mcdonalds monopoly online

Name Tag Design - 5 Easy Tips for An Effective Layout

2012-02-09T05:17:00.001-08:00

Tip #1 - Select crisp clear fonts--that go well together.

While the font you choose for staff names vs. company names should complement one another, using different fonts will draw your customer's eye to both. Clean lines, not clever squiggles, are the way to go to make your content visible, and readable.

Considering ALL CAPS? Resist temptation. There are other, and softer, ways of getting your customers' attention.

Tip #2 - Play around with bold, standard, and italic formats.

Formatting typefaces and font size go a long way towards customizing the look and feel of your name tags. Typically, staff/employee names tend to be bold, with their titles printed just underneath in either standard or italic format. The key here--using the right, and right amount, of contrast to highlight the information you want your customers to see.

Tip #3 - Versatility is your ally in laying out your name tag.

Most often, a company name and logo is placed at the top of a name tag, with names and titles appearing just underneath. A classic layout that gives a clean presentation of your company identity.

However, there are options aplenty. If you'd prefer, put your company logo on the left or the right of your name tags to give it a different emphasis.

Tip #4 - Pick a size to complement your content.

No one likes crowds, not even name tags. Consider how much space your content needs, then customize your name tags' heights and widths. By including enough "white space," you'll give your name tags a readable effect--that's pleasing to the eye.

Tip #5 - Use color for emphasis, or to impress your company's image.

Think of any of the big brands, and you'll likely see them in full color--McDonald's, BP gas, Target, etc. Likewise, name tags can incorporate a wide range of colors. If your logo is particularly colorful, using a white background to your name tags will make it stand out without clutter.

It's good to have choices. Used together, your design and layout choices give you name tags that keenly and uniquely demonstrates who your company is, and what your company is about.

Baking Cookie

Top 5 Best Kids Karaoke Songs - Children Songs

2012-02-07T18:39:00.001-08:00

While singing for an audience, the most important thing to do is select a song that the majority of an audience will most likely enjoy. It is thus good to decide the song based on the turnout of audience. It should not be difficult to determine the taste and likes of the crowd if most of them are your own friends - you have know them for long and you all perhaps have similar tastes. But if the members of the audience are mostly strangers or perhaps kids, you really should do a research on what they enjoy the most. You can read this article to learn the Top 5 Best Kids Karaoke Songs - Children Songs that many kids respond well to.

Kids may seem an easy target in the beginning but only when one ponders, one will know the difficulty in it. One needs to choose a song that will entertain them but at the same time one has to ensure that the song being sung does not create any negative impact. Many good Kid Karaoke songs are available, that are based on Christmas, fantasy and other "kids" concepts. Some five best kids' songs are the following. There are also many children's rhymes available in karaoke.

When there is a children's party, you can always rely on classic children's songs like "Old McDonald Had a Farm", "When You are Happy and you know it clap your hands" and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" to give them some fun and entertainment. These are some of the most frequently downloaded karaoke tracks are among the Top 5 Best Kids Karaoke Songs - Children Songs.

There are also other songs based on television shows such as Dora-the explorer, Blues Clues and so on. Christmas songs such as "I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" by Joanie Bartels and "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth", made famous by Spike Jones are found on the top 5 too. "Pure Imagination" by Gene Wilder and "We are off to see the Wizard" are fantasy songs that are bound to get the attention of the kids.

Songs for children are also based on animals such as this one - "I Wanna Be like You (the monkey song)" from the Jungle Book. These are some Top 5 Best Kids Karaoke Songs - Children Songs that you can sing to the children in an animated way and make them enthusiastic!

Caramel Recipe Books The Food Revolution

How To Mack On Girls

2012-02-07T01:26:00.001-08:00

So you want to learn how to mack on girls do you? Understood... Macking on girls is one of the most rewarding pastimes for a man of any age. And here's the kicker, most guys can't mack worth a damn. So when you learn these mackin' skills you'll be like a king amongst men!

First things first, you may be asking yourself "Isn't learning how to mack on girls the same as learning how to be a pick-up artist of "PUA"? Well Let me tell ya, there's a huge difference...

You see, pick up artists focus on how to meet girls and get them attracted. Macks on the other hand focus on themselves.

Macks focus on being the man 24-7 because they know that once they have truly ascended to the throne of Mackdom the women will be there waiting for them! So hopefully you are starting to see that being a mack is FAR superior than any sort of pick-up artist game that you could ever learn...

Now that we have that straightened out, how does one become a mack and start macking on chicks? Well, to get you started here are the 3 laws of macking that you must adhere to at all times:

1) Live Large You cannot be a true mack if you are content working at McDonald's hamburger restaurant and living with your mom. Now if you are just starting out in this and you actually do live at home and work in the fast food industry, don't worry. We all have to start somewhere. But, you can't be content doing this, you need to have dreams and work towards those dreams every single day. This means building the lifestyle of a mack, making real money, being independent, and doing all the fun stuff like traveling the world that most people only dream about.

2) Stop Worrying About What Others Think Most people are hyper sensitive to what others think of them and let their fear of being judged by others control them. they dress a certain way to fit in, get a certain job that their parents approve of and generally lead a boring life with boring girlfriends. Macks on the other hand rise above these approval seeking, insecure behaviors. This can be a hard rule to follow because such behaviors will become ingrained over time. But if you want to become a true mack you must overcome them.

3) Realize Your Value As A Man You may have noticed that although this article in entitled How To Mack On Girls, I have written very little on the subject of interacting with women. The reason is, as I stated, being a mack is much more about focusing on yourself and getting yourself where you want to be in your own life. when it comes to women, the first thing a mack needs to do is realize his own value and take pride in it. Most men put attractive women on pedestal and do all this dumb stuff to try to get a girl to like them. Macks on the other hand put themselves on the pedestal and treat attractive women as equals for this is the only true way to be attractive to a high quality woman.

Pay attention, This next part is extremely important!:

Food Recipes DVD Culinary Institute Books

Advantages and Disadvantages of Fast Food

2012-02-06T00:58:00.001-08:00

In this modern world people are used to having fast foods more than the foods that are home made. The reason behind this interest is that fast food saves time and the effort that is needed for cooking a meal at home. The fast food system is well suited to the fast paced life of a very busy working individual today. But the most important factor to be kept in mind while having fast food is the disadvantages it has. Though fast food is very suitable to meet our appetite needs in this busy life which is an advantage, they also have a large number of disadvantages that is solely related to the health of the individual. Some of the most important advantages as well as disadvantages of fast food are discussed in this article.

Advantages
The large number of outlets of this restaurants that are working all over the world greatly shows the popularity behind the system of it. A hard working professional who is away from his home or homeland will have to depend on such fast food restaurants and franchisees like KFC Bangalore home delivery. This is a big necessity of man. The biggest advantage that shall be pointed out by the people favoring it is nothing but the time saved. Today people consider getting a readymade meal is better than everything in this world. Even though the benefits and advantages of fresh food are known by all at the end of the day returning home all tired, then there is nothing great than getting a pizza or burger for our hunger. Other than spending time for cooking a meal in the kitchen, most of the people find it difficult tom collect the ingredients needed for day to day cooking. Going for a shopping for this purpose is considered as a tiresome job. Time required to get the raw materials ready by washing, peeling and cutting them is considered a big waste. If a person leads a lonely life then buying something to eat from the restaurant is surely cheaper than preparing each day at home. Online pizza ordering and such related facilities greatly add to the popularity of fast foods.

Disadvantages
The biggest and the well-known disadvantage of it is the adverse effect it may cause to our health. It is a reality and popular fact that fast food is very much unhealthy than the food that is freshly prepared at home. The reason behind this is that it contains larger amounts of salt, oil and fat contents thus increasing our calorie intake. It is an important reason for the problem of obesity. This also has led to many fatal diseases in many. The cardiovascular diseases are the most important among them. There are many outlets of the famous fast food restaurants that greatly consider the comforts of customers. As a leading step to this customer satisfaction they offer home delivery like the McDonald's home delivery Bangalore.

Caramel Recipe Books

Halloween - Why Do We Dress Up in Costumes?

2012-02-03T23:01:00.001-08:00

Why DO people dress up for Halloween? We've heard the history of All Hallow's Eve, and like many holidays, we don't pay much attention to the history and meaning behind the dates. We do, however, honor traditions. Halloween is filled with strong traditions and many, particularly children and the young at heart, anticipate it with excitement.

Halloween is spooky. Spooky is thrilling and fun. Halloween means more treats, in the form of candy, than tricks. But the tricks can be wonderfully fun too. Certainly part of the trick of Halloween is dressing up in costumes and being unrecognizable. Have you ever had to guess who a gorilla or scarecrow really is at a party? And guessed wrong the first couple of attempts? Costumes are part and parcel to the fun spookiness. Add a haunted house or party with eerie sounds, lights plunging into darkness and bumping into weird fuzzy things, and the tradition of Halloween is fully recognized.

I love the wonderful variety of costumes these days. People can dress up in countless ways. They can select styles that are funny, scary, sweet, daring and representative of famous people, historical times. Consumers can purchase ready-made outfits or flex their imagination and skills to create their own. One of the best parts about costume selection is that people get to express themselves in really fun ways.

How will you be expressing yourself this year?

Baking Cookie

10 Business Challenges Every Entrepreneur Must Face When Building a Business From Scratch

2012-02-02T15:44:00.001-08:00

Are you an entrepreneur? If you are, then I believe you will familiar with the pattern or business challenges faced when starting and building a business from scratch. If you are not an entrepreneur but you dream of becoming one someday, then I think you will find this article worthwhile.

Why am I writing on such a topic? I decided to write on the "10 business challenges every entrepreneur must face when building a business from scratch" to give entrepreneurs a glimpse of what to expect when they set out to start a new business venture. I am not writing to show my writing skills. Moreover, I am not a professional writer; I am an entrepreneur and investor to the core. I simply write to share my knowledge on building a business with anyone who is willing to learn.

This article is not meant to discourage or scare you from going into business. Instead, I wrote this article to prepare and highlight you on the business challenges to expect and how to handle them. Just as the popular saying goes:

"He that is prepared has half won the battle."

Below are 10 Business Challenges Every Entrepreneur Must Face When Building a Business from Scratch:

1. Developing the Vision and Idea:

This is usually the first challenge faced by every entrepreneur. Finding the right business opportunity or creatively developing an idea is certainly not an easy task. I call "Envisioning the idea" the first true task of an entrepreneur. As an entrepreneur, you must develop the ability to see what others cannot see. While others see problems, you must see opportunities.

But seeing opportunities is just the first task. The main challenge is going to be your ability to forge that opportunity into a business idea. I see this as a business challenge because the process of transforming opportunities into business plans is like trying to turn lead into gold. I call it the process of "Creating Value out Of Nothing." If you are not an entrepreneur, you might not be familiar with the process. The process of:

- Identifying a problem
- Seeing an opportunity in the problem
- Coming up with a solution
- Developing your opportunity into a business idea
- Integrating your solution into the business plan

Another way "developing the vision and idea" will be a business challenge is that an entrepreneur must sometimes assume the role of a sorcerer. Let me explain in detail. While others dwell in the past and present, an entrepreneur must envision and forecast the future. An entrepreneur must always be ahead of his time or else he might lose his relevance. He must have the ability to bring into present what is yet to be. Let me give you some practical illustrations:

In the late 70s and early 80s, while IBM saw increase in demand for their mainframe computers, Steve Jobs envisioned a personal computer in every home and Bill Gates envisioned the need for easy to use software for personal computers.

While everyone saw humans flying as an impossibility, the Wright brothers envisioned a flying machine.

Back in those days when cars were custom made and exclusively for the rich, Henry Ford envisioned affordable cars for the masses.

I believe with these few examples, my point is clear. Developing the vision and idea is the first true task of an entrepreneur.

2. Raising Capital:

After developing your idea, the next challenge you are going to face is the challenge of raising capital. As an entrepreneur, you are the only one who knows the idea to the core. You are the only one who knows the story of the future. Trying to convince investors about something that doesn't exist is definitely a challenge.

There is more to raising capital than just simply asking for money. Most investors want to invest in already established businesses with minimal risk. When building a business from scratch, raising capital will definitely be a business challenge you must face.

To overcome this challenge, you must develop the ability to sell your idea and vision to potential investors. When I say "sell your ideas", I mean improving your communication skill and your manner of presentation. In the game of raising capital, you must have a good story backed by a strong business plan. If you are interested in learning how to successfully raise capital, you can check other articles I have written.

3. Assembling a Team:

The third challenge you must face in the course of developing a business is assembling the right team. When I talk about a team, I am not talking about regular employees. I am talking about a "round table strategic business team" that will meet regularly to brainstorm on ways to grow your business.

As an entrepreneur, you are bound to have strengths and weaknesses. That is the more reason you need to assemble a strong team that will cover up for your weaknesses. A team is a necessity in your quest to build a business. Now finding a business team is just the first hurdle, transferring your passion and vision to your team is the real piece of cake.

You must strive to make sure your team sees the future you see. They must believe in your possibilities and must also be passionate about making that possibility a reality. If they can't grasp your vision, if they can't see they future with you, then they are not worthy being your team.

Your strategic business team should comprise your banker, financial advisor, accountant, attorney or legal adviser and any other specialist that will be of tremendous impact to your business. A question on your mind might be "how am I going to pay this team? My answer is I don't know. You will have to figure it out yourself or better still, you can consider bringing them on board as partners.

If you are still at loss with the thought of assembling a business team, then I will recommend you either take some time in learning how to build a business team or you can visit strategicbusinessteam.com to get some advice.

4. Finding the Right Location:

You might feel that finding a good location is a piece of cake but I bet you that finding a good location at the right price is definitely not easy. I don't have much to write on this but I feel it is worthwhile I bring it to your notice so you can prepare for it. The following are features you must consider before choosing a location. These features are subject to change with respect to the industry of your business:

- Suitable price
- Easy access to raw materials
- Good road network.
- Basic amenities and infrastructures
- Adequate Power supply
- Easy access to cheap labour
- Nearness to high traffic roads
- Moderate state and federal tax
- Favorable Government fiscal and monetary policy
- Favorable federal and state laws.
- Current economic policy and political situation.

5. Finding the Right Employees:

Most writers crank up the process of finding good employees as an easy task. They define finding an employee as simply presenting the job description and the right employee will surface. But I think it's more than that.

Those who are really business owners know how difficult it is to find a hardworking, trustworthy employee. Most employees want to work less and get paid more. Finding a good employee who will be passionate about delivering his or her services is quite difficult.

Employees are your representatives to your customers and the outside world. They are a reflection of your business culture and ethics. If an employee of yours is bad or rude to your customers, it is going to portray a bad image of your company. So you must be careful when hiring employees. Remember the golden rule of business; "Hire slow and fire fast."

6. Finding Good Customers:

The sixth business challenge you will face is the challenge of finding good customers. Note the keyword "good customers." When in the process of building a business from scratch, you will come to find out that there are good customers and bad customers.

You must really be on guard for bad customers. Good customers are really hard to find. A good customer will be loyal to your company and will be willing to forgive you if you make a mistake and apologize. A good customer will try to do the right thing that will benefit both himself and the company mutually.

A bad customer will always look for loopholes in the company's policy to exploit and make some few gains. Bad customers will always try to exploit the company's goodwill and look for ways to rip off the company. Bad customers are responsible for bad debts.

Good customers build your business and bad customers will always try to liquidate your business. Just as you fire employees, you must also be prepared to fire bad customers without hesitation. In the game of trying to find a new customer, always remember the customer that sued McDonald's to court claiming the coffee was too hot.

7. Overcoming Competition:

Competition is the next challenge you will face. Most individuals see competition as a plague but I see competition as a good challenge. I see competition as a benchmark for creativity, the main engine for innovation and quality products at great prices. Without competition, there will be no innovation and without innovation, the world will be stagnant.

I see competition as a welcomed challenge and I want you to do the same. Competition keeps us on our toes and drives us to constantly improve our products and services. But you must be warned. Competition can make your business lose its relevance in the eye of your customers so you must always be on guard. At this point, I leave you with a quote:

"If you don't have a competitive advantage, don't compete." - Robert Kiyosaki

8. Unforeseen Challenges and Expenses:

Just as a sailor prepares for unexpected storm, just as a pilot is always on the watch for unpredictable bad weather and thunderstorms, so must an entrepreneur be prepared for what ever comes. Unexpected challenges can come in the form of:

- Unexpected law suits
- Inconsistent government policy
- Not being able to make payroll
- Unpaid bills and taxes
- Unexpected resignation of staff from sensitive office
- Bad debts from customers
- Loss of market share
- Dwindling working capital
- Inadequate stock or inventory

These challenges, if not handled properly can ruin your plan to build a successful business from scratch. Another challenge you must expect is an unforeseen increase in business expenses. If not handled properly, it might result in constant negative cash flow and eventually, the business failure.

9. Keeping Up With Industrial Changes and Trends:

Change in trends is really a business challenge you must be prepared for. Trends have made and broken lot of businesses. I know a lot of profitable businesses that have been wiped out by slight industrial changes and trends. A typical example is the Dot com trend, where many industrial based businesses were wiped out by new web based dot com companies.

When the Dot com era began, business owners were left with only two options. Either they join the dot com train or they get crushed by the dot com train.

Seasoned entrepreneurs know that trend is always a friend and are always willing to swiftly adjust their business with the current trend. Keeping your eyes open to spot trends is really a challenge but the big task will be your ability to quickly use the trend to your advantage.

10. Exiting the Business:

"In the world of business and investing, your exit is more important than your entry. A good thumb of rule is this; exit before you enter." - Robert Kiyosaki

When building a business from scratch, you are going to face the business challenge of determining your exit strategy. Just as the quote above states, you have to plan your exit strategy before you even start the business. Most entrepreneurs run their business without any plans to exit and even if they have an exit strategy, they find it difficult to implement it.

Before starting a business, it is advisable to always plan your exit. There are benchmarks you can use to determine your exit from the business. Most smart entrepreneurs will use this benchmark as a target and once this specific target is reached, they exit the business. Examples of such benchmarks are:

- Annual sales
- Annual Turnover
- Asset Base
- Market Saturation
- Customer base or number of users. This is more applicable to dot com companies.

Now when it comes to exiting the business, there are three exit strategies you can apply. The exit strategies are:

Turning over the business to professional managers: When your business reaches a certain stage of maturity, you can exit by turning it over to professional managers. In this case, the business still belongs to you but you are not involved with its day to day affairs. You will have to give up administrative role to assume the role of a watchdog. When you exit in this manner, you will have more free time to look into other projects or retire.

Selling the business privately: In this case, you are exiting the business by selling it to a private investor. In the business world, it is called M&A (Mergers and Acquisitions). After the sale and transfer of assets is complete, you have nothing to do with the business again.

Taking the company public: The unique thing about this type of exit strategy is that while you are selling your business (in form of shares) to public investors, you still own and control the business.

Please before you apply any of these exit strategy, I will advise you consult with your attorney or legal adviser. But ultimately, it's up to you to decide the exit strategy you want to apply. Always remember "your exit is more important than your entry."

At this stage, I thank you for reading and taking your time to learn. Till I come your way again, remain blessed.

The Food Revolution

Foreign Franchising

2012-02-02T03:27:00.001-08:00

As McDonald's and Subway of the U.S. are experiencing wild popularity in the overseas market, foreign franchises like Pollo Campero and Jollibee are getting popular in the U.S. There is a great scope of foreign franchises in the country, as people want to try something new and adventurous.

Want to Deal with a Foreign Franchise?

If you are a daring business owner and want to be leader in the U.S. market as a foreign franchisee, you could have a great future ahead. You just need to keep certain points in mind like:
Investigate the franchise you are planning to buy.
Get the permission from master licensee.
Get all information clarified through the Uniform Franchise Information Circular.
Select the location and area where the product will be accepted well.

If you are interested in having a franchise in a foreign country, then you need to be very cautious and plan ahead. You need to know a few things like:
What are the cultural values of the country?
What is the expected rate of return on investment?
What kinds of facilities will be provided by the franchiser?
How can you establish yourself in that country?
Do you have enough capabilities to run that kind of franchise?
Do have enough funds to run the business? If not, how will you arrange that?
What kind of competitive advantage will your business have over its competitors?

After analyzing the answers of these questions critically, if you feel that you have good prospects in this business, you should get the expert advice of your lawyer. This will help you know the legal obligations involved in the franchise business.

To know about real operations of the business, you can spend a day with an existing franchisee at the workplace. Moreover, to overcome the linguistic barriers, you can seek help from a business advisor or a translator. Nothing works better than word of mouth for relationships and referrals when you are operating in an overseas market.

There are tremendous opportunities in the overseas market. But, it is not that easy to operate there because cultures, rules and formalities differ from country to country. So, conduct rigorous research into each and every aspect of the country in which you want to operate. When you are satisfied about the survival of your business, sign the deal and become a foreign franchisee.

In every country, legal consultants and business advisors make the immigrant businessmen aware of the rules, regulations, and system of the country. You can look for their professional advice. You can also get information through e-mails and websites.

Cookie Recipe

Supersize Me

2012-01-28T06:48:00.001-08:00

Upon a closer look, everything in live relates back to marketing. There is not one sector in human society which is not influenced by marketing.

Marketing in itself is neither bad or good, a bit like money, it is "Neutral". However, marketing in the hands of "profit above everything" individuals or companies, can have the most detrimental, devastating effect on our society.

I could mention a few, but it would sound like I am writing an article about the conspiracy theory. Being concerned about general Health, and the ongoing epidemic of Obesity with its related health issues, makes me pick just one marketing campaign, which is the now famous term "Supersize" - and related Supersize Me.

Now, where is that term coming from?

Or even some other interesting questions, did they know, or should they have known what negative effect that had on the general population's health?

Back to the first question, if I am not very mistaken, the term supersized is a marketing technique that was coined in the mid-90s by McDonald's.

Staff would ask "Would you like that supersized?"

"Would you like to supersize that?", after taking an order.

The idea behind this promotion is that for an extra few cents a customer could dramatically increase the size of their meal.

This marketing campaign was extremely successful, to put it mildly.

No doubt, commercially this is an extremely creative way to coerce someone to buy more. The customers have a positive feeling, because it seems to be good value. Unfortunately, that type of value is not very good for your hips. I guess we could ask, should a business have a conscious regarding their customers health.

I guess they would argue, that they can't afford a conscious, and that they have to keep up with their competition, and finally they would argue, that the customers are responsible, the business just sells something.

From a health point of view, individuals, concerned interest groups and the government have to come up with a marketing concept, which makes the mention of the term > "Supersize Me" - a extremely negative term, and let it backfire and fly in the face of the originators.

Partly that has happened with the release of the movie > "Super Size Me" , a film by Morgan Spurlock, is generally credited with associating the term Supersize with obesity.

After its release, the term adopted this negative connotation.

Unfortunately the fall out is still with us, and lots of food items, have become bigger and stayed that way.

The next marketing campaign should be based on a term like " Under Size Me".

After all, healthy Diet concepts are really not that hard to understand, if you know the basic about: food, energy and conditioning, you should be fine and have no trouble staying on a healthy weight, and those basic principles should be taught at school.

When I grew up, my grandmother always used to say, stop eating before you are full, and you will always be healthy. That's what I would call under-sizing.

Diet Principles may be easier understood, if you know how farmers fatten their animals; by feeding them lots of grains, or the technical term, carbohydrates.

Don't read me wrong, it's not that carbohydrates are bad, it simply that most have too much of it.
Did you know that:

Carbohydrate is just a fancy word for Sugar.

See below the outline of a basic good balanced diet.

That will take care of the "Diet", now, what about Energy?

The basic equation - energy in - energy out - is well known and understood, and makes perfect sense, in simple terms, don't eat more than you require. for your normal daily activity.

And finally the term "Conditioning", which may be harder to come to terms with than the other two.

We are all conditioned, one way or another, to food we grew up with, behaviour we adopted, such as comfort eating, and to make matters worse we have to throw in, addictions - allergies (yes you crave food you are allergic too) and other cravings.

To write about conditioning, may well mean to write a whole book, (Sorry no time to day ) but here it is in a nutshell.

Just be aware that you have been conditioned, and that taste is part of this conditioning, so are eating habits. Once you know that, it may be easier for you to not have certain foods to eat. Believe me, your life doesn't depend on it. Just think, if you would have been born into a different culture, you would eat now totally different food.

With other words, statements, such a; I can't live without my coffee" are conditioning. Believe me, you can, and while we are at it, here is another one, there is nothing wrong with healthy, wholesome foods, it actually tastes delicious, once again it is just a stupid marketing ( conditioning) campaign that health food tastes bad.

Take back control over your live, who is in charge here, the fast food industry or You?

Here is your strategy:

Adopt a good diet, it's easy, lots of veggies, yes lots ... some fruit, some lean protein, and moderate amounts of grains, such as Pizza - Bread - Cake - Pasta.

Stay active, Exercise, do some cardiovascular exercise - some weights, some stretches, do it every day. I do 100 squats while my soft egg is boiling, and I do some push ups too.. Yes, move .. become aware that you can do exercise everywhere.

Re-condition yourself, according to what you want out of live, if you like to feel fit and healthy, eat healthy, it's your responsibility, and if you can't do it yourself, get a group together.

Have a look at the diet now ...

A Carbohydrate - Protein - Fat Ratio controlled Diet

A deeper understanding, backed by scientific data, of how food affects our metabolism has changed the way we think about diet.

Diet affects the processes of aging and of many disease states such as:
Obesity, Arthritis, cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis, blood sugar problems, skin problems and chronic fatigue.

Applying simple dietary rules has brought pronounced results for people who have been trying to lose weight for years. Food has a strong influence on the chemistry of the body.

The balance of protein, carbohydrate and fat in our diet ...

..... determines the amount of glucose (sugar) reaching the blood.

Caramel Recipe Books Food Recipes DVD Cookie Recipe

Acrostic Poems - 8 Top Topics For Acrostics

2012-01-26T03:07:00.001-08:00

Acrostics are funtastic and help to concentrate on a topic in a wonderfully novel, personal and creative way. So super power your imagination and get your brain to love learning by using these flexible learning tools. Creating a piece of acrostic poetry is a highly effective method to really engage learners in the learning process. Acrostic poems consist of a composition of phrases whereby the initial letter spells out a particular word or phrase. An acrostic poem, therefore, might consist of four lines, the first beginning with the letter 'L', the second 'O', the third 'V' and the fourth 'E'. This would hopefully be an acrostic poem about some aspect of love. Beautiful poetry can be created in this way about any number of subjects.

The writing of acrostic poetry can be a marvelous learning exercise as students focus creatively on the nature of their theme. What might be an appropriate subject for the creation of acrostic poetry? Here are some suggestions:

1) An acrostic for a name: a student's own name or the name of a famous person: Mom, Grandma, Dad, Grandpa, Jesus, Shakespeare, Washington, Einstein, Da Vinci, Abraham Lincoln, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Christopher Columbus, Martin Luther King. Acrostics for names make fantastic and emotional or amusing notes for birthdays and special occasions of people you love.

2) Acrostics for organizations: UN, NASA, Shell, McDonald's, BP, WalMart. Whether you want to make a political or promotional statement or just amuse your friends creating an acrostic using the letters of a company can be a great way to draw attention.

3) Acrostics for positive words: ace, adore, dynamic, energy, fizz, fresh, magic, munch, paradise, plum, soft, solar, spice, strong, tasty, trust, vital, zest, peace. A lovely way to give yourself a positivity boost is to generate a poem using a positive word as the basis- you'll be concentrating on this word as you make your poem and your brain will react accordingly: you will naturally become more positive as you create your poem.

4) An acrostic poem for a place of interest Eg Pyramids, Venice, New, York, London, Stonehenge, America, Europe, England, US, Sydney, Canada, Moon, stars, Pacific, Nile, Mississippi. An excellent method for synergising the important aspects of a place. As with all of these suggestions it might be interesting to consider the 5 W's who, what, where, when, and why; Who were the Aztecs? What occurred at Stonehenge? Where is the Mississippi? When is the moon brightest? Why were the Pyramids built?

5) Acrostics for beautiful things: flower, love, family, child, wife, husband, earth, sea, forest, pictures, stars, Internet, talk, sharing, snow. The stuff of wonderful poetry for hundreds of years!

6) An acrostic poem for actions: play, draw, sleep, jog, walk, want, try, succeed, help. To focus on what you hope to gain or the important characteristics of doing a particular thing an acrostic poem using the requisite verb as basis might be just the trick.

7) Acrostic poems for special times: Christmas, Mothers' Day, Easter, Spring, Autumn, Summer, Winter, five a.m., evening.

8) Acrostic poems for feelings or ways of being: able, cheerful, courageous, confident, determined, delighted, eager, energetic, excited, joyful, playful. An effective form of therapy might be to explore your feelings relating to a particular sphere of emotion. Again the W's might come in handy: What makes you happy? Where are you most excited? When are you filled with joy?

All of these make highly engaging acrostic topics and no doubt you can imagine countless more; one reason acrostics are loved by poets, word fans, crossword hackers, puzzle lovers and students and teachers of all kinds. When you generate an acrostic poem you can make your theme clear, by emphasizing the initial letters which spell out the theme, or you might choose not to, being coy about your acrostic poem or perhaps sewing your hidden word or phrase into the second letter of each line. You may wish to use only one word per line: you might use a complete and beautifully constructed phrase, or even an entire paragraph.

