Author: Amy Barrett
Source: articleage.com
This report is designed with the purpose to give you a tool to evaluate camera systems to determine what equipment, protection, and services you should have in place for proper coverage. If you are only concerned with getting the cheapest system that is available then this report is not for you. You can easily go to one of the places that sell a complete camera system in a box and install it yourself. Even then after you do all of that work, you may not like what you see. But if you want a good quality system that will work past the warranty date, then take the time to read this report all the way through.
There are many reasons to install a camera system. If you own a business, you may want to be able to identify or avoid theft or keep vandalism from your property. Or you may just want to be able to keep an eye on things without actually being there physically. As a homeowner there are a bunch of other reasons to have a camera system. You may be having trouble with a neighbor, trespassers, vandals, or perhaps you have kids and want to be able to keep an eye on them but you can't be there every minute of every day.
Whatever your reason for wanting a camera system if you don't get the right kind of equipment based on your needs, you will just waste your money. So if you are thinking of getting a camera system, you will need to look at your situation in order to get the right system.
Some questions to ask yourself:
1. Is what you want to see indoors or outdoors?
2. How many areas do you want to see at your location?
3. Is there a lot of light available throughout the day and night?
4. Do you want to see a wide area, such as a parking lot, or a specific location, like the front door?
5. Is it important to see the small details or is a general idea good enough?
6. Do you need to see the picture only on sight or is off sight viewing necessary?
7. Do you need record what the camera sees?
8. Do you need to record for a long or short period of time?
Okay, now that you have an idea of what you are trying to view, we can take a closer look at the equipment.
Camera-
First let's look at the camera itself. There a hundreds of cameras to choose from. There are even fake cameras that you can use if you only want to give the illusion of having a system. Of course there are different prices ranging from cheap (poor quality) to the ridiculously expensive but does everything. If you don't know what to ask for, you could be disappointed in what you get.
Do you want color or black/white? If you need to see the details clearly and you have good lighting throughout the time you need to keep watch, then a color camera is probably going to be the way to go. Color cameras are typically more expensive than black/white and they don't see very will in the dark.
If you only need to have a general idea of what is going on in the area then you can go with black and white. Don't misunderstand me, you can get a nice clear picture with a black/white camera but if you are looking to be able to identify someone and not have there be any question, then color is for you. If the lighting in the area is bad then color may not be the best camera for the job. If you only have lighting issues at night then you can get a day/night camera. That will get you a color picture in the daytime and a black/white picture at night.
Lens-
Now let's focus on the lens for a while. The type of lens you want will depend on what you want to see, how far away it is, and how wide of an area you want to see. For most applications you can get a lens that is adjustable to fit just about all your needs. There are some cases where only a very specific lens will work, but those usually only occur in high end jobs. If money is real tight, then you can get a camera that has the lens built in. I would like to caution you here and say that once you get a camera like this, you can't just go and adjust it to get the picture you originally wanted. So, make sure you get a camera with the right lens.
Quads/Multiplexers-
A quad processor will give you the ability to view more than one camera on one screen or one at a time. If you have a system with four cameras you, last minute weekend breaks, can see all of them on one television screen or if you see something going on one camera you can choose to see only that location. Caution - the recorder you put on a quad will only record what the quad is allowing you to see.
A multiplexer is a step up from that. You can view your cameras any way you want. You can see each camera individually and multi cameras on the screen, in intervals. The playback, allows viewing the cameras in any form you like.
Recording devices-
First you must decide how long you want to record. If you have a business and you are closed on the weekends and holidays, you may want to record for at least 72 hours. If it's for your house and you go out of town for long periods of time you may want to consider a longer recording time. There is a time lapse recorder (very reasonably priced) that can record for 960 hours. That's 40 days and a whole lot of video to watch if you are looking for something that happened a week ago.
Something that has been on the market for a while and is finally coming down in price to something that is almost reasonable is the Digital Video Recorder (DVR). The DVR comes with so many features it's a little scary. First the picture quality is improved because you aren't viewing it from a tape that has been recorded over again and again and again. Second, it has a built in multiplexer that will let you view more than one camera at a time on the same screen. Third, it's easy to upgrade so that you can view your cameras remotely. So if you want to go on vacation and still keep an eye on things you can. Forth, the video is stored internally and it's a whole lot easier to view video without having to rewind and fast forward. Plus there is no need for a tape library. There are probably a few more things a DVR can do but these would be the most popular.
Monitors-
What do you want to see the picture on? Monitors can vary in size and picture quality depending on your budget and how much space you have. You can view cameras on your existing television or you can view them on your computer screen or over the Internet.
Wireless Systems-
A word about wireless systems. Wireless technology has come a long way. It's more reliable and the picture quality has improved greatly. I also like the idea that you can easily move the system. There is a system that just came out that has an awesome price. I have no idea how long the system will last, what the range is or if there are some environmental factors that can interfere with the picture. But if you are on a serious budget, this could be the answer for you.
I would like to thank you for reading this report. I hope this report has helped you learn a little more about camera systems. It's not easy to make an informed decision when you know very little about the subject. I hope now that you have read this report you have gained some insight into what kind of system would work best for you. If your system is driven only by cost, then please don't expect to get a great quality picture. If your system is driven only by features, then you had better open you wallet a little. I would highly recommend that whatever you are looking for, that you talk to a security consultant and discuss what is available for you in your price range.
Listen I have only scratched the surface when it comes to cameras. There are so many varieties available today it can be a little overwhelming for someone who doesn't know what they are doing. There are cameras that can Pan-Tilt-Zoom. There are covert cameras that would make James Bond proud. You just have to know what you want and how much you can spend. I'm sure you wouldn't go shopping for a car or a house and not know what your budget is or have an idea of what you wanted. Take this information and use it wisely.
Amy Barrett has been in the security industry for more than 13 years. She understands the frustrations that people can go through when trying to find a camera system that will fit their needs and not break the bank in the process. She has created a website for people to get more information on camera systems and camera equipment. You can visit her website at http://www.cctvhomeonline.com
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Improve Fuel Economy - Over 30 Ways to Increase Your MPG and Save Money on Gas
Author: Brian Dobben
Source: articleage.com
There are two major categories in fuel savings: driving habits vehicle maintenance/upgrades
First, DRIVING HABITS: Anticipate, use your brakes less, and don't accelerate quickly. Look far down the road ahead, even if "far" is a city block. Get into turn-lanes smoothly and early: avoid accelerating to get in front of traffic. Anticipate stops or slow-downs ahead and take your foot off the gas: try to coast much more than you brake. Additional coasting distance saves fuel and extends brake-pad life.
Remember: he who leaves stoplight quickest pays more at pump.
Use Cruise Control. It saves fuel and speeding tickets. But it's not just for cruising. The "Resume" button can give you decent acceleration without wasting fuel.
Overdrive and gear selection. If your automatic has Overdrive, use it. If you have a manual transmission, shift early to keep engine rpm's lower and always use the highest gear for highway cruising.
Slow down. As you increase speed above 60 mph, wind resistance increases rapidly as a percentage of total fuel consumption. Typically, every mile over 60 mph costs you ~1% in fuel economy.
Carefully consider your route and the time of day: traffic flow is a huge factor.
For example, say that along your interstate travel route, the space between vehicles averages 3 to 4 car lengths… typical of traffic in many large cities. If it's stop-and-go, fuel economy will be bad. But if traffic is moving smoothly and fast (at 60 - 80 mph), then fuel economy can be superb: those rushing vehicles create a jet-stream of air that dramatically reduces wind-drag losses. Up to 30% gains are possible. For maximum fuel economy, follow a larger vehicle and use cruise control. Also keep in mind wind direction: if the wind blows strongly from the right and you're in the right lane, you'll get NO break in wind resistance from vehicles ahead.
Plan and Combine errands to make fewer trips. Think like your great-grandparents did. Plan meals and grocery shop once a week to once a month: just make a list of other errands during the week, plan your route, and do it all in the same trip. Arrange with other parents to carpool or pick up the kids for you.
Such planning may seem like work at first, but it frees up time, helps you relax, and can improve your average fuel economy by 5 to 15%. It can also cut your average weekly miles by 20% or more. Total dollar potential: save 10-35% of monthly fuel costs.
How does this help fuel economy? During the first several miles while warming up, the engine and transmission are not operating efficiently. This is why city fuel economy can drop dramatically in cold weather, when it can take 10 miles for the engine and transmission to warm up. Automatic transmissions in particular can be power hogs when fluid is cold, and manual transmissions can feel like you're shifting in molasses. (Hot/cold temperatures are one of many reasons to use a full-synthetic 100,000-mile transmission fluid). So, combining two or three trips into one reduces the miles you drive, and, last minute weekend breaks, also gets you better fuel economy.
Use air conditioning wisely:
- Keep your windows rolled up at speeds over 40 mph: the air turbulence around the window makes the air-conditioning cheaper than the fuel-economy penalty from additional wind-drag.
- Turn off the air and roll down windows at speeds under 40 mph in the summer heat: the additional wind-drag is cheaper than the air-conditioning.
Fuel economy impact? ~ 1-5%.
Buy fuel wisely. Ok, this isn't actually improving your fuel economy, but here are some tips to save fuel money. Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning fill-ups will normally save you money: those are typically the lowest prices of the week. Also, filling up in the morning when the fuel is cooler will get you a few extra cents of fuel. So your best time to fill up is -- on average -- Wednesday morning. Don't "top off" your tank: you risk losing fuel to the station's vapor-recovery system, giving them back some fuel you're buying.
Use a good fuel additive at fillup. Injectors with excessive deposits have poor spray patterns that can cost you 2 to 15% in fuel economy. Those deposits are caused by poor quality fuel. Since '95 the EPA has required all gasoline to have deposit-control additives. But about half of all gasoline on the market is lowest additive concentration (LAC) gasoline, which barely meets the regulation and contributes to excessive deposits.
What can you do? First, if your vehicle is designed for premium gas, and you're using it, your injectors may be fine: most premium fuels include higher additive levels that are effective at keeping injectors clean. However, what if you don't use premium? Use "Top Tier" detergent gas -- if you can find it -- because this new fuel classification meets the 2004 GM/Honda/Toyota/BMW deposit control standard.
If you don't need premium and Top Tier isn't available, you probably need an additive. BEWARE: there are many mousey fuel additive products that generate nice sales profits but do little for your vehicle. Find a good one that will actually clean your injectors, keep them clean, and (for diesels) lubricate your fuel pump. Our website suggests fuel additives that we know do the job with quality, for a fair price.
Lose some weight! Clean out your vehicle's trunk (and maybe the back seat). Tools from that weekend project two months ago is costing you fuel! Every 200 pounds in your trunk costs you roughly 1 mpg.
Don't drive! Carpool, occasionally ride a bicycle or walk, telecommute for part of your work-week, or take public transportation.
Shift your work-hours to avoid gridlock. Stop-and-go traffic is hard on fuel economy. Arrange traveling to/from work when traffic flow is running smoothly at the speed limit.
Minimize idling -- idle smart: Engines only need 10 seconds for warm-up before driving (30 seconds if below zero). Idling your engine more than a minute typically costs more fuel than re-starting it. So avoid drive-thru lines at banks and fast-food shops: instead of sitting in line, park and go inside. BUT, when you must idle with an automatic transmission, put the transmission in Neutral or Park while you're waiting: this will cut fuel usage at idle by 10-40% depending on the vehicle and the transmission temperature. (With manual transmissions, use the brake to keep from rolling back - not the clutch. That saves fuel and extends clutch life.)
Park in the Shade: The hotter the fuel tank gets, the more gas you lose to evaporation.
Smart vacation thinking: If your vehicle is a gas guzzler, consider renting an economical vehicle to drive on vacation. With a discounted week-long rate at better fuel economy, the rental might pay for itself. If you lease your vehicle, using a rental vehicle will also lower your total lease miles.
Keep a log of your mileage and fuel. By monitoring your fuel economy and driving habits, you can see the cost impact of changing your driving style, and you can spot the poor fuel economy that is often a first-alert to maintenance issues. In addition, as you make changes to improve fuel economy, you can measure the exact results (averaged over five or more fill-ups for best accuracy).
Second: vehicle MAINTENANCE & UPGRADES.
These areas often get skipped in recommendations on getting better fuel economy. That's unfortunate because they can have huge impacts.
Most fuel economy improvements fall into two general categories: decrease friction in the vehicle's drivetrain (engine, transmission, differential, wheel bearings, tires); make it easier for air to flow through the engine, anywhere from the air intake to the exhaust tailpipe.
These are the same areas that performance-enthusiasts change to get more horsepower. I spoke with a Lexus mechanic who has won awards for his modified 2003 Dodge 2500 pickup with the Cummins turbo-diesel engine. He was surprised that with his many thousands of dollars in horsepower upgrades, he was getting about 23 mpg even with large tires and higher ground-clearance. "Every time I increased the power, the fuel economy improved." No surprise to me: except for tires and suspension, he increased his truck's efficiency with every power upgrade.
Keep your engine tuned up. If you have a dashboard service-engine light on, you're likely wasting fuel. Example: bad Oxygen Sensors are a classic problem that can cost you 5-15% in fuel economy. Overall, poor engine tuning and lack of maintenance can decrease fuel economy by 10-20%, or more.
Inflate your tires to their optimum: HIGHER pressures than "normal". Read carefully. You need EVEN road-contact pressure (equal across the tread) to maximize everything: tire life, fuel economy, bad weather traction, and best overall handling and cornering characteristics with increased road safety. Probably over 85% of car tires on the road are under-inflated, and this costs money in fuel and shorter tire life. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.4 percent for every 1 psi drop in pressure of all four tires.
"Experts" generally (wrongly) define the "proper" pressure as the vehicle manufacturer's recommendation. That's what the government says. That's what most service shops follow. Unfortunately, that's seldom correct in your and my vehicle tires.
Fact is that OEM wheel/tire combinations for most passenger cars and light trucks are designed by the TIRE manufacturer for even tread pressure on the ground when inflated to between 35 and 42 psi [pounds per square inch]: that optimum inflation range is much higher than the recommended 28 to 33 psi that are in many owner's manuals or on door-jamb labels.
If your tires normally wear the tread off the shoulder before the center of the tread, then your tires ARE under-inflated.
So how much air pressure should you use? Visit our full online Ultimate Fuel Economy Guide for important details.
Impact? By our conservative estimates, most vehicles are riding on tires that are 8 psi low, costing about 3% in fuel economy.
Watch your tire choice. Replacing your tires/wheels with wider and/or taller ones may look awesome, but keep in mind that your choice could have a 1 to 3% penalty in fuel economy... or even more in extreme cases like "monster truck" tires/wheels.
Switch to best-quality synthetic oils and filters throughout your drivetrain: engine oil, transmission fluid, differential gear oil and wheel bearing grease. This advice -- to use the best synthetic lubricants -- is rarely heard, yet it's an easy area to save money. You save in routine maintenance costs, long-term maintenance costs, time-in-the-shop, and of course in fuel economy. But unfortunately it's not a simple area to understand. So here's a brief primer on synthetic lubricants:
The number of vehicle owners turning to synthetic engine oil has increased dramatically, because consumers are learning that synthetics are better than petroleum products in every way, BY DESIGN. More vehicle owners are beginning to realize what the OEM's and quick-lubes don't want them to know: that full synthetics can cut wear rates in half and outperform traditional oil for up to 35,000 miles between oil changes.
But consumers don't realize THREE KEY THINGS:
First, that the benefits of synthetics extend to every lubrication area in the vehicle. For example, most transmissions fail because their transmission fluid has failed, either because the fluid hasn't been changed frequently enough, or because the fluid overheated. Synthetic fluid helps hugely to prevent transmission problems, and naturally saves fuel at the same time.
Real life: My '94 Taurus SHO got 10% better fuel economy with engine oil and transmission fluid change, my '02 Sierra 2500HD Duramax truck got 8% better fuel economy with just synthetic engine and differential fluids, an acquaintance picked up over 20% on a 37 foot gas-engine motor-home, and my friend Phillip's 1999 Olds Silhouette van picked up 20% just by changing to synthetic engine oil -- saving him over $600/yr in fuel.
In other words, for most vehicles, high-performance synthetic lubricants are one of the simplest and best changes that you can make to improve fuel economy -- yet it's rarely mentioned! One reason is because it's brand dependant. Most people will get 2 to 12% improvements in fuel economy, IF they use one particular brand of lubricants, but less or no improvement with other "synthetics".
Second, not all "synthetics" are real PAO synthetics. Today, in fact, most are fakes because the lubrication industry has agreed that it's OK to deceive you. (Our site explains how to tell a true synthetic from a petroleum "synthetic".)
Why do you need real PAO synthetics, anyway? Because in every way they perform better than petroleum products -- by design -- and because they are uniquely able to save you the maximum amount of money with 25,000 and even 35,000 mile drain intervals, while other "synthetics" are designed for 7,000 to 10,000 mile use, to maximize petroleum-oil-company profits out of YOUR pocket.
Third, not all real synthetics are the same. As a Mechanical Engineer who has worked for years in automotive, and done extensive research (see About Us on my site), I live in the everyday world of real results and have developed some strong recommendations based on data and verification with personal testing. In fuel economy, for example, ASTM standardized fleet testing results with one company's synthetic lubes in commercial vehicles shows an average 8.2% improvement in fuel economy vs the common big-name commercial lubricants. (See this data on our site.)
Few companies will show legally-binding data based on standardized (tightly defined) test parameters like this, because independent testing on their products will not produce favorable data to support their product claims. In comparison, hundreds of ASTM 4-ball Wear Test results in independent laboratories over years have shown that one company's lubricants are consistently designed to reduce frictional wear and internal fluid-friction losses to a greater extent than even most synthetic lubricants. Friction reduction translates directly to better fuel economy and much longer-lasting vehicles.
You want data from respected independent testing laboratories? Ahh -- so you know marketing claims are worthless! We have overall comparative testing data for many specific oil blends, including Mobil 1: ASTM testing by independent laboratories. While all the oil companies run these tests, generally only one company publishes significant data, while the others rely on vague performance claims and clever marketing slogans. Beware: test results against generic "competitor A, B, C" are legally meaningless. But published/advertised test data against named products is legally binding, with huge lawsuit potential from competitors.
Improve airflow AROUND your vehicle:
- Loaded roof racks or cargo pods can cut 5% or more off your fuel economy. A cargo rack that slides into a trailer hitch allows you to carry extra stuff, still get into your trunk, and use less fuel.
- Sunroof air-deflectors can be handy, but do cost you a bit of fuel. Removing the air deflector might save 1/4 to 3/4% in fuel economy.
- Consider adding a truck bed cover, either soft-type or hard-shell, to get a 1 to 2 mpg boost. What about dropping your tailgate to travel, or replacing the stock tailgate with an "air gate" net or louvered tailgate? They're not as reliable: results depend on vehicle aerodynamics, bed length, and what you do (or don't) have in the truck bed.
- Reduce air turbulence under your vehicle: "Off-road" packages with protective underbody "skid plates", or "ground effects" styling packages can add 1-4% in fuel economy. The downside? The vehicle may be more difficult to service.
- Adding an air deflector to the roof of your truck/SUV when towing will also add 1 to 3 mpg by reducing trailer wind-drag. But it can also reduce your non-towing fuel economy by about the same amount if it's still in position on the vehicle when you're NOT towing.
Improve airflow into the engine. This can happen in several stages of increasing complexity, but the first place is the air filter, where air enters your engine. If your filter is dirty, that reduces fuel economy -- up to 10% in the worst cases. However, there's a conflicting problem. Conventional filters should NOT be replaced before the OEM's recommended interval or they will increase your engine wear rate: they rely on the "dust cake" buildup to achieve effective filtration, which unfortunately causes a pressure drop that reduces fuel economy.
Easy Improvement: Replace your air filter with nanofiber filters born from military/aerospace technology. (Just released in 2005 with worldwide patents, and reasonably priced.) You get pressure drop nearly as low as an oiled gauze filter while filtering out 100% of wear particles down to 3 microns (for real). Clean with an annual tap/shake/vacuum. No warranty problems.
