:Forest Folk

One of the all time favourites because of its ease of use and predictable results. Green sand will also retain moisture for weeks on end in a plastic garbage bin.

Green sand is the most efficient, low cost way for the hobby worker to start making moulds for metal casting. But the trouble with green sand is the need for a Muller to make your first batch. Green sand does require maintenance and looking after to get the best results, but it will last for many years for hobby use, and can be used over and over again.

Co2 Gas System & Dry Sand.

The Co2 system is also an easy system for the hobby worker to use, it is frequently used in trade schools or colleges for foundry practice instructions because of the basic equipment requirements, small batches of moulding sand can be readily made up.

Generally it is quite easy to use, and repeatable results are not difficult to achieve. However there is one thing that can be detrimental to the Co2 performance and that is if any excess moisture is contained in the sand, moisture levels above 0.5% will impair the performance of the sand and give poor moulding results.

One drawback with co2 is the rental cost of the gas bottles, and the expense of gas cylinder regulators required for correct gas line pressure. Sand consumed in the moulding process is usually discarded after each use, which could present a problem if you are constantly casting.

The Self-Set moulding Process.

The self-set system is also very easy to use, all you need is good clean foundry grade sand, a silicate resin to mix with the sand and a catalyst to create the reaction in the silicate, which normally takes around ten minutes on a warm day.

The equipment required consists of: A mixer, a small hand held power drill fitted with a simple paint mixer will suffice. And an accurate digital kitchen scale to measure precisely the chemicals you’ll be using.

The silicate is quite expensive to buy, and is supplied in 20 litre and 200 litre drum sizes, the hobby foundry worker may need to cultivate a friendship with the commercial foundry operater in your area.

There are several different systems that can be used, they are too complex to explain here. Suppliers such as Foseco have free info product user guide sheets to explain exactly how to use their products. The chemicals are generally quite safe to use as long as you follow the manufactures safety instructions, as you always should.

The EPS or Full Mould System.

EPS = Expanded Poly-Styrene resembles investment casting in that a single-part flask is used, so that no parting lines-and hence no fins appear on the finished casting. It is essentially a ‘one-off’ process, since the consumable pattern is carved from expanded polystyrene.

This is a polymer derived from benzene and ethylene, and in its
expanded form it contains only 2 % actual solid polystyrene.
Readers will be familiar with the substance, which is used in the
manufacture of ceiling tiles, and also as a packaging material for fragile audio & electronic equipment.

An expendable pattern, complete with runners and risers, is cut
from expanded polystyrene, and is completely surrounded with
dry clean sand in a simple box or can. The molten metal is then poured on to the pattern, which melts and burns very quickly, (vaporises) leaving a cavity, which is immediately occupied by the molten metal.
No solid residue is formed, and the carbon dioxide and water vapour evolved in the combustion of the polystyrene do not dissolve in the molten metal, but escapes through the permeable mould sand as a gas. The EPS process does produce a very strong odour.

Moulding can be achieved merely by pouring readily available clean dry Sea Sand around the pattern. As the polystyrene burns, it produces a tacky bond between the sand grains just long enough for a skin of metal to form.

This moulding system is used extensively in the engineering
industries; the process is used in the manufacture of large
press-tool die-holders, and smaller components in the ‘one-off
category. Casting tolerances come very close to that of the
investment casting technique. This system does have a wide range of applications for the experienced hobby metal caster.

If you want to learn more about how to melt and cast metal in sand please visit our web site soon. You may use this article at your website, or in your newsletter. The only requirement is inclusion of the following sentence - Article by: Col Croucher of http://www.myhomefoundry.com - the definitive source for hobby foundry workers of all ages.

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Copyright 2006 Pauline Houle

Tracy is a very beautiful woman in her mid-thirties. She has a long painful history that she is working her best to leave behind, and she is doing a magnificent job. Now in therapy for some months, I helped her look at all she was left with after finally picking up her courage to leave a devastating marriage and a husband who had absolutely no desire for growth and change, let alone be a good loving human being. In a nutshell, “He was sure he was O.K. and also sure she was not O.K.”

It has been many years since her divorce and she is still picking up the pieces. Nothing she could do or be was enough, good enough, smart enough, long enough, short enough and also not ovulating enough! Tracy had been on a long fertility treatment. In her young days of marriage, and for years to follow, she was just not ovulating normally and had to be helped medically. Numerous miscarriages were had and she still kept trying.

Finally, the Miracle Baby happened! She saw that little angel as a miracle for all the hardship she was going through to help her pregnancy happen. Within the couple also reigned a nightmare for He was constantly bashing her for not even being “normal”.

After over 15 years, Tracy finally started to believe all those at work who were telling her how great she was, how good a person she was with friends and so on. She finally figured her husband’s constant criticism was not notified and, as he would not change, she could take no more. The separation is history.

