Business

Some ideas to reduce the high cost of gasoline

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Some ideas to reduce the high cost of gasoline

Shock!

I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to feel “shocked” every time I go to fill up my car with gas. I’ve seen regular gas prices per gallon here in the Los Angeles area as high as $2.69 9/10 lately. And it seems like just a few weeks ago, they were around $2.25 9/10. Mathematically speaking, that’s a 19.5% increase in a matter of weeks.

What’s really insidious is that a significant increase in gasoline prices has a tremendous ripple effect throughout the economy. Increases the cost of doing business. When those costs are high enough, they are passed on to you and me in the form of higher prices. So this is not just about improving the environment, this is about economic survival!

We all need to take positive action

I think we drive prices down if we take collective action to reduce gas consumption. If we can reduce our domestic demand for gasoline, this should certainly eventually lead to stabilizing and possibly lowering the price we pay at the pump. And that will help stabilize prices throughout the economy. One of the great side benefits of this is that reducing our gas consumption will also improve the environment, especially air quality.

Some suggestions

Here are some suggestions. Some are things you can do to immediately lower your gas usage/cost. Some require cooperation with others. The cumulative effect of all these changes can be significant if everyone saves even a little bit:

1) Make sure you carpool at least once or twice a week. Every carpooler is one less person on the road.

2) Reach an agreement with your employer to change your work hours to times when the traffic is better. For example, if you arrive at work a couple of hours in the morning and leave a couple of hours early, you may be on the road when traffic is lighter. That should translate into higher gas mileage.

3) Reach an agreement with your employer to work 10 hours a day 4 days a week. Employers still get the same number of work hours, but this reduces the number of days you have to come to work. Days off may vary by employee so that it does not disrupt business operations.

4) Employers should consider allowing some employees to work remotely. With high-speed Internet connections and VPN accounts, this is now more technically possible than ever. As long as the employee is self-motivated, this benefits both the employer and the employee. Many times, employees who telecommute actually work longer on the days they telecommute due to reduced travel time. In addition, they usually eat at home during the working day, reducing lunch times. And there are fewer interruptions so they can focus and be more productive. And the employee has less stress reducing sick time and increasing morale.

5) Change one of your work days to Saturday or Sunday. In most cases, traffic is lighter on the weekends, so you should get better gas mileage. And isn’t it great to have a day off during the week to take care of personal things that are sometimes hard to do on the weekends.

6) Consolidate your trips. While reducing miles per gallon is important, the real savings come when you simply don’t use the car.

7) Set a personal goal to reduce your personal gas usage by 10%. I recommend that you write this goal on a card and tape it to the visor of your car so that you see it regularly. If you set a goal and review it frequently, you are more likely to take conscious steps to achieve it. Too often, we just jump in the car and drive away without thinking about the consequences.

8) Get a log book and start recording your gas usage every time you go to fill up. Write down the mileage, the number of gallons, the price per gallon, the total cost and your average miles per gallon. Then review the total figures at the end of each month. Once you get into the habit of writing down the information, it won’t take long. Simply recording this information will let you know how much or how little your car is being used. This will make it easier for you to take steps to reduce your consumption.

9) Next time you change your oil, ask for synthetic oil. Yes, synthetic oil is more expensive. But, when I switched to synthetic oil a few years ago, my mileage improved by 25%. That was in a different car than the one I drive now. I don’t know if it will experience any change, but I bet it will receive some improvement.

10) Take your car to a mechanic to find out what steps you can take to improve gas mileage. Maybe it’s as simple as tuning. Or a new air filter. Or air in your tires. Maybe using a fuel additive. The point is that if everyone takes action to improve their mileage, it could have a huge collective impact.

11) Reward the gas stations with the best prices with your business. It’s not that hard to find lower gas prices relative to other stations. If you have a warehouse club like Costco in your area, they usually have great prices. I estimate I save at least $0.15 per gallon buying gas at my local Costco.

12) Shop online for the lowest gas prices in your area. There are a few websites that post local gas prices across the country. If your area is covered, this can be a quick way to find the best prices. One such site is called http://www.gasbuddy.com. What is really amazing is how the price can vary by up to 20% in just a few blocks.

