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I fought with shin splints while training for the Birmingham Half Marathon last year. It began as a dull throb after a training session but became much worse, very painful. Subsequently, every time I went for a run the painful shin splints would kick in thumping away and removing all the excitement out of the training sessions! If it ain't fun I don't want to do this, that's for real.

In the end, I needed to stop the training completely and give the shin splints time to rehabilitate. Exasperating, no double irritating! During training all you are concentrated on is getting all the training you can under your belt so you can get the greatest time feasible on the day. A four week rest is NOT what you desire, no matter how many silver linings you try to find! There's frankly no spinning it away from FRUSTRATION!

However, next time I will definitely be better prepared! I've just perused a excellent feature about shin splints -- click through to read it-- which presents some marvelous tips to get over shin splints before they even become shin splint AND what to do if you do get them. As a matter of fact, in future I'm intending to use sports massage as a component of my running program for half marathon events. I'm very much convinced it's well worth a try. Click for the post about sports massage therapy for shin splints here

The ‘wedding package',all inclusive production of your perfect day, is great in principle but could rob you of the perfect opportunity to shop! Here's how to do it

First: Get the marriage itself booked in. This is the epicentre of the whole event, whatever style you choose. It'll be the bit that bonds you together, for better or worse. Awwww….

Step 2: Book the reception venue and ignore the rules. Standing, sitting, serve yourself, silver service, Do it your way! Take a weight off your mind and let people sit where they want; much more relaxed.

Step 3: Make sure you book the the top photographer you can afford and don't hang about.

Fourth, and best: Get shopping! Great fun! You've got the money, you have ideas of what you want, make the most of it! On your list you may have:

The Dress: What's your favourite colour? In days gone by we got hitched in good old ‘Sunday best'. White is a royal thing. As media coverage of royal weddings grew so did this fashion. Pictures of George VI and Elizabeth, in white robes, were seen on news-stands across the land, then in 1949 the first royal wedding on television, Princess Elizabeth and handsome Philip was beamed to the nation.

Wedding gowns are always lovely, but the ones that stand out for me are the lavish deep green one, the stunning royal blue dress and cape, and the edgy gold stripey version. Mine was blue too, my favourite colour. Years ago I asked my GrandMother, who married way back in 1929, why she chose a green wedding dress? "Why not?" Was her quick reply "It's my favourite colour." Her sage green flapper style dress with silver cloche hat, gloves and bag, would be stylish at any time.

Footwear: Whatever time of year, even where the weather's more reliable, you can't know what it'll be like on your day. Unless you're doing the whole thing indoors, you need shoe options. Oh, don't forget to break in the shoes at home beforehand; weddings can punish your feet, be comfy!

And for your head: It can be great fun trying on headware, especially if you take true friends with you - who'll say so if something doesn't look right. There's a massive selection available, of veils, combs and clips, hats, you name it….

All the other bits and pieces: Can be kept in a neat little bag.

Your bridesmaids: This part can be tricky if you have a big range of sizes and ages. So make sure you choose from your own ideas, and don't feel you have to go with "the norm"

Ok, what's next on our list…..

The closure of my town's best curry restaurant practically overnight has shown why it's vital for small businesses to take full advantage of all the free local search engine optimization possibilities.

Their restaurant was situated about 50 yards up a side road from the main High Street in an area famous all over the uk for its curry houses. Their food was excellent and they could alter their menu to cater for vegans, carnivores, curry aficionados and those of us who prefer a nice casserole, vegetarians, as well as those who like the hottest or mildest curries. But they never seemed to be able to fill the restaurant.

Their main issue was that, whenever we looked for his restaurant on the web, we could not find it. Not only was he not on Google's first page, he wasn't on any of the subsequent pages either. And it was just as difficult when we used our mobile phones. There were lots of his competitors, who did not offer nearly such good service or food, but not the curry shop that we wanted.

Because my own area of interest is local seo, I asked him what his strategy was for marketing and advertising the restaurant both on the internet and off but he assured me that he had everything organised.

Three months after this discussion, our telephone call to book a table received a 'this number is no longer in service' message. Driving down to find out the problem, the restaurant was quite clearly no longer serving. The sign outside had been taken down and the fittings removed.

