Business

Fatal flaws in your business plan

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A business plan is the blueprint that guides aspiring entrepreneurs as they build their new business ventures. From 2008 to 2010, I taught a 20-week business plan writing course at an SBA-affiliated women’s business development organization. We met for three hours each week and the students wrote their plans week by week, guided by the lessons.

When evaluating a business concept, unrealistic expectations or faulty thinking could creep in and undermine planning. Enthusiasm for the idea can distort one’s ability to see possible obstacles. What follows are scenarios for budding entrepreneurs to consider.

unrealistic expectations

While it’s true that using yourself as the ideal customer is sometimes a good idea, given that you understand the value and availability of that product or service, you could misunderstand the size of the market and the traction that can be achieved beyond that. a select group of true believers.

Insufficient information

Confirm the need for your products or services when you do your research and check how many potential customers have the money and are motivated to buy from you.

Also, make sure you understand the buying process. Who gives the green light to the sale? What is the sweet spot price range? Lastly, where do potential customers get these products or services now?

Access to clients

Access to customers is everything and some target industries or customers seem impenetrable. You can identify the right customers, understand how your products or services fit their needs, and know how to price and deliver them. But if potential clients don’t have the confidence to work with you because you lack the backing of a trusted source, you’re going to starve.

Overestimate cash flow

Typically, businesses will not achieve desirable gross sales or show a net profit in the first year of operations. Companies that require high start-up costs, in particular, will require long start-up periods. The business plan must recognize the potential for negative cash flow and demonstrate how fixed and variable expenses will be covered during that time. You need to know how inventory will be financed, payroll covered, and office rent paid.

When writing your business plan, conservative financial projections are strongly recommended. Customer acquisition may take longer than expected and the size of your purchases may initially be small. In addition, it is possible for a business to be profitable on paper and still suffer from cash flow problems, if customers do not pay on time.

Underestimate start-up costs

Developing a reasonable estimate of how much it will cost to start the business is essential. You must be prepared to cover the cost of all permits, equipment, inventory, and personnel necessary to conduct business. If you plan to hire employees, it’s important to have a good idea of ​​your minimum staffing needs from the start (you can hire more as income increases).

Magical thinking business model

The business model illustrates how your company will become profitable. Well-thought-out interactions between marketing, financial, and operations processes will promote and sustain profitability, and you need to plan for how they will occur. The business model describes the core functions of the company.

Likewise, the value proposition of your products or services must be articulated. The overall marketing strategy and the selected tactics and resources that will promote the value proposition (intellectual property, patent rights, key relationships or capital) will be taken into account. Sales distribution channels will be detailed.

Get to plan B (2009), by Randy Komisar and John Mullins, details the key components of the business model and advises business plan writers to segment their models into subheadings:

  • The revenue model, to describe what you will sell, your marketing plans, and how you expect to generate revenue
  • The operating model, to detail where you will do business and how day-to-day operations will work
  • The working capital model, that is, the cash flow requirements of the business. Understanding cash flow helps you know when money will be available to cover expenses like rent and payroll (it’s different from income). A company can generate adequate income (sales) and still suffer from cash flow problems.

Your business model will keep you organized and your priorities realistic. Issues like quality control, accounts receivable collection, inventory management, and identifying strategic partners will mean much more than your number of Facebook followers, for example. Best of luck to you and your new business!

Thank you for reading,

kim

Home Kitchen

How to Adjust Cabinet Doors That Won’t Close

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From time to time we have been faced with the challenge of trying to adjust a customer’s kitchen or bathroom cabinet doors that won’t close. There are many reasons for this. Perhaps I can address your particular situation and offer a solution to the problem.

Independent units
If you are working with a “freestanding” cabinet that is not attached to the wall, your problem could be that the cabinet is out of alignment. Push the top left or right side of the drive and see if it helps the situation. If so, you will need to shim under the bottom of one corner of the cabinet. This is going to be a trial and error process to place the drive correctly. If it is placed on a carpet, the culprit may be the tack strip that is installed right next to the wall.

The door closes but a corner protrudes
This particular situation usually involves the top or bottom hinge being adjusted too far in or out. If it is the top corner of the door that sticks out, then either the top hinge should be adjusted toward the face of the cabinet or the bottom hinge should be set away from the face of the cabinet.

The entire edge of the door protrudes from the one next to it
Another possible situation could be that when the cabinet door is closed it has a tendency to reopen slightly along the entire edge of the door. If this is the case, you may need to adjust both hinges toward you, away from the front of the cabinet. What happens is that the inside of the door sticks to the face of the cabinet and does not allow it to close completely.

Antique wooden cabinet doors
Many of the older style wood door kitchen cabinets were designed to have magnetic latches installed to keep the doors closed. Look to see if you have them in any of the interior areas of your cabinets. The door that won’t stay closed may need a new latch or slightly adjust the existing one.

Do you hear a clicking noise?
Sometimes there is a piece of plastic that eventually itches on the inside parts of the hinges. This problem occurs on several different hinge styles. There are European concealed hinges that do this and externally mounted decorative hinges. The only way to fix the problem properly is to install new hinges. An alternative would be to install a magnetic latch. Obviously this would not remove the clicking sound.

A couple of years ago, the Blum company had a faulty part that would go bad on their concealed European hinges after about five to ten years of use. It was noticeable by the click that was made every time the door was opened or closed. The doors would also often be very difficult to close or open. Fortunately for many homeowners, hinges come with a lifetime warranty. The company has since corrected the problem.

Something inside the cabinet sticks out
Believe it or not, sometimes there’s a plate that’s a little too deep for the cabinet and the door hits it.

A limited number of tools are usually needed to fit cabinet doors. All that is needed is a Phillips or flathead screwdriver. In the event that you need to install magnetic fasteners, an electric or cordless drill will make the task easier. If it’s a set of hinges that click, you’ll definitely need to have a power drill handy.

