laverdadenelfutbol.com

In my youth, I observed that, in England at least, most people wanted to get out of their jobs. Their “career”, whatever it was, only existed to get a regular income. The millions of people who did the football pools, and later the lottery, were a testimony to the “let me out of here” dreams of the majority. “Win the pools, and retire.”

Times may have changed in general, but the fact that most people are not content with their jobs has remained unchanged. Career, employer or job change, or early retirement, are in the minds of tens of millions of people across the world. Only a small minority will ever actually go full out for a career change; it is far too easy just to plod along doing the same old things in the same old place.

However, some people are more serious. These are the people with “get up and go” who actually do get up and go. These are the people who really do change their working lives, sometimes drastically.

Why Do Some People Want to Change Careers?

There are many possible reasons for wanting a career change. The following are just a few of the more common ones.

1. To some people, being in the same job, or even the same type of job, for too long is just unthinkable. I certainly fall into this category, and personally think total career changes can be a vital contributor to a satisfying life. I always want to learn something new, and do something new, once I have mastered what I was doing before. New challenges are an essential part of every day life.

2. Midlife career changes might be the result of a sort of career midlife crisis. This can particularly be so for someone who has always done the same job, and suddenly realise their years are slipping away and they have really done very little with their working years.

3. Dissatisfaction with a current employer, either in terms of recognition, prospects or pay.

4. Boredom is a common cause of wanting a career change.

5. Lack of fulfilment in the current career or employment.

The above are some of the broad reasons people may seek a career change, but each individual is likely to have a different mix of reasons to consider changing their career.

Tips For Preparing for a Career Change

There are many sources of career change advice, both online and offline. Sometimes this can be given on an individual basis, or just in the form of written material which you can consume at your leisure. As a career is a personal matter, and all individuals are different, then pesonal consultation is better by far. However, advisors are individuals too, and the advice may vary from from career counselor to career counselor.

The quality and quantity of career change advice available to you offline will vary greatly between countries and localities, and you may find that some of the online advice is, at least in part, to one country, particularly the US. However, the following career change tips can apply to anyone, anywhere, and are based on my own experience; they may not appear anywhere else, might be considered unconventional, but are designed to get you thinking and planning well in advance for one or a series of career changes:

1. Travel as widely as possible. I do not mean go on vacation with a million other holidaymakers on a well trodden path, but broaden your mind, experience and understanding through travelling in other countries of various cultures. It is best to travel alone for maximum experience. With hindsight, I am sure that my travels as a 20 year old and younger helped to give me the flexibility and adaptability to make a sudden move from one life direction to another. When travelling freely, you can always go just where you want to go, and the same can be true of your working life, or careers, if you have that flexible attitude from the beginning.

2. Most people have interests and talents that are quite separate from their primary career ambition. Always try to develop those skills and talents in parallel to your existing or imminent career. The more skills you have, the more knowledge you have, the more likely it is that, when the time comes to make a career change, it will be that much easier.

3. When in a chosen career, always add new skills and keep up to date with developments in that career. The opportunity may come along for you to specialize within that career, or diversify from it.

4. Plan your life in 5 year blocks. It is amazing how much can be achieved and changed in 5 years. My own life and working life bear little resemblance to even 7 years ago, and has changed drastically in the last 4 years. Formulating a 5 year plan for yourself at 20, 25, 30 and so on can be a great help in getting your prepared for all sorts of changes and developments. When formulating that plan, consider your career options during that coming period, and what you can do over that 5 years to prepare yourself for a career change beyond that 5 year period.

5. Have a program of self improvement to increase your confidence and prevent or overcome fear. Many people stay in the same job far too long, because of fear of change. Using meditation and relaxation techniques can help in this area of your life.

6. Keep control of your finances, and develop a financial success system . Always budget effectively, and never spend beyond your means. Always think in terms of building your assets. Saving from your monthly and income, and learning to invest wisely, can help you build wealth while most of those around you are borrowing, overspending, and digging a financial grave.

Why is a financial success system important when it comes to career change planning? Poor finances can be an inhibiting factor in making a career change. If your finances are in good shape, and you have adequate reserves, you have more time to switch successfully to a new career, even a new way of life. Financial fear can be a big drawback to making a career change.

By adopting some or all of the above tips, you should find yourself better prepared in the future to make a career change. Hopefully, that career change will be one that has evolved from your own desires, your own plans. However, sometimes career changes are forced by redundancy, technical developments in your chosen career, companies being taken over or going bust, outsourcing or other change in your working environment. Be prepared.

This career development article article was written by Roy Thomsitt, owner and part author of the Routes To Self Improvement website.

NU U, an exciting devlopment in ezines. Our new Self improvement ezine in audio. Sign up now [http://www.routes-to-self-improvement.com/NuUSignUp.htm] for regular audios on subjects such as meditation, self esteem, shyness and many more self improvement topics.

The color black has always been a staple in the fashion industry and the foundation of a majority of the wardrobes in the world.

However, in particular one need only to look at the cultural revolutions of the music industry and the influence it has had on the impressionable young people that idolize the artists. This in turns formalizes their sense of style which stays with them throughout their lives.

Starting in the 1950′s with the thrust of rock n roll music to the growing middle class and continuing through the 1960′s, 70′s, 80′s etc… From Johnny Cash to the Ramones to the Beatles. From Led Zepplin to Alice Cooper to Bauhaus, black has been a common denominator in all of the cultural scenes, from Punk to Death Metal, from shock rock to hair metal, from country to Gothic and chic to sub-culture. Black is everywhere.

If you have any black items in your wardrobe, you have the same problems as everyone else. How do I keep my black clothes from fading?

There are simple steps to prevent the pre-mature fading of your black items and many of the ideas are very easy to practice.

Here are what I believe are the keys to keeping your black clothes as dark and new looking as possible. But remember, all black clothes will eventually fade, it is inevitable. Just be sensible about it, and retire a piece when necessary.

So without further ado, there are the keys to keeping your black wardrobe looking great.

1. Always wash black clothes in cold water. Hot and even warm water will degrade the fibers of the clothing faster than cold water which in turn will accelerate fading. Fading is always caused by deterioration of the clothing fibers, which inhibits the fibers ability to contain the dye.

2. Always use a mild detergent, preferably a detergent specifically designed for black clothes. (For example Woollite Extra Dark Care). If you have a particularly delicate black item, think about hand washing it in cold water and Borax.

3. Never put black clothes in the dryer. The tumbling action and the heat of the dryer, even in cool mode, will accelerate the degradation of the clothing fibers, and you know what causes fading from item 1. Always hang dry your black clothes.

4. In support of item 3, never hang dry your black clothes in direct sunlight. The UV radiation in sunlight will attack the fibers of the clothing and you know what happen when the fibers in any clothing degrades (this will be a repeating theme when talking about loss of dye)

5. Only wash your black clothes when absolutely necessary. If you wear a pair of black pants out to dinner and take them off a couple of hours later and you have not profusely sweat in them, hang them up in your closet instead of throwing them in the laundry. The fewer times you wash your black clothes the less the fibers are degraded and of course you know what happens when clothing fibers get degraded.

6. Avoid kneeling or working on your knees while wearing black pants. The physical abrasions that occur damage the fabric in the knees of the pants, causing acceleration in fading in the knees.

7. When you finally do put your black clothes in the washer, it has to happen sooner or later, turn your clothes inside out to minimize and abrasion that occurs from the clothes rubbing against one another.

8. Avoid spraying perfumes/cologne on your black clothes. Spray on your skin instead. The harsh chemicals and alcohols from the scents will attack the fibers in your clothing and can actually cause spot staining.

9. Always read the care labels on all your clothing, there are very helpful tips and instructions from people that have a great deal of experience in the clothing industry. Typically, follow the directions on the care label, unless common sense tells you that another way will be less stressful on the clothing fibers.

10. If it is within your budgetary constraints, consider dry cleaning all your black clothing. It will extend the life of your clothes considerably.

11. Never use powdered detergents; they do not dissolve quickly enough to eliminate the chance of undue abrasion on the fabrics. Also, they can leave streaky residue on your clothing.

12. This should be obvious, never use any bleach, detergents with bleach in them or detergents with bleach alternatives. Also, check the ingredients for Titanium dioxide and avoid this as much as bleach.

13. Avoid using liquid fabric softeners. They contain ingredients that can discolor black fibers.

So, as you can see there are many ways you can extend the life of your black clothing. Most of them are very easily implemented into your regular laundry cycle. Also, these precautions can ease your laundry loads if you have a large percentage of black clothing.

Be sensible and cautious and you will be able to enjoy your black clothing for a considerable longer time then if you just throw them in with everything else.

Doug Scheck is an online retailer, IT Consultant and now a Sales Consultant with over 5 years retail experience and 15 years Information technologies experience. His company, Fade to Black, LLC owns and operates an online retail store specializing in Gothic Accessories, Footwear & Clothing

Now that you’ve decided to eat a primarily raw-vegan food based diet, you may wonder how you can dine out at regular food restaurants. Of course you want to maintain and even grow your social life, right?

