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America's Promise Invites Communities Across Country To Come Together For Children And Youth

2009-10-13T10:31:00.000-07:00

Last year, America's Promise--The Alliance for Youth and Founding Chairman Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.) launched the first-ever competition to identify the 100 Best Communities for Young People.
http://guide4career.co.cc/College

Weaknesses of the Articles of the Confederation and the reasons why the founding fathers created a weak national government

2008-12-22T01:50:00.000-08:00

After the American Revolution it was up to congress to establish an organized government so that the United States would not fail. In a quick attempt to do this congress approved the first nation contistution- the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation, however, was anything but perfect. This "constitution" did not give the national government the power to tax its citizens and regulate trade in order to reduce the national debt. It also got rid of a strong executive branch and gave little power to congress and more power to the states. All of these factors played a role in the weakness and failure of the Articles of Confederation.

The Articles of Confederation never gave congress the right to tax U.S. citizens or regulate trade nationally or internationally. With no power to tax U.S. citizens, congress could not reduce the national debt, and with no pwer to regulate trade it could not have hault imported goods or the flow of gold and silver to Europe. In a desprate attempt to help this situation congress and the states printed paper money during the war. The government promised to redeem the bills with money from future taxes. However, since congress did not have the authority to tax, the value of the dollar plunged. This caused inflation, one of the reasons Shays' Rebellion occured. Since farm wages and prices had falled sharply the farmers were selling little produce but they still had to pay morgages on their farms and other debts. When Shays' Rebellion took place it sent a message to congress showing them how horrible the debt really was huring the American citizens and the country as a whole. This showed how the national government needed to take charge and be granted more power in order to take better care of their people.

Americans feared the threat of monarchy. As a result of this the Articles of Confederation did not grant the executive branch much pwoer over the states. This made it difficult to carry out foreign policy. In effect states took this issue into their own hands. When John Jay and Don Diegode Gardoqui agreed on the Jay-Gardoqui Treaty this was an example of that very problem. Being that congress hand no authority over foreign policy because it lacked executive power, Jay decided to take action. Jay was supposed to draw up a negotiation with Spain to preserve American rights to navigate the Mississippi. However, Gardoqui persuaded Jay to give up all American rights to the Mississippi in exchange for trading privledges to American merchants. The public became hostile and felt betrayed by the Treaty. There was no assembly to make the decision, just one person. This would have been a good time for executive power to step in.

Lastly, the Articles of Confederation gave congress very little power overall. This left voters within a state to do whatever they wanted. Shays' Rebellion, lead by Captain Daniel Shays', revolted against the Massachusetts government. This sent a message to the national government to take care of their people and regulate their actions. With little power congress could do little about their nations' behavior, but with power they could control it. In a sense, this was the "straw that broke the camels' back" because shortly after the new constitution was drawn up.

The Articles of Confederation did not let the national government regulate trade or levy taxes, it got rid of a strong executive power and it gave congress minimal power over citizens. All of these things contributed to its weakness as well as its failure. This benefited the contry in the long run, however, because it showed congress what was wrong which helped create a final constitution.

Dog Worms: Understand Dog Worms Symptoms and Infestation

2008-12-10T04:07:00.000-08:00

Until a very recent period, dog worms were thought to be of a spontaneous origin, brought about by the influence of heat upon decaying vegetable matter, and it was and still is freely asserted that puppies are born with dog worms inherited from the mother in some mysterious manner while still in uterus. This has been conclusively proven an error and in the minds of all scientists there is no question about dog worms springing from individual eggs and having a complete life history of their own.

The principal worm species with which dog owners have to contend are round worms and tape worms. The first named commonly infest puppies and consequently are most dreaded by breeders. In shape and size these worms resemble common angle worms, but in color are lighter, being almost white or only a pale pink.

In adult dogs these worms, when full grown, are from three to seven inches long. In puppies they are about half that length, and as thick as common white string. Round worms live in the small intestines, sometimes coiled in such masses as to obstruct the passage, and occasionally they wander into the stomach or are passed by the bowels.

It is easy to understand that when one dog in a kennel is infected with worms, millions of eggs will be passed with the feces. These are scattered all over the floors, bedding, feeding and drinking pans. They get on the dog’s coat, are licked off and swallowed and in numbers of ways gain entrance to the digestive tracts of other dogs, where they soon hatch out and in ten days are fully developed.

This rapid development account for the popular belief that puppies are born with worms, for breeders who have held post-mortems on puppies scarcely ten days old and have found in their stomachs fully developed round worms could account for their presence in no other way. They overlooked the fact that the prospective mother, confined in a kennel infested with worms, would get these eggs attached to her coat, belly and breasts, and the young, as soon as born, would take these eggs into their stomachs with the first mouthfuls of milk.

Symptoms Of Dog Worms Attack

Dog worms are responsible for so much sickness and so many symptoms that it is practically impossible to mention all of them, but their presence can safely be suspected in all dogs which have not been recently treated for them, as well as in cases where the patient is run down, unthrifty and out of sorts.

Other symptoms are a hot, dry nose, weak, watery eyes, pale lips and gums, foul breath, mean hacking cough and a red, scurfy, pimply or irritated condition of the skin and harsh, dry, staring coat that is constantly being shed.

Wormy dogs sometimes have a depraved appetite and will eat dirt and rubbish. Some days they are ravenously hungry, the next day they will not eat at all; their sleep is disturbed by dreams and intestinal rumbling, the urine is high colored and frequently passed, bowels irregular, stomach easily unsettled, watery mucus is frequently vomited and the mouth is hot, sticky and full of ropy saliva.

Puppies which are full of worms bloat easily and are pot-bellied. After feeding their stomachs distend disproportionately to the amount of food consumed. Their bodies are also subject to scaly eruptions and their bowels to colicky pains; they do not grow as rapidly as healthy puppies should and instead of playing with each other they curl up and sleep hour after hour; they get thinner, weaker and more lifeless from day to day and if they do not waste away or die in fits and convulsions with frothing at the mouth and champing of the jaws, grow up coarse-jointed, rickety and misshapen. Puppies with worms are also liable to paralysis of their rear limbs and on removal of the worms the puppies regain control of the affected parts.

A wormy dog is usually an unhealthy and unhappy dog who leads a miserable life. It could even be deadly, especially so for young puppies. Bring your dog to a veterinarian if you are unsure. Your dog will certainly thank you for that.

Increase Your SE Ranking By Promoting Inner Blog Pages

2008-12-06T02:37:00.001-08:00

Link popularity is a big factor in search engine rankings. The tendency of blog authors is to promote only the main url of their blog unaware that a large amount of traffic also comes from inner pages or deep links as it is popularly called. How to determine which pages needs to be promoted so that you will increase your blog or website traffic will be discussed later but first we’ll touch on the topic about what keywords are searched in the main url of your blog.

Keywords in the home page

Your home page is limited only to a few blog posts. Blogger defaults to 7 pages but you can assign any number from 1 to 99. Individual pages are created for each blog posts if you selected yes to ‘enabled post pages’ in the settings/archiving page of your dashboard. Therefore the keyword relevance in your home page may vary but not on your individual pages or deep link. Blogger assigns a unique url for individual pages.

For example if your home page contains 7 posts, then the 7th post will no longer be in your home page if you create another post. Keyword density which is a factor in search engine rankings will not be the same as the one before you created a new post.

Promoting your deep links is a good option to increase your overall page rank. Page rank for your deep links can be passed to your home page. Among the many deep links which you can see from your archive, which of them should take priority in promoting?

How to determine which pages to promote first

We’ll use Google as the search engine and you’ll need either a Google Websmasters tool to do this or a statistical counter like StatCounter. If you don’t have a Google Webmasters tool account, open one now.

Using Google Webmasters Tools

In your dashboard click on the name of your blog. A page will open that will have several menu items on the left. Click on ‘Statistics’ then on the ‘Top search queries’ on the submenu. You will be presented with two data groups: Top search queries and Top clicked queries. Both have the same column headings.

The ‘%’ column is the percentage of a search term from the total number of search terms that your website or blog received for a specified time period, that’s 1 week.

The ‘Query’ column is the keyword that searchers typed on the search box.

The ‘Position’ column is where your page is located in the search result. Google displays 10 results for each page. If your position of your page is 11, then that page is the first item of the second page of the search result.

If your page is listed in the first 10 results, then it must be having good traffic. If the position is more than 10, then its a candidate for further promotion so that it will go to the top 10.

To know what the url of the page the search query is pointing to, right click on the search query and select ‘open in new tab’ if you are using Firefox. The Google search results page will open, find your page basing on the ‘Position’ column. Once you find it, get it’s link location by right clicking and selecting ‘copy link location’ then paste it in notepad. The further your page from the top 10, the more promotion it needs to reach the top 10.

That’s it, you now know what deep link pages that needs promoting. Promote it using the searched term as the anchor text. Write articles, post blog comments, participate in forums using that url. Push it forward and you’ll increase your website or blog traffic.

Benefits Of Article Marketing - #9 Traffic From Your Blog

2008-12-06T02:36:00.000-08:00

We have to discuss blogging when we talk about the benefits of article marketing. Blogging is an excellent way to build your business writing articles.

Certainly, if you have a blog of your own you should be posting articles in those. I personally think you should vary the content a little so that you are not posting the exact same article in your blog that you are also submitting to various article directories.

You do not have to rewrite the whole article, but you do want to make it a little bit unique. This gives you an opportunity to attract new readers when you social bookmark your blog post.

You should do this without changing the meaning of the article. You will find it will become second nature to you and is not hard to do at all, as you work at doing rewriting to make each article unique.

Another idea that people do not often think of is to become a guest blogger and write for other blogs. One problem that all bloggers face is how do they keep their blogs current and fresh content coming into it on a consistent basis.

This is especially true during the vacation season when people want to take some time off and they don’t want to have to stop what they are doing and post in their blog. This gives you an opportunity to use your article writing talents and blog for them.

You could offer to do it for free in exchange for allowing you post back links in the articles to your website or blog of your own.

Another thing you could do is trade blog articles with bloggers and give each of you additional exposure. This is a form of a link trade from the old reciprocal linking days.

You write a blog article for them and link back to your blog and they write a blog article for you and link back to yours.

One final point to keep in mind is many article directories want articles of 400 words or more. When you blog you are not under any word count minimum. As a matter of fact if you can often get your point across in 250 word blog articles!

Article marketing definitely has many benefits as we have seen. Becoming a blogger is another one of them and a great way to add content to any site.

Traits of a Successful Blogger

2008-12-06T02:35:00.002-08:00

Blogging is definitely a very powerful way of building your business online, but you need to have some important traits if you want to really milk this cow. The following are some of the important traits that you need to have to make your blogging a significant driving force in your business promotion.

Give time to your blogging campaign

Most people flounder in their blogging campaigns because they do not set an adequate amount of time for blogging. You must spend at least two days blogging for your business and you must do it yourself, without delegating it to anyone else. Why will you need two hours? One hour you can keep aside for finding new blogs to make posts on each day (trust me, I have lived through this and I know for a fact that it is not easy to find new blogs each day) and the other hour you should keep aside for actually making the posts. Since blogging is actually a fun activity (at least I think so), you can keep it for the times in your day when you feel like you want a diversion from your other brain-deadening work.

Mingle with the crowd

It is very important when you are blogging to go with the drift. Read the previous posts to understand what people are talking about, and when you make a post yourself, you must take care to continue with the conversation and not put a break in it. In every post, make sure that you put your perspective across. This is what people really want to read.

Have your own blog too

This is quite obvious, but you will be amazed at the number of people who simply scavenge on other blogs with their business website link but do not maintain blogs of their own. This is a very serious fallacy. First make a blog of your own and then start blogging on other blogs. This way, you will be able to promote your blog, and through that your website in your posts. You can realize how much better that will be for bringing in targeted traffic to your website, can’t you?

Be well informed

When making your posts, do not come across like a nerd. First, research on what you are going to write about and make sure of the facts. Then, and only then, make your post. If you write something that’s an obvious mistake, it will definitely create a bad impression on the reader and will do more harm than good.

Write in an appealing manner

You do not have to be a literary genius to make a blog post, but you sure must have the writing skills to get your point across. Write in a friendly tone because blog-savvy people like to read such language.

Educate yourself on blog marketing methods

You will need to learn what link sharing is. This is the process of writing on other people’s blogs so that they write on yours and you can promote each other’s links. That way you are both mutually benefiting because the traffic is increasing. You have to do this kind of link sharing quite frequently with different blogs so that you increase your chances of getting visitors.

These were some of the most essential points you need to remember when you are promoting your website through blogging. However, these are by no means exhaustive. As you blog more and more you will learn many more strategies that put your blogging strategy at the top spot of your web marketing campaign.

The Best Means For Internet Marketing Is Blogging

2008-12-06T02:35:00.001-08:00

Post to your blog at least three times a week to keep human visitors and search engine spiders coming back. Posts have images and even a complimentary podcast. This blog strategy reminds me of what Lee Iococca did for Chrysler in the 80’s where the man behind the brand put himself in front of it.

Search engines cannot read image files. While there is a filename associated with every image on the internet, chances are, these filenames do not contain a sensible title or description of the image. Search engine marketing is one of the best marketing methods to enhance your web presence and your business opportunities thereby. Internet marketing strategies comprise of various services like website optimization, keyword analysis, SEO content writing, link building, ppc and lot more. Search is driven by the feedback loop of data. About half of users are doing long research sessions of 30 minutes or more.

Search engines look for sites that are adding value to the community. If you are presenting information that has been presented 100 times by others, it is going to be tough for you to get ranked. Search engine optimization is an integral part of Internet marketing way of life. And a typical part of this SEO strategy is link exchange - you can put links to your primary resource to increase ranking in search engine to do a better Internet marketing.

Article marketing helps you establish your authority by showing potential customers that you know what you are talking about. People want to do business with a recognized authority. Article writing, blog production and content creation for e-portals and podcasts are just some of the examples whereby all you need is a creative mind and a deft hand that can write? Affiliate marketers pay top dollar for good content ?

Researching Internet marketing online is one method which can be used for learning more about this topic. This type of research can be very informative and can provide the business owner with a great deal of advice and other information. Research has proven that the most effective affiliate links are text links. They far exceed banners and flash animations when it comes to click through rates. Research has shown that the longer you keep people in shopping malls, the more likely they are to buy something. Shopping mall designers know things like you will almost always turn right when you enter a mall.

Links bring top rankings and traffic! You need fresh links! Link exchange - Getting links from other known sites would give the best traffic that you will ever need. But can you sacrifice your time in looking for webmasters who can accept your site? Link building services and website promotion are essential to grow your business on the web. Blog Marketing and Promotion have proven to be a highly successful method of driving targeted traffic and relevant search engine indexed text links straight to your web site!

Creating a blog, maintaining it or posting an article to a prevailing blog is known as blogging. Individual articles on a blog are known as blog posts, posts or entries. Creating PDF’s is a lot more straightforward than it used to be. I prefer to use eWriterPro because you can write and edit the book, insert all your hyperlinks and convert the finished product to PDF all with one program. Create an image that appeals to your target market and promotes credibility for your business. Choose fonts and colors for your website that are clean and friendly to the viewer.

Web analytical tools are a must to improve conversion rates for your website. Website visitors are potentially the life blood of your internet based business.

Understanding Auto Insurance

2008-11-24T03:48:00.000-08:00

Understanding Auto Insurance

Auto (car) insurance is a type of insurance coverage for damage to and resulting from an auto. Insurance of this type can cover a variety of things depending on the kind of auto insurance that has been purchased.

All auto insurance policies involve a premium, which is the payment a customer makes to have auto insurance. Premiums for auto insurance can be extremely divergent and are determined by a number of factors. Gender is the major determinant for auto insurance premiums. Statistically, men are 80% more likely to be involved in an accident, and therefore have a greater need for insurance. Auto insurance premiums for men are higher than auto insurance premiums for women. Similarly, teenagers are considered high risk and will have to pay higher auto insurance premiums. The auto insurance premium can be reduced if the teenager takes a defensive driving course. Many states require teenagers to take defensive driving courses in order to obtain a driving permit and auto insurance.

It is customary for auto insurance plans to have a deductible that the customer is responsible for before the auto insurance provider offers coverage of expenses. Deductibles can have an effect on the coverage available under an auto insurance plan.

Auto insurance is slightly different than other types of insurance because you can purchase auto insurance that covers specific needs. For this reason there are different kinds of auto insurance. Auto insurance basics are covered by liability auto insurance plans. Liability auto insurance is usually the minimum required by state laws. Liability auto insurance is characterized by a set dollar amount of coverage for damages resulting from accidents or negligence. The coverage amount of liability auto insurance can be applied to property damaged in the accident that is not an auto.

Car insurance also comes as collision auto insurance. Collision auto insurance is meant to cover the cost of repairs to a vehicle involved in an accident, or the cash value of the vehicle if it cannot be repaired.

Comprehensive auto insurance is also available. With comprehensive auto insurance, coverage of fees for repairs is provided for accidents that are not collisions. Comprehensive auto insurance will, for example, cover hail or fire damage.

Whatever type of auto/ car insurance you need, Business Health Insurance can help! We have all of the information on auto insurance in your state.

Cheap Teen Auto Insurance

One of the most common desires of teenagers is acquiring his or her own car. And when they truly deserve it, they do get one. Of course, before you can allow your son or daughter to drive on their own, they must first meet the required age to secure a license. In most cases, being able to secure a license means one thing for teenagers - freedom!

Once you've got your teens their cars, the next thing that you must think about is car insurance. One of the first and most important considerations is the price of the insurance premium. Most insurers charge higher premiums for auto insurance for teenagers. This is because these companies see most teen drivers as being more reckless and accident-prone than adults.

Fortunately, there are ways in which you can lessen the charges for your teenager's car insurance. These factors might help you get a better deal in the future.

1. A spotless driving record. It is essential that you emphasize the importance of observing traffic laws and of having a clean driving record to your teenager. This means that they should avoid speeding tickets and other such traffic violations at all costs. And, while accidents do happen, being more aware can minimize the incidence of one happening. A clean driving record will be awarded with lower premium payments.

2. Look for auto insurance with a greater deductible. The premium payment is usually less for auto insurance that covers a higher deductible.

3. A car endowed with more safety features. It would be more beneficial to get your child a car that has a lot of advanced safety features. Avoid vehicles that fall under the higher hazard ranking class.

4. Follow license restrictions. Teenage drivers need to stick to the restrictions and guidelines that their licenses specify.

5. Get a stand-alone policy. With this kind of policy, your child will be responsible for his own insurance. As a new driver, he will only be allowed daylight driving, a certificate from a driving school, and the like.

As a parent, the most appropriate thing for you to do is to inculcate the value of responsibility in them. Make them accountable for whatever happens to their car. They can even work part-time so that they can pay for one-half of their premium.

Understanding Auto Insurance

Dealing with the little details of insurance is always an issue with so many people. Most do not even understand the working of auto insurance. I would share some tips that would help you to understand auto insurance.

1. One of the most important tips that would help you get a discount is to check with your auto insurance agent before buying a car. The value of the car, the cost of maintenance and the likelihood of theft all affects the rates you have to pay. Get to know the policies of your insurance provider before you make a final decision on the car/vehicle to buy.

2. Most insurance companies would give you discounts if you take out more than one insurance policy from them. You can check to find out whether it would be better for you to take out all your insurance policies from one company or if the discount you get from different companies on different policies would make more sense.

3. The deductible is the lowest minimum you have to pay before your insurance policy starts to run. The higher deductible you pay the more discounts you get. What is the highest deductible you can pay? It is always better to pay a higher deductible than lower.

4. Safety devices in your vehicle also qualify you for discounts. But you have to ask for them, most agents may not tell you about it unless you ask for it. Devices like airbags, anti-theft, anti-lock brakes and daytime running lights.

5. Shop around for the best deal! Do not just rely on one quote or one referral. Check out different insurance companies. There are many of them competing for business. So take advantage and save several hundreds of dollars.

Understanding Auto Insurance

Many times, people ignore buying insurance coverage while purchasing a car, considering auto insurance as an aspect that would increase the financial burden. However, buying car insurance is vital as it considerably reduces financial burden incurred due to an accident or property damage.

Most people have a faint idea about their insurance requirements. According to the law, car insurance should cover certain minimal requirements in order to be considered as valid. The primary coverages included in car insurance are liability coverage, personal injury protection, medical expenses, death benefits, property damage liability, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, comprehensive coverage and collision coverage. Each state has different requirements pertaining to these coverages. Understanding these coverages could significantly reduce the insurance costs.

Liability insurance coverage is mandatory under most of the State jurisdictions. Liability insurance provides coverage against injury caused to the person driving the car. It also provides coverage to people injured and to the property damaged during the accident. The minimum required amount for liability coverage differs from state to state. However, liability coverage is not a compulsion is States such as New Hampshire, Tennessee, South Carolina and Wisconsin.

Certain States require insurance policies that provide personal injury protection and also cover all the medical expenses incurred at the time of treatment. Also available are certain policies that provide financial coverage against any lost wages, if the person insured is injured in any accident. It is always wise to select a policy that includes death benefit option, so that in case of the unforeseen death of the insured person during an accident, the policy provides financial security to the family.

Collision coverage covers any vehicle damage that has occurred due to a collision. Comprehensive coverage covers issues such as theft, fire, and damages due to falling objects, missiles, explosions, earthquakes, flood and riots.

6 Different Types of Auto Insurance

Automobile insurance is the most popular and most bought insurance in the USA. The country has much more auto than people and a lot of States make it law that people need to have car insurance. With so many people demanding insurance it will always be best to be informed about the various aspects of motor vehicle insurance. This article will focus on the six different types of car insurance.

Bodily Injury Liability is an insurance policy that covers drivers of another car. If the policy holder is in an accident and another driver is hurt then the medical costs will be covered by bodily injury liability This mainly benefits policy holder as he does not have to worry about being sued.

The Medical Payments or Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance coverage is close to the bodily Injury liability mentioned above. The difference between the tow is the fact that the policy holder and associated passengers are covered in the case of an accident. This means they are entitled to have their medical bills, loss of wages and even death is covered.

Under Property Damage Liability car insurance policy, the insurance company will cover the cost of repairs to the other party’s car in the event of an accident. With this coverage the other individual’s damages will be paid for by the insurance company, while the policy holder would have to pay for his own damage from his own pocket.

The Collision insurance policy is one of the most common and cheapest auto insurance policies available. With collision the insurance company will pay for the damage or repairs if another driver crashes into you. This usually requires drivers to have a deductible and once the deductible is paid, the insurance company will pay for the rest.

Comprehensive coverage is another popular policy for motor vehicle owners. With comprehensive coverage the car is covered from a wide array of things. The car will be protected from fire, theft acts of God and collision with other vehicles. Policyholders need to pay a monthly deductible. Once this is paid in the event of an accident, the insurance company will cover the rest.

in the event that someone with no insurance crashes into you, then Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage will cover the costs of the damage sustained by the driver. If it happens to be a case where it was a hit and run, then the policy holder will be protected.

Understanding auto insurance makes it easier if you plan on purchasing in the future. You have looked at Bodily Injury Liability, Medical Payments or Personal Injury Protection (PIP), Property Damage Liability, Collision, Comprehensive, Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage. In analyzing each policy we get to see what each one has to offer. In doing so it allows the potential purchaser of insurance to have the best information available for making the choice on their auto .

Guide to Finding the Best Auto Insurance

Auto insurance policy is the primary need of all automobile owners and/or drivers. In some countries it is compulsory buy auto insurance just after a trial ride.

Finding the best auto insurance involves finding someone who will offer you good price as well as treat you fairly when you need them most “at the time of filing a claim.” Usually, it is easier to collect data and auto insurance quote but the toughest part is to find a counterpart who will treat you fairly when you will be in the need of help – after accident. Best auto insurance policy should be insurer friendly and cheap.

To find best auto insurance policy make a search in local markets, compare the provided quotes and ask them questions as much as you can. Provide them with full and detailed information about you and your vehicle and make them feel that your automobile is accessorized with anti-theft device and car alarm. If the company is fully satisfied they will surely offer you the best auto insurance policy with cheap quotes.

Internet would be helpful for you in both these regards. Information below will help you buying best auto insurance policy:

First of all look at the declaration part of the policy, which includes information about drivers in your house, model number of vehicle, vehicle identification number and policy number. Policy limits, deductibles and coverages purchased will be mentioned there. Thus read this portion and decide yourself, to accept or refuse.

Coverage portion of auto insurance policy comprises coverage limits such as medical, comprehensive and collision. This section mainly outlines what the insurance company will provide in case of accident. Auto insurance policy with strong coverage is the best auto insurance policy.

Conditions - This section includes all about legal bindings. Points included here are steps to filing claim, premium payment obligations and instructions to solve disputes. If you find this section of auto insurance is in your favor, then the policy is insurer friendly and also the best auto insurance for you.

Classic Auto Insurance

Do you have an antique or classic car that you want to have an auto insurance policy for? Collectors of antique cars often want to insure their vehicles in case anything was to happen to it, but many people don't know where to look. Before you start shopping around for classic car insurance, there are a few things you need to know about it.

1. Know what your Car is Worth

When shopping for insurance for your car, you will need to know the current value of it. Your car may appreciate slightly in value each year, as it gets older, and you will want to be insured for the right amount. It may mean a higher premium, but you will still want to know that the entire value of your car is insured in case anything should happen to it.

2. Know What You Need in an Insurance Policy

You will want to know ahead of time what kind of coverage you need on your insurance policy. Do you want coverage for fire and theft? Maybe you just want liability coverage in case you are in an accident. It is a good idea to plan ahead and know what kind of coverage you want before you start looking around.

3. Know How much you Drive

Many specialty insurance policies such as the one you are looking for have monthly or yearly mileage restrictions. Make sure you know the mileage restrictions included on your policy and be aware of how much you are driving.

3. Do Some Research on the Top Companies

Know which companies specialize in providing insurance for antique cars. Here are some of the top insurance providers for classic cars:

Grundy
Hagerty
American Collectors
Classic Collectors
Leland-West

Against stools - you can easily regenerate their glance

2008-11-20T09:03:00.000-08:00

Against stools - you can easily regenerate their glance

You have these against stools out of wooden in your kitchen which miss just in the department of model, but the thing is, you do not want débarasser them because they are always extremely vigorous.Well, which you must do then is to regenerate their glance and here some ideas of which you could benefit to do that just.

Really, you can regenerate the glance of your against stools which are made starting from wood and it is not as hard as you could think.Follow simply this guide and in one nothing time whole yours will have a new and improved aspect.The ok, so much initially in addition to the EC what you must do is to sandpaper in addition to old spot or to finish which is currently on them.This could take two or three days to make thus if you want to accelerate the process instead of doing it with the hand with a piece of paper of sand, can buy or rent a grinder to you to obtain work completed more quickly.

After sandpapering, your stools of meter will have a very basic aspect and will provide you a white fabric to carry out enough much of any glance which you want with them.For example, perhaps you want to very give them a country like aspect to go with your directed kitchen of country.Then, which you could do is to paint your stools with any painting of color which you want, like blue or red, even white or cream regular would be a nice choice.Thus, you comb the stools and to achieve their aspect then, you turn over to these document of sand and sand in addition to few spots here and to give them a beautiful afflicted aspect there.

Or, perhaps the glance which you want to carry out with your against stools out of wooden is something which has more than one sophisticated glance.Then, which you could do is to apply a deep nut spot to him.You could have to apply the spot several times to make sure that it takes and covers well each field of the supply.Do not make any type of sandpapering after you are made applying the spot different with the option from country because then it will not prove as you want.

In addition to the sophisticated countries and glances, there are many of other manners of improving the glance of your against stools.You must just obtain creative and if you are not completely sure what to make, made simply research on the Internet to have some ideas and what you could make with these beautiful options of allowance of the places.And, the Internet is also a nice manner to buy the new ones as well thus if you do not feel like taking a project to change their aspect, do not make you must and can just buy the new ones in the place.

Thus, if counters them stools drink some in your kitchen are not all which satisfying the eye, then change to the top of their aspect with some of the ends that you have ready about today.

2008-11-19T13:43:00.000-08:00

Male products of removal of hair

The male products of removal of hair become now an enormous market of improvement of beauty.The men see finally the potential of what good grooming can do for their aspect.There are various techniques of removal of hair available for the men, that can take much time in the bathroom.Generally the type of technique employed to remove hair depends on the place, the density and the type of hair to be removed.

Many male products of removal of hair even traditional shaving, waxing and tweezing.The principal destruction of cause and make suffer literally.These techniques offered a very short provisional difficulty to the nondesired hair that all the treatments of laser of stop become also very popular, but if you prove precisely to change a spirit the effects cannot be reversed.Consequently you want a product of removal of hair which has a decent longevity, that does not cost an arm and a leg, and also allows you to be in and out of the bathroom quickly.

There is fortunately an option.The product of removal of the hair of Revitol is one 100% all the normal cream of removal of hair, this employs the best and documented well ingredients to remove successfully of the hair.Evaluated like cream of removal of hair of number 1 # on the market.Examined per many dermatologists, who all concluded that the cream is extremely effective by removing the nondesired hair.The cream is formulated to be applied with the precision to be able to obtain the best possible aspect.

The cream is also formulated to be able to be employed on same the most significant parts of the body.Are manufactured of 100% all the normal ingredients there no possible possibility of the side effects of the malicious chemicals.One of the best advantages of employing this product of removal of hair is than to more employ it you more regularly than more the recroissance hair becomes is slow, and it becomes also less dense.Revitol are so proud and trustful in their male product of removal of hair of the number one that they support it with a guarantee of money back 90 day old.

Prolongations of nail - obtain the long ones and elegant nails today

2008-11-19T13:42:00.000-08:00

Prolongations of nail - obtain the long ones and elegant nails today

When you meet initially a person, the hands are one of the things which you note initially.The hands can be a strong reflexion of the character of the person, and the nails make usually the major part of the indication.The short nails, shredded and chew-towards the top can indicate a character nervous or subjected to a constraint, the long nails with dirtiness under them can be a sign of poor hygiene while the clean nails and bien-manicured indicate to you that the person takes time to work with their aspect.If you envy the women who have long sophisticated nails, then you can want to start to look at some types of prolongations of nail to see how you can carry out the same glance.

Acrylic resin

One of the popular types of prolongations of nail is the acrylic prolongation.These prolongations are mixture of a liquid and acrylic powder.Once that combined, the two elements create a paste.This paste is then swept above the nail and left to harden.Many women prefer this type of prolongation of nail because of its normal glance and longevity.However, you must prepare with frequent sufficiencies which should be made every two weeks.

Glass fibre

The ladies who would like to go to seek a lighter option consider glass fibre prolongations.These prolongations can be meaner but they offer really same impact strength as their acrylic cousins.Be just sure to stick with the glass fibre, and not the fabric or the silk which are also the popular products of replacement.These two can not offer the same force that you need.

Freezing

Freezing is one of the types of prolongations of nail which are traditional.The process to apply prolongations of nail of freezing implies to mould a coloured piece of freezing and fitting of precision it at the end of the nail.You can choose to make it mix with the remainder of your nail or you can go to seek a French end.Once that adapted, light UV is employed to harden freezing and to form part it of the place.

Webstats Software

2008-11-19T11:32:00.000-08:00

Webstats Software

First, a quick note on the webstats packages you’re likely looking at if you use a basic web hosting package, such as the Mini-Me package I use for Work Industries from Nexcess.net, a service I recommend.

