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Can you imagine Bill’s surprise when his Super Duper Magical Public Speaking in a Box program told him “walk out to the podium with confidence!”… No! Really? Bill already knew that he needed to walk to the podium with confidence- what he hoped to learn was how to do that. Confidence is not something that is easily faked and for Bill, who was scared to death of public speaking, this was no easy task. The program that he paid a hefty sum for told him all of the things that he already knew he should do and did nothing to help him do it.

Bill’s complaint to the marketer of that product was met with discouragement. Bill was essentially told that if the program did not work for him, then he was likely not cut out for public speaking.

Was it true? I don’t think so. But I know something that the floggers of ‘public speaker wares’ will not tell you. Public speaking skill is one of those things we all have to learn by doing it.

Consider this for a moment: Would you earn a black belt in the martial art of your choice by watching DVDs? Would you purchase a series of cassette tapes to learn to ride a motorcycle? Would you trust a carpenter whose highest credential was that he had read a book on home renovations? You get the point. Doing kind-of-skill requires doing kind-of-learning.

Effective, dynamic, engaging public speaking ability can be acquired by anyone but we all have to learn to do it the way that the effective, dynamic and engaging public speakers did. If we have challenges to overcome, we will have to overcome them like accomplished speakers did (and you can believe that many of them did)

If time is not an issue for you and you are looking at public speaking as a bit of a hobby, you can do several things:

1) Study speakers that you enjoy listening to (comedians, talk show hosts, news broadcasters) and analyze how they speak, how they time their delivery, how they deliver a punch line, how they pace themselves. As you pick out things that they do, make an effort to imitate their techniques when you speak in groups of friends, in board meetings etc;

2) Seek out and take every opportunity to speak;

3) Analyze your own public speaking. Decide what you can improve on and make a plan to make changes the next time you speak.

4) Don’t get hung up on not being an expert speaker. Chances are, nobody is expecting you to be.

5) Once you have gained some confidence, if you have a chance to video tape yourself speaking in front of a group or audience, do it! You will learn allot from watching yourself from the audience members perspective.

If you do not have the luxury of taking your time and view public speaking skills as something you need as soon as possible, you will do well to invest in attending public speaking workshops with an experienced professional who can offer you guidance based upon your needs and abilities.

Be cautious of “workshops” that are in reality a sales pitch for tapes, DVDs or books. Workshops should be just that. They should provide guidance and instruction while providing you with hands on experience. I have heard stories of disappointment from many people who attended sessions which were conducted under a well known name and after these people had paid significant sums of money to attend, they learned very little other than the secret to their success was in the program they were given the privilege and special opportunity to purchase.

Workshops and seminars that have too many participants might suggest that there is greater focus on maximizing fees instead of on really helping individuals to become better public speakers. Look for workshops that limit participants to a reasonable number based on the focus of the sessions. In general, and depending on the purpose of the workshop, 10 to 15 would be the ideal maximum. Smaller groups ensure that the workshops focus is on working with you to maximize your progress.

Anyone can be a great public speaker with a little effective guidance and regular opportunity to develop public speaking skills. If your Super Duper Magical Public Speaking in a Box program failed to make you the greatest public speaker in the universe take this to heart: It is a crummy instructor who blames his student.

La Velle Goodwin is a former professional level member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers. She is an effective educator who focuses 20+ years of public speaking, entertainment, teaching and training experience into public speaker coaching and training.

With her unique style and quick wit, La Velle assists aspiring public speakers tap into their strengths and become confident presenters and experienced speakers to become truly great! By targeting specific areas, working with individual learning styles and tailoring workshops specifically for the individual participants, Goodwin skillfully guides even the most nervous and awkward to levels of ability that seemed impossible for them at the start.

“Anyone can be a really great public speaker… you just have to find the on switch”

http://www.websavvylab.com

Making money because of affiliate company internet marketing, aka “affiliate marketing” can be one of the uttermost gratifying endeavors you could ever begin. What’s great about this endeavor is that men and women can join and build their way to massive profits. Affiliate company internet marketing has been known to be an inexpensive, assessable system of achieving long-term profits. In reality, you can begin even with a limited budget. And with affiliate company internet marketing, you possess the advantage of working at home and experiencing the liberty and power of working for yourself.

But there are also various people who failed in this type of business. It could be because they lack understanding and tactics. If you are a web site owner and you desire to join in an affiliate company internet marketing business, you have to understand where to find great programs.

Clickbank, The Premier Affiliate Company Internet Marketing Program

Clickbank is a model site to begin. Here, you can discover one of the largest affiliate company internet marketing programs in the world. You simply need to visit their site, CLICKBANK and obtain a Clickbank ID. From Clickbank’s home page, advance to “Earn Commissions” and scan for the products and services that completely fit your goals. These products are normally positioned according to their reputation.

Clickbank is one of the affiliate company internet marketing programs that assists as a 3rd party between the web merchants and the affiliate company internet marketing associates. It is accountable in providing the technology to deliver the vendor’s offers and campaigns. The affiliate company internet marketing manager also does the job of gathering commission fees from the vendor and giving it to the associates involved in the program.

Clickbank provides you a large and successful organization of publishers or affiliates to tap into. To be more definite, Clickbank has more than 100,000 affiliate company internet marketing associates who are experts in locating targeted clients for your associate program. The explanation for why a large number of affiliates are becoming a part of Clickbank is probably because gaining commissions in this organization is absolutely fair and clear.

Becoming a Clickbank Affiliate Company Internet Marketing Vendor

For most people, applying for an account with Clickbank is so simple. All you have to do is sign up at their site for free and they will begin to sell your products. Maintain a web site that provides your potential customers detailed information about your offered product or services. At your website, you must also maintain a comprehensive technical support pages for your product. In return, Clickbank will promote and sell your product, give customer service for your product, allow their affiliates to pass on traffic to your web site, enable you to encourage new affiliates to advertise your web site, furnish real-time sales reporting for you and the affiliates and send you and all affiliates a paycheck twice a month.

Becoming a Clickbank Affiliate Company Internet Marketing Associate

If you’re a future affiliate company internet marketing superstar, you definitely will not have a problem becoming a participant of this network. First, you will need to place their link on your website and if you don’t possess a Clickbank account, you will want to complete the extremely simple affiliate company internet marketing registration form and create your own Clickbank account. Then, after you have created your username, you are at liberty to select whatever merchandising tools you desire to use in order to bring in more clicks and create more sales. After selecting business tools, you can now get your associate link.

That’s how easy it is to join Clickbank. But becoming a Clickbank super affiliate is no minor achievement. It means you need to possess the power to sell lots of affiliate merchandise. You also want to have knowledge in search engine optimization, email marketing, ezine marketing, reciprocal linkage, link exchanges and other systems of promoting your affiliate company internet marketing program.

Becoming an Affiliate Company Internet Marketing Superstar

Amidst the secrets to become affluent in affiliate company internet marketing is to come up with great content based website and put your associate links in all your content. Your primary objective here is to present your visitors with great quality content concerning the things they are engrossed in. Set aside the job of selling. It should be done by the sales letter page you are directing them to.

Promote multiple affiliate programs in your website but don’t promote everything the planet has to sell. Just select the affiliate company internet marketing programs that fit your site and concentrate on them. Then, it is smart to automate the entire process, giving you ample time for different ventures. Yes, automation is another key to becoming a top affiliate company internet marketing associate.

Of course, you have to expend more time in reading, learning and taking up the changes in affiliate company internet marketing business. Because of this, you’ll stay on top of the trends. If you are familiar with online marketing, you’ll realize how critical it is to stay up-to-date. In this type of business, what worked and what was accepted few months ago may not work at present-day. So always see to it that you comprehend what’s new in affiliate company internet marketing day-to-day.

Affiliate Company Internet Marketing Can Be Your Financial Vehicle

Even though it can genuinely be hard work becoming a super affiliate, you shouldn’t give thought to quitting. Keep in mind that in affiliate company internet marketing business, you want to develop perseverance, self-control and knowledge. These traits will enlighten you to carry on no matter how difficult the job is. Also, check your affiliate company internet marketing statistics. This will help you find out what is working and what is not. Make important changes if required but do it one at a time and be patient.

Don’t forget that in affiliate company internet marketing, everything won’t take place immediately. And it will not occur without blood, sweat and substantial time commitment. Again, simply encompass patience, persistence and knowledge; then do above mentioned tactics. Once you know it, you will begin gaining profits. Trust me, the benefit of all your efforts here in affiliate company internet marketing shall be way too sweet.

Richard Trice has been marketing online since 1999 and has sold millions of dollars worth of products. You can Discover the #1 Weapon that is responsible for his success at The Real Secret to Massive Online Success! [http://www.guerillamarketingtool.com/affiliate2]

The grass is always greener on your side of the fence with a John Deere tractor. John Deere tractors have been around since 1837 when it began as a one-man blacksmith company and grew into a corporation it is today, employing over 52,000 people and growing each year.

The name John Deere is synonymous with good tractors. Tractors that plow the fields, tractors that haul brush, tractors that do hundreds of things and can stand up to roughest and toughest conditions anyone can put it through.

John Deere tractor are made professional grade for commercial use such as those who are clearing large areas for buildings and digging holes for foundations. As well as for the homeowner who just wants to clear a small area of trees or cut the lawn and maintain a garden. A John Deere mower will help you cut your grass to the perfect length and attachments for tractor will help you maintain your garden throughout the season so that weeding, planting and harvesting are made easy.

John Deere seemed to last forever and can be handed down from generation to generation. However, if you have an older John Deere tractor, you can also find parts to fit the tractors on their website or by calling any of the dealers in your neighborhood. They always seem to have a part for an old John Deere tractor in need of repair. The John Deere tractor dealers can also repair your tractor for you if you’re not able to do it yourself.

John Deere tractors are also sold to the armed forces and military for use in clearing trees and brush and moving heavy equipment when needed. There are specific specifications that John Deere must adhere to in order to make equipment for the military and armed forces just like all of the contractors and military and armed forces use. So if a John Deere is good enough for the military and government, a John Deere is good enough for you and your lawn or garden.

Tractors come in all shapes and sizes and do a variety of lifting, clearing, mowing, carrying, pulling and plowing. But there’s only one color that stands out and that is John Deere green. Although there is a military green specifically made for military purposes the traditional John Deere green is the best.

There are many brands of tractors available on the market today such as Ford Farm tractors, New Holland tractors, Kubota tractors, International Cub tractors and the list goes on and on, however, when you mention tractors one name stands out above the crowd and that’s a John Deere tractor.

John Deere tractors are tried and true and had survived the test of time and will work for you for whatever your project calls for whether it’s a simple digging operation or mowing the backyard or a large-scale military operation, John Deere will get the work done for you and you will enjoy doing it because a John Deere works every time.

Michael Floren is an expert in John Deere tractors, he has been actively involved in the farm machinery business for more than a decade.

