Thursday, June 21, 2012

Tequila 101



One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor! I can’t say I love that part about tequila, but I do love its taste. So a little more today about the infamous Tequila (which is pronounced: teˈkila in Spanish). Tequila is a distilled alcoholic beverage that is made from the blue agave plant. Many people mistake agave as a form of cactus, but it’s actually looks more like a like a large Aloe Vera plant.

So how exactly is tequila made? Harvesters cut off the leaves of the blue agave plant stripping it to the heart of plant (kind of like a pineapple) and they press out their juices, and place them into fermentation tanks and vats. The agave juice is then allowed to ferment in either wood or stainless steel vats for several months so they can convert the sugars into alcohol.

The quality of tequila is reliant on it being made from 100% agave, and if it is the label will say so. The best tequila makers take pride in delivering quality tequila. Most tequila brands are 80 proof, many distillers will distill to 100 proof and then dilute it with water to reduce its harshness. Some of the more respected brands distill the alcohol to 80 proof without using additional water as dilutants.

You may often see the terms “gold”, “silver”, or “platinum” on tequila brand labels. They mean nothing about the quality of the tequila. Non-100% agave tequilas may contain agave sugars but more so they contain other sugars that they caramelize into alcohol, which adds a brownish (gold as they would say it) color to make it look like it was aged for longer than it really is.

Joven Abogado:  It is not 100% agave, and has not been aged. This kind of tequila is often called mixto, meaning it’s a mixture of agave and other sugars.

Blanco:  meaning white, has not color at all, it’s crystal clear. It is diluted with water to bring the alcohol down to 80 proof. Many tequila drinkers prefer blano tequilas as they fill they are the closest to the purity of the Agave plant.

Reposado, meaning rested, have been aged in oak containers for at least 60 days; some are distilled for up to a year. However there is no limit on the size of the oak container. Better tequilas are aged in smaller 55 gallon barrels, like the size used for aging wine. Really good tequila is aged for at least 6 to 9 months, allowing tequila a mellow bit and adding color naturally.

Añejo meaning aged tequila must be aged for at least 12 months. Higher quality tequilas are aged for 18 months. Añejo tequilas are almost always the most expensive, because of its quality. The best premium tequilas are añejos’ such as Herradura’s Seleccion Suprema, Cuervo’s Reserva de Familia, or San Matias’ Rey Sol and are aged at for least 3 years. Extra-añejos are aged in oak barrels for at least 5-6 years. In blind tastings, they are often taken for whiskies or brandies.

Ever heard of Mezcal, or mescal? It is most commonly mistaken for tequila. It is definitely a relative. It’s made from the maguey plant, but most importantly it is most known for the worm like creature. Most people are led to believe it’s a worm but it’s actually larva such as a moth or butterfly, as Mexican Laws prohibits the placement of “Worms” in distilled beverages. The larva is often found in the heart of the agave plant. So it became a tradition to add it to the Mezcal because it contained so much of the agave sugars. It’s supposed to be a component ingredient essential to the liquor’s flavor and color, but the worm and larva is also a delicacy in Mexico.

So how will you take your tequila; on the rocks, straight up, neat, in a tequila sunrise or margarita? However you chose to drink yours, make it memorable, and choose wisely, as cheap tequila hangovers are the worst!






Thursday, May 17, 2012

Say Hello to Beautiful Hair!



Are you tired of frizzy and unmanageable hair? There are many hair treatments available to treat frizzy hair, but most of them either don’t completely get rid of the problem, or they cost an outrageous amount of money.  Most women are very particular about their hair; who doesn’t want beautiful and smooth hair every time they step out of the shower? Looking presentable and attractive is a must for most women; however beauty comes with a price. But now there is revolutionary hair therapy that eliminates up to 95% of frizz while conditioning your hair, and saving you time and money.

This protein based hair treatment is called Keratin, and it will make your hair so much more manageable and easier to style.  Keratin Hair Treatments are one of the most popular hair treatments around. The treatment eliminates dryness and frizz leaving hair smooth, shiny and gorgeous. It’s especially ideal for individuals who live in hot, humid and moist geographical areas.

Styling your hair with heat and hair products damage the natural keratin found in our hair. Without keratin, our hair becomes dull; which causes those ugly pesky split ends that leave your hair terribly unmanageable.

Permanent straightening hair products and other treatments usually contain very harsh chemicals that damage and cause severe dryness of the hair. Applying chemical products are only quick fixes and they do not resolve the problem for long. With Keratin as its main ingredient, this amazing hair treatment relaxes and straightens hair without any harmful chemicals.

 Keratin hair treatment replenishes the keratin and acts as a filler to help repair unruly damaged hair. It is specially formulated with natural keratin protein; and has been proven to rebuild, restore, and rejuvenate hair. Keratin protein relaxes your hair without damaging, all while enhancing shine and creating healthier hair. It’s perfect for all hair types even including color treated and chemically processed hair.

