Blogging Fun96742

The Basics of the Comcast Cable Company

Comcast Cable has grown to become the largest cable service provider in the United States. It was founded back in the 1960s as a local single system cable television provider and is now available almost anywhere that cable TV is offered. With an ever growing array of competition it is interesting to note how Comcast Cable is able to lead nearly all its markets.

Available in over thirty states, its a safe bet that if one of those states residence subscribes to cable that they are using Comcast. Born as a television company, home entertainment is still its primary concern. Overall they service over twenty million homes with cable television. Furthermore they provide digital cable service to almost another ten million homes.

During the last decade the technology thats been made available to homes has grown at such a staggering rate that it has allowed companies like Comcast to expand into providing other services. Personal computers, for instance, never would have offered a market to Comcast cable when they first began entering homes. Then came the advent of the internet. Faster computers and larger amounts of data called for speedier internet connections that dial up providers couldnt possibly provide. Taking advantage of this new market, cable companies were able to offer their own brand of internet service which can currently offer speeds a hundred times faster then its dial up predecessor.

Comcast cable internet came to exist and it now provides high speed cyberspace access to almost eight million customers. That number represents over one third of their television subscribers which is quite staggering given how fresh the technology really is. Just think how slowly cable grew when introduced as a television service; no one wanted to pay for something that they were already getting for free. Initially cable internet had the same reaction with people not wanting to pay double the price for faster data transfer. But those numbers clearly show that the idea has definitely caught on.

Another boost for their consumer base came with the advent of the cable telephone alternative. While that idea has yet to catch on with most people being satisfied with their existing services, Comcast has still managed to attract over a million clients to this service.

Other business ventures from Comcast Cable includes several of their own channels. These include the Golf Channel, PBS Kids Sprout and TV One. Comcast even has four Comcast Sportsnets. Outside the communications ring, they also have a majority ownership in a company that has a lot of holdings. Some of these are sports teams in hockey, football and basketball; also they own two large multipurpose arenas in Philadelphia where Comcast is based.

Comcast cable has become a staple of the American communication world. Their employees are numbered at over seventy thousand people. As a company they continue to look to the future for new opportunities and ventures to offer their customers.

posted by blogs71770 @ 10:55 PM 0 comments

Gain Confidence and Boost Self Esteem in 5 Simple Steps

We all want to become more confident and feel good about ourselves so we can live our very best life. Here are some ways to gain confidence and raise self-esteem:

1. Do something that requires a decision and a follow-through.

Have you been putting off writing that letter to aunt Martha? Is there a friend youve been meaning to call? Wash the car, tidy the garden or clean the house. Youll gain confidence by setting goals (even small ones) and following through on them.

2. Enjoy something you do well.

Do you have any hobbies or sports that you enjoy playing? Some things like going swimming, painting or writing can hold your attention and get you into a state of flow. While you are in the flow you forget about everything else.

Afterwards, youll feel competent and capable. Its a great way to boost your self-esteem. If you dont have any particular hobbies or pastimes that you enjoy make an effort to try something youve always wanted to try.

Picture yourself doing it, and then give it a try! It doesnt have to be something big - it can be as simple as joining a walking club.

Youll find that you are more centered and happier if you do something that puts you in that flow at least once a week.

3. Shift the focus.

Its been shown that low self-esteem develops hand-in-hand with individuals who put too much focus on themselves. You can gain confidence by doing something that focuses on someone else or even something else.

Youll find that when you are in a situation where you are meeting new people, you immediately become less nervous when you focus on the person you are meeting.

At the end of the day, youve interacted with others and will notice that you feel much lighter.

4. Relax, already!

Learning to become more relaxed is a great life enhancer. People who are more relaxed have fewer problems with their memories and are more likely to take the bumps in the road of life in stride.

The practice of meditation has gained popularity for this reason. You might want to look into Tai Chi, which involves physical relaxation techniques.

Whatever method you decide on, take relaxation seriously. The benefits are just too great to ignore. If youve never considered relaxation important, think of it this way: if you can attend to something that results in feeling good, how can you not gain confidence in your personal abilities?

5. Make a list of everything youve ever accomplished.

Think small. An accomplishment is an accomplishment! Some things you could put on your list: passed my drivers test and got my license, scored a goal when I played hockey, managed to save enough money to go on a trip and so on.

