বৃহস্পতিবার, ২৫ অক্টোবর, ২০১২

Personal Training Business Sales Tip 1- PT Biz Coach | Meet Your ...

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Source: http://www.meetyourfitnessmarketing.com.au/personal-training-business-sales-tip-1-pt-biz-coach/

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Police seek gunman, motive in LA family shooting

Business owner Dean Wright, 82, pauses outside his neighbor's family-owned business, United States Fire Protection Services, in Downey, Calif. Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012. A gunman killed three people and injured two, including a 13-year-old boy, Wednesday in two separate attacks on a family at their business, United States Fire Protection Services and nearby residence. Police say the five family members who were shot had been targeted by the gunman. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Business owner Dean Wright, 82, pauses outside his neighbor's family-owned business, United States Fire Protection Services, in Downey, Calif. Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012. A gunman killed three people and injured two, including a 13-year-old boy, Wednesday in two separate attacks on a family at their business, United States Fire Protection Services and nearby residence. Police say the five family members who were shot had been targeted by the gunman. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Business owner Dean Wright, 82, expresses his grief for the killings outside his neighbor's family-owned business, United States Fire Protection Services, in Downey, Calif., Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012. A gunman killed three people and injured two, including a 13-year-old boy, Wednesday in two separate attacks on a family at their business, United States Fire Protection Services and nearby residence. Police say the five family members who were shot had been targeted by the gunman. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Police investigators talk to people across the street from a family-owned business, United States Fire Protection Services, in Downey, Calif., Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012. Five people were shot and at least two died in shootings at the business and a residence in a Los Angeles suburb Wednesday, according to Downey police Lt. Dean Milligan. The shootings occurred shortly after 11 a.m. at a business and at a nearby home, where family members of the business owner live. A woman was found dead at the home, he said. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Flowers and votive candles are seen outside the home of the owners of a family-owned business, United States Fire Protection Services, in Downey, Calif. Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012. A gunman killed three people and injured two, including a 13-year-old boy, Wednesday in two separate attacks on a family at its suburban Los Angeles business and nearby residence. Police say the five family members who were shot had been targeted by the gunman. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Flowers and votive candles are seen outside the home of the owners of family-owned business, United States Fire Protection Services, in Downey, Calif., Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012. A gunman killed three people and injured two, including a 13-year-old boy, Wednesday in two separate attacks on a family at its suburban Los Angeles business and nearby residence. Police in suburban Los Angeles say the five family members who were shot had been targeted by the gunman. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

DOWNEY, Calif. (AP) ? As police searched for a gunman who killed three people and critically wounded two others in suburban Los Angeles, friends and neighbors of the family targeted in the attack grappled for answers on Thursday.

Authorities have been mum regarding a motive for the shootings and haven't identified a suspect.

The gunman doesn't appear to be a former employee, friend or family member, Downy police Lt. Dean Milligan said. Police, however, say they don't believe the killings were a random act of violence.

Authorities are still looking for a stolen black Camaro, which they say the suspect used to get away after the shootings.

Police have not identified the five victims, but a portrait began to emerge of a tight-knit family who threw large parties and ran a successful company.

Prayer candles and flowers were left at the home and nearby business where the shootings took place. A sign decorated with pink hearts and flowers was left outside the house, reading "RIP Susana, to a great mother."

Workers returned to the industrial strip where the first shots were fired at the small family-owned fire extinguisher company.

"This is absolutely heartbreaking," said Dean Wright, who owns the septic supply business next door. "The guy who did this had to be absolutely crazy."

Richard Mercado, 36, a family friend, said he grew up with the two brothers who ran United States Fire Protection Services Inc., which sells professional firefighting gear and equipment.

Mercado said the siblings made a lot of money with the business and that they also liked to buy and sell motorcycles and cars.

"If they saw money to be made they would invest in it," Mercado said. "They always had extra money."

Police said the deadly encounter began around midday Wednesday and that someone called from the business to reporting a shooting.

A few minutes after police arrived, a 13-year-old boy called dispatchers from the family house just down the street, authorities said, where the second shooting happened.

The gunman fled in a 2010 black Camaro that is registered to Maria Fuentes, the mother of the business owners. Wright said she was shot in the face at the business and survived. The other survivor is the teenage boy, Wright said. Authorities said the two survivors of the shooting are in critical condition.

A female secretary and a male employee were killed at the business, according to Wright. At the family's home, the shooter killed the wife of one of the brothers, he said.

The woman and teenager were originally at the business, but somehow got to the home in the Camaro before being shot, according to police. Police don't know whether they drove themselves or were kidnapped by the suspect.

There was no sign of forced entry at either location and police believe the suspect spoke with the victims at both locations before the shooting began. The teen victim, however, did not recognize the gunman, Milligan has said.

The house is a duplex facing foreclosure in a process that began last December, according to real estate records. The property was scheduled to be auctioned Nov. 26 with an asking price of about $837,000.

Lizzy Bonilla, who recently moved in across the street, said she was at home at the time of the shooting and didn't hear any gunfire or commotion until police arrived.

Bonilla, 19, said the family had large parties, most of the time during the day, which was accompanied by Mexican music.

"They had party buses leaving from their property," she said. "They were a big family, and they looked like they were always having fun."

Mercado, the family friend, said he's been trying to reach one of the brothers who had been in Mexico this week but has been unsuccessful. He questioned why trouble would find its way to his friends.

"They ran their business like everyone else," he said. "But maybe they did something wrong and it caught up with them."

___

Associated Press video journalist Raquel Maria Dillon in Downey and staff writers Robert Jablon, Gillian Flaccus and Brian Melley contributed to this report from Los Angeles.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-10-25-Suburban%20Shooting/id-3f9de90b8509404480b482d14947906b

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Abedin Sham ? Owner of a Stunning Villa Near Sunburn Festival ...

Abedin ShamParts of the Bollywood movie Rush (to be released tomorrow), starring Emraan Hashmi, Neha Dhupia and Sagarika Ghatge were shot on the property! And that?s not all?the property is located in the vicinity of the forthcoming Sunburn Festival Goa 2012, starting December 27. Meet Abedin Sham, the owner of this stunning villa near Goa?s Candolim Beach as he speaks to us in an exclusive interview.

The interview?

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"); Please tell us something about your background ? Personal and Professional.
Tennis is my passion. It?s something I grew up playing, to the point where I?ve had to miss family holidays to travel to small towns instead for tournaments in the midst of summer! I left home to pursue tennis at the age of 12, and lived, traveled, and schooled in the United States over 12 years.

I moved back to India permanently in 2006 and set up a fast food model called Wich Latte. At the time of conception, I noticed a gap in the sandwich market and thought this was an idea that would work. I spent about nine months doing research with my chef and another six months getting the kitchen and caf? ready. I?ve been running it for five years now, and we?re in the midst of a revamp and an expansion. We?ll be opening six more outlets by the end of this financial year, and hopefully expand to a total of 25 caf?s by next December.

Can you tell us a bit about the property and its history? When did you acquire it?
Goa has always been a favorite destination, and having studied hospitality, coupled with the tourism boom, I figured it would be a great place to start something small.