Right. Well you have good reason to be thinking ahead about this because dining out at restaurants and in other people’s homes is definitely going to happen. In fact, dining out is our culture’s most popular social activity.

Rest assured, it is possible eat a healthy, raw, satiating meal while out with friends or family. The key here, as with maintaining a raw lifestyle while traveling, is planning and packing.

Most likely you’re going to be ordering a salad. It can be a chicken salad without the chicken, a shrimp salad without the shrimp, or an order or two of the simple garden salad. If the restaurant offers an organic or local salad-even better!

Never be afraid to ask your server to “customize” a salad for you. What I usually do is create my own salad by looking at the menu and seeing what ingredients they have on hand (including vegetables used in entrée sides). I think this leads to the most gorgeous and most colorful salads. Ask for a big salad with greens, other than iceberg, as the base and lots of different chopped raw vegetables on it. Ask for as many different colors as possible. If the restaurant has any guacamole or avocado anywhere on the menu-great! Now you know they have avocados back there and can ask for avocado to be put on your salad as well if you want to.

For dressing you could choose the restaurant’s vinaigrette, lemon juice, or oil and vinegar on the side. I usually don’t worry about the house vinaigrette being entirely raw. After all, that’s what detoxing is for!

Your salad is most likely going to have people turning their heads in your direction asking “where was that on the menu? That looks great!”

Now, you may not get enough protein, fat, carbohydrates, or calories from this salad and this is where a bit of planning comes in handy. In your purse or pocket, I recommend bringing a handful of nuts or seeds, dried fruit (can be your dessert!), flax crackers, or a raw food bar. Whatever it takes for you to feel full and happy with your dinner.

You could also supplement your salad with hemp seeds and sea veggies but be prepared, as this will definitely turn some heads. It depends on how comfortable you are around the party you’re with. I know someone who does this to salads at regular restaurants and sticks with it. She wants to raise the vibration of the food before it reaches her mouth.

More tips for the raw foodist dining out at a non-raw restaurant:

• Nuts and seeds on salads are usually toasted or candied.
• Make sure to ask to hold the cheese or dairy-based dressings on your salad.
• Bringing some sort of sweet with you is a great idea if you’re going to be tempted to eat a cooked/baked dessert that others will be eating (I used to bring a date rolled in cacao nibs and that would completely satisfy my chocolate cake desires).
• If you’re not entirely “raw”, you can ask for plain steamed vegetables as an entrée.

Others in your party may or may not notice what you’re doing. If you’re comfortable, confident, and nonchalant about what you’re doing, they probably won’t notice. They’re more likely to notice and focus on you if you feel uncomfortable and embarrassed about it yourself. I’ve found that others are usually really interested in what I’m eating and will even comment on how good my salads look! If people ask about your diet, have a simple definition planned and memorized that you can give them. If you don’t want the entire dinner conversation to focus on raw foods, just say it’s how you prefer to eat right now or you’re trying something new out for a while. In a nutshell, choose your line and deliver it in a positive and confident way.

If you’re not comfortable dining out with others on the raw food diet and lifestyle, you can always eat beforehand and let others know you had a late lunch or breakfast. Just make sure to bring a snack in your purse or pocket just in case you’ll be out for a while.

In time, you will definitely get used to how to eat out on a raw food diet. Dining at fine restaurants may not be as fun as it used to be, but that’s because you know you can eat a much healthier and more satisfying meal at home for pennies on the dollar now. Propose a night out for your non-raw friends at your favorite raw restaurant. This is a great way to introduce them to raw foods and all they have to offer.

Soon we’ll need an article of tips to help cooked food eaters survive in the raw-vegan world!

Lenette Nakauchi is a raw foodist who is passionate about teaching, coaching and demonstrating to others how to go and stay “raw” in a fun, healthy, sustainable way. Learn more about the raw food lifestyle and about superfoods by visiting her websites http://www.gorawhavefun.com and http://www.eatsuperfoods.com

Introduction

Clothing is a big ticket item around the world. No matter what culture you live in, what language you speak, what gender you are and what you do for a living a big part of the expenses of your life is going to rest solely on clothing. Without clothing, it is not only unpleasant to appear in public but in most places it is also socially unacceptable except in other areas. There are many times when clothing is something that people do not really think about, but at others things like designer clothing are thought of a great deal both by the companies that make them as well as the customers that buy them.

This begs the question as to whether or not certain clothing businesses in certain places have the ability to survive. Designer clothing is something that many people are interested in constructing a business around but at the same time it is also something that many people don’t really understand when it comes right down to it. Designer clothing has a very special niche market whereas normal clothing is open to everyone. The Bali Clothing Retail Business deals in both designer clothing and normal clothing and manages to do well at both.

Bali Clothing Retail Business

The Bali clothing retail business is one that is just starting to get off the ground but already it shows a lot of promise in many different areas. Bali is an island in the archipelago nation of Indonesia and aside from the tourist attractions and the rich cultural heritage it also has a growing wholesale and retail clothing and handicrafts sector. Part of that sector is the retail clothing business and when you consider the clothing business specifically for Bali clothing you find that in Bali clothing as in all other kind of clothing you have the potential for both designer and normal clothing.

Designer Fashion Garments

Designer Bali clothing is actually just historical clothing that has been altered to appeal to the tastes of people that are interested in designer clothing. When you look back and forth between the different kinds of designer clothing, one thing becomes immediately obvious. The most popular kinds of designer clothing populations are younger girls that are either in their teens or twenties and when they look for designer clothing they are either looking for something that is popular or something that is new. Most of the time their own taste actually doesn’t play into it as much as whether or not they think the item they are purchasing will be popular. Since foreign designs frequently do end up being popular, it becomes easy to see why the Bali designer clothing has been able to infiltrate and find a foothold within the designer clothing industry at large.

Normal General Clothing

Of course, when it comes right down to it normal clothing is still a big hit. Bali clothing shops still sell jeans and t-shirts as retail items and in addition also sell sweaters. Not many people find need of a sweater in the Indonesian climate but that same sweater will definitely come in handy when they get back to wherever they came from. Normal clothing isn’t as big as designer clothing in Bali, but they both play a role in shaping the final landscape.

Related resources:

Antique Dealer Directory List Antique Shop, Dealers, Malls

Shopping Guide Directory For Fashion Clothes Jewelry Accessories Shoes Beauty Cosmetics

Buy Wholesale Clothing And Jewelry At Cheap Prices

Have you always wanted to drive an exotic sports car for a few days? Maybe just pretend you are James Bond and rent an Aston Martin sports car. Maybe go really wild and get a Lotus or Lamborghini for a few days, or maybe even something not quite that exotic but definitely sporty for a special occasion like a new Corvette.

Like virtually anything else in the world today that has a demand, you can rent just about any kind of sports car that you want in many places. Typically these are in larger cities, and in cities like Orlando, Las Vegas, Chicago, or Los Angeles, you would have little trouble in choosing from amongst several agencies that can put you into a hot sports car for a few days so you can indulge yourself.

But before you get too excited, one of the first calls you will want to make is to your car insurance company that you use to insure your personal cars. Tell them what you are planning to do and find out if you have enough coverage to adequately protect you. You may be a very safe driver, but that other driver who is gawking at that sleek sports car you are behind the wheel of may gawk too much and hit you, and you definitely want to make sure you are covered.

Yes, you can almost always get insurance from the car rental agency, but there is a good reason that you will want to first check with your own car insurance company. That is because you may already be covered, and why pay twice for insurance? Also check your policy limits – if you are only covered up to $50k and you are driving a $200k vehicle, that is going to leave you severely lacking if something bad happens. If you get the insurance from the car rental company, chances are that you may be paying an additional $50 a day or more to have that insurance.

But once you have that detail out of the way, the sky is the limit. Maybe it is to impress that new person you are dating, or maybe it is to surprise your wife on that special occasion when you wheel into your driveway with this exotic sports car. You work hard and you are not getting any younger, so decide what you would like to do and give yourself permission to do a sports car rental. Find out what is available in your area and then have a great time.

For more insights and additional information about Sports Car Rental as well as finding where you can rental an exotic sports car and get special discounts, please visit our web site at http://www.sports-car-rental.com/.

Pet supply stores are getting better than ever. They are now more than just a dependable source of all basic pet needs such as pet food, pet medicines and pet accessories – they offer a whole “lifestyle” experience for your pets, as well.

Walk-in stores. Most pet supply stores now allow you to bring your pet in the store to try out products. There’s no more need to guess. Bring your pet to make sure that the accessories fit and look good and also to see if your pet likes your selection.

Pet spas. Now, you can get your pets groomed and cleaned right in some pet supply stores. Some stores give free dog shampoos or cat nail clipping when you their grooming products and/or reach a minimum amount of purchase.

Value-added service. Some pet stores go the extra mile of tracking your pet’s needs so that you don’t have to. Just sign up for their free complete care packages and the store will send you pet foods and supplies on a regular schedule, before they run out. Having trouble keeping track of vaccinations and regular checkups? Let the pet supply stores do it for you. They will give you a call or send you mail when your pet needs to be taken for health checks.

