ravensnation.com

There area many common sense rules to follow when caring for your cat. These rules are simple and will ensure your cat will be healthy and happy.

1. When your cat arrives at home:

Bringing your new cat home cat be frightening for it. Be prepared by having a food and water spot already set up. Also have a litter box setup in a quite spot away from the food. Your new cat should be transported in a cat carrier. When you bring the cat inside set the carrier down and open the door. Let the cat come out and explore on its own. Confining the cat to a quiet room for a day or two will make the experience less overwhelming.

2. Going Outside:

Before letting your cat outside for the first time be sure it is comfortable with you and its indoor surroundings. There are many dangers outside so let your cat have an escape route in case it needs it. My cat uses a cat door and it has save him a few times.

Judge the risk to letting your cat outdoors. If you live close to lots of traffic having an outdoor cat may not be a good idea.

3. Litter Boxes:

If you are using a cat box it should be cleaned daily. Clumping cat litter makes this easy. Simply scoop out the clumps and you’re done. Put the litter box in a place where the cat will not be disturbed.

4. Food and water:

Your cat should always have a supply of fresh food and water. I prefer to use a heavy ceramic bowl to prevent the cat from pushing it or tipping them over.

The water bowl should be changed daily and food should be added to maintain a good supply.

My cat is now on a high quality dry food. I found feeding him can food was a waste. He generally left some behind at each meal regardless of the portion. At 15 I weaned him onto dry food only.

5. Scratching Posts:

Any cat is going to have the urge to scratch. The question is where is it going to do it? Best to have a scratching post that is safe and secure. Play with your cat on the post so it gets used to being allowed to scratch there. Rubbing a bit of cat nip on the scratching post will encourage your cat to scratch.

6. Cat Toys:

There are so many different cat toys on the market these days it is hard to choose a toy your cat will like. After much trial and error I determined my cat likes the string attached to the toy much better then the toy. Whenever I want to play I get a string, or better yet, my gold necklace (his favorite).

7. Sleeping Places:

A cat always needs a quiet, out of the way place to sleep the day away. A bed near a heater or furnace vent is ideal. In the winter most of the vents in my house have a cat bed near them.

If you have small children make sure they can’t disturb your cat when it sleeps

8. Care for eyes and ears:

When cats get a build up of discharge around the eye simply clean it with a damp cloth. A small amount of discharge is normal for a healthy cat but if there are excessive amount then consult a vet.

Regularly check your cats ears for dirt or ear mites. Any dirt can be removed with a damp Q-tip. If you spot small brown clumps of discharge you should consult your vet. This is a sign of ear mites.

9. Care for the claws:

If you have an outside cat, claw care is less important. Climbing trees, and other outdoor stuff helps to keep claws well maintained.

An inside cat has far less need for its claws. There is really no environment where your cat needs to use its claws. You should trim your cats claws once or twice a year. Clip the very tip of each claw. Taking any more then just the tip can hurt your cat. It is recommended that you have a vet show you how to clip their claws properly.

10. Care of the mouth and teeth:

As cats age their teeth start to get calcium build up which can cause gum inflammation. Check your cats mouth every 6 or 8 weeks. Find and remove and calcium build up before deposits get too large.

Caring for a cat is quite simple, common sense really. I believe that good food, fresh water, lots of love and exercise is best for a cat. By following these 10 simple guidelines your cat can live a long and healthy life.

Copyright 2005 Dave Markel

Visit [http://house-cat-supplies.com/cat-articles.html] for more great articles related to cats.

Childcare is often one of the main responsibilities and concerns for the young parents. There are formative age groups of children from babies to small children that need the proper care and attention of their parents. Moreover, in case of the absence of children, there is a need for a professional care and nurture paying attention to their safety and dietary requirements.

The above facilities can be availed from childcare providers that are there in the UK as well as in the other countries of the world. These are trustworthy and professionally trained organizations that are capable with proven standards. This is ideal for working parents and for those who wish to be reengaged to their professional life after pregnancy and childbirth.

In addition, if the parents are working there are childcare vouchers that their employers can provide them to help them make the arrangements easily. A system for tax benefits comes with the vouchers that can save on tax credits for the employees especially those who are parents of small to very small children.

These are ways of saving on your total tax credits on the entire salary or the gross salary amount. Here is how it works. There are deductions that are made from your salary of an amount up to 250 pounds a month for childcare. These vouchers can be redeemed for the services of any childcare provider that you deem fit for your little one. You can also make a weekly deduction of the same.

Now, the tax that you are paying for your salary every month will be on the amount after the deductions of the childcare vouchers. There are certain tax benefits in this for your employer as well.

Benefits in Tax Credits

The fact that childcare provider services are very expensive seems an attractive option to have been excluded from taxable incomes of parents. There are benefits that employers have in the exemptions from national insurances as well as certain other forms of taxes.

For parents there is a saving that comes in the form of one of the most important expense of their life. Acquiring any childcare support service like hiring a nanny, childcare centers and even workplace nursery among other options available is an important responsibility.

Childcare vouchers help them to provide the best there is available for their child’s age group and healthy benefits.

It is often a matter of concern among young and new parents that childcare providers are usually very expensive in the UK and in other countries as well. Thus, one of them opts to be at home to take care of the child.

However, child vouchers that come with a tax saving are seen as very helpful benefit that helps them to get the best services for their child while saving on taxes amounts. This has been a serious encouragement for parents to return to their professional life.

For more information on childcare vouchers, check out the info available online; these will help you learn to find the tax credits!

Every person likes their steak cooked a different way, so throughout this article I will make sure that I cover each possible different way so that you will always get the best result for yourself or whoever you cook for.

There are several different cuts of beef that will make a great steak, and there are also many grades of beef to consider, depending on what the cow was fed on the farm, so your first step is to choose which one you would prefer. The choices include rump, scotch fillet, porterhouse, eye fillet and T-bone as the main premium cuts generally eaten. The beef’s grading will come down largely to marbling and maturity of the meat. There is a debate as to which is better out of grain-fed and grass-fed cattle, and really the answer is grass-fed beef is healthier for you as it is the most natural form of the cattle, while grain-fed beef will have a lot more marbling and flavour, so I will leave that choice up to you which way you want to go. As for maturity, I recommend finding a butcher that will hang your meat for quite a long time in their meat locker before carving it, I have found that 27 days is ideal. This will help tenderize the meat by having it stretched out and relaxing the muscles, to give you the best possible final result.

The rump and porterhouse are firmer cuts, and the rump in particular can be a bit tougher and chewier than the rest, and you will find a strip of fat at the top of each of these steaks, which will help flavour and tenderize the steak during the cooking process. Both these cuts I would recommend eating rare to medium-rare (I will discuss steak doneness a little later).

Meanwhile the scotch fillet will come very nicely marbled with fat throughout, and can usually be distinguished by a C-shaped piece of fat close to one side. Due to the marbling it will be very tender and full of flavour (however if you’re on a diet it may be one to avoid for now), and I recommend eating it medium-rare to medium.

The eye fillet is the most tender cut of beef, and will normally be free of fat, although this also means you may need to do something extra to add some flavour to it, the most popular way being to wrap bacon around it during cooking, so the fatty flavours of the bacon are absorbed by the steak. This is my personal favourite steak, and is best eaten medium-rare to medium.

Lastly we come to the T-bone, which has both the eye fillet and porterhouse on either side of the bone, and will get its flavour from the strip of fat on the outside of the porterhouse. I recommend eating the T-bone rare to medium-rare, though it can be tricky to cook evenly due to the bone in the middle.

Once you’ve decided which cut of steak you will be eating, you need to work out how big a piece of meat you want. A normal-sized steak is generally around 300g for a good-sized meal, however it could range anywhere from 150g up to 1kg and even more! The size of your steak will become important later when you want to cook it to a particular doneness. For example, two different rump steaks could quite easily weigh the same amount, yet be completely different shapes, sometimes they can be wide and flat, and sometimes short and thick, depending on what part of the rump the steak was cut from. Choosing the size of your steak and the shape go hand-in-hand, it’s best to have a thicker steak for a rare or medium-rare steak, and when you want a medium-well or above thinner is better. This is so it doesn’t take a long time for you to cook, and you can still have a juicy steak without burning the outside.

Now let’s just get away from the steak for a minute and think about what you’re actually going to cook it on. Ideally you should have a chargrill, one that sits on an angle, and has enough space underneath the flame to have a tray that you can put a small piece of wood on. What I personally prefer is mesquite wood, which comes from the USA, and the best thing to do is to soak it in water for a couple of hours before cooking. This will help the wood give off its smoky flavour rather than just burn away, and it will also last longer, usually for at least a couple of hours.

I mentioned earlier that if possible your grill should be built on an angle, sloping up towards the back. As you know, heat rises, so naturally you should find the hottest part of your grill at the back, and get slightly cooler closer to the front. Most grills and hotplates in general will have certain “hotspots” that you will need to find for each one to work out the bests places to position your food when cooking. Once you’ve used a particular grill a couple of times you should find it quite easy to figure out your favourite spots to cook on. The combination of knowing where your “hotspots” are and using an angled grill will make it easier to find the best position to cook your steak. If you don’t have a chargrill to use and you have a flatgrill or a hotplate instead, I would recommend not cooking your steak entirely through on the hotplate, particularly for medium or above, seal it on both sides then place your steak on a tray and finish it off in an oven. Otherwise all you will do is burn the outside and lose all the moisture and juiciness from your meat.

The other element to consider is how you would like your steak cooked. In general, a well-done steak should be placed at the back, a medium steak in the middle of the grill, and a rare steak at the front. Obviously, this leaves medium-rare between the front and middle, and the medium-well between the middle and the back. In some situations you will need to adjust this slightly depending on the size and shape of your steak, a big, thick rump may need to be pushed a bit further up the grill to cook properly, while a thin and flat porterhouse might be best kept a little closer to the front to avoid overcooking. Your steak positioning will come down largely to personal preference and a bit of practice and experience with your grill.

Now that you should have worked out where on the grill you will place your steak, you’re almost ready to start cooking! What you need to consider now is how you will season your steak. You may not want any seasoning, that’s fine, go right ahead and start cooking. If you wish to use salt and pepper, I would suggest waiting until one side of your steak has been sealed before sprinkling any on, as salt has the tendency to leech out some of the moisture from your meat. My preferred method of seasoning is to get a really good steak seasoning spice and generously cover both sides before placing your steak on the grill. When you do place your steak on the grill, if you are going to have a rump or a porterhouse, make sure you place the strip of fat at the top, so as it cooks the fat will melt and drip through the steak, adding extra flavour to your meat.

The process of actually cooking your steak is quite simple, but there are a few key things you need to know to get the best result. Firstly, the advantage of using the chargrill means you can have nice cross-markings on your steak when it’s finished, which looks fantastic for presentation. To achieve this, your steak will need to be turned three times, the first time straight over itself, then on the second turn spin it around 90 degrees so the lines from the grill will cross over each other and make little brown squares all over the steak, and then the third and final turn will be straight over itself again. When you’re finished the steak should have cross-markings on both sides, and you can choose whichever side looks best to serve facing up.

What you should find if you have got the grill positioning right for your preferred doneness, 3-4 minutes in between each turn should have your steak turn out just the way you like it! (If you are cooking your steak bleu, you only need to cook it for 3 minutes on each side in total, just enough to seal each side basically).

This is just a guide to work by only, as each grill will produce slightly different results, but definitely the most important stage of cooking your steak is knowing when it is at the exact doneness you would like. This can sometimes be a little tricky, but there are a couple of methods for testing your steak without needing to cut into it. The best method to use when you’re just starting to learn would be what I call the “thumb test”. Hold your left hand out open and relaxed, and press the flesh of your left thumb with your right index finger. It should feel quite soft, and this is how a rare steak should feel when you press it with your finger.