Webstats Software

The webstats software you’re using is free and offered en masse to everyone. Common webstats packages used include AWStats and Webalizer, both of which are not great but will do the job for most people starting out or looking for an overview of their website’s performance.

Webstats software, A Quick Guide to Reading Webstats

2008-11-19T11:17:00.000-08:00

Webstats software, A Quick Guide to Reading Webstats

On Monday and Tuesday of this week, I was in Penticton visiting a client, Theytus Books. Theytus is Canada’s largest indigineous publisher and I’m part of a team doing work for them to analyze some of their business practices and make technology and web recommendations. Visiting Theytus’ office and business setup was a great experience and helped me contextualize the work I’m doing for them. The visit improved my understanding of Theytus’ technology and web practices, and it allowed me to get a better handle on how our recommendations will end up living in their world.

On the second day of our visit, I sat with Anita Large, Theytus’ Managing Publisher, and asked her to show me Theytus’ hosting account. We went through some of the details and I made notes. Then we opened up Theytus’ webstats. Anita knew about her webstats and knew they meant something about the performance and health of her website, but she didn’t have a great understanding of what each metric meant and so she had stopped looking at them.

I spent some time going through the Theytus webstats with Anita, and it was suggested to me by a colleague, Kiley, who also listened in on my webstats chat, that Anita was not alone in wanting a quick guide to webstats. I walked Anita through the stats in about half an hour and she loved being able to understand the words and figures. So, in the spirit of sharing, and because I think Kiley was right, here’s a quick guide to reading webstats.

Webstats Software

First, a quick note on the webstats packages you’re likely looking at if you use a basic web hosting package, such as the Mini-Me package I use for Work Industries from Nexcess.net, a service I recommend.

The webstats software you’re using is free and offered en masse to everyone. Common webstats packages used include AWStats and Webalizer, both of which are not great but will do the job for most people starting out or looking for an overview of their website’s performance.

Think of it this way: the webstats packages that come with basic hosting are like the standard gauges on a car - speedometer, oil temperature, battery amps, fuel volume. They tell you some basics and you’re able to start off and get around with them. A more advanced car comes with some more advanced gauges - tachometer, turbo-boost, oil pressure, fuel consumption, tire pressure. An expensive car built for a specific purpose - an F1 race car, a rally car, an endurance car - requires more specialized tools that provide greater volume and more granular detail of information. The more advanced tools also require skills and experience to interpret the information, relate it to the performance of the car, and turn it into a meaningful action plan to change the performance. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Here, let’s stick with the basics.

Just as with a car, some of the measures in your webstats are useful for managing and enhancing your website. Some of the measures are just added-on information to sell the car. They’ve been added because they make sense to the folks who built the webstats packages or simply because they could be added.

Knowing how to interpret the measures - to transform them into useful information - is far more important than the volume or detail of the measures. The more you invest in your car or website and the more you demand of its performance, the more you need to know, and the more you need to create a strong feedback loop that monitors performance. The reporting should be commensurate with both the rewards of analysis and the analyst’s level of expertise. A daily commute doesn’t require an F1 race car.

So which measures matter and which measures are just added-on information?

Finding the Meaning in the Glut

For most websites, here are the numbers that matter from the common webstats packages:

Meaningful Webstats, Webstats software

Unique Visitors: This is the single best measure of how many people are coming to your website. Under detailed scrutiny it’s flawed, but as a basic measure, it works very well. Keep your eye on it. Your Unique Visitors number should be growing month after month and year over year. See if you can find monthly patterns in this number, or seasonal patterns that correlate to something in your business. (This stat can also be called Uniques.)
Visits: Visits displays the total number of times people or spiders have come to your site. People are humans visiting with a web browser, while spiders (or bots) are computer programs used by websites like search engines to crawl your site and retrieve its content so it can be added to the search engine index. (Here is a good list of the search engine bots’ names.) The Visits stat is the second-most important thing to watch. (Visits can also be called Number of Visitors or Visitors.)
Page Views: The Page Views number shows you the total number of pages requested and served by your web server. If a user comes to your homepage (1), then clicks on a link to your About page (2), then clicks on Contact Us (3), then closes their browser window, they will show up in your stats as 3 page views, 1 unique visitor, and 1 visitor. (Page Views can also be called Pages.)
Referrers: These are the other websites and sources of links (called direct referrals, meaning bookmarks, email links, direct URLs typed into the browser) that are directly sending you traffic. Keep an eye on this stat because it will tell you where your users are coming from and who is linking to you.
Search Keywords: These are the searches people are using to find your website. When they click through to your website, the search engine tells your web server what search they used, and your webstats software reports on this.
HTTP Status Codes: These will tell you what errors your web server has logged. The most common and most important to stay current with are 404 errors - “file not found.” These occur when someone tries a URL and doesn’t get anything back from the server. They often indicate a misspelled link or misreferenced file (internal) or a mistake from an external site pointing at your site. Either way, you want to track down each of these errors and see what’s causing it. Each one is a potential connection with a prospective client.

Kinda Meaningful Webstats, Webstats software

Days of Month: It’s interesting to watch which days attract more traffic, and to watch which new content or events on the website can drive user behaviours, but it’s very hard to correlate these stats back to events.
Days of Week: See above. But, the real value in looking at Days of Week is seeing which days people visit your site. Generally, the middle of the week will be busiest, with Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday probably your most popular days.
Hours: If you blindfolded yourself and had to guess when people were visiting your site, you could probably draw a graph pretty close to the way this stat appears. A business-related website will draw people during working hours and a website that caters to personal interests will draw people in the evening.

Mostly Meaningless Webstats

Hits: Hits represent the most overused and abused term in website performance. Hits mean nothing. I’ve heard some people say that HITS are How Idiots Track Success. Simply, a hit is one file requested and served from your server. That file could be any type. A homepage consisting of 37 files (not unusual) will register 37 hits every time a person or bot requests the homepage. Hits mean next to nothing.
Bandwidth: This is the amount of data transferred from your web server to requestors. Unless you’re metered by bandwidth, it’s not too important. You’ll likely find that your homepage or most popular landing page is the top bandwidth user, unless you have high-bandwidth files on your server, such as audio, high-resolution images, or video files. Don’t pay much attention to bandwidth unless you’re close to your hosting limit.
Hosts: These are the ISPs used to connect to your site. Unless you can differentiate ISPs from URLs, skip spending any time on this stat.
Visitor Domains: Depending on your webstats, these have varying degrees of accuracy. Basically, every request to your web server comes from a requestor using an IP address. Visitor Domains groups these requestors by IP address, which are assigned in blocks to various organizations and countries. But the mapping of IP addresses to countries is very unreliable, so Visitor Domains ends up being unreliable.
Operating Systems: Microsoft Windows is the most popular operating system in the world. Do you need your stats package to tell you that? What are you going to do with that information? Nothing, unless you’re offering software for download.
Browsers: Microsoft’s Internet Explorer is the most popular web browser in the world, but its market share is eroding. Mozilla Firefox is second and growing. Apple’s Safari reach is small. So are Opera’s and a few others. The only important thing I have ever learned by looking at Browsers is that a mobile browser was accessing one of my websites. That .2% of my traffic was interesting to me. But I wasn’t going to do anything about it. Build your site according to the W3C web standards, employ a good web designer to ensure your site works with the quirks of the major browsers, and every few months glance at the overall market share of browsers.
Any other stats overlooked here.

Setting Up and Securing Your Webstats

In your hosting account, you likely have access to your stats page. It’ll be called webstats or the name of one of the software packages listed above. A few questions to ask are:

Is your stats page secure or can anyone with the URL for it see it? This is important. Copy the URL of your stats page, log out, then paste the URL into the address bar of your web browser. Can you see the stats page? If so, it’s not secure and anyone can see it. You want it to be secure. Get in touch with your hosting company and tell them you want it secured. If they balk at this or try to charge you money for it, change hosting companies.
Is your own activity tracked in your stats package? You probably visit your own website. Is your webstats package adding you or your company’s activity to its numbers? Ask your hosting provider. Or, look for a page that only gets accessed when you’re logged in. If one of these pages shows up in your stats as getting activity, then you are skewing your own stats. This could mean very little, if you have strong traffic volume, or it could mean a lot. Contact your hosting provider and ask them how to remove your own activity from your stats. There are ways to do this, such as not including the traffic of a specific IP address, so be persistent and get them working for you.
Do you get your webstats on a regular basis? Are they run automatically? You should be able to answer “yes” to both of these questions. You also want to get your webstats on as regular a basis as possible. Weekly is good, daily is better.
Never let your ISP or host throw away your webstats. Historical data are important and data storage is cheap. If they insist on removing your historical webstats, tell them you still want the data and ask them to export them to a file for you to keep.

Trends to Watch: How Your Webstats Relate to Your Efforts

Here is a first-draft list of things to watch for in your stats:

Month-over-month trends for meaningful metrics (or week-over-week if you get weekly stats).
Spike activity in unique visitors, visits, and bandwidth. The good scenario is when this correlates with a link to your site from an external site with lots of traffic. You’ve been found, deemed worthy of attention, and linked to. Watch your referrers to see where the traffic is coming from. The less-good scenario is when a spike correlates to poached content (other sites using your images to serve on their pages) or some kind of scraping of content (other sites literally copying and pasting your content onto their own site).
Search keyword phrases: These will tell you what terms people are using to find your site in search engines. Some search keyword phrases will come as no surprise if you’ve built your site correctly, but others will be completely unexpected. This is both the pleasure and frustration of working on the web - getting found for what you offer and getting found completely randomly for something you never considered being found for. Search keyword phrases are leading indicators of areas of opportunity for your site.
Referrers: Since referrers are the websites that are sending you traffic, of course you’re going to want to pay attention to them. Who are they? What made them link to you? Can you find how they linked to you? Go to their website and get in touch with them. The web is made of people. Web people love to get a “thank you for linking to me” email.
Most popular entry pages: These are the pages people have bookmarked or linked to. Why? Are you an authority or resource for something you never intended to be? Sleuth around a little and find out why people are coming to that page of your site.
Overall number of visitors: Unless you have large enough numbers - like in the hundreds or thousands - for the Meaningful Webstats listed above, don’t sweat changes in your overall numbers too much. Watch them, but don’t obsess. Small numbers are often statistically unreliable. Ignore the percentages of change until you have large enough numbers for them to mean something.

So that’s it. What do you think? Many of you out there have great knowledge of webstats packages, far more than I have. Feel free to take this quick guide and use it to educate others - just give me some credit for starting the snowball rolling!

If you have anything to add or ask, please do so. Together we’re much stronger than any of us alone or on islands. The web is about links and connecting information. Add a comment, send me an email or post on your own site and link to this post to continue the conversation.

Webstats software

Anti Spam at the Enterprise Level

2008-11-19T10:32:00.000-08:00

"anti spam appliance" Anti Spam at the Enterprise Level

Every one of us knows how spam impacts us. Every day we either get a ton of spam - or if we're fairly well protected by spam filters - only a few pieces.

Like a large number of people, I don't use any spam filters. Ah. You think I'm insane. But wait. My problem is that I get a lot of email from marketing types which I want to receive. And the spam filtering software is not very sensitive to my needs. Even white-listing doesn't always work. So, I prefer to get all that spam and just delete it.

Now this solution can work for me despite the time it takes to delete my daily overdose of spam. However, at the enterprise level, it's a whole different story. If you have a relatively large internal network with even a modest number of email users, you're looking at a major problem. And the more users you have, the worse the problem is.

Sure, you can put up software on the mail server. Works, kind of. But pretty soon you may find you need to upgrade the mail server. And that's after you already put it on a stand-alone machine.

anti spam appliance

Rather than continuing to buy ever more expensive software to run on a machine that keeps needing to be upgraded, you might want to think about a dedicated anti spam appliance.

To give you some idea of what's possible let's take a look at Barracuda Networks dedicated anti spam appliance. All you need to do is put this baby in front of your mail server. I say baby, advisedly because this one will learn by doing and by training provided by your users.

Dean Drako, CEO of Barracuda Networks said, "Bayesian filtering is still one of the most accurate defenses against spam. The new plug-ins allow users to directly train the Bayesian filter, making the Barracuda Spam Firewall even more accurate based on the users individual email preferences. Viruses and other threats can infect the network quickly if they are not stopped at the network edge. With Intent Analysis our customers have an advantage over these threats because the Barracuda Spam Firewall is able to block them real time. Consequently we have consistently been a first responder when some of the most malicious virus attacks have hit, saving our customers from potentially devastating damage to their networks."

This is one beautiful little machine. A Barracuda Spam Firewall can support from 1,000 to 30,000 active users. It can usually be installed in less than five minutes and receives automatic hourly updates for new forms of spam and viruses. It has a 10 layer defense system beyond the use of open source anti spam and anti virus solutions: denial of service and security protection, IP block list, rate control, virus check with archive decompression, proprietary virus check, user specified rules, spam fingerprint check, Intent Analysis, spam rule-based scoring, and Bayesian analysis. Plus it also does both inbound and outbound email filtering with the inclusion of sophisticated outbound email filtering techniques (just in case you've got a spam zombie on board or somebody's got an infected PC).

However, it isn't exactly cheap. Still, when you consider the time, bandwidth, user frustration and potential hardware upgrade costs, the price may look a lot more reasonable. You can check it out at http://www.barracudanetworks.com/

If you are in the market for an anti-spam appliance, the Barracuda Spam Firewall isn't your only choice. The impact of spam on internet businesses - even those who primarily use it for just email - is so great that a simple search for "anti spam appliance" will find you a number of alternatives to examine. Even McAfee is getting into the anti spam hardware game.

I'm hoping that it won't be too long before I can pick up a Bayesian multi-level anti spam, anti virus firewall appliance for my home PC that keeps me safe and cuts my need to delete without deep-sixing the email I want or costing me more than I can afford. I suspect it's on the way.

Credit Card Fraud - Credit Card Scam

2008-11-19T00:39:00.000-08:00

Credit Cards are a convenient payment method, although they do carry risks. Fraud with the use of stolen credit cards is committed for the purpose of obtaining goods without paying, to obtain unauthorized funds from a bank account or to sell stolen information further. Credit and charge card fraud costs cardholders and issuers hundreds of millions of dollars each year. While theft is the most obvious form of credit and charge card fraud, it is not the only way fraud occurs. A more subtle form of fraud is misappropriation. The use of your card number (not the card itself) without your permission. Misappropriation may occur in a variety of ways. Examples are:

A phone caller says that you need only provide your card number and its expiration date to qualify for a special discount vacation
A thief rifles through trash to find discarded receipts or carbons to use the card numbers illegally
A dishonest clerk makes an extra imprint from your credit or charge card for his or her personal use

Fraudulent credit card information or credit cards themselves are usually obtained through:

Fake Web Sites
Theft
Pick Pocketing
Phishing
Credit Card Swapping at ATM Machines
Skimming

By being aware of the risks involved, knowing the types of credit card fraud and by following below guidelines you can protect yourself from credit card fraud:

Destroy your expired cards
Immediately sign new cards
Don’t keep your PIN in your wallet
Treat credit cards as if they were real money
Lost or stolen cards should be reported immediately
Be cautious when giving information to websites or unknown individuals
Verify transactions on your statement with your receipts
Keep an eye on the credit card when making transactions in shops
Don’t sign a blank credit card receipt
Don’t borrow your cards - if a friend wants to buy something on the internet and needs a credit card, be with him when doing a transaction or you do the transaction for him (he might become a victim of credit card fraud, due to lack of knowledge).
It doesn’t matter whether or not their website is encrypted. Encryption means that your data is secure between your computer and the merchant, not between your computer and the credit card processor. The merchant will have your card number regardless.If you’re buying from an unfamiliar or likely untrustworthy store, consider using a temporary/virtual card number that card companies like Citibank provide.

SECURITY TIPS FOR MERCHANTS

Watch out for suspicious behavior of your customers. Some characteristics are in common with fraudulent transactions, although none of this can be an actual proof of fraud it still remains a good measure of identifying suspicious behavior. This type of fraud can eat up your profits so watch out when a customer:

Buys a priced item on a new credit card
Purchases large amounts of expensive items and doesn’t seem to care for other amounts that can occur during the transaction (delivery, packaging…)
Making small purchases to stay under the floor limit
Asks what the floor limit is
Making random purchases with no regard size, price or quality
Takes the credit card out of his pocket instead of a wallet
Awkwardly or slowly signs the receipt
If asked, can not provide a photo ID
Validation date expired
Credit card seems counterfeited or information altered
Receipt signature differs from the one on the card

COMMON TYPES OF CREDIT CARD FRAUD

What are the common types of credit card fraud? Counterfeit Credit Cards, Account Take Over and Skimming. We are going to look at each one and describe it.

Account Take-Over

Obtaining personal information for a thief is just about the same as if he found a gold mine. If such occurs, the thief does not even need your credit card to empty your bank account. He phones your credit card company and changes your address information. Your current credit card will be reported stolen by him and he will request a new to be issued or he will order a second credit card on his name, pretending he is YOU, the authorized credit card holder, on the phone. This card will then be sent to the address which he changed before or he will obtain instructions where to collect it. Your statements also will be sent to this new address, making you unaware of the fraud. If you don’t get statements on a monthly basis at about the same day, you should contact your financial institution and check your records on file. Ask for address change or if any information has been changed without your direct approval.

A thief can also steal your new credit card when it still is in your postal box or anywhere on the way between the bank and you. This can be an organized crime scenario involving assistants, such as a postman who intercepts your mail before it is delivered to your address. A fraudster may even get a hold of information when credit cards are issued to a particular address, waits near your mailbox and takes your post. So if you get a notification about an important delivery, collect it as soon as possible, because the longer you wait, the bigger the chance for a fraudster to intercept it.

Counterfeit Credit Cards

Counterfeit or altered credit cards is in short, duplicating legitimate credit cards which are then used for fraudulent activities. Latest technology is used in accordance with lamination and embossing to create realistic looking credit cards. To the untrained eye these will appear real and you will not be able to recognize the difference, since a complete hologram as well as the magnetic strip is included in the fake credit card. How to identify such will be explained a little bit later, below.

Card Not Present

Obtaining credit card and personal information for unauthorized usage of such information for fraudulent activities over the internet, phone or mail.

Credit Card Skimming

Electronic card reader, Skimmer, is used in stores legitimately when processing a transaction. However in the hands of a thief such a tool can be used to gather information for later usage in criminal activities. Usually a small electronic device is plugged into the real electronic reader and now gathering information of everyone who purchased at the store or done a money request at the ATM machine. Or a portable skimmer is used to quickly swipe your card through the magnetic reader while you are not looking. Such information will be used for later unauthorized purchases or making of a new counterfeit credit card. Usually done in restaurants or similiar institutions where you usually temporary lose sight of your credit card.

Security Features On A Credit Card

In this example we will use a mastercard. Visa’s security features are very similiar and those features that do differ will be explained. A Credit Card usually has 16 (some visa’s have 13) numbers embossed on their front, and every card has a BIN code. The BIN CODE is the first 6 digits of a credit card:

The first 4 digits stay for the country and credit card company
The 5th digit stays for the credit card type (debit card, gift card, credit card)
The 6th digits reveals if the card is a partnercard, secondcard, company card…
The remaining digits stay for the account number, with the last character being the check-digit

Credit Card Embossing:

MASTERCARD - The first of the 16 digits is a 5. VISA - the first of 13 OR 16 digits is a 4
MASTERCARD AND VISA - First four digits will be printed below OR above the embossed number
MASTERCARD - Usually a MC character will be embossed next to the expiry date. VISA - “V”,”CV”,”BV”,”PV” characters will appear next to the expiry date
MASTERCARD AND VISA - Embossed characters should be in alignment, same size, height and style

If you see ghost images of other numbers behind the embossed it means that those have been altered. If those have been altered there is a big chance that the hologram (the shiny image which changes colors if you move it) will be damaged. Also check if the expiry date has been altered.

Credit Card Signature:

MASTERCARD - A repeated colored “mastercard” name should appear on all signature panels. VISA - Same scenario, but with the name “Visa”
MASTERCARD AND VISA - A changed or altered signature panel can be glued, painted, discoloured, erased or covered with white tape
MASTERCARD AND VISA - Credit card signature should compare to the one on the sales receipt
MASTERCARD AND VISA - Signature panel will have a partial account number followed by a three digit validation code (CVV)

REFERENCE(s)

Fraud Investigator

Conclusion du parfum droit

2008-11-11T00:09:00.000-08:00

Conclusion du parfum droit

Si tu recherches le parfum, si tu es une femme recherchant un parfum de signature, ou un type achetant le cadeau de l'anniversaire de sa maman, tu devras savoir faire des emplettes pour eux.Savoir les manières au circumnavigate autour du monde fou des odeurs dehors là est important en t'obtenant l'arome exact que tu veus et n'ayant aucun regret au sujet de l'acheter.

Je suis sûr que certains, la plupart du temps types, n'auront aucune idée où commencer même quand entrant dans le magasin de parfum.Ainsi, dans leur intéret, voici quelques bouts qui peuvent aider :

1) les premiers, ont une idée de quel genre de parfum tu veus.Cela dépend de la personne qu'il est pour.Si tu es un homme, tu voudras une odeur masculine rugueuse et si tu es une femme, tu voudras plus léger et attrayant.Si tu veus être noté, tu voudras un parfum fort-sentant.Tu peus même obtenir des échantillons des magasins pour l'inspiration.Si tu es totalement coincé, demander l'aide et la trouvaille une d'un ami qui n'a aucun problème être honnête avec toi.

2) prochain, tu devras trouver le meilleur parfum compare les prix.Votre meilleur pari est des centres commerciaux.Cependant, si tu es sur un budget plus serré, tu peus toujours acheter des hypermarchés et des semblables.Il n'y a également aucun mal dans les boutiques de spécialités entrantes où ils font leurs propres parfums.Tu ne dois pas toujours opter pour les grandes marques.

3) quand au magasin de parfum, demander l'aide de l'aide.Expliquer à eux la situation, si tu recherches le parfum pour vous-même, ou pour quelqu'un d'autre.S'il est pour quelqu'un d'autre, est il pour un homme ou une femme ?Pour quel genre de personne est il ?Ce sont probablement les questions qu'elles te demanderont qu'et il est le meilleur pour avoir les réponses prêtes.

4) essayent beaucoup de parfums avant que tu décides.Ils peuvent tout sentir gentils, mais essayent de les évaluer sur différents aspects, tels que la force de l'odeur, la couleur, la bouteille et naturellement, le prix.Une fois que tu es satisfait de votre choix, acheter la petite bouteille.De cette façon, tu ne gaspillerais pas tellement l'argent si tu regrettes votre choix.

Ils disent que l'odeur que tu exsudes dépeint votre personnalité.Sur cette note, tu devrais trouver un parfum qui montre des personnes de votre nature et individu vrais.

Parfum Ou Cologne ?

2008-11-11T00:06:00.000-08:00

Parfum Ou Cologne ?

Sembler bon a toujours été a doit pour chacun, particulièrement pour le sexe plus juste.Aller voir attrayant aura beaucoup d'avantages, comme obtenir des promotions du travail et élargir votre cercle social.Mais, ce qui beaucoup de gens tendent à oublier qu'elles ne pourraient pas sentir cela gentil.Tu pourrais être habillé pour tuer, mais peus également puer pour tuer aussi.

Beaucoup de gens ont différentes solutions au problème de l'odeur de corps (B.O).Certains appliquent le désodorisant supplémentaire avant de sortir.La logique à celle est que s'il n'y a aucune sueur, là n'est aucune odeur.Cette méthode fonctionne réellement, particulièrement pour les personnes qui sont contenu juste avec masquer leur B.O.Mais, et ceux qui veulent non seulement sentir gentils, mais vouloir également avoir un parfum de signature ?

La réponse est simple :Parfums et colognes.Ces deux ont été les amis fidèles du monde civilisé pendant des siècles.Mais, beaucoup de gens ne peuvent pas sembler les différencier.

1) le parfum est fait d'huiles essentielles avec des degrés différents de concentrations, basés sur la marque.Il est la plupart du temps fait d'eau et éthanol, les dissolvants, qui sont nécessaires pour diluer les produits chimiques.Sans eux, l'extrait d'huile pourrait nuire à la peau de l'utilisateur et même causer la mort si l'utilisateur a une réaction allergique.

Les parfums ont un plus long effet sur la peau humaine et durent normalement autour 7 à 8 heures.La force de l'odeur dépend du pourcentage d'huiles.La meilleure manière de porter le parfum est de pulvériser une brume fine dans l'air et l'a laissé t'enduire corps.Si elle fort-sent, jet juste quelques baisses à votre cou.

2) Colognes, ou UCE De Cologne, sont un autre type de parfum, mais en raison de sa popularité et unicité, elle a été classée par catégorie en tant que ses propres.Elle a normalement les huiles inférieures d'une concentration que le parfum, autour 2% à 5%.Ceci la fait perdre son parfum plus vite que le parfum, ainsi il est recommandé pour avoir une bouteille à portée de la main si tu es dehors pendant longtemps.

La meilleure manière d'appliquer Cologne est de la tamponner au fond de votre cou et sur tous les deux vos poignets.Ce sont des emplacements d'impulsion, qui dégageront réellement l'odeur à l'air environnant.

Les parfums et les colognes sont la meilleure manière de combattre B.O.Si tu partying dehors la nuit entière, il est vraiment en valeur lui pour avoir une petite bouteille de l'un ou l'autre autour avec toi.

Les trois genres de cheveux humains

2008-11-11T00:05:00.000-08:00

Les trois genres de cheveux humains

Vite :Nommer les trois types de cheveux humains.Vite !Ce qui est celui, tu dis ?Cheveux principaux ?Cheveux de jambe ?… cheveux d'aisselle ?

Nope, nope et nope.Bien, bien, pas entièrement :Ceux sont trois des genres de cheveux sur le corps humain.Mais ils sont seulement un des trois types de cheveux humains qui apparaissent sur nos corps à un moment donné pendant nos vies.Deux de ceux, tu pourrais trouver probablement sur votre corps en ce moment (même si tu gardais tous vos vêtements dessus).Le troisième type serait plus dur à trouver sans de l'équipement de surveillance scientifique très sensible et sorte très spécifique de volontaire.

Mais plus sur cela bientôt.Sans davantage d'agitation, voici les trois biodégradations principales des cheveux humains :

Borne.Les cheveux humains terminaux sont le genre de cheveux que tu penses à le moment où tu penses aux cheveux.C'est les cheveux que tu es le plus intéressé avec.C'est les cheveux que votre styliste est le plus intéressé avec.C'est les cheveux que tu coupes et te courbes et mousse et gel -- mais c'est également les cheveux tu rases de temps en temps.Tandis que la plupart des cheveux terminaux peuvent être trouvés sur le cuir chevelu, la limite se rapporte réellement à tous les plus longs, les plus épais cheveux humains -- comprenant les cheveux faciaux, les cheveux d'aisselle et les cheveux de public.Chaque rive des cheveux terminaux est reliée à une glande sebacious, qui dépose les huiles grasses nécessaires sur elle.

Vellus.Les cheveux humains sont divers ;tandis que nous pensons généralement à des cheveux de corps ou à des cheveux de cuir chevelu quand nous pensons aux cheveux, nos corps sont couverts réellement dans les cheveux.Les cheveux de Vellus sont le "duvet de pêche" ce nous trouvent sur une grande partie de la surface de notre peau.Habituellement trouvé sur le visage et la nuque du cou, ces cheveux ne sont habituellement pas plus qu'un couple des millimètres long.Depuis les femmes et les enfants avoir moins de cheveux terminaux sur leurs corps que les hommes, cheveux de vellus est plus évident sur eux.

Lanugo.Non tous les cheveux humains peuvent être trouvés dans le miroir.Nous tous les cheveux eus de lanugo en même temps :Quand nous étions dans l'utérus.Puisqu'ils n'ont aucun "vrai" cheveu à parler de, les foetus accroissent des cheveux de lanugo tandis que dans l'utérus pour maintenir chaud.Après que nous naissions, ils sont remplacés par des cheveux de vellus (et, après un moment, des cheveux terminaux sur nos têtes).Il apparaît également si nous devenons jamais sous-alimentés pendant une période prolongée ;sans graisse nous maintenir aussi chauds, notre lanugo instinctivement développé de corps.Ce qui est plus, nous ne sommes pas les seuls mammifères avec le lanugo ;les éléphants et les joints l'ont aussi.

Es Tu S'ennuyant De Vos Meilleures Idées D'Amélioration De la Qualité ?

2008-11-10T00:14:00.000-08:00

Es Tu S'ennuyant De Vos Meilleures Idées D'Amélioration De la Qualité ?

Le mois dernier j'ai parlé de garder vos changements d'amélioration de la qualité d'endroit
en utilisant un manuel que tu développes de la concession, procédures habituelles d'opération.Par
manière, si tu manquais cette issue, tu peus trouver elle sur mon site Web, et plusieurs plus tôt
aussi.

Ce mois je veux adresser lancer un projet d'amélioration de la qualité.C'est-à-dire, comment
tu décides sur quel projet à travailler ?Quelle issue ou processus cause les la plupart
gaspiller, fait la plupart de mal, est la plupart d'affectation du résultat inférieur ?Peut-être tu es a
le chef à votre emplacement et toi ont une idée de ce qui pose généralement des problèmes.Pour
citer, tu peut penser que les patients avec des cathéters obtiennent beaucoup d'infections.
Peut-être, la vérification des patients dedans à votre emplacement prend trop long et crée
un goulot d'étranglement.Peut-être les patients se plaignent au sujet de devoir attendre trop long au contrôle
dans au bureau d'un docteur.Il pourrait être que certains départements fonctionnent sous peu de
approvisionnements trop souvent.Il y a beaucoup d'autres possibilités.La probabilité est celle
à moins que tu sois directement impliqué dans le processus controversable, tu n'es pas probablement
averti de ce que les problèmes exacts se rendent et ne sont pas compte des solutions possibles.

Ceci nous mène à la conclusion qui afin de découvrir faire face de nombreux problèmes
chaque organisation, particulièrement en termes d'effort gaspillé, temps et argent, a là
pour être en place un mécanisme pour que les problèmes apprêtent aux chefs de l'avant
lignes de l'organisation.Il doit y a une manière pour que les chefs entendent parler du
problèmes de ceux qui sont directement impliqués.Par exemple, fait n'importe qui dans le votre
l'organisation savent quelles idées le personnel de nettoyage prend pour faire l'organisation
améliorer ?Quand je dis qu'il doit y a une manière pour que les idées apprêtent, je ne veux pas dire
que les seuls avec une voix devraient être personnel soignant et d'autres professionnels.
Plutôt, comme dans les plans d'amélioration de Baldrige, le personnel entier est impliqué dans l'amélioration
de la qualité.

Je sais de quelques hôpitaux où le conduite-président, le CFO, le ROUCOULEMENT, etc.-go dehors
plusieurs matins chaque semaine à parler au personnel à tous les niveaux et patients pour voir comment
les choses pourraient être meilleures et obtenir de la rétroaction positive au sujet de ce que sont les choses
aller bien.Peut-être à votre emplacement tu veus commencer quelque chose comme ceci.Comme le temps disparaît
par et car des suggestions sont mises en application, le personnel sentira plus en sécurité au sujet de faire
des suggestions.

