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Owning your own home-based business is by and large a very rewarding, exciting endeavor. You can set your own schedule, and be where you want, when you want. You can oftentimes forego the commute to a “regular job” and save money on gas and other “niceties” that are expensive in the work-a-day world, such as lunches, parking fees, etc.

There are unexpected pitfalls and disadvantages, though, in the owning and operating of a home-based business. Some are psychological, some are emotional, and others are purely physical. The unexpected stresses of a home-based business are really one of the major obstacles that need to be overcome by business owners. Many new business owners are unprepared for just how much stress is involved, actually.

Home-based business stresses usually fall into three overall categories:

1. Psychological : Employees, Finances, Legal, and Operations

2. Emotional: Family, Friends, Change of Personal Routines, Personal Disruptions, Isolation

3. Physical: Sedentary Lifestyle, Poor Eating Habits, Overwork

Many business owners, in order to prevent the psychological stress will have plans in place for dealing with these particular stress factors, prior to their occurrence. This is a proactive approach that is infinitely better than having a reactive approach to these occurrences.

Each business owner should have a financial plan in place for the times when orders or clients are few and far between (slow times), as well as a good accountant to call when necessary. Each business owner should also have a lawyer who they trust and can turn to for advice if necessary (we do live in a very litigious society). And each business owner should have a plan for sickness among employees and hiring and firing protocols firmly in place. Machinery and replacement of business supplies should also be well planned in advance, and purchased according to well laid out plans for expenditures.

Leadership skills will need to be developed, as a new business owner who is used to being part of a team, will find working alone and “being in charge” a somewhat difficult transition at first. Books on leadership skills abound and it is a good idea to do readings on the development of these to proactively avoid the psychological stress that comes with this change in roles. Working alone and making decisions alone is quite different from the conformity and decisions made within a group.

If a proactive approach is taken, the psychological stresses of a new business can easily be prevented, or at least lessened.

The emotional stresses of a home-based business are usually a bit more difficult to ascertain and tackle when they occur. Some of these stress factors can come directly from well-meaning family and friends, unfortunately, and the approach is of course, much different. Since a home-based business is directly tied usually to the home life of an individual, there is less chance to escape these stresses, than with a traditional method of employment. A new birth in a family, a death of a loved one, illness, or simply a change of schedule of another family member, can greatly impact the daily workings and routine of a home-based business.

In addition, family and friends may view the business owner as “being at their disposal” all day now, as the business owner is now “home” much of the time. These well meaning individuals may call or visit all the time, and also expect the business owner to take care of their needs before the needs of the business. This is simple human nature, but is very distracting for the business owner. The only way this can be successfully overcome is to make plans well ahead of time for any changes in routine, if possible, and adjust the schedule accordingly as the changes occur. Well meaning family and friends need to be told with certainty that there are “business hours” and “personal hours” and a business owner needs to remain firm in their resolve in regard to these issues.

Stressing over emotional stress will just escalate an already stressful situation.

Another unexpected emotional stress comes many times from the feeling of isolation and loneliness that business owners may experience. Business owners many times are unprepared for the time they now find they spend alone within the parameters of their home-based businesses. A home-based business owner, while relieved to leave the workforce, sometimes does not realize that the workforce provided social opportunities that are now missing from their lives. Many hours may be spent alone each day, which can lead to loneliness and even depression in some cases.

The best approach to combating this type of isolation is to actively plan social opportunities. Planned outings with family and friends should be made regularly. Business owners may also join community groups that expose them to other business owners or others within the community. The local Chamber of Commerce and other volunteer groups are a great way to make connections for the business and also enhance the social experiences of business owners. No one can exist in a void, so the social aspects of a business can’t be ignored.

Finally, owning and operating your own home-based business brings with it some purely physical stresses. Like most office jobs, a home-based business can lead to a more sedentary lifestyle, as owners may spend most of their days in the running of the business, either slumped in an office chair, or hunched over a computer, depending upon the requirements of the business. Because of the long hours involved in any business, business owners may also eat “on the run”, grabbing whatever is at their disposal, rather than planning meals, which compromises their nutrition. The sedentary lifestyle and bad eating habits can lead to weight gain and other physical ailments associated with poor eating habits and sedentary lifestyles: high cholesterol, lack of energy, loss of muscle tone, and a deficiency of vitamin D from being indoors more than usual.

The sedentary lifestyle is the easiest however, of the stresses to avoid or to change. All it takes is a dedication to an exercise routine that includes some form of daily physical exercise, and an adherence to a diet that is well planned and nutritious. Just some planning is needed and some will power in order to stay focused on achieving physical activity daily and good nutrition. It would be beneficial, if at all possible, to join a gym or health club, as the physical and emotional stresses can be avoided by belonging to one, as a gym also provides social opportunities. Even a simple walk each day can increase exercise, exposure to sunlight, and create social opportunities.

A tendency to do too much each day, is a syndrome many business owners fall prey to also. Overwork can leave anyone run down, and open to many diseases as the immune system becomes compromised. A business owner is of course, very excited and energetic about the business, which can lead into this syndrome of overwork. A schedule should be maintained to combat this syndrome, with set hours for “doing business” and set hours for “relaxation” included in each day. Trying to do too much all the time just leads business owners into a decrease of productivity, rather than an increase of productivity.

As you can see, having a home-based business, while very rewarding in many ways, can have many deleterious effects on the physical, mental and emotional states of business owners. Many business owners fail to plan for these changes, and yet, if planning is done, the negative effects can be minimized to a great degree.

If a business owner takes care of themselves and their own needs, overall, the business will also profit from this positive behavior! A happy, healthy business owner means a happy, healthy business!

About this Author

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Vishal P. Rao is the owner of Work at Home Forum, an online community of people who work from home.
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Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vishal_P._Rao

Every true auto enthusiast has one dream in mind if they are given enough money to spend and even with all of the options and varied choices available when choosing a car. What is that dream? -getting a sports car. In the minds of sports car lovers, however, there is one basic standard that all sports cars are based on and that is speed.

According to diverse critics in the automotive industry the fastest vehicle is the 1994 Dauer 962 LeMans. This neck breaker accelerates quickly with a time of 2.6 seconds from 0 to 60 mph. In comparison,the fastest Ferrari is the 2002 Ferrari Enzo, and this particular speedster can accelerate from 0 to 62 miles per hour with a time of 3.5 seconds. Some other notable fast cars include vehicles from Dodge, LeBlanc, Renault, Audi, and of course Corvette, all of which have rapid starting times of less than 3 seconds from 0 to 60 miles per hour.

So what is it that makes sports cars fast? Why can’t all cars be fast like the high end sports cars?

The very thing that makes the sports car so appealing to the eye, the sleek aerodynamic styling also establishes for a very high standard for performance when choosing a sports car. The very sleek and streamlined bodies of the elite super fast sports cars actually contribute a great deal to the phenomenal aerodynamics. This also makes it much easier to drive the cars as fast as they were intended without worrying about resistance, air pressure, etc. Effectively, the attractive and sexy design of these beauties actually makes for more than eye candy, but is responsible for a great deal of the speed and performance of the automobile.

Still another key characteristic that adds to the speed of a particular vehicle is its reduced weight in comparison to other automobiles. It is obvious in the minimized cargo capacity that is found in most sports cars. Fortunately, this isn’t so much of an issue with sports car lovers. Also closely rlated to cargo capacity and reduced weight is the reality that many sports cars might have smaller seating capacities, and are generally known for firmer, tighter rides, in comparison to the roomier and more comfortable rides of S.U.V.s or luxury sedans.

One of the last things considered in speed, however, is its general dynamics, especially in relation to handling and resistance when driving. If it can’t sustain its straight-line speeds while driving in tight curves and finishes up crushed after it hit a dead end a sports car has very little value if any. This is the exact reason that even the absolute fastest sports cars are typically rear-wheel drive instead of front-wheel drive, due to the fact that rear-wheel drive offers greater traction and permits the weight to be evenly distributed as the automobile makes a turn.

Although there is a great deal more to a quality sports car than merely speed, it definitely doesn’t hurt matters that your sports car is also fast. Even in the new hybrid and electric market there are pioneers in that arena such as Tesla Motors who are focusing on speed and performance.

Gregg Hall is an author living with his beautiful wife and family in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about sports cars as well as tires and wheels at http://www.tiresandwheelsdirect.com

Aggression is one of the main reasons that dogs are euthanised or rehomed; at least 30% of all dogs in rescue centres are there because of the incidence of aggressive behaviour in one form or another. It is actually unusual to have a dog that is aggressing to have just one type of aggression; most dogs have more than one of the following types of behaviour.

It would be prudent, before embarking on a program of aggressive behaviour modification, to rule out any medical reasons for that behaviour, especially if there is a sudden change in the dog’s temperament. Their are some fifty-odd different medical reasons why a dog may be showing aggressive tendencies, these range from Pain to Thyroid Dysfunction, Epilepsy to Hypoglycaemia and Diabetes.

The following is a list of the more common aggressions and why they may be occurring. This is only a part of the total types. Because of the constraints of space it can only be a fleeting reference.

1. Fear / Nervous Aggression (Interdog)

Quite often, this behaviour has its roots directly to the pup’s mother. Breeders that breed from fearful and timid bitches will often make excuses as to why you cannot see the dam. If you do view a litter of puppies and the mother is fearful, then do not even think of buying the puppy. It will be almost a certainty that the pups will inherit some of the mother’s traits, through both genetics and socialisation, genetically the pups may inherit her timidity and through the time they are with her will observe her fear and follow suit.

Scientific research has shown that even the pups that are born to a solid and stable mother that are then put with a bitch that is fearful, they will pick up some of the unstable habits from the fearful dog. Other reasons for this fear type of problem is when the puppy or adult dog is attacked by another dog, especially whilst on the lead, with no means of escape and restricted from showing submissive body language to the attacker.

