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The popularity of television shows like Project Runway and America’s Next Top Model has added even more glamour to the fashion industry, and many people are wondering if a fashion career is right for them.

A fashion career might be a good fit for you if you have the right combination of creativity and business acumen. The fashion industry isn’t based just on making sketches of beautiful clothes, which is why many people are surprised at the hard work that goes into getting a degree in either fashion design or fashion merchandising. The truth is, you can’t just be a designer. You also have to be a great business person, which is why four-year Bachelor’s degrees are becoming increasingly sought after in the fashion industry.

A Bachelor’s degree in either Fashion Design or Fashion Merchandising covers a wide range of skills that can be used in the industry whether you end up designing apparel, organizing fashion shows, coordinating events or managing your own chain of retail stores. The in-depth education you’ll receive will include hands-on courses as well as internships and classroom work taught by industry professionals and professors in disciplines such as accounting and business. As a fashion designer, you can’t succeed today on pure genius. If you can’t address the realities of cost and practicality, someone else will overtake you.

Typical coursework will include a variety of interesting subjects, including the history of fashion and how fashion impacts society. You will gain an understanding of fabrics, textiles and ornamentation, as well as cutting, sewing and pattern making. You will also gain valuable exposure to the growing field of computer assisted design (CAD). Fashion merchandising and sales, accounting, business management, business technology and accounting are also studied. Consumer behavior is focused upon, giving you valuable insight into how to appeal to your potential clients.

There are actually two popular Bachelor’s degrees available for those interested in the fashion industry. If you earn a degree in Fashion Design, you’ll be prepared to work in any design house. You can work your way up from the cutting floor to becoming a design assistant. And eventually, you will be a designer in your own right. You may also coordinate and plan fashion shows or become an events coordinator for fashion houses and department store chains.

With a degree in Fashion Merchandising, your focus will be more on the retail and marketing side of the industry. You can become a buyer for a retail store or private label fashion house, traveling around the world to watch fashion shows and choosing which lines they will carry in the coming year. Other options include becoming the merchandising coordinator in a particular store, designing the display of merchandise to its best advantage. Window dressers are also in demand in large cities, where high-end department stores compete for the title of “best dressed window”.

Either type of fashion degree prepares you for the world of retail management. If your dream is to manage your own fashion store, you can’t go wrong with a degree in fashion design or fashion merchandising. Both degrees give you an excellent overview of the industry and an understanding of everything from which materials work well together to how to handle production and stocking costs. If you think that you have the head for business and the heart for design that it takes for success in the fashion world, getting a Fashion Degree is your best first step.

Andy West is a writer for Career News and College News.

Now I’m sure that you know what a fashion show is but have you ever been to one? Most of you probably think that fashion shows are only for the rich and I will admit at one time that was mostly true but of late I have seen that change immensely. These fun functions have been geared more for the Rich at “Heart” as well as the Rich of pocket book. So if you enjoy fun, fashion and your own piece of the fashion world then get out and partake in one.

“Why should I attend a fashion show?” Well you don’t exactly need a reason to attend one as long as you remember that they are for everyone and anybody. And if your feeling uneasy and have a fear of the unknown join some friends and attend one or better yet go alone and gather up the fashions for you while making new friends. Need other suggestions, read on

You may not wind up making any purchases from the numerous designers carrying their latest trends but one thing for sure is you will learn what is popular and selling. And this alone is a great reason to attend especially if you own or run a clothing store, fashion store or even a clothing accessory store. You’ll want to make sure your stores are selling what is selling nationally and locally and stocked with the latest fashions. Attending any fashion show can help improve your business, by becoming the store that is sought after for stocking the styles and fashions most wanted in your area.

For those of you that do attend fashion shows for business reasons, including fashion consultants, you may want to think about attending a fashion show. While these shows are basically immersing us with the latest fashion trends, you will also encounter upcoming designers and their fashion trends as well. Fashion shows are a great source of knowledge for improving one’s fashion sense and whether your business is one of providing expert knowledge of fashion or wanting to appear as such, you best attend. Fashion shows are not only formatted for the demur frame but can also focus on plus sized clothing, work wear, swimwear, eveningwear, weddings, men, and teens.

Those businesses’ that are fashion related most definitely benefit from fashion shows. But that is not to say that you cannot also benefit from attending fashion shows. If you want to look your best and learn how to use the latest trends to accomplish that you may want to attend a fashion show. If your wardrobe is lacking or you don’t really know how to put your wardrobe together to make the pieces you purchase work better together and go farther have no fear there is a fashion show out there to help you learn what you need. You will find that the more you attend fashion shows the more your closets begin to work better for.

All learning and business sense aside Fashion Shows are a fun time. And everyone at one time or another is looking to have a good time. Why not incorporate that with a few friends and you have a fun filled fashion experience. Did you know that fashion shows are held in numerous locations as well as formats? Well of course you know they are held in the fashion capital cities like New York and Paris, but these fashion shows can also be held locally. If you’re up for attending these shows in New York, Paris or even at your local shopping mall, a memorable and fun experience will surely be had by all of you.

Remember “Why do I have to attend a fashion show?” Well, you really do not need to have a reason to attend a fashion show. If you want to attend even if it is to see what it is all about you will want to start making plans to attend as soon as possible.

Gregg Hall is an author living with his beautiful wife and family in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about style as well as fashion accessories at http://www.styleandentertainment.com

When a car breaks down or does not perform up to par, if it makes strange sounds while running or comes away from the scene of an accident with dents and scratches, a responsible owner will perform a thorough check of its parts and systems. If the vehicle is beyond the simplest troubleshooting techniques, it is best that you seek advice from the experts. Visit an auto shop that you trust so professionals can examine your car, identify the problem and fix it.

Commercial auto repairs can be defined as the kind of auto repair services that an auto shop offers. This kind of auto repair helps keep your vehicle in tiptop shape. Experts who provide auto repair services commercially have mastered the automotive sciences’ they know what is best for your car.

When you bring in your vehicle to the auto shop or when you use the services of a mechanic, the first thing that your car will receive is a look-over. Much like a consultation at the doctor’s, a look-over allows the mechanic to examine your vehicle extensively. A good mechanic will ask you some questions regarding your experiences with the car. He will most likely get your opinion on what you think is wrong with it. He will then conduct a series of tests to identify the damaged or malfunctioning parts. When he has completed his evaluation of your car, he will explain what exactly needs to be done. After he gets your approval, he will undertake the necessary repairs.

Of course, there is always a price to pay when you bring your vehicle in for commercial auto repairs. You have to pay a premium to get all the necessary work done, along with the additional charges for the auto parts or auto body parts that need to be replaced. For most owners, it can be well worth their money if their vehicles look and perform better in the end.

Auto Repair provides detailed information on Auto Repair, Auto Glass Repair, Online Auto Repair, Auto Body Repair and more. Auto Repair is affiliated with Discount Auto Parts.

When it comes to the person who does auto repair, the term “mechanic” no longer applies. With most vehicles having a least a half dozen – and sometimes more than two dozen – electronic components, the term “automotive technician” is much more applicable. Along with the increasing complexity of vehicles’ electronics comes an increasing need for automotive training. A highly trained automotive technician can earn a high income, making automotive training a necessity and the automotive field a popular career path.

Auto training can run the gamut, from high school courses where students work on used engines and used automotive equipment to intensive technical school certification programs with a duration of six months to a year. Some community colleges offer an associate’s degree related to auto repair and technology; these programs are often sponsored by vehicle manufacturers and dealerships, and involve alternating classroom training with hands-on work at a dealership.

ASE Certification

The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, known as ASE, is a nonprofit organization that offers testing and certification to automotive technicians. ASE’s voluntary certification program provides a benchmark for automotive training programs and technicians in that it is a national standard for excellence. According to the ASE, theirs is the “largest occupational testing and certification program in the world.” Many automotive training programs at high schools, technical schools, and colleges are ASE-certified, and automotive technicians sit for ASE exams in order to become certified.

Career Paths

Automotive training typically leads to entry-level positions in the automotive repair industry. Those who have gone through training may begin their careers as trainee technicians or assistants, but can quickly advance as they gain experience. Those who have a complex specialty may have a longer road to travel in order to reach mastery, but their specialized knowledge will translate into better pay. On the other hand, those who do not need comprehensive knowledge of auto repair – such as brake technicians – may advance more quickly but may also more quickly reach the ceiling of earning potential. Those with the deepest knowledge and broadest range of experience have the potential to move into automotive management jobs, which involve the supervision of automotive technicians and specialists.

Demand for Automotive Technicians

Regardless of the state of the economy, the demand for auto repair and thus for automotive technicians remains steady or continues to grow. With the increasing complexity of today’s vehicles, automotive training is continually evolving and becoming more refined. Thus, a career in auto repair will continue to bring financial rewards for years to come.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about Majon’s Automotive directory

A freshwater fish tank is the best option to be considered for either beginners to the world of fish tanks, or for individuals looking to cut down on the time requirement necessary to maintain the tanks. When people think about fish tanks, they are most often picturing the freshwater variety. From cost, to set up, to ongoing maintenance, a freshwater fish tank can be a terrific way to add new pets to your home while minimizing the effort necessary to maintain them.

When setting up a freshwater fish tank, you’ll first need to assemble your supplies. The first supply, quite obviously, is the tank itself. One of the hardest parts of deciding which tank to use is the size of the tank. For a beginning fish enthusiast, your best bet will be to choose a smaller tank. This will mean less water and surface areas to maintain, and less fish to care for. Once your experience with fish tanks builds, you’ll be able to move to larger and more expansive tanks. You may find along the way, however, that a smaller tank is simply a smarter option to maintain in your home.

You will need to gather additional supplies beyond the tank as well. Some of the most important supplies you will need are gravel to line the bottom of the tank, a filter to ensure the exchange of clean water within the tank, a tiny vacuum to help maintain the water and gravel quality within the tank, water test kits to ensure healthy water property levels, a heater depending on the type of fish you will maintain in your freshwater fish tank, and cleaning supplies to be able to perform regular maintenance within the tank.

