Prudent Mortgages

Did evolution begin on Long Island?

There is overwhelming evidence suggesting that if you incubate three dozen worms in a solution of amino acids and carbon compounds for approximately one and a half million years they will eventually evolve into the Long Island Railroad. The only problem with this theory is that if this were true some species of fish would have a natural tendency to ride the Long Island Railroad. But fish have never actually been observed commuting between Long Island and Manhattan.

A group of enterprising archaeologists, however, found the missing link to this apparent puzzle. Digging through the ruins of an old Long Island Railroad yard, they came across a fossil of a fish believed to be extinct for billions of years. In fact, after taking a radiocarbon reading of the fossil and the brown paper bag it was found in, they confirmed that their find dated back to the “big bang,” give or take six months. This proves conclusively that prehistoric fish did commute via the Long Island Railroad.

Now, the question arises, did prehistoric fish commute on dry land or did prehistoric trains run underwater? No one really knows for sure. But, the famous Dr. Imust Beagenius (pronounced I-must Be-a-genius) is grappling with a theory. Dr. Beagenius suggests that prehistoric fish must have travelled on dry land. He points out that extensive laboratory tests show that railroad tickets are not waterproof.

There you have it — a theory which links fish, worms, and the Long Island Railroad. It couldn’t be more logical.

MORE PROOF

Unfortunately, not everyone is that easy to please. There are those who, believe it or not, would demand a more detailed explanation of such a theory, no matter how logical it sounds. “How do a bunch of worms,” they would naively ask, “turn into the Long Island Railroad?”

In spite of the absurdity of such skepticism, I offer the following evidence which should render this theory proven beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Our archeologist friends went back to the same railroad yard and made some more astonishing discoveries. They lined up some of the old cars side by side and noticed how each car was slightly bigger and better developed than the one before it. The car at one end had a highly sophisticated and powerful air conditioning system, while the car at the other end had not even a fan. The only trace of air conditioning found in one underdeveloped car was the fossil of a conductor slapping an old woman with his cap to create some air disturbance. (His cap, incidentally, has been known to be extinct for at least seven and a half billion years. It had no union label.)

Then, scientists took a worm crawling in the same railroad yard and put it under a powerful electron microscope. And behold, they made an astounding discovery: A worm’s cell magnified three billion times has an uncanny resemblance to a train window (without the shades).

It’s quite obvious that the evidence presented for the worm-train theory overshadows the somewhat popular but fanatical notion that trains may have been manufactured by intelligent beings. The “intelligent beings” theory would imply a labor union. So far, none of the trains studied showed any traces of major medical benefits, pension funds, or sick leave. How such a ridiculous theory even got started is hard to imagine. So much for this nonsensical “intelligent beings” theory.

By now you must be saying to yourself, “Well, the evidence for the worm-train theory is certainly overwhelming. Any idiot can see its scientific validity. But where did the first worm come from?”

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

I’m glad you asked. The theory widely accepted by the scientific community and also strongly supported by our famous Dr. Imust Beagenius is the “big bait” theory. In the beginning there was a big ball of fishing hooks. Nature found it rather absurd to have so many fishing hooks without worms. In a few short billions of years, worms began to materialize around the hooks. When the first trout started biting, nature found it necessary to produce more worms to keep up with the fishing season. And so, worms began materializing on virtually every hook around the globe. Then, in the off-season, there were more worms than hooks. So, the problem at that point was storing these excess worms. This brought about the invention of the can. So, you see, the worm-train evolution began with the Big Bait. And the Big Bait began with a can of worms.

Theories just don’t come any better than this.

Josh Greenberger: A computer consultant for over two decades, the author has developed software for such organizations as NASA’s Goddard Institute of Space Studies, AT&T, Charles Schwab, Bell Laboratories and Chase Manhattan Bank. Since 1984, the author’s literary works have appeared in such periodicals as The New York Post, The Daily News, The Village Voice, The Jewish Press, and others. His articles have ranged from humor to scientific to topical events. Visit his site: shopndrop.com

Many business owners find themselves in the position to confront employees about their Internet use. Non-work related activities including online games, Internet shopping, stock trading, Internet radio, streaming media and MP3 downloads represent the new temptations in the workplace.