13) Reduce your speed on the freeway. Did you know that most cars get their best gas mileage between 40 and 60 miles per hour? Those people flying down the freeway at 70-80 miles per hour are unnecessarily consuming more gas and putting people’s lives at risk. I used to be in favor of raising the legal speed limit to 65 miles per hour or more. But knowing the savings we can all make if we just lower the average speed limit, I think it’s time we went back to 55 miles per hour. I know this will probably be a very unpopular suggestion, but I think it’s important to do it anyway.

14) Do not leave your car running to warm up or for any other reason. Most cars today heat up quickly, so there’s probably no reason to waste gas this way anymore.

15) When starting from a traffic light or stop sign, accelerate gradually. When you accelerate suddenly, you consume more gasoline.

16) Government officials should review the increase in daylight saving time. Studies have shown that overall energy drops when daylight saving time begins. This is probably because less energy is used at night, as we have an extra hour of daylight. What would happen if we moved the clocks forward half an hour or an hour more? I’ve noticed that when I wake up in the morning, it starts to get light around 6:30 here in Los Angeles. I imagine there would be little negative benefit if we turned our clocks forward and an extra half hour or hour to make the most of daylight. I think this would only work if it was carried out across the country. We should also be looking to move the clocks forward to early March instead of waiting until April. If you think this is unreasonable, remember that DST used to start in late April until the US Congress changed it by law.

17) Large corporations should consider establishing small satellite workplaces closer to where people live. Even having small offices in different places where people can go and connect their laptop to a high-speed Internet connection can make it easier for some knowledge workers to reduce travel distances. The government should offer tax incentives to encourage this.

18) Write to your local, state, and national leaders and encourage them to show true conservation leadership. It’s very easy to email leaders, I suggest you email them with these and/or your own suggestions. I am amazed that prices can rise so dramatically with so little notice from our public and private leaders. We need to let them know that we expect them to show a higher standard of leadership. A large number of these suggestions involve a significant change in the way we live and work. Many of these changes will not happen unless they are suggested and publicized by leaders at the national level.

It’s time to change our habits, it’s probably past time

These changes will only change if there is a change in our national mentality, our national dress. We have been conditioned to believe that we have to work the hours we work. We have been conditioned to believe that the only effective way to work is to travel to a central location. That we have to be physically at the Corporate location to be productive.

Government leaders should offer tax incentives to companies to implement policies that encourage conservation and reduce travel distances and times. They already do to some extent with carpooling, but that’s not enough. We just have to be more creative in finding ways to be more efficient and reduce gas consumption. Cut demand and prices are likely to follow.

There are other suggestions you could make, such as using public transportation or buying a car that uses less fuel. Those should be searched for, but those are the standard answers and longer term solutions. We certainly need to move in that direction in the long term, but given the recent dramatic increase in gasoline prices, of necessity, we need to take immediate action that will lead to lower prices in the short term, while moving toward long-term solutions. .

I know that some of these suggestions are radical. I know that many require the consent of people in authority over us, mostly our employers. And some require a certain amount of self-sacrifice (but not that much really if you change a few simple habits). The good news is that given the high cost of gasoline, if you take even a few of these actions, you can significantly lower your monthly expenses. And the truth is that if we want gasoline prices to go down, we each have to do our part.

If we all do a little, together we can achieve a lot!

Please share this article with as many people as possible. The more people believe that we can take meaningful steps to reduce gasoline consumption, the greater the chance that prices will go down. Wouldn’t it be great if our collective actions lowered gas prices to $1.20 a gallon! Those days are gone forever, if we believe they are gone. How would lower fuel prices improve your economy? How would this improve our national economy?

Home Kitchen

5 practical uses of LED lights

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Light-emitting diodes, better known as LED lights, are a popular choice for many homeowners, as long as you are aware of their limitations and practical applications for home use. While there are many different ways to use them throughout the house, some work much better than others and make more sense for a particular purpose in a particular space. Take a look at five practical uses for LED lighting in your indoor and outdoor spaces.

1. Under Cabinet Lighting

One of the most common uses for LED lighting inside the home, under cabinet lighting is a popular choice for many modern kitchens and bathrooms. They add a perfect finishing touch to any space that needs just a touch of lighting; especially areas that already have a major form of lighting present. LED lights are available in various styles and sizes for use under kitchen or bathroom cabinets, and many are very affordable and cost-effective for the average homeowner.