Online presence. Most pet supply stores now have Web sites from where you can shop. Say goodbye to traffic, heat or cold and long checkout lines. Just log on, order, and your pet supplies will be delivered to your doorstep. Best of all, shopping online lets you quickly check out several pet supply stores and compare prices and brands in just a few clicks. Prices of online pet supply store products are also very competitive – they are competing, so they are forced to offer the lowest price they could to get your business. Most of them even provide free shipping when you meet minimum order requirements.

Pet Supplies provides detailed information on Pet Supplies, Pet Supply Stores, Discount Pet Supplies, Online Pet Supplies and more. Pet Supplies is affiliated with Wholesale Pet Products [http://www.i-PetProducts.com].

Sports activities are one of the things that can help young people to come together and have something fun they can work on. This helps to relieve boredom and they can take part in different things to make them develop their talents. There are many benefits of playing games such as:

Socialization- This helps the young people to come together and make friends since all the games have rules and regulations that need to be followed. It helps them to work together to achieve a common goal. This can lead to the creation of very strong bonds between the players where good friendships can be nurtured.

The sports activities give the young people something that takes their time so that they can avoid taking part in activities like drugs. This helps them to grow healthy as they usually take part in a lot of exercise, which also helps them to keep fit.

Something to look forward to- Most of the times when players have done something exemplary, it is important to give them something that will give them motivation to continue playing. One of the things that can be given is basketball gifts. These should be made from high quality material and they should also be attractive so that people can be proud of them.

When choosing the items to give away, it is important to take your time to get them right. There are many stores that offer these items. Browse through them to get the ones that will suit the players best. Try and get ones that have the logos of the companies to make them more personalized and special to the people who will be getting them, so that they can work harder to get them.

When choosing Basketball Gifts, it is very important to get them right. This ensures the players have something to look forward to. Use the provided link to know more and buy the best Basketball Gifts.

Many sales problems can be solved by improved marketing. Selling harder is often not the solution. More . . . or just better . . . marketing may be what’s needed. Marketing presents a special problem for any company that has not yet developed a professionally staffed marketing department. This article looks at the various marketing functions. It describes some successful approaches to determining when to add “more” marketing to your company.

In The Beginning

Most successful companies grow from a small enterprise based on the founder’s idea or vision. In the early stages, the founder usually plays many roles. It’s common to see a founder handling engineering and/or sales roles. As the company succeeds and grows, many of these tasks are delegated to others.

The one area most often key to the long term success of the company is the function of marketing. This article covers:

• The marketing functions
• The problems they can prevent or solve
• The contributions you can expect from marketing

Marketing: The Difference Between Buying And Selling

The definition of marketing has been attempted by many authors. It is commonly referred to as the process of relating the potential customers’ needs and wants to the company, and then addressing the company’s solutions to meet those needs and wants back to the marketplace.

We have described marketing as the process of focusing on Who the customer really is, and What the customer is actually buying from you . . . rather than what you’re selling. What customers can buy from your firm . . . that they cannot buy from another . . . is the real reason they do business with you.

The marketing functions within your company that support this work can be divided into product marketing and marketing services to support demand creation and sales. Both functions are necessary to have an effective marketing effort. However, they are distinct. How much of each you need . . . and who should perform these duties . . . are important issues.

What Is Product Marketing?

The classic definition of product marketing includes the issues of product, price, promotion, and sales channel (place). The concept of product marketing holds true whether your company is a “product” or a “service” company. In the case of a service company, your “product” is the service provided.

To succeed, these product marketing issues (product, price, promotion, and place) must be handled so they are effective from the customer’s point of view. In the beginning, these issues are usually a key part of the founder’s vision. When the company succeeds, they often become too complex . . . and too important . . . to be handled part-time, by the chief executive.

Product marketing works over two different frameworks, each important, and fundamentally very different. These two areas are strategic and tactical.

Strategic Marketing

Strategic product marketing is the future component of the marketing problem. Strategic issues include:

• What business is your company in?
• What business should you be in?
• What products or services should be designed and offered?
• What technical capabilities need to be developed within the company or acquired from outside the company?

Other related strategic issues include:

• Marketing channel strategies (How do you reach your customers, then sell and deliver the goods?)
• Competitive positioning (What sets your company apart in the minds of your customers?)
• A complete understanding of, and ability to communicate to customers, What they can buy from your company that they cannot buy from any other company.

The strategic role requires a person who is a generalist, with a broad view of the market, the industry, and the company. This is the role most usually maintained by the founder/CEO. Portions of this strategic function may be provided by a senior marketing manager or by outside consultants.

Tactical Marketing

Tactical product marketing deals with issues that relate to the success of current products or services. These include:

• New products or services introductions
• Promotion of existing products
• Development of marketing programs and literature that are effective in reaching the customer
• Communicating the unique position that separates your company from your competitors
• Ensuring that the sales channels are being used effectively to reach customers

The development of tactical plans is a product marketing function. The execution of some of these tactical items may be accomplished by marketing services, as described next.

The tactical role requires a person with the desire and skills to “get it done.” Both tactical and strategic roles require great communications skills, and the ability to deal successfully with a wide range of peo-ple, both inside and outside your company.

What Are Marketing Services?

Marketing Services executes tactical marketing programs. This may include sales contests, public relations, advertising, trade shows, dealer programs, direct mail campaigns, etc. This function manages or provides the creative, and produces items such as brochures, advertisements, press releases, trade shows, etc.

There is obviously an overlap between tactical marketing and marketing services in the area of defining and planning these programs. A senior, experienced, marketing services professional may be able to perform some of the functions of tactical marketing. Unfortunately, many times we place an excellent marketing services person in a position which really is tactical marketing . . . and the results are not satisfactory.

Marketing Services’ function is to create and manage the tools, support materials, and collateral that tactical marketing has determined necessary to effectively implement the programs designed to achieve the strategy.

Skilled marketing services professionals have excellent input regarding these tools and materials to assure effective results. Asking them to perform the tactical product marketing function is quite another thing!

What Do Marketing Problems Look Like?

Sometimes it’s easy to see a marketing problem. One example of this is a stalled product.

You’ve spent many months developing a new product and feel sure of its merits in the marketplace. You’ve introduced the product, but it seems to be going nowhere. What do you need to do to take advantage of your investment and ensure the success of the new product (and perhaps your company)?

• Should you lower the price?
• Should you raise the price?
• Do you need to spend money on advertising?
• Do you need to kick off a public relations campaign?
• Do you need new sales channels, or do you need a program to “kick start” your existing channels?

Obviously some of these issues are tactical product marketing. Some may involve marketing services, or the problem may be fundamentally strategic.

Possibly, you have an unneeded or unwanted product or service. Maybe you have not fully determined what the differences are your product or service provides which are valuable to potential customers.

Another example of a potential marketing challenge is an important new product introduction.

• How do you ensure that you get the best press coverage?
• Should you introduce the product at a trade show? Or with a press conference? Or with a press tour?
• What literature and sales tools will you need?
• Does this new product (or service) fit your existing sales channel?
• What is the competitive environment in which this product will be introduced?
• How should the product be priced and positioned to take maximum advantage of the competitive situation
• What do your prospective customers think of the new product?

Again, some of these problems are tactical and some are Marketing Services. Executing an effective new product launch by relegating the planning and execution to Marketing Services, or worse, to your advertising agency, is a mistake. Given that 90% of new product introductions fail to achieve their sales goals, perhaps it’s time to consider that the execution may not be the problem. Perhaps there was never a viable plan.

Sometimes it’s more difficult to recognize the problem as belonging to marketing. It can still clearly be rooted there however. An example of this is the conflict between sales and the factory. Often the conflict looks like this:

The salespeople are frustrated. They see opportunity they can’t turn into business, and they blame the factory for not listening to them, and for being unresponsive.

The sales person says, “Why don’t they hear what I am telling them?” The factory staff in this case is often frustrated with field sales. “Why can’t they just sell what we have?”, is a common question from the factory.

Are the salespeople just complaining, so you should disregard them? Are the factory people being too “hardheaded?” Or is it possible that a marketing job, clearly defining the position of the product and communication of this to sales, has not been done?

If sales does not know the positioning, you will be getting inconsistent results and information from them. Has this happened to you?

Some marketing problems are easier to identify. You have an idea for a wonderful new product. But,

• What features should it have?
• What is the importance to your customers of each feature?
• Is there something else even more important about which you are unaware?
• How do you tell the story of the product so that you can get your sales people excited, and your customers to buy?

To answer these questions, what do you do? Do you conduct a focus group? Or a user survey? By phone, or letter, or face-to-face interviews? Or just design it, release it, and hope you were right?

The bottomline is that all of the above scenarios describe marketing problems which can be solved with the right marketing talent. Whether that expertise is full-time or a part-time, on-staff or from outside services are trade-offs you make to get the best solution your budget can afford.

Final Thoughts

The key to marketing is to see your company as you are seen by your customers. If you’re satisfied with your company’s results and feel that the future of your company is secure, then you may have all the marketing you need.

