The LuxMob Info Tags

Tips on Lake Fishing for a Great Outdoor Experience

For many years, lake fish have been classified under three
general heads: game fish, food fish, and forage or bait fish.

The bass, trout, pike, pickerel, muskellunge, pike perch, etc.,
have been generally known as game fish because of their sporting
value.

On the other hand, carp, suckers, some of the catfish, yellow
perch, etc., have been considered as food fish. While this
latter group has not been considered as furnishing the sport
that the so-called game fish do, nevertheless, it has a real
economic and recreational value.

Generally speaking, in lake fishing, words are really inadequate
when it comes to describing the correct procedure in casting.
The best way to learn how to cast is to go down to the beach,
watch an expert at work, and try to do likewise.

Nevertheless, lake fishing can really be fun and the novice will
quickly master the correct form in lake fishing. Therefore, to
further harness their craft, here are some tips that could help
the anglers on their lake fishing activity.

1. In lake fishing, as with other forms of fishing, a smooth,
snappy stroke is required but not as snappy as when snapping a
whip. This type of stroke will cause the loss of many flies.

2. Anglers should remember that it is the line that is cast, not
the fly. The fly is but a passenger, which is attached to the
leader.

3. Proper timing is an important factor on both the backcast and
forward cast.

4. Know the fish habitat and the kinds of fish that inhabit the
lakes. Some of them are the sunfish, and the small mouth black
bass.

These kinds of fish can usually be found hiding near some
submerged log or stump, or among the plants.

5. When catching big fish in the lake, it is best to use big,
sturdy rods. Big fish like the bass usually attain a weight of
12 pounds, which usually inhabits the lake or pond. The reason
why they grow really big is that in lakes or ponds, the food is
both abundant and very rich.

Hence, to handles these sizes, the ideal length and weight of
the rod is 8 ½ feet in length and from 4 to four and three
quarters of an ounce in weight.

Indeed, the fundamental principles in lake fishing are not
difficult to master and with little patience and practice, the
novice can become a successful angler in the lake.

Are you getting sick and tired of all the credit card offers
that magically appear in your mailbox? Well, you aren’t the only
one. Part of the reason why you are receiving so many of late is
because the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) was changed about
10 years ago to allow major credit bureaus to sell your credit
information to credit card companies.

Luckily for U.S. citizens, this Act also states that people have
the right to remove themselves from these credit card offer
lists. This article will detail some of the ways you can avoid
getting those credit card offers.

Credit Card Offers: Opt Out By Mail The longest and most time
consuming of the options, but it also does seem to be the most
effective. You can mail a letter to each of the (listed below)
credit bureaus, requesting that your name not be included on
their credit card offers list(s). Make sure to give them your
name, phone number, full address, and Social Security Number to
each and every place. Also, if you’ve moved recently, you’ll
want to provide updated information for the past two years.

Equifax (http://www.equifax.com/) Equifax Options PO BOX 790123
Atlanta, GA 30374-0123

TransUnion (http://www.transunion.com/) TransUnion LLC’s Name
Removal Option PO Box 97328 Jackson, MS 39288-7328

Experian (http://www.experian.com/) Consumer “OPT-OUT” 901 West
Bond Lincoln, NE 68521

Innovis (http://www.innovis.com/)

Innovis is the new guy on the block when it comes to receiving
credit card offers. They started business in 2001, providing
credit agencies with marketing information on potential, new
clients. One of their features is called FailSafe, which is a
list of people who may pose a credit risk, and therefore should
be removed from the credit card offers list. Another is called
New Movers, which is exactly as it sounds: a monthly list of
people who have just moved.

Credit Card Offers: Opt Out By Mail There is an easier way,
although there is a bit of controversy surrounding this company.
1-888-5-OPTOUT is a number run jointly by all four of the credit
bureaus listed above. By calling it, you can ask to no longer
receive any credit card offers in the mail.

First of all, call the number. Then, select option 2 to stop all
credit card offers being sent to your home. Finally, follow the
prompts to provide all of the same contact information as before
(phone, name, full address and Social Security Number).

Supposedly, just five days after you have made this simple call,
you will be mailed a “Notice of Election” form. However, there
is a bit of controversy regarding this option. It seems that a
large scale bogus email was sent out in July of 2004, stating
that this same legislation allows for ANYONE to access your
credit information.

The FTC, however, has stated publicly that this is just not
true. They say that the legislation in question only gives
financial institutions a deadline to let you know about their
privacy policies, and some way of opting out of the sharing of
private information. In reality, consumers can opt-out of any of
these types of information gathering processes by contacting the
number listed above; July 1 is not a deadline. And finally, not
ANYONE can gain access to your credit information; it has to be
for a certain list of reasons, such as an application for
credit, insurance, employment or rental.

