Rising energy prices are a concern for every manufacturing plant in Houston and across the globe. Managers are being forced to look for energy savings through two major tactics—reducing energy consumption and/or adopting better energy purchasing strategies and switching energy sources. As early as a 2005 survey of manufacturers, 98% of those surveyed said that energy prices have already impacted their business. That impact represents a substantial amount of money.

Plant managers can take the first tactic, to reduce energy consumption, in two basic areas: the manufacturing process and facilities/ buildings. However, many managers remain skeptical of modifying their manufacturing processes purely in the interests of reducing energy consumption. No one wants to sacrifice productivity and quality to take savings that may give questionable bottom-line results. So, the dual pressures to reduce energy consumption, while not disturbing output, have forced managers into a difficult position: “Reduce your energy costs” and “Keep producing at a high ROI.”

The other tactic for realizing energy savings, adopting best practices for energy purchasing strategies and utilizing information technologies to inform better decisions, requires no compromise in the manufacturing process. However, the energy markets and the technologies available in the market, due to complexity, require some expertise in order to manage the risks and opportunities available. As a result, many companies are opting for the services of energy consultants who have the expertise to deal with all the complexities of energy markets and available technologies.

I talked with Richard L. Zdunkewicz, Director of Sales of LEGACY Energy Management Solutions, a full-service energy advisory firm, headquartered in Houston, about what types of solutions are available. LEGACY provides its clients with energy markets information, energy risk management services, energy procurement services, energy information management solutions and strategic energy planning services.

Mr. Zdunkewicz tells me that to “truly provide the most value to clients a consultant must understand their unique energy issues in the context of their businesses and their operations. There is not a ‘one size that fits all’ solution.”

LEGACY has assisted many clients in identifying multiple energy price and contract solutions and determining the resulting risk exposures across numerous scenarios. LEGACY or other consultants can:

• Integrate historical and ongoing load data to create an accurate depiction of the load profile at the meter, plant and enterprise levels
• Assess risk tolerance, budget goals and constraints
• Model energy usage variations across company’s facilities
• Simulate forward energy market prices using state-of-the-art technologies
• Work with management to define existing usage and commodity price risks and develop an appropriate risk management strategy and execution plan
• Provide ongoing risk simulations and energy related earnings at risk analyses to help the company “manage” its energy portfolio
• Utilize an experienced legal team with a unique focus on end-use client needs
• Suggest technologies that will assist the management and operational team in better understanding and managing their loads
• Develop strategies to realize financial benefits from load curtailment to the extent such strategies are compatible with the operating strategy of the company

The current energy crisis is just one more in a series of challenges that have recently befallen American manufacturers, particularly our many small manufacturing companies. These companies already face rising costs in many area, particularly health care, pensions, and regulatory requirements, as well as new competition because of new import laws allowing duty free imports from competitors – all which deplete key resources and profits from their operations. On top of these challenges, energy’s rising cost affects manufacturers’ human, capital, and raw materials.

Vickie Adair is the senior technical writer at Media A-Team (http://www.mediaateam.com) and also publishes as a freelance writer. She writes for several websites such as http://www.booksisters.com, a website for readers of self-help books, and http://www.natural-products-directory.com, a directory of online business that sell or manufacture organic and/or natural products.

Heart disease…heart attacks…we hear about these tragic events all the time. The news often reports on threats to heart health and the current medical trends being taken. Heart disease is the #1 killer and clogged arteries are part of a progression towards heart disease. How are clogged arteries formed?

Interestingly, the guilty culprit we have heard about in the formation of clogged arteries is only part of the truth. We have heard that high cholesterol causes clogged arteries. Actually, there is a more primal cause.

The first thing that happens is a lack of vitamin C or ascorbate in the body. This is termed sub clinical scurvy. This causes cracks in the arteries to form. The body, in an attempt to heal or patch the cracks, takes cholesterol and uses it as a patch. Over time, this hardens into what is called plaque. Now we are getting to more familiar territory regarding clogged arteries. The buildup of plaque in the arteries narrows the passageway of the arteries and also increases blood pressure. Then, if a small clot breaks away, it can totally clog an artery triggering a heart attack. Normally, the small clot would be harmless, but due to the clogged arteries it can now become deadly.

