Wildfire Preparedness: The Five Aspects Of Readiness
by Paul Purcell
A classic 70�s tune gives us the lyrics, �She ran calling �Wildfire��..� Then a love song, but today, possibly the beginnings of an action / adventure / horror movie. With rainfall low, and temperatures and winds high, the wildfires we�re currently battling across the country are heavily taxing our first responder assets. More fires will surely follow if these conditions continue.
First responder assets aside, these fires have affected local civilians. Thousands have evacuated, and many find nothing but charred vacant lots when they return. What are some innovative ways civilians can protect themselves, their property, and actually help firefighters in the process?
At the household level, most of us have smoke detectors. That�s good, because in a house fire, as in a wildfire, where there�s smoke, there�s F.L.A.M.E.:
Family � Something as massive as a wildfire will affect your whole family. Prepare them now.
Landscaping � Simple and subtle steps can make your property much more fire resistant.
Awareness � In an emergency, time is crucial. Stay aware of the threat and get the warnings early.
Moisture � Some say you fight fire with fire. We say you fight fire with water.
Evacuation � Even after taking all the other steps, a wildfire is something best avoided.
Family
A prepared and involved family is far more able to handle any type of disaster than those who wait for last-minute instruction. Therefore, one of the best things you can do for your family is to prepare them for one of the most common and least forgiving enemies; fire.
1. Take the family on a fire-safety tour through the house. Locate dangers such as overloaded electrical outlets and safety items such as extinguishers and escape routes.
2. In emergencies, redundancy is our friend. You should have more than one smoke detector, fire extinguisher, and escape route from rooms or the house. Hint: If you�re a heavy sleeper, buy a �baby monitor.� Put the transmitter near the farthest smoke detector and the receiver in your bedroom.
3. Make sure everyone in the family knows how to use a fire extinguisher, and how to call 911.
4. Have regular fire drills. Let each family member have a turn being the one who discovers the fire and who has to warn others. On at least every other drill, have everyone evacuate blind-folded on their hands and knees (while exercising due safety) to mimic the realistic conditions of a fire evacuation.
5. Revisit every family emergency plan with the whole family during wildfire season and certainly if one is in your area and possibly heading your way.
Landscaping
Though tragedies usually take the lead in newscasts, stories still abound of how some homeowners managed to protect their properties from wildfire by simple and subtle changes with their landscaping and home. Take these steps now, since in a fire, time is of the essence.
1. Your main landscaping consideration is to remove any dead, dry vegetation, whether on the ground or in your trees, that could transfer fire to your house. Since this aspect of wildfire preparedness has been adequately covered by others, here are a few good outside sources:
- General wildfire landscaping tips: http://www.firewise.org/resources/files/wildfr2.pdf
- Florida wildfire landscaping pointers: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FR/FR07600.pdf
- More on landscaping during wildfire season: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FR/FR04700.pdf
- Fire-resistant plants: http://web1.msue.msu.edu/emergency/pubs/wildfire_resistant.pdf
2. Be ready to seal your house before evacuating. Create covers for any opening on your home such as attic vents (roof turbines can be covered with metal trash cans), crawlspace openings, etc. Gather your material (such as plywood) and cut, paint, and label (where it goes) each cover now, keeping them stored on your property for immediate use. Put a couple of hooks over each opening you might cover and drill corresponding holes in the plywood covers. The hooks will hold the cover in place while you drill in the screws. This allows one person to do the job and frees up others to perform other necessary tasks. Hint: Also make covers for your windows (including garage door windows) just as if you lived in a hurricane zone.
3. Create a �fire tool box� and include everything needed to prep your house in advance of a wildfire. Store extra garden hoses, water sprinklers, �Y� connectors for extra hoses, wrenches to turn off your gas, rolls of heavy-duty aluminum foil (to cover the openings you didn�t make covers for), machetes and gloves for last minute brush clearing, etc. Store extra tools because you won�t have time to replace tools that might have been broken or lost.
4. Make sure first responders can see your home�s address. Put your house number on your mailbox, near your front door, and painted on the curb by your driveway.
Awareness
A common theme in all our publications and presentations is the fact that in an emergency, our most crucial asset is time (see our other articles at http://www.disasterprep101.com). The two key elements of time in a wildfire are one, to have as much done in advance as possible, and two, get as early a warning as possible.
1. Don�t wait for a wildfire to approach to start your landscaping. Perform that now and keep your property as fire-retardant as you can.
2. Don�t wait for the smell of smoke to warn you a fire is on its way. If fire conditions are right, monitor news channels and listen for community warnings.
3. Learn to recognize your community warnings. Does your community have a reverse 911 system? Sirens? Will the local TV or radio station broadcast the alert? If your community doesn�t have any of these systems, why not start them in your neighborhood? At the very least, have a phone tree.
4. Buy an NOAA Weather Alert Radio since they�re being incorporated into the overall Emergency Alert System. You should also know who your local Ham Radio operators are. See http://www.arrl.org
Moisture
Water is the king of firefighting and fire suppression substances. The best protection for your property lies in your ability to keep a �dome� of moisture in one form or another all over and around your home.
1. One publication under �landscaping� above lists beneficial plants that hold their moisture well. Regardless of the types of plant life in your yard, keep them well hydrated (while following watering ordinances).
2. When setting up your sprinklers, give your yard adequate spray coverage, especially over areas that might worsen the fire such as an above-ground propane tank or wooden deck attached to your house. The best sprinkler for surface areas is the professional directional type rather than the small garden variety that only sprays a weak pattern over a small area. Your garden store rep can help.
3. Put sprinklers on your roof, being sure to anchor them in place since the high winds generated in some wildfire wind storms can blow them off the roof.
4. If you have an in-ground sprinkler system, great! It will give you even water coverage over the grounds and provide a good foundation for the comprehensive water system you�ll need. To your in-ground system add separate �fire� lines that feed water to sprinklers that either spray directly against your house, or outward from your yard to cover vegetation surrounding your property. Too, have a sprinkler line permanently installed on your roof to save you the time of manually putting sprinklers up there. Also, install an additional input valve to allow water from a secondary source like a water pump drawing from your swimming pool.
5. If you have a pool, pond, well, or creek, you have a reservoir that should be put to good use so you don�t draw off the municipal water firefighters need to prevent fire from nearing your property in the first place. It�s a simple matter to keep a gas-powered generator (which self-reliant families should have) and a water pump (such as a pressure-washer), and use the two to draw water from your pool and feed it to your sprinklers. If you have a well with an electric pump, hook your generator to the pump to keep it running should local power fail. Exercise caution when setting up your generator so it doesn�t start its own fire.
6. A final consideration with sprinklers is position. Cover the outer perimeter of your yard, spray against the outer walls and roof of your house, and cover the crowns of your trees if possible. Also, consider outward-pointing sprinklers anchored to an elevated position such as an upper floor deck or porch, or your roof.
Evacuation
We strongly recommend evacuation, even if you�ve taken all the above steps and feel they might work. It�s best that you be pre-prepped and ready to leave at a moment�s notice since time is our most valuable asset. The more ready you are in advance, the more time you have.
1. All your landscaping steps should be taken care of now and maintained, especially during fire season.
2. In wildfire-prone areas, and especially during wildfire season, keep your bugout kits and vehicle ready at all times (with fuel tanks topped off). Hint: With your documents, keep the non-emergency numbers for local authorities so you can call to find out when it�s safe to return.
3. Perform last-minute landscaping ONLY if time allows, since you�ll want extra time to perform the household shutdown steps. However, don�t do anything until you�ve loaded your car with provisions and have nothing left to load but people and pets (in their carriers and/or ready to go).
4. Inside the house do the following:
- Move all flammables (such as furniture and curtains) away from windows making sure each is closed and latched. Lower and close any metallic blinds.
- Leave your fireplace damper open, and close the fireplace protective cover.
- Close all interior doors but don�t lock them.
- Turn off your heat/AC system, and cover any window air-conditioners or floor heater vents with aluminum foil and duct tape inside and out.
- Turn off all gas coming into the house whether from underground line or above-ground tank.
- Turn on inside and outside lights so your property is visible in heavy smoke. Firefighters may need to use it as a beacon.
