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A healthy dish is the first start to cooking a great meal and about finding the right balance of ingredients to create a succulent meal; which will leave your taste buds craving for more gourmet meals. If you have always dreamed of becoming a culinary chef there are endless possibilities in making your dreams come true.

You can take advantage of cooking schools located across the world which will provide you with the tips and pointers on how to make a great meal. It is about knowing how and when to baste turkey to make moist and juicy or how to sift your flour to get your biscuits nice and fluffy. All of this and more you can learn from an accredited cooking school based on the fundamentals of cooking to help master your culinary feats.

Most cooking schools will provide you with the understanding that getting started isn’t easy and will provide you with information and resource so you don’t feel overwhelmed about cooking. Cooking is enjoyment in life and indulging in fine foods that enhance your senses to a new level. You should love every minute of cooking and enjoy the time and preparation it takes to make the perfect meal.

A healthy dish is the first start to cook a great gourmet meal and will leave you feeling good about yourself after you are full from a dish of nutritious value. It is about taking the time to invest in the research to help you succeed in cooking in the right cooking school that will teach you the important basics to healthy eating. Cooking is a lifestyle and you should understand the basics of nutritious content in each meal you cook.

At the cooking school you select they should keep you motivated to explore new dishes and try new flavors in all of your meals. A great chef understands the value of a good recipe and the right resources to make you’re cooking great. It is about taking the time to learn the small tricks to enhance the flavors of your foods, and how to cook them slowly to bring out the best taste in aromatic spices.

Almost all cooking schools are accredited throughout the world and will train you to be the head chef of your own fabulous restaurant. They will not only teach you the necessary skills to making a great meal but also provide the basics to running your own business. If you are ready to make a career choice in cooking you need to do the research to decide which school is right for you and how it will help to be the best chef in your own restaurant.

The valuable resources you will learn from cooking school are priceless in teaching you about the necessary tasks to succeed at being a great chef in your own home or restaurant. They understand the importance of cooking and love to cook themselves which is why they provide you with the best resources to learn to cook satisfying meals.

A healthy dish is the first start to cooking a great meal and about finding the right balance of ingredients to create a succulent meal, which will leave your taste buds craving for more gourmet meals. If you have always dreamed of becoming a culinary chef there are endless possibilities in making your dreams come true.

You can take advantage of cooking schools located across the world which will provide you with the tips and pointers on how to make a great meal. It is about knowing how and when to baste turkey to make moist and juicy or how to sift your flour to get your biscuits nice and fluffy. All of this and more you can learn from an accredited cooking school based on the fundamentals of cooking to help master your culinary feats.

Most cooking schools will provide you with the understanding that getting started isn’t easy and will provide you with information and resource so you don’t feel overwhelmed about cooking. Cooking is enjoyment in life and indulging in fine foods that enhance your senses to a new level. You should love every minute of cooking and enjoy the time and preparation it takes to make the perfect meal.

A healthy dish is the first start to cook a great gourmet meal and will leave you feeling good about yourself after you are full from a dish of nutritious value. It is about taking the time to invest in the research to help you succeed in cooking in the right cooking school that will teach you the important basics to healthy eating. Cooking is a lifestyle and you should understand the basics of nutritious content in each meal you cook.

At the cooking school you select they should keep you motivated to explore new dishes and try new flavors in all of your meals. A great chef understands the value of a good recipe and the right resources to make you’re cooking great. It is about taking the time to learn the small tricks to enhance the flavors of your foods, and how to cook them slowly to bring out the best taste in aromatic spices.

Almost all cooking schools are accredited throughout the world and will train you to be the head chef of your own fabulous restaurant. They will not only teach you the necessary skills to making a great meal but also provide the basics to running your own business. If you are ready to make a career choice in cooking you need to do the research to decide which school is right for you and how it will help to be the best chef in your own restaurant.

The valuable resources you will learn from cooking school are priceless in teaching you about the necessary tasks to succeed at being a great chef in your own home or restaurant. They understand the importance of cooking and love to cook themselves which is why they provide you with the best resources to learn to cook satisfying meals.

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If you have ever tried to take a picture of your dog, you will realize how hard it is to capture the pups full personality and beauty in a photograph. Dogs aren’t human, and they don’t understand what we are doing when we try to take their photo. They may think that the camera is a toy and charge at you, instead of striking a pose. If you follow these tips, and take your cues from your pet, you can be assured of great photos of your pet.

Pets come in all colors. If your dog is dark, you will need to make sure that he doesn’t get lost in your photo due to a dark background. Dark animals photograph best with light colored or neutral backgrounds. You can use white, grey, or creamy beige backdrops. You should never take a photo of a Black Lab, or a German Shepherd, against a dark background. It conceals the true color of your dog, and the dark background can also conceal the true size, shape and proportions of your pet.

The same rules apply with pets that have light coats. If you have an apricot or white puppy, you would not place her in front of a white wall for a picture. Photographs of animals need to capture the color and texture of their coats. If you have a white toy poodle, you would want to place her on, or in front of, a black, blue or brown backdrop. This will assure that the poodle’s springy white curls are the focus of the picture. It is important that you choose a background that compliments your dog, and doesn’t hide its beauty.

The hardest thing to do is to get your pet to sit still for a photo. The best time to arrange a photo session with your pet is when they are tired, or sleepy. One trick is to lay the correct color of sheet or blanket over your couch or chair. Allow your pet to lie there after he has had a good half hour of vigorous play. Once your dog appears to start dozing off, get its attention by a low whistle, a squeak from a squeaky toy, or the sight of a treat. The animal will perk up immediately and appear to be wide awake. It is important that you are ready to snap the shots immediately. For a larger dog you can drape its bed with the correct color of sheet or blanket. It is also best to take your pet’s picture when they are well fed. That way they are not distracted by wanting food while they are modelling for you. The treats you hold up will be more a curiosity item to them, instead of a hopeful dinner.

In professional animal pictures, usually the full body of the animal is shown. This allows the viewer to get a general idea of the size and proportions of the animal. It also will allow the viewer to get an idea of the animal’s general health and appearance. You wouldn’t want to have just a head shot of your pet if it had unique colorings that made it cute. Some animals appear to be wearing little white socks on their paws, or the ends of their tails may appear to have been dipped in a paint bucket. Be sure that your picture captures all of the unique things about your entire dog. However, if your dog just has an irresistible face, you can take head shots. Some pets will appear to smile when they are very happy. Nothing says “love me” like an innocent puppy face. You need to be conscious of the background. Even if the color is right, if it’s cluttered it will be distracting and take away from the pet. It is also important to make sure that your pet is in the center of the shot, and that it is not cropped off just before the tip of the ears, or tail.

When you are taking photos of your pets, it is important that you are at least at the animals eye level, or below. This gives the picture the sense of being from the dog’s viewpoint. You can accomplish this by elevating your dog to a higher position, like the staircase, or furniture. Or, you can lie on your stomach to achieve the same results. You need to zoom in as close as possible, while still capturing the entire body of your dog. You can edit out any red eye, later.

It is best to use a digital camera when you are photographing animals. With digital cameras you are not out any extra money for the photos that didn’t take because Spot looked away. With a digital camera you are free to take as many pictures of your animal as you like, so snap away. You can choose the best ones later, and delete the rest. You have more freedom with a digital camera. You are not constrained to just a set number of pictures, and you do not have to sit and wonder if they worked while they are getting developed.

If you plan to take pictures of your pet outside, it is best to do this early in the morning, or late in the evening. The natural lighting is better for photographs during these periods of the day. You still need to keep in mind the color choices of your background. You can take a picture of your black puppy sitting on a white patio, or in front of your home if you have light colored siding, or brick. You can take a picture of your white dog in a flower bed that has black mulch, or sitting in front of a dark brick wall. Most animals can obey the command of sitting. Some animals will even sit if they have a leash on, even if it is not being held. Outdoor, natural lighting works the best when you want to show the texture of your animal’s coat.

The expression of your dog is one of the most important things you need to keep in mind when you are photographing your animal. If your animal is ill, or having a bad day, you may want to reschedule your photo session to a later time. A wet and moist looking nose is a must in all pet photos. If your pet is feeling unwell, they probably aren’t up for their photo being taken. If your breed of pet should have perky ears, and they are laying down because the pet is not as cheery as usual, you should postpone your picture taking, as well. You should never take a picture of your pet if they have runny eyes due to an infection. Wait until your pet is doctored and feeling more like their cheery, upbeat self.

You can take action shots of your pet. Does your pet like to catch frisbee’s or herd sheep? To capture your pet in action you must learn what photographer’s term “panning.” The key to panning is to follow along with your pet as they are moving. You need to click away capturing them throughout their activity. You can choose a film that is made for action shots to get good results.

You know your pet and what excites them. Does your pet like to stand on two feet and beg for a certain toy, or treat? If so, then get someone to assist you during this photo. They can interact with the dog while you snap the pictures. These shots are great ways of showing the personality of your dog. Does your dog like to tilt its head when it hears a certain noise? Then be ready to capture their photo while your assistant provides the noise. Does your dog like to hide in the shrubs, or get playful with a ball? You can also capture these types of photos if you are tuned in and ready with your camera.

Photographs are a great way of preserving the beauty and personality of an animal. Just keep in mind background color, and try to photograph your pet for still shots when they are well fed and somewhat sleepy. If you photograph outside, try to arrange your photo time in the morning or late evening hours, and don’t take their pictures directly facing the sun. Make sure your pet is feeling physically well so that their personality can be captured, and if you use a digital camera you won’t have to worry about wasting film. If you take action shots, practice the panning technique. If your pet performs tricks, enlist the aid of a helper and photograph your animal performing. Photographs will be around forever, and if you do them correctly they can reveal a lot about your pet. Take your cues from your animal and you will have wonderful photographs every time.

Copyright © 2005, Ian White

Author Ian White is founder of http://www.pet-sitters.biz Pet-Sitters.biz specializes in helping pet sitters and pet owners connect to each other. Your pet will miss you, but their environment remains intact. Find and screen a sitter for your pet or advertise your pet care business. Find a home visit Pet Sitting service

Today, more and more people are setting out to buy Japanese used cars. Although most of these used car buyers know everything about cars as well as car buying techniques, but what they are not quite sure of is, “How to import used cars from Japan?” Why Buy Used Japanese Cars?

Considering the growing popularity of used Japanese cars, the most pertinent question that arises is, “Why do people have preference for used Japanese cars?” One of the foremost reasons for favoring Japanese used cars is that since innumerable years, Japan has been a leader in car manufacturing. Japanese cars as Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi, Suzuki and Mazda are famous throughout the world for their excellence, value and steadfastness.

Another reason for opting for Japanese used car is the wide assortment of car models that are available for selection, and almost all of them come with ultra-advanced features such as power steering, air bags, air conditioning, power windows and high performance engine.

One more reason why buying used Japanese cars is worthwhile is that they are maintained in excellent condition, both cosmetically and mechanically. World-class public transportation system, heavy traffic conditions, high toll and parking fees, and stringent rules of Japanese government with regards to proper maintenance of car safety system are some primary reasons why Japanese cars are used infrequently, and hence, are technically sound.

Where to Buy Japanese Used Cars?

Once, you’re convinced that Japanese used cars are the best; the primary question that impinges your mind is, “Where to buy used Japanese cars from?” There are several dealers and exporters who supply Japanese used cars, you can easily purchase your used Japanese car from them. However, in reality all these people get the used cars from major auction houses.

These auction houses get used Japanese cars from two main sources. Firstly, from Kaitori Shop, which concentrate on purchasing cars from individuals who sell their Japanese used or new cars to fulfill their urgent monetary needs, and secondly, from car dealers, who trade in used Japanese car for a new model. Thus, auction houses have a wide variety of used Japanese cars, and all of them are available at very low prices to professional buyers such as dealers and exporters. Hence, it would be a better proposition to buy your used Japanese car directly from such auction houses rather than obtain it from intermediate dealers and exporters.

However, you cannot purchase Japanese used cars directly from auctions because you cannot become a member of these auction houses. Only used car dealers and exporters, who have a license to do business in used cars, can apply for the membership. Furthermore, there are several strict contract terms that have to be followed when applying for the membership. Nevertheless, there are several used car exporters as [http://www.auctiondirectjapan.com], who provide “Auction Agent” service, that is, purchase Japanese used cars from auctions or from One Price (for sale at fixed wholesale price, until the next auctions). They also handle all the necessary procedure for shipping Japanese used cars.

How to Inspect the Condition of Used Japanese Cars?

When you buy used Japanese cars from online auction houses, using an “Auction Agent”, you would neither get a chance to inspect your Japanese used car from close quarters nor you would have the privilege to test drive the used car before purchasing it. Hence, to know more about the condition of the car, you would have to depend solely upon the ‘Auction-Sheet’, which is nothing, but a car evaluation sheet prepared by the auction house.

Although all auction houses have different criteria for measuring the condition of the Japanese used cars, but some parameters are the same. For instance, they allocate grades 2 to 5 or 6 to S for the condition of car exteriors, and grades A to C for the state of car interiors.

Apart from external and internal condition, mileage is the next most crucial factor that used car buyers’ worry about. The auction houses take care of this aspect. The seller is compelled to divulge the correct mileage. If the owner rolls back the mileage to hide the true figures, he is severely penalized by the auction house.

Another worrisome aspect related to Japanese used cars is the accident record. Even though it is difficult to ascertain this fact, but the auction houses have the ways and means to extract the truth, and the details are given in the auction sheet.

How to Import Japanese Used Cars?

