The LuxMob Info Tags

Are your children growing bored with their textbooks? Are you growing tired of hearing them complain? Is it possible that your textbooks are the problem? If you’ve never thought about this, take a moment to think about it now. Think about how each child is unique. With this in mind, you’ll be able to set out to find new ways to work with your child.

One idea… Unit studies. Doing a unit study with your child is one way in which you can help your child(ren) discover their own gifts and talents, as they learn about the world at our side. Unit studies can provide you with some wonderful experiences. So, take time to use unit studies, to begin a trail of discovery for both you AND your child(ren). This truly can be a powerful journey of discovery, because when you give your child(ren) a chance to follow their interests, the outcome can be surprising. Unit studies provide you with this opportunity. They also give your child(ren) a chance to obtain a better understanding of the way things work, the history of the world, their own abilities, and much more.

Some people seem to think that if you use unit studies that there will be holes in their child(ren)’s education. Truth be told though, no student ever completely finishes a textbook. The shame in this lies in the fact that the “good” stuff usually lies toward the end of the textbook. With a good education children are taught how to be able to think and how to build a sound foundation of learning. The whole point is to build a strong tree of knowledge for your child(ren) where upong they are able to place more information over the course of their lifetime.

As a mother, you’re never going to be able to teach your child(ren) about everything, but you can teach your child(ren) how to think, how to investigate, and how to research and dig for answers. This, in and of itself, will be a priceless education for those who will be successful in a rapidly changing world. Unit studies hold all of this power within their “papers.” When writing them, my intention is to provide this power for you to unpack for your child(ren). Enjoy!

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued an interim report to
Congress on its investigation into Midwest gas price increases
that was cited at the reasons that the FTC launched the
investigation. It also provides a status report on the
continuing investigation, including progress and a description
of the work not yet done. The report details the history of the
price spikes of reformulated gasoline (RFG) in the Midwestern
part of the country and how these increases caused Commission
staff to initiate a preliminary investigation in June and
prompted the Commission to begin a formal investigation during
the latter part of July.

The report analyzes many conditions reported as potential causes
of the gas price spikes -
ranging from higher than normal crude oil prices, to the
expectation of compliance with EPA Phase II regulations for
summer-blend reformulated gasoline in high-ozone urban areas, to
the damage to the critically important Explorer pipeline during
March. However, the report says that “although it is likely that
each of these supply factors contributed to the dramatic recent
price spikes in the Midwest, no single factor appears from
staff’s preliminary investigation to be likely to provide a full
explanation, and staff does not yet have sufficient information
to assess the impact of these factors in combination.”

In accordance with the report, Commission staff is investigating
“the possibility of collusion or tacit coordination, conduct
that could be illegal under Section 5 of the Federal Trade
Commission Act.” Due to the abundance of potential interwoven
causes as well as the monstrous amount of evidential information
being collected for the course of the investigation, the report
also states that “this investigation is likely to consume, at a
minimum, another three or four months.”

The report shows that on June 29, Commission staff issued the
first round of subpoenas to the nine refiners that currently
supply the Midwestern markets and that within the month, staff
has accepted and logged approximately 200 boxes of
documentation. Around mid August, most documents requested from
the first round of subpoenas will be delivered to the Commission
offices. The Commission also issued a second round of subpoenas
to other refiners last week, and has issued Civil Investigative
Demands (CIDs) to the refiners recently, requesting that the
refiners compile data and answers to all of the Commissions
written questions. Commission staff issued another set of
subpoenas on July 25 to the entities that own or control the gas
transportation pipelines serving the Midwest markets of the
United States. Documents from that set of subpoenas are expected
to begin arriving shortly at Commission offices. The report
further details the Commission’s plan to conduct a series of in
depth interviews as part of the investigation. Staff has already
conducted nearly 15 interviews with market participants,
consumers, corporate consumers and many others with knowledge of
investigation relevant information, and continues the process of
capturing pertinent industry-wide data from the Oil Price
Information Service (OPIS). After the documentary evidence has
been reviewed and analyzed, staff will take depositions under
oath of key participating personnel throughout the gasoline
distribution chain in the Midwest United States.