These are just a few ideas you can use to gain confidence and boost your self-esteem. Use these ideas as a base point and add these things permanently in your life.

Keep in mind, people are not born with good self-esteem, most of us have to work at it. It develops from your thinking and the things you do daily to make yourself feel good.

posted by blogs71770 @ 9:54 PM 0 comments

A Quick Look at Jewelry Hallmarks

British Hallmarks are the best in the world.

Who says so, the rest of the World. Although to be fair, other countries have great hallmarks too, it is just that they are NOT so often seen.

A book on World Hallmarks for Gold or Silver items is a must for any serious collector or dealer, but they can be a little intimidating and time consuming. Is that mark a Cockerel or a Tree? Could it be made in Switzerland or Germany?

Thankfully for the rest of us, a small pocket book on UK Hallmarks is more than up to the task, coupled with that very useful plastic 10X eyeglass I keep on hinting for you to buy.

It will show you that the item has been tested and stamped, to prove it is - what it says it is (9ct or 18ct etc).

British Jewelry with a full UKHM (United Kingdom Hall Mark) is generally clearly stamped and readable after you clean it (check the website below for another complimentary article on 'How to Clean your Jewelry at Home').

Once you are aware of the marks, you will always feel just that little bit better when you buy that 'Could it be an Antique?' item at the local market, or from the guy in the Pub that everyone talks about but nobody knows.

Buyer Beware....

*Six marks on British Jewelry.*

Yes... Six?

# 1: The Maker's Mark (Usually some initials). Not all that important for everyday items, unless you want to collect Jewelry from one maker. Silver collectors may want to buy items from say, Bateman (I should be so lucky).

# 2: The second stamp is the Assay Office mark or 'Mark of Origin'. It tells you where the item came from. The most common is the LONDON Hallmark. A Leopard's Head. Sometimes this has a crown on the Leopard's Head (until circa 1821). Modern items do NOT have a crown on the Leopard Stamp.

The other most common Assay Office marks are from Birmingham (an Anchor). Once there were many Assay offices around Great Britain and Ireland, the Chester mark for instance. Now there are just three offices left in England, Sheffield being the last using a 'Rose' on gold Jewelry (DO NOT CONFUSE THIS WITH 'ROSE GOLD' JEWELRY) as that is a color, not a mark.

In Scotland there is Edinburgh, while in Ireland there is Dublin. Pity the poor Welsh are left out again!

# 3: The next is the Assay Quality mark and is shown as the 'Lion Passant' (which means 'looking ahead') and is a guarantee of quality. This was later changed to a 'CROWN' mark with a stamp showing the quality of Gold.... 9ct or 18ct etc.

# 4: Finally, and possibly the most important mark, was the Date letter mark. It changed each year so we can tell when the item was made.

Occasionally there is an extra mark.

# 5: An example was the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977.

Suffice to say if you see a Brooch with four or five marks and one of them is an Anchor with an 18 next to it and a letter 'C' next to that.... It's a safe bet it was made in Birmingham in 1927, or was that 1952, or 1902, or, or, or.....

Buyer Beware the man in the Pub.

As with most Jewelry items though, our advise has always been to buy the best QUALITY you can afford from a reputable dealer who will guarantee it.

Other than that, your plastic 10X eyeglass sure helps a lot....

P.S.
If you administer a website or publish an ezine, please feel free to use this article as long as you leave all links in place, do not modify the content and include our resource box as listed below. Although it's NOT compulsory I would personally appreciate it if you could send me an email at: gemmo1@online-jewelry-appraisals.com to let me know if and where you used it. If you need other great content - complimentary of course - then drop me a line at the email address given - 'cause I've got Quality Content and Gallons of the stuff....

(c)David Foard - All Rights reserved

posted by blogs71770 @ 9:32 PM 0 comments

Kennebunkport Maine Bed and Breakfasts

If you are looking for a picturesque location to spend your holiday, go to historic Kennebunkport, Maine. This place offers a range of outdoor activities, and the three-mile long beach tucked in between the rocky coastline is beautiful. There are miles of scenic trails and wildlife sanctuaries to explore. You can go on a whale watching cruise, haul in a catch from a lobster boat or try your hand at saltwater fishing. Kayaking is also available.

