Before You Buy a Franchise, Inspect the Franchisor

Before you even think of buying a franchise business, there are certain things that you must consider. Before you sign up with a franchisor, you must be sure of the deal you are agreeing to and fully understand both your own and the franchiser's responsibilities.

You might believe that you know enough about the brand or the company simply through using the product yourself or having eaten in the restaurant, but are you aware of what is involved in running such a business? Do you fully understand the volume of work needed to be successful, and are you able to control staff? Do you get on with people and how are you at interfacing with the public? These are all aspects of the job that you have to consider before you consider becoming a franchisee.

However, there is another aspect of franchising that you should keep in mind; the integrity and experience of the franchisor. Just before you sign up for that prospective franchise business of yours, make sure that you inspect or scrutinize the franchisor first. There's a lot more to learn from and about your franchisor than you might think there is.

In any kind of business, you always need to do some digging. You have to do lots of research and feasibility tests. The franchising world is no different. The fact that a specific franchise is well known nationally is no reason to assume that you need not investigate it before signing the dotted line. You could be investing a substantial amount of money, and you have to make sure it is being wisely spent.

You must inspect the franchisor as thoroughly as possible. You must be able to accept your franchisor as a partner that you can trust. Carrying out these checks is a three-step process. If you are being urged to come to a decision without carrying out your checks, then chances are they are hiding something from you. So why rush? Find out about your franchisor in more detail by following these three steps.

1. Check up on the credibility and reliability of the business you are entering into. This is especially important if your franchisor has been in the business for only a short period of time. Is it a new company? If so, you must carry out a background check both on the company and on the individual offering the franchise.

It's best to seek help from organizations or business bureaus to know more about the franchisor. In the USA, there is the Better Business Bureau among other groups that can help you get information about the franchisor. In the UK you can check with the Office of Fair Trading whether or not a particular company has been reported. They are the ones who might be able to tell you if your franchise is a hoax or scam and if any complaints have been filed against that company. You can also carry out a background credit check on the corporate officers of the company.

2. Talk to them. Ask the franchisor about their experience with other franchisees, and request a list of people who already have franchises. This might involve signing a disclosure statement, but if you are refused then that should set the warning bells ringing. You should be able to contact people already in the business and ask them about their experience with the company. You could ask about the help and training provided, and anything they would prefer to see improved. No reputable company with nothing to fear would refuse such a request, unless at the behest of the franchisee.

3. Seek professional help with the franchise agreement. It would be best to have an attorney and accountant review the agreement and check any limitations since the more limitations there are, the more difficult it will be when you try to recover your money.

If you follow these steps, then you should be able to enter into a franchise agreement with your eyes open, knowing that there are no nasty surprises in store for you.

However, you will generally find that most franchises are reputable and a genuine business opportunity for you. There are many opportunities online that are already making money for other people, and any one of them could be ideal for you. So check out what is available with an open mind, and make sure that the company you choose has been well checked out before you put anything to paper.

Inspecting the franchisor is one way of making sure as far as you can, that your franchise opportunity is a genuine business suitable for your investment.

Trademark Registration in New Zealand and What You Need to Know

When it comes to trademarking many people think that it's as easy as using the trademark symbol on all print material and online media, however there's more to the trademarking process that you should know. Here we address some common questions:

Do I have to register a trademark? While you do not have to register your trademark, by doing so you are protecting your brand nationally against competitors using the same or similar mark to your trade mark, and the details of the registration are publicly available on a searchable database. Trade mark registration allows you the exclusive right to use your trademark throughout New Zealand.

Is it only words or logos that can be trademarked? As long as the item can be represented graphically you can trademark anything that is distinctive including words, numbers, symbols, phrases, logos, shapes and even colours.

What's the difference between ™ and ®? The ® symbol identifies a trademark that is registered, whereas the™ symbol can be used at any time.

How long does it take for a trademark to be registered? Approximately six months overall, provided that your application is filed correctly and there are no issues along the way.

Once my trademark is registered does it then last forever? Trademark registrations need to be renewed every ten years. This incurs a fee payable to IPONZ, however it is important to ensure that you do so if you want to keep your trademark.

Something else to bear in mind is that if you don't use your trade mark in New Zealand for three years (or it becomes a generic term) it can actually be cancelled.

If I register my trademark in New Zealand, am I covered overseas? If you register your trademark in New Zealand it doesn't mean that you can use this on the products you sell overseas, as that trademark may well be registered by someone else in another country. You should register your trade mark in each country where you plan to conduct business.

If you are worried about how to file your trademark application, you should look at using a specialist in the field of intellectual property, that way they can ensure that the process is not only correct but simple and cost-effective too. There are some great tools supplied by intellectual property specialists online, to assist you with the process - take a look today!

The Account of the Dogface Demon (Revised and Reedited 7-2008)

It has been said, and documented, to my understanding, but I didn't know at the time, there is a demon called The Dog Demon, once seen in the ancient land of Mesopotamia. Well, my dear friends, (whoever may be reading this) he is well and alive here on planet earth. Matter-of-fact, I can pin down the time, and whereabouts of this beast, freak, or creature of nature (meaning he is quite different than us at this very writing). Maybe he is a creature scorned by the Universe; but I have met him, I mean, seen him.

