For body sculpting and attractive good looks, it seems that 6 pack abs are all the rage.

Today, it’s not Mr. America muscles that attract the stares and the raves, it’s good-looking guys with 6 pack abs, with every muscle clearly defined. For women it’s those who have a flat and shapely mid-section to give them that lithe, athletic, action look.

Those are the ones getting the attention at the beach and elsewhere these days.

When you see others getting all the attention, it’s natural to daydream about having that look yourself. Did you ever speculate about how to do that? About what exercises would be required? About what kind of diet you would need? Ever want 6 pack abs for yourself?

Ever think about losing belly fat and getting 6 pack abs?

Practically anyone can do it. If you aren’t overweight (I’m talking not obese here) and get on a good, professionally designed program, you can do it in about 12 weeks or less. Of course you will need a great guide and be willing to stick with the program.

You want a guide, a professional trainer, who has been there, done that and successfully guided hundreds if not thousands of other people to get the attractive abdominal section and look they wanted. There is a lot of info floating around out there that is mostly wrong, won’t work, will just waste your time and money.

Get good advice. Get a professional to show you how to get a six pack fast. Zero-in on your target and hit it with good coaching and information.

Just click on any link in this blog posting to get the info you need to get YOUR six pack!

Author - James Turner

Weight loss is not an easy process. Anyone who has ever struggled with being overweight can attest to the idea that there are numerous factors which influence how/why we gain or lose weight. There is no one simple answer to the question of weight maintenance. Aside from exercise, there are various other aspects which influence the outcome of our weight loss goals. In this article I will reveal four of the most effective dieting secrets.

One of the most important dieting secrets is the consumption of protein and fiber with every meal. Eating these two compounds improves your metabolism and keeps you feeling full for many hours. Another important dieting secret is the consumption of fruit and vegetables. Everyone has heard that our bodies require five servings of fruit and vegetables a day. That is not a myth, it is a fact. Fruit and vegetables provide our bodies with fiber and water. These two compounds improve our digestion and suppress our appetite (like the hoodia pills). Furthermore, fiber takes a lot more time to digest which means more calories burned in the process.

Editor’s Note: Phentramine is a highly popular diet pill online. Unfortunately, it has many side effects and you should be aware of them before buying it. You can read more about our review on Phentramine diet pill here.

Another quick weight loss secret is physical activity. People who spend at least 30 minutes each day on physical activity are more likely to shed unwanted pounds or maintain their current weight. A lot of researchers suggest that weight loss is difficult, if even possible, without the addition of routine exercise. That is why it is important to combine a healthy diet with some sort of physical fitness. Furthermore, exercise helps you build muscle and muscle in return helps you burn calories (even while at rest). These are just a few quick weight loss secrets. So if you ever struggled with your weight, remember that there are numerous factors which come into play. Knowing these factors and having the proper motivation are the two keys to weight loss success.

Written by Lauren Johnson of Strictly Health Corp. Please keep this author’s bio intact if you are republishing this article on your blog or website.Disclaimer: The contents of this article are for informational purposes only. We aim to be as accurate as possible, but there may be some unintentional omission of information. The content is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on within this article.

Most of us know what it feels like to be tired. And I’m guessing that most of us know how sluggish we feel on a cold, dark winter’s day. In fact it’s so natural to feel like that that most of us take it for granted.

But what many people don’t know is that daylight has a very dramatic effect on how you feel. Both the amount and quality of light has an impact. Which of us hasn’t felt wonderful in the warm glow of a beautiful sunset?

Research shows that light stimulates the senses. Light is energy, after all. And light can give you more energy which in turn can help you less lethargic. Is it any wonder then that people wake easily in the summer months, but often have trouble in the dark winter months? That’s why some people use special lighting, such as the HF3461.

When light falls onto your eyes your brain gets a message to produce cortisol. That stimulates you, because it’s the energy hormone. When it’s time to wake up in the morning a good bathing of light is important so that your hormones are better balanced and you’ll feel more energetic right from the get-go.