The land was acquired in 1986, but had been lying dormant. I wasn?t completely familiar with the property until I vacationed in Goa in 2007. I was with a friend, Nikhil Chinappa, and whilst walking on the land he came up with the idea of a music festival, now come to be known as Sunburn. I also wanted to have a second home in Goa, so we decided to build a small place for us to come and stay when we visited. Construction on the property began in 2008, and the house was semi finished in December 2010.


When and why did you decide to turn your property into a holiday home/ homestay? How did you start out? What are the small changes you made to change from a home to a holiday home?
I?ve only actually begun using the villa on a consistent basis from May 2012. Whenever friends would visit me whilst there, or stay with me, they?d always tell me to let the place out to them privately. When I finally decided to go ahead with the idea, I figured that the property would have to be upgraded, considering the profile of guests that would be staying there. I have now employed a full time cook, caretaker, added wi-fi, new upholstery and a sound system?everything one would require for a comfortable stay.

Can you please tell us how much involvement is required from you (as the owner) to successfully run a vacation rental business?
Initially a lot of time is spent looking into the nitty gritty and individual tastes and preferences of each guest. As I am new to this business, I will learn as I go along, but I?m confident of providing folks that do come by with a memorable experience.

According to you what makes your property unique? Why do you think travelers should rent out your property?
The villa is situated on eight acres of land, sits right on the beach, is surrounded by coconut trees and has uninterrupted views of the sea. If that?s not unique enough, the Sunburn music festival is held here every December

The house itself has been designed in a Moorish style, in 2009 by Patzchke Designs. The villa is stark white, with splashes of colour and intricate details such as traditional marble finishes, antique Indian furniture, and a beautiful mosaic floor laid on the roof terrace in the shape of the zodiac. The front doors are teak wood, salvaged from an old Indian palace, and restored with hand-made iron locks.

The villa sits right in the heart of Candolim, and the beach is literally right outside the door. Candolim has some of the finest bars and restaurants in Goa, which are all not more than a five minute walk away. The Candolim Road also has a lot of shops where guests will be able to choose from local souvenirs, amongst many other things.

I think all the above make my villa a great option when choosing a luxury vacation home whilst in Goa.

What is the present level of activity in the real estate sector of Goa? Would you recommend it as a location for holiday home buyers and homestays?
The cost of real estate has increased drastically in Goa, especially in the prime regions, beaches, and river fronts. Coupled with the increased cost of construction, and increased operational costs, a better option at this point would be to rent out a holiday home instead.

You must have been interacting with several kinds of visitors who had stayed in your home? What kinds of guests, according to you, are suitable for staying in a holiday home?
I think all types of guests, except business and convention travelers are suitable targets for staying at holiday homes. People want to stay in a place that offers them a greater value for money. Holiday homes give you more space, allow guests to personalize their vacation by way of unique meals, flexibility on time, etc

What is your philosophy that drives how you run things in your property? Do you have any set rules or ideals that as a holiday home owner you must follow?
It?s simple, really?just treat the property as you would your own home

Unlike hotels, in a holiday home rental, you are opening up your home to guests, most of whom you have just interacted with or have never met before. How do you ensure or how do you build the trust that makes you believe that a particular guest is best for your holiday home?

It all comes down to the basics.? I always start with a phone call?it acts as a buffer and gives you a better idea as to what the guests are expecting. Also, websites like tripvillas help just in case things don?t go quite as planned from either side.

Trust is a very important factor when it comes to successfully run a holiday home rental business. How do you ensure that all guests coming to stay in your property are trustworthy?
You can never tell, but the best way to safeguard yourself is to take money upfront, or when guests check in, that way you get a slight advantage. Hiring the right kind of staff is also important. They need to know how to deal with guests, in case a situation does arise.

Have you had any high profile guests? What are important things to keep in mind while handling them?

As the property is located where Sunburn happens, we do have a few high profile folks who drop by. Unfortunately there?s no more I can say on that subject as the privacy of my guests is paramount.

Have you added any amenities on the luxury side? What are ones that you are eying?
To take the luxury home to the next level, we are in the process of tying up with local spas and even adding a beach volleyball court on the property. Also, I would like to tie up with the PADI school to offer special deals to people that get to stay at the villa and get certified over a four day course. I think that will be a pretty cool memory to create.


What are present rates that you charge? Where would you like to see this go in the near term and what do you think we as an industry can do to get better rates?

Currently we charge INR 20,000 per night, which is inclusive of breakfast. The only changes that would help guests would be the taxation and employment issues. Right now there are a host of different taxes that guests have to pay.

What percentage of your business comes from travel agencies? Social Media? Friends ? Regular clients?

About 50% is word of mouth, while the rest of my business comes from agencies, websites, etc.

Any tips for other vacation home/ homestay owners?
I?m still learning, but what I think is important is for both sides to be clear on exactly what they want and what they?re expecting from their stay. This way, things can be arranged accordingly and everyone is happy.

LEAVING YOU WITH SOME OF THE VIDEO GRABS OF THE RUSH MOVIE (FROM THE SONG CHUP CHUP KE) SHOT IN THE PROPERTY:

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Source: http://www.holidayhometimes.com/living-in/goa/abedin-sham-owner-stunning-villa-venue-sunburn-festival-goa.html

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What the Marine Corps taught me about customer service : Rick ...

I am a big supporter of all those who are serving or who have served in all the branches of the United States military.? As a former Marine I understand what they have been through and all they have sacrificed for their country.? With Veteran?s Day right around the corner I want to take a step back in time and focus on a non technical topic.

For those of you not intimately familiar with the Marine Corps there is one basic mantra:? every Marine is a rifleman. Regardless of what your primary job is, you are expected to be intimately familiar with your rifle and be an accurate shot.

Being an accurate shot is more of a science than an art.? Believe it or not there are three simple things that you need to master to become a successful marksman.

  1. Hold your rifle the exact same way every time you fire
  2. Control your breathing
  3. Squeeze the trigger

I was thinking about this topic recently and realized how those three principles have continued to influence my thinking throughout my career.? Coincidentally they also tie in with the principles that we follow when providing support at OrcsWeb.? Hopefully you will find these principles invaluable in running your business and dealing with the most important aspect of your business:? your customers (which also includes your staff and fellow workers).

1. Hold your rifle the exact same way each time you fire

A small change in how you look down the sites of the rifle or how you place your cheek against the stock will result in a large change 500 ? 1,500 feet down the range.? Most often this will result in you missing the bulls eye and sometimes you will miss the target completely.? The importance of consistency is the same when dealing with your customers.? If you want to have the best chance of staying on target with your customers and staff you need to be consistent.? Have processes, policies, and procedures in place to ensure that customers get the same experience every time that they deal with you.