Visit his website at http://www.tractor-depot.com for more information about John Deere tractors

This article answers some of the questions asked

by car owners or would be Do It Yourselfers on Do It

Yourself Auto Repair.

What is DIY or Do It Yourself Auto Repair:

This is a maintenance system where a vehicle owner carry

out specific repair works on his/her car. The repair

work can be major or minor.

Can anybody carry out Do It Yourself Auto

Repair: Yes, anybody old enough to own a car, and

calm – headed enough to follow some sets of repair

instructions can successfully carry out Do It Yourself

Auto Repair.

It does not require deep knowledge of engineering

or mechanism, just the ability to believe in yourself

and follow instructions.

What are the requirements for Do it yourself auto

repair: The following are the basic requirements,

which may be more, depending on the repair job to be

done.

• A good auto repair manual.
• Set of tools.
• Auto parts for replacement.
• Calmness and determination.
• Time.

From manual you can get all the requirements and the

procedures.

Where Can Do It Yourself Auto Repair be carried out:

Anywhere there is space. preferably in a place where

there is privacy and where you are shielded from

sun, rain, etc.

Can I get help for Do It Yourself Auto Repair jobs when

I needed one: Yes you can get a real life help if you

register with a good auto repair site and/or auto repair

forum for car owners.

There you meet car owners like yourself sharing their

experiences in Do It Yourself Auto Repair job and their

failures too, you learn a lot and avoid many pitfalls.

What are the benefits of Do It Yourself Auto Repair: you

stand to gain a lot in Do it Yourself Auto Repair, Some

benefits includes:

1. Reduction in repair and maintenance cost.
2. Self Satisfaction in carrying out your repair works.
3. Better understanding of your car system and operations.
4. Opportunity to meet/chart with other car owners,
   share ideas and gain from their experiences.
5. Ability to gain total control over your car.

The total benefit of Do it Yourself Auto Repair cannot

be generalized it depends on where an individual is

starting from and his background knowledge. You really

see it when you start.

What is the rate of success in Do It Yourself Auto

Repair: The rate of success figure is not constant, for

it depends on individual knowledge and what he has

committed to it.

But a lot of people have been recording

success, this you can find out in DIY forum sites. even

people that started as a complete novice.

The important things to hold to record success is,

having the right tools equipment and starting/doing your

Do it Yourself Auto Repair jobs rightly. This I can show

you.

You may have many more questions not answered here, but

you don’t need to know all answers before you start,

just a step-by-step guide. if others have been doing it

then you can do it.

Why not start right now.

Tope Olawumi is a seasoned auto – infopreneur. His site at

http://www.all-about-auto-part.com/Do-It-Yourself-Auto-Repair.html shows you all the information you need to do your Do It Yourself Auto Repair right. For your right manual visit;

http://www.all-about-auto-part.com/Do-It-Yourself-Auto-Repair-Manual.html.

To maintain high success in your Do It Yourself Auto

repairs, you need to develop some right attitude, which

should be your guiding principles. Learn the ultimate

seven abilities you need for an enduring auto repair

success.

Position Yourself For Success

Most problems and failures encountered by car owners in

Do It Yourself auto repairs come as a result of not

identifying their own weakness and work upon them to

prepare themselves adequately for auto repair success.

The seven points below serves as the ultimate abilities

every car owner must possess to achieve constant Do

It Yourself auto repair success.

1. Cast away Fear:

This will go a long way to

solve a lot of problems you encounter as a Do It

Yourselfer. Fear comes as a result of ignorance, cast it

away by familiarizing yourself thoroughly with your car

through your owner’s and repair manuals. The more you know the more confident you become.

2. Avoid Procrastination:

Success in Do It Yourself

auto repairs will actually come by you picking your

tools and start working. Don’t wait to be motivated,

just start after adequate and careful planning, always

follow your manual as a guide.

3. Be Focused:

Don’t be distracted, if you want

to carry out Do It Yourself auto repairs on your car

break for example, don’t end up working on your car

radiator, or any other part after adequate preparation.

Plan your work and follow your plan. Your ability to

focus well on a particular problem is a virtue that will

help you get problems solved quickly.

4. Be Teachable:

No man is an island, for your Do

It Yourself auto repairs success to be established, you

need to learn from others; friends, neighbors, auto

repair sites, mechanics, etc.

Your ability to be able to receive knowledge from

others and utilize it will be of a good help.

5. Learn From Your Mistakes:

Mistakes are

inevitable in Do It Yourself auto repair works, but

they can be exploited to bring success. Always study your

mistakes, analyze them and see how you can turn them

around for success.

You can also learn from the mistakes, failures and

experiences of others, you can avoid their pitfalls and

achieve success faster.

Read testimonies, observations,

reports and remarks of other car owners as regards their

own Do It Yourself auto repairs in auto repair sites and

learn.

6. Persevere:

Whatever happens, don’t give up.

You may not get it right at first but with perseverance

you cannot but get it, all you need is the right

information, the right help.

Perseverance will develop in you the ability of

getting solution to a particular problem at all cost

without quitting.

Every Do It Yourselfer need it.

7. Update Your Knowledge:

Finally, keep yourself

up to date on the latest in Do It Yourself auto

repairs, especially as regards your type of car, read

ezines, register with quality auto repair sites, get

latest info from your car manufacturer, etc.

All of the points above will work together to make you a

seasoned Do It Yourselfer. And you get to the point

where Do It Yourself auto repairs become almost a

second nature.

Right attitudes bring right results.

Tope Olawumi is a seasoned auto infopreneur.

Visit his site at http://www.all-about-auto-part.com/Do-It-Yourself-Auto-Repair.html for more info on; how to be a better Do It Yourselfer, and how to carry out successful Do It Yourself auto repairs.

You can also subscribe to his blog at http://www.all-about-auto-part.com/Auto-part-blog.html

We have all heard the tragic stories of Sonny Bono, Michael Kennedy, Natasha Richardson, and this morning a snowboarder is in the news for suffering a fatal injury on the ski slopes. In this article I am going to give you the 3 main incidents that caused me to wear a ski helmet every time I ski.

Helmets became popular about 5 years ago, and I got one after suffering a concussion surprisingly on the lower slopes of Mammoth Mountain. I was going fast by some slower skiers blocking a narrow point in the trail. When I went wide to miss them, I got in the crud and lost control. The next thing I knew I was sideways and high-sided into a hard fall on my left side whip-lashing my head into the snow. Right before my head hit I thought, “I wish I were wearing a helmet.” That concussion kept me off the slopes a while to recover.

Then I bought a helmet, but I wouldn’t wear it everyday. I would sit in the ski area parking lot thinking, “Am I going to need this today?” Some days I would wear it; some days I wouldn’t. Then I met an emergency room Doctor from Denver, Colorado that told me 80% of his cases that involve a fatal skiing injury could have been prevented by wearing a helmet. I still failed to get the message to wear your helmet everyday.

But 3 incidents proved to me that you can not predict when you will need a helmet anymore than you can predict when you will need to be wearing your seat belt for safety in your car. The first incident was where I was loading a non-detachable chair. I prepared to load and another skier who wasn’t paying attention got in the path of the chair as it came around the corner. This skiers body pulled back the chair and shot it forward towards where I was standing to load. I saw what was happening and tried to get out of the way, but the metal part of the left side of the chair swung forward and hit me in the back of the head. If I hadn’t been wearing my helmet, this could have been an unpredictable fatal injury.

The second incident was when I was skiing the trees without my helmet. I thought I was safe, then all of a sudden, I hit something that tore my left ski off, and my momentum sent me directly towards a large tree. I dove to the left to miss the base of the large tree, and scraped the side of the tree as I slid 15 feet by it. As I slid to a stop I could see that I just missed a direct hit with a tree on the head. This incident again showed me that I could not predict when I should be wearing my ski helmet.

The 3rd incident was when I was skiing a ridge down to another run, and I was not wearing my helmet. I saw a small piece of bamboo pole ahead of me, but because it was only about 4″ long, didn’t pay much attention to it. Well I hit it the piece of bamboo, and it put me down sliding on my hip. The next thing I knew, I slid off the edge of the ridge. As I picked up speed I looked up to see where I was sliding, and I saw I was sliding into a large, unavoidable pile of rocks. I managed to self-arrest by digging in the edges of both my skis and clawing my fingers into the slope to stop. It was the best self-arrest of my life, and I’ve had many.

So it was these 3 incidents, 2 of which I was not wearing my helmet for, that convinced me you can not predict when you will need your helmet when skiing. You have to wear your helmet every time you ski to protect yourself from the most likely cause of a fatal injury, unforeseen head trauma. So wear your helmet every time for safety and longevity, OK? But don’t get a false sense of security just because you are wearing a ski helmet because you can still sustain a fatal injury even with a helmet. You still need to ski in control, and watch out for other riders and obstacles. See You On the Slopes!

Larry Conn has snow skied since 1968, and loves Mammoth Mountain so much he moved there in 2005 after taking 2 years off work to “test-drive” living there. Now he is launching Mammoth Ski Club for active adults who want more fun, activities and involvement with snow skiing and other activities at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area and Mammoth Lakes resort. Get your complimentary gifts, full color newsletter, and special report, “Who Else Wants Active New Affluent Friends of the Same Ski Ability Level, and a Lifetime of Great Memories?” by going to http://www.MammothSkiClub.com/

Bear markets have a nasty habit of showing up every four years or so.

Like unwanted relatives, they show up whether we want them to or not.

They also have the nasty habit of taking away the punch bowl. And just when everybody is ready for a nice sip of that wonderful nectar. It doesn’t seem fair and many folks wonder why.

But listen up…fairness has nothing to do with the market.

Bear markets have a very definite purpose. They clear up the excesses that have developed since the last bear market. It’s kind of like when we indulge ourselves over a period of months and, lo and behold, we wake up one morning 20 pounds overweight.

We have to go on a diet or buy a bunch of new clothes. Bear markets are the market’s way of putting us on a diet.

Most folks don’t like them but they are a fact of life.

So where do we stand now?

The market has been a little wobbly recently and you hear some people starting to use the b word…as in bear. It makes you wonder what the market is telling us. Is the current weakness a normal correction or is the market telling us something else?

Let’s look at the evidence and see what we can make of it.

Bear markets are definitely an ongoing reality and occur with some regularity. In fact, during the last 100 years there have been 19 bear markets. And, for our purposes, I am defining a bear market as a decline of 20% or more in the Dow Jones Industrials.

Reviewing these 19 bear markets reveals some interesting facts…

• The average time from the end of one bear market to the beginning of the next is 45.3 months.
• The average length of a bear market is 18.5 months.
• The average bear market results in a decline of 36%.

While this is valuable information, keep in mind that these are only averages. The individual bear markets varied widely in length of time and severity of decline.

For instance, the longest bear markets lasted about three years. Specifically, they lasted 31, 34, and 37 months for the bear markets ending in 1942, 1932, and 1949 respectively.