La conduite doit s'assurer qu'en sécurité de sentir de personnel au sujet de faire des suggestions, non
la matière ce que la méthode de suggestion change est employée.Peut-être tu pourrais vouloir à
employer un aperçu anonyme pour rassembler des suggestions initiales.Après une partie de
des suggestions sont agies au moment, le personnel se sentiront comme les chefs veulent vraiment de bonnes idées
et sentira plus en sécurité les faisant connaître.Peut-être tu pourrais vouloir employer un conseiller
dans Healthcare maigre (plusieurs de ces idées que je suggère venu directement du maigre
Healthcare) pour enseigner au personnel les principes et les processus de Healthcare maigre et
d'autres outils comme peut sembler convenable.Cette approche aidera un grand début d'organisation
faisant à beaucoup les changements positifs rapidement, plutôt que d'en utilisant l'idée de lentement
la propagation des moyens du changement dans toute une organisation, en tant que préfèrent.

Quoi que votre processus initial d'avoir les idées filtrant vers le haut dans l'organisation,
après quelques idées pour l'amélioration de la qualité recommandée par la troupe être
avec succès mis en application et après que les améliorations et l'épargne soient faites connaître
dans l'organisation, il est temps de créer des manières d'avoir plus d'idées.Peut-être tu veus à
avoir les réunions régulières avec un chef indiqué et des représentants de plusieurs
fournissant les secteurs de personnel qui évoqueront des idées.Cela signifie que le reste du personnel doit
se sentir confortable au sujet de faire des suggestions à ces membres d'équipe.Si votre emplacement a
peu d'employés, alors peut-être il serait le meilleur pour avoir des réunions de personnel permanent avec tous
employés où l'ordre du jour inclut toujours l'heure pour des idées d'amélioration de la qualité
et pour des mises à jour sur des projets continus.Pour quelque méthode tu décides des travaux mieux
votre emplacement, soit sûr qu'une sûreté et une sécurité de l'atmosphère existe pour tout le personnel.
Ceci peut signifier aller autant que pour garantir qu'aucun personnel ne perdra là placer As
les améliorations créent plus d'heure d'obtenir des choses faites.

Ainsi, une fois que tu as un flux stationnaire des idées d'amélioration de la qualité produit par tous
dans l'organisation, lesquels si tu agis au moment ?Le mois prochain, j'aborderai cette
question.Cette issue que j'ai décidé de me concentrer sur l'étape de définir de six DMAIC du sigma
(définir, mesurer, agir, améliorer, commande).Après, je discuterai le segment de mesure.
Autrefois à l'avenir je couvrirai la dynamique d'équipe aussi.

The $500.00 A Month Plan

2008-11-07T02:38:00.000-08:00

One way to make extra money or start a business of your own is by placing advertising which will pay a good profit. Selling printed information by mail can br financially rewarding. Classified advertising is the cheapest way to get into Mail Order and it is often possible to raise a fortune from these small ads. Just check any large publication such as Popular Mechanics, for their classified advertising section and you can see yourself the many ads.

"How would you like to receive $25 daily and keep all the money? For complete set-up rush $1 to (Your name and address)"

These small ads, running month after month would not be there if they were not profitable and making money. according to some of the promotional material being sent around the country, you could make up to $500.00 or possibly more by running the following classified ads over your name and address. They ask you to pick up a top national publication and test either one or both under "Money-Making Opportunities" headings and watch the dollars come in. I did not run any of these ads myself but was told they really are both profitable. Here are the programs and the advertisements:

You are supposed to fill orders you receive with a copy of this sheet you are now reading. Make photocopies or get a supply printed to send as needed.

"$500 monthly, work at home, receive money daily. For complete set-up send $1 to (Your name and address here)"

There are other variations of this plan, but all serve the same purpose: to sell printed information to people who are interested in making some extra money. (they say it is truly possible to make money with this plan).

If you have sufficient capital, some good pulling national magazines or Tabloids are:

*Popular Mechanics *Money Making Opportunities *Salesman's Opportunities *Specialty Salesman *Mechanics Illustrated *National Enquirer And many others to numerous to mention.

If you study the many classified ads in the big national publications, you may get a better idea of what the leading companies in Mail Order are doing. You will get a better idea of how classified advertising works. if you have limited capital, it would be wise to run your ads in smaller publications such as small newspapers, small Mail Order Publications and adsheets.

Yes! You can start your own advertising and mailing business at home and keep finances ahead of inflation but be sure you are involved in the kind of program that gives you a reasonable chance to be a winner.

Many such magazines tabloids and other good publications are available at your local news stand, library or through Mail Order. Many of them require a copy of the material you are selling with your ad and reserve the right not to print certain ads they feel may be injurious to the public or the image of their publication

Prove It! - Give Your Marketing and Advertising More Credibility

2008-11-07T02:35:00.000-08:00

Your marketing and advertising won't be effective if your potential customers don't believe the claims you make. So how can you prove your that you can do what you say you can?

Tone it down. Even if it is possible, your claim that dieters can lose 50 pounds in a month probably won't be believed. Make it more realistic and representative of typical results.

Get customer testimonials. Let them see that others have had great results. Testimonials should be specific and include the customer's real name for the most credibility.

Positive media coverage will make you a star. Media coverage provides an implied endorsement from a respected source.

Get endorsements from experts. Respected authorities who say that your product or service is good make you look good.

Show a track record. Have you been in business for 20 years? Customers are more comfortable doing business with someone they believe will be around if there is a problem after the sale.

Cite statistics from a reputable source to back up your claims. There is a joke that 67.8% of all statistics are made up on the spot. When you use statistics, tell where they came from.

Make yourself accessible. Give a phone number or e-mail address where customers can contact you (or support staff) directly with questions. Phone numbers are especially valuable in creating the awareness that you are approachable by clients. Add live chat at your web site to resolve support issues.

And, never make claims that aren't true. If you are caught in a lie, it can be difficult or impossible to reclaim the trust of your customers.

Why Radio Advertising Could Be The Best Thing You Ever Did For Your Business

2008-11-07T02:32:00.000-08:00

In the marketing world, radio has earned the reputation of
being the odd step-cousin. You know the one. No one
knows quite what to do with him. Especially at family
gatherings when everyone tries hard to avoid sitting with
him. (After all, who knows WHAT he'll start talking about.)

A good friend of mine, who's also a marketing consultant
but before that she sold radio for many years, has a theory
about that. She says radio works on a subconscious or
unconscious level. People remember the ad, but not that
they heard it on the radio. So, they tend to credit a different
medium for the ad, like the yellow pages. Yellow pages gets
a boost while radio drops a few points.

Much of that reputation comes from radio being tough to
track. On one hand, radio does work. Businesses do notice
an increase in sales when they add radio to the mix.
However, radio doesn't test well. In surveys and other
tracking methods, radio tends to be the one with the dismal
scores.

However, I feel there are possibilities beyond merely
reaching local customers.

Regardless, radio should not be ignored because it does
work. And many marketing consultants will probably tell you
radio is an excellent medium to reach a local market.

Internet radio shows are starting to take off in a big way.
That means advertising and sponsorship opportunities are
also taking off. In addition, "offline" methods have been
shown to be pretty effective at driving traffic online. If
increasing Web traffic is your goal, using traditional media
outlets to increase traffic should be a part of your mix.

Below are some other positive reasons to use radio:

* Affordable -- when you compare spot to spot, radio tends
to be one of the least expensive media out there. However,
one spot ain't going to do it. To reach your target market, you
need to purchase several spots. That's why radio can also
turn into one of the more expensive media. However, there
are ways to keep your costs in line yet still reap the benefits
of radio -- for instance, buying less spots but running them
all in one or two weeks, so your customers are more likely
to hear your message.

If people already know you (which they might in your local
market) they're more likely to be loyal. And they're more likely
to send other customers to your site. Depending on the
costs of radio in your community, radio may be a very
affordable way to get a good viral campaign going. (A viral
campaign is when your customers send promotional items
about your business such as e-mails, articles, Web site
urls, etc. to their friends and family members.)

* Psychological, if you voice the commercials yourself --
hearing your voice makes people feel like they "know" you.
(Hence the popularity of audio on Web sites. In fact,
marketing gurus claim just by adding audio to a site
substantially increases how many people buy.)

People tend to buy from people and businesses they know
and trust. Hearing your voice helps them feel as if they know
you. These psychological aspects may be another reason to
consider running a few radio ads in your local market even if
you have an Internet business.

* Speed -- you can get your spot up and running in no time.

* Loyalty -- listeners choose stations based on the music or
shows they like and they tend to be quite loyal to that station.
If you know what your customers enjoy listening to, it's an
excellent way to reach them. (I include both music and talk
shows in this.)

* Good support medium -- radio works really well when
paired with other marketing mediums (like print, direct mail
or television).

But for every positive, there's a negative. In the spirit of being
objective, here are a few for radio:

* Background medium -- radio tends to be on in the
background, which means it tends to be ignored. Generally,
your target market needs to be exposed to your ad more
times than other marketing media before they'll act upon
your message.

* Little staying power -- the lack of visuals again keeps radio
from "sticking" with people. At least, that's what some of the
marketing gurus say. But, here again my marketing
consultant friend differs. She thinks it's that subconscious
thing again.

And if you can write a spot that creates pictures in your
customers' heads, you can actually work this to your
advantage. In fact, according to my friend, if the picture is
defined enough, not only will people remember it better, but
they'll also think it was a print ad instead of a radio ad. (More
on the art of creating pictures using words in later issues.)

* Hard to track – it's impossible to know exactly how many
people are tuning in at any given time.

A final note: Because radio is subconscious, keep that in
mind when crafting your ad. Repeat your business name a
lot and any other branding info, so it gets into your
customers' heads. Don't put in phone numbers. Instead,
purchase a memorable Web site domain name and repeat
that. And remember to create "pictures" whenever possible.

Creativity Exercise -- How can you use radio in your
business?

Would radio work for your business? Let's find out.

Take out a sheet of paper and a fun pen. (I'm partial to gel
pens.) Draw a line down the center.

On one side, put the header: Why advertising on radio is a
good idea for my business. On the other side, put the
header: Why advertising is a bad idea for my business.

Now pick a side and start writing down reasons.

For instance, let's say you started with the bad idea. One of
your reasons was: My product is completely visual. You
could turn it around by saying "Because my product is so
visual, I'll have to work harder to create pictures in my
customers' minds. And because the customers create their
own pictures, they're more likely to remember them."

Or what if you started with a good idea, and one of the
reasons was: "Because my business is local." You could
turn it around and say "Because radio is holding me back --
I'm only reaching this local market." (Ah, now I'm even going
against what I said earlier. Maybe with this statement you
could look for ways to get your customers to spread the
word outside the area about your business.)

You might be more comfortable starting with the side that's
easiest for you. Then when you work on the other side, you
can simply turn the reasons around.

As you saw by my last example, you'll be amazed at what
comes out when you do this exercise. Even if you don't
change your views on radio advertising, you may come up
with new and powerful insights to your business.

chart (geography)

2008-10-30T11:18:00.000-07:00

chart (geography)

1 Presentation

chart (geography), representation drawn or printed on a surface punt of a geographical area generally corresponding to a portion of the surface of the Earth.In the majority of the cases, a chart is a diagrammatic representation rather than illustrated of a given zone;it contains usually various commonly allowed symbols, which indicate the inherent characteristics, artificial or cultural of the area represented.

The essential problems involved in the development of a chart are the representation of a curved surface (Earth or part of the Earth) on a plan, and the choice of the scale.Before the appearance of the computers (see Cartography), the establishment of charts required multiple talents:capacity to discover and select information coming from various sources on various aspects of the geography, then to synthesize the results in a whole of data simple, coherent and exact;gifts of originator to create the final chart able to correctly communicate the "message" intended for readers of various origins;a manual dexterity to represent information by using symbols, lines and colors to make readable the whole of the chart;knowledge of graphic design to simplify often complex reasons.

There is not a "correct" way to make a chart.The way in which it is carried out depends on the goal of the chart, the tools available to the cartographer and its knowledge.

Chart of the world of the xve century

2 Types of chart

One can use charts for various reasons, which explains the existence of various types of specialized charts.

2.1 Topographic charts

The topographic charts are generally used to represent terrestrial areas.They indicate the inherent and artificial characteristics of the area represented:they can thus comprise the grid system (roads, railways, channels, paths, airports), hydrography (river, lakes, aspects of the coasts), the dwellings (villages, boroughs, cities), the form and the altitude of the relief, etc.The political limits, which mark separations between departments, areas and States are also specified.Because of the great diversity of information which they comprise, the topographic charts are generally used as charts of reference for an everyday usage.

2.2 Specialized charts

The sea charts and aeronautical are among most significant of the specialized charts.The sea charts are used for navigation;they cover the oceans.Figures indicating the depth of water to low tide are laid out with intervals brought closer on the corresponding parts of the chart.The shallow waters and the hollows are surrounded by a circle or in are grayed so that they appear more clearly, and the limits of the channels are indicated by lines.The nature of the bottom (sand, mud, rock, etc.)is also specified.The exact localization of the headlights, the buoys and other assistances with navigation is one of the significant characteristics of the sea charts.Certain reference marks of the coasts, like raised buildings or peaks, are also indicated because they make it possible to the navigator to establish his position.The aeronautical charts that one uses in flight resemble the topographic charts somewhat;they indicate in more the site of the radio beacons, the air routes and the zones covered by the channels of radio guidance.

Among other charts specialized appear charts political, which retains topographic characteristics only the limits of the cities and the borders political, geological maps, which shows the geological structure of a zone, like good of other charts, which indicate for example the geographical distribution of harvests, the use of the ground, the height of precipitations, the number of inhabitants.The relief maps represent an area given in three dimensions.To accentuate the relief, the vertical scale represents several times the horizontal scale in general.The relief maps are very much used for the design of plans in engineering and in the military field.

Chart of Eastern Europe

Est

3 fundamental Characteristics of a chart

The recourse to a system of symbols is essential to easily read a significant quantity of information.Many symbols frequently used in general are well accepted and are immediately included/understood.Thus the cities, large and small, are indicated by points or zones of shade;the rivers and the rivers are often printed in blue, just as the stretches of water;the political borders are marked by ribbons of color or dotted lines.A cartographer can however be brought to create a great number of symbols to satisfy such or such need.For example, a tent can indicate the presence of a camp-site and cross pickaxes can mark the site of a mine.The legend of the chart explains the symbols used.

3.1 Geographical grid

It is necessary to refer to the geographical grid of the chart to locate a point or to indicate the extent of a zone.This grid is consisted by the meridian lines in longitude and the parallels in latitude.To convention, one counts 180 of longitude is and 180 of western longitude compared to the meridian line of Greenwich, which has as a value 0.In the same way, one counts 90 of northern latitude and 90 of southern latitude compared to the parallel of the equator, which has as a value 0.Each point on a chart can be defined with precision by indicating its value in degrees, minutes and seconds for the latitude and longitude.True north is in general placed in top of the chart, which also contains a pink of the winds directed towards the magnetic pole or another indication of a magnetic variation.

3.2 Scale

The scale represents the existing relationship between the distance which separates two points on the Earth and its representation on the chart.The scale is in general appeared as figures, like 1/100 000, which means that unit measured on the chart (in fact 1 cm) corresponds to 100 000 times the same unit on the surface of the Earth.The scale is specified in the margin of the majority of the charts, which often also present a tick-marked line indicating the length on the scale of one, of five or ten units, often of the kilometers.

The charts on a very large scale (higher than 1/10 000) are called plane.The large-scale maps go from 1/10 000 (where 1 cm on paper is equivalent to 100 m on the ground) to 1/25 000, the average scale goes up to 1/100 000 and the small scale starts with the charts with 1/200 000 (where 1 cm on paper is equivalent to 2 km on the ground) or 1/250 000.

The most detailed large-scale maps are often those which show the property of the grounds and the buildings.These charts are often made on scales varying between 1/500 and 1/5 000 and it is not need to generalize or simplify much the information which one wants to represent.The more one zone is densément populated, the more the scale used will be large.

The charts on a small scale, as those which are reproduced on the atlases, must on the other hand be strongly simplified.The roads, for example, are often widened and can be moved to facilitate perception, provided that they remain placed correctly the ones compared to the others.

The ordinary topographic charts, as those which are produced by the national geographical Institute (IGN), are on a 1/100 000 scale, 1/50 000 and 1/25 000.For the military charts, the scale can go up to 1/15 800.Since the beginning of the century, a certain number of countries take part in the development of a standard chart of the world on a 1/1 000 000 scale.

3.3 Representation of the relief

The relief is represented by level lines, which join the points of the zone concerned which are with the same altitude.The value of the interval between each curve can vary, because it depends on the importance of the relief and the scale of the chart;for example, interval can to be of 50 m, so that the cartographer, when it draws the chart, connects by a feature initially all the points which are to 50 m above the sea level, then those which are to 100 m, 150 m and so on.The shape of the level lines gives an exact idea of the shape of the hills and depressions, of which the heights and the depths are indicated by the curves themselves.Thus, the strong slopes are revealed by brought closer curves.

It is possible also to indicate the heights by using various colors or dyed, as well as hatchings (short parallel lines) or shades.In the case of the colors, one represents the of the same zones height while exploiting various colours;for example, all the part ranging between 0 and 100 m above the sea level is colored in clear green, the part between 100 and 200 m appears in a darker colour and so on.The hatchings are used to indicate the slopes;they are all the more marked and brought closer that the slope is accentuated.In fact often only the slopes exposed to south-east are hatched or ombrées, which suggests to some extent a sight of plane of the area lit by the light of the North-West.The carefully drawn shades and hatchings do not indicate the heights, but they are more easily interpreted than the level lines, and one uses them sometimes together for reasons of clearness.
4 Projections

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A chart must have the shape of a sphere to represent all the surface of the Earth without introducing deformation;one speaks in this case about sphere.A chart punt cannot appear with precision a round surface, apart from not very wide areas where the curve of the Earth is negligible.

When it is a question of representing areas of average or large size accurately, the chart must propose a compromise between deformations relating to surface, the distance and the direction.In certain cases, the cartographer can privilege one of these elements to the detriment of the others, which lose then in precision.One employs the term of projections to indicate the various ways of preparing a chart with two dimensions of the surface of the Earth;one distinguishes geometrical projections from analytical projections, according to the technique of development adopted.Geometrical projections are classified according to the type of surface used for the establishment of the chart, like the cylinders, the cones or the plans;plane projections are also indicated by the term of azimuth or zenith projections.Analytical projections are based on mathematical calculations.

4.1 Cylindrical projections

When it carries out a cylindrical projection, the cartographer considers the surface of the chart as a cylinder which surrounds the sphere and is in contact with this one on the level of the equator.The parallels are prolonged apart from the sphere, as parallel plans which cut the cylinder, while remaining parallel to the equator.Because of the sphericity of the sphere, the parallels near the poles are gradually brought closer from/to each other when they are projected on the cylinder;moreover, the projected meridian lines are represented like parallel straight lines, which are perpendicular to the equator and are prolonged towards the North Poles and South.Once projection carried out, the cylinder is supposed to be cut out in the vertical direction then unrolled flat.

The chart obtained represents the surface of the world like a rectangle with in longitude the regularly spaced meridian lines and latitude the parallels laid out in an unequal way.Although the areas are very deformed near the poles on a cylindrical projection, one finds on the chart the proportions which are those of the areas in reality.

The Flemish geographer Gerardus Mercator was based on mathematics to develop a well-known type of projection which bears its name and are connected, with certain modifications, with cylindrical projection.A chart of Mercator is precise for the equatorial areas, but appreciably deforms the areas located in high latitudes.However, the directions are represented accurately, which is particularly interesting for navigation and corresponded to the preliminary draft of Mercator.Any line cutting two meridian lines or more according to the same angle is represented on a chart of Mercator by a straight line, called line of rhumb.This one represents in the case of a ship or a plane a direct road established using a compass.A navigator can decide his road using a chart of Mercator by simply tracing a line between two points and while following on the chart the direction given by the compass.
4.2
Azimuth projection

Azimuth projection corresponds to a projection of the sphere on a plane surface which can be in contact with the sphere at any point.Azimuth projections gather plane projections of type gnomonic, orthographical and stereographic.The azimuth projection of surface equalizes and equidistant azimuth projection return to two other types of plane projections;they cannot be projected, but are conceived according to a tangent plan (in contact).Gnomonic projection corresponds to projected rays of the center of the Earth.In an orthographical projection, the source of the rays is ad infinitum, and the charts designed according to this process give the impression that the Earth was photographed since cosmos.In the case of a stereographic projection, the source of the rays is a point which is diametrically opposed to the tangent of the plan on which projection is carried out.

The nature of projection varies according to the source of the rays.Thus, gnomonic projection covers zones smaller than a hemisphere whereas orthographical projection covers the hemispheres;equivalent azimuth projection and stereographic projection correspond to broader zones, and equidistant azimuth projection relates to the entire sphere.However, in all these types of projection (except for equidistant projection azimuth), the part of the Earth which appears on the chart depends on the point on contact on the imaginary plan with the Earth.A chart of projection planes whose plan is tangent on the surface of the Earth on the level of the equator represents the zone of the equator, but cannot be reproduced all the area on a chart;if the plan is tangent with the one of the poles, the chart represents the polar areas.

Insofar as the source of gnomonic projection is in the center of the Earth, all the large circles (the equator, each meridian line and all other circles dividing the sphere into two equal parts) are represented like straight lines.A large circle which connects two points on the Earth always corresponds to the shortest distance between these two points.This is why the gnomonic chart is very useful for navigation when it is used with the chart of Mercator.

4.3 conical projections

In this type of projection, one supposes that a cone is placed at the top of the sphere.After projection, the cone is supposed being cut out and unrolled on a plane surface.The cone is in contact with the sphere on each point of only one parallel;the chart obtained is extremely precise for all the zones located close to the parallel, but it becomes very deformed for all the other zones, by respecting the exact report/ratio of the distance from these zones to the standard parallel.

To reach a highher degree of accuracy, the conical projection in conformity of Lambert starts from a cone which passes by part of surface of the sphere and cut two parallels.Because of the precision obtained by this type of chart in the immediate proximity of the two parallels, the zone represented between the standard parallels is deformed than the same zone reproduced by a single conical projection.

Polyconic projection is a type of projection much more complex, which brings into play a series of cones, each one of them being in contact with the sphere with a parallel different, and only the zone in the vicinity immediate of each parallel is used.By gathering the results of the series of limited conical projections, it is possible to cover a broad zone with a very high degree of accuracy.Because a cone cannot be in contact with the sphere in the polar and equatorial areas most distant, various conical projections are used to represent relatively small areas in the moderate zones.The polyconic charts offer a good compromise between the representation of surface, the distance and the direction in the case of small areas.

4.4 Mathematical calculation

A certain number of projections, according to the devoted term, were developed using mathematics to appear in detail of the significant zones in a small scale.The charts based on mathematical calculations represent the whole Earth in circles, ovals or according to other forms'.In the case of specialized charts, the Earth is often drawn while not following the original form of projection, but with joined and irregular parts.The charts of this type are called stopped projections and include/understand the projection of Goode and the equivalent projection of Eckert.

5
Realization of a chart
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The most significant progress in the manufacture of the charts came from the techniques of remote collecting, i.e. techniques which truly gather data on an object without the touch, in particular the air photography (which includes/understands photography with infra-red) and photographs it by satellite.Total Positioning System (GPS) implements the triangulation by satellite, which reduced the margin of error considerably when it is a question of locating exactly points on the surface of the Earth.The recourse to the computer to draw charts counts among the most recent innovations

5.1
Observation

A chart rests essentially on a meticulous survey of the geographical sites and relations existing between a great number of points in the area considered.Today, almost all the original charts call upon the aerial observation in addition to the information obtained by the usual techniques of topography.The images obtained by satellite get a great number of precise information concerning the site of mineral deposits, the tentacular urban development, the penetration of the vegetation and the various types of grounds.

5.2 Compilation and reproduction

Once the data gathered, the chart must carefully be prepared according to its final destination so that all relevant information is communicated clearly and precision.The surveys and the photographs carried out are then used to enter a great number of points on a grid of cross lines which correspond to the projection chosen for the chart.The heights are indicated and the level lines, if they are used, are directly drawn from stereoscopic pairs of photographs.The roads, the rivers and the rivers are drawn according to the same process, as well as the site of the other elements of the chart.

The preparation of a chart for the impression starts with a series of sheets, at a rate of a sheet for each color used.These sheets are composed of a plastic covered with an opaque substance;the lines and the symbols are traced on surface using a sharp-edged instrument of engraving which removes the opaque layer, according to a technique which concerns the lithography.Each one of these sheets constitutes negative from which is carried out a lithographic plate.

There are also orthophotocartes, whose base is made up true photographs.The charts of this type are a mosaic of parts of carefully cut out air photographs, which were modified using a orthophotoscope to eliminate the deformations from scale and angle.It is possible to record information on the co-ordinates of a geographical area and on the distribution of the statistical phenomena of this zone.An instrument as a continuous graph plotter makes it possible a computer to carry out charts by using the recorded data.It is possible to post on a video screen the charts created by computer, which can be easily modified by an operator.The charts of this kind make it possible to provide an animated image of a change for one determined period, because the data of the chart and the later modifications are recorded.

A seminar on self-help change your life?

2008-10-24T10:43:00.000-07:00

Self-help is a new thing, if you choose to participate in the self-help, read a book of self-reliance, or to consider the mentor, it is certainly not shy from taking measures to make the benefit not only of yourself, but other people in your life. While reading books, and the right to talk with people can make a world of difference, this seminar in May is certainly more close approaches to improve your own. Is important in your life that you feel you can improve, you can rest assured that there is some kind of seminar or program where you can attend only I can not give you in the right direction it needs.

Is your business-sponsored a seminar on self-improvement you

If you wish to participate in a seminar of self-help, you may want to consider talking with your employer to sponsor the participation in such an event. Depending on the type of help you need, whether the motive, and management skills, more effective time management, leadership, compensation or any other nature that are worth trying. Many employers to be able to trust that this seminar is not only a good idea to improve your own, but it would be better for the company as well. If May to take a little persuasion, and the right to the person who says your employer for the care certainly worth trying.

Seminar decide whether you deserve to

It is important to bear in mind that not all self-help seminar sessions will be angry money. It is important to know as much as you can about the seminar in advance, they tend to be expensive. It is important to understand the costs of some programs and the cost of the seminar would entail, are they staying overnight? Does the food? Is there accommodation included? What kinds of programs that can be expected from such a seminar or conference?

May also want to discuss the impact of the seminar that some events have had on those who attended them. Found on a personal Web site is not always the kind of thing you want to rely on when it comes to these programs. Some people are looking at a seminar that they are, and talking to people who know the goals are similar to those you and see if he can reach with assistance from the program.

Selection of the right to self-help seminar, not always easy, nor whether it was useful to you. For those who are really self-improvement seminars can to help them achieve their goals, examine and one is not only a good idea, but an important step in achieving these goals.

4 options for new hairstyles - Help your next visit lounge

2008-10-23T01:49:00.000-07:00

Every woman goes through times when she can not her hair. It helps to understand that you are not alone in that experience. If you focus on some basic options for your hair that you could achieve a better hairdo that make you happy. A good hair day, like a new pair of shoes, absolutely you feel better. And if there is something you can do to create a good hair day, a good haircut will help you much in the long term.

It is important that you select a hairdresser that you are comfortable with. Someone who understands what you want and has the experience to give you this style. When it comes to hair salons, you usually get what you pay. If you try to get a new style at a discount store where you pay $ 5 for your cup, you should not expect much.

The 4 basic options for your hairstyle are changing the length and / or adding layers, adding noise, add or lowlights and highlights change color. If you do not want a radical change, you can go with only one change to both gradually a different aspect.

Change in length and / or adding layers: the major trend today is to go shorter. The short and medium bob hairstyles are replacing the long and curly hair last year. If you are too afraid to go really short, try just a few inches at the ends. If you do not have layers at the moment, you want May to experiment with adding some layers. For best results, appointments with a layer so it will be easier to maintain and grow if you do not like them. Diapers are a great help for lay thick hair and smooth the creation of depth and movement in a style.

Add Bangs: Bangs are big right now. You can go with a small bang that commitment is long and swept side of the surface. Then there are the layered bangs, full bangs, short and choppy bangs striking variation. In general there is usually a kind of detonation that will work with any hairstyle. Bangs help soften the facial features in place and make you look younger. They may require a little more time in the style in the morning, especially if you are difficult to manage hair.

Add Highlights, Lowlights: A few strands here and there are a great option SPRUCE your hair and your face light up simultaneously. If you do not want to cut your hair and are undecided on the style, perhaps starting with some highlights.

Change your colors: Nothing changes as another hair color. If you want to go more than 2 shades darker or lighter than your natural color hair, it is strongly recommended that you go to a professional hairdresser. There are many good hair color products you can buy at your local pharmacy and apply yourself.

In short, if you want to change your hair, there are many options available to you. You do not need to go with a certain hairstyle, just make minor adjustments to your style and create your own new look.

How Agencies Calculate Credit ScoresWhat Is good credit score ratings?

2008-10-22T14:50:00.000-07:00

You might ask yourself how some agencies calculate your credit score, and it is really made up of many pieces of information.

First, and most important is your payment serial, which can be up to 2 oldness on any report, and this counts for up to 35 % of your score.

Secondly, is your credit history, and how many times it has been requested. This counts for up to 10 % of your credit score. Having mortally many requests, may reflect badly to some, and not to others.

Thirdly, is undeveloped problems in your credit old saw, like bankruptcies, and this counts for up to 30 %.

Adding these up is individual about 75 % of your credit, the stay on is reflected character your credit adventure solely and how long you have had credit. A really good credit score is 850, low and possibly bad credit, is 350, with the most colloquial being partly between, or closer to 750.

Checking your credit reports regularly, and some states acquiesce you to get a free credit report from the 3 major credit reporting agencies for gratis at least yearly. Checking your report, and reporting truly false, and incorrect information cede avail you, and the agencies know what is rotten on your report, and utility you bring about it.

I have reported errors significance my reports notoriety the recent, and some agencies will send you a package to fix your report. Wisdom these steps will help you get better credit. Trying not to get enthusiasm debt, that is something that can be hard hold this instance and foster, but, being wise with your credit, that can linger a year.

Not turmoil bankrupt, and trying to stay up to buzz session on your bills, even nourishment payments entrust improve your credit.

If you are married, sometimes your spouses credit score may ramification yours, or vice versa. If your credit is good, and theirs is not, hunk them make their credit leave reflect better on both of your credit reports.

In my circumstances, my credit is not as good as my husbands, who is older than me, and has had good credit effect the past. We are currently working on mine. Some states allow you to get credit reports for free yearly, so take advantage of this, and see what yours says. I will correspond to doing this and on our reports soon, being I am unmistakable some information commit need go-ahead. Louis Zhang, Ezcreditscoring dot com

2008-10-22T14:47:00.000-07:00

American Express cards roll in in multiple varieties that were made to cater to the sundry needs of credit card consumers. Each one shot is costumier made for a intended types of credit card consumers.

