On the northern edge of the Sahara Desert lives a distinct cultural, ethnic, and tribal group usually referred to in English as the Berber people although they refer to themselves as the Amazighs. Known most famously for inhabiting southern Morocco, today there are more than 30 million Berber people inhabiting parts of Morocco, Algeria, Niger, Libya, Tunisia, Mali, and Burkina Faso. Speaking their own language, the Berber people are today renowned for their high-quality rugs and carpets.

Hand-woven since time immemorial, Berber carpets or rugs are a distinctive form of the craft that uses a loop pile technique for long-lasting durability and comfort. Traditionally made in muted earth tones ranging from light creams similar to the desert sands of the Sahara to darker browns and greens reflecting the mountain ranges that the Berber people inhabit, Berber rugs have become some of the most sought-after and valuable textiles in the world.

Most Berber rugs feature little or no decoration except for small flecks of color or simple geometric patterns, although some rugs have more distinctive and eye-catching designs. Although modern industrial processes have been able to duplicate the essential techniques of manufacturing Berber rugs, the hand-woven varieties remain high-value items and often serve as the main source of income for rural Berber communities in Morocco and other areas on the fringe of the Sahara Desert. Because of the way that Berber rugs are individually handcrafted from natural fibers, they are an excellent choice for use in offices, living rooms and other areas with high foot traffic as Berber rugs offer unparalleled durability and comfort.

One of the most famous tribes of the Berber people are known today as the Beni Ourain. Carpets and rugs woven by the Berni Ourain are made from undyed natural wool and decorated with a variety of simple geometric designs ranging from brown to gray to black. Most Beni Ourain have a traditional fringe or tassels on the end of the two shortest sides but some Beni Ourain rugs are made without this feature. Due to the way that their tribal name is transliterated in either French or Arabic, the Beni Ourain are sometimes known as the Beni M’rirt.

Because most Berber rugs are woven from undyed wool gathered from sheep husbanded by members of the tribe, the lanolin component allows Berber rugs to be generally very resistant to stains and discoloration. When Berber rugs do become stained or soiled, it is imperative to use either dry cleaning techniques or special detergents with low amounts of moisture so as not to change the chemical composition of the underlying wool. Using high temperatures or steam to clean a Berber rug can result in yellow or brown discoloration due to the changes in the acid levels in the wool. If water or other liquids are allowed to saturate a Berber rug, this can result in yellow or brown discoloration as natural colorants in the wool can begin to leach out.

Although Berber rugs are designed to be extremely durable textiles subject to heavy foot traffic, they should be thoroughly cleaned every year and be properly maintained throughout. If a Berber carpet does become discolored due to improper cleaning techniques or is saturated with water or other liquids, it is imperative that it be cleaned immediately either by applying hot air to the bottom of the rug or by applying professional carpet cleaning techniques.

While Berber rugs now compromise a known style and technique of weaving textiles, it is important to understand that the term Berber often refers to several somewhat distinctive tribes living on the edges of the Sahara Desert. One unifying element of Berber culture is the Berber family of languages, a closely-knit group of related tongues and dialects indigenous to the area of North Africa where the Berber people still live today. Considered to be an important branch of the Afroasiatic language family that contains other languages like Hebrew and Arabic, the Berber family of languages is still the primary language spoken by approximately 30-40 million people in North Africa and Europe. Most Berbers today have been incorporated into post-colonial states and often speak French, Spanish, or Arabic in addition to their mother tongue. Today, the Berber language is an official language in both Morocco and Algeria.

The Berber people have existed since antiquity and were mentioned in several important chronicles of the Romans and Greeks. While Berber is the term given to them by the colonial powers, the Berber people refer to themselves as the Amazighs, which is thought to meant either “noble people” or “free people”. Historically a semi-nomadic people, the Berbers were famous for raising sheep that produced high quality wool. It was by using this undyed wool to hand-weave durable and stain resistant rugs that they became known to the outside world as Berber carpets and rugs were of the highest quality, unmatched until the Industrial Age and the rise of mechanized weaving processes for creating textiles on a mass scale.

In order to become better at music, it helps to have an instructor. Additionally, it will help you to have some cool stuff to make your whole experience a lot better. the truth is that you won’t get very far without items such as 32b because they can make all the difference. Ask any musician around and they will tell you how true it is. You simply will do a lot better if you have quality equipment at your disposal.

