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Musical Phones

"Let me transfer your call." What goes through your mind when you hear those words? Do you have visions of being placed on hold, waiting for someone else to come on the line, repeating what you just said, and then hearing one more time, "Let me transfer your call?" Feelings of frustration set in and your confidence in the company you dialed begins to diminish. It's a game of musical phones played to a tune that no one enjoys.

If you don't like being transferred from person to person over the phone, your customers don't care for it either. There are a number of ways to transfer callers without creating more problems along the way.

Listen to the caller's issue. Even if you think you know immediately what people want and who can help them, hear them out. Don't interrupt. You could learn something that will change your mind about how to handle the call.

Avoid saying the word "transfer." Tell people that you need to "send" their call to another department or employee. Offer to "connect" them or "put them through" to someone else. Using a different term can save your callers undue anxiety and fellow employees from having to deal with edgy customers.

Check to be sure that the person to whom you are sending the call is actually available. Your customer will not be happy if the call unexpectedly goes through to a voice mailbox. If you know that the person who can help is not in, ask before transferring callers to voice mail. They may prefer another route.




Verify that you have the right person before connecting the call. If you aren't certain, ask the caller to wait while you check. Tell callers why you need to transfer them.

Give your caller the name and the direct number of the person to whom you are directing the call. That way, if there is a disconnect, your customer knows whom to ask for when they call back. If you have the ability to stay on the line and make an introduction, that is all the better.

If you want to provide customer service that will delight your callers, offer your name and phone number and invite people to call you back if their needs are not met or their questions are not answered. Thoughtfully and carefully transferring calls reflects positively on your entire organization and will eliminate musical phones.

Cheap Ghost Writing Isn't Easy -- But It's Worthwhile!

You might think that selling yourself short is a sure way to not be a success in the ghost writing field. And your eyes are probably dancing with the large sums of money that you've heard ghost writers pull down, in yearly figures such as $60,000 to $100,000, or amounts such as $15,000 to $60,000 per each book written. You're a writer, you love to write, and you believe that this is the way to go when it comes to writing.

This is especially so when you've started to break into the field and you're a ghost writer -- or ghostwriter -- who has never really ghosted a book for someone else before. You're probably thinking big bucks, major book contracts, large amounts of cash advances from publishers and huge percentages from the books you will be anonymously writing for big time authors.

But let's face some facts. First time authors are often people with no real money or skills to invest in writing a book. They may have fantastic stories to tell, but they don't have the enormous amount of financial capital available to hire any such expensive ghost writers. They're bound to enter some psychological difficulties when they see that the payments to you are the whopper figures such as those listed above, and that those are the only sorts of prices accessible to them. By laying out such enormous fees, you could be stuck losing a huge customer base of clients with fantastic stories to tell -- but without the major wherewithal to pay you to tell them. What if, say, your potential author, the person hiring you to write his or her story, has only $5000 or less to spend?

I know what I'm talking about, and I can create a decent, well-written work of cheap ghost writing in a month or so for around that amount of money. You do that, and there's your $60,000 per year! It really isn't all that hard. You don't even have to charge as high as $5000 per book.

Most other ghost writers I know are only as capable I am, but many of them do charge the higher amounts. The clients of the high end ghost writers tend to be people with enormous sales potential, not the typical first time authors who have a great story but often don't really go anywhere with it – the so called "sucker market."

It might be worthwhile to consider charging less, or negotiating a deal with such a "first timer." Over the years, I have drawn the conclusion that there are an awful lot of such people out there. I have been ghost writing books for people for as low an amount as $2000 per book, and as I have sources of income from other types of writing, I have been finding an immense amount of personal satisfaction from helping such would be authors actually obtain what they are looking for in a "cheap ghost writer" who charges a reasonable price for the quality and quantity of work done for them. I simply ask for installment payments, usually made in advance, and sometimes I also ask for a percentage of the net book sales.

This works out to be less "greedy" on my part and more of a service that I provide for authors who are simply yearning to get their books up high on the top of the New York Times Bestseller lists, and who know that such are their dreams, not necessarily their realities. These are often people who have reached the ends of their ropes when it comes to negotiating a lower price for their books. They usually have nowhere else to turn when it comes to putting out their own personal stories, and they need someone with a willing ear and pen to listen and help them set down their tales before it's too late for them to be told. And there is still hope for these people to even hit the big time, if they have the right types of stories to tell.




Also, some of these authors simply don't know what they're doing and need a guiding hand to help them. They need their letters of query written up for them, their brief biographies put together, and their book proposals prepared for them, as they are dipping their toes into the writing field and getting them wet for the first time. A lot of them think they are going to get their book written and then get some kind of major advance, straight from a publisher.

It just isn't like that 90% of the time. An advance comes after a deal has been negotiated with a reputable literary agent, bids by publishers for the book have been scrutinized, and contracts have been signed. It helps in a major way to have the book in hand, sometimes even having it self published first, to get anywhere near a commercial publisher. This can be a very expensive process for a first time, would be author.

People like that don't need to face down what looks like to them to be a million dollar price tag when they are looking for what's described as a cheap ghost writer. They want an actual inexpensive ghost writer who understands their needs, both budgetary and otherwise, who can sit down with them and negotiate a fairly low amount of money paid out by them so they can figure on at least getting some return from their books. These people are not Presidents of the United States or famous movie actors, whose books are guaranteed to sell, and many of them find themselves "stuck" with what used to be called vanity publishing, nowadays called self publishing. They won't necessarily find a commercial publisher who wants to take a chance on huge returns from their books in today's multifaceted but still challenging world of publishing.

These clients need literally cheap or inexpensive ghost writers. They don't need to spend a small fortune on their books to find out they all dead ended in a warehouse, didn't sell as widely as they thought they would, or they otherwise came out on the short end of the stick. They need to carefully invest their time and effort on a decent, expert ghost writer. And they could use some material publishing help to get their books "out there" -- properly displayed and promoted in today's modern Internet oriented book market.

Help them. Consider bargaining and bartering at a lower price sometimes, and not at a higher price. It might be worth your while. Try it and see!

Business Managers: Communicate Your Career To The Next Level

Not too long ago, I walked into a room where some of the country's top oncologists were preparing to launch a new cancer-fighting drug. The occasion was the group's rehearsal before a big presentation to the Federal Drug Administration. Given that these men and women are some of the best and brightest in their field, I thought the rehearsal would be a breeze. So, I sat down, pen poised to make a few notes so I could help them fine-tune their presentations and be ready for the onslaught of media that was sure to follow.

What a letdown. Five articulate, highly educated, well-dressed presenters, armed with shiny animated slideshows, droned on and on and on and on. It didn't matter what they were saying because the audience wouldn't really hear any of it anyway. Around me, eyes closed, and others pretended to take notes while playing solitaire on their laptops. I wondered how in the world I could help these presenters. I also thought about tripling my consultation fee on the spot.

All presenters believe their words are important, and they are. But if you don't give an audience a good reason to listen, they will quickly tune you out. In an age where sound bite is king, cutting through the clutter is more important now than ever.

Consider the following 7 points before stepping into the limelight:


The Take-Home

No matter how many years and dollars you've spent on research and development, no matter the technical complexity of your subject matter, when speaking to a group your entire presentation must boil down to one key point. If you had to sum up your talk in 10 seconds, what would you want your audience to know?

Ask Yourself the Right Questions
What you think a listener needs to know is not always what that listener wants to know. Put yourself in your listener's seat and ask the following questions: So what? Who cares? What does this mean to the listener, reader or viewer and me? Until you frame your messages from your audience's perspective, they won't care. If they don't care, you'll never receive their full attention.

Talk in nuggets

Powerful communicators who can hold attention have something in common with each other. They've learned that speaking is for the ear, not for the eye. Instead of preparing a presentation as a research paper jammed with minutiae, condense complicated information into bite-sized nuggets and present only the information needed to move an audience toward the desired outcome.




Present, Don't Read

Is your presentation written like a term paper? Is it written in sentences? Do you allow room for pauses so the listener can participate? People don't converse in long-winded sentences. We speak in short phrases. So write in phrases or bullet points. You will then find yourself talking more and reading less. Also, take time to pause between key thoughts so your listeners can digest what you're saying.

Paint the Picture

Explaining the features of your product may be important, but explanation without example has no meaning. People can't remember all of the facts, but they do remember impressions. By comparing and contrasting, providing analogies and visual images, your presentation will come to life.

Slideshow or Presentation?

No one comes to a presentation to see a slideshow. They come to hear a knowledgeable person share ideas and talk. Visuals should reinforce what you're saying, not serve as your script. Instead of preparing the slides first, prepare your remarks then create appropriate supporting visuals. Let your words drive the visuals instead of the other way around.

Nix the Jargon

Just because your audience is packed with colleagues or you're providing information for an industry trade publication doesn't mean you should talk jargon. Get rid of the buzzwords and throw away phrases. Rather, look for opportunities to put your words in context by humanizing your material and telling stories or anecdotes.

