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Should You Publish A Book?

Posted in Writing, Writing-and-Speaking by Terry Dean on February 25th, 2006

It used to cost a fortune to get a book printed and published. Today it can all be done online for considerably less than $1,000…and most of that is going to go to your cover designer.

Instead of ordering 1,000 or 5,000 titles at once, you can order 1 at a time using print-on-demand publishing. So it’s not a question of whether you can publish a book or not. It’s a question of whether you should.

Not everyone should publish a book.

If you have the dream of selling a million copies and getting rich through your book, keep dreaming. It can happen, but it’s a million to one shot.

Books have the lowest margin of any information product. A CD costs $1 to $2 to duplicate and sells for $15 and up. A DVD costs $1.50 to $3 and sells for $20 and up. A multimedia course with manuals, CDs, and DVDs may sell for $100 to $1,000 or more.

A book printed in low numbers costs $3 to $5 and sells for $20 or less in most cases. Can you make money from a book? Yes…but I would never want to be in a position where I had to make money from a book.

They’re an entry product and they’re a tool for generating publicity.

I would never recommend a book for someone’s first information product. Start with a CD, DVD, or even an eBook. If that proves successful, then consider a book.

While not everyone should publish a book…every consultant, coach, and information product developer, and professional speaker should!

Let’s say we’re both consultants or coaches and we’re talking to a business owner. You sit down on the plane beside them and give them your card. When they ask me what I do, I hand them my card and my book.

Who stands out as an expert in the field?

Now let’s say we both contact radio stations and offer to do an interview. You tell them how you coach people about success in business. I tell them the same thing and send them my book. Who stands out as the expert in this case?

The book author does…Face it. You might know more than the author right now, but they will often be perceived as the more knowledgable expert because they put it in a book. Will the radio host read the book? Not likely…There are some pretty crappy books that get major publicity.

That’s enough on that before I get myself into trouble.

If you want to be perceived as an expert in your field…create a book. You don’t even have to write it yourself. Put together the materials and hire a ghostwriter to create it if you want.

Now let’s say you want your book to be a profit center. It can definitely be that, but it requires you to create large scale publicity. If you do an interview on a major radio station, you can sell 300 books or more.

If you were published by a publishing house, you might only get $1 per book. So that appearance was worth $300. Using POD publishing, you might be averaging $10 a book…so you earn $3,000. That’s not bad for the hour interview. Get a major TV appearance…and you can sell tens of thousands.

You can also do book signings and other events to sell more books…but remember this all requires you to do something. If you want a fully automated business, books are not the job for you (although you could have a PR agent making the contacts for you). There are other products where this can be done much easier. The math simply doesn’t work out for paid advertising in most cases.

When I work with a author, I like them to have additional products and services to sell on the backend. Sure…it’s nice to make money selling your book. What else do you have? Do you have a CD set or a DVD showing your techniques in more detail? Do you offer consulting or coaching on the backend? That’s where the real money is in books for the average author.

Terry is the owner of the Integrity Business Blog at http://www.terrydean.org,

Find out more about how you can Earn More By Working Less by creating your own books, CDs, DVDs, and more at his Free blog today: http://www.terrydean.org

Change Your Light Bulbs Today to Save Energy and Money

Posted in Home-Improvement, Lighting by James T. Allen on February 25th, 2006

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The light bulb Thomas Edison invented and made famous may be on its way out in the coming years, at least in the Golden State. California State Assemblyman Lloyd Levine recently introduced legislation that would ban the sale of incandescent light bulbs by 2012. This legislation, titled the “How Many Legislators Does it take to Change a Light Bulb Act,” (say that 5 times fast) touts the benefits of energy-saving light bulbs, such as the increasingly popular compact fluorescent bulb or CFL, and the up-and-coming LED bulb.