2. Control your breathing

If your lungs are full or empty when you are trying to shoot then your body is screaming to release the pressure on your lungs or to get some oxygen.? In the exact same way you can?t be breathing while you are getting ready to shoot; the movement of your body is sure to throw off your shot.? Instead take in a deep breath and let it half-way out.? That allows your lungs and body to be in a relaxed mode and you are now ready to shoot.? This sense of calmness lets you relax and focus on the task at hand, significantly improving your chances for success.? When dealing with customers, take the time to step back, get a deep breath, and work with them in a relaxed and calm manner.? Getting angry and stressed with a customer is seldom beneficial and will often cause you to miss the mark in building a positive relationship.

3.? Squeeze the trigger

When shooting you should never jerk the trigger or anticipate when it is going to go off.? That will end up causing your shot pattern on the target to be all over the place giving you no sense of direction on what you need to do to improve your accuracy.? Instead you should slowly squeeze the trigger never knowing exactly when the firing pin will be struck so that you will always be lined up exactly on the bulls eye.? In today?s fast-paced marketplace people are often looking for an immediate response.? By taking a short period of time to consider all the factors and calculating your response, you significantly increase the likelihood of staying on target with your customers.

Like anything you attempt in life, you just can?t read about this and expect to be perfect every time.? We practiced with our rifles frequently to hone our skills and make them become instinct and second nature.? It is the same way with these three principles; you have to purposefully practice them, turning them into habits which in turn will increase the likelihood of the long term success of your business.

In review, the three main points that I leaned about customer service from my Marine Corps rifle training is to be:

  1. Consistent
  2. Calm
  3. Calculated

Put these principles to work when dealing with your customers and you are sure to find happy customers who keep coming back and telling others about their experience.? In the same regard these principles are sure to reduce your employee turnover.

Rick received an honorable discharge as a Sergeant after earning two Navy Achievement Medals over a period of six years of service.? He is currently a Senior Support Lead at OrcsWeb, a hosted server company providing managed hosting solutions.?

Read the complete post here

Source: http://blogs.iis.net/rickbarber/archive/2012/10/24/what-the-marine-corps-taught-me-about-customer-service.aspx

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How to track what people are saying about you online - Web Hosting ...

No matter what size business you have, it?s important to keep track of what?s being said about you online. Whether your company is being mentioned on forums, review sites, social media, or anywhere else on the web, with proper tracking you can gain valuable feedback, see what people are looking for, and get competitor insights.

Best of all, you don?t have to spend any money doing it or waste time trawling the web for mentions ? it can all be automated for you. Read on to find out more.

Google Alerts

Google Alerts helps you set up emails or a feed to track keywords and phrases of your choice. Broadly speaking, when content is published on the web which includes your phrase, you will automatically be notified. There are plenty of options so you can have general summaries or a comprehensive list of everything as and when it happens, depending on your needs.

It?s easy to go a bit crazy with adding words and phrases, but try to resist temptation or you?ll end up with an inbox full of lengthy emails that you can?t face reading. The best approach is to start with a few essential terms, and then add and remove alerts depending on how useful you find them. Keywords and phrases tend to work better for tracking when they?re very specific, i.e. a company name rather than something generic such as ?web hosting? (on the other hand, if you?re looking for content inspiration or collecting URLs for a roundup blog post rather than tracking your own business, generic keywords can work pretty well).

Always review your Google Alerts and settings every few months to tweak them and ensure you get the most use out of them. Don?t be scared to ditch ones you aren?t using.

Social Media Tracking

Tools like Hootsuite and TweetDeck allow you to create fixed search columns which automatically update when someone on Twitter publicly posts a particular word or phrase. This helps you catch more mentions of your business in addition to regular @ replies/mentions that specifically include your username.

As the image above shows, our searches are set up so that if your tweet includes any of the following, we?ll see it:

? Heart Internet
? HeartInternet
? heartinternet.co.uk (including any URLs relating to the domain)
? #heartinternet

As well as seeing what people are saying about you/your company, you can also set up columns with more generic words and phrases relating to your industry to help you gain sales leads or keep on top of the latest news or mood. If you have specific core products or product categories, they may be worth tracking too.

Searching Google+

Google+ has a handy feature which lets you search for all public posts relating to a particular keyword or phrase. You can search by ?Best of? or ?Most recent?, and you can also filter by the types of content you want to see.

This is great for seeing how people are sharing your links even if they don?t tag you in a post.

Pinterest pins from your website

To see what people have pinned from your website, simply go to http://www.pinterest.com/source/ and then add your domain name to the end (e.g. http://pinterest.com/source/heartinternet.co.uk). As well as providing an insight into what people like about your website, it also gives you the opportunity to comment, like, repin or otherwise interact with customers and potential customers.

Do you try and track what people are saying about your business online? Let us know in the comments!

VN:D [1.9.20_1166]

gravatar

Name:Jenni Brown

About:Jenni is Heart Internet's SEO & Social Media Marketing Executive and is responsible for Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google+ activity. Jenni also manages various projects and campaigns for the Marketing department, including the Website of the Month competition.

Source: http://www.heartinternet.co.uk/blog/2012/10/how-to-track-what-people-are-saying-about-you-online/

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বুধবার, ২৪ অক্টোবর, ২০১২

Wind Energy Generation Beats Gas Turbines

Ernst & Young conducted a study that presents an integrated analysis of the value creation potential of wind energy.

The study was commissioned by Acciona and EDP Renov?veis and compares two energy technologies, Combined Cycle Gas Turbines (CCGT) and wind, to analyze the impacts of microeconomic factors such as direct costs as well as macroeconomic factors including job creation, Gross Domestic Product contribution, energy security, grid integration costs, CO2 and the impact of wind power on electricity pool prices.

The primary findings of the study include the following:

  • Each MWh of wind energy provides a higher contribution to GDP in most European countries than other generation technologies, thus generating more economic benefits for the domestic economy
  • In the European Union, for every million euros invested in wind energy, 21 job positions are created
  • Wind energy has a higher impact on tax revenues than other technologies. Each euro spent on electricity from wind generates between ?27 and ?52 cts of tax revenues depending on local policies

In addition, wind energy creates a positive effect on the wholesale market by lowering the electricity spot prices which in turn, compensates for the premium tariff received. The study concludes that in Spain in 2010, the premiums received by the sector happened to be lower than the savings in electricity prices.

The relationship between the value creation potential and the real cost of wind energy is not always well understood. Thus, this report aims to communicate the positive impact of wind energy in comparison to other electricity.

?

Source: http://www.marinelink.com/news/generation-turbines348762.aspx

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The Announcer's scary story creative writing contest under way

Home > News > The Announcer?s scary story creative writing contest under way

October 22, 2012
Filed under News, Top Stories

In celebration of Halloween, The Announcer is hosting a creative writing scary story contest. All students are welcome to participate. The story should be original and spooky. All stories should be proofread and between about 450 ? 700 words. Please e-mail entries to nazannouncer@nazarethacademy.com no later than Sunday October 28th. Winners will be published on the site on Halloween. The first place winner will also receive a $25 dollar Visa gift card, and the runner up a $15 gift card.

See Ms. Radogno in room K211 if you have any questions.

