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Pet lovers would simply love to know how to get cheap pet supplies especially nowadays when budgets are a bit strained. On top of that, people simply just want to get more value for their money. Pet supplies can sometimes be a bit too expensive and that isn’t just about the dog food. Other top of the line pet care products such as Frontline for dogs can be a little too much weight on one’s wallet.

Tips on Buying Cheap Pet Supplies

The goal in paying cheaper prices for the supplies you regularly buy is not just to simply save money but to actually save and get more value for your money. The final goal in this endeavor is not only to make your wallet happy but your pet should also be happy as well.

Timing is Essential To Get Pet Supplies Cheap

Every serious pet owner should really consider when they shop for supplies. Sometimes, it’s not a matter of where a pet owner shops for supplies but it’s actually a matter of timing. The stuff you need to keep you pets healthy and happy can be found in the local pet store.

What pet owners need to do is to find opportune times to purchase supplies. This simply boils down to purchasing your stuff during sales, most notably clearance sales. One can easily notice that pet shops will hold a clearance sale during the cold winter months. A lot of savings can be generated when purchasing stuff at this time of the year.

It doesn’t mean that the supplies you buy at clearance sales are about to go bad. The fact is that most people buy new pets during the summer thus the demand for the said supplies go down during the winter when almost no one buys new pets. When the demand for cheap pet supplies goes down, that is during winter and clearance sales then it is advisable to purchase your stuff.

Buy Supplies to Last

Now, when you purchase high end pet supplies like Frontline for dogs, be sure to buy them in order to last a while. Check the material the supplies are made of or the packaging of certain products like powders and pest control materials. Expect plastic bowls to get chewed up so pet owners should get stainless steel doggie bowls instead.

Lookout for Saving Opportunities

Sometimes pet shops will give out coupons to its customers. In case they do then be sure to grab some coupons. A store may not always have sales but if they do give out coupons then this is a clear indication that pet owners can get cheap pet supplies. Now, imagine how much you can save if you bring the coupons and buy stuff during a sale.

Check Your Options Online

Another way to save money on pet supplies is to look for suppliers on the Internet. Sometimes these suppliers sell their stuff at lower rates than the ones you can find at the store. Be sure to check out the fine print before you pay for the pet supplies you ordered.

Make Them Yourself

Another way to save money on supplies is to make them yourself or recycle items. If a neighbor or someone you know no longer uses certain materials like dog houses and other things, you might want to ask them to give it to you or purchase them for a cheaper rate compared to the ones at the store. Pet owners can also make their own dog rope, fish tanks, or chew toys.

As you can, there are many different ways to minimize the impact that pet supplies have on your wallet. There are multiple ways to get cheap pet supplies. Sometimes it just takes a little research and some creativity but when taking into account the amount you will save in the long term its definitely worth it.

Jason Aldiers is the author of this article. If you would like to buy cheap pet supplies such as Frontline for dogs or just read about various different pets, please visit Discountedpetsupplies.net.

“Bowling Alley”, “Bowling Center”, “The Bowl” and “House” are used interchangeably to describe the building where bowling takes place. Bowling alleys are usually comprised of many lanes (as many as 100 or more), but can be comprised of only a few lanes. Some people have a lane in their home, while I wouldn’t consider this a bowling alley, per se; it is in the most literal sense one. A single lane is sometimes referred to as a bowling alley. For the purposes of this book, a bowling alley or house will refer to a place where there are multiple lanes and games are purchased.

Where are bowling alleys?

They are everywhere. Lately it seems that a lot more houses are closing due to property and maintenance prices getting to expensive, or lack of use. Looking in your local telephone book, you should be able to find quite a few houses in your area. Bowling is a very popular sport and therefore there are a lot of bowling alleys in most areas. If you can’t find one where you live, check the nearest city or big town, there’s bound to be one within driving distance of where you live.

Recently a large bowling stadium was constructed in Reno, NV (United States). If you want to see a really large house, that is the place to go. If you get a chance to bowl there it is really quite the thing! I have bowled there on several occasions and have really enjoyed it. The PBA (Pro Bowlers Association, see Chapter 9) has tournaments there as well as the USBC. A few of the tournaments that I know of that bowl there are the PBA, USBC Nationals, USBC Mixed, and the High Roller. This stadium was built expressly for the purpose of handling large bowling tournaments, and is not allowed to have leagues in it. It also has a very large Pro Shop (place to buy bowling stuff), that even has a bowling lane in it so that you can see everything! They will video tape your game and help you to figure out what you need to improve. It is quite impressive.

Bowling Center Layout

Most bowling alleys will have a desk (where you buy games), a bar, game room, at least one meeting room, a room to handle babysitting, and, of course, lanes! A lot of houses have a pro shop also.

The desk is usually situated somewhere near the center of the house and the bar is usually not far from it. For most bowlers that’s all you need to know about a bowling alley right there! Drinking and bowling go hand and hand for a lot of bowlers (not me, though). It’s no mistake that the bar is centralized in the bowling alley. The game room is usually centralized in the bowling alley also, and most of the time contains pool tables, video games, and pinball machines.

Meeting rooms can be anywhere in the bowling alley, and will seat anywhere from 25 – 100s of people. The meeting rooms are used for league meetings, receptions, birthday parties, etc…. Most of the time, one of the rooms will have toys and things in it for kids. This room is generally used for babysitting the children of the bowlers. Most bowling alleys offer free babysitting for children up to age 7 or 8 for league bowlers. This comes in very handy when you are bowling.

Pro shops are very popular in bowling alleys. Inside of the pro shop you can find just about anything that you need for bowling from balls and bags to shoes, brushes, and powder or resin. You can even get advice from a “pro”. Most of the pro shops are either owned by a professional bowler or have a professional on staff. Be careful though, not all of the people working in the pro shop are pros, and not all of them necessarily have your best interest at heart. There is a lot of stuff to be bought and if you are getting equipment, be sure that you are speaking to somebody who knows your game. Buying equipment for bowling is not as simple as getting a ball and shoes (more on that in Chapter 3).

Who do I call?

The first person that you are likely to meet in the bowling alley is the desk person. This is the person behind the desk that will take your money and assign you a lane. This is also the person that is your main contact at the bowling alley should anything happen. If you spill a drink, your ball gets stuck in the return, or whatever… you should contact the desk person and let them know what you need.

League bowlers usually go through the league secretary to get things accomplished in the house. The league secretary usually has a little more clout than the individual bowler as he/she represents an entire league of bowlers (and therefore a lot of revenue to the bowling center).

There are two other people that you may encounter at the bowling alley. The Porter is the person cleaning up the lanes, getting dead balls, dead wood, fixing scores and just about anything else that needs to be done on the customer side of the lanes. The Mechanic is the other person that you may encounter. You probably won’t come into direct contact with them; they are the person that works in the back of the alley, resetting pins, fixing the machines, and making sure that things work right. They are usually the one that oils the lanes (more on that later), also.

Keep bowling and having fun!

Author BIO Mike Kolar has been bowling for about 20 years and has taught several bowlers helping them to improve their averages by over 30 pins!

Click on Free Bowling Information [http://www.BowlersEverything.com] for all of your bowling needs from balls and bags to articles and advice.

1. “It is the duty of every citizen according to his best capacities to give validity to his convictions in political affairs.”
   — Albert Einstein
2. “Politics, n. Strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles.”
   — Ambrose Bierce
3. “Man is by nature a political animal.”
   — Aristotle
4. “I have come to the conclusion that politics are too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.”
   — Charles De Gaulle
5. “The mistake a lot of politicians make is in forgetting they’ve been appointed and thinking they’ve been anointed.”
   — Claude D. Pepper
6. “Politics is made up largely of irrelevancies.”
   — Dalton Camp
7. “Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedy.”
   — Ernest Benn
8. “Being in politics is like being a football coach. You have to be smart enough to understand the game, and dumb enough to think it’s important.”
   — Eugene McCarthy
9. “We would all like to vote for the best man but he is never a candidate.”
   — Frank McKinney Hubbard
10. “When the political columnists say ‘Every thinking man’ they mean themselves, and when candidates appeal to ‘Every intelligent voter’ they mean everybody who is going to vote for them.”
    — Franklin P. Adams
11. “Run for office? No. I’ve slept with too many women, I’ve done too many drugs, and I’ve been to too many parties.”
    — George Clooney
12. “My choice early in life was either to be a piano-player in a whorehouse or a politician. And to tell the truth, there’s hardly any difference.”
    — Harry S. Truman
13. “Nothing is so admirable in politics as a short memory.”
    — John Kenneth Galbraith
14. “The word ‘politics’ is derived from the word ‘poly’, meaning ‘many’, and the word ‘ticks’, meaning ‘blood sucking parasites’.”
    — Larry Hardiman
15. “Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.”
    — Lester B. Pearson
16. “Politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed.”
    — Mao Tse-Tung
17. “Nothing can so alienate a voter from the political system as backing a winning candidate.”
    — Mark B. Cohen
18. “You can lead a man to Congress, but you can’t make him think.”
    — Milton Berle
19. “Politics is the art of the possible.”
    — Otto Von Bismarck
20. “In politics, an absurdity is not a handicap.”
    — Napoleon Bonaparte
21. “Politics is the art of preventing people from taking part in affairs which properly concern them.”
    — Paul Valery
22. “Politicians are wonderful people as long as they stay away from things they don’t understand, such as working for a living.”
    — P. J. ORourke
23. “In politics you must always keep running with the pack. The moment that you falter and they sense that you are injured, the rest will turn on you like wolves.”
    — R. A. Butler
24. “Politics is largely a matter of heart.”
    — R. A. Butler
25. “Politics is perhaps the only profession for which no preparation is thought necessary.”
    — Robert Louis Stevenson
26. “Politics is not a bad profession. If you succeed there are many rewards, if you disgrace yourself you can always write a book.”
    — Ronald Reagan
27. “Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.”
    — Ronald Reagan
28. “A politician is a fellow who will lay down your life for his country.”
    — Texas Guinan
29. “The political machine triumphs because it is a united minority acting against a divided majority.”
    — Will Durant
30. “The more you read and observe about this Politics thing, you got to admit that each party is worse than the other. The one that’s out always looks the best.”
    — Will Rogers

Resource Box – © Danielle Hollister (2004) is the Publisher of BellaOnline Quotations Zine – A free newsletter for quote lovers featuring more than 10,000 quotations in dozens of categories like – love, friendship, children, inspiration, success, wisdom, family, life, and many more. Read it online at – http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art8364.asp

Another mild debate of the last few years in the hiking/backpacking community has been that of hiking boots vs. hiking shoes. Some don’t consider this much of a debate, as many hikers & backpackers have made the switch solely to hiking shoes, more commonly known as trail runners. Contrary to what some believe, not everyone wears hiking shoes while hiking. Hiking boots are still alive, and by no means are they outdated or obsolete, as some would have you believe. This article isn’t meant to argue either point of view, just make some basic observations between the two types of footwear.