Intermediate: The next thing to look at is the air-filter box design. Many OEM's have a restrictive flow-path going into the air-box (to reduce engine air-intake noise, or to reduce water intake if you drive through a foot or two of water), including lots of internal stiffener ribs. Sure, the improved strength from ribs may enable you to stand or kneel on the air-box, but they often cause pressure-drop and turbulence.
There are two improvement routes: an aftermarket air-induction system, or DIY modifications.
The best route is to look at replacing the entire air-intake box and filter with an aftermarket "air induction" or "air intake" kit.
Caution: oiled gauze filters won't keep out many wear particles, so they produce high engine wear-rates. Plus, excess "tack oil" can cause reduced fuel economy and trouble with warranty coverage at many dealers. Choose wisely -- go for the OEM certified nanofiber solution if one is available for your vehicle, because nanofiber air filters are the best technical and economical compromise between no filter at all and a restrictive stock filter. The minimum intake choice should include a two-stage dual-density oiled-foam filter: far better than oiled-gauze. If you can't get at least that in an aftermarket air induction system, then we recommend skipping it: upgrade to a nanofiber air filter, and consider modifying the stock air-box as we outline on our website.
Advanced: see our site for these details.
Our easy, intermediate-level and advanced airflow improvement suggestions can realistically net you from 2% up to a maximum 8% improvement in fuel economy.
Improve airflow out of the engine: Install an aftermarket exhaust system. These have larger diameter pipes and larger, less restrictive mufflers. My point isn't to get louder, but to reduce "backpressure" losses which cut down on horsepower, torque and fuel-economy. Since increased noise is typical, and some systems are intentionally designed to be loud, you may want to shop for the exhaust sounds you do or don't want.
Upgrade to a more fuel-efficient vehicle. Careful. Companies and sales people want to make money on your vehicle switch, so watch out for your best interests. First, price matters. You have to save a lot of fuel to pay for a big difference in vehicle price. Paying hybrid premiums to get more fuel economy probably won't begin to pay you back before you sell the vehicle. Second, real-world driving shows many hybrids don't live up to their mpg hype. (See our surprising comparison in the online detailed version of this, between hybrids and turbo-diesel vehicles.)
Finally, be cautious in your search for improved fuel economy: don't waste money on fake fuel-economy improvements. Many products are total fakes or hugely exaggerated. Most companies tiptoe around those realities, but I don't. So here's the truth:
- Most "oil additive" or engine "metal treatment" products are or will be embroiled in lawsuits in a number of states. If an oil additive claims a fuel economy improvement over 1%, forget it. Lubrication Engineers explain that oil is a highly engineered chemical package, and that if you want better performance you must buy better oil. Base your choice on published, standardized ASTM test results. That's the best and cheapest way to get better lubrication performance.
- Fuel treatments/additives and catalysts? 2-15% gains are available, with the biggest improvements for vehicles with a long diet of cheap LAC (Lowest Additive Concentration) fuel. Question the cost vs value. The answer is Yes to some good ones, No to some poor ones, and "why bother" to a lot of them. Question who to trust, and research what you buy.
- A mechanical or electronic aftermarket product? Fundamentally, if it isn't actually improving airflow through the engine/exhaust, it's probably NOT going to boost fuel economy. Our site has specific "improvement" examples that WON'T save fuel.
Brian Dobben holds a Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering Technology (BSMT), from LeTourneau University. He has served in manufacturing and automotive industries since 1988 in Mechanical and Welding Engineering, with a specialty in welding automation. He has done research in lubrication and filtration, is certified as a lubrication specialist, and is currently the Welding Manufacturing Manager for an OEM automotive supplier who leads the world in quality in their market, growing over 20% a year. His professional passion is improving profits and quality.
Brian created Ultimate-Synthetic-Oil.com as a service to the public: dedicated to lubrication and filtration education, exposing hype & deception, and helping people identify and buy superior lubricant and filter products at wholesale pricing.
You've just read a "bare" version of this guide. The latest full, unabridged version is located at Ultimate Fuel Economy Guide.
Source: articleage.com
There are two major categories in fuel savings: driving habits vehicle maintenance/upgrades
First, DRIVING HABITS: Anticipate, use your brakes less, and don't accelerate quickly. Look far down the road ahead, even if "far" is a city block. Get into turn-lanes smoothly and early: avoid accelerating to get in front of traffic. Anticipate stops or slow-downs ahead and take your foot off the gas: try to coast much more than you brake. Additional coasting distance saves fuel and extends brake-pad life.
Remember: he who leaves stoplight quickest pays more at pump.
Use Cruise Control. It saves fuel and speeding tickets. But it's not just for cruising. The "Resume" button can give you decent acceleration without wasting fuel.
Overdrive and gear selection. If your automatic has Overdrive, use it. If you have a manual transmission, shift early to keep engine rpm's lower and always use the highest gear for highway cruising.
Slow down. As you increase speed above 60 mph, wind resistance increases rapidly as a percentage of total fuel consumption. Typically, every mile over 60 mph costs you ~1% in fuel economy.
Carefully consider your route and the time of day: traffic flow is a huge factor.
For example, say that along your interstate travel route, the space between vehicles averages 3 to 4 car lengths… typical of traffic in many large cities. If it's stop-and-go, fuel economy will be bad. But if traffic is moving smoothly and fast (at 60 - 80 mph), then fuel economy can be superb: those rushing vehicles create a jet-stream of air that dramatically reduces wind-drag losses. Up to 30% gains are possible. For maximum fuel economy, follow a larger vehicle and use cruise control. Also keep in mind wind direction: if the wind blows strongly from the right and you're in the right lane, you'll get NO break in wind resistance from vehicles ahead.
Plan and Combine errands to make fewer trips. Think like your great-grandparents did. Plan meals and grocery shop once a week to once a month: just make a list of other errands during the week, plan your route, and do it all in the same trip. Arrange with other parents to carpool or pick up the kids for you.
Such planning may seem like work at first, but it frees up time, helps you relax, and can improve your average fuel economy by 5 to 15%. It can also cut your average weekly miles by 20% or more. Total dollar potential: save 10-35% of monthly fuel costs.
How does this help fuel economy? During the first several miles while warming up, the engine and transmission are not operating efficiently. This is why city fuel economy can drop dramatically in cold weather, when it can take 10 miles for the engine and transmission to warm up. Automatic transmissions in particular can be power hogs when fluid is cold, and manual transmissions can feel like you're shifting in molasses. (Hot/cold temperatures are one of many reasons to use a full-synthetic 100,000-mile transmission fluid). So, combining two or three trips into one reduces the miles you drive, and, last minute weekend breaks, also gets you better fuel economy.
Use air conditioning wisely:
- Keep your windows rolled up at speeds over 40 mph: the air turbulence around the window makes the air-conditioning cheaper than the fuel-economy penalty from additional wind-drag.
- Turn off the air and roll down windows at speeds under 40 mph in the summer heat: the additional wind-drag is cheaper than the air-conditioning.
Fuel economy impact? ~ 1-5%.
Buy fuel wisely. Ok, this isn't actually improving your fuel economy, but here are some tips to save fuel money. Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning fill-ups will normally save you money: those are typically the lowest prices of the week. Also, filling up in the morning when the fuel is cooler will get you a few extra cents of fuel. So your best time to fill up is -- on average -- Wednesday morning. Don't "top off" your tank: you risk losing fuel to the station's vapor-recovery system, giving them back some fuel you're buying.
Use a good fuel additive at fillup. Injectors with excessive deposits have poor spray patterns that can cost you 2 to 15% in fuel economy. Those deposits are caused by poor quality fuel. Since '95 the EPA has required all gasoline to have deposit-control additives. But about half of all gasoline on the market is lowest additive concentration (LAC) gasoline, which barely meets the regulation and contributes to excessive deposits.
What can you do? First, if your vehicle is designed for premium gas, and you're using it, your injectors may be fine: most premium fuels include higher additive levels that are effective at keeping injectors clean. However, what if you don't use premium? Use "Top Tier" detergent gas -- if you can find it -- because this new fuel classification meets the 2004 GM/Honda/Toyota/BMW deposit control standard.
If you don't need premium and Top Tier isn't available, you probably need an additive. BEWARE: there are many mousey fuel additive products that generate nice sales profits but do little for your vehicle. Find a good one that will actually clean your injectors, keep them clean, and (for diesels) lubricate your fuel pump. Our website suggests fuel additives that we know do the job with quality, for a fair price.
Lose some weight! Clean out your vehicle's trunk (and maybe the back seat). Tools from that weekend project two months ago is costing you fuel! Every 200 pounds in your trunk costs you roughly 1 mpg.
Don't drive! Carpool, occasionally ride a bicycle or walk, telecommute for part of your work-week, or take public transportation.
Shift your work-hours to avoid gridlock. Stop-and-go traffic is hard on fuel economy. Arrange traveling to/from work when traffic flow is running smoothly at the speed limit.
Minimize idling -- idle smart: Engines only need 10 seconds for warm-up before driving (30 seconds if below zero). Idling your engine more than a minute typically costs more fuel than re-starting it. So avoid drive-thru lines at banks and fast-food shops: instead of sitting in line, park and go inside. BUT, when you must idle with an automatic transmission, put the transmission in Neutral or Park while you're waiting: this will cut fuel usage at idle by 10-40% depending on the vehicle and the transmission temperature. (With manual transmissions, use the brake to keep from rolling back - not the clutch. That saves fuel and extends clutch life.)
Park in the Shade: The hotter the fuel tank gets, the more gas you lose to evaporation.
Smart vacation thinking: If your vehicle is a gas guzzler, consider renting an economical vehicle to drive on vacation. With a discounted week-long rate at better fuel economy, the rental might pay for itself. If you lease your vehicle, using a rental vehicle will also lower your total lease miles.
Keep a log of your mileage and fuel. By monitoring your fuel economy and driving habits, you can see the cost impact of changing your driving style, and you can spot the poor fuel economy that is often a first-alert to maintenance issues. In addition, as you make changes to improve fuel economy, you can measure the exact results (averaged over five or more fill-ups for best accuracy).
Second: vehicle MAINTENANCE & UPGRADES.
These areas often get skipped in recommendations on getting better fuel economy. That's unfortunate because they can have huge impacts.
Most fuel economy improvements fall into two general categories: decrease friction in the vehicle's drivetrain (engine, transmission, differential, wheel bearings, tires); make it easier for air to flow through the engine, anywhere from the air intake to the exhaust tailpipe.
These are the same areas that performance-enthusiasts change to get more horsepower. I spoke with a Lexus mechanic who has won awards for his modified 2003 Dodge 2500 pickup with the Cummins turbo-diesel engine. He was surprised that with his many thousands of dollars in horsepower upgrades, he was getting about 23 mpg even with large tires and higher ground-clearance. "Every time I increased the power, the fuel economy improved." No surprise to me: except for tires and suspension, he increased his truck's efficiency with every power upgrade.
Keep your engine tuned up. If you have a dashboard service-engine light on, you're likely wasting fuel. Example: bad Oxygen Sensors are a classic problem that can cost you 5-15% in fuel economy. Overall, poor engine tuning and lack of maintenance can decrease fuel economy by 10-20%, or more.
Inflate your tires to their optimum: HIGHER pressures than "normal". Read carefully. You need EVEN road-contact pressure (equal across the tread) to maximize everything: tire life, fuel economy, bad weather traction, and best overall handling and cornering characteristics with increased road safety. Probably over 85% of car tires on the road are under-inflated, and this costs money in fuel and shorter tire life. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.4 percent for every 1 psi drop in pressure of all four tires.
"Experts" generally (wrongly) define the "proper" pressure as the vehicle manufacturer's recommendation. That's what the government says. That's what most service shops follow. Unfortunately, that's seldom correct in your and my vehicle tires.
Fact is that OEM wheel/tire combinations for most passenger cars and light trucks are designed by the TIRE manufacturer for even tread pressure on the ground when inflated to between 35 and 42 psi [pounds per square inch]: that optimum inflation range is much higher than the recommended 28 to 33 psi that are in many owner's manuals or on door-jamb labels.
If your tires normally wear the tread off the shoulder before the center of the tread, then your tires ARE under-inflated.
So how much air pressure should you use? Visit our full online Ultimate Fuel Economy Guide for important details.
Impact? By our conservative estimates, most vehicles are riding on tires that are 8 psi low, costing about 3% in fuel economy.
Watch your tire choice. Replacing your tires/wheels with wider and/or taller ones may look awesome, but keep in mind that your choice could have a 1 to 3% penalty in fuel economy... or even more in extreme cases like "monster truck" tires/wheels.
Switch to best-quality synthetic oils and filters throughout your drivetrain: engine oil, transmission fluid, differential gear oil and wheel bearing grease. This advice -- to use the best synthetic lubricants -- is rarely heard, yet it's an easy area to save money. You save in routine maintenance costs, long-term maintenance costs, time-in-the-shop, and of course in fuel economy. But unfortunately it's not a simple area to understand. So here's a brief primer on synthetic lubricants:
The number of vehicle owners turning to synthetic engine oil has increased dramatically, because consumers are learning that synthetics are better than petroleum products in every way, BY DESIGN. More vehicle owners are beginning to realize what the OEM's and quick-lubes don't want them to know: that full synthetics can cut wear rates in half and outperform traditional oil for up to 35,000 miles between oil changes.
But consumers don't realize THREE KEY THINGS:
First, that the benefits of synthetics extend to every lubrication area in the vehicle. For example, most transmissions fail because their transmission fluid has failed, either because the fluid hasn't been changed frequently enough, or because the fluid overheated. Synthetic fluid helps hugely to prevent transmission problems, and naturally saves fuel at the same time.
Real life: My '94 Taurus SHO got 10% better fuel economy with engine oil and transmission fluid change, my '02 Sierra 2500HD Duramax truck got 8% better fuel economy with just synthetic engine and differential fluids, an acquaintance picked up over 20% on a 37 foot gas-engine motor-home, and my friend Phillip's 1999 Olds Silhouette van picked up 20% just by changing to synthetic engine oil -- saving him over $600/yr in fuel.
In other words, for most vehicles, high-performance synthetic lubricants are one of the simplest and best changes that you can make to improve fuel economy -- yet it's rarely mentioned! One reason is because it's brand dependant. Most people will get 2 to 12% improvements in fuel economy, IF they use one particular brand of lubricants, but less or no improvement with other "synthetics".
Second, not all "synthetics" are real PAO synthetics. Today, in fact, most are fakes because the lubrication industry has agreed that it's OK to deceive you. (Our site explains how to tell a true synthetic from a petroleum "synthetic".)
Why do you need real PAO synthetics, anyway? Because in every way they perform better than petroleum products -- by design -- and because they are uniquely able to save you the maximum amount of money with 25,000 and even 35,000 mile drain intervals, while other "synthetics" are designed for 7,000 to 10,000 mile use, to maximize petroleum-oil-company profits out of YOUR pocket.
Third, not all real synthetics are the same. As a Mechanical Engineer who has worked for years in automotive, and done extensive research (see About Us on my site), I live in the everyday world of real results and have developed some strong recommendations based on data and verification with personal testing. In fuel economy, for example, ASTM standardized fleet testing results with one company's synthetic lubes in commercial vehicles shows an average 8.2% improvement in fuel economy vs the common big-name commercial lubricants. (See this data on our site.)
Few companies will show legally-binding data based on standardized (tightly defined) test parameters like this, because independent testing on their products will not produce favorable data to support their product claims. In comparison, hundreds of ASTM 4-ball Wear Test results in independent laboratories over years have shown that one company's lubricants are consistently designed to reduce frictional wear and internal fluid-friction losses to a greater extent than even most synthetic lubricants. Friction reduction translates directly to better fuel economy and much longer-lasting vehicles.
You want data from respected independent testing laboratories? Ahh -- so you know marketing claims are worthless! We have overall comparative testing data for many specific oil blends, including Mobil 1: ASTM testing by independent laboratories. While all the oil companies run these tests, generally only one company publishes significant data, while the others rely on vague performance claims and clever marketing slogans. Beware: test results against generic "competitor A, B, C" are legally meaningless. But published/advertised test data against named products is legally binding, with huge lawsuit potential from competitors.
Improve airflow AROUND your vehicle:
- Loaded roof racks or cargo pods can cut 5% or more off your fuel economy. A cargo rack that slides into a trailer hitch allows you to carry extra stuff, still get into your trunk, and use less fuel.
- Sunroof air-deflectors can be handy, but do cost you a bit of fuel. Removing the air deflector might save 1/4 to 3/4% in fuel economy.
- Consider adding a truck bed cover, either soft-type or hard-shell, to get a 1 to 2 mpg boost. What about dropping your tailgate to travel, or replacing the stock tailgate with an "air gate" net or louvered tailgate? They're not as reliable: results depend on vehicle aerodynamics, bed length, and what you do (or don't) have in the truck bed.
- Reduce air turbulence under your vehicle: "Off-road" packages with protective underbody "skid plates", or "ground effects" styling packages can add 1-4% in fuel economy. The downside? The vehicle may be more difficult to service.
- Adding an air deflector to the roof of your truck/SUV when towing will also add 1 to 3 mpg by reducing trailer wind-drag. But it can also reduce your non-towing fuel economy by about the same amount if it's still in position on the vehicle when you're NOT towing.
Improve airflow into the engine. This can happen in several stages of increasing complexity, but the first place is the air filter, where air enters your engine. If your filter is dirty, that reduces fuel economy -- up to 10% in the worst cases. However, there's a conflicting problem. Conventional filters should NOT be replaced before the OEM's recommended interval or they will increase your engine wear rate: they rely on the "dust cake" buildup to achieve effective filtration, which unfortunately causes a pressure drop that reduces fuel economy.
Easy Improvement: Replace your air filter with nanofiber filters born from military/aerospace technology. (Just released in 2005 with worldwide patents, and reasonably priced.) You get pressure drop nearly as low as an oiled gauze filter while filtering out 100% of wear particles down to 3 microns (for real). Clean with an annual tap/shake/vacuum. No warranty problems.
Intermediate: The next thing to look at is the air-filter box design. Many OEM's have a restrictive flow-path going into the air-box (to reduce engine air-intake noise, or to reduce water intake if you drive through a foot or two of water), including lots of internal stiffener ribs. Sure, the improved strength from ribs may enable you to stand or kneel on the air-box, but they often cause pressure-drop and turbulence.
There are two improvement routes: an aftermarket air-induction system, or DIY modifications.
The best route is to look at replacing the entire air-intake box and filter with an aftermarket "air induction" or "air intake" kit.
Caution: oiled gauze filters won't keep out many wear particles, so they produce high engine wear-rates. Plus, excess "tack oil" can cause reduced fuel economy and trouble with warranty coverage at many dealers. Choose wisely -- go for the OEM certified nanofiber solution if one is available for your vehicle, because nanofiber air filters are the best technical and economical compromise between no filter at all and a restrictive stock filter. The minimum intake choice should include a two-stage dual-density oiled-foam filter: far better than oiled-gauze. If you can't get at least that in an aftermarket air induction system, then we recommend skipping it: upgrade to a nanofiber air filter, and consider modifying the stock air-box as we outline on our website.
Advanced: see our site for these details.
Our easy, intermediate-level and advanced airflow improvement suggestions can realistically net you from 2% up to a maximum 8% improvement in fuel economy.
Improve airflow out of the engine: Install an aftermarket exhaust system. These have larger diameter pipes and larger, less restrictive mufflers. My point isn't to get louder, but to reduce "backpressure" losses which cut down on horsepower, torque and fuel-economy. Since increased noise is typical, and some systems are intentionally designed to be loud, you may want to shop for the exhaust sounds you do or don't want.