2. Outdoor use

Another common and practical use for LED lights in the home are those designed for outdoor use, such as along a garden path or driveway to the front door. The most effective versions of these types of LED lights are strings or sets of lights, like matching sets that work together to beautify and add value through pathway lighting for guests and family members alike. You can find them at almost any home decor or lawn and garden store, and in many cases they cost less than $50 per set.

3. Ecological lighting

Many of us are looking for eco-friendly lighting options that lower energy bills in the short and long term. LED lights are more cost effective and energy efficient, making them a great option for someone trying to reduce their carbon footprint. They are low-voltage bulbs and are made from environmentally friendly products, often costing a little more than the average modern form of lighting.

4. Modern and contemporary decoration option

Practical uses for LED lights often involve coordinating with existing decor, or at least not clashing with your sense of style. LED lights are modern and contemporary, and there are many designs and styles that follow a wide variety of home décor options. This includes indoor and outdoor applications, from gardens and outdoor spaces to kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms, bathrooms, media spaces, and even children’s and adult bedrooms.

5. Accent lighting

Although most people think of under-cabinet lighting and the like when they talk about accent lighting, there are other practical applications for LED lights inside the home. For example, a small amount of light below the shelves is a great way to showcase something on the shelf below. Likewise, LED spotlights can focus all of the spotlight on the focal point you want people to notice in that particular room, often without the need for more than one spotlight. Since they are energy efficient and cost effective, you can afford to buy several where you may only be able to buy one or two of the more expensive styles.

Auto

3 tips to help choose the right driving instructor

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Choosing the right driving instructor is a crucial step for both parents and students. A qualified driver can teach the focused lessons to ensure that the young driver is in a much better position to follow the best driving habits. On average, a young driver will need about 20 hours of private practice and another 40 hours of professional instruction. Although it can be tempting to choose a driving instructor based on the cost per lesson, there are several other things that need to be considered in order to become a safe driver.

Let’s take a look at some of the most important things to consider:

Use a fully qualified driver

The most productive lessons will come from using a fully qualified instructor. You should ask a potential instructor if they are a trainee or fully qualified. They must display an appropriate badge in the car window to show their rating. A fully qualified instructor will have a green badge, while the trainee will have a pink one. In addition, the instructors are qualified. The best instructors have a grade of A or B, which can be verified by looking at their certificate. Also, it’s worth asking about the potential instructor’s passing rate to get an additional indication of her ability to teach the learner driver.

Get personal references

The most effective way to find a trusted instructor is to get a personal reference from a friend, family member, or colleague who has recently passed their exam. Any instructor who is able to explain things clearly, be on time and put the driver at ease will be easy to recommend.

Are the prices competitive?

The costs quoted by different driving schools are sure to vary in price, so it pays to shop around. It’s not likely that you’ll simply benefit from the instructor who quotes the lowest price per lesson, especially if you eventually need to book more lessons. While price is a key factor, ratings are just as important to consider. Also, it can be beneficial to use the independent instructor because they won’t need to raise their fees to cover your brand’s franchise fees. The duration of a lesson can range from 45 to 60 minutes, so it is worth checking before booking a lesson. Also, it’s not worth making a block booking until you’ve completed two or three lessons with a particular instructor to make sure they fit her personality.

Digital Marketing

How to reuse blog posts in videos

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Your is the best place to get ideas for your videos. If you have an active blog, you can use analytics through Google to find out which blog posts have received the most attention. You can then use that to help you brainstorm new ideas.

Find your most popular blogs

Using Google Analytics, determine which blog posts you currently have that are receiving the most traffic. These are the topics your audience wants to know more about.

rework the title

You may be able to use the same title, unless you change the format. For example, if it’s a “top ten” post but you’re splitting it, you’ll want to explain that in the title.

Choose the most important points

Having too many points in a video can make it too long. As mentioned above, instead of taking a top ten list and turning it into a video, why not take a point from each of the top ten posts and turn them into ten separate videos?

Choose your technology

Are you going to need a good camera or will your webcam be good enough? Will you need editing technology to add images, music and other features to your video? Write down what you need so you can determine what technology is required.

make slides

If you don’t want to just talk in the video, make slides with one sentence or one point per slide that you plan to talk about. You want them to focus on what you are saying, not on reading the slide.

add images

Images like infographics, memes, and charts work well within a video. People like to look beyond your head when they watch a video. If you use good video editing software, you can add great images and slides without interrupting the video.