Basically, there are three higher varieties of American Express cards. The antecedent of which are the " charge cards ". Charge cards are perfect for people who are wicked of palmy for their full balances on a monthly basis. As for " credit cards ", they provide their cardholders with an possibility to carry on the card balances from individual month to wider. Last but not the least; the " compatriot cards " indulge the card holder with the occure to earn benefits from the acquaintance companies of American Express. Users of little brother cards also have more full swing with regards to hard cash terms.

The American Express Blue Card

There is a fathomless selection or categorization and surely, there is a certain record of American Express card that entrust fit every odd. If you want a report transfer credit card, thereupon the American Express Blue is just go for you. This card bequeath acquiesce you to transfer all your outstanding balances to a unlike account with a model low interest rate of 4. 99 %. Moreover, if you are practiced for unique of the remittance programs based on your credit rating, you can avail of the introductory offer that provides zero APR for up to 15 months.

The Business Rewards Moolah Card

If you are looking for a specialized card that will meet your business transactions, American Express offers the Dodge Bays Property Card that presents a voluminous rewards channels. It besides has no credit dialectics topped with a Zero APR for its prime word.

American Express Blue Sky Card

If you travel a trust, forasmuch as you might due to well good of the American Express Blue Sky card or the Starwood Preferred Guest card. Heavier card that you should consider is the Blue Mazuma which features a 5 % payment allowance topped with rock bottom percent APR for the pioneer six months of account. The Plainly Jack Business Card is also a prime offer considering it provides 5 % cash ride on expenses for gas, office supplies, utility services and another.

Aside from the above mentioned American Express credit cards, there are more varieties that suggestion terrible lagniappe programs. Each of them will allow the cardholders to garner reward points from almost existent that they clinch using their card - from traveling, shopping, dining, and ticks having some fun and entertainment. Organic of these cards are offered with a high level of fancy in order to protect the consumers from fraud and identity larceny.

Benefit of Gas Station Credit Cards

2008-10-22T14:46:00.000-07:00

If you are a fixed traveler and you mad for dynamic your car and being on the coming, then you should really consider getting a gas station credit card. Gas is a necessity for probably cross nation travelers and predominance order to outweigh the drastic effect of trim upturn in gas prices, accession travelers should avail of gas credit cards.

Gas credit cards allow its card holders to save some money for every fuel fill. Usually, these cards concede the card tiller to have 3 % or 5 % chicamin siphon for their fuel expenses. Moreover, each generation you purchase gas, you leave also dispatch bestowal points which you can then present to gas stations network argument for incentives, discounts, and more. If you reach a certain " part " provided by the credit card concern, you can straight request for your rebate in the form of specie checks.

Getting yourself your very acquiesce gas credit card will not alone allow you to control some money nailed down rebates and discounts. It can also help you keep path of your gas expenses. Such can be mortally important for someone who is in a tight converse, and for businesses that needs to manage their business expenses tightly. Gas station credit cards are besides perfect leadership times of emergencies when you are stroll far from home and forasmuch as you suddenly treasure trove yourself at the verge of temporary bankruptcy. Having a gas credit card in your pocket will provide with the security that you need if you are always on the road.

The Benefits of having the top Gas credit cards

Come upon Unbarred Road

This gas credit card pays its cardholders 5 % rebate outward of their total gas expenses. In addition to gas gravy rebates, the user will also receive 5 % cash backs from automotive expenditures and 1 % on all the other purchases that is made using the card. If you are a frequent purchaser of automotive parts, then this card is honorable for you.

Result BP Visa® Card

This card provides a 5 % rebate for your expenses on BP gas, 2 % on restaurant and travel expenses ( flight expenses, hotel accommodations, car rentals, and spare ), and 1 % on general purchases. Moreover, if you avail of the best limited offer of this card, you can get your rewards at twice the rate for the maiden two months of card profit.

Chase Freedom ( SM ) Credit Card

This gas credit card offers its cardholders with 3 % green stuff back on gas, utility, and restaurant expenses. Network addition to that, you will get 1 % ride from your contrary expenses made down the card. Also, if you apply for this card during its promo duration, you can get $50 off on your support purchase.

Airline Miles Credit Cards - How to Benefit

2008-10-22T14:45:00.000-07:00

The Airline Credit Cards also received as the credit cards Prosaic Adventure, and Travel Reward Credit Cards sustenance you accumulate points free hotel stays, the car rentals, and other emolument. These cards use you direct money power three different ways:

1 ) The airline lets ' you mount up points exchangeable for handout of encounter flights on 250 major airlines
2 ) With a common credit card, you can earn miles that go engrossment your regular peril account, and
3 ) With travel credit cards, you can take home points anyways towards free of charge air junket or towards other remuneration, conforming due to hotel stays, the cruises, the car rentals, and very much too many. You can come across the seemly travel awards and airline credit card for you, by election from unrivaled of the manifold sites available on the catch.

Unvaried Flyer Credit Cards

Standard peril credit cards cooperation in a extravagant way to earn miles faster for a cuffo trip. There are several types of cards available in a category that offers different types of benefits.

By making reason of the common deal cards, you take home miles on your surpassing airlines. The majority frequent project credit cards have a liberal preliminary without charge miles offers, prerogative some cases offering up to 20, 000 bonus miles when you make your fundamental clutch with your thing credit card. That is approximately the total miles that are needed for a without storming for a certificate on domestic routes! If you are looking to put impact miles to a hard customary flyer account, this nature of card is a enormous more fitting for you.

If you do not want to be restricted to using inconsistent herculean carrier, the airline credit cards allows you take home points that can act for used to get hold of free tickets on over 275 cool airlines. This means that you bequeath embody less limited by polestar availability when you book for your unrecompensed flight. The points you earn through these cards can also serve as redeemed for cash back, free hotel stays, for car rentals, cruises, and whence on.

A banal award for using the flyer credit card is one shot point for each dollar fagged out, but a number of airline miles cards transfer twice miles or additional points for certain style of purchase, e. g., shopping in supermarkets, gas stations and drugstores. Some cards utility you earn lay upon points on the miles you fly, when you earnings for the ticket with that card. Many philosophy miles credit cards also approach shake on - up bonus points when you make your primitive purchase abutting the approval of your credit card tug.

It is always best to compare the available credit cards to find the card that suits you the best. You have to look for are how points or the miles are required to get a comp of encroachment flight; whether there is a boundary to emolument which you can build up for each year; and whether the points or miles expire. Many mental state mile credit cards and proposal 0 APR for an virgin offer period.

In addition, as with constituent type of trophies card, your take - home are briskly destabilized by money charges if you carry a balance forward from span to month. Consequently, it is always best to make your payments leverage bull within the season.

Understanding Credit Card Fees & Interest Rates

2008-10-22T14:44:00.000-07:00

Personally I fondle that it is express important to understand credit card fees and interest rates. You always need to know what deal you are getting into. If you do not then you are in danger of creating a financial trance.

Seeing a event of which I am fussy you bequeath requirement to inception recital the fine print. I am first to recognize that nobody likes doing this but understand that the print is fair for a reason. Magnetism there you will find all sorts of shrouded fee ' s and conditions.

These fees could touch you in multiple ways. For example if you are late on a payment accordingly you could perform grill with a fee. When applying for the credit card you may be subjected to an tug and processing fee.

In the phase you have the card for a year you may be charged an annual payment. If you go abroad they may also hit you with a fee for converting currencies.

The nil line is this, know what the fees are and if you do not accept the fine print then ask the humans who are making the offer. With that uttered and act not be afraid to negotiate. Doing business is all about negotiation.

In terms of interest rates the less the interest rate is the better. It is further better to get a fixed interest rate over a convertible so that you will know what you are paying over era. The monotonous interest rate today is around 14 % but can energy up to 36 %. On the low side you could get around 8 %.

Undifferentiated fees interest rates often come with conditions. If you earnings tardy your interest rate may step-up. Your interest rate proposal may change over the excitement of the card, in other mutter it could potency higher. Interest rates can vary between purchases and report transfers.

Agency terms of interest rates you have your everyday APR which is the casual journal percentage skirmish and a cyclical rate which is calculated based on billing cycles. Normally with a 12 tempo cycle you divide the rate by 12.

Symbol your rate is 14 %, then divide by twelve and you get 1. 16 %. If your balance is $10 ' 000 thence your interest onrush for that monthly report would be $116. 00.

Case in point is this, understand the fees and understand the interest rates. This way you can limit and keep on on top of you chips.

All About Table Top Trade Show Displays

2008-10-22T12:50:00.002-07:00

Whether you plan to exhibit once a year or every week, you may be using all sorts of trade show displays. You may own display stands of all shapes and sizes or you may opt to rent the display stands you require as the need arises. If you are brand new at exhibiting at trade shows or other events, you may be curious about all the different options that are available to you.

When deciding what type of trade show displays to use, there are many things to consider. Some of the factors to think about include:
- What is your goal for the outcome of the trade show?
- How will your exhibit or booth help achieve this objective?
- What type of space will you reserve at the show?
- What size events will you participate and what will the participants (audience) be like?
- How many events do you anticipate participating in on a regular basis?
- How will your exhibition materials be transported to and from trade shows?
- How much money are you actually willing to spend?

If your answers to these questions bring you to the conclusion that you need an inexpensive, easy to transport option that will fit into limited spaces, one of the smaller, more cost effective options for displays is the table top trade show display.

Basic Description

A table top trade show display is basically a display that stands on a table. Table top trade show displays typically have three panels to which you can attach images, graphics or headlines and text by using Velcro. Using Velcro to attach these allows you to change and update the graphics or text you use on an 'as needed' basis. There are many advantages to using table top displays for presentation at trade shows or other events. There are also some disadvantages, such as not having enough space to exhibit actual product (or a wide enough variety of product to demonstrate the breadth of your line).

More Inexpensive

If you are just getting started in your business or in trade show marketing in general, you may be looking for some ways to cut your costs. Table top trade show displays, whether they are purchased or rented from a trade show supply service, may meet your needs in this regard. Table top trade show displays tend to be more inexpensive than standing displays or modular displays.
Table top trade show displays tend to be much smaller than all-out booths and thus use less material. Because of this, it is cheaper to produce and acquire a table top display than it is to produce and/or acquire a more elaborate setup. In addition to this, a table top trade show display is more inexpensive in that it requires less space, which means you PAY for less space. Table top trade show displays are also more inexpensive to transport.

Size Matters

If you plan to exhibit often and mostly locally, you will want a trade show display that you can easily transport yourself or at least ship inexpensively on a regional or national basis. If this is your case, then you will want to opt for a trade show or exhibit display that is not only small and easily manageable but also adaptable and lightweight. Table top trade show displays are among the lightest and easiest exhibit displays currently on the market. However, there are other lightweight options that may suit your needs as well. Some of these other lightweight options include:
- Pull-Up Display
- Pop-Up Display
- Panel Display

How To Print Effective Marketing Pieces In A Slow Economy

2008-10-22T12:50:00.001-07:00

The economy may be slowing down, but your direct to customer print marketing cannot afford to. Whether it is prospecting, branding or customer loyalty now is the perfect time to gain market share and to differentiate yourself from your competition. Many companies will choose to scale back their print marketing efforts. Still others will stop marketing altogether. Is there a way to make my print marketing more effective while keeping costs down in a slow economy? Target marketing may be the answer. Instead of sending out 20,000 packets to a cross section of customers and prospects, consider sending out postcards to 1,000 contacts that are most likely to use your product or services.

Start by taking a look at your existing customer database. Are there customers who have used your services less in the past 3 months, 6 months or last year? Cater a marketing piece (postcard, brochure, sell sheet) to these companies. Remember they know who you are; you just need to give them a reason to use your services today. Perhaps you can let them know about an aspect of your service that they may not be aware of. Do not neglect the customers who continue to use you often. Marketing to them will assure them that you are going to be there for them during this rough patch. They will gain comfort in knowing that you intend to be around for the long haul.

Follow up your print marketing efforts with a phone call to your best contacts. Ask them how their business is, and if they have felt the effects of the economic slowdown. Understanding the problems they face will allow you to position yourself as a vital solutions provider. While you are elbows deep in your database consider categorizing your current customers. Pay particular attention to those customers who provide the highest profit rate. In virtually any case there are similar companies in your market that are not using your services. Target these companies for print marketing and if successful you will have a customer that you can service profitably. It is a common mistake during slow periods to assume that any business is better than no business. In fact, it may be more harmful to do business at a low profit rate, than to do no business at all.

The undercurrent of all your marketing efforts is branding. The reality is that many companies will have difficulty surviving during serious economic slowdowns. If you fail to consistently brand yourself you run the risk of becoming irrelevant in your marketplace. Target marketing will guarantee relevance in the markets that are crucial to growing in a slowing economy.

Advertising Specialties Make Your Business Memorable

2008-10-22T12:49:00.001-07:00

Advertising is incredibly important for any business. If no one knows about the services or products that you provide, you will not be able to maximize your sales and profits.

There are ways of advertising that make your business memorable and ensure the masses know about your business.Some individuals advertise their business via radio or television. Although this can be an effective way of advertisement, this media may not reach your niche market.

What happens if your niche does not listen to the radio or watch television regularly? Also, many business owners do not have the budget to advertise on the radio or television. Many are looking for find unique ways to promote their business.

Advertising specialties are an inexpensive, yet powerful, method of creating brand awareness and name retention. Advertising specialties include branded merchandise like key chains, coffee cups, t-shirts, or any promotional object with your name or logo printed on it.

Many advertisers purchase promotional objects to give to potential clients. Sometimes called "novelties" or "souvenirs", advertising specialties are increasingly being used in advertising promotions, public relations events or tradeshows as handouts and giveaways.

There are many promotional products that you could use for your business but make sure they are good quality and highlight your services well. Try to give away quality pens instead of cheap ones. Make sure you choose a reputable company that sells quality products and can help you find the right one to promote your business.

Many advertisers choose to disseminate computer related products, such as mouse pads or memory sticks. Some other items that are also popular include buttons, coffee mugs, glasses, calendars and more. Others also choose to give out hats and t-shirts.

Most of these items can be branded with company information. It is very important to place your up to date phone number, email address, mailing address and other information on your products.

Some choose to pass out pens or pencils with contact information to potential clients. Remember that there are only so many words that you can put on a pencil or pen without it seeming cluttered. You can also use green products or environmental friendly products to promote your business. This may appeal to environmentally conscious people who care about protecting the environment.

In addition, you can hand out t-shirts with catchy phrases that encourage the client to visit your website, send you an email or give you a call. Some advertisement specialists will help you find ways to advertise your company. Sticky notes can be a great way to also promote your business. Many individuals love using sticky notes regularly to organize themselves.

Advertising specialties can be used to foster customer goodwill and retention, build traffic at tradeshows, improve public relations at events, generate new customers, introduce new products, promote customer referrals and in market research campaigns. In political campaigns, advertising specialties can be used to promote candidates and causes or in fund raising and awareness campaigns.

All business people should advertise their business in order to maximize profits. Working out a marketing strategy will make sure your product receives the right amount of exposure. You may find it necessary to work with a company that has extensive experience in not only formulating a marketing plan for the company, but also can recommend unique ways to advertise the business.

Dogs and Children Together Require Thought and Care

2008-10-22T12:47:00.000-07:00

Your children and your dog can be best buddies, or there can be friction between the two. Both dog and child need to be trained to respect each other. Otherwise you will find yourself having to scold one or the other - or both.

There has to be a good match between the temperament of your child and that of the dog. If you have a high energy child, you want a dog who can keep up, such as a lab or a retriever. Very small dogs don't enjoy romping with children as much as the larger breeds. Small dogs and puppies can be injured by children who are not careful how they treat the dog.

Aggressive behavior in children such as poking, pulling on or hitting the dog--can lead to a dog snapping or becoming afraid of the child. And aggressive dogs can react badly to things such as a child yelling, or sudden movements that from the dog's perspective seem threatening. Remember, almost any dog will snap if severely provoked.

You need to make sure that all child/dog interaction is supervised. Dogs should never be left alone with infants. Breed characteristics come into play as well. The herding breeds are bred to herd and they will try to herd your children around the house unless the dog is trained not to do so. This experience can be upsetting to a young child.

The dog's safety can be an issue as well. Children can forget to close doors or fence gates. Many times that is how a dog escapes and gets lost or worse, gets hit by a car. An astounding number of dogs are separated from their owners this way every year a totally preventable problem. Everyone in the household, and even your child's friends who come over, need to be reminded to keep screen doors latched and fence gates closed.

Losing a dog that a youngster has just become bonded with is a tragedy no child should have to go through. When you research the various breeds, find out which ones are most prone to escaping the house. Some breeds just simply love to run, and take any opportunity to do so.

Toy breeds can be injured by toddlers by dropping it, holding it too tight or falling on it.

Extremely boisterous dogs can hurt a child by knocking him over. The dog is much more coordinated than the child, after all, and wants the child to

Marketing Your Campaign InTroubled Times

2008-10-22T12:46:00.000-07:00

If you think the economic chaos currently at play on the world financial markets has run its course, may I suggest a rapid trip to the nearest Starbucks for a cappuccino IV.

Because one has to wonder why it is that agencies and advertisers alike continue their marketing march to Hell.

It was Rance Crain, Advertising Ages editor-in-chief, who remarked in a past issue, But what is really broken in todays system is the amount of very bad advertising that gets approved by top management. Are CEOs so absorbed by trying to make their next deal that they tolerate the inept and stupid ads guaranteed to alienate their best customers?

These sentiments were echoed in the same issue by none other than the Godfather of Positioning, Al Ries, whose article on branding is brilliant in its simplicity.

Most advertising is mush, especially TV advertising. Thirty expensive seconds wasted trying to proposition the viewer without providing enough of the brands credentials for the consumer to take the offer seriously.

I ponder this nightly while perusing the ads in the Wall Street Journal over dinner like a parent searching in vain for a lost child.

How can advertisers spend a quarter of a trillion dollars a year (that is trillion with a T) with the ostensible purpose of selling their products and services using ads that do anything but?

Yes, the agencies create the ads, but presumably the CEO or someone in the clients senior management signed-off on them. I realize I speak heresy of the most inexcusable kind but here is a news flash ads are suppose to sell something.

Branding, the mantra of the last decade or so is fine, so long as it is not done to the exclusion of getting your message across and motivating the prospect to go to your store, pick up a phone, or click a mouse.

A review of ads running in national magazines and print media these days calls to mind the powerful scene portrayed by Burt Lancaster in the great Stanley Kramer film, Judgment at Nuremberg.

Lancaster, playing one of several judges who sat on the bench during the Third Reich, on trial for crimes against humanity, sits in stoic silence throughout the trail as Maxamillian Schell, whose academy award winning performance as the groups defense counsel, tries to convince the Tribunal (chaired by Spenser Tracy) that the judges were not aware of what the Nazis were really doing.

During a highly inflammatory cross-examination of Judy Garlands character (who had fraternized with an old Jewish man) by Schell, Lancaster has finally had enough and stands, his face a visage of fury.

In what may be his most prized performance outside of Elmer Gantry, Lancaster, his voice rising with intensity and volume with each word, tells Schell and the rest of the court that he and the others were aware, and asks in rhetorical outrage: Were we DEAF, DUMB, BLIND? It is a moving performance.

Lancaster I am not, but the question applies, are they DEAF, DUMB, BLIND?

I am thumbing through Forbes scanning the ads in search of one that attracts interest instantly. There is a picture of a red brick wall that takes up most of the full page, four color ad. It is a home builder or construction company, I think. But this is a wild guess.

I look more closely because I am writing this article. At the top of the wall is the word Elevate. Perhaps it is some kind of self improvement program.

I look at the copy that would best be read with the Hubble telescope. But I read it (which I would never have done under ordinary circumstances). It is an ad for Conoco Philips, the oil giant, explaining where others see an obstacle, we see a chance to elevate. Huh?

Did they have some recent failures, I wonder, and now feel compelled to tell people that they can overcome them?

In short, what in the name of John David Rockefeller has this got to do with selling oil and gas?

I have subsequently seen this ad in other business publications. It is someones bright idea for an advertising campaign. Unbelievable!

Who signed off on this...this...metaphorical brick wall, this Tony Robbinsesque PR ad?I am sorry, but what a waste.

I dont care how sexy the girl, how elegant the design, how sophisticated the message, if it does not generate a desire for the product that leads to increased sales and income; it hasnt done its job.

I close with what is a self-serving note that nevertheless happens to be true. Your ads should forward a message and a position that have come from the mind of your public, not the boardroom. That way they resonate and generate sales and income.

This is the kid of research we have been conducting for nearly a quarter of a century. If you want your ads to communicate and generate response, call us.

90 days to improve credit score

2008-10-22T11:12:00.000-07:00

With bad credit? Need a fix-it-fast plan to improve your credit score and we have the solution for you. Avoid bad credit ratings or leave the pit of bad credit is now easier and faster with incredible tips you can follow. The 90 day plan to improve your credit score has very simple and easy to make measurements.

Do not take too much credit

Stop charging on credit card. The most obvious and the worst error in the processing of credit, using your credit card too often, do bad credit scores with the evaluators. How you use your credit is an important factor in the decision notice. If you constantly use your credit card for purchases, you are a potential credit, which means you're a prime candidate for bad credit. To improve your credit score within 90 days, discontinue use at least one of your many credit cards.

Be careful with statements

Never disable Repayments of credit, simply because he says it is irrelevant for a few more days. For each late payment, your credit score decreases by five to ten points. Creditors report accounts that are 30, 60 and 90 days because of their past payments. Credit reports are freely available to any lender who wants your credit rating, and late payments are guaranteed way to reduce your credit score.

Maintaining a balance of credit

If you are a credit card, you know how many times you are tempted to buy items you would not buy if you pay in good old cash. The key to avoid passing savings trends and in turn, avoiding bad credit reports, is to keep in mind to spend no more than 25% of your credit limit approved. If you are already near or above the limit, try your best to pay as much as possible in the next 90 days.

Clean your credit report in record time

2008-10-22T11:10:00.000-07:00

The way you run your finances in the past will have a huge impact on your creditworthiness in the future. If decades of history collected credit, including credit cards, mortgages and loans are ruining your chances of a good credit score, it is time to get your act together and start cleaning. Take a look at these tips for self-assistance to repair your credit report.

Understanding your credit report

Think of your credit report that your curriculum vitae. It provides a detailed list of credit you have collected over the years with your repayment history. All court decisions against you and bankruptcy calls are also clearly defined in the credit report. Before you think cleaning your credit report, you need to understand how it will affect your financial future.

Check the details

Once you've obtained a copy of your credit report, check that everything is updated. If the records are missing or there are inaccurate, the lender alert and take necessary measures to ensure that the corrected report.

Check your independence

Your credit report contains a section of recoding all your financial partners. It might be the people you share with your accounts, like credit cards and loans. When you apply for credit, creditors will certainly check on those involved as well. So if you're not alone, in combination with financial partners, be sure to inform all creditors and credit agencies of reference (outreach).

Reduce borrowing

Creditors like to see customers who manage their finances with, at least by becoming free from multiple debts. If you have several credit cards, try to pay at least one completely. It would be ideal if you could reduce your return on credit card fees by assigning a monthly budget for it.

Three credit easier advice to boost your FICO score

2008-10-22T11:06:00.000-07:00

Credit Tip # 5: auto loan and purchase of Home

Having a good mix of credit includes a car loan. But having a fleet of cars your credit will not necessarily help. Only one is needed to complete a combination of credit.
Your score will drop after purchase (or rent) a car, then collect all the successive months, the time of payments. Because of this initial decline, not to buy or rent a car for 90 days before finding a home loan or refinancing your home.

Credit Tip # 6: mortgages and auto loans combined

According to the scoring formula, all mortgage and auto inquiries made in 14 or 45 days are classified as one of the purposes of the assessment. Many forms of credit rating will allow the fact that you can circle the market for a car or a mortgage and that each person or company you work with might want to pull your credit. So how it is now in place is if you have 8, 10, 12 or more investigations in mortgages during the last 2 weeks and that the same car or several inquiries, requests for mortgage information get grouped together with self surveys. So for purposes of scoring, the mortgage investigations of 1 and also self inquiries will be considered as 1 against you. Therefore, a total of 2 surveys count against you for pointing purposes.

Also in the first survey the group for each car and mortgages will not be against your score for 30 days after he was fired. So do not worry take this slight decrease your credit score for the next month, because you have 30 day buffer period.

Credit Tip # 7: Heloc and credit

You do not want to max your credit card to max are not your Heloc either because it could cause your FICO score to seriously decline.

Fair Isaac says that when the amount exceeds a certain limit, the formula for a credit score is expected to treat Heloc as a mortgage account and not a revolving credit (ie: credit card) . But very often, Heloc are treated as revolving credit and credit scores can suffer greatly.

For example, you want to take a Heloc $ 50,000 and $ 50,000 use. The formula for a credit score is often as if you have a maxed $ 50,000 credit card and your score will suffer.

Another option is to take more than what you need to, if the available equity in your home. If you use the same $ 50,000 on a $ 250,000 Heloc, you only pay interest on $ 50,000 you borrowed and pointing the software will not hammer your score as in the example above. It seems now as a Heloc $ 250,000 credit card that has only 20% of debt ratio, a difference of 100% in the previous example. So if you decide to use a Heloc, be sure to use it in a way that affects your FICO score better.

What is the fastest way to increase credit?

2008-10-22T11:01:00.000-07:00

If you've recently been denied a loan or a credit card and the need to raise your credit score quickly to get you approved in principle limited to two choices. These choices are sitting on your hands and do nothing or take action and repair credit and get the loan. The fastest way to increase a credit score is to repair credit. This process will remove all false negatives and information to maintain your score low and the loan approval elusive.

Many people begin this process by hiring a credit repair company to do the cleaning for them. Although there is nothing wrong with hiring a company to provide this service you want May to consider increasing your credit score yourself. By making the process you are sure that this will be done in the quickest way possible and have 100% dedication and effort behind it. This is unlike many credit drag the process to make more money and generally offer no guarantee of their services such as advertising.

Even if it's credit report repair looks great and many people are anxious to begin as soon as they hear the idea that you must be aware of the procedures involved. This is where a self credit repair kit makes all the difference. For more what the credit repair companies charge a month of service, you can get a complete kit that will provide you with the same methods used paid services. The kits can be purchased from many online sources and right loaded on your computer. If you buy a kit to help you increase your credit score fast always make sure he has a detailed plan and instructions for you to follow, and other tools that you can put to use to raise your score credit as soon as possible.

Although there are many ways to rapidly increase their credit score, good credit auto repair kit accelerate the process enormously.

The choice of an electronic credit repair kit - what you need to know before you shop

2008-10-22T10:57:00.000-07:00

World today in your credit report affects many things. Many employers use to determine a possible personal automobile insurance companies use to determine the monthly rate and, as always set your loan interest rate by your credit score. If you have a lot of negatives on your report for May, it will be time to consider obtaining electronic credit repair kit to clean it.

Auto repair credit has increased dramatically in recent years for many reasons. First, companies repair credit usually enormous burden of the charge for their services. These services are almost always guaranteed. This leaves people skeptical of them. In addition, many people now know they can do themselves what businesses are paying a lot of money.

Although there are many of these electronic repair kits credit available on the Internet, you must be sure you're not downloading a background report that offers no real information. Always read the sales page and be sure to get a detailed plan to follow, good dispute letter templates and other tools to use in your efforts. But what many kits is the lack of sources to obtain credit, which is important because the removal of old scores will not necessarily increase your score. You need to add positive accounts to your profile so. Think of it as part of the plan to abolish the old and adding the new one.

When you begin your search for your electronic repair kit credit bear in mind that not all are the same and many do not include the necessary tools and information you need to complete your report clean yourself .

A good repair your bad credit insider guide can help you on your way to a better credit score fast

2008-10-22T10:54:00.000-07:00

If you have bad credit, you are well aware of the difficulties it can bring on you. High interest rates, the difficulty in obtaining an apartment or a good automobile insurance. May it even cost you a job because now more than ever employers are employed credit check. However, there is an easy way to clean your credit if you have a good state of your bad credit guide insider.

Many people with bad credit often hire expensive credit repair companies that do not guarantee credit services to clean for them. Often, these people are left with wallet lighter and credit assessments unchanged. It is at this point that many people looking for a way to clean credit on their own. However there is a literal overload of information about it on the Internet and all product begging you to buy them.

A good repair your bad credit insider guide should contain many elements of information that will help you achieve your goal of improving credit. You want to be sure the manual that you buy contains an explanation of how to read your credit report and the best place to buy your credit report. You may also want to go in-depth information on how to challenge your negative points and items that you really dispute that their dispute.

Letter of credit dispute models are another valuable tool that will allow you to send letters effective dispute reporting agencies and to maximize your credit repair attempts. Without a good letter of your dispute results will be considerably reduced.

In trying to fix your credit report on your own you will save a lot of money and have the satisfaction of knowing the job is done correctly and timely. And the introduction of the tactics of good repair bad credit will be on your way to lower interest rates and payments.

Self Help Credit repair - save money and increase your credit score

2008-10-22T10:41:00.000-07:00

Today, your credit score is more important than ever. Not only does it affect your ability to obtain financing for a house or a car, it is now used to determine things like insurance rates and employability. Because of this trend in demand for methods that can improve a credit score rose dramatically. Self-help repair credit has been at the forefront of this request.

Credit repair is an attempt to raise a credit score by eliminating the negatives and false information from a credit report. The process is done directly with the credit reporting agencies. The dispute could easily be done by writing letters sent by U.S. mail or online at the sites reporting agencies. Many people think they need to hire a professional credit to their credit repair for them because they feel that in May the company do a better job or know the secrets. The disadvantage of using a company credit for your own is the place of fees can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars and in most cases are non-refundable and have no guarantee of increased Fico your score.

However, a simple thing overlooked by many people who need to improve their credit score is that they can really make a repair credit on their own quite easily and inexpensively. All self-help credit repair needs is a little time, effort and a little basic knowledge of the litigation process. The best part of yourself fact is that if you apply the same strategies that professional societies you have the same chances of withdrawal notwithstanding that the company, but for much less money.

When it comes to clean your credit report at the bottom you have two choices. You can spend hundreds or thousands of dollars with a society without guarantees. Or you can choose to save money and invest your time and effort in a self-help credit repair campaign.

Explore the best advice to establish your own credit

2008-10-22T10:24:00.000-07:00

Your personal credit is very important for your future, even if you do not realize it now. These offers credit card in the mail can be very attractive. It may be fun to go out and buy anything you want. The day will happen if during your mailbox is full of bills, and if you are not able to pay your credit will be destroyed.

Limit to basics, such as two credit cards and loans, you must have an. Do you really need a new car now? If not, keep what you have and put the money you spend on a monthly payment savings. When the time comes that you must buy a new car, you'll have a beautiful loan payment to offer.

Limit the amount of open accounts that you have on your credit report. Do you really need a store credit card when you have two personal credit cards in your wallet? In most cases it is not necessary to apply for additional credit. It may just lead to you being tempted to access if you are better to leave it alone. You should never be relying on credit cards to pay for your needs. If you are, you need a budget very closely and changes must be implemented.

If you work hard to create your credit, you can also call the shots with the lenders. What this car that, if 7% interest rate is the best, they offer you then you go elsewhere. Of course, you can not say this if you have not been responsible with your credit. The interest rate is very important in the context of your disposable income will be eroded by it. Why give more donors are you? Car loans are often five years and home loans thirty years. During this length of time, the amount of money you can save with a low interest rate is important.