Most used car buyers hold the opinion that it is usually difficult to import used Japanese car. Nonetheless, importing used cars from Japan is not at all difficult if you know the correct process. Here is a glimpse of the entire procedure that is put into practice while importing Japanese used cars.

1. Find out details about every law dealing with import of foreign cars in your country.

2. If you haven’t found the right used Japanese car as yet, then you would have to send a request to the dealer to find the right car for you first.

3. Before giving a confirmation to the exporter/dealer (Auction Agent) to buy the used car, you should (1) check recent market price of your favorite car, which is usually provided by Japanese used car exporter or dealer (Auction Agent); (2) read the auction sheet very carefully; and (3) decide your budget to bid from auctions or purchase from One Price.

4. The next step is to make the payment. Before issuing the check, you should verify the authenticity of the exporter/dealer. This can be done in two ways: (1) by getting the company registration number and address confirmed at Japanese embassy in your country, (2) by checking if your exporter is a member of JUMVEA (Japan Used Motor Vehicle Exporter Association), which is the most reputable organization in the Japanese used car export industry, and is officially accredited by Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japanese Government.

5. On arrival of the used car in your country, you would have to reproduce the documents that the exporter/dealer has sent to you. Thereafter, you would have to complete a few official procedures as paying import tax, getting your Japanese used car tested and insured etc. Once, you do that, you can drive your used Japanese car home.

About the Author

Sadayoshi Miyakuni, CEO of M’s Crew Co., Ltd. who runs [http://www.auctiondirectjapan.com]

On-campus education vs. online education! Is one better than the other? Can one completely replace the other? Indeed it seems that online education is the way of the future. Educational institutions, corporations and government organizations alike already offer various forms of electronic teaching. However, can a computer truly replace a teacher and a blackboard?

How people learn

Each individual has a form of learning that suits them best. Some individuals achieve fantastic results in courses taught online, however most people drop out of 100% computer-led courses. Educational institutions, as well as companies in carrying out staff training, must recognize that there is no ideal way to carry out the teaching of a large group of individuals, and so must design programs that best suits the needs of the group as a whole.

People learn using multiple senses. This involves learning through both theoretical components of a course, as well as social interaction with both instructors and other students. Students learn from each other’s mistakes and successes, not just from what they are told by instructors.

Each individual student has an ideal learning pace. Instructors are therefore faced with the challenge of designing courses that move forward such that those students with a slower learning pace do not get left behind, while not moving so slowly that students with faster learning paces get bored.

Online education

In the age of high-speed information transfer, online education is becoming a popular and cheap means for delivering teaching to individuals outside the classroom, and in some cases all over the world. Teaching can be via CD, websites, or through real-time online facilities such as webcasts, webinars and virtual classrooms. However, different methods of online education each have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Online education is still a relatively new concept, and in many respects still in the teething stages. As such, various problems arrive across different online education environments. For example:

1. Lack of immediate feedback in asynchronous learning environments: While some online education environments such as webcasts, webinars and virtual classrooms operate live with the addition of an instructor, most do not. Teaching that is delivered through a CD or website, although having the advantage of being self-paced, provides no immediate feedback from a live instructor.

2. More preparation required on the part of the instructor: In an online education environment, an instructor can not simply stand in front of a whiteboard and deliver a class. Lessons in online education environments must be prepared ahead of time, along with any notes and instructions that may accompany the teaching.

In many cases it would also be necessary that the instructor not only understands the concepts being taught, but the technology used to deliver that teaching. This therefore increases the skill-levels needed of online education instructors, placing greater demand on educational institutions.

Staffing levels may also be higher for courses run in an online education environment, requiring for example:

The Instructor – able to teach both course content and be skilled in the use of technologies involved

The Facilitator – to assist the instructor in delivering content, but may do so remotely

Help Desk – to offer assistance to instructors, facilitators and students in the use of both software and hardware used to deliver the course.

3. Not all people are comfortable with online education: Education is no longer only sought by the world’s youth. With an increased trend towards adult and continuing education, there is a need to design courses suitable for students over a larger age-range, as well as students from different and varied backgrounds. It is difficult, however, to design online education environments suitable for everyone.

4. Increased potential for frustration, anxiety and confusion: In an online education environment, there are a greater number of parts making up the system that can fail. Server failures may prevent online courses from operating. Software based teaching applications may require other specific components to operate. Computer viruses may infect software necessary to run online education environments. If these systems are complex, students may choose the ease of On-campus education rather than taking the additional time and effort necessary to master the use of online education systems.

5. The Digital Divide: Many people who live in remote areas and developing countries do not have access to computers, making any form of online education virtually impossible. For this reason, online education is only able to be targeted at the people lucky enough to be able to take advantage of the technology involved. Similarly, offering live teaching across the world means that different time zones and nationalities increase the demand for multi-skilled instructors.

In addition to these, there are also several legal issues associated with maintaining an online education environment. For example, intellectual property laws, particularly those relating to copyright, may or may not fully cover electronically created intellectual property. For example, information on a website is not necessarily considered to be public domain, despite being available to everyone. However, the Australian Copyright Act was amended in 2001 to ensure that copyright owners of electronic materials, including online education environments, could continue to provide their works commercially.

On-Campus Education

Still the most common form of instruction is traditional classroom-style learning. These instructor-led environments are more personal than online education environments, and also have the advantage of allowing for immediate feedback both to and from student and teachers alike. However, the classroom allows for less flexibility than courses run in online education environments.

Instructors in modern classroom environments are still able to take advantage of several forms of electronic teaching tools while still maintaining the atmosphere associated with the traditional classroom environment. For example, PowerPoint slides can be utilized instead of a whiteboard or blackboard. Handouts can be distributed via course websites prior to the event. However, on the day, students are still able to actively participate in the lesson.

Like online education environments, On-campus education comes with certain drawbacks, the most common of which is the classroom itself. This requires a group of people which, in a university for example, could reach a few hundred people in size, to gather in the same place at the same time. This requires enormous time and financial commitment on behalf of both the students and the educational institution.

However, it is this sort of environment that is most familiar to students across the world. People of all ages can access a classroom environment feeling comfortable with the way that a classroom-run course is carried out. Older students who may not be comfortable with the use of information technology are not required to navigate their way through possibly complex online education environments, making On-campus education the most accessible form of teaching.

On-campus education has one advantage that 100% electronically delivered courses can not offer – social interaction. Learning comes from observing, not only what is written on a page or presented in a slideshow, but what is observed in others. Most students are naturally curious, and so will want to ask questions of their instructors. The classroom environment allows students to clarify what is being taught not only with their instructors, but with other students.

So, Which is Better?

There is no style of instruction that will best suit every student. Studies have shown (Can online education replace On-campus education) that courses where online education is used to complement On-campus education have proved more effective than courses delivered entirely using only one method. These courses take advantage of both online education materials and a live instructor, and have produced results higher than those of students in either 100% online education or classroom environment courses. Students have the advantage of the immediate feedback and social interaction that comes with the classroom environment, as well as the convenience of self-paced online education modules that can be undertaken when it best suits the student.

It would seem that online education environments will never completely replace On-campus education. There is no “one size fits all” method of teaching. Teaching styles will continue to adapt to find the method that best fits the learning group. Using a mix of online education environments and classroom sessions, educational institutions, corporations and government organizations can ensure that training is delivered that is convenient and effective for both instructors and students alike.

Mathew Simond is a journalist and copywriter. He is also a webmaster of many websites including http://www.paralegal-degree.org and http://www.humanservicesdegree.net

He aims to provide healthy information and advice on academic degrees.

I love to cook over real fire! Whether on a gas grill, charcoal grill, smoker grill, fire pit or even in my fireplace, cooking with fire is fun and creates unique and delicious aromas and flavors that enhance many foods greatly. But by far my very favorite way to cook is over a real hardwood firewood fire. While good charcoal and smoker cooking can certainly give you some nice char-broiled wood flavors, there is nothing quite like a real wood fire. There is something very primitive and romantic about it, harking back to pre-modern times when food was all cooked over an open wood fire.

Most people do not take advantage of real wood to cook anymore because technology has made things easier for us. Between gas stoves and grills and easy to light charcoal, cooking with fire is quick, easy and pretty much hassle free nowadays. However, there is something to be said for a leisurely afternoon, building a real fire and then using that fire to perfectly cook your grilled meal. Sometimes I don’t want “quick”, “easy” or the bare minimum.

So for all those like-minded grillers out there, those who want to get a little more primitive and a lot more delicious, here are some tips for how to cook with real firewood on your grill, fire pit or even in your fireplace. It takes some time and it take some practice to get right, but I think you will love the results!

Choose Good Hardwoods

At the heart of great wood cooking is good firewood which burns long, hot and gives off savory aromas. Don’t skimp in this department! All of the smoky, grilled flavor that you get in your food comes from your wood so if you use bad wood, your results will be bad. So what is bad? First of all, avoid softwoods in general.

Softwoods burn easily and hot but don’t burn as long and don’t tend to develop long-lasting hot embers at their core. Softwoods, like pine for example, also tend to be fairly resinous and many give off piney or other sharp smells which, while not unpleasant, do not pair well with food. You can use softwoods to help get your fire started, but what you really want for the majority of your firewood is good, seasoned hardwoods.

Hardwoods are denser and will burn longer and hotter. They take longer to get started, but the extra work is worth it. There are dozens of hardwoods that make great fuel for cooking, some of which have very distinct and delicious aromas and flavors. Oak is very common, which gives off a rich, smokey aroma. I prefer fruit and nut woods as they tend to have a milder, almost sweet, aroma. Some excellent choices are almond wood, apple wood, pear wood, and pecan wood, if you can find them. Most people know about mesquite and hickory for smoking, but they are also hardwoods which make excellent fuel. If you happen to live on a vineyard, old grape vine cuttings make great wood for quick fires!

Build Your Fire Ahead

As I mentioned above, starting a hardwood fire can take some time to really get going. In addition, because you want to cook with embers as much as possible, you want to give your fire a chance to burn down as much as possible before you throw food on top. This can take quite a long time and depending on how much you are planning to cook and how big your fire pit or grill is, this can take literally several hours to build the fire, keep feeding it to build up a core of embers, and then let the large flames die down before starting to cook. Of note, while I generally prefer to do this type of wood fire cooking on an outdoor fire pit with a grill grate, most people don’t realize that you can burn a wood fire in most heavy duty charcoal grills as long as it is big enough. I have used the large Weber 22-1/2″ charcoal kettle grills to good effect as well as some Char-Broil charcoal grills.

Cook with Embers

As mentioned above, when cooking with real firewood, cooking over the hot embers is ideal. Why? A new fire, which has just been started does not give off much heat. Additionally, there are large flames coming up from the wood. If you lay a grill grate across this young fire, you will not get much radiant heat and instead will have big open flames lapping up around your food. This spells disaster for grill cooking! Your food will not cook on the inside very fast and the outside will catch fire and get burned to a crisp in no time!

To avoid this and to get the most of your firewood, take your time and start early. Red glowing embers give off tons of heat and don’t have big flames. If cooking in a fire pit or large grill, start your fire early and keep adding wood for a while to build up a deep core of hot, glowing red embers at the bottom. Then let the top wood burn down until you barely have any flames left, just a big, deep pile of red embers. These embers give off a lot of heat and because they don’t have large flames, they are less likely to char your food to a crisp. Only then should you lay your grill grate across and add your food. If you are cooking a lot and the heat starts to die down, stirring the embers with a poker helps to get more oxygen to the wood and will increase the heat for a while. If you really need more fuel, you can add firewood to the side and only push it over, under the cooking area, when it has burned down and no longer has large flames.

Rotisserie Cooking

One way to get a lot out of your wood fire cooking is to use a rotisserie. There are various rotisserie contraptions that can be purchased at grilling and camping supply stores. These are basically a large motorized or hand-turned spit that rotates over your fire pit. This is advantages for several reasons. First of all, for large roasts, such as whole poultry, pigs, and other large roasts, it gives you a very even, consistent cooking heat throughout the meat so that your food stays succulent and evenly done.

Also, for these larger roasts, laying them directly over hot embers can burn the surface long before the interior is even warm. Finally, the rotisserie can hold your food a considerable distance above your wood fire so that you can even cook over open flames without your food burning. If high enough, only the rising heat, not the actual flames, reaches your food, which is perfectly rotated in the aromatic smoke. Therefore, prep time is reduced as you don’t have to burn your wood down to embers first, although some embers help to supply adequate heat. For grilled leg of lamb and whole chicken and game birds, rotisserie cooking over a fire pit is one of my favorites!

Fireplace Cooking

In the winter it is often too cold outside to cook outdoors. However, many of us have a wonderful real wood cooking area right in our homes, although some of us don’t realize it. Most fireplaces are used exclusively for heat and ambiance these days, but years ago it was the primary cooking area in many houses. I love hearth cooking and it is not as difficult as most people think. For most types of fireplace cooking, special equipment is needed. There are fireplace cranes available which hold a handled Dutch oven pot or kettle over your fire to cook stews, soups or coffee. Fireplace grills are available which is basically a grill grate that sits over your firewood grate in the fireplace and allows you to grill any number of foods.

Even fireplace rotisseries are available which sit just in front of the fireplace and slowly turn your roast meats. But if you don’t want to invest in any extra equipment, there is always string-turned fireplace cooking. Traditionally a way to roast a leg of lamb in front of the fire, I have adapted string-turning to roast a number of different types of roasts, from whole poultry to tri-tip. All you need is a long piece of kitchen twine and a screw or hook installed in your mantle above your fireplace. The weight of the roast slowly spins it on the string so that you have a poor man’s rotisserie without a lot of extra equipment!