However, since her separation, now that her little angel has grown and is attending school, she has become plagued with a very painful ovulation. Sometimes, it knocks at her door twice a month. She has no other symptoms than that nagging, regular, sharp reminder that she is a woman.

I invited her to take a deep look at all her history, too long to tell here, and imagine that there is a link to all her pain during ovulation and find out in what aspect her pain could become a distorted, insidious benefit or pleasure for her.

Like all the women to whom I present this approach, she could not see one at first. Given a good minute of silence and reflection, she realized how her ovulation simply meant she now KNEW she was NORMAL and that she could bear children if she chose too. No more need for medical help about her fertility. No more she would have to believe her ex-spouse that she was abnormal and not ovulating like “normal women do”.

A long look at all she went through during all those years of terrible psychological bashing and criticizing took her to realize that she now was on a path to accept and recognize she was O.K. A great ending for her session as she re-decided she did not have to allow pain to prove herself she was perfect as she was.

Our next session brought me the wonderful fulfillment feeling and pleasure to hear Tracy say she had had no pain whatsoever in her last cycle. Now, she also knew she was healed. Isn’t healing great? Blessings to you all.

Pauline Houle is Therapist with 20 years experience. She has a background in Social Work and Psychodynamic trainings that really make a difference in people’s lives. She has a Masters Degree in Transpersonal Studies, which has been a great help in keeping her focused on the big picture of PMS and what women need to know in order to heal it.
Contact: Pauline Houle: pms@paulinehoule.com
514-277-6097 or 518-563-6834
www.paulinehoule.com
www.pmscramprelief.com

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We know that greed and fear rule the markets. But did you know that when investors gets too greedy, markets usually fall, and when investors are overcome with fear, markets usually rise. So how can when we monitor investors emotions and take advantage of investors emotional extremes?

Welcome to the world of investor sentiment analysis.

Investor psychology has been analysed for at least 250 years. Charles MacKay wrote his book, ‘Extraordinary Popular Delusions And The Madness Of Crowds’, in 1841, describing, among other manias, the herd mentality that caused the South Sea Bubble. Since then, many academics have published financial theories based on the concept that individuals act rationally and consider all available information in the decision-making process. But real life frequently demonstrates that the behavior of equity markets is irrational and unpredictable. A field known as “behavioural finance” has evolved over the years attempting to explain how emotions influence investors and their decision-making process. Studying human psychology helps predict the general direction of financial markets as well as many stock market bubbles and crashes. At the height of a period of optimism, greed moves stocks higher, ignoring business fundamentals and therefore creating an overpriced market. At the other extreme, fear moves prices lower, ignoring obvious opportunities and creates an undervalued market.

One important study, (”Aspects of Investor Psychology,” The Journal of Portfolio Management, Summer 1998) found that investors are much more distressed by prospective losses than they are made happy by equivalent gains. Some researchers theorize that investors “follow the crowd” and conventional wisdom to avoid any regret in the event their decisions prove to be incorrect.

QUANTIFYING INVESTOR EMOTIONS OR INVESTOR SENTIMENT

When a stock or market index rises, we know that it means investors are more eager to buy than to sell. But how can we accurately gauge just how investors feel?

Most often, investors are somewhere between mildly positive and mildly negative, and only occasionally do they demonstrate the extremes of greed or fear. It is easier to detect emotion when it is close to either irrational exuberance or outright fear. When markets act this way, it becomes “news” and moves from the business section, to being featured at the start of the evening news, and on the front page of the daily newspaper.

The success of charting as a tool, depends on investors repeating their behaviour patterns. There is always a comfort factor in doing the same as others and generally an aversion to behaving differently. Investors display herding instincts in their behaviour and this has become particularly noticeable among institutional investors. In the early stages of a rising trend in a market, positive sentiment can act as a positive driving force as everyone rushes in to join the party. However, there comes a time after the trend has been in place, when this positive sentiment acts as a warning that the trend is nearing its climax. That’s when smart investors will start switching to alternative investments.

The most sophisticated and active players in the market use derivative products to effect their transactions. These players tend to display earlier changes in emotion than most investors and normally their emotions run to greater extremes. So, derivative markets are a good source of data on investor sentiment. There are various options available on stocks, ETF’s and indexes. By using an option pricing formula, we can extract a measure of how much investors are prepared to pay for the possibility of making a profit, or hedging against a loss. This is known as implied volatility, and it provides a mathematical valuation of investor emotion. Implied volatility tends to be high (the scale is inverted) when the market has had a sharp fall and this is associated with investor fear. At the other extreme, low implied volatility often occurs after a rise in the market and when investors are becoming complacent.

Implied volatility image
http://www.theuptrend.com/ebook/ImpliedvolatilityAA.gif

WHAT IS THE VIX?