Federal Trade Commission staff will also coordinate all of the
investigative efforts with the Attorney General of Michigan,
Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Kentucky, South
Dakota, Indiana, Missouri, and West Virginia.

This article and one-way
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Bankruptcy should always be a last resort (see our Debt Relief section for bankruptcy alternatives). However, if you are determined to file bankruptcy but have not done so yet, then please take your time and don’t rush the process - it is more important to ensure that all your bases are covered rather than to make a mistake that may cost you later.

• Obtain Credit Reports. You absolutely need to obtain your credit reports from the three major credit-reporting agencies (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion). Fortunately, you can conveniently obtain all three of your reports online in only minutes.

1. With the reports direct from each bureau you will have access to a file number and a phone number needed for accessing customer service.

2. You will see the addresses for each creditor on the credit report. If it is not there, then you can call customer service to ask them to provide you with the missing information.

3. When you call the bureau you can ask them to provide you with the phone numbers for each of the companies showing on the credit report.

• Get Updated Information. You need the most up to date information you can have when filing for bankruptcy.

  1. Call each creditor and ask them how much is owed and for the address where payment should be sent.

  2. If they don’t handle the account, then ask them for the name and address of the collection agency that will take payment.

  3. Call the collection agency and ask them how much is owed and for the address where payment should be sent.

  4. When dealing with creditors and collection agencies don’t let them bully you or upset you over outstanding balances. Just collect the information you need.

  All you have to say is, “Thanks. I will call your company back soon regarding this matter.” Don’t give them time for a rebuttal - just hang up.

  If they push the matter, then only as a last resort tell them you will be filing bankruptcy. Give them the name and number of your attorney and end the call.

  Some companies will take this as a reason to step in and offer a settlement to reduce the amount owed in order to get you to pay. And sometimes people do call creditors and suggest bankruptcy just for this edge in negotiating a settlement, even when they don’t intend to file.

  You absolutely don’t want to use this tactic if you are going to follow through with the bankruptcy. They will try to default your bankruptcy petition if they can.

• Identify All Accounts. It is important to identify all of your accounts.

  1. If you don’t see a creditor or collection agency on the credit report you know for a fact you owe money to, then you need to find any billing statements or collection letters you may have received. These statements and letters will have necessary address information and phone numbers along with amounts still owed.

  2. If you have no such information, then try to skip trace online to locate these companies. I personally like using this site for look up:

  http://www.bigbook.com/

  You don’t have to know what city the company is located in, but definitely try to find the state.

  3. If that is still not helping, then you can also try the Better Business Bureau site:

  http://search.bbb.org/search.html

• Make a list of accounts for your bankruptcy attorney. Your attorney will need the addresses, balances, and account numbers to complete the bankruptcy papers.
• If there are creditors that you want to continue paying, then it is very important at this time to tell your attorney that you want to offer reaffirming on the debt. The attorney will then send the offer to the creditors you have selected who must accept it. Then the judge must accept the offer too.

The creditors will continue reporting the balance owed and show the status “reaffirmed” on your credit report.

• All other creditors depending on the bankruptcy:

  1. Chapter 13. Once discharged then the balance will show as zero. The public record listing will remain 7 years from the file date. The accounts included in bankruptcy will remain on your credit report 7 years.

  2. Chapter 7. Once discharged then the balance will show as zero. The public record listing will remain 10 years from the file date. The accounts included in bankruptcy will remain on your credit report 7 years.

  For further information on reporting periods please review the Fair Credit Reporting Act at the Federal Trade Commission web site, www.ftc.gov. Other recommended reading is the staff opinion letters regarding reporting periods.

• Usually prior to filing bankruptcy defaulted accounts go into collection or charge off status. The creditor stops reporting account information to the credit reporting agencies and turns the defaulted account over to a collection agency. The collection agency then picks up on the collection efforts and will from that point on report account information to the credit-reporting agency. The creditor is taken out of the loop.

  Because account information is now handled by collection agencies instead of creditors, by the time your attorney sends your creditors notice of the account being included in bankruptcy, it is typically no longer “in their system” to properly notify the Credit Reporting Agencies to update zero balance and include in bankruptcy status.