The shortest bear market lasted two months. This was the crash in 1987 when the Dow Jones Industrials plunged 36%.

If you’re wondering about the most severe bear market, you probably know the answer. Yep…it’s the one associated with the start of the great depression…it ended in 1932. But this was only after it had sheared 89% off the value of the Dow.

And the mildest bear market? The 3 month affair that ended in October, 1990 which took 21% off the Dow.

Now…these are all interesting facts…but the question is…are they useful in analyzing the current market?

And the answer is yes. But they are only part of the process.

They’re useful in that they gives us some parameters to consider. But they’re only that…parameters. An actual determination of a bear market may take several months.

However, with that in mind, here’s what the averages tell us…

• 45 months from the end of the last bear market in October, 2002 is July, 2006.
• If the market high of 11,670 on May 10 was a market high, an average decline of 36% will take the market down to around 7,470.
• If the market high was May, 2006, the average bear market length of 18 months will end in November, 2007.

Am I saying a bear market is here and ready to unfold according to these averages? Of course not. I’m not even saying the market top is in.

This is only to point out certain facts related to bear markets in what seems to be turbulent economic times. That, plus the fact, that, historically speaking, this current bull market may be getting long in the tooth.

However, one fact is perfectly clear. History tells us that a bear market will occur again.

And, unfortunately, when they do occur, they strike fear into the hearts of investors. People who buy and hold are never ready for bear markets. Because of their buy and hold mentality, many investors try to ride them out.

It’s often not a pretty picture to sustain losses of 20%, 30%, or more in one’s portfolio.

Traders, however, are different. They don’t fear bear markets. They view them as another opportunity to make money.

In fact, money is often made quicker in bear markets. Markets generally go down faster than they go up. Yeah…traders don’t fear bear markets…they enjoy making money faster. And they trade them like any market…with their trading system and money/risk management.

So, is a bear market at hand? Nobody knows.

However, there are signs to look for…

• The market declines below its 200 day moving average.
• If it’s not a steep decline initially, the market may trade around the 200 day moving average for a while.
• Declines are larger and last longer than previous corrections.
• Sharp rallies occur but they fail to make new highs.
• Look for a long term Elliott Wave count…5 waves up to the recent high.
• The market starts making new lows.

These are some of the things you will likely see once the market tops out and begins rolling over into a bear market.

However, it may take a while before you know for sure. It’s like everything else associated with the market. There are no certainties…only probabilities.

But we know one thing is a near certainty. There will be another bear market. We just don’t know when.

However, it never hurts to look ahead. When a bear market starts, a lot of quick profits will be there for the taking.

Thomas McNatt trades full time. His website, http://www.trading-stocks-profits.com is a valuable source of information and resources for traders.

At the end of past century and of course in the dawn of new millennium, the “HAPPENIING”, with substantial enthusiasm and lasting long in “FUTURE” were the key influencing factors in the fashion Industry. People wish to live in present – No looking back. The reality was significant, as the world changed so rapidly, resulting in huge developments, making people to expect more n more from the present and the emerging economy.

Today, the world has completely different future, since forecasted. After years of negligence the history again emerged with wider acceptance. People again started appreciating the core values, old traditions, ceremonies and hold them as a treasure for us. They look back to the past, searching for our origins, something significant to have. All this affected our lives, our preferences and our selections to reposition ourselves. This is also happens in fashion too.

Old Fashion – Back In Rhythm

People are thriving to get equilibrium point in a wavering world. Here, history is only our inspiration. The fashion industry is surged with look-alikes that were present in the market even before the originals, which empowers to a few designers. It is time mull over the situation, as the fashion industry paused instead moving ahead in creating new innovation. It is going diving deeper into the past to bring out contemporary version than the fast trends and buildups. Alike politics, ideology for ethics, values, regulation, category and style is apparently noticeable in fashion industry too.

Bouncing Back of Historic Echoes – Repeating History

History rolls out our own tradition. In fashion industry, the journey starts from ancient Europe. People value and re-organize treasures, diving deep into the times of past European clothing fashions till great designs of embroideries and laces of great grand mothers. People are witnessing the coming back of old fashion and retro-trends.

Class Fashion

Attraction, high-class and stylishness are keys for to-be trends. Designers inspired from the old members of the aristocracy, at present it is the high society. The sophisticated lady is now dressing like a queen, princess or an empress. The present high class is circumspect and less lavish, in contrast to the show-off fashion trends.

Classic styles

Due to change in preferences, all the inspiration sources (like Couture classics, British classics, and masculine weaving classics), are embedded with elegance, turn into feminine fashion.

Styles from pioneers and plains

The journey of historic fashion crosses all borders of the different countries, fashion from Britain, France, Russia etc… to the country life, gypsy and folk fashion styles. People can find the routes of fashion inspiration from the initial European emigrants to the America.

Ethnic Styles

The influence of Eastern countries over fashion industry is declining; however, their economy is becoming a real competitive dilemma to the Western World. Albeit, there is considerable cultural influence of African Muslim countries with their exotic jewelry and embroidery designs.

It is confusing that nothing is clear for future. People would only witness influence of above all…

Natural Preference

After a long time with extreme elegance, glitter, shine, mad design, print and pattern mixes, people are moving towards natural harmony. The originals from the Mother Nature, natural textures and shining, the zigzag, allure us. Now, people want to go for endurance and quality of a fabric, the luxury, and the exotic designs.

People are tired of fast fashion trends and the hip hops, now they wish long lasting and timeless comfortable clothing fashions. Keeping distance from ‘low cost’ clothing, with appearance unveiling high standard of living. People desire all these extravagances for low price.

Conclusion

People will prefer smart and stunning matches, which are the major keys for fashion blends for various motives, materials, and prints all in single outfit. At haphazard mixing, mix-and-match fashion, blended patch works and intense style odds are talk of past.

Fibre2fashion.com- Leading B2B Portal of Fashion, Textile and Apparel Industry offers Free Fashion Articles, Free Fashion Trends Articles, Free Industry Reports, Free Articles, Free Fashion Designers Articles, Women’s Fashion Tips, Fashion Tips Free Fashion Case Studies and Fashion Market Country Reports – submit your reprinted articles, featured articles free and get advantage of largest community of textile apparel, fashion and retail industries.

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Are you afraid to speak in the public? Do you want to overcome your fear of public speaking? If your answer to the two questions above is yes, then read on as I share with you my own personal experience on how I overcame my fear of public speaking.

If you think you are alone with this fear of public speaking; then think again. I also had the same fears and many people all over the world also share your fears to speak in public. I recall several incidents that occurred while I was growing up. As a child, I often got punished with the rest of my classmates for failing to answer the teacher’s question; even though I had the right answer within me.

I preferred to be punished with others than raise my hand to answer a question; my fear of public speaking was so strong that I would rather risked being punished in school than to see myself being exempted from punishment, simply because I answered a question.

If there was anything I hated most, it was standing out from the crowd; and public speaking was one thing I hate. I often missed school feigning illness just to avoid the debate classes organized by the school management. Now how did I overcome my fear of public speaking? That’s what I am going to share with you now.

In this article, I am going to share with you my step by step strategy to overcoming my fear of public speaking. If you are willing to learn and take some actions, then below is my ten step guide to overcoming your fear of public speaking.

1. I acknowledged my fears: The first step I took to overcome my fear of public speaking was to acknowledge my fears. I wasn’t shy about it; I openly admitted that I was afraid to speak publicly. One of the mistakes people make is that they hide their fears; and this fear eats them up silently. They feign boldness on the outside but inside; they pray that the earth should open and swallow them.

The positive side of openly admitting your fears is that you will become more challenged to overcome it. Openly admitting your fears means you are facing your fears head on. It might earn you some mockery but it’s a way to go especially if you can use that mockery as leverage to boost your determination.

2. I traced the root cause of this fear: The next step I took to overcome my fear of public speaking was to trace the root cause of the fear. I came to understand that the root cause of this fear was the mentality I grew up with. During my primary school days, I recall coming first in class term after term. I was happy and my parents were, but it put a strain between me and some of my childhood friends.

My friends began to pull back from me because they felt they were out of my league academically and it hurt me. I wanted to be like everyone else; that was where I developed the attitude to avoid “standing out.” If being outstanding was going to single me out of the crowd, then I didn’t want it. Now having understood the cause of my fears, I decided to attack the root cause. I began to be me, regardless of what people said. I began to take on challenges, not because I loved challenges but I just wanted people to talk. This attitude pitched me against people who felt I was showing off but I didn’t care; I just wanted to be me.

3. I developed a strong desire to overcome my fear of public speaking: To be sincere, I don’t think you can overcome your fear of public speaking if you don’t desire it strongly. I was able to overcome mine because I desired it. I wanted to express myself in public without an iota of fear and I was prepared to do whatever it takes to bring such desire into reality.

4. I prepared my mindset to take whatever comes: I had a strong desire to overcome my fear of public speaking and also develop my public speaking skills. But deep down in me, I knew it wasn’t going to come easy; I knew there has to be a price and I was willing to pay it. I prepared my mind to accept whatever comes; I knew the worst may come so I prepared to meet it in advance. I prepared to take the booing, mockery and rejection that may arise in the process of learning to speak confidently in public. So if you really want to overcome your fear of public speaking, then you must be prepared to take whatever comes.

5. I kept an open mind: To overcome my fears, I kept an open mind. I knew I had to learn and learn real fast. Learning in this case is not the classroom kind of learning; it’s a type of lesson that can come in the form of suggestion, advice or even criticism.

6. I learned from the masters: The next step I took to overcome my fear of public speaking was to seek advice from the masters. I began to read books and listen to tapes authored by people such as Brian Tracy, Zig Ziglar, Dale Carnegie, etc. By reading the materials published by these great public speakers, I tapped into their wisdom and gained inspiration from them.

7. I harnessed the power of positive affirmation: Another step I took to enhance my public speaking ability was to use positive affirmations. You might think it’s not effective but I stand to tell you that it works like magic. By using positive affirmations such as “I can do it” or “I know I am destined for this”, you will unconsciously boost your self esteem. Remember the bible says that the power of life and death is in the tongue, so learn to use the power of spoken words to your advantage.

8. I developed the passion to teach: Public speaking is more or less teaching. Most great public speakers are teachers so if I am going to excel as a public speaker; if I am to overcome my fear of public speaking, then I have to develop the passion to teach. That was how I became a teacher; sharing information over the web, on platforms and through hard copy materials.

9. I started small: Today, I speak on platforms; hold seminars and engage in one on one consultations but it was not so few years ago. I started small. I started out by practicing in front of a mirror; imagining myself standing on a stage. I worked on my body language and movement in my closet and from there; I proceeded to speaking for free. I also engaged in positive discussions and I wasn’t afraid to take a stand. I began to accept the crowd as a group of friends; never again was I to be scared of speaking in front of an audience.