Once you’ve chosen your freshwater fish tank and assembled your supplies, you’ll next need to locate the perfect spot within your home to set it up. Ensure that you do not choose an area of high traffic – the danger would be too great that someone – human or other pet – would accidentally bump into the tank and cause it to break. Pick a sturdy table, desk, or platform to set the tank up on. Remember that you will also need room to store your supplies nearby. Once you have set up the actual aquarium, carefully wash it, inside and out. Also wash all of the supplies you have chosen for your freshwater fish tank. You can then begin to add water to your fish tank. Do so slowly and carefully.

Once the water is added, you may be anxious to add your fish, but you still will need to test the water, create a balanced pH environment, set up your filter and heater, and ensure that the tank itself is in good working order before fish are introduced. Once you are sure that all other aspects of the freshwater fish tank are in place and tested, you may then begin to add your fish to the tank. Do so one at a time so they can acclimate to their new home. Going forward, with simple and careful maintenance, you can work to enjoy your freshwater fish tank for many years to come.

GetaHugeTank.com offers freshwater fish tanks, large fish tanks and fish tank accessories.

Many people would love to get a better job. And most of these same people have the proper training and skills to achieve this goal. Unfortunately, so many job hunters have very poor communication skills. They are unable to clearly tell potential employers about their job qualifications. In short, they do not have good job seeking skills. In many cases, this prevents them from getting a high paying job that they could easily do. Often, the job will go to someone who is less skilled but who has written a eye-catching resume. Often, job seekers have a few mistaken opinions about potential employers. They believe that employers are able to easily separate the qualified job applicants from the less qualified applicants. But this is likely not true. Sometimes there are from 30 to 300 resumes for the same job. So the interviewer first does a fast screening of all the resumes to eliminate as many as possible. The “good” resumes usually make it through the screening process. Many times the best job candidate is screened out due to a poor resume. In today’s business world there is often many qualified applicants applying for the same job. What if, out of all of those who apply, one job seeker turns in a skillful resume? Who do you think stands the best chance of getting the job? It’s the one with the “best” resume, of course. This is so often true even through some of the other applicants may be better qualified for the job. In order to get a good job you must communicate to the employer that you are ready, willing, and able to do the job. So if you are capable of producing a top notch job resume, you definitely increase your chances of getting a better job. Virtually every potential employer will want to see a resume from you. The resume will determine who gets a job interview. Your resume is a mini-statement about yourself. After reading your resume the employer should have a better “feel” for you as a person and as a potential employer. It serves to get acquainted with the employer so that they can decide if they want to know more about you. The resume is the first step, your introduction to an employer. First impressions really do count. If you make a poor first impression, you’ll never get to step two — the job interview. To the purpose of your resume is to make a good first impression. In effect, your resume should tell the employer that you have good abilities and are truly interested in working. This report will help you make that good first impression. And it could very well help you to get the better job you’re looking for. RESUME BASICS All good resumes follow the same general basic guidelines. While there is some flexibility in these guidelines, you don’t want to stray too far from them. You want a resume that is bold, exciting, and enticing. But not too much so. You also want a resume that is somewhat conservative. In other words, it must be bold. Not flashy. You must show that you have confidence in your abilities, but not sound like a braggart. You must sound eager to do the job, but not desperate. So there is a fine line that you must walk in order to produce the best possible resume. You want to use intelligent language. However, you don’t want to try and impress the employer with long, flowery, or uncommon words or phrases. Use everyday language whenever possible. Of course, if you are applying for a highly technical position, it’s acceptable to use some of the special terms used in that particular profession. But as a rule you should keep it simple and straight to the point. The word resume comes from the French word “resumer” which means to summarize. So the exact purpose of a resume is to summarize your experience, knowledge, and accomplishments. Therefore, you must avoid being too wordy. Say exactly what you mean in the least number of words possible. The length of your resume is important. Resumes should be from 1 to 3 pages long. Don’t be tempted to make your resume longer than 3 pages, even if you have a lot to tell. Remember, a resume is supposed to be a summary. A resume that is too long simply will bore the reader. There will be so much material that nothing will stand out and be remembered. RESUME APPEARANCE The overall appearance of your resume is also important. A sloppy looking resume will greatly lessen your chance of getting a job interview. The first thing that an employer, or personnel manager, evaluating your resume will notice is it’s appearance. There are several different things that can be easily done to increase the overall appearance of your resume. The first of these appearance factors is the paper that your resume is printed on. There are many different kinds of paper other than regular typing paper. You could make an improvement by using a colored paper. I suggest a subdued color like brown, off- white, or gray. Next, you could use a better grade of paper. Go to a local office supply store and examine the different types of writing paper. You’ll notice some big differences. Pick out a nice looking, more expensive grade of paper for your resume. The next thing to consider is the quality of the material that is typed onto the resume. Never use a low quality typewriter to type your resume. If necessary, rent a good quality typewriter. Then make certain that it has a fresh ribbon in it. It’s very important that you make sure the writing on your resume looks good. This means clean, crisp, and sharp looking letters. Another good way to produce a top looking resume is by having it typeset. If your resume was produced using a computer and saved on a disk, you can hire a commercial typesetter who can use this file. Or, you can locate another computer user who owns a laser printer. Laser printers can produce a good grade of typeset documents. The other alternative is to find a local word processing service that can typeset your resume for you. You can use the typeset master copy of your resume to make more copies. But be certain that you use a top notch copying machine. Otherwise, you’ll still end up with poor looking resumes. Another alternative is to have the typesetter produce as many original copies as you need to ensure that they all look good. A third aspect of your resume’s appearance is more subjective. It takes into account such things as the letter spacing, how each section is arranged, and it’s overall appearance. Some resumes simply look better because of the way they have been designed. At the end of this report, you’ll see an example of a properly prepared resume. Never overcrowd the resume. Leave some “white space” so that important points can appear to pop out. Never submit a resume with handwritten corrections. You can highlight sections of a resume by using a different typeface or size or by using “bullets.” If possible, use larger letters for the headings used in the separate sections of the resume. Never try to be too fancy by using wild colors, cute graphics, and so forth. Don’t be overly creative. A simple, straightforward, factual resume will do nicely. Make it stand out, but stay conservative. Another phase of your resume’s appearance is it’s accuracy. Make sure there are no misspelled words! Mistakes will create the wrong image. Make sure that the punctuation is correct. And make sure that all of your columns line up. See that all of your facts are correct. Don’t say you attended 3 years of college, but only show two years worth of grades. Potential employers will note all inaccuracies and wonder why they appear in your resume. OPTIONAL DATA There is a variety of personal data that may be somewhat controversial if included in your resume. In the past it was acceptable to include all kinds of personal data, but times and laws have changed. Affirmative Action laws have made it illegal to discriminate based on such things as age, sex, marital status, race, religion, and so forth. Therefore, most experts recommend against placing this kind of personal data into your resume. Your salary requirements should not be listed in the resume, if you can avoid it. The reason is that if you put too low of a salary, you might be paid less than the real value of the job. If you put down a figure that’s too high, you may not get considered for the job. If an employer likes you, it may be possible to negotiate a higher salary during the interview stage. Another thing that your resume doesn’t need is your photograph. Potential employers can decide if they are interested in you after reading your resume. They can see what you look like during the interview. RESUME STYLES There are several styles of resumes along with numerous variations. Your experience and the kind of job you are applying for will help to determine the style of resume you use. The two basic styles are: Chronological Resumes and Functional Skills Resumes. Some of the variations include the main themes of business, academic, general, student, standard, professional, or engineering. A Chronological Resume lists work experience in reverse chronological order (the most recent experience first). It includes some descriptive text about each position, usually described in about one paragraph. This type of resume offers several advantages: it is widely accepted, they are easy to read, and they show a clear pattern of your development. The disadvantages include: it does not highlight your major accomplishment(s), nor do they effectively show your other skills. Functional Skills Resumes highlight your skills and accomplishments rather than providing a chronological record of your job history. Your accomplishments and skills are listed at the beginning. Your job history is listed at the end of the resume. This type of resume allows you to call attention to your achievements. The major disadvantage is that employers may find it difficult to follow your work experience. Many people discover that a combination of these two kinds of resumes is the best way to go. You may want to try several different types of combinations before settling upon a final design. WRITING YOUR RESUME Some specific topics that your resume should cover are: (1) Job Objective — lets the employer know that you are interested in a specific type of work. This can be done in 2 or 3 sentences. Example: work in an analytical chemistry laboratory that focuses on environmental samples. Oversee and coordinate the activities of other lab technicians. (2) Summary of Qualifications — is a short paragraph that summarizes your experience and skills. Example: I have 8 years experience working on all p samples for metals C. Used CLIP and SW846 methods hases of analytical chemistry. Including work with a wide variety of instruments and computers. Was second-in-command of a lab with 8 technicians. (3) Professional Skills — is the section where you give specific details about your qualifications. Example: INSTRUMENTS OPERATED A. Atomic Absorption Spectrometer B. Microwave Digestion System C. Polarograph D. Laser Fluorimeter E. IBM Computers ADMINISTRATION A. Supervised 8 technicians when the Department head was absent. ANALYSIS A. Waste oils for metals B. Water and soil (4) Work Experience — in this section you give a one paragraph summary for each of your previous jobs. This should include starting and ending date, reason for leaving, job title and duties, and any special accomplishments for each of the jobs. (5) Education — gives a summary of all schools attended, degrees earned, and special seminars or training courses that you have attended. (6) Honors and Awards — it’s a good idea to list any special awards you have received. (7) Personal — information about your hobbies and activities should be included. (8) Others — professional organizations that you belong to, computer or programming skills, articles or books published. (9) References — you can state something like, “references available upon request,” or list at least 3 on your resume. It’s important to include all of the basic information on your resume. But, what is also important, is the way you say it. Don’t use dull, lifeless statements. Instead use action words. Here are some typical action words: Accelerated, achieved, advised, approved, assisted, built, calculated, completed, conceived, controlled, coordinated, created, decreased, defined, designed, developed, directed, earned, edited, engineered, evaluated, found, generated, implemented, improved, invented, managed, operated, organized, planned, proved, revised, scheduled, tested, trained, verified, wrote. These words give the correct impression that you have been responsible for do different kinds of jobs tasks. In other words, you weren’t just a follower. Of course, you should always be truthful. Don’t try to oversell yourself by claiming you did things that you didn’t do. As you can see, a resume is really a very simple document. It is not that difficult to produce a good resume, if you follow the simple steps outlined in this report. By dividing it into sections it becomes a much easier job. These different sections also help you to stay organized. If you have worked on a special project or had a lofty responsibility on a previous job, you may want to include that in a section all by itself. Example: “I organized a training department for AMCO Scientific and was responsible for overseeing the production of training lessons.” Another good way to get familiar with proper resume writing techniques is to review a good resume. There’s an example included in this report. You can use it as a model. Then produce several different resumes for yourself until you find the best possible combinations for your specific skills. You may also want to have a friend to read your resume and point out any problems. UNCOVERING JOBS Many people do not have good job hunting skills. They are not experts at locating job openings for which they may be qualified. Here are some ideas to help you uncover those jobs. NEWSPAPER ADS — usually draw the greatest number of applicants, so you’ll end up with a lot of competition. If you have no geographic restrictions, you may want to check out of state newspapers. Find a way to make your resume stand out so that it isn’t lost among the many applicants. Here are a couple of ideas: (1) Send a customized cover letter with your resume. (2) Call before you send the resume in. If possible, talk to the person who will be doing the interview or who you’ll be working for. If this isn’t possible, talk to the personnel director about the job and let them know that your resume is coming. This will help them to remember your name and may help you get through the resume screening process. PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES — these are agencies that try to match employees and employers. These agencies vary in the way they work. Some can be very helpful. Others are somewhat unscrupulous. Your best chance is to go with an agency that specializes in your field. Beware of agencies that continually run the same ad because, often, they are just trying to build a list of candidates. I recommend that you only use agencies that don’t require you to pay a fee. TRADE JOURNALS AND PERIODICALS — Are often the best places to look. This is one of the primary means of job advertisement for some types of professions. Example: The magazine Environmental Science continually carries ads for environmental professionals. Other good places to look include: trade shows and professional conventions, personnel offices, college placement offices, friends you have who are in the same profession as you. Another method is to simply go through the yellow pages and look for companies which may need a person with your skills. Then contact these companies by phone and follow-up by sending in your resume. Job seeking is a skill that requires persistence. You must not become discouraged. Keep making plenty of contacts. Sooner or later, you’ll find the job that’s right for you. THE JOB INTERVIEW Most people are nervous when they go to a job interview. However, by preparing beforehand you won’t have anything to worry about. Believe it or not, occasionally the person conducting the interview is nervous, too! Most interviewers will make a decision within the first 5 to 10 minutes of the interview. There are a number of steps that you can take that will greatly improve your chances of getting the job. The first (and perhaps the most obvious) thing to consider is your appearance. No matter what type of job you apply for, you should dress appropriately. A nice suit is your best bet. Dark blue or a gray pinstripe are the best colors. Don’t wear a loud tie. Make sure all of your clothes are wrinkle free and that your shoes are polished. Women should wear a conservative suit dress. Avoid excessive jewelry, make-up, perfume and bright nail polish. Interview do’s and don’ts: (1) Arrive early. If you arrive late, you’ll be rushed and the interviewer may consider you unreliable. (2) Walk briskly, with purpose, and stand up straight. (3) Don’t smoke, chew gum, slouch, read a novel, or other similar activities while you are waiting in the lobby. If some of the company’s literature is available, read that instead. (4) Give the interviewer a firm handshake, and don’t be afraid to look him or her in the eye. (5) Be prepared. Carry an extra copy of your resume and academic record. (6) Don’t talk too much … or too little. (7) Above all, try to be natural and relaxed. Be yourself. Questions that the interviewer may ask you include: what are your career goals? How many sick days have you taken in the past two years? What are your strong points? Do you have any hobbies? Why do you want this job? Tell me about yourself. What did you like most or like least about your last job? Do you have any questions? She or he may also ask you some specific questions that relate to equipment or procedures you’ll need to use on the job. This is a way of determining your overall knowledge and skills. Before and during the interview … (1) Be positive and enthusiastic. (2) Try to focus upon your accomplishments and achievements in past jobs. (3) Find out as much as possible about the job duties and requirements of the position you are applying for. This will help you to be able to ask further questions. (4) Find out as much as possible about the company. (5) If you are really interested in the job, let the interviewer know about it. (6) Questions you need to ask include: when will the job start? To whom do I report? What would a typical day be like? (7) Don’t be too concerned about salary and benefits at first. If you are selected, they will make you a salary offer. Toward the end of the interview you can ask about benefits. AFTER THE INTERVIEW There are a number of things that you can do after the interview that will make you an even more attractive job candidate. Here are a few tips: (1) Write a thank you letter. If you really want the job, say so in the letter. (2) If you have not heard anything within 8 to 10 days, you may want to call. Assure them that you are not trying to be pushy, but that you are just interested. If you aren’t hired, you can still send a thank you letter to the company and ask them to keep you in mind for any other similar job openings. Also, you may want to ask the interviewer for a specific reason as to why you weren’t hired. This information will help you as you search for other jobs. CONCLUSION Getting a good job that you want is not always easy. There are many qualified people after every top paying position that is available. But if you use the strategies described in this report, you’ll stand a much better chance of success. Be persistent and don’t sell yourself short. You could end up with a much better job in a very short period of time. AMPLE RESUME

