Professional advice from a business counselor or business adviser helps you as the entrepreneur deal with the formalities of establishing what legal form your business should take, drawing up your accounts, dealing with the relevant authorities about taxes, insurance issues and industrial related issues. Several service providers offer advice on many issues.
Small businesses usually fail because of poor management. It is the role of service providers to improve the quality of Small Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs) management through the provision of training and advice. Accredited service providers should be capable of delivering the required quality of support services to business in a practical and timely manner. Accredited service providers obviously charge for their services, so it is worthwhile being prepared for any meetings, so that you can make the most of the time you spend with them. Take the time to talk to professionals before you start your business.
A professional advisor (accredited service provider) will be able to advise on how to retain receipts for all your business expenses. This person should be able to advise you on what your liabilities are and will help you establish the most appropriate bookkeeping system for your business.
Starting your own business and becoming self employed will mean you have to deal with issues like tax, industrial relations, provident funds, which are all responsibilities that were taken care of while you were working for someone else. If problems arise, they will land on your desk and sorting them out will not be easy. Seeking advice from professionals at an early stage in your plans, and ensuring your business operates with their continuous support will be of real benefit to you and your business.
The relevant government official departments can answer any general enquiries you may have. They publish leaflets that explain what your obligations are. But they cannot give you comprehensive information on available business opportunities, they also cannot refine your business idea and they cannot provide you with training, counselling and marketing support.
These professionals may also help an entrepreneur with helpful networks; also share with him or her upcoming business opportunities. In addition, professionals help an entrepreneur by also managing his/ her resources and also applying strict financial discipline. This can only be possible if the entrepreneur has signed a management contract with the service provider.
Other services that Service Providers should provide
(a) Researching new markets
(b) Developing products
(c) Business opportunities
(d) Finding customers
(e) Testing the feasibility of a business idea
(f) Testing the viability of the business idea
So as an entrepreneur you definitely need some good advice for your business. You can get so much possible opportunities and advice above your imagination.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Why Do Entrepreneurs Need Professional Advice?
Asthma, Allergies, and the Atmosphere's Cure
Coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath - these symptoms are all too familiar to those who suffer from asthma. Sadly, the number of people being diagnosed with this lung disorder is on the rise and has been since the late 1980's. Allergies, too, have become of high concern with over twenty percent of children and adults in America suffering from allergic disorders, making allergies the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the United States.
A variety of factors can be attributed to this rise in the number of respiratory illnesses in America, including the spread of air pollution, a decrease in sufficient building ventilation due to airtight building materials, and an increase in the number of positive ions (greatly generated by electromagnetic fields) circulating in modernized environments. While outdoor air pollution is a concern, indoor air, which is known to be two to ten times more polluted than that outdoors, appears to be the greater culprit.
Negative ions, as created in the earth's natural atmosphere, actually work to counteract these effects. In nature, these ions form as a result of moving or evaporating water. For instance, as water flows over a waterfall, electrons from the neutral water molecules are easily disturbed. When an electron escapes, it then attaches itself to another nearby particle. If the resulting atom or molecule contains more electrons than protons, a negative charge is created and, thus, a negative ion.
Around areas such as waterfalls and beaches, these negative ions are abundant. Upon visiting such places, many sufferers of allergies and/or asthma experience immediate relief from their symptoms; some who are able to relocate to these settings even claim to be cured completely. Numerous studies have proven the natural benefits of negative ions, demonstrating their positive effects on the body as well as their ability to remove pollutants, literally, from the air.
In modern environments filled with positive ions and pollution, the number of negative ions in the air is greatly lacking. However, the technology of negative ion generators, as used in many homes, offices, and hospitals, has helped to counteract this depletion. Just as negative ions work in nature to alleviate the symptoms of allergies and asthma, manmade air ionizers can accomplish the same effect. In one study, for example, patients felt so much better after fifteen minutes of being exposed to such an air ionizer that they did not want to leave.
One reason negative ion generators work so efficiently is due to the negative ions' ability to actually remove triggering pollutants from the air. Upon being released from an air ionizer, these negatively charged ions attract positively charged particulates, including allergens and other air pollutants such as smoke, dust, mold, pollen, and animal dander. As these positively charged pollutants and negative ions form clusters, they become heavy and fall out of the air to surfaces where they can be easily vacuumed or dusted away rather than inhaled.
In addition to removing triggering particles from the air, negative ions provide many other benefits which help alleviate symptoms associated with asthma and allergies. For instance, studies have shown that negative ions actually appear to neutralize the effects allergens and other pollutants have on the respiratory system. When these ions are inhaled, breathing becomes easier, respiration is stabilized, and the activity of the respiratory system's cilia is increased, allowing the body to filter out polluting particles more efficiently.
The benefits of negative ions are so strongly proven that many sufferers of allergies and asthma are able to rely less on other treatments or even to forego the use of medicine completely. Air ionizers have further been used in treating many other respiratory illnesses, including sinusitis, emphysema, and bronchitis. While positive ions prolong physical recovery, accelerate respiration, and decrease cilia activity, negative ions counteract these effects, making the benefits of negative ions extraordinary.
In environments where pollution and technology allow positive ions to thrive, negative ion generators can help to counteract their effects and allow those residing in such settings to experience the many benefits of negative ions. Sufferers of allergies and asthma who have experienced these positive effects can attest to the fact that negative ions provide exceptional relief. In fact, anyone who has been exposed to a negative ion generator can benefit from these charged particles, just as if breathing in the ocean air.
Tips for Giving a Dating Anniversary Gift
Dating is exciting and a lot of fun, but when it comes to finding the perfect gift for your partner on your dating anniversaries you might feel left in the dark. Men and women enjoy different types of gifts to commemorate significant dates and milestones in their relationships. When the time comes to pick the perfect gift, keep the following dating anniversary guide handy to add a personal touch without going under or overboard.
1st Month Anniversary
The first month of an anniversary is an exciting time; the butterflies in your stomach and the feeling that you can't get enough of your partner. Your relationship has blossomed from just dating or a friendship into something more meaningful. The date should be acknowledged with a small gift or an outing, but keep it simple to avoid making each other uncomfortable. Try to keep the occasion light and humorous. The following items are suggestions for your first month anniversary. They show thoughtfulness and recognize your special occasion without taking it to the next level:
Gifts:
• Candy & Sweets: time tested and thoughtful
• Keychain of a favorite sports team, college, or interest
• Baked goods - cookies or brownies baked just the way she likes them
• Small, funny, cuddly, stuffed animal that will remind him or her of you
• A small gift accompanied by a sweet personalized card that will make them smile
3rd Month
By the third month, your relationship may be a bit more serious; however you should still focus on buying gifts that reinforce the relationship in a light and fun way. At this stage, a gift is more to say, "I'm glad we are together," rather than to confess undying love. A good gift for the three month anniversary should show that you are listening, and that you care. The following are a few ideas that are thoughtful, fun, and do not pressure the recipient into something more serious:
Gifts:
• Concert tickets to a local venue where you can enjoy the show together
• CD with a few favorite songs that the two of you connect with
• DVD of movie from first date
6th Month
After a couple has been together for six months the relationship is usually more serious and as a result the gifts should be more personal and intimate. Get creative with your gift - now that you have spent so much time with your partner, there's an opportunity to give a fantastic, thoughtful gift that they'll always remember. Sixth month gifts should show that you are observant and aware of their likes and dislikes. Here are some good suggestions.