Make sure you have enough money in savings to cover two months of your expenses. That way, if something unexpected happens, you'll be able to take care of your payments without being late or get a bad mark on your credit. It may seem as always when you try to catch up. You can also do not want to rely on credit cards to pay for your essential that the interest will eat you alive.

If you can not make your monthly payments, you need to contact your creditors immediately. May they be able to help you find a good solution to reduce payments to you or to get an extension because of a difficulty. If you're not in contact with them, they assume that you do not care. This can result in negative information be placed on your credit rating. This can result in you not be able to obtain future credit you need.

Obtaining credit is a privilege and not a right. Do not assume that just because you're borrowing someone will give you. The real world does not work that way. If you are not prepared for the processing of personal credit can be responsible enough to enroll in a class. Sometimes we fall into the same financial problems that our parents because we have not been exposed to better ways to deal with financial issues. Do whatever you can to protect your personal credit is underway to ensure that it is there when you need it for your future.

Be very careful with predatory lending as well. There are many companies and lenders who prey on those who are in need of credit. They pay for treatment ridiculous, high interest rates, and even fees to repay the funds were extended in their infancy. Do you participated in these types of bodies as they will cost you money and perhaps your good credit rating as well.

portal leader applied to reduce costs for businesses

2008-10-22T07:46:00.000-07:00

The last years of growth the economic yield to a period of hardship, without going to raise the specter of recession. To cross this bad passes, large companies have already launched plans for budget reduction and cost control. These austerity measures as preventive earn SMEs. Ultimately, the syndrome of cost reduction and optimization budgetary concerns all profit-oriented enterprises. In addition, within the same company, the cost-cutting centers attached to major directions (HRD, Finance, Information Systems, General Services, Research and Development, Logistics ...) are in the line of sight.

Whether you are Head of General Services, Buyers, Head of Logistics, Management Controller, Director of Information System, Costkiller.net offers practical information on best practices, methods of analysis, actors and events related to cost reduction. In addition, Costkiller.net exclusive offers a search engine focused on suppliers of solutions and products applied to reduce costs.

Costkiller.net stands as a look at reducing costs by having in its sights all centers of cutting costs related to major directions of the company.

At a time when the interaction between multiple business processes is narrower Costkiller.net intends unite as a community with shared interest cost control.

Media - a member, two very different messages

2008-10-22T07:43:00.000-07:00

The proof? Factory New shares in its latest issue (No. 3085 page 39) the muse of the UMP under the heading "In the spotlight." A photo of the member before the procession of protesters, braving microphones and cameras with the caption "Nadine Marano, UMP candidate for mayor of Toul in the event of employees Kleber January 18." Follows a forum for her on "Close Kléber own" theme that we discuss more later.
Note the average reader that I am now a member who goes on the ground, involved, take the problems to grips. As she is a candidate for City Hall, in addition article falls fairly well but that's normal, it moves.

Note that after investigation, the current mayor of Toul also participated in the parade but it was not echoed.
Worse, Nadine Morano did not participate.
And because as we told the East Republican, 19 January.
"1500 demonstrators in the streets of Toul, yesterday afternoon, again demanding the maintenance of the plant. She was asked to leave the parade. In the first few minutes, the atmosphere is good child. Placards and banners bloom. The words of "red cloth", Michel Fugain, escape from the sound system.
The cortege will leave the terminal from the train station when suddenly the Huées and whistles stridents change the tone of the event. The member Nadine Morano has just arrived and, obviously, his presence is not desired. The derision bloom, the names of birds fly in a climate suddenly very tense. "It has nothing to do there, it comes cause" drop, exasperated, demonstrators. Surrounded by militants suddenly become bodyguards, the attempts to become elected. In vain. Seconds later, she must leave. "Est Republican - Jan. 19
Suddenly the rubric of New Plant seems buoyant and unrepresentative of what actually happens in that territory ...

A word about this positioning more and more prevalent among politicians from all sides: close own, and closing a business does not discuss especially if it is accompanied by social plans particularly "attractive".
"There will be no compulsory redundancies" meant that must mean that there are redundancies wet but I barely defined. "The benefits are equivalent to two years' wages", "a cell reclassification is in place" as much about almost happy, almost as if challenging the disappearance of a site for 850 people has no impact on the local work (replaced by upgraded they do not become unemployed?), subcontractors, utilities, the basin entire life?
Our economy can be satisfied with it and move social plans in plans social. because inaugurations celebrating the settlements, it remains anecdotal ...
Not because the time has come for a new magic formula, revitalization. Formula that is known to be very expensive in public money but whose objectives and even less the results are fixed.
No serious was important to show before microphones and cameras.

Alzheimer-Alice in from oblivion

2008-10-22T07:30:00.000-07:00

By qu'Alois Alzheimer 1901 already gives an explanation of disorders observed in young patients. The century will not be too much for that knowledge of this disease progresses slowly and thus well as refined diagnoses. Now, reveal the extent of a phenomenon: 860 000 people in France are concerned, including Alice, for this scourge implies exponentially more than 100 000 new cases each year.
Suddenly battle in our country, as often late. For the story that we still call new disease in the United States illness public. Strange irony that this lack of recognition of a disease that will lead to precisely the same non-recognition of relatives. But it no longer smile Alice.
At the beginning there are some disorders of memory, words and names we do not recall, which are on the tip of a language increasingly hesitant. Everything comes gradually, gradually so to speak, and it is a tragedy of this disease, insidiously, without warning, hidden behind inattention, fatigue, aging, depression. "Head in the air," Alice was slow to finish his sentences, to honor an appointment, to reposition in time a meeting.
Then comes the first implications in the everyday: the keys that we seek and research, to street-side if famillière but it no longer recognizes the danger of the road you get longer The fridge and the races that could not manage more ... Disease of the brain to degenerate it deprives each new stage patients other features.
The character of the person can then according to numerous testimonies quickly change from where an additional challenge for the entourage. Bitterness, aggression, delusions ... bring a new dimension that clearly means that nothing will be as before. Conscience or not? doctors and a majority of households respond in the negative. Indeed Alice often said "I am not sick" - "when I returned to the house?" "You think I could renew?" Not sure but there are no periods of lucidity which also easily explain the link between Alzheimer's and depression, anxiety, withdrawal into itself.
The memory of this fades barely emerged phrases are repeated ad infinitum - the evocation of the past remains, but with less time mark. Then he disappears in another world, that of oblivion, dreams can be and I do not know what Wonderland, Alice. In these times, she said "I go away ... I was in my dreams ...".
The autonomy is lost gradually, soon it will be permanent bed rest. The core functions will no longer be assured, it will be malnutrition, vulnerability to infections, the total isolation.
Alice did not deserve it, his family either.
Alzheimer's is a black hole that aspires the human brain is the ground of our memory that shirks beneath our feet - a world full of empty sets. Alice dark each day and part with us and nothing will change. It remains to remember the beautiful things as the lovely movie. For surely the worst is yet to be scheduled until the end that will figure issue.
Meanwhile, all is not disrupted: Alice is nice, elegant, caring visitor, will launch the conversation she abandoned immediately.

But the eyes are tired, sets and often sad because time is no friend of the disease felt. His most poignant testimony, Alice summarized in 2 words: "It is long".

some articles

2008-10-22T05:37:00.000-07:00

The only thing that separates the successful change from the rest of the leaders of the pack

Change and disaster management contingency plans

How to decide whether you're ready to start business on the Internet

Beverage Teach You

2008-10-20T12:10:00.000-07:00

And perhaps one of the best and most iconic advertisers in the history would be Coca Cola. With their combination of ingenuity and creativity combined with an undeniable sense of mass appeal, Coke's empire is as much for the eyes and ears as it is for the tongue. Budding businessmen, creative teams and advertisers can pick up a lot of hints from Coca Cola's remarkable advertising techniques throughout the ages.

Here are a few tips that any marketing or advertising chief can take from Coke's nifty ads:

Credit Card For Student

2008-10-20T08:39:00.001-07:00

Most of the time, the students suffer financial difficulties especially at the end of the semester. Over this period, projects must be submitted and fees must be paid. Most of the time, parents become unable to provide the multiple needs of their children. They can not finance the project cost of materials along with tuition because, so they typically obtain loans at high interest. Instead of getting ready why not offer your parents that you get the credit card for students? It is much better than loans as interest income earned win over the capital. The credit card for students will certainly relieve you of your parents and worrying about your financial needs.

This type of credit card offers a range of joy and convenience it provides for zero Apr, high credit limit, payment system and practice, of course, the reward program. April zero means zero annual percentage rate which means you do not have to sentence on the payment of annual dues and fees. Even if you are a single student, you can still enjoy a high credit limit. This privilege was made because the goal of helping every student achieve their goal of completing college and becoming a professional success. Of course, like other credit cards, you must always pay, but in this type of credit card, you must pay a minimum percentage of your total credit used. It is quite convenient for the pocket. The award was also extended to that credit card. Exchanged gifts and awards your favorite animals, then you will probably using this card.

Many students have already taken advantage of this privilege. If you want to experience what they are today, you should not hesitate to get your account. It can be made online for what you waiting for? Take the opportunity provided to you and free from all your financial difficulties.

Credit Card For Student

2008-10-20T08:39:00.000-07:00

Which Credit Cards Will You Qualify For in Today's Economy?

2008-10-20T08:35:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered, "What is the best credit card I can receive credit with my level? If so, this article is for you, if you have spectacular credit, not so. Today's economic conditions have resulted in dozens of credit down across the board of directors in America. We are carrying more debt, pay our bills slowly, and sometimes default to fill the gas tank to get to work. For this reason, many consumers are applying for credit cards to help them cope with the recession.

Obviously we all want to enjoy the best credit card that is available. The problem is finding the best card for you qualify, without being rejected. Most retailers credit card, as we have cut credit cards by level of credit, but you still face the challenge of choosing the right item credit. In the hope to help our visitors make the best credit card they can benefit from l ', we have assembled a general description of each level of credit and interest rate estimated range.

1) excellent credit rating: 4% - 14%

Character - You should have or have had a loan or a credit card reference on your credit bureau for the past 5 consecutive years.

Capacity - You must have or had demonstrated your ability to manage successively a credit card that has at least 10,000 credit limit. You should be able to demonstrate or prove that you have the assets and income that supports a credit card with a higher credit limit.

Credit - You should not be, or have never been more than 60 days late on any bill and have never declared bankruptcy.

2) Good credit: 7% - 18%

Characters You should have or have had a loan or a credit card with a credit limit for at least 3 consecutive years.

Capacity - You should be able to prove your ability to manage a credit card with at least a limit of $ 5,000 now or in the past. Your income and employment should be sufficient to limit credit card you ask.

Credit - You do not have been more than 60 days late on any bill, loan or credit card over the past year, bankruptcies should be rejected for two years or more.

3) Show / credit Average: 10% - 21%

Character - You must have or have had a loan or a credit card in the past you've had a pretty good story with payment.

Capacity - Your employment / income must be because of your declared income on the application. Your schedule and duration of residence will be a factor in our decision.

Credit - You May have been behind one or more credit card (s), medical bills or loan repayments during the last 6 months.

4) poor credit: 18% - 25%

Character - You must have or have had a loan or a credit card in the past.

Capacity - Your employment / income must be because of your declared income on the application. Your schedule and duration of residence will factor heavily in your decision and interest rates.

Credit - You be the end of May on one or more credit cards, medical bills or loan repayments.

5) the limited funds: - 12% - 21%

Character - This map is for new students, new people in the country, or a young person with a job and a high school diploma.

Capacity - Your job, source of income or enrollment must be verified.

Credit - You must register at least one credit score on one of the three credit bureaus. This card is not for people who have bad credit.

Keep in mind, these descriptions are only estimates that are based on the approval of our experience. Each credit card issuer has its own guidelines to approve their candidates. However, we noticed that credit card issuers are less focused on credit scores and more heavily on the ability and character of the candidate. So if you have a low credit score, but you meet the guidelines for "good credit", we invite our visitors to apply for the best cards in this category.

Make the most of credit card facilities balance transfer

2008-10-20T08:30:00.000-07:00

Smart credit card consumers can ditch a card against each other and pay no interest ever balance on a credit card. It takes a little organizational skills, and great attention to detail, but it can be done. First, to obtain a transfer 0% offer, you must have decent credit. I know, it seems that the banks are making offers to people who need it most, namely those in difficulty. But banks are not charity, they are in this to win, just like the rest of us and they make money off taxes. Why would they give up what has been a lucrative source of income only to help consumers?

If you have decent credit and a good work history, you'll get a ton of offers by mail. Take the first 0% balance transfer deal that comes along (you can move 1% or 2%, but the holding of zero means that you're just paying for what you spend, and no more! ) Apply 0% transfer, and pay close attention when you receive the card and the date of transfer your balance. The key is to print the amount of the fine, and if you're a day late, they turn to interest costs. Some banks have 25 days grace period, but now it seems that most are blocked to 20 days. The offer is 0% usually for six months, which means you will make 6 Payments to bring to the balance.

Make your payments as soon as you receive your statement, even better, setting up automatic payments online and make sure you set aside money in your bank account. Payments will help you in the near future.

Stay with direct mail you get 0% for all other transfer offers. During the fourth month, requesting another. You choose the fourth month if you are sending your application, but if you can get instant approval online, you can wait until the fifth month. Do not wait until the last minute to request a balance transfer to a new card because if they miss a day, you get socked with interest. Maybe not all accumulated six months, but banks can be difficult when it comes to fees, to err on the side of caution.

In the fifth month, from the balance to another card, and repeat the process five months later. You will now have three credit cards with credit limits as high as your amount of transfer or even higher. Two of these cards have no balance on, and you've made payments on the third credit card every month, thus reducing the balance that you do not pay interest.

You can contact your original credit card to transfer the remaining return to 0% for six months, or a new card you sent several offers. But the important thing is to repay the balance, and keep open the limits on credit cards.

This method can take a year or more to pay a balance, but that should be the ultimate goal. Four credit cards with limits of decent (at least $ 2500) but with a zero balance on each card. This story and a model of stable payments should increase your FICO score, you qualify for low interest rate on a home loan.

You can beat the banks at their own game, if you carefully transfer balances between cards and pay the balance off! In addition, you can get 0% interest and offers to pay nothing extra, if you're careful.

Alopecia Areata and Hair loss: What Does Aloe Vera Have to Do with It

2008-10-18T06:20:00.001-07:00

A disease of unknown cause in which well-defined bald patches occur, usually on the head and other hairy parts of the body. The condition typically clears without treatment; recurrences are common. Alopecia areata is an immune system disorder where hair follicles cease making new hairs. About 2% of us experience a case of alopecia areata at some point in their lives.

Even though medical doctors have no known cure for alopecia areata, there have been some discoveries in the medical research arena of aloe. (El Zawahry M;Rashad M;Hegazy MR;Helal M;. Use of aloe in treating dermatoses. Int J Dermatol. 1973; 12: 68-73)

The Aloe vera gel, the substance from the inner leaf, has long been used for its wound healing properties and contains mainly polysaccharides consisting of acetylated mannose, glucose, galactose, and arabinose. Numerous studies have documented the effectiveness of fresh gel in healing skin or excessive x-ray irradiation or thermal burns. Fresh aloe vera gel applied to the skin was shown to be effective in alopecia, and alopecia areata. Several human clinical studies, which documented efficacy of aloe vera gel in treating psoriasis, burn wounds, and skin abrasions, have been documented. (Woodward S;. The soothing aloe vera plant. Delicious. 1997; 68-71)

Even though medical wisdom says that there is no cure alopecia, there is medical research stating that they have seen much improvement to alopecia in regards to aloe vera. Alopecia is not life treating, but it can be annoying. Remember alopecia is nothing to lose your hair about.

Natural Hair Loss Remedy Discovered in Apples

2008-10-18T06:19:00.001-07:00

The news spread like lightning across the Internet...

In Japanese clinical trials, a safe, natural polyphenol compound from apples was proven to promote new hair growth in men with male pattern baldness.

In the first double-blind clinical study, 29 balding men were treated with the apple procyanidin solution. After 6 months, researchers reported that both vellus and terminal hair growth were "significantly greater" than placebo control group subjects.

(Vellus hairs are short hairs, only a centimeter or two long. The follicles that produce them never produce any other kind of hairs. Terminal hairs are the long hairs that grow on the head.)

Increased Number of Terminal Hairs

The next study involved 21 men in various stages of hereditary hair loss. After 12 months of topical treatment, researchers reported that "71% of subjects showed an increased number of hairs." They also noted "a clear trend towards increased number of non-vellus hairs."

A "Potential Cure" for Male Pattern Baldness

After 12 months of study, the scientists concluded that "procyanidin therapy shows promise as a potential cure for male pattern baldness."

In a third study of 29 balding men, this time for 4 months, 78.9% showed an increased mean value of hair diameter. Increased ratio of thicker hairs was "significantly higher" than placebo controls and the increase in the number of total hairs was "significantly greater."

200% Better Than Minoxidil

Seven different published studies now confirm the profound hair-growth promoting effects of apple procyanidins. In tests on human hair cells, apple chemicals proved twice as effective as minoxidil to promote hair growth. The apple extracts were also clearly superior to less potent grape and grape seed extracts.

Procyanidins Activate Hair Follicle Growth

The richest known source of procyanidin B-2 is the skins of immature (baby) green apples. Polyphenols from apples have an astonishing range of health effects, and may be nature's perfect antioxidant. Many people taking apple procyanidins in pill form notice faster hair growth, stronger fingernails, and softer, smoother skin.

In every study, apple procyanidins have proven completely safe for humans and animals. There is no toxicity, no irritation, and no side effects. This natural hair loss remedy may be nature's best option for millions of people who suffer from thinning hair, falling hair, and male pattern baldness.

Do You Know About These Remedies for Hair Loss?

2008-10-18T06:17:00.000-07:00

Millions of the people worldwide suffer from hair loss and
this is the reason why hair loss remedies are a billion
dollar industry.

The answer to the million-dollar question of how to get
hair back is to know how you lost it in the first place.
You can determine the correct remedy for hair loss only
after you know the exact cause of hair loss.

#1 Get Your Hormones Checked

Specific problems with the hormones such as thyroid and
pituitary is a cause of hair loss. Consult your doctor to
conduct relevant tests and rule out this possibility. If a
hormonal imbalance were the reason for hair loss, the
doctor would recommend a course of appropriate drugs to
solve the problem.

#2 Anti - Androgenic Therapy

Excessive amount of DHT (which is a component of the male
hormone) causes hair loss and baldness. If DHT were the
problem and causing hair loss, the doctor would put you on
drugs that form a part of antiandrogen therapy. In women,
the treatment is called CPA (cyproterone acetate) with
ethinyl-estradiol. The therapy typically lasts for a period
of one year.

#3 Some Wonder Drugs - Over the years, researchers have
invented certain drugs that work very successfully for hair
loss. This includes minoxidil (more popularly known as
Rogaine) and finasteride. However, finasteride is not for
good for hair loss among women.

#4 Keep the Scalp Clean

Clean the scalp of dirt, dandruff and excess oil can help
prevent hair loss.

#5 Hair Transplant

Hair transplant is surgical method to treat hair loss. It
involves operations that extract parts of the scalp from
the sides and back of the head where the hair grows well.
It is then implanted on those regions of the head that are
going bald.

Hair re-growth is possible because the hair follicles in
the side and the back of the head are immune to the hair
loss problems. However, It is an expensive procedure. It
costs approximately $15,000 and takes 1-2 years to
complete.

#6 Hair Weaving

Hair weaving is not a surgical method for hair loss. This
cosmetic procedure attaches extensions of natural or
synthetic hair.

#7 Tissue Expansion

In this procedure, silicone bags are inserted beneath hair-
bearing skin to expand the tissues. This is then
transferred to the areas with a hair loss or baldness.

#8 Other Solutions

Some other solutions camouflage the hair loss or baldness
problem. These include using wigs or toupees and getting a
smart haircut to hide thinning hair or bald patches. For
this process, you need the services of a skilled barber.

Making Your Own Herbal Hair Shampoo

2008-10-18T06:16:00.000-07:00

In 1990 I decided not to use the commercially made shampoos after reading Aubrey Hampton’s book, “Natural Organic Hair and Skin Care.” In this book Aubrey tells you how to read the label on any product that you put on your skin or hair.

Manufacturers are constantly using toxic chemicals in their skin and hair products and disregard their toxic effects on your body. This is easily seen in the list of chemicals that they use. Here are a few of these chemicals found in many product labels:

* propylene glycol or glycol– a petrochemical used because it is cheap

* cetearyl alcohol – emulsifier that can be synthetic or natural

* methylparaben or propylparaben – typical synthetic preservatives

* distearate – this is polyethylene glycol or polypropylene glycol which are petrochemicals

* isopropyl alcohol – used as a cheap solvent to carry synthetic oils.

Here is a natural shampoo that you can make. This formulation is something that I have been using for many years. First collect the following items:

4 oz of castile soap with any scent is that available – plain, peppermint, eucalyptus.

½ oz of rosemary - stimulates the hair follicles and helps to prevent premature baldness

½ oz of sage – has antioxidants and keeps things from spoiling and is antibacterial

½ oz of nettles – acts as a blood purifier, blood stimulator, contains a large source of nutrients for hair growth

½ of lavender – controls the production of sebaceous gland oil and reduces itchy and flaky scalp conditions

2000 mg of MSM – provides organic sulfur to your scalp, which improves the health and strength of your hair. It also helps to drive herbal nutrient into the skin and follicles where they can do the most good.

one empty 8 oz plastic bottle, or any other empty shampoo or soap bottle.

Mix the herbs in a mason jar, which has a lid. Boil 2 cups of distilled water. Add 3 heaping tablespoons of the mixed herbs into the boiling water. Pull the boiling water and herbs off the stove. Let the herb mixture sit for 30 – 40 minutes. Put the 2000mg of MSM into the herb mixture after 30 minutes of cooling. After 40 minutes and the MSM is melted, strain the herbal mixture into a bowl.

Pour 2 to 2 1/2 oz of strained herbal tea into the 8 oz plastic bottle. Now, pour the 4 oz of castile soap into the 8 oz plastic bottle. Cap the bottle and shake to mix the ingredients.

The shampoo is now finished and ready for use. Use this as a base for all of the shampoos you make. You can add different herbs as you learn what these herbs do and how they help your hair. You can vary the ingredients according to your taste. But now you have a shampoo that has no additives that can harm you.

Hair 101

2008-10-18T06:15:00.002-07:00

The more you know about your hair, the better you can care for it! Your hair has two separate parts: the root and the shaft. The root is the part of the hair located just under the skin surface. The hair follicle houses the entire hair root. The papilla is where all of the action takes place; it is a rich blood and nerve supply that nourishes the hair shaft and produces hair cells. The bulb is a white sack located on the lower part of the hair that covers the papilla.

The hair shaft is what is grows out of the hair follicle and is what we consider to be hair. It has three parts; the cuticle, cortex and medulla.

The outer layer of your hair shaft is called the cuticle, which holds your hair together. The cells or scales that make up the cuticle layer overlap similarly to the scales on a fish or the shingles on a roof. In healthy hair, the cuticle scales lay flat. In damaged hair, the scales may be missing or broken. (

The cuticle layer is your hair’s armor; it protects the heart, or the cortex, the layer beneath the cuticle. It is made of long, molecular chains of amino acids (protein) and is the largest section of your hair.

Chemical straighteners must penetrate through the cuticle to access the cortex, where shape and color changes take place.

Hair is made of dead keratin (protein) cells that are pushed up through the scalp at an average rate of about one-half inch per month for six inches of hair growth each year.

Keep your hair healthy by eating well, frequent conditioning and gentle treatment.

Vitamins that May Affect Hair Growth

2008-10-18T06:15:00.001-07:00

Several different vitamin or mineral deficiencies can cause dry hair. To treat dry hair, try taking a multivitamin with 100 percent of the daily value of the essential vitamins. A multivitamin and mineral combination may provide some added coverage for possible deficiencies.

It's been shown that too little biotin and pantothenic acid (both B-complex vitamins) can lead to dry hair. Shampoos and hair treatment products commonly contain pantothenic acid (or pantothenol).

But evidence supporting the benefits of pantothenic acid for dry hair and hair loss is very weak. Also, some people with hair loss do show low blood levels of biotin. While the evidence isn't strong, it may be worth it to try taking supplements of biotin and pantothenic acid for bothersome hair conditions that are not helped by hair treatment products.

Iron and Zinc also affect hair growth. Iron is an important trace mineral that is found in every cell of the body, including hair, usually combined with protein. Zinc is an essential mineral that is found in almost every cell, including our hair.

It stimulates the activity of approximately 100 enzymes, which are substances that promote biochemical reactions in your body. Zinc supports a healthy immune system, is needed for wound healing, helps maintain your sense of taste and smell, and is needed for DNA synthesis.

Eat right and you will glow from head to toe.

The Truth About Hair Loss

2008-10-18T06:14:00.001-07:00

It is normal to shed hair every day and the truth is we loose between 100-125 hairs on any given day. Hair that is shed falls out at the end of growth cycle. At any given time 10% of our hair is in what is called a “resting phase” and after 2-3 months resting, hair falls out and new hair grows in its place. Some people, however, experience more hair loss than is normal.

As we get older, both men and women experience some hair loss. It’s a normal part of the aging process. Called Androgenetic Alopecia, it accounts for 95% of all hair loss. Androgentic Alopecia often runs in families and affects some people more than others. In men it is often referred to as Male Pattern Baldness. It is characterized by a receding hair line and baldness on the top of head. Women, on the other hand, don’t go entirely bald even if their hair loss is severe. Instead, hair loss is spread out evenly over their entire scalp.

Hormones play the dominant role when talking about Androgenetic Alopecia. Simple put, both men and women produce testosterone. Testosterone can be converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) with the aid of the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase. DHT shrinks hair follicles causing the membranes in the scalp to thicken, become inelastic and restrict blood flow. This causes the hair follicles to atrophy. As a result, when a hair does fall out, it is not replaced.

Needless to say, men produce more testosterone than women and experience more hair loss.

While Androgenetic Alopecia is the number one reason why individuals experience hair loss, it is not the only one. Medical conditions such as hypothyroidism, ringworm and fungal infections can cause hair loss. Certain medications such as blood thinners, gout medication, birth control pills and too much vitamin A can cause sudden or abnormal hair loss as can following a crash diet, sudden hormonal changes, chemotherapy and radiation.

Emotional stress, pregnancy, or surgery can also cause our hair to fall out and is usually not noticed until 3-4 months after the stressful event has taken place. Stress can cause a slowing of new hair growth because a larger number of hair follicles enter into the resting phase and no new hair growth is experienced.

Another way in which individuals experience hair loss is due to mechanical stressors on the hair and scalp. Wearing pigtails, cornrows or tight rollers that end up pull on the hair can scar the scalp and cause permanent hair loss. Hair products such as hot oil treatments and chemicals used for permanents can cause inflammation to the hair follicles which can also result in scarring and hair loss.

Note: Hair loss may be the early warning sign of a more serious disorder such as lupus or diabetes, so it is important to talk to your doctor.

Recommendations For Wellness

If you are taking prescription medications, talk to your doctor and find out if your medication is contributing to your hair loss.

Avoid mega-doses of vitamin A. Too much vitamin A can cause your hair to fall out.

Exercise, do yoga, meditate or find some other practice that will help to reduce your anxiety and stress levels.

If you are a women, have your female hormones tested. If they are imbalanced, talk to your health care provider about bio-identical hormone replacements.

If you wear pigtails, cornrows, use a curling iron, hair dryer or hot rollers, try changing your hair style to one that puts less pressure and stress on your hair and scalp.

If hot oil treatments or chemicals such as those used in permanents are causing inflammation to the scalp, discontinue their use, or reduce the number of times you are using them.

Use gentle shampoos and conditioners to avoid any unnecessary damage to your hair.

In men, herbs such as saw palmetto and licorice root help block the formation of DHT. The same holds true for supplementation with zinc. As an added benefit, studies show that these supplements can also help prevent prostate enlargement.

Massage your scalp with rosemary oil in an olive oil base. Both rosemary oil and massaging the scalp can stimulate the circulation in the scalp and promote hair growth.

Again, if you are experiencing hair loss, check with your doctor to ensure that a more serious disorder isn’t the cause.

Hair Loss and Its Effects

2008-10-18T06:13:00.002-07:00

There is nothing about hair loss that is okay. In fact, there is nothing about it that is good. Of course there are many types of hair loss and the reasons for it number even more. What effect will hair loss have on you? Will it alter you own self image? Will it simply be a stepping stone in the course of your life?

Hair loss happens for a reason. You need to determine what the reason for your hair loss actually is. This may include a trip to the doctor’s office. Hair loss can be the result of chemical changes within the body. It can be caused by drug interactions within your body as well. Chemotherapy, radiation, and even pregnancy can trigger hair loss. Before you can determine what has caused your hair loss, you will need to see a doctor. First of all, consider what things have changed within you life. Have you started or changed medication? Have you undergone testing? Even consider how you take care of your hair. Has anything changed in your life pattern? Of course, there is always the chance that your hair loss is just hereditary in nature and is not a sign that something more is wrong. You can not determine this though, and for this reason alone, you should ask your doctor about your hair loss.

Hair loss can negatively affect you. You can worry that your image will change or that people will see you differently. You can feel that you are aging and aging itself can cause slight depression. Hair loss in general can be a large change that happens in your life. After you have talked to your doctor about the cause of the hair loss, you should consider how you feel about it as well. It may be simply excepting this new change in your life. Regardless, hair loss is something that should not be avoided. You need to find out why it is happening and deal with how it will change you physically and emotionally. To find out more, check out the many online research locations such as The Hair Loss Resource Site.

What Is The Role Of Minoxidil (Rogaine) In Treating Hair Loss Conditions?

2008-10-18T06:13:00.001-07:00

Minoxidil is one of only two FDA-approved treatments for hair loss and is the only anti-baldness drug approved for women. Originally introduced as a medicine to treat high blood pressure, it was noticed that users began to grow extra hair. It is now available without prescription as a topically applied liquid in solutions like Rogaine, but cheaper generic versions are also available. A 2% solution is marketed as a treatment for both men and women, but a 5% version is approved only for men.

The main benefit of minoxidil is its ability to stimulate hair growth - it does not tackle the causes of hair loss, but simply overrides the symptoms. Some uncertainty surrounds the reasons why it works, but it has proven to be a very effective hair loss treatment with minimal risk of side effects.

It is particularly useful when used to reverse the effects of male pattern baldness but it has also shown positive results in the treatment of less severe forms of alopecia areata. Its usefulness in helping other forms of hair loss appears limited.

Minoxidil is better known as Rogaine but other generic products deliver the same results for much less cost. It can be safely used with other hair loss treatments and is especially effective when used in conjunction with Propecia to tackle male pattern baldness.

Hair Loss Resources

2008-10-18T06:11:00.001-07:00

Hair loss is a problem that affects men and women alike. Apart from mental tension it induces a feeling of consciousness in the individual. To what extent this feeling is justified is however a matter of debate. People who are facing the problem can rely on a wide variety of resources to tackle the situation.