Auto

First Automobile Works (FAW) – China’s Aggressive Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Manufacturer – Part 2

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This is Part 2 of a two-part series. In Part 1 we look at the history of First Automobile Works (FAW) and its collaboration with Toyota. In this Part article, we will discuss FAW’s recent progress in bringing hybrid nozzles to market.

China FAW Group Corporation is currently considered the number one automobile manufacturer in China, and is also one of the oldest in the industry, dating back to 1953. FAW Group, or more commonly known simply as FAW, has a broad product base , from passenger cars, mini (utility) vehicles, sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and vans, to commercial trucks, buses and coaches.

Hybrid coach CA6100SH8

Since the early 1990s, many global bus chassis manufacturers have followed FAW’s lead by investing heavily in research and development of a commercially viable hybrid drive bus platform. With a strong code of environmental responsibility, FAW prioritized the development of new cutting-edge hybrid bus chassis in early 2002 that could reduce vehicle emissions and increase fuel economy.

Foreseeing the potential of new FAW technology, the project received full support from China’s central government, which has taken an aggressive stance within the current 5-year national development plan to reduce both emissions and fuel consumption worldwide. country. Through the joint efforts of the FAW Group Research and Development Center and FAW Bus & Coach Company, the Wuxi Division of FAW Bus & Coach completed two hybrid bus prototypes on December 10, 2005.

The factory is now ready to start mass production of the new hybrid municipal transit bus CA6100SH8, designed for today’s increasingly popular BRT (bus rapid transit) systems and traditional downtown public transport. This revolutionary new model with 10 patents patented offers a 38% increase in fuel economy and a 30% reduction in emissions, compared to traditional buses. With a Euro 3 emissions rating, the new 80kW parallel hybrid powertrain is scheduled to achieve Euro 4 certification by the end of 2006.

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, twenty of these CA6100SH8 hybrid buses, called hybrid “city buses”, successfully completed field tests on actual passenger routes within the Olympic sector. The “City Bus” hybrid buses employed Enova System_s pre-transmission hybrid powertrains and “exceeded all expectations,” according to Liu Minghue, executive director of engineering for FAW’s hybrid-electric transit bus trial.

Jiefang CA6120URH Hybrid Bus

This month, Enova confirmed that it has delivered the first seventy (70) pre-transmission hybrid powertrains to First Auto Works. FAW has ordered an additional one hundred and fifty (150) hybrid powertrains for delivery in 2009. The Enova powertrain will be integrated and branded on FAW buses under the hybrid name Jiefang CA6120URH. Jiefang’s 12-meter (40-foot) low-floor hybrid bus can carry 103 passengers and travel at a maximum speed of 85 kilometers per hour (km/h) or 53 miles per hour (mph). The bus meets Euro III emission standards. It will consume just 30 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers (equivalent to 7.84 miles per gallon) and discharge 20 percent fewer emissions.

According to a report by busesline.com, the Dalian municipal government has ordered 150 of the Jiefang hybrid buses. Fifty of them will be operating in the city during the Davos summer event, which is the Annual Meeting of New Champions 2009, held by the World Economic Forum from September 10 to 12, 2009. In October, another 100 Jiefang hybrid buses will enter in use in the city of Changchun, capital of northeast China’s Jilin Province.

Inauguration of the new hybrid bus plant in Dalian

To keep up with China’s central government’s goal of 500,000 electric and hybrid vehicles in the coming years, FAW Group Corporation held a ground-breaking ceremony for its new energy bus plant in the Dalian Economic and Technological Development Zone. on June 5. Attendees at the ceremony included officials from Dalian City, Chairman Xu Jianyi of FAW Group, and Vice Chairman Qin Huanming of FAW Group.

The construction of the new production base of the new energy vehicle is one of the important parts of the development plan of FAW Group. The construction of the new plant is scheduled to be completed in July 2010. The annual production capacity of the plant is expected to reach 3,000 units, including 1,500 hybrid buses, before the year 2013.

Relationship

How globalization affects the foreign policy of countries

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In this short article I will discuss the multifaceted issue of globalization. I will discuss how increased trade, investment in foreign entities, and immigration have led to stronger globalization. This increased globalization leads to a lesser tendency for political entities to launch their countries into war. This creates a more stable global economy, where countries are interdependent on each other for their goods and money.

The definition of globalization, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary is; the development of an increasingly integrated global economy, marked especially by free trade, the free flow of capital and the exploitation of cheaper foreign labor markets. Basically, the three main entities that contribute to globalization are the free flow of goods, money, and labor. This definition does a good job of identifying what globalization is, but not how it affects our global society.

Today our global society is so used to the benefits of Globalization, so much so, that countries now depend on these benefits. Countries depend on their trade with other countries, they depend on the labor they use from other countries, and they depend on the ability to have cash inflows/outflows to/from foreign countries. Now ask yourself: how could this affect the foreign affairs policy of a country? This interdependence will drive countries away from conflict. Why is this? Due to countries that were interdependent on each other going to war, what would happen to these aforementioned benefits? They would lose the free flow of goods, labor and capital to which they have become so accustomed, which in turn would hurt both participating countries. The only way for a modern country to achieve maximum growth is through these aspects of globalization.

Another aspect to consider are multinational intergovernmental organizations such as the World Bank, the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization. These organizations provide great benefit to almost every country that covers our planet. It provides stronger economies, in stable currency terms, and provides a continuous flow of goods and capital. Countries do not want to start wars because the conflict would make these organizations fight, not only for them but for all the countries involved, especially if the countries at war are economic powers like the United States and Russia.

