Towards A Healthy Economy + Marketing World

Technology companies often want to emulate Intel’s success in moving from a hidden ingredient inside personal computers to a brand that consumers recognize, value, prefer and pay a premium for. For most, however, that journey represents a task much easier said than done.

On the surface, the Intel Inside campaign looks like a simple stroke of genius. Shell out a few million bucks for some well-placed television commercials, and in no time consumers will be insisting that your customers put your name on the outside of their product, right? If only it were that easy. What most people fail to realize is that the remarkable success of the Intel Inside campaign — or any campaign that seeks to turn a commodity into a recognizable consumer brand — rests on two very important principles.

First, it requires the financial resources to support a lengthy consumer-oriented campaign. You don’t create a brand name overnight. Second, and more important, it requires a dimension of value that end-user consumers actually perceive as important. Without both of these elements, branding campaigns won’t have enough muscle to convince consumers to demand your product above all others.

Let’s address the money issue first. At last count, Intel spends about a $1 billion a year in cooperative advertising with their major customers, such as Dell and HP. Add to that the $1 billion Intel’s customers spend and the total financial outlay to support the Intel Inside brand comes close to $2 billion a year. Or, as we say in the business, serious money.

In general, Intel matches every dollar its customers spend on advertising that mentions the Intel Inside brand. For example, those hundreds of millions of advertising circulars that Dell sends out each year? Intel absorbs about half their cost. In fact, every time you see the Intel Inside logo or hear the Intel Inside sonic brand, you know that Intel paid for about half of the marketing costs. This enormous financial commitment is one reason why the Intel brand stands out from the crowd and why technologists easily point to it as one of their favorite brands.

On the end-user benefit side, the key word here is “perception.” In this case, Intel has successfully convinced enough consumers that a computer with the Intel chip inside is the fastest available and therefore can handle any application they can throw at it. As a result, consumers perceive real value in the Intel brand, which is why the vast majority of PCs rolling of the assembly lines carry that well-known sticker on the outside: Intel Inside.

Likewise, any commodity product or ingredient technology that hopes to develop a powerful consumer brand must similarly convince the buying public that their product is so superior that consumers won’t accept anything less. And that’s exactly what a little-known company called SanDisk is trying to accomplish.

Will SanDisk Be the Next Intel?

A leading provider of flash memory — the tiny wafers that store digital music, photos and videos — SanDisk is one of the primary beneficiaries of the soaring demand for cell phones, digital music players, digital cameras and game consoles. Over the past three years, revenues for the Sunnyvale (CA)-based firm have surged an average of 70 percent a year. This year, they’re tracking an increase of 19 percent, for a total of $2.1 billion in sales. Not surprisingly, SanDisk’s stock has shot up 40 percent over the past 12 months.

Despite these glowing numbers, SanDisk faces a huge challenge. For the most part, memory is a commodity business, and prices can be harshly cyclical. Pricing wars frequently erupt overnight, and prices can take a nosedive almost as fast. During the summer of 2004, for example, flash memory prices plunged precipitously, causing SanDisk’s stock to drop 40 percent in four days.

To avoid ongoing pricing hiccups, SanDisk is striving to develop a strong brand that consumers will recognize and value. At the most basic level, this means convincing consumers to ask for a “SanDisk one-gigabyte card” for their digital camera rather than just any one-gigabyte card. Just as Intel has convinced personal computer buyers to insist on Intel as the “chip of choice.”

From where I sit, it seems like SanDisk has the first part of the consumer technology branding formula right. They’re spending millions on a worldwide advertising campaign that targets retail stores, magazines and even prime-time TV shows like The Simpsons and Survivor. In terms of sheer dollars, SanDisk isn’t shelling out as much hard cash as Intel, but it probably doesn’t have to. If fact, most companies don’t need to spend nearly that much. They just have to commit enough financial resources to garner the attention of consumers.

SanDisk also seems to have the second part of the formula well underway by working hard to distinguish itself through technology that delivers real consumer benefits. Last year alone, SanDisk increased R&D spending by a hefty 48 percent to $125 million. The result has been a string of innovations — waterproof memory cards, titanium cards, and secure memory cards with embedded fingerprint readers — that have captured the attention of consumers because they offer compelling value.

