Introduction

Influence is intangible. You cannot see it at work, yet it is all pervasive in any corporate organisation and Public Sector organisations are no different. In any sales situation, if we can identify who the politically influential people actually are, we can tailor our proposals to meet their needs as well as the needs of their organisations’. This can markedly increase our chances of winning the sale, particularly in a very competitive sales situation.

In our analysis we identify the politically powerful people as the “Influencers”. The routes to them we term the “Conduits”, who are people we can use to pass messages when we cannot get access to the Influencers directly.

The STRANDS

The “STRANDS” of Influence is a tool which can help in identifying who are the really influential people in any organisation. If we can test the way people respond in any situation and how other people react to them, we can start to characterise influence. The best times to do this are when there is great organisation upheaval or change (merger, reorganisation, downsizing, etc.). At such times influence becomes very much more apparent and easier to discern. For instance, the people with high levels of influence are usually the survivors!

However, in day-to-day activity, particularly when you are dealing with an organisation which you are new to, the STRANDS of Influence can be a valuable diagnostic tool. The STRANDS are separated into seven tests, each of which may help in finding either where the seat of influence lies, or useful connections to it.

For each of the tests, described in detail below, the sales team will need to take a view balancing what they know about each individual against each of the seven headings. They may base their views upon their own knowledge and observations. However, these views need to be checked against others in the client’s organisation.

The Tests

The seven STRANDS tests are pointers to where real influence may reside in any complex organisation. The same tests can also be used to flush out some suitable Conduits. However, some Influencers and Conduits may still be difficult to find if the relationships between people are not obvious. Nevertheless, the STRANDS will flush out the majority of the relationships that are important to the sales campaign and will provide a basis for greater insight into how the organisation actually works.

Status and Responsibility

Status and responsibility are a good starting point when looking for influential people. However, beware the “figureheads” and the high ranking academics who have no decision making powers whatsoever.

People who report directly to high ranking people may have a high degree of influence. We have all heard tales of the Secretary who had more ability to direct the organisation than his or her boss.

People who are high in the organisational ranks may have influence if they are climbing, but less if they are on their way down. Some people are placed into areas of lower than expected status so that they can get experience and prepare themselves for an important and significant future role. Here influence greatly exceeding that expected from the role may be clearly evident.

The Conduit may not have the status themselves, but they will be able to interact easily with one or more powerful people. The interaction may not be as a result of the work environment. Watch for links that may be through sporting or family connections.

Trusted Aides

Someone who has the ability to surround themselves with people they select and trust, maybe recruiting people with whom they have worked before, show signs of having influence. Of course, the ones they pick to surround themselves with are natural Conduits.

One other often overlooked factor is that the most powerful people need powerful allies. They are very often “Trusted Aides” of even more powerful people above them. Look and see who your target individual mixes with and who might be a mentor for them. Find out who their friends are and who are their allies.

Respect

Some people have “Presence” and you can feel it when they walk in to a room. As they arrive the room will fall silent until they are settled. Then the conversation will be directed around what they want and the order they want it in. This is a natural response to someone who has a high degree of power or influence.

The ones who are most openly deferential may be the Conduits. They may also be sycophants with no value in the sales campaign whatsoever!

Authorship

The most powerful people in an organisation are the ones who create the culture by generating the templates by which others manage their work. They are the people who agree the Mission Statements, Operational Policies, and put in place the fundamental internal processes.

The people who conduct their lives and businesses by these maxims are the Conduits. The test for both is to see if they know these policies and statements without prompting. The Influencers will know because they helped create them. The Conduits will know because they use them every day in their business.

Network

Knowledge is power and powerful people know what is going on all the time. They do this by creating information networks that reach throughout the business and even outside of it. They have many people in a wide range of positions who they can talk to and who feed them information, often entirely separately from the formal channels of communication set up within the business. Other less influential people outside of this network may know what is going on and, although they might not like it, they may be powerless to stop it. Such communications can completely bypass the formal authority structure even though the powerful person will know that this type of networking can undermine other, less powerful, individuals’ positions in the management hierarchy.