5.To protect the valuables you don�t have room for in your evacuation vehicle, consider these:
- For waterproof valuables, put them in a bathtub, storage tub, or trashcan you�ve filled with water. (Notice we didn�t recommend your pool, since you should be using it to feed your sprinklers.)
- Large valuables such as antique furniture, etc. should be carried into the center of the house on the lowest floor (the same place you�d go in a tornado).
- Major appliances, such as your oven, fridge, freezer, dishwasher, clothes washer, and dryer, tend not to be consumed by flame or crushed by debris and thereby offer a protected storage location for other valuables. Hint: Disposable diapers are surprisingly flame resistant, and might be useful as wraps for some items stored in an appliance.
6.Lock up the house, leave a note on the door telling authorities you�ve evacuated, check with neighbors to make sure they�re on their way to safety, hop in your vehicle, and leave. Hint: If the area is getting smoky, listen to your radio for road closure information, turn your headlights on low, and set your climate controls to �re-circulate� so as not to draw in smoke from outside the vehicle.
Naturally, this is an article that could go for a few dozen more pages since it�s such an important topic and certainly one where we could offer extensive detail. For now, this will have to do. Will the above information make you fireproof and prevent any damage to your property? No. But it�s very likely to help, especially if you take these steps now. Taking these measures also helps firefighters since any time a wildfire is delayed or a home protected, you take one more item off the shoulders of first responders. Prep now, stay safe, and remember that preparedness is not only a social responsibility; it�s your only true protection.
About The Author
Put Pasta Back On The Table
Put Pasta Back On The Table
by Kadence Buchanan
Pasta has existed since the days of the Roman Empire and remains one of the most versatile cooking ingredients, as no storage room or cupboard should be without it. It can be combined with meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, or even a simple herb sauce to create a mouthwatering and nutritious meal within minutes.
Most pasta is made from durum wheat flour and contains protein and carbohydrates. It is a good source of slow-release energy and has the additional advantage of being value for money.
There are as many as 200 different pasta shapes and about three times as many names for them. New shapes are being designed and named allt the time and the same shape might be called a different name in different regions in Itally. Some types of pasta are the agnolotti, anelli, bucatini, cannelloni, capalletti, ditali, elicje, farfalle, fettuccine, fusilli, lasagne, linguini, macaroni, penne, ravioli, rigatoni, spaghetti and tagliatelle. Many can be found in both dried and fresh forms, but unless you have access to a good, Italian delicatessen, it is probably not worth buying fresh unfilled pasta, even from supermarkets that sell high-quality tortellini, capalletti, ravioli, and agnolotti. Best of all is to make fresh pasta at home. It takes little time, but is quite easy and well worth the effort. You can mix the dough by hand or prepare it in a food processor. Pasta may be colored and flavored with extra ingredients that are usually added with the beaten egg.
To cook pasta, first bring a large pan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and one tablespoon of olive oil, but do not cover the pot or the water will boil over. Quickly bring the water back to a rolling boil and avoid overcooking. When the pasta is tender, but still firm to the bite, drain and toss with butter, olive oil, or your prepared sauce. The cooking times provided here are guidelines only:
- Fresh unfilled pasta: 2-3 minutes
- Fresh filled pasta: 8-10 minutes
- Dried unfilled pasta: 10-12 minutes
- Dried filled pasta: 15-20 minutes
Pasta can be used to make anything, from soups to more substantial pasta-based meals, which are as delicious and unusual starter, or as a quick and easy lunch or light supper. Others are subtle and delicate. Combining vegetables, meat, fish and cheese with every type of pasta, from linguine to lumache, one can enjoy a nutritional and delicious meal from start to finish.
About The Author
Boost Your Business With Effective Financial Management
Boost Your Business With Effective Financial Management
by Suzanne Macguire
Working Capital, to put it briefly, refers to a business organization's total current assets (short-term ones), marketable securities, accounts receivables, inventory, and cash. Management of the financial segment is a great responsibility that demands equal attention on investments as well as sources of income (both long term and short term). In fact, a business firm can never enhance its value if it fails to survive initial hiccups in the short run. Hence, efficient management of finances is essential for any business to survive.
Strategies to finance short-term working capital needs much greater attention than are usually practiced. Precisely speaking, there are two short-term working capital financing options; business cash advance programs and short-term commercial mortgage loan programs that have been often overlooked. But these two working capital funding options are excellent for small and new business ventures to ward initial financial obstructions off their way. Business cash advance is one of the best financing options for businesses accepting credit cards as mode of payment. Speaking of benefits, business cash advance offers great help even to prospering businesses. For instance, even thriving businesses need working capital that might not be borrowed from a bank. Under these circumstances, business cash advance or merchant cash advance programs come to the rescue. Retail chains, bars, and restaurants, service businesses are highly benefited from these finance programs.
Receivable factoring or "credit card factoring" is another unique working capital management strategy, whereby the businesses sell their future receivables at a discount. However, it is not possible for all small businesses to document their receivables in order to qualify for this financing option. The documented sales volume and credit card sales activity of these small businesses serve as financial asset to attain a business cash advance or a merchant cash advance.
Not negating the importance of short-term working capital loans, it is also necessary to understand the importance of long-term working capital management. While planning to finance your business long-term, make sure to get hold of a long-term commercial mortgage for at least 15-20 years. In a few cases though it becomes essential to avoid long-term commercial mortgage loans and opt for its short-term counterpart. This would especially be applicable for those who intend to sell or refinance their business within one to five years. In fact, availing short-term commercial mortgage loans comes with the added advantage of negating prepayment penalties and "lockout" fees, normally associated with long-term loans.
There are few lenders providing effective services for both these financial strategies. Hence, working capital loan in the form of business cash advance programs or commercial mortgage loans should be chosen with great care.
About The Author
http://www.cashdirectone.com
Restaurants Start-Up and Systems Success
Restaurants Start-Up and Systems Success
by Daryl Des Marais
If you have a restaurant business or are planning on starting a restaurant business then there are several things you will need to do. Find the right products and supplies to start your organization. hiring the right staff, having a menu that is attractive to local consumers, and above all having the right location with the right atmosphere. Some good principles to follow when doing this is develop a business start-up strategy covering the above areas.
In starting a restaurant you may want to consider restaurants that are for sale, but be wary of the cost of leasing and the condition of the current business infrastructure and services to the building. You want to be able to start a restaurant with a minimum number of headaches when it comes to bills in the first few months. What is most important is generating the volume of customers you need and having a suitable systems and staffing operation to carry through on your potential successes.
Having worked under a successful chef in a French Bistro in the past, who ended up selling his business in a matter of years, over 20 years ago and helping some other owners become successful in expanding their customer base I can give you a few pointers.
1. Location of the Restaurant- This is key to the future of your business, the location must be suitable to traffic, if it is not then you better have a ... good reason for people to get to your location that no one else has. Traffic by foot and by cars as well as other means is important. Determining the traffic numbers in both these areas as others is very important for future business reasons.
2. Finding the Right Supplies for your Restaurant- There are so many suppliers in the restaurant industry and there are also numerous brokers, repairmen and resellers. You must tread carefully and do your homework, determine the benefits of the purchase and the costs. It could be as simple as drawing a line down the paper and including positive and negatives or doing a more involved cost benefit analysis. Also having an accountant review the opportunity would be beneficial in saving you problems down the road.
An example of a restaurant management supplier is: http://www.sodexho.com/food-management-services/restaurant-supply-wholesale.htm
3. Menu- One of the most important things may be the menu, especially in a larger city where there is more competition. You must adhere strictly to a defined menu that accentuates you and word of mouth about the best food you have in your chosen specialty. Size of the menu is also important in consideration of your costs and the types of foods you want to serve and or mix using basic ingredients. The opportunity to have prepared food is also available in assisting you with labour costs in preparing food.
An example for cost effective menu making online is: http://www.themenumaker.com/
4. Staffing- Staffing can be challenging, and in this industry, like other industries that can be entry-level at times it may be hard to find workers with dedication, principle and good ethics. Developing a good job description including duties and expectations and having a training day and or someone to assist them in job shadowing is beneficial. There are numerous other opportunities that you can use in developing HR Strategy. A good business example of HR Strategy in business would be IBM. In the restaurant industry you might look to good examples such as McDonald's, Starbucks or A&W. You might not have the leverage they have to offer some of the services of strategies but there are opportunities to offer similar environments. This however, takes a lot of time and work and having a hr consultant or business consultant would be beneficial. Having team uniforms may be one way to identify with your customers and may also benefit your staff's hygiene. A good example is: http://www.bestbuyuniforms.com/
5. Layout, Design and Attraction- This can make or break some businesses in the restaurant industry depending on their competition and consumer demand. Some areas expect a certain level of quality in service or food or variety in food selection. Other areas demand a layout that is unique and appealing or beneficial for movement. There are many options and completing a little research, getting feedback from other developers and restaurants.