The National Brain Tumor Foundation in Oakland, California is so convinced by the studies linking carbohydrate and insulin to cancer growth they recently revised their dietary guidelines in a dramatic way.

In the group’s published dietary guideline entitled The Healing Power of Your Fork: A Brain Tumor Survivor’s Eating Plan, they advise brain cancer patients to avoid low fat diets and to cut out sugar and refined carbohydrate instead. They warn patients that eating refined carbohydrate not only feeds cancer cells it suppresses the immune system as well.

Another study From Harvard University, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2002: A Harvard research team used 18 years of data from 88,000 women who were participating in the famous Nurses Health Study to investigate whether a diet high in foods that easily raise blood glucose levels increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.

They found that women who were overweight, sedentary, and had the highest glycemic load increased their risk of pancreatic cancer by 250%.

And there’s more. As reported recently by the Associated Press, a Mexican study of nearly 200 women showed that those who consumed a high-carb diet (more than 60% of calories from carbohydrates) were MORE THAN TWICE AS LIKELY to

develop breast cancer as women who adopted a lower-carb approach to eating.

This study supports a similar body of research from last year that linked a greater risk of breast cancer among women to a diet high in sugar (especially soft drinks and desserts), the most damaging of all carbohydrates.

Scientists who believe in the carb/cancer link hypothesize that the extra insulin released to process the simple carbs and sugars we ingest far too much of causes cells to divide and also leads to higher levels of estrogen in the blood. Both of these factors (cellular division and blood estrogen) can contribute to cancer.

As for me and my tribe we are minimizing our sugar consumption and staying with the slow digesting carbohydrates such as whole grains, vegetables and especially beans.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The cardiologist looked up from the treadmill report and grimly stated, “You are a walking time bomb. You need to go to the hospital immediately.” Two days later a heart surgeon sawed open Gene Millen’s chest and stitched in bypasses to six clogged arteries.

“A six way heart bypass isn’t a record” said Gene, “but it’s not bad for a skinny 59 year old with normal cholesterol and blood pressure. The villains and heroes in the heart attack melodrama may surprise you as they have me.”

Gene Millen reviews new research on heart attack risks that are more dangerous than high cholesterol… and how natural supplements and heart vitamins can send them packing! Check out The Heart Health website at http://www.heart-health-for-life.com

Need a free article for your newsletter or website? Go to…

Why Pellet Stoves?

Pellet stoves are more efficient than wood stoves, are easier to use and maintain while the fuel cost is less than propane, oil, and natural gas.

Better yet the combustion efficiency can reduce household greenhouse gas emissions by several tonnes making heating by pellet stove an eco-friendly choice. All from renewable fuel sources.

Loading pellets into a hopper that can provide heat for 24 to 72 hours or more depending on the hopper size and heat output desired makes it much easier to use than a wood stove. The fact that many pellet stoves have automatic starters and thermostats to regulate heat makes them a real winner as a viable heating alternative.

The first efficiency is in the pellet fuel itself. Pellets can be made from waste products from sawmills and other wood processing facilities, biomass sources such as grasses, corn, and nut shells. The compressed pellets store easily. They usually come in 40 lb bags and take less space to store than wood of the same energy output.

The main efficiency is through the steady controlled burn of fuel at high temperatures and the use of convection heat through a heat exchanger rather than the radiant heat you get from a wood stove. This also means that a pellet stove exterior is much cooler and therefore safer if you have small children.

The small amount of ash generated by the efficient combustion means you only have to clean the ash once a week under continuous use for most stoves.

Due to dependence on electricity for fans to operate, some pellet stoves also have back-up battery power to ensure the burn of pellets can be completed if the power is disrupted.

Where to Buy Pellet Stoves?

You best bet is to first try your local fireplace and wood stove dealers to see what brands they carry and, most importantly, where a low cost quality supply of pellets can be found.

You can save hundreds of dollars buying online but you need to ensure the service and support of the manufacturer is included and supported. Look for “authorized dealer” to ensure the manufacturer will uphold the warranty.

How Much to Pay?

Pellet stove prices range from about $1800 to $2800 for home heating. Two main factors are the energy in BTU’s and the size of the hopper which affects how often you need to reload pellets. Other features to look for are automatic start, efficiency, easy access to ash pan and serviceable parts.

You will need to assess the area of your home or cottage you want to heat and get a recommendation from the manufacturer or their representative on the model with right BTU output for your needs.

Kevin Taylor, located in Toronto, Canada is owner of “Pellet Stoves 101″ a website providing basic information on pellet stoves at http://www.top-pellet-stoves.com

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a devastating disorder that is
one of many listed under the general term, “Repetitive Strain
Injury” (RSI).

