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The dilemma of buying children’s clothing begins even before your child is born. After having a baby, women usually receive some clothes as baby gifts. Often these are small sizes that your child will outgrow very soon. So you can see that buying clothes is an ongoing task for parents.

As an infant, a baby will change sizes every few weeks. Buy durable clothing in washable, comfortable fabrics. Babies have many accidents so you’ll need to buy clothes that are easy to clean. If you use bright colors instead of pastels, they will not soil or stain as easily. When shopping for children’s clothes, many women seek high-quality clothing. But if you,re on a tight budget, you can always wait for clothing store sales at places such as Gap, Old Navy, Disney Baby, or Babies R Us.

Bargain Seekers

With the knowledge that a child will outgrow their clothing quickly, some women go thrift shopping and check garage sales. Many times these clothes are barely worn and may even look almost new. Thrift shopping is a good way to find children’s brand name clothing without paying the full price. Sometimes clothing for boys in larger sizes is harder to find at these sources because of the wear and tear. Finding clothing for girls may be a bit easier. The key to finding great clothes at a bargain is to shop often. Visit your local thrift shop once a week and frequent yard sales in your area.

Yard sales are even better than thrift stores in some ways because you can bargain with the seller. Try picking out a bundle of clothing and other items; then make an offer for the entire bundle. You might be surprised at how little you will pay for items. Also, check for bargains through the newspaper classifieds. Occasionally, you’ll see offerings for children’s clothing directly through the ads.

Preparing for Ever-Changing Sizes and Needs

When your child gets to the toddler stage, clothing needs will change. During and after potty training, separate tops and bottoms will be more practical. Dresses and pull-on pants make training easier and encourage the toddler to be independent. Buy clothes that are easy to put on and take off so your toddler can learn to dress himself. You will need to buy good shoes that are comfortable. When fitting shoes, allow a half-inch in front of the toes when standing and make sure the heel fits properly.

If you have younger children of the same gender but different ages, or if you plan to have another baby soon, keep unsoiled clothing put away for the next child. This will save you money, and younger children usually never know the difference. Store the clothing in a dry, tightly sealed plastic container to keep mice and moths out. Include a fabric sheet to keep the clothes smelling fresh.

Buying Children’s Clothing for School

When your child starts school, clothing needs will again change. At this time, your child may want to help pick out clothes. Before you go shopping for clothes, have your child try on last year’s clothes and see what can still be worn. Then look for clothing that is comfortable, washable, and easy to keep clean. Many mothers choose children’s clothing that is simple with large buttons and has zippers with pulls, elastic waists, and large neck openings. Buy clothes that are appropriate and safe. Avoid big legs, loose ribbons or sashes, and slippery shoes. Even if you can’t afford expensive fashionable clothes, choose basic clothing in colors and styles your child likes.

Watch for store sales on school clothing and save money if your state has tax-free shopping days. In the winter, dress your child in layers. While they are outdoors they can wear their coats, hats, gloves, and scarves. Inside, they can also wear layers to remove if they become uncomfortable. A sweatshirt over a button-up shirt or a t-shirt under a button-up shirt will provide this option. Many women with smaller children choose clothing that will be easy to remove when going to the bathroom. The teachers always appreciate this!

Remember that some styles may be cute and very stylish but not comfortable or practical. Look at women’s magazines to get ideas, or talk to other mother’s that have more experience with children,s clothing to make the best choices.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web.

Learn more about Choosing Clothing for Your Children or Majon’s Clothing for Children directory

Cooking together has always been a favorite activity in our family. My mother began to cook with me before I started school. One of my earliest school memories was when I was a first grader: our class was invited to be guests of the eighth grade cooking class and we were treated to hot cocoa and oatmeal cookies made by the “big kids.” At the end of the party, we were allowed to help the eighth graders clean up, and I remember volunteering to wash a very large floured baking sheet. As the class was ending, I was still at the sink laboring with the industrial-sized baking sheet that was as big as I was. As a reward for my efforts, I was given a gold star on my forehead. Even now, many years later, I still remember that day as one of the proudest of my life.

And maybe it was that day that started me on a life in which my best memories involve cooking for myself, my family, and my friends. The best of the best memories are the times I cooked with my own children who have now grown up and have given me five grandkids (aged from 20 months to 18 years), with whom I can continue what I started with my children over 40 years ago.

Cooking gives children a wonderful sense of accomplishment and they learn early that hard work can pay big (sweet) rewards. Cooking allows you to talk to kids on many levels: they learn about their family histories when you use recipes handed down in the family (the names of their great grandparents, the foods that derive from their family roots in countries far away), they learn to follow directions, they learn to count (depending on their ages, this can range from simple to more involved calculations), they learn cooperation, they learn the joy of work that can give pleasure not only to themselves but to others, they learn to try and to experience different foods and cooking methods, they learn lessons of self-sufficiency that will serve them all their lives, they learn they must clean up after themselves, they learn to follow directions and how to plan ahead (shopping and prep time).

All the while they’re learning all these things, they’re having fun and so are you.

Children learn to enjoy food from the first moments of their lives, and they can learn the joy of cooking even as toddlers. When you cook with toddlers, it’s important that you concentrate only on the task at hand, and it’s best to limit your cooking class to just one short one at a time. I’ve found it best if the recipes are simple, and have an enjoyable anticipated outcome.

Getting started

These days, I’ve been cooking a lot with my three-year-old grandchild, Connor. I like to begin talking with Connor about what I want to cook with him. I describe how much he will like the dish, and when I get his interest, I give the recipe a fun name. I can keep his interest through the whole process if I start by writing the recipe down and discussing the ingredients and steps involved.

Then I plan a trip to the store for the ingredients. Again I involve the child. We look for the ingredients together, and we watch while the checker bags our stuff, and after we pay her (Connor learns that everything has a price), we go home to cook.

Washing hands is always the way we begin. It’s fun washing up with Connor, who generally resists washing up at other times — as he seriously throws himself into this activity when its for cooking. Next we gather our ingredients and utensils. And then we begin.

Fun and safety

I discuss the fact that we will need to warm up the oven while we’re making our food; explaining that the stove is “very hot” and that he must never touch the oven; and that he only cooks with me, or his Mommy or Daddy. I usually tell him about the times I would cook with Daddy when he was a little boy. This usually gets Connor’s interest. I measure out each of the ingredients, and Connor gets the fun and important mixing job.

If I’m using an electric blender or mixer, Connor gets to turn the appliance on and off (again discussing safety issues and the importance of not using these appliances by himself). If something has to be cooked on the stove-top, Connor stands close by watching the activity and depending on what’s cooking he get a chance to stir the pot (under very close supervision).

By this time, things in the kitchen are starting to smell really good, and that gives us a chance to discuss what we smell and to build excitement about the end result.

Connor gets the honor of greasing the cake or muffin pans, or he can roll out dough (with some help). Depending on what we’re cooking, he also gets the opportunity to help pour the batter into the pans if we’re making a cake, cupcakes, or muffins. If we’re making cookies, he can use the cookie cutters and later he can sprinkle the colored sugar over them.

Finally, we are ready to put the dish into the oven or onto the stove, set the timer, and anticipate the outcome. While waiting, Connor always helps with the clean up, and I admit this is his least favorite thing to do. But this is one of the lessons that are learned we must always clean up our own messes. It’s not all work. While we’re cleaning up, we get to look into the oven and watch the progress of the dish as it cooks. We discuss how the food will get to smell better and better, how it browns, and how the cake gets bigger as it cooks.

When the timer rings, with Connor closely watching, I take the food out of the oven and place it on the cooling rack. If the dish calls for icing, we use the cooling time to make the icing, and Connor helps put the icing on the cakes or cookies (and into his mouth).

At last, the dish is done and we get to eat it, sharing it of course with Mommy and Daddy, and anyone else who wants some. Since eating is a social activity, Connor basks in the glow of his accomplishment and enjoys the compliments and the conversation. In our family, after eating everyone helps clean up, so once again Connor is in on the action.

In general, anything that I choose to cook with Connor (or any other young child) has got to be simple and quick, recognizing that young children have finite attention spans. The time I spend cooking with Connor (or any of the kids) leaves me happy, tired, full, and contented; it leaves them feeling the same way, too, and proud of themselves as well.

The following are a few recipes that I have used successfully with Connor and with my younger grandchildren. I hope that you will try them for yourselves and add your own while you make memories for yourself, your children, and your grandchildren (or any kid who happens to be in your life).

The Recipes

“BaNANA” Bread

Preparation Time: 20 minutes Baking Time: 60 minutes Makes 1 Loaf

You will need: a large fork and a wooden spoon, 2 bowls, oven gloves, loaf pan, cooking rack.

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

2 cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg

½ cup cooking oil

2 or 3 very ripe bananas

Pam or some other spray to grease the pan

* Note: You can add ½ cup chopped walnuts to this recipe BUT I DO NOT GIVE NUTS TO YOUNG CHILDREN

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees and spray the sides and bottom of loaf pan with PAM and sprinkle with a little flour (shake out the excess flour)

2. Peel the bananas and mash the bananas with a fork into a small bowl

3. In the other bowl, mix the sugar, oil and egg with the wooden spoon until the mixture looks creamy and is a light yellow color

4. Blend in the bananas

5. Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Break up any lumps in the batter and stir until the batter is smooth and all the flour is mixed in.

To Bake: Spoon the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. (Test

for doneness: if the top of the loaf spring back after you touch

it, or if you stick a clean toothpick in and it comes out clean,

it’s done.

Cool on the cooling rack for about 20 minutes, then flip the bread out onto the rack and cool some more before slicing.

Creamy, Dreamy Oatmeal

(to wake a guy up)

Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 5 minutes Serves: 4

You will need measuring cups, small pot (prefer a non-stick one), a long handled wooden spoon, 4 bowls, 4 spoons.

Ingredients:

2 cups of water

1 cup old-fashioned oats

Pinch of salt

Possible Toppings:

(i.e. the good stuff) Milk or Maple Syrup, Brown Sugar

or honey

Butter

Raisins

Sliced Bananas

Crunchy Wheat Germ

1. Pour the water into the pot. Add the oats and salt.

2. Ask a grown-up to help bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer.

3. Cook for 5 minutes or until the desired thickness, stirring occasionally.

THEN: Spoon into bowls and serve with the topping dejour.

“Butter and Nana Jama” Jam Sandwiches

You will need 2 tablespoons, a butter knife, and a cutting board

Ingredients:

2 slices of bread (or more depending on who is eating)

1 tablespoon strawberry jam

1 tablespoon butter (soften to room temperature to spread

easy)

1. Spread jam evenly on one slice of bread (again depending on how many

are eating) and evenly butter the other slice.

2. Press the jammed and buttered sides of the slices together to make a

a sandwich

3. Place on cutting board and cut into halves or quarters.

A variation that my family enjoys: substitute softened cream cheese for the butter and make Cream Cheese And Nana Jama Jam Sandwiches.

Shamrock Lucky Glass Cookies

Preparation Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 8 to 10 minutes oven preheated

to 375 degrees

You will need:

One (1) package of pre-made sugar cookie dough (may

be store bought)

Green hard candy (Lifesavers etc.)

Zip Lock Bags and Small Kitchen Hammer (or any other

thing a child can use to “bam” the hard candy to little

bits)

Two (2) shamrock shaped cookie cutters (1 large and 1

small)

Some tin foil

A cookie sheet

To Prepare:

1. Roll out the cookie dough and cut out cookies using the large shamrock cookie cutter. Using the small cookie cutter, cut a hole in the center of each of the cookies

2. Place the cookies on a foil covered cookie sheet

3. Put hard candies into a plastic zip lock bag and crush them using the kitchen hammer, rolling pin or any thing else that will “bam” the candy (the kids LOVE this part!)

4. Use the crushed candy to fill the holes in the center of the cookies.

To Bake: Place the cookie sheet in the over (adult only) and bake the cookies for about 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned. Watch these cookies because depending on your oven, they may require less time to brown.

Let these cookies cool completely and then peel the cookies off the foil and EAT!

Variations: Depending on the Holiday or Celebration (or just because), you can use other cookie cutters and colored candy—as for example, Christmas 1/4Tree Cookie cutters and red and green candy for Christmas.

Pruney Loony Muffins

Preparation Time: 30 minutes Baking Time: 15 to 20 minutes in regular sized muffin tin or 7 to 9 minutes in mini muffin tins.

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees Makes 12 regular sized muffins or 36 mini muffins. NOTE: Kids LOVE the mini muffin size.

You will need:

Muffin tin (regular sized or mini sized)

1 and 3/4 cups of flour

1/4 cups of sugar

1 Tablespoon Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 egg

1/4 cup salad oil

2 (4 oz. Baby Jars) of Pureed Prunes or you can use Pureed Apples

1/3 cup milk

Mixing Bowl and Flour Sifter and Measuring Cups and spoons

For the Topping (goes on before baking):

2 Tablespoon Wheat Germ

1 Tablespoon Sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

To Make:

1. Sift dry ingredients together (flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon into a bowl and make a well in the center.

2. Place eggs, milk and prunes (or apples) into a medium bowl and beat with a fork until well mixed.

3. Pour liquid mixture into the flour well and mix until just moistened. Batter will be lumpy.

4. Fill greased muffin tins to 3/4 full

5. Mix the topping ingredients together in a small bowl and sprinkle the topping on the muffins and gently pat on.

Bake in the preheated oven (400 degrees) for 15 to 20 minutes for regular sized muffins or 7 to 9 minutes for mini muffins.

Submitted to Online Cooking by Maureen R. Sinclair

Fly fishing techniques can be used on streams, rivers, ponds and lakes. Fly fishing works in salt water and fresh water, cold water and warm water. Fly fishing techniques can be broken down into sub-surface and on the surface. Sub-surface means fishing between the bottom of the stream and the surface of the water column. Cast the fly to a position in front of the path of a target fish. This position should be a point on either side of the fish but ahead of it. Casting a light fly like that is impossible with traditional fishing rods and casting is one of the most important skills a fly fisherman needs to grasp. Learning to cast is about commitment to the art. Cast out away from the boat or drop it directly over the side, straight down. Once the lure hits bottom pull it upward and let it free fall back to bottom. Cast it out, then retrieve it quickly through the water and the fish will throw themselves at it.

Rods were still heavy and clumsy, while the few existing reels were very simply constructed and quite small in comparison to the rods. The rotating spool lacked a brake and actually had only one function – to store the line on. Rods that are moderate to slow in action can also be used as they load easily and are pleasurable to cast for extended periods.

Anglers have been taught that the line should straighten completely at the end of a cast, but when you are casting downstream, this “proper” casting technique causes the fly to begin dragging immediately, making a dead drift impossible. My most skilled clients, those who were able to hook the fish in this pool, figured out that the key to this presentation was slack. Anglers started devising running line systems, where they could use shorter rods and longer lines. Eventually this led to the development of reels and the widespread use of shorter rods and reels. Anglers in North America additionally rise assorted literatures regarding to fly-fishing. The competition of fly-fishing as well as all these literatures gave North America the repute of being the hearth of dry fly-fishing, privately the City of Calgary, Alberta.

Generally, simply using weights on the leader or the fly line can do an adequate job of pulling down a wet fly to the right depth. Generally the Shimano reels are costly since they are manufactured from special materials and have a variety of features t. Generally, when a fly is cast for bass it should be allowed to remain unmoving for a longer period of time then for trout. It is estimated that 60% of bass strikes are made on a still fly. Nymph fishing, since the fly is underwater and is often extremely small, can test the abilities of any angler, and often leaves the beginner angler frustrated to extreme levels. Yet, the ability of have good nymph fishing technique is essential for productive trout fishing. Nymphing was best early. Karen had limited experience with streamer fishing and missed a number of fish but by late in the float she was an old pro, hooking trout almost every place she put the fly.

Bass fishing is also doing very well in this area with several 10lb bass fish surfacing last week. Raccoon Point is offering solid catfish fishing as well right now. Bass fishing has been quite good although the water levels dropped in such a huge hurry, the end of the season is already very near. The lower floats are done when the river is above 2000 cfs at the start of the trip and we have already hit that obviously. Bass dozer gets a small sales commission if you begin shopping at these stores from here. You always get the same low price you would pay anyway.

Trout are not very nice to each other. Trout’s living here are very spooky compared with the cousins living in slow moving and bigger waters. Highest care in the approach is necessary. Trout are fish, after all, and make different use of their senses than we do. Understanding these senses can greatly increase the prospects of a successful fly fishing trip. Trout behavior in lakes versus rivers versus streams can often be a real problem for even the most experienced fishermen.

Dry fly fishing is said to be the most pure method with which one can fool his quarry. I love nothing more than to watch a trout rise to my properly presented dry fly and then gently sip it in. Dry fly fishing is the best known and is considered the classic form. Using the dry fly fishing technique, the angler casts the fly in the hope that the trout rise up and bite the fly, as it introduces overhead. Dry fly fishing is the most familiar and is regarded as the classic form. Using the dry fly fishing technique, the angler casts the fly upstream hoping that the trout will rise up and bite the fly as it passes overhead. Wet fly fishing dates back hundreds of years, well before dry fly fishing came around. Wet fly fishing is one of the best ways for anglers to get introduced to sub-surface fishing. Unlike nymph and dry fly fishing, where skill, practice and precise imitations are needed to effectively take trout consistently, wet fly fishing can provide rewards quickly – even to beginner anglers.

Waders allow you to traverse waters and reach places you can not from the shore. Fly fishers spend a lot of time on the water, but most of the time it is IN the water. Waders will allow the angler to fish in toward, rather than out from, a bank, or even to wade beyond or around a submerged tree or other fish-harboring cover. Stream fly fishing is done in some of the most beautiful areas of the country. It is essential that we do everything we can to keep it that way. Streamers and buck tail flies do not imitate any part of the insects life cycle. These types of fly fishing flies are much larger and represent small bait fish such as sculpin minnows.

Basically, you should go light and not try to use a line that is overweight. If you have never done any casting before it may be necessary to get some lessons from a professional. Basically level and double tapers do not do well in saltwater fly fishing. This makes for an easier cast and stronger reel in.

Larry Cole

Looking for more information check out Fly Fishing Guide at http://www.larryshouse.webs.com Good luck, with you fishing and remember one thing have fun.

Choosing the right fish tank for your pets is not easy. There are so many options out there, how do you select the right setup for your situation?