Of course, the Conduits are the end nodes of this network and they collect information and pass it on. By doing so, they strengthen their own positions.

Definition of Value

What is value in any business is defined by people within the business. In a commercial sense it may be profits or it may be the ability to remain trading. In the Public Sector it may be the recognition of top performance or the lowest staff turnover. Whatever the metric is used by the organisation to measure itself and, therefore, dictate the direction the organisation will move in, the people who define these metrics are the most powerful and influential.

Interestingly, if anything goes wrong, it is the same group of influential people who can rewrite history so that they never had anything to do with the failure. If it all goes right, then the powerful people somehow manage to get a share of the credit, even if they had been against it, or not involved, in the beginning.

It is this ability to define value and the redefine it if necessary which is the mark of a powerful person. The Conduit will be willing to accept these definitions and will be in the forefront of perpetuating them.

Success

To have any influence on the organisation, the person with the influence must be perceived as having a track record of success. The more influence they have the greater this perception will be and the longer the claimed timescale of successful performance. After all, no one will take notice of a person who has a reputation for failure.

This success may only be perceived success and not real. However, if they truly have the ability to disassociate themselves with failure, this may also be a sign of political power?

Conduits must, themselves, have a reputation for success. If they do not, no really influential person will go near them.

Triangulation Questions

What is difficult to do, is to ask direct questions to any individual about the level of political power and influence they might have. Even if you do, the answers might not be entirely true. We have found that to get more representative answers to these types of questions a technique called “Triangulation” can be used.

We know that asking people about their own level of power and influence in their organisation is unlikely to give useful answers. However, asking a third party, who knows the individual, is more likely to give value, e.g. asking “How much influence does Fred have over the committee?” is more likely to produce the answer “None!” than asking Fred “How much influence do you have over the committee?” if Fred actually has none. To get the best idea, questions covering all of the STRANDS should be asked to several different people to get a cross check of how much influence a particular person actually has.

Conclusion

The STRANDS is not a mathematical diagnostic tool. However, it is very useful to allow a sales manager or sales team to take a view on who they should be targeting their sales messages at and, possibly, the content of the messages. Use it as one of the tools in your armoury; you will be surprised and delighted with the results!

Sales Training

Welcome to the air intake battle royale, where we force K&N Intakes and AEM Intakes to fight to the death…or at least until we have a clear winner holding the title of “Best intake for your auto.” At face value, there are some similarities between these two fighters—both pack incredible pipes with the testing and training an intake needs to be a champion. We suspect the subtle differences are where the fight will be won; expect neither to be knocked out but rather jabbed into a bloody, stumbling, slurred submission.

In the black, red and orange corner we have K&N, the taller, heavier, more established fighter of the two. Sure, they’ve been slugging it out with other contenders for more than 30 years, much like an aged and grizzled fighter like Evander Holyfield. But, unlike Holyfield, K&N is sharper than ever, still packs quite a wallop, has their ears intact, and nobody is begging them to quit for their own good. K&N’s advantage comes from not only being the undisputed champion intake, but also from being the brand that practically invented the sport.

AEM struts in as the challenger; a slimmer, faster, younger fighter sporting flashy red and yellow trunks. Buoyed by newer technology and plenty of support in the sport compact realm, AEM’s plan is to take the lumbering K&N with speed, quickness and quality punches. This challenger firmly believes they’re ushering in a new era of intake performance, design and maintenance.

The bell rings, and the two intake brands dance toward each other. They come together, and K&N lands a nice two-punch combination to the nose and jaw, thanks to their intake tubes. Their crosslink material tubes, available on the vaunted FIPK 57 Series and 63 Series Air Charger intakes, keep the incoming volumes of air much cooler than the metal tubes used with every AEM. Not to mention the price—crosslink plastic tubing helps a kit cost less. But, AEM relies on its smooth footwork to land a stinging gut shot, thanks to the dressy look of their pipes, which are slightly nicer in terms of engine compartment looks even when pitted against K&N’s 69 and 77 Series.