Now lightly touch your left thumb to your left index finger, and press the flesh of your thumb with your right index finger. This is how a medium-rare steak should feel when it’s ready. Next, lightly touch your left thumb to your left middle finger, and pressing the flesh of your left thumb will feel like a medium steak when it’s ready.

Touching your left thumb to your left ring finger will make the flesh of your left thumb feel like a medium-well steak, and touching the left thumb to your left little finger will make the flesh of your thumb feel like a well-done steak. Try this out as a guide to get you started, and as with all things, practice and experience will help you hone your ability and instincts to know just when your steak is cooked to perfection! And just as importantly, make sure you get feedback from every person that you cook a steak for, this will make your progress go much faster. As they say, “feedback is the breakfast of champions!”

Another method to use, which can be a little bit sneaky, is if you can see into the middle of the steak at the edges to see what colour the middle looks like. This works really well for a scotch fillet, as you can gently pull away part of the meat right where the C-shaped piece of fat is without damaging your steak, and see if the inside is red, pink or grey.

Now I will explain to you each doneness, so you can work out how you would like to cook it and so you know what to look for when it is finished.

I will start with bleu, which is basically just sealed, is still very red in the middle, quite mushy to the touch, and will feel a little cool inside, only slightly warmed.

Rare is red in the middle from edge to edge, a little mushy, and will just feel warm inside. Medium-rare is red in the middle and pink at the edges, and will feel warm inside. Medium is pink in the middle from edge to edge, feels tender to the touch, and will be warm to hot inside. Medium-well still has a quarter in the middle that is pink, and will be grey at the edges, feels quite firm and is hot inside. If you plan to cook your steak medium-well or above, I would suggest you could speed up the cooking time by using a steak weight to place on top of your steak. It should be shiny silver and kept clean, and what will happen is the heat coming up from the flames below will be reflected down on to the top of the steak so it cooks on both sides. Make sure if you use a steak weight that you only place it on your steak after sealing one side so there is no chance of cross-contamination.

Well-done steaks are grey throughout, no pink at all, quite firm, although can still be juicy, and is very hot inside. Very well-done steaks are grey throughout with no pink at all, very firm, very hot, and no juices whatsoever. You can also get your steak cooked Pittsburgh, which basically means charring the outside so it is burnt while the inside doesn’t need to be completely cooked. For example, if you want to have your steak Pittsburgh-Rare, you could char the outside, and the inside would be red in the middle from edge to edge. To do this you will need some oil or butter, I personally use lemon butter just for the flavouring, and drizzle some over the steak until it drips onto the flames underneath. Your goal here is to build the flames up so they are licking at the steak and will cook the outside much faster than the inside.

CAUTION! Be very mindful of how much butter you use, make sure you have fire safety equipment, and if necessary that you have adult supervision. Do not do this if you do not feel comfortable working with large flames, it can be very dangerous if something nearby catches fire, so please be very careful if this is how you would like to have your steak cooked.

Everybody has different preferences when it comes to their beef, but I would urge you to try each different way so you can work out for yourself what’s best for you. Many people fear the sight of blood coming out of their steak, if you can work up the courage to try something new for yourself, who know, you might find you really like it! I personally eat my steaks medium-rare, and would like to take this opportunity to mention that once your steak starts getting to medium-well and above, you really lose a lot of the nutritional benefits of eating beef, so I would recommend not cooking your steak any more than medium, but obviously that is a choice that is entirely up to you.

Now all that’s left to do is to serve up your perfectly cooked steak, there are many choices of sides and sauces, far too many to list here. I always love it with a creamy mashed potato and seasonal steamed vegetables, and my favourite sauce is mushroom sauce. If you have the time the best sauce is made using beef bones, cooked off with a little tomato paste, then make a stock by boiling the bones in water with some celery, carrots, onion, leeks, bay leaves and peppercorns. Simmer it for a couple of hours until it reduces about three-quarters, and then remove the bones and vegetables. Add some red wine and port, and reduce it down to about half of where it is now, until it starts to thicken with a nice consistency. From here you can add some sliced mushrooms, or peppercorns if you prefer, and even add a little cream if you like as well. This is very time consuming to make the jus (rich beef gravy), but if you can do it you will find it well worthwhile. One other little tip I have for you is to brush a small amount of lemon butter over your steak before saucing it, this will keep your steak very juicy and tender.

I hope you enjoy cooking and eating many steaks in the future, and make sure you go out and impress your friends with your newfound cooking skills!

Mick Reade is a chef from Australia who has been cooking in commercial kitchens across the country for over 10 years, and has been helping teach others how easy it can be to cook great tasting and healthy meals, for more information please visit http://www.alleasyfoodrecipes.com

2010 looks to be another breakout year for Urban Clothing. Even in tough economic times, feeling your best is priceless and looking your best is a top priority. These days, women can almost wear anything that is cute and if its name brand then it would be a plus but for men it always has to be name brand. With so many hip hop clothing brands in the market today and many more new brands on the rise, there will be no shortage of products to choose from anytime soon. Lets take a look at some of Urban Clothing’s top hip hop clothing brands of 2010.

Rocawear remains a favorite hip hop clothing brand that offers urban clothing, accessories and now fragrances for men, women and children. This dominant lifestyle hip hop clothing brand has maintained focus in providing clever innovation in fabrication and design to all its customers, proving that it is still one of the top name brands in the industry. With a fresh eye and a playful attitude to women’s urban fashion, the Dereon collection has gained much popularity in recent years by offering some of the hottest clothing, jewelry and handbags for women. The style and concept is inspired by three generations of women in singer Beyonce’s family, with the name “Deréon” paying tribute to Beyonce’s grandmother. With hot new styles being marketed around huge stars in Jay Z (Rocawear) and Beyonce (Dereon), these two hip hop clothing brands will continue to have a big impact on urban fashion for years to come.

Two more powerhouses in the hip hop clothing game are Sean John and Apple Bottoms. Apple Bottoms is a unique women’s urban fashion brand that was founded under the quote “A woman should not try to fit the clothes; the clothes should fit the woman” by multi-platinum superstar Nelly. Beside the popular Apple Bottoms jeans that are worn by many celebrities such as Oprah and Vivica Fox, Apple Bottoms also offers accessories, footwear and fragrance that will leave you looking and feeling your best. Sean “Diddy” Combs is the mastermind behind the sophisticated urban clothing brand Sean John. By offering some of the best clothing, accessories and fragrances for men, Sean John has quickly grown from an urban label to an international brand that you can find in top hip hop clothing stores. With Apple Bottoms going into its seventh year and Sean John reaching its twelfth, these two major hip hop clothing brands are here to stay.

The hip-hop fashion world completely changed with the emergence of Baby Phat and Coogi. Baby Phat is one of the most popular women’s clothing brands that offer unique clothing, accessories, lingerie, handbags and footwear. With the over the top personal style of founder Kimora Lee Simmons, the Baby Phat collection has a reputation that the world cannot seem to get enough of. Popularized in the U.S. as urban hip hop wear, Coogi fashion is known for its colorful knitwear that demands attention and will have all eyes on you. Coogi produces a wide range of urban t-shirts, jeans and jackets for men, women and children that you can also find in top hip hop clothing stores.

Gino Green Global creates garmental uniform for everyday people and with its signature 3 9’s (3 lower case g’s that represent the brands name) Gino Green Global remains a huge favorite in men’s urban clothing. You can find Gino Green Global clothing in some of the best urban clothing stores. Ed Hardy Clothing is brought to life by the creative genius of designer Christian Audigier and painter, printmaker and tattoo artist Don Ed Hardy. With legendary status among the tattoo community, Don Ed Hardy’s creations for the Ed Hardy Clothing line offer genuine and one-of-a-kind tees and footwear that meld American, Japanese, Cholo, tattoo, surf and hotrod iconography.

Next are two of the most creative brands of urban clothing in the industry today with many devotees. LRG Clothing (Lifted Research Group) designs clothes that represent a variety of influences and tend to be a reflection of the environment. Since 1999 LRG Clothing has provided urban clothing and accessories exclusively for men but in recent years have also launched a women and children’s division as well. When you’re speaking of urban wear you have to think Akademiks. Akademiks was popularized in 2001 by Brooklyn rapper Fabolous who wore Akademiks clothing on the inside cover of his debut album Ghetto Fabolous. Along with a large variety of men’s, women and kids urban clothing, Akademiks also offers women’s handbags and accessories.

There are many more brands for the street savvy consumer to choose from that offer urban clothing for both men and women such as Adidas, Nike, Enyce, Pelle Pelle, Pepe Jeans, G-Unit, Avirex, DKNY, Azzure, Girbaud, Southpole, Timberland, Bebe, Ecko Unlimited, Marc Ecko and Ecko Red. With style constantly changing, clothing brands diversify every year looking for new innovative ways to stay on top. The constant need of “the next big thing” presents great young hip hop clothing designers new challenges for the future.

For more information please visit kinguvdastreet.com [http://kinguvdastreet.com]

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.

If you are seeking automotive training, then a technical or vocational school may be the right place for you to get your start in an interesting and challenging career in automotive technology!

Whether you’re interested in becoming an auto mechanic, technician, service advisor, manager, or auto parts worker, automotive training can be your key to obtaining an automotive education and professional certification in automotive know-how.

In the modern world, automobiles are operated by electronic systems and complex computers, measuring performance and efficiency as the machines move down the road. Students in automotive training schools must develop skills as technicians to become high-tech diagnosticians, using electronic equipment and computer-based reference materials. Diagnosing the sources of problems quickly and accurately can be the most challenging and most rewarding part of a good automotive training program.

Students who would like to enroll in vocational automotive training should have well-developed math skills and physical science acumen prior to enrollment. As with all educational courses, it is important to review the automotive training curriculum to be certain that your school will offer Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification training. Furthermore, potential automotive technicians should understand that most employers pay their service techs based on productivity. Upon graduation, you may wish to consider the option of becoming an independent business professional.

In addition to their initial vocational automotive training, students can return for continuing education courses and credits to remain updated on ever-changing computerized diagnostic systems, tools, and other automotive-related technologies. Training in automotive technology often leads to an interest in other related areas such as auto body repair or automotive and diesel repair. The job seeker will find that diesel mechanic training is particularly valued.

If you would like to know more about Vocational Automotive Training, or even Online Automotive Training, we urge you to search our site for more in-depth information and resources.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.com.

Copyright 2007 – All rights reserved by SchoolsGalore.com, in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc.

Notice: Publishers are free to use this article on an ezine or website, provided the article is reprinted in its entirety, including copyright and disclaimer, and ALL links remain intact and active.

Michael Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find Automotive Training Schools, Colleges, Universities, Vocational Schools, and Online Schools at SchoolsGalore.com, your educational resource to locate schools.

The Internet is a powerful tool to access information on any subject area, and one can find an incredible amount of car care information with a click of a button. Furthermore, with the help of a regular web search one can also find network links to information about automotive repair, vehicle maintenance, automotive diagnostic data and labor estimates. There are also a lot of good online auto repair web sites with individual articles that can answer your questions on all sorts of auto repair and car maintenance topics, such as how to change your oil, the best way to bleed brakes, why a car might stall or be hard to start, what color your radiator fluid should be, or even how to drive a stick shift.

Some websites also provide users with platforms like blogs, chat lines and discussion areas where a person can share his knowledge related to auto repair, like experience changing ball joints, replacing an automatic transmission, or diagnosing the causes for a bearing failure. Many websites offer external links associated with auto repair, like installing a replacement ignition system, upgrading an exhaust system, or making auto body repairs.

Most of these websites offer general advice and one can download manuals on self-repairing small technical snags in automotive parts free of cost. However, some websites are subscription-based and offer detailed advice by expert technicians for a nominal charge. A user can access websites like Jonko Auto Repair Online, TrustMyMechanic.com, AceAutomative, RepairManual.com, Motorcyclebooks.com etc. to get updated information on the auto repair industry, the prevailing rates for getting their car repaired and other information on auto maintenance.