10. I became a confident speaker: After taking the nine simple steps above, I became a confident speaker. I can now speak to any capacity of audience provided I am well grounded on the subject. But I want you to know that I didn’t develop my public speaking skills overnight; I underwent a process that was triggered off by my desire to overcome my fear of public speaking.

As a final note, these are the exact steps I took to overcome my fear of public speaking. If you take a close observation, you will notice that they are very simple steps. Well, overcoming your fear of public speaking will not occur by just reading this article. It will only happen if you take action just as I took action. I wish you good luck.

And just before I drop my pen, if you need Expert Advice on How to Start a Business from scratch; please feel free to visit my blog. In addition, you can also download my free definitive guide on How to Become a Millionaire fast in less than a year.

Bowling has been a popular sport for Americans and other nationalities. Over 50 million Americans are into bowling and more and more people around the world are becoming addicted to it.

Bowling is a leisure activity that provides many health and physiological benefits. Bowling may be a form of relaxation to many or a way to bond with families and friends. A person does not need to be a pro to enjoy this kind of sport.

Bowling alleys are special facilities where people participate in the sport of bowling. These alleys provide lanes for bowling and other amenities.

Here are the factors to consider when choosing a bowling alley:

1. The location of the bowling alley should be taken into consideration. An alley close to his/her home location will make it convenient and inviting. A bowling alley close to his/her workplace could also be considered so that he/she could easily go to the bowling alley after work.

2. The facilities of the alley should also be considered. Many bowling alleys now have modern facilities like electronic scoreboards. People are attracted to places where the facilities are modern.

3. The employees working at the bowling alley should be friendly and accommodating. Employees who are friendly will make the place inviting. The instructors should also be friendly and willing to help with all the needs of the bowlers, especially the beginners. Bowlers should be able to learn many techniques from instructors that are friendly and willing to share their skills.

4. The bowling alleys should be clean and properly maintained. Bowlers go to alleys to enjoy and relax. If the alley is not clean and properly maintained, bowlers will not be comfortable. All facilities should also be properly maintained to provide safety for the bowlers.

5. There are generally many bowling alleys that may be found in any city. A person may search the Internet to check the nearest bowling alley and may also read reviews about the bowling alley. Many bowling alleys also have cafeterias where players can eat and mingle with other bowlers.

Bowling alleys contribute to the interest of many people in the sport and should be a place where fun and enjoyment may be experienced. They should be welcoming to bowlers and provide them all the things necessary to entice bowlers to become regular customers.

Equipment and Accessories for Bowling

Whether a professional bowler or not, it is recommended that you have the proper equipment and accessories before heading to the lanes. Here are some accessories that should be considered:

Bowling Balls

Bowling balls are the most important equipment in bowling. When buying bowling balls, some features should be considered. They are the weight, size of the ball holes, and whether the balls are designed for right-handed or left-handed persons. There are also three types of balls: beginner, intermediate and the advanced bowling balls. Kids may also buy bowling balls that are designed specifically for them. There are also bowling alleys that provide/rent bowling balls to players.

Bowling Shoes

Bowling shoes are also necessary in bowling. Bowling shoes are not just ordinary shoes; each shoe in the pair serves a purpose. One shoe is designed for better sliding while the other is for braking. Most bowling alleys provide/rent shoes to their customers. When choosing bowling shoes, it is important to consider the size. They should not be too loose or too tight on the feet. The bowler must be able to move comfortably.

Bowling Shirts

Like other sports, proper clothing is necessary and must be comfortable. Specially designed bowling shirts with collars are worn by professional bowlers. However, if the player is just an ordinary bowler, any regular shirt with collar will do as long as it fits comfortably and not be a distraction while bowling.

Bowling Gloves

Bowling gloves are very beneficial to bowlers. These are used to provide a better grip of the ball. Bowling gloves help players throw a ball accurately and with power. Gloves are helpful in supporting the wrist and making a smooth delivery possible.

Bowling Towels

Towels are important and used to wipe the oil residue from the balls. Towels may be improvised or there are special bowling towels available in sports supply stores.

Other accessories may also be considered like bags, face towels, wrist bands and bowling ball cleaners and polishers. All these accessories are beneficial in providing mobility and comfort to bowlers. If one is interested in getting into the bowling lanes, then he or she may avail one of these accessories for his own.

Paul Bittle is the owner of Bits N Wits [http://www.bitsnwits.com] an information web site. Search the web, our directories, free courses, plus add your article or URL link for free.

When you examine the politics of Canada you must examine all the Canadian political parties both federal and provincial. However, the incongruity of parties among these levels of government can be understandably confusing to some, especially young people and newcomers to this great country. If you ever wanted to get a quick an easy summary of the political parties in Canada, you came to the right place.

This article lays out in admittedly and purposely simple terms the ideologies of the federal political parties in Canada and provides a quick summary of each. It is meant to be simple and non-exhaustive. It is intended to act as a quick reference.

I believe that the best way for people who don’t know a thing about Canadian politics but who want to learn is to first look at the federal Canadian political parties. These parties form the basis of party politics as most of the federal parties have provincial arms as well. However, some provinces’ main parties are not associated with any federal party although they may have close ties to a specific federal party.

To keep things simple I will focus strictly on the federal parties. There are five main political parties in Canada and in this piece I will provide a short summary of each.

Conservative Party (current government)

Ideology:
-conservatism
-social and fiscal conservatism
-right-libertarianism, market economy
Leader: Stephen Harper – Prime Minister of Canada
Summary: On the classic political spectrum the Conservative party of Canada falls on the right to the centre-right. Current seats in the House of Commons: 143

Liberal Party

Ideology:
-The ‘Third Way’
-liberalism
-social liberalism
-moderate politics, mixed economy
Leader: Michael Ignatieff
Summary: Official opposition in parliament. Governed Canada for most of the 20th century. Widely considered to be centre-left to centre on the political spectrum. Current seats in the House of Commons: 77

Bloc Quebecois

Ideology:
-social democracy
-Quebec sovereignty
-socialist nationalism
-nominates candidates in Quebec only
Leader: Gilles Duceppe
Summary: Third largest amount of seats in the House of commons. The vast majority of the Bloc’s members and supporters advocate for Quebec to separate from Canada and become an independent nation. The party falls on the left wing of the political spectrum. Current seats in the House of Commons: 47

New Democratic Party

Ideology:
-social democracy
-populism
-democratic socialism
-’New Left’ politics
Leader: Jack Layton
Summary: Considered a “progressive party” When it comes to the political spectrum, the party would fall somewhere between the left and centre-left although it a little closer to the centre-left. The NDP is further to the left than the Liberals however. Current seats in the House of Commons: 36

Green Party

Ideology:
-green politics
-see “green politics”
Leader: Elizabeth May
Summary: As of 2009 the Greens are polling an average of 8-12%. While technically Greens have factions that fall on all sides of the political spectrum, the Green Party of Canada’s ideology is widely considered to be left wing. Current seats in the House of Commons: none.

I hope this has been helpful to anyone interested in understanding the basics of the Canadian political parties. Thanks for reading!

The author, Tyler, closely follows the Canadian political system who has written extensively on Canadian political parties.

Increase your profit potential by identifying – and avoiding – these 11 marketing mistakes.

MONSTROUS Marketing Mistake Number 1: Sinking a Fortune Into an Unproven Product

Is your business idea built on market research or a hunch?

Entrepreneurs often fall in love with their products or services before they determine if there’s a real market, and they throw fistfuls of money into the venture. If you, your spouse, your uncle, and your neighbor think you’ve got a winning idea, that’s simply not enough qualified input to run to the bank and drain your savings account!

Avoid this mistake by:

• Conducting your detective work (research).
• Testing your business idea with the real marketplace.

MONSTROUS Marketing Mistake Number 2: Believing That “If You Build It, They Will Come”

Do you think you have a product or service that will practically sell itself?

Trust me – you don’t.

There is a misconception among small business owners that, with the right product or service, your customers will simply “find” you when you open your doors for business. Whether you have a physical storefront on a corner lot in the busiest part of downtown, or a graphically pleasing online storefront offering easy access to your hot products and services, your customers will not find you if you do not market to them.

The day you open for business is the day you put on your “marketer’s hat” and never take it off. You must consistently move product, or schedule service time.

To stay in business you must profit.

To profit you must sell.

To sell you must market.

The good news is that, with a marketing strategy, you take the control out of your potential customers’ hands and put it into your own. If you have a product that will “practically sell itself,” then your marketing job will be easy. Just remember that the job must still be done.

Avoid this mistake by:

• Defining your niche market and USP (Unique Selling Proposition) that differentiates you from your competition.
• Developing a marketing action plan and strategy to reach your niche market with your USP message.

MONSTROUS Marketing Mistake Number 3: Trying to Reinvent the Wheel

Marketing is an age-old practice with some very basic principles. Yet, I’m sure you’ve read many marketing information products that stress the importance of being innovative and creative with your marketing efforts. It’s easy to get caught up in the innovation process and forget that the REAL focus should be on results.

Avoid this mistake by:

• Emulating success instead of trying to create something completely new. Please note that I am not saying, “copy” what others are doing. Look at the basic structure of a tactic, campaign, advertisement, or event and use the same formula as a basis for developing your own tactics.
• Realizing great marketing ideas are used over and over again with just the right twist to make them fit a specific business. Focus on results, and choose imitation over innovation to create your own twist on a proven, winning technique.

MONSTROUS Marketing Mistake Number 4: Over-Preparing and Doing Nothing

The fear of failure can be powerful. So powerful that we do everything we can think of to prevent it. Yet, there is a point at which we are so busy preparing, organizing, and researching to prevent failure that we never get around to the actual marketing of the business. Here are two things to remember:

1. Activity is not productivity.
2. In order to sell a million of something, you have to sell the first ONE.

Avoid this mistake by:

• Doing something! If you believe in your business and have done your detective work, it’s time to dive into the marketing pool. Start small, track results and build from there.
• Not being afraid to make a mistake. Mistakes are the entry to success. At the very least, a failed promotion means you have SUCCESSFULLY determined what promotion does not work. And, to learn what does NOT work is a valuable tool in getting you closer to discovering what WILL work.

So, go ahead. Fail a little. It will make your eventual successes even sweeter.

MONSTROUS Marketing Mistake Number 5: Boredom

When I was working for an ad agency many years ago, I had one client that was running an extremely successful ad campaign. After about six months, I received a phone call from the client. He wanted to develop an entirely new campaign. When I asked, “why?” he simply said, “I’m bored with the one we have.”

What?

That client may have had the money to spend on a new campaign due to “boredom” but you and I usually don’t. Yet, I’ve often seen my small business clients switch promotions for the same reason. This is detrimental to your business!

“Losing money” is a reason.

“Boredom” is not.

Avoid this mistake by:

• Remembering that, what is old to you, is new to an untapped target market. If you have a promotion that is consistently getting you results, stick with it until results show you its time for change.
• Testing new promotions without abandoning the current one. Then track results. Never swap a current promotion with a new one that hasn’t been tested.