Of all repetitive strain injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome is the
most recognized and prevalent among the general populace. And
due to this recognition, many people are concerned about being
afflicted with carpal tunnel and its debilitating symptoms, a
concern that should be on the minds of anyone that is involved
in work or recreational activities that require extensive use of
the hands, especially in static motions such as “gripping”
and/or repetitive motions like typing, clicking a computer
mouse, assembly, etc.

Below is a list of the symptoms associated with carpal tunnel
syndrome and a list of steps that can be taken to help prevent
this terrible and devastating disorder that has reached pandemic
proportions.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Symptoms:

· Tightness, discomfort, stiffness or pain on the front side of
the hands/wrists.

· Tingling, numbness and/or paresthesia (Pins & needles)
affecting the thumb, index, middle and one-half of the ring
finger. The thumb and fingers do not have to be affected
simultaneously as symptoms will often vary and move around.
(Example: The thumb and index finger may be numb one day and the
next day the numbness and tingling in the thumb and middle
finger are more noticeable.)

· Loss of strength in the fingers/hands. (Grip Strength)

· Pain, aching, swelling, and diminished coordination and
dexterity.

· A need to stretch and/or massage hands, wrists and arms.

· Assuming a defensive posture in order to protect sensitive
hands/wrists.

Because carpal tunnel syndrome and its symptoms are something
that everyone should be aware of in this day and age of
computers, video games, personal assistant devices and other
“technological advances”, it is important to take the necessary
steps in order to prevent carpal tunnel from developing in the
first place.

By implementing the following steps, you can greatly reduce your
risk of getting carpal tunnel syndrome as well as stave off many
other repetitive strain injuries that are caused in the exact
same manner as carpal tunnel, such as Guyon’s Syndrome, Trigger
Finger and Tendonitis of the hands and wrists.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Prevention Protocol:

· Task Variation: It is wise to vary tasks throughout the day in
order to keep the force and duration of the specific motion to a
minimum. If a typical workday involves 5 types of activities;
instead of doing task #1 for 1.5 hours and then moving on to
task #2 for 1.5 hours, etc., it is best if task #1 can be
performed for 30-minutes and then task #2 is performed for 30
minutes, and so on, repeating tasks #1-5 every 30 minutes until
they are completed. If this is not possible for the type of work
that is required, ask the employer health director to implement
a task rotation schedule where workers perform a different type
of task every 1-2 hours throughout the day, making sure that
each task is different enough that it does not tax the same
muscle group(s) in the same manner as the previous task or the
next task. It is still important that in these 1-2 hour shifts
that mini-breaks are taken for 2-3 minutes every 30 minutes.
Implementing task variation is very successful tool in keeping
productivity high and repetitive strain injuries like carpal
tunnel syndrome to a minimum.

· Task Requirement Limitation: The ‘task requirement limitation’
protocol sets a limit on the duration and force of a given job
or task, making sure that workers are only required to perform a
certain number of repetitive movements or a certain amount of
force over a specified period of time before a break is
required. Implementing a mini break for every 30 minutes of work
activity is very important in order to prevent muscle
hypertonicity and fatigue from setting in, the main causes of
carpal tunnel syndrome.

· Ergonomic Systems: Ergonomic systems and tools are important
in helping to reduce the amount of stress and strain that is
inflicted upon the body, but ergonomic systems and tools by
themselves cannot prevent or “cure” injuries like carpal tunnel
syndrome.

· Mini-Breaks: It is very important to implement short breaks
every 30 minutes of work activity in order to reduce stress and
strain to the fingers, hands, wrists and forearms. These breaks
only have to last 2-3 minutes, but are key in allowing the
muscles to relax, which helps to prevent a muscle imbalance from
occurring and developing into carpal tunnel syndrome. Even more
important in carpal tunnel syndrome prevention, is implementing
the following activities into these mini-breaks.

- Stretch: Stretch the short, restrictive muscles in order to
lengthen them, which, reduces pressure on the underlying
muscles, blood vessels and nerves. (Example: Carpal Tunnel
Syndrome - Stretch the muscles on the front of the forearm that
flex the fingers, hand/wrist.)

- Exercise: Strengthen the weak, underdeveloped muscles in order
to help shorten/tighten them. Performing strengthening exercises
to the muscle groups opposite to those that are short and tight
allows the muscles on both sides of the joint to return to a
more natural, balanced position. The strong, short muscles are
lengthened and the weak, long muscles are shortened, creating
equality and stability around the entire joint. (Example: Carpal
Tunnel Syndrome - Strengthen the muscles on the back of the
forearm that extend the fingers, hand/wrist.)

NOTE: Of all the ideas listed, the ones that are most important
in preventing and eliminating repetitive strain injuries like
carpal tunnel syndrome are mini-breaks, stretches and exercises.

By simply being aware and implementing a few simple techniques
at work, individuals can prevent repetitive strain injuries like
carpal tunnel syndrome from occurring and experience many years
of good health without ever being affected.