But what do you do if you don’t get enough natural light? That’s when devices such as the Philips HF3461 can help. It’s classed as a medical device. That’s right, the Philips hf3461 wake up light alarm clock is actually classifed as a medical device.

Offering up to 400 Lux light intensity, it easily meets the level of 250 Lux that is required to affect energy hormones so you wake up full of energy. And for easy reading a light level of 300 to 400 Lux is ideal to avoid eye-strain, so such lighting devices are great for catching up on your favourite novel before bed!

Only you know whether you have trouble waking each morning, but remember that light can help. And if you don’t have a suitable natural source of light - for example if your bedroom window is obscured by other buildings - then a specialist light might just be the thing you need.

There is no argument that golf is very popular. It may not be one of the events in the Olympics but whenever there is a tournament, you can expect to see a lot of people watch both in the course and on television. You can be just as good as the pros someday if you follow the golf swing tips I am about to reveal. The main purpose of golf is not just to see how far you can hit the ball, but to get it near the hole.

Unlike cards, this is not chance but proper technique is involved to make it happen. This may not happen every time because there are things beyond your control like the wind and any obstruction that lay within the path but you can just imagine how well you can do if the conditions are just perfect. In order to develop a good golf swing, the first thing you must learn is how to control your body. With this game, the way you lift your arm until you allow the club to strike the ball is crucial. It is not only about strength that makes the ball travel far but the recoil effect. So how do you achieve this recoil effect? This is done by not turning your body too much when you start from your right to the left.

There are various aids to help you out here like working with a heavier club, getting someone to watch you, practicing in front of the mirror and recording how you swing with a video camera and playing it back. As you rotate from side to side, relax your hands throughout the motion. If you are having a hard time with that it can put strain on your muscles, in turn makeing it hard to get the outcome you are looking for. To make this work, remember that the arms are an extension of something bigger because the power does not come from here but from your abs and hips which happen to be two are the largest muscles in the body.

Make it a point to always hit the ball right in the center. That way, you are able to divert it to the direction you want it to go. So you know where the ball is going, keep your eye on this until you send it flying through the air. Aside from working on the upper body, don’t forget to work on your footing. For that to happen, make sure both feet are flat on the ground so you are able to transfer the weight from the right side until it passes a little over your left shoulder. The golf swing tips mentioned are not hard to do. They should help you improve your golf swing substantially.

It only takes a small amount of practice in order to stay consistent every time you get a chance to putt on the green. Just remember that when you make the first putt, you must have a relaxed grip on the club with your feet flat on the ground so you are able to swing from the right to the left with a good back swing and follow through. From that point, your ball will fall fairly close to the hole, leaving you with a simple shot to put it in and then proceed to the next round.

This would take more time than anticipated if you did not make some adjustments in your golf swing. Is there a perfect golf swing? The answer is yes and no. The best way to improve your swing or come closer to an ideal swing is by your own efforts.

News

In the past 12 months we have been watching quite a number of issues go afoul with our much touted financial institution.  This year will go down in the history books as one that should not be repeated, however should never be forgotten.  Jump to the present and we are in a major recession and our national deficit is escalating at an mind boggling rate. 

At this time 12 months ago gas prices were quite high and American consumers were singing the blues, if we thought that was terrible skip forward to today and we are crying for something to change. 

The trickle down effect began last October when many of our huge banking institutions began to sink and started begging for money from the government.  This ignited chaos for millions of Americans, countless numbers of Americans lost all their money in the stock market.  Speaking of which the market at one point sank so low consumers were frightened we were on the brink of an all out depression. 

The next sector that got tremendously affected is the mortgage industry.  We are now witnessing record highs in the amount of foreclosures and the worst most financial advisors think has not yet come to fruition.  The scandals being run in the sub-prime mortgage sector are what ignited this whole headache and still continue to plague it.  Many forecast it should take up to a decade for the real estate industry to be viable again.

Even the auto industry has run into some major problems.  Most of the large automobile conglomerates are in need of bailout money or are filing for Chapter 11.  If this is a sign of things to come it is quite frightening.