In just a few days, Keratin Hair Treatments will revitalize and restore months and years’ worth of damaged hair. So what are you waiting for? Keratin Hair Treatments are the best solution for achieving beautiful straight hair!

Monday, May 7, 2012

A little Whine with your Dine?


                                                                        

After a long week of carpooling, chauffeuring the kids around to all their activities, cooking, cleaning, and oh yeah and working, then like me you can’t wait to go out to eat on Saturday night. Oh… but wait, the dreaded complaints from your children and their disturbing behavior is enough to want to just order in.

If you’re like me though, you just want to have one night free of cleaning up afterwards, and a night to just dress up and get out of the house. With two kids, babysitting is just too expensive, and I don’t know a whole lot of people who are willing to take on our children = 2 fighting siblings.
However, I must say eating out has finally become a little less of a chore. My children are only 22 months apart. Ya, try taking two toddlers out to eat, with one that can’t stay still if his life depended on it, and another who screams bloody murder if “Queen Elizabeth” doesn’t get her way.  And yes her name really is Elizabeth and the shoe fits all too well. Funny enough, my son’s name is Andrew. But he in no way acts like a Prince.  

So what do you do when you want to eat out with uncontrollable children? It’s all about distractions baby! Being prepared for all types of behavior doesn’t hurt too. I usually brought in a suitcase filled with activities. Okay, okay a little bit of an exaggeration, but you get my point.

  •   First things first… do yourself a favor and utilize the restaurants’ fine furniture. Say what? That’s right, Choose the Appropriate Seating. Sitting in the restaurants’ biggest booth is the best and most important advice I can give you. Have your kids sit closest to the booths wall, one on each side, and have a parent on each side trapping them in. Oh yes that’s right sister, I said Traaappp those suckers in. This will keep your marathon runners imprisoned as much as possible and your fidgety kiddo’s a little less squirmy. Sitting at regular tables say to your children PARTY TIME!
  • Be prepared!  Bring everything but the kitchens sink with you in your diaper bag or backpack. Bring coloring books, travel-sized Play Dough, a travel-sized Magna Doodle, play money, books, baggie of snacks, the list goes on and on. I will tell you one of the best things we brought with us were Leap Frogs systems. This would keep them very entertained for hours. I would suggest putting away at least 3 games, and bring them out only while at places where they need to behave. Otherwise they’ll be used to the same games and this won’t distract them.  We also loved bringing portable DVD players.  What I used to do, is record shows on my DVD recorder like Hannah Montana and Blue Clues (their favorite shows at the time) and them let them watch an hour and a half worth of episodes, or however many  minutes you need them to stay entertained.

  • Who said bribery is wrong? Well I don’t like to think of it as bribery. I like to think of it more on the lines of Positive Reinforcement. Kids will be kids, and they just wanna have fun.  I would tell my children as we were unloading out of the car, that if they would behave while in the restaurant, we would take them to the park afterwards, or out for ice cream or rent a movie of their choice. When they started misbehaving, I quickly threatened to take away their reward for best behavior.

I hope those ideas work for you and your family. I know I would have checked-in at a mental hospital without them; which at the time, seemed like it might have been a nice vacation. Don’t stress yourselves out; be prepared when going out to eat.

 If your prepared the moment you step foot out the door with you bag of staples, you can go anywhere. Not just to a restaurant but other places where proper behavior is expected, like doctor’s offices, the bank, stores, and especially Church!

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Exercise for the Busy Mom


Exercise, now that one used to always be the hardest one to check off my list! Seriously, who has time to exercise? I barely have enough time use the restroom, I have to exercise too?

My name is Allie. I am a mother of two adorable children.  We all say that right? I definitely won’t get the Mother of the Year Award. Heck, I probably won’t even be a candidate for Mother of the Week. But I am a master of juggling. Ok well, I was able to juggle everything but exercise. With working full time, my kids’ activities, daily errands, daily chores, and homework, exercise was always at the bottom of my list and always left uncrossed.

If you’re like me, you too probably felt that with all that constant movement there’s no need for exercise. But then why am I still gaining weight? Well, hmm, maybe not eating right and not routinely exercising was the cause? Yes… ok it was!

In July of last year, I set out to make a change. I had finally gained a total of (drum roll please) 80 unbelievable pounds. I was so depressed, and just wanted to crawl into a corner. My relationship with my husband was going downhill due to lack of self-esteem, and my attitude problem. My mothering skills were at an all-time low, and I had no social life. My weight had become a recipe for disaster.