Upgrade to a more fuel-efficient vehicle. Careful. Companies and sales people want to make money on your vehicle switch, so watch out for your best interests. First, price matters. You have to save a lot of fuel to pay for a big difference in vehicle price. Paying hybrid premiums to get more fuel economy probably won't begin to pay you back before you sell the vehicle. Second, real-world driving shows many hybrids don't live up to their mpg hype. (See our surprising comparison in the online detailed version of this, between hybrids and turbo-diesel vehicles.)
Finally, be cautious in your search for improved fuel economy: don't waste money on fake fuel-economy improvements. Many products are total fakes or hugely exaggerated. Most companies tiptoe around those realities, but I don't. So here's the truth:
- Most "oil additive" or engine "metal treatment" products are or will be embroiled in lawsuits in a number of states. If an oil additive claims a fuel economy improvement over 1%, forget it. Lubrication Engineers explain that oil is a highly engineered chemical package, and that if you want better performance you must buy better oil. Base your choice on published, standardized ASTM test results. That's the best and cheapest way to get better lubrication performance.
- Fuel treatments/additives and catalysts? 2-15% gains are available, with the biggest improvements for vehicles with a long diet of cheap LAC (Lowest Additive Concentration) fuel. Question the cost vs value. The answer is Yes to some good ones, No to some poor ones, and "why bother" to a lot of them. Question who to trust, and research what you buy.
- A mechanical or electronic aftermarket product? Fundamentally, if it isn't actually improving airflow through the engine/exhaust, it's probably NOT going to boost fuel economy. Our site has specific "improvement" examples that WON'T save fuel.
Brian Dobben holds a Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering Technology (BSMT), from LeTourneau University. He has served in manufacturing and automotive industries since 1988 in Mechanical and Welding Engineering, with a specialty in welding automation. He has done research in lubrication and filtration, is certified as a lubrication specialist, and is currently the Welding Manufacturing Manager for an OEM automotive supplier who leads the world in quality in their market, growing over 20% a year. His professional passion is improving profits and quality.
Brian created Ultimate-Synthetic-Oil.com as a service to the public: dedicated to lubrication and filtration education, exposing hype & deception, and helping people identify and buy superior lubricant and filter products at wholesale pricing.
You've just read a "bare" version of this guide. The latest full, unabridged version is located at Ultimate Fuel Economy Guide.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
SKI DAZZLE; THE CHICAGO SKI SHOW & SNOWBOARD EXPO CELEBRATES ITS 45TH YEAR THIS FALL IN CHICAGO.
Author: Anonymous
Source: free-articles
September, 2003 -- Ski Dazzleยฎ The Chicago Ski Show and Snowboard Expโ„ข is celebrating its 45th year as the Mid-West's largest annual ski and snowboard consumer show. This high profile and exciting fourโ€"day โ€œlifestyle eventโ€ attracts more than 38,000 active and enthusiastic skiers and snowboarders to the Rosemont Convention Complex & The Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.
From professional singles and families, through high school and college students, this show is positioned to be THE annual kick-off of the winter ski & snowboard season in the Chicagoland area.
Ski Dazzleยฎ features over 250 exhibit booth spaces showcasing the core companies of skiing and snowboarding, including reps from over 100 local, national and international winter resorts. There will be ski & snowboard retailers offering โ€œshow specialsโ€, seminars and clinics and a $1,000,000.00 Ski & Snowboard Sale with holiday shopping bargains for all ages.
In addition, multiple entertainment areas and daily events include continuous free ski lessons on the giant Learn to Ski ramp; an Xtreme Film Theater featuring the hottest young ski & snowboard movie producers, a floor to ceiling Climbing Wall presented by the Daily Herald, Search & Rescue Dog Demonstrations, a Free Cross Country Course and equipment to try, plus a Seminar and Celebrity Stage where valuable free prizes, lift tickets and trips can be won, and a personal appearance by legendary filmmaker Warren Miller who will be at the show all four days.
WHERE TO SKI OR SNOWBOARD, HOW TO GET THERE, AND BACK
Over 250 exhibitors from the โ€œWorld of Skiing & Snowboardingโ€ await visitors to Ski Dazzleยฎ 2003. Topping the list, resort and travel experts offer money-saving packages and travel bargains for singles and families including reps from over 100 of the top ski and snowboard resorts, properties and services in the U.S.A., Canada and Europe.
Travel & Resorts exhibitors include: Adventures on Skis, Lynx Ski & Golf, Afton Alps, Alpine Valley, Aspen, Snowmass, BC Ski Country- Canada, Big Mountain Resort, Big Sky Lodging, Big Sky Resort, Big Snow Country, Camp Sagawau Nordic, Cascade Mountain, Chestnut Mountain Resort, Christmas Mountain, Colorado Ski Country USA, Crested Butte, Crystal Mountain, Devil's Head Resort, Four Lakes Ski & Snowboard Park, Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce, Jackson Hole Mt. Resort, Mount Bohemia, JacksonHoleVacation.net, Keweenaw Tourism Council, Killington Ski Resort, Mont Ripley Ski Area and Mont Ste. Anne.
Ski and Snowboard resort experts from Mt. Rose โ€" Lake Tahoe, Norway Mountain, Pine Mountain, Premier Destinations, Quebec Tourism, Red Mountain Resort BC, Resort Quest, Resorts of the Canadian Rockies, Shanty Creek, Ski Alaska, Ski Banff-Lake Louise, Ski Brule, Ski Lake Tahoe, Ski New Mexico, Ski Salt Lake, Ski The UP, Ski Utah, Smugglers Notch Resort, Steamboat, Stowe Mountain, Sundown Mountain, Sunshine Village, Swiss Valley Ski Area, Telluride Ski & Golf Co, The Canyons, Tyrol Basin, Vail Resorts, Valdoro Mountain Lodge, Vermont Ski Association, Villa Olivia Ski Area, Welch Village Ski Area, Whistler & Blackcomb Mountain Resort, Wilmot Mountain, Winter Park Resort, Grand Geneva and the Wisconsin Department of Tourismโ€ฆat last count!
Ski Dazzleยฎ offers visitors their only chance this season to speak directly to so many experts from top ski and snowboard resorts and all under one roof.
SKI AND SNOWBOARD SALE - $1,000,000.00 OF HOLIDAY BARGAINS!
Visit the Million-Dollar Ski and Snowboard Sale and Swap, for outstanding pre-Christmas values on all kinds of ski and snowboard equipment and clothing for adults and children. You'll find top quality new and used equipment, fashions and accessories from Midwest specialty ski and snowboard shops. In addition, you'll find super bargains on everything else for sale ... all priced to move and just in time for Holiday shopping! This is a great place to outfit an individual or an entire family at great savings on name brands.
Plus, Chicagoland residents are even invited to bring their good condition used ski and snowboard equipment and place it in the โ€œUsed Equipment Areaโ€ in the Sale. Public Registration of used equipment is located just inside the Rosemont Convention Complex at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center entrance. There will be a 15% charge ONLY if your item is actually sold at the Million-Dollar Ski and Snowboard Sale and Swap. Complete registration details will be posted online through a special link on The โ€œStuff To Buyโ€ page at www.skidazzle.com/chicago
ONE-STOP SHOPPING
In addition specialty ski and snowboard retailers bring a selection of current season equipment and clothing, plus the greatest advice to help you make your equipment selection for the safest and most enjoyable winter, ever!
It's all under one roof at Ski Dazzleยฎ, so come meet the experts from, Viking Ski Shop, RQ Board Shop, Shred Shack and Zumiez to name a few. They are here to give you expert advice and one-stop shopping convenience for new season merchandise and holiday โ€œShow Specialsโ€.
DAILY HERALD'S FREE ROCK CLIMBING WALL
Visitors to the show have a FREE chance to try their hand (and feet!) on the Daily Herald's 20 foot high rock climbing wall right on the show floor! Offered as another pre-season fitness and conditioning discipline that is also great fun, professionally trained instructors from 3N1 Productions will be on hand to make the climb safe and easy for children, as well as, adults. This is a great โ€œphoto opโ€ so bring your friends, your family and your cameras
XTREME FILM THEATERโ„ข HOSTED BY SKI PRESS MAGAZINE
XTREME FILM THEATERโ„ข will be hosted by Ski Press Magazine. They will be presenting White Knuckle Extreme Action Sports Videos featuring some of the hottest ski and snowboarding, last minute weekend breaks, films and previews available. Non-stop action from producers like Warren Miller, Matchstick, Poor Boyz, Exodus, Standard, Jib Tech and more!
Ski Press Magazine will give away DVD's, Videos and Prizes to lucky winners every two hours. If you have to take some of this wild action home, full-length movies and DVDs on Skiing, Snowboarding and Extreme Sports of all kinds will be available for purchase from White Knuckle Extreme - Sports Videos.
FIRESIDE CHATโ„ขSEMINARS - PRIZES & MONEY SAVING SEMINARS WITH CELEBRITIES & EXPERTS
The Ski Dazzleยฎ Fireside Chatโ„ข seminar series will be hosted by Ski Dazzleยฎ Co-Producer, Judy Gray and will feature visiting celebrities and experts. These informal seminars offer tips on winter travel bargains, new technology in skiing and snowboarding equipment, backcountry helicopter & adventure tours and even winter photography.
Special guest, award winning filmmaker Warren Miller, will join us for a series of Fireside Chats. Don't miss this chance to meet an incredible legend of skiing who will share humorous stories of his 50 plus years of entertaining skiers and snowboarders around the world.
Ski Press Magazine will be sending two members of their 2003-2004 Ski Equipment Test & Editorial Staff to help answer questions about the latest evaluations of equipment. Marc-Andre Nadeau โ€" Director of the Test Program, and Former Canadian Demo Team Member and 7-year member of the Test Team, Isabelle Sauvauge will share their extensive knowledge at daily seminars.
You can count on ski & snowboard Factory Reps and surprise celebrity guests to stop by the show for a visit. The Fireside Chatโ„ข has featured World & Olympic Champions, Entertainment, Political, and Sports Celebrities.
This is also where we give away thousands of dollars of prizes, including lift tickets, accessories, brand new skis and snowboards, just for audience participation! The Fireside Chatโ„ข is a great chance for attendees to get straight answers about their sport in a relaxed and informal setting at the showโ€ฆAND win incredible prizes!
Schedules and content will be different every day, so check at the show for program updates or log on to the โ€œEventsโ€ page at www.skidazzle.com/Chicago for up-to-the-minute guest and topic line-up information.
AWARD WINNING FILMMAKER - WARREN MILLER
Warren Miller is an expert surfer, sailor of catamarans, ski instructor, author, columnist, humorist, entertainer and all-around nice guy. Warren Miller is famous for bringing the sport of skiing to the big screen. He writes with wit and keen insight about skiing, filmmaking and traveling. โ€œWarren Miller is a combination of Jean-Claude Killy, Robert Redford, Ingmar Bergman, and Woody Allenโ€ says the Los Angeles Times.
He purchased his first still camera at the age of nine, for thirty-five cents, which started a career that will continue well into the next century. In junior high school wood shop, in 1938, he built his first surfboard and that same year he purchased a pair of pine skis with toe straps in a garage sale in Hollywood for two dollars. His roller skates, bicycle, surfboard, and skis allowed him a freedom that has fueled his life-long search and filming of exciting activities, sharing with the world his vision of freedom.
Though he went on to make films on numerous subjects, his name eventually became synonymous with extreme skiing, snow boarding, and windsurfing. The films were chiefly distinguished by their feats of athleticism, their creative camera shots, and of course, the famed Miller humor. For a half-century, the Miller films have introduced audiences to every new aspect of every winter and nearly every summer sport played without a court and without a score -- activities people do on weekends.
Looking back on his long career, Miller remains true to character. "I'm a 14 year-old kid", he reflects, "trapped in a 73 year-old body, and I still don't know what I'm going to do when I grow up."
Warren will be available for photos and autographs of his posters, books and movies at the Warren Miller booth and will also be a featured guest at the Fireside Chat Seminars during Ski Dazzleยฎ.
THE GOOD DOGS ALWAYS WEAR WHITE
Our Ski Dazzleยฎ Snow Dog mascot is a remarkable nine-year old, pure white male German Shepherd, named "Sequoia". He โ€œcarries a badgeโ€ and is looking to rescue any skier or snowboarder in distress. This amazing animal is a K9 member of the California Rescue Dogs Association and Canadian Avalanche Rescue Dogs Association and has been trained to locate lost or missing people in challenging terrain and conditions.
In his job, Sequoia rides the chairlifts and is often air-lifted to remote areas by helicopter. He is then lowered and raised by harness in and out of dangerous areas to search for lost hikers, snowboarders and skiers. In his โ€œoff hoursโ€ Sequoia enjoys racing down the ski runs in California following his owner, playing with the kids and adults during Ski School breaks and as a member of the Ski Patrol, joyriding in helicopters and snowcats.
Rick Strasser, who is Sequoia's owner and handler, is a Firefighter and Paramedic for the Barstow Fire Department in Southern California and has been a member of various emergency and rescue services for over twenty years. Strasser, and Sequoia have been instrumental in the safe rescue of hundreds of careless or unlucky hikers, winter sport enthusiasts, lost childrenโ€ฆ and adults.
Sequoia and Rick will be on hand at Ski Dazzleยฎ 2003 to personally meet attendees and together they will demonstrate how these canine โ€œwonder dogsโ€ safeguard our lives and quickly capture our hearts. Come meet these local heroes during their personal appearances and daily demonstrations at our Fireside Chatโ„ข Seminar Stage exclusively at Ski Dazzleยฎ โ€" The Chicago Ski Show and Snowboard Expoโ„ข.
FREE SKI LESSONS AND XC DEMOS
Ski Dazzle will be giving free ski lessons on a Giant indoor ski school ramp right at the show! Bring a beginner to the show and professional instructors will give them their first lesson on โ€œthe hillโ€! This is a great way to put a friend or family member on the road to skiing. These free ski ramp lessons include all the necessary equipment and professional instruction.
In addition, Camp Sagawau Nordic will have a custom XC course set up and will provide all equipment, giving FREE XC lessons to all ages and abilities, right at the show. They will also be awarding prizes of 2 for 1 lift passes and use of equipment.
PRIZES, CONTESTS & GIVEAWAYS OFFER OVER $15,000 OF PRIZES
$15,000.00 of prizes have been donated from Snow Industry Equipment Reps, Ski Dazzleยฎ Exhibitors and Resorts. These will be awarded in hourly event drawings for free lift tickets, free skis, free snowboards, trips and accessories offering lots of ways to win and will add to the fun throughout the four days of Ski Dazzleยฎ 2003.
BUY ADVANCE TICKETS ON-LINE
You can save time and avoid lines at the show. Buy your Regular Admission tickets or Children's tickets on-line at www.skidazzle.com/Chicago and print them right from your own computer with our secure on-line ordering software.
SKI DAZZLEยฎ - A PARTY WITH A PURPOSEโ„ข
Ski Dazzleยฎ 2003, at the Rosemont Convention Center Complex is the most important ski or snowboard trip you will make this season. It's all under one roof, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center and features the latest winter travel bargains plus expert advice you can't get anywhere else.
There will be ski and snowboard experts from equipment to resorts; ski and snowboard celebrities; money-saving tips; loads of family entertainment; plus holiday bargains galore from the $1,000,000.00 Ski and Snowboard Saleโ€ฆit's no wonder Ski Dazzleยฎ 2003 - The Chicago Ski Show and Snowboard Expoโ„ข is called, โ€œA Party with A Purposeโ„ขโ€ by both exhibitors and attendees alike.
SKI DAZZLEยฎ WEBSITE
Updates and details, including a new โ€œon-line ticketing optionโ€, show hours, Ski Dazzleยฎ exhibitor list and hot links, features, seminar schedules, celebrities, driving directions and entertainment schedules, are available on the Internet at www.skidazzle.com/Chicago.
-End-
Copyright 2003 โ€" Ski Dazzle LLC
Ski Dazzleยฎ and The Chicago Ski Show & Snowboard Expoโ„ข are registered trademarks of Ski Dazzle LLC
All schedules, appearances, times and events are subject to change but were confirmed
at the time of printing this news release.
FACT SHEET
WHAT:
Ski Dazzleยฎ 2003 โ€ข The Chicago Ski Show & Snowboard Expoโ„ข
45th Anniversary of The Mid-West's Largest Consumer Ski & Snowboard Show
WHERE:
Rosemont Convention Complex
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center
5555 N. River Road
(Near Junction of the I-294 & I-190)
RIVER ROAD EXIT Off The I-190.
Adjacent to O'Hare International Airport.
Rosemont, Illinois 60018
(847) 692-2222 Info Line
WHEN:
4 DAYS ONLY! November 06 - 09, 2003
HOURS:
Thursday
Nov. 06
4:00 pm
- 10:00 pm
Friday
Nov. 07
4:00 pm
- 10:00 pm
Saturday
Nov. 08
11:00 am - 10:00 pm
Sunday
Nov. 09
11:00 am - 5:00 pm
PRICE:
$ 8.00
REGULAR ADMISSION
$ 6.00
DISCOUNT ADMISSION
Discount Coupons available from participating Ski & Snowboard Shops while supplies last.
$ 3.00
Children 6 โ€" 12 years
FREE
Children 5 and Under
ON LINE TICKETING:
FULL PRICE - REGULAR ADMISSION & CHILDREN'S TICKETS
AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE:
www.skidazzle.com/Chicago
Secure Server with On-Line Ticketing & Printing right from your computer
WEB SITE:
www.skidazzle.com/Chicago
For updates on Ski Dazzleยฎ events, driving directions and exhibitor hot links.
Source: free-articles
September, 2003 -- Ski Dazzleยฎ The Chicago Ski Show and Snowboard Expโ„ข is celebrating its 45th year as the Mid-West's largest annual ski and snowboard consumer show. This high profile and exciting fourโ€"day โ€œlifestyle eventโ€ attracts more than 38,000 active and enthusiastic skiers and snowboarders to the Rosemont Convention Complex & The Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.
From professional singles and families, through high school and college students, this show is positioned to be THE annual kick-off of the winter ski & snowboard season in the Chicagoland area.
Ski Dazzleยฎ features over 250 exhibit booth spaces showcasing the core companies of skiing and snowboarding, including reps from over 100 local, national and international winter resorts. There will be ski & snowboard retailers offering โ€œshow specialsโ€, seminars and clinics and a $1,000,000.00 Ski & Snowboard Sale with holiday shopping bargains for all ages.
In addition, multiple entertainment areas and daily events include continuous free ski lessons on the giant Learn to Ski ramp; an Xtreme Film Theater featuring the hottest young ski & snowboard movie producers, a floor to ceiling Climbing Wall presented by the Daily Herald, Search & Rescue Dog Demonstrations, a Free Cross Country Course and equipment to try, plus a Seminar and Celebrity Stage where valuable free prizes, lift tickets and trips can be won, and a personal appearance by legendary filmmaker Warren Miller who will be at the show all four days.
WHERE TO SKI OR SNOWBOARD, HOW TO GET THERE, AND BACK
Over 250 exhibitors from the โ€œWorld of Skiing & Snowboardingโ€ await visitors to Ski Dazzleยฎ 2003. Topping the list, resort and travel experts offer money-saving packages and travel bargains for singles and families including reps from over 100 of the top ski and snowboard resorts, properties and services in the U.S.A., Canada and Europe.
Travel & Resorts exhibitors include: Adventures on Skis, Lynx Ski & Golf, Afton Alps, Alpine Valley, Aspen, Snowmass, BC Ski Country- Canada, Big Mountain Resort, Big Sky Lodging, Big Sky Resort, Big Snow Country, Camp Sagawau Nordic, Cascade Mountain, Chestnut Mountain Resort, Christmas Mountain, Colorado Ski Country USA, Crested Butte, Crystal Mountain, Devil's Head Resort, Four Lakes Ski & Snowboard Park, Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce, Jackson Hole Mt. Resort, Mount Bohemia, JacksonHoleVacation.net, Keweenaw Tourism Council, Killington Ski Resort, Mont Ripley Ski Area and Mont Ste. Anne.
