Bumper Sticker: If You Can Read This, Turn Me Over!
at 3:04 pm on Wednesday, 27 August 2008
If you can read this, turn me over!
That sticker was seen on the bumper of a jeep. The sign was up-side-down.
I like to read bumper stickers. You can find lots of them on the Internet if you want to save gasoline. I found the one on the jeep at http://www.berro.com/entertainment/bumper.htm.
A major theme for bumper stickers is school kids. We’ve all seen them:
My son is an honor student at Podunk High!
There are counter-stickers against such, like: Your honor student is pregnant with my “D” student’s baby!”
One sticker at the reference above got my attention which was Cat: The other white meat!
The reason this grabbed me is that I once lived an hour or less from Philadelphia. There was a story going on in that town that years ago the cats were disappearing in a certain area. The mystery was solved when the authorities found that Chinese Restaurants were serving cat!
I have no idea whether this story is true or not, but having traveled in the Orient, it wouldn’t surprise me if it were true at least somewhere in the world.
Here’s one I like found at http://www.butlerwebs.com/jokes/bumper.htm: If you can read this, I’ve lost my trailer.
We’ve all seen trailers next to the road turned upside down with the contents spread from hell to breakfast. That includes boat trailers up here in Idaho. When you are towing a trailer you always wonder: “Did I clamp that thing on right? Will that emergency chain hold?”
Here’s another one on the honor kid found on the above reference: Your kid may be an honors student, but you’re still an idiot.
And this: We have enough youth. How about a Fountain of Smart?
If you are in St. Augustine, Florida you can drink from Ponce de Leon’s famous spring. Learn more at: http://www.fountainofyouthflorida.com/.
What? Are you still here?
Everybody else headed for Florida!
The End
copyright©John T. Jones, Ph.D. 2005
John T. Jones, Ph.D. (tjbooks@hotmail.com)is a retired R&D engineer and VP of a Fortune 500 company. He is author of detective & western novels, nonfiction (business, scientific, engineering), poetry, etc. Former editor of international trade magazine. Jones is Executive Representative of International Wealth Success.
More info: http://www.tjbooks.com
Business web site: http://www.bookfindhelp.com (IWS wealth-success books and kits and business newsletters / TopFlight flagpoles)
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Shared RSS – Syndication for the Rest of Us
at 11:00 am on Sunday, 24 August 2008
RSS Syndication or RSS Newsfeeds (RSS Feeds for short) all refer to the same thing. There are two parts to the process, the publisher, and the consumer. The publisher produces a small text file in a special format that lists the title and address of an article or resource published on the World Wide Web. The consumer uses a program, usually called an aggregator to read and display the contents of that simple text file, with links to the web page. Or the consumer may visit a website that includes an aggregator program, and view the results as a web page. Members of Yahoo.com, for example, can set their personal ‘My Yahoo’ pages to display the contents of any RSS feeds they select.
That is all there is to it. Simple. That’s why some people say RSS stands for ‘Really Simple Syndication.’
Some confusion has arisen because an RSS feed may be used in several ways. Calling it a ‘newsfeed’ is the first mistake, since RSS is used for much more than news. The most common situation is for the RSS items listed to have a short title, link to the original web page referred to, and a short description of the contents of that web page. But other people are including the complete contents of their resource directly in the RSS feed. So the feed may contain a graphic image of a cartoon, an entire post to a weblog (or blog), or the complete contents of a newsletter, rather than just a link back to those resources on a web site. Other sites leave out the description, and just list titles linked back to their website. And some versions of RSS allow you to leave out the title, so long as you have a description.
Speaking of ‘versions’ of RSS, that is the source of even more confusion. RSS began with version 0.90, and was called ‘RDF Site Summary’ — the RDF refers to ‘Resource Description Framework,’ the method of labeling different parts of the file. This early version was updated and changed through various incarnations, including 0.91, 0.92, 0.93 and 0.94, and they began to call RSS ‘Really Simple Syndication.’ Then someone came along with a different format, slightly more complicated, and called it RSS version 1.0. Supporters of version 0.94 didn’t like the implication that 1.0 was somehow an advance on 0.94 when in actuality it was a completely different format, so they came up with version 2.0 which was an improved version of 0.94, but still unlike 1.0. Rather than take sides in all this squabbling, someone else came up with their own version and called it Atom, to distance themselves from the RSS battles. Someone else developed Blogrolls that use OPML (Outline Processor Markup Language). Most of these formats are either loosely or strictly based on XML, the parent mark-up scheme.
None of this confusion of method and purpose has helped spread this really useful tool. Most RSS aggregators can read any of these formats, so the situation is not as hopeless as it may seem, but many folks still throw the whole thing out when they can’t figure out exactly how it is supposed to work.
