread recognition. Embed it with affiliate links, and recieve any associated revenues.

Indeed, affiliation programs could be considered to be viral in nature. While the new affiliate may not make a sale, they will surely be aware of the product and may even purchase it themselves. This does happen, incidentally.

The most powerful vehicle of a viral marketing strategy is the one that is carried to the most valuable target of all; Those that want something, and those that want something else!

Good Luck and happy viral marketing.

Judy Webb is a strategy analyst with http://www.thewebbpage.com. If you want a powerful suite of Webmaster tools (which I still use myself), you can download it here Webmaster Tools , with my compliments. You may reprint this article if done in total, including this resource box.

Clearly the residential real estate market is a very different
arena today than it has been over the past several years. For
many sellers in 2005, marking up the asking price to never
before seen levels and waiting for the offers to come in was a
relatively simple and very profitable exercise. Selecting a real
estate broker was for many, just as simple. With real estate
inventories at all time lows and buyers abundant, it wasn’t
necessary to distinguish them as all seemed to be winners. Most
sellers held the line when it came to negotiating with buyers
and the role of the agent/broker was to list the property on MLS
and handle the myriad of details.

As the playing field turns to a buyers market in many parts of
the country, selecting the right real estate agent can make all
the difference between liquidating a piece of residential
property in a reasonable period of time or watching prices fall
while your home languishes on the market. Wondering if there
will ever be another showing of your home after the real estate
agent caravan is not where you want to be.

Before signing a listing contract or extending an active one,
the following points should be taken into consideration:

1. Work with a seasoned and experience real estate agent.
Chances are you don’t take investment advice from a rookie
investment analyst so why would you work with an inexperienced
agent when handling one of the largest single transactions you
make in a lifetime? Ask the agent how many homes they have sold
in the past 12 months, number of listings taken and number of
listings sold.

2. Arrange appointments with at least 3 agents from
different real estate brokerages to compare and contrast their
approaches to marketing your home. Consider interviewing brokers
with national coverage, regional brokers and brokers who are
only local to your area.

3. Ask the agent(s) which MLS (Multiple Listing Service)
your home will be listed on and whether there are more than one
MLS in your area. If so, will your home be listed on all of
them? It is key to gain the maximum exposure possible to the
real estate agent base.

4. Find out what sort of advertising will be used, the
size of ads, color/black & white and most importantly frequency
and what newspapers, magazines and publications.

5. Ask about weekend and/or during the week open houses
and their duration and frequency. Also ask who will be hosting
the open houses. Busy listing agents often delegate the hosting
of open houses to new agents.

6. Ask to see samples of the types of marketing materials
that will be used. Booklets, CD ROMS, flyers and the like.

7. Find out how often you will be updated on showings,
prospect/realtor feedback and open-houses.

8. Consider a 90 day listing contract to evaluate the
effectiveness of the real estate agent/broker.

Lastly, depending on your individual situation, be realistic in
pricing your home for sale. Determine the length of time you
have to sell your property and your profit objectives carefully.

Many people believe that eventually, and sometime in the not so distant future, no one will carry cash in their pockets, and everything will be purchased using plastic. Others think that will happen around the same time that people start driving around in space cars, or when we have domesticated robot maids to clean our homes and make our meals. Whether it becomes a reality or not, it’s quite possible to live almost cashless in our current society!

Think about it. When you get gas, almost every gas station has a pay at the pump option. Grocery stores, department stores and almost anyplace where there is a cash register can accept credit or debit cards, and you can even pay your waiters a tip from your card when dining at the restaurant. Fast food and drive through windows are even accepting debit or credit cards, now! So, if a person truly wanted to stop carrying cash all together, it would just about be possible by using debit cards, prepaid credit cards or regular credit cards to handle all of your financial transactions.

As with any choice there are advantages associated with going “cashless” or not, as well as disadvantages. Using cash requires an in person transaction. You shouldn’t mail cash through the postal service, as it’s very easily stolen, and you are unable to purchase online using cash. Cash however, helps maintain anonymity when you buy items or pay for services, where as a credit card reveals information about you to the vendors that you may not want them to have. Privacy is a concern, and using plastic means there is a chance for fraud or identity theft.

