Articles written by Les Jacobs

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About me - Les Jacobs

An experienced reporter and editor who has worked for the Economist Intelligence Unit, Foreign Trade magazine, ChinaOnline.com and several trade publications - including CompuTrade International - I have been freelancing for the past several years, providing

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Health & Fitness > Disease Prevention Flu and cold prevention: 1 of 18
Are there certain times of year you just can't get sick? Do you have an occupation or livelihood that would be threatened if you came down with even a common cold?I'm a singer and I can't afford to even get the sniffles before I perform a solo. Most viral and bacterial infections, no matter how seemingly mild, interfere with ... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Politics in the Middle & Near East Iran releases British marines, but towards what end?: 1 of 17
The capture, and then release, of the British military personnel is evidence that sanctions are working and that Iran's leaders do not have full control over the nation's foreign policy. Fareed Zakaria wrote an excellent piece about this in the April 16 issue of Newsweek.Late last month, the U.N. Security Council, in order to... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Political & Economic Theory Shoring up a weak US dollar in the global economy: 1 of 13
There has been much hand wringing of late over the plummeting value of the US dollar. Since 2003 the currency has fallen 28 percent against the Euro, 10 percent against the Japanese yen, 12 percent against the Chinese yuan and 16 percent against the Indian rupee. Almost every day the U.S. dollar tests new lows and there seems... More..
Sports & Recreation > Camping Tent camping for beginners: 1 of 11
Tent camping is a lot of fun and can be done very cheaply. I once drove from Madison, Wisconsin, to San Diego, California, over a period of ten days, stopping along the way to visit national parks and famous sites.My girl friend and I never stayed in a hotel once, and we learned a lot about camping along the way. Here are som... More..
Creative Writing > Novel Excerpts Novel excerpts: Escape: 3 of 31
Gyowi ran as fast as she could down the moonlit cobblestone street. She was furious. Furious with Petrovoch for pawing at her, furious with her mother for inviting him into their home, and furious with herself for not running away earlier. She gritted her teeth and ran harder. It was when she saw the lights of the riverbank t... More..
Home & Garden > Home & Garden (Other) How to cut air conditioning costs: 3 of 25
Other than using the "energy save" setting on your air conditioner, what else can you do to bring your cooling costs down? Here are 10 ways, from the cheapest and easiest to the more expensive.1. Close the window blinds on the sun-ward side of your home. There's nothing like a pool of scorching sunlight on your floor to heat ... More..
Personal Finance > Stock Market How to invest during a recession: 1 of 8
The stock market is sliding, lay offs are increasing and more and more people are applying for unemployment benefits. Rising commodity prices, especially oil and agricultural goods, are hitting the consumer hard, forcing households to spend more as a percentage of the family budget on gasoline and food. Economists my quibble... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Islam Comparing Muslims in the Middle East with those in Indonesia: 1 of 8
Islam in Indonesia is more moderate than it is in the Middle East. That is because it was brought through trade, not war - as in the Middle East and South Asia - and was overlaid on already existing spiritual beliefs, most notably animism, Hinduism and Buddhism.This helps explain why Islam is also more politically diverse in ... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Christian Doctrine & Issues Gay rights and the Christian church: 21 of 141
Jesus never said being gay is a sin, at least as quoted in the New Testament. He never turned away any followers for being gay, nor did he ever say that homosexuals should be barred from the faith.He did talk a lot about love, however, and he also said that we should not judge others ("Let he who is without sin cast the first... More..
Personal Finance > Stock Market Investing in the stock market: 6 of 40
If you're new to investing, and you want to purchase shares of individual companies, consider "buying what you know." In other words, invest in companies you're familiar with. If you don't know any companies, invest in firms that make products or services you like. This is the investment strategy that was preached by fund ma... More..