A good book to read on restaurant design is: http://www.successfulrestaurantdesign.com/
6. Business Systems- There are numerous business systems available in the restaurant industry such as Squirrel, Microsoft etc. For more information on some of the current advanced portable systems see: http://www.actionsystems.com/
About The Author
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Fix it and Flip it - How I Lost Money on Real Estate
Fix it and Flip it - How I Lost Money on Real Estate
by Jonni Good
I've known a lot of people who have lost money when they sold their homes. In fact, I'm one of those people, and it's happened to me more than once.
There are a number of factors can cause a financial loss when you sell your house, including the need to sell at the wrong time due to divorce or an impending foreclosure, or a downturn in the local real estate market. However, it's also common to lose money simply by making too many expensive changes to the house before putting it on the market. This is how I lost money on real estate, before I wised up.
My most resounding failure in the fix it and flip it market was a house I bought in Spokane, Washington. Knowing what I know now, I would have restricted myself to replacing the carpets and the kitchen and bathroom fixtures, painting inside and out, and buying new appliances. I probably would have replaced the old-style windows, too, to make the place look nicer and appeal to the energy-conscious buyer. These fixes could have been done easily within the two years I needed to live there to avoid capital gains taxes.
Since I didn't know what I know now, I made major renovations, which included moving the bathroom. I did most of the work myself, but the materials alone cost more than I could get back when the house was sold. With the exception of repairs done to the house to make it eligible for an FHA loan and watering the grass, I doubt that any of my major projects really helped me sell the house or increased its value.
If a house is actually sound, with no structural damage or insect problems, the biggest reason it will sell for less than its worth is usually cosmetic. This was certainly true of the house I bought in Spokane. Dirty carpeting, and a wall in the living room covered with mirror tiles, kept most buyers from going any further into the house. I could see past the cosmetic problems and see the home's full potential - but my imagination went a bit too far.
The floor plan was odd, and slightly inconvenient, but leaving the bathroom where it was would have been far more rational, financially. Why didn't I do that? Because my emotions and my nesting instincts took over, pushing aside all thought of future gain or loss.
Let's face it - most people don't buy their own homes with the intention of making a profit, although they certainly hope the house will be a good investment. In fact, the emotional stress caused by the process of buying a house and moving into it can be enough to completely erase any thought of moving again a few years later. However, I know several families who have made a very good living by buying underpriced homes, living in them and fixing them up, and then selling them when the IRS will allow them to do so without paying extra taxes. Clearly, these folks don't make any changes to these houses without carefully considering the bottom line.
After my Spokane adventure, I decided to learn from my mistakes, and find out how to stop losing money on houses. I read books by authors who are experienced in fixing and flipping houses - and then read them again. When I saw that most remodeling projects almost never recoup their costs when the house is sold, I was a little shocked, because I had been guilty of almost every mistake on the list at one time or another. I know many people who have also made the same mistakes, even when they started those remodeling projects with the intention of increasing the value of their homes.
When I bought my next house, I kept that list very firmly in mind. For instance, my kitchen was badly in need of a major overhaul, (or so I believed), and it was far too small. I pored over the latest home decorating magazines, and ideas came flooding into my head. I thought about knocking out some walls, and I even tried to imagine adding on to the house to make the kitchen bigger. New cabinets would be needed, and new appliances...
In the end I painted the kitchen cabinets and replaced the sink with a new one I purchased at Ikea. I covered the chipped orange Formica counters with printed cotton fabric, and coated it with many layers of water-based Verathane that was intended to protect wood floors. The complete "remodel" cost less than $400, as opposed to the thousands of dollars that I would have spent if I followed through on my idle dreams of a "perfect" kitchen. Since the house sold at a very good price within two weeks of listing it, my buyer obviously didn't mind that the kitchen didn't meet my idea of perfect. Because I kept my costs down, I made a handy profit on the sale.
Would I have been able to sell the house for more money if the kitchen had been remodeled and expanded? Perhaps, but not enough to cover the cost of the remodel. Although the National Association of Realtors lists a kitchen remodel as one of the projects that will increase a house the most, they still advise that you should expect to get back only 80% of the costs. If your new kitchen is far fancier, bigger, and more expensive than any other kitchen in the neighborhood, the returns will be even less. A full kitchen remodel can cost thousands of dollars, so the 20% you don't get back can be a big chunk of change.
Does this mean that you shouldn't make changes to your home that would make you happy? Not at all, especially if you intend to live there for many years. But it does pay to sit down with your spouse or partner before you start making your remodeling plans, determine exactly how long you'll be staying in the home, and then think about the full financial implications of the remodeling project. Even if you don't think of yourself as a professional house flipper, it might pay to slow down a bit and find ways to improve the home without spending money you'll never see again. As a bonus, your family might be able to avoid the stress and disruption of all that remodeling mess.
About The Author
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Things That Could Go Wrong With A Business Affiliate Program
Things That Could Go Wrong With A Business Affiliate Program
by Mario Churchill
If you don�t know or have what it takes to manage a business affiliate program, a lot of things could go wrong and result to a reduced market size, shrinking sales, a worsening reputation and other negative effects for your business.
Things that Could Go Wrong with a Business Affiliate Program
MISCONCEPTION: The Network behind a Business Affiliate Program Will Grow by Itself.
One good reason why many business affiliate programs fail at the first attempt is because its owners or managers often and mistakenly believe that their network of affiliates will grow by itself. This is completely false. A business affiliate program will never increase in size if it�s not being nurtured properly. Don�t depend on your affiliates to spread the word � that�s not why they signed up to be your affiliates. It�s up to you to increase your network size by actively recruiting affiliates continuously.
MISCONCEPTION: More Affiliates Automatically Mean More Sales.
Strictly speaking, however, that�s not quite true. When you�re recruiting for affiliates for your business, focus on quality rather than quantity. Don�t just hire anyone right away. Set qualifications that you know an affiliate must meet to have better chances of earning. It�s for their sake as well, anyway!
If, for example, you�re selling pet products then it�s important that your affiliate � if they�re using blogs or personal websites � to have a keen interest (although knowledge would definitely help) in pet products or pets in general and that the content of their blogs or websites must be directly connected to the topic.
You will have more chances of earning from two people who know what they�re marketing than from three people who are only interested in hosting your ads and nothing else.
MISCONCEPTION: A Business Affiliate Program Does Not Need to Provide Motivation and Support to Its Affiliates.
Wrong again! Affiliates are not your employees. If they are, then you�d have the right to require them to work for certain hours each day and to perform certain actions during certain situations. But they�re not your employees so you have no hold over them. This, however, doesn�t mean that you can�t and don�t need to give them motivation and support. In fact, it�s important that you give them both as they�re the only way for you to ensure that they�ll continue working as affiliates.
MISCONCEPTION: A Business Affiliate Program is Easy to Understand for Everyone.
While most people are able to understand how business affiliate programs work, there are those who can�t. People who were born prior to the advent of the Internet or those who are newly introduced to the wonders of the web are good examples of these people.
While these individuals currently don�t have the know-how to work in the Internet, they may have other integral qualities that you�re looking for in an affiliate. Take the time to invest in them. Create a special FAQ section for them and so they can understand how a business affiliate program works step by step.
MISCONCEPTION: A Business Affiliate Program Will Work Right Away.
Even if you have all the right ingredients to make a successful business affiliate program, that doesn�t immediately signify you�ll be able to rake in dollars right away. Earning from business affiliate programs take time, just like any other online marketing strategy. It also takes hard work and perseverance. If it�s your first time to launch an online business, avoid pinning up all your hopes on building an affiliate program. While it can certainly work in boosting sales, it won�t serve as a primary source of income for your business. That can happen later, but it won�t happen at the start.
MISCONCEPTION: A Business Affiliate Program Doesn�t Need Great Products and Services.