I saw him in as an apparition in a vision in l984, actually it was more than a vision, and I shall get into that in a moment. He had the body of a human, and the face of a gruesome looking dog (as often demonic beings end up having, simply because they must inhabit a physical body to operate in, and often end up with grisly looks because of birth defects in their heritage, which date back to a pre Adamic period (a time before the period of Adam and Eve, biblically, sudeocripitical speaking). He, as I call him, the Dogface demon, or simple Dogface, he could walk upright, erect, with that inhomogeneous look, a bulldog appearance, small droopy eyes, beady they were, a long fat tongue that seemed to find its way out of its mouth automatically without his even slightest intentions for having it slurp and slap and dribble all over his lips and mouth. His nose was like a pig's snout, a chest a tinge hairy, along with his upper arms, or shoulders; I drew a picture of him in 9-2003, about a year after I had saw him.

Now for, 'Where did I see him?' Don't be surprised, he was huddled up in our Nation's Capital with a number of other demons. Oh yes, this is so. They all were listening, waiting, observing: for what? A good question, your guess is as good as mine, perhaps better than mine. They all seemed to be, give the impression that is, to be in a closet of sorts, hiding, listening as if they came out they could be identified, seen by others, what others, is beyond me. I told myself 'why are they hiding, they are almost invisible' apart from them who have second sight, no one else can see them.

One of the small number of demons in the closet seemed to have a trunk attached to his face, the Elephant demon I called him at the time (in years yet to come I'd find out there was such a creature in history, and see a statue of him in Java, Indonesia, 1999); I thought at the time (1984), perhaps our National Capitol was infested with these freaks of pre historic nature, and I repeat myself, no one else could see them that I was aware of, and they were not certain I could see them, therefore, three different worlds resided in one, or spheres. I assume they could not see me in their world, in the closet yet I was there, no one said a word, but I'd noticed, they often can sense a presence yet pay little attention to it, perhaps they were aware there were others in the building that might spot them, in their world, should they expose themselves freely, otherwise why hide? So I asked, and told myself, talked to myself in essence during this time, and in the process told myself to leave well enough alone, and just observe, that was, or should be my objective. And so that is what I did.

But right after that ghostly experience-I suppose you might be saying, a hallucination-(whatever, yet I do not take drugs) I had another vision (actually the last one was not a vision, with the Dogface, but rather a happening) it again took place at the Nation's Capitol (1984), great flame were burning in back of it, and paratroopers were landing on the monumental sites, all around (of course now, as I rewrite this, history has indicated in by 9/11, these so called visions and happenings were-if anything-were warnings, if not prophecy in the making, which again is the something as warnings.

In addition to that mental picture, or visualization, I found it was linked to another, involving, the president's plane circling in the air. It was all documented long ago, no need to recertify it over again, and put into a book after the fact, in 2002, and given to three clergy during the draft stages of the writing it, the book called: "The Last Trumpet, and the Woodbridge Demon," now it is called 9/11, and part of our historical past, so it was as it was a vision or happening and part of 9/11; be that as it may, and it all was part of that experience I was telling you about, that being, the Dogface Demon in the closet, with that elephant looking demonic being, and a few others, all cramped in that space doing whatever they were doing.

Thinking about it now, and assuming my assumptions are right, perhaps these forces from the imperceptible world, could see through walls, although there was no need for that I suppose they could hear, and I assume again, translate whatever language they were listening to, and I assume it was English, and so the walls were only barriers for the living. Some times demonic forces, their configurations can be seen by the naked eye, and if one needed to be cautious (perhaps without reason, but cautious all the same) hiding would be the thing to do.

Babylonians believed rabid-dogs where demons of sorts, and sent by god to punish man. Also, ASSYRIAN carvings have been discovered with these dogs, seen as apostrophic figures. In 1984, I didn't know much of God, or demons or ancient demigods, or such things, but it did present a challenge to learn about them after these so called visions, and happenings.

In this happening there were three, pertaining to this occurrence, the demons were simply clustered up in a tight space, as if gathering information: patient, and with smirks, and listening, oh yes, listening as if they were on a mission: or a conspiracy to be. It seemed to me at the time, they were all part of a coming conspiracy that now took place: why else would they be where they were at the time they were, and this happening was-yes was, this pre-empt strike, was planned even before Ben Laden, knew he was going to do what he did, the demonic forces only needed the face, remember I said, demonic forces have to work through the physical, and they found a willing body, one capable of financing the project, and one willing to play the demonic game, not quite knowing who was pulling the strings. I suppose Bin Laden thought he was, he thinks it is his theme when in essence he is simply going through the motions for someone else, a lot bigger than his ego, only the dynamics belong to him, not the plot or theme.