Lack of early socialisation can also have an affect on this type of behaviour, If the young pup, especially between the age of seven and sixteen weeks, is not carefully socialised with both adult and pups alike, then they do not learn to “meet and greet”. The complex body language dogs learn at this age is crucial to their later behaviour when approaching unknown dogs. If they are unable to either perform or understand the greeting rituals, then they are immediately viewed with suspicion by the approaching dog, and conflict may arise

How can you tell if it is fear?

With nervous and fear aggressive dogs, you will find that they will react aggressively to any dog, regardless of whether it is male or female. The behaviour is often worse if the dog is on the lead or is cornered, especially if close to the owner, who backs up the behaviour, (though unwittingly) by becoming nervous and agitated as the other dog approaches.

This manifests itself in a tightening up on the lead and shoulders. Nervous owners also kick out a cloud of adrenaline that the dog instantly detects, this causes it to look for what is causing the concern. It sees the dog approaching and reacts accordingly. This type of dog is also normally a barker, it will lunge and bark at the approaching dog but generally will not snap unless all its options have run out. ie flight or freeze and after all its threat posturing the other dog has still got too close.

This problem can often be diagnosed if someone who is confident around dogs (that the dog does not know well) takes it out on the lead. It will not get the same fearful vibes from the owner, therefore the reaction to another dogs approaching will be less intense. It is a good way of finding out if your dog suffers fear aggression, as the behaviour will either not be exhibited or will be less pronounced. The owner can then use a desensitisation program for both the dog and themselves.

2. Fear / Nervous Aggression (Inter-human)

Once again, this can be caused through lack of early socialisation, bad breeding and sometimes lack of handling at an early age, starting as young as two weeks old. Pups that are not handled gently and often by the breeder do not get a strong olfactory and tactile bond with humans. This is often the case with puppy farmed dogs and dogs born to large breeders. This handling at such an early age causes a mild stress response in the tiny pup, which benefits its ability to cope with many situations including people and dogs in later life

Nervous and fear aggressing is always defensive in nature, sometimes it is related to the sex of the person. If the breeder was female, and very few males visited or handled the puppies, then the timidity and fear may be worse with men. This particular problem like interdog hostility, will manifest itself mainly with individuals rather than crowds.

You will find that the dog will bark a lot but will be under a table or behind a settee. The tail will be down and although it may seem overtly aggressive, the dogs balance and weight will be on the back foot not over the front feet. This demonstrates that the dog wants you to go away and is not initially trying to bite or attack you. A gradual and careful introduction to the stimulus that is causing the fear with positive reinforcement for calm behaviour is the way to overcome this type of problem though the dog will rarely make a total and full recovery and will never be life and soul of the park and greeting parties.

3. Frustration Aggression

Research has shown that dogs who are not allowed to interact “normally” with people and dogs who were prone to displays of bad temper and behaviour that was overtly aggressive are dogs that are generally restrained or restricted from normal interactions (interactions with people, other dogs, and the outside world). The dog develops an intense desire to gain access to all of those things he desires.

This desire can escalate into escape and roaming behaviour, agitation, biting and unprovoked attacks. It is often observed in dogs that are left tied up in flats, left in gardens, or near a window where they can see the things they want to interact with, but cannot get to them therefore display unprovoked aggression. To some extent, the aggression shown to the postman is based on frustration. I have seen dogs attack their owner or a second dog in the home because it cannot get to the deliveryman.

As with most aggressive behaviours early socialisations and an understanding of how dogs learn and communicate are essential.

4. Sexual aggression.

This type of aggression is usually limited to male dogs. They will mount both people and other dogs. Mounting activity directed towards humans may reflect a lack of opportunity for the dog to play with other dogs, or an over-attachment to people in early life, mounting on other dogs especially if they initially try to put their heads over the other dog’s necks can be related to rank and control complex behaviour. Castration and behaviour modification can help with this problem. Allowing the dog to mate may often be recommended by the amateur dog expert, this normally makes the problem far worse.

5 Territorial Aggression

This may be towards other dogs, people or both. By definition, territorial aggression should be directed toward members of the same species ie other dogs. Domestic dogs, however, seem to regard humans in this regard as conspecific, and consequently may direct territorial aggression toward us When dogs display aggression to strangers only on the home property garden, house, or yard, yet do not respond aggressively to strangers on neutral territory, then territorial aggression is the likely diagnosis. There are two primary motivations for territorial behaviour, control complex behaviour ie dominance or fear/anxiety. It may be worse in a small space such as a car than in an open area. Some dogs like this can be fine in the home, but not so good in the garden.

The only answer to this problem is to work on the dominant/territorial problem in a way in which a dog understands its position through a behaviour modification programme using position reinforcement techniques. Remember not to praise for the cessation of bad behaviour rather praise for that bad behaviour not happening in the first place. In other words, say the dog jumps up on someone and you say “OFF” if the dogs get off then do not praise as you will be praising for the inappropriate behaviour, which was the jumping.

6. Control Complex / Dominant Aggression

The word dominant is a dirty word in dog behavioural circles at present however if we understand the word means position and is much more complex that just aggression, then to ignore this area of conflict would be remiss. The initial approach to other dogs is often cautionary and contains many status signals, like tail carriage held high and quickly moving from side to side, standing on tiptoe etc. If the other dog submits, then all is usually fine, if not the fighting can be extremely noisy and in some cases quite severe. In both the last two examples, dominant and territorial aggression, I usually find the dog will pull quite badly on the lead. These dogs can also display aggressive tendency towards members of the family this could lead to an attack if not controlled in their early stages. By working on a programme that will give the dog a purpose and a position in life, almost a job and teaching the dog to walk on a loose leash can sometimes overcome the problem. The type of program I would use is the NILIF program, which stands for “Nothing in Life is Free”, See my website under dominance

7. Chase or Predatory aggression

This can be directed at many things including dogs, cats, or anything that stimulates a chase response. Squirrels are a favourite, as their quick jerky movements seem to stimulate even the most placid of dogs. I see a lot of predatory chase aggression in for instance Border Collies, in particular stimulants like bikes, skateboards joggers and cars.

One of the key factors that distinguish predatory aggression from other forms of aggression is that movement often is the trigger . In the wild, this movement is in the form of running and escape attempts of a small animals. Predatory behaviour can be seen in dogs of any sex and age.

Dogs that show intense interest and become aroused or anxious by the movement or noise of children or other pets should be closely monitored at all times. Prognosis is not good for this type of aggression. Reward based obedience training can help, however this is only any use if the owner/trainer is able to constantly monitor the dog at all times.

It is easier to control the chase stimulus when it is directed at cars, joggers, or bikes. Two types of common treatment’s include counter-conditioning used to change the dogs’ perception of the falsely identified prey. Many also believe punishment works ie noise aversion when the behaviour is first stimulated. Throwing water from a car window or sounding a rape alarm or air horn at the exact time the dog takes off, throwing down a plastic bottle of stones from a passing bike or car can sometimes alter this behaviour.

However. To be effective, punishment must be seen as aversive and the timing of the punishment must be exact so that the dog associates the punishment with the behaviour. Electric shock collars have also been suggested but are not part of treatment programs I would ever recommend.

As mentioned aggression often has its origins in bad breeding, lack of socialisation, high prey drive, and poor basic training can also exacerbate the situation. However, as stated before it can be related to medical conditions and before embarking on a course of behavioural therapy have your dog checked over to see if there are any underlying medical conditions.

Learned aggression can normally be cured however, hereditary aggression cannot, it can only be controlled and hopefully contained. Castration sometimes helps, and should be considered in an overall aggression reduction program. With all aggression cases, you should consider a behaviourist or a dog trainer experienced in these problems, before the problems becomes life threatening either to the dog or the person they are aggressing against.

Stan Rawlinson (Doglistener)
Dog Behaviourist and Obedience Trainer, who has owned and worked dogs for over 25 years, starting with gundogs then moving to the behavioural and obedience side of training companion dogs. He now has a successful practice covering Greater London, Surrey, and Middlesex.

Stan is recommended by numerous Vets, Rescue Centres, and Charities. He writes articles and comments on behavioural issues and techniques for dog magazines including Our Dogs, Dogs Monthly, K9 Magazine, Shooting Times and Pet Owner Magazine. Stan is also the behavioural consultant for Disney

© Stan Rawlinson
Telephone: 0208 979 2019
Mobile Number: 07976 153161
E-mail: enquiries@doglistener.co.uk

The average American eats one meal, six days a week, outside of the home. Almost one half of their food budget is used for dining out. Because food portions have increased substantially, so has our weight. Our entrees and desserts have gotten larger and larger, fooling us into thinking that it’s ok to clean our plates. If they gave us this food, it’s ok to eat it, right? It’s not surprising to see that eight out of ten people over the age of 25 are overweight in America. It’s reported that about seventy-five percent of people who dine out are looking for healthier alternatives.

Many restaurants supply calorie and nutritional information in their menus. Some even offer smaller portions of their regular meals or will allow adults to purchase meals from their kiddy menu. Dining out doesn’t have to be difficult if you’re trying to eat healthy. Before going to a restaurant, visit its web site, if it has one, and look at the menu. Choose meals that work with your diet. See if items can be substituted if you need to change anything. Look at portion sizes and determine what you can and can’t eat.

If you’re going out for dinner, eat a lighter lunch. That way you won’t be adding a lot of extra calories. Don’t go to the restaurant feeling starved. Eat a piece of fruit or a low calorie English muffin that’s high in fiber an hour before you go to the restaurant. It should help you eat fewer calories when you’re dining out. You can also try a small handful of nuts to get the same results. Never start with the bread before the main meal arrives. Bread can add too many extra calories.

Make the right choices from the beginning when you’re dining out. When you order a salad ask for the dressing on the side. If you’re choosing pasta, pick one with red sauce instead of white. Choose baked potato without sour cream, you can use salsa on it instead. It’s lower in calories. Pick steamed vegetables without adding butter or sauce. They’re healthier. Sandwiches should be ordered on whole grain or wheat bread. Avoid mayonnaise and cheese on your sandwich and top it with mustard and a lot of vegetables instead. If you order an appetizer instead of a full meal, you’ll eat less. Ask for a doggie bag at the beginning of the meal and place half of it to go, so you’re not tempted to eat it. If you really want dessert, share it with another person, that way you won’t feel deprived.