One more enlarging problem for tens of millions of US taxpayers is the alarming amount of defaults on credit cards.  Credit card debt has reached an all time high as well.  Many people are having a extremely hard time when attempting to get out of debt.  Thankfully there are credit card debt solutions that can enormously help people to escape the endless cycle of monthly minimum payments.  One of the most popular systems of debt relief has become debt settlement, especially throughout the economic chaos.  This program helps people save a lot of money. 

The reason getting rid of debt is important for so many is because job loss is also skyrocketing.  Consumers need to keep more funds for themselves to afford their expenses and keep them from bankruptcy.  With such difficult times saving cash has become so important, no one going through problems right now should wait on trying to get their families out of debt.

http://www.lampsforthehome.com/wordpress

When designing and selecting materials for your new kitchen backsplash, consider functionality along with beauty. Maintenance is a turnoff for many homeowners. Once installed, they want it to take care of themselves. Materials such as ceramic or porcelain tile, stainless steel, glass and stone can be crafted into beautiful backsplashes that require little or no maintenance. Altering how an older backsplash appears or designing one from scratch serves as a quick and efficient method of brightening up your kitchen without extensive work.

When selecting a kitchen backsplash, it is important to consider the kinds of fixtures, not appliances, you have in your kitchen. Since the appliances will be replaced over time, they are less essential to bear in mind. The fixtures, being more permanent items in the kitchen, are important to remember. A tile or tint of glass may match a paint color in the room, but if it clashes with the finish on a light or cabinet door fixture, the work will not look professionally done.

A desirable aspect concerning the use of tile as a backsplash is the large selection of colors, sizes, shapes and textures that are available. You could even request a custom painted tile job to match any design theme you have or want in your kitchen. Also, tile is easy to install and clean. Multiple experts of design suggest that if you have a tiled floor then you should choose the same tile for your kitchen backsplash in a smaller size. This simplifies things if you have trouble making design decisions. Similarly, if you have a natural stone countertop, continuing the counter up the wall makes a simple, consistent backsplash in your kitchen. Stone does require occasional resealing, but the small amount of maintenance is made up for in the beauty of stone. For country kitchen styles, metal backsplashes work very well. Fixtures in the room should be noted when selecting appropriate metal tiles so they do not clash with one another.

Trendy choices are available, as well. Stainless steel backsplashes create a modern, sleek look in your kitchen. This might be one case where considering the appliances could be important. Stainless steel refrigerators, stoves and dishwashers are common and in style. Stainless steel backsplashes act to compliment these appliances. One fresh design trend used everywhere these days, including kitchen backsplashes, is glass. It is often a good decision to install glass tiles to extend all the way up to the cabinets from the counters. Glass is easy to maintain and is scratch resistant. With the numerous choices on the market, you should find no limitations in selecting just the right material and style for your kitchen.

Bass fishing boats offer a cushiony dry-ride, phenomenal stability, and extreme storage capabilities all with a bow and stern platform to allow ease in casting for two to four anglers in comfort. And a deck area featuring underfoot compartments to store a plethora of fishing gear out of sight.

The market for used bass fishing boats is vast enough to accommodate all fisherman irrespective of the angling activities enjoyed or overall budget. Bass boats are manufactured to suit an avid weekend fisherman in need of a occasional fishing machine to a experienced angler in need of a proven and high-quality tournament ready vessel.

Common construction materials for these vessels include aluminum or fiberglass designed to operate on freshwater or saltwater - dependent on the preferred class of fishing. On the other hand, for the crossover fisherman - opt for one of the bass boats that is able to adopt to saltwater and freshwater alike.

For ease in arriving at a quiet fishing hole a 18 footer bass boat is economical to tow and often garage friendly to store throughout the off-season, which in turn lessens storage costs at a marina or dedicated storage facility.

Bass boats outfitted with all optional extras often feature in-dash fish finders, trolling motors, rod boxes, insulated live well systems, a range of fishing chairs, a cooler, and a multitude of other features for superior comfort for a days fishing adventures.