The highly inefficient incandescent bulb converts only 5 percent of the energy it receives into light while pouring thousands of tons of carbon dioxide into the earth’s atmosphere, as opposed to the CFL, which has a whopping 10,000 hour life span and uses only 180 kWh over those 10,000 hours. The incandescent bulb, or bulbs, as multiple would be needed, uses 750 kWh over that same 10,000 hour time frame.

Many other states are likely to follow as scorching summers are making rolling blackouts and brownouts a normal occurrence. Wide use of efficient bulbs would drastically reduce the energy drain year round, but would make a huge difference in the summer when air conditioners are running for months on end in some parts of the country.

What you can do is lead the charge starting now-why wait until 2012 or however long it takes to get legislation through the hoops of the political process. CFL’s may cost a bit more up front, but can save you around $55 per bulb over the course of a year. Count the number of incandescent bulbs in your home now and then count the money you’ll save. Eco-Lights.com has trumpeted the use of energy efficient bulbs since its inception in 2003 and has one of the largest selections of solar and Energy Star approved lighting fixtures on the web. Do your part and switch to compact fluorescent bulbs today.

For a HUGE selection of energy efficient href="http://www.eco-lights.com/pendants_3.php">pendant lighting and href="http://www.eco-lights.com/sconces_8.php">wall sconces visit http://www.eco-lights.com.

Using Ice Cream Maker at Home

Posted in Desserts, Food-and-Drink by Celia Namart on February 25th, 2006

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If you love eating ice cream, why not make your own? Making ice cream at home is a wonderful experience for people of all ages. With so many modern ice cream makers sold in the market, you can have any ice cream flavor you want.

Below are some reasons why you would want an ice cream maker at home.

You can find strawberry, raspberry, blueberry and other berry flavors. There are cookies and cream, mocha, cappuccino and other chocolate flavored ice cream. A wide selection of ice cream containing different nuts and fruits are also available. You name it and it’s very easy to find the flavor you desire in any market. But with an ice cream maker at home, you get to choose the right mix of fruits and other ingredients to have what you exactly want.

Since you have the right to choose the ingredients you want in your ice cream, you gain healthier options. If you have an allergy to some things like nuts or additives, you can avoid them and substitute them with another ingredient or just do without them.

When you have an ice cream maker at home, you are sure that you are always eating fresh ice cream in all occasions and without care on eating how many servings you want.

If you want a fruit flavored ice cream, a homemade ice cream is still better than a commercial one. You can really pick fresh fruits and decide on how fruity you want your ice cream to be. If you want to chew some whole strawberries in your ice cream, so be it. If you want your mangoes or pineapples chunkier then you can just add some in your recipe.

Making your own ice cream is a great experience. Have fun with your family and friends and involve them while making your favorite desert. Teach your kids how to make their own ice cream and ask them for their ideas and what flavor they want to make. Then let them do their ice cream sandwiches.

You don’t need to order ice cream whenever there’s an occasion to be celebrated by the family. You can even bring your homemade ice cream to a friend’s party. Let them try your new recipe or a popular flavor that they love.

With all these reasons, you are now convinced to have your own ice cream maker. But with so many to choose from, how would you know when you are getting something that works well?

When buying an ice cream maker, choose one that is electrically operated. Then consider two things - size and convenience. A common ice cream maker holds about 1-2 quarts of ice cream. It has refreezing bowls and is very handy and efficient to use. Choose an appropriate size of an ice cream maker depending on how much ice cream you can normally consume so that you don’t have to do another batch. Remember that the colder the freezer, the better it is for your ice cream. There are some machines that have good mini built-in freezers although they may cost more. So depending on your budget, buy one the best that you can buy.

With all the good reasons convincing you to buy an ice cream maker, why wouldn’t you want one? Nothing beats the perfect ice cream that suits your taste. So start having fun making every ice cream you fancy in the comfort of your home

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Almeda University

Posted in College-University, Reference-and-Education by Shubhanyu Jain on February 25th, 2006

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Life experience degrees online and terms like scandal, diploma mill, degree mill, go hand in hand. This is the outcome of some unscrupulous institutions stemming up in the name of providing degrees and diplomas and spoiling the name of the whole business.

