Hot Yoga For Knee Pain

Do you suffer from knee pain? Either from an injury or surgery? My knee pain was due to a torn medial meniscus (cartilage) that I had removed in 1983. About 2 years ago my knee pain had intensified so I started to look for an exercise that I could do that would not aggravate my knee. Running definitely was not it! My search lead me to Bikram (hot) Yoga.

I had never heard of this type of yoga before, so did a bit of a search and found that there was a studio nearby. Bikram Yoga is practised in a room heated to approximately 38 degrees C, goes for 90 minutes, with 26 poses which are practised in a certain sequence. Each pose is held for 20-30 seconds, is done twice and prepares your body for the next. During the class you will work every muscle and every system of your body. You will feel like you've had a great workout. I found that the heat was very healing and alleviated my knee pain both whilst in class and after.

After attending Bikram (hot) Yoga for only a few months, I found that my knee pain had gone. I could do some poses that I never dreamed I'd be able to do, like this Fixed Firm Pose. I couldn't go all the way back in this pose yet, but I could sit with my knees flat and get most of the way back, and for me that was such an achievement. I always gauge myself through pain. If it hurts, then stop! Back off a little and just breathe into that pose.

Remember to focus on yourself, and not judge your class by what others can or can't do. Take it slowly and always check with your Yoga teacher if you are uncertain of anything.

To me, Hot Yoga is the best form of exercise that I've come across in years and the "Hot Yoga Home Practice Kit" as well as the "Hot Yoga Master Class" are a great way to enhance your practice or just practice safely in the comfort of your own home, with many tips for practising with injuries. Hot Yoga For Knees. These are in DVD format, and come with an extensive illustrated Instruction Manual.

How to Prepare For the A+ Certifications

The IT (information technology) institutes are working very hard to fulfill the demands of the IT (information technology) companies. These institutes are offering so many certifications courses under the training of professional certifiers. The A+ certifications have very much demand all over the world in these days. These certifications are awarded by Comp TIA (Computer Technology Industry Association), specifies the competency achieved in configuring and troubleshooting PC hardware and software operating systems. The exams of these certifications are completely computer based; and conducted by VUE testing center. The course of these certifications is recognized by all the manufacturers and resellers of leading software, firmware, and hardware.

The candidate who has the ambition to be A+ certifier, he has to pass two individual Exams for this certification, Core hardware and Core operating system Exams. The objectives of Core hardware Exams are, to give the complete knowledge of Diagnosing and Troubleshooting, Printers, Basic Networking, Installation, Configuration, and Motherboard*Memory/Processors to the candidate. And the Objectives of OS (operating system) Exams are Diagnosing and Troubleshooting, Operating System Fundamentals, Networks, and Installation, Configuration, and upgrading etc. the practice Exams provided by the IT (information technology) institutes will certainly help the candidate in passing the certifications in his first attempt.

To pass the A+ certification is not an easy task to achieve, the candidate will have to work very hard, and practice a lot for the Exam preparation. The IT (information technology) institutes will provide all the material and knowledge to pass these certifications. The institute will have all the tools and Experienced Certified trainer who will polish the candidate's technical skills and will keep a close Eye on his Progress. The IT (information technology) institutes will provide the candidate Self Exam Engine to test the knowledge about certification course and this will be very helpful for the candidate to test himself before appearing in the Exams of these certifications. These Self Engine Exams are certainly very helpful for candidate's preparation, these types of tests identify the weaknesses in the different areas of certification's course and candidate can work more hard to solve these problems before the Exams.

Prepare for A+ Certifications and all other IT Certifications at Examsking.

Minority Or Woman Owned Certification Can Help

Being certified as a minority-owned, woman-owned or disadvantaged business is not beneficial for everyone, but for some businesses it has become necessary.

