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A detox diet is a nutritional course of therapy to sanitize the body by excreting toxins and other pollutants. Celebrities and past addicts’ stories tells us that they are assuring for the efficacy of the diet. It is proven for health development, lesser possibility to be infected by disease, high energy, usual mental stare and ease in digestion, as well as it helps in losing weight. On the other hand, scientific study has discovered that the detox diet can have harmful effects to the body, particularly the young adults.

The case connected to the detox diet is that toxins accumulated do not expelled out entirely by excretion. The toxins have a tendency to stay in the lymphatic, digestive and gastrointestinal method of our body. These pollutants are harmful and they are confirmed to be dangerous to our health which causes fatigue, nausea, vomiting and headaches. Therefore, the argument made by celebrities and other people regarding the efficacy of the detox diet still remain gloomy. These followers recommend that one must discontinue consuming other foods which carry harmful pollutants to the body, as a consequence, it cleanse the body from toxins.

The detox program primarily gives emphasis to try other variety of fasting. This kind of fasting is having you stop consuming certain foods for a while. But after some time you can go back to the usual foods you take and include them again in your daily consumption. To get rid of the toxins, this detox diet supports the application of herbal supplementation and the use of enemas in your daily diet.

A person while on this diet should include fluid diets for some time. About a week, he is to be taking fruit diet, boiled vegetables and brown rice. Some foods were also gradually introduced except for some stuff like red meat, sugar, eggs, and dairy products and other junk foods are not included.

Followers of the detox program states that it aids in the removal of all dangerous toxins from our body. But there is no evidence to prove this statement and furthermore, it is not yet proven that eliminating of toxins from our body can maintain a healthier and stronger body.

For beginners, this detox diet must be used only for a short period of time and not to be used for a long time due to the fact it may influence their health negatively. Young adults and teens should not do this program because their body needs a bunch of carbohydrates and proteins for their proper development.

Another alarming reason regarding the detox diet is that this could be addictive. Those individuals who will try this may experience eating confusion and they have to the tendency to stay away from foods. In addition to that, laxatives are often used in this program that can cause numerous urine voiding resulting to dehydration. When you frequently excreting liquids in the body such as urine, useful nutrients were also excreted making an unevenness of minerals and vitamins in the body. This diet may also cause other digestive and gastrointestinal disorders. Metabolism methods will be lesser while you are in a fasting stage, resulting to other weight problems.

Even though the detox diet has some advantages, keeping away from foods that are important for your growth and proper development of your body and for your health is not a good conclusion.

Beyonce Knowles recently announced on the Oprah Winfrey talk show that she had lost a massive 20 pounds on the Master Cleanse detox diet! Compare the best detox diets used by the Hollywood’s superstars!

Is there still a need for a detoxification if you already have a healthy body? Nutritionists and some health experts stated before that there is no need for a healthy person to undergo a detox process as long as they maintain a well balanced diet.

However, population and pollution has rapidly grown nowadays, not to mention the fearful effects that technology has in our food and water, a detox procedure has become a must for all today.
It is an essential action for everybody to detoxify their bodies from all the toxins that enters the human system.

In fact, our bodies can naturally detoxify itself without needing support. But with the non stop growth of toxins that are consumed inside the body through food, water and environment, it can not catch up with the overload of activities.

In long run, our bodies cannot accommodate all the toxins that it has collected anymore; the body’s ability to detoxify itself weakens. This will then lead to nutrient deficiency, imbalanced hormones, and unstable metabolism.

If these situations will be neglected and prolonged, it can lead to diseases that will tire the body out and worse, can even cause death. This is why it is important for us to find a health option that will quickly and easily help the body to make its detox capabilities work well again to be able defend the body against illnesses and diseases.

We also have to be always reminded that detoxification cannot work on its own. You must have a good knowledge on the different aids that the body will need in order to recover and fight against diseases. On this thought, taking a simple detox diet will do. You do not need a detox diet that is confusing and complicated or a diet that only health and medicine experts can understand.

Experts of detox diets agree that these diets should also be appealing and pleasant as well. It is a fact that if your detox diet tastes good, you will surely stick to it till the end.