An Alternative

Finally, if all of the above seems like too much work and too much hassle there are easier alternatives to infuse wood smoke flavor into your food. Using smoking wood chips or chunks in either a barbecue or dedicated smoker grill is an option. Smoker cooking can really give you rich, aromatic smoke flavors in your foods. However, because you are using standard charcoal or gas as a fuel source, you avoid much of the hassle of cooking with real firewood.

I hope these tips help to get you started cooking with real firewood to bring your grill cooking to a new level of fun and flavor. Remember to always be safe when using fire of any type! Follow all basic fire safety rules so that only your food gets cooked!

Josh Dusick is the editor of the Fire Pit and Grilling Guru website at http://www.firepit-and-grilling-guru.com where you can get information about grills, barbecues, fire pits, indoor grills, firewood, charcoal, grill and fire pit cooking, cooking in your fireplace, grill food and wine pairing and even how to build an outdoor fire pit. Take your cooking with fire to the next level!

The auto repair quotes that you get for your automobile vary with the service provider. There are many auto service providers who are happy to give you auto repair quotes. You can either get them from the service provider in your locality or from the leading auto repair company in your area.

Before getting a quote, make a preliminary list of repairs that need to be done that you know of. If you are not clear as to what you need, you may end up spending wasted time and money of what could have been just a simple repair. Go to your local mechanic for quotes before deciding on where to take your automobile. They will give you an idea as to exactly what expenses are involved, and what repairs are critical, as opposed to not necessary. You may decide to stick with your mechanic or go to a dealer for repairs. Whatever you decide, you’ll have valuable information in your hands regarding the repairs that need to be done, and what one mechanic would charge to do the repairs.

There are also free checkup camps that are held at major car dealer manufacturers. Here, your car will be evaluated for problems at no charge to you. If problems are found, these events may even offer discounts on parts and repairs that you can take advantage of. They will also give you repair quotes that you can pass on to a repair shop.

If you know what is the kind of repair that is needed for your car, then you can get auto repair quotes online on websites dedicated for autos. All you have to do is type in information about you and your car and what repairs need to be done. You will receive instant auto repair online quotes. You can get auto repair quotes from multiple vendors and compare them to get the best deal.

Auto Quotes provides detailed information on Auto Quotes, Instant Auto Insurance Quotes, Auto Glass Quotes, Auto Repair Quotes and more. Auto Quotes is affiliated with Auto Dealer Auctions [http://www.i-AutoDealers.com].

Have you ever achieved an important goal or dream, yet quickly moved on to the next task? Or maybe you boldly took a risk, yet your performance didn’t meet your expectations or others? Or maybe the perfectionist in you felt the accomplishment wasn’t big enough or worthy of celebration? Do you generously celebrate your wins?

I thought I was someone who was good about celebrating successes. And, maybe you have too. But recently, a few significant events opened my eyes to the importance of celebrating and the costs associated when accomplishments are minimized, criticized or glossed over. I invite you to explore the “celebration factor” in your life, as I share my own recent experiences with you. It’s forever changed my relationship with celebration, and how I intend to consciously choose to honor the big and little achievements along life’s path.

It’s no secret that I’ve been busily working on preparing my book for publication. While there are numerous tasks and milestones along the way, going to print is one of the biggies. December marked the first print run of 125 galley copies for book reviewers. While I consciously knew this was a great achievement, the event was sort of lost in the flurry of other activities. Instead of feeling elated and joyous, I have to admit my experience was more like a mini postpartum depression. I had a bodywork session, and didn’t think much of it.

Not too long ago, I uploaded the files for the first BIG print run. There wasn’t a parade or party. The files were simply uploaded. Mission accomplished. Yet, my task list seemed as overwhelming as ever. Once again, I felt my normal happy self uncontrollably nose-diving into droopiness. This postpartum-like depression seemed worse than before. It was awful! Conversations with other authors confirmed this was something they had experienced too. But, why? Would some conscious celebrating have helped?

A third event brought me even more clarity. Last weekend, I attended a workshop. Since this next phase for me is about putting myself into the public eye, I decided to participate in the amateur talent show. This was definitely outside my comfort zone, as I don’t consider myself a performer AT ALL. But, I’ve admired women who dance freely in front of a group, and thought it could be fun. More importantly, I decided it would be a metaphor for authentically expressing myself in front of a group. I figured if I couldn’t put myself out there in front of a supportive, loving group, then I’d be in big trouble on my book tour.

So, I went for it. I gathered tips from the dance instructors who happened to be attending the event. There was virtually no time to practice. My legs were shaking terribly in anticipation of this event. I was nervous. I hate making a fool of myself. But, before I knew it – I DID my performance. They all clapped and loved it.

Did I celebrate? Heck no. I stood in the back of the room replaying the performance in my mind, my body still shaking a bit. The critic was active with judgments. I had moved too quickly. I had forgotten some of the tips, like breathing. Could everyone tell how nervous I was? As others congratulated me, I deflected their comments, minimizing their kind words. How many times have YOU deflected or minimized acknowledgment from others?

I explained to others that it wasn’t perfect. The truth is, there were parts of the performance that were fabulous, and I felt amazing and powerful at certain moments. Other parts of the performance were a tad awkward, and a tinge of nervousness shined through. Overall, it was pretty darn good, especially considering it was a first time experience. While everyone was focused on the overall performance, I was fixated on the imperfections. Performance aside, simply the courage to do it was worthy of celebration. How many times do you refrain from celebration when your desired outcome falls short of expectations?

I eventually got tired of pushing the accolades away, and knew it would be useful to break this nasty habit. This whole experience served as a metaphor in TWO big ways. First off, it’s not about doing it perfectly. It’s about doing my best, being my authentic myself, and enjoying the process. This is something I’d like to keep in mind, as I set out on my journey as a published author. No doubt I will have a few awkward steps in the eyes of the public. Perhaps you’ll join me in trading the aspiration of perfection for full self-expression and a joyful journey — in your own life?

Secondly, I realized that once again, I wasn’t letting the celebration in. FEELING the celebration is key. Positively anchoring an accomplishment conditions us to continually risk, express ourselves and achieve more. I have been working on this since then. And, taking in the celebration feels AMAZING. What is something that you need to celebrate in your life? I challenge you to go for it.

As things turned out, the book spine needed some width adjustments, last minute endorsements came in and we caught a few needed corrections. On Wednesday night, the final-final .pdf files for The Power of Inner Choice were uploaded to the printer. At last.

I am a good student, and so is my boyfriend. And, the lessons were fresh. This was the landmark moment that wasn’t going to be brushed aside this time. I hypothesized that minimal celebration had contributed to the droopiness. We wanted to avoid the previous slump at all costs. So, Wednesday night became the time to celebrate.

How would you have celebrated?

Our last minute celebration consisted of fresh halibut, Gorgonzola Gnocchi from Trader Joe’s (it’s very yummy!), an exceptional bottle of wine – and one of our favorite dessert treats. But, it wasn’t the food, it was the ATTITUDE of celebration. Making the evening special just because we decided to. Most importantly, I took the celebration inside of me and FELT it. And, I’m happy to say — there was NO slump yesterday. Now it’s time to celebrate the book release!

Celebration is about honoring yourself. It refuels the fire. It soothes the soul. And, it FEELS GOOD! Without it, our efforts can take the wind out of our sails. Life is full of big and little opportunities to celebrate. Some would say that CELEBRATING and experiencing joy IS what life is all about. I’m beginning to believe that is simply the truth.

Are you CELEBRATING your life?

I

t’s not too late to start celebrating every step of YOUR journey. Celebrate with me. Celebrate with your loved ones. Celebrate with yourself. Just start celebrating.

Mary Allen, CPCC, MCC is author of The Power of Inner Choice. She hosts Conversations with the Masters interviewing best-selling authors via free, live conference calls. Visit http://www.lifecoachmary.com to learn about coaching, her popular year-long Success and Inner Peace Bootcamp and tap into a wealth of resources including her ezine SoulFULLY Living, and Your Daily Gems.

So now its time to take that big plunge and be your own boss. Where will I start? What do I look for? And for that matter what business will I buy? Will I relocate? Can I get finance? Who do I go to for the right advise?

These are just a few of the concerns when you decide on buying a business and believe me its not an easy road ahead, but with the right advise and the right business for you there are rewards unlimited to help you on the way to building a bank and a good quality of life. This article will help you all the way.

Important Points when Buying a Business

Every day I receive emails from purchasers and business owners needing assistance in selling or buying. I use my many years of experience in business sales and running a chain of shops to assist them in the right decision for them. It’s a bit like a psychologist really. Its just not a sale for me, it’s a dedication.

The first thing to remember is you must get it right the first time because the business you buy you should be in for at least 4 to 7 years. I advise my vendors and purchasers to give yourself a 4 year plan. You may love the business so much you want to stay longer but the majority of people are burnt out after 4 years and are looking for a change, especially if it’s a café or restaurant, and if you feel it’s wearing you down the business will suffer if you don’t sell then and of course you won’t achieve a good price if the business is run down.

Finding a Business!

I find in my business newspaper advertising brings me very little sales. My statistics tell me a genuine purchaser will go to the search engines to find a broker and scan the listings. We do use the papers to get our website name out there and this works to our advantage far more than a long expensive add that lasts one day. Our site http://www.bestbusinessbuyes.com.au is the most valuable tool we have and our journal Best Business Buys gives you months of good reading to give a purchaser information on how to buy and where. So scan the net under search engines business brokers, if you can not find a business on our site there are other brokers listed that may be of assistance to you. Or better still tell us what you want and we will go find it for you!

Anywhere in Australia.

Problems with Newspaper Adverts

You will often see a private add in the paper and you may think this is great, we will cut out the agent and get the business cheaper.

DON’T BE FOOLED!

Now I am not saying all private adds are no good, some may work out, but in my experience those people who try to do it themselves do it because they have either been burnt by an agent not servicing their business, so they think they will do it alone, or the profit is low in the business and they need a quick sale, or of course the common one the agents fee offends the owner and he thinks he can do it better himself. Or he may think the advertising costs to sell his business is less if he dose it himself.

WRONG!

When you are dealing with a private sale you feel uncomfortable saying what you really think, and uncomfortable asking certain questions so as not to offend the owner. With a broker you can be open and tell us all your concerns. We will work them out with the owner and rectify them if possible. We as the agents should now the business as well as the owners, that’s our job. I look at a business when I list it as my own and sell it as if it was my own. A good broker should be there to help you with that sale to the end. Too many owners who try to sell themselves end up in conflict with their buyers.

And after a few months of failures TRYING to qualify buyers he finds out it’s not that easy & worst of it he has given out his figures all over town for all the clients to see, so the business you are looking at has been exposed to untold people who may be using that information to start down the road.

The poor owner ends up coming to us anyway. Remember if you stay with the broker handling the sale of the business he should be the one to assist you all the way, and if that business does not work out the best for you he most often then not will find you another.

You Have Found the Business you Want to Buy!

The first thing you will need is finance. Are you already cashed up? Or do you need finance. Are you on a redundancy package? These are all the questions your broker should ask before you plunge into a sale.

We are financiers and finance most of the businesses we sell without supplying figures to obtain the loan. Remember the majority of businesses do not always show the true figures of the business but if you look back at the ad backs of that business the business may be a very viable business. Most accountants will reduce the net profits for a business, so the tax implications are not so high for that business. If the adjusted profits are good the business is saleable and your broker will advise you of this at the time. But never, ever buy a business on hearsay of the takings, if its not in BALACK AND WHITE in the accountants formatted profit and loss statement then its not considered saleable. Never buy unseen profits.

Business Finance

For finance to buy the business you will need to complete an application. This way you will know how much you can afford to borrow on the business you are looking at. Not all Brokers are financiers! We are and sell businesses because of it. We use a financier who lends without looking at the figures of the business you are about to buy. But with other institutions such as banks or private lenders you will need the following.

We will arrange finance for you without an up front fee. Most finance brokers charge a fee of between $3,000 &$ 6,000 to get you your finance. We at Arwon Realty do this FREE because we are paid on settlement to sell the business by our vendors (owners). It is in our best interest to get the finance for our buyers so we in turn can get the business sold, and therefore offer a better service to our vendors when listing their business. We finance 90% of all business sold!

What will I need to supply to my Finance Broker?

- Profit and loss statements of the business you are purchasing

- Bank statements for your own personal accounts.

- Pay slips of your current employment or if self employed a profit and loss statement for the past three years of trading

- Mortgage documents for your existing home or properties

or sales contracts for freehold you hold in your and your partner’s name.

- Personal information, date of birth or passport (photo copy of drivers license)

- CRA credit check (you can do this yourself for a cost of $29.00)

- The rates notice of the homes in your name

- Liability and asset declaration.

- The amount you needed to borrow (You must include the cost of solicitors for advise and contracts.)

Accountants advise: Do it! That way you know you are covered. I have lost many sales from Accountants advising their clients not to buy and seen many unhappy buyers loosing out on a sale because an account has breezed over the figures and said no don’t buy! But at least if you do take the plunge and buy anyway after you have had that advise you are assured you did get advice if something does go wrong. After all your accountant is paid to look after you and professional accountants will ring us or the vendor’s accountant to get the full story of the business!

There are good and bad accountants just like there are good and bad brokers. It’s important to check the licenses of all your professional people. Find out how long they have been in the profession and their experience in that field before engaging them.