SanDisk is also working with wireless carriers to help protect consumers from fraud and identity theft. When faced with a lost or stolen cell phone, consumers can contact the carrier to remotely disable the card and keep sensitive personal data safe. SanDisk has even successfully offered new products in the gadget business. Last August, for example, the company introduced an MP3 player that quickly raced to first place in the category, only to be knocked off by Apple when it introduced the iPod Shuffle.

Does SanDisk have what it takes to make the leap from anonymous commodity provider to a recognized consumer brand like Intel? Only time will tell. In the meantime, I plan to follow them closely to see how their branding campaign continues to unfold and, more important, how the market responds. As someone who lives and breathes technology branding, I believe we can all learn a great deal from SanDisk’s ongoing branding efforts.

Get your free whitepaper: The 10 Biggest Technology Marketing Mistakes… and How to Avoid Them

Rod Whitson serves Townsend as President and Chief Brand Strategist. Townsend is expert at helping organizations with innovative products and services develop differentiated, compelling value propositions. Townsend is the largest integrated marketing agency in Southern California. Rod has personally led recent branding engagements with Intel, BAE Systems, Merck, DowPharma, Marsh & McLennan, and the University of California system. He has also worked with a host of successful and not so successful early stage technology and life sciences companies. Since Townsend’s founding in 1993, it has helped clients create market valuation in excess of $80 billion.

Visit Rod’s blog, Branding the Complex

© 2006 Rod Whitson - All Rights Reserved Worldwide

In many industrialized countries, menopause can be a time of great discomfort and stress. Menopause is not a disease, to be viewed as something to be ‘treated’, but a passage in life from childbearing years. The symptoms American women may experience include hot flashes, mood swings, irregular bleeding, memory problems, decreased sexual interest and other changes that effect the enjoyment of sex. Although dietary habits and amount of activity a woman engages in can decrease many of these problems, genetics and previous health can also play a role in how severe the symptoms can be for a woman.

Multiple studies today indicate that taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may not be as safe as previously believed. As just one example, in July, 2002, the Women’s Health Initiative Study published results that demonstrated that the risks of HRT outweighed the benefits. Now more and more women entering menopause are considering ‘natural’ solutions to resolving uncomfortable symptoms of this life transition.

There are three particular herbs of interest when entering menopause. They include Black Cohosh, Chaste Tree Berry and Red Clover.

Black Cohosh

Black Cohosh is also known as Black Snakeroot, Bugwort, Rattleweed, Snakeroot, among other names. Black Cohosh was first used medicinally by Native Americans who introduced it to European colonists. Do not confuse black Cohosh with two unrelated plants, Blue Cohosh and White Cohosh.

Black Cohosh is one of the most popular herbal remedies for menopausal symptoms. Overall, the research supports that using Black Cohosh can help reduce menopause-related hot flashes. The research is a bit mixed on exactly how Black Cohosh works and if it has estrogen-like activity. Some research does show that in any estrogen-like activity, this activity does not pertain to the reproductive organs, such as breast, endometrium, and ovaries. A big question for women going into menopause is whether this is a safe herb for women with a history of cancer; the research generally says it is. However, for all women, this herb should not be taken for unlimited amounts of time.

There are also concerns of liver toxicity with the use of Black Cohosh. Until more is known, anyone who wishes to take Black Cohosh should consult their health practitioner and monitor their liver function to be on the safe side. It would also be wise to avoid taking it along with other herbs that may increase the risk of liver damage, which include androstenedione, chaparral, comfrey, DHEA, germander, kava, niacin, pennyroyal oil, red yeast, and others.

Remifemin, a branded black Cohosh product, has been used in Germany since the mid-1950s to manage menopause. Research that has been done generally has used either Remifemin or two other products produced by Enzymatic Therapy and Phytopharmica.

As mentioned earlier, before taking this and most other supplements, make sure to discuss them with your doctor, particularly if you are taking any prescription medications or have any medical conditions. All herbs do have various interactions with other substances.

Chaste Tree Berry

Chaste Tree Berry is also known as Vitex, Chinese Vitex, Hemp Tree, and Mang Jing Zi, among others. An interesting bit of history is that historians say that monks chewed Chaste Tree parts to make it easier to maintain their celibacy.