Gifts:
• A new perfume or cologne that suits their taste. Hint: don't get one that they already have, save those types of replenishing gifts for when you're married.
• Shop online for a watch that would compliment his great style
• Earrings, necklace, or bracelet that would make her eyes dazzle
• Homemade dinner for two, or take them out to their favorite (or fancy) restaurant. Be sure to take the camera to document your special day.
1 Year
The first year anniversary is a big deal and your gift should be given a lot more thought and consideration. Gifts at the one year mark may be as extravagant as you'd like and can be anything you feel comfortable giving at this stage. If you're comfortable taking it to the next level at this stage, then it is completely appropriate. You should really be looking for something exciting that matches the vigor and passion of your relationship. Here are a few gift ideas that will show your partner that you have cherished the time you have spent together, and that you will continue to do so.
Gifts:
• Romantic getaway for a weekend, enjoy each others company
• Memorabilia from the first date, or a scrap book from the first year together
• Turn a photograph or video into a piece of art
• Give an experience gift, like passes to an event or a personalized tour pertaining to something your partner is passionate about.
2-3 Years
At the two and three year marks, relationships are getting more serious. As a result, the gifts given on the two/three year dating anniversary should reflect the time and devotion that has been given to the relationship and to celebrate how much you mean to each other. Think about a gift that will bring the two of you together. Show that you've developed a deeper bond and chemistry. A gift that spices things up a little is definitely in the cards.
Gifts:
• Intimate apparel / clothing is a great way to spice things up
• An intimate game that can be played by the both of you is another spark
• An extended trip to a city you've always wanted to visit
• Any gift will do if accompanied by a hand written love letter or poem
4-5 Years
Don't you think it's about time? After four or five years together, if you haven't decided this is the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, then you should probably move on. At this point, you need to show that you are in it for the long run.
Gifts:
• Engagement Ring
After individuals have been in a relationship for a certain period of time they become more comfortable with one another and the pressure of gift giving on dating anniversaries lessens. The need to recognize the date is still there, but as time goes on, thoughtfulness and creativity in gift giving will always be most important. For couples who truly care for each other, it is no cliche… it is always "the though that counts".
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Tips To Ward Off Hackers And Identity Theft!
With the dawn of the Internet, today there is a real threat concerning hackers and identity theft which means that you must be on top of the situation at all times and be educated with regard to knowing how to prevent someone hacking your personal details and robbing you off your identity.
Advanced Techniques Of Stealing Your Identity
Today, hackers and identity theft are a very real threat and the advanced techniques being used make robbing you of your identity as simple as stealing candy from a child. Essentially, a hacker will find out your name, credit card number, Social Security number or other piece of vital information and then use it to perform illegal acts.
Unfortunately, even though you may have taken adequate steps to prevent hackers from stealing your identity, these may not prove to be effective enough and so it would pay for you to heed a few important tips with regard to hackers and identity theft.
First of all, you need to use a password that is not only unique, but which is not predictable and then use these obtuse passwords to protect your personal details including bank statements, credit card information as well as phone accounts.
Next, you need to also secure all of your personal details both in your office as well as at your home so that hackers cannot find these vital pieces of information and use them to rob you off your identity. Simple things such as locking personal information within a filing cabinet or safe can help you thwart hackers and identity theft. Also, you should pick up a new check book personally rather than have it mailed to you, and also, always secure your mailbox outside your home.
Other steps you need to take in order to thwart hackers and identity theft include never giving out personal details over the phone, through the mail or over the internet. Also, never carry your Social Security number in your wallet, and instead secure it away somewhere very safe. While using your computer, makes sure to use latest anti-virus protection and never click on suspicious links or emails which can spread viruses that can compromise both the security of your computer as well as steal your personal information.
Also, you should periodically check your Credit Report and in case you believe that hackers have stolen your identity, and then you need to report this immediately to the concerned authorities.
The Easy Way to Fix Corrupt Registry!
Computer speed has always been a major concern with PC owners, and even more so with new technology constantly demanding more out of people's computers. If you don't regularly clean and fix your registry, your computer will start to become bogged down and become very slow. Eventually, it may slow down to a halt!
This isn't an ideal situation because people use computers for everything, and if your computer starts to get really slow when working on an important project, it can be frustrating. One reason cleaning the registry is so important is because a corrupt registry increases the stress on the hard drive because it must look through several possible operations just to find the right one it needs to executing.
Free registry cleaners
There are several programs you can buy and download that can fix your registry. Many people look for free registry-fixing programs in a quest to save money. However, free registry scanners aren't really free. They will repair some problems and then they will ask if you want to continue to repair your registry.
If you say yes, the program will ask for your credit card number. In short, free ones end up being more expensive than regular repair programs that are more upfront about not being free. All registry cleaners will scan for free and then need to be bought before they will actually do a repair to your registry. However, this is normal operating procedure.
Supercharge your computer with an optimizer
When searching for a good registry-fixing program, it's important to know what features to look for. One of the most important features you should look for is one that will also optimize your registry. This is important because an optimizer will give your computer even more speed than a regular registry repair program will.
Also, you should make sure the cleaner/optimizer is a reputable one. The best way to find out this information is by recommendation. Advertisements are one thing, but if someone has actually used it and is able tell you how it worked, it would be a big plus!
Another little sidebar is this fact.
There are a lot of registry programs that were good at one time but now, they are yesterday's news. So, when you are getting recommendations, make sure someone isn't telling you about one they used a few years ago, as this one may no longer be a top tier cleaner. Of course, if you are getting a cleaner/optimizer, you know you'll be getting the latest thing.
We all love our computers, and hate them when they don't act the way we want them to. One of the best ways to keep your computer in tip-top shape is to regularly scan the registry for errors and then let the program repair any it may find.
Remember, a computer should be scanned for viruses and spyware, as well. However, once removed these things leave false entries in the registry. So, to finish the job, use a good registry repair program and if it includes an optimizer, your computer will be back up to speed and then some!
A Simple Graphics Editor Can Help You Make Your Banners More Effective
The use of attractive banners on websites is a common practice all over the internet and is effective advertising at its best that has in no way lost its popularity. Flash banners, font banners picture banners and even 3D banners are common and linked to the advertisers' website or products directly. Header graphics banners have also become a popular way of attracting attention to one's website. It is now quite simple to create your own banner with a banner editor or simple graphics editor and with a little imagination sensational and visually attractive effects can be achieved.
In the past banner design and editing was something only professional and highly qualified graphic designers could achieve, and this was rather expensive at that. Fortunately these days it is now possible to download simple graphics editors with enough features to make delightful looking banners without huge effort or graphics design knowledge. The majority of this software used for editing banners offers you a choice of fonts, color pickers, and clipart designs that can be used on the banner you are designing. Flash banners are a little more complicated and may need more than a simple graphics editor program to achieve the desired effect. With a little practice and patience you will be quite proud at the results you can achieve when editing banners or designing your own.