Add sound effects

Don’t play the music so loud when you’re talking that you can’t hear what you’re saying. However, certain royalty free music will make your video look and sound more professional, especially in the intro and outro part.

Add an intro and exit

Pre-record an intro and outro that will be used in all of your videos so you can bring them together into a cohesive valuable asset for your audience. Don’t make them long though; a few seconds is enough.

Market your videos

Put the video in a new blog post, complete with a blurb, description, and transcript. Then also go back to the previous blog post and put the link to the video below the previous blog post that asked you to make a video.

Repurposing old blog posts into videos should be your first transition method to adding videos to your marketing. Video is more successful than any other form of content in getting more conversions. But you don’t want to replace everything with video, you just want to add it.

Relationship

A Review of The Successful Investor: What 80 Million People Need to Know to Invest

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Through his book The Successful Investor: What 80 Million People Need to Know to Invest Profitably and Avoid Big Losses, William O’Neil addresses his advice to all investors, to teach them how to deal with rising and falling markets.

This book is 183 pages long and guides investors to success. It shows you how to keep your profits and, more importantly, how to avoid losses and offset them. The importance of this book stems from the recent market crash and panic that hit all investors, leaving them in real trouble. He simply tells them, “Now, you can win again!”

O’Neil’s book shows you how to earn money consistently. However, his ideas are not about getting rich quick. It takes time, diligence of study and patience along with control of emotions to become an excellent investor. The successful investor combines the technical and fundamental aspects of investing with common sense.

This book contains a large number of charts that make it more reliable for explaining concepts in detail. It is highly recommended for both the intermediate and experienced investor, but is unlikely to suit the novice.

The Successful Investor: What 80 Million People Need to Know to Invest Profitably and Avoid Big Losses Index:

1- Where is the general market going?
2- Use a simple 3 to 1 profit and loss percentage plan
3- How to buy the best stocks at the best time
4- When to sell and realize your big profit while you still have it
5- Manage your portfolio: time-tested methods to maximize results and minimize losses

– Appendix A: How to use the CAN SLIM approach to spot growth stocks
– Appendix B: All about CAN SLIM
– Appendix C: Market Memorandum
– Appendix D: Testimonials for the successful investor
– Appendix E: A strong warning to the wise about bear markets!

Book sample for The Successful Investor: What 80 Million People Need to Know to Invest Profitably and Avoid Big Losses:

“There’s another way the market signals distribution. We call it stalling action. In this case, the market will move up in active trading and then all of a sudden have trouble making much more progress. It doesn’t go down, it just doesn’t short”. it doesn’t go up much compared to the previous day or two. An example would be a market that has a clear uptrend for several weeks but then gains 40 points on heavy volume one day and the next day goes up to 30 or 40 but closes ahead only a point or two on equal or heavier trading. than the day before.”

Health Fitness

I am freezing! Why Gastric Bypass Makes Patients Cold

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Body temperature is the result of your body generating and radiating heat. The body is adept at maintaining its temperature within a narrow range even when ambient air conditions vary. A normal body temperature is 98.6°F. It is common during the period of rapid weight loss for bariatric patients to feel cold or chilly, even when their temperature is normal.

People who experience the massive weight loss associated with weight loss surgery feel cold for two reasons: loss of insulation and decreased energy generation.

Fat is a highly efficient insulator. Consider animals native to cold climates: for example, sea lions and polar bears. They are loaded with insulation and thrive in cold climates. When gastric bypass patients follow the rules: eat protein and exercise, the weight lost can only come from fat or stored energy. In effect, you are losing your isolation. Less insulation makes you more likely to feel cold.

The second reason for feeling chills is that the metabolic processes of the cells do not work as intensely as when they weighed more; fewer calories and less energy are needed to maintain and move a smaller body. Consider using an electric mixer – if you’re beating egg whites for a meringue, the mixer will make this task effortless. But use the same mixer to knead the bread dough and it will get hot to the touch, you are working harder because you are moving more dough. The same thing happens with your body; the more mass you have to move, the harder you work. As a result, more heat is generated.

The body has two well-tuned mechanisms to regulate body temperature: sweating and shivering. What overweight person hasn’t been embarrassed by a sticky sweat at the most inappropriate time? Sweating is a mechanism to cool the body when it is too hot inside. The body gets rid of excess heat by expanding the blood vessels in the skin so that the heat can be brought to the surface. When this energy or heat in the form of sweat reaches the surface of the skin, it evaporates and helps cool the body.