Therefore, the next time you have a technical snag in your automobile, before visiting the repair shop, log on to various auto repair websites and gather information on the problem. This would not only make you aware of the problem at hand, but would also prevent you from getting cheated by your technician.

Auto Repair provides detailed information on Auto Repair, Auto Glass Repair, Online Auto Repair, Auto Body Repair and more. Auto Repair is affiliated with Discount Auto Parts.

An application for a job is accompanied with a resume. This is a document that presents all the information about your qualifications, abilities, skills and personal traits in a proper format, such that the reader gets all the required information about you. The main purpose of your curriculum vitae (CV) is to answer the employer’s queries related to the vacant job position. It is thus used for a formal and professional communication. This makes it very important that you have a professional resume. Your CV or resume is your first impression on the prospective employer. It will represent your professional attitude, and not make you look very casual.

Some resumes do not have a standard format throughout. The fonts, spacing, tabs, bullets, etc. keep varying throughout the resume. The quality of paper on which the resume is printed also matters a lot, when it comes to giving a professional look to your resume. The page borders, page background, etc. need to be thought over well before drafting a resume on it.

It is very important to give your resume a professional look. Your resume should present you in such a way that you stand out among others, and make the reader believe that it is beneficial for him/her to choose you over others. The instructions given below will help you draft a professional resume.

HOW TO DRAFT A PROFESSIONAL RESUME?

Resume Basics:

The resume should be divided in various sections to present all the information systematically. Before choosing the style of a resume, and writing a resume, one must know some basics that are a must for a professional look of the resume.

• The resume should never be handwritten.
• Use Times New Roman, Verdana, or Arial font, and the font size should be 12.
• Do not vary the font size and font in your resume.
• Instead of changing the size of the font for headings, it is advisable to mention the headings in ‘bold’. This will maintain the standard font size throughout.
• Never use, Italics, fancy fonts and fancy page borders in your resume.
• Never use any color, watermark or background color for your resume. It should be on a plain white background, and the font color should be black.
• While taking a hardcopy of your resume, always take a print on a good quality paper. Never take photocopies of your resume, which gives it a very blurred and dull look.

The above mentioned points are basics for any resume. These should never be overlooked or else a ‘professional looking resume’ will be a myth. After this, comes resume writing. The style of the resume depends completely upon the candidate’s information to be included in it. A fresher and a candidate with work experience will definitely have different styles of resumes. There are basically three styles of resumes.

Chronological Resume:

This is a resume, which lists all the qualification and professional details in a chronological order. It is more like a list of all that one has done and achieved in life. This style of resume has very less scope for the reader to interpret and understand the applicant, because it is merely a list of information.

Functional Resume:

This kind of resume gives the applicant a chance to be descriptive, and speak about his/her qualifications, achievements, experience, etc. The drawback of this style is that it becomes too descriptive, and might make your resume look like a thesis.

Hybrid Resume:

This style of resume is the most preferred. It takes the strong points from chronological as well as the functional resume. It presents all the information in chronological order, and also provides scope to be descriptive, where necessary. This makes it very impressive as the reader gets all the information in a proper order, and also gets a chance to judge you.

Content of the resume:

After choosing the resume style, the next step is presenting all the necessary content in your resume.

• Heading: The heading of the resume should include your name and contact details. You can keep it aligned to the left or center of the page.
• Objective: The resume objective should be written carefully, and should be such that it clearly presents your career goals.
• Academic Details in chronological order beginning with the recent.
• Details of Professional experience.
• Achievements: Academic as well as professional
• Personal Details
• Declaration and Sign

These contents presented using the ‘resume basics’ tips given above, in the right style, will help you prepare a professional resume. You can take reference from many professional resume templates and resume samples, to get a clearer idea on this.

Stela a professional writer here to share some tips regarding to resume building and cover letter building through my website where one can get number of resumes and one can build their own resume by referring resume samples provided here.

What you need to learn to start a Small Home Business.

There are employees who find themselves unhappy with their present employment situation, resign, and try to find other jobs that will suit their specific needs. Unfortunately, these individuals are now among the millions of Americans who are currently unemployed.

On the other hand, there are individuals who are just determined to earn not just enough but to strike it rich, and take the risk of starting a small home based business. They get out of the pressure of working on a stressful environment and enjoy the flexibility of their working hours. Although there are home base entrepreneurs who failed in their business venture, most individuals who started a small home base business continue their struggle, and luckily, generating substantial income before they realize that they do not need a regular job in the office to work with.

Why should I consider a small home based business opportunity?

However, there are instances wherein you come to think that the income you receive both from your regular and alternate work is still insufficient to compensate your expenditures given the fact that the prices of basic commodities and other necessities are consistently increasing. There is no chance that your salary will also increase every time the prices of basic commodities also increase.

It is your responsibility to sustain the needs of your family.

During those instances, there are employees who are brave enough to face the risk of getting into business. Thus, they retire from their previous work, collect the necessary cash benefits due to them, and use this as their starting capital for their business venture. Most of them get into home-based business and they start selling several merchandises to their neighbours and later selling such items to the business district within their locality.

That is why these employees are getting involved into home-based Internet marketing business. They clear some space inside their house that will serve as their “business office” (they also makes use of their bedrooms as offices) and purchase a single personal computer unit that is connected on the Internet. What they typically do is to surf on the Internet, research for several Internet-based earning opportunities that does not require huge starting capital, and learn the strategies needed to succeed in this type of program.

Home-based Businesses is on the increase.

How Important is to market my business properly?

Take a sneak peek on the following and determine what kind of promotion is best suited for your business. Internet marketing is distinguished from other types of business venture (such as the brick and mortar marketing) through its structures. Internet marketing structure is composed of several elements such as long and short term marketing strategies, direct and indirect branding market, traffic analysis, sales volume evaluation, and other relevant elements.

There is a need for every Internet marketer, whether a neophyte or an experienced one, to master the strategies of Internet marketing to get the right approach and be successful in their respective programs.

One of the secrets in obtaining effective marketing approaches is to learn and understand the basic structure of Internet marketing. For instance, you need to realize that there is a huge distinction between short term and long term marketing strategies in which the former is a “temporary approach” and the latter is a “permanent approach”.

Your site must appear on the top pages of every search engine results made by Internet users. Its rapid development, along with the clever minds of webmasters and Internet geniuses, paved the way for the innovations that changed the way we live in this world.

This is one of the effective marketing strategies used in online-based businesses. In case that you are getting negative results, there is a need to change your approach. Affiliate Marketing Programs Category.

It must provide a long-term focus; that is, earning money not just only today but to the coming years as well. Lastly, do not be deaf to the feedbacks and concerns expressed by your clients. However, you can also help building brand awareness of not well-known products or services that will help a lot in making your online advertising successful.

Internet is not just for pure information dissemination or transmission of useful data–it now changed the way we do business in the 21st century. Is there a vehicle without engine and wheels? Take a course or spend time learning these techniques.

1. It is easy to promote products and services that are already well-known to the public rather than unbranded ones. Good decision, yet you need to know what can you expect when you take an Internet marketing course. There are many programs (both offline and online) that offers Internet marketing course, but the best course contains the best subjects that will serve as your guide on Internet marketing. Such subjects are as follows:

2. The course will start by discussing some basics of Internet marketing. Although it will not elaborate the history of the investment, it will include the basic opportunities on how you will be able to earn online without wasting your effort and financial resources.

3. Next in line is setting up your website. Keep in mind that on Internet marketing, your website will serve as your “shop” where you can sell products of other Internet marketers or promote something that will generate income on your part. The subject will include the appropriate website design templates to be used on a particular business, registering your site in its own domain name, and others.

4. Along with the course, expect that it will include several strategies on how you will be able to anticipate the moves of your competitors. Internet marketing is a growing market, and competition among Internet marketers is inevitable. Thus, there is a need for you to watch how your competitors move in order to stay alive in your chosen investment.

5. The course will also include subjects related to website promotion through the use of online classified ads, press releases, newsletters, emails, newsgroups, and others. Keep in mind that your website must be as popular as possible so that you will be able to attract more clients. Promoting your website as your product is very critical on Internet marketing, and it is one of the subjects that would be discussed extensively.

It is natural that you will spend some of your money in taking an Internet marketing course. Keep in mind that in order to succeed, you must have the necessary knowledge and skills that will help you reach your market.

Furthermore, it is not just selling a certain product to online shoppers. Affiliate links work best in the context of the information contained within the website. ” Although the structure is considered to be as the “basic outline”, there are instances wherein due to changing market conditions and other external factors, there is a need to change some parts of the structure either to remove or add several elements.

The present structure of Internet marketing is now one of the better if not the best structures among all existing investments. There are additional elements that are now considered to be the “ultimate lifeline” of the online business industry.

o THE FOUNDER- you are one of the important elements of an Internet marketing structure. The business will not be successful if you will not stand up and lead your business to the right path. Remember that the Internet has its own “dungeons”–and it is where you need to shine and break the darkness to become successful on your Internet marketing career.

o THE PRODUCT- if you do not have a product to sell, do you think you will be able to grab a slice of the Internet marketing revenue pie?

Although you have an excellent Internet marketing business opportunity, but if you do not have a marketing plan for developing such opportunity, there is a slim chance that you will be successful.

How do you market a small home based business.

Although classified ads is the designated part for such endorsements, you will still find several product and service endorsements on the front page, sports page, and even on the comics section of the newspaper. Structure is an integral part of their being–without it, their being and purpose is not complete.

If you think that the structure is just for physical attributes alone, then you need to think again.

As a matter of fact, abstract things also need structure in order to survive. And Internet marketing does need a specific structure.

In what way? Why is important to get the structure right?

Once the brand is consistently patronized by the people, you will be able to achieve success and your products will certainly have an edge over unbranded products. This will influence the way they patronize your products or services that may even result in the expansion of your clientele base.

There exist wide range of advertising-related and consultancy services based on market conditions, advance sales strategies, and popular culture. As previously mentioned, you do not need to secure necessary permits from city or state governments or find premises for your business. It was a simple idea.

Some merchants run their own affiliate programs while others use third party services provided by intermediaries to track traffic or sales that are referred from affiliates.

It is irrelevant (for the compensation) how often an Ad is displayed.

If you have your mailing list, you must have an auto responder service. If you don’t yet you will soon, it’s part of internet marketing. Some advertisers however did and still do embrace this behaviour of their affiliates and allow them, even encourage them, to bid on any term they like, including the advertisers trademarks.

Depending on the kind of Internet marketing business you are into as well as your subscriber’s level of interest, the appropriate volume for you could be weekly or monthly. SEO, or the search engine optimization, is a proven online advertising method, and presently in-demand. The choice is yours to make.

It is an online-based exchange agency that serves as an intermediary between buyers and sellers in making business transactions (particularly business-to-business transactions, hence the term B2B applies).

All other effective strategies will come in line as long as you stick to the basic yet the best strategies in your Internet marketing venture. Remember that your ultimate goal is to be a successful Internet marketer who continues to generate revenues on an upscale. Many affiliate programs were poorly managed. But don’t let that worry you because with time vendors are getting better.

Once the selected brand name is still available, It is a unique system that allows you to collect commissions on your own sales as well as individuals you recruited. Those are the key features that you need to watch out when deciding on which Internet marketing business you will engage into.

Advertising your products or services for sale through the Internet is relatively cheaper than advertising through local newspapers and large billboards. Develop you own product. Or better still you can JV with an established vendor and collect regular commission cheques by promoting their products. One popular method is Pay Per Click search engine traffic. Also known as “google adword” More information can be found by visiting the links below.