A word of caution though regarding use of your banners; using too many banners on your website can backfire if they are all on one website page. People are quickly irritated by dozens of different flashy banners and it is hard to focus your eyes on any one of them. It is far more sensible in placing a banner in the fold (Top of your website page) and perhaps at the bottom of your page for the best effect. After considerable research into best placement of banners it has also been found that with the majority of people reading from left to right; having an attractive vertical banner on the left of a page is great for sales as well. People are more likely to click on this as well
Many simple graphics editor programs offer a selection of banner blanks and this is a great head start. Using these as your templates with graphics editor or banner editor software, you can now add your images, text and color schemes to suit what you have in mind. Looking at other banners on websites first may be a good idea to give you an indication of what is the most attractive. After a little experimentation with a graphics editor program you will soon master the art of editing and creating your own banners.
An Overview About Content Managed Websites
It is very important to develop content managed websites. For this purpose one can use website content management software. This will in the long term save you much time and money.
Any website that can be changed in real time, through a simple web type interface, is classed as a content managed website, the software used is classed as a content management software solution. This could allow you to update the information in your website at any time, without additional time expense and development costs.
How can a content managed website benefit my business?
If you are not computer orientated and have no experience of website design and want to regularly update or modify the contents of your website (websites), a content management system is an ideal tool for you. With only basic word processor experience, you will be able to manage your website without incurring further costs from your web development company.
A website content manager can help you with with new websites and existing websites.
New sites can be designed and built to run on content managed websites. It will provide design services, but an organization's own preferred design from another web design company can also be used. Based on this you can then have a website content manager look after the project.
Most existing sites can be converted to run on your systems,this saves you the hassle of redoing the sites. It also retains previous investment in content and design but introduces the content management capability, without the high cost of building a discerning system totally from scratch.
You don't need any special software running on your PC in order to access the website content management system. In fact you just need good access to the internet and to remember your user name and password.
You will then be able to access your integrated content management system and make what ever adjustments you deem necessary to get the most from your new software.
In the long the the initial effort of professionally content managed websites will provide great dividend for your business.
Content managed services are dynamic, or fluid websites, that are created 'on the fly' to reflect the users needs or interests. The challenge to the client is to what service is actually required.
Other questions arise, does one actually need the expense of a website content manager and the time needed to appoint a website content manager.
Content managed services are available on any website, but can lead to additional computer programming being required to optimize the user experience and lead them quickly to the information or service they require.
To learn more about what content managed websites and services can do for you and your business I would suggest the first thing you do is write a business plan for your exact needs.
Find a website content management company who respond to your your needs and speak your language. There is nothing worse than a self righteous content manager who speaks only in 'techi talk' and does not fully appreciate your needs.
Remember those who fail to plan, plan to fail; very quickly!
How Many Carbs Should I Eat, a Day?
Everyone eats carbohydrates. You pretty much can not get around it. We need carbs for energy after all. But the question still remains: how many carbs should I eat in a day? Are there drawbacks from eat too little or too many carbs? What are the side effects of eating carbs or abstaining from eating carbs? Well once again, as with protein, it depends on what you do on a daily basis. Furthermore, ingestion of carbs should be focused more around the question: WHEN should I eat carbs during the day?
As with how much fat to eat in a day and how much protein to eat in a day, it all depends on a couple factors:
* job
* insulin resistance
* activity level
* target body weight
* exercise goals
* lifestyle
The most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans, as stated by the Department of Health and Human Services, suggest that roughly 50% of your daily calories come from carbs. Thus, a person who eats approximately 2,500 calories per day should take in about about 300 grams of carbs. This number is not altogether bad for the average American, but we have to take into consideration the sources of those carbs.
These are the kinds of carbs to avoid at all costs:
* sugary snacks and pastries
* sugar-sweetened soft drinks or fruit juice
* candy
* cookies
* regular fried greasy chips
* processed, packaged snack foods
* high sugar kids cereals
* processed white flour products such as white bread and pasta
These foods offer virtually no nutritional value, and they contain far too many calories. Some of these foods also contain saturated and trans-fats that are bad for your heart, and sugary foods can lead to such maladies as type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Specifically if you are already insulin resistant, you should avoid these bad carbs as they will just ruin your day by making you tired, slow, dumb, and hungry.
Instead choose these kinds of carbs:
* fresh fruit
* vegetables
* whole wheat and whole grain products
* beans, nuts, and other legumes
When Do I Need More Carbs?
People that exercise with high intensity or with prolonged endurance, can benefit from a high carbohydrate intake before exercise. It is feasible to consume a high carbohydrate meal before a marathon, or a moderately high carbohydrate meal before lifting weights or martial arts training. It is not a good idea to consume too many carbs in one sitting, but 50 grams is not out of the question if you are preparing for a physically draining event.
During and after exercise is also a key time to consume carbs. In fact this is the only time it is recommended to consume sugary carbs. I tend to sip on Gatorade during a workout and my post-workout drink contains about 40 grams of carbs in the form of dextrose. If allowed to choose, I would choose Biotest Surge as my post-workout drink of choice. This is a product that is specially formulated to replenish lost glycogen stores and restart protein synthesis after a demanding workout.
When Do I Need Fewer Carbs?
There is no need to eat carbohydrates at night. Ever. Some folks believe in consuming a high-carb meal the night before an event like a marathon, but I just don't see it. I would say eat that meal in the morning if the event is in the late morning or early afternoon. The best time for a high carbohydrate meal is in the morning, when your body is prepared to uptake glycogen for energy for the day. Lunch should be a moderate carb meal as you don't want to get that 'bonk' feeling in the middle of the afternoon. Also consider that if you don't plan to exercise during the day then there is really no need to gulp down many carbs at any point in the day.
Carbs and Fat Loss
If you are on a fat loss diet, then there is definitely no need to eat more than 100 grams of carbs in any one day. I don't necessarily support Atkins, but there are valid points to that diet. When I am in the middle of a hardcore cutting phase, trying to get as lean as possible in a given time frame, I will only consume 20-30 grams of low glycemic index carbs for breakfast.
For lunch I will try to avoid most carbs, opting for whole grain bread or a salad if necessary. My pre-workout drink is typically 1/2 a serving of Biotest Surge, I sip on Gatorade during the workout, then finish off with 1 serving of Biotest Surge after the workout. On non-workout days, I skip all of that and choose a protein bar, cheese, or a meat snack instead.
Dinner is always low carb during a diet. Soup, meat and vegetables, and salad are all great choices for low carb dinners. Appropriate snacks are meats, cheeses, protein bars or shakes, veggies, and other super-low carb foods. Typically in the midst of a diet phase, I eat around 75 grams of carbs on a non-workout day, and maybe 120-140 grams of carbs on a workout day.
In conclusion, I recommend that if you are moderately active, you should derive maybe 30% of your daily calories from carbs. Sure, my opinion differs from specialist government agencies, but that is only because I have seen low carb diets work. I have also seen Americans grow obese and suffer from a long list of carbohydrate induced diseases.
A 200 lb man on a 2500 calorie diet would probably eat maybe 180 grams of carbs in a day, all from unprocessed whole food sources. A 140 lb woman on a 1500 calorie diet might only eat 100 grams of carbs in a day.
Someone on a strict diet might limit themselves to 50 grams of carbohydrates a day regardless of sex or weight. Just remember to avoid those nasty sugary processed carbs so that you can stay healthy, avoiding energy crashes and adult-onset type II diabetes.