A problem many people have with credit cards is over spending. It’s very easy to spend more than what your budget allows when you aren’t counting out the actual cash and seeing the hard earned money leave your hands. The “I’ll pay it later” is much easier than saving money for that expensive purchase, and most of the time, something comes up that prevents us from paying it completely when “later” actually arrives. When using plastic for purchases, however, you are less likely to drop your card on the floor while pulling out one of your other credit cards like what often happens with cash. Have you ever stood behind someone in the grocery store line, and as they’re reaching in their wallet or purse for a $20, another couple of bills happens to fall out? Losing cash means it’s gone forever (unless some really nice soul sees it happen and gives it back to you!) but you do have some additional security when your credit cards are stolen.

The biggest disadvantage of going cashless is the amount of interest you’ll pay when you don’t pay off your balances at the end of each month. It may be extremely convenient to swipe your card everywhere you go, but when your statement comes you better hope you have enough to cover it or else each of your purchases are going to cost you well more than the price tag indicated!

Deciding whether to carry cash or go “cashless” is a personal decision for now, as we still have the ability to use both. It’s hard to say whether or not we will ever be forced to use only plastic, but you can bet if the credit card companies have their way we will become a cashless society! Until then, become familiar with the advantages and disadvantages of each option, and decide which will work for your personal financial habits and discipline.

This article has been provided courtesy of Creditor Web. Creditor Web offers great credit card articles available for reprint and other tools to help you search and compare credit cards.

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The best part about NO-Xplode is that it contains no hormones. NO-Xplode`s blend of nootropics and methylxanthine energizes your brain and body with the most focused intensity possible. The complex blend of phospho-electrolyte replacers and glycerol hydrating polymers is a powerful magnet for protein, carbs, water, creatine, and muscle building nutrients into the muscle cells. This complex blend significantly increases the pump, fuels the body for an intense training session, replenishes lost electrolytes, reduces lactic acid build up, and overloads the muscles with vital nutrients for growth.

With the consumption of NO-Xplode, you may experience some of the side effects that have been reported. Although rare, you may experience stomach problems, diarrhea, and headaches. NO-Xplode can also increase you blood pressure, which means that severely overweight people should NOT use this product. Other consumers reported sexual dysfunctions, insomnia, and increased tension. If you have a history of any of these side effects, then you should consult your doctor prior to the use of NO-Xplode.

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If you’ve just bought a house, you may be able to relate to a fascinating essay in Maya Angelou’s book, Even the Stars Look Lonesome.

When Ms. Angelou moved into a designer house in California, she says, nothing worked. Her pictures didn’t look right on the walls. Cakes fell in the oven and curtains fell off the rods.

The house, she concluded, hated her. And it wasn’t much consolation to realize the house hated her husband, too.

What I want to know is, how could she tell?

Let’s face it, most houses hate their new owners. They have adapted to the rhythm of one family and resent being sold.

Like most cats that you rescue from the pound, your house probably believes, “If I’d waited awhile, a better owner would have come along. So I’m going to make this one’s life miserable.”

When you move

Those who are trained in modern research methods will be skeptical, but there’s plenty of evidence. Everyone knows what happens when you move into a new house.

“You’ll see a lot of repair services in the first six months,” I was warned. “When a house hasn’t changed hands in five years or more, lots of little things will happen when you move in.”

Now, you’ll notice this doesn’t happen when you rent a house or apartment. Some friends of mine rented a house while they saved to buy their own property.

For two years, the refrigerator purred and the air conditioner hummed contentedly. The plumbing flowed silently and the insect life remained hidden. Encouraged (”see, a house isn’t so bad after all!”) they took the plunge and bought their own home.

I’d like to say they’re doing great but in fact they’ve dropped out of sight. They can’t take phone calls any more. “Sorry, we can’t tie up this line. We’re holding the phone open till we hear from the handyman…” Or the pest control guy, or the electrician. They considered Call Waiting but were afraid to jinx the only object in the house that seemed to be working.