AEM also rallies to run K&N into the corner with Brute Force, their brawny truck and SUV intake that’s gaining street cred by the minute. But, K&N escapes damage by striking AEM with their 69 series—an unlikely point on the card for the veteran. Though AEM has the sport compact high ground, most of the 69 Series is able to be configured as a short ram intake or a cold air intake drawing from the wheel well. Then K&N drills AEM in the eye with filter technology, setting off suffocating swelling. K&N’s cotton-gauze with oil filtration system uses its time-tested formula and 1,000,000-mile warranty to land a big blow over AEM’s struggling bid to equal cotton-gauze performance with an oil-less filter.

Round and round they go, trading jabs and the occasional slug that re-engages the crowd to this clash of now-tiring titans. As the 12th and final round passes with many a fist thrown but few landed, the judges must go to the scorecard. Though AEM takes rounds judged on compact performance and looks under the hood, K&N wins the battle by decision with an extra 4hp on the dyno for the F-150 with a 5.4L V8, which happened to be the judges’ trucks. The cooler crosslink tube (which also costs less) helped put K&N over the top of AEM here, making it the current undisputed belt holder for intake performance. But, AEM will likely return soon with some new moves in its quest for the title.

When you need to pick a cold air intake vying for the title, go with a champion like the K&N Cold Air Intake, or a smart, up-and-coming contender like the AEM Cold Air Intake.

Janis was a success at business. Mid-career she rose to executive level at her company. She enjoyed balance at home with gardening and fitness. She had a good life, but something was missing—a heart-felt connection. Someone to share the daily ups and downs. Someone to experience life with. She followed these four steps to find her match. You can too.

Here are 4 surefire ways to attract a fulfilling relationship.

1. Know what you want.

What do you really want in a relationship? Type or write down the 10 most important qualities you want in a significant other. If you could attract your ideal partner, what characteristics and interests would he or she have? For example, Janis put, “great communication, fun and fitness” at the top of her list. You can include what you’d like this person to look like and also who he or she is on the inside. List physical attributes you prefer, personality styles you like and interests that match or contrast with your own. Then start to notice the people around you who possess the qualities you’re looking for.

2. Know what you don’t want.

OK, you know what you want. Now ask yourself: What don’t I want in a relationship? After your list of relationship wants, type or write down 10 things you don’t want. A former client of mine says it well: “My ex-husband was dynamic, attractive and very fun. He was also an alcoholic. I was still after the fun, attractive, and dynamic parts, just not the alcoholism. It was really crucial for me to identify what I didn’t want in a relationship. It made it a lot easier to find the wonderful man I’m with today.”

3. Change your mind.

What are your beliefs about relationships? Check out the thoughts that are floating around in your head—they will affect your ability to attract someone. The disempowering beliefs usually speak loudest. For example, Janis used to say to herself, “There are no available good men out there.” Could she find evidence in the world to support this? Yes. But she could also find evidence to support a different idea. So she changed her belief to “Exactly the right man is out there for me,” and continued to say this to herself. This helped her attract a great life partner whom she adores. Write down 3 of your own disempowering relationship beliefs. Then lock up your inner critic or cynic for 5 minutes, and come up with 3 new beliefs that inspire you.

4. Let your matchmakers know.

If you were looking for a new job, you’d tap into your network. Why should looking for a relationship be any different? Use the matchmakers in your life to help you find your new partner. Don’t be shy. Put your ego aside in the name of attracting your ideal mate. Another former client, Jim, did this through an eloquent e-mail. He listed his “wants” and “don’t wants” in a relationship and sent the list to people he thought would be good “recruiters.” He now enjoys a relationship with a local athletic mother of one – an instant family! As business owner Kathleen recently said, “If you truly want to be in a relationship, then all your actions will line up with that intention. In the past, I’ve asked friends if they knew anyone who might be a good fit for me.” Be clear with your friends on what you’re looking for. And thank them for sending potential partners your way.