What helps clean arteries? Ascorbate is one thing. Nattokinase is also useful. Serrapeptase is also good. There are products that have been created to help prevent and reverse clogged arteries. Since Heart Disease is the #1 killer, it behooves us all to find out how to prevent clogged arteries. The research is available. As a person seeks it out, they will find the answer to the cause and reversal of clogged arteries. The only thing left to do is to put the research into action in one’s own life.

Cheryl Jones has been investigating alternative and holistic health solutions for over 30 years and has access to information published generally in advance of mass media publications. Links and resources are available to valuable information and specifically formulated products.
http://shineonhealth.com
http://www.ashnow.com/curecancer

One large clinic that performs LASIK procedures has a very creative advertising approach. On their Web site, they advise people never to look for bargains when they are shopping for parachutes, scuba gear or laser eye surgery. They also wisely counsel interested parties to compare apples to apples when pricing LASIK surgery.

The cost of vision correction, however it is approached, depends on a number of factors. The specific procedure that’s best for you, the location and overhead of the clinic or outpatient surgery center, the physician’s experience, the length of the recovery period and the cost of post-operative pain relief—these are all variables in the complicated price formula. For example, more experienced surgeons may charge higher fees, while some might simply have bigger rent payments in their part of town. As with any other purchase, do your homework and get the facts.

The total cost, of course, will also depend on the particular “vision correction package” that you are purchasing. Many doctors include both pre- and post-operative care in the deal, and offer warranties lasting from 90 days to the patient’s lifetime. The great diversity of approaches means, as the clever advertiser said, that you need to compare apples to apples. A “low” price that does not cover follow-up visits, pain medication or other necessities will not, in the long run, be a better bargain than a “higher” price that does include all of these things. Be as careful and exacting in this part of your research as you were when looking into the medical aspects of the LASIK surgery.

On average, the cost for LASIK eye surgery in the U.S. is between $1,500 and $2,000 per eye. By shopping around, you will find any number of doctors and clinics that charge less, as well as those that charge more. And although it’s understandable that you want find the best price, remember that you also have to think about reputation, quality, aftercare and service. Of course, once you decide on the clinic and the LASIK surgeon, you will face another set of decisions that you must make before undergoing the treatment.

If you do not wish to pay for the procedure in cash, there are various financing methods you can employ. If you do decide to finance your LASIK eye surgery, you will then have another investigation to pursue—finding the best deal for financing. Most doctors and clinics will offer some kind of financing plan, whether or not they are the lender, and you will have to decide if their interest rate and monthly payment are the best deal for you.

Naturally, you can finance the LASIK surgery cost yourself by using a credit card, a portion of your homeowner’s line of credit or taking out a loan through a bank, finance company or paycheck advance lender. A simple comparison of interest rates and “total loan cost” will yield a winner in short order.

LASIK eye surgery is a procedure you are likely to have just once in your lifetime and your vision is one of your most precious and important assets. Although the gift of sight is priceless in one sense, medical procedures for keeping it clear do cost money, pose risks and have lasting effects on your quality of life. So make sure to count the cost of LASIK eye surgery and your recovery, too—and figure that cost not just in dollars and sense, but in time, energy and self-esteem.

Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILITs) are planning tools used to keep life insurance proceeds outside of the taxable estate.

For example, if a married couple has an estate of 6 million, they can pass 4 million to the next generation with no tax if they set up the proper trust arrangement to take advantage of the maximum lifetime unified credits. That leaves 2 million still subject to tax under the current law.

The logical thing to do is to purchase a survivorship life insurance policy for the projected tax. However, a policy purchased in the manner most people are familiar with, the problem is not solved; it is compounded.

If the couple has any “incidences of ownership” in the policy, it will be included in the estate. The purchase of a one million dollar policy increases the estate to 7 million. Four million passes tax-free, but now the taxable estate is 3 million. This increases the tax by some $225,000.

Enter the Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust

Attorneys draft Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts. The trust will apply for its own Federal Tax ID number. The trust will then apply for the survivorship life insurance policy. It will be the applicant, owner and beneficiary of the policy. Typical wording is “The John and Mary Smith Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust dated April 5, 2007, JPMorgan Chase Bank, trustee.”