VIX is the symbol for the Chicago Board Options Exchange’s volatility index for the S&P 500 (SPX). It is a measure of the level of implied volatility and not historical or statistical volatility. A numerical value for the VIX has been published by the CBOE since 1993. The method of calculating VIX was changed in early 2003. Instead of using the S&P 100 (OEX) Index options, it is now calculated using the options on the S&P 500 (SPX). Also note that the VXN is the symbol for the implied volatility index of the NASDAQ 100 index.

The implied volatilities are weighted to give the VIX a value that in effect acts as the implied volatility of an at-the-money SPX option at 22-trading days to expiration. The VIX represents the implied volatility of a hypothetical at-the-money SPX option. If implied volatility is high, the premium on options will be high and vice versa. Generally speaking, rising option premiums reflect rising expectation of future volatility of the underlying stock index, which represents higher implied volatility levels. The higher the VIX, the more panic in the markets and the greater the chance that investors have given up hope, taken their money, and gone home.

Comparing the movement of the VIX with that of the market can quite often provide clues as to the future direction the market might move. The more the VIX increases in value, the more “panic” is an issue in the market place. On the flip side, the more the VIX decreases in value, the more complacency there is amongst investors. The psychological impact measured by a relatively high VIX is a clear indicator that tells traders markets are oversold. A historic example was displayed on July 23rd 2002 when the VIX shot over 55. That big move coincided with a significant low in the Dow Jones Industrial Average that was followed by a 1,034-point, six-day rally. That rally didn’t stick and the market again re-tested its July low in October of 2002. But throughout this double bottom in 2002 the VIX accurately identified a major directional shift in the market. At its core, the VIX is a statistical measure of emotions, and emotions are a major factor signalling capitulation in the market.

Sample charts
http://www.theuptrend.com/ebook/Impliedvolatility1.gif
http://www.theuptrend.com/ebook/Impliedvolatility2.gif

INVERSE RELATIONSHIP

Extremely high readings of VIX indicate market bottoms, while low readings indicate market tops.

The VIX actually has an inverse relationship to the stock market. This is one of the first things you’ll notice when viewing the VIX on a bar chart. When the VIX goes down the stock market moves higher. When the VIX advances, the stock market is headed lower. Generally speaking, a rising stock market is considered less risky by investors. On the other hand, a declining stock market is considered more risky. Therefore, the higher the perceived risk by investors the higher the implied volatility. This will make options, especially put options, more expensive.

When the phrase “implied volatility” is mentioned, keep in mind that it is not about the size of price swings. Rather it’s the implied risk that is associated with taking a position in the stock market. When the stock market declines, the demand for put options usually increases. Increased demand means higher put option prices.

USING VIX to TIME the MARKET

One early study identified a VIX value of 25 as normal, and a value above 35 as high. Between October 1997 and May 2001 the VIX indicator went above 35 eleven times. In this study, the S&P 500 index as represented by SPY ETF. was purchased each time and held until the VIX retreated below 25. There were 9 profitable trades for an average gain of 3.1% and an average holding period of about one month. By using this VIX timing scheme you could capture 80% of total gains in the market, but your money is only at risk one third of the time.

Sample chart
http://www.theuptrend.com/ebook/Impliedvolatility3.gif

Extremes in fear mark great buying opportunities.

Sample chart
http://www.theuptrend.com/ebook/Impliedvolatility4.gif

THE CONTRARIAN VIEW POINT OF THE VIX

An extended and/or extremely low VIX suggests a high degree of complacency and is commonly considered bearish. From the contrarian view point ,many traders are of the opinion that if the VIX becomes low, they’ll begin looking for a reason to begin selling stock. On the flip-side of the coin, a very high VIX can indicate a high degree of anxiety which often leads to panic among options traders. This action is often considered bullish by the contrarian, and they’ll look for reasons to begin buying stock. High VIX readings usually occur after an extended or sharp market decline with investor sentiment still very bearish. Some contrarians view readings above 35 as bullish. Hence, they’ll begin looking for a major market turn to the upside.

The VIX should be used in conjunction with “regular” analysis of price action on price charts. The wise trader will never make a purchase or sale based solely on the price level of the VIX. The wise trader will use the VIX (and its support and resistance levels) in conjunction with the price action of charts of the S&P 500, the Dow, and the NASDAQ.

Using the VIX with charts of these indices will help you get a good grasp of the current market psychology. Since market movements are based entirely on human emotions, it is important for traders to understand psychological indicators. When the VIX is used correctly it helps you stay on the right side of the market and make profitable trades.

SUMMARY
Understanding Investor Sentiment (or Investor Psychology) is by far the most powerful tool an investor can use to understand exactly where the stock market is, and where it is going. But it is often hard to digest, as it is counter intuitive to our human nature.

Here is a recent example that will help illustrate this point.