We work with both the accountants while selling the business and are more than happy to answer all questions relating to the business in question. We will also arrange appointments for your accountant to speech with the vendor’s accountant if required.

It’s always wise to stay with the accountant who handles the business you are purchasing, that’s if he is a helpful accountant, if he knows that business well. It’s a big plus to continue on with him, after all he is the one that will advise you when you are ready to sell.

Many people use more than one accountant today. I find a good accountant who knows a business well is a must to stick with it till the end. I have dealt will some excellent accountants. Two that come to mind are in my local town and are as good as any on this planet they are dedicated to their clients and have help me evenly throughout my last two sales (MCW Accounting Tumut, Paisley’s Accounting Tumut and Steven Walker & C.O Tumut) These accountants are totally dedicated to their client’s businesses and have enhanced the sale of two of the best businesses in town by showing truthful and accurate accounting.

Your Business Broker

As Brokers we will supply your accountant a profile on the business so its easy for him to understand. Always insist on a profile when looking at a business. This will give you all the information you need to convince you this is the right business for you. It will include all the statistics of the business and a good breakdown of the figures the reasons for the sale price, etc.

Your broker may ask you to sign a confidentiality agreement. This is essential to protect the vendor under the confidentiality act. Sign it and send it back ASAP. It does not commit you to buying the business. It is a mandatory requirement before you look over the figures. You will find your broker will not send you figures if you don’t sign.

If you have made your decision to buy the business be sure you are proceeding before you commit! Put in an offer only when you are ready to proceed. Is this is the business for you can you see yourself in for the next few years? Is the family happy with the move and the change, and most of all is the business viable for you?

I sold a produce store in Tumut recently to a buyer from Magnet Island who owned a bed and breakfast (would you believe), and they are just loving it and doing very well, so don’t be scared to take the plunge and move on. Most of our buyers are relocating and the stories I have to tell are just amazing!

Look around be sure the area is where you see yourself for the next 5 years. If you are relocating ask your broker to give you the statistics on that area, home prices schools etc.

As Brokers and licensed Business agents we pride ourselves on relocating people and finding them the best business for them, but it’s a big plus if the buyer has some idea of what he feels comfortable working in, and after we produce the information to him and his accountant we expect if all is ok he will proceed. If you have doubts tell your broker. Its unfair to hold up the sale for another interested party.

You will then need to sign an offer to purchase the business. We have a standard offer to purchase, this will give you the rights to proceed. The time normally for the option is one week from agreeing to proceed and this also takes the business off the market. It includes a deposit normally of 1% of the purchase price. This deposit is not refundable should you decide to pull out of the sale, unless it specifies subject to the reasons why you have pulled out.

So do your homework first! Be sure your accountant is happy with the figures. Your finance is approved and you are confident you are 100% proceeding before you signed on the dotted line.

Your broker will then issue sales advice to the Vendors Solicitors with all the conditions included that you require, such as the lease terms and training requirements. After they have looked over the advice and done their investigations for the sale they will prepare the contracts and send them to your Solicitor for exchange of contracts. You will need then to pay a 10% deposit on the business. This is normally arranged by the finance broker, if you have applied for finance, and can be done in a deposit bond or cheque. This is deposited into your agent’s trust account until settlement.

You should have a Solicitor picked out before you decide to look around so you are confident with him when you are ready to proceed.

At Arwon Realty we stick tight with the Solicitors through out the sale keeping in contact with them throughout the progress all the way for a smooth settlement.

The contracts should take no longer than 2 weeks to prepare and when the exchange of contract takes place this means you now are totally committed to purchase this business. Any problems should be sorted out between the two solicitors in this time.

The contracts are exchanged between the two solicitors and settlement should take place in the next 2 – 4 weeks. Business sales are always longer than the normal residential sales as the solicitors are responsible to see you have a new or exchanged lease for the business. If the property is included in the sale a 149 certificate (zoning and compliance certificate) must be sort by the council to check out the compliances with council this take longer than normal.

Before settlement you have 2 weeks prior and 2 weeks after settlement for training. Your vendor must give you this time to help you understand the running of the business. We advise the training is done after settlement so both parties are not showing their nervousness while running the business. This could cause the customers to feel a little uneasy.

We advise our vendors not to inform the staff of the sale until exchange of contract for the same reasons. Your finance must be in the solicitor’s office 48 hours before settlement for a smooth transaction. Your agent will hold the deposit of the business 10% on exchange of contract and this will be in her trust account until she receives an order on the agent from the solicitors on both sides.

Settlement Day!

We will be there with you for the stocktake. Now some businesses advertise their business WIWO. That means whatever the stock is in the business when you take over is yours and we don’t count the costs of the stock on settlement. If the add states + stock then we have to stocktake before settlement and this is done before mostly the evening before, after close of the till, with both present and an independent person to help with the stocktake.

So now you are the proud owner of a business that should if your broker has worked for you be the best asset you now have and we wish you all the very best of luck and look forward to the day we can asset you in selling for a higher profit!

Cathryn Austin is Principal/Licensee of Arwon Realty – Property Business and Finance Brokers, Business, Real-estate & Stock and Station Agents, and owner of Australian Businesses for Sale. Visit her site at http://www.bestbusinessbuyes.com.au

The irrational but basic appeal of the sports car has overwhelmed people’s reason ever since the first ones were introduced. In far-flung places round the world those with money soon indicated their love for these cars by buying one for their collection. Whatever the kind of celebrity – royalty, film-star or playboy – driving a fast car is a powerful way of showing your high status. Today the open top two-seater types may mean different things to different people. This article will provide examples of this.

It’s likely that the Mazda MX5 is more attractive to women than to men. The engines of the Honda CRX and the S2000 are impressively powerful and reliable. Both men and women are drawn to the sleek Honda S2000, a car that more than once has won engine of the year in its category. They are performance cars that give a person a certain satisfaction and pleasure when flying down the motorway. The dashing sporty appearance of these vehicles makes them readily distinguishable from the dull family cars that infest our roads.

Nearly all of the vehicles currently on the road have been designed to meet two criteria: usefulness and cheapness.. It is the experience of driving a fast car, though, that sports cars are designed for. Powerful acceleration, superb road-holding, and the feeling that you own the road are the objectives of those who design them.

The appearance of a car is the first thing that people are drawn to. Designs are built around aerodynamic efficiencies and curb appeal; they are always pleasing to the eye. The design is intended to encourage would-be drivers to buy so that they can abandon convention and be free. The beautiful sweeping lines are all designed to break even the most stubborn of wills… succumbing to a beautifully designed car is simply something many of us dream of doing.

Feelings of fun and excitement are aroused by driving a fast and sporty car. To drive this kind of car can be to enter a world of amazing experiences. Because these cars are designed to be driven they are engineered to very exacting standards. Once a car has left the dealer’s premises it will have lost much of its value. You can buy gap insurance to protect you against this loss of value. A sports car, though, will often appreciate in value as it gets older. Most sports cars are built to last and withstand being driven fast and hard. When a sports car becomes a classic -as is usual – it can still sell for a high price.

Desirability, speed, and high cost are the first thoughts that spring to mind when thinking about a sports car. There are few items made today that have such an emotional attraction. There are many clubs created by enthusiasts and they provide opportunities for owners to display their cherished cars. Club members may often receive pre-arranged discounts on insurance and car warranty products.

There is no one thing that can pinpoint exactly why we have an attraction to fast, sleek sports cars. The freedom of the open road is best experienced at the wheel of a fast car. The allure of a sports car is greatly increased when it is a convertible. The thought of flying down the roadway with the wind blowing through your hair has a certain appeal to some. The innovative technology is another reason why we seem to be drawn to these types of cars. Sleek styling coupled with a powerful yet compact engine is the norm. Performance and innovative technology give the sports car an iconic appeal.

A sports car is built to be driven and to respond to the driver. Making the driver feel in total control is why they have such a powerful fascination. We need to feel that the exercise and control of power enables us to reach and even exceed our limits. The one beautiful package expresses both power and strength.

Driving a sports car can give you a real feeling of freedom. Every generation of make and model performs better than previous ones as a result of advances in technology. If you wish to feel potent and to show your wild side, driving a sports car is the answer. Feelings of nostalgia can often be the cause of such emotions. The happy distant days of our youth are easily brought back by a classic sports car. They can be cherished symbols of past times. As a classic sports car gets older so it should get better as well as more valuable.

It doesn’t matter whether you have a classic muscle car or brand new example – they are both definitely attention grabbers. You will be noticed in your flashy vehicle because such cars exude power and masculinity. A sports car is something of a status symbol that allows you to be seen and admired for having a fine looking powerful performance car. If you are thinking of buying an new car, you should seriously think about purchasing a product called finance shortfall gap insurance to protect you in the event of an insurance write-off.

Everyone associates sports cars with speed and performance. Cars such as the Toyota MR2 are made particularly small and compact; add to this a powerful sedan engine and the power to weight ratio is excellent. Lady drivers especially like this car – as they do the Mazda MX5 – because of its compact design.

Supercars is the only fit description for the bigger sports cars such as the Ferrari Enzo, the Lamborghini Reventon Roadster and the Audi R8. There are several interesting ways in which those who build the bigger sports cars manage to reduce their weight. The weight of high performance production sports cars is usually kept down by using light materials for construction. Glass fibre or carbon fibre is used for the construction of the body panels of such cars. By dispensing with ‘luxury’ extras like air conditioning, electric windows, and thick pile carpets, a car’s weight can be significantly reduced. The most significant factor in reducing a car’s weight is the use of cutting edge materials in the manufacture of the wheels.

The reduction of body weight, powerful supercharged engines and state of the art technological advances make for blisteringly quick super cars like the Ferrari 40 and Lamborghini Gallardo. The engine does not have to work so hard to propel a lighter car. This enhances performance and makes the car easier to control.

A sports car is something that seems to appeal to almost everyone. Not many people will ignore a powerful and flashy sports car that’s parked in the street. They attract people and provide immense pleasure. Many people would love to own a sports car and why shouldn’t they do so if they have the money?

When buying a new car it’s wise to buy gap insurance to protect against the effect of new car depreciation. Future 45 Ltd. offer additional insurance products available for discerning UK motorists which can be bought online or by phone on 0844 357 8300

Stephanie Andrew writes and publishes articles for SEO consultants ePage Solutions whose clients include Future 45 Ltd. – helping UK motorists save money on their gap insurance by buying direct from the insurer.

College sports bring in big dollars every year on the major college level. These programs bring $30 and sometimes $40 million dollars per year to the universities and colleges and the players get nothing. These are the same players who are breaking their backs for the university day in and day out and can’t get a share of that money and, to me, that does not seem fair. I know what you may be thinking: that these student athletes are getting a free education or have gotten a scholarship to play ball at that university. To me, that’s the least they could be doing.

When I look at college football on Saturdays and see packed stadiums with cheering fans paying big money for a ticket I say, what business out there could run a company and not pay its workers? You would think I was talking about some Third World country! Pay the players now, please!

Think about this one: most of the college coaches get six figure salaries– big college programs and small ones. Some of these college coaches get shoe contracts, some get T.V. and radio contracts and many other perks along the way. Also, if they are a good coach and win games they will be offered another coaching job somewhere else with bigger money and larger perks! The student athletes get nothing and, to me, something should be done about that. Please pay the players now!

They will keep telling you that the athletes are getting the free education, free books, free room and board and the chance at a good college education that will last a lifetime. So what! Pay the players! I see this whole college thing as slave-labor! Coaches make big money on the backs of these players. You hear stories about college athletes taking money or getting paid under the table. You hear these stories of players getting cars and lots of cash, you hear stories of players getting all of this and more on the side. You hear about the player’s families getting cars and houses to attend that college program. This goes on all the time in secret!

Why do the players take this money and cars and houses for their families and much more? Well one reason is recruiting; some college programs feel that in order to get a major college recruit they have to offer these things. Some college programs (not all) have to give something to get these kids. Some of these players come from poor backgrounds, so for these kids to get some money is a big deal especially if the players and their families don’t have money anyway.

Being a college athlete is very hard. In the first placed the amount of hours that these players put in is a lot–every day of every week. They are in class all day then there’s practice after practice, they go eat dinner if they can and then go study. Now all of this may sound simple to you but the amount of time these student athletes are putting in is huge. Then the coaches want more. There could be film to study and there could be times when they are being seen by the athletic trainer. As a student athlete, you have to focus on your studies and your athletic performance or they will try to get rid of you.

College athletics is hard. Sometimes at the end of the day you are exhausted and don’t feel like studying or if they have some kind of study table for the players you may not be able to totally focus and, oftentimes, your attention is elsewhere. Just think about the millions of people who go to work every day. They work long hours and may have long commutes to and from home. I’m sure the last thing working people want to do is spend extra hours doing more work. Most working people want to relax, maybe have a beer and watch some T.V. then call it a day. The big difference is they are getting paid for the service and time and college ball players are not.

Most of the college student athletes do not get their college degrees and one reason is the workouts and the games that they play. There is so much pressure to do well that something will fall off and that something is their education. College coaches have been known to look the other way as it relates to student athletes and their academics as long as that player can help win games.

For most college athletes, when their eligibility is used up the college programs have no more need for their services. Why would they? For 4 years these college programs have worked these young men and women to death every day. The college programs have gotten all that they could get out of these players and then some. At the college level or at any level it’s only about winning games and bringing in big money.