Finally, it was time to stop making excuses, and make a new start for myself.  I started dieting, and the weight was melting off. But I still wasn’t exercising. I tried to incorporate it as much as possible. I started out just walking 2-3 times a week, but that still wasn’t enough. Well, then I set out to run! Yes, running was a great stress reliever, but I felt like I had to do an hour 3-4 times a week to see any difference.

That’s when I hit the internet, in search for an exercise that I could do from home. I knew financially I couldn’t afford to pay for a gym membership, and well I have commitment issues. My exercise program had to be easy to do from home, had to keep my interest and most importantly I had to be able to do it in less than 30 minutes.

After searching a while I found a really cool website called Warrior X-Fit. It’s all that and a bag of chips! Ok not the best example, how about a bag of 100 calorie chocolate covered pretzels?  Their workouts consist of 6 different exercises every day. I absolutely love it because I don't get bored and most importantly I am always working the different muscle groups. With Warrior X-Fit, I don’t have to commit to a monthly fee because its 100% free all the time. I don’t need any fancy equipment; all you need is one resistance band. Most importantly, it only takes 20 minutes a day. That was the deal maker for me.  I need an extensive yet easy workout that’s less than 30 minutes a day.  Hey, now I’ve just shaved another 10 minutes off my daily exercise routine. Now I have time for a nice relaxing bubble bath before I retire for bed.

Working out doesn’t have to be a chore. Check out Warrior X-Fit and watch the pounds melt off and your muscles tone!

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

New York Office Suites



In New York City, finding an affordable office space can be almost impossible, until now. Office suites are the ultimate flexible option when your business needs a temporary office space. Business owners can set up instant offices, all throughout the New York Area.  Many companies dislike long term leases, and unnecessary expenses associated with owning their own office. That’s why office suites are becoming the smart sense choice, more and more every day.

This is a great solution for small businesses still trying to sink their feet in success. Most small businesses don’t have the money to immediately lease out the first available office space. They are still trying to establish their company and have very few employees, and working from home only works out short term.

Office suites typically have amenities that include lounge areas, desks, chairs, phones systems, and high speed internet access. They also include great features like shared conference rooms.  Many times businesses only use board or conference rooms weekly or monthly. So why pay for extra space when it’s not needed all the time. In addition to all those great amenities, the suites usually include the utilities, cleaning and maintenance, all included in the monthly fee.

Office suites are awesome because there are no long term leases or commitment needed. They are great for a starter business or businesses new to the area as it’s easy to move when your business grows. They offer flexible short and long-term solutions that accommodate the needs of businesses.

Office suites are also great business centers. Not all businesses need office spaces. They just sometimes need a temporary business center for productivity.  Again, this is especially important for small starter businesses. Working from home is not always an option, but leasing a huge office space, could quickly saturate your profit.

Are Office Suites the best financial solution? Does a one legged duck swim in a circle? Of course, it does, but you won’t have to, at officesublets.com we find the best deal for your business by searching all the available office suites available all over New York City. We take care of the entire headache so you can sit back and focus on the growth of your business.


Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Make your eyes Pop!



Eyes are the most flattering part of a woman’s face, so why not make yours spectacular? But applying your eye shadow incorrectly can make you stand out in all the WRONG ways! Have no fear, I’ll teach you how correctly applying eye shadow will make you absolutely STUNNING!

Step 1 Choose a color that looks best with your eyes. Using the right color and matching your eyes will make those eyes dazzle!

Step 2 Use a primer on your eyelid, along with a shadow base. Priming your eye lid will help    to keep your eye shadow in place for hours. Make a small dot on to your eyelid using and applicator wand and then spread it over entire eyelid.

Step 3 Apply your lightest color across your eyelid entirely in a sweeping motion from brow to lash line; this will be your base color.  

Step 4 Apply a medium color shadow to cover your lower lids.

Step 5 With the darkest eye shadow color, in the corner of your eye above the lash line, create a V-Shape between the creases of your upper lid and follow the crease to the lower lash line. This will make your eyes pop even more by creating a focal point!

Step 6 Apply a shimmery eye shadow directly under your brow bone, to make your eyes appear larger.  To brighten your eyes even more, using the white eye shadow, make a dot on the inside corner of your eye near the tear duct.

Get Conspicuous SMOKEY EYES, in only 10 Minutes!

·         As always, prep your eyelid by using your primer first.

·         Apply black, brown or gray eyeliner, in one of those colors on the upper lash line. Then draw a thicker line in the middle of eye.

·         Once you’ve drawn the line, use your applicator wand to smudge the line in and to blend the colors. To get a full smudge effect, you can also apply a small amount of eye shadow.

·         Apply your lightest color following the directions on Step 2. By using a cream color base you can obtain that perfect Smokey eye look. Then apply your shimmery eye shadow as instructed in Step 6.