We take a look below at the mid-sized BiOrb 60 16 Gallon tank below, which has some interesting features for all levels of fish enthusiasts. BiOrb is an aquarium and fish supply manufacturer that takes a different approach to fish tank design, incorporating more stylish and contemporary elements into their aquariums.

So what’s the good, bad and indifferent about the BiOrb 60? Read below to see if it’s an aquarium that is right for you and your fish.

About the BiOrb 60 16 Gallon Fish Tank

BiOrb expands on its successful and highly popular 8 gallon fish tank with the BiOrb 60 16 Gallon aquarium. The BiOrb 60 continues the spherical shape BiOrb has become known for while expanding the space for larger fish and fish populations. The 16 gallon aquarium can be converted into a complete marine aquarium thanks to the largest biological filtration system the company has offered. The BiOrb tank is made from strong Plexiglas acrylic and as the largest aquarium in BiOrb’s Classic product line, can be had in five different designer colors. The tank comes complete with a 5 stage internal filter, air pump and halogen lighting system.

What Comes with your BiOrb 16 Gallon Tank

• biOrb 60 aquarium (16 gallon biorb )
• Ceramic media
• 1 Standard freshwater filter cartridge – (biorb service kit)
• Low-voltage Air Pump
• 12v Transformer
• Tap water conditioner and Beneficial Bacteria liquid
• Printed documentation

BiOrb 16 Gallon Specifications

• Height: 20.4 inches (52cm)
• Width: 19.6 inches (50cm)
• Weight (empty): 12pounds (1 kg)
• Weight (full): 130 pounds (61 kg)
• Volume: 16 Gallon (60L)
• 16v transformer
• Two connectors (light and airpump)
• 12 month guarantee
• 12v – safe low-voltage pump
• Quiet operation
• 12 month guarantee
• 1.5m airline with 1-way valve
• 1m power cable
• Plugs directly into transformer (supplied)
• Line voltage: 12V AC
• Complies with UL, ULC and CE safety requirements
• Child safe

Aquarium Setup Options

The BiOrb 60 16 Gallon can easily handle cold water and tropical water fish (with addition of Heater Pack). The tank can also be converted to a full marine aquarium with the addition of the BiOrb Marine Conversion Kit, which supplies everything you need to keep small marine fish and creatures such as hermit crabs, shrimps and marine snails.

For those looking to setup an aquarium right out of the box, the BiOrb comes with everything you’ll need except fish and decorations. The BiOrb 60 is a good option for fish enthusiasts looking to keep setup simple and maintenance to a minimum.

And while the BiOrb 60 is a great place to start for beginners, the tank allows for more experienced fish owners to expand the capabilities of the aquarium through add-on kits and advanced lighting options. The Marine Conversion Kit is designed to provide all that is needed for a salt water tank setup and the optional intelligent LED light can replicate sunrise and sunset conditions for those that want to provide a natural lighting environment for their fish.

Aquarium Care & Maintenance

Filtration systems are typically the first place to look when considering the maintenance and care commitment a fish tank will need. Reef One with their BiOrb and BiUbe products is consistently one of the best manufacturers for filtration systems. While any aquarium takes a commitment to regular cleaning and maintenance to maintain a healthy environment for your fish, the 5 stage internal filtration systems found on the BiOrb 60 makes maintenance considerably easier than many competing aquarium of this size.

BiOrb claims that their internal filtration systems have relatively more biological filtration than similar external filtration fish tank systems. While we cannot vouch for the effectiveness of the internal system in comparison to other external filter systems, the 5 stage system on the BiOrb 60 seems to work exceedingly well in our experience. We reserve judgment where external filtration systems are concerned only because there are some great external systems out there, such as the Eclipse systems by Marineland. This is not to take anything away from the BiOrb aquarium systems, but we’re not ready to either confirm or deny the companies claims their internal filtration is superior to external filtration systems.

Aquarium Design & Appearance

Once again, the BiOrb 60 16 Gallon tank exceeds most competitors when appearance and design are considered. BiOrb does an excellent job of melding form with function in the BiOrb 60.

The aquarium is perfect for virtually any room of the house. While many aquariums tend to look a little boring without fish and decorations, the same cannot be said of the BiOrb 60. Even right out of the box, the design is stunning. The 60 is truly a fish tank that will add to any room to which it is added. A fish tank for an interior designer, or someone who appreciates a clean, aesthetically pleasing look.

Aquarium Reviews

What’s good?

• Great design and appearance consistent with entire BiOrb fish tank product lines
• 16 gallon tank allows for more fish than some of the smaller tanks
• Larger size allows for more types of fish, bigger fish
• Complete aquarium kit features everything you need to prepare your tank for your fish
• BiOrb 60 16 Gallon instruction manual includes FAQs, how to and recommended fish
• Biorb Plexiglas Acrylic is 10x stronger than glass
• The service kit filter system is easy to change and clean
• Versatility of use with cold water, fresh water or salt water setup capabilities
• Filtration makes maintenance easier than many equivalent tanks
• BiOrb’s advanced five-stage filtration system allows for a healthy, clear environment for your fish

What’s not so good?

• You’ll pay a premium for BiOrb quality and design
• Visible area of fish tank is smaller than a conventional rectangular tank due to curvature of orb shape

Fish Tank Review Summary

The BiOrb 60 16 Gallon tank is a great option for beginners looking for a slightly larger BiOrb tank than some of the smaller aquariums and experienced fish owners looking for a tank that can grow with their hobby alike. A great internal filtration system, clean, attractive design and versatility of setup makes the BiOrb 60 16 Gallon a fish tank we recommend enthusiastically.

For more recommendations, information and reviews of fish tanks and fish equipment, visit BiOrb Tank Reviews.

So, we have finally closed the book on 2010. Now, as we transition into the new year, this is when most people reflect back on the year before. In the movie world, this is also when critics and movie lovers take the time to review the past year. Not to mention, this is awards season. With the Critics’ Choice Awards in just a couple of weeks and the Oscars less than two months ago, suffice to say the red carpet is officially out.

Today, I’m going to throw myself into that very ring as we bring you Couch Potato Club’s 2010 Movie Awards. Up front, though, I would like to go ahead and say, I’m going to do this different than those big award shows. For one, you’ll see some of the typical categories, but likewise there will be some off-beat ones. Also, call me crazy, but I believe the biggest factor in judging a movie is its entertainment value. Granted all of the other little facets of making a movie help to make a movie better, however I believe entertainment succeeds a movie’s technical prowess in order to define whether it is good or not. So, you won’t be seeing me awarding these “artsy” movies just because of their “cinematic achievement” (whatever the hell that is). Instead, I’ll be judging on good ole entertainment value (with acting, story, etc. playing factors).

So, without further ado, here are the winners of the first annual Couch Potato Club Movie Awards.

Best Film: Inception

For me this came down to Inception and Black Swan. I’ve honestly spent days mulling it over in my head which would be my movie of the year. However, in the end, Inception wins out. Inceptionwas also perfect in a sense. With intelligent writing, good acting, fun action, great cinematography and so on and so on, the movie proved to be awesome style with great substance. Nolan proved once again here why he is one of (if not THE) most sought after filmmakers today. A narrative genius. After watching this movie, it made me realize what a god-send Nolan is to Hollywood really. Everybody in Hollywood should be taking notes. This is exactly how a blockbuster movie should be done. Let’s not kid ourselves, blockbuster action movies will continue to be the bread and butter of Hollywood for some time to come. While this is alright, the problem usually lies in that they’re so shallow and cliche and just “eh”. They usually just rely on cool action sequences and awesome looking special effects. Not Inception, though. This movie provides all that, but then actually brings substance to that style giving us an engaging and mind-bending/intelligent storyline to go with it. This perfect blend makes Inception my movie of the year.

Best Actor: James Franco – 127 Hours

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: you want to test the merit of an actor? Throw him in a movie where he is pretty much the only one ever on-screen and he has to carry the entire movie himself. Where the whole weight of the entire movie rests most assuredly on his shoulders. Will he shine? Will he crumble? This is the test. Others have proven themselves in the same way (Will Smith, Tom Hanks). And truly I believe this (and the “retard role”) is one of the biggest ways to test an actor and see if he’s one of the greats. So, enter James Franco and 127 Hours. Playing a mountain climber that gets trapped under a boulder and is all alone, Franco is left to carry an entire film on his own. Does he succeed? Damn right he does. With flying colors at that. Keeping it interesting, conveying a range of emotions throughout the film and sucking you in all on his own, Franco clearly shows he had the mettle to tackle such a daunting task and come out on top. For that reason, he’s my actor of the year.

Best Actress: Natalie Portman – Black Swan

Natalie’s performance in the Aronofsky psychological thriller is absolutely brilliant. Her best work to-date in my opinion. Playing a role that requires her to eventually transition from sweet little naive princess girl to girl-gone-wild (in a dark side kinda way), she hits every beat without missing a step. I believe the biggest factor for a good actor/actress is range. Anybody can shine in a part that was just made for them (in line with their natural persona), but range and playing different personas/characters is where an actor/actress can show their true prowess. In Black Swanalone, Natalie Portman has shown, in just the 2 hours, that she has more range than most actresses around. She exhibited more range in one performance than most do in their entire career. For such a brilliant performance Natalie Portman gets my vote as actress of the year. I don’t think this is even up for debate.

Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale – The Fighter

Here’s another that I feel is just a given and isn’t up for debate. Bale absolutely stole the show in every scene he appeared in The Fighter. The weight loss alone shows Bale’s dedication to his craft. Furthermore, the way he was able to lose himself in that crackhead persona and into the role of Dicky Eklund just further proved what an amazing actor Bale is. To really show you how brilliant his performance was, the video clip of real-life Dicky during the credits showed you just how well Bale nailed that performance. It had to almost be like looking in a mirror for Dicky.

Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo – The Fighter

Yes, the supporting cast of The Fighter was just great. They’re the ones that kept this movie afloat. Leo’s turn as the “white trash” overbearing mother was great and was another (along with Bale’s performance) that really helped this movie shine. Without these two, The Fighter bombs.

Best Director: Darren Aronofsky – Black Swan

Like I said, best film was down to Black Swan and Inception for me. Aronofsky’s work here was damn near perfect. This was a brilliantly directed movie. From the camera shots to the music to the story-telling to what he got out of his cast, Aronofsky did a great job in conveying this thriller story very aptly on all levels. As one of my favorite modern directors, it’s no surprise that Aronofsky continues to impress year after year.

Best Screenplay: Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz and John McLaughlin – Black Swan

For me, screenplay/story is probably the biggest factor in determining whether a movie is entertaining. Afterall, without an intriguing and entertaining story, then your movie is just going to suck. That being said, it’s no surprise that this, for me, came down to Black Swan and Inceptionagain; the two movies vying for my Best Film award. However, in the end I have to go with Black Swan edging out in this category. The story was great in my opinion. Very thrilling and intriguing story that left you on your seat the whole while through. To top it off, though, was all the subtext present throughout the film. From the “life imitates art” to the “greed can consume us all” to the commentary of how much pressure can be put on an entertainer and the risks they ensue when losing themselves in a performance in order to be “perfect”. This script had it all and fired on so many cylinders. Truly was a great story and I loved how the main character’s life began to mirror the very character she was attempting to play on stage.

Best Ensemble Cast: The Fighter

I guess after the previous supporting awards, this should come as no surprise. However, I will say I was also seriously considering The Town for this award which had a very good all-around performance from its entire cast. However, the cast of The Fighter performed well in all areas. Even Mark Wahlberg was decent enough (and I don’t particularly care for him). Though, he was the weak link and his actual character was boring. However, everyone else turned in fine performances that, as a whole, really pulled you into the family in the film. Then the performances of Bale and Leo really just pushed the overall ensemble over the top. Meanwhile, Amy Adams delivered a very good performance as well standing out.

Breakout Performance of the Year: Jennifer Lawrence – Winter’s Bone

The movie itself, I found was fairly overrated. However, Jennifer Lawrence in Winter’s Bone did an absolutely wonderful job of playing the role of Ree Dolly. If not for her, the entire movie would have been a wash. However, her performance was very nice to watch. It made it even more worthwhile as I got to witness that this girl is actually a very adept actress. Before this, I had only seen her in ‘The Bill Engvall Show’ where she plays the typical cliche ditzy teenage girl. Which, honestly, there are a million and one girls in the nation that could pull that off. Watching her go from that ditzy teenager to this gritty and convincing performance was definitely a treat for me and showed me her worth. For that, she receives my Breakout Performance of the Year award.

Best Action Movie: Inception

Inception wins here. Of course being my Best Film of the Year, it’s going to also win in its specific genre category. The movie fires on all cylinders for an almost nonstop joyride, especially for the last half of the film. The last half especially, with the gun fights and chases and fights, etc. prove to be an adrenalin rush of action. Again, this is pretty much the Hollywood-action-blockbuster film perfected.

Best Comedy: Get Him to the Greek

Ok, here’s where some might disagree with me (if they haven’t already). However, it’s my belief that Best Comedy movie should mainly be based on which movie was the funniest. Granted, there were movies I liked better overall that fall into the comedy category (Scott Pilgrim), but on the laugh scale they didn’t touch Get Him to the Greek. Russell Brand is just hilarious. And his part as the typical rock star was great and hilarious. Even “P Diddy” (who I hate) had me cracking up during this movie. For me, it really was the funniest movie of the year.

Best Animated Movie: How to Train Your Dragon

Yep, I’m doing it. I’m kicking Pixar to the curb this year and letting someone else have Best Animated prize. Granted, I really enjoyed Toy Story 3, but for me How to Train Your Dragon was just the better movie and was more fun. It was cute, funny, inspiring in its own way and refreshing. I really enjoyed the movie. How to Train Your Dragon was one of those that had heart and depth and was really beautiful (both story-wise and animation). One that truly appeals to both adults and kids alike.

Best Horror Movie: Paranormal Activity 2

I loved the first one and the sequel proves no different. Paranormal Activity has been something of a savior for the horror genre I believe. And part 2 makes it a saving grace for Hollywood as the franchise goes mainstream. With good pacing and ‘storytelling’, Paranormal Activity 2, like its predecessor, brings the art of tension and suspense back to a seemingly hollowed out genre. It does a great job of really getting into your imagination and letting it run wild, in turn terrorizing yourself. Really a refreshing movie in the genre, I can’t wait for part 3 this fall.

Best Thriller: The Town

Yes, I realize Black Swan is a thriller, and I absolutely agree that it’s the better movie. However, like the comedy movie, I feel the Best Thriller movie should be judged pretty much solely on the “thrill” aspect. And while Black Swan did engulf me and keep in thrilled, The Town pulled that aspect off a bit better. Maybe because the action of it catered to that, I don’t know. However, The Town just had me really on the edge of my seat from start to finish pretty much. The action was good, the movie was so intense and the whole of it just never let up once it took off running, that I couldn’t help but be enthralled as I went on that thrill ride.

Best Docudrama: The Social Network

Social Networking has been spreading like wildfire in the past years, so it comes as no surprise that it would eventually become the basis of a film. The Social Network isn’t just any film though. Becoming one of the most talked about movies of the year and making a real movie to be movie of the year, the movie is a great all-around film that everybody should see. And it might be one of the most significant films of modern day (that or its counterpart ‘Catfish’).

Best Indie Film: Buried

Another thriller that just keeps you enthralled throughout (yes it seems I have a thing for thriller type movies). With such a minimal set and minimal story and cast, Buried just seems like it’s set to disappoint. Despite all these risks though it manages to succeed and become a very thrilling and captivating movie, with Reynolds carrying it well.

Best Fight: Zero-Gravity Hallway Fight – Inception

The visuals and special effects was just one facet of what made Inception so awesome for me. And this fight scene was one of those that stood out above the rest. Creative, cool to watch, action-packed, it really was just a really fun fight and pretty awesome.

Tearjerker of the Year: Toy Story 3

Did I personally cry? No. However, Toy Story 3 I feel is the movie of the year that will most likely make someone cry. Maybe it’s the connection after having grown up with the series. Maybe it’s just the depth of emotion created in some scenes that hit home for most people in a real-life way. Whatever it is, Toy Story 3 is sure to get the waterworks running for quite a few people. With scenes like the incinerator scene and Andy’s final time with the toys (especially when he realizes Woody is in there and he ends up parting with the toy that started it all), Toy Story 3 definitely has its moments that truly tug on those heart-strings.

Best On-Screen Couple: Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams – Blue Valentine

Both of these actors are some of the better young actors around today (Gosling being my choice for best actor under 30 even). They really show their worth here in this movie as well. Giving great and powerful performances the two shine on the screen together. The chemistry between them is absolutely marvelous and the genuine/real emotion they convey over the course of the movie provides for a good watch.

Best Villain: Gideon Graves (Jason Schwartzman) – Scott Pilgrim vs the World

Jason Schwartzman is just unconventionally hilarious most every time I see him. His appearance in Scott Pilgrim was just icing on the cake for a very good movie. Classic Schwartzman provided humor and intelligence to the role, standing out as my favorite villain of a movie filled with villains.

Worst Movie of the Year: The Last Airbender

I’m not even going to say anything. Everybody knows it sucks. Shyamalan again proves, that despite his last movie (The Happening being horrible) that he can still outdo himself and make a surprisingly worse film than he ever has. The guy is spiraling out of control straight down the drain.

Most Overrated Movie of the Year: The Kids Are All Right

I’m sorry. It wasn’t that good. The acting was decent. Mark Ruffalo was pretty much the saving grace of the movie. Other than that the movie was so pretentious and contrived and just flat out boring. Not nearly as good as people made it out to be (not even the performances). Wasn’t funny or humorous at all. And the movie definitely does not deserve even being considered as a Best Film nominee.

Most Underrated Movie of the Year: Kick-Ass

Sure, the movie got decent reviews, even did moderately well in its opening weekend. However, I feel Kick-Ass was just underappreciated for the year. Quite frankly, the movie, well….kicked ass. In fact, it may go down as one of my Top 10 or 15 favorite movies of the year. It’s one of the best comic book adaptations I’ve seen in a long while. For me, it was even better than it’s competitorScott Pilgrim. A truly awesome and fun movie that should have been given more credit. Very entertaining and more people should give it a shot.

Best TV Show (Drama): The Walking Dead

Admittedly, my typically TV show viewing consists of sitcoms/comedies. However, there are a few dramas I watch here and there. This year’s The Walking Dead proved to be one of those new shows that drug me in and made me love it. Making me eager to see the next season, and disappointed I’ll have to wait so long.

