Creating A Great Print Newsletter

The traditional print media newsletter is still useful even in the rapidly changing age of the Internet and IT. Its uses are so multi-faceted that it can cover just about anything ? from the company's profile to promotions, home-order system and contests. Before the Internet homepage became so common, the newsletter was the main source of an organisation's communication to its customers.

Even today, an organization should produce a good newsletter on paper before it starts to construct its homepage because it can learn about the impact and avoid similar mistakes being made on its web pages. Newsletters can also introduce customers and encourage them to enter its corporate website.

Here are some pointers to create a great newsletter:

Make it Accessible:

The newsletter can be strategically placed at the payment counter or the entrance of the shopping department. It should also be free to customers. Some departmental stores also include discount coupons that are attached to the newsletters.

Make it Personal:

A newsletter should be personal and convincing to the reader. It should include lots of writeups of model employees and how they have contributed to the organization. Employees should also be encouraged to contribute articles to it. Include a photograph of the contributor together with the article. This puts a face to the names and increases the organisation's credibility. Encourage customers to vote for the best employee too.

Keep Readers Hooked:

A newsletter should include basic elements of "stickiness" such as contests and discount coupons, that keep readers coming back for more. Your readers will be less inclined to treat the newsletter as a "flyer" that they will quickly discard.

One easy idea is to create a large jigsaw of the company's logo with separate parts found in different issues. Once completed, the customer can collect a prize.

You can also include interesting write-ups about your industry or expertise that suit your target customers. It is also good to encourage your alliance partners to co-produce the newsletter so that you can also use their distribution channels to give-away the newsletter.

Classifieds Area:

A newsletter can be a channel of communication and sales for the company's customers. Creating a classifieds area will definitely generate more interest. The benefit to the organization too is enormous.

By analyzing the ads, the organization can learn a lot about the purchasing habits and other relevant demographics of its customers. This will be useful for the Sales and Marketing Department.

Introduce Your Website:

Once a newsletter reaches a certain level of readership, you can then promote your organisation's newly created website. You can also create a contest for customers to design your company's website.

This makes sense as they will be the ones whom your company is targeting in the first place. This will also ensure that your website will have some "hits" in its initial months.

Feedback Channel:

A newsletter can also be used to generate feedback about the company's service and products. This will help the Personnel Dept. improve the customer service. The best letter received can also be awarded a prize.

About The Author

This article is contributed by Colin Ong TS who is the Founder of 12n Online Community ( http://www.mrmc.com.sg/12n ) and MR=MC Consulting ( http://www.mrmc.com.sg )

colin@mrmc.com.sg

Building Successful Work Relationships--Playing In The Same Sandbox

Remember playing in your childhood sandbox? If you enjoyed being outside for most of the day, you could play in the sandbox for hours on end-shaping and pouring the sand or mixing it with a little water to form a castle or hill. Children enjoy playing with sand or dirt and learn at an early age how to make the most of this play time activity.

Playing in a sandbox usually starts out as a solitary exercise; however, smart parents know that in order to develop their child's ability to relate to others, another child or two must be introduced into that same sandbox. This is when the fun truly begins.

When children play together in the same sandbox:

• They learn to trust each other.
• Their ability to be gentle, kind and considerate is developed.
• Friendships are initiated and nurtured.
• Positive interaction increases and selfishness decreases.
• They find creative ways to work together, satisfying their curiosity and increasing their enjoyment and fun.

You're Never Too Old for the Sandbox

There's a tremendous amount of pressure as we grow older to learn to act our age (whatever that means). In fact, most people consider age a number not an indication of vitality, health or maturity.

Nevertheless, too many of us leave the things of childhood behind us. This is both good and bad. It is good to leave childish behavior behind, but bad when we discard many childlike behaviors that can make us successful adults.

One such childlike behavior is learning how to develop reliable relationships with others through experiences in the same sandbox that teach us how to cooperate, exchange ideas, and communicate.

When we play together in the same sandbox at work:

• It is important to know and understand the rules and limitations of play; but when we take the time to do so, we find that it is fun to mix with others, develop positive peer relationships naturally, and to encourage a spirit of lighthearted camaraderie.
• We learn to practice balanced self-control-the right combination of expressing our opinions and feelings when facing difficult or unexpected events. Our sensitivity to and concern for others is demonstrated as we attempt to understand their perspectives.
• We willingly let down our guards and shift our mindsets to try new and fresh ways of doing old tasks. We bask in the energy boost that results from experimentation, creativity, innovation, and learning new skills.
• Our communication skills are stimulated and enhanced. Bridges are built between people who were once estranged. Conflict surfaces and is resolved.

How to Have More FUN in Your Workplace Sandbox

Think of yourself playing with your co-workers in the same sandbox (Don't turn into a skeptic on me now).

Share your creative ideas for improving your team's effectiveness with the entire team; then together select one on which to experiment.

Make sure to include every member of your team in some part of the experiment. Develop receptiveness and tolerance of others.