So what precisely should he have done?

I have never been able to understand why people will spend several hundred pounds on an entry in a directory that is not showing on Google's first page for the keywords that are relevant to their market. Free entries in local listing directories are normally the best option because you can maximise on their domain authority to boost your own listing..

Keyword research should be at the heart of any local business SEO to help Google and bing match your website with its search queries. So, before you begin doing anything web based, you have to think about what your potential consumers are in fact going to be typing into Google and the other search engines to search for your business

Now that you have your list of 'keywords', these should be integrated into the foundation of your website to maximise any and all Local SEO (the abbreviation for search engine optimisation) options. If you tell the search engines that your website is about keywords and key phrases that people are actually on the lookout for and supply relevant information about those keywords, the search engines are a lot more likely to match up any inquiries with a web page that it knows will give them the answers

Get on Google First Page - Places listings

Not long ago Google realised that regional online research had become dominant, people were interested in buying from a business close by and adjusted their own search criteria to give visibility to local organizations.

Google utilized this innovative awareness by creating their own free local directory called Google Places Pages. To start with they scraped the data from the existing directories and even now they will sometimes make use of material from those places if they feel the entry that you have put together is lacking. The best seven of these pages are positioned prominently on the first page of the SERPs for a number of locale dependent keywords making the amount of space for organic entries much less.

By including the new seven pack of Google Places entries on the first page of their SERPs (search engine results pages), Google had decreased the amount of room that was left for the other organic entries.

There are now three alternatives that a local business can use to rank on the search engines for the words and phrases that relate to their products and services - through the website, its Google Places Page and one of their free entries in a local listing directory.

I just wish my local curry house had known.

The results of not taking care of local business SEO became very obvious recently when I tried to book a table at my favourite local curry house. We have used them quite often and always had a lovely meal. More than once they even agreed to open especially for us to serve Sunday lunch... but we were the only customers.

Their cuisine was fabulous but they had to trust in word of mouth since the restaurant was located a little off the main road but still in a vibrant area flanked by a lot of pubs. I could never see why they always appeared to be half full - even though it was a big restaurant.

The sad fact was that, whenever we looked for his restaurant on the web, we could not find it. Not only was he not on Google's first page, he wasn't on any of the subsequent pages either. Nor could we find him easily when we searched on our mobiles. His competitors were all there, none of whom provided such great food, but not his business.

Because my own area of expertise is local seo, I asked him what he was doing to publicise the restaurant both on line and off but he reassured me that he had everything in place.

Three months after this chat, our telephone call to book a table received a 'this number is no longer in service' message. Driving down to find out the problem, the restaurant was quite clearly no longer serving. The external banner was gone and the place was deserted.

So exactly what could he have done?

To begin with, he didn't need to buy entries in the local web directories. It's far more effective to complete all the free entries and then turn down the relentless phone calls requesting that you upgrade to an enhanced version.

Try to make a list of words that you think your potential customers will be typing into the search engines and then use the Google Keyword checker to see if there are a large number of people actually looking for that term - how many times each month they are searched for. They will even suggest some other options that might be more widely used than the words you have suggested.

Once you have your list of 'keywords', these should be incorporated into the foundation of your website to make the most of any Local SEO (the abbreviation for search engine optimisation) possibilities. If you tell Bing and google that your website is about search term phrases that people are actually looking for and provide relevant information about those keywords, the search engines are even more likely to match up any searches with a website that it knows will respond to them

Get on Google First Page - Places listings

A short while ago Google realised that local search had grown to be prominent, people wanted to buy from a business in close proximity and customized their own search algorithm criteria to give visibility to local firms.

This was also a marketing option not to be ignored and they began issuing businesses their own local listing called Google Places. However, where they felt anything was incorrect or missing, they would get their details from the free entries in the other local listing directories making it crucial that you make sure that these are also complete.

The act of adding the new seven pack of Google Places entries on the first page of their SERPs (search engine results pages), Google had decreased the amount of room that was left for the other organic entries.

There are now three methods that a local business can use to get listed on the internet for their keywords - through the website, its Google Places Page and any one of their free entries in a local directory.