When an employee connects to the Internet, your company is exposed to these four threats:

• Productivity Threats: Just 20 minutes of recreational surfing a day can cost a company with 30 employees over $1000 per week (At $25/hr per employee)

• Legal Threats: Employees can sue if you don’t provide a work environment free of gender and minority harassment. This means taking reasonable care to block offensive Internet content.
• Network Threats: An employee can crash your network just by logging into the wrong website. Other activity like recreational surfing and downloading MP3 files can divert valuable bandwidth from critical business needs.

• Security Threats: Viruses enter networks through a variety of sources, such as web-based email, Instant Messenger file transfer, email attachments or through other files directly downloaded from a website.
Companies of all sizes must effectively incorporate email, Instant Messages and web traffic logs into their overall records management strategy. Some companies must do this to comply with industry regulations such as Sarbanes-Oxley, Gramm-Leach-Bliley and HIPAA.

The first step is to choose the types of Internet content that will not be allowed in the workplace. Keep in mind that not all employees will have the same privileges, so it is important the network management solution you choose provides a flexible configuration to suit your needs.

There are two basic types of Internet monitoring solutions: Gateway and desktop solutions. Gateway solutions are software or hardware that act as checkpoint for all Internet traffic on the network. Desktop solutions are installed on the local machine to enforce the Internet policies before the request leaves the machine. Desktop solutions work well on smaller networks and gateway solutions work well on both.

The next step is to create an official company policy specifically for Internet use. It should include all Internet activities and not just those you wish to manage. Keep in mind the document cannot account for every possible scenario on the Internet, so it is important to use broad terms with specific examples. For example, instead of stating “Political opinions are not to be posted on newsgroups,” you may wish to use “Messages originating from the company network or other company-owned assets may not contain political opinions.” The second clause is much stronger because it doesn’t specify a message type or delivery system. If you have liability insurance, then be sure to get their approval on all documents. In some cases they will have additional provisions that directly relate to your industry.

The most difficult step will be implementing the new policies. In most cases, some or all users will experience a reduction in Internet privileges. Prepare for a temporary increase in support requests as some users will be prevented from accessing some work-related content. Internet policy configuration is an on-going process that must be routinely maintained.

Soon the complaints from users will cease and production will return back to normal. It is important to keep your filtering software updated and to maintain a history of Internet activity. If the time comes when you must confront an employee about their Internet use, you will have proof of their Internet activity and a detailed comparison to their peers. That is a much stronger case than saying “I’ve seen you 10 times looking at ….”

Frank Hughes
Vice President of Technical Services
SecureMyCompany, Inc.
http://www.securemycompany.com

Bio: Frank Hughes is the Vice President of Technical Solutions at SecureMyCompany, Inc. Frank Hughes has over 14 years experience in the IT industry with the last 10 years serving as the Senior Solutions Consultant for BellSolutions.net. Mr. Hughes holds several industry certifications from Microsoft, Dell, Cisco, Sonicwall, and more.

Restoring muscle cars is a hobby for some and a profession for others. There’s just something about the classic high-performance cars that collectors, racers and general car enthusiasts find fascinating. If you are a hobbyist who is interested in restoring a muscle car, you will probably benefit from a few restoration tips. The restoration of muscle cars begins with shopping for a muscle car that can be restored. Prior to buying a car for the purpose of restoring it you need to make sure that the parts needed for the restoration are available and you can get your hands on them, and that you can afford to complete the project once you start it.

Before going shopping for a muscle car to restore, decide what your purpose is for restoring a car. Do you just want a great muscle car to drive? Will you be racing? Are you restoring the car so you can participate and compete in classic car shows? Do you intend to sell the totally restored muscle car for a profit?

Once you’ve determined the purpose behind your muscle car restoration you’ll have a better idea about what type of muscle car you want to get. Before you go shopping, read up on different muscle cars and learn all about their performance, their value and so forth to make sure that the car you choose is appropriate for you intentions. To make sure that you don’t get ripped off in a muscle car transaction, find out what the muscle cars you are looking for are worth “as is” and what they are worth once they are restored. Having this information at your fingertips will help you to determine whether or not you are really getting a “great deal” when you begin to negotiate to buy a muscle car.

Before you buy one, make sure that the parts needed to restore your muscle car are available and affordable. Set your budget and your timeline for restoring the car so you know how much you can afford to spend for the muscle car itself and for the parts and other expenses that will be incurred in the process of the restoration. Following these simple suggestions at the beginning of your muscle car restoration project will prevent you from starting a project you can’t finish and will ensure that your muscle car restoration project is enjoyable and that you meet your goals for muscle car restoration, whatever those goals may be.