Just because you�ve chosen the best payment structure and hired the best affiliates doesn�t mean you will immediately have a surefire way of earning money. All of those will mean nothing if you haven�t given your affiliates excellent products or services to sell or advertise.
If you want your business affiliate program to work, start by working on your products and services. Are they competitively priced? Do they offer features and benefits that your target market is looking for? Can they be something you could innovate in the long term or develop into other newer and better products and services?
These are just some of the things that could go wrong with a business affiliate program. In the end, it�s important that you give your program the time and effort it deserves to prevent it from failing.
About The Author
Cotton Pajamas: Providing A Comfortable Sleep
Cotton Pajamas: Providing A Comfortable Sleep
by Mario R. Churchill
Tired of the same pajamas you wear every time you go to sleep? Why not try and buy a new set of pajamas. You will be surprised that there are a lot of new pajama designs out in the market today. All are designed to be very comfortable and are also available in different prints.
Cotton pajamas are by far, the most popular pajamas in the market. Besides, who wouldn't want to buy this kind of pajamas? It's comfortable to wear and it's very affordable.
Pajamas are also available in different designs and prints that can suit your personality. Today, you can have a pajama that screams out your personality and at the same time, provide you comfort as you sleep.
If you have kids, you can buy a pajama for them with their favorite cartoon character printed on it. These pajamas are now very popular in the market. There are even cotton pajamas that look like a Spiderman costume or a Superman costume where your kids will really want to wear over and over again.
Pajamas are available for men, women and kids. With different designs that you can choose from, you can be sure that you can have that peaceful sleep you need and at the same time, look good while you're at it.
Pajamas are also ideal gifts on any occasion. The best way to do this is figure out the person's personality first, and choose a pajama that compliments his or her personality.
The person you will be giving the pajama to will truly appreciate the thought. There are even wild pajama designs that you can purchase.
If you can't find the right pajama design for you or for your children in the stores near you, try searching in the internet for the designs you want. You will be surprised to see that there are hundreds or even thousands of pajama designs available in the internet. There are also cotton pajamas that can be custom made to give you a perfect fit.
Cotton pajamas are great for cold climates as it can really provide warmth. However, it is usually not recommended in hotter climates. This is because cotton pajamas can contribute heat to the wearer. If you live in hotter climates, you might want to wear silk pajamas. This will provide ventilation throughout your body and can really provide you that needed comfort as you sleep.
There are thousands of pajama designs that you can choose from. Whether you want a full length pajama or a short pajama, you can surely find the design you want in today's market. Pajamas are also available in different prints that you can choose from.
Getting a comfortable sleep is one of the things you should really prioritize. Without a comfortable sleep, you will end up feeling unusually tired for the rest of the day. This is why you should choose a pajama that is really comfortable.
It should be loose and provide ample ventilation throughout your body in order to get that comfort you need while you sleep.
With different varieties of pajamas available, you can try out different designs available. Choose one that you are most comfortable with and also choose one that provides good ventilation throughout your body. Every cut in a pajama should never interfere with your body's movements which can interrupt you from deep sleep.
These are some of the things you should consider in a pajama. If you think that you're not comfortable in your pajamas that you wore for many years, you probably have to change pajamas. Comfort should be your number one priority.
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Discounters Vs. Full Fee Vs. Flexible Fee Real Estate Agents
Discounters Vs. Full Fee Vs. Flexible Fee Real Estate Agents
by Robert Earl The Earl of Real Estate
Have you ever take the time to ask what is the true motivation of the Agent that you select to sell your home?
When it comes time to select a real estate agent to sell your home, you probably have 3 choices when it comes to the type of real estate agent you select based upon the Fee Structure that they use and the resulting motivation that this may or may not cause the agent to have. These 3 categories are a "full fee" structure, a "discounter fee" structure and a blend called a "flexible fee" structure.
The distinction between the different categories can be drawn in two main areas. 1.) How the Deal Comes Together & 2.) Who Finds the Buyer
A "discounter fee" structure real estate agent goes into the transaction with a fee that is significantly reduced for the amount charged by the full fee agent. This is based upon a business model that limits the scope of services that are going to be performed during the course of the transaction. In the end, this approach also will pay out more money to the party that is trying to negotiate against you, the buyers agent. Consider that the Discount Agent may be looking to "Double End" the transaction because there is more money available to the Buyers Agent as compared to the Sellers Agent. To me, this sounds like a conflict of interest, but that may just be me.
A "full fee" structure agent structures the commission charges that no matter how the deal comes together and with no concern as to which agent actually ends up working with the buyer of the property. Consider the following, there is little motivation for a "Full Fee" agent to market the property out to the buyer agent community because the Full Fee Agent may be looking to represent both the buyer of the property and you the seller of the property at the same time. This would influence what marketing avenues and vehicles that an agent would be looking to use.
A flexible fee - choose your own commission (http://www.theearlofrealestate.net/selling_flexible_real_estate_fee.aspx) structure agent will charge a flexible amount dependent upon the way inwhich the sale comes together. If the listing agent is able to attract the buyer directly then they get a minimal increase in the overall compensation, sometimes ranging up to 1% in addition to the amount being charged for listing the property. This is a far cry from the amount charged by the Full Fee agent that double ends the property and thus doubles the commission. This is also a lower amount than the Discounter charges for double ending the property from the base 1% commission to a 300% increase for working with the buyer and seller.
Keep in mind that all of this is controlled and regulated by your own areas laws on agency and whether or not an agent can truly represent both parties to a transaction under a dual or designated representation agreement. Check to see what applies in your particular area.
Bottom Line, As with anything, if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is. Make sure that you select an agent and a structure when selling your home in Northern Virginia (http://www.theearlofrealestate.net/Selling.aspx) that provides you with the level of comfort that the agent is truly motivated to get your home sold and that you will be getting value for your commission dollars.
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Show Your Appreciation with Thank You Gift Baskets
Show Your Appreciation with Thank You Gift Baskets
by Morgan Hamilton
Have you ever expressed your gratitude through thank you gift baskets? Every time someone did anything special for me, I often show my appreciation by giving them these gifts. I create these baskets myself and I often incorporate things that the recipients like on the design. They are also available on the market, but people would appreciate homemade thank you gift baskets more than pre-made ones.
I recently made two thank you gift baskets for people who have done some special things for my family. I have a next door neighbor who has an adorable six-year-old son and she is always bringing over his old toys for my younger son. Some of these toys were expensive, like the children�s keyboard and wooden puzzles, and I wanted to thank her for her kindness.
Since her son has everything his heart desires, it is practically impossible to buy him a toy. He owns a lot of them and buying more would only clutter the house and he doesn�t even play with half of what he already has. I decided that it would be appropriate if I create one of my thank you gift baskets for the woman who has been generous to my son.
My next door neighbor�s favorite activity is drinking. She drinks a lot and would always talk about the new cocktails she mixes in the kitchen. I realized that one of those thank you gift baskets filled with coffee, tea, or sweets wouldn�t suit her. I decided to make her a custom made basket filled with liquor. She was overjoyed with my gift and she responded by making pomegranate martinis that night using the vodka from her basket, and then she invited me and my husband over to drink with her.
Giving thank you gift baskets is a perfect way to let someone know you appreciate them without buying them a silly trinket they may not like. I�ve created different kinds of thank you gift baskets filled with stuffed animals, fruits, coffee products, and booze, depending on the recipient�s taste. The only drawback is that gift baskets can be expensive especially if you overdo them. Try to use your imagination to create a charming yet inexpensive present.
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Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Rebates Can Be Incentives
Rebates Can Be Incentives
by Mario Churchill
Incentives are financial or non-financial factors which provide the course of action, simply known as the motive, in economics. These are basically the reasons why management decides in the way it does. By studying the incentives available on the situation, economic activity and decision-making is centralized. Even if it be in competition or cooperation, economic analysts believe that by concentrating on the available incentives, any business will succeed.
Incentives are classified on ways they motivate the business to take part of a specific action. Here are three class:
1. Remunerative or financial incentives. These exist when the agent can get more than just the material reward in the business.
2. Moral incentives. These exist when a specific choice is said to be the proper action to make. It is often admirable. Failure to do this option is interpreted as indecent. Anyone acting on moral incentives basically expects approval, admiration and self-esteem from the team. Anyone acting against moral incentives can foresee a feeling of guilt and even condemnation and ostracism from the community.