If only my local curry house had been aware of this.

Times have changed since I was a child... and even since I was a new Mum... especially when it comes to baby reins. For some reason, many parents seem to view this vital piece of baby safety equipment with suspicion and even derision. They don't want to restrain their toddler because they feel it interferes with their burgeoning desire for independence. Or they don't want to have to go through the trauma of forcing Little Johnny into the buckles and straps of a harness. Well, that's all very well if you're prepared to run around after them ensuring that they don't get into mischief. But, whilst they're engrossed in conversation in the school playground, many parents forget that kids are genetically programmed to explore and won't just stand quietly while Mum or Dad has a chat.

As soon as their legs have the necessary mechanics to move, they want to be given the freedom to use them, not be restricted by any leash or lead. It's here that animal backpack reins can be a godsend.

In days gone by, if a child had a temper tantrum because he or she did not want to be constrained when going out for a walk, there would be no negotiation.

The parent concerned would use one finger to lift the sulky chin, look into his or her eyes and explain, with short shrift, that such behaviour should cease and desist immediately. In other words, to pack it in - or else!

And the ramifications of that 'or else' left hanging in the air were enough to stop any future thoughts of misbehaviour and encourage any youngster to walk nicely holding hands or onto the pushchair. No more hanging on the reins and pulling mum or dad's arm out of its socket.

These days, there are rules covering the administering or an 'or lese', now all a parent can do is try to persuade the child to walk nicely and, invariably, such solutions are in vain. This means that, by way of prevention, children spend far more time strapped into a pushchair to prevent such altercations occurring out on the street.

However, someone came up with a brilliant idea to circumvent the problem. Animal backpack reins. These are made of silky soft plus fur and in the shape of a variety of cute animals, any child will adore its new cuddly bag. And, for all parents, the godsend comes in the choice of animals because each one has a 'tail' in the form of a rein firmly attached to the bag.

As their little one trundles down the road, his grown up can keep control by holding onto his tail and no animal will countenance the indignity of having its tail pulled so he tends to behave himself and not attempt to move too far out of range.

But there's an added bonus. The baby rucksack can contain a fair number of those vital treasures without which our offspring seem reluctant to travel. When I was a child, my parents would certainly not have carried around a massive rucksack, full of items to entertain me but this seems to be the norm these days.

Which means that Mums and Dads are laden down with child luggage and have no free fingers to hold onto their children's reins.

Animal backpack reins - a favourite cuddly toy becomes a multi-tasking solution

And the saviour of the day when you're sitting in a studio for some family portrait photography with your scowling and distracted child, grumpy, wriggling offspring. Hold them in place by the tail and whip their favourite distraction from the cuddly toy on their back. Suddenly, happy smiles. Sorted!

Over nine out of ten social media users have received a request to connect online with someone they have never actually in person, and over half (51%) have accepted – on Facebook that figure is 42% and users there say that only 59% of their friends are people they actually know well. So, if you think that the average Facebook user has 160 friends, that's actually 66 strangers who are viewing what they're up to on a daily basis.

In fact, a quarter of social media users said they wouldn't be surprised if a Facebook friend was not who they said they were - a third thought that some of their connections might have a criminal record. An alarming 73% said they wouldn't trust all their friends with a secret – so why do they continue to posting up all sorts of personal information.

Find our more about staying safe online

There have been lots of movies about The London Blitz but far fewer people realise that England was in fact bombed in World War 1 as well.

Whilst their children would stoically Keep Calm and Carry On almost a quarter of a century later, from 1914-18, the shock value was far more apparent.

First there were the Zeppelin air ships but, when the British became able to defend against these, then Germany surprised us with their secret weapon.

The huge sleek, silver German Gotha aircraft were a bit of a revelation when the formations first were seen in the skies over the south coast of Britain in May 1917.

The surprise meant that it took a while for the air defences to get together.

There were many airfields and army camps along the south coast and, unable to reach the City of London on their first raid due to poor visibility, the enemy aircraft had targeted these instead.

But, not content with the military targets, they had sufficient ammunition to cause havoc in a couple of British seaside resorts as well.