Source: http://www.nazannouncer.com/news/2012/10/22/the-announcers-scary-story-creative-writing-contest-under-way/

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Ascott Park Place Dubai | Overseas Travel and Leisure - OTAL.com

Situated at the most valuable real estate and business district centre of Dubai, close to the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre, DIFC and Business Bay. Shopping areas, beaches and?Dubai World Trade Centre Metro Station are just on a short distance.

Ascott Park Place Ascott Park Place Dubai

Park Place offers spacious and luxurious apartments within the 60-storey Park Palace Tower. It features apartments with a spacious living and dining area, luxury bathrooms and a fully-equipped kitchen. Additional amenities include LCD televisions, iPod docking stations and internet access. Free WiFi is available in public areas and is free of charge, but WiFi is available in the hotel rooms and charges are applicable. Sauna, Fitness centre, Massage, Library, Turkish bath/steam bath, Outdoor swimming pool (all year) are the most interesting and valuable activities they are offering.

You can find here all you need like a very nice restaurant, 24-hour front desk, Newspapers, Garden, Non-smoking rooms, Family rooms, Lift/elevator, Express check-in/check-out, Safety deposit box, Heating, Luggage storage, All public and private spaces non-smoking, Designated smoking area.

Many more luxurious and prestigious facilities they are offering such as Business centre, Laundry, Dry cleaning, Barber/beauty shop, VIP room facilities, Currency exchange, Car hire, Fax/photocopying, ATM/cash machine on site.

Ascott Park Place Dubai
Park Place Tower, Sheikh Zayed Road, PO Box 117452
Check in: From 14:00 hours
Check out: Until 12:00 hours

Related posts:

  1. Traders Hotel Dubai
  2. Largest indoor family park in Dubai, now open to visitors
  3. Jumeirah Lake Towers is a free zone
  4. InterContinental Dubai
  5. Avari Dubai Hotel

Source: http://www.otal.com/middle-east-travel-and-leisure/dubai-travel-and-leisure/ascott-park-place-dubai

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Sports Champions 2 demo finds the net on PSN later today


Sports Champions 2 shoots a demo onto PlayStation Network later today, with the full game scoring next week on October 30. Sony's motion-controlled follow-up includes five new sportsballs, namely tennis, golf, skiing, bowling and boxing. The demo releasing today throws you onto the court/fairway/slopes with the first three.

The Move-supported sports-fest also introduces new features, as outlined by the above video. Beyond fine-tuning like simpler calibration and multiple user profiles, there's the new Party Play mode, more avatar customization, and improvements to Archery. While the game does let you use PS Move, the awesome Tron-like equipment in the video isn't compatible, probably because it's too awesome to exist.

Source: http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/23/sports-champions-2-demo-finds-the-net-on-psn-later-today/

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Toxic Gossip

Toxic Gossip

Angelina Jolie Still Naughty?[The Frisky] Madonna Takes a Tumble on Stage?[HollyWire] Taylor Swift’s ‘Red’ Setting Records?[Right Celebrity] Justin Bieber Reaches Milestone on YouTube?[The Celebrity Cafe] [...]

Toxic Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2012/10/toxic-gossip/

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$15K Slots Win Means a Romantic Holiday for Two this Christmas ...

Intertops Casino $15K Slots Winner Takes VacationST. JOHNS, ANTIGUA, October 24, 2012 ? Karen G., a marketing manager from Oregon, had a night to remember at Intertops Casino recently. In two hours her account rose to just over $15,250 when she decided to call it a night. She has something special in mind for her husband this Christmas.

It started for Karen when she won $8,859.55 playing Cleopatra?s Gold, an Egyptian-themed 20 line slot with a random jackpot that was pretty loose the night of her winning spree. Then she went on to play Texan Tycoon, an oil well-themed slots game also with a random jackpot, where she got lucky during the Free Game Feature and added another $6,400 to her balance.

?OK, so it?s not enough to retire on,? laughed the slots jackpot winner. ?But it?s sure going to make for a nice Christmas! I?m going to surprise my husband and take him on a great vacation with my winnings. It?s always nice to be able to get away with him.?

?It was like that game had just been waiting for me to come play it. The first person I had to tell was Suzanne, my VIP manager at Intertops,? Karen said. ?She?s the first person I whine to when I lose so I thought she should be the first person to share in my excitement!?

The $50,000 Witch?s Cauldron casino bonus giveaway continues at Intertops Casino. On November 5th a Grand Prize Draw will award bonuses and cash prizes up to $1000. Between now and then hundreds of players will discover a casino bonus in their accounts.

Intertops is one of the world?s most trusted online casino, poker and sportsbook sites. For more than 15 years it has taken pride in its friendly customer service and hassle-free deposits and withdrawals.

ABOUT INTERTOPS:
Intertops was founded in 1983 in London with a UK Bookmakers License and relocated to Austria in 1992. They accepted the world?s first online bet in 1996. In 1997, the online business moved to Antigua while the traditional sports betting business remained in Austria. 1998 saw the launch of one of the first Microgaming online casinos. In 2001, the innovative company developed the first mobile betting application, enabling customers to bet with mobile phones anywhere anytime. By 2003 Intertops began online poker operations, progressing to online skill-based gaming in under a year. Intertops Casino now provides more than 300 state-of-the-art casino games from Real Time Gaming (RTG). It has some of the biggest progressive jackpots available anywhere online including several that are currently well over $1,000,000.

Source: http://www.goldantiguacasino.com/gambling-news/15k-slots-win-means-a-romantic-holiday-for-two-this-christmas-for-intertops-casino-winner/

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Syria: Little hope for Eid ceasefire as conflict spills across borders

? A daily summary of global reports on security issues.

An Arab League official says hopes for a cease-fire in Syria over the upcoming Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha are "weak," as President Bashar al-Assad shows little indication of support for the concept, despite his words in favor of a ceasefire.

Ahmed Ben Helli, deputy secretary general of the Arab League, told Reuters that "The indications that are now apparent and the government's reaction ... do not show any signs of a real desire to implement this cease-fire." The proposal, brought to Mr. Assad and the rebels over the weekend by United Nations special envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi, would entail an end to fighting beginning Oct. 26 and and lasting through the weekend, during the holiday of Eid al-Adha.

"We are days away from Eid," Mr. Ben Helli said. "We hope the situation changes and the government and opposition respond even a little bit to this door for negotiations."

Mr. Brahimi met separately with Syrian rebel leaders and Assad over the weekend, reports Deutsche Welle. Although the opposition is said to be in favor of a ceasefire, DW writes that Assad was less receptive to the idea and conditioned his regime's acquiescence to a political solution to the conflict on an end to foreign powers' arming of the rebels.

Think you know the Middle East? Take our geography quiz.

Assad called for a "halt to terrorism" as well as "a commitment on the part of certain implicated countries to stop harboring, supporting and arming terrorists" in Syria, state-run television reported.

Violence continued unabated in Damascus and Aleppo over the weekend as Brahimi pushed for a peaceful resolution, reports Al Arabiya. The rebel-controlled town of Harasta, on the outskirts of Damascus, was the scene of ongoing clashes as regime troops attacked the city, killing "scores" of rebels and civilians. And fighting continued across Aleppo, where rebels and regime troops have been clashing for three months. The London-based opposition group the Syrian Observation for Human Rights says that 173 people, including 65 civilians, were killed nationwide yesterday.