Take a look at baseball; if a high school baseball player is really good, he can be offered a contract to sign with a major league baseball team. Sometimes the offer is $200,000 and, I’ve heard, as much as $2 million dollars. Now if that high school baseball player takes that money then they forfeit their college eligibility. Some high school baseball players pass on the money to attend college where they can get better, sharpen their baseball skills and be drafted again by a major league team. Many high school baseball players take the money and take the chance to try and make it in the major leagues. A great many players never make it to the majors. Some playing in the minor leagues for years until they realize that their dream of playing in the majors is not going to happen and they move on to something else.

Once you take that money you can’t go back and try to play college baseball. The same is true for all the other sports. You’ll have high school basketball players trying to make it to the NBA; you have young men try out for the NFL. Many of these athletes never gave education a chance and many who are in college never got their degree.

College athletes struggle with their academics. Many do not graduate and some just quit altogether. College athletics is not for everyone and many student athletes can’t cut it so pay the players! Pay them something for all their time and their efforts!

When these college programs are playing in bowl games and making millions on the backs of the players and the players get nothing still, that’s wrong. When its “March Madness” time for college basketball and millions are glued to the T.V. every day for hours and the players are giving their all–they still get nothing!

Why would it be a problem to pay players? The schools are making millions of dollars any way. This is not Mexico or China where the workers are getting paid $1.00 per hour to make billions for some corporation–you know slave labor!

Why do you think players take money from many outside sources? Why do players get suspended from the team for breaking team rules? Why are college programs put on probation? It’s all because of money. You have many players coming from disadvantaged backgrounds where there is no money in their families. If these disadvantaged young student athletes had to pay for college out of their own pockets, most would not be in a college at all.

Some student athletes come from backgrounds where the educational system is not that good. Their school districts are under-funded and mismanaged. For many student athletes, their way out is an education with the full athletic scholarships. Playing a sport is their future. Many student athletes only focus on athletics thinking that one day they will be good enough to play in the pros. So when money is dangled in front of the faces of some student athletes, the temptation has to be overwhelming!

For a great many years we have heard stories of players and coaches getting in trouble because of money. We’ve heard of situations of entire college programs being killed off by the NCAA because of money being given to players. Why do they do it? Why is money a problem? One reason is because it’s easy to get certain types of players from certain kinds of backgrounds. Big-time college programs can only survive with big-time major college players so they pay them. We all know that paying college athletes is wrong (set by the guidelines of the NCAA). But this rule needs to change now.

If college athletes are getting scholarships then they can be paid. If players are getting paid, then I believe you would have more college athletes graduate from college because there would be a stronger incentive to work hard in the classroom. Larger universities pay college coaches more based on their performance and the players should get paid as well.

If the players are getting paid then this corruption would stop. No more booster paying players, no more college players selling their shoes, no more college players taking jobs that pay them big money just to work a few hours. It’s hard out there for a student athlete! Did you know that a non-student athlete can get a job to earn extra money and can work around their schedules but a student athlete can’t have a job until the school year is over and there are restrictions as to the type of job they can have.

In the game of college athletics, the rules are not fair for the college student athletes! The playing field is not equal. Pay the players!

http://woodsrecruiting.com

Woods Recruiting: specializing in helping high school student athletes get recruited for college.

Before you begin to actually look at tractors you should know exactly what you are looking for.

Consider the following questions when shopping for a tractor.

What size of tractor do you need?

What are you going to be using you tractor for?

How often will the tractor be used?

Is the tractor going to be used to produce income? Of course, money is often a consideration when shopping for a tractor. Consider talking to people that own tractors and get their opinions.

Be an informed shopper and don’t let anyone rush you. Below are some other things to consider before you begin shopping for a tractor.

Tractor Size

This is obviously the most commonly asked questions regarding a tractor purchase. The average compact tractor consumer owns a 1-5 acre piece of property and uses the small compact diesel mostly for mowing The other tractor consumers usually have between 10-30 acres and needs about a 30 horsepower to complete the necessary tasks.

What are you going to use the tractor for?, is of course, the most important question to answer. Is it just for mowing or will you be using a loader or backhoe on it? Will you be working on rocky or uneven ground?

Dollars & Sense

You should definitely shop around, however, don’t forget that if you are comparing the prices of different makes and models of tractor it can sometimes be much like comparing apples to oranges. As with anything else, some makes and models are made better than others. A few more dollars upfront in price for a better quality of tractor makes more ’sense’ than having to pay the cost of constant repairs and maintenance.

Different Makes and Models of Tractors

If at all possible, one of the best things you can do to make your life easier, is to purchase a tractor that is easy to get parts for. There are many foreign makes and models that are exact matches to domestic tractors. With that in mind, you can get a parts book for U.S. made tractor and purchase the corresponding part numbers that way. Some parts dealers don’t like to sell parts for a gray market tractor. In fact, dealers of some brands of tractors are being told by a higher authority that they cannot willingly sell parts for gray market tractors.

Diesel Engines

Make sure you get a tractor with a diesel engine. Diesel engines have better performance and usually last longer than gas engines. Implements also work better on diesel engine tractors.

Horsepower

Approximately how many horsepower will you need? One horsepower (hp) is the amount of energy required to lift 550 pounds, one foot, in one second. In a tractor the energy is produced from torque and engine speed. A 100 hp tractor is one with a maximum of 100 horsepower available at the power-takeoff (PTO) outlet.

PTO

Nearly all Japanese tractor manufacturers include the power take off (PTO) horsepower (hp) in their model numbers; however, they do not include the engine (fly) hp. The first two numbers of the model number is where you find the PTO hp. The PTO hp is important because it is telling you the equipment working power of the tractor. It tells you what horsepower that equipment requiring a PTO will get from the tractor. Click here for a more in depth explanation of PTO.

Cylinders

Consider getting a three or four cylinder tractor. Three and four cylinder tractors are generally newer tractors and run quieter and smoother than the two cylinder models. Transmissions

There are several different types of transmissions for tractors. If you are not knowledgeable about tractor transmissions, it would be a good idea if you familiarize yourself with the different types listed below, so that when you go out to shop for a tractor you will well informed.

Manual transmissions on tractors were made to be shifted while the tractor is not in motion. This will cause a grinding noise due to the fact the two gears that are trying to mesh are rotating at different speeds. Manual shift transmissions are known for their durability, however, they are not considered to be very user friendly. The sliding gear and the collar shift are two of the more common transmissions.

Synchro Shift transmissions are basically collar shift transmissions (a type of manual transmission, see above). The difference is the added synchronizers, which makes it so that the gears don’t grind if you are trying to shift while the tractor is in motion. Some synchro shift transmissions only have one pair of synchronized gears, while others have all speeds synchronized, including forward and reverse. The synchronization of forward and reverse is called the shuttle shift. This synchro shift is a dependable transmission, however, just like with automobiles, the more ‘tricky’ the tranny is, and the more chance there is of something going wrong or breaking.

A Power Shift transmission is an option well worth considering. Not those standard shift transmissions won’t work just fine; however, often power shift is a nice little luxury, depending on what you are going to be using the tractor for. With a power shift transmission you can choose different speeds while the tractor is in motion, without needing to use the clutch pedal.

Hydrostatic transmissions operate in a closed loop, the flow of the pump is reversed, which in turn causes the tractor to reverse directions. The hydrostatic transmission is considered to be very dependable and is able to defend itself against ‘operator difficulty’. Because this is transmission is controlled by a foot pedal, when you take your foot off of the pedal the tractor will stop, this is a nice safety feature. Hydrostatic is considered the best selection for such things as large mowing jobs because it allows for easy direction change and continual, unchanging speed.

Implement Adaptability

You will want a tractor with a Category 1, 3-point hitch and standard rotation PTO shafts. Most imported compact tractors are equipped with these items; however, there are a few that are not.

Implement Availability

Before you purchase a a tractor, make sure that good quality implements are available for it. It is a good idea to try to find a tractor with as many model-specific attachments as possible. These include things such as loaders and backhoes, which have custom-fitted mounts that are not interchangeable with other makes and models of tractor. You can often save money if you purchase the implements at the same time you purchase the tractor and some implements can be very expensive to add on at a later time.

Parts Manuals

Sometime parts manuals can be very hard to acquire. Make sure there is one available for the tractor you choose. Ask how much the manual is, sometimes the cost can be over $100.00 dollars.

Warranty

Find out what kind of a warranty comes with the tractor. Find out what it covers and for how long. Below is a checklist that you can print and take with you when you are out shopping for a tractor. Just check things off and take notes as you check over the prospective tractor.

Yes, it’s a very long checklist, but well worth your time if you want to get a good quality tractor at a fair price.

Some things on the checklist may not pertain to the type of tractor you are looking for; however, we believe that most folks will find the majority of information here to be very helpful.

Your goal is to ensure that the tractor you purchase is all that the seller says it is and doesn’t have any hidden problems. Make sure you know what you are looking for. Know what options you must have on the tractor and which ones you might be willing to compromise on or be able to add later.

Tractor Buyer’s Checklist

Make_____________________________ Model _____________________ Year _________ Hours

On Meter________ Asking Price $____________

Seller’s Name _____________________________ Phone ______________

Tractor Location _______________________________________________

Yes/No Notes

Visual Exterior Inspection

Does the overall appearance of the tractor look as if it has been cared for?

Why is the tractor for sale?

Is the paint faded?

Is the sheet metal straight?

Are there a lot of ‘dings’ in the tractor?

Are there any decaying rubber or plastic components?

Are there any structural cracks? Look closely for hairline cracks.

Is there anything that looks like a ‘makeshift’ repair job?

Are the tires in good condition with good tread left on them?

Is there a calcium mixture added to the tires for better stability?

Is there still good tread left on the tires?

Is the seat in good condition?

Does it have a standard 3-point hitch?

Are there any puddles of fluid under the tractor?

Are there any oil spots on the ground around the wheels?

Engine Inspection

Is the engine warm?

Are there oil and/or fuel on the engine?

Can you see any seals leaking?

Is there oil around the rear axles, near the rear wheel?

Is there oil around the PTO seals?

Are there oil leaks around the output shaft seals gearboxes? (4WD

Is the engine oil at or near the full mark?

Is the front axle dipstick at or near the full mark? (4WD)

Does the oil look clean? Black is ok for diesel engines.

Are there creamy white droplets near the top of the dipstick?

Are all the filters U.S. made?

Is the air filter intact?

Does the air filter have any tears or holes in it?

Is the fuel filter clean?

Is the fan belt tight and in good shape?

Does the air inlet tube have any cracks or holes in it?

Is the water in the radiator dark green? This is a good thing.

Does the radiator water have a milky looking scum to it?

Is there flaking or discolored paint around the radiator cap?

Is there moisture along the bottom of the radiator?

Is there any slop in the steering linkages?

Did you closely look over the tractor a second time to make sure you didn’t miss anything?

Running Engine Inspection

Does the oil pressure register when you just turn the key?

Start the tractor. Does it start easily?

Does the oil pressure light go off or the oil gauge go up to about 30-80 psi?

Do all of the other lights go off?

Is the voltage meter (if it has one) charging a full 13.5-14.5 volts

Did you rock the steering wheel from left to right? Do this with the engine running if the

tractor has power steering.

Does the PTO spin in all gears?

Does the 3-point hitch work properly?

Does the tractor continue to smoke after it warms up?

Driving The Tractor (This is the fun part)

Does the tractor work through all of the gears?

Does the power shift feel ‘weak’ when shifting?

Is there any slippage when you quickly accelerate into high gear?

Does the 4WD engage properly?

Does the clutch slip?

Do the brakes work well?

Did you check the brakes by pushing one pedal at a time in low gear?

Does the tractor make any clunking noises from inside the engine?

Does the charging system work properly?

Do the wheels wobble at all?

Hydraulics

Are the control levers in good shape and not flopping around?

Are the pivot pins badly worn?

Does any oil seep out of the extended spools (control valves)?

Are the hydraulic couplers capped?

Does the hydraulics work correctly?

Post Driving Inspection

Did the temp gauge ever get above the recommended temperature?

Did the temp light ever come on while you were driving it?

Did the tractor overheat?

Did the tractor run well even after it got hot?

Do you see any new leaks from the radiator?

Do you see any new oil and or fluid leaks?

Did you see excess smoke when you removed the oil cap?

Did you closely look over the tractor a third time to make sure you didn’t miss anything?

I Hope this has been a lot of information that you where looking for and you will use this information to your advantage and be safe with it.

Ebooks and Articles are the Love of my Life. Visit Me [http://www.macsebooksparadise.com]

Sherry Cochran [http://www.macsebooksparadise.com]

Cats – we love them, however we aren’t so keen on the mess they sometimes leave for us to clean up. Cat Urine Stains in our homes are a big problem. The stain is incredibly hard to remove and the smell – disgusting is a word that comes to mind, but still doesn’t quite describe cat urine odor effectively. This is where toilet training a cat comes in.

But first, when your cat is urinating in your home there are 3 things we need to look at.

1. Why – what is causing your cat to pee inside on the carpet and furniture, rather than where it should be peeing. We need to address this as part of toilet training a cat.
2. How – we need to clean cat urine out of our carpet and furniture, clothes and any other item we own that our cat has taken a liking to. There is little point toilet training a cat if your home still stinks of cat pee from it’s previous mis-adventures.
3. When – NOW! This is when we say “enough is enough!” This is when we start to toilet train a cat.

Lets look at WHY. There are many reasons why your cat is peeing in all the wrong places. The first place to start is with a visit to your vet. You must make sure there is no medical reason first. Then we go on to look at our cats home life – are there other pets, new cats to the home, have you moved, has someone new come to live with you, or someone left. Any of these changes can be traumatic to a cat. Although none of these issues should affect us in toilet training a cat, but they should be addressed just the same. We don’t want a sad cat.