Gastric bypass patients become more familiar with the second temperature regulator, shivering, as they lose weight. When you get too cold, your blood vessels constrict and reduce blood flow to your skin. The body responds by shivering, which creates additional muscle activity to help generate more heat. If you allow your body to shiver, it will start to feel warmer. But this is also a good clue that it’s time to throw on a sweater or turn up the heat. I think most weight loss patients will happily wear a sweater – a sweater is so much easier to take off than that insulation we’ve worked so hard to lose!

Most weight loss patients report that their body temperature regulates after their weight stabilizes, usually eighteen to twenty-four months after surgery. Keep in mind that your body is rapidly losing weight and the rest of your body’s functions are taken by surprise when this weight loss begins. The body’s thermostat needs time to catch up with the weight loss, and it will. Patients who incorporate exercise into their weight loss program experience fewer chills than patients who do not exercise.

Copyright © 2005 Kaye Bailey – All Rights Reserved

Legal Law

Is SBA 8a certification the answer to building my business?

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I was under the impression that once my business achieved SBA 8a certification, it would be my ticket to success. Guess what? Reality dicks.

Remember when you were a kid and the emphasis was on getting your high school diploma? And then when you graduated, you were suddenly told that you needed to go to college to do something with your life. Ok, so you put in the mandatory 4-5 years to get your degree. Hoping that manna will fall from the sky and give you a high-paying job, you graduate to learn… oh yeah, you actually have to compete with other college graduates to land your dream job. Ok, this was a long way of saying…just because your company gets certified, it doesn’t mean you’ll suddenly get a million dollar federal contract.

Ok, let’s do a reality check. Of the millions of small businesses competing in your space, lowering the odds is one way to increase your chances of landing contracts. So yes, SBA 8a certification is worth pursuing.

But here are some proven tips to ensure your company’s success in federal contracting once you’re certified.

1. Establish relationships with purchasing agents and prime contractors now. – The companies that show the most success in federal contracting are the ones that take the time to build relationships with decision makers and potential customers.

Take the time to meet in person, talk on the phone, or email the purchasing agents at the federal agencies you want to compete for contracts with. Learn about their buying habits and special hiring vehicles. Find out if they use or plan to use (and what percentage) small businesses to meet your agency’s annual small business participation goals.

Take time to meet with prime contractors to determine their interest in contracting with small businesses. In determining your business relationship, avoid being a walk-through company, similar to a “front” where the contract writes on the small company, but the principal does the work. Why? Because this is illegal. Small businesses are expected to complete at least 51% of any contract, so keep this and other legal issues in mind when hiring a prime contractor.

2. Prepare marketing materials that include: a company capability statement (similar to a company resume), a company brochure, and a website that showcases your company’s products and services. Be sure to include audio and video examples if possible. Have a number of meeting and conference marketing materials on hand.

3. Attend hiring fairs – Take advantage of meeting many agencies in one day by attending a conference. Develop a thirty-second “elevator pitch” to quickly convey your company’s mission and benefits. Be prepared to answer the question “how are you different from others?” The answers you give to this question are your differentiators, or what makes your business unique. It could be the price, the variety of products, the special services or the unique processes that make your company different from the rest.

4. Stay up to date on all federal contract opportunities. – I receive a daily email from my local PTAC (Procurement Technical Assistance Center) that lists all the contracts that are in my NAICS codes. Instead of paying hundreds or thousands of dollars for this information, the PTAC offers this service for free. Visit your local PTAC to learn about their bid matching services.

Bottom line: Once you earn SBA 8a certification, contracts don’t just show up, you have to work for them. The important thing to remember is to work smarter, not harder. Use these tips to stay focused on your goal: getting your first federal contract. And finally, don’t expect to be the main contractor on your first contract. It’s best to look for outsourcing opportunities to start with. And that goes back to building relationships with prime contractors to get you there. Good luck getting certified and getting your first federal contract.

Pets

Low protein dog food for your pet dog

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Veterinarians generally recommend low-protein dog food for your dog for certain health conditions. Protein is essential for the correct growth and development of dogs, as well as for the maintenance of their immune system. In addition, the correct proportion of protein in the food consumed is required for the production and repair of body tissue. Therefore, these foods are usually available by prescription and even if you can get them without a prescription, it may not be a good idea to do so without expert advice, as dogs generally need 25% protein in their diets.