Simple detox diet:

Detox diet simply refers to the elimination of elements, chemicals and foods that give problems to your health and fitness. By eliminating toxins inside your body, you help your body to flush out collected elements and have your body regain its natural and normal health.

A simple detox diet devour on simple foods also. This will enhance one to create time to detoxify their bodies.

Making simple diets for detoxifying is easy and simple, but it will take some time and trial to make it a perfect one. Here are simple tips to help you get started with your detox diet.

1. Have a concrete plan

Having a concrete plan is important if you want to succeed on something. Have a diet that is simple to prepare and obtain. Maintain a list of all the foods that should be included in your diet.
Anyway, it is better to plan the things that should be bought so that you can prepare your budget on it.

2. Be realistic

A simple detox diet should contain simple to consume foods and not more on health supplements or herbs that sometimes brings in confusion to the dieter. To plan on a simple detox diet, you have to focus on real and whole foods.

You have to avoid foods that chemically and commercially produced like instant meals, canned and preserved foods. These foods use chemicals as preservatives which will eventually build up as toxins inside the body.

3. Have lots of vegetables

One of the best detoxifying means is the vegetables. It is advised to have a meal that has at least 50% vegetables in it. Vegetables are the best aid to eliminate toxins coming from pollution, smoking and stress within the environment.

4. Have plenty of fruits

It is often said that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. This is definitely true! Apples are actually the best choice for a cleansing and a detoxifying diet program. Aside from that, apples do not contain substances that may give dental problems.

5. Have plenty of water

Remember that it is important to drink at least glasses of water everyday. Water is still the best fluid to take for the body.

It is a fact that water is world’s common solvent, it washes out unwanted toxins in the body. Always remember that a detox works by flushing out toxic materials out of your body with the help of detox organs like the kidney and the skin.

Drinking a lot of water can help wash away the harmful elements in your body and have them excreted through the skin in the form of perspiration.

Starting your own detox diet should always be fun and easy. If not, then your diet plan will never work.

Master Cleanse is the best detox diet and can help you lose up to 20 pounds in merely 10 days! Look younger, ease chronic pain, cleanse your body of internal waste, and boost your energy levels in 10 days! Find out how Beyonce Knowles found out with the Master Cleanse diet!

One of the biggest things that people who own boats like to do is get out on the water. Anytime they have free time, you can find them cruising up and down some water somewhere. Some people like to travel the roads in a recreational vehicle, while with others nothing but the wet life will do.

Some people that love boating to distraction, actually live on their boats. House boats and yachts can be seen cruising up and down rivers and on the oceans all the time. These boats can have all the luxuries of a real home. Bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms, and anything you need to live a daily life and be able to stay on board while doing it.

One of the best things for serious big boaters these days is the ability to have satellite television. In past times, the best option for television viewing was to have a VCR or DVD player on board and watch endless movies. Now a boat owner can purchase a satellite system for their boats and have satellite programming just like they do in a home on land.

The businesses that sell satellite television packages are the same as those that land lovers use. Boat owners can purchase which ever channel package that best suits their needs. They can have access to parental controls, pay per view, and sporting event purchases just like everyone else.

This is one of the best things to come along for boaters since the life jacket. It can save you from hours of dull time when there is nothing else happening the water.

Satellite systems for your boat can be purchased now at many of the boating supply businesses. These systems can cost up to and above a couple of thousand dollars. What you pay for a boat satellite system will depend on what you buy.

Satellites for boats can either be purchased to use when the boat is in a stationary setting or when it is in motion. Many of these satellites are made to continue to have good reception even in some inclement conditions.

If you want to make your next family boating experience even more enjoyable than they already are, check into satellite television for your boat. Your family will love you for it and it will only add one more outlet of pleasure while you are living in your home on the water.

Dror Klar is a writer and promoter of news, movie reviews and celebrity information. He offers The Cheapest Direct TV, Dish Network and High Speed Satellite Internet on the web.

In this fifth of a 12 part series on horoscopes, we’re going to look at the second of what are called the summer signs, Leo the Lion.

People who are born between July 23 and August 22 are Leo. Their element is fire, their quality is Fixed, their energy is Yang, their ruler is the Sun, their color is gold, their gem is Ruby, their main anatomical parts are the back, spine and heart, their keywords are willpower, creativity and expressing the heart, their Tarot suit is Wands and their Tarot Major Arcana cards are Strength and The Sun.