This herb has been most often recommended for relieving symptoms related to premenstrual syndrome (PMS), such as bloating, headaches and cramping. Although this is where most of the research has focused, it is now being studied to see if it can help with menopausal symptoms as well, and has also become quite popular for this use although there have only been three studies looking into how it could help with hot flashes in menopause.

The therapeutic effects of Chaste Tree Berry have primarily been attributed to its indirect effects on various neurotransmitters and hormones. It seems to increase levels of progesterone and decrease levels of estrogen. Theoretically, Chaste Tree Berry might interfere with the action of dopamine antagonists such as antipsychotic drugs due to dopaminergic effects of Chaste Tree Berry. It is believed that this herb could interfere with any hormone-related medications. Finally, there is a report that some women who were receiving invitro fertilization procedures and taking Chaste Tree Berry were unable to get pregnant. Consequently, if you are taking any medications or have a history of any medical conditions, speak to your health professional before starting this herb.

This is an herb that is not recommended for women with a history of any hormone-related cancers. However, for others it does appear to be safe. So, particularly for women who suffer from PMS or have mild menopausal-related hot flashes without a history of cancer, this could be an effective herbal remedy.

Red Clover

Other names for Red Clover include Genistein, Meadow Clover, Purple Clover, Trifolium, among others. Do not confuse Red Clover with Sweet Clover, Soy or Liverwort, however.

As a food, Red Clover is considered safe. Medicinally, there have only been four studies on Red Clover for menopause and three of these showed no benefit. Research has considered a possible blood cholesterol-lowering affect, decreasing prostrate size, and perhaps a positive effect on cancer, but research has not definitively supported any of these benefits, yet.

There is some evidence that red clover isoflavones can inhibit oxidative and conjugative metabolism. The list of possible drug and herbal interactions is so large that the best recommendation is to never consider this herb without a long discussion with your doctor, or avoid this herb completely.

This is an herb that appears to be safest when eaten as opposed to taken as a nutrition supplement. Although it could be safe for healthy persons with no medical history or on medications or other herbs, it does not appear to relieve any menopause symptoms. It also is an herb recommended to be avoided by any woman with a history of cancer.

We have just reviewed three popular herbs taken to relieve menopause symptoms. Of the three, the one with the best safety and effectiveness profile is Black Cohosh. Chaste Tree Berry has been shown to be most effective for PMS and should not be taken by women with a history of breast cancer. Red Clover appears to be something safer to eat than take as a supplement and should be avoided by women with a history of cancer, as well as people on any other medication or herbal product. Something that I hope readers were able to realize is that although herbs are a natural form of medication, they still do work like drugs and should be taken as seriously as prescription medications are. Interactions are possible with all substances and before taking any herbal product, I highly recommend that you consult with a healthcare professional with adequate education and background to help you make an informed decision on how to best handle symptoms.

Finally, it’s important to point out that in some societies there is not even a word for menopause. Women pass through this stage of life without notice. This makes it very clear that lifestyle has much to do with how a woman experiences this period of time in her life. If you currently suffer from symptoms of menopause, there are several things that you should evaluate. These include:

The amounts of fruits, vegetable and whole grains you eat daily,

Your intake of saturated fat, animal products and refined foods,

Your alcohol intake and smoking habits,

Regular exercise habits.

Each of these factors plays a large role in not only your health but how you experience the journey through menopause.

Marjorie Geiser helps people overcome their confusion and distress they may feel when trying to add healthy eating and fitness into their busy lives. She offers a free, monthly newsletter on various topics of health. She is a Registered Dietitian, Personal Trainer and Life Coach. To learn more about her services, go to her website at http://www.megfit.com or email her at margie@megfit.com.

Now that more emphasis (to get better ranking in SERPs) is put on the quality of links rather than the quantity, I will try, in this article, to identify the signs that may be precursors of bad link exchange transactions.

1. Quality of content

   I try to make sure that my links come from pages with original content that are not sourced from an affiliate program or duplicated hundreds of times on the Internet. I want links from websites that someone seemingly to have taken time and effort to put together. In addition, it is steer clear of ecommerce sites that is only recently launched and heavily SEOed.