When a business applies for a Certification the business owner(s) is asking an organization or government agency to guarantee that the business and owner meet all the qualifications for being Certified. Certification by an organization/agency means they attest that a business meets the qualifications. The reputation of that organization/agency is on the line when they certify a business, so they will look closely at the credentials, records and claims. If they erroneously certify a business they will jeopardize their reputation and may be open to law suit or other legal penalty. So even though the requirements and attention to detail of a Certification process can be frustrating, it is necessary to guard the integrity of the certification and the certifying organization/agency.

Here are the typical requirements of a Certification:

• The business is 51% or more owned by the proper classification (Minority, Woman, or Disadvantaged Person).


• The Minority, Woman, Disadvantaged Person owner(s) made an investment to obtain his/her ownership in the business seeking Certification.


• The business is managed on a day-to-day basis by the owner(s) that is of the proper classification (Minority, Woman, Disadvantaged Person).


• The business is capable of providing the products and/or services it claims it can provide. This means the business has the proper license, equipment, people, training, building, vehicles or anything else that is necessary.


• If the Certification is for "disadvantaged" businesses the business owner must prove that he/she meets that organization's/agency's description of disadvantaged. This will include one or more of the following: personal worth under a specific level, race and/or gender, and location of business.

Certification is one of the best tools in a business's tool box or briefcase or purse. Here are a few reasons why.

Certification has become a requirement instead of just a competitive advantage. As attention to the use of M/WBEs (Minority/Woman Business Enterprises) and DBEs (Disadvantaged Business Enterprises) increases so does the number of businesses claiming one or more of those designations. The number of businesses claiming those designations has become so large that the government agencies and corporations usually require a Certification to verify that a business is truly an M/WBE or DBE. Federal agencies still do not require Certifications; however, they normally expect their Prime Contractors to use WBEs and DBEs as subcontractors and these Prime Contractors usually do require a Certification for their subcontractors.

Certification demonstrates that a business cares. Having a Certification is proof that a business is M/WBE or DBE. It is also proof that the business is willing to meet the requirements of a government agency, education institution or corporation. It shows that a business is likely to be a good vendor because it follows directions.

It is a badge to wear (display) with pride. Including Certification(s) on websites, business cards, brochures, digital information, etc. is a good way to demonstrate that a business meets that requirement. Certification is a qualifier, maybe a requirement, but it is not the only qualifier. Displaying it in the right places provides the information to those who need to know without seeming to say, "I expect your business because I am an M/WBE or DBE."

Being Certified may qualify a business for exclusive opportunities. Sometimes government agencies, primarily federal or state, will do "set-asides" for a specific Small Business classification. In those cases a business may be required to have a specific Certification to qualify.

Certification appeals to customers and clients. Even if a business provides products or services to individuals instead of government agencies and corporations, a certification may be helpful. Consumers may prefer a business because they know it is Minority or Woman Owned Business.

One thing that hampers Small Businesses is not having the right, or best, Certification. A business may think there is just one Certification. Or they assume that a Certification does not apply to them and do not do any research to find out. So a business gets one Certification when another one would have been more beneficial. This causes missed business opportunities. It is important to determine which Certification or Certifications will help. Following is some clarification about Certifications.

Most States offer some type of Certification for M/WBEs. Most State Certifications were developed primarily to identify qualified M/WBEs or DBEs for use by state agencies, and sometimes for local government agencies and schools, in meeting their spend goals. (Spend goal is the target percentage/amount of a government agency's or corporation's budget to be spent with a particular group, such as woman- or minority-owned business.) Some corporations will accept a State Certification, but most prefer a non-government Certification for meeting their own spend goals. A corporation that is a Prime Contractor for state agencies may prefer the State's Certification.

Most State DOTs (Department of Transportation) have their own Certification. The Certification offered by State DOTs is for DBEs (Disadvantaged Business Enterprises). The requirements for this Certification are specifically set to meet federal guidelines because DOTs receive much of their funding from the federal government. This Certification was expanded in recent years to include all state and local government agencies and departments that receive federal transportation funding and it was named the UCP (Unified Certification Program).