Solicit their feedback on a regular basis and bring any challenges or obstacles to the entire team for resolution. Don't be afraid to proactively exchange differences in opinion. These are healthy if allowed to surface early. They can be destructive if allowed to fester.

Celebrate every accomplishment-no matter how small. Little wins recognized as they occur communicate a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, build confidence and turn an average team into a highly motivated one.

Play dynamically and interact enthusiastically with each other. It has been said that a burden shared is a burden halved. So, have some fun in your work together.

Select another experiment and begin the process all over again.

If you're not having fun at work while playing in the same sandbox with co-workers, you're not doing it right. Give it another try. I think you'll be pleased that you did.

Althea DeBrule, entrepreneur and seasoned human resources executive, has focused for more than 30 years on helping people achieve their career goals. Creator of The Extreme-Career-Makeover? and a founding partner of RADSGroup Organizational Consultants, she is recognized for her bottom line and practical application of career development and management strategies in a way that penetrates hearts and compels action. She speaks and teaches with inspired talent, humor and contagious zeal at management conferences and leadership retreats nationwide, and has been featured in CFO Magazine, Strategy@Work, Human Resource Executive Magazine. Althea is the author of Bosses & Orchards, a compelling and candid book about how to make your work relationship with your boss succeed. To discover how you can take your career to a new level, visit http://www.extreme-career-makeover.com/

Microsoft Business Solutions Products Selection: ERP, CRM, Retail Management

Let's first look at your ERP system selection (without Retail Solution). Your options are:

Microsoft Great Plains. If you remember successful mid-size application ? Great Plains Dynamics, pioneered on Mac and Windows graphical platforms in the mid 1990th. This is now Microsoft Great Plains, Great Plains Standard and Microsoft Small Business Manager (scaled down Great Plains version, using he same technology ? Great Plains Dexterity). Currently it is version 8.0, the only database platform option is Microsoft SQL Server/MSDE. Ctree and Pervasive SQL were abandoned, the last version, supporting these platforms was 7.5. You should consider Microsoft Great Plains if you are in: USA, Canada, Latin America, UK, South Africa, Australia ? these are markets, where former Great Plains Software had successful penetration

Microsoft Navision. This product had success on European market and was developed by Navision Software, Denmark based software development company. In our opinion Microsoft bought this product in order to get European market share, especially continental Europe. Then, Microsoft Business Solutions realized that Navision is a good fit for countries with tight government regulation: taxes, chart of accounts (France and Russia), government reporting, etc. You should consider Navision if you have light manufacturing (we believe that Navision will be the base for future Microsoft Manufacturing suite) or located in the following regions: continental Europe, Russia, Brazil.

Solomon. This product has excellent Project Management solution and you should look at it if you are in the USA and have professional services or construction company.

Axapta. There are many different opinions about Axapta. We would like to withhold our opinion here and just tell you Microsoft Business Solutions opinion from Moscow ? in Russia Axapta is successful and has approximately the same number of installations as Navision. Axapta is probably MBS stake on large enterprises market to compete with PeopleSoft (now Oracle) and SAP

And finally let us give you Retail Management System and CRM hints. Microsoft CRM is the only CRM option from Microsoft (in Navision you have Navision CRM module option ? so this is an exception) and please, feel free to choose Microsoft CRM if you would like to try CRM from Microsoft. This CRM will be loved by your IT department, because it does use all Microsoft recent technologies: MS Exchange, .Net, MS SQL Server, Active Directory, BizTalk (integration with Great Plains), C# and VB.Net based MS CRM SDK.

Now ? retail management. In the case of Navision ? again you have retail module there. In all the other cases ? you should try Microsoft RMS.

Happy decision making! if you want us to do the job - give us a call 1-630-961-5918 or 1-866-528-0577! help@albaspectrum.com

Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer in Alba Spectrum Technologies ? USA nationwide Great Plains, Microsoft CRM customization company, serving Chicago, California, Texas, Florida, Arizona, Georgia, New York, Madrid, Brazil, Moscow, UK, Australia and having locations in multiple states and internationally ( http://www.albaspectrum.com ), he is Dexterity, SQL, C#.Net, Crystal Reports and Microsoft CRM SDK developer.

Dante and Hell

DANTE: - Dante Alighieri is the tour guide of Hell. In fact you could say he is the creator of Hell if you did not understand he was directed and encouraged as others were being forced to write and create all manner of graven images and religious icons or treatises to support Hell, Satan and the whole dogma of 'sins and demons'. The Church owned all creative work because such creative things came from God and they were the representatives of this God. Nice scam if you can make it work ? eh? Here is a little academic insight into how he also was tasked to diminish the perception of prior seers and wise people.