2. The links page

   Check what the links pages are like. Definitely avoid links pages that have over 50 links, or use dynamic URLs, or are not ind exed by search engines.

3. The links page should be too far from the home page

   Search engine bots are unlikely to go more than three levels deep on any website. So links buried deeper may not be found. When looking for quality links look for websites that provide links as close to the home page as possible. Even a massive site like BBC News has a rule that every piece of content must be available within three clicks of the News home page.

4. The topic

   Unless the links page of the site receives a large amount of traffic or that they have a high PageRank, stick to sites about the same topic as your own. If your site is about widgets, I usually look for sites that are about widgets, widgeting, or anything widget-users would find useful.

5. The request email

   When I receive link request emails, anything that

   • Has a generic subject line (i.e. attn webmaster, link request, We linked to your site! etc)
   • Makes ludicrous claims (ie.e we believe …)
   • Doesn’t use personal names (i.e. Dear Site Owner — you want a link from me - find out my name!)
   • Resembles an automated form email from bots
   • Contains excessive grammar/spelling mistakes
   • Are long and tells me how good links are for me etc etc etc.

   goes to the trash.

6. Quality of website
   

   I look for glaring typos, English mistakes, excessive fla shy banners, broken images, or the ever infamous animated Under Construction gifs.

7. 
   Format of link
   

   I usually look at the source code of the links page to make sure that I will be receiving honest inbound backlinks. Does the site use rel=nofollow or external redirects for their outbound links? If so, they won’t benefit you at all (SEO-wise) unless the link gets many human clickthroughs.

8. Are they willing to put the link in a “real” page of their site?
   If they are willing to place your link on a content page, then they are definitely my valued link partner.
9. If I see their phone number in the request email…

   Then I’d classify them as a valueable link partner. The same goes to your request emails: always include your name and phone number in order to be trusted.

That’s it for me. As you can see, I’ve only mentioned PageRank once. I believe that as long as a site has quality, it has a good potential (PageRank or otherwise) and is worthy to trade link with. Finally, although these are good criterias to stick to in order to identify good link partners when receiving requests, don’t forget to see if you are adhering to these when you are the one sending requests!

Tony Zhu is the owner of an online business resource website, InaWhim.com, the largest free resource for the new and experienced home business owner. At InaWhim.com, you will find massive listings of paid survey companies, products with free resell rights, exclusive quality articles, friendly community, and much more.

“Nothing is easier than self deceit.” Anonymous

Think about it. Have you ever deceived yourself? That is, somewhere inside you know what is true and yet you deny it. Maybe it has to do with your career. You know you are not satisfied with your performance or that you have out grown your work and yet you don’t take any action to change. Or it might be in the area of a relationship, where you enjoy the person and have fun together, but you know there is something missing.

When we feel this discontent, one question to ask is, “Am I really putting my whole self into this? Or is there a part of me that is holding back?”

At times it is a lack of full commitment that keeps us from experiencing that fullness of life. And sometimes it is that we have put ourselves in a situation that is not congruent with our vision and values of who we really are. Do you have a vision for your life? Can you clearly state that vision if someone were to ask you? Many people are vague about their vision and so they choose careers or lovers that do not fit with their vision. Then they wonder why things don’t seem to go well or why they feel empty.

If you find that you are having trouble getting committed to something, here are some questions to ask yourself.
- What am I really passionate about? If you are really passionate something then commitment is usually not a problem. It’s when we are trying to make ourselves care more about something than we really do, that we have trouble getting committed.

- What will I miss out on if I don’t do this?
- What will it cost me if I don’t move forward now?
- How will if effect me spiritually, emotionally, physically and financially if I don’t get in touch with my passion?
- If I do identify and act on my passions, how will I feel about myself?
- What kind of momentum could I have if I go for it?
- How much happier could I be if I were making concrete strides toward what I am passionate about?

When you live your life from your true passion and purpose, things seem to fall into place. People and opportunities show up at the right time. Doors open. You feel happy and content, yet have energy that fuels you forward. Don’t live in self deceit any longer. Go for your dreams!