Cultural activities include theater, music, museums and galleries. Kennebunkport is also a good place to shop for antiques and other unique items.

Consider staying at a bed and breakfast inn. You can find them listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Some of are old mansions set in lovely surroundings offering genuine New England hospitality and cuisine. Your stay will truly be unforgettable. Some places give you a welcome bottle of champagne, and some have breakfast served in your cottage.

Modern amenities blend with old world charm at some lodgings, where rooms have gas fireplaces, luxurious private baths with heated tiles and Jacuzzis, hair dryers, air-conditioning, televisions, DVD players, in-room coffee makers, etc. Many offer maid services, cribs and child cots and adaptations for the handicapped.

Tariff varies depending on the facilities offered. Usually, there are different rates for season, mid-season and off-season and for weekdays and weekends. Special packages are often available. Some places have minimum stay stipulations. Many of the lodgings allow an extra person to stay in the room for an additional charge and offer a lower rate for children staying with parents. Some are pet friendly but may charge a fee. A 7% lodging tax is either included in the rate or for an extra fee. There may be a service charge as well.

Most of these establishments will give you information on places to see and things to do. Additional information can be obtained from the Visitors Center on Dock Square. Be sure to collect details about parking charges and beach restrictions.

Also, find out the check in and check out times, advance payable, cancellation charge, credit cards accepted and other relevant details.

posted by blogs71770 @ 9:31 PM 0 comments

Copywriting's Free First Step - The Home-Based Writer's Guide

Whether you have a full-time job or spend much of your time raising your children, theres no doubt that a little extra cash can come in handy. There are many freelance and part-time opportunities that can prove to be fruitful. On the other hand, many of those opportunities may seem enticing, but ultimately provide little money. If youve ever had a passion for the written word, whether it be college courses in journalism, a collection of short stories in your journal, or a daily blog you like to update, then you can bypass many of the part-time offers and head straight to the top. Dabbling in freelance copywriting is one of the most effective ways to earn extra cash and you get to indulge your passion for writing at the same time!

Whats involved with being a freelance copywriting? Lets break it down. Copywriting means literally writing copy. This generally means marketing copy, but can touch on a variety of areas, including ghostwriting, technical writing, and press releases.

As for the freelancer part, freelancing is both a blessing and a curse. As a freelancer, you have the freedom to pick and choose projects as you please, control your schedule, and control your rates. Of course, the other side of that is that you must search for work. However, if youre only looking for a part-time situation that earns you extra money, freelancing is a smart way to go.

Now heres the secret why is freelance copywriting so lucrative? Think of the many part-time work-at-home opportunities you hear about. Most likely, its telemarketing or some other task that only pays $15 - $20 an hour, if that. With copywriting, you can start at $50 per hour and no one will wince.

Now do you understand why writers have a big advantage in the world of work-at-home business? Just one project could pay for an entire weeks groceries while on big project can pay a weekend getaway. Arent you glad you took all those writing classes in college now?

Of course, the question remains: how does one learn what works and what doesnt work in copywriting? After all, you cant jump into the copywriting pool without knowing your stuff, regardless of how good your writing skills are. The best way to learn is from example. Guess what? Examples are everywhere around you!

Think of every brochure youve looked at. Think of every billboard or magazine ad youve seen. Think of all of those websites you visit everyday. Chances are, theres been a time when youve read the writing on those items and thought, I could do better! There are so many mistakes on there!

This is your free classroom. You can learn what works and what doesnt work in freelance copywriting simply by taking in the world around you. Be mindful of what grabs you and what doesnt grab you with brochures, sales letters, direct mail, ad copy, and website writing. Youll soon notice a pattern of what is good and what is bad. Heres a hint selling with honest facts beats hype hands down every time. Little spices such as clever humor and fancy wordplay never hurt either, as long as they fit the situation.

By noticing that the world around you can teach you the beginning lessons of freelance copywriting, youve already taken the first steps to a lucrative new side career. Best of all, this classroom is free. All you need to do is to take the time to notice and learn from everything you see and read. Once you begin to see the patterns of success, youre on your way to launching your freelance copywriting journey.