Best TV Show (Comedy): Modern Family

With a funny ensemble cast and very funny writing, Modern Family has proven to be one of my favorite new TV shows recently. And with ‘The Office’ being hit or miss anymore, Modern Familyis the one that consistently has me laughing the most. Most notably, Eric Stonestreet as “Cam” always makes me laugh and really steals the show almost every time he appears. His performance is what puts this one over the edge for me. Though, Big Bang Theory and Jim Parsons performance do come in a very close second for me.

If you like this article and found it helpful, visit my site couchpotatoclub.com for other articles on movie -related subjects as well as the latest DVD and movie news and reviews.

What really makes a celebrity a true celebrity? Is it the news coverage? The pursuit of tabloids? Perhaps sheer popularity is what drives us to call movie stars, musicians, and politicians celebrities. If that is the case, are the non-traditional stars celebrities as well?

In order to find a satisfactory answer to this dilemma, one must look for a celebrity index. CelebrityContest.net has developed an algorithm to assign a value to a celebrity, much as stocks are assigned a monetary value in order for site visitors or members to build celebrity portfolio. The algorithm takes into consideration the amount and timing of news items pertaining to celebrities as well as the popularity of the celebrity as a portion of online portfolios. But does this adequately measure the amount of celebrity status an individual has achieved?

Celebrity

To determine this, we need to consider what celebrity actually means. The American Heritage Dictionary defines celebrity as “a famous person,” or “renown, fame.” That definition is very broad indeed. To be renown is to simply be well-known. Osama Bin Laden is well-known, but does not necessarily have the same following as Jessica Alba. By this definition, however, they are both celebrities.

Thus, to be a celebrity, one must be either famous or infamous, and the distinction is not relevant. By this same token, individuals who have developed a following in unconventional ways such as the internet or reality programming are certainly celebrities as well – albeit some have more global coverage than others. So to measure the amount of celebrity an individual has obtained, one would simply need to measure his or her popularity.

Measuring Popularity

Before the information age, to measure popularity would involve countless newspaper and magazine searches. Print resources as well as television and radio contained any and all celebrity news and gossip. With the advent of the internet, this changed, of course. In present times, the internet has not only opened countless doors to those aspiring to stardom, but has developed a multitude of news and gossip outlets as well.

Most of the conventional media outlets – magazines, newspapers, radio, and television have developed an online presence. Often these websites contain more information pertaining to celebrities than the original medium. Those interested in entertainment news now have almost countless methods to find the information they seek.

The fastest way to find information online, however, is through the search engines. Major search engines index all web pages and online news items as they are developed, and offer users a chance to hone in on the desired material. Searching for celebrities will pull up thousands, if not millions, of relevant results. It follows that by simply counting the number of searches and articles for each celebrity, one could understand the popularity of that individual.

Celebrity Contest

It seems the algorithm developed by CelebrityContest.net holds true. The algorithm assigns value to a celebrity based on the number and age of news items and searches, which is the best indicator of popularity. Of course, the algorithm also includes results from CelebrityContest.net, which are a valid indicator as well.

If a celebrity is popular, he or she will be included in many portfolios. If he is becoming blasé, he will be dropped from portfolios in favor of more popular individuals. If a celebrity is looking for a gauge of her own value, she can perform a complicated web analysis, or simply track her price changes on CelebrityContest.net to understand how her fan base is feeling. Of course, fans can search for the value of their favorite celebrity, and even cash in on the details only devoted fans are privy to – insider trading if you will.

celebrity. (n.d.). The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Retrieved October 29, 2006, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/celebrity

For additional gossip, news, and the opportunity to buy and sell the most popular celebrities in the world today, visit CelebrityContest.net [http://celebritycontest.net]

Camps and clinics are a critical component of the overall development of your advancement and officiating career. There are many camps from which to chose over the United States. These training opportunities allow you to received instruction from some of the world’s greatest football officials. They also allow you to network and build relationships with those same officials. Some are expensive, some take several days to complete. Some are better, some are worse. So how do you find the right camp?

First you need to do some research in order to make a good decision about what camp fits your goals and developmental needs. Determine how much time and money you have available to devote to the camp environment. What are your immediate officiating goals? There are basically two kinds of camps: teaching camps and exposure camps. Both are valuable and have their place, but you need to understand the difference so your experience is both rewarding and beneficial.

The off-season is devoted to development of your officiating skills. Early on in your career, your first consideration will be instruction in fundamentals. Finding a camp that teaches the essentials is paramount. In exposure or “try-out” camps, there are opportunities to meet conference supervisors and other key decision-makers but less focus on the basics. The expectation is that you have a solid foundation of the essentials and are ready to take your skills to the next level. There will certainly be teaching but it tends to be more focused on the details of this craft.

There are often multiple talent scouts at the exposure camps and they serve as a great vehicle to showcase your officiating skills in your attempts to climb the ladder. They are definitely a valuable component of every aspiring official’s career but your number one priority is to address the developmental needs you had at the end of the previous season. Get your game ready for that next level and there will be a proper time and place for the exposure camp in your future.

I won’t attempt to recommend one camp over another. Rather, I’ll give you a checklist on how to choose a camp. If you will follow this simple method, you can use it to choose a camp or clinic for years to come.

In addition to the two previously discussed camp types, I want to point out two additional classifications: Classroom and Field Instruction. Due to the limited availability of spring football, some camps are conducted in a classroom-only mode. Others guarantee live snaps on the field at colleges and universities when teams are conducting spring scrimmages. Both can be valuable learning experiences and I wanted to point out this difference as we discuss our checklist.

* Who are the instructors?

The quality of the camp is directly proportional to the staff. You want to be taught by successful officials and from officials that have achieved those levels to which you aspire.

* Instructor to Student Ratio?

Just like in a normal class room, this ratio can have an impact on your ability to receive feedback and individualized attention. Ask about the number of clinicians and the expected number of trainees. Live play camps will typically limit the number of students in order to maximize the number of snaps and tailor the personal instruction to the student.

There is no right number, but realize your experience in a class of 50 students with one Big Ten umpire talking about chop blocks will be much different than having an NFL line judge standing behind you on the line of scrimmage discussing pre-snap duties.

* College or high school mechanics?

There are camps that focus strictly on each and with that comes a different level of instruction regarding each levels rules and mechanics. Understand where you are in your officiating career and what your immediate goals are so that you chose the camp format that is appropriate for your needs.

There are fewer opportunities for live play at the high school level due to the restrictions placed on high school student-athletes. College camps often coincide with spring training and offer the ability to officiate college level play. Fundamentals are taught at both levels and it should be easy for you to choose a camp that fits your needs.

* Is there video review?

There are many good camps with veteran instructors. But you may never see yourself on video. Ask about the availability of video review. Coordinating video during a camp experience is a monumental task and many camps do not offer this tool. But I believe it’s a necessary part of the optimal camp experience. Not only from your development watching your own video, but working with those NCAA and NFL officials on how to break down your film will accelerate your advancement and learning for years to come.

* Is there classroom instruction?

Some camp formats only offer classroom instruction and this type of camp is perfect for the less experienced official. Often the Field Training camps complement the training with the classroom to review play situations, film and other teaching points. Classroom only camps typically are one day in length and start off with a key-note speaker followed by breakout sessions by position and/or emphasis on a skill such as goal line plays.

* Will you receive written evaluations of field work?

Written critiques should be very helpful to identify some of your strong and weak points. Most often, camp instructors will see some small intangible need for you to improve upon that you may not have known. They will also provide excellent insight and advice on what to expect at the higher levels giving you a clear path on what you need to address as you seek advancement.

* Are there returning students?

Is there a waiting list? Does the website have testimonials from former students? Are there success stories where past students have been successfully advanced into higher levels? This is a true test of a camp’s quality and should not go unnoticed during your evaluation. Ask those questions of the camp leadership personnel.

* Cost?

Camps can range from $25 for a single day of classroom instruction to well over $1000 for 3 day clinic with live play and film review. Each can prove beneficial to every official and learning can occur in many ways.

Finding the right camp can reap rewards in your officiating career. Money and time can be wasted if your officiating goals and needs are not properly aligned with the mission of the camp itself. My intention here is to educate you to make an informed decision. The off-season camp should become an integral component in your development as an official and accelerate your progression and improvement as you pursue your officiating goals and dreams.

Camps can be a valuable resource for your improving your officiating skill set as well as providing opportunities for you to network with key decision-makers and gain much-needed exposure. As you progress in your officiating career, not only will your goals and needs change; so will your expectations of each camp environment. If you reach a point where you feel the camps you are attending are not providing value or honing your skills, you may need to seek other camps that can satisfy your expectations.

Finally, the camp environment is a great chance to associate with like-minded football officials. You will find that your mild obsession with football officiating may not be fully understood with your friends and family. Most won’t truly appreciate your desire to officiate football at the highest levels. People will continually question your desires and dreams. Some may even attempt to discourage you from pursuing those dreams. Camps provide you a unique opportunity to surround yourself with similar motivated people passionate about officiating football. This environment is conducive to learning and improvement. The people you will meet and associations you make will reach beyond the short camp schedule and provide you meaningful relationships in and out of the officiating community.

And now I would like to invite you to claim your FREE 7 Lesson Email course on What NCAA Conference Supervisors Seek in Prospective Football Officials when you visit http://www.profootballreferee.com. Click here to get two chapters of my book, “Forward Progress – Confessions from a Rookie College Football Official” – just plug in your info! There are some great resources for improving your football officiating taken directly from NCAA Division I conference supervisors, NFL and NCAA officials.

From Todd Skaggs – Author, Blogger and NCAA Football Official

O P Bhatnagar is one of the most leading voices of Indian English poetry whose collections Thought Poems (1976), Feeling Fossils (1977), Angels of Retreat (undated), The Audible Landscape, Oneric Visions, Shadows in Floodlight (1984) and Cooling Flames of Darkness (2001) bespeak of political consciousness of the poet. As it is clear cut fact that Indian English poetry can never stay away from the socio-political atmosphere of India and poets who do not write under a single formula but rather start a dialogue between ‘man and man’ so Bhatnagar too deals with a number of issues of our society and politics. Dr. A.N. Dwivedi comments:

“Bhatnagar’s poetry comprehends a great variety of themes which directly focus on the long ness of his experience and the solemnity of his involvement in the affairs of life.” (CIE217)

Bhatnagar’s tackling of political theme is more firm and larger than any other Indian English poet for he has touched almost all the aspects of political scenario. Dr.V.K.Singh observes:

“We find in Bhatnagar a frank analysis of the facts of contemporary life. Bhatnagar descants upon myriad aspects of political life as existing currently. No salient feature escapes his keenly discerning eye. Bhatnagar rips open the bosom of several political riddles. He mirrors before us what is what of all political problems.” (152)

Themes like election, bribery, corruption, criminalization of politics, rampant bribery among the leaders degrading character of national leaders, division of society by communalism, castism, linguism, and regionalism etc and the utter loss of values in politics are touched by the poet in a remarkably sensitive and superbly sarcastic way which is still not being surpassed by any poet of Indian English Poetry. His assertion that ‘Indian Poetry in English has to be Indian’ cannot be overlooked if we aspire to promote Indian Literature. Merely copying and coping with the English and English Literature is insufficient because Indian sensibility is not suffering with the penury of thoughts, emotions and sensibility and because it has its foundation vitality and voice of potentiality. Dr. R.C. Sharma is right when he says:

“The reason why Bhatnagar advocates making Indian Poetry in English is beset with conflicts and concerns; and these conflicts and concerns are basically Indian. Bhatnagar is conscious of the milieu in which the Indian poet in English lives as well as of the duty which the Indian poet in English has to perform.”(79)

O.P.Bhatnagar has dealt with a number of themes like social consciousness, political awareness, love, nature, philosophy and Indianness. According to Dr. A. N. Dwivedi:

Bhatnagar’s poetry comprehends a great variety of themes, which directly focus on the largeness of his experienceand the solemnityof his involvement in the affairs of his life. (CIE,217)

In this way Bhatnagar understands the tempo and temperature of his times and accordingly orchestrates his poetry. Bhatnagar’s dealing with the theme of politics is myriad and real. The various social problems that agitate the conscience of man are the subjects of his poetry and he tries to throw a good deal of light on all of them. S.C.Bose observes:

“The poetry of O.P.Bhatnagar which has indeed many dimensions is also significant as poetry of political consciousness.” (V. V., 29)

The frank analysis of the fact of contemporary life, and the picturesque delineation make his poetry vibrant and appealing. According to Bhatnagar:

“Most of the vital areas of the life today are governed by the quality of political life and atmosphere are creating and living. Politics today has replaced our religious mode of life. We are fast becoming concerned with a kind of nationalism that may define our role and responsibilities in the making of the destiny of our Nation in future.” (RC, ‘Introduction’,

According to Bhatnagar:

Indian poetry in English should primarily concern to social and political life of the people of India and it, ‘must democratize its concerns and relations to society and make it a source of shared expectations…it must throw light on the degeneration and corruption corroding identities. It must speak of the total lose of moral values, the gloom and the frustrations pervading the National scene.” (RC, ‘Introduction’9)

Poetry for Bhatnagar is a constant search and effort to symbolize for a better socio-political life .to him, it is ‘a self conscious craft shaped and reshaped by constant practice-refined and retouched by way of the vision. Like life itself, it is the work of a gardener who after removing all weeds cultivates it to final growth and flowering. As such there is no influence of any particular school of thought on his poetry. It is entirely his own- a personal experiment inspired by surroundings, ages, times and above all by human predicament.

The first collection of Bhatnagar Thought Poems (1976) has good deal of poems of political consciousness. The poems rich in thought content lack in emotion like that of romantic poets but the first poem of the collection finds out the process of poetic creation. Bhatnagar writes:

“Poetry’s meaning

Like a deity in enshrined

Words upon words, the edifice build.” (T.P, 5)

Bhatnagar throws ample light on the question concerning God who cannot be resolved out in going round the temple by the worshipper. God is a meaning and deity enshrined in words of poem, the artist alone can expound and seek Him out:

“We may go round and round the temple

Yet never be around God.

We may go round and rand an idea

Yet never be around a thought.” (ibid. 5)

In one of his poems, he predicts the future as gloomy as the present:

“The future looks faded

Like the blossoms of cacti after dawn

The saints from bars, brothels and night clubs

Tasting of casinos and underworld

Turn morals, values and virtues to ice-cream

Licked by fun loving childness in cones.” (T.P, 10)

In the poem ‘The new Scale’ Bhatnagar tries to strike balance between one man’s meat is another man’s poison. The poet finds the dictum worn out in the modern context ‘a simple and honest man measures life in value spoons as he finds dishonesty to be the meanest way of life’. The stark reality of life can be seen as:

“A simple, honest man

In a worn out mode

May still himself find

Measuring life in value spoons

Bribery, corruption and forgery

For him, a bitter poison be.” (T.P., 12)

Bhatnagar wishes to opine that the one’s who amass wealth are the little concern with the interest with their fellow beings, nor do they feel any immorality in acting quite contrary to the code of conduct. In another poem ‘A Woe of Wonder’, Bhatnagar expresses our sentiments and helpless attitude. The poet regrets the diversity, disintegration that our country possesses today. The emphasis of the poet is nothing but Nationality, one sentiment and one attitude. This idea is penned by the poet as:

“Our is a multiheaded country

Looking in no particular direction

Trimurti is an all inclusive vision

From here to eternity risen

Telling the tale of our frivolity.” (T.P., 14)

Similarly in the poem ‘The Bonds of Country Care’ the poet comments on the loyalty and patriotism of those Indians who have been amassing vanity, wealth and arrogance by their services to the countries to which they have immigrated. These so called loyal citizens and tireless patriots visit India for their own cause:

“Loyal citizens proud of patriots

Never forget the care of their country

And fly back home from time to time

Either to choose a bride like a prince

Or buy of ones country a jewel of a land

Placing their kingdom in a safety of bands

Sealed with the loyal assurance with a wink

That although they don’t belong to this country

It sure belongs to their empire.” (T. P., 15)

The second collection Feeling Fossils has also some poems of political interest. Bhatnagar despite treating the politics in an indirect manner hardly fails to pin point very uncommon phenomena that somehow remain hidden from the eye of even those who have specialized in the game of politics. ‘Crossing The Bar’ is realistic poem that lashes on the modern politicians. His comment on the modern politicians is worth quoting:

“Morals as dense

As thick forests

Let no light in;

The game is weird

Hunting loyalties

For romance.” (F.F, 16)

Another notable poem ‘The No Man’s Land’ expresses the idea that freedom has brought no racial change in the life of the people who are still living the dark dungeon of poverty, illiteracy and justice. The movement of liberation was raised by the masses but only few privileged men came forward to control. And when the efforts and sacrifices of the masses resulted success those privileged few captured thrown of the country and continued ruling over the nation under the garb of democracy. So the poet feels right:

“Before the British came

The land was not ours:

After they left,

It was not ours too

The land belongs

To those who rule;

The others merely inherit

The no man’s land.” (F.F., 19)

The third collection Angles of Retreat has several thought provoking poems in which the poet explores the meaning of time as is evaluated from the events emerging from the cave of materialism wedded to hypocrisy. The tone of the poet in this collection is satiric and ironical. In the poem ‘History is A Sorry go round’ the poet wishes to propound that the historians often ignore the importance of the people at large and they tend to magnify the deeds of a few privileged men. The political sycophants have no other way of reaching the pages of History. The historians think that their labor in recording titles and tortures serve the cause of National unity and security and they are helped by political sycophants:

“Political sycophants are their aides

On whose beguiling predictions

They fire eat and perform

The Japanese fire-walk shows

To dazzle the already dazed.” (A.R, 40)

However political leaders and sycophants forget that the tyrants and blood suckers have to face a fall:

“Too much suppression and much politicking

Ferments its own defeat

Forcing the masses to forge

In the smithy of their conscience

The invisible weapons of their conscience

The invisible weapons of their fall

Crowning shame on the foreheads of tyrants

And nailing bitter truths

On the crossroads times.” (A.R.41)

‘Beggars can Be Choosers’ is a remarkable poem in which the poet extends his sympathy for the poor, homeless deceased and propounds that begging is not an evil as those that are harbored by shallow careerists, dare devil smugglers and cheating blackmarketeers. The beggars are away from the ailment of tension, alienation and loss of identity and the poet concludes:

“All my humanitarian approach

Seemed a snarl to me

And my reformist fervor a celluloid zeal

Little realizing that beggars also can be choosers

And little less apprehending

The way we can misread one another

To keep our irrational forms going

That in endless deceit

End the shapes of our destiny.” (A.R, 43)

Similarly, in another poem ‘Thoughts on A Election Day’ is another poem of political consciousness in which the poet ridicules and paints a very vivid and realistic picture of ignorant voters and literate officials as follows:

“The ignorant voters in their routine

Queue up day-dreaming

And in a passion of a second

Get rid of their oscitant indecision

Stamping symbols for men.

