Olympic Trader

Of Weeds And Thugs, Part1

Visitors to my garden have often remarked on my almost weed-free flower beds.“You must spend all your time weeding”they say, their voices dripping a combination of admiration and envy, as they take in my tidy

well-mulched garden.“Not really,” I’m quick to assure them, with perhaps a bit of smuggness, “I don’t give them a chance.”The truth is, this conversation usually takes place during an “Open Garden,” the culmination

of months of grooming. Unseen are the year-round battles I wage to keep the upper hand against weeds and plant thugs.“Look! You have a Dandelion!” a friend informs me, loudly . . . as if she has discovered something I was not aware of. I ignore her. The dandelion is the least of my problems. Of far greater concern are the invasive roots and weed seeds that grow in secret. Even as the garden lulls me with the beauty of its pristine beds, danger lurks. A small tendril, in a far corner of the garden, breaks the soil. Counter-clockwise, it wraps itself around the lower stems of a Forsythia. It grows unobserved. Days later I will pass this section and notice something strange. The Forsythia is leaning at crazy angles. Branches lie horizontal to the ground. Puzzled, although this scene has played out many times before, I march into the underbrush to investigate. And then I spot the problem. I reel back in horror. Convolvulus, more commonly known as Bindweed, with its gay “Morning Glory” type flowers, has reached monstrous proportions! Now, with nowhere to go, the tendrils wave in the breeze above me, like the snake heads of Medusa, searching

for new victims.When noxious vines desist from leveling healthy shrubs, weed seeds bombard our gardens. Our islands of order seem to shout, “Welcome,” to all and sundry. Weed seeds blow in on gusts of wind from distance places, and from as close as next door. Weeds that gain a toe hold, or are left to mature, such as a common Redroot Pigweed or common Lambsquarters, can produce up to 70,000 seeds.Birds and squirrels

drop and bury seeds in the ground. The hardest to see are the seeds that hide amongst other plants or the tree seedlings that are firmly rooted in the ground by the time we spot them and difficult to pull. Squirrels may be responsible for the dozens of exotic Oregon Myrtlewood seedlings, Umbellularia californica, I find in my garden. For many years I pulled or dug them up. When noxious vines desist from leveling healthy shrubs, weed seeds bombard our gardens. Our islands of order seem to shout, “Welcome,” to all and sundry. Weed seeds blow in on gusts of wind from distance places, and from as close as next door. Weeds that gain

a toe hold, or are left to mature, such as a common Redroot Pigweed or common Lambsquarters, can produce up to 70,000 seeds. Birds and squirrels drop and bury seeds in the ground. The hardest to see are the seeds that hide amongst other plants or the tree seedlings that are firmly rooted in the ground by the time we spot them and difficult to pull. Squirrels may be responsible for the dozens of exotic Oregon Myrtlewood seedlings, Umbellularia californica, I find in my garden. For many years I pulled or dug them up and threw them away. Was I a nut myself? Other people complain about giant Maple seedlings. After fourteen years I have finally begun potting them up to use in containers and give to friends. The fresh leaves are more potent in soups and stew

than store bought bayleaves. I am even using them as subjects for topiary, although they are capable of growing to eighty feet with a width of fourty one feet! I too, am guilty of spreading weed seeds. They attach themselves to my clothing as I move through the garden or hitch rides in the soil, that clings to plants, I move to new locations. I have even carried them home from plant sales, nestled under the leaf of a prized plant find. Each time we spade up the soil, dormant seeds come to light. Add moisture and air and they spring Pull weeds when you see them, before they have taken over. Take frequent walks through your garden. Get to know it on intimate terms.to life. Weed seeds buried in the soil remain viable for years. Some weed seeds, like Jimson Weed can be stored in the ground for as long as forty years. Long term survival of weed seeds in the soil, coupled with the large numbers produced, insures that once a weed becomes established, it will continue to reestablish itself almost

indefinitely.If weed seeds are so tough it’s no wonder we agonize over their presence. Weeding spells work. Of all the complaints I hear from fledgling gardeners, weeding heads the list. There is hope, however. The first line of defense is good, friable soil. Good soil makes weeding easier. Instead of yanking them out of hard clay, you merely pluck them out. I am convinced that fluffy soil is more important for the gardener than for the plant, and so much easier on our backs. Mulch. A good mulch keeps weed seeds buried or at least discouraged. There is nothing more pathetic than a Rose, for instance, with its feet choked with weeds. A good mulch smothers all the bad guys and saves work later on. Pull weeds when you see them, before they
have taken over. Take frequent walks through your garden. Get to know it on intimate terms. Practice diligence. Spring is not the only season to weed. I get rid of lots of perennial weeds in the winter while the soil is still moist. One last tip, that has served me well over the years, is planting plants close together to shade
out weeds.

Help With Bad Credit Home Owner Loans
by Paul Rogers

There are several reasons why people may need bad credit home owner loans. The general reason is for the use
on home improvement needs. This could be to replace appliances, re-decorate, add an addition, or any other type of home remodeling. This can save many people thousands of dollars. Instead of using one’s savings or creating unwanted high interest credit card debt, a home owner loans offer you an inexpensive way to get
the money you need to spruce up your home. With this type of loan you can expect to be able to borrow
between$5,000 and $75,000, depending on the value of your equity and the lender you choose. It is always
best to apply for less that the total value of your equity. This ensures that you get offered low rates and the lender will see you as less of a risk. Quite often these loans are the only loans that some people can qualify
for, such as those people with less than ideal credit. This can be wonderful for these people, especially if the
value of their equity is high. People applying for these loans cannot only get what they need for home improvement, but also use some of the money towards past debt.

Best Loans

Perhaps the easiest method of finding these loans would be to do a search over the Internet as many lenders today have established themselves online for the sole purpose of offering such loans to people that really need them. By using the Internet browser, you will find a lot of lenders willing and able to assist someone that has enough collateral to get the best bad credit loan that will work for them.Nowadays, the majority of the lenders online have their company placed in a lending pool. What this does is promote their loan business and offer the customer the opportunity to find the best loans available to them without fuss or lengthy searches. When
you find the site that has an online application, you could simply fill it out right then and there.

What Can Be Used As
Collateral?

More often than not a lender will ask for you to place your home or piece of property up against the loan that you are looking to take out. This will also be dependant on whether or not there is a lien or court order against the home or property. If there is, you will not be able to use this property as collateral. You will not be able to use the property if you do not own it either, meaning if you merely rent the property you will not be granted
the loan from the lender with the property used as collateral. When you do elect to use your home as collateral for bad credit home owner loans, you will still have possession of the property yet the lender will retain the
deed or title.

Personal Loan For People With Bad Credit
by: Paul Rogers

Either way you look at it, personal expenses and debt play a key role in the lives of many. When you have problems however it can be a personal loan for people with bad credit that can help you out. A personal loan for people with bad credit can mean the difference between financial woes, or having life options.

Who Can Apply For A Personal Loan For People With Bad Credit?

This statement is pretty much self-explanatory, as you would not apply for a bad credit loan if you can get an unsecured personal loan. A personal loan for people with bad credit is for the individual that just cannot convince a larger financial institution that they are good for the loan. This is primarily due to the credit history
that will be before the lenders eyes while reviewing your application. A personal loan for people with bad credit
is basically a second chance for someone to correct the financial mess that they face, anyone who is not facing
financial woes need not apply.

How Much Can You Borrow On A Personal Loan For People With Bad Credit?

A personal loan for people with bad credit really is not without its downfalls, while it will help you in a financial pinch, it really will not offer much in the way of funds to be borrowed. This is because the lender already knows that you have had some financial difficulties in the past, they are not in the business to offer a
personal loan for people with bad credit to those that they fear will not be able to meet the obligations of the loan. A personal loan for people with bad credit really is not without its downfalls, while it will help you in a financial pinch, it really will not offer much in the way of funds to be borrowed. This is because the lender already knows that you have had some financial difficulties in the past, they are not in the business to offer a
personal loan for people with bad credit to those that they fear will not be able to meet the obligations of the loan.

Where Do You Find A Personal Loan For People With Bad Credit?

If you happen to be looking for a personal loan for people with bad credit, you do actually have many options. One of the best options is to look online for the lender, many of the lenders for a personal loan for
people with bad credit sign up for a loan pool. The loan pool is where the lenders company names will all be placed into a system, from this system the lender is selected once you have placed your personal information into the loan application online. This is a great method to find a personal loan for people with bad credit, and it will surely be a life saver should you not find any other means to gain funds.

