The LuxMob Info Tags

Both new home buyers and long-time home owners may have the need to buy a refrigerator sometime during their ownership experience. What are the things that you should be looking for? What features will be most important to you in the long run? What size do you need? Is it really necessary to get the most energy efficient model? What kind of shelves should you pick? Everyone in our society needs a refrigerator. However, there are also many things to decide when you are making a purchase of this magnitude.

Basic Guide To Help You Through The Process:

• Finances: This is one of the most important considerations when you are buying a new refrigerator. You should know before you walk into the store what you can afford and then stick to it. Take a look at ads and also consumer magazines to find out what the general price range is for the type of fridge that you are looking for. Figure in any special features like an ice maker, a custom color, or an in door water and ice dispenser.

• Your Needs: Are you buying the refrigerator for your new gourmet kitchen or is it for your child heading off to the dorm? Do you have young children who will need to get into the fridge to get drinks and snacks? Are you going to want something that can hold large party trays and has big vegetable and fruit bins? Is shelving that can be removed easily important to you? Does it need to have an easy-to-clean surface? Before you head out to buy the refrigerator, make a list of what your needs and wants are, so that you can be prepared before you talk to the sales person.

• The Basics: There are basically three types of fridges on the market today-side by side, top-bottom, and built-in. All of these refer to the positioning of the refrigerator and the freezer. The least common today is the built-in type with the freezer in a compartment inside the fridge and a custom made front. The top-bottom orientation can have the freezer on the top or the bottom. If you have trouble bending over, put whatever part of the fridge you access the most on the top. The side by side has a freezer and a refrigerator compartment that are about the same size. All of these types usually have models that come with in-door water and ice dispensers and/or ice-makers.

• The Size: For a dorm room the refrigerator should obviously be quite small. Fridges are usually measured in cubic feet. The smallest models are usually only 7 to 9 cubic feet in size, while the extra large models are 20 to 29 cubic feet in size. Before you sign the papers, or put down the cash to buy any refrigerator, take measurements to make sure that it will fit in the space that you have set aside. You may not want to remodel your kitchen just to fit your new appliance. Measure the height as well. Check for any walls or other things that may get in the way of the doors-although you can sometimes choose which way the fridge opens with the top-bottom and built-in models.

• Those Little Extras: If you want an in-door ice maker or a chrome finish on your fridge you may have to plan on paying a little extra. You can also choose from shelves that are wire or glass, shelving that can be moved around and reconfigured to your needs, and many other features. Give yourself some time and shop around for the best deals to get the fridge of your dreams.

By Margarette Tustle who writes tips for family and the home. Learn about refrigerators and other buying tips by visiting irefrigerator.com

Web conferencing is an Internet-based technology that facilitates the sharing of just about any audio and visual medium in a conference. This includes everything from presentations to polling facilities to product demonstrations and Web tours. Using Web conferencing, groups of people from around the world can work collaboratively on a document, blueprint or a drawing without leaving their desks. For example, an engineering team in Detroit can participate in a new car design review held in London, while discussing the new design with an advertising agency in New York.

The term ‘Web conferencing’ was earlier used mainly for text-based group communications or discussions over a Web space known as a message board. But now it has evolved to refer to live or synchronous meetings. This technology dates back to the 1990s when the Web was first used for conferences using instant messaging techniques. Microsoft NetMeeting is one of the earliest examples of Web conferencing software that allowed users to collaborate in real time.

A conferencing service provider usually offers Web conferencing as a service. The application software is hosted on the service provider’s server and is made available to customers either as a per seat basis or on usage basis. Some service providers allow their large customers to install the applications on their own servers. Conferencing software that operates on a peer-to-peer basis such as Instant Messengers is also available but its functionality is limited and restricted to small groups.

A large number of service providers and vendors are now present in the conferencing market

This market continues to expand at a rapid pace due to the growing acceptance of online conferencing as an alternative to personal meetings requiring travel and as a better form of communication compared to voice-only conferences.