For more about the next steps in a freelance copywriting career, including finding clients and building a portfolio, download Make Money Writing!, available at http://www.makemoneywriting.biz, by freelance copywriter Mike Chen.

posted by blogs71770 @ 8:27 PM 0 comments

FA Cup Fourth Round Betting Review

Striker DJ Campbell, last seasons FA Cup hero with non-league Yeading, dumped Premiership strugglers Sunderland out of the FA Cup to secure Brentfords spot in the last 16 for the second time in as many years.

The 5,000 summer signing opened the scoring after 57 minutes only for Argentinean midfielder Julio Arca to equalise for Sunderland. However, Campbell became the hero in the 89 minute, netting the winning goal to set up a memorable win for the 11/4 Bees.

Bolton Wanderers extended Arsenals away day blues with a 1-0 win at the Reebok Stadium. The bookmakers priced this match according to Arsenals reputation, rather than their performances this season. Bolton were as large as 2/1 before kick-off, an insult considering they beat the Gunners 2-0 in league duty back in December. Greek international Stelios scored the decisive goal with six minutes remaining.

Shortest price of the day unsurprisingly was Chelsea at 1/2 but they will have spoiled a few betting coupons after a 1-1 draw at Everton. The Toffees, priced up as 11/2 before kick-off, took the lead through James McFadden but a 73 minute equaliser from Frank Lampard took the tie to a replay at Stamford Bridge.

League One high flyers Colchester United sent another Championship side packing in Derby County. Colchester were 11/8 favourites and found themselves 3-0 up through Neil Danns and Richard Garcia. A penalty from Tommy Smith 11 minutes from time was the Rams only reply.

Leyton Orient will have had their supporters at 10/1 to beat Charlton Athletic. Jon Fortune gave the Addicks an early lead but the League Two side hit back through veteran Lee Steele. Charlton, 2/7 jollies before kick off, needed a stoppage time winner from Jay Bothroyd to spare their blushes.

The scent of an upset hung in the air before the lunch-time clash between League Two side Cheltenham Town and Newcastle United. Despite their efforts, Newcastle scored two goals in as many minutes just before half-time through Michael Chopra and Scott Parker to justify their odds of 8/15.

Rank outsiders on the day, 14/1 Port Vale, gave Aston Villa a scare with five minutes remaining to claw the score back to 2-1, although highly-rated midfielder ensured there would be no upset with a third goal in the 90 minute to please the big hitters who waded in at 1/4.

Better finishing could have earned Coventry City a shock 5/2 win over Middlesbrough but the tie ended all square at 1-1, extending Coventrys unbeaten run at the Ricoh Arena to eight matches.

On Sunday, Manchester United were shorter still at 4/9 but did not disappoint against Wolves, brushing aside the Championship team 3-0 at Molineux. Two goals from Kieron Richardson and another from a resurgent Louis Saha inflicted Glenn Hoddles heaviest defeat as Wolves manager.

Liverpool were also short at 8/15 to win away at Portsmouth and they didnt disappoint with two first half goals from Steven Gerrard and John Arne Riise. Sean Davis pulled a goal back for Portsmouth nine minutes into the second half but the Reds held firm.

posted by blogs71770 @ 8:07 PM 0 comments

Maintenance

Kurt Vonnegut once said, "Another flaw in human character is that everybody wants to build and nobody wants to do Maintenance."

This remark perfectly describes our ignorance towards the important task of Maintenance. Be it regular Maintenance of our car or spending money on house repair, we usually try to avoid these Maintenance jobs on one pretext or the other.

Though we must realize the inherited benefits of doing regular Maintenance. By taking care of our valuables and spending time and money on their regular Maintenance, we could use them for a longer duration of time and get the maximum benefits out of them.

Maintenance is usually one of four types. The first one is Preventive Maintenance (PM). In this Maintenance mechanism, you need to take some extra steps at present to foresee and rectify events that could possibly lead to problems in the future. It is usually done under the guidance of experts, and is beneficial in decreasing unexpected expenses and availing consistent performance.

The second type is Predictive Maintenance (PdM). This Maintenance involves checking the current system health (efficiency check) and identifying areas where problems could occur in the future. This type of Maintenance involves listing future problems, but does not incorporate the measures.