Jerry Jobseeker

12345 Main St.

Anytown, U.S.A.

555-5555

SKILLS

Professional Skills: Experienced in operating a wide variety of analytical instruments including, Flame and Furnace AA, Microwave digestion, Laser flourimeter, and more.

Familiar with the full range of EPA and CLIP methods and protocols for inorganic analysis

Expert with IBM-PC computers and have over ten years of computer experience.

BUSINESS

EXPERIENCE

1971 to 1977 Austin Powder Company, McAuthur, Ohio

Chemistry

Chemist:

Performed a wide range of chemical analysis on raw materials, finished products and competitor’s samples. Used classical wet chemistry methods.

1977 to 1982 Mead Paper Company, Chillicothe, Ohio Mead Research Paper Technologist: Worked to improve paper formulations, solve problems, and improve quality using pilot plant and mill studies. Performed a wide range of paper tests, wrote reports, and evaluated results.

1982 to Present Martin Marietta, Piketon, Ohio

Senior Chemist: Performed a full range of analytical methods for metals on all types of samples (soil, water, air, waste samples). Responsible for quality control and in charge of department supervising 14 technicians when supervisor was absent.

EDUCATION

Ohio University, Athens, Ohio

BS in Chemistry, 1971

Minor: History, Math

GPA: 2.4 Concentrated in inorganic chemistry

PROFESSIONAL

SOCIETIES

1975 to Present American Chemical Society

PERSONAL DATA I am very active with a number of hobbies including: golf, gardening, baseball, computers, and writing. I have authored a number of books about computers and various chemical related subjects.

REFERENCES Available upon request.

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Julia Tang publishes Smart Online Business Tips, a fresh
and informative newsletter dedicated to supporting people
like you! To find out the best online business opportunities,
and to discover hundreds more proven and practical internet
marketing secrets, plus FREE internet marketing products
worth over $200, visit: http://www.best-internet-businesses.com
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With everyone being very conscientious about their finances, you’re probably looking for ways to save on your everyday necessities. One of the biggest costs in household budgeting is in pet supplies. Whether you’re shopping for a growing puppy, a spoiled cat, a roomful of birds or even an exotic iguana, who can deny that pet supplies are expensive? The solution is not to reduce the amount of food or health supplies that a pet needs; rather, you can save money by buying discount pet supplies online. Consider these four tips.

1. Order Quality Discount Pet Supplies

Resist the urge to buy the cheap stuff. It will harm your pet’s health, and in the long run, cost you more money due to pet doctor visits. Cheap products are made from cheap ingredients that can become toxic over time, making your pet feel sick and depressed. Change the way you buy, not the quality of food you buy.

2. Order Discount Pet Supplies From Other Sources

Our first reaction when buying supplies is to take the advice of the veterinarian or his/her assistant. The doctor and his or her assistants will usually try and sell you pet supplies at an inflated cost. They are going to be honest about most things, so don’t turn against the pet veterinarian’s office entirely! They are just doing their job in trying to push over-priced food and pet supplies, as that is part of their office income as well. What you should remember however, is that you can buy practically anything from the vet’s office online at a lower cost. It’s the same great quality product, but at a much more affordable cost. Plus, you don’t have to stop by the veterinarian’s office every time you need to purchase pet food or flea control.

3. Invest in Preventive Measures

Many families make the same mistake when it comes to their pets. They pet and cuddle the furry fellow, ignoring tips on how to improve the creature’s general health when things are going well. Then they have to spend hundreds, perhaps thousands, of dollars a year in professional treatment. If these households would simply devote some attention to preventive treatment, they could improve the quality of life of their pet and avoid more doctor visits. Make a checklist of what a pet needs and ways to provide a safer environment when it is well.

4. Look Online for Discount Pet Supplies

Discount pet supplies can be found by way of mail coupons, online website specials, discount online stores and other special promotions. Remember to figure in shipping and handling costs as well as bulk discounts, because this is where you really find the biggest savings.

Take a more strategic approach to stocking your pet food and supplies. Research the brand of food you’re buying and what other options are available to you. This is the best way to find discount pet supplies.

PetSupply Store provides you with easy access to your most needed pet supplies. No matter what type of pet you have, you can find supplies easily through their online store. For more information, visit http://www.PetSupply-Store.com

The blogosphere, made up of countless blogs from all over the world, is one of the most popular faces of the Internet. It’s not just for teenagers anymore. Several years ago, most blogs were run by kids who just wanted to keep in touch with their friends, or people who just wanted to talk about their daily life.

These days, almost everyone online has a blog.

Chances are, you have one – and if you don’t, you should.

Stay at home moms like to blog about their daily lives and raising children. CEOs of major corporations own blogs about the latest happenings at their company. Many celebrities run blogs, and they blog about their upcoming events, movies, and roles (not to mention scandals).

And marketers have blogs about every niche imaginable!

I’m confident to say I myself am part of the blogging culture.

Blogging is a great way to reach out to the people on the Internet. They can touch millions of lives, and spread your message like no other medium. You can say almost anything you want, and there will be an audience for almost every niche!

You can run a blog just for fun. If you want to talk about parties you attend, restaurants you eat at, places you go shopping, or where you go on vacation, someone will probably want to read about it.