Is Cosmetic Surgery For Adolescents Advisable?
While ten or fifteen years ago cosmetic surgery was only available to the rich and famous, it is rapidly becoming the norm for many members of the general public. Also it seems as if the age of people willing to go under the knife is getting lower. A few years ago a girl who wanted cosmetic surgery, more precisely breast implants at the age of sixteen, made headline news, now it is rapidly becoming the normal. Seemingly the adolescent issues many youngsters have can be quickly remedied by a trip to the surgeon.
The reason so many youngsters are deciding to undertake cosmetic surgery is complex and hard to define. One surgeon has claimed that there is simply an increased visibility with so many people now having cosmetic surgery. While before it was just the famous, now teenager's parents are regularly heading to the surgeon to adjust their appearance. The media has also made cosmetic surgery a far more viable option by publicising the different operations available; blaming the media however can be seen as a knee-jerk reaction.
The common question of 'what would you have done?' is often bandied around the dinner table and as such has entered the consciousness of not only teenagers, but adults as well. It is important to be objective however; cosmetic surgery is a relatively common phenomenon and as long as procedures are carried out safely there is no real problem with people improving the way they look. Whether or not they need it is down to their own body image.
Teenagers however are notorious for having a poor body image and seemingly cosmetic surgery is the quick and easy answer. While it may be a quick fix, surely there are ways to improve self esteem without going under the knife? But a teenager should not be able to possess the thousands of pounds it costs to have cosmetic surgery. In this respect, surely it is the parents who have a responsibility to educate their children if their self esteem is low. This however is not always possible, and can be seen as hypocritical, especially when the parent has undergone surgery themselves.
The benefits of cosmetic surgery are clearly there, if problems of self esteem focus on a particular part of the body it may be worth altering this body part. This can be essential for some who have serious problems with their facial features. If someone has large problems the benefits of cosmetic surgery can be truly life changing, completely boosting confidence and the way in which they carry out there day to day life. Such processes can be breast asymmetry and the readjustment of jaw lines.
Responsible cosmetic surgeons take into account the psychological effects of any surgery and will evaluate patients on how they may react to these effects. The key principle is to make an assessment based upon a patient's physical, emotional and psychological maturity. By the assessment of these factors it is possible to evaluate the viability of surgery of any particular patient. Of course if the patient fails to impress on the surgeon a sense of maturity it should be unlikely that surgery may go ahead. There are of course unscrupulous operators that may ignore these principles in favour of massive earnings, thankfully these are few and far between.
So for those who may want to undergo cosmetic surgery it is worth considering the reasons behind your decision and whether these will be acceptable to a surgeon. Responsible surgeons will take on those who have the maturity to deal with surgery and who have good reasons for going under the knife.
Careful deliberation is essential, especially in younger patients. If it is possible for the patient to see past the adolescent period, and the social pressures to conform, surgery may not be the answer. That said if it is a severe deformity or an operation that will be truly life changing cosmetic surgery may bring great benefits.
Overview About Human Tissue Scandal that Rocks Medical World!
However, the human body tissue industry is largely unregulated. There are hundreds of tissue banks throughout the United States, but less than eighty of these belong to the American Association of Tissue Banks, a peer organization that accredits and inspects tissue banks. In addition, only a few states perform monitoring and licensing on these tissue banks. In addition, critics of the tissue donation system cite often-inadequate training and oversight at tissue bank facilities.
The consequence of this negligence in the human tissue bank industry is often severe: donated human tissue is often infected with diseases that then are passed on to transplant recipients. Tissue transplant infections can be due to pre-existing disease (not caught through proper screening), contamination because of unsterile conditions, or cross-contamination when the tissue is exposed to other infected tissue. The illegal sale of human body tissue puts patients at risk for the contraction of serious health conditions, including but not limited to HIV, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases.
Biomedical Tissue Services Under Fire
The FDA order regarding Biomedical Tissue Services exposes the severe flaws of the unregulated human body tissue industry in this country. The FDA's investigation revealed significant breaches in ethical and health codes at the company's facilities, where industry-standard practices were not followed and donors were inadequately screened for infectious diseases and donation suitability. In addition, the company has been implicated in the illegal acquisition of human body tissue from cadavers whose families did not give consent.
Biomedical Tissue Services also kept inadequate records of tissue origins and sales and was implicated in falsifying death certificates. The FDA specifically named Michael Mastromarino, D.D.S., CEO and Executive Director of Operations for Biomedical Tissue Services, in its order.
If You've Been Affected
If you or a family member has been affected with ill-health side effects from contaminated tissue transplants, contact a medical malpractice attorney immediately. It may be possible to recover financial damages and compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other causes of action.
Tips To End The Homework Battle
Doing homework may be one of the hardest activities that you can get your child to perform. Most kids don’t like it and probably never will. As a parent, you may also not be too fond of it after all the bickering with your child to get it done. There are a few simple tips that can make this activity easier for everyone concerned.
First you may want to set up a homework routine. This entails doing home work at the same time and in the same order every day. By following a schedule like this it will help your child make his homework time a daily habit and will teach him valuable organizational skills. You may not want to schedule homework right after school. Your child has already been sitting still for eight hours and may be tired when they first get home. If you let them have some relaxation time before tackling their homework, they will be much more responsive. For smaller children, you may also not want to schedule their homework time too late as these kids may not have the attention span that they need later in the evening.
Along with setting up a daily schedule, you should also try to ensure that the children have a quiet place to complete their homework. You should not leave the TV or stereo on as these extra noises will cause unnecessary distractions and make it difficult for the child to concentrate. For younger children, total silence is the best environment to study since they have lower concentration levels tha
n their older counterparts.
You should also try to be present while your children are working on their studies. The child may need help or have a question and if you are not readily available, they may not take the time to find you and just take a guess. You can also supervise to make sure that your child is doing his work and not playing around.
Again, by making yourself available, you can answer your child’s questions about his work but you should not do their homework for them. Many parents, especially when dealing with younger children, will tend to give the child the correct answer to a problem that he is having trouble with rather than to let him figure it out for himself. The reason that teachers give the homework to students is to ensure that they have mentally absorbed the information through repetitive use. By giving the child the answer, the repetitive factor is removed and your child has not learned anything. When the time comes for the child to be tested on the lesson, he will not have the knowledge to earn a passing grade. If your child has difficulty with a certain problem in his homework, you should try to talk him through it slowly, explaining step by step the method needed to solve it. Ask him questions as you explain it to him to make certain that he fully understands what you are saying. Then you should let him find the answer himself.
Homework is a chore that no child likes. By ensuring that he has the ideal working area as well as your support, the task of studying can be accomplished with greater ease.
9 Hidden Keys to Happiness and Success
We all love to feel motivated. I know I do. It’s absolute nirvana to be on purpose and on task at the same time. But life often intervenes in my plans and that can mean stress, frustration and setbacks and I find that I have to live my life on Inner Motivation – particularly when the proverbial chips are down. Most of us wait for someone else to give us a reason to move ahead or we wait for circumstance or opportunity to line up in just the right way so we can move ahead with the inner commitment we’ve been holding back. We wait for our partner to say ‘I love you’ first, we wait for a sign of acceptance before we commit to revealing some part of ourselves and we wait for the evidence of the result before we commit our belief.