Acrostic poetry can be formal or informal, many people take it very seriously: elements of poetry composition such as the use of iambic pentameters and so forth can be just as easily applied within the structure of an acrostic. Less formally some poets use the form for play and relaxation; many use it to produce personalized and loving messages. In part due to the flexible nature of acrostic poetry it is often chosen by teachers to introduce learners to the joys of writing whilst providing a practical, constraining structure; the skeleton, if you will, which students can flesh-out and create something delightful; or a creative monster! Kids of course, love generating acrostics and often do so with great panache.

Acrostic poetry has been generated for centuries to spell out religious messages and pieces of knowledge useful to know and meditate upon; it is even cited as relating to the origin of symbolizing Jesus Christ with an image of a fish. The reasoning behind this relates to story-telling: some structure to a story helps us to understand, remember, and recall and telling stories is one thing we humans are very talented at and have been for some time!

In sum Acrostics provide an excellent medium to think about and present a topic in a creative way. Acrostics can be applied to abstract concepts or otherwise, they can be usefully generated for names, organizations, positive words, places of interest, beautiful things in general, actions, special times (Christmas acrostics and Mothers' Day acrostics) Spring and Winter and of course to feelings. Acrostics can be used in acrostic puzzles and games and the generation of acrostics is a great creativity enabler and brain expander as well as being a hugely fun educational tool. For the acrostic poem-maker many enjoyable hours await!

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How to Implement Your Marketing Strategies

2012-01-25T03:01:00.001-08:00

Researching the latest and greatest ways to implement effective marketing strategies is usually not the problem when it comes to failed marketing campaigns. The actual implementation itself is generally what holds people up.

Many small business owners take the time to do their research, but then when it comes time to try out a new marketing strategy, all of a sudden there are a million more important things to do. Then they whine when their marketing efforts are working.

Many marketers and small business owners are just scared of the effort and pain associated with trying something new. Of course, you've heard the saying "No pain, no gain," which applies to marketing too.

You can search for kooky marketing ideas that will get your business noticed, but until you actually do one of those ideas, you won't get any results. This may seem like common sense, but it seems as though some marketers think that knowledge is power - knowing how to do something is not the same as executing it.

Jay Levinson, the pioneer of guerrilla marketing, suggests people do three to five things related to marketing per day. Studies show it takes 3 weeks to develop a habit. So if you can incorporate a marketing action into your life for 3 weeks, you'll make it a habit to implement marketing every day, and it won't be so hard to try something new.

How to get started implementing
First, you need to manage your marketing activities. Write down what you want to do and when. Make a chart to keep track of your initiatives. You can also use your marketing plan as a reviewing tool to see how many marketing projects you've implemented. You could also use a checklist to keep track of what you need to do and by when to implement an activity.

For instance, if you plan on mailing out product catalogs every quarter to update your selection, plan on calling the catalog printing company to make sure they'll be ready to print when you are.

Set up an accountability system. This can be part of your chart where you keep track of initiatives. Or you can set up a simple Excel spreadsheet that lists the date, action, cost, personnel used, target completion date, date completed and results.

By managing your activities and being accountable for them, you're well on your way to actually putting the marketing strategies in motion.

It's important to note that the planning isn't actual implementation; it's what happens before implementation. You can't say "Well I wrote down my plan for next month, so I'm already implementing my strategy." That's not how it works! Nice try, though.

Successfully implementing a marketing activity requires:
o Focus - on the task at hand and the end results
o Attention to detail - you need to make sure you do everything that is planned and leave nothing out
o Managing - make sure everyone who has a task is working on that task
o Delegating - do what you know how to do best and outsource the rest

Implementation is key to your success. If you can implement some kind of marketing effort every day, no matter how small, you'll be that much closer than your competitor to getting that new customer.

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For Instant Hemorrhoid Relief Learn the Latest Tips and Tricks

2012-01-24T13:24:00.001-08:00

Hemorrhoids are a common ailment, but many people aren't willing to talk about it. Because the subject is so embarrassing, hemroid sufferers tend to suffer in silence, even though relief is not that difficult to obtain. In almost all hemoroid cases, there's no need to visit a doctor. In fact, you may not even need to purchase medication. A few simple actions you can take at home will provide quick hemorroid relief. Add a few lifestyle changes, and you may never be troubled by hemorrhoids again. Let's take a look at the latest tips and tricks for hemorrhoid relief.

Avoid the pressure. Hemorroids occur when the blood veins around your rectum and anus become swollen and inflamed. The number one reason behind the swelling and inflammation is higher than normal pressure, usually due to constipation and straining during your bowel movement. The trick is to transform your difficult and strenuous bowel movements into soft and easy bowel movements. Fiber and fluids are the best way to accomplish this. Eat more fiber (fruits, vegetables and whole grains) and drink more fluids (water is best). Once you start to ease the pressure of difficult bowel movements, you'll begin to get some hemroid relief. While you're waiting for the fiber and fluids to work their magic, try lubricating your rectum with a small amount of petroleum jelly.

Take warm baths. Warm baths are an excellent way to accomplish hemorrhoid relief. It's best if you can soak in the warm water several times a day. It should provide some immediate relief from the pain and itching, and increased blood flow to the area will accelerate healing.

Don't scratch. The itching of hemoroids can be distracting and even maddening at times. Scratching may provide some quick hemorroid relief, but in the long run it will do more damage and may inflame and irritate your hemorrhoids even more.

Try witch hazel. Without a doubt, the external application of witch hazel is the hemroid relief tip suggested most often by hemorrhoid sufferers. Witch hazel actually helps blood vessels to shrink and contract back to normal size. And here's another tip: try putting the witch hazel on ice before you use it. Getting the witch hazel as cold as possible before applying it seems to multiply the hemoroid relief effect.

Take stoneroot. If you would like to try an herbal remedy for hemorroid relief, you should give stoneroot a try. Among herbal formulations, stoneroot seems to be the most effective. It normally comes in capsule form that you can take once a day (or as directed by an experienced alternative health practitioner).

Be gentle when cleaning. If possible, use toilet paper that has moisturizers or lotions added. Try to avoid any toilet paper with added perfumes or dyes. A really good tip for making your toilet paper more gentle is to dampen it with water before use. That can help soothe the irritation and help keep you clean without risking more inflammation.

Choose creams. Over-the-counter medications may provide some basic hemorrhoid relief, but they won't really have a lasting effect on the cause of your hemroids. Creams are probably better than gels. The only exception may be aloe vera gel, which can provide good hemorroid relief. Don't bother with the suppositories--they treat the wrong area and probably won't help with the itching, burning or pain.

Lose weight. If you're overweight, it could be contributing to your hemoroids. Losing weight and being more active will provide lasting hemorrhoid relief. Reduce your salt intake as much as possible. Having extra salt in your system will cause you to retain fluid. Extra fluid will inevitably lead to bulging veins, which is just the opposite of what you need if you're looking for hemroid relief.

Follow your urges. When you have the urge to use the bathroom, don't delay any more than necessary. Also, don't try to go when you don't have the urge. That will just lead to extra straining and make your hemorroids worse instead of providing hemroid relief.

You can find hemorrhoid relief by following the tips and tricks above. But if you don's see improvement or if the bleeding worsens, don't hesitate to seek a doctor's care.

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Langston Hughes - Salvation

2012-01-24T00:45:00.001-08:00

Langston Hughes creates a past experience into a true to life drama of guilt, deception, and grief, in "Salvation." He reveals the story of how he was forced into receiving Christ by his peers, relatives, and preacher. Helpless and alone, he struggles against overwhelming odds. After a long-winded sermon the children of the congregation are asked to come forward and accept Jesus.

Instead of moving forward, Langston waits for the Lord to come to him. When nothing happens, Langston goes forward anyway just to please his aunt and the church. In the end be is not only grief-stricken, but has Lost all belief in God.

Group pressure forced Langston into doing something that was totally against his good judgment. When Langston's friend Westley went forward the pressure increased twofold. Not only was he exposed to the persuasion of the church, but he realized that if Westley did it, it might be admissible. A similar situation might be Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

When Adam saw that Eve had taken of the fruit and was unharmed, he too ate of the tree of knowledge. Westley certainly hadn't been struck dead, so why not give in to save further trouble? If he didn't get saved everyone would turn against him. In a sense the congregation became his God because they pushed him into going to the platform.

The author gains the respect of the reader by telling the story from his point of view and in his own voice. He tells the story truthfully as accurately as he can remember it.

The highly vivid descriptions of the church, the preacher, and his aunt, help keep the momentum of the story rolling. Langston provides the main character an audience and the reader a bit of human excitement. He recreates the true drama of facing an opposing force without any outside help.

Although Langston Hughes believed in the reality of Jesus, he was deceivingly forced into doing something completely against his will. He fooled everyone by making an insincere decision. His emotions and feelings come out in the end of the story. Langston could hear himself thinking during the ordeal and he knew that he was alone. His final decision was based on what was sufficient for the congregation, not himself.

"Salvation" is an awesome portrayal of what true salvation is all about. It is a heart decision, not just walking down an aisle. It was Keith Green, the Gospel Artist, who once said: "Going to church doesn't make you a Christian, anymore than going to McDonald's makes you a hamburger." Endquote!

It is my sincere desire that those who don't know the Lord who read "Salvation" may understand what it really says in I John 1:9: If we confess with our mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead, we shall be saved."

Notice, confession is from belief in the heart, not out of peer pressure or submission to what everyone else wants you to do. I sincerely believe "Salvation" by Langston Hughes makes those who have merely walked down an aisle, not because they wanted to find Jesus, think twice.

When one truly finds Christ, it'll be from the heart, not from anything else.

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Choosing Colors For Your Restaurant

2012-01-23T03:11:00.001-08:00

Every restaurant needs a color scheme. Colors must be chosen for your walls, decor, tables, linens, the exterior, signage, logo, basically everything, but what colors are best? How do you choose? Let's take a look at some choices:

Red - Red is a color that is bold, noticeable and gives a sense of urgency. However, it can also be a color that symbolizes anger but also love. Red is a good color for many ethnic restaurants, since red is a dominant color in so many country's flags.

Green - Green is a color that may signify good luck, nature and money. Green can also symbolize jealousy. Green is usually a good choice for an accent color.

Blue - Blue symbolizes peace, calm and serenity. Blue can also make a person feel cool, cold or disconnected. Blue is a nice color for a restaurant that is laid back.

Yellow - Yellow is a color that can signify happiness, joy and summer. Yellow can also symbolize cheapness or stinginess. Yellow is usually good as an accent color or as a background color.

Orange - Orange can mean excitement and enthusiasm. Like yellow, orange is usually a good accent color.

Purple - Purple symbolizes passion and creativity. However, purple also means death in some countries and in some religions. Purple is usually used as an accent color.

White - White symbolizes cleanliness, clarity and purity. White is always a good choice for table linens and textiles. White is also a great color to make your guests feel like there is more space in your restaurant.

Black - Black can signify excitement, class, boldness and be futuristic. Black can also signify sadness, evil and anger. Black is perfect for an accent color or as a compliment to a lighter color.

These are the basic colors that you will work from to create different shades and mixtures of colors for your restaurant.
Pastels and lighter and darker versions of these colors will allow you to put together the perfect color scheme for your particular restaurant and allow you to attract more customers. If you notice the colors of many fast food restaurants, including McDonald's and Burger King, you'll see they all choose from the same color scheme, which consists of browns, reds, oranges and blacks. These companies have poured money into researching the effects of color on diners, and have found these colors to be the most conducive to buying and eating food. A higher class restaurant may want to take this into consideration and use these colors as accents to your chosen color scheme.

Whatever colors you choose, they should compliment your setting, theme and most of all, your menu and food.

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7 Step By Step Golf Swing Tips - Hitting Iron Shots

2012-01-21T21:18:00.001-08:00

Here's 7 simple way to improve your golf swing with the iron -

1. Whether you are using a driver or an iron, make sure your setup posture is absolutely correct!

Feet shoulder width apart with a 5 iron - the front foot flared out towards the target about 20 degrees, and the back foot is "square". The Upper half of the body should be bent over enough to let your arms hang naturally down from your shoulders.

With your setup the key is to get into a stable and relaxed position.

2. Bend your knees at a slight decrease, where it will give you some flexibility.

3. At stance position, your elbows and arms should be as close together as possible - right elbow pointing directly at the right hip, and the left elbow pointing at the left hip.

4. Ball position - Play your short irons with the ball positioned in the center, middle irons an inch forward and the long irons another inch forward. Ball positioning can make a big difference to your golf impact.

5. At the top of proper back-swing, your left heel should lift slightly off the ground (for a right hander) - unless you are very flexible, in which a full turn is without this. At the top of the back-swing, your left arm should be fairly straight.

6. From the top, start down by pushing off your right foot - with your weight left, turn your hips through, making way for your arms to swing through impact.

7. Good iron contact comes from a descending strike. To hit down on the ball, your weight has to be moving forward to the target.

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Sympathy Messages

2012-01-17T04:52:00.001-08:00

The loss of a loved one. It is often difficult to find the right words to express your sympathy to someone during this time of sorrow. A floral tribute and supportive message can offer much support to those grieving such a loss. Here we list some suggestions, perhaps to inspire you as you offer your condolences with your floral tribute.

~Our deepest condolences

~With Sympathy

~Our thoughts are with you and your family.

~In Loving Memory

~You are in our thoughts and prayers.

~Fondest remembrances

~Thinking of you and offering you hope and comfort.

~May you find peace and love in the memories you cherish.

In the weeks after...

After the initial outpouring of support, even weeks after the service, encouraging words can provide continued comfort. Consider sending a floral arrangement, a green or blooming plant, or even a gourmet or fruit basket to the family's home with a supportive message. Here are a few suggestions for you;

~Just wanted you to know you are in my thoughts

~I have been thinking of you

~Hope this brings sunshine to your day

~Let's get together soon for lunch, give me a call.

~Just as you have been for us, we are always here for you.

Overall, an uplifting and sensitive message is most comforting. Avoid words like "sad" or "I know how you feel". Messages offering your heartfelt support and friendship with your floral tribute will be appreciated. Your local florist can offer further suggestions about sending a floral tribute.

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A Psychological Profile Of Janis Joplin

2012-01-16T10:30:00.001-08:00

"The greater the feeling of inferiority that has been experienced, the more powerful is the urge to conquest and the more violent the emotional agitation." ---Alfred Adler

Biographical Overview

Janice Joplin was born January 19, 1943 in Port Arthur Texas to Seth and Dorothy Joplin. Janice was the first born child in a family that would eventually include a sister Laura, who was born 6 years later, and a brother Michael, who was born 10 years later. Janice's early family life was relatively normal, and as a child she was exceptionally curious and bright. Janice often made up stories as a child and began writing plays while in the first grade, and even at a very young age her creative talent seemed to be developing.

One early story recounted in Myra Friedman's (1973) book on Janis, recounts how Seth would take the Janis and eventually her siblings down to the post office to look at the pictures of the wanted men as a form of entertainment. Given Janis's later utter and total disregard for the law and conventionality in her life, one wonders if Janis didn't develop some kind of sympathy for the "outlaw" from these early experiences, as she certainly began to view herself as existing outside of the bounds of normal society.

In Janis's words, "The whole world turned on me" when she entered High School, and these years seemed to have an especially profound influence on Janis as well as her later work. Port Arthur was in many ways a rough and even violent city, and as a port town had a number of bars and houses of prostitution to service the men who came to work there. Janis witnessed extreme racism while growing up in Port Arthur, and her tolerance and acceptance of people from other races quickly earned her the nickname "nigger lover" which was one of many that she would eventually acquire in Port Arthur. During this period Janis also gained weight and developed bad skin, and she was often also called a "pig" by the other children in the school.

Following High School Janice enrolled at Lamar State College which she found was much like her High School in Port Arthur, as she again experienced a great deal of rejection here and eventually dropped out. With her parent's blessing, Janis moved to Los Angeles to live with one of her aunts. Janis eventually moved out of her aunt's home into a place of her own in Venice Beach and it was during this trip that she began to seriously use drugs including heroin. Having nearly died during her experiences in Venice Beach, Janice again returned to Port Arthur, and eventually decided to return to school, this time at the University of Texas in Austin.

It was during this period of her life where Janis began performing seriously as a musician. She had discovered the blues through listening to records by Odetta and Bessie Smith, and Janis showed an amazing ability to imitate these singers, which was a lifelong talent she had developed even as a young girl. Janis would often play in coffeehouses and other campus spots around Austin, and it was during these formative years where she was able to put together her blues, folk, and rock influences into her own integrated and unique sound. Janis's favorite place to play was the legendary Threadgill's where she became close friends with owner Ken Threadgill who was a very positive force in Janis's life.

Although Austin included many more anti-establishment types than Port Arthur, Janis was still ridiculed and mocked at the University of Texas, and her sense of inferiority as a result of this reached its pinnacle when she was nominated for the "Ugliest Man on Campus" award while attending school in Austin. This was the final blow to Janis in Texas, and shortly after this even she packed her bags and moved to San Francisco to pursue a career as a singer.

Janis moved to Haight Ashbury in 1966 which at the time was the epicenter of the 1960's. Bands such as the Grateful Dead and the Jefferson Airplane were also coming up at this time, and the music and freedom made the Haight in the 1960's for many a magical time and place to be. Janis found an incredible sense of belonging with Big Brother during this time, and their early work as a band represented the raw energy and improvisational nature of rock and Roll that people were beginning to take notice of.

Janice soon began to outshine Big Brother however, and although they were a highly energetic live band, their improvisational style did not translate well in recording sessions. Janice on the other hand took a great interest in the recording sessions, and was committed to recording an album that demonstrated Big Brother's and more importantly her own unique style. With Albert's encouragement, Janice eventually left Big Brother, and this act was seen by many in the band, as well as many of Janice's personal friends, as an act of selfish betrayal.

Janice next formed the Kosmic Blues Band, which she spelled with a K in honor of Franz Kafka, who was one of the many novelists that Janice loved to read. The band was supposed to mark a return to Janice's blues roots, but her first gig in Memphis, a city rich in the blues tradition, was a disaster as the new band received a very lukewarm response from the Memphis crowd. During her time with Kosmic Blues, Janice, already a regular heavy drug user became more enamored of Heroin. Janice's Heroin use continued to increase throughout her time with the Kosmic Blues band, and by the time it came to play at Woodstock in the summer of 1969 she was most likely addicted to the drug. In one particularly disgusting story, Janice's friend and lover Peggy Caserta (who would later go on to write "Going down with Janis" recounts how Janis snuck into the portable toilets to shoot Heroin prior to her performance at Woodstock. In any case Janice's performance at Woodstock was not thought to be one of her best, and it was at this juncture of her career where her Heroin abuse and continued heavy drinking seemed to adversely begin affecting her music.

Realizing that the Kosmic Blues band was not working, Janice also left this band, and in the last year of her life formed her final band that was known as Full Tilt Boogie. It was also during this period that Janice formed a friendship with Kris Kristopherson who would eventually become her lover, and who also wrote Janis's seminal hit Me and Bobby McGee which is the song she is most known for today. During this last phase of her life, Janice began referring to herself as "Pearl" which to her represented the tough- talking highly sexed festive side of her nature.

One significant event that occurred at the end of her life was Janice's ten year High-School reunion. Janis announced her plans to attend the reunion on the Dick Cavett show while also telling the host Dick Cavett that during her time at Port Arthur that her classmates "laughed me out of class, out of town and out of the state, man". Janis wanted to return to Port Arthur to show those that had picked on her and ostracized her that she had made it after all, while also still craving acceptance from the town that she thought her fame would bring her. Janis was drunk most of the time during the reunion, and because she had made several negative remarks about the town in the national press, her visit did not achieve what she had hoped, and once again she left Port Arthur feeling rejected and unloved.

Upon returning to San Francisco Janice's Heroin usage had increased significantly, and it was also during this time that she met and quickly became engaged to a man named Seth Morgan who was from a wealthy east coast family. By all accounts Seth was a dishonorable man, and his stormy relationship with Janis did not appear to be based on any kind of fidelity from either party. During Janis's last months in San Francisco she also reconnected with Peggy Caserta whose appetite for Heroin nearly matched Janis's. Peggy and many others of Janice's friends continued to use Heroin with her in her last month, but Janice was using the drug alone in a seedy hotel when she eventually died from an overdose on October 4th 1970.

Janis's death deeply saddened her friends as well as her fans, but many, including Janice herself, did not expect her to live a particularly long life. Her rampant alcohol and Heroin use had set her on a collision course with death that seemed inevitable, and with this in mind, many people considered the idea that Janice Joplin's death was not in fact an accident but rather a suicide. While a coroner's report showed that the Heroin Janice had used that night was especially pure, one can certainly speculate that Janis Joplin contributed greatly to her own demise. Despite the fact her death was eventually ruled an accident, it is clear that Janis Joplin's sad and unhappy life ended as a direct result of her own actions.

Analysis

Gender Role Preparation perceived through Gender Guiding Lines and Role Models

One of the ways a child makes his or her way in the world begins with an acceptance or a rejection of their gender guiding lines. In this regard, Janis Joplin's relationship with her mother becomes fascinating to analyze, as Janice and her mother's interactions were often characterized by a battle of wills and a great deal of turbulence. Janis's mother, who was a Sunday school teacher, expected Janis to conform to the rules, wear dresses like the other little girls, while also making the family proud with her accomplishments. In this regard Mrs. Joplin had high expectations for her daughter concerning both conformity and accomplishment, and this seemed to send a mixed message to Janis that affected her future ambitions and desires.

Despite Janis's rejection of the maternal guiding line, she did identify strongly with her father who was an intellectual man who enjoyed reading and was much more accepting and permissive of Janis than her mother. Janis seems to have strongly identified with her father instead of her mother, and this speaks directly to her eventual embrace of many more traditionally masculine qualities in her life.

Janis eventually almost totally and completely rejected her mother's wishes that she be like the other girls, and therefore rejected the female guiding line in the family which also seemed to have an effect on her sexuality. Although Janis talked a few times of achieving married life with a "white picket fence" she found belonging by wearing pants and acting like one of the boys, and for Janis this included sleeping with by her own account "a couple of hundred" women throughout her life, including one in her High School years.

Much has been made of Janis's sexuality, and one feminist writer attributed Janis's drug use and lifelong pain as resulting from being unable to fully come out and experience life as her lesbian self. In essence she made Janis a martyr for lesbian causes, and this idea is provocative and interesting to consider with regard to Janis. It certainly must have been difficult for Janis to reject the feminine guiding line in the family without it having some affect on her sexuality, and therefore it seems highly plausible that Janis may have been predominantly attracted to other women. On the other hand Janis did also sleep with a great many more men than women in her life, but her inability to sustain lasting relationships with these men may speak directly to Janis's confused and even tormented sexual feelings. Although she often bragged about her conquests with men, one could see this as a dramatic overcompensation for her lesbian feelings, as well as a compensation for her rejection by the boys of Port Arthur when she was young. As a star Janice spoke often about her increased access to "pretty young boys" and one wonders if her often false bravado when speaking about men may have simply been attempts to deal with feelings of childhood rejection and inferiority.

When children reject their parental guiding lines, they may often turn to role models to guide them. In Janis's case because such a role model was not available in Port Arthur, she found this guidance through emulating and studying the music of Bessie Smith, who had died several years before Janis was born. Bessie Smith was and is one of the most influential Blues singers in American history and Janis felt a kinship with the blues where she was drawn not just to the music but also to the sadness and pathos that produced the music. Janis remarked often throughout her career that singing the blues required suffering, and Janis used this belief to justify and rationalize her Heroin abuse.

Janice did draw strength from visualizing the blues singers that had come before her however, and the anguish and pain in her voice while she was singing appeared to be a true representation of Janis's often tortured life. Much like the Blues singers she was emulating, Janis did use music to make sense of painful feelings, and the power and influence of Blues singers like Bessie Smith provided for Janis a roadmap of how to process these feelings. Bessie Smith was in fact such a powerful influence on her, that Janis contributed half the money for Bessie Smith's memorial so she could be properly honored and remembered.

Interpersonal Style perceived through Experience of Family Atmosphere

One thing that Janice seems to have inherited from her mother was a sense of frugality which Dorothy had developed from her experiences seeing her family farm lost to the depression. Janice was not particularly generous with money over the course of her career, and despite her blatant disregard for the rules, friends who went through Janice's possessions (Friedman 1973) following her death found several "meticulously organized checkbooks, all balanced to the penny." Janice also always scoured for the cheapest item when she was grocery shopping, and would spend extra time comparing differences in price on items although money was really no object in this instance. Considering Janice's otherwise highly disruptive life, this seems almost miraculous, and certainly speaks to the fact that Janice respected at least some of her family's established values.

Another instance where Janice seems to have rejected her mother's guidance was in the area of spirituality, where Dorothy who was a Sunday school teacher, tried to instill in her children ideas consistent with conventional morality. Janice wildly rejected this idea, and adopted an extremely hedonistic attitude where if something felt good to her she was quick to do it. Janice often expressed this philosophy of the immediate throughout her life, and this ran directly opposed to the family's religious convictions that there was a life after this one where we received our final rewards.

The family's experiences with music are also important to consider with regard to Janis's interpersonal style. At one time Dorothy was such a talented singer that she received a full scholarship for her musical abilities to Texas Christian University. Dorothy continued to sing in the church choir when Janis was little, and the family had a piano to celebrate Dorothy's love of music. When Janis was young Dorothy had one of her vocal cords severed in an accident during a surgery, and Dorothy could no longer sing as a result of this experience. Seth then sold the piano and this seemed to convey an unusual message to Janis about music, and may have a relationship to Janis's fear, repeated often throughout her career, that she would loose her voice and therefore her career.

Janice's eventual embrace of music could be interpreted a couple of different ways. First, that she carried on the family torch passed down from Dorothy, or second, that she took to music because it was something her mother could no longer do. Considering how stormy the relationship was between Janis and her mother, and the fact that Seth sold the piano because it was too painful to have around for Dorothy, it seems possible to speculate that Janis's music was in some ways a reaction against her mother. The kind of music Janis did go on to produce was certainly far different than the music Dorothy studied in school and perhaps Janice's embrace of music could be interpreted as both an ode to, as well as a reaction against, Dorothy's love of music.

Perspective on the World perceived through Experience of Psychological Birth Order

Janis was the first born child in a family of three, and this also influenced her perspective on the world. First born children are often the responsible and conservative children in the family, and can become in many ways like second parents to the other children. In Janis's first 6 years of life she behaved much like you would expect an oldest child to behave, as her mother reports she learned to sit and cut her food and eat and talk like an adult at a very early age with amused and surprised Dorothy. Janice was also very well-behaved and had excellent manners, and her mother reports that her behavior was nearly beyond correction in these early years.

Things changed when Laura was born when Janice was six, as not only was Janis now dethroned as the only child, but Laura had health complications which took up even more of her mother's attention. Interestingly Janis did not at this time become a jealous and overbearing sibling, but instead became very attentive to Laura and cared for as a kind of surrogate parent.

A fascinating switch in the psychological birth order perspective did happen later however, when Janis began to get jealous that Laura appeared to do things that met her mother's high expectations whereas Janis consistently let her down. Children often find belonging in families by engaging in behaviors that are different than their siblings. In the case of the Joplin's this happened much later when Janis was in High School, where Janis was now finding belonging as the misbehaving child where Laura assumed the role of the responsible one. Normally this dynamic is exactly reversed, but in the Joplin's case Laura now assumed the vantage point of the first born child and Janis as the reckless and wild second born.

This pattern continued throughout the rest of their lives, as during her periods of conservative behavior Janis would often ask for Laura's assistance picking out the proper clothes and seek her advice on style and other matters. Although Laura was six years younger, she seemed to eventually surpass Janis emotionally as well, and her story is very much intertwined with Janis's even today. Laura eventually earned a PHD in education and became a motivational speaker. She also wrote a book called Love, Janis which provided letters Janis had written home to the family throughout her career, and this book, which was later made into a Broadway production, helped a lot of people reach a greater understanding of Janis Joplin's inner world.

Self Assessment perceived through Genetic Possibilities

It is impossible to talk about Janis Joplin without talking about her physical appearance, as this was at the root of a great deal of Janis's inferiority and perhaps even a partial explanation for her extreme talent. Although Janis was by all accounts an average looking girl growing up, she went through a particularly awkward stage in High School where she gained weight and also developed skin problems. In Texas in the 1950's this must have been particularly difficult, as beauty was certainly a cherished value for women in this time and place, and a person's self-worth could easily become tied to their appearance which seems to have happened to Janice. Rather than attempt to play a game she felt she could not succeed at, Janice instead chose to respond in the exact opposite manner, and she made her personal appearance a very low priority.

This is classic safeguarding behavior where a person creates a sense of rejection themselves before others have a chance to reject them. In Janis's case she would put on a brave front when others would call her a "pig" in High School, but then go home and cry about this rejection. It must have particularly painful for Janis to be nominated for "Ugliest Man on Campus" while at the University of Texas, as this was a place where she had finally found some belonging and had experienced some success as a singer.