Start the process of attracting a relationship today. Use these 4 steps to get you started. You’ll be glad you did.

Sue Brenner, Performance Coach and Author, wants you to get the most out of life and work. That’s why she wrote “The Naked Desk: Everything you need to strip away clutter, save time and get things done” - http://x.actionsymphony.com While you’re there, get her free eZine, “Ignite Your Life.”

Chances are you’ve seen the Saturday afternoon show geared toward squeezing every droplet of power out of a 50s or 60s classic. You know—the one hosted by two middle-aged guys, one with a toupee that may as well have “this is a toupee” painted on it. They spend the entire half-hour show with a bunch of time-lapsed shots taken of them tearing the engine apart to put in highly-specialized, insanely expensive parts. Once the project’s done, they fire-up the dyno and laud the 3hp gain they received for about 4 hours of total work. If you’re like me, that’s not exactly how you want to spend a weekend, all for 3hp that you may not even notice with your rear-o-meter.

Fortunately, you’re probably also driving a computer-controlled vehicle, like most of the ones sold for the last 25 years or so. That makes tuning much easier, because a set of programming determines the way your engine performs. Replace the programming with a set geared toward performance, and you have near-instant power gains. Don’t get me wrong—there’s a lot to be said for the virtues of a computer-free classic that you have full control over. But, when it comes to getting more power in just a few minutes time without ripping your hands to shreds or spending thousands on obscure parts, a computer-controlled vehicle has a distinct advantage.

How can you make these changes in minutes? With a power programmer or performance chip, like the ones made by Hypertech or Diablosport. These programmers are built to hold performance settings tested by experienced pros for your specific engine. All you have to do is plug it into the OBD-II port beneath your steering column. With simple yes or no commands, you can adjust how you want your engine to perform, upload the new programming, and you’re ready to rock with 25hp or more extra. The maximum time this will take to complete: just 10 minutes.

Many drivers who want the extra power are leery of this tuning method. “How can so much power be had so fast, when the TV pros spend hours to get few gains?” they ask. The answer is that automakers down-tune their cars for the masses. Engines are setup to work the same for you, the budding performance enthusiast, as they are for the elderly, who like to travel half the speed limit or through the occasional farmer’s market. You aren’t the average driver, and performance programmers aren’t average settings. It’s a perfect match for you; it’s not a perfect match for your mother.

Some drivers worry about warranty when they’re considering a performance programmer. Not only to the companies that make programmers take safety into account with their settings, they often give you ways to return to stock settings for service visits at the dealership. And, as with all performance mods, you’re protected by the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, a federal law that basically states that your vehicle’s warranty can’t be voided by mods unless the mods can be proven as the source of trouble. In other words, there’s no reason to wait—the true potential is waiting to be unlocked, and you can do it without breaking a sweat.

Maximize your ride with performance chips, available from time-tested brands like a Hypertech programmer and Diablosport.

Your network is more central to your business processes than ever before. You don’t need to be reminded that network outages and security lapses can be devastating. You need a technology partner that can help your business get the most out of its network and keep it up and running 24 x 7 x 365.

Microsoft no longer support Windows NT 4.0 and Exchange 5.5. Your server is down and your company is no longer receiving email. Where do you turn for microsoft support?

If you look on the web for a microsoft certified consultant you will see many companies looking to gain you as their next client. Here are a few things to look for when choosing such a company.

1. how many certified engineers do they have?
2. how many years have then been in business. Remember NT has been around a long time.
3. Have then give you their plan over the phone on how they will fix the problem.
4. talk to the engineer that they will be sending. have him or her explain the issue and fix to you.
5. talk with another company and see if the first’s company fix is valid.