If you feel better results are needed, that you should be selling more, or your profits should be higher, or you should be doing a better job of satisfying your customers . . . then you should seriously consider adding marketing talent to your team.

(c) 1991, 2002 Customer Manufacturing Group

About The Author

Mitchell Goozé is the president and founder of Customer Manufacturing Group. For a free subscription to Customer Manufacturing Updates, e-mail us at info@customermfg.com, call (800) 947-0140 or visit the company website at http://www.customermanufacturing.com.

When were the forms of media created? When did advertising first show up? Who owns the media?

Creation of the various forms of media

*

Newspapers & Magazines ~ 1880

*

Movies ~ 1910

*

Television ~ 1945

*

Cable Television ~ 1980′s

*

Satellite Television, Internet, Digital Communication ~ End of the 20th century

In 1920, radio was first developed, primarily for use by the military, strictly for sendingHistory of the Media – Old Radios messages from one location to another. David Sternoff, the then-president of RCA, first had the idea to sell radio sets to consumers, or what were then called radio receivers. However, consumers needed a reason to buy radios, so RCA was the first to set up radio stations all over the country. Between 1920 and 1922, 400 radio stations were set up, starting with KBKA in Pittsburgh. Stations were also set up by universities, newspapers, police departments, hotels, and labor unions.

*

By 1923, there were 600 radio stations across the United States, and $83 million worth of sets had been sold.

The biggest difference in radio before and after 1923 was that the first advertising was not heard on the radio until 1923. RCA at the time was made up of four companies:

*

AT&T

*

General Electric

*

United Fruit

*

Westinghouse

United Fruit was one of the first global corporations, and one of the first to advertise on the radio. The AT&T division of RCA first thought about selling time on the air to companies, which marked the start of “toll broadcasting.” WEAF was the first station to operate this way, causing widespread outrage, and accusation of “polluting the airwaves.”

Because of this controversy, the practice of selling advertising time was called “trade name publicity.” Sponsors linked their name with a program on the air, rather than advertising a specific product in a 30 second “commercial” as we know it today.

Why did AT&T decide to experiment with charging companies for air time?

AT&T was not making any money from broadcasting at the time since they only made transmitters, not receivers. They only made money when new radio stations bought the equipment required to broadcast. They did not make money from consumers buying radios.

AT&T also started the practice of paying performers for their time on the air, rather than only volunteers, which was standard practice for radio content up until that point.

The first radio network

In 1926, RCA set up the first radio network, NBC. They decided it was more effective and efficient to produce shows in New York City, and then link the main radio station with stations all across the country, connected by AT&T (another RCA company) phone lines. (Now television networks are linked by satellite to their affiliates).

This was the beginning of the network affiliates system. The ideal network makes sure everyone in the country is capable of listening to their signal. NBC at the time had two philosophies:

*

Radio content was a “public service,” whose function was to sell radios.

*

Radio content was designed to generate income from advertising.

History of the Media In 1927, the second network was formed. It was CBS, started by William Paley. Paley was the first to think that networks could make money strictly from advertising, not even getting involved in the sales of radios. Like AT&T, CBS did not make radios. From the start, they made their money from selling advertising.

The rising of radio networks caused the Radio Act of 1927 to be passed, which established the FRC, or what is now known as the FCC, to allocate broadcast licenses. The need for such an organization was brought on by the fact that airwaves are limited resources, and broadcasting itself is a scarce public resource. By the 1930′s, the structure of radio have been set by the commercial format, although advertising never dominated radio like it would television later on.

In the 1920′s and ’30′s, radio programs were divided into two groups. Sponsored shows, which had advertisers, and unsponsored shows, which did not. The radio station paid for the unsponsored shows. The sponsored shows, on the other hand, were created entirely by the company sponsoring the show; advertisers were totally in charge of the radio station’s content. The content became advertising. Radio set the precedent for television, in that the same companies that controlled radio early on went on to control television.

Soon thereafter, television inherited the structure of radio. In the ’40′s, during the rise of television, RCA also held a monopoly on all television sets sold. By 1945-1955, advertising had taken over all of television. Television was organized around the premise of selling things. The entire television industry was creating a political atmosphere of suspicion and fear. Senator Joseph McCarthy, the founder of McCarthyism, which was based on the fear of Communism, and the HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee, began to question people involved in television about their beliefs and associations.

What affected television in its early stages?

*

Politics (McCarthyism / HUAC).

*

Blacklists: From almost the inception of television, many writers, directors, and actors were considered to be pro-Communist and/or un-American.

Certain topics were totally off-limits at the time for television, particularly issues of race relations in the 1960′s. Overall, networks were not happy with the political situation for television in the 1960′s, both in terms of the blacklists, and of the fact that when every show had one sponsor, that sponsor controlled the entire program. Networks preferred to control the program, by way of moving to multiple sponsors/advertisers, where networks would retain control of the show, and advertisers would buy time in between the programming.

In the 1950′s, networks decided to eliminate the practice of sponsors controlling the shows with a move to spot selling, or advertisements between programs, as we know it today. What caused the move to spot selling?

1.

Discovery of fraud in the quiz shows on television. Quiz shows were extremely popular at the time, and were liked by the networks, the sponsors, and the viewers alike. It turned out, however, that quiz shows were largely fixed. Charles Van Doren on “21″ became a huge star due to his repeated wins, until it came out that the whole thing had been fixed. In the case of “The $64,000 Question,” the owner of Revlon was personally hand-selecting the winners and losers on the show.

2.

It was becoming financially difficult for just one advertiser to support an entire show.

Around this same time came the inception of ratings to measure a show’s popularity. Ratings, quite simply, measure the number of people watching a show. To understand why ratings are so important, it’s crucial to understand how the television industry works, through three questions, and their respective answers:

1.

Who owns television? [The networks]

2.

What is sold on television? [Viewer's time, not television shows]

3.

Who are the customers of television? [Advertisers, not viewers]

This might be a counterintuitive concept for some. The networks, which own television, areHistory of the Media – Old Television the buyers of shows, not the sellers. On the other hand, they sell our eyeballs, so to speak, to advertisers. Networks want the maximum possible profit from buying and selling time, both viewers’ time, and advertisers’ time.

The primary measure of television ratings, which determine the price of that time being bought and sold, is AC Nielsen, an independent company which provides information as to who watches what on television. Currently, about 4,000 households are used to represent the national viewing of television. In the 1980′s, only 1,200 households were used. Some households have an electronic device installed on their television which tracks what they watch, while others keep a diary of viewing habits.

There are two measures for determining a show’s audience. One is the rating, and the other is the share.

*

Rating: Percentage of total homes with televisions tuned into a particular show.

*

Share: Percentage of those watching television at a particular time who are tuned into a particular show.

The share is always greater than the rating. Ratings are more important for advertisers, and share is more important to the networks.

Example:

*

Total households with televisions: 150 million

*

Total households watching television at 8pm on Monday nights: 90 million

*

Total households watching American Idol at 8pm on Monday nights: 45 million

*

Therefore: Rating: 30, Share: 50

It’s important to note how many factors can skew the results. Shows cost producers much more than the networks typically pay them for those shows. The way for producers to make money is by getting the networks to renew the show, in order to have a shot at making money from syndication on other channels, also knows as reruns. That is the case when individual stations (say for example, the Miami affiliate of ABC wants to carry Seinfeld), buy the rights to a show from the producers of that show. Shows that last only one season, for the most part, lose millions of dollars. One of the most important factors in whether shows will be renewed or not is their rating.

This brings us to how ratings can be skewed. For example, if a show has a 20 share, and it needs a 25 share to be renewed for another season, what might the producers do? In principle, they need to convince another 5% of the people watching television when their show is on to watch their show; this is no simple task, as that involves convincing millions of people. However, since the ratings are based on those 4,000 Nielsen households, that means that they could convince just 200 Nielsen households to watch their show, which would increase the share from 20 to 25. This is why Nielsen households must be kept totally secret from the networks. When the Nielsen households have leaked to the networks, one way which they got people to watch their show was by offering viewers a small sum of money for filling out a survey about a commercial which they were told would play only during a particular show. Since they had to watch that channel while their show was on, this would boost the share.

Once ratings are determined, advertising prices are set by two factors:

* The size of the audience.

* The demographics (income, age, gender, occupation, etc) of the audience.

In short, the job of television programs is to collect our time as a product, which they then sell to advertisers. Programs have to support the advertising, delivering viewers in the best possible state of mind for buying when the time for the commercials comes, which brings us to the Golden Age of Television.

The 1950′s are considered the “Golden Age of Television.” During this time, something called the “Anthology Series,” where different actors each week took part in a show gained History of the Media – I Love Lucypopularity across the board…that is, with everyone except for advertisers. The anthology series format was not right for advertisers, as it covered topics which involved psychological confrontations which did not leave the viewers in the proper state of mind for buying the products shown to them between program segments. The subject matter of the anthology series was of the type that undermined the ads, almost making them seem fraudulent.