The weekend also showed signs that the conflict in Syria is spilling across its borders into neighboring Lebanon and Jordan.

The New York Times reports that protests broke out in Lebanon yesterday, with isolated clashes with security continuing early this morning, after the funeral of Lebanese security chief and anti-Syrian politician Gen. Wissam al-Hassan, who was killed in a car bombing on Oct. 19. The Times writes that the protests "exposed the undercurrent of tension buzzing through Lebanon for much of the 19 months since the uprising began against Mr. Assad?s government. The eruption on Sunday reflected a simmering anger over the killing of Sunni civilians in Syria by allies of Mr. Assad?s Alawite sect."

And early today, a Jordanian soldier was killed when a group of armed militants attempted to cross the Jordanian border into Syria, reports Agence France-Presse. Several of the gunmen were captured, Information and Culture Minister Samih Maaytah told AFP, but not before they killed the corporal.

The border shooting comes on the heels of yesterday's announcement that Jordan had arrested 11 "Al Qaeda" suspects who had planned to launch a coordinated attack on civilian and foreign diplomatic targets in the Jordanian capital of Amman, reports The Daily Telegraph. Using arms smuggled into Jordan from Syria, the militants planned to launch suicide bombings against a pair of shopping malls in Amman. After security forces responded to the attacks, the militants would than assault their primary target, the city's affluent Abdoun district, where many Western diplomats are based.

The 11 suspects are all believed to be Jordanian nationals, and are said to have been instructed by Al Qaeda explosive experts in Iraq. The Telegraph notes that the late Abu Musab al Zarqawi, former leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq, was Jordanian.

IN PICTURES: Reaching a critical juncture in Syria

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syria-little-hope-eid-ceasefire-conflict-spills-across-123908906.html

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With iPad And iBooks In 2500 U.S. Classrooms, Apple Reaffirms Commitment To Education With Updated iBooks Author

padbooksThere?s been plenty of buzz about the iPad mini and the potential role in could play in reaffirming Apple?s commitment education, and now CEO Tim Cook is spending some time on stage to discuss the sort of impact immensely-popular tablet has had in schools. After noting that the iPad (and iBooks) has now found a home in 2500 classrooms in the U.S., Cook revealed that a new version of the company's iBooks Author will be available for free today.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/ikFg_ldyAVk/

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Is declining medical imaging use driving up hospital stays and medical costs?

ScienceDaily (Oct. 23, 2012) ? A new report by the Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute shows that the length of the average hospital stay in the United States has increased at the same time as use of medical imaging scans has declined. It is unclear if the trends are related, but potentially important, as hospital admissions are among the largest, and fastest growing, health care costs. More research is needed to assess the potential negative impact of government and private insurer imaging reductions on overall medical costs and patient safety.

"Lawmakers, regulators and medical professionals are making medical imaging policy decisions without fully understanding or examining their downstream effects -- which may include an increase in hospital stays, associated costs and other adverse events. We need to examine imaging, as it relates to a patient's overall continuum of care, to ensure that decision makers don't create imaging cost reduction policies which paradoxically raise overall costs, create barriers to care, and ultimately harm patients," said Richard Duszak, MD, chief executive officer and senior research fellow of the Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute.

Much of a building body of research regarding medical imaging focuses on declining costs and utilization of imaging. There is relatively little research focused on imaging as a component of overall patient care. For many serious indications, imaging scans have been shown to reduce the number of invasive surgeries, unnecessary hospital admissions and length of hospital stays. Rarer still is data on the effect of $6 billion in funding reductions for imaging diagnosis and treatment planning since 2006. The information that is available is not necessarily positive in terms of patient safety and access to care.

This is the first policy brief produced by the Neiman Institute, which conducts and supports research regarding medical imaging use, quality and safety metrics, and human resources as medicine moves toward non-traditional, value-based payment and delivery. The data gleaned from these efforts will serve as the basis for true, evidence-based medical imaging policy.

"We need to take a hard look at the cost, access and quality and safety issues related to present government and private insurer medical imaging policies and find ways to maximize the value, role and efficiency of radiology as health care systems evolve. The Neiman Institute will provide much needed information to ensure that future imaging policies benefit patients and make efficient, effective use of health care resources," said Duszak.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by American College of Radiology, via Newswise.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


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Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/QcvA7nqvBPM/121023124530.htm

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An Emotional Finance Approach to Fund Management: Stress ...

In the recent Research Foundation of CFA Institute publication, Fund Management: An Emotional Finance Perspective, coauthors David Tuckett and Richard J. Taffler tell a compelling story about the myriad emotional stresses confronted by both analysts and portfolio managers. What they find stands in stark contrast to the world of perfectly rational decision making assumed by the efficient market hypothesis (EMH) and modern portfolio theory (MPT). Furthermore, the authors? emotional finance perspective reveals that unless the fund management industry begins to accommodate the emotional stresses of the job, underperformance will continue.

One stress revealed, and one that will come as no surprise to a practicing money manager, is the unrelenting pressure to perform. Money managers feel the pressure to perform coming from all corners, including clients, employers, peers, and even from themselves. Even though many investors and investment firms purport to take a long-term view of investing, most managers readily admit that they feel an implicit pressure to outperform on an almost daily basis. These feelings exist even though multiple researchers have found that the most successful money managers usually experience lengthy periods of underperformance.

Indicative of the stresses resulting from the collision of long-term performance strategies with short-term performance demands is that most money managers look at computer screens daily, if not more frequently. In fact, two-thirds of managers report monitoring their fund?s performance at least once daily, with 11% monitoring performance every several hours. Investors confessed that screen-watching is addictive and that it is ?an emotional roller coaster? that stimulates a feeling of jittery anxiety when they are down, but a high when they are up, relatively speaking.

These intense pressures to perform lead to dysfunctional coping behaviors that seem only to increase anxiety and stress. In fact, Tuckett and Taffler describe a money manager attitude they characterize as ?pervasive distrustful pragmatism? that leads to feelings of resentment and loneliness as they battle against seemingly impossible demands. These feelings suffuse manager lives even when they are outperforming, as anxiousness about underperformance and the loss of one?s livelihood are never very far away.

Another source of stress for fund managers is that, on average, half of pay comes in the form of a subjective, or discretionary, bonus. For most of the managers interviewed for the monograph,?compensation was based on:

  1. the overall success of the fund management firm;
  2. the manager?s current investment performance;
  3. the amount of new business generated.

That the success of these compensation criteria are often outside of the control of fund managers leads Tuckett and Taffler to suggest that bonus regimes likely lead to additional anxieties and a tendency to ?game? the system.

Investment managers are acutely aware that fund sponsors chase returns, even though it is well known that doing so does not deliver alpha. Ajay Khorana, of the Georgia Institute of Technology, found in 1996 that the probability of a manager being fired is mostly a function of recent short-term underperformance; in particular, managers in the lowest performing decile were four times more likely to be replaced than managers in the highest-performing decile.