Jason Tarasi is a muscle car enthusiast who runs the Muscle Car Monster Website, where members can buy and sell muscle cars for free through the site’s online classifieds. Muscle Car Ads

Billions of people around the world experience acne over their lifetimes. In fact, acne is the single most common skin disorder, and more common than all other skin disorders combined.

With this being the case, it is not surprising to see literally thousands of different acne treatments available on the market today. There are prescription medications, such as accutane, and Retin-A. These work well on severe cystic acne. There are also over the counter medications, such as Benzoyl peroxide and Salicylic acid. For light to moderate acne, these can be a godsend. And of course, there are herbal acne treatments like tea tree oil and green tea cream. These both are proven to work well as alternatives to benzoyl peroxide.

This is just to name a very few of the most effective acne treatments available. There are then hundreds of brands that repackages these treatments under thousands of names, and sell them to acne suffers the world over.

However, there is one acne symptom that none of these medications can treat… Acne Dysmorphia.

Acne Dysmorphia is really more of it’s own disorder altogether. It
is similar to anorexia nervosa, in that the person suffering from acne dysmorphia becomes completely obsessed with a physical condition of their body. With Anorexia, it is their weight, and with acne dysmorphia, it is their clear complexion.

The truth of the matter is, Acne Dysmorphia is not strongly related to acne at all. The acne is just a catalyst for the problem. With Acne Dysmorphia, a person will become completely fixated on their skin, whether or not they are suffering from acne at all! They may pick at an area of skin until it bleeds, or becomes infected. Also, depression often results from their frustration with their skin complexion.

The sad fact is, many times these people may only have a few very small breakouts. Therefore, no amount of “acne treatment” will help reduce the fixation on the skin. It is not uncommon for someone with Acne Dysmorphia to check their face in a mirror dozens, even hundreds of times a day. And each look in a mirror reflects only a distorted image, one with a much larger acne problem than exists.

The cure for this disorder does not come from any form of acne care, but from healing within. Behavioral therapy, can be an amazing aid in curing acne dysmorphia. In many cases, this is all that is needed to help reduce the symptoms. In extreme cases, a serotonin reuptake inhibitor may be needed. Also, some people find hypnosis can be an effective form of treatment.

The most important thing to understand with acne dysmorphia is that it is not due to the acne breakouts, but to a mental disorder that needs to be treated completely independently of any acne. Furthermore, it is very important to treat acne dysmorphia, because the resulting depression can create many problems for a person, including suicide.

Acne is never pleasant for anyone, but acne dysmorphia can truly be a crippling disorder. Seek treatment for the mental aspects first, and then you may find that the acne you have will suddenly become an easily manageable aspect of your life!

Greg Podsakoff is a former acne sufferer, and the editor of http://www.acne-treatments-guide.com

Sports is truly big in America. People get a great deal of fun and excitement out of it. Sports is a great distraction from real life with its statistics and never-ending discussions. Unfortunately, owners of teams know the love affair people have with their teams and look to take advantage of it. Public financing for stadiums is one way to do that.
The Florida Marlins have been a pretty successful baseball team winning two World Series within ten years. Such success was alleged to be a lynchpin in looking for funding for a stadium. They were slapped for such assumptions. The Florida legislature said they would not back a financing plan for the Marlins. They have talked to other cities as well regarding public funding with little luck. The New York Yankees have done similar things looking to build a stadium on Manhattan away from the Bronx which is their current location. They were shot down as well.

Recent studies have confirmed a fatigue with public financing for stadiums. It just is not worth it. The economic advantages for the host city are less and less. The internet and cable television have made everything far closer; you can see a game anywhere in any city through such creations. Do you really need a stadium?

Also, the greed is simply out-in-the-open now. People making $50,000 a year paying costs for billionaire owners to house millionaire players is a sham. The players have proven they don’t care which city they play in, just the one paying the most. Why should a fan go out of his way and take more dough out of his pocket for this sort of thing? He should not.
At the very least, there should be some sort of reward for public funding. How about the team making sure ticket prices remain in the bottom ten? That would be both rewarding and gracious. Instead, we often get owners who raise ticket prices almost immediately. Gee, thanks for the support, Mr. Billionaire.