As I worked with the oncologist presenters and brought many of these points to their attention, they worried that simplifying the information would harm their credibility. Quite the opposite. By making an effort to connect with their audience rather than throw too much information at them, they created a focused, central theme with real-life examples that excited and inspired listeners. And in the end, the cancer drug they believed in made it to market and received a lot of good press!

Become an Expert at Speaking

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Become an Expert at Speaking

Does anybody really have anything new to say? There is no end to the number of people who enjoy bringing their expertise to the platform. There will always be an audience who will want to hear your good ideas communicated uncommonly well in an uncommon way. Your challenge as a speaker is to figure out how to do that.

Here are some starter tips on how to become an expert at speaking:

1. Study the best. Choose a topic that you love to speak on and that others need to hear about. Then listen to those who are either most successful in that area, most gifted, or both. Some speakers who get paid very well for their information may not necessarily have outstanding delivery styles. Content is always king, but all speakers should deliver their talk with eloquence. I tell my
professional speaker clients that they will be hired for their content, but paid for their delivery!

2. Listen to tapes, videos, DVD's – and attend lectures when possible. Expose yourself to as many speakers and styles as you can. You can learn from everyone, the good and the bad. Listen with an ear that helps you to know
what you like best about the speaker's presentation and what you like least. How can you use this to make you better at the platform




3. Practice for Free. Don't charge for your first speech. There are many service and business networking clubs looking for speakers every week. Check the clubs in your area (ex: Rotary, Lions, Leads, Chamber of Commerce, church
groups) and contact the program chairs to speak to their groups. Speaking often is critical to your development as a sought after speaker. I encourage my clients to speak for free often as they are building their speaking careers. The
audience will tell you what your best material is and this will help you hone your skills so that you can eventually be a paid speaker with groups that have budgets.

4. Get feedback. Interview clients and friends who can provide you with input about the value of your topic(s) as well as your content and delivery style. After you speak to a group, verbally get some feedback from a few attendees.
You can do this with a phone call or email. Better yet, provide your audience with an evaluation form. I always encourage my clients to do this and include a line that says: "Do you know of any other groups who would benefit from this
program?" "If so, may I call you to get that information?" Be sure to include a line that requires their name and phone number.

5. Get good, and then get better. Even the best, at the top of their game, keep working at doing it better, doing it differently, keeping their material current and interesting. There is always room for improvement. Don't rest on your
commercial success alone. Always be present for "breakthroughs." You never know when the next one is around the corner. How do you get better? Hire a speaker coach, like me ,and get out there and speak, speak, speak!

Personalize Your Pod

We humans are a territorial bunch. We have reached the point in our civilisation that we don't mark our space the same way as our animals do, but still, we love nothing more than individualizing the things we use every day and making them our own. As children at school, we scrawled our names over our copybooks, and drew doodles to mark things as our own. As we age, our personalizing attempts grow more sophisticated. From our homes to our cell phones, though, we continue to make our mark by using the colors, shapes and sounds we love to make a thing look more like ours.

And thankfully, the good people who brought us the amazing music system that allows us carry our whole music collection in the palm of our hand have realized that personalizing the things we hold dear is one of the things we love best. While the music you listen to individualizes your iPod in an auditory way, now you can signal that the device is your own with just a simple glance. The iPod tattoo is here.

Whether you are a technical guru or are someone who enjoys their gadgets without having to understand how they work, you can create your own iPod tattoo with relative ease. Using Photoshop to make your own image or logging on to HP's website to avail of their helpful tools, you can choose precisely the image you want to make your iPod stand out from the crowd. <




You can literally give your iPod any look you like, and change it again when the mood strikes. Choose from a range of images already available, or even use a picture or image of your own for that really unique look – as long as the picture can be converted into a computerized digital file, you are on your way to owning an iPod that will really be all your very own.

The iPod has created a musical craze that is a real gift for any music lover. With devices that can store enough music to keep you entertained on a desert island in a format that fits into the palm of your hand, it's no wonder that these digital music players are so popular. But with an iPod tattoo, you can move beyond the crowd by creating a player that is undeniably your own, allowing you to enjoy the amazing technology that is shared by so many in a totally unique way.

Tools For Learning Guitar

Guitarists are insatiable learners and the world is full of great guitar learning material. First of all, there are countless tablature books which show you in the easy-to-learn guitar tablature format how to play all your favorite songs even if you can't read sheet music. If you can read sheet music, then there is sheet music available for every popular artist and thousands of classical and lesser-known composers. There are also "method books" that teach how to play a particular style, and there are instructional guitar DVDs that show you and tell you everything a single guitarist knows how to do. There are books with CDs full of audio examples, there are DVDs that come with tablature books; the list of available guitar learning resources is endless.

Guitar lessons are still the number one way that guitarists pick up new information. In-person guitar lessons with a local guitar teacher are probably the most effective way to learn new things about the guitar. The world is full of part-time and full-time guitar teachers, who put their heart and soul into teaching their students how to be an ever-improving guitar learning machine. Guitar teachers are expensive, however, and not everyone has the money or the time to commit to in-person lessons. So while this is a truly effective method, it is not for everyone.

Over the last 5 years, online guitar lessons have become an outstanding resource for guitarists wanting to learn guitar at a convenient pace and at very low cost. In my opinion, online guitar lessons have come of age, and are now the best tool for learning guitar available to anyone anywhere. I don't propose that online guitar lessons should supplant books, sheet music, DVDs, and in-person guitar lessons. What I would like to suggest is that online guitar lessons are more convenient, cheaper, more useable, and provide more breadth of information than any other method available.

Convenience: Tablature books are OK, as long as they come with some audio examples. DVDs are OK, as long as they come with a book. The problem is that keeping your place in the book and your place on the CD/DVD in synch is difficult. Every time you take a break (every day basically) you lose your place and have to synch up all over again. Online guitar lessons, on the other hand, solve the problem of synching the tab, explanation, and audio/video samples. A web page is the ultimate guitar lesson format: audio, video, and text all together in one document.




Price: Books and DVDs have to be manufacturer, shipped, and inventoried. If you have ever burned a CD or made some copies at a copy shop, you know that manufacturing a product costs real money. Imagine if you had to turn around and sell your product at a profit? Shipping a book or DVD to the retailer is another expense in traditional publishing that occurs before the product is even ready to be sold. Inventory, the hidden expense, can be the largest: every month the book sits in the store, it costs the owner a percent of the price to pay for it to be kept out of the rain, and if the inventory is bought on credit, there is interest on the loan as well. All told, it is no wonder there are few places that sell guitar lesson products even in a large city.

Breadth: Guitar books generally can only have a few hundred pages; DVDs can only hold a couple of hours of video. A web site can expand to the size of a whole library full of books and DVDs. This is one aspect of the size advantage of online guitar lessons, but the more important aspect is this: getting a book published is so difficult, that many great guitarists simply never try it. Publishing a web site is so easy that many fantastic guitarists who would never previously have published their knowledge can now publish their guitar lessons online where you can find them.

As you can see, online guitar lessons have significant advantages that should make them an important part of any guitarist's learning strategy. As the internet continues to grow, and the use of video on the internet spreads, look for online guitar lessons to one day be the recognized leader in helping guitarists improve their skills in a convenient, inexpensive way.

Dating Tips for the Timid

There are some timid, shy people around which have difficulties to make an open chat with new singles, they typically need additional time to adjust to the situation. An uncomplicated convenient answer for them might be to go out on a first date to the movies hence to get used to the presence of the new date, without the obligation to talk. When you come out, you might talk about the movie you Just both watched.

An additional notion, if you're shy about making a chat, is to ask your date on herself. It'll serve to show that you're interested in learning about her, as well as remove part of the pressure of talking, off you, until you're more comfort. By making them do the to talk you may feel less stressed and eventually you will relax adequatly to talk about yourself.

Last point, take into account that Most humans love to talk mainly all about their life, actually, what they would like most is someone that would hear them attentively, therefore if you are a good listener you will find A lot of people feel most at ease with you.

Remember, you should do anythging you can to put your shyness in the corner, otherwise it will put you in the corner...

7 Tips To Become A Star Tv Guest

How one expert made a splash on CNN'S Paula Zahn Now, and how you can, too

Cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Robert Kotler's New York based publicist, made contact with the Paula Zahn Now program on CNN to schedule an appearance. Here's what happened next.

1. Map out the segment with the producer

*I was referred to one of the *bookers* who did a quick screening and then put me in contact with an associate producer. Over several phone conversations, we worked out the subject matter of the 3-4 minute interview.*

NOTE: Once you've passed the *audition* with a booker you're passed to an associate (or other less senior) producer. Often after that first "audition" you must be screened by producers at higher and higher levels. If you're chosen then you begin to create a segment together.