Bobby Ryatt: While you’ve been reading the above, thousands of people all over the world have been working to put money in my pocket. I even make money while I sleep! By this time next week, so could YOU. Get full info here: [http://www.webscamsreport.com]

http://www.allworkathomeguide.com

There’s a wide range of car insurance options in Australia, which is impressive for a country of its size. It’s easy to become overwhelmed given the number of companies offering “the best”, “the cheapest” or “the best and cheapest” car insurance, but there are 7 things you need to consider before you commit to one particular insurer:

1. What kind of insurance are you looking for?

Compulsory third party insurance – Known as Greenslip Insurance, this is the most basic form of car insurance for an Australian driver and is compulsory for Australian-registered cars. While it doesn’t cover damage to the policyholder’s car or cars and property of others, it does cover personal injuries of crash victims.

Third party property insurance – This pays for any damage you cause to another person’s car or property. However, it doesn’t cover the cost of repairs for your own vehicle. Third party fire or theft insurance, an extension of third party insurance, insures you against the loss of your car through theft or fire.

Comprehensive insurance policy – This combines all of the above. As such, if yours and another person’s car are damaged through your own negligence, your insurance policy will extend to cover repairs for both parties.

2. Can you buy the policy online?

An insurance company that allows you to sign up for car insurance online has a distinct edge over one that doesn’t. Online insurance policies, usually paid for by credit card, are more affordable due to the reduction of processing fees. It’s also very convenient for the buyer as it can be done at any hour or any day of the week. You’re also likely to make fewer mistakes on the application form because you can take your time in filling it out, and there is less or no pressure for you to complete as compared to completing one over the phone.

3. Do they offer a multi-policy deal?

Many insurance companies provide insurance for the home, travel and health in addition to car insurance. In many cases, insurance companies may offer a more favourable rate to customers who purchase more than one type of insurance from them.

4. What’s your demographic?

Did you know that the cost of car insurance premiums can vary based on where you live? Premiums can differ even further based on your address within the state itself as well. Varying intra-state car insurance premiums are mainly down to the risk an insurance company perceives you and your car to be.

Therefore, the higher the risk of your vehicle encountering an accident or being stolen, the higher the premiums you have to pay. For instance, residents of New South Wales, which has a high population density, pay the highest car insurance premiums of any state.

Age and gender too, are parameters that need to be considered when comparing car insurance. Young men are perceived to be more of an insurance risk, and this is reflected in their insurance premiums. Additionally, the owner of a newer, more expensive car is likely to pay higher insurance premiums based on the risk such a vehicle poses for the insurance company.

5. Have you tried asking for a discount from your existing provider?

Sometimes, people compare car insurance when they’re thinking of switching to another insurance company. In this case, a person has nothing to lose by asking their current insurer if they’re able to match or surpass a cheaper quote from another company. Revisiting the terms of your present car insurance policy may also allow negotiation of better terms for you; there may be discounted premiums for drivers above 25 years of age. Tailoring your car insurance policy to match your personal requirements can make it even more affordable.

6. Look beyond the bottom dollar

A cheap insurance quote is very attractive. However, when comparing quotes from different insurance companies, you need to ensure that the policies themselves are similar too to prevent comparing apples and oranges. By scrutinizing policies closely, you won’t wind up paying less but receiving inferior or limited insurance coverage from Insurer A, as opposed to paying Insurer B slightly more in return for more benefits and security.

One of the first things a person looks at when comparing car insurance is the premium paid. At first glance, a cheaper premium is certainly tempting. Having extra cash available is always welcome. Yet, is an annual difference of $200 really such a bargain if, in the event of a write off, the insurance company deems your car worth less than you expected?

You need to ensure that the bottom value an insurance company quotes for your car isn’t too far away from your car’s actual worth. If the terms of the policy are otherwise in your favour, obtaining an “agreed value” policy is your best bet so that replacing your car won’t be such a financial burden in the event of a write off and if the company undervalues it.

7. How does a point-for-point comparison of different policies add up?

There are sure to be similarities when you compare the basic policies of most major car insurers. A consumer needs to look at the cost of the policy and any extra benefits that particular insurer provides and ask about them if they’re not immediately obvious. For instance, comprehensive car insurance may entitle you to a hire car if your car needs repairs, until a claim is paid, or your car recovered (if it was stolen). Different insurers also have varying conditions pertaining to no-claim bonus and excess payable.

Different insurers offer different hire car periods that may also vary based on the premium you pay. Additionally, the time it takes to process a claim may take longer (months) than the period to which you’re entitled the hire car (days). Additionally, the maximum value insured for items inside the car that are damaged or stolen may vary between companies.

In the event car repairs are needed, most insurance companies have workshops authorized to carry out the necessary repairs. Some people, though, may be more comfortable appointing a mechanic of their own or who can finish the job more quickly. Aside from determining if this option is available to you, be sure to determine who bears the cost of transporting the car to the garage and if roadside assistance is provided.

These are just some of the things you need to consider when you’re making a car insurance comparison between different insurance providers. Comparing car insurance policies may not be such a chore when you consider that Australians are paying an excess of more than $3 billion in unneeded comprehensive car insurance coverage.

Do you always dine out? Does it sabotage your weight loss goal? Having lunch with your client or enjoying a dinner with your partner in a restaurant should not make you feel guilty for not sticking to your diet.

Eating out is tempting because the scrumptious menus are laid in front of your eyes. The aroma of a mouthwatering dish can make you forget all your months of hard work and effort to keep off your weight from ballooning.

However, learning the smart ways to dine out can save you from sabotaging your diet.

Reduced-Calorie Menu

Most of the high end restaurants have an option in their menu for reduced-calorie selections. Take advantage of these options when eating out.

Non-Fried Selections

Not all restaurants offer reduced-calorie options. For this situation, always remember that non-fried selections are the best option when ordering for lunch or dinner. Opt for broiled or grilled meat and vegetables.

Be cautious of how your food is being cooked. Read the details in the menu and avoid deep-fried, batter-dipped, creamy, crispy, pan-fried and garnished with creams. These options are generally rich in fat and high in calories.

No to Buffets

Buffet is always a preferred choice because it offers more value to your money. However, its extensive selection from appetizer to desserts can be tempting to really overeat and sabotage your diet.

If you cannot avoid buffet, then choose wisely when filling your plate. Try to take more on plain salads with low-fat dressings and fruits.

Portion Control

After your order is served, cut it right away into two portions. This is a smart way to know whether you are consuming just enough or overeating already. Once you finish the first half-portion, try to eat fruits or salads in between. This helps you to less likely eat the remaining portion.

Also, fast food restaurants often offer your super-size option. For instance, a lunch meal of burger and fries can be super-sized to larger portion of burger and bigger serving size of fries. It can really be tempting because you will pay less but think again before you cave in for super-size order. Think of the calories and sabotaging your weight loss goal.

Dining out is always fun and it makes difficult to monitor your calorie intake. Regular dining in the restaurants can really balloon your weight if you do not dine wisely because it is easy to cave in to their scrumptious menu.

Now with these tips on how to dine out smartly, you don’t have to feel guilty anymore for dining with your friends and colleagues. Choose smartly and it will never be a hindrance to your weight loss goal.

Julie Brealy is the health manager at FitFarms Fat Camp, No. 1 Weight Loss Retreat and Fit Camp in the UK. She has been working for over 10 years in the weight loss industry advising companies in the US and the UK. Julie is also an experienced deep tissue massage therapist.

Grab Your Hiking Boots and Let’s Go!

Hiking is perhaps the most popular activity in the Catskills.

The origin of many hiking trails in New York State have their roots in the Native American-made paths to various seasonal hunting grounds. Later, loggers with ponies pulled hemlocks out the Catskill forests to make tanning solution and bluestone quarriers dragged out huge slabs of this dense blue-grey rock to pave New York City. The intrepid artists of the Hudson River School used these trails to find beautiful panoramas to sketch and later paint in their studios. Naturalists such as John Burroughs recorded the variety of flora and fauna unique to the Catskill High Peaks while Ralph Waldo Emerson is inspired to write his groundbreaking essay Nature by the very same Catskills.

Fortunately for today’s Catskill hiker, there is a wide variety of hiking trails ranging from the most easy such as the paved and flat like the path along the Ashokan Reservoir. to extremely difficult three mountain loop of Devil’s Path or the ascent to Slide Mountain. Whatever the hiking level you desire, we have chosen the best of Catskills hiking that gives beautiful views; the payoff for what can be a most vigorous exercise!

How to Plan for a Catskill Mountain Hike

There are a few sensible precautions that need to be considered before embarking on a hike whether in New York or anywhere else. While the Catskills can be easily traveled to and are close to New York City, knowing your terrain is guaranteed to make for a more pleasant day. Not sure about hiking in the mountains on your own? Add some luxury and amenities to your New York getaway; look for local area resorts such as the Emerson that offer hiking packages with guided hikes and lodging.

What You Will Need To Hike the Catskill Mountains:

1) Water: Bring plenty of it as natural sources can be contaminated with giardia- unless it is marked as a natural spring.

2) Bugs: The hiking trails of the Catskills are cool and damp, so expect mosquitoes. And while lymes-disease carrying ticks generally prefer hot and dry conditions, its good practice to tuck pants into socks and use a strong insect repellent.

3) Gear: Do wear good hiking shoes with sturdy socks to prevent blisters. Dress light but carry a sweatshirt and rain poncho in your pack as the weather can change suddenly. A walking stick can be an excellent stabilizer if the terrain should get rough.

4) Animals: The Catskills are full of wildlife and none are dangerous as long as you respect their space. Bears are only a nuisance if you are camping with lots of unprotected food. Bears tend to be shy but if encountered; make some gentle noise and they should run off. Another concern can be snakes but if you don’t bother them, they won’t bother you. If you should see a rattler, admire it from a distance. Snakes are most often found on the sunny side of cliffs among large rocks and boulders.

5) Plan: Make sure you let someone know before you go off into the wilds. Take a map and don’t expect to rely on your cell phone GPS.

6) Respect: Lastly, bring out what you bring in. Paper and plastic have no place in nature.

Where to Hike: Choosing the Perfect New York Getaway in Nature

Very Easy Trails: Ashokan Reservoir & Colgate Lake

These hiking trails are good for families from grandparents to kids who need a level walking surface without dips or climbs.

• Ashokan Reservoir:

The Ashokan Reservoir’s two long walkways, one an actual promenade and the other a closed road the public now uses, provide a panorama of the Catskill Mountains and the pristine Ashokan Reservoir that serves as the drinking water for New York City.

Great for bicycles, walkers and wheelchairs, the two paths are beautiful stretches of wide paved paths that curve for 3 miles along the Ashokan Reservoir. To get to this wide mountain vista, travel to Winchell’s Corners on Route 28, turn onto Reservoir Road. At the junction of “BWS road” make a left and at 28A, make another left. Travel ¼ mile and make the next left and at the end of the road is a roundabout parking area for both paths.

• Colgate Lake:

A magical hidden gem off of Route 23A near Tannersville, this pristine, man-made lake is open for swimming, although there are no lifeguards or roped in areas so visitors need to take appropriate precautions. There is a small trail that circumnavigates the entire lake that is bowled in by mountains. Caution must be used around Colgate Lake as there can be poison ivy.

Easy NY Hiking Trails: Kaaterskill Falls, North-South Lake, and Diamond Notch Falls

• Kaaterskill Falls:

The two tiered falls of 175 and 85 feet are the highest waterfalls in New York State. The lower Kaaterskill Falls is reached by a trail beginning on Route 23A. Driving east from Tannersville and Haines Falls, park on the area to the right before the highway makes its steep descent down the mountain. Then, walk carefully along the road until you reach a hairpin turn and the falls are seen on your left. To reach Kaaterskill Falls from the top, travel east on 23A and make a left onto Country Rd 18 by the Twilight Deli and then, about a mile later, a right onto Laurel House Road. Park at the end of the road and follow the trail 1/5 of a mile to a worn bank supported by wooden beams.