Anyhow, I asked myself, 'why else?' and then you get talking to yourself, so you don't wait for the answer, you know it. Although I'm sure with the multitude of these hybrid spirits stationed in Washington D.C., would be a classical place to be. Maybe even the World Trade Centres now popping up throughout the world: by and by, Washington's tragedy might have been part of this conspiracy; for me it is not inconceivable. Yes, yes, it has been many years now since that took place, but so long ago one can't remember that it took some planning, and in that such things are planned from both sides of the fence, both worlds are usually involved, could be involved, most likely were involved, in this case.

Solomon, used Demonic beings to build his temple, so it has been written. He had power over them, so it has been written, that his power over these deadly spirits were so powerful, he could cast them into oblivion should he care to, or should they dare to defy him, they were scared of him, an rightfully so. And how did they build the temples? They must have used some sort of physical texture, called flesh to operate in, and he could see them. Just to point out a fact, they are here and alive on earth.

But maybe Mr. Bin Laden took a long time to put it together, like the demonic beings took a long time to put him together, like to like, they say. It is not unusually to work with both sides of the world. Do we not pray when we are sick and who to, not the demon, but some do. Not sure, if this is interrelated, but it can prove to be useful in cluing together we are being watched. And I have seen shrines in Asia, and Indonesia, all over the world, depicting demonic carvings, and figurines: in Haiti and Jamaica, and Cuba, all over the world. And I saw them in the Washington. If I was from the dark side, if I had a legion of demon assigned to me, by Lucifer, or the General Henchman of Hell, I'd assign them to Washington D.C., the heartbeat of the world, and a few to Moscow, and Beijing, it would be only prudent.

Along with the Dogface Demon, I saw the Elephant Face Demon as I have earlier mentioned: do not laugh, it is very likely, and it is more than possible, it was, I am not trying to persuade you one way or the other, just laying down an account. You can tell anyone anything you want, but if you want a truthful answer, you can get it. Just as you can see something, and you may be the only one who sees it in your generation, or neighbourhood, but let's say there are signs around the world that what you saw, folks hundreds of years ago saw, made statues to, documented, are they and along with me, all crazy; If you said yes, they you are among a society that believes in the crazy-if Christ believed in the demons, who am I to go against a man who can walk on water, I can't, unless it's ice.

In Malta, I asked an owner of a bookstore if he believed in giants, since legend says, they built most of the temples over there. And he said no. In the back of the bookstore, alone, I asked him again, and to answer me truthfully, and he said, "Of course we do, there is too much evidence to the contrary, and if you lived here, not just being a tourist, but really lived here and investigated the place, you'd believe it also." He is right; I found a giant's foot print in stone, while visiting the Bernardo Island in South America.

But back to the demon; likewise, if you've seen them, no one can tell you otherwise. They can give you all the psychology tests in the world and tell you that you're crazy, and keep on you until you agree with them, but fact is fact. If you were to go to Java, or for that matter, Cambodia, you would see the Elephant God in stone, in sculpture form all over the place. I called the one I seen the Elephant-Demon long before I seen such carvings. I saw this very one within the cluster, within the closet in Washington D.C.

'Hog wash,' you say, but most likely you believe in a God yet you have not seen him, most folks believe in something on that order, unless they got a head full of the devil that says it's all hogwash. If I was the devil, I try to have you believe in nothing, not even me. Or if you believed in me, I'd try to have you obsessed with me, so you'd not have any time to look in back of yourself. Either one will work.

Atheists will love this paragraph, I have no scrap with any region, even atheists, let us all go our own way, this is just about me witnessing a situation, it just happened to be in a different dimension than what you and I are used to, when I saw it and what I think I know took place and by whom, 9/11 came about afterwards: no more no less.

I now do firmly believe in an invisible God, as much as in a materializing invisible world, a shape changing world of demon. If you were me, you'd too believe. We are not talking about falling off the face of the earth here, and reality is quite different when explored, if one dares to explore beyond the normal. Demons, ghosts, fallen angels [or angelic renegades], giants, the King of Agharti [king of the subterranean world, to come above earth prior to the Golden Age], all of the about, have all played a part in the invisible world we live in; the hidden world we live side-by-side with, and if explored so would you discover this to be a truth.

As indicated in this account, about, one I have not mentioned before is bin Laden, mentioned before fully that is: with a little substance. The reason being, I just seen him in a vision before I wrote this originally in 2002, now it is 9/2005, and I have taken this out of the mothball CD area, to update and revise. Now again in 7/2008, I am revising it. He, Bin Laden, was sitting in a chair made of precious tick wood I would guess: to the best of my knowledge. And behind him were beautiful carvings, as if he was in some grand church, or mosque or Hindu shrine. More towards the Hindu shrine area it would seem: I can get in trouble when I pinpoint things I should not pinpoint, but if it wasn't as I said, it had the figurines of a similar nature to it (could be Pakistan or a place where both Hindu and Muslim live). He was alone. From what I gathered from his left side, either they were drawings or real buildings, but it looked like layered temples, like I've seen in Japan, or Bali, or India. Also the wood carvings looked Hindu: again I say that. I thought of Kashmir at the time. But I have never been there. It seemed to fit somehow. The vision took place at 1:45 PM, 1-1-02.