Now on to the HOW. There are soooo many different methods available to clean cat urine, some of them work, but unfortunately most don’t. Cat urine is one of the hardest stains to remove, I wont go into too much detail as I could fill 10 pages on the subject and this topic is about toilet training a cat, not how to get rid of cat urine. But I will say you need an effective cleaner that will penetrate deep into the fibers of your carpet, or furniture, or clothes or whatever else your cat is urinating on. You need a Natural Cat Urine Cleaner, one that will remove the stain, the smell and above all else, make sure the stain NEVER comes back. I use a recipe that I mix myself when I need it. This recipe uses everyday products that are readily available from your local store, it’s easy to make and even easier to use and the best part is the smell never returns.

This is the important one – NOW.

Successfully toilet training a cat can be done with cats and kittens, your kitten needs to be more than 8 weeks old. You can’t properly toilet train a cat that is less than 8 weeks old.

If you haven’t already, name your cat. Your cat needs to know its name, this is an essential part of toilet training a cat. You’ll get much better results if your cat knows its name.

Cats are very private animals when it comes to them peeing and pooing, they tend to hide their “business”. Before starting toilet training a cat, buy a litter tray so that the cat knows where it has to go. Make sure the litter tray you buy is enamel or plastic. Fill the litter with some soil, sawdust, sand and cat litters (commercial). These materials are essential for toilet training a cat.

If a kitten is raised with a mother who uses a litter tray for her business, the kitten automatically learns to use litter tray too. Try to familiarize your cat with the litter tray. Put your cat inside the litter tray after she’s finished eating or after she’s finished playing or even after she wakes up. This will help her to become familiar with the litter tray. Make sure that you put the litter tray in a hidden and quite place while toilet training a cat as like us, cats don’t like to be watched.

Praise the cat or acknowledge her after she uses the litter box. Make sure she knows you’re happy with her behaviour by patting on her head or some food rewards can also be used.

If your cat isn’t using the litter tray, then try to teach her by correcting her immediately after she has finished her business. This can be done by shouting loudly “NO” or more effectively with a squirt bottle full of water, give the cat a light spray at the time she pees or poos in the wrong place. This will help her in learning what is right and what’s wrong. Make sure you don’t use physical punishment as this is unnecessary and can ruin your relationship with the cat, it’s quite ineffective in toilet training your cat, she’ll look at you with complete contempt – not respect, and you’ll be back to square one.

The last stage of toilet training a cat is to get puss to actually use the toilet. To do this, move the litter tray towards the toilet slowly and steadily. Make sure that you make only slight changes as a big change to the place of litter tray can make your cat suspicious or can even confuse her. You eventually want the litter box sitting on the toilet, once your cat is used to this place you can remove the litter tray and your cat will keep coming to the toilet bowl.

Your mission of toilet training a cat is accomplished. You need to immediately clean up any accidents along the way, if you don’t get to it straight away your cat will be drawn back to the site of her accident, rather than the litter box and toilet training you cat will take longer.

Have you struggled to Clean Cat Urine & Get Rid of Cat Urine Odor permanently, then go to Cat Urine Off, where you’ll discover exactly how to Get Rid of Cat Urine Odor today!

Choosing the set of bowls of the most important issue to face most bowlers when they begin to play the sport.

Yet, judging by the number of people I see whilst coaching and also on my travels, I would estimate that between thirty and forty per cent of them are using the wrong-sized bowls.

The popular method of determining bowls size has been to have the bowler span around the bowl with the middle fingers and the thumb of each hand. If the fingers and thumbs just meet around the running surface the bowl is supposed to be the right size. This theory may work in some cases, but it misleads many people.

I believe the only way to find the correct size is to swing a number of various sized bowls in the hand. With a new player, I would place a bowl in the hand and adjust the fingers to the correct grip that felt comfortable to the player.

Then I would ask the player to swing the hand back to the furthest point on the backswing. If the player feels the bowl may drop, then it is obviously too big. If the bowl can be handled with ease, than a larger size could be tried. Using this method, the player would be able to determine the largest bowl that could be comfortably and effectively used.

The next decision would be whether to use a heavy weight or a medium weight bowl. In the UK, a great number of bowlers actually own two sets of bowls. They may use a heavy weight one on the faster indoor surfaces and then change to a medium weight on the slower outdoor surfaces.

Many other players, including myself, use a heavy weight bowl on both indoor and outdoor surfaces. The heavy weight bowl certainly has advantages on a fast outdoor green on a windy day as they are less liable to be affected by a gusty crosswind. Also the heavy bowl can displace a lighter bowl more easily in the head.

The final decision whether you play with a heavy weight or a medium weight bowl will probably depend on comfort in the hand and whether your wallet can stretch to the purchase of two sets.

Often in the clubs players will argue the merits of one bowls manufacturer against another. The bowls companies all produce a variety of models and all manufactured to a high standard. Choosing any particular model will depend on what suits you best – whether you intend to play indoors and outdoors or you want a bowl specifically for faster indoor greens.

Though many club bowlers do watch the star players perform well on television and often purchase the same models as their favourite players.

These are some of the bowls available from the different companies:

HENSELITE has a wide variety of models, which include the CLASSIC – traditionally the choice for outdoor bowlers in the UK. The bowl has a wide arc and ‘hockey stick’ finish and though good outdoors, may prove a disadvantage on faster indoor surfaces.

The CLASSIC II is regarded by many as the best performing modern bowl. Designed to run straighter, with a less pronounced swing, it is ideal for UK indoor carpets. Many players do use these bowls both indoors and out.

The TIGER is the ‘New Kid on the Block’ and used by many Henselite sponsored players in television events. Greg Harlow and Ian Bond both won World Bowls Tour ranking tournaments last season using this model of bowl. Designed for both indoor and outdoor use, this model has a slightly wider bias than the Classic II and is only available in heavyweight.

The DREAMLINE is fairly new to these shores and is a narrow running bowl suitable fr very fast surfaces, and would certainly not be suitable outdoors in early May!

In the ALMARK range, Henselite has three models – the STERLING GOLD for outdoor use with a wide bias; STERLING KING, a narrow running bowl ideal for faster greens, and the STERLING SLIMLINE, a bowl with a narrower profile to fit the hand, but suitable for both codes.

DRAKES PRIDE provides the PROFESSIONAL, which has proved to be a very popular bowl in the UK. This bowl is used by many bowlers, both indoors and outdoors, and is ideal for those players not wishing to purchase two sets. Many top players would agree that this bowl has proved versatile in all conditions and on many different surfaces.

The ADVANTAGE is a tight running bowl and would only prove suitable on faster greens, preferably for front-end players.

The PROFESSIONAL PLUS is an outdoor bowl and would be similar to the Henselite Classic, therefore probably suited to slower outdoor conditions.

THOMAS TAYLOR also provided a wide selection to include its traditional outdoor bowl – the LIGNOID.

The ACE is probably its most popular bowl with many indoor bowlers and is used successfully by twice World indoor champion Andy Thomson. This is another bowl that can also be used successfully outdoors.

The VECTOR has a narrower line and would be popular on fast surfaces, especially for front end players, while the LAZER is a slim profile bowl with a narrow bias similar to the Vector. The advantage of this bowl is that it has been developed for comfort in the hand for those with smaller hands.

THE LEGACY also has a slimmer profile, but unlike the Laser has a wider arc and is considered a mid-bias bowl that could also be used outdoors. Taylor also produced the SPECTRUM and INTERNATIONAL, which are stronger in bias than the Ace.

Many of these bowls are now available in many colours, as well as traditional black, and it would be best to check availability with your local bowls retailer, though always remember that at present coloured bowls are only available in heavy weights and that relevant weight and sizes are published in most bowls catalogues.

This way you can check the relevant weight difference between heavy weight and medium weight bowls. My personal advice to any new bowler would be to select a mid bias bowl that will prove useful on most surfaces, for example Drakes Pride Professional, Henselite Classic II and Tiger and Taylor Ace would fall into this category.

As you gain experience, you may decide to try a narrower running bowl if you have a very fast indoor carpet. One word of warning – many bowlers believe the tight running bowls make the game easier and believe they can virtually bowl straight. That is not the case as in many instances weight control will need to be much better with a narrow running bowl as there is little margin for error and the tight running bowl will not bend with excessive weight.

With so many bowls on the market, always seek advice from a specialist bowls retailer and if possible inquire whether you might be able to try the model you wish to purchase. Sometimes bowls shops based inside indoor stadiums hold sample bowls that can be tried.

Finally, always remember no matter what set of bowls you purchase, you still have to bowl them – sometimes it is easier to blame the bowls when we play a bad game rather than our own poor play.

John Price Former World Indoor Singles Champion Resident professional at Potters Leisure Resort, Norfolk the home of world bowls http://www.pottersholidays.com/

Bowling shoes come in left-handed and right-handed styles. This may seem slightly confusing to someone new to the sport – after all, don’t bowling shoes go on your feet? Why should it matter whether you are right or left-handed?

Yes, bowling shoes do, quite obviously belong the feet of bowlers. Nonetheless, it really is important whether or not the bowler is left or right-handed. You see, one bowling shoe is a sliding shoe, and one needs to be more of a braking shoe, a shoe with traction. A right-handed person will have a right-foot shoe with traction and a left-foot shoe that slides.

One reason why this information may be new to you is that the bowling shoes that you rent at bowling alleys are not made specifically for right-handed players or left-handed players. Rather, both bowling shoes have soles similar to the sliding shoe of a good pair.

It can be well worth buying your own pair of bowling shoes, ones specifically designed for a right or left-handed person. With the rental or loaned pair, you are liable to slip around on your approach. This is bad, because it does not allow you to get complete the power step, that next-to-last step, the step that drives you forward and into the slide, the step that requires some traction.

There are many people who would suggest buying a pair of bowling shoes before you even make the commitment to buying a bowling ball! They really are that important. Besides, do you really want to put your feet into bowling shoes that have been drenched with other people’s foot sweat and stench?

When choosing your bowling shoes, you are going to need to make the choice between performance bowling shoes and athletic bowling shoes. Athletic bowling shoes are going to look and feel like your other athletic shoes. Most athletic bowling shoes have sliding soles on both the left and right shoe.

If, however, you plan on bowling once a week or more, you are going to want to step it up and buy a performance bowling shoe. You are not going to be able to reach your full bowling potential if you stick with athletic bowling shoes. If, on the other hand, you get a pair of performance bowling shoes, with one traction sole and one sliding sole, you are going to achieve higher performance.

If you see competitive bowling in your future, it can be well-worth buying a pair of bowling shoes with interchangeable soles. With interchangeable bowling shoe soles, you are going to be able to make your feet and your bowling slide match your bowling style as well as the surface you are bowling on.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and sports. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on bowling, please visit Best Bowling.

Many people have the misconception that the major concern of people engaged in team sports is gaining weight. The image of the three hundred pound player leads many people to see it from this perspective. The truth is that most athletes are more concerned with weight loss than with weight gain. The reason for this is fairly simple. It is very easy to gain weight. It is a little harder to get those pounds off you once you have gained them.

Athletes have ideal playing weights, and they spend a great deal of time in weight rooms. Of course, much of this time is devoted to building strength and muscle tone, but often times it is spent shedding pounds. The fact that muscles actually weigh more than fatty tissue makes this an ongoing problem. As fat is replaced by muscle, the total weight will actually spike upwards at first. Although being heavier due to excess muscle seems to be the goal for an athlete, most often just the opposite is going to be true.

Team Sports that involve a great deal of running like basketball, soccer, rugby, and even track are good examples of this fact. Although weight and muscles might be good for the center on the basketball team when he is trying to push people aside to get a lay up inside the paint, he is going to have to carry that excess weight up and down the length of the court, too. Unless the player in soccer or hockey is wearing the goalkeeper gloves and staying in front of the goal, he is going to have to run or skate from end to end as well. This is where the concept of ideal weight comes into play.

Ideal weight can be best defined by the exact weight at which an athlete can gain the most advantage from his weight without it becoming a handicap to the ideal performance and level of fatigue involved in participation in a team sport. In order to maintain this ideal weight and at the same time to insure maximum athletic ability, it is not wise to use dieting for weight loss. The subsequent loss of energy that dieting could produce is not going to help the athlete perform to expected standards. A well balanced and energy rich diet is going to be much better. Weight loss must be accomplished by exercise and diet should refer only to the selection of the healthiest foods rather than to not eating food at all.

Natalie Aranda writes on weight loss and fitness. Team Sports that involve a great deal of running like basketball, soccer, rugby, and even track are good examples of this fact. Football balls are gift ideas for men and boys. Although weight and muscles might be good for the center on the basketball team when he is trying to push people aside to get a lay up inside the paint, he is going to have to carry that excess weight up and down the length of the court, too. Unless the player in soccer or hockey is wearing the goalkeeper gloves and staying in front of the goal, he is going to have to run or skate from end to end as well. This is where the concept of ideal weight comes into play.

If you enjoy cooking you probably realize that there are many different ways of cooking the same foods. There are so many styles of cooking as well. You can create Italian dishes, Chinese, Greek, and many other types of delicious meals. You can make all these dishes with so many different kids of appliances and utilities available today. There are stoves, ovens, pressure cookers, slow cookers or any other kind of appliance.

Some people like to specialize in specific areas of expertise while others enjoy being more well rounded and finding out as much as possible about different cooking cultures. For those who are looking to specialize in just pressure cooking, there are several ways to do this.