Corrective Maintenance (CM) is the third Maintenance type. It is a retroactive strategy and is used when any failure or fault occurs in the system. The basic objective behind this Maintenance type is to correct the fault soon, with less emphasis on cost and more on time.

The last type is Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM). This is the latest Maintenance technique, which involves continuous improvement of Maintenance programs in the most cost-effective terms and in a technically feasible manner. RCM focuses on listing past failures and Maintenance history, and emphasizes the functional importance of system components.

posted by blogs71770 @ 7:12 PM 0 comments

A Brief History of Pilates

Joseph Pilates, creator of the Pilates group of Exercises was sickly as a child. He suffered from asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever. At age 14, he remedied his health status by engaging in exercise and body building, and in doing so, became the model for anatomical drawings.

With determination and dedication to his exercise, Pilates became skilled in sports like skiing, diving and gymnastics. In 1912 he worked as a self defense instructor for Scotland Yard, in England. When World War I came, Pilates, a German national, was named an enemy alien like most other German nationals at the time. During his capture, he started perfecting the methods of the Pilates exercise, and started teaching it to the other interns. He would make use of springs attached to hospital beds to enable bedridden patients to do exercise, with resistance. Pilates was first designed as a reconstructive form of exercise, mostly for those injured and unable to move freely, or else confined in a bed or a chair. The crude exercise machines was the basis for his later designs.

In 1918, an Influenza epidemic struck England, but none of his trainees were among the thousands killed, this strengthened his claim for the exercises efficiency.

After being cleared of accusations, and his release, Pilates returned to Germany to perfect his method. The dance community, through Rudolf Van Laban, highly regarded Pilates techniques and adapted his exercises. In 1926, Pilates immigrated to the United States, after being asked to teach his techniques in the German Army. This is where he met his wife Clara, and with her, he opened a studio in New York, with the New York City Ballet.

In the 1960s most of Pilets students are New York Dancers. One of which, George Ballanchine, also had Pilates teach the ballerinas at the New York City Ballet. As time passed, his method became popular, not only in New York, but also everywhere in the United States.

Two of Pilates Students, Carola Trier, and Bob Seed, on the other hand, opened their own studio, demonstrating the methods and techniques, taught them by Pilates himself. Carola Trier, found solace in fleeing to the united Sattes, whe she escaped a Nazi Holding Camp, and found Pilates in 1940. Having pertinent dance background and the techniques under her belt, she became a contortionist, only stopping when getting injured in 1940. Due to this, Pilates helped TRier to open her own studio in 1950.

Bob Seed, aformer Hockey player, and an avid student of Pilates opened a studio across form Josephs and tried to make a competition out of it by opening early in the morning. Some people say that Pilates threatened Seed one day, and told him to leave town, and indeed he left.

When Pilates died, he left no instruction as to how to continue the line of Pilates work, nevertheless, his wife Clara, continued with the Studio, already known as the Pilates studio. Romana Kryzanowska, a student who studied with Joe and Clara aroung the 1940s continued their work and became director of the studio in 1970.

Also in 1970, A man named Ron Fletcher, a Martha Graham dancer, opened his own studio in Los angeles. He attracted many Hollywood stars, and this so impressed Clara, that she gave him permission to cary on the pilates name. Fletcher however, brought on improvements to the regiment

In 1967, two other students, Kathy Grant and Lolita San Miguel were awarded degrees by the State university of New York, to teach Pilates, they were the only practitioners ever to certified by Pialtes officially. Grant tooko over the Bendels Studio in 1972, whilst San Miguel went to Puerto Rico to teach Pilates at the Ballet Concerto de Puerto Rica.

posted by blogs71770 @ 3:48 PM 0 comments

Where is the Profit in Your Deal?

When we see Donald Trump on TV, we see a guy who is living the high life. Money, women and fame - all thanks to real estate. By media standards "The Donald" is a rich, successful real estate mogul. But, even he would have to admit that sometimes, he makes more money doing television than in real estate.

Whether you want a nice positive cash flow each month, ora cash profit on a quick resale, the only honest and ethical way to get there is EQUITY. Equity is the property value over and abovethe total amount owed on the property.