This is the top of Kaaterskill Falls and extreme caution must be used to descend onto the huge boulders to get a look at the valley below. We do not recommend a descent as the ground is slippery and there are many injuries, but there is a small short trail that runs to the right. Walking with care, you can get a nice side view of the falls and the natural amphitheater it has carved out over the centuries.

• Escarpment trail North-South Lake:

The short hike to the site of the Catskill Mountain House provides the reward of incredible vistas of the Hudson Valley and the Berkshires beyond. Longer and more strenuous hikes can bring you to such spots as Artist’s Rock, Sunset Rock, Newman’s Ledge, Boulder Rock, and the Kaaterskill Hotel and Laurel House sites. Follow the well-marked trails and maps to lead you where you want to go. Swimming is permitted at North-South Lake, but only when there is a lifeguard present.

• Diamond Notch Falls:

This hike has an amazing variety of indigenous, native plants and flowers that grow along the path. Please note that any digging or picking of greenery is strictly prohibited. The walk is steep in places, but not difficult to navigate. The waterfalls add a special interest and there is a wooden bridge above the falls that offers a different view of the cascade. Travel up Route 214 to Lanesville, turn left onto Diamond Notch Road and park at the very end. The trail starts at the far right corner of the lot.

Moderate NY Hiking Trails: Hunter Mountain, Overlook Mountain & Giant Ledge-Panther Mt. Trail

• Hunter Mountain:

For a unique experience, take the Sky Ride from the Hunter Mountain Ski Center. The lift will take you up a 1600 foot vertical from the valley floor. A 2 mile hike from there will take you to the fire tower with beautiful views of the Catskill High Peaks, but this is a steep challenge. Less active hikers may want to enjoy the view from where the Hunter Sky Ride leaves you off and just hike back down to the base.

• Overlook Mountain:

This popular hike is located a couple of miles north of the Village of Woodstock. Take Rock City Road north from the Village Green all the way to the top of Overlook Mountain where it will change its name to Mead’s Mt. Road. Parking is on the right and the trail is to the left. The climb is steep and uphill for 2.5 miles but the 360 degree view from the fire tower at the mountaintop is the best in the Catskills! Also note an abandoned ruin of a stone hotel from the 1930s about 2 miles up. Great for dramatic photographs or an eerie romantic picnic!

• Giant Ledge-Panther Mt. Trail:

This trail starts out easy with yellow markers and then switches to the more challenging blue markers after the spectacular view of Giant Ledge. Giant Ledge is located roughly 1.6 miles up the trail and afterwards, the trail follows a North-South Ridge for another mile that offers more lovely Catskill Mountain vistas.

Difficult NY Hiking Trails: Slide Mountain & Devil’s Tombstone

• Slide Mountain

Another tough hike, but the Slide Mountain Hiking Trail is also the most rewarding! With an elevation of 1780 feet and a 5.4 mile round trip, you will need lots of water and good hiking boots. Slide Mountain is the highest peak in the Catskills, so the view from the summit is unparalleled. To get there, drive to the end of Woodland Valley Road off Route 28 near Phoenicia and travel to the very end to the Woodland Valley Campground. The trail head will be on the left with parking on the right.

• Devil’s Path:

Also known as Devil’s Tombstone, this trail is known as the toughest hiking path in the Eastern United States. Nonetheless, hikers are drawn to it as it allows them to cover 5 mountain peaks in one excursion. The Devil’s Path is a self guided trail that can be done in three sections or combined. The first section, Plateau Mountain, is 8 miles roundtrip and it culminates in a nice view over to Hunter Mountain. Then the trail levels out (hence the plateau) and the highest point is at the far eastern end about 2 miles away. Continue on a short distance from the summit and a view of Sugarloaf Mountain opens up. The Hunter Mountain Section is 4.15 miles and the West Kill Mountain Section is 7 miles for a total of 24.20 miles of hiking. The best access is to drive from Phoenicia 8 miles north on Route 214 and park at the Devils Tombstone day use parking area on the left. The trail head starts on the right after the enormous rock that purports to be the actual Devil’s Tombstone.

Whatever your chosen skill level, it will be easy to find just the right hike in New York’s Catskills. Make it a weekend getaway and enjoy all the Catskill have to offer.

Jen Dragon
http://www.emersonresort.com

Emerson Resort and Spa, an extraordinary destination offering the reassuring sense that one is no longer part of the outside world. Make yourself at home in one of our 53 exceptional guestrooms and suites. Enjoy comfort food favorites at the Catamount Restaurant. Or indulge in one of the soothing treatments at our Forbes Four-Star Spa. Outside, the picturesque Hudson Valley will complete this perfect environment of total harmony.

Have you ever decided on a whim just to treat yourself and your family to a nice dinner only to discover once you arrive at your chosen restaurant that it may turn out to be much more like something you’ll regret? Sure. All of us have been there many times. But, honestly, this should never ever be happening. These are businesses and in order to stay in business, they need to take care of their paying customers. I have provided some tips for both families and individuals for things to look for before spending any well-deserved time or money into a negative dining experience and for restaurants desiring some simple and honest feedback from customers desiring to share their opinions.

Recently, I took a group over to a restaurant for a friend’s birthday. It was a pleasant atmosphere and, unfortunately, that is where it ended. You see, we had made reservations and informed the restaurant that some of our guests would be running a bit late. They said it would be ok. To our surprise, as soon as we got there, we were told that we could not sit down until a majority of our party has arrived. I would like to add that there were plenty of open tables, but none suited for this group. They did give us and the kids along with us the option to sit at the bar if we would like. We, of course, declined. Our guests did not arrive. We finally negotiated a table in the very, very back of the restaurant as it would not be one those with qualified reservations would desire. Mind you, everyone had dressed very nicely and there were no complaints.

After waiting a bit too long, I decided to work out the table that no one would be demanding as all we wanted to do was get our appetizers going. As we sat at our table, the music was blaring and a local fraternity was there having a meeting at a reserved table that a majority had arrived in time to be seated at. To make a long story short, the service turned out alright and we decided to keep it positive and not let this situation affect us negatively. We did have a fun time. Afterwards, I began to think about some things that people and restaurants alike should always consider when about to make a transaction. First, when first walking in the door, guests should always be greeted nicely and instantly feel a warmth of hospitality. Customers are not just another check for the restaurant’s books. Next, if a party makes a reservation for 6 pm and the restaurant accepts it, the restaurant should always honor this promise. The guests should never have to wait for over an hour just because someone overslept.

Getting seated in a timely manner would only be the most courteous thing for a business to do. That is if a dining experience is what they are selling. Next, when you are seated, you should never be stuck in the back of the restaurant just because those with reservations who have not shown up yet or even those ‘regulars’ who like that large table in front at 6pm prefer it. Every guest should be treated like everyone else. In addition, if customers do decide to have something at the bar, the customer should always have the right to transfer that amount to their bill. This method of making customers close out their bills over and over really is not an example of customer service at all. Try to keep things more convenient for the customers. The bill should be handled at the table when the service is complete.

Many restaurants do not seem to recognize that many people do not prefer loud music when they are spending a lot of money dining out. Many prefer a pleasant atmosphere. Why many restaurants that normally serve elegant dinners jam 80’s tunes is not understood by me, but one thing restaurants should consider is that the noise level only makes things louder, including the kids. A few more things I would like to mention are in regards to the withholding of certain items such as wine lists and other special menus. Just treat each customer equally. I have witnesses this at restaurants where we received these menus but the other table ordering just water to drink did not. All customers should be treated respectfully meaning keeping positive judgment on people. At the beginning of the meal, if the customer does not want the special, yet, would like a description of one of the regular items on the menu as if it were the special, the waiter should be able to do that. This is oftentimes rather annoying to many people dining out. Maybe restaurants should quiz their employees from time to time?

Surely there are plenty of things a person could complain about, such as no salt and/or pepper at the table, or even proper utensils, but the goal here is not to bring anyone down. The goal is to simply make other people aware of some of the things people go through when all they wanted was a nice dinner experience. These things should be a foundation with not just the restaurant business, but with any business. As it seemingly gets more and more competitive daily, wouldn’t it be a great idea to treat those who are helping you out with the utmost respect and dignity? One thing to remember is that if those businesses that do not honestly make customer satisfaction their number one priority will surely find many more that will.

S. Michael Windsor is currently publisher and a writer for The Windsor Express Daily, which features daily exclusive articles based on improving the things which matter most in our daily lives. Visit us today at http://www.TheWindsorExpress.com and subscribe for free!

In a world economy that is in constant flux and undergoing turbulence, more companies are realizing that their most precious asset is their customer base. An even more important realization is the need to satisfy the whims and fancies of these customers in order to survive in these increasingly competitive markets. Organizations that do not act on this dictum have suffered the loss of market share or worse, total annihilation. Such dire consequences have awakened many organizations to rethink the way they see marketing. Thus, there is urgency for an organization (be it products or service providers) as a whole to develop appropriate holistic customer-focused strategies to ensure that the customer remains at the core of their organizational thinking.

With the rapid advancement of information technology (especially the rise of the Web) and the increasing difficulties of meeting customer’s needs and wants (for example, their expectations of 24 / 7 customer service especially for online transactions), there is a shift from a traditional marketing approach to customer targeted marketing. Many organizations and marketing consultants are emphasizing the need to allocate more funds to apply new-found knowledge of consumer behavior in new products development, build better customer relationships through customer loyalty and retention programs.

This purpose of this paper is to raise the awareness of the need to concentrate marketing efforts towards the customer rather than the inward-looking traditional product-focused arrangement. And more importantly, the paper will shed light on how an organization could go about in making this important transition in this current competitive market.

Marketing Approaches Explained:

Before I proceed to discuss the shift in the marketing approach, it will be appropriate to explain briefly the two marketing approaches separately for greater clarity.

Traditional Marketing-The 4 Ps of Marketing:

The marketing mix or what is commonly known as the 4 Ps is a framework for marketers to implement a marketing concept. It consists of a set of major decision areas that a company needs to manage in order to at least satisfy consumer needs. According to Kotler et al. (1999), the mix is a set of “controllable tactical marketing tools [...] that the firm blends to produce the response it wants in the target market” (p.8). Hence, in an effective marketing program, all of those elements are “mixed” to successfully achieve the company’s marketing objectives.

The traditional marketing mix contains four major elements, the “4 Ps of marketing”. As defined by Kotler et al. (1999):

1.Product: Anything that can be offered to a market for attention, acquisition, use or consumption that might satisfy a want or need. In includes physical objects, services, persons, places, organizations and ideas.

2.Price: The amount of money charged for a product or service, or the sum of the values that consumers exchange for the benefits of having or using the product or service.

3.Promotion: Activities that communicate the product or service and its merits to target customers with a view to persuading them to buy.

4.Place: All the company’s activities that make the product or service available to target customers.

With the rapid changes surrounding organizations, the traditional marketing mix of the 4 Ps has been criticized for being too myopic in this current market situation. The traditional marketing mix has also been disparaged for being too product-focused and for taking an overly inward-looking strategy with regards to the organization’s resources and capabilities in production matters. This is antithetical to attending to the more important organizational goal of satisfying the desired needs and wants of customers.

In addition, the Web and E-commerce revolution has played a major role in alleviating customers’ ability to shape their relationships with the company. This has led customers to expect companies to market their products and services in ways that reflect more directly their individual needs.

These changes have prompted enterprises that wish to stay ahead of their competitors to shift their traditional marketing approach to customer-targeted marketing.

Customer Targeted Marketing:

In customer targeted marketing, the customer becomes the central focus of the organization’s strategy and activities, rather than the product itself (which is the prime concern in traditional marketing). The organization’s paradigm shift in marketing requires a company to build a commitment to quality and to listen critically to the customer to determine the market needs and how the company can meet those needs more effectively.