Even if the only audience you have is your close friends and relatives, you’ll have fun and be able to say whatever’s on your mind.

More and more people are turning to blogging as a way to make money. Some people just want to make a few extra dollars for spending money, but others are actually making a full-time income with their blogs.

A few prominent bloggers even boast of making hundreds of thousands of dollars with their blogs (a la Perez Hilton, who parlayed his blogging fun into thousands of dollars in ad money each month, which delivered him his own TV show, podcast, and clothing line)!

There are plenty of ways to make money blogging. Whether you’re a college student who just wants to make a little extra cash for pizza and clothes, or you’re a serious marketer who wants to make a small fortune, it’s totally possible with blogging.

Blogs are big, even if they’re small. Some blogs get millions of hits per month. Blog traffic has been growing steadily for several years as consumers gain confidence from peers rather than trusting hard hitting sales pitches they find on the web.

With more and more people jumping onto the blogosphere bandwagon, it probably won’t slow down within the foreseeable future. If you’re thinking about getting into blogging, it’s a good idea to get started now.

It generally takes a few months to begin building up a following. And you really need regular visitors if you want to make money with your blog. You should work to gain subscribers to your RSS feed, because those people will come back often to read your new posts.

And remember to lend your own unique voice to your posts. One of the most important nuances in regards to why blogging is such a major global phenomenon is the fact that people really enjoy reading unique voices on certain topics.

They crave the differences in personalities. It’s refreshing to read information that has personality and isn’t stale or stuffy, which means it’s been translated by a single editor so that every voice is uniform. This is why columnist pages in local newspapers are so popular.

Your unique voice is the most important part of getting regular visitors to your blog. If you want to see examples of this, visit some of the most popular blogs you can find. You’ll see that one thing these blogs have in common is the fact that the bloggers make engaging, funny, or original posts.

That’s your key to making it big in the blogosphere!

Before You Blog, Build a Blueprint

A lot of bloggers put together a blog without any real plan for how they’re going to promote it or monetize it. Putting a blog together without a plan is like trying to build a house without a blueprint.

It’s possible, yes. But the end result is probably going to be shoddy, and the whole thing could fall apart at any minute.

You should create a solid plan of action before you even buy the domain. You need to develop a strong blueprint before you ever get started. Waiting until after you’ve already set it up and are getting traffic could mean a lot of extra work going in to correct mistakes.

Changing themes and adding plugins after you’re already getting traffic could interrupt your traffic. Sometimes new plugins and themes can temporarily break your blog, which could mean a loss of traffic (and money) until you’re able to fix everything.

The first part of your plan should be choosing a niche, of course. Part of choosing a niche is finding products you can promote. If a niche has no products available, you could create your own.

But if there are no affiliate products available, it could be because there isn’t enough demand there for a product. In this case, you’d have to do some careful market research in order to determine whether or not a niche is truly viable.

What’s your purpose for blogging?

Do you have your own product you want to promote?

Do you want to promote affiliate products?

Do you want to just put AdSense or CPA offers on your site?

You need to ask yourself questions like these so that you’ll know how you intend to monetize the site. If you plan to promote affiliate products, you should test the products yourself before you promote them.

If you don’t, your visitors could end up being very upset if you promoted a product of really poor quality and they bought it because they trusted you. Even worse, what if you end up promoting something that turns out to be a scam?

You don’t necessarily have to purchase every product you wish to promote. If you can prove you have a decent amount of traffic (and sometimes if you just ask), you may be able to get free review copies of some of the products you’d like to promote.

It doesn’t hurt to ask. Even if you don’t have any existing traffic yet, you can write to the owner of a particular affiliate program, tell them what you’re planning to do, and ask if you could get a review copy.

Some people won’t give you a review copy. Plenty of marketers get requests for review copies from those who just want to get a copy of their product for free. So if you run into a skeptic, or someone who’s been burned before, you may get turned down.

In this case, it’s probably best to just go ahead and buy the product if you really want to promote it. If it’s a scam or a really crappy product, just ask for a refund.

You can also consider using a donation button on your blog. If you can’t find any good products to promote, and you don’t have the time, money, or ability to create your own product, you can still put up a donation button. If your blog is very good, you may get donations.

Or, you can always sell ad space on your blog. If you start getting a substantial amount of traffic or you get a very high PageRank in Google, you could charge a lot of money for a link on your blog. You can also get paid for making posts on your blog that review other sites.

Should a Blog Topic Be Broad or Narrow?

There are two schools of thought regarding blog topics. Some people believe your topic should be very focused, because you can bring in a flurry of laser-targeted visitors. Plus, you have less competition in smaller market segments.

Another group of people believe that anything worth doing is worth doing big. They believe that the only way blogging can truly be worth it is if you’re bringing in massive traffic, and the only way you can achieve that level of traffic is by being very broad – casting a wide net, so to speak.

For example, you might have a sports blog that has broad appeal. You could talk about baseball, football, basketball, soccer, tennis, and golf. This would give you a much more broad appeal, and the potential for larger traffic.

But since there would be so much competition, it might take a lot longer to get more traffic coming in. Plus, the way I see it is, if I’m interested in golf, I really won’t care about the other parts of the blog, so the value of it plummets in my eyes.

But let’s say you choose golf as your broad topic. Even this is broad, although you just segregated it from the other sports in existence. There are many things you could write about golf – vacations, apparel, clubs, courses, techniques, etc.

You could choose an even more targeted niche like women’s golf or senior golf. This is a smaller segment of a small niche. This means you could get traffic faster, because there would be less competition.

Less competition means you have the potential to rise faster in the search engine rankings. Of course, women’s golf would get far less traffic from the number one spot of Google than the combined traffic of all of the other sports niches, but the chances of that traffic converting into a sale will soar.

So basically, it boils down to how you feel about your abilities. If you believe you have the ability to get one large blog to the top of the search engines rather quickly, then you might be able to handle a broad topic blog.

If you don’t believe your abilities are up-to-snuff, then you might want to stick with a smaller niche at first. Remember, you can always start other blogs later. You could either build a network of small niche blogs, or you could start out with one broad blog and then start multiple sub-niche blogs later. You could then link to all of your smaller blogs from your large blog.

You could also start with the smaller blogs, get them to gain some popularity, and then start a large, broad blog later. Once you start the larger blog, you’ll have several smaller blogs already getting traffic and already having PR that can link to the larger blog to get it started.

If you already have a lot of SEO experience and you’re confident in your ability to pull off some great search engine rankings quickly, then starting with a more broad blog might be a better option.

You can still get some of the benefits of having a smaller blog by having categories for each of the smaller niches on your broad topic blog. One last thing to keep in mind is that your traffic will be less targeted if you run a broad blog.

If you have a site about skin care, you may get a lot of traffic that’s just looking for information about the best lotions or skin creams. But if you start a blog about something specific, like acne, you’re more likely to get people who are ready and willing to buy something.

Where Will You Host Your Blog?

A lot of people start out by hosting their blog for free at one of the common blog hosting companies. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but it’s a much better idea to host your blog on your own domain if possible.

Let’s take a look at WordPress. WordPress is a very popular blogging platform. You can host your blog on their servers, or you can download the software and host your blog on your own domain.

There are a few reasons why you should host your own blog, rather than hosting your blog directly on WordPress.com. For one thing, WordPress doesn’t allow you to promote affiliate links on their domain.

So if you want to make any money with your blog, you can’t host it on their server, you’ll have to host it yourself. Another reason why you shouldn’t host your blog on WordPress is the fact that you can’t use the variety of plugins and themes that you could use on your own domain.

WordPress is very limited as far as the functionality, so don’t expect to have anything really cool on your blog if you host it there. You can find free WordPress tutorials to help you get started with your blog.

Now let’s look at Blogger. They do allow commercial blogs, so you can post affiliate links there if you want. But they’re also against what they deem as “spam blogs” or “splogs.” If they decide your blog is spam, or they decide it’s “too” commercial, or they just don’t like it, they can delete it for any reason.

There goes all that hard work you put into it!

You have to agree to those terms and conditions when you sign up. That means that even if you don’t actually break any rules, they could still delete your blog if they chose. That’s a pretty powerful motivator.

It certainly wouldn’t be a very pleasant thing to build a blog up to several thousand hits per day, only to have it deleted (and trust me, I’ve heard these horror stories). You’d lose all of that traffic, all of those backlinks, all of your reputation and your search engine rankings.

Imagine it all being wiped out overnight. That’s not a good thing.

It’s like having a fire rip through your brick and mortar store and you don’t have any insurance to rebuild.

Another very important reason to host your blog on your own domain is that it gives you credibility. If you host your blog on your own domain, you’ll appear more professional, and more like an authority figure in your niche.

People will automatically assume you’re more serious if you’re hosting your blog on your own domain, rather than putting it up somewhere for free. If you do decide to host your own domain, the first thing you’ll need to do is choose a domain that contains a few keywords related to your niche.

If your blog is about house cleaning tips, then try to get housecleaningtips.com. If that’s not available, go down your keyword list and find the next best thing. Then register the domain.

Next you need to find a host for your blog. You might want to choose a host that has Fantastico, which is a program that sits on the server and allows you to very easily install WordPress (and other scripts) without having to create and manage MySQL databases yourself.

Once you have hosting, you just need to go to your domain registrar and set up the name servers to point to your new host. Your hosting company’s support should be able to help you with this.

Blogging Is Big Business

More and more companies are starting blogs, and many people are even forming their entire companies around blogging. Customers really love blogs because they’re generally full of great (free) information, they offer a personal touch that generally isn’t found on a standard corporate website, and they’re not usually full of a lot of hype and hard sell tactics.

Another reason customers love blogs is that they offer a great medium for interaction. Visitors can leave comments and receive responses to their comments. This helps build loyalty to your blog and your company, and readers really enjoy this level of interaction with someone they consider an authority figure.

It helps them feel like they’re really being listened to, and like the company really cares about what they have to say – even if that “company” is an entrepreneur like you! Blogs are a fantastic way to build loyalty.

You can reach your audience in a very personal way, must more so than with a standard, stuffy stagnant website. Readers expect to see some personality coming out in a blog. If you really let your personality shine through, you can build a following that will subscribe to your RSS feed and come back often, eagerly waiting to hear more of what you have to say.