Sports is a business, often a sleazy one. The stupidity of saying, “This is my team” is beyond childlike. They are not your team and don’t really care about you, either. If an owner wants to come to your town or expand in your town, let him build it himself. If public financing is sought, seek out your own advantages. Otherwise you are just another sucker spending into oblivion.

Robert Carberry is a freelance writer from New York.

Successful authors are convinced that radio interviews are the very best way to reach large audiences and publicize their books. Interviews give authors an opportunity to expound on the topic of their book and disclose personal feelings. While not actively selling, they entice listeners to want to learn more. If you are willing to speak about what you have written, you will certainly make more money. Here’s how:

1. Get on all the talk shows you can, especially if you are going to do a book signing! Local, regional, and national prime-time venues, whatever it takes, get on the air as much as you possibly can, as often as you can.

2. Use a great news release, something that grabs attention, holds the reader’s interest, and leads them to take positive action. These releases will become part of the media kit you send to book stores and may be faxed to hundreds of radio and television hosts and producers.

3. Send news releases to specific talk show producers and hosts. If you will be doing a book signing in their area, highlight that fact and provide details. There are many sources for lists of television and radio talk shows on the Internet.

4. Do some homework for your interviewer. Provide a short list of questions that might be asked about you and your book during the interview. Refer to them as FAQ’s, Frequently Asked Questions. Your recommended questions will make the interviewer’s work easier and make them look smarter. Most interviewers will not have time to read your book. The questions will help focus attention on the points you want to get across.

5. Have two books with you when interviewing in person, one for the interviewer, and one for yourself. If you expect to quote or point out a specific page, use paper clips or markers.

6. Be prepared to leave your contact information with the receptionist when you are interviewed in person. Sometimes people call in after you’re gone and the station receptionist will have no information to offer unless you have provided it.

7. Always follow up with a thank you note to the person who interviewed you as well as the producer of the show. If possible, also send a note to management complimenting the expertise of the interviewer. Such compliments are appreciated.

Talk show hosts need you. You have special information to share with the world and they have time to fill. Get ready to be entertaining and informative. You sell more books and you may even be invited to do an encore!

Jo Condrill is a professional speaker, author, and consultant. She has conducted successful book signings across the US, including one in Rockefeller Center in New York City. “From Book Signing to Best Seller: An Insider’s Guide to Conducting a Successful Low-Cost Book Signing Tour,” which was coauthored by John B. Slack, was named the 2002 Best Writer’s Reference Guide by the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association. Http://http://www.publishandprosper.com/Exposure.htm

Are you in search of life insurance with no medical exam
required? Have you been looking for life insurance online, but
maybe you’re frustrated with so many choices?

Why spend endless hours searching online when you already know
buying life insurance is the right thing to do? And term life
insurance offers you the maximum protection at the lowest rates.

Now it’s quick, easy and affordable for almost everyone to get
term life insurance online without taking a medical exam.
Actually, there’s a few insurers that offer instant approval
life insurance if you qualify. You can apply online in about 5
minutes and find out if you qualify instantly. That’s right. No
more paperwork. No medical exams. No more pushy agents. And, no
more delays of between 4 to 6 weeks to receive your policy.

Today, you can get life insurance online and print your policy
immediately after you pay your first premium online. You can
actually get life insurance coverage “In Force” today, if you
qualify. Not everyone qualifies for coverage though. You do have
to be in good health, generally. But, even if you’re taking
medication, or may not qualify with other life insurers – you
might qualify for no exam life insurance.

Okay, you should be aware that life insurance with no exam
required may cost you a little more than coverage through other
insurers. But the benefits outweigh the costs for some folks.
Several benefits include: Instant approval, coverage “in force”
today, no doctors, no invasive needles, no medical tests, no
mailing delays, no pushy insurance agents to deal with… The
list goes on. However, there are two drawbacks – the premium may
be a little higher. And, not everyone qualifies for coverage.

It’s easy to find out if you qualify for no exam life insurance.
You just answer a few simple health questions to get your
instant quotes. Then, you decide if you like the rates, and you
can apply online in about 5 minutes. You usually get a response
within 10 minutes as to whether you are approved for your life
insurance coverage. Then, you can pay your first month’s premium
online, and print your policy immediately. It’s that simple. No
time delays, no mountains of paperwork and no dreaded medical
exams.

Make sure to check the financial rating of your life insurer. It
is usually provided on their web site. Also, paying an annual
premium is usually less expensive than monthly payment options.
Finally, when you buy direct online, you’re cutting out the
uncomfortable sales person at your dinner table trying to talk
you into the policy.