In this example, since neither John nor Mary has any “incidence of ownership” in the policy, it will not be part of their taxable estate.

The Owner and Beneficiary

As opposed to using an ILIT, I have worked with a few cases where the only child or children are the owner and beneficiary. This may work. However, each year the parents gift the money to pay the premium, there is no assurance that the money will be used to pay the premium. Furthermore, the children, as owners, have access to the cash values. An ILIT has much more assurance.

I have seen the trustee be a child, the couple’s attorney, accountant or a long-time family friend. All of these will work, but an un-biased third party, such as a bank, is much better. If an individual is the trustee, name a bank as the successor trustee. Banks don’t die.

The Crummey Letter

Typically, the life insurance premiums are paid by the parents in the form of annual gifts to the Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust. Currently (2007) a person can give up to $12,000 each year to as many people as they want without paying gift tax or having the amount subtracted from their lifetime exclusion. However, these gifts must be “present interest” gifts, which mean the recipient must have immediate rights to the gift.

Gifts to an ILIT, for paying premiums on a life insurance policy owned by the ILIT, are not “present interest” gifts. A “Crummey” letter qualifies the gift as a “present interest” gift. The letter is not crummy or poorly written; the letter takes its name from a court case initiated in 1968 by Clifford Crummey, who was trying to do this very same thing: make annual gifts present interest gifts. Ultimately, the outcome of the case required the use of a letter, now known as the “Crummey” letter.

A letter is sent every year to each of the beneficiaries of the ILIT. It simply states that a gift has been made to the ILIT and they can withdraw it if they want within a certain timeframe, usually 30 or 60 days. If they don’t exercise this right, the gift becomes a present interest gift.

Obviously, there is an “understanding” between the parents and children to ignore these letters, as it is a part of the overall estate plan. The annual gifts and the ensuing yearly Crummey letters do not have to go to children with a legal capacity, such as age 18. I have seen letters written to 4-month-old babies. In this case, even though the baby was not able to read the letter or understand the estate planning rationale behind it, it did not exercise its right to the gift. Phew, another legal bullet dodged.

As you can see, it is very important to arrange for the annual drafting of these Crummey letters. Some banks’ trust departments used to provide this service if they were the trustee of the trust. This was just a courtesy as they never would see or manage any of the life insurance proceeds.

The best bet is to have your attorney do the letters. I have one client whose law firm (under a written set of instructions) has the premium notice from the life insurance company sent to their firm, prepare and send the Crummey letters and then pay the premium. All the client has to do is open a letter each year from the law firm indicating a premium is due and send them a check. Other than that, they don’t have to lift a finger. A nice service.

If you have an estate that will be subject to estate taxes and your advisors suggest a life insurance policy to pay the tax at a discount, make sure you evaluate the use of an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust.

Robert D. Cavanaugh, CLU is a 36-year financial and estate planning veteran and author of the free newsletter, “The Estate Preservation Advisor”. For cutting-edge, easy-to-understand financial planning resources and techniques to increase your income, reduce taxes and preserve your estate, go to http://theestatepreservationadvisor.com/rd/subscribe.htm

No amount or type of technology can make up for an inexperienced or inadequate doctor, so the most important consideration when contemplating laser vision correction surgery is the quality of the surgeon. The only way to determine the quality of the doctor, of course, is to do a thorough investigation.

The first thing to do is to check with the various accrediting groups, your state’s medical board and the local office of the American Medical Association. Once you have established the doctor’s standing, you need to ask some serious questions. Although there is certainly no exact number of questions to ask, and there are many possible ones, we have developed this list of ten tough questions you should ask your doctor about LASIK surgery.

Of course, for you to gauge the answers, you will have to be informed about the procedure, its history and technique, possible complications and even LASIK surgery cost. Following the questions there are some brief suggested answers, but your doctor may answer them somewhat differently. Therefore, you need to be educated enough about laser vision correction to assess the responses.

Use common sense and always request evidence of all claims concerning education, training, certification and patient outcomes. You should also assess the doctor’s willingness to reply almost as much as the response itself. The doctor should offer to make arrangements for any requested test or examination that the doctor does not normally provide.