·         Now to obtain that Smoking look, use the darkest brown or black eye shadow color. Start blending in the color at the lash line and then gradually blend up the eye lid by using an eye shadow brush applicator. Blend the colors into the lash line to make sure the eyeliner line disappears. Continue blending following the directions in step 5.

"Drink to me only, with thine eyes. And I will pledge with mine". -Ben Johnson
Flash those beautiful eyes and make the Men go Crazy!


Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Feng Shui Living


The Chinese practice Feng Shui literally means “Wind-Water”. Feng Shui is believed to help one improve life by receiving positive qi (a positive or negative life force). Dating back over 3,500 years Feng Shui was widely used to familiarize buildings. Most commonly these buildings were spiritually momentous structures such as tombs.

So why is this ancient term so popular today? Since the 1960’s a small amount people from all over the world have started practicing Feng Shui living, but lately it has spread like a wild fire. It is believed to be a clever advent to the way our environment transforms our daily lives.

By learning how to organize our surroundings we can enhance our lives.  Having a Feng Shui home is the first step in reprioritizing your life.

Starting with even one room like you kitchen, can be a perfect start to your new way of Fen Shui living. A Feng Shui kitchen can be inviting for your family to spend time together. They say that the kitchen is the warmest place in the entire house as it delivers heart and soul.

·        Creating your new and inviting Feng Shui kitchen is to clear out any Clutter. Unless it’s absolutely dear to your heart, chunk it. Even though clearing clutter is time and well energy consuming the process is like therapy.



·        Design a functional space atmosphere.  Arrange your table and chairs in a way that allows for an easy flow of movement while working your way around the kitchen.



·        Adding flowers and plants create a warm and fresh feeling. They will not only brighten your day but your kitchen.  Flowers are a perfect choice to help disperse energy throughout t an area.



·        Increase your kitchen’s energy by adding a Feng Shui rock water fountain. It’s not only decorative but it is believed that water features symbolically complete a structure. Water gives life and nourishes all living things.  This fountain doesn’t have to be huge, most fountains are small, portable and are placed on a bar or table.

Feng Shui living is a very comfortable way of life. Decluttering and reorganizing make it easy to start your Feng Shui atmosphere.  You’ll be feeling prioritized in no time!

Thursday, April 5, 2012

What if…




How will you live your life after being made redundant? It may not be a question that applies to you at this point of your life, but it certainly can happen.  Sometimes we have to stop and say what if?  Well what if…?
Hi, my name Allie and I’m a prime example of the type of woman, who thought it would never happen, so why even stop to think about it. Like most women I did dream of being an entrepreneur one day, maybe after I struck it rich from being the winner on the Apprentice. Donald Trump could take me under his wing and teach me all the tricks. Hello… wake up, that was definitely a dream.

I am a mother of two adorable children, we all say that right? I am truly blessed! Before they were born I was a full time nurse. I went on maternity leave with my first child only to find when I returned they no longer needed me. I know what you’re thinking they can’t do that. But ah yes they can, and they did. They had to make financial cut backs and I was one of them.

I have to say at first it wasn’t that bad, I got paid to stay at home and enjoyed learning how to be a mother.  But then, what in the heck was I going to do with my life after that? Would I just find another job, taking care of patients? I was pretty good at it, and I loved doing it, or would I test the waters and find something new to do?  Or maybe it was finally time to contact Donald.  Well, when I couldn’t get a hold of him, I instead thought long and hard, about what I could do with my new start!

So first I made a list of interest. I had to go back to a time in my life where I thought of dream careers. When I grow up I want to be… a teacher, singer, movie star, or maybe a waitress. Well, I loved to play restaurant.  But that’s what we as women have to do. We need to go back to that period in our life as a child to see if those interests still make us smile. I have to say the teacher thing was out. I could barely teach my son to walk let alone talk. How was I going to teach other kids? Sing?  Ha, I am no Diana Ross!  I definitely didn’t want to be a waitress, taking orders from demanding people.  Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I do not deal well with people barking orders. Even though none of those childhood dreams are what I wanted to do now, it was still a useful way to help think of what could empower me.

You need to think what about your last job did you like? Did you like it? And if you did like it was it the original career choice you had in mind? If so, is what it was about that job that you didn’t like? That is truly a key question when deciding your niche.  Often more time than none, it’s not the actual job we don’t like but our co-workers, boss or clientele. When you have your own business YOU are in control and decide who you work with, you’re the boss and choose the employees. You can even choose the type of clientele.

You also need to establish how much it will cost to start this dream business. Everyone has to start off somewhere.  Do you have severance pay from your last job that can that be used to start up a new one? Starting up a new business can be tricky and very costly.   Sometimes you just have to start out little, like doing side jobs for other companies or individuals instead of rushing out and leasing the first space in a strip mall. With that said though the saying is true, you have to spend money to make money. But that doesn’t mean you have to invest your life savings or your children’s college fund.