Regardless of the general perception of the life experience degree system in the public, the public knows it well that there are institutions which offer credible life experience degrees. It is just that people on message boards ‘flow’ in a sham and try to project themselves as cool or whatever if they second something said by the other one. It is a well-known fact, that people are different in real world and different in forums and bulletin boards.

Almeda University is a university which has been sucked into the black hole of the online life experience degrees scandal, just because it, too, offers life experience degrees. A thing to note, as to why Almeda has drawn much flak is that the university awards degrees totally online, no examinations nothing.

Again, the above statement is just a supposition which exists in the general public. Almeda DOES verify your eligibility by asking you to write a thesis or dissertation if in doubt. If you write a thesis on behalf of your dog, your dog would get the degree - not on its virtue, but because of you - so, in effect, it is you who got the degree. This is not a joke; it is YOU who are trying to defraud the university by faking credentials, it is YOU who are contemplating a crime.

Life experience is your practical knowledge gained through regular interaction with your job. Reward it with a life experience degree, valid in over 67 percent of the corporate world and watch doors open for you.

Top 10 Worst Kisses

Posted in Arts-and-Entertainment by Meagan Dixon on February 25th, 2006

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Ahhh, the first kiss. What a wonderful moment! Something to fantasize about when you are deeply in like with someone. I sit and daydream about him slowly moving in and smiling, and I close my eyes and imagine him gently pushing his lips against mine. Then rewind and replay, until I have thoroughly plotted out the entire event. And, when the moment arrives, and he slowly moves in and smiles, I start to close my eyes, then pause, because I want to see this movie moment in action, and find myself …. ducking and screaming because I’m being attacked by dragon face, he’s coming straight at me, lips curled and tongue protruding, and I wasn’t even prepared.

Could there be anything worse than a bad kisser? At my age this is completely unacceptable! Hasn’t there been a partner, sometime in their dating history, who liked them enough to say, “Hey, you’re not so good at the whole kissing thing, let me teach you how”? I have come across a number of bad kissers; it’s not an isolated incident, and what do you do; besides politely wipe the slobber from your face and excuse yourself, escape route in mind? I think it’s time to start talking about it, if I was a bad kisser I’d want help improving, so lets discuss the top 10 kissing offenses we are guilty of, in no particular order:

Offense #1:

Dragon Face. I start with the dragon face, because it is a newly acquired kissing mishap in my life. And the mental image still gives me the heebie jeebies! This poor man went in for this kiss, at a particularly awkward moment, with his lips curled back in a lizard-esque smile, his tongue pointing out of his mouth, the tip wiggling at me as if to say, “Hello baby, here I come.” I didn’t want to be rude, so I pulled away, smiled, and said I needed to go home. I couldn’t kiss Dragon Face guy, I just couldn’t! This inept style of kissing was frightening, and kissing should never invoke fear.

Offense #2:
The slobberobbergus. You know the guy who manages to hit every spot on your face with his tongue other than your lips. It’s like he closes his eyes and his directionally challenged tongue is going on an expedition of your face, destination: mouth, never to be found. And when you pull away, wondering if there is any reminisce of makeup left, he is slyly grinning at you, as if he has just opened you up to a new experience. And he has, you now know what a small child feels like when the big St. Bernard won’t quit licking its face, and you get the urge to cry as well.

Offense #3:
The Bird Beak. This is characterized by a hard tongue shape, moving in a rapid manner inside of the mouth of kissing partner, usually in a back and fourth motion. The tongue is not meant to be a ridged body part. Its purpose is soft, and gentle and probing. Not stiff, and abrasive, and thrusting. There are other body parts which can be appropriately used for those activities, don’t let your tongue steal their thunder. (Thanks Suzy!)