  Creditors have the means and responsibility to manually update account information with credit reporting agencies. But at this point no one is requiring creditors to change their policy and address this issue. If you have a complaint, you can do the following:

  • File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. They regulate the Credit Reporting Agencies.
  • File a complaint with your attorney generals office.
  • File a complaint with the regulating company over each of the creditors.
  • Your bankruptcy attorney can file complaints against creditors who do not report accurately.

  When creditors don’t update account information with the credit reporting agencies, then you get an incorrect credit report that still shows you owe on the accounts in question, and that they are currently in collections or charge off status when in fact they are not.

  The problem with this is that if you apply for new credit after your bankruptcy is discharged, then you are likely going to be declined because the new lender will assume that you still owe on the debt.

  The clear, quick way to fix this problem is to:

  1. Obtain a copy of your bankruptcy and discharge papers from your attorney or the courthouse. This may include a copy fee.

  2. Make three copies of the section of papers that list all of the creditors and collection agencies that were included in the bankruptcy - usually this is called the Schedule F.

  3. Forward these documents along with the discharge to all of the credit-reporting agencies (listed below) requesting that each creditor included in the bankruptcy be updated to properly reflect a zero balance with the status included in bankruptcy.

  Experian
  PO Box 2002
  Allen, TX 95013

  Equifax
  
  P.O. Box 740256
  Atlanta, GA 30374

  TransUnion
  
  P.O. Box 1000
  Chester, PA 30374

  4. Be sure when mailing correspondence to the credit reporting agencies to include a copy of your driver’s license and mail “certified return receipt requested”. This will ensure disputes are processed with little delay.

Finally, if you have a creditor or collection agency which is not honoring your bankruptcy and continuing collection efforts, then be sure to contact your bankruptcy lawyer. Give your lawyer the name and address of the company bothering you so that he or she can send them official notice. Follow up with the lawyer if the creditor persists in harassing you. It is a violation and they can be held accountable if they don’t cease after notification of the bankruptcy.

As with all consumer issues, knowing your consumer rights throughout the bankruptcy process is essential. Taking a proactive approach at the onset of the process will help you on your “road to credit recovery”.

Pammila Phillis is a staff writer for CardRatings.com She is also a frequent contributor to the http://www.CardRatings.com message board and to the Star Credit Repair forum, a forum that she administers.

Advice from a life coach on sticking to your New Year’s goals.

It’s only a few weeks into the New Year and all those goals and
resolutions you wanted for yourself are already slipping away.
One of two things is happening: Either you simply never got
started, or you’re running out of steam.

Not getting started is common. Even with all the great
enthusiasm and excitement we had about the year, the diversion
of the holidays and then just trying to get back into our normal
routines didn’t allow us to incorporate our new goals into our
old schedules. The goals we initially set now seem too difficult
to know where to start. Simply put, we are busy and distracted
by the overall tasks of our lives. Don’t worry. There is always
“tomorrow” or next year.

The other common element to resolution failure is burn out. It
is comically predictable, but have you ever noticed the level of
activity the first week of January? Go to any gym and you will
see it packed. In fact, January 1st and 2nd are two of the
busiest days in gym attendance. Weight loss groups, dating
sites, financial planners, career advisors, and support groups
all report high activity the first week of January.

Everyone wants to get in shape, lose weight, meet someone, get a
better job, save money, quit smoking, quit drinking and more. So
we start out the year no holds barred and go for it!
Unfortunately the results we want don’t come as fast as our
initial enthusiasm and when we don’t see quick changes we lose
our motivation. As the weeks go by the crowds disappear and soon
everything is back to normal activity levels as we all slip back
into our routines. Then we stay there until another failed
attempt next January. The result is that 2006 will be yet
another year you failed to achieve the changes you wanted.

The New Year motivates us to start, but we need to develop a
habit of successful behavior. As Jim Ryan put it, “Motivation is
what gets us started. Habit is what keeps us going.”

You can develop success habits and remedy lack of or diminished
motivation with a life coach technique called “ABC.”

A = Action. Start taking action today. We don’t achieve change
through thinking about it, but by doing something.

B = Bite size. Reduce all your new activities to small daily
actions. It truly is amazing how doing something small doesn’t
overwhelm us and produces amazing results. When we take on too
much we either don’t start or can’t keep it up. Work out 10
minutes a day; send out one resume a day, save a little money
every day and the results will materialize over time.