You may think that an investor who owns say, 50 houses, is probably very well set financially. He he might be...butif this investor has refinanced his properties to take all thecash out, or he paid too much to begin with, he may find himself on the brink of foreclosure or bankruptcy if vacancy rates climb.

One the biggest dangers I see today is the incredible paceat which home owners and investors are pulling equityout of their properties. (or worse, buying properties that havelittle equity to begin with)

Many investors are buying properties without even understanding how crucial equity is to their profitability.And homeowners who get 125% loans on their homesare asking for a foreclosure.

Regular readers know that I harp on the idea of keepinga minimum of 20% equity in every property you own. And the best reason to take lots of cash out of a property isfor the purpose of paying down debt on other real property.

Every week I get calls from investors who are desperate toget a fix on why they are losing money on a deal. The numberone reason I see over and over, is a definite tendency to take too much cash out of a property, which can kill yourpositive cash flow.

It's not flashy, it doesn't sell as well as telling someone theycan make $10,000 by next week, but buying, holdingand accumulating equity is the absolute bottom line rule forsuccess if you are a small investor. I don't want to burstany guru bubbles, but the facts are the facts.

Let's take my mom for example, who happens to be one of my favorite investors and also by far, the most conservative oneI know. She owns 5 houses all paid for free and clear. All are rented for an average of $525 per month. (Her location is Cedartown, GA., relatively low cost compared toAtlanta)Her personal residence is paid for too.

Mom is bringing in $2,625 per month in rent. Taxes and Insurance will get about $600 of it, leaving $2025. Over 12 months thatis $24,300. Not too bad. Added to other income and investmentsthis makes for comfortable, reliable retirement income.

On top of that, her passive income will increase over time as her rentgoes up. And, she is earning a solid 5% per year appreciation in thevalue of each property. Some of her houses have doubled in valueover the past 12 years. In terms of equity, mom is worth a prettygood chunk. In a good market, I'd guess about $800,000 justfor those 5 houses and her residence.

She took about 15 years to do it. Nothing fancy, just classic real estate investing. Anyone could do the same thing easily in10 years or less. But Mom knows that even when a property isowned free and clear, there are still unexpected events and coststhat will eat into your cash flow.

She represents the vast majority of the conservative, "never-been-toa-seminar-in-my-life", types who make up the bulk of the real investors out there. Some have 5 houses, and some have 75. I once workedfor a guy who had about 150 income properties. He was debtfree and had untold wealth in his equity. He had spent 30 yearsbuilding this portfolio, buying good deals as he came across them.

Like Mom, he also is careful to save money, avoid wasteful spending, andkeeps his equity in tact, so that his cash flow is in a safer range.

Equity gives you breathing room when the unexpected strikes. You might have a tenant that skips out on you, or a tree falls on the roof andyour deductible is $1000. Practical real estate investing requiresequity for long term safety and security.

In contrast, many of the best known real estate gurus have been broke and even filed bankruptcy. They could have used more equity.

Many people don't know that real estate guru Robert Allen, the author of "Nothing Down" and "Creating Wealth", which ignited the investing boom in the early 1990's, went bankrupt in July of 1996.

It appears that his no money down deals loaded him with too much debt. When interest rates went down and the rental market gotsoft, there was not enough real equity there to pay the bills.

Remember investing guru Robert Huff? Well known in the 1980's, he wound up in bankruptcy too.

There are many gurus and investors who like to argue that equitysitting in a property is money that is not being used. I understand their point, but I respectfully disagree. Taking equity out of a property also creates a situation in which that property requires more cash flow to sustain the costs. Then, when unexpected vacancies, higher taxes, or bad tenants come along, the investor is left with too much debtand not enough income to support that debt. The result can be catastrophic for the over-leveraged investor,some gurus have discovered.

Even "The Donald" has been broke. His restructuring of massive debt on his New York City properties during the late 1980's was the basis for his "comeback" to real estate glory. He got into a hole about 100 feet deep and then managed to get himself out. The book he wrote about the experience was a best seller that made him famous.