Following are some statements made by other hikers, backpackers or writers on the subject of hiking boots vs. hiking shoes. These have been gleaned from the several other articles on the subject, as well as posts on blogs & in forums.

Hiking boots are heavier than hiking shoes.

Hiking shoes, being lighter in weight, lessen the strain on feet & legs when hiking over several miles.

Boots are constricting.

Boots normally last longer.

Boots stay wet longer than shoes.

The better ankle support which boots give is a myth.

Water enters boots more easily than shoes.

Feet are cooler in shoes.

Boots cost more than shoes.

Boots require more break-in time.

Boots are better suited for snowy conditions.

Those are just 11 quick statements I’ve read here & there over the last several years. For many it seems, no matter what, shoes win hands down. Some people hike year round in hiking shoes, that’s fine. Again, I believe this is a case of what matches up better with the terrain you’re traversing. Hiking boots are better suited, I believe, for some conditions. Hiking shoes, I also believe, provide a great advantage over boots in other situations. Here are some following observations from my point of view.

Hiking boots are heavier than shoes. I agree. Though there are varying types of materials used in hiking boots, such as full-grain leather, split leather, nubuck & synthetic, boots are on average heavier than hiking shoes. There are different types of boots made for separate conditions, and this is what needs to be considered when deciding whether or not to go with boots or shoes.

Hiking shoes, because they’re lighter, take strain off the feet, legs & back. Again, I agree. A study done many years ago by the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine revealed that 1 lb on the foot used as much energy as carrying 6 lbs in the backpack. If this is true, then it’s obvious that hiking shoes, because of being lighter, would save wear & tear on the body.

Boots are constricting. This is something, I believe, that’s completely subject to each individual hiker. I use lightweight hiking boots on most of my hikes. They aren’t constricting on my feet.

Boots last longer. Part of me leans toward a yes, but reluctantly. Depending on the style boot, a pair of boots can last longer than a pair of shoes. Heavy leather boots built for mountaineering will outlast both lighter weight boots & shoes hands down. This type of boot can be resoled more than once, proving that the sole will wear out long before the boot itself will. I’ve seen people wear out shoes quicker than I’ve worn out boots in the same amount of time. How a person walks does much to determine the life of a boot or shoe.

Boots stay wet longer. Again, this depends on the type of boot. Heavy leather boots will take a long time to dry when severely wet. Lightweight boots which are made with fabric & nubuck leather can dry in the same given time as a pair of hiking shoes. The amount of materials in the boot or shoe & the materials themselves determine drying time.

Boots don’t give better ankle support. Depending on the type of boot, they do in fact give better ankle support. Higher-cut boots can aid in ankle support & give more leverage on uneven trails or cross-country routes.

Water enters boots more easily than shoes. This statement doesn’t make sense to me. If you’re wearing either mid-cut or high-cut boots, trekking through a few inches of water, the boot will protect your feet more than a low-cut shoe. To me, this is obvious. Coupled with a pair of gaiters, water will have a more difficult time entering your boot & getting your feet wet.

Feet are cooler in shoes. Another point I agree with. Because the amount & thickness of materials used in their construction, a hiking shoe is lighter and will be cooler to wear. If you’re hiking in an area that’s extremely dry & hot, shoes may be a better choice for you.

Boots cost more than shoes. This is generally true. Average cost of boots is anywhere from $120-170. Shoes average anywhere from $30-120. Yet compared with the lifespan of each type of footwear, it’s possible to spend less for a pair of boots than for 2-3 pair of shoes.

Boots take longer to break in. For heavy leather boots, the answer is definitely yes. Yet with the lightweight hiking boots on the market today, this characteristic is very comparable. However, I do give the edge to shoes on this.

Boots are better suited for snowy conditions. If there’s quite a bit of accumulation, yes, boots should be opted for in this situation. Yet I’ve seen & know hikers that still wear hiking shoes with a few inches of snow on the ground. If you’re just passing through an area such as this, then it’s probably not going to hinder you too much. But for winter hiking in known snow-country, I believe it’s foolish not to wear some type of hiking boots.

What it ultimately comes down to is your personal preference. There’s really no right or wrong answer to which is better to hike in, boots or shoes. It depends on you. No one can tell you which feels better on your feet, which is more comfortable, or even which will last longer. These are all subject to your hiking personality, the way you hike. Go into your local outfitter and try on several pairs of boots & shoes, then decide. Once you’ve decided, get out and put those things to work! Even if you buy something you’re not completely happy with, as long as they don’t cause you pain, just use them till it’s time for a new pair.

Steve H. is a lover of nature & being involved in outdoor activities. Whether it be hiking, biking, kayaking or some other form of adventure seeking, he enjoys the world around him, as well as seeking ways to help preserve the environment. He maintains the blog, http://www.crudeanalysiz.blogspot.com, chronicling his hikes & outdoor adventures, including both gear & book reviews.

The real estate market like any other asset class is in a constant state of motion. Property values are either going up, down or are stabilized at all times. We know this just by reading the newspapers, watching television and listening to neighbor’s gossip about their asset (the home). Not very scientific way of figuring out a market, but probably as good as if not better than most because it gets to the emotion of the homeowner in trouble. If the homeowner believes it is a sellers market he/she will absolutely try to sell or refinance before listening to you. If it is a buyers market then you are a welcomed guest if you can put money in their pocket for this dog of an asset they purchased long ago. If it is a stagnant or equal market well then the homeowner will be unsure of the value because the newspapers will be onto another subject. There are three types of markets in real estate. They are 1) the Sellers Market; 2) Buyers market; 3) a stagnant market where prices remain constant.

The definition of the Sellers Market, Buyers Market and Market in equilibrium is a look back model that uses two figures to determine a label for which market you are in. They are market time and inventory.

Market Time Defined

Market time is defined by the amount of days that a property in the location stays on the market. For example in a Sellers Market average sales time will be under sixty (60) days. Equal Market average sales time will be under one hundred (100) days. For a Buyers market average sale time will be over 100 days.

Inventory defined

Inventory is simply the amount of houses on the market divided by the average amount of sales typical for that area per month. Sellers Market would be less than three (3) months inventory on hand in a given area. Equal Market would be between three months and six months of inventory on hand. Buyers Market would be having inventory over six months on hand.

SELLERS MARKET FSP

A sellers market is a market where a property will sell within sixty days of being introduced to the market.

This market also has a low inventory of properties on the market. This would be defined as anything less than three months inventory in your specific area. Another indication of a sellers market is that the price of the product begins to appreciate until it finally is out of the reach of the buyers causing the market to cool down.

This market can be prolonged by certain financial products such as the interest only loan, negative amortization type of loan, graduate payment loan and of course the variable rate loan. All of which we have seen in both Philadelphia and Massachusetts.

Based upon all of the factors going against the back up plan we offer it is a hard position to find the deals that we need during this type of market and as purchasers we are forced to purchase at auction as well as going to the properties and trying to purchase pre-foreclosure.

Locator in Hot Sellers Market

The locator in a hot market has a hard presentation. Every homeowner feels that they can get market price and that is more than we can pay. This happens because local neighborhood gossip, newspapers in the area saying how much property has risen year over year or month over month. Homeowners are saturated with information about how valuable their real estate is worth.

Next the homeowner is targeted with lending offers to refinance because the value of the home has skyrocketed- use your homes as an ATM machine to pull out some equity and live for a few more years.

Both the low market time and low inventory time cause our business of purchasing properties to be very frustrating. The homeowners are aware that they can sell a home relatively fast even quicker than an auction can be had.

It Makes for a hard market to purchase properties prior to the auction. It is what we call our recession. It allows a homeowner to choose from a group of choices. Essentially we are a back up plan or safety net.

In this type of market we need to price correctly and purchase at the last minute from homeowners who have tried everything else.

Buyers Market FSP

A buyers market is defined by sales of properties taking takes over 100 days to sell. The Inventory in this market will stack up to well over six months worth of sales. The homeowner in this situation has only a few options. Financing companies say that they can refinance but usually can not due to the falling value of the appraisal on the home. Remember the newspapers are littered with information regarding the fall of the real estate market. It is the fear of the day for most local newspapers.

Here are a few local articles

“Sellers Frustrated With Real Estate Market

Home Sales Down In Bay State

POSTED: 6:05 pm EDT August 15, 2006

UPDATED: 7:37 pm EDT August 15, 2006

WALPOLE, Mass. — Quarterly home sales are down in a widespread area of Massachusetts, but prices are only down slightly.

Copyright 2006 by TheBostonChannel.com”

“Market unease: Home prices fall 3.5%

Weakening demand leads to largest decline in Mass. in 13 years

By Kimberly Blanton, Globe Staff | August 24, 2006

Home prices in Massachusetts fell 3.5 percent in July, the largest decline in 13 years, as the slowdown in the real estate market finally led sellers to cut their prices.”

“July home sales plunge 27%

The Lowell Sun

Massachusetts single-family home sales plunged almost 27 percent in July, the largest year-over-year monthly drop in more than 11 years, according to a report released today by The Warren Group of Boston. “

“Buyer’s market: Housing sales dip, prices may follow

By Ben Aaronson/ Staff Writer

Thursday, August 24, 2006 – Updated: 09:08 AM EST

You can’t drive through town without seeing a “For Sale” or “Open House” sign and they represent a statewide trend.

According to a recent report by the Massachusetts Association of Realtors, home sales statewide fell nearly 11 percent in the second quarter (April to June), marking the fifth consecutive quarter that activity has declined from the same period the pervious year. Housing inventories are at an all-time high and homes are staying on the market longer, the report found. “

Locator in Buyers Market

The locator in a buyer market has a much easier presentation. Every homeowner has undergone the conditioning of the newspapers, local gossip etc. that the sky is falling rapidly and that their investment is no longer worth what it was one year ago.

This advertisement of the fall of real estate prices and the end of the price appreciation stops the appraisers’ from appraising the properties correctly. Instead of using the standard comparable. The appraiser checks a box and states that property pricing are declining and begins to cover himself/herself with lower and lower values for the property. This causes the banks to tighten up on underwriting guidelines making it harder to refinance their way out of the foreclosure.

Without the refinance the homeowner either has to do one of the following:

1) Restructure the mortgage causing higher payments. Problem with a restructure is that it costs more monthly for a short period of time. Usually very hard for the homeowner to come up with the money.

2) Sell on the open market. Problem is that market time has risen to the point where the foreclosure process is faster than the tie they have to sell the property.

3) File for bankruptcy. This normally costs $2,500 for the lawyer, filing fees and 10% of the plan debt to the trustee. It also has a 75% failure rate.

Consequently our FSP becomes a very viable option for the homeowner.

We are in this market now so find your local newspaper articles and put them in your book to show the homeowners what is happening out there. Make your presentation and then close the deal.

The locators biggest problem during this time is the manager (Investor) has more trouble pricing the properties because of the downward spiral of the market.