I am not the one to say if he will or will not be captured, I hope he is, but only that he may have the dark side on his side, and that side is helping him, and will continue to help him, until he is useless to them, we live in a complex atmosphere, believe me; but there are windows.

Office Chairs and Ergonomic Tips to Position Your Seat for Productivity in the Workplace

Good Ergonomics in the Workplace

Some employees can spend most of their day simply seated in front of their computer in an office chair completing the daily tasks. Knowing how to properly position your executive office chair can lead to better productivity in the workplace and of course, a much happier you and hopefully a much happier boss. Ergonomics and good positioning of your executive or task seat can prevent fatique and discomfort as well as promote circulation and good body health.

Lumbar Support

Proper Lumbar Support, preferably with adjustment features for postioning, is important to your spine. Most task or executive office chairs come with some sort of lumbar support. To be truly ergonomic, you need to have an adjustment feature on this support mechanism in order to position it to your spine. When properly used a good lumbar support can ensure that your spine and pelvis get exceptional, continuous support.

Reclined Positioning

The slightly reclined position is always the best position to stay in, sit back and relax. When pressure is applied to the back of your office chair, it should recline easily and fluidly, minimizing muscle strain. Moving while you work is healthy and the slightly relcined position is the best for the least back strain. This angle enhances circulation to your extremities, so your lower body and legs don't become quickly fatiqued.

Tilt Mechanism

A tilt mechanism with tension control and locking points is recommended. Some tasks require you to stay in one position for a period of time and locking points on the tile mechanism can help to remind yourself to keep the chair in that slightly reclined position and sit back and realx. Make sure to sit back in your Office Chair throughout the day, trying not to lean forward and lessening the pelvic and strain on your vertebrae.

Upholstery for Your Seat

Breathability and durability of the fabric is important when seated for long hours, make sure the upholstery is right for your needs and environment. Some fabrics and mesh materials when seated for long periods should help maintain a consistent, comfortable temperature that enhances both comfort and productivity. Other leather and vinyl upholsteries, while popular and look nice, can be hard to work in for hours at a time.

Foot Placement

Make sure your feet are flat and firmly on the floor. Some users will require a foot rest or mat while others will simply need to adjust the seat height to get the correct distance from the floor. The proper angle when viewed from the side is ninety degrees. In example, your lower legs are at a ninety degree angle from your upper thigh and your upper body is ninety degrees from your upper thigh. Keeping your feet flat will help keep this position and maintain good blood flow.

Workstation Heights

Keeping your workstation, computer monitor, keyboard tray and mouse all at the appropriate heights and distances are also important to good ergonomics.The top of your monitor should be at or below the normal vision line. Saving your neck from constantly being put in the wrong postition will save you from many back problems later on. Making sure to keep your eyes the recommended manufacturer distance from the computer monitor is also important. Make sure that your wrists are relaxed and are positioned parallel with the ground in a neutral position.Also make sure to adjust the height of the seat so that your elbows are just at or above the keyboard tray height.

Summary

Your daily movement is critical to your body health. The level of ease that you experience when changing positions correlates to how often you move throughout the day. Keeping your chair in a healthy ergonomic position encourages movement, provides support and promotes a continuously healthy sit. Moving while you work is healthy, moving while correctly positioned is even better and ideally you should continue to work for long periods of time in your office chair easily and naturally.

F1 - McLaren Mercedes Officially Has Problems

Much has been made about McLaren Mercedes test times during the preseason testing run up to the Formula One Season. The rumors are beginning to look like fact - the new McLaren Mercedes car is slow.

The massive rule changes in Formula One this offseason have resulted in a clean slate for the teams in the series. It was thought the teams with the larger budgets would develop their cars more fully than those with smaller budgets. To this end, we've seen the big budget teams like Ferrari, BMW and even Toyota near the front of the pack.

McLaren Mercedes has a large budget, but the time put up all preseason have been slow. The car has regularly ended up on the bottom of the time sheets. Fans of the team claimed sandbagging was going on. Critics of the team claimed the new car was a dog. Nobody, of course, really knew anything other than those in the team. The semi-retired Ron Dennis suggested all was well and the car would round in to shape just before the race. On the final day of testing, however, the new McLaren finished a full half second behind the only other car on the track - a Williams! That is not a good sign.

The truth of the dire situation is beginning to be revealed. Key figures at McLaren have begun to try to prepare fans for some less than stellar racing. Lewis Hamilton has admitted he doesn't expect to challenge for a win. Team leader Whitmarsh has suggested it will be a tough race. The stunning statement, however, comes from a person who really knows what is going on.

Norbert Haug is the head of the Mercedes side of the team. When questioned, he uttered an answer that simply is difficult to believe. Haug expects Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen to qualify in the back third of the field. The back third! When does he expect the car to become competitive? Not until the European races begin...at the earliest. Yikes. This means the new McLaren Mercedes is not just slow...it is a dog.

As one would expect, McLaren is talking up the fact it plans to develop the car significantly and this will result in the pace picking up. This is a dubious statement at best. Why? There is testing allowed during the season this year! The team can build parts on the computer, but trying out new parts on race weekend is a very tough way to pick up the pace.