In today’s world, just about every company needs to use computers for their business to succeed. While Enterprise-size companies (typically 250 or more computers) already have an IT department, they may have gaps in the IT expertises to implement new projects, solve technical issues, or simply are overburdened.

After you have fix the problem with NT then it is time to migration to Active Directory. Microsoft Windows Server Active Directory® service is an enterprise-class directory service that is scalable, built using Internet-standard technologies and delivered with Microsoft Windows 2003 Server. It is the central point for isolating, migrating, centrally managing and reducing the number of directories found in a network. Using it can simplify management, strengthen security and increase interoperability. Even though not every organization will immediately implement Active Directory services when deploying Windows 2003 Server, the solution does offer many advantages.

For more information contact Avidware at:
Microsoft Support Los Angeles

A Network Installation specialist is available in Los Angeles to address your needs.

Every year, millions of people face a dilemma: What to get mom for Mother’s Day. On one hand, there are virtually limitless ideas for Mother’s Day gifts; on the other hand, you want to give your mother a gift that speaks from your heart. In fact, you can have the best of both worlds by giving a Mother’s Day gift that she’ll love while adding a little extra that will show her you care. Here are five ways to give your Mother’s Day gift that special twist.

Wrapping

The thought you put into your gift presentation can convey an abundance of loving feelings. If, for example, you’re giving your mother a set of cookware, use an inexpensive tablecloth as wrapping paper. If you go with traditional wrapping paper, tie a couple of cooking spoons into the package’s ribbon. Think outside of the box by not using a box at all. If you’re giving your mom a set of gardening tools, for example, present them in a decorated watering can.

Add a Little Something Extra

Demonstrate the thoughtfulness behind your Mother’s Day gift by adding a little something extra. If you’re going to buy her an MP3 player, for example, download a dozen of her favorite tunes. When she opens her gift, she’ll already have a selection of songs she can listen to. If she loves imported Italian handbags, tuck in a gift certificate to her favorite Italian restaurant.

Set the Stage

Chances are, you and your siblings don’t all live in the same geographic area as your mother. Instead of waiting until the last minute, plan ahead to make your Mother’s Day gift extra special. For example, ask your brothers and sisters to chip in and buy your mother a new LCD HDTV. But instead of simply having it delivered, have all your siblings come into town and caravan over to your mom’s house and deliver it together. She’ll be as thrilled by your visit as she will be by her new television.

Personalize Your Gift

Personalizing your Mother’s Day gift will definitely let your mom know you care. If you choose to buy her a watch or other jewelry, have the jewelry engraved with the date. If you choose to give her luggage, have it monogrammed with her initials. If she loves animals, make a donation in her name to her local zoo. Most zoos and museums have donor programs that offer a free year’s membership. Many of them also have special displays that list donor’s names. Your mom will beam with pride when she sees her name displayed, knowing that she raised an altruistic child.

Choosing a Special Spot

Most moms will say that spending time with their children is the best Mother’s Day gift of all. If you have kids of your own or face a conflict between spending time with your mother and spending time with your mother-in-law on Mother’s Day, consider going somewhere with your mom on a day leading up to Mother’s Day. Take her on a picnic, visit a museum, or treat her to a meal at her favorite restaurant. While you’re there, give her the Mother’s Day gift you’ve selected.

Whether you select a Mother’s Day gift of cookware, electronics, jewelry, or fashion accessories, keep in mind that it’s the thought that counts. Spend some time considering the gifts your mother has given you - such as your values, your education, and her love and devotion - and be sure to express your appreciation.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web.
Learn more about Ideas for Mother’s Day Gifts or Majon’s Gifts and Collectibles directory.