With a handful of literates

Sealing illiterate favours in steel boxes

And recording the proud percentage of poll

A quite reigns over the polling booths

Like mourners retired from their obsequies.” (A.R., 46)

The hope for new political miracles after such democratic phenomena in every five year is finely portrayed by the poet who wishes to say that Democracy is nothing but the ugly face oppression and injustice.

The fourth collection of verse Oneric Visions indirectly muses over the themes of politics wherein several fragments related to political consciousness are scattered in the volume. For example in the poem ‘If One Starts Asking Questions like Hamlet’ the poet gives a reference to politics:

“The fanatic erect marbles statues

Of their transient heroes

On the evanescent route of times-

Some whispering revolution

Others proclaiming peace-

Leaving the common man

To elbow sun with sun-shades.” (O.V. 25)

In ‘Who is Afraid of Fear’ the poet’s idea about the magnitude of evils that tell about the nature of politics is expressed by the poet:

“Up rise the ghost of smugglers

Hoarders, hooligans and holy-idlers

In a saucy denial of their treason

And evoke the deformed apparitions

Of the men who wished to rule

Or the man who just couldn’t be men

And like a Shikhandi shielded

The shadow of sin

Branding sun complain of gout

Bent with an aging dream

Wiping morals like beauty

Scrapped by actors with cold cream.” (O.V., 35)

The Gandhian concept of non-violence is very well expressed in the poem ‘Non-Niolence and Violence’. Like Gandhi, Bhatnagar feels that even non-violence has its limits:

“If one strikes you once

I invite him to do it again:

If one takes off your shirt

Offer him to remove whatever remains.” (O.V., 35)

But it is not practically non-violence but a dearth of wisdom rather the poet suggests:

“With ideals folded like umbrella

One may keep them for a rainy day

And indulge in violence for fun

But the wrinkled dialectic of violence

Is a bit too monotonous

Putting the ikebana of horror

Unrelieved and unpossessed

Of any sense of humour

Worth the while.” (O.V., 43)

The collection Shadows in Floodlight has several poems of depth and observation in which the poet becomes philosophical as well as analytical. In the poem ‘Of Poverty, Revolutions and Dreams’ the poet upholds rightly:

We cannot value poetry than its contents

Like vice more than its purity

And frustrations behave a wfore:

For poetry in itself is a revolution

Undreamt of in dreamt undreams.” (S.F., 17)

But in another poem ‘The Living Scene’ the poet presents the picture of modern India saying:

“The living scene in my country

Is worth only for the granite eyes

Insensitive and resilient

For our visions to unfold.” (SF,20)

And he adds:

“it’s a scene where utopia and epic

Are merging into a palpable chaos

Adventure overrunning freedom

Gangsterism whipping justice,

Politics keeping dignity captive

Inaction to avoid thought.” (ibid)

The sixth collection The Audible Landscape has ample poems related to political consciousness in which the poet vocalizes and reflects the present scenario of the Nation and its people. For example, the first poem reflects the slavish mentality of the people who are ready to suffer without making a sigh. The Nation has become coward and the malady is beyond all treatment. The poet says:

“The self enslaving slaves are ruled

By glad ghosts.” (AL, 9)

And he adds:

“When slavery is loved as a rhetoric to survive

Rendering both Cervants and Dostoyevsky futile

Conceits of cowards need no therapist

Nor freedom a Marx or a Gandhi to revive.”(p.9)

He mirrors our predicament saying:

“A prisoner is more free than those

Who have no freedom even to dream.” (ibid)

Almost the identical tone is continued in the next poem ‘The Walls of Prison house Remain’. Bhatnagar writes:

“We’ve broken the chains of slavery

The walls of prisonhouse remain.” (AL, 10)

The following extract from the poem mirrors the plight of the Indians:

“Our despair is not because

There is less revolution

But little change.”(ibid)

Or:

“Even now we look for leaders to follow

God to send us his grace:

We’re afraid of speaking the truth

And resisting whatever is unjust

Foul and corrupt in our bones.”(ibid)

What a fun it has that we have taken phrases for reality forgetting all resistance and protest. Bhatnagar says:

“Long caged in slavery

We’ve become like circus lions

Incapable of freedom in emotions

Became our own prisonwalls.” (.A.L. p.11)

The third poem in the volume ‘Can Facts Be Destroyed By Ideas, highlights the reality which cannot be destroyed by ideas the so called cat politics cannot play the game of hide and seek for a long time. The poet writes:

“Yesterday they were the dreams of tomorrow

Today they are the memories of past-

Villages to replace heaven:

The unsheltered resting in villas:

Morals to be as firm as mountains:

With he hungry feeding at the Taj-

All this is history now of politics

That enrich country with poverty such long.” (AL, 12)

The poet concludes saying:

“Even poets are now weary of dreams

Readt like Caligula to depart

Let struggle revive to make up for the loss

In art turn material hostile to art.”(ibid)

In this collection there are number of poems like ‘Still Questions’, ‘The New Morality’, ‘The Second Coming’, ‘On Seeing Rashtrapati Bhavan’, ‘Displacement More Spacious’, ‘That Space’ and ‘The Second Conversion’ in which the poet points out the foils and foibles of our character and presents the snapshot of the suffering humanity and reveling a naked of modern life Bhatnagar tries to reform the present scenario and motivates us to fight against injustice and humiliation.

The last collection Cooling Flames of Darkness (2001) has also a number of poems of political interest in which the poem ‘The Janus Faced Politician’ is remarkable. The poet starts saying:

“Who says it takes yellow sweat and suffering

To become a leader these fruitful days!

It’s now faience with all imperfections

To charm the innocent unequals

With more charming handicaps

Way laying day-dreams by faldage

With deceptive drawings of fain hopes.( CFD, 17)

The farcical face of Indian politics and the imposters called politicians are sketched by the poet so well. Bhatnagar urges us:

“So, watch a hardcore bandit

A seasoned-green kidnapper

A smart murderer: a high-fi smuggler

A high moving scamster

Talk glib on television

Or dictate his undercover turns

To the twice beleaguered people

Voting him to power with little choice

Democracy forcing its way to a farce. (CFD, 18)

The poem ‘Ravaged Children of The Civilized Times’ shows almost all the outer conflicts in the world where the people of the modern times are more indulged in cancerous violence, sins and crimes rather being ‘in the line of the best selling fiction:/ media blow-up on sight on internet’. Politicians are like Cassius and Shakuni who are fixing distant designs of personal power-park and are ‘perambulating their nebulous dreams.’ According to him, politicians will never let the world change in its earlier glory. He says:

“We’re ravaged of civilized times-

Our limping spirits have their own vexed truth:

Philosophers, physiologists or politicians aside

All fires end- find their glory in ashes:

And waters emptying themselves out

Through all the mountain gashes. And

Howsoever much innocence may stand the test

By fire and water:

Violence will never lost its radiance

The woes of innocence their cold surrender.

May be the return to the tenderness of heart

Lies through bestiality, faxed all over the world

The text in its authenticity unchanged.” (CFD,14)

Likewise, in ‘The Primitives of The Age’, the poet imagines the more ghasty mishappenings and the overgrowth of the ghost of dirty politics:

“Come one, come all

Come hyenas or wolves

The inlaid roots will naturally force

Their trampled power to fresh shoots

And survive the grizzly undergrowth

In a new grace of their old salons

Tesing the civilized in their

Much biting teeth.” (CFD,16)

In ‘Looking At My Solitude’ the poet tries to unburden himself from the agonies of time but finds solace nowhere and says:

“For the agony of it

Philosophy, music or poetry

May only half-persuade the fine taste

To savour the taste of solitude

In good taste and trust:

For, the bitter at best can turn

Only less bitten not sweeter still.” (CFD, 36)

Thus, from the above narration it is revealed that Bhatnagar’s poetry is free from all the movements of Rightist or Leftist nor it has any relation with any particular school of thought or ideology rather to a depiction of reality crystal-clearly and narration of truth in pictorial and vividly. The Religion of Bhatnagar’s poetry is love and peace. His poetic creed is essentially human and kind. He seems to be a true advocate of simplicity when he says:

“Poetry at its best is a clear and a simplified version of the complex and the confused for there is nothing more transcidental beyond the creative simplicity of poetry. Poetry wins not by its snobbishness but by its simplicity. Simple poetry is the poetry of togetherness. If more Indian people are to read poetry in English then it must get common and accessible and related to the living human concerns of the times than mere to words, animals, damsels and sex.” (FD, 122)

Therefore, we can say that Bhatnagar has treated the politics as metaphor in his poetry and his poetry has established itself as the clarion call of awakening in the present milieu of political darkness.

References:

oA.N. Dwevedi (ed.), Contemporary Indo English Verse. Bareilly: Prakash Book Depot.1998.

oV. K. Singh. ‘Silhouttes from Political & Economic Life’ The Poetry of O. P. Bhatnagar- A critical Evaluation. Under the supervision of Dr. T. K. Ramchandran, Submitted to Rohilkhand University, Bareilly,1992

oR.C. Sharma & Dolly Oswal, ‘O. P. Bhatnagar’s Treatment of Politics’, Agra University Journal of Research. Vol.xxx, pt. 1, Jan.1982

oS. C. Bose, Vision & Voice. Vol.2, Ed. G. P. Baghmar, Nagpur; Vishwa Bharti Publications. (Abbreviated as V. V.)

oO. P. Bhatnagar(ed,) Rising Columns-Some Indian Poets in English.Amravati; Kala Prakashan.

o——————————Thought Poems.Aligarh: Skylark Publications. 1976,(Abbreviated as TP in the text)

o——————————Feeling Fossils .New Delhi: Samkaleen Prakashan., (Abbreviated as FF in the text)

o—————————Angles of Retreat .New Delhi: Samkaleen Prakashan., (Abbreviated as AR in the text)

o—————————-Oneric Visions. Jaipur: Rachna Prakashan., (Abbreviated as OV in the text)

o—————————–Shadows in Floodlights. Aligarh: Skylark Publications.(Abbreviated as SF in the text)

o——————————Audible Landscape. Aligarh: Skylark Publications.(Abbreviated as AL in the text)

o—————————Cooling Flames of Darkness. New Delhi: Samkaleen Prakashan.,2001 (Abbreviated as CFD in the text)

o—————————Future Directions- Indian Poetry in English Jaipur: Rachna Prakashan, (Abbreviated as FD in the text)

Dr. Shaleen Kumar Singh
M.A. (Eng.), LL.B., Ph.D.
‘Sai Neeharika’
Patiyali Sarai
Budaun (243601)
Ph.No 9219894200

Cooking games for girls used to be cliche but now with the rise of cooking video games and handy mobile games for cooking that act as self guided cooking classes they are rising in popularity. When you say cooking games for girls and for boys its not just the plastic Fisher Price games that bring the world of make believe to life. Nintendo DS is a popular platform for cooking video games for kids and also adults as it walks you through cooking different types of meals. This article will walk you through the different types of games for girls, boys and adults. The article will follow up with the benefits of using the different games in your childs play time as well as benefits of adults using the cooking video games. Its fun for the whole family.

The first niche of cooking games is the classic make believe games. Generally these games are stereotype as cooking games for girls but as the culture grows games involving cooking should be included in any genders toy collection. Cooking games made by Fisher Price or Smart Gear were top on the list years back when you searched online. Now you have to scroll a few pages to find quality cooking games for girls and boys made from high quality plastics meant to last a childhood or two. The benefits of these types games are the same as you get from sending your child to soccer or youth football. They allow for the creative part of the brain to develop and help with social skills. A few of the children using cooking games will turn out to be the next Chef Ramsey. So be sure that you include cooking games for girls and boys of the make believe variety in your home.

As of recent the top searches for just “cooking games” returns Cooking Mama, Cooking Dash, even Cooking Mama 2 and Cooking Mama 3. What are these titles you ask? Video Games of course. The days of playing outside or playing house and make believe are dwindling sadly taken over by the hand-held graphical games. Nintendo seems to have cornered the market on games about cooking and even pulls in the adult crown with “Personal Trainer: Cooking”. This is not all bad although make believe toys mentioned above such as “Smart Gear Cooking Center” provide imagination through play the video game version can bring the reality of flour plus water and sugar equals dough without destroying your kitchen.

Better yet adults can learn how to cook in the comfort of their home while using their kids Nintendo DS. Personal Trainer: Cooking will have you delivering mouth watering food to your families table in no time. So although cooking games for girls and boys deliver hours of stimulating play for them; these video games can be just as entertaining for adults. Girls cooking games usually come in pink, but recently you will see blue as a popular color for these toys noting the shift in gender role association.

If your child shows interest in these games encourage them to take cooking classes for children. Your local community center often will have cooking classes that you can take with your children. If not be sure to include them in baking activities you partake in. Even if you are not a particularly great cook your children will appreciate the time you give them. Be prepared and don’t get mad there will be a mess made. Make the cleanup just as fun as the cooking. It is important to raise your children with an appreciation for cooking and baking especially as families lose the sit down family dinner and restaurants are more often the default over home cooking.

If you are looking for classic a game about cooking there is a website that has done the searching for you and separated them into cooking games for girls, for boys and for all. The products are all sold from Amazon.com which is a quality online retailer with reasonable shipping especially if you have Amazon Prime. I’ve used this site before just a note though – even though you add items to the cart on the site checkout actually happens in amazon.com so you can be assured of a safe secure shopping experience while shopping. The site is http://www.cookinggamesforgirls.biz a invaluable resource while shopping for any type of game about cooking.

Cut through all the noise and find the toys and games you need. [http://www.cookinggamesforgirls.biz] delivers top quality products on Amazon in an organized fashion. You are actually buying from Amazon when you checkout the site is just a collection of amazon products targeted at helping you find quality cooking games for girls, boys and adults.

Four Steps to Help You Get the Most from Your Health insurance Coverage Finding, buying, and understanding health insurance coverage options aren’t always easy tasks. Here are some easy tips to follow on how to start your journey through all of the online healthcare madness.

Step One – Make a list of your current health conditions, medications, and any other current health related issues. You’ll also want to make a note of your primary concerns and questions about choosing adequate health insurance.

Step Two – Get information from several health insurance providers. Not all health care plans are the same. It’s well worth the time and effort to review more than once health insurance policy. It can save you time, money, and improve the quality of your healthcare in the future.

Some of the big names in Health insurance may be a great place to start your comparisons such as: Golden Rule Insurance, Celtic Insurance, American Medical Security Insurance, Time Insurance, UNICARE Insurance, Humana Insurance and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Insurance just to name a few.

Those of you looking for Michigan Medicaid and Medicare help must first meet the requirements for qualifications. Each county may have different requirements such as income and more. Check with your local health department for more information.

Step Three – Review each health insurance plan making notes of benefits provided for these basic coverage sections: physical exams, specialists’ care, hospitalization, prescription drugs, dental care, vision care, emergency care Ob-Gyn care, preventative care, and alternative care coverage. Remember to evaluate using the notes you made in step one.

Pay careful attention to co-pays, spending limits, and deductible amounts in each section for each health insurance plan you’re reviewing. The goal is to do what’s called “comparison shopping.” As you go through this process, most likely one or two health care policies will seem to meet your needs better than the others.

Step Four – Once you’ve picked out two or three possible health insurance plans, make notes of questions and concerns about each. Now it’s time to get your questions answered and make your decision.

It’s important to make sure you’re speaking with a qualified, licensed health insurance agent. Don’t hesitate to continue to ask questions until you feel you have all the information you need to make a good choice.

Other Helpful Information

Compare Health insurance Plans Online and Save Time

Take your time to find what you need at a price you can afford. What is great about looking for Health insurance options online is you can compare plans and benefits first on your own, without talking to different representatives. Most Health insurance companies offer FREE online services and FREE online instant rate quotes. All that is required is for you to quickly fill out a secured application. In the matter of minutes you should have your results in front of you. Just in case you have questions these companies have licensed Health insurance professionals waiting for your call.

Keep it Going! Who Can Benefit From Temporary Health insurance?

Temporary health insurance or short-term medical insurance is also available in Michigan and will allow you to have coverage for a temporary amount of time. This type of insurance isn’t right for everyone. Inquiries of this form of health care usually comes from those who are between jobs, seasonal employees, laid-off and can even benefit young adults recently coming off of their parents’ health plan. Plans tend to last somewhere between six months but some have been known to go twelve months.

Temporary Health insurance forms are much more simple than permanent insurance. Coverage on a short-term plan can begin as quickly as twenty-four hours. This insurance caters to unseen accidents and illness. Because it is temporary, they do not typically cover preventive care, vision, dental or pre-existing conditions. For pre-existing conditions you may want to check your COBRA benefits. There Are Other Ways to Keep Your Health insurance after Losing Your Job

Don’t let recent un-employment keep you from the care that you need! For instance if a loved one is expecting, the last thing you want is to lose your maternity insurance. There is another alternative called consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act or COBRA. This type of insurance normally last longer than temporary or short-term insurance but it is still a type of temporary insurance. Normally COBRA policies can last for approximately eighteen months. For more detailed information on COBRA’s extended policy plans talk to your employer about their specific Health insurance carrier’s plan. Many people don’t know about temporary Health insurance coverage. In fact, people take chances between coverage all the time because of lack of knowledge. The advantage of temporary Health insurance coverage is to fill a gap in coverage. Although this is temporary coverage is great to have, it does not replace permanent coverage. Michigan HIPAA Laws and How They Could Effect You

If you currently have pre-existing conditions and are looking into short-term Health insurance coverage WAIT! You may be buying health coverage that will not cover you and then make you ineligible for the care that you need. HIPAA stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. HIPAA plans are mainly for those who have pre-existing conditions and may have trouble getting health insurance. These plans can be extremely expensive. The HIPAA Federal law gives a person immediate access to comparable coverage when leaving employment that provided coverage.

Get familiar with your rights and consult your benefits advisor to discuss the best options for you. You can take back your health with Health insurance companies where there is a plan to fit everyone’s need. Reading up and doing your homework on plans that pertain to your needs can help eliminate useless information and help you find the right Health insurance plan much faster.