3. Coercive incentives. These exist when someone is expected to not do a particular action which is expected from them by the community.
Incentives are different from coercion, aside from the third kind. Economic moralists see the coercive incentives as a driven work that is polished by incentives. Employment, volunteering and entrepreneurship are fine examples of incentives. Serfdom or slavery is said to be coercion.
Individuals can also have their own incentives. These are grouped under personal incentives. It can motivate the employee on their desires, pride, tastes, sense of duty and personal drives in order to do well in the job and do those remarkable feats and artistic creation they have been dreaming of doing.
Setting personal incentives on the other side does not mean that these are not as important as the others mentioned earlier. Its purpose is to comprehend the action of each employee better since social incentives and how it is structured exist in effect of how society is arranged. By closely studying the actions and the motives of each individual employee, the corporation will be able to get the drift on how they should manage them.
Rebates, on the other hand, are kinds of promotion marketers that are basically used as incentives in order to supplement the sales of the product. The most common in business is the mail-in-rebate.
It entitles the targeted buyer to purchase the product via receipt, coupon or barcode. This is done the minute he gets the check of the amount stated on the paperwork. It depends on the product he is receiving as well as the time of the purchase and the place where it was bought.
Rebates are usually offered in relation to the manufacturer and the purchase of a specific item. Large stores work with manufacturers and require that there are two to three rebates for each product. Sometimes, manufacturer rebates can only be claimed as valid in a specific store. Sometimes, these rebates are only accommodated in specific stores. These receipts or special rebate forms are printed from the cash register when the purchase has been made.
A number of rebates are handled by a contract that specializes in the procedural contest application of the rebates. Fees are not quickly discerned but as long as there is a clear understanding between the management of the store and the production of the item, then rebates are said to be a consumer�s incentive.
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Different Types Of Refrigeration
Different Types Of Refrigeration
by Glenn Day
Each and every day, millions of people in the United States use a refrigerator. Many businesses depend on them as they are crucial to maintain our foods safety. When it comes down to it, refrigerators are so commonplace in our day, it is hard to imagine people would add chemicals or use ice to keep things cool. Beyond the refrigerator in a home setting, most people never even think of the extensive technology required to keep commercial and industrial food appropriately cooled at all times. Generally speaking, equipment is needed to protect and store goods, largely food, during shipping by road, rail, air and sea. Without the ability to do this, food would have no way of being moved from one area to the next without spoiling.
Domestic vs. Commercial Refrigeration
Domestic Refrigeration: This type of refrigeration is one that is familiar to most homeowners. Refrigerators and freezers that you keep in your home fall under this category. This is the type of unit that is used to keep food cold in a residential environment.
Commercial Refrigeration: This type of refrigeration holds and displays frozen and fresh food in retail stores, as well as other like establishments. In most cases, this type of refrigeration is farther advanced than refrigerators that you would find in residential homes. As you can imagine, it is crucial that many commercial establishments keep their refrigerators up to date with food safety regulations. This ranges from retail stores to restaurants and many more.
Food processing and Storage: This type of refrigeration is used to preserve process and store the food from its source to the wholesale division. If you are not in the food industry, you probably do not have much knowledge on this type of refrigeration. But even though you may not know about this, it still affects you in more ways than you can imagine. After all, you want your food to be fresh when it finally arrives at your home, right?
There is also a large variety of specialized equipment that may be required to protect and store foods when being shipped by road, rail, air, and sea. In other words, the food cannot thaw out just because it is in transit. Instead, special equipment is used to make sure that food is kept at the appropriate temperature regardless of transportation method.
All in all, there are many different types of refrigeration that help to ensure the overall quality and safety of food.
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Tea: How Do You Drink White Tea?
Tea: How Do You Drink White Tea?
by Marcus Stout
Tea is the world�s most popular beverage, next to water. But, some people are still fairly new to tea drinking, and are still learning the popular varieties and deciding which ones are they like best.
One of the tea varieties that�s most popular today is white tea. White tea comes from the same plant as black and green teas, the camellia sinensis. What makes white tea different is when it is harvested and how it�s processed. White tea is harvested much earlier than other teas, before the leaves are fully open.
At this point in the growing process, the tea buds are still covered by fine white hair, which is why it�s referred to as white tea. Unlike other types of tea, both buds and leaves are used in white tea. White tea undergoes very little processing, and is not fermented.
The leaves are simply steamed (or occasionally fired) and then dried. Sometimes, tea harvesters will even steam the leaves right in the field, and then let them dry in the sun.
Fewer people are familiar with white tea in part because over the years there�s been far less white tea grown and processed than other teas. In fact, many years ago white tea was reserved for use at the highest tea ceremonies, and was considered tea for the elite.
Even today, less white tea is grown in the world than other types of tea. However, as it gains popularity, it�s likely that more of a tea garden�s harvest may be devoted to white tea. However, at least for now, white tea is rarer than black and green teas, and therefore more expensive.
White tea is a very healthy beverage. Because it undergoes very little processing, white tea retains its anti-oxidants. In fact, it�s estimated that white tea contains an even higher and more effective anti-oxidant level than green tea. There have been very few studies on white tea�s ability to prevent and help treat disease.
However, since white tea�s anti-oxidants are similar to those of green tea, about which much research exists to suggest health benefits, it�s assumed that white tea carries those same benefits. Green tea�s anti-oxidants have been shown to fight diseases like cancer, heart disease and high cholesterol. In addition, white tea has been shown to boost your immune system, improving your body�s ability to fight diseases, particularly infections.
So, What Does It Taste Like?
White tea is paler in color and has less aroma than black and green tea. Its flavor is light and slightly sweet. You won�t find a white tea with the bold flavors you can find in black and green teas. If brewed properly, it has no bitterness and no after taste. In addition, it lacks the grassy flavor that you often find in green tea.
How to Brew
You�ll brew white tea in much the same way as black or green tea. Use fresh, cold tap water, or filtered water. Put the water in a clean tea kettle and put it on the stove to heat. While the water is heating, put hot tap water into your teapot to warm it up. Bring the water to a boil and then remove it from the heat for sixty seconds.
White tea should be brewed with water that is somewhere between 170 and 185� F. By bringing the water to a boil and then letting it sit for one minute, you should ensure just the right temperature for white tea.
During this sixty second lull, remove the hot tap water from your teapot and add the white tea leaves. White tea is less dense and compact than black and green tea, so you�ll need to use more. Begin with two teaspoons per cup as a starting point, adjusting to your taste.
White tea should be steeped for about 5-8 minutes, depending upon your taste. It will be pale; don�t expect it to gain the color you�re used to seeing with black tea. Read the steeping directions carefully, white tea�s steeping recommendations can vary greatly. There are even some white teas that should be steeped for up to 15 minutes.
Because of its slightly sweet flavor, it�s recommended that you not sweeten white tea. In fact, tea connoisseurs suggest that white tea be consumed without any additives for best flavor. In addition to being delicious hot, white tea is also very good iced.
As you experiment with white tea, you�ll find varieties you particularly enjoy. Some will have a bit more of a flower flavor and some will be fuller bodied than others, though none will match the body of a black or green tea.
As you get to know white tea, buy just a little of a variety until you decide whether or not it�s right for you. Since white tea (particularly in loose form) is so expensive, it�s not wise to buy a large quantity until you know whether or not you�ll like it.
White tea is available today in bag form and ready to drink bottles, as well. However, nothing matches the flavor of brewing a cup of white tea at home from loose tea leaves and drinking it while it�s still steaming. Give white tea a try; you�re sure to love its sweet and refreshing flavor.
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Domain Name Complications
Domain Name Complications
by George Meszaros
Some of the tell tale sites of domain name that may be easier to obtain are a home to low quality Web sites. If you find yourself in this situation, contact the registered owner and ask if they would consider selling it to you. If the price is right, you may be able to make a deal. To maintain a cool head during the process, don�t act desperate to own the domain.
If the registered owner is willing to sell you the domain name be sure to use an escrow company. There are reputable escrow companies that will guide you through the buying process while minimizing your risks. It is worth spending a modest amount to ensure that you don�t get burned in cyberspace.