Should You Apply For A Fixed Rate Mortgage?
by: Michael Sterios

With so much interest rate uncertainty in the market borrowers are facing a dilemma as to whether they should fix their home loan interest rate or not by applying for a fixed rate mortgage. A fixed rate mortgage
will provide absolute security against interest rate rises ensuring that monthly repayments remain constant regardless of what the money market is doing. The interest rate, and therefore the interest payments, on the fixed rate product will remain stable for the fixed rate period. This period is predetermined and is usually set between one and five years, although it can be for longer. Fixing home loan repayments can help considerably with household budgeting which is why this type of product is popular with low income earners and first-time-buyers. Mortgage payments usually account for about a third of a household’s disposable income so it is important to ensure that rising interest rates do not make the home loan unaffordable. Locking in the interest rate at an acceptable level can reduce this risk considerably. Borrowers should be aware, however,
that fixed interest rates are usually higher than variable rates offered on the same products. Additionally, as a general rule, the longer the fixed rate period is, the higher the interest rate will be. This is because lenders must provide themselves with a profit margin on the money they lend. If they are expecting interest rates
to increase in the future, their costs will increase and their profit margin will decrease. Lenders therefore
need to build in a larger profit margin for this type of home loan product when compared to variable rate products. Mortgage products that have a variable interest rate should provide a profit to the lender for the entire term of the loan. Borrowers should therefore keep in mind that they might pay over the odds for a fixed rate home loan however the reduction in risk should make up for this. Another factor that borrowers should consider before applying for a home loan product of this kind is early repayment charges and arrangement fees. Although a fixed rate mortgage can save money over the long term if interest rates rise, borrowers should take into account any fees that may be payable on an existing home loan if it is redeemed and switched to a new product. Additionally, fixed rate products may attract an arrangement fee. The cost of the arrangement fee should also be taken into account when calculating whether this type of home loan product is worth applying for. Also, home loan products typically come with early repayment charges during the fixed rate period. This means that if the borrower wishes to redeem the loan or remortgage to another product they will have to pay a fee to the lender. Early repayment charges can be as high as five percent of the balance of the loan.

Baking Versus Cooking by Jeff Gustafson We’re all different. No two individuals are exactly alike; however, there are some general categories that seem to hold true. For instance, there are the Morning People and the Night People. I am definitely of the latter variety. About 9:00 p.m. something kicks into gear—a burst of energy, creativity, and feeling totally alive—and I could work until daylight, and have done so many times. Mornings are an entirely different story—for the first 30 minutes of the day I hardly know which planet I’m on. There are some Morning People in my family. They awake with the birds, happy, cheerful, and ready to meet the day with a smile—it’s disgusting! Suffice it to say, we just don’t understand each other.In the culinary category there are also two basic classes of people as I see it: the Bakers and the Cooks. Baking is a very precise science. Flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, soda, milk, buttermilk, flavorings, shortening, oil, butter or other ingredients are used in a variety of ways in baked goods recipes, but they interact with each other in very specific ways. Measurements have to be precise or it’s disasterville in the kitchen. Commercial bakers even weigh their ingredients to assure they’re using just the right amount. Cookbooks have recipes that are tested and re-tested until the directions shown, if followed, will result in a tasty dish. There is very little room for personal variations unless the baker has a great deal of experience. When we see a famous chef on TV appearing to simply mix in this and that in a somewhat carefree manner, it’s just because he or she has put in a great deal of time learning basic measurements and techniques that yield that mouth-watering masterpiece. Although I can turn out a good cake or pie when I have to, it’s not what I enjoy most. A few of my baking experiments have yielded some “interesting” results, like the time I thought I’d vary a mini-chocolate cupcake recipe. I added some extra chocolate, filled the cupcakes with raspberry jam to which I had added raspberry liqueur, and just knew I had created little masterpieces. What I took out of the oven was a pan full of minidisasters that resembled lumps of coal! So much for baking innovation.Apart from my creative baking experiments, there’s the whole other category of baking blunders. Recently, I prepared a batch of cranberry-orange muffins to thank a friend for his help with a computer problem. When he took the first bite, I knew something was definitely amiss by the scrunched up look on this face. He ran for the kitchen garbage can, spit out the offending mouthful and said, “Sorry, but that tasted terrible!” As I looked at the recipe again it dawned on me that in my haste to get the muffins in the oven before he arrived I had forgotten one very vital ingredient—sugar! This was another reminder to me that baking is a precise science that requires careful attention. If one ingredient isn’t measured correctly or, in this case ignored, the result can be completely inedible. For instance, take that good old American standby, potato salad. Most of us have our favorite recipe, but have you ever thought of some ways to vary your version? Take potatoes, the main ingredient. Do you go with Russet, Yukon Gold, White Rose, Baby Reds, or some of the more than 40 other less known varieties that are grown? And what about the onion family? We have lots of choices there too: white, sweet, and red onions, scallions, chives, or shallots, to name a few. Dressings are another story. Some people prefer mayonnaise; others, salad dressing, a creamy sour cream mixture, French dressing or a light vinaigrette. Then there are the add-ins, which can vary greatly. Some people don’t consider it a real potato salad without the addition of chopped, hardcooked eggs. Others prefer crumbled bacon bits, chopped pickles, sweet relish, or a variety of crisp vegetables. You get the idea—with cooking, there’s room for innovation, and that sparks the creative side of me. I am definitely a Cook as opposed to the esteemed title of Baker. My motto is, “a pinch of this, a smidge of that, a little bit of that spice to kick up the flavor, and don’t forget the lemon zest? “Which kind of culinary aficionado are you—a Baker or a Cook?