How many people know that the cost of Lexmark’s ink cartridges can put a dent in your pocket if you’re the owner of one or more Lexmark printer inkjet machines.

Here are you Step-by-Step “How-to-Remanufacture Your Lexmark 10N0026” Instructions:

Let’s get straight to the point, no beating around the bush during this lecture.

First, you will need the necessary Tools & Supplies Required:

Tools & Supplies Required:

•Electrical Circuit Tester (tool)
•Flush Cleaning Machine (tool)
•Bin for soaking (tool)
•Nozzle-Sealing machine
•Centrifuge (tool)
•Printer Tester or OEM Printer (tool)
•Ultrasonic Welder or Hot Glue Gun (tool)
•Top Removal Tool or Machine (tool)
•Vacuum-Filling Machine (tool)
•Towels (supply)
•Purified Water (supply)
•Labels and Packaging Material (supply)

Here you will also be provided with the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) information:

Lexmark 10N0026:

•Part Number: 10N0026

•OEM Milliliter Load: 19 ml
•Yield @ 5% coverage: 410 pages / min:14
•Resolution: 2400×1200dpi (dots per inch)

Below are the 11 steps to know how to remanufacture your Lexmark inkjet 10N0026 ink cartridges.

Step #1 – Perform Visual Inspection and Electrical Test:

•Immediately, when the cartridges are unpacked and compiled for processing, they should be promptly inspected.

Analyzing the cartridge from all angles will disclose any obvious problems that would make it nearly impossible to process, such as flex circuit or print head damage.

Visual inspections can be quickly performed in the same time frame as the circuit test, which will eliminate cartridges with electrical failures.

Step #2 – Remove Top and Foam:

•In this step, the cartridge tops are removed in the fastest way possible while leaving a consistently even and smooth surface that will enable a brand new top to be welded onto the cartridges at a later time.

The original equipment manufacturer’s top is not reusable. Due to the fact that the top is engraved with the Lexmark logo, ink cartridges recyclers such as you would rather not have it there to reuse anyway.

Step #3 – Soak with Solution:

•Each 10N0026 cartridge is filled with Lexmark’s notorious pigmented ink. The ink formula is similar to the 12A1970 cartridges, yet does not seem to render the cartridge useless as quickly by drying to the point of no return.

Although, the ink happens to thicken similar to a shoe polish consistency soon enough to be a formidable obstacle to processing by customary means.

Now, with the tops removed, the cartridges are filled with approximately 20 ml each of soaking solution that is formulated to return the thickened ink to a minimal liquid state.

There should be at least a minimum of three hours of soaking time at room temperature, this is highly recommended.

It would also be a good idea to place some towels under the cartridges during this step which will help capillary actions from possibly taking place.

Step #4 – Clean and Rinse:

•As for any excess solution, I suggest you dispose of it (observing all applicable local waste disposal regulations), allowing the soaked cartridges to be placed in the inverted position onto the specially designed flushing apparatus.

The target of the flushing will be only the pre-firing chamber, which is the barrel shaped reservoir adjacent to the print head.

During this process, warmed purified water is directed through the filter screen at a safe pressure, forcing the re-liquefied ink through the nozzles.

The water stream provides a physical force to move a sufficient volume of water through the entire ink delivery system, accomplishing a thorough exchange of fluids converting ink to water and rinsing away any soaking solution in the process.

Step #5 – Replace Foam:

•Felted or permanently compressed, foam is inserted into the cleaned cartridge body. Felted foams are sometimes cut very closely to the actual size of the ink chamber, which eases insertion.

Lexmark will use non-felted foams for this cartridge and depending on the compression necessary to insert the foam to produce the desired finished compression. Non-felted foams are less expensive to produce, although they are much more difficult to consistently insert.

Compression ratios, choice of foam material and pore size all affect the flow of ink and ultimately the cartridges performance.

The felted foam chosen for this cartridge is a polyether material, which when filled with pigmented ink, is usually contains more stability then polyester materials.

Step #6 – Vacuum Fill and Stabilize Cartridge:

•The nozzles are then sealed with a blue tape or clip before vacuum filling, and the cartridges are submitted into a vacuum type environment.

Both the foams, print head are adjacent cavities that are evacuated to approximately 650 mmHg and the ink is the slowly released as near to the filter screen as close as possible.

When this volumetric fill has been completed, the chamber containing the cartridges is slowly returned to atmospheric pressure.

Each cartridges remains sealed at the nozzles for about one working day prior to the print test.

This time allows for additional stabilization to take place, providing you with more reliable print results.

Step #7 – Print Test:

•To perform a print test, it may include flooding the nozzles for cleansing purposes (100% prints) and the printing of various fonts and sizes of text.

Assorted grayscale blocks will help reveal the quality of the cartridge. Before the cartridge cap is welded, the print test must be completed.

If by chance the cap is required during the print test, you can secure the cap temporarily with a strong rubber band.

Step #8 – Weld Replacement Top:

•For cartridges that pass the print test phase must receive a replacement top.

As a reminder, ultrasonic welding is by far the fastest and cleanest method of attaching the cartridge tops, although a suitable adhesive may also be implemented.

A typical ultrasonic weld will only take a fraction of a second. This is not at all, time consuming.

Step #9 – Seal Nozzles:

•Just like the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) cartridge, the nozzles on the remanufactured inkjet cartridge should be sealed with blue tape.

This indeed can be one of the more difficult phases throughout the process. A thoroughly clean and dry nozzle plate makes the best sealing environment.

A mechanical pressing device that allows two presses brings consistency to the process, and the application of just enough heat to soften the applied tape will allow it to conform more perfectly during the second press.

When applying the blue tape, there may be a remove label included.

Step #10 – Clean – Label – Package – Date Code:

•The appearance of the cartridges should be given your undivided attention. This is important if you plan on reselling this product.

Be careful and cautious because the final cleaning of the circuit and cartridge body and application of the replacement label along with date code are all part of the finishing process.

Carefully research the matching of inks and foams when choosing replacement foams. This is expected in order to ensure the greatest of quality measures.

This should result in an ink cartridge being stable for a year or more from the date of the manufacturer.

Congratulations, you have successfully completed the process on how to remanufacture your own Lexmark 10N0026 inkjet cartridge.

Good luck and complete each cartridge as if it were your last. This information is provided to you at no expense to both educate and improve your knowledge in the technical area within the remanufacturing industry.

In description of, Joseph Mercado is known as The Internet Marketing Tyrant of Information. He specializes in the consumable market involving studies on inkjet cartridges;
http://www.Lexmark10N0026.com

Let’s face it, hair loss for anyone can be a very distressing problem but women’s hair loss can be especially distressing…

Although the causes of women’s hair loss vary from person to person, by understanding the common causes of female hair loss, this can help you find the right potential treatment or solution.

1) Hereditary thinning, or androgenetic alopecia to give its medical name, is the most common cause of women’s hair loss. The tendency to develop female pattern hair loss can be inherited from either side of the family.

Generally this leads to thinning of the hair in women rather than baldness and can start in the teens, twenties or thirties.

Unfortunately, there are no cures for hereditary female hair loss. However, there are treatments which may help some people such as minoxidil, which is a lotion applied twice daily to your scalp.

An alternative solution which women with thinning hair may consider is female hair transplantation. This procedure involves moving hair from areas of your head with normal hair growth to thinning areas.

As with all surgical procedures, you should only undertake this after taking advice from a specialist.

2) Improper hair cosmetic use is another common cause of women’s hair loss. Treatments such as bleaches, tints, hair dyes, straighteners or perms rarely damage your hair if done properly. However, overuse can cause the hair to become weak or break.

If chemical treatments cause your hair to become brittle and leads to hair loss, then it is recommended you stop the treatments until the damaged hair has grown out.

3) Alopecia areata is a type of hair loss which can affect women of any age. This usually results in hair falling out and leaving round coin sized smooth patches on the head. In rare cases there may be a total loss of hair.

Although the cause of alopecia areata in women is not clear, in time the hair usually grows back by itself. Female hair loss caused by alopecia areata can also be successfully treated by dermatologists.

4) Thyroid disease can also lead to female hair loss. Where an under or over-active thyroid condition has been diagnosed, any associated hair loss can be usually be successfully treated by your physician.

5) Severe infection, flu or a high fever can be a cause of women’s hair loss. After a bout of illness, even as much as four weeks to three months afterwards, you may be taken aback by seeing a lot of hair falling out.

This is caused by your hair going into a resting phase to redirect energy at healing. Any hair loss usually corrects itself though.

6) Some medications can also lead to women’s hair loss. For example, prescription drugs used for arthritis, blood thinning, depression, gout, heart problems or high blood pressure may cause hair loss. High doses of vitamin A have also been associated with female hair loss.

7) Inadequate protein in a women’s diet can be a cause of female hair loss. If you go on a crash diet or have extreme irregular dietary habits then you may develop protein malnutrition.

As with severe illness, the body will put hair into the resting phase to conserve protein. Significant hair loss can occur two to three months later and be easily pulled out by the roots.

Hair loss can be easily reversed by ensuring you eat the correct levels of protein in your diet.

In conclusion, we have looked at several common causes of women’s hair loss and suggested some solutions for treating the problem. However, because there are so many different causes of female hair loss you should always consult your physician or dermatologist to correctly diagnose your problem and the best course of action to treat it.

About The Author:

Still looking for more information on women’s hair loss? Discover the 7 other common causes of hair loss at: Women’s Hair Loss Solutions

Picture this. You sell a product that you don’t ever have to
store. You set your retail price and every time you sell, your
wholesaler ships the product for you to your customer’s door in
your name and you keep the profit. How is that possible?

