New Cricut Expression Lite Cartridges

Everyone who has one knows the Cricut Expression provides endless creative ideas, but sometimes you don't even need any internal inspiration to discover whole new areas of creative interest. Perhaps the most spectacular thing about using the Cricut Expression is the seemingly endless supply of fresh new cartridges.

Have you ever gotten lost looking through these things? It's incredible. I've spent hours online going through these things and they just keep coming. It's definitely not a bad way to spend an afternoon or evening, but the hard part is figuring out the ones you want for your own.

So here's the bad news. More cartridges are just around the corner and they are really cool, so choosing isn't going to get much easier.  The new cartridges have a pretty dynamic range. In fact, by the time you read this most of these cartridges will be in stores. I believe they are $39 each so you have to really look through them to see exactly what you want but each one is going to be loaded.

Oh, one thing that's so exciting about this new release is that these cartridges are "lites". These are referred to as lights because they have 50 images and the layers for those images, but not all the extra feature keys So no photo corners, card features, etc. But for me this is fine.

Here are the names of the new cricut expression cartridges to be on the look out for and what kind they are :

Meow -About cats
Billionaire -a font
Dude! -extreme sports
Slumber Party -teenish trendy stuff
Celebrate with Flourish -some things for holidays/seasons
Live Simply -animals
Feeling Groovy -a font
Cupcake Wrappers
Sugar & Spice -toddler and baby stuff
B is for Boy -toddler and baby stuff
Handy Man  -tools and home improvement stuff
Carousel -circus and amusement park shapes
Varsity letters -a font
Cherry Limeade -a font
Bloom -flowers
Splish Splash -bath time and beachy themed
Hoot n Holler -owls
Savory -food
Lacy Labels -decorative shapes
Wildlife -wild animal silhouettes
Block Party - For Grillin & Chillin
Botanicals Chore Chart (My Favorite)
Lovely Floral -Flowers

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Is Ab Circle Pro Worth The Money ?

Let's start at the beginning here. I saw a person online asking if the Ab Circle Pro could support their weight of 215 lbs. I think the Ab Circle Pro can support that initial weight, but I cannot not be sure. However, the new version of the machine called the Mini Circle definitely can. I have a friend who is 260 and says his mini is sturdy. I would say the Pro probably can support the weight but I'm not positive.

Is it any good?

Both machines are good if you use them and are diligent about using them. They provide a nice little cardio workout which is great for weight loss and will strengthen your abs and tone them. Keep in mind that ab workouts won't drop fat around your mid section. They serve to strengthen and tone the muscles in that area and the energy you expend during those workouts will serve to burn some calories over the entire body. To date I doubt they have come up with a way to spot reduce fat. So in conjunction with using these machines it is important, and the manufacturers even suggest, to have a sensible diet.

Does It Hurt?

That's a relative question. It does not cause physical pain to use the machine. It's very simple to use and actually provides a way to do very easy movements which will target your abs. When compared to the stress your body goes through when getting down to do a sit up or a crunch, the Ab Circle Pro is a breeze. The pain may come when you feel the burn associated with working your core muscles. That's the good pain. But if you take it easy and work into the 3 minutes workout you should be fine. Working muscles you haven't worked in a long time will definitely be felt. If you have reasonable flexibility the only place you should feel the pain, if any, is in your abs. But, these machines have alternate positioning allowing you to work the thighs and buttocks and even arms so it provides more than just an ab/cardio workout.

When do you start noticing a difference?

This depends on what difference you are looking for. After a minute on the machine you will be feeling the stretching of the core muscles and the cardio workout kicking in. If your diligent with your workouts, it is reasonable to assume you can see differences in 3 to 4 weeks. But, you will immediately start feeling a difference in your body. Strong abs alleviate a lot of stress other places in the body. For example, it does wonders for your posture and can really help with lower back pain. The core is really important to keep strong.

Is it worth the money?

Again these is a relative question.The ab circle pro runs $199 and the Mini Circle is $119 right now so the Mini is the best value and the bugs people had reported in the original Ab Circle Pro have been addressed in the new version. If you intend to use the machine, perhaps in front of the TV, it will be worth it, especially if you don't have a gym membership or are one of those people who don't want to work out in front of others.