Many medical publications are available online that can help patients to understand the problem and search for remedy and precaution simultaneously. Many medical institutes posts their medical publications, some have patient's guide to hair restoration etc. These resources are available in layman's language and help explain what causes baldness, how it is diagnosed and the best medical and surgical options available. If a patient has any query regarding hair loss, baldness, thinning of hair or other hair problems, these resources come in handy. Patients only need to confirm whether these websites have recognized physicians so that best possible guidance is provided.

Some of these sites are

http://www.ahlc.org,

http://www.thebaldtruth.com,

http://www.hairlosshelp.com, http://www.hairlosspatientguide.com,

http://www.hairtransplantmedical.com,

http://hair-loss-treatment-solution.com

Many of these sites help the patient to search for a doctor and some even have the facility to directly consult a doctor. If you want to go through hair transplant, you need not visit a doctor personally to understand the procedure.

Then we have websites such as www.hairtransplantdocs.com, which are turning out to be the best resources for of hair loss patients. These sites provide you enough information regarding the procedure. These sites also give you an opportunity to search and interact with hair transplant doctors. Some of these sites help you to search for hair transplant doctors throughout the world and gather information about them. You can satisfy your doubts by knowing the profile of the doctor before interacting directly. You can also go through the questions that other people have posed. This helps you in shedding doubts and fear.

Prevent Hair Fall and Dandruff the Natural Way

2008-10-18T06:10:00.000-07:00

Hair loss and dandruff are one of the most irritating disorders that can even make a person depressed at times.

There is a huge market for hair disorders such as hair fall, dandruff, alopecia etc. Companies are making a quick buck and exploiting in the name of herbal remedies. Many of these remedies are not purely herbal and may contain some herb as a component with inorganic and harmful chemicals as the prime component. Such products give only temporary relief, for example, anti-dandruff shampoos widely marketed, give relief only for a day or even lesser period.Ofcourse, there are genuine products in the market and the companies need not be pointed out for it is not their fault alone, but also of consumers who wants a quick remedy! Application of such temporary remedies and easily accessible products is not the right solution for the hair disorders, the solution lies in the age old systems of traditional medicine.

Such traditional medicine with modern science and technology can throw some effective long term and easy to use remedies. While I don’t remember at this point of time any such ready to use natural remedy manufactured by companies, I am suggesting some time tested age old traditional or natural methods for containing hair fall and dandruff. Though some of the methods are cumbersome or the ingredients not readily accessible, this is the only way and natural way for preventing as well as curing the irritating disorders.

The ripened fruits of Soap nut, botanically called Sapindus emarginatus, are soaked in hot water for 10-15 minutes and then crushed with hand in the same water to get the extract.The extract can be daily used beneficially with no side effects as a shampoo. It gives rich lather and can be compared in lathering property to synthetic lathering agents generally found in manufactured shampoos.

Another time tested natural shampoo, is the thoroughly ground powder of Blackgram, which should be made into a viscid paste with which the hair is washed and the scalp massaged. This is a good soap for the body also. For starters, the paste when applied, may be rough as compared to the soap, but a beautiful soap with all goodness.

Both the above, Soap nut juice and Black Gram powder are natural shampoos, with no loss of natural oil from the body and in addition are anti dandruff.

Prior to head bath the following applications are useful

Prior to shampooing or head bath, the scalp is thoroughly massaged with a combination made of crushed fenugreek seeds and sour curd. Leave for 15-20 minutes and wash with the shampoos suggested above.

People who do not like to apply oil in day times may apply oil like pure coconut oil before going to bed and then shampoo the natural way in the morning. This restores the lost oil from the scalp.

Another remedy widely used in India and known as a c-vitamin rich fruit all over the world, Powder of Indian Gooseberry is an excellent rejuvenator for the hair. It brings lustier, prevents or contains dandruff and helps strengthen the roots.

There are several such remedies, but access to the raw materials or genuine products is a problem in addition to the time consuming preparations. At least choose a product that has less of synthetic components and more of naturals. Never go for a shampoo full of chemicals, just because it gives tons of lather!

Female Hair Loss:

2008-10-18T06:09:00.001-07:00

Research shows that up to two thirds of women experience hair loss at some stage in their life and this can often be a very stressful time for women and is an integral part of their self image.

The most common causes of hair loss in women is not related to inherited genes but usually associated with other factors such as pregnancy, stress, chemotherapy, certain diets, thyroid hormone deficiency, some drugs or infections. Unlike men the hair loss in this case is usually temporary and healthy re-growth can occur over time.

Unlike men, women rarely go bald but may experience significant thinning and reduction of the hair shaft diameter around the forehead and crown of the scalp as they age.

If you are one of the millions of women who suffer from hair loss the most important factor is to understand why you are losing your hair before you seek out a remedy or solution.

Causes of hair loss:

1. Genetics: The most common cause of hair loss is rooted in your genes also known as androgenetic alopecia, hereditary hair loss can begin any time after puberty, but usually sets in before the age of forty and may accelerate around the time you reach menopause.

2. Pregnancy: A large amount of oestrogen is produced during pregnancy causing the hair follicles to go into their growth phase. Once the birth is over the hormonal balance is restored and the opposite happens with the hair follicles going into a hair loss phase.

3. Alopecia areata: The reasons for this are relatively unknown but research has shown that the cause is thought to be an auto immune disorder where the body mistakenly attacks the hair follicles. What follows is an inflammation of the follicles and surrounding hair structures. This causes the hair follicles to retreat into the deeper layers of skin shutting off an important nutrient supply, the follicles starve and the hair starts shedding followed by a dormant period.

4. Stress: Another common reason for hair loss in women is stress as known as Telogen Effluvium. What happens is that the growing healthy hairs enter the resting (telogen) phase of hair growth. The hairs matrix appears to stop dividing causing the hair to begin falling out. Women in their 40’s to 60’s will be affected by this kind of hair loss.

5. Drugs or Supplements: The most common drug treatment that causes hair loss is Chemotherapy. This kind of medication attacks the hair cells of the matrix causing 90% hair loss from the scalp. Prescription drugs are also known to thin hair out. These can be Blood thinners, high blood pressure and cholesterol drugs. Some dieting supplements can also be causes of hair loss.

6. Hair pulling: Also known as trichotillomania. Unlike other types or hair loss this is not a medical but more a psychological disorder. There are literally millions of people around the worlds that suffer from this condition. These are mostly adult women that suffer from low self esteem, anxiety, depression or are dissatisfied with their bodies. This condition can be treated with counselling.

Cosmetic Solutions For Hair Loss

2008-10-18T06:08:00.002-07:00

Many people suffering from hair loss prefer not to use the strong drugs and medications that currently form the best available treatment options. They may have tried a range of treatments but found they did not work or perhaps suffered unpleasant side effects. What options are left for such people, especially if they do not wish to consider surgery?

There are a number of solutions available but the final decision will be strongly influenced by the amount of thinning that needs to be covered.

1. Creative styling - this is perhaps the easiest option but its success depends on how far your hair loss has progressed. Slight balding can easily be camouflaged by careful grooming but attempts at covering large bald patches can end up looking ridiculous. One option for men with extensive thinning is to shave the head completely but this is not for everyone.

2. Hair cosmetics - this can include anything from hair thickening / volumizing products to dyes and fibers that blend with existing hair. Once again, these solutions really only work if the area of scalp to be covered is minimal.

3. Head coverings - seen by many as a last resort, wigs and hairpieces offer a further option. Once an object of derision, hairpieces have improved beyond recognition in recent years, although the price you are prepared to pay will determine the realism of the final result. Wigs come in all shapes and sizes and can be made from real or synthetic hair, but be warned the best ones are very expensive.

The Main Causes Of Hair Loss In Women

2008-10-18T06:08:00.001-07:00

When you think of hair loss it's natural to assume that it's a condition that predominantly affects men. Some experts however suggest that as many as one in four women will experience hair loss at some time in their lives. So why don't we see and hear more about it? Perhaps the answer has something to do with one or more of the following:

- Women are better at disguising hair loss.

- Women's hair loss is generally less extensive in terms of severity.

- Women's hair loss tends to be spread evenly over the head rather than concentrated in one or two spots.

So why do women lose hair - are the causes very different to those that result in male baldness? There are probably three common reasons for hair loss in women:

1. Female pattern baldness - believe it or not, most women affected by hair loss lose it for the same reasons as men. They suffer from androgenetic alopecia which is a reaction to male hormones in the body, specifically the conversion of testosterone into the hair-unfriendly DHT. In the case of women, pattern baldness may start later and the effects may be less extreme due to the influence of female hormones, but the condition is nonetheless the same as that found in male pattern baldness.

2. Telogen effluvium - this is regarded as the second most common cause of women's hair loss and this is unsurprising given the nature of the condition. Telogen effluvium is characterized by a general thinning of the hair and is usually brought about as a result of some traumatic event causing sufficient stress to interfere with the normal hair growth cycle. Given that pregnancy is a prime example of the type of event that can shock the hair growth cycle then perhaps the high incidence of telogen effluvium amongst women is only to be expected.

3. Alopecia areata - this is the third most common hair loss condition to affect women. It is characterized by patchy areas of hair loss on the head or it can be more widespread over the body. It is thought to be caused by deficiencies in the immune system but much is still not known about the condition. In many cases the hair regrows spontaneously after a variable period of time, but in a minority of cases the problem may be more severe and longstanding.

If you experience any form of hair loss arrange to visit your physician to discuss the treatments that may be suitable for your particular condition.

Latest Techniques Deliver Painless Hair Transplants

2008-10-18T06:06:00.002-07:00

The recent development of improved hair transplant techniques ensures that patients can now benefit from pain-free surgery.

Unlike the older techniques that could be painful and cause unsightly scarring, the Woods Technique of Follicular Relocation is minimally invasive, painless and leads to hair restoration that looks and feels completely natural.

Under this technique physicians transplant only the hair follicle and not the excess tissue that is common with other transplant techniques. This means that the transplant site only has to nourish the essential follicles resulting in a higher take rate and a lower risk of fallout caused by localized shock.

The creators of the technique have been perfecting it in Australia since 1989 during which time more than 2000 procedures have been performed with a high success rate. Interestingly, Drs Woods and Woods-Campbell have made the discovery that transplanted body hair can grow up to three times its length and assume the characteristics and qualities of scalp hair. This means that patients who have damaged or depleted donor areas can now benefit from the technique.

The good news for American patients is that the technique is now being introduced to the US with a training facility for doctors established at UCLA.

Coping With Telogen Effluvium

2008-10-18T06:06:00.001-07:00

Telogen effluvium is a hair loss condition that is characterized by a general thinning of the hair over a period of months. It is usually found in people who have recently experienced trauma with common causes including childbirth, major surgery and severe illness.

It occurs when one or more factors interfere with the normal growth cycle and manifests when large numbers of hairs are prematurely pushed from the growth (anagen) phase into the resting (telogen) phase. The telogen hairs are loosely attached at the roots and fall out easily. Fortunately, this unnatural growth behavior is only temporary and completely reversible.

Diagnosis of telogen effluvium involves a three step process:

1. Assess the type of hair loss suffered - generally telogen effluvium is typified by a rapid thinning throughout the scalp rather than the localized loss evident in most other conditions.

2. Review life events over the previous six months - typically some sort of traumatic event will have occurred.

3. Undergo a hormone test to rule out other abnormalities.

As far as treatment is concerned, telogen effluvium usually disappears as the effects of the trauma previously experienced begin to wear off. Consequently, there are no treatments specific to this condition although a product such as minoxidil (Rogaine) may help to accelerate the regrowth process.

Do Traditional Hair Loss Remedies Have Any Relevance Today?

2008-10-18T06:05:00.000-07:00

Could it be possible that our ancestors got it right with some of their traditional hair loss remedies? Folklore tells us they certainly went to great lengths to find solutions to thinning hair.

Although each culture had its own approach influenced by local conditions, there seem to have been many examples of common practices. Nettles, for example, formed an important element of traditional hair loss remedies throughout the world.

The samples outlined here have been sourced from the very informative work "Hair Loss Prevention Through Natural Remedies" by Peters et al. This book provides a wealth of information on this topic and can be easily purchased through Amazon or other good booksellers.

Rosemary Solution - this herb crops up frequently in herbal texts for its ability to cleanse the scalp and stimulate the hair root. Here is one recipe that features rosemary as its core ingredient.
Recipe: boil rosemary, sage, peach leaf, nettle and burdock in water. Strain and use to wash hair daily.

Apple Cider Vinegar - this is mentioned often in folk remedies for hair loss. It is believed to exert a normalizing effect on the scalp's oil glands and has a strong cleansing effect.
Method: Part hair into sections. Apply two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar directly to the scalp with a moistened cotton ball. Allow between fifteen minutes and three hours before shampooing.

Essential Oils - essential oils distilled from plants have long been recognized for their ability to improve scalp circulation and encourage cell generation. Amongst the most useful are cedarwood, clary sage, eucalyptus, lavender and rosemary.
Method: mix ten drops of essential oil with one ounce of carrier oil (jojoba or olive oil). Massage it into the scalp for a minimum of fifteen minutes before shampooing.

Cayenne Pepper Hair Tonic - the ability of this herb to irritate the skin, increase blood flow and stimulate cell division is well known.
Recipe: mix four ounces of cayenne pepper with one pint of one hundred proof vodka or pure alcohol diluted with 20 percent distilled water. Let it stand for two weeks, shaking the mixture once each day. Strain through several layers of fine cloth until the mixture is free of pepper. Once or twice a day, rub a small amount onto the thinning areas of the scalp.

Do Natural Hair Loss Remedies Have Any Real Relevance?

2008-10-18T06:04:00.000-07:00

The effectiveness of modern hair loss treatments is clear for all to see, but many people simply prefer not to use strong chemicals or non-natural substances.

If you fall into this category, does this mean you'll just have to accept an ever-decreasing head of hair? The answer to this is an unequivocal NO!

Many natural hair loss remedies, both traditional and contemporary, have shown their worth in reducing and reversing hair loss. They are also perceived as being free from side effects and even deliver additional health benefits.

Why then, don't we hear a lot more about these natural hair loss remedies? Simply because claims of cures cannot be made without FDA approval, and obtaining the FDA seal of approval involves lengthy and expensive scientific research that only major companies can afford. Even the biggest companies could not recoup the costs of such a process as no-one can control the rights to common natural substances such as basic foods and vitamins.

The big question however is, do natural hair loss remedies work? Firstly, hair growth at root level is a living part of the body that depends on sound nutrition, just like any other part of the body. The importance of vitamins, minerals and other nutritional elements in maintaining healthy hair cannot be disputed.

Secondly, the role of herbs and plants in treating numerous ailments is receiving increased recognition after years of neglect, and hair loss is no exception. Many herbal remedies for both internal and external use are offering new hope to people suffering from premature hair loss.

Thirdly, traditional hair loss remedies may still have something to offer. Ancient literature and folklore reveal that our ancestors went to great lengths to treat thinning hair. Some of the more acceptable traditional approaches are now being incorporated into many potential treatment regimes.

Treatments That Offer Hope To Hair Loss Sufferers

2008-10-18T06:03:00.000-07:00

Many people experiencing premature hair loss simply resign themselves to a process that is as inevitable as growing old. This is a positive and healthy reaction to what is a natural process for many. But for others the onset of premature balding or excessive hair loss represents a traumatic development that causes untold worry and suffering. This too is a legitimate reaction regardless of whether the hair loss is caused by hereditary factors or some other more complex cause.

Should these sufferers just grin and bear it? No, they should not because there are a number of potentially effective treatments they could utilize, depending on the nature of their hair loss. In this article I will outline some of the most popular hair loss treatments currently available in order to reinforce the fact that hair loss can be treated. The next article in the series will look closely at the treatment regimes best suited to specific ailments such as alopecia areata and telogen effluvium.

At present only two medications have been approved as hair loss treatments by the FDA. These are minoxidil, better known as Rogaine, and finasteride, better known as Propecia. Several other drugs have proven to be effective in combating hair loss, dutasteride for example, but have not yet been approved for this particular use.

Finasteride was originally developed to treat enlarged prostate conditions but a low dose version was subsequently approved for the treatment of hair loss in men. It tackles the causes of male pattern baldness by preventing the conversion of 5-alpha-reductase into DHT. Given that DHT is the main male hormone linked to hair loss, reducing its production by two thirds has a major impact on controlling this type of baldness.

Research has shown that 83% of men studied were able to maintain their hair count and 64% experienced regrowth by the end of a two year period. It should be noted that finasteride is approved for use by men only as the drug can have serious effects on unborn male fetuses. Women should therefore only consider using this drug under the strict supervision of a physician.

Dutasteride (Avodart) is a new medication for use in treating prostate conditions and, although not yet approved for the treatment of hair loss, it does offer exciting possibilities. It works in a similar way to finasteride but reputedly reduces overall DHT production by over 93%. As is the case with finasteride, women should consult their physician before using dutasteride.

Minoxidil (Rogaine) is the other hair loss treatment approved by the FDA and it is the only anti-baldness drug approved for women. Applied topically, its main benefit is its ability to stimulate regrowth thus reversing the effects of pattern baldness. Many users combine the application of minoxidil with other hair loss treatments like Propecia to achieve maximal results, but others experience satisfactory outcomes using minoxidil on its own.

Several studies have shown that certain non-drug products promote hair regrowth but none have yet been approved by the FDA. This is partly due to the prohibitive costs involved in conducting trials to prove that the products are effective for the purpose of marketing them as hair loss treatments. Many individuals and dermatologists nonetheless recommend use of certain non-drug treatments as an alternative or complement to drug therapy.

In many instances the treatments are based on natural ingredients that stimulate similar responses to those of the prescribed drugs but without the side effects. The information provided here presents a sample of products that have been subjected to testing or at least have had their effectiveness supported by independent feedback.

One such product is Arcon Tisane which has become Europe's top selling natural supplement for hair loss. It comes as a capsule and sub-lingual spray containing saw palmetto and fenugreek stimulating a response similar to that of finasteride by inhibiting the production of DHT. Arcon Tisane has been clinically tested and has received widespread media coverage of its success in combating hair loss.

Calosol is a relatively new product aimed at helping alopecia areata sufferers. It consists of a shampoo and an accelerator applied daily in order to stimulate hair roots, reduce hair loss and promote healthy hair. Early indications suggest that Calosol can contribute significantly to easing this distressing and difficult to treat condition.

Fabao 101 is a treatment that comes in varying formats, each designed to tackle a particular form of hair loss. The common factor to each product is their derivation from natural plant sources. It was developed by a dermatologist and has received many international awards.

Folligen copper peptide products are designed to help create an environment that improves scalp health, reduces hair loss and stimulates hair regrowth. It can be used by both men and women. Studies at over 30 leading universities and medical research institutes have established the effectiveness of the technology utilized in Folligen products.

Tricomin is another treatment that targets the delivery of copper to the base of the hair follicle and it too has been clinically proven as an effective treatment for stopping hair loss and stimulating regrowth. It can be used safely with other hair loss treatments and can be especially useful in complementing the effects of finasteride and minoxidil.

Revivogen is an all-natural hair loss treatment that reduces DHT production, blocks the androgen receptors and stimulates hair growth. It is used topically and has no known side effects.

Shen Min is another natural hair loss treatment designed to restore and regrow all types and stages of hair loss. It is safe for both men and women. Shen Min contains a blend of Chinese herbs and comes in various forms to suit most people.

ThymuSkin was developed by German scientists to fight hair loss in patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Due to the high success rates the product was developed for use by the general public to combat all types of hair loss. Clinical studies conducted in Europe show that ThymuSkin hair loss treatments could help to stop baldness and regrow hair for 67% of men and 95% of women.

Cause Of Hair Loss In Women - The Role of DHT & Sebum

2008-10-18T05:19:00.000-07:00

DHT & Sebum appear as main culprits when searching for the cause of hair loss in women.

According to some estimates, hair loss in women affects one in four women in the U.S.A. alone.

It can be very distressing for a woman, not least because it is so misunderstood and often fails to elicit sympathy from those closest to her. Hair loss in women is usually not so severe as hair loss in men.

Although the numbers of men and women experience hair loss or thinning hair is roughly equal, the degree of thinning is usually less for women.

Male pattern baldness and female pattern baldness are terms used to describe the hair loss and both conditions are known as androgenetic alopecia.

This term means hair loss caused by sensitivity to male hormones which exist in both men and women. DHT (Dihydrotestosterone) is one of the main enemies in the Hair loss in women war.

DHT is a combination of testosterone and androgen receptors mixed with sebum and dirt particles. DHT has a disastrous effect on the hair follicle so it begins to shut down and the hair eventually falls out. (Sebum is a fatty substance secreted from the sebaceous glands most of which open into hair follicles.)

Sebum buildup in the follicles attacks the hair bulb, the rounded area at the end of a hair strand which is rooted in the follicle. Sebum causes the hair bulb to shrink so the hair is not as well rooted.

After the hair falls out the new hair strand growing in that follicle is weaker and thinner and the process is repeated until the hair follicle is so damaged it dies.

Many products on the market therefore try and address this problem by effectively cleaning out the Sebum and dirt from the hair follicles.

Women often notice their own hair loss much sooner than it becomes visible to others. By the general feel, texture, and body of their hair, they realize it is getting thin.

Often, just behind the hairline, they notice a roundish shaped area that gets very thin. This rings alarm bells and those women then search out the best treatment.

When researching the main cause of hair loss in women pay attention to the role of DHT and sebum. Understanding how they affect the hair follicle can help in developing a strategy to cope with hair loss.

How to Plan Your Business Exit Strategy

2008-10-17T12:18:00.000-07:00

You started your business with dreams of making millions. When the time comes to sell your business, you will want to keep as many of those after tax dollars as you possibly can in exchange for your blood, sweat and tears. Advance planning can make a big difference in the amount you pocket after the sale of your business.

Consider this. Under prevailing tax rates, Owner A sells a business for $1 million in cash and nets $800,000 in after tax proceeds. Owner B also sells his/her business for $1 million in cash, yet only nets $500,000 (or less) in after tax proceeds. The difference in the cash you keep has everything to do with the form of ownership and elective tax status, the nature of the transaction, and the tax structuring that you and the buyer agree upon.

One hundred percent of all businesses will experience a change of ownership. In some cases, this change will be involuntary and take the form of a bankruptcy or closure. However, in the vast majority of cases, it will result in the owners receiving significant amounts of money as they transfer the earning power and good will of their businesses to others.

Because there is not a centralized database that tracks all forms of transfers of privately owned business ownership interests, the annual rate of transitions of ownership can only be estimated. However, from prior research on the topic and from 23 years of experience in providing representation to those who sell their privately owned businesses, I estimate that between 6% and 7% of all privately owned businesses have ownership changes each and every year. This means that the average period of ownership is approximately 13 years. The vast majority of these transitions will involve the sale and transfer of all prior ownership to new ownership.

In most cases, the owners will have spent years running their businesses on a day-to-day basis to generate both personal income and profits. Yet surprisingly few business owners have assembled the necessary plans for (a) when they elect to sell, or (b) how to be positioned to maximize their after tax dollars when it comes time to transition the ownership of their businesses.

Though an exit strategy should ideally be part of an original business plan, it is never too late to become informed about all aspects of how to unlock the hidden value of your business and convert it to cash when the time comes to sell. In the above $1 million illustrations of the sale of two different businesses, the tax savings are obvious. However, what is not obvious is a true understanding of the time proven processes of getting buyers to pay you what your business is really worth. The process of profitably transitioning business ownership involves a series of steps that include the following:

• Understanding your personal objectives and financial needs

• Realistically determining the present value of your business

• Understanding what can and will influence its future value

• Determining the best market timing to move forward

• Correctly “packaging” your business

• Developing strategies to proceed with total confidentiality

• Entering into totally confidential negotiations

• Knowing how to find the best possible buyers

• Financially qualifying buyers

• Finding a lender for your buyer so you can get cashed out

• Reaching agreement on the negotiation of details

• Preparing appropriate legal documents in a time and cost-effective manner

• Coordinating pro-rations and closing needs

• Realistically assessing your post-closing obligations, such as training or transition consulting

• Actually closing the transaction

• Knowing how to best inform employees, customers, vendors and others after the transaction has closed

In most cases, business owners only go through the sale process once and thus cannot develop expertise through successive transactions. Whether you started your business with an original exit strategy or are just beginning to develop one, the concepts are not difficult to either grasp or implement, and the effort can be very profitable.

Printing and Promotional Products - How Life Has Changed In Canada and The United States!

2008-10-17T12:17:00.000-07:00

Printing and Promotional Products used to be divided into specialties. Boy has life changed not only do you need to be multi-facited but you better be multi-dimensional. The printing field up until recently used to be dominated by the large companies. A Moore Business Form or Supreme Envelopes had sales people who were given thirty to fifty accounts. All they had to do was know their product well, put out fires and write orders. They would drop into their accounts every couple of weeks, take their clients out to lunch, then write up an order. This reminds me of a recent Visa commercial, Oh if life was so easy.

Today large companies have downsized, their best sales people have become disillusioned, they no longer believe their jobs are secure. The best sales people have become print brokers but in order to survive with todays margins they had to learn to sell other printed products then the product they once sold exclusively. Those that adapted early have remained successful, those that were slow on the trigger have had their earning plummet. Just like a major part of manufacturing has shifted to a more productive place namely the orient, so has buyers preferences on who they will deal with for their printing and promotional product needs.

These buyers are swamped with tasks. They don't have time for long lunches or order takers. If they need a repeat item they will email you the order or will email a quote to 3 or more companies who offer the same product. How then does a salesman survive. Rather than be a salesman or order taker, you must be an indispensible partner to your clients. You must understand your client's business, his business climate, his competition and what he needs to make his business grow. Look for fresh new ideas for his next promotion or help him combine 2 processes into one form thus reducing his time and expense on that task. Help them to understand new technolgy and how it will better his business. An example of this is that I recently approached one of my long time retail customers and suggested it was time to start a gift card program.

After educating him on a few facts, like 25% of people never use their alloted money, that nearly 75% of people spend more than their gift card amount and that gift cards ease cash flow on a company, he jumped on the band wagon. The initial order was for 10,000 cards. Four months later he ordered another 50,000 cards. We are now in the process of launching a loyalty card program. The customer understands that the more information he has on his customers buying habits, the more likely he can cater to those needs and make his company more successful.

Speak to any forms salesman and I bet today he is selling 4 color process printing, envelopes, business cards, labels, and digital printing. Speak to any promotional product salesman who used to sell pens, mugs and calendars, and I bet he sells apparel, watches, lanyards, electronics, and golf accessories. If they don't chances are they are retired. The really successful people are selling both printing and promotional products. The lines have blurred and the combination of these 2 product lines and understanding their value to their customers survival have resulted in the true winners. Even the way a customer has traditonally ordered has changed due to e-commerce and web sites. Today you need to be eclectic and open to change.

Talk to me in 5 years and see what you and I will need to sell to stay competitive and successful. Rest on your laurels, will be synonomous with rest in peace. Learn from the past but be open to the future.

How to Know What You Know (3)

2008-10-17T12:16:00.000-07:00

..In many situations we act without even knowing why we act the way we do...This is no longer desirable when your organization is changing too often...Knowledge Management is (amongst other aspects) about making the “private” knowledge “publicly” available...So that you can bridge the Knowledge Gap...But your organization was not used to this. Different teams applied different principles...And now what?

How to address this new set of principles so that knowledge management is adopted in the primary process?

When existing employees and management get new tasks and when the environment is changed, you cannot longer rely on old knowledge patterns. “How was it, that we did this before? And why doesn’t this work no longer?”

Everybody “knows” how the previous organization of knowledge was arranged. In the former setting it was not about people, it was about names: rather than addressing product specialist X, service desk operator Y or Sales agent Z, it was about John (knows al about product A), Debby (knows how to handle difficult clients, pass it thru her), and Ben (that can only be done by him).

In the primary sales process, knowledge was not an issue. The organizing rule was – let the "best" (wo)man solve it.

Knowledge management is inherently correlated with the way you organize. If you organize in a competitive way, you will isolate knowledge, you will favour unequal distribution, but most of all you will make the organization inflexible. Little incidents (this number one salesman is leaving...) will have a big impact.

New principles then? And how to apply them?

Your company is not only supported by a primary process of isolated elements. It is the infrastructural glue that takes care that all areas communicate. You can do this only by balancing the activities in the right way; individual bonuses are alright, only if they are accompanied buy team targets. To do that you need to find a shared goal. And sharing knowledge could be one of it.

Once you have addressed this human factor, than you might start to think about infrastructure and systems. Although very helpful, all knowledge management initiatives that start with filling databases on the intranet will fail…

American Auto Makers Have to Change - So Do We!rd Count: 870 [

2008-10-17T12:15:00.000-07:00

The past few weeks have presented nothing but bad news for the formerly world leading American automobile industry. Henry Ford must be rolling over in his tomb. Alfred Sloan, the architect of the multi-division General Motors juggernaut, is a very sad “car guy” in the sky these days. Plant closings, huge employee layoffs, lost market share and horrid fiscal performance indicate that the “big three” (including Daimler-Chrysler) are in big trouble. They must change, and change is not pleasant for huge business complexes, or for employees, suppliers or customers.

This brings to mind a change that occurred right before my eyes as a small boy growing up in Kentucky. Several times each week, a horse drawn ice wagon would pull up in front of our little house and deliver block ice. The iceman was named Herb. My mother would always pleasantly greet Herb and they would exchange small talk, how about that the Reds game last night or the nice weather we were enjoying. Herb was a hard working and very nice man. And then, one day this regular ritual in our lives abruptly ended.

My parents bought a refrigerator. The hand delivered block ice that was essential to keep the old icebox cool was no longer needed. My mother was very concerned about the effect our new wonder appliance would have on Herb. She met him in the yard and told him as gently as possible that his ice deliveries were no longer needed. Then she asked him if he would like some iced tea and to sit a minute.

As clearly as I remember anything in my youth, I remember that conversation. Herb knew the inevitable march of progress and technology; in this case a 12 cubic foot Frigidaire, meant that he was soon to be looking for another line of work. It was sad. He was very matter of fact and my mother tried to be encouraging. Over the next few months we saw Herb in the neighborhood less and less. Within six months the ice Company was out of business.

Accept Change or Get Run Over

Like the barrel industry, the bicycle industry or dozens of other formerly thriving business segments, the ice delivery service, and now the American automobile industry was forced to change business models. If change were not embraced, indeed aggressively pursued, industry subsets would be superceded by new upstarts and technologies. “The Big Three” still have an opportunity to adjust to new market realities, but they will have to be relentless in the pursuit of economies, creativity and changing cumbersome bureaucratic business cultures.

Change is short-term pain. Managers will be significantly fewer. Blue-collar workers will not earn $65,000 plus per year for unskilled labor in new jobs. Communities will undergo brisk changes in tax revenues, real estate prices and shopping patterns. College plans will be upset. Retirement dreams will be delayed, in some cases destroyed. Parts suppliers will be pressed on pricing. And yet, the future for all effected parties can, and should, be bright.

Since the Luddites in the mid-19th century attempted to stop the industrial revolution and preserve old-world work models, there have been groups trying to thwart progress. Progress requires change. Fortunately, looking in the rear view mirror is not a widely admired American trait. The parties most effected by this sea change in the American auto business have multiple opportunities to re-train, re-strategize, and start new businesses and services. With normal American drive, work and creativity our society will be blessed with a new generation of wealth creation, entrepreneurs and growth. It has always been so.