2. Help the producer shape the segment

*The *backbone* of the spot was my recently published book, SECRETS OF A BEVERLY HILLS COSMETIC SURGEON, The Expert's Guide to Safe, Successful Surgery. The associate producer and I had discussed what I consider to be the non-frivolous and important consumer issues of the book, such as how to select a properly trained surgeon and how to be certain that the facility in which the surgery is to be performed is properly credentialed and hence safe. And even the issue of having an anesthesia specialist in the patient's service to assure comfort and safety. Those are the key gems for the consumer-reader-viewer.*

NOTE: Robert choose important issues of concern to Zahn's audience angling his ideas to suit her show. It's up to you to suggest ideas that would make a great segment. Listen to the producer's ideas and don't be shy about gently suggesting alternatives. A pro-active guest who knows his material is prized. Be sensitive though to how attached the producer is to his idea and suggest yours accordingly.

3. Expect the Unexpected

*On the air, the focus of the segment was somewhat different than I had been lead to expect. Paula Zahn, who is as smart, charming, and attractive off camera as on, was a hospitable and engaging interviewer. However, as comfortable as I was made to be, the questioning by Paula got stuck on *which celebrities have had what done.* And, they put up photos of some selected celebs and asked me to comment on them--including ones I had not seen prior.*

NOTE: Always be prepared for the unexpected. This is a frequent tactic of TV shows. If they had told Robert ahead of time what they were planning he may not have agreed to be their expert. Instead they lead him to believe that they would focus on what he considered important issues. To be fair to the show they may have planned to cover what was discussed, but changed their mind at the last minute. Or they may not have had time or didn't feel it was necessary to inform their guest of show changes.

Also, talk show hosts are expert at making you feel comfortable. It's their job to help you be a good guest (relaxed and credible)--as ones who are nervous don't come across well. A typical tactic is to put you at ease and then ask an unexpected question to get a candid response--which often makes for good television. Be ready. You can be candid and still speak to YOUR talking points.

4. Prepare your answers and bridge to them

*While I have had professional coaching on *guesting,* and understood how to redirect the questions, I decided to just *go along* with the trail of questions Paula posed. I could see that this was going to be a *light interview,* not hard news. Not that it was distasteful or unpleasant, but, frankly, it seemed redundant and wasteful of audience time. I felt the public deserves more significant information than yet another review of Joan Rivers' ultra--raised eyebrows or Michael Jackson's nose remnant.

While I did not expect a formal *book review* I felt the viewers would have appreciated knowing how to avoid the bad surgical results that everyone is so familiar with.

As I would have told the viewers, *If presumably smart and wealthy people can have such bad cosmetic surgery, how does the *average citizen* avoid it?* In the end, it was not a particularly informative session--a bit fluffy--and I saw that as an opportunity lost. But, hey, while it says Cable NEWS (italics mine) Network on the door, it is still first and foremost entertainment. Show biz. So, always be cognizant of that, I just rolled with it and enjoyed myself.*




NOTE: The show wanted the sexy celebrity angle, but Robert could have bridged to the information he thought was important with a phrase such as *Mistakes can happen to anyone, including celebrities like Michael Jackson. To prevent these mishaps for yourself you can*...and then he could have delivered the key points he wanted to cover such as the importance of a good anesthesiologist.

5. Follow the host's lead *and* make your points

*Yes, I could have diverted the conversation and tried to say what I thought needed to be said, but one has to weigh the benefit of taking that path and possibly being disfavored by the program and hence not be welcomed back or just going with the flow knowing that just *being there* and having the cover of the book flashed on screen is quite satisfactory for my purposes of promoting the book.*

NOTE: You can satisfy the host and yourself by balancing the information with what the host wants and what you want. If you transition gracefully by taking a few seconds to comment on their question and then a few seconds to focus on your point everyone will be satisfied.

6. Let the host and show promote your product

*Another unanticipated plus of appearing on the program was that during the entire day, the interview segment was promoted heavily and the repetition of my name throughout the day was a bonus that cannot be disregarded. I saw each hourly announcement as a *free advertisement.* I was happy.

Bottom line: Breathing or not breathing, dead or alive, being a guest on a nationally televised interview -- regardless of the quality of the interview--is worthwhile to any author or public figure. And, it is fun and a memorable experience for those of us from outside the media world. The producers liked the segment and, after all, it is their show.*

NOTE: Often times guests are overly promotional in an effort to make the most of their on-air time. You won't be invited back if you plug yourself or your product obviously. Find out ahead of time how your product will be positioned on the show. Let the host do the promoting. Your job is to give great information about the product, service or cause that incites your audience to take action.

BEFORE the show, and at the time your booking is confirmed, ask that your website, 800# etc. be displayed on the screen (this is called a chyron). Realize though, that some shows have policies not to do this. Ask also how your product will be positioned on the show. Always bring your product with you in the event they've lost the one you sent. This will insure that your product will get the publicity that you want. Better yet, if you can create interactive scenes that involve your product that are entertaining and witty you will be a hero.

7. Enjoy the recognition and propose a new segment

*Finally, and probably most importantly, my 87 year old parents thought I *looked very good on TV.* They liked my suit and tie selection. So, everyone was happy!*

NOTE: Make your parents proud. The kind of exposure you receive on national shows is invaluable for credibility -- with your parents, competition, clients, and other national shows. And you can increase your recognition by calling up other talk shows and suggesting a different angle of the topic you just covered. Also, while you're in studio propose another segment with a totally new angle. The time to pitch a segment is right then when everyone is happy with your appearance. Try and get a committed date on the spot.

Designing The Perfect And Safe Workstation: Following Osha Guidelines In Crafting The 21st Century Workplace

If you are the owner, operator or manager of a business enterprise in the 21st century, you undoubtedly find yourself spending a good deal of time contemplating how you best can go about taking the steps necessary to making certain that your workplace is the best suited and safest possible environment for your employees. In that regard, you may find yourself confused about where you can find the most reliable and accurate information in regard to creating and crafting an ergonomically ideal office or work place.

If you have questions in regard to developing a ergonomically correct environment for your team of employees, you will want to pay close attention to the guidelines that have been developed by OSHA in this regard. OSHA can now easily be accessed through the Internet and World Wide Web at http://www.osha.gov.

In regard to OSHA guidelines, the agency has been very specific in its own development of guidelines relating to developing an ergonomically correct working environment. For example, the agency even has developed specific guidelines relating to keyboard trays that are utilized as part of a workstation in a business setting.

When it comes to keyboard trays, OSHA recommends that keyboard trays should be wide enough to accommodate not only the keyboard itself but all other peripheral devices -- including the mouse. Too often, these items are spread apart in such a manner that they end up causing injury to employees in both the short and the long term. These physical problems generally can be avoided by paying attention to this guideline recommendation.

In addition, when using a keyboard tray, it is suggested that the tray be kept in a position that is 22 to 28 inches from the floor (assuming that the computer user will be in a sitting position).

Finally, keyboard trays that are utilized in a workstation should include adjustment mechanisms that lock into position without the need for turning knobs. Too often such knobs are tightened excessively which can result in damage to the equipment itself and make it difficult for an employee to utilize.

More information on OSHA workstation and workplace ergonomic guidelines can be found at the agency's website on the Net. The website itself is very user friendly and has a wealth of information relating to creating and maintaining truly safe work environments for employees across the country, in all major occupations.

Top Hair Loss Treatments For This Summer

What can be utilized to stop hair loss this summer? You should not use any of the artificial hair loss treatment products available in the market if you want to keep your hair shiny and natural. Fortunately, there are lots of effective drugs and natural hair loss treatments available for both men and women. However, it is recommended that you consult a physician if you want to use drugs to stop hair loss. Here is a list of some pharmaceutical drugs and natural elements listed that have helped to stop hair loss without any side effects:

Propecia: Propecia is mainly helpful for frontal hair loss treatment. To prevent Alopecia, propecia has proved to be an excellent drug. It starts working with in 5 days and you can feel the gradual decrease of your hair loss. In some cases of frontal hair loss, Propecia has successfully regrown hair. This drug inhibits formation of DHT, which is the main cause of hair loss.

Rogaine: Rogaine is a FDA approved hair loss treatment. It is mainly effective on females. Minoxidil or Rogaine are helpful in case of high blood pressure. You can even order Rogaine online. Rogaine has not shown any side effects so far.

Natural hair loss treatment: the cause of male hair loss can be a genetic disorder related to a male hormone deficiency and DHT secretion in the hair follicles and scalp. Natural hair loss treatment is helpful in this particular case. You can use saw palmetto oil to stop hair loss.

Balanced diet: you should include vitamin B5 in your diet, which is an important factor to stop hair loss. You should also include folic acid, biotin and silica in your diet. You can use vitamin and mineral supplements as an alternative. You must increase copper intake in your diet because it has been found that copper is helpful in maintaining hair health stopping hair loss. Try to minimize zinc intake, as it is harmful for your hair.

Acoustic Guitars - The Best Tuners

Tuning your acoustic guitar is the first step in your guitar playing career. Whether by skill, talent or technology, you must be able to get your guitar into tune.

One common obstacle to learning to tune a guitar is a certain natural resistance to aquiring new knowledge. This reluctance is present in everybody to some degree. The prospect of learning to tune a guitar by ear can fill some people with a sense of dread.

Before we start to tackle the job of tuning, we need to get straight which string is which. The first string is the narrow string nearest your knee as you sit with the guitar in playing position. The sixth string is the widest string, and it is closest to your chin.