To many of us this seems like a smart or even shrewd way of going about business and life. We think we’re protecting and insulating ourselves by not putting too much ‘out there’ and therefore avoiding disappointment or (God forbid) rejection. In reality, though, this is actually a very dangerous way to live life because it puts your life and your happiness in someone else’s hands - a sure fire equation for misery. From the inside this may seem like a very controlled way to live life, but it’s actually a very out of control way to live life. That’s why it makes us so unhappy and leaves us so unfulfilled. There’s nothing dependable or controlled about it.
One of my favorite movie scenes is from the Indiana Jones movie where he (played by Harrison Ford) and his father (played by Sean Connery) are searching for the Holy Grail. Indiana’s father lies dying at the hands of the Nazis and to save his life Indiana must find the Holy Grail. To get to the Grail, Indiana has to accurately decode his father’s Grail diary which will enable him to make his way through certain life-threatening challenges. After successfully making his way through several of the tests, he comes to a huge chasm that lies between where he is and where he wants to be. He reads the Bible passage from his father’s diary which has to do with “faith being the evidence of things not seen”. He picks up a handful of sand and throws it out to the chasm only to see the sand fall on an invisible bridge.
I personally believe there lies a bridge across every chasm we face, no matter the depth or the breadth of the canyon. The path to whatever we want in life always exists and we can find it if we have the unwavering commitment and willingness to learn and grow in the ways required of us.
“Courage is the price that life extracts for peace of mind.”
Amelia Earhardt
When the relationship or the job or the project doesn’t go the way you wanted it to, you need to have Authentic Inner Motivation to get you to where you want to be. You can’t force yourself to be motivated. You have to develop it from the inside out. Having Authentic Inner Motivation at your disposal whenever you want it requires focus, commitment and discipline.
How do you do develop Authentic Inner Motivation? Let’s take a look at the formula:
1. Set Goals - First, decide what you want. Take your sales, income and personal goals, and be crystal clear about them. Write them down and look at them several times throughout the day. A vague goal of doing the best you can or giving your best every day won’t get you there. You have to clearly see what you want – and often.
I have a Vision Folder. Inside it I have photographs, pages from magazines and mock-ups that reflect my goals. It’s an easy and portable way to keep my goals in front me, and I look at them every morning and evening.
2. Commitment – Nothing happens without complete and total personal commitment. If you’re leaving out even 1% of your total dedication to accomplishing your goal, you won’t get there. Think about this…what would happen if your doctor had a 99% commitment to healing you or your loved one? Would that be enough for you? Would you have respect for them?
If you want to sleep well at night, if you want to be respected by those you’re in relationship with and if you want to have overwhelming self-respect – commit 155% of yourself to your goals and watch your life change for the better.
3. Self-Honesty – This is a tough one for some folks. Not everyone is comfortable taking a hard look within. But if you’re serious about being successful you need to look within to see what you’re doing to create your own experience. You also need to be honest about what skills you need to learn to get you to where you want to be. Also, take an honest internal inventory of your emotional health. If you’re carrying resentment from your last employment experience, your last relationship or any other experience, it’s limiting the success you create today.
Think about the people you’ve known that use resentment as insulation in their life – now notice how betrayal is a common theme in their life. There’s a reason for that. Call it the Law of Attraction, Karma, a self-fulfilling prophecy or the “as ye sow, so shall ye reap” principle, it means you are creating your own experiences. When you hold on to resentment, you are (subconsciously) believing that you don’t have a choice or any power in your current situation, that the other person is against you in some way and so this situation will turn negatively and there’s nothing you can do about it. Resentment always breeds betrayal in your life. Take an emotional inventory and heal and release the reasons for the negative emotions – particularly the resentment and watch the prosperity roll in!
4. Accountability – It doesn’t matter whether you listen to a minister, your favorite self-improvement author, your Mom or Dr. Phil, they will all tell you the same thing…your life is created from the inside out, so you might as well own it. Blame of any kind is a jail cell for your spirit.
5. Commit to Faith & Belief – Hebrews 11:1 says “Now faith is the evidence of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” - the faith and the belief has to come first – the evidence comes after. There was a book written several years ago under the title You’ll See It When You Believe It. Great title. In the tarot deck, the first card is the card of the Fool which shows a picture of a young man ostensibly walking off of the edge of the cliff – it’s said to be the bravest, most powerful card in the entire deck.
6. Have an Attitude of Gratitude – The most powerful words you can ever use, think or write is THANK YOU. Just as resentment can shut down your prosperity and relationships, an attitude of gratitude will open the floodgates of prosperity and love in your life. (Remember to use these powerful words with yourself as well!) Every life experience is a gift and a perspective of appreciation makes the inherent wisdom of our experiences all that more evident to us.
7. Practice Tolerance – Judgment is another self-limiting behavior that limits your success and hampers your motivation and creativity. Judgment is a terrible burden to carry around and creates a paranoiac state of mind. Practice tolerance and lighten your load!
8. Get Inspired – Inspiration comes from different sources for different people, and it’s essential that we know what works for us and that we prime these sources often. I have a writer friend who has her most motivating songs on a separate section on her iPod. When she feels blocked or frustrated or discouraged, one of the things she does is listen to those songs one by one. Long before the end of the songs she’s belting out the words right along with her favorite artist and she’s ready to take another stab at her project at hand. I like to go for a walk or a run outside. With two small children in my life I may only get ½ hour to squeeze in a run or a walk but that time is so inspirational to me. It really stirs my creativity. Meditating is inspirational as is a good movie, a good book or talking with someone else whose success you admire.
9. Take Care of Your Health – If you don’t feel well, it’s hard to stay motivated. So take good care of your health! Eat well, take vitamins, exercise every day, play, rest and enjoy your work! There’s a saying…anyone would give their money to have health, but no one would give their health to have money. Right now I’m really into juicing. It’s an idea that came to me while I was sitting outside (of course) next to the koi pond at Children’s Hospital when my son was ill last summer. As often as my husband could he would join us and come turn cartwheels to distract and make our son laugh so I could get some food into him. When –pop- there was the idea – juicing. It’s worked beautifully. Our son began drinking his veggies and since they’re masked under pineapple or apple or strawberries, he loves every drop. The rest of our family has started juicing as a result and I’m amazed at how good it makes you feel and how much energy it gives you! A friend of ours picked up the Jack Lalanne juicer for us while we were still in the hospital and he has a neat video on his site at www.powerjuicer.com .
Authentic Inner Motivation isn’t just a skill that will help you earn the kind of money that you want or that will make you happier while you’re doing it, it’s a way of living that will help you to live a happier and more successful life.
Use the AIM Formula in your work and let yourself shine! You’ll be happier, more successful and more prosperous for doing it.
3 Simple And Low Cost Marketing Ideas To Create Visibility
Marketing your business is one of the biggest challenges for any solopreneur – it’s a task we all find quite daunting, and are simply overwhelmed by all the information that’s available. Below I have put together some information on 3 simple and low cost marketing ideas, which you can easily implement right away to create more visibility for your online business and web site. They all work well for me!
To help you decide which is the best strategy (or strategies) for you, I have listed the pros and cons of each one.
Create a Blog
Pros
You can really show off your expertise by posting on a regular basis.
Blog posts don’t need to be very long – approx. 200-350 words.
If you have some important information to share, you can instantly create a post – no waiting for your next newsletter to make your announcement!
If you use a blogging platform such as WordPress, this is hosted on your website. Each time you post to your blog you are creating fresh content for your website, which the search engines love!
Cons
You need to post regularly - at least once a week – in order for this to be an effective marketing strategy.
You need to feel confident that you will be able to write fresh content regularly.
It can be difficult to build a direct relationship with your reader.
Publish an Ezine
Pros
Unlike a blog, readers sign up to receive your newsletter so you already have a connection with them.
You can build a relationship with your newsletter reader and encourage one-on-one communication.
You can go into more depth in your newsletter article than you can with your blog posts.
Your clients/target audience can get to know you through your newsletter.
Cons
You have to make a commitment to publish on a regular basis, otherwise your subscribers will see you as unreliable, and may even forget about you!
There is more work involved in putting together a newsletter than writing a simple blog post.
You will need to subscribe to one of the ezine distribution services – I strongly recommend you do this and not send your ezine via your email client!
Article Marketing
Pros
If you are already blogging or publishing a newsletter, you have your articles written.
It is highly likely that once you submit your article to one of the article submission sites, it will be picked up and published on other article submission sites.
Regularly submitting your articles will elevate you to ‘expert’ status within your field/niche.
Cons
You have to write the articles if you’re not publishing a newsletter or posting to a blog.
It takes time to manually research suitable article submission sites and submit articles.
In order for this strategy to be effective, you have to submit your articles regularly – at least once a month.
Conclusion: You can just pick one strategy to focus on, or you can do all three! Whichever one you choose make sure it’s the right one for you. The key is to be consistent in your approach. If you decide to go with a blog make sure you have the time and motivation to add new posts regularly – at least once a week. Don’t start a newsletter if you know you won’t be able to keep to a regular publishing schedule! And for article marketing to be effective you need to submit articles on a regular basis.
BANKRUPTCY BASICS
The Bankruptcy Code (Title 11 of the United States Code) gives the force of law to several national policies or values. First is the value of allowing a debtor a breathing spell and a fresh start, the chance for a productive future unburdened by past debts and mistakes. Second is the value of a fair distribution of a debtor's property among creditors. The federal bankruptcy system is designed to achieve an orderly, equitable distribution of the debtor's assets under court supervision and compulsion. By contrast, state law on creditors' rights has been called "grab law." Each creditor grabs what it can, and the debtor is dismembered. The swift creditor is rewarded. The slow creditor gets nothing.
TWO TYPES OF BANKRUPTCIES: CHAPTER 7 AND CHAPTER 11
Under Chapter 7, the debtor's assets are simply liquidated. Upon filing a Chapter 7 petition, the debtor turns its keys over to a private trustee and walks out of business. The trustee is appointed by the Office of the U.S. Trustee (a part of the Justice Department that generally monitors bankruptcy proceedings). The filing of the Chapter 7 petition creates a "bankruptcy estate" that the trustee administers for the benefit of creditors. The trustee locates and liquidates everything of value that the debtor had.
Under Chapter 11, the debtor stays in possession of its assets. Its business continues. It proposes a plan of reorganization. The plan usually proposes a restructuring of debts and can affect equity. A committee of creditors may arise as a counterweight to the debtor, monitoring the debtor's handling of the business, particularly the handling of cash and equivalents, called "cash collateral." The creditors' committee may urge and participate in the debtors' development of a plan. After 120 days, during which the debtor has the exclusive right to propose a plan, the creditors' committee or an equity security holders' committee may propose a plan. The creditors' committee, viewed mainly as an interference by debtor, can nevertheless benefit the debtor. The tension created by the committee's monitoring can help debtor obtain approval for rehabilitative steps if and when debtor can show the court that the committee approves. Ultimately, in a typical Chapter 11, debtor proposes a plan and a disclosure statement. Creditors may vote against the plan, but the court may approve a plan it deems fair ("cramdown"). Bankruptcy Code Section 1129(b). If debtor does not propose a plan, the case may be converted to a Chapter 7 liquidation or dismissed. An alternative to the plan process may be a sale of assets, then a liquidation.
Selecting Chapter 7 or Chapter 11- For a business contemplating bankruptcy, a key inquiry in deciding between Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 is whether the business can be rehabilitated. If the future can be better than the past, then the considerable requirements of Chapter 11 may be worthwhile. The requirements include substantial initial filings, regular reporting to U.S. Trustee, answering to creditors, and developing a plan, not to mention the expense. The demands of Chapter 11, for debtor as well as creditors, should not be underestimated. If hope for rehabilitation is gone, Chapter 7 is the option.
AUTOMATIC STAY
Creditors must stand still from the moment of filing, by virtue of the "automatic stay" (or injunction) on new lawsuits, continuation of old lawsuits, letters, and phone calls to the debtor. Bankruptcy Code Section 362(a). Relief from stay may be sought by motion. Bankruptcy Code Section 362(d). Grounds are "cause" (not defined) or, if creditor wants to act against property, the debtor has no equity in the property and the property is not necessary to an effective reorganization. Stay relief motions are expedited.
CREDITOR STATUS
Secured Creditors -The distribution scheme pays secured creditors first. Determination of secured status is important. Under Bankruptcy Code Section 506, a claim is secured to the extent of the value of the creditor's interest in the estate's interest in property. For example, the estate includes a 50 percent interest in a warehouse. The warehouse is worth a million dollars, so that the value of the estate's interest is $500,000. A creditor has a claim in the amount of $600,000, secured by the estate's interest in the warehouse. The creditor is secured to $500,000, and unsecured in the amount of $100,000.
Unsecured Creditors:
Priority Claims - Some unsecured claims have priority. Bankruptcy Code Section 507. Among these are: administrative expenses (including costs of preserving the estate and post-petition taxes on the estate, compensation of the trustee and his or her attorney, and compensation of a creditor that recovers concealed property of the estate); wages earned by an employee within 90 days before filing of the petition); and certain contributions owed to an employee benefit plan.
Other Unsecured Claims - Without priority, a claim is a general unsecured claim, vulnerable to impairment or extinguishment under Chapter 7 or Chapter 11.
INVOLUNTARY BANKRUPTCY
Most bankruptcies are voluntary, but involuntary bankruptcy may occur. Bankruptcy Code 303. For example, creditors see debtor selling off assets and distributing money to employees and shareholders to the detriment of creditors. Or creditors see debtor in a downward spiral so that creditor with a chance for 50 cents on the dollar in May will get 20 cents in September. Creditors may confer and file an involuntary petition, placing debtor in Chapter 7 or Chapter 11. If debtor has at least 12 creditors, at least three must sign the involuntary petition. Other creditors may join later. Creditors can make the petition stick if "the debtor is generally not paying such debtor's debts as such debts become due unless such debts are the subject of a bona fide dispute." Bankruptcy Code Section 303(h) (1).