This brings me to my next point: When powerful countries engage in trade with third world countries that have smaller economies, these powerful countries effectively act as a “ceiling” for their partner country. This roof houses trade, immigration, and investment, and offers protection in its partner country. When the US is involved in the trade of goods with another company, it will go to great lengths to ensure that its partner country’s factories are free from threats such as mafias and any other illegal activity that could hinder the production of goods that the US wants. the United States wants to acquire. The US acting as this roof, it also protects its third world partners from invasion, because if a country were to invade the US trading partner, this would negatively affect not only its economy, but also that of other countries. The US also promotes immigration, because with the free flow of capital and goods, people will come too. Capital and assets will increase the opportunities available for immigrants to move and will also make it easier for them.

Another advantage of the increase in globalization is the increase in social awareness and well-being of workers. Countries, when they have their hands in other countries due to trade, are pressured to have equal levels of job security and regulations. This happens because the fairness of trade depends on all parties involved having the same level of regulations, safety requirements, and environmental safety precautions. This will ensure that no country is disadvantaged due to a lack of environmental awareness or safety precautions for their workers. An example of this is the trade war that the United States implemented against China due to the lack of acceptable working conditions for its people.

As we can see from the above paragraphs, there are almost unlimited reasons to be in favor of globalization and to increase globalization in countries. Globalization affects the global stage by changing the mentality of individual countries from a nationalistic territorial society to a one-sided interdependent global society. This allows for a weaker focus on individual economies and rights and a heightened awareness of world events and global development.

Health Fitness

Exercise bikes vs. Treadmills

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You’ve decided you want to exercise at home. There are hundreds of home cardio equipment available. The most popular are treadmills and stationary bikes. When deciding between the two, you need to compare long-term sustainability, training efficacy, and safety.

overcoming boredom

The biggest obstacle to a home exercise routine is sticking to it. You don’t have to drive to a gym, so your home exercise equipment is more convenient. The problem is that other distractions are just as convenient at home. The key is to make your routine fun. You want to look forward to your daily workout. You have to be realistic. Playing with the heart rate monitor or watching the calorie counter go up will only be fun the first few times you exercise.

o Treadmill vs. boredom

On a treadmill, you walk. Walking is not so much fun. You can walk at different speeds, but that’s not much more fun. If you get a treadmill that offers an incline, that keeps it a bit more interesting. Walking uphill isn’t exactly fun, but it’s different. Present a challenge.

You can’t really read on a treadmill because you’re bouncing up and down. You can’t keep your eyes on the same sentence and you usually end up with a headache. Basically the only fun thing to do on a treadmill is watch TV or movies. If you really like TV or movies and can put your treadmill in front of a TV, you can probably keep your treadmill workout from getting too boring. The problems consist of commercials, noise coming from the machine, and again, bouncing.

o Exercise bikes vs. boredom

Stationary bikes are unique in that many of them come programmed with various cycling routines. You simulate different courses that require you to run, ride uphill and perform at different levels within a workout without having to keep pushing buttons and changing everything. You can even select random shows so you don’t know what’s coming, which really keeps you on your toes. Some stationary bikes can even be connected to televisions and video games to allow you to interactively pedal through visual tours.

On upright exercise bikes, you run into some of the same issues as treadmills when it comes to reading. Recumbent bikes, however, allow you to keep your hands free to hold a book or magazine, a video game controller, or a phone. Multitasking during a stationary bike workout keeps it from getting boring and allows your workout to fit more easily into a busy schedule.

Beating boredom to successfully maintain a long-term exercise routine is much easier on a stationary bike than on a treadmill.

The caloric factor

In a study conducted by Nordic Track, young, healthy people used various exercise machines and performed cardio exercises. Although they felt they used the same intensity on all machines, they burned the most calories on treadmills and ski machines.

On average, most people burn about 750 calories per hour on a treadmill. The same people are likely to burn around 550 calories per hour on a stationary bike. So it’s a no-brainer, right? You should get a treadmill because they burn more calories.

Well not exactly. He can’t get so caught up in which machine burns more calories. Many other factors must be taken into account. How likely are you to maintain a treadmill routine versus a stationary bike routine?

Because stationary bikes are often more fun than treadmills, you’re much more likely to stick with them long-term. This means that while you may burn more calories on a treadmill, you’re also more likely to stop using it altogether.

You may also find it difficult to use it long enough per training session to reap the full benefits. Most people find it easier to exercise for 20 minutes on a stationary bike than 20 minutes on a treadmill. You have to think about that. If you’ll likely only do 10 minutes on a treadmill but can easily do 20 minutes on a stationary bike, you’ll burn more calories per session on a stationary bike.

So going strictly by the numbers, treadmills burn more calories. If you get bored easily or have tried and failed to stick to exercise routines in the past, you may want to consider burning fewer calories per hour in favor of a sustainable long-term stationary cycling regimen.

your security

The biggest difference between stationary bikes and treadmills is the overall safety for your body.

The first security case is the most basic. You can fall off a treadmill. However, it is very difficult to fall off a stationary bike. In fact, you should probably try to fall while riding a stationary bike. While you might be thinking that you’d have to be pretty clumsy to fall while walking, it happens more than you think. People get involved watching television or to the rhythm of music. One false step and you can seriously insult yourself. It is also possible to spill water or sweat on the treadmill track, which can cause a safety hazard that you may not notice until after you slip.

Another safety hazard is injury from the activity itself. A treadmill puts some stress on your joints, especially your knees and ankles. Even if she invests in a treadmill with some degree of shock absorption, when she finally gets to a jogging or running point, she can put severe orthopedic stress on her body, even up to three times her body weight. People with existing conditions, such as arthritis, will sometimes find a treadmill painful due to this stress. Otherwise, healthy people can suffer injuries and possible long-term damage over time.

Stationary bikes put much less stress on the joints. A properly positioned exercise bike supports your weight and still allows you to receive the benefits of a higher-impact cardio workout. Upright bikes can sometimes stress your back because of the way you have to bend down to reach the handlebars. However, recumbent exercise bikes can improve existing back pain by forcing proper posture and providing support while you exercise. On any exercise bike used correctly, the knees and ankles do not experience the same stress as on a treadmill.