One great way to learn about a particular cooking technique is to search the internet about the details and intricacies of a particular area. The web is an amazing source of information for anything out there and it is a great way to find out new recipes and learn different preparation techniques. There are tons of pressure cooking dishes to be found on the internet and pressure cooking is a perfect way to make tasty and healthy meals.

If the internet seems too daunting or you just prefer to have a good cook book nearby while you cook, then you can head to your local bookstore and search through their countless cook books in stock. You will be sure to find many cook books that specialize in dishes for your pressure cooker. Pick up one of those cook books and find a particular recipe that might interest you and make that dish several times. In no time you will be able to cook it perfectly and it will become a timeless classic recipe for you to cook.

If you prefer a more personal experience while you cook, then talk with others who also share the same passion for cooking that you do. Find out if they enjoy pressure cooking and if they have any tips or recipes that can be passed on to you. Because pressure cooking is so easy and quick, you’ll be sure to find someone who has lots of experience with using pressure cookers. Sharing recipes is a great way to learn new dishes and techniques. Be sure to ask them for tips on cooking those recipes and what they might do to make cooking with their pressure cooking easier. If you have the time, join forces and create a dish together or better yet, come up with a completely new and creative dish that the two of you can call your own.

Learning as many recipes for your pressure cooker is a sure fire way to becoming the brilliant chef you want to be. Not only is it an enjoyable thing for you to do, but you’ll be learning in the process. If you are really into meeting new people and learning new things and you know many others that are as interested as you are, you could even start a pressure cooking club. Hold monthly meetings where people can bring dish to share along with the recipes on how to make them. There is no finer way to learn new things than with the collaboration of others.

Finally, don’t forget the cooking shows on TV. There are even entire channels now dedicated to cooking and showing you the ins and outs of learning certain dishes. It is a great way to get visual lessons without leaving your kitchen.

Whichever method you prefer to use to learn, just be sure to never stop or get discouraged. You’ll be cooking those favorite dishes of yours perfectly in your pressure cooker before you know it!

Aaron Guhl writes articles regarding cooking and gives tips on different cooking techniques. He frequently writes on pressure cooking and how to use a pressure cooker properly and safely. For more information on pressure cookers, visit: http://www.stainlesspressurecookers.com/Learn-Pressure-Cooking

I have recently created my first Php program. I wanted to share with others some of the problems that I encountered, and how I finally overcame these obstacles.

My Reason for needing a Php Include

To start, my most recent website features a free classified advertising solution, a modified version of PhpBB stripped to function as an Article Bulletin Board (No replying), and a link directory. The business model of my Website offers free Classified Advertising, but charges a small fee for enhanced advertisements (Featured, Bolded, and Better Placement). The Classifieds were purchased from a developer, so I had little experience with the application. The link directory was a free resource of an old program that I modernized a bit. I choose the old link directory because the links are clean. They are not replaced with coding to count outbound traffic. I figured this would increase the value of links, to sites who exchanged links with me.

To increase revenue on the new site, I realized that I needed to increase the value of, “Featured Advertisements”. To do this I wanted to randomly rotate featured advertisements, from the classifieds, across my Bulletin Board and Link Directory. Bare in mind, all three are run from a unique table, and I wanted to leave it that way. In addition, I had little experience with the development for all three applications.

I started reading tutorials and utilizing Forums to create a Php program for external pages on the site. The program would pull a random featured ad from the classified table. This program only took me about 32 hours to create, while performing research. I didn’t intend to get into the schematics of the program with this post, so forgive me if you are looking for a Random generator. But I would be more than happy to share my code upon request.

The code I created was simple, it worked just the way I wanted, but I ran into one cumbersome obstacle; how do I implement this easily across two unique table driven applications? The answer was to use a Php Include

I started reading tutorials on, “Php includes and functions and classes”. I realized quickly that this was a bit more confusing than creating the actual coding. In addition, I ran into parsing errors if I included the new coding in only one application.

My solution to using the, “Include (),” Php function

I found that very few people were willing to provide any feedback for such a problem, even in the most resourceful forums for Php Coding and information resources. I fumbled with the coding for over 72 hours. I thought this was a bit ridiculous, as the code itself took less time to create.

I finally came across a helpful solution that may prove beneficial, if you are in the same situation with Php Includes. The code was uploaded onto my server as a file (something.php). I removed the standard, “Php Include (),” function from all links and the PhpBB coding. I then called the Php file (page) using an Iframe tag, on pages I wanted it to appear. This proved to be a successful replacement for the Php Include.

Search Engine Results Using Iframe for Php Include

I waited until Google came around to see how the Iframe affected my sites search rankings. Finally, the other day this happened. The conclusion, my search rankings still increased due to recent link exchanges. The code is working to my needs, and it is easily included on any page that I want, even externals outside my site can call on the code, which opens more doors for advancement.

Here is the simple Iframe code I used to replace the Php Include:

iframe align=top valign=right width=600 height=105 marginwidth=0 marginheight=0 hspace=0 vspace=0 frameborder=0 scrolling=no src=”http://your.com/file-to-include.php” width=600 height=105> /iframe

Using the Iframe tag for Php Include Conclusion

I have encountered no problems with including my PHP code on pages across external servers, using the iframe as a Php Include. As you can see, it is totally customizable. You can specify the width, height, alignment, border, scrolling, margins and more. The only obstacle that I have encountered, is the style sheet that the site, or page, with the, “Php Include,” is not utilized. The page that the code is on seems to need its own unique style sheet.

I hope this proves beneficial to anyone having trouble with running a “Php Include” across various unique online applications.

About The Author

Michael J. Medeiros is the owner of www.Mjmls.com [http://www.mjmls.com]. He has worked as an Independent Real Estate Agent for three years, in New Jersey. He has an extensive background in Business and Marketing. Michael’s latest research and attention has been devoted to online business development and the Internet.

If you are a new pet owner, chances are you are looking for quality pet supplies, pet medications, vet care and pet food. As per the American Pet Products Association statistics (gathered from various market research sources), Americans spent a total of $10.41 billion on supplies and over-the-counter medicines in 2010. Statistics also suggest that despite the 2008-2009 recession, pet owners continued to spend on these supplies, albeit frugally.

Types of Pet Supplies

While there are different types of pets, pet supplies range from those for dogs, cats, birds and reptiles. Here are some:

• Dog supplies: The variety in dog supplies is huge, ranging from beds to food and medications. Different dog breeds and sizes have different attitude, and may take to new things differently. For instance, new dogs and puppies are best kept in a crate until it learns the new house rules. Dogs that are difficult to train and are often curious will benefit from having lots of toys, including plush baby toy, collar bones, rubber horse shoe and flight pals, to keep them busy.
• Cat supplies: As cats are naturally clean, they are the easiest to keep. The huge varieties in cat toys, which include cat furniture and litter boxes, are used to keep them healthy and happy.
• Birds: Caged birds should be interacted with often and should have lots of toys within the cage. For instance, perches, swings, towers and ladders are good attachments for exercising.
• Reptiles: If you have amphibians or reptiles as pets, it is important to keep them in a place from where they cannot escape, and can enjoy themselves. However, keep them away from crowds, as reptiles are reclusive animals.
• Others: If you have fish as pets, you must keep the aquarium clean so that the fish do not die. Fish usually require a temperature of around 78 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also install an aquarium heater to maintain the water temperature and also add decorations to beautify it. If you have reptiles as pets, you can purchase a cage, terrarium, beddings and substrate and only optimal lighting.

How to Purchase Pet Supplies at Discount Prices

The best way to purchase quality pet supplies affordably is to shop online, rather than visit a retail store. Here are some tips to purchase them:

• Online sites do not have overhead expenses, such as storefront building expenses, advertising costs and employee expenses. Hence, it results in savings, which are passed on to customers as discount prices.
• Read product reviews at popular sites. For instance, if you are looking to buy toys for your pets, read about other people’s experiences with these toys and purchase the ones that best suit your requirements.

As online pet supplies stores are usually owned by professionals, they also offer free expert suggestions. Besides, pet owners can also compare prices, purchase supplies anytime and get client support round-the-clock.

To purchase quality Pet Supplies for your needs, visit www.Petplanrx.com right away! You can purchase a range of quality pet medications at discount prices.

India’s US$40b education market is experiencing a surge in investment. Capital, both local and international, and innovative legal structures are changing the face of this once-staid sector

The liberalization of India’s industrial policy in 1991 was the catalyst for a wave of investment in IT and infrastructure projects. Rapid economic growth followed, sparking a surge in demand for skilled and educated workers. This, combined with the failure of the public system to provide high quality education and the growing willingness of the burgeoning middle class to spend money on schooling, has transformed India’s education sector into an attractive and fast-emerging opportunity for foreign investment.

Despite being fraught with regulatory restrictions, private investors are flocking to play a part in the “education revolution”. A recent report by CLSA (Asia-Pacific Markets) estimated that the private education market is worth around US$40 billion. The K-12 segment alone, which includes students from kindergarten to the age of 17, is thought to be worth more than US$20 billion. The market for private colleges (engineering, medical, business, etc.) is valued at US$7 billion while tutoring accounts for a further US$5 billion.

Other areas such as test preparation, pre-schooling and vocational training are worth US$1-2 billion each. Textbooks and stationery, educational CD-ROMs, multimedia content, child skill enhancement, e-learning, teacher training and finishing schools for the IT and the BPO sectors are some of the other significant sectors for foreign investment in education.

Opportunity beckons

The Indian government allocated about US$8.6 billion to education for the current financial year. But considering the significant divide between the minority of students who graduate with a good education and the vast majority who struggle to receive basic elementary schooling, or are deprived of it altogether, private participation is seen as the only way of narrowing the gap. Indeed, it is estimated that the scope for private participation is almost five times the amount spent on education by the government.

CLSA estimates that the total size of India’s private education market could reach US$70 billion by 2012, with an 11% increase in the volume and penetration of education and training being offered.

The K-12 segment is the most attractive for private investors. Delhi Public School operates approximately 107 schools, DAV has around 667, Amity University runs several more and Educomp Solutions plans to open 150 K-12 institutions over the next four years. Coaching and tutoring K-12 students outside school is also big business with around 40% of urban children in grades 9-12 using external tuition facilities.

Opening the doors

Private initiatives in the education sector started in the mid-90s with public-private partnerships set up to provide information and communications technology (ICT) in schools. Under this scheme, various state governments outsourced the supply, installation and maintenance of IT hardware and software, as well as teacher training and IT education, in government or government-aided schools. The central government has been funding this initiative, which follows the build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) model, under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan and ICT Schools programmes. Private companies such as Educomp Solutions, Everonn Systems, and NIIT were among the first to enter the ICT market, which is expected to be worth around US$1 billion by 2012.

Recently, the central government invited private participation in over 1,000 of its industrial training institutes and offered academic and financial autonomy to private players. Companies such as Tata, Larsen & Toubro, Educomp and Wipro have shown keen interest in participating in this initiative.

Regulatory roadblocks

Education in India is regulated at both central and state government levels. As a result, regulations often differ from state to state. K-12 education is governed by the respective State School Education Act and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Rules and Regulations concerning affiliation and/or the rules of any other affiliating body. Under current regulations, only not-for-profit trusts and societies registered under Societies Registration Act, 1860, and companies registered under section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956, qualify to be affiliated with the CBSE and to operate private schools.

While the K-12 segment accounts for the lion’s share of India’s educational market, weaving through the complex regulatory roadmap to qualify for affiliation poses serious difficulties for investors. The CBSE requires privately-funded schools to be non-proprietary entities without any vested control held by an individual or members of a family. In addition, a school seeking affiliation is expected to have a managing committee controlled by a trust, which should approve budgets, tuition fees and annual charges. Any income accrued cannot be transferred to the trust or school management committee and voluntary donations for gaining school admission are not permitted.

Schools and higher education institutions set up by the trust are entitled to exemptions from income tax, subject to compliance with section 11 of the Income Tax Act, 1961. In order to qualify for tax exemptions, the trust needs to ensure that its predominant activity is to serve the charitable purpose of promoting education as opposed to the pursuit of profit.

Alternative paths

Alternative routes do exist for investors seeking to avoid the web of regulatory barriers that constrain their involvement. Sectors such as pre-schools, private coaching and tutoring, teacher training, the development and provision of multimedia content, educational software development, skill enhancement, IT training and e-learning are prime sectors in which investors can allocate their funds. These areas are attractive because while they relate closely to the profitable K-12 segment, they are largely unregulated. As such, they make attractive propositions for private investors interested in taking advantage of the burgeoning demand for quality education. Companies such as Educomp Solutions, Career Launcher, NIIT, Aptech, and Magic Software, are market leaders in these fields. Educomp recently acquired a large number of educational institutes and service providers across India. It has also formed joint ventures with leading higher education groups, including Raffles Education Singapore, for the establishment of higher education institutions and universities in India and China. Furthermore, it has entered into a multi-million dollar collaboration with Ansal Properties and Infrastructure to set up educational institutions and schools across the country and closed an US$8.5 million deal to acquire Eurokids International, a private provider of pre-school educational services in India. Gaja Capital India, an education-centric fund, has completed the funding of three education services companies in India. NIIT and Aptech, meanwhile, are engaged in the IT training business.

Core Projects and Technology is also focusing heavily on India and is likely to bid to takeover, upgrade and run public schools for specified periods on a public-private partnership basis.

Higher hurdles

While state governments are largely responsible for providing K-12 education in India, the central government is accountable for major policy decisions relating to higher education. It provides grants to the University Grants Commission (UGC) and establishes central universities in the country. The UGC coordinates, determines and maintains standards and the release of grants. Upon the UGC’s recommendation, the central government declares the status of an educational institution, which once authorized, is entitled to award degrees.

State governments are responsible for the establishment of state universities and colleges and has the power to approve the establishment of private universities through State Acts. All private universities are expected to conform to the UGC guidelines to ensure that certain minimum standards are maintained.

Amity University in Uttar Pradesh is one of the private universities to open its doors. It was approved by the Uttar Pradesh state legislature on 12 January 2005 under section 2(f) of the University Grants Commission Act.

Not-for-profit and anti-commercialization concepts dominate higher education fee structures. To prevent commercialization and profit-making, institutions are prohibited from claiming returns on investments. This, however, does not pose a hurdle for universities interested in mobilizing resources to replace and upgrade their assets and services. A fixation of fees is required in accordance with the guidelines prescribed by the UGC and other concerned statutory bodies. For this purpose, the UGC may request the relevant information from the private university concerned, as prescribed in the UGC (Returns of Information by Universities) Rules, 1979.

In line with the policy on Fee Fixation in Private Unaided Educational Institutions Imparting Higher and Technical Education, two types of fees are required: tuition fees and development fees. Tuition fees are intended to recover the actual cost of imparting education without becoming a source of profit for the owner of the institution. While earning returns on investment would not be permissible, development fees may provide an element of partial capital cost recovery to the management, serving as a resource for upkeep and replacement.

Legal precedents

In order to be awarded university status by the UGC, institutions must comply with the objectives set forth in the Model Constitution of the Memorandum of Association/Rules, and ensure that no portion of the income accrued is transferred as profit to previous or existing members of the institution. Payments to individuals or service providers in return for any service rendered to the institute are, however, not regulated.

In this context recent court judgments on private universities are relevant. The Supreme Court, in Unnikrishnan JP v State of Andhra Pradesh, introduced a scheme regulating the admission and levy of fees in private unaided educational institutions, particularly those offering professional education. The ruling was later notified in the fee policy.

Subsequently, in the case of Prof Yashpal and Anr v State of Chattisgarh and Ors in 2005, the Supreme Court assailed the Chattisgarh government’s legislation and amendments which had been abused by many private universities. It was contended that the state government, simply by issuing notifications in the Gazette, had been establishing universities in an indiscriminate and mechanical manner without taking into account the availability of any infrastructure, teaching facilities or financial resources. Further, it was found that the legislation (Chhattisgarh Niji Kshetra Vishwavidyalaya (Sthapana Aur Viniyaman) Adhiniyam, 2002) had been enacted in a manner which had completely abolished any kind of UGC control over private universities.

The Supreme Court concluded that parliament was responsible for ensuring the maintenance and uniformity of higher education institutions in order to uphold the UGC’s authority. Following the judgment, only those private universities that satisfied the UGC’s norms were able to continue operating in Chattisgarh.

Professional institutions

Professional and technical education in India is regulated by professional councils such as the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). Established under the AICTE Act, 1987, AICTE gives recognition to courses, promotes professional institutions, provides grants to undergraduate programmes, and ensures the coordinated and integrated development of technical education and the maintenance of standards. The AICTE has recently exerted pressure on unrecognized private technical and management institutes to seek its approval or face closure.

A single bench decision of the Delhi High Court in Chartered Financial Analysis Institute and Anr v AICTE illustrates the far-reaching implications this kind of pressure can have on all institutions operating independently of the AICTE. The court found that the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute, a US-based organization, was engaged in imparting technical education and that its charter, though not described as a degree or diploma, was nevertheless descriptive of the candidate attaining an academic standard, entitling him to pursue further courses, and achieve better prospects of employment in the investment banking profession. The AICTE argued that the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute fell within the ambit of its regulation and was therefore obliged to submit to the jurisdiction of the regulatory body. The Delhi High Court upheld the AICTE’s view that the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute did qualify as an institution imparting technical education..

This judgment may have emboldened the AICTE to proceed against a number of other establishments that are on its list of unapproved institutions. It holds particular significance since despite not granting degrees and diplomas, the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute was still deemed by the court to be covered under the description of a “technical institute”.

Enthusiasm grows for foreign participation

While regulators such as the AICTE continue to exercise influence in the Indian education system, the sector is expected to witness a surge in foreign investment and perhaps a reduction in the number of regulatory roadblocks as a result of the central government’s enthusiasm for overseas investors. Foreign direct investment in higher education could help reduce government expenditure and there is a general consensus that education as a whole should be opened for domestic and foreign private participation.

The entry of foreign educational institutions into India will be covered by the new Foreign Education Providers (Regulation for Entry and Operation) Bill. The bill seeks to regulate the entry and operation of foreign education providers, as well as limit the commercialization of higher education. Foreign education providers would be given the status of “deemed universities” allowing them to grant admissions and award degrees, diplomas or certificates.

Operationally, the bill proposes to bring foreign education providers under the administrative umbrella of the UGC, which would eventually regulate the admissions process and fee structures. Since these foreign institutions will have to be incorporated under central or state laws, they will also be subject to the government’s policies of reservations. The bill is pending approval from the Indian Parliament but it is unclear if it will be taken by the present government for a vote prior to the general elections in 2009.

Innovative structures unlock profitability

The regulatory restraints on running profitable businesses in the K-12 and higher education sectors have driven Indian lawyers to devise innovative structures that enable private investors to earn returns on their investments. These typically involve the establishment of separate companies to provide a range of services (operations, technology, catering, security, transport, etc.) to the educational institution. The service companies enter into long term contracts with the trust operating the institution. Payments made by the trust to the service companies must be comparative and proportionate to the services rendered by such companies. Furthermore, in order to qualify for tax exemptions, the expenses paid by the trust to the service companies must not exceed what may reasonably be paid for such services under arm’s length relationships.

Despite the regulatory constraints, the Indian education sector is on a path of exponential growth. A growing number of private companies are undertaking creatively structured projects in the education business and the level of investor confidence is demonstrated by the recent spate of M&A activity that has taken place.

With more domestic players emerging, the education sector is likely to witness consolidation, but at the same time, increasing foreign participation will drive competition and raise standards. Liberalization will continue to intensify as the government struggles to remedy its poor public education system and provide quality institutions to educate India’s masses.

Seema Jhingan and Dimpy Mohanty are partners at LexCounsel Law Offices. The firm is headquartered in Delhi and advises on areas including mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital, projects, telecommunications, software/information technology, education, media and entertainment, taxation, retail, licensing and franchising, insurance, general corporate and commercial work and international arbitration. Seema can be reached at sjhingan@lexcounsel.in

Areas of Practice:

Infrastructure, Telecommunications, Power, Mergers/Acquisition, Software/Information Technology, Business Process Outsourcing, Media & Entertainment, Private Equity and Venture Capital, General Corporate and Commercial, International Arbitration.

Professional Summary:

Seema Jhingan’s practice spans over fourteen years during which she has acquired substantial expertise in representing developers, sponsors/lenders, venture capital investors, international corporations, financial institutions, and other strategic investors involved in the establishment, development and financing of major infrastructure and IT projects in India.

Seema Jhingan is a Partner with a Delhi Based Law Firm LexCounsel, Law Offices and regularly contributes to journals and publications and often takes up speaking engagements.

In fashion school, most of your time was spent learning to create fashion illustrations, draping, sewing, and flat patternmaking. While these are good skills to have, they aren’t very practical when you’re trying to land your first job in the fashion industry. In the real world you’ll be expected to know how to create computerized flat sketches, develop garment specs, CADs, and presentation boards. And I know some of you are thinking “But I learned those things in school too!” To which I reply: You think you know, but you have no idea! Take it from experience: fashion schools don’t focus on those skills nearly enough to fully prepare you for your first design position. In this article I will discuss each skill and its importance in the fashion industry.

Draping and Patternmaking – Low Importance
While patternmaking and draping are valuable skills, they usually only come in handy when you deal with a lot of fits. However, fittings are usually conducted by technical design teams so if you got into fashion for creative reasons, you’ll most likely be miserable in this type of position. On the creative side of design, all you need is a basic understanding of what creates a good fit, and how to fix a bad one. In the majority of design positions, hands-on patternmaking skills are not necessary, unless you plan to enter Project Runway!

Sewing – Low Importance
On the creative side of design, sewing isn’t that relevant. Yes, it’s good to understand the general concepts of garment construction, but you don’t need to be a great seamstress. On the job, if you need to know how a certain garment is constructed, there are tons of references available: from clothes at the stores, to “how to” books and online articles. The point I’m trying to make is: if you’re sewing skills leave something to be desired, don’t stress over it.

Illustration – Almost Unnecessary
Sadly, fashion illustrations are a dying art in the industry – they are scarcely used by designers in the real world. The fashion illustration has been replaced with computer drawn stylized technical sketches (floats) or more accurate technical flats, which are faster to sketch and much more practical. Not only do they present a clear representation of design concept, but they are a must have for production. Flats can be turned into CADs and can be used in mood/presentation boards. Fashion schools have not followed this shift and still focus more heavily on illustrations, and not enough on flat sketching.

Computer Programs – Must Know
I can’t stress enough the importance of knowing popular computer applications for creating floats, flats and CADs. Most companies expect proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, and Microsoft Excel since they are relatively affordable in comparison to more industry specific software. Unfortunately, the coverage of Illustrator and Photoshop provided by fashion schools does not meet the actual demands of the fashion industry. Many companies are also requesting knowledge of WebPDM, so if your college offers a course in this program, it would be to your benefit to take it. If your school does not teach this program, find a school or venue that does offer this program and take it!

Flat Sketching – Must Know
While interviewing candidates for design positions, we’ve seen applicants’ portfolios filled with beautiful illustrations and then say “That’s nice, but can you flat sketch?” If flats are included in their portfolios, they are usually basic, lack important details, and are not visually appealing. If the candidates sketches are halfway decent; my next question is “do you know Illustrator and Photoshop? ” Almost everyone says yes, but it’s usually far from the truth.

A lot of fashion school grads seriously believe that they know these programs well, but what you learned in school isn’t enough – fashion schools don’t teach these skills well enough for entry level designers to be competent within the fashion industry. Schools just cover basics, which are usually forgotten without practice. Take the extra effort to practice and become comfortable with Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop and other programs beyond what schools teach: read books and take additional courses (offered in either classroom or online settings).

Creating Specs in a Copycat Industry – Must Know
Knowing how to spec (measure and detail) a garment to create garment specifications, or “specs” is a fundamental skill. Many companies create their spec sheets using Excel. Although garment sizes and measurements vary from company to company, depending on different market segments and categories, if you know the principles, you’ll be able to quickly adapt to the standards of any company. You don’t even need to know how to develop specs from scratch!

As a head designer, to set spec standards for a company, I usually went to different stores, found garments with a good fit and copied the basic measurements. This is quite common – the fashion industry is a copycat industry- most fashions hanging in the stores are knock-offs of another company. Once, during a shopping trip in London, a store salesperson noticed I was a fashion designer collecting style ideas. He mentioned that his store received a constant flow of American design companies such as Calvin Klein, whose designers come to knockoff their merchandise. That’s right – even top designer brands use knockoffs for their ready-to-wear collections. There are even official terms: a “knockoff” is when a style is copied and a “rub-off” is when patterns are copied.

Educate Yourself!
Many fashion schools such as FIT in New York (Fashion Institute of Technology) offer important classes like “flats and specs for the fashion industry”, but believe it or not, these courses are not required by the curriculum! Another handy course that should be taken is “creative fashion presentation.” Salespeople use presentations a lot as visual aids. In addition they create a good impression and convey creativity level. If you can make outstanding presentations you’ll be assigned to do them often, and believe me it’s more fun to make boards than do fits or send faxes and organize showrooms.

To sum up: in order to get a job before the rest of the entry level fashion design candidates, you need to focus on refining skills that are highly demanded in the industry. Become proficient with flat sketching, include flats in your portfolio, and be extremely comfortable and knowledgeable in Illustrator and Photoshop. Not only will you be ready with the skills you need to succeed in fashion, but discussing how you went the extra mile to keep up with industry standards will definitely impress any prospective employer!

For your reference and use, we have posted lots of industry standard flat sketches and CADs in JPEG and vector (Illustrator) formats on DesignersNexus.com. If you can improve your skills to reach the quality of those shown, you’ll be in a very good shape

© 2008 Designers Nexus Inc. All rights reserved. Originally published at DesignersNexus.com. This article may be reproduced unedited, unaltered and in its entirety. This copyright, author bio(s) and all active links must be preserved and included when reproducing this article. Contact us for approval if you wish to publish it contrary to these guidelines.

As a NYC fashion designer, Natalie has traveled to Europe and Asia for shopping, researching trends and production. In a 14 year career, she has gained a lot of insights in the industry, and has trained designers with her knowledge of global trend market. Due to popular demand in response to her advice and training, she created a free fashion resource center at DesignersNexus.com to share her experiences with a larger audience, helping aspiring designers learn from her mistakes and successes creating their own successful careers.

Kristin is an experienced fashion designer in NYC. Since graduating with honors from Drexel University with a Fashion Design degree, she has gained valuable experience designing for the fast paced, fashion forward juniors market. Wanting to share her knowledge with other fashionistas, she had first teamed up with Natalie to create a website for fashion trends, styling and beauty tips at http://www.FashionFrog.com and the DesignersNexus.com.