Some famous celebrities who are news are Ben Affleck, Sandra Bullock, Lisa Kudrow, Lucille Ball, Robert DiNero, Mick Jagger, Madonna, Woody Harrelson and Bill Clinton.

Leo the Lion. The king of the forest, the castle and just about everything else. The practical joker. If ever there was a sign of pure confidence and security, Leo is it. There is an old riddle that goes like this “How many Leos does it take to screw in a light bulb?” The answer, “One and a hallelujah chorus while she does it”.

Yes, Leos invented the word self confidence. They are ruled by the sun and they bask in the spotlight. They are very dramatic, bold, creative and incredibly strong. No other sign can get the attention of a room full of people like a Leo.

Not only that, they are a ton of fun to be around. Leos have great senses of humor and are real practical jokers. No doubt a Leo invented the whoopee cushion and the joy buzzer. It is hard to find a Leo who Sandra Bullock laugh and laugh loud, except of course when they are locked in battle with their sworn enemy. If that should happen, which is quite possible even in the middle of a big party, clear the room. This one won’t stop until only one is left standing.

Because of the nature of the Leo being a leader, they are often surrounded by a bunch of yes men. They like it this way. Don’t ever question a Leo’s authority. That’s why, when it comes to love, the Leo needs somebody who is going to worship the ground they walk on. They expect to be served and well taken care of. The plus side of this is that Leos are very loyal. If you are good to them and they love you, they love you for life. So even though they expect adoration, they give plenty of it in return.

A Leo at work is a born leader. They will usually pick a career that will let them shine. So you won’t find a Leo working in a mail room. More likely, you’ll find him in the board room. The bigger the better as far as they are concerned. President of the company? No problem. President of the United States? Even easier still. There is nothing they feel they can’t do.

A Leo is a very strong and dynamic character. If you want a loyal friend who can beat up your worst bully like enemy, the Leo is who you want in your corner.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Horoscopes

It was the spring of 1997 and I was a sophomore in high school. I was in Austin, Texas, with about 25 other classmates from my high school. We traveled down to Austin to watch other schools, large and small, participate in the state one-act play contest. We wanted to soak up everything we could about state-quality plays after losing disappointedly in the competition circuit a few months before. Can you imagine being the theater instructor or one of the parents chaperoning such an event? With male and female high schoolers ranging in age of 15 - 18 with varying maturity levels and hormones ranging, I did Sandra quote envy them. Needless to say, it was an interesting road trip.

Our theater instructor Ms. Murphy had to drive one of those school provided white utility vans hauling her share of the kids for five hours south on I-35 and around town while another parent did the same. We were “her kids” since she never had any of her own. We loved playing tricks and mind games with her, almost as much as she liked playing them on us. Every year her house was toilet papered and forked - not because we didn’t like her. We loved her. That’s why we didn’t throw eggs.

I was riding with the group driven by one of the parents which ended up being a wild ride. We hit a couple of curbs, got lost, drove half way across Travis County the wrong way, and, I found out after the fact, almost ran out of gas! We ended up getting stopped for a taillight out, but since it was a school sponsored trip, the officer let her off with a warning and she did not have to take a defensive driving course in Austin, although she might have needed it.

After all that, we finally made it to the hotel where more hijacks insured. The next day we went and watched lots of plays. Some good, some bad, some outright confusing (all plays had to be cut from the original length to 40 minutes, most were originally 1 ½
to 2). The road trip down there was not the highlight of the trip, nor were the plays, but I will tell you what was the most interesting part.

The next day the plays did not start until afternoon, so we piled in the white utility vans again and went to the local mall and Central Market. We were moving through the store as a group when someone pointed out to one of us with a camera that Harry Connick Jr. and Sandra Bullock were in the store and she should try to take their picture. We did just that. Harry looked like he had just gotten up from bed with some peacock hair, but he was Sandra Bullock pleasant and congenial. Sandra looked a little peeved in the picture. She was probably on her lunch break from being on the set of Hope Floats (Fox 1998) being filmed at the time.

I don’t remember any of the plays that year, but I do remember the trip down there and meeting these two actors at the height of their careers. Maybe it was a sign, or a stroke of good luck, or the just the fact that we made down there alive, but we did make to state the next year, not as audience members, but as participants.