One of the major characteristics of the approach is to focus on each customer’s interests and interactions with the organization to deliver targeted, personal messages. This would require the company to be constantly gathering information about their customers in an effort to better serve them and, most importantly, to retain them as loyal customers. As suggested by Peppers and Rogers (1998), the organization would need to use various techniques and strategies (possibly with the help of information technology and the Web), such as focus groups, in-depth interviews, customer surveys, attitude testing and so on to obtain information about consumers for more effective marketing of a product or service. With these customers’ data and feedback, the organization will apply the knowledge to develop more customer-centric products and services and/ or to improve existing ones. In addition, the information will be shared within the organization to encourage employees at all levels to focus on creating maximized customer value and loyalty.

Why Customer-Targeted Marketing?:

In order to have a competitive edge and to satisfy increasing levels of customers’ desires, companies realized that they have to see their customers as individuals rather a homogeneous mass of similar tastes, values and buying behaviors. Due to such transformation, companies need to be more customer-focused in its overall marketing strategy. This has resulted in organizations adopting a customization strategy to increase customer’s loyalty to their products and services. For example, in banking and insurance industry, there has been a move towards greater customization. Standard products/services have been given way to a varied menu of features from which customers may select their own preferred combination.

In view of these changes, companies that understand the asset value of each customer, and that tailor their marketing efforts (and their costs) to acquire and sustain the highest-value assets, will win over less-adaptable traditional marketing approach of the 4 Ps.

The Process of Transition:

In order to strategically change from a traditional marketing approach to customer targeted marketing, an organization must be aware of these following areas:

Paradigm Shift. A company must fully understand that customer targeted marketing requires a shift in the organizational mindset, and not just structural organizational changes. They must realize that their sole purpose is to continuously satisfy customers’ needs and wants. Thus, to ensure a smooth transition from a traditional marketing approach to customer targeted approach, an organization must reflect and ask itself questions as to what areas need to be analyzed and to understand the ramifications of such a transition in the organization. On the other hand, an organization needs to realize the negative consequences for not willing to be a more customer-focused marketing organization.

Customer Targeted Planning. As in any organizational change initiative, proper planning is needed. The objective of planning customer-centric marketing strategies is to find win-win opportunities with customer and to identify the best mutual opportunities for your customers and your company. This requires the organization to see the issue(s) from the customers’ perspectives and to strategically plan the organization’s resources around them.

In short, the organization’s shift to customer-targeted marketing should embrace these three important points:

1.Planning should focus on customer wants and not looking inwardly at company goals

2.Focus on the honest feedback and suggestions through creating different channels of communications. Listen to the customers, rather than forcing them to listen to you.

3.Integrate your customers in every aspects of your business, from new product design to after-sales services and more.

Organization-wide Responsibility. For the approach to be successful, members need to understand the new philosophy of marketing and embrace it organization-wide. Many organizations tend to underestimate the degree to which every facet of the enterprise needs to be involved in the process and to be integrated into the actual customer relationship.

Organization Redesign. An organization has to assess the roles of all functional departments interacting with customers to ensure that they add value to customers instead of increasing the costs. By reorganizing the company with the customer as the focus, many departmental roles and responsibilities will have to be redesigned. And when that happens, the employees will have to adopt new work processes that would be more customer-centric in nature.

Human Resource Training. There is a need to develop customer-focused human resource through customer behavior training, across the functional departments. By investing in such training at all levels, the members will be more knowledgeable, more autonomous, and more efficient in anticipating and meeting the needs of the customers.

Use of Information Technology. With the advancement and increased affordability in information technology, more companies are able to collect available data on customer purchase behavior more efficiently. For example, technologies ranging from checkout scanning to Internet cookies are commonly used to track customers’ buying behaviors. Companies that employ such technology will be more adept at acquiring new customers, retaining existing customers, and cross selling than those who do not.

Enhanced Customers Communications. With the use of the Internet as a medium for targeted communication, this allows companies to be in touch with customers at less than one-hundredth of the cost of more traditional snail mail, brochures or flyers. Communication through emails with the customers is almost free, and the customers can retrieve communications almost immediately. However, this has also resulted in customers having 24 / 7 service expectations of these companies.

Customer Targeted Measurement. An organization must be able to measure and evaluate the success of their customer targeted marketing strategy. In most cases, traditional measurement techniques such as profitability, market share and profit margins are used to measure the success. There should be an added emphasis given to developing measures that are customer-centric and which are able to assess the marketing strategy. Customer acquisition costs, conversion rates, retention rates, customer sales rates, loyalty measures and customer share within a brand are some examples of customer-centric measures than a customer-focused organization can adopt

Conclusion:

The need for survival has provoked many organizations to shift from traditional to customer targeted marketing. The market conditions surrounding us will continue to change at an accelerating rate and customer’s expectation will continue to rise. Hence, without any doubts, more and more companies will adopt a customer-targeted marketing strategy with increased intensity.

About The Author

Dr. Alvin Chan is an Innovation Research Specialist in Asia. He has consulted for and aid in the development of managerial innovations and effective learning methodologies in several organizations. Currently, Dr. Chan is the Senior Research Consultant at FIrst Quatermain Centre of Collaborative Innovation (www.firstquatermain.com [http://www.firstquatermain.com]).

Please email to Dr. Chan at bizguru88@hotmail.com as a courtesy if you are reprinting the article online or in print.

Introduction

Clothing is a big ticket item around the world. No matter what culture you live in, what language you speak, what gender you are and what you do for a living a big part of the expenses of your life is going to rest solely on clothing. Without clothing, it is not only unpleasant to appear in public but in most places it is also socially unacceptable except in other areas. There are many times when clothing is something that people do not really think about, but at others things like designer clothing are thought of a great deal both by the companies that make them as well as the customers that buy them.

This begs the question as to whether or not certain clothing businesses in certain places have the ability to survive. Designer clothing is something that many people are interested in constructing a business around but at the same time it is also something that many people don’t really understand when it comes right down to it. Designer clothing has a very special niche market whereas normal clothing is open to everyone. The Bali Clothing Retail Business deals in both designer clothing and normal clothing and manages to do well at both.

Bali Clothing Retail Business

The Bali clothing retail business is one that is just starting to get off the ground but already it shows a lot of promise in many different areas. Bali is an island in the archipelago nation of Indonesia and aside from the tourist attractions and the rich cultural heritage it also has a growing wholesale and retail clothing and handicrafts sector. Part of that sector is the retail clothing business and when you consider the clothing business specifically for Bali clothing you find that in Bali clothing as in all other kind of clothing you have the potential for both designer and normal clothing.

Designer Fashion Garments

Designer Bali clothing is actually just historical clothing that has been altered to appeal to the tastes of people that are interested in designer clothing. When you look back and forth between the different kinds of designer clothing, one thing becomes immediately obvious. The most popular kinds of designer clothing populations are younger girls that are either in their teens or twenties and when they look for designer clothing they are either looking for something that is popular or something that is new. Most of the time their own taste actually doesn’t play into it as much as whether or not they think the item they are purchasing will be popular. Since foreign designs frequently do end up being popular, it becomes easy to see why the Bali designer clothing has been able to infiltrate and find a foothold within the designer clothing industry at large.

Normal General Clothing

Of course, when it comes right down to it normal clothing is still a big hit. Bali clothing shops still sell jeans and t-shirts as retail items and in addition also sell sweaters. Not many people find need of a sweater in the Indonesian climate but that same sweater will definitely come in handy when they get back to wherever they came from. Normal clothing isn’t as big as designer clothing in Bali, but they both play a role in shaping the final landscape.

Related resources:

Antique Dealer Directory List Antique Shop, Dealers, Malls

Shopping Guide Directory For Fashion Clothes Jewelry Accessories Shoes Beauty Cosmetics

Buy Wholesale Clothing And Jewelry At Cheap Prices

Keeping a fish tank can be a fun and rewarding hobby. There are many varieties of tanks, equipment and most importantly, tropical fish. But how do you choose the right fish for your setup. The answer depends in large part on the size of your aquarium.

Aquarium Size

When shopping for your fish tank, you’ll notice that tank sizes are given in gallons (sometimes litres in Europe and other metric system countries). Typically, a tank under 20 gallons is considered a small fish tank. There are many aquarium systems in the 5 to 20 gallon range and choices should be made based on your particular setup.

It is often easier for the new fish owner to look for an aquarium system – a set that includes all the necessary equipment – than to select individual accessories. High quality fish tank systems can be found by searching for manufacturers like Marineland, BiOrb & BiUbe and Oceanic.

Fish for Small Tanks

Once you’ve chosen your fish tank setup, remember to properly condition your water by cycling it with one of the various products on the market today that help your aquarium develop the necessary bacteria. If you are unsure about water cycling, you’ll want to do some research on the Nitrogen Cycle prior to purchasing any tropical fish.

After preparing your water, you’re ready for your first fish. Assuming you’ve chosen a smaller aquarium setup, there are a few types of fish that are better for fish tanks smaller than 20 gallons. We’ll take a look at some recommendations that will give your tank the best chance for success below.

Bettas

There are a lot of myths about Bettas. Sometimes referred to as Siamese Fighting Fish as a result of the males propensity to fight other males, you’ll often see these fish in extremely small bowls in your local pet store. While the fish do quite well in smaller setups, anything under three gallons is not recommended.

Although Bettas can be a great first fish for a small aquarium, there are two important points to keep in mind when keeping Bettas. First, never keep two males in the same fish tank without the use of a plastic tank side box or some other means of keeping them apart. Males will fight, and the purpose of your tank should not be to pit fish against each other. The second important point is to make sure the water temperature is warm enough for your Bettas. Bettas originate from Southeast Asia where the river water tends to be extremely warm. Water temperature specifications can be found below.

Minimum tank size: 3 gallons

Water Temp: 75 – 86 F (24 – 30 C)

Aquarium Level: Top

Size: Approximately 3 inches

Care Level: Beginner to Intermediate

pH: 6.8 – 7.4

Food: Flakes, Frozen and Live

Dwarf/Honey Gouramis

Dwarf and Honey Gouramis earn their names as a result of their small adult size and honey color respectively. Adults reach a maximum size of about 2 inches. Both types of Gouramis are great fish for a first time owner as they are peaceful, community fish. As such, they should not be kept in a fish tank with other more aggressive fish. They prefer thick vegetation. Dwarf and Honey Gouramis originate from India and Bangladesh and so prefer warm water.

Minimum tank size: 5 gallons

Water Temp: 72 – 82 F (22 – 28 C)

Aquarium Level: Mid – top

Size: Approximately 2 inches

Care Level: Beginner to Intermediate

pH: 6.0 – 7.5

Food: Omnivorous, will also eat algae 

Harlequin/Red Rasbora

The Harlequin is also known as the Red Rasbora and is a very popular freshwater fish. Harlequins prefer thickly vegetated tanks, with dark substrate and low lighting. Harlequins do well in a wider range of water temperatures than some of the other tropical fish listed in this article. Although the harlequin originates in Southeast Asia and as such, likes warmer waters. You’ll want to buy at least three to four harlequins at a time, as they would rather be in a school or small group.

Minimum tank size: 10 gallons

Water Temp: 73 – 82 F (23 – 28 C)

Aquarium Level: Mid – top

Size: Approximately 1.5 – 2 inches

Care Level: Beginner to Intermediate

pH: 6.0 – 7.5

Food: Omnivorous

Zebra Danio

With many types of Danios available, the Zebra Danio is one of the most active aquarium fish. Zebra Danios are colorful fish easily recognized by the bluish purple stripes running down the sides of their bodies. Zebra Danios are great community fish and very peaceful. Although Zebra Danios are considered colder water fish, if placed in an aquarium with a slightly higher temperature, the fish often adapt without a problem. They prefer slightly running waters and will typically be found at the top of the aquarium.