The less you stress your joints, the less likely you are to sustain an injury during training. You’re also less likely to feel pain afterward. Most importantly, a non-exercise-related injury doesn’t always have to interrupt your exercise routine on a stationary bike. If you do injure your back or neck, you’ll find that the support of a recumbent exercise bike will keep you from having to completely stop your exercise regimen. Let’s face it: if you have to stop, you’re less likely to start again.

An exercise bike is better for your health than a treadmill

As you can see, both home gym equipment has advantages. While the treadmill remains the most popular piece of home fitness equipment, most people are more likely to faithfully use an exercise bike. This means that you are more likely to have to dust off a treadmill until you get the garage sale decal.

Legal Law

Navigating Troubled Waters – Divorce Process & Strategy – From Filing to Trial!

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This is the second part of a two-part series on the Rhode Island divorce process, including divorce strategy. The first part deals with the initial stages of a divorce, from finding a Rhode Island attorney to filing for divorce. See below for a link to the first part of this series.

This article discusses divorce strategy and the divorce process after filing for divorce. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It is a very bad idea for a person to represent themselves in a Rhode Island divorce without an attorney.

Nominal or contested track

When a divorce is filed in Rhode Island, the case is placed in one of two tracks, the contested track or the nominal track. The Petitioner in her initial filing for divorce designates the path she desires. The vast majority of divorces filed in Rhode Island are placed on the nominal divorce track. A designation on the “nominal track” does not necessarily mean that the divorce will not be contested. It usually means that the party who filed the lawsuit believes the case can be resolved relatively quickly or wants the divorce resolved relatively quickly.

Response to divorce petition

The respondent must file an answer to the divorce within 20 days of service and absolutely no later than the nominal court date or any motion date. If the defendant does not contest the case, he is subject to default. A default is when the defendant fails to respond to the case in a timely manner and the Plaintiff will generally obtain all of the relief requested by the Plaintiff.

nominal divorce

If the case is placed on nominal track, then the clerk will automatically schedule a nominal divorce hearing when the Petitioner files for divorce. Generally, this hearing will be scheduled 65-70 days after the Plaintiff appears. In the event that the divorce is not resolved by the nominal date of divorce, the case will automatically switch to the contested track.

If the matter is not resolved before the nominal court date and both parties want to try to resolve the remaining issues in court and believe it is possible to resolve the remaining issues, then the parties may try to resolve the case in the hallway or on the conference rooms. in court and file the case as a nominal uncontested divorce on that date.

If the defendant has not filed an answer, it is dangerous for the defendant not to appear in court on the nominal trial date based on representations made by the other party.

There have been many times where one spouse has assured the other party that there is no need to appear in court and no answer is required and the defendant defaults and the other spouse gets 100 percent of the estate. of marriage.

On the nominal divorce hearing date, at the call of the calendar, the case will be nominally ready or the parties will ask the judge to stop the case so they can try to resolve the remaining issues. If the parties are unable to resolve the remaining issues, they will inform the court clerk or judge that the case cannot be resolved and the case track will be changed to the contested divorce track. If the case is changed, there will be no hearing on that date and the court will notify the parties of the next pre-trial conference date.

If the parties ask the clerk to put the matter on hold, they will usually get a considerable amount of time to negotiate the remaining issues in the aisle. In resolving all remaining family law issues, which may include property division issues, child support, child custody, child visitation, alimony, contempt issues, restraining order issues, etc., the clerk should be informed that the case is now nominally ready. At that time, the clerk and judge will place you back on the list of cases ready for nominal hearing.

Pursuant to Rhode Island General Law, a divorce cannot be resolved without a nominal divorce hearing. At the nominal divorce hearing, certain testimony must be obtained in order for the divorce to be granted. In some circumstances, it is necessary to have witnesses to testify briefly. If you do not have the required witness, your case could be delayed or even dismissed and you could waste your time going to court.

Most Rhode Island divorce and family law attorneys have conducted these nominal hearings hundreds of times. It is a very bad idea for a person to represent themselves in a divorce! As the old adage goes, a person who represents himself has a fool for a lawyer. Since everything you’ve worked so hard for is at stake, it’s foolish to go through the Rhode Island divorce process without a Rhode Island divorce and family law attorney.

If the case was originally placed on the contested follow-up schedule, then the clerk did not schedule any automatic nominal court date. If the case is resolved later, the parties may ask the clerk for permission to attend a nominal divorce hearing on a certain date. Otherwise, the parties can wait for a motion date or pre-trial date to hold the nominal divorce hearing.

Discovery in RI Divorce

After filing for divorce, the plaintiff and/or defendant may, at their option, proceed with “discovery.” Discovery in general is the process by which the parties obtain information or admissions from the other party. Discovery is more important and perhaps crucial in a case where one spouse is unaware of the nature and extent of marital assets and property. Discovery can also be helpful in obtaining documents or other tangible evidence needed for a settlement or trial.

The Rhode Island discovery process can also be used to obtain admission of certain allegations. While it is unethical and perhaps immoral for a person to lie about cheating or an affair to their spouse, it is not illegal or criminal for a person to lie about their spouse about an affair. If a person lies under oath, either in testimony or in a written document under oath, he may be committing the crime of perjury.

Additionally, if a judge believes a party is lying under oath, they could impose severe penalties and fines, including a referral to the attorney general for prosecution. In reality, however, most lying incidents in family court are not prosecuted as crimes. Many attorneys use the request for admissions or interrogatories to compel the other party to testify under oath whether or not they had an affair and the extent and details related to the extramarital affair, cheating, or infidelity.

There are several discovery mechanisms that can be used: interrogatories, request for production of documents, request for admission, declarations, summons duces tecum, subpoenas, etc.

interrogations

Interrogatories are written questions that one party can send to the other party. Each side is allowed up to 32 interrogations. Interrogatories can be helpful in obtaining lists of assets, allegations your spouse will make, or other useful information. This requested information can range from child support to spousal infidelity and may include: child custody issues, child visitation, drug and alcohol abuse, gambling addiction, alimony, health insurance issues, real estate, estate planning and trust issues, personal injury claims, domestic violence/restraining orders, criminal records, asset valuation, mental health history, and any Rhode Island family law issues.