Copyright 2006 Lisa Ip

Lisa Ip is president of Uniforce Insurance, which she founded in 1994, in Madison Heights, Michigan. For more information regarding health insurance in Michigan, visit http://www.uniforceinsurance.com or call 888-302-RATE

Market Overview

The car rental industry is a multi-billion dollar sector of the US economy. The US segment of the industry averages about $18.5 billion in revenue a year. Today, there are approximately 1.9 million rental vehicles that service the US segment of the market. In addition, there are many rental agencies besides the industry leaders that subdivide the total revenue, namely Dollar Thrifty, Budget and Vanguard. Unlike other mature service industries, the rental car industry is highly consolidated which naturally puts potential new comers at a cost-disadvantage since they face high input costs with reduced possibility of economies of scale. Moreover, most of the profit is generated by a few firms including Enterprise, Hertz and Avis. For the fiscal year of 2004, Enterprise generated $7.4 billion in total revenue. Hertz came in second position with about $5.2 billion and Avis with $2.97 in revenue.

Level of Integration

The rental car industry faces a completely different environment than it did five years ago. According to Business Travel News, vehicles are being rented until they have accumulated 20,000 to 30,000 miles until they are relegated to the used car industry whereas the turn-around mileage was 12,000 to 15,000 miles five years ago. Because of slow industry growth and narrow profit margin, there is no imminent threat to backward integration within the industry. In fact, among the industry players only Hertz is vertically integrated through Ford.

Scope of Competition

There are many factors that shape the competitive landscape of the car rental industry. Competition comes from two main sources throughout the chain. On the vacation consumer’s end of the spectrum, competition is fierce not only because the market is saturated and well guarded by industry leader Enterprise, but competitors operate at a cost disadvantage along with smaller market shares since Enterprise has established a network of dealers over 90 percent the leisure segment. On the corporate segment, on the other hand, competition is very strong at the airports since that segment is under tight supervision by Hertz. Because the industry underwent a massive economic downfall in recent years, it has upgraded the scale of competition within most of the companies that survived. Competitively speaking, the rental car industry is a war-zone as most rental agencies including Enterprise, Hertz and Avis among the major players engage in a battle of the fittest.

Growth

Over the past five years, most firms have been working towards enhancing their fleet sizes and increasing the level of profitability. Enterprise currently the company with the largest fleet in the US has added 75,000 vehicles to its fleet since 2002 which help increase its number of facilities to 170 at the airports. Hertz, on the other hand, has added 25,000 vehicles and broadened its international presence in 150 counties as opposed to 140 in 2002. In addition, Avis has increased its fleet from 210,000 in 2002 to 220,000 despite recent economic adversities. Over the years following the economic downturn, although most companies throughout the industry were struggling, Enterprise among the industry leaders had been growing steadily. For example, annual sales reached $6.3 in 2001, $6.5 in 2002, $6.9 in 2003 and $7.4 billion in 2004 which translated into a growth rate of 7.2 percent a year for the past four years. Since 2002, the industry has started to regain its footing in the sector as overall sales grew from $17.9 billion to $18.2 billion in 2003. According to industry analysts, the better days of the rental car industry have yet to come. Over the course of the next several years, the industry is expected to experience accelerated growth valued at $20.89 billion each year following 2008 “which equates to a CAGR of 2.7 % [increase] in the 2003-2008 period.”

Distribution

Over the past few years the rental car industry has made a great deal of progress to facilitate it distribution processes. Today, there are approximately 19,000 rental locations yielding about 1.9 million rental cars in the US. Because of the increasingly abundant number of car rental locations in the US, strategic and tactical approaches are taken into account in order to insure proper distribution throughout the industry. Distribution takes place within two interrelated segments. On the corporate market, the cars are distributed to airports and hotel surroundings. On the leisure segment, on the other hand, cars are distributed to agency owned facilities that are conveniently located within most major roads and metropolitan areas.

In the past, managers of rental car companies used to rely on gut-feelings or intuitive guesses to make decisions about how many cars to have in a particular fleet or the utilization level and performance standards of keeping certain cars in one fleet. With that methodology, it was very difficult to maintain a level of balance that would satisfy consumer demand and the desired level of profitability. The distribution process is fairly simple throughout the industry. To begin with, managers must determine the number of cars that must be on inventory on a daily basis. Because a very noticeable problem arises when too many or not enough cars are available, most car rental companies including Hertz, Enterprise and Avis, use a “pool” which is a group of independent rental facilities that share a fleet of vehicles. Basically, with the pools in place, rental locations operate more efficiently since they reduce the risk of low inventory if not eliminate rental car shortages.

Market Segmentation

Most companies throughout the chain make a profit based of the type of cars that are rented. The rental cars are categorized into economy, compact, intermediate, premium and luxury. Among the five categories, the economy sector yields the most profit. For instance, the economy segment by itself is responsible for 37.7 percent of the total market revenue in 2004. In addition, the compact segment accounted for 32.3 percent of overall revenue. The rest of the other categories covers the remaining 30 percent for the US segment.

Historical Levels of Profitability

The overall profitability of the car rental industry has been shrinking in recent years. Over the past five years, the industry has been struggling just like the rest of the travel industry. In fact, between the years 2001 and 2003 the US market has experienced a moderate reduction in the level of profitability. Specifically, revenue fell from $19.4 billion in 2000 to $18.2 billion in 2001. Subsequently, the overall industry revenue eroded further to $17.9 billion in 2002; an amount that is minimally higher than $17.7 billion which is the overall revenue for the year 1999. In 2003, the industry experienced a barely noticeable increase which brought profit to $18.2 billion. As a result of the economic downturn in recent years, some of the smaller players that were highly dependent on the airline industry have done a great deal of strategy realignments as a way of preparing their companies to cope with eventual economic adversities that may surround the industry. For the year 2004, on the other hand, the economic situation of most firms have gradually improved throughout the industry since most rental agencies have returned far greater profits relative to the anterior years. For instance, Enterprise realized revenues of $7.4 billion; Hertz returned revenues of $5.2 billion and Avis with $2.9 billion in revenue for the fiscal year of 2004. According to industry analysts, the rental car industry is expected to experience steady growth of 2.6 percent in revenue over the next several years which translates into an increase in profit.

Competitive Rivalry Among Sellers

There are many factors that drive competition within the car rental industry. Over the past few years, broadening fleet sizes and increasing profitability has been the focus of most companies within the car rental industry. Enterprise, Hertz and Avis among the leaders have been growing both in sales and fleet sizes. In addition, competition intensifies as firms are constantly trying to improve their current conditions and offer more to consumers. Enterprise has nearly doubled its fleet size since 1993 to approximately 600,000 cars today. Because the industry operates on such narrow profit margins, price competition is not a factor; however, most companies are actively involved in creating values and providing a range of amenities from technological gadgets to even free rental to satisfy customers. Hertz, for example, integrates its Never-Lost GPS system within its cars. Enterprise, on the other hand, uses sophisticated yield management software to manage its fleets.

Finally, Avis uses its OnStar and Skynet system to better serve the consumer base and offers free weekend rental if a customer rents a car for five consecutive days Moreover, the consumer base of the rental car industry has relatively low to no switching cost. Conversely, rental agencies face high fixed operating costs including property rental, insurance and maintenance. Consequently, rental agencies are sensitively pricing there rental cars just to recover operating costs and adequately meet their customers demands. Furthermore, because the industry experienced slow growth in recent years due to economic stagnation that resulted in a massive decline in both corporate travel and the leisure sector, most companies including the industry leaders are aggressively trying to reposition their firms by gradually lessening the dependency level on the airline industry and regaining their footing in the leisure competitive arena.

The Potential Entry of new Competitors

Entering the car rental industry puts new comers at a serious disadvantage. Over the past few years following the economic downturn of 2001, most major rental companies have started increasing their market shares in the vacation sector of the industry as a way of insuring stability and lowering the level of dependency between the airline and the car rental industry. While this trend has engendered long term success for the existing firms, it has heightened the competitive landscape for new comers. Because of the severity of competition, existing firms such as Enterprise, Hertz and Avis carefully monitor their competitive radars to anticipate Sharpe retaliatory strikes against new entrants. Another barrier to entry is created because of the saturation level of the industry.

For example, Enterprise has taken the first mover advantage with its 6000 facilities by saturating the leisure segment thereby placing not only high restrictions on the most common distribution channels, but also high resource requirements for new firms. Today, Enterprise has a rental location within 15 miles of 90 percent of the US population. Because of the network of dealers Enterprise has established around the nation, it has become relatively stable, more recession proof and most importantly, less reliant on the airline industry compared to its competitors. Hertz, on the other hand, is utilizing the full spectrum of its 7200 stores to secure its position in the marketplace. Basically, the emergence of most of the industry leaders into the leisure market not only drives rivalry, but also it varies directly with the level of complexity of entering the car rental industry.

The Threat of Substitute

There are many substitutes available for the car rental industry. From a technological standpoint, renting a car to go the distance for a meeting is a less attractive alternative as opposed to video conferencing, virtual teams and collaboration software with which a company can immediately setup a meeting with its employees from anywhere around the world at a cheaper cost. In addition, there are other alternatives including taking a cab which is a satisfactory substitute relative to quality and switching cost, but it may not be as attractively priced as a rental car for the course of a day or more. While public transportation is the most cost efficient of the alternatives, it is more costly in terms of the process and time it takes to reach one’s destination. Finally, because flying offers convenience, speed and performance, it is a very enticing substitute; however, it is an unattractive alternative in terms of price relative to renting a car. On the business segment, car rental agencies have more protection against substitutes since many companies have implemented travel policies that establish the parameters of when renting a car or using a substitute is the best course of action.

According to Tracy Esch, an Advantage director of marketing operations, her company rents cars up to a 200-mile trip before considering an alternative. Basically, the threat of substitute is reasonably low in the car rental industry since the effects the substitute products have do not pose a significant threat of profit erosion throughout the industry.

The Bargaining Power of Suppliers

Supplier power is low in the car rental industry. Because of the availability of substitutes and the level of competition, suppliers do not have a great deal of influence in the terms and conditions of supplying the rental cars. Because the rental cars are usually purchased in bulk, rental car agents have significant influence over the terms of the sale since they possess the ability to play one supplier against another to lower the sales price. Another factor that reduces supplier power is the absence of switching cost. That is, buyers are not affected from purchasing from one supplier over another and most importantly, changing to different supplier’s products is barely noticeable and does not affect consumer’s rental choices.

The Bargaining Power of Buyers

While the leisure sector has little or no power, the business segment possesses a significant amount of influence in the car rental industry. An interesting trend that is currently underway throughout the industry is forcing car rental companies to adapt to the needs of corporate travelers. This trend significantly reduces supplier power or the rental firms’ power and increases corporate buyer power since the business segment is excruciatingly price sensitive, well informed about the industry’s price structure, purchase in larger quantities and they use the internet to force lower prices. Vacation buyers, on the other hand, have less influence over the rental terms. Because vacationers are usually less price sensitive, purchase in lesser amounts or purchase more infrequently, they have weak bargaining power.

Five Forces

Today the car rental industry is facing a completely different environment than it did five years ago. Competitively speaking, the revolution of the five forces around the car rental industry exerts some strong economic pressure that has significantly tarnished the competitive attractiveness of the industry. As a result of the economic downturn in recent years, many companies went under namely Budget and the Vanguard Group because their business infrastructure succumbed to the untenability of the competitive environment. Today, very few firms including Enterprise, Hertz and Avis return a slightly above-average revenue compared to the rest of the industry. Realistically speaking, the car rental sector is not a very attractive industry because of the level of competition, the barriers to entry and the competitive pressure from the substitute firms.

Strategic Group Mapping

As a moderately concentrated sector, there is a clear hierarchy in the car rental industry. From an economic standpoint, disparities exist from a number of dimensions including revenue, fleet size and the market size each firm holds in the market place. For instance, Enterprise dominates the industry with a fleet size of approximately 600,000 vehicles along with its market size and its level of profitability. Hertz comes in second position with its number of market shares and fleet volume. In addition, Avis ranks third on the map. Avis is among one of the companies that is having issues recovering its revenue margins from prior to the economic downturn. For instance, in 2000 Avis returned revenues of approximately $4.23 billion. Over the course of the next several years following 2000, the revenue of Avis has been significantly lower than that of 2000. As a way of reducing uncertainty most companies are gradually lessening the level of dependency on the airline industry and emerging the leisure market. This trend may not be in the best interest of Hertz since its business strategy is intricately linked to the airports.

Key Success Factors

There are many key success factors that drive profitability throughout the car rental industry. Capacity utilization is one of the factors that determines success in the industry. Because rental firms experience loss of revenue when there are either too few or too many cars sitting in their lots, it is of paramount importance to efficiently manage the fleets. This success factor represents a big strength for the industry since it lowers if not completely eliminates the possibly of running short on rental cars. Efficient distribution is another factor that keeps the industry profitable. Despite the positive relationship between fleet sizes and the level of profitability, firms are constantly growing their fleet sizes because of the competitive forces that surround the industry. In addition, convenience is one of the crucial attributes by which consumers select rental firms. That is, car rental consumers are more prone to renting cars from firms that have convenient rental and drop off locations. Another key success factor that is common among competing firms is the integration of technology in their business processes. Through technology, for instance, the car rental companies create ways to meet consumer demand by making renting a car a very agreeable ordeal by adding the convenience of online rental among other alternatives. Furthermore, firms have integrated navigation systems along with roadside assistance to offer customers the piece of mind when renting cars.

Industry Attractiveness

There are many factors that impact the attractiveness of the car rental industry. Because the industry is moderately concentrated, it puts new market entrants at a disadvantage. That is, its low concentration represents a natural barrier to entering the industry as it allows existing firm to anticipate sharp retaliations against new entrants. Because of the risks associated with entering the industry among other factors, it is not a very attractive sector of the marketplace. From a competitive standpoint, the leisure market is 90 percent saturated because of the active efforts of Enterprise to dominate this sector of the market. On the other hand, the airport terminals are heavily guarded by Hertz. Realistically speaking, entry in the industry offers low profitability relative to the costs and risks associated. For most consumers, the main determining factors of choosing one company over another are price and convenience. Because of this reason, rental firms are very circumspect about setting their rates and that generally force even the industry major players in the position of offering more to the consumers for less just to remain competitive. Hertz, for example, offers wireless internet to its customers just to add more convenience to their travel plans. Avis on the other hand, offers free weekend specials if a customer rents a car for five consecutive weekdays. Based on the impact of the five forces, the car rental sector is not a very attractive industry to potential new market entrants.

Conclusion

The rental car industry is in a state of recovery. Although it may seem like the industry is performing well financially, it is nonetheless gradually regaining its footing relative to its actual economic position within the last five years. As a way of insuring profitability, besides seeking market shares and stability, most companies throughout the chain have a common goal that deals with lowering the level of dependency on the airline industry and moving toward the leisure segment. This state of motion has engendered some fierce competition among industry competitors as they attempt to defend their market shares. From a futuristic perspective, the better days of the car rental industry have yet to come. As the level of profitability increases, I believe that most of the industry leaders including Enterprise, Hertz and Avis will be bounded by the economic and competitive barriers of mobility of their strategic groups and new comers will have a better chance of infiltrating and realizing success in the car rental industry.

Sources

“Passenger Car Rental.” Encyclopedia of Global Industries. Dec. 2004. Gale group. 02 Feb 2005. http://galenet.galegroup.com.ucfproxy.fcla.edu/servlet/BCRC.

“Car & Truck Rental.” Hoover’s AB&D Company. Jan. 2005 . Hoovers. 04 Feb 2005. http://premium.hoovers.com.ucfproxy.fcla.edu/subscribe/ind/factsheet.xhtm. “

Rental car foes war on each other’s turf.” The Associate Press. Fall 2004. The Enquirer. 08 March 2005. http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/10/11/biz_rentalcars111.html.

“United States – Car Rental.” Data Monitor Industry Market Research. Nov. 2004. Gale. 12 March 2005. http://search.rdsinc.com.ucfproxy.fcla.edu/sessions?products=BNI.

“A synthesis of tactical fleet planning models for the car rental industry.” IIE Transactions. Sept. 2003. Gale. 12 March 2005. [http://www.fleet-central.com/arn/01stat3.cfm].

“Corporate travel plans moving to Web.” Crain’s Chicago Business. Apr. 2001. ProQuest. 12 March 2005. http://www.proquest.com.ucfproxy.fcla.edu.

“Tracy Esch.” “Car rental market leaders make rebound .” Business Travel News. May 2002. Gale. 12 March 2005. http://search.rdsinc.com.ucfproxy.fcla.edu.

“Avis Equips Rental Car with Satcomms 1999.” Newsbytes News Network. Oct. 1999. Gale. 12 March 2005. http://search.rdsinc.com.ucfproxy.fcla.edu.

“Car Rental In the United States.” Data Monitor Industry Market Research. Nov. 2004 . Gale. 13 March 2005. http://search.rdsinc.com.ucfproxy.fcla.edu.

“Global – Car Rental.” Data Monitor Industry Market Research. Nov. 2004 . Gale. 13 March 2005. http://search.rdsinc.com.ucfproxy.fcla.edu.

“Corporate and Travel Trends.” Travel Trade Gazette. Nov. 2003 . ProQuest. 14 March 2005. http://www.proquest.com.ucfproxy.fcla.edu.

“Car rental market leaders make rebound.” Business Travel News. May. 2002 . Gale. 14 March 2005. http://search.rdsinc.com.ucfproxy.fcla.edu.

“Car rental market leaders make rebound.” Business Travel News. May. 2002 . Gale. 14 March 2005. http://search.rdsinc.com.ucfproxy.fcla.edu.

“Ovation Travel.” Wall Street Transcript. May. 2002 . LexisNexis. 14 March 2004. http://www.lexisnexis.com.ucfproxy.fcla.edu/cis.

“Avis Offers New Deal for Free Weekends.” Newswire. Feb. 2004 . LexisNexis. 15 March 2004. http://www.lexisnexis.com.ucfproxy.fcla.edu/cis.

Rodrigue Monestime has authored several articles. He holds a BS in Business Administration with high concentration in Management Information System (MIS). He is the founder of BizVita.com [http://www.bizvita.com], a site designed for busy professionals with an all-in-one approach to the daily facts of the global business environment.