On http://www.SharedRSS.com/ we use version 1.0 because it is endorsed by W3C as being supportive of the ’semantic web.’ For the casual user however, the version is really not important. SharedRSS is a simple site that performs a very powerful function … it brings the benefits of RSS syndication to all those who publish websites, but who add new material too infrequently to warrant having their own RSS feed.
RSS Syndication was designed to help people find out about new content on the web, long before the search engines get around to finding it. It makes it easy for people to find out about new content that interests them, without having to return to the search engines and wade through all the material they have seen before. For sites with frequently changing content, it has worked well for them to create their own RSS feed and update it as new content is added to their website.
But what about all those sites that only add an occasional new article or story to their website, or who publish a newsletter once per month? Or those who just can’t take the time to figure the ins and outs of formatting an RSS feed? An RSS feed that only gets updated once every few months is of little value; very few people will add it to their search list in their aggregator.
Shared RSS solves this problem by lumping together articles from different sites covering the same topic, and lets them announce the availability of their new material in a feed shared with others publishing on the same topic. This makes the feeds more useful to the consumer, so they are more likely to add the link to their aggregator. It benefits the publisher by making more people aware of their material as soon as it is put on-line.
About The Author
Andrew J. Morris is the owner and creator of SharedRSS — a website that allows all website owners to syndicate their newly added material for FREE. http://www.sharedrss.com/
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Gratitude
at 12:22 am on Friday, 22 August 2008
One of the best things that you can do is to
have gratitude; for everything that you have, every-
thing that you have done, for all the people in your
life, and for the process of unfolding and development.
It is essential. Gratitude is one of the higher
vibrations in this life and it attracts a super-flow
in your life. Without gratitude one can become
arrogant, and isolated. Until you really look at all
that you have, and appreciate all that you have been
given, things can be meaningless. Did you have
anything to do with your looks? Or your eye color?
Or a perfectly healthy body? Or where you were born?
Or that you live in one of the freest countries on earth?
And that you don’t experience war first hand?
Not at all.
Have gratitude for all that has been created
for you. Think, that you can see clearly the trees and
beauty around you, that you can breathe clean air,
that right now and just where you are, you are capable
of so many things. Be grateful for the knowledge that
you have been given or that you have learned. Be
grateful that you have so many people who love you
deeply and profoundly. Be grateful that I am your
mother. Be grateful that you were born a girl. Be
grateful for every experience that has strengthened you
and shaped you into the person you will become. It is
easy to say that I did this all, but there are so many
people who have contributed both knowingly and
unknowingly to your success, your emotional support,
balance in your life, and your strength. There is a force
right now in your life that keeps you on track; be
conscious of that.
There are people that you meet who have a deep
impact on you in one encounter. There are other people
that you develop relationships with over time. There are
teachers who are great, but you don’t really know their
impact until many years later. There are guides who
have been fortuitously placed on your path at just the
right moment, to comfort or strengthen you. There are
many who respect you just because of who you are,
what you say, and how you have touched their lives.
Have gratitude for all of these.
With a spirit of gratitude, you can call things
to you before they have unfolded. That gratitude says
to the universe that you are open to receiving and
have already received something in your heart. You
put into action a cause and effect that the universe
creates according to your suggestion and gratitude.
The gratitude draws it in like a magnet. When you want
to create and receive, thank the universe for bringing it to
you before it happens and it will be manifest for you.
“Thank you for healing me.” “Thank you for
bringing in the right person for me.” “Thank you for my
house with the big windows.” Put it out with gratitude and
stay open for it and it is on its way. It could take some
time because just the right set of circumstances has to
come together to give you the absolute best results.
Oh, and one thing about gratitude, you have to
feel it. You cannot just pretend. When you have
gratitude there is an energy shift change to a higher
vibration in your body that interacts with the universal
energy. Without that shift change of energy, you will
not manifest the way that you want. Without gratitude
very likely there will be a stagnation of anything
new that may come for you. And sometimes you
experience a reversal, because if you are not grateful for
what you have, it starts to leave.
Practice gratitude right now. Take nothing for
granted. This moment is so short. Just as you made
your JOY LIST of ten things, there are ten things that
you can think about right now that you are grateful for.
Make a GRATITUDE LIST. It can be longer than ten
but make a start. Say it or read it out loud everyday.
It only takes a few minutes to change your thinking, and
consequently your receiving.
Yoga Kat–aka Katheryn Hoban is a yoga teacher with twelve years experience. She teaches children’s yoga ages 3-6, and 7-12 and Adults privately in NJ. She is the author the book DAUGHTER BELOVED which will come out next year. She has created a children’s affirmation CD (ages 3-6) and an affirmation CD for adults. Yoga Kat is available for speaking or writing and can be reached at katscoolcorner@yahoo.com or 201 970-9340
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What is Coaching Anyway?
at 9:35 pm on Thursday, 21 August 2008
Tom Landry once said “A coach is someone who tells you what you don’t want to hear, who gets you to see what you don’t want to see so that you can become the person you always wanted to be.”