Intergaoties must be answered within the time frame established by the Rhode Island Rules of the National Courts. Interrogatories are usually partially written and are also reviewed by your husband’s or wife’s attorney. Therefore, while it is a valuable tool, there are some limitations to the usefulness of the information received.

Admissions Application

Admission applications, when used properly, can be a powerful discovery tool in an RI divorce. Applications for admission are written requests that are usually prepared by the lawyer, to which the other party must respond within a short period of time. If the party does not respond to the request for admission within the corresponding period, the allegation will be deemed admitted.

bowel movements

A deposition is when a party, usually through their attorney, can question their spouse under oath in front of a court reporter. In Rhode Island Family Court, a party must obtain permission from the court/court permission in order to take a deposition. Motions to take a statement from the other party are almost always granted by Family Court judges. Depositions are powerful but expensive discovery tools. A deposition is usually effective because the attorney can personally ask the other party questions. The attorney may ask follow-up questions and may ask questions in a variety of ways. This is particularly effective if one party is evasive or uncommunicative. There is very little the other attorney can do to help their clients answer questions during a deposition.

Depositions are very expensive because the transcript from court reporters can cost several hundred dollars. Also, the attorney doing the deposition may need several hours to prepare for the deposition. Additionally, both attorneys will need to attend the deposition, which could take several hours. Affidavits are often a better way to obtain information on sensitive topics than interrogations.

Document Production Request

The Document Production Request is a list of requested documents that must be responded to within the applicable time period. I find this discovery tool to be particularly successful in obtaining documents and records related to: pension plan documents, 401k records, bills, employment documents, retirement documents, health insurance records, stock accounts, retirement documents, etc. estate planning, bank statements, real estate documents, etc. .

Citation

A Duces Tecum Subpoena can be very effective in obtaining documents from third parties, such as bank records, stock records, employment and salary records, and other documents.

Part three of this soon to be published three-part series addresses preparing for a divorce trial, the actual divorce trial, and entering the doomsday.

Pets

How to stop a dachshund from chewing

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The first is the first; Chewing is a natural behavior for Dachshunds, especially puppies. Dachshund chewing is not something you can stop, all you can do is redirect the chewing towards an acceptable item by providing enough interesting toys and activities so your Dachshund doesn’t want to destroy your things.

Should you stop chewing your Dachshund puppy?

When a Dachshund is a puppy, he looks cute and doesn’t really do much harm by chewing. A lot of people think this is cool, or even funny, but it’s not. Left untreated, your Dachshund puppy will grow up thinking it’s okay to chew on whatever he wants, causing hundreds, even thousands of dollars in damage to your expensive furniture, flooring, and shoes. He should stop chewing on his Dachshund when he is a puppy by showing him that chewing on his possessions is not okay, but there are many toys that are acceptable to chew on.

How to Stop Your Dachshund From Chewing

Once you’ve made the decision to stop chewing your Dachshund, you have a few options available to you, all of which involve positive training techniques. Never punish your Dachshund by yelling at him or hitting him. They don’t understand what they did wrong and may react by becoming aggressive with you.

Box training. If your problem is that Dachshund chews when you are out of the house, then you may want to consider crate training your Dachshund. Dachshunds see boxes as their den, a place where they feel comfortable and protected. If properly boxed, your Dachshund will be safe and secure while you are away, as will your possessions.

Modifying Behavior. You can’t stop your Dachshund from chewing, so train him to chew on dog toys. When you see your Dachshund going to chew on something he shouldn’t or you catch him chewing, quietly tell him to stop, remove the unapproved item and give him one of your dog toys. As soon as he starts chewing on his toy, give him plenty of praise. Your Dachshund will quickly learn what it can and cannot chew.

Keep your Dachshund busy. The key here is to keep your Dachshund from getting bored. A lot of times, Dachshund chewing is the result of frustration and boredom, being something you need to do to pass the time and stay active. The most important thing to do is give your Dachshund plenty of exercise. Twice-daily walks of at least 30 minutes with play sessions built in will get your Dachshund out mentally and physically, making it more likely to sleep when you’re not around. When you’re away, make sure they have plenty of toys to keep them busy.

Anti-chewing sprays. To discourage hard Dachshund chewers, there are no chew sprays available. They are sprays that contain pepper or bitter apple. They taste horrible, but they are safe and will stop even the most determined Dachshund from chewing.

To keep your Dachshund from chewing on your possessions forever, you need to be consistent. All family members need to have the same expectations and response when it comes to correcting unwanted chewing. Collect your clothes and shoes, and organize your valuable belongings. Don’t leave out temptations for your Dachshund, just leave out items that they can chew on.

Dachshunds are smart dogs, but they are not perfect and will make mistakes as they learn what they can and cannot chew. Remember not to punish them, but keep them up to date with positive reinforcement and they will learn.

Real Estate

Starting Your Business: Avoiding the “Incorporated Me” Syndrome

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Many people who want to start a business have similar reasons for their ambitions. They typically seek autonomy from an employer, freedom, or control over their own destiny, which also means that they can determine their own income, work hours, job duties, and career path. However, when starting a business, it becomes immediately apparent why many entrepreneurs describe their position as “head chef and bottle washer.” This is another way of saying, in the absence of someone else to take care of all the major and minor tasks that need to be done to run the business, it is up to the entrepreneur to do it all.