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Overview and Features of Elementary/ Middle School Career Development Models

Counselors and teachers know that the elementary/ middle school development is important. Schooling is a time of transition, a threshold to the student’s future, and a bridge into the student’s destiny. In elementary/ middle school, career development is a time to build career awareness, not a time for premature career choices or career preparations. Career development is an ongoing lifelong process. During the career development process, students remain open to new career ideas and possibilities. Counselors and teachers build readiness for future career planning. Students build visions of what they desire to do in their lives as they contribute to the society.

Need for Elementary/ Middle school Career Development

Since most elementary and middle school students have limited understanding of how school relates to work, students use career development curriculum to build a foundation and the connection between career development, Twenty-First Century Skills, school academic subjects, potential careers, and future training options. As a result, students build self – awareness, possess intrinsic motivation, build a positive self-concept, and begin problem solving about career choices.

Benefits of Elementary/ Middle School Career Development

Elementary/ middle school career awareness lays the groundwork for future career exploration by helping students achieve the following goals:

• Knowledge of personal characteristics, interests, aptitudes, and skills
• Awareness of and respect for the diversity of the world of work
• Understanding of the relationship between school performance and future choices
• Development of a positive attitude toward work

Students who complete career development activities have the following positive outcomes:

• Expanded understanding of the world of work leading to an openness to an increased number potential careers
• Improved skills to make informed decisions and complex career information problem solving
• Enhanced academic, personal, and teamwork skill development
• Amplified career awareness, self-esteem, sense of direction, motivation to persist, clearly defined goals

Eventually, as students participate in career curriculum programs, the number of dropouts is minimized.

Elementary/ Middle School Career Education Models

There are 4 major career development models:

• National Career Development Guidelines
• 21st Century Skills
• New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards
• Missouri Comprehensive Guidance Program

National Career Development Guidelines

The National Career Development Guidelines (NCDG) determine career development knowledge, skills, and decision-making processes. The NCDG Guidelines have three domains, goals, and mastery indicators.

The three domains are:

• Personal Social Development (PS)
• Educational Achievement and Lifelong Learning (ED)
• Career Management (CM)

The learning competency stages are:

• Knowledge Acquisition (K). Students at the knowledge acquisition stage expand knowledge awareness and build comprehension. They recall, recognize, describe, identify, clarify, discuss, explain, summarize, query, investigate and compile new information about the knowledge.
• Application (A). Students at the application stage apply acquire knowledge to situations and to self. They seek out ways to use the knowledge. For example, they demonstrate, employ, perform, illustrate and solve problems related to the knowledge.
• Reflection (R). Students at the reflection stage analyze, synthesize, judge, assess and evaluate knowledge in accord with their own goals, values and beliefs. They decide whether or not to integrate the acquired knowledge into their ongoing response to situations and adjust their behavior accordingly.

An example of the Personal Social Development domain is:

• PS1.K2 Identify your abilities, strengths, skills, and talents.
• PS1.A2 Demonstrate use of your abilities, strengths, skills, and talents.
• PS1.R2 Assess the impact of your abilities, strengths, skills, and talents on your career development.

21st Century Skills Model

The 21st Century Model and Skills is the collaboration of the efforts of education, business, and government organizations. These organizations create a 21st Century Learning Framework that outlines the essential learning, innovation, technology, and career skills necessary to be successful in the today’s workplace. A rich, well-designed learning environment promotes creating, applying, remembering, analyzing, understanding, and evaluating processes. The 21st Century Model seeks the development of knowledge, skills, motivations, values, attitudes, beliefs, feelings, health, safety, resilience, and other qualities.

The three major 21st Century Model main skill areas are:

• Learning and innovation
• Digital literacy skills
• Career and life skills

Within the Career and Life Skills area, the focus is on:

• Flexibility and adaptability
• Initiative and self – direction
• Social and cross-cultural interaction
• Productivity and accountability
• Leadership and responsibility

New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards

The New Jersey Department of Education Content Standards connect the 21st Century Model and elementary/ middle school career awareness.

• In K-5 grades, students learn the interrelationship between 21st Century life skills and personal, academic, and social development. Curriculum areas range from career awareness information and to basic personal financial literacy skills.
• The development of 21st Century life skills and personal financial literacy continues in the grades 6-8. Students explore careers, academic and personal interests and aptitudes.

The New Jersey Department of Education has four career education standards:

• Standards 9.1, 9.2, and 9.3 cover life and career skills within the K-12 curriculum.
• Standard 9.4 includes specialized, career and technical education program skills in grades 9-12 curriculum.

These standards cover the following areas:

• Career Awareness (grades K-4)
• Career Exploration (grades 5-8)
• Career Preparation (grades 9-12)

An example of one of the objectives is:

Standard 9.3 – Apply knowledge about and engage in the process of career awareness, exploration, and preparation in order to navigate the globally competitive work environment of the information age.

Examples of Standard 9.3 are:

• 9.3.4.A.4 Identify qualifications needed to pursue traditional and nontraditional careers and occupations.
• 9.3.4.A.5 Locate career information using a variety of resources
• 9.3.4.A.6 Explain why knowledge and skills acquired in the elementary grades lay the foundation for the future academic and career success

Missouri Comprehensive Guidance Program

The Missouri Center for Career Education (MCCE) is a career and technical education curriculum, research, professional development, and innovative instructional resource center.

The Missouri Center for Career Education (MCCE) Guidance Lessons (Strands) are:

• Academic Development
• Career Development
• Personal and Social Development

Within each Strand CD: Career Development area, the Big Ideas are:

• Big Idea: CD.7. Applying Career Exploration and Planning Skills in the Achievement of Life Career Goals
• Big Idea: CD 8. Knowing Where and How to Obtain Information about the World of Work and Post-secondary Training/Education
• Big Idea: CD.9. Applying Employment Readiness Skills and the Skills for On-The-Job Success

The Big Ideas serve as the foundation for building curriculum concepts and behavioral objectives.

Examples of CD.7 Big Idea are:

• Compare interests and strengths with those of workers in the global community.
• Describe occupational changes that have occurred over time within the six (6) career paths.
• Describe the self-satisfaction that comes from completing a work responsibility.

Tips for Finding the Right Elementary/ Middle School Career Development Program

Based upon the National Career Development Guidelines, 21st Century Skills, New Jersey Department of Education Content Standards, and Missouri Center for Career Education (MCCE), the key elements of career curriculum provide information on the relationship between job interests, key characteristics, college majors, hobbies, abilities, and related careers.

Teachers and counselors know that students:

• Are curious
• Love colorful, multimedia presentations
• Use colors to improve attention span, concentration, memory skills, and understanding
• Use their senses and imaginations in career exploration

Counselors and teachers utilize career awareness programs to help students:

• Discover career interests
• Build awareness of career interests, abilities, skills, and values
• Search for meaning, purpose, and direction
• Discover potential careers that are linked to children’s identified interests
• Understand the relationship between education, training, and specific occupations
• Search for tools that will help students plan for the future and unlock their potentials
• Clarify thoughts, integrate new knowledge, and promote critical thinking
• Receive new information so that the concepts are more thoroughly and easily understood
• Hold attention and absorb information

Elementary/ middle development curriculum includes career tests, assessments, games, web sites, and books. Programs should be fun, educational, and not boring. Career development program are:

• Eye appealing
• Easy to use
• Full of resources
• Suitable for your students’ needs

An effective career education tool motivates your students to explore careers. Creative career tools build a foundation for more detailed career exploration. Career development lessons should answer the question “Who am I?” and “What should I do as an adult?”

With the right resource, students are ready and willing to:

• Explore
• Investigate
• Learn
• Ask questions
• Enjoy discovering who they are
• Gain knowledge, wisdom, and understanding

Steps to Select the Right Elementary/ Middle School Career Development Program

How do you choose the right career awareness program? Look at 3 major areas:

• Format
• Cost
• Resources

When you look at a career education curriculum, ask yourself the following questions:

• What do your students prefer?
• What is your budget for the curriculum?
• What resources do you have? Do you have a computer lab?

Then, follow these steps:

• Select an elementary/ middle school career awareness program that your students are interested in and that provides valuable information about careers and your student’s interests.
• Look for career development lessons that use well-known career models.

As students grow older, the students will continue to use career models to eventually expand their knowledge of self, careers and college majors.

In summary, when they use career education curriculum, students:

• Learn and apply the academic material
• Know and value self
• Build self-esteem and confidence
• Identify interests and build relationships between the school environment and the work force
• Incorporate academic career pathways into classroom activities
• Build academic, communication, problem solving, and social skills
• Increase awareness of the need for future jobs skills
• See the connections between learning in school, academic skills, job related skills, and careers
• See career possibilities
• See themselves as a future contributor to the job force
• Receive empowerment
• Build self-determination

As a result of completing the career development lessons, students have:

• Higher grades
• Higher academic achievement
• Improved school involvement
• Increase in career awareness exploration, personal, and interpersonal skills

References

Missouri Comprehensive Guidance Program. (2011). Strands, Big Ideas & Concepts. Warrensburg, MO: Author. Available online: http://www.missouricareereducation.org/index.php?view=project&project=guidelsn. Access date: October 3, 2011.

National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee (NOICC) (1987). National Career Development Guidelines. National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee, 2100 M Street NW, Suite 156, Washington, Dc 20037.

New Jersey Department of Education. (2009). NJ World Class Standards Content Area: 21st-Century Life and Careers. Trenton, NJ: Author. Available online: http://www.nj.gov/education/cccs/progressions/9/. Access date: November 10, 2011.

Trilling, B., and Fadel, C. (2009). 21st Century Skills. Learning for Life in Our Times. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Dr Mary Askew specializes in career tests, websites, and books for students. Students need eye appealing, easy to use, yet comprehensive career resources. Find out how students can reach their career potentials at http://www.hollandcodes.com. Contact Dr. Askew at learning4life.az@gmail.com.

Saving on your small business health insurance can be a challenge. But there are ways to overcome the financial obstacles and get the coverage necessary for your business. There are two major benefits of employer-based coverage. First these plans, although expensive, usually carry the best all around protection for you and your employees. Second, providing benefits plays a key role in attracting and retaining quality employees.

Why is coverage for small businesses so much more than for large corporations?

Health insurance for small businesses cost so much because of the high quality coverage concentrated among a small group of people. Every individual within the group represents a different level of financial risk to an insurance company, and this risk is added up and spread out among the group. Large corporations pay considerably less because the risk is spread to such a large group, where small business owners can see unreasonably high increases in premiums due to one or two members. Small businesses also have to insure their employees under state mandates, which can require the policies to cover some specific health conditions and treatments. Large corporations’ policies are under federal law, usually self-insured, and with fewer mandated benefits. The Erisa Act of 1974 officially exempted self-funded insurance policies from state mandates, lessening the financial burdens of larger firms.

Isn’t the Health Care Reform Bill going to fix this?

This remains to be seen. There will be benefits for small business owners in the form of insurance exchanges, pools, tax credits, subsidies etc. But you can’t rely on a bill that is still in the works, and you can’t wait for a bill where the policies set forth won’t take effect until about 2013. Additionally, the bill will help you with costs, but still won’t prevent those costs from continually rising. You, as a business owner, will need to be fully aware of what you can do to maintain your bottom line.

What can I do?

First you need to understand the plan options out there. So here they are.

PPO

A preferred provider option (PPO) is a plan where your insurance provider uses a network of doctors and specialists. Whoever provides your care will file the claim with your insurance provider, and you pay the co-pay.

Who am I allowed to visit?

Your provider will cover any visit to a doctor or specialist within their network. Any care you seek outside the network will not be covered. Unlike an HMO, you don’t have to get your chosen doctor registered or approved by your PPO provider. To find out which doctors are in your network, simply ask your doctor’s office or visit your insurance company’s website.

Where Can I Get it?

Most providers offer it as an option in your plan. Your employees will have the option to get it when they sign their employment paperwork. They generally decide on their elections during the open enrollment period, because altering the plan after this time period won’t be easy.

And Finally, What Does It Cover?

Any basic office visit, within the network that is, will be covered under the PPO insurance. There will be the standard co-pay, and dependent upon your particular plan, other types of care may be covered. The reimbursement for emergency room visits generally range from sixty to seventy percent of the total costs. And if it is necessary for you to be hospitalized, there could be a change in the reimbursement. Visits to specialists will be covered, but you will need a referral from your doctor, and the specialist must be within the network.

A PPO is an expensive, yet flexible option for your small business health insurance. It provides great coverage though, and you should inquire with your provider to find out how you can reduce the costs.

HMO (Health Maintenance Organization)

Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) are the most popular small business health insurance plans. Under an HMO plan you will have to register your primary care physician, as well as any referred specialists and physicians. Plan participants are free to choose specialists and medical groups as long as they are covered under the plan. And because HMOs are geographically driven, the options may be limited outside of a specific area.

Health maintenance organizations help to contain employer’s costs by using a wide variety of prevention methods like wellness programs, nurse hotlines, physicals, and baby-care to name a few. Placing a heavy emphasis on prevention cuts costs by stopping unnecessary visits and medical procedures.

When someone does fall ill, however, the insurance provider manages care by working with health care providers to figure out what procedures are necessary. Usually a patient will be required to have pre-certification for surgical procedures that aren’t considered essential, or that may be harmful.

HMOs are less expensive than PPOs, and this preventative approach to health care theoretically does keep costs down. The downside, however, is that employees may not pursue help when it is needed for fear of denial. That aside, it is a popular and affordable plan for your small business health insurance.

POS (Point of Service)

A Point of Service plan is a managed care insurance similar to both an HMO and a PPO. POS plans require members to pick a primary health care provider. In order to get reimbursed for out-of-network visits, you will need to have a referral from the primary provider. If you don’t, however, your reimbursement for the visit could be substantially less. Out-of-network visits will also require you to handle the paperwork, meaning submit the claim to the insurance provider.

POSs provide more freedom and flexibility than HMOs. But this increased freedom results in higher premiums. Also, this type of plan can put a strain on employee finances when non-network visits start to pile up. Assess your needs and weigh all your options before making a decision.

EPO

An Exclusive Provider Organization Plan is another network-based managed care plan. Members of this plan must choose from a health care provider within the network, but exceptions can be made due to medical emergencies. Like HMOs, EPOs focus on preventative care and healthy living. And price wise, they fall between HMOs and PPOs.

The differences between an EPO and the other two organization plans are small, but important. While certain HMO and PPO plans offer reimbursement for out-of-network usage, an EPO does not allow its members to file a claim for doctor visits out its network. EPO plans are more restrictive in this respect, but are also able to negotiate lower fees by guaranteeing health care providers that it’s members will use in-network doctors. These plans are also negotiated on a fee-for-services basis, whereas HMOs are on a per-person basis.

HSA (Health Savings Account)

An HSA is a tax-advantaged account used to pay existing and future medical expenses. HSAs are used in conjunction with high-deductible health plans (HDHP), which will make some with pre-existing conditions ineligible. Also, HSAs must be funded with cash. Communicating the terms of this account to your employees is important, as a large number of HSAs are underfunded or improperly funded. The health savings accounts were signed into the law by George Bush in 2003, and have become an affordable alternative to a group health plan.

When inquiring about an HSA, there will be a few things you will want to clarify. While HSAs generally cover routine medical expenses and copays, some can provide dental and vision care as well. And since HSAs can be combined with certain compatible plans, it is important to understand how money from the account will be allocated. And finally, you will want to know about cashing out your HSA balance. The amount is taxable and could be subject to a ten percent excise tax.

HRA (Health Reimbursement Arrangement)

An HRA is exactly what it sounds like. The employer reimburses the employee for health care. As an employer, you will usually have the option to contribute to a reimbursement fund, or to pay fees as they are incurred. These reimbursements can be deducted from your taxes, and are tax-free for your employees, saving you both money.

Some providers empower employers by giving them more options. HRAs, unlike HSAs, don’t have to be funded with cash money, placing a book keeping entry on your balance sheet is enough. You can usually control aspects of your arrangement such as reimbursement limits, whether you or your employee pays first, and if the previous year’s funds roll over.

HRAs are becoming a more popular option because of the control it has given small businesses. Combined with a high deductible health plan (HDHP), an HRA could be the most cost-effective solution to your small business health insurance problems. It’s always best to compare these plans to PPOs, HMOs, and EPOs to know what works best.

Fee for Service (FFS) or Traditional Indemnity

A fee for service plan is the most flexible small business health insurance option. You choose your doctor, and your hospital. You can see a specialist without a referral. This flexibility, however, comes with more out-of-pocket expenses and higher insurance premiums.

The typical FFS plan has a deductible ranging anywhere from five to fifteen hundred dollars. After this amount is reached, the provider will pick up eighty percent of your medical bills, and require you to pay the remaining twenty percent. Because of the rising costs of health care, and the potential for a small number of doctor’s visits to cost thousands, these plans can become incredibly expensive.

Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

A flexible spending account is a savings account to be used for medical expenses, and is funded by pre-tax dollars. Using pre-tax dollars means that your employees will actually show that they have less income, and will therefore have less taxes withheld. As an employer, you set the limit on contributions to the account per year. In addition to the employee contribution, you can also credit the account, or fund it completely from your general assets.

An FSA, especially if combined with an HDHP, can significantly reduce the costs of small business health insurance.

You should be forewarned, money from FSA accounts cannot be rolled over. They are, however, available to use for two years and two and half months after the benefit year. A terminated employee won’t be able to use leftover funds, unless there is a positive remaining balance and COBRA is elected.

Small business health insurance providers have made significant improvements in their services to simplify the administration of your plan. With HRAs, FSAs, and HSAs, your employees can use debit cards for medical transactions. Be sure to research this thoroughly. You will want to be sure your debit card plan is IRS compliant, and that you can use a large number of pharmacies. You should also pick a plan that can verify eligibility on the spot. Talk with your agent about linking transit, parking fees, and prescriptions to the same card. When picking the debit card options, please be sure to clarify the details of the substantion process. This is IMPORTANT! With other plans, the provider may assign someone to manage your plan. Or you may have to hire someone. Still, you should be able to login to your account and print insurance cards, important papers etc.

The next thing you can do is thoroughly assess your needs. Being that every member of your small business plays a key role in its success, it is vital that their needs are met. And understanding these needs is crucial to finding the right plan. Find out about chronic illnesses, and additional information related to past health issues. Know what your employees think about health insurance, and get them involved in the process.

Hiring an agent or a broker

Finding and understanding small business health insurance can be a daunting task. While some choose to go it alone, others need some professional assistance. You need to understand the difference between an agent and a broker, and how you can get the most from either of them.