This is a great way to brand yourself and your business. Since you can get more personal with a blog, people start to get to know you a bit as a person. This makes you seem more real, and people begin to trust you and your messages more.

For some reason, people trust websites with identifiable people behind them.

Remember, when you’re blogging for business you should stay somewhat professional. It’s probably best not to post about your aunt’s cataract surgery or your grandma’s cat that died. You can get a bit personal – after all, that’s what really makes you stand out.

But most people who are reading your blog are there to find out information about the niche, seeking solutions to their needs. Keep your posts on topic, but get personal by providing your own voice within those entries.

Provide valuable information within your blog posts. People aren’t going to keep coming back to your blog over and over just to read about the new products you’re releasing, unless you’re releasing some really revolutionary stuff.

They’re going to want to read industry news, tips and tricks, special strategies, and other important information for free. While it’s perfectly fine to blog about new product releases, it’s also important to keep providing helpful information to keep your readers coming back.

Don’t ever lose sight of the fact that your readers are real people. You know what you enjoy reading in a blog, right? You want solid information – something useful. You probably don’t mind the occasional sales pitch on a blog full of great information, but you’d be pretty annoyed to reading nothing but pitch after pitch.

If you’re running a business blog, it’s important to keep your readers in mind. Give them the kind of quality information they’re hungry for, and they’ll keep coming back for more. In fact, the more you give them for free, the more loyal they’ll become, and the more likely they’ll be to buy from you in the future.

Blogging is all about informing and educating. If you can do that, your visitors will form a bond with you and they’ll be sure to spread the word about your blog so that your URL goes viral and it attracts an even bigger following within your niche.

Blogging can be very lucrative, not to mention it enhances your overall branding and networking on the ‘net. Here are the steps you need to take to get started RIGHT NOW:

1.) Pick a niche topic (my advice is to go narrow).

2.) Find a domain and buy it.

3.) Set up your WordPress blog using your Fantastico host.

4.) Pick a theme online – Google free WordPress themes and you’ll find millions you can upload.

5.) Set up your blog for categories, ad space, and stick an opt-in box in it to begin building a list.

6.) Start posting to your blog using keyword relevant titles and entries.

7.) Start bookmarking your blog and sharing that link to get it moving in the viral direction.

8.) Test the conversion of various products you promote on your blog and switch out those that aren’t working well for you.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this blog report. Feel free to pass it around and share it with others you feel it might help!

Bret Glick

http://www.Dragon-Adventures.com

Bret C Glick
Lindenhurst NY
11757
http://www.dragon-adventures.com

With the multitude of internet marketing services and techniques that you hear about daily as you get bombarded with promotional material after promotional material in our emails you come to realize two things. The rationalization of these two main focal points are what lead many online marketers to their doom.

The first thing you come to terms with as you start to focus is how truly overwhelming all of this is! You can’t possibly learn all of these new internet marketing techniques fast enough, master them and implement them effectively all at one time so that you can begin to promote your products, services or affiliate programs.

This brings you to the second realization. You need help! So you decide to hire internet marketing services that are provided by outside experts and so called gurus that promise to help you bring in more traffic, help you build your email list and ultimately increase your monthly sales volume. Don’t worry we’ve all made this mistake, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Take One Day To Evaluate All Of Your Resources

I can’t stress how important this is. Internet marketing services FEED on your frustrations! They know that you are bombarded daily by emails that you get from other internet marketing veterans that want to sell you their own products and services. In fact they’re counting on the fact that you’ve actually bought and paid for several of these and that at this point you’re so way beyond frustrated that you’ll do anything, even PAY THEM MONEY to provide you their own internet marketing services that are using the same internet marketing techniques that you could be using yourself for free.

Cancel The Majority Of Your Subscriptions

This is hard for most of us to do. We’ve grown to depend on the advice of these so called internet marketing services, experts and gurus. There is a symbiotic co-dependant relationship formed that has gotten you in the rut you’re in. I’m sure that most of the people you get all these emails are nice, but their bottom line is NOT to be you’re friend. They want to make money online just like YOU want to make money online. The key thing to consider here is that you need to STOP giving them your money and STOP spending all that time reading the tons and tons of emails, so that you can focus on what works and take action.

Stop Paying Internet Marketing Service Providers

This is often the hardest link in your chain to break. What little success that you’ve achieved thus far is only there because of your internet marketing efforts. In that back of your mind you’re telling yourself that the internet marketing services that are provided by online providers are working, just not quite as well as you want them too. The truth is that their using the exact same internet marketing techniques that everyone else is and these techniques are NOT hard to learn! When you stop paying for all the internet marketing services and start focusing your time and money more directly on taking ACTION you’ll notice that you’re paying out less money and yet at the same time your monthly income and website page ranks are still increasing.

Now Is The Time To Take Action And Start Profiting

I realize that things are still very overwhelming, especially if you’re just getting started or if you’ve have a history of trial and error which has brought you in little or no success. Take a deep breath, relax, relate, release and let go of that past that has haunted you. Let go of the overwhelming frustration that comes from inexperience if that is the problem. Internet marketing services and all these so called new internet marketing techniques are NOT the answer. Here’s a clue to get you started;

Social Networking & Social Marketing Is Not New

From the early days of the internet there have been internet marketing services that provided advertising services on bulletin boards, which later lead people to going online using dial up connections and creating social networks of their own through their AOL or other ISP connections. This is how things were done in the early days. What has changed isn’t the concept of social networking & marketing or internet marketing services. The real change that people are talking so much about with the whole buzz of the Web 2.0 craze isn’t social networking & marketing at all, it’s the fact that it’s become so incredibly easy!

With WYSIWYG The Learning Curve Is No Longer Steep

Social Networking & Marketing is definitely getting more popular with the WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) interfaces that we see on MySpace, Squidoo, YouTube, FaceBook and the “groups” that you can join through Yahoo, MSN and the almighty Google. The new advancements make things easy to customize, add video and in many cases create your own “squeeze page” that you can publish and then use to promote your products, services and affiliate programs.

This is the secret to the internet marketing services that many of you are already paying for. Using these same principals there are online blogs and forums that you can use as well and these are no secret either. The only thing that makes it harder for newbies and people who have failed in the past is that they either don’t know HOW, they don’t know WHERE or they don’t fully understand WHY certain things are done the way they are.

One last thing to give you something to think about before I go

Please bare in mind that this is solely based on my own biased opinion, which comes from years of experience as a web designer, web host and internet marketing promoter. My thoughts on all of this are simple if you would like to save an incredible amount of time, energy and money. Try by focusing on ONE THING at a time and learn everything you can. There are video, audio and pdf style tutorials readily available at reasonable prices. All you need to do is find ONE SOURCE that you can get as much material from as possible at a reasonable price and then begin your learning experience.

Go in to this with an open mind. Often you may think that YOU KNOW something, when in truth you are familiar with what it is and the basics of how it works, but you’re not yet proficient enough to be called an “expert”…..yet. I add that last little bit because I believe that with the right tutoring you can and will be one!

Internet Marketing Services Are Charging Too Much

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Internet Marketing That Gets You Proven Results

Since 1960s, career cluster resources have been used as career exploration and planning tools in schools, learning communities, and organizations across the nation. Career Clusters is a system that matches educational and career planning.

Step 1: Identifying Career Cluster Interest Areas

Career clusters are groups of similar occupations and industries. When teachers, counselors, and parents work with teens, college students, and adults, the first step is to complete career cluster assessment. The assessment identifies the highest career cluster areas. Career assessments show teens, college students, and adults rankings from one of the following 16 Interests Areas or Clusters:

1. Agriculture, Food, & Natural Resources

2. Architecture & Construction

3. Arts, A/V Technology & Communication

4. Business, Management & Administration

5. Education & Training

6. Finance

7. Government & Public Administration

8. Health Science

9. Hospitality & Tourism

10. Human Services

11. Information Technology

12. Law, Public Safety & Security

13. Manufacturing

14. Marketing, Sales & Service

15. Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics

16. Transportation, Distribution & Logistics

Step 2: Exploring Career Clusters and Related Careers

After pinpointing the highest career clusters, teens, college students, and adults explore the different careers and create education plans. Career cluster tools used in career and educational planning include:

• LISA: A comprehensive career cluster database
• Models
• Brochures
• Pathways
• High school plan of study
• Interest and Skills Areas
• Crosswalks

After completing a career cluster assessment, teens, college students, and adults look at web sites, career models, brochures, pathways, and high school plans. One of the most unique comprehensive career cluster resources is the Louisiana Integrated Skills Assessment (LISA), an Internet program. LISA lets you explore career clusters, careers, abilities, training requirements, and more. There are 3 steps in the LISA program:

STEP 1: Click here to select a Career Cluster

STEP 2: Click here to select a Career Group

STEP 3: Explore Occupations within this Career Group

In Step 1, when you choose a career cluster, you will see a description of the cluster. When you select a career group in Step 2, you see different careers. Finally, in Step 3, you see a wealth of information:

• Job descriptions
• Educational and training requirements
• Crosswalks, for example ONET, DOT, GOE, and other codes
• Abilities
• Knowledge
• Skills
• Tasks
• Work Values
• Labor Market Information

Even though LISA is an awesome program, in classroom or workshop settings, you need printed materials. When using printed materials, the career model is the best place to start. Models provide excellent overviews listing the cluster definitions, sample careers, pathways, knowledge, and skills. Visual models show career clusters, the cluster subgroups, and related careers. Models are an excellent way to introduce career clusters.

For presentations, workshops, and group discussions, the career cluster brochures provide additional information. Adults and teens read about the different careers that are available in each career cluster. Teachers, counselors, and parents use the brochures to solidify adults’ and teens’ potential career or educational decisions. The brochures cover topics such as:

• Definition of career clusters
• Careers
• Career pathways
• Employment outlooks
• Skills
• Credentials

Teachers, counselors, and parents use career pathways for more detailed information. The career pathways are subgroups or areas of concentration within career clusters. Each pathway contains career groups. The career groups have similar academic skills, technical skills, educational requirements, and training requirements. Career pathways are plans of study that outline required secondary courses, post secondary courses, and related careers. The career pathways are essential tools that teachers, counselors, parents, and other adults use to give educational planning advice.