Do you know that as soon as your new car leaves the lot, it actually depreciates about twenty percent in value? Also, if unfortunately your new car gets totaled or stolen within a year of its purchase, you will still have to pay a very large portion of your car loan even if you have auto insurance that covered you comprehensively. This is where the Auto GAP insurance comes. GAP Insurance is also known Guaranteed Asset Protection insurance and it protects the difference between the insurance company’s fair market value of the car and the amount you owe on it.

Gap insurance becomes almost necessary if you are leasing your car or you owe more than what it is actually worth. Now how do you go about finding the best gap insurance for your car?

You can purchase gap insurance through your lease company or your car dealership; however remember that this way will be very expensive, in fact most expensive of all options for a policy that is readily inexpensive.

You can check with your insurance company to see if they offer you gap insurance and if they can add it to your currently policy. If that’s not possible then you can search for reliable gap insurance through an insurance comparison website which allows you to get quotes from different insurance companies. Once you have the quotes shortlisted, you can then compare them and opt for the cheapest one available to you.

But wait, that’s not it.

Although a company might be offering you low rates for gap insurance on the forefront, there might be a number of stipulations that would increase your premium. It is therefore important that you check out the company in detail. Look for reviews or better yet talk to people who have already purchased gap insurance from that particular company. Once you do that, you’ll be in a more informed state to make a decision.

Often insurance companies that are not licensed or just mentioned online on various portals can be a scam. You need to check for authenticity for the websites where you compare quotes and the insurance company that you are considering to buy insurance from. It is necessary for your safety and your hard earned money’s protection.

Often finding the cheapest rate isn’t enough. You need to be certain of the company’s reputation and its credibility. You wouldn’t want to end up in a scam or waste your hard earned money and for that reason it is extremely important that you find out the best gap insurance company.

So remember, first of all you should check for insurance rates on an insurance comparison website that has its license and credibility. Next compare quotes from the companies and move on to check for reviews and credibility of the company you are considering. Remember it’s good to be safe than sorry therefore it is important to not only check but cross check all the choices that you make.

When you are searching for the most reliable web host package to give you online visibility for your websites, it pays to research on the types of services and performances you will likely to get from a host server. In web hosting, dedicated web host means a computer system that is solely rented out by a client company for its private use; here, resources like bandwidth and disk space are not shared with others.

Dedicated Server Host Overview

Dedicated web server is generally the choice of many small or large industries, especially business websites that must manage huge volumes of traffic. Such websites can’t afford to experience downtimes which may mean big losses for their businesses. Thus, they get dedicated server host plans that will assure them disk storage space, data transfer speed, high uptime, excellent customer support and protection.

How does this work?

 In dedicated web hosting, the server can be customized and handled by the customer company and this gives the latter high latter and customizability to manage large traffic flows. Dedicated server host are usually supported by efficient technical support for the web host company. The client is also free to make unlimited domains on that certain web server. This feature is very useful for businesses having different departments of retail stores. It is way more affordable for these industries to pick dedicated web hosts rather than renting out another server for each retail outlet. Host server companies also provide shared hosting plans by which resources can be shared among various users on shared server system, but, these resources like bandwidth or disk space are likely to re controlled in this kind of web hosting. This makes shared hosting more beneficial for private websites that are not expecting heavy flows of traffic.

Benefits of Using Dedicated Server Hosting Plans

 To start with, a dedicated server host assures more reliability as compared to shared servers. In the shared hosting, the resources are shared and when one of the clients uses up more of the resources, other websites are affected and bog down immediately. But with dedicated server host, resources are devoted to one user website only; this makes sure of high uptime because you have the full control over all resources.

In the shared web hosting, the service provider will not give you the admin access to the host server, but this is possible if you are using a dedicated hosting. If you visit http://servers.com/, you will discover that the users enjoy easy access to the web server and can install programs or personalize server settings without any restraints to match the business’s needs.

Dedicated server host also ensures first-rate technical assistance and mush faster responses from highly skilled and well-trained professionals so that technical issues are resolved in time. Since all technical troubles can be administered immediately, client website does not experience downtime.

Dedicated web hosting implies better security because the host server is kept in climate-controlled environments at the host provider’s location. It is the responsibility of the web hosting provider to make sure that the web server is safe and protected from condensation and severe temperature inconstancies so that its function are not limited.