A broker

Brokers function independently and usually work for several different companies. Since they have a variety of resources, they can usually provide more options and a better overall view of the marketplace. Brokers will assist you by evaluating the costs and designs of plans from your local major carriers. The cost isn’t everything, you want to get the coverage that you need.

Ask the broker how he or she is getting paid for their services. They should readily divulge that information. Some brokers may charge you a flat free. Some receive a fee from an employer, while others receive a commission from the insurance provider. Any commissions could be reflected in your premiums, but not to the point that you should worry.

An agent

Agents typically provide services for one company. They have a closer relationship to the insurance company than a broker would, giving them more leverage to make alterations to your plan. In some cases they can offer a particular plan for less than a broker, and may have access to additional services like worker’s compensation. To find out what different providers have to offer, talk to more than one agent. It may be time-consuming, but it could bring you closer to the most cost-effective solution for your small business health insurance.

One of the common options presented by agents is the employee-elect option. This is an arrangement where employees pick the plan they prefer. Those who don’t need as much coverage won’t be forced to pay so much, and those who do need it can get it without increasing the financial burden of the company as a whole.

How to Save On Your Small Business Health Insurance Plan

What’s important to remember is that there really is no inexpensive solution to health care. Even if your initial premiums are reasonably low, they could rise significantly at your next renewal. So saving money on small business health insurance is about doing a combination of things simultaneously to get good rates, and to then maintain those rates.. And it will require a consistent effort from you, your employees, and your insurance provider.

First, you can save yourself money by reading the fine print. You need to know exactly what your plan does and DOESN’T cover. There are also state mandated coverages. For example, in states like Illinois, your insurance must cover mammograms. Also, understanding the ins and outs of your plan will give you and your employees a better idea of how to deal with your insurance.

Next, you should shave unnecessary benefits. After reading all about your plan, you will find coverage for things you may not need. Eliminating these benefits can significantly drop monthly small business health insurance premiums. For example, eliminating coverage for brand name medications can reduce costs by more than 25 percent.

Wellness program have worked wonders for small businesses. A wellness program is any program designed to promote healthy living within the organization. Weight loss competitions benefit every participant. Add a financial incentive for further motivation. Stock the work fridge with water, and leave literature about healthy living lying around. Search the internet for calorie counting charts. Raising awareness entice workers to make positive changes. Active, exercising, diet-conscious employees have stronger immune systems, more vitality, and more productive workplaces. They also don’t deal with as many health issues. Fewer doctor visits and hospitilizations will help maintain lower annual premiums, because it will prove to your insurance provider that your business is a low financial risk.

Increasing your co-pay and deductible can go a long way towards cutting costs. For instance, raising co-pays by just ten dollars has saved companies as much as thirteen percent on their premiums. A higher deductible will significantly reduce your monthly premium. To lessen the financial burden of high-deductible health plans (HDHPs), combine them with an HSA. Combinations like these have saved both business owners and employees bundles of cash.

Check into getting a nurse hotline. A nurse hotline is a toll free, 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week service. Employees can get medical advice from qualified, registered nurses. This method has deterred a large number of people from emergency visits, and it can also be used for preventative care as well. Insurers like Nationwide have them, or you may have to purchase from a third-party provider.

Increase the size of your group to reduce your monthly small business health insurance premiums. In a survey by America’s Health Insurance Plans, small businesses who employed ten people or less paid forty three more dollars on average than businesses with twenty six to fifty employees. Check around with other businesses owners, or fellow members of business organizations. Some states also have small business groups and pools for this purpose. Check with your state Chamber of Commerce and Department of Insurance.

Beware of heavily discounted plans. First, there are numerous scammers trying to get your money. They promise low rates, and usually cover little to nothing at all. The internet is notorious for swindlers trying to hustle you out of a buck. If you are going with a company you aren’t familiar with, please do your research. On another note, even reputable companies present problems. In an attempt to gain market share, Blue Cross offered small businesses discounted rates in 2008. For 2009, some of these same businesses were set to see increases of as much as 47% in their premiums. As the costs of medical care increases, the costs are shifted from the insurer to the insured, and discount plans become overpriced plans quickly.

Shop around. As mentioned before, talking to different agents will expose you to the best that insurance providers have to offer. Ask other small business owners about their providers. You can use trusted online resources like Netquote and Ehealthinsurance to shop around instantly. These services also let you compare plans side by side, and allow you to purchase your plan online. Even after you get your initial plan, it’s good to annually reevaluate your coverage. This will keep you on the up-and-up about what the market is offering. Keeping costs down is an ongoing effort, especially with rates and plans changing all the time from company to company.

Share some of the costs with your employees. Raising employee contributions isn’t a popular option, but it may be one of the only ways to absorb costs and maintain small business health insurance coverage. Communicate with your employees about how to keep costs down, and remind them that their increase is your increase as well.

The sad truth is that, no matter how many cost-cutting methods you apply, your insurance premiums are expected to continually rise. In addition to this, you can’t prevent every health problem with exercise and higher co-pays.

The Health Care Reform Bill won’t kick in until about 2013, so waiting on its benefits won’t do you any good. There is definitely a need for change, because the current system discourages competition and growth. With smaller businesses functioning as the backbone of this ailing economy, company medical insurance must BE affordable, and STAY affordable.

For the best prices and plans visit [http://www.esmallbusinesshealthinsurance.com]

Are you wanting to try your hand at hiking and camping? Does the sound of the great outdoors, the smell of fresh air, the smell and sound of a campfire under the stars sound appealing to you? Will this be your first camping trip? Well then maybe this article can be of some useful information.

First of all, one of the most important things to do before planning your camping or hiking trip is to let someone know at home or at work details of where you plan to camp or hike, how long you will be gone and any other details about your trip that you can leave that will be helpful in the event of an emergency or you fail to return when you said you would.

So now plan your trip. Where will you go? How do you learn about the area you plan to hike and camp into? Where can I get a map? Make sure you get a map for the area you plan to hike or camp in. Most U.S. Forestry Centers carry free maps of wilderness areas. You can also find maps online and at most outdoor stores. You will also want to check the weather of your camping location and plan accordingly.

So what will I need? What kind of equipment will you need?

Camping requires equipment, and the basic equipment is the same for seasoned experts or those just starting out. While there is plenty of high-quality camping equipment to make your stay outdoors a lot more comfortable, most of these items aren’t necessary, especially for beginners. Choose good quality equipment, but don’t blow your budget buying the most expensive gear. Remember that costly doesn’t always mean top quality.

Here is some basic gear you’ll need for your trip:

Tents: Decide how many people will be sleeping in one tent. You may want to have one tent for adults and one for children if you will be camping with the whole family. For a more comfortable arrangement, purchase a tent that will hold two more people than the number you expect to have sleeping inside. See my Article on camping tents for more information.

Sleeping bags: Sleeping bags are graded for temperature and come in different shapes and sizes. Choose sleeping bags that are appropriate for the season and that have a comfortable size. See my Article on tents and sleeping bags for more information on these pieces of camping gear.

Cooking and meal equipment: A small, portable propane stove is very handy and makes mealtime as easy as if you were cooking in your own kitchen. You can also purchase a barbecue or find a stove that has both burners and grill. Choose washable dishes and utensils to be environmentally conscious. Don’t forget two plastic bins for washing up!

Coolers and food storage: Choose coolers big enough to allow for blocks of ice. It’s a good idea to have two separate coolers in different sizes as well, one for frozen foods and one for refrigerated foods. Select coolers with a snap-lock lid and handles. Purchase plastic bins to hold food that doesn’t require refrigeration.

Luggage: The best luggage for camping is a cloth bag like as a hockey bag. Stiff-sided luggage doesn’t hold as much clothing and takes up space.

Extras: Buy two tarps – one to use as a ground sheet underneath your tent and one to shelter the tent in the case of rain. Bring some rope for a makeshift clothesline. A nighttime lantern is always handy, especially for trips to the bathroom. You’ll also need a basic survival kit, a cell phone, and a flashlight in case of emergencies. If you’re going on a trip that lasts more than two nights and three days, bring biodegradable soap and shampoo.

When considering extra items to bring, try to think of functional items that fit your lifestyle like as sunscreen, bug spray, a pair of extra sandals, and a doormat for entry to your tent. Browse the aisles of the sporting goods section to determine what other items would be good to bring along.

Don’t get caught up with gadgets and unnecessary items. They’ll just take up space and probably won’t be used more than once, if at all.

Clothing and Packing

Determine how many days you are going camping, determine how many sets of clothes you will need for that period, and then cut that number in half. Pack only the necessities, minimal lgear is key to a great camping trip experience. Hauling, packing, storing, and trying to fit everything in the car before you leave for your trip and when it’s time to come home and unload it all is no fun at all. When you pack, fold each piece of clothing – and then roll it up. Rolled clothing takes up less space than stacked, folded clothing.

Food

Camping involves plenty of planning, and that goes for food planning too. Prepare your menu ahead of time, and have a menu for each meal that includes every item you’ll need. The more detail you have on your menu, the better prepared you’ll be to shop for exactly what you require, no more and no less.

Choose supper meals that you can prepare ahead of time and freeze, and freeze as much as you can in plastic bags to save space. The advantage of freezing food is that you will have “ice” ready for your cooler and not have to buy as many blocks of ice, and the food can safely defrost in the cooler. If it’s frozen tight and you’re planning on eating it that night, transfer the food from your frozen food cooler to the fresh produce cooler. Alternatively, thaw it out by placing the plastic bag in a bucket of cold water.

It’s a good idea to prepare food you can freeze a couple of weeks ahead of time and the rest of the food the day before you leave. Remember, the more you can prepare at home, the less time you’ll have to put into cooking while you camp.

There are tons of other camping tips for beginners, but most camping trips involve common sense, creativity, and keeping calm when things get stressful. Camping is experience you have to try at least once. If all goes well, you will probably want do to it year after year!

A camping trip can be a fun and educational vacation for the whole family. However, for that to be a reality, it’s essential for every family member to be aware of some general and useful rules to follow. Camping tips can keep you from getting frustrated and will make the experience more fun for everyone, especially if you have smaller children. Here are some camping tips you need to consider before you leave:

1. Choose your tent wisely

When choosing a tent the most important things to keep in mind are size, weight and weather rating.

2. Consider pitch position.

When you pitch a tent, one of the best tips to remember is to choose the location very wisely. If you can, try not to sleep on a slope. Think about where the sun comes up, and goes down. Think about some shelter in the day, it’s often useful to have trees on one side of you to provide some natural protection from the heat, or any foraging animals that may decide your tent looks interesting enough to explore. If you plan to have an open fire, be sure that the flames won’t reach any overhanging canopy of branches that could trigger a fire. Take note and follow any posted warning signs and look for animal tracks on the ground. Do not disrupt mother nature.

3. Rent the instructions!

An obvious but often overlooked camping tip is to read the instructions to learn how to put your tent up before you even go off on your camping trip. If you have a new tent, which you haven’t used yet, and are unfamiliar with how to put it up, it’s a good idea to pitch the tent in your back yard for practice. When you do this see if each pole is marked and if not, take some masking tape and label each piece in a manner that it is foolproof. Mark pole 1 a-b, pole 2 b-c, pole 3 c-d and so on. Also if you return from your trip and your tent is wet, it is a good idea to set it up in the back yard and let it dry out before storing for your next trip.

5. Deal with your food needs appropriately.

You may not know the area you will be camping in very well and therefore not know what shops if any are in the local vicinity. If this is the case, try to take some basic food items with you, so that if you are unable to obtain any extra food, no one will go hungry. If you are planning on cooking all your own meals, make sure the gas cylinders are full, and you have packed everything you need to make meals from scratch. Don’t forget the matches and remember to keep them dry! When you leave your campsite, make sure that all food is out of reach of wildlife. They will rip open boxes and climb trees to reach food if they really want it! It’s a good idea to carry your food in a plastic container so that it will be kept safe, especially if you’ll be camping in areas where there are larger animals, like bears. Keeping the food out of site (and smell) will prevent these dangerous creatures from being lured to your campsite. If you are camping in a location where there are bears it is imperative to use bear boxes. Bears can rip a car apart looking for food and can easily open a cooler and eat its contents if left out overnight.

6. Stay organized.

Be neat, tidy and organized inside of your tent and outside on the campgrounds. Although too much of a routine can be bothersome, having a few general rules is one of those camping tips which prove invaluable in the long term. Simple things such as not allowing dirty shoes inside the tent will not only make the camping trip a cleaner and more enjoyable experience, but also protect the tent’s material making it last longer than it otherwise might. Assign everything a place inside the tent. Also have specific places where things that are often needed can be found so that you aren’t fumbling in the dark and waking others looking for a flashlight or spending hours hunting for the matches.

7. Leave no trace.

Once your camping trip is at an end, make sure you tidy up after yourself, leaving no trace you were even there. If using a private or public campsite, this is essential, since people arriving will be arrive to use the same spot after you’ve left.

8. Prepare for next time.

You should be preparing for your next camping trip from the moment you end the current one. This means packing away all your equipment, including the tent in a way that makes it easy and simple to start the next camping trip. Make sure the tent goes away dry (if it’s raining as you pack up, air the tent out once you get home) and clean so that it’s suitable to use without any fuss in future. As you pack away, make a note of any equipment you may need to buy, such as new pegs or a replacement gas bottle. Also make a note as to items that need to be repaired.

Camping Code of Ethics

While traveling to your favorite camping spot, stay on designated roads and trails. It is a good idea to follow best practices for negotiating terrain for your type of travel. Don’t disturb the natural habitat by creating new routes or expanding on an existing trail. When you come to a stream, only cross at fords where the road or trail crosses the stream. When you come to a posted sign, comply with all the signs and barriers, they are there for a reason. It is always a good idea to go camping with two or three campers. Traveling solo can leave you vulnerable just in case you have an accident or breakdown. Always leave details with someone at home before leaving as to; where you are planning to go camping, how long you plan to be gone, and any other details that could be helpful in the event of an emergency or if you do not return when you planned. Respect the rights of others including private property owners and all recreational trail users, campers and others to allow them to enjoy their recreational activities undisturbed. Be considerate of others on the road, trail, or campground.

Keep noise to a minimum especially in the early morning and evening hours. Be considerate of other campers’ privacy, keep your distance and avoid traveling through their campsites.

Camping supplies in natural colors blend with natural surroundings and are less intrusive to other campers’ experiences.

Leave gates as you find them.

If crossing private property, be sure to ask permission from the landowner.

When driving yield to horses, hikers, and bikers.

Educate yourself by obtaining travel maps and regulations from public agencies, planning for your trip, taking recreation skills classes, and knowing how to use and operate your equipment safely.

Obtain a map of your destination and determine which areas are open to your type of travel.

Make a realistic plan, and stick to it. Always tell someone of your travel plans.

Contact the land manager for area restrictions, closures, and permit requirements.

Check the weather forecast for your destination. Plan clothing, equipment, and supplies accordingly. Carry a compass or a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit and know how to use them. Prepare for the unexpected by packing emergency items. Avoid sensitive areas such as meadows, lake shores, wetlands and streams, unless on designated routes. This protects wildlife habitat and sensitive soils from damage.

Other sensitive habitats to avoid unless on designated routes include cryptobiotic soils of the desert, tundra, and seasonal nesting or breeding areas. Avoid disturbing historical, archaeological, and paleontological sites. Avoid “spooking” livestock and wildlife you encounter and keep your distance. Motorized and mechanized vehicles are not allowed in areas designated Wilderness. Do your part by leaving the area better than you found it, properly disposing of waste, minimizing the use of fire, avoiding the spread of invasive species, restoring degraded areas, and joining a local enthusiast organization. Pack out what you pack in.

Carry a trash bag and pick up litter left by others.

Repackage snacks and food in baggies. This reduces weight and amount of trash to carry out.

Whenever possible, use existing campsites. Camp on durable surfaces and place tents on a non-vegetated area. Do not dig trenches around tents. Camp a least 200 feet from water, trails, and other campsites. For cooking, use a camp stove. They are always preferable to a campfire in terms of impact on the land. Observe all fire restrictions. If you must build a fire use existing fire rings, build a mound fire or use a fire pan. For campfires, use only fallen timber. Gather firewood well away from your camp. Do not cut standing trees. Let your fire burn down to a fine ash. Ensure your fire is completely extinguished. Do not wash in steams and lakes. Detergents, toothpaste and soap harm fish and other aquatic life. Wash 200 feet away from streams and lakes. Scatter gray water so it filters through the soil. In areas without toilets, use a portable latrine if possible and pack out your waste, otherwise it’s necessary to bury your waste. Human waste should be disposed of in a shallow hole (6″-8″ deep) at least 200 feet from water sources, campsites, or trails. Cover and disguise the hole with natural materials. It is recommended to pack out your toilet paper. High use areas may have other restrictions so check with a land manager.

Hopefully this was useful camping information. Enjoy the great outdoors and please leave it the great outdoors when you pack up and go home.

You can read more of my Ezine articles on camping and also visit my “Your Summer Ideas” site below.

[http://www.summerfunandtravel.com]

The percentage of US households owning a pet has risen from 56% in 1988 to 62% in 2008, according to the figures provided by the American Pet Products Association or APPA. The growth in the number of households is accompanied by increased spending on pet supplies and other items. The US households are expected to spend $50.84 billion on their pets in 2011. This amount includes expenditure on food items, supplies, over the counter medicines, vet care, cost of purchasing and grooming pets. Taking care of a pet involves expenditure on buying a wide range of pet supplies which includes foods, clothes, medicines etc.

Need for Pet Supplies

Pets are just like any other family member and need a lot of supplies which include food items, medicines, clothes or houses, shampoos and soaps for washing etc. Every pet owner likes to provide the best of supplies to his/her pet. This means buying the best quality of food and other products to ensure that the pet remains healthy and grows according to its age. The best way to buy good quality pet supplies is to get in touch with specialized pharmacies that deal in household products.

According to statistics quoted by the he American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the average cost of basic food, supplies, medical care and training for a dog or a cat is $700 to $875 annually. You can buy good quality pet supplies at discounted prices from varied online pharmacies that focus on selling supplies of all types and all price ranges.

Types of Pet Supplies

Whether you have a cat or a dog or horse or any other animal as household, you will need to buy certain basic essential food and other items on a regular basis. In addition products that help you to groom and train your pets are also essential. Several types of innovative supplies are available in the market and are aimed at making it easier to take good care of your pet.