There are close parallels between the work of coaches hired by elite athletes and those hired by men and women wanting to achieve ‘gold’ in their own lives. The olympic coach does not, and often is not, able to do her clients’ work on their behalf but nevertheless draws from them much more then they can achieve alone. In the same way, working with the right coach, the client is able to achieve more, go further and get there faster.
As coaches we often say that coaching is not something which can be described in words, it must be experienced. On one occasion when I was asked to speak on the subject unexpectedly, I followed a few headlines hastily scribbled in the ‘little black book’ I always carry. Afterwards, some of my audience shared with me that this was the first time they had ever understood exactly what coaching was. To the best of my recollection, this is what I said.
To get a handle on what we mean by ‘coaching’ let’s look at four of its aspects:
i) Who comes to be coached,
ii) Who is the right coach?
iii) What is the process and
iv) What is the coach’s role?
Who Comes To Be Coached?
Typically the coaching client is someone with something inside them, something strongly desired, struggling to get out: some significant advance in their business, career or personal life, a new skill to be mastered. Sometimes clients recognise the seeds of greatness within but don’t know how to make them germinate, become strong plants, flourish and bear good fruit. Nearly always the coaching client has huge goals. With executive and business clients we may be working on creating a corporate culture which honours our clients’ values and produces the bottom line results which were always wanted. Another focus might be increased sales, productivity or profitability, to improve interpersonal skills, be a better manager,to reduce staff turnover or
increase customer loyalty.
Very often the personal client is seeking more of something – perhaps life balance, a more fulfilling life, more peace, better relationships at work and beyond and yes, we do address money too!
Most importantly, regardless of the focus of the relationship, the client recognises that with this catalyst called coach, he or she can go further and get there faster.
Who Is The Right Coach?
For you to dare to recognise, name, achieve, meet and exceed the goals which are uniquely right for you, it is crucial that your relationship with your coach includes a special synergy. There must be mutual respect. I would even say that coach and client must like each other. Coaching involves posing the tough questions that no-one else around you would dare to ask. Your coach must be fearless in doing that and able to do so in a way which you are able to accept. The quality of the match is equally important for coach and client; it is so vital that many coaches offer an initial session without charge to evaluate whether the partnership has the interpersonal ingredients necessary for success.
What Is The Process?
The coach client relationship is a partnership. Coaches meet with their clients either individually or in groups, face-to-face or remotely via telephone. Many people ask “But does telephone coaching work?” and my answer is unequivocally affirmative. In my experience the nuances of meaning expressed by characteristics of speech such as voice quality, rythmn, pitch, tone, pause etc more than compensate for body language unseen.
Typically coaching meetings are regularly scheduled, typically three per month for 30, 45 or 60 minutes at a specific time. Some executive clients hire their coaches simply to be available when they have a challenge to discuss and there is no predetermined timetable.
Pure coaching is a process of questioning. But those questions will enable you to see life and work as you’ve never seen them before. My intuition is incredibly important. I have learned that when a question comes to mind during a coaching session it must be asked. I have found too that my intuition is never wrong ………..and must quickly add that when it is, there’s a small pause before the client replies, “No, Martin, that’s not it” but then exclaims “But I’ll tell you what it is!” The wrong question is close enough to the right one to draw out the insight or revelation needed.
Many coaches have a ‘welcome package’ including assessments for the client to complete before the first call to ensure that the relationship is accurately focussed from the very start. Following the meeting the coach will usually set fieldwork which the client is free to accept, reject or negotiate. Much rejection will typically lead to the firing of the client by the coach because the required synergy is absent.
The Role of Coach:
Your coach’s task is not to elicit a continuing state of euphoria, it is to question, empathise, encourage, support, challenge, share messages, and sometimes provoke. Your coach might work with you and support you while you build a successful corporation, quadruple sales, introduce a new corporate culture, solve some interdepartmental personality clashes, enrich existing relationships, stop smoking, build a healthier eating regime, start an exercise program, develop new friendships, decide which horizons you are comfortable to maintain, which habits to abandon and which new worlds to explore and what it takes to get there. Your coach walks beside you as you develop your plans and implement them, perhaps suggesting specialists to consult along the way. Your coach is someone whose sole
objective is to assist you to be the best person you possibly can be, living the life which at the end of the day will leave no regrets about things undone, contributions unmade or people unmet. Why not talk to one today?