Tuckett and Taffler report that to deal with these severe emotional stresses analysts and portfolio managers frequently use one or more of the following coping strategies:

  1. Rationalizing performance by selectively interpreting it.
  2. Taking protective measures that smooth performance.
  3. Reinventing what they do to maintain confidence in tough times so that they may believe in a better future.

Selective Interpretation

One way of dealing with contradictory demands that can lead to conflicting emotional states is to not really ?know? one has them. Here money managers emotionally invest in a small part of a story that otherwise would cause a conflicting experience.

One example of selective interpretation cited in?Fund Management: An Emotional Finance Perspective comes from a manager who oversees?slightly under $1 billion of equities: ?[We] try to encourage people to benchmark our performance over a three-year period because anything shorter than that is at the whim of the market.? Here the story is that any short-term volatility is outside the control of the manager. Left out of the discussion is what would constitute a better benchmark. Understandably the manager is trying to cope with clients? likely nervousness over short-term performance volatility, as well as his own emotions around the same events.

Investment pros diversify their emotional portfolios by avoiding putting all of their emotional eggs in one basket. Instead they do things like frame investment performance over multiple funds, or say things like, ?A benchmark is only a reference point,? which leaves open the option of underperformance.

Another form of stress relief through selective interpretation is leaving the asset allocation decision up to clients. Here the manager says things like, ?My job is to manage small-cap value; it?s up to the client to build a diversified portfolio.?

Unfortunately, selective interpretation leaves money managers out of accord with reality. In turn, this distorted view of reality may lead to faulty perception, and hence, bad decisions. Further, selective interpretation has an asymmetrical emotional effect, because feelings around underperformance are avoided by making them impersonal (?at the whim of the market?), whereas money managers frequently take credit for exceptional performance.

Taking Protective Measures

By definition, as an investment manager, if you do what everybody else is doing then there is no opportunity for outperformance. Yet this realization comes with its own stresses. If managers are not in alignment with consensus then they are nervous that their choices will result in underperformance. But conversely, when they are in line with consensus, they are also nervous. Why? Because they know that it is impossible to outperform.

One form of the ?taking protective measures? is locking in your gains. That is, if managers are having a good year through the third quarter they may shift their portfolio so that it more closely tracks the index for the remainder of the year. There is also a ?playing with house money? effect in which portfolio managers who have generated alpha will frequently make bigger, or riskier, bets, feeling that they have some built in alpha tolerance for failed investments. Obviously both of these coping mechanisms can have a detrimental effect on performance and have more to do with emotional management than portfolio management.

Reinventing the Investment Narrative

When a portfolio underperforms investment pros have a difficult time accepting that their investment philosophy is not working. Instead they reassure themselves and others that they are staying true to their investment philosophy. An example of such a narrative is, ?Our investment style has been out of favor for four of the last five years, but so far this year things look pretty good.? Another story of this ilk is, ?My stocks had two years worth of performance in just one, and now they are taking a break.?

In conclusion, portfolio management is stressful and can result in many painful emotions that lead to coping mechanisms. Unfortunately, the fund management industry scarcely acknowledges these difficulties. Yet addressing these very human issues just might lead to not only greater money manager satisfaction, but also greater alpha, too.


Please note that the content of this site should not be construed as investment advice, nor do the opinions expressed necessarily reflect the views of CFA Institute.

Source: http://blogs.cfainstitute.org/investor/2012/10/22/an-emotional-finance-approach-to-fund-management-stress-coping-mechanisms/

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Leaders push for more jobs in Virginia

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT)- A new partnership could mean more jobs for college grads and more business opportunities for companies considering Virginia.??

All public universities in the state are joining forces with state economic leaders to say "yes" to Virginia.This program even involves the white house. One of the organizers met with President Obama to work out the details.

Like most college seniors, Marketing Major Ibrahim Althwaini is thinking about life after graduation. He's from Saudi Arabia, but would like to work in Virginia but that means finding a good job:

"These opportunities ? I'm sure everyone would appreciate them in Richmond," said Althwaini. "We need that.??

Now his school could help grow the jobs for their graduates. A joint marketing plan brings together economic developers and public colleges to bring new business to Virginia, and expand the ones already here.?

"The idea is to bring universities together on an economic development platform so we can have a bigger footprint in the marketplace and talk about Virginia globally," said Virginia Economic Development Partnership President and CEO, Martin Briley.

The focus is to combine the strengths of business - and Virginia's graduates - a collaboration of the best the state has to offer. One key example is a Rolls Royce plant that opened in Prince George.?

"That's a great example of universities working with VEDP economic development locally and state-wide to come up with a reason for Rolls Royce to come here beyond the normal," said Secretary of Commerce and Trade James Cheng.??

Governor Bob McDonnell has added $230 million to the biennial budget to support public universities and incentives to research target areas that could bring top jobs to Virginia.??

Now it's up to state and education leaders to pass the word along to companies and give them a good reason to open up shop in Virginia.??

The agreement will be in effect until June of 2014.

Details outlined in the memorandum of understanding

Copyright 2012 WWBT NBC12.? All rights reserved.

Source: http://downtown.nbc12.com/news/news/87099-leaders-push-more-jobs-virginia

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Bukit TImah Swimming Complex | Singapore Sports and Recreation ...

Operating Hours
Mon: 2.30pm ? 9.30pm
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Wed: 5.30pm ? 9.00pm
Thu: 6.00pm ? 9.00pm
Fri: 5.30pm ? 9.00pm
Sat: 2.00pm ? 9.00pm
Sun: 8.00am ? 9.00pm

Entrance Fee

Children
Weekdays: $0.50
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Adults
Weekdays: $1.00
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Senior Citizens
Weekdays: $0.50
Weekends: $0.60

Source: http://www.yebber.com/review/bukit-timah-swimming-complex/

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Gloria Allred Plotting "October Surprise" Against Mitt Romney?

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/10/gloria-allred-plotting-october-surprise-against-mitt-romney/

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Reference books for Management Trainee Exam for Technical ...

In the technical section of the?written exam conducted for the Management Trainee?post in Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, questions from the topics prescribed for B.E/B.Tech in Computer Science can be expected. This includes books like?Digital electronics, Principles and applications by R. L. Tokheim?for the digital electronics section,?The C Programming Language by Kerninghan and Others?for C programming section etc.?Candidates can refer to the guides and other reference books for scoring good marks. Some of the well known books for reference are listed below.