Offense #4:
Just eaten/bad breath. Now this is just rude! Behavior of this nature is not due to bad technique or nervousness; this is simply bad manners at their finest. You NEVER put food in your mouth, chew, and then move in for a kiss (I added chew as my disclaimer for the ever-so-seductive sharing of the food maneuver, which is totally acceptable when done correctly). But partially masticated food should not be shared between partners, it’s just gross! Garlic, onions and cigerettes, oh my! Remember, if it tastes funky to you, it will to your kissing accomplice as well.

Offense #5:
The black hole. This is another universally experienced bad kiss. When you look up and see a wide open mouth coming at you, a spacious span between top teeth and bottom teeth, and the fear of being consumed by this approaching black hole mixed with a sadistic curiosity of what you’d find if you stuck your head in there and explored overwhelms you; you know you’ve been a victim of the black hole. The only hope you have to turn and run before you’re devoured.

Offense #6:
The soul sucker. He slowly moves in and smiles, and he gently presses his lips to yours, and then you suddenly feel as if you’ve entered a void and all air is being extracted from your body at a rate faster than you can replace it. And as you fight to retain ownership of your soul, which is slowly being removed from your body, you struggle to detach from this vacummous power. Take a deep breath, and possibly refrain from the second kiss.

Offense #7:
The teeth fighter. Yes, teeth are in the mouth, and sometimes we all get a little excited and there is a minor fender-bender. When this is a constant occurrence, there is a definite problem! The teeth fighter feels their deadly weapon is actually a turn on, and proceeds to hit you with their teeth numerous times in varied ways. Eventually, you find yourself bleeding with a fat lip, and a not so great memory of the kiss. (Thanks Liz!)

Offense #8:
Scab chin. This is the guy who kisses with such ferocity of chin movement, mixed with the small grouping of pubic hair on his face, that minor chafage occurs. The next day you have a dry spot resembling a scab on your chin which hurts when you talk. Girls, it’s ok, we’ve all been there. Wear your scab proudly, especially if he was cute, but remember this make-out-war-wound, and try to steer clear of the chin action in your next canoodling session.

Offense #9:
The Marathon Kisser. Kissing is a wonderful and fun activity, and I understand the desire to never want to stop; but reality check, breathing is an essential part to sustaining life! We all need to do it. WARNING: occupation in lip locking for over 20 minutes can cause minor birth defects, brain damage from lack of oxygen, and a really sore tongue. Give it a break, take a breath, start off slow, and leave your smooching rival wanting more. This is not a race to the finish, unless you want to be finished. (Thanks Tammi!)

Offense #10:
Tonsil Hockey. No, this is not a real sport, and your tongue does not belong down my throat! This type of behavior is most often distinguished by a feeling of your stomach contents being searched, and nervousness over the onions you ate for dinner the night before… you never know, they could be discovered. On a serious note: there is an imaginary line drawn between the last molars in any persons mouth with a little sign that says, “Do not cross go, do not collect another kiss from me.” So if last kiss is the goal, by all means, forge ahead; otherwise politely backup and continue you exploration.

Are there any kissing experiences you’d like to add to the list?

The ramblings of a twenty-something-year-old girl questioning the settled beliefs of life, love and relationships. Check out my blog at http://www.norcalblogs.com/iconoclastic

Low Fat Cooking

Posted in Cooking-Tips, Food-and-Drink by Sandra Garth on February 25th, 2006

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A Little Goes a Long Way

It is unwise and unhealthy to think of eliminating all fat from your diet. Eating would become a bland and boring pastime. Just as an engine needs oil to run, so do our bodies. The challenge is to keep the fat to a minimum and to obtain it from healthy sources. This recommendation is not only for those seeking to shed a few pounds but also for overall health and well-being. Studies suggest that keeping dietary fat to 30% or less daily, reduces the risk of heart disease, certain types of cancer and diabetes. As little as a tablespoon a day will keep your body operating efficiently.