(c) MHSawdon May, 2002
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Martin Sawdon of Coaching-Works! has a passion for the creation of super-successful organizations – Sustainable Workplaces. As a coach he has been described as a velvet-gloved bulldozer and as a speaker, powerful, engaging, outstanding.
To learn more about Martin and Sustainable Workplaces, Sustainable Relationships, and the Sustainable You, visit his website ==>http://www.coachingworks.ca
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How to Get What You Want
at 11:51 pm on Saturday, 16 August 2008
Last night I was fortunate enough to speak for one of my favorite networking groups, Chester County Women (http://www.chescowomen.org). I had a partner in my presentation, a very gifted and highly trained Feng Shui expert, Shila Pandya (http://www.fengshui-4u.com). I was fascinated by Shila’s portion of the presentation and one thing she said has particularly stuck with me this morning.
Those of you who know me well know that I am not an overly spiritual person. Over the last several years, I have become much more open to things like manifesting, affirmations and the law of attraction but I still work consciously to remind myself of these skills as they don’t come naturally to me.
Well, last night Shila spoke very eloquently about energy and how what you focus on expands. This was not new news to me but at that moment I became conscious of the fact that lately, I have been focusing on the “lack” in my life and not the abundance in my life. So, I made a conscious change this morning and began to use some affirmations that I have somehow gotten out of the habit of using. One of those affirmations is, “money comes to me easily”. Sure enough, this morning I got a call and was asked to be in a Comcast focus group where I will be paid $125 for 30 minutes of my time. Not exactly what I was looking for, but it’s money and it’s easy, right? Isn’t that crazy? Shila told us to use affirmations like this and then watch for signs. If that phone call wasn’t a sign, I don’t know what is.
Try creating some affirmations for yourself. They can be about anything from having more money, confidence and clients to getting pregnant. Just phrase them in the present tense, as if they are already happening. Once you’ve done that, spend some time focusing on what life will be like when you get there. All of this positive visualization literally gets your energy vibrating on a higher frequency and consequently more of that same energy comes back to you.
I know that some of you have a hard time with this type of thinking and I completely understand that. But, I ask you just to think about the energy that someone gives off when they are depressed, sad or desperate. Can’t you feel that energy? Contrast that with what you feel from someone who is excited, energetic and positive. It’s just like momentum in sports…you can feel it when a game turns and suddenly one team or the other has the momentum. It doesn’t even matter if they’re not winning at that point. You can feel the energy going their way.
So, try it. Say these affirmations to yourself as many times a day as you can – when you’re at stoplights, when you’re exercising, when you’re brushing your teeth. You get extra credit if you say them out loud or write them down. What do you have to lose…or should I say gain?
Have a great Memorial Day weekend (repeat after me, I look great in a bathing suit, I look great in a bathing suit…)
For 18 years Karyn Pless built her career in marketing, working her way up the corporate ladder to Vice President of Marketing of Zany Brainy while also juggling two children and a husband. After turning to a personal coach herself to reduce the chaos in her life, Karyn decided to become trained and certified as a professional coach and started a company called Shine Personal Coaching in 2004 to help business leaders who are also mothers balance those competing roles.
In January of 2006, Shine Personal Coaching officially transitioned to Beyond Balance, Work Life Integration Strategies for Professionals in response to client requests for expanded offerings including corporate training, seminars and keynotes in addition to the executive coaching she was already providing
Karyn’s 2 publications, the Beyond Balance Home Study System and Balance: Real Life Strategies for Work/Life Balance are available on her website, http://www.worklifeexpert.com. You can also subscribe to her free ezine, Balancing Roles, on the site.
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Stress Management In Eight Easy Steps
at 4:16 pm on Friday, 15 August 2008
When was the last time you felt stressed out? Last week? Yesterday? With today’s hectic pace, it’s no wonder many of us experience frayed nerves on a regular basis.
With our to-do list in hand we speed through our days at such a pace even the slightest setback irritates the heck out of us. Instead of keeping pace with the urgency of the world, why not step back and savor those small moments of downtime.
Following is a list of stress management tips that will show you how to make your stress work for, not against you.
Don’t make mountains out of molehills
If slow highway traffic has a tendency to make your blood boil ask yourself “What’s the worst thing that could happen?” Far too often everyday stresses like this get the best of us.
Sort out the trivial from the essential
Give the whole situation a little perspective. If you’re stuck in traffic, exaggerate the situation by picturing yourself growing old behind the wheel. Now, how unrealistic is that? Chances are good if you use this method you will end up laughing which is good since humor is a great stress reliever.
Breathe new life into the moment
Breathe in for four counts, hold for two, then slowly release for six to eight counts. Get a rhythm going for several minutes. Deep breathing opens up the cardiovascular system, enhances blood flow and distributes oxygen to every part of the body.