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Compelling Reasons To Own A Personal Emergency Response System

So when researching a personal emergency response system online, more specifically, Freedom Alert, I came upon a great article written by Baker. It's a list of reasons why this type of product is important

Making the decision to invest in a personal emergency response system (PERS) is not a decision that should be taken lightly. But, if you’re sitting on the fence about whether or not to take the leap these ten reasons might be just the nudge in the right direction you need.

1) Because the longer a fall is left untreated the greater damage it has the potential to do. With so many lasting injuries to the elderly being the direct result of falls it’s important to have immediate access to care if or when a fall happens to you.

2) Because seconds matter when an accident occurs. Falls are the most common accidents experienced by the elderly. Many hospitalizations and even some deaths happen as a result of these falls. When it is you or a loved one that has fallen the longer it takes to get proper care, the longer it will take for recovery and the greater the odds of permanent injury or even death. Getting help quickly is the primary difference between a full recovery and permanent damage.

3) Peace of mind. Not only will you enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing there is someone out there who can help you get the care you need in the event of an emergency but it will also remove a huge burden from the shoulders of family members and loved ones who worry about you living on your own.

4) Allows you to maintain your own independence a little longer. If nothing else it will remove some of the sense of urgency your family feels to get you to move in with them or into an assisted care facility of some sort. The longer you can live on your own the greater your quality of life is likely to be.

5) Because you have more important things to worry about than “what if?” Seriously, life is short. Who has time to worry about “what if I fall in the shower or slip when getting out of the bed and can’t get to the phone?” You can quit worrying with a medical alert system because you will already have it covered.

6) Because it gives you an around the clock backup plan for when things go wrong. This is help that is available when you need it. It’s there on your schedule. No matter what time of day or night, the right service will have you covered for all manner of life’s little emergencies that we never seem to be prepared for no matter how much we plan.

7) Because you love someone who could benefit from around the clock monitoring. You don’t have to be the one using the service in order to benefit from it. If you have a loved one that is desperately clinging to independence you can give them the greatest gift available by purchasing a personal emergency response system for them.

8) As part of your emergency plan for friends and family. A good medical alert system is more than just a lifeline in a time of crisis (though that would certainly be worth every penny you pay for the service), it is also an emergency plan that contacts friends and family members when the crisis has happened and coordinates efforts to make sure you are cared for and not just receiving medical attention.

9) Because it provides instant and easy access to help in a time of crisis. Whether it’s a medical emergency, a personal safety issue, or any other crisis the medical alert system and monitoring are in place to serve you.

10) Because you never know when disaster will strike. It is always best to be prepared in a time of emergency. Since there is no crystal ball that will tell you every single emergency you’ll face in life this is one more component in your own personal safety net. ( Original Article )

For the Reasons stated above the Freedom Alert might be the perfect unit to own.

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Work Your Abs The Easy Way This Summer

Everyone wants to get lean abs, especially in the summer. There are very few ways to get lean abs quickly, but one change you could make is to reduce your sodium intake. Sodium retains water and thus can give you a bloated feeling. Watch sodium in cereals, soups and other packaged foods. Cereals high in sodium: Raisin Bran: 360 milligrams in 1 cup; General Mills Basic 4: 320 mg in 1 cup; Rice Krispies: 220 mg in 1 1/4 cup; Kellogg’s Smart Start: 280 mg 1 cup; General Mills Cheerios MultiGrain: 200 mg in 1 cup; Kellogg’s Special K Cereal 220 mg in 1 cup.

So after you make some changes in diet you are gonna want to strengthen and tone your ab muscles. Further, cardio exercises will help slim you down but a lot of people don't like to do this or it just takes too much time.

However, for the last year or so I've been seeing a lot of information about the Ab Circle Pro which is an at home ab machine which is relatively easy to use. Five months ago, I got my own and it's helped me tremendously. Besides the burn I feel, the decent cardio workout and the ease of use, I would say the best benefit is that I'm actually doing it.