THE DISCHARGE
A main goal of the voluntary bankruptcy debtor is the discharge or, for practical purposes, extinguishment of the debtor's debts. Just as the automatic stay precludes pursuit of the debtor during the pendency of the bankruptcy case, the discharge precludes creditor's recovery after the conclusion of the bankruptcy case. Judgments against the debtor are voided. The practitioner should note that a post-discharge complaint filed against debtor still must be answered; debtor pleads the discharge as an affirmative defense. During the pendency of the bankruptcy case, however, a creditor may file a complaint (a separate lawsuit under the umbrella of the main bankruptcy proceeding) to have that creditor's debt excepted from a discharge because, for example, that particular debt was obtained by fraud or is a debt arising from a fiduciary duty. Bankruptcy Code Section 523. Also, a creditor may file a complaint urging that debtor be denied a discharge of all debts because, for example, debtor has concealed property, or destroyed records necessary to determine debts, or because debtor has otherwise been uncooperative with the Bankruptcy Court. Bankruptcy Code Section 727.
PREFERENCES AND FRAUDULENT TRANSFERS
Preferences - Anticipating disaster for the business, debtor may transfer title to the warehouse to an officer of the company who had lent the company a bundle. Or debtor may simply pay a supplier 100 percent of its balance due, and days later, in bankruptcy, leave other creditors only 20 cents on the dollar. In the name of equity, a transfer of the debtor's interest in property may be avoided by the trustee or the debtor in possession as a "preference" among creditors. A preference is a transfer: (1) to or for the benefit of a creditor; (2) for an "antecedent debt" owed by the debtor before the transfer; (3) made while the debtor was insolvent; (4) made between 90 days and one year before the debtor filed bankruptcy, if the transfer is to an insider [defined in Bankruptcy Code Section 101(31)], and within 90 days before filing if the transfer was to a non-insider creditor; and (5) the creditor received more than under Chapter 7 liquidation. Bankruptcy Code Section 547(b). The transferee, receiving the bitter news that he must disgorge money fairly earned, may defend. Defenses include "a contemporaneous exchange for new value" and "ordinary course of business." Bankruptcy Code Section 547(c).
Fraudulent Transfers - A fraudulent transfer, also avoidable, is a transfer made with actual intent to hinder, delay or defraud creditors, or, regardless of intent, made for less than reasonably equivalent value. For example, when the bank is about to foreclose, the debtor may not transfer the warehouse to the president's aunt or uncle as a gift, or convey title in a "sale" for $1,000. Bankruptcy Code Section 548.
This has been a glimpse of a complex area. Subjects mentioned here, as well as others in the bankruptcy process, warrant close examination in addressing the client's particular facts.
Tips to Help Balance Career and Family
Whether you are male or female, a mom or a dad, balancing career and family can be really difficult. When you're a woman, though, the choices you have to make seem especially difficult and the responsibilities all the more great. For some reason, women are guilt-ridden with their career decisions and the choices they make about working while trying to raise their children, providing nutritious meals for their family, keeping a respectable house and keeping their husbands happy. Last on the list, of course, is finding some time for themselves. So how does a woman find time to actually feel happy with her daily activities while keeping up with all of the responsibility?
First, take time to smell the roses! Literally, you can take time to smell the roses but you can actually do this with no flowers in sight. Every day, try to look around and appreciate what you have, taking in the sounds of your child's laughter, the wag of your dog's tail, the special glance of your husband as you tell a funny joke. Sometimes, the knowledge of what you have on your plate for the day will feel overwhelming, but a little perspective goes a long way. It may be a cliché and a very tired phrase, but it truly does work. People tend to get lost in the mundane, day-to-day "functioning" instead of really living their lives. For example, next time you are worried about fitting in your exercise with your child's play date at Little Gym, forego the Little Gym and head out with your son or daughter for a run. Strap the little one in the jog stroller or if he or she is old enough, ask them to put on the running shoes with Mommy and head outside! Once outside, you can literally stop to smell the roses. Just a few minutes of gratitude a day will work wonders for your soul and automatically make your life feel more balanced.
Along these same lines, try and give yourself some "me" time once a week. Once a week may not seem like much, but if you really allow yourself to soak it in and enjoy the time spent, it will make the stress of all of the rest of the hectic days melt away. Take a good block of time on a Saturday or Sunday - 2 hours, maybe - and mark this time in your calendar in pen, not pencil. Keep a standing appointment with yourself, and honor it as you would any other. Think you are too busy on a weekend to do this? You will feel much more productive the rest of the weekend allowing yourself this little ‘refresher', rather than trying to cram some time in on a random Tuesday or other weeknight. For this special time, you can book a massage or a facial at your favorite spa. Take a couple of hours to go window shopping at your favorites stores, by yourself or with a friend. Take in a matinee with a couple of girlfriends. If your husband is willing to fly solo on a Saturday night, you can even book a girls' night out once in a while and truly let loose! Even if your budget doesn't allow for these activities once a week, you can lock yourself in the bathroom with a good book, a bubble bath and a nice glass of wine and feel good about your time alone - you deserve some!
Probably the most obvious way to balance career and family is to incorporate your family into what would otherwise be "work time". If you have a short commute to work, for example, perhaps you can drive your kids to school each morning instead of having them take the bus. In the alternative, you could have your morning cup of coffee at the bus stop with them and spend a few minutes chatting about their day and what they plan to learn in school as you sip your cup of Joe and breathe in the morning air to mentally prepare for your own day ahead. If you normally exercise in the morning and leave the house very early, switch your workout time to lunch and leave the office to go to the gym, eating at your desk when you get back. You will have more time with your family each day and get a healthy break from your pile of papers to boot.
You may need to get a little creative with your schedule, but there are definitely ways to help balance career and family. Sometimes an extra few minutes each day or a once-weekly good block of time can go a long way in helping restore your peace of mind and help you feel less harried.
It's Still the Economy, Stupid!
Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke has stated that much depends on the depth of US housing declines from here, and in the UK Gordon Brown has said that the Government will do everything in their power to help homeowners. Prior to the MPCs quarter point rate cut last week, Brown went as far as saying that the Bank of England can afford to cut rates because the UK has low inflation. With oil around $109, low inflation might be gilding the lily somewhat, but Brown knows and fears that a plummeting UK housing market could have a dramatic impact on the wider economy.
Last week it was revealed that some mortgage companies actually put up their rates following the Bank of England’s rate cut. It was a further blow for consumers when it was announced that UK mortgage approvals were down 3.5% on the previous month, and to make matters worse house prices experienced their biggest monthly fall since 1992.The two factors are of course inextricably linked. Many, including Chancellor Alistair Darling have argued that the UK won’t follow the US with a housing slump. It is not just politicians who are be hoping the optimists are right. Friday got off to a bad start and got worse as the day progressed.
European equities were stagnant until the news of General Electrics earnings miss hit the wires. Almost immediately, the FTSE crashed 100 points with the DAX and CAC falling even further in percentage terms. GE was at one stage the world’s largest company by market capitalization, and due to the fact it earns most of its revenue outside of the US, it is often seen as a bellwether for the global economy. US markets opened down on the news and were driven down lower with the release of the Michigan Consumer Sentiment Survey and inflation data, which showed the worst readings since 1982 and 1900 respectively. Next week starts with UK PPI data on Monday, and the RICS house price balance around midnight. Tuesday starts with more UK inflation data, with CPI figures in the morning followed by US PPI and Empire State Business Conditions Index around midday.