For dining out guide, visit JP Pepperdine now.

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Most of us regard our television very highly because this box seems so magical that it can provide us entertainment as well as essential information about many things. If you feel that your television set is already outdated and obsolete, you may look for a newer model to buy yet you will need a serious amount of money just to purchase the latest television in the market. However, don’t let your frustration get the better of you just because your budget is limited because there is yet another option that will allow you to enjoy the latest in television models, and that option is television hire.

In our modern world, technologies seem to evolve within just a short time that the television we bought today may already be considered by others as old and archaic. The cost of new television sets is undoubtedly expensive, thus considering to rent a television set may be an attractive alternative.

You may decide to just save money and defer your television purchasing until you have saved enough money to buy. Yet it could be possible that by that time, a much up-to-date models are already available. When you opt for television hire, you are able to enjoy the latest technology and may be allowed by the rental company to change your rented TV unit for a newer model once you decide to renew the rental agreement.

Television hire is also an option if you want or need an additional set at home. Suppose you have bought a home theater system which you have placed in your living room for the family to enjoy, yet you find it necessary to have another smaller TV set in your bedroom, you may simply rent for this second set instead of buying another.

Shopping for a new TV can be challenging because when you are already inside the appliance store, there are so many television sets to choose from. Then when you finally have bought something, brought it home and used it for a few days, you will realize that your selection is not exactly what you wanted. For just a few more dollars you should have just bought another model. With television hire, upgrading to a newer model or changing a television set for another model which you think is better is generally easy with a rental agreement. Should you want to change your rented unit to a newer model, all you need is to add a little more to your monthly rental fee and you can enjoy watching on your hired television set.

When you have bought a television, naturally a warranty comes along with your purchase. However, when the warranty period is over and your unit suddenly broke down, you will need to pay for possible repairs and parts replacements. With television hire, you need not worry about the technical problems of your TV, with or without a warranty. Part of the agreement you have made with the rental company and must be contained in the contract is that the company will deal with any technical problems of your rented unit. If the TV needs to be repaired in the company’s premises and while it is being repaired, you will be provided with a substitute so you are not left void of a television to watch your favorite shows.

S. Eleazar writes for Television.com.au, an Australian Television Directory where you can find companies and vendors offering television hire, television repair and other television-related goods and services.

Car insurance is required by all licensed drivers but many of them don’t know how to find the best rates available. Being complacent and purchasing car insurance without carefully investigating your options or maintaining the same car insurance for the remainder of your life could mean that you are paying too much for your car insurance. Comparison shopping, ensuring that you are receiving all the discounts you qualify for and maintaining a clean driving record are just a few of the money saving tips that can save you a fortune on car insurance.

Comparison shopping for car insurance, even after you are already insured, cannot be underestimated. It is critical that you investigate all of your options before choosing an insurance provider to ensure that you are getting the best possible rate on your car insurance. There are so many factors considered in car insurance policies such as where you live, your driving record, your age and the type of car you drive just to name a few. With all of these factors to consider, it is very possible that you will find that there is a car insurance provider who will offer you a considerably lower rate than other providers.

Even after you have secured insurance for your car, it is wise to periodically check the rates that other providers will offer you. Car insurance as well as your circumstances are perpetually changing and you may find that the provider who is willing to offer you the best car insurance rate varies periodically. Many car insurance providers offer a host of discounts to their clients who qualify for these discounts. These discounts can relate to your driving record, safety features of your car, your age or other factors.

These discounts can result in a tremendous cost savings on your car insurance policy but while many insurance providers offer these discounts, they don’t always advertise them. This means that you may have to do research to determine what type of discounts you may qualify to receive. Carefully, review your car insurance policy to determine which discounts you are already receiving and then contact your car insurance provider to inquire about other discounts that may be available. For example if your driving record is devoid of accidents or tickets, you may qualify for a good driver discount.

Also, if your car has certain safety features such as daytime running lights, you may also qualify for car insurance discounts. Your age can also qualify you for certain car insurance discounts. Some insurance providers also offer discounts to those who insure their house with the same company as they insure their car. Taking advantage of this type of discount can save you money on both your car and home insurance. Being aware of the discounts that are available and ensuring that you are receiving these discounts, can save you a great deal of money on your car insurance.

Finally, maintaining a clean driving record is very important to receiving the best available car insurance rate. While it is true that each car insurance provider is unique in the factors that contribute to lower rates, the one factor that is consistent among all providers of car insurance is that a clean driving record is critical to your rate. Although accidents are sometimes unavoidable, it is imperative that you adhere to all traffic regulations and that you drive safely at all times. This will reduce the number of traffic violations that you incur as well as the number of accidents that you cause. Following these tips will help you to maintain a clean driving record that will keep the cost of your car insurance low.

Many drivers lament paying their monthly car insurance bill because they feel as though the insurance isn’t necessary. Although car insurance is a financial burden that seems superfluous, it does pay off if you are ever in a serious car accident that has significant financial ramifications. For this reason, you should never consider allowing your car insurance to lapse and it is recommended that you search diligently to find the best available rate on your car insurance.

For Great Money saving Tips visit our website at: Car Insurance [http://www.1-in-insurance.com]

Bowling balls are available with a wide range of options. Such options as coverstock, weight block, top weight, and pin location to name a few. With so many variables, how do you choose the right one for you? Many factors, should be considered when making a decision on your next bowling ball purchase.

Let’s briefly breakdown what each of the above mentioned terms mean in reference to bowling balls.

-Coverstock is essentially to outer surface of the bowling ball that creates the shell. Typically, the coverstock can either be dull or shiny on a bowling ball.

-A weight block is the core of the bowling ball. Depending on the shape and density of the weight block, it can influence the reaction of the bowling ball.

-Top weight is the core variation within the bowling ball. If the core is higher in the ball, it produces a higher top weight. If the core is lower, then the bowling ball will have a lower top weight.

-Pin location simply designates the location of the top of the weight block in a bowling ball.

These definitions simply apply to the bowling ball itself. What factors not related to the make/model of the bowling ball? For this we are referring to factors such as your bowling game itself. Things such as ball speed, track flare, axis tilt, etc all play an important role in bowling. Each person has their own unique way of bowling. Knowing your game and style will make it easier for you to make the proper selection when buying a new bowling ball.

Below is a brief breakdown of a few key definitions.

-Ball Speed is simply the speed at which you roll your bowling ball. Many of the newer scoring systems measure the speed of your bowling ball. However, not all are 100% accurate, but it can give you a general idea of what the speed is.

-Track flare is the “oil rings” that appear on your bowling ball after you throw it. These rings show the progression of the rotation of your ball as it is rolling down the lane and the ball changing its axis of rotation while seeking its preferred spin axis.

-Axis tilt is the angle of rotation of the bowling ball.

Depending on your style and lane conditions, making the right decision can be tricky at times. The easiest and best way to decide which bowling ball is right for you is to visit your local bowling pro shop. Many pro shop owners have been around the game of bowling for quite some time. With their knowledge and experience, as well as watching you bowl, they can give you strong recommendations on which bowling ball will suit your game.

However, not every bowling center has an on-site pro shop. Luckily the internet provides a plethora of information regarding bowling balls. Many of the manufacturer sites provide in depth analysis of reactions and characteristics and even a few videos with the bowling balls in action. Customer reviews found on various bowling ball message forums can also provide real life insight as to what a particular bowling ball can do on certain lane conditions. There are even a few retail sites that provide bowling ball reviews, which are customer reviews for various products.

As you can see the internet can be an excellent resource in helping you determine which bowling balls will take your game to the next level.

As an author at [http://www.eZ-search.us], Chris Miller contributes to the growing content found within the site. Chris suggests purchasing the newest bowling balls at http://www.birddogbowling.com

Tennis courts are standard in dimension, but vary widely in surface material. Tennis rules dictate the length, width, and placement of the lines on a tennis court. Tennis courts have a variety of surfaces and can be either outdoors or indoors. In this article, we will introduce the basic dimensions and aspects of the tennis courts and discuss the different types of tennis court surfaces.

The rules of tennis dictate that tennis courts be 78 feet long from baseline to baseline. A net, 3 feet high in the middle, divides the court into two equal halves. Tennis courts are 36 feet wide from doubles sideline to doubles sideline, and 27 feet wide from singles sideline to singles sideline.

Unlike the dimensions of a tennis court, the tennis court surface can vary in character. The different surfaces have different characteristics that affect the style of play. Common surfaces for outdoor tennis courts include grass, red clay, green clay, and hard courts. In addition, indoor tennis courts often have hard surfaces or synthetic, carpet-like surfaces.

The very first tennis courts were made of grass. While the number of grass tennis courts has decreased in recent years, some remain, and the world’s most prestigious tennis tournament, The Championships at Wimbledon, is still played on grass tennis courts.

Grass tennis courts are considered a fast surface because the ball moves quickly through the court when it bounces. Typically, the ball stays low and close to the ground. Because of the speed of the court and the unreliability of the bounce, historically players playing on grass tennis courts prefer to volley the ball out of the air whenever possible.

Red clay and green clay are the two types of clay, or slow, court surfaces. Red clay tennis courts are made of natural clay or crushed red brick. The French Open is played on red clay courts. Green clay, the more common type of clay court in the U.S., is made of Har-Tru, a mixture of crushed stone, rubber, and plastics. Clay courts are considered slow because the ball bounces more slowly off the court. Typically, players playing on clay tennis courts prefer to hit balls off the bounce from behind the baseline.

Hard courts, the most common court surface in the U.S., are another fast court surface. Hard courts are made of asphalt or concrete coated with a thin sealer and special paint. Some types of hard courts have more extensive, rubberized coatings. The ball bounces high off hard tennis court surfaces and moves through the court quickly. Because the ball has a reliable bounce and the ball moves quickly off the court, players can employ a variety of tactics. Generally, aggressive play is preferred.