If you do not completely understand the questions or answers, then you are not ready to approach the physician. Use the DocShop.com resources and search out other resources until you are comfortable with the terminology and the procedure itself. Then present the doctor with some or all of the following questions, and keep good notes of the replies.

1. How long have you been performing this surgery? (Many experts recommend that this be at least three years.)

2. How many procedures have you performed total, and how many in the last year? (Look for about 500 and at least 150, respectively.)

3. How many procedures—of the exact type you will use for me, with the same equipment, to correct the same refractive error—have you performed? (At least 100.)

4. What percentage of your patients report unresolved complications six months after surgery? (The norm is under three percent, with less than .5 percent being serious complications.)

5. Have you had a successful surgery malpractice claim of greater than $30,000? (If “yes,” get details.)

6. What is the worst surgery outcome of any patient and how did you handle it? (All doctors with sufficient surgical experience have had negative outcomes. You need to be comfortable that your doctor can handle problems effectively.)

7. Have you ever had hospital or surgical facility privileges, or your Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) certification, revoked, suspended or restricted? (Answer should be no.)

8. Have you ever been convicted of a crime, arrested for being under the influence or possessing any controlled substance, or treated for drug abuse or mental illness as an adult? (Generally speaking, the answer should be no, but you should discuss the circumstances and make up your own mind about potential doctors. A problem 20 years ago when a college student may not be germane today.)

9. Is the LASIK equipment you use specifically approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for laser vision correction? (If not, ask the doctor to explain why it is not FDA approved.)

10. What certification do you hold, if any, from the American Board of Ophthalmology, American Board of Eye Surgery and the Council for Refractive Surgery Quality Assurance? (The best doctors are members of all three.)

There are scores more questions that you could potentially ask about the equipment, the procedure and your own suitability for the operation. Beyond the medical questions, you will also have discussed the LASIK surgery cost, as well as the historical data on outcomes of laser vision correction surgeries. Information and knowledge are key to making a wise decision and you cannot be too careful with your vision at stake.

Knowledge is power, as the old saying goes. This is true, but when considering a doctor for your laser eye surgery, knowledge is also security—you need to be completely convinced that your doctor not only knows what he or she is doing, but is also sensitive to your every concern.

Clear communication and the reassurance of your chosen physician are crucially important, particularly if there is a problem with the procedure or your recovery. Patients who are hurting and scared never wish to feel abandoned by their doctor, so building a good relationship is essential.

Before undergoing any vision correction procedure it is important to study everything about the surgery, especially about any problems that may occur during or after surgery. It is advisable to seek out reports from those patients who did have “negative outcomes,” so that you will be fully prepared for any eventuality.

Although there is a virtual mountain of information available at DocShop.com and other Web sites, the most important information you will have to assess is what your potential LASIK surgeon tells you. There may be scores of questions in your mind, and dozens of ideas about how to choose the surgeon, but you can get started in the process with these seven tips for finding a reputable LASIK surgeon.

1. Do not hesitate to ask tough questions. Ask about everything from the doctor’s background and the procedure to follow-up care—and what you can expect from the doctor if something were to go wrong. With proper study and preparation on your part before speaking with potential surgeons, you should be able to gauge the doctor’s professionalism and attitude in a short period of time.

2. If the doctor, clinic or office staff seem off-putting and impersonal to you, you should make a note of it. If you feel like you are just a number in an assembly-line procedure, or that you are dealing with a “surgery mill,” then look elsewhere. Be sure to trust your intuition, or if yours is undeveloped then bring someone along to help you “feel out” the doctor and the clinic.

3. You want a doctor who will listen to you and see you as an individual, a human being, rather than an earnings entry in his accounting ledger. Therefore, if the doctor acts hurried or seems distracted during your initial meeting, you may take this as an indication of the attitude you will find during and after the laser eye surgery itself.

4. You should check with all of the appropriate medical specialty boards and organizations, and ensure that your potential LASIK surgeon is in good standing. You should also check with the local Better Business Bureau and other financial oversight groups about the doctor’s business practices. A surgeon who overcharges or whose practice is going bankrupt may not engender the level of trust that you need to have in your doctor.