As women we are at an advantage, we are compassionate, intuitive, and creative. Those are key elements of an entrepreneur. You have the biggest tools that you need to succeed. Success does not define who you are as a person. In fact success is a great feeling but often hard to find. But you can do it, and if at first you don’t succeed (oh come on you can say it) try, try again.  That doesn’t always mean keep trying the same business mistakes. Take a new stab at success. You may even have to be start all over again with a new idea. Do you think all fortune 500’s became successful off of their first idea? No, half of them didn’t. They started out with one idea, didn’t succeed, but they didn’t give up, instead they kept brain storming.  They learned from their mistakes and made bigger and better business decisions. 

So what if?  Well now’s your chance to make that “what if” a reality.   When redundancy strikes, be ready and leave with a BIG, Huge Smile on your face!










Monday, April 2, 2012

The Best Medical Android App



The best things about Android phones today are all the apps that are offered. But what’s specifically the best thing in my opinion are the medical apps. Medical apps have cornered the Android Market.  Recently they were mainly only offered on the iPhone market, until now. These apps are now offered on Androids.  There are so many, so which one is the best Android medical app?

The Best Medical App

The number one downloaded medical app for Android Platform is Medscape by WebMD. With over 1 million healthcare professional downloads, it’s the best one yet.  Medscape offers a crazy amount of free content and they continuously grow with each update.  

 It has more than 7,000 drug references alone.  In addition they have over 3,500 disease clinical references, 2,500+ clinical images and procedure videos, robust drug interaction tool checker, CME activities, and more.

Physicians and other healthcare professionals love this app because you can check for the latest news, look up drug interactions, confer with references and even scroll through the directory.  Basically there just isn’t much that the developers of Medscape haven’t thought of.

What makes them the best Medical App? 

Well, Medscape is a great drug reference app, but it’s also a mini-textbook with protocols for disease pathologies.  It’s great for a quick reference.  Although, it’s not as detailed as the Pocket Medicine Red Book; but it does prove to better because it also includes instructional medical procedure videos and pictures.

As already mentioned, Medscape provides over 3500 disease clinical references. But were not just talking about a mediocre quick reference, were talking organized categories.  Other program references tend to just show the whole report. Medscape is different, instead of having to read the whole report to find out what a medication is used for a particular disease, they break down into categories. So let’s say a doctor wants to looks up information about Hepatitis, the app has it under tabs such as overview, clinical, differential diagnosing, workup, treatment, medication, and follow-up.

What else can the Best Medical App do?

 In addition, to all of those features, it also includes a special features section. The special features section is similar to a search engine.  It has instant search results, published articles, and free membership support.  With options like that, why wouldn’t they be best medical app in the android market?

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Mobile FINE Dining


Have you ever eaten at a mobile food truck?  If you have, you probably agree with me that they can be very much a hit and miss on the taste scale. But since 2008, this business has begun to shift more towards an upscale dining emporium.

Mobile kitchens, mobile canteens, chuck wagons or catering trucks are all common names for food trucks, which basically are portable or mobile restaurants that sell food.  Some food trucks even include ice cream trucks that sell mostly frozen or prepackaged food. But more so than ever now they are being referred to restaurants-on-wheels, because of their ability cater to specific meals, such as the breakfast truck, lunch truck or lunch wagon, and snack truck, break truck or taco truck.

Now since 2010, the Las Vegas culinary scene has had the increasingly honor of experiencing this fine dining on wheels.  Las Vegas now has several trucks roaming the Valley, providing our pallets with a variety of delicious foods.  It has become a social media craze. Tweeters will drive across town waiting in long lines just to experience the quality of their highly prized gourmet food.

I am sure like most of the population you are still skeptical.  In the past mobile food trucks served mainly construction and blue collar professions.  Initially, these mobile food preparation units got a bad rap, because many wondered how sanitation could be maintained with their limited space and resources.  Their bad reputation wasn’t just a myth.  The health department has had had to shut down many food trucks operations because of infestation problems. Without a continuous supply of running water, and proper cleaning, these trucks can be subjected to unwanted pests and make for a very unsanitary zone.

But since 2008, food truck owners have worked very hard to improve and change the mind of their hungry customers. And with the help of social media, like Twitter and Facebook, these companies are finally back on the road for financial success.

 Their menus display a whole new meaning to the word gourmet, and appeal to all ethnicities. They offer reasonable prices and superior cuisine.  Their array of inspired dishes offers a chance for customers to try foods that they normally would not otherwise experience.