Being constantly rejected for her appearance, Janis only felt beautiful in her life when she was performing. It was on the stage where her wild sexuality and charisma finally shined, and this for Janis meant the stage became the only place where she every truly felt accepted. Janice spent the rest of her life following High School chasing the "pretty boys" and this seems to be overcompensation for the rejection she felt from the popular boys both in High School as well as at the University of Texas. She made much of her one night stand with New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath, even announcing their affair over the microphone while doing a New York concert, and also bragged about sleeping with Jim Morrison, Dick Cavett, and many other men which may have been simply further attempts to prove that she was indeed wanted by the "popular" crowd.

This certainly seemed to be a large part of her motivation to return to her High School reunion where she hoped to show those that had rejected her how she had made it. When Janis was again rejected at her High School reunion it seemed to bring all of her intense feelings of inferiority back to the surface, and have at least some relationship to her final and fatal Heroin binge.

It is also interesting to consider Janis's engagement to Seth Morgan with regard to the timing of her reunion. Seth, whose east coast pedigree led Janis to believe that he was in fact one of the "popular" boys she had always sought after had also assured Janis he did not want any of her money, and even signed an agreement that assured this. For Janis this may have been a last grasp at fitting in and dealing with the feelings of inferiority her reunion stirred up, and a final attempt at finding the belonging that she so desperately craved.

Openings for Advancement Perceived through Environmental Opportunities

It is impossible to attempt an understanding of Janis Joplin without also understanding the times she came of age in. The 1960's was a period of great revolution and change, and provided the perfect backdrop for Janis to unharness her raw energy and power through her music. Prior to the 60's women had no such opportunity, and the classic model of the Rosemary Clooney type lounge singer was a paradigm that Janis helped change and recreate for many future generations. The fact that Janis came along concurrently at the height of the woman's movement was also significant, as she became for many a symbol for women's sexual freedom and experimentation that had previously been taboo. Had Janis come along in another era, her brazen sexuality would not have been well received, and Janis was a direct benefactor of as well as a contributor to, the women's movement.

Range of Social Interest perceived through Other Particularities

In Adlerian psychology, a person's mental health can be measured by examining a person's social interest in other human beings. In Janis Joplin's case her early inferiority produced such violent insecurity that she had a very difficult time getting close to others and maintaining intimacy in her personal relationships. Although Janis was often taken advantage of by others in her life, she relished in thinking of herself as a victim as it confirmed her existing feelings about herself.

For Janis the circumstances of her life must have contributed greatly to her confusion about other people's motives concerning their feelings for her. Before she was famous she was mocked and ridiculed by nearly everyone she came into contact with, excepting a few select friends she made along the way. She felt inferior in her home life and that she wasn't living up to her mother's expectations as to what a woman should be. Then when she became famous suddenly the whole world took an intense interest in her, and it is easy to see why she would doubt the motivations behind this interest given her prior experiences.

No where was this more evident than at Janis's reunion where she wanted to show the people who had mocked her how important she had become, while also badly seeking their acceptance. For Janis the Thomas Wolfe axiom that "You can't go home again" seemed especially appropriate, and all of these conflicting cognitions and emotions must have created a great deal of psychic turmoil in Janis which she numbed by using Heroin.

In this regard, Janis remarked to Myra Friedman (1973) that "her only true friends were the junkies she used to hang out with" and this is a telling statement that speaks directly to the fact that drug addicts often gravitate to each other in a kind of shared misery. The fact that Janis made this remark seems to confirm her low opinion of herself, and how this low opinion affected her interactions with others. Because Janis was so in need of love from others, she surrounded herself with sycophants who would often tell her whatever she wanted to hear, which was a fact Janis was well aware of.

Although many singers from this era including Janis's one time lover Country Joe McDonald became very involved in political causes in the 60's, Janice's message seemed to be more about freedom through breaking off the shackles that society imposed. Perhaps because the 60's were such a time of freedom, many serious addictions such as Janis's were overlooked under the guise of free living. The dream of Timothy Leary and others like him that drugs could be a mind expanding tool has not been realized, and many such as Janis developed severe and pathological addictions as a result of this idea. This was the paradox of the pairing of drugs and freedom, as, although the drugs were meant to free a person's mind, they often made them virtual slaves to their addictions as was the case in Janis Joplin's life.

Conclusion

Janis Joplin's life was clearly very sad, and demonstrates the pathology and sadness that exists in someone who, despite achieving considerable wealth and fame, never learns to overcome feelings of inferiority towards the self. Alfred Adler's quote "The greater the feeling of inferiority that has been experienced, the more powerful is the urge to conquest and the more violent the emotional agitation" seems especially relevant to Janis's life. In many ways Janis positively channeled and compensated for her feelings of inferiority through her work on the stage, but when the music was over Janis was always left with the same uncomfortable feelings. Several of the books on Janis's life describe how despondent she would be following a performance, and this may be because the stage was the only place she truly found the love and acceptance she so desperately craved.

Many factors contributed to Janis's inferiority, and the stars all aligned in a very unique way to create the life that was Janis Joplin's. Her early and continued rejection by the other children, particularly in High School created a lifetime of negative feelings about her physical appearance, and these feelings were probably exacerbated through her interactions with her mother who wanted her to be more like the other children. Because Janis was not like the other girls, she assumed many masculine traits, and somewhere along the way her feelings about sexuality became very confused. Although there is significant evidence to demonstrate a genetic link to homosexuality, there are also almost certainly environmental factors which can contribute to this, and Janis Joplin's life seemed to be an excellent example.

Despite Janis's sexually ambivalent feelings, she many times remarked about a mythical "white picket fence" kind of life that she longed for that would bring her some consistency and stability. But Janice was also terrified of giving up her stardom, as this was also the only thing she had to cling to that gave her a sense of accomplishment in life. She had created the "Pearl" image and now she had to consistently live up to it, and this required a pace that no one could possibly maintain.

Janice was also a product of her times, as more than any other decade before or since, the 1960's were a time of great change, paradigm shifts, and revolution, and Janis helped define these times while also being swept away by them. The music of the 60's reflected a large break in society where kids were expected to "never trust anyone over 30" that never quite considered what happened when they reached 30. For Janis, her reckless lifestyle, intense feelings of self-loathing, and raging feelings of inferiority eventually overwhelmed her, and her death at the age of 27 was truly tragic considering the further contributions she may have gone on to make.

The Food Revolution

Franchises -- Advantages and Disadvantages

2012-01-15T05:13:00.001-08:00

Want to own your own business? Don't want to start from scratch?

Franchises are a way to get into business quickly, with a brand name, proven methods of operation and a support structure. Franchises are everywhere. Familiar names include Dunkin' Donuts, Curves, Mail Boxes Etc. and McDonalds, to name a few.

"Buying" a franchise is legally complicated. As a franchisee, you pay money for the right to use the franchisor's Trademarks, systems and methods. Many franchises are legitimate and successful. Unfortunately, there has been a history of problems with franchises. As a result, franchising is heavily regulated at both the state and federal levels.

The legally required franchise documents are intended to provide full disclosure to the prospective purchaser. In reality, the franchise documents are voluminous, full of legalese, extremely one-sided in favor of the franchisor, and packed with restrictions and fees.

Advantages of buying a franchise include:

- Quick startup

- Help with site selection

- Brand name and recognition in the marketplace

- Training and support

- Customized accounting system

- Exclusive territory

- Marketing assistance

- Access to markets and suppliers

Disadvantages of buying a franchise include:

- Up-front fees (substantial initial investment required)

- Ongoing fees (usually royalty payment is a percentage of revenues)

- Fees for marketing and related services

- Restrictions on activities (you can only offer approved franchise products and services)

- Monitoring (the franchisor monitors your books, bank accounts and operations)

- Termination criteria

- Renewal requirements and fees

- Restrictions on transfer

A franchise is a major investment.

It's important to carefully investigate the opportunity. A common misconception is that franchises are really "turnkey" operations. Purchasers think that they just "buy" the franchise and it runs itself. This is incorrect. It's important to clearly understand what you are buying, how hard you will have to work and what income is realistic.

Here are some tips to evaluate a franchise opportunity:

1. Check to see if there are lawsuits against the franchisor.
Litigation is required to be disclosed in the franchise documents.

This will give you important information about what's gone wrong for others.

2. Talk to/visit existing franchise owners.

There should be a list of existing franchise owners in the franchise documents.

You can stop by and visit as a customer, and observe their operations.

You can also call up and ask questions, such as:

- Are you satisfied?

- Did you receive the support promised?

- Were there any surprises?

- Have there been any problems?

- How were the problems resolved?

- Are you making the money you expected?

- Can I visit and observe your operations?

3. What are the fees?

Franchise terms vary. It's important to understand the fees.

Make a list of fees:

- What's included with the initial franchise fee?

- What's the royalty? Is it a percent of "gross" or "net" sales?

- Is the royalty a fixed percentage or does it decline over time?

- Are there service fees? Training fees? Marketing fees? Advertising fees?

4. What's your territory?

Draw a map with clear boundaries:

- What is your defined geographic territory?

- How close can another franchise like yours be located relative to your location?

5. What's your competitive advantage?

- What sets this franchise apart?

- Does the franchise include key technology or methods?

- Can it be easily copied?

6. What are the restrictions?

- Are you limited as to what you can sell?

- Are you required to buy from specific suppliers?

- What are the reasons for termination?

- What is the scope/term of the non-compete?

- What are the requirements for renewal?

- Can you transfer ownership?

In conclusion, buying a franchise may or may not be a good choice for you. Before signing a franchise agreement, check it out carefully and make sure you understand what the documents say. The advice of a business attorney knowledgeable about franchises can help you understand the legalese and make an informed decision.

Food Recipes DVD Caramel Recipe Books Cooking Network Foods

Factors Affecting the Target Market Segment

2012-01-14T15:53:00.001-08:00

Regardless of how segmentation is incorporated into marketing activities, experienced marketer usually execute segmentation to enable him provide higher values to his potential customers. He will be able to know which specific customers he is serving and will be able to address their needs and concerns.

After segmentation, what the marketer needs to do next is targeting his efforts and focuses on the identified market segments. He will create a marketing campaign that will fulfill the needs as well as the market condition of his targeted market group.

Target market segment are affected by two salient factors:
1. How suitable the segment is to the product manufacturer objectives, resources as well as capabilities and
2. How attractive the target market segment is.

In determining the suitability of the segment to the manufacturer, the marketer needs

- to ensure that the product manufacturer will be able to provide superior values than competitors to the customers.

- To evaluate the impact of serving the segment with respect to the manufacturer reputation and dignity.

- To access the distribution channels that will serve the targeted market sections.

- To determine the capital buoyancy of the manufacturer to serve the market group.

And in determining the attractiveness of the target market section, the marketer will have to evaluate

- the percentage number of the customers with respect to the broad market (size of the segments) that will be served.

- Sales potential for the product manufacturer in the segment.

- Profit margin expected from the segment.

- Growth rate and competition in the segment.

- Required market share to break even

- Attainable market share when promotional budgets and expenditures of the competitors are provided.

- Loyalty of the existing customers in the segment.

An experienced marketer would know that satisfying the broad market is tasking and not profitable at all. In fact it will be less stressful and more profitable if just a smaller market segment where there is little or no competition is concentrated on. This also gives the manufacturer the opportunity to develop their products to have a greater advantage over competitors.

The Food Revolution Food Recipes DVD

Cam Gigandet Workout and Diet - Never Back Down Workout

2012-01-14T01:45:00.001-08:00

Cam Gigandet workout and diet program for the film "Never Back down" got him into incredible -- muscular and lean -- conditioning. Read this article and discover the "Secrets" of how he got his phenomenal body.

As movies go... "Never Back down" is not exactly an Oscar-winning film however, the conditioning that the villain in the film had (Ryan McDonald) was award-winning.

The type of physique he displayed is the body... that women really love. Six pack abs, lean yet muscular -- it's a very similar look to what Brad Pitt served up in the movie "Fight Club."

Secrets of the Never Back down Workout

In order to develop that lean muscular look that Cam Gigandet had here's what you need to do:

Cam Gigandet Workout Routine Schedule

Monday - Chest

Tuesday - Back

Wednesday - Shoulders

Thursday - Biceps & Triceps

Friday - Treadmill 45 minutes

Sat/Sun - OFF

That is what his workout schedule looked like.

The goal of this workout was to get Cam as ripped as possible. While the above schedule only reflects one 45 minute cardio workout, for most guys if your body fat is not already in the single digits you will need to do cardio 5 to 6 days per week. Use a high-intensity interval training protocol to get the maximum fat burning effect.

The Cam Gigandet Diet

His nutrition program was a typical bodybuilder's diet. High protein and low in carbohydrates. If you're looking to get lean and ripped you will need to increase your protein intake to approximately 1 to 1 1/2 g per pound of bodyweight and you will need to restrict your carbohydrates. That means no carbs after 6 PM and you will need to eat clean.

Here are some good food choices:

Skinless chicken breasts

Salmon, Tuna, Trout (these are all high in omega-3's which is a good fat.)

Baked potatoes, Brown Rice, Yams, oatmeal etc. should make up the bulk of you're carbohydrate foods

Most individuals don't have a lot of time to workout. Exercise routines like this Cam Gigandet Workout are usually very intensive. The actors don't have a lot of time to get in shape and therefore they train -- many times for 2 to 3 hours (including cardio.)

However, you can get a great workout in the comfort and convenience of your home using resistance bands, dumbbells, or Isotonic/ isometric exercise equipment. Don't use the excuse that you don't have time stop you from having that lean, muscular, six pack abs showing body that you want.

Caramel Recipe Books Meat Recipes Books

Dallas Cowboys Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductees

2012-01-12T09:34:00.001-08:00

The Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League have a proud and successful history. Known as "America's Team", they are a favorite among football enthusiasts in the State of Texas, North America and globally, as well. The team is also very well known for its cheerleaders, the world famous Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. Through the years the Dallas Cowboys organization has produced a number of talented players who have become legends of the game and have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Dallas Cowboys have had a great deal of success on the field since becoming an NFL franchise in 1960. Indeed, the Dallas Cowboys are one of the most successful teams in the history of the National Football League and hold numerous league records, thanks to their many great players, coaches and club officials. Additionally, they have been crowned Super Bowl Champions five times.

To date the Dallas Cowboys franchise has sixteen players inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame with ten of the inductees having played the majority of their career, if not all, with the Cowboys. The current Dallas Cowboys inductees are: Herb Adderley, Troy Aikman, Lance Alworth, Mike Ditka, Tony Dorsett, Forrest Gregg, Michael Irvin, Tom Landry, Bob Lilly, Tommy McDonald, Mel Renfro, Tex Schramm, Jackie Smith, Roger Staubach, Randy White, Rayfield White.

As can be imagined, only the best of the best make it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame after close scrutiny and careful consideration. The procedure for choosing inductees is meticulous and well defined. Currently the Pro Football Hall of Fame has a 40 member Board of Selectors that consists of one media representative from each pro football city, one representative of the Pro Football Writer's of America (PFWA) and seven at-large delegates. All appointments to the board can be terminated only by retirement or resignation insomuch as the member attends meetings regularly. The one exception is the PFWA representative who is appointed for a two-year term.

During the time of the Super Bowl the board meets to elect new members. They can choose between three and six inductees. Each candidate and his credentials are carefully reviewed and scrutinized. An eighty percent approval rate by the board must be reached before the candidate can be elected. A scale of negative votes is used to eliminate candidates.

When the board meets to make their selection they will receive the biographies of 17 final candidates. Of those 17 candidates two candidates will be from the pre-1982 era (chosen by the Senior Committee which is made up of members from the overall committee), ensuring that older players will be considered along with the younger players. The 15 other finalists are those that have survived a preliminary mail ballot screening by the Board.

There is fan involvement, too, as the original list of candidates will have been partly supplied by the fans. Fans can nominate any qualified person connected with pro football in any capacity by writing to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. One of the qualifiers is that a player must have played at least five seasons to be eligible for consideration. For a non-player, there is no mandatory retirement period, but a coach must be retired before he may be considered. Every nomination received by a fan is forwarded to the Board of Selectors.

Being enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame is no easy feat. With their successful past and promising future, there is no doubt that the Dallas Cowboys franchise will see many more inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Caramel Recipe Books Steak Books

Elevator Speech Examples - The FIVE MOST Common Mistakes

2012-01-05T13:49:00.001-08:00

As a small business you need an elevator speech. Whether you actually call it an "elevator speech" a "30 second introduction" or an "infomercial" is irrelevant. When you are asked "what do you do?" then your answer is your elevator speech whether you like it or not.

This needs some thought and practice to avoid these most common mistakes. Beware! Succinctly getting your message over in a way that grabs attention is not always as easy as "just telling others what you do".

Mistake 1 - Talking about yourself

Eh? How are you going to tell people about what you do without talking about yourself? This is THE MOST common mistake as a result. It sounds like a list of what you do. For example "We do this..." or "I am an internet guru" or "I am a professional with this, that and the other service"

The downside to this is twofold. Firstly, people don't really care about all your services, accolades and self-appointed titles. They are trying to decide quickly if you are someone who may be able to help them, or are worth chatting to further as a networking partner.

Secondly - it is so common that your message will sound very similar to other people in the same niche. When that happens it is hard to grab attention.

The solution is to change your mindset and put yourself in the shoes of your ideal client and think about the CHALLENGES they face and how you solve them. Use that as the lead into your elevator speech. In other words: "I work with (this type of client) struggling with (this type of problem).

Mistake 2 - Expecting others to "get" you

The most common example of this is assuming people will understand AND be interested when you label yourself or your company - "We are tax attorneys" and leaving at that. Here's the thing: people often either don't get what you do (perhaps they have never heard of it) or they assume they know what you do and it is different from the reality.

In either case it would be nice to think your listener would stop you and ask you to elaborate. They won't. They will be confused, embarrassed they don't understand or disinterested and move on.

Avoid labelling yourself - stick to the formula above and talk to THEIR challenges.

Mistake 3 - Irrelevant information

You must have heard how this sounds: "We have been in business 75 years and are based on main and 35th street, just opposite from the big new McDonald's that has opened there........"

This is a variation on talking about yourself but is specific and common enough to warrant it's own category. Again, unless this is of specific importance and relevance to the audience (you are a retail outlet or restaurant in which case location is important) then it is just noise to the audience.

The solution is simply to cut it out of your intro - it wastes time and adds little value. Again, stick to your target audience and what concerns them. That is the litmus test of all your intro material.

Mistake 4 - Trying to be cute

Tricky one this. There is a lot of advice out there recommending a tag line to keep you memorable. This can certainly work but for every funny play on words there are countless groan inducing puns or worse, tag lines that really don't make sense.

It is the same advice as humor in a presentation. It can be great, but you really have to know what you are doing and so few people do it well. There is a very fine line between being witty and offending. Also a clever play on words can confuse.

If you have a clever tag line that works, by all means stick with it. However it isn't necessary and don't waste time thinking one up. Just stick with your message that you help a certain audience with a specific problem of problems.

Mistake 5 - Not trying

This might be harsh when considering an elevator speech but, let's face it, sometimes people give up with their elevator speech and sometimes they will tell you about it:

"Well, I'm really nervous/not good at this so I will just tell you about the company"

At other times it is basically being unprepared and it can be embarrassing to watch someone stumble through an elevator speech without a clear goal or plan. Don't let it happen to you!

You should ALWAYS be prepared to introduce yourself - there is no excuse for being caught off guard and certainly not to give up on the whole thing and muddle through.

These mistakes are on display at every networking event. You can avoid them, and therefore stand out by sticking to the simple formula mentioned above. An Elevator speech doesn't need to be rote, learned by heart or formulaic. You can use different words and gear it to your audience as long as you have thought about it beforehand, and keep these mistakes in mind!

Meat Recipes Books

Fast Food Market Forecast - The Subway Example of Strategic Product Positioning

2012-01-04T13:58:00.001-08:00

The United States fast food market has seen a healthy rise in growth within the last three years which forecasts can be sustained. The fast food market is forecast to maintain its current growth expectations, with an anticipated Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 2.3% for the five-year period 2005-2010. This is expected to drive the market to a value of $57.6 billion by the end of 2010. Drivers of growth include increasing numbers of Americans in the workplace, which reduces the amount of time spent on preparing meals at home. In 2010, the United States fast food market is forecast to have a value of $57.6 billion, an increase of 12.1% since 2005.

Forecast Volume

In 2010, the United States fast food market is forecast to have a volume of 37 billion transactions (Figure 1). This represents an increase of 5.3% since 2005. The CAGR of the market volume in the period 2005-2010 is predicted to be 1%.

Success Factors

Success factors for fast food franchisees will include products and marketing targeted to healthier menu selections, brand consistency, low start-up costs, franchisee support, and consumer convenience. Subway ® represents a poignant example of a fast food franchisee ready for success in the future fast food market. Their strategies transcend the fast food market and apply to many other markets and products.
SWOT Analysis

Subway sandwich shops are well positioned to leverage their strengths and address reasonable threats, weaknesses, and opportunities. The table below highlights these Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

Strengths

Size and number stores and channels

Menu reflects demand for fresh, healthy and fast.

Use of non-traditional channels.

Partnering with the American Heart Association.

Worldwide brand recognition.

Customizable menu offerings.

Low franchisee start up costs.

Franchisee training is structured, brief and designed to assure rapid start-up and success.

Weaknesses

Décor is outdated.

Some franchisees are unhappy.

Service delivery is inconsistent from store to store.

Employee turnover is high.

No control over franchise saturation in given market areas.

Opportunities

Continue to Grow Global Business.

Update décor to encourage more dine-in business.

Improve Customer Service Model.

Continue to expand channel opportunities to include event wagons.

Improve franchisee relations.

Experiment with drive-through business.

Expand packaged dessert offerings.

Continue to revise and refresh menu offerings.

Develop more partnerships with movie producers and toy manufacturers to promote new movie releases through children's menu packaging and co-branding opportunities.

Threats

Franchisee unrest or litigation.

Food contamination (spinach).

Competition.

Interest Costs.

Economic downturn.

Sabotage.

Law Suits.

Competitive Analysis

Subway is not without competitive pressures. Chief competitors include Yum! Brands, McDonalds, Wendy's, and Jack in the Box. Yum! Brands are the world's largest, with 33,000 restaurants in over 100 countries. Four of the company's highly recognizable brands, KFC, Pizza Hut, Long John Silver's and Taco Bell, are global leaders of the Mexican, chicken, pizza, quick-service seafood categories. Yum! has a workforce of 272,000 employees and is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky.

McDonald's Corporation (McDonald's) is the world's largest foodservice retailing chain with 31,000 fast-food restaurants in 119 countries. The company also operates restaurants under the brand names 'The Boston Market' and 'Chipotle Mexican Grill'. McDonalds operates largely in the US and the UK and is headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois employing 447,000 people.

Wendy's International (Wendy's) operates three chains of fast food restaurants: Wendy's (the third largest burger chain in the world), Tim Horton's, and Baja Fresh. Wendy's operates over 9700 restaurants in 20 countries, has been included in Fortune magazine's list of top 500 US companies, is headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, and employs about 57,000 people.

Jack in the Box owns, operates, and franchises Jack in the Box quick-service hamburger restaurants and Qdoba Mexican Grill fast-casual restaurants and is headquartered in San Diego, California.

Target Markets

The increase in sales of the sandwiches has been a result of decreases in consumer interest in hamburgers and fries and increases in demand for healthier options. Sales of sandwiches are growing 15 percent annually, outpacing the 3 percent sales growth rate for burgers and steaks.

Current Marketing Program

A new breed of restaurant is making big gains against the market-saturated hamburger establishments. Termed "fast-casual," these restaurants are dominated by Mexican chains, and sandwich restaurants offering fresh-baked breads and specialty sandwiches.

Responding to evolving consumer expectations for health, fresh, custom-made sandwiches; Subway's marketing program addresses these expectations through a number of approaches. The most notable were the television commercials featuring Jared. These commercials emphasize the healthy aspects of a Subway sandwich by highlighting the 245 pounds Jared lost by eating a Subway sandwich diet. Subway also markets through a national sponsorship in events such as American Heart Association Heart Walks and local events such as triathlons, and children's sports teams.

The Subway example represents marketing and product strategies that are classic examples of focusing on market demand, consumer trends, product leveraging, and innovation. The marketing strategies of creating clear brand recognition, brand and product association, and market demands, have strategically positioned Subway to advance market share into the near future. These marketing strategies are also repeatable fundamental marketing strategies transcending the fast food market. Does your marketing strategy bind brand recognition to products that support your market's future direction?

Culinary Institute Books Cooking Network Foods

Quizno's Sandwich Company

2012-01-03T05:18:00.001-08:00

Quizno's is the second leading sub shop company today; Subway is the first leading shop. Quizno's does have other competitors such as Blimpie's and Jerry's Subs; however, Subway is Quizno's primary competitor. The Subway website reads, "Subway is the world's largest submarine sandwich chain with more than 30,000 restaurants in 87 countries." (Subway History 2009). Rebecca Steinfort, the Chief Marketing Officer for Quizno's said, "Our main competition is Subway, which is an 800-pound gorilla" (York 2009). Subway began back in the 1960's, according to the Subway official site page. The site reads that, Subway was started in New York by Fred DeLuca and Dr. Peter Buck; Subway has been in business for over forty-three years (Subway, 2009).
Size and Trend of Industry

According to the National Restaurant Association, the quick-service restaurant industry is very profitable; the profit revenues represent 47.5% (or $511 billion) of the food dollar. The quick service industry in the U.S. receives profits of up to 120 billion. The convenience of quick-service has proven to be a substantial success for this industry. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, between 2000 and 2010, the consumption and spending on fast food is expected to increase six percent mainly because of the new-age families that spend more time engaging in activities outside of the home. According to an affiliate of the Dun & Bradstreet Company, Hoover Incorporated, many households favor convenience over cooking, which prompts quick-service restaurants to place their franchises in more unorthodox locations such as inside airports or gas stations. According to Hoover's Inc., fast-food chains in the U.S. are looking to accommodate the increase in consumer spending by targeting international markets, particularly in China (Advertising Age 2009).

The company seeks to be the number one sub shop choice. In its attempt Quizno's has made tremendous progress through its interesting, yet questionable advertising techniques. In Quizno's advertising techniques, they have created ads that are targeted primarily to men and women between the ages of 18-34 years of age. According to an article from the Mcclean Marketing Group titled "Quiznos sponge monkeys revisited - Buzz isn't enough," the restaurants' target audience is 18-34 year olds and its spots are created with this audience in mind. In the past, Quizno's had used a commercial ad, created by the Martin Agency, which used a sponge monkey as the spokes person. When the ad was created, the idea was to create an eye catching and interesting commercial that would stand out from its competitors. In a Washington Post News Week article, the sponge monkey in the commercial is described as, "A small, furry creature, wearing a bowler hat, levitates as he sings an ode to Quizno's subs" (Stevenson 2005). Other past marketing techniques used by Quizno's included the Quiz Kidz program, "in which a special menu was developed for the little ones and initially launched with a "kids-eat-free" promotion." This Business Network article also mentions the purpose of the Quiz Kidz program, which was to attract parents who would, instead of a sub, enjoy a salad or pasta. Overall, the sponge monkey commercial was a success in grabbing the attention of viewers; however, it had drawn in a vast number of complaints from customers who felt the commercial was unpleasant and tasteless. On the other hand, the Quiz Kidz program was a success due to its family oriented approach. According to this Business Net article, the Quiz Kids program increased "evening and weekend business, it nearly tripled sales." These are the major past marketing activities that have been presented by Quizno's. (Edwards 2009 p. 2).

The current marketing activities that Quizno's is currently using include delivery and catering services; Quizno's has also altered its menu to surpass Subway's five dollar foot-long deal. In doing so, Quizno's is currently offering the four dollar Torpedo sub which claims to be a better tasting sub for a lower price. In the attempt to promote the lower priced sub, Quizno's has taken the sexually suggestive approach in its current commercial ads. Advertising for the Torpedo sub was created by the advertising agency Nitro. The commercial ad is focused on the Torpedo sub; however, in the commercial an actor and a voice over is used; the actor and the voice over both say sexually suggestive phrases such as, "Put it in me," and "Say it Sexy." This commercial has also drawn up much attention for Quizno's however it has stirred up many complaints as well. (Ehrke 2009)

In addition to the captivating commercials and lower priced subs, Quizno's has developed and implemented the "Million Sub Giveaway." In this tactic, Quizno's is offering free subs to customers who agree to share personal information; mainly their email addresses. According to an "Advertising Age" article titled, "Quizno's throws Subway curve with Sexy 4-dollar foot-long," "Quizno's offered a "Million Sub Giveaway," "which is an online effort that e-mailed a coupon to the first million customers to give their names and e-mail addresses." These marketing activities are fairly new to the public, and are continuing to be promoted on national and international levels (York 2009 p. 7).

According to Advertising Age, in 2008 Quizno's spent $90 million on advertising via the Nitro Group, with the total profit/revenue at an estimated $1.9 billion. In contrast Quizno's competitor spent over 300 million dollars on ads (York, 2009 p. 10).