Facts About Fat

Fat is king when it comes to calories. It weighs in at a whopping nine calories per gram. Carbohydrates and protein only carry four calories per gram. Since some dietary fat is necessary, it’s wise to know which ones are best. It’s no secret that there are good and bad fats. The easy way to figure which is which is by eyesight. If fat is solid at room temperature, it’s not good for you. Butter, lard, shortening, some red meats, ice cream and cheese, all saturated fats, fall into this category. The next two types of fat are liquid at room temperature. Monounsaturated fats include olive, canola, and peanut oils, with olive oil being the best. The other type of fat is polyunsaturated; which encompasses corn, soybean and safflower oils.

Fat and Flavor

Fat adds flavor to food and leaves a feel good sensation on your taste buds. To replace the flavor lost from fat it’s important to add it back in other ways. Learn to experiment with herbs and spices.

Tips and Techniques

When preparing low fat meals it is vital that you alter your cooking methods. Steam, stir-fry, broil, bake, or saute meats to keep fat at bay. Thanks to George Foreman, grilling indoors has become easier and less time consuming, and is an excellent way to cook most any meat or fish.

It’s in the Bag

Cooking bags gives today’s health conscious cook an opportunity to serve moist, flavorful meat without artery clogging fat. There’s no basting and no clean up.

Lean on Poultry

The smaller the bird, the leaner it is. Always go for white meat, remove, and discard skin before cooking. Savory marinades offer a bevy of options to infuse what could otherwise be a bland meal with a riot of flavor. Turkey and chicken are the optimum choices. Duck and goose are naturally fat, save them for special occasions.

Meat is Back

Pork and beef as part of a low fat cooking plan? You bet! They’re excellent sources of protein and iron. Because they do contain some saturated fat, keep them to a minimum, no more than 6oz daily. Consider using them as an enhancement and not the star of the meal. Although marbling makes a cut of meat juicier, look for cuts with very little if any streaks of fat.

How to Cut Back

Use nonstick cooking spray instead of oil or butter to coat pans before cooking.
Trim all visible fat from meat and poultry. If this task seems a little daunting have your store’s butcher do it for you. This is usually a free service.
Drain fat from cooked meats.
Try chicken or turkey sausage and bacon.
Have at least one meatless meal a week.
Up the ante on complex carbohydrates, eat more beans and whole grains.
Substitute fat free dairy products for full fat ones.
Oven fry potatoes instead of deep-frying.
Use mashed pinto beans to moisten and extend ground meats for burgers and meatloaf.
Use herbs, spices, chutneys and salsas to jazz up your meals.
When baking replace some of the fat with applesauce, prunes, (Use small jars of baby food for this) or nonfat yogurt.
Reduced fat or fat free cheese can be substituted for full fat ones, or use a very small amount of a more intensely flavored one like a sharp cheddar.

It’s not difficult to get used to different cooking methods. Once you begin to reap the health benefits, low-fat cooking will be easy. Your family will thank you for it.

Sandra L. Garth is a speaker, personal trainer, wellness coach, and online contributor for WEYI NBC-25 from Saginaw, Michigan. Send in your fitness questions to http://www.weyi.com/community/mailbag.aspx?id=162 and for free weight loss and fitness tips visit http://www.onebodyonelifetime.com

Cool Tips For Choosing Loan Programs

Posted in Finance, Loans by Sebanti Ghosh on February 25th, 2006

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If you are willing to apply for a loan, there are a lot of options available for you.
What is the best way to decide the type of loan scheme that is the most suitable for you?

There are a lot of things that you should keep in mind while applying for a loan.
We have some tips to offer you how you can do that.

If you are willing to apply for a personal loan, be sure what you are going to do with this money. You might be taking it either for a car, debt or for any other reason. You must plan wisely for an unsecured personal loan.