Imagine a balloon in your stomach that inflates and pushes the abdomen out while you inhale and deflates, letting the abdomen fall back to its original position while you exhale.
Cut stress with kindness
You’d probably agree that the tension in most long lines and crowded waiting rooms is so thick you can cut it with a knife. Be the first one to strike up a conversation. Chatting with others around you is a great way to make the time pass quicker for everyone.
Loosen up your body
Mentally give your body the once over. Are you grinding your teeth or furrowing your brow? Is there a build up of tension held tight in your shoulders or a knot in your neck? If so, start at the tip of your head and concentrate on releasing the tightness in each individual muscle group until you’ve worked everything thru.
Let others pitch in
We don’t have to do everything ourselves. Encourage everyone to pitch in. Divvy up chores among family members. At the very least, relax your own standards – everything doesn’t have to be perfect.
Know what you can change and what you can’t
Even though having a sense of control can reduce stress, certain situations are beyond our influence. Acceptance is often the best approach.
Remember the old saying by theologian Reinhold Niebuhr? “God, grant us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things which should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.” Find comfort in his words.
Walk away stress
What motivates people to stick with a fitness program? There are more benefits to frequent exercise than trimmer waistlines or firmer thighs. Most people who exercise regularly also benefit from the reduction of stress.
The basis of all stress reduction techniques is to help you focus on the present moment, rather than being distracted. And exercise does just that. During exercise we move in a rhythmic fashion that may also tap into our underlying natural body rhythms such as breathing and heart rate. In turn it can calm the mind and elevate the mood. Researchers have also long attributed the mind-body link to the release of endorphins, our bodies feel-good chemicals.
Turn off negative self talk
We may not even realize it but we could be feeding our stress level with pessimistic thinking. A great deal of stress comes from what we tell ourselves – the irrational thoughts and expectations – the ’shoulds’ and the ‘musts’.
Take the time to listen to your internal messages. When you catch yourself in negative self-talk, instantly replace the thought with a more realistic one. It may take some time and practice to train yourself to turn those negative thoughts around. But in the long run, it is well worth the effort for the peace and well-being you’ll gain.
Sherrie Le Masurier is a freelance writer who writes extensively on nutrition, fitness and family health. For more stress management tips visit http://www.familysanitysavers.com and http://www.healthandwellnessmatters.blogspot.com – Copyright.
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What Your Eyes Can Tell About You
at 3:20 pm on Friday, 15 August 2008
Most importantly, look to the eyes. Prominent eyes with bright sparkle or glitter are preferable to small, squinty or shifty eyes which reveal an introverted and secretive nature. In fact the eyes are the most important feature in your close encounters of the business kind. In your search for that employee or partner, look for eyes that sit firmly whilst gazing steadily. This reflects a solid and persevering nature and a person of stability and forthright disposition. In contrast, a wandering or shifty eye portends a nature given to unsettled and inconsistent habits. Restlessness will be evident and other features supporting your observation and gut feeling, a tendency to dishonesty and unreliability will be marked in this type. In short, this is a person of meagre commitment.
Unevenly set eyes convey an unique meaning. Firstly, the person is capable of seeing things from a different perspective and applying lateral thought processes to resolving problems. These people will analyse your comments and observations with a “left-of-field” mentality. Often you will be amazed at the impromptu insights that they offer. If you are looking for someone with a flair for shifting paradigms – then here’s your man or woman. These people become invaluable assets to a company looking for enginuity in it’s approach.
If the eyes slant upwards the person is an opportunist – more so if the brows also slant in that direction (cats eyes look). Many models like Elle McPherson and Claudia Schiffer possess these eyes. They know how to get what they want. If the eyes are of the opposite slant i.e. slanting downwards, the person may be a little self deprecating and at the mercy of others. They are hardly able to say “no”.
The late Princess Dianna and Michael Jackson share a feature of the eyes. They possess floating irises also known as sampaku. The whites are visible under the iris. This indicates an inner turbulence – a person at odds with the world. Though spiritual in nature, they are hard to please or understand and have very high expectations of others. Martin Luther King and Abraham Lincoln also shared these traits.
The whites visible above the irises may indicate some dangerous elements within the personality. An explosive temper may be latent in this type and the nature very forceful. Caution is the operative word in this case. Charles Manson exhibited these eyes. Chinese face readers call them wolves eyes.
Look at how close or widest the eyes are. Ideally, there should be at least one eye width between both eyes. That being the case, you can assume your subject has a balanced judgement and clear view of the world. The closer set the eyes the narrower the opinion and view of the world at large. It may also reflect an overdependence on parental and family structures. These people may need a nudge to develop their own independent lifestyles. Their willpower should be strengthened in the search for their own self assurance. Employees and workers displaying eyes of this type certainly need continual encouragement to grow in self confidence. You will find these types possess little forbearance or tolerance and may crack under stress. Trivial matters can be blown out of all proportion.