Neil Lemons represents Comedy Defensive Driving, a state approved Texas defensive driving online course. Since 1989 Comedy Defensive Driving has helped dismiss traffic tickets and lower insurance rates. Learn about their Austin Defensive Driving course, or any other Texas city by visiting their website: http://www.comedydefensivedriving.com

Short hairstyles were not popular in the early times but have become the trend today. The increasing demand of these hairstyles is mainly because of career, business and profession. Many women today have become career oriented and prefer short haircuts because that’s easy to manage and take care of.

Today the fashion world is filled with abundance of short trendy hairstyles. There is endless number of styles that a woman can try for all her particular needs. Earlier women with short length hair were called Tom Boy but now these hairstyles have turned out to be trendy, classic and graceful.

These hairstyles can be worn by any age group. Older women should specifically go for short haircut because longer the hair length more visible the wrinkles are. Not very short hairstyles but short cuts can accentuate their bone structure and facial expression. This can help them look younger and eloquent.

Choosing the right hairstyle can be fun and exciting. The chosen style should accentuate the facial features and give a classic and elegant look. The latest trend in the hairstyles for short hair consist of bob, shag, bang, pixie, layers, perm, sedu and curls. Women with straight hair can try short pixie cut or short layered hairstyles with playful bangs. Sedu short hairstyles are also available with various styling options. Anyone can try this hairdo using a flat iron to give luster and shine to the hair. Women’s short hairstyles have no end to the styling options. They can even try messy hairstyle featuring a choppy cut in a messy manner with light bangs or a simple boy cut. Women with less volume of hair prefer perms and curls because it adds volume, height and curls. Short curly hairstyles are funky and fabulous and can completely transform a hairstyle. Short loose curls, bouncy curls and light wavy are some of the most popular hairstyles for curly hairs.

Today many celebrities are spending lots of time and money on short black hairstyles. These hairstyles give a shiny and gleaming look. People’s infatuation towards the models has increased the demand for black hairs as well.

The Origins

Beowulf is an old English epic poem thought to have been composed sometime in the middle ages.

The poem tells the story of Beowulf and his battles against three different adversaries. A truly epic poem Beowulf has survived through the centuries and is the only surviving example of Anglo Saxon heroic poetry.

Despite being a mainly Scandinavian story with most of the storyline taking part in Scandinavia rather than England it has risen to become anational English epic.

The only remaining manuscript is untitled but the story became known as Beowulf in the 19th Century.

The poem consists of no less than 3,183 lines and the events described in the poem take place during the 5th or 6th Century. This can be confirmed by some of the historical events that take place in the poem and can be dated back to this period. There are many scholars who have the manuscript agree that many of the events and personalities depicted in the poem are historically accurate and also appear in many Scandinavian sagas.

It is though to have been first composed in the 7th Century, probably in East Anglia and although it deals with mainly heroic matters there are a few Christian viewpoints expressed in the poem, but most scholars believe that these were probably inserted at a latter date.

The author remains unknown and it is thought the poem was originally formed through oral tradition and passed down by scops, or tale singers. The author is considered to have been very imaginative in the way that he combined both pagan elements with traditional accounts of heroic and historical events of the time with his own imagination.

The only surviving manuscript of Beowulf is the work of two, rather than one, scribes who transcribed the poem from another earlier manuscript and it now resides in the British Library.

Beowulf is a hero of the Geats and the poem he has to battle three antagonists:

The first of these is Grendel, who is attacking and destroying the inhabitants of Heorot in Denmark, then later Grendel’s mother and finally a dragon.

The first of these battles occurs when Beowulf and his men spend a night in Heorot.

After they have all fallen asleep Grendel enters the hall attacking and devouring bio of Beowulf’s men. Beowulf feigns sleep as Grendel approaches and then he leaps up grabbing Grendel’s arm in a wrestling hold. In the angelina photo battle Beowulf’s men draw their swords and rush to his aid but their swords shatter and break angelina photo Grendel’s thorny spikes and iron tough skin. With the throes of their battle threatening to bring the hall down on top of them Beowulf finally tears Grendel’s arm from its socket and he runs off into the marshes to die in his home.

