Manager Buzz

May 31st, 2008

Patio Furniture Extend Your Living Quarters

Posted in Home Improvement + More

Your living quarters don’t have to stop within the perimeters of the traditional rooms like the kitchen, living room and bedroom. Pull your living quarters farther out by dressing up your patio. Patio furniture is the key to pulling the look together.

When searching for patio furniture, consider how exposed to the elements your furniture will be. If you have a covered or closed in patio, you can use furniture that is not suited for outdoors. If your patio is open, be sure to buy furniture that is okayed for the elements.

For instance, there are some rockers that look great on patios but they have a note attached that they are not suited for outdoor use. Something like this must be brought in whenever it is not in use. If you decide you just must have it any way, make sure you have a place in your home or storage to hold it until its next use.

If you decide to buy wicker or rattan furniture, check to see if the manufacturer has warnings against outdoor use. Some wicker and rattan furniture is not meant for use outside, but other wicker and rattan has been specially treated for outdoor use. It comes down to checking the label or packaging to know for sure. If you have any doubt, contact the manufacturer. As the store from which you purchased it for the contact info or look it up on line if you can’t find it elsewhere.

If style is not a high concern on your list but finding cheap, practical patio furniture is, check out the resin tables and chairs on the market. The tables and chairs are sturdy. You can even buy resin foot rests, end tables and coffee tables. This type of furniture weathers well in all elements and the only style concern you face with resin furniture is fading or dullness that comes along with being outside. You can find resin furniture at just about any discount store. It’s seasonal, so start looking for it to appear on shelves and display floors in the spring. The price for a simple resin chair ranges from $6 to $10 in most places. Chaise lounge chairs made from the same resin are a little more expensive. You can expect to pay $30 to $40 each for those. The price of resin tables varies based on the size. A small table, like an end table or a foot stool, are about the same price as the simple chairs. A large table costs more. The high end of the design in resin furniture is the table with a hole in the middle for an umbrella. In addition to providing shade from the hot sun, an umbrella can really dress up the look of resin patio furniture. A simple green or white table becomes festive when a brightly colored umbrella is thrown into the mix!

So, no matter how much money you have to spend, you can extend your living quarters outside the boundary of tradition. Invest in some patio furniture and you can create an outdoor living room of sorts!

Bob Benson is the founder of Furniture online. You can check out our website at www.cheap-computer-furniture.info

May 31st, 2008

The Howl Issue #3

Posted in University Of Management

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and looking forward to an even better Christmas. I personally am now getting into the Christmas spirit after spending all day Saturday and most of Sunday putting up the lights outside and helping decorate the tree. As this year comes to an end and we celebrate the holiday season, most of us have a lot to be thankful for. I know I count my blessings everyday and look for opportunities to reach out to others that may need help, support or encouragement. Have a wonderful holiday season and a prosperous New Year. Reach out to someone.

If you missed Issues #1 & 2, e-mail: rick@ceostrategist.com for copies of these issues.

This month’s issue contains:

• The Housing Bubble — Is It Finally Ready to Burst?”

• First in a series on “The Challenges Facing Family Owned Businesses”

— How can you turn over your business to your children without creating chaos?

• Kids and Guns

• 15 Revealing Questions To Ask A New Sales Candidate

• Client Corner — “My Kids Can’t Cut It”

The Housing Bubble — Is It Finally Ready to Burst? —- Economists have been predicting the burst of the bubble for the past five years. Every year they have been wrong. 2005 was supposed to be the year when things really started to slow down. Low and behold, 2005 was another banner year. Those in the building supply business are sitting around smiling as they count the profits. I am not an economist, thank God, but maybe, just maybe the economists are going to finally be right as some signs are beginning to show that may indicate a slow down in the housing boom. And of course, the auto industries problems, specifically General Motors with their recent layoffs and plant closure announcements just adds strength to this conjecture. What’s the old saying? “So goes General Motors, so goes the economy.”

Sales of existing homes fell almost 3% in October and the decline could have been higher except for the demand created by the surge of Hurricanes, especially Katrina. The level of unsold homes in October was at its highest peak in nineteen years. Some of this may be attributed to the fact that prices have risen at a pace not seen in twenty five years. A chief real estate economist stated; “The housing boom has likely passed its peak. (We have heard this before) The boom is winding down. I expect continued softening in housing.” (David Lereah, chief economist for Realtors.)

Economists also predict that the buildup of unsold homes across the nation would dampen the surge in prices that saw 69 cities report double digit price increases this summer compared with third quarter 2004. Another prediction is an additional point increase in interest rates by June of 2006 which could create a slow down in price increases to about 5% next year.

In reference to new construction, it also has shown signs that the bubble may be ready to burst. Housing construction and new building permits were down sharply in October. The Commerce Department reports that construction of new homes and apartments fell by almost 6%, which was the biggest decline in seven months. Applications for new building permits fell almost 7%, which is the biggest decline in six years. Nariman Behravesh, another expert chief economist stated, “We are likely to see a steady downward trend in housing activity over the next few months. Mortgage rates are at the highest level seen in more than two years.” National Association of Home Builders said a new survey showed builder optimism fell in November, the largest amount since the September 11th terrorist’s attacks.

So, is the bubble ready to burst? Many economists seem to thinks so. However, the statistics cited have been cited in the past. The predictions of a bubble burst have been reported in the past. On the other hand, some economists disagree at least partially. David Seiders, chief economist for home builders stated that he believed that sales of both new and existing homes, while still setting records for a fifth consecutive year in 2005, will only see a small 5% decline in 2006. This would represent a very soft landing (5% is not much considering the growth we have experienced over the past five years). Do they really know? Who knows? Maybe that’s why Roosevelt said he would only deal with “One Armed Economists.” So they couldn’t say, “On the other hand”…

Be cautious in 2006. Don’t panic but don’t bet the farm. Initiate a contingency planning process. If you don’t need the plan in 2006, so what, sooner or later the economists might get it right and that contingency plan that you have tucked away will become invaluable.

__________________________________________

First In A Series On Family Owned Businesses—— In 2006 we will try to cover many of the issues and challenges in “The Howl” that face privately held family owned businesses.
Every family owned business faces difficult challenges. Readers are encouraged to e-mail rick@ceostrategist.com with comments, questions and topics for discussion related to the challenges faced by family owned businesses.

How can you turn the business over to your children without creating chaos— This is probably the toughest question any business owner that has family working in the business will ever face. However, the answer is simple. The answer is….. It depends. It depends on how well you (the owner) have prepared yourself and your child for this transition. Have you planned this out? Has your successor been trained, developed and prepared for the transition? This is pretty easy if you only have one child in the business and he/she just happens to be the next Jack Welch of wholesale distribution. This child has worked outside the business for someone else for a minimum of five years. They have completed their MBA and they worked their way up in your organization starting in operations or customer service. They don’t walk around with their silver spoon visible and they don’t wear their family title on their sleeve. “Piece of Cake!”

Let’s face Reality— That scenario, although it certainly does exist, is the exception and not the rule. In most cases privately held businesses generally have several family members working in the business. When the president has more than one child in the business, things start to get more complicated. Before we dive into that challenge, “How do we select the next President?” let’s review a few statistics.

• Family business is the driving force behind the US economy providing over 50% of our employment

• 59% of family owned businesses have only 1 or 2 owners

• 25% of family owned businesses surveyed in 2004 stated they would seek non family member CEO’s for succession

• Key areas that family owned businesses seek advice and counsel on include:

— Strategic Planning

— Organizational Design

— Operational Effectiveness

— Leadership Development

— Succession Issues

— Compensation

— Sales Effectiveness

— Risk Management

Now, how do you decide on who should be the next President? If you are not one of the lucky few described in the opening scenario and you have multiple family members working in the business, your stress level is already at a high point. First, many if not all family members working in the business have feelings of entitlement to some degree. This is generally true of at least one if not all of the president’s kids. Choosing the next president becomes even more difficult if the children have used their name as a title instead of the actual title of the job function they performed and the position they hold in the company (This is often unintentional and some kids don’t even realize it). This difficulty increases exponentially if none of the kids have demonstrated a high level of competence, respect for all employees, leadership skills that pattern the servant style and at least some promise of potential to fill the president’s shoes.

Although the majority of parents would prefer that their children take over the business and carry on the family legacy, this is not always the best option available. I know it is difficult for any parent to admit that their child may not possess the skill sets necessary to take over as President of the company. However, that situation actually does exist in many family businesses.

What are the options if Junior isn’t ready? — The first two questions to ask yourself are: “Will Junior ever be ready?” “Does Junior have the ability to learn how to become President?”

As difficult as it is to accept, your answers to these questions alone are not good enough. If you have a Board of Directors, you should solicit their input and recommendations. Hire a Human Resource Consultant to do an assessment of not only Junior but other executives in your organization that may be qualified for the Presidency. Conduct 360 degree reviews to get input from peers and subordinates. Precisely define the Presidents role and responsibilities and match these requirements to Junior’s skill sets. If you don’t have a board, create one before the transition. Include the following action items as part of the transition plan:

• Create a development transition training program for the new President (This should be designed as an internship)

• Clearly define the former Presidents role after the transition. Will he remain and come into the office? Will he become Chairman of the Board? What responsibilities will the former President retain?

• Manage the expectations of other family members. Do not allow family tension to create tension in the business. This could lead to employees taking sides.

• Use your attorney to cover all legal issues

• Create a real Board of Directors

The Family business can be complex— The family business structure can be complex and confusing. This is especially true when numerous family members work in the business. The business is composed of interdependent relationships between functions and people that depend on the ability to work toward common objectives. A family owned business with multiple family members has twice as many opportunities for mistakes, resentments and complacency. Teamwork is essential and effective communication is critical. It is of paramount importance that employees are recognized as the true reason for success. Family issues must not penetrate the business environment. Holding family business meetings, off site, on a regular basis is highly recommended.

These meetings should be used to air feelings, check boundaries and clarify roles and responsibilities as they are being played out. The President must keep his finger on the pulse of the company culture and environment. Family members must be challenged as issues arise that are detrimental to the long term success of the company. Some companies create a “Code of Conduct” just for this reason. Regular confidential employee surveys are also a useful tool in this regard. (E-mail rick@ceostrategist.com for a complimentary copy of “A Guide to Leadership Succession in the Family Business”)

It’s your company, it’s your legacy and when all the cards are played it is still ultimately your decision. Listen to your employees, listen to your executive team, get some outside advice and then —– trust your instincts as a professional business person. Remember, you can always sell the business or bring in an outsider as President.

__________________________________________

Kids and Guns —— I’m probably going to get a lot of negative feedback about this but so be it. Just prior to sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner I was reading the local newspaper and came across an article titled, “How young is too young to hunt?” The newspaper had a picture of a young boy, 6 years old holding a .223 caliber rifle with a scope. He was all dressed up in camouflage gear. The article talked about this young boy killing his first deer when he was five years old with one shot from his .223 caliber rifle. The boy himself was excited as he talked to the reporter.

“I shot it right behind the front shoulder. Dropped it right in its tracks,” the boy said. This boy of six stands 4 feet tall and weighs 50 pounds. He’s a good student that earned an award for responsibility in kindergarten that year. KINDERGARTEN!

But he’d rather be hunting. “I like it,” he said. “Shooting a gun and shooting at the animals and killing them.”

The article went on to talk about an eight year old girl that made headlines last month by shooting the first black bear of the season. This was in Maryland and there is no minimum age limit for hunting. You have to be sixteen or eighteen in most states to drive a car but you can shoot a .223 caliber rifle with a scope at 5 years old. Now, I have to say that although I am not a hunter, I am not opposed to hunting. I am also not opposed to guns. I own one myself. After all, it’s legal to carry a concealed weapon in Florida (It’s a matter of state pride that we return fire in a drive by!) But, I do shudder when I think about a five or six year old in the woods with a .223 caliber weapon, even if they are with their Father who may be an expert hunter. A .223 caliber rifle can kill someone or something a mile away. Beyond that, how do we determine that the maturity level and the responsibility level of a six year old are such that what is learned about weapons in the woods stays in the woods when that child begins to mature?

Yes, the federal government spent a lot of money on a study that said, “Guns do not turn children into criminals.” This study concluded the best way to reduce firearm related violence is to buy them a gun and teach them how to use it responsibly. Give me a Break!

Let’s not forget, guns are unregulated consumer products. In Texas guns are said to kill six children and teenagers every week of every school year. I personally believe that guns and kids are a volatile combination. Between 1996 and 2000, 1,541 children died in Texas from gun violence and for every child that died, four others went to the emergency room for gun related injury. Six out of ten child suicides are completed using guns. And this is just in Texas.

To close my RANT and OUTRAGE about a five year old with a .223 caliber rifle, I want to site a project called the “Lion & Lamb Links”. This was a study that asked the question, “What do you think your pre-schooler would do if he or she found a real gun—- after repeatedly warned NOT to touch a gun.” The results of this project are shocking.

First a police officer was brought into a class of 60 children. His message was clear and precise. “Don’t touch guns — they are deadly and dangerous. If you see a gun, leave the area. Tell an adult.” The children were asked to repeat his words and they could answer his questions. They were later left alone with disarmed guns and the majority of the children picked them up and shot everything in sight. This was reported by Hardy in a NY Times editorial.

The second study with a different group of children lasted five days. The children were instructed on how to make good choices, how to resist peer pressure and how to distinguish toys from dangerous objects, guns. The results were the same. When left alone the children began playing with the guns just as group one did. Most of the six year olds could tell the difference between the toy guns and the real guns but they played with them anyway.

Ask yourself, would your kid play with a gun, even if you trained him in the woods to hunt? Does your six year old have the maturity to handle the knowledge about something as deadly as a gun?

I apologize in advance to my gun distributor friends. But I’ve got to say, I would be awful nervous hunting in the woods knowing there were 5, 6, 7 & 8 year olds in those woods with loaded rifles. In fact, you won’t catch me near the woods during hunting season.

_______________________________________________________________

15 Revealing Questions To Ask A New Sales Candidate

1. Tell me about why you want to succeed at sales.

2. Where does your sales passion come from?

3. What is the last sales book you read?

4. Tell me about the last book you’ve read on creativity.

5. Tell me about the biggest sale you ever made.

6. What was the biggest reason you got it?

7. Tell me about the biggest sale you lost.

8. What do you say when a prospect says, “I want to think it over”?

9. What do you say when a prospect says, “I’m satisfied with my present supplier”?

10. What do you say when a prospect says, “Your price is too high”?

11. How often do you listen to or read personal development information?

12. When did you attend your last seminar?

13. How do you improve your presentation skills?

14. What is your most creative approach to follow-up?

15. Give me your 30-second personal commercial. Your elevator speech.

These are just a few examples to get you started in the interview.

__________________________________________

Client Corner

Rick

I just turned 70 years old. I am ready to turn over the reigns of my company to one of my three sons. I own a ____parts distributor with revenues that should exceed $48 million by year end 2005. All three have worked in the business for the past 15 years. I don’t want to sell and I really want one of my sons to carry on the family legacy. My problem — I don’t know which son to hand the Presidency to. I hired a consultant to do an assessment to help me make a decision. The consultants, after doing a battery of tests and interviews determined that my current Vice President of sales is the only internal candidate that is qualified to take over as President. This gentleman has been with me for 25 years, he’s a great guy, and I have no doubt that he can do the job but he is not one of my sons. To complicate matters even more, the son that I was leaning towards handing the Presidency to got the worst rating of anybody on the 360 degree review. In fact, the consultant privately advised me that I should consider getting this son out of the business before my transition into retirement. They also advised that one of my two remaining sons may be able to step it up and take over the reins in three to five years. He is 45 years old now. I can’t wait that long to retire. What do you recommend?

George —— Mid West

Dear George:

You are facing quite a dilemma. Obviously, the easy answer is to sell the business. However, I take it from the passion in your memo that you will not consider that option. At 45 years old your son should be ready to take over as president now. If he is not ready now, chances are not great that he will be ready in 3 to 5 years. You haven’t done a very good job as his coach and mentor. That being said, if you are adamant about one of your sons taking over the business you might want to consider this scenario. Appoint your VP of sales as your successor with the understanding that one of his primary responsibilities is to develop your son to take over the company in three years. Make sure that you are generous to this VP in constructing a contract that makes him well if something happens to you and your sons decide to throw him off the bus. If your son doesn’t develop enough to really run the company in three years, you might consider leaving your former VP of sales in the role of President and appoint your son CEO. He could be the outside face for the company, carryon the family name but have your President run the business on a day to day basis. This assumes that your son is willing to play that role and supports the President in his day to day role. It is not the ideal solution but it is an option that can be considered. However, be very cautious in determining what your sons are willing to accept and how they will react. A family legacy means nothing if the business goes down the tubes due to internal strife caused by intolerable family issues. This is a short answer that requires a lot more discussion.

Good Luck and let me know how things progress.

Rick

http://www.ceostrategist.com E-mail rick@ceostrategist.com for prior issues of The Howl. Dr. Rick Johnson (rick@ceostrategist.com) is the founder of CEO Strategist LLC. an experienced based firm specializing in leadership and the creation of competitive advantage. Rick received an MBA from Keller Graduate School in Chicago, Illinois and a Bachelor’s degree in Operations Management from Capital University, Columbus Ohio. Rick completed his dissertation on Strategic Leadership and received his Ph.D. on April 15, 2005

May 31st, 2008

Yeast Infection: Relief Using a Natural Antibiotic

Posted in Living With Gender Issues

Yeast infection is like a ghost waiting to scare young and older women when their body becomes out of balance due to stress, dubious partners, hormonal changes and/or immune system weakness.

A few women will elude this voracious monster but unfortunately most will be frightened at least twice in their life and others will live with a chronic reoccurrence of yeast infection.

The most important message is to recognize the yeast infection early and try an available natural remedy that you can use in the comfort of the home that is safe and no prescription required.

Natural antibiotics are always a choice that should be taken over a prescription if possible. Colloidal silver has been a patented drug and then relabeled a natural supplement. Oregano oil is also a natural antibiotic.

In addition to natural antibiotics there are two other home remedies that have been used to control yeast infection, yogurt insertion and tea tree oil. The body will always respond quicker to a natural solution and return to a healthy state if it doesn’t have a compound job to do. The dual duty of the immune system would be trying to rid the body of an invasive disease while expelling man made toxins in prescription drugs that usually cause unbalanced ph in the blood and immune system.

Natural antibiotics and home remedies are not in any way the answer to all medical problems and do not take the place of a medical doctor. However taking care of your body and boosting your immune system to support good health is your everyday job. Only you know that responsibility best.

The World Wide Web has become a highway to a library of testimonials for natural disease remedies. There is an effort
to suppress all natural vitamin, herbs, minerals and home remedy practice. We are a voice crying RELIEF in cyberspace from the proven archives of our word-of-mouth ancestors. We practice freedom of speech, and deny that these references are an attempt to diagnose or treat any disease, symptom or individual.

James Zeller writes for numerous alternative health websites and blogs. Are you looking more info on yeast
infection symptoms or natural
antibiotics?

May 30th, 2008

How to Achieve E-commerce Success -You Gotta Plan!

Posted in Web Management

Before becoming a netpreneaur, I was an entrepreneur. First, I owned a successful child care center which grew to capacity in less than two years. When I sold that, I bought a little flower shop that had less than 300 customers and grew it to what it is today, one of the most successful, award winning companies in South Florida with more than 7,000 customers who purchase from us on a regular business. To better serve our customers, we took our business to the Internet. We still have a brick and mortar storefront, yet everyday we receive more and more customers via the Internet.

How about you? Do you or did you have a traditional business or professional practice? Is it successful? Unless you were born under the star called “LUCKY,” you probably did lots of planning. A business plan, a marketing plan, maybe even a succession plan for what to do with your business when you were through.

You may have heard the statistics that half of all small businesses fail in their first year and of those, only 25% make it through to five years. According to youngbiz.com it can be even less for e-businesses.

Build it and they will come! Not! You can have a terrific site, with lots of bells and whistles and if people don’t know you exist, you never get any visitors, let alone customers.

Planning is the key to success in business. Amazon.com had a plan, Bill Gates had a plan, eDiets had a plan, and I’ll bet they still do. Once a business launches on the net, you will need a marketing plan to be successful. Your biggest challenge will be to find time to plan. However, if you don’t find time now, you will find yourself with plenty of it (time, that is) later on, and no business to speak of.

Unlike a business, generally created to get financial backing from investors, Netpreneurs create marketing plans for themselves. Where do you start? First you have to ask yourself these questions. Where do you want to be in 1 year, 5 years, 10 years? How many customers do you want or better yet, how much money do you want to make? Who are your customers? Do you know what they want, need and expect? Can you give it to them? What are your competitors doing? What are you doing that is different? How will you promote your business?

Now Create your Website marketing plan.

Put it in writing! Not only do you have to plan, you have to write it down! Take a notebook or idea book and write the following: your vision, mission strategies, goals and the time frame you wish to accomplish these goals. Keep this notebook next to your computer to refer to. It will help you stay focused.

What is your vision for your business? Your vision is what you want your web site to accomplish. Write your vision statement in your notebook. The vision statement for my flower shop is to “Make a reasonable profit via the Internet by providing a quality product, delivering exceptional service, at a price my customers will pay.”

What are your goals? What do you believe you can accomplish that may be a bit of a stretch but doable? If the goals are too easy, you are not getting the most out of your planning process. And you could be losing money. Can make a profit of 20% in 3 months? Can double your customer base in 6 months? If so, write it in your notebook.

What steps do you need to take to achieve your goals? How much do you have to sell to achieve your goals? You must first know your profit margin to determine this figure. Then you have to figure out how you are going to find the customers to make your goals come true.

What are your marketing strategies? Start with those goals you know you can attain. How will you reach your market? Are you going to use search engine optimization, email, newsletters, networking, advertising on related sites, advertising in trade magazines, or write an article to submit to online publications? Participate in online forums, message boards and newsgroups. Include your URL (Internet address) in your signature file.

What is the time-frame for accomplishing your goals? Create a time-line for every goal in your notebook. Next to each goal, write down the starting and ending dates of when you plan to accomplish that goal as well as what type of marketing strategies you are using.

Are you keeping track of your marketing results? If you are doing any advertising whether it is online or offline, track the results. You can track online advertising using ad tracking software such as adtrackz.com, to track all the links you place online. Analyze web site statistics to find out how visits found you. For offline advertising, place codes or words in your advertising to keep track. Your online order forms should have a place to enter the code. To learn how customers found us, we use a numeric code on all advertising/marketing materials.

What is your return on investment? How much money did the marketing strategy cost? How much money did you take in? Subtract the second figure from the first and that is your profit (or loss).

Keep track of those marketing campaigns that worked and those that didn’t. Do more of the first. Reevaluate the second. Can you change one thing in the strategy and achieve different results? Try it! Add new strategies to the mix.

Stay focused on your goals. Nothing feels better than accomplishing a goal. Except maybe, all the money you are going to make when you do!

© 2004 - Heidi Richards is the author of The PMS Principles, Powerful Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business and 7 other books. She is also the Founder & CEO of the Women’s ECommerce Association, International www.WECAI.org (pronounced wee-kī) - an Internet organization that “Helps Women Do Business on the WEB.” She can be reached at www.HeidiRichards.com.

May 29th, 2008

Kitchen Islands

Posted in Best Food, Design Tips, Home Improvement + More

Do you want to add an extra touch to your kitchen? One way to make changes to your kitchen would be to ad a kitchen island. It is a counter top that allows family and guests to surround the counter without being confined to a wall.

You can use outdoor Kitchen Islands can become a self serving buffet for parties. Guests can mingle with each other and entertainment is conducive with this Kitchen Island. Kitchen Islands are a cost effective means to increase storage space. What ever the style of the kitchen you can enjoy installing your own island or have one installed for you.

You can choose what type of counter top you want for this Island, the design and style is not limited. You can choose from wood, metal or any choice of surface material. It’s important to consider the dimension of your kitchen that you want to install an island in. What are your floor plans like? There are several designs you can work with, find one that fits your interest and start creating a kitchen that fits your style and functioning needs. One suggestion would be that if you have a small kitchen area, you could find a kitchen island that is pre-built and is movable. These are great for breakfast bar, paper towel holders. These create convent space at a lower cost.

May 29th, 2008

From Wetlands to Canals and Dams: Travel to Amsterdam

Posted in Best Travel Resources

There are not many cities that have experienced such social and political extremes in recent history as Amsterdam. In the 20th century alone, Amsterdam faced the atrocities of war for the first time in 400 years, became the radical center of 1960s social movements and witnessed a complete about-face in its core economy. Amsterdam’s progressive, multicultural, conscientious and contentious attitude wipes out images of a more docile past and ranks this capital city among the top 5 for European travel destinations.
Precariously positioned on the banks of both the IJ Bay and the Amstel River headwaters, Amsterdam made an early mark on the world with its dominant seafaring fleet and colonial aspirations in the 17th and 18th centuries. Amsterdam’s economy turned inward once England emerged as the seafaring superpower. Consequently, most of the enchantingly crooked mansions and townhouses alone the canals are now inhabited by eclectic stores, businesses and engaging galleries and the majority of Amsterdammers live outside of the canal belt.

Museums, Music and a Barrage of Culture
To gain a better understanding of how such a metropolitan city emerged from bogs, swamps and floodplains, visit the Amsterdams Historisch Museum. Extensive documentation covering centuries of growth spans the walls of the exhibits and a detailed segment is dedicated to modern day issues, conflicts and controversies surrounding Amsterdam’s path to becoming a free and tolerant society. Then, explore Amsterdam’s historic relationship with water aboard the Nederlands Scheepvaart Museum, a dry-docked ship from the East India Company. For a more refined jaunt into the past, a trip to the colossal Rijksmuseum will indulge the senses with fine art from Dutch masters throughout history.

As evening approaches, leave your museum voice behind and dive dancing and drinking into Amsterdam’s edgy and rowdy nightlife. The pubs and coffee shops that line the canals are a vibrant mix of locals and visitors, and the perfect place to begin your evening. Enjoy an extensive array of domestic ale or have a taste of the unique Dutch gin. Musically, Amsterdam has something for everyone. Visit Mulligans Pub for authentic Irish entertainment, kick back to some jazz in Dylan’s stylish lobby bar or go electro at the famed mega-club, Ministry.

For a moment of contemplation or a summer picnic, Amsterdam offers some of the best urban park spaces among European cities. Bikes are available for rental to take in the scenery at a faster pace, just beware of the tram tracks that crisscross most roadways and footpaths.

Of European cities, Amsterdam is most likely to surprise, excite and intrigue its visitors in a most unexpected fashion. Travel to Amsterdam to enjoy the perfect balance of open spaces, a lively urban pulse and a gracefully multiethnic ambiance.

For more information on international travel and discount airfare to Amsterdam, visit www.cfares.com.

May 28th, 2008

Rural Tourism Coming to Life in Bulgaria

Posted in Real Estate Center

Many who are looking to buy property in Bulgaria wonder how they can move there
permanently and still make a living… one of the things which most often springs to
mind is something in the tourism sector, such as a small bed and beakfast in the
countryside.Until now the higher-spending independent travellers who would use
small b and b’s in Bulgaria have been just a dream.

This vision can now become reality with the arrival of flights direct from London to
Bulgaria at just 70 pounds return, allowing that long dreamed-of tourism venture of
so many property buyers to come to life.

For a venture into tourism, the Black Sea may seem an obvioius choice as it accounts
for over 75% of all tourism revenue. However, a lot of people buying in Bulgaria
these days don’t want to pay the prices on the coast and feel it is becoming over-
developed. They want peace and calm in the rural countryside and are also seeking a better quality of life for themselves.

Whilst many tourists are content with just a sunny beach and a cold beer, more and
more are looking for a different experience where they can get more from their
holiday, a more authentic and personal experience. Many of the significant trends in
worldwide tourism point to the high potential of ’sustainable’ or ‘alternative’
tourism. Anyone who has spent time in Bulgaria will be aware that the country has
enormous fantastic natural resources with mountains, forests, lakes, rivers,
stunning views… and an incredibly rich history full of traditions - making Bulgaria a
perfect recipe for sustainable tourism.

There are many delights to reap from sustainable tourism. Apart from the obvious
quality of life, compared with the mass tourist market, the characteristics of this
kind of tourism lessens their impact on the area, at the same time providing
financial benefits within the community by employing local people and buying local
produce, goods and services. So, you know that you’re minimising ecological
damage and at the same time generating income and employment.

The trend towards this kind of tourism is clear in Bulgaria. Already the number of
tourists visiting the Thracian King’s Valley has more than doubled, tour operators
have started offering alternatives to Sunny Beach and spa centres have started
selling their holidays to the overseas market. With the arrival of these new cheap
flights, increased numbers of independent tourists will start arriving and exploring
further afield, thus the often overlooked rural areas of Bulgaria and the properties
there will become more valuable.

Properties in Bulgaria suitable for sustainable tourism projects can currently be
found from as low as 10,000 euros up to as much as you would want to spend.
From running horse-riding holidays to opening a spa centre, through to renting out
self-catering villas or operating a small hotel… the possibilities in Bulgaria are
abundant.

Sustainable tourism can be an extremely rewarding lifestyle in Bulgaria - not much
else can offer the combined elements of quality of life, living in a dreamed-of
location and doing something you enjoy which also pays the bills!

For more information about this news please contact Jain Goodall of Quest Bulgaria:
Quest Bulgaria is a totally independent magazine for those interested in buying
property, moving to and investing in Bulgaria. Impartial and in-depth articles written
every month by practicing lawyers, accountants, real estate and other experts. The
only printed magazine combined with on-line professional advice, dedicated to
providing unbiased editorial and information on Bulgaria.

Tel : 00 359 2 851 90 65
GSM : 00 359 878 227 222
http://www.questbulgaria.com

May 28th, 2008

SpeedGuide.net….Helpful Broadband Community

Posted in Technology Tips + More

Want to know how to tweak your internet connection? Have some questions about routers? Wondering about the best way to configure your network? Curious about WiFi, Bluetooth, or any other wireless networking standard? Frustrated with security issues and need pointers on firewalls and port filtering? Looking for updates on anti-virus, anti-spyware & ad-ware software? Have any issues on hardware, software, programming, or digital media? Boy do I have the place for you!

Drop in to the discussion community at SpeedGuide.net and you’re bound to find whatever you need related to the Broadband world. Ask questions, share tips, make friends and business contacts. This is definitely one of the most informative and helpful sites on the net…..period!

About the Author

Michael is the owner of FreedomFire Communications ….delivering choices to business consumers for voice and data broadband services. Michael also authors BroadBand Nation Broadband Nation where you’re always welcome to drop in and catch up on the latest BroadBand news, tips, and ramblings for the masses.

May 28th, 2008

Google Sitemaps - A New Free Google Tool

Posted in The Marketing Way

Google has released another valuable. The tool, “Sitemaps”, allows you to notify Google of site updates. As with all Google tools, the service is free.

Sitemaps - What Is It?

Sitemaps is a platform that let’s Webmasters notify Google of, ta da, changes to a site. In creating the tool, Google suggests the tool will let it expand coverage of pages on the web and speed up the time it takes to index sites. This goal appears to conflict with the much discussed Google Sandbox, but there is no harm in using Sitemaps.

Sitemaps - Uploading Your Changes

Google provides two methods for using Sitemaps. The first involves creating an xml file on your server. The process is a bit detailed, so it will not be covered in this article. You can find specific instructions at:

https://www.google.com/webmasters/sitemaps/docs/en/protocol.html

Sitemaps - Manual Uploads

Google also provides a method to manually upload site changes. The first step is to create a list of the URL changes using Notepad. For example, we recently changed a number of pages on NomadJournals.com. To use Sitemaps, we would create the following list of URLs:

http://www.nomadjournals.com/

http://www.nomadjournals.com/travel_accessories_journal.cfm

http://www.nomadjournals.com/bird_watcher_books.cfm

http://www.nomadjournals.com/fly_fishing_equiptment.cfm

http://www.nomadjournals.com/hiking_camping_backpacking.cfm

Next, save the file as an .xml file. Go to Google Sitemaps at:

https://www.google.com/webmasters/sitemaps/login

Just upload the file. That’s it.

Common Questions

1. Do you need an account with Google?

You do not need an account with Google to use Sitemaps. That being said, you should open one since Sitemaps lets you monitor the progress of the indexing of your changes.

2. Will Using Sitemaps Help My Rankings?

Ah, we get to the crux of the matter. Unfortunately, Google clearly states using Sitemaps has no effect on rankings. There is a small benefit, however, in at least making sure your pages are being indexed.

3. Will Google index all of the URLs in my Sitemap?

Surprisingly, the answer is no. Still, Google wouldn’t be providing the tool if it didn’t have some benefit. According to Google, using Sitemaps will have no negative impact on your site rankings.

4. How long will it take for my URLs to be crawled after I generate and submit a Sitemap?

Google provides no answer to this question. Instead, it simply says indexing times should pass as the tool is refined.

In Closing

Using Google Sitemaps is probably worth the effort. If nothing else, you will be able to monitor the indexing process and progress. The best way to get your site indexed, however, remains generating links to your site.

Halstatt Pires is with http://www.marketingtitan.com - an Internet marketing and advertising company comprised of a search engine optimization specialist providing meta tag optimization services and Internet marketing consultant providing internet marketing solutions through integrated design and programming services.

May 27th, 2008

Use Wallpaper Borders to Decorate Your Room

Posted in Home Improvement + More

The use of wallpaper borders is quite common for any room of the
house. A border is placed either through the middle of a wall or
about three feet from the floor to separate the top of the wall
from the bottom. There are many ways these accents can be used
to add vitality to any room. If you have two colors of wall
paper, then you can put one color on top and the other on the
bottom, with the wallpaper border covering up the place where
they meet. The fashion is to have a plain or striped pattern on
the top and a flowered pattern on the bottom. You can also have
the top portion of the wall painted and wallpaper on the bottom.
The wallpaper border makes an attractive blend between the two
styles.

Some people use wallpaper borders on their own to separate two
different colors that they have painted their walls. Many people
use them to give the appearance of a high wall by placing the
border about a foot from the ceiling. There may or may not be
two different colors involved, as this style looks nice with
just the border.

Wallpaper borders are available in many different designs from
ordinary to raised and etched patterns. There are types of
borders that are white in color and can be painted whatever
color you desire to match your décor. The width of the border
also varies, but is generally about 8 inches.

Putting on wallpaper borders is not a difficult task. The back
of the border has a glue that will stick to the wall or other
paper when it is wet. There are also peel and stick borders that
do not require any water. You just have to peel off the backing
and attach the border to the wall. These borders are great
because if you make a mistake, they are easy to remove and
attach again.

You can find multiple kinds of wallpaper borders at the home
décor center of any department and home improvement stores.
There is usually a chart showing you how to match the wallpaper
and the borders so that the color scheme will accentuate your
home. Many of these stores also have qualified interior design
specialists who can help you with any problems or questions you
may have.

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