Finally, tennis players also play indoors, especially during the winter, on indoor tennis courts. Indoor tennis court surfaces are made of concrete or a synthetic or plastic material that mimics grass. Indoor tennis courts are generally the fastest tennis court surface of all. At the professional level, hard serves, volleys, and powerful ground strokes dominate matches on indoor tennis courts.

For more information on tennis try visiting http://www.TennisQuestions.com, a website that specializes in providing tennis related tips, advice and resources to include information on the best tennis court.

Although all kids are different, I will share with you my views on sports and kids with special needs.

If your child is having difficulties socially in school, you may be tempted to sign him or her up for basketball or soccer with the other kids.

You know your child better than anyone. Just be sure that you’re setting your child up for a positive, rather than a negative experience.

The things I have heard from Coaches about kids on their team would make you spit nails.

“Oh, he’s an awful player. He’s got some kind of disorder or something.”

“I hope he doesn’t sign up next year.”

And, the parents in the stands are just as bad.

“What is wrong with that kid?!”

“Put him on the bench.”

And, that was all heard in reference to kids in the regular 3rd – 6th grade classes. I know. It made me sick, too.

Now, I’m not at all saying that team sports should be avoided. Just make sure you know who will be coaching your child, and make sure that he or she is someone who you want in charge of your child’s self-esteem for the next few months.

There ARE wonderful coaches. Coaches who understand the impact they have upon children and make sure that it is positive. And, of course, there are special camps and organization with coaches trained in encouraging and training special needs kids.

However, if team sports are not your child’s strong suit and he or she gets very stressed or has that “lost” look while participating, then here are some alternatives:

Camping as a family

Going on Long Walks with You

Bike Riding (go on bike trails if you are concerned about safety)

Playing Tag

Swimming

Going to the Park (just being a kid!)

Karate (again, make sure the people in charge of the facility are warm, loving, patient people, before signing on the dotted line)

Each of these activities will help strengthen your child physically and give him or her the benefits of self-confidence as well.

Yes, all kids need to be physically active, but at what cost? Surely not at the cost of feeling like they aren’t good enough. Don’t feel pressured into pushing your child into a team sport that may do more harm than good.

Alexa Simmons invites you on her journey to learn about Asperger’s Syndrome. Visit http://www.aspergerresources.com – where you’ll find a growing collection of information to help you and the child you love. For activities to spend time with your child, she recommends http://www.ShowKidstheFun.com

The irrational but basic appeal of the sports car has overwhelmed people’s reason ever since the first ones were introduced. In far-flung places round the world those with money soon indicated their love for these cars by buying one for their collection. Whatever the kind of celebrity – royalty, film-star or playboy – driving a fast car is a powerful way of showing your high status. Today the open top two-seater types may mean different things to different people. This article will provide examples of this.

It’s likely that the Mazda MX5 is more attractive to women than to men. The engines of the Honda CRX and the S2000 are impressively powerful and reliable. Both men and women are drawn to the sleek Honda S2000, a car that more than once has won engine of the year in its category. They are performance cars that give a person a certain satisfaction and pleasure when flying down the motorway. The dashing sporty appearance of these vehicles makes them readily distinguishable from the dull family cars that infest our roads.

Nearly all of the vehicles currently on the road have been designed to meet two criteria: usefulness and cheapness.. It is the experience of driving a fast car, though, that sports cars are designed for. Powerful acceleration, superb road-holding, and the feeling that you own the road are the objectives of those who design them.

The appearance of a car is the first thing that people are drawn to. Designs are built around aerodynamic efficiencies and curb appeal; they are always pleasing to the eye. The design is intended to encourage would-be drivers to buy so that they can abandon convention and be free. The beautiful sweeping lines are all designed to break even the most stubborn of wills… succumbing to a beautifully designed car is simply something many of us dream of doing.

Feelings of fun and excitement are aroused by driving a fast and sporty car. To drive this kind of car can be to enter a world of amazing experiences. Because these cars are designed to be driven they are engineered to very exacting standards. Once a car has left the dealer’s premises it will have lost much of its value. You can buy gap insurance to protect you against this loss of value. A sports car, though, will often appreciate in value as it gets older. Most sports cars are built to last and withstand being driven fast and hard. When a sports car becomes a classic -as is usual – it can still sell for a high price.

Desirability, speed, and high cost are the first thoughts that spring to mind when thinking about a sports car. There are few items made today that have such an emotional attraction. There are many clubs created by enthusiasts and they provide opportunities for owners to display their cherished cars. Club members may often receive pre-arranged discounts on insurance and car warranty products.

There is no one thing that can pinpoint exactly why we have an attraction to fast, sleek sports cars. The freedom of the open road is best experienced at the wheel of a fast car. The allure of a sports car is greatly increased when it is a convertible. The thought of flying down the roadway with the wind blowing through your hair has a certain appeal to some. The innovative technology is another reason why we seem to be drawn to these types of cars. Sleek styling coupled with a powerful yet compact engine is the norm. Performance and innovative technology give the sports car an iconic appeal.

A sports car is built to be driven and to respond to the driver. Making the driver feel in total control is why they have such a powerful fascination. We need to feel that the exercise and control of power enables us to reach and even exceed our limits. The one beautiful package expresses both power and strength.

Driving a sports car can give you a real feeling of freedom. Every generation of make and model performs better than previous ones as a result of advances in technology. If you wish to feel potent and to show your wild side, driving a sports car is the answer. Feelings of nostalgia can often be the cause of such emotions. The happy distant days of our youth are easily brought back by a classic sports car. They can be cherished symbols of past times. As a classic sports car gets older so it should get better as well as more valuable.

It doesn’t matter whether you have a classic muscle car or brand new example – they are both definitely attention grabbers. You will be noticed in your flashy vehicle because such cars exude power and masculinity. A sports car is something of a status symbol that allows you to be seen and admired for having a fine looking powerful performance car. If you are thinking of buying an new car, you should seriously think about purchasing a product called finance shortfall gap insurance to protect you in the event of an insurance write-off.

Everyone associates sports cars with speed and performance. Cars such as the Toyota MR2 are made particularly small and compact; add to this a powerful sedan engine and the power to weight ratio is excellent. Lady drivers especially like this car – as they do the Mazda MX5 – because of its compact design.

Supercars is the only fit description for the bigger sports cars such as the Ferrari Enzo, the Lamborghini Reventon Roadster and the Audi R8. There are several interesting ways in which those who build the bigger sports cars manage to reduce their weight. The weight of high performance production sports cars is usually kept down by using light materials for construction. Glass fibre or carbon fibre is used for the construction of the body panels of such cars. By dispensing with ‘luxury’ extras like air conditioning, electric windows, and thick pile carpets, a car’s weight can be significantly reduced. The most significant factor in reducing a car’s weight is the use of cutting edge materials in the manufacture of the wheels.

The reduction of body weight, powerful supercharged engines and state of the art technological advances make for blisteringly quick super cars like the Ferrari 40 and Lamborghini Gallardo. The engine does not have to work so hard to propel a lighter car. This enhances performance and makes the car easier to control.

A sports car is something that seems to appeal to almost everyone. Not many people will ignore a powerful and flashy sports car that’s parked in the street. They attract people and provide immense pleasure. Many people would love to own a sports car and why shouldn’t they do so if they have the money?

When buying a new car it’s wise to buy gap insurance to protect against the effect of new car depreciation. Future 45 Ltd. offer additional insurance products available for discerning UK motorists which can be bought online or by phone on 0844 357 8300

Stephanie Andrew writes and publishes articles for SEO consultants ePage Solutions whose clients include Future 45 Ltd. – helping UK motorists save money on their gap insurance by buying direct from the insurer.

When people think of pet care products, most associate it with the essential pet supplies like pet food and pet houses, which allow pet owners to provide their pets with what they need to live long and healthy lives. However, for some pet owners, the term does not just cover the essential pet supplies that they need to provide for their pets. This is because for them the term pet care products also covers or includes some non-essential items, which are effective in providing their pets with the utmost comfort, which can also help them ensure that their pets remain healthy and happy.

One of the most popular non-traditional pet care products that pet owners get their pets are garments, which include pet T-shirts, bandanas, coats, and even sweaters, which allow pet owners to show off their pets when they bring them outdoors for their exercise. However, apart from being able to afford pets with a certain level of style, garments can be effective in protecting pets especially dogs against cold weather. In recent years, another non-traditional pet care product or treatment that pet owners give their pets is a spa treatment, which provides pets with grooming, certain therapies like aromatherapy, and a full day of activities that pets could do together with other pets.

Another example of such products includes car seats that allow pet owners to provide their pets with a comfortable way to travel. For dog owners, car seats have become popular because they allow dogs to stick their head out the window while being safely secured on the seats. Other non-traditional pet care products include pet electronic devices like invisible fences and training collars and pet mattresses that are designed to conform to the body of pets.

For some pet owners, pet care products do not only include pet supplies like pet food, pet dishes and houses that are considered essential in ensuring that pets live long and healthy lives. This is because for them, there are some non-traditional pet care products, which include pet garments and pet mattresses that are also as effective in ensuring that their pets remain both happy and healthy.

Pet Care provides detailed information on Pet Care, Pet Health Care, Pet Care Products, Pet Day Care and more. Pet Care is affiliated with Pet Health Care [http://www.e-PetHealth.com].

The best public speakers in the world all agree on one thing. You can’t get good at public speaking without practice. That’s where some public speaking training seminars fail in teaching people how to do successful presentations. Lecturing someone on how to do a presentation will not make a student learn any faster. If you learn by doing, you’ll achieve much higher results!

After several years of public speaking engagements, teaching seminars and performing piano music for worldwide audiences, I woke up one day and realized I didn’t know the first thing about public speaking. That seems like an odd thing to say but it’s true. How did I know I wasn’t any good at it? Because, I didn’t “feel” successful at it.