5. It is essential for the doctor to be honest and forthright about discussing possible problems with the LASIK procedure. If he or she is less than straightforward, or does not seem to want to get into these negative outcomes, then you should take that as a signal that there may be a problem. You shouldn’t assume the doctor is inept or unprofessional, but you want more than an average physician on your case—you want the very best.

6. Watch how the first contacts with the doctor and staff go. You must be completely confident that you were fully and correctly examined and questioned. This is essential to establish that you are a good candidate for a laser eye surgery.

7. You must be willing to pay more for quality, especially if you want “the best of the best,” and should put additional effort into finding just the right doctor.

Once you understand what the range of prices is and the particulars of the outpatient LASIK surgery and after-care, you will know how to rate the doctors that you are considering.

Choosing the right LASIK surgeon is not overly complicated, as long as you have done your homework and you are asking all the right questions. Continue to study and read up on laser eye surgery and show the potential doctors that you intend to be an informed, involved patient. More than anything else, if a doctor has a problem with that, you definitely need to keep looking.

Each week, I write a column about the relationship between children’s toys and imaginative play to areas of cognitive and emotional development through playing with toys. I don’t do this because I am compensated; I have an even better reason – my wife asked me to! And like any dedicated husband who works long hours, and has a refined sense of self-preservation – I dedicate myself whenever possible, to my wife’s requests…but having said that, let me share with you one of her rather remarkable reasons for her interest and dedication to imaginative toys.

My stepson Adam is now 18 years old. He is excelling at school, has some close friends, and has even made high honors and published articles locally. But this was not always the case, and his road to his success was paved in part by my wife’s unrelenting persistence and support.

By the time Adam was 5 years old, he was communicating with world-renowned paleontologists, like the late Dr. John Ostrom at Harvard’s Peabody Museum, the discoverer of the Deinonychus Dinosaur. His discovery was the basis for the “raptors” in Jurassic Park. Adam would dictate letters, asking scientists for complex information about the skeletal functions and the teeth of dinosaurs, to the delight of scientists, who almost always wrote back.

By the time he was six, he had a pre-med student tutoring him at a noted local University in Biology 101. He passed the oral version of the Bio-101 final exam with a score of 100, and scored higher than the sophomores on the dissection of the pig – though my wife takes their word, and preferred to read in the lobby for this event. But note – he could not read, nor write yet. This is crucial, because it is diagnostic. Adam suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome, a pretty widely known and discussed neurological difficulty.

While Adam was brilliant and seemed very adult in certain areas, he struggled with other academic skills and even more in social skills. My wife, with the best of intentions made all the typical mistakes, such as augmenting the academic gifts and forgetting about toys and the critical importance of typical play with toys; a normal part of any child’s development.

One day, she drove Adam to school. He had forgotten about show and tell. She asked if he would like to take his science journal, as it might be interesting to the other kids. He looked at her like a deer in headlights, and spoke in complete earnest – “Mom, my teacher knows, and you need to know that my science is a secret”. My wife was astonished. “Why?” she asked. The simple answer was, “I don’t want to be different”.

My wife dropped him off at school, and went to out to buy toys. Most heart-rending of all was his inability to communicate with peers. Like a born again play therapist, she came home with an armload of great children’s toys. Within a week the little boy in the house behind Adam’s began knocking at the door each day, wearing a Viking helmet, and would say, “Send Adam outside, and tell him to make sure he’s armed!” While this raised his mother’s eyebrows, it truly paved the road leading to Adams achievements over time, and my wife’s interest in Toys For Little Boys. After all, all children are still just children, no matter how gifted they are. Toys are the keys to a great childhood – don’t hesitate to let them play!

I am a Clinical Psychologist licensed to practice in The State of New York. I write articles for Toys For Little Boys, an e-tailer at http://www.toysforlittleboys.com specializing in Toys For Boys ages 4 - 12. I am not compensated for these articles they are a labor of love for my wife, like our large blended family. You can email questions or comments to: DRPMCohen@verizon.net

Being covered by media, whether it is radio, TV, newspapers or magazines is exciting. While it’s great to add the story to your clip file (an electronic and print press kit of your media coverage), you’re leaving money on the table if you don’t work the press you have.