Even though these food truck owners have had so much recent success, they constantly have to put up a fight to keep their businesses open.   There is a huge war currently with the “Brick and Mortar Restaurants” (a physical structured restaurant).  Restaurant owners contend the trucks pose unfair competition if unregulated, and trucks argue that they deserve a spot at the curbside table. City officials feel that the brick and mortar restaurants have,  a good argument, that it is an unfair playing field, that they... are paying perhaps 30, 40, 50 thousand dollars a year in taxes, where these (trucks) are spending maybe $500 a year. However the food truck owners would argue that their mode of business makes it possible for them to do what they enjoy without making the substantial financial investment a traditional restaurant requires.  A comment was made by one food truck owner that “ mobile food operations allow “the starving artist to paint or, in this situation, cook, “I bet some of the best chefs/home cooks would never be able to start a restaurant, but they could get a food truck or cart.”  

Both parties have debatable arguments, but for now the truck food industry continues to grow. For the time being they still get to enjoy the success of their mobile company and we as the customers get to continue eating such wonderful delicacies.

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Ring, ring, can anybody save me money?




Today my Lord, there are way too many choices to make when deciding which phone is best for you.  With hundreds of choices, which phone is the best for the money? 

Smart phones have been the newest craze since blackberries. The world thought” this is it, we’ve hit the future”.  Little did they know Apple was just peaking around ready to corner the market.

With so many choices, where do you begin? Well let’s first decide what options you want in a phone. For example there are a lot of just main stream smart phones out there. You have your choice between different platforms such as android, Microsoft Mobile Windows or Mac OS X (iPhone) and Blackberry OS.  Androids currently hold the platform market; however they are just recently over trumping the Apple iPhone.

You’re probably wondering if I myself ever used such a phone.  Who on earth has time to play with an iPhone when the hunk across the street is eating his own apple?  All joking aside though, Apple iPhones were a great phone to introduce the capability of an easy to use app phone. Consumers rushed out to get iPhones because of App’s like Angry Birds and Words Free, and social networking like Facebook accessibility. But now all platforms carry those apps.   Phone manufactures’ don’t always offer the same apps, but the extremely popular one’s like that they do in order to get the consumers to buy their phone.

With so many choices how in the world would you be able to make a decision?  For most products the higher the price the better it is; well in this instance that is not always the case.  There are so many phones and so many different phone makers that now host platforms, that just because a phone manufacturer company comes out with a new phone, that doesn’t mean it’s any better than one made last month or last season.  The phone manufacturer company may offer slightly different options, but it’s mainly just a new design. And as more phone manufactures are now making smart phones, consumers may rush to pay the high end price for that particular phone manufactures name.

If you do not care on how much you spend on your phone, then make a list of all the options you want the phone and pick the one you like the most. If you’re on a budget like most consumers, you want a phone that is pretty similar to the high end phones, without the high end price right?  The best thing to do is compare the prices.  Ask your phone carrier if there are any extra data fees for certain phones. For example most carriers charge more for the iPhone. Why is it? Originally, it was because iPhone users would spend so much time on the internet, the phone carriers felt that they needed unlimited data plans. And therefore charging an arm and a leg for them because they knew the consumer would pay for it in order to own an iPhone.  Now a lot of that is still true, but this is of course is true with any phone not just an iPhone. But since people are still willing to pay for the “gotta have” phone, then the some carriers still choose to charge the ridiculous “unlimited data plan” price.

I won’t bash those who ridiculously pay those fees, but I for one like to save my pennies for polka-dot knickers.  With so many smart phone options, I picked the one that had the biggest bang for my buck.  A phone that not only is has all the same apps as an iPhone but cost a lot less too.

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to find the right phone for you.  Do as much research on the internet as possible. Compare the ones that interest you with your phone carrier. Most companies will offer competitive prices with a two year contract.  But if you have trouble with commitments, then websites like eBay sell a huge variety of phones new and used for much cheaper.   Sellers are not always forth coming though about the condition of the phone. They may claim it is new when it is not or they may say it’s used but in working condition when it is really broken.  Just beware buyers, sometimes pinching pennies leads to soggy biscuits!

Friday, March 30, 2012

Finding Your Niche Market




Have you ever found a product and said “Yes this is it”?  You finally found it, THE product.   This is the product that you've found that finally makes you money. This is called the niche market. A niche market focuses on a specific product. It features a specific product that targets to sustaining a specific market’s needs.   It is impacted by price range, production quality and demographics, and it usually applies to a small market division. An example would be a party supply store, while everybody throws parties, there are not usually a lot of those type stores around and they don’t supply products that consumers have to have all the time.

What are the Benefits from Niche Marketing?