Ski and Snowboard resort experts from Mt. Rose โ€" Lake Tahoe, Norway Mountain, Pine Mountain, Premier Destinations, Quebec Tourism, Red Mountain Resort BC, Resort Quest, Resorts of the Canadian Rockies, Shanty Creek, Ski Alaska, Ski Banff-Lake Louise, Ski Brule, Ski Lake Tahoe, Ski New Mexico, Ski Salt Lake, Ski The UP, Ski Utah, Smugglers Notch Resort, Steamboat, Stowe Mountain, Sundown Mountain, Sunshine Village, Swiss Valley Ski Area, Telluride Ski & Golf Co, The Canyons, Tyrol Basin, Vail Resorts, Valdoro Mountain Lodge, Vermont Ski Association, Villa Olivia Ski Area, Welch Village Ski Area, Whistler & Blackcomb Mountain Resort, Wilmot Mountain, Winter Park Resort, Grand Geneva and the Wisconsin Department of Tourismโ€ฆat last count!
Ski Dazzleยฎ offers visitors their only chance this season to speak directly to so many experts from top ski and snowboard resorts and all under one roof.
SKI AND SNOWBOARD SALE - $1,000,000.00 OF HOLIDAY BARGAINS!
Visit the Million-Dollar Ski and Snowboard Sale and Swap, for outstanding pre-Christmas values on all kinds of ski and snowboard equipment and clothing for adults and children. You'll find top quality new and used equipment, fashions and accessories from Midwest specialty ski and snowboard shops. In addition, you'll find super bargains on everything else for sale ... all priced to move and just in time for Holiday shopping! This is a great place to outfit an individual or an entire family at great savings on name brands.
Plus, Chicagoland residents are even invited to bring their good condition used ski and snowboard equipment and place it in the โ€œUsed Equipment Areaโ€ in the Sale. Public Registration of used equipment is located just inside the Rosemont Convention Complex at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center entrance. There will be a 15% charge ONLY if your item is actually sold at the Million-Dollar Ski and Snowboard Sale and Swap. Complete registration details will be posted online through a special link on The โ€œStuff To Buyโ€ page at www.skidazzle.com/chicago
ONE-STOP SHOPPING
In addition specialty ski and snowboard retailers bring a selection of current season equipment and clothing, plus the greatest advice to help you make your equipment selection for the safest and most enjoyable winter, ever!
It's all under one roof at Ski Dazzleยฎ, so come meet the experts from, Viking Ski Shop, RQ Board Shop, Shred Shack and Zumiez to name a few. They are here to give you expert advice and one-stop shopping convenience for new season merchandise and holiday โ€œShow Specialsโ€.
DAILY HERALD'S FREE ROCK CLIMBING WALL
Visitors to the show have a FREE chance to try their hand (and feet!) on the Daily Herald's 20 foot high rock climbing wall right on the show floor! Offered as another pre-season fitness and conditioning discipline that is also great fun, professionally trained instructors from 3N1 Productions will be on hand to make the climb safe and easy for children, as well as, adults. This is a great โ€œphoto opโ€ so bring your friends, your family and your cameras
XTREME FILM THEATERโ„ข HOSTED BY SKI PRESS MAGAZINE
XTREME FILM THEATERโ„ข will be hosted by Ski Press Magazine. They will be presenting White Knuckle Extreme Action Sports Videos featuring some of the hottest ski and snowboarding, last minute weekend breaks, films and previews available. Non-stop action from producers like Warren Miller, Matchstick, Poor Boyz, Exodus, Standard, Jib Tech and more!
Ski Press Magazine will give away DVD's, Videos and Prizes to lucky winners every two hours. If you have to take some of this wild action home, full-length movies and DVDs on Skiing, Snowboarding and Extreme Sports of all kinds will be available for purchase from White Knuckle Extreme - Sports Videos.
FIRESIDE CHATโ„ขSEMINARS - PRIZES & MONEY SAVING SEMINARS WITH CELEBRITIES & EXPERTS
The Ski Dazzleยฎ Fireside Chatโ„ข seminar series will be hosted by Ski Dazzleยฎ Co-Producer, Judy Gray and will feature visiting celebrities and experts. These informal seminars offer tips on winter travel bargains, new technology in skiing and snowboarding equipment, backcountry helicopter & adventure tours and even winter photography.
Special guest, award winning filmmaker Warren Miller, will join us for a series of Fireside Chats. Don't miss this chance to meet an incredible legend of skiing who will share humorous stories of his 50 plus years of entertaining skiers and snowboarders around the world.
Ski Press Magazine will be sending two members of their 2003-2004 Ski Equipment Test & Editorial Staff to help answer questions about the latest evaluations of equipment. Marc-Andre Nadeau โ€" Director of the Test Program, and Former Canadian Demo Team Member and 7-year member of the Test Team, Isabelle Sauvauge will share their extensive knowledge at daily seminars.
You can count on ski & snowboard Factory Reps and surprise celebrity guests to stop by the show for a visit. The Fireside Chatโ„ข has featured World & Olympic Champions, Entertainment, Political, and Sports Celebrities.
This is also where we give away thousands of dollars of prizes, including lift tickets, accessories, brand new skis and snowboards, just for audience participation! The Fireside Chatโ„ข is a great chance for attendees to get straight answers about their sport in a relaxed and informal setting at the showโ€ฆAND win incredible prizes!
Schedules and content will be different every day, so check at the show for program updates or log on to the โ€œEventsโ€ page at www.skidazzle.com/Chicago for up-to-the-minute guest and topic line-up information.
AWARD WINNING FILMMAKER - WARREN MILLER
Warren Miller is an expert surfer, sailor of catamarans, ski instructor, author, columnist, humorist, entertainer and all-around nice guy. Warren Miller is famous for bringing the sport of skiing to the big screen. He writes with wit and keen insight about skiing, filmmaking and traveling. โ€œWarren Miller is a combination of Jean-Claude Killy, Robert Redford, Ingmar Bergman, and Woody Allenโ€ says the Los Angeles Times.
He purchased his first still camera at the age of nine, for thirty-five cents, which started a career that will continue well into the next century. In junior high school wood shop, in 1938, he built his first surfboard and that same year he purchased a pair of pine skis with toe straps in a garage sale in Hollywood for two dollars. His roller skates, bicycle, surfboard, and skis allowed him a freedom that has fueled his life-long search and filming of exciting activities, sharing with the world his vision of freedom.
Though he went on to make films on numerous subjects, his name eventually became synonymous with extreme skiing, snow boarding, and windsurfing. The films were chiefly distinguished by their feats of athleticism, their creative camera shots, and of course, the famed Miller humor. For a half-century, the Miller films have introduced audiences to every new aspect of every winter and nearly every summer sport played without a court and without a score -- activities people do on weekends.
Looking back on his long career, Miller remains true to character. "I'm a 14 year-old kid", he reflects, "trapped in a 73 year-old body, and I still don't know what I'm going to do when I grow up."
Warren will be available for photos and autographs of his posters, books and movies at the Warren Miller booth and will also be a featured guest at the Fireside Chat Seminars during Ski Dazzleยฎ.
THE GOOD DOGS ALWAYS WEAR WHITE
Our Ski Dazzleยฎ Snow Dog mascot is a remarkable nine-year old, pure white male German Shepherd, named "Sequoia". He โ€œcarries a badgeโ€ and is looking to rescue any skier or snowboarder in distress. This amazing animal is a K9 member of the California Rescue Dogs Association and Canadian Avalanche Rescue Dogs Association and has been trained to locate lost or missing people in challenging terrain and conditions.
In his job, Sequoia rides the chairlifts and is often air-lifted to remote areas by helicopter. He is then lowered and raised by harness in and out of dangerous areas to search for lost hikers, snowboarders and skiers. In his โ€œoff hoursโ€ Sequoia enjoys racing down the ski runs in California following his owner, playing with the kids and adults during Ski School breaks and as a member of the Ski Patrol, joyriding in helicopters and snowcats.
Rick Strasser, who is Sequoia's owner and handler, is a Firefighter and Paramedic for the Barstow Fire Department in Southern California and has been a member of various emergency and rescue services for over twenty years. Strasser, and Sequoia have been instrumental in the safe rescue of hundreds of careless or unlucky hikers, winter sport enthusiasts, lost childrenโ€ฆ and adults.
Sequoia and Rick will be on hand at Ski Dazzleยฎ 2003 to personally meet attendees and together they will demonstrate how these canine โ€œwonder dogsโ€ safeguard our lives and quickly capture our hearts. Come meet these local heroes during their personal appearances and daily demonstrations at our Fireside Chatโ„ข Seminar Stage exclusively at Ski Dazzleยฎ โ€" The Chicago Ski Show and Snowboard Expoโ„ข.
FREE SKI LESSONS AND XC DEMOS
Ski Dazzle will be giving free ski lessons on a Giant indoor ski school ramp right at the show! Bring a beginner to the show and professional instructors will give them their first lesson on โ€œthe hillโ€! This is a great way to put a friend or family member on the road to skiing. These free ski ramp lessons include all the necessary equipment and professional instruction.
In addition, Camp Sagawau Nordic will have a custom XC course set up and will provide all equipment, giving FREE XC lessons to all ages and abilities, right at the show. They will also be awarding prizes of 2 for 1 lift passes and use of equipment.
PRIZES, CONTESTS & GIVEAWAYS OFFER OVER $15,000 OF PRIZES
$15,000.00 of prizes have been donated from Snow Industry Equipment Reps, Ski Dazzleยฎ Exhibitors and Resorts. These will be awarded in hourly event drawings for free lift tickets, free skis, free snowboards, trips and accessories offering lots of ways to win and will add to the fun throughout the four days of Ski Dazzleยฎ 2003.
BUY ADVANCE TICKETS ON-LINE
You can save time and avoid lines at the show. Buy your Regular Admission tickets or Children's tickets on-line at www.skidazzle.com/Chicago and print them right from your own computer with our secure on-line ordering software.
SKI DAZZLEยฎ - A PARTY WITH A PURPOSEโ„ข
Ski Dazzleยฎ 2003, at the Rosemont Convention Center Complex is the most important ski or snowboard trip you will make this season. It's all under one roof, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center and features the latest winter travel bargains plus expert advice you can't get anywhere else.
There will be ski and snowboard experts from equipment to resorts; ski and snowboard celebrities; money-saving tips; loads of family entertainment; plus holiday bargains galore from the $1,000,000.00 Ski and Snowboard Saleโ€ฆit's no wonder Ski Dazzleยฎ 2003 - The Chicago Ski Show and Snowboard Expoโ„ข is called, โ€œA Party with A Purposeโ„ขโ€ by both exhibitors and attendees alike.
SKI DAZZLEยฎ WEBSITE
Updates and details, including a new โ€œon-line ticketing optionโ€, show hours, Ski Dazzleยฎ exhibitor list and hot links, features, seminar schedules, celebrities, driving directions and entertainment schedules, are available on the Internet at www.skidazzle.com/Chicago.
-End-
Copyright 2003 โ€" Ski Dazzle LLC
Ski Dazzleยฎ and The Chicago Ski Show & Snowboard Expoโ„ข are registered trademarks of Ski Dazzle LLC
All schedules, appearances, times and events are subject to change but were confirmed
at the time of printing this news release.
FACT SHEET
WHAT:
Ski Dazzleยฎ 2003 โ€ข The Chicago Ski Show & Snowboard Expoโ„ข
45th Anniversary of The Mid-West's Largest Consumer Ski & Snowboard Show
WHERE:
Rosemont Convention Complex
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center
5555 N. River Road
(Near Junction of the I-294 & I-190)
RIVER ROAD EXIT Off The I-190.
Adjacent to O'Hare International Airport.
Rosemont, Illinois 60018
(847) 692-2222 Info Line
WHEN:
4 DAYS ONLY! November 06 - 09, 2003
HOURS:
Thursday
Nov. 06
4:00 pm
- 10:00 pm
Friday
Nov. 07
4:00 pm
- 10:00 pm
Saturday
Nov. 08
11:00 am - 10:00 pm
Sunday
Nov. 09
11:00 am - 5:00 pm
PRICE:
$ 8.00
REGULAR ADMISSION
$ 6.00
DISCOUNT ADMISSION
Discount Coupons available from participating Ski & Snowboard Shops while supplies last.
$ 3.00
Children 6 โ€" 12 years
FREE
Children 5 and Under
ON LINE TICKETING:
FULL PRICE - REGULAR ADMISSION & CHILDREN'S TICKETS
AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE:
www.skidazzle.com/Chicago
Secure Server with On-Line Ticketing & Printing right from your computer
WEB SITE:
www.skidazzle.com/Chicago
For updates on Ski Dazzleยฎ events, driving directions and exhibitor hot links.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Wedding Invitations Online Stationer Considerations
Author: Grace W Chen
Source: isnare.com
The internet has made it convenient for people to shop at all hours of the night, as well as on weekends and holidays. Unlike their competitors, online stationers work around the clock to provide their customers with quality, professional items that fit their needs. In addition, with their lowered overhead costs, many online stationers can pass on their savings to you. From the biggest project to the tiniest detail, these businesses take pride in knowing that they are often a person’s first choice for wedding invitations.
Advantages of Purchasing Stationery Online
There are definite advantages to purchasing stationery online. First, there is a wider variety of wedding invitations from which you can choose. Retailers from all around the world offer their goods and services to you with the click of the mouse. Small town men and women needn’t feel isolated and restricted when selecting the perfect wedding invitations for their special event. By surfing the net, they can find stationers in hundreds of cities other than their own.
Next, prices are usually very affordable with an online stationer. Couples don’t have to break the bank to find precisely the kind of wedding invitations that they need for their milestone event. Coupon codes offer a certain percentage off, and some stationers even offer free shipping as a way to reward their customers.
How to Tell If an Online Stationer Is Reliable and Experienced
A good online stationer is more than just a salesperson. In addition to providing beautiful wedding invitations at a reasonable price, they also offer advice, tips and tricks, and links to other websites that contain information about personalizing special events.
A truly remarkable company works hard to earn your business. They provide informative articles and tutorials which will help you purchase the right kind of cards for you and your wedding theme. Experience speaks volumes. Websites full of information often give the bride and groom-to-be peace of mind because they prove their stationer expertise and commitment. Rather than try to find information on their own, the happy couple can save time by consulting articles through the stationer’s website.
In addition, quality stationers will allow you to order small samples, ensuring that you are happy with the quality and appearance of your potential wedding invitations. Reputable online stationers want to demonstrate their high quality, and thus, would never prevent you from touching and feeling the perfect stationery for your special day.
Stationers who guarantee their work are ideal. If the invitations aren’t up to, last minute weekend breaks, the couple’s standards, they have the option of returning or exchanging the unused portion of the cards. If you need more wedding invitations at the last minute, a quality stationer will work closely with you to send you the stationery– exactly when you need them!
Choosing the right online stationer will make all the difference in planning an ideal wedding. Catering to every need a couple may have, the hardworking staff knows just how much is riding on the pre-party preparations.
Plan the perfect wedding my visiting MyExpression, a leading wedding invitation stationer who proudly shares in-depth resources on choosing the right wedding stationery.
Source: isnare.com
The internet has made it convenient for people to shop at all hours of the night, as well as on weekends and holidays. Unlike their competitors, online stationers work around the clock to provide their customers with quality, professional items that fit their needs. In addition, with their lowered overhead costs, many online stationers can pass on their savings to you. From the biggest project to the tiniest detail, these businesses take pride in knowing that they are often a person’s first choice for wedding invitations.
Advantages of Purchasing Stationery Online
There are definite advantages to purchasing stationery online. First, there is a wider variety of wedding invitations from which you can choose. Retailers from all around the world offer their goods and services to you with the click of the mouse. Small town men and women needn’t feel isolated and restricted when selecting the perfect wedding invitations for their special event. By surfing the net, they can find stationers in hundreds of cities other than their own.
Next, prices are usually very affordable with an online stationer. Couples don’t have to break the bank to find precisely the kind of wedding invitations that they need for their milestone event. Coupon codes offer a certain percentage off, and some stationers even offer free shipping as a way to reward their customers.
How to Tell If an Online Stationer Is Reliable and Experienced
A good online stationer is more than just a salesperson. In addition to providing beautiful wedding invitations at a reasonable price, they also offer advice, tips and tricks, and links to other websites that contain information about personalizing special events.
A truly remarkable company works hard to earn your business. They provide informative articles and tutorials which will help you purchase the right kind of cards for you and your wedding theme. Experience speaks volumes. Websites full of information often give the bride and groom-to-be peace of mind because they prove their stationer expertise and commitment. Rather than try to find information on their own, the happy couple can save time by consulting articles through the stationer’s website.
In addition, quality stationers will allow you to order small samples, ensuring that you are happy with the quality and appearance of your potential wedding invitations. Reputable online stationers want to demonstrate their high quality, and thus, would never prevent you from touching and feeling the perfect stationery for your special day.
Stationers who guarantee their work are ideal. If the invitations aren’t up to, last minute weekend breaks, the couple’s standards, they have the option of returning or exchanging the unused portion of the cards. If you need more wedding invitations at the last minute, a quality stationer will work closely with you to send you the stationery– exactly when you need them!
Choosing the right online stationer will make all the difference in planning an ideal wedding. Catering to every need a couple may have, the hardworking staff knows just how much is riding on the pre-party preparations.
Plan the perfect wedding my visiting MyExpression, a leading wedding invitation stationer who proudly shares in-depth resources on choosing the right wedding stationery.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
The Diverse and Spectacular Puerto Rico
Author: Jessica Nielson
Source: isnare.com
Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States that is manifested by colorful, diverse and bizarre culture. An island full of rare and wild treasures flocked by tourist during holidays and breaks. Puerto Rico offers travellers tropical beaches, dazzling nightlife and the fun January breeze in the 70's and 80's. Visiting Puerto Rica is a very good remedy for recession holidays because of its very affordable packages. In fact, you don't even need tour operators to bring the pack since passport is not required. This place is a perfect and cheaper alternative to other Caribbean destinations.
Puerto Rico is rich with many spectacular natural attractions and great sites for sightseeing and tour. The island is full of captivating tourist spots on its every corner. Its diversity and range of attraction became the favorite in the Carribean. As a result, no other island can compare to a Puerto Rican holiday. Whatever you are looking for in a vacation Puerto Rico has it; romance, adventure, relaxation, history, beauty, magical places, last minute weekend breaks, and friendly locals that will make you feel right at home. Tourists stay in the island for a whole month to literally visit all the wonder it has. Puerto Rico also exhibits family friendly attractions where time seems to stand still so you can build memories to last a lifetime.
The un-crowded beaches of Cabo Rojo is a seductive place for people finding romance, peaceful and secluded holiday or for those who would like to savor the best sea foods in the island. There you will also find rose-tinted tropical sunsets and the lighthouse where you can enjoy stunning vistas.
You can also start your holiday by exploring the mountains with an hour and a half drive from San Juan to Utuado via expressway 22 and the very scenic route 10. Make sure to take in the impressive lime stone cliffs (mogotes) on the way down route 10. Stop at Lago Dos Bocas and take a free ferry ride around the lake, if it’s the weekend you can take the ferry to one of the several restaurants on the lake and have lunch. Return to route 10 and when you reach route 111, take a left for a 20-minute detour into the town center for a look at the Old Catholic parish, built in 1872 and included in the National Register of Historic Buildings. Back on 111 head up towards Caguana and Lares, stop around Km 5 and take in the breath-taking view of the valley. Stop at the Caguana Indian Ceremonial Park for a walk through the Bateyes (Indian Courts). Follow route 111 through the beautiful Karst region into Lares and have ice cream at Heladeria Lares, famous for their unique and outrageous flavors like ajo (garlic), arroz con gandules (rice and beans) and maiz (corn). Then you can return to San Juan from Lares via route 129 through Hatillo and Arecibo and back to expressway 22. If you want to stay the night and visit other great places like Rio Abajo Forest Reserve, Arecibo Light House, the Indian Cave in Arecibo you can stay at Lago Dos Bocas at either Casa Grande Mountain Retreat or Hotel El Lago.