Franchising a Quizno's. According to the Quizno's internet homepage, in order to franchise a Quizno's certain criteria must be met. To buy a Quizno's franchise, you need a credit score and a net worth of $125,000. As a part of your net worth, you need $70,000 in liquid assets like cash or stocks which you can use to invest in tour restaurant franchise opportunities. Net worth is defined as your total assets; so that's cash, stocks, homes, cars, recreational vehicles, businesses, as so on, less your total debt (Quizno's Homepage 2009).

Referring back to the Quizno's homepage, "You can have between three and six employees working at one time. You might have 15 total employees on your payroll if you use part-time employees to work on different shifts." Also, the number of hours spent depends on the owner's preferences, such as operating the franchise independently, or hiring a manager to oversee the stores day-to-day affairs (Quizno's Homepage 2009).

Quizno's has many good qualities as a company, three of its current strengths are the four dollar Toasty Torpedo, the commercials are very memorable, and Quizno's delivers. The Quizno's four dollar Toasty Torpedo is cheaper than the Subway Five Dollar Footlong. In today's economy everyone is looking for a cheaper lunch and the Toasty Torpedo is the better buy. The Quizno's commercials over the last few years have been very memorable; they contained a memorable message and recently came out with a commercial that is getting a lot of attention. Another strength of Quizno's is its delivery service, Subway and other fast food restaurants have not yet begun delivering, so Quizno's is pioneering the fast food delivery. Another strength that benefits Quizno's is its delivery service. Currently, participating franchises offer the services during typical lunch hours. Unlike Subway, Quizno's delivers personal and catered orders to customers, with a base fee and delivery charge. Choosing the option of group ordering, and the time you would like the order delivered, are also offered. These benefit Quizno's because they have more franchises that provide the delivery service. Also, this helps the company because of the effect the economy has had on fuel prices. Rebecca Steinfort, Quizno's senior vice-president of delivery and catering, explains: "We've seen a great response even though we have not been advertising.

The Quizno's four dollar Toasty Torpedo is also cheaper than the Subway Five Dollar Footlong. For 4 dollars, customers can buy a toasty torpedo sandwich before tax. In comparison, Subway's five dollar footlong costs $5 before tax (Green Eggs Marketing, 2008, para.1-2). Quizno's benefits because the low price of the sandwich can encourage customers to add on to their meals by adding a bag of chips or a soda. Those side items are low priced, and the total cost of the meal will not exceed $6 (Toasty Torpedo, 2008, para.2).

A weakness that Quizno's has right now is that although it has a delivery service it is very poorly advertised. The only way to discover Quizno's delivery service is to visit the website; on the site there is very little information about the service. Customers should be made aware of the delivery opportunities. Another major weakness that Quizno's has is its prices. According to President of Quizno's Subs Greg Macdonald, "Consumers love the sandwiches but found them too expensive" (Marketing Magazine p.3).

The next weakness that Quizno's holds is their advertising approaches. For instance, previous commercial ads seemed a bit tasteless and un-appetizing. One commercial that involved a sponge monkey was raved as disgusting and unnecessary. According to an article from the Commercial Archives titled, "Quiznos Dusts off Baby Bob," Quizno's commercials have had negative ratings and perceptions, despite the ads' popularity. It is reported in the article that, "the ads give the idea that rats are in Quizno's subs," (Adland p 1). Another perception of a Quizno's ads was," Baby Bob just isn't very funny or interesting or anything" (Adland 1). These two commercials involved the shouting sponge monkeys, and the talking baby. As for the most recent commercial advertisement, there is a huge weakness in this add. The commercial focuses on the new four dollar torpedo sub. While the commercial does focus heavily on the sandwich, its sexual suggestions are even heavier. To compete with Subway's five dollar foot long, Quizno's has created the four dollar Toasty Torpedo.

To promote this sandwich, Quizno's has developed a commercial that has been called inappropriate, offensive, and tasteless. There is a talking oven that is having a conversation with a chef. The oven is repeating comments such as "Put it In Me." According to the website onemillionmoms.com, an article titled, "Quizno's is more than 'Toasty'; they are in HOT WATER," reports various mothers who are against the new commercial advertising approach because of its potential affect on television viewers. The article quotes one mother as saying, "I find the homosexual innuendo tasteless, and it only serves to lessen the character of your company. Young children may not see the implication, but teens and adults certainly do"

As for the actual Toasty Torpedo sandwich, the sandwich has been reported as gross, disappointing, and even bland. According to an article titled, "Quiznos' $4 Torpedo vs. Subway's $5 foot long," from the "Orange County News Source," consumers have said "I couldn't believe how bland the sandwich tasted, and how dry the bread was. I was really disappointed" (Luda 2009). The Toasty Torpedo is all reported as looking like a completely different sandwich compared to the one shown on television. It is said that the sandwich does not even look close to what has been shown in the Toasty Torpedo commercial (Orange County News Source p 3). Quizno's has been reported as having another weakness, Quizno's has a malfunctioning issue with the Million Sub Giveaway special. In this, consumers were given the opportunity to share their names and email addresses in exchange for coupons at Quizno's restaurants. Though the giveaway was successful at collecting consumer data, it had a few malfunctions. In the giveaway it was reported that consumers never received their coupons, others could not print the coupons out, some Quizno's franchises even turned the coupons away (Advertising Age 2p).

One big opportunity for Quizno's is to undertake international expansion. Quizno's currently has over 500 restaurants in over 21 countries. If Quizno's opened more restaurants in other countries the company could continue to expand more and reach a larger group of customers.

Currently, Quizno's largest threat is Subway. Subway has launched the five dollar foot long deal on every one of its sandwiches; in contrast, Quizno's only offers its four dollar sub deal on select subs, which are the Toasty Torpedo subs. In addition to the sandwich deals provided by subway, they have also launched a side kick deal. In this, when a consumer buys a five dollar sandwich from subway, they are able to choose from a variety of side orders for only a dollar. The side orders include cookies; apples, and a 20 ounce beverage.

Another big threat to Quizno's right now is the commercials that they are running to promote the Toasty Torpedo. Although it is a memorable commercial, it may cause some problems. The Toasty Torpedo commercial uses many sexual innuendos and potential homosexual suggestions which could potentially cause different groups of customers to develop a negative attitude towards Quizno's. On other hand its competitor Subway, has developed multiple commercial ads that have a catchy jingle that promotes its five dollar foot long subs. This jingle has been reported to be a huge success and has captured the attention of millions.
According to an article from the Review Atlas titled, "Get Tuned up for the Return of Advertising Jingles," "Subway's "Five Dollar Foot-Long" commercial contains three key ingredients of a successful jingle. It's catchy, it's concise and it tells consumers something about the company you want them to know." (Review Atlas p, 20). The threats that Subway presents to Quizno's are immense and appear to be unbeatable. Therefore, it is essential for Quizno's to continue to compete in the race as a leading sandwich provider

Using primarily a focus group to gain an in-depth look at Quizno's, there was a vast amount of information. In addition to a focus group, the observation method was used to substantiate the findings that would come from the focus group. On a Wednesday, at approximately 12:40pm, The Quizno's restaurant was packed with costumers. There were consumers in every seat, and there was a line that stretched to the back of the restaurant. In this observation, the consumers who were seated were all eating in groups. Most of the consumers were dressed in collared shirts and neatly pressed dress pants. It appeared that everyone was on a lunch break. All of the customers purchased a sub that was toasted, and oozing with cheese. However, there was one female customer who was eating a salad, and appeared to be quite pleased. All of the consumers had a fountain beverage along with a bag of potato chips. As for the environment in the restaurant, it was somewhat noisy and crowded. In addition, the weather outside was unpleasant because of the rainfall. However, this did not stop the consumers from ordering a Quizno's meal. Each consumer patiently waited for their meals, however, they did not appear pleased with the service. It seemed as if the workers were moving too slow, according to the consumer's facial expressions. Also during the observation, the demographics of the consumers were obvious, including, gender, race, and age. During the lunch hour, there were more men than woman throughout the entire restaurant, and it was documented that approximately 95 percent of the consumers were Caucasian. The other 5 percent were of other races that ranged from African American, Asian, and Hispanic. The general age range was 25-45.
Though the observation method was used, the primary research method was the focus group. The focus group consisted of eight individuals; 5 of them were actually eating and enjoying a Quizno's meal, and 2 two were in the restaurant with a friend who was waiting in line for a Quizno's sub. The consumers all agreed to participate in the focus group; they all were delighted to do so. The age range of the focus group was 19 to 45. The focus group members were Caucasian-Americans. The majority of the focus group members were white collar workers who had decided to eat at Quizno's for their lunch breaks. The other half was Towson University students. The members were asked over 30 questions, including demographics, favorite Quizno's commercials, favorite Quizno's items, and least favorites items. The questions were designed to understand the underlying feelings that consumers had towards the suggestive messages displayed in Quizno's advertisements. However, in regards to asking questions relevant to said advertisements, there was a variety of answers.

Within the focus group, the majority of them replied "I just fast forward past the commercials on my TIVO, (An interactive television application), so I have never even seen a Quizno's commercial." Others expressed which commercials stood out to them the most, and which commercials were ineffective and offensive. The replies ranged from "the commercials were funny;" to "the Quizno's commercials are gross;" to "I've never seen any of their commercials to be honest," to "the commercials made me hungry for subway." One focus group member even replied, "Quizno's is the McDonald's of subs, it's sickening, they both are horrible!" Each question was directed to each member and each member gave an equal response. From this focus group, the underlying feelings, opinions, and emotions about Quizno's were discovered, as well as their feelings about Subway. Consumers expressed personal preferences in regards to Quizno's commercial advertising, and provided suggestions on how to improve it. The ultimate findings from this focus group was the low effectiveness of Quizno's advertising approaches; primarily its television commercials.

The reason for using the focus group was to gain in-depth and personal information from actual Quizno's costumers. Another reason for using this approach was to gain actual responses to recognize the short comings of the Toasty Torpedo television commercial, and other advertising approaches. This approach was also effective because it allowed personal interactions with costumers; the focus group also allowed consumers to feel comfortable and willing to open up. A survey was not used in the research because it would not exhibit the truthful feelings that consumers had toward Quizno's. In a focus group, a firsthand response would be given truthfully and openly.

A personal interview was not used in this research because there are so many differing opinions in regards to Quizno's and its commercial ads. A focus group would display the varying opinions on a more detail and emotional level. Ultimately, the interview would limit the results to one perspective, compared to a focus group. Also, the results from a personal interview would be biased and lack a multi-dimensional response. The focus group has positively affected the Marketing campaign, primarily by providing insight of why Quizno's past commercials were ineffective. The results from the focus group will demonstrate the specific elements that can assist in the effort to gain more customers, while regaining lost customers through enhanced advertising strategies.

The primary target audience that is best for Quizno's to appeal to is the middle class white collar segment. The middle class is in fact the largest class in the United States, according to the Pew Research Center. The middle class is largely comprised of married individuals with children, college students, and college grads. The Pew Research Center reports that 68 percent of middle class members are homeowners. It is also reported that a large amount of middle class member eat out several times a week; this audience is describe as healthy individuals as well. Moreover, the middle class is described on a geographic level as well. In this report, most middle class individuals reside in suburban and rural areas. Approximately 54 percent of middle class members reside in suburban areas, compared to the 40 percent that live in urban areas. According to the Social Analysis and Reference Groups, the middle class tends to value education, news, homeownership, and stability (Social Analysis p. 13). According to Dr. L Robert Khols, the director of International Programs at San Francisco State University, the middle class American also values equality, wealth, newness, innovations, success, and time. (Kohls, p.3-10). The middle class target audience has a variety of demographics, geographic, and behavioristic elements; however, the more affluent segments of the middle class are crucial to finding the perfect target market for Quizno's.

The 18-24 year-olds represent 26.1 million of the United States population, with the highest numbers of this demographic living in the Northeast. Whites still have the highest population of citizens at 62 percent. Hispanics are second at 16 percent, Blacks are third at 13 percent, and Asians are last at 5 percent. Less than 3 percent of this age group lives at home with their parents either in school full time or not in school at all. In the U.S. 62 percent of this population have a high school diploma with some college education, while 16 percent have no high school diploma or degree. Fifty-five percent are working middle to low-income full-time jobs, with personal earnings amounting to 60,000 dollars. A little over half of the individuals in this age group have never been married, and currently have no children. According to the Journal of Advertising Research, "this generation of citizens are idealistic, socially conscious, individualistic, anti-corporate, speak their minds and dress as they please." (Kapner, 1997). It is because of these reason that this particular segment is difficult to advertise to. They do not succumb to the usual advertising methods that have proven to be successful for other age groups (Wolburg, 2001). Those in this age group that are college students are also important because of the impact they have in the market. In numbers they can influence others because of how quickly they adopt new products, and how quickly they develop brand loyalties that will last long into adulthood (2001).

This target market consists of middle class males who are between the ages of 25 and 39. The salaries of this market ranges from 35,000 to 50,000 dollars a year. They are fresh in their careers; mostly in good health and value time as they do money. Most of the individuals in this market area are in a managerial position (Lexis-Nexis, Valios). To further support this is an article from Restaurants and Institutions. The article reads, "Middle-class consumers are most likely to say that casual-dining restaurants are their primary dining-out choices." This market has also been reported to eat at restaurants that reflect their social status. The Restaurant and Institutions site article reads, "Middle-class consumers are more likely than lower-middle-class or upper-middle-class consumers to say that their restaurant choices reflect their social status." The article says that these middle class individuals have a range of household incomes starting at 35,000 dollars a year. To also illustrate this target markets value of time is the Restaurant and Institutions article, which reads that most individuals in this middle class market will more than likely not wait more than thirty minutes for a meal; nor will they wait that amount of time to be seated at any restaurant; "nearly one-third of these consumers purchase lunch on weekdays, the members of this demographic also feel time-pressed" (Hume, Restaurants and Institutions, 2008 p5). This target market appears to value time, work, money, and quick-meals. This group is a great market because of the large amount of members who dine out frequently during the week.

This suggested target market mostly comprises of males who are white collared workers between the ages of 41 and 65; they are mostly married with children and typically live in suburban areas, however work in urban areas. This segmented group is a good target market due to its growing numbers in corporate work fields. Therefore, since the amount of white collar workers has increased, so have the amounts of lunch breaks that can be catered to by Quizno's. According to a report from the United States General Accounting Office, the workforce is increasing with elderly workers. In this was reported a 19 percent increase in white collar workers who are between the ages of 55 and 77. These numbers were calculated for the year of 2008 (GAO projections 2008). The report also illustrates the median salaries of white collar workers who are between 55 and 74. More specifically, the report says that a large amount of white collar workers, between 55 and 64, are in executive or administrative positions, earning over 50,000 dollars a year. This is one target market that Quizno's should consider due to its growing size. Another report from the Pew Research Center illustrates, in a series of charts that the percentage of males, who are between the ages of 40 and 60, tend to be in professional or executive positions. The report describes most of these individuals as being married with an average of two children; about 45 percent of these individuals have a ranging salary of 50,000 to 100,000 (Pew Research Center, p.68. 2009). The reason this market may be a great choice is due to the available financial resources that these individuals hold. Another major reason for this target market choice is due to TIVO. From the results of the focus group that was conducted, the older members of the group admitted to fast forwarding through commercials. With the TIVO feature, commercial spots are being missed and un-heard by older middle class workers. In the focus group, most of the older members had never even seen a Quizno's commercial; yet, they are familiar with the restaurant but not its specials. The goal is to reach out to the more affluent middle class male workers because they are able to afford commercial filtered television; thus, decreasing the amount of commercial viewership. Therefore, it is necessary to heavily target this market in a new and innovative manner. To support this is Stephen Baker, from Business Week, who reports, "Approximately 6.5 million TiVo-like devices are currently in use in the U.S. And 70% of them are routinely used for commercial avoidance; the devices are threatening to bring the $60-billion-a-year TV advertising business to its knees" (Business Week, p 1). Therefore, the Elder market segment will be the main focus for the enhanced Quizno's marketing strategy.

Not only is advertising necessary for Quizno's, more attractive and tighter advertisements are needed. Subway is Quizno's leading competitor and is having much success. Subway has advertisements that range from jingles, to funny skits, to special meal deals. In contrast, Quizno's is the second leading sub dealer; therefore, it is necessary for Quizno's to keep up with Subway on a constant basis. It is important for Quizno's to target its consumers through a combination of advertising forms. These forms include image advertising, and national advertising,. With image advertising, Quizno's will have the opportunity to transform its image as the second leading sub provider. According to an article from the Microsoft Corporation titled "Advertising," image advertising gives a product a personality that is unique, appealing, and appropriate so that the consumer will want to choose it over similar products that might fulfill the same need" (Microsoft 2009 p. 9). National Advertising is absolutely necessary for Quizno's to continue with so that consumers are continuously reminded of Quizno's; thus, fervently competing with Subways advertising approaches. The significance of this national advertising approach involves informing the nation about Quizno's its image, and its products on a continuous basis. The purpose for this continued national advertising approach is to developing loyal consumers; thus, having them choose Quizno's over its competitors. According to the Microsoft Corporation article, "national advertising tries to build consumer loyalty to a product or service." (Microsoft 2009 p. 2). Gaining loyal customers is the objective in using the national advertising approach.

Steak Books Baking Cookie

Best Jobs to Meet Women - How to Make Money and Meet Girls

2011-12-30T11:26:00.001-08:00

What could be better than making money while meeting beautiful women?

Answer: Not Much!

Let's face it, most of us have pretty crappy jobs. Why do we think they're crappy? Well, salary aside, our jobs are the things that take up the MOST time in our day!

And if you're single, that's time that can be put to use meeting gorgeous girls to have fun with.

So if you can somehow "meld" work and play, you'll not only be able to make rent this month, you'll also be much, much happier!

Now, you can meet hot women in pretty much any job you can think of, but some jobs are actually better than others when it comes to meeting girls.

The criteria for these jobs are:

1. The job attracts lots of women to it.

2. The job requires you to interact with the women in some way.

3. You're in a position in the job that makes you attractive to women.

So while I'm sure there are methods for meeting hot girls while flipping burgers at McDonald's, for the sake of discussion, I'm going to focus on just five jobs which I think are the BEST for meeting super-hot girls, and don't require a great deal of skill or training to do. (Because let's face it, being a famous movie star or musician is hands down the best, but that's usually limited to a select few lucky guys.)

So let's begin...

Club Promoter: Club promoters are everyone's "best friend." They can get you the hook-ups at the hottest clubs, help you jump the line, get you free drinks -- the works. So if you are a club promoter, all the girls want to know you!

Luckily, the only requirement for being a club promoter is to get people to show up to clubs. If you talk to the manager of the club and get to know him, you can get all sorts of benefits which make you the "guy to know" for all those hot club chicks.

Unfortunately, club promotion doesn't pay that well, or at all in some cases, but hey - the perks are great! And you can do it in your spare time if you have another job.

Bartender: Everyone in the bar interacts with the bartender, and the hot girls love to flirt with the bartender as well! Being a bartender not only gives you an opportunity to meet everyone who enters the bar, but it also gives you an excuse to chat with anyone sitting at your station, including the super-hot ladies!

It doesn't take much skill to be a bartender, but the hours can be brutal, and depending on where you bartend, the income can vary - as can the quality of women! Bartending at a hip nightclub can be much better than that crappy dive bar near your place, but regardless, few bartenders ever go home without at least one number at the end of the night. Not only that - your ability to hook up with the female bartender co-workers is also greatly increased!

Personal Trainer: If there's one thing women are always worried about, its getting fat. So being a personal trainer is a great way to meet beautiful women. However, its also a great way to meet large, out of shape women as well! Being in the gym most of the day will give you exposure to other female personal trainers and women who like to work out, so the possibility for meeting gorgeous girls is definitely there.

Not only that, but being such an "authority" to your female clients is a big turn on for them, so its usually not a big stretch to become intimate with the girls you train. (Though it may not be the best for business!) A good side effect of being a personal trainer is that it gives you an excuse to stay in shape, which in turn can make it easier to attract women.

Clothing Store: Women love to shop, and beautiful women REALLY love to shop. Working (or managing) a clothing store that specializes in women's fashion or trendy clothing is a great way for you to constantly meet attractive girls.

Working in a store such as Abercrombie & Fitch will guarantee that a steady flood of attractive young girls are coming your way daily, and you have an excuse to talk with them too!

DJ: Finally, being a DJ can really up your chances of getting in good with the hot girls who love to dance. It's the next best thing to being a rock star, and it doesn't require much musical talent to pull off. Women love music, and music heavily influences people's emotional state. When you're a DJ at a party or a rave, you're the center of attention, and women will gravitate to you because of it.

Even better, you can become a DJ at a strip club and have an "in" with all the dancers who work there. Strip Club DJ's are practically guaranteed to get some action, and let's face it, they don't have to be very good to do so!

There are tons of great jobs out there that allow you to meet hot girls, but in my opinion, these five are the best. If you're desperate to meet girls and need some extra money to boot, give one of them a try.

Meat Recipes Books Caramel Recipe Books

Top 5 Ways to Make a Woman Irresistibly Attracted to You

2011-12-29T19:37:00.001-08:00

If you want to attract women, you have to think like a salesman. Know what your clients want, and tune your product--that's you--to fit the clients' needs.

In order to do that, you have to do the same thing all marketers do to capture people's interest with their products: develop killer PACKAGING. Hey, let's face it: women judge men based on looks. And who can blame them? Before they can get to know you, they only have visual things to judge you on: your clothes, your height, your body language, your status. We men are just like any other product: in order to sell well, we need great packaging!
It all comes down to women's evolutionary instincts: find the best mate for them and their unborn children. How do they do this? By seeing which men are strong, which ones are successful, and which ones have high status.

While times have changed, still these instincts remain. One evolutionary scientist, Dr. David Buss, did a study of over 10,000 people in 37 countries, on six continents, and found that women value men based on three big things: ambition, status, and financial resources. Similarly, relationship expert, Andrea P. Roberts, suggests that women determine a man's worthiness based on 3 "T's", or "takais," a Japanese word that represents good qualities: education level, physical height, and salary level. Quite a bit deeper than having a nice ass and big
breasts, isn't it?

Okay, some of you may be thinking: Well, I'm not tall, and I'm not rich. Now what?!?

The good news is, height and wealth aren't the be-all and end-all of attraction; they're just aids to success. It's similar to saying you want a really expensive car...but that doesn't mean you'd never drive a Honda. In fact, for a lot of people (including women!), when you learn that Hondas have better mileage than Hummers, they can be more attractive! As Roberts writes, "even an ordinary man doesn't have to be exceptionally rich or powerful to make women want him. It's all a matter of the women's perspective if he ends up taller, smarter or wealthier than them."

Got that? It's all about perspective: how you market yourself successfully to a woman. Hey, lots of people know that Creative MP3 Players are better quality than I-Pods, but that doesn't seem to stop Apple from selling I-Pods like hotcakes, does it? So if you're short, or of average income, but present your positive traits in the right way, it won't matter: you'll become the I-Pods of men! As Roberts writes, "Think of Napoleon, Mickey Rooney or Groucho; they are humorous, artistic or politically powerful men who wooed women into their beds and, horizontally, the height issue wasn't a factor. Polite and persuasive persistence is the best trait."

So what we have are five areas that we must market effectively if we want to spark an initial attraction from women. After that, it's up to you to show what a great guy you are: let her know you're special, unique, one of a kind. That's what makes you...a best-seller!

1. Ambition

From an evolutionary stand-point, this one makes complete sense. Think cavemen and cave women in the Stone Age, with some of the weaker cavemen seeking a higher station in the tribe. Who do you think the cave women went for? The men who hobbled along meekly in the bottom of the order...or the men who strived for more and sought a higher place in the pack? Much of a woman's desire to be with a man who is ambitious and seeks success, is based simply on survival: The more powerful the man, the more likely she'll survive and live well. Logically, going for a guy who has no ambition means she's likely to live in poverty and struggle. Not very appealing, is it?

So you have to present yourself as a guy who's not satisfied with his station in life. This is good for both you and her. If you're making $6 an hour at McDonald's and are content to stay there, not many women are going to be attracted to you. But if you're making $6 an hour and working your ass off to own your own franchise, taking business classes at night so you can learn how to run a business: well, suddenly you're not so bad-looking! Believe me, women will give men a chance, they want to give men a chance--as long as they see potential. Know that quote, "Behind every great man is an even greater woman"? Show you've got potential and direction, and you'll get that great woman.

2. Status

Again, evolutionary instincts of survival make women naturally attracted to men of high status. High status=good living for herself and her children. Fortunately, projecting high status does not have to be difficult; according to Roberts, "Wearing the right clothes, especially nice shoes, can go a long way toward portraying wealth. Taking on the unshaken or unworried attitude of wealthy men can project affluence. Hesitant, irresolute, bland men come across as having lower incomes and being less reliable." Got that? You don't have to be a powerful, articulate man yourself-you just have to project similar qualities.

Some of these qualities include:

* Not putting yourself down. Without being a braggart, talk positively about your accomplishments, job position, and possessions-even if they're not much. If you treat things as a big deal, other people will, too. Conversely, if you downplay your accomplishments and character, women will, too. Your attitude is contagious, so make sure it's an enthusiastic, enlivening one that people enjoy.

* Act like you deserve good women. Don't let women assume a higher status than you. Show them that YOU are the one with higher status. You can do this in a number of ways, including not acting impressed by a woman's beauty or career (say, she's a model); teasing her about her clothes or makeup; and asking her to buy you a drink. Chances are she won't, but just by acting like you deserve it, you raise your status! She's not such an untouchable goddess in the end.

Remember, as well, that women want to EARN a man; they relish the challenge of luring in a winning catch. So play hard to get: talk to other girls, say you've got to be leaving just when things are going well, don't immediately ask for her phone number. If you act like a man who can have his pick of women, then chances are, you will!

* Knowing people of high status. This is a great one. Get to know the people of power: the club owners, bartenders, maitres'd. Position yourself as a sociable person who's in the know. When a woman sees you getting special treatment and chatting with high-status people, she'll see right away that you're someone of importance. It will also reduce the importance of the other factors, such as height, money, and ambition; immediately you've proven yourself valuable.

* Social proof/Female acquaintances. Hey, nothing says, "This guy's attractive" than having females around him. Of course, the hotter they are, the hotter you look, but even just having average-looking female company can only help: it shows women that other women are interested in you. Do your best to get your female friends and family (sisters, cousins) to come out with you. It's social proof, and it works!

* Wearing nice clothes. "When a man is well dressed," writes communications expert, Leil Lowndes, "it signifies his ability to provide for her offspring." You don't have to be rich and powerful to wear nice clothes. You just have to show that you're a man of quality, a man headed towards somewhere who pays attention to dress (something women cna never get enough of). Formal clothes, such as a suit, convey that you are serious about success; you desire good things. So just by wearing a nice sports jacket, dress shirt, and slacks, you let a woman know you're a man with status. You're a man who could provide for her and her children.

The colors you wear are vital: Studies show that red, burgundy, and black clothes convey high status. So get yourself some slick black suits or formal wear, a red shirt, and one of my favorites (and girls'!), a sleek burgundy button-down shirt. They all convey regality and strength.

In the case of red, you have the added bonus of sexuality, power, and dominance: definitely good qualities to portray! Go and purchase a nice red polo shirt, or red tie for your suit.

If you enjoy white clothes-the color of purity and cleanliness-then make sure you work on your TAN. White clothes against a dark backdrop make you look exotic, sexy, and well-travelled. You don't have to be an jet-setting playboy, to look like one!

* Winning body language. Women judge men by the way they move and position themselves; it's part of their superior communication skills to know what a man is thinking or feeling based on his body language. So, position yourself in the right way: don't slouch, sit upright, gaze at her knowingly, lean into her to initiate intimacy. I've got a great column on body language that will teach you the right ways-and the wrong ways-to project high status.

3. Financial Resources
According to Matthew Fitzgerald, "Studies with college coeds show that when shown photographs of men dressed in high-status uniforms, ties, expensive watches, etc.) and low-status uniforms, these women would be significantly more willing to enter into relationships with the more expensively-attired males regardless of the man's physical appearance. To a woman, attraction is simple: green is very good-looking."

Okay, so not every guy has money for expensive suits and watches, and materialism may not be part of your game. However, if you want to impress women, one of the fastest ways is by wearing snazzy clothes, sporting nice shoes (girls LOVE shoes!), and driving an expensive car. Especially when it comes to designer brands, women are VERY keen at spotting high-quality products. It's just part of their nature; with expensive possessions come high status and ambition, and a more comfortable lifestyle. Again, this all comes from their instinctual drive for survival and prosperity for themselves and their children. By owning the best, you become the best. At least on the surface.

Ultimately, if you want true love it's up to you to find women who share the same goals and values. If money and status aren't the most important things in life for you, don't chase the girls who do prioritize those things. Don't go for the shallow, bitchy types who only judge a man by how much he can spend on her.