By now you’re asking, well how can I benefit from niche marketing?  You are in for a treat my friend, finding your niche market, will be the key to help your business be successful.  If you’re a retailer who buys items and then resells them, then you need to find a niche market.  You need to find that one market that brings in the money at a low cost to you but has high profit turn around.
Finding a niche is a lot easier than you think.  First, you need to find something that you like. It is so much easier to sell something that you’re enthusiastic and passionate about, but with that said you have to appeal to the market. What can you supply that is new or captivating?  It doesn't have to be a new product, but it definitely has to be a captivating item.

Examples of Niche Markets

The concept of niche marketing can be confusing.  Niches can be very pin-pointed, but very broad.   I know, get the good part right?

Seasonal/Holiday Products:  Did you know that Halloween is one of the perfect niche markets. I know right who would have thought. Costumes are huge re-sellers  People look for costumes all year long. Consumers look for costumes for plays, musicals, birthday parties, fetish role play, and a whole handful of special events. But they aren't always easy to find. You can’t just walk into any store and find one. They are usually only available during the Halloween season. So when it’s not Halloween, customers start looking online.
Places to find costumes for resale: Garage Sales, Thrift Stores, and of course retail stores that supply costumes at clearance after Halloween.

Entertainment Memorabilia: We all know memorabilia can be sold, but there are so many different types of memorabilia that I hate to only introduce one, but I’ll do it anyway. Movie memorabilia is the most popular.  We all remember the Star Wars craze, how could anyone forget. But it’s still the most popular movie memorabilia out there, especially the vintage items. Other popular memorabilia movies include Back to the Future, E.T., Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones, The Twilight Saga movie series, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Wizard Of Oz, Forrest Gump, Ghost Busters, Spider Man, and more.

Vintage television series memorabilia are really, really big sellers too. But there are really so many other types of memorabilia that sell very well too.  Look for items that are rare and hard to find.

Places to find memorabilia: Garage Sales, Thrift Stores, Second Hand Stores, Estate Sales, Flea Markets and of course buying clearance items at local stores.                                                                                                         

Once you find a niche market you want to sell to, starts looking for items to sell everywhere you go.   These are just a couple of ideas for finding your niche market.  There are endless ideas, and here a couple more.

Vintage Items, (that includes character tees, toys, TV’s, radio/stereo equipment, and more)

  • Golf Balls
  • Art Cigar Boxes
  • Movie Props
  • Hand Made Dolls/Clothes
  • Hand Made Quilt

Taking on a new niche can be a low-risk way to grow your business. When you find yours, you’ll be screaming “Yes, this is it”!


Thursday, March 29, 2012

Venapro: the MAGIC Hemorrhoid Treatment

No one enjoys hemorrhoids; they are painful and just plain embarrassing.  No let me correct that they are extremely painful!  They make restroom time a living hell, and that annoying itch is enough to make anyone go insane.  If you suffer from hemorrhoids then you want to reduce the pain and size of them as quickly as possible right? Well, now you can! Venapro is the new all natural medication that can quickly manage your symptoms associated with hemorrhoids and eventually makes them disappear.

What exactly is Venapro, and how does it work?

Venapro is an all-natural homeopathic medication.   It is designed to relieve the symptoms of itching, pain and swelling of hemorrhoids.  Venapro contains all-natural ingredients such as Horse Chestnut, Arnica, Fluoride of Lime, St. Mary’s Thistle, Stone Root, Witch Hazel, Muriatic Acid, and Krameria Mapato.

Venapro is FDA approved and has been proven to help boost your body’s immune system.  It works fast and provides long term relief.  Venapro is safe to use and much more effective then over the counter products that only help temporarily.  It was specifically formulated to relieve and soothe hemorrhoids. Its botanical and root extracts aim to naturally alleviate the symptoms of hemorrhoids or piles by reducing the swelling of the blood vessels in and around the rectum.  Venapro works to decrease soreness that triggers pain, which in turn makes bowel movements more comfortable and easier by lubricating the rectum and inflamed tissue.                                                                                     

 How do you administer Venapro?

Venapro is a sublingual spray (under the tongue).  The medication is sprayed twice under the tongue, 3 times. It does contain 26% alcohol, and purified water.  If you are unable to tolerate the taste of the alcohol, you can mix it with more water. But it is most effective using it as directed.

How long does it take to see results?

Venapro users have reported that they saw the best results by following the Venapro directions for several weeks or months.  As magical as this medication is, because its ingredients are all natural it does usually take that amount of time to effectively eliminate the symptoms.

In conjunction with Venapro there are a few changes in your daily routine that can help to decrease the healing time.

The first thing is making healthier food choices. Let’s face it fast food is easy and convenient, but as a result it affects our digestive system.  The wrong food choices can cause constipation and diarrhea which only further irritates the hemorrhoid.  Foods high in fiber are recommended to help strengthen the rectal valves and veins in and around the anal area.  Fiber also helps soften stool and helps prevent constipation. Foods that are low in fiber and high in carbohydrates harden the stool which usually leads to constipation.  When constipation occurs it results in sitting on the toilet too long, this creates excessive pressure in the rectum and causes hemorrhoids.  Since you probably already have a hemorrhoid that means it can increase in size and cause more pain, bleeding and itching as well.