This brought up the question of what to network executives actually want shows to do? The answer is not to watch a program that makes them feel good, makes them laugh, or excites them, but rather to watch the television for a set amount of time. With so many new shows being proposed, standards began to be intentionally, or unintentionally, laid out for what shows could and couldn’t do. Risks could only be taken at the beginning and/or end of shows. Laugh tracks were conceived to tell the audience when to laugh. Programs began being tested with audiences prior to being put on television and/or radio. Show writers now had to write shows that would test well.

Naturally, this caused many of the same elements and themes to appear in all shows. This was the beginning of recombinant television culture, where the same elements are endlessly repeated, recombined, and mixed.

This same culture is what perpetuated the idea that people watch television, not specific shows. While people certainly choose to watch certain shows instead of others, people less commonly choose to watch television instead of other things. People watch television. Regardless of what was on, television viewing rates were extremely stable.

David Pakman is editor/adminstrator of politics and media website Hear the Issues ([http://www.heartheissues.com]), a website frequented and praised by many mainstream journalist and pundits.

Car importers know that car auctions in Japan are a great place to find low mileage, high quality used cars at good prices. My aim in this article is to help you understand these car auctions in Japan better so that you can make a good, informed decision about whether to buy from them or not, and how the whole process works.

Why consider buying from Japanese car auctions?

This is a good place to start. After all, right now where you sit reading this article is probably many thousands of miles away from Japan. So why would you want to import cars from a country so far away?

There are two excellent reasons to consider buying cars from used car auctions in Japan.

First of all, the selection is immense and you can view all these cars remotely online. Auto auctions outside Japan may typically have a few hundred used vehicles, but only the tiniest auction in Japan would have such a pitiful selection.

In terms of individual auction locations, we are usually talking about over 1,000 cars per location, and sometimes over 10,000 cars (in the case of USS Tokyo) all in one place and being auctioned there weekly. Put all these individual car auctions together on the Internet, and over 30,000 on a single day is really not at all unusual.

So there is a huge breadth of choice. But that is not all. There is also a great depth of quality. The fact is that Japanese people just do not drive as much as people in other countries. An excellent public transport system and high levels of neighborhood walkability, in addition to the simple fact that urban driving speeds in Japan are incredibly low, all works together to keep people from using their cars very much.

Then on top of this the Japanese are fastidious in caring for their vehicles and yet it does not take long before the car they have seems old to them and they want a new one.

So, cars that are low mileage and well maintained are a dime a dozen. But the ironic thing is that the Japanese themselves are really not into secondhand items, so they don’t really want these used cars for themselves.

You can see where this is going: The car auctions in Japan have a great selection of great condition, low kilometer cars, but the Japanese people are really not that interested in buying them, so prices are relatively low and there is all the more opportunity for buyers from outside Japan to compete.

Car auction groups and locations in Japan

In Japan individual auctions are rare. They are usually part of a larger auction group. Here are just some of the more prominent groups:

• USS
• TAA (Toyota)
• Honda
• JU
• JAA
• CAA

USS Tokyo is the largest single used car auction location in Japan. This car auction runs once a week on Thursdays, and at peak season can have up to 20,000 vehicles all being auctioned on one day.

One auction group that does not have multiple auction locations (called kaijo in Japanese) is Aucnet, who hold their auctions on Mondays. Their model is a little different in that they do not have a physical auction house where all the cars are gathered.

Instead, they send out inspectors to car dealers who then keep their cars on their lots until they are sold. Since these dealers are still hoping to sell to a regular consumer at retail price, their reserve price at auction is often a little high compared with what a similar car might fetch at a regular auction.

How can you access the car auctions in Japan?

So far, so good. But wait a minute: How on earth are you going to be able to get a car from some used car auction way over there in Japan? You don’t know anyone there. You don’t speak Japanese. Even if you could buy the car, how would you ship it?

You need a Japanese car exporter to help you with this one.

Car exporters in Japan are set up to handle the process of bidding at the Japanese car auctions, transporting the car from the auction to the port, doing the paperwork and shipping the car over to you.

There are many car exporters shipping used vehicles from Japan, so this then begs the question of how you find yourself a good one. After all, we are not talking about trivial sums of money here, so it is vital you find one who is going to do a good job for you.

Here are some things to look for:

• How many auctions can you buy from, and can you access them all from one place online?
• Can you deal with a native English speaker who is also fluent in Japanese? (Nothing is more stressful than trying to overcome language barriers.)
• Does this exporter offer professional translations of the car auction inspector’s reports and help you really understand the condition of the cars in the auction?
• Does the exporter in Japan have good communication skills, keeping you in the loop about what is happening with your vehicles so you don’t worry?
• Does the exporter work hard to ensure your cars get to you from the car auction in Japan as quickly as possible?

Who will bid for you at these car auctions in Japan?

In order to buy from a car auction in Japan, the first thing you need is to be a member of that auction.

This usually entails being a registered business in Japan as well as having property as collateral and having a guarantor. This precludes regular consumers accessing these car auctions directly, so they tend to be a place where Japanese car dealers and Japanese car exporters buy at wholesale prices.

Japanese car exporters are usually registered Japanese companies and therefore have access to the car auctions in Japan.

Japanese car auction vehicle inspections

Car auctions in Japan have a strict inspection regime. Obviously the quality of the inspection can vary a little between auction houses since they are independent companies, but in general the grading system they use is very similar and easy to understand.

The cars and other vehicles are registered for the following week’s auction, after which they are inspected by inspectors who are qualified mechanics.

Now, it is important to bear in mind that these inspections are very thorough, but they do not involve any dismantling of the vehicle, nor do they involve test-driving it. They will often pick up mechanical issues very well, although problems which would only come to light if the vehicle is driven at anything more than the kind of speed you would expect in a parking lot can be missed. This is no fault of the inspectors, just a limitation of an inspection that does not involve a road test.

The inspector writes his report on an auction sheet. He gives the car an overall grading as well as a grading of the interior quality. He also writes details of issues that he has found. Some comments he writes in Japanese, and then issues like scratches and dents that relate to the car’s exterior condition, he writes on the “car map” – a diagram of the exterior of the car.

Remember you should not need to just rely on the overall grading when buying from Japanese car auctions: A good car exporter should give you detailed translations and help you understand what the Japanese car auction inspector has written on his report.

How does bidding work in these car auctions in Japan?

As we have noted above, only members of these auto auctions can actually bid. They do so in two ways: Either at the auction location (kaijo) itself, or online from anywhere.

The computer bidding system is the same whether bidding at the auction house on one of their machines or remotely online.

Bidding is very fast. Generally a car will be sold in anything from 10 to 45 seconds or so. The actual process may just look like pressing a button in a video game, but there is a real art to doing it right to avoid paying too much for a car – or equally letting it get away by holding back too much.

Sometimes cars will fail to meet their reserve price and bidding is stopped. It is then possible to make offers to the seller under the auspices of the car auction. Fewer cars sell in negotiation like this than are sold in live bidding. A good Japanese car exporter will handle the process of live bidding and negotiation seamlessly to get the best deals for his customers.

What happens after the car is won at auction?

After a car is bought at a Japanese car auction, the first thing that happens is that it is moved by car transporter to the port. Once at the port, the car waits to be loaded onto a RORO ship, or waits to be loaded into a container.

While the car is in transit from the auction, the car exporter will immediately start looking for bookings on the earliest ship, as well as doing paperwork to de-register the car and pass it through Japan-side customs.

Once on a ship, the car will take anything from a few days to over a month to reach its destination. This is mainly dependent on the distance of the destination country from Japan.

The car exporter will send the end customer the Bill of Lading, invoices, the de-registration document and any other documents that the customer requires for importing the car into his or her country. These import regulations vary from country to country so it is vital to check them before buying anything.

Conclusion

Car auctions in Japan can be a great place for car dealers and car importers around the world to find really good quality used vehicles at lower prices than they would expect to be able to find locally. The huge numbers of used cars in the Japanese car auctions that can be viewed online is another great plus.

The key to doing this successfully is to find a top-notch Japanese car exporter who both can communicate well, and also steer you safely through the process of buying from the car auctions in Japan.

If you enjoyed this article and would like to learn more, I have a huge amount of in-depth articles and videos covering every aspect of buying from the car auctions in Japan, including details about Japanese car auction inspections on my company website.

About the Expert Author

Stephen Munday has 12 years experience living and working in Japan, including 5 years buying from car auctions in Japan for customers around the world. His company, Integrity Exports, was set up with the goal of making buying from Japanese car auctions a stress-free and smooth experience.

This article is (c) Stephen Munday 2011. Permission is only given to reproduce this article in full with the URLs correctly hyperlinked and with the authorship and copyright correctly attributed.

This article describes where to look, what to look for, and how to choose day-hiking boots. Knowing where to look and what to look for, you can be sure to get the high-quality hiking boots you need without paying extra for features you don’t need.

Day-hiking boots range anywhere from $40.00 to $150.00. The high end of that range is beginning to cross into backpacking boots, but anything below that range is either an exceptionally good deal or an imitation hiking boot that will disappoint you badly.