In September 2005, the TSX was making multi year highs. While the VIX Indexes was down near multi year lows. Standing back and looking at these two pieces of information, you might question the wisdom of adding long-term money to this market at this time.

You might, but human nature would not.

From GARY NORRIS
Canadian Press
Mon Oct 17, 3:58 PM ET

Canadians are shovelling money into mutual funds almost like it’s 2001 again, with September purchases of $1.8 billion - up from net redemptions of $545 million a year ago.

The Investment Funds Institute of Canada said Monday that investments in long-term funds - equity, bond and other funds excluding short-term money market funds - topped half a trillion dollars for the first time. “This underlines the fact that investors are making long-term commitments to funds, and not simply parking their investments temporarily in money market funds,” commented Tom Hockin, president of the fund industry association.

Sales in the first nine months of the year, net of redemptions and excluding reinvested distributions, totaled $18.4 billion, “the highest net sales figure since the same period in 2001,” Hockin observed.

Yes, you read that correctly, Canadian have not been this enthusiastic since the last time the market was peaking.

TSX Sample Chart
http://www.theuptrend.com/ebook/ImpliedvolatilityB.gif

Now we don’t have enough data yet, but since Canadian Mutual Fund investors did their “extreme” mutual fund shopping last month, the market has already dropped 800 points.

Now ask yourself, if you were going to put money into this market, was September the best, low risk time to do so in the past 5 years? Were these investors thinking analytically, or did the emotion of greed cloud their judgments?

My guess is that this is what I like to call “Panic Buying”, of Canadian Mutual Funds last month, will signal the very top of this market, and be the catalyst for a major sell off.

Only time will tell if I am right.

Stephen Whiteside is the founder and CEO of the leading stock market trend analysis site, TheUpTrend.com. Each day, we provide Smart Money Alerts on the top 1500 North American stocks. Stop by www.theuptrend.com and get a 30 day free trial!

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Are you the rebelmouthy and opinionated? Do you like the thrill of change, always eager for the next new venture? Is your idea of security to never be the victim of a corporation’s downsizing or reengineering? Are you a fiercely independent risk-taker who can comfortably handle the uncertainty of being responsible for your own paycheck?

Answering “yes” to all these questions put me squarely in the entrepreneurial ring more than two decades ago, and I can honestly say I’ve never been happier. Or richer. Or more in control of my life and career.

I started with only $100 in seed money and my experience as a registered nurse. After putting in long shifts at the hospital, I worked part-time from my home for more than a year before my business gained enough momentum that I could quit my day job. I continued to work from home until my business income reached $1.2 million.

Did I have a secret formula? No, I was going on passion, commitment and intuitive vision, but I do have a formula now.

If you also answered “yes” to the questions above, and if you have a passion for the thrill and independence of being an entrepreneur plus commitment to follow through on that passion, this 7-part breakout formula will take you wherever you want to go.

One Part Research
First you have to know where you’re going, so research your chosen industry. Identify types of businesses that match your passionate vision and aptitude. Explore areas that show growth potential and, using your experience and insight, look for a need not presently being filled.

Find a successful company similar to the one you envision owning, and study how it started and how it grew. Learn as much as possible about the entrepreneur behind it. Devour books and publications related to your business concept. Talk to other entrepreneurs to discover their best practices.

One Part Vision
As an entrepreneur-in-training, you’ll need to build basic and advanced leadership skills. A successful entrepreneur is a bold visionary, seeing what others cannot and willing to follow that vision despite naysayers. Many entrepreneurs never finished college, but that hasn’t stopped them from owning large companies like Dell Computer and small companies like neighborhood restaurants and consulting firms. They relied heavily on their visions, not on MBA programs.

Entrepreneurs handle ambiguity with ease. They get a thrill out of leading the way into unfamiliar territory and thumb their noses at failure. Fearless pacesetters, they are usually mystified to find they’re weak at operations and management.

That’s okay. Other people can manage for you, but you must be the guiding force that inspires your managers and staff to follow your vision. You’ll shoulder responsibility and hold yourself personally accountable for the outcome. As a leader you have to focus on the big picture and trust others to focus on the details. People who do it all are self-employed but not entrepreneurial.

Three Parts Action
You must also be an actor. You act and get things done by delegating, subcontracting and leveraging other people’s talents. You’re innovative and unflaggingly determined, willing to put in fast-moving 16-hour days to reap the rewards of independence, creative freedom and unlimited financial gain.

Learn to be a marketing genius. Everything is marketing, from the way you say “good morning” to the contacts you make on an airplane to making a sales call. You sell ideas, products and services to potential purchasers by getting inside their minds and creatively communicating benefits.

Above all you must grow your enterprise and make a profit. People who say, “I love it so much I’d do it for free,” are not entrepreneursthey’re volunteers. Most entrepreneurs are willing to start small and grow slowly, but they fully expect to make money. There is nothing noble about being poor or failing financially.