It’s called drop shipping. Simply put, a drop shipper is a
distributor that will ship products in single units directly to
your customer in your name. The purpose of this article is not
to convince you to start a drop shipping business but to give
you pointers on how to start right and avoid common pitfalls.

The Beauty of Drop Shipping

One of the greatest challenges for people interested in starting
a home business is where to find products to sell. If you don’t
have thousands of dollars to invest in products and storage and
want to avoid the hyper-competitive business of information
products, or the dreaded multi-level business, drop shipping
might be the answer.

The most obvious advantages of drop shipping include: you never
have to deal with the headaches of warehousing, packaging and
shipping, and you don’t tie down your limited financial
resources in inventory.

Other advantages are: no leftovers, you can change or add
products easily and instantly, and no limitations as to what you
can sell. Plus, you get to use your customers’ money to run your
business and “carry” brand-name products and look big. Is this
cool or what?

The Dark Side of Drop Shipping

Beware. While drop shipping business may be simple, finding a
true, reliable drop shipper is not. Scam companies lurk, ready
to relieve you of your hard-earned money, or profit from your
hard work.

For starters, some “drop shippers” are just middle-men who
contact the real drop shipper when you place an order. They use
you as their salesperson, so you use your money and time to find
customers, and cut into your profit.

Others are fly-by-night operations. They will take your money
and disappear. In short, scam.

Once I responded to an impressive full-page ad in a business
magazine. The advertiser claimed to be drop shippers, and even
promising help through support and business advice. To cut a
long story short, the “drop shipper” rarely delivered my orders
as promised and in many instances I had to re-order elsewhere
and absorb the losses to avoid disappointing my customers.

Later I found out that the company was not the real drop
shipper, when I discovered their source.

A few years ago, an eBay™ Powerseller (someone who sells a lot
on eBay™) was in the news. Having sold a number of high-ticket
items at an online auction, he then paid a drop shipper to
deliver them. Imagine his agony when the company suddenly closed
down without delivering his orders, or refunding his money!

I once paid a $100 “dealer fee” to another “drop shipper”. I
received a pretty catalogue, but which probably cost pennies a
copy to mass-print. When I went back to order, the website had
disappeared without trace. At least all I lost was the dealer
fee. Others might not have been as “lucky”.

Back-ordering is another big concern in this type of business,
especially with hot items. If you are selling a product quickly
and easily chances are, someone also else is. Since it’s a hot
item, you and others are ordering several at the same time. Soon
the product runs out of stock and you have to wait for the next
shipment. Meanwhile your customers are screaming for their
orders.

Okay, But Can You Make Money with Drop Shipping?

Can you make money with drop shipping? Yes and no. What do I
mean? Well, as with any business, drop shipping will only work
if you work and apply age-old principles of service, common
sense, knowledge and a dose of wisdom. It is not a magic pill to
make your money problems disappear. Sorry if I just busted your
bubble.

Some eBay™ Powersellers, Internet marketers, and top mail order
companies operate on drop shipping and are selling like crazy
and making six-figure incomes, even multi-millions. Drop
shipping works, big-time.

It is simple (and I don’t mean easy). Find the right drop
shipper(s). Decide what products to sell, find a way to let
people know what you have to offer (examples; through eBay™,
running ads, building a website etc.) and you could be on your
way to an enviable lifestyle.

It does take some homework, and that word that gives most people
the creeps: testing. But you must have right product supplier(s)
to start with.

Finding a Good Drop Shipper

There’s a hard way and an easy way to find a good, reliable drop
shipper.

The hard way is, do your own research. Attend trade exhibitions
and/or call or write manufacturers and distributors, and
negotiate drop shipping terms. Used to large-scale buyers, most
will just not be interested.

You could also use search engines and/or trade publications. In
both cases you may have to weed through the dozens or hundreds
of companies one at a time. Fine, if you have the time (and
patience).

The easy (and quicker way) has two options. First option: talk
to a friend who does it and who is willing to tell you his/her
secrets and possibly become a competitor.

The second option and one most favored is to find the research
done and ready for you to use, for a nominal fee. Where to find
this?

The answer is, a reputable drop shipper’s directory. Why?

Because, with a reputable drop shipper’s directory, you get a
large database of verified, updated and tested drop shippers,
all ready for you to use. Also, you get a wide selection of
products to choose from, so you can pick a line of products to
specialize in and avoid hyper-competitive ones.

What to Look For in a Drop Shipper

When shopping for a drop shipper, look for one who will ship
small orders, especially if you’re just starting out as you will
likely not have many orders.

Also important is the experience of the drop shipping company.
One more reason for going with a reputable drop ship directory
as they likely will have some history and user feedback about
their listings.

Of course, you don’t want customers to know that you use drop
shippers, or find out your source. Therefore the drop shipper
must use your name and address on package labels as well as
invoices.

Instant updates on inventory would be additional advantage as
this helps avoid or lessen problems of back-ordering. Top-rated
drop shippers will almost certainly have this benefit.

What to Avoid

Avoid drop shippers that require you to pay a monthly fee,
unless they are a known franchise. Why should you pay a monthly
fee to help sell their products unless they know that you’re
unlikely to make sales?

Also, don’t accept offers for free websites or “turnkey
business”. There are exceptions, but most free websites are
nothing but electronic catalogues. Your website will look
exactly like hundreds of others, and you can only sell products
from that company.

And oh, steer clear of those cheap drop ship directories you’ll
find all over the internet, in business opportunities magazines
and online auctions. You will simply get a bunch of non-working
phone numbers, broken or dead internet links and scam companies.

The company’s physical address should be clearly displayed
(check the “contact us” or similar page) on their website. If
it’s a PO Box, tread carefully. If no address, run!

Look for a working phone number. If they are as big as they
claim to be they should be able to afford a business phone and
someone to answer it. Call and insist on talking to a real
person. Ask questions: they should be happy to answer questions
from a prospect and if not, be very suspicious.

Avoid companies with an exclusivity clause in their terms as you
can only sell that company’s products unless, of course, the
company is a known franchise.

All costs must be disclosed before you commit. Watch out for
companies that appear to have very low prices but sneak in
exorbitant shipping and handling costs or “drop shipping
charges”.

Setting Up Drop Shipping Accounts

Some distributors will require that you have a tax ID number in
order to set up an account. Others (not all) may require that
you pay a dealer fee or place cash deposit. These, mainly, are
measures to ensure that you’re serious and not just another
curiosity seeker or bargain hunter.

With stiffer competition, rules for setting up accounts are
getting more relaxed.

Some distributors will mail you a wholesale catalogue and price
a list. One company sends three price lists: one with lower than
wholesale prices, so you can sell in wholesale, another with
wholesale prices and a third with suggested retail prices.
Others will send you a CD or let you access pictures and prices
through their website once you sign up.

Conclusion: Drop shipping is a high-profit, low-cost
business with unlimited potential, that can be run successfully
from home. Drop shipping is one of greatest business innovations
ever. With reliable drop shippers, your little home business is
ready to sell brand-name products worldwide just like the big
guys.

So, a New Year has snuck up on you again and boy, you have a lot of things to do, eh? Welcome to the club, we all do. But oh no, you have way more, right? You have to start working on your business more so you can finally leave that job you are bored to tears with. You have to start saving at least $400 a month for a little cushion in the bank–that $67.02 is looking kind of lonely in your savings. You have to start getting fit, because you gained some extra ‘holiday weight’. You have to start reading more, oh yeah can’t forget, spend time with family and friends…the list goes on. I’m tired just thinking about your list, you sure have a lot to do!

Sometimes we like to create these enormous tasks list of things we need to accomplish in our busy lives. Over ambitious or unrealistic at times? Maybe… But it’s a good start to at least have a list.

For all of you New Year’s Resolution makers out there…WATCH OUT NOW! Don’t make a promise you can’t keep! A recent survey finds that only 9% of Americans are serious about achieving their goals. 51% don’t have New Year’s Resolutions and of those who do, 79% don’t have a plan to achieve them.

What I’ve learned about goal setting is that it’s best to work with the end in mind. If you can visualize what your life will look like, feel like, sound like, and hey, even smell like on July 1st, 2006, then we’re getting somewhere. I smell lobster dripping in butter and I hear the waves of the ocean crashing against the rocks. Oh, I’m on vacation in St. Thomas, don’t be jealous. LOL And I have a strong team holding down the fort, my business will be running just fine without me on my one-month break. Where will you be?

If you can see how much money you have in your bank account, what kind of free time you’ll have, what people are in your life and in some cases…not in your life on July 1st 2006, then we are making major leaps and bounds. Are you with me? ~Nod politely.~ You have to see it first, then work on making it a reality.

Painting that vivid picture, making that dream transform into your current situation will get your taste buds wet. The mind is an amazing thing…you can pump yourself up by just closing your eyes and thinking. But the fun part is TAKING ACTION!

All the dreaming in the world will do you no good, because when you open your eyes, you’ll still be looking at your long list of things to do and plucking lint out of your pockets. You’ll just be a talker and not a doer. Talk is cheap, baby…I say it all the time! TAKE ACTION…
Sounds easy enough, but I’ve been working with entrepreneurs for 10 years now and I’ve seen many businesses come and go…you have to have staying power, you have to really work on your dream. “Get cracking!” is what I always say. They don’t call me Sergeant Simi for nothin’. I work with various clients and help hold them accountable. I’ll brainstorm with them, strategize for them, and help them plan out their goals and stay focused.