The biggest issue now is how far is McLaren behind the pace? If the car is a second or less, the team can come back. If the car is two to three seconds slow as has been suggested by preseason testing, it is going to be a very long season. Somewhere, Fernando Alonso is probably smiling.

Computer Book Review - DOS

One of the biggest problems with computer users is that they really do not understand how their computer actually works. They do not fully comprehend the binary codes, which everyone should understand. They do not understand how the electronics work in their computer; they just do not get it they do not know how things work like the mother board, CPU, hard drive or understand the software or how it all works.

Perhaps, worst of all they do not understand operating systems and thus, are beholden to whatever they see on the screen and are fine as long as everything is working and nothing crashes. They do whatever the screen tells them without thinking or considering their alternatives, as they believe they do not have any, ah but they do, they just don't know it.   Everyone should understand the operating system on their computer, these things are not that difficult and once they do, it opens a whole new world. And believe me you do not need a computer degree to understand the operating system on your computer. Of course, if you want to learn about operating systems, principles and the philosophy of how and why they work, I suggest you start at the beginning and learn a little about DOS.   Now then, I'd sure like to recommend a very good book to you that will clear up much of the misconceptions that folks have with regards to operating systems and I believe it is a book that will help you with the basics and therefore, an excellent place to start:   "DOS for Beginners; No Experiences Regurgitated" edited by Robbin Markley; 1993

Find The Right Lighting To Increase Productivity In Your Office

When many employers worry over the productivity in their office, they consider common office problems like relationships, compensation, outside stresses, and the air temperature. However, many do not consider the important role that light plays in the workplace. From fluorescents to the Kosnic gu10, find out how lighting affects staff productivity and how you can use lighting to your advantage as a business owner.

How Does Lighting Affect Productivity?

Lighting is an important concept in the workplace and numerous studies have been conducted to establish the relationship between quality of work, health, mood, and concentration.

A Silicon Valleystudy found that 79% of office workers who use computers prefer better lighting in their work environment. The Steelcase Office Environment Index study determined that employees consider eye strain caused by poor lighting to be one of the biggest health problems in the workplace. The American Society of Interior Designers study found that 68% of workers complain about the lighting in their office.

The National Lighting Bureau established that lighting alters an employee's performance and productivity in two ways: indirectly and directly. Direct lighting affects how well you can see and indirect lighting affects how well you can pay attention, what mood you are in, your behaviour, your hormonal balance, and your ability to remain alert.

Consider for a minute how you feel outside on a sunny day. Do you feel energized, happy, and more peaceful than on dreary days? The same type of feelings can be attributed to the right type of lighting.

When you are choosing a light source for your office consider the following tips.

Use lighting that does not have audible ballast, like the Kosnic gu10 LED bulb. Fluorescents tend to emit humming sounds while they are on, and this can be distracting in an office setting. Don't settle for flickering lights. Fluorescents and other types of lamps may flicker a bit, especially when they are close to dying. Even the smallest flicker can be distracting for some, and a research study done by a Dr. Levin in 1995 concluded that 10 percent of Americans experience migraines as a result of flickering lights. During the winter months, seasonal affective disorder is very common due to the lack of sunlight individuals encounter. Make sure your office is filled with bright white light during these months to avoid feelings of depression and sadness. Make sure to include additional lighting in certain areas. For instance, if you are having a hard time seeing your computer screen despite bright overhead lighting, don't settle for squinting. Use desk lamps or floor lamps near your computer to improve your vision and productivity. Obtain access to daylight through skylights or open windows whenever you can. This will provide you with both psychological and physiological satisfaction and comfort.

Whether you are thinking of installing halogen lamps, fluorescents, or Kosnic gu10 led bulbs, keep in mind that the lighting should function for the people in your office, not for the building itself. With the proper lighting, you can increase comfort, enhance your productivity, and improve your health.

Surf and Style

Every where you turn, it seems that there are new surf apparel companies that seem to surface every year. Needless to say, this is a direct result of the popularity of the sport that has grown tremendously. Even major sports apparel giant Nike has created Nike 6.0 to appeal to the extreme sports nut. It didn't take them long to realize the growth of surfing and other extreme sports and the large market share that they would lose out on if they hadn't created an apparel line to fit this demographic.

Whether you're a surfer, or just someone who wishes he was a surfer, the clothing, apparel and over all style of surfing has caught on in the lives of people everywhere. But what identifies the true style of a surfer? Is it the long hair and baggy board shorts that hang off his waist? Or is it the smooth reggae music that blares from his truck stereo? In actuality, there is no ONE style that can describe a surfer. The actual style of a surfer is a simple state of mind. To emulate the true style of a surfer, is to have a huge smile on your face after you've had an awesome morning surf session full of epic waves and massive tube rides. Whether you're in college and trying to get in your session in between classes, or you're an executive squeezing in a mid-day session on your lunch break, you carry the true style in your emotions. It's evident that you're stoked when you've had a great time surfing.