Your Web address is part of your brand strategy, and you have to make sure it is easy to remember. Try to pick a name that is easy to remember. I once worked for a company called ZZYZX. The domain name was www.zzyzxdotcom. Even though it is a short name it is a terrible name, because nobody knew how to spell it or pronounce it. You want your customers to be able to remember and refer your brand to others, so make it as easy for them as you can.
Domain names can be of any length up to 67 characters, but I don�t know why would anyone want a domain name 67 characters long. Your domain name can include 26 letters of the English alphabet, numbers 0-9, and hyphens (-).The domain name cannot begin or end with a hyphen but, it can contain one or more hyphens. Don�t settle for a short domain name that doesn�t compliment your business just to avoid a longer one. As a general rule, shorter domain names are easier to remember, easier to type and far less susceptible to mistakes. For example, "hellodotcom" is easier to remember and less prone to typos than "saygoodmorninginthemorningandgoodeveningintheeveningdotcom".
Others argue that a longer domain name is usually easier on people because it is easier to attach meaning. A short but cryptic name such as zzyzxdotcom is not at all better name than a longer meaningful domain name such as raidsforlessdotcom.
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Monday, November 26, 2007
How To Hire Executive Protection
How To Hire Executive Protection
by David Almeida
Doing business sometimes comes along with a high degree of risk. There are patents that might be stolen. There are top secret plans that competitors are interested in obtaining. There's the money that comes from a high level of success.
Because of the risks and dangers associated with professionals who have reached a pinnacle of performance, many companies have begun to look into executive protection.
In many cases, executive protection comes in the form of a security advisor � a bodyguard of sorts � who works one on one with a high level executive. In other cases, executive protection is provided by a team of individuals who work together to identify which executives need security and what possible threats may be.
If you are looking into executive protection for within your business, following these steps can help you to make the right decisions.
1. Identify what your executive protection needs are. Which individuals in your organization are at risk? What are the risks to your organization � is there a potential for kidnapping, do high ranking officers of the company go to dangerous places or interact extensively with the media? By taking the time to identify what your executive protection needs are, you can better choose the right professionals to perform those services.
2. Recognize that executive protection is not about muscled bodyguards as much as it is about having a plan in place for dealing with threats should they arise. Someone who offers executive protection is likely to have a keen eye for detail and to notice any indication that something could go awry.
3. Ensure that the staff of the company who will benefit from executive protection recognize that the service is meant to keep them safe; if your staff do not know and understand the risk, they will not work well with the members of the executive protection team.
4. Set limits so that the staff members to whom executive protection are assigned do not feel as though their personal space is being invaded; choose a protection system that will still allow them to feel as though they can leave work at the office.
5. Take the time to research your options and interview more than one person when you plan to hire executive protection. It's important to know that you're hiring the right people for the job.
One thing that you can do to ensure that you're choosing the right executive protection is to hire individuals who have experience assessing risk, performing security checks and finding background information � individuals who are also private investigators are often a great addition to your executive protection team.
When a private investigator offers executive protection for your company, you can feel confident that risks from individuals are reduced because background checks can be performed. You'll be able, if you desire, to implement security systems within the office or business location. You will also, of course, be able to work with someone who has experience evaluating situations � making it easy to know that your executive protection will indeed keep your staff safe.
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The Secret to Becoming Rich
The Secret to Becoming Rich
by Elise Fisher
Napoleon Hill, the author of Think and Grow Rich, believes that a person does not have to be a genius to become rich. Any person can become wealthy if he thinks positively and has a deep desire to achieve his goal.
Positive Thinking: You must see your financial dreams and know that you will be able to attain them. You must already own them.
If you begin making up every rationalization under the sun why you can't succeed, pinch yourself. You have to discipline your body and mind to think positive thoughts. Teach yourself that those kind of thought patterns are unacceptable. You can obtain greatness, even if you are not the smartest, most talented, or best looking person in the world. Success is your if you'll just allow it to come into your life. Don't underestimate the power of your thoughts.
Burning Desire: Hill tells a true tale of a man named Edwin Barnes who desired to become Thomas Edison's partner. Most of us would have scoffed at him had we lived back then. Edwin Barnes was a nobody. Nevertheless, he had a deep desire, a life dream, and he was determined. He went to Thomas Edison and convinced him to hire him. He did not instantly achieve his dream, but he worked hard and ultimately became Thomas Edison's partner. This was a feat everyone thought was impossible.
Edwin Barnes followed these 7 steps to gain this great success:
1. Choose a definite dream.
2. Put all your energy into that dream.
3. Be willing to do menial work at first.
4. Visualize your dream.
5. Form a strategy.
6. Endure through the hard times.
7. Eliminate any way to retreat.
As you focus on obtaining your goals, answer these questions: What is the exact amount of money I want? What am I willing to sacrifice for it? What exact date do I want this money by? What is my strategy?
Don't forget, to successful people, there is no such thing as "defeat." What looks like defeat is no more than a great opportunity. Start creating opportunities out of failures and being successful today!
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Tea: How Is White Tea Graded?
Tea: How Is White Tea Graded?
by Marcus Stout
White tea has become a very popular drink in recent years. Though it�s been grown at least as far back as the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.), it is a new beverage to most people in the Western world.
Later, during the Song Dynasty (960-1279) the emperor Hui Zhong declared white tea to be the most elegant form of tea, and this declaration made white tea more popular and increased the number of tea gardens growing the variety. During this same dynasty, a new method of white tea preparation emerged, known as the Song method.
Prior to this, white tea leaves were processed into cakes and prepared by boiling pieces of the tea cake in kettles. During the Song Dynasty, white tea began being produced in powdered form. After the white tea leaves were steamed and dried, they were ground into a fine powder. This powder was whisked with hot water in wide bowls. This method of preparation produced a tea that was either emerald or iridescent white in color.
The most popular cultivars for white tea include Da Bai, Xiao Bai, Narcissus and Chaicha bushes. Based on the different standards of picking and selecting the white teas, they can be classified into different grades. Following is an overview of white tea grades.
Bai Hao Yinzhen Tea � This tea is produced mostly in the Fujian province of China, but is also produced in the Jiangxi Province, the Lin Yun Province and the Yunnan provinces of China, too. It is generally referred to as Silver Needle tea and is considered the highest grade of white tea.
The best Yinzhen white tea is picked between March 15 and April 10. It must be picked when the weather is dry and only unopened and undamaged buds are to be used for the best flavor. This tea is very low in caffeine. It is very pale in color when brewed, and has an extremely mild flavor. In fact, it is so mild that some people find it nearly tasteless. When brewed this tea will look pale yellow and there should be floating white hairs that reflect the light.
Bai Mu Dan Tea � This tea is known as Pai Mu Tan, White Peony or White Hairy Monkey Tea. It is grown primarily in the Fujian and Chongqing Provinces of China. This is a lower grade of Yinzhen tea that contains fewer buds and more leaves. It is picked only between March 15 and April 10 and only on days where there is no rain, no frost and no dew on the ground.
The stems must not have any purple buds and leaves must be completely undamaged and buds completely unopened. The best Bai Mu Dan uses the top two leaves and the unopened bud only. Once the leaves are dried they should appear green.
This white tea has a delicate floral fragrance and a mellow, fruity and sweet taste, but brews up slightly stronger than Bai Hao Yinzhen Tea. The liquor is shimmering and clear. The brew will have a very pale green or golden color. This tea is considered to be the second highest grade of white tea.
Shou Mei Tea � This tea is primarily grown in the Fujian and Guangxi Provinces of China. It is produced from naturally withered upper leaves and tips of the tea plant. It is plucked later than Bai Mu Dan, resulting in darker leaves. This white tea will have a stronger flavor than many other white teas, somewhat like oolong tea. The flavor is fruity, but can become bitter if over brewed. It is considered a fourth grade tea.
Darjeeling White Tea � This tea is grown in the Darjeeling region of India, where it is picked and rolled by hand and then withered in the sun. It must be grown at high altitudes with lots of rain to produce the right flavor. Darjeeling white brews to a very pale color and delicate aroma.
Ceylon White Tea � Ceylon tea is produced in Sri Lanka. It is harvested and rolled by hand and the leaves are withered in the sun. It has a very pale color when brewed and has a bit of a honey flavor. Ceylon white is a highly prized Sri Lankan tea.