Main Topics Covered under ONGC Graduate Trainee (Computer Science) Written Test

  • Data Interpretation
  • General Awareness
  • Professional Knowledge (Computer Science)
  • Quantitative Aptitude
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Verbal/ Non-verbal Reasoning

Reference Books for Professional Knowledge

  • Compilers Principles, Technique and tools by Aho Ullman & Ravisetty
  • Network Analysis by G. K. Mithal
  • Electric Circuit Analysis by S. R. Paranjothi
  • Engineering Mathematics ? by Lazpathroy
  • Computers and Commemsense? by Shelly and Junt
  • Information Technology? by Deniis P. curtin
  • Introduction to Computers? by Peter Norton
  • Programming in ANSI C? by E. Balaguru Swamy
  • Fundamentals of Data structures? by Horowitz and Sahani
  • An introduction to data structures with applications: by Trembly and Sorenson

Reference?Books for Network Theory

  • Network Analysis by M E? Van Valkenberg
  • Engineering circuit analysis By William Hayt and jack E.Kemmerly
  • Spice for circuits & Electronics using Pspice ? by Mohd. H. Rashid
  • Networks and Systems ? D.Roy Choudhury
  • Networks,? Lines & Filters ? by John. D. Ryder
  • Network Analysis by G. K. Mithal

Reference?Books for Semiconductor Devices and Circuits

  • Engineering Graphics by K. L. Narayana & P. Kannayya
  • Engineering Drawing and Graphics ? by Venugopal
  • Electronic devices and circuits by Bogart
  • Microelectronics by Millman and Grabel
  • Electronic devices and circuits by Millman and Halkias

Reference?Books for C Programming

  • The C Programming Language by Kerninghan and Others
  • Data Structures and Algorithms by A.V. Aho, J.E. Hopcroft and T.D. Ullman
  • Fundamentals of computer algorithms by Horowitz Sahni and Rajasekaran
  • Data Structure and the Standard Template library by Willam J. Collins
  • Theory & Problems of Data Structures by Jr. Symour Lipschetz

Reference?Books for Discrete Structure

  • Discrete Mathematics by Johnson Bough
  • Applied Discrete Structures for Computer Science by Doerr and Levasseur
  • Schaums Outline series: Theory and problems of Probability by S. Lipshutz
  • Discrete Mathematical Structures with Applications to Computers by Tembley & Manohar
  • Concrete Mathematics: A Foundation for Computer Science by Ronald Graham

Reference?Books for Analog Communication

  • Business Data Communications by Fitzgerald Jerry
  • Data & Computer Communications by W.Stallings
  • Data Communications and Networking by Behrouz A. Forouzan
  • Satellite Communication by Pratt, John Wiley

Reference?Books for Digital Electronics

  • Digital Design by F. Vahid
  • Digital electronics, Principles and applications by R. L. Tokheim
  • PC Hardware: The complete reference by Craig Zacker

Reference Books for General Aptitude

  • Quantitative aptitude by R S Agarwal
  • General Awareness & Current Affairs by Manohar Pandey
  • Critical Reasoning Preparation Guide by Manhattan
  • English Language by Lucent?s General English

Apart from these books, candidates can refer to the text books prescribed to Bachelor of Technology/ Engineering in Computer Science/ Information Technology.

Source: http://entrance-exam.net/reference-books-for-management-trainee-exam-for-technical-computer-science-hal/

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5 Myths About The Price For Your Brand | Business 2 Community

5 Myths About The Price for Your BrandHow do you determine a price for your goods and services?

This is actually a very complex questions because price has an enormous impact on how much product you?ll sell. And, the whole issue of pricing is ripe with myths. Use 1 of these myths to price your brand and you may be hurting rather than helping your brand.

Pricing myths

Price myth #1 ? use a standard mark-up

Using a standard mark-up is one of the most common strategies for pricing your brand probably because it?s so easy. To use this strategy, you simply add up all the costs associated with your product or service, then add 20% or 50% or some other amount (commonly you?re targeted ROI ? Return on Investment) to come up with the final price.

Pricing using a standard mark-up is common for retail businesses and manufacturing ? situations where you can easily determine how much each product costs.

Price myth #2 ? you should price your brand lower than competitors

Pricing based on what competitors charge is also a common pricing strategy. And, for some goods, lower prices look very attractive. For instance, many people have little brand loyalty to their soft drink and commonly buy either Coke or Pepsi depending on which brand is cheaper this week. If Coke were CONSISTENTLY higher priced than Pepsi, it is likely Coke would see a decrease in the amount of product they sold.

That?s WalMart?s strategy ? to feature lower prices than their competitors such as Target or Kroger?s. Of course, lower prices come at a cost ? and one that consumers pay. WalMart can only keep prices lower by paying less for the items they stock. WalMart pays less because they buy huge quantities of a select number of options in each product category. This reduces the options consumer find in their local WalMart store.

Price myth #3 ? consumers prefer the cheapest products

This is actually a dangerous myth because it leads businesses to make bad pricing decisions ? it?s also the reason marketing broke off from economics 85 years ago this month. Sure, when it comes to buying a commodity like apples, consumers want the cheapest ones around. If you charge more than everyone else, you won?t sell a single apple.

But, when products are different (branded), consumers vary in their responses to price. Apple is an excellent example of this. Apple products sell for a significant premium price over all their competitors ? from iPhones, to tablets, to computers, to iPods. Are their products so technologically superior that they do tasks better or last longer? Don?t even get me started on THAT debate. But, the reality is that their price premium has little to do with their technology and everything to do with their brand image and brand loyalty. Apple owners would rather fight than switch (to borrow the slogan from a cigarette company). Buying Apple products is a symbol of coolness that Apple owners are willing to pay for.

Price myth #4 ? companies that charge more make more money

This is categorically untrue. In fact, LOWERING your price may actually generate more income than a higher price. That?s because income is a function of both price and quantity and consumers will buy more at a lower price than a higher price. So, when lowering your price leads to enough additional sales, you can make MORE money by lowering price.

In fact, it may be better for a firm to lower their price rather than spend a lot of money advertising their brand. Of course, this only works for brands that already have sufficient advertising to make consumers aware of their products in the first place. Firms can use sensitivity analysis to determine when lowering their price makes sense.

Pricing myth #5 ? you should charge the lowest price you can

This is a corollary to myth #3 which assumes consumers buy the lowest priced brands. In fact, especially in cases where it?s hard to determine how ?good? something is, consumers often use price to tell them something is good or better than something else. Cialdini tells a story in the first version of his book Persuasion about a store selling jewelry. The store owner leaves word to discount the jewelry by 50% so she can get rid of the slow moving inventory and replace it with something that might sell better. She comes back from a trip to discover her strategy worked ? all the jewelry is GONE. In discussions with her manager; however, she discovers the manager misunderstood her instructions and doubled the price of the jewelry.

So, how do you explain that the jewelry sold better at twice the price?

Easy. At twice the price the jewelry appeared to be genuine, while at half the price, the jewelry appears to be cheap costume junk.

Of course, this pricing strategy only works with products that consumers find difficult to judge (determine their true value) ? jewelry, professional services ? and items that only show their value over a long time ? cars, major appliances, furniture.

Price versus value

These myths exist because firms fail to understand that consumers exchange money for benefits. If your brand provides better or more benefits, it can charge more and still provide excellent value. And, remember, some of the benefits might be psychological rather than tangible benefits.