After celebrating Grendel’s death, Hroogar and his men sleep in the great hall but all is not safe as Grendel’s mother attacks the party, seeking revenge for the death of her son and so she kills Hroogar’s trusted friend and warrior.

Determined to rid the town of both Grendel and his mother Beowulf, Hroogar and his men track her down to her lair under an eerie lake.

Unfero, a warrior, presents Beowulf with Hrunting, a sword, as he prepares for battle.

Prepared, and ready for battle Beowulf dives into the lake in search of Grendel’s mother.

Grendel’s mother quickly alerted to his presence, attacks him but unable to harm him through his armour she drags to the bottom of the lake. Surrounded by the remains of the many men they have killed the two engage in a fierce battle.

At first Grendel’s mother gains the upper hand as Beowulf’s sword Hrunting is unable to inflict any harm on her and so he throws it to one side protected only by his armour from her ferocious attack. Desperately Beowulf reaches out and grabs a sword from Grendel’s mother’s armoury and hefting it fiercely over his head he brings it down swiftly beheading her.

Venturing further into their lair he finds Grendel’s body which he also beheads and then returns to the surface where his men await him.

After his adventures Beowulf returns home to live peacefully. Many years pass and Beowulf has become the king of his people. Then one day a slave by the name of Earnaness steals a golden goblet from a dragon’s lair.

On awakening and finding the golden goblet missing the dragon leaves it’s cave bellowing in rage and anger at its theft. So he wanders the land hunting for the thief and his goblet burning everything in its path.

Beowulf hears of the plight and he and his warriors approach to fight the dragon. But all of Beowulfs men, except for a young man named Wiglaf, are too afraid and run. So Wiglaf and Beowulf fight the dragon alone eventually killing it, but Beowulf is mortally wounded and soon dies from his injuries.

Beowulf is cremated and his ashes are buried high on a cliff overlooking the sea where his barrow, burial mound, can be seen by sailors.

Beowulf’s people also decide to bury the dragon’s treasure along with him instead of sharing it afraid that it is cursed.

There are many been different adaptions of Beowulf including books, plays and films. The latest is a new film due to be released November 2007 which although remains partly faithful to the angelina jolie poem most of the plot elements are not.

Beowulf the Movie

The latest movie adaption of this old English heroic poem is said to be a cheerfully violent and strange take on the original Beowulf saga.

Although some parts of the movie remain faithful to the origins of the poem the majority of the plot are original and explore the relationship between Grendel and his mother and their motivation in more detail as well as what happens in Grendel’s cave between his mother and Beowulf.

The film has been made using a special technique of digitally enhanced live action and will be released on November 16, 2007.

Two versions of the movie have been filmed and will be released simutaneously, a 3-D version and a standard 35 mm version. The 3-D version is to be screened in over a thousand using the same 3-D technology as used for Monster House, Chicken Little, and the 3-D release of The Nightmare Before Christmas.

The film will star Ray Winstone as Beowulf, Anthony Hopkins as King Hrothgar, Angelina Jolie as Grendel’s mother, and Crispen Glover as Grendel.

Paramount pictures also recently agreed on a licensing agreement with McFarlane’s Toys who will develope and produce action figures based on the upcoming motion picture.

The initial four figures that have been announced are:

• Young Beowulf
• Grendel
• Grendel’s Mother
• Dragon

Due Nov, 2007.

Colin Dorman

Do you like Action Figures? Are you a collector? Want to find out more? Then click here

So you’ve read the poem, seen the movie now get the Action Figures HERE

The movie ‘Three Men and a Baby’ was hailed as being the only film to have captured a ghost on video. The original copy of this movie contained a scene where Ted Dansons’ character had just accepted that he was the father of the baby and had subsequently called his own mother for help. The scene shows Dansons’ mothers’ visit to his apartment and Ted Dansons attempt to inveigle her into taking care of the baby for him. In the scene, the actress playing Dansons mother sits holding the baby as she prepares to lecture Danson on taking care of his own responsibilities.