Whether its one of the latest models or a used fishing boat - these fishing machines offer a ride that runs low-to-the-water, offers impressive handling, and a smooth ride to reach that next fishing destination in a rapid rate of knots.

There’s no doubt that many people need to lose a few pounds.  Look around where people gather, you’ll see it.  Look in the mirror, unfortunately you’ll likely see it there too.  If your goal is fast weight loss, keep a few simple things in mind to lose the pounds quickly and safely.

Skipping meals is one of the first things people often try when they want to lose weight.  It makes sense, right, cut out the calories by eating one less meal.  Fewer calories means losing weight, right?  That’s right but skipping meals isn’t the right way to reduce calories.  When you skip meals your body goes into starvation mode.  It starts to retain fat to counteract what it perceives as being starved.  When you skip meals you’ll end up hungrier at the next meal.  This could lead to binge eating.  Skipping a meal plus binge eating, then, will likely result in eating more calories and the body gaining even more weight from those calories than normally.  It’s the worst of both worlds.  Don’t do it. You can find more information regarding how to boost your metabolism here.

Know how much to eat.  Portion control is just as important as eating the right food.  Too much of even a healthy food still results in weight gain.  Portion control isn’t easy when large portions are so common.  Restaurants serve over large portions, as do most people at home.  Sources such as the FDA list recommended daily allowances.  If you must eat out, keep portion size in mind.  Don’t eat the full portion served at the restaurant, or order less than a full meal, such as soup and a salad.

Eat more whole grain foods, skip the white grains such as white bread, sugar and white rice.  Whole grains are rich in nutrients and low in fat.  The fiber in whole grains helps you become full faster, and feel fuller longer.  Also whole grains contain many nutrients that are often lacking in people’s diets.

Consume more water.  Drink it instead of juices and sodas which add about 90,000 calories to the average person’s diet each year.  Drink water between meals too.  In fact, the goal is 8 glasses of water each day.  It seems like a lot, but it’s not.  Drinking water also promotes health in general by keeping you well hydrated and helping to avoid overheating. Learn a good tip in how to boost your metabolism.

In order to maintain proper blood sugar eat healthy snacks between meals since the body needs food every three to four hours.  Healthy snacks also help control eating at meal times.

Fast weight loss is realistic with some knowledge and planning.  Keep these things in mind and pretty soon you’ll see a slimmer you when you look into a mirror.

Learn how to boost your metabolism.

blog.groomsmengiftsblog.info

Regardless of the educational option and career which you choose to pursue, you will find out that education rarely comes at a low price if you expect top quality. However despite the fact that everyone wants a good education and an equally good career, not everybody can afford the high cost. For those who want to enroll in a nursing course, nursing schools may very well be a viable alternative to receive the training you need for the job.

For people who want to fulfill their nursing CEU credits, online education provides an avenue for them to participate at their chosen education without having to inconvenience themselves by having to arrange the time to personally attend learning institutions that provide such education to gain the requisite credits. However before enrolling to this course you should find out whether the state you want to work in needs certain CEU credits. Being aware of this can save you a lot of money on an education that is unnecessary for you to take.

Online CNA certification offer the chance to learn the basics of the career in a short amount of time and also the chance to go about your regular activities without having to compromise anything about your life. These classes also provides the chance to access it anywhere as long as you have a computer and an Internet connection.

Forensic nursing training will offer instruction on various administration fields in the area of medicine and health care which students have to learn to apply in a workplace setting. This job entails excitement and rewards and prospective applicants can explore some of the opportunities that this career is bound to provide by surfing online for relevant information in order to know what they want to know.

When you have decided on the things you require the next thing you have to do is to determine whether you can afford the educational choice that satisfies your preference. There are lots of options to choose from and some can be heavy on the pocket when compared to others. However cost is not always an indicator of quality, make sure your educational requirements are satisfied first.

Business & Finance

Well, I spent another exciting week exploring the web. Of course, the great things that I found will be specific for me, but I know that the sites that I found can help others as well.