No matter what generation you are from, if you’re a music lover, you remember certain events: those of the Baby Boomer’s generation remember where they were when Elvis died, those of Generation Jones remember where they were when John Lennon was shot, and those of the MTV Generation remember where they were when it came out that Milli Vanilli were fakes. Different generations tend to remember different things. But, there is one event - due partly to Don McLean’s tribute song - that transcends eras: if you love music, then you probably know about the day it died.

The Day the Music Died is the term often used to describe a plane crash that took place on February 3, 1959 in Iowa. One of the biggest musical tragedies in history, this crash killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper), and Roger Peterson, the pilot.

The events that led up to the crash were protocol in the music business. Holly, Valens, and Richardson, as well as their respective band members, were on “The Winter Dance Party” tour, a tour that was to stop in 24 Midwest cities in the span of three weeks. When they had an open date, their promoters called The Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa and booked a show. The Surf Ballroom, until that spur of the moment decision, was not a scheduled stop.

When Buddy Holly arrived at the ballroom, he suggested that he and his band mates charter a plane to an airport near Moorhead, Minnesota, the destination of their next performance. Holly, and many of the other musicians, were tired of riding in the tour bus. Not only was it crowded and confining, but it also suffered a broken heating system, causing all the band members discomfort and one band member to be taken to the hospital with frostbite.

The musicians found a plane they could charter and a pilot, Roger Peterson. The plane was a Beechcraft Bonanza, a single engine aircraft with three passenger seats. Holly and Waylon Jennings had two of the original seats but The Big Bopper, having grown ill, asked Jennings to give him his seat. Jennings obliged.

Tommy Allsup, Holly’s other band mate, procured the third seat but Ritchie Valens, having never flown in a small plane, asked Allsup if he could have it. Allsup agreed to a coin toss, whomever won the coin toss won the seat. Valens proved victorious, at least initially.

Dion DiMucci, the fourth act on the Winter Dance Party tour, was also offered a seat. He, however, refused, stating that the price was too high.

As for the crash itself, no one can say for sure what happened. A little after one in the morning on February 3, the plane left Mason City Municipal Airport. Peterson, at the controls, had planned to file a flight plan once he cleared the tower, but instead, he never called. Before take off was the last anyone ever heard from Peterson or the three musicians on board.

At nine a.m. that morning, Jerry Dwyer, the owner of the plane Peterson was piloting, boarded a plane to search for the missing Beechcraft Bonanza. This came after several unsuccessful attempts by Dwyer to reach Peterson.

After searching by air for only a few minutes, Dwyer spotted the plane’s wreckage in a cornfield below. The plane was found at a downward angle, sloped to the right. It was estimated to be traveling 170 miles an hour when it struck the ground, rolled 570 feet, and ended up balled against a wire fence. The pilot died inside while all three musicians were thrown from the aircraft. The medical examiner concluded that all four onboard died instantly from trauma to the head.

As investigators sought to piece together what happened, they concluded poor visibility brought on by bad weather conditions played a huge role in the crash. They also believed Peterson may not have been well versed in using flight instruments and may have been used to relying on his own vision. Investigators also believed he was not given an accurate account of the severity of the weather. Had he known how bad the conditions were, he may have never taken off.

When Buddy Holly’s .22 pistol was found in the cornfield a few months later, theories of foul play began to surface. However, no evidence ever supported these theories and the accident was ruled just that: an accident.

More devastating than the loss of musical talent was the loss of youth. At the times of their deaths The Big Bopper was 28, Buddy Holly was 22, Roger Peterson was 21, and Ritchie Valens was 17.

In memory of The Day the Music Died, Ken Paquette, a music lover from Wisconsin, built a monument of stainless steel. The monument contains a steel guitar, and three records. It bears the names of the three musicians who perished as well as the pilot’s. It is located near the sight of the crash.

A similar monument was unveiled on July 17, 2003 outside the Riverside Ballroom in Wisconsin. The River Side Ballroom was where Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper played on February 1, 1959, roughly thirty hours before the world of music changed forever.