The more you do with any exercise program, the more you get out of it. Traditionally I skip abs because the exercises are painful and have little benefit. The Ab Circle Pro makes it extremely simple to work your abs at home in front of the TV without any discomfort or extremely hard work. So for many, the Ab Circle Pro will be a welcomed addition to any workout program.

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Talk About Noisy Neighbors

Here's a Bark Off moment that was surely missed. I found this annoying story in the news and it made me think that if Bark Off works it could have saved a lot of money and angst.

Perhaps they were keeping a watch out for angry neighbours. Or maybe they were just trying to get some peace and quiet from their brothers and sisters.

Either way, this trio of boxers were on hand to greet neighbours who went round to complain about the noise from Mark McGowan and Sam Watkins's dogs.The animals had made their neighbours' lives a 'living hell' with their constant barking at their home in Southampton.

McGowan and Watkins have been hit with a £1,900 fine after council officers found the animals were barking an astonishing 800 times an hour.The couple, who breed boxers and bulldogs at their three-bedroom detached home, were convicted of repeatedly breaching a noise abatement notice.

The pair failed to turn up to Monday's hearing at Southampton magistrates court, where it was ruled the pack of boxers and bulldogs they keep at their home were unacceptably noisy. The court heard how council environmental health officers made notes of their incessant barking, yapping and whining during various visits to neighbours' houses.

Council officers recorded 805 barks during one hour-long visit.A number made complaints to the council and kept detailed diaries of the barking. They also signed a petition.

Neighbours said McGowan started keeping dogs about seven years ago and the noise problem had escalated since then. They said he had up to 17 dogs, and the back garden of his property was filled with cages for them. Neighbour Ian Murray, 47, said: 'The barking is absolutely horrendous. We cannot use our garden.

'And it's not just the noise, the smell is terrible. It's making our lives a living hell.'

Mr Murray, who is a director of an industrial noise reduction company, and his wife Kerry said their young children were even afraid of going outside. The problem became so bad Southampton Itchen MP John Denham took up their case and held a meeting with Southampton City Council noise chiefs to press them to take action.

Council animal welfare officers visited McGowan's home but found no offences had been committed. The RSPCA was also informed.The couple were charged with five breaches of a noise abatement notice, which was issued three years ago. But they failed to show up at the court after asking the council prosecutor to apply for an adjournment on their behalf.

However, magistrates decided to go ahead with the hearing. Handing out fines totalling £950 each, chairman of the bench Merrielle Billington said: 'It's clear the dogs' barking is totally unacceptable.'

The couple run a website dedicated to their dogs and their breeding programme. In recent years they have advertised puppies for sale and offer the services of their dogs for stud.

Their boxer dogs have been listed for up to £800 - although neither have applied for a breeder's licence. McGowan, who claims on the website to be a former grocery manager, refused to comment when contacted at his home. Watkins was unavailable for comment.

Southampton City Council's environment boss, Councillor Matt Dean said: 'Noisy neighbours can cause untold misery for residents and can have a real impact on people's quality of life. 'The court's decision here sends a clear message that this will not be tolerated in our city.' Brilliant Write Up Daily Mail ! )

I would have pulled my hair out if I leaved near these folks but Bark Off might be the answer for those still suffering this type of agony.

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Ab Circle Pro Finishes 4th In Kentucky

I'm not sure if a race car gets any faster with flat abs, but being spronsored by the Ab Circle Pro might have helped Brendon Gaughan eek out a fourth place finish. With a little more working out, I think he's headed up the ranks.

In front of 61,000, Joey Logano and his No. 20 GameStop Toyota won the Meijer 300 presented by Ritz, his seventh victory in 51 NASCAR Nationwide Series races. This is his first victory and ninth top-10 finish in 2010. This is also his third victory and third top-10 finish in three races at Kentucky Speedway, plus this is his third consecutive victory from the Coors Light Pole at Kentucky.

Coming home second, Carl Edwards and his No. 60 Fanhouse.com Ford posted his second top-10 finish in six races at Kentucky Speedway. It is his 11th top-10 finish in 2010.