"Inferno XX falls into four narrative segments. Lines 1-30 present the sin of divination in general terms; lines 31-57 introduce famous diviners of antiquity, each of whom figures in and represents a major classical text: Amphiaraus from Statius' Thebaid, Tiresias from Ovid's Metamorphoses, Arruns from Lucan's Pharsalia, and Manto from Vergil's Aeneid; lines 58-99 encompass the digression on Mantova; lines 100-130 contain Dante's query regarding further diviners, and Vergil's response, in which he names Eurypylus from the Aeneid and various contemporary practitioners. We note the canto's symmetry; the general opening and closing sections, each of thirty lines, frame the more particularized interior sequences. The seemingly extraneous section on Mantova is thus entirely surrounded and informed by the commanding issue of prophecy, an issue which is directly related to the canto's highlighting of poets and poetry, to its evocation of the classical auctores and to the arresting behavior of Vergil. For prophecy is in fact a textual issue; a profeta for Dante is one who foretells, who reads in the ?magno volume? of God's mind (Par. XV, 50), and deciphers the book of the future. Because prophecy is therefore essentially a matter of correct and incorrect reading, the canto's emphasis on textuality is insistent: from the initial terzina, which proclaims in deliberately technical language the author's need to make verse and give form to his twentieth canto, to the equally technical reference to the Aeneid as an ?alta traged?a? in line 113; if this is the only locus in the poem in which Dante affixes a numerical tag to a canto, it is also a unique definition of Vergil's poem as a text belonging to a specific genre. Moreover, the textual awareness of the canto's opening lines __ ?Di nova pena mi conven far versi / e dar matera al ventesimo canto / de la prima canzon? __ is shared by its final verse: ?S? mi parlava, e andavamo introcque?. Here the presence of a word, introcque, whose use by the Florentines is caricatured in the De Vulgari Eloquentia, raises a host of questions about writing and genre, and serves to close the canto on the same textual key with which it began.

Inferno XX deals with the validity and legitimacy of the acts of writing and reading. As Hollander has shown, Dante evokes his classical auctores in order to correct them, misreading their texts in such a way as to damn diviners, like Amphiaraus and Tiresias, whom the ancients considered noble practitioners of the art, tellers of truth. By placing these diviners in the fourth bolgia, Dante establishes their falsity, and his disagreement on this score with his classical predecessors. One of the classical predecessors so invoked is Vergil, the Comedy's resident poeta, and it is as his new self that Vergil retells the story of Manto, altering the earlier account found in the tenth book of the Aeneid. The Latin poem relates that the prophetess bears a child, Ocnus, who founds the city and gives it his mother's name: ?qui muros matrisque dedit tibi, Mantua, nomen? (?who gave you walls and the name of his mother, O Mantua? [Aen. X, 200]). The Comedy, on the other hand, relates that Manto, ?la vergine cruda? (82), settled and died in a spot later chosen by men from the surrounding regions as suitable for a city: ?Fer la citt? sovra quell' ossa morte? (91). Most interesting about Vergil's speech is his closing injunction to the pilgrim to disregard all other accounts of Mantova's founding; since the only true story is the one he has just heard, the pilgrim must ?let no lie defraud the truth?, i.e. he must reject all other accounts as false (97-99):" (1)

Author of Diverse Druids
Guest 'expert' at World-Mysteries.com
Columnist for The ES Press Magazzine

What Did You Do In The War Daddy?

This is the first of a series of four articles where my uncle, the late Mr Gordon Bessant is talking to Mr Joe Hieatt-Smith about life during the war years. They taped these recollections in 1996.

What did you do during the war Gordon?

From the time I was 14 to the time I was 19 I worked mostly on armaments, the Spitfire, Bristol Bombers - the engines and fuselage components for the Spitfire and the Western Lysander. At the very beginning of the war itself - it was on a Sunday morning the 3rd of September 1939.

I was at Testwood Church, because I sang in the choir. Everybody in the church as they came in were all saying "Do you think there'll be a war?" Of course I was only fourteen years of age and I'd just finished school. There was none of this going on to extended school like there is today. It was basically compulsory that you left school at 14. I'd left school in the August, 1939.

It was our summer holidays and my father was negotiating with a company that was working for the repairs and maintenance at the Sunderland flying boats (and the flying boats flew into Southampton Water). They were docked and stationed at Hythe on the west bank of the river Test opposite Southampton docks itself. There's a company there that was manufacturing exhaust equipment and all manner of ancillary equipment for the flying boats.

Anyway I got a job with them as an apprentice in sheet metal working and general engineering. I was 14 and my rate of pay was 10 shillings a week. (That's 50 pence in modern money, less than a dollar, a week!) Out of that we paid fourpence for our stamps for National Health and Unemployment. We had the princely sum of nine and eight a week for the first 12 months. At that time there wasn't an awful lot of work in the area, not for children, boys, of 14, so you more of less got a job where you could. Much the same as it is today really. Only because of the war you went into production mode and everybody was working for peace and the defence of the country so you really got a job whether it was an apprenticeship or not. I was fortunate my father had been negotiating with the employment of myself in the industry and of course I naturally got a job.

How did life change when the war started?