C = Consistency. Through the accumulation of small actions, we
get big results. Do your bite size action activities daily!

We all want big changes, but literally think about the change in
your pocket. We have all taken our daily change and placed it in
a container of some sort. Before long, that pile of nickels and
dimes had grown to several dollars. If you want to produce real
changes, concentrate on the ABC Success Habits. Get into action
today with small bite size activities consistently and before
you know it, you’ll be going to the bank at the end of 2006 with
a sizable deposit of results.

When we travel, we tend to think of the destination, rather than the roads we take to get there. After all, who wouldn’t rather dream of the vacation as opposed to the hours spent in a cramped car with the kids asking every few minutes, “Are we there yet?”

But, the truth is, we have to know where we are to get to where we’re going. That is why having a Global Positioning System (more commonly called GPS) is so essential. This cyber map will always be aware of your movements and location, allowing you the security of never having to second-guess directions.

Does this scenario sound familiar? You have traveled down a dirt road, filled with more ruts than dirt, only to enter a town whose biggest
attraction is a gas station with inside restrooms. You didn’t want to be here, but your innate sense of direction (or lack thereof) coupled with a map that can only be described as adequate, brought you. Now, you have to either turn around or rely on the directions of a man who was more interested in reading the paper than listening to you. It is a tiresome situation, to put it lightly, and one you should not have to experience.

So what difference would a GPS system make? First of all, you would always know exactly where you are. This satellite locator is the only complete one on the word, meaning: the directions it gives you will be based only on the best and most accurate information. Secondly, a GPS system can be personalized. Unlike a map that just gives roads and the occasional extra information, a GPS can be trained to show you local attractions, hotels, restaurants, airports, etc. It can also become your personal address book, storing the roads and routes important to your daily life. With that, you will always be aware of which turn to make and when to do it. No more missing your exit by being distracted; a GPS system will actually tell you to turn.

Because of these amenities, the GPS has quickly risen to the level of ‘needed’ item. Not only does it assure that you will always know where you are, but it also brings a level of safety to drivers. No more stumbling about the street, hoping to find the turn you need. A GPS system will always let you know when the time is right to turn.

Of course, it must be noted that there are different types of systems and, the cheaper you buy, the less it will be able to do. Though it is usually thought to pay less and hope for the best, in this case, it is wiser to invest in a more equipped system, or at least one more tailored to your lifestyle. That way, you can guarantee yourself a higher level of security when it comes to traveling. Whether going about town or heading across country, you should always know where you are.

Richard Cussons is a prolific and diverse writer. You will find out more about GPS at Satellite Navigation Online.

Yoga defines yama and niyama as the positive and negative
aspects of behaviour respectively. Traditional texts mention ten
yamas and ten niyamas but Patanjali’s Yogasutra, which is
considered the original treatise on yoga, defines five yamas and
five niyamas. It has been mentioned that in Manusmirti that it
is more important to follow yamas than niyamas. Here we give a
brief description on the yamas and niyamas to be followed:

* Ahimsa (Non-violence): this is one of foremost yamas. It means
the lack of intention to hurt others. This intention need not be
just physical but includes mental and emotional cruelty. Here
the attitude is more important than the actual act of killing.
You should not even have the intention of offending others.

* Satya (Truthfulness): this quality implies the honesty and
sincerity in thoughts, words and deeds. This is possible only
when one has conquered greed and ambition since these are the
two major culprits which take you away from the truth.

* Asteya (Non-theft): in Sanskrit, “steya” denotes the enjoyment
or keeping with oneself the things that do not rightfully belong
to them. This is basically the act of stealing or theft. A
person is inclined to steal only when he has no love and has
some selfish motive. A yogi or a student of yoga has very few
basic needs. He has learnt the art of loving himself as well as
the others. Hence he does not feel the need to exploit or steal
from others.

* Brahmacharya (Celibacy): sex has been defined as on of the
vital necessities of human existence. It ranks next only to
food. Since ancient times, very few people have been able to
master their sexual urges. If not satisfied, these urges lead a
person to depravation and develop psychotic tendencies. Yoga
lays a great stress on the celibacy. It considers not only the
act of sex itself as sexual but even thinking, talking and
looking at opposite sex as a part of sex and hence has to be
avoided. Patanjali has declared that brahmacharya increases the
mental strength also called veerya in an individual.