Several web sites feature High School Plans of Study. These study plans show required, elective, and suggested courses for each grade level. The school plans also match the career clusters to related careers, career pathways, and post-secondary options. Teachers, counselors, and parents find that these school plans are guides for selecting the right high school courses to match potential careers. Beyond high school, the Utah System for Higher Education has created a College Major Guide. Parents, teachers, and counselors can use the guide to match college majors to Certificate and Degree Programs.

Additional Resources for Counselors and Teachers

For planning curriculum and educational programs, there are detailed Knowledge and Skills Charts and Cluster Crosswalks. The knowledge and Skills expand upon the information listed on the career cluster models. For each knowledge and skill area, there are performance elements and measurement criteria. Crosswalks show the relationships between career clusters and other career models:

Career clusters build a bridge between education and career planning. Different types of career cluster resources are available: videos, web sites, booklets, brochures, activity sheets, and workbooks. Teachers, counselors, and parents use career cluster resources to successfully complete career and educational planning.

Resources:

American Careers Career Paths, Career Communications, 6701 W. 64th St., Overland, KS 66202, 800-669-7795

Career Click, Illinois Department of Employment Security,33 South State Street, Chicago, IL 60603, (312) 793-5700

CIP Code Index by Career Cluster, Adult & Postsecondary CTE Division, Bureau of Career and Technical Education, 333 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA 17126, (717) 772-0814

Cluster and Career Videos, Career One Stop, U.S. Department of Labor, Frances Perkins Building, 200 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20210, 866-4-USA-DOL

College Major Guide Utah System for Higher Education, Board of Regents Building, The Gateway, 60 South 400 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84101-1284, (801) 321-7100

Find Careers (Videos), iSeek Solutions, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, Wells Fargo Place, 30 7th St. E., Suite 350, St. Paul, MN 55101-7804

High School Plans of Study, New Hampshire Department of Education, 101 Pleasant Street

Concord, NH 03301-3860, (603) 271-3494

Introduction to Career Clusters, Career Education, Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, P.O. Box 543

Blacklick, OH 43004-0544,

Louisiana Integrated Skills Assessment (LISA), customized Internet version of OSCAR, a product of the Texas Workforce Commission/Career Development Resources, TWC/CDR, Austin, TX 78753

Maryland Career Clusters, Maryland State Department of Education 200 West Baltimore Street Baltimore, MD 21201,

Rhodes Island’s Career Clusters, Rhode Island’s Career Resource Network, 1511 Pontiac Avenue, Cranston, RI 02920, 401-462-8790

School to Career Clusters, State of Connecticut, Department of Labor, Job Bank, 645 South Main Street, Middletown, CT 06457, (860)754-5000

States’ Career Clusters Initiative (SCCI), 1500 W. Seventh Avenue, Stillwater, OK 74074

Career Pathway Plans, Career Cluster, Knowledge and Skills Charts

VTECS Cluster Frameworks, VTECS, 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA, 30033,404-679-4501 ext 543

What are Career Clusters? Career Prospects System, New Mexico Career Resource Network, CAREER TECHNICAL AND WORKFORCE EDUCATION BUREAU (CTWEB), Education Building, 300 Don Gaspar, Santa Fe, NM 87501, (505) 827-6512

Dr. Mary Askew specializes in Holland Codes, career cluster, and transferable skills career tests, websites, and books for adults, high school students, college students, and teens. Find easy to use, yet comprehensive career resources. Move towards your career potentials at http://www.hollandcodes.com Contact Dr. Askew at learning4life@qwest.net

Fish tanks are more than just unoriginal containers meant to hold fish. Fish tanks are expressions of their owner’s personal style, or of the style of the room or home in which they reside. Owning fish can be so much more than a mundane experience. Through creativity and a commitment to care for both the fish and its environment for years to come, amazing fish tanks can be the result.

What makes amazing fish tanks amazing? That’s simple. Their size, their design, their style, their location – an attribute of a fish tank can make it amazing. That’s why, through careful consideration and planning, it won’t be hard add amazing fish tanks to your own home.

First, when looking at fish tanks, really think about where the tank will be displayed within your home. If there is an obvious theme or feel to the room that will house it, capitalize on that. Find a fish tank that uniquely fits into that design and it can become amazing. Consider not only any objects that may make the surrounding room unique, but also any unusual colors to the way in which other objects or furniture is displayed. Remember that amazing fish tanks come in all shapes and sizes, and so finding one that fits into an existing design is entirely possible. Don’t be afraid to dream and don’t be afraid to spend plenty of time figuring out the best fish tank to add to your home.

Second, think about the design of the fish tank itself. Would it be easy to customize that design in some way to lead to the production of amazing fish tanks? Think about common objects that a fish tank could be modeled after or that could be included inside the fish tank. Any sterilized object can become a fish toy if anchored to the bottom of the tank. Some amazing fish tanks ideas could be to mimic the design of your room with the interior design of the fish tank. Find miniature furniture items and knick knacks, ensure that they’re able to be placed underwater and can be sterilized and add them to your tank. What a unique design and how neat that you’ve created a conversation piece in addition to a friendly fish environment.

Third, think about accentuating one particular attribute of your fish tank. Amazing fish tanks often have a singular focal point that just makes observers say “wow!” Can you exaggerate your fish tank through its size, whether smaller or larger? Can you find a tank that is an unusual shape and thus will draw additional attention? Both are likely possibilities that you can easily fulfill. Other possibilities to consider are the use of color within your fish tank. Consider colored sides to tank walls, or colored lights. You can even consider colored water if safe additives are used to create the change. Nothing is beyond the realm of possible when it comes to designing amazing fish tanks. By allowing your mind to dream, you can create amazing fish tanks that will be the center of attention in your home for quite some time to come.

Getahugetank.com offers acrylic aquariums, fish tank heaters and aquarium supplies.

In today’s cosmos, having a successful vocation has become increasingly crucial. Now, everyone is interested in having a high profile career and their career development. Many times, it has been hard to choose a powerful career. Career astrology is the channelizing force to clear the confusion in deciding the correct path and stand out. A learned astrologist can draw a career horoscope on grounds of your birth information. Subsequently a deep analysis of this career horoscope, the astrologers can provide job forecasting and remedies to get rid of the ill touches on your career caused by planets

TAURUS- CAREER HOROSCOPE

If you choose to work with a trustworthy partner then this association would prove beneficial and fruitful for you. The clash of Saturn and Jupiter on August 16 may cause you to change your field of work. Your job will be both rewarding and satisfying for you. You will need to be prudent and cautious about your work because you will feel vulnerable to stressful situations during 14 Jan to 31 may 2010. During this period you are advised to make not make any important strategic decisions.

You must not undertake the execution of any new ventures as they may not be fruitful. Friends and family members will help you to boost your career. Your career graph will see a rise in Nov 2010. You should not be arrogant or egoistic while dealing with work issues during the time of Feb 7 to March 2, 2010. A decline in the career graph between Jan 14 to May 31, 2010 is indicated. Your earlier investments will be profitable and the time between May- Oct, 2010 and Dec, 2010 will witness a rise in income. This year is generally good for self employed Taureans. You will see a spurt in business in terms of increased work order placements. For private and Government employees, though, this period will be stressful and trying

LEO- CAREER HOROSCOPE

The period around April 26 and July 26 will be trying and difficult for you and you will be stressed during such situations. You must keep yourself calm and composed so that you can concentrate on your objectives. You will be able to make most of the opportunities that present themselves on May 23 and Aug 16.

The favorable combination of Jupiter and Uranus on June 8, Sept 18 And Jan 4, 2011 will bring pleasant surprises in terms of work results and job front. The influence of Jupiter will bring success, affluence and good fortune. There would be a few financial problems and obstructions like delay in promotions and difference in opinion with the seniors. This difficult period will test your resolve and patience to only see you emerge stronger and with flying colors.

There are radical career changes foreseen for Leo people, be it for self employed or serviced. People could change their work or business and can switch on to a completely new profession. This is due the position of Rahu and Jupiter in their sign. Do not get influenced or carried away by your friend’s or relative’s opinion as they might flummox your determination levels or confound your plans. This year, you will need to be careful in legal matters. You are advised to be cautious and alert to save your time and energy from these entanglements.

GEMINI- CAREER HOROSCOPE

Courtesy the presence of Jupiter in the 10th house of career from Jan 17 to June 6 and from Sept 9 to Jan 22, 2011, Gemini individuals will see a surge in their career in 2010.

This Jupiter Uranus combination will pave out new career paths, open up new job ventures and bless upon unexpected success in the work. The presence of Saturn on April 26, May 23, July 23 and August 16, would see you face a few obstacles. The early half of 2010 will see you collaborating with partners from foreign shores with positive results. All your sustained hard work will see a growth in your career after May 2, 2010 then a lull period will continue till Oct 31, 2010. You will see new avenues opening up and we advise you to grab them.

Nov 2010 will witness good fortune and profits for you. Never let issues like ego and arrogance affect your work performance in any case, as they will pass as easily as they come. The period during March 15 to March 30 is good for people in creative fields.

Be careful while managing your finances, because there is an indication of cash inflow but expenses as well. Entrepreneurs or self employed people will expand their business and venture into new fields. Foreign trips for business purposes will prove beneficial. You will have a good social standing and reputation too. You will be respected for your opinions. This year is also good for students as they will get good results. So in a nutshell, there will mostly be gains for Gemini people in this year.

ARIES- CAREER HOROSCOPE

Ruled by planet Mars, you are ruled by sign driven by power and ambition. The year 2010 will prove to be a mixed bag for you. The presence of Saturn in your 7th house of partners will make you face a few roadblocks in your career path and you have to remove them on your own, don’t expect any outside assistance. Your timely action and intervention will prevent much of the unnecessary complications and help you to stay focused on your work. Remember, teamwork is vital and of utmost importance to your success. You must work in tandem with your colleagues to achieve maximum results. The later half of 2010 should see your tensions and worries ease off. You might find yourself in line for a promotion or see an opportunity for a new work avenue.

You will have your priorities in place and good solid work ethics will help you to gain administrative positions. Those in hotel industry will accomplish a lot. Achievements will wait for them and bestow them with good stead and reputation in future. The same, though, cannot be said about those in nursing and care giving fields. They will find themselves in a stagnant phase and see being dominated and their opinions being oppressed. They could also think to change careers or shift jobs. By the end of year, it is possible that they might feel their career is dormant. For that, they are advised to rely on their own inner strength to take charge of the situation.