Within these different categories of white tea, there are some grades based on the quality of leaf used. For example, in white teas in general, the highest grades use a higher proportion of bud to leaf. However, there are no internationally recognized standards for the grading of tea, so it can be quite difficult to determine the highest qualities in white and other varieties of tea.
In general, higher quality tea should be higher priced, but tea that is rare is also higher priced, so that can make it difficult to spot the best teas, too. First pluckings in white tea produce a higher quality of tea, so it�s wise to shop for tea that is labeled such in order to get the best quality.
Finding the best white teas may be a bit difficult and may cost a bit of money, too. However, the best white teas are so very delicious that they are well worth the extra time and cost.
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Sunday, November 25, 2007
Blue Shoots.com: Cook easy, Serve love
Blue Shoots.com: Cook easy, Serve love
by Blueshoots.com (Jonahtan)
What about a penguin that brings sparkle to your kitchen? A solid backware that understands your food as you do? An apron that suits best in all your mood? Well, you have access to all these at affordable prices and at the comfort of your own home. Welcome to Blue Shoots, trusted name in the world of quality kitchen appliances and gadgets.
Since inception till date, Blue shoots has been able to spread million smiles in kitchen. It is an independent, family owned online cookshop which is established with an aim to offer superior quality kitchen appliances and gadgets to all looking for exciting their cooking experiences. Ask any of your requirements regarding kitchen and Blue shoots will be at your disposal with its array of services. What�s inside blue shoot that makes it so resourceful? Let�s have a kitchen ride.�
Blue shoots� kitchen appliances: Appliances apparently auspicious
Kitchen appliances like hand held blender, powerful food mixer, juice extractors, kettle, toaster, warming rack and the list goes on. Blue shoots has its core competency in dealing with all sorts of kitchen appliances. All these appliances are tagged with superior quality and designed to last long in whatever conditions they will be exposed to.
Blue shoots� gadgets and accessories: king in kitchen
Gadgets like digital kitchen scales, aluminum timer, clocks, decorating kit, fridge thermometer, magnetic bag clips, frying meat thermometer, can opener, chef timer etc and accessories including chopping board, knife, cheese slicer, salad spinner, magnetic bag clips, salt stand, cream scoop, salt and paper mills etc to name a few.
Blue Shoots� cutlery: It�s a care cut
Blue Shoos offers a wide range of cutlery items powered by world class brands. Be it the design, efficiency or matter of quality; Blue shoots always has the best cutlery in store.
Blue Shoots� textiles and cleaning equipment: Beautiful you, your kitchen.
Be it you or your children, whoever wants to rock kitchen can double their enthusiasm by wearing Blue shoots� aprons, globes and other accessories. Specially made to give you an ideal chef look these are well knitted and available in variety of designs and colors. And when it comes to cleaning equipments, you can make penguin work for you. Yes, Blue shoots offers handheld vacuums and steam cleaners; a few of which designed like a penguin.
Cookware: Tells your taste
With Blueshoots, you have access to cookware of all kinds. Try out table and tri-metal cookware, stainless steel and non-stick cookware, copper and cast iron cookware; everything is waiting to work for you.
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Submitted by Blueshoots.com (Jonahtan)
This article is related to buy Kitchen appliances, Viners Cutlery and Cookware accessories Online.
URL: http://www.blueshoots.com
Saturday, November 24, 2007
A Family Christmas Sleigh Ride
A Family Christmas Sleigh Ride
by Stacey Leigh
You see pictures of it in magazines, commercials, flyers, paintings. But do people still really do it? Yes they do. A sleigh ride at Christmas time. It still does exist.
A few years ago a good friend of mine called me up and asked if I would like to bring my family to her family Christmas party. Of course I said yes. She then told me that we would be meeting at a farm to go on a horse drawn sleigh ride. What a great idea! It was one of the best Christmas get togethers we had gone to.
So this year I thought. Hmmmm what could I do for my family Christmas. As most of you know, as the years go by families go their separate ways. Sometimes even at Christmas. So, what we try to do is get all the brothers, sisters, Aunts, Uncles, cousins etc.. together a week or two before Christmas day. What better way to get everyone together, than to go on an old fashion Christmas sleigh ride.
I thought first I will call the oldest person in the family to see how she felt about it. Well let me tell you my 86 year old Grandmother is almost as excited as my 6 year old daughter. She told me that she had always wanted to go on one but had never gotten the chance in all her years. What a great memory this will be for her. Seeing her great grandchildren, grandchildren and daughters all together on something she had always wanted to do. Merry Christmas Gramma!
Now the planning begins. I choose a date, then called a local farmer to book the sleigh ride. You may want to book early so that you can get the date and time you want. I made a list of all my guests. And as Santa would do, I check it twice. I then called everyone. Told them about the family Christmas party and what we would be doing. By the way...Everyone loves the idea. While one the phone with my guests I ask them what they would like to bring. It's a potluck all the way. This way it's makes it a little easier on the host for when we get back to the house. Everything is prepared, (you may have to warm a few things) but you are able to serve the food as soon as everyone gets back from the Christmas sleigh ride.
Once you know what everyone is bringing, make a list of it so that you can make sure you have enough for the amount of people you are having. For instance, I'll be having around 30 people back. So my menu is: Brie-warmed and served with crackers, cheese and kielbasa platter, vegetable tray with dip, cabbage rolls, lasagna, sweet and sour meatballs, cheesy mashed potatoes, fresh rolls, Cesar Salad and some yummy Christmas baking. I will also serve hot apple cyder, have some beer and wine and juice for the kiddies.
Try to do all your shopping a few days before the event. That way everything is fresh, and you still have time to prepare what you're making. Make sure you have all the glasses, plates, cutlery, napkins, bowls etc. that you need. I use paper or plastic so that I'm not spending all my time in the kitchen while everyone his here. It's a quick and easy clean up and I can enjoy some Christmas cheer with my family and friends.
I am really looking forward to my family Christmas sleigh ride this year. And if you decide to try this wonder festive event, I'm sure it will become one of your family favorite traditions as it has ours.
Merry Christmas!
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Knowing Your Data Is Safe
Knowing Your Data Is Safe
by John Ugoshowa
All companies of today make great use of the technology available to them and rely on their data. Most businesses however, don�t have the budget to invest in network storage or large servers, which is what the bigger companies use to transfer information and create a backup of the information they rely on to carry out their operations.
Smaller businesses have a limited budget. When most encounter a disaster they never seem to recover, normally going out of business. Past disasters such as 9/11 or the dreaded hurricane have showed the importance of backups and disaster planning. Companies that thought things out and protected their data survived these disasters, while those that didn�t went out of business.
There are several ways that you can protect your data and keep it safe. One of the most popular and easiest ways to protect your data is with a server. Servers are great for both large and small businesses, and protection the data for your business. They can tend to get expensive though, with the most popular server, Microsoft, starting out around $3,000.
Unlike other options, servers provide you with a safe and secure system to store all of your corporate data. You can set the permission of your files to prevent any unauthorized access, to keep your files safe. When using servers, most of the loss comes from either accidental deletion or employees that are upset with corporate management and decide to get into the server and erase files.
When using a server, your data will be stored in one central location, and not spread around over different computers in your network. Servers are very user friendly, and keep your files neat and tidy - in one location. This way you don�t have to go looking all over the place for your data, you can look in the server and find everything you need.
Another way to keep your data safe is with CDs, DVDs, and even external hard drives. If you are using any of these methods, you should always do a backup of your information at the end of every day. With disasters being completely unpredictable, backing things up every day will ensure that you are protected if something should occur.
If you are backing things up to CD or DVD media, you should always put the discs in a safe and secure location, preferably a fireproof safe. This way, if the office should catch on fire, you�ll have your backup discs protected. You should always add your new backups to the safe at the end of every working day, so you�ll have them tomorrow if you need them.
You can also store your data and information offsite as well. This is a highly recommended option, as you pay a flat monthly fee and a company stores your information. Most have secure vaults and servers for your data, which ensures protection from unauthorized accidents or hazards. You don�t need to worry about your data when using these services, as they will do the protection for you.
No matter which method you use for protecting your information, you should always make sure that you have a plan. Corporate data is very important and essential to success, which is why you should look into immediately if you don�t have a plan already. If you know your data is safe and protected from hazards and unauthorized access - you�ll have the peace of mind in knowing that your data will be there each and every time you need it.
