<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688</id><updated>2011-04-21T11:36:15.092-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Peanut</title><subtitle type='html'></subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>43</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-311765840869806001</id><published>2008-06-02T05:39:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-06-02T05:39:07.386-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Restless By William Boyd</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;In offering a review of a novel by William Boyd I could certainly be accused of bias. I would proudly plead guilty, since I regard him as one of just four or five &lt;a href=http://www.collinwood.info/Gourmet-Food/gourmet-kitchen-accessories.php&gt;Gourmet Kitchen&lt;/a&gt; writers who are capable of constructing supreme works of fiction, written in a framework that is both informative and thought-provoking and all this set within a continuum of contemporary or historical events which themselves become re-interpreted by the fiction. In Restless, Boyds latest novel, he has re-stated this ability and, if anything, written &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Insurance/Car-Insurance/car-insurance.php&gt;car insurances quote&lt;/a&gt; larger via a smaller form.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The historical element in Restless is supplied by the activities of an offshoot of World War Two intelligence. Ostensibly a private, dis-ownable initiative of a particular group, Boyd suggests that it formed an integral part of the British strategy, during the early part of the war, to force the United States to join the Allied effort. The fact, therefore, that it was undermined and subverted so that it perhaps aimed to achieve the opposite of its brief was probably par for the course when espionage meets its freelance counter, but the denouement is surprising and wholly credible.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In front of this backdrop of fact meeting fiction, we have a landscape of human relationships. Ruth is a single mother in Oxford. She, herself, has had certain German connections, nay relations, hence the motherhood. She makes a living teaching English to foreign tutees, has several dubious visitors, dreams about completing an aging PhD and generally spends much of &lt;a href=http://www.viaggra.org/erectile-dysfunction.php&gt;impotence help&lt;/a&gt; time looking after a precocious five-year-old. And then her mother becomes someone quite unknown to her. The widow in the Oxfordshire retreat suddenly becomes part Russian, part English, with a French step-mother. She possessed several different identities before she became Mrs Gilmartin and most of these were fiction to provide cover for the others. How many of us, after all, can claim to have known our parents before they were parents?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So, as Mrs Gilmartin the mother reveals to her daughter via instalments of an autobiography that she is really Eva Delectorskaya, recruited in Paris to conduct a campaign of wartime disinformation in the United States, the complications of life gradually attain the status of the mundane. Recruited, perhaps, because she was rootless and thus expendable, Eva proved herself intellectually and operationally superior to her manipulative managers and survived the posting that was supposed to achieve their subverted ends and, at the same time, erase her potential to supply evidence. Many years later, Eva, now Mrs Gilmartin, feels the need to get even, to expose the double or triple-cross for what it was and deliver at least a prod to the comfortable, self-congratulatory but traitorous British establishment that ran her. Daughter Ruth becomes the means.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So one messy life tries to tie up its soggy ends via the actions of another who is apparently yet to attain the same depths of complication. And she succeeds. The fright is delivered. The memory that Eva, the mother, was fundamentally brighter than the upper class Brits who were trying to manipulate her is rekindled. Her training was perfect, but she went beyond it and the plan backfired, irrelevantly as it turned out because greater events &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Finance/Student-Loan-Consolidation/student-loan-consolidation.php&gt;citibank student loan consolidation&lt;/a&gt; But years later, Eva, Mrs Gilmartin, is still brighter than her boss and, through her daughters efforts, she brings a special kind of justice to bear on the double-dealer who ruined, but also perhaps made her life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In characteristically humble terms, William Boyd reminds us at the end that we are all watched, all awaiting the cupboard to reveal its skeleton, but in our more mundane lives, it is unlikely to be as colourful an event as that which Eva Delectorskaya, Mrs Gilmartin, and her daughter Ruth uncover.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Philip Spires&lt;BR&gt;Author of Mission, an African novel set in Kenya&lt;BR&gt;  philipspires.co.ukhttp://philipspires.co.uk&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-311765840869806001?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/311765840869806001/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=311765840869806001' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/311765840869806001'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/311765840869806001'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/06/restless-by-william-boyd.html' title='Restless By William Boyd'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-7128166741523063129</id><published>2008-06-01T07:31:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-06-01T07:31:23.741-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Colloidal Silver Featured in the Wall Street Journal</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The powers of colloidal silver have been heralded for thousands of years only to be quieted by penicillin&lt;/strong&gt; and other bacteria killers conjured up in the pharmaceutical labs, given Latin names and used to fight every bacterium originated disease known to man.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The results of shunning this natural nano-sized (nano = one billionth of a meter) antibiotic has been that diseases have evolved to have a resistance&lt;/strong&gt; to the man made antibiotics and now scientist are scrambling to find replacements for the antibiotics that have survived less than 100 years.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;There are critics that hypothesize that the large pharmaceutical companies are pressuring the regulatory agencies to prevent nano-sized silver products from being sold&lt;/strong&gt; directly to the public without the giants taking their cut. Websites have sold silver nanoparticles in solution known as colloidal silver without the ability to mention what the product will cure or testimonials from those that have had positive results.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Wall Street Journal announces that the War Against Germs Has Silver Lining.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Curad USA, makers of hospital bandages lined with nano-silver particles now has released Curad Silver Bandages for the home use&lt;/strong&gt; instead of a Band-aid. Curad claims that silver reduced bacterial growth like Staph. aureaus, E. &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Finance/Mortgage-Refinance-HomeEquity/mortgage-loans.php&gt;mortgage co&lt;/a&gt; E. hirae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Samsung Electronics has introduced a refrigerator and &lt;a href=http://canadian-meds-shop.com/cart.php?add=2848&amp;aid=6855&gt;Professional Teeth Whitening Kit&lt;/a&gt; laundry washing machine that uses silver ions&lt;/strong&gt; to sanitize the laundry and eliminate 99% of odor causing bacteria (sold &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Computer/Data-Recovery/data-recovery.php&gt;data recovery tape&lt;/a&gt; Lowes and Best Buy). Plank, a Boston company, has launched a new soap for Yoga users that lists silver as the main active ingredient. The company has a toothpaste and shampoo in R&amp;D that is imbued with silver.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Asia has become the largest consumer of products that uses the nano-silver as a antimicrobial ingredient.&lt;/strong&gt; Colloidal silver is known to kill virus, is it possible they are guarding against bird flu?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;While some agencies strive to prevent you from buying colloidal silver online, &lt;strong&gt;the EPA is clear that we NOW have silver in our drinking supply&lt;/strong&gt; and has, for health purposes established a daily reference dose for silver in drinking water at 350 micrograms (u.g) and a critical dose at 1400 u.g. In contrast, international health bodies, such as the World Health Organization, have not established such standards for silver since its toxicity is very low.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Silver becomes more active against microbes when its made into small particles because they can cover more surface area when they come into direct contact with bacteria,&lt;/strong&gt; according to Andrew Maynard, physicist and chief scientific adviser for studies on Emerging &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Legal/Personal-Injury/injury-lawyers.php&gt;injury lawyers&lt;/a&gt; underway at Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Adidas, and Polartec have licensed silver coated nylon fabric known as X-Static&lt;/strong&gt; (Noble Biomaterials Inc.) to incorporate antimicrobial silver in athletic and outdoor clothing for their ability to kill odors and promote thermal properties. Brooks Sports sells a line (HVAC) of socks, caps and shirts that use silver to differentiate them from all others.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;ARC Outdoors uses silver infused fabric from NanHorizon Inc. to produce antimicrobial socks for the U.S. military&lt;/strong&gt;. SmartSilver is brand of odor-eliminating underwear, stocking caps and gloves that kills bacteria on contact using nano-silver. ARC sells to Wal-Mart, Bass ProShops, Cabelas and wants to expand to hospital products such as sheets and surgical scrubs.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sharper Image has introduced a plastic food storage container that is infused with nano-silver particles&lt;/strong&gt; that they claim will keep food fresher, longer.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So what diseases will colloidal silver display benefits for?&lt;/strong&gt; Bacteria and virus are known to be killed by silver suspended in a liquid of nanoparticle size called colloidal silver. In addition to the bacterial growths like Staph. aureaus, E. coli, E. hirae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa mentioned by Curad and Maynard, yeast, fungus and virus have all died in tests using colloidal silver. So is yeast infection a yeast? Yes. Is ringworm a fungus? Yes. Is acne caused by bacteria? Yes. Is sinusitis caused by a bacteria infection? Yes. Is silver used in infants eyes? Yes. Is silver used for burn victims? Yes. Is colloidal silver an immune system support? Yes. Will colloidal silver be the answer for bird flu? Is bird flu a virus?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Viva Colloidal Silver!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;James Zeller is the new "Euell Gibbons" for natural supplements. For more information about   colloidalsilverworldcolloidal silver or his find on natural help for the   n-ergetics/ "50 and Over" Baby Boomers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-7128166741523063129?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/7128166741523063129/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=7128166741523063129' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/7128166741523063129'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/7128166741523063129'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/06/colloidal-silver-featured-in-wall.html' title='Colloidal Silver Featured in the Wall Street Journal'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-8682344603286094899</id><published>2008-05-31T07:06:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-31T07:06:02.047-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Acne Program - Step 2: Using Acne Face Creams</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;After &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Legal/Personal-Injury/injury-at-work.php&gt;injury claims&lt;/a&gt; have washed your face with a chemical free soap, use an applicator &lt;a href=http://www.viaggra.org/viagra-FAQ.php&gt;questions about Viagra&lt;/a&gt; dip into Scottys face cream or you favorite face cream. Place the cream on your face and spread &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Finance/Mortgage-Refinance-HomeEquity/bad-credit-remortgage.php&gt;home financing bad credit&lt;/a&gt; all around. Massage the cream into your face gently so the skin absorbs the oils in this cream.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;These oils will seal the pores and hold the natural moisture of the skin and enhance the curing effects of the cream&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can use the cream 2-3 times a day. It is best to use it after you have cleaned your face in the morning and right before you go to bed. You can also use it during noontime.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can use Scottys cream &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Computer/Web-Hosting/web-hosting.php&gt;asp sql server hosting&lt;/a&gt; your makeup or over your makeup. It will work either way. However, it will work better on a clean face.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You will notice that when you apply the cream it will tingle in areas without sores and may sting in areas of open sores. This will pass and as it does it should reduce the itchiness of any sores.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Scottys cream has allantoin, which will help to clear acne sores. The oils, vitamin A and E, and minerals in Scottys will help to feed, rebuild, and rejuvenate your skin. The minerals also help to neutralize the toxic acids that have contaminated and inflamed pores on your face.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;During cleansing and fasting, more acid waste may come out of your pores. This is why Scottys cream will help you to reduce the inflammation and spread your acne.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tree Tea Oil&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;To make Scottys cream or your own cream even more powerful, you can add &lt;a href=http://friendfinder.com/go/g881714&gt;There's a world full of women out there.  Find one now.&lt;/a&gt; drops of pure tree tea oil to a two-ounce container. You can experiment with the amount to add. You may want to add more drops to provide more tea tree oil for your face. But, do not use more than 15 drops.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tree tea oil has been found to be effective in various skin disorders. It acts as an antiseptic, antifungal, and antibacterial. This oil helps to bring oxygen to the skin cell, which kills bacteria and fungus and helps to repair damaged skin caused by acne.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Borage Oil&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There is one more thing that you can add to Scottys face cream or your favorite acne cream that will boost its acne clearing power. This is borage oil. Borage oil contains EPA and DHA, which helps to control excessive hormones that cause the over production of sebum.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It is the adrenal glands that produce streams of androgens during puberty. These large quantities of androgens help to activate bone growth and assist in bringing forth sexual maturity.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A side effect of these androgens is the release of excess oil from the oil glands near the hair follicle. This excess gives rise to&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* black heads&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* white heads&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* pimples&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* cysts&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So heres what you can do to make your face cream even more effective,&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* Mix one or two capsules of Borage oil into your cream&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* Do this by cutting the tip off of the Borage oil softgel and squeeze the oil into the cream&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There is a new form of EPA and DHA that is available in a product called Neptune Krill Oil (NKO)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Neptune Krill Oil (NKO)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;NKO is the new EPA and DHA product, which maybe better to use than Borage Oil. NKO has the omega-3, EPA and DHA in the phospholipid form, which is easier for your cells to absorb compared with Borage oil. Borage oil contains the omega-3, EPA, and DHA in triglyceride form, which is more difficult for cells to absorb.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;One other good property of NKO is that is does not have to be refrigerated like Borage. It can be kept in a cool place in your cabinets. However, it does cost more than Borage oil.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Word of Caution: As with all creams and oils, if you get any rash or skin reactions when using them, discontinue their use.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Use a good face cream to help clear your acne. You can boost the power of this cream by adding tree tea oil and borage or NKO oil.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Rudy Silva has a degree in Physics and is a Natural Nutritionist. He is the author of Constipation, Acne, Hemorrhoid, and Fatty Acid ebooks. He writes a newsletter call natural-remedies-thatwork. More acne hints and information on his acne e-book can be found at:   acne-remedies.for--you.infohttp://acne-remedies.for--you.info&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-8682344603286094899?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/8682344603286094899/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=8682344603286094899' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/8682344603286094899'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/8682344603286094899'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/acne-program-step-2-using-acne-face.html' title='Acne Program - Step 2: Using Acne Face Creams'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-6526411994840270775</id><published>2008-05-30T05:51:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-30T05:51:56.919-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Ten Things You Should Know About Pet Snakes</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;If you are one of the legions of &lt;a href=http://www.pharmacy.shop24-7-365.com/Meridia-Sibutramine.php&gt;buy meridia&lt;/a&gt; who have acquired, or are about &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Finance/Structured-Settlement/structured-settlement.php&gt;sell structured settlement payment&lt;/a&gt; obtain a new pet snake, then you are also about to have a rewarding experience. Snakes have a lot to teach us. A properly maintained terrarium can be a work of art - many are prominently displayed in homes - so long as the snake keeper keeps some essential information in mind:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Be sure you give your snake enough heat - that means enough for the snake, not you. A snake is best kept at warmer, summer temperatures of 85  100 degrees F, unless being cooled for hibernation. Temperate zone species may tolerate a 30 degree drop in temperature at night, but tropical species rarely do well with such fluctuations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Never, ever use your snake to &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Insurance/Car-Insurance/auto-insurance.php&gt;inexpensive auto insurance&lt;/a&gt; somebody! Many people are afraid of snakes, some pathologically so. Using a snake to scare a person is irresponsible of you, may cause injury to another person, and is traumatic for the snake.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Be sure to &lt;a href=http://www.lemonlaws.shop24-7-365.com/florida.html&gt;Florida Lemon Laws&lt;/a&gt; your snake an adequate diet at appropriate intervals. Snakes under 3 feet in length should generally be fed prey about the size of an adult mouse once or twice a week. Larger snakes take more or larger prey at less frequent intervals. Truly large snakes may eat only once per year, but these are not snakes for novices.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Do not handle snakes after feeding, or until they have digested their meals. If a snake is handled too soon after eating, it is often likely to regurgitate the meal, and may refuse to feed for many days afterward.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Snakes must shed their skins, but they do much better if you do not help them. If the snake has been fed and watered well, it will grow, and the old skin is carefully broken by the snake and shed in one piece. If a snake &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Insurance/Life-Insurance/life-insurance.php&gt;life insurance cover&lt;/a&gt; in patches, it may be dehydrated or have a nutritional disorder.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Do your homework! Buying a snake is not the same as knowing how to care for it properly. It is your responsibility to learn about your snake and any special needs it will have in captivity. For example, unless you carefully teach your snake otherwise, many have specialized diets: garter snakes eat fish and frogs, hognose snakes eat toads, and corn snakes eat small rodents and eggs.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Get a snake veterinarian lined up now. Snakes have a slower metabolism than us mammals, so they may manifest symptoms long after contracting an illness. Waiting to find a qualified vet until the snake is ill may be too late.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Clean the snake's cage as it becomes dirty - don't merely wait for Saturday morning. Only use appropriate disinfectants for a snake cage. You may use rubbing alcohol, soap, and specialty products available at your pet shop. Do not use chlorine bleaches or industrial cleansers such as Ajax or Comet, because their residues are often toxic to snakes. Lysol is particularly dangerous.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Always wash your hands well with soap and water after handling your snake or the cage accessories. Snakes, like most animals, may harbor dangerous bacteria such as Salmonella.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; Okay, now go watch your snake and have some fun!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dr. Sprackland started keeping snakes in 1960. There are still snakes in his life!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-6526411994840270775?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/6526411994840270775/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=6526411994840270775' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/6526411994840270775'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/6526411994840270775'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/ten-things-you-should-know-about-pet.html' title='Ten Things You Should Know About Pet Snakes'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-8165477300660018717</id><published>2008-05-29T05:14:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-29T05:14:04.178-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Going Green and Not Gross In Your Apartment</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;There are literally hundreds upon hundreds &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Legal/Personal-Injury/injury-lawyers.php&gt;injury lawyers 4 you&lt;/a&gt; tips out there &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Finance/Mortgage-Refinance-HomeEquity/home-refinancing.php&gt;refinance loans&lt;/a&gt; help Apartmentites live the green life. Yes, "going green" has become a very popular trend among Apartmentites that spreads across several different generations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Naturally, how could anyone ever complain about a trend like this? It's trendy, chic, &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Finance/Mortgage-Refinance-HomeEquity/mortgage-loans.php&gt;mortgages for people with bad credit&lt;/a&gt; great for the environment. Not to mention it is &lt;a href=http://www.pharmacy.shop24-7-365.com/Monoamine-Oxidase-Inhibitors.php&gt;Monoamine-Oxidase Inhibitors&lt;/a&gt; us prolong our stay on this huge apartment we call the great, green Earth!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So I say: Go Green! People! Get as Green as you can. Be proud to be a greeny....just take a shower please. You can be green without being gross.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As always I have a few tips to help my fellow Apartmentites achieve great Greenness in their daily cleaning and become trendy as they do it. Here's how to make cleaning &lt;i&gt;Green&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Candle Switching&lt;/b&gt;- If you are still burning old oil based paraffin candles, STOP. Switch it up and grab beeswax or soy candles. They burn cleaner and are in &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Finance/debt-consolidation.php&gt;best rate loans&lt;/a&gt; danger of harming the environment. Best of all, they're affordable.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Soap&lt;/b&gt;- Use all natural and organic soaps! It appears that many Green folk out there tend to &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Insurance/Car-Insurance/auto-insurance.php&gt;automobile insurance quote&lt;/a&gt; stop bathing and using soap all together. This is not the answer. Rather, pick up a nice smelling organic soap at virtually any grocery store and remember to bathe thyself daily.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;All-Natural Cleaners&lt;/b&gt;- Stop using cleaning products that are filled with harmful chemicals that no one but scientists can pronounce. If you have baking soda, vinegar, and organic soap...you have everything you need to make all-natural cleaners. Baking soda can be used on animal messes, grease stains, and deodorize other tough to get out stains, while vinegar will help you get up the tea, coffee, and rust! Try cleaning the toilet or hardwood/tile floor with vinegar or shine up your small appliances and counters with baking soda. The soap always works well with water at getting out the simple dirt and grime.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;sponge-tastic&lt;/b&gt;- Dump the old plasticy rubber sponges and use loofas or sea sponges to scrub-a-dub in the bath and beyond. You also want to replace using paper towels with fragments of an old flannel shirt-It's washable!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Simple Green Cleaner&lt;/b&gt;- There are a wide variety of "green" cleaning products out there if you wish not to make your own. I suggest using Simple "Green All Purpose Cleaner." It's chemical free, biodegradable, and rocks the house!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There you have a few tips to help you clean up around the apartment, but stay consistent with being Green and helping the environment. You can do your part in helping preserve our beautiful world, one apartment at a time, but remember though, be Green, not Gross!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Jeff's just a regular guy with a funny goatee that really enjoys people and life. On top of that he is a bit of an expert on apartments, living in them, and getting the most out of the apartment living lifestyle.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As a Managing Partner of   apartmenthomelivingApartment Home Living, Jeff wants to help you find the right apartment by getting to know you. Not only where you want to live &amp; what you want to pay, but what you like. This way, we can help you find an apartment that fits your personality, not just your budget.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;At   apartmenthomelivingAHL Apartmentites have a platform to share their own stories, get great info &amp; tips on apartment living, read Jeff's entertaining blogs/stories, find Answers to a wide array of apartment related questions, and have a ton of fun sharing their love of apartment living with others.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-8165477300660018717?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/8165477300660018717/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=8165477300660018717' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/8165477300660018717'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/8165477300660018717'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/going-green-and-not-gross-in-your.html' title='Going Green and Not Gross In Your Apartment'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-6418931670324017257</id><published>2008-05-28T06:08:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-28T06:08:17.469-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Seven Smart Ways To Prepare For The Upcoming BBQ Season</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;That's right it's almost BBQ time again. Now's the time to start preparing, before it's the Fourth of July and time has gotten away from you! Here are seven great tips to get the season started off right.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tip #1 Clean your grill. Use a pipe wire cleaner or wire brush to &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Finance/Structured-Settlement/structured-settlement.php&gt;structured settlement investment&lt;/a&gt; sure &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Computer/Web-Hosting/web-hosting.php&gt;managed hosting&lt;/a&gt; the grill is free of rust, dirt, spider-webs and other debris.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tip #2 Examine all hoses leading from the tank to the burners. Replace if cracked or damaged.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tip #3 Find any leaks by applying a 50/50 solution of water and dish soap to propane cylinder connections and hoses. If bubbles appear, tighten the connection and or replace the damaged parts and retest.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Always be careful when igniting any BBQ grill but once the cleaning and safety inspection is done then the fun &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Finance/Student-Loan-Consolidation/student-loan-consolidation.php&gt;bill consolidation loan student&lt;/a&gt; begin.