* Aparigraha (Non-gathering): this yama means not going on
collecting wealth and objects just for enjoyment. Yoga teaches
one to collect wealth and objects just to meet his primary
needs. This is important because greed causes distraction and
thus leads to increased strain on his mind and body.

The above mentioned points deal with vairagya or the negative
aspects of one’s behaviour. Now we take a look at some of the
niyamas or the positive aspects of the behaviour as described by
yoga:

* Shoucha (Cleanliness): This includes the cleanliness of the
mind and the body. Yoga has described a clean mind as the one
free of any prejudices, false beliefs, ignorance and ego.
Generally speaking, all the yamas come under this niyama since
they deal with eliminating some or the other impurities.

* Santosha (Contentment): a yogi is taught to be happy and
satisfied with his lot. He does not need to achieve any
ambition.

* Tapas (Religious austerities) : This niyama describes the
rituals like fasting: needed to fortify the mind. Yoga believes
that this increases the resistance power of the body and makes
your body and mind stronger and thus you can face adverse
conditions effectively.

* Swadhyaya (Reading of religious literature): This practice is
very useful for overcoming ignorance and facing the adversities
of life calmly. It helps to fill your mind with peace.

* Ishwarpranidhana (Devotion): this teaches you to rely on the
divine will and to ascribe the effects of your action to the
divine providence. This is a very useful habit to cultivate as
you can accept everything as God’s will and can achieve peace of
mind. This eliminates the fear and worry.

Thank goodness, the most profitable product in the world you can ever sell… also happens to be the easiest product to create.

Can you guess what I’m talking about?

Give up?

Well, that product is…

“Information”!

Let me give you some examples of what I mean: Most information is sold either through written words (books, e-books, magazines and newspapers)… pictures (DVD’s and VHS tapes)… or through computer programs (like software).

And can you guess how much it costs to burn a DVD once your product is made? Or what it costs to assemble a book?

The exciting truth is, in most situations it costs literally less than $2 dollars. And… if you’re selling stuff online, it gets even better, because…

Your disribution costs are even less!

Because if you’re selling information that can be downloaded online by your buyer, outside of a few pennies on the dollar for your merchant account and maybe $25 to $35 dollars a month to keep your website going, your costs are virtually “ZERO”!

That’s why selling “information” is the most profitable product in the world, you can ever sell.

Plus, the amount of money you can make selling information isn’t limited to your store hours… your billable hours… or your inventory.

Just look at Microsoft. Last year they did over $32 Million Dollars in gross annual sales. Not a big deal, other companies are bigger. But… there are few (if any) companies this size, that also have over $49 Million Dollars of cash on-hand, and only a hair more than $1 Million Dollars in long-term liabilities.

I don’t know how familiar you are with asset-to-liability ratios, but this is virtually unheardof.

Reason why?

It’s because of how much cash their products generate and how little it costs them to make it. Just think about it: It costs you $199.99 to buy the new Windows XP Home system at Office Max. How much do you think it cost Microsoft to burn a few CD’s and toss in a manual or 2?

Maybe $10 bucks?

Not bad, hey?

So…

How can you use this to make money in your business?

Well, let’s say you sell software. Most software isn’t very easy to use, right out-of-the-box. And most of the manuals that come with software programs are horrible.

So how about if you produce an e-book or a DVD showing your customers how to use the software? Even if you only sold the book for $19.95 each, at almost 100% profit, it sure doesn’t take long for this project to start lining your pockets with some serious extra cash, right?

And it’s not like you need to do research to write the book or produce the DVD either. That’s the beauty of this.

What if you’re a massage therapist?

A book about “Top 10 Ways To Keep Your Back Nimble And Pain-Free” surely would be something your customers would want.

Maybe you could couple it with “5 Ways To Make Sure Your Golfing Game Doesn’t Cost You More Than A Day Out: How To Eliminate Back Pain While Golfing”

Collect flowers as a hobby? How about a book identifying different flowers in different areas of the world? Or maybe you can reveal “The Secret Locations Of Rare Wild Flowers!”