Then, as luck would have, I reluctantly and skeptically attended a seminar my wife dragged me too. I thought to myself, I’ve been doing this forever and I don’t need to learn anything. But, I went anyway. And boy, am I ever glad I did. For the first time in my life I witnessed a public speaking genius at work. This man was truly amazing. He had every one of the 2,000 people in that audience on the edge of their seats for three entire days!

That was the turning point for me. At that seminar I realize why I didn’t feel like a successful speaker. I resolved myself to learn everything I could about being successful, not only as a public speaker but as a concert performer. And, overnight I went from being a know-it-all to a learn-it-all. I decided to invest in a seminar that promised to teach how to do successful public speaking presentations. Wow! It was even better than their first seminar. It was five entire days of learning, jamb packed with the most incredible public speaking knowledge imaginable.

What happened next is the truly amazing part! As soon as I got home I started incorporating my new found knowledge into my concert piano performances. The result? My audiences began to grow exponentially and my sales of CDs and DVDs went through the roof. Plus, my fee for performing grew to ten times what I was getting previously.

So, I took the knowledge and experience and began my own seminar business. I first started teaching what I knew and was successful at including how to increase your leads and sales through internet marketing, how to succeed in the niche music business, how to sell off the stage and the inner game of success.

What does this all mean for you? If I could use public speaking training to improve my sales, so can you!

The secret formula that I use for my public speaking presentations works great for keynote speeches, training seminars, sales presentations, live concerts, fundraising speeches, wedding speeches, board room presentations, employee motivation, employee training, pitching, team building, networking and virtually every other public speaking and presenting situation you can think of.

What is this amazing secret formula?

IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU, IT’S ABOUT THE AUDIENCE!

What does that mean exactly? Well, the vast majority of performers and public speakers are far too concerned about how they speak, about how they look, how they perform and how they sell themselves. This is 100% guaranteed to have less impact! In fact, if you’re out there trying to sell yourself, think again, few will buy!

Based on my experience, once I started to make the audience the star I generated more audiences, more results, and more money. This was real world proof that the template works! At first using the template felt strange, because of course, the template felt unfamiliar and was very different than anything I had previously tried. But, after only a few engagements, I was able to merge my personality with the template.

With practice, the template began to feel natural and effortless. Now, I use the template for every type of presentation. In fact, I recently did a boardroom sales presentation for a corporation and walked out with a $20,000 deal. How did I do it? The TEMPLATE!

Here’s where you can start. First be open to learning! Then learn the perfectly powerful speaker’s template. Then learn by doing. It’s that easy! Don’t forget to make the audience the star and you’ll realize just how rewarding and profitable public speaking can be.

Paul Tobey’s motivational public speaking training seminars are perfect for professional speakers, performing artists and anyone looking to raise their public speaking skills to a whole new level.

Marketing strategies are applicable to all types of investment, with an emphasis on Internet marketing. This is because the Internet has become a highly successful marketplace, filled with endless opportunities of creating each individual’s niche, while maximizing any profit that can be earned from it. However, to achieve this successful niche, individuals need to have effective marketing strategies that will help achieve their successful goal of earning more and staying there. Also, always keep in mind there are millions of websites in the world who are competing for success in the same marketing area as we are. To stay successful and to grow, Internet marketing businesses must each stay afloat amidst this tight competition on a continuous basis.

In order to create well-sound internet marketing strategies, we do not build it without a strong basis to develop it from. Internet marketing strategies need to be integrated with a corporation’s marketing objectives, policies, and tactics into a cohesive whole. Keep in mind that formulating internet marketing strategies need to effectively carry out the corporation’s mission, such as providing high-quality products or services at the lowest possible cost, and at the same time not sacrificing the profitability of the investment.

In a board of directors’ meeting, it was stated that the revenues, as well as the volume of sales made during the previous month was comparatively lower compared to the revenues and volume of sales made several months ago. This decrease was more than what was expected, and present statistics show that the decreasing trend might continue due to uncontrollable market conditions. Once the problem was not addressed, the revenue of the corporation would suffer, resulting to streamlining the corporate organization, which would affect most of the employees.

As a corporate executive, what can be done to contribute to solve the problem of the corporation? It is a serious responsibility to get the business back on track, as well as ensuring the employees that they still have their job. At this point, what we need is to formulate effective internet marketing strategies that will address the problem of decreasing revenue and sales volume of the corporation.

The object in mind is to keep focus on the purpose of internet marketing strategies — helping get more potential customers, more earnings out of sales that can be made, and declaring an Internet marketing career to be a successful one. Listed are tips on how these internet marketing strategies will affect an internet marketing business, with emphasis in a positive point of view.

Begin with what is available now, without spending a lot of extra money. What are the possible edges of the marketing product or business as a whole, compared to others? Does it stand out among other businesses with similar products? Being unique is one of the internet marketing strategies that will help get potential clients, eventually making the new business a success. Nothing will beat the expertise of developing a product, safely satisfying the needs of the target market.

Take the product to the internet, giving it a unique image over the web. Use the power of words and images in expressing what the new product offers to the public. Make the description of the product as simple as possible, yet straight to the point.

One of the keys to internet marketing success is the “click through” strategy, where a product’s attraction to the customer will cause them to click on the product’s new ad, getting them to “find and go to the product”. This new product that is being offered must be significant to what the customer is looking for, thus the use of online surveys will help determine the products that are “in” and “out”. The utilization of online surveys is one of the most important internet marketing strategies.

These are just a few of the internet marketing strategies that can be used for any new online business. Of course, there are still many internet marketing strategies that are available. Try to stay with the most basic ones at the beginning. All complex internet marketing strategies take their start from the basic, making basic internet marketing strategies just as effective as the complex ones.

Keep in mind the purpose of marketing — getting close or going beyond the return of investment within the least amount of time – is using the least financial spending possible at all times. These internet marketing strategies will help to achieve the purpose of marketing, as well as address any future problems that may be encountered along the internet marketing career. Such internet marketing strategies will serve as the main foundation of any marketing plan — it must contain definite actions that will be implemented, addressing the problem of the corporation. For instance, an individual may use the strategy of offering low-cost yet high quality products or services to attract more consumers or convince potential clients to patronize your new product. By using such strategy, there is a high chance that the business can be compensated for any previous losses, getting the online business onto a profitable level.

Melvin Perry is an internet entreprenuer that specializes in building large email lists within a matter of weeks. He curently teaches marketers via free step by step video how to earn thousands monthly through the list building model. You can snatch this report at no cost by visiting FREE Internet Marketing Videos

Offering hand crafted children’s furniture online for sale is a terrific niche market. If you drill down a bit more you will find that you can offer items like tables and chairs sets, small bookcases and wall decorations. People love anything that is handcrafted and do not seem to mind spending money to make their kids rooms look great. Add the fact the children’s demographic is continuous, and you have a terrific market opportunity. Demand is strong for this market if you approach it with a good plan and a sensible mind.

Pros and Cons

Cons

First of all, anything that is hand crafted involves significant time. If you plan on making the items yourself, it can involve an amazing amount of time. I started out in this business out of the passion of creating something special. I quickly learned that the time to make each unit actually ate away at my bottom line because of the time it took to make the units. If your items are painted you have to contend with sanding, priming, painting at least two coats, artwork and sealing the project. Any shortcuts you can make will help cut down on your assembly time. If I were to coach someone through this process today, I would recommend having someone cut your parts or even supply everything you need. Anything you can do in this capacity will save you time which means you save money.

Pros

Just about everything today is made overseas. Finding good quality craftsmanship with a personal flair is getting harder and harder. You can build up a great following if you can offer special made items. Younger children’s items like tables and chairs do especially well. Targeting the right crowd of buyers also helps you sell for a better price. The “walmart” price conscious buyer is not who you are really after. Goods on the very high end also do well offering a higher margin but less frequency of sales. Of course this all is a matter of research. We made the habit of using commercial artists that were just starting out and willing to work for reasonable items. We would offer to name a line of products using their name and that had some good selling appeal. Who would not like having their own furniture line? (it reminds me of giving a person a title instead of a raise, but it does work)

Another technique that works well is outsourcing your parts after you develop a good feel for what is selling. There is nothing wrong with importing chairs or blank parts to help cut down your production time. Submit your own designs and many importers will build to your exact specifications. Finishing the product yourself using this technique can still be labeled with the handmade label. This is a powerful technique but you have to order parts in larger quantities to make it work best.

If you are thinking about setting out to specialize in this field, it can be very rewarding. Knowing the obstacles before you get into is, can make the difference between staying in the market or moving on to something else.

Ken Schulte is a contributing editor to http://www.routertabledepot.com as well as a coach for small business specializing in manufacturing.

Celebration is often a challenging topic for leaders. They wonder if they should celebrate and when they should celebrate. They waffle between “we don`t need to celebrate, people know we are succeeding” and celebrating every, single, little thing along the way.

The best answer (as is the often the case) lies somewhere in the middle.

Celebration is important and it can be overdone.

Most of the conversation and consternation is typically about celebrating (or not celebrating) success. However, the element of celebration most often forgotten is celebrating progress towards a goal.

Why celebrate progress?

You should consider celebrating progress for two basic reasons – focus and momentum.

In the midst of long projects or in the pursuit of big goals, focus can get lost. People can be so busy that they miss the progress. They are so busy in the forest that they miss the trees they have just passed or chopped down. When you recognize progress it helps renew focus while re-energizing the team.

In addition, the intangible momentum that is so easily seen in the athletic world is just as real in your business or organizational pursuits. Celebrating progress is one way to create and sustain momentum towards your goals.

So, the question is, how do you do it?

I`ve separated the dozen suggestions here into two categories – the results components (basically what and when to celebrate) and the process components (how to actually celebrate). Let`s get right to them.

Results Components

Base it on milestones.

In order to celebrate progress, you must know what progress you have made. Any good project plan (that`s an article in and of itself) will have milestones attached to it. Look at those upfront, and determine when might be good celebration points. Of course how the project is going in real life and in real time may alter your plan, but start with a celebration plan attached to the most important or strategic milestones.