Some local government entities offer their own Certification. Some cities, counties and even universities or school districts conduct their own Certifications. Any business trying to sell to these entities needs to have the Certification of that entity.

Corporations often prefer private Certification. Most corporations prefer Certifications from national private organizations because the requirements are the same for each business no matter where they are located. There are Certifications for Minority Owned Businesses and for Woman Owned Businesses. These organizations normally offer their Certified businesses training and access to Corporate buyers.

Certification can increase opportunities. In tough economic times, every opportunity or advantage should be used.

Janet W. Christy is owner of Leverage & Development, LLC, a corporation that provides consulting, research and training to small businesses on marketing and certifications. She is the author of "101 Winning Marketing Actions for Small Businesses" and "Capitalizing On Being Woman Owned". More information is available at http://leverageanddevelopment.com.

Why Get ISO 9001 Certification?

You might have heard of businesses being ISO 9001 certified. If you own a business yourself, you might also want to put it at the same level. Naturally though, you shouldn't want to go through the process just because it's seems like the latest fad. You need to understand why you need this before you even find out how to go about getting it.

The International Organization for Standardization benefits business owners because it presents international families of standards. These allow companies to ensure that they are better able to comply with their own specific requirements while taking into consideration certain societal needs. The 9000 family specifically tackles quality management. If you therefore choose to get ISO 9001 certification, you are on track to making sure your company performs at its best in the most cost effective way for customer satisfaction.

The terms involved so far seem technically daunting. This has lead to the impression among some individuals that this is only really for the big industry players. There is however, nothing farther from the truth. You can get in line for evaluation too even if you have a small business and regardless of whatever sector or nature of enterprise you belong to.

Of course, preparing and implementing the steps towards having your system evaluated and overhauled will take time and money. This is why it is worth wondering whether being ISO 9001 certified is worth the trouble. The simple answer is yes. Certification involves looking into management systems that have direct implications on customer satisfaction. If you have a bad system running your business, you run the risk of losing customer satisfaction.

It goes without saying that any entrepreneurial undertaking that can't satisfy its target market is in hot water. Without buyers there will be no business. For a lot of businesses therefore, the main motivation for getting their systems whipped into shape is customer contentment and retention. This is especially since customers are now more demanding than ever when it comes to product and service quality.

There are other benefits to ISO 9001 certification. The steps that you'd have to take to prepare for it alone are already revealing points. When you set up your own quality management system, you are basically streamlining your procedures, getting rid of unnecessary processes and ensuring regulatory compliance. In short, you are devising or beefing up an existing system that supports low costs, reduced waste, increased efficiency and risk management.

To get to the path to get certified, auditing is important. If you have a small business, you can do this yourself. In most cases though, it pays to pay an expert consultant first to go over the existing system that you have so correct and prompt recommendations for improvement can be made. The best services focus on improvement and not in changing systems just for the sake of doing so.

It's crucial for any business to consider getting ISO 9001 certification. The bottom line for many business owners is retaining or attracting many customers for greater sales conversions. This however shouldn't be your sole motivation. Getting certified means making the commitment to continually improve quality and how things are done.

Do You Need An ISO Internal Audit?
Visit http://www.iconsultingsolutions.com.au For Information.

SBA 8a Certification - Do I Qualify For SBA 8a Certification?

This is first thing that someone should find out if they are thinking about applying for SBA 8a Certification.

Failure to spend the time to find out whether you fully qualify can:

1. Result in a formal denial of your 8a application by the SBA. If this happens, you cannot re-apply for 12 months from the date you are denied.

2. Result in a seemingly endless 8a application review process at the SBA and cost your business concern the ability to bid on and win federal set-aside 8a contracts.

2. Cause you to spend 40+ hours putting together a bunch of paperwork that will result in nothing more than a paper weight.