And the tuning goes like this:
1st string is "E"
2nd string is "B"
3rd string is "G"
4th string is "D"
5th string is "A"
6th string is "E"

The guitar pitch pipe plays the notes when you blow into it so you can compare the sounds with your guitar.

A tuning fork, when you bang it on your knee and hold it on the body of your guitar, sounds the note you get when you play the harmonic at the fifth fret of the fifth string. Once you get this note right, you tune the rest of the strings to the fifth string. <




If you have tried the methods of tuning guitars using a pitch pipe or tuning fork, and still feel less than confident in your guitar tuning abilities, then you could think about acquiring a guitar tuner that has a visual aid to tuning. You can always test your skill from time to time by tuning your guitar without the tuner, and seeing how accurate you have become.

You can also use a keyboard instrument to tune your guitar to. Start by finding on the keyboard the E note below Middle C. Then GO DOWN ANOTHER OCTAVE to tune the sixth string on the guitar. This is because the guitar's music is written an octave higher than it actually sounds compared to a piano!

The electronic guitar tuner is the simplest way of tuning your acoustic guitar. You pluck your guitar string and watch the indicator on the tuner to see how close you are to the correct note. There are also guitar tuners you can get for free on the internet that work the same way.
Online Guitar Tuners often play the notes to you, and you use your ear to see if your guitar is in tune.

Fitness Rowers Reviews

It's important to read the fitness rower reviews before investing in them. Fitness rowers give a complete workout and are high impact cardio vascular machines. They help in cutting the flab as well as toning the body. The fitness rowers simulate the action of rowing in water (like rowing small boats). Therefore there is exercise for arms, legs and the whole body. Fitness rowers give washboard abs (or abdomen) and make the butt more clenched.

However they have certain disadvantages. They are very pushing for the joints and the knees, thus people who suffer from arthritis of the knees and the joints should avoid it. Instead they should go in for the low impact cardio vascular machines. Before using the fitness rowers, one should seek the advice of the doctor. When you get the go ahead from the doctor, you'll find many reviews which can tell you which fitness rower will work the best for you. The fitness rower reviews show the comparison between the various fitness rowers that are available in the market. After you have gone thru a thorough comparison, make the decision to buy the fitness rower.

If done properly and without pushing yourself too far, then this machine is great for a whole body workout. You can use the air rowers both at the gym as well as at home. The home models are more compact and can be easily folded away under the bed or some such similar way. That's why it's great even for small spaces. Thus if you are looking for the home versions of the fitness rowers, look for a review such that the reviews of the fitness rowers help you in the purchase decision. Ask your gym instructor as well a the personal trainer to give you tips for buying the best fitness rower.

Top Secret! The One-Year Path To Publication

There is a way to virtually guarantee your publication within a single year. No, it has nothing to do with self-publication. This path is not for dilettantes, and will push you to the limit, but it has worked for dozens of my students, and it will work for you.

It is based on writing principles first proposed by two giants in the publishing field, science-fiction writers Ray Bradbury, and Robert Heinlein, over thirty years ago. And no, you don't have to be a science fiction writer. No matter what your ULTIMATE goal-novel, screenplay, playwright, or poet, you can adapt this method. It is designed to address literally every major problem you have or might encounter as a writer.

1) Write a story a week, or a story every other week.
2) Read 10X as much as you write.
3) Put your stories in the mail. Keep them in the mail until they sell.
4) Never re-write except to editorial request.

And there you go. Now let's look back at the steps for a bit of further explanation.

1) Write a story a week, or a story every other week. These can be as short as you wish. No, it doesn't matter if you want to write novels, or your ideas tend to emerge from your subconscious in long form. If you're a newbie runner training for a marathon, you'd start by running around the block, wouldn't you? You wouldn't start by running twenty-six miles, that's for sure! Everything you need to know to write a book is contained in a short story, and writing 100,000 words of short stories will improve your writing far more than that same 100,000 words devoted to a novel. Scriptwriting? Before you can write a script, you need to be certain you understand storytelling. I mean REALLY understand it, subconsciously. Short stories give you a chance to hone your skills. Poetry? Well, in this case, write a poem a week! Non-Fiction? Sure! Write an article a week!




2) Read 10X what you write. There is nothing sadder than a young writer who doesn't read for fear of "contaminating his style." This is complete self-delusion. A writer DESPERATELY needs to read everything she can get her hands on…and of the very best quality. Personally, I read one act of Shakespeare aloud each morning, to simultaneously improve my writing and speaking ability.

3) Put your stories in the mail. Every week, or every other week, one of your stories should be submitted to an editor who pays money for publication. Frankly, it doesn't matter how much. Money is a very cold equation, something different from pats on the back, cheers, contributors copies or even awards. When an editor cuts you a check, there is a lack of warm fuzzy feelings, and a down-to-earth "will my readers like this" that is completely different from the accolades or criticisms of your writing group or class. THIS is the feedback you need: a check that clears the bank. Get your stories out! And web publication is just fine in this regard-as long as there is money. Even a penny a word-or less!--is just fine.

4) Don't re-write except to editorial request. Once your story is finished and initially re-written, move on. Don't re-write endlessly, trying to get it "perfect." You'll learn more by writing a new story than re-writing an old one endlessly.

If you'll do this, I promise you your first sales within fifty stories. At the story a week level, that's one year! Just one year from today, you could be a paid author. And for any real writer, that should be an idea exciting enough to keep them up late, and get them up early, typing away, knowing that that first acceptance check is less than 365 days way.

What Is The Future Of Prosthetics?

The emergence of inventive new materials, engineering breakthroughs, and advances in microtechnology has served as the catalyst for innovation in modern prosthetics development. As a result of these advances, modern prostheses are more lightweight, more responsive, and more comfortable than models developed even just a few years ago. Wearers of prostheses have more options than ever before, allowing amputees to participate in life activities never before thought possible.

A number of new technologies are just beginning to become a reality for prosthetic wearers. Neuroelectronics is one of the industry's newest fields. Scientists studying cognitive control signals report that "eavesdropping" on neurons in the brain allow them to predict how the body will respond. The signals can be directed to a prosthetic brain, or electrical processing center, which interprets the signals and moves the prosthetic limb. For example, consider the individual who goes to reach for a book. As he decides to reach, he sends an invisible electrical signal to the brain that tells the body it needs to prepare to move. The brain receives the signal and decodes it, sending a signal to the right arm to extend and move towards the book. Scientists propose using these same mechanics to develop smart prosthetic devices. This entails tapping into neural signal pathways and using them to direct prosthetic limbs just as the brain directs natural limbs.




Sensor sockets are another new innovation in the field of prosthetic development. Sensor sockets are monitoring devices designed to serve as an interface between the limb and the prosthesis. The socket is comprised of a net of sensors that can detect information from the limb and transmit it directly to a medical facility for evaluation. The hope is that the information received from the socket sensor will allow rehabilitation doctors to evaluate the individual's condition and the performance of the limb. With time, doctors hope that the use of sensor sockets will be used as a means to maximize the effectiveness and comfort of the limb. The sensors could potentially allow for real-time adjustments in the performance of the prosthetic, thereby improving a patient's quality of life and enhancing patient treatment.

In addition to these two exciting new emerging technologies, progress continues to be made in the comfort and construction of current prosthetic devices. Incremental improvements in the flexibility, cushioning, and rotational ability of modern artificial limbs increase a prosthetic's comfort and functionality, allowing prosthetic wearers to come closer to feeling like they are wearing a natural limb. And as the quality of prosthetics increases, prosthetic wearers are more able to resume activities previously made difficult by their lack of a natural limb.

Marketing Secrets Of A Class Clown

Creating a strong brand and establishing a leadership position in the marketplace is one of a franchisor's greatest obligations. Most franchise companies, at least when they're getting started, have underwhelming ad budgets with which to do this. Too often, they take a cautious marketing approach, wary of making a mistake. They end up taking the most obvious, logical course, and become indistinguishable from the rest of the pack. Those who create break-through brands are rule-breakers. They understand the power of a bold idea, undiluted. Though they may have been A-students, they know the Marketing Secrets of the Class Clown (MSCC).

Here's how I learned the MSCC. I was class clown laureate of Sacred Heart Grammar School and, later, a clown-in-residence while attaining my highly prized Masters degree in Fiction Writing. I proceeded, to the continued delight of my parents, to become a banjo-playing street musician, appearing outside of some of Chicago's finest venues. Street music was actually the best possible preparation for my career as a marketing and brand development guru. When your business model includes giving away your product away for free, then convincing your customers they should pay you for it anyway, you learn to engage and delight quickly, or else.

Sometimes it takes a village (idiot)

A couple of decades ago, in the mystical land of Ohio, I registered for a banjo contest at an upcoming festival. I regretted it as soon as I arrived. There was a sea of spectators, most looking (intentionally or unintentionally) like civil war reenactors. There were literally dozens of A-student banjo-playing competitors, all joined by the common bond of being at least twice as good as me. Halfway through the competition, the emcee called my name and I climbed reluctantly onto the stage, clad in a derby hat, paisley pants and rainbow suspenders. The reenactors started to chuckle. The emcee asked me how many banjo contests I had been in.

"Including this one?" I asked.

"Yes, including this one," he said.

I thought hard for a few moments, then answered, "One."

The crowd broke into such uproarious laughter that it frightened me. They kept laughing and laughing, like this was the funniest joke they had ever heard. Sizing up the situation, I ditched the difficult tune I planned to play, and launched into my comic "Schizophrenic Dueling Banjos," in which I frenetically play both parts of the famous tune.




The applause was thunderous. I took a technically undeserved 3rd place out of about 40, and was a celebrity for the rest of the day. Among the serious banjoists there was a great wailing and gnashing of teeth. A class clown had beaten the A-students.

It was an important marketing revelation for me. All the serious, technically proficient competitors were all playing the same tunes. They were all trying so hard to do what they were supposed to, trying so hard not to make a mistake, that they became indistinguishable from one another. The crowd wasn't there for technical proficiency: they wanted some fun on a Sunday afternoon. Some personality. Some entertainment. Some relief.

Send in the clowns

In the late 70s, before my freshman year in college, we all had to submit pictures to the frosh publication the New Student Record. Every guy sent his coolest picture, the one where he's leaning against the fake birch tree, his puka shell necklace visible from his open shirt. The idea, you see, was to get chicks. I felt so pathetic as I looked through my pictures that I took a quick shot of myself wearing a Groucho Marx nose & glasses, and sent it in. When the NSR was published, I was flooded with calls from people who wanted to meet me. In fact, every time I've risked looking exceedingly stupid, I've been rewarded in some way.

The point is not that humor is the appropriate approach to every ad campaign. It's not. But nonconformity usually is. Your goal is to engage interest. To stand out. To distinguish yourself from the pack. When it comes to CFO, hire the A-student. But when it comes to calling attention to yourself, you need the guy who sat in the back row. In the big classroom microcosm of the business world, you need to hire the class clown, and let him or her go to work.

In fact, I'll wager you this: next time you see a really great ad or commercial, one worth talking about later, it was created by a class clowns working for A-students who understand that caution can be the most reckless approach of all.


in Marketing

Life Advice: Looking Through a Window

Living in today's metropolitan world of cellular phones, mobile computers and other high-tech gadgets is not just hectic but very impersonal. We make money and then invest our time and effort in making more money. Does it end? Not usually because we are never satisfied. How many times have we convinced ourselves that if only we had some more money, life would be so sweet? But then, after receiving a substantial raise, we realize that it wasn't enough and that we need more?

What Should You Do?
I have read many books on life such as Robin Sharma's Monk says this and the monk says that, and they all seem to say that money is not necessary. But it is. Can you do without cash and a lot of it? I know I can't.

So, I went to the neighbourhood Rabbi and asked for advice that will help me find my true way in life.

The rabbi nodded and took me to the window. "What do you see?" he asked me.

Promptly, I answered, "I can see people walking to and fro and a blind man is begging for alms at the left corner."

The Rabbi nodded and guided me to a big mirror. "Now look and tell me what you see?"

"I can see myself," I man answered.

The Rabbi smiled. "Now you can't see anyone else. The mirror and the window are both created from the same raw material: glass, but because on one of them they have applied a thin layer of silver, when you look at it all you can see is your own reflection."




The Rabbi placed his arm on my shoulders. "Compare yourself to those two pieces of glass. Without the silver layer, you saw the other people and felt compassion for them. When you are covered with silver, you see only yourself."

I looked at the Rabbi and stared. "I don't understand."

The Rabbi continued. "You will become someone only if have the courage to remove the silver covering over your eyes in order to again see and love others." He patted me on my back and sent me on my way.

I have thought of what he said and come to the conclusion that he had a point. Yes. We need money and we should not aim to lead a moneyless existence; its pointless and will only cause us and our families many heartbreaks in the future.

Instead, I suggest that we should follow the advice the Rabbi gave me. When we approach life through a silver covering, all we are able to see is ourselves. But discard that covering, and you will be able to see and feel everyone else.

Conclusion:
In life, we are allowed to and should be able to look at both kinds of mirrors, but we should remember that a mirror reflects only us; a window is the door to compassion, health and true wealth. In other words, seek wealth by all means, but don't let it dissuade you from life, people, children and the poor and needy.

Do We Need To Refinance?

There are plenty of reasons why people chose to refinance. The needs for home improvements, sending a child to college or simply lower their monthly mortgage are a few. You need to find a loan company that offers you the best rate when you chose to refinance. Comparison-shopping is a wise thing to do before you refinance.

With the rising cost in college tuition choosing to refinance is becoming more popular. No one wants to deny sending their child of to college to better their education and become successful in life. This is why people look into refinancing their home or mortgage. There are a few different options, consulting a loan specialist would better help you decide which option is for you.

Another reason people chose to refinance is to lower there monthly mortgage payments or interest. This allows them more room to breathe when coming up with the money to pay for your mortgage or interest. When you chose to refinance it is also a way to get money to make improvements to your home.

You could just want to pay off your car loan. That is another reason that you would decide refinancing is right for you. Knock out that monthly payment and focus on other expenses. If you don't already have a car you would use the money to purchase one. Either for yourself or as a gift for your high school graduate.




A very popular reason that you would choose to refinance with a loan is debt consolidation. Pay off accumulated debts, such as credit card or medical bills. This reason may be increasing in the near future with the new bankruptcy law soon to go into effect. It gets rid of the frustration of bill collectors calling and mailing your home. It is an uncomfortable thing to deal with debt and no one likes to stress over bills that they can't pay. So choosing to refinance to knock out those bills is a wise step to take. This will also help you to improve your credit rating.

You may not even be concerned with any of the above reasons. You could just be looking for a way to take a family vacation or some kind of long awaited trip. Whatever your reason there is no wrong reason if you chose to refinance with a loan. As long as it is something that will benefit you and paying it back will not be a hassle.

There are plenty of competitors that will offer you a chance to refinance for what ever your reasons may be. Look for them on the Internet or call around and compare quotes. Some lenders will even match the lowest quote you can find.

Last Will And Testament Considerations

Interest in a Last Will and Testament and other end of life planning documents skyrocketed during the coverage of Terri Schiavo's case, but interest didn't always lead to action. It isn't that people laugh at the importance of preparing for the unexpected; they blame procrastination and laziness.

DO YOU HAVE A LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT?

Out of half a dozen randomly selected people interviewed, none had a Living Will, and only one had a Last Will and Testament, though every person said they believed the documents are essential. All said they believed that proper tax planning in Wills can save one's heirs certain estate taxes.

ESTATE PLANNING STARTS WITH A LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT

People believe in the importance of estate planning because of dependents and not wanting to be hooked up on a machine at the end of life. However while some call lawyers or buy a Last Will and Testament kit, not all people get around to signing them.

Only one person interviewed had completed estate planning documents. With a power of attorney, which names a friend or relative to manage your finances if you become incompetent, you may also have a health care proxy. A health care proxy is the same thing as a power of attorney, except it applies to medical conditions instead of financial ones.

People trying to figure out what you would want can lead to some big arguments and family quarrels. There should be no questions about what you wanted.

Still Paying Bills By Mail? Five Reasons to Go Online

The tedious tasks of writing out checks for bills and making constant trips to the post office to mail them could soon be a thing of the past, experts say.

More and more Americans - about 30 million households, according to recent findings - are discovering the advantages of paying bills online, where stacks of statements aren't waiting to be filed away in a crowded cabinet, and stamps are nothing more than collectors' items.

Going paperless, however, can mean clicking around on 10 to 15 different creditor Web sites each month to pay individual bills.

To that end, Web sites such as Paytrust.com, an online favorite with consumers and critics alike, provide online bill consolidation - giving you the ability to view, approve, pay and manage all your bills from a single source. Online consolidation services offer plenty of other conveniences:

* Enjoy the flexibility of automatic payments. Many sites provide automatic and recurring bill payments, letting you simplify the payment process without the worry of missed due dates or lost statements.

* Review all bills throughout the year with the click of a mouse. See all the details of your bill just like you do today, thanks to a feature of bill consolidation sites called bill presentment. Smart financial management means keeping an eye on the details in your bill, and online bill presentment lets you do just that on the computer screen. Some services will send you a CD-ROM containing all of your bill records for the past year.

* Pay anyone, using any bank. From the gas company to the neighborhood kid who mows the lawn, this convenient feature, available through sites such as Paytrust.com, lets you pay your bills using multiple bank accounts, giving you the ability to carefully manage your cash flow.

* Simplify your life by reducing clutter. Can't remember every password to each creditor's Web site? Are your old account records divided among several boxes or cabinets? Online consolidation eliminates both problems, thanks to the use of a single password or PIN, and the convenience of one-spot storage for old and current records.

* Preserve privacy and security. Online bill paying protects personal and account information through passwords and data-scrambling technology.

How to Find a Book Using Online Bookstores

Looking for improving your gaming skills by reading some of the best books on professional gaming that are around? That is a good idea, but, and as you may have already noticed, it is easier said than done. Once you go online to one of the many online bookstores such as Amazon and Barnes and Ruble and can type in a phrase you get a long list (if you are lucky) of potential books.

What do you do then? How do you know which book suits you? And if you even could figure that out, how do you know the book is worth anything? Many of the authors are pros, but, then, you can also easily land up on amateur writers who are just trying to make a buck. Exactly for this, we have compiled a list of five practical suggestions to help you.

1) Reviews and Opinions Matter.
One of the most interesting methods of screening authors and books is by reading what other readers have to say about those literary objects. Look up one of the many forums online that focus on books and either ask a direct question or read what others have said. Another option is to look up the book at different online bookstores such as Barnes and Noble and Amazon but also others such as The Literary Guild and Pickabook. (Look them at this list compiled by the World Wide Web Virtual Library: http://archive.museophile.org/bookstores) The reasons for doing this is that for every book you can read reviews from different sites. Do this and you are reducing the chances of reading only promotional material. It goes without saying that opt for those books that receive good reviews. Generally, a book will receive some bad reviews, but look at the majority viewpoint. Note that if the book you wish to buy is new, you will not find reviews. In such a case, you will just have to take a risk.

2) Be Specific.
One of the methods of searching for a book that interests you is by narrowing down the search by typing a long search term and not just one name. For instance, type down how to play Texas holdem in an online tournament instead of just Texas holdem. Such a search will result in only a few book options. First, look up reviews and views on it and then look at its size and focus of interest.




3) Check the Experience of the Author.
Buying a book is just like buying a car. Would you be willing to pay more for a Mercedes? Likewise, check the author or editor. If the author is unknown, tread very carefully. The book might be useless. But remember that its not enough that the author is well known or has years of professional expertise, they must be experienced in the exact field of the subject of the book.

4) Check the Printing History of the Author.
After checking the authors personal biography and his scope of knowledge as pertains to the issue in question, you should, then, check his style of writing. You will not want to fall asleep on the second page, do you? If their style of writing pleases you, try reading parts of their work. Read articles or portions of other books they have read. Do this to get an idea of whether they can write and whether they are capable of handling complicated issues and putting them across in easy to understand language.

5) The Price Factor.
When looking at books, the first thing (or the second) we tend to look at is the price. Yes, you should know whether you can afford to buy it or not, but do not make you decision based on whether a book is cheap or expensive. First, check whether the book is what you are looking for. Then, decided whether you can afford it and not vice versa. Likewise, do not just buy a book because its on sale. Remember that if a book is on sale it means that no one is buying it!

Symptoms Of Asbestos Exposure!

We are all exposed to low levels of asbestos in the air we breathe. These levels range from 0.00001 to 0.0001 fibers per milliliter of air and generally are highest in cities and industrial areas.

It is known that breathing asbestos can increase the risk of cancer in people. There are two types of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos: lung cancer and mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the thin lining surrounding the lung (pleural membrane) or abdominal cavity (the peritoneum). Cancer from asbestos does not develop immediately, but shows up after a number of years. Studies of workers also suggest that breathing asbestos can increase chances of getting cancer in other parts of the body (stomach, intestines, esophagus, pancreas, and kidneys), but this is less certain. Early identification and treatment of any cancer can increase an individual's quality of life and survival.

People working in industries that make or use asbestos products or who are involved in asbestos mining may be exposed to high levels of asbestos. People living near these industries may also be exposed to high levels of asbestos in air.

Asbestos fibers may be released into the air by the disturbance of asbestos-containing material during product use, demolition work, building or home maintenance, repair, and remodeling. In general, exposure may occur only when the asbestos-containing material is disturbed in some way to release particles and fibers into the air.

Symptoms

Asbestos mainly affects the lungs and the membrane that surrounds the lungs. Breathing high levels of asbestos fibers for a long time may result in scar-like tissue in the lungs and in the pleural membrane (lining) that surrounds the lung. This disease is called asbestosis and is usually found in workers exposed to asbestos, but not in the general public. People with asbestosis have difficulty breathing, often a cough, and in severe cases heart enlargement. Asbestosis is a serious disease and can eventually lead to disability and death.




Breathing lower levels of asbestos may result in changes called plaques in the pleural membranes. Pleural plaques can occur in workers and sometimes in people living in areas with high environmental levels of asbestos. Effects on breathing from pleural plaques alone are not usually serious, but higher exposure can lead to a thickening of the pleural membrane that may restrict breathing.

Low levels of asbestos fibers can be measured in urine, feces, mucus, or lung washings of the general public. Higher than average levels of asbestos fibers in tissue can confirm exposure but not determine whether you will experience any health effects.

A thorough history, physical exam, and diagnostic tests are needed to evaluate asbestos-related disease. Chest x-rays are the best screening tool to identify lung changes resulting from asbestos exposure. Lung function tests and CAT scans also assist in the diagnosis of asbestos-related disease.

Is an Independent Advisor Right for You?

Are you overwhelmed by retirement planning? If so, you're not alone.

The process of managing personal finances is both time-consuming and complex. According to the 2005 Employee Benefit Research Institute's "Retirement Confidence Survey," 55 percent of workers said they were behind schedule in retirement savings. With so many different companies offering a range of products and services, it's hard to know where to turn for financial advice.

An increasingly popular choice for investors seeking financial advice is to work with an independent advisor. Choosing an independent advisor in your community can give you access to comprehensive and sophisticated financial planning expertise, combined with a personal relationship and individual attention.

Before making the decision, it is important to understand what specific services independent advisors offer and how they can help you achieve your goals.

Independent advisors typically provide a range of financial services that focus on advice, planning and managing of individual portfolios. They work with financial institutions like Schwab Institutional, a division of Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., to house their clients' assets and execute transactions, such as trading stocks and bonds or selecting mutual funds. They usually serve investors who prefer a highly personal approach, want to be included in setting goals and strategy and are comfortable delegating the day-to-day execution of that strategy.

Independent advisors are generally fee-based, which means that their fee is a set percentage of the assets that they are managing for you. This system aligns the advisor's compensation directly with your success. Purely commission-based brokers at local branches of big, national firms, on the other hand, are paid a commission on the products they offer and may be limited to selling their firm's proprietary products.

To help you decide if an independent advisor is the most appropriate financial professional for you, consider the following questions:

* Is your portfolio becoming too complex or time-consuming to manage on your own?

* Is your portfolio no longer meeting your goals and objectives?

* Do you want a disciplined investment plan that is tailored to your individual goals?

* Do you want to participate in regular meetings with your advisor and delegate most of the day-to-day decisions?

Natural Hair Loss Treatments

Natural hair loss treatment is a wonderful option for those suffering with any sort of hair loss. Treating hair loss naturally is becoming a trend for treating hair problems and todays media plays a vital role in popularizing the trend. However, there are several critics too, which argues that the treatment of hair problems can not be done naturally and natural supplementation to hairs is not possible.
Most of the people and specially those suffering with hair loss either have to believe the hypothesis or have to reject and in either case one has to either gain or loss something. Generally people looking for hair loss treatment options ends up with biased and distorted reports which does not serve the purpose.
So if you are the one suffering with hair loss then you have to find best possible solution for treatment, be it natural treatment or medication or something else.
Since your food plays a vital role in making up your body and performing different bodily tasks, this is very important for you to analyze your food for the proteins and vitamin contents. You also can choose on hair loss food to treat your hair loss naturally. Natural hair loss food supplements are gaining popularity these days. However, there are no significant proofs available to support the logic if a food supplement helps in treating hair problems or not.
Since the food you eat imparts to your overall body health and hair are part of your body, you have to look for the following key supplements in your food, assuming the fact that the problem of your hair loss may be the cause of nutrients in your diet:

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is very vital in maintaining your body and hair health. This also works with silica and zinc to avert clogging and drying of the sebaceous gland. Sebaceous gland produces a fluid named sebum which is very important in producing lubricants for the hair follicles.
Due to deficiency of vitamin A your scalp become thick and dry which causes dandruff filled hair and ultimately hair loss.
Bad air, extremely bright light, some cholesterol drugs, laxative and aspirins, etc often causes hair problems. Alcohols are deficient in vitamin A.
Consumption of vitamin A more than 25000 IU per day regularly for nine months also causes hair loss.
To fulfill the vitamin A of your body, you have to consume food items like; fish oil, fortified milk, liver, red / yellow spinach and oranges.

Vitamin B6, B12, Folic Acid

All of these three vitamins are very important in maintaining level of hemoglobin in blood. Hemoglobin ensures the supply of oxygen from lungs to tissues of the body. So, if your body is deficient in these three vitamins then your hair skin will suffer.
All of these three vitamins i.e. vitamin B6, B12 and folic acid, works together so that you must have of each one to fulfill the need of these vitamins in your body.