Getting and keeping the Media interested in your product, book or services requires a continual re-invention of the press you had yesterday, to get more press today. By using a powerful quote from the author of an article about you, you get more than you can imagine.

What is a pull quote? A pull quote is a brief and powerful statement. Here’s an example: Last year a client and I were written up in an article for Entrepreneur Magazine, Biz 101, on using a business coach for a start-up business. The article focused on how my client used my coaching to create her business from 0 in sales to over $250,000 in less than 18 months from idea to new product invention in the marketplace. Okay, so that’s great, but how can we make it more powerful. Here’s what the journalist said,

“O’Crean’s (advice) proved invaluable as a coach, helping Marshall build annual sales to a quarter of a million dollars.” Nicole Torres, Entrepreneur Magazine, February, 2006

If the article is left in my clip file, no one would ever see it or get the impact of that statement. For me it is an awesome marketing tool in building my business. There are however, even more powerful unconscious benefits to this pull quote:

• A powerful third party, Entrepreneur Magazine, validates my skill
• A pull quote has a long life expectancy, sometimes forever
• The impact unconsciously is immediate upon the reader
• The credibility of the magazine is extended to me unconsciously

Pull quotes give you leverage to use your current media to land the next story. Add a single line to your bio. For me it says, Featured in Entrepreneur Magazine, which opens doors I can’t even imagine.

Take some time to go over the media you have received in the past. Here are some keys to using your press powerfully:

• Create a powerful pull quote from the article and use it as my example above
• Get reprints of the article if possible,
• Get permission to use the photo and/or article on your website
• Keep copies in your online media center and press kit
• Put a link to the article on your website if the news agency has it online
• Always lead with the cover of a magazine when presenting the information
• Add your press to your bio

By doing these simple tasks you convey an important message to the media: I am a reliable source of information, see these other news agencies think I’m okay, you can trust my information.

Finally, respect the press you get. Although there seem to be an infinite number of opportunities for media coverage, most articles only feature one or two experts in a story. By getting media coverage and using the coverage you have in a powerful way, you make it easier for the journalist to quote you.

PS Did you find the 5 ways I used my media coverage for extra value? Email me for the answers at Maureen@mymediamatch.com

Maureen O’Crean is a Harvard grad and an International Business strategist who supports others to have their dreams come true. An unconventional MBA, she works with authors, speakers, licensed professionals and entrepreneurs in the area of business growth and development. Maureen often uses publicity to put her clients in the public eye for visibility. She is a published author and creator of an online community of over12,000 women. Recently featured in Entrepreneur Magazine where she profiled a client’s success, Maureen is available for speaking, interviews and consultations. Please contact her at 310-379-9620 or visit her website at http://www.mymediamatch.com

There have been any number of studies done on the outcomes of LASIK eye surgery, and even the least impressive results indicate that approximately 90 percent of patients achieve a level of vision equal to, or greater than, their state’s driving license standard. Doctors generally report that their LASIK patients who do not have pre-existing conditions often exceed these results.

When all the statistics are reviewed, and all of the anecdotal evidence considered as well, a very positive picture emerges of laser vision correction, with solid data attesting to reliably beneficial outcomes. Of course, people do heal differently, so outcomes can vary as to time, amount of pain involved, side effects and so forth. This is why it is important to keep your expectations reasonable if you are considering LASIK eye surgery.

The level and quality of your corrected vision after LASIK surgery, as with any laser vision correction procedure, depends on your particular case. Still, some doctors report that 99 percent of their patients achieve 20/20 or 20/25 vision. As part of your consultation with potential LASIK surgeons, you should ask how carefully they track their own patient outcomes. Do not make any assumptions that the doctor or clinic is above or below the national standard. Ask questions until you find out about their specific results.

A solid majority of LASIK patients will achieve very good to excellent vision, and leave their glasses or contacts behind for good. Of course, for a few will there will be some minor“refractive error” remaining that keeps them slightly nearsighted or farsighted, or afflicts them with mild astigmatism. Although this set of patients can see fine for regular daily activities, they may need glasses for nighttime driving or other activities. An enhancement laser procedure can be performed after about six months if the patient wants to alleviate any remaining conditions.