Minimum tank size: 5 gallons

Water Temp: 64 – 74 F (18 – 24 C)

Aquarium Level: All levels

Size: Approximately 2 inches

Care Level: Beginner

pH: 6.5 – 7.0

Food: Omnivorous

Tetras

Tetras are great fish for a smaller tank and new fish owners. Although there are many different types of tetras, they are typically peaceful and easy to care for community fish.

As mentioned, there are many varieties of tetras that are well-suited for smaller tanks. Look around at your local pet store and find the color and variety that you like best. Varieties that typically do well in smaller fish tank setups include Cardinal, Neon, Black Phantom, Black Neon and Bleeding Heart Tetras. For the purposes of this article, we’ll use the popular Cardinal Tetra for our fish facts section below.

Minimum tank size: 5 gallons

Water Temp: 73 – 81 F (23 – 27 C)

Aquarium Level: Mid – top

Size: Approximately 2 inches

Care Level: Beginner – Intermediate

pH: 4.6 – 6.2

Food: Omnivorous

With any of the above fish and a good understanding of the optimal conditions for each type, you should be ready to pick out your new pets. Many people hold the misconception that tropical fish require little care and can be maintained with little or no effort. Before you go out and buy your fish make sure you are ready for the commitment. While keeping fish is not a no maintenance hobby, it can be a low maintenance hobby. Choosing the right setup and fish will go a long way to ensuring you create a healthy environment for your fish.

For more recommendations, information and reviews of fish tanks and fish equipment, visit BiOrb Tank Reviews.

These days a lot of people are overweight. One of the reasons for this is the fact that so many people are dining out so often. Restaurant meals tend to have a lot larger servings than those you eat at home, and they tend to be a lot more calories dense. This means people tend to eat too much, which is not good for their waistlines. However, if you make this a special treat there is no reason why you can’t stay healthy and still eat out from time to time.

One thing to do is choose restaurants that tend to serve healthier food when you are dining out. Restaurants that serve food that isn’t fried, as well as plenty of soup and salad options, tend to be better than those that focus on fast food or very rich food. You want to have a number of healthy choices available to you so that you aren’t so tempted to choose an unhealthy meal. Many restaurants now have their menus posted on the internet (sometimes even with calorie counts) so you can choose a healthy option ahead of time. This is a good strategy.

Another way to eat more healthily when dining out is to automatically pack up half of your meal to take it away so that you don’t overeat. You can also choose to order an appetizer as your main dish as these portions are typically smaller. Minimizing the total amount of food you are eating is the goal. This means you might want to avoid the bread basket that some restaurants put on the table.

Eating a broth based soup or a salad (with minimal dressing) at the start of the meal can help to fill you up so you are less tempted to pig out on large amounts of appetizers or main dishes. Another good strategy is to put your silverware down in between bites so that you can eat more slowly.

There is nothing wrong with indulging yourself and having a small treat when you are dining out. However, you don’t want to ruin your diet by eating everything indulgent at once. Maybe one time you can share a dessert with a friend, and another time you can have an alcoholic beverage or split an appetizer that is a bit high calorie with a friend. If you eat the bread, you don’t want to have a drink and dessert as well.

For dining out guide, visit JP Pepperdine now.

Feel free to publish this article on your website, or send it to your friends, as long as you keep the resource box and the content of the article intact.

Your resume will generally receive a 15- to 30-second scan upon first review by an employer. With that in mind, it is critical that your resume — your “paper handshake” — makes a positive first impression and compels the reader to put your resume in the “yes” pile and possibly call you in for an interview.

Before you circulate your resume, you will want to ensure it incorporates the basic characteristics of a powerful, interview-generating resume. When evaluating your resume you can follow the same basic steps as professional resume writers. This will increase the chances not only of having it placed into that “yes” pile, but also of helping it rise to the top of the stack.

STEP 1: Ask yourself, “Is my resume in the correct format to best showcase my career history?”

Is your resume the appropriate length, format, and formality for the position you are targeting?

Length: For someone with five or more years of experience, a resume will typically be one to two pages. It isn’t at all uncommon for executive-level resumes to be as long as three or four pages. If you are a recent college graduate one page may suffice, but don’t be afraid to go two pages, particularly if you have some work, internship, or volunteer experience under your belt.

Format: There are three common types of resumes: chronological, functional, and combination. A chronological resume calls attention to your employment history in reverse chronological order. It is most effective when your job listings are notable (position titles and/or company names) and are directly relevant to the job target.

A functional resume de-emphasizes positions, job descriptions, and employment dates. It organizes qualifications by related skills or experience. Job seekers who have gaps in employment or who are making a career change commonly use functional resumes. Think carefully before using this format as feedback from hiring authorities suggests that they don’t like them — they know that functional resumes can be used to minimize, or even hide, periods of unemployment and other flaws in your history.

A typical combination resume is just that — a blend of the other two formats. It begins with a powerful Qualifications Summary or Professional Profile that clearly communicates your functional skills. This allows your resume to be focused toward particular positions and/or industries, and provides a platform to communicate the your best qualifications. A reverse-chronological listing of employment experience (including responsibilities and, more importantly, relevant accomplishments) follows. The combination format is a popular choice among professional resume writers as it is particularly effective in selling their clients to employers.

A fourth type of resume, which won’t be discussed at length here, is the Curriculum Vita. A “CV” is a conservatively written and designed document that emphasizes educational credentials, academic research and projects, publications, presentations, awards, and honors. This format is typically used in scholastic, medical, and scientific fields.

Formality: A good rule of thumb is to write using the same level of language that you would be expected to use in the job you are targeting. An entry-level resume can include brief sentences. If you are a manager or executive your resume will be more narrative — to draw a complete picture of your career successes and contributions — and include vernacular expected at your level of accountability.

STEP 2: Ask yourself, “Is my resume visually appealing and easy to read?”

Have you incorporated appropriate font type and size selections throughout your resume? Depending on the font choice, the size should fall somewhere between 9 and 11 point, 12 point at most. Section headings can be larger, of course. As for font type, the higher your level of responsibility, the more likely it is that you will use a serif font (such as Times New Roman, Garamond, or Palatino). It is acceptable to combine fonts, but never more than two (for example, Times for the section titles and Arial for the content).

Does your resume contain sufficient white space? Your challenge is to draw the reader’s attention to essential information. Using white space effectively can help you do just that. You’ll need to become familiar with some features of your word processing software that you might not normally access (such as the paragraph, line-spacing, and tab settings).

Does your resume implement appropriate design elements? Conservative use of lines, bolding, italics, and bullets can be very effective. When used consistently, they will help the reader along in your thought process and crystallize the organization of your resume.

For great ideas on contemporary formats, check out one or more of the recently released resume resource books at your local bookstore. One of the best out there is Resume Magic–Trade Secrets of a Professional Resume Writer by Susan Britton Whitcomb (JIST Works). For executive-level ideas, Wendy Enelow’s Best Resumes for $100,000+ Jobs (Impact Publications) or Donald Asher’s Bible of Executive Resumes (Ten Speed Press) are both outstanding.

STEP 3: Ask yourself, “Does my resume contain a powerful opening section that draws the reader in?”

Is the most relevant information you want to communicate showcased in a powerful Qualifications Summary or Professional Profile in the top 1/3 of your resume? At a minimum, you’ll want to include your total years of experience and encapsulate your core competencies and related hard and soft skills. Keep in mind that the remainder of your resume must substantiate what you include in this section.

Does your resume make clear what position, industry, or career you are targeting? Employers don’t have time to guess what you want to be when you grow up.

Step 4: Ask yourself, “Does my resume effectively communicate my value to the prospective employer in one or more of the following ways?”

Does your resume demonstrate how you can help an employer make money? Save money or time? Solve a specific problem? Make work easier? Build relationships? Be more competitive? Attract new customers? Retain existing customers?

Regardless of your level of accountability or industry these are things that all organizations want their employees to help them accomplish. Communicate your abilities to contribute in one or more of the areas mentioned and employers will want to talk with you.

Step 5: Ask yourself, “Does my resume contain powerful, concise, accomplishment-oriented writing designed to increase the reader’s interest and stimulate a request for a job interview?”

Is your entire resume targeted? Does it support your job or career goal? Does it speak the reader’s language with relevant industry-specific keywords? Did you use persuasive, high-impact statements that sell your qualifications as a superior candidate? Does your resume include specific accomplishments that highlight challenges, action taken, and results (quantifiable, if possible)?

Most importantly, do the accomplishments support your target? In other words, do they represent observable behaviors that are associated with the best in your field?

Step 6: Ask yourself, “Is irrelevant information excluded?”

There is no need to include any of the following: personal information (e.g. marital status and age), full address of employers (city and state is sufficient), personal pronouns (“I”, “He” or “She”), reasons for leaving jobs, reference information, and unrelated hobbies or interests.

Step 7: Ask yourself, “Does my resume present relevant content in an organized fashion?”

As a general rule, you’ll only need to cover the last 10 years of employment in detail, 15 years at the most. Anything prior can be summarized, but do attempt to keep the information relevant and accomplishment oriented.

Are your employment dates presented appropriately? There is no need to get specific — months and years are sufficient in most cases.

Did you include more than one source of contact information? At a minimum, list your home phone number and e-mail address. By the way, if you don’t have an e-mail address, get one…now! Listing it on your resume tells employers that you are technologically savvy.

Is your experience arranged in reverse chronological order? Are all other sections of your resume applicable to the types of positions you are pursuing?

STEP 8: Ask yourself, “Is my resume free of spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammatical, and syntax errors?”

Feedback from hiring authorities is unanimous — a resume with errors is likely to be immediately discounted. They assume that your performance on the job will be sloppy and that you don’t pay attention to details. Proofread your resume. Ask a friend or colleague to proofread your resume. Ask your mother to proofread your resume.

Step 9: Repeat step 8.

Step 10: Repeat step 8 again!

Your resume is a material representation of you. It is a marketing document — not a simple work history — that tells organizations how you can contribute to their success. Ask yourself the questions above as you review your self-written resume. If you’ve covered everything, you are well on your way to getting companies interested in you.

© Copyright 2004 Peter Hill, CPRW — Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.A.

About The Author

Peter Hill is a Certified Professional Resume Writer. He owns and operates Distinctive Resumes, a Honolulu-based consultancy for managers and executives. Peter can be contacted via his website, http://cbmallone.blogspot.com

Midlife career change, find career change success in 7 simple steps.

A mid-life career change can be a challenging project. Think about the possible results after you make the career change. The rewards should bring you new job satisfaction and fulfill a range of personal and financial needs.

Midlife career changes occur for a variety of reasons. One reason not to stay in your current career is that you’ve achieved some success and you then rationalize staying in a job as you are becoming more and more disillusioned and miserable. Another thing you might hear is that you shouldn’t be changing careers because at your age it either can’t be done and you should be satisfied “you do have a job don’t you.”

Leaving one career for another for the wrong reasons will not fix the problems; it will just transport them to a new location.

As you develop your midlife career change plan here are 7 steps to consider:

1. Where are you now? Carefully consider you current career. Is there anything you can do to make the situation better? Can you transfer to another career with the same employer? Is it the employer or the career that’s the problem? If it’s your current employer that’s the problem, should you consider staying in the current career with another employer?

2. Self-Assessment and Research: Review your skills and knowledge. What do you enjoy doing? What do you not want to do? Why? Do you have any interests that translate into a new career? Are there parts of your current career you really enjoy? Do not enjoy? What skills and knowledge are required in prospective careers? What possible gaps do you have to fill to qualify for the new career?

Gather information about prospective careers by talking to those currently working in the field, reading job descriptions and other internet resources. After you’ve analyzed your situation, looked carefully at your likes and dislikes and sketch out a possible direction building a new career plan. As you research possible new careers you should write out new career goals. Stay flexible and be willing to move in another direction if you reach a dead end.