In contrast, the wideset eyed character is far more tolerant and broadminded in perspective. People of this class may present a flagrant disregard for authority and advice. A delicate blend of firmness and understanding will iron out the initial stresses between you and this type. Offer them alternative choices in their decision making processes. In respect of career, these types need room to breathe. Give them plenty of space to explore their creative potential. At times these types possess too broad and superficial an opinion. Pauline Hanson is a case in point.
Deepset eyes betoken an intense, possessive, yet observant nature. When you look into the deepset eyed person you can be sure that the mind motivating them is idealistic and inspirational. Often writers and creatively driven personalities possess deepset eyes. They are romantic to the core. Omar Shariff’s or Val Kilmer’s eyes represent this class. This idealism is tempered after the age of 35 and surprisingly, reveals a more than capable ability in financial matters. They are of sound judgement, compassionate and serious minded. A philosopher’s face may often also display a deepset “soul window”. You will need to carefully analyse and balance the other facial features to see whether this type is scattered and impractical. The square or round chin will anchor this type to a more empirical lifestyle. In this case, from a commercial point of view, the middle aged with deepset eyes may be a positive asset to you.
Besides, a roving and unsteady eye, one incapable of looking at you directly, is an attempt to mask inner intentions. Sometimes though, the shy and discouraged will also reflect a similar eye. The look in these cases is an important factor in discriminating between one or the other. Through practice the “look” can be ascertained quite easily and can reveal amazingly accurate character snapshots of your subjects.
What does the look entail? Some looks are cold, others endearing, angry, weak or strong. It is the look which can override an otherwise attractive face. Soft, enticing features will be neutralised by a stern and unfeeling eye or a look which is hard and cruel. Always balance your judgement of character by the look in the eyes that present themselves before you.
Be watchful of people who look drunk even when they haven’t had a single beer. Their eyelids sit very heavily over the eyes. Remember, don’t jump to conclusions in any of your assessments. For example, the heavy lidded one may have had little sleep the night before. A sleepy or drunken look is one that is seen in both men and women. It offers a preview of a personality given to strong sexual desire, more so if the lips are excessively thick and slightly opened. Here is a libidinous nature, but one which may be lazy too. Periods of misfortune and despondency are also revealed in this look. Unless you prefer a casual and uncommitted worker or relationship…next please. Cold and unflinching eyes with small pupils and sharp eyelight may appear cruel. If the person possesses other features such as a pointed and downward turning nose, sharp angular shaped face and tightly pursed thin lips, be certain that the individual is indeed cruel – both mentally and even perhaps physically. This is a combo for ruthlessness. Accentuated jowels add more weight to your testimony.
The “look” of the eye and its internal expression is something that cannot be taught in words but doesn’t necessarily require years of experience to learn. In fact we more or less instinctively do it when we meet people in various situations.
The colour of the iris is also an important determinant in your appraisal of character. A deep blue colour means that you are in the company of a highly sexed yet gentle and sensitive being. Light blue eyes suppose an individual who is likely to enjoy flirting with the opposite sex.
Deep green eyes are not only highly energised like their blue eyed cousins but very inventive too – both in practical and personal affairs. You will need a lot of time to understand the spontaneous and sometimes wilful mind of a green eyed person. Men and women of genius often possess this coloured eye. You’ll need to sharpen your intellectual skills with green eyed people.
Grey eyes reveal a high degree of intelligence and imagination but passion may be less pronounced in this type as reasoning may subdue a part of their initiative. They are a refined class of people with a fastidious streak.
Black eyes are very rare and when encountered are extremely striking. They are somewhat strong natured individuals and don’t always present their case with what you’d call, finesse. You’d need to toughen up your skin to live or work with a black eyed character. A tumultuous road lay ahead if you opt for a life of black eyed fun??.
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Tanning Beds – Are They Safe or Not?
at 10:04 pm on Tuesday, 12 August 2008
There is quite a bit of controversy surrounding tanning beds these days. Are they safe? Are they unsafe? Do tanning beds contribute to the factors that cause skin cancers and other types of cancers? There are a lot of questions – and surprisingly few good answers.
What we have been able to establish from what all of the ‘experts’ have to say on the subject is that tanning beds are safer than tanning in the sunshine, largely due to the fact that ten minutes in a tanning bed will give you the same results as being out in the sun for two hours – as far as your tan goes – without the two hours of damage that the sunshine would cause to your skin.