Fast Food can also cause diarrhea.  Diarrhea can also cause hemorrhoids or cause more irritation to an existing one. Diarrhea can also damage the rectal veins.  In addition, to fatty foods excessive alcohol, and caffeine and certain medications that contain both ingredients can create diarrhea.

Exercise and drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day have proven to help with hemorrhoids and naturally support a better digestive system.  Excessive sitting only increases the chances of hemorrhoids to develop.

Venapro is inexpensive and is purchased by millions of people throughout the world. They guarantee relief from hemorrhoids. That is simply a claim that many over the counter medications cannot make.    It is backed with a 100% guarantee.  So now, you have nothing to lose but everything to gain.










Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Companies now depend on Facebook Likes to Boost Revenue


Well, there are always the ma and pop stores and restaurants that still operate their conventional business from just word of mouth. While it works for them, that sort of mediocre business is not going to cut it for our new entrepreneurs’ today.

Businesses now depend on social media marketing to successfully run their company.  There is a lot of competition out there, especially when it comes to the internet.  In order to stay ahead of the game you’ve got to stay ahead in the social media. With more than 500 million followers, Facebook is quickly becoming the place to increase your exposure on the Web.

Today’s Social Marketing requires large numbers of high quality followers. Facebook Fans are the best way to increase traffic and awareness of your website, products and or services.  You can steadily increase your branding power by frequently adding invites. Gaining a large Facebook audience now will give you a head start on other companies.

So how do you attract Facebook followers to your page? Glad you asked, there are websites that handle all your social media needs. By using their services you’ll be able to improve your Social Media Marketing, Grow your Business Popularity and Dominate Your Market.

These companies span your business popularity by delivering thousands of views, fans and followers right to your doorstep. They add Facebook fans to your Facebook account gradually over a number of days and weeks instead of all at once. No one even has to know you’re helping drive traffic to your business through a Facebook marketing efforts. Your fan count will appear as normal as possible.

It could take weeks even months to complete a large Facebook crowd. With the help of these services your business can quickly grow, because let’s face time is money.  Having a large Facebook audience is becoming more and more widely considered one of the best ways to increase revenue. So what are you waiting for?  Get more Facebook fans, and increase your revenue and profit!




Monday, March 26, 2012

Does Craigslist Make Money?





Does Craigslist make money? Is the pope catholic? People usually think Craigslist is a classified site that is FREE. Originally the site was free and mainly for classifieds and forums.  That is still their main purpose, but since 1999 they have incorporated for profit.  In 1995, founder Craig Newmark began an email distribution list to his friends.   Most postings were submitted by Newmark and were notices of social events of interest to software and Internet developers living and working in the San Francisco Bay Area.  But soon it blossomed, people started spreading the word.  It is one of the easiest websites to use and one of the most top ranking websites used by over 50 million people in the United States alone.  Craigslist revenues are approximately $287,000 weekly, which equals about $15 million dollars annually.

How does Craigslist make support its operations? 

One of the ways Craigslist makes money is through posting fees for jobs in 18 areas.  The revenue for the company comes from people who post jobs at the website. The rates range according to the places but on average the listings can range from $25 to $75.
Another way they make money is from apartment brokers.  In certain cities there is a $10-75 fee (depending on which city) to advertise for apartment listings.  Direct owner listings still remain free.  Even though there is a fee for the broker to list on Craigslist the broker can extract huge fees from the actual tenant by charging them to find a suitable apartment.

This last explanation on how Craigslist makes their money is the “Oh My” reaction.  They also make money from listing “Therapeutic Services”.   In 2008, Craigslist discontinued a couple of features for erotic services listings after it received a lot of press and legal threats.  They now classify a lot of these services under massage therapists, acupuncturists and chiropractor advertisements and charge $10 per ad.

Of course they do but Craigslist is an excellent site for those services, as most of the ads posted on Craigslist are free of cost.  Community, For Sale, Housing, Personals, Discussion Forums, Jobs, Services, Gigs, and Resumes are categories on Craigslist that offer many free listings.   They are much cheaper than listing in the newspapers, magazines, websites, and other printed advertising papers. With fees ranging as low as $10, to $75 per ad, it’s a steal.  And Even though they do profit from some of their listings, they offer free classifieds to more than 80 million new classified listing posts each month.  Because they are free, people prefer posting their ads in Craigslist rather companies who charge people for the ads.  It’s cheap and most of the time FREE, a word millions of people LOVE to hear!
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