Deb Melton, Singles Coach and Certified Fearless Living Coach lives in Denver and coaches singles all over the country to help them find their soulmate. Deb’s philosophy is, “It’s never too late to find the love of your life and live the life you love! Deb also offers teleclasses and seminars on a variety of subjects for singles of all ages. Whether you have never been married or you are recently divorced, Deb’s coaching and classes are interactive, fun and full of helpful information. Go to her website to learn more http://www.denversinglescoach.com

You are proud of your Chevrolet truck and want to keep it
looking as new as possible for as long as you can. Because
of this, you should make the decision to buy Chevy truck
seat covers. When you place seat covers over your current
seats you will have a custom looking vehicle and all the
while be protecting your investment and ultimate resale or
trade-in value. However, choosing the perfect Chevy truck
seat covers is not as easy as you might think and you
should consider the following tips before you start
shopping.

Size and Fit for Your Truck

The make, model, and year of your truck affects the type of
seat you have, so buying Chevy truck seat covers is not as
easy as just picking up a one size fits all option, unless
you don’t mind ill fitting seat covers. You will need to
make sure you know the make, model and year of your truck
so when you are shopping in stores or online you will be
able to see which Chevy truck seat covers will fit your
truck and those that want. The reason this information is
so important is to ensure that you get a quality seat cover
that has a custom fit and appearance. If you buy a seat
cover that does not require this type of information, it
will most likely take away from the look of the truck
rather than add to it.

Waterproof

Also, when you are shopping for custom looking Chevy truck
seat covers you need to be sure you also buy covers that
are waterproof. Many covers are made with fabrics that have
a new waterproof technology while remaining soft and
smooth. When you buy waterproof covers you ensure that
every inevitable rain storm and spill that gets your covers
wet won’t affect your real seat upholstery. Be sure they
are also easy to remove and wash.

A Large Selection of High Quality Chevy Truck Seat Covers
at discount prices. You can now buy Seat Covers online. For
more info visit:
Chevy Truck Seat Covers Online

The number of different formats available in DVD drives can be confusing to anyone in the market for one. The list is much longer, but to address a few of the common formats, we have DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-RAM ,DVD+R DL and DVDRW. Wow! This list of common formats is long enough, no wonder it’s confusing!

What’s with all the Formats?!

The reason for various recordable DVD formats is that no one group owns the technology and different groups have chosen to support one technology over another. There is no industrial standard for manufacturers to reference, so for the time being consumers will have a few choices.

The first thing to address is DVD itself, which stands for Digital Versatile Disc. Some may argue that the V stands for Video, but with the capability to store video, audio, and data files, Versatile is definitely the keyword.

Start with the Basics

A DVD-ROM drive is the only one we will address that does not record. ROM stands for Read Only Memory, and refers to the typical drive that can merely read DVDs, as well as CDs (all DVD drives can read CDs). The Lite-On LTD-163-DO-R has attributes representative of your typical DVD-ROM drive, and features a maximum DVD read speed of 16x and a maximum CD read speed of 48x.

Before getting into the different recordable formats, let’s address the basics of what the R and RW stand for, regardless of whether there is a + or - in the middle. R stands for Recordable, which indicates that the disk may be recorded to only once. RW stands for ReWritable, which indicates that the disc may be recorded to more than once, and are generally rated for 1000 rewrites under good conditions.

The DVD-R/-RW format was developed by Pioneer, and was the first format compatible with stand alone DVD players. The group that promotes the technology calls itself the DVD Forum, which is “an international association of hardware manufacturers, software firms, content providers, and other users” with notable members such as Hitachi, Samsung, and Toshiba. The DVD-R/-RW format is based on CD-RW technology and uses a similar approach to burning discs.

The DVD+R/+RW format is a newer format, also based on CD-RW technology, and compatible with a large percentage of stand alone DVD players. The +R/+RW technology is not supported by the DVD Forum, and its main backing comes from a group called the DVD+RW Alliance. The Alliance “is a voluntary group of industry-leading personal computing manufacturers, optical storage and electronics manufacturers” with members such as Dell, Hewlett Packard, Sony, and Phillips Electronics.

The DVD-RAM format is based on PD-RW (Phase-Differential) drives, and actually uses a cartridge to hold the media (just like its PD-RW predecessor). Some DVD-RAM cartridges are double sided, making them ideal for companies to use as system backup, hence DVD-RAM is usually found only in commercial applications, and most end-users won’t ever need to use or see this type of drive. The DVD-RAM standard is also supported by the DVD Forum just like the DVD-R/RW format. However, because of its use of a cartridge (limiting it’s compatibility), and the scarcity and price of the media used, DVD-RAM is a distant third when compared to the DVD+R/+RW and DVD-R/-RW technology.

The +R/+RW and -R/-RW formats are similar, and the main difference DVD+R technology has is the ability to record to multiple layers (with its new DVD+R DL format), where DVD-R can only record to one layer (not all +R drives are capable of dual layer burning, but no -R drives are). The Plextor PX-504U is an example of an external DVD+R/+RW drive capable of recording single layer discs in the +R/+RW format, but also able to read discs recorded by a DVD-R drive.

What is DVDRW?

DVDRW is not actually a separate format, but the designation given to drives capable of both -R/-RW and +R/+RW operation. This type of drive is typically called a “Dual Drive” (not to be confused with a “Double Layer” drive) since it can write to both the +R/+RW and -R/-RW formats. The Samsung TS-H552 is a DVDRW drive capable of reading and writing every format discussed so far, and then some. It takes advantage of DVD+R DL (Double Layer) technology available with the +R format, allowing the appropriate media to store virtually double the 4.37 GB capacity of a typical single layer disc.

The other main thing to consider with DVD burners is selecting the correct media. Media for DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R and DVD+RW media may all look the same, but they are slightly different in order to match the specific recording formats. The price of media for either format is generally the same, with RW media costing a good deal more than R media of either format. Double Layer media is even more expensive, and is the only way for an owner of DVD+R DL drive to take advantage of the tremendous capacity increase. As the amount of Double Layer drives increase in the market, the price of the DVD+R DL media is expected to fall with increased production of the media. DVD Burners (as these drive are often referred to) can be picky about the media supported, so be sure to choose your media wisely.

DVD in a Nutshell

DVD-ROM : Reads DVD discs

DVD+R : Writes to DVD+R media (will also typically write to CD-R and CD-RW media)

DVD+RW : Writes to DVD+RW media (will also typically write to DVD+R, CD-R and CD-RW media)

DVD+R DL : Writes to DVD+R DL (Double Layer) media (will also typically write to DVD+R, DVD+RW, CD-R and CD-RW media; many Double Layer drives are ALSO dual drives - that is, able to write to BOTH +R/RW and -R/RW media)

DVD-RAM : Writes to DVD-RAM cartridges (not in wide use on consumer market - mainly a business format; can also read PD-RW discs. Will not usually be able to write to any other format including CD-R or CD-RW)

DVD-R : Writes to DVD-R media (will also typically write to CD-R and CD-RW media)

DVD-RW : Writes to DVD-RW media (will also typically write to DVD-R, CD-R and CD-RW media)

DVDRW : Writes to DVD-RW and DVD+RW media (will also typically write to DVD-R, DVD+R, CD-R and CD-RW media; typically called “Dual Drives” since it can burn to two different DVD formats)

Final Words

This article took a look at the more common formats of DVD drives in order to shed some light on all the choices available. The differences between them all may be subtle, but the compatibility issues can be quite frustrating. The simple answer to anyone considering a drive is to forget about + and - by themselves, and shoot for universal compatibility with a good DVDRW with DVD+R DL support.

http://www.geeks.com/pix/techtips.htm

Patio Maintenance in Fall

Ahh fall! Crisp air, beautiful colors, and — oh no! — winter
preparation! It’s true that fall brings many household
maintenance tasks, but the pleasant weather makes it enjoyable
to be outside, and the time spent maintaining your patios and
yards will add years to their life span.

Patio maintenance is particularly important in the fall. Patios
which are made of wood should be treated with a waterproofing
substance to protect them from the winter weather. This is not a
big project — it can be done in an hour or two for an average
sized patio. The time spent doing this will protect the wood and
prevent costly repair bills in the springtime.