Finishing third, Brad Keselowski and his No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge posted his third top-10 finish in three races at Kentucky Speedway.

Brendan Gaughan and his No. 62 AB Circle Pro Toyota were fourth, while Reed Sorenson and his No. 32 Dollar General Stores Toyota picked up fifth.

Colin Braun (10th) was the highest finishing rookie.

Brad Keselowski leads the NASCAR Nationwide point standings by 272 points over Carl Edwards.

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Does Bark Off Work

Bark Off is something that you have probably seen lately on the late-night infomercials. It's a device that you activated when your dog is barking. The ultrasonic signal is detected by the dog, but not by humans.
When researching the various results and comments that folks are having with Bark Off,  It seemed the pattern was that most people did have good results with Bark Off, using it when their dog or dogs started barking and it in fact did result in the dog stopping his barking right there on the spot.
Of course, not everyone had the same wonderfully positive experience. A few folks had trouble getting it to work at all, having inserted batteries and then having nothing occur. Those guys had to then contact the company and try to get their units replaced. The customer service lines do seem to be a bit on the tedious side, with wait times and menus to get through. There is of course also the cost of shipping the unit back. After having paid $6.99 for shipping and handling, the unit only sells for $10, so that’s all you would get back. You could find an inexpensive way to ship it back for a few dollars, and then get your $10 back, but you’d still be out close to $10 when all is said and done.
Well, we all know how that works — offers like this are often padded in the shipping and handling costs so fewer people will bother to try to get their $10 back. Personally, if bark off didn’t work for me, I would return it and see it through even if it wound up costing me a little money.
Other complaints that I found were that the people were able to hear it themselves — i.e. it wasn’t only audible to dogs. That seems to be a small minority, however.
The vast majority of reviews I ran into were positive, including some dog trainers in the mix. Let’s face it, if the product was a total scam and bust and never worked in the first place, the bark off people would be so inundated with complaints and investigations that it would not have made any sense to create the infomercials and manufacture the products in the first place. So, using a little common sense, your odds are pretty good that Bark Off will work for you.

What's In A Name ? Especially For An Ab Machine

The Mini Circle

The Mini Circle or Ab Circle Mini poses the age old question.  But, how can we have an age old question for a product that has barely hit the market? Well the answer is semantics.  They are the same thing and it depends on who is selling them.

Here's my take because I watched the television launch of the Ab Circle Mini on HSN on April 25th, and since they are doing another blowing on June 12th, I thought I'd do some splainin.

First let's get one thing straight regardless of what you call it, this ab machine is the newest streamlined version of the very popular ab circle pro.  The ab circle pro is a home ab machine which is very easy to use. You simply drop into place and sway side to side. While your doing your job, it's doing theirs which is to target and tone your ab muscles. It's a very simple and easy to do ab workout which is probably its appeal. It retails for about $199.

The Mini Circle or Ab Circle Mini is a smaller, more portable, and less expensive version with a few of the kinks taken out.  There were some complaints that that ab circle pro was too flimsy and the knee pads wore quickly.  Whether that's true or not, the design team took that into consideration and make the new version even better.

One added feature to the Mini Circle is that the hand positions are now variable so with a simple switch you can the same muscles from various angles.  This is a major improvement for those who are in the intermediate stages of their mini circle workouts.  Beginners will get worn out pretty easy without changing the settings.

So back to my original point. Which is this thing called?  Well, in my opinion it is the Mini Circle  and that's how we will come to know it when it is released worldwide this fall.  But, for the time being you will referred to it by HSN as the Ab Circle Mini because they probably have the rights to sell under that name or something.

If you were lucky enough to catch the television launch in April you would have noticed the hosts of the several spots dedicated to the product constantly saying Ab Circle Mini.  But, you would have also seen fitness celebrity, and inventor, Jennifer Nicole Lee saying Mini Circle. I know she was trying to call it the ab circle mini but when she gets revved up, there is no stopping her. She's as high energy as this work out machine.  The other telling tale was the fact that a lot of the promotional material seen on stage and in the ads all said Mini Circle, even the Ab Circle Mini DVD set said Mini Circle on the packaging so my guess is that were gonna come to know this product as Ab Circle Mini through HSN and the Mini Circle through the rest of the world.