I have a coach and advisors that hold ME accountable, they know what’s on my to do list and check in with me to make sure I DO IT! Who’s going to be on your team? Think about it and ask for help. Support is an integral part of the process In achieving goals.

Enough of my chatter…let’s get STARTED RIGHT NOW. Put your helmets on and get ready to jump in my Time Machine into the future!

Get a notepad and spend at least a good 30 minutes on the following exercises. Let your creativity flow and don’t be afraid to dream big!

JULY 2005
<--------------------TO------------------->
JULY 2006

1. “It’s July 1st, 2006 and I’ve accomplished even more than I could imagine, personally and professional. Can you believe that I….”
Finish this sentence with a short story of a few paragraphs. Write it as if it already happened. This will be your inspiration when you feel like giving up.

2. Now that you’ve painted the picture that took you into the future, close your eyes and think about how happy you’ll feel, how accomplished you will be. Remember how you got to where you are. It didn’t happen over-night. Think about some of the goals that you need to accomplish before you get to FEB 1ST 2006.

GOALS YOU’LL ACCOMPLISH:

1 YEAR:

6 MONTHS:

3 MONTHS:

1 MONTH:

1 WEEK:

IN 24 HOURS of reading this:

What can you do by tomorrow to take that first baby step into realizing your goal?
Baby steps are quite amazing, even if it’s something that takes you 15 minutes to do, make the cause and you’ll gain the effect that you want!

Let’s Review:

1. Begin with the end in mind. Make the dream your reality. Positive visualization is a powerful tool…writing it down just adds the icing to the cake.

2. Get an accountability partner. A friend, a spouse, a business coach or consultant, etc…This person should check in with you each day or week to give you support. They should know all of your goals and you can possibly help them as well.

3. Break it into Baby Steps!

List your goals by working backwards…

Year
6 months
3 months
1 month
1 week
24 hour turnaround.

Do you know where you will be July 1st, 2006? Take ACTION to make it happen!

Good luck with taking ACTION and let me know if this exercise helped you in any way.

Simone Kelly is CEO and founder of Gots To Have It, Marketing, a firm that specializes in marketing and empowering entrepreneurs with a series of workshops and networking events. Please view her company web sites here: http://www.gotstohaveit.com and http://www.giventakenetwork.org

I’m sure you’ve noticed that Chinese New Year falls on a
different day each year.

Why is this so?

I asked myself the same question and finally I figured it
out.

Spring begins (立春, lìchūn) each year around Feb 4th (in
the Western calendar).

The first day of Chinese New Year starts on the New Moon
closest to spring.

(That’s why Chinese New Year is called the Spring
Festival.)

And ends on the Full Moon 15 days later with the Lantern
Festival.

The first day of Chinese New Year is always between Jan 21st
and Feb 21st.

But why are Chinese New Year dates so “unpredictable”?

To answer this question, one has to look at how a month in
the Chinese calendar or lunar calendar is calculated.

A Chinese month yue4 月 which means “moon” is a REAL moon.

Each lunar month starts on the day of the new moon.

This is the day the moon is closest to the sun and not
visible at all.

Does it mean that one has to look at the sky each time to
tell the new moon?

Fortunately, the answer is “no”.

Otherwise there’ll be a lot of stiff necks!

Because the new moon occurs with enough regularity to devise
a calendar based on its phases.

(Full moon in the middle of the month. Moon wanes at the end
of the month).

On average, each lunar month is 29.5 days.

(Sometimes the months are 29 days and other times they are
30 days.)

But multiplying 29.5 days by 12 months gives 354 days.

Which is 11 days short of 365 1/4 days, the cycle of the
four seasons.

Or 11 days “faster” if you like.

So, how does the Chinese calendar “wait” for the natural
world to catch up?

By adding an extra month to make a “thirteen-month year”.

Well, not every year but every few years.

How often? It turns out seven times every nineteen years.

In this way, the Chinese calendar year keeps in step with
the real world.

Each year in the Chinese Calendar is also named after one of
12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac.

Last year, 2005 was the year of the rooster and 2006 the
year of the dog.

Go to http://www.living-chinese-symbols.com/chinese-new-year-dates.html for a chart of
Chinese New Year dates from the year 1900 to 2019 you can
use to tell which is your animal sign.

It’s a “cool” system because you won’t have to remember
how old you are.

You’ll just have to know which animal year you were born
in!

Here’s a list of Chinese New Year dates from the
year 2000 to 2014 at http://www.living-chinese-
symbols.com/chinese-new-year-dates.html

Want to discover the culture of Chinese symbols
and characters and enhance your life? LIOW Kah Joon is your
guide. Read his Chinese New Year Special and
sign up for his free monthly Chinese Symbols ezine at
Living
Chinese Symbols