There is a certain spirit that follows a true surfer. It's one of humility, patience and overall kindness. This could be a topic of discussion and even great disagreement, but in my world, surfers that truly care about life and the ocean don't carry feelings of contention with them. They appreciate the gift of the ocean and the enjoyment that they are able to experience as they ride waves. Nothing can take away that special feeling.

Trends will come and go as surf apparel will continue to evolve. I've found that the style of clothing will "recycle" itself every decade or so. What was popular last year, may not be so "in" two years from now. But don't be so quick to throw away that hat or t-shirt, because you may be safe to sport it again in another ten years. As trends evolve, change, and reappear, there's one aspect of surf and style that will remain constant. That true Aloha spirit that follows every surfer where ever he goes.

Stay Stoked!

Acupuncture - the Art Of Needles

The pleasure of being treated by having needles inserted into your skin is not even considered or visualised by most people. However, to several who have discovered alternatives with holistic healing and Chinese medicine, this is the perfect remedy. The theory of acupuncture in Chinese medicine is significant to helping with correcting the energy flow in someone.

The fundament of acupuncture is that there are certain points in the body that are significant to ones healing and to assist with the healing process pressure needs to be exerted at these points by means of a device. Pathways of Qi energy should flow freely in a healthy person and any symptoms of illness will indicate any barriers to this movement. The free flowing energy provides everything the cells need and removes all waste that has formed, the consequence being an improvement in the emotional and physical health. Symptoms of any illness will become manifest if Qi is blocked at any level.

Although many observe acupuncture as involving needles, other techniques are also used, including herbs, burning and electric stimulation. However, needles are used as the prime means of reconnecting the energy flow in the body.

Determining where to place the needles will be dictated by the need to return the flow to normal. Acupuncture practitioners begin by studying the areas where the flows of energy are. These are known as meridians or channels in the body and there are twelve major channels where the energy flows and cycles within the body. Illness or disease is evident when these channels have become blocked at their interconnecting points. These points are examined and unblocked by exercising pressure at the specific points by the use of acupuncture.

Once the practitioner has diagnosed the locations for the acupuncture, then it is crucial to analyse the effects that all of these connections will have. Elements that are directly related to what the body needs to be at optimum health are associated to these different points. These are principally linked to the five elements that are conceived to be the basis to the laws of the universe.

One of the most beneficial ways to improve or sustain good health is with acupuncture and specialists are able to ascertain which areas of Qi are not flowing correctly by determining the respective channels and connections in the body. By affecting the way that the energy flows helps to restore and revitalize the energy levels in the body and by reaching a better flow of energy can attain optimum health.

Many people have regular acupuncture treatments in order to stay healthy and maintain their Qi levels at an optimum level and more and more people are turning to acupuncture as an alternative to conventional medicine. The benefits of this ancient practise are becoming better understood and encouraged by conventional western medicine. Generally speaking, the advantages of acupuncture are considered to be helpful in relieving any kind of imbalance or misdirected energy by use of a safe, non-drug process.

Matt Hustons Ex2 System - The Logic Behind the Ex2 System

Matt Huston's Ex2 System is one of the more popular relationship books that promises to help guys get their girlfriend or wife back after a breakup. While this might sound very appealing you're no sucker and if it was that easy you would have done it already, right?

The fact is that a breakup can be a very stressful event which can cause a sort of shock to your system that just like physical shock, can impair your judgment. You might think that you're doing the right things or saying the right words that should bring her back. But it sure doesn't seem like she's coming back, does it? Once again, it is due to the fact that you're in a state of shock right now.

But what if you had someone that could tell you exactly what to say and exactly what to do to bring her back? What if someone that had expertise in this area of what will motivate a woman to change her mind about a breakup and decide rather quickly that she made a mistake and that she can't live without you? Now, that would be rather valuable now, wouldn't it?

That is basically what Matt Huston's Ex2 System does. You see, this guy isn't some sort of run of the mill psychologist or therapist that is going to tell you to try to talk things through or that you need to heal your inner child. His methods are based upon facts and statistics that have helped thousands of guys to get their ex back. He doesn't beat around the bush or tell you what you want to hear. His methods work and they work because they speak powerfully to a woman's emotions and brings about the results that you desire. That is getting your ex back, plain and simple.

If you're looking for someone that is going to tell you to go to therapy with her or to beg her for another chance or promise her that you'll change then you need to look somewhere else. But if you're looking for someone that will show you how to get inside a woman's mind so you can get her to change her own mind, then Matt Huston and the Ex2 System are for you.

The choice is up to you. You can keep on doing what you're doing and continue to get what you've been getting. Or you can make a decision and change your tactics to what is proven to work. Keep in mind though that every time you do the wrong things you drive her further from you and possibly into the arms of one of those guys that is probably sniffing around. Make the right choice, pull the trigger and go with a proven plan that takes all the guess work out.

Bosch 4100 - The Best Portable Worksite Saw at The Best Price

Bosch tools are well known for their quality and whilst they're not the cheapest you can get some good deals if you know where to look. Read on and I'll tell you how.