While some pet supplies are common to all animals, there are others which are specific to certain animals. supplies can be generally categorized into:

• Training products
• Grooming products
• Essential food items
• Feeding and Water containers
• Cleaning products
• Food supplements
• Pet Carriers and Houses
• Pet Toys and Beds
• Health Care products
• Books and CDs on grooming pets
• Pet Clothes and Collars

Apart from these pet supplies, you are bound to spend on vet visits and pet medicines to treat some common allergies and infections. Medicines to treat common problems like fever, itchiness, hair loss, ticks, cancer, rabies, dysentery, tumors, worms etc can be treated by buying branded or generic medicines from a pet pharmacy.

Buying pet supplies from a specialized shop or pharmacy is highly beneficial because their staff can advise you about the right type of products. You can also check about the usefulness or the efficacy of a household product chosen by you. These pharmacies also guide you about the dosage and the right procedure to use a medicine or a treatment for your pet.

You can save your spending on pets by buying pet supplies from an established supplier of pet products and veterinary medications. The best way to get great deals on these supplies is by ordering online.

Colorado fly fishing is an adventure that you won’t want to pass up on your next vacation. Colorado fly fishing offer something for every angler. Mountain streams, river basins, lakes, and reservoirs fill the need of any fly fisherman.

Where to Fly Fish in Colorado:

Colorado offers fly fisherman miles of world class fly fishing streams where the waters are managed by the Colorado Department of Wildlife to guarantee you the populations of large trout that you are looking for.

You may be a crackerjack fly fishing angler and know all the hot spots for fly fishing in Colorado or you may be new to the state and need some expert guidance. When you get your Colorado fishing license, be sure to pick up your free copy of Colorado Fishing Season Information & Wildlife Property Discovery booklet or go to any of the local Colorado Division Wildlife offices and pick up the Colorado fishing map.

Colorado fly fishing is divided into five regions: Northeast Region; Northwest Region; Southeast Region; Southwest Region; and the Denver Metro Region. You can choose many fine Colorado fly fishing spots in any of these prime fly fishing regions. Your Colorado fly fishing experience can be divided into fishing the roaring streams and majestic rivers to fly fishing the many mountain lakes and large reservoirs.

Fly Fish the Northwestern Region of Colorado

The Northwest region of Colorado offers fly anglers a variety of rivers, lakes, and reservoirs to choose from. From the Yampa River and its tributary, the Elk river in the north to the prime Colorado fly fishing rivers of the southern part of this region, the Northwest region of Colorado is noted for fly fishing.

Colorado fly fishing is at its finest from Meeker and the White River to the grand Colorado River running through central Colorado from the high mountains. Fly fisherman will delight in the trophies they find fishing this region’s rivers. Most notably, the Green river, Blue river, Roaring Fork River, and the Crystal River provide anglers with the fly fishing adventure they are looking for.

Colorado fly fishing is found on the lakes and reservoirs of the region too. Grand lake and Grandby Reservoir are found on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park and are both noted for their fishing. Steamboat Lake is in the north of this region and is a picturesque place for the fly fisherman to angle. Other reservoirs include Williams Fork Reservoir, Willow Creek Reservoir, Stagecoach Reservoir, and Wolford Reservoir to name just a few.

Wherever you are looking for a fly fishing adventure, Colorado offers excellent fly fishing conditions and opportunities. Colorado fly fishing is constantly improved by the efforts of the fifteen Colorado Division of Wildlife hatcheries. The Colorado Division of Wildlife stocks over 4.3 million 10-inch fish a year, in addition to 43 million warm-water species and 11 million cold-water species. Catch and release fishing is popular and if you don’t plan to eat the fish you’ve caught, please help conserve Colorado’s precious fly fishing resource by returning the fish to the water.

What to fly fish for in Colorado:

The natural beauty of the Colorado fly fishing spots is distracting even to the most seasoned angler. But distractions not withstanding, and the proper fly fishing equipment, fly fishing anglers and enthusiasts are more than able to hook trout species like browns, brookies, and the rainbow trout in the rivers and streams that fly fisherman prefer. Fly fisherman may also stumble upon grayling and cutthroats too.

The other species that can be found here in Colorado’s fly fishing lakes and reservoirs are Walleye, Wipers, Yellow Perch, Crappie Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Tiger Muskies, Bluegill, and Pumpkinseed. Colorado fly fishing provides any angler with an experience of a lifetime.

Various lures and worms work best during the spring runoff when the waters are high and streams running fast. Flies usually work best during late July, August and September. Watch for what’s hatching in the area where you’re fly fishing. This is the indication of which fly fishing flies will work best. Mayflies, caddis flies, midges, and stone flies predominate in this fly fishing area.

Colorado fly fishing is world class and you will find some of the best fly fishing in North America. There is no excuse not to pick up your fly fishing rod and tackle and set out on a leisurely Colorado fly fishing vacation of a lifetime.

Jim Bruce maintains a website on Colorado travel. Find out more about Colorado fly fishing and the fly fishing hotspots the state of Colorado has to offer by going to: http://www.coloradotravelexperience.com/Colorado_fly_fishing.html

Many people find writing their resume to be a time consuming task that is often confusing and stressful. There are many methods you can use to ease this frustrating task. One of the easiest and most efficient ways of creating the perfect resume is by using resume software. Using a resume software package can help you to generate a resume that help you to rise to the top of the list and outshine your competitors. With resume software you are free to focus on the content of your resume since the resume software will take care of the presentation for you. Trying to uncover the perfect job is already an uphill battle, whether you are experienced in your field and looking to change careers, a recent college graduate looking for your first big break, or unemployed and seeking to find much needed work. Your time is in short supply and is a resource you can’t afford to waste. Using resume software will allow you to get the best results, in the fastest time-frame, with the least amount of effort.

There are many different options to consider when looking at resume software packages. Your first option is to purchase a resume template and input your own information using a regular word document. While templates can be a cheaper avenue to take, your options will be severely limited due to lack of features that will prevent you from being able to check for errors and properly edit your information. You will be confined to only adding your information into a specific format. Your second option is to go with a software package that is specifically designed to edit your resume, check for errors, provide you with various formatting options, and recommend eye-catching phrases for you to use. Many resume programs have enhanced features that include online job resources, interview tips and salary advice. If you are serious about finding the perfect job then it is worth the effort to utilize a resume software package to give you the competitive advantage that is critical in today’s job market.

MyResumes

MyResumes is the first software package in our line-up. This resume software has limited capabilities. It includes a spell checker, graphics feature and has the ability to create a PDF version of your resume. Most of these features are already present in your typical word processor. The lack of enhanced features prevent MyResumes from being a very useful tool. It is financially advisable to stick with your current word processor rather than use this software package.

The Resume Maker Pro

The Resume Maker Pro is the next resume program in our software line-up. It consists of basic resume formatting features, minus all the extra bells and whistles you may find in other programs. Resume Maker Pro allows you to import previously written resumes into the software where you can edit and format your resume, which can save you some typing time if you have already prepared a resume. The have an online support system, FAQ feature, a user’s manual for installation and questions about using the software. If you run into problems you will have a great chance of finding the answer you need. The down-side to the Resume Maker Pro software program is that it doesn’t offer much in the way of job interviewing tips and job resources. It doesn’t have the capability of creating a PDF version of your resume, which may not be an issue for many users. It also will not run on NT systems, which may be an issue for some users. This program is recommended if you are looking for a basic, cost-effective program for formatting your resume in a timely manner.

WinWay Resume Deluxe 12

The third program in our resume software review line-up is WinWay Resume Deluxe 12. This program offers many advanced options and features that you will not find in competing programs. WinWay is simple to install, has great, reliable customer service, enhanced editing tools and offers an abundance of job resource information. With WinWay you have the ability to format your resume to fit on one page, you can create a PDF version of your resume, and it also takes advantage of the new video trend by allowing you to simulate video interviews. WinWay is not compatible with NT or Macintosh systems. It also does not have the ability to import your current resume, but with so many enhanced features you will want to start out fresh and create a winning resume using all the enhanced features offered in the WinWay resume software program. If you are looking for a competitive edge in the market place then this program is a must in your arsenal of tools!

Christin Cunfer and Brenda Mohney are founders of College Concerns, a site dedicated to providing advice to college students to help them have a successful college experience. Advice offered includes grants for education, resumes and resume formats, and free student stuff.

Lack of health insurance coverage for over 41 million Americans is one of the nation’s most pressing problems. While most elderly Americans have coverage through Medicare and nearly two-thirds of non-elderly Americans receive health coverage through employer-sponsored plans, many workers and their families remain uninsured because their employer does not offer coverage or they cannot afford the cost of coverage. Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) or HAWK-I here in Iowa help fill in the gaps for low-income children and some of their parents, but the reach of these programs is limited. As a result, millions of Americans without health insurance face adverse health consequences because of delayed or foregone health care and extending coverage to the uninsured has become a national priority. -(Information taken from kff.org)

The number of people that are forced to go without health insurance is nothing less than a crisis in this country today. We have fallen into a vicious cycle over the last few decades in which health insurance premiums have become too expensive for even a middle class family to afford. This in turn results in the inability of the uninsured to cover medical costs which often times results in the financial ruins of the family, and in turn results in the continuing loss of income by the medical community, which in turn drives the cost of medical expenses higher, finally cycling back to the insurance company which then must drive the premiums of health insurance higher to help cover the rising cost of health care.

Many proposals have been tossed around by politicians on both sides of the isle ranging from socializing health care comparable to the Canadian system, to endorsing health savings accounts and cracking down on frivolous law suits against the medical community. Many of these proposals have good points, but along with whatever good points they bring they also bring major downfalls. For instance; a socialized national health care program would eliminate the need for health insurance all together and the cost would be taken on by taxes, which in theory doesn’t seem like a bad idea. However, the downfalls to this system include a deficit in new doctors willing to get into the field due to the inevitable decline in income while the demand would grow due to no personal responsibility. In short if people didn’t have to worry about deductibles or copays that would normally keep the person from seeking medical treatment for minor things, they would simply go to the doctor every time they had an ache or pain. So now we have waiting lines for people with major health problems since everyone is scheduling an appointment while at the same time we are loosing doctors due to lack of incentive.

The current battle cry by the republican Bush administration is to push HSA’s (Health Savings Accounts) which reduce premium by taking a less expensive high deductible health insurance plan with a tax deferred savings account that earns a small interest on the side that you contribute to along with your premiums each month. Any money withdrawn from the savings account for qualified medical expenses are taken “tax-free”, and unlike a flex spending account like many people are familiar with in employer based plans, you don’t lose the money you put into the account that you don’t use. Basically if you never used any of that money in the savings account you could withdrawal or roll it over into another vehicle once you turn 62 1/2 penalty free to be used for retirement. This is a viable option for some people, however for many the premiums for these plans are still too expensive, and the problem remains that if you need major treatment in the first few years of the policy you will not have a big enough amount in the savings account to help cover the gaps leaving that person responsible for a large portion of the cost out of pocket.

Now we come to what I believe is one of the biggest problems from a health insurance agent’s point of view, which is the inability for persons with pre-existing health conditions to obtain coverage. From the number of people that contact my office searching for health insurance coverage, I would have to say that about half of them have a health condition that will either result in an insurance company declining that persons application, or result in an amendment rider which basically excludes coverage for any claims related to that condition. An example of a condition that I run across constantly is hypertension or high blood pressure. This condition will sometimes result in a company declining an application all together if other factors are involved, but most generally result in an amendment exclusion rider. You may think that this isn’t that big of a deal, after all, blood pressure medicine is about the only thing they would have to pay for out of pocket, but what many people don’t realize is that this rider will exclude ANYTHING that could be considered part of this condition including heart attacks, strokes, and aneurisms which would all result in a huge out of pocket claim. Consider the fact that my father had a double by-pass surgery recently that ended up with a final bill of around $150,000. This whole amount would have had to come out of pocket had he had a hypertension rider on his health insurance policy, not to mention the added cost of 2 months off of work thrown into the mix. On a modest income of $40,000 per year this would have ruined him financially.

So what how do we fix this problem? Obviously the proposals thus far have been flawed from the beginning, and even if one of these plans gained support from the American people chances are it would never be passed into law simply due to political infighting. One side wants to keep health care privatized while the other wants to socialize it, which as we discussed before both have upsides and downsides. It seems that we are doomed on this issue and there is no real ideas or light at the of the tunnel right? Maybe not, let me tell you about a client I had in my office a couple of years ago.

A young woman came in wanting to compare health insurance plans to see if there were any options for her and her family. She had several children and had been on Title 19 Medicaid and had been going to college paid by the state. She had recently graduated from college and had gotten a job with the local school system, however for whatever reason she was not eligible for health insurance benefits. Obviously she still couldn’t afford 5 or 6 hundred dollars per month for a plan so she went back to the aid office and explained her situation. They ended up working with us to find an acceptable private health insurance plan and reimbursed her for a percentage of the cost which I didn’t even know was possible!

This got me thinking, consider how many more people would be able to obtain coverage if they could be reimbursed by the government a percentage of the premium according to their income. For example; take a young married couple in their 20′s with one child, let’s say that their family income is $25,000 and that the average premium for a $500 deductible health insurance plan for them is $450. Just as an example let’s say that the government determined that a three person family with an annual income of $25,000 is reimbursed 50% of their premium taking the actual cost to the family to $225 per month. This is now an affordable enough premium for the family to consider.

With this merging of private insurance with government assistance we get the best of both worlds. Of course the next question goes to cost, how much more would this cost the American tax payer and how much would this raise taxes? I don’t think that it would cost the tax payers much more an here’s why I think that: First off we would bring down significantly the amount of uninsured people that are unable to pay for the medical care they get in turn driving down the total cost of health care. Secondly the number of people that are forced into bankruptcy and driven to Medicaid Title 19 assistance due to medical bills stemming from catastrophic medical conditions that don’t have health insurance coverage would be significantly reduced. This is important to keep in mind considering that once someone is on Medicaid they are receiving health care basically 100% covered by the government so there is no more incentive to not seek treatment for minor or non-existing conditions. On the flip side many conditions that would have not been caught before they became severe because a person didn’t seek treatment due to not having insurance coverage would now be caught before they turned into a catastrophic claim. Finally, if the government allocated a certain amount of money to help cover claims by people that have pre-existing conditions the private insurance companies could do away with exclusions and declines due to already existing health problems, this is already done is some states such as the HIPIOWA Iowa Comprehensive Plans which insures Iowa residents that can not obtain coverage elsewhere.

You may be sitting there thinking that this is all just wishful thinking and that these ideas could never be implemented, but all of these ideas are already being implemented. The problem is that only some states do some programs and not even most health insurance agents know that some low income families can get reimbursed for health insurance premiums. If these programs were all standardized and put into effect on a national well publicized level I believe it would put one hell of a dent in the uninsured population in this country. Now I don’t pretend to know what the reimbursement levels should be for what income levels but I do know that anything is better than nothing, and in my opinion this is the best middle ground we could find. The Democrats would be happy with the socialized aspect of the reimbursement, and the republicans should be happy that health care remains privatized giving this solution a better chance at a by-partisan backing.

I have faxed this idea to several senators and congressmen but always received the same type of standard response about how they are concerned with health care and that they are working hard to find a solution knowing full well that no one really even read my letters. The only way to get these ideas out into the public is for you that read this to pass it on to others by word of mouth, by email, or by linking your websites to this webpage. If enough buzz is created than these ideas would get the consideration that they deserve, and if enough people like you and I demanded that a solution be found than perhaps enough stress can be placed on the politicians to get something done. The number of uninsured Americans is only going to go up, the cost of health care is only going to go up, and the cost of health insurance premiums are only going to go up if something isn’t done now! Until then the only thing that I as a health insurance agent can do is to compare all of the options out there and present you with the lesser of all of the evils, which in too many cases the option that is chosen is the biggest evil of going without coverage.

Written by Spencer L Fraise – Agent/Manger MultiQuote Insurance

[http://www.iowahealthinsurance.biz]

A fashion show is an event put on by a fashion designer to showcase his or her upcoming line of clothing. The first American fashion show likely took place in 1903 in the New York City store Ehrlich Brothers. American retailers imported the concept of the fashion show in the early 1900s.

Fashion

Featuring runway garments from the spring and fall/winter collections of ten influential couturiers and designers, the exhibition explores the ideas and inspirations motivating Paris fashion today, and why, in an age of globalization and instantaneous communication, this venerable city remains the fashion capital. The city has been a magnet for stylish men and women since the seventeenth century, but the French fashion industry has evolved considerably over the centuries and never more than in the last few years.

Recent assessments of the current state of Paris fashion have varied widely, with some pundits announcing its death, and others claiming that it is closer to fine art than ever before. By using fashion, a medium which has always been associated with self-expression and personal identity, these designers seek to demonstrate how the use (or misuse) of technology and its modes of production have the power to stimulate, delight, and inspire in ways as yet untapped in the fashion world. In the 1800s, “fashion parades” periodically took place in Paris couture salons.

The first American fashion show likely took place in 1903 in the New York City store Ehrlich Brothers. By 1910, large department stores such as Wanamaker’s in New York City and Philadelphia were also staging fashion shows. By the 1920s, retailers across the United States held fashion shows. In the 1970s and 1980s, American designers began to hold their own fashion shows in private spaces apart from such retailers.

Models

Models in a fashion show have to change their clothes all the time to present new items to the public. Models are supposed to influence us in a positive way. Models strutting catwalks at London Fashion Week should provide a certificate attesting their good health, but there should be no outright ban on wafer-thin women, the British Fashion Council said on Friday. Spain and Italy have recommended banning models with a body mass index (BMI) of less than 18. “We favor the alternative approach of promoting good health based on medical assessments of models participating in London Fashion Week,” it said.

The report acknowledged there was a problem with eating disorders among models and recommended a health education and awareness programme should be set up urgently. “During the investigation, evidence of the vulnerability of women in the modeling progression was startling and models are at high risk of eating disorders,” said Denise Kingsmill, chair of the inquiry.

In a typical fashion show, models walk the runway dressed in the clothing created by the designer. Because the topic of fashion shows remains to find its historian, the earliest history of fashion shows remains obscure. Too many adolescent girls decide early on that they need to be “thin” like the models in order to be “pretty” when really they just need to keep themselves healthy.

Trishia Lopez is a successful Webmaster and publisher of www.TheFashionGurus.com. She provides more information about Fashion and fashion issues that you can research in your pajamas on her website.

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