Hausman and Associates

Hausman and Associates, the publisher of Hausman Marketing Letter, strives for superior value for our clients by providing a virtual agency that eliminates overhead. Every dime a client spends goes directly into services that make their brand SIZZLE. We are not the cheapest agency out there, but we provide cutting edge services by the best people in the business. Please, take a minute to explore some of our service options or subscribe to our newsletter to discover more at the intersection of marketing and social media.

Be sure to subscribe to our email newsletter, where you?ll get even more insights to make your marketing SIZZLE Hausman Marketing Letter

Author: Angela Hausman, PhD???? Angela Hausman, PhD on the Web Angela Hausman, PhD on Facebook Angela Hausman, PhD on LinkedIn Angela Hausman, PhD on Google Plus

I?m a marketing professor at Howard University, Associate Editor for the European Journal of Marketing, a guest blogger, and the mother of 3 grown kids, 2 dogs, and 3 cats.? I operate Hausman & Associates, a full-service marketing firm operating at the intersection of marketing and social media?. View?full?profile

Source: http://www.business2community.com/branding/5-myths-about-the-price-for-your-brand-0312447

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E-Commerce Blog - How to create sales and interaction?

e-commerce blog

E-commerce Blog is an incredible tool for advertising your company website. Unlike other general blogs and social networking websites; e-commerce blogs are all about conversation. Blog readers are not there to passively read what is happening in the company; rather they are there to get information about the products, and services of your company, the latest updates, the payment options offered etc. These blogs help them in engaging, interesting, discussing and sharing their opinions and experiences with the company and the transactions made with them.

Tips ? Helping you move through the e-commerce blog success

You will not have any luck if you use the conventional modes of promoting your products and services amongst your targeted online customers. You now need to engage your customers and potential customers in a 2-way conversation on such blogs. Here are some tips that will help you in creating effective e-commerce blogs for your company:

Use E-commerce blogs for customer support

Since blogs are so conversation oriented, customer service is a good role in which these can be used to increase the sales of your company. Answer the queries of your customers through such blogs, make them informed, and help them become frequent purchasers of your products and services; further, help out the confused and frustrated customer.

Connect with other bloggers

E-commerce blogs are one of the best platforms for e-commerce websites. These are one of the most influencing factors which you need to focus on. Create a list of well-known bloggers in your niche and try to follow their footsteps. Whenever you get an opportunity to help or engage a blogger; or maybe share their posts, just take it. Develop a relationship on any social networking website and you will notice that you will get dividends in the form of positive reviews, mentions, and links.

Manage your reputation

No matter, whether you have the time to write blogs, create meaningful content, post regular comments or not; just make sure that your customers are regularly in touch with your blogs. But how can you do this? Hire a team of experienced and professional news media/content writers/journalists, who help you in managing your online reputation. Make sure to satisfy the customers who are dissatisfied. This is one of the best opportunities to make your customers voice their opinion about your company; besides it will also help you gain publicity.

Integrate E-commerce Blogs with your E-commerce Website

This is something which is more of a no-brainer; however if you are planning to get engaged with the e-commerce blog community, integrate the platform with your e-commerce shopping experience. This facilitates the customers to share the product shopping experience, post their comments and queries if any. Offer your customers a common shopping experience and this way you can position your brand at the top.

E-commerce blogs are one of the effective tools for market research. Follow these and you will see the customers following you. Once you are in this e-commerce blog community, you will be surprised to see the level of valuable information that you can glean about your customers. So use this tool and turn your visitors into prospective buyers.

Source: http://www.geekstrack.com/2012/10/e-commerce-blog-how-to-create-sales-and-interaction.html

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Fact check: Obama, Romney trade charges over federal auto bailout (Los Angeles Times)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/257524287?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Isabel Marant Sneakers Palmer isn8217t ? political science job rumors

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Together will get .Isabel Marant Dicker Bootsfor the fringe of this line of business, in addition to newer trainer Jack Harbaugh definitely will customise that wrongdoing there are various illegal as well as their particular skills. All of the shotgun together with threestep lose is actually Kaepernick is capable of doing. Harbaugh could make her an excellent gambler.10. Religious Contemplate, Vikings One particular, Year 8211 I8217m never choosing that will Speculate is getting ready to have fun with because of adventure underneath core. All the NFC East is. Think of is going to be motivated to perform much more than the guy can. This can help that will he8217ll execute at home sometimes, as your partner's provide isn8217t sound, and receiving Adrian Peterson behind your ex. That Vikings don8217t currently have anyone, together with Speculate has to carry out. And i also don8217t that way circumstance.Half a dozen. Mike Locker, Titans A person, E.Isabel Marant Bobby Sneakersight 8211 I8217m worried Locker should participate in prematurely ., not to mention he8217s clearly not necessarily prepared routinely. Once we look at the pup over the line of business in the form of novice, we8217ll discover everything that bad your guy from Dc. It is great if the The big players would visit sluggish having Locker you should Kerry Coll Example, within a as of late youtube Irsay marketed Hundred or so and a closed sports with the 1st personal to alternative any trivia query The way performed all of the Bad guy with ulp Fictionlike their coffeeAnswer Loads of cream. Numerous handsome. For the entire chit chat, then click here. Clemson Dom Dauan Bowers has nonetheless to take the line of business to try-out with respect to NFL coaches and teams considering that acquiring arthroscopic best knee procedure in Earnings, generating her physical exercise Ending friday extremely important.Isabel Marant Betty Sneakers .Presently there significantly using regarding Bowers8217 seasoned professional moment, we foresee workforce from all 33 clubs to end up being right now there, together with a variety of head teachers.Bowers is anticipated to help participatein almost all incorporate plus defensive brand exams and also soccer drills for kids. Clubs can be planning to assess if they have his own initiative back once again. They will must present quickness, explosiveness heli-copter flight basketball and then movements through the leg by means of most of the tools. The fact that precisely what scouts want them to exhibit.Should Bowersknee is OK and that he returning to not less than 75 %, and even more desirable, goods leagues have witnessed historically, however add use whatever anxieties. If the the truth, My spouse and i even so witness Bowers as being a top10 decide on in the draw.If one can find all other issues.Isabel Marant Bekket Sneakers around Bowerslongterm health and fitness, squads may need to rely on his her medical-related staffs to decide if perhaps one can find any sort of issues in the years ahead. Once they dress in go to whichever reasons why they can will be able to Totally prior to an start of offseason camps, in that respect there aren every troubles.Bowers will also get back to Indy soon for the healthcare recheck to get competitors.Quite, now there no reason at all pertaining to Bowers so that you can hurry a training in the event this guy not necessarily nutritious. Consequently just by your overall health and undertake it 04 Just one tells me who your partner's stay brilliant health care professionals believe the guy all set to go.Matchups should certainly examine Bowers the direction they consider almost every other battler. Go back to the beginning of the season and view all of the adhesive tape, as he portrayed equipment and lighting away. Within completely new training crew along with preserving sponsor, Kevin Steele, Bowers extremely picked up to the unique palette during Clemson survive year. Training companies executed what to help out Bowers, relocating her all around the self defense to take the advantage complete protections.Meant for American footbal crews, there won't be any concerns, whatsoever, abou

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