The first thing you will notice about the Bosch 4100 as well as the smartguard safety system is it's rugged construction. It's extra tough wrap-around sub-base is designed to take a lot of punishment yet is non-marking on most surfaces. Integrated carry handles are handy for loading or unloading to your SUV or pickup.

The Bosch gravity rise stand is so easy to move and set-up on site it'll put a smile on your face every time. The stand converts from portable to work mode in with virtually no effort at all. Just wheel the unit into position on it's 8" pneumatic tires, unlock the legs and tip up to the horizontal position in one movement. The stand locks with a reassuring click and your saw is ready for use. Constructed of tubular steel the gravity rise stand provides a solid and stable platform for work.

Once you get your saw in place you'll find everything can be set or adjusted without any tools at all. From the square-lock rip fence which clamps to the table surface at both ends with a single lever to the quick install/release modular safety system. Even the splitter/riving knife adjusts and locks in one of 3 positions with a finger lever.

What if you need to change the blade?

Well you do need a tool for this but the arbor wrench is provided with the standard equipment and a blade change can easily be done in a minute or so once you've done it once or twice.

The saw has a built-in arbor lock which makes the job a whole lot easier.In operation the Bosch 4100 is surprisingly smooth and quiet. It's powerful 15 amp, 4HP(max) motor and electronic power management makes for good clean cuts. The extra power really makes a difference when compared to it's rivals on thicker cuts and harder woods. It may not be able to match a full size cabinet saw but is able to carry out the vast majority of woodworking chores without a problem. The extendable table has a maximum rip width of 25" for bigger jobs. The 4100 comes with a fully functioned miter gauge and two standard size T slots on the table (handy for after market gauges etc).

When you've finished your saw jobs for the day it's a cinch to pack up your Bosch 4100 and go. All the standard kit stores away neatly in the body of the saw. This includes the smartguard safety system, the anti-kickback pawls, miter gauge, rip fence and pusher. There's even a place for a spare blade. It's great the way everything snaps or locks in place firmly too so it won't rattle loose. Now all you need to do is fold away the gravity rise stand (just as easy as it was to unfold) and wheel away.

Technical Writing - 7 Methods to Do Research For a Technical Document Before Starting to Write It

Most technical documents require considerable research before you sit down to write them. Here are top 7 methods to conduct a comprehensive documentation research in the pre-production phase:

1) The Existing Documentation. Insist on seeing every piece of paper ever produced on the project. This can be an old user manual, an installation handbook, engineering notes scribbled in a notebook, chat and discussion forum files, scope and spec documents, etc. You never know when you'll discover a piece of information that would be vital for your document.

2) SMEs. Subject Matter Experts are great valuable resources for all technical writers. Do your homework well and draw up a clear list of important questions before contacting an SME since most are very busy people with not much time for unstructured "brain storming."

3) Using the software or the product itself. Make sure you get your hands on the software or the product that you are documenting. There is no substitute to direct empirical data gathered from hands-on experimentation.

4) Visiting the sites, customers, observing the product in use. One excellent way to understand how a product or system operates is to visit the customer sites where the product is installed. That kind of visit can create the high-value trouble shooting guide and FAQ sheets that come in handy when things go wrong. That kind of knowledge is very hard to compile from the head office.

5) Conducting web- and tele-conferences. With the technology available to us today it's very easy to gather a group of SMEs, managers, users, and testers for a virtual conference where a technical writer can get answers to his or her questions.

6) Sending out surveys. This rare method of information gathering can be a potent one if the right questions are asked and sent to the right parties.

7) Library and Internet research. This is perhaps the most accessible information source. However, the dilemma for the technical writers is, if it's on the Internet or in your public library, there probably would not be a need for you to write it in the first place. We technical writers are invited to document what has not been documented before. In that sense we always operate on the frontiers of human knowledge, making such easy searches not very fruitful and hopeful.

Osprey Backpacking Backpacks - Well Worth the Investment

After 20 years with our old backpacking backpacks it was time to trade them in. And since hiking backpacks are such an important and integral piece of any outdoor hiking gear we were willing to put in the time and effort to properly research which packs would be best for us.

Part of this research meant checking out reviews from other wearers and going to stores to try on different brands for both fit and comfort. I don't believe that there is any single pack that is best for all body types or all hikers. Hiking backpacks are as individual as hiking boots and trekking poles. What fits for one doesn't always fit for another.

After all our research was done we knew that we wanted to stick with the Osprey brand of hiking backpacks. They have a lot of choices within their lineup of backpacks and it was partly due to their commitment to quality and their All Mighty Guarantee that had us committed to their backpack choices.

The history, in brief, of Osprey really does speak to their continued commitment to quality. The company started out shortly after 1974 when Mike Pfotenhauer, at the age of 16 sewed his first backpack for himself. This after years of hiking with his family wearing uncomfortable and ill fitting backpacks. He then started creating custom fitted, made to order backpacks for fellow hikers.

By 1987 he was selling his backpacks at the wholesale level and he was very involved in both the design and production quality of each backpack.