Sweeping floors, taking out trash, wiping down counters, answering phones, serving customers, packing, shipping, billing, receiving, repairing, accounting, merchandising: doing these tasks, as well as any others that need to be done, is everything. in a day’s work for the entrepreneur. The businessman becomes a jack of all trades and also falls into a trap. This scenario bodes well for a prediction: the business will never grow. This is because in the beginning, when the entrepreneur’s imagination should have run wild with the possibilities of “blue sky” popping into his head, there was only one general compulsion, which was to hurry up and print the title “President.” in the new business cards of the entrepreneur. The businessman was already affected by the “Me Incorporated” syndrome.

The job description above also explains why some displaced corporate executives who start businesses are unprepared for their new roles as business owners. Now they have to do everything; but, they were trained as specialists operating in silos. They never had to clean the toilet or polish the brass handrails at Behemoth Worldwide. Their jobs there did not prepare them to survive on the “mean streets of Entrepreneur Town”. They cannot deal with the ambiguity and uncertainty that surrounds entrepreneurs, who must create their own destiny and fly without a manual. His job was to keep his mouth shut, fit in, and say, “Yeah, boss, that’s a great idea.” [which you stole from me, you wheezing, blundering, conniving, drooling…idiot].”

Not to continue a full-fledged tirade about large corporations and the drone-like behavior they seem to thrive on (not to mention ethical breaches and other shenanigans), let me stop here and return to the main topic of this article. . . Suffice it to say that you want to start your own business and you have your own reasons.

Since I have explained the result of the “Me Incorporated” syndrome, it would be appropriate for me to discuss cause and effect, so that the affliction can be avoided. Let’s start with how you should think about your business at the beginning. Now wait with me folks, I’m going to talk about imagination, crayons, scissors, and pasta, and you’ll consider me a bit on the edge for a few moments.

Before starting a business, there are no restrictions on the thoughts you are entitled to have. When you’re in the planning stages, it’s not the time to mute anything that comes to mind. There will be plenty of time for you to deal with impediments after you start the business. Feel free to doodle, draw, color, paint, cut out shapes, and assemble anything you want. Draw other people a picture that’s clear as a bell and show them what you’re made of. It is your vision. Make it big and bold, and add a sprinkle of sugary sprinkles of pure crazy colors. Many phenomenally successful inventions were created by people who proved to be geniuses rather than lunatics, only that was after they were successful.

As an example, let’s say you imagine, instead of a sandwich shop, starting a chain of sandwich shops across town. These stores could benefit from efficiencies of scale. Did you know that everything you’ve ever printed, like napkins, menus, cups, and sandwich wrappers in this case, is cheaper in bulk? If you print 1,000 of something, for a few dollars more, you could probably have printed 2,500. Most things are “cheaper by the dozen.”

Some other examples of efficiencies are worth mentioning here, to fully engage your imagination. I once served a group of franchise business owners who wanted to collaborate and buy advertising, acting together, rather than separately. First, I helped them draft a cooperation agreement. You should know that even though each provided the same services, realistically, customers would do business with the franchise owner whose store was closest. In other words, the customers who were located in the center did business with the store in the center; customers who were located on the east side of town did business with that store, and so on. Technically, these stores were in competition with each other, but not really.

Store owners bought a large yellow phone book ad and divided it up to have plenty of space to promote not only their individual locations, but also their brand and the features and benefits associated with their services. Any given single location could not have allowed all of that to be broadcast; acting like a group of blind men, they could.

Most all advertising is local advertising. Family businesses advertise to consumers in their respective market areas. His only sandwich shop, acting on its own, definitely can’t afford TV advertising. However, with five or ten stores in a city, a sandwich shop chain can probably do it. Television could be a great medium for showing the satisfied faces of customers who are consuming your delicious culinary creations, if only your vision required it. Purchasing supplies, advertising, food, and anything else can probably be accomplished more efficiently when you’re acting on behalf of multiple stores.

Let’s also talk about the personal. Instead of rushing to become president, you should think about becoming CEO. In that role, his job is to be the visionary and the team builder. “What are the requirements to become a successful store manager?” is the question you should ask yourself. In case you didn’t follow my leap of reasoning, you need ten of those store managers in our hypothetical scenario. You’re the CEO, remember? Their role is to hire and motivate, compensate, and grow the company as a whole. His main responsibilities are planning, consulting with other team leaders, taking the pulse of the markets in which he operates, understanding the economy and meeting unmet customer needs. As an entrepreneur, by definition, meeting unmet needs is the thing to do in business.

“Where do I get the money?” You can ask. Have you ever thought about the fact that you can “sell” the notion of a higher return on investment more effectively when you’re running a stronger, more imaginative plan? Many small businesses, plagued by the “built-in me” syndrome, will do nothing but struggle and burn out their owners, who are doing too much, for too long, and for too little. Eventually, businesses and owners alike will either submerge under the waters of insolvency and sink to the bottom of the corporate sea, or be eaten alive by larger, better-adapted predators.

It’s as easy to say, “All I need is $973,000 to fund the opening of ten highly competitive, efficiently run, heavily promoted, and professionally managed sandwich shops,” as it is to say, “Mom, Dad, I was hoping that they could lend me two thousand dollars for the first and last month’s rent at a sandwich shop. No, it’s not a typo. I meant to say “sandwish” shop, because that’s what it is. It’s a dicey proposition from an unimaginative aspiring entrepreneur who has already shown a lack of foresight or the ability to think outside of himself. It’s one thing to launch a new company, but it’s another thing to continue without any of the creative juices flowing from it. If you think “me, me, me” all the time, then you won’t think about sharing the work, sharing the profits, or teaming up.

No, you will do it all yourself. No, thanks to all the other people who have let you down. There is no one who can make a “sandwish” better than you. They also can’t handle the cash register, take a delivery, or do anything else as well as you. “Oh baby, baby, you’re the best!”

To avoid the “built-in-me” syndrome, you must create strategic and tactical plans that represent your solutions for recruiting, hiring, training, developing, compensating, and retaining staff. You need to have external resources lined up to accomplish what isn’t being done internally. You need a detailed marketing plan, including the product, price, advertising, facilities, delivery, and customer satisfaction processes you will use. Similarly, you need a financial plan, an operations plan, a technology plan, and contingency plans to manage disruptions and business risk. Regardless of what you were planning to write, just add zeros, because that’s what it takes to start a real business and run it properly, so everyone gets their money back, along with a profit.