During this scene the camera inadvertently captured a boy standing in front of the open right hand set of French doors and directly behind the actors. I would estimate that he was thirteen years old with dark medium length hair. He appeared to be wearing a light coloured sweatshirt and jeans and he simply stood and stared throughout that portion of the scene. As the scene progressed Dansons mother handed the baby over to Danson who then walked past a recess in the room while carrying the baby. As he did this he walked directly and closely past the boy who now appeared in that recess. There was a clear shot of the boy who appeared quite solid and once again, he just stood and stared. Danson could not have failed to see the boy as he almost touched him as he walked by.

I owned a copy of this video on VHS and have viewed it on any number of occasions, as have many of my friends who were shocked both at seeing the boy and at his strange demeanour. Sadly, I passed the video on to a charity shop when I bought the DVD only to find that the DVD version has had all evidence of the boy removed. Now the internet blogs deny that he ever existed and that what people actually saw was a cardboard cutout of Ted Danson, which now appears in the edited scene but on the wrong side of the room and quite far back. They also state that the entire movie was filmed on set and that none of it took place in a real Manhattan apartment. I may be wrong here but I seem to remember that the original publicity said that an apartment had been used for many of the interior and exterior shots.

In closing, I cannot believe that the film company edited this scene at such a late stage without first having been pressured to do so; after all, the films takings were enhanced by the publicity surrounding the boy. I can, however, understand that this may have been done out of sensitivity to anyone concerned and that there may be a sympathetic reason for what has transpired. There are a number of urban myths that have been spawned by this movie but it would be interesting to know what the truth is. I wonder how many people are as frustrated as I am with regard to what has gone on here.

Finally, If the boy never existed, how is it that he still appears in the televised versions of the movie, albeit that the movie is often cut to fit the TV schedules?

Professional Numerologist and Astrologer, Peter Dobrovic offers personal consultations and professionally written reports based on over twenty years experience of practising Numerology. Peter, uses the three systems of Numerology, I Ching and the Chinese Horoscope to provide readings for his hundreds of satisified clients across the UK. You can visit his site at http://www.pdnumerology.com

“Happy birthday Joe! Are you guys going to that special book store today? Yep, uh huh. Well, that’ll be fun. I’m sorry we can’t be there. Your sister? She’s good. Yes, yesterday. I love you hon, have a good birthday.” Kate heard the rejected click of the receiver as her mom put the phone down.

“You okay Mom?” As if she didn’t know.

“Yeah, I just wish….well no one else could have taken you. It’s Joe’s seventeenth birthday and I can’t be there. I should have stayed, but, oh never mind honey don’t feel guilty.”

“Let’s go for a walk on the beach Mom. Maybe we can pick up some of those coconut thumbprints on the way over there.”

“I’m have one up on you, I have some in the dresser drawer. A walk does sound good though. I love this Hawaiian weather.”

Later they were walking along the beach and Kate wanted to say something and for one of the few times in her life she did. “Mom, do you know how much I appreciate you taking me on this commercial shoot?”

“I know you’re grateful and that helps a lot. You have wanted to be an actress ever since you could even talk.”

Kate only paused for a moment, “Let’s go back and see Joe Mom. No, listen to me, there will be other commercials. There will only be one Joe. They can use that eager stand-in that I think has been trying to lock me in a closet.”

Kate’s mom laughed, “You’ve been waiting to get this job for a very long time. If you really want to we can stay, I don’t want you to feel guilty about this thing.”

“I feel guilty but just because I didn’t say anything in the beginning. I know I would be sad if it was me and not Joe at home thinking how my mom took my little sister on my birthday. Let’s go. I really want to be there for him.”

“Kate, I’m so proud of you. You’re a great human being.” Kate’s mom’s eyes were listening a little. So were Kate’s. It was maybe half out of happiness and half out of sadness. She had waited to get this commercial for a very long time, but she also loved her brother about ten times as much.

Before they took the plane home to Los Angeles, Kate will remember how they sat on that beach and talked. It was just the two of them together. It had been so long since she had just sat and talked to her Mom alone. She looked up at her mom and knew that she had her best friend with her. She was a person whom she would turn to in times of happiness and sadness and a person to get fair advice from. Kate felt lucky and grateful all at the same time, everyone should be as lucky as her at this moment.

At the same time she though about Joe and how happy he would be to see them. The part of her that was unselfish was excited. The other part who was selfish pitied herself, because her best friend would have to be shared and because that made her feel alone.