Puerto Rico attracts visitors not only because it is a solid choice for a holiday but because of its budget friendly packages that is very hard to resist.
Know how to enjoy holidays while paying lesser than usual at Cheap Holidays 24 Visit us and read our latest article, Tips For Finding Cheap Holidays for more excellent tips.
Source: isnare.com
Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States that is manifested by colorful, diverse and bizarre culture. An island full of rare and wild treasures flocked by tourist during holidays and breaks. Puerto Rico offers travellers tropical beaches, dazzling nightlife and the fun January breeze in the 70's and 80's. Visiting Puerto Rica is a very good remedy for recession holidays because of its very affordable packages. In fact, you don't even need tour operators to bring the pack since passport is not required. This place is a perfect and cheaper alternative to other Caribbean destinations.
Puerto Rico is rich with many spectacular natural attractions and great sites for sightseeing and tour. The island is full of captivating tourist spots on its every corner. Its diversity and range of attraction became the favorite in the Carribean. As a result, no other island can compare to a Puerto Rican holiday. Whatever you are looking for in a vacation Puerto Rico has it; romance, adventure, relaxation, history, beauty, magical places, last minute weekend breaks, and friendly locals that will make you feel right at home. Tourists stay in the island for a whole month to literally visit all the wonder it has. Puerto Rico also exhibits family friendly attractions where time seems to stand still so you can build memories to last a lifetime.
The un-crowded beaches of Cabo Rojo is a seductive place for people finding romance, peaceful and secluded holiday or for those who would like to savor the best sea foods in the island. There you will also find rose-tinted tropical sunsets and the lighthouse where you can enjoy stunning vistas.
You can also start your holiday by exploring the mountains with an hour and a half drive from San Juan to Utuado via expressway 22 and the very scenic route 10. Make sure to take in the impressive lime stone cliffs (mogotes) on the way down route 10. Stop at Lago Dos Bocas and take a free ferry ride around the lake, if it’s the weekend you can take the ferry to one of the several restaurants on the lake and have lunch. Return to route 10 and when you reach route 111, take a left for a 20-minute detour into the town center for a look at the Old Catholic parish, built in 1872 and included in the National Register of Historic Buildings. Back on 111 head up towards Caguana and Lares, stop around Km 5 and take in the breath-taking view of the valley. Stop at the Caguana Indian Ceremonial Park for a walk through the Bateyes (Indian Courts). Follow route 111 through the beautiful Karst region into Lares and have ice cream at Heladeria Lares, famous for their unique and outrageous flavors like ajo (garlic), arroz con gandules (rice and beans) and maiz (corn). Then you can return to San Juan from Lares via route 129 through Hatillo and Arecibo and back to expressway 22. If you want to stay the night and visit other great places like Rio Abajo Forest Reserve, Arecibo Light House, the Indian Cave in Arecibo you can stay at Lago Dos Bocas at either Casa Grande Mountain Retreat or Hotel El Lago.
Puerto Rico attracts visitors not only because it is a solid choice for a holiday but because of its budget friendly packages that is very hard to resist.
Know how to enjoy holidays while paying lesser than usual at Cheap Holidays 24 Visit us and read our latest article, Tips For Finding Cheap Holidays for more excellent tips.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Educating Your Child's Teachers When He Has Sensory Integration Disorder
Author: Mary Gardner
Source: articleage.com
My 5 year old child Jeremy was diagnosed with Sensory Integration Disorder this year. Learning to deal with a child with SID has been a challenge. Even more challenging has been teaching his teachers how to work with Jeremy and getting us both to the point where we were bound and determined to help this child who was clearly different. It has been somewhat of a struggle at times, but over the months we've developed into a team. One who works with Jeremy during the day, and me, the mom who parents him in the afternoons, evenings and on the weekends. Now, we share our discoveries with each other. But it wasn't always that way.
We discovered that he might have this disorder one night last summer while going out with some friends to dinner. The lady we dined with is a children's occupational therapist and listened to me and my husband discuss our child and how challenging he is.
She listened intently and didn't make a diagnosis but encouraged us to buy the book "The Out of Sync Child". Even though my husband was clearly skeptical, he went home that night and bought the book on line.
Our lives have been different ever since.
We started reading about SID and realized that we weren't alone. There are literally thousands of other parents who were also suffering without the knowledge or the support like we were. We knew we had a child who was challenging. We just didn't know that it wasn't a personality problem. What we learned, was that it was a difference in the way his brain operated.
There was about a 6 week gap in between the time where we self diagnosed Jeremy because of the book and getting the real evaluation. I would have had him diagnosed the next day but there are so few resources and we had to wait until an opening occurred and we could get into see the Occupational Therapists. During that time, Jeremy was getting in trouble at school every day and I was receiving bad notes home regarding Jeremy.
The notes mostly were about his lack of attention, focus and his constant talking. He was punished daily because he couldn't finish his work on time and was forced to sit out for 10 minutes during the 15-20 minute recess. Many days he was taken out of recess for the whole time and forced to sit on the sidelines while the other kids played or had to sit at a table to finish his work.
Other punishments have been that they took away his crayons for months on end because he broke 2 crayons. He's been sent to the principal's office several times for acting up and many days Jeremy was physically restrained when he had complete melt downs when either Mommy or Daddy left him behind.
Over the past several months we've gotten the diagnosis and have entered occupational therapy once a week. We've noticed remarkable changes in our son, but still know we have a long way to go. One of the hardest things is to know whether the problems are because of discipline, or SID. After reading, speaking with other parents and trying different therapies, I've gotten better at solving the problems.
When dealing with the teachers, I have never taken a "me versus you" approach. I have written notes to the teacher several times a week explaining what I do at home to correct a problem. I threw a complete and nasty fit I must admit when I discovered quite by accident that Jeremy was taken out of recess every day for bad behavior. Activity, running and jumping is the ONE thing that should NEVER be taken away from a kid with SIDS. It's a complete set up for failure. I marched right to the principals office and got a meeting.
Since then, we've scheduled regular meetings to discuss Jeremy and his progress. Our principal saw how completely frustrated, fried and upset I was over the whole thing. She had great wisdom when she told me, "Mary, don't do anything rash. It's going to take some time but lets keep working on it.". Somehow, I got off my personal high horse and listened to her encouraging words. I also opened up and started telling everyone who would listen that my kid had SID. The mothers were sympathetic and started introducing me to OTHER moms who had kids with the same problem.
The frustrating thing is that the other mom's kids didn't have the exact same issues as my kid, yet they were all diagnosed with the same problem. That is when educating yourself is so important. There are so many different characteristics of SID and it's helpful to know that your child's brain is different. And it's helpful for you to help remind the teacher of that as well.
Because I've been open about our struggles, our teacher has been so willing to learn about it too. She is now working with the counselor to arrange some different things in the classroom that will help all of the kids, not just Jeremy. Our counselor has grabbed the bull by the horns and is pushing the teachers to embrace these differences and she's becoming a resource for other counselors at other schools. She's recommending on line resources to parents and has just been a God send to so many of the parents who suffer daily with this issue.
I'd love to say that our issues with the teachers are completely resolved. But, as issues arise, we have to look patiently for a solution to the problem. As recently as 2 weeks ago I went to the principal and showed her Jeremy's journal that they work on every day. He used to be clearly one of the most gifted artists in the class and now is only allowed to work with pencils and is scribbling in frustration. One look at those journals by the counselor and she had him using crayons the next week. I had mentioned this to the teacher in writing a few times via my notes and still she didn't change her mind. It did take me going to the counselor to get a change. Yet, we maintained our solidly good relationship. I know she understands that I'm trying to do, last minute weekend breaks, the best for my child.
The relationship between the teacher and the parent can absolutely make it or break it for the child. If the teacher hates the parent, then how effective will he really be in dealing with the kid if the child is a complete challenge to everyone? I wish there was a program in every school to help the parents know how to deal with the counselors. It does take patience and wisdom and the knowledge that it's going to be bad for a while, until everyone gets educated and finds a way to work together.
Supporting each other is the first step. I'm now hearing from other mom's who are out there struggling all alone. I encourage them to speak up in their communities and support the other moms, to get educated, to educate their families and to educate their teachers.
One day, Sensory Integration Disorder won't be such a mystery. Every class will have the ability to integrate these challenging children and will be set up with quiet corners, have balls for the kids to sit on, bean bags to lay on during reading time, heavy weights to sit on their laps, gum will be allowed to be chewed for the kids who need something to help them keep quiet, and the other children will understand and accept the differences. Once we educate our own kids how to manage their brains, their bodies and teach them all how they can learn best, then we'll be at a much better place in education.
We have to dream before it can happen. Then, we can get to work together to make it happen!
Mary Gardner, The Charisma Coach! is an executive communications consultant and coach. She's appeared on many national TV shows and travels the country as a trend reporter on local TV stations around the country. Mary is married and has a son with Sensory Integration Disorder and she welcomes other parents to write to her about their children. Her website is http://www.marygardner.com
Source: articleage.com
My 5 year old child Jeremy was diagnosed with Sensory Integration Disorder this year. Learning to deal with a child with SID has been a challenge. Even more challenging has been teaching his teachers how to work with Jeremy and getting us both to the point where we were bound and determined to help this child who was clearly different. It has been somewhat of a struggle at times, but over the months we've developed into a team. One who works with Jeremy during the day, and me, the mom who parents him in the afternoons, evenings and on the weekends. Now, we share our discoveries with each other. But it wasn't always that way.
We discovered that he might have this disorder one night last summer while going out with some friends to dinner. The lady we dined with is a children's occupational therapist and listened to me and my husband discuss our child and how challenging he is.
She listened intently and didn't make a diagnosis but encouraged us to buy the book "The Out of Sync Child". Even though my husband was clearly skeptical, he went home that night and bought the book on line.
Our lives have been different ever since.
We started reading about SID and realized that we weren't alone. There are literally thousands of other parents who were also suffering without the knowledge or the support like we were. We knew we had a child who was challenging. We just didn't know that it wasn't a personality problem. What we learned, was that it was a difference in the way his brain operated.
There was about a 6 week gap in between the time where we self diagnosed Jeremy because of the book and getting the real evaluation. I would have had him diagnosed the next day but there are so few resources and we had to wait until an opening occurred and we could get into see the Occupational Therapists. During that time, Jeremy was getting in trouble at school every day and I was receiving bad notes home regarding Jeremy.
The notes mostly were about his lack of attention, focus and his constant talking. He was punished daily because he couldn't finish his work on time and was forced to sit out for 10 minutes during the 15-20 minute recess. Many days he was taken out of recess for the whole time and forced to sit on the sidelines while the other kids played or had to sit at a table to finish his work.
Other punishments have been that they took away his crayons for months on end because he broke 2 crayons. He's been sent to the principal's office several times for acting up and many days Jeremy was physically restrained when he had complete melt downs when either Mommy or Daddy left him behind.
Over the past several months we've gotten the diagnosis and have entered occupational therapy once a week. We've noticed remarkable changes in our son, but still know we have a long way to go. One of the hardest things is to know whether the problems are because of discipline, or SID. After reading, speaking with other parents and trying different therapies, I've gotten better at solving the problems.
When dealing with the teachers, I have never taken a "me versus you" approach. I have written notes to the teacher several times a week explaining what I do at home to correct a problem. I threw a complete and nasty fit I must admit when I discovered quite by accident that Jeremy was taken out of recess every day for bad behavior. Activity, running and jumping is the ONE thing that should NEVER be taken away from a kid with SIDS. It's a complete set up for failure. I marched right to the principals office and got a meeting.
Since then, we've scheduled regular meetings to discuss Jeremy and his progress. Our principal saw how completely frustrated, fried and upset I was over the whole thing. She had great wisdom when she told me, "Mary, don't do anything rash. It's going to take some time but lets keep working on it.". Somehow, I got off my personal high horse and listened to her encouraging words. I also opened up and started telling everyone who would listen that my kid had SID. The mothers were sympathetic and started introducing me to OTHER moms who had kids with the same problem.
The frustrating thing is that the other mom's kids didn't have the exact same issues as my kid, yet they were all diagnosed with the same problem. That is when educating yourself is so important. There are so many different characteristics of SID and it's helpful to know that your child's brain is different. And it's helpful for you to help remind the teacher of that as well.
Because I've been open about our struggles, our teacher has been so willing to learn about it too. She is now working with the counselor to arrange some different things in the classroom that will help all of the kids, not just Jeremy. Our counselor has grabbed the bull by the horns and is pushing the teachers to embrace these differences and she's becoming a resource for other counselors at other schools. She's recommending on line resources to parents and has just been a God send to so many of the parents who suffer daily with this issue.
I'd love to say that our issues with the teachers are completely resolved. But, as issues arise, we have to look patiently for a solution to the problem. As recently as 2 weeks ago I went to the principal and showed her Jeremy's journal that they work on every day. He used to be clearly one of the most gifted artists in the class and now is only allowed to work with pencils and is scribbling in frustration. One look at those journals by the counselor and she had him using crayons the next week. I had mentioned this to the teacher in writing a few times via my notes and still she didn't change her mind. It did take me going to the counselor to get a change. Yet, we maintained our solidly good relationship. I know she understands that I'm trying to do, last minute weekend breaks, the best for my child.
The relationship between the teacher and the parent can absolutely make it or break it for the child. If the teacher hates the parent, then how effective will he really be in dealing with the kid if the child is a complete challenge to everyone? I wish there was a program in every school to help the parents know how to deal with the counselors. It does take patience and wisdom and the knowledge that it's going to be bad for a while, until everyone gets educated and finds a way to work together.
Supporting each other is the first step. I'm now hearing from other mom's who are out there struggling all alone. I encourage them to speak up in their communities and support the other moms, to get educated, to educate their families and to educate their teachers.
One day, Sensory Integration Disorder won't be such a mystery. Every class will have the ability to integrate these challenging children and will be set up with quiet corners, have balls for the kids to sit on, bean bags to lay on during reading time, heavy weights to sit on their laps, gum will be allowed to be chewed for the kids who need something to help them keep quiet, and the other children will understand and accept the differences. Once we educate our own kids how to manage their brains, their bodies and teach them all how they can learn best, then we'll be at a much better place in education.
We have to dream before it can happen. Then, we can get to work together to make it happen!
Mary Gardner, The Charisma Coach! is an executive communications consultant and coach. She's appeared on many national TV shows and travels the country as a trend reporter on local TV stations around the country. Mary is married and has a son with Sensory Integration Disorder and she welcomes other parents to write to her about their children. Her website is http://www.marygardner.com
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Rudi Johnson, RB, # 32 of the Cincinnati Bengals to analyze NFL playoff games, live on FOXSports radio every Saturday, commencing January 10, 2004
Author: Anonymous
Source: free-articles
Virginia Beach, VA January 9 2004--Rudi Johnson, RB, and #32 of the Cincinnati Bengals will analyze NFL playoff games live on the FOXSports Radio network on Saturday, January 10, 2004 at 1:05pm ET and 12:05 CT, check your local listings for airtime.
Rudi did an excellent job of analyzing and breaking down the NFL playoff games for FOXSports RADIO last weekend. He was very thorough and accurate, so much so that FOXSports RADIO asked him to join them again โ€œliveโ€ to analyze the NFL playoffs for the this upcoming weekend.
Rudi Johnson, RB, # 32 is the face of the new Cincinnati Bengals. โ€œHumble,โ€ โ€œdown to earth,โ€ โ€œlaid back,โ€ โ€œwilling to take risksโ€ are just a few of the phrases used to describe this talented, athletic, and exceptional player. Johnson, who until recently was a back up to Bengals Running Back Corey Dillon, emerged to become one of the more exciting players to watch in the NFL. This year, Johnson had three150 yard rushing games in a single seasonโ€"no other player in Bengal history had done that. Johnson became the featured back as the Bengals played their way into contention for the playoffs, and finished with 957, last minute weekend breaks, yards for the season.
Rudi Johnson, #32 has become one of the more valuable free-agent pickups in the NFL. While on his way to rushing for nearly 1,000 yards, he made a name for himself. No longer viewed as a back up, number 32 is definitely on his way to becoming one of the top running backs in the NFL. And when the fans chanted the name โ€œRu-di, Ru-diโ€ฆโ€ the Paul Brown Stadium rockedโ€ฆthe crowd was definitely behind him. This โ€œyoungโ€ man created a buzz every time he stepped on the field. I say โ€œyoung,โ€ because he is only 24; but he is wise well beyond his years. Spend ten minutes with him and you'll know. He's a man of few words; he lets his actions do the talking. Yet, you won't find a nicer easygoing guy than Rudi Johnson. He never has anything negative to say about any one or anything. He just loves the game of football. He didn't get caught up in all of the hype and hoopla surrounding his accomplishments.
Upon leaving Auburn University, Johnson was drafted by the Bengals, where he had been waiting patiently for the opportunity to display his ability and God-given talent. โ€œEverything happens for a reason, and God has a plan for everyoneโ€ฆI just leave everything in His hands and go out there and give a 110 percent every time I have the opportunity to do so. I don't know any other way to play.โ€, said Johnson.
For more information or interviews contact Carla Welborn at 301-847-0155 or CarlaWelborn@AOL.com.
Source: free-articles
Virginia Beach, VA January 9 2004--Rudi Johnson, RB, and #32 of the Cincinnati Bengals will analyze NFL playoff games live on the FOXSports Radio network on Saturday, January 10, 2004 at 1:05pm ET and 12:05 CT, check your local listings for airtime.
Rudi did an excellent job of analyzing and breaking down the NFL playoff games for FOXSports RADIO last weekend. He was very thorough and accurate, so much so that FOXSports RADIO asked him to join them again โ€œliveโ€ to analyze the NFL playoffs for the this upcoming weekend.
Rudi Johnson, RB, # 32 is the face of the new Cincinnati Bengals. โ€œHumble,โ€ โ€œdown to earth,โ€ โ€œlaid back,โ€ โ€œwilling to take risksโ€ are just a few of the phrases used to describe this talented, athletic, and exceptional player. Johnson, who until recently was a back up to Bengals Running Back Corey Dillon, emerged to become one of the more exciting players to watch in the NFL. This year, Johnson had three150 yard rushing games in a single seasonโ€"no other player in Bengal history had done that. Johnson became the featured back as the Bengals played their way into contention for the playoffs, and finished with 957, last minute weekend breaks, yards for the season.
Rudi Johnson, #32 has become one of the more valuable free-agent pickups in the NFL. While on his way to rushing for nearly 1,000 yards, he made a name for himself. No longer viewed as a back up, number 32 is definitely on his way to becoming one of the top running backs in the NFL. And when the fans chanted the name โ€œRu-di, Ru-diโ€ฆโ€ the Paul Brown Stadium rockedโ€ฆthe crowd was definitely behind him. This โ€œyoungโ€ man created a buzz every time he stepped on the field. I say โ€œyoung,โ€ because he is only 24; but he is wise well beyond his years. Spend ten minutes with him and you'll know. He's a man of few words; he lets his actions do the talking. Yet, you won't find a nicer easygoing guy than Rudi Johnson. He never has anything negative to say about any one or anything. He just loves the game of football. He didn't get caught up in all of the hype and hoopla surrounding his accomplishments.
Upon leaving Auburn University, Johnson was drafted by the Bengals, where he had been waiting patiently for the opportunity to display his ability and God-given talent. โ€œEverything happens for a reason, and God has a plan for everyoneโ€ฆI just leave everything in His hands and go out there and give a 110 percent every time I have the opportunity to do so. I don't know any other way to play.โ€, said Johnson.
For more information or interviews contact Carla Welborn at 301-847-0155 or CarlaWelborn@AOL.com.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Burned On The Barbee
Author: Bob Alexander
Source: isnare.com
When winter's chill is gone in most parts of this country, it's time to get the old bar-b-que grill dusted off after a long stay in the garage or barn; where ever you have had it stored since last summer's cook out. If you left it outside in the weather all winter, like many of us have done, you just have to sweep off the spider webs and old leaves, throw out the old charcoal from last year and you're ready to start cooking. Well almost!