It is survival of the fittest in this world. You might have heard that statement a couple of times. This principle of survival for the fittest applies in all walks of your life. That is even more evident in the business world. Companies are always trying to outsmart each other in their various areas of specializations. The success of a corporation is determined by how fit that particular enterprise is when it is compared to the other enterprises.

Ways of doing businesses have transformed drastically since the introduction of the Internet. The Internet has revolutionized how business is run in today’s world. Thanks to the Internet, the companies were offered with an entirely new market that they ought to make use of if they were to survive in this world. Making money online became an easy thing to do. People then become aware that there are techniques on how to make money online. And because of that reason, you might have also thought of ways on how to quit your job.

One way through which you and the companies can beat rivals in making money on the Internet is through online marketing. You might be aware that there are various strategies that have been used so as to sell goods and services. The following are some of the online marketing strategies that have been utilized in the year 2015 and the results have been outstanding:

Start with a web promotion plan and an efficient web design and development strategy

This is the 1st step when you plan to do online marketing. You have to know your starting point and how you are going to maintain the whole process. How you design your website also plays a vital role in whether or not you are going to succeed. You have to ensure that your target audience can see clearly the services and products you are marketing.

Get the top ranking in major search engines, and practice good Search Optimization Techniques

You have to realize that in the business world, it is all about standing out from your competition. That involves more than just what you have to offer to your clientele. You might have the best products out there, but few people know about them. That is not good for business. Nowadays, when most people are looking for something, the first thing they do is check on the Internet to see where they can get it. You should, therefore, aim at getting ranked better in the web searches. There are various ways of doing that.

Learn to use Email Marketing Effectively

The email is the best alternative to using the traditional methods of communicating in most cases. For that reason alone the number of people who are using email to communicate is high. That is a market you should explore if you are to succeed at doing online marketing. You have to learn how to make efficiently use of email marketing.

Dominate your marketing niche with the affiliate, re-seller, and associate programs

Knowing your clients is possibly the best thing that can happen to you as a marketer. That gives you an opportunity to make the most out of the clients. You create a rapport with them. Once you figure out your customers, it is important to maintain them. That is by keeping them satisfied, that is so that you create return business.

Request an analysis from an Internet marketing coach or Internet marketing consultant.

Sometimes you might not know whether or not your marketing strategy is working until you ask an expert in that field for an opinion. It is important for you to get feedback from an expert so that you know what areas you can work on or maintain the way they are. The experts can also give suggestions on what methods you can use to market your products and services online according to your business needs.

Build a responsive opt-in email list

As it was mentioned above, emails are a good way of communicating in today’s world. The emails that you send out should encourage people to subscribe to whatever you are offering them. It has to be written in such a way that this happens spontaneously without the client being forced to do it.

Facilitate and run contests and giveaways through your website

It is always a good thing when someone wins something. It encourages that person even more to participate in that competition even more. You can use this to your advantage and increase the traffic to your site.

Blog and interact with your visitors

A straightforward way of marketing on the Internet is by actually engaging the target audience in a direct interaction. There are various options on how you can do this, thanks to the Internet. That is a chance for you to explain your business even further to your audience.

These strategies have been used by various companies, and they have worked. You should also give them a try so that you can start making money online because when you look at them, they really aren’t that difficult. Things can seem more daunting than what they really are when you first read about them or learn about them, but when you really focus and dial in these techniques, making money online can really be a breeze. It is about learning new things, mastering them, applying them every day and not stopping until you are achieving the results you deserve.

If you want to build a long term sustainable business on the internet, give yourself the freedom you deserve and create a completely different lifestyle by your own design, check out http://www.JSPerformancemarketing.com to find out more now!

I still remember how my grandmother loved embroidery and cross stitching. She would spend hours and hours creating some of them most beautiful creations I have ever seen, some of which I still have in my home right now.

I am glad that in this fast-paced world some of us are willing to preserve the tradition of cross stitching. After all, some things such as family emblems, can only be created if you do them yourself and if you have some dmc cross stitch kits and threads. Without such kits and threads, you won’t be able to get very far. You simply need quality material to be able to accomplish what you want and need.