Get the group involved.

Have other people let you know when a celebration might be needed, and get them involved in both the celebration planning and execution. When people feel ownership it will be more meaningful and real. I`m not suggesting abdication or total delegation, but a collaborative process.

Don`t be shy.

It is OK to celebrate! Let people know how much you appreciate their effort and progress.

Keep the celebration in perspective.

The celebration is of progress and that should be clearly stated. It`s important that people know that you aren`t done yet.

Really celebrate.

Balancing the previous point, don`t make the celebration a veiled attempt to get people to work harder. Any message that sniffs of “we`ve made good progress, but it is time to redouble our efforts” will be seen cynically, and may have a negative impact on morale and productivity.

Be authentic.

Let people know how much you appreciate their effort and progress. If you aren`t really feeling it, perhaps better to delay the celebration until you do – or until you get yourself a leadership attitude adjustment (another great article topic!).

Process Components

Have food.

The way to a man`s heart may very well be through his stomach… and… any celebration is better with food. Your situation will dictate how fancy or informal it is, but having food always makes a celebration better.

Make it an event.

It needn`t be big or elaborate, but it needs to be an event! Make sure people know when it is, and make it a priority that they be involved. A celebration should be an event.

Think about where.

While you could do your celebration anywhere, progress celebrations especially are often done when people feel they are still busy with the work. Creating the celebration onsite may balance people`s need to “keep working” with the need you see for celebration.

Think about when.

When to celebrate will really be dependent on the demographics of your group, their habits and the culture of your organization. You might consider your celebration first thing in the morning, at lunch or, even, after hours away from the office. Use the wisdom and advice of others to make this decision, rather than following your own personal preferences.

Consider gifts.

Gifts can be a great addition to your celebration. How about a t-shirt, a gift card or something else? Again, culture and preferences will play a role here – get others involved so gifts is perceived as valuable (not just ANOTHER coffee mug or pen). Remember to make sure the value of the gift is congruent with the point of progress.

Symbols are powerful.

Symbols are really a form of gift, but perhaps with less utility. Plaques, certificates or a hundred other things can be powerful reminders of the appreciation and progress that have been made.

Hopefully these 12 suggestions will help you make your celebrations of progress more successful and meaningful. Remember when used effectively celebrations can create focus, momentum and even greater morale and productivity.

The best leaders recognize the power of celebration! Many leaders also recognize the power of personal development. Leaders from around the world have decided to continue their personal (and professional) development using the Remarkable Leadership Learning System – a one skill at a time, one month at a time approach to becoming a more confident and successful leader. This system allows you to learn without travel and with materials available whenever it works best for you. Get more than $916.25 worth of leadership development materials including two complimentary months of that unique system today as part of Kevin Eikenberry’s Most Remarkable Free Leadership Gift Ever at http://MostRemarkableFreeLeadershipGiftEver.com.
Kevin is a bestselling author, speaker, trainer, consultant and the Chief Potential Officer of the Kevin Eikenberry Group ( http://www.KevinEikenberry.com ).

During summer one of the places in the house that most people would like to avoid spending would be the kitchen. But every homemaker still needs to feed their family and there are certainly ways where one can ideally avoid cooking on gas stoves or ovens which tend to generate plenty of heat making the kitchen not the best place to be in during the hot sweltering summer months. What you can do is to learn crock pot cooking which is the most ideal way to cook during summer.

You must be wondering as to how cooking in a crock pot is going to help reduce the summer heat. Well, using a crock pot for cooking lets out less heat into the air than when cooking using a stove or an oven. So what better reason do you need than to use a crock pot for cooking your meal during the harsh summer months? By using a crock pot you can be assured that your air conditioners do not have to work overtime to keep your home cool because of the excess heat generated when cooking on stoves.

Crock pot cooking entails that you incur less cost than when you cook using traditional stoves or ovens. Most of these stoves or ovens which can be operated by gas or electricity tend to not only generate lots of heat energy but also end up consuming so much of it that using these methods for cooking can burn a hole in your pocket. Crock pot cooking means that you can be assured of saving on electricity and gas bills.

Most people think that crock pot cooking means cooking simple meals and preparing winter meals. But we should realize that crock pot cooking is the best method when it comes to preparing meals as there are so many ways in which you can use the crock pot to cook your meals. You can use the crock pot to bake just about anything, and make exciting and innovative meals.

Why to use a crock pot to cook?

Using a crock pot for cooking not only helps you to save on costs but there are

Other additional benefits too! The best part is that crock pot cooking means you get to start quite early everyday when you are most enthusiastic and not at night when you would rather like to relax after a hard day at work. When you begin early in the morning you will not miss out on any ingredient that needs to be added to your cooking and you will certainly not have your meal spoilt as you will be cooking in a leisurely manner. We normally tend to botch up our meals especially when done in a hurry or when we are exhausted after a hectic day.

In crock pot cooking most of the recipes use plenty of vegetables and that takes care of all the nutrients the body needs. Cooking in a hurry deprives us of nutrients.

When you cook in a crock pot there is no messy kitchen to clean up as a full meal can be made using the crock pot. So forget about all the washing of greasy pots and pans whether by hands or using the dishwasher or both. So you will save time not only while cooking but also when it comes to cleaning the dishes. Now you need not slave it over stoves cooking in the kitchen while you miss out on the joy of watching the lovely sunset or helping your children chase firebugs or just waiting for the first star to appear in the night sky.

Be assured that crock pot cooking is the best method to prepare meals. Isn’t it time for you to search for the crock pot which is lying in a corner gathering dust somewhere in your kitchen so that you can get cracking to prepare the most delicious and healthy meals with great crock pot recipes.

Abhishek is really passionate about Cooking and he has got some great Cooking Secrets. up his sleeves! Download his FREE 88 Page Ebook, “Cooking Mastery!” from his website http://www.Cooking-Guru.com/770/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

SEO and Search Engine Optimization for Blogs

How Does Google Rank Blogs? A lot different that you think!

Google does not rank blogs anything like you think they do. What we think of as SEO does NOT work for blogs. For months I have been chasing Google with incoming links, social marketing and keyword SEO in my blog. Then I discovered how Google really ranks blogs and what it can mean to your blog traffic.

Let’s look deep into the Google patent and see how SEO really applies to blogs and Google.

In this article…

1. How Google Really Ranks Blogs and Blog SEO

2. By the number of blog readers you have in Google Reader and Technorati.

3. By how many blogrolls you are in and the quality of the linking blog.

4. By how many times your Google search engine listing is clicked.

5. By social bookmarking posts and the number of times you are Dugg ect.

6. The number of times your URL appears in conversations.

7. The quality of the links in a blog article and the quantity of links.

Google judges your blog by the number of blog readers you have in Google Reader and Technorati.

Yes, Google is reading your RSS reader.

From the Google Patent:

“The popularity of the blog document may be a positive indication of the quality of that blog document. A number of news aggregator sites (commonly called “news readers” or “feed readers”) exist where individuals can subscribe to a blog document (through its feed). Such aggregators store information describing how many individuals have subscribed to given blog documents. A blog document having a high number of subscriptions implies a higher quality for the blog document. Also, subscriptions can be validated against “subscriptions spam” (where spammers subscribe to their own blog documents in an attempt to make them “more popular”) by validating unique users who subscribed, or by filtering unique Internet Protocol (IP) addresses of the subscribers.”

I other words, Google is judging you by the number of subscribers you have in Google Reader. Google reader owns about 60% of feed reader use. To calculate the other 40% they just do the math. Definitely the number of subscribers you have in

Technorati is an indication of you blogs reach and popularity.

To see how many subscribers you have in Google reader, look on the left side of the page for “+ Add Subscription.” Click the button and a search box will open up. Enter the name of your blog, not the URL, and a list of blogs will appear in order of readership in descending order.

You may want to use “” around your blog name to slim down the results.

Blog SEO Solutions

Add a Google button to you site prominently on the top right of the page. I am currently testing adding the Google button to my email newsletter popup forms.

Here is the add to http://www.google.com/webmasters/add.html Google Reader button wizard.

The Technorati button is a little more hard to find so I am just going to post the code here.

Here is the Technorati image Just right click the image, select “save picture as” and save it to your images folder. Then upload it you your site. Adjust the img src= path in the code.

img src=”http://www.keywebdata.com/images/technorati.gif”

Here is the add to [http://publisher.yahoo.com/rss_guide/submit.php] MyYahoo button wizard.

Also a lot of skilled bloggers are adding a “if you found this post useful why not add my RSS feed” link at the bottom of posts.

Google ranks your blog by how many blogrolls you are in and the quality of the linking blog.

From the Google Patent:

“Similarly, the existence of the blog document in a blogroll of a well-known or trusted blogger may also be a positive indication of the quality of the blog document. In this situation, it is assumed that the well-known or trusted blogger would not link to a spamming blogger.”

So let’s talk blogrolls. Think of this as the friends list of blogs. Three factors come into play here.

The number of times your blog is listed in blog rolls. Quantity matters.

The quality of the other blogroll members in blogrolls you appear in.

The quality of the blog that adds you to their blogroll.

Do not trade recipricol links with other blogs in blogrolls. Google puts more weight on incoming one way links that do not return the favor and link back.

You want to appear in powerful authority laden blogrolls. You also want your blog roll to be nothing but #1 rated blogs about your blog topic.

Blog SEO Solutions

This is not reciprocal linking here. In fact there is some evidence that reciprocal blogroll linking can hurt your blog.

Google ranks your blog by how many times your Google search engine listing is clicked.

Punch up that title tag, it is really your search engine headline.

From the Google Patent:

“An implied popularity may be identified for the blog document. This implied popularity may be identified by, for example, examining the click stream of search results. For example, if a certain blog document is clicked more than other blog documents when the blog document appears in result sets, this may be an indication that the blog document is popular and, thus, a positive indicator of the quality of the blog document.”