Moreover always know the extra amount you will be paying before you take a loan. That will tell you the total amount you have to pay.

You can do some shopping also for loan.
If you find a good deal, you must go for it.

If you take a loan and feel that you want to pay it back soon, you might be asked for a penalty.
This penalty is called redemption penalty. This is just another trick of the banks to make money and fill their pockets.

If your lender seems to be willing to give you more and more unsecured loan, always crosscheck the rate of interest or else you may feel yourself in hot water later on.

It is advised that you should take a secured loan for your home improvement.
So, finally you must analyze all aspects before you go for a loan and then you can decide which loan you need.

Commercial Mortgage Loan Officers - More About Loans

Interior Design - Windows Reveal the Soul of a Good House

Posted in Home-Improvement, Windows by Douglas Glenn Clark on February 25th, 2006

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“I know you here in the darkness,
How you sit in the throne of my eyes,
At peace, and look out of the windows
In glad surprise.”

- D.H. Lawrence

Venus ascends in the western night sky, and then retreats below the horizon as, hours later, the morning sun rises in the west and spends its good light on a new day.

To see this glorious view, thrill seekers might travel to a mountaintop, a desert or maybe a stretch of beach. Dave Florek can take it all in from his small but generous Van Nuys bedroom.

“I love seeing the moon and stars,” Florek said. “Then you wake up and see the sun rise. This room is just a nice place to be.”

Florek and his wife, Leigh Podgorski, renovated the single-room, second-story addition to their home last year. Although a small bath and closet were added and a captain’s bed with drawers was custom-built for the room, the choice of windows - in several styles - is what has made the room more than just a place to sleep, he says.

Above the headboard of their bed, which abuts the room’s western wall, a small octagonal window with mullions was installed. It maintains privacy while allowing a beautiful stream of early evening light - and later, moonbeams and starshine - to stream across the bed.

There’s another charming outcome that Florek likes. The intruding light casts a shadow of the quaint window against the opposite wall, where a casement window has been installed.

“The original idea was to put a couple of the octagonals on the front of the house. But it didn’t work. Yet, what we have is better than what I’d originally wanted,” Florek says.

When Florek and Podgorski began their renovation, the west wall of the 10- by 15-foot room was solid. By installing a large casement window, they gained a full view of the sunrise over trees and their roofline - with no loss of privacy.

But they didn’t stop there. To give the room a sense of greater dimension, the couple installed a bay window on the north wall where they can sit and gaze at their pool or read.

“The room is so small - there’s no place for a chest of drawers. That’s why we had the captain’s bed built. But the windows, they provide … space,” Florek says.

And there’s something else, something less tangible. The room feels safe and yet within the grasp of nature’s glory. Or, as Shakespeare wrote in Cymbeline, “Under these windows, white and azure laced, with blue of heaven’s own tinct.”

‘I’m Looking Through You, What Do I See?’

The Beatles weren’t singing about window design when they recorded I’m Looking Through You. But they may have been suggesting how transparent human beings can be - especially when choosing windows!

Are you hip and contemporary? Or are you loyal to tradition? Is your budget tight? Or is money not an issue, whereas comfort, energy efficiency and style are? I’m looking through you.

Between-the-glass blinds are a great way to mitigate intense light, and can be raised and lowered at will. Between-the-glass fabric shades also are available in many door and window styles - casement and double-hung - and don’t require cleaning since they are protected by windowpanes. But these products are pricey.

Less apparent are the health benefits of these types of windows. Shades within a double pane are dust free and therefore ideal for people with allergies. So maybe this choice would be more a necessity than a luxury. Or both. What do I see?

Aaron Adirim, president of California Deluxe Windows Industries Inc.� in Chatsworth, says the health benefits of custom-made windows can be profound.