Two Parts Strategy
When you know where you’re going and have the courage to act, the only thing missing is the strategy for getting you there - but this is no small thing. Jumping into business without a strategic plan is like jumping in the ocean without knowing how to swim.

To create the strategic plan, envision your enterprise exactly as you want it to be. Then write down your goals and objectives for achieving that vision. For each goal, create a strategy and a target date for achieving it.

Assess your strengths. You already possess knowledge, skills and experience your enterprise will draw on. One of my strengths is that I’m persistent and go for it all the way. List all your strengths that apply to your enterprise.

Then appraise your challenges. They might involve market penetration, profitability, expertise, competition or location. Challenges change as your enterprise changes. My first challenge was getting clients to recognize the need for a new type of consulting service. When my company grew, a new challenge surfaced: my weakness as a manager. Without addressing that weakness, I might have worked solo forever, never achieving the bigger vision. That challenge led me to seek the right directors to support my vision. How will your challenges impact your goals?
Finally, act like a CEO. Create an income and spending plan. Know where your money is going, question every expenditure and keep the cash flow positive. That means taking in more money than you pay out, plain and simple. Make a budget and stick to it.

A CEO gets things done through delegation, so create a framework of people who can help you achieve your entrepreneurial vision. Even if you work solo, you can benefit from a myriad of talented consultants, vendors and subcontractors. From day one I hired a subcontractor to assist me with client projects, which worked so well that I put off hiring my first employee for ten years. Eventually I recognized that to stretch toward a bigger vision, I needed employees. Expect your framework to change as your vision grows, but build it only as big as you need.

I always joke that I’m a working CEO, a style that makes things happen. But no enterprise is unsinkableeven the Titanic sank its first time out. In 1990 I hit an iceberg when my largest clients dissolved their law firm. Thankfully, through my vision, strategic plan and framework, I had the necessary lifeboats in place. My business stayed afloat and took a new course that changed my business forever.

After being an entrepreneur for more than two decades, I’m happier, more alive and more constantly challenged than I ever imagined when I started out working in my one-bedroom condo. Answering “yes” to some simple questions about myself made all the difference. If you’re mouthy, opinionated, independent and your desire for adventure leads you to entrepreneurship; I guarantee this tested formula will take you wherever you want to go.

Inc. Top 10 Entrepreneur Vickie L. Milazzo, RN, MSN, JD is the founder and president of Vickie Milazzo Institute. She is credited by The New York Times with creating the legal nurse consulting profession in 1982. She is the recipient of the Nursing Excellence Award for Advancing the Profession and the Stevie Award (business’s Oscar) as Mentor of the Year. Vickie has revolutionized the careers of thousands of RNs. She is the author of Inside Every Woman: Using the 10 Strengths You Didn’t Know You Had to Get the Career and Life You Want Now, coming March 2006 from John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Order this top 5 Amazon.com bestseller now. Reprinting and republishing of this article is granted only with the above credit included. Permission to reprint or republish does not waive any copyright or other rights.
Copyright © 2006 Vickie Milazzo Institute, a division of Medical-Legal Consulting Institute, Inc., Houston, Texas.
All Rights Reserved.

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It seems like the Celtics play close games every night out. Why just two days ago they lost by 1 to a pair of Gilbert Arenas free throws. Had they won all their close games like the Bucks’ do they’d have a great record. Instead they teeter on the border of the playoffs and this loss to the Mavs won’t help.


The first half of this game was not for the modest basketball fans; 38 fouls were called and the game was driven to a standstill. The Celtics had four players with 2 fouls in the first quarter alone and had used all 12 men before the quarter was over. The Mavericks played 11 themselves by the second half. Compensation occurred in the second half where fouls became no-calls and the officials allowed the players to play. While nobody fouled out, 56 fouls were committed (roughly 1.17 fouls per minute).


Jason Terry had 30 points and hit 7 3-pters. Jerry Stackhouse came off the bench for a season-high 20 points. Dirk Nowitzki was shut down for most of the game but hit key 4th quarter shots and got his stats more respectable with 26 points and a team-high 7 boards.


Rebounds were scarce in this game. Both teams were in the top 10 in FG% coming into the game and the fouls on shot-attempts only lessened the rebound total. Paul Pierce led they way for Boston with 8.


The game flip-flopped for control up until the 4th quarter when Dallas began to pull away. Keith Van Horn knocked down three triples in the quarter. Between him, Terry and Nowitzki hitting the long-range jumpers, the Mavs built a 12-pt 4th quarter lead.


But the Celtics came back in the final minutes. After finally getting some defensive rebounds, Boston proceeded to cut the lead to 3. With less than ten seconds on the game clock, Paul Pierce pump faked Dirk Nowitzki on a three, moved over a few feet, and shot the game-tier with 6.5 left on the clock.