MONSTROUS Marketing Mistake Number 6: Relying on Networking to Generate Sales Leads

Joining the Chamber of Commerce and schmoozing at association meetings can put you in contact with vendors and possible joint venture partners, and will be invaluable exposure for you as a community supporter – but it will rarely generate substantial sales leads.

Everyone else who attends these “meet and greet” assemblies is there to do the same thing you are. You may be able to make some valuable contacts for future ventures and promotions, but one-on-one networking is time-consuming and results are unpredictable.

Avoid this mistake by:

• Treating networking opportunities the same as any other marketing tactic. Track results by determining your costs and measuring your payback.

MONSTROUS Marketing Mistake Number 7: Doing What Your Competitors Do

It’s important to be aware of what your competitors are offering, but do not let it dictate the strategy you use for your own business.

If your competitor wants to be the low price leader, let him. Don’t try to become the “lower price” leader. Chances are this will lead you to financial problems because it will thrust you into an ugly price war.

If your competitor wants to tout low prices, then you focus on value. Bargain hunters don’t necessarily want the lowest price. They want the best VALUE. Make what you have to offer something of value.

Avoid this mistake by:

• Finding an unmet need or want of your target market, and fill it to differentiate your products and services from your competitors.
• Giving customers a reason to choose you over your competitors. Define your USP, and identify your niche market.

MONSTROUS Marketing Mistake Number 8: Not Targeting a Specific Market

If you believe your market is “everybody,” you will struggle to attract people who will buy from you. The value of target (niche) marketing is one of the toughest sells I make to my clients. They understand the logic of it, but the “fear of losing a potential customer” gets the best of them.

Avoid this mistake by:

• Viewing the practice of niche marketing as inclusive, not exclusive.

Think of your business as part of a person’s support group. It’s logical to say, “Everybody needs a support group so my business should attract everyone.” But, will it? People – your customers – want to go to a support business that understands their specific concerns, needs, and wants. Make sure you ARE that business by targeting a niche market.

MONSTROUS Marketing Mistake Number 9: Targeting a Market You Can’t Reach or One That Can’t Afford You

Targeting a niche market is the smartest way to market. Yet, targeting a market that is too specific will limit your ability to succeed long term. For example, a market that might be too specific would be: female pilots under the age of 35 who fly ONLY New York to London flights. That’s a pretty narrow market to sustain your business in the long term unless you can capture the ENTIRE market with a product or service that has a high profit point and customers need to use or replace it often.

In that same vein, a market that is begging for the service or product you have but cannot afford it will also be a business impossible to sustain. Never compete for someone’s rent money. Your target market must have the means to buy your products and services.

Avoid this mistake by:

• Creating your customer profile to identify characteristics of your potential buyers,
• Identifying a niche market,
• Examining the long term potential for new and repeat sales.

MONSTROUS Marketing Mistake Number 10: Focusing On Acquiring New Customers Instead of Promoting to Current or Previous Customers

When you first start a business you have little choice but to focus on gaining new customers. The cost of finding those new customers can be expensive, which is one reason it is so important to really target a specific niche. However, once you’ve made just one sale, you’re ready to start looking at other marketing options.

Wouldn’t you like to:

… slash your marketing costs by half or more?

… reach proven buyers for your service or products?

That little goldmine of proven buyers available to you “on the cheap” is already yours in the form of current and previous customers.

Any respected marketing guru, past or present, online or offline, will tell you that the biggest asset your company has is your customer base.

Avoid this mistake by:

• Realizing that, when a sale is finalized, it is the beginning of your relationship with that customer, not the end.
• Offering additional products or services to current customers. If you don’t have your own to offer them, then develop a referral, joint venture or product bundling program so you can reap profits from your already-interested (and buying) customers.

MONSTROUS Marketing Mistake Number 11: Not Systematically Following Up on Leads

The least expensive part of business is making the sale. The most expensive is generating leads – finding the people who are interested in what you have.

Once you find people who express an interest in what you have to offer – whether they buy from you or not – you MUST develop a follow up system that will keep marketing to those interested prospects. A person who has expressed interest in your products and services is far more likely to eventually buy from you than someone who did not respond at all!

Avoid this mistake by:

• Curbing the tendency to become obsessed with generating more leads until you have exhausted the ones you already have.
• Developing an easy, systematic follow up for leads, designed to convert a “maybe” into a “yes.”

About The Author

Susan Carter helps business owners “do more with less” to operate and market their small and growing businesses. She is the author of How To Make Your Business Run Without You, and SPLASH Marketing for Overworked Small Business Owners. Carter offers FREE book chapters, and distributes free business-building advice in her twice-monthly ezine, SuccessExpress Press, available at http://www.successideas.com susancarter@successideas.com

If you are seeking automotive training, then a technical or vocational school may be the right place for you to get your start in an interesting and challenging career in automotive technology!

Whether you’re interested in becoming an auto mechanic, technician, service advisor, manager, or auto parts worker, automotive training can be your key to obtaining an automotive education and professional certification in automotive know-how.

In the modern world, automobiles are operated by electronic systems and complex computers, measuring performance and efficiency as the machines move down the road. Students in automotive training schools must develop skills as technicians to become high-tech diagnosticians, using electronic equipment and computer-based reference materials. Diagnosing the sources of problems quickly and accurately can be the most challenging and most rewarding part of a good automotive training program.

Students who would like to enroll in vocational automotive training should have well-developed math skills and physical science acumen prior to enrollment. As with all educational courses, it is important to review the automotive training curriculum to be certain that your school will offer Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification training. Furthermore, potential automotive technicians should understand that most employers pay their service techs based on productivity. Upon graduation, you may wish to consider the option of becoming an independent business professional.

In addition to their initial vocational automotive training, students can return for continuing education courses and credits to remain updated on ever-changing computerized diagnostic systems, tools, and other automotive-related technologies. Training in automotive technology often leads to an interest in other related areas such as auto body repair or automotive and diesel repair. The job seeker will find that diesel mechanic training is particularly valued.

If you would like to know more about Vocational Automotive Training, or even Online Automotive Training, we urge you to search our site for more in-depth information and resources.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.com.

Copyright 2007 – All rights reserved by SchoolsGalore.com, in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc.

Notice: Publishers are free to use this article on an ezine or website, provided the article is reprinted in its entirety, including copyright and disclaimer, and ALL links remain intact and active.

Michael Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find Automotive Training Schools, Colleges, Universities, Vocational Schools, and Online Schools at SchoolsGalore.com, your educational resource to locate schools.

Standard furniture is unsuitable for young children; it can be uncomfortable and even dangerous so if you have a baby or a young child around the house you will definitely want to invest in some purpose built children’s furniture. 

There are many pieces of furniture available on the market for children. Here is a brief rundown of the main things you should purchase to cater for your child.

 

A cot and mattress is one of the first things you’ll need. It is essential that your baby or small child gets a sound night’s sleep and you’ll want to ensure that they are safe at night. Cots provide a contained environment and prevent your child from accidentally rolling out of bed or wandering around the house at night.

 

It’s best to purchase a new cot so that you can be sure it conforms to the latest safety standards. Mattresses come separately and you’ll want a comfortable spring mattress which should fit into the cot snugly. We offer a range of cots and a quality mattress to fit.

 

You’ll want your baby or toddler to sit at the dinner table with the rest of the family and the best way to cater for them when they are very young is to purchase a good quality high chair. We offer a range of high chairs which have a crotch strap to ensure your child doesn’t slip out and rounded corners and edges for safety. We also offer adjustable high chairs which you allow you to adjust the height of the seat and foot rests to make your child comfortable and extend the life of the highchair as they grow.

 

When your child gets too old for a high chair but they aren’t yet big enough to sit at the table with the adults then a child size table and chairs can be a great solution. These can also provide a great play surface for your children and save your good table from becoming messy or damaged. We offer a wide range of high quality, durable tables and chairs which wipe clean easily and come in a variety of materials and colours. 

 

For child safety when playing around the house you should consider purchasing safety gates for doorways to restrict their access and also playpens which you can use to make sure they are safe when you have to leave the room briefly. We offer a wide range of playpens in various materials and colours and we also offer safety gates.

 

Children’s furniture isn’t all about functionality and practicality though and you may want to consider investing in some play furniture for your kids to spark their creative minds. We offer a fantastic hexagonal sand pit, am activity pond for water play and an easel which will aid the development of your budding Picasso.

 

Whatever your children’s furniture needs at our site you can find a wide range of products to order online. Delivered direct to your door these easy to assemble pieces offer terrific value for money and conform to safety standards so your child can eat, rest and play in safety.

childrens furniture

nursery furniture

For a parent, choosing the right childcare center can be stressful. As a result, parents need to take their time to do the appropriate research and make sure that the center in question is truly a good fit for their child. Here are some simple tips to help in the process.

Tip 1: List Important Personal Factors

First, know your family’s personal needs. Location and price are likely to be factors, but so are the ages of the children. For younger children, an early childhood development program may be necessary, while older children may only need an afterschool childcare provider.

Tip 2: Know What to Ask

Parents also need to know what characteristics indicate a quality childcare center. Is it licensed by the state? Has the center been accredited by any organizations such as the National Association for the Education for Young Children? Have the childcare providers had any formal training?

Tip 3: Seek Recommendations

Talk to other parents and ask for their recommendations. However, don’t just get the names, ask some additional questions. Have the parents ever used another childcare center? If so, why did they switch? Are they pleased with their current early childhood development program?

Tip 4: Conduct a Phone Interview

Call the director and ask her to describe the facility. What is the typical day like? How much time is spent on formal lessons, playtime, and naps? What are the age ranges, the teacher to pupil ratio, or the staff turnover rate?

Tip 5: Visit the Childcare Center

Arrange a tour of the center that includes spending time in your child’s classroom. This will provide an opportunity to watch how the childcare providers and other children interact with your child. Does the ratio seem appropriate? Is the teacher nurturing, and does she handle discipline appropriately?

Tip 6: Check References

Ask the daycare for additional references and then follow up on them. This is especially important if the childcare center was located through an advertisement and not a personal recommendation. Make sure at least one of the references is from a parent of a currently enrolled child.

Tip 7: Re-evaluate the Childcare Center

Once the child has been enrolled, parents need to remain cautious. Talk to the staff, and be watchful of sudden changes in your child’s attitude toward the center. A few unannounced visits are even better, as these can be the most revealing.

In trying to locate the right childcare center, parents need to take extra care. Make sure to do some research, spend time talking to people, and visit the centers in question. Doing this will help reassure you, and will provide your child with a wonderful childcare experience.