First up was looking for a solution to a flea problem on my cat. Frontline for cats is the premier product for getting rid of fleas on cats. It is a topical liquid that goes between her shoulder blades that then bonds to the oil layer of the skin and spreads all around her body. That is where the fleas are. I did not want something that would go into her blood stream since the idea of the flea drinking poison blood from my cat just does not sit well with me. Give this a try — you won’t be sorry.

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Along the same line, I tripped across another site specifically for cats that need a name. It is called Cat Name Game and it is for cats names where people help suggest a new name for your kitty. People also get to vote on their favorite names of those that are suggested. What a fun site to visit. Once again, Cat Name Game is a free service that allows you to help choose and vote on the name of your future champion. Browse the most recently added horses, goats, lizards and other pets below, or if you have a pet of your own that needs naming, sing in to list your pets for others to help with your names.

They have a sister site called puppy name. Dog Name Game is also for helping name your puppy whether one or a whole litter. It is as much fun for the people suggesting the names as it is for those looking for a name. So, if you have hit a roadblock when it comes to naming your new puppy or kitten, or if the breeder has rules that you have to follow, just list it here. If you just want to help, get your creative juices flowing and help out those who are still searching.

There are many sizes and shapes, colours and shades of water tanks these days. When searching for the best range it is advisable to look at the Coastline Plastics website. Not only are they effective, well built and long lasting tanks, they also look great! The have the widest range of tanks and slimline tanks in Australia and come highly recommended.

I don’t know of another distributor and/or manufacturer in Australia that has a 20 year guarantee on all of their water tanks. Quite amazing really and the interesting thing is that the team at Coastline have never had to replace a water tank in 33 years of manufacturing and selling them. So, you can rest assured that whatever tank you choose for your home, you will be buying pure quality.

The most obvious question I guess is why you would want to buy a water tank in the first place? Reasons may be things like the environmental benefits, health benefits of drinking rain water and not scheme water and maybe the necessity of needing rain water if you are living in the country. Where ever you may live, there is a need for a rain water tank, what ever your reason, particularly with the recent lack of normal rain conditions in Austtralia.

So, what are the benefits of buying a rain water tank or indeed a slimline tank from Coastline Plastics? In the first place, coastline are manufacturers of the tanks. This means that you are getting a factory direct water tank or slimline tank at a lower cost to you. Because there is no middle man, they are able to supply a tank to you cheaper than a normal distrbutor. They also have complete control over the quality of the tank making process, ensuring that each tank is made properly. Larger size tanks use a rotational moulding of plastic to produce long lasting tanks.

This, then is a win win situation for consumers wishing to have a rain water tank. You get the best built tanks with a 20 year guarantee, any size tank you want from 700 to 24,000 litres and any colour or shape that you need to make it fit at your home. Don’t hesitate to visit the Coastline Plastics website at: www.coastlineplastics.com.au

When I spend about half a grand on a cell phone, I’m thinking . . . “i want to get my money’s worth!”

That’s how I feel, anyway — which is why I made it my business to put my new iPhone through the paces from jump street by scouring the web’s most serious iPhone resources for the most useful power tips/ tricks available. The result is this collection of 16 iPhone power tips that will help you get even more enjoyment out of your new favorite toy! Some of these, granted, you’ll need to Google to get the current URL. But, if you want, you can just click the link for the complete article with photos and videos.

1. Unstick a Stuck Slider: if you’re iPhone’s slider ever gets stuck — as in, it simply refuses to do anything when you try to slide it, usually because you want to make the iPhone up to use it — here is a fix from iPhone Atlas (www.iphoneatlas.com): press the Home button once before attempting to move the slider for the first time.

2. Make Skype calls: Up-front disclaimer: We’re not talking about free, voice-over-IP (VOiP) Skype calls here. We’re talking about making SkypeOut calls, which are not free but can drastically reduce the cost of making international calls on your iPhone. Matter of fact, SoonR lets you access Apple Mail files, mailboxes, and contacts. It also lets you grab documents from your Mac for viewing on iPhone, including PowerPoint presentations and all that kinda’ good stuff.