With 4.5 left Jerry Stackhouse did a similar move to Ricky Davis and found an opening on the baseline. Leaving practically no room for a shot attempt, Stackhouse drilled the 20-footer to give the Mavericks a 104-102 win.


Paul Pierce led all scorers with 32. Tony Allen and Mark Blount both had 12 points and 6 rebounds off the bench. Ricky Davis scored 17 points and dished a game-high 8 assists.


Boston has won just 3 of their last 10 games, which added with the Nets 10-game winning streak puts them pretty much out of the division. The Mavs are now just a game back of San Antonio for home court advantage. Even without the home court, they’ve proven that they’ll be a difficult team to face in the postseason; this win gives the Mavs a League high 13 road victories.

Visit NBA Betting Systems for more expert articles on sports.

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London has in people’s opinions a few of the finest museums on the whole planet in actuality it has hundreds of museums and shows equally large & tiny. There are stacks to choose from nonetheless for clear reasons a select few are more suited than others. Some of the most stylish museums to visit today include the British Museum, Natural History & Science Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, Imperial War Museum & the National Maritime Museum.

The British Museum has only just once more with a rich overhaul and is normally talked as being the best museum on earth where over three-thousand year old Egyptian Queens have a considerably more lively afterlife than they ever thought possible. Located in Central London this is definitely one of the key museums in The Capital to take your children to. There are bags of brand new collections and corridors to learn about, some that contain the reading room and the most recent African collection, which has been said to be the world’s largest and best in terms of array and quality with well over two hundred thousand relics.

The Natural History and Science Museums are right for both adolescents & grown ups. The Natural History Museum building is amazing any dinosaur supporter will certainly relish getting lost in the whole history that belongs to this excellent museum.

The Science Museum is amazing, very pro active in relation of when historic breakthroughs are revealed. There are several scientists on hand running live science research that you can become a subject of if you interested. There are more than enough electrifying hands on things to do for both adolescents and adults.

The Victoria & Albert museum what’s more usually known as the V&A is a huge museum crammed to the top with culture. It’s worth a journey for the cast quarters alone. The museum itself is free to enter & is the planet’s leading decorative and arts and design museum. The Imperial War Museum looks a lot at the history of the imperial world war rather than its prosecution. Some specific demonstrations like that of the “The Blitz” & “The Holocaust” are very poignant. Check out Time Out for all the latest London Museums opening hours.

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It is estimated that almost one in every four American people claim some kind of Irish roots. This is an amazing statistic given that the entire population of Ireland is just over five million people. During the famine times in Ireland in the mid 18th century literally over one million people starved to death while another million people fled to the four corners of the globe. America was the preferred destination of choice but the route was a treacherous and perilous one for those brave enough to take it.

A whole new industry has now sprung up in Ireland with thousands of Irish Americans tracing their family roots every year. Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy being but two famous Irish American names. Genealogy has become big business in Ireland in the past decade with dozens of companies only too happy to assist eager clients trace their family origins. Family crest names and family tree charts are the most common items sought after.

Imagine however being able to actually own your own little piece of Ireland, complete with title deed for less than an evening’s entertainment? Couple that with an original heart rendered poem in parched paper detailing the history of this piece of land and you have an ideal gift for any family member of friend with an Irish attachment. This gift is all the more unique in that the plots of land in question are bogland, which the Irish government and local agencies are stringently trying to protect as a piece of Irish heritage. Bogland is where turf is cut and is unique to certain parts of Ireland. Turf is a fuel that is burned in fires and smells beautiful in comparison to other fuels used in fires.

Imagine the joy and pride of being able to say that you “own a little piece of Ireland”. You are of course welcome to visit and stand on your own plot at any stage or even welcome to meet the poets author Conor Ward, a retired teacher, historian, bard, and owner of the land in question.

Dara Ward is an expert on all things Irish. He is the webmaster for his family operated business Irish Gifts Dara also operates one of Ireland’s best run travel websites Ireland Travel.

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I nearly panicked recently! Well, maybe a slight exaggeration but here was a situation I had not been in for some time. The freezer had broken down and the dilemma I faced was - a speedy solution was necessary BUT I did not know anybody who repairs freezers. For the first time in some years I nearly reached for the Yellow Pages - a pristine copy that never sees the light of day - but sense prevailed and I consulted my wife. She rang her friend who works in a local hospital. They have an internal communication system for the employees to ask questions or post messages and within 30 minutes we had the choice of three prospective service engineers and one name had been suggested by three separate people. The choice was simple and - yes Mr Freezerman turned up and was superb!