Market In Equilibrium:

An even market is when a property is sold within 61-100 days of listing. Inventory is usually six months or less. This is the market that is the easiest to procure deals. It allows the investor to feel warm and fuzzy knowing almost to the penny that the property he/she is purchasing is worth what they think that it is worth.

The Newspapers simply go on to another story and leave the real estate market alone or have articles stating that the market is stable.

Locator in Equilibrium

The locator in a stable market has the best of all worlds. Prices are staying steady keeping the manager happy and all is quiet regarding real estate in the newspapers.

Again it is an easy presentation. The homeowner has seen his equity disappear and no longer knows what the value of the real estate is and just wants to get out from the obligation.

The homeowner is left with one of the three options of a down market:

1) Restructure the mortgage causing higher payments. Problem with a restructure is that it costs more monthly for a short period of time. Usually very hard for the homeowner to come up with the money.

2) Sell on the open market. Problem is that market time has risen to the point where the foreclosure process is faster than the tie they have to sell the property.

3) File for bankruptcy. This normally costs $2,500 for the lawyer, filing fees and 10% of the plan debt to the trustee. It also has a 75% failure rate.

Consequently our FSP becomes a very viable option for the homeowner.

So what does this all have to do with the Fresh Start Presentation (FSP)? Remember the Fresh Start Presentation is the Homeowner Options slide show that you have. It goes through the advantages and disadvantages of the seven (7) options available to the financially distressed homeowner.

They are as follows:

1) Sell on the Open Market

2) Refinance the home

3) Restructure the mortgage

4) File bankruptcy

5) Borrow from friends and family

6) Let it go to foreclosure

7) Sell to an investor

Well each type of market has different advantages and disadvantages to the locator.

Use the newspapers to translate into a selling benefit during your FSP. We need to educate the homeowner that we are in a period where houses do not sell for last years prices but that they are actually going down in price each and every day. Time as usual is the enemy of a homeowner in this situation.

A good locator that wants to maximize his sales would do the following:

1) Read the local newspaper where your route is and cut out the articles that will help get the homeowner off the price they thought it was worth. Copy the article and give it to the homeowner when talking about the price.

2) While he/she is reading the article tell the homeowner that the property may be worth 3,4,5,6,7% less by the time they actually move out, the property is repainted and put on the market by the company.

3) This risk is for our company to worry about unless the homeowner decides to try to sell it on his own.

Good Hunting

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[http://frontgateconsulting.com/]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What is this amazing secret formula?

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

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

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

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

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

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

On-campus education vs. online education! Is one better than the other? Can one completely replace the other? Indeed it seems that online education is the way of the future. Educational institutions, corporations and government organizations alike already offer various forms of electronic teaching. However, can a computer truly replace a teacher and a blackboard?

How people learn

Each individual has a form of learning that suits them best. Some individuals achieve fantastic results in courses taught online, however most people drop out of 100% computer-led courses. Educational institutions, as well as companies in carrying out staff training, must recognize that there is no ideal way to carry out the teaching of a large group of individuals, and so must design programs that best suits the needs of the group as a whole.

People learn using multiple senses. This involves learning through both theoretical components of a course, as well as social interaction with both instructors and other students. Students learn from each other’s mistakes and successes, not just from what they are told by instructors.

Each individual student has an ideal learning pace. Instructors are therefore faced with the challenge of designing courses that move forward such that those students with a slower learning pace do not get left behind, while not moving so slowly that students with faster learning paces get bored.

Online education

In the age of high-speed information transfer, online education is becoming a popular and cheap means for delivering teaching to individuals outside the classroom, and in some cases all over the world. Teaching can be via CD, websites, or through real-time online facilities such as webcasts, webinars and virtual classrooms. However, different methods of online education each have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Online education is still a relatively new concept, and in many respects still in the teething stages. As such, various problems arrive across different online education environments. For example:

1. Lack of immediate feedback in asynchronous learning environments: While some online education environments such as webcasts, webinars and virtual classrooms operate live with the addition of an instructor, most do not. Teaching that is delivered through a CD or website, although having the advantage of being self-paced, provides no immediate feedback from a live instructor.

2. More preparation required on the part of the instructor: In an online education environment, an instructor can not simply stand in front of a whiteboard and deliver a class. Lessons in online education environments must be prepared ahead of time, along with any notes and instructions that may accompany the teaching.

In many cases it would also be necessary that the instructor not only understands the concepts being taught, but the technology used to deliver that teaching. This therefore increases the skill-levels needed of online education instructors, placing greater demand on educational institutions.

Staffing levels may also be higher for courses run in an online education environment, requiring for example:

The Instructor – able to teach both course content and be skilled in the use of technologies involved

The Facilitator – to assist the instructor in delivering content, but may do so remotely

Help Desk – to offer assistance to instructors, facilitators and students in the use of both software and hardware used to deliver the course.

3. Not all people are comfortable with online education: Education is no longer only sought by the world’s youth. With an increased trend towards adult and continuing education, there is a need to design courses suitable for students over a larger age-range, as well as students from different and varied backgrounds. It is difficult, however, to design online education environments suitable for everyone.

4. Increased potential for frustration, anxiety and confusion: In an online education environment, there are a greater number of parts making up the system that can fail. Server failures may prevent online courses from operating. Software based teaching applications may require other specific components to operate. Computer viruses may infect software necessary to run online education environments. If these systems are complex, students may choose the ease of On-campus education rather than taking the additional time and effort necessary to master the use of online education systems.

5. The Digital Divide: Many people who live in remote areas and developing countries do not have access to computers, making any form of online education virtually impossible. For this reason, online education is only able to be targeted at the people lucky enough to be able to take advantage of the technology involved. Similarly, offering live teaching across the world means that different time zones and nationalities increase the demand for multi-skilled instructors.

In addition to these, there are also several legal issues associated with maintaining an online education environment. For example, intellectual property laws, particularly those relating to copyright, may or may not fully cover electronically created intellectual property. For example, information on a website is not necessarily considered to be public domain, despite being available to everyone. However, the Australian Copyright Act was amended in 2001 to ensure that copyright owners of electronic materials, including online education environments, could continue to provide their works commercially.

On-Campus Education

Still the most common form of instruction is traditional classroom-style learning. These instructor-led environments are more personal than online education environments, and also have the advantage of allowing for immediate feedback both to and from student and teachers alike. However, the classroom allows for less flexibility than courses run in online education environments.

Instructors in modern classroom environments are still able to take advantage of several forms of electronic teaching tools while still maintaining the atmosphere associated with the traditional classroom environment. For example, PowerPoint slides can be utilized instead of a whiteboard or blackboard. Handouts can be distributed via course websites prior to the event. However, on the day, students are still able to actively participate in the lesson.

Like online education environments, On-campus education comes with certain drawbacks, the most common of which is the classroom itself. This requires a group of people which, in a university for example, could reach a few hundred people in size, to gather in the same place at the same time. This requires enormous time and financial commitment on behalf of both the students and the educational institution.

However, it is this sort of environment that is most familiar to students across the world. People of all ages can access a classroom environment feeling comfortable with the way that a classroom-run course is carried out. Older students who may not be comfortable with the use of information technology are not required to navigate their way through possibly complex online education environments, making On-campus education the most accessible form of teaching.

On-campus education has one advantage that 100% electronically delivered courses can not offer – social interaction. Learning comes from observing, not only what is written on a page or presented in a slideshow, but what is observed in others. Most students are naturally curious, and so will want to ask questions of their instructors. The classroom environment allows students to clarify what is being taught not only with their instructors, but with other students.

So, Which is Better?

There is no style of instruction that will best suit every student. Studies have shown (Can online education replace On-campus education) that courses where online education is used to complement On-campus education have proved more effective than courses delivered entirely using only one method. These courses take advantage of both online education materials and a live instructor, and have produced results higher than those of students in either 100% online education or classroom environment courses. Students have the advantage of the immediate feedback and social interaction that comes with the classroom environment, as well as the convenience of self-paced online education modules that can be undertaken when it best suits the student.

It would seem that online education environments will never completely replace On-campus education. There is no “one size fits all” method of teaching. Teaching styles will continue to adapt to find the method that best fits the learning group. Using a mix of online education environments and classroom sessions, educational institutions, corporations and government organizations can ensure that training is delivered that is convenient and effective for both instructors and students alike.

Mathew Simond is a journalist and copywriter. He is also a webmaster of many websites including http://www.paralegal-degree.org and http://www.humanservicesdegree.net

He aims to provide healthy information and advice on academic degrees.

Fashion Marketing news: A slew of studies, data, and articles seem to point out the growing success of niche sites, especially in the fashion industry. Hype or Fact? How can big online retailers and local fashion stores benefit from internet niches?

I like reading about pragmatic ideas to boost online sales of fashion goods, from apparel to accessories. I think that too much time is wasted in theorizing about internet marketing, and not acting about it.

Yet, I am going to talk about hard-core statisical studies and hype. Why?

Because I found in this month’s INC. magazine an article about niche marketing that made me connect together a lot of issues facing local apparel stores as well as big online fashion retailers.

Make money online by not carrying best-sellers

First, the article titled “A world without bestsellers” dabbles with buying patterns specific to internet consumers.

These patterns make up the Long Tail. You may or you may not know about it. For a concise explanation, go the Long Tail page on Wikipedia. Let’s just say that consumers can find and buy online products that a regular store could not carry. For instance, 40% of Amazon.com’s book sales reportedly consist in unknown titles that your regular Barnes and Noble cannot afford to carry in the bookstore next door.

The same seem to apply to fashion goods. For instance, in the INC. article, Zappos’ Tony Hsieh says that:

“Today the company sells more than three million products across 1,000 brands. The top 20 percent of products account for half of revenue, the bottom 80 percent, the other half.”

So, at Zappos, the 20 best-selling items represent only 50% of the revenues. This is a far-cry from the usual 80/20 rule that usually applies offline, when the top 20 best-sellers make up 80% of the revenues. The 80/20 rule is drawn from the works of economist Pareto.

Online sales of fashion goods make Pareto Principle redundant

This is the gist of a February 2007 study called “Goodbye Pareto Principle, Hello Long Tail: The Effect of Search Costs on the Concentration of Product Sales.” It was written by researchers at the Sloan School of Management at the MIT. Better, this study is based on “several years of sales data at a private-label women’s clothing company that offered the same merchandise through its catalog and its Internet store.”

Fashion goods are really at the forefront of this trend. Think about all the sites of the specialty sites that have sprung up, from sites selling discontinued lines of products to sites selling only to a sub-demographic. Buyers will turn to the web for hard-to-find glasses or for styles that regular retailers would deem too original to carry.

A company called Niche Retail is specialized in doing just that. The company says that they actually avoid carrying best-sellers, as big retailers can usually manage to kill the business by discounting the most sought-after items. By the way, Niche Retail’s logo reprents the Long Tail graph.