3. Know Where to Go for the 411: Lucky for you, the world has gone iPhone crazy. That means there a lot of excellent sources of info on the latest iPhone developments out there on the web. Bad news: there’s a lot of crap, also. Here’s a short list of our favorite iPhone info sites:

- modmyiPhone.com
- iPhoneFreak.com
- iPhoneAlley.com
- The Unofficial Apple Weblog’s iPhone page
- Gizmodo’s iPhone coverage
- iPhoneAtlas.com

While you’re checking these sites, keep in mind that some sites you might already be visiting on a regular basis have really done a super job of becoming iPhone-friendly, including Digg.com, Amazon.com, FaceBook.com, and Netvibes.com!

4. Play Great Games: You know what Jack says about all work and no play! Not that the web surfing you’re doing on your iPhone is all work-related, yeah right? Games — most of which are free — are starting to pop up for the iPhone, and we’re sure there will be more where those came from. For now, you can just launch the Safari browser when your iPhone and visit these hot game sites:

- MacMost’s collection of iPhone games, including classics like solitaire and minesweeper (free, MacMost iPhone Games).

- mynuMo has 4 iPhone games, including iWhack — a whack-a-mole knockoff where the mole’s replaced by a headshot of Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer — and Blackjack (also free, myNuMo iPhone Games).

- iGiki’s games, which include Hangman and Canyon Crawl — aren’t free, but then, they’re only a buck a pop and might be just what you need when you get tired of the freebies (99 cents per game pack for 99 days, iGiki Games).

- PopCap’s Bejeweled, (free, PopCap Bejeweled).

5. Beat a Shortcut to your Fave iPhone Apps: Handy iPhone apps, like Leaflets (free, Get Leaflets) and Applists (free, Get Applists) put most iPhone apps your fingertips, but if you want to build your own list, just collect the apps you tend to use the most into the same bookmarks folder in Safari on your computer. Then, the next time you sync your iPhone, using iTunes, be sure to check “Sync Safari Bookmarks” on the info tab, under Web browser.

6. Rehang the Wallpaper: If you’re up for a bit of iPhone hacking, you can take any image you find anywhere on the web and turn it into a custom wallpaper.

But there is a much easier way: Download a 320×480 pixel image for free from a variety of online sources, saving them all in the same folder on your Mac. In iTunes, with your iPhone docked, select your iPhone, click the Photos tab, select the radio button next to “Sync Photos From…,” then from the drop-down list, select “Choose Folder…”

Next, browse to the folder you just created, then click “Apply” in the lower-right hand corner. Finally, on your iPhone, go to Settings, Wallpaper, Photo Library to hang your new wallpaper!

7. Take Self-Portraits Because the iPhone camera shutter’s button is a “soft” (i.e., onscreen) button, it’s a bit tricky to take self-portraits with it since you have to turn the phone around so you can no longer see the button. Here’s the solution: with the camera feature selected, place your finger on the camera icon and turn the phone around so you’re facing the lens. Then, smile pretty and let go of the shutter button! You’ll hear the telltale “click” — and, you’ve just taken a self-portrait!

8. Reveal Secret Features: When Apple released the first firmware update for the iPhone on August 1, 2007, it did so with little fanfare, and attributed most of the updates to “security fixes.” The Wall Street Journal’s Walt Mossberg discovered a few new non-security-related features on his side phone after the update including:

- Greater capacity in the iPhone module’s Favorites list (used to be 20, is now 50).
- Ability to automatically blind carbon copy (BCC) yourself on all e-mails sent, where previously, your only option was to CC yourself, which alerted your recipients what you were up to…
- Compatibility with some car adapters and external speakers, originally created for the iPod. For more iPhone and tech tidbits, visit Walt’s blog.

9. Just Ditch the Camera Altogether: On the other hand, if you know you’ll never use the iPhone’s camera, you can just remove it altogether. (If you work for or with certain government agencies, you’re iPhone may actually be considered “contraband” on their property because they don’t want you taking secret photos of Bigfoot, Elvis, or (believe it or not) alien spaceships!