In 2009 the company came out with their All Mighty Guarantee which meant free repairs on any pack. "Any product, any reason, any era". This means that no matter when you bought your Osprey and no matter what has happened to it, they'll repair it free of charge and if they can't repair it, they'll replace it for you. Now who can beat that?

Mike Pfotenhauer also believes that "Osprey is, in large part, about exceptional relationships between the pack and wearer, between the pack and its makers and between the company and its staff".

What we also like about their packs is the custom molding of the hipbelts and the adjustable torsos. These are two features that make wearing their backpacking backpacks so much more comfortable than other brands.

Osprey backpacks are well worth considering for any type of hiker whether you are new to the sport or in need of replacing your backpack.

Happy Hiking!

No Deposit Home Loans

A few years ago, many of us would have had a light chuckle to ourselves if someone mentioned that you could borrow money to buy a house with only the promise of solid future earnings. But today this is a regular occurrence. Many of the industry's non-conforming lenders are selling these financial products to many happy consumers, with most of the major banks avoiding this riskier route.

Ideally, the individuals set to gain from this product have high incomes in industries with high job security. With this loan you are presuming that the benefits of immediate ownership and debt outweigh the costs of renting. This may not always be the case however. The risk to the lender is greater and so you will pay a premium interest rate for the privilege, usually about 2% higher than the current market rate.

With this is mind, it may be time to clean the dust of the old mortgage calculator and assess the long term financial gain or speak to a financial consultant to establish whether this is a sound option for you, and for many people it can be.

Of course, there is no such thing as a free lunch and strictly speaking, no deposit means "with enough money to cover initial expenses" such as stamp duty, loan fees and mortgage insurance. If you are lucky enough to be eligible for a government first home buyers' grant, you may have most of these expenses paid for you.

The main point with this type of loan is that to really win you are betting that your salary will be increasing steadily over the term of the loan. This income will then be able to be ploughed back into the loan to build some equity.

In many countries, such as Australia, no deposit home loans are becoming less attractive due to the state of the market. Lenders are becoming more stringent with their loan acceptance policies, indicating a potential interest rate rise and thus much greater risk to those with no deposit home loans. The lender may also have harsh exit fees, running into thousands of dollars so read carefully before you sign on the dotted line.

Many lenders also will only lend for specific types of property, leaving well alone riskier properties in regional areas and places with no established resale value.

Here are a few tips to help you manage your financial position.

- Allow for higher interest rates when budgeting for repayments over the next 2-3 years,

- Ensure personal debts like credit cards and car loans are under control before committing to a property loan, and

- Make extra repayments where possible to reduce your exposure to higher rates and falling prices.

3 Things You Need To Know Before You Choose An In Vitro Fertilization

Many couples would love to have a baby but for whatever reasons, conceiving simply seems to be a lot harder for some than for others. Also, you know that it will become even harder to conceive as you and your husband get older. After a long talk with your husband, the both of you have decided to seek help through in vitro fertilization.

The in vitro fertilization process is reasonably straight forward as all that's involved is an in vitro fertilization doctor will extract a woman's egg and will fertilize it in a lab. The IVF doctors then places the embryo into the woman's uterus as she will go through a normal full term pregnancy. In vitro fertilization may be successful when all other methods have failed.

When looking for good in vitro fertilization doctors, you will need to consider several characteristics that an IVF doctor should have.

Fertility Training-

There are many types of doctors who have been trained regarding in vitro fertilization. Don't simply assume that your normal gynecologist has had this training. They may know the basics and be able to do an infertility evaluation and offer some simple treatments but they won't be able to go further than that. Fertility doctors who specialize in IVF treatments should have additional training as well. This fellowship training involves 3 years of additional training in specialized infertility after they have completed their normal 4-year residency training in gynecology and obstetrics. Types of specialists who receive this training include:

• Infertility Doctors

• Embryologists

• Reproductive Endocrinologists

Success Rate Statistics-

One aspect that lets you know you're working with good IVF doctors is the success rates the fertility clinic has and what the success rate of the doctor has as well. You should evaluate written reports from the Center of Disease Control and Prevention as well as the Society of Assisted Reproductive Technologies regarding IVF success rates that include several factors, such as:

• IVF success rates per egg retrieval • What the success rate is per embryo transfer

• individual success rates with people who have similar fertility problems as to you

• What the success rate is for the IVF procedure planned over the last year Ensure that the reports are defined by rate category, such as initial pregnancy rate, live birth rate and ongoing pregnancy rate.

Fertility Clinic Condition and Staff Turnover-

One last thing to keep in mind is the condition of the clinic and what the staff turnover rate is. You'll know that you are working with a good fertility clinic based on the sterile environment, the state-of-the-art technology used, and how long the medical director has been in charge of the facility. If the turnover rate for doctors and technicians is high, there may be management issues or other problems with the clinic.

You'll want to know how the clinic's procedures are handled as well. What decisions do you have control over when it comes to the egg fertilization and implantation process? If you are giving control entirely to the doctor, this is a serious characteristic that you should steer clear of when choosing an in vitro fertilization doctor.