You probably won’t have time to do all of this planning after being overwhelmed with the responsibilities of managing all aspects of running your business yourself. It will be too late by then, because you will already be stuck in a quagmire.

Before taking the entrepreneurial step, decide what type of business you want to create. If you ask for something bigger and justify it, you may have a chance to make it happen. What is the alternative? You’ll be in charge of your own little fiefdom, not knowing how things might have been, if only you’d thought a little more, a little harder, a little bigger, and a little less about how you might do every little thing. all by yourself, either planning to keep all the profits or avoiding reality by thinking you could improvise forever.

Drop that “sandwish” and think beyond what you can do yourself, and focus on what you can imagine. The transcontinental railroad that spans the length of the United States was built one rail link at a time, but the plan was always to connect the East Coast to the West Coast (and a larger part of this vision was to connect the East Coast to shipped goods). by traders from places like China and India). If you can imagine, articulate, sell and implement a business concept that involves serving, employing, partnering with, leading and encouraging others, you are probably cured.

Shopping Product Reviews

10 things you need before writing an Apple app

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You’ve seen the amazing statistics about Apple apps and how everyday people are achieving success writing apps for the iPhone and iPad. Well, the first thing I can tell you is that you are right! Apple’s app store is taking the world by storm (over 2 billion downloads). And my suspicion is that this is all just the beginning.

The problem is, how do you go about writing an application? In fact, what do you need before being an app developer? Well, that’s where this article will help you. I’ll provide you with 10 things you need before you start writing your Apple app. Even if you’ve never developed content for a mobile device before, or if you’re new to software development, you should know that learning to develop iPhone can be a fun and rewarding experience.

1. Get a Mac OS X computer
To develop apps for iPhone OS, you need a Mac OS X computer running the Xcode tools. Xcode is Apple’s suite of development tools that supports project management, code editing, executable creation, and debugging.

I know a lot of you may be PC users and some of you may balk at the idea of ​​using a Mac. Well, my advice is: give the Mac a try. I have a lot of friends who were once die-hard PC users who are now they switched to Mac. Why? Because they want to write apps! And once they made the switch, they found the Mac to be much easier to use and a really enjoyable experience.

2. Download the SDK
Apple distributes an iPhone application software development kit (SDK). You will definitely need to download this and read it front to back. Don’t worry, it’s more complex than it seems. Give it time and you’ll soon be on the app development bandwagon.

3. Learn Objective-C
Mac programs are written in Objective-C. Apple also introduced a special abstraction API for Objective-C called Cocoa Touch for iPhone (and iPod Touch) development.

Objective-C will come quite naturally to those who have programmed in C, C++, or Java before. Now, if you’re new to programming, Objective-C might be a challenge.

Try to get a basic book on programming before getting into the nuts and bolts of Objective-C. One of the best books to learn Objective-C is Programming in Objective-C by Stephen G. Kochan. You are not supposed to have any prior knowledge in this area.

4. Become an approved Apple developer
Becoming an approved developer for Apple apps takes some time. Many people do not know this. I heard there is a six month waiting list to be an approved developer. Some have speculated that the wait time may decrease now that interest in the iPhone and iPad has skyrocketed around the world.

Becoming an accepted developer only gets you to the App Store. Of course, that’s the only way to distribute your apps, so it’s a necessary part of the process.

5. Research your app
As in everything related to software development, the goal of your application will be to provide a solution to a set of end users.

Be sure to research your app. There is no point in rushing to write applications that do not meet the needs of the users. A year ago, you could easily write an app that does something silly (say, make a fart sound) and expect people to download it. That’s not going to happen anymore. If you want an app that is popular, you have to make it useful.

Typically, in mobile development, your audience is a person on the go. People who use mobile apps want to have quick interactions. You absolutely do not want to write a Word document on the go. They want to do useful things with the push of a button or two.

The other piece of advice I have is to think of the Apple iPhone as a pocket computer. For example, successful applications like Pandora, which have typically struggled in a desktop setup, are now flourishing as a pocket-sized solution. When planning your app, think about what is unique to iPhone that can be used in your app.

6. Write for portability
What do I mean by portability? Well, depending on what frameworks (main components of the iPhone SDK) are used in your app, your app may not work on all iPhone devices. For example, an app that makes use of the camera, compass, or microphone will work on an iPhone but not on an iPod touch.

Now, it’s fine to write an app that’s limited to iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS, but I think you’ll miss out on a potential portion of your target users.

7. Always document your ideas
Before you commit any code to your new project, take some time to document your end user experience. It does not need to be a lengthy requirements document. It could be as simple as writing some notes on paper or drawing some pictures.

In fact, there is a great drawing product called UI Templates that allows you to simulate a screen layout on paper. I love it and highly recommend it for app development.

8. Offer a great user experience
When you start looking at Apple’s documentation, a recurring theme you’ll see is a reference to a document called Human Interface Guidelines (HIG). Essentially, this is the master document for how your iPhone app should look and behave. Make sure you familiarize yourself with it.

It is also important to download and try other applications created by other leading developers. To ensure a great user experience in your app, ask yourself why those apps are leading and what elements they used to create a great experience. Also check out insights from usability expert Jakob Nielsen.

9. Data management
Oh, before I forget, one of the more complex things you’ll need to consider is data management. If your application is a basic utility (for example, a calculator), you should not worry about storing data. If you create an application that connects to an Internet-based service, you will connect to these online resources through web services. Your third option will be to store user data on the device using the Core Data Framework.

10. Manage memory and battery life
Those who are a bit more technical will understand what I mean by memory management and battery life. Please note that there is no garbage collection for iPhone. Garbage collection is a programming term that means if your program has a “memory leak”, it could cause the iPhone to crash without warning.