Style is a personal matter. Fashion professionals did not wait for the Long Tail theory to launch niche product lines. But the internet does offer interesting further niche opportunities:

- established brands and big online retailers can find relevant niche sites for some of their product lines

- local fashion stores are indeed niches themselves; they can use the internet to get more exposure

Big brands and retailers going after niche consumers

This very site spends time presenting you new fashion blogs, new fashion sites, and new fashion communities (see Fashion 2.0). Because fashion can get very personal, it has always been a good conversation topic. Now, the internet allows you to become a fashion critique in a snap. Big fashion actors can go after these niche sites to get their attention.

For instance, niche TV channels are popping up on the internet, due to the low barrier of entry, as reported in this article of the Wall Street Journal. The newspaper gives the example of clothing chain Express sponsoring the Ford Models web tv. I would add the example of “Ask a Gay Man”, the colorful and popular fashion critique show on YouTube (see my previous note on the subject), which has gotten founder William Sledd a TV deal with Bravo.

But you not have to be big to go after these niche sites. For instance, Ujeans, a made-to-order jeans company sponsors competitions on social network site StyleMob (“a new community for street fashion inspiration”).

Local fashion stores are so niche

I see here a chance for local apparel stores as well: a niche can be geographic.

A local store owner may be the best person to know what senior citizens like wearing in the Boca Raton area. Why not put up a website, where you can share your expertise? When local people use Google to find information about clothes they like, they will find your website, enjoy your expertise, and visit your shop.

Marketers are encouraging local stores to go online and advertise. A book called Marketing your retail store in the internet age does a great job of giving pragmatic and inexpensive tips to local store owners. Meanwhile, Google is pushing local ads heavily. Its AdWords system allows you to display your ad only to people searching from your zip code. Moreover, Google Maps allows you to mention your store in the popular map system, so that when people search for “women’s fashion, 97108″, your store shows up.

No wonder that local advertising on the internet is booming. According to eMarketer, local online advertising spending in the US will reach $2.9 billion in 2007. Local search is great for a local fashion store or a geographical niche site. One of the best resources about the subject, with how-to-s and advice, is Clickz’s Local Search column.

Fashion sales are booming online and online fashion marketing may be one of the hottest topics right now.

Thibault Masson is the creator of Fashion-Fox.com, the site where Fashion meets Online Marketing.

Now that you’ve taken the big step, booked your ski vacation and reserved your spot in the beginners skiing class (as discussed in Part 1 of the series), its time to take a look what you’ve actually let yourself in for.

So what exactly will your first skiing lesson try to teach you?

Tip # 2 – Learning Control

The most critical skill in learning to snow ski is that of control. Remember, you’re adding a hefty amount of extra length to your feet – being able to control your feet and moving on them will keep your behind dry and your pride intact.

Rather start out with shorter skis than longer ones. Although there are disadvantages such as less glide in using shorter skis, this gives you the opportunity to get the basics right and then upgrade your ski length as your skill improves. Once you have the skis on, use your poles as a balancing device while moving your weight from side to side on your skis. This side to side motion is what will eventually guide you down the mountain slope at a speed that you feel comfortable at. The shortest route to the bottom of the slope is straight down – but this is neither advisable at beginner level, nor necessarily the best way to get to the bottom! So make sure you’re comfortable with shifting your weight from one foot to the other while on the skis.

Probably the most important skill to learn control of is how to STOP without doing yourself some major injury. The easiest and best way to slow your momentum is to point the toes of your skis towards each other and spreading your heels apart – much like a slice of cake. NB – but whatever you do, DON’T let the tips of your skis cross each other – it’s a surefire way of ensuring a wet and uncomfortable tumble.

Another important skill is learning balance. And the best time to practice is while you’re still on flat ground! The trick is to practice balancing on one ski at a time. Lift one ski a couple of centimeters off the snow and shift all your weight to the other leg. Observe how your body adjusts to maintain your balance on just one foot – and remember, your ski-poles are there to help you. Now try skiing on just one leg to get used to being in balance, whether you’re on two feet or only one. You won’t go haring down the mountain on one foot though – this is just an exercise to get you used to your own sense of weight distribution and balance. It is advisable to be comfortable skiing on one leg (practice doing this on both) before you become proficient in skiing on two.

Now that you’ve put on your skies, practiced shifting your weight from side to side, found your balance on your skis and learned how to stop your forward momentum, you’re almost ready to face your first down hill ski. But first, you’ll have to master one more critical skill that everyone needs to learn … how to get up when you fall.

Yolande runs the website [http://www.skiingtips.org] that provides infomation on skiing for the beginner to the advance skier.

Part 3 of Beginner Snow Skiing Tips for the beginner [http://www.skiingtips.org/Taking-The-Plunge-Snow-Skiing-Tips-For-The-Beginner-Part-3.php] can be found on the website

If you’re looking for information on Ski Resorts visit World Ski Resorts [http://www.worldskiresorts.info/skiresort_articles/index.php]

Collecting Cars for Fun and Profit

Antique and classic cars are being collected now more than ever. Classic car collectors learn their hobby over years and years of research and browsing, even attending a half dozen or more car shows each year. However, some basic information is available to help anyone begin the lifelong passion of collecting antique automobiles.

Definition of a Classic Car

A classic car is one that is more than 15-years old, while an antique car is more than 25-years old. A vintage car dates from the 1930′s or older. As well, there are different car eras, such as the Vintage Car Era, Classic Car Era, Muscle Car Era, and so on, and this is also important to understand.

Display and Drivable Cars

Some antique car collectors drive their cars everywhere, while others have theirs for display purposes only. Display cars often have the benefit of needing less maintenance to keep their classic feel and pristine condition. If you want to drive your classic car, remember that it will require more money for such services as paint and wax jobs, engine work, and inspections. Not only do antique cars lack modern safety features such as airbags and anti-lock brakes, but vintage cars may also lack modern conveniences like power steering, stereo systems, or even heat.

Expenses

Antique car collectors know that antique cars in general are very expensive investments, but there are several ways to cut these costs and make collecting cars an even more enjoyable experience. Many cars are simply left to rust away in lawns or in junkyards. These cars can often be bought at a real bargain for even a few dollars. However, the cheaper these cars are usually indicates what shape they come in. Therefore, several decisions must be made concerning the usability of the cars. Will they be driven? Do they need a new engine? What use will they have on a daily basis?

With some body work to remove rust and replace irreparable damage, these cars can even receive new interiors and engines. The most common work is a brand new paint job (the most noticeable and appreciable work), so a good deal can cost as little as $1000. With an interest in automobiles and a modest income, restoring antique cars can be the lifelong hobby of antique car collectors.

Ratings for Antique Car Appraisal

An antique car appraisal must be based on uniform standards to get a correct appraisal.

Parts Car, this means that the car is only to be used for individual car parts. The car itself has no value except for the individual parts that can be taken from it and used in other cars. The car might not be a candidate for restoration, and therefore appraisers will not waste other people’s time and money by declaring it usable except for parts.

Restorable, means the car in question has potential to be restored. The car model and make must still be recognizable to warrant this antique car appraisal rating. It may also need a complete body, chassis and interior restoration if it is appraised in this condition. Most likely the engine will also need some attention as well as the exterior, but not to the point that you restore more than a third of the body, chassis or interior.

Good, this antique car appraisal means that the automobile may need just a little tweaking to make it functional. The quality of restoration of the automobile may also affect the antique car appraisal. If it is functional yet the quality of restoration is poor, then the price will still not go up despite its good condition. The antique car appraisal should always include the quality of the restoration.

A Very Good antique car appraisal could mean that the automobile is functional and the amateur restoration is passable. The restoration might be rated as older or worn out to some extent but not as bad as expected. A Very Good antique car appraisal might be considered presentable and serviceable in the interior and exterior.

Fine is the antique car appraisal that means the automobile is restored very well and its original parts are well maintained to the point that they are in good working order.

The Excellent antique car appraisal means that the car in question has been restored to excellent professional standards and could possibly be a show car that is not driven or worn out but maintained for aesthetic purposes.

Antique Car Pricing

Antique car pricing depends on many different factors, and antique car pricing can vary from year to year. The prices can also vary depending on the point of sale. Antique car pricing depends on the age of the car, the condition of the car and special features on a car.

An antique car that is very old might be much more expensive than a newer classic car. These car prices fluctuate like more modern cars depending upon the condition. An antique car that is in mint condition could cost ten thousand dollars more than the same model in poor condition. Antique car pricing can also vary depending on the mechanics of the car. One that is road-ready will cost much more than one that looks good but does not move on the streets.

Antique car pricing depends on the year and the condition of the car, but the pricing can also depend on many of the various features in each car. Some of the classic cars have radios that actually still work while the older cars never do. Some of these cars have original mirrors while others have modern replicas. The fabric used in the interior could have a significant impact on the prices of antique cars; if the fabric in the interior is the original and in great condition, this is important in the price of the vehicle.

Many collectors of classic cars base their prices of the cars they have on a price guide. The antique car price guide gives approximations of how much a certain model of automobile may cost these days. The prices found in the antique car price guide are somewhat loosely approximated because not all cars of the same make and model are restored professionally or even restored properly. Popular price guides include MacRAE’s Blue Book online, and Kelley Blue Book.

The hobby of collecting antique and classic cars can be fun and enjoyable, and it can also incredibly rewarding, especially financially. As long as you are informed and take the situation seriously, you should not have any problems, and not only will you have a great time but as well can make quite a bit of profit for yourself if you go about things in the right way.

Steve Dolan is an avid collector and loves classic cars. Find out more about car collecting at Classic Cars and Vintage Cars and if you have other collections take a look at Collections and Collectibles

I have been a health insurance broker for over a decade and every day I read more and more “horror” stories that are posted on the Internet regarding health insurance companies not paying claims, refusing to cover specific illnesses and physicians not getting reimbursed for medical services. Unfortunately, insurance companies are driven by profits, not people (albeit they need people to make profits). If the insurance company can find a legal reason not to pay a claim, chances are they will find it, and you the consumer will suffer. However, what most people fail to realize is that there are very few “loopholes” in an insurance policy that give the insurance company an unfair advantage over the consumer. In fact, insurance companies go to great lengths to detail the limitations of their coverage by giving the policy holders 10-days (a 10-day free look period) to review their policy. Unfortunately, most people put their insurance cards in their wallet and place their policy in a drawer or filing cabinet during their 10-day free look and it usually isn’t until they receive a “denial” letter from the insurance company that they take their policy out to really read through it.

The majority of people, who buy their own health insurance, rely heavily on the insurance agent selling the policy to explain the plan’s coverage and benefits. This being the case, many individuals who purchase their own health insurance plan can tell you very little about their plan, other than, what they pay in premiums and how much they have to pay to satisfy their deductible.

For many consumers, purchasing a health insurance policy on their own can be an enormous undertaking. Purchasing a health insurance policy is not like buying a car, in that, the buyer knows that the engine and transmission are standard, and that power windows are optional. A health insurance plan is much more ambiguous, and it is often very difficult for the consumer to determine what type of coverage is standard and what other benefits are optional. In my opinion, this is the primary reason that most policy holders don’t realize that they do not have coverage for a specific medical treatment until they receive a large bill from the hospital stating that “benefits were denied.”