I will never forget interviewing a prospective employee who had two years of sales experience selling copiers. After spending a few minutes going over his background, I asked him, “Would you describe yourself as money-motivated?”

“Money-motivated?” he asked back. He sat there trying to find the right answer that existed somewhere between what he really felt and what he thought was the morally correct answer. I could tell he was struggling with this. He seemed to think to himself, ‘If I tell him I am not money-motivated then he may not think I am ambitious enough to do well in sales. If I tell him I am money-motivated then he will just think I am some sort of cheap selfish jerk who will do anything to get a sale.’

How would you answer that question? Do you think it is wrong to be money-motivated? Do you think that deep down inside you really are, but then think that at some level this belief may conflict with some other part of your moral or even religious beliefs? For most people in sales, this internal conflict ensues in a consistent hesitation to do everything that it takes to win. Even beyond this, the lack of ability to accept what you deserve can kill the sale and kill a career. Most sales people who sabotage their sales really do not feel deep down that they deserve the sale or the money that goes along with it because at some point in their life, they felt that being ‘money-motivated’ was morally wrong.

In my own opinion (and this is just my opinion), I do not think it is morally wrong to be ‘money-motivated.’ I do not even think that the phrase is an accurate description of what many of us perceive to be the motivation for effective selling. It is not money that is motivating a strong sales rep. It is getting a strong return on the investment of his time. It is knowing that a sales rep is maximizing his effectiveness and being a good steward of his career. Spend one unit of your time and see if you can get a return of five units back, that sort of thing. Money is just a unit of measure of how we value things. And what’s even paradoxical about sales success is that during each transaction, the less you focus on your own remuneration and more on the benefit to your prospect, the more money you make.

Here is what I mean by this: your motivation has to be in the service of others. Think about it. In sales, it is an economic impossibility for people to purchase a product or service unless there is a tangible or perceived value which is equal to or greater than the price of purchase. You have got to have some sort of value that you bring to the decision-making formula, and if you follow this three-part ‘mental model’ of selling, you will see yourself selling more, deserving more, and enjoying relationships with your customers more. And you will certainly make more money as a derivative of your service:

1. First, understand that in the world of sales, you have to believe in what you are selling. If you don’t have belief in your value then you are a phony and every prospect will see through it. Your lack of belief will result in your own personal hesitation and people will sense it and refuse to buy.

2. Second, know that your success in sales is a byproduct of the value that you bring to the world. When people say that they are ‘money motivated’, it is not really the money that motivates them. It is the representation of value, which is really what money is. Money represents a measure of value. It is how we keep score of the amount of value that we have brought to the world. If you contribute more to people, then you deserve more. If you bring the value of your service to more people, the ensuing result is remuneration through compensation. In other words, the more you sell, the more you make.

3. Third, understand that if you sell with the proper mindset and belief, you will see every objection with a duty to overcome it. When you believe that what you have can really benefit someone else, and that they are making the wrong decision not to buy from you, then you will approach your sales process with a duty, with a commitment, with an attitude of service to the other person as you try to help them buy what you are selling. It is really that simple. When you believe it, then they need it, and all that is left is learning how to overcome their objections in a way that leads them to take action in making the purchase.

Remember that there is nothing wrong with being money-motivated, as long as you understand how it really all fits together. And if you think this way, then you will never hesitate again about what motivates you and how your financial reward fits in the big picture.

Copyright (c) 2006 Scott Love

Scott Love equips sales people and managers with tools that double their performance. To have him speak at your next meeting or convention, contact him at 828-225-7700. Visit his website for free tools and resources, http://www.scottlove.com

Have you installed a swimming pool safety fence or are you going to employ full time lifeguards to supervise your children in the pool this summer? Think of how many kids converge on your home when the weather heats up and how easy it is to court danger and consider the level of peace of mind you want for yourself and your family. A swimming pool safety fence is the only answer.