Moisture is the big enemy of wood, so anything that can
trap moisture should be removed. This means sweeping it from
time to time to get rid of the falling leaves and to remove
debris from between the floorboards of the patio. This can be
done with a screwdriver or other small object. Debris which
remains between the floorboards holds moisture and quickly rots
the foundation frame underneath.

If your patio needs a coat of paint, the fall is a good time to
do it. The paint will give the wood more protection during the
wintertime. Just make sure not to leave the job too late in the
season — the weather should be clear and dry on the painting
day for maximum effectiveness.

If you have plants on your patio they must be prepared for
winter. Perennials can be protected with sackcloth and placed in
an area where they are less exposed to the elements. Annuals
should be removed from their beds and in the soil can be
re-fertilized.

Patio furniture should be examined and repaired if necessary,
and should be stored in a protected area. Leading patio
furniture outside during the winter is bad for both furniture
and patio — moisture will accumulate under the legs and stain
or rot the patio floor.

Doing all this work in the fall will extend the life of your
patio. In addition, there will be fewer patio jobs to be done in
the springtime. All you will need to do is bring out the
furniture and replant your plants.

Can you really imagine humans evolving from dead bodies? Of course not, unless we are magical creatures who can be reborn from ashes or dust.

Reproduction is important to keep species alive. Plants, animals, microorganism and humans rely on reproduction to perpetuate their species. Without reproduction, humans would have been extinct millions of years ago. For this alone, we owe so much to our reproductive system.

The penis is the part of a male’s body which varies the most from one person to another. Many boys worry that there is something wrong with them because they saw another boy’s penis and it was a bit different to their own.

For the males, their penis is the most often used part of their genitalia. It is usually called the man’s best friend. And there is a reason enough for that.

There is no other male genital organ that gets the same “publicity” as the penis. Ever wonder why it is the organ that has so many names? Man, and of course woman, is fascinated with this particular organ. Thus, the term “phallus worship” was created.

However, many people out there are still unenlightened about how this particular member of the male genitalia works. This article hopes to shed some light for those who are not scientifically familiar with their member.

The term “male genitalia” is usually used as a combined name for the penis and the testicles.

The penis is a tube-shaped appendage through which you pass urine and semen, and it has two general areas: the shaft, which is made of spongy tissue that fills with blood when you get an erection; and the glans, the penis’ sensitive tip which is covered by foreskin in uncircumcised men.

The penis has three main functions: (1) for urination; (2) for sexuality and pleasure; (3) for reproduction and procreation.

Circumcision, the removal of foreskin from the glans used to be a very popular practice during the biblical times and the 1800s. Nowadays, it is usually done because of family traditions.

There was an increase in the rate of circumcision in the 1800’s supposedly to try to stop masturbation. Which is of course, back then, is regarded as even more sinful than sex.

Health experts, medical practitioners and even their own parents advise young people to take good care of their member. An unhealthy and unhygienic member may entail a serious health condition like Balanoposthitis, Balanitis xerotica obliterans, and Erythroplasia of Queyrat.

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Is it possible to make a part time or full time living on the
Internet? Can you really make enough money to make your time
worthwhile?

Is all of this hype really true? The answer is yes and no. It
really is true that a stay at home Mom or a student in need of
extra income or a full time worker needing a part-time income
can make money on the Internet. It is also true that a lot of
people are making a full-time living and even becoming rich on
the Internet.

The question is, “Can you do it too”? The answer is yes. But
don’t be fooled. It all depends on how much time you are willing
to invest in studying the techniques and learn the methods you
need for Internet Marketing (IM) success.

The fastest way to earn extra money online is to sell on Ebay.
You can start right now, today, and in 3 days be paid online for
items you sell. There are a lot of “get rich quick” tutorials
for sale on how to make it on Ebay, but you don’t need one. You
can simply register at the Ebay site, read their tutorial and
get started selling items you have around the house.

A lot of people make a few extra dollars to a few hundred extra
dollars a month on Ebay. Others make a lot more. Ebay or any
business you get into online or in a physical business location
has the potential to make money. Lots of people succeed in
business and a lot fail. Your success or failure will partially
depend on how well you prepare, how much you study and how much
energy you put into the project.

The great thing about online businesses compared to brick and
mortar stores is it usually costs a lot less to get started. For
instance, getting stared selling on Ebay doesn’t cost anything.
You only pay fees when you run an Ebay auction ad.