There were so many people and yet she felt so alone. Even as a child she knew that is was something that would be fixed it time. Never alone, very true but it was all a distraction from the truth, the fact is that feeling alone is not truly understanding yourself. Feeling loved is knowing all your faults and strengths and loving all those. She would never forget that realization, a bridge from a child to a girl on a beach on a populated island.

“Coconut Thumbprint Cookies”*

Ingredients: 1 and ¼ cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup of strawberry preserves, 2 tsp of baking soda, 1 egg, ¼ tsp of salt, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 2/3 cup of unsweetened coconut, ½ cup of firmly packed dark brown sugar, and ½ cup of softened margarine.

1) Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Set out two greased cookie sheets.

2) Mix the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Then mix in the coconut.

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3) Beat the margarine, brown sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add the egg, beating until blended. On low speed add the dry ingredients.

4) Form the dough into balls the size of walnuts and place 1 inch apart on the cookie sheets. Use your thumb to make a slight hollow in the center of each one and fill with a small amount of the preserves.

5) Bake for about 12 minutes or until they are golden brown. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

6) Taste that delicious chewiness coming your way.

* Base of recipe from Cookies and then I molded it from there.

Rachael Rizzo has been acting since she was nine years old. She uses her experience to write about what the things she loves mean to her (mostly movies and baking). She is twenty-three years old and resides in beautiful Oregon.

The V7 Chord is the only chord that has complete freedom in the theory of music. RULES OF THE V7 CHORD……..IT HAS NOT RULES

The V7 chord supports all tones chromatically, which means, a V7 chord can be used with any melody tone. The melody does not have to have any tones of the chord, in fact, in jazz or advanced arranging, we strive for these “color tones”. This is the only chord that can that supports all extensions chromatically.

Using the V7 chord as a substitution chord. A substitution Chord is a chord that is either inserted into music or replaces a chord in music. Why? Because we want to fill in our music with interesting harmony, color tones, or just fill-in empty spaces.

RULE…….Any chord may be preceeded by its’ V7 chord. The V7 is the easiest substitution to learn and use.

EXAMPLE of using the V7 chord as a substitution Chord.

Here is the original music: CM7 | Dm7 | FM7| CM7|

Now let’s add the V7 substitution chords: CM7 | A7 Dm7| C7 FM7| G7 CM7

Now here’s the fun! The V7 chords can be preceeded by it’s V7 chords. CM7 | E7 A7 Dm7| G7 C7 FM7| D7 G7 CM7

How do I use these chords? 1. These chords are perfect for empty repeat bars moving back to the verse or into the chorus. Use a nesting of V7 chords to go back to the IM7 chord. Example: You have 2 repeat bars going into CM7 chord in measure 1, use E7 A7| D7 G7. 2. Add V7 chords under the melody. This will also fill in measures that only have 1 or 2 chords plus will give you that jazz sound. Example. let’s play Twinkle Little Star

MELODY: | C C G G | A A G- | F F E E | D D C |

CHORDS: |C— |F-G-| F-C-| G-C-| Now let’s add V7 substitution chords:

CHORD: C- G7 C7| F G7 C C7| F G7 C A7| D7 G7 CM7-|

Notice in measure 2 I added the G7 chord and the melody is on the note A. This is an example of changing the chord to get a jazz sound, the melody note A is the 9th of G. This is what we strive for in arranging and in jazz, using color tones instead of the 1-3-5 of the chord. 3. Improvising on the V7 chord: Since the V7 chord is the only chord that supports all extensions, 9th’s, 9-, 10-, 11, 11+, 12-, 13, 13+, you can improvising on any note of choice. In Classical Music it is the same, composers can use any melody tone against the V7 chord.

Here’s a couple of tips for playing the V7 chord in the left hand: 1. As a comping chord play F, A FLAT, B D (7, 9-, 10, 12) OR F, G,A, B, D (7, 8, 9, 10, 12) 2. As a Tri-Tone Quartal, (great for blues) F, B, E (7, 10, 13)

This article is quite simplified, but I have found if one can get an overall picture first, then we can back up and learn step by step. The V7 chord is part of our lessons on adding substitution chords to arranging and jazz piano lessons at
MusicandYou.com.