“Some clients say they stop taking allergy medicine after they install our windows. Or the smell of the skunk in their yard is gone. They also report that they can finally sleep - even where there is nonstop traffic and the ocean,” says Adirim. “We always ask people why they are thinking of replacing their windows. We want to know what issues are disturbing them the most.”

Adirim’s company has created enormous windows that welcome in the panoramic sun-drenched California landscape, while keeping out critters, pests and even natural disasters.

“An unobstructed view of nature is so breathtaking; you can’t believe you’re in your own home. You feel like you can touch the flowers, touch the blue sky,” he says.

But if homeowners aren’t careful, the desire for a seemingly open environment can wreak havoc during California’s wild fire season. Adirim says he has received letters and calls from clients who believe they averted disaster because they installed excellent windows.

“During fires near Upland, many families were evacuated,” Adirim says. “When they returned, the interiors of their homes were covered with a half-inch of ash. One of our clients was evacuated too. But when he returned home, the house was spotless; the white carpet was spotless. He called and said, ‘Your windows saved my house.’”

In Glad Surprise

Last year, Morgan Kearns purchased a home, circa 1920s, near a park. She soon realized she needed new windows.

Despite the cozy nature of her cottage, a previous owner had replaced the original wood window frames with the aluminum variety. Aesthetically, the windows were all wrong. And they did a lousy job of keeping out the wind and cold.

“The house has nice wood floors with in-laid wood. But it just didn’t have character with aluminum windows. They kept the house from fulfilling its potential. They were something I had to overlook as I looked through them at the beauty that surrounds me,” says Kearns.

Kearns did her homework and found windows that were appropriate for her home. Fortunately, she also found an able contractor.

“I found the right guy. He respected my ideas. But he came up with ideas I never would have thought of,” she says.

As her new windows were being installed, Kearns recalled the many renovation projects she oversaw in her previous Woodland Hills home. There were problems with materials, tardy workers and inaccurate bids that sapped her resources. In hindsight, she says she may have tried to do too much at once.

This time, though, everything went as planned. “I loved just focusing on windows,” she says. And when the new windows were installed and Kearns could sit within while gazing at the gardens without, she realized that of all the changes she’d made in the past, upgrading her windows was the most emotionally satisfying.

“It just felt like a home. I just really enjoy sitting and looking out the windows. I’ll be content for quite a while,” she says.

Douglas Glenn Clark is a freelance writer in the Los Angeles area.

His writing services are available at http://dgclarkgroup.com and http://afterthenoise.com

Balenciaga Handbags Focus on Flattering Silhouettes

Posted in Women's-Interests by Kristen Dash on February 25th, 2006

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Balenciaga handbags are known for their incredibly soft, lightweight, durable leather with a characteristically distressed appearance of wrinkles, lines, and folds. They feature their purses in both black and white every season, but otherwise vary their wide rainbow of colors. Hardware tends to be abundant and in weathered finishes. The Balenciaga look is so distinctive - and stylishly flattering- that retailers who specialize in handbags count purses inspired by Balenciaga among their most popular selections.

Born in 1895 in the Basque region of northern Spain, founder Cristobal Balenciaga opened his first shops in Madrid and Barcelona in 1915, and then moved to Paris during the Spanish Civil War. His Avenue George V salon quickly gained popularity among such fashion powerhouses as Carmel Snow, the celebrated editor whose famous words, “Elegance is good taste, plus a dash of daring,” could have been uttered to describe Balenciaga’s style exclusively. Christian Dior once referred to him as “the master of us all” for his impact on couture silhouettes in women’s fashion.

His impact was far-reaching, as his proteges included Hubert de Givenchy, Andre Courreges, Emanuel Ungaro, and Oscar de la Renta. Years of training as a master tailor enabled Balenciaga to drape and fit clothing in a way no other designer could, leading to the development of his universally flattering design hallmarks - spare lines, sculptural approaches, and intriguing shapes like the funnel dress, square coat, and bubble skirt.