The point is that we prefer to buy from traders who have been recommended and preferably from people we know and trust. Business networking is all about trying to address this situation by ensuring that business owners meet each other frequently and build relationships and trust first, long before any deals are struck. Networking is fast becoming the primary way of sourcing new business, but and this is a big BUT - you have to go about networking with the right attitude or it will not work for you.

I have been a member of BNI (Business Networking International) for nearly three years and know first hand that it can work for you as I have had many thousands of pounds worth of business as a direct result of being a member. And yet I did not get one meaningful referral for the first few months and was about to give it up as a bad job. I have also seen many new members give up in the early days saying it wasn’t for them. The thing is that we were all making the same fundamental mistake - we were too concerned with what was in it for us - and not thinking how can we help our fellow members.

The strapline of BNI is ‘givers gain’ and the moment I adopted that as my focus everything changed. If I give business to you will want to give me business to me is the message, but the emphasis is on the giving. Referrals are the currency and actively seeking help and support for fellow members becomes second nature after a time. It’s simple - it works.

Now, BNI is not for everyone and I can understand some of the reasons. The procedures are quite rigid and attendance and time keeping are essential. How many times have I heard new members say it is like being back at school. The vast majority though accept and understand why this disciplined approach works.

A newer breed of virtual networking is emerging on the Internet and although there are quite a few large networks, Ecademy is emerging as one of the best business to business websites. It is even more important that the right attitude and approach is adopted if you want to achieve anything for your business through using Ecademy.

Ecademy members are encouraged to put 50 keywords describing themselves, write a profile and to submit a photo. The mistake many make when they first join is to use their keywords and profile simply as an advert for their business. The successful networkers have interesting profiles about themselves, their interests, travels, family and amusing anecdotes. Are they missing out by not pushing their business interests? Not a bit of it as there is a link to their website - what is the point of another sales pitch. People buy from people they like and trust and the social side of the Ecademy is the important additional ingredient on offer.

Within Ecademy there are hundreds of special interest clubs and regionally based groups that give the opportunity for physical meetings to be arranged. It is incredible to be able to go to a meeting with people that you already know a great deal about before you actually meet them. It all leads to a much more honest and open relationship from the off.

I can’t see how the Yellow Pages can survive in the long run. Give me referred, trusted traders any day. Networking rules - and works.

Keith Watson has been designing websites for nearly 11 years and is the founder of Creative Eye - http://www.creativeeye.co.uk

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Unless your small business is situated under a rock, you’ve probably heard something about email marketing by now, and you may have even wondered if it’s time for your small business to get into it.

In its simplest terms, email marketing means communicating with consumers through email. But there’s a big difference between trying to talk to consumers who never asked to be talked to in the first place, and talking to your own customers, who at some point have said, “Yes, I’d love to hear from you.”

That’s where permission email marketing comes in. Permission email marketing means giving valuable information to consumers who have requested to receive it. It is the ONLY legitimate way to send an email marketing campaign, and it is the only way your small business can benefit from email marketing.

But how do you get your customers to say “I do”?

If you have an online business, or if your offline business has a website that receives many visitors, compiling subscribers can be as easy as adding a subscription box to your website. You would offer users something valuable, like a periodical newsletter or emails with discount coupons and, in return, your users would subscribe to your mailing list.

Sounds great. But what if your business is primarily offline, and what if you don’t even have a website?

Many businesses think that’s reason enough to step out of email marketing altogether. But what they’re missing here is that compiling a permission email marketing list offline can be as easy, if not easier in some instances, as building a list online.

We have advised many clients on tips to collect email addresses at the point of purchase. Here are some of our favorite tactics:

- Collect business cards, Offer a prize.
This is one of the oldest, most proven methods of collecting customer information in-store. Your prize doesn’t even have to be huge. If you own a restaurant, it can be as simple as a free dinner for two. If you own a hair dresser, it can be as easy a 50% off coupon towards their next cut. The beauty here is that customers who submit their business cards have expressed genuine interest in your products or services. So when you contact them by email with further offers, you know you’re talking to people who want to buy what you’re selling.

The one thing to keep in mind here is that you MUST inform users that by submitting their business cards, they are agreeing to receive email communication from you. This can be as simple as adding a sign to the business card drop-off box saying: “We will send you an email to notify you if you have won. We may also send you periodical emails with special offers and announcements. If you do not wish to receive emails from us, please write ‘No Email’ on your business card.”

- Start a V.I.P. Club
Many consumers like the idea of belonging to something exclusive, and receiving offers that are extended only to a select group of people. The labor on your part is minimal. It’s as easy as keeping a notebook by the cashier. As a customer comes up to complete a purchase, casually tell them about your businesses’ V.I.P. Club and ask them if they would like to join. Customers will appreciate this if you position it as a rewards club, or a way to say “Thank you, we love to have you around” to your most loyal customers. Of course, you should offer V.I.P. Club membership to any of your consumers, as you may find, once you start emailing them offers, that’s a great way to build your most loyal customers. Make sure the offers you send them are, in fact, exclusive, and that you email V.I.P. Club members often enough, but not too often to become annoying (once or twice a month is usually a good interval).