Angela Walker has a passion for children, and her and her staff at Next Generation Children’s Center in Reno, NV are dedicated to helping foster your child’s early childhood development. To read more about childcare issues read Angela’s Blog

When you think of fly fishing, two things come to mind – the casting of a fly line and the fly on the end of the line. Fly fishing flies are a unique aspect of our sport and are without doubt the most hotly debated aspect of fly fishing. Flies, typically fall into 4 categories, nymphs, dry flies, streamers and wet flies. Each of these types of flies have hundreds of variants that work in different situations, it would take an age to describe them all. So what we’ll focus on understanding is the key differences between the different types of flies.

Nymphs

Nymphs are a subsurface fly; they can be classed as either ‘nymphs’ or ‘lavae’ – they key difference between these two are that nymphs look a bit like the fly they will hatch into whereas larvae don’t. Trout feed on nymphs as they float downstream or up to the waters surface. The nymphs we tie onto our fly line imitate nymphs that are floating down stream after being dislodged by water pressure, a nymph that is moving to another food source or a nymph that is floating to the surface in order to hatch into a fly.

Fish feed heavily on nymphs, a trout, for example, can sit in on the bottom of a river and simply move toward the floating nymph, open its mouth and suck the nymph down. It’s easy food for little effort – that’s why fly fishing with nymphs can be so successful.

Dry Flies

A ‘dry fly’ is simply a nymph that has hatched into an insect with wings that sits on top of the water, or flies above it. The most common time for nymphs to hatch into flies, is during the warmer months. It is common to have a large hatch of flies on a summers evening, fish will feed aggressively at these times to chomp down as many flying insects as possible – this is the best time to fish with a dry fly. You’ll increase your chances of hooking ‘rising’ fish, if you ‘match the hatch’, or match the type of dry fly you use to the type of insects hatching on the water. Purists often treat dry fly fishing as the only real type of fly fishing.

Streamers

Streamers are completely different to the two above types of flies. They are fished under water and represent a small baitfish. Streamers are typically longer, larger flies that appear bushier; some streamers use bright materials which will often attract a hungry fish. Streamers are fished near the bottom of a lake or river. They are cast out, allowed to sink then retrieved; you’ll get some very aggressive bites or takes on a retrieved streamer as the chasing trout swims in and hits the fly by surprise. Streamers are also a popular choice for fly fishing at night time.

Wet Flies

These flies, as you’d expect (and similarly to streamers) are fished in the water. Wet flies represent either small fish or larger swimming insects. Wet flies are commonly fished with a sinking line or intermediate line and are retrieved as they sink to the bottom of the lake or river. Wet fly fishing is one of the oldest types of fly fishing and is quickly being overtaken by techniques such as nymph fishing.

The above types of flies cover the majority of all flies sold today. Each type has a huge number of variations or species, it can be quite daunting knowing which ones to choose for which pieces of water. The best way to decide on what fly to choose is to try and understand the aquatic life of the piece of water you’re fishing or even easier talk to someone and ask them what types of flies work well on that piece of water. Most fly fishermen will be happy to help you out if you are trying to learn to fly fish.

Matthew Dunne is an experienced fly fisherman and the editor of an informational fly fishing website:

[http://startflyfishingnow.com]

StartFlyfishingnow.com [http://startflyfishingnow.com] is a resource for anyone interested in learning to fly fish or someone looking for information on fly fishing. Check my site for other articles and much more.

Grab Your Hiking Boots and Let’s Go!

Hiking is perhaps the most popular activity in the Catskills.

The origin of many hiking trails in New York State have their roots in the Native American-made paths to various seasonal hunting grounds. Later, loggers with ponies pulled hemlocks out the Catskill forests to make tanning solution and bluestone quarriers dragged out huge slabs of this dense blue-grey rock to pave New York City. The intrepid artists of the Hudson River School used these trails to find beautiful panoramas to sketch and later paint in their studios. Naturalists such as John Burroughs recorded the variety of flora and fauna unique to the Catskill High Peaks while Ralph Waldo Emerson is inspired to write his groundbreaking essay Nature by the very same Catskills.

Fortunately for today’s Catskill hiker, there is a wide variety of hiking trails ranging from the most easy such as the paved and flat like the path along the Ashokan Reservoir. to extremely difficult three mountain loop of Devil’s Path or the ascent to Slide Mountain. Whatever the hiking level you desire, we have chosen the best of Catskills hiking that gives beautiful views; the payoff for what can be a most vigorous exercise!

How to Plan for a Catskill Mountain Hike

There are a few sensible precautions that need to be considered before embarking on a hike whether in New York or anywhere else. While the Catskills can be easily traveled to and are close to New York City, knowing your terrain is guaranteed to make for a more pleasant day. Not sure about hiking in the mountains on your own? Add some luxury and amenities to your New York getaway; look for local area resorts such as the Emerson that offer hiking packages with guided hikes and lodging.

What You Will Need To Hike the Catskill Mountains:

1) Water: Bring plenty of it as natural sources can be contaminated with giardia- unless it is marked as a natural spring.

2) Bugs: The hiking trails of the Catskills are cool and damp, so expect mosquitoes. And while lymes-disease carrying ticks generally prefer hot and dry conditions, its good practice to tuck pants into socks and use a strong insect repellent.

3) Gear: Do wear good hiking shoes with sturdy socks to prevent blisters. Dress light but carry a sweatshirt and rain poncho in your pack as the weather can change suddenly. A walking stick can be an excellent stabilizer if the terrain should get rough.

4) Animals: The Catskills are full of wildlife and none are dangerous as long as you respect their space. Bears are only a nuisance if you are camping with lots of unprotected food. Bears tend to be shy but if encountered; make some gentle noise and they should run off. Another concern can be snakes but if you don’t bother them, they won’t bother you. If you should see a rattler, admire it from a distance. Snakes are most often found on the sunny side of cliffs among large rocks and boulders.

5) Plan: Make sure you let someone know before you go off into the wilds. Take a map and don’t expect to rely on your cell phone GPS.

6) Respect: Lastly, bring out what you bring in. Paper and plastic have no place in nature.

Where to Hike: Choosing the Perfect New York Getaway in Nature

Very Easy Trails: Ashokan Reservoir & Colgate Lake

These hiking trails are good for families from grandparents to kids who need a level walking surface without dips or climbs.

• Ashokan Reservoir:

The Ashokan Reservoir’s two long walkways, one an actual promenade and the other a closed road the public now uses, provide a panorama of the Catskill Mountains and the pristine Ashokan Reservoir that serves as the drinking water for New York City.

Great for bicycles, walkers and wheelchairs, the two paths are beautiful stretches of wide paved paths that curve for 3 miles along the Ashokan Reservoir. To get to this wide mountain vista, travel to Winchell’s Corners on Route 28, turn onto Reservoir Road. At the junction of “BWS road” make a left and at 28A, make another left. Travel ¼ mile and make the next left and at the end of the road is a roundabout parking area for both paths.

• Colgate Lake:

A magical hidden gem off of Route 23A near Tannersville, this pristine, man-made lake is open for swimming, although there are no lifeguards or roped in areas so visitors need to take appropriate precautions. There is a small trail that circumnavigates the entire lake that is bowled in by mountains. Caution must be used around Colgate Lake as there can be poison ivy.

Easy NY Hiking Trails: Kaaterskill Falls, North-South Lake, and Diamond Notch Falls

• Kaaterskill Falls:

The two tiered falls of 175 and 85 feet are the highest waterfalls in New York State. The lower Kaaterskill Falls is reached by a trail beginning on Route 23A. Driving east from Tannersville and Haines Falls, park on the area to the right before the highway makes its steep descent down the mountain. Then, walk carefully along the road until you reach a hairpin turn and the falls are seen on your left. To reach Kaaterskill Falls from the top, travel east on 23A and make a left onto Country Rd 18 by the Twilight Deli and then, about a mile later, a right onto Laurel House Road. Park at the end of the road and follow the trail 1/5 of a mile to a worn bank supported by wooden beams.

This is the top of Kaaterskill Falls and extreme caution must be used to descend onto the huge boulders to get a look at the valley below. We do not recommend a descent as the ground is slippery and there are many injuries, but there is a small short trail that runs to the right. Walking with care, you can get a nice side view of the falls and the natural amphitheater it has carved out over the centuries.

• Escarpment trail North-South Lake:

The short hike to the site of the Catskill Mountain House provides the reward of incredible vistas of the Hudson Valley and the Berkshires beyond. Longer and more strenuous hikes can bring you to such spots as Artist’s Rock, Sunset Rock, Newman’s Ledge, Boulder Rock, and the Kaaterskill Hotel and Laurel House sites. Follow the well-marked trails and maps to lead you where you want to go. Swimming is permitted at North-South Lake, but only when there is a lifeguard present.

• Diamond Notch Falls:

This hike has an amazing variety of indigenous, native plants and flowers that grow along the path. Please note that any digging or picking of greenery is strictly prohibited. The walk is steep in places, but not difficult to navigate. The waterfalls add a special interest and there is a wooden bridge above the falls that offers a different view of the cascade. Travel up Route 214 to Lanesville, turn left onto Diamond Notch Road and park at the very end. The trail starts at the far right corner of the lot.

Moderate NY Hiking Trails: Hunter Mountain, Overlook Mountain & Giant Ledge-Panther Mt. Trail

• Hunter Mountain:

For a unique experience, take the Sky Ride from the Hunter Mountain Ski Center. The lift will take you up a 1600 foot vertical from the valley floor. A 2 mile hike from there will take you to the fire tower with beautiful views of the Catskill High Peaks, but this is a steep challenge. Less active hikers may want to enjoy the view from where the Hunter Sky Ride leaves you off and just hike back down to the base.

• Overlook Mountain:

This popular hike is located a couple of miles north of the Village of Woodstock. Take Rock City Road north from the Village Green all the way to the top of Overlook Mountain where it will change its name to Mead’s Mt. Road. Parking is on the right and the trail is to the left. The climb is steep and uphill for 2.5 miles but the 360 degree view from the fire tower at the mountaintop is the best in the Catskills! Also note an abandoned ruin of a stone hotel from the 1930s about 2 miles up. Great for dramatic photographs or an eerie romantic picnic!

• Giant Ledge-Panther Mt. Trail:

This trail starts out easy with yellow markers and then switches to the more challenging blue markers after the spectacular view of Giant Ledge. Giant Ledge is located roughly 1.6 miles up the trail and afterwards, the trail follows a North-South Ridge for another mile that offers more lovely Catskill Mountain vistas.

Difficult NY Hiking Trails: Slide Mountain & Devil’s Tombstone

• Slide Mountain

Another tough hike, but the Slide Mountain Hiking Trail is also the most rewarding! With an elevation of 1780 feet and a 5.4 mile round trip, you will need lots of water and good hiking boots. Slide Mountain is the highest peak in the Catskills, so the view from the summit is unparalleled. To get there, drive to the end of Woodland Valley Road off Route 28 near Phoenicia and travel to the very end to the Woodland Valley Campground. The trail head will be on the left with parking on the right.