If you seem particularly gullible, (e.g., the house senses that you’re new to this game), your appliances may join the fun. I am absolutely positive the once-faithful refrigerator sent out a message: “How about this, guys. Let’s really confuse everybody. I’ll put out a leak, send the water over to the sink, and they’ll think it’s a big pipe in the wall. After they’ve poked a few holes they’ll realize it’s time to wake up that sleeping repairman!”

And one day my security system kept getting an “Open Door” signal even when the door was firmly locked. The tech found nothing wrong and it never happened again.

My lawn service person knew how to work the system: Let Them Know Who’s Boss. After he cut back the hedges and pulled some over-aggressive vines, the bushes stopped sulking and started putting out nice flowers. They knew what would happen if they didn’t.

Making Peace with the House

Soon you’ve emptied your bank account to create a peace offering — a new floor or a paint job or a screen door.
“Every so often,” I’m told, “you even get thirty days with no service calls. But after six months or so, the house gets bored and it’ll start all over again.”

One thing is certain. In your house’s “Lose the Owner” contest, there’s one simple rule. Whoever costs the most, wins.

For serious advice about moving, download Making the Big Move.

Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D.,, wrote Making the Big Move: How to Transform Relocation
into a Creative Life Transition.
http://www.cathygoodwin.com/bigmove.html

Fr^e relocation and career tips: Great Careers Eznine

Following are a few paragraphs about the on going battle I had with some of my plants!

Way back when I was just starting to garden I excitedly gathered starts from here and there, and several times, when I asked people for a particular start, they, with raised eyebrow, would ask me if I was sure I wanted that plant as it could be invasive.

Naively, and just so thrilled to get a new start (I had garden fever bad Ha!), I said that wasn’t a problem.

Wow! Was I ever clueless!

I had a lot to learn as to just how INVASIVE some plants could be and how hard some were to kill out.

Following are a few short tales of the battles I waged with those wonderful starts I collected years ago.

Horseradish will be the first I’ll mention, as it was one of the first starts I acquired. I found it to be a very worthy opponent.

In some book about companion planting I read that horseradish was good to raise by potatoes, so I rushed out and found a start of it! Well, I’ve long since quit raising potatoes, but I still have a thriving supply of horseradish. Slow spreading, but, as far as I’m concerned, impossible to get rid of. When you dig it up any tiny pieces of root that remain will start new plants. I tried covering it with black plastic for two years and it just sent out shoots to come up in other places. I guess we will grow old together.

Wild Blackberry is the next opponent. I love blackberries, so I asked a friend who lives in the country for a start of hers. With raised eyebrow she asked me “Are you sure you want this?” I assured her, “Oh yes, I’m going to train it to a trellis.” she just said ok with more raised eyebrows. (Are you laughing yet?) Train wild blackberry to a trellis, no such thing for me. For two years I had delicious berries but the thorns (from Hades) ripped me to shreds, and the underground runners were sending up new shoots in my tomato patch, my carrot patch, and in my neighbors yard, to their delight and mine. NOT! The more I cut them down the more they ran. It finally took cutting them to the ground (with ripped up body parts to accomplish this) and covering them with black plastic for four years to finally kill them out. This is one battle I won!!

Mint, of which I have three varieties, is sure to be another plant that I’ll grow old with. I got the Apple mint and Lemon mint from the same friend that gave me the start of blackberry, with an even stronger reaction. She warned me how aggressive and invasive mint could be. I purchased the Peppermint from a retailer. I was sure I could contain the mint with some mulch and some of those four-inch barriers. I planted it by the walkways in my flower and herb gardens, as I thought the fragrance that would be released, as people brushed against it would be nice. That part of my plan did work. These plants do smell good when crushed, but believe me no four-inch barrier and mulch is going to hold mint in check! The Apple mint and the Peppermint spread by runners that just hopped over or dove under the barriers and through the mulch and ran wherever they choose. Each year I spend considerable time pulling it up out of the flower and herbs beds. Last year I turned my back on it for a while to long (as I was distracted with this computer) and ended up taking a weed eater to it, because it had completely taken over one flower bed. Then I had to get down and pull up the underground roots and runners. How it got into that bed is a mystery. That bed was at the opposite end of the garden. A word of warning! Any little piece of stem or root can and probably will start a new plant. The only way I would recommend raising mint is in escape proof containers. The Lemon mint self-seeds itself prolifically. I have it popping up in all the beds each spring.

Wild Passion Flower Vine, with its sweet fragrance and exotic blooms, is also one of those plants that spread by underground runners. When I got the start to this beauty I planted it by my front porch and set a trellis so it could climb it. I thought this would be a nice place for visitors to view the lovely bloom and enjoy the sweet smell of its blossoms. The problem here was that the vine wasn’t content with staying by the trellis. It comes up in the shrubs, hedges, hostas, and hibiscus. It has spread to the neighbors yard again to their delight and mine NOT! It has spread all the way around to the other side of the house. God only knows where it will show up next.

Honey Locust Tree, I can’t forget this one. This tree has lovely clusters of pinkish-lavender blooms, but it also has a devilish habit of sending underground runners that pop up just where you usually don’t want them. I’ve dug starts out of my horseradish, iris, comphrey, thyme, etc. Oh well, it does have lovely blooms…

S. Johnson is the owner of Azeche Co. and creator of ShopAzeche.com and LetMeOutDoors.com. ShopAzeche.com is a popular home and garden website featuring products for every corner of your home including Quality Furniture, Cedar Trunks, Plush Pelt Throws and so much more. LetMeOutDoors.com features Patio and Garden Furniture, Decor, Yard Carts, Oilcloth Aprons, and Gardening supplies. Please visit both sites for your entire home and garden needs.

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Almost all of the Hindu festivals are bogus, childish, and absolutely rubbish. Here I explain how.

1. MakarSankranta (Capricorn Transition of Sun)-
It is celebrated by giving Til Gool, a kind of round sweet edible thing, to each other and saying Til Gool Ghya Ani God Bola. (i.e. have this til gool and speak good.) Now how many people really speak good because of this? Almost none! Simply ridiculous!

2. Holi and Rangapanchami (A kind of fire night to burn evil followed by some colourful celebration) -
A huge fire is created, at innumerably many places across the country (i.e. India), for the sake of burning evil. However, what is literally burnt is wood and loads of air pollution is created. The next day water balloons and colours are heavily used to throw at civilians which causes injuries and interruption to normal duties/routine. What a shame!

3. Nagpanchami -
This festival celebrates and worships the reptile ’snake’, which is offered milk on the basis of the misbelief that it likes milk, where, in fact, it does not drink milk at all. Quite silly!

4. Raksha Bandhan (Promise of Protection)-
In this festival a sister ties a Rakhi, a kind of funny band, on the wrist/s of her brother/s expecting a promise that he/they will protect her in hostile circumstances. (where actually the sole interest of the sister is getting money out of her brother/s pocket/s.) Simply wicked!

5. Ganeshotsav (Celebrating the funny-looking elephant headed god)-
Loads of huge (as well as tiny and medium size) Ganesh statues are created, worshipped, and finally sunk in rivers and seas. All this is accompanied by loads of noise & water pollution and severe disruption on roads demanding police forces. Pathetic!

6. Dasara (also known as Vijayadashami) -
In the name of burning evil, a massive Ravan doll is burnt at many places across the country, causing loads of air and noise pollution. Absolutely childish!

7. Diwali / Deepawali
It is mainly celebrated with millions of fire crackers all over the country with absolute disregard to nature and civilians. It is even fearsome and possibly fateful to travel in those periods as roads are full of burning firecrackers !!! Simply annoying, barbaric, and Rubbish!

About the Author

Born: 31 Dec 1979

Creator of Superultramodern Science & Philosophy

Founder & President
British Superultramodern Scientific Institution

Chairman & Director
Superultramodern Scientific Ltd
Reg in England No. 5541466

email: kedarkj1@rediffmail.com

Residence: Cambridge, England

Pontoon boats are popularly known as the party boats. A pontoon boat has a hull that is made of round tubes that are attached to the outside bottom edge of a large flat deck and a safety railing is provided on all the sides of the deck. The helm can be either in the middle of the deck or off to one side. Pontoon boats can be plain, with lawn furniture inside, or can be a luxurious with built-in upholstered seating, a dinette, cooler, roof, and a toilet.

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