About The Author
For more information on data recovery see the computer section of Quickregister.net Free Search Engine Submission Service at: http://www.quickregister.net/partners/
How Simple Coffee Machines Work
How Simple Coffee Machines Work
by Jeffery Dodd
The most common coffee maker is the drip coffee machine. The drip coffee maker is such named because the hot water is made to drip down freely to the coffee beans. Be mindful that the taste of the brewed coffee will rely on the amount of water that you put inside the water bucket. Too much water will dilute the taste of the coffee while too less of it will result to a stronger brew. There are measurements in ounces and milliliter along the water bucket to serve as a guide.
The water inside the water bucket is heated as it passes along a heat-resistant tube. The tube then goes into the drip area and release the heated water that is just below the boiling temperature. The water is heated by a heating element, the sort of resistive heating coil that gives out heat when electricity is passed through it. This is no different from the heating coil of the toaster oven. The heating element has two purposes: it has direct contact with the water inside the water bucket to boil it for a coffee brew and it keeps the coffee warm with the use of the heating pad where the coffee container is rested.
The coffee container or coffee kettle is a heat-resistant glass supported by a durable polyester plastic handle. The glass is transparent so you can easily check if you are running out of coffee brew. The coffee kettle will be kept warm for more than one hour by the heating pad. By this time, it�s expected that the coffee kettle already needs replenishing. If not, the coffee may be already cold enough to be enjoyed and you have to make a new brew again. The coffee maker is the only coffee machine that has become part of the usual home appliances. Other coffee machines can only be found in coffee shops. Note that other than the coffee maker, however, another coffee machine, the espresso maker, is starting to make its way into household use. With this in mind, it seems that more and more people are getting addicted with coffee. Also, specialty and espresso coffee brews are also becoming popular among coffee lovers around the world.
Today, most models of coffee machines are semi-automatic to automatic. Buttons and switches replaced the manual coffee straining and lever pushing, in case of espresso machines. Also, some are packed with features that will enable one to make any kinds of coffee in mind. Among these special features are built-in coffee bean grinder and frothe maker. With these high-end coffee makers, you can concoct your own coffee recipe.
About The Author
Friday, November 23, 2007
Registry Cleaners Are A Necessary Utility
Registry Cleaners Are A Necessary Utility
by Arvind Singh
Despite what the experts say, Registry cleaners have their place of importance in cleaning and maintaining the system registry and keeping your computer in good health.
Many so-called experts on the subject will post various tips and advise on multiple forums and Blogs about the system registry and the use of registry cleaners. Some of them also advise against the use of any form of registry cleaner though they will, in the same article, admit that the registry continues to bloat with useless information that may slow down the system in the long run. Their 'long run' is about three months. So then, how do we remover this redundant information or useless entries from the registry to de-bloat it and make it faster and more responsive to the programs installed to run on the system?
The Best Way To Clean The Registry
The answer to this problem is to either use software that can run through the system and clean out any link or file that leads to nowhere or else manually dive into the registry and grope around in the dark without doing anything but damage to the system. Even the experts advise against this because even the so-called gurus of Windows operating system cannot shuffle through the system registry and know exactly what they are doing in there. It will always be a trial and error system.
The registry cleaners such as express registry cleaner, Win registry cleaner, PC Mantra's registry cleaner and many more registry cleaner are special programs that are designed to scan the registry entry for entry and test the links to see if they are actually connect to some program in other parts of the registry and the system. If the links or files fail to produce a link to another program or file they are obviously loose ends and need to be removed from the registry. Because the registries scan will unnecessarily stop, if even for a millionth of a second at these broken links, will delay the process. Just add this one delay, no matter how short, to the hundreds of thousands of useless entries it will encounter, every time it scans the registry, which may be several times a minute.
Where Does This Junk Come From?
These broken links come from programs and viruses that are removed by the uninstall programs and anti virus software. This process of removal leaves traces of the program in the registry and has to be expertly removed with registry cleaners. It is not necessary to scan the registry every second day, however, the registry must be cleaned at least every six months or so. If the registry cleaners are absolutely safe then why will they have a registry backup program built in? There is always a risk involved. Perhaps that is the reason even the best programs have a backup function � Such as any Windows Operating system.
About The Author
To know about the Registry Cleaner visit at: http://www.pcmantra.com/registry-cleaner.htm
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How to Revolutionize Your Retirement Thinking
How to Revolutionize Your Retirement Thinking
by Lin Schreiber
As you think about your retirement life, acknowledge that "who you are" is much more important than "what you do". This one shift in your belief structure will enhance your chances of having a happier, healthier retirement.
Hate change? If so, you're in for a rude retirement awakening. Why? Because not since adolescence have you experienced as much change as you will in retirement. Retirement is all about change. Major change. Now before you run screaming from the room, consider this. Change can be a really good thing. And, if you're going to have the rocking retirement of your dreams, then you will need to embrace change even if you can't learn to love it.
You hear the word "retirement" and you imagine the room full of admiring colleagues, the gentle retelling of the famous time you messed up, the president's toast and, finally, the gold watch. Maybe retirement will be the end of your work life. If so, this is the biggest change you'll experience since birth. Your life will no longer be about "What do you do?" And, that's actually a gift. Retirement gives you the opportunity to grow into the best possible YOU. "Who you are" is so much more important than "what you do."
Of course, even if you do have the gold-watch experience, it may not be the end of work as you know it. A 2003 survey conducted for AARP found that many Americans between the ages of 50 and 70 plan to work far into what has traditionally been viewed as their "retirement years." Nearly half of all pre-retirees (45%) expect to continue working into their 70s or later. Of this group, 27% said they would work until they were in the 70s and 18% said "80 or older," "never stop work," or "as long as I am able to work."
But if you're done with work, you will need to fill all those hours with something. And the search for how you will spend your time is a change unto itself. Wilma was an executive secretary for over 40 years. She so dreaded the day she would stop working that she did no planning for the inevitable. Always attentive to her appearance, after retirement she devoted her life to resisting the aging process. She primped and shopped and beauty-parlored her days away. She tried Botox and had a face-lift. She was exploring a breast enhancement when her life radically changed. She was diagnosed with breast cancer!
Ironically, her excursion into cosmetic surgery led to early detection and she was back on her feet in no time. But she took life a lot more seriously and was soon the local coordinator for Y-ME, the national breast cancer organization. Her involvement with the group and other women with the disease became a passion that filled her life with purpose and meaning far beyond that of even her working years.
Another other major retirement change is location. If you're going to move from the four-bedroom house where you raised your children to an apartment in town, then everything is going to be different. Will you be relocating to a warmer climate or moving closer to the grandkids? Even more radical change. And if you're headed for a retirement community, the biggest change of all, because you'll no longer have the healthy advantage of being surrounded by people of all ages.
So how do you embrace change? Begin by changing your attitude from one of hostility to one of acceptance. Delight comes later. Consider your daily routine. If you always take the same route to the grocery store, go a different way. If you put both socks on before your shoes, try a sock, a shoe, a sock, a shoe. Add variety to your favorite activities. Try a new hiking trail or even a new restaurant. Learn to go with the flow. Everything is changing around you all the time. Stop fighting it.
If you really want a change, get a new relationship. If you're single, this might be the perfect time to seek a new mate. But if you're happily married or in partnership, you can still expand your circle of relationships by seeking out new friends. Take the initiative and make the call to the woman you really liked at the last garden club meeting. Or attend that interesting lecture at the club and see who else turns up. Go out of your way to say hello to someone you don't know.
And, by the way, if you're happily married, this retirement thing is going to change everything. There's more than enough truth to the old adage, "I married you for life, but not for lunch." Take a lot of time to talk over the future of your marriage once you're retired long before the golden-watch day arrives. Plan activities you'll do together or make a deal that you'll spend some days apart. But whatever you do, don't let that change sneak up on you.
If you're heading for retirement, remember what Bob Dylan said, "The times they are a changin'." But since there's not much you can do about it, you might as well put a smile on your face, open your arms wide, and welcome newness into your life.
To get started, consider the biggest change you expect in retirement and identify three action steps you can take to help you embrace that change instead of resisting it.
Copyright (c) 2007 Lin Schreiber
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