My belief is that HSN had such success with the Ab Circle Pro that they were hesitant to deviate too far away from the name of one of their hot selling products. Over 100,000 Ab Circle Pros were sold through HSN in about a year and so I'm sure they wanted their already warm audience to make mental connection between the two.  Remember the Mini Circle is about $80 cheaper than the Pro so those reluctant to plop down nearly $200 for the original might be more willing to try the Mini at a better price.

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Bark Off As Seen On TV

Ever wonder if Bark Off works? Well you aren't the only one. The good news is that the Bark Off reviews by real people are starting to roll in on this very intriguing As On TV Product.  For example, one viewer of WGRZ in Buffalo named Connie wanted the station to do a review of Bark Off. The station agreed and actually asked Connie to do the honors.

Connie was ready to help with this test. With three barking little dogs, she wasn't even able to have a conversation when her dogs got going. So, we brought the product over and she gave it a shot. The product works on one 9V battery. You simply turn it on and it sends out an ultrasonic signal that is inaudable to humans. Our tester noticed a difference right away. The dogs were NOT barking.

We left the product with Connie and she kept an eye on her dogs and then sent us an email.  She said, "The Bark Buster is working wonderfully!  It was working so well with my dogs I went to my neighbors and we tried it on her dog. Absolute silence from him too! I would definitely give it a "2 thumbs up! "

Connie did have one issue with the product... and it's a good one. Connie said there are times you would like the dogs to bark... especially at night. So, she is going to turn it off when she goes to bed so the dogs can stick to their security detail.

Related : Bark Off Dog Barking Control

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Ab Exercises Just Got Easier

Jenifer Nicole Lee's New Baby!
Well...actually she calls it her "grandbaby"!  The Ab Mini Circle is actually the next generation of the Ab Circle Pro that JNL introduced awhile back.   With the Mini Circle introduction sale of over 25,000 units at HSN's launch, it's obvious that she has a winner in this new abdominal exercise machine.

Who is JNL?
If you're not familiar with Jennifer Nicole Lee, she's an internationally famous fitness expert who once struggled with a weight problem herself. Enroute to her phenominal success, she lost seventy pounds of flab while developing exercise routines and professional equipment for weight loss and muscle toning.   She has shared her personal weight loss experience on national talk shows including Oprah, Inside Edition, The CBS Early Morning Show, The Big Idea with Donny Duetsch, Fox & Friends.  You've probably seen her on the covers of over 17 magazines, and has been the topic of numerous editorials and published features.

She is a "bigger than life" leader in the fitness and wellness industry, and CEO of her multi-million dollar empire, JNL, Inc.  Thanks to her #1 global hit, the Ab Circle Pro, JNL is appearing on TV in over 100 different countries,  her voiced being dubbed in over 20 different languages.  JNL is not just some hired talent for the Ab Circle Pro. She is part partner, creator, and designer of the Ab Circle Pro, which is currently ranked #1 worldwide as the best selling exercise equipment to date.

Enter the Ab Circle Mini
Even though the Ab Circle Pro has and continues to have incredible acceptance, Jennifer felt that she could help more people become fit if she could offer equipment at a more affordable price point; hence the Mini Circle.  It operates the same as the Ab Circle Pro, but takes up less room and costs about half as much.  You still place your knees in the knee cups, lean forward placing hands on the supports, and then swiveling your lower torso from side to side.  It can also be adjusted to work thighs and buns, too.  Three minutes a day plus a reduced calorie diet should give you a weight reduction of 2 pounds a week!

What's Included?

If you order the Ab Circle Mini Abdominal and Cardio Exerciser, you get:
* Mini Circle exerciser
* Express Workout DVD
* Lose Your Love Handles Slim Down Nutritional Plan book
* 2 padded knee bowl inserts
* L-tool and small wrench (for assembly)
* Owner's Manual – Assembly & Instructional Guide

You also get a 1-year subscription to SELF magazine valued at $12.