• Devil’s Path:

Also known as Devil’s Tombstone, this trail is known as the toughest hiking path in the Eastern United States. Nonetheless, hikers are drawn to it as it allows them to cover 5 mountain peaks in one excursion. The Devil’s Path is a self guided trail that can be done in three sections or combined. The first section, Plateau Mountain, is 8 miles roundtrip and it culminates in a nice view over to Hunter Mountain. Then the trail levels out (hence the plateau) and the highest point is at the far eastern end about 2 miles away. Continue on a short distance from the summit and a view of Sugarloaf Mountain opens up. The Hunter Mountain Section is 4.15 miles and the West Kill Mountain Section is 7 miles for a total of 24.20 miles of hiking. The best access is to drive from Phoenicia 8 miles north on Route 214 and park at the Devils Tombstone day use parking area on the left. The trail head starts on the right after the enormous rock that purports to be the actual Devil’s Tombstone.

Whatever your chosen skill level, it will be easy to find just the right hike in New York’s Catskills. Make it a weekend getaway and enjoy all the Catskill have to offer.

Jen Dragon
http://www.emersonresort.com

Emerson Resort and Spa, an extraordinary destination offering the reassuring sense that one is no longer part of the outside world. Make yourself at home in one of our 53 exceptional guestrooms and suites. Enjoy comfort food favorites at the Catamount Restaurant. Or indulge in one of the soothing treatments at our Forbes Four-Star Spa. Outside, the picturesque Hudson Valley will complete this perfect environment of total harmony.

Introduction

India is becoming the latest fashion hub for the fashionistas. Indian designers are no longer confined to the domestic fashion and apparel market, they are gaining recognition and fame from all over the world. The various government policies and a boom in fashion industry have made it possible. One of the major breakthrough provided to Indian designers to showcase their talents are through the medium of fashion shows. Lakme India Fashion Show is the most popular fashion show celebration of India where the talents of already established and upcoming designers are showcased.

This event is a fashion celebration laced with lots of glamour and national as well as international media coverage. This time lakme India fashion week was held at Mumbai from 31st Oct- 4th Nov. Many high profile designers as well as audience witnessed this fashion fiesta. Famous bollywood celebrities were part of it.

Eminent designers like Surily Goel, Narendra Kumar, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Nalandda Bhandari, Nandita Mahtani, Anand Kabra, Abhishek Dutta , Wendrell Rodericks, Anupama Dayal, Vikram Phadnis, Chaitanya Rao, Sanchita, Savio Jon, Payal Singhal, Sanjay Malhotra, James Ferriera, Priyadarshini Rao, etc presented their spring/summer 2007 collection. Also South African designer duo Sun Goddess and Clive Rundle presented their collection.

Brief descriptions of some designer’s creative work are as follows :-

Nalandda Bhandari

Nalandda Bhandari designs simple yet attractive and wearable collection under the brand name ‘Nasha’. She named her spring/summer 2007 collection ‘Free Spirit’. She covered all patterns and styles of contemporary women clothing, dress patterns like- tunics, kaftans, tube dress, skirts, shirts and burnt gold evening gown dominated her show. She played with glamour clad fabrics like chiffon, silk, georgette, voile, cotton and crepe. Her collection was largely ruled by animal prints and embroideries like African embroidery, sequin embroidery, etc. She also presented her men collection. She included her logo of rose embroidery in almost every outfit.

Narendra Kumar

The very famous designer Narendra Kumar presented his spring/summer collection 2007 at Lakme Fashion Week. The collection was named as ‘Love Touches You’. He presented a perfect blend of traditional and contemporary designing paired beautifully with each other. The women’s line of western collection had smocked & pleated skirts, balloon skirt with shirt dress, half collars, bloomers, chiffon with appliqué sleeves, etc which were created with the designer’s unique touch and detailing. The preferred fabrics by the designer were cotton, georgette, net, silk, mull and linen. The collection was unique but wearable in terms of design and pattern.

The men collection was very stylish and appealing in nature. Men models walked the ramp with elaborate embroidered batik styled shirts paired with stylish trousers completed with patch pockets and shiny zippers. Fun element of, feminity to male garments was provided by showcasing sophisticated floral printed baggy tops paired with tight fitting pants and capris. The choice of colors was dull jade, beige, blue, brown, saffron and white. Complicated embroidery, smocking, appliqué work and shadow work were part and parcel of his creative designing. The fun element was when the famous model turned actor John Abraham walked the ramp with white linen suit. Thus he complied every bit of creativity and entertainment aspects to his collection which gained him standing ovation by the audience and showering of red carnations.

Surily Goel

Surily Goel is young and talented designer who even designs for film personalities. Her latest creation on big screen was for actress Preity Zinta for the film ‘Jaan-e-Mann’. Her collection presented the carefree and sensual side of women’s clothing. This year’s collection was marked by knee-length skirts of georgette, crochets, chiffon, light silks and organdy, highlighting pleats and waist gathering with satin belts. Also single piece bubble outfits created in wide range of colors and fabrics. In this time’s collection she used more of small colored stones.

The presence of film personalities like Dino Morea, Sonali Bendre, Neelam Kothari, Fardeen Khan, Sameera Reddy and Tara Sharma in the audience during her collection put the star element into the show.

Chaitanya Rao

Chaitanya Rao’s collection was like early morning breeze with booming petals of budding roses. The delicate fabrics like georgette and chiffon provided that sexy feminine look to her collection. As her signature, she included moth in the form of embroidery or appliqué in all of her garments. The models took over the ramp with her mesmerizing feminine collection comprising of hem blouses with theme embroideries, pleated mini skirts with batik prints, moth appliqué blouses, long frayed double hem dresses, pale grey chiffon tunic, cream color chiffon bubble dress, dolman sleeved hipster blouses, the list goes on. To accessorize her collection she used thin and broad belts.

Sanchita

Sanchita’s collection presented in Lakme Fashion Week was bold yet wearable. She divided her collection into three segments- Punk chic, Copacabana and Swinging deco. The stunning designer pieces of bikinis and pareos, Hawaiian inspired kaftans, small balloon skirts, floaty dresses and minis provided the feeling of the beaches of Copacabana, St. Tropez and Riviera to the audience. Her collection was quite glamorous consisting of outfit like grey T-shirts with silver leggings, lycra T-shirts having sleeve ornamentations, strapless dresses accompanied with necklaces, earrings and brooches.

The men collection was marked by casual wear T-shirts, poplin trousers with detailed embroideries and white tuxedo jackets.

The garments were decorated with semi precious stones or with attractive patch works. Her line of collection was dominated by colors like white, apatite, agate, jade, opal and black onyx. The garments were accessorized with intrinsically crafted jewelry and bags.

Savio Jon

This designer emphasized heavily on the comfort factor of the garments. Savio Jon is well known for his simple yet attractive clothing lines which are high on value and seductive quotient. Unlike other designers he preferred his garments to hang loose around the body instead of body hugging/tight fitting clothes. He used free flowing fabrics like fish net, mul, chiffon, georgette and crepe.

Pinafore silhouette, long lean maxis, oversized blouses, deep shoveled armholes, low back and front necklines, were some types of garments he presented. In evening wear he glamorized the tubular silhouettes with shimmers. The ranges of colors choosed by him for his collection were beige, grey, brown, black, pale yellow and white. Thus the colors were also sober and subtle.

Payal Singhal

Payal Singhal for the first time presented her collection in Lakme Fashion Week. Her designer collection for women were designed keeping in mind today’s working women’s needs and comfort level. Stylish yet affordable was the key element associated with her collection. She beautifully used cutwork, satin, georgette, jacquard, tulle, cotton, crepe, taffeta, brocade and seersucker in club and partywear for dresses and tunics. Her display of outfits on ramp descended gracefully from daywear to glamorous evening wear. She started her showcasing of designs in oyster white color then, tea rose, yellow, coffee, watermelon to grapefruit color. Display of tunics and blousons were coupled with melon, gold or silver tights. The signature outfit was the oyster white kaftan embellished with golden embroidery.

Sanjay Malhotra

Sanjay Malhotra named his spring/summer 2007 collection -’Dejavu’. The key phrase which inspired him for this collection was -Life through my rose colored glasses. He instead of sticking only to free flowing usual feminine fabrics, even experimented with fabrics like fur, leather, voiles, denim, suede and laces which were highly appealing to today’s power packed independent women. The beautiful mix-n-match of these fabrics in sober as well as striking colors presented a collection that was bold enough yet stylish and wearable. Few of the many outfits displayed by him were- ivory colored mirror jacket with chiffon sleeves, colorful corset skirt accompanied with net petticoat, tunic with fur edge, etc. His collection was for the woman who likes to seek attention of the crowd and be different.

Clive Rundle and Sun Goddess

Clive Rundle and Sun Goddess were two international South African designers who presented their collection at Lakme Fashion Week. Fusion was the key style of their outfits. Extravagant layered dresses and skirts, jackets, evening wear, loosely fitted shirts and trousers, long coats and tops were part of their garment showcase. Their choices of colors were mainly creams, cherries, plums, peaches, sapphires, maroons and mauves. The free flowing pleated and layered outfits depicted the south African culture and fashion essence through them.

James Ferriera

James Ferriera made his debut at Lakme Fashion Week. He named his collection ‘Bombay Tokyo’. His collections were inspired by Maharashtra’s rich textile heritage.

The collections were divided into seven segments which were even named. The sari, an ode to devnagari, the hardy traditional towel, black magic, the sholapur story, warli and diwali were the seven names given to the segments.

Traditional warli paintings and paithani motifs were done on the clothes. Very uniquely he transformed the traditional forms of maharashtrian clothing into contemporary designs, like nine yard saris were intelligently converted into tunics. Marigold and leaf motifs were used on black shirts with cowl necks.

To describe in a nutshell his collection used ethnic fabrics and designs on garments with style and attitude. The outfit presented during finale had black georgette garments with glittering Paithani embroidery designs on them.

Conclusion

This event is marked by presence of celebrities and traders all across the globe. Also it provides a platform for the budding designers to show their talent and establish themselves into the high profile fashion industry, for the already established designers to show their collection and maintain their popularity level. The above mentioned review is for few of the many prominent and talented designers. The nutshell description of the designers suggests that this celebration of fashion and style is a sure shot success for India’s designers and promote the export business too. The very presence of film stars on the ramp of their favorite designers and in the audience is the crowd puller factor of this celebration. Lakme Fashion week is extensively covered by media and promoted also.

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Copyright © 2006

The poet Oscar Wild, wrote these moving lines: “Children begin by loving their parents. After some time, they judge their parents. Rarely, if ever, do they forgive them”. It is a well known fact that the well-being of today’s children is inseparable from the peace, progress and prosperity of tomorrow’s world. It is, therefore, important that children be nurtured in an environmentally sustainable pattern to promote national and global peace and progress. The importance of their welfare was underlined during the World Summit for Children in September, 1990, held under the auspices of the United Nations International Children Education Fund (UNICEF) where world leaders maintained that “unless the investment in children is made, all of humanity’s most fundamental long-term problems will remain fundamental long term problems”.