Below are 16 "Killers". These will immediately tell you whether you have an issue that may prevent you from qualifying for 8a Certification.

1. The applicant (51% of more owner) must be a US Citizen when they apply.

2. The applicant must devote full time to the business concern that is applying for 8a Certification when they apply. This means that they must work at least 40 hours per week in the business concern without any outside employment.

3. The applicant must hold the highest management position within the business concern. Generally this is the CEO, President or Managing Member.

4. The applicant must be able to demonstrate that they are the highest compensated. Generally the SBA will deny your 8a application if you cannot demonstrate the applicant currently is the highest compensated or there is a very good reason why they have elected not to be.

5 The applicant must have an adjusted net worth of less than $250,000 at the time they apply. Adjusted net worth = Assets - liabilities - (Equity in primary residence + value of ownership interest in business concern).

6. The applicant's AGI (Adjusted Gross Income) cannot be more than $200,000 averaged over the last two tax years.

7. The applicant must generally hold all licenses or professional certifications required to operate the business concern.

8. If the applicant has ownership in another business concern other than the business concern that is applying for 8a Certification the SBA will most likely determine that you do not devote full time and therefore deny your 8a application. There are ways to solve this issue and they vary depending on your unique condition.

9. The applicant cannot be on probation or parole. If the applicant has been arrested in the past it does not automatically deny them unless they were convicted of a specific crime. Having an arrest, regardless of how long ago, will severely delay the review of your 8a Application.

10. The business concern must have been in business for 2 full years. In addition, the last two years of its filed tax returns must show a reasonable amount of total sales. If it has not, you must seek a waiver and meet the 5 conditions set by the SBA to overcome this condition.

11. The business concern and the applicant cannot have any delinquent tax filings or have any unpaid Federal, State or local obligations at the time of application. This condition can be overcome by filing the proper extension for delinquent taxes or by providing evidence of a current re-payment arrangement for unpaid Federal, State or local obligations.

12. The business concern must be at least 51% directly owned by the applicant. The business concern must be a for-profit business and cannot be classified as a broker or be a subsidiary of another business concern.

13. The business concern's current financial statements must exhibit positive net income, positive net equity and positive working capital at the time of application submission. The SBA requires that the business concern meets "Potential for Success".

14. The business concern must not have earned more than 70% of its total revenue within the last 12 months with one single client. This does not apply to a business concern if its direct billing client is a Federal or State Government.

15. The applicant or business concern cannot have previously participated as an 8a participant. The applicant cannot have any immediate family members who are current participants in the 8(a) Program.

16. The business concern must be defined as a "Small Business" by the Federal Government. Your primary NAICS code, gross sales and sometimes the number of employees define your size standard that the SBA will base its determination on.

These are just 16 of the "Killers" that can potentially prevent your 8a Certification application from being successful. There are additional 'Killers" and other areas that you should be concerned with prior to making the decision on whether you fully qualify for 8a Certification.

Spending the time upfront to ensure that your firm meets all of the eligibility requirements for 8a Certification can save you countless hours of frustration, the expense of putting the application together and the difference between obtaining formal 8a Certification or not. Cloveer, Inc. is dedicated to assisting small, minority owned firms obtain 8a Certification.

No one can guarantee that your company will get formally 8a Certified. The SBA makes the final decision. If anyone guarantees or conditionally guarantees that they can get you 8a certified I suggest that you run as fast as you can since you will just be throwing your money down the drain and wasting your valuable time.

Rick is the President and CEO of Cloveer, Inc. He has spent the last ten years guiding thousands of firms through the very complex Small Business Administration's 8(a) Application process.

Rick has intimate knowledge of the SBA 8(a) program rules and regulations and the SBA's Department of Program Certification Eligibility's (DPCE) Standard Operating Procedures. He is an expert on each individual element that comprises a successful 8a Certification Application which can help ensure your 8a Certification Application has the best chance for achieving formal 8a certification.

Visit http://www.cloveer.com for more information.