Life insurance no medical exam policies can provide the
protection you need at affordable rates. It’s worth a few
minutes to get instant quotes and decide if you want the
coverage. There’s no hassle, and no sales pressure.

What is Herpes and is there an effective herpes treatment?

Herpes is a virus with two different types or “simplexes”. There is an effective herpes treament available!The first simplex is called HSV1 and is the most common. This simplex attacks the oral region, and is most commonly known as a cold sore or oral herpes. Most people do not realize that there is a herpes treatment for this herpes simplex. The second simplex is called HSV2, this simplex attacks the genital tract. A Herpes Treatment for outbreaks is possible, this includes a herpes treatment for both genital and oral herpes (HSV1 and HSV2). Controlling future outbreaks is also possible with an effective herpes treatment.

What does herpes look like?

Herpes is a virus which breaks out from time to time. An outbreak is most commonly brought on by stress. An outbreak generally consists of blisters, lesions, and an irritation rash. Outbreaks can occur around the lips, inside the mouth, on the tongue, and of course in the genital region. It is possible to control a future herpes outbreak with an effective herpes treatment.

How can I treat herpes and what is the best herpes treatment?

Treating herpes can be very easy. I have found an effective herpes treatment which is topically applied. The great thing about this treatment is that is completely natural, and effective in eliminating outbreaks and symptoms, as well as preventing future outbreaks from occurring.

Healing Natural Oils offers an effective treatment for herpes with two different products that are currently available.

The H-Away product is topically applied directly to the outbreak, and gets rid of a herpes simplex outbreak within several days. The H-Prevention product is also topically applied, and works on controlling future outbreaks.

Unlike drugs, this completely natural herpes treatment consists of pure essential oil formulas, and are directly applied to the condition. By directly applying these treatments for herpes to the affected area, it bypasses the internal organs, and works directly to combat the condition at the source. These oils work with one’s immune system to eliminate outbreaks and to stop future outbreaks. These treatments are effective on cold sores as well as on genital herpes.

Many investors invested in the Great Uranium Bull Market with little rationale behind their speculation. Through the robust rallies of the past two years, it was easy to play the momentum of a newsletter writer’s recommendation. Quite a few did so, often employing the ‘greater fool strategy’ and hoping the last and dumbest investor would provide an exit strategy for the early and nimble speculator.

We have created a 7-point ratings system to help you in determining which companies might be best suited for your degree of investment risk. It’s a guideline you can use, and we’ve not assigned a weighting to each item. Nor have we named any uranium companies. This is a do-it-yourself ratings system, which requires but two actions on your part: (a) be persistent in your data-gathering from each company by asking the questions we posed below, and (b) be honest in your assessment when you review this data.

Some of the more speculative, pure exploration plays might abandon their properties by the end of the year or in 2007. Those would include under-capitalized companies with the more speculative properties and who also fare poorly on our ratings system. This ratings checklist would also apply to the pure specs. We began with our article, “How to Choose a Uranium Stock,” featuring Sprott Asset Management Market Strategist Kevin Bambrough and Senior Portfolio Manager Jean Francois Tardif, as a starting point to create a more advanced ratings system for you.

Uranium producers are likely to make a strong comeback as they cross over or switch to more lucrative long-term contracts. But, it could be the smaller, but more solid, uranium development companies which could emerge as the preferred investment vehicles, when the bull resumes the next leg of its long run. Now that we have had a shakeout, with possibly another one on the horizon, it is wise to properly evaluate the important merits of the more serious uranium development companies.

Below are some of the key criteria we are using in our ratings system to objectively evaluate uranium companies covered in our new book, “Investing in the Great Uranium Bull Market: A Practical Investor’s Guide to Uranium Stocks.” Please determine if your favorite exploration and/or development company meets these standards. This is one way of obtaining sufficient data to help you form a snapshot of a company’s prospects.

1. Cash Position. The more cash a company has in its treasury, the longer it can survive. Find out if your favorite company has a minimum of $20 million in cash. More than $30 million gives a company some breathing room. Exploration and development are very expensive propositions. Raising money in a down market is very tough.

2. National Instrument 43-101. This independent geological assessment determines how many pounds of uranium a company’s property hosts. While there are flaws with this system, it can be a workable yardstick. Find out if your favorite company has a minimum of 20 million pounds of a NI 43-101-compliant uranium resource. One should consider historical resources inadequate for evaluation purposes. They may also be misleading and open to hyperbole.