Also, keep in mind that certain iPhone features will consume more battery power than others. For example, applications that transmit data from the Internet or make extensive use of the Core Location Framework (for example, GPS) will drain battery life more quickly.

conclusion
I certainly hope this article has given you an idea of ​​what you need before writing an Apple app.

There are quite a few things you need: a Mac OS X computer, knowledge of Objective-C, user interface design experience, among other things. But if you’re serious about your app development process, you shouldn’t be discouraged.

Learn a little every day and I guarantee you’ll become an expert developer in no time!

Next time, I’ll write some articles on how to program an application in Xcode and Objective-C tools. Until then, have fun learning how to develop those apps!

Sports

Cabinet Session: Artest’s Bomb Ticks

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It will only end in tears.

Sure, ESPN has wasted millions in airtime pontificating (as only they can) about the benefits of acquiring problem players. You’ve seen the highlights: Dennis Rodman kicking people around, Terrell Owens doing sit-ups in the driveway, Darryl Strawberry wiping white powder under his nose, Steve Howe returning to the Yankees after his thousandth drug suspension. Did you know? For once, I agree with the Boys from Bristol. The Sacramento Kings’ deal for Ron Artest is fool’s gold. The idea that Artest will suddenly be a good citizen in the most boring city in the league (alright, Salt Lake City and Orlando, I see you waving your hands) is nonsense. Oh sure, he’ll be on his best behavior for a couple of months, and maybe even make it to the playoffs without being filmed shirtless and in flip-flops, barging and yelling at the opposing team’s bus. But eventually, and soon enough, the Kings will wish they had never heard his name.

I guarantee you, they didn’t budge much: Peja Stojakovic seems uninterested these days (although Indiana can try it for a couple of months, and if they don’t like it, they get a lot of slimy cap). relief to let him go). But my argument is that a healthy NBA franchise shouldn’t have faced Artest even for free. He’s just a spoiled, immature jerk with personal issues that make Robert Downey Jr. look like the Dalai Lama. You’ll wake up to your tea and scones one morning, turn on the subway, and learn that Artest has barricaded himself in a Denny’s and refuses to come out unless Michael Jackson frees Blanket. Or he’ll be driving home from work, tune in to sports radio and hear a report that Artest is in trouble because his latest rap song calls for the overthrow of the Brazilian government. Really, that’s the only fun left for guys like Artest and TO: the impossible spectacle of their inevitable detonation.

Of course, before they detonate themselves, they will most likely detonate their teams. Best of luck, Sacramento.

What was your impression of the AFC and NFC title games? How did the public do betting on those games?

Greg Jorssen, BoDog: Surely the two Jakes didn’t come to play last Sunday, right? Plummer lived up to the belief that he can’t do it, and the Seahawks did an amazing job shutting down the Delhomme/Smith passing attack. The betting public did pretty well with the Steeler win as they jumped on the Pittsburgh bandwagon, however, they didn’t fare so well with the Seahawks win. Oddsmakers were betting heavily on Carolina, based on the Seahawks’ strength on the schedule vs. Carolina’s, and the Panther road record. Guess they forgot about Seattle’s secret weapon: The Twelfth Man. Boy was the stadium rocking on Sunday afternoon! The only thing that saved the books last weekend was that the final scores wiped out most of the teasers. Since both wins were landslides, this helped turn what should have been a losing day for the house into a winning day.

We’ll have another week to really dive into Super Bowl analysis, but what’s your first impression of the Pittsburgh/Seattle lineup? I’m not asking for a pick, just your thoughts as an expert on how the line got to where it is, if you expect it to move, etc…

GJ, BoDog: The line opened up as expected and should finally settle around Pittsburgh -4 ½. Two things spring to mind as to why an AFC #6 team would be the favorite over the NFC’s #1 team. First is the strength of the schedule. Seattle ranked last in schedule difficulty, which was expected considering the poor season the NFC West showed. The Steelers, on the other hand, were in ninth place, and a fair amount of their losses were due to key injuries. The second factor is, of course, emotional. People love underdogs and will ride their bandwagon to the bitter end. I expect some big money later in Seattle; However, it is already clear that the house will cheer for the Seahawks!

How many prop bets do you expect to see on the various boards? Do you have a favorite from the past that you remember? Anything particularly funny or outrageous?

GJ, BoDog: I can’t speak for the other books, but bodog will have over 150 endorsements in the Super Bowl. Every year’s favorite is, of course, the coin toss, which nets us a tremendous mango. As for the scandalous, the one that comes to mind is our support on the length of the National Anthem! We don’t offer that one anymore, because it was too hard to modify (some singers love to be in the spotlight). We also had endorsements during the 2001 Super Bowl about whether Shaq would outscore the St. Louis Rams, and we’ve had similar endorsements every year since. Hmmm, after Kobe’s performance on Sunday, maybe a line on whether Kobe will beat both teams in the Super Bowl… let me work on that!

Switching gears completely: I guess if Kobe Bryant scored 82 points the other night, you missed out on a big bet, huh? What’s the deal with Kobe taking 81 off his tuckus?

GJ, BoDog: The Lakers are now “The Kobe Show,” and he is someone who now put an early stamp on the MVP award. The big question is: why didn’t the Raptors double it down? Did you think that it would eventually settle down, that it would eventually fail? No wonder they lost to the Israeli National Team! At halftime, Kobe decided to take matters into his own hands, because the Lakers were so far behind such a bad team. He had no choice but to do it himself, and I really don’t think there are many others in this league who can do what he did. Many will say that this is bad for basketball, that it is a team game, etc. I don’t buy that. Kobe stole the headlines of both NFL Conference Championships. One man changed the sports focus from the NFL to the NBA. That in itself is just amazing. People don’t say he’s the “next Jordan” anymore. After his performance on Sunday, he will be known as “the first Kobe!”