Average UK Earnings and bonus data arrives on Wednesday morning followed by US core CPI around lunchtime. US Unemployment Claims come in on Thursday with Friday being a relatively light day on the data front. At one point last week the Nasdaq recorded its lowest volume for over a year and the VIX volatility index dropped to its lowest level since February. Low readings of the VIX can indicate complacency in the market and Fridays rout could be an indication that this was the case. As it is, Fridays sell off has hardly moved the VIX from its recent low and next week earnings season starts in earnest. There may therefore be some value in a volatility trade next week. Try an Up or down trade with BetOnMarkets.com, it will pay out if either of two triggers are hit. An up or down trade on the Nasdaq Composite with the triggers set as 2200 and 2400 could return 20% over the next 16 days.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Show Me The Money!!
The importance of using a net sheet in order to find out the money in hand a seller will end up with.
Just Show Me The Money!!!
It is amazing to me that so many agents fail to use the most important tool in the listing presentation! If price has EVERYTHING to do with your sales performance, I can’t understand how so many agents fail to employ this “Strategic Morsel”.
During my listing presentations, I typically get the same response from the sellers: “No other agent has done this for me!”
Come on!!! How do you expect to argue for a certain price, if you don’t do a net sheet for the seller? Without a net sheet, the seller has no idea what amount of money he will end up with. It’s simply too ABSTRACT, and many times the Seller will argue for the higher price simply because he wants to make sure he walks away with some money after the closing. How much? He doesn’t know, so he will most likely guesstimate on the high side…
Do yourself a BIG FAVOR: Find out exactly what the typical closing costs are in your area, the formulas employed for any deed stamps, etc. and if you don’t have a company net sheet, create one in Excel. During the listing presentation, ask the sellers what they owe on the first and/or second mortgage, find out about any other liens, then plug in the numbers in your Excel net sheet, and Voila! You have a definite figure for the amount of money in the sellers’ pocket after all is said and done. Don’t forget to do the net sheet with your suggested price, not the seller’s fantasy price. Let your Sellers digest the final “in hand” figure a few seconds, then turn to them and ask: “Is this enough to get you from here to there?” You will be surprised how often the answer is yes!
Now you will have a listing at your suggested price, and soon you will have a sale. All because of a simple Net Sheet!!!
Exploring Business Opportunities With Internet Marketing Research
Imagine gathering impartial information from literally millions of sources each day and deciding the marketing campaigns on this data. Internet marketing research provides a better vision to the business, which helps in delivering better products and better results.
There are many advantages of applying Internet to the marketing research. — Market Know How Online market research can give the comprehensive information about the various factors and aspects of the market such as market profile, trends, size, segmentation, competition, SWOT and demand prospects.
This exclusive and extensive online marketing research report certainly gives a big picture of the market scenario. — New Domains of Use Not only online research can be used for the market intelligence, but it can also be put into great use for many areas such as advertising, public relations, and interactive communication activities.
Internet marketing research is also useful in numerous other business functions such as Branding, Competitive analysis, Consumer Behavior and Customer Relationship Management and Investor Relationship Management. — New Opportunities Internet marketing research can provide insight into new market opportunities that may never be discovered.
And also, research can identify new business ventures, and offer the possibility to streamline the existing business processes, which results in more efficient execution of the process. New business opportunities and ventures result in the competitive advantage in the market by delivering better products at less value. — Competitive Advantage Competitive advantage enables the firm to create superior value for its customers and superior profits for itself.
There are many areas of competitive advantages including the firm’s cost structure, product offerings, marketing research, distribution network and customer support. Internet marketing research allows to gain advantage from the competitors by delivering accurate results at affordable costs.
The main task after getting the market research report is to implement the findings. The ultimate goal of the report is to make the research work for the enhancement of the business. While Internet market research is an integral step in improving the visibility online, its quality and flexibility of use allow it to be effortlessly applied to all aspects of marketing activities.
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Surveys Show Deteriorating Computer Purchasing Trends
The economic downturn has taken a big bite out of personal computer demand, according to two recent ChangeWave surveys on PC buying among consumers and corporations. The results clearly show deteriorating computer spending going forward.
U.S. consumers and businesses aren’t buying PCs like they used to.
The economic downturn has taken a big bite out of personal computer demand, according to two recent ChangeWave surveys on PC buying among consumers and corporations. The results clearly show deteriorating computer spending going forward.
Consumer Spending Trends: Only 8% of the 4,427 consumers surveyed by ChangeWave in late February say they’ll be buying a laptop in the next 90 days - down 3-percentage points since November 2007. Most importantly, that’s a record low for consumer purchasing in the past 12 months.
The same trend was found for desktop computer purchases, with just 6% saying they’ll be buying a one - also a low for the year.
Business Spending Trends. In a double whammy, corporate PC buying has also slowed precipitously. In February, only 73% of 2,204 corporate respondents said their company plans on buying laptops in the next quarter - down 4- pts from a year ago. It’s the same pattern for desktops, with corporate purchases down 5- pts.
But what impact, if any, is the PC slowdown having on major manufacturers? Let’s look at three of the heavyweights:
Apple Mac Sales Remain Relatively Strong
Planned purchases of Apple (AAPL) computers remain relatively strong even in the slower PC buying environment.
Looking at the next 90 days, Apple remains the leader among consumers who plan to buy a laptop (31%) - down just 2-pts from the all-time high recorded in our previous survey. Apple planned desktop purchases (28%; down 1-pt) are also near record levels.
Importantly, Apple’s planned buying numbers are up more than 50% from a year ago.
In the corporate market, planned Mac purchases for next quarter are also at near record highs, with laptops (7%) unchanged from previously and desktops (6%) down just 1-pt.
Most positively for Apple, the company continues to set the standard for customer satisfaction among PC users. More than half (53%) of corporate respondents using the Leopard operating system report they are Very Satisfied.
This compares to a 40% Very Satisfied rating for Windows XP Pro users, and a miniscule 8% Very Satisfied rating for Microsoft Vista Business (8%).
Another Ebb for Dell
In contrast to Apple, we find a far different story with Dell (DELL).
After experiencing a tiny uptick in planned consumer purchases of Dell PCs in our previous survey, they are once again losing traction going forward. Planned purchases of Dell laptops (28%; down 2-pts) and especially desktops (32%; down 4-pts) are considerably weaker than in our previous survey.
Dell is also plagued by a downturn in planned corporate PC buying for next quarter, with desktop (32%; down 3-pts) and laptop (32%; down 1-pt) purchases falling to new lows.
“It’s like déjà vu, all over again,” Yogi Berra famously said, and that’s what it looks like as Dell once again resumes its market share slide.
Weakening Hewlett-Packard Computer Sales
Another major player, Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), also exhibits weaker PC sales going forward - led by a big drop in consumer planned buying of desktops (18%; down 5-pts) and laptops (19%; down 2-pts).
In terms of corporate planned purchases, H-P also looks weaker going forward, both for desktops (17%; down 1-pt) and laptops (14%; down 2-pts).
Hewlett-Packard recently announced strong computer sales trends. But almost 70% of its sales come from outside the U.S. - where the current slowdown is likely having less of an impact - while our ChangeWave surveys focus mainly on the U.S. market.
Indeed, outside the U.S., H-P registers higher market share numbers for consumer desktops (22%), corporate desktops (20%) and corporate laptops (17%).
Nonetheless, weaker U.S. visibility clearly looks to be an issue for Hewlett-Packard going forward.