So, let’s talk about the kinds of places to shop for hiking boots, features to look for, pitfalls to avoid, and techniques to make sure you have the right fit.

Where to Shop for Hiking Boots

If you have never done any serious hiking, you will want to buy your first serious hiking boots in a hands-on experience. I’m being honest here (habit of mine). Yes, it is in my interest to persuade you to buy your hiking boots through my Web site, but I won’t do that if it is not appropriate for you. Even aside from ethical considerations, it would be bad business for me to create a lot of dissatisfied customers telling their friends about their bad experience. No, I’m just being honest. I don’t want to take your money and leave you unhappy. Buy your first pair of hiking boots at a brick-and-mortar store where you can handle the boots and try them for proper fit. Then, when you have enough experience to know what you want in your second pair of hiking boots (or third, or …), you can take advantage of the lower prices available on the Web.

When shopping for hiking boots, look for an outdoor equipment store rather than a shoe store. The sales clerks in a general shoe store are not likely to know the difference between real hiking boots and fashion imitations of hiking boots. You might pay more money at an outdoor equipment store, but you will realize the savings out on the trail.

Once you’re in the store, ask about some of the things you read in this article. If the sales clerk doesn’t know what a scree collar is or why soft outer soles are better than hard, look for another sales clerk, or another store.

If you are ready to buy your hiking boots on the Web, you can take advantage of the best of both worlds. You can buy from a high-volume store that has the best prices, but first get your advice, recommendations, and reviews from affiliated Web sites that specialize in hiking equipment.

Wherever you choose to buy your hiking boots, make sure there is a reliable, knowledgeable person in the loop somewhere. If the sales clerk or Web site seems too eager about making the sale and not interested enough in discussing and comparing features, you should look somewhere else before you make a final decision.

Especially when you are shopping the Web sites, you may need to pay attention to brands. Certain brands have a well-deserved reputation for good quality, and you should not ignore that. On the other hand, some brands have an overblown reputation that often has more to do with fashion than with genuine quality. The only way to know the difference, and to find the quality you need without paying for fashion that you don’t care about, is to talk to those who know the difference and to read reviews from people who have actually used the hiking boots in the field.

Features to Look For in Day-Hiking Boots

Here is what you need to look for:

* Deep tread in a soft sole for traction.

* Appropriate height (just above the ankle).

* Soft, wide, thick scree collar (the padding around the top that keeps pebbles out without chafing your Achilles tendon).

* Fiberglass shank. Steel is okay, but fiberglass is better in day-hiking boots because it’s lighter. Full-length is preferred, but shorter shanks may be acceptable if you are planning more moderate hiking.

* Tongue attached at least up to the top of the foot, or higher if you plan on crossing streams frequently.

* Crampon attachments (good, but not essential, unless you do a lot of hiking in icy conditions).

* Hooks for the laces above the top of the foot.

* Choose eyelets, D-rings, or webbing for the lower lace attachment points as a matter of personal taste. My experience does not indicate any one to be better than the others for day-hiking boots.

* Good insulation and padding all around, firm on the bottom, with a tough but smooth lining.

* Double stitching on all visible seams.

* More leather and less fabric is better. Split leather is fine (and you’ll almost never find full-grain leather in a day-hiking boot), but not full suede.

* Fewer seams is better.

Most of these features are self-evident, but here are a few techniques for evaluating specific features.

* Tread should be at least two fifths of the total thickness of the sole.

* Measure the softness of the tread surface by pressing your thumbnail into it. You should be able to make a visible indentation that springs out in a second or so.

* Measure the stiffness of the shank by holding the heel in one hand and the toe in the other, and twisting the sole. You should not be able to twist it at all.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid in Hiking Boots

The biggest problem you’re likely to find in shopping for day-hiking boots is cheaply-made “imitation” hiking boots. They look like hiking boots, but they’re not built to stand up to trail conditions. They will not last long, and they will not give you the traction and water resistance you need.

You can tell an “imitation” hiking boot from the real thing by these characteristics:

* Mild tread, less than about two-fifths the thickness of the sole.

* Hard tread surface that you can barely indent with your fingernail.

* Non-attached tongue.

* Non-rigid sole that you can twist by hand.

* No scree collar. There may be patches of leather or a different color of fabric that look like a scree collar, but if it doesn’t have thick, soft padding around the top, it’s not a real hiking boot. It won’t keep the pebbles out, and it might chafe or constrict your Achilles tendon.

Fitting your Hiking Boots

You must fit your hiking boots with any orthopedic inserts, off-the-shelf insoles, and the hiking socks you intend to wear with them. A good rule of thumb is to start with one full size larger than your regular street shoes.

With all the inserts and insoles in place and your hiking socks on, but with no laces in the boot, put the boot on and push your foot all the way forward until your toes touch the front. You should have just enough room behind the heel to slide your finger all the way in.

Next, lace the boot up snugly and walk around. The boots will be stiff and uncomfortable because they’re not broken in, but they should not allow your foot to slide or rub.

Stand on a steep slope with your toes pointing down. (Use the fitting horse where you’re supposed to put your foot to lace the shoe while sitting. Go ahead and stand on it.) You should be able to wiggle your toes, and they should not touch the front of the boots.

If you bought the boots via the Web, do this fit-test as soon as you get them. Even if you think you know your size, boots from different manufacturers might fit differently. Check the size and fit immediately, and return them for a replacement if they don’t fit right.

Conclusion

If you are looking for your first pair of serious hiking boots, you must do your shopping in an outdoor equipment store where you can handle the boots and talk to knowledgeable sales staff. Only if you have some experience with day-hiking boots, take advantage of the bargains available on the Web.

Check for the features that identify a quality hiking boot, and avoid “fake” hiking boots.

Bring all the inserts and socks you will wear with your hiking boots, and check for a firm but comfortable fit with no rubbing or sliding.

Look for quality, and expect to pay for it, but don’t pay more than you have to for features that don’t contribute to the durability and comfort of your hiking boots.

Chuck Bonner is a lifelong hiker and amateur naturalist, and webmaster of http://www.HikingWithChuck.com For more information about hiking boots and other hiking equipment based on many years on the trail, visit [http://www.hikingwithchuck.com/Gear/HikingGear.htm]

Has a new puppy recently become a member of your family? Puppies are born with instincts, but not with the knowledge of how to behave. Therefore, it is necessary to teach your new puppy appropriate behaviors and also some fun tricks. You can try to do this yourself or you can enlist the help of a dog school.

There are many different types of dog schools available. What dog school would be the best for your dog? Things to consider when searching for a dog school include: the age of your dog, the breed, the personality, and what it is that you want your dog to learn.

Let’s focus first on what you want your dog to learn. Do wish to have your dog learn basic obedience commands such as “sit” and “stay”? Do you want to learn practice drills you can do with your dog at home such as keeping them from begging for food at the dinner table? Then local dog schools will best meet your needs.

Local dog schools can be found at community colleges, city recreation centers, through pet stores, and even through private dog schools. You can opt to take a group class with up to twenty other dogs. These types of dog schools are often less expensive and meet in a local park. They meet once or twice week for a few weeks. You can have fun teaching your dog new commands as well as let them socialize with fellow dogs.

Local dog schools can offer more advanced dog training classes as well. Perhaps your dog has mastered the basic commands and you want to teach them how to hold a piece of food on their nose for a specified amount of time and then flip it into their mouth. You can find dog schools that have fun, exciting advanced classes where you and your dog can bond.

You may consider having your dog compete in dog shows. Maybe you purchased your dog from an established breeder that has determined your dog has champion DNA in their pedigree. If so then you should look into more in depth dog schools that are focused specifically and dog handling/showing. You can find these through breeders and the American Kennel Club. You can search for dog training materials and resources on the American Kennel Club website at:

http://akc.org/

On a different note, maybe you want your dog to become a service dog or guide dog for the blind. Dogs that perform these jobs have to go to specific guide dog training schools. These special dog schools are necessary because there are very detailed requirements and commands that a guide dog must learn. These types of dog schools will also provide the support, knowledge, and training necessary to make your dog a successful guide dog.

There are many guide and service dog schools around the world to train your dog. You can find these schools through your breeder, groomer, and veterinarian. You can also find information about these dog schools through the Internet. A comprehensive listing is available by Wolf Packs – List of Service Dog Schools and Information. You can find this on their website at: http://wolfpacks.com/serviced.htm/

Once you have determined what you want your dog to learn then you can narrow down your search of dog schools by taking into account your dog’s age, personality, and breed. Do you have a young puppy that is large like a Great Dane? Or do you have tiny new Bichon Frise that weighs in at only 4 pounds? Find out the type of dogs that are allowed into the dog training class.

Will the dog training class be filled with many large dogs that might scare your little Bichon Frise? Or are there dog classes available that are separated by age and weight? It is a good idea to be aware of this information before you sign your dog up for classes. You want to provide them the best experience possible and not have them cower when it is time to head to dog class each week.