VIRGO- CAREER HOROSCOPE

They need to understand that obligations cannot be fulfilled at once, all by themselves. This situation will continue till June 12th when the new moon will enter 16th house of Career and you will be swamped with work.

You will be satisfied and happy with your job as you will make progress at the work place. You will be able to negotiate with your co-workers and by being a tem player you would be able to realize common goals. Your financial condition will improve because you will be rewarded by the means of salary hikes and promotions. This is a good year for budding entrepreneurs. Their hard work will pay rich dividends in future. There is slight obstruction though, Virgo individuals constantly strive for change and this may have an adverse and unfavorable affect on your work.

You are advised to not start any new business venture between May and July as this is an inauspicious period to start something new. Be prudent and judicious while solving your problems and you will find a solution. 2010 is an especially good year for students. The positive effect of Saturn on memory will cause the students to achieve good results in their exams. They can pursue higher studies with ample help and support from parents and relatives who will generate resources in terms of finances for the students.

SCORPIO- CAREER HOROSCOPE

The planet of action, Mars is receding from your 10th house of career. This spells a period of sluggishness and a noticeable decline in your professional growth. However, this trend is for small period- to be seen till March 10.

Your work will fall short of the expectations. So it is advised that you abide by the time and try to finish the work on hand. The situation will improve on June 6 when Jupiter enters your 6th house of employment. This positive trend will continue through September 9, which will allow you to innovate and implement fresh ideas into action.

You will not be averse and think twice before taking risks and will face challenges enthusiastically. You will be able to realize your career goals and consolidate your professional standing.

Financially, this is a good year for you. Any new collaborations and affiliations, if any, are indicated to be highly successful. Your sincere and industrious work will be noticed and rewarded by your seniors. Your expertise in your field will be recognized. This is a good year for students and people in show business as they will do good work and will have a steady flow of income. This year will prove to be a good year for politicians and people in public service.

SAGITTARIUS- CAREER HOROSCOPE

On April 26 and July 26 you might find yourself trying to create harmony between your professional and personal life and his effort will cause you some worry. This is because of the Saturn’s negative affect on Uranus on the aforementioned dates. Saturn will again influence Jupiter on May 23 and Aug 16. This will cause disappointment for you because then, you will lose good opportunities on the professional front. After this stressful period, influence of Saturn will subside and you will make gains financially.

2010 is an overall good year for Sagittarians in terms of finance. Your hard work and dedication will be appreciated by others. Investments in real estate this year will prove profitable in the times to come. Business men might land a new contract or deal which would be of enormous financial gain.

You are advised to be fair and transparent in your financial dealings. So, career wise this is a lucky and fortunate year for Sagittarians due to the position of Jupiter in 4th and Saturn in 10th house. All your professional endeavors will be successful. This is a crucial year for Sagittarians who are in the transit of the age of 27, 28, and 32 or 36 years as these people will switch their current jobs or careers for good and break into new fields.

LIBRA- CAREER HOROSCOPE

Librans comes under the category of team players. They give their best when they work in coordination with other partners. They have good synergy and work well in tandem with others. They are not lone rangers and this fact, bring them favors and let downs as well.

You must implement new plans on July 11 as the solar eclipse in the 10th house of Career which will be supported by the planet of action -Mars. This time is a really good time to realize your plans. There is also a good indication that these plans will be successful. Be extra careful and cautious in your financial dealings as a little oversight will cause a major financial harm. This is not a very exciting year for you in terms of job satisfaction. You might find yourself stressed out at work. In addition to it you would be traveling that will add to the work pressure. There is an indication of a change in job in the first half of 2010.

But you must not be disheartened though, there is silver lining. You will come across some supportive people who will encourage you and try to improve your life in every sphere- professional and personal.

CAPRICORN- CAREER HOROSCOPE

The period during Oct 29, 2009 Oct, 2012 is very crucial for the career of Capricorns. Due to the influence of Saturn on your 10th house of career, they may either change career or assert in your present profession. The circumstances at work will be less than amicable and you are advised to navigate carefully through these troubled waters. You might be handling additional work at the same time which will add to your work pressure. This will happen primarily due to the combination Saturn and Uranus on April 26 and July 26, 2010 and the combination of Saturn and Pluto on Jan 31 and Aug 21.

New career opportunities will occur and you will be more than happy to explore them. Somebody with a bigger professional stature might help you in your business venture. This year is particularly good for people in the entertainment industry. It will also be favorable for those in medicine, labor management, economics and real estate.

Financially, this year is good for Capricorns. Young women would perform well at the work front. Capricorn individuals living in villages will do as well. This is definitely going to be a year of Capricorns. With profitable investments and implementation of new ideas and projects, they will be productive than ever and will march ahead with the execution of your plans. Employees might get a promotion during March 2010.

PISCES- CAREER HOROSCOPE

The backward spiral of action planet Mars in the 6th house of Work will leave you feeling sluggish on the job. You might feel restless in your current position and start looking for a career change too. You will feel ready to plunge into an exciting new job because of the combination of Jupiter and Uranus on June 8 and Sept 18.

Pisceans will be in a good financial condition due to the handsome returns from some wise investments. Your family will encourage you in your professional endeavors. Due to the negative influence of Rahu and Ketu in the first half of year, you may feel your career growth is hampered a bit but then after, their combined influence will reduce and you will advance smoothly.

The presence of Jupiter in the 12th house of career would cause you some troubles at your work place. You may have disagreements and unnecessary friction with your colleagues that you will be able to overcome all obstacles with your inner strength and ability and you will be working steadily towards your goal. Students will reap the success fruit of their labor and would be able to choose a vocation of their liking. For those in jobs, there will be good news of promotion and salary hikes on the cards. They will land onto some new contracts and deals which will be profitable for you.

The unique positioning of Rahu and Ketu in your chart will bring surprises on the platter for you. They will make you suffer from unanticipated gains or losses. You might unexpectedly meet some of your old friends because of the presence of Saturn. Career wise the year 2010 is mediocre for Pisceans.

AQUARIUS- CAREER HOROSCOPE

The presence of Pluto in the 10th house of career on Jan 31 and Aug 21 will help you to deal strongly with oppressive forces at the workplace. The sanguine presence of Jupiter will see a surge in your confidence level. You will have a renewed vigor and strength to stand up against opposition. There will be new prospects opening up from July 25 to Aug 3, 2010. This year is financially sound for Aquarians as they will enjoy a regular income. People in the food business will do well in this year.

If you are a part of family run concern, then you would be doing very well. Although your functioning at your job would be smooth, you might sense some troubles in your professional environment. This year will be good for people working in the field related to alcohol, auto and electronics industry. People working in space sciences will achieve a breakthrough.

Career wise, this year will be very lucky for Aquarians, all thanks to the presence of Jupiter in the 1st house and Rahu in the 11th house of profits. Rahu will also make you cynical and tactful. You might get involved in the work place machinations at the instigation of your superiors which will win you some favors from them in return. You will be able to complete all your tasks on time. A word of caution- Be aware and extra vigilant while working with your business partners. You might get entangled in a court case over a property dispute.

Any god astrologer can easily discuss about the following after analyzing your horoscope (Remember all these are totally individualized)

1. AREAS SUITABLE FOR SUCCESS IN WORK WITH LESS HURDLES

2. SUITABLE MODE OF EARNING YOUR LIVING (BUSINESS/JOB)

3. YOUR HIGHEST PERIOD OF GROWTH/SETBACKS

4. PERIODS WHEN YOU SHOULD RESIST A CHANGE

5. SUITABLE REMEDIES TO IMPROVE THE PLANETARY CONDITIONS.

Astrology has been my passion from last 5 years. We have a team of senior astrologers who have collectively satisfied thousands of clients. For a detailed and comprehensive career analysis you can visit our website. Do remember ‘BEING FORETOLD IS LIKE BEING FOREARMED’.

Hello friends this is Apoorve Saxena. I am a professional astrologer committed to offer you the best.
For ant sort of astrological predictions you can visit our homepage at http://www.astroans.com.
Our career analysis report contains all the tips and tricks that are sure to fire. To get into the career analysis section of our website you can directly visit career horoscope 2010.
We wish you a happy and successful life ahead.

My old farm tractor is the best toy I ever bought. I’m a simple man, I used to enjoy working on my car, changing the plugs, tuning the carburetor, just plain ‘ole tinkering; that changed (along with the rest of the world) when computers entered the picture. And while they have revolutionized the way we live and work, they made tinkering a thing of the past. I refused to let that happen when I bought my first old farm tractor. I’m not a farmer by trade, but I love the land and enjoy dragging my bush hog, it keeps me in touch with the land. And tinkering? Well that keeps my old farm tractor running smooth and gives me some time away from the keyboard.

I learned a lot when I started looking for my first old farm tractor. Old is just a term if the older tractor runs good and does the job intended, but be certain to check thoroughly when shopping. In my case, I brought a neighbor of mine along who just happened to be a John Deere rep, feeling certain he’d give my potential old farm tractor purchase, a good “once over”.

Of course what’s a good older tractor for me, might not be your bailiwick at all, different strokes for different folks. So ask yourself (like you didn’t already know) are you buying the old farm tractor for work or play (restoration)? Are you looking to save money with an older tractor, or are you waxing nostalgic and looking to create a pristine show tractor?

Another thing to consider is the kind of service you’ll expect; will you be working the field, tinkering like I do, or only bringing the old farm tractor out for county fairs. In any of these cases, when you’re looking an older tractor, you’ll want to make certain she’s mechanically sound. If you’re actually a collector (or tinkerer) chances are you’ll know a local mechanic to bring along, they are worth their weight, believe me and could help you find a gem, or avoid a lemon.

First thing my John Deere rep did was climb on the old workhorse to see if she started up easy, telling me if she did, that’s a good indicator that the battery, compression, ignition and fuel lines are in working order. Now if it doesn’t start, don’t head for the hills, just make sure the price is right, since it will need a bit of work.

The farmer who owned the old farm tractor told us to go ahead and… “Take ‘er for a spin”, he smiled then walked away to do some chores. While all sellers might not be so friendly, it’s very important to test the tractor engine when it’s warmed up; are then any leaks, how does the engine sound? Then, shut her down, and see if the old farm tractor starts again.