The first thing was everybody was telling everybody it would all be over by Christmas, that was in September, we got the idea it wouldn't last long. My father who had been in the Royal Navy in the first world war, he wasn't fooled too easily by others, and he said it would take them some time to even catch up with what the Germans had developed in armaments and war material. Of course the Germans had tried out all their weapons - you've probably heard of the Spanish civil war they had in 1937,38 when the Germans had a fighter bomber called the Stuka. They tested that on the Spanish in Spain during the civil war, and other armaments they had developed, so they knew that they operated much more efficiently than our own.

We were still relying on the Enfield rifle that was built and designed way back before the first world war in 1910,1911 and the Germans were using more sophisticated equipment. What else did they have? They had a very good size of navy and exceptionally well developed air force - so the Spitfire, R H Mitchell I think it was, the designer of the Spitfire and he had designed it more or less as an aircraft for winning the Schneider trophy (which is the air speed record). It was flown from Calshot round the Isle of Wight and the Schneider trophy was won by the SR6 which was based in Southampton (at the aviation museum, have you seen it?). That was the aircraft before the war which they developed basically the Spitfire from, with a Rolls Royce Merlin engine.

Lots of things changed then. The towns had to be blacked out at night because of showing up any industry. The German bombers would come over so there had to be no lights showing. We had to black out in the evening. Everything had to be on a war footing. There had to be very little light showing on cars. There was a clamp down on petrol, and food rationing started, because most of our food, as you well know, is imported. We are not sufficiently big enough to support ourselves. Lots of areas in the New Forest around here were ploughed up and put to corn and wheat and maize and potatoes.

The ground in the New Forest needed more nutrients and more fertilizer because it was very poor ground. The crops did not prove very successful. There are places in the New Forest now even here around Sway, where the ground was ploughed up. It was planted with mostly potato crops. You know where, along Slade Bottom, Horseshoe Common, by the Marlpit crossroads, you know there's open stretches of land there where the cattle now graze, there's hardly any fern or any gorse bushes, they are all cleared out. It was all ploughed up during the war and planted with crops, but it was a token effort because the ground didn't produce very good crops at all so they left it and after that they decided they'd only plough it and plant a potato crop, a root crop, because the ground was a bit sour, had too much acid I think.

Having said that, the food rationing was felt really badly in 1941,42,and 43 because the Germans had tremendous strength in their submarines (U-Boats as they called them) and our shipping coming across from America and Canada, Australia, and South Africa, when our boats were coming in, they would follow the convoys.

The boats would be in convoys because convoys could be protected by the Royal Navy and part of our Air Force, but they could only be protected for so many miles out and it's the areas where they couldn't be protected where they were most vulnerable, so the food had to go on rationing because of the supply.

I didn't realise till after the war that Germany had the same trouble. They were in a worse position than we were, but because their propaganda was so good we believed that they were really living in the lap of luxury and it was only Britain that was suffering. It wasn't so. The continent was very short of food too. They used lots and lots of alternatives, they even made coffee from acorns. They ground acorns to make a drink, but we didn't have to go that far.

We did have with the aid of the Americans, powdered eggs, and spam which is a well known meat compound put in tins and sent across to us. There were lots and lots of other food supplies coming in which was all a new type of thing to us . We had "K Rations" they called it, which was an American way of sending out a complete meal in a box.

Something similar to the rations you get on an aircraft when you fly on holiday - they put it on your lap in front of you. It's a made up meal which is supposed to contain enough proteins and sugar, all that you require all in one package. But with the British, whilst the Americans had a lot of tinned food we still had the old corned beef as we call it, with bread which was quite good really considering the problems we had getting flour.

The second article in this series is entitled "War Time Britain & Things Look Bleak". Look out for it if you are interested in the events of the 1940's.

Copyright David Carter 2005, reproduced with permission.

In between writing David Carter runs a holiday cottage website http://www.pebblebeachmedia.co.uk where you can browse through over 7,000 holiday cottages, villas and apartments worldwide. His latest book is SPLAM. Successful Property Letting And Management, 240 plus pages and you can find more details of that at http://www.splam.co.uk. You can contact David on any matter at supalife@aol.com

A Look at Lactose Intolerance

Lactose is the primary carbohydrate in milk. Cow's milk contains 4-5% lactose, whereas human milk contains almost twice that amount. Lactose provides 30-50% of the energy in milk, depending on the fat content (skim vs. homogenized). A number of individuals are affected by lactose in the diet, but there is a difference between intolerance and maldigestion.

Lactose maldigestion is "a disorder characterized by reduced digestion of lactose due to the low availability of the enzyme lactase." Lactose intolerance is "the term for gastointestinal symptoms (flatulence, bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and 'rumbling in the bowel') resulting from the consumption of more lactose than can be digested with available lactase." In other words, intolerance refers to the symptoms of the maldigestive disorder caused by an insufficient enzyme required to hydrolyze lactose to galactose and glucose.