What could possibly go wrong?

Without a swimming pool safety fence, you leave yourself wide open for a list of realities that you could face. Drowning is the second highest cause of accidental injury-related deaths in children aged fourteen or younger. In the few seconds it takes to turn hamburgers on the barbecue or dash inside for more cold drinks, a child can die. You may or may not hear a splash, but even if you do, it could possibly be too late.

All water activities should be placed behind your swimming pool safety fence. Spas, Jacuzzis, wading pools and buckets are best kept out of harm’s way.

Homeowners’ liability insurance protects you from the legal ramifications of an accident, but a swimming pool safety fence will protect everyone who is invited to your home from becoming a victim of drowning.

Is a fence enough?

Perhaps; perhaps not. It depends on the layout of your yard, the accessibility of the yard from inside the house, whether there are rocks, tables or chairs that can be climbed on to facilitate entry over the fence, and any number of other elements. A swimming pool safety fence should be at least five feet high, and should not be climbable. No opening should be more than four inches wide, so that children cannot squeeze through. Audible alarms can be installed so that you will hear if someone is entering through the gate. The closures on self-closing and self-latching gates and doors around the pool must be situated beyond a child’s reach and all gates should open outward. You can even install pool safety covers for added protection. Having a phone connected near the pool is another way of ensuring help is never far away. You might also like to erect a sign displaying CPR techniques, and point it out to all who use the pool.

When all’s said and done, a swimming pool safety fence is the best physical protection you can provide against child drowning, but adequate supervision is also a must. As a swimming pool owner, it is your responsibility to provide a safe, healthy environment for your own family and for people who come into contact with the pool. Be vigilant for everyone’s sake.

Carlo Morelli writes for www.onlineTips.org, where you can read more about aluminum safety pool fences and inground swimming pools.

What has been your wake-up call? Why do improvements no longer help you? And what should you do to change?

Business activities are always subject to improvements. There is always something that could be done better. This is a process that can easily be managed. You can plan them as if they where day to day activities. It is a linear process where you can determine the result by some kind of extrapolation of the past. Improvements are best managed by action and less by thought; just continue your walk. If you stop and think too long you will destabilize the process. Everything was going alright.

To manage a change you first need a wake-up call. A nice example of such a call is present in the film “American Beauty” where Lester (Kevin Spacey) wakes by ‘the call’ of a young cheerleader. If you have seen that movie you know that the young girl has done no harm. There was something wrong – with Lester’s life - before she entered the scene.

A wake-up call will help you to start thinking and stop doing. Imagine that you are walking in some kind of a direction and after a time you experience that rather approaching your target you are moving away from it. You find yourself in an area that you do not recognize and you feel that you might be lost. How long will you keep on walking? And when will you recognize that you are indeed lost? Many of us keep on walking (doing), where they should stop (and think). Am I lost? Or are we still on the right track?

When scared by a wake-up call, the first thing to do is to check what has been happened around you. It takes quite a while to construct a new building. It takes years to develop a big shopping-center where all the discounts are gathered. If you are managing the little shop around the corner you could have seen that they where coming. The question is; when did it wake you up?

© 2005 Hans Bool / Astor White

For supporting tools to manage change - both personal and organization wide - you could visit Astor White. The human side of Change.

Considering that, as a matter of policy, automobile insurance companies do not reveal the methods and factors they use to calculate rates for auto insurance, an automobile accident insurance calculator is just a little bit illusory.

An auto accident insurance calculator is comprised of many factors that have to do with both the vehicle and the driver. Which factors and what weight they carry may vary quite a bit depending on the automobile insurance company.

Car insurance rating groups are a particularly important factor used to calculate insurance rates. Insurance rating groups determine to what extent the level of risk to insure members of a particular group deviates from a norm.

You’re A ‘Joiner’ Whether You Think You Are Or Not

An insurance calculator would calculate higher rates for those with higher levels of risk and lower rates for those with lower levels.