Think that is all there is to getting ready to throw a slab of meat on glowing coals? Think again! Every "master griller" knows there are 12 steps that anyone attempting the perfect cookout has to follow in order to have the results expected of a grilling superstar!
You gotta have a plan! Nothing great has ever been accomplished without some kind of a plan! I like to have everything in order before I start, getting all my ducks in a row as it were. Outdoor grilling can be an awesome experience but you have to get it right the first time, because you only get one chance to become a backyard legend, known far and wide as "the master griller"
The beginnings of any wonderful weekend grill fest starts with a quick look at The Weather Channel. You have to know what the weather will be for the weekend. It's best to consult weather experts on such an important matter a couple of days before the big event. It wouldn't do to put in the time on strategic planning, then assembling the ingredients of a perfect cookout, only to be forced inside at the last minute by a steady rain. Us, who have survived many battles fighting the rain on Saturday afternoons, think of such things as this! The more you read this article and become familiar with the rules of the road us "master grillers" live by, then you too can become a "master griller"!
Next you have to decide just who will be invited and how many there will be at your cook out. This is a critical part of the planning exercise. The number of people attending dictates whether you will have steaks, pork chops or chicken! It would cost a small fortune to provide enough steaks for twenty people. Odds are there would be someone in the crowd that you didn't really like, anyway, so why would you feed this person a sizzling, delicious and scrumptious steak? Bar-b-qued chicken is the answer. Chicken is cheap!
Hamburger meat is cheap also! Either chicken or a lot of burgers will satisfy a lot of people. There is no need to spend a lot of money on meat for someone you don't really like. Either one of these meat ideas will satisfy a crowd without breaking the budget.
Basically what it comes down to is this: Do you like the people in your party enough to buy at least twenty choice rib eye steaks or would it be better to have a lot of hamburger meat, a box chicken quarters or a few pork chops to throw on the coals. Whatever you decide, this is one of the first steps in planning for the backyard cookout.
After the difficult decision of deciding on the meat that the occasion deserves, you can then decide how much to buy at the market. Not many people now-a- days have enough meat in their freezer to supply a cook out without having to go to the market.
IMPORTANT! Before you get too far along in the planning, it's wise to decide on the appropriate time to serve beverages. Adult beverages should be left in the cooler until after the flames have died. Bar-b-cuing to us folks in the south is held in high regard, whether you're cooking for a crowd of twenty or for just a few friends over on a Saturday evening. The festivities should never be interrupted by the sound of fire engines. I've heard that sound before at one of my cook outs and it's not pretty!
You've selected the meat and now you have to determine how much you're going to buy. This is not really an easy thing to do. If you buy too little, your guests will think you're a cheap skate. If you buy too much and have a lot left over, they will think you're throwing money away and you're just showing off.
Remember when you're a "master griller" the old rule of one steak or one pork chop per person goes right out the window. The food you prepare is so good that it would almost be criminal to restrict each person to just one pork chop or one piece of steak!
Of course the amount of meat you buy depends on the number of people invited to your cook out. A rule of thumb I use is to multiply the number of people times one and a half if it's chicken. If it's pork chops or steaks, I multiply the number of people time one and a third. Sometimes there are leftovers. If such a thing actually happens, that's great. Almost anything off the grill tastes great the next day, unless it's smoked sea urchin, but then no one in their right mind would serve smoked sea urchin in the first place. Yeech!
Getting back to the basics of a good cookout, you have to start with perfect sauces, rubs or marinates, depending, last minute weekend breaks, on the meat you're going to grill.
While there are many kinds of grills to choose from, I prefer to use the old fashioned charcoal type. I get a sense of history every time I smell the smoke emanating from burning charcoal. Maybe this was how they did it back in the old west when cowboys huddled around the campfire after a hard day on the range punching cows. The cook, who had cool nicknames like "cookie" or "biscuit" would divvy out steaks, biscuits and scalding black coffee to the cowhands. Those were the good old days.
Hamburgers: I like to keep my burgers simple. I usually sprinkle a little salt, pepper and finely ground garlic on the meat about an hour before I start cooking. Although that's exotic enough for me, some folks like to stuff them with all kinds of things such as onions, peppers and even cheese. I'm old fashioned. I think cheese should remain on the top of the burgers where they belong. Burgers can be cooked to all degrees of readiness, however, I like mine cooked well with just a hint of pink in the middle.
Pepper and salt to taste. (Try using garlic salt on the burgers instead of regular salt. It adds a little character to the meat.)
The rest is equally simple. If you want to get fancy, just cut little chunks or slices of whatever you want to stuff in the middle of the burger and stuff it! Just remember that whatever you choose, it has to be something that cooks in a hurry. Because it doesn't take long to cook burgers, you want to be sure that whatever you have crammed in that burger is also cooked. If it's not cooked well on the inside, you can get some funny looks from your guests, not to mention the threat of a law suit due to food poisoning. Cook each side 5-7 minutes over a medium high heat.
Chicken: For me, a good hot marinade on the chicken I cook on the grill is a must. Some folks however like it mild, so I always have some of both sauces ready to use after the cooking is พ done. You can make your own sauce or buy it at the store. The hotter marinades you usually have to make yourself. I know you can't please everyone but your friends will continue to come over for a free meal if you don't sear their esophagus with a fiery chicken leg hot off the grill! Give them a choice!
Cooking chicken over a charcoal grill is not difficult. The fire can't be extra hot because flames from the fat dropping onto the coals will burn your chicken to a crisp. Better to keep the fire at medium heat and add charcoal as you go along to maintain the proper temperature.
When a meat thermometer is stuck between the joints of a leg quarter reads 160 degrees, it's time to take the chicken off the grill. When the leg pulls easily away from the thigh, I say it's done. That's the lazy way of doing things.
Pork Chops: You can do many things with pork chops. Lemon pepper, Cajun spices or just plain salt and pepper or some of the marinades you can use to season pork chops. With red souses or great to use if you wait until the meat is almost done. If you don't mop the sauce onto the meat at the proper time, the chops will burn charcoal black because of the sugar in those sauces.
You can stuff them! You can grill them! You can smoke them! Anyway you cook a pork chop on the grill is good! Simply cook them on each side for about 6 minutes each until they are done. Larger chops should be cooked a little longer.
Steaks: It's easy to mess up a good steak by cooking it too much. Don't do that! A good sprinkle of garlic salt, a little pepper and you're off to the races. Throw the steaks on the grill and cook them one side for about two minutes them flip them, sealing in the juices, making the meat more tender and delicious. Depending on how thick the steaks are, cook them five to six minutes on one side. Leave them on longer if you want them well done.
Every cookout can be an adventure, but when you become a "master griller" every day you spend outdoors with your grill or smoker is a vacation day!
Source: isnare.com
When winter's chill is gone in most parts of this country, it's time to get the old bar-b-que grill dusted off after a long stay in the garage or barn; where ever you have had it stored since last summer's cook out. If you left it outside in the weather all winter, like many of us have done, you just have to sweep off the spider webs and old leaves, throw out the old charcoal from last year and you're ready to start cooking. Well almost!
Think that is all there is to getting ready to throw a slab of meat on glowing coals? Think again! Every "master griller" knows there are 12 steps that anyone attempting the perfect cookout has to follow in order to have the results expected of a grilling superstar!
You gotta have a plan! Nothing great has ever been accomplished without some kind of a plan! I like to have everything in order before I start, getting all my ducks in a row as it were. Outdoor grilling can be an awesome experience but you have to get it right the first time, because you only get one chance to become a backyard legend, known far and wide as "the master griller"
The beginnings of any wonderful weekend grill fest starts with a quick look at The Weather Channel. You have to know what the weather will be for the weekend. It's best to consult weather experts on such an important matter a couple of days before the big event. It wouldn't do to put in the time on strategic planning, then assembling the ingredients of a perfect cookout, only to be forced inside at the last minute by a steady rain. Us, who have survived many battles fighting the rain on Saturday afternoons, think of such things as this! The more you read this article and become familiar with the rules of the road us "master grillers" live by, then you too can become a "master griller"!
Next you have to decide just who will be invited and how many there will be at your cook out. This is a critical part of the planning exercise. The number of people attending dictates whether you will have steaks, pork chops or chicken! It would cost a small fortune to provide enough steaks for twenty people. Odds are there would be someone in the crowd that you didn't really like, anyway, so why would you feed this person a sizzling, delicious and scrumptious steak? Bar-b-qued chicken is the answer. Chicken is cheap!
Hamburger meat is cheap also! Either chicken or a lot of burgers will satisfy a lot of people. There is no need to spend a lot of money on meat for someone you don't really like. Either one of these meat ideas will satisfy a crowd without breaking the budget.
Basically what it comes down to is this: Do you like the people in your party enough to buy at least twenty choice rib eye steaks or would it be better to have a lot of hamburger meat, a box chicken quarters or a few pork chops to throw on the coals. Whatever you decide, this is one of the first steps in planning for the backyard cookout.
After the difficult decision of deciding on the meat that the occasion deserves, you can then decide how much to buy at the market. Not many people now-a- days have enough meat in their freezer to supply a cook out without having to go to the market.
IMPORTANT! Before you get too far along in the planning, it's wise to decide on the appropriate time to serve beverages. Adult beverages should be left in the cooler until after the flames have died. Bar-b-cuing to us folks in the south is held in high regard, whether you're cooking for a crowd of twenty or for just a few friends over on a Saturday evening. The festivities should never be interrupted by the sound of fire engines. I've heard that sound before at one of my cook outs and it's not pretty!
You've selected the meat and now you have to determine how much you're going to buy. This is not really an easy thing to do. If you buy too little, your guests will think you're a cheap skate. If you buy too much and have a lot left over, they will think you're throwing money away and you're just showing off.
Remember when you're a "master griller" the old rule of one steak or one pork chop per person goes right out the window. The food you prepare is so good that it would almost be criminal to restrict each person to just one pork chop or one piece of steak!
Of course the amount of meat you buy depends on the number of people invited to your cook out. A rule of thumb I use is to multiply the number of people times one and a half if it's chicken. If it's pork chops or steaks, I multiply the number of people time one and a third. Sometimes there are leftovers. If such a thing actually happens, that's great. Almost anything off the grill tastes great the next day, unless it's smoked sea urchin, but then no one in their right mind would serve smoked sea urchin in the first place. Yeech!
Getting back to the basics of a good cookout, you have to start with perfect sauces, rubs or marinates, depending, last minute weekend breaks, on the meat you're going to grill.
While there are many kinds of grills to choose from, I prefer to use the old fashioned charcoal type. I get a sense of history every time I smell the smoke emanating from burning charcoal. Maybe this was how they did it back in the old west when cowboys huddled around the campfire after a hard day on the range punching cows. The cook, who had cool nicknames like "cookie" or "biscuit" would divvy out steaks, biscuits and scalding black coffee to the cowhands. Those were the good old days.
Hamburgers: I like to keep my burgers simple. I usually sprinkle a little salt, pepper and finely ground garlic on the meat about an hour before I start cooking. Although that's exotic enough for me, some folks like to stuff them with all kinds of things such as onions, peppers and even cheese. I'm old fashioned. I think cheese should remain on the top of the burgers where they belong. Burgers can be cooked to all degrees of readiness, however, I like mine cooked well with just a hint of pink in the middle.
Pepper and salt to taste. (Try using garlic salt on the burgers instead of regular salt. It adds a little character to the meat.)
The rest is equally simple. If you want to get fancy, just cut little chunks or slices of whatever you want to stuff in the middle of the burger and stuff it! Just remember that whatever you choose, it has to be something that cooks in a hurry. Because it doesn't take long to cook burgers, you want to be sure that whatever you have crammed in that burger is also cooked. If it's not cooked well on the inside, you can get some funny looks from your guests, not to mention the threat of a law suit due to food poisoning. Cook each side 5-7 minutes over a medium high heat.
Chicken: For me, a good hot marinade on the chicken I cook on the grill is a must. Some folks however like it mild, so I always have some of both sauces ready to use after the cooking is พ done. You can make your own sauce or buy it at the store. The hotter marinades you usually have to make yourself. I know you can't please everyone but your friends will continue to come over for a free meal if you don't sear their esophagus with a fiery chicken leg hot off the grill! Give them a choice!
Cooking chicken over a charcoal grill is not difficult. The fire can't be extra hot because flames from the fat dropping onto the coals will burn your chicken to a crisp. Better to keep the fire at medium heat and add charcoal as you go along to maintain the proper temperature.
When a meat thermometer is stuck between the joints of a leg quarter reads 160 degrees, it's time to take the chicken off the grill. When the leg pulls easily away from the thigh, I say it's done. That's the lazy way of doing things.
Pork Chops: You can do many things with pork chops. Lemon pepper, Cajun spices or just plain salt and pepper or some of the marinades you can use to season pork chops. With red souses or great to use if you wait until the meat is almost done. If you don't mop the sauce onto the meat at the proper time, the chops will burn charcoal black because of the sugar in those sauces.
You can stuff them! You can grill them! You can smoke them! Anyway you cook a pork chop on the grill is good! Simply cook them on each side for about 6 minutes each until they are done. Larger chops should be cooked a little longer.
Steaks: It's easy to mess up a good steak by cooking it too much. Don't do that! A good sprinkle of garlic salt, a little pepper and you're off to the races. Throw the steaks on the grill and cook them one side for about two minutes them flip them, sealing in the juices, making the meat more tender and delicious. Depending on how thick the steaks are, cook them five to six minutes on one side. Leave them on longer if you want them well done.
Every cookout can be an adventure, but when you become a "master griller" every day you spend outdoors with your grill or smoker is a vacation day!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
50 Things to do to your Boss that are Fun for you, but not f
Author: Dawnell Harrison
Source: articleage.com
1. You're eavesdropping and you hear your boss has reservations at his favorite restaurant. You know, the one you can't afford. Call them back and cancel his reservations - say you're his wife.
2. Have a friend of yours make an anonymous call to your boss saying that they know what he has been up to, possess incriminating pictures, and hang up. It will scare the bejesus out of him.
3. Put chocolate ex-lax in your manager's chocolate licorice. Not only will you feel better, it may wipe that constipated look off of his face too.
4. Call the local Mormon or Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints church and ask that they visit your house soon, only give them your manager's home address.
5. Every time your boss asks you a question, just look at him and say "interesting" and go back to what you were working on.
6. Take your eyeliner and smears it in his chair when he's not looking. His wife will feel needed when she has to heartily scrub and wash his pants.
7. Turn the pictures on his desk upside down and act overly sweet and innocent when he asks if you know why they are like that.
8. When your boss goes to the bathroom, turn his computer off. When he asks you if you know what happened, say that you don't and it must have just crashed or something. Smile like the Cheshire cat.
9. Enlist a friend to deliver papers appearing to be legal documents that insinuate he is being sued for 4 million dollars. Put word "joke" on the last page of the 20-page document. It will be fun to watch beads of sweat form on his brow.
10. Remove all toilet paper from the men's bathroom and put it in the women's. Shake your head in disapproval of the janitorial help in your office when your boss complains about it.
11. Put your boss on all of the mailing lists of his most detested organizations and clubs. When he asks you to call and have them remove him from the lists, say of course, and never do it.
12. Replace the vodka in the liquor cabinet with water. You're doing him a favor, really you are. When he comments that his vodka tastes like water, respond smartly by saying that it appears that just about everyone is cutting corners these days.
13. When he comments that the coffee is too weak or too strong, ask, in a serious tone, if he is sure that his taste buds haven't changed.
14. When your boss mentions a particular food that he does not like, purchase that item repeatedly and eat it in front of him. Put your garbage from that food into his garbage can, so that the smell will linger in his office.
15. When you arrive late, move all clocks back. When you want to leave early, move all clocks forward. Pretend that all the batteries need to be replaced.
16. When your boss inquires about your weekend, say you went sky diving and to Italy. He will hopefully get your sarcasm and not ask again.
17. When your manager inquires as to what your favorite TV show is, reply that it is a child's show like Sesame Street. Say it like you mean it.
18. Out of the blue, say you have an emergency appointment with your astrologer and it is important that you leave now because your charts are waiting!
19. For your manager's birthday, hire a palm reader to read your manager's palm. Pay them an extra $50 to say "Oh My" in the middle of the reading and not be able to continue.
20. Grind up leaves from your backyard that look like pot, put into a baggie, and send it to your boss. Stand there while he opens it and gasp when the contents are revealed. Say "it is none of my business" and walk out of the room.
21. Call the fire department and pretend you are in the office next door to yours and exclaim there is a massive inferno in the building next to yours. It is guaranteed to raise your manager's blood pressure a few points or more when the firemen arrive.
22. Time your manager when he goes out to run personal errands and comment that he took an exceptionally long break when he returns.
23. Run into the office exclaiming to your manager that his car has a huge dent in the side! Walk outside with him when he goes out to examine it. After he looks it over thoroughly and asks you what you saw because he can't see it, apologize that it must have just been the way the light was reflecting on it that made it appear that way.
24. Exclaim how sorry you are that your manager's grandmother died over the weekend and that you read about it in the obituaries. Declare that it must have been somebody with the same name when he says he has no idea what you are talking about and begins frantically dialing his grandmother.
25. Superglue two middle pages of your manager's favorite book and return to the shelf. He will find it after the glue has permanently set.
26. When you are simply not in the mood to get out of your chair, proclaim that the copier is broken when your boss asks for copies to be made. If your manager attempts to make copies on his own and exclaims it works just fine, jam a paper clip in the innards of the copy machine when nobody is looking.
27. When your boss asks you what you would like for secretaries' day, first of all, reply that you are not a secretary. Request that he answers the phone on that day as well as having all of your whims fulfilled that are of inconceivable proportions.
28. Using desktop publishing, relabel a can of bug spray as vanilla air freshener and place in men's bathroom.
29. Call in sick and leave a message on the company's voice mail. State that you are ill due to the overwhelming imbalance of wealth and power within the company's structure and your illness should subside once you are paid what you are worth.
30. When your boss asks for a donation to his son's little league fund, ask what the minimum amount is that you can donate in order to keep your job.
31. When your boss invites you to the company Christmas party,, last minute weekend breaks, matter-of-factly state that you'd prefer to spend it with rabid dogs and wild monkeys, but proclaim your sincere thanks just the same.
32. Stockpile in your office your manager's favorite type of pen so that he is constantly bewildered as to where they are disappearing and continues to order new boxes of pens repeatedly.
33. During your yearly review, exclaim that you would just like to discuss your raise and not your manager's suggestions or comments. Also, add that you do have a list of improvements for him that you'd like to share.
34. Find boss's buttons and push them. If it is his weight, ask if he has gained weight or do those clothes just make him look fat?
35. Announce at the next company birthday (cake eating in the lunchroom) that the boss is giving everyone a 10% raise. When your manager pulls you into his office to discuss this, say that he sure is losing his sense of humor in his old age.
36. Stack all incoming unwanted sales related faxes and printed e-mails on your manager's desk and connect all sales related calls to him, especially the stock brokers. When your manager comments that he would like you to screen all sales related material and calls, comment that you thought he was open to new ideas and new people and didn't realize he was so introverted.
37. After next company announcement of a marriage or pregnancy, proclaim that you are getting married and having a child, but not necessarily in that order.
38. When company phone bill gets passed around asking you to highlight your personal calls, always state that you would never do that and never highlight anything. Say your family and friends all reside in Tasmania.
39. As soon as your boss returns from a vacation, ask where he went and always state that you vacationed there a few years ago and how fantastic it was.
40. Five minutes into the weekly company meeting, excuse yourself to go to the restroom and return twenty minutes later when it is wrapping up.
41. When the boss is out of town, forward the phones to your house and take a nap. Run back to the office if something needs to be done.
42. Position a cup of coffee on your manager's desk so that when he sits down, you can pretend to fumble for papers on his desk and easily knock it onto his lap. State that you hope it isn't hot and that no third degree burns are inflicted.