Sure, we all complain about insurance companies, but we do know that they serve a “necessary evil.” And, even though purchasing health insurance may be a frustrating, daunting and time consuming task, there are certain things that you can do as a consumer to ensure that you are purchasing the type of health insurance coverage you really need at a fair price.

Dealing with small business owners and the self-employed market, I have come to the realization that it is extremely difficult for people to distinguish between the type of health insurance coverage that they “want” and the benefits they really “need.” Recently, I have read various comments on different Blogs advocating health plans that offer 100% coverage (no deductible and no-coinsurance) and, although I agree that those types of plans have a great “curb appeal,” I can tell you from personal experience that these plans are not for everyone. Do 100% health plans offer the policy holder greater peace of mind? Probably. But is a 100% health insurance plan something that most consumers really need? Probably not! In my professional opinion, when you purchase a health insurance plan, you must achieve a balance between four important variables; wants, needs, risk and price. Just like you would do if you were purchasing options for a new car, you have to weigh all these variables before you spend your money. If you are healthy, take no medications and rarely go to the doctor, do you really need a 100% plan with a $5 co-payment for prescription drugs if it costs you $300 dollars more a month?

Is it worth $200 more a month to have a $250 deductible and a $20 brand name/$10 generic Rx co-pay versus an 80/20 plan with a $2,500 deductible that also offers a $20 brand name/$10generic co-pay after you pay a once a year $100 Rx deductible? Wouldn’t the 80/20 plan still offer you adequate coverage? Don’t you think it would be better to put that extra $200 ($2,400 per year) in your bank account, just in case you may have to pay your $2,500 deductible or buy a $12 Amoxicillin prescription? Isn’t it wiser to keep your hard-earned money rather than pay higher premiums to an insurance company?

Yes, there are many ways you can keep more of the money that you would normally give to an insurance company in the form of higher monthly premiums. For example, the federal government encourages consumers to purchase H.S.A. (Health Savings Account) qualified H.D.H.P.’s (High Deductible Health Plans) so they have more control over how their health care dollars are spent. Consumers who purchase an HSA Qualified H.D.H.P. can put extra money aside each year in an interest bearing account so they can use that money to pay for out-of-pocket medical expenses. Even procedures that are not normally covered by insurance companies, like Lasik eye surgery, orthodontics, and alternative medicines become 100% tax deductible. If there are no claims that year the money that was deposited into the tax deferred H.S.A can be rolled over to the next year earning an even higher rate of interest. If there are no significant claims for several years (as is often the case) the insured ends up building a sizeable account that enjoys similar tax benefits as a traditional I.R.A. Most H.S.A. administrators now offer thousands of no load mutual funds to transfer your H.S.A. funds into so you can potentially earn an even higher rate of interest.

In my experience, I believe that individuals who purchase their health plan based on wants rather than needs feel the most defrauded or “ripped-off” by their insurance company and/or insurance agent. In fact, I hear almost identical comments from almost every business owner that I speak to. Comments, such as, “I have to run my business, I don’t have time to be sick! “I think I have gone to the doctor 2 times in the last 5 years” and “My insurance company keeps raising my rates and I don’t even use my insurance!” As a business owner myself, I can understand their frustration. So, is there a simple formula that everyone can follow to make health insurance buying easier? Yes! Become an INFORMED consumer.

Every time I contact a prospective client or call one of my client referrals, I ask a handful of specific questions that directly relate to the policy that particular individual currently has in their filing cabinet or dresser drawer. You know the policy that they bought to protect them from having to file bankruptcy due to medical debt. That policy they purchased to cover that $500,000 life-saving organ transplant or those 40 chemotherapy treatments that they may have to undergo if they are diagnosed with cancer.

So what do you think happens almost 100% of the time when I ask these individuals “BASIC” questions about their health insurance policy? They do not know the answers! The following is a list of 10 questions that I frequently ask a prospective health insurance client. Let’s see how many YOU can answer without looking at your policy.

1. What Insurance Company are you insured with and what is the name of your health insurance plan? (e.g. Blue Cross Blue Shield-”Basic Blue”)

2. What is your calendar year deductible and would you have to pay a separate deductible for each family member if everyone in your family became ill at the same time? (e.g. The majority of health plans have a per person yearly deductible, for example, $250, $500, $1,000, or $2,500. However, some plans will only require you to pay a 2 person maximum deductible each year, even if everyone in your family needed extensive medical care.)

3. What is your coinsurance percentage and what dollar amount (stop loss) it is based on? (e.g. A good plan with 80/20 coverage means you pay 20% of some dollar amount. This dollar amount is also known as a stop loss and can vary based on the type of policy you purchase. Stop losses can be as little as $5,000 or $10,000 or as much as $20,000 or there are some policies on the market that have NO stop loss dollar amount.)

4. What is your maximum out of pocket expense per year? (e.g. All deductibles plus all coinsurance percentages plus all applicable access fees or other fees)

5. What is the Lifetime maximum benefit the insurance company will pay if you become seriously ill and does your plan have any “per illness” maximums or caps? (e.g. Some plans may have a $5 million lifetime maximum, but may have a maximum benefit cap of $100,000 per illness. This means that you would have to develop many separate and unrelated life-threatening illnesses costing $100,000 or less to qualify for $5 million of lifetime coverage.)

6. Is your plan a schedule plan, in that it only pays a certain amount for a specific list of procedures? (e.g., Mega Life & Health & Midwest National Life, endorsed by the National Association of the Self-Employed, N.A.S.E. is known for endorsing schedule plans) 7. Does your plan have doctor co-pays and are you limited to a certain number of doctor co-pay visits per year? (e.g. Many plans have a limit of how many times you go to the doctor per year for a co-pay and, quite often the limit is 2-4 visits.)

8. Does your plan offer prescription drug coverage and if it does, do you pay a co-pay for your prescriptions or do you have to meet a separate drug deductible before you receive any benefits and/or do you just have a discount prescription card only? (e.g. Some plans offer you prescription benefits right away, other plans require that you pay a separate drug deductible before you can receive prescription medication for a co-pay. Today, many plans offer no co-pay options and only provide you with a discount prescription card that gives you a 10-20% discount on all prescription medications).

9. Does your plan have any reduction in benefits for organ transplants and if so, what is the maximum your plan will pay if you need an organ transplant? (e.g. Some plans only pay a $100,000 maximum benefit for organ transplants for a procedure that actually costs $350-$500K and this $100,000 maximum may also include reimbursement for expensive anti-rejection medications that must be taken after a transplant. If this is the case, you will often have to pay for all anti-rejection medications out of pocket).

10. Do you have to pay a separate deductible or “access fee” for each hospital admission or for each emergency room visit? (e.g. Some plans, like the Assurant Health’s “CoreMed” plan have a separate $750 hospital admission fee that you pay for the first 3 days you are in the hospital. This fee is in addition to your plan deductible. Also, many plans have benefit “caps” or “access fees” for out-patient services, such as, physical therapy, speech therapy, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, etc. Benefit “caps” could be as little as $500 for each out-patient treatment, leaving you a bill for the remaining balance. Access fees are additional fees that you pay per treatment. For example, for each outpatient chemotherapy treatment, you may be required to pay a $250 “access fee” per treatment. So for 40 chemotherapy treatments, you would have to pay 40 x $250 = $10,000. Again, these fees would be charged in addition to your plan deductible).

Now that you’ve read through the list of questions that I ask a prospective health insurance client, ask yourself how many questions you were able to answer. If you couldn’t answer all ten questions don’t be discouraged. That doesn’t mean that you are not a smart consumer. It may just mean that you dealt with a “bad” insurance agent. So how could you tell if you dealt with a “bad” insurance agent? Because a “great” insurance agent would have taken the time to help you really understand your insurance benefits. A “great” agent spends time asking YOU questions so s/he can understand your insurance needs. A “great” agent recommends health plans based on all four variables; wants, needs, risk and price. A “great” agent gives you enough information to weigh all of your options so you can make an informed purchasing decision. And lastly, a “great” agent looks out for YOUR best interest and NOT the best interest of the insurance company.

So how do you know if you have a “great” agent? Easy, if you were able to answer all 10 questions without looking at your health insurance policy, you have a “great” agent. If you were able to answer the majority of questions, you may have a “good” agent. However, if you were only able to answer a few questions, chances are you have a “bad” agent. Insurance agents are no different than any other professional. There are some insurance agents that really care about the clients they work with, and there are other agents that avoid answering questions and duck client phone calls when a message is left about unpaid claims or skyrocketing health insurance rates.

Remember, your health insurance purchase is just as important as purchasing a house or a car, if not more important. So don’t be afraid to ask your insurance agent a lot of questions to make sure that you understand what your health plan does and does not cover. If you don’t feel comfortable with the type of coverage that your agent suggests or if you think the price is too high, ask your agent if s/he can select a comparable plan so you can make a side by side comparison before you purchase. And, most importantly, read all of the “fine print” in your health plan brochure and when you receive your policy, take the time to read through your policy during your 10-day free look period.

If you can’t understand something, or aren’t quite sure what the asterisk (*) next to the benefit description really means in terms of your coverage, call your agent or contact the insurance company to ask for further clarification.

Furthermore, take the time to perform your own due diligence. For example, if you research MEGA Life and Health or the Midwest National Life insurance company, endorsed by the National Association for the Self Employed (NASE), you will find that there have been 14 class action lawsuits brought against these companies since 1995. So ask yourself, “Is this a company that I would trust to pay my health insurance claims?

Additionally, find out if your agent is a “captive” agent or an insurance “broker.” “Captive” agents can only offer ONE insurance company’s products.” Independent” agents or insurance “brokers” can offer you a variety of different insurance plans from many different insurance companies. A “captive” agent may recommend a health plan that doesn’t exactly meet your needs because that is the only plan s/he can sell. An “independent” agent or insurance “broker” can usually offer you a variety of different insurance products from many quality carriers and can often customize a plan to meet your specific insurance needs and budget.

Over the years, I have developed strong, trusting relationships with my clients because of my insurance expertise and the level of personal service that I provide. This is one of the primary reasons that I do not recommend buying health insurance on the Internet. In my opinion, there are too many variables that Internet insurance buyers do not often take into consideration. I am a firm believer that a health insurance purchase requires the level of expertise and personal attention that only an insurance professional can provide. And, since it does not cost a penny more to purchase your health insurance through an agent or broker, my advice would be to use Ebay and Amazon for your less important purchases and to use a knowledgeable, ethical and reputable independent agent or broker for one of the most important purchases you will ever make….your health insurance policy.

Lastly, if you have any concerns about an insurance company, contact your state’s Department of Insurance BEFORE you buy your policy. Your state’s Department of Insurance can tell you if the insurance company is registered in your state and can also tell you if there have been any complaints against that company that have been filed by policy holders. If you suspect that your agent is trying to sell you a fraudulent insurance policy, (e.g. you have to become a member of a union to qualify for coverage) or isn’t being honest with you, your state’s Department of Insurance can also check to see if your agent is licensed and whether or not there has ever been any disciplinary action previously taken against that agent.