Why You Need To Detoxify Your Body

by Ted Cantu

I got the phone call early on a Monday. It was from California and I had no idea what I was about to learn from the amazing Dr. Berneathy. Dr. B, as he is affectionately known, has created a dynamite weight loss formula for
his patients in his Chiropractic clinic. I was about to embark on a real education. If you want to lose the weight then you will have to lose any type of victim mentality and get positive. I learned from Dr. B that weight loss
was not that hard to do. This guy had the secret that so many other programs out there seemed to miss.I am going to tell you some of these strategies now.

Lesson 1: You Got To Detoxify – Now what does this exactly mean? You have to get rid of all the junk in your
diet. If you are serious about weight loss then you must get rid of the excess garbage in your daily diet. There is a time period here that you will have to observe. This is a multi-step process that you must start on if you want to lose the unwanted pounds.

Lesson 2: Keeping A Positive Mindset – Getting powerful results starts with a healthy mindset. I suggest getting rid of all the substances in your daily pattern that lead to racing thoughts. In this category I include caffeinated drinks, alcohol, sugar and other stimulants. I recently switched to herbal teas from around the world and noticed a huge difference in every aspect of my life.

Lesson 3: Move – You got to get in motion if you want to lose weight. Life is about motion, it is about doing, it is about experiencing new things, you got to get out of your living environment and breathe fresh air. Even if you are not used to exercising you have to get up and out. Mobility is everything. This is going to help you
build up your mindset to finally exercise.

Lesson 4: Water Based Foods – Just like Dr. B said do not eat junk foods. Artificial colors and flavors are ultimately bad for you and they must be avoided. Taking the bold step to water based foods will take some imagination There are a lots of great things to be said about what kind of vegetables you buy. You can either buy organic produce, eat vegan, or go totally vegetarian. Avoid taking too many radical steps to reach your goal. Your shifts in this area should be gradual.

Lesson 5:
Love Yourself – I always found that I usually got the munchies around 10 PM every night. This became a problem but I found ways around it. I was never tempted by late night advertising by Taco Bell because I had problems with dairy and my sinuses. I was able to find some guilt free snacks to help tide me over. I found things like black bean dip and blue corn chips that were fat free. I also found this amazing Green Tea Non Dairy Ice Cream. If you are willing to stretch your imagination you will come across some incredible finds. This is totally up to you. The other thing I can tell you is to get plenty of rest and drink plenty of water.

Lesson 6: Take Control – Avoid being a victim whenever possible. Avoid living in a constant state of “reaction”, (ex: you’ll never believe what this guy said to me, you’ll never believe what happened to me today, I could only
get that promotion if so and so was out of the way etc.).These types of inner conflicts are not healthy for the mind. You are controlling the situations around you. It is for this reason you must have self mastery.

Lesson 7: Eat Often – You can achieve great things with smaller meals. You can eat multiple times a day and not have to worry about going hungry. If you are eating the right things in the right combination then hunger
pangs are a thing of the past. You are going to be well settled and will not have to worry about calorie counting. The body will start to adjust to your eating habits and you won’t have to worry about how much
you need to eat. Your portions will be smaller. Dr. Berneathy is well schooled in all of these areas. He is an abundant wealth of knowledge and I decided to take him on as a client. These areas of weight loss intrigued
me and yet I wondered how I could apply these rules to my life. We talked about fundamentals and what it
would take to get fantastic results. Weight loss is a complicated game if you don’t approach it the right way.
That is why there are so many diets that fail and fall off the market place. But talking to Dr. B made things really simple. We need to stop stuffing ourselves with fake food. But more importantly we had to follow a process that would help eliminate waste before the pounds would fall off. The importance of this subject matter cannot be underplayed. Disease can settle in if the body is not where it should be. Losing weight is
a very serious subject matter and you should take proper steps to take care of your body. As Dr. Berneathy
says, “You only got one you!”. And I couldn’t agree more.

Welcome to OlyTrader’s new web site. OlyTrader has a new owner! Her name is Frances Myers and the editor for the paper is Rolly Rollison. We are currently working on the web site so please check back often.