Have you ever searched a term and gone back and searched it again and the top results were different?

That is Google testing the pulling power of the title tag of your post and the snippet that Google pulls from your body text.

Believe me Google watches everything we do.

Blog SEO Solution

Turn your title tag into a benefit laden headline. Either craft the title tag to include a benefit to the reader of use a little scare tactics by defining a problem that a searcher is looking to solve.

The latter is best. People are not proactive, they do not look to head off problems. They use search engines to solve a problem they already have.

I am writing this page because my blog did not rank well in Google. You are reading this because yours did not either.

Did either of us search Google to find out how what we could do to get our blog ranked well before we noticed that we were not doing well in SERPs?

That is why I used the title tag on my post “Why blogs don’t rank well in Google.” Because that is the phrase that I used to find the original content that I started blogging about.

Google ranks blog by the number of social bookmarking posts and the number of times you are Dugg ect. Social marketing definitely effects SEO.

From the Google Patent:

“Tagging of the blog document may be a positive indication of the quality of the blog document. Some existing sites allow users to add “tags” to (i.e., to “categorize”) a blog document. These custom categorizations are an indicator that an individual has evaluated the content of the blog document and determined that one or more categories appropriately describe its content, and as such are a positive indicator of the quality of the blog document.”

Google is definitely not just tracking the number of listings in social bookmarking sites like Digg, StumbleUpon, Delicious and Blinklist.

Google is tracking how many times we are dugg, the tags that are used in the original Digg and the quality of the user.

Have you ever noticed that Digg posts do not show up in a links check? They will when you have at least five to ten Diggs or the Digg page itself and will show up in a keyword search even sometimes above your original article.

Google ranks blogs by the number of times your URL appears in conversations.

Think Gmail….

From the Google Patent:

“References to the blog document by other sources may be a positive indication of the quality of the blog document. For example, content of emails or chat transcripts can contain URLs of blog documents. Email or chat discussions that include references to the blog document is a positive indicator of the quality of the blog document.”

Yeah, Google reads your Gmail. Google listens to your Google chat. All the time counting how many times your URL is present.

Blog SEO Solution

This is a good case for not using tracking links in emails to your list. By using click counting URLs to see how count click thrus to your site you may be removing a positive indicator that Google counts.

Google ranks blogs by the quality of the links in a blog aritcle and the quantitiy of links.

SEO also is effected by the link text in these body text links.Don’t be scared to link to other blogs.

I am also thinking that the quality of blogs that you link to in the body text has a lot to do with your blog and your posts’ ranking.

I feel that Google thinks if you are unwilling to link to blogs better than yours then you are not sure of your own content.

It is also possible that the number of links in a blog document (or lack of) says to Google that you are just building landing pages that are worthless rather than writing a well researched article using a number of authoritative sources as background.

While not mentioned in the Google patent there does seem to be evidence that using Feedburner helps your Google rankings.

Since Google aquired FeedBurner, just using Feedburner analytics seems to increase your SERPs position.

Obviously if the more subscribers you have in Google reader helps your rankings then the greater the number of subscribers that Feedburner tracks has an effect too.

Want to learn more about Google and how social marketing can take over the search engines for you? Of course you do!

Tips, tools and tricks for more traffic and better rankings!

Look to Chris Lang’s Social Marketing and Social Networking blog.

My mother was of the idea that a man’s place was never in the kitchen, and this was ingrained into us as she shooed us out of the kitchen every time whenever we tried to get into the kitchen to see what was cooking. It might not have been the best or correct thing to do, and as a result, her children -the sons, including me, grew up not knowing how to cook until we were college going kids and had to live away from home and to start to cook and fend for ourselves.

Disadvantaged as we were in cooking for ourselves, it made us more aware of the beauty in mum’s cooking. Mum’s prepared food that was absolutely marvellous, both in taste and smell. Meals prepared by her were never ordinary. They were a delight to behold, a pleasure to consume – no matter how simple the dish was.

Now in her twilight years, mum can no longer cook for herself. She has bouts of amnesia, and old age has taken a severe toil on her. Dependent on others to cook and serve her meals, she can sometimes struggle to the kitchen and still manage to prepare a ten minute fast cooking instant noodle, much to our chagrin and anxiety. The doctor orders were not to let her near a stove for fear of a fit or a fall, lest she burn the house down.

Just yesterday, in the quiet of the night, I was able to recall times I had with mum when I was about to go to college. Vivid in my mind, as history started to flash back, I remembered words of wisdom from mum on cooking. We were always profuse in our praise and bountiful in our appreciation for mum’s fantastic cooking.And on one occasion, she revealed the secret formula that had always enveloped the food she cooked.

“In Chinese cooking,” she said one day,” the two most important things are to have a sharp knife and a hot stove. Always sharpen your knife so that you can slice through your veggie and your meat or fish. Cutting them up becomes a pleasure and not a task. Be sure to have everything prepared before you start cooking: the vegetables washed, drained and cut; the meat cut and marinated; the sauces prepared.”

“And get yourself a good wok – It is the one piece of cooking equipment you may want to purchase before you start cooking Chinese food. Always heat up the wok. When cooking meat or poultry, make sure that the wok is very hot before adding the food. If you are going to stir-fried meat and vegetables, stir-fry the meat first and set it aside. Then return it to the wok with a sauce during the final stages of cooking. And use a little cornstartch as a binder at the end of your cooking, if it calls for that. Just remember how the dish tastes like, the way I cooked it”, she said.

Throughout the years when I had to cook, her words of wisdom flashed back to me whenever I despaired over my cooking. I had seen my cooking improved, and had added more styles and recipes to vary my cooking in the later years.

“And the secret ingredient in all Chinese cooking is to add a little bit of inner joy to your dish as you cook. When you approach your cooking with this little bit of inner joy, you will have a song on your lips as you cook. Something mysteriously will spur you on to do your best and turn on the magic in your cooking,” she added.

That day, last week, when I recalled those words of mum when I prepared a meal for her, I could only add not just a little bit of inner joy, I tried my best to give her a physical massive hug of love.

“Vary your ingredients to add textures, colors and flavors.Then it is possible to find harmony and balance in your meals. This is an important principle in Chinese cooking.”

Mum may be frail and too old to handle a wok anymore, but her words of wisdom in Chinese cooking has helped us through the many years. Her simple tips for Chinese cooking may help you too.

In honor of my ailing mum who could prepare the best Chinese meals and dishes, a website providing free tips and cooking recipes with cooking videos, recipes and other resources is available for you. Visit Wok With Betty [http://www.wokwithbetty.com] to gain new skills in Chinese cooking and to obtain free cooking recipes covering the entire range of international cuisine.

SELF-EMPLOYMENT AND YOU

The world of self-employment can be a personally and financially rewarding one for the right individual. Many people dream of owning their own business but don’t believe it will ever happen for them. The majority of these folks see all the positives of working for yourself, but lack the drive and determination to make the transition from employee to employer.

Self-employment is the ticket to higher earnings without limit and the right to control and work your own schedule. But it’s not easy work. A lot of self-employed people are working longer hours and weeks than ever in their own business. The difference is they are doing work they truly enjoy, and are getting paid for it!

You have the talent and ability to work on your own! Perhaps you’re just not sure what business you’d like to specialize in.

Sales aren’t just the slick folks on the automobile showroom who want to know what it will take to get you in that car today. Selling is the process by which a product reaches a consumer. It can take many forms. If you have some preconceived ideas about sales right now, erase them from your mind. Start with a clean slate by remaining open to all possibilities in your home-based businesses.

After all, if you’re marketing a product you would buy yourself, it will be easy to convince others of its value. Since you’re selecting the right business opportunity, you’ll unquestionably choose the business that has the most appeal to you. Selling something you love almost never feels like work, or real selling!

HOW TO GET STARTED

If you currently have a job, you may want to break into your home-based business on a part-time basis until you’ve built up enough earnings base to leave. There will probably be no greater feeling than when you walk out the door and into a business where you call the shots!

If you’re between jobs, then by all means go at this full-force. All you need to do is to contact the businesses listed here that interest you and begin the process of determining if this is right for you.

There may be several opportunities here that are franchises. There is no available data that says that electing to go the franchise route to start your business has any lower success rate than beginning a new business from scratch. Again, view these choices with an open mind and investigate the opportunity thoroughly before making the commitment. If you’re working part or full time, you can, perhaps, be even choosier.

THE TOP 10 WAYS TO EARN MONEY AT HOME

1. ANTIQUES

The buying and selling of antiques has been and should continue to be a very productive business, financially, for those that do it. Here, you only need an extra room in the house, or the use of your garage — and you have an office!

If you have a large home that has some antique furnishings, you might consider turning it into a showroom for your antique acquisitions and sales, providing you satisfy any local zoning regulations. The interest in antiques will survive into the foreseeable future. Many people choose to spend their free time on the weekends “antiquating” from place to place to try and pick up a few odds or ends and maybe a jewel or two. If you know anything about antiques, this may be a great opportunity for you.

For more information, check out the book, “Buying and Selling Antiques”, by Don Cline and Sara Pitzer. Your local library may be filled with other publications on this subject that can get you started quickly. Your only overhead may be inventory and advertising!

2. BAKING

Have you ever been told that you have a recipe which people would line up to get if they could? Ever had anyone tell you that you should be selling those cupcakes you make? There are a number of success stories about people who have launched successful businesses by cooking at home and then marketing to local people first. Word of mouth on a good product may start to get restaurants or bakeries interested in acquiring your culinary masterpieces. Then you progress to selling them state-wide and presto! A winning home-based business!

For more practical advice on the assorted aspects of setting up a specialty foods business, you should contact your local U.S. Department of Agriculture Home Extension Agent in your county. Since every U.S. county has such an individual, that person shouldn’t be hard to find!

3. BED AND BREAKFAST PROPRIETOR(S)

Have you ever stayed in a bed and breakfast and thought, “hey, I can do this!” You probably went on vacation and simply chalked your thought up as one of those pipedreams one gets when they stay in a beautiful spot.