In closing, I hope I have given you enough information so you can become an INFORMED insurance consumer. However, I remain convinced that the following words of wisdom still go along way: “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!” and “If you only buy on price, you get what you pay for!”

©2007 Small Business Insurance Services, Inc. http://www.smallbusinessinsuranceservices.com

C. Steven Tucker, is the President of Small Business Insurance Services, Inc. and has been a Licensed Mult-State Insurance Broker serving the small business and self-employed market for over a decade. Mr. Tucker believes an informed insurance consumer makes the best health insurance purchasing decisions. Mr. Tucker has written several articles that focus on small business health insurance, which can be read on a number of web sites.

Mr. Tucker’s blog can be read at http://www.smallbusinessinsuranceservices.vox.com

If you have general questions regarding health insurance, or you are in the market to purchase a health insurance plan, you can contact Mr. Tucker through his web site at http://www.smallbusinessinsuranceservices.com,

via Email at smallbusinssvcs@aol.com or by plone, toll-free at 1-866-SBIS123 (724-7123)

Many Americans rely on their automobiles to get to work. No automobile means no job, no rent or mortgage money, no food. A single parent, struggling to make ends meet in the suburbs with 100,000 miles on the odometer, would presumably welcome the guaranteed opportunity for low-priced insurance that would take care of every possible repair on her auto until the day that it reaches 200,000 miles or falls apart, whichever comes first. Especially if the insurance is valid regardless of whether she even changes the oil in the interim.

So why aren’t the auto insurance companies writing such coverage, either directly or through used auto dealers? And given the importance of reliable transportation, why isn’t the public demanding such coverage? The answer is that both auto insurers and the public know that such insurance can’t be written for a premium the insured can afford, while still allowing the insurers to stay solvent and make a profit. As a society, we intuitively understand that the costs associated with taking care of every mechanical need of an old automobile, particularly in the absence of regular maintenance, aren’t insurable. Yet we don’t seem to have these same intuitions with respect to health insurance.

If we pull the emotions out of health insurance, which is admittedly hard to do even for this author, and look at health insurance from the economic perspective, there are several insights from auto insurance that can illuminate the design, risk selection, and rating of health insurance.

Auto insurance comes in two forms: the traditional insurance you buy from your agent or direct from an insurance company, and warranties that are purchased from auto manufacturers and dealers. Both are risk transfer and sharing devices and I’ll generically refer to both as insurance. Because auto third-party liability insurance has no equivalent in health insurance, for traditional auto insurance, I’ll examine only collision and comprehensive insurance — insurance covering the vehicle — and not third-party liability insurance.

Bumper to Bumper

The following are some commonly accepted principles from auto insurance:

* Bad maintenance voids certain insurance. If an automobile owner never changes the oil, the auto’s power train warranty is void. In fact, not only does the oil need to be changed, the change needs to be performed by a certified mechanic and documented. Collision insurance doesn’t cover cars purposefully driven over a cliff.

* The best insurance is offered for new models. Bumper-to-bumper warranties are offered only on new cars. As they roll off the assembly line, automobiles have a low and relatively consistent risk profile, satisfying the actuarial test for insurance pricing. Furthermore, auto manufacturers usually wrap at least some coverage into the price of the new auto in order to encourage an ongoing relationship with the owner.

* Limited insurance is offered for old model autos. Increasingly limited insurance is offered for old model autos. The bumper-to-bumper warranty expires, the power train warranty eventually expires, and the amount of collision and comprehensive insurance steadily decreases based on the market value of the auto.

* Certain older autos qualify for additional insurance. Certain older autos can qualify for additional coverage, either in terms of warranties for used autos or increased collision and comprehensive insurance for vintage autos. But such insurance is offered only after a careful inspection of the automobile itself.

* No insurance is offered for normal wear and tear. Wiper blades need replacement, brake pads wear out, and bumpers get dings. These aren’t insurable events. To the extent that a new car dealer will sometimes cover some of these costs, we intuitively understand that we’re “paying for it” in the cost of the automobile and that it’s “not really” insurance.

* Accidents are the only insurable event for the oldest automobiles. Accidents are generally insurable events even for the oldest autos; with few exceptions service work isn’t.

* Insurance doesn’t restore all vehicles to pre-accident condition. Auto insurance is limited. If the damage to the auto at any age exceeds the value of the auto, the insurer then pays only the value of the auto. With the exception of vintage autos, the value assigned to the auto goes down over time. So whereas accidents are insurable at any vehicle age, the amount of the accident insurance is increasingly limited.

* Insurance is priced to the risk. Insurance is priced based on the risk profile of both the automobile and the driver. The auto insurer carefully examines both when setting rates.

* We pay for our own insurance. And with few exceptions, automobile insurance isn’t tax deductible. As a result, the fear of increasing insurance rates due to traffic violations and/or accidents changes our driving behavior and we sometimes select our automobiles based on their insurability.

Each of the above principles is supported by solid actuarial theory. Although most Americans can’t describe the underlying actuarial theories, most everyone understands the above principles of auto insurance at the intuitive level. For sure, as indispensable automobiles are to our lifestyles, there is no loud national movement, accompanied by moral outrage, to change these principles.

Unsustainable Market

In contrast, similar principles are routinely violated in health insurance. To demonstrate this, let’s return to the same suburban mother from the opening paragraph. She’s busy working, driving to and from work, and driving her kids to school and activities. She ends each day exhausted, sitting on the couch with fast food. She’s obese, has a sedentary life, a bad diet, and hasn’t taken the time to go to the doctor in years. After a simple injury doesn’t heal for weeks, she turns up at the emergency room and learns she has type II diabetes. Although type II diabetes is controllable, changing diet and exercise habits and properly tracking her condition takes time and effort and she’s never quite successful in implementing the necessary lifestyle changes.

So the initial emergency room visit is only the first of a long list of health care related to non-controlled diabetes and other problems associated with obesity. Whether she has individual or group insurance, her insurance pays for each episode of care, without singling her out for a premium increase, and without charging her any more cost sharing than is charged to the healthiest and most medically diligent insureds. Her coverage continues until she voluntarily changes insurance companies and/or employers or becomes eligible for Medicare. If she’s covered under group insurance she may not even pay any premium. Her insurance continues unabated, even though the disease was caused by neglecting her body and she maintains her poor lifestyle even after the disease becomes known.

This just wouldn’t happen in auto insurance. This scenario is the auto insurance equivalent of guaranteed access to low-priced auto insurance that takes care of every possible repair, including damage already done, until the day the car falls apart so completely it’s unsalvageable (death) or reaches 200,000 miles (Medicare), regardless of whether she even changes the oil (takes care of herself) in the interim.

As a society, we don’t expect this in private-market auto insurance, but we expect it in private-market health insurance. Furthermore, there’s a chorus of national and state interests, which continuously pushes us further away from the auto insurance principles.

The current private health insurance market isn’t sustainable. Prices have been consistently increasing faster than inflation for decades. Each year, insureds use more health care than ever before and more people have no insurance at all. Most actuaries and other people in the private health insurance market don’t want national health insurance with its bureaucracy and one-size-fits-all benefits. Yet, we’re trying to sustain a private insurance system, which violates the very principles we know are necessary for private insurance markets.

Yes, health insurance involves the sacredness of human life and is therefore different from auto insurance. But if we’re to sustain a private-market solution to health insurance, actuaries need to explain to the larger society, in terms that society understands, the rationale for the following principles:

* As sacred as health care is, it’s still an economic transaction that has to be balanced by individuals and societies, against other economic choices. It can’t be unlimited. Sometimes it will be secondary to other choices. On a given day, for example, the mother in our scenario may value her car more than her health.

* Insurance premiums should be paid by the individual and tied to controllable risk factors. This will provide the best incentive for the control of risk factors.

* Although it’s hard to draw the line between abuse, neglect and ignorance, self-abuse shouldn’t be insured and we need to draw that line somewhere.

* The private market can’t provide unlimited, self-directed health insurance.

* Routine care and ongoing treatments of chronic conditions can be pre-funded, can even be subsidized, but they don’t constitute “insurable events.”

* Insurance can’t be expected to keep every human body in pristine condition. No amount of health care will prevent everyone’s ultimate death.

* Comprehensive, unlimited, non-subsidized private-market coverage isn’t possible for people with severely impaired health.

* The private health market can provide limited non-subsidized health insurance, such as protection from accidents, to even health-impaired individuals.

* Individuals who can afford to do so and who take good care of themselves should be able to “buy up” to better coverage. People have the option of buying up for everything else in life.

Discussion of these principles is lacking from most of the current health insurance debate. If society can intuitively understand how similar principles apply to health insurance, then they should be able understand the principles in the health insurance context. We need to initiate the debate.

This commentary is solely the opinion of its author. It does not express the official policy of the American Academy of Actuaries; nor does it necessarily reflect the opinions of the Academy’s individual officers, members, or staff

Precedent puts a new spin on health insurance. Learn more at http://www.precedent.com. [http://www.precedent.com]

There is an inherent challenge in finding and selecting TV Mounts, online or off-line, that will enable you to attach your television to the wall or to the ceiling.

Often times, the limited space in your home or office, will require you to employ creative organization techniques in order to be able to decide the most appropriate placement of your television, within a room.

In doctors’ offices, restaurants, day cares, and other offices, it often makes the most sense to utilize a ceiling mount configuration for the placement of the TV. In any environment where it is important to separate the TV from interference by the public, in the operation of the television set, a ceiling TV mount frequently offers the best solution.

Even in the home, TV wall mounts and TV ceiling mounts frequently offer the best solution to the consumer. Before the days of flat-screen TVs, placing a television in the kitchen often meant that the consumer would be required to give up precious cabinet space or shelf space to accommodate the television.

However, with the recent development of thin flat-screen televisions, it has become possible to mount a television to a wall, in some cases to utilize a TV Mount that employs hinges, which will enable the consumer to move the television so that it may be viewed from any location within a room.

TV Mounts have been utilized for the mounting of televisions in nearly every room of the home, including the bedroom, bathroom, laundry room, kitchen, dining areas, and living areas.

Outside the kitchen, the most frequent placement of televisions. in the home. utilizing TV Mounts has been in the living area. With the introduction of Plasma, LCD, and DLP televisions, the desire and the ability to mount televisions to the wall in a common living space has grown in lockstep with the development of new technology and selection.

Also driving the interest in wall mounting televisions is the size of the televisions being purchased. Only a couple decades back, the largest televisions a consumer could buy were 36 inches. With the development of projection TVs, 60 inch televisions became mainstream and part of everybody’s Christmas wish list.