Again, when you’re collecting customer emails for the V.I.P. Club, make sure your customers know they’re signing up to receive email offers from you.

***
These are just some ideas to get your permission email marketing subscriber list started. The best news here is that compiling a list is actually the toughest part of managing an email marketing campaign. As long as you’re using an email marketing manager program that’s specifically designed for small businesses like yours, the rest of the process is a breeze.

Creating a campaign involves little more than selecting a professionally-designed template, typing text and choosing a few good images. Your campaigns will be scheduled and sent automatically, so you’ll never have to worry about being involved in that part.

What you will get to do (and this is probably the most exciting and most rewarding part of email marketing), is analyze your campaign after it’s been sent. You’ll be able to see how many people opened your email message, how many people clicked on each link within the message and, best of all, exactly who did what. Now that’s what we call accurate, detailed, and immediate consumer research (you actually get to track your consumers’ actions from the exact moment they happen). And while you would previously pay a fortune just to get this research data, today your small business can send professional email marketing campaigns and track detailed consumer behavior for less than it would cost you to print store flyers.

It’s the new age of marketing, and there’s never been a better time for your offline small business to get into the game.

Robert Burko is president and founder of Eliteweb.cc, an Internet portal and suite of Fortune 500 tools designed for the specific needs of small businesses. Eliteweb’s permission email marketing manager is perfect for online or offline small businesses. Click on the link above for a no-commitment 30-day Free trial.

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Planning a family beach vacation? Looking for destinations with family resorts that have fun sports and activities for the whole family, all inclusive resorts where meals are included and kid clubs? Here are some of the most popular beach destinations for families to unwind and relax:

Mexico

Mexico, especially the Cancun area, and Mayan Riviera, an hour’s drive south of Cancun, is a popular place for family beach vacations. The Mayan Riviera is one of the regions of Mexico - and the world- which offers the richest variety of landscapes and archaeological treasures including Mayan ruins, coral reef, snorkelling lagoons, and eco-theme parks such as Xcaret. Hotels, resorts, restaurants, and attractions throughout Mexico welcome families with open arms.

Jamaica

Jamaica is considered by many to be the most beautiful of all the Caribbean Islands and is one of the top family-vacation destinations in the Caribbean. Many of Jamaica’s resorts offer supervised children’s activities, babysitters, family discounts, and kid’s meals. Jamaica has an abundance of top all-inclusive chains including: Sandals Beaches, SuperClubs Breezes resorts and Club Med. There are also many other family vacation options such as the Franklyn D. Resort in Runaway Bay, Jamaica, where families have their own vacation nanny during their stay.

Turks and Caicos

On a 12-mile stretch of satiny white-sand, Beaches Turks & Caicos is one of the premier family resorts on the island.With separate programs for infants, toddlers and teens, each is designed to give each age the activities they love. So when you’re off doing your thing, they’re off doing theirs. There are many other resorts to stay at this idyllic family beach destination

Bahamas

Home to the Atlantis Bahamas resort and many other excellent family resorts, there will not be a dull moment on your Bahamas family vacation. Blessed with the perfect location-less than 100 miles off the coast of Florida, the perfect climate- averaging a little over 75 degrees, and the perfect surroundings-crystal clear turquoise blue waters and pearly white beaches, the Islands of the Bahamas is the perfect destination for your next family beach vacation.

Hawaii
A Family Hawaii Vacation has it all. Beautiful beaches, world-class golf, surfing, shopping, swimming, top notch hotels, condominiums, eco tours, national parks, warm weather, and cool ocean breezes. The four islands that are popular for a family Hawaii Vacation are Oahu, Maui, the Big Island and Kauai.

Florida

Florida is a popular family beach destination because the climate is warm year round, it is easy to get to, it offers good value for your money, there are endless options for sightseeing and attractions for you family depending on what area you are in, and the beaches in Florida are numerous. In addition to beach destinations and of course Walt Disney World, there are tons of other family outings including Universal Studios, Sea World, Bush Gardens and many more.

Don’t forget about kid cruises

This is a very popular family vacation option and my personal favorite. Cruises with kids offer great value, choice and freedom! There are a lot of misconceptions about cruising such as it is only for older people and not suited for families, it is too rigid, there is nothing to do, you’ll feel trapped, you’ll get seasick, it’s too expensive! All is these statements are false and could not be further from the truth. Bring your kids along on almost any cruise and they’ll have the time of their lives.

Jolana Klobouk is a former travel agent who has traveled extensively for work and vacations with her family. For more travel information, visit her travel websites: http://www.best-family-beach-vacations.com and http://www.FlyFromCanada.com

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