4. Educational Level

Knowledge really is power, and on top of that, it's an aphrodisiac! Gone are the days when being smart was acquainted with being a nerd; now, knowledge and intelligence are your friends. It's the easiest way to money, and the easiest way to success. So show it off a little. Let her know your TALENTS, your interests, your areas of special knowledge. As Roberts writes, "Women are drawn to experts like the Crocodile Hunter, Bill Gates and Chris Rock because they're experts in their industries." None of those guys is particularly good-looking, but they're good at what they do, and parlay their knowledge into success, which drives women wild.

A guy who's an expert is one who is clearly successful and of higher status. At the very least, having a special knowledge means you have the TOOLS for success, and can provide intellectual stimulation for a girl (which, unless she's a bimbo with an IQ of 70, is quite important for women).

Additionally, just being in school is a great way to show off your knowledge: "If you're in school, not only are there more women available, but you've already demonstrated to them that you're getting educated. Otherwise, it's up to you to come across as reliable and credible without making her feel dumb."

5. Physical Aptitude

Physical height alone is an easy way to catch a woman's attention, but it's not the only thing. Again, evolutionary mechanics come into play here. A man who is tall, strong, and athletic is more likely to fend off threats to the woman and her children. He is also more likely to have a strong immune system, which will further aid their chances of survival. So, you can't blame women too much for valuing these things: in the world of female attraction, it really is a survival of the fittest. Those who show women they are in shape and healthy are much more likely to survive the dating game! Ergo, athletes, bouncers, firemen get the girls.

As for height, it's all a matter of perspective. We've all seen short guys with tall beautiful women. Neil Strauss himself, the best of the best pickup artists, is just 5'6" yet gets more beautiful women than we can imagine. How? By believing in himself. By positioning himself as a man of high status. By not bowing down to women of greater height or beauty. And by being a guy women know is fun and energetic to be around. In short, he's got INNER GAME, and when you have that down, nothing can stop you. You may even find yourself dating women who are taller than you!

But remember, presenting a man who's healthy and strong, willing to stand up for himself and the girl in a fight: that's the kind of guy who women will go for, regardless of height. Did you know that men with strong immune systems give off pheromone scents that women are instinctively attracted to? If you pay attention to what you eat and go to the gym on a regular basis, you're going to build your immune system up, and attract women without even trying! So do it, and watch the number of dates you get, soar.

In the end, men are like books: women judge them by their covers. But inside is an even great story. So make your cover captivating, and you'll become a "best-seller" in no time!

Culinary Institute Books Steak Books

Michigan Fab Five (5)

2011-12-25T04:24:00.001-08:00

The Michigan Fab Five (sometimes simply written as Fab 5) is the name given to the University of Michigan basketball team that started five star freshmen players during the 1991-1992 college basketball season and then the same five players in their sophomore seasons. All five members played in the 1991 McDonald's High School All-American game together and were all ranked as top 100 high school basketball prospects with four of the five members being top ten basketball recruits. The five members were:

Chris Webber (#1 ranked basketball prospect)
Juwan Howard (#3 ranked basketball prospect)
Jalen Rose (#6 ranked basketball prospect)
Jimmy King (#9 ranked basketball prospect)
Ray Jackson (#84 ranked basketball prospect)

The Fab 5 roster never won a NCAA Tournament national championship but did play in two finals games suffering losses to Duke in March of 1992 and North Carolina in March of 1993. The final game the Fab Five played together is best known for the moment when Chris Webber calls timeout in the final moments but because his team is already out of timeouts when the request is made a technical foul is assessed against the University of Michigan. The now infamous Chris Webber Michigan timeout incident directly contributed to UNC defeating the Fab Five in the championship game.

Much has been written about the legacy of the Fab Five including a best-selling book by sports journalist Mitch Albom simply titled The Fab Five: Basketball Trash Talk the American Dream. While at the University of Michigan the focus revolved around the talent of the players and the attitude they brought to the court in terms of their swagger, baggy shorts, and arrogant antics. In many respects this group of five players that were assembled in Ann Arbor, Michigan played a substantial role in ushering in a youthful hip hop culture into the game of basketball.

With regards to the collective legacy of Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose, Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson the five players will eternally be linked together with particular attention given to their NBA success (or lack thereof) and the Fab Five scandal that tarnished their images.

Fab Five Scandal

The fab five scandal is also referred to in University of Michigan circles as the Ed Martin scandal because the circumstances primarily revolved around an affluent booster by the name of Ed Martin. The six year investigation was a collaboration involving the United States Department of Justice, IRS, FBI, and NCAA amongst others. The investigation concluded that Ed Martin began giving cash and gifts to prospects as far back as the 1980s and that among the notable players he influenced was top prospect and Fab 5 member Chris Webber whom Martin began illegally courting when Webber was in middle school. After initial attempts at denying any wrong doing Webber eventually found himself painted into a corner where his only option was to confess. Ultimately the entire process was vetted and penalties were enforced against Ed Martin, former players involved, coaches, and the University of Michigan which was sanctioned by the NCAA in such a manner that previous victories and future post season eligibility was forfeited.

Fab Five in the NBA

Ray Jackson was the onlf Fab 5 member not to make it to the NBA. Each of the other four members played at least some NBA basketball. Interestingly the degree of professional basketball success these once highly touted prospects enjoyed was well predicted by the order in which they were initially ranked as college prospects during their senior seasons of high school.

Ray Jackson - #84 high school recruit: never played a NBA game
Jimmy King - #9 high school recruit: played two seasons in the NBA
Jalen Rose - #6 high school recruit: 13 year NBA career with no all-star game selections
Juwan Howard - #3 high school recruit: 16 year NBA career (still active as of 2/10) with one all-star game selection
Chris Webber - #1 high school recruit: 15 year NBA career with five all-star game selections

None of the Fab Five players ever won a NBA Championship.

Conclusion

With Juwan Howard, the final active player, in the twilight of his career the sun is very close to setting on a captivating story that has been roughly 20 years in the making. After diving into the first few layers of information curious onlookers are often left asking themselves whatever happened to Ray Jackson who is the least known member of the Fab Five.

As it turns out despite a lengthy government investigation Ray Jackson was found to have never received any illegal compensation from University of Michigan boosters like Ed Martin. After being cut by the Knicks and later the Pistons in the mid-1990s Jackson later reminisced in a 2007 interview with Yahoo Sports that it took him a long time to become comfortable with the fact that he was the only member of the Fab Five unable to make it to the NBA. Now living in Austin, Texas Jackson is involved with a not-for-profit that helps children, manages a moving company, and says he is happy with his life.

To look at the full spectrum that is the Fab Five is to analyze the lives of men that have been under intense scrutiny for decades. The stories of the Fab Five involving successes, failures, potential, scandal, and moving on are aspects that all readers can relate to as being part of their own lives.

Culinary Institute Books Steak Books

Lobster Rolls

2011-12-23T17:01:00.001-08:00

Lobster rolls are an omni present offering of many locations throughout New England as well as the Canadian Maritime Provinces. It is a sandwich that is filled with lobster meat. Traditionally, they contain all of the meat that a one-pound lobster can offer.

The lobster meat is combined with mayonnaise, such chicken or tuna salad, and then served on a grilled hot dog bun. In many cases, it is served on a lightly toasted New England style hot dog bun. New England hot dog buns are different from ordinary hot dog buns in that they have no crust on the sides. The top of the roll is split as well, rather than being sliced like ordinary hot dog buns. The lobster roll is served with the opening of the sandwich on top, rather than being on the side.

The filling of the sandwich is made of cooked lobster meat, mayonnaise, and a variety of other ingredients. Traditionally, lobster roll stuffing can contain diced celery and or scallions. Another variation is using drawn butter in place of mayonnaise. Drawn butter can also be used with the mayonnaise. A lobster roll sandwich can also have lettuce and lemon.

In the United States, they are associated with the state of Maine. While Maine seems to get the benefit of the doubt when it comes to all things lobster related, lobster rolls are commonly available at seafood restaurants across the New England states as well as on Eastern Long Island. These delights are available in any area where lobster fishing is common.

During the summer months, they are a staple summer meal. In Canada, Nova Scotia in particular is fond of lobster rolls. Here they may appear on hamburger buns, baguettes, or other types of bread rolls. Lobster rolls have even been served in pitas. For side dishes, the majority of the time people are given potato chips and dill pickles.

McDonald's, in an effort to conform to the native diet, has been known to offer the McLobster in restaurants located in New England as well as in the Canadian Maritime provinces. While seasonal, the McLobster is still sold. It has been sold, in years past, for $4.75. McDonald's does not use a New England style roll, merely a toasted roll for their lobster rolls.

Culinary Institute Books Cookie Recipe Meat Recipes Books

Calculate Pain And Suffering The Right Way And Settle Your Car Accident

2011-12-22T13:27:00.001-08:00

How to calculate pain and suffering? This is a difficult and controversial issue. When you are in a car accident, the insurance company wants to get a written document that releases any and all claims against the person that caused your damages and injuries. To get that release, the insurance
adjuster must compensate you adequately.

You are entitled to special damages (medical bills, wage loss, medicine, etc.) and general damages (pain and suffering, loss of consortium, physiological injuries, etc.) Most of the time, calculating the Special Damages is not very difficult and there is not much debate over the value of the medical bills, wage loss, and other medical expenses. You can add them all up and submit your receipts. However, calculating general damages, which includes pain and suffering, can be very difficult.

How much is your headache worth? Depends who you ask. If you ask the insurance adjuster, she will tell you about $5. If I ask you, then it is probably worth much more than that.

Personal injury attorneys use the medical bills or all "special damages" as a way to calculate general damages. Some multiply the medical bills by two, other by three or even four times (depends in your
jurisdiction). This is only a rule of thumb. The insurance adjuster will fight you and will tell you that that is not an accurate way to calculate pain and suffering. There are no laws that will give you a formula to calculate the value of the injury.

Simply multiplying your medical bills will not yield an accurate number. You could have an injury with medical bills of $2,000 but the pain and suffering be worth much more than three or even four times that value. For example, a fifteen year old girl that suffers a cut in her face, leaving a scar from her eye to her chin. Medical bills for stitches and cleaning the wound might not be very much, but the psychological injury of growing up with such injury could be worth much more.

Multiplying the medical bills is not very accurate when assessing the value of pain and suffering, however it can guide you. Remember that there are many more claim than just "pain and suffering" in a car accident. You can ask for loss of consortium, loss of earning capacity, loss of quality of life, etc. For a detailed list and explanation of each type of claim, visit http://www.auto-insurance-claim-advice.com/bodily-injury-claim.html. All of these claims can add to a lot of money. Most people forget to ask for any of those types of damages. Insurance companies do not explain the process and they just want a release for any and all claims, including all those damages you forgot or did know to ask for. Insurance companies do this on purpose. Be aware.

Insurance adjusters are ready to tell you that the value of the injury is separated from the accident itself. They are trained to argue that they are settling for the neck pain, not the fact that the total loss settlement
was low. They try to narrow the scope of the settlement. For example, they will tell you that the fact that the driver that hit was drunk is not accounted for because they are looking at pain and suffering. Your pain will not be more or less because someone else was drunk. If you were hit at the same speed and the
same conditions by a sober person, your pain and suffering would be the same (same impact, same injury).

The insurance adjuster would be correct; the pain would be the same. But remember that what the insurance company is doing is "buying your lawsuit". Would the fact that a driver hit you while intoxicated increase the value a jury would award you? I think the answer is probably yes.

To get the most out for your pain and suffering, use the value of your medical bills, the circumstances surrounding the accident, the type of injury, similar cases jury awards, and all the bodily injury claims you
can make. Double check every argument the insurance adjuster is making. Make sure you are getting a fair treatment.

Cookie Recipe

Top 10 Must-Do Things in Kuantan - Attractions in Kuantan, Malaysia

2011-12-19T23:52:00.001-08:00

Kuantan is the capital of Pahang, situated near the mouth of Kuantan River. Kuantan is famous for the local products like "batik", "prawn crackers" and also "salted fish".

Here are some recommendations you must not miss out when you visit Kuantan: -

1 - Shop at East Coast Mall East Coast Mall is the biggest shopping mall in Kuantan. It just started to operate not long ago and it is a retreat for the locals on the weekends. The mall has got brands that could not be found at other shopping malls in Kuantan like Big Apple and Donuts and Starbucks.

2 - Eat Satay at Restoran Zul Restoran Zul serves the best satay in town and only operates at night. If you want to give it a try, make sure you are there early as it is always full house. The specialty of this restaurant is the "kuah" or also called the satay sauce.

3 - Dine at Restoran Hoi Yin Restoran Hoi Yin is located at the stretch of shop houses near Telok Chempedak. According to the locals, the curry mee served here is the best and it is finger licking good. Be an early bird or else, wave goodbye to it.

4 - Drink Coffee at Kemaman Kopitiam Kemaman Kopitiam is one of the place where youngsters love to hang out. "Nasi Lemak" and "Kopi Ais" is a must to order upon visit.

5 - Take a River Cruise River Cruise service is available at the Kuantan River. The sight-seeing journey takes about 2 hours and the passengers get a chance to visit the mangrove swamp. The cruise costs RM 10 for adult and RM 5 for the children below 12.

6 - Check Out Sungai Lembing Museum Sungai Lembing Museum is the place of remembering the glory day of Sungai Lembing as the richest town. But as time passed, the tins are being replaced with plastic, aluminium and others. In the museum, there are equipments used for mining, tracks to go into the mines, offices environment and many more.

7 - Drop by Charah Cave Charah Cave is a limestone cave which is well-known for its 'Sleeping Buddha', an impressive stone sculpture of the reclining Buddha. According to the locals, the 'Sleeping Buddha' looks the best, when the sun shines in at 11 o'clock in the morning.

8 - Visit Lao Zi Temple Lao Zi Temple is located on the Sungai Lembing-Kuantan way. The Golden Dragon structured is the longest man-made dragon in the world with 2,700 feet. There is a walkway that begins from the Dragon's tail and ends at the head. People believed that after walking through, good luck and fortune will be rushing in.

9 - Wind Surf at Balok Beach Balok Beach, which is located 15km to the north of Kuantan, is a great place for wind surfing. If you are lucky enough, you could probably see turtles laying eggs between the month of May and September.

10 - Visit Telok Chempedak Telok Chempedak is one of the most popular beaches in Kuantan - without it, the trip is not complete! It is crowded especially during the night! A great place for family and friends to hang out and enjoy the sea breeze. And also, here has got the one and only McDonald's in Kuantan.

Does it lure you to Kuantan now? Make a move and experience Kuantan!

The Food Revolution Cookie Recipe Baking Cookie

Fast Food History in America

2011-12-19T08:14:00.001-08:00

Most people think the McDonald brothers of California started the fast-food craze in America, but in reality, it was the White Castle hamburger chain that actually started fast food history in America. J. Walter Anderson opened the first White Castle in 1916 in Wichita, Kansas, and people liked the cheap hamburgers, fries, and colas he offered. However, fast-food really didn't become common in America until after World War II, when Americans first began to fall in love with their cars, and had leisure time and more money to spend on eating out.

The McDonald Brothers

The real heroes of fast food history in America are Richard and Maurice McDonald, the two brothers who created the first McDonald's restaurant in 1948 in San Bernardino, California. They wanted their restaurant to be more efficient and cost-effective, so they designed a simple menu in a small building without any tables, so people took their food and ate in their cars. By 1953, the brothers had decided to franchise their idea, and two franchises opened in Downey, California and Phoenix, Arizona.

Copycats

As the McDonald's became more successful, others began to take notice and copy their example to make their own fast food history in America. Keith Cramer started an operation in Florida that would turn into Burger King, and Ray Kroc, a blender salesman, was so impressed with McDonald's that he asked the brothers if he could sell their franchises. He opened his own McDonald's in Des Plaines, Illinois in 1954, and eventually he bought out the brothers and became the owner of the corporation. Kroc was the driving force behind the food chain's fantastic growth throughout America in the late 50s and early 60s. Wendy's was created by Dave Thomas in Columbus, Ohio, where the first restaurant opened in 1962.

More Newcomers

As fast food caught on, and more people decided they liked dining in their cars; more fast food shops sprang up around the country. Jack-in-the-Box began in San Diego, California in 1951, and by 1960 it had spread out of California into other areas. Troy Smith opened the first SONIC Drive-In in 1954 in Shawnee, Oklahoma, Dunkin' Donuts first opened in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1950, and the first Taco Bell opened in 1962 in Downey, California. All of these operations based their business at least loosely on the McDonald's operation and then modified it to work with their specialty foods.

Today's History

Today, fast food chains have spread all around the world, and have spread American culture right along with them. There are many more popular chains, like Carl's Jr., Arby's, Domino's and Dairy Queen, indicating that fast food isn't always about hamburgers. In fact, pizza, Chinese food, and just about any type of food imaginable are now available for take-out at fast-food chains across the globe. Fast food history in America is really the foundation of fast food as we know it today, and that history has made millionaires out of many of the people who first stated the fast food concept.

Cookie Recipe Culinary for Health Baking Cookie

You Need A Cake Marketing Plan!

2011-12-17T20:40:00.001-08:00

Are you passionate about cake decorating and are ready to take it to the next level? Are you finally up to starting a cake business from home? Starting this business from home will be an amazingly fun adventure but you need to prepare yourself from day one.

Starting a cake business from home is just like any other business, you need a plan. You have your business plan and a crucial part of that includes a marketing plan. You can ask any business owner and they will tell you that marketing is going to be one of the most crucial elements of running your business. You have to reach customers to sell to, without these people; your business is nothing but equipment.

Before you start your cake business, let's get the marketing aspect under control. A budget is crucial but sometimes frustrating. Most people don't have thousands of dollars to throw into their new company so budgeting is absolutely necessary. If you have your market strategy in place, stretching your budget will be much simpler.

So, your question is? How can I market for little or no money? Good questions, let's answer it...

1. Ask local schools, churches, YMCA's, Boys & Girls Clubs, Recreational Centers and libraries if you can post some flyers. Make these flyers at home for relatively no money. You just need paper and a printer.

2. Take photos of the finished products and place them on these flyers.

3. Offer some free or reduced priced cakes to your friends and family for their events. Ask your neighbors and people you work with or your spouse works with if you can use there event as a stepping stone.

4. Ask for testimonials from your customers, friends or family. Use these testimonials in your flyers or website.

5. Search for local events in your area and ask if you can sponsor or participate in the event. Offer samples or demos of your product for free. You will be surprised at the results you get.

It is very difficult when starting a cake business from home or any business for that matter to spend NO money. You are going to have to invest money in your marketing. Once you get out there and get noticed, the possibilities are endless. Offer cakes for all types of occasions and soon you will notice your calendar is never empty! Just remember, you must have a marketing plan in order to be successful in your new cake business! So, start planning, good luck and have fun!

Culinary for Health Caramel Recipe Books

Franchise Company Operations Manual Sample Outline

2011-12-16T19:16:00.001-08:00

Many companies wish to expand and a few wish to use franchising as a method of expansion. Not a bad idea, but one must consider the importance of the fine details. One book I recommend you read is the "E-Myth" by Gerber it is available at all the usual places. You see when going from a small business to a franchise company it is important to make sure you take out all the mistakes you have made in the past in building your small business and insure that your future franchisees never make those mistakes themselves. After all they need not go thru the rigorous minefields and brick walls you had to in order to be successful. Especially considering you will most likely be charging them a substantial upfront franchise fee.

Many new franchisors know they need an Official and Confidential Operations Manual, yet since it is such a daunting task they often favor the idea of hiring someone not involved in their business to do so for them. The fees for operation manual writers is quite high and indeed it was my reasoning to write my own for our franchise company, which happens to specialize in Mobile Car Washing and Detailing. http://www.CarWashGuys.com . After completing the manual, which is always under constant revision as markets change and consumer buying behavior trends ensue, I found that not only was writing my own operations manual a cost savings; it was imperative.

A good Franchise operations manual will end up about 500 pages, mine ended up over 1000 typed pages with about 10,000 hand written notes and sub topic accumulation of forms and ideas of the past 20-years. After going thru this process of designing what I believe is the best franchise company ever created, I realized that you never fully understand your business completely until you put yourself, employees, customers, cash flow and procedures under a microscope. I can tell you that when you finally do this, you will be humbled indeed. I suppose that is a good thing, even though us entrepreneurs seem to have above average egos.

So with this said let me first say, I cannot give you our manuals for free, generally our perfected business model is sold in the form of a franchise and the franchise fees are generally $20,000 up front. But as an entrepreneur I will give the basic outline, which you need to write your own. Which if you intend to franchise your current business, I highly recommend you do it yourself or with a close in-house team. If you choose to hire a writer, pay a little extra and spend a little more time putting all your ideas into a tape or digital recorder so that the true important details are not lost in the political correctness of a Manual Writer. Remember I am in a service, home based franchise company and you company will be slightly different and therefore your manual will also be somewhat modified, but I assure you this is where you need to start. Try to have at least 20-pages for each item and then once you state using bullets, paragraphing, formatting and illustrations you should be closer to 35-40 pages for each topic. Here is the outline and best of luck and continued success in your business.

OFFICIAL OPERATIONS MANUAL

I. IMAGE

II. COMMUNITY RELATIONS

III. CUSTOMER RELATIONS

IV. MEDIA RELATIONS

V. EMPLOYEE RELATIONS

VI. VENDOR RELATIONS

VII. OTHER FRANCHISEE RELATIONS

VIII. FRANCHISOR RELATIONS

IX. LOCAL GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

X. BUSINESS COMMUNITY RELATIONS

XI. COMPETITION RELATIONS

XII. ABOUT VEHICLE

XIII. MAINTENANCE OF EQUIPMENT

XIV. ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

XV. WATER PURIFICATION

XVI. INTER COMPANY PROCEDURES

XVII. ACCOUNTING AND BILLING

XVIII. BANKING AND CREDIT CARDS

XIX. FINANCING

XX. ROYALTIES

XXI. COMPUTER PROCEDURES

XXII. SUPPORT (COMPUTERS)

XXIII. SCHEDULING TIPS

XXIV. QUALITY CONTROLS

XXV. ASSOCIATIONS

XXVI. INSURANCE

XXVII. SAFETY

XXVIII. WASHING PROCEDURES (VEHICLES)

XXIX. INDUSTRIAL AND SPECIALIZED SERVICES

XXX. TERRITORY LIMITATIONS

XXXI. RECORDS TO BEAT

XXXII. UNDERSTANDING OUR FOUNDER, COMPANY HISTORY

XXXIII. FUTURE OF FRANCHISOR

XXXIV. FOUNDER'S MESSAGE

Cooking Network Foods

Tips For Decorating the Reception Hall

2011-12-15T22:12:00.001-08:00

The Art of the Hallway

This article will share some great ideas for getting the most out of that hallway in the house. It is after all the first room you and guests walk into. So often it is a second thought when deciding to decorate. By giving the room some deserved consideration and plan a refresh of one of the most important rooms in your house.

One of the most popular things to do is paint the hallway, when deciding to paint make sure to get a good colour that is going to lighten up the hallway, but also make sure that it's not to light because then the dirt and all the extra things are going to show up often.

Second, thing to do with the hallways is to look into purchasing some small artwork to hang on the walls this will help to decorate the hallway and bring it to life. When choosing those photos make sure that these photos are representing something that is attractive and not just some dull art work.

A third thing to look into placing in the hallway would be dedicating a wall to the family especially if you have kids what better place for them school photos to go. Along with the school photos put the grand-parents photos in there and the family picture. Yet another possibility to spruce the hallway up is look into the type of lights that are in the hallway maybe purchase some decorative lights to hang from the ceiling.

To get even more out of the hallway look at possibly putting a small hall table in the space, so that decorations can be placed on that table to bring yet another form of life to the hall.

Lastly the flooring of the hall take into consideration what the floor is like when doing all the other decorations listed above, such as if its carpet then make sure to purchase things that are going to blend well in with the carpet so that it really don't stick out and then become an eye sore.

Well when the time comes to decorate that hallway hopefully this article has led to some great ideas for pursing in that hall to make sure that the most is gotten out of the hall and also those projects that have been done in the hall.

These items all listed above so be able to not only bring life to the hallway but are all fairly cheap ideas so it shouldn't cost a lot of money.

Meat Recipes Books

McDonald's Vs Burger King - Which is the Better Hamburger?

2011-12-14T22:47:00.001-08:00

When it comes to fast food, McDonald's and Burger King are among the biggest players in the game. Both of these fast food giants have been in business for over 50 years. The former generated 21.6 billion dollars in revenue last year while the latter only pulled in about 2.06 billion. Based on these numbers, some might be tempted to think that Mickey Dee's is clearly winning here but it does not necessarily mean that they make a better hamburger. Let's take a closer look.

We will start with McDonald's in our hamburger showdown. A typical burger from Mickey Dee's weighs about 100g, has 9g of fat, 520g of salt and 31g of carbohydrates. It is made of 100% beef (or so they claim). In terms of preparation, they fry their burger over a flat grill for that indoor home cooking taste. It comes with ketchup, mustard, pickle and onion and can be customized to fit your taste.

In comparison, a Burger King hamburger is slightly heavier at 121g, contains 12g of total fat, 560g of salt, and 30g of carbohydrates. They also claim to use 100% beef in their kitchens. Burger King flame-broils theirs, giving it a taste of outdoor barbecue grilling that is very reminiscent of the summer. BK's burgers come fully dressed with ketchup, mustard and pickle, but their slogan is: "Have it your way!" so you can take off any of the condiments and reconfigure the sandwich to your heart's content. It cost slightly more than a McDonald's hamburger.

Taking the size into consideration, the salt content and cost are about the same on both burgers. In terms of nutritional value, there is very little difference between the two fast food giants as well.

So Who Make The Better Burger McDonald's or Burger King?

Based on our research so far, there appears to be very little difference between the two. They are almost comparable. Burger King comes out slightly ahead if you compare size (which is larger than the McDonald's hamburger) or if you are very health-conscious and are concerned with the nutritional value of the sandwich (Burger King's hamburger has one less gram of carbohydrates in it).

Other than this, they appear to be comparable for the most part. The differences outside of how the sandwiches are prepared are very small. So, the answer to the question: "Who has the better hamburger?" comes down to personal taste. Ultimately, it's all about how you like your burger. The good news is, you can always have it your way.

Cookie Recipe

Why You Should Not Dry Your Car With a Chamois

2011-12-14T02:29:00.001-08:00

When it comes to drying your car after washing & rinsing a popular choice is to use a chamois leather. Although these can be very effective at absorbing water and drying your car, unfortunately they can also easily inflict allot of damage onto the surface of your paintwork in the form of light scratches, swirl marks and marring.

A chamois leather is an animal rawhide which means it has obviously not been 'designed' for the sole purpose of drying a car, which means that you are compromising the safety of your paintwork if you use one. The make up of a chamois leather means that any small stray particles of dirt on the surface of your car become trapped between the paintwork and the chamois during the drying phase and are therefore drawn across it which results in the fine scratches and swirl marks.

Chamois leathers also dry hard so even if just a small part of it is not sufficiently dampened and softened before you begin drying, marring could be inflicted onto the surface of your paintwork. There are synthetic chamois also available but these too suffer from the same disadvantages that a natural chamois leather does.

There are safe alternatives available however that can just as effectively dry your car. Micro fibre and waffle weave towels are specifically designed to dry your car whilst not inflicting any damage. The construction of these towels means that any stray particles of dirt left on the surface become trapped in their fibres and safely away from the surface of the paintwork during drying. They are also made from very soft materials eliminating the chance of marring the paintwork.

After use, micro fibre & waffle weave drying towels can be machine washed to ensure that any dirt particles are removed and that they are completely clean and safe for use next time, this also helps to prolong the life of the towel. This cannot be done with a chamois leather which means that they will not last a long as a towel and will also accumulate more & more dirt particles every time they are used.

Steak Books

Dog and Cat Art on the Internet

2011-12-13T08:49:00.001-08:00

Looking for Dog Art or Cat Art online? No matter if you are looking for dog or cat paintings, portraits, prints, gifts or even clip-art, the internet is a quick and easy way to find the perfect pet art. However, as with anything you look for using the internet, it can be an intimidating challenge to locate exactly what you need. In this article we will look at all the various types of dog and cat art available online, where to find it, and the good and bad to watch out for.

Pet art, and in particular dog and cat art, is immensely popular today. There are many reasons for this, but particularly the almost universal popularity of dogs and cats as beloved pets and companions. You would struggle to find anyone who isn't either a cat or a dog lover today, and many love both. This means that there's always a huge demand for all kinds of cat and dog art. And as everyone knows, the internet really is the easiest and fastest way to find virtually anything. Today every possible type of pet art can be found online, including:

- dog or cat paintings in oil or watercolor or acrylic medium
- original portraits from people's own photographs of their pet
- high quality cat and dog art prints
- trendy pet related pop art
- dog and cat clip-art
- gifts t-shirts and clothing sporting pet art designs and logos
- and even gifts and clothing for dogs and cats themselves

The choice of art available online for the cat or dog lover is huge. However, this wealth of choice presents some challenges. Because the pet industry is a huge money-spinner for businesses the world over, it does mean there are some unscrupulous traders and sellers of pet related products online, so it makes sense to be cautious and do some research before spending any money. Potential problems can include cat or dog art which claims to be original art, but which is in fact a photograph altered digitally using software such as photoshop. This is completely different from legitimate and skilled digital artists who paint using a digital brush. Also, when searching for pet related clip-art, care must be taken when visiting some seemingly free sites which exist simply to pop-up new browser windows which can be annoying, and as with any sites which repeatedly generate pop-up windows, they could potentially host malware. However, it must be said most websites are perfectly safe to use.