To ensure the supply of enough vitamin B to your body, you have to consume foods like liver, fish, chicken, pork, soybeans and kidney, etc.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C ensures the health of collagen in your body. Collagen is necessary to hold your body tissues tightly. The deficiency of vitamin C in your body can cause split ends and hair breakages.
To ensure the enough supply of vitamin C in your body, you consume foods, like; fresh peppers, citrus fruits, melons berries, potatoes, tomatoes and leafy green vegetables, etc.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E in your body is responsible for healthy blood circulation and supply of oxygen to the scalps. Vitamin E deficiency is normally due to inability of body to absorb oils and fats.
To ensure the sufficient supply of vitamin E in your body, you have to consume foods like leafy green vegetables, nuts, grains, vegetable oils, and ready to eat cereals, etc.

Iron (Heme)

This is the kind of iron which is found in leafy green vegetables. Heme is completely different from the iron that comes from red meat. The good sources of heme iron are; leafy green vegetables, kidney, beans, and bran.
To ensure the supply of heme iron in your body, you must have to consume these food items.

Zinc

Zinc produces cells and imparts to tissue growth and repair. Zinc also promotes oily scalps and hair follicles.
To ensure the enough supply of zinc in your body, you have to consume sea foods like oysters, etc.

Iodine

Iodine is very vital to your body health as well as hair health. To maintain enough of iodine level in your body, you have to consume foods like seaweed, salmon, seafood, lima beans, molasses, eggs and potatoes (skinless), watercress and garlic.

Proteins

Proteins are very important for your body and hair health. Eat meats, fish, milk, cheese, eggs, and yogurt to maintain the enough supply of proteins to your body.

Silica

Silica is also known as trace mineral. The deficiency of silica in your body causes hair problems. Although your body needs this mineral in very less quantity i.e. only in traces, but you must have to maintain that your body is getting enough supply of silica each day.
Some rich food sources of silica are rice, oats, lettuce, parsnips, asparagus, onion, strawberry, cabbage, cucumber, leek, sunflower seeds, celery, rhubarb, cauliflower and Swiss chard.
Have enough of these foods in your diet to maintain the desired amount of silica in your body.

Hey, UK Swingers! We are back to rock the UK dating industry

It does not make any difference whether you are a single or a married couple. After ruling the North American dating industry, Kisscafé is here to rock the UK. Currently, Kisscafé is providing dating services to UK swingers, singles, couples, single parents, divorcees, etc. Here you will discover a warm and welcoming community, sharing common interests from 'dating' to 'promiscuous sex'.

Kisscafé for UK Swingers brings togther people of all ages, from all walks of life; some who swing on a usual basis, some who do so sporadically and some who are yet to try but perhaps a bit curious. We offer an ideal place where you can be personal and indulge without embarrassment, safe in the knowledge that everyone you meet here is likeminded. All sorts of groups and interests can coexist, plus it's a fun online place to meet swingers and organize real life meetings. You can also post your thoughts in our blog section, and we also have a great instant messaging and video chatting facility.

Remember, Kisscafe is completely free to register as a full member. We're waiting for your arrival, so log on now and connect to millions of UK singles and swingers.

Aida And Dagmar - Models For An Advertising Agency

An ad agency or advertising agency is a business or service dedicated to planning, handling and creating advertising for clients. These agencies are independent of clients and provide their skills and views to sell client's services or products.

Advertising agencies can also manage branding strategies, marketing and sales promotions for its clients.

For an advertising agency, it is very important to realize that they can increase sales with their effort. Truly speaking, advertising agencies are minds working on the other side of the internet to increase sales. For a person working as an advertising agent, it is very important to know about the buyer's psychology.

Those who are working in an advertising agency should know about the various thought processes that go in the mind of a reader or a viewer, a potential buyer. This will definitely help to build your business better.

There are ample of theories to explain the process that goes in the buyer's mind when he/she goes to purchase anything.

The process is not the same for each buyer and it is sequential.

One of the popular features followed by ad agencies is AIDA.
AIDA is a acronym stands for:

A – Attention

I – Interest

D – Desire

A – Action

The AIDA model states that advertising agency should know how to draw attention of a buyer to get the customer interested by exhibiting its advantages, benefits and features. Interest is followed by desire. It is advertising agency's duty to create a desire in a buyer to buy a specific product. All three steps of the AIDA policy will help you to stimulate the action towards the purchase of a product. AIDA theory guides and leads you to build a better advertising business. BIG B's of advertising world have followed AIDA to generate good advertisement campaigns.




Another model called DAGMAR has now increasingly become more popular and comprehensive than AIDA. DAGMAR steps are more defined and easy to apply.

Term DAGMAR is an acronym for Defining Advertising Goals for Measured Advertising Results. According to DAGMAR, a sale must carry a potential customer through four stages:

I. Awareness

II. Comprehension

III. Conviction

IV. Action

Suppose you are having a service or product and your customer knows nothing about the product.
As your client is unaware of the product, the first step is to make him aware of your product by posting advertisement regarding your product on respective websites.

Comprehension is the second step of DAGMAR. Try to know the answers to these following questions.
a)What is your product about?
b)What are product's potential features and benefits of product?
c)What will your customer get from your product? And how?

Answers to all these questions will help you to get a potential customer.

Next stage is conviction and this is very important. Convince your customer by telling him the benefits of your product. After convincing, your next step starts i.e. action, which is not controlled by you. You have to depend on the customer. However, your previous actions will have a major role to play.

If you have been able to convince, the customer ad have answered him satisfactorily and then you will definitely be the winner of the day.

LCD TV UK

As recently as just a few years ago, consumers needed a different monitor or screen for watching movies, for playing video games, or for watching television and for computing. That's no longer the case. An LCD TV in the UK with a TV tuner allows you to enjoy virtually all your entertainment and audio-visual devices from one location, saving you space and money. If you live in university housing or a small flat, or if you just want to save space, an LCD TV in the UK with a built-in TV tuner is a simple way to accomplish all those goals.

Here's an example of how versatile a UK LCD TV with a TV tuner can be: you combine video from a PS2, an Xbox 360, cable TV, a DVD player, and the PC – all into one LCD monitor. You can watch TV with picture-in-picture mode while you work on your computer, then with a touch of a button switch over to playing an Xbox or PS2 game. Finished with the game? Toggle back to the TV feed or to your computer.

Here's an important consideration: many standard LCD monitors will accept television feeds through appropriate cabling, but you'll need a cable box or cable converter to decode digital-TV signals. A UK LCD TV with a TV tuner overcomes that hurdle. Space limitations (for instance, determining where you have room to put the cable box) is a good reason to have the tuner built into the television. Also, if the tuner is built into the monitor, you'll only need one remote control.

Keep in mind that an LCD TV UK with a TV tuner built in will cost approximately 20 percent more than a monitor without a TV tuner.




Here are some examples of some models of LCD TV UK you can purchase that come complete with TV tuners:

1. Sony TV Tuner/Monitor MFM-HT75W – UK version: A flat panel LCD monitor with a 17" widescreen display, this model offers Digital S-video inputs, is HDTV capable, and has a remote control.

2. Sony TV Tuner/Monitor MFM-HT95 – UK version: A flat panel LCD monitor with a 19" widescreen display, it is HDTV capable, has Digital S-video inputs, an SXGA display, and a remote control. Average retail price is approximately $720.

3. Philips 17PF8946 17" Widescreen HD-Ready Flat-Panel LCD TV UK with PC Input: A flat panel LCD with a built-in tuner, it also has a built-in FM tuner and built-in speakers.

4. Magnavox 15MF605T/1 15" HD-Ready UK LCD TV with HD Component Video and PC Inputs: A flat LCD panel with a built-in tuner, the small size of this monitor makes it a great fit for tight spaces. It allows picture-in-picture viewing along with built-in speakers, and even comes with a V-chip for parental viewing controls.

Where can you find an LCD TV in the UK? Major retailers like Curry's and Richer Sounds carry a large selection LCD TVs in the UK. You can also try online electronics retailers, and frequently can find great deals at online auction sites like ebay.co.uk.

Confide For Less Anger In Your Marriage

Jose and Juanita have been married for 17 years, and basically love each other, yet have been fighting over the same issue almost every night of those years: She likes it cold at night and he likes it warm in their house and bedroom. She had just opened their bedroom windows for the night. When she left to visit the bathroom, she heard Jose follow her and close all the windows.

Let's eavesdrop to see what we can learn about this fight and what to do about it.

-(curtain up)-
Juanita: (to Jose) "I can't sleep unless the windows are wide open. You know that, but insist on closing them every night, just so I'll be miserable. You are selfish and inconsiderate."

Jose: (to Juanita):"This is my house too. Why should I have to freeze? You always get your way. It is so cold in here you could hang meat! Are you trying to get me sick? No NORMAL person would want it this cold!"
(curtain down)

IS THIS A SOLVABLE PROBLEM?
Depends on the specific marriage. For some couples, the solution would be a simple compromise of some sort; for instance, buy a room thermometer and agree to always keep the room at an agreed upon temperature both could live with.

In many marriages, however, a problem like this is not easily solved-it becomes "perpetual"-and trying to "solve" it only creates anger and tension. For Jose and Juanita, this unfortunately was the case.