Mom probably won't be writing any books, but if she did, she would caution Mr. Trump not to be over leveraged. She will probably never be as famous as "The Donald" but what 'cha wanna bet she has more equity...

posted by blogs71770 @ 3:41 PM 0 comments

Indoor Soccer to go High Tech

One of the newest trends in the World of Soccer is the high-tech indoor soccer stadiums. They are used for all year around play without regard to seasonality. Many of these stadiums are owned by companies, which lease or rent them out to the teams. The business model is quite profitable and some markets have more than one company with more than one facility each. These companies also sell items such as soccer balls, refreshments and video play back services. They also often have automatic kicking machines for practice like those used in tennis or for batting training in baseball.

Since these soccer arenas are indoors and climate controlled I propose that we take the coaching and training to a much higher level. I propose that we incorporate Holographic Technologies, which are getting closer to becoming reality, and use them to teach soccer techniques. Imagine the benefits to coaching if you took some of the greatest plays in World Cup Soccer and allowed the kids to replay them. Setting up the holographic 3D images to move in full motion video on the field.

First you would put an athlete next to each of the players and then run the projection as the athletes matched them stride for stride and step for step, aligning themselves to confront the opponent by moving with the hologram into position and taking the shot or defending the goal. The athletes and players would learn emensly by watching and playing along side the greats. And all this is nearly possible. By using special coatings on the artificial grass to help the projection reflection it could be done quite easily. Think on this new technology and what it means for youth soccer.

posted by blogs71770 @ 3:21 PM 0 comments

Success Lessons From Falling Down

The first lesson beginners in Judo learn is how to fall over without hurting themselves too much. They also learn how to fall in a way which allows them to get up again very quickly and continue fighting or 'playing' Judo. Only later in their training do they learn how to throw other people to the ground and choke them to submission.

It is assumed from the start that Judo players will inevitably experience some failure or falling over. Their opponent, like life in general, will throw them down heavily from time to time. They need to land with as little damage as possible and get going again at once.

They will never attain success in Judo or anything else until they learn to fall down and then get up without giving up. Judo players are not resigning themselves to defeat; they are preparing themselves for all out battle in which they know they will fail many times on the way to eventual victory.

I am no judo expert but I have had the good fortune to teach my own martial arts lessons close to the training halls of Brian Jacks, the legendary British Judo champion, and have learned much from watching and listening to him and his dad.

When he trained in Japan, before a lesson even started, he had to do fifteen hundred somersaults in the air before landing on his back so that he became an expert at breaking his fall after a heavy throw. Learning how to fall or 'fail' taught Brian Jacks how to win. He became and still is a legend in Judo.

A key lesson, then, from Judo is to accept the fact that life will regularly knock us down and we will make mistakes frequently. We have to break the fall as much as possible and then resume life as normal. If we wait until we are so perfect that we will never fall over or be thrown down, we will never ever make a start at anything.

Recently, I have become an expert at falling and the other lessons it can teach. In the last year or so, I have put my foot through the attic roof, slipped off the attic ladder, fallen onto some paving blocks, fallen backwards into a thorn bush, crashed head first into a pile of chairs and fallen out of bed in my sleep!

I won't bore you with all the details but will mention some of the useful life lessons I learned from this extensive and varied experience!

Tread carefully when you are not sure of your ground. Most attics and attic ladders have dodgy areas where your foot can easily go straight through as did mine last year. Fortunately, I was treading gingerly so I was able to recover easily.

My neighbour was not so fortunate when he put his foot in a local pothole. He tried to bear the weight on his single standing leg but the strain ripped the quadriceps of his standing leg away from his knee cap area. He has had to have holes inserted into his knee caps, so that tendons can pull his muscles back to their proper place. He has born all this with amazing courage and cheerfulness and is even talking about getting back to his favourite sport - bowling - within a few short months.

Falls or failures can have horrendous consequences like the above. If you are investing in a new company which you are not sure about, invest small. I lost 27,000 investing in a foreign company that turned out to be fraudulent. If I had trodden more carefully, the loss would have been limited to about 5,000 pounds.

A few weeks ago, I tried to evade the minor discomfort of walking through a puddle and getting my feet wet. I slipped as I tip toed round the puddle and fell backwards into a thorn bush. I ended up with punctured skin and wet and muddy clothes.