Internet Marketing can be as easy as creating a simple website
and putting other company’s ads on the site. You get paid when
someone buys a product or even when someone clicks on an ad. You
don’t even need a product to sell; you only have other’s ads on
your web pages.

For most people, Internet Marketing is a get rich slow process.
Yes, some people make money within days or weeks of starting on
online business. Most take a little longer to get established.

There are no hard and fast rules on how long it will take you to
make money online or how much you can make. It all depends on
how hard you are willing to work and how much time you are
willing to devote to creating a new business.

What Is Your Definition of Success?

If you want to create balance in your life, it is important to know how you define success. The following list is a place to start. Cross off those that don’t seem important to you and add your own. Next, identify which of the items on your list are the most essential to your success definition and which items present the greatest challenge to you.

1. Being able to move on when a situation is no longer productive or positive

2. Being satisfied with your work situation

3. Enjoying the present, not putting off the good things until some time in the future

4. Expressing your creativity

5. Fulfilling your potential

6. Holding yourself with esteem separately from your work

7. Being authentic

8. Identifying your values and basing your choices on them

9. Managing your money well

10. Not feeling envious of others

11. Paying attention to your spiritual life

12. Spending time in fun ways away from your workplace

13. Spending time with people you cherish and enjoy

14. Taking good care of yourself

15. Understanding when to fight for something and when to give in

What would you add? Which items present the greatest challenge to you?

The 80/20 Rule

The 80/20 Rule, also known as the Pareto Principle, says that 20% of what we do produces 80% of the results. Some examples of this principle are:

• 20% of the people sell 80% of the widgets.

• 20% of the salespeople earn 80% of the commission.

• 20% of the parts in your car cause 80% of the breakdowns.

• 20% of the members of an organization do 80% of the work.

The 80/20 principle can help anyone create balance in their life. Here’s how:

1. Identify the times when you are most happy and productive (i.e., the 20% that produces the 80%) and increase them as much as possible.

2. Identify the times when you are least happy and productive (i.e., the 80% that produces the 20%), and reduce them as much as possible.

Your Seven Habits of Success

You have probably heard of Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. As you create balance in your life, think about your own list of success habits. What seven things would lead to more happiness in your life if you did them every day? Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Do something you love doing for at least part of the day.

2. Get some physical exercise.

3. Get some mental exercise.

4. Stimulate yourself artistically.

5. Stimulate yourself spiritually.

6. Do something for someone else.

7. Do something just for fun.

8. Acknowledge yourself for something you said or did.

What ideas would you add?

Dealing with Workaholism

What if a person needs more than just self-help in dealing with a lack of balance in work and family life? An organization called Workaholics Anonymous can help.

Workaholics Anonymous is a 12-step recovery program similar to Alcoholics Anonymous. It is a “fellowship of individuals who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others recover from workaholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop working compulsively.”

How Do You Know if You Are a Workaholic?

Ask yourself these questions if you think you might be a workaholic:

1. Are you more comfortable talking about work than anything else?

2. Do you become impatient with people who do things besides work?

3. Do you believe that more money will solve the other problems in your life?

4. Do you get irritated when people ask you to stop working and do something else?

5. Do you get more energized about your work than about anything else, including your personal relationships?

6. Do you look for ways to turn your hobbies into money-making endeavors?

7. Do you often worry about the future, even when work is going well?

8. Do you take on extra work because you are concerned that it won’t otherwise get done?

9. Do you take work home with you? Do you work on days off? Do you work while you are on vacation?

10. Do you think about your work while driving, falling asleep, or when others are talking?

11. Do you think that if you don’t work hard you will lose your job or be considered a failure?

12. Do you work more than 40 hours in a typical week?

13. Do you work or read while you are eating?

14. Have your long hours hurt your family or other relationships?

Garrett Coan is a professional therapist,coach and psychotherapist. His two Northern New Jersey office locations are accessible to individuals who reside in Bergen County, Essex County, Passaic County, Rockland County, and Manhattan. He offers online and telephone counseling services for those who live at a distance. He can be accessed through http://www.creativecounselors.com or 201-303-4303.