In fact the largest problem when searching for cat or dog art is how to actually find the particular type of art you are looking for. With the almost infinite number of websites on every topic today it can be surprisingly time-consuming and frustrating trying to find exactly what you want. Searching for cat art for example will return millions upon millions of matching websites, containing everything from drawings of cartoon cats to clothing stores for pampered kittens, so try to narrow your search by using a more precise search term. Alternatively look out for websites which have done much of the work for you, gathering links to many different sources of cat and dog art and pet products in one place.

Cookie Recipe Culinary Institute Books

Writing Effective (and Requisite) Essay Openers

2011-12-12T05:02:00.001-08:00

When we write for college courses, we write for an audience other than ourselves. And it's an audience of more than one--the professor who assigned the piece. A good way to think of (and never forget) audience is to imagine we are writing the assignment for a popular magazine that sits in multiple copies on the shelves of an equally popular bookstore. For each magazine sold, pretend, we get a percentage.

Our goal, then, is to have as large and widespread a readership as possible--to hook as many browsers as we can--with an effective opener (also known as an introduction). We therefore must engage, first, before we entertain, educate, or inform.

First the Caveats and Comments on Ineffective (Bad) Openers

NO to SNORE openers - Forget burdening or alienating your readers with comments of how many people in many countries have many different ideas about life and society and all those other blah, blah, blah hard-to-wrap-the-brain-around opening commentaries...which really just send the reader off to find a more intriguing read.

NO to OBVIOUS - Similar to the snore generalizations, the obvious comments in an opener will have eyes (if not heads) rolling as readers take in the TV is mental masturbation or ads are used to manipulate us statements you can avoid--by using an old Marshall McCluhan quote or Cleo awards description, for example, instead.

NO to HYPERBOLE - Putting myself through school as a waitress, I had a number of regular customers who were writers, too, they said. They would talk at me all through my shift, reciting their best work. One insisted on reiterating his description of the verdant rolling hills that kissed the edges of the glistening waters at the feet of the majestic span of the Golden Gate Bridge...until I would get so mental I would fantasize about bringing the heft of the glistening glass coffee pot screaming down onto his head. In other words, do not exaggerate. Do not bring in heavy drama and description that will overwhelm and, again, alienate your readers. Stick with the truth. Stick with the openers that work.

We Use Modes for Engaging Openers...and I'm going to Use One Here, Out of Necessity...and Spite

I once read a how-to article on web content writing, on making a site that brings traffic (the attention of many). I had already begrudgingly given in to the understanding that web content writing is very different than academic writing--it has different goals, different audiences, and different elements that lend themselves to an 'A' piece of writing. In fact, it is so different that to write for the web we have to unravel all we have worked to weave, have to unlearn all we have learned as college English writers.

Don't Confuse Web Content/Writing and Academic Writing

So the writer of this article says to start web copy you skip the opener and go directly to the main point (what we in academia know as the thesis). Okay. This made sense, I thought, as web readers read differently: they read fast, they skim, they scan, they skip...to draw the most usable info in the shortest amount of time. (Probably the way you are reading now, hoping I get on with the point).

-I was with Mr. Web when he explained these facts.

-I was with him as he noted the research findings that back up the rationale for sacrificing good academic exposition for web text.

-And I was there with his tips and tricks, which were great...until he went too far, editorializing about writers who actually use openers:

He claimed that writers who rely on openers don't have "the courage" to just get to the point. So he lost me.

Don't Let Anyone Shame Your Learning Writing Tricks

We can adapt to just about any rhetorical style. We can adjust our notions of what makes for good writing. But we should balk when a how-to writer insults other methods of writing. We should even disregard implications of cowardice as unnecessary ad hominem attacks. False attacks. Fallacious and floppy and frivolous teaching. Screw that.

Readers of Academic Essay Writing Appreciate (even Prefer) a Good Opener

Openers in academic writing, whether in a creatively developed literary response or a historical survey, are imperative. They are a gentler way of drawing in, luring our readers. They are at first quite challenging to get right, but our mastering them--which is possible--has nothing to do with courage, which comes from the French word, "coeur," heart. We have plenty of heart. We're studying English, for hell sake.

Against my wishes, then, this page opens with a declaration and gets right to the point. At first. But it also has a "grabber" slipped in--because we're looking at grabbers and because, well, I can't help it. I want to model decent prose for you.

Samples of Effective Essay Openers by Mode/Type

Even better, I'll share with you some samples, written by my former students (who have granted permission for the use of their work as models):

****People Love Stories. We Love to Tell Stories. The Narrative Opener:

Once upon a time, during the era of slavery, whites were afraid of blacks, and the "word" was born. That's why someone came up with the "word." Two hundred years later around my sister's house, the children still use this "word". Sometimes I even hear myself say this "word." But guess what? I check myself and correct myself, because when you use the "word" to address someone, no matter who you are or what color you are, it is totally disrespectful.

The word: "nigger". (1)

****To Establish Credibility, Try a Sober, Scholarly Introduction. The Statistics/Facts Opener:

By the age of forty-four, 47 percent of American women will have had an abortion. (Day 6) To describe this statistic as anything other than a tragedy is to deny the sanctity of human life. The Christian abortion debate rests upon the moral and theological dimension[s] of this issue. To examine the moral dimensions of abortion without examining the social realm is to ignore the mutually dependent relationship that surrounds this debate. (2)

****Appealing to the Senses Lures and Keeps Readers Interested. The Descriptive Opener:

Rain is pelting my car relentlessly as I drive home from [XXX] College. Cars rushing on the freeway cause the water on the pavement to burst into a fine mist, surrounding each and every vehicle with a billowing sheet of opaqueness. Finally, I arrive in front of my little two-bedroom home. With a sigh of relief, I enter my living room.

Lately, this house has turned into a haven of safety, sheltering me as much from nature's elements as from the unpredictable and unprovoked malevolence I experience from one of my instructors. My dread is heightened by the fact that I appear to be the primary recipient of this teacher's outbursts of viciousness. Slowly, my gaze shifts across the room and comes to rest on the play I have to read for my English class. It is Mamet's Oleanna. I pick up the book and soon find myself drawn into the story. Quickly, it becomes clear to me that this play [deals with] the relationship between a teacher (John) and his student (Carol). While both characters show evidence of an interesting variety of behaviors, John mesmerizes me to a greater degree. I begin to wonder whether John displays symptoms of an underlying psychological disorder. (3)

Put the Readers in the Frame, Inside the Paper. The Direct Address Opener:

You are in the midst of a blazing inferno. Your mind is moving at the speed of light. Yet you are paralyzed by fear. The silence is deafening between the confinement of the four walls. You are no longer in control. You wonder how the communication between the members of the family has ceased, specifically between Mother and Father. Each passing day, only silence can be heard. The usual chatter at the dinner table is considerably lessened. It comes down to, "Pass the corn, please." Or one excusing oneself from the table. (4)

Advance Trust, Establish Authority from the Start. The Authoritative Quote Opener:

"Generations of students have studied calculus without ever seeing its power." This statement is found in an article by K.C. Cole titled, "Bringing Calculus Down to Earth," from The Los Angeles Times. I most certainly agree with Cole. At one point earlier in the course of the class (calculus), I was not sure about the use of calculus and the importance of it. Others like me, such as friends, felt the same way. For this reason, I would assume, I am doing this research. This research is for students like myself to realize that "there is something about calculus," as Cole states in the article.... (5)

Keep with the Traditional "Show, Don't Tell" Lesson. The Example Opener:

Sex is great. To me, it is all about feelings and experiences--the feeling of flesh against flesh, the experience of orgasm after orgasm. Sometimes, even, there is that feeling of being special, wanted, and loved. I suppose my parents had sex. It is not really an image I like to bring to mind. But when my father has sex with someone other than my mom, how am I supposed to feel then? (6)

Engage by Asking for the Readers' Opinion and Thoughtful Participation. The Profound Rhetorical Question Opener:

Is the play, True West, written by actor/writer Sam Shepard, a sublimation of his own sibling rivalry or a rationalization of one? He writes of two brothers who are equal in intelligence but opposite in character. The older brother lives by his wit and the younger by his pen. In his unique style, Shepard uses many symbols describing the keen emotions that make up these two brothers. He also uses metaphors that reel you, the audience, into the depths of anger, pain, and the reality of life.... (7)

Finally, the Encouragement of Effective (Good) Openers

YES to APPROPRIATE introductory material. That is, use an opener that is relevant to your essay topic. Use an opener that fits the material. For example, a definition of alcoholism (which might work if you were writing a book) might be too clumsy for a cause and effect paper studying the influences of alcoholism on the family.

YES to APT openers. Do the modes that you are best at writing. And do what you best like doing. Write what works for you, your audience, and your assignment.

YES, modes overlap. A narrative opener will have descriptive details. A quote may be combined with statistics and facts. But instead of tripping on what the exact boundaries are between modes or types of writing passages, focus on the specifics of one type of opener as you understand it. The rest will be bonus material that merely enhances your style.

And YES to engaging, alluring introductions that lead your readers in to the place where your thesis/opinion sits waiting to declare your bold, informed truths. Which should never be denied or neglected...any more than your audience should be.

End Notes

(1) Bronson, A. "The Word."

(2) Roncella, L. "Judging Abortion."

(3) Prince, U. "Who Cares? [A Study of Oleanna]"

(4) Tolosa, W. "Dark silence."

(5) Pham, D. "Calculus as a Necessary Tool."

(6) Guiterrez, R. "Dad, Why Cheat?"

(7) Stark, C. "[...a Study of the Psychology of True West]."

Food Recipes DVD Cooking Network Foods

The Pros and Cons of Freezing Prepared Foods

2011-12-11T09:06:00.001-08:00

These days with our busy lives, we always looking for shortcuts to make things easier for ourselves. One of those ways is to be able to prepare food in advance and store it in the freezer until we need it. This works especially well for packed lunches, casseroles, and baked goods. However there are advantages and disadvantages to freezing prepared foods.

Some of the advantages are:

You can prepare this food at your own convenience, for instance on your days off. Your oven is used much more efficiently, because you can cook lots of dishes at once. You can avoid any wastage, by freezing the food instead of throwing it into the garbage. You can save lots of time by doubling and tripleing the amounts of food you are cooking, and then freezing the extra food.

Another advantage if you live alone, is that you can cook and prepare all your foods for the week, and then freeze them separately to save time cooking every night. Once again, if someone in the family need special foods, like baby foods or diet foods, and they can be prepared in quantity and frozen in single portions.

Some of the disadvantages are:

Unless you have a microwave, which allows you to thaw food quickly, you must allow a lot of time in the refrigerator for the food to thaw. Some products do not freeze very well, so you need to avoid these. A lot more energy is used when you cook food, freeze it, and reheat it, rather than just cook food and eat it. And freezing can be expensive when you add up the cost of the freezer itself, the cost of packaging and the cost of the energy used.

Baking Cookie Caramel Recipe Books

NLP Rapport - The Importance of Connection

2011-12-09T21:10:00.001-08:00

What is Rapport and how does it apply to my life? Rapport is the connection that is cultivated between you and the people that you come in contact with. Rapport is the reason why you feel comfortable and trust some and lack of rapport is why you would feel unease and skepticism with others.

As a Hypnotist, NLP Practitioner or if you are working to have a deeper relationship with your partner rapport is the most important ingredient to the mix. Rapport will make all the difference when it comes to effective communication. Why do businesses fail? Why do relationships fail? At the base level the reason for a system of interaction failing is a lack in communication. In a professional situation rapport will allow your client to trust you, so you can get into the business aspect with a common understanding. This is very important in the field of medicine and hypnotherapy. A patient that trusts you and puts his confidence in you will be ready to heal and when you tell them how they can go about this, they will believe you.

How does rapport work and how do I build rapport with another person? Rapport is a way to come into a direct understanding with a person's unconscious mind. To build rapport is to speak and act in such a way that the person or people you are interacting with begin to see a commonality in you. They begin to internally conclude that "This person is like me". It may become apparent that the people around you in your life are the people that have similar beliefs, interests, tastes, and status. When you look into your relationships on a deeper level you may see that you are associating with people that are like you. On an unconscious level you are connecting with these people because you understand them as being familiar to you, they are like you.

What is the Result of being out of rapport with someone? You can see lack of rapport on many levels. The act of fighting, verbally or physically, is the resulting action of being out of rapport. If you feel discomfort with a specific person you are not in rapport with this person. Also if you find yourself in the midst of an argument you are not in rapport at that moment.

One thing to note is the levels of rapport that exist. This means that there are some people such as family that you may always have some level of report with due to the length and nature of your social interaction. You must remember though that your level of rapport is constantly refreshing with the evolving flow of your life. You cannot expect to be in rapport with someone because you have had rapport with them yesterday or last week. Rapport is an active process of connection.

There are several ways to build rapport with someone you are working or interacting with. There is rapport on the verbal level and there is rapport on the non-verbal physical level. You may begin to gain rapport with someone physically before the first word it spoken. It is important when building this connection with someone that you pay close attention to the person you are working with. Paying someone attention is rapport building in itself and you will see that a connection can be built suprisingly fast. To build rapport with someone verbally you will pay attention to the words they are saying, the rate they are speaking, and the tone they are speaking with. You will begin by using their same words in your sentence structures, speaking at the same speed they are speaking, and using the same tone they are speaking with.

When a person is speaking to you the words they use are directly connected to internal representations. These representations are what are really being referred to when they are talking with you. If you spend time trying to figure out what the person is really saying you are taking an active role in trying to translate their words into your internal representations. This is a near impossibility in the fact that their life experience is not the same as your experience and your word representations are not going to match theirs. For example, if someone says to you "I had a bad day today, and I'm not too happy about it" and you say in return "Oh, sounds like your are depressed" They may have a reply like "Well, I wouldn't say that I am depressed, I'm just not happy". At that moment you are in disagreement about an internal representation, your version of "not happy" is not their version of "not happy". It may seem that this had no effect, but on an unconscious level this disagreement was noted, and an unconscious statement may have just occurred along the lines of "Does this person really understand me? Maybe they are not like me". If you respond with "Oh, you had a bad day and you're not happy" even though it might sound ridiculous to repeat back the same phrase, you will find the person in agreement, and they will continue the interaction. It is important to remember the connection you are building is on an unconscious level and when you are referring to the same words of their internal representations the conscious mind translates this into understanding and connection.

The rate someone is speaking at the moment is an external expression of the rate they understand in that moment. To speak at this same rate is a direct compliment to their thinking process and the perfect rate for them to be in full comprehension of what you are communicating. Keep in mind that the brain is moving through many states throughout the day. During the alert waking state a person's brain is moving anywhere from 13 Hz - 40 Hz. For the purposes of this article these states translate into your understanding that the rate of speech being communicating is due to their current brain state. You need be attentive to their speech rate because their brain state is going to be changing during your conversation and you need to be following this state and matching it.

The tone someone is using carries a lot of the meaning of what is really being spoken. Tone is the emotional element to speech. So when you are speaking in this interaction using the same words, the same rate, and the same tone, you are sounding a lot like this person. When processing this unconsciously the person will see a great resemblance in you. As you match tone allow yourself to go into the emotional state of the tone, your tone needs to be genuine.

The Next, and most important, aspect to building rapport is the physical connection. To build a physical rapport with someone you will be matching the person. What is matching a person? You will be taking note of the person's breathing rhythm, their posture, hand movements, and their gaze. As you take note of the person's breathing begin to alter your own breathing to match theirs. When they take a breath you are taking a breath and when you exhale you are exhaling as well. Notice how the person has positioned their body. You can begin to shift your body in a similar pose as they are. Do this subtly so they do not wonder what you are doing, but do this smoothly and intuitively. You do not need to match every movement that they doing. This would look like some type or pseudo-charades and probably cause the person to question your sanity instead of them beginning to trust you deeply. Take note when the person is talking about specific things where they point and move their hands, when you engage in talking about the same matter in return, point and move in the same direction that they had. Also notice, when they are speaking, where they look when talking of certain topics, events, or things. You will look in the same direction when speaking of the same subject matter.

When you are matching physical behaviors and verbal contexts that your client, or any person, is using you are building rapport. You will notice that the rapport is being built by the subject matter and continuation of the conversation. You will also know that the person is in rapport as you change your rate of speech they will follow, as you change your body position they will change theirs.

The ability to gain rapport with someone quickly and naturally is very important to continue interaction and gain comfort and trust from a person. When working with any patient or client keep these points in mind in that they will allow for the client to trust you with some of the deep issues that are the reason that they are there to see you. You may be wasting your valuable time with a client if the true hurtful cause of their current undesirable state doesn't come up until session ten. If you want to have that trust and comfort immediately give the client the attention they deserve and allow yourself to experience their world. Experiencing the client's world will also allow you to unconsciously learn about their situation which may lead you into insights about how to overcome their problems and give you an understanding and compassion for what they are going through.

Baking Cookie Cookie Recipe Cooking Network Foods

The Scariest Halloween Home Decorations

2011-12-09T05:51:00.001-08:00

October is almost here and that means taking out pumpkins, spider webs, witches brooms and other Halloween decorations to turn your home's entrance into the scariest on the block. After all, Halloween is one of the best times to have some seriously wacky fun with hair-raising decorations people will remember for years and years.

Decorating your house for Halloween is loads of fun, and it's even more fun if you start early and get creative with your plans. So let's talk about some of the scariest and creepiest ways to decorate the inside of your home.

Where To Place Your Halloween Decorating Ideas

If it's in your house, you can probably decorate it. Here's some quick ideas to get started:

Windows and window sills
Fireplace mantels
Doors and doorways
Walls
Steps and staircases
Ceilings
Tables and countertops
Corners of the room

Halloween Decorations - Tips To Make Your Skin Crawl

Windows are one of the most visible places to display your Halloween decorations. There are literally endless ways to make a spooky and eye-catching display, just use your imagination.

Here's a cool idea: Take some heavy construction paper and cut out sinister shapes such as a bat, witch or black cat. Place them in any window or corner of your house. You'll be shocked at the impact this simple touch makes.

More Spine-Chilling Ideas

Find some crisp, colorful dry leaves in your garden or nearby park. Scoop them up in a big bucket and spread them wherever you want that ghostly, abandoned Halloween feel.

No Halloween is complete without creepy spiders! Scatter lots of them throughout the house and yard. The more the merrier! And don't forget the fake spider webs that turn any house into a ghostly haunted house.

Spooky Lighting Effects

The right lighting can send chills up any visitor's spine. Dim your lights really low, put dark colored bulbs in the right places or even go without electric lights and use only candles - that will really freak out even the ghastliest spirit who dares venture into your Halloween chamber of horrors! Just watch where you put those candles so the little ones (and not-so-little-ones) don't get hurt.

The right lighting can truly make or break your Halloween decor. Why not up the ante with a fog machine - now you're really rocking! Also try out different colored lights, like red or orange, to make your decorations even more eerie and supernatural.

There's No Limit To The Ghastly Fun

You really can't go wrong with whatever Halloween home decorations you try this year. Making your own is a great way to have some family fun. Or you can shop for the endless variety of choices available in stores around this time. Whatever you do, just remember to have fun and share the wackiness of Halloween with all your family and friends.

Cooking Network Foods Culinary for Health Food Recipes DVD

McDonald's Deals - The Cheaper They Are, the Better They Taste

2011-12-08T03:26:00.001-08:00

You might have heard of McDonald's coupons and you've put your hands on a few of them already. Some people hunt these pieces of papers like if they were hard to get, but should you look around before you guide your steps to the closest restaurants, you can cash in on a few great McDonald's Deals.

Most people are familiar with the company and either love them for the taste of their burgers or just the fact that those burgers are available at more than 31,000 spots worldwide. Wherever you see the double golden-arch symbol you can be sure that the quality will be the same. This is one of the reasons why 50 million people eat in one of the restaurants every day.

If you are one of those who like to skip the kitchen every time you have the chance, you'll find their coupons a nice addition to eating out. The best deals are always what you get for free, unfortunately free coupons are not always available. You can come across the type that offers a free burger, usually one of the most popular ones, or an ice cream or coffee. It greatly depends on the current promotion, but the company always has at least one campaign running.

You can get information about the current one either taking a look at their official website, or reading announcements hung on entrance doors of every McDonald's restaurant. People who manage their time effectively will find the former solution closer to what they've imagined.

Checking the new trends online has another great benefit to those who take the time to look up a McDonald's location and the latest promotions. They can also find sites in search engine results that offer the latest coupons for printing. You can download others' findings, share what you have and let everyone save some on the menus.

There are other methods of making the meals just a little bit cheaper, such as taking coupons handed out in-store. Sometimes you are given the coupon book, sometimes you have to be cheeky and ask for it. In most cases they're piling up behind or even on top of the counters, and it doesn't matter the least for the employee if they give it to you or the next guy in the queue.

Every time you head to town make sure you have your coupons with you, or at least ask the staff if you forget it once in a while. Maybe a dollar here and there doesn't count much, but if you use coupons every time you have a meal in a fast food restaurant, you'll find that lot of the little dollars add up quickly.

Steak Books Cooking Network Foods

How a McDonald's Burger Can Be Good - Lose Weight by Eating Burgers?

2011-12-07T14:11:00.001-08:00

For each burger patty at McDonald's, around 140 calories are embedded into the meat. Its cheeseburgers have double burger patties, so that make 280 calories when you buy one cheese burger at McDonald's. However, since people are on the lookout on their calorie, carbohydrate, and fat consumption, the buns from the burgers are usually discarded.

Everyone knows that burger meats are not low in fat, but low or perhaps zero in nutritional value. When one wants to deviate sometimes from his weight loss diet, eating the meaty treats at McDonald's could be not so damaging at all to the diet especially when the bun is not included. This kind of eating is termed "low-carb diet", which can sometimes make a person lighter by a pound or two, even when he eats at McDonald's two times a week.

Others add tomatoes, onions, and slices of cucumber as they eat McDonald's meaty burgers for breakfast or at most times, for dinner. Eating low-carb foods can be good to weight loss diets especially when its nature is purported to promote calorie restriction. With McDonald's meats, energy is not reduced. In fact, meats can be a good source of protein which is essential in building muscles. Energy is needed in that activity.

Some people feel guilty though when they turn sideways from their traditional weight loss diet. However, depending on the package, eating McDonald's meats can actually be within calorie restriction. This is effectively done by not adding ketchup or mustard into the burger. There is no worry on its taste for the patties at McDonald's taste great.

For its cheese though, you may need to do some research on its nature. Sometimes, cheese can be deceiving. We sometimes think that it is safe to eat it when in truth it is not.

Food Recipes DVD Cooking Network Foods

How to Sew Neckties With Your Kids

2011-12-06T11:49:00.001-08:00

With our fast paced lives, it is always important that we spend enough time with our kids. Your time together can be spent creatively which would allow your kids to explore their creativity and take it to different heights. There are a lot of crafts that you can do with your kids including sewing a simple necktie.

Sewing simple neckties with your kids can be a very fun activity that does not require too much effort. After you're done with your project, you can give it to dad for father's day or to grandpa for his birthday.
Here's how to do it:

1. The first thing that you have to do is to gather all the materials that you need. For your necktie, you need silk or polyester fabric, stiff paper or poster board for your pattern (if you would use one), scissors, ruler, sewing machine, and, of course, threads. You can let your kids choose the fabric that they want. It can have loud designs in very loud colors but let them-they're kids, in the first place. You can borrow one of dad's necktie as a pattern to help you achieve your desired look.

2. When drawing a pattern, you need four pattern pieces. Ask your one of your kids to draw a like in your board that is 30 inches. Measure five inches from the first line, and then again draw another line that is 25 inches long. Obviously, the lines should angle out because neckties grew wider towards the bottom. Connect both lines at the top by drawing an angled line. Draw a triangle at the bottom and voila! Your pattern is just like dad's tie-only slightly bigger.

3. For the back of your tie, you need to follow the same pattern although this time, do not angle the lines and draw them a little shorter. The two final pieces of your tie-pattern are the tip of tie and the end of the back. The front triangle piece should be at least 7.5 inches tall and the back should be 6 inches tall.

4. Cut the fabric and this is something that you have to do yourself instead of your kids. Put the pattern on top of the fabric and cut it accordingly. Pin the tops of the two long pieces together while making sure that the right sides of the tie face each other. Sew the seams and you can even have your kids do it because these features only short and straight seams.

5. After doing so, you need to connect the two triangles at the foot of the front of the tie with the tip of the back of the tie. Here, the right sides should also face each other. You need to sew the edges together, and turn the triangles. The right side should be now visible.

6. To finish off, fold your tie halfway (in the long way). Again, sew along the edge but leave at least an inch unsewn so you can turn the tie inside out.

7. After turning it inside out, your necktie is now finished and ready for wrapping.

Steak Books

What is a "Footer?"

2011-12-05T08:30:00.001-08:00

If you are having a home built, you may have heard this term and not realized what the builder was talking about. The "footer" refers to the underground support of your basement or foundation walls. Many times, this is not something the average homeowner ever sees, but it is the most important part of support, when it comes to your home and the way your foundation will settle. There are important width and depth requirements for the concrete footing that supports your basement walls. The concrete should be sturdy and mixed in the density that is required by building codes.

While many foundation inspections might include a "footer" inspection during new home construction, it is important that this is the case. If not, you will want to be sure and inspect it yourself, because a footer that is not wider than your basement walls and deep enough to add support with the ground around it is like building a basement wall on sand, it is going to lean or worse, as the weight of the home is built on top. Many times, homeowners won't see this important part of the foundation before backfill is put on top and around it. This is a process you should make sure is important to your builder and a question to ask if you are having a home built.

Most footings are supposed to be dictated by building code, but there are ways that some builders get around cheaper "footers", which take less concrete, depending on the scope of the foundation inspection. If it is inspected after completion, it is possible that they are only inspecting the internal appearance of the "footer" or the reverse. Most reputable builders will not skimp on this important building component, but sometimes there are ones that do. The other thing to consider is the composition of the land your home is being built on, so there are different "footer" recommendations and building codes in different parts of the country.

The general rule, when no building codes exist, is that the looser the ground the home is being built on, the wider and deeper the footer needs to be to give adequate support. Obviously, there is a difference in building a home into rock, than there is in sand. The idea of the concrete footing is to support the walls and balance them, giving them a foundation to rest securely on and to help distribute the load. You might think of a "footer" as the foundation for the foundation of your home. This is the reason it is so important.

Most building codes will require that footers are several inches, or over a foot wide and should be several inches or over a foot deep, with concrete that is very dense, for support. Some building codes will require concrete testing of the mix that is used to pour the "footer", so you can rest easier if you have strict building codes and inspection requirements in place. If not, it is a subject that should be approached with your builder and make sure that you understand the exact requirements and the planned specifications for your "footer", and it should all be spelled out in any contracts, when you are having a home custom built.

Caramel Recipe Books Cookie Recipe Culinary for Health

Can Polyps Be Cancerous?

2011-12-04T08:50:00.001-08:00

You probably already know that lung cancer is the number one cancer killer. But do you know what type of cancer is number two? It's colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer causes more than 650,000 deaths worldwide every year. You might find this hard to believe, but colon cancer actually starts from very tiny and humble beginnings. Small masses of cells called polyps begin to grow in your colon. By themselves, they represent no real danger. But over a period of five to 10 years, it's possible for these polyps to become cancerous. So you can begin to see why colon health is so important.

Cancer is the result when the normal growth and division of cells in your body gets out of control. When you think about it, the cells are really quite miraculous. Your entire body is made up of cells, and they tend to grow, divide and generally take care of themselves without any conscious input from you. But sometimes things go awry. Instead of growing new cells as and when needed, cancerous growth continues when there is no need for new cells.

In your colon, this extra growth may initially take the form of small polyps. The mere existence of polyps in your colon does not mean that you have colon cancer. But there is a very good chance that over a period of years, one or more of these polyps could become cancerous. Because there are no symptoms at the beginning, the only way to detect polyps is with a test called a colonoscopy.

Colonoscopy uses a tiny camera on a flexible fiber-optic cable. After some sedation and some lubrication, the camera is inserted into your rectum and threaded up through your lower intestine. The colonoscopy operator and the doctor were able to view the inside of your intestine in real time and search for any abnormalities. The process sounds both embarrassing and painful, but colonoscopy is absolutely essential to maintain good colon health, especially if you are at risk for colorectal cancer. Age is the greatest risk factor. About 90% of all cases of colorectal cancer occur in people over the age of 50.

During the colonoscopy, if your doctor discovers any polyps in your colon, he may take a small sample to determine if they are cancerous. In some cases, your doctor may remove the entire polyp during the colonoscopy. There's no cause for immediate alarm even if your doctor does discover polyps in your colon. There are actually several different kinds of polyps and not all of them are at risk for becoming cancerous. Adenomas are the polyps with the greatest risk for becoming cancerous and are often removed as soon as they are found. Once again, if you have a colonoscopy and your doctor discovers the presence of polyps, stay calm. Polyps in the colon, even adenomas, are actually quite common and are routinely found and removed in colonoscopies.

Can a regular colon detox prevent the formation of precancerous polyps? Although no definitive link is been established by clinical research, regular colon cleansing could help you avoid development of polyps. One of the risk factors for colorectal cancer is incomplete emptying of your colon. By paying more attention to colon health and performing a regular colon detox, it's possible for you to be lower your risk of developing dangerous precancerous polyps.

Another risk factor for colorectal cancer is inactivity. When your lifestyle is characterized by lack of activity, waste actually stays in your colon longer. The slow movement and build up of waste in your colon could lead to negative colon health outcomes.

Low fiber, high fat diets have also been implicated in the development of polyps and subsequent growth of colon cancer. Changing your diet and lifestyle could lead to a dramatic improvement in your colon health. By filling your diet with fiber-rich foods and cutting back on fatty foods, you will be greatly lowering your risk for the development of colon cancer. As you start out on this new diet and lifestyle, you may wish to try a colon cleanse and complete colon detox. This will facilitate the emptying of your colon and accelerate your progress toward overall wellness.

Culinary Institute Books

3D Movies - Now Available Not Only in Theaters, But Also at Home!

2011-12-03T06:28:00.001-08:00

A good number of motion picture aficionados make it available and use up money, time, and effort for their personal home theater. They set up large screen television sets, refurbished theater seats, and sometimes it is even complete with food counter for cold beverages and popcorn. Now, with the latest advancement in technology, 3D is possible at home.

The technology for motion pictures at continuum improves vastly, for the reason that the demand from movie goers has immensely surged. Even the manufacturing of DVD players has also improved. There are currently DVD players which are transportable; however their monitors are rather small. Ones that play High Definition are also available. Now, there is a new one that is available in the market, the 3D DVD player.

Improvement of the manufacturing of the players gives rise to the coming within reach of accessing 3D innovation within the home. This is both convenient and pleasurable, especially to motion picture aficionados.

Most motion pictures aficionados also spend for and collect DVDs; some even invest in the Up-to-the-minute and latest devices such as HDTVs and other domestic devices. The 3D DVD player together with an HDTV will surely be any motion picture aficionado's definitive dream.

The player is not difficult to handle and install, however device owners should be acquainted with on how this works. The 3D player best works together with an HDTV and 3D glasses for the ultimate 3D experience. But some players will not have the need for excessive conditions.

Purchasing a 3D DVD player does not necessarily mean that the owner will need other high technology appliances for it to work. The player may still be able to cooperate with DVDs which are not in 3D configuration. Because of the step up in its innovation, the player find its way to put together the resolution of the TV monitor, varying on the television being used. Its innovation makes it automatic to work within a given television set.

The 3D DVD player is absolutely for the motion pictures aficionado, because not only is it convenient and handy, but also entertaining. Considering the lengthy approach, it may save a hefty sum of money considering that instead of going and paying for the 3D movie houses, DVDs may be watched endlessly within the comfort of home.

Steak Books

Want To Make A Difference? 5 Steps To Take Before Deciding What And How To Contribute

2011-12-02T14:47:00.001-08:00

Have you been asking yourself:

How can I make a difference?
How can I contribute?
How can I use my passions to help others?

Many people struggle with finding a way to contribute which both inspires them and helps them to feel that their contribution really does makes a difference in the world. So, how do you go about finding the answers?

Here are five strategies you can utilise to assist you in contributing with impact.

1. Write Your Own Life Mission Statement. Living what's true for you gives you the magic and energy to fuel your progress.

A Life Mission Statement contains your goals, dreams and aspirations. It is a summary of the person you are focused on being, the direction you want your life to take and the key action steps that you will need to take. It serves as a reminder of your overriding values, beliefs and desires.

2. Clarify Your Values. If you try to do everything, you will end up unhappy and dissatisfied. Invest some time in considering what is most important to you, and then spend your precious time doing these things.

Your values are linked to the feeling of being satisfied or dissatisfied when they are experienced. Values drive your actions, either motivating you to do something or not do something, which translates into your end results.

3. Create a 12 Month Strategic Life Management Plan. Managing your life is an important aspect of having the energy to contribute to others. Allocate time to clarifying your plans and priorities. A 12 month Strategic Life Management Plan is a holistic snap shot of your key goals and priorities, giving you clear direction, focus and motivation. It is easy to prepare once you have reconnected with your values and written your Life Mission Statement - because there is already a basic framework in place.

4. Understand Your Primary Motivations For Contributing. There are many reasons a person can have for wanting to contribute and make a difference. Knowing what you want and where you are going is an important part of being motivated to consistently take action.

Know your reasons for wanting to help others. Having a big 'why' can assist you to invoke the noblest of urges, appealing to your higher intention, unifying and supporting you in making decisions. Lower priorities may need to be sacrificed in order to serve your higher purpose.

5. Consider the gifts you bring to the table. Everyone, and that includes you, has a range of personal and work related offerings which they can share with others.

You are a uniquely packaged individual, shaped by your own blend of skills, abilities, gifts, passions, personality and experiences. Combining these aspects with your values, goals and dreams, can create satisfying opportunities for you to make a difference in ways which reflect your individuality and motivations.

If you really want to make a difference in the world, then invest some time preparing, before making decisions. Why? First of all, it can bring your contribution goals into alignment with the rest of your life. Second, it provides clues about what inspires you to contribute.

Food Recipes DVD

McDonald's Hamburger Recipes - The "Secrets" to Making Them Taste the Same

2011-12-01T15:05:00.001-08:00

If you want to be able to copy McDonald's hamburger recipes for personal use, you must pay extra attention to the ingredients that you use. The greatest factor that plays a vital role in why their burgers taste so good is the kinds of meat as well as other flavors being used in the process.

The first thing that you have to take note of is the ground beef that you will use as patties to your version of Mcdonalds hamburger recipes. You should only avail ground beef that is 100% and USDA certified. Look for the ground chuck type because this is 80% lean and this is also the kind that McDonald's use for their patties. If you can't find such kind, you can settle for ground beef because this is also 80% lean.

You have to sear the beef properly to emit the kind of flavor that you are looking for. You will do this step as you cook the beef on the griddle. You must apply enough pressure on the frozen patties by forcing the back of your spatula and using your free hand to add more pressure. You can do this step 20 seconds after you have placed the patties on the grill.

Through this step, you will be able to seal the flavors and juices of the patties. If you are dead set on achieving something like those of McDonald's hamburger recipes, it is recommended to use a non-stick cooking surface and very sharp and strong type of spatula.

Meat Recipes Books The Food Revolution Cooking Network Foods

The Golden Arches - How McDonald's Demands a Firm Financial Backing to Franchise

2011-12-01T02:49:00.001-08:00

The golden arches, the fries, the burgers and Ray Kroc are what most people think of when they think of McDonald's. The name is a brand that's known around the world. So many people flock to McDonald's everyday for food by themselves or with their families. So many potential Entrepreneurs want to put their name and their money in this seemingly guaranteed franchise. However many don't know the process and most don't realize the amount of work and money that's involved in getting the golden arches up and running. This is why I will provide information on McDonald's franchise opportunity and all that it requires from day 1 of interest to the grand opening of a site.

Entrepreneur.com makes a list every year of the top franchises in America. To be put on this list the franchise has to fulfill several requirements from cost of franchise to future ROI. In this list they like to highlight the top 10 and since it's inception McDonald's has held in the list. Currently it's ranked #2 only to Subway, this might come as a surprise but studies are showing that many Americans are beginning to alter their eating habits to a more health conscious diet. In doing this many American's are trying to sway away from the grease of fast foods.

However McDonald's holds a firm second place. Now that we know where this brand stands you might want to know the process of becoming a franchisee. First of all, as a heads, up the process is quite lengthy and very selective. So many people want the name because of the perceived notion that with McDonald's you can't go wrong. First they want prospective franchises to have business experience and a substantial sum of liquid capital. Once your able to fulfill those requirements then you must proceed through a variety of steps that include suitability, site approval and lastly McDonald University. This is where you will learn all about the company and where you will learn how every job is done in relation to a restaurant. Once all that is done then you can get to the hard part, the money.

Since McDonald's knows that with their name the franchisee will make a considerable amount of money in the future they make you pay a hefty cost upfront. One must have at least $250K of liquid cash. Once they have that then they will need to have access to upwards of 1.5 million dollars in order to get the entire operation going. Once everything is financed and your restaurant is open and going you will then have to pay a recurring royalty fee of anywhere between 10-15%.

The cost is quite large upfront for McDonald's but once your restaurant is up and going studies show that franchisees earn upwards of $250K and more in earnings. To make that even better studies also show that 8 in 10 franchisees own more than one location. Furthermore McDonald's is a great franchise to have but the major setback is that it can cost an enormous amount of money.

Culinary for Health

Tattoo Pictures & Tattoo Designs for YOU!

2011-11-29T18:57:00.001-08:00

Anyone who is seriously into tattoos will tell you how long it takes to choose the right one. After all they should last a lifetime so are not something to be rushed. It can take up to 20-30 hours to find the right tattoo design. But that is only the first step.

If you are serious you will want to have something that is unique and not taken from a book or or copied from a picture in a tattoo gallery. A tattoo should speak about who you are and not be ripped off someone else. Not only that but a lot of artists will refuse to copy another artists work. And quite rightly. While you can be done for copyright infringement for copying another person's work in other mediums the same rules don't seem to apply to tattoo art.

It is still a form of plagiarism to take another persons artwork and reproduce it as your own. In any other form this would result in legal action. So just because there is no precendent set for copyright infringement does not mean its is cool to claim another tattooists work.

So how do you come up with original tattoo designs?

If you are like me you have looked at literally thousands of tattoo pictures and tattoo designs from a variety of different tattooists from around the world. Or maybe you keep visiting your local tattoo studio and have started getting dirty looks from the tattoo artist who thinks you are stalking him because you go there every weekend and still haven't chosen a tattoo!

There are so many different styles of so you need to be really clear about what you want before you get inked. It is a good idea ot visualize the type of tattoo you want before you even get it. You need to be able to see yourself with a particular tattoo before you get it. If is a tribal tattoo on your arm imagine yourself walking down the street with the tattoo for all the world to see.

Next view some examples of different styles that you like. So if it is tribal tattoos source pictures of that particular tattoo style. If it is work from another artist do not take it to your nearest tattoo studio and ask for it to be copied onto you. Tell the tattoo artist that you like that particular style and would like a tattoo designed for YOU. This is where the visualisation exercise comes into play. Tattoo artists are very visual people and are highly talented at rendering an nebulous idea into a full on customized tattoo.

Think of the bigger picture. Don't be tempted to choose some generic tattoo flash off the wall because you can't make up your mind. Don't settle for something less if you cannot afford the tattoo you really want. Tattoos are organic and are constantly changing and growing with you. Avoid painful mistakes!

Caramel Recipe Books The Food Revolution

White Tie Events

2011-11-28T20:32:00.001-08:00

White tie events are the most formal occasions of all. When your invitation indicates white tie as the dress code, you should know then that it's strictly formal. These type of events are the most formal, and are usually the most important social functions, too. People actually consider it a big thing. And you definitely should not mess with this one.

You have to comply. Dressing up rightly as the occasion requires show respect to the host or hostess for that matter. But to be able to do this you should know well what exactly to wear.

White tie is a dress code and has nothing to do with white necktie or even to a white colored suit. The best distinction of is the tail coat suit. It's black of course, just like a tux, but its front side is cut short (waist length) and has 2 "tails."

For men, white tie means wearing a tailcoat. This coat or jacket is short or waist-length in the front but has two tails in the back that should reach to the knees. It may also be called a swallowtail coat because of the "wings" on the back of the jacket.

There are some things to be considered when choosing the right pants for this type of event. The pants color should be black and may have a satin strip down on the outer aspect of the legs. The materials to be chosen should be of the highest quality. The finest wool or wool/silk blends are the best choice for this.

A tux front, or better known as a dickie, is usually worn with a white shirt. It may be attached to the collar of the tux, which can be tucked into into a cummerbund. Attached also to the white wing shirt is a white wing collar.

Like all the other details of a white tie event wardrobe, socks to be worn should only be of fine quality. Although one can pretty much get away with less fancy socks, one can still wear a pair of good quality silk socks if totally completing the real white tie event look is of utmost consideration.

As for shoes, they should only be made of patent leather. Noting beats a really nice, shiny and clean pair of leather shoes for a formal event like the white tie.

If there is a need to wear an overcoat, an opera coat is the best choice. And if a hat has to be worn, a top hat is the best choice.

Note though that there are exceptions to men's dress code for a white tie event. Men who are from the military, those who are ministers, and also those who need to wear state costumes are exempted from this white tie rule and can arrive in their finest uniform or state costumes.

Steak Books

The Dangers of Fast Food

2011-11-28T03:53:00.001-08:00

The fast food industry has added every chemical possible that they can legally get away with to addict people to their food. In fact, if you eat fast food and you stop eating it, you actually go through withdrawal symptoms. It's like a drug. Not only that, the preservatives are so high in these fast food burgers these days that the product does not even break down. Fast food has been linked in the increase in obesity in both adults and children. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in our country, particularly in children. Here are some startling statistics to consider:

65% of American adults are overweight
30% of Americans are obese

According to the American Obesity Association, 127 million Americans are overweight, 60 million Americans are obese, and 9 million are "morbidly obese": they weigh 100 pounds more than they should.
In the last twenty years, the rate of obesity has doubled in children and tripled in adolescents and teens.
As of September 2004, nine million American kids between the ages of six and eighteen were obese.

OBESITY:
A KILLER Obesity-related illnesses will kill around 400,000 Americans this year--almost the same as smoking. Americans have gotten so big that their coffins have to be supersized!

Related illnesses caused by obesity:

High cholesterol
High blood pressure
Heart disease
Breast Cancer
Colon cancer
Gout
Arthritis
Asthma
Diabetes
Strokes

In 2003, The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that one out of three kids born in America in the year 2000 will develop type 2 diabetes. The life of a ten-year-old child who has Type II diabetes will be, on average, between seventeen and twenty-six years shorter than that of a healthy child. Diabetes can lead to heart attacks, strokes, blindness, kidney failure, and nerve damage in the lower legs which may result in amputation (82,000 of these cases occur every year). Diabetes is currently the sixth-highest cause of death in America.

Fast Food is Everywhere

The rise of the fast food industry plays a critical role in why our country is plagued with obesity. Fast food is everywhere: in big cities, small towns, shopping malls, the airport, the bus station, schools, and even hospitals!
There are 31,000 McDonald's worldwide- almost 14,000 of them are in the U.S.

People are Eating a lot of Fast Food

Fast food has become cheaper and easier to buy. In 2004, Americans spent $124 billion dollars on fast food. That same year, The American Journal of Preventive Medicine published a study showing that the percentage of fast food calories in the American diet has increased from 3 percent to 12 percent over the last twenty years.
Fast food culture was introduced to other countries around the world in the 1980's. In countries like Japan and China, people have abandoned traditional healthy diets in favor of fast food and as a result the rate of obesity and other diseases has soared.

Fast Food Restaurants Serve More
Not only is fast food everywhere, but fast food companies encourage the consumer to eat more by supplying over-sized burgers, extra-large servings for fries, and buckets of soda.
Products like The Whopper, The Big Gulp, and Super Size meals pack in a whopping amount of calories, sugars, and fats. Let's take a closer look: The Double Gulp soda at your local 7-11 holds 64 ounces of soda - that is half a gallon! It contains the equivalent of 48 teaspoons of sugar. A typical hamburger at a fast food restaurant weighs six ounces. In 1957, it weighed one ounce. According to one nutritionist, your average fast food meal is more like three meals.
The average meal at a McDonald's has 1,550 calories.

Fast Food is not Good For Us

We're eating more food that is not nutritious. Most fast-food meals are high in fat, high in sugar, high in calories, high in starch, high in salt, and low in fiber and nutrients. Because fast food lacks nutrients, after we eat it we're not satisfied. That makes us hungry for more soon after.

Why kids are at a major risk

Our children are exposed to an onslaught of advertising for fast food. Fast food chains spend more then $3 billion every year on television advertising. They intentionally campaign to kids so they become life-long customers. These are known as cradle-grave advertising strategies. Researchers have found that children can often recognize a company logo, like the Golden Arches, before they can recognize their own name.
In one year, the typical American child watches more that 40,000 TV commercials. Around 20,000 of these ads are for junk food: fast food, candy, soda, and breakfast cereals. This means that your child sees a junk food ad every five minutes when they're watching TV.
To further motivate children to eat fast food, companies like McDonald's have Happy Meals with free toys. McDonald's gives away more than 1.5 billion toys every year. Almost one out of every three new toys given to American kids each year is from McDonald's or another fast food restaurant.
In order to combat these calculated advertising strategies, educating our children on healthy eating habits that are easy, fun, and taste great is paramount. By teaching our children how harmful fast food is and how to eat healthier, they are empowered to make the right choices.

Fast Food is filled with chemicals and preservatives.

Fast food doesn't break down. This is because it is loaded with chemicals and preservatives. There's of course, the great video out on YouTube called The Bionic Burger that illustrates this in a fun and informative way.
The link is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYyDXH1amic
The video is based on a true story. In 1991, this software engineer from Burlington, Vermont (he prefers to remain anonymous) was out with friends in Boston for New Year's Eve and stopped at McDonald's on the way home. He bought a couple of cheeseburgers, ate one and put the other in his coat pocket to have later.
He forgot about the burger in his pocket. A year later, he pulled his coat out of the closet, put it on, and discovered the cheeseburger in his pocket from New Year's Eve. It looked exactly the same. He was absolutely blown away. He told his friends and family but nobody believed him. So he decided to start a burger museum to demonstrate to everyone that these cheeseburgers and hamburgers were literally indestructible.
He started collecting burgers, one every year. By the fall of 2004, he had amassed quite a collection:
The original '91 McDonald's Cheeseburger from that New Year's Ever
'92 McDonald's Cheeseburger and Big Mac
'93 Burger King Hamburger
'94 McDonald's Hamburger
'95-'03 McDonald's Cheeseburgers

He kept them on bookshelves in his living room in the open air. These burgers look exactly the same. The bun, the meat, the cheese, the special sauce, the pickle, even the lettuce. They have all retained their shape, and color for over a decade!

Food is supposed to break down.
Food is supposed to be the most biodegradable of all products. How is it possible that these burgers have not broken down? Decayed? Become moldy?

My friends Len Foley and Rebecca Gauthier were not convinced. They thought maybe there was an exaggeration, or it was simply not true. So they went and bought a hamburger at the local McDonald's in Burbank, CA February 2007.
They put it in their garage in the open air and left it there. Once a week they would go out and "check" on their burger. It would continue to look and smell exactly the same. No animals, insects, or birds touched it. After one year, they began to feature it in several health exhibits along with some of Matt's hamburgers from his burger collection. Since then, they have added a Hostess Twinkie, cupcake, and other hamburgers to their collection. As of April 2008, there have been no noted changes in the food's composition.

If you don't believe me, try it out for yourself! Go invest a buck and buy a burger. (this is the only time I will ever tell you to do something like this by the way!) Put it in your garage, or wherever, and just let it sit there. I think it is important to see this for yourself so you will know on a deep level the implications of what this means. The food is not breaking down therefore it cannot be natural.

We brought the bionic burger museum to a recent health event to demonstrate how fast food is made of chemicals, preservatives, dyes, and low quality ingredients. Hundreds and hundreds of people saw burgers that were between one and eleven years old. None of them had decomposed. Adults and children were shocked. When people see first hand that fast food is not food, it has a powerful impact that can cause them to make the right choice: the choice to eat healthy, nutritious food instead of a cornucopia of chemicals, preservatives, fat, grease, and salt.
This video I just described has been viewed by 1.3 million people on YouTube. It has been translated into 7 different languages, and featured on 50,000 blogs. This demonstrates that people want this information, they want to be informed because information empowers us to make the right choice. You choose every day what you are going to put into your body. Make the best choice and put food in your body that is going to help you, not harm you.
When you put living food in your body it contains enzymes that naturally break the food down. The ripening process of fruit, for example, is an enzyme controlled process. And those enzymes will eventually, if that fruit's not eaten, cannibalize the fruit. So the fruit will eat itself.

Well, these burgers aren't eating themselves. They are here twenty years later because there are no enzymes present. These burgers are so loaded with preservatives that they're like a sealant, as if they are permanently made, like you would have a painting glazed over and framed and put on your wall. It's not food, it's something else. What that something else is, we don't know, but I'm totally impressed that people can survive eating it.

Now I've also seen the burger that's nineteen years old, some that were fifteen, sixteen years old. it looks like we now have the technology to build the world's first bionic burger! I recommend if you are serious about your health, you AVOID fast food AT ALL COSTS! There are so many healthy alternatives that can not only satiate your cravings, but deliver the vitamins and nutrients your body needs for peak performance. Please read all about delicious superfoods, superherbs, and other superior healthy foods in one of our many other special reports on http://www.thebestdayever.com.

Meat Recipes Books Steak Books

Chicken Coop Plans - Six Crucial Elements For Success

2011-11-27T15:38:00.001-08:00

When selecting chicken coop plans to build from you really need to consider more than just the look/aesthetics of the chicken coop designs. Sure, its important to have a nice looking chicken coop that fits your overall backyard design but there are some other very important things that need to be incorporated into whatever plans you choose.

Space. There is a certain amount of space that your chickens need to be healthy and happy. You must allocate 4 square feet of floor space per chicken. Therefore, a flock of 20 chickens should be enjoying an 80 square foot chicken coop. Do not skimp on space. In fact, it is better to allocate more space if anything. If your chicken coop becomes overcrowded, your chickens quality of life becomes reduced and can cause feather picking and in extreme cases can even cause cannibalism. This is obviously an outcome you want to avoid so never overcrowd your coop.
Light. You need light in your chicken coop to stimulate egg laying. Particularly if you want your hens to lay eggs all year round. As a rule of thumb, you should have 1 light every 40 feet inside you chicken building. If you are just building a small chicken coop, it will be sufficient to have a single light above the watering/feeding section. As a bonus, the light(s) will also be a source of heat for your chickens in the colder months.
Perches. Your chickens have a natural instinct to perch so you must provide them with appropriate perches otherwise they will perch on nesting boxes, feeders and anything else around the coop. This would then lead to these important areas getting covered in droppings which is certainly undesirable. It is as simple as using broom handles for your perches. Again, it is important that your chickens have adequate space on the perches so as a rule of thumb, allow 8 inches of perch space per chicken. To make it easy to keep the chicken coop clean, slip some trays under the perches so the droppings land directly in them, you can then pull the trays out to clean them.
Ventilation. Chickens sweat. Sounds strange but it is true. Your chicken coop needs ventilation to keep your chickens cool in the warmer months and to allow the chickens perspiration to evaporate and escape the chicken coop. You should make sure your chicken coop plans include ventilation in the form of vents in walls or small windows but you also don't want it to be too drafty. You need a nice balance. One way to achieve this is to have the vents on the side of the chicken building that DOES NOT face the wind. This is typically the east or the south. This will also allow fresh oxygen rich air to flow into the hen house and the stale air and moisture to escape. Chickens can handle the cold but not the wet so it is vital to the health of your chickens that the moisture can escape.
Nesting Boxes. If you are keeping chickens for the eggs, your coop needs to have at least 1 nesting box for every 5 or 6 female chickens. The nests should be comfortable and dark so your hens feel safe in them. You should put straw or wood shavings in the nest boxes and make the boxes at least 4 inches deep. If the boxes are not deep enough, your chickens may fight and pick each others feathers. You should keep the nesting boxes clean at all times so the eggs remain clean. Hens should be trained not to sleep in the nesting boxes because if they do, they will soil the area with their droppings. You should not have a problem with hens sleeping in the nesting boxes f you have given your chickens adequate perching space. If you find some stubborn hens that do want to sleep in the nests, close them off at night.
Protection. You need to keep your chickens safe from all sorts of predators such as foxes, coyotes, hawks, raccoons and rats just to name a few. The structure should be strong and no part of it should be able to be pushed over by a person. That is just the way I rate the strength of my coops...Could I push it over? If no, then it is strong enough. There should be no way for rats or foxes to get into your chicken coop to kill your chickens. make sure the fencing goes all the way to the ground. You should also put the wire fencing down under the ground for about 1 foot out from the wire fence. This means when a fox digs at a fence, they will simply hit the wire mesh and will eventually give up or try something else. Use mesh that raccoons can't get their arms through. I recommend using 1/2 inch square wire mesh for all the wire mesh fencing on the chicken coop. This will keep your chickens safe and it also looks quite attractive. Remember foxes are quite wily so check over your chicken coop plans to make sure they are predator proof.
If you keep these six elements in mind when you are selecting or creating your own chicken coop plans then you should succeed in keeping healthy and happy chickens that have the potential to lay 300 eggs each per year.

Food Recipes DVD Steak Books Culinary Institute Books

McDonald's Menu: A Healthier Diet Plan

2011-11-26T23:10:00.001-08:00

In most cases we tend to have very busy lifestyles to the extent that we do not take to account our health, that is where McDonald's comes in, they provide you with numerous healthy eating habits by ensuring that you are having a healthy diet plan that augurs well with your busy schedule designing their McDonald's menu accordingly. This joint offers healthy eating options that guarantee you low fat and low cholesterol content. A close analysis on their menus reveals tangible nutritional information. They enable you make informed decisions so that you are living a healthier lifestyle.

They take in to account of the fact that high fat and calorie intake leads to clogging of the arteries. This is causes by the fat that is usually available in the food content. They work round the clock to moderate this. The health status of their client is prioritizes.

McDonald's has a number of healthy offers on their menu that will guarantee a healthier you. You are loaded with a number of options that will go a long to ensure that you are having a healthy diet plan. You are bombarded with a wide variety of options to choose from. Top in the list is the Premium Grilled chicken classic sandwich that has a saturated fat content of 2g and calories amounting to 420.

Second in the McDonald's menu is the chicken McNugget a 4 piece that has a saturated fat content of 2g and calorie content amounting to 170. Then they have the Fruit Walnut salad. This is a 2g fat content and a calorie content of 310. This is a higher considering that there other options with a lower fat content

They also have the Caesar that has no chicken. It has a fat content of 3 grams and a calorie content that amounts to 90. One should also be aware that dressings in most cases have fats. The best dressing that will guarantee you a healthy diet plan for a healthier you is the Newman's own cob dressing.

For a healthier diet plan McDonald's also has Caesar that comes with grilled chicken. This has an amount of saturated fat content amounting to 3grams and calorie content that comes to 220. Not to mention their healthy chicken McNuggets that is 6 piece and has a saturated fat content of 3grams and calories that add up to 250. Then there is the premium spicy and yummy chicken sandwich that has sandwich. This has a saturated fat content of 510 calories, which is a bit higher. They should be your place of choice.

The Food Revolution

How to Remove Chewing Gum From Your Car's Upholstery

2011-11-26T07:32:00.001-08:00

It is fairly common for chewing gum to be accidentally dropped inside a car and then trodden, or squashed into the upholstery.

The problem is that upholstery can easily be damaged if ingrained chewing gum is not removed correctly. There are a few ways in which chewing gum can be successfully and safely removed from a cars upholstery even if it has been there for a long period of time or become heavily ingrained.

One way is to essentially freeze the gum until it becomes hard and brittle so it can then be either carefully prized off, or picked out of the upholstery. A number of ice cubes gathered inside a plastic bag can be held against the affected area until the soft gum hardens up. Although this method is effective it may take some time for the gum to harden. To save time you can use a compressed 'air-in-a-can' type product that is designed for dust removal etc. Using this technique also means that you have a little more control when treating the affected area.

Once brittle, the chewing gum can be carefully prized off or picked out with a thin yet blunt implement like an ice scraper for example. If the chewing gum has been squashed or trodden into the fibres of the upholstery you may need to repeat the process and carefully pick out any smaller pieces bit by bit, ensuring that you do not pull out any fibres of the upholstery with it.

Once removed you should follow up by cleaning the area with a designated upholstery cleaning product to remove any residue and help return the fabric back to its prior condition.

If you find that there is still deep ingrained chewing gum residue that cannot be picked out you can use a solvent based tar & adhesive remover product to dissolve and lift it out. Apply the product onto a micro fibre towel and work into the affected area. Be sure to test a small area first to ensure that the product does not discolour, or damage the upholstery in any way and be certain to follow up this stage with an upholstery cleaner to remove the product residue.

Another way to remove chewing gum would be to simply use a specific chewing gum remover product that helps to dissolve and lift off the gum. Depending on the extent to which the area is affected you may still need to pick parts of the gum off after using a designated removal product.

The most important things to consider when attempting to remove chewing gum from your cars upholstery is that you take your time and don't try to pull it all off at once too harshly as this will damage the fabric underneath by pulling it up with the gum.

It may take some time to safely remove if it has really been worked into the surface but if you persist, ensure all of it is removed, then follow up with a designated upholstery cleaner you should be able to restore your upholstery back to its original condition and not be able to tell where the chewing gum had been.

Caramel Recipe Books The Food Revolution

How About Fast Food? KFC? McDonald's?