With the large demand for big-screen projection TVs, television manufacturers began doing the research into developing TVs that could produce a nice picture, but overcame the number one flaw projection TVs. That flaw in projection TVs was not in the quality of the picture or in its cost – the flaw in projection TVs was the astronomical size of these televisions. Far too often, the placement of a projection TV in somebody’s living room was enough to reduce the comfortable living space in a room. Unless the consumer lived in a mansion upon the hill, the projection TV had the capability to swallow any room that it was placed into.

Different manufacturers went different ways in the development of new televisions that would deliver a great picture, yet require a smaller footprint in a room. Some manufacturers pursued plasma TVs, and others invested heavily in LCD TVs. Out of the gate, Hitachi developed one of the best plasma televisions in the marketplace. At the same time, Sony was pursuing the development of LCD TVs. To this day, Sony is responsible for developing the most popular and highest selling LCD televisions in the marketplace. Samsung took a different track, by pursuing the development of the DLP TVs. DLP televisions have not yet gained the same level of acceptance that plasma and LCD televisions have gained.

With the development of plasma-display TVs and liquid crystal display (LCD) televisions, came the ability for consumers to wall-mount their new televisions.

You might assume that the television manufacturers would have designed their televisions in such a way that a standard wall-mounted bracket could be used with all of the TVs, from one manufacture. If you were to assume such a thing, you’d be sadly disappointed.

There are cases where a particular TV Mount can be used with a variety of television models. But those kinds of TV Mounts are the exception, rather than the rule.

It is possible to find TV mounting brackets that are defined as compatible with specific television models. In other cases, the definition of how a TV mount can be used will be dictated by the size of the television. In this second case, the TV mount will suggest that it can be used with, for example, a 17 inch to a 24 inch television at a particular style. For ceiling mounted TVs, most are designed to accommodate a tube television. For wall-mounted TVs, TV Mounts can be purchased for nearly every television currently available.

It is often in your best interests, to have handy the model number of your television set when shopping for a TV mount for your home or office. In the event that you are unable to find a specific TV Mount for your television, then you should have handy the measurements of your television to enable you to find a more generic TV Mount.

If you find the selection of TV Mounts to be more challenging than you would like, visit my website shown below to see if I can offer you any help for your specific television mounting challenges.

Coalton Cassady writes for the http://maxroo.com/ website, which is dedicated to helping consumers learn what they need to know to be able to make educated and intelligent decisions about their purchases. One topic he has tackled that is of great interest to many consumers is TV Mounts, used to mount televisions to the wall or ceiling. Learn more at: http://tvmounts.maxroo.com/

In the next 10 minutes, I’m going to reveal to you what took me over thirty years of intensive eyeball-to-chart research to discover! The road has been long and sometimes bumpy with plenty of unexpected twists and turns along the way. And, guess what…it hasn’t ended yet! The more I learn, the more I realize there’s more to learn. So, fasten your seatbelt and experience the excitement I felt on this road of discovery…it’s truly been a ride to remember!

Let’s start at the beginning. I made my first commodity trade in 1968 while a student at the University of Montana working towards a Master’s Degree in Business Finance and Investments. I was fascinated by the leverage you could get on your investment capital by putting up a relatively small margin fee in order to control a much larger quantity of some commodity…leaving open the potential for substantial gains…and by using stops supposedly limited risk. And, since I was a cash-strapped student with a “relatively” small amount to invest, this really appealed to me.

So, one memorable Tuesday afternoon, I skipped gym class and hiked downtown to open my first commodity trading account. I was nervous as a cat…but, I knew it was something I just had to do. The broker was understanding and after about an hour of filling out forms and waiting for an OK from headquarters, I plunked my money down and began what I imagined would be an illustrative career as a “professional” commodity trader. I just couldn’t wait to get started!

Early the next morning, I was chomping at the bit and decided to start off by trading corn futures. Then over the next two weeks, the worst thing that could happen to a beginning trader happened to me…I had three big winning trades in a row! I was convinced I was the King Kong of trading…and frankly couldn’t figure out why everyone told me trading was so hard to be successful at. Then, as you’ve probably guessed…the fourth trade murdered me. I lost everything I had already made plus $200 more than I even had in my account! So much for the supposedly limited risk. You can guess where the book fund for that quarter went! My trading “career” appeared over about as fast as air rushing out of a balloon.

I went away from that experience licking my wounds, but absolutely convinced there was an underlying and identifiable pattern or rhythm in the markets. I could sense it. I knew it was there…but, I had no idea what it was. I wrestled with questions of how such a thing could exist. Or more to the point, since I saw evidence of it’s actual existence…how could I prove it existed? Even though initially I even questioned my own perceptions, I just knew in my bones it was there! I was determined to do whatever it took to identify it, pick it apart and ultimately find out exactly what made it tick.

It was then I realized that if you could discover any sort of regular or consistent pattern in market movements…you would have the key to successful trading! Why? Because you then could trade in sync with the timing patterns controlling market movement. This was certainly a goal worth devoting a lifetime of research to…and, as it turns out…I have!

I started my search by going to the source…the markets themselves! I studied charts from every market I could get my hands on…some constructed from data going back to the start of the Chicago Board of Trade in 1848! I knew that if there was a pattern that repeated itself in the markets, I could find it…given enough time, effort and stacks of charts to look at.

After night after night of painstaking study, a bit of inspiration arrived from somewhere and I came to the conclusion that by simply using daily futures charts…where each vertical bar represents a single trading day, I could possibly detect tradable patterns by identifying reversal points in normal ongoing markets…specifically, reversals that tended to occur on the same number counts over and over again when counting forward in time from any significant high or low point…in the past.

It was about this time that a fellow trader related to me that W. D. Gann, the world famous market timer, was purported to have said “if you want to know how to time the markets…read the Bible three times!”

I had generally studied the writings of Gann and was frankly never able to get much out of his cryptic and obscure ramblings other than to note his focus on time as opposed to price pattern analysis. Nevertheless, this got me to thinking…is it possible that specific number counts where reversal energy is demonstrably exposed…critical time points I had already identified in my relentless search through endless chart examples…is it possible as some sort of confirming device that those same numbers are numbers prominently mentioned in the sacred texts?

Since it was my custom to regularly read in the Bible, I decided to keep a notebook handy to jot down specific numbers mentioned in the Bible as I came across them. I had no real expectations one way or the other, but I was looking forward to comparing the numbers my private research was turning up with the numbers prominently mentioned in the Bible.

So what did I find? Actually, a head scratching puzzle. What I noticed right away after collecting months of references was that there were an amazing number of near misses…numbers from the Bible that were in most cases off by just one number count from the numbers I had already identified through research.

This wasn’t the only thing that bothered me. I’d been in a quandary for years over a quotation from Jesus found in Luke 24:46 which said “Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day.”

With my persistent mindset, I just couldn’t see how Sunday was the third day. It seemed to me that if Christ was crucified on Friday, then Saturday…Sunday… and then Monday should be the third day. It had been a long running and seemingly irreconcilable question in my mind.

Then out of the blue it struck me. To make the biblical order work, you would have to count Friday as day number one! Why this had been so hard for me to see was I suppose understandable. Counting that way was just not how we were taught to count since grade school. Nevertheless, this was a critical breakthrough…since I had now learned how God counts!

The next step was obvious…use the newly learned counting method on the charts I was studying and see how the number counts compared with what I was doing before. I picked up one of my trusty old charts and started counting days forward from an important high point reversal day on the chart.

Immediately, it jumped off the page at me. By adjusting the number count of each newly discovered reversal energy number…by just one day to reflect the new counting method, the correlation between Bible numbers and specific number counts I had already collected were now almost perfectly…in sync!

I say “almost” perfectly because what showed up was a pattern of hits…that is, actual reversal days occurring on the chart that would tend to “hit” (1) on the day just before, (2) right on or (3) the day just after the individual counting number being projected.

This was heady stuff. Clearly, by using the 40 different and proven counting numbers so painstakingly identified through research and confirmed in most cases by biblical references, I could now exactly pinpoint and project into the future perfectly defined and extremely powerful 3 day “reversal zones” or “timing windows”…on any chart for any market…at any time!

It’s important to note that the strongest reversal energy always exhibited itself in the center day of the 3 day zone or window. I don’t know why, but the image of Christ crucified between 2 malefactors came to mind as I worked with this material. And, as it turns out, the idea of a 3 unit zone or window with the most powerful energy focused in the center unit became over time an even more powerful research concept…as we shall soon see.

And here’s another curiosity. Apparently, there’s no way to determine or foretell whether anticipated reversals will be up or down reversals…until you get there. As the market starts to actually trade up or down into the zone or window, then and only then does the market tip it’s hand to us.

And, here’s the really great part…It’s exactly at the critical moment to do something from a market timing standpoint. That is, just before the market reverses…and while concurrently pointing us in the direction the market has just revealed it’s going to go! And, only those that know the language of the markets understand what the markets are saying when they speak.

Amazingly, the markets literally hand us top secret timing information at the critical moment for us to use it for positioning trades in the right direction…and precisely at the right time to be totally in sync with market movement…guaranteed!

Now, here’s how it works. If a market is initially trading down into a 3 day reversal zone, then we should expect a reversal of some consequence to occur to the upside during the period of that reversal zone. The anticipated reversal up is then confirmed on any subsequent day that sees a rally above a previous day’s high. It couldn’t be more simple!

And, conversely, if a market initially trades up into a 3 day reversal zone, we should expect to see a reversal movement to the downside occur. The reversal is then confirmed by any subsequent drop below a previous day’s low.

Another major plus is that this strategy automatically generates a close-in stop or stop/reverse point just on the other side of the recently anticipated and confirmed reversal. This minimizes trade risk tremendously.

It was at this point that it suddenly occurred to me that what was really happening here…in the march of black bars across price charts…was the ongoing record in time of an unbelievable projection process…a process whereby the forward counting of days was tracking some sort of energy ripples radiating forward in time from high and low reversal points in the past.

My research proved this “process” is ongoing. It’s constantly radiating energy off reversal points in the past which projects three day “timing windows” or “reversal zones” into the future…where this reversal “energy” tends to generate new reversal points in interval patterns falling precisely on certain specific number counts…which I now had identified!

But, how could this be? All I could imagine was that some kind of previously unknown wave energy must be radiating off top or bottom reversal points in the past…continually moving out into the future in varying degrees of intensity, set in irregular yet constant intervals…and with enough structured energy to dramatically affect directional turns…in any market…in exactly the same manner and timing count sequence. And all this, at precisely and objectively projected points in time in the future…whew!

Sit back for a moment and think about it. The magnitude of this discovery…let’s say revelation actually, is mind boggling in it’s implication and absolutely astounding in importance! It’s almost as if the curtain has been ripped back and we’re now privileged to look lingeringly at the fabric of space and time…literally, the framework God employs to organize time and event progressions! Shockingly, it would appear that nothing happens by chance!

I knew instinctively that this method of market timing could not be called fundamental or technical analysis…but is rather an entirely new method of market timing analysis which I dubbed temporal analysis since it is based on time instead of price. Indeed, at this point I realized that one of the greatest hallmarks of the newly named Kenison Counting Numbers is the total lack of subjectivity in producing such valuable timing projections.