10. Get the Official Mod Tool: If you’ve already had to send your iPhone back to Apple for warranty repair or replacement, you may have already discovered something different about the replacement iPhone. First off, it comes in a much thinner box. Second, it comes complete with the “official iPhone SIM card removal tool”: a paperclip! Yup, Apple actually supplies a paperclip with all replacement iPhones, along with instructions for using it to open the SIM card slot and insert your card!

11. Buy Spare Parts: If you’re the type who simply can’t resist trying to take your iPhone apart, here’s where to go to find replacement parts when you go too far: iPhone Parts. Sources of mine told me that Apple charges $300 for a replacement screen, but you can get one from iFixIt for only $199.95.

12. Kill that Annoying GSM Buzz: If you hear a buzzing sound, while using an iPhone cassette adapter in your car stereo, such as Monsters iCarPlay — which claims to be iPhone-compatible (but doesn’t appear anywhere on Monster’s website) — Gizmodo offers a low-tech solution: aluminum foil… Yup, just take a little bit of Reynolds Wrap and wrap it around the cable closest to your iPhone. Doing so eliminates the need to switch to “Airplane mode,” which would be a viable solution if it didn’t send your incoming calls to voicemail!

13. Find Wi-Fi Hotspots in Your Neighborhood: JiWire makes it easy to find the nearest hotspot when your iPhone — so you can rescue yourself from the slow-moving hell that is AT&T’s EDGE data service. Surf on over to iphone.jiwire.com on your iPhone and fill in your location. If you’re a cheapskate (like me), check the box for “Search Free Hotspots Only.”

14. More Wi-Fi Performance Enhancements: Apple has a potentially useful collection of WiFi related iPhone tips in a regularly-updated knowledgebase article on its website. Suggestions include fixing problems like paid WiFi connections that drop off suddenly, weak WiFi signals, and WiFi connections that revert to EDGE due to issues with WEP passwords, or problems with Mac address filtering.

15. “Hack” Your iPhone!: Disclaimer: this tip isn’t for everybody. Some of these “hacks” (i.e., self-made modifications to the iPhone’s default behavior) are intended for people who have experience changing the way their computers behave by accessing the underlying code governing such behavior. You’ve been warned.

- For Macs: iFuntastic and Installer.app.
- For Windows: Installer.app or iBrickr.

Once you’ve installed one of the above helper apps, you can try an ever-expanding array of iPhone mods. With iFuntastic, for example, you can add your own custom ringtones, rearrange the Home screen, and change the AT&T logo. Installer.app goes even further, letting you install and play Nintendo games that feature tactile feedback! The good folks at Gizmodo.com make it easy for Mac users to take advantage of this newfound power over their iPhones with a handy tutorial (visit their site and search for install apps iPhone).

Windows users can also use a helper app called iBricker to modify their iPhone, install custom ringtones, and install third-party apps. But, if all you care about is adding custom ringtones, you might want to try Efiko’s iPhoneRingToneMaker ($10).

16. Just Don’t Be a Sucker!: While searching for the latest iPhone apps, you could run across some websites that’ll offer you instant access to hundreds of the latest apps — all for one-time membership fee of $49.95. These sites include, but are not limited to, www.iphonenova.com, www.iphonecyclone.com, and www.iphonedownloadpro.com. Problem here, is that these sites (IMHO) are scams.

I ponied up $50 for membership to iPhoneNova, for example, which claims to be the “World’s First iPhone Download Service.” Guess what it really is? It’s a BitTorrent-like site for downloading illegal content you can view on your iPhone or iPod.

But, your $50 membership only gets you a BitTorrent client called Tomato Torrent and links for you to download two more already-free apps that help you convert existing videos and ripped DVD content to be viewed on your iPod/ iPhone. You also get links to a mere five (5) web-based iPhone games and a huge, poorly-organized list of illegal movie downloads like “The Simpsons” and “Transformers.” Nuff said; as Napoleon Dynamite would say, “…What a Rip-off”!