In life, in general, accepting minor discomforts, is one way to avoid major ones. Doing daily situps may mean some discomfort but it will help you or me avoid the major discomfort of having a balloon belly. Walk straight through that puddle and get your feet wet. You could end up avoiding the indignity of the thorn bush!

A couple of weeks ago I was doing a knife drill with one of my students. I launched myself towards him with a fake knife. He skipped out of the way at speed. I missed him and fell forwards. I landed heavily on my knee caps and stopped my progress forward by head butting a large pile of chairs. Blood flowed!

I had been over enthusiastic. Enthusiasm is normally a great quality but it can lead to disaster if it is not controlled. Don't get carried away by your first love; you could end up married to the wrong person!

The religious enthusiast can quite easily find himself in with the wrong crowd. So can the extreme atheist. An over enthusiastic football player can get the red card and be expelled from the playing field. He lets himself and his team down.

Yesterday, I woke up on the floor at 8.30 a.m. I had been dreaming about being part of a large martial arts class of black belts. Everyone was doing the right moves except me!

In my dream, I felt badly humiliated as my rank was higher than most of the others. I remember leaning forward and sideways in my sleep to see what the others were doing. I must have moved physically as I dreamed and rolled out of bed on to the floor.

The 'dream' humiliation of making mistakes in front of a large audience when I should have known better had made me try too hard and lose balance. Even if the situation had been a real one, it would have been no big deal.

Some other members of the class might have had a laugh at my ignorance. In fact, if I had just done my own thing I might have convinced other members of the class that I was right and they were wrong!

I have seen martial artists and even singers get away with glaring mistakes by appearing totally confident that they were doing the right moves or singing the right notes. Confidence can cover up a multitude of errors. I, on the other hand, never established a folk singing career because I was too afraid of hitting the wrong notes.

To sum up: accept the fact that you will fall down and make serious mistakes. Get going even if you risk failure. You can always get up and start again. Learn how to take the "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" and keep on fighting rather than retiring into your shell and giving up.

Tread with care when learning new things. A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. A keen chef can kill off his customers if he does not know for sure which mushrooms to use!

Put up with minor discomforts and you may well avoid major ones. Be careful that your enthusiasms don't blind you to the realities of life and don't worry if you feel you are in a humiliating situation. Confidence or bare faced cheek will often carry you through. Even experts make mistakes. I have seen a squirrel fall out of a tree locally. It just bounced up and carried on with its normal routine.

Start doing whatever you are putting off because you think you might make some mistakes. Who cares? Life is too short. Just get going. Try to avoid or minimize major failures but, if they come, bounce back with resilience and carry on. You will do better next time and, even if you don't, you will be alive instead of hiding in a false fortress of 'perfection'.

Become an expert faller or 'failer' and you may soon be on the fast track to success! Let's experience the shock of failure and of making mistakes and we may soon be on the way to experiencing the relaxing joy of success.

My granddad used to say: "If a thing's worth doing, it's worth doing well!" Yes, there is much truth in what he says. Doing something well is fun and satisfying.

But if you wait till you can do it well, you may never do it. I prefer the saying that: "If a thing's worth doing, it's worth doing badly, first!"

posted by blogs71770 @ 2:57 PM 0 comments

Hispanic Labor Supply and DHS Issues With the Truck Wash Industry

Most Americans are very upset with the illegal immigration issues in our country. Yet everyone knows that many jobs need to be filled that Americans are not filling. Today we have such low unemployment that businesses struggle to get all the work done.

Many industries are in crisis due to this problem such as the restaurant, landscaping, car washes, construction and agriculture trades. But they are only a subset of the problems with labor. One major problem in the future with truck washing companies is going to be that when the Department of Homeland Security tightens down on illegal immigration, we will see labor supply issues, as most of the tuck washing companies are hiring Hispanic Labor and often they are illegal aliens.

Thus we will see many close or have trucks so backed up that truck dispatchers of commercial carriers will tend to opt not to have drivers stop at the truck washes, especially considering the coincidence of the hours of operation going into effect for drivers. These limits mean that drivers will have to be on the road more and in line at places like a truck wash for two-hours less. This will be a critical factor in the future. If you are in the Truck Wash Business, then think on this in 2006.

posted by blogs71770 @ 2:27 PM 0 comments