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tip #4 Get some new grilling gadgets. There are also a few basic tools that every backyard BBQ cook will need. You'll need a wide spatula, grill tongs, meat fork, grill brush, barbeque mitts, a meat thermometer and a spray bottle. A fun addition to this list is the Maverick Voice Alert Remote BBQ Thermometer Silver. It actually talks to you and tells you when your food is almost ready. Imagine hanging out in the yard with your family and not having to hover over the grill to make sure your dinner doesn't burn.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tip #5 Spice it up. You may also want to consider trying something a little different this &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Finance/Mortgage-Refinance-HomeEquity/remortgage.php&gt;Homeowner loan&lt;/a&gt; with some of your recipes so that it will 'spice' up your season just right. Dry rubs and tangy gourmet barbeque sauces add a zing to weekend barbeques. Try something new to make this summer special.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tip #6 Smoke it. Smoker bags, smoking chips and good old fashioned smokers add a new flavor to the same old meats. Chicken, pork, and even fish can become something extra special with a little smoking.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tip #7 Try a new recipe. Whether you visit your &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Legal/Personal-Injury/injury-at-work.php&gt;injury claims&lt;/a&gt; bookstore or find your recipes online a new recipe can add a little fun to a weekday meal. Grilling is often quick and easy &lt;a href=http://www.food.pop-cult.com/freakies.html&gt;Freakies&lt;/a&gt; a perfect way to bring the family together for weekday meals.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Let this be the year that you start out being prepared that way you can sit back and relax once it is here. Knowing that you will have a safe and enjoyable BBQ season can make all the difference in the world.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Visit   mysecretpantryhttp://mysecretpantry for all of your barbeque needs! Also see the recipes included at My Secret Pantry for a wonderful grilling season!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-6418931670324017257?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/6418931670324017257/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=6418931670324017257' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/6418931670324017257'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/6418931670324017257'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/seven-smart-ways-to-prepare-for.html' title='Seven Smart Ways To Prepare For The Upcoming BBQ Season'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-4517043040896149411</id><published>2008-05-27T06:08:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-27T06:08:47.214-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Fishing Diamond Lake: Return To Glory</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;Finally.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;After years of environmental impact studies, debate, and loss of aquatic bug life, &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Insurance/Car-Insurance/car-insurance.php&gt;car insurance qoutes &lt;/a&gt; "Gem of the Cascades", is about to begin it's comeback as one of the best trout lakes &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Finance/Structured-Settlement/structured-settlement.php&gt;endowment sale&lt;/a&gt; Oregon.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Once known for it's rich aquatic life and fast growing trout, Diamond Lake in the southern Oregon Cascades has been battling an &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Medical/ortho-evra.php&gt;birth control patches&lt;/a&gt; of "chubs" for over a decade now. Without sugar coating it, some "YAHOO" decided to &lt;a href=http://www.pharmacy.shop24-7-365.com/Nefazodone-Serzone.php&gt;Nefazodone&lt;/a&gt; live bait-namely the tui chub- to try and catch some of the large trout that used to swim in Diamond Lakes cool waters beneath the mighty sentinels of Mt. Thielson and Mt. Bailey.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As the chub prolifically reproduced to ungodly numbers, the trout were slowly squeezed out, as well as the bug life that once thrived in the shallows of the lake, leaving a "trout dead" lake and a ruined natural ecosystem. (Note: Diamond Lake historically is not known to have any native fish to it's waters.)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;That is about to change.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This September, around Labor Day, Diamond Lake is scheduled for a rotenone cleansing, which will kill off more than 200 million tui chubs, as well as what is left of the 35,000 -mainly planted- trout that are estimated to be left in the lake. Obviously, not a scene for the squeamish, the rotenone will choke off the oxygen in the lake, and it will be like Thanksgiving come early for hawks, eagles, racoons,and any one else who likes "chub chowder".&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The suffocated fish will float to the surface and the banks will be littered with the dead fish in what will surely be a memorable, albeit ghastly killing fields scene. I also guarantee that if you happen to comb the shores after the dirty &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Computer/Data-Recovery/data-recovery.php&gt;hard drive data retrieval&lt;/a&gt; is done, you will see some VERY LARGE Williamson River Trout that had been introduced into the lake a few years back to try and take a bite out of the chub population. Surely, many of these trout have been surviving, and showing up on fish finders as large 10 to 12 pound uncatchable blips.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Rotenone is a chemical/ plant extract which quickly breaks down in sunlight. According to numerous sources,when administered properly, the effect on wildlife, other than fish, is minimal. However, it is considered toxic prior to it's chemical breakdown, and even though I have heard that humans can eat fish that have been treated by rotenone, I think I am going to opt for the pizza at Diamond Lake(which can be equally toxic) rather than the "pan fried poison trout almondine".&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There have also been some "bad experiences" with rotenone(see Davis Lake California) so I am sure many environmental groups will be monitoring the pre and post treated lake.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The last time Diamond Lake was treated was in 1954, and it took three years for the lake to return to an aquatic rich, trout smorgasbord.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;But it did return, and there is no reason to think it won't have the same results this time.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The bad news is, that sometimes the rotenone does not get all the invasive fish. Fish will find underwater springs where they can draw enough oxygen to survive, and the chub life cycle begins anew. That is why it so hard to eradicate illegally introduced fish once they are set free.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So MR. YAHOO, don't put any chubs, goldfish, or other invasive fish into any body of water...PERIOD!!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;While we wait for the treatment of the lake, the ODFW has increased the daily limit to 20 trout per day, with no size restrictions.So, if you are a guy or gal who likes to eat trout, or if you are normally a catch and release fishermen, now is the time to put some trout in the fridge--guilt free- because these fish are not long for this world.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I myself smoked up about 18 nice Diamond Lake trout the other day,so you better hurry because there are only 34,982 left!!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Or, you can come back mid-September and fill your freezer with 200 million Rotenone treated chubs....&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A.J. Klott &lt;br&gt;Author, writer of fishing humor,and "fly tack" peddler.A.J. writes about the people,characters and modern day events that surround the fishing world. His first book is due out in December of 2005. &lt;br&gt;If you need a laugh or a fun gift, visit his website at: &lt;br&gt;&lt;a target="_new" href="http://www.twoguyswithflys.com"&gt;http://www.twoguyswithflys.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-4517043040896149411?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/4517043040896149411/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=4517043040896149411' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/4517043040896149411'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/4517043040896149411'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/fishing-diamond-lake-return-to-glory.html' title='Fishing Diamond Lake: Return To Glory'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-8017563754281967137</id><published>2008-05-26T06:50:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-26T06:50:42.119-07:00</updated><title type='text'>7 Top Marketing Tips For Professional Photographers</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;If you are thinking of running your own photography business there's one thing you'll need above all else - clients. Here's 7 tips to assist you make to build up your clients base and most importantly keep a hold of them so they'll purchase off you time and time again.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;ol&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;li&gt;You'll never know what you've got until you measure it. that is simple and works for any business - how can you know how well your doing unless you set yourself goals and something to measure your performance against? &lt;a href=http://www.lemonlaws.shop24-7-365.com/arkansas.html&gt;Arkansas Lemon Laws&lt;/a&gt; example, you might target three new clients a week, $600 a week turnover or 10 new prospects per month. that is the most important aspect of marketing measure it, track it and evaluate it - if it's not working bin it. Every client should be asked the question - "Where did you hear about (name of business)?" If you don't ask the question your probably wasting a small fortune in ineffective marketing.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;li&gt;Reward loyalty. We all want clients who continue to purchase from us but why should they. Build your clients loyalty and you'll reap the rewards. You could set up a membership program so that for a small fee e.g. $20 your clients get a 10% discount on all of their prints, or they get a free small print when they purchase a larger print. You don't want to make money from that you want your clients to feel valued so make sure your offer is of real value because the loyalty you can foster by treating your customer well could be worth thousands to your business in the future.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;li&gt;Ask for referrals. There is nothing wrong with that but so many companies are afraid of doing it. Ask the question - "Do you know of any one else who would enjoy that service?". If you get referrals from that then reward them, a simple thank you card or a bottle of wine can work wonders here. Let your clients know that you care and that you value them.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;li&gt;Incorporate an aftercare service. If a clients has bought from you, whether it be for a family portrait, a wedding or even some photos for ebay you should always follow up. that can be as simple as a phone call (not email it's too impersonal) checking that they were happy with the service. Again your clients will feel valued and you may even pick up some extra referrals and surplus Marketing.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;li&gt;Find a niche. Let's be honest there are a lot of photographers out there. If you can find a &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Finance/Structured-Settlement/structured-settlement.php&gt;sell structured settlements&lt;/a&gt; you have a much better chance of surviving in a competitive environment. For example you could specialize in pet portraits, real estate photos, sports shots, &lt;a href=http://www.collinwood.info/Gourmet-Food/pungent-spices.php&gt;Spices&lt;/a&gt; - whatever. The more you can devleop a niche the easier it gets to market. Imagine you take some photos of classic cars, all of a sudden you can directly market to classic car owners clubs and highlight your specialist skills and experience opening up a brand new market. If you try to market to everyone you'll reach no one but exploiting your niche will reap rewards.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;li&gt;Make your own news. A great way to get free publicity is to make your business newsworthy. You could do a charity event - offer to photograph 100 dogs and their owners in one day - all profits to go to a pet charity, offer free photography lessons to local kids, make a portfolio of your neighbourhood and submit it to the local press. &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Computer/Web-Hosting/web-hosting.php&gt;hostgator coupon&lt;/a&gt; anything you can do to make your business interesting will result in free advertising the more outlandish the better!&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;li&gt;Work with others. Network - make friends with local web designers, pr professionals, writers and graphic designers - these are all persons who need photos on a regular basis. Introduce yourself take them out for lunch, build a relationship and watch the referrals come flooding &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Insurance/Car-Insurance/car-insurance.php&gt;line car insurance&lt;/a&gt; A decent network can negate the need to directly advertise and can save you a fortune - you might make a few friends too.&lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;www.jawfaceinfo.co.uk/Get Paid to submit your photos to the internet&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;www.jawfaceinfo.co.ukStart your business now&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-8017563754281967137?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/8017563754281967137/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=8017563754281967137' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/8017563754281967137'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/8017563754281967137'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/7-top-marketing-tips-for-professional.html' title='7 Top Marketing Tips For Professional Photographers'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-8140180349829907402</id><published>2008-05-25T05:58:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-25T05:58:28.063-07:00</updated><title type='text'>A Favorite Recipe- Scampi Shrimp In A Luscious Butter Sauce</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;that recipe, shrimp scampi is &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Insurance/Life-Insurance/life-insurance.php&gt;life insurance rate quotes&lt;/a&gt; popular dish &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Insurance/Car-Insurance/auto-insurance.php&gt;auto ins quotes&lt;/a&gt; restaurants, but did you know that it is quick and simple to make at home as well? We southerners love our shrimp and shrimp scampi is one of the best. Shrimp served with a white wine and garlic butter sauce, what could be better? There are many variations of shrimp &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Finance/Mortgage-Refinance-HomeEquity/mortgage-loans.php&gt;mortgage loans for people with bad credit&lt;/a&gt; served alone, or often over pasta. that can be eaten either way.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The shrimp can be cooked in the butter if desired, rather than boiling it, if you prefer. The key to good shrimp, as with all seafood, is &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Insurance/Car-Insurance/auto-insurance.php&gt;purchase auto insurance&lt;/a&gt; to over cook it. Shrimp is done when it turns pink. that is very quick. Longer cooking times just toughen the shrimp. that is especially important in that recipe, because you will be heating the shrimp again in the sauce at the end.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Shrimp Scampi&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;1 pound medium shrimp&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;2 Tablespoons butter&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;1/4 cup minced onion&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;1/4 cup chopped chives&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;3 Tablespoons garlic, minced -more or less to taste&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;1/2 teaspoon pepper&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;2 Tablespoons parsley, snipped&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;1/4 cup dry white wine (or water)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Parmesan cheese, optional&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Lemon wedges for garnish, optional&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;ol&gt;&lt;li&gt;Bring a pan of water to a boil. Add the shrimp and cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat. The shrimp is done when it turns pink. Do not over cook.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;li&gt;Devein and shell the shrimp. &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;In a large skillet, melt the butter. Saute the onion and chives. Add the garlic, stir fry for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Stir in the pepper, seasoning salt and parsley. &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Add 1/4 cup dry white wine, whisk, and return the shrimp to the pan to reheat. &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Serve over spaghetti or linguine, or alone. &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Top with parmesan cheese if desired. Garnish with lemon wedges if desired.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Try that recipe- scampi shrimp will soon be one of your favorites. It is quick and simple, even for a busy night.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Are you interested in more southern style seafood dishes? Sign up for our newsletter at www.easysoutherncooking.com/meats/meats.htmlSouthern Meats and Seafoods and get quick and healthy recipes delivered to your email regularly.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Diane has just finished a free cookbook of her favorite southern recipes. Download easysoutherncooking.com/simple-southern-favorites.htmlEasy &lt;a href=http://www.pharmacy.shop24-7-365.com/Marijuana-Effects.php&gt;marijuana facts&lt;/a&gt; Favoritestoday. These recipes are guaranteed to have them begging for more. Best of all, its free!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Diane Watkins is a traditional southern style cook. She enjoys cooking, teaching, and creating about good food and family. For more information on southern cooking and recipes visit her website at easysoutherncooking.comEasy Southern Cooking&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-8140180349829907402?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/8140180349829907402/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=8140180349829907402' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/8140180349829907402'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/8140180349829907402'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/favorite-recipe-scampi-shrimp-in.html' title='A Favorite Recipe- Scampi Shrimp In A Luscious Butter Sauce'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-6568818064685129161</id><published>2008-05-24T08:12:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-24T08:12:50.596-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Chicken Tender Recipes - Easy &amp; Quick To Prepare!</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;These chicken tender recipes are simple, quick and delicious. Just check these out and I'm sure you'll be amazingly surprised.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So put your hat on and get ready for some quick simple chicken tender recipes:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&gt;&gt; &lt;b&gt; Turkey or Chicken Tenders&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;1 1/4 lb Fresh turkey tenderloin Or boneless chicken breast &lt;br&gt;1 1/4 c Divided oat bran cereal &lt;br&gt;1 t Salt &lt;br&gt;1/2 ts Pepper &lt;br&gt;2 lg Egg whites &lt;br&gt;2 &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Computer/Data-Recovery/data-recovery.php&gt;raid data recovery&lt;/a&gt; Lowfat evaporated milk &lt;br&gt;1 t Paprika &lt;br&gt;1/2 c Peanut oil&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Cut turkey tenderloins or chicken breasts into 6 slices by cutting cross the turkey carefully with sharp knife. Pound tenders to 1/4 &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Legal/Personal-Injury/accident-at-work-claim.php&gt;accident at work compensation claim&lt;/a&gt; thickness. Slit around edges to keep from curling. Blend 1/2 cup of the oat bran cereal with salt and pepper and coat tenders. Whip egg whites lightly with milk.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Blend remaining 3/4 cup oat bran with paprika. Dip meat into egg whites, then into oat bran paprika mixture. Place on baking rack and allow 5 minutes to dry. Heat peanut oil in large frying pan until hot. Brown tenders 2-3 pieces at &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Finance/Student-Loan-Consolidation/student-loan-consolidation.php&gt;Government student loan consolidation&lt;/a&gt; time for 3 minutes per side, or until crusty and brown. Drain well and serve with a low-fat dip.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&gt;&gt; &lt;b&gt; Crispy Chicken Tenders&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;1 c All-purpose flour &lt;br&gt;1 ts Poultry seasoning &lt;br&gt;2/3 ts Paprika &lt;br&gt;1 ts Onion powder &lt;br&gt;1/2 ts Garlic powder &lt;br&gt;1/4 ts Salt ds Pepper &lt;br&gt;1 Egg &lt;br&gt;1 ts Milk &lt;br&gt;3/4 lb Chicken tenders Cooking oil&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Combine dry ingredients in a plastic bag. In a bowl, lightly beat eggs and milk. Dip chicken pieces in egg mixture and shake off excess. Shake a few chicken pieces in the bag at a time, coating well.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In a large skillet, heat 1/4 in. of oil over high heat; brown chicken on all sides. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking for 10 minutes.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;That's it for today! If you want more chicken tender recipes just check below:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Nathalie Sanders is a chef mom. She reveals her delicious recipes and up-to-date cooking tips in a very famous newsletter: www.simple-recipes-secrets.com/Quick Easy Recipes Secrets. She is also a fan of www.copycatrecipes.org/Secret Restaurant Recipes. You &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Finance/Mortgage-Refinance-HomeEquity/home-equity-loan.php&gt;Home equity line of credit&lt;/a&gt; grab a copy here: www.copycatrecipes.org/Copycat Recipes.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-6568818064685129161?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/6568818064685129161/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=6568818064685129161' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/6568818064685129161'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/6568818064685129161'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/chicken-tender-recipes-easy-quick-to.html' title='Chicken Tender Recipes - Easy &amp; Quick To Prepare!'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-9185934929810288522</id><published>2008-05-23T04:50:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-23T04:50:36.593-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Colorado Land - An Introductory Guide To Buying Land In Colorado</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;Colorado has some of the best and most interesting land for sale in the world. Many persons are attracted to the idea of owning property in the mountains and every year flock to ski areas and other tourist spots state wide. In that article I want to &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Insurance/insurance.php&gt;online insurance quote&lt;/a&gt; the very basics of finding and purchasing that perfect property you have always dreamed of and give you an insight into what it takes to make a successful real estate transaction.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Every county in Colorado operates on a different set of rules. That is very important to consider because they every have different ways of &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Computer/Web-Hosting/web-hosting.php&gt;microsoft exchange hosting&lt;/a&gt; things, such as assessing taxes, subdivision rules and the issuance of building permits. Some counties are easier to work with than others. Be aware of that when you begin to research an area. It's not to hard to get a feel for an area just by talking to a few locals. Try calling a local business owner and they probably will be more than happy to talk candidly to you about the town.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do the general research first and make sure it's a place you want to put your money. You can get recent Marketing data, tax info and detailed property information from the County Assessor's office. Find out about the guidelines for getting a building permit by calling the Land Use Office. If you have a particular piece of property in mind, find out if it is in a subdivision and what the protective covenants are. Another very important issue to mention is water.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Colorado Division of Water Resources is the place to call. They have data on almost every well drilled in the state. If you are researching a property you can find out if there is an existing well, how deep it is, when it was drilled and so on. They are also the ones who issue well permits for drilling new wells. As far as drilling a well there is some interesting things you need to know. If you have 35 acres or more you are entitled to a domestic well. If you have less than 35 acres you will must get an in-house use well and will have restrictions on water usage. Talk to a well driller and find out how deep they must drill for water in that area. If your property has water rights find out what the water right is and how much water it actually amounts too. Many times the water rights can be more valuable than the land. I will elaborate later about water rights but for now keep it in mind.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Talk to a Realtor if you can because they are usually the most knowledgeable persons you can find regarding real estate in the area. It will give you a far greater sense of security to deal with a Realtor when going into a transaction because they are professionals and are guided by a code of ethics. Realtors can assist you in finding the property and preparing the &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Finance/Mortgage-Refinance-HomeEquity/remortgage.php&gt;Home refinancing calculator&lt;/a&gt; and can make life a lot easier for you in the &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Legal/Personal-Injury/injury-lawyers.php&gt;injury lawyers&lt;/a&gt; run.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you take the time and do your research I'm &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Computer/Data-Recovery/data-recovery.php&gt;raid data recovery restore&lt;/a&gt; you will find the perfect property. When you get into the details it can be intimidating. I believe the only way you will find your true comfort zone when purchasing a property is to not only research, but actually walk it from corner to corner so you really know what your getting. It can be worth the plane ticket. Good luck and happy property hunting.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-9185934929810288522?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/9185934929810288522/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=9185934929810288522' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/9185934929810288522'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/9185934929810288522'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/colorado-land-introductory-guide-to.html' title='Colorado Land - An Introductory Guide To Buying Land In Colorado'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-8694469917664168762</id><published>2008-05-22T05:23:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-22T05:23:18.012-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Outstanding Luxury Hotel - Sofitel Old Cataract Chosen as a Most Beautiful Hotel of the World</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;The August selection for the The Most Beautiful Hotels in the World is the Sofitel Old &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Computer/Data-Recovery/data-recovery.php&gt;cheap hard drive recovery&lt;/a&gt; Hotel in Aswan, Egypt. The setting for Agatha Christie's &lt;a href=http://www.pharmacy.shop24-7-365.com/Prozac-Fluoxetine.php&gt;discount Prozac&lt;/a&gt; on the Nile, that historic colonial hotel is possibly the best hotel in all of Egypt. It is and experience, combined with artifact hunting and tomb visiting that should be on the list of every luxury adventure traveler's list.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Old Cataract Experience &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Imagine that scenario: Enter the large high-ceiling lobby and note the blend of Victorian elegance and eastern arabesques. Keep straight on until you reach the terrace. Gaze out at the Egyptian sailing boats called feluccas gliding over the waters of the Nile on either side of Elephantine Island. Feel the warm breeze as you sit down and notice the long-robed porters quietly scuffing down the wide halls. 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The large spacious guest rooms feature antiques, fine Egyptian linens, high ceilings, and most have achingly beautiful Nile views.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The grand restaurant,&lt;strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;1902, &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;one of several at the hotel, was inaugurated for the opening of the first Aswan dam, with Winston Churchill, assorted royalty and dignitaries in attendance. French Continental cuisine is served in a grand colorful Moorish interior. There is also a freshwater swimming pool with terraces overlooking the Nile. The languorous beauty of the Nile will capture you at the Old Cataract, an experience not to be missed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Luxury experiences for the adventurous from your base at the Old Cataract:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Take a taxi to the nearby island of Philae. You can bargain for a boat to motor you over to see that fantastic isle which is filled with temples that were moved there to be preserved when the Aswan Dam was created.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Take a 2-hour plane ride to visit the tremendous Abu Simbel -- gigantic seated figures presiding over a small temple that can be entered.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Go for a cruise on one of the feluccas, the graceful sail boats that course across the Nile.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Sofitel Old Cataract Hotel&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Location: &lt;/strong&gt;Abtal El Tahrir Street, Aswan, Egypt; arrival is more likely by train or coach; airport one half hour by taxi.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Luxury style:&lt;/strong&gt; Adventurers who love the whiffs of the Old Cataracts colonial past; dreamers who want nothing more than to watch feluccas drift lazily across the Nile; historians who wish to walk in the shoes of Howard Carter; Agatha Christie fans who wish to glimpse shadows of Death on the Nile; actually just &lt;a href=http://www.pharmacy.shop24-7-365.com/Lithium.php&gt;Lithium&lt;/a&gt; everyone who has had the thought that they would like to see the tombs of the ancient pharaohs as one of their lifetime list accomplishments.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Medical/ortho-evra.php&gt;birth control patches&lt;/a&gt; heard:&lt;/strong&gt; If there was to be a contest for most beguiling spot in the world to while away the hours, the terrace at the Old Cataract hotel would surely be a contender.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;More details on that hotel and other exquisite luxury experiences available at mostbeautifulhotels.commostbeautifulhotels.com&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Letitia Fairweather is the nom de plume of a travel and publishing maven who has taken upon herself the glorious task of choosing the most beautiful hotels in the world. After stints in both the world of luxury travel and publishing, she has traveled near and far and deems that &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Computer/Web-Hosting/web-hosting.php&gt;asp net webhosting&lt;/a&gt; 'life list' is complete with out planning a stay at several of these heart-stopping, totally five-star deluxe properties in some of the most stupendous settings imaginable.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Learn more about The Most Beautiful Hotels of the World at mostbeautifulhotels.comMostBeautifulHotels.com&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-8694469917664168762?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/8694469917664168762/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=8694469917664168762' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/8694469917664168762'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/8694469917664168762'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/outstanding-luxury-hotel-sofitel-old.html' title='Outstanding Luxury Hotel - Sofitel Old Cataract Chosen as a Most Beautiful Hotel of the World'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-6693753411529714832</id><published>2008-05-21T04:34:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-21T04:34:16.648-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Mobil Oil Change Business - To purchase a Franchise or Not to purchase a Franchise, That Is the Question</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;If you are thinking of going into the Mobil Oil Change Business - you may have asked yourself; Should I purchase a franchise or not. After running a franchise business called The Oil Change Guys for many years, I had seen both pros and cons for franchisees who have bought into the concept. Not long ago, anyone asked me:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt; &lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;What would be the advantages and disadvantages going with a franchise apposed to going at &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Insurance/Car-Insurance/auto-insurance.php&gt;inexpensive auto insurance&lt;/a&gt; your self?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; Now first off you must realize, that there are not that many Mobil Oil Change franchises available on the market in the first place. There is only one mobile franchise business that comes to mind, that has any strong brand-name identity; Oil Butler. There are however, several fairly well-known business &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Insurance/Life-Insurance/life-insurance.php&gt;life insurance cover&lt;/a&gt; that sell Mobil oil change business packages.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A person can purchase a Mobil Oil Change business opportunity and use whatever name they wish for their business, that would be good for an entrepreneurial type, who wishes to build a strong local brand in a community, or servicing fleet business in the region.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If one is to purchase a Mobil Oil Change franchised outlet, typically they will pay a $20,000 franchise fee, which is a definite big upfront cost. Those that purchase a business opportunity will be buying a trailer, or equipment that they can put inside of a pickup truck or van. The prices for Mobil oil change equipment amongst the business opportunity crowd is pretty competitive, so, there is no one gouging you on price.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Likewise, a franchise or cannot charge its franchisees too much money for the equipment or use of the brand-name, because that would put its franchisees at a competitive disadvantage in the marketplace and the franchisee would must recoup the initial startup costs, by charging more to its clients. There is strong demand in the sector, but there is also competition from fixed site locations and even Wal-Mart Auto Centers, where I get my oil changed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Many Mobil Oil Change franchisors will tell you that they have fleet business available and contacts with large companies and that could start your business off at a fast pace. that is important because it takes a long time to build a serious customer base, without thoroughly blitzing the local market.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Building mobile oil change routes is &lt;a href=http://www.pharmacy.shop24-7-365.com/Meridia-Sibutramine.php&gt;buy meridia&lt;/a&gt; difficult, and to make money, these routes must be very efficient, and the clients must be very close together, especially considering the price of feel right now at three dollars per gallon. Additionally, in many markets, there is a quite a bit of traffic, and it cost a lot of labor to drive through that traffic to get to every customer.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So, if the routes are not tight, the costs of the operator will skyrocket due to labor and remember that automotive technicians are commanding a very high price right now in the market due to the shortage of auto mechanics. To make money in that business it is all about efficiency.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If anyone is a very entrepreneurial driven individual then they may not like taking &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Finance/Structured-Settlement/structured-settlement.php&gt;Sell structured settlement&lt;/a&gt; or having persons tell them how to do things. If that is the case, then they will not like being in a franchise system. Theoretically, a franchise system has already made all the mistakes and the mistakes are built out of the business. So the franchised operator generally will go through a much quicker learning curve and thus, they will say if the money that they paid for the initial franchise fee.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;One thing that many new Mobil oil change operators do not realize is that just because you sign up a customer does not necessarily mean that you will make a lot of money off of every one. that is because the average customer only changes the oil in their car every three months or 5000 miles.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The real money is not in the personal car market, but rather the fleet business market, where there are lots of trucks, buses or cars all lined up in a row. The mobile oil change business does not work well running like a pizza deliver service on call, unless properly grid out the city and that is a whole different &lt;a href=http://www.lemonlaws.shop24-7-365.com/florida.html&gt;Florida Lemon Laws&lt;/a&gt; of business, but it can be done and it is fun to do.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Securing key accounts in fleet business is paramount and if a franchisor can assist you do that quicker, then I would say they are worth every dollar. If they do not offer that type of marketing or assistance, then they may not actually be the great advantage that it would be franchise buyer might believe. If you know nothing about the business, then a franchisor generally has pretty good training, and many of the competitors who sell business opportunities do too, although, I have never attended any of them.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;One other issue that is important to the Mobil Oil Change franchised sector, is that many franchisors have specific deals with certain oil companies, and you will be locked into using a certain type of oil. that is good for bulk purchases at a relatively low price, but problematic when you find a specific fleet customer that will only use a specific brand of oil in it is not the one that you are allowed to sell or carry. that can hurt Marketing, so ask such questions upfront.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So if you are thinking about buying a Mobil oil change business as a franchise or starting your own these are some the things that you will need to consider. If you have any additional questions, you need to seek an expert. There is a great book online that you can purchase called Melric's Mobile Oil Change Guide. I hope that answers your question.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;"Lance Winslow" - Online www.WorldThinkTank.net/Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest creator for www.ourspokanemagazine.com/Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-6693753411529714832?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/6693753411529714832/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=6693753411529714832' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/6693753411529714832'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/6693753411529714832'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/mobil-oil-change-business-to-purchase.html' title='Mobil Oil Change Business - To purchase a Franchise or Not to purchase a Franchise, That Is the Question'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-4073316120115111916</id><published>2008-05-20T05:09:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-20T05:09:23.776-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Cherry Blossom Tattoos - What Do They Mean</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;Cherry blossom tattoos are some of the most popular tattoo designs for women currently. The beauty and delicate nature of a cherry blossom cannot be denied. In both Japanese and Chinese cultures the cherry blossom is full of symbolic meaning and significance. Before deciding to get a cherry blossom tattoo design it makes sense to comprehend the symbolism and deep cultural connections and meaning &lt;a href=http://www.pharmacy.shop24-7-365.com/Meridia-Sibutramine.php&gt;cheap meridia&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Finance/Structured-Settlement/structured-settlement.php&gt;selling structured settlement&lt;/a&gt; tattoo might hold. After all the best tattoo designs are ones that &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Insurance/Car-Insurance/auto-insurance.php&gt;online auto insurance quote&lt;/a&gt; a great deal of symbolic significance. Typically the tattoo that is universally regretted is the one that was gotten while out with a bunch of friends just because they were getting one. So dont fall into the trap and regret your tattoo later in life. Instead if you are planning on getting a tattoo at least take the time to research the symbolism and meaning behind it and see if it speaks to you and if the ideas are significant in your life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;While many persons tend to blend and confuse the Japanese and Chinese culture together from lack of knowledge the two are very different in many ways. Therefore the meaning and symbolism that the cherry blossom holds is different in &lt;a href=http://www.lemonlaws.shop24-7-365.com/idaho.html&gt;Idaho Lemon Laws&lt;/a&gt; culture.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Chinese Cherry Blossom&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For the Chinese the cherry blossom is a very significant symbol of power. Typically it represent a feminine beauty and sexuality and often holds an idea of power or feminine dominance. Within the language of herbs and herbal lore of the Chinese the cherry blossom is often the symbol of love.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Japanese Cherry Blossom&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For the Japanese the cherry blossom holds very different meaning. The cherry blossom is a very delicate flower that blooms for a very short time. For the Japanese that represents the transience of life. that concept ties in very deeply with the fundamental teachings of Buddhism that state all life is suffering and transitory. The Japanese have long held strong to the Buddhist belief of the transitory nature of life and it is very noble to not get too attached to a particular outcome or not become emotional because it will all pass in time.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The fallen cherry blossom is not taken lightly in Japanese symbolism either. It often represents the beauty of snow and there are many connections made in Japanese literature or poetry to a fallen cherry blossom and snow. that also has been extended to the life of a warrior whose life was ended early in battle.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As you can see in both cultures the symbolism and meaning behind the cherry blossom is very significant and powerful at the same time. It is important to think about these symbols and connect that with what your personally believe the cherry blossom represents. If you still want to get a cherry blossom tattoo and the above meaning from the Japanese culture or the Chinese culture do not speak to you or youre somehow view the cherry blossom in a very different way then it is okay to still get a cherry blossom tattoo. However, it is always important to know the symbolism before getting a tattoo permanently done.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Chris is an avid tattoo enthusiast, as well as an observer and creator of the tattoo scene. He has run numerous tattoo related website business in the past. However, now he provides great tattoo information in the form of articles and web pages for everyone to enjoy free. Check out that page for more on hubpages.com/hub/Tattoo_Sleevetattoo sleeve designs, or here for awesome hubpages.com/hub/Free_Star_Tattoo_DesignFree Star Tattoo Designs.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-4073316120115111916?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/4073316120115111916/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=4073316120115111916' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/4073316120115111916'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/4073316120115111916'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/cherry-blossom-tattoos-what-do-they.html' title='Cherry Blossom Tattoos - What Do They Mean'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-7619274644806029679</id><published>2008-05-19T04:23:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-19T04:23:41.496-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Five Tips For Better Piano Playing</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;Whether you already play piano or are about to learn, you want to play well. Maybe you want to impress your family. Or perhaps you want to be able to impress your friends. Maybe you simply want to play well for your own enjoyment. There are many things you can &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Insurance/Car-Insurance/car-insurance.php&gt;car insurance quotes on line&lt;/a&gt; to ensure that you don't fall &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Medical/Mesothelioma/mesothelioma.php&gt;mesothelioma patient&lt;/a&gt; any bad habits while perfecting your playing. that article will offer some piano playing tips that will assist you develop your skills.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tip #1: One Hand At A Time&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When learning to play a new piece, begin by playing with only one hand. Learn the hand movements and play the piece with every hand separately. If you are right-handed, that exercise will strengthen your left hand. Once you know how to play the piece with every hand separately, you may be surprised how simple it is to play it with both hands.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tip #2: Foot Off The Pedals&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When playing a piece that normally requires the use of the pedals, try playing the piece without the pedals. Doing so will allow you to hear the passages more clearly and identify any notes that sound wrong, ill-timed, or uneven. When using that tip, take care not to "hold" notes in an try to mirror with your fingers what the pedal would normally do.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tip #3: Use Variety While Practicing&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Any piano playing tips that are effective will focus on your mind. While strengthening your hands and fingers and gaining coordination in them is important, your brain will naturally begin to tune things out after a prolonged period of time. When learning a piece or practicing scales, use a little variety to keep your mind interested. Doing that will strengthen your memory.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tip #4: Be Regimented While Practicing&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Though you may be tempted to simply sit down and play when practicing, resist that temptation. that often results in developing bad habits that can impair your playing ability in the future. Instead, resolve to follow a regimented practice routine when learning or improving upon techniques. You may find that doing so allows you to learn to play pieces efficiently in half the time it would normally take. But, make sure to also give yourself some time to "just play" during your practice session. Balance is productive.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;5. Change your practice routine every three to six weeks. While it is important to have a consistently balanced practice routine, that doesn't mean you must practice the same stuff in the same way forever. Change to a different warm up plan once in a while and you'll learn piano in a more holistic way mentally. Throw in different chord scales into your warm ups as you learn piano. Learn a different &lt;a href=http://www.lemonlaws.shop24-7-365.com/virginia.html&gt;Virginia Lemon Laws&lt;/a&gt; or piece now and then. You may think if you &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Insurance/Car-Insurance/auto-insurance.php&gt;purchase auto insurance online&lt;/a&gt; one style of piano piece better than others the best way to learn piano is to concentrate on that style. It is true that you should spend the most time on the style you like the best, but learning as many styles as possible will actually increase your versatility within the style you like best. You may even find yourself mixing in some things to create a whole new style of music that is your own as you learn piano.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can get a more in-depth knowledge about the www.the-piano-site.com/piano in general and the www.the-piano-site.com/digital-piano/index.phpdigital piano in particular by going to www.the-piano-site.comwww.the-piano-site.com - The Complete Online Resource For &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Finance/Student-Loan-Consolidation/student-loan-consolidation.php&gt;student loan consolidation loan&lt;/a&gt; And Piano Music.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-7619274644806029679?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/7619274644806029679/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=7619274644806029679' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/7619274644806029679'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/7619274644806029679'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/five-tips-for-better-piano-playing.html' title='Five Tips For Better Piano Playing'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-3093764391383614040</id><published>2008-05-18T07:59:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-18T07:59:12.751-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Train the persons That Train the persons</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;Crying the management blues these days? Well, youre not alone. Companies inside and outside of our industry are trying non-traditional ideas to assist cure their issues, specifically in the area of employee training. Most training dilemmas, cannot be solved at the level most believe. In fact, far as well many companies try to solve issues from the bottom-up. They send their A-team to new units and their new managers to corporate universities to train them properly. I firmly believe the initial training of an employee is vital, but is third in line after hiring stars and ensuring the restaurants are run properly.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;An article in Fast business magazine profiled Home Depot's hiring of ex-junior military officers citing that these individuals were hired because they had real leadership experience, often under challenging circumstances. A study by Rainmaker Thinking and management guru Bruce Tulgan found that only 10 percent of managers (not specific to the QSR field) provide his 5 management basics including: clear statements of what's expected of every employee, explicit and measurable goals and deadlines, detailed evaluation of every person's work, clear feedback, and rewards fairly mete out.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;To that end, training new employees to 100 percent and allowing them to work for managers who don't run the shifts or restaurants up to high standards is spinning your businesss wheels. however they continue to invest more and more money on the initial training of new employees or new &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Donate-Car/donate-car.php&gt;salvation army auto donation&lt;/a&gt; To make &lt;a href=http://www.food.pop-cult.com/french-fries.html&gt;French fries&lt;/a&gt; more dramatic impact on turnover, guest service, long-term &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Insurance/Life-Insurance/life-insurance.php&gt;life insurance estimates&lt;/a&gt; and health of the business, companies need to reallocate a portion of those resources to train the persons that train the persons.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ten dollars spent on training one employee is not nearly as effective as ten dollars spent on a manager or franchisee that impacts 20-40 employees. Leverage your training investment. Ensuring GMs, soon-to-be-GMs, and franchisees receive continual development to run their restaurants more effectively will ensure an improvement in training. persons who work in great environments, even with less than perfect initial training, rise to the level of the manager and Marketing and service follow.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;On the flip side, restaurants that run with low standards, even with great initial training such as a new unit opening, are &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Insurance/Car-Insurance/car-insurance.php&gt;car insurannce&lt;/a&gt; of employees who lower their standards to those of the manager on duty or GM/franchisee. High standards every and every day will ensure the right employees do the right thing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Managers need to begin providing clear expectations and demanding high standards after all, the guests deserve, and pay, for those. In addition, they &lt;a href=http://canadian-meds-shop.com/cart.php?add=2848&amp;aid=6855&gt;Professional Teeth Whitening Kit&lt;/a&gt; reward and recognize performance improvement and those who go above and beyond. Want persons to sell more? Track it, train the employees how to be successful, and reward those who succeed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Every manager knows that however, few can actually do it. So, where should your training focus be tomorrow?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;T.J. Schier is service professional, consultant and speaker with over 20 years experience in operations and training. Founder and president of Incentivize Solutions and podTraining, T.J. has helped numerous clients enhance their service and training plans and spoken to tens of thousands of managers, franchisees and operators in various fields. Visit  IncentivizeSolutions.com/IncentivizeSolutions.com/ for more info motivating today's employees, training today's generation and delivering outstanding guest service; or  podTraining.us/podTraining.us/, a unique new system and the foundation of 'i-learning' - using the device of today's generation, the iPod - to train your workforce.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-3093764391383614040?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/3093764391383614040/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=3093764391383614040' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/3093764391383614040'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/3093764391383614040'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/train-persons-that-train-persons.html' title='Train the persons That Train the persons'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-5565584832266406587</id><published>2008-05-17T06:25:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-17T06:25:48.117-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Chicken Casserole Recipes - Amazingly Delicious!</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;These chicken casserole recipes are delicious. Just check these out and Im sure youll be amazingly surprised.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So here &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Insurance/Car-Insurance/car-insurance.php&gt;cheap car insurance quotes&lt;/a&gt; go for some chicken casserole recipes:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&gt;&gt;Chicken Mac Casserole&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;~3 boned and skinned chicken breast halves cooked &amp; cubed&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;~8 ozs elbow macaroni -- cooked and drained&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;~20 ozs frozen chopped broccoli -- cooked and drained&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;~8 ozs fat-free Sour Cream&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;~1 can reduced fat cream of chicken soup&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;~1 can cream of broccoli soup, condensed salt and pepper -- to taste&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;~2 c shredded low fat Cheddar Cheese&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Cook chicken in boiling water. Remove chicken and cook macaroni in the Chicken cooking water; drain. Cook broccoli.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mix sour cream and soups and then add chicken, macaroni, and broccoli. Pour all in a greased 9x13 pan. Top with cheeses. Bake at &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Insurance/Car-Insurance/car-insurance.php&gt;cheap car insurances&lt;/a&gt; for 45 minutes or until bubbly and heated through.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&gt;&gt;Chicken Enchilada Casserole&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;~3 tb Butter or margarine, melted&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;~1/2 c Chopped green bell pepper&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;~1 1/2 c Cubed cooked chicken beans&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;~2 c 15 oz ranch style&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;~1 c 4 oz green chilies, chopped&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;~12 ea 6 inch corn tortillas&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;~1 c Chopped onion&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;~1 ea Clove garlic, minced&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;~2 ts Flour&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;~1 1/2 c Chicken broth&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;~1 c Shredded Monterey jack&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sautee onion, pepper and garlic in 1 tablespoon butter. Combine onion mixture with chicken, beans, and chilies; set aside. Over low &lt;a href=http://www.lemonlaws.shop24-7-365.com/north_carolina.html&gt;North Carolina Lemon Laws&lt;/a&gt; combine flour and remaining butter; stir in chicken broth and 1/2 cup cheese. Stirring constantly, continue cooking until sauce begins to thicken and boil. Remove from heat.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dip each tortilla into hot sauce to soften; fill each with 2 heaping tablespoons chicken mixture. Roll up. Arrange rolls in 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking dish. Combine remaining sauce with leftover filling; pour over rolls. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake in 350-degree oven for 30 minutes or until heated through.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Thats it for today! If you want more chicken casserole recipes just check below:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Clara McKenzie Shouts: "Oh My God! I Still Can't Believe What that Guy Is Doing! These www.copycatrecipes.org/Copycat Recipes&lt;/a&gt; Are Amazingly Delicious. He Must Be &lt;a href=http://fashion-design.pop-cult.com/t-shirts.html&gt;vintage t shirts&lt;/a&gt; Real Nut To Release These www.copycatrecipes.org/Restaurant Recipes&lt;/a&gt; To The Public. Hurry! Grab Your Copy Here: www.copycatrecipes.org/Secret Recipes&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-5565584832266406587?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/5565584832266406587/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=5565584832266406587' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/5565584832266406587'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/5565584832266406587'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/chicken-casserole-recipes-amazingly.html' title='Chicken Casserole Recipes - Amazingly Delicious!'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-5765898976584296636</id><published>2008-05-16T06:28:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-16T06:28:28.902-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Basic Guitar Chords: How to Easily Master the Guitar Chords You Must Know</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;One of the first challenges faced by the advancing guitar player is learning a core group of basic guitar chords. &lt;b&gt;Why is it so important to learn these basic chords?&lt;/b&gt; Chords form the backbone of most rock and &lt;a href=http://canadian-meds-shop.com/cart.php?add=5048&amp;aid=6855&gt;Anabolic Fusion - 90-900mg capsules&lt;/a&gt; tunes, and &lt;a href=http://www.lemonlaws.shop24-7-365.com/mississippi.html&gt;Mississippi Lemon Laws&lt;/a&gt; the harmonic accompaniment to the melody and instrumental solos. &lt;BR&gt; &lt;BR&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Rhythm guitar based on basic chords provides many of the most memorable rock riffs think AC/DCs Back in Black or The Whos Wont Get Fooled Again. Whats really amazing is that by learning no more than 10 to 15 basic guitar chords, you will be equipped to play thousands of rock and pop tunes!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;First lets establish the definition of a chord. A chord is three or more different musical notes played together. In the case of the guitar, that means that at least three strings are strummed or plucked simultaneously to sound three or more notes. Since the guitar has six strings, the maximum numbers of notes in a guitar chord is six. All chords can be placed in one of three groups based on the musical structure of the chord: Major, Minor, or Seventh. Each of these chord groups has its own sound or feel. Major chords sound stable and complete. Minor chords can evoke a more somber or pensive mood, and Seventh chords are jazzy and somewhat incomplete sounding.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There is no standard list of basic guitar chords that every one agrees to. However, there is general agreement that there is a list of somewhere between 8 and 18 basic guitar chords (open string) that every guitarist must know cold. These chords are used in all musical styles from rock and pop to country, jazz, and classical. No matter where you are on your guitar-playing &lt;a href=http://canadian-meds-shop.com/cart.php?add=250&amp;aid=6855&gt;Cialis - 10 pills @ 20mg each HERE&lt;/a&gt; you should take the time to learn and master the basic chords. Getting these right will ensure you have the basic tools and skills to learn many tunes and increase your playing enjoyment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So what are the basic guitar chords? Our basic stable includes the major and minor chords from four common musical keys, A,G,C, and D. They are played as open chords, that is at least one string in the chord is not fretted (pressed down with a finger). Open chords are easier to learn and play than more advanced chords such as Barre chords, or complex chords further up the guitar neck. &lt;b&gt;Our list of basic major and minor chords is: &lt;/B&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A Major (or A), A Minor (or Am), C, D, Dm, E, Em, F, G &lt;P&gt; These chords can be best learned as chord families (by key) that can be combined &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Legal/IRS-Tax-Attorney/irs-tax.php&gt;IRS tax lawyer&lt;/a&gt; great-sounding chord sequences that make up lots of popular tunes. Using that chord family approach is much more interesting and useful than just memorizing a bunch of chords in random order!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;These chords grouped by chord family (key) are as follows:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A Family (Key of A): A, D, E &lt;BR&gt; D Family (Key of D): D, Em, G, A &lt;BR&gt; G Family (Key of G): G, Am, C, D, Em &lt;BR&gt; C Family (Key of C): C, Dm, Em, F, G &lt;BR&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt; Tips for Learning the Basic Chords: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt; 1. Pick a Chord Family and master it.&lt;/b&gt; that will give you quick success and let you play great sounding progressions right away. &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;2. Use a Guitar Chord Chart as a reference tool. &lt;/b&gt; A chord chart shows each chord as an simple to &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Insurance/Life-Insurance/life-insurance.php&gt;life assurance cover&lt;/a&gt; chord diagram with exact finger positions. &lt;a href=www.guitar-players-toolbox.com/basic-guitar-chord-charts.html&gt;See that example of a chart of basic guitar chords.&lt;a/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;3. Find the chords and lyrics for an simple song &lt;/b&gt;that is based on the chord family so you can apply your skills. Many great tunes are based on only three chords!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;4. Ensure each string sounds right. &lt;/b&gt;Take care to make sure that each string is sounding clearly, and that only the strings that should be played are played.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;5. Practice, practice, practice! &lt;/b&gt; Every day, practice continually change from one chord to another until you can do it rapidly. Learn the chord families one at a time.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;6. Master all the basic chords first.&lt;/b&gt; Only then move on to Barre chords and other more complex chords. First things first!&lt;P&gt; &lt;b&gt;7. Expand with 7th chords. &lt;/b&gt;As a next step you can easily expand on your basic chord knowledge by adding 7th and minor 7th chords based on the nine basic major and minor chords.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;8. Have fun using your new skills!&lt;/b&gt; Enjoy your musical ability by applying it to learning a small set of 5-10 tunes you know really well and can confidently play at any time.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Copyright 2005 Peter Bussey of www.guitar-players-toolbox.com &lt;P&gt; that article can be reprinted freely online, as long as the entire article and the resource box are included.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Peter Bussey has been an avid guitar player for over 10 years. In 2004 he became Editor of The Guitar Players Toolbox, a website dedicated to helping advancing guitar players improve with practical tools, tips, and information. Visit www.guitar-players-toolbox.comwww.guitar-players-toolbox.com&lt;/a&gt; for a variety of free, practical resources such as guitar chords, guitar chord charts, song chords, and more.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-5765898976584296636?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/5765898976584296636/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=5765898976584296636' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/5765898976584296636'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/5765898976584296636'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/basic-guitar-chords-how-to-easily.html' title='Basic Guitar Chords: How to Easily Master the Guitar Chords You Must Know'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-6751855889521946611</id><published>2008-05-15T05:42:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-15T05:42:48.537-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Vested Interest and Buy-in Makes Franchising Work</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;It is hard to argue that those who have a vested interest or their own money and capital on the line make better workers, small business owners and franchisees. Indeed, the comment about a "Franchisee" having a vested interest is a real one and a major plus for franchising.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I am &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Computer/Data-Recovery/data-recovery.php&gt;raid data recovery&lt;/a&gt; against the Franchising Model, I actually believe we ought to franchise the world &lt;a href=http://www.food.pop-cult.com/freakies.html&gt;Freakies&lt;/a&gt; that is to say the up and coming 3rd world nations, with a standardized government and add on regional variation modules. I am only against the bureaucracy and the excessive lawsuits that surround the franchising industry. It seems regulators and lawyers, too &lt;a href=http://www.collinwood.info/Gourmet-Coffee/specialty-gourmet-coffee.php&gt;Specialty Gourmet Coffee&lt;/a&gt; stick their noses between the franchise-relationship.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Franchising is a win/win, but if you make all your decisions on fear of regulations or lawsuits then you cannot move fast enough to win. So, I concur with "ALL" the many reasons and &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Computer/Data-Recovery/data-recovery.php&gt;hard drive recovery service&lt;/a&gt; for the Franchising Model and its man variations, I love franchising because it fundamentally makes sense.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If a franchisor cannot operate from a "tough love" standpoint to propel brand and success of the system then the franchisees get less not more. If the government regulators step in to tell the franchisor who he can and cannot sell too and how he must operate then there comes a diminishing point of the size of the golden carrot. Franchising is one way; it is not the only way.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Efficiency of the operators of the outlets due to 'buy-in' can be attained in business models other than franchising by way of profit sharing, benefits, stock options, etc. Humans and human motivation is not so difficult to figure out, Maslow is right. Franchising on the surface appears to be a win/win, but with all the forced regulations on an industry that has a fraud rate of under 1% is questionable.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If regulators have to create criminals to serve their on-going justification of regulations and if attorneys have to make money for their activities, one can easily see that although franchises enjoy the advantage of vested interest or buy-in, it may not be worth it. Think on that.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;"Lance Winslow" - Online www.WorldThinkTank.net/Think Tank&lt;/a&gt; forum board. If you have &lt;a href=http://fashion-design.pop-cult.com/lava-lamp.html&gt;Lava Lamps&lt;/a&gt; thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/www.WorldThinkTank.net/&lt;/a&gt;. Lance is a guest creator for www.ourspokanemagazine.com/Our Spokane Magazine&lt;/a&gt; in Spokane, Washington&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-6751855889521946611?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/6751855889521946611/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=6751855889521946611' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/6751855889521946611'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/6751855889521946611'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/vested-interest-and-buy-in-makes.html' title='Vested Interest and Buy-in Makes Franchising Work'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-3843755562822786701</id><published>2008-05-14T05:44:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-14T05:44:27.912-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Compensation Culture Saves the Goliath</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;The massive strikes by &lt;a href=http://tomjtfykq.blogspot.com&gt;Tomjtfykq&lt;/a&gt; National Union of Mineworkers in the year 1926 and then again in 1970 had crippled the country to no limit. While it succeeded in pulling down the government in 1926, it sent the economy into a tail spin in 1970. Although, now it looks a pretty much &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Insurance/Car-Insurance/car-insurance.php&gt;car ins&lt;/a&gt; pale shadow of its former self, facing dwindling fortunes and irrelevance in the 1990s, one cannot forget the all out war it fought with the Margaret Thatcher government in 1984-85 with Aurther Scargill leading from the front.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;NUM entered the year 1984 with its roll &lt;a href=http://cozymel.blog247.co.za/&gt;Cozymel&lt;/a&gt; 171,000 comrades. The great war of attrition, as it is now known, saw the strength reducing to paltry 13,000 by 1998. Today the head count stands at a low 9,300 what with only 8 deep mines producing nationally. The strength swayed up and down between then and now, 2001 from 13 thousand odd to a tad above 24 thousand and back to the present 15,320.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Carrot Called Compensation&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;However, it is noteworthy that the recent upswing in the number has got nothing to do with the prevailing employment situation. With the winning of a High Court &lt;a href=http://classictvwiixmeiu.blogspot.com&gt;Classictvwiixmeiu&lt;/a&gt; case in the days between 1997 and 1998 by NACODS (South Wales), and the ruling against British Coal for being negligent about the workers' diseases such as respiratory and vibration white fingers. The prospect of personal injury claims getting honoured at Courts saw a rush of workers wanting to join collieries.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Although, NUM was no longer seen as a scourge of the government, it is merrily occupying the position of friends of lawyers specialising in personal injury cases and was found busy regaining its lost wealth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Membership Subscriptions at 300?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Whomsoever wanted to make a claim were asked to pay a hefty membership subscription in addition to the mandatory admission fees. Ex-NUM and the retired mining workers were being admitted back to the union upon payment of an all time high of up to a maximum of 300. Retired workers from Lancashire, South Derbyshire and Yorkshire were all admitted back to the union by collecting backdated subscriptions. The top carrot was to come in the form of assurance that the 300 membership subscription would be deducted from the award whenever it came.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;However, that gold rush was not without its share of controversies and disputes too. The controversy that the personal injury lawyers misled the miners has raged over a long time. Ironically, the union which stood for the cause of its member comrades for decades, was alleged to have been luring more memberships by funding their claim suits. Surprisingly the denial was to come from the solicitors, who were acting for individual members, that it wasn't the case in majority of the cases.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It may be noted that no stones were left unturned in an effort to clarify their individual positions. Spokesmen for both the union as well as the law firm clarified that the funding from the union would have been necessary had the suits, in individual cases, were to be fought outside the agreement between the Government and the miners. The agreement was signed in 1999.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Locus Standii&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;All having said and done, where does the litigations now stand? Of the 11,279 registered cases of vibration white finger and 44,642 of respiratory disease claims only 11 have been admitted for &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Insurance/Car-Insurance/van-insurance.php&gt;online van insurance&lt;/a&gt; by the Court, surprisingly all of them were from the former case. However, what was still unclear was whether the defendant was DTI or the private employer.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The author Alevoor Rajagopal had been creating on technical matters and in that avtar he gave up tags that confine to particular genre of creating. Rajgopal is a mechanical engineer and served the pharmaceutical industry. Oflate he has been putting his efforts in to creative art and healthcare creating. Here he looks up at options available to put life back on track. He can be contacted at alevoorrajgopal.blogspot.com/alevoorrajgopal.blogspot.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-3843755562822786701?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/3843755562822786701/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=3843755562822786701' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/3843755562822786701'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/3843755562822786701'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/compensation-culture-saves-goliath.html' title='Compensation Culture Saves the Goliath'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-1862270897407065434</id><published>2008-05-13T05:41:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-13T05:41:36.746-07:00</updated><title type='text'>How To Buy A Bargain House At Auction - Part 2</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;Research&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When it comes &lt;a href=http://www.food.pop-cult.com/chocolate.html&gt;Chocolate&lt;/a&gt; buying at auction its all about research, research, research! Its both extensive and time consuming and that's even before you bid on &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Insurance/Car-Insurance/car-insurance.php&gt;Car insurance price quote&lt;/a&gt; property, so buying at auction is no simple ride you will need to carry out a high level of due diligence. that should also include getting a survey done on the property before hand if you &lt;a href=http://fashion-design.pop-cult.com/warhol-andy.html&gt;Andy Warhol&lt;/a&gt; serious about the property and if you &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Insurance/Car-Insurance/car-insurance.php&gt;car insurance cover&lt;/a&gt; end up getting the property you want it could be 300 odd wasted.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Prior to the day of auction you should request the legal pack of the property you wish to bid on, the legal pack should contain: any conditions of sale, title deeds, applicable planning permission as well as copies of searches and leases, sellers can often not include all the details so if anything is missing be suspicious and consult with your solicitor, that is a tactic sometimes used to conceal details. To much analysis gives paralysis but not enough will get you a dead duck.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;On the day of the auction&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Check that the properties you are interested in is still available and weather any special conditions has been placed on any sales. On the day of the auction the legal pack is made available to view but don't rely on that as it has a tendency to go missing for long periods of time another tactic sometimes utilized across the auction houses. If the reserve is not met as explained area you should approach a member of the auction staff and make an offer.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Getting the elusive bargain&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A bargain is usually considered to be in the region of 20% below market value and around 1 in 20 can be found, so if you have done your homework you could find that 1.Usually you will find that you stand a good chance if you target 5 properties, you will therefore have a good chance of finding that bargain and having at least one successful bid on the day, once again it all comes down to the numbers!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Auctioneer Tricks&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Yes they do still go on and yes they are legal, never the less you don't want to get caught out by the auctioneers tricks so do yourself a favour and stand at the back of the room. From there you will have a good look at &lt;a href=http://www.lemonlaws.shop24-7-365.com/north_carolina.html&gt;North Carolina Lemon Laws&lt;/a&gt; exactly is going on. Examples of these tricks include an 'imaginary bidder' watch carefully when bidding, and you may also come across a 'plant', anyone put there by the auctioneer or seller, just to help the bidding along.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Summary&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Well there you have it, when attending the auction simply follow the above steps which include:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Auction properties are sold as seen so dig deep and do some detailed research.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Decide what the property is worth to you, set your maximum bid and whatever you do stick to it, don't get caught up in the heat of the bid.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Get your finances in order and ready for when you get your bid accepted on that gem of a bargain!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For more informative information contact the experts at www.propertyflaunt.comwww.propertyflaunt.com&lt;/a&gt; who can assist you in all your property pursuits.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-1862270897407065434?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/1862270897407065434/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=1862270897407065434' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/1862270897407065434'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/1862270897407065434'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/how-to-buy-bargain-house-at-auction.html' title='How To Buy A Bargain House At Auction - Part 2'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-4573564544235808696</id><published>2008-05-12T05:20:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-12T05:20:46.966-07:00</updated><title type='text'>How To Buy The Right Bed</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;In &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Legal/Auto-Accident/truck-accident-lawyers.php&gt;Montana truck accident lawyers&lt;/a&gt; age where there are more mattress brands then you can count on your hands and feet how are supposed &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Legal/Personal-Injury/personal-injury-claim.php&gt;personal injury law Las Vegas&lt;/a&gt; figure out which mattress is the best mattress for you? Every bed manufacturer offers a different product, with different benefits. Because you will spend a third of your life sleeping it is important to know how to look for the right mattress.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Legal/Auto-Accident/auto-accident-attorneys.php&gt;auto accident attorneys Idaho&lt;/a&gt; mattress can be quite expensive, so it is essential to do some preliminary research before going to shop. An important first step in the mattress buying process is to determine what type of &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Legal/Auto-Accident/auto-accident-attorneys.php&gt;auto accident attorneys Illinois&lt;/a&gt; you are. Different style sleepers will need different properties from their mattress. Overall the idea of a bed is to properly support your joints while you sleep. Your neck, back, spine, hips and knees should all be aligned as straight as possible to help promote a healthy sleeping position, as well as reduce tossing and turning. Different beds are made with different properties for the style sleeper you are. In most cases the overall consensus is to go firm. Keep in mind firm does not mean it feels like you are sleeping on a piece of plywood (unless that is what is most comfortable for you!). In that case firm is used in conjunction with supportive. The mattress should act as a natural support for your body's curvatures. How firm you choose to go will influence what type of bed you will &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Legal/Personal-Injury/personal-injury-lawyers.php&gt;Las Vegas personal injury lawyers&lt;/a&gt; to buy.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you buy a quality memory foam mattress then keep in mind that there will be little breakdown in the bed as it ages, as opposed to a spring coil bed that can begin to sag overtime. Although switching to a memory foam bed can take some getting used to, it can be a great choice for side sleepers. As a person sleeps and gives off heat, the memory foam is able to conform to the body's shape, and provide support in essential areas throughout the night. Although a memory foam mattress may not be for everyone, don't be scared away from it because of the marketing out there promoting memory foam myths.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you choose to purchase a traditional spring coil bed do so with the following in mind. Make sure to ask about the gauge of the coils being used in the mattress. Usually a quality innerspring bed will have coils with a gauge of around 14. As gauge decreases firmness increases. For example a bed with coils at a gauge of 12.5 would feel extremely firm. Also note that more coils in a spring bed does not always mean it will last longer. Typically when an innerspring bed begins to sag it is due to the upholstery breaking down, or box spring problems, and has nothing to do with the coils in the bed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Finally the best advice is to test as many beds out as possible before buying them. Go to a store that has a display floor that will allow you to lie down on the mattress. A good rule of thumb is to lie down for about 15 minutes per mattress. Quickly lying down won't give the body enough time to register comfort or discomfort with the surface. It is very important to try an array of beds made from a variety of materials in order to determine which bed is best for you.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you would like to find more information visit: www.bedinfo.comwww.bedinfo.com&lt;/a&gt; Further reading can be done on the mattress blog: www.bedinfo.com/page/mattress-blogs.htmlwww.bedinfo.com/page/mattress-blogs.html&lt;/a&gt; See our analysis on how to buy a bed: www.bedinfo.com/page/howtobuyabed.htmlwww.bedinfo.com/page/howtobuyabed.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-4573564544235808696?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/4573564544235808696/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=4573564544235808696' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/4573564544235808696'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/4573564544235808696'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/how-to-buy-right-bed.html' title='How To Buy The Right Bed'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-2776361315041231000</id><published>2008-05-11T06:47:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-11T06:47:37.137-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Choosemyrewards: The New Chase Credit Card Rewards Management as welll</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;In previous articles, I have discussed travel, cashback, interest-savings, and merchandise rewards plans. These rewards specific cards are geared towards people who are grounded in which type of rewards they would like &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Legal/Personal-Injury/injury-attorneys.php&gt;Maryland injury attorneys&lt;/a&gt; earn.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For those who are indecisive or those having different rewards interests at different times of the year, should take an interest in the Chase choosemyrewards plan. There are two different flagship cards involved in that plan, the Chase Cash Plus Rewards Visa and the Chase Flexible Rewards Visa. Both cards offer 0% APR's &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Legal/Personal-Injury/personal-injury-attorneys.php&gt;personal injury attorneys Massachusetts&lt;/a&gt; 1 year, and low APR's thereafter. Statistics show however, that the approval rate for the Chase Cash Plus Rewards Visa is higher.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Let's take a minute to explain the choosemyrewards plan. Like any other rewards plan, there is a point system for both cards. You receive one point for every dollar spent on purchases with each card. When these points are accumulated, &lt;a href=http://blogspotalcdzsagxaw.blogspot.com&gt;Blogspotalcdzsagxaw&lt;/a&gt; then have the option of redeeming them for a variety of goods or cash. Here is what distinguishes these two cards from all other plans. At any time, &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Legal/Personal-Injury/personal-injury-attorneys.php&gt;Maryland personal injury attorneys&lt;/a&gt; may login to the choosemyrewards page on the Chase server to elect which type of rewards you would like to receive. Choices include merchandise, restaurant gift certificates, retail gift certificates, travel rewards, and with the Chase Cash Plus Rewards Visa up to 5% cashback on purchases.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Many other rewards plans make it very difficult for the consumer to redeem rewards, let alone choose them. Typically, you would have to call up the company, wait on hold to get in touch with the proper client service representitive, and then listen to them give you your list of options before ultimately processing your decision. With the choosemyrewards plan that is not the case. In the mail with your new Chase card, you will receive a login pin number and the web address where you may access your rewards account. After entering your pin number, you may view your points accrued and a list of all rewards options. You may then scroll through the list of options and choose the rewards you would like to receive.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It only gets better. Let's say you logout of your account after you choose your rewards and realize that maybe you didn't really want that gift certificate to Home Depot that you signed up for. Instead you'd like a gift certificate to your favorite restaurant. All you have to do is simply log back in and switch your reward redemption. that is a very simple and painless process and gives you, the consumer much more control.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Many people save their points until the end of the year, because they never expire, and redeem their points to give gift certificates as holiday presents. Others take a trip to a warm place during the winter. Others just simply trump in on a cashback award in the form of a check. Whatever your interest are, or if they &lt;a href=http://www.shop24-7-365.com/Legal/Personal-Injury/personal-injury-attorneys.php&gt;personal injury attorneys Maryland&lt;/a&gt; enrolling in the choosemyrewards plan will make your rewards management more user-friendly and thus, much easier.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;Russ Nauta is the senior writer and consumer credit information investigator for Credit Card Outlet, a leading online credit card information portal since 2004&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;  www.credit-card-outlet.comCredit Card Outlet features instant approval credit cards, rewards cards, balance transfer cards and low APR cards from major issuing banks.&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;that article may be reprinted with a published link back to   www.credit-card-outlet.comwww.credit-card-outlet.com.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-2776361315041231000?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/2776361315041231000/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=2776361315041231000' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/2776361315041231000'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/2776361315041231000'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/choosemyrewards-new-chase-credit-card.html' title='Choosemyrewards: The New Chase Credit Card Rewards Management as welll'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-9200237345480750759</id><published>2008-05-10T06:48:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-10T06:48:58.109-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The TomTom GO 720 Review</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;I decided to break down &lt;a href=http://www.tv.pop-cult.com/ALF.html&gt;ALF&lt;/a&gt; buy one of the hottest items for sale in 2007, a portable GPS unit. After reviewing different brands, models and such I decided on the TomTom GO 720. I'm not much of a GPS guru - in fact I don't know much about them other than what I researched. Given that, I'll share with you my opinion on the TomTom GO 720.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;that is quite a handy little gadget. It's made well, with a &lt;a href=http://www.tv.pop-cult.com/invaders.html&gt;The Invaders&lt;/a&gt; casing that won't easily slip from your fingers and a bright 4.3 inch LCD display. Text on the screen is easy to read. I didn't realize how useful it would be until I set it up and stuck it to my windshield (with the included suction stand). I used it for the first time the following evening. The TomTom as wellk me the same route I would have taken myself - it preferred the highway. When the voice is set to pre-recorded human, you won't hear street names or highway numbers, just "turn so and so after so and so miles/feet". When the unit is set to use the phonetic machineized voice, you'll hear street names, road signs and highway numbers. The machine voice doesn't sound obnoxiously machineized. In fact, it sounds somewhat normal - &lt;a href=http://www.tv.pop-cult.com/king-of-the-hill.html&gt;King of the Hill&lt;/a&gt; of the time.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Other features include speeding alerts, FM-transmitter for your iPod, an anti-glare screen, points of interest, Blueas wellth, additional voices and something I learned by researching that article - voice address input. You can speak the address of your destination to your Go 720. that would probably be the most useful basic feature, because admittedly inputing an address through the touch screen is not all that intuitive. The TomTom comes with decent software that lets you control just about every feature of the GPS through your machine. For a nominal fee, the TomTom will redirect you through traffic, point you to the cheapest gas station, give you the weather and even &lt;a href=http://www.bubblegum-cards.com/Charlies-Angels-1/index.html&gt;Charlie's Angels&lt;/a&gt; where traffic cameras are located. Some of these "Plus Services" may be useful to certain owners.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;All in all a fantastic little unit that does exactly what it's supposed to do, with a number of cool features that make it a neat toy in addition to a sophisticated navigation device.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; www.tomtom.com/products/product.php?ID=373&amp;Category=-1&amp;Lid=1" title="TomTom GO 720" TARGET="_BLANKTomTom GO 720&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; TARGET="_BLANK" moretech.us.comMoreTech offers it's subscribers just that - more information about technology! You'll find articles on current trends and emerging technologies, as well as tips, &lt;a href=http://www.comic-covers.com/Dell-GoldKey/Flying-Saucers/index.html&gt;Flying Saucers&lt;/a&gt; tutorials and even &lt;i&gt;shopping&lt;/i&gt; - all related to the &lt;a href=http://www.lemonlaws.shop24-7-365.com/south_dakota.html&gt;South Dakota Lemon Laws&lt;/a&gt; machine hardware and software, networking, popular gadgets, the web 2.0, online gaming and more.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;  moretech.us.commoretech.us.com&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-9200237345480750759?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/9200237345480750759/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=9200237345480750759' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/9200237345480750759'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/9200237345480750759'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/tomtom-go-720-review.html' title='The TomTom GO 720 Review'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-1583068136612283469</id><published>2008-05-09T04:59:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-09T04:59:53.321-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The Significance of HR KPI in a Company</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;HR KPI is a definite must in any existing company today. Human Resource Key Performance Indicators are very much needed in ensuring the productivity of a company's workforce, primarily because &lt;a href=http://www.music.pop-cult.com/archies.html&gt;the Archies&lt;/a&gt; are the aspects in which a certain employee's performance is measured.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;With the use of KPI, a company's HR department can keep track of the productivity, work quality, teamwork, initiative, and dilemma solving skills of their employees. Making the employees aware of the existence of these Key Performance Indicators &lt;a href=http://www.music.pop-cult.com/aerosmith.html&gt;Aerosmith&lt;/a&gt; also provide them motivation in improving their work performance, thereby, increasing productivity for the company &lt;a href=http://www.lemonlaws.shop24-7-365.com/alaska.html&gt;Alaska Lemon Laws&lt;/a&gt; a whole.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Key Performance Indicators also make great management as wellls. By &lt;a href=http://www.christmas-almanac.com/Christmas-Carols/o-come-all-ye-faithful.html&gt;O Come All Ye Faithful&lt;/a&gt; at these indicators, the HR department can already pinpoint the areas at which their employees are performing very well. More importantly, these indicators would reveal at which areas employees need certain levels of improvement.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The indicators themselves also show at which areas employees feel stressed out, if that is related to the job or outside of the workplace. Stress in the workplace could be related to the rigors of the job itself, conflict among co-workers, and frustration caused by the demands of the job itself. These are the aspects that would be included in the employee's indicator.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;These aspects would then make up the individual reports of each employee, as well as management reports. The individual report would be used by the employee, in determining the areas he or she would need to improve on. These areas can be solely related to the job, such as a certain task or duty that he or she specializes in.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;These areas could also pertain to the attitude of the employee, such as cooperation, teamwork, and leadership skills. The management report, on the other hand, would be used to come up with ideas on how to coach and motivate employees, so that overall improvement would be achieved. Better management of the employees and the operations of the company is also a goal in the development of management reports.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The scoring process of these Key Performance Indicators is not that difficult because machines are used in determining these scores. All that needs to be done is to feed the machine with the necessary information in determining these indicators and coming up with the individual and management reports.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are a number of questions that the employees would be asked in determining these indicators. Does the employee like doing his or her job? Does the employee see himself or herself capable of performing the tasks that the job entails? Is the employee satisfied with his or her work environment? Does the employee have healthy relations with his or her co-workers, as well as members of the management staff? These are just some of the questions that they employee would have to answer during the whole process.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;HR KPI is indeed needed in any company, for the overall success of its operations. Sales, employee relations, client service, team development, hire orientation; these are the aspects that would have significant improvement with the use of Key Performance Indicators. that is precisely why it is recommended for companies to make use of HR KPI.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you are interested in  www.hr-scorecard-metrics.com/HR KPI, check that &lt;a href=http://www.food.pop-cult.com/jiffy-pop.html&gt;Jiffy Pop&lt;/a&gt; to &lt;a href=http://www.toys.pop-cult.com/first-video-games.html&gt;video games&lt;/a&gt; more about human resource metrics.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-1583068136612283469?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/1583068136612283469/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=1583068136612283469' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/1583068136612283469'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/1583068136612283469'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/significance-of-hr-kpi-in-company.html' title='The Significance of HR KPI in a Company'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-2219935707309653186</id><published>2008-05-08T06:03:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-08T06:04:00.511-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The What, Why And How Of Performance Management</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;Performance management is the process through which &lt;a href=http://www.christmas-almanac.com/Christmas-Carols/carol-of-the-bells.html&gt;Carol of the Bells&lt;/a&gt; investment sets, measures &lt;a href=http://www.christmas-almanac.com/Christmas-Articles/christmas-tree-facts.html&gt;Christmas Tree Facts&lt;/a&gt; reviews the objectives and performance of &lt;a href=http://www.lemonlaws.shop24-7-365.com/oregon.html&gt;Oregon Lemon Laws&lt;/a&gt; people.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Undertaken consistently, effective performance management will help you retain the right people, improve their performance and the overall performance of your investment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Conversely &amp;ndash; the failure to performance manage your team can result in losing your best people, keeping the wrong type of people and the consequent stagnation of your investment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;But what does that all mean within the context of &lt;a href=http://www.toys.pop-cult.com/barbie.html&gt;Barbie doll&lt;/a&gt; small investment?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;WHAT IS IT?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- Ensuring each of your team is clear of what is expected of them in terms of both outcomes and behaviour&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- Giving constructive feedback &lt;a href=http://www.christmas-almanac.com/Christmas-Carols/o-come-all-ye-faithful.html&gt;O Come All Ye Faithful&lt;/a&gt; an ongoing basis &amp;ndash; positive and negative &amp;ndash; so people know how they are doing on a day to day basis&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- Conducting a formal appraisal annually to review their progress&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- Conducting some kind of performance review every six months&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- Challenging and stretching your staff to improve their performance and reach their potential&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- Helping under performers to improve and get &amp;lsquo;back on track&amp;rsquo;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;WHY DO IT?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- It gives your people clarity as to how they are doing and what they need to &lt;a href=http://www.christmas-almanac.com/Christmas-Carols/feliz-navidad.html&gt;Feliz Navidad&lt;/a&gt; to deliver the investment plan&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- From a legal standpoint, it is a key part of practising good relations with your staff and minimising any legal risk to yourself&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- It helps you improve the performance and morale of your team&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- It helps you grow your investment by stretching and developing your people&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- It helps you retain your top performers as they a) are being developed and b) see you are willing to tackle under performing members of the team&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- It helps you manage out the people who are not right for the investment in an appropriate manner&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- It&amp;rsquo;s also the right and fair thing to do for your people&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;HOW DO I DO IT?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- Ensure everyone has a clear brief about the expectations of their role and the measures of success&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- Diarise formal annual appraisals and 6 monthly performance reviews&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- Conduct a review at the end of three months for all new starters&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- On a day-to-day basis, catch people doing things well and praise them for it. You will see them walk away with a spring in their step and be pleased to be working for you&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- Speak to people informally about lateness, absence and deteriorating work standards or attitudes as soon as it starts to become a dilemma (i.e. &amp;ldquo;nip it in the bud&amp;rdquo; as we say in the UK)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- Be consistent by then following these up more formally if things do not change&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- Work with under performers to agree a plan and support them in changing&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- Equally, set out the consequences of not changing and follow these through&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- Record all formal discussions. For example, if you speak to someone about their poor performance and agree some actions, it&amp;rsquo;s good practice to have a written record of what was discussed and agreed&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;- Be authentic - stick to the facts, be honest, be straight&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The key thing is to be consistent and fair in that process. It demonstrates that you are not shy about praising people when they do well, however are still honest and constructive when managing underperformance. It also provides you with a process to identify and then remove obstacles that may be getting in the way of your team excelling and enjoying their work.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Performance management plays a crucial part in building trust and credibility with your team. In the same way that building trust and credibility is the foundation of retaining clients and clients &amp;ndash; so it is with retaining staff.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;copy; 2006 Authentic Resourcing All Rights Reserved.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sital Ruparelia, the Recruitment &amp; Retention Specialist works with small investmentes that struggle with recruitment and retention issues and helps them implement strategies proven to Find and Keep the Right People consistently.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sital writes a FREE newsletter twice a month with insider tips on how to Find And Keep The Right People. To sign up now, visit   www.authenticresourcing.comwww.authenticresourcing.com.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-2219935707309653186?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/2219935707309653186/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=2219935707309653186' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/2219935707309653186'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/2219935707309653186'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/what-why-and-how-of-performance.html' title='The What, Why And How Of Performance Management'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-3879966835615336204</id><published>2008-05-07T08:55:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-07T08:55:28.750-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The Caveman Effect - The Evolution of Inventing High Performance Teams</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;Does a teams influence affect an individuals personal competence?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The answer is an obvious Yes, so the real question is how to make that influence one that improves performance instead of deteriorates it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you wish to influence the dynamics behind superior team performance, you need to understand the psychology that drives human reaction.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In the beginning&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The caveman needed to survive. Man found safety in groups. It was not a matter of preference, it was a matter of necessity. If you were not a part of a group, your chances for survival were slim. Conformity to the &lt;a href=http://www.toys.pop-cult.com/troll-dolls.html&gt;Troll Dolls&lt;/a&gt; became necessary to stay in a group and physical strength was the dominant factor for group leadership. Those who were strong and successful in the art of survival had the majority influence toward that conformity and only the strong challenged these leaders. If you challenged the leadership, you needed to be prepared to fight. And, if you lost, you were forced to leave the safety of the group and fend for yourself. The risk was great so there were few challengers and it became an ingrained survival response to gain acceptance from the group, so people just kept quiet.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It was a time of compliance!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then came the significance revolution&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The cavemans brains got bigger and more developed. Individuals became torn between finding there own path and gaining there own recognition, verses conforming to the group. Physical strength was no longer the dominant factor for influence. Now, people could think! Survival was no longer the acquisition of food and shelter; it had become a fight of ability. The more intelligent you were (and able to apply it), the more valuable you had become. The more influence you could exert over others, the more powerful you became. We began to compete for significance trying to show others how important and able we are, and if they believed us, or in some cases feared us, we became even more important.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We created a civilization that needed to be right!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then came the industrial revolution&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;and groups evolved into teams but the fundamentals of our survival instinct, our emotional evolution and the emotions that drive us were still there, and a major part of our psychology. Our ability to work at our peak in teams depended on the way these emotional drivers and understanding the dynamics they promote.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Today, the caveman has evolved and the awareness of our psychology has expanded.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We now seek better ways to improve our selves and our performance, but our caveman nature sometimes gets in the way. While our modern brain is influenced by numerous factors of emotional drive, the three that came from our caveman days are still central to our performance in teams:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The drive to belong&lt;br&gt; The drive for security&lt;br&gt; The drive to be significant&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As with our caveman ancestors, our fear of loss is more important that our potential for gain. Loosing (or the potential of loosing) our sense of belonging or our sense of security or significance are materialize in caveman like reactions. These reactions are sometimes subtle.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Our caveman reaction for conformity is driven by our need belong and feel secure in the group, so we keep quiet and comply. And if we do challenge, we are probably depriving others of their significance or security, causing them to react to protect themselves. This &lt;a href=http://www.weird-encyclopedia.com/unicorns.php&gt;Unicorns&lt;/a&gt; either escalate to greater conflict, or it may revert back to compliance and conformity to prevent conflict. Either way, these are still caveman reactions and are NOT useful to high performance teams.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The greatest obstacle to high performance is the cavemans reactions to loosing significance, in order for the caveman to be right, he must make someone else wrong, and that means, more caveman reactions from the other team members! And the worst part is that reality is not what matters, the caveman reacts on emotion without fact, and so perception influences reaction. When someone feels wrong, they feel less able; they may feel like they have less control and therefore are less secure, they react with aggression or submission out of dissatisfaction, and a lesser desire to cooperate affects their performance and the entire team.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So how do we get the caveman out of our teams so we can stop reacting and act like the evolved humans we have become, able to perform at the peak of our abilities?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are 4 stages to our evolution into awakened team members&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Each stage is a stage of awareness. It awakens our greater perception. But for it to be effective, the entire team has to &lt;a href=http://www.pharmacy.shop24-7-365.com/Gabapentin-Neurontin.php&gt;Neurontin&lt;/a&gt; this journey. But there are consequences, once team members have awakened, they will never view teams once more in the same way. They can never go back to the way it was and can never be satisfied with mediocrity. Each stage opens our eyes to the caveman within ourselves and others, and it lets us use the intelligent part of our brain to send this caveman back when he &lt;a href=http://www.movies.pop-cult.com/enter-the-dragon.html&gt;Bruce Lee movie&lt;/a&gt; to invade our minds and body. Different team members may be at different stages in their evolution, where are you?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;These 4 stages are as follows:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Stage 1: Acknowledge the primitive caveman in you&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Look at the behavior you have had in the past. How many times have you gone once morest your better judgment to go with the flow? Discover your need to belong to the group, to be accepted by your pears. How has this need manifested itself in your interaction with others? What has it prevented from achieving? Would your relationships Really be damaged if you expressed your views and opinions or confronted someone elses potentially bad decision, or is it possible you would gain more respect. As a leader, is it more important for you to be liked than to get the expected results?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;By reflecting on the behaviors you have displayed in the past, and realizing the damage you are doing to your personal effectiveness and the effectiveness of those around you, you can see the primitive caveman for what he is. This is the first step in your evolution.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Stage 2: Soothing the significant caveman&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Now the caveman in you has become more expressive. You tell people what you want and how it should be. The dilemma is they react to you. There are two types of reactions you receive:&lt;br&gt; 1. If you speak out with little confidence and conviction, you have only evolved in actions and not in mindset. Others react to you with insignificance; they make you wrong or unimportant. They do not pay much attention to you and you will accomplish little. Your actions are the beginning but you must be consistent and find your conviction. Imagine the alternative if you do not Extinction! &lt;br&gt; 2. You have the conviction and the confidence and now need to show how great you are and how much better than everyone else your ideas and abilities are. Others react by rebelling, some rebel externally and create open conflict. Others rebel internally and while they quietly go along with what you say, they feel that you treat them with insignificance, that you make you wrong or unimportant. Here your ability to overcome fear of not being accepted has brought you to this stage, but now you must learn to apply it effectively.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You are at stage two because your significance is central to your being, you tend to react to others that appear to take it away from you. This creates confrontation and brings out the caveman in your other team members. Then they react back and just make a big mess! So before you can transcend to stage three, you must awaken to the reactions that YOU create. Knowing you weaknesses is the foundation to your evolution. FIRST though, you need to admit you are the cause of much of this reaction. ITS NOT OTHER PEOPLES FAULT! Dont make others wrong so you can be important! You need to take full responsibility before anything can change. You can find other more productive ways to fill your need for significance.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Significance is about feeling important, so what if you had the power to make others feel important, the ability to bring out the best in them, their &lt;a href=http://www.weird-encyclopedia.com/demons-a-z.php&gt;Demons&lt;/a&gt; and their motivation? Would you gain gratification from this power? Would you get significance from the better overall results that could be achieved?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Stage 3: Keeping the caveman away from your team&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The caveman shows up when your modern (intelligent) brain shuts off. The more you can keep it on, the less time the caveman spends with your team.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Remember, when the caveman shows up, he brings out the caveman in the rest of your team members. And before you know it, youve got a group of cavemen either beating each other or hiding in the background. So STOP IT!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The key to using the Intelligent part of your brain, is to map the areas that might cause reaction and tagging them with a caveman alarm.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Write a list of issues that make you frustrated, angry, submissive, fearful, etc. Put this list in a place where you will often see it. There is a part of your brain that retains this knowledge in your subconscious, so when one of these issue comes up and you begin to react (using the primitive part of your brain), you remember the list and you remember that you may be letting the caveman out. At this time the intelligent part of your brain kicks in and allows you to work through the issue in an evolved manner.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Stage 4: Evolving into the awakened team member&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;By this stage you can stop the caveman from coming out in you. You have gone beyond your primitive emotional reactions to fear of not being accepted and fear of not being important. You dont always need to be right, and you dont make others wrong. You dont avoid conflict because youre afraid others wont like you or your need to belong.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You have awaked to an evolved individual that can think and act without fear, an individual that gives value to the team instead exploiting them for your personal emotional gratification. You take action in place of reaction. You have cultivated the courage of an evolved individual.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;But many of your team members often still react. At this stage, you understand them more, so you dont react to their reactions. You can use the intelligent part of your brain instead of the primitive reactive part. So how can you affect those around you that do react?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Look at the way you express yourself. Knowing that that caveman can appear in others instantaneously, how would you communicate when others react, what would you do or say to make the caveman in these team members go away?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Well first, you must identify what stage in evolution theyre at. Knowing this gives you the understanding of what they fear. Do they fear losing their security and acceptance the team provides, or do they fear being unimportant, insignificant? This knowledge provides the platform for you to help them fill these emotional needs and put aside their fears.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Second, give them this article for disclosure of your intentions and awareness of whats happening. If you all have the same understanding, it becomes easier to achieve results as a team. And, as this Team centered article is based on the Directive Communication psychology, attending Directive Communication based workshops would accelerate the process. Find a DC practitioner near you at: http://www.directivecommunication.com&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Finally, use questions to fill there emotional needs of belonging and significance. Ask questions, DO NOT teach or lecture. Discover how your team members fill these needs and how the team can support each member in achieving them without the caveman.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The journey to the evolution of highly effective teams is scattered with the angry beatings and quiet disillusionment of cavemen everywhere. Effectiveness is once morest our nature. Only in the face of our inadequacies can we evolve, can we increase our ability to be intelligent in our actions, and can we help others in there evolution.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The advantages of this growth is a happier, less stressful, and more productive life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The consequences of not evolving, are a life full of reaction, stress and un-fulfillment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The caveman will always be in you, the question is do you really want him around in your teams, friends, and families?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Today, evolution is a choice.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Arthur F. Carmazzi&lt;/b&gt; is the principle founder of the Directive Communication methodology, the author of Identity Intelligence and co-author of best seller The 6 Dimensions of Top Achievers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Arthur is the developer of the CBCI (Colored Brain Communication Inventory) profiling as wellls used for Psycho-Productivity management. This as welll has been implemented across a variety of HR and Leadership disciplines by numerous multinationals to generate greater efficiency of human capital.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Arthurs current area of concentration is in the creation of highly productive organizational cultures. His work in applying the Directive Communication discipline to organizations has enhanced departments in Multinational as well as local companies through attitude enrichment as it relates to productivity, leadership, sales and client service. Using psychology to inspire ownership within the individual, team, and organization.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can find out more about Arthur F. Carmazzi at   www.carmazzi.netwww.carmazzi.net or about the Directive Communication methodology at:   www.directivecommunication.comwww.directivecommunication.com&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-3879966835615336204?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/3879966835615336204/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=3879966835615336204' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/3879966835615336204'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/3879966835615336204'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/caveman-effect-evolution-of-inventing.html' title='The Caveman Effect - The Evolution of Inventing High Performance Teams'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-1481174765708502658</id><published>2008-05-06T05:50:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-06T05:50:48.991-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Is the Organization Managed or Led?</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;This is a really important question these days since the understanding of management &lt;a href=http://www.comic-covers.com/DC/DCSu-Z/Tarzan/index.html&gt;Tarzan of the Apes&lt;/a&gt; leadership &lt;a href=http://www.weird-encyclopedia.com/alien-abduction.php&gt;Alien Abduction&lt;/a&gt; gotten so distorted that the terms are used synonymously. The result is that most managers think they are leaders when they definitely are not.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So what is the difference and why is it important? There is a clear difference between managing and leading, and the effect it has on an organization is dramatic.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Virtually anyone who reads and studies this article will be able &lt;a href=http://www.lemonlaws.shop24-7-365.com/washington.html&gt;Washington Lemon Laws&lt;/a&gt; tell what kind of organization they are dealing with after a very short time. You will also know how to deal with that organization more effectively.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The first thing to look for is organizational growth. Managed organizations tend to grow quickly and then plateau. Organizations with strong leadership grow more slowly, but keep on growing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So the goals of the organization can be a good indicator as to if it is managed or led.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I am working with an organization right now that is having very fast growth. They are hiring managers in several states to run their rapidly growing facilities. They don't have time to train their managers, so they hire people with the skills they need today.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;An important point for this discussion is, "You manage things and lead people."&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;My client is hiring people to run their various offices - managers. Managers assure that the day-to-day operations are carried out.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A management-oriented company is easier to expand at the outset since you hire people with known skills to manage the organization.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You get a faster return since the manager hits the ground running. And it seems logical to hire managers when you need them.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As a brief side note here I want to mention micromanagers. These are people who manage as well much. They control virtually everything, allowing no one to function independently. In most cases, a micromanager should not have people working for them since they do everything anyway. (The one exception to this rule in my opinion is a surgeon. I want him to be in total control when he is working on me.)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I am not downplaying the importance of management; every organization must have managers to function. So every organization will have people performing a management role. This does not mean that every organization will have effective leadership, however.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I see this most clearly in sales management. Sales managers, for the most part, over see the day to day operations of a sale department, establish sales goals, and work with Marketing to co-ordinate activities. Rarely, if ever, do sales managers focus on developing people. I don't consider an annual sales training class as a people development plan.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And this is where the real difference comes in. Leadership, not management, is required if an organization is going to experience sustained, long-term growth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;One of the most important actions that a leader takes is to hire people based predominantly on character traits. That is, leaders hire people who possess the character traits that underscore the values of the organization and help it grow over the long run. They know and understand the rule, "Hire by character traits. You can teach skills."&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This obviously takes longer, so would not be practical for my fast-growing client. However, the downside to their situation is that they are not developing the next generation of managers, or more importantly, developing leaders. They have hired for skill-sets only, with little concern for character traits. They will soon hit a wall to growth and not know how to get over it unless they start creating and grooming leaders.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;One other dilemma organizations face when hiring by skill-set alone is interpersonal conflict. When you don't take character traits into consideration you can find that you may have people who can manage but don't necessarily fit in. The single biggest &lt;a href=http://www.christmas-almanac.com/Christmas-Articles/christmas-in-mexico.html&gt;Christmas in Mexico&lt;/a&gt; people leave companies is due to interpersonal dilemmas. This is an expensive situation many companies seem to face continuously.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Now, let's look at what my client will be doing to solve this dilemma.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The most important thing they did was to recognize that they need to develop a team from within the organization to avoid many of the dilemmas they could face in the future.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;They now understand the difference between management and leadership, and want to focus on leadership. However, they still are hiring managers due to the rapid growth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This company is lucky in that they have a core group of senior managers who are good potential leaders. They just need to be trained, and that is relatively easy.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The first thing I did was to get the team together and explain that they will now have a dual role - management of resources and operations, and leadership of people.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Leaders develop people, set the standards of performance, and focus on achieving the long term goals of the organization.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The next thing we did was select potential leaders within the organization in whom they will begin the grooming process.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As you can see, this requires planning and time - not something that an organization focused solely on management will do.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Leadership requires skills development, mentoring, training, delegation, patience, and a whole host of other well thought-out actions that are over and above simply running the day to day operations of the organization.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The most difficult aspect of leadership is that is doesn't have an immediate return which is hard to accept in our society where short term thinking is a way of life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The nice thing about leadership is that it is easy to assimilate into any organization if the senior level people wish to do so. And the rewards are usually beyond all expectations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Lead well,&lt;br&gt; Bill Truax&lt;br&gt; Bill@blitzcall.com&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; trademark 2008 WJ Truax&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Bill Truax is a sales consultant from Cleveland, OH. He specializes in sales prospecting and sells a complete self learning plan called The &lt;a href=http://www.weird-encyclopedia.com/Bigfoot.php&gt;Sasquatch&lt;/a&gt; CALL Prospecting Kit which contains 4 books, 2 CDs, and a year of e-mail consulting. Visit his internet   www.blitzcall.comhttp://www.blitzcall.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-1481174765708502658?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/1481174765708502658/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=1481174765708502658' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/1481174765708502658'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/1481174765708502658'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/is-organization-managed-or-led.html' title='Is the Organization Managed or Led?'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-5951123623316483772</id><published>2008-05-05T05:59:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-05T05:59:05.238-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Is Satellite TV a Better Choice Than The Cables?</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;The era of satellite television has begun. &lt;a href=http://www.tv.pop-cult.com/video/dr-who-1-01.html&gt;Doctor Who&lt;/a&gt; the past few years, satellite television providers have turned tables on their cable counterparts, &lt;a href=http://www.comic-covers.com/DC/DCA-B/Batman/index.html&gt;Batman comic&lt;/a&gt; committed the grave mistake of misunderstanding the power of their competitors, and gripped the television distribution market with awe.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When satellite television viewing was first introduced, the cable TV operators did not bother much about it as the dishes were expensive and were as well big and bulky. They presumed that the industry wouldn't last for long and since they had been in investment for over a decade people would still prefer them to the satellite television providers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;But little did they realize that the satellite television industry was here to stay. The satellite dishes soon got sleeker, the systems improved, prices dropped, quality &lt;a href=http://www.pharmacy.shop24-7-365.com/Ritalin-Methylphenidate.php&gt;buy Ritalin online&lt;/a&gt; up and client satisfaction rose. As per recent surveys satellite clients pay $10 less than their cable counterparts. The TV picture is in an all-digital format and the reception quality is topnotch. All in brief, satellite TV service is looking more and more competitive and the consumers started buying it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Before the cable TV companies manage to react, satellite TV companies (namely Dish Network and DirecTV) started to taking up cable's market. Cable operators provide for an upgrade to digital &lt;a href=http://mccoygshtaoqio.blogspot.com&gt;Mccoygshtaoqio&lt;/a&gt; they do not guarantee that all the channels will be included in the same. In addition the increasing competition, the satellite television industry assures a constant competitive pricing. This makes satellite TV a much preferred choice of entertainment media when compared to the normal cable network.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So is satellite TV better than the cables? You bet!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Just in case you are looking for &lt;a href=http://www.comic-covers.com/Marvel/MarvelF-J/GhostRider(1973)/index.html&gt;Ghost Rider&lt;/a&gt; www.satellitetvissue.com/DishNetwork/DishNetworkPromotion.htmbargains for Dish Network services&lt;/a&gt;, the online ordering process is pretty simple. All you need to do is to select the right retailer, place your order and schedule the convenient time for system installation, and wait home at the pre-set installation time. You will only need to fix your planming choices only when the system is fixed. You can always learn more about Dish Network, as well as  www.satellitetvissue.com/DirecTV.htmDirect TV offers&lt;/a&gt; at Satellite TV Issue.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-5951123623316483772?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/5951123623316483772/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=5951123623316483772' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/5951123623316483772'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/5951123623316483772'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/is-satellite-tv-better-choice-than.html' title='Is Satellite TV a Better Choice Than The Cables?'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-6960542032335802790</id><published>2008-05-04T04:51:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-04T04:51:51.581-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Party Favors that Add that Unique Touch to Your Celebration</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;One of the finest touches to any party is a party favor. When &lt;a href=http://www.comic-covers.com/Dell-GoldKey/StarTrek/index.html&gt;Star Trek&lt;/a&gt; are doing your planning, you should try to leave a little room in your budget to have your guests leave your party with a little something. The party favors can range from items that only cost you a few cents to baskets full of goodies (think Oscar-size packages here!). Still, the more unique your party favors &lt;a href=http://www.lemonlaws.shop24-7-365.com/iowa.html&gt;Iowa Lemon Laws&lt;/a&gt; the more memorable your event will be.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;u&gt;Cookies&lt;/u&gt;&lt;br&gt; Yes, cookies may not be the first thing you think of when you are trying to come up with unique party favors, but really, cookie designs have come a long way. Having a Superbowl party? Why not order cookies shaped like your teams helmets. You can get them personalized &lt;a href=http://artrrcrqevw.blogspot.com&gt;Artrrcrqevw&lt;/a&gt; each guest. For a wedding you can order cookies in your colors and theme with just about anything written on them. You can even get fortune cookies specially designed with your own personal fortunes.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;u&gt;Wine and Alcohol&lt;/u&gt;&lt;br&gt; If you are having an adult party, personalized wine bottles are an excellent gift. You can order wine from a local vineyard and use a pen to personalize each bottle. Or some wineries allow you to personalize the label itself.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can also offer mixers, champagne buckets, bottle openers, and more as specialized gifts. Books that &lt;a href=http://www.christmas-almanac.com/Christmas-Carols/ill-be-home-for-christmas.html&gt;I'll Be Home For Christmas&lt;/a&gt; some of the drinks you offered at your party are always a nice party favor, as well.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;u&gt;Personalized Food&lt;/u&gt;&lt;br&gt; Personalized candy is always a hit. You can purchase mint tins that have personalized labels, or even your own &lt;a href=http://www.christmas-almanac.com/Christmas-Carols/frosty-the-snowman.html&gt;Frosty the Snowman&lt;/a&gt; bars. Some people may even opt for their own monogrammed petit threes, and others choose personalized hot sauces.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;u&gt;Accessories&lt;/u&gt;&lt;br&gt; We all loved getting those monogrammed bracelets when we were younger, so why not bring them back? Today many companies offer updated versions with all kinds of personalized charms. You can get embroidered handbags, jewelry boxes, and even personalized tissues.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;u&gt;On a Budget&lt;/u&gt;&lt;br&gt; If you are on a budget, your local dollar store can be your best friend. Lets say you are throwing a beach party. You can buy pairs of flip-flops to hand out to each guest. Just make special name tags to give them an extra touch.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Party favors do not have to be extravagant - they just need to be thoughtful. It is a way of saying Thank You! to your guests for coming to your party, which will make any party a hit.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kelli Mahoney is the owner of &lt;a href="http://www.partysinarizona.com" target="_blank"&gt;http://www.partysinarizona.com&lt;/a&gt; a internet devoted to helping your find what you need for your party. With advice on throwing parties and links to helpful resources, &lt;a href="http://www.partysinarizona.com" target="_blank"&gt;The Partys in Arizona&lt;/a&gt; can help you throw the best party no matter where you live!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-6960542032335802790?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/6960542032335802790/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=6960542032335802790' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/6960542032335802790'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/6960542032335802790'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/party-favors-that-add-that-unique-touch.html' title='Party Favors that Add that Unique Touch to Your Celebration'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-4705788116195598122</id><published>2008-05-03T12:13:00.001-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-03T12:13:17.061-07:00</updated><title type='text'>machine Game Addiction - Fantasy or Reality?</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;Although most online gamers know the clear definition between reality and fantasy, &lt;a href=http://www.comic-covers.com/Marvel/MarvelF-J/Frankenstein/index.html&gt;Frankenstein comic&lt;/a&gt; has been a startling increase in number of revelations about addictions to machine games.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Players of popular online games such as Second life and World of Warcraft are well to the fore, with stories of child neglect while parents play on-line games, and children leaping to their deaths acting out World of Warcraft stunts.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It is clearly evident that people are &lt;a href=http://www.feelingretro.com/toys/Games/operation.php&gt;Operation game&lt;/a&gt; taking this virtual world much too seriously, with addiction and compulsion the tragic results. &lt;a href=http://www.saturdaymorning.pop-cult.com/land-of-the-lost.html&gt;Land of the Lost&lt;/a&gt; are conditioned to this world with the initial offer of free games. &lt;a href=http://www.christmas-almanac.com/Coloring-Pages/index.html&gt;Christmas pages to color&lt;/a&gt; they grow and mature, they are enticed into the "pay as you go" games which for some become an obsession. Schoolwork is often one of the first things to suffer, and interest in food and family relationships may wane.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The terms "virtual" and "real" rage, were discussed by Psychiatrist Jerald Block in his study of Columbine killers Klebold and Harris, noting their obsession with the online game Doom.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It is also interesting to note, that The American Medical Association's Council on Science and Public has requested that obsessive behavior in respect of online gaming be classified as a psychiatric disorder. Not surprisingly, machine game industry members have rejected this suggestion.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The AMA have also stated that long term video game players can be more aggressive, suffer attention disorders, and generally have more difficulty with schoolwork. Parents are now being encouraged to be on the lookout for signs of addiction, which can include carpal tunnel syndrome, aches in neck or back, problems with sleeping, dry eyes, and poor personal hygiene and nutrition.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And as parents, for so long we thought that it was just the alcohol, or meth amphetamine addictions of which we had to be aware!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Antony Wilton has taken his crusade against machine game addiction to a new website. See why so many find his comments addictive   addictionmachinegames.com/machine Game Addiction&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-4705788116195598122?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/4705788116195598122/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=4705788116195598122' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/4705788116195598122'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/4705788116195598122'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/machine-game-addiction-fantasy-or.html' title='machine Game Addiction - Fantasy or Reality?'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-3797287031542555055</id><published>2008-05-03T09:34:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-03T09:34:01.749-07:00</updated><title type='text'>God, Ancient Greece - In 350 BCE, Socrates, Aristotle, &amp; Alexander Believed in Heaven</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;Socrates was an ugly little man who walked in rags through the &lt;a href=http://www.comic-covers.com/Dell-GoldKey/Monkees/index.html&gt;Monkees&lt;/a&gt; of Athens in his later years. But in his youth, during the height of the Golden Age of Greece he had performed with great bravery at three great battles against the ever present army and navy of Persia. As he aged, limping and infirm, he was not fit for any further service to Athens and was allowed to ramble and talk to groups of people.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;And who can refuse an old man his times of rambling and talking to his neighbors, and then to others who hear of his wise series of questions and answers that he brought you conclude about you own needs or actions. His purity of mind allowed thoughts of &lt;a href=http://www.tv.pop-cult.com/speed-racer.html&gt;Speed Racer&lt;/a&gt; and ways to improve the human condition and how we all must search our own soul and moral code before causing another a harm. This is often heard from an old warrior, but none spoke with such searching clarity into the essence of a question. What was the seeker seeking, really?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;At first it was as the old warriors around the village water hole in their older days, reflecting on what had &lt;a href=http://www.lemonlaws.shop24-7-365.com/new_york.html&gt;New York Lemon Laws&lt;/a&gt; right and what had gone wrong in all their battles, defeats, retreats, returns with victories. What had it all been for? That would be Socrates. Others, as today, would shout all the platitudes of the day, defending what ever decisions, however apparently harmful, the present administration was taking. This little civilization on a &lt;a href=http://www.viaggra.org/cialis-faq.php&gt;http://www.viaggra.org/levitra.php&lt;/a&gt; was surrounded by ignorance or power, and all citizens of Greece needed to be on their alert. As at Gettysburg two thousand years later, the fate of democracy could some times hang by threads.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Socrates made the leaders of ancient Greece jealous and was forced to die. The immediate response was that the people of Athens arose as one and hounded those Governing 30 out of Athens: death, rejection, forever out of any inner council of wiser gentler Athens. This was the Athens Alexander arrived in, and took note. Heroic to a fault, he saw his chance for immortality, I think, and I have seen no published thoughts on this motivation behind Alexander electing with his life to go for it! No guts no glory, his inspiration would affect other people after his death, as with Socrates. He must be good, he might as well be Great.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It seems that Alexander, unlike most of us, had plenty example how life could end quickly, and unless that dying man had done good or evil in his life made a difference on how he could die, and expect to go to a better life with God, as Socrates told Aristotle, and as Aristotle told Alexander, and his horse told me.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Derek Dashwood notices the ancient past has so many lessons for us today. It really is about people and how they respond to the situations they find themselves facing, and how well prepared they are to effect change, and accept their fate. Socrates died quietly and told Aristotle, who told his pupil Alexander, that he was going to a better life. Alexander almost died in the desert in Egypt seeking a Wise Holy Man : they blessed each other. 350 years before Christ, men Believed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;  TARGET="_BLANK"  www.antiquereligionbooks.com"&gt;Rare Religious Books .&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;  TARGET="_BLANK"  www.egyptianantiquesshop.com"&gt;Egyption Historic Antiques .&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;  TARGET="_BLANK"  www.greekantiqueshop.com"&gt;Greek Thoughts and Antiques .&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Derek Dashwood&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-3797287031542555055?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/3797287031542555055/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=3797287031542555055' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/3797287031542555055'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/3797287031542555055'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/god-ancient-greece-in-350-bce-socrates.html' title='God, Ancient Greece - In 350 BCE, Socrates, Aristotle, &amp; Alexander Believed in Heaven'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-4603628011121734552</id><published>2008-05-02T08:27:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-02T08:27:00.642-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Writing investment Plans That Sell</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;investment plans have three main purposes: to guide &lt;a href=http://www.music.pop-cult.com/king-tut.html&gt;King Tut&lt;/a&gt; operation, to secure loans &lt;a href=http://www.fanatique.net/Marvel-Comics/Iron-Man/Iron-Man.php&gt;ironman movie&lt;/a&gt; the bank, and to secure new investments. Regardless of the application or use, the plan must sell the reader on why this investment concept works.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The most basic use of the plan is for the internal use at the company. In this case, investment plans are best written in a collaborative fashion by the team rather than by one individual or visionary. By writing in a collaborative approach, the plan receives the benefit of the diversity of the authors while securing the buy off of the team itself. By writing the &lt;a href=http://www.christmas-almanac.com/Christmas-Carols/must-be-santa.html&gt;Must Be Santa&lt;/a&gt; the individual authors take ownership in the vision of the firm and take responsibility for its implementation. Plans should be reviewed quarterly because plans &lt;a href=http://www.weird-encyclopedia.com/stonehenge.php&gt;Stonehenge&lt;/a&gt; change and are subject to outside influences that are hard to forecast or even anticipate.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A investment plan that is part of a loan package has a different mission. The reader, which in this case is the banker, wants know if the investment creates sufficient cash flow to cover the debt and basic expenses of the operation. Beyond that, the banker wants to know if the investment will be self-sustaining. For the lender to offer funding, the bank needs to feel comfortable that the investment will survive and be financially viable.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The investor has different motivations. Investors want to own the company and be a part of a successful enterprise. Admittedly, that ownership may not be long term since the investor ultimately wants to exit with a strong return on investment (ROI). Thus, the investor needs a plan that describes a firm that has a sustainable competitive advantage over the competition. The investor is looking for a &lt;a href=http://www.weird-encyclopedia.com/werewolves.php&gt;Werewolf&lt;/a&gt; management team, a winning marketing strategy, and an aggressive growth path.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Regardless of the type of plan being written, the plan should be written in a investment voice with a deliberate style. The plans messaging should be positive but reasonable; blue sky plans with unrealistic expectations will be tossed aside.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You should always write in the third person. Avoid the use of I or we; instead refer the firm or the company. Support key points with expert opinion or outside sources. Photos can help communicate products and graphics help the reader understand key concepts. With that said, avoid overly artistic or overly clever graphics and images which make the plan look comical or simple.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Pay special attention to time-lines and milestones. Far too many investment plans preach vision and goals, but lack the nuts and bolts of how things will get done. Keep exhibits to a half a page. If more detail is needed, put it the appendix. The appendices are found in a second volume which should be made available upon request.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Write your investment plan for your reader. Help them understand your plan so that they can help you achieve your objectives.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;John Bradley Jackson  trademark 2007 All rights reserved.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;John Bradley Jackson brings street-savvy sales and marketing experience from Silicon Valley and Wall Street. His resume also includes entrepreneur, angel investor, corporate trainer, philanthropist, and consultant. His book is called First, Best, or Different: What Every Entrepreneur Needs to Know About Niche Marketing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Check out his website at: http://www.firstbestordifferent.com"&gt;http://www.firstbestordifferent.com&lt;/a&gt; or his blog at http://www.firstbestordifferent.com/blog"&gt;http://www.firstbestordifferent.com/blog&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-4603628011121734552?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/4603628011121734552/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=4603628011121734552' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/4603628011121734552'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/4603628011121734552'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/writing-investment-plans-that-sell.html' title='Writing investment Plans That Sell'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-6784917585226079587</id><published>2008-05-01T09:38:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-05-01T06:37:54.118-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Is Trust Really That Important?</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;She said that trust didn't matter. In her eyes, as long as he said, "I love you," and came home at night, then she could deal with the lies and the infidelity. Trust just wasn't on the top of her priority list.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sound Familiar?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sadly enough, these types of relationships occur about as often as Sylvester Stallone's daily Botox injections. And while his face is beyond repair, &lt;a href=http://gphmnjsg.blogspot.com&gt;Gphmnjsg&lt;/a&gt; relationship doesn't have to be.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The first step to getting &lt;a href=http://amyvzgrluu.blogspot.com&gt;Amyvzgrluu&lt;/a&gt; love life back on track is to embed this one important principle into your spirit: Trust is Important. In fact, without trust your relationship is destined to fail. But just in case you're still not convinced, I think you should read the following 3 reasons to include trust in your relationship.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;1. Trust is the primary building block for a successful relationship.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In today's dating world, relationships continue to be built upon unstable &lt;a href=http://www.christmas-almanac.com/Christmas-Articles/merry-xmas-in-other-languages.html&gt;How to Say 'Merry Christmas' in Other Languages&lt;/a&gt; Maybe you're with him only because he has a nice job and is financially secure. Or perhaps you're with her because she's gorgeous with a body that just won't quit. While those are all nice perks, basing your relationship solely on these traits would be about as unwise as the time my church let Bobby Brown monitor the communion wine. (I never knew the blood of Christ could actually run out.)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Bobby's drinking aside, if your ability to trust your mate is not at the top of your priority list, then the relationship is sure to sink in the quicksand that it's built upon.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;2. Trust provides a needed level of safety and comfort.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Maybe you haven't read the paper, or personally experienced any of the harsh realities of life; but just in case you haven't, I have a news flash for you: There are a lot of bad people in this world. And I don't mean bad like how Ben Affleck is a bad &lt;a href=http://pop-n-musicwlnenk.blogspot.com&gt;Pop N Musicwlnenk&lt;/a&gt; or how Jennifer Lopez is a really bad singer. No, there's something far worse out there...and it can happen when you prematurely open yourself up to a person without &lt;a href=http://www.comic-covers.com/Marvel/MarvelF-J/JohnCarterWarlordOfMars/index.html&gt;John Carter, Warlord of Mars&lt;/a&gt; a trusting relationship first.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;i&gt;Diseases are spread.&lt;br&gt; Finances are ruined.&lt;br&gt; Violent tendencies are unearthed.&lt;br&gt; Lives are shattered.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So protect yourself by making trust a priority in the "getting to know you phase." Focus your energy on really getting to know a person before you completely let them into your life. (More on this next week.)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;3. Trust helps you survive through the tough times.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I can remember listening to New Edition's "Can You Stand The Rain," not really knowing what they meant when I was younger. Then I fell in love...which was eventually followed by me falling out of love. And though I wished for a happier ending in that particular relationship, it still taught me a valuable lesson.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;While the passion and chemistry between two people can be very real, if an emphasis isn't paced on developing a foundation of trust, then things are bound to fizzle out faster than Jennifer Love Hewitt's career. (Remember her? Didn't think so.)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So why does this happen?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It's simple. It doesn't matter who you are: You could be Will and Jada, Tom and Katie, Brad and Angelina, or even Diddy and whoever he's with this week; no one is immune to the tough times that come in every relationship. So when those moments do come, it's important to have someone in your life that you know has your back no matter what. Trust breeds that type of assurance. Without it, you'll find that your chances of making it through those tough patches are slim to none.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;The Fly Guy Moral:&lt;/b&gt; I don't know who I'm speaking to right now, but just know that you deserve to be in a relationship where you can love, honor, and above all trust the person that you're with. Anyone that tries to give you anything less isn't worth your time, and in my eyes is about as worthless as Michael Jackson's credit rating.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Next, I'll share the actual keys to building trust within your relationship. I hope you join me.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;DeWayne Rogers is the author of The Fly Guy Chronicles; your in-depth guide to love, relationships and everything hazy in between. Love advice may never be the same.   www.flyguychronicles.comhttp://www.flyguychronicles.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-6784917585226079587?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/6784917585226079587/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=6784917585226079587' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/6784917585226079587'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/6784917585226079587'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/05/is-trust-really-that-important.html' title='Is Trust Really That Important?'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-5514568137864249781</id><published>2008-04-30T08:25:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-30T05:24:41.126-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The Final Word - Political Correctness Can't Change Santa</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;"First it was butter then it was sugar and white flour, bacon, eggs, balogna, rock 'n roll, motorcycles. Then! It was celebrating Christmas on a day in September when you knew it wouldn't &lt;a href=http://www.pharmacy.shop24-7-365.com/Neuroleptic-Antipsychotic-Therapy.php&gt;Antipsychotic Therapy&lt;/a&gt; commercialized! What else are you gonna ban?"&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you've ever seen Almost Famous, you'll easily remember that line. Although, the depiction of the over-protective &lt;a href=http://www.tv.pop-cult.com/speed-racer.html&gt;Speed Racer movie&lt;/a&gt; for her rebellious teenage daughter doesn't quite mimic what I'm talking about here, it has shades of the same restrictive nature that political correctness can tend to have on culture and tradition these days. And now, they're trying to get Santa Claus!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Most people know him as the big fat bearded man who's just jolly enough to deliver the gifts of Christmas across the world all in one night, and do it with a smile on his face. Sure, the true origins of Christmas have religious values, but today we celebrate it in a way that invites anyone to take part in the cultural festivity. Even so, the assault on tradition and culture in the name of political correctness seems to always be encroaching.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In an article put out by SignOnSanDiego.com, reporters found that an Australian shopping company was training shopping mall Santa Claus characters to no longer say "Ho! Ho! Ho!" for fear that the words had a sexual and demeaning connotation. Numerous news sources have reported the incident and found a number of people claiming that it was a silly move and completely overdone. In the end, the Santas were allowed to revert away from the "Ha! Ha! Ha!" they were demanded to exclaim and be their natural selves. Phew, one small victory for level-headedness.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So, like anyone else, I started to worry and ask myself: What else are they going to ban? Soon, Santa will be assaulted for offending overweight people. Maybe he's offensive to a small community of individuals with skin problems that can't shave their beards. Still again, that red suit surely has communist overtones, doesn't it?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I find a few inherent problems with the detraditionalization of Santa Claus that the political correctness crowd has to consider.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here are my reasons why political correctness can't win over Santa:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* First, lets dispute the word "Ho". This word is obviously a pop cultural phenomenon. It's origins do not provide an actual root from which it can be derived. That being the case, shouldn't we consider the fact that pop culture is killing tradition, not civil liberties?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* Second, once we pick ol' Santa apart for all the things he does that represent a potential offense to various interest groups, &lt;a href=http://www.comic-covers.com/Warren/Famous-Monsters/index.html&gt;Famous Monsters&lt;/a&gt; be left with a guy in jeans, sandals, a button up flannel, and a pair of thick glasses. Ultimately, isn't it significantly more politically incorrect to have children &lt;a href=http://www.weird-encyclopedia.com/Mothman.php&gt;Mothman&lt;/a&gt; on the laps of mysterious men?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* Thirdly, the very age group that is typically involved in sitting with the jolly fat man and asking for toys is disputably not interested in political correctness. Shouldn't we ask the kids if they're offended before we decide for them?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here's the deal, people. If ever the words bah humbug were in order, it's now. Santa hails from a magical land of gumdrops, flying reindeer, and unbridled happiness. You just can't touch him. You can't attack the man...well.. because... he's not real.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We dedicate our blog to the joy of costumes for one major reason. We like to celebrate the ability to get out of the daily monotony of who we all must be. It's the power of imagination that keeps people dressing up, playing a new role, and having fun. If we start to extract imagination out of the biggest holiday of the year, we've completely failed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;My final word is this: We should spend less time worrying about how Santa is potentially offending a few of us. Frankly, if you ask me, the bigger point of interest should be on how he manages to mass produce toys for the entire world in such a short period of time. The secrets he possesses could change the face of our economy for the better in more ways than we can count. That's my final word.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Discuss...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;  target="_new"  www.mydisguises.com"&gt;www.mydisguises.com &lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-5514568137864249781?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/5514568137864249781/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=5514568137864249781' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/5514568137864249781'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/5514568137864249781'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/04/final-word-political-correctness-cant.html' title='The Final Word - Political Correctness Can&apos;t Change Santa'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-6489120127839523519</id><published>2008-04-29T08:50:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-29T05:49:03.501-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Movie Review - Michael Clayton</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;George Clooney plays the title character in the film, "Michael Clayton." Clayton is &lt;a href=http://www.tv.pop-cult.com/wonder-woman.html&gt;Wonder Woman&lt;/a&gt; legal "fixer," a legal kind-of janitor that cleans up people's messes so that their attorney's don't have to. He's special counsel to one of the most well known law firms in the world, and one of their star &lt;a href=http://www.feelingretro.com/toys/Misc-Toys/weebles.php&gt;Weebles&lt;/a&gt; requires some clean up work.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tom Wilkinson plays Arthur, the litigator known for taking no prisoners. He's been working for six years on a class action law suit brought against U-North, a large agrichemical company that may &lt;a href=http://www.tv.pop-cult.com/love-boat.html&gt;Love Boat&lt;/a&gt; may not have caused the deaths of hundreds of people due to a pesticide. Wilkinson is &lt;a href=http://www.comic-covers.com/Warren/Creepy/index.html&gt;Creepy&lt;/a&gt; and suddenly snaps. Viewers are left to wonder if it was because he went off his meds or he grew a conscious.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tilda Swinton plays U-North's chief counsel, Karen, a career-minded woman who could probably be diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. She is faced with numerous moral dilemmas, as many of the characters are, and put events into play that make for an exciting drama/thriller at the movies.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Clooney's Clayton is like that down-on-his luck private eye. The guy makes some poor choices, but you're still pulling for him because he's one of the good guys. Or is he?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;"Michael Clayton" has the feel of a John Grisham novel without the courtroom, crossed with a Michael Mann film. It's a rare thing these days to find an intelligent thriller that doesn't rely on action &lt;a href=http://www.toys.pop-cult.com/capt-action.html&gt;Captain Action&lt;/a&gt; and special effects, but this one has plenty of drama and tension thanks to the performances by all of the actors involved. Clooney shows us again why he deserves to be a movie star with this film. Tilda Swinton is so tightly wound that &lt;a href=http://www.pharmacy.shop24-7-365.com/Celexa-Citalopram.php&gt;Celexa&lt;/a&gt; she starts to unravel, she takes the audience along with her. And Sydney Pollack is just fun to watch in front of the camera instead of behind it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Audiences looking for action and thrills won't find them in "Michael Clayton," but fans of the legal/political dramas of the 1970s and 80s will find lots to like.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Bottom line: Go See It.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;  TARGET="_blank"  www.alteregocomics.com"&gt;Sideshow Movie Collectibles &lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-6489120127839523519?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/6489120127839523519/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=6489120127839523519' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/6489120127839523519'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/6489120127839523519'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/04/movie-review-michael-clayton.html' title='Movie Review - Michael Clayton'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-4266955632907940823</id><published>2008-04-28T08:50:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-28T05:49:33.110-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Porter's Five Forces Analysis</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;If youve ever listened &lt;a href=http://www.comic-covers.com/Archie-MLJ/Archie/index.html&gt;Archie Comics&lt;/a&gt; Warren Buffett talk about investing, youve heard him mention the idea of a companys moat. The moat is a simple way of describing a company's competitive advantages. Company's with a strong competitive advantage have large moats, and therefore higher profit margins. And investors should always be concerned with profit margins.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This article looks at a methodology called the Porters Five Forces Analysis. In his book Competitive Strategy, Harvard professor Michael Porter describes five forces affecting the profitability of companies. These are the five forces he noted:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;ol&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;li&gt;Intensity of rivalry &lt;a href=http://movie-theaterjfbrtliyua.blogspot.com&gt;Movie Theaterjfbrtliyua&lt;/a&gt; existing competitors&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;li&gt;Threat of entry by new competitors&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;li&gt;Pressure from substitute products&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;li&gt;Bargaining power of buyers (clients)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;li&gt;Bargaining power of suppliers&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;These five forces, taken together, give us insight into a company's competitive position, and its profitability.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Rivals&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Rivals are competitors within an industry. Rivalry in the industry can be weak, with few competitors that dont compete very aggressively. Or it can be intense, with many competitors fighting in a cut-throat environment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Factors affecting the intensity of rivalry are:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;li&gt;Number of firms  more firms will lead to increased competition.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;li&gt;Fixed costs  with high fixed costs as a percentage of total cost, companies must sell more products to cover those costs, increasing market competition.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;li&gt;Product differentiation  Products that are relatively the same will compete based on price. Brand identification can reduce rivalry.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;New Entrants&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;One of the defining characteristics of competitive advantage is the industrys barrier to entry. Industries with high barriers to entry are usually too expensive for new firms to enter. Industries with low barriers to entry, are relatively cheap for new firms to enter.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The threat of new entrants rises as the barrier to entry is reduced in a marketplace. As more firms enter a market, you will see rivalry increase, and profitability will fall (theoretically) to the point where there is no incentive for new firms to enter the industry.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here are some common barriers to entry:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;li&gt;Patents  patented technology can be a huge barrier preventing other firms from joining the market.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;li&gt;High cost of entry  the more it will cost to get started in an industry, the higher the barrier to entry.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;li&gt;Brand loyalty  when brand loyalty is strong within an industry, it can be difficult and expensive to enter the market with a new product.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Substitute Products&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This is probably the most overlooked, and therefore most damaging, element of strategic decision making. Its imperative that investment owners (us) not only look at &lt;a href=http://kitschsoobet.blogspot.com&gt;Kitschsoobet&lt;/a&gt; the companys direct competitors are doing, but what other types of products &lt;a href=http://www.mad-monsters.com/Models/index.html&gt;monster models&lt;/a&gt; could buy instead.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When switching costs (the costs a client incurs to switch to a new product) are low the threat of substitutes is high. As is the case when dealing with new entrants, companies may aggressively price their products to keep people from switching. When the threat of substitutes is high, profit margins will tend to be low.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buyer Power&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are two types of buyer power. The first is related to the clients price sensitivity. If each brand of a product is similar to all the others, then the buyer will base the purchase decision mainly on price. This will increase the competitive rivalry, resulting in lower prices, and lower profitability.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The other type of buyer power relates to negotiating power. Larger buyers tend to have more leverage with the firm, and can negotiate lower prices. When there are many small buyers of a product, all other things remaining equal, the company supplying the product will have higher prices and higher margins. Conversely, if a company sells to a few large buyers, those buyers will have significant leverage to negotiate better pricing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Some factors affecting buyer power are:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;li&gt;Size of buyer  larger buyers will have more power over suppliers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;li&gt;Number of buyers  when there are a small number of buyers, they will tend to have more power over suppliers. The Department of Defense is an example of a single buyer with a lot of power over suppliers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;li&gt;Purchase quantity  When a client purchases a large quantity of a &lt;a href=http://www.weird-encyclopedia.com/Judge-Crater.php&gt;Judge Crater&lt;/a&gt; output, it will exercise more power over the supplier.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Supplier Power&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buyer power looks at the relative power a companys clients has over it. When multiple suppliers are producing a commoditized product, the company will make its purchase decision based mainly on price, which tends to lower costs. On the other hand, if a single supplier is producing something the company has to have, the company will have little leverage to negotiate a better price.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Size plays a factor here as well. If the company is much larger than its suppliers, and purchases in large quantities, then the supplier will have very little power to negotiate. Using Wal-Mart as an example, we find that suppliers have no power because Wal-Mart purchases in such large quantities.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A few factors that determine supplier power include:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;li&gt;Supplier concentration  The fewer the number of suppliers for a given product, the more power they will have over the company.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;li&gt;Switching costs  suppliers become more powerful as the cost to change to another supplier increases.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;li&gt;Uniqueness of product  suppliers that produce products specifically for a company will have more power than commodity suppliers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Its important to analyze these five forces and their affect on companies we want to invest in. The Porter Five Forces Analysis will give you a good explanation for the profitability of an industry, and the firms within it. If you want to know why a company is able, or unable, to make a decent profit, this is the first analysis you should do.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;About The Author&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Chris Mallon is the editor and publisher of the Undervalued Weekly, a free personal finance and investment newsletter, published once a week. To sign up for the Undervalued Weekly, send e-mail to  href="mailto:underval@hot-response.com"&gt;underval@hot-response.com, or sign-up through the website at  www.dynamicinvestors.net/index7.htmlwww.dynamicinvestors.net/index7.html;  href="mailto:chrismallon@dynamicinvestors.net"&gt;chrismallon@dynamicinvestors.net&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-4266955632907940823?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/4266955632907940823/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=4266955632907940823' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/4266955632907940823'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/4266955632907940823'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/04/porters-five-forces-analysis.html' title='Porter&apos;s Five Forces Analysis'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-7439744904070117977</id><published>2008-04-27T11:36:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-27T08:35:32.726-07:00</updated><title type='text'>How To Deliver Technical Support That Delights The End User, Part Two</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;In part two of my series on delighting &lt;a href=http://www.lemonlaws.shop24-7-365.com/kansas.html&gt;Kansas Lemon Laws&lt;/a&gt; end user, we'll talk about how to provide dependable and reliable service.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Users say they want dependable and reliable service when they contact the help desk. How can you ensure they say you do that? In this article, I'll show you several simple and practical techniques for providing dependable and reliable service to your end users.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dependable and reliable service means providing consistently accurate answers and follow-through on your promises. Your end users should consistently get the courteous, pleasant and knowledgeable service every time they contact the Help Desk. Under Promise and Over Deliver-To accomplish dependable and reliable service, consider adopting the motto "Under-promise; over-deliver." This familiar guideline reminds you to set expectations with your users at a reasonable level, but one at which you can consistently exceed their expectations. That means giving yourself and your co-workers a cushion when fulfilling &lt;a href=http://www.food.pop-cult.com/cereal-gallery.html&gt;cereal boxes&lt;/a&gt; to users.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For example, if you need to research a problem for a user, and you think you can call them back in two hours, discipline yourself to tell the user that you will get back to them in, for example, three hours. This helps you account for those unexpected emergencies that might come up, yet still meet your user's expectations. Some of the airlines are using this technique in establishing their schedules. They know, for example, that under ideal conditions, a particular flight will take two hours. They schedule the flight, however, for two hours and fifteen minutes. That allows them to arrive on time, even when they leave a few minutes late. It's about planning for the unplanned. Using this technique, your users will be wowed, and you will maintain your sanity (and build a great reputation!).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Keep Your Emotions under Control-This means that you don't let things get to you. Your users know that whenever they call, you'll always be level-headed and ready to help solve their problem. Sure, life has its ups and downs, but your users don't need to know about your life's ups and downs. Keep it professional and stay level-headed; let your users grow to expect consistency every time they call. The same concept applies when you're not feeling well or in pain. No one wants to hear about someone else's aches and pains, especially not your users. Put on your game face and wow them with your service. If you're too sick or in too much pain to put on your game face, why are you at work? (And, while we're on the subject, when you're sick with something contagious, stay home. Your colleagues at the office will appreciate you for helping keep the work area healthy and disease free.)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Always Do What &lt;a href=http://www.tv.pop-cult.com/gentle-ben.html&gt;Gentle Ben&lt;/a&gt; Say You'll Do-When you tell a user that you'll get back to her in 24 hours, get back to her in 24 hours (or less). Sometimes, things don't happen the way you expect: Shipments don't arrive, your sources of information don't get back to you, an office is closed, and so forth. Most people understand that things like that happen; they don't, however, understand that you didn't call them back when you said you would. Even when you don't have new information, call the user back when you say you will or stop by his office when you say you will. The fact that you uphold your word, even on the most seemingly inconsequential things, will speak volumes to your colleagues about your character and the kind of person you are. How you handle the little things tells your bosses, clients, and colleagues how you'll handle the big things. Similar to the concept of under-promise and over-deliver, this is the concept of "promise little; do much".&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dependable and reliable service is about consistency; it's letting your users grow to expect outstanding service every time they request help. Day-in and day-out, you consistently deliver service that delights. If fact, you're so consistent in delighting your users that they take you for granted. And that's a good thing!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In part three of this series, I'll give you several ways to ensure that your end users say you're responsive to their needs.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;trademark (c) 2007 Don R. Crawley&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Don R. Crawley is &lt;a href=http://www.comic-covers.com/Marvel/MarvelT-Z/Thor/index.html&gt;Thor&lt;/a&gt; and chief technologist at http://www.soundtraining.net"&gt;soundtraining.net&lt;/a&gt; the Seattle training firm specializing in investment skills and technical training programs for IT professionals. He works with I.T. pros to enhance their work, lives, and careers. For Don's article, "Ten Ways to Delight Your End-User", please http://www.soundtraining.net/onlinestore/items/item241.html"&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-7439744904070117977?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/7439744904070117977/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=7439744904070117977' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/7439744904070117977'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/7439744904070117977'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/04/how-to-deliver-technical-support-that.html' title='How To Deliver Technical Support That Delights The End User, Part Two'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-391313033362387600</id><published>2008-04-26T08:10:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-26T05:10:13.488-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Passing On The Tradition of Service in a Think Tank</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;Perhaps you have traced your ancestry and discovered that you have some public servants, military generals or famous politicians in your family tree. Maybe you have some industrial capitalists in there some where as well. If you do indeed have some strong family names with &lt;a href=http://marveliqozdmpgh.blogspot.com&gt;Marveliqozdmpgh&lt;/a&gt; lot of history behind them, shouldn't you do the family name some honor?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Not long ago, I met someone with a strong family name who indicated to me that he wished to join a think tank. We talked about this and I indicated that it is interesting that he studies Economics, Politics and History, as his ancestry has been making a lot of it for centuries now. He also had some famous generals in that lineage. The Defense of a nation is paramount if the civilization is to continue. All these subject matters are important at any serious Think Tank. This prompted me to ask:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So tell me, what brings to a think tank at this juncture of your life experience? Are you a student, professor now? What issues do you consider important at this time? It seems a bit of World History is being made during the present period and we are living thru some turbulent times, although not as turbulent as past periods, yet interesting nevertheless? Surely, the decisions made today affect the forward progression of mankind into the next period.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Since he lived in Maine, we also got to talk about his state and area and I asked; Are there local issues in ME that concern you? Lobster shell problems, dead zones, price of natural gas, weather, economics, small business, downtown revitalization, securing clean industry and tech?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;What issues do you find problematic for the Northeast &lt;a href=http://abondippsmss.blogspot.com&gt;Abondippsmss&lt;/a&gt; all? What are your thoughts on the former Governor of MA for President? Any thoughts on the Big Dig becoming a big disaster, if needed repairs go unchecked? How about alternative energies, robotics, nano-tech, defense tech, AI, VR, etc, as you live so close to so many top Universities, Technology Centers and Business Incubators, with lots of capital ready and waiting?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Of course, he was also interested in the bigger picture too and so we talked about more &lt;a href=http://www.comic-covers.com/Marvel/MarvelT-Z/Warlock/index.html&gt;Warlock&lt;/a&gt; and Global issues; What do you see is the biggest problem for our nation? Do you consider us a divided nation? Do you find this to be good, &lt;a href=http://pop-culture-a-gogo.blogspot.com&gt;cool blog&lt;/a&gt; indifferent, or opportunity for profits in the chaos? How about transportation, education, energy, borders, water supply, currency, trade deficits, consumer debt, health care, etc.?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;What issues do you see on the World Scene? Do you feel that water, weather, oil, drugs, NGOs, genocide, child slave trade, urban slums, bird flu, are issues that need addressing? What are your thoughts on Radical Elements with radical motives? Where would you change things and what would you change at the city, state, region, national or Planet level?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Everything matters at a think &lt;a href=http://t-shirtsqejrpxvofi.blogspot.com&gt;T Shirtsqejrpxvofi&lt;/a&gt; no detail is without merit, all must be considered to prevent the unintended consequences of linear thought. Perhaps you can see this, perhaps not, but if you do and feel strongly about it, maybe its in the genes and your family tradition, thus, shouldn't you give back a little as you grow? Think on it, talk with you soon.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;"Lance Winslow" - Online   target="_new"  www.WorldThinkTank.net/"&gt;Think Tank  forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance;   target="_new"  www.WorldThinkTank.net/"&gt;www.WorldThinkTank.net/ . Lance is a guest writer for   target="_new"  www.ourspokanemagazine.com/"&gt;Our Spokane Magazine  in Spokane, Washington&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-391313033362387600?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/391313033362387600/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=391313033362387600' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/391313033362387600'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/391313033362387600'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/04/passing-on-tradition-of-service-in.html' title='Passing On The Tradition of Service in a Think Tank'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-7511573477401761014</id><published>2008-04-25T09:17:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-25T06:16:22.416-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Female Orgasms - Tips to Make Her Reach Powerful Climaxes</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;Here are a few tips that will help you &lt;a href=http://www.lemonlaws.shop24-7-365.com/oklahoma.html&gt;Oklahoma Lemon Laws&lt;/a&gt; make your woman reach great orgasms.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Learn the Different Types of Foreplay&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Did you know that &lt;a href=http://www.tv.pop-cult.com/space-patrol.html&gt;Space Patrol&lt;/a&gt; are 5 different types of foreplay? They are mental, emotional, physical, practical and self-directed foreplay. If you and your woman are new to the relationship, then concentrate on mental and physical foreplay.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mental foreplay takes the form of seduction. Letting your woman know how she excites you and what you would like to do for her is extremely thrilling for her. Also by touching her suggestively, even through her clothing, plants the seed of sexual stimulation in the mind.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Spend Enough Time on Foreplay&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When you have reached the physical form of &lt;a href=http://www.comic-covers.com/Dell-GoldKey/Lancelot-Link/index.html&gt;Lancelot Link: Secret Chimp&lt;/a&gt; remember to target the erogenous zones. These zones include the neck, breasts, genital area and the back. Make sure that you spend enough time in these zones.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kissing is a very important aspect of foreplay. Many women complain that they don't receive enough kissing. A good kisser is more likely to reach the next level in the game of sex.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It is always a good idea to make your partner reach orgasm before you engage in sexual &lt;a href=http://www.lemonlaws.shop24-7-365.com/utah.html&gt;Utah Lemon Laws&lt;/a&gt; This way you know that she has climaxed and is satisfied, and there is a strong chance of her reaching orgasm again during intercourse. What better way to impress her.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Try out new sex positions&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The missionary is a great position, but not the only one. Different positions will target and stimulate different parts of the vagina. The clitoris and G-Spot are stimulated in different ways which result in different types of orgasms.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Download a Free copy of the http://femaleorgasms.sexpertzone.com/"&gt;Female Orgasms Sex Guide&lt;/A&gt;, and learn powerful techniques to give your partner Mind-blowing orgasms.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;To download your free copy, http://femaleorgasms.sexpertzone.com/"&gt;click here&lt;/A&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;http://femaleorgasms.sexpertzone.com"&gt;http://femaleorgasms.sexpertzone.com&lt;/a&gt; is dedicated to providing you with in depth information how to give your woman mind-blowing orgasms.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-7511573477401761014?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/7511573477401761014/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=7511573477401761014' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/7511573477401761014'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/7511573477401761014'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/04/female-orgasms-tips-to-make-her-reach.html' title='Female Orgasms - Tips to Make Her Reach Powerful Climaxes'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-5556179335872491127</id><published>2008-04-24T08:47:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-24T05:48:01.909-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The Weirdest Sales Tip EVER</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;In the world &lt;a href=http://www.christmas-almanac.com/Christmas-Articles/christmas-in-mexico.html&gt;Christmas in Mexico&lt;/a&gt; selling and relationships with clients there are &lt;strong&gt;many logical steps, strategies and processes &lt;/strong&gt;to increase your bottom line.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;However, I bet I have one that you have &lt;strong&gt;NEVER&lt;/strong&gt; heard of.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As someone who considers herself a gourmet chef (OK....an amateur gourmet chef!) I absolutely lovvvvvvvvvvvvve cooking for people.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In my spare moments &lt;a href=http://songahtqjolgk.blogspot.com&gt;Songahtqjolgk&lt;/a&gt; you'll find me with my nose buried in an ancient and &lt;a href=http://fashion-design.pop-cult.com/twiggy.html&gt;Twiggy&lt;/a&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Joy of Cooking&lt;/strong&gt; recipe book or one of the latest from the bookstore. (I am a HUGE fan of Nigella Lawson!)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There is something about whipping eggs, chopping carrots and &lt;strong&gt;creating a masterpiece &lt;/strong&gt;that relaxes me (or is it the red wine?) Ha.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I take great pride in having a table set that is a &lt;strong&gt;feast for your eyes &lt;/strong&gt;as well as your &lt;strong&gt;palate.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So What Does Cooking Have To Do With Selling - Ms. Martha Diva?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Well I have a &lt;strong&gt;personal rule &lt;/strong&gt;when I accept a client.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In my mind they have to pass a very important &lt;strong&gt;FILTER&lt;/strong&gt; before I will work with them.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What is it?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Whether I invite them or not - in my mind they have to be &lt;strong&gt;worthy&lt;/strong&gt; of a...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;"Meal Prepared By Kim"&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Now I have hundreds of clients so it isn't physically possible to invite everyone! However, I still run them through my &lt;strong&gt;"Mental Guest List"&lt;/strong&gt; to see if they would be &lt;strong&gt;Pavlova worthy.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The 6 Qualities Of A Perfect Diva Dinner Guest:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Fakes Need Not Apply.&lt;/strong&gt; I am a &lt;strong&gt;BAN &lt;/strong&gt;the PLASTIC MARGARINE and go for the BUTTER kind of girl! So if someone comes across as a fake to me - then sorry. &lt;strong&gt;You're not invited.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. Lots of ZEST.&lt;/strong&gt; I lovvvvve lemon and when a potential client has &lt;strong&gt;loads of zest and passion &lt;/strong&gt;for their business then consider yourself a firm candidate for a potential Diva Dinner.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. No McShortcuts. &lt;/strong&gt; If a potential client wants the &lt;strong&gt;MAGIC PILL &lt;/strong&gt;without doing the work then I know they won't pass the Mental Guest List!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;4. Fresh Ideas Abound. &lt;/strong&gt;I love working with people who are &lt;strong&gt;excited about their business &lt;/strong&gt;and all of the aspects that are involved. Stale bread doesn't interest me unless it's a breadcrumb.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5. Loves Trying New Things. &lt;/strong&gt;Oh boy - this is a &lt;strong&gt;BIG ONE&lt;/strong&gt;. As I am an &lt;strong&gt;experimental "chef" in sales and in life &lt;/strong&gt;- you had better be prepared for trying new things. If that scares you then stick with Kraft Dinner.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;6. Appreciation.&lt;/strong&gt; Just as a the &lt;strong&gt;best guest &lt;/strong&gt;is someone who comes with an appetite, loves to eat really good food and moans with joy through-out the meal - I only work with clients who absolutely &lt;strong&gt;savor the experience &lt;/strong&gt;with me and &lt;strong&gt;who want more&lt;/strong&gt;!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I &lt;strong&gt;Diva Dare&lt;/strong&gt; you to use these filters for your own &lt;strong&gt;"Mental Guest List" &lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You will be pleasantly surprised how quickly you will know if someone is "Meal Worthy" or not.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It works. Trust the Galloping Gourmet Sales Diva.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kim Duke, The Sales Diva, provides savvy, sassy sales training for women small biz owners and entrepreneurs. Kim works with clients internationally, &lt;a href=http://www.feelingretro.com/toys/Misc-Toys/tinker-toys.php&gt;Tinker Toys&lt;/a&gt; them The Sales Diva secrets to success! Sign up for her saucy and smart FREE e-zine and receive her FREE Bonus Report The 5 Biggest Sales Mistakes Women Make at   target="_new"  www.salesdivas.com"&gt;www.salesdivas.com &lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-5556179335872491127?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/5556179335872491127/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=5556179335872491127' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/5556179335872491127'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/5556179335872491127'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/04/weirdest-sales-tip-ever.html' title='The Weirdest Sales Tip EVER'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-1812430033978836065</id><published>2008-04-23T07:56:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-23T04:55:16.789-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Is He Cheating On You</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;At one point or another, many people have cause to wonder if their partner is cheating on them. In the case &lt;a href=http://www.comic-covers.com/DC/DCSu-Z/TeenTitans/index.html&gt;Teen Titans&lt;/a&gt; a guy cheating on his girlfriend, the signs are often fairly obvious to someone who is looking for them, and who knows what to &lt;a href=http://www.christmas-almanac.com/Christmas-Carols/carol-of-the-bells.html&gt;Carol of the Bells&lt;/a&gt; for. The following is a list of some areas to take a closer look at if you suspect that your guy might be cheating on you. Keep &lt;a href=http://www.tv.pop-cult.com/gentle-ben.html&gt;Gentle Ben&lt;/a&gt; mind that (for the most part) any one or even a couple of these things taken on their own is probably not an indication that there is cheating going on, as there can be several reasons for most of the things on the list occurring. However, what you really need to look for are a combination of several of the following tips; several of these events or occurrences happening simultaneously (and often in a sustained way) is a good indication that there might be some infidelity going on.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Emotional&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* Distance. When you are with your boyfriend, does he seem like he is far away? This can happen when you are alone and even when you are with friends and family. His attention will wander, or you will catch him just staring off into space (make sure he is not just watching a television). He might be acting more loving towards you than ever before (a compensation for guilt) or he could be acting like he wishes you were not there at all (he's thinking of someone else).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* Tension. Things that you would never have fought over not so long ago are all of a sudden major flashpoints in the relationship. Fights seem easier to start, and much harder to get over. Look for strange behavior after a fight as well; especially if he leaves for a long time during one.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Intimate differences&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* One big telltale of a cheat is that all of a sudden, the intimate relationship will change. Suddenly, he seems a lot less interested in the physical parts of your relationship.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* Cheaters are often eager to break out of an embrace. Unlike previously, when you would hold each &lt;a href=http://www.tv.pop-cult.com/cheers.html&gt;Cheers&lt;/a&gt; for a while and had fun just kissing, these small signs of affection will diminish or disappear, because someone else is receiving the real affection now.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Physical Details&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Physical details are one of the most obvious signs of a cheat. They are pretty easy to spot, but look out because he will be aware that you are looking for something if you don't do it really carefully.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* Is he all of a sudden taking an interest in dressing differently, or putting on a new scent?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* Pay attention to his appearance. Is he noticeably ruffled when returning from somewhere, in ways that raise your suspicions? Most guys don't know it, but there are certain changes in the way our hair goes when we have been intimate with someone. &lt;a href=http://www.comic-covers.com/Skywald/Psycho/index.html&gt;Psycho&lt;/a&gt; are bound to have picked up on this at some point in your relationship.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* Be especially suspicious of a clean, well-groomed man in times when no shower should have taken place. Guys are aware that the smell of another woman will linger, so a shower will be important after he leaves her. Look out for clean behavior!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When it comes to cheating, you should be able to trust your instincts. Your subconscious will be handing you dozens of different cues and clues when your relationship changes; most people are not really surprised when the affair is confirmed, because they really already knew. It is important to say again, but do not just assume that an affair is to blame for any of the above. An misplaced confrontation might be just the push to actually get him to cheat. Try not to accuse until you know for sure.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Alex consults for an online gift shop offering   www.giftsandotherwise.com/cheap wedding favors&lt;/a&gt;, inexpensive personalized   www.giftsandotherwise.com/shop/bridesmaids-gifts--gifts-for-her-c-249.htmlgifts for her&lt;/a&gt; and a fine selection of men's gifts. Alex is recently married.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-1812430033978836065?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/1812430033978836065/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=1812430033978836065' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/1812430033978836065'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/1812430033978836065'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/04/is-he-cheating-on-you.html' title='Is He Cheating On You'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4248071159533950688.post-8987490605358610513</id><published>2008-04-22T08:42:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-04-22T05:42:11.493-07:00</updated><title type='text'>machine Recycling - What You Need To Know</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;machines are now a major part of every day life in the 21st Century and as technology advances and prices drop, more and more machines and IT equipment are replaced on a regular basis leaving the question of what happens to the old ones.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;According to Waste Online, the market for refurbished machines has risen by 500% in recent years and yet less than 20% of unwanted machines are recycled. In the UK alone, around a million tonnes of electronic and electrical waste is produced and machine equipment makes up nearly 40% of this waste and up till now, a large proportion of it ended up in Landfill sites or was incinerated. This poses a major threat to the environment and our health as machines are laden &lt;a href=http://tvshowstjrwospgc.blogspot.com&gt;Tvshowstjrwospgc&lt;/a&gt; toxic material and as such, are considered hazardous waste. Monitors for example, contain a lot of lead.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;New regulations have been introduced in order to limit the amount of electronic and electrical waste, which includes machine and IT equipment, ending up in landfill sites.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations 2006&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The regulations came into force on the 2nd January 2007 and will be fully implemented from the 1st July 2007 and require that anyone manufacturing, branding or importing electrical and electronic equipment which came on the market after 13th August 2005 will be responsible for the safe and environmentally friendly disposal of that equipment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This means they will have to fund the cost of collecting, treating and recycling all electrical and electronic equipment and by the 15th March 2007 should have already registered with a compliance scheme in order to carry this out. By April 2007 they must mark their goods with a crossed wheelie bin symbol meaning it must not be disposed of along with other household rubbish.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So what options do you as a consumer have when you no longer require your old machine?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Disposing of machines&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you want to get rid of an old machine or machine parts then you basically have a number of options:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sell it&lt;br&gt; If your machine is in good working order then you could ask around for anyone who is looking for a low cost PC, or perhaps put an advert in the local newspaper or in your local shop windows. This way everyone wins as the machine is reused by someone else, you get something for it, and it doesn't harm the environment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Returning your machine to the manufacturer&lt;br&gt; An increasing number of companies are offering a free return service for their old machines, (DELL for example), so you could possibly return the machine to the manufacturer, and many other firms specialising in the sales of machines may even take your old &lt;a href=http://most-popular-tv-showsumkvmjx.blogspot.com&gt;Most Popular Tv Showsumkvmjx&lt;/a&gt; when you purchase a new one so it is always worth asking.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Take it to a Recycling Centre&lt;br&gt; You could take your old machine to an established waste disposal facility to &lt;a href=http://webcomiczmwgzfrjrkl.blogspot.com&gt;Webcomiczmwgzfrjrkl&lt;/a&gt; it. First you should check what they can accept and whether or not they will take care of &lt;a href=http://zitsxescbjo.blogspot.com&gt;Zitsxescbjo&lt;/a&gt; files and personal data from the machine's hard drive. Even if your machine isn't in good working order, it can often be repaired and upgraded to the point it is useful for someone else. If this is the case then it is wise to check beforehand that they comply with the Electrical Equipment (Safety Regulations) 1994 which requires that all the equipment must be safe to use.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Donating your machine to someone else&lt;br&gt; Most machines can be reused by someone else so another option is to donate the machine to a non profit organisation or an organisation specialising in the re-distribution of machines, possibly to schools or third world countries. If you have any software that you want to donate with the machine, try to get together all the relevant licences and supporting documentation. An important point is to find out what will happen to the machine when it needs disposed of if, particularly if it may end up in a third world country as there is no point in protecting the environment at home only to pollute it somewhere else.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Protection of Data&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A major concern when recycling machines is what happens to sensitive and personal data that could be present on the hard drive. Most organisations specialising in redistributing or reselling old machine equipment will ensure that your hard drive is reformatted and all personal data erased but you should always check that this is the case. If you are more technically minded you can, if you prefer, clean your machine yourself beforehand. If your machine has been used for business purposes then &lt;a href=http://www.saturdaymorning.pop-cult.com/cool-mccool.html&gt;Cool McCool&lt;/a&gt; the Data Protection Act, all information collected by businesses must be destroyed when the storage system it was kept on (your machine's hard drive for example) is no longer being used by the business.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Conclusion&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As responsible citizens we all have an obligation to make sure that our machine and IT related equipment is disposed of in a safe and environmentally friendly way. In order to be sure that this is the case, it is essential only to use companies and organisations that are fully licensed with the appropriate governing bodies.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dave McEvoy is an expert in   www.valueskiphire.co.uk/recycling and skip hire&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For more information about   www.valueskiphire.co.uk/regional/skip-hire-london.aspskip hire in London&lt;/a&gt;, please visit Value Skips.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4248071159533950688-8987490605358610513?l=peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/feeds/8987490605358610513/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4248071159533950688&amp;postID=8987490605358610513' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/8987490605358610513'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4248071159533950688/posts/default/8987490605358610513'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://peanutvxbmey.blogspot.com/2008/04/machine-recycling-what-you-need-to-know.html' title='machine Recycling - What You Need To Know'/><author><name>markvhetukux</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06647352967668948963</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>