Put succinctly, children are a country’s most precious assets and they demand the highest priority on both national and international investments. In spite of this open acknowledgment of the importance of their survival to our collective global future, evidence abounds that children are facing the worst tragedy in the world today. In a recent seminar organised by the United Nations non-government liaison services in Geneva, participants at the seminar from more than 120 countries were in agreement that “millions of children around sub-Saharan Africa live under especially difficult circumstances where special protection measures are required to enable them enjoy fulfillment of their basic rights”. These children in addition to being poor, are exploited, abused, abandoned, neglected, disabled and deprived of liberty.

The greatest manifestations of child abuse, exploitation, deprivation and neglect are very obvious in situations where children are used as a veritable source of cheap labour, soldiers, and prostitutes against their innocent and passive will. Many children seldom report cases of such abuses against them and most child abusers rely on this fact to continue in their wicked acts. Child labour thrives in our societies today mainly because some employers consider it cheaper to employ and over-work children who have very weak resistance to exploitation and oppression than adults. Such employers often betray and take undue advantage of the innocence of children’s dependence and trust. Families also use child labour to make additional income. While some of the hapless children are engaged in domestic duties of hawking goods, others are made to do hard labour meant for adults. Some Non-Governmental Organisations, (NGOs) have continued to express their concern over this unfair practice that is conducted not only in Nigeria, but also in other countries of the world. In an interview granted to a newsmagazine, Mr. A.C. Onukwue, a director of Media Environment Initiative (MEI) in Nigeria said that “children as young as eight years old are being subjected to a bland agreement by their parents to serve as slaves all their childhood and youths in the name of apprenticeship”.

Those working as domestic servants are the most exploited and most difficult to protect. Most of them are girls who live with their employers and are totally dependent on them. The United Nations Organisation (UNO) and the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) have made some legal provisions in their bid to checkmate this growing monster. Article 32 of the United Nations Convention of the rights of the child and article XV of the Organisation of African Unity Charter on the rights and welfare of the child, unanimously condemn child labour in all its ramifications. The two articles recognize “the rights of the child to be protected from economic exploitation and from performing any work that is likely to be hazardous, or to interfere with the child’s education or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social developments”. In Asia, South America and some migrant communities in the United States, it has been reported that children even as young as five years of age are forced into what can be termed “slave labour”. They work like little robots in dreadful conditions that damage their immature bodies and minds. Most of them have no education, are homeless and deprived of parental love and care.

Children as Child-Labourers

Most people have argued that the main cause of child labour is poverty. Others are economic and social inequality, war, unemployment, broken homes and juvenile delinquency. The merchants of children peddle stories of pleasurable life awaiting the kids in the cities in order to entice their victims from their poverty-stricken parents. Most poor parents swallow such stories hook, line and sinker and so inadvertently release their children to the slave merchants. Because of the nature of their minds, children believe what they are told by adults without reservation. Some of them on hearing such false stories of bright future awaiting them at imaginary lands, sometimes sneak away from their homes to be taken away without their parents’ knowledge. Most of them also follow child merchants because their parents find it difficult to feed, clothe and train them in school. Though many children in the advanced industrial nations and in some urban centers of the Third World countries enjoy good care and welfare, yet it is obvious that majority of them in some rural and urban areas whose parents are living below subsistence level are more often exposed to this risk. The situation has been considered dangerous enough that it was brought to focus in 1997 at a forum organised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the United Nations International Children Education Fund (UNICEF) for jourlalists in Lagos to deliberate upon. The theme of the forum was The Impact of Child Labour on Development. Participants at the forum agreed that child labour exists in Nigeria as in other parts of the world. It is interesting to note that most of these unsuspecting children lured from their homes in Nigeria are taken to Gabon in Central Africa and other neighbouring countries where they are subjected to the highest form of child abuse.

Children as Articles of Trade

But how widespread are cases of child abuse? Let us at this stage, embark on a historical excursion in order to reveal the extent of abuse and danger our children had been exposed to. On May 30, 1995 when 330 Nigerian deportees arrived in Calabar from Gabon, 109 of them were children below 16 years of age. Again, in March 1996, four students of Ikono Ibom Comprehensive Secondary School, Ikot Aya, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria were cajoled into embarking on a trip to Gabon by a fellow student. But these students, made up of three girls and a boy whose ages were between 10 and 14 years were lucky as they could not reach their destination. As fate would have it, officers of Nigerian Immigration Service intercepted their boat at the Oron Creek. And in January 1997, 150 Gabon-bound children were rescued from a camp at Mkpanak near Ibeno. Among the children aged between 11 and 18 years were 20 Nigerians. The rest of them came from neighbouring Togo, Benin Republic and Ghana. In February 1997, 86 under aged children were freed after a raid on an uncompleted building at Ibeno, Akwa Ibom State. It was reported that the nefarious dealers on children had intended to ship them to Gabon before they were rescued. A breakdown of the rescued children’s nationalities showed that 25 were from Nigeria, 23 from Togo while 38 were from Benin Republic. Of the 86 kids, 46 were girls.

It is also sad that not all of these children had been lucky. The hapless ones do not get to their destinations and do not live to tell their stories. In January 1996, more than 200 persons perished in the high seas of Ibeno Beach. About 73 per cent of the victims were school children, some of whom were in their school uniforms. These difficult circumstances represent serious hazards and risks to the survival and development of our future generation.

Children as Sex Tools

Apart from child labour and trafficking, sexual harassment is another area of high risk that confronts our children. Convincing indication of the enormity of this crime was tendered at the World Congress Against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children held in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1996 which was attended by representatives of 130 countries. For instance, it was documented that in several parts of the world, there are millions of young girls, some even as young as 10 years of age who are constrained to work as call girls. After years of physical, mental, and emotional molestation, these girls are scarred for life. In most cases, they surrender to this atrocity simply because they want to eat and stay alive. The option is like choosing between six and half a dozen. As a result of such abuse, some children develop social and psychiatric problems later in life. Furthermore, the activities of pedophiles who occupy influential positions in our society do not help matters. Pedophile refers to a psychological disorder which causes adults to be sexually attracted to children whose sexual experience is nil. In August 1997, a Dublin Chief Judge, Cyril Kelly, committed Reverend Berndan Smith a 72 -year old Roman Catholic priest to 12 years imprisonment for a case involving 74 count charges of indecent and sexual assaults against children. Rev. Smith who admitted to a 36-year career of sex offenses against a total of 26 children in the Republic of Ireland, pleaded guilty to the charges. The Daily Telegraph of June 2, 1998 carried a report on a 44-year old soccer coach who used his position of trust to abuse young boys. He was jailed for nine years after pleading guilty to 23 specimen charges against children. The Chester Crown Court was told that from 1978 to 1992, the coach invited boys from the North West and Midlands to stay with him or go on holiday to North Wales and Spain where the offenses took place. According to The Daily Telegraph: “Benndell would take the boys into his trust by offering them the chance of not only training with his teams but also an occasion at Grewe Alexandra and Manchester City”.

Children As Child Soldiers

Compounding the tragedy further, there has been an increase in the use of child soldiers in guerrilla armies. Children are easily kidnapped, separated from their parents and siblings and conscripted into the army to fight wars. In such situations they are systematically brutalized, at times by being forced to watch gruesome murder. Some have been ordered to kill their own parents, brothers and/or sisters. Where they find it difficult to carry out these bloody assignments as a result of their innocence, such children are encouraged and compelled to take drugs in order to heighten their killer instinct. In Freetown, Sierra Leone, child soldiers whose innocence had been destroyed by the crimes of a protracted civil war resolved that they were not going to hands-off arms. They took the resolution in October, 1998 when Carol Bellamy the then UNICEF’s head in Sierra Leone, asked them in Bo to surrender their weapons. The child soldiers belonged to the hunter militia group known as Kamajor. In addition, children generally suffer a high death rate during civil or international wars. Most of them die of hunger or hunger related diseases such as kwashiorkor. Because they are fragile and defenseless, they are easy victims in war situations. On August 31, 1997 about 21 children fell into a swimming pool in panic and got drowned in Nsele, 60 kilometers east of Kinshasa, capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo when some armed troops tried to maintain order in the area. In Northern Uganda, rebels of the Lords Resistance Army (LRA), headed by Joseph Kony, who have been fighting against the Ugandan government have continued to carry out atrocities against children in that country.

It is interesting to note that children are gradually becoming aware of the injustice and oppression against them by the adult world. In July 1997, Eric Ndelema, a councilor from Kaziso, West Rand, was stoned to death by an irate mob of about 200 primary school children. The mob also set his house ablaze. Mary Martins, a sergeant and South African Police spokesman, confirmed the incident that occurred in Johannesburg but said that the motive for the attack was not yet known. If the cause of the attack was not known, perhaps the peaceful demonstration that was carried out by children from January 5 to June 4, 1998 is enough proof that children are gradually getting fed up with the whole game. Pakistan played host to the global march against child labour in April, 1998 as part of a campaign to draw world attention to children’s rights. The campaigners, numbering about 45,000 children from various countries, walked through Manila, Vietnam, Thailand, India and Geneva into the boarder town of Wahgah, 25 kilometers from Lahore, capital of Pakistan, amidst cheers from the citizens. Kailash Trithay, the leader of the demonstration said his group was carrying a message from every working child that “the world should be free of child abuse”.

In spite of the above facts, which are by no means exhaustive, it appears that not many countries of the world have taken definitive stand against this global monster of child abuse which is threatening to turn our God-given children into slaves and make this world an unsafe place for those who are undoubtedly our leaders of tomorrow. The situation quickly calls to mind, the admonition of an erudite scholar, Martin Luther King, who once remarked that “the world is full of evil today not because of those who do evil, but because of men who keep silent and watch evil being done”.

I strongly advise everyone interested in this article to purchase my new book titled – MASTURBATION:How to Overcome and Quit the Habit. You can get the ebook version from the following link, http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=3962841

While those interested in having the printed and bound copy of the book should send me an email via: donationsglobal@yahoo.com Please quote REQUEST FOR BOOK on the subject line, to distinguish your mail from spam mails.

Victor Izuogu was born on February 8, 1973 in Egbema, Imo State, Nigeria. He attended Egbema Secondary School, Egbema where he obtained his West African School Certificate. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Secretarial Administration from the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Rivers State, Nigeria.

Victor has worked in many reputable organisations as a an Executive Secretary and a Banker. Because of his humble beginning and experience in life, he has a passion for charity and humanitarian services. In order to execute his dream project, Victor formed a charity organisation, GLOBAL INTERCHANGE VENTURES. The proceeds of his literary works go to charity homes, churches and hospitals, e.t.c. You can support his charity and humanitarian services by sending your donations by mail to: GLOBAL INTERCHANGE VENTURES, P.O. BOX 1291, PORT HARCOURT, RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA.