WUZ UP!

Jdoggpride · Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 3:13 pm

I'm a big jayhawk fan. On Armorgames i am Jdoggparty. That's all ok RockChalk Jayhalk

_________________

plokkey · Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 3:24 pm

ok welcome come Ag_PRide!

bobert · Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 7:04 pm

Welcome to AGP!

Gman1000 · Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 9:14 pm

Yes, welcom, and enjoy your stay. Star Wars

_________________
Prepare Yourself

Kingy · Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 12:35 pm

Welcome enjoy your stay at AG Pride!

Edited: Regular users have to use black
_________________
-Kingy

Jdoggpride · Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 11:00 pm

Newbie Jdoggpride look, i'm a mod now! lol
_________________

plokkey · Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 12:50 am

jane520lin · Wood Beggar - 0 PP Joined: 27 Mar 2009 Posts: 5

For decades, the Twin Ports' economic landscape was planted firmly in big business such as manufacturing,

shipping, and mining. Although these trades are still vital to our economy, today's technological advances are

sowing the seeds of a new entrepreneurism that is allowing more people to jump the corporate ship and test the

waters of going into business for themselves. Home-based businesses in our region have emerged from the shadows in

recent years and proven that they can have a measurable impact on a local economy. We spoke with several area

home-based business people about why this impact will continue to grow in coming years. In addition to offering

tips on how to start a home-based business, they also explain why membership in the Chamber of Commerce is even

more important to those who go it alone. Mark Anthony, president of the Home-Based Business Association of

Minnesota, operates an extremely infon-native web site on the subject (www.hbba.org). Anthony believes that Duluth

is ripe for more home-based businesses. He says, "Duluth and the Iron Range are explosive right now in regard to

this trend. We've had a lot of inquirie from the area." Anthony says that a bias once attached to this type of

business is eroding. wow power leveling,
"There is still a stigma with home-based businesses among dyed in the wool corporates," begins Anthony. "Just five

years ago, it was like pulling teeth to get someone to admit that they worked out of the home. Now, it's become

almost a status symbol." Perhaps the image of home-based busi ness is improving because more people are realizing

that its contribution to the community is no nickel and dime matter. "Home-based business people spend their money

locally and it adds up to thousands annually," says Anthony. "Cities need to encourage these businesses, because

they help sustain a local tax base." One local entrepreneur who agrees that these businesses are vital to the

economy's health is Ken Nebel, of K.H. Nebel Associates, d/b/a Nebel Financial Services. "If you look at the

statistics, businesses that employ one to five people represent a huge segment of the economy," he states. "A lot

of these businesses are home-based. We are lucky here, because we don't have the zoning restrictions and other

obstacles that home-based business faces in the Cities." Nebel affirms that home-based business people are

strongly committed to their communities and prove that with their spending habits. He says, "I've found that Samls

Club has terrific deals on office equipment. Sam's Club is the home-based-business supplier for Duluth. Its

manager, Jim Caesar, another Chamber memher, is very supportive of the small businessperson." John Pegg started

the Entrepreneurs' Connection organization in Duluth two years ago. "We are definitely growing," Pegg says. "We

have about 100 people on our mailing list and I continue to meet more people who are looking for more options."

Home-based businesses are also changing how larger companies operate. Mary Smestad owns Positive Solutions, and is

a customer service consultant. She points out that more corporations are turning to contract services to protect

their bottom line. "It's a great selling point for my business," explains Smestad, "To tell a company that, by

hiring me on a short-term basis, they save money on taxes, annual salary and benefits. I think home-based

businesses in Duluth will really take off when more companies learn the benefits of using their services." All of

our contacts agree that Chamber membership is not just for storefront businesses and large corporations. "The

smaller the business, the more important Chamber participation is," says Ken Nebel. "My best clients came from

referrals from other Chamber members." Mary Smestad adds, "The networking is so important, and so is the education

about other companies. It's also a great morale boost for me - the Chamber is sort of my cheerleader." If you are

considering starting your own business, heed the seasoned advice of those who have gone before you: get informed

and be prepared. "You're going to be blindsided some months, no matter how good your business plan looks on

paper," says Smestad who attended classes at The University of Minnesota Duluth's (UMD) Center for Business

Development before starting Positive Solutions. "All of the freedom - flexible schedule, being in charge of my own

destiny - comes with a price; you're giving up the security of that monthly paycheck. Discipline and

selfmotivation are key. For every day you take off, there's an 18-hour day to make up for it. Know there's a big

learning curve at first; learning when the slow months will occur, so the next year, you can plan ways to fill

those gaps." Smestad says that the classes at UMD and at Lake Superior College provided her with excellent

preparation and support. Beth Travis-Betts, owner of Art Direction and Advertising agrees. "I took small-business

classes at UMD and at Lake Superior College. You learn how to determine profit and loss statements, how to mark-up

a world of warcraft power levelin,

product, how to register with the State as a business, and how to handle tax issues. In fact, the instructor

actually comes to your house once a month for the first year to assist you with start-up." Travis-Betts explains

why education is so important to a home-based business. "One gets pretty isolated working at home, and these days

you have to keep up with new technology to stay competitive." She also offers a little advice on how to create a

business image without spending a lot of money. "The phone company has resources such as market extension lines.

They allow you to have two numbers, a residential and business phone number, with only one phone line. That way,

you r business can be listed in the Yellow Pages. Home-based businesses have sparked entire industries that cater

to them. Use the Internet to find better rates on fax lines, phone systems, and other tools." Marge Johnson has

operated a management consulting firm out of her North Shore home for four years. She stresses the importance of

research to would-be entrepreneurs. "Be sure there is market demand for what you're doing. Does the market need

your service?" asks Johnson. "I interviewed other consultants and potential customers before starting my

business." Again, all of our contacts concur that involvement with the Chamber is crucial to building business.

Says Johnson, "The Chamber provides the most current, succinct information about the local business climate. It's

a critical place to meet potential clients." Beth Travis-Betts notes, "It's where I get most of my business." In

addition to referrals from Chamber members, Mary Smestad started building a clientele with a letter-writing

campaign. "I wrote a lot of letters to past contacts from my previous job and asked for referrals." "People buy

from people they know," quips Arlene Soden, a local business development consultant and home-based business owner.

Entreprenuerism is part of America's heritage and today's technology-based economy is allowing more people to

realize their dream of working for themselves. Many believe that the future of the home-based business culture in

Duluth is taking shape right before our eyes on a construction site located in the old downtown. Mark Anthony

comments, "With the new Soft Center coming to Duluth, home-based businesses will be called upon to help develop

software that will place businesses, both large and small, on the cutting edge of technology and help transform

this area into a major telecommuting center." [9 Julie Munson is a freelance writer in Duluth.

lj520ail · Wood Beggar - 0 PP Joined: 05 Aug 2009 Posts: 5

All you remember about your child being an infant is the incredible awe you felt about the precious miracle you created. archlord gold, You remember having plenty of time to bestow all your wisdom and knowledge. You thought your child would take all of your advice and make fewer mistakes, and be much smarter than you were. You wished for your child to hurry and grow up.

All you remember about your child being two is never using the restroom alone or getting to watch a movie without talking animals. You recall afternoons talking on the phone while crouching in the bedroom closet, and being convinced your child would be the first Ivy League1 college student to graduate wearing pullovers2 at the ceremony. buy archlord gold, You remember worrying about the bag of M＆M"s melting in your pocket and ruining your good dress. You wished for your child to be more independent.

All you remember about your child being five is the first day of school and finally having the house to yourself. You remember joining the PTA3 and being elected president when you left a meeting to use the restroom. archlord money, You remember being asked “Is Santa real?” and saying “yes” because he had to be for a little bit longer. You remember shaking the sofa cushions for loose change4, so the toothfairy5 could come and take away your child"s first lost tooth. You wished for your child to have all permanent teeth.

All you remember about your child being seven is the carpool6 schedule. You learned to apply makeup in two minutes and brush your teeth in the rearview mirror1 because the only time you had to yourself was when you were archlord power leveling, stopped at red lights. You considered painting your car yellow and posting a “taxi” sign on the lawn next to the garage door. You remember people staring at you, the few times you were out of the car, because you kept flexing2 your foot and making acceleration3 noises. You wished for the day your child would learn how to drive.

All you remember about your child being ten is managing the school fundraisers. You sold wrapping paper for paint, Tshirts for new furniture, and magazine subscriptions4 for shade trees in the school playground. aoc power leveling, You remember storing a hundred cases of candy bars in the garage to sell so the school band could get new uniforms, and how they melted together on an unseasonably5 warm spring afternoon. You wished your child would grow out of playing an instrument.

All you remember about your child being twelve is sitting in the stands6 during baseball practice and hoping your child"s team would strike out7 fast because you had more important things to do at home. The coach didn"t understand how busy you were. You wished the baseball season would be over soon.

All you remember about your child being fourteen is being asked not to stop the car in front of the school in the morning. You had to drive two blocks further and unlock the doors without coming to a complete stop. You remember not getting to kiss your child goodbye or talking to him in front of his friends. You wished your child would be more mature.

All you remember about your child being sixteen is loud music and undecipherable8 lyrics9 screamed to a rhythmic beat. You wished for your child to grow up and leave home with the stereo.

All you remember about your child being eighteen is the day they were born and having all the time in the world.

And, as you walk through your quiet house, you wonder where they wentand you wish your child hadn"t grown up so fast.
All you remember

lovers321 · Wood Beggar - 0 PP Joined: 27 Oct 2009 Posts: 5

The Feast of Christmas
It is not easy to pin-point the origins of the Christmas feast, today the more important feast of the Christmas

season in most western Christian churches. One can only say for certain that the birth of Jesus Christ was being

celebrated in Rome by the year 336 A.D.; afterwards the feast was celebrated in other Christian churches throughout

the world.
world of warcraft power leveling
Why it was celebrated on December 25th is another question. No date for the birth of Jesus can be found in the New

Testament, which is concerned more with the question "Who is Jesus?" than the date of his birth. Early Christian

speculation about his birth date was influenced by the symbolism of the changing seasons, then popular in religious

thought, which paid careful attention to the equinoxes and solstices of the sun. Christian scholars speculated that

Jesus was conceived at the spring equinox (March 25th) and therefore was born on December 25th, the date of the

winter solstice.
replica watches,
In many of the Christian churches, March 25th is still the Feast of the Annunciation, when the Angel Gabriel

announced to Mary that she was to be the mother of Jesus.

Possible impluse for the feast of Christmas may have came too from the establishment of the pagan feast of the

"Unconquered Sun-God" by the Emperor Aurelian in 274 A.D. to be celebrated on December 25, the day of the winter

solstice in Rome and throughout the empire. In response, Christians could celebrate the feast of the "Sun of

righteousness" (Malachi 4,2), Jesus Christ, who called himself " the light of the world."
replica watches,

Father Christmas

It is said that in the year of 300 AD, there was a kind old man and his name was Saint Nicholas. He was always ready

to help the poor and often gave presents to them.

Today, Father Christmas is an imaginary figure, but nearly all young children believe in him. They think he is a

happy old man with a long white beard and a long red robe.
replica watches,
On the night of the twenty-fourth of December every year, Father Christmas from some cold northern land comes down

the chimney of the fireplace to put presents by the beds of children or to fill their stockings. So when children go

to bed that night, they hang up their stockings, and on Christmas morning they wake to find them full of presents. Of

course, it's really their parents who fill the stockings.
replica watches,
Another name for Father Christmas is Santa Claus.

For today's Christian, the origin of Christmas is, and should be, the birth of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Bible.

Nothing more and nothing less. However, most of what we witness on December 25th each year has absolutely nothing to

do with that blessed day, which probably occurred in late summer or early fall about 2,000 years ago. In fact, most

of the customs and traditions of Christmas actually pre-date the birth of Jesus, and many of them are downright

deceptive in their meaning and origin. Anyway, who cares when Christ was born?
replica watches,
Christmas Day,the 25th of December,is the biggest festival(节日)celebrated in the Christian countries of the

world.Although everyone enjoys Christmas Day,it is particularly enjoyed by children,who get very excited because of

the presents they know they are going to receive.Small children believe that their presents are brought by Father

Christmas(圣诞老人).Father Christmas is a kind of old man who,the children are told,lives at the North Pole.He

travels through the sky on a sleigh(雪撬) which is pulled by reindeers(驯鹿) and loaded with(装满) presents.Stopping

on the roof of houses,he enters by climbing the chimney(烟囱).When small children go to bed on Christmas Eve,they

hang a stocking at the end of their beds.Their parents warn them not to try to look at Father Christmas,or he will

not leave them anything.When they wake,they find their stockings filled with presents.Children are very excited on

Christmas morning and always wake up early.
Christmas is also a family celebration.As any members of the family as possible gather