Genetic defects often cause a deficiency of lactase, as well as injuries to the mucosa lining of the intestines or with age (as we age our enzyme levels decrease). When lactose molecules remain in the intestine undigested, they absorb water and this can cause bloating, discomfort, cramping, diarrhea, and nausea. Bacterial fermentation along the intestinal tract that produces lactic acid and gas is also a characteristic of lactose intolerance.

It is estimated that one in three adults suffer from lactose maldigestion and it appears to be inherited in about 80% of the world's population, including most Greeks, Asians, and Africans.

Those who suffer from any discomfort after eating or drinking milk products can consume foods labeled lactose free or take an enzyme preparation such as Lact-Aid to aid digestion. Do note, however, that lactose intolerance varies and the amount of lactose allowed in a diet depends on an individual's tolerance. Some people cannot tolerate milk, ice cream, or creamed foods, but they can eat aged cheeses and yogurt (some brands are better tolerated than others) without difficulty. Lactose products include:

Grain Products: Breads and muffins made with milk, pancakes, and waffles; cake or cookie mixes, pie crusts made from butter or margarine, French toast, some dry cereals, and biscuits.

Fruits and Vegetables: Canned and frozen fruits or vegetables processed with lactose, buttered, creamed, or breaded vegetables.

Milk and Milk Products: Milk (dried, evaporated, nonfat, and whole), yogurt, ice cream, sherbet, cheese, custard, puddings, and whey and casein proteins manufactured with lactobacillus/acidophilus culture.

Meat and Meat Alternatives: Meats, fish, or poultry creamed or breaded, sausage and other cold cuts containing nonfat-milk solids, some peanut butter, and omelets and souffl?s containing milk.

Other: Instant coffees, margarine, dressings, sugar substitutes containing lactose, toffee, chocolate, creamed soups, butter, cream, some cocoas, caramels, chewing gum, some vitamin-mineral supplements, some drugs, peppermint, and butterscotch.

Since calcium is a major component of many lactose-containing foods, it is vital that individuals who are lactose-intolerant receive adequate calcium from other foods (in fact, milk is not an ideal source of calcium, as will be discussed in Chapter Seven). These include almonds, brazil nuts, caviar, kelp, canned salmon, canned sardines, shrimp, soybeans, and turnip greens, broccoli, strawberries, and leafy greens. Leafy greens are currently under suspicion as a viable calcium source since greens are now believed to contain certain calcium binding agents that prevent calcium absorption.

You may publish this article in your newsletter, on your web site, or other publications, so long as the article's content is not altered and the resource box is included. Add byline and active link. Notification of the use of this article is appreciated, but not required.

Brian D. Johnston is the Director of Education and President of the I.A.R.T. fitness certification and education institute. He has written over 12 books and is a contributing author to the Merck Medical Manual. An international lecturer, Mr. Johnston wears many hats in the fitness and health industries, and can be reached at info@ExerciseCertification.com. Visit his site at http://www.ExerciseCertification.com for more free articles.

Fitness Tips For Looking Your Best On Your Wedding Day

Every bride wants to look perfect on her wedding day. Selecting a dress that will make you look and feel great is an important first step. But what happens when you look in the mirror and don't think you look quite as good as you could? When this happens it's not uncommon for brides to try quick-fix diets to help them get in shape. Unfortunately, many dieting brides make fitness mistakes that not only prevent them from reaching their goals but also cause unnecessary stress and sometimes even illness. Those are two things no bride needs! Here are five of the most common diet mistakes as well as some tips to help you avoid them.

1. Too much, too late.

One of the most important things to remember if you are trying to lose weight is to start early. For example, don't try to lose 20 pounds two months before the big day. The key is to plan ahead so that you can lose the weight (or just tone up) gradually. So if you're dream-wedding day includes you being in great shape, then include fitness as a "to-do" on your overall wedding checklist. That way it will be a priority in your wedding planning.

2. Setting unachievable goals.

Many women get engaged and begin imagining themselves drastically thinner or more sculpted. Be realistic with yourself. If you've never been a size 6 in your life, then it is probably unrealistic to think you can magically transform just because you are getting married. And, do you really want to look so different on your wedding day that most people (including your fianc?) hardly recognize you?

3. Radical diets or fitness programs.

Brides typically are short on time and long on to-do lists. This leads many to try unhealthy fitness programs or starvation diets. Don't be tempted by diets that promise quick, drastic results with little effort from you. You should avoid any programs that suggest taking "diet" pills or eating unbalanced meals (like eating only cabbage soup for a week). And, don't be lured into trying dangerous things, like laxatives.

4. Not exercising.

It's very easy for brides to say "I don't have time to exercise" or "I'm too tired to exercise". But diet and exercise should always go hand in hand. Consider them to be like yin and yang. Without activity your body can't burn as many calories. If you are very short on time, try to exercise in small 10-minute bursts throughout the day. And, keep in mind that little things help too, like taking the stairs or parking at the outer edge of the mall parking lot. Plus, if you are tired from all of your planning, exercise will help give you back some energy.

5. Skipping Meals

It's not uncommon to get caught up in your planning and then realize at 9 p.m. (as your head begins to ache) that you haven't eaten a thing all day. While it may not be an uncommon scenario, it is unavoidable. Not only is skipping meals unhealthy, it can lead to binge eating. That often means eating very fattening foods and/or overeating all at once. To avoid this, try packing light snacks to keep on hand throughout the day. Good examples include carrot sticks, cheese strings, peanut butter on crackers, etc.

Getting in shape doesn't have to be complicated and it doesn't require a lot of time. If you are trying to lose weight or firm up before your wedding, below are some sample plans to help you get started. Keep in mind that the most important thing is for a bride to feel good about herself. And no matter what size or shape, all brides are beautiful on their wedding day!

Sample Exercise FITscription:
20 ? 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise (3 ? 5 time per week)
Example: 2-5 minutes of brisk walking, 2-5 minutes of jumping jacks (repeat for 20 ? 30 minutes)

Sample Meal Plan:

Eat 5-7 small meals per day (meals should include protein, grains, vegetables, etc. to meet the food pyramid daily requirements)
Example: Small, grilled, skinless chicken breast
Slice of whole wheat bread
Slice of cheese
Mixed Vegetables
Glass of Water (2 or 3 would be even better)

About The Author

Lynn Bode is owner of http://www.workoutsforyou.com an Online Personal Fitness Training company. Workouts For You offers online exercise programs for weight loss, strength training, nutritional planning and race training. Personalized programs can be designed for all fitness levels.

The programs are customized to meet your individual needs and lifestyle (based on the extensive profile you provide when enrolling) and include a motivational accountability system and a huge library of exercise technique demos. You receive all the trainer benefits without the expensive price, and you can workout wherever and whenever you want.

To receive a FREE, no-obligation fitness evaluation, visit us at www.workoutsforyou.com. Need a quick gift --we provide gift certificate delivery within 24 hours of purchase.

info@workoutsforyou.com

You Cant Beat Perennials For Glorious Color All Season Long

When you start gardening with perennials, it's easy to think that all you have to do is get your plants into the ground, and with the exception of weeding, watering and cutting back, your garden will be done.

But here's what really happens: in the first year your new plants are underwhelming ? the clumps small, the flowers sparse. By the second year, your perennials have grown fuller and have more flowers, but in the third season ? watch out ? your plants look like they're on steroids, and you look like an accomplished gardener.

After that, many plants get bigger each season, while the odd one confounds you by doing a disappearing act. Responding to the inevitable change is your challenge as a flower gardener.

Veteran gardeners say that no flower garden is ever truly finished. When I was starting out about 15 years ago, my husband used to joke that my plants should have been on wheels because I moved them so much.

Perennial plants are the backbone of the flower garden because they're the plants with staying power. Their leaves die back as winter approaches, but with luck, the following spring, they come back. Some plants are short-lived, but old favorites like daylilies, hostas and peonies can last for decades.

The right perennials for your garden

When you're planning your flower garden, there are many choices to make ? some purely aesthetic, such as match-making with winning perennial combinations, and some purely horticultural - what grows best in your conditons.

The more closely you base your decisions on meeting the needs of your plants (in terms of light requirements, soil, moisture levels and so on) and on which plants look good together, the more likely you are to be successful with your perennial gardening.

Yvonne Cunnington is an avid perennial gardener and the author of Clueless in the Garden: A Guide for the Horticulturally Helpless. For lots more perennial gardening tips, visit her website http://www.flower-gardening-made-easy.com/perennials.html"

Successful Motor Protection Formulae

As we have discussed before, all overload relays have one major limitation - because they operate on line current, they do not directly sense the motor temperatures.

However, with proper heater selection and careful attention to the factors that affect heater performance, the overload relay can work extremely well to protect the motors.

Some of these factors that need close attention are:

Motor full load current
Motor temperature rise rating
Service factor
Ambient temperature at the motor and at the protector
Motor locked rotor current ratio
Starting time
Duty cycle
Locked rotor endurance time.

If attention is not given to these factors, the overload relay will perform poorly. The other factor to be considered is maintenance. Below are some maintenance routines:

Cleaning - The overload relays should be cleaned periodically. Dirt or dust created by the operating conditions in the plant tends to settle around the moving parts in the device and prevent it from operating properly.

Tightening connections - Because most overload relays make use of current flowing through heater elements to sense overloaded conditions, it is important that the electrical terminals are not loose. Loose electrical connections can create extra heat and cause false tripping of the relays.

Inspecting heater size - Heaters can oxidize over a period of time and become smaller in cross section. The smaller current flowing in the smaller heater generates the same amount of heat to cause unnecessary tripping of the relay.

With careful selection and maintenance, overload relays are excellent for motor protection.

The wide use of thermal overload relays in industry attests to their acceptance as the most practical means of protecting motors from overloads. And they are the most economical solution available.

Until next time...

"Looking For Magic Gadgets Discount?" Gifts for Curious Minds expands Our Thinking! Will it Spark the Genius in You?

Many years of working experience in Marine, Facilities, Construction has given the author material for writing e-books and articles related to engineering, and management. Subscribe to facworld ezine More information at Marine Engineer and M & E Engineer

Staying Ahead of the Perils, Excerpt of Entrepreneurial Motivation Speech

Running a business is not an easy endeavor, it takes courage, hard work and a strategic mindset. I feel now that I am retired looking back on it all, that it is my duty to provide to new entrepreneurs a few of the secrets of how to get things done. Every year through out our long history spanning over a quarter of a century, The Car Wash Guys Team had been careful to watch changes that affected our business. One year we are watching droughts in the North Western Hemisphere and how the water supply affects our operations. We needed the water to wash cars and our countrymen need it for farming and drinking. Water is life. We also saw heavy El Nino seasons on the Western United States, British Columbia Canada, Mexico, Central America and parts of Western South America; imagine running a car wash business when it rained almost 60 days straight and we are not talking the drizzle like in the North Eastern US each year.

We believe our past quarter of a Century in the washing business has with stood the test of time. Our perseverance is a testament to our will to win the battle in the survival of the fittest in the free market system against much larger competitors and predators. Whether it is the giant bureaucracy of government or a fierce competitor out for blood or a combination of both, we will fight. We will coral the ominous beast of bureaucracy and tame the competition and save our customers from being crushed or eaten in this dangerous world where anything can happen. You are going to have to do the same in your business, but I know if I can do it with the right team, well, so can you. I am sure of it. Are you? Think on it. It seemed whatever cards we were dealt, we pressed on a rose to the occasion.

We dealt with economic conditions and pledged to continue to fight International Terrorism and Crime; http://www.lancewinslow.org/ntw.shtml

We pledged to fight to preserve our economic strength as a Nation by helping small business; http://www.carwashguys.com/040602_6.shtml

We pledged to help keep our environment clean for our future; http://www.carwashguys.com/vegasepa.shtml

We will never forget our challenges and to give a little back; http://www.carwashguys.com/911.shtml

We pledged to understand and celebrate our great past; http://www.carwashguys.com/tour_bushlibrary.shtml

And by doing this we committed ourselves to the future; http://www.carwashguys.com/tour_magdalena.shtml

When you believe in something that strong and are committed that much, there is nothing that can stop you. Do you believe in such ideals? Will you commit yourself to the forward progression to your community, nation and business. We are that kind of a company, you can be too. If this past commitment in the last Quarter of a Century in this industry is any indication of what comes next, then I am certainly looking forward to watching our company grow as a proud parent from the sideline. Think on this.

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs

Sticky Homepage Copy in 30 Seconds

Yes indeed, that's all you've got, 30 seconds to make your website visitors decide to stick around...The internet has changed how we think about the customer, the product and the competition. I'm going to take you on a journey through these new ideas and show you what has changed and how you now can approach your marketing.

You have to put yourself in the customer's shoes and talk directly to her about how she benefits from your products. She wants product information and lots of it, but in due time. No more hard sell focused on the product. And the word competition is useful only to identify the people we need to observe and emulate, but no longer are we out to destroy them, we're out to partner with them. Confused? Good! That means there's learning on the way!

We're going to concentrate on your homepage, because you don't have long to capture your customer's interest. She has 3 main questions and you have thirty seconds at most to lure her to continue reading, clicking and finally clicking for the sale.

First you need to do your homework. You need to know who your customer is in terms of demographics, needs, desires, and dreams.

Now think about how she behaves on the internet. If she's like me, she has a huge list of things she has done and would like to do. Today she may be paying bills, looking for a new bank, planning a vacation, researching cold remedies, looking for recipes, researching books to take out of the library, reading the news and looking for a home business she can do in her spare time. All in one day. How much of her time is she willing to give you to convince her you're worth reading...worth bookmarking...that your opportunity or your product is The One for her? Not much...30 seconds...

Now you need to identify your competition. Where may your imaginary customer already be buying the products you offer? Where else may she be considering a home business opportunity? Why is she looking or buying there? What does she like about that site? What do you or your product have to offer that is missing there?

By now you're starting to identify your advantage, your edge, that relates to what this customer needs and wants. Staying focused on your customer, turn your edge into a sentence or sentences starting with "You", directed at how the customer will feel or be.

We've already dealt with the customer's first question, "So what? What's in it for me?" Now the second and third: "Why should I trust you or take a risk on your product?" and, "What do I do next?"

So, with your customer (not YOU, not the PRODUCT) in your mind's eye, you have 30 seconds to grab her interest or her curiosity enough to make her want to read more, click and get more info, or click and buy.

Remember that old song that went something like this?: "If you wanna be happy for the rest of your life, Better make a pretty woman your wife. Or for my personal point of view, Get an ugly girl to marry you."

Then if I remember correctly, the singer goes on to explain the circumstances that made him an expert ;) in this area.

What's in it for the listener? All the right buttons were pushed: happiness forever, marriage, advice from an expert, and curiosity about the rest of the song. Maybe he could have thrown in some financial security and a home, but pretty much all the bases were covered.

So hit your customer with what pretty much everyone wants: happiness, security, health, family, freedom...whatever fits. But don't just talk about happiness and security, talk about feeling happy and secure. It may seem like semantics, but it's really a huge difference.

You've nailed your customer's needs and emotions, so now just write copy that flows from needs and dreams to information to the click that will sell or sign her up. If you lead her to a product information page, lead her to the final click. If it's testimonials, or all about you, lead her to the click. When she's ready to leave, ask her to complete a survey, sign up for a newsletter, sign a guestbook, and offer her a free ebook as a way of thanks for stopping by.

And if this ebook was written by your competition, now you're starting to see how "drown the opponent" has been replaced by what some call "fusion marketing": in essence, partnerships for a win-win situation. His ebook gets out there, with his branded links inside; you benefit from his expertise and reputation and the ability to give your visitors a quality gift.

This relationship continues with reciprocal linking, contests with prizes, testimonials, co-authoring ebooks or co-writing a course or seminar, and any number of other collaborative possibilities, only limited by your imagination.

And, as you can see, you don't have to be a novelist; we're talking about writing for 30 seconds of reading for starters, then a bit more. Welcome to the New Paradigms of Marketing, compliments of the Internet.

Glenn Beach is a poet, writer and home business entrepreneur in Nova Scotia, Canada. Free newsletter, more articles, and business start-up info at: http://www.work-at-home-business-opportunity-canada.com

The Evils of Tanning Beds

OK, so you've had a few days of steady rain, and going to the beach isn't an option. But you're starting to notice your pasty white skin, and you'd like to do something about it. Or ... it's January, and tanning outside is a little brisk.

So you head to a tanning bed, and -- voila! -- in a few short minutes, you've got that tan you wanted.

What's the problem with this scenario? You're inevitably going to get complaints from people who tell you that a tanning bed is somehow dangerous.

Nonsense.

A tanning bed is not "dangerous," is not a "voluntary coffin," (to quote my mother's dermatologist) and isn't silly.

It's a way of getting tanned, a way of getting your body's needed dose of vitamin D.

Your body doesn't differentiate: the UV rays react on the skin whether you're out on the sand for a few hours, or spending 10 minutes on a tanning bed.

10 minutes is a good rule of thumb: it's roughly equal to an hour in the sun. It's easy, relatively cheap (look for specials) and is especially good for those times when you don't have time to spend in the sun, or can't because of the weather.

Of course, watch your time. Most places won't let you use more than 20 minutes at a pop, but even that's a long time, if you haven't had any UV exposure for a while. Start slow, ease in, and enjoy your tan.

And if it's December, enjoy the envy of your pasty-skinned friends. If your looking good bothers them, suggest they get therapy.

Jim Huffman, RN specializes in natural and alternative healing therapies. His first book is 'Dare to Be Free: How to Get Control of Your Time, Your Life, and Your Nursing Career,' and is aimed at helping other nurses find satisfying, dynamic careers. His website is http://www.NetworkForNurses.com and his health blog is at http://www.shababa.blogspot.com

Baby Acne

by: Jackie G. Maxwell
One of the most common conditions a new mother may see on her infant, is
baby acne. But while it is startling in so young a child, it's really not
a serious issue, nor should you be overly concerned about the causes or
cures.

Some babies when born, may have small red bumps on their face. This is not
baby acne, but something called "milia", which usually disappears in a
couple of weeks. On the other hand, the acne will appear around that same
two week period, and show itself as small white heads, sometimes
surrounded by red, irritated skin on the cheeks, chin, forehead and even
the back.

In teenagers and even adults, acne is blamed on hormones and excessively
oily skin. To some extent this is true of infants also, with hormones
transmitted through the placenta, often being blamed for the facial spots.
However, science has no real idea of the cause, and there is normally no
treatment for the few weeks a child will have it.

Because the baby acne appears on areas of the face where they may have
spit up, rubbed against sheets washed in harsh detergent, or drooled, it
can become slightly aggravated, but that extra irritation will go away by
changing your laundry soap, and wiping their face with a damp cloth when
needed.

It is not advisable to try home remedies such as creams or oil, as these
will only irritate the skin further. As a rule, nothing more is needed
than washing once a day with mild baby soap. In some cases where the baby
acne appears to get significantly worse, your doctor may prescribe a cream
or other medication. He will also check at the same time, to see if a
breastfeeding mother is taking any medication that may have triggered the
acne through her milk.

About the author:
Jackie G. Maxwell is the resident baby & toddler expert at Malcolm's Web.
Visit http://www.MalcolmsWeb.comand sign up for free weekly tips that will
take the mystery and fear out of parenting your precious little one.