What if you sell industrial-sized turbine motors? I bet a good VHS or DVD showing your customers how to use those motors, and how to keep them running maintenance-free, would be a big hit.

Maybe this is the way to go with it: “3 Ways To Avoid Costly Repairs To Your Turbine And How To Extend Its Life By As Much As 7 Years!”

You can pretty much come up with a related product for almost any business you have.

What’s that you say — you’ve got a land-based dry cleaners so you can’t use this idea?

Not True!

How about a book that explains how to remove certain stains from a variety of materials and carpeting, or maybe a video that explains the caring and storage of high-end wedding dresses.

Or even better, how about a book along with some software, for the dry-cleaning industry about how to increase profits and streamline losses, directed at other people who own dry-cleaning businesses?

You see, the possibilities are endless.

And remember, nothing is ever set in stone. Even if you can’t sell your products, you can definitely give them away as premiums to your customers, to enhance the value of your goods and services.

For example, don’t you think if you owned a pet shop, you’d have a better chance of selling your kitty litter if you gave away a FREE report along with every single purchase, called “7 Ways To Eliminate Cat Odor!”

Or, let’s say you’re an accountant — wouldn’t your clients love to know “How To Beat The IRS At Their Own Game!”

You could even use this technique if you’re doing something that really makes everyone’s hair stand up on the end of their arms: Like… what if you sell cemetery plots?

I bet you’re customers would love to know, “Everything You Must Know, About Buying Cemetery Plots”

So before we wrap up, let’s recap what you learned today:

First, the most profitable product to sell is information.

Second, you can sell information directly or indirectly related to what you do, to your customers and to new prospects.

And lastly, another thing you can do with information products is to start using them as premiums or bonuses to either entice new people into doing business with you, or to bundle along with your “real” products, enhancing their perceived value. This gives you the “edge” in selling for higher prices than you are now.

Remember, there’s not a product you can sell that’s as easy to put your hands on to develop, as information… and there’s no product that’s worth as much to your customers and clients as information, either.

About the Author

Craig Garber is one of America’s Top Direct-Response Copywriters and Direct-Marketing Consultants. For more copywriting tips, go to www.kingofcopy.com
Copyright 2005 www.kingofcopy.com

If you have a website about a topic you enjoy, you can make money from discussion forums. Talk, post links to your site, get traffic. Traffic means money, right? If not, try different affiliate programs or Google Adwords. The worst sites should get a couple cents per visitor. Now here’s how to talk and make money.

Search “forum” plus the topic of your site on Google or Alta Vista. For my first site, I searched “backpacking + forum” and in the pages of results I found several good forums. I also searched related topics like “hiking” too. You can also check about.com, and other sites that have forums on many topics.

Registration is usually giving your email address and choosing a password. Some forums allow guests to post without registering. Once registered, browse the forum topics, and post a response to anything, just to “learn the ropes”.

Income From Discussion Forums

The point of posting in forums is to get readers to come to your web site. Sure it’s fun to give advice and discuss things of interest to you, but that’s secondary. With that in mind, do the following:

1. Always link to your site. If they don’t allow any links, find another forum.

2. Don’t “spam.” Sales pitches will be removed. Offer honest advice, or express an opinion, then sign off with your name and the link to your site.

3. Ask for help from others. This is an effective and acceptable way to “advertise.” Enter a topic like “Can I get some advice?” and post something like, “I just started a meditation site. If some of you would visit and tell me what you think, I’d really appreciate it.” Have a link to the site. People love to help, and to give opinions, and they’ll click on those ads while they’re at your site.

4. Look at total “views.” Many forums show the total times each “thread” has been viewed. When you see some with many more than others, get in on those, or start a new thread on the same topic. Go where the traffic is, and get some of it.

I didn’t like the idea of forums until I made a few posts, and saw my traffic and revenue climb for days afterwards. That convinced me. Just be polite, offer some value to others, and always have a link to your site. Many other secrets of using forums are covered in my newsletter, but this should be get you started. Talk and make money today.

Steve Gillman writes on many money-related topics. To learn more, and to subscribe for FREE to “Web Site Optimization Secrets,” go to: www.TheMoneyMakerSite.com

Get Readers’ Attention

Ezines have quickly become highly effective online marketing
tools. Their sheer numbers are overwhelming evidence of their
popularity. Each week, dedicated readers’ access hundreds of
thousands of ezines– covering just about every topic you can
think of–. This explosion of ezines creates a smorgasbord for
readers, and competition for publishers.