Another consideration when choosing between dog schools is the amount of one-on-one attention. Is your dog very active and can’t sit still during group training sessions? Many dog schools offer private classes. Sometimes the dog trainer will even come to your home to give you and your pooch lessons.

Picking among dog schools is also reliant upon the price and schedule flexibility of the classes. Run a price and schedule comparison on dog schools in your area. This will help you to discover a dog school that fits your schedule, your dog’s personality, and meets your budget.

Choosing between dog schools is an important decision that will set your dog on the path to obedience success. Take your time and choose wisely so that both you and your canine buddy have a memorable, enjoyable dog training experience.

Visit the dog [http://www.dog-breeds-infosite.com] website to research dog breeds & get free tips on dog training, dog health, dog grooming & how to find dog sitters & dog walkers.

What is health Insurance

The main reason why you need an affordable health insurance is to help you plan ahead in case of unexpected costly emergencies. The only way you can accomplish this is to compare prices from most leading insurance companies and also choosing a health insurance plan that best suits you. Back in the days, getting a cheap health insurance plan was simply unaffordable. But these days, individuals, small groups, families and students can choose a health insurance plan that is best for them, e.g. like acquiring a help insurance plan that ensures that an individual suffering from any previous medical condition is not excluded.

Private health insurance plan is totally an unrestricted open market, so those who do not yet have a health insurance plan should consider taking out a plan. For those who are seeking good medical health insurance program, having one is possible through the help of specific companies which specializes in providing health care insurance for individuals and also meeting their requirements and also staying within your budget.

Also for individuals who do not want to use a company, then they can use the internet. One major way Americans get health insurance coverage is mostly through their employers. Many employers them receive health insurance coverage for their workers for a limited time thus enabling them receive health insurance coverage. The internet provides an option for a cheaper health insurance. There are lots of companies that provide all types of health insurance plans, making it possible for you and your family to have a specific reasonable and affordable health care insurance plan. Finding out what kind of reputation the company has and how long the company has been in business is a smart idea.

Having a kind of ideal they have for you is advisable also making sure they have been licensed in your state, because it is of no use getting an insurance with a form which has no license and cant get the exact health insurance you want, many agents will help work hard for you, so you could have an affordable health insurance plan which you and your family could live with without great cost. Everyone wants the best health insurance both for themselves and for their families, but only the best health care insurance can do this with low premiums and full coverage.

What are the advantages of health insurance?

Having the right and the best health care insurance is difficult. In order not to get confused, one needs to decide which the best is by doing his or her research thoroughly. The first step to take includes checking out the credentials and also their past performances of the very company you are considering. Just as on insurance outfits does a background check of individuals before accepting proposals, one should also review the financial status including the customer care services of the insurer, by so doing; you stand the chance to know which health insurance company’s best for you. One major way for you to get ratings of these agencies such as A.M best or Moody’s is by using the better business bureau. Many employers use the health insurance scheme to either attract or even retain their quality employers. The health insurance coverage might be a personal scheme or a group scheme organized and sponsored by the employers for employers who work between 20-29 hours per week.

Companies also do not add cost of fringe benefits alongside health insurance, to the price of their product and service. Over the past decades, the cost of health insurance has increased tremendously, surpassing the general rate of inflation in most past years.

The different types of health insurance includes individual health insurance, affordable employee health insurance which is also known as group health insurance, affordable family health insurance, affordable business health insurance etc, your monthly insurance is determined by certain numerous different things. For instance, most premiums based on or according to your age. So your health insurance rates changes accordingly with the type of health policy you have. If your health insurance is basically for yourselves or your entire family, the procedures must surely have an impact on any quote you are young or advanced in age, self employed receiving health insurance companies will adjust your premium based upon your age and this will also affect the cost of your health insurance.

What are the Disadvantages of health insurance?

Since unforeseen occurrences may occur any time, one will never know when an accident is likely to happen, be it the need to be admitted in the hospital for stitches or a broken bone, you may be in the position to receive help quickly without the worry of receiving a huge bill, unlike when you don’t have a health insurance your credit rating beers all the cost. But you can prevent all this problems from happening and also protecting your credits for your future health financially. Increasing the amount of your health insurance deduction is another way in which you can help make sure your insurance rates are lowered. This higher monthly premium is necessary for anyone who has an existing health problem that requires an extensive medical treatment getting variety of quotes from insurance companies which meets for your health and budgets standards, is a wise decision when selection an health insurance. Searching can be done online and this will have saved you money as well.

Many people feel that they are healthy enough, so they don’t need health insurance because they have never had any major medical problems but one thing to note against the possible health insurance is the protection against the possible health problem that may happen in future. It might happen to you in particular or any member of your family, so why not plan on having an affordable health insurance plan today.

Kingsley Duru has an BSc (Banking & finance). Insuranceavenue.info offers our visitors the best of Insurance articles, review and endeavors to find the best possible deals for our customers. To find travel insurance [http://www.insuranceavenue.info], long term care insurance, business insurance visit Insurance Avenue [http://www.insuranceavenue.info].

Analog television (or analogue television) encodes television and transports the picture and sound information as an analog signal, that is, by varying the amplitude and/or frequencies of the broadcast signal. Analog television, like all other motion picture systems, exploits the properties of the human eye to create the illusion of moving images. Analog television service is the traditional TV system. Analog television has been the standard broadcast technology since the inception of television using magnetic waves to transmit and display pictures and sound. Analog television has an aspect ratio of 4 by 3, which means the screen is 4 units wide by 3 units high.

HDTV

HDTV, the highest quality format, provides high resolution, a widescreen format, and surround sound. HDTV is a name given to two of the digital television (DTV) formats. HDTV programs can include Dolby Digital surround sound, the same digital sound system used in many movie theaters and DVDs. HDTV uses the same amount of bandwidth (the size of the communications channel) as the current analog system, but with HDTV, about six times more information is transmitted. HDTV is the highest quality of DTV, but it is only one of many formats. HDTV pictures are created by scanning up to twice as many lines. HDTV sets have wider, movie-theater like screens that more closely resemble human peripheral vision, making it more natural to watch. HDTV sets are “backward compatible,” meaning existing analog equipment (VCRs, DVD players, camcorders, video games, etc. HDTV is best viewed on a new high-definition television. HDTV uses a wider 16 by 9 aspect ratio, which delivers movies with less “edge cropping” and provides a more intense viewing experience. HDTV’s digital audio sounds better than a standard television’s analog sound, just like digital CDs are superior to analog radio.

Cable

Cable Television Networks are already being broadcasted in simulcast since 2004 and analogue cable services were switched-off in April 2007. Cable and satellite subscribers with analog TVs should contact their service providers about obtaining converter boxes for the DTV transition. Cable here faces minor but growing competition from satellite and more recently, television via high-speed Internet connections with the service known as IPTV. Cable operators must ensure that all local broadcast stations carried pursuant to this Act are ‘viewable’ by all cable subscribers,” explained Martin, in a statement.

Analog television was introduced in the Netherlands in 1951. Analog televisions will work until all analog broadcasting ceases. Analog televisions are now commonly referred to conventional televisions. Analog television sets will continue to receive analog broadcasts at least through 2006 and possibly longer. Analog Television signals, both broadcast and cable, as well as VHS, in most cases, will look worse on an HDTV than they do on a standard analog television. Analog television technology is around 60 years old but still produces good quality pictures. Analog televisions will no longer function unless they are connected to a cable or satellite supplier that continues to deliver analog. Analog television uses a series of wavelengths to represent picture elements.

Clint Thomas is a successful Webmaster and publisher of www.TvThroughTime.com [http://www.TvThroughTime.com]. He provides more information about televisions and television issues [http://www.TvThroughTime.com] that you can research in your pajamas on his website.

In my last blog post, I explained the 5 signs of the fear of cooking that many people suffer from in deciding that they would like to learn to cook. Because the kitchen plays a particularly important emotional role in many people’s lives, not knowing how to cook can have devastating effects. Some people that have come to me to learn to cook have told me stories that not only explain their fear of cooking but have made it almost impossible for them to learn how to cook.

One of the ways that fear of cooking is intensified is through smells. Your sense of smell has a powerful links to your memories. In fact, I’m sure that most of you have memories that come flooding into your mind when you smell cookies baking or a pot roast. I have strong memories when I smell the chlorine from a pool that remind me of swimming and snack bar hamburgers.

Memories are not always positive. For example, I had one woman that came to my cooking school and told me that she can’t cook. Later in the evening as she was learning how to cook (funny how well cooking by method works), she explained to me that as a child, every time she went into the kitchen, her mother would scream, “Get out of the kitchen. You’re going to mess everything up. You’re going to ruin things. This is not a place for children.” No wonder she had a fear of cooking!