You can reasonably expect that your chance of needing such enhancement surgery is in the neighborhood of .5 percent—yes, that is one half of one percent. As with any kind of surgery, you and your doctor will discuss and weigh the possible benefits, your own particular expectations and, of course, all of the potential risks of both your initial surgery and any enhancement procedures.

The goal of laser vision correction is to eliminate or reduce your reliance on glasses or contact lenses, and this is achieved for a high percentage of LASIK patients. However, if you are over 40 years old, you still may need reading glasses even after LASIK eye surgery, since it is normal for vision to diminish in certain ways with age.

One of the major questions people have is how long the benefits of the LASIK eye surgery will last. The first patient to undergo laser vision correction was an American who had the procedure in 1987.

After attaining 20/20 vision after the LASIK eye surgery, this patient still has 20/20 vision 20 years later. The worldwide consensus of vision experts is that that there are no long-term problems with laser vision correction.

LASIK eye surgery is an established procedure, but one which is being improved and refined continuously. As with any laser vision correction procedure, “your mileage may vary,” but the fact is that today’s reasonable expectations were considered miraculous just 15 or 20 years ago. If you are fully informed and have communicated candidly with your doctor, you will know how to determine what the reasonable expectations are for your own LASIK procedure. To begin your search for a LASIK professional visit DocShop.com, a premier resource for finding skilled surgeons.

When you set goals for yourself, whether is in school or the workforce, it is important that you concentrate on the task at hand to obtain those objectives. For millions of people, it is not that easy.

It is difficult to obtain your objectives if you do not know what they are. It is necessary to
define what your goals are. This will assist you obtaining them. When you have clear and concise objectives, you will be able to focus and concentrate better.

When you take on too many tasks at one time, you are setting yourself up for failure. Overwhelming yourself with too many tasks will inhibit your ability to focus because you will stress about getting everything done on time. Doing one thing at a time will help you to concentrate better.

If the task that you have is a big one, breaking it down in segments will assist you in completing more competently. Focus on the segment that you are working on and not the whole project. Concentrating on the task in front of you will allow you to complete it correctly with very little stress, and more often than not, you can complete it before the deadline.

No matter who you are, expect the unexpected. There are no guarantees that you are going to have a error proof life. Obstacles always crop up and you need to be prepared to handle whatever is thrown at you in order to meet your goals. Distractions are all around us everyday, being able to shut them out and concentrate on your task will assist you in completing it quickly and efficiently.

Success and recognition is gained over time. Nothing worth having is easy. You need to be able to concentrate and do the very best that you can in everything that you do. It is important that you do not give in to stress, it will only slow you down and concentration will be difficult if not impossible. Sometimes taking a short break will help you to regain your focus and concentration. You may find that by doing this, your focus will improve.

To be a success, sacrifice is sometimes required. It is like an exchange. You will give up one thing to gain another. You just need to make sure that what you give up is worth what you are gaining. If you have a job that requires you to focus intensely on your task, you may want to remove the telephone from your desk, as each time it rings, your concentration is broken. When you remove the daily distractions you are doing something that can help you to focus on your job.

Putting things off is the number one cause of stress. When you put things off, they tend to creep up on you all at once and you find yourself with a multitude of tasks that need to be finished all at once. This not only causes stress that leads to loss of concentration, it also can cause you to become overwhelmed with work, and that can lead difficulties in focusing. When you do what you are supposed to do at the time you are supposed to do it, you will find that your concentration will be stronger.

Leon Edward helps people improve IQ, focus, memory, concentration, creativity, speed reading, public speaking, time management and reducing stress.
Download his IQ Mind Brain Memory Self-Help library at his website http://www.IQMindBrainLibrary.com

Leon Edward helps people improve in Goal Setting, Success, Leadership, Motivation, Self-Improvement, Happiness, Memory Improvement, Stress Reduction and more through his articles, blogs, reports and self-help success roladex-on-line. Visit his Success-Leadership Library, Articles and blog at http://www.AwesomeSuccess.org

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