Such food comes in two types; dried and bagged as well as the moister canned variety. This dog food can be found at pet stores, veterinary offices, and specialty dog ​​food stores. Health issues that require you to give your dog low protein dog food are:

Tendency to urinary stones

congestive heart failure

Genetic kidney problems

congenital kidney disease

chronic renal insufficiency

acute renal failure

Glomerulonephritis

Renal insufficiency

When your vet writes the prescription, let him know you want a high-quality, low-protein dog food. Along with that, there are other attributes to look at because when your dog has kidney disease, there are usually other nutritional issues that go along with it. Things to look for include;

1. Low phosphorus levels: Phosphorus in high amounts can cause an imbalance of calcium and potassium.

2. The protein in the food should be easy for your dog to absorb. This will ensure less build-up of toxins in your body and less waste for your diseased kidneys to process.

3. You will need to select dog food that has all natural ingredients. Having condoms will make the dog’s kidneys and liver work harder, which will only make his condition worse.

4. Make sure you get a low-protein dog food with high levels of vitamin D3

5. Food that has high levels of calcium is preferable as your dog will have trouble absorbing calcium and therefore it needs to be available in large quantities.

Low protein dog food is not just a fad diet for dogs; is made specifically for dogs that have problems that affect their kidneys. These types of dog foods should only be given to your dog if recommended by a veterinarian, as dogs need to have an adequate amount of protein. Her vet will guide you through the process and you can discuss all of her questions and concerns with him or her. It’s important that you don’t make her decision based on advice from friends, family, and blog posts. Your decision should be based on the recommendation of a professional.

Real Estate

How to raise investment capital in real estate

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Why won’t your rich uncle invest with you!

Have you ever had a rich friend, uncle, or neighbor who won’t open his wallet to do business with you? There can be many reasons why they refuse to do business with you. Let’s look at three common reasons and what you can do to get their attention:

1. Friends and family don’t want money to get in the way of relationships. Disagreements over money have caused many wealthy families to split. One way around this is to create a company and become a partner. Show them how investing in our company is no different than investing in a company on the stock market (except you both have more control). Set clear expectations of what each of you will bring to the company. If you’re smart, you’ll show them all the things you’ll be doing and all they have to do is write a check and look at the monthly/quarterly reports you send them. Your friends and family might also feel more comfortable if you have other investors as well. There are many ways to relieve your fears and discovering what those fears are is a good first step.

2. They don’t understand investing. There is an old saying: “A confused mind says no.” Just because someone has amassed some wealth doesn’t mean he understands real estate investing. This is where you have to be very clear about what you do. You can’t overwhelm your investors with detailed details. They need to know what you will do with their money, how they are protected, how they will return, and when they will get paid. That does not mean that you should hide any relevant details, however, they do not mind if you paint the rooms white.

3. You lack credibility. Let’s face it, unless you have a huge investment portfolio, it’s still unproven. And for that matter, friends and family have known us at our worst (remember we got a D on a test in third grade). This is where your board of advisors and partners become extremely important. While Aunt Susie might be willing to lend you a couple hundred dollars, she wants to know that $100,000 of hers will come back to her. If she has done any transactions, be sure to highlight them in written form. Furthermore, properly chosen experienced business partners or advisors can also increase your credibility. To help with your personal credibility, put together a professional-looking credibility kit. To help with the credibility of the deal, gather all the numbers, pictures, and a summary of the investment in a professional manner. (Personally, I did not invest with a known “guru” because the presentation was not done in a professional manner.) Details in presentations matter.

Not all of your friends, family, or neighbors with money will do business with you. If you want to increase your success rate, make sure you send a clear, concise, and professional message. After you have made a few successful investments, they will ask you to get involved.

Shopping Product Reviews

Is the iPad an acceptable replacement for a laptop? A critical review of the Apple iPad

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You see people carrying and using an Apple iPad. Maybe you stopped at a store display and played with one. It’s too small for a computer and too big for a smartphone.

· Where does it fit?

· Will it replace your laptop?

· Where does it shine?

· Where does it fail?

Read on, researcher or curious reader, and you’ll discover the important things you need to know about the iPad.

The 10 things you should know about the iPad

1. iPad is great for photos and movies: Show off your family photos (just don’t invite me to the 4-hour family photo shoot!) and your masterpieces on iPad. Scroll through them with a flick or blink of your finger. How satisfying is that. Also, when you get an iPad, you also need to get a cheap stand (there’s a link at the bottom of this site) so you can watch Netflix and downloaded movies. Your next plane trip will not be the same; HD movies on your lap. Zone out!

2. The speed of the zero standby state. This almost computer is amazing. Apps open in the blink of an eye, and browsing the web in Safari is surprisingly fast. Don’t wait for the iPad… it’s waiting for you. Early reviewers commented on how fast the iPad would be, and Randy Johnson is fast. The processor handles everything in the menu very quickly.

3. iPad and apps. Apple’s iPad can take the apps that iPhone users love and are familiar with and then download and run them just fine. This is what iPad does right out of the box. But it can be very exciting for you to know that there will be a huge selection of new apps created specifically for the iPad. It can become a rich experience for you. There can also be live video, scores, highlights and more all on screen at once. The possibilities seem endless.

4 Hmm, great maps! This part of the iPad is very impressive. When you search for a location or a friend’s house, the person’s location is displayed on the map. You can use your contacts page to drag and drop them onto the map search, and the street view is great. I can even see myself standing in front of my old home. Cool. The iPad has GPS and picks up your current location and shoots you in the right direction from there. There are satellite, terrain, road and hybrid views. Since you’ll be taking your iPad with you wherever you go, the Maps feature will come in handy, especially if you travel a lot.

5. Keep an eye out for high-quality competitors. There are other internet-enabled pads that cost less and are quite nice. The HP Slate, which was announced in 2010, is expected to be very popular and priced lower than the iPad. Another example is the Vega ICD which will come out this year with a huge 15.6″ touch screen and 32GB of internal storage. The latest example of many is the Archos 9, it runs Windows 7 and has an 8.9″ touch screen with 1080p HD resolution and a 60GB hard drive. Yes, Techies, there will be some awesome competition!

6. The on-screen keyboard. This is good and bad. I initially tried the iPad in the store. I had problems with the on-screen keyboard. But since my first meeting I have learned that there is no kinetic feedback to my fingers, so I let the other senses take over. Afterwards, the keyboard worked as expected, being very responsive and entering text quickly. It’s still nothing like typing on a real keyboard, but the iPad’s virtual QWERTY keyboard isn’t as terrible as I and others once feared. The automatic error correction handles small errors quite well. You can always invest in Apple’s $79 iPad Keyboard Dock. That is more ordinary and more traditional.

7. Speakers not suitable for audiophiles. In fact, they are neither Bose nor Harman/Kardon. In my opinion, the speakers sound tinny. Being a movie/media/MP3/music creation motto, the built-in speakers are disappointing. There are also attachable speakers and file transfer, but we shouldn’t have to. Hey Bose, now that’s a good idea!

8. It has a shiny front Oh, it looks so good. sparkling and sparkling. Indoors it works great for just about anything. Then, you go out into the sunlight. So the brightness is not great. Fingerprints come to life and where did the movie, the book, the picture or the internet go? A matte glass option would be nice, or even a plastic cover. Have you ever seen the Kindle commercial where the woman with the expensive sunglasses makes the guy with an iPad look dumb? Well, that’s true, but get that smart woman inside, THEN that guy could teach you the functions of her iPad.

9. For Children, The Well Behaved, Thought. Is the iPad as fragile as it seems? You could go to ToysRUs and find a thousand kid pads, but this one is the brightest, the coolest, and mom and dad play with it, and the kids love it. Our teens seem to fly through it and pick up on games and apps quicker than me. They love to do their homework on it (they are homeschooled and want to use the iPad for all their work except writing their papers).

10. It’s an email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Skype computer when you don’t have a computer. Go ahead, head out to a meeting, vacation in another city or country and you can easily stay in touch with the office, family and friends with iPad. Can you imagine the color your friends on Facebook would change if you posted from Florence, Italy, or from Santo Tomas, or from the Grand Canyon? Take notes and more. Stay in touch wherever you go, as long as you pay the monthly data usage fee. If you’re in danger of going over your 250mg or 2GB limit, they’ll contact you and give you options. If you are not online 24/7, then you should agree to those limits.

Now that you know the basics, can you answer this question: is the iPad right for you? You know it’s not really a working laptop. It won’t really replace your laptop, but it seems like it’s the missing link between your Droid and your laptop.