Why is a simple problem like this not solvable for our couple and in many other marriages? Could be many reasons, but the usual culprits are:

(1) The couple is engaged in a "power" or "control" struggle. This means the fight isn't about the issue anymore-it is about who will win or lose.

(2) The temperature issue goes deeper and is emotionally tied into other personal or marital issues. If this is the case, the more pressure put on the person to "change," the more the person resists.

For instance, turns out that Juanita literally panics if in a room without air flow due to issues in her childhood. Depriving her of fresh air flow literally makes her want to fight for her life.




CONFIDING MAKES THE DIFFERENCE
Let's now listen in on what Jose and Juanita could have said that may have made a HUGE difference in their communication.
This is because now they are speaking from their hearts -combining empathy (seeing things from the viewpoint of the other) with assertive communication (honestly speaking your feelings and thoughts in a forthright manner)

Juanita (should have said something like):"I feel that I don't have to put up with this, although I also feel bad that you have to suffer. I tell myself that if you really loved me, you would want me to be comfortable at night.
I also ask myself why should I always give in? I work hard all day too and deserve some consideration. All I'm asking for is a decent night's sleep, but then, I wonder if I am being too selfish."

Jose (should have said something like):"I do really love you and I want you to be comfortable too, but it gets so cold in here at night for me that I can't sleep.
We both want a good night's sleep and want to be able to continue sleeping together in the same room. Let's find a way to discuss it so it doesn't make us so angry at each other."

Granted, it is not easy to confide when in the heat of marital battle. Consequently, it is often better to first take a time out, calm down and then communicate what is in your heart. The following communication tips will help:

FOUR COMMUNICATION TIPS

Tip 1- Don't only focus on the issue. Also discuss your feelings, thoughts, and inner conflicts surrounding the issue. Confide what is going on in both your heart and your mind.

Tip 2- Look at how you communicate with each other ABOUT the issue. Focus on the process of communication.

Tip 3- Give up needing to be right all the time. Wise and successful married people have discovered that often it is preferable to be happy than to be right!

Tip 4- Convey to your partner that you love them enough to want to join them so together you can find a way to deal with the issue or problem.

Date' Your Customers; Keep Them Coming Back

In business, the customer is always right - sometimes confused, misinformed, rude, stubborn and changeable, but never wrong. Ever date anyone like that?

Customers are the reason you have a business. Without them, no matter what you do, there isn't any business.

Therefore, you should approach customer service the same way you approach a date. Nurture it with good habits and relentless care. Each date builds on the previous one. Each sale does the same in building customer retention.

So, here are the simple suggestions for "dating" your customer and enhancing your business relationships.

* Dazzle customers with your service. The key to good customer service is treating all your customers well but not necessarily the same. Respond to their needs as individuals. While one customer might need a ton of help and attention, another might prefer an opportunity to browse with privacy.

* Anticipate the needs of your customers by emphasizing service over sales. Good service sells. But pushy service people who are always trying to sell more can be a major turnoff to all customers.

* Treat your customers well by being a problem solver. If you can't help the customer, help him or her find someone who can. Customers appreciate your help - even when you aren't directly profiting from a sale. Just consider it an investment. They'll appreciate the advice and remember your business the next time they need your goods or services.

* Innovate by understanding that most rules should be flexible. Don't ever say, "No, that's against the rules," to a customer who's making a reasonable request. Your main rule - one that should never be compromised - is to keep your customers happy and satisfied.

* Nurture your employees by giving them the care and respect that you want them to give your customers. If you treat them well, your employees will be great ambassadors of service. If you treat them poorly, they'll treat your customers badly in turn.

* Guarantee that your customers keep coming back. Have a great customer service plan and post it in a central location for all to see. Once employees understand the importance of great customer service, you will have customers returning over and over.

The Anxiety of the First Date

The first date is one of the most important events in the relationships of many couples. As important as this occasion is, it is also a very nerve-racking experience to go out with someone you have just met, or just decided to date. Perhaps the fact that this one significant date can potentially become the beginning of a lifelong relationship is why this first date is such an important occurrence. Whatever the reason that the first date is so major, there are many reasons that there is pressure on the first date. The first date is so demanding because it either leads to the occurrence or non-occurrence of the second date. Many people are shy and dating is difficult. If you have just come out of a serious relationship, there is pressure to get right back into a serious relationship.

One of the reasons that the first date is so anxiety filled is that the chances of a second date rest almost solely on what happens on the first date. If the first date is terrible and things go wrong, or the person you have asked out is bored where you take them, or if something is said or done that is offensive, it is difficult to get passed that first bad impression that is left by the first date. Whatever the reason for the date ending in disaster, most of the time, it does not matter whether the problem was intentionally caused or not. They always say that you only have one chance to make a first impression. This is often true in cases of disastrous first dates. One way you can help prevent this is to plan everything ahead of time. The less that can go wrong that is under your control, the better.

Another reason that a first date is so pressure packed is because of shyness. Many people who wish to make a splash in the dating scene are very shy. Some believe that shyness is a self-imposed condition. While this is in part true, many people are painfully shy and this shyness is just as real to them as any other aspect of his or her life. To people like these, dating in general and first dates in particular can be very difficult. If a first date is daunting to people who are not shy, imagine how scary it would be for a shy person. A way that a shy person can help fix this problem is perhaps listen to motivational tapes or get therapy to help him or her with self-esteem. <




One other reason that someone might be fearful of a first date is that he or she might have just come out of a serious relationship. If someone is trying to get back into the dating scene after a broken relationship, he or she may feel a certain pressure to find a new partner and begin another serious relationship again. This type of person always needs to be sure that he or she is ready to date again. It may not be the right thing to do to start dating if there is no chance of a new relationship with that person at that point. Plus, if that person moves on to a new relationship without being ready for it, the new relationship may not go well.

There are several reasons first dates are nerve-racking. From the fact that there may or may not be a second date, to someone being shy, to an old relationship hanging over one's head, a first date can have a lot of pressure associated with it. By making changes in your life, you can conquer whatever fears you have associated with the first date.

Good Times (DVD) Review

Nominated for three Golden Globes, Good Times premiered in mid-season 1974 to widespread critical acclaim and audience popularity. A spin-off of the Bea Arthur (of Golden Girls fame) sitcom Maude (1972), Good Times became the fourth of five highly successful sitcoms brought into being during the 1970's decade by Norman Lear. In addition to Maude, those sitcoms were All In The Family (1971), Sanford & Son (1972), and The Jeffersons (1975). The second of three to focus exclusively on African-American family life, Good Times became a source for groundbreaking social commentary in compliment to its penchant for hilarious family comedy…

Good Times centers around the lives of James (John Amos) and Florida Evans (Esther Rolle), an African-American couple raising their three children in a Chicago housing development. Eldest son J.J. (Jimmie Walker) is a skinny, wisecracking ladies man with an affinity for painting. Middle child Thelma (BernNadette Stanis) plays the role of moderating influence on the passions of her two brothers, while youngest son Michael (Ralph Carter) is always involved in a cause to help others or end an injustice. The family is often visited by Florida's best friend from high school, Willona (Ja'net DuBois), who also lives in the project. In later seasons, she's accompanied by adopted daughter Penny (Janet Jackson). With additional comic relief provided by overweight super Nathan Bookman (Johnny Brown), Good Times is a family-oriented TV series laden with great one-liners and plenty of laugh-tracks…

The Good Times DVD (Season 1) features a number of hilarious episodes including the series premiere "Too Old Blues" in which James is exciting at the prospect of being hired for a high-paying job. But while at the interview, James learns that the training program for the job only accepts qualified applicants aged 18-35. At 42, he's too old for the job. Meanwhile, Florida and the kids have put together a surprise party unaware that James was rejected… Other notable episodes from Season 1 include "Getting Up the Rent" in which the Evans family is faced with an eviction notice, prompting each member to devise a scheme for coming up with the necessary cash, and "The Visitor" in which Michael's letter-to-the-editor about the housing conditions at the Evans' project merits a visit from a housing commission official who experiences the squalor firsthand…




Below is a list of episodes included on the Good Times (Season 1) DVD:

Episode 1 (Too Old Blues) Air Date: 02-08-1974
Episode 2 (Black Jesus) Air Date: 02-15-1974
Episode 3 (Getting Up the Rent) Air Date: 02-22-1974
Episode 4 (God's Business is Good Business) Air Date: 03-01-1974
Episode 5 (Michael Gets Suspended) Air Date: 03-08-1974
Episode 6 (Sex and the Evans Family) Air Date: 03-15-1974
Episode 7 (Junior Gets a Patron) Air Date: 03-22-1974
Episode 8 (Junior the Senior) Air Date: 03-29-1974
Episode 9 (The Visitor) Air Date: 04-05-1974
Episode 10 (Springtime in the Ghetto) Air Date: 04-19-1974
Episode 11 (The TV Commercial) Air Date: 04-26-1974
Episode 12 (The Check Up) Air Date: 05-03-1974
Episode 13 (My Son the Lover) Air Date: 05-10-1974