Sounds like it might be worth trying out if you need to drop some pounds and are on a limited budget.

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Review Of The Ab Circle Mini

April 25th, 2010 witnessed the historic release of the Ab Mini Circle on the Home Shopping Network. For those who balked at purchasing the original Ab Circle Pro for around $200, many of them pushed past their misgivings to snatch up the new Mini Circle at half the price and half the weight.

A month later, reviews are beginning to pour in. Those who liked the original like the mini even better. It uses the same circular motion, but takes less space and less umph to haul around. There's no doubt that it provides good ab muscle toning, but belly fat is not going to disappear using spot exercising of any kind. That can only be done with a nutritional diet and over all cardio. So, if you're weighing in at 250 pounds or more, this is not a short cut for you. You've also exceeded the weight limit at which the Ab Circle Mini can be safely used.

Proponents of the Ab Circle Mini, like the Pro, do claim that a cardio workout is one of the benefits of the machine. Even though there is a limited range of motion, targeting only a select muscle group, there is enough movement to work up a sweat. So it's reasonable to assume a good cardio workout is a byproduct of using the machine.

As a consumer, the fact that new models of old products are released to boost sales probably doesn't make any difference to you. So, if you've got the original and you're happy with it, don't feel the need to get the newest release unless you've had to downsize your living quarters.

The Ab Mini is fairly easy to assemble and comes complete with the tools you'll need to accomplish the task. Unless you're a total dunce in the mechanical ability department, you should be able to get it put together in about 5 minutes. The Ab Mini appears to be as well built as the Ab Pro, with the obvious advantage of weighing less. At 15 pounds, most anyone should be able to move it around and it's more compact to store. It should fit under most bed frames.

For people with low back issues, the Ab Circle Mini (and the Pro, for that matter,) can have the added benefit of stretching and strengthening the lumbar region. But, again, we're not talking belly fat, here. This is a muscle toning device only.

Other than your Abs, the scissor motion will also work your inner and outer thighs and your glutes. Most people feel the burn a lot quicker on that setting than on the circular setting.

There's no disputing the fact that you'll feel like you've had a solid lower body work out after using the Ab Circle Mini. You'll use your upper body, too, but that will be mostly isometric with little to no range of motion. So for a balanced strength and cardio workout, you'll still need to do upper body range of motion strength exercises, and low impact cardio to burn fat. Bottom line: the Ab Mini is what the name implies – abdominal exercise equipment. It's more portable and more affordable than the original and comes with a 30-day money back guarantee

Read more about the Ab Circle Mini or Watch the Ab Circle Mini Video

About the Author

Dan Walker

(ArticlesBase SC #2517114)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ - The Ab Circle Mini Review

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Wellcore Personal Emergency Response Alarm

A Personal Emergency Response System has become somewhat of an obsession for me recently and there are a lot of reasons for it. It began with my viewing of the Freedom Alert Personal Emergency Response system commercial which of course reminded me of that ole I've fallen and I can't get up commercial. It's always been a favorite of mine, but it's really not funny anymore.

I'm at the point of my life when I must make some decisions for some elderly family members and a personal emergency response system is on the forefront of my decision making. What I'm trying to accomplish is some sort of assisted living device without have to enter anyone into a real assisted living situation because at this stage it is not warranted and financially not feasible.

Technology has provided a way for many senior citizens to keep their independent lifestyle without needing even part time in home care and this is something we should all take into account. But as far as medical alarms are concerned, there are many options.

My favorite this far has been the Freedom Alert System, and prior to that the Guardian Alert 911 system, both manufactured by LogicMark. The main reason I preferred these two devices was the inexpensive cost, great features, and the lack of a need for a monitoring contract. The devices allowed users to contact help in various forms directly from their system without the cost of a monitoring service. To me this was a good deal.

But, these systems do have their drawbacks, and frankly they were things I hadn't considered. But, that's what's so good about doing research. You learn things. ( Read More on Wellcore Personal Emergency Response System )

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