We live in a global market place. Nothing will change that. If foreign auto companies make better products at a better price we have to confront, and overcome, these market realities. Americans always have in the past, and there is no reason not to foresee a bright, but different future, for every current participant involved in the radical restructuring of our formerly great auto business.

The American economy is the most dynamic in history. Opportunity abounds and is available to every citizen willing to compete in the marketplace of ideas, work hard and not look backwards. Ford, Chrysler and GM can survive and prosper. Nevertheless, understanding and preparing for change will separate the successful from the losers, or modern day Luddites.

How to Know What You Know (2)

2008-10-17T12:14:00.000-07:00

Do you know what you know? You especially need knowledge management in high changing environments; if all remains the same, why should we think about the knowledge we need? Knowledge management is an iterative process of making tacit knowledge explicit and visa versa. But why would you make implicit knowledge explicit?

Knowing something without knowing it is very useful. You can just trust on your actions. You can continue with what you did yesterday. The same rules apply. You can delegate as before.

But then there has been a structural change. For example:

Your (sales) organization has organized activities in the way that different experts where relatively autonomous in dealing with clients. They sold the product of their expertise in a both efficient and effective way.

In the new situation this (product) expertise of the sales representative was of minor importance. More relevant was the knowledge of different client behavior. The different product specialists where “grouped” together in a specific client team, dedicated to contact clients with certain characteristics. The (product) specializations of the sales representatives where spread over different teams.

So the new situation – after the organizational changes – leads to a knowledge gap. Each team has proper targets and cooperation between the teams is therefore difficult. If there were more calls than a former specialist could handle, there was no way of level with someone (product specialist) of the team next door. In fact that was not the new strategy. In the new approach the sales employee is to ask different questions and to suggest other opportunities. This is another approach and takes time.

Once this knowledge gap is clear, you could determine your actions. They are to organize people, systems and infrastructure. In that order; knowledge management is about people, communication and interaction. Filling a knowledge base on the intranet is normally not the first step to take.

A next step is to get the supportive element of knowledge management entangled in the primary process. To do this you need to stress certain principles. Principles your organization was not accustomed to use; because of other priorities.

How to Know What You Know (1)

2008-10-17T12:13:00.000-07:00

Do you know what you know? In many situation we act without even knowing why we act the way we do. If this is true for one person, what would this mean for an organizations?

In business, the management of knowledge is not a primary business activity and therefore difficult to manage: The attention for the topic doesn’t normally last long. And than it is just another supportive task, like accounting, administration, human resources: everybody needs it, but not the whole organization is aware of that.

Nonaka and Takeuchi have expressed that two processes are very important when managing knowledge; externalization and internalization. They refer to a process of making tacit knowledge explicit (by dialogue using words and metaphors, etc) and once this knowledge is made accessible to others it will be internalized – the employee will do what he or she has learned and this “doing” will be sort of new habit. It is not the same as “learning by doing;” that applies more to a process of implicit learning. You follow someone else and than you how to do it. You are not explicitly aware of what you have learned.

In order to manage knowledge you should start to know what you know. This is like making an inventory. But if you make an inventory you are addressing the supply side of knowledge.
The demand side of knowledge is normally where the bottleneck resides. And this could be very well because of a recent change – like reorganizations for example.

As mentioned, knowledge management is not a primary business, so the chances are that the organizational structure has been changed and only once every thing is “back to normal”, then the knowledge management issue is addressed. This is to fill the (knowledge) gap that has been caused by the structural changes.

The next step is to examine the structural change and to take action.

Change Management: No More Fear Of Change

2008-10-17T12:12:00.000-07:00

Personal and/or organizational change often is met by stiff resistance. Such resistance is however thought of something that is desirable to those who are resisting it.

As such the instigators of the change itself then find themselves having to use considerable effort and/or ingenuity to affect others to make the required change. This strategy not only takes tremendous energy but is also, in my view, misguided from the start.

The greatest impediment to any change is the "fear of change" itself. Now because many "think" that this is a normal human emotion that needs to be "overcome" in a manner of speaking, then this is the tack that many change management consultants find themselves taking. That is they put energy into trying to "overcome" it.

I would like to suggest another way. Why not simply eradicate it, i.e. the fear of change, once and for all?

Is this even possible? Well it is if you address what I refer to as the "anchoring beliefs" that keep it, the fear of change, anchored in one's mind and body.

Such anchoring beliefs include such things as:

1. If I change I will encounter new situations I am not prepared for that will make feel uncomfortable, anxious, or inadequate.

2. If I change then I will be allowing myself to become exploited.

3. The fear of change helps protect my rights as an individual.

4. Change is only uncomfortable.

5. Change means I'm being passive.

6. The unknown is fraught with uncertainty and where I am now is certain and more comfortable.

7. Change requires effort and is inherently painful.

8. And so on.

Such “anchors” can be released using a new approach which I will mention later in this article.

In this article I wish to address the "fear of change" that is inherent in a given individual. Whether the change is “desired” or not is not actually determined by such a fear. Now I know that may sound odd because so many of you are accustomed to equating the "fear" with the "lack of desire".

These are actually two different things.

The fear is associated with anxiousness, nervousness, trepidation, paralysis, a feeling of immobilization, confusion, indecisiveness and so on.

The lack of desire for some form of change is actually associated with a sense of inner certainty, feelings of strength or sureness, conviction, integrity, personal honesty, inner calmness, resilience, clarity and so on.

If you compare these two descriptions I think you will recognize them for what they are and for their differences.

Hence to assume that the latter is the former is a mistake in my view. This by the way also affects what one can do about each of these.

The fear is in my view always the result of some form of emotional trauma that an individual has become conditioned with at some time in their life.

The lack of desire on the other hand represents and reflects the deeply held core values of on individual and make up who they are at their core.

The former can be released easily, quickly and permanently if an individual is willing, employing a new modality called the Mind Resonance Process(TM) (MRP). I have written extensively about MRP here in this e-zine and elsewhere.

Conversely trying to “overcome” such fear through effort only serves to re-traumatize the individual thereby “enhancing” their experience of the fear. This is the reason why organizations find themselves having to find new and more powerful ways of “defeating” this menace in their employees. In truth, it is getting progressively stronger and defeating them.

Additionally, the greater the instability an organization experiences the more traumatized the employees become and the greater the fear of change becomes. This can become vicious negative spiral, all of which can be remedied or prevented with MRP.

The latter, i.e. the lack of desire, cannot be changed, only suppressed for a while, as it reflects, as I said, the core or essence of an individual. Many have tried to suppress it through unethical repressive means. Ultimately however it will always remain firmly anchored at the heart of the individual as a representation of their inner truth, so to speak.

If you would like to know more about how MRP can help you or your organization get beyond the negative emotional block that prevents you/it from achieving success kindly visit the web link below where I have a special audio message waiting for you.

8 Ways to Avoid Litigation When You Sell a Business

2008-10-17T12:10:00.002-07:00

Based on recent litigation storm clouds, business owners planning exit strategies better batten down their legal hatches.

As a small business owner, your company most likely represents a significant portion of your net worth. That’s why it’s crucial not to let litigation wash it away when the time comes to convert your years of hard work into cash.

Selling a business involves substantial amounts of money and a wide range of issues including warranties and representations, disclosures and contractual obligations. Consequently, there are many opportunities for litigation to arise. Not only is litigation highly unpleasant and disruptive to your lifestyle, it is also very, very expensive - even if you win.

But other than wishing, hoping and praying, what’s a small business owner to do? Rather than complaining try something more constructive. Here are eight strategies to follow when selling your business that can help minimize litigation issues.

1. Honesty is the best insurance policy. Tell the truth about your business. Do not attempt to hide any problems or issues that, if left undisclosed, might be the basis for future litigation. Rest assured that the cost of disclosure in a transaction is very small when compared to the cost of litigation for non-disclosure.

2. Develop a confidential business review. This is a high-quality and comprehensive document that describes your business and its background. Within this document, clearly disclose any negative issues that are involved in the business. Not only will disclosure reduce litigation risks, it will also add to your credibility with potential buyers and save you time by eliminating those who are unwilling to accept the realities of your business.

3. Accurately communicate historical financial results. Do so in a manner that demonstrates the earning power of your business. Ideally, this information will be presented in a summarized format that recasts your discretionary and certain other expenses to show EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization).

4. Require your buyer to go through extensive due diligence. Due diligence is the process by which a buyer conducts an independent investigation of the information you have provided about your business. The written due diligence materials should be incorporated into the final legal documents to minimize your litigation risks.

5. Assemble a strong team of experienced professionals. Your accountant and your attorney will play key roles, and their expertise will reduce litigation risks. You may also benefit from the assistance of an experienced intermediary, broker, or merger and acquisition firm that specializes in selling privately owned businesses. However, before hiring an intermediary, make certain that they do not charge up-front fees and that they have a litigation-free track record.

6. Ensure that closing documents are thorough and complete. Not only must these documents contain appropriate legal language, they also must anticipate and address potential disagreements that may occur after closing – disagreements on issues like equipment or inventory values and condition, collection of accounts receivable and more. These issues are easily addressed during the courtship phase with a buyer, but they can cause major problems after the transaction is closed and the honeymoon phase is over.

7. Be careful with employment, transition and consulting agreements. If you enter into longer term agreements with your buyer, make sure the terms are entirely consistent with your retirement plans. Otherwise you run the risk of being unwilling or unable to perform your obligations, and that can lead to litigation.

8. Maintain confidentiality throughout the entire selling process. Although confidentiality will not directly protect you from litigation, it will help minimize the risk of losing valuable employees, customers and vendors during the process. One of the best ways to avoid litigation is to help ensure your buyer’s success, because that success significantly reduces the basis for damage claims.

The goal is a successful, worry-free transition. Take the time to recognize and act on the many opportunities you have to minimize your litigation risks and reap the benefits later.

Barry Evans currently has ownership interests in a number of privately owned companies and sits on the boards of a number of West Coast companies. As president of Acquisition Services Group (http://www.acquisitionservicesgroup.com), he has extensive consulting and merger & acquisition experience with an emphasis on the sale of manufacturing, service, and distribution firms. Evans can answer further questions via his e-mail address of barry@acquisitionservicesgroup.com.

2005 Barry Evans, All rights reserved. You are free to use this material in whole or in part in print, on a web site or in an email newsletter, as long as you include complete attribution, including live web site link. Please also notify me where the material will appear.

The Inevitability Of Change

2008-10-17T12:10:00.001-07:00

Change is inevitable and it will happen with your help or without it. You may be a traditional person who likes life as it is. But your life has changed all around you since your childhood and it will continue to do so for you, your children and theirs. Of course, you don't have to like it and you can even resist it but you will not stop it.
To be an effective manager you must try to understand change and use the benefits to your and the company's benefit. You have a greater problem than most other people do because you have to overcome your own natural resistance to change and convince the people that work for you too.
Factors which affect our attitude to change

Overcoming the fear of change

The biggest problem with effecting change is the fear that it creates.

· Feeling too old to learn new techniques or technology

· Changes in relationships in the working team

· Fear on being embarrassed in front of others

· Fear of losing promotion opportunities or even their own job

Personal sense of security

Worries about security caused by mortgage, marriage, divorce, debts, all make people more liable to resist change because any new situation feels less secure than the known situation.

Habit

If someone has grown up and lived with a lot of change they accept change as normal. There will be more resistance from someone who has done the same job and lived in the same place for a long time.

Social and cultural beliefs

These will be related to a particular community, class, trade or even work-group where historically they have been the victims of change rather than the beneficiaries.

Past experiences

The world is full of horror stories about the effects of change. Many people have suffered as a result and do not relish going through it all again.

Reducing Resistance

Change management is a relatively new management concept and it is a complex subject but the following tips will help. Remember that most of your changes will affect you directly but many will have indirect effects on your group. Let's look at two ways that you can adopt to reduce the negative effects of change.

Be strong and confident

This easy to say, isn't it? Many of the new things that we are going to adopt will feel strange and you may be embarrassed or nervous to try them for the first time. Remember the first time you dived into a swimming pool? Just do it. The next time will be easy.

Empathize

Do you remember this word from a previous module? It means putting yourself in the other person's situation and try to anticipate his concerns. Then you act to inform him or reassure him or whatever is necessary.
Major change needs far more consideration and actions.

MAJOR CHANGES

TAKE THE HARD DECISIONS QUICKLY - If change means that people need to be moved or even dismissed then do it as quickly and humanely as you can.

REASSURE THE REST - Once the hard decisions have been made then reassure the rest that they are an important part of the future. Remove the fear.

INFORM - Keep people informed about what is going on. You may not be able to tell them everything but tell them what you can.
If you don't inform them then the grapevine will.

INVOLVE - If people feel that they have an involvement in the planned change (part ownership) then they will usually respond positively. If it has been imposed on them then they will have less commitment to making it work.

SELL BENEFITS - If participants see the benefits of change as a way of reducing their problems and not of increasing them then you will be supported.

A change strategy is very likely to fail if management: · Fail to consider people and the threat to their roles and positions · Fail to consider the difficulty people have in changing their ways · Fail to provide effective training so that the new skills can be learned and accepted · Fail to define the results expected · Fail to monitor the change and provide guidance as needed

For Change Management Success It Pays To Be Seen

2008-10-17T12:08:00.000-07:00

Leadership at organizations undergoing significant change spends a lot of time
talking about the process and explaining it to employees. Communications to
employees can take many forms -- from town hall meetings to company
newsletters.

These activities -- what I call "active communication" -- are very important.
Employees are often confused and concerned by change. Leadership should take
every opportunity to explain how the change will impact the company and
employees’ day-to-day jobs. However, "passive communication" is just as
important -- and, in certain cases, can be more valuable.

By passive communication, I mean ensuring that the organization’s leadership
(everyone from the CEO to front-line supervisors) demonstrates to employees that
they are committed to the change process. One way to achieve this is to ensure that
employees see them engaged in change-related activities. This can include:

* Being Seen Learning About the Change: Visible, active participation in
change-related seminars, sessions and other activities is vitally important.
Employees need to understand that leadership throughout the organization is
embracing the process.

* Be Seen Implementing the Change: Employees need to understand that leadership
is going to be accountable and rewarded for the success of change-related projects.

* Be Seen "Talking Up" the Change: Widespread communication about
change-related processes and procedures is important. However, employees may
discount these announcements or view them as company propaganda. The
conversations employees have with their front-line supervisors about the change
often have the most influence on whether employees view it as credible. After
communicating with their supervisors, employees should understand how the
change will improve their work processes, eliminate bureaucracy and improve their
efficiency.

Change management can be a lengthy and difficult process. However, if employees
see leadership taking an active role in the change process, the task can be easier.

The Fine Art of the Mega Turnaround: Getting It Done When The Cards Are Stacked Against You

2008-10-17T12:07:00.002-07:00

Organizations frequently launch great ideas with the anticipation of great success. Unfortunately, unforeseen circumstances often occur that keep the “big idea” from happening. Failure to effectively execute on a great plan puts the organization in a “world of hurt” that results in lost revenue, lost profits, and sometimes lost careers.

Executives and managers find themselves in the “underdog” position with the deck seemingly stacked against them and often feel there is no way out. This is when a mega- turnaround is needed.

Several years ago, I was a Regional Director of Operations for one of the nation’s largest technology enablers in the communications industry. One of the VP’s of the company to whom I reported had an operation in another state that was at great risk. The client was not happy with our results in that operation and we were on the verge of losing not only that contract but two others that were linked to it. My boss and I flew in to meet with the client and try to salvage the operation. After some reasonable “crow-eating” we were given a final chance to turn it around. On the way back to the hotel, my boss looked at me and said, “I’m making this your project. The reputation of the company and the livelihood of a lot of people is in your hands. I want you to fix it ‘the Rory way’ and get the results you get in your other operations.” Needless to say, overwhelmed was an understatement.

As I lay in the hotel room staring at the ceiling, I wondered what the VP meant by “fix it the Rory way”. What is the “Rory way”? I pondered this for several hours and began looking back over my career, my college years, high school, and my childhood. The common thread that I found running through my life was that I had always been in the underdog position. The deck had always been stacked against me. Yet, somehow I had developed instincts and strategies that overcame the obstacles and propelled me to success. The fine art of the mega turnaround is what my boss had called “the Rory way” and my inability to recognize it was due to the fact that it had become so instinctive that I had never bothered to think about the strategies.

Within a very short time, my newly acquired team and I had performed a mega turnaround. The client was getting the desired results, my boss was happy, our employees kept their jobs, and in fact, everyone was making more money!

There are several strategies that anyone can utilize to execute a mega turnaround. One key strategy is the concept of simplicity. Everything in life is simple. “Wait a minute!” you may say. “How can something like nuclear physics, for example, be simple?” That is a fair question, let me add perspective. Everything in life is simple because even the most complex thing is formed of many simple things. By breaking down the complex into its simple components, one is able to better understand the complex. In order to understand nuclear physics one must understand algebra. In order to understand algebra one must understand arithmetic. Everything mathematical begins with basic arithmetic. The concept of everything being simple is the first step to creating a mega turnaround.

Another key strategy is to get back in the box. Thinking outside the box has its benefits, most certainly. However, many problems get overlooked by the “outside the box” thought process. The problems are still “in the box” and if you’re not careful, someone may come along and nail the lid on the box while you are on the outside! In my experience, the solution to the problem is, more often than not, still in the box.

While there are several other strategies, the ones mentioned here are the beginning strategies of accomplishing your mega turnaround!

Going Undergound

2008-10-17T12:07:00.001-07:00

The role of underground movements in modern organisations

Forget about empowerment. Forget leadership training. Forget coaching skills. The way to make a difference to your company is through rebellious underground movements.

But underground movements are a Bad Thing. They work against the hierarchy and against the good of the organisation that they inhabit. Rebellion undermines the leadership and weakens the shared direction of an organisation.

Then again, underground movements are a Good Thing. Radical change is rarely in the immediate interest of those at the top of the hierarchy. Even when they realise its necessity they are often powerless to make it happen because of the low level involvement needed by every individual. The significant shifts in political and business development that have occurred through history have often happened because of underground movements and rebellion.

But underground movements are a Dangerous Thing. They destabilise existing structures and foment dissent. They are rarely controllable and often result in unexpected and unpredictable developments.

Yes, underground movements are a mess of risk and opportunity. They offer huge potential for change linked to an enormous risk of instability. Given all of this, why suggest that you should start creating them in your organisation?

First, some principles.
In political struggle there may be a case for violent opposition, it depends on whether it is “we” who are the freedom fighters or “they” who are the terrorists. In business there is never a case for violence. So, my first principle is that underground movements in business are, and must be, non-violent. And this non-violence extends to all acts of aggression.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Recognise this? Well it generates three more principles for me. The first is equality, the second is freedom and the third is fun.

Equality in a business context does not mean that everyone has a hand in all of the decisions or in the running of the business. It means that everyone has a hand in the decisions and the running of their part of the business, however large or small that may be.

Freedom means that the direction given to an individual concerns outputs and not inputs. That, as long as they achieve or exceed a required set of results, their method of production is their business. Now obviously in many businesses the inputs are so closely linked to the outputs that elements of this freedom are non-existent. For instance, a shift worker required to staff a time sensitive process cannot arbitrarily decide their own working hours.

Fun, or “the pursuit of happiness” is a less obvious principle. I strongly believe that everyone can and should have the opportunity to enjoy the work that they do. The more that the principles of equality and freedom are respected, the more likely this is.

The final principle that I think needs stating is that underground movements will act for the greater good of the organisation. This is a tough one to recognise in practise because those at the top of an organisation usually believe that their instructions are aimed at the greater good of the organisation and so anything that works against them is necessarily bad. Those at the top of an organisation are often wrong.

There must have been underground movements for as long as there has been control. As soon as someone sets themselves on a pedestal you can bet that there is someone else chipping away at the base of it to destabilise it. Certainly, the earliest recorded histories all have examples of opposition and rebellion. Passive resistance is rarely recorded. Whilst there are exceptions, such as, “We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song”, it is more often violence that makes the headlines. You can bet, though, that for every violent rebellion there were thousands of minor acts of passive resistance.

“Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” There is a corollary to this. Power tends to be opposed. Absolute power tends to be opposed absolutely. The source of all rebellion is the concentration of power. Those rebelling have a person, a group of people or a symbol of power that they are opposing. In modern organisations that power is identified as being with the executives running the place. The more powerful a management team becomes the greater is the need for opposition. This is where the positive side of rebellion comes to the fore. If executives have no form of opposition then there is no check or balance. They can and will make silly mistakes that will damage the company. There has to be a questioning force. If it doesn’t exist in an organisation then it should be created.

An underground movement needs to be rebelling against something. If it is working on behalf of the organisation and the bosses are working on behalf of the organisation, where is the need for rebellion? The answer to this question lies in the history and development of the organisation. The very things that have made it successful in the past will be the millstones that will drag it down in the future if they do not change. Those with most invested in the successes of the past and therefore least likely to change are those at the top of the hierarchy. What they believe is best for the organisation is often a repeat of past successes with maybe a few minor changes at the margins. What is needed for future success is radical and never ending change right into the heart of the company.

Ongoing radical change cannot be managed no matter how effective a bureaucracy you have. This sort of change is characterised by a lack of organisation. Everyone does what they believe is best for the organisation on a day to day, even minute to minute basis. The centre of the organisation is about pulling together the results and learning from successes and failures. Even here the learning is only partly useful because what applied yesterday may not apply tomorrow.

The Trade union movement has traditionally put the needs of their members above the needs of the company. In an adversarial, us and them, boss versus worker environment this is right and proper. The sort of organisation that I am describing is one that does not have this adversarial approach. Without this a trade union has less of a role. The notion that people need a shop steward to represent them is as difficult to accept as the notion that they should leave their thinking to management. Yet for some reason, all too often we check our brains in at the door when we come to work and allow others to tell us what to think. This isn’t possible in an environment with a strong underground movement because everyone is required to weigh up every decision to see whether it makes sense to them or not.

The area engulfed by a forest fire is less to do with where it is started than which way the wind is blowing. Starting an underground movement is like starting a forest fire and carries the same dangers. Which way is the wind blowing in your organisation? Where will the fire be carried?

So, if you were to start an underground movement, what would it be like? What form would it take? It might be an underground newspaper. It might be a discussion group. You might put your head above the parapet and opt for open critiquing of company direction. Whatever you choose you must accept that you are starting, not directing this. If you breathe life into it you must accept that it will get up and walk on its own.

And a final thought. If you are successful in creating a source of questioning and critiquing of the established power in your business and if this grows into a power source of its own, at what point do you allow it to be questioned by another underground movement?

Change Management and Expectations

2008-10-17T12:05:00.000-07:00

When managing change, expectations are like communicating vessels between current insight and future risks. Negotiate well, knowing that every future has more risks than you can imagine. It is a matter of convincing the sponsor.

Management of expectations is an issue that is always around when dealing with change. Expectations are not present in operational business management, because there is no future or long term aspect “present”. So there is no expectation.

If you are involved in activities and plans that are prone to insecurities you are dealing with expectations.

It is the change “manager” or everybody dealing with change who needs to negotiate in such an environment.

This could be done by means of a plan. First of all, a plan could serve as a means of communication and represents more than a document. With a plan you can discuss about activities and their priorities. A planning is a means to negotiate. A project manager will have to inflate this planning with a risk premium. This is looks like pricing the activities higher because you do not know the real outcome (or maybe the future value).

In this context you hear many times the saying: “Under-promise and Over-deliver”.

The more you are in the position of negotiating to the worse-case-scenario, the more you will be able to manage the expectations. You need to negotiate well, be serious, coming with sound reasons, but still negotiate and incorporate the risk premium. Experienced change managers or project managers, will apply this rule. When you are to takeover a project of someone else, make sure you have an intake where you add risks of extra insecurities you cannot oversee.

The downside of this is that if you are too extreme in negotiating the available space (money, time, quality) to manoeuvre, you might loose the project at all. In practice the external pressure will make it hard for you to negotiate. Yet where possible you should try it.

Preparing Your Business for Transformation

2008-10-17T12:04:00.000-07:00

Imagine you did everything you could as a business owner and/or CEO to make your particular business stand out and be the benchmark for all others. You analyzed carefully with the help of experts in each field how your business needs to be set up, which processes need to be in place, what kind of organizational structure you need, how exactly your market looks like, which would be your target group, what kind of demographics and psychographics are describing your potential customers, what is your USP, how do your competitors look like and who are they, SWOT, Strategy, etc. And after all that you realize that it is still not working the way you would wish, even if you might be fairly successful.

If you are determined to make your dream come true go on reading, there might be something you just didn’t know or overlooked.

What your business needs is a Transformation. First let’s have a look at the definition of transformation: “Act of changing in form or shape or appearance, modifying and incorporating…” And you might say “Well, that’s exactly what I am doing all the time!” The question is whether you are transforming the heart and soul of your business: The people including yourself.

Your business is certainly built upon your products and your ideas and you should be proud of it. But it is like us human beings: We consist of body, mind and spirit and there must be a balance between the three to truly be healthy. In your company your products are the body, which is controlled by the mind through all these processes and analysis. Your people are the spirit and if in a human being the spirit is suffering, mind and body will get sick very soon not being able to perform as required anymore.

In most companies I saw during my career “body and mind” were taken care of but nobody was a bit interested in the "spirit" or in other words the people. Only rules and regulations were abundant around them but the larger the company the lesser the interest in listening to people. Often then the result was disastrous for the company ending up deep in the red numbers or filing even bankruptcy and many, many people being laid off.

Transformation starts with you! That’s right, with you as the owner and CEO and within you. You got to find out where you are at, how you behave, and what impact you have on the people you lead. You must ask yourself some tough questions and deal with the answers you are getting from you. Here are some sample questions:

What are your biggest fears you have?

What makes you believe that you are a good leader?

What would be the highest vision about yourself you can come up with?

There are many more questions to ask and a lot of specific points to observe in your business to know where it is going right now and why. But it would not fit into the scope of this article. The intent is to make you aware that the truth about your business is within you and with the right Coach (I am aware that “Coaching” is probably the most misunderstood and misused word nowadays.) you will grow your business beyond your expectations. Who is the right coach for you? Only you can answer this, but I encourage you to talk to several coaches and note how you feel about them, before you make a decision.

The world around you is transforming at a very fast pace and it is up to you to learn and keep up with the changes coming along anyway.

Walter H. Groth

Institute for Life and Career Transition

Change, Transition, and Organizational Progress: What Does It All Mean?

2008-10-17T12:03:00.000-07:00

Contents:

1. A Basic Human Need

2. There Are Two Kinds of Change

3. How to Take Charge of Change

4. The Three Phases of Change

5. Transition and Organizational Progress: What is the difference between change and transition?

6. Transition and Enterprise Integration: The Three Areas and Four Components of Organizational Structure

7. The Strategic Plan and Implementation Blueprint: No Doubt Contracting
_________________________________________________

Alfred North Whitehead wrote that "the art of progress is to preserve order amidst change and to preserve change amidst order."

1. A Basic Human Need

Change is a fact of life! The only thing that doesn't change is change. Consequently, it is also a fact of life that human beings are always dealing with change in some form at every stage of their lives. Change, in fact, is a basic human need. Change is really nothing more than movement from one state of being to another. Without movement - physical, physiological, biological, mental, spiritual, emotional - human beings would simply stop functioning and human existence, as we experience it, would cease. Change is the natural means to both improvement and deterioration. To a large extent, human beings have a choice in what the results of change will be.

2. There are two kinds of change:

Natural Change: change that occurs without cognitive human intervention and that takes place in a natural way, such as weather and the changing of the seasons.

Designed Change: change that occurs as a result of cognitive human intervention and that takes place as a result of changing the environment to reflect human thought; this kind of change is governed by human intention and perceived need rather than by natural conditions.

The human experience of change is exactly the same in both natural and designed change. The reason is that all change in the environment provokes the same kinds of emotions about one's ability to adapt to and survive in the altered conditions. The initial human reaction to change is fear - fear of loss of something and the fear that what is lost will not be replaced by something of a greater value that will increase predictability and sustain life.

3. How to Take Charge of Change

Regardless of the type of change that occurs, there exists a basic human need to experience the change process as being well-ordered and safe rather than chaotic and dangerous. Without this experience of ordered and safe change before, during and after any transition the human element of the organization cannot fully participate in productive contribution to positive change. It is imperative to identify and remove existing and potential risks that can inhibit the successful execution of any strategic change initiative.

Like it or not, change happens continually in your life and in your organization. As Whitehead's comment indicates, the only way to make change work in your favor is to take charge of the change process. When you do this, you use the change process as a means to design the future you intend rather than passively allow the changing environment to present you with limited options and narrowed choices for meaningful action.

How can you "take charge of change" so as to make it happen in your favor and to make it "ordered?" There are several points to be considered in answering this question:

- Change is conceived as an event (something which happens at a particular moment in time and at a specific place or places).

- Change is experienced as a process; this process is called "transition."

- Because transition is a process, it can be managed.

How well the transition is managed will determine if change is remembered as a positive or negative experience. The remembrance of previous changes is the basis of motivation for or the resistance against future changes. Assessing the level of "change readiness" is a critical first step in determining the level of support and interest in changing from the current state of affairs. How has change been experienced in the past by those who will be responsible for and who will be affected by changes in the present? The answer to this question will help you determine if some "pre-work" on "stage-setting" is needed to prepare the organization for a successful transition. This step is a part of an overall "Transition Risk Analysis" that will help you determine what the transition facilitators and inhibitors are within your organization.

Effective change implementation management skills are necessary for all managers in any organization. These skills are essential to the strategic achievement of an organization's mission and goals. These skills can be learned and continually refined. The better these skills are learned, refined and implemented on a proactive basis, the more the process of change becomes a competitive advantage for the organization.

4. The Three Phases of Change

There are three phases of change:

- Letting Go

- Transition

- New Beginning

Change for the better always involves these three stages. If they are not gone through in succession, the resulting change will not be for the better. Focusing on helping your organization let go of the past, transition through the change and begin together to move in a new direction is the pathway for creating improvement, increased productivity and job satisfaction. This is the journey of change. In short, the process of transitioning needs to be seen as a strategic element of the organization's development and growth.

5. Transition and Organizational Progress

What Do I Mean by "Transition?"

Transition is: "The process through which an existing circumstance, condition or relationship (real or imagined) is acted on in a manner that produces a new and different circumstance, condition or relationship."

What Do I Mean by "Progress?"

Progress is achieved when the "new and different circumstance, condition and/or relationship" is better able to help the individual or organization realize their personal and/or corporate vision and mission. An individual or organization progresses by effectively managing the process of transitioning from one state of existence to a more desirable one.

An organization progresses by taking charge of the changes it undergoes by effectively managing the process of transitioning from one state of existence to a more desirable one. Progress is achieved when the "new and different circumstance, condition and/or relationship" is better able to help the organization realize it purpose and mission.

If an organization does not take charge of the changes it undergoes by effectively managing the process of transitioning, then the changes it experiences will soon sweep it into dangerous and destructive currents.

6. Transition and Enterprise Integration

The Three Areas of Organizational Structure:

- People

- Systems

- Environment

Any enterprise is composed of people, systems and the environment in which work is done. When change is initiated it often occurs in only one of these three areas of the organization. Any attempted change that doesn't involve all three areas of organizational structure will result in outcomes worse than the present.