Jennifer Jordan is a senior editor for http://iturbocharge.com. Possessing an infatuation with pop culture – and a gift for stalking – she keeps up on the latest news of the musical world.

In order for everyone to understand where I’m coming from on this issue, I’ll need to delve into the storied history between the US and France. Back in 1914, World War I landed smack dab in the center of Europe, and France bit off a little more than she could chew. Turns out, for all their gusto, those cheese-eating generals couldn’t tell the difference between an Ottoman and a couch. So guess what happened? In came the American cavalry and saved their derrieres. Fast forward to 1939, and another major conflict erupted in the heart of Europe. Basically, it was the same players, same terrain, and same outcome. France got booted out of their own country, and the US had to come over and clean up the mess, again. Why do I bring this up? Simple. We’ve saved that ungrateful country so many times that they have no right to question our international doings. Our Greatest Generation didn’t die face down on the beaches of Normandy 60 years ago for France’s freedom to ignore our every command, no matter how absurd or wimsical.

So me and the rest of the boys down at our local Elk’s Lodge decided to take action. We started listening to this political wonk out of Levittown by the name of O’Reilly. According to his logic, the best way to fight back would be with our pocketbooks. He told us to stop buying French imports, and that’s exactly what we did. Wine? Only from California. Cheese? Better be from Wisconsin. Heartburn medicine? No Nexium for me, thank you very much.

Now, to be perfectly honest, it’s been a struggle. I haven’t had a decent flute of Champaign in nearly 2 years. And don’t even get me started on foie gras. I’m about one lackluster round of hors d’oeuvres away from force-feeding my own goose for even a single cracker’s worth of that pate. But I think all our sacrifice is really paying off because old Jacques up in the Elysee Palace is running away from reelection with his tail between his legs. That one goes out to the Gipper.

Unfortunately, this major victory is really going to the heads of some of the more power hungry boys in our Lodge. They want to expand the boycott to anything that even sounds remotely French. I can understand nixing baguettes from the grocery list and steering clear of cherries jubilee at restaurants. But I need my hair palmade. And after doing some online research, I learned that I really need a tonneau cover.

You see, I have to drive my truck for work, and the cost of gas keeps skyrocketing. I was nosing around on Google to see if I could find something to improve my fuel economy, and that’s when I stumbled across some articles about tonneau covers. Basically, they cover up your pickup’s box, which stops wind turbulence and cuts your drag. Long story short, you can save some serious dough at the pump with one of these. And there are a ton of companies all competing with each other, so the quality is top notch. I was giving serious consideration to Truxedo and Extang, but I finally went with a Pace Edwards retractable tonneau. I still catch hell down at the Lodge, but I don’t care. The cover was made in the USA, and I’m not going to hold it against the company that these miracle truck accessories sound like they came from Nice. C’est la vie.

After researching, the Undercover Tonneau, Extang, and Pace Edwards tonneaus impressed me the most.

When we think of airports, most of us don’t think of crime: an airline terminal is the last place a robber with panty hose pulled over his head would be found. We think of airports as one of the most crime-free areas around: just to get near a plane, everyone is screened by trained security. However, the truth is security is concerned with stopping catastrophic crime - a hijacked plane, for instance - and too busy to deal with the everyday activities of a petty thief.

The petty thief knows this, feeding on airport terminals, places where pandemonium keeps people from being overly vigilant with their belongings. The person distracted or disarrayed, worried about making a flight or finding their gate, can easily become the thief’s target. However, there are things you can do to assure you and your luggage or your purse don’t make an unwanted departure.

Don’t Set Your Luggage Down: This day and age, an abandoned Samsonite is not allowed: travelers are reminded to keep their baggage with them. While most travelers do this, it’s quite easy to set your luggage down just a few feet away. If you’re in a bathroom stall, you may find yourself setting your luggage down near the door, a place where a passerby could reach down and grab it before you’re even done flushing. If you’re making a call at a pay phone, your luggage may rest at your feet, somewhere it could easily be picked up. If you’re in an airport coffee shop, you may leave your luggage at your table while you go retrieve more cream and sugar. All of these instances may seem convenient, but they give thieves the prime opportunity to take the luggage and run. The way to prevent this is to simply keep your luggage in your arms or in your lap at all times: don’t set it down, not even for a second.