Balenciaga was a socialite favorite, and his designs epitomized 1950s and 1960s haute couture, especially when worn by such fashion icons as Jackie Kennedy. After he closed his salon doors in 1968, the fashion world felt the loss for decades. Now under the ownership of the Gucci Group, the house is enjoying renewed popularity with French designer Nicolas Ghesquiere leading as creative director.

Ghesquiere joined Balenciaga in 1995, with initial assignments spent designing pr�t-a-porter for the Asian market. (His earlier years in the industry included stints as assistant to Jean-Paul Gaultier, freelance knitwear designer, and various jobs at several other fashion houses.)

Hailed as one of our generation’s most influential designers - and certainly one of the hottest! - Nicolas Ghesquiere has restored the fashion house to its earlier status as a style forerunner. His first line was the eclectic, innovative Le Dix collection, which produced the wildly popular Balenciaga motorcycle-inspired handbags.

Blending classic structure with just enough comfortable slouch to produce one of the most flattering silhouettes on the market, these bags are at the top of the favorites list of seemingly every Hollywood fashionista. Nicole Richie purportedly purchased the Lariat in at least five colors. Other fans include Christina Aguilera, Cameron Diaz, Sienna Miller, Jessica Alba, Kate Moss, and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Ghesquiere retains these qualities while reviving many of the classic Balenciaga features in the Edition collection. Ladylike glamour enters the Balenciaga offerings in the form of elegant quilting, chic satchels, and special embellishments (like the crystal-encrusted broach and dainty wristlet on one new bag). Lindsay Lohan was recently photographed with the Lariat updated with latticework quilting.

Like his forebear, Ghesquiere is now a designer to watch. His impact on contemporary fashion - especially silhouettes - is growing by leaps and bounds, and his many fans include Anna Wintour, U.S. Vogue’s editor-in-chief, as well as a veritable slew of celebrity fashionistas. With him at the helm, Balenciaga will undoubtedly continue to produce handbags that hold top spots on everyone’s list of must-have accoutrements.

Kristen Dash is a full-time fashion editor for Baghaus.com. Enjoy more of Kristen’s fashion sensibilities at The Purse Buzz.

Presentation Skills

Posted in Business, Presentation by Duncan Brodie on February 25th, 2006

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For many people the mere thought of giving a presentation fills them with fear. This article sets out some hints and tips to make it a success.

Planning

It seems really obvious when someone says you need to plan your presentation. Often however this is an area that is skimmed over.
How long?
As a general rule, I suggest that you take the time allocated for the presentation time and multiply it by 3 to give you an indicative time for your planning.

Structure

If you are going to get your message across you need structure. One of the best tips I ever received was to think of the presentation like a newspaper article. You have:

–A headline

–Two or three messages

Slides

Many of us will have heard the term death by power point. Presenters can often:

- Have too many slides

- Have too much content on the slides

- Use too many graphics

Again, as rule of thumb, if you are doing a presentation lasting 10-15 minutes you are unlikely to need more than 6 slides.

Practice

No matter how many times you have delivered a presentation you need to practice you presentation in advance. Start with standing in front of a mirror. Then move on to practising in front of your family or partner. Then colleagues and friends. Try to do at least 3 practice runs.

Feedback

Ask and listen carefully to the feedback you are receiving about the structure, slides and delivery. See this as an opportunity to turn a good presentation into a great presentation.

Delivering Presentation

For many, this is the part they dread. Here are a few tips to ensure things go smoothly.

–Check the equipment in advance

–Make sure you know how to load the presentation

–Take a few minutes to relax yourself before you start

–Don’t worry about memorising the words, just remember your headline and key messages

–Pace yourself

–Try not to be too serious

–Have fun

Duncan Brodie is a Leadership Development Coach and Management Trainer at Goals and Achievements http://www.goalsandachievements.co.uk
He specialises in helping and accountants and professionals to make the transition from technical expert to manager and leader.

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