43. If you are single, place your grandmother's antique diamond ring on your married finger on the left hand. When boss asks you if anything new has happened to you recently after he clearly notices your ring, state nonchalantly "no, not really." If you are married, remove your wedding ring and state the same answer when asked the same question.
44. On casual dress day, wear a bathing suit top and the shortest shorts that you own. When you are called into your boss's office to discuss this, ask for a list that defines the parameters of the casual dress day code.
45. Circulate an anonymous memo that this coming Friday is fetish day so dress appropriately. Add that a $100 prize will be awarded to the freakiest costume.
46. After your boss gives you an overwhelmingly long list of items for you to complete, ask if he'd like for you to wipe his ass as well.
47. Take items out of your manager's sack lunch. When he comments on this phenomenon, reply that society is degenerating at an unbelievable rate.
48. When you manager asks you how your day is going, be honest. Say, well, if people that worked for this company weren't so dysfunctional and psychotic, it might be a marginally average place of employment.
49. When your boss says "good morning", quickly reply, "Oh is it?"
50. Once a week, send an anonymous email to your boss that is spiteful in nature. To kick it off, the first one should simply read, "you are pond scum."
Graduate University of Washington, owner spiritwhole.com, published poet, and animal lover/activist.
Source: articleage.com
1. You're eavesdropping and you hear your boss has reservations at his favorite restaurant. You know, the one you can't afford. Call them back and cancel his reservations - say you're his wife.
2. Have a friend of yours make an anonymous call to your boss saying that they know what he has been up to, possess incriminating pictures, and hang up. It will scare the bejesus out of him.
3. Put chocolate ex-lax in your manager's chocolate licorice. Not only will you feel better, it may wipe that constipated look off of his face too.
4. Call the local Mormon or Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints church and ask that they visit your house soon, only give them your manager's home address.
5. Every time your boss asks you a question, just look at him and say "interesting" and go back to what you were working on.
6. Take your eyeliner and smears it in his chair when he's not looking. His wife will feel needed when she has to heartily scrub and wash his pants.
7. Turn the pictures on his desk upside down and act overly sweet and innocent when he asks if you know why they are like that.
8. When your boss goes to the bathroom, turn his computer off. When he asks you if you know what happened, say that you don't and it must have just crashed or something. Smile like the Cheshire cat.
9. Enlist a friend to deliver papers appearing to be legal documents that insinuate he is being sued for 4 million dollars. Put word "joke" on the last page of the 20-page document. It will be fun to watch beads of sweat form on his brow.
10. Remove all toilet paper from the men's bathroom and put it in the women's. Shake your head in disapproval of the janitorial help in your office when your boss complains about it.
11. Put your boss on all of the mailing lists of his most detested organizations and clubs. When he asks you to call and have them remove him from the lists, say of course, and never do it.
12. Replace the vodka in the liquor cabinet with water. You're doing him a favor, really you are. When he comments that his vodka tastes like water, respond smartly by saying that it appears that just about everyone is cutting corners these days.
13. When he comments that the coffee is too weak or too strong, ask, in a serious tone, if he is sure that his taste buds haven't changed.
14. When your boss mentions a particular food that he does not like, purchase that item repeatedly and eat it in front of him. Put your garbage from that food into his garbage can, so that the smell will linger in his office.
15. When you arrive late, move all clocks back. When you want to leave early, move all clocks forward. Pretend that all the batteries need to be replaced.
16. When your boss inquires about your weekend, say you went sky diving and to Italy. He will hopefully get your sarcasm and not ask again.
17. When your manager inquires as to what your favorite TV show is, reply that it is a child's show like Sesame Street. Say it like you mean it.
18. Out of the blue, say you have an emergency appointment with your astrologer and it is important that you leave now because your charts are waiting!
19. For your manager's birthday, hire a palm reader to read your manager's palm. Pay them an extra $50 to say "Oh My" in the middle of the reading and not be able to continue.
20. Grind up leaves from your backyard that look like pot, put into a baggie, and send it to your boss. Stand there while he opens it and gasp when the contents are revealed. Say "it is none of my business" and walk out of the room.
21. Call the fire department and pretend you are in the office next door to yours and exclaim there is a massive inferno in the building next to yours. It is guaranteed to raise your manager's blood pressure a few points or more when the firemen arrive.
22. Time your manager when he goes out to run personal errands and comment that he took an exceptionally long break when he returns.
23. Run into the office exclaiming to your manager that his car has a huge dent in the side! Walk outside with him when he goes out to examine it. After he looks it over thoroughly and asks you what you saw because he can't see it, apologize that it must have just been the way the light was reflecting on it that made it appear that way.
24. Exclaim how sorry you are that your manager's grandmother died over the weekend and that you read about it in the obituaries. Declare that it must have been somebody with the same name when he says he has no idea what you are talking about and begins frantically dialing his grandmother.
25. Superglue two middle pages of your manager's favorite book and return to the shelf. He will find it after the glue has permanently set.
26. When you are simply not in the mood to get out of your chair, proclaim that the copier is broken when your boss asks for copies to be made. If your manager attempts to make copies on his own and exclaims it works just fine, jam a paper clip in the innards of the copy machine when nobody is looking.
27. When your boss asks you what you would like for secretaries' day, first of all, reply that you are not a secretary. Request that he answers the phone on that day as well as having all of your whims fulfilled that are of inconceivable proportions.
28. Using desktop publishing, relabel a can of bug spray as vanilla air freshener and place in men's bathroom.
29. Call in sick and leave a message on the company's voice mail. State that you are ill due to the overwhelming imbalance of wealth and power within the company's structure and your illness should subside once you are paid what you are worth.
30. When your boss asks for a donation to his son's little league fund, ask what the minimum amount is that you can donate in order to keep your job.
31. When your boss invites you to the company Christmas party,, last minute weekend breaks, matter-of-factly state that you'd prefer to spend it with rabid dogs and wild monkeys, but proclaim your sincere thanks just the same.
32. Stockpile in your office your manager's favorite type of pen so that he is constantly bewildered as to where they are disappearing and continues to order new boxes of pens repeatedly.
33. During your yearly review, exclaim that you would just like to discuss your raise and not your manager's suggestions or comments. Also, add that you do have a list of improvements for him that you'd like to share.
34. Find boss's buttons and push them. If it is his weight, ask if he has gained weight or do those clothes just make him look fat?
35. Announce at the next company birthday (cake eating in the lunchroom) that the boss is giving everyone a 10% raise. When your manager pulls you into his office to discuss this, say that he sure is losing his sense of humor in his old age.
36. Stack all incoming unwanted sales related faxes and printed e-mails on your manager's desk and connect all sales related calls to him, especially the stock brokers. When your manager comments that he would like you to screen all sales related material and calls, comment that you thought he was open to new ideas and new people and didn't realize he was so introverted.
37. After next company announcement of a marriage or pregnancy, proclaim that you are getting married and having a child, but not necessarily in that order.
38. When company phone bill gets passed around asking you to highlight your personal calls, always state that you would never do that and never highlight anything. Say your family and friends all reside in Tasmania.
39. As soon as your boss returns from a vacation, ask where he went and always state that you vacationed there a few years ago and how fantastic it was.
40. Five minutes into the weekly company meeting, excuse yourself to go to the restroom and return twenty minutes later when it is wrapping up.
41. When the boss is out of town, forward the phones to your house and take a nap. Run back to the office if something needs to be done.
42. Position a cup of coffee on your manager's desk so that when he sits down, you can pretend to fumble for papers on his desk and easily knock it onto his lap. State that you hope it isn't hot and that no third degree burns are inflicted.
43. If you are single, place your grandmother's antique diamond ring on your married finger on the left hand. When boss asks you if anything new has happened to you recently after he clearly notices your ring, state nonchalantly "no, not really." If you are married, remove your wedding ring and state the same answer when asked the same question.
44. On casual dress day, wear a bathing suit top and the shortest shorts that you own. When you are called into your boss's office to discuss this, ask for a list that defines the parameters of the casual dress day code.
45. Circulate an anonymous memo that this coming Friday is fetish day so dress appropriately. Add that a $100 prize will be awarded to the freakiest costume.
46. After your boss gives you an overwhelmingly long list of items for you to complete, ask if he'd like for you to wipe his ass as well.
47. Take items out of your manager's sack lunch. When he comments on this phenomenon, reply that society is degenerating at an unbelievable rate.
48. When you manager asks you how your day is going, be honest. Say, well, if people that worked for this company weren't so dysfunctional and psychotic, it might be a marginally average place of employment.
49. When your boss says "good morning", quickly reply, "Oh is it?"
50. Once a week, send an anonymous email to your boss that is spiteful in nature. To kick it off, the first one should simply read, "you are pond scum."
Graduate University of Washington, owner spiritwhole.com, published poet, and animal lover/activist.
Monday, November 16, 2009
How To Achieve Success With Your Own Money Making Newsletter
Author: Julia Tang
Source: articleage.com
Writing and publishing a successful newsletter is perhaps the most competitive of all the different areas of mail order and direct marketing. You can still publish newsletter through regular mail. With Internet's help, you can publish your newsletter online. You can reach hundreds of subcribers without costing any postage - it is called eZine publishing.
Five years ago, there were 1500 different newsletters in this country. Today there are well over 10,000 with new ones being started every day. It's also interesting to note that for every new one that's started, some disappear just as quickly as they are started...lack of operating capital and marketing know how being the principal causes of failure.
To be successful with newsletter, you have to specialize. Your best bet will be with new information on a subject not already covered by an established newsletter.
Regardless of the frustrations involved in launching your own newsletter, never forget this truth; There are people from all walks of life, in all parts of this country, many of them with no writing ability what so ever, who are making incredible profits with simple two-four- and six page newsletters.
Your first step should be to subscribe to as many different newsletters and mail order publications as you can afford. Analyze and study how the others are doing it. Attend as many workshops and seminars on your subject as possible. Learn from the pros. Learn how the successful newsletter publishers are doing it, and why they are making money. Adapt their success methods to your own newsletter, but determine to recognize where they are weak, and make yours better in every way.
Plan your newsletter before launching it. Know the basic premise for its being, your editorial position, the layout, art work, type style, subscription price, distribution methods, and every other detail necessary to make it look, sound and feel like the end result you have envisioned.
Lay out your start up needs; detail the length of time it's going to take to become established, and what will be involved in becoming established. Set a date as a milestone of accomplishment for each phase of your development; A date for breaking even, a date attaining a certain paid subscription figure, and a monetary goal for each of your first five years in business. And all this must be done before publishing your first issue.
Most newsletter publishers do all the work themselves, and are impatient to get the first issue into print. As a result, they neglect to devote the proper amount of time to the market research and distribution. Don't start your newsletter without first having accomplished this task!
Market research is simply determining who the people are who will be interested in buying and reading your newsletter, and the kind of information these people want to see in your newsletter as a reason for continuing to buy it. You have to determine what it is they want form your newsletter.
Your market research must give you unbiased answers about your newsletter's capabilities of fulfilling your prospective buyer's need for information; how much he's willing to pay for it, and an overall profile of his status in life. The questions of why he needs your information, and how he'll use it should be answered. Make sure you have the answers to these questions, publish you newsletter as a vehicle of fulfilment to these needs, and you're on your way!
You're going to be in trouble unless your newsletter has a real point of difference that can easily be perceived by your prospective buyer. The design and graphics of your newsletter, plus what you say and how you say it, will help in giving your newsletter this vital difference.
Be sure your newsletter works with the personality you're trying to build for it. Make sure it reflects the wants of your subscribers. Include your advertising promise within the heading, on the title page, and in the same words your advertising uses. And above all else, don't skimp on design or graphics!
The name of your newsletter should also help to set it apart form similar newsletters, and spell out its advertising promise. A good name reinforces your advertising. Choose a name that defines the direction and scope of your newsletter.
Opportunity Knocking, Money Making Magic, Extra Income Tip Sheet, and Mail Order Up Date are prime examples of this type of philosophy...as opposed to the Johnson Report, The Association Newsletter, or Clubhouse Confidential.
Try to make your newsletter's name memorable...one that flows automatically. Don't pick a name that's so vague it could apply to almost anything. The name should identify your newsletter and its subject quickly and positively.
Pricing your newsletter should be consistent with the image you're trying to build. If you're starting a "Me-too" newsletter, never price it above the competition. In most instances, the consumer associates higher prices with quality, so if you give your readers better quality information in an expensive looking package, don't hesitate to ask for a premium price. However, if your information is gathered from most of the other newsletters on the subject, you will do well to keep your prices in line with theirs.
One of the best selling points of a newsletter is in the degree of audience involvement instance, how much it talks about, and uses the names of its readers.
People like to see things written about themselves. They resort to all kinds of things to get their names in print, and they pay big money to read what's been written about them. You should understand this fact of human nature, and decide if and how you want to capitalize upon it-- then plan your newsletter accordingly.
Almost as important as names in your newsletter are pictures. The readers will generally accept a newsletter faster if the publisher's picture is presented or included as part of the newsletter. Whether you use pictures of the people, events, locations or products you write about is a policy decision; but the use of pictures will set your publication apart from the others and give it an individual image, which is precisely what you want.
The decision as to whether to carry paid advertising, and if so, how much, is another policy decision that should be made while your newsletter is still in the planning stages. Some purists feel that advertising corrupts the image of the newsletter and may influence editorial policy. Most people accept advertising as a part of everyday life, and don't care one way or the other.
Many newsletter publishers,faced with rising production costs, and viewing advertising as a means of offsetting those costs, welcome paid advertising. Generally the advertisers see the newsletter as a vehicle to captive audience, and well worth the costs.
The only problem with accepting advertising in your newsletter would appear to be that as your circulation grows, so will the number of advertisers, until you'll have to increase the size of your newsletter to accommodate the advertisers. At this point, the basic premise or philosophy of the newsletter often changes from news and practical information to one of an advertiser's showcase.
Promoting your newsletter, finding prospective buyers and converting these prospects into loyal subscribers, will be the most difficult task of your entire undertaking. It takes detailed planning, persistence and patience.
You'll need a sales letter. Check the sales letter you receive in the mail; analyze how these are written and pattern yours along the same lines. You'll find all of them---all those worthy of being called sales letters---following the same formula: Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action on the part of the reader---AIDA.
Jump right in at beginning and tell the reader how he's going to benefit from your newsletter, and keep emphasizing right on thru your "PS", the many and different benefits he'll gain from subscribing to your newsletter. Elaborate on your listing of benefits with examples of what you have, or you intend to include, in your newsletter.
Follow these examples with endorsements or testimonials from reviewers and satisfied subscribers. Make the recipient of your sales letter feel that you're offering him the answer to all his problems on the subject of your newsletter.
You have to make your prospect feel that "this is the insider's secret" to the success he wants. Present it to him as his own personal key to success, and then tell him how far behind his contemporaries he is going to be if he doesn't act upon your offer immediately.
Always include a "PS' in your sales letter. This should quickly restate to the reader that he can start enjoying the benefits of your newsletter by acting immediately, and very subtly suggesting that he may not get another chance to get the kind of "success help" you're offering him with this sales letter.
Don't worry about the length of your sales letter---most are four pages or more; however, it must flow logically and smoothly. Use short sentences, short paragraphs, indented paragraphs, and lots of sub-heads for the people who will be "scanning thru" your sales letter.
In addition to the sales letter, your promotion package should include a return reply order card or coupon. This can be either a self addresses business reply postcard, or a separate coupon, in which case you'll have to include a self-addressed return reply envelope. In every mailing piece you send out, always include one or the other; either a self-addressed business reply postcard or a self-addressed return reply envelope for the recipient to use to send your order form and his remittance back to you.
Your best response will come from a business reply postcard on which you allow your prospect to charge the subscription to his credit card, request that you bill him, or send his payment with the subscription start order.
For makeup of this subscription order card or coupon, simply start saving all the order cards and coupons you receive during the next month or so. Choose the one you like best, modify according to your needs, and have it typeset, pasted up and border fit.
Next, you'll need a Subscription Order Acknowledgment card or letter. This is simply a short note thanking your new subscriber for his order, and promising to keep him up to date with everything relating to the subject of your newsletter.
An acknowledgment letter, in an envelope, will cost more postage to mail than an simple postcard; however when you send the letter you have the opportunity to enclose additional material. A circular listing items available through you will produce additional orders.
Thus far, you've prepared the layout and copy for your newsletter. Go ahead and have a hundred copies printed, undated. You've written a sales letter and prepared a return reply subscription order card or coupon; go ahead and have a hundred of these printed, also undated, of course. You'll need letterhead mailing envelopes, and don't forget the return reply envelopes if you choose to use the coupons instead of the business reply postcard. Go ahead and have a thousand mailing envelopes printed. You also need subscription order acknowledgement cards or notes; have a hundred of these printed, and of course don't forget the imprinted reply envelopes if you're going along with the idea of using a note instead of a postcard. This will be a basic supply for "testing" your material so far.
Now you're ready for the big move... The Advertising Campaign.
Start by placing a small classified ad in one of your local newspaper. You should place your ad in an weekend or Sunday paper that will reach as many people as possible, and of course, do everything you can to keep your costs as low as possible. However, do not skimp on your advertising budget. To be successful--- to make as much money as is possible with your idea--- you'll have to reach as many people as you can afford, and as often as you can.
Over the years we have launched several hundred advertising campaigns. We always ran new ads for a minimum of three issues and kept close tabs on the returns. So long as the returns kept coming in, we continued running that ad in that publication, while adding a new publication to test for results. To our way of thinking, this is the best way to go, regardless of the product, to successfully multiply your customer list.
Move slowly. Start with a local, far-reaching and widely read paper, and with the profits or returns from that ad, go to the regional magazines, or one of the smaller national magazines, and continue plowing your returns into, last minute weekend breaks, more advertising in different publications. By taking your time, and building your acceptance in this manner, you won't lose too much if one of your ads should prove to be a dud. Stay with the advertising. Do not abandon it in favor of direct mail. We would not recommend direct mail until you are well established, and your national classified advertising program is bringing in a healthy profit for you.
Do not become overly ambitious and go out on a limb with expensive full page advertising until you're very well established. When you do buy full page advertising, start with the smaller publications, and build from those results. Have patience keep close tabs on your costs per subscriber, and build from the profits of your advertising. Always test the advertising medium you want to use with a classified ad, and if it pulls well for you, go on to a larger display type ad.
Classified advertising is the least expensive way to go, so long as you use the "inquiry method". You can easily and quickly build your subscriber list with this type of advertisement.
We would not recommend any attempts to sell subscriptions, or any product from classified ads, or even from small display ads. There just isn't enough space to describe the product adequately, and seeing the cost of your item, many possible subscribers will not bother to inquire for the full story.
When you do expand your efforts into direct mail, go straight to a national list broker. You can find their names and addresses in the yellow pages section of your local telephone directory. Show the list broker your product and your mailing piece, and explain what type people you want to reach, and allow them to help you.
Once you've decided on a list to use, go slowly. Start with a sampling of 5,00 names. If the returns are favorable, go to 10,000 names, and then 15,000 and so on through the entire list.
Never rent the entire list based upon the returns from your first couple of samplings. The variables are just too many, and too complicated, and too conductive to your losing your shirt when you "roll out an entire list" based upon returns from a controlled sampling.
There are a number of other methods for finding new subscribers, which we'll explore for you here, detailing the good and the bad as we have researched them.
One method is that of contracting with what is known as a "cash field" agency. These are soliciting agencies who hire people to sell door-to-door and via the phone, almost always using a high pressure sales approach. The publishers usually makes only about 5% from each subscription sold by one of these agencies. That speaks for itself.
Then, there are several major catalog sales companies that sell subscriptions to school libraries, government agencies and large corporations. These people usually buy through these catalog sales companies rather than direct form the publisher. The publisher makes about 10% on each subscription sold for him by one of these agencies.
Co-Op Mailings are generally piggy-back mailings of your subscription offer along with numerous other business offers in the same envelope. Smaller mail order entrepreneurs do this under the name of Big Mail Offers. Coming into vogue now are the Postcard Mailers. You submit your offer on a business reply postcard; the packager then prints and mails your postcard in a package with 40 or 50 similar postcards via third class mail to a mailing list that could number 100,00 or more. You pay a premium price for this type of mailing---usually $1000 To $1500 per mailing, but the returns are very good and you keep all the incoming money.
Another form of co-op mailing is that where you supply a charge card company or department store with your subscription offer as a "statement mailing stuffer". Your offer goes out with the monthly statements; new subscriptions are returned to the mailer and billed to the customer's charge card. The publisher usually makes about 50% on each subscription. This is one of the most lucrative, but expensive methods of bringing in new customers.
Direct mail agencies such as Publishers Clearing House can be a very lucrative source of new subscriptions, in that they mail out more than 60 million pieces of mail each year, all of which are built around an opportunity for the recipient to win a gigantic cash sweepstakes. The only problem with this type of subscription agency is the very low percentage of the total subscription price the publisher receives from these subscriptions, plus the fact that the publishers are required to charge a lower subscription rate than they normally charge.
There are also several agencies that offer Introductory, Sample Copy and Trail Subscription offers, such as Select Information Exchange and Publishers Exchange. With this kind of agency, details about your publication are listed along with similar publications, in full page ads inviting the readers to send $10 or $20 for trail subscriptions to those of his choice. The publishers receive no money from these inquires list of names of people interested in receiving trail subscription. How the publisher follows up and is able to convert these into full term, and paying subscribers is entirely dependent upon his own efforts.
Most major newspapers will carry small, lightweight brochures or oversized reply cards as inserts in their Sunday papers. The publisher supplies the total number of inserts, pays the newspaper $20 per thousand for the number of newspapers he wants his order form carried in, and then retains all the money generated. But the high costs of printing the inserts, plus the $20 per thousand for distribution, make this an extremely costly method of obtaining new subscribers.
Schools, civic groups and other fun raising organizations work in about the same manner as the cash-field agencies. They supply the solicitor and the publisher gets 25% or less for each new subscription sold.
Attempting to sell subscriptions via radio or TV is very expensive and works better in generating sales at the news stands than new subscriptions. PI (Per Inquiry) sales is a very popular way of getting radio or TV exposure and advertising for your newsletter or other publication, but again, the number of sales brought in by the broadcast media is very small when compared with the number of times the "invitation commercial" has to be "aired" to elicit a response.
A new idea beginning to surface on the cable TV scene is "Product Shows". This is the kind of show where the originator of the product or his representative appears on TV and gives a complete sales presentation lasting from five minutes to fifteen minutes. Overall, these programs generally run between midnight and 2 AM, with the whole program a series of sales presentations for different products. They operate on the basis of the product owner paying a fee to appear and show his product, and also from an arrangement where the product owner pays a certain percentage from each sale generated from this exposure.
Newsletter publishers often run exchange publicity endorsements with non-competing publishers. Generally, these endorsements invite the reader of newsletter "A" to send for a sample copy of newsletter "B" for a look at what somebody else is doing that might be of especial help etc. This can be very good source of new subscriptions, and certainly the least expensive.
Last, but not least, is the enlistment of your own subscribers to send you names of people they think might be interested in receiving a sample copy of your publication. Some publishers ask their readers to pass along these names out of loyalty, while others offer a monetary incentive or a special bonus for names of people sent in who become subscribers.
By studying and understanding the information in this report, you should encounter fewer serious problems in launching your own successful specialized newsletter that will be the source of on going monetary rewards for you. However, there is an important point to remember about doing business by mail---particularly within the confines of selling information by mail---that is, Mail Order is ONLY another way of doing business. You have to learn all there is to know about this way of doing business, and then keep on learning, changing, observing and adapting to stay on top.
The best way of learning about and keeping up with this field of endeavor is by buying and reading books by the people who have succeeded in making money via the mails; by subscribing to several of the better periodic journals and aids to people in mail order, and by joining some of the mail order trade associations for a free exchange od ideas, advice and help.
To learn more about how to publish newsletter and get valuable contents free, you can visit http://www.best-internet-businesses.com
---------------------------------------------------------
Julia Tang publishes Smart Online Business Tips, a fresh
and informative newsletter dedicated to supporting people
like you! To find out the best online business opportunities,
and to discover hundreds more proven and practical internet
marketing secrets, plus FREE internet marketing products
worth over $200, visit: http://www.best-internet-businesses.com
----------------------------------------------------------Note: Feel free to publish it with the resource box and content unchanged
Source: articleage.com
Writing and publishing a successful newsletter is perhaps the most competitive of all the different areas of mail order and direct marketing. You can still publish newsletter through regular mail. With Internet's help, you can publish your newsletter online. You can reach hundreds of subcribers without costing any postage - it is called eZine publishing.
Five years ago, there were 1500 different newsletters in this country. Today there are well over 10,000 with new ones being started every day. It's also interesting to note that for every new one that's started, some disappear just as quickly as they are started...lack of operating capital and marketing know how being the principal causes of failure.
To be successful with newsletter, you have to specialize. Your best bet will be with new information on a subject not already covered by an established newsletter.
Regardless of the frustrations involved in launching your own newsletter, never forget this truth; There are people from all walks of life, in all parts of this country, many of them with no writing ability what so ever, who are making incredible profits with simple two-four- and six page newsletters.
Your first step should be to subscribe to as many different newsletters and mail order publications as you can afford. Analyze and study how the others are doing it. Attend as many workshops and seminars on your subject as possible. Learn from the pros. Learn how the successful newsletter publishers are doing it, and why they are making money. Adapt their success methods to your own newsletter, but determine to recognize where they are weak, and make yours better in every way.
Plan your newsletter before launching it. Know the basic premise for its being, your editorial position, the layout, art work, type style, subscription price, distribution methods, and every other detail necessary to make it look, sound and feel like the end result you have envisioned.
Lay out your start up needs; detail the length of time it's going to take to become established, and what will be involved in becoming established. Set a date as a milestone of accomplishment for each phase of your development; A date for breaking even, a date attaining a certain paid subscription figure, and a monetary goal for each of your first five years in business. And all this must be done before publishing your first issue.
Most newsletter publishers do all the work themselves, and are impatient to get the first issue into print. As a result, they neglect to devote the proper amount of time to the market research and distribution. Don't start your newsletter without first having accomplished this task!
Market research is simply determining who the people are who will be interested in buying and reading your newsletter, and the kind of information these people want to see in your newsletter as a reason for continuing to buy it. You have to determine what it is they want form your newsletter.
Your market research must give you unbiased answers about your newsletter's capabilities of fulfilling your prospective buyer's need for information; how much he's willing to pay for it, and an overall profile of his status in life. The questions of why he needs your information, and how he'll use it should be answered. Make sure you have the answers to these questions, publish you newsletter as a vehicle of fulfilment to these needs, and you're on your way!
You're going to be in trouble unless your newsletter has a real point of difference that can easily be perceived by your prospective buyer. The design and graphics of your newsletter, plus what you say and how you say it, will help in giving your newsletter this vital difference.
Be sure your newsletter works with the personality you're trying to build for it. Make sure it reflects the wants of your subscribers. Include your advertising promise within the heading, on the title page, and in the same words your advertising uses. And above all else, don't skimp on design or graphics!
The name of your newsletter should also help to set it apart form similar newsletters, and spell out its advertising promise. A good name reinforces your advertising. Choose a name that defines the direction and scope of your newsletter.
Opportunity Knocking, Money Making Magic, Extra Income Tip Sheet, and Mail Order Up Date are prime examples of this type of philosophy...as opposed to the Johnson Report, The Association Newsletter, or Clubhouse Confidential.
Try to make your newsletter's name memorable...one that flows automatically. Don't pick a name that's so vague it could apply to almost anything. The name should identify your newsletter and its subject quickly and positively.
Pricing your newsletter should be consistent with the image you're trying to build. If you're starting a "Me-too" newsletter, never price it above the competition. In most instances, the consumer associates higher prices with quality, so if you give your readers better quality information in an expensive looking package, don't hesitate to ask for a premium price. However, if your information is gathered from most of the other newsletters on the subject, you will do well to keep your prices in line with theirs.
One of the best selling points of a newsletter is in the degree of audience involvement instance, how much it talks about, and uses the names of its readers.
People like to see things written about themselves. They resort to all kinds of things to get their names in print, and they pay big money to read what's been written about them. You should understand this fact of human nature, and decide if and how you want to capitalize upon it-- then plan your newsletter accordingly.
Almost as important as names in your newsletter are pictures. The readers will generally accept a newsletter faster if the publisher's picture is presented or included as part of the newsletter. Whether you use pictures of the people, events, locations or products you write about is a policy decision; but the use of pictures will set your publication apart from the others and give it an individual image, which is precisely what you want.
The decision as to whether to carry paid advertising, and if so, how much, is another policy decision that should be made while your newsletter is still in the planning stages. Some purists feel that advertising corrupts the image of the newsletter and may influence editorial policy. Most people accept advertising as a part of everyday life, and don't care one way or the other.
Many newsletter publishers,faced with rising production costs, and viewing advertising as a means of offsetting those costs, welcome paid advertising. Generally the advertisers see the newsletter as a vehicle to captive audience, and well worth the costs.
The only problem with accepting advertising in your newsletter would appear to be that as your circulation grows, so will the number of advertisers, until you'll have to increase the size of your newsletter to accommodate the advertisers. At this point, the basic premise or philosophy of the newsletter often changes from news and practical information to one of an advertiser's showcase.
Promoting your newsletter, finding prospective buyers and converting these prospects into loyal subscribers, will be the most difficult task of your entire undertaking. It takes detailed planning, persistence and patience.
You'll need a sales letter. Check the sales letter you receive in the mail; analyze how these are written and pattern yours along the same lines. You'll find all of them---all those worthy of being called sales letters---following the same formula: Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action on the part of the reader---AIDA.
Jump right in at beginning and tell the reader how he's going to benefit from your newsletter, and keep emphasizing right on thru your "PS", the many and different benefits he'll gain from subscribing to your newsletter. Elaborate on your listing of benefits with examples of what you have, or you intend to include, in your newsletter.
Follow these examples with endorsements or testimonials from reviewers and satisfied subscribers. Make the recipient of your sales letter feel that you're offering him the answer to all his problems on the subject of your newsletter.
You have to make your prospect feel that "this is the insider's secret" to the success he wants. Present it to him as his own personal key to success, and then tell him how far behind his contemporaries he is going to be if he doesn't act upon your offer immediately.
Always include a "PS' in your sales letter. This should quickly restate to the reader that he can start enjoying the benefits of your newsletter by acting immediately, and very subtly suggesting that he may not get another chance to get the kind of "success help" you're offering him with this sales letter.
Don't worry about the length of your sales letter---most are four pages or more; however, it must flow logically and smoothly. Use short sentences, short paragraphs, indented paragraphs, and lots of sub-heads for the people who will be "scanning thru" your sales letter.
In addition to the sales letter, your promotion package should include a return reply order card or coupon. This can be either a self addresses business reply postcard, or a separate coupon, in which case you'll have to include a self-addressed return reply envelope. In every mailing piece you send out, always include one or the other; either a self-addressed business reply postcard or a self-addressed return reply envelope for the recipient to use to send your order form and his remittance back to you.
Your best response will come from a business reply postcard on which you allow your prospect to charge the subscription to his credit card, request that you bill him, or send his payment with the subscription start order.
For makeup of this subscription order card or coupon, simply start saving all the order cards and coupons you receive during the next month or so. Choose the one you like best, modify according to your needs, and have it typeset, pasted up and border fit.
Next, you'll need a Subscription Order Acknowledgment card or letter. This is simply a short note thanking your new subscriber for his order, and promising to keep him up to date with everything relating to the subject of your newsletter.
An acknowledgment letter, in an envelope, will cost more postage to mail than an simple postcard; however when you send the letter you have the opportunity to enclose additional material. A circular listing items available through you will produce additional orders.
Thus far, you've prepared the layout and copy for your newsletter. Go ahead and have a hundred copies printed, undated. You've written a sales letter and prepared a return reply subscription order card or coupon; go ahead and have a hundred of these printed, also undated, of course. You'll need letterhead mailing envelopes, and don't forget the return reply envelopes if you choose to use the coupons instead of the business reply postcard. Go ahead and have a thousand mailing envelopes printed. You also need subscription order acknowledgement cards or notes; have a hundred of these printed, and of course don't forget the imprinted reply envelopes if you're going along with the idea of using a note instead of a postcard. This will be a basic supply for "testing" your material so far.
Now you're ready for the big move... The Advertising Campaign.
Start by placing a small classified ad in one of your local newspaper. You should place your ad in an weekend or Sunday paper that will reach as many people as possible, and of course, do everything you can to keep your costs as low as possible. However, do not skimp on your advertising budget. To be successful--- to make as much money as is possible with your idea--- you'll have to reach as many people as you can afford, and as often as you can.
Over the years we have launched several hundred advertising campaigns. We always ran new ads for a minimum of three issues and kept close tabs on the returns. So long as the returns kept coming in, we continued running that ad in that publication, while adding a new publication to test for results. To our way of thinking, this is the best way to go, regardless of the product, to successfully multiply your customer list.
Move slowly. Start with a local, far-reaching and widely read paper, and with the profits or returns from that ad, go to the regional magazines, or one of the smaller national magazines, and continue plowing your returns into, last minute weekend breaks, more advertising in different publications. By taking your time, and building your acceptance in this manner, you won't lose too much if one of your ads should prove to be a dud. Stay with the advertising. Do not abandon it in favor of direct mail. We would not recommend direct mail until you are well established, and your national classified advertising program is bringing in a healthy profit for you.
Do not become overly ambitious and go out on a limb with expensive full page advertising until you're very well established. When you do buy full page advertising, start with the smaller publications, and build from those results. Have patience keep close tabs on your costs per subscriber, and build from the profits of your advertising. Always test the advertising medium you want to use with a classified ad, and if it pulls well for you, go on to a larger display type ad.
Classified advertising is the least expensive way to go, so long as you use the "inquiry method". You can easily and quickly build your subscriber list with this type of advertisement.
We would not recommend any attempts to sell subscriptions, or any product from classified ads, or even from small display ads. There just isn't enough space to describe the product adequately, and seeing the cost of your item, many possible subscribers will not bother to inquire for the full story.
When you do expand your efforts into direct mail, go straight to a national list broker. You can find their names and addresses in the yellow pages section of your local telephone directory. Show the list broker your product and your mailing piece, and explain what type people you want to reach, and allow them to help you.
Once you've decided on a list to use, go slowly. Start with a sampling of 5,00 names. If the returns are favorable, go to 10,000 names, and then 15,000 and so on through the entire list.
Never rent the entire list based upon the returns from your first couple of samplings. The variables are just too many, and too complicated, and too conductive to your losing your shirt when you "roll out an entire list" based upon returns from a controlled sampling.
There are a number of other methods for finding new subscribers, which we'll explore for you here, detailing the good and the bad as we have researched them.
One method is that of contracting with what is known as a "cash field" agency. These are soliciting agencies who hire people to sell door-to-door and via the phone, almost always using a high pressure sales approach. The publishers usually makes only about 5% from each subscription sold by one of these agencies. That speaks for itself.
Then, there are several major catalog sales companies that sell subscriptions to school libraries, government agencies and large corporations. These people usually buy through these catalog sales companies rather than direct form the publisher. The publisher makes about 10% on each subscription sold for him by one of these agencies.
Co-Op Mailings are generally piggy-back mailings of your subscription offer along with numerous other business offers in the same envelope. Smaller mail order entrepreneurs do this under the name of Big Mail Offers. Coming into vogue now are the Postcard Mailers. You submit your offer on a business reply postcard; the packager then prints and mails your postcard in a package with 40 or 50 similar postcards via third class mail to a mailing list that could number 100,00 or more. You pay a premium price for this type of mailing---usually $1000 To $1500 per mailing, but the returns are very good and you keep all the incoming money.
Another form of co-op mailing is that where you supply a charge card company or department store with your subscription offer as a "statement mailing stuffer". Your offer goes out with the monthly statements; new subscriptions are returned to the mailer and billed to the customer's charge card. The publisher usually makes about 50% on each subscription. This is one of the most lucrative, but expensive methods of bringing in new customers.
Direct mail agencies such as Publishers Clearing House can be a very lucrative source of new subscriptions, in that they mail out more than 60 million pieces of mail each year, all of which are built around an opportunity for the recipient to win a gigantic cash sweepstakes. The only problem with this type of subscription agency is the very low percentage of the total subscription price the publisher receives from these subscriptions, plus the fact that the publishers are required to charge a lower subscription rate than they normally charge.
There are also several agencies that offer Introductory, Sample Copy and Trail Subscription offers, such as Select Information Exchange and Publishers Exchange. With this kind of agency, details about your publication are listed along with similar publications, in full page ads inviting the readers to send $10 or $20 for trail subscriptions to those of his choice. The publishers receive no money from these inquires list of names of people interested in receiving trail subscription. How the publisher follows up and is able to convert these into full term, and paying subscribers is entirely dependent upon his own efforts.
Most major newspapers will carry small, lightweight brochures or oversized reply cards as inserts in their Sunday papers. The publisher supplies the total number of inserts, pays the newspaper $20 per thousand for the number of newspapers he wants his order form carried in, and then retains all the money generated. But the high costs of printing the inserts, plus the $20 per thousand for distribution, make this an extremely costly method of obtaining new subscribers.
Schools, civic groups and other fun raising organizations work in about the same manner as the cash-field agencies. They supply the solicitor and the publisher gets 25% or less for each new subscription sold.
Attempting to sell subscriptions via radio or TV is very expensive and works better in generating sales at the news stands than new subscriptions. PI (Per Inquiry) sales is a very popular way of getting radio or TV exposure and advertising for your newsletter or other publication, but again, the number of sales brought in by the broadcast media is very small when compared with the number of times the "invitation commercial" has to be "aired" to elicit a response.
A new idea beginning to surface on the cable TV scene is "Product Shows". This is the kind of show where the originator of the product or his representative appears on TV and gives a complete sales presentation lasting from five minutes to fifteen minutes. Overall, these programs generally run between midnight and 2 AM, with the whole program a series of sales presentations for different products. They operate on the basis of the product owner paying a fee to appear and show his product, and also from an arrangement where the product owner pays a certain percentage from each sale generated from this exposure.
Newsletter publishers often run exchange publicity endorsements with non-competing publishers. Generally, these endorsements invite the reader of newsletter "A" to send for a sample copy of newsletter "B" for a look at what somebody else is doing that might be of especial help etc. This can be very good source of new subscriptions, and certainly the least expensive.
Last, but not least, is the enlistment of your own subscribers to send you names of people they think might be interested in receiving a sample copy of your publication. Some publishers ask their readers to pass along these names out of loyalty, while others offer a monetary incentive or a special bonus for names of people sent in who become subscribers.
By studying and understanding the information in this report, you should encounter fewer serious problems in launching your own successful specialized newsletter that will be the source of on going monetary rewards for you. However, there is an important point to remember about doing business by mail---particularly within the confines of selling information by mail---that is, Mail Order is ONLY another way of doing business. You have to learn all there is to know about this way of doing business, and then keep on learning, changing, observing and adapting to stay on top.
The best way of learning about and keeping up with this field of endeavor is by buying and reading books by the people who have succeeded in making money via the mails; by subscribing to several of the better periodic journals and aids to people in mail order, and by joining some of the mail order trade associations for a free exchange od ideas, advice and help.
To learn more about how to publish newsletter and get valuable contents free, you can visit http://www.best-internet-businesses.com
---------------------------------------------------------
Julia Tang publishes Smart Online Business Tips, a fresh
and informative newsletter dedicated to supporting people
like you! To find out the best online business opportunities,
and to discover hundreds more proven and practical internet
marketing secrets, plus FREE internet marketing products
worth over $200, visit: http://www.best-internet-businesses.com
----------------------------------------------------------Note: Feel free to publish it with the resource box and content unchanged
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