If you are looking for quality threads and live in Australia, you might want to check the website I linked to above. It is there where you will be able to find any colour of thread under the sun and find out what type of embroidery you will be able to create thanks to it. Cross stitching is not that difficult, so if you don’t have any previous experience in the matter don’t hesitate to give it a try. It might be a lot easier than you have ever thought.

Buying a new house is often included in the wish lists or life goals of many people. However, many people are not very practical when it comes to handling their finances. Therefore, they have a hard time fulfilling this one dream of owning a house. Do not fall for this kind of mistake. You should start to become more responsible even with the littlest things when it comes to money.

In this article, you will learn some practical tips from budgeting your money to avoiding trips to commercial coffee shops to help you save money enough to make down payment for home loans, like one from NPBS, and eventually buy your dream house in Australia for you and your family.

List down your expenses

It would be good to know where you spend your money so you can then distinguish the important ones from those that you can actually remove from your lists. So make sure to list down ALL your expenses from rent, electricity bill, gas, down to the packs of cigarettes you buy everyday. This way, you will be able to check if you’re ready and qualified to avail home loans or if not then you already have an idea how far you are from your goal.

Budget your money

To help you control your spending habits, it is advisable to come up with a budget plan. Budget your money including your allowance. And of course, make sure that you spend according to the set budget only.

Cook your meals

Instead of eating fast food and takeouts, it is best to cook your own meals at home. It will not just help you save money but it will make you healthier too. So start bringing packed lunches in the office or anywhere you go.

Make and drink your own coffee

Another habit that you should avoid is buying coffee from commercial coffee shops. Make your own coffee and drink it at home or in the office or you can bring one to go to. It is time you make use of your coffee maker.

Shop in schedule

You should control yourself from shopping expensive things and most especially you should avoid impulse shopping. What you can do is schedule your trips to the mall. This way, you can prepare a budget for it. Also, be sure to list down the things that you will buy to avoid buying unnecessary items.

Stop unnecessary subscriptions

You should assess all your subscriptions and unsubscribe to those that you do not use. Sometimes, you tend to overlook your subscriptions since most of these are auto-charging your cards and as a result, you are paying for so many things that you don’t actually need or use.

Stop smoking

Let’s admit it, smoking is not only bad for your health, it’s bad for your budget too especially when you calculate all the money you spent for cigarettes since you started smoking. So if you’re a smoker, do yourself a favor by quitting this bad habit.

Walk

Walking is good for you so make it a habit to walk especially when you’re destination is just few blocks away. Avoid using your car or hailing a cab. You’re not only doing yourself a favor but you’re also helping the environment.

Do not underestimate the power of seemingly little and unimportant things. Changing a simple habit can contribute a lot to saving money, which is enough to buy your first house.

Your wedding will be one of the most special and romantic days of your life. However, it can also be the most expensive day of your life! A lot of money goes into putting together a wedding, from the dress to the venue (check out Carden Park near Chester) to the catering to the entertainment and so much more.

You want your day to be romantic, beautiful and meaningful – but you don’t want to go bankrupt hosting this event. So, how can you save money on your big day? There are many ways that you can cut back costs so that your wedding isn’t as expensive. Here are some tips for saving money:

Ways to Cut Wedding Costs

• Don’t get married on a Saturday. Many venues will give you a discount if you book on another day instead, such as Friday or Sunday. Make sure that you give your guests plenty of notice so that they can book the time off work.
• Give yourself a lot of time to plan the wedding so that you can shop around for the best possible deal. It’s fine to be engaged for a year or even two while you put together your wedding. There are many wedding venues in Cheshire and the surrounding area to consider before you make your choice.
• Consider not getting married in the peak season. If you can schedule your wedding for spring or autumn instead, you’ll still have nice weather but you can enjoy cheaper prices.
• Find a venue that doesn’t require you to use a specific vendor for your catering, bartending, DJ, etc. You will save a lot of money by being able to shop around for your own.
• Think about having your ceremony and reception in the same room. The guests will sit at their tables and you will be able to start the cocktail hour right after the ceremony. This will save a lot of money on transporting the bridal party and booking two separate venues.
• Instead of having a sit-down dinner meal at your wedding, consider having an evening wedding and serving hors d’oeuvres which will also save you money.
• Instead of paying for a real fancy wedding cake, have a baker make a fake cardboard one with the top layer real for cutting. Then, have basic sheet cakes in the back that will be served to your guests.
• In fact, you don’t even have to have a cake if you don’t want to. Have a different dessert that your guests will love such as a chocolate fountain, a cookie bar or mini sweet pies.
• Choose a venue that is already gorgeous so that you will not have to spend a lot of money on décor.
• Instead of getting palladium opt for something cheaper like platinum wedding rings.
• Consider using fake flowers rather than real ones. They will be less expensive and these days artificial flowers can look just as gorgeous as the real thing.
• Think about wearing an off the rack wedding gown rather than having one made for you, if you can find one you like.
• Or, think about a used wedding dress instead. Many brides sell their gowns when they are finished with them and if you don’t mind wearing second hand you can get a great bargain.
• Think about looking for a white dress that isn’t necessarily a wedding gown. You could buy it from a formal dress shop for a much cheaper price than a wedding shop.
• Use more greenery than flowers in your decorations.
• Consider swapping out costly flowers for cheaper ones. Less expensive flowers that are in season and readily available can be just as beautiful as exotic ones.
• You might want to consider skipping floral décor entirely. You might be surprised to find that your guests don’t even notice.
• Try to reduce your guest list as much as possible and invite only the essential people in a small and intimate wedding.
• Have larger tables so that you will need fewer tablecloths and centrepieces.
• Borrow as much as you can second hand, especially if you have friends who have just gotten married a few years before.
• Think carefully before you go too much DIY. Sometimes buying all of the materials yourself and spending the time on the project will cost you more than hiring someone else to make or do it instead.

Keep these tips in mind to save your hard earned money when planning your special day.

Business people, especially women, know that they need to take care of themselves for the sake of their job. If a woman looks good while going to work, she is more likely to perform better and thus increase the number of customers she has or attracts.

It is not rare of business women to use the power of jewelry such as Joy Jewelers cadillac jewelry to make them look better. I am sure that you have seen some women wearing jewelry to work, and maybe you thought to yourself, oh a nice necklace, or nice earrings. These are exactly the thoughts you should have while you see a woman that takes care of herself.

Many Americans living abroad are unaware of the fact that they need to file a US tax return each year.  This includes expats who have been living outside of the US for just a few months, and US citizens who were born outside the states but have citizenship.  Expats are required to file tax returns even if they have no income in the US and they pay taxes to a foreign government.

While it is required for expats to file a yearly tax return, there are several tools that the IRS gives to reduce or eliminate the total tax bill.  The first is the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion.  This tool allows the taxpayer to exclude up to $100,800 of income earned abroad from the taxable income.  This means that if an expat earns less than $100,800 and meets all the requirements, then the taxpayer can expect to owe no taxes to the IRS. However, the expat is still required to file a tax return.  If a taxpayer revokes this exclusion then it cannot be used for the next five years.  For this reason, it is important to plan ahead when revoking the Foreign Earned Income exclusion.

The second main tool that the IRS gives to expats is the Foreign Tax Credit.  These are credits given to a US taxpayer for money paid to a foreign government.  The taxpayer can use these credits to reduce or eliminate a US tax bill. If a taxpayer paid more money to a foreign government than the taxpayer would otherwise owe to the IRS, then it is possible that the taxpayer will owe little or no taxes. For example, if a taxpayer would owe 100 dollars to the IRS, however the taxpayer already paid 150 dollars to France on that same income, then the taxpayer can use the Foreign Tax Credit to reduce the taxes owed.  There are some exclusion ratios and limitations, so the taxpayer should consult with an expat tax professional when calculating the amount of the tax credit that can be used. These credits can also be carried forward or backwards to reduce the tax bill in future or prior years.

Many countries have tax treaties with the United States.  Each treaty is different and lays out different rules and regulations for a taxpayer living in another country.  For more information on the US tax treaty, see http://universaltaxprofessionals.com/2016/01/26/what-is-a-us-tax-treaty/.

In addition to filing a tax return, a US citizens (living in the US or abroad) also need to file an FBAR if he or she has over $10,000 in aggregate in foreign financial accounts.  Financial accounts include bank accounts, brokerage accounts, and  pension accounts.  In addition, any account with signature authority needs to be included on the FBAR.

About the Author:

Joshua Katz, CPA is the founder of Universal Tax Professionals, a US expat tax firm dedicated to helping Americans living abroad with all their tax and accounting needs. Joshua can be contacted directly at [email protected].