Often, people sign up for a number of ezines, but don’t read
them all. Some customers will decide whether an ezine is worth
reading based on one issue. So, you can see how important it is
that you every issue is entertaining and interesting. Remember
that by keeping readers, you are building and strengthening
relationships with customers. When your ezine consistently gives
readers information they can use to improve their lives, you
become a trusted source.

Meet Their Needs

It stands to reason that content is what makes or breaks an
ezine. The first secret to producing a popular, successful ezine
is to give readers what they need. How do you know what they
need? Stop and think of who your readers really are. Whether
your ezine is about financial planning or fly-fishing, your
readers are likely novices in this field, while you are an
expert. Think back to when you were just starting out, and make
a list of things you had to learn “the hard way.” What kinds of
articles can you write to help them avoid mistakes and find
success sooner?

Helpful hints, quick tips, product and book reviews are
enthusiastically devoured by ezine readers. They subscribe to
your ezine in hopes of quickly learning how to solve or avoid
problems. Interviews with experts in the field offer readers
extra insight and increase your ezine’s reputation.

Let’s take an example from a real life, my own. I publish an
ezine targeting writers. Since I am a writer, I know the
struggles they face, whether they are experienced or just
starting out. Articles that give tips on busting through
writer’s block, techniques to improve productivity, and lots of
helpful organization hints are at the top of my to-publish list.
I also might review different software, either strictly
writing-related or more general business oriented (for many,
writing is a business, not a hobby).

Staying On Top

I make a point of keeping on top of what is happening in the
writing business, so that my ezine gives readers up-to-date or
even trendsetting information. I do this not only by reading
other websites and ezines, but also by communicating with my
subscribers. You should do the same, either by prominent
placement of an announcement asking for feedback, or by sending
a separate email to everyone on your list. If you take the
latter route, be sure to have a few specific questions (”which
segment is most helpful to you?” “do you consider yourself a
novice, experienced, or very experienced in this field”) as well
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This has made Bhutan one of the highest per capita refugee generators in the world due to the implementation of the “Driglam Namzha” (Cultural Code of the Ruling Elite) with a “One Nation, One People” policy which imposed the language, dress code, and customs of the northern Bhutanese on the entire population. The crackdown on the southern Bhutanese continued as the government began closing schools and hospitals in an attempt to force out those of Nepali origin.

Often the countries most overburdened with refugees are already among the poorest in the world. Nepal continues to be ranked as one of the poorest countries in the world in terms of human development yet hosts more than 100,000 Bhutanese and 20,000 Tibetan refugees. Nepals inadequate social and physical infrastructural services are overstrained by such an
influx of refugees.

There are seven camps with a population of 101,000 refugees, about half of whom are located in Beldangi camp. The camps are situated on the plains of east Nepal, spanning two districts (Jhapa and Morang) which are the most heavily populated in Nepal.

To get to the refugee camps, one has to drive on winding dirt roads through fields or forested land for at least half an hour. The forest clears out all of sudden and distinct rows of huts appear in the clearing. It seems as if you have come upon a civilization long hidden from the rest of the world.

In the seven camps there are 45 schools, 40,000 pupils and 956 teachers. The
student/teacher ratio is an average 40:1 but in reality the classes are much bigger than this as the number of teachers includes headmasters and teacher trainers which are given very few periods, if any at all.

A school environment provides more than just basic needs to read and write, but also provides an outlet for children to experience a sense of normality, safety and routine after many years upheaval.

Most of the classrooms are temporary structures (often made of a mixture of brick, bamboo and grass) due to the limited life-span of the camps. Many of the lower classes do not have desks and the children are sitting on jute mats which have been manufactured in the camps during the income generating activities initiated by Oxfam. However, all classrooms are provided with a table and chair for the teacher. The blackboards are portable with an easel.

David Oglaza is the founder of the Green and Ethical directory www.guidemegreen.com. This growing green resource lists 100s of Organic, Fairtrade, Eco and Ethical companies. Green jobs and a discussion board coming soon!