No guesswork is ever involved. The number counting sequence is simple and easy to understand. You don’t ever need a calculator or computer or any specialized foreknowledge. And, the signals projected are very precise and completely objective. It’s all right there on the chart…exactly where the next reversal energy in the market will be exposed…and correspondingly, exactly where the next projected reversal should be expected!

And get this. Kenison Counting Number projections will never become obsolete. They will continue with absolute objectivity…for all the years of you or your grandson’s trading careers…to pinpoint at or within one day of a specific future number count, exactly where a market reversal of varying degree of magnitude should appear.

How do we know this? Simply because years of exhaustive historical research has proven that whether you’re looking at constructed charts from the last two centuries, the 1970′s or last week, the system would have worked exactly the same in each era…with exactly the same phenomenal results!

And remember, these are the very same timing count numbers confirmed historically and through study of the scriptures to have proven and very definite reversal energy associated with them. Believe me…after learning the Kenison Counting Numbers market timing method, you will never look at a price chart the same again.

I was also extremely gratified to learn through decades of ongoing research that Kenison Counting Numbers work equally well in projecting future reversal points in every market, irregardless of whether it’s a futures, options, stock, forex or cash market…anywhere in the world!

How Kenison Counting Numbers Work…

This totally unique and extremely powerful method’s ability to project important market highs and lows…in the future is uncanny. How does it do it? After decades of personal research, I have identified the exact irregular number sequence the market itself observes. Just count the bars on a price chart forward from any market high or low point in the past and the Kenison Counting Numbers will tell you exactly on which numbers in the sequence you should expect powerful reversal energy to be exposed…in the future…and with a very high degree of reliability! This allows traders to anticipate, confirm and then act on potentially profitable trading turns that others don’t even see coming…or have the slightest idea even exist!

There is nothing subjective about this analysis…it’s entirely objective. It gives you no nonsense exact entry and exit points with close-in and automatic stop loss points. And for the charts you need? They’re free on the internet!

One other thing should be stressed. This is strictly eyeball to chart analysis. No complicated software program or mathematical calculation is ever necessary. With this new life long knowledge, you can spend just moments with a price chart and know with total confidence what your course of action should be…and know with absolute clarity what the risks are…all in advance!

There’s no need to check with anyone first…you’re the expert! Why? Because when you understand this market timing method you’ll know with quiet confidence what the market itself is telling you about current trends and potentially explosive turning points…and exactly when to expect them!

When you see how by simply counting forward and backward in time from important high or low points in the past, you can project important reversal points in the future…believe me, you’ll be hooked! I’ve been hooked now for over 30 years and I’m still fascinated on a daily basis as I watch these turns occur like clockwork in timing windows projected weeks and even months before!

Traders can become expert in using all 40 of the unbelievably powerful Kenison Counting Numbers to project forward in time to exactly where reversal energy will be exposed…in the future!

One of the most impressive Kenison Counting Numbers is represented by Zone 14…especially, when using our simple triangulation techniques in combination with other counting numbers to project powerful conjunction and convergence reversal zones…reversals which begin extremely dynamic high-velocity directional market moves! Other traders marvel at windfall profits that seem to come out of nowhere. Kenison Counting Numbers is the tool that alerts you beforehand thereby allowing you the opportunity to profit from these explosive market moves!

When investors and traders investigate this precision market timing method, they are amazed to discover the natural and irregular rhythm identified in the markets…a rhythm that is constant and traces out exactly the same pattern for all markets worldwide! It’s shocking to see how invariably reversals occur on the same number counts in the Kenison Counting Numbers sequence…over and over again.

And now another amazing fact concerning the Kenison Counting Numbers method…it holds true no matter what time frame you’re looking at! As we already know if you apply the system to a daily chart, you will project daily reversals. But surprisingly, If you also apply it to a weekly chart, you will project weekly reversal points into the future. In fact, the same Kenison Counting Numbers sequence works equally well when applied to monthly, weekly, daily or intra-day charts!

It was exactly at this point that another phenomenal discovery was made. I discovered that you could determine the most likely actual reversal day, week or month within each reversal zone by using the Kenison Counting Numbers to count backward in time from each of the three days, weeks or months within each reversal zone. How does this work? Quite simply, when you count backwards in the fashion mentioned above, you will notice that significant high and low points…in the past…fall exactly on specific number counts in the Kenison Counting Number sequence…but only if you are counting backwards from the most likely actual future day, week or month where the market will reverse! As I witnessed this mirror image or echo effect in action, I realized this is truly a miracle!

This is absolutely astounding when you realize that by counting forward or backwards in time reversal energy is exposed on the same number counts in the Kenison Counting Numbers sequence irregardless of whether you’re counting months, weeks, days or 15 minute intervals on an intra-day price chart! Witness this system in action in real markets in real time and you’ll be totally amazed at the magnitude of this discovery…I guarantee it!

Copyright (c) 2006 Bruce Kenison

Bruce Kenison is the founder of several market timing advisory services employing the Kenison Counting Numbers precision market timing method and is the Editor of “Bruce Kenison’s Market Timing Signals” ezine and newsletter available FREE to investors and hedgers. He is also president of a publishing and seminar company that recently published the 5th Edition of Bruce Kenison’s Market Timing Home Study Course. For a FREE subscription to the ezine or newsletter and information on our products and services, send a blank e-mail with “Subscribe” in the subject line to: bruce@brucekenison.com.

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Part of the reality of becoming a new mum is taking stock of your family’s finances and working out how you will cope financially. When you’re considering returning to work, how you will afford to pay for childcare and what kind of childcare you will choose are important decisions. Many new parents will not be familiar with childcare vouchers, how they work and how they can be used to pay for childcare. 

The childcare voucher scheme is a national scheme offered to parents and guardians through the government and participating employers to help with the cost of childcare.

Childcare vouchers are a financially beneficial way to pay for childcare in the UK, because you don’t pay tax or National Insurance on childcare vouchers to the value of £55 a week. This means that working parents can save as much as £1,195* a year by paying for childcare with vouchers. The savings could be double, if both parents sign up for a childcare voucher scheme.

The website Money for Mums has put together a good check list of information on childcare vouchers [1]:

1        Check whether your employer’s childcare vouchers are a benefit that is paid on top of your normal pay or whether it’s part of a salary sacrifice scheme

2        Work out how your tax credits will be affected

3        If your cash pay is affected, ask if your other earnings-related payments will be affected (pension, overtime rates, pay rises etc.)

4        If your cash pay is affected, ask will your benefits-related payments be affected? (will your NI contributions to your State Pension be affected etc.)

5        If your cash pay is affected, ask would any student loan repayments be affected?

Childcare vouchers are redeemable to pay for childcare and child minding ensuring that a parent’s return to work need not have a negative impact on their family finances.

Parents can also be assured when selecting a childcare provider that they have undergone rigorous vetting procedures. Before childcare vouchers can be used to pay providers the provider must be registered with an approved regulatory body and will need to meet the standards set out by that body. Ensuring only registered providers can accept vouchers for payment offers additional peace of mind to mums knowing that their child is being looked after in a safe friendly environment.

This article was written by Tom Sangers on behalf of MoneyforMums.co.uk who provide information to help pregnant mums stay on top of their family’s finances

Sony TVs are built to last and often receive higher consumer reviews than other television leaders including Panasonic televisions and Samsung television. Unfortunately, there are many Sony televisions to choose from and choosing the one that best suits your needs takes a lot of consideration.

When looking at either a plasma TVs or LCD televisions, the first consideration that should be taken into account is television resolution. To be considered HD TVs, all televisions must have a resolution above 720p, although today most high-definition televisions come with at least 1080p. The higher the resolution, the better the television clarity will be, although the higher resolution televisions are often twice as expensive. An added benefit of purchasing a television with higher resolution is that you will be able to enjoy all of the benefits which come with Blu-ray DVD players and the latest video game systems.

When you are shopping for LED TVs or plasma TVs, another consideration which must be taken is contrast ratio. A contrast ratio is the measurement between the lightest light colour and the darkest dark colour. The higher the ratio, the more impressive the television will appear. To be safe, you should select a television with a contrast ratio of at least 10,000:1, although several new LCD TVs manufactured by Sony, have contrast ratios approaching 15,000:1.

The next consideration that needs to be taken is the size of the television. Sony high-definition televisions range widely in size from 20 inches up to 60 inches. While most people instinctively want to purchase the largest television they can afford, purchasing a small television may make more sense. If you have a smaller room, and will be sitting within 12 feet of the screen, you should select a television which is 42 inches or smaller. Also, if you do select a larger screen TV, it is quite important that you select the higher resolution option to ensure clarity.

The last consideration when looking at TVs is connectivity. Most HDTVs come with at least HDMI and S-Video connections, but depending on your needs, more connections may be needed. You should also look for televisions which have a composite connection, component video splits, and, DVI inputs.

Find a range of electrical products including; Sony televisions, LED TVs and Plasma TVs from leading brand names.

In my mind, the true history of tennis does not begin until the 1850′s, when the first “modern” tennis balls were invented and used. Before this point, the history of tennis is the history of a completely different game – “real tennis.”

Real tennis is played on indoor courts. In fact, real tennis cannot be played outside – the players use the angled walls of a real tennis court to strategically hit and return the ball to their opponents. Yes, real tennis his very similar to today’s modern tennis, or “lawn tennis,” but only in the same way that handball, badminton, croquet, and racquetball are similar to lawn tennis!

That is why I choose to start my history of tennis at the point in which lawn tennis diverged from real tennis, and this happened in the 1850′s. It was in the 1850′s that Charles Goodyear, of Goodyear tire fame, invented vulcanized rubber. Vulcanized rubber is a process that prevents natural rubber from deteriorating so quickly (without the vulcanization process, natural rubber could deteriorate within just a few days.)

So, with the vulcanization of rubber came rubber tennis balls. The rubber tennis balls could be used outdoors on lawn courts. These rubber tennis balls were a nice change from the wads of wool, hair, wool, or cork wrapped in leather or string and cloth – these are what had been used in real tennis.

And because these vulcanized rubber tennis balls could be used outdoors, on lawn courts, without walls to bounce them off of, new rules had to be invented for this new game of lawn tennis.

Walter Clopton Wingfield is usually the man who is given credit for the invention of modern tennis, or lawn tennis. Around 1874, Wingfield actually patented the game. And the game became popular among the leisured classes throughout the end of the 1800s.

The popularity of tennis spread relatively quickly. Tennis clubs were set up around this time. The first tennis championships were held in 1877 in Wimbledon… a precursor to the Grand Slam tournament held in Wimbledon every year, even today.

The rules of tennis changed gradually throughout the later 1800s, changing the shape of the court and the height of net and thereby changing the history of tennis in the process!

So, as you can see, it makes sense that I choose to start the real history of tennis around the 1850′s when Charles Goodyear’s invention of vulcanized rubber made modern tennis possible.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and sports. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on tennis, please visit E-Tennis.