There are two varieties of tanning beds – the kind that you lay down in, and the newer ’stand-up’ tanning bed, which gives you a more even tan. Tanning beds have a wide range of costs, and can even be purchased for as little as $200 for smaller, lower quality beds. The higher quality, larger tanning beds can run up into the thousands of dollars.
But are they safe? Yes and no. If used as directed, they are relatively safe. You must wear eye protection to protect your eyes from the ultra violet rays, and you must also use the tanning lotions that are specifically designed for indoor tanning. Failure to take these precautions can -and will – result in retina damage, a higher probability of skin cancer, early wrinkles, and even sunburn.
It is also important to start slow when you first start using a tanning bed. Start on the lowest settings, with the minimum amount of time spent in the tanning bed, and get your tan in a gradual way. The lower the settings are, and the less time you spend in the tanning bed, the healthier your skin will be.
This is a good reason to own your own tanning beds, instead of using the ones at tanning salons. The number of trips you will need to make to your local salon, and the number of sessions that you will need to pay for to get the tan that you desire can really add up. In fact, it can even end up costing more than what it would cost to buy your own tanning bed. When looking at this expense, tanners are also tempted to ’speed up the process’ which usually results in damaged skin.
Suntan-bed.com provides you with information on how to determine what the best tanning beds are and where you can get suplies such as tanning beds bulbs. http://www.suntan-bed.com/
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How Do Investors Read Business Plans
at 9:42 pm on Monday, 11 August 2008
There are hundreds of thousands of business plans floating around and attempting to find a funding home. I receive hundreds of business plans annually myself, and can definitely state that 99% of these documents are laughable as presentations of an exciting investment opportunity. I am not referring to the value of the product being described, rather the presentation that purports to describe an exciting investment situation.
One of the reasons that so many plans are so poorly written, and there are many, many additional reasons, is that the writers do not understand how plans are read. Investment banks, venture capital firms, family offices, angel firms, banks and blind investment pools receive a stack of plans for consideration every day. Typically a junior reader, often a recent MBA, is assigned to read and screen the plans editing out all of the obvious losers. The remaining business plans are then marked up after sections are read in the following order: Executive Summary, Financials, Management, and Exit Strategy.
Why is the order in which a business plan is read important to recognize? Because, these are the areas that must be powerfully and compellingly addressed in order to have the business plan placed in front of decision- makers. The writing and construction of these sections dictate the level of interest that the original screening reader will express in the synopsis they will attach to the business plan copy as it begins it’s route through the project analysis process.
The Executive Summary is read first. This should be a two page vivid snap shot of the enterprise, and touch on each aspect of the opportunity. The Executive Summary needs to paint an exciting word picture that leaves the reader wanting to know more. Unfortunately, most plans are not read beyond the first paragraph or two.
Why? I have discussed this with investors on many occasions. I have asked the question, “aren’t you worried that you might be missing out on a great product opportunity just because the document has a weakly written Executive Summary”? The universal answer, “if there is no more passion or ability to excite us than we see in a poor Executive Summary, we have never had to look back at a missed opportunity. If you can’t make a great first impression for us, you won’t for anybody else either”?
You only get one chance to make a great first impression. The business plan is your projects first impression. It is the superstructure of your opportunity, the skeleton, and a foundation. If a house has a weak foundation it will not stand up for long. Why entrepreneurs submit documents that do not properly reflect the excitement they believe inherent in their invention is a sad mystery. A poorly executed Executive Summary negates all of the time, energy, investment and innovation built into a new offering.
Assuming the newly submitted Business Plan has an exemplary Executive Summary, and passes the initial screening read, Financials are read next.
Why Financials? Well, the Executive Summary is the skeleton of a project, while the Financials are the muscle.
Financials are based on a set of assumptions that are key to presenting a realistic, justifiable cash flow, balance sheet and income statement. Investors have certain Return on Investment parameters that they must seek to achieve before they can consider any investment commitment. The assumptions upon which the Financials are based must be from thorough research, current market conditions and historical means.
The principal reason Financials lead to project death is that the assumptions are based on dreams, hope and pie in the sky. A rule of thumb for successfully leaping the Financials section hurdle is this: investors need to realistically see that they will receive a mid-30’s per cent return on investment commencing between month 24 and 36 (year 3) after an investment is made. This rate and speed of return must be able to stand aggressive scrutiny. Believe me, investors are manic about analyzing, poking, prodding and tearing apart the assumptions upon which the Financials are constructed.
Good News! Your Business Plan has successfully passed through the Executive Summary and Financials doors. Next up, Management!
The Management section represents the brains of the new enterprise being considered for investment. An experienced (industry specific) management team must be either on hand, or readily available for successful placement.
The downfall in this area for so many prospective entrepreneurs is a complete lack of direct management experience. I recently reviewed a terrific safety product that had immense appeal. An exciting product, great margins, consumer need and obvious benefits, however, the group seeking funding had no executive management experience in any area the project required. They are candidates for a sale or license, but no funding round ever occurs without strong management. Remember: the investment is being made in people, people capable of driving an exciting opportunity to success.
Do not dream about running your own company, with someone else’s money, if you are a warehouse manager by trade but need production and marketing experience to succeed at the new business. It just will not happen, unless the investment comes from Aunt Hazel.
However, if you have strong and direct management experience and the Management section indicates a rounded team, the plan will move on through door three and to the last initial barrier to be overcome. What is your Harvest Goal (exit strategy)?
The Exit Strategy is crucial for investors and the effective management of their money pools. The Exit Strategy is the brain, intellect and emotional component of the deal. Venture capital is a high risk/high reward game. Investors know that the successful investment must pay out large, and relatively quickly, in order for them to cover the losers that greatly outnumber the home runs they hit.
Some entrepreneurs are unrealistic about harvesting gains from their business. This scares investment and venture money. An agreed plan to depart, take profits, sell or exercise myriad other harvest mechanisms at maximized points in the business cycle will be demanded before investment will be considered. It is best for the entrepreneur to be highly flexible when negotiating the harvest. The Exit Strategy is best summarized as an area where the entrepreneur is open, flexible, wishing to maximize profits and make a deal fair to all parties.
Inflexibility is a mortal sin for those seeking investment. I can not overstate how many deals never happen, products linger and die, opportunities are lost because an owner is unrealistic in framing his requirements for his enrichment when potential success is achieved. Leave something on the plate for all parties in a deal.
The other sections of a customized business plan are now important, but only after the pre-eminent Executive Summary, Financials, Management and Exit Strategy areas have passed muster. If your business plan has all four in good order you will be in rare company. Too many entrepreneurs dream about securing investment. This is anything but a dreamy exercise. It is tough, competitive, demanding, hard work. If you put the necessary effort into your project you will greatly enhance your chance for success!
Do not take shortcuts! Do not guess at details and assumptions! Do not fill in the blanks on a store bought template! Do not offer your opportunity for review until you have a professional, exciting presentation! Your Business Plan represents you, your family and your partner’s future!
Geoff Ficke has been a serial entrepreneur for almost 50 years. As a small boy, earning his spending money doing odd jobs in the neighborhood, he learned the value of selling himself, offering service and value for money.
After putting himself through the University of Kentucky (B.A. Broadcast Journalism, 1969) and serving in the United States Marine Corp, Mr. Ficke commenced a career in the cosmetic industry. After rising to National Sales Manager for Vidal Sassoon Hair Care at age 28, he then launched a number of ventures, including Rubigo Cosmetics, Parfums Pierre Wulff Paris, Le Bain Couture and Fashion Fragrance.
Mr. Ficke and his consulting firm, Duquesa Marketing, Inc. (http://www.duquesamarketing.com) has assisted businesses large and small, domestic and international, entrepreneurs, inventors and students in new product development, capital formation, licensing, marketing, sales and business plans and successful implementation of his customized strategies. He is a Senior Fellow at the Page Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Business School, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.
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Inexpensive Laptops for Gaming Probably on the Horizon
at 6:39 pm on Monday, 11 August 2008
It wasn’t too long ago when only a couple of manufacturers made gaming laptops. The systems were sold in tiny qty’s but each laptops had a significant profit margin. I reckon that the majority of people would concur they always wanted a gaming laptop but it was just out of reach for the majority. They were pretty much desktop rivals and the highest performing, best laptop you could acquire. As much as I wanted one I couldn’t afford to buy laptop computers like them. Things appear as it they are set to change though because now the gaming notebooks sector has attracted the attention of larger manufacturers.
Bringing their brand names into the market could allow them to charge higher prices. With such slim profits on other notebooks it is not a surprise they would like to be included here. Why would anybody buy laptop computers like this? Well big manufacturers have the marketing resources to teach them that. Had I been a smaller manufacturer I would definitely be thinking of strategies to counteract this kind of competition. The top end technology will rapidly make its way into the view of the mass consumers. In addition the established brand name will give people increased confidence. I guess its a joke that as it comes with the brand name they’re automatically considered the best laptop computers. I still anticipate that littler resellers will deduct significant support from this. In my view being able to specify the components you want would be a decision maker. These particular buyers are usually very familiar with the technology and are able to check each of the specs individually. For these sort of prospects, the power of a system typically mean more than the design of it.
For the customer, this holds numerous positives. In the end it will force prices down even further and make the latest technology even more affordable for the market. I’m not really certain any of that would occur however. New technology launches should uphold premium prices. The global brands have already released their own gaming laptop line, so all we can do now is stand back and see.
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