3. What are the skills you bring to your new career? Your new proposed career may require different or additional skills and knowledge. However, with your previous experience you will find a whole family of transferable skills to your new career.

Skills and accomplishments in leadership, project management, problem solving, communications and others will cross over into the new career. How you list achievements in these skills on your resume and cover letter will help get you noticed and scheduled for the job interview.

4. Adding Qualifications and Education: Once you’ve identified a possible career look carefully at the normal qualifications and skill sets required. Do you have a possible gap in any area?

If the career requires specific training or education can you cover it with self-study, internet learning, or seminars and workshops? Perhaps a night course in a local junior college would be sufficient. Or a mentor could put you on a path toward completing the required qualification.

Sometimes the requirement is career related experience. This can be solved by doing work for a non-profit, or helping on a committee in a career related association, or part-time, temp or working as a contractor.

5. Networking your way to Success: Find others working in your planned career. You can locate them through friends, relatives, co-workers, or area or national career related associations, or Linkedin and other social networking sites.

You can learn a great deal about your proposed career by speaking to those currently working in the career. There are many good articles about making maximum use of this resource. Study the information available to turn networking into a valuable source of career information.

6. Financial Planning is a Must: You must integrate financial planning into your midlife career change plan. Your prospective new career may not pay you what you earned in your old career. How you cover the shortfall is important. It can be a combination of savings or reduction in expenses.

Be realistic in you planning on promotions and pay increases in your new career. With proper financial planning you can reduce your money concerns in the job change. In your career planning you may find you need to make several jobs change to qualify for your proposed career. This also must be factored into your career and financial planning.

7. Plan for Success in your New Career: You’ve now gotten a job on the first rung of your new career ladder. It is absolutely not the time to coast or put you career plan in the closet.

Continue your course of study and reading in the new career field and business and leadership in general. If your new employer offers help in added education take advantage of his offer.

Work carefully with you new boss on what is expected in the job; under promise and over deliver. Keep your eyes open for opportunities to excel. Build up your network of like-minded individuals. Help others find their dream careers, you’ll feel great and be building a productive network

Keep working and building your career plan. If you do your midlife career change will be nothing but successful.

For more information about career planning and career development go to http://careersafter50.com. You’ll also find ideas about changing careers and the stories of individuals just like you who successfully made midlife career changes.

When were the forms of media created? When did advertising first show up? Who owns the media?

Creation of the various forms of media

*

Newspapers & Magazines ~ 1880

*

Movies ~ 1910

*

Television ~ 1945

*

Cable Television ~ 1980’s

*

Satellite Television, Internet, Digital Communication ~ End of the 20th century

In 1920, radio was first developed, primarily for use by the military, strictly for sendingHistory of the Media – Old Radios messages from one location to another. David Sternoff, the then-president of RCA, first had the idea to sell radio sets to consumers, or what were then called radio receivers. However, consumers needed a reason to buy radios, so RCA was the first to set up radio stations all over the country. Between 1920 and 1922, 400 radio stations were set up, starting with KBKA in Pittsburgh. Stations were also set up by universities, newspapers, police departments, hotels, and labor unions.

*

By 1923, there were 600 radio stations across the United States, and $83 million worth of sets had been sold.

The biggest difference in radio before and after 1923 was that the first advertising was not heard on the radio until 1923. RCA at the time was made up of four companies:

*

AT&T

*

General Electric

*

United Fruit

*

Westinghouse

United Fruit was one of the first global corporations, and one of the first to advertise on the radio. The AT&T division of RCA first thought about selling time on the air to companies, which marked the start of “toll broadcasting.” WEAF was the first station to operate this way, causing widespread outrage, and accusation of “polluting the airwaves.”

Because of this controversy, the practice of selling advertising time was called “trade name publicity.” Sponsors linked their name with a program on the air, rather than advertising a specific product in a 30 second “commercial” as we know it today.

Why did AT&T decide to experiment with charging companies for air time?

AT&T was not making any money from broadcasting at the time since they only made transmitters, not receivers. They only made money when new radio stations bought the equipment required to broadcast. They did not make money from consumers buying radios.

AT&T also started the practice of paying performers for their time on the air, rather than only volunteers, which was standard practice for radio content up until that point.

The first radio network

In 1926, RCA set up the first radio network, NBC. They decided it was more effective and efficient to produce shows in New York City, and then link the main radio station with stations all across the country, connected by AT&T (another RCA company) phone lines. (Now television networks are linked by satellite to their affiliates).

This was the beginning of the network affiliates system. The ideal network makes sure everyone in the country is capable of listening to their signal. NBC at the time had two philosophies:

*

Radio content was a “public service,” whose function was to sell radios.

*

Radio content was designed to generate income from advertising.

History of the Media In 1927, the second network was formed. It was CBS, started by William Paley. Paley was the first to think that networks could make money strictly from advertising, not even getting involved in the sales of radios. Like AT&T, CBS did not make radios. From the start, they made their money from selling advertising.

The rising of radio networks caused the Radio Act of 1927 to be passed, which established the FRC, or what is now known as the FCC, to allocate broadcast licenses. The need for such an organization was brought on by the fact that airwaves are limited resources, and broadcasting itself is a scarce public resource. By the 1930’s, the structure of radio have been set by the commercial format, although advertising never dominated radio like it would television later on.

In the 1920’s and ’30’s, radio programs were divided into two groups. Sponsored shows, which had advertisers, and unsponsored shows, which did not. The radio station paid for the unsponsored shows. The sponsored shows, on the other hand, were created entirely by the company sponsoring the show; advertisers were totally in charge of the radio station’s content. The content became advertising. Radio set the precedent for television, in that the same companies that controlled radio early on went on to control television.

Soon thereafter, television inherited the structure of radio. In the ’40’s, during the rise of television, RCA also held a monopoly on all television sets sold. By 1945-1955, advertising had taken over all of television. Television was organized around the premise of selling things. The entire television industry was creating a political atmosphere of suspicion and fear. Senator Joseph McCarthy, the founder of McCarthyism, which was based on the fear of Communism, and the HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee, began to question people involved in television about their beliefs and associations.

What affected television in its early stages?

*

Politics (McCarthyism / HUAC).

*

Blacklists: From almost the inception of television, many writers, directors, and actors were considered to be pro-Communist and/or un-American.

Certain topics were totally off-limits at the time for television, particularly issues of race relations in the 1960’s. Overall, networks were not happy with the political situation for television in the 1960’s, both in terms of the blacklists, and of the fact that when every show had one sponsor, that sponsor controlled the entire program. Networks preferred to control the program, by way of moving to multiple sponsors/advertisers, where networks would retain control of the show, and advertisers would buy time in between the programming.

In the 1950’s, networks decided to eliminate the practice of sponsors controlling the shows with a move to spot selling, or advertisements between programs, as we know it today. What caused the move to spot selling?

1.

Discovery of fraud in the quiz shows on television. Quiz shows were extremely popular at the time, and were liked by the networks, the sponsors, and the viewers alike. It turned out, however, that quiz shows were largely fixed. Charles Van Doren on “21″ became a huge star due to his repeated wins, until it came out that the whole thing had been fixed. In the case of “The $64,000 Question,” the owner of Revlon was personally hand-selecting the winners and losers on the show.

2.

It was becoming financially difficult for just one advertiser to support an entire show.

Around this same time came the inception of ratings to measure a show’s popularity. Ratings, quite simply, measure the number of people watching a show. To understand why ratings are so important, it’s crucial to understand how the television industry works, through three questions, and their respective answers:

1.

Who owns television? [The networks]

2.

What is sold on television? [Viewer's time, not television shows]

3.

Who are the customers of television? [Advertisers, not viewers]

This might be a counterintuitive concept for some. The networks, which own television, areHistory of the Media – Old Television the buyers of shows, not the sellers. On the other hand, they sell our eyeballs, so to speak, to advertisers. Networks want the maximum possible profit from buying and selling time, both viewers’ time, and advertisers’ time.

The primary measure of television ratings, which determine the price of that time being bought and sold, is AC Nielsen, an independent company which provides information as to who watches what on television. Currently, about 4,000 households are used to represent the national viewing of television. In the 1980’s, only 1,200 households were used. Some households have an electronic device installed on their television which tracks what they watch, while others keep a diary of viewing habits.

There are two measures for determining a show’s audience. One is the rating, and the other is the share.

*

Rating: Percentage of total homes with televisions tuned into a particular show.

*

Share: Percentage of those watching television at a particular time who are tuned into a particular show.

The share is always greater than the rating. Ratings are more important for advertisers, and share is more important to the networks.

Example:

*

Total households with televisions: 150 million

*

Total households watching television at 8pm on Monday nights: 90 million

*

Total households watching American Idol at 8pm on Monday nights: 45 million

*

Therefore: Rating: 30, Share: 50

It’s important to note how many factors can skew the results. Shows cost producers much more than the networks typically pay them for those shows. The way for producers to make money is by getting the networks to renew the show, in order to have a shot at making money from syndication on other channels, also knows as reruns. That is the case when individual stations (say for example, the Miami affiliate of ABC wants to carry Seinfeld), buy the rights to a show from the producers of that show. Shows that last only one season, for the most part, lose millions of dollars. One of the most important factors in whether shows will be renewed or not is their rating.

This brings us to how ratings can be skewed. For example, if a show has a 20 share, and it needs a 25 share to be renewed for another season, what might the producers do? In principle, they need to convince another 5% of the people watching television when their show is on to watch their show; this is no simple task, as that involves convincing millions of people. However, since the ratings are based on those 4,000 Nielsen households, that means that they could convince just 200 Nielsen households to watch their show, which would increase the share from 20 to 25. This is why Nielsen households must be kept totally secret from the networks. When the Nielsen households have leaked to the networks, one way which they got people to watch their show was by offering viewers a small sum of money for filling out a survey about a commercial which they were told would play only during a particular show. Since they had to watch that channel while their show was on, this would boost the share.

Once ratings are determined, advertising prices are set by two factors:

* The size of the audience.

* The demographics (income, age, gender, occupation, etc) of the audience.

In short, the job of television programs is to collect our time as a product, which they then sell to advertisers. Programs have to support the advertising, delivering viewers in the best possible state of mind for buying when the time for the commercials comes, which brings us to the Golden Age of Television.

The 1950’s are considered the “Golden Age of Television.” During this time, something called the “Anthology Series,” where different actors each week took part in a show gained History of the Media – I Love Lucypopularity across the board…that is, with everyone except for advertisers. The anthology series format was not right for advertisers, as it covered topics which involved psychological confrontations which did not leave the viewers in the proper state of mind for buying the products shown to them between program segments. The subject matter of the anthology series was of the type that undermined the ads, almost making them seem fraudulent.

This brought up the question of what to network executives actually want shows to do? The answer is not to watch a program that makes them feel good, makes them laugh, or excites them, but rather to watch the television for a set amount of time. With so many new shows being proposed, standards began to be intentionally, or unintentionally, laid out for what shows could and couldn’t do. Risks could only be taken at the beginning and/or end of shows. Laugh tracks were conceived to tell the audience when to laugh. Programs began being tested with audiences prior to being put on television and/or radio. Show writers now had to write shows that would test well.

Naturally, this caused many of the same elements and themes to appear in all shows. This was the beginning of recombinant television culture, where the same elements are endlessly repeated, recombined, and mixed.

This same culture is what perpetuated the idea that people watch television, not specific shows. While people certainly choose to watch certain shows instead of others, people less commonly choose to watch television instead of other things. People watch television. Regardless of what was on, television viewing rates were extremely stable.

David Pakman is editor/adminstrator of politics and media website Hear the Issues ([http://www.heartheissues.com]), a website frequented and praised by many mainstream journalist and pundits.