2011-11-25T04:52:00.001-08:00

Every now and then, usually a time constraint, we just have to get some fast food to fill our stomach (although I have to say, they do taste good!).

So among the fried chicken offered by KFC or the Big Mac by McDonald's, what are the actual nutritional value they provide?

If you decide to have some fried chicken, well, try to skip all the desserts in KFC. Why? Just base on a 100-gram serving of a KFC Pecan Colonel's Pie, it contains a staggering 434 calories. The Double Chocolate Chip Cake? It has about 421 calories.

But if you choose to have a hot and spicy chicken breast, with a serving size of about 180g, you will get some very good protein intake of 33g. However, it will also give you cholesterol of 130mg and saturated fat of 8g. Well, if you skip the skin part, I am sure the nutritional value will be much better. (But, who will go to KFC, get a piece of chicken and get rid of the crispy chicken skin?!)

So, what about all the burgers in McDonald's? Well, the highest calories (per 100-gram serving) for food in McDonald's are the desserts - the chocolate sundae with nuts or the chocolate chip cookie. Apart from desserts, it is the breakfast meals that splash you with tons of calories - the sausage biscuit or the sausage McMuffin.

Among the usual burgers that we get, it's the Hot'n Spicy McChicken that comes up on top of highest calories base on a 100-gram serving - 310 calories. If you eat the whole thing (which is about 145g), you will get 15g of protein, 5g of saturated fat and 45mg of cholesterol.

So, next time when you feel like to treat yourself with some fast food, try stay with the main items (or drink more water to fill you up :))!

Cookie Recipe

The "Mcdonald's Coffee" Case

2011-11-24T06:16:00.001-08:00

In one of the most widely misreported and misunderstood cases in recent memory, a Albuquerque, New Mexico jury awarded 79 year-old Stella Liebeck $2.9 million for severe burns suffered after she spilled a cup of McDonald's coffee, which she had placed between her knees.

The jury's award was for $200,000 in compensatory damages and $2.7 million for punitive damages (because of McDonald's callous conduct). The jury also found Mrs. Liebeck 20% negligent, reducing the compensatory damages to $160,000. The trial judge also reduced the punitive damages to $480,000.
Mrs. Liebeck did not receive $2.9 million, or $2.86 million, or $740,000. The parties entered a post-verdict settlement for a undisclosed amount.

(States have different legal standards with respect to negligence. New Mexico uses a comparative negligence rule, which assigns blame and, therefore, judgments proportionally. Other states such as North Carolina use a contributory negligence standard, which bars a plaintiff from recovery if their actions contributed even 1% to the accident!)

THE FACTS OF THE CASE

Mrs. Liebeck, while a passenger in her grandson's car, purchased a cup of coffee at the drive-thru window at McDonalds. While the car was stopped, she placed the cup securely between her knees and attempted to remove the lid. The cup accidentally tipped over and poured the scalding (180-190¡ Fahrenheit) hot water onto her lap.

She suffered third-degree burns over 16 percent of her body. During her eight day hospitalization she underwent skin grafting and painful whirlpool treatment for debridement (removal of damaged tissue) of her wounds. She has extensive scarring and was disabled for more than two years.

Despite these very painful and debilitating injuries and their expensive medical treatment, Mrs. Liebeck offered to settle with McDonald's for $20,000.

McDonald's refused to settle and the case went to trial.

FACTS PRESENTED AT TRAIL

The jury heard the following evidence in the case:

o McDonalds's coffee sales are $1.3 million per day.

o By corporate specifications, McDonald's sells its coffee at 180 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit; Coffee at that temperature, if spilled, causes third-degree burns (the skin is burned away down to the muscle/fatty-tissue layer) in two to seven seconds; Third-degree burns do not heal without skin grafting, debridement and whirlpool treatments that cost tens of thousands of dollars and result in permanent disfigurement, extreme pain and disability of the victim for many months, and in some cases, years;

o The chairman of the department of mechanical engineering and bio-mechanical engineering at the University of Texas testified that this risk of harm is unacceptable, as did a widely recognized expert on burns, the editor in chief of the leading scholarly publication in the specialty, the Journal of Burn Care and Rehabilitation;

o McDonald's admitted that it has known about the risk of serious burns from its scalding hot coffee for more than 10 years -- the risk was brought to its attention through numerous other claims and suits, to no avail;

o From 1982 to 1992, McDonald's coffee burned more than 700 people, many receiving severe burns to the genital area, perineum, inner thighs, and buttocks;

o Not only men and women, but also children and infants, have been burned by McDonald's scalding hot coffee, in some instances due to inadvertent spillage by McDonald's employees;

o At least one woman had coffee dropped in her lap through the service window, causing third-degree burns to her inner thighs and other sensitive areas, which resulted in disability for years;

o Witnesses for McDonald's admitted in court that consumers are unaware of the extent of the risk of serious burns from spilled coffee served at McDonald's required temperature;

o McDonald's admitted that it did not warn customers of the nature and extent of this risk and could offer no explanation as to why it did not;

o McDonald's witnesses testified that it did not intend to turn down the heat -- As one witness put it: "No, there is no current plan to change the procedure that we're using in that regard right now;"

o McDonald's admitted that its coffee is "not fit for consumption" when sold because it causes severe scalds if spilled or drunk;

o Liebeck's treating physician testified that her injury was one of the worst scald burns he had ever seen.

o Moreover, the Shriner's Burn Institute in Cincinnati had published warnings to the franchise food industry that its members were unnecessarily causing serious scald burns by serving beverages above 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

In refusing to grant a new trial in the case, Judge Robert Scott called McDonald's behavior "callous." Moreover, "the day after the verdict, the news media documented that coffee at the McDonald's in Albuquerque [where Liebeck was burned] is now sold at 158 degrees. This will cause third-degree burns in about 60 seconds, rather than in two to seven seconds [so that], the margin of safety has been increased as a direct consequence of this verdict."

By Wayne C Walker, President of Capital Transaction Group Inc. a leader in litigation financial services - http://www.captran.com.

This information is opinion and not intended to be legal advice. Readers should not act on this information without seeking the advice of a competent attorney.
© 2003 CapTran

Steak Books

McDonald's Monopoly - Unlimited Game Pieces and Prizes

2011-11-23T11:42:00.001-08:00

McDonald's Monopoly game has turned into an annual tradition. The game usually starts around the beginning of October and ends in Early November. The McDonald's Monopoly game is much like the board game. You need to collect properties in order win. To get properties you need to visit McDonald's and order up some food. Game pieces can be found on food items like the Big Mac, Filet-O-Fish, McGriddles, Hash Browns, and other great menu items. Pieces can be found on various beverage and fry items as well.

Much like the board game, the McDonald's Monopoly game gives the greatest reward for players who own Boardwalk and Park Place. Players who own these two properties will win one million dollars! The odds of this are very slim but we can all dream can't we? There are various other cash prizes that are lower in value for collecting other sets of properties like $25,000 for Atlantic Ave, Ventnor Ave, and Marvin Gardens.

To add to the awesome collect and win prizes, the McDonald's Monopoly boasts some amazing instant win prizes. A few of the prizes that can be won instantly are a 2011 Shelby GT500, $25,000 cash, or a $5000 Walmart gift card. And that is still not all. Even you don't get winning game pieces you can get a second chance to win by playing online. Online prizes include $5000 Walmart gift cards, 2011 Ford Edge, and a beach resort trip.

Now you are probably saying to yourself, "These prizes are awesome but I'll never win any." It's true, most people will not win anything beside a free cheese burger or fry. The turn off for most in the McDonald's Monopoly game is the fact that you need to buy food at McDonald's to have a chance at winning.

The secret to winning is something McDonald's doesn't really want to reveal, because let's be honest, they want as many people as possible eating their food. It is possible to get game pieces for the McDonald's Monopoly game WITHOUT needing to eat any fast food. All you have to do is send an envelope to the company requesting the game pieces! This trick will greatly increase your odds of winning!

Good Luck!

Meat Recipes Books Baking Cookie Culinary Institute Books

Repurposing Old Furniture for a Whole New Look

2011-11-22T22:50:00.001-08:00

Most people cannot afford to just donate or dump all of their old furnishings and go out and buy all new pieces. That is just not a realistic possibility for most people. Nor would I necessarily recommend that you scrap everything and start from scratch.

Most likely, you have acquired certain furniture pieces, whether handed down or through your own purchasing. Those pieces may have sentimental value to you, may have really good bones, or may just simple be neutral enough to work into your design easily. Repurposing those oldie but goodies is a great way to conserve your decorating budget and to give older pieces and your home decor a new life.

-Try moving things around - Simply rearranging the room can give your space a whole new look. There is a complete design field that focuses on the "redesign" of a space, using what you already have but rearranging it to maximize flow, and tie pieces together. Take an afternoon and try different floor plans and layouts. You may be surprised that a layout you thought wouldn't work, actually does.

-Give it a new function - Get really creative with great pieces. Wall sconces can be sculptures on a table. A small bookcase can be a great space divider, or accent table. An old dresser could make a great buffet. An old vase might make a great lamp. Get creative with your pieces. Try to see the potential in them and use your creativity to make it happen.

-Give it a makeover - If the piece is sturdy, consider giving it a facelift. New paint or stain could completely change the look and function of the piece. Adding a fabric tablecloth to an old table can liven up a space. A new lampshade of an old lamp can make it look like new.

-Consider reupholstering - If the piece is of quality, sound in its structure and foundation, consider finding a great new fabric. Reupholstering should be saved for pieces that are well made and in good condition. It is not necessarily less expensive than purchasing a new piece so be sure you really love the piece before going down this route.

There are many ways to utilize great old pieces within your interior design. All it takes is a little creativity and thinking outside the box to give that piece a new lease on life and to conserve your decorating budget.

Cooking Network Foods Baking Cookie Meat Recipes Books

McDonald's Surveillance Systems

2011-11-21T20:04:00.001-08:00

While everyone has been discussing McDonald's and their new push into the coffee market, they have been installing Surveillance Systems into stores all over the country. Just like McDonald's perfected the fast food industry, they have also perfected the McDonald's Surveillance System, whether it's a 16 camera or 32 camera systems. Over the last 18 months we have been able to develop a cost effective functional commercial grade surveillance system specific to McDonald's franchisees. During this time period we have installed over 100 systems throughout the country and have learned the needs and wants of local McDonald's franchisees.

How do you want your surveillance dome cameras installed around the cash register area? How about the outdoor surveillance cameras at the drive thru area and pay window? Do you want those cameras hooked up to monitors at the pay window and pickup windows to monitor the drive thru line? What about the ability to log on to the DVR remotely from home or the main office? Are your product costs higher, you may be interested to know that most McDonald's will install Surveillance Cameras into the freezer and cooler area! The economy is tough and theft will continue to increase in tough times.

Interested in central monitoring software allowing you to view all of your stores at the same time? What about an email alert when the first person clocks in and when the last person clocks out? Yeah, all of this is possible with a customized McDonald's Surveillance System and more!

With local integrators throughout the US we are able to offer installation services and maintenance when needed. We have a full time systems engineer and four technicians on hand to custom design your system and offer customized training.

Caramel Recipe Books

Hate Dentures? Hate Rotten, Decaying Teeth More

2011-11-21T03:39:00.001-08:00

Some people will do anything to avoid getting dentures. Perhaps they have heard that dentures can be difficult to get used to or they don't like the way dentures look. Maybe they are afraid to get all of their teeth pulled. For whatever reason, if you have a mouth full of rotten teeth, getting dentures is far less painful than keeping teeth that are decaying in your mouth.

Rotten teeth can actually be dangerous because when they get infected, that infection can pass to other parts of your body and make you seriously ill. Dental infections can pass to the brain or to the heart and when you get infections in vital organs, it can be deadly. Whatever your reason for putting off getting dentures, at least have any decaying teeth fixed or removed.

Some people put off getting dentures simply because they cannot afford to have all of their teeth pulled and pay for dentures too. They may not have dental insurance and with extractions costing $150 or more, coupled with the price of dentures, some people are truly stuck. However, almost every community has help available to those who cannot afford health or dental care. Check to see if your community has a program to help those who cannot afford to have their teeth pulled.

Some people are simply too frightened to go to the dentist. However, even when it is uncomfortable in the dentist's chair, it is nothing compared to the pain and discomfort of a raging dental infection. There are simply no good reasons to keep rotten or decaying teeth in your mouth. You can improve your mouth and your life by replacing bad teeth with dentures

Steak Books

Thinking About Starting a McDonald's Franchise?

2011-11-19T19:33:00.001-08:00

Product recognition has never been more important than it is now. And this includes the restaurant and food services industries. Statistics show that, come mealtime, fast food is the first choice of hungry people all over the world, and these numbers are only on the rise. In an economy where few markets are growth markets, it only makes sense to buy into one of those showing increased profits. With this in mind, let's take a look at the pros and cons of buying into a McDonald's franchise.

The first, and most obvious, pitfall is the enormous start-up costs of opening your own McDonald's franchise. While the full franchise cost depends on the size of the restaurant, you will need a down payment of 40% of the total cost for a new restaurant. And this down payment must be paid out of ready cash, and not be financed. The minimum down payment is approximately $300,000. Acquiring an existing restaurant requires a smaller, 25% down payment of ready cash. The remainder of the total price may be financed. McDonald's does not offer financing itself, but does have good relations with lenders, and a loan for the remainder can usually be acquired at lower industry rates.

The next consideration is the operation of your McDonald's franchise. While McDonald's does offer limited opportunity for employee advancement to management levels, which may attract a few motivated individuals, most of your work force will be young, inexperienced, and just learning about job responsibility. High employee turnover must be expected, as employees graduate from high school or college or move on to other work. Good management techniques can make a difference in keeping longer term employees motivated and attendance regular. McDonald's has many programs in place to instill employee pride and combat employee fatigue.

The last thing to consider may well be what affect ownership of a McDonald's franchise will have on your personal quality of life. Franchise owners can look forward to long hours, and many management responsibilities, and leisure time may come to seem like a thing of happy memory. The good news is, ownership of a company has its own rewards, beyond the financial ones. Being in a position of authority has been shown to actually be less stressful than being an employee. And you may find yourself in the satisfying position of mentoring employees - some of whom may, with your encouragement, become the sort of valued employees you can trust to look after things when you do have a chance for that hard-earned getaway. So weigh the pros and cons and think about whether franchise ownership is for you!

Baking Cookie Cooking Network Foods

A Short History of McDonald's

2011-11-18T09:56:00.001-08:00

McDonald's is a famous fast food restaurant known in 119 nations around the world. They are best known for their hamburgers and strong branding. Their most recognizable brand is the Golden Arches closely followed by the clown character called Ronald McDonald.

Dick and Mac Mcdonald were two brothers who started the McDonald's brand in California after moving their hotdog stand to San Bernadino from Monrovia Airport. After realizing that hamburgers were their most popular product, the brothers reinvented their restaurant using their Speedee Service System in 1948. It was a concept that created a production line of hamburgers that were made before being ordered. This concept pioneered the fast food industry and was in complete contrast to most restaurants that only prepared food after the customer had placed their order.

A history was created by McDonald's system that helped them to undercut competitors by as much as 50%. The growing volumes helped them to reduce more costs from the economies of scale. This was an advantage that is a success for McDonald's till now.

The entry of Ray Kroc into the business was a significant development in the history of McDonald's. He brought the rights that helped McDonald's to expand their concept outside California and Arizona. A restaurant chain was quickly built and more than 100 restaurants were in operation by 1959.

Ray Kroc bought the McDonald brothers in 1961. However the negotiations did not went well and McDonald brothers lost all the royalties and rights to the brand they had started. The separation ways between Kroc and the McDonald brothers was not very pleasant. This resulted in Kroc building and then managing the opening of a new outlet of McDonald's near the last remaining store of McDonald brothers.

The historians and biographers had perceived this move as incredibly insignificant. They compared it with kicking a man when he is already down. Any malicious behavior on the part of Kroc was denied by the McDonald's Corporation. They preferred to strike out McDonald brothers from the corporate history. Family members of McDonald have written about the deal between the brothers and Kroc. They appeared on talk shows for promoting their side of story.

McDonald's Corporation pioneers the training of its franchise owners in 1961 with the opening of Hamburger University. This move was aimed to maintain manager and franchisee loyalty in spite of a highly competitive market.

The introduction of Ronald McDonald as a brand face and the release of the Big Mac burger were seen in the 1960s. The launch of Big Mac burger has grown turning out to become the most popular burger of McDonald's.

Culinary for Health Cookie Recipe Culinary Institute Books

Florida Education Faces Huge Budget Cuts in 2008

2011-11-17T18:29:00.001-08:00

In the 2008 legislative session, the Florida state legislature must cut nearly one billion dollars from its operating budget. The recommendation from Governor Charlie Crist and the legislative committees is to cut from education. The main question left seems to be "how much can the schools afford to lose?" Unfortunately, despite the promises made during the Amendment 1 campaign that a tax cut would not affect Florida students, education is almost guaranteed to take one of the biggest financial losses this year.

Florida has no income tax, so public revenue is generated almost exclusively from sales taxes and property taxes. 2007 brought a slow-down in tourism and a sharp decline in property values. To top things off, voters in November passed a ballot provision that reduces the rate of property tax liability for owners. The total loss in revenue from last year is currently projected at more than $869 million. Since the state constitution forbids deficit spending, this lost funding has to be made up with spending cuts.

Charlie Crist's recommended budget calls for a cut from education of about $182 million. When the legislative session opened in early March, the budget committees recommended even more - $357 million or close to 1.5%. While the governor has no problem slashing school accounts, his same budget proposal asks for $330 million in new funding for prisons and corrections - almost twice the amount that he wants to take from the schools.

While nothing has been finalized, the suggestions have been to hold teacher pay steady & eliminate bonuses, cut back on the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship (by lowering scholarships for students in majors with lower demand and job growth), and scaling back resource classes like art, music, and computers. As it is, Florida schools rank poorly in national comparisons and losing access creative and technical instruction isn't going to prepare students for college or the increasingly high-tech and competitive job market.

Although it is probably too late in the budgetary season to make up for the missing funds, it is possible to contact your elected state representatives and let them know how you feel about spending priorities.

Cookie Recipe Meat Recipes Books The Food Revolution

Creative Writing - Adding to the Story

2011-11-17T01:32:00.001-08:00

Adding to the story is quite easy if you use what you experienced while playing the game of whispering a story to the next person in a circle when we were children. To recap what might have happened: each person heard the story in a different way, might not have heard what their neighbor said in total so repeated what they heard and dozens of other possible things could have happened. I remember we always marveled at what the last person told the group the story was that they were just told.

You can apply that to writing and gain tremendous variety as you do. In addition to the information changing from one person to the next, the interpretation of the information also changed. The content was also evaluated from many different perspectives.

Think about that when writing a short story and try out a number of different combinations of content and see how many stories you can write using this technique. It can be so much fun to embellish one story, give a different slant to the content in your next story and then try to actually relate a story and see if you can keep the details accurate as to what happened.

You might be surprised that you could get a drama, comedy, documentary and/or editorial to name a few possible combinations from the same beginning content. Just give this a chance to help you increase your writing ability and have fun doing it. Add as much as you want to every possible combination, have fun and you too will marvel at what the story could turn into and how much it changed with each of the different applications.

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Landscape Drains Can Help With Water

2011-11-16T12:40:00.001-08:00

Landscape drains are helpful for any homeowner who is having a difficult time with water collecting on their property. Certain types of landscape designs require drains so that the yard does not become water logged and backed up with pooling water. Luckily, there are many different things that you can do to make sure that your landscaping is drained properly every time you have a bad rain.

The first thing that you want to remember when it comes to landscape drains is that you should have them put in as soon as possible, hopefully as you are installing whatever items you decide on. The biggest mistake that many homeowners make is that they wait until after they get the landscaping in to even start thinking of the drainage system that will be needed. By doing this, you may notice that after a long rain your yard has become completely saturated with water. You must remember that lawns can sometimes act like a sponge. This basically means that after your yard absorbs a certain amount of water, it will not be able to handle anymore until the "sponge" is dried out.

Having the right drain in place before you have to deal with this situation is obviously the best way to prevent it. Landscape drains will act as a way of diverting the water away from your yard, and channeling it elsewhere. The way that this is done is by strategically placing drains that will lower the water down and away from your landscape.

When you are installing any landscaping drains you will want to make sure that they remain hidden, to not detract from the image your yard is portraying. The best way of doing this is by taking all of the available options into consideration, and then figuring out which one will work best with your specific landscaping layout.

If you are looking for an excellent solution you might want to consider French drains. These landscape drains add a nice touch of quality to the outlying borders of your property. Another type of drains that are quite popular are ones that reside below the surface. These sub surface drains are installed so that after the job is complete, you will never be able to see them again. This is a wonderful option if you want to install a drainage system, and then never have to think about it again.

Landscape drains offer many positives to any home owner. In addition to the methods that they use to rid your yard of excess water, these drains will also help to cut back on the amount of moss that will grow due to moist conditions. And don't forget that by having a good drainage system you will cut back on the chances of your basement being flooded during heavy storms.

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Scratch Off Card Promotions

2011-11-15T18:34:00.001-08:00

Scratch-off cards are an ideal promotional and marketing tool in our fast-paced modern world.
Scratch-off cards can be used in a wide array of promotional, marketing, and fund raising areas, including sporting events, trade shows, employee rewards, school activities, church fund raisers, political or patriotic activities, and matters related to money or the promotion of your business.

The idea behind scratch-off cards is to provide an eventual benefit or potential reward to card carriers who scratch off their card, giving people an added incentive to participate and do business with you.

One of the most well-known and successful instances of the use of scratch-off cards for private enterprise is McDonald's scratch-off Monopoly game contest, in which purchasers of McDonald's food products receive a scratch-off game card that gives them the possibility of winning a wide array of prizes, a few of which are very large financially. The more a customer patronizes McDonald's, the more chances she has to win something via scratch-off Monopoly cards.

You can also use scratch-off cards, too to give customers at your business a free product or a discount off of a regular purchase price after they completely scratch off a card that rewards them.

Another highly effective aspect of the scratch-off card is its ability to be used to keep a "secret" and then reward the owner of the card with a surprise. This is part of the effectiveness of the above mentioned McDonald's Monopoly game promotion. People love mysteries and a great many of us have that gambling spirit!

In the Autumn of 2006, Denny's restaurant issued over 49 million scratch-off cards in a partnership with Coca-Cola in a "Race-In-to-Win Sweepstakes" that also featured top NASCAR drivers. The promotion was highly successful, and it worked because it had a target market (NASCAR fans and drinkers of Coke) while giving an added incentive to an already robust customer base (people who eat at Denny's).

Smaller businesses that specialize in making scratch-off cards can often be more beneficial to you than the bigger printers. The smaller scratch-off experts are filling a niche and can often take the time and provide the expertise in helping you develop a targeted, customized scratch-off card promotion.

Meat Recipes Books Culinary for Health The Food Revolution

McDonald's Menu: Salads, Yogurt, Wraps and More

2011-11-15T06:25:00.001-08:00

Wanted to find the healthiest hamburgers, burgers, sandwiches wraps and a number of other fast foods, consider McDonald's menu. The world's leading fast food joints that are located in almost everywhere round the globe. Their menu is rich with highly nutritious foods. They ensure you are eating healthy by providing you with the nutritional information of the foodstuff they are serving so that you make informed decision. You are provided with the option of choosing the lowest calories and fat content.

To a very large extent, finding burgers, sandwiches and wraps on the menus that are healthy can be a daunting task. This famous joint guarantees you this. Just have a keen analysis on their nutritional information and there you are, you are sure to find a great number of choices. You can get foodstuffs that have calorie content of below 500 and a fat content that is way below 15 or even much lesser grams.

At McDonald's you get to offer burgers and cheese berries, wraps and a number of other delicious fast foods that not only delight your taste buds but also ensure that you are eating and living healthy. They ensure that burgers have less condiment and reduced sodium levels other than having a low sugar levels.

McDonald's has sandwiches that are amazing. They have sandwiches that are comparable to burgers as pertains the fat and calorie content. They also have two very decent and healthy choices of chicken. One being the premium grilled chicken classic, which has a calorie content of 420 and a fat content of 12 grams. Then there's the Tender grill Chicken sandwich that has an even lesser calorie content unlike the other one. This has a calorie content of 380 and grams of fat amounting to 9 grams. Ensure you order sandwiches that have no Mayo as in most cases mayo has a larger or is the one that does add the fat and calorie content.

Then there are the wraps. These wraps include the Grilled chicken and the home-style. The grilled chicken wrap and then the spicy go wrap. The wraps have 250, 310 calories. You can check the nutritional information from the online fact sheet so that you can make an informed decision. You can decide to order foodstuff without cheese and these way you will have reduced immensely the fat intake. There are also other options such as healthy breakfast at McDonald's, lunch and wide dinner options.

For more information, go to McDonalds Menu

The Food Revolution

Limitless (2011)

2011-11-14T18:19:00.001-08:00

Director: Neil Burger
Genres: Mystery, Thriller
Rating: PG- 13
Release Date: 2011 March 18
Screenwriter: Leslie Dixon
Starring: Abbie Cornish, Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro

What Worked?

Users say that the first hit of heroin is like being kissed by God. In Limitless, the fictional drug called NZT makes one become a god. Neil Burger directs a tightly constructed, aesthetically pleasing story about a drug that transcends the mind to work at its full potential. The film is vastly entertaining, with a unique and always-interesting story that's led by a charismatic, engaging performance from Bradley Cooper.

Director Neil Burger visually molds this film to be a psychedelic trip that is a wonderment for the eyes. The reason for the warping visuals is because Burger places the audience in the mind of Eddie Mora, the main character who takes the NZT miracle drug. Burger applies such visual contortions as fish-eye views, a tunnelling vision one gets from being sandwiched by mirrors, and clever insertions of text or numbers running through Eddie's mind; such as raining letters or numbers flipping on the ceiling. All the flash and flare work and make this film more optically pleasing than any film selling the 3-D gimmick.

Bradley Cooper, mainly known for his role in the Hangover, shines in this role as Eddie Mora. Cooper plays the grungy, broken-down writer well enough that you can smell his shower less stench through the screen; however, when he his upgraded by NZT, he plays the smooth, intelligent hot shot with ease. There's always a sense of urgency and hunger in his eyes for more power, whether he's fending for another pop or controlling his world through his biting knowledge with NZT. Cooper displays a tight balance of vulnerability and charisma throughout the film.

At the center of it all, the story is about greed and power; a chase to be something we can't even fathom for a millisecond: perfect. As a film, Limitless is an over-the-counter drug that works for what it is: a clever, smarter-than-average flick, boasting an engaging lead performance. Maybe one day someone will combine all the drugs of reality, take away all the negative side-effects, and get something close to NZT; for right now, we can always pretend in the Limitless world.

Potential Drawbacks:

There are always nit-picky moments and plot-holes that pop-up in stories with complex concepts, and Limitless isn't good enough to escape all of them. Some may have the "he could've done this" syndrome while watching the film. Why didn't Eddie do away with Gennady, the loan shark, earlier? Where did the drug come from? If the drug makes you a genius, why did Eddie have dumb moments while on it? And so on.

At times the narration works, and at times it's atrocious. Narration is a difficult thing to perfect, but more often than not it becomes tedious reviewing of what can already be seen on the screen, and that's what happens on occasion in this film.

Robert De Niro finally lands a role in another solid film; however, he has very limited screen-time and not much to do. De Niro's talents are wasted once again.

Culinary for Health The Food Revolution

McDonald's Nutrition: If You Want to Try Out Some Healthier Food

2011-11-14T05:47:00.001-08:00

McDonald's as everyone knows is one of the biggest fast food chain stores around the world, and still growing, the McDonald's nutrition menu mainly only comprised of fast food that had high content of mayonnaise and cheese; however that is also changing now. The present menu is constantly changing with additions of healthier food. For a very long time fast food has only been famous and known as junk food, in other words just a very unhealthy choice. Many nutritionists have blamed the skyrocketing rates of obesity to these junk foods amongst not just children but also many adults. This is the main reason why many fast food restaurants either have shut down or are looking at different ways to change their menu to healthy foods.

Ordinarily the original menu only had burgers with different types of meat options and fillings, nuggets, ice creams, sodas and French fries. However, it has all changed now with the menu having many more items that cater towards individuals who are more health conscious. They have made required changing by adding salads with a variety of salad dressings that one could choose form. With a good balance of vegetables and lean meat it is now only looking at catering needs of even the weight and health conscious people. You could even go in for a dressing, which has low calories content.

Now the menu at McDonald's has also started offering low calorie sodas for people who want it. However, according to many studies it has also proved that these sodas could be bad for an individual's health if it is being confused in big quantities, therefore the menu today offers options such as lemonades and juices. Many outlets even give their customers iced teas which are way healthier and tastier. Even the breakfast menu comprises of a diet, which is nutritional and low calorie. They have multigrain or wholegrain bagels and many wraps, which could be bought as whole wheat. They offer fresh juice cups so that you also could be sure of consuming juice on a daily basis. McDonald's now even offers its customers a calorie counter, which has all the items and information about their nutritional value. This is one way that is going to help you know what you are ordering and what could best suit you. You can go out with your family and friends and still know you are going to continue your diet.

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