Insurance rating groups might be categorized by age group, gender, credit scores, location of residence, and other factors, or a combination of several. Based on insurance rating groups, an automobile insurance company might be able to project the chances of a policyholder being in an automobile accident or of their putting their vehicle at risk in other ways; where they park, for instance.

When you apply for auto insurance, you are essentially applying for membership in a club, one of many insurance rating groups. You can’t do anything about joining some of those clubs–the Young Males’ Club or the Under-25 Club, for instance–but you can do something about being in the Good Drivers’ Club, The I-Pay-My-Bills-On-Time Club, The My-Car-Gets-Parked-In-A-Garage Club, and others.

An insurance ‘calculator’ looks to see if your ‘membership dues’ are paid up in full, then determines your insurance rates accordingly.

Jon Butt publishes http://www.which-car-insurance.com A free resource site devoted to advising all on the car, motor and auto insurance facts you need to know, the different types, cover levels, the top car insurance companies, how to buy wisely online or through local brokers. All vehicles are all covered in this easy insurance guide

Even if you have never baked bread before, I can just about guarantee that your very first loaf out of the oven will be so mouth-watering that you’ll amaze yourself (not to mention family and friends)!

Up until 1990, I’d never made a single thing that called for yeast. In fact, if a recipe did include yeast, I avoided it LIKE THE PLAGUE! I’ve never been a “Donna Reed” homemaker and I’ve been told that I don’t “cook,” I merely “prepare” things to eat. So, when an unusual gift of a cup of Sourdough Starter came my way, I was at a total loss. However, the friend who shared the starter with me had a delightfully documented family history about the origins of the starter and how her family had “kept it alive” down through seven generations. Who was I to say “Thanks” and then take it home and pour it down the sink?

Luckily, I was acquainted with a diploma’d gourmet cook and I turned to her for help. Sourdough Starter in hand and a recipe that dated back to the mid-1800s, I spent one wonderful Saturday in her kitchen learning the art of making homemade bread. When my first loaf came out of the oven, I stood there in disbelief! (And then, we tore it open and slathered it with butter and ate the WHOLE THING!)

OK, so enough about all this, let’s get on with getting you started. First, this is not a recipe for bread machines. I don’t own one. My only “bread machine” is a large crock mixing bowl, a big wooden spoon, a 31-year-old pastry cloth (a bridal shower gift from my mother), and my two hands. If you are looking for bread machine recipes, then search the Web—you’ll find oodles! I make bread by hand, from scratch, for the relaxation and personal satisfaction it brings me. So beware, you’ll be getting your hands right into the dough! If this isn’t for you, then by all means, pass it by (or give it to a friend who might like to make bread by hand).

Now you are going to need the Sourdough Starter. Please visit http://janktheproofer.com/SourdoughBread/JansDough.htm.This web page will take you to my easy-to-follow recipes for both the starter and Basic Sourdough Bread—and lots and lots of helpful hints!

I suggest that you print the recipes for both the starter and the bread. You should know up front that it’s going to take about 10 days to “grow” your first batch of starter (I’d love to share a cup of it with you, but technology hasn’t quite mastered the art of sending material objects via cyber-space!). Once you get started, you can email me directly (using the email address found on the recipe pages) if you have any questions. I’ll be happy to hold you hand while you create your first batch of homemade Sourdough Bread!

Oh, one thing, though…better be sure to have a tub of butter handy! You’re not going to be able to resist it…

About The Author

Jan K., The Proofer is freelance proofreader and copyeditor. Visit http://www.janktheproofer.com for more information about Jan’s services; http://work-at-home.janktheproofer.com for work at home articles and free printables; and for work at home moms, visit Jan’s sister site http://work-at-home.momsbreak.com for articles, free printables, and work at home T-shirts and other fun products.

© Copyright 2004 All rights reserved.

jkproof@bellsouth.net