3. Pedigree of Known Deposits. Many of the uranium development companies hold properties, which were once held by the minerals or uranium divisions of major oil companies. Some were continuously held, during the 20-year bear market in uranium by one company or another, and then abandoned during the nadir of the drought. Find out if your favorite uranium company’s primary properties were continuously held until 2000 or a bit longer, but before the spot uranium market reversed. The earlier a company acquired its properties, the greater the probability that company got the best ones. Those who came into the game late often got the crumbs.

4. Drill Databases. Those previous land tenants, the major oil companies, who spent tens of millions of dollars drilling the uranium properties, accumulated drill databases. Some companies got the property, but not the drill databases. Some companies bought the drill database as part of their property acquisition. Find out if the company’s primary properties also have the drill database accompanying it. You may be surprised at what you find.

5. Pedigree of Uranium District. There are several premier uranium districts, which have a history of large-scale uranium production: Athabasca, Australia’s Northern Territories or South Australia, Grant’s New Mexico, Wyoming, Kazakhstan, Niger, and Namibia. Find out if your favorite company has holdings in these districts. Some companies have holdings in multiple uranium districts, which may also become recognized as a wise decision by their management.

6. Management’s Technical Experience. There are three categories of uranium experience: exploration geologist, project geologist and mine operations. Find out how much experience your company’s geological team has in each of those three categories. Those with less than 100 man-years of uranium experience behind them may be lacking. Those companies which have strength in all three categories could become the next uranium producers.

7. Political or Environmental Risk of Primary Assets. Finally, you should assess the risk of the company’s primary assets with regards to its location. Primary uranium assets in North America or Australia’s Northern Territories hold the lowest risk. Those companies exploring or developing in Niger, Namibia or Brazil have slightly higher political risk. Companies with prospects in countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kazakhstan or Mongolia hold more risk than some investors may wish to tolerate. Areas which forbid mining such as Queensland, Western Australia or the U.S. state of Virginia carry an enormous degree of risk and a Kierkegaardian leap of faith.

Now you can rate your favorite uranium company and use this ratings system to help you sift through the more than 300 potential stocks in which you might have considered investing.

The ins and outs of the French Press

Is it even possible now days to have an absolutely best tasting, most full flavored coffee without traveling to South America? It is! And all the big coffee house know it too. That is why they are selling the ever gaining popular French Press. Now at first glance it looks like something great-granny on the wagon train might have had to make coffee. Well, except it now comes in stainless steel and slick black rubber. But the French Press is actually quite new. Yes, the Europeans had it before us, but even at that it is still considered a newer gadget in the kitchen.

The French Press, even for coffee lovers is a little intimidating to say the least. I mean, it consists of a glass beaker, and a plunger. Where is the plug in? Well, there is none. Meet the newest, non electric, coffee maker. Promising to give you the best cup of coffee available and right in the quietness of your own house. So how does it work?

First off – put on some water to boil. Why that is going, run the glass part of the French press under warm water to warm the glass. This will keep the heat in the press and will not cool down the water you put in.

Next – Grind your choice of coffee bean into a coarse grind. The coarseness of the bean will allow the natural oils to seep into the water faster. Grinding your own coffee when needed, will give you the best flavor too. Add the recommended amount to your press.

Now as soon as the water hit’s a boil turn off the heat and allow the water to quit boiling. This means, you do not want to see the bubbles in the water. As soon as it has cooled enough you can pour it into the press. Make sure to keep the plunger up at the top. You do not want it to get into the coffee grounds yet as you might get some of the grounds on top of the screen.

Wait approximately one minute than swirl the coffee grounds and water around. You’ll want to see a circular motion of the beans swirling in the water. You can also take a non-metal spoon and stir it up. Replace the lid.

After about 2 to 3 minutes longer you are ready to plunge. Using the plunger move from the top slowly, evenly, down towards the bottom. If you do it slow enough the coffee grounds will not be able to get around the screen. Continue pushing down until you have all the coffee grounds at the bottom and the plunger is still in place holding them down. You may now pour your coffee into a mug and enjoy your new found talent of making coffee in the French Press.

Linda Cramer is the Owner of Oregon Gourmet Foods and Gifts
Our website is http://www.oregongourmetfoods.com