On a glorious Whitsun day, Hythe, Sandgate and Folkestone were all hit completely out of the blue.

60 people, including many women and children were killed in Folkestone when 51 bombs from in excess of 20 aircraft hurtled down and exploded in a one mile square area of the town around the harbour.

Some time later at 11 in the morning on 13th June, a large flight flew up the River Crouch to hit residential and commercial areas, including the Upper North Street School in Poplar, killing 18 children and injuring 30 others.

It was the horror of this event that made the Government re-examine the production of our own aircraft manufacturing and the way in which such raids were tracked and the public alerted.

The burning of Moxa has been used as a crucial component of Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years

Having said that, not many people know that it can be utilized for pregnant women to persuade babies who are presenting in the breech position to turn for themselves.

The accepted Western cure for a baby who is not presenting head first is ecv or external cephalic version where the consultant tries to persuade the baby into the head first position by manipulating it in the uterus through the mother's abdomen.

Disadvantages of Manipulation

Manipulation has been known to result in the baby going into distress or to bring on placental abruption.

In Favour of Moxibustion

Indirect Moxibustion involves holding a smoking lump of the dried herb mugwort over an acupuncture point on the little toe. The beauty of this treatment is that the acupuncturist can instruct the mum to be or her significant other how to administer moxibustion themselves twice a day for a week or so at the last few weeks of pregnancy.

The average gestation of a human baby is usually around 40 weeks.

Research has shown that spontaneous repositioning rarely occurs after the 35th week so it is a good idea to try moxibustion in the time before the 32nd week.

Studies in 1998 and 2008 showed a 75% success rate within 1-2 weeks of Moxibustion with no untoward effects on the mother or child.

When Moxibustion should not be used

Patients who have been diagnosed with ‘too much heat' or bleeding during their pregnancy should not utilised Moxibustion. Ensure you see a qualified acupuncture specialist first.

William Roache, otherwise known as that popular occupant of Coronation St, Ken Barlow, had a great grandfather called James Waddicor.

James had left the quarries in the industrial town of Darwen, Lancashire to Blackpool following the 1891 census.

The town was the fastest growing seaside resort in Britain and the 1890s were a thriving time.

In the 1840s the railway system was expanded and Blackpool profited as many working class people from the bordering industrial areas could now travel to Blackpool. By the 1880s it was no longer a seaside village, but a swiftly growing, prosperous town.

Day trippers and weekenders were provided with a wide variety of entertainment with the huge investments in street entertainment including the Blackpool Tower and the Pleasure Beach theme park which was completed in 1905.

As early as 1879 Blackpool was set up as the first seaside resort to have permanent electric street lamps providing amazing entertainment in the form of the famous Blackpool Illuminations.

Entrepreneurial James put up a small shop along the esplanade where he earned a living as a medical electrician and phrenologist.

Although electricity was fairly new, doctors liked to utilize it to treat forms of hysteria; the patient would have volts of electricity pass through their body.

James had a box with two metal handles for the patient to grasp and then he turned another handle to create the electricity. Having come to Blackpool to visit the illuminations, to literally experience it in their bodies was very fascinating and many forked out for the opportunity.

James also performed Phrenology, whereby he looked at the lumps on a patient's scalp which indicated different personality attributes.

The Council issued a list of unsavoury livelihoods that were not allowed along the beach; at the top of this list were phrenology and palmistry.

James left his son and daughter in law to sell ice creams and temperance beer at their seafront stand whilst he moved his attention to buying property, he bought 4 or 5 houses close together and leased the rooms to holiday makers.

These basic guesthouses were really the forerunners of the cheap bed and breakfast hotels that would be an essential of the town into the 21st century.

For James, the quick rise in Blackpool's popularity meant that he was able to get rich quickly.

When James died he left his family almost 5,000 pounds, which in today's money would be about 500,000 pounds. William Roache's grandmother, Zillah Waddicor, was able to make use of that money to help establish a catering business at Alton Towers. The estate, which has previously been owned by the Earls or Shrewsbury had been purchased by local businessmen who realised that the gardens there would provide a daytripping attraction for local workers and William spent many happy days as a young boy.