Let’s look a little more deeply into the 10 ways that the fear of cooking may affect your life

1. Anxiety – this can come from the thought of the “impending” meal and not knowing what to cook or how to cook.
2. Depression - eating the same things over and over again can cause depression and place a person in a lull where they lose the desire to learn to cook.
3. Lethargy - most often this comes from eating foods that aren’t good for us. In particular, eating empty calories or fast food over and over again.
4. Embarrassment - are you the person that always brings napkins to the pot luck? Not knowing how to cook can cause embarrassment when you never bring a meal to gatherings.
5. Loneliness - eating home cooked meals has the potential to bring families together. Without home cooked meals, there may be a sense of loneliness because so much conversation and socializing occurs over a cooked meal.
6. Non-Reciprocation – Have you been invited to dinner by your friends multiple times and never returned the favor? This can cause a feeling of being a “deadbeat”.
7. Poor provider – Not knowing how to cook can lead to a lack of variety for your family and feeling guilty from not feeding your children healthy foods.
8. Taker/not giver – Always depending on your spouse or partner to cook for you can make you feel like a taker and never being able to give back to the cook in the family.
9. Spend-thrift - Do you have kitchen gadget that were gifts or purchased that you don’t know how to use? Do you have a multi-thousand dollar range that makes popcorn? This type of guilt can intensify the fear of cooking.
10. Money stress – When one has a fear of cooking and doesn’t learn how to cook, there is a tendency to spend more money on take-out foods which can cause anxiety around money and cooking

You don’t have to suffer these effects of the fear of cooking! These are exactly the types of feelings and thoughts that drive me to continue to help people to understand how easy it is to learn to cook using simple cooking method. Having an understanding of how foods go together without using a recipe can not only make the fear of cooking go away, but will enable you to cook anytime anywhere with confidence. You will not only know how to cook but will never suffer from the devastating effects of the fear of cooking again!

Chef Todd Mohr is a classically trained chef, entrepreneur, cooking educator and founder of WebCookingClasses. You CAN learn to cook without written recipes by taking his FREE cooking class that will change the way you think about cooking forever!

One of the biggest problems for most people is simply understanding the health insurance benefits that they have. For the most part, health insurance policies try to be user-friendly in their wording, but many people are just not familiar with medical and insurance terminology.

Most health insurance policies also provide something similar to a cheat sheet which gives the basic outline of policy coverage and covers the most common medical services. However, you need to be sure that you understand the different things that are excluded under your plan. Many health insurance plans provide limited benefits for services such as mental health, chiropractic services, and occupational health. Even physical therapy and home health care are often limited to a certain number of visits per year.

Co-payment or Co-pay

A co-payment is a pre-determined amount that you must pay a medical provider for a particular type of service. For example, you may be required to pay a $15 co-payment when you visit your doctor. In this instance, you must pay $15 to the doctor’s office at the time of the visit. Normally, you are not required to pay any additional fees — your health insurance company will pay the rest. However, in some cases, if your health insurance policy specifies it, you may be responsible for a co-payment and then a percentage of the remaining balance.

Deductible

A deductible is the amount of your medical expenses you must pay for before the health insurance company will begin to pay benefits. Most health insurance plans have a calendar-year deductible which means that in January of every new year the deductible requirement starts over again. So, if your calendar year deductible is $1500, as long as your medical expenses for the current year do not exceed $1500 the insurance company pays nothing for that year. Once January of the new year starts, you have to begin again to pay for $1500 of your own medical expenses.

Coinsurance

Coinsurance (or out-of-pocket expense) is the amount or percentage of each medical charge that you are required to pay. For example, you may have a $100 medical charge. Your health insurance company will pay 80% of the charge and you are responsible for the additional 20%. The 20% is your coinsurance amount.

Coinsurance accrues throughout the year. If you have a large number of medical charges in one year, you may meet the coinsurance maximum requirement for your policy. At that point, any covered charges will be paid at 100% for the remainder of the calendar year.

Stop loss or out-of-pocket expense limit

Sometimes you will hear the out-of-pocket expense limit referred to as your stop loss or coinsurance amount. Basically, this is the amount you will need to pay out of your own pocket per calendar year before the health insurance company pays everything at 100%.

You will need to check your policy because many policies that require co-payments do not allow these co-payments to go toward the out-of-pocket amount. For example, you may have reached your out-of-pocket maximum for the year, so if you are admitted to the hospital you may pay nothing. However, since you have to pay a $15 co-payment every time you visit the doctor, you will still have to make this co-payment.

Lifetime maximum benefit

This is the maximum amount that the health insurance company will pay toward your medical expenses for the lifetime of your policy. Generally, this amount is in the millions of dollars. Unless you have a very severe condition, you will not likely exhaust this amount.

Preferred Provider Organization

A Preferred Provider Organization (also known as a PPO) is a group of participating medical providers who have agreed to work with the health insurance company at a discounted rate. It’s a win-win situation for each side. The insurance company has to pay less money and the providers receive automatic referrals.

In most health insurance policies, you will see different benefit levels depending on whether you visit a participating or nonparticipating provider. A PPO plan provides more flexibility for the insured person because they can visit either a participating or nonparticipating provider. They just receive a better price if they use a participating one.

Health Maintenance Organization

A Health Maintenance Organization (also known as an HMO) is a health insurance plan which restricts you to only using specified medical providers. Generally, unless you are out of the area of their network, no benefits are payable if you go to a nonparticipating physician. Typically, you are required to select one main doctor who will be your Primary Care Physician (PCP). Any time you have a health problem, you must visit this doctor first. If they feel that you need it, they will refer you to another network provider. However, you cannot just decide on your own to visit a specialist; you must go through your PCP.

Medically necessary

You will see this term in all health insurance policies, and it is a frequent cause of denied claims. Most insurance companies will not cover any expenses that they do not consider medically necessary. Just because you and/or your doctor consider something medically necessary, your health insurance company may not. For this reason, you always need to verify that any costly procedures you are considering will be covered.

Routine treatment

Routine treatment is generally defined as preventive services. For example, a yearly physical examination that you have on a regular basis is generally considered to be routine. Many of the immunizations that children and adults receive fall under this classification. Some insurance companies provide limited coverage for routine treatment; others provide no benefits at all.

Pre-existing condition

A pre-existing condition is a condition that you acquired and/or received treatment for prior to the effective date of your current health insurance policy. Health insurance companies vary on how they treat pre-existing conditions. Some companies will not give you coverage at all if you have certain chronic pre-existing conditions. Others will give you coverage but will not provide any benefits for a period of time — usually from 12-24 months. Still, other health insurance companies will specifically exclude a pre-existing condition from a policy and will never provide any benefits for that condition.

Be sure that you are very clear on the pre-existing limitations of your policy so that you are not unpleasantly surprised when you visit your doctor.

Explanation of Benefits

This is the form that the health insurance company sends you after they complete the handling of your claim. It details the bill they received and how they processed it. It is commonly called an EOB.

Coordination of Benefits

If you are eligible for benefits under more than one health insurance plan, your various health insurance companies will need to coordinate benefits. This insures that no more than 100% of the total charge is paid. There are many variations on how this situation can occur. In general, the primary company makes their payment first. Then you file a copy of the charges with the secondary company along with a copy of the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from the primary company. The secondary company usually picks up the remainder of the bill.

Participating provider

A participating provider is a medical provider who has signed a contract with a health insurance company or health insurance network to charge pre-determined rates to patients who are in the network.

Nonparticipating provider

A nonparticipating provider is a medical provider who does not have a contract with a particular health insurance company or network. If you use a nonparticipating provider, you will generally pay a larger portion of the bill. In some cases, you may be responsible for the entire bill.

Limited benefit plans

These are not considered to be comprehensive medical insurance plans. Instead, they provide very specific, limited benefits for different types of services. For example, they may provide a flat rate for each day you stay in the hospital or pay a limited amount for each surgical procedure that you have.

Typically, they are marketed toward people who cannot afford or are unable to obtain more comprehensive coverage due to pre-existing health conditions. Or, they may be geared toward people who have high-deductible plans. The good thing about these plans is that they generally pay in addition to any other coverage you may have. Therefore, no coordination of benefits is required.

If this is your only coverage, be aware that you will usually have to pay a large portion of any bill as these limited plans do not usually pay large amounts per day. For example, it may actually cost you $1000 a day to stay in the hospital. If your limited benefit plan pays you $200 a day for each day you spend in the hospital, you will be personally responsible for the remaining $800 per day.

Medicare supplement plans

People who have Medicare often choose to purchase a Medicare supplement plan as Medicare does not usually cover medical charges in full. Medicare continues to change and add new options but, in general, a supplemental plan pays the balance of the medical charges after Medicare pays its portion. For example, most Medicare supplements will pick up the Medicare deductible.

Some policies also pay for some of the charges that Medicare may not cover. There are many different policy variations. If you are not sure what you are purchasing, consider contacting a broker that assists senior citizens.

Steven D. Smith is a licensed life and health insurance professional and CEO of SDS Financial, LLC. He is also the author of the “2008 Guide to Choosing and Using Your Health Insurance Plan” and “Your Guide To Good Health Insurance”. Other articles and books about Health Insurance written by Steven Smith can be found at his website [http://www.prohealthquotes.com]

For an immediate health insurance quote comparing 200+ quality plans, visit [http://www.prohealthquotes.com]