Don’t toss that thought away! While it’s not easy work as the hours can be long and it’s usually a seven days per week business, it’s often something that you can work into a daily schedule. After all, it’s merely an extension of doing the housework for family, right? More and more Americans are taking after Europeans and opening their homes to travelers. If you have an extra room or two since the kids moved out, you can start a bed and breakfast in your own place!

Bed and breakfast popularity will continue as more and more vacationers and business travelers seek a different accommodation away from the predictability of the average hotel room. If they enjoy their stay, many become “repeat” customers, coming back to the same familiar surroundings time and again.

If you don’t need to do any major renovations in the house to accommodate this type of establishment, you can be off and running with very little money invested, other than advertising and some new “guest room supplies”. If your dream is to buy a bed and breakfast somewhere in a vacation paradise, there are probably houses for sale that will work for this purpose.

Whatever your design, there are several good books on the subject of starting your own bed and breakfast, including “Start Your Own Bed and Breakfast”, by Beverly Mathews. Check them out at your local library.

4. CHILD CARE

Due to the financial pressures many families face today, many parents work outside of the home to bring in enough income to pay daily living expenses. A single parent is obviously working but all too often both members of a two parent family are in the workforce.

This creates a home-based opportunity. Children must be watched, all day if they’re not in school, or, otherwise, for a brief time after school before the parents finish work for the day.

Caring for one additional child may not be that lucrative, but taking care of several children can certainly be a full-time, financially successful business. Often, taking care of several children is made somewhat easier as the youngsters often will play together.

You can do this at home for only a small investment in basic equipment and toys for the kids in addition to the advertising of your business. There are several publications that address starting this type of business, including “Family Day Care”, by Betsy Squibb.

Another resource is the Day Care Council of America, 5730 Market Street, Oakland, CA. 94608.

5. COMPUTER SPECIALIST

The advent of the computer age has changed the concept of self-employment. Having a computer at home has opened a number of opportunities for running your own business utilizing this equipment. Companies everywhere are “outsourcing” work that can be done by someone else on their computer, out of their own home.

If you’re not that familiar with a computer, there are many low-cost (or free) seminars and classes that will teach you what equipment you need and how to use it.

If you’re a whiz in computers, you may end up working as a consultant, writing programs for companies. If you’re a beginner, you may find yourself able to obtain work as a writer, using your computer to produce copy that’s easy to edit. You can also keep accounting and payroll records for companies on your computer’s database.

Word processing software can be used not only for writers but for those that can offer secretarial services out of their house. Desktop publishing software can allow you to do newsletters for businesses and other organizations.

For more educational data, contact the Information Resources Clearinghouse at Syracuse University’s School of Education, 030 Huntington Hall, 150 Marshall Street, Syracuse, N.Y. 13244. Their phone number is (315) 443- 3640.

There are a substantial number of good publications, too. Your local library will have several books on computer occupations. If you can operate a computer, you can find work in the information age today.

6. GARDENING

If you like working in your garden each year and growing vegetables for your family to eat, it’s a definite possibility for home-based employment. Imagine clearing a little more space and growing more items that you can sell directly to the consumer.

Most produce stands will buy from you if your product is one of high quality. If you enjoy gardening, this could be your ticket! If you have some more land to use, do it! Plant what you can, when you can! Contact your local produce stands to ascertain their buying habits.

You can even inquire about your own produce stand if you have enough product. The more space you have on your land, the more likely you will be able to generate enough crops to run the business.

People love home-grown vegetables. They just don’t have the time or want to be bothered doing it themselves. That’s your open door!

For more information, consult books like “Plants for Profit,” and “A Complete Guide to Growing & Selling Greenhouse Crops”, by Francis Jozwik.

7. IMPORTER AND DISTRIBUTOR

There are a substantial number of products manufactured in other countries which can be bought inexpensively and sold here in the United States at a profitable level. The recent passages of the Congressional bills, NAFTA and GATT, may make it easier to bring in other products from other countries.

This is a business easily operated out of the home, depending on the types of stock you’re carrying. You may have to rent some storage space, but the capital required to start should essentially be limited to the products you’re buying to sell here.

Two good resources for you are:

* American Importers Association Membership Directory, 420 Lexington Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017; and

* American Register of Importers and Exporters, 38 Park Row, New York, N.Y. 10038.

You can also look at books in your library such as “How To Make A Fortune In Import/Export”, by Howard R. Goldsmith, obviously an optimistic look at this type of business.

If you know the type of product you want to import and the market most likely to purchase your goods, you have great potential for a successful home-based business.

8. INTERIOR DECORATOR

While this business will require you to be out and about, meeting with customers, it’s the type of work many people would love to do. If you have a fascination for decorating a home, this could be your line of work.

Many people don’t know where to start when they are remodeling or buying a house for the first time. If you have the knowledge of colors and patterns and what looks good together, plus the expertise of knowing where to get materials and furnishings, this can be a winning home-based business for you.

One excellent resource to consult is the “Interior Design Directory”, available through Whitney Communication Corporation, 1050 E. 58th Street, New York, N.Y. 10155.

9. PHOTOGRAPHER

The sky’s the limit here! Armed with your trusty camera and some good advertising, you can do weddings, models, family portraits, passports, student photos, local newspaper coverage; almost anything that requires a picture!

You can easily start this work, part-time, and work into full-time work based on your success and inclination. Not much equipment is necessary to get going as a camera off the store shelf can often do the trick today. Picking up a tripod and having a room sufficient for developing your pictures, and you’re in business — at home!

There are a number of excellent books available in your local library to get you started on the path of professional photography.

10. SEWING & ALTERATIONS

Many people love to sew. If you’re one of them, consider offering this service out of your home. When someone buys a new outfit, it rarely fits perfectly, meaning some kind of alteration must be done.

People look long and hard to find reliable individuals to do their alterations. If you can sew, you’re well on your way to opening the doors of this type of business.

One resource you can review is “Sewing for Profit”, by Judith and Allan Smith. Or your library will have a handful of capable publications on starting up this type of business.

These are our suggestions as to the top 10 ways to earn money at home, enough to be a full-time self-employed businessperson!

But there are many other opportunities. The listings that follow may give you some other ideas you need to get started in business for yourself.

SUMMARY

Are you ready to start up your own business now?

Whether you begin from scratch or invest in a franchise, the time has never been better to get a home- based business off the ground. It’s become almost routine in the business world to work with independent contractors. Many times, it’s more cost-effective, too.

Most of these businesses do not require a substantial amount of start-up cash. Many of these franchise opportunities offer financing.

With Internet’s help, your home business can be moved online and expand globally. Your profit will be significantly improved if you can integrate your traditional business into online business.

———————————————————
Julia Tang publishes Smart Online Business Tips, a fresh
and informative newsletter dedicated to supporting people
like you! To find out the best online business opportunities,
and to discover hundreds more proven and practical internet
marketing secrets, plus FREE internet marketing products
worth over $200, visit: http://www.best-internet-businesses.com
———————————————————-

Note: Feel free to publish it with the resource box and content unchanged

Would you like an easy, steady writing job which takes just an hour or two a day, and pays several thousand dollars a month? If so, consider a blog job. For many reasons, businesses need blogs, and they also need writers to write them.

If you’re unfamiliar with blogs and blogging, do a little research to get yourself up to date. It will be worth your while. Bloggers are hired under contract, and with a stable of blogs for which you write, it’s possible to earn a six figure writing income, just from blogging.

OK, once you’ve made yourself familiar with blogs, here’s how to land top blog jobs in four simple steps.

1. Create a publicity blog – get known as a blogger

I hope you’ve already created a practice blog or two. As a blogger, you need to be somewhat knowledgeable about what a blog does, how a blog works, and how to get a blog indexed in the search engines. You will only get that experience by blogging. Note: you don’t need to be technically proficient, but you do need to be capable of posting to a blog, and using keywords in your blog posts.

Please don’t omit the above step: create a practice blog. You need practice if you want to get the top blog jobs.

With a little experience in blogging, it’s time to create your “publicity” blog. This is your primary tool to land top blog jobs. Your aim is to get yourself, and your blog, known in the blogosphere (the blogging community) as a competent blogger.

2. Create your own professional portfolio blog – write samples to show what you can do

With your publicity blog created, now create another blog. This blog is your portfolio blog; essentially, it’s writing samples. When you’re applying for blog jobs, or sending out proposals, you’ll point prospective purchasers of your services to your portfolio blog to display your skills.

Big tip: don’t omit this step. The more skills you can show when you apply for blog jobs, the more jobs you’ll get. The purpose of these two blogs is to ensure that over time, hirers will come to you: you’ll never have to look for blog jobs again.

3. Apply for blog jobs, but be aware that the top jobs aren’t advertised

Now you have both a publicity and portfolio blog, it’s time to apply for blog jobs. There are several sites online on which blog jobs are posted. You’ll also find blog jobs advertised on the popular job sites.

Be aware however, that the top blog jobs usually are not advertised. You get them by networking with other bloggers, and by becoming known through your own blogs.

Take as many blog jobs as you can get, just for the experience. This is important when you’re just starting out. The more experience you have, the better. The top blog jobs pay very well, but you can’t expect to go from beginner to pro in one step.

4. “You need a blog “- touting for business using proposals

The final step is to create your own blog jobs by sending out proposals to businesses which don’t have blogs.

As you become familiar with blogs, and how blogs help businesses to become visible online it will become obvious to you which sites need a blog. Just approach these sites and make a proposal.

So there you have it: four simple steps to getting the top blog jobs.

Discover the secrets to making money blogging with Angela Booth’s blogging bestseller, “Blogging for Dollars” at http://www.abmagic.com/Blog/blogging.html This ebook package gives you everything you need to build highly successful blogs.

For free weekly writing information, subscribe to Angela’s Fab Freelance Writing Ezine at [http://fabfreelancewriting.com/ezine/fab-freelance-writing-ezine.html] and receive “Write And Sell Your Writing: The Power-Write Report” immediately.