Be Wary of People asking for Help: Thieves often work in pairs: one person distracts you while the other steals your things. Sometimes the distraction happens when a person approaches you and asks for help. Perhaps they need directions to the restroom or perhaps they want to know where the airport bar is located. While you - the good Samaritan - direct them, their accomplice comes up from behind and takes anything you aren’t watching: your purse, your luggage, your lap top computer. The airport is so full of people who work there - people in uniforms - that there is really no reason anyone should ask you for help when they can more easily ask an airport employee. This doesn’t mean you should flat out refuse to help anyone who asks, but only help someone when you feel comfortable…and have a firm grasp on all of your belongings.

Be Smart with Luggage Tags: The luggage tag is a way for the rightful owner of a suitcase to prove it’s theirs. But, if you think about it, it serves an entirely different purpose for a thief: it’s a rolling advertisement that you are going out of town and that your house may possibly be unoccupied. For this reason, it’s wise not to put your home address on your luggage tag. Many people chose to put their office address instead: it’s better for a thief to steal your two ply computer paper than your two carrot diamond necklace. No matter what address you use, it’s also wise to put a luggage tag inside your suitcase - somewhere only you know where it is - as well as outside. The tags on the outside can easily be ripped off and replaced with tags bearing the name of someone else: proof of ownership inside the suitcase may be the only way to get your belongings back.

Crime in airports may not be as frequent as crime in say a dark and desolate alley, but it still occurs. From pickpockets to luggage takers, thieves have a keen sense of knowing who won’t notice their belongings missing until it’s too late. Being cautious - even overly cautious - may be all it takes to make sure you don’t become a victim: the price of airport sodas and bottled water is all the getting ripped off you need.

Jennifer Jordan is a senior editor for http://turbocellcharge.com. A professional business traveler, she aims to make business trips feel less like work. She also has a healthy collection of hotel shampoos….and a shower cap or two.

The Bird’s Nest Spruce is one of the most common dwarf evergreen
shrubs. It is a member of the Norway Spruce (Picea abies)
family; its Latin name is ‘Nidiformis’. This attractive,
low-growing shrub gets its name from a depression in the center
that makes it look like a bird’s nest.

A versatile shrub, it is perfect for mixed borders, group
planting, rock gardens, and container gardening. It is well
suited for transplanting because of its shallow root system.

The Bird’s Nest Spruce is very low maintenance because it grows
so slowly. At 10 years of age you can expect the shrub to be 1′
tall and 2′ wide. You can, however, prune new growth to give the
shrub a desired shape, even to resemble a bonsai plant.

This hearty shrub is dark green in color, but in the spring new
growth will appear light yellow-green. By late spring the
branches are a uniform green.

Grown in a variety of soil conditions, this shrub will thrive as
long as there is adequate drainage. It prefers full sun with
afternoon shade. You can apply low-nitrogen evergreen fertilizer
in late fall or early spring for optimal growth, however, the
shrub does not require regular fertilization.

The most common pests that may bother this shrub are spider
mites. Low populations of spider mites can be controlled simply
by regularly spraying your shrub with the garden hose. Heavier
infestations will require a pesticide.

Best grown in zones three through eight, the Bird’s Nest Spruce
will eventually achieve a height of 3′ and a width of 2-3′.
Plants should be spaced 4-6′ apart. Water needs are minimal,
this shrub can survive even in drought conditions.

Photo of Bird’s Nest Spruce:
http://www.garden-diva.com/birds-nest-spruce.shtml

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What’s for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For more gardening, recipes, organizing tips, home decorating, crafts, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com.