It is true that people make or break the organizations for which they work. It is also true that people and their performance impact and are impacted by the following four components of organizational structure:

- the organization's principles and policies

- the organization's mission, strategies and planning

- the organization's arrangement, operations and administration

- workplace space, processes, procedures and arrangement of equipment

The above model demonstrates the interrelationship of the aspects of any enterprise. When there is a change in one area, all other areas are affected in some way. If one area needs change in order to be more viable and productive, the other parts must be involved in the change. If they aren't, if change occurs at all, it will not be for the better in the long run.

When planning any transition, honor the interconnectedness of your organization by actively and creatively involving all these areas and components of your enterprise. Don't segment the enterprise into separate entities and focus on only one to the exclusion of the others. Any organizational transition should be preceded by the creation of a "Strategic Plan and Implementation Blueprint" that serves as the marching orders for the entire enterprise and that keeps everything integrated, on track, within budget, on time and with minimum resistance from and disruption to the operating environment.

7. The Strategic Plan and Implementation Blueprint: No Doubt Contracting

A vital part of any "Strategic Plan and Implementation Blueprint" for the transition process is what I call "No Doubt Contracting." This is an unambiguous document that clearly describes what is involved, who is involved, responsibilities and accountabilities and what the outcomes will be for the organization, its employees, customers and the community in which it does business. If change is to be directed toward a better future for all involved, there will need to be a clear vision of the destination, how to get there and what is needed by whom to make it happen. When all parties contract with one another, then all have buy-in not just to the creation of the contract but, more importantly, to the results the contract is designed to help accomplish.

While pursuing a planned transition, it will be wise for the leaders of such an undertaking to remind themselves constantly of the words of Machiavelli: "There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things, because the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new."

Growing with Change

2008-10-17T12:01:00.002-07:00

Change happens. And while we can't control much of the world changing around us, we can control how we respond. We can choose to anticipate and embrace changes or resist them. Resisting change is like trying to push water upstream. Generally we're quick to point to others who resist change. It's much harder to recognize or admit to our own change resistance.

Some people call change "progress" and celebrate the improvements that it brings. Others curse those same changes and wish for the good old days. Same changes, different responses. The choice is ours: We can be leaders, or we can be followers.

Embrace Change

To embrace change, we need to concentrate on five areas.

1. Focus on a vision.

Our vision or imagination guides everything we do. Helen Keller once said, "Nothing is more tragic than someone who has sight, but no vision." We can't leave the incredible magnetic power of vision unharnessed. Our thoughts often pull us toward the reasons why we can't succeed rather than the many reasons we can. To increase our effectiveness, we need to consciously attract into our lives what we truly want. We need to ensure the picture of our future is what we prefer, not the dark images of our fears, doubts, and insecurities. Personal, team, or organizational improvement starts with "imagineering."

We find what we focus upon. Whether I think my world is full of richness and opportunity or garbage and despair - I am right. It's exactly like that because that's my point of focus. Our vision is led by a set of core values. Without a strong set of core values, passion is weak and commitment is soft. We're more likely to lead ourselves from the outside in, rather than the inside out. Core values provide a context for continuous growth and development that takes us toward our dreams. Our core values project forward to become our vision. How we see the world is what we project from ourselves.

2. Choose your outlook.

We reach another milestone in our growth when we accept responsibility for our emotions. We choose to lose our temper. We choose to become jealous. We choose to harbor hatred. It's much easier to give in to the victimitis virus. It's less painful to believe that anger, jealousy, or bitterness are somebody else's fault or beyond our control. But that makes us prisoners of our destructive emotions. We hold grudges, let resentments build, and become cynical. We stress ourselves out. We stew in our own deadly juices.

Holding on to destructive emotions is slow suicide. Studies show that stress from negative emotions presents a more dangerous risk factor for cancer and heart disease than smoking cigarettes or high cholesterol foods. We must take responsibility for our actions in response to circumstances for which we are not responsible. The only thing we can control is ourselves, so when we choose our thoughts, we are choosing our future.

3. Seek authenticity.

To create something we must be something. For example, becoming a parent is easy; being one is tough. We can't teach our kids self-discipline unless we are self-disciplined. We can't help build strong teams unless we are strong team players ourselves.

This timeless principle applies to every facet of our lives. We can't help develop a close community if we're not a good neighbor. We can't enjoy a happy marriage if we're not a loving partner. We won't have a supportive network of friends or colleagues until we're a supportive friend or collaborative colleague. David Whyte writes, "All things change when we do."

The big (and often painful) question is: What do I need to change about me to help change them? Instead of just wishing for a change of circumstance, I may need a change of character. Good intensions are useless if they stop there. One biggest difference between most people and authentic leaders is action. Real leaders make it happen.

4. Commit ourselves with discipline.

A key difference between real leaders and those who struggle to get by is self-discipline. As Confucius wrote, "The nature of people is always the same; it is their habits that separate them." Successful people have formed the habits of doing those things that most people don't want to do.

Good and bad habits are tiny daily choices that accumulate. Like a child that grows a little each day, our tiny choices accumulate without much notice. By the time we realize we have either a good or a bad habit, the habit has us.

Most of our daily choices are made automatically without even thinking about them. To change our habits, we first need to be aware of them. Then we need to work backward from the habit to the daily practices that form it. To change the habit, we need to change those practices.

Still, if discipline is a key to success, the fact is that most people would rather pick the lock. Less successful people can't pass up instant gratification in favor of some prospective benefit. It's much easier to live for the moment and let tomorrow take care of itself. But it takes discipline to forego the immediately pleasurable for an investment in the future.

Discipline means having the vision to see the long-term picture and keep things in balance. A Chinese proverb teaches: "If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow." We all want more patience - and we want it now! Most of us would like to be delivered from temptation, but we'd like it to stay in touch. Discipline is what keeps us going when the excitement of first beginning a task is long past.

5. Continually grow and develop.

Most people see others as they are; a leader sees them as they could be. Leaders see beyond the current problems and limitations to help others see their own possibilities. It's a key part of their own growth and development.

We continue to grow when we help others grow and develop. The cycle of growth and development has two parts, and the first is our own growth and development, since we can't develop others if our own growth is stunted. These two parts depend upon and support each other. We develop ourselves while we're developing others. By developing others, we develop ourselves. It's a growth cycle that spirals forever upward.

Another part of the growth process is seeking to be more effective. As the pace of change quickens, it's easier to fall into the trap of confusing "busyness" with effectiveness. Like the wood-cutter who's too busy chopping to stop and sharpen his ax, we get caught up in a frantic pace that may be taking us to the wrong destination. Reflecting on our progress is as rare as a proud man asking for directions. But to be more effective, we need to step back, take time out, and assess our direction. It will help us grow and keep up with change.

Making Choices

Change forces choices. If we're on the grow, we'll embrace many changes and find the positive in them. It's all in where we choose to put our focus. Even change that hits us in the side of the head as a major crisis can be full of growth opportunities - if we choose to look for them.

Many people who have weathered a serious crisis look back years later and point to that event as a significant turning point. Most would rather not go through that pain again, but it was a key part of their growth.

Crisis can be a danger that weakens or destroys us. Or crisis can be a growth opportunity. The choice is ours. Whichever we choose, we're right about that crisis. We make it our reality.

The point is, change is life. Successfully dealing with change means choosing to grow and develop continuously. Failing to grow is failing to live.

Scrooged - A Dickens of a Way to Manage Change!

2008-10-17T12:01:00.001-07:00

Managing change in our lives and in our businesses is vital in the modern environments in which we live. There is much to learn from that old and cantankerous Dickens character, Mr Ebenezer Scrooge himself...

The truth is, although he had an outward persona of grumpiness, deep down somewhere there was a man with a heart, seeing his life drift away from him.

We all do this to some extent - to hide away our true selves behind a veil of something we are more comfortable with. Sometimes we appear intimidating, cruel or even harsh. We avoid the intimacy we really seek, because of past experiences.

For old Scrooge, this became clear with the visit of the three ghosts, as well as what I find the most scary of all, the visit of Jacob Marley, his former partner, who seemed doomed to be stuck in that no-mans-land world between life and the ultimate infinity.

So, what happened then?

Firstly, Scrooge was reminded of who he might become if he carried on as he was. Marley gave him the example of the outcome of carrying on with his current behaviours.

Secondly, the Ghost of Christmas Past happened by. Showing Scrooge his almost forgotten past, where often he had experienced the fun that truly is possible, yet for so many of us is lost and overwritten by the experiences we have, as we grow through childhood and adult life.

Thirdly comes along the Ghost of Christmas Present, where Scrooge becomes aware of opportunities every day, perhaps even every hour, that we all have, yet our frame of mind causes us to miss them. Awareness of these possibilities is quite a step, yet when we start to take the time to notice, we can easily change our behaviours for the better, not just for ourselves, but by others too.

Finally, the ambiguous Ghost of Christmas Future. Will it happen, or is there a choice? Where Scrooge will end up if he doesn't make some changes. Interestingly, whilst Scrooge laughs along with the Ghost of Christmas Past and gets into those wonderful experiences of his youth, he's not smiling anymore when it comes to the future. And, even more oddly, it seems that the impact on others, what might happen to Tiny Tim, hurts and frightens him the most.

What can we learn from this? Quite a lot actually...

Our past holds the clues to who we might be.
We get stuck into one way of thinking and that does us no favours.
Focusing on money (remember he's a miser!), is an escape many of us choose.
There are possibilities every single day to get more from our lives - to be authentic with ourselves.
The future is impacted on by our behaviours and actions - we can make a difference.
There is much pleasure for ourselves in helping others - it is not an action that causes us pain!
We have choices to make and they are entirely in our hands. These are decisions we are making every day of our lives.

Managing change becomes all the easier when we realise what we had, where we are now and what might become of us in the future, unless we choose differently. It really is up to us - and that is the challenging part.

Above all, this enchanting story is well worth the read at this time of year - there are many more interesting lessons to learn.

As well as a delightful Christmassy story too!

Totally Different Questions

2008-10-17T12:00:00.001-07:00

In a high-speed global marketplace that reverberates daily with quick-shifting customer expectations and demands from the marketplace to immediately respond, companies may no longer rest on their laurels or keep doing things the way they’ve traditionally been done. The smartest, most successful companies, for example, take pains to pursue not only present customer desires but anticipated, as-yet unexpressed, customers needs and desires in the future. Such projections require both research and imagination.

Take Toyota, for example, perennially ranked among the top five sellers of cars and trucks in the US. Its management tinkers constantly with fresh ideas for customizing its vehicles to meet customer desires, each year introducing more models, lighter weight materials, faster cruising speeds, even a first-of-its-kind hybrid engine utilizing electric as well as gas fuel sources. Toyota managers search round-the-clock for ways to do things better and different.

“The companies who are innovative ask totally different questions from those who are not,” says Jack Ricchiuto, a creativity consultant based in Cleveland and author of Collaborative Creativity: Unleashing the Power of Shared Thinking (Oakhill Press). “A traditional set of management questions begins with ‘How can we listen to our market better?’ and ‘How can we meet customers’ requirements?’ But creative companies like Toyota ask ‘How can we SURPRISE our market?’ Answering that one requires a high level of commitment to management creativity.”

For such reasons, creative companies and managers continually re-evaluate, re-tool and revise what they’re doing, forever gazing beyond the horizon, eager to glimpse what’s to come. Their transition from the traditional to the creative rarely proceeds easily, however, especially with so many managers conditioned since grade one to tow the line and think of themselves as LACKING creativity.

Research in this area reveals, for example, that differences in creative behavior between adults and children represents a very wide gap indeed. One study found that only 2% of adults of any age level can be accurately classified as “highly creative” while over 90% of children five years old or younger can be classified this way. The huge drop-off begins at ages 6 and 7 (only 10% in these age groups were found to be considered “highly creative”) and at age 8, adult levels begin. Only 2% of children aged 8 and above test out as highly creative and this figure does not rise again for any age group thereafter.

The researchers directing this study concluded that repeated instructions throughout our school years on how to do things “right,” after years of hearing such admonitions as “no,” “bad,” “wrong,” and “incorrect” take their toll. Negative signals sear little minds with the impression that there’s only one way to do things. Disagree with that and you’re officially “deficient.”

With society officially downgrading the idea of creativity so strongly, it becomes problematic for businesses to get their managers and other employees thinking truly freely and “out of the box.” Also, genuine creativity, by definition, subverts the status quo by facing down long-held assumptions and uncorking new ways of approaching things. Thus, employee and manager alike may resist attempts to uproot established company traditions or fiddle with untried, risky procedures. Their responses to creativity initiatives may in fact take shape vigorously, adamantly and fearfully.

“I always ask my clients what they’re experimenting with,” says Ricchiuto. “The scariest response I hear is, ‘We don’t like to experiment—it’s messy and we don’t like to fail.’ Of course that’s just kidding yourself. Innovative companies understand that you’ve got to put up with ‘messiness’ and failure in order to succeed.”

Ricchiuto continues, ”The truth is if you want to learn to do it better, you’ve got to try a lot of things, many of which won’t work. Most artists will tell you the biggest item in their studios is their dumpster. A leading design firm uses the motto, ‘Fail often to succeed sooner.’ That’s how successful companies and individuals truly employing their natural creativity think.”

It’s a wise move, then, for a company to consider injecting innovative thinking and action into its corporate atmosphere. However, taking into account that creativity, by definition, knows no bounds, there’s no absolute or guaranteed formula for making the switch. However, creativity experts do agree on a number of vital tenets that must be observed. Here are four:

Let “ideas” flow. Our schools and workplaces have fostered for centuries intellect-dependent relationships. “Right” answers are those in the minds of a teacher or boss, the thinking goes, “wrong” answers are in the heads of everyone else. Variations of course play themselves out in the workplace every day, especially during meetings, i.e., someone volunteers an idea, then is quickly dismissed by the manager, moderator or someone else at the table. Naturally, the effect will be that all such volunteering soon stops.

Managers must resist a temptation to blurt out, “No, no, that would never work!” The essence of brainstorming, after all, is to let ALL ideas fly, no matter how wild, impractical or outrageous. First spend a few minutes scribbling everyone’s ideas down on a topic before analyzing them for practicality. Even putting up totally wacky ideas on a white board or flip chart, where all can see them, could end up inspiring, by the end of the meeting, the most workable solution.

Make failure OK. Many companies pay lip service to the idea that it’s OK to fail, make mistakes, get things wrong. But then, whenever something really does go wrong, KA-BOOM! There’s yelling, recriminations, weeping and wailing.

Instead, truly creative managers invite open discussion of mistakes and failures on the theory there’s always a lesson to be learned from them. Risk-taking, after all, by definition, means sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. Failure is understood as one possible outcome in the overall game. Don’t try playing without it!

When creative managers truly understand this, they exhibit their support of it in extraordinary ways. One of Henry Ford’s the First’s VPs once made a colossal inventory error, for example, that cost the pioneering car company over one million dollars, a lot of bread back in 1920. Assuming he would be fired anyway, the VP wrote up his resignation and handed it over to his boss.

Mr. Ford looked at the piece of paper, then tore it up on the spot. “Do you think I would fire you after what just happened?” he asked. “My boy, I’ve just invested one million dollars in your education. Now get back to work!”

Mix in color and music. The first things to go when budgets get tight in our schools are “non-essentials” like art and music. Yet much brain research in the last twenty years has determined that creativity amplifies if coupled with such traditionally “peripheral” educational activities. Along with drawing, painting, singing and dancing, brain scientists also tout the practical value of taking breaks, relaxing, meditating, playing games (recess!) and daydreaming.

Thus, creative companies find ways to add music to the office or factory air, maintain colorful decors, sponsor company (fun) events and reimburse for programs or seminars that allow employees to (as Stephen Covey says) “sharpen the saw.”

Travel down roads rarely taken. If a company intends to truly transform itself into one that routinely practices high creativity, it must take risks as a culture by choosing unknown directions, attempting grand experiments, leaping off cliffs!

Has an ages-old marketing approach been failing to produce results lately? Try something dramatic, different, looney. A salesman I once knew named Jed, for example, had a terrible time getting a prospect to look at his marketing materials. Every time he made his follow-up call, the prospect insisted he just wasn’t interested in Jed’s service, so why should he look at Jed’s stuff?

One day, out of frustration, Jed did the total opposite of what he’d learned back in sales training class by packing all his marketing materials in a big cardboard box and writing over it warnings like, “Do NOT open this!” and “Do NOT look inside!” and “Whatever you do, keep this sealed!” Then he mailed the box to his prospect, with no return address.

You can guess what happened: The prospect couldn’t help looking inside, thus immediately encountering Jed’s lively marketing materials and before long he has read them all, called Jed up and gave him his business. By taking a rarely traveled road-- actually, a NEVER-traveled road, in this case! -- Jed’s pursuit of his prospect finally succeeded.

The ability to be highly creative resides within us all. Despite pressures and suggestions to the contrary, it arrives into the world the day we do and, even if rarely used for many years, it never dissolves or goes away. Happily, it can be reactivated surprisingly quick, and managers who understand this can activate their employees’ creative abilities to extraordinary competitive advantage. Yes, it may take time, it may take patience, it may take newly acquired skills. But indeed it can be done. Smart companies, then, the winners, the leaders, make a firm commitment to doing so, then bravely and effectively forge ahead.

Corporate Coach Hire - A Guide To Choosing A Company For Executive Travel

2008-10-17T11:59:00.001-07:00

Among business it is becoming more necessary to transport staff and clients between points of business for meetings and exhibitions. Today we are looking at the benefits of a corporate coach hire. As flight prices are reduced it looks to be the cheapest option to resort to airline companies as the cheapest option for luxury travel. Many advertisements offer reduced flight packages from major airports that can look attractive travel incentives for your business needs.

When we asses the actual costs involved this means of travel can be the most expensive.

Firstly, the initial travel to an airport can be a major cost factor. Train fairs, taxis or fuel prices are incurred. Although the actual flight may be cheap the cost of travel to the airport and parking may outweigh this fare. Arrival at the airport destination usually means extra travel to the business location and taxi or train fairs are taken into consideration.

If you need your staff or clients to arrive fresh for a meeting the whole journey could be very exhausting. Also administration time for booking the various tickets can be extensive. A far more effective method of luxury travel can be coach hire, especially if you have group logistics to cater for.

No more waiting for delayed trains or planes. Everyone travels together in comfort and style. Modern coaches offer air conditioning, televisions, music, tables and even hostess services. People are more relaxed with no waiting, queuing or transferring to various means of transport. It is no surprise that many business deals are clinched even before a meeting when clients and staff travel together on an executive coach in this relaxing way.

So what do you look for when choosing a coach hire company. The internet is a great resource as many companies show clear concise pictures of their coaches. Good clean coaches make a good impression for your business. Search for a company in your business area and view the various options. Look out for coaches classed as executive coaches. These usually have all the latest features and fittings and are finished to a very high standard. Mercedes Benz offer excellent vehicles for both luxury coach hire and minibus hire that are ideal for business travel.

Ensure your driver will be uniformed, this will usually be stated in the coach company profile. Smart courteous driver make all the difference in welcoming and transporting your guests.

Highlights of business travel can be a hostess service. Drinks and snacks make a long journey more pleasurable and add value to your company service.

Air conditioning is a great feature and ensures ultimate travel comfort.

Safety features to consider are does the company offer seat belts and are the vehicles fitted with anti-lock brakes and are the coaches regularly maintained.

Many websites feature an online booking or proposal form and can save a great deal of time when booking.

In summary corporate travel by coach is the most relaxing and personal way to travel than any other form of business transport. The benefits far outweigh flights and your business will reap the rewards.

Ronald Balfour is a company development executive for several international bluechip clients

Fire the Fireman to Reduce Stress and Increase Productivity and Morale

2008-10-17T11:20:00.000-07:00

In today’s business world, conflicts are inevitable, but they don’t have to be costly or time-consuming. If you manage people or projects, chances are that a majority of your day is spent resolving conflicts, settling disputes, or solving problems for other people. You may get to the point where you ask, “How am I supposed to get my job done when I am constantly putting out fires.”

The simple answer is, “You’re not!”

This is going to really hurt, but if we are constantly putting out fires, we have our own selves to blame. I know that this phrase seems pretty harsh, but let’s take a look at some simple truths about human behavior that makes this statement true. If someone comes to us with a conflict or a problem, and we solve it for that person, we will probably feel really good about ourselves. We’ll feel like we’ve done our job. However, the next time the same person has a problem or a conflict, what have we trained the person to do? That’s right. Come to us to solve it. Our job as managers and leaders is to not solve problems and put out fires. Our job is to build the confidence of our direct reports so they can solve the problems on their own.

Instead of spending time solving their problems for them, try asking questions and getting their opinions so they gain confidence coming up with solutions on their own. More often than not, they will surprise you with as good an answer as you would have given – sometimes even better. There may be times when you might even want to let them make small mistakes. People learn from their mistakes very quickly.

As your direct reports begin to solve problems on their own, their confidence in these areas will grow. This process is just one of many that can help us build strong leaders around us. In fact, as a speaker and trainer, I’ve come across a number of principles that have helped thousands of successful leaders and managers build strong people around them. The following is a summary of SEVEN of the principles that have been the most effective.

1. Establish solid trust before offering advice. Trust men, and they will be true to you; treat them greatly and they will show themselves great. –Ralph Waldo Emerson

2. Keep promises… even small ones. Character is much easier kept than recovered. -Thomas Paine

3. Be enthusiastic about the success of others. Leaders don't create followers, they create more leaders. -Tom Peters

4. Recognize the potential in others and help them achieve it. Treat people as if they were what they should be, and you help them become what they are capable of becoming. –Johann von Goethe

5. Catch people doing things right. People ask for criticism, but they only want praise. -W. Somerset Maugham

6. Praise the baby steps. Praise is like sunlight to the human spirit: we cannot flower and grow without it. -Jess Lair

7. Go out of your way for people. To lead the people, walk behind them. -Lao-Tzu

Bonus Principle: Always give something extra. Underpromise; overdeliver. –Tom Peters

Consultants Can Be Scary

2008-10-17T11:18:00.000-07:00

Utilize the Discovery Analysis to Ease Your Fear of Using a Consultant

Consultants can provide real value on many occasions but they can also be your worst nightmare. Some clichés include;

“A consultant will ask you for the time and then steal your watch.”

“Two things you don’t want to watch ----- Sausage being made & a group of consultants trying to solve a problem.”

Worst Nightmare

The Hanging-on Strategy ---- Consultants can become your worst nightmare in many ways. Some consultants have perfected hanging-on and use it as a proactive growth strategy. When a project starts nearing its end, new problems seem to mysteriously get identified. It may start as a training issue; the training issue grows into a management issue, a technology issue, a channel issue. Each issue can turn into another consultant project or an extension of the original project. Before you know it your costs for the consultant’s advice and assistance becomes a major factor on the expense side of your profit and loss statement.

Unclear expectations------- Some consultants are so skilled at presentations and proposal writing that deliverables become very intangible and they are not measurable. If they are not measurable, accountability goes out the window. This alone can turn your consulting experience into a nightmare. The scope of the project may have a continuous creep that costs you more and more money. Deliverables should be clearly defined and documented. However, even if you have done your homework and feel you have clear expectations things can go wrong.

Employee involvement -------Your risk of failure is exponentially higher if you have not involved your key employees in the decision making process of hiring a consultant. It is essential that you have employee buy in when you decide you need a consultant.

Accountability ----------Consultants like to say they can lead a horse to water but they can’t make them drink. In other words, consultants can’t execute the plan for the company. As a result, it is very difficult to hold consultants accountable for the results. Often times the consultants make a fantastic presentation and sell their firm based on expertise they don’t really possess. They are skilled at quick research and can be convincing in demonstrating their breadth of knowledge about your business based on this quick research. On many occasions the impressive partners of the firm may seal the deal and then send in a bunch of MBA kids to do the work. It’s a fantastic learning process for the MBA’s that you end up paying for.

Who is in control ------ Hiring the wrong consultant can be dangerous, it can cost you sales, profits and even employees if you are not careful. Don’t turn your business over to a consultant. Don’t make the mistake of thinking they know your business better than you. There isn’t any consultant out there that knows your business better than you and your employees know your business. If you do hire a consultant, stay involved and manage the process.

A variety of flavors ---- Consultants come in a variety of flavors. They consist of former sales people, former vice presidents, MBA graduates, former CEO’s, former accountants, and even former waiters. There are many professional career based consultants that have developed impeccable reputations. There are also a lot of consultants that are consultants because they are between jobs or retired and bored. Most consultants can be very convincing of their expertise and many can back it up with performance. But, there are those that sound impressive simply because they are exceptional speakers and presenters. Some quote problems similar to what you may be experiencing from work with prior clients. That in itself does not guarantee that they can help solve your problems. Some can, some can’t. Some may do an excellent job for you but some may not.

Walk the Walk ---- The problem with some consultants is the fact that they haven’t really walked the walk. They haven’t walked in your shoes. Most have some business experience but many have never owned their own business. Many lack the entrepreneurial experience of starting a business from scratch and growing a substantial revenue stream. Some have never owned or sold their own business prior to becoming consultants. Many lack the experience of running a family owned business, meeting payroll or managing cash flow. Some are well educated, some are not.

The Value of an Experienced Consultant

The right consultant can provide tremendous value to your firm. Just having an unbiased, outside pair of eyes look at your firm can reveal things that you as president and your executive staff can’t see. This is not uncommon because you’re caught up in the day to day operation of your business. Additionally, a consultant does not have the emotional, compassionate attachment to people and processes that you and your management team have developed. As a result, the consultant can help you identify and resolve issues that have gone unnoticed or ignored.

Consultants provide value not because they can do things you don’t know how to do but they often provide value because you and your team may not have the bandwidth to devote the time necessary to address many issues your company may face. This is especially true if those issues involve market or channel research. Research projects and technology projects are often the types of engagements that fall into this category. Training and employee development support are two other area’s where consultants provide exceptional value. The consulting industry is a huge and growing industry that is fast approaching the $100 Billion Dollar mark. A market of this size attracts many players. There are many professional, competent and trust worthy consultants out there but there are also some that may not be able to live up to your expectations. Sales & Marketing Management Magazine Surveys have indicated that over 75% of business executives responded that consultants are necessary for business success. These same survey results concluded that over 50% of the firms utilizing consultants were dissatisfied or only somewhat satisfied. Companies with less than $10 million in revenue reported a much higher confidence level in consultants than companies with over $10 million in revenue

So What Do You Do if You Think You Need a Consultant?

Start by utilizing the creativity and initiative of your own staff to identify the extent of your internal issues. The perfect vehicle to do this is called a “Discovery Analysis”. The discovery analysis utilizes a questionnaire that stimulates a thought-provoking process designed to identify issues and challenges that impact company profitability. The following sales discovery analysis is an example of this process. It will identify issues and challenges within the sales functions of the company. Being sales specific means that you must involve key sales personnel in the process. The independent answers to the questions posed should direct you to very focus-specific areas within your organization that need attention. The Owner/President, Vice President of Sales, Sales Managers and both inside and outside sales representatives should complete this discovery analysis.

A discovery team meeting should be held to review the results of this process. Each team member should prepare an independent S.W.O.T. (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis based on their responses after completing this questionnaire. Only the three most critical areas in each category should be recorded:

Strengths: The three biggest strengths the company has that create competitive advantage.

Weaknesses: The three most critical weaknesses that must be addressed to maintain or create new competitive advantages or at a minimum put you on a level playing field with the competition.

Opportunities: The three biggest opportunities for your company to create competitive advantage, improve market share, increase revenues or create cost reduction through process improvement.

Threats: The three biggest threats created by either the internal or external environment. This may include government regulations, internal politics, competition activity or other external influences.

All responses should be collated from each group. Common areas of concern should be highlighted. A minimum of a one-day retreat attended by all management and key personnel is encouraged to ensure that proper attention and discussion is given to every area of concern that is identified through this discovery analysis. The following ten questions are examples of the 75 questions on the sales discovery analysis questionnaire.

Sample Sales Questions:

1. Do you record and monitor customer complaints?

2. Do you maintain a customer complaint database to track patterns and identify recurring problems?

3. Do you use this information to improve performance and increase customer satisfaction?

4. Do you solicit customer feedback?

5. Do you provide customers with a single point of contact?

6. Do you track customer satisfaction with internal operating statistic fill rates?

7. Can you identify waste in operating costs, such as the high cost of errors?

8. Do you receive phone system statistics to analyze calling behavior?

9. How do you measure customer satisfaction? Do you have a formal system? Such as a report card?

10. Does your sales force involve suppliers in the selling process?

You may find that by using this process you have identified the issues clearly enough that you can address them without the help of a consultant or you may just need to hire a “Team Coach” to help you and your team find solutions and act on them. (See team coaching www.ceostrategist.com) At the very least you will have identified the problems clearly enough to set specific deliverables, deliverables that are measurable, for discussion with potential consultants. If you decide to go forward, seeking the assistance of a consultant, interview several. Check references and ask for a reference from the consultant from a client where the project failed to meet expectations. Don’t accept the answer that none of their projects ever failed. Every consultant has had projects that did not meet expectations. Find out why from their clients.

Armed with your information from the discovery analysis process, you are now in a better position to define the results expected from the consultants. Ask for a proposal that has clearly defined deliverables. Don’t be afraid to put a portion of their fee at risk based on results. Make sure that you and the consultants agree on a specific timeline. (Important --- Ask for a fixed price proposal)

There are some highly qualified, highly effective consultants specializing in wholesale distribution. The more you are able to define your expectations, the better your chances of being pleased with the results. Do your homework.

How to Develop a Change-Adept Workforce

2008-10-17T11:16:00.002-07:00

There are 6 qualities common to those who thrive on change. Here’s how to develop
these qualities in the people who report to you.

Quality #1: Confidence
The personality trait most responsible for the ability to deal well with change is self-
confidence.
Strategy: Play to people’s strengths
Stop focusing on building up weaknesses. Instead, identify and build on those
competencies and accomplishments that make someone special.

Quality #2: Challenge
In fast-moving, high-stress business environments, a positive, upbeat, "can-do"
attitude is vital for success.
Strategy: Nurture people’s optimism
While it is important to acknowledge the stress, uncertainty, and disruption that
change brings, it is also crucial to emphasize the opportunities for growth,
challenge, and reward.

Quality #3: Coping
Change-adept employees are able to cope with and adapt to a complex, fast-paced
reality.
Strategy: Lighten up!
Rather than bracing for the inevitable pressure, remember to bring a sense of
humor and spirit of fun to the workplace to cushion all that rolling with the
punches.

Factor #4: Counterbalance
People with interests beyond their professions and organizations are more resilient
under stress and more effective on the job.
Strategy: Let people get a life!
Encourage your staff to compensate for the demands and pressure of work by
developing counterbalancing activities in other areas of their life.

Factor #5: Creativity
Creative people embrace changing business conditions that expose them to new
knowledge, new people, and new experiences.
Strategy: Honor people’s “inner genius”
Remember that everyone was born with a creative capacity that needs to be
nurtured and engaged.

Factor #6: Collaboration
A new workplace reality is that none of us can succeed alone.
Strategy: Build your collaboration skills
You can't command and control collaboration and teamwork. But you can influence
others to collaborate and share their ideas by creating an environment in which it is
safe, enjoyable, and beneficial to do so.