While you’re warming the old farm tractor up, and assuming you have the go ahead to actually take her out of the barn, check the brakes, if there okay, great, another mark for the plus column, if they’re mushy and might need work, ask how difficult a brake job is, some older tractors have brakes that are very difficult to work on; this is where that farm tractor mechanic friend will come in.

Check to see if the exhaust is, a little blue or black smoke might just indicate a needed tune-up, blue smoke may say ring job. If so, plan accordingly, or find another old gem to buy.

Listen closely to how the old farm tractor engine sounds any unusual deep throated clunking sounds? Let’s hope not, but if do, time to thank the owner for his time, and head for the next prospective choice.

Years ago, back when they had “full service” gas stations, I remember the attendant saying… “Check the oil sir”? And that is definitely something you should do with your older (antique) tractor. Oil in a tractor is the lifeblood, does it look clear (indicating a recent change); or is there foam or water present. If you see drops of water that might be the head gasket and serious problems might exist. Water in the oil is NEVER a good sign; again, time for a “thank you and goodbye”.

Anytime you purchase a piece of machinery with the “new” worn off, take the time to be certain your purchase has aged gracefully. None of us want to see an old antique tractor rusting in a field, but neither do we want to buy a “pig in a poke”. Ask, look, examine, test; and if you’re satisfied, whip out the checkbook, put a smile on a farmer’s face, then take the old farm tractor home and get some work done.

Tangopang is the author and editor of more lawn tractors resources published at [http://www.economytractorsupplystore.com] Find more publications about lawn tractors [http://www.economytractorsupplystore.com] at his website.

Fly fishing being regarded a normal fishing sport in the whole of America, more and more angler (s) all over are showing interest in various fly fishing resources, including tips, techniques and tales from ones who have mastered the art with their lures and fishing baits. Most anglers interested in fly fishing sports intend to know and follow a ’step-by-step” method that will significantly increase their casting distance. Most of them want to learn quickly how to cast more accurately, so that they can drop their fly right in front of the fish’s mouth. That is not all. Even a good fly caster may be looking to go to the next level and learn more of the advanced casting techniques. To assure an angler interested in fly fishing, it must be mentioned here that with the right instructor, you don’t have to worry about stiff breezes or feel intimidated by other fly anglers on the river. There may be an umpteen number of questions that you would like you ask regarding your dealing with the fly cast, typically if you are an angler new to the sport of fly fishing, one who finds making a decent cast difficult at best.

However, it still remains true today that despite the importance of the cast, the average fly-fisher angler gives less thought to it than to purchasing new fishing bait (s) for himself. Probably, many of them think fly-fishers need no casting instruction at all. Confining themselves to the easiest fisheries, and doing almost everything wrong and still catching a dozen trout from a small stream makes them over-confident of their fishing capabilities. But one must remember here that fly fishing in a small local lake is quite different from doing it in a spring creek, just as catching a thousand bluegills with your fishing bait on a blind cast is a hell lot different from successfully sight fishing for bonefish. For this, the answer is: practice for days, months and years. For fly fishing is like another skilful sport that can be mastered with a lot of time, and of course, a hell lot of effort on your part. If an angler fly fishes long enough and truly embraces the challenge of the sport rather than the fantasy of the game, he will eventually find himself amidst a favorable situation for fly fishing.

Fly casting is the most important skill in fly-fishing. It is perhaps the only skill you cannot do without. As a matter-of-fact, a successful fly-fisher angler need not know how to dress flies, tie knots, rig equipment, or even how to find fish, as he can always hire a guide to take care of all that. But a successful fly-fisher must be able to present a fly to a fish. However, it is a startling fact that in spite of its importance, relatively a very few fly-fishers ever attempt to learn how to cast a fly rod in a formal or methodical way. The beginning of learning how to fly cast is even more important than choosing your lures and fishing bait (s). The best way to accomplish this, according to experts is to use an 8.5 or 9-foot rod that is balanced with a 5- or 6-weight floating weight-forward or triangle taper fly line. According to experts in fly fishing, the fly line should be rigged with a 9-foot tapered monofilament leader, to the end of which is tied a small tuft of fluorescent package yarn. While fly casting, anglers may wish to use a bit heavier outfit, such as an 8- or 9-weight rod, to allow them handle a longer line a bit easier.

As for the important fly fishing kits for an angler, it is recommended that you are equipped with the proper trolling flies, trolling fly kits, jigs and fishing bait used to catch Salmon and Trout or other fish in the Great Lakes or Ocean. Custom fishing rods, including custom casting, spincast, and fly rods act as other necessary equipment in fly fishing sports. All these Fly fishing equipment are there for use to make your fly tying and fishing vacations memorable!

Fly fishing equipment – fly-fishing tackle, fly fishing rods, fly reels, fly fishing Gear, fly rods and fishing … … tackle Flyrods – Fly fishing equipment fly tying supplies and accessories. … ©1978-2007 The Fly Shop® …http://www.flyshop.com

Fly Fishing With Ross Purnell Online flyfishing entertainment, education, industry information center, and e-zine. Category: Shopping > Fly Fishing flyfishing.about.com

Flyfishing.com Fishing information resource. Category: Fly Fishing http://www.flyfishing.com

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.

Mario Uribe Escobar, the president of Colombia’s cousin and leader of the Colombia Democratica political party, announced the removal of two Congressional candidates, Rocío Arias and Eleonora Pineda, from his party on 2 February for their outward support of paramilitary organizations. His announcement comes on the tail of a purge of a limited number of political candidates known to be supportive of Colombia’s paramilitary organizations.

These two candidates belong to a long list of politicians that in private will admit to close contact with paramilitary chieftains. Arias and Pineda are considered the most public faces of a wide-reaching and deep-pocketed effort to increase paramilitary political control on the national level through the upcoming congressional elections to be held on Sunday, 12 March.

A much smaller, more organized, and influential group of former paramilitary war lords has emerged. As a group, they began to exercise power within the realms of politics on a municipal and state level years ago. Their efforts were first recorded in the 2002 congressional elections. In these elections, paramilitary-supported candidates won with over 90 per cent of the vote in many cases because there was no opposition candidate on the ticket and voters were scared to abstain.

Through these strong arm tactics, paramilitary organizations have begun to increase the number of politicians they control in the Colombian congress. This time around, they look set to further increase that power. If they succeed, they will work to ban extradition, eradicating their worst fear, while solidifying their positions of power across numerous Colombian departments. It is a reality that severely hinders democracy and sets Colombia and the region on a path to less stability into the foreseeable future.

Paramilitary politics

Colombia’s departments, stretching from Panama to Venezuela along the country’s northern coast, have long been held by paramilitary commanders who act both publicly and behind the scenes to control political candidates on the municipal, gubernatorial, and national levels. Their heavy handed political influence in coastal departments such as Cesar, Guajira, Atlantico, Magdalena, and Cordoba, is most evident, according to German Espejo, an analyst with the Bogota-based Security and Democracy Foundation.

Espejo agrees that the paramilitaries fund and support congressional elections. “In addition to financial support, it is possible that the paramilitaries use their influence to obstruct the campaigns of candidates that do not support them,” Espejo told ISN Security Watch.

Claudia Lopez, Colombian journalist and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) consultant, completed a study published in December 2005 that took a close look at the intersection between paramilitary control in Colombia’s northern departments and the indices of landslide victories of political candidates from those areas. Her conclusions revealed atypical electoral behaviors in the 2002 Congressional elections where areas that had experienced high levels of paramilitary-related massacres, and thus presumed under paramilitary control, had produced unopposed political candidates who were elected with over 90 per cent of votes.

The Colombian daily El Tiempo has reported that in the paramilitary-dominated department of Magdalena, mayoral candidates ran unopposed in 14 of the department’s 30 municipalities. The tendency for candidates to run without opposition, winning with inflated percentages of the vote, has been repeated in numerous Colombian departments. The trend, referred to as “paramilitarization”, has been documented in the Colombian press and noted on the floor of the Colombian congress.

Alvaro Sierra published a column in El Tiempo on 25 September 2004 in which he stated that Colombia was becoming aware of the fact that “a substantial portion of national territory, of the daily lives of millions of people, of politics, of the economy, and local-government budgets, and an unknown amount of power and influence at the level of central-government institutions like the congress, is in paramilitary hands”.

Colombian Senator Carlos Moreno de Caro, vice-chairman of the Senate’s Peace Committee, was highlighted in the Colombian press in March 2005 when he defended the a move to give paramilitaries lenient treatment in the disarmament negotiations, arguing “the thing is, half the country is theirs”.

Adam Isacson, director of programs with the Center for International Policy in Washington, DC, said Senator Moreno de Caro’s statement was an exaggeration but not a wild one.

“Salvatore Mancuso’s statement that the paramilitaries control over 30 per cent of the Colombian Congress was probably inflated,” Isacson said. “But after the upcoming elections, it’s possible to be closer to the truth,” he told ISN Security Watch.

Ineffective pre-election purge

Relatively few candidates will publicly admit to their alliances with the paramilitaries, yet many will admit such ties in private. This has created a “don’t ask, don’t tell” situation that has made it difficult for President Uribe to act on the opposition’s claims. Many fingers are pointed in public but little evidence substantiates claims.

Paramilitary control of politics is a reality that some can stomach and others cannot. In the lead up to the 12 March elections, many opposition candidates publicly demanded that President Uribe do something to purge the lists of political candidates, removing those individuals thought to be in close cooperation with paramilitary leaders.

A great purge of political candidates suspected of paramilitary ties was most likely on US ambassador William Wood’s mind when in December 2005 he publicly stated: “Corrupt electoral practices may occur in the elections of 2006, notably by paramilitaries.” Uribe told him to stop “meddling” in Colombian affairs.

Weeks later, at a meeting in Cordoba on 9 January, Uribe found himself audience to a very heated discussion between two senatorial candidates in the paramilitary-controlled department. Each claimed the other to have made political pacts with paramilitary leader Salvatore Mancuso. Days later, Uribe asked the Colombian attorney general to investigate the senators’ ties to the paramilitaries.

That same week, Gina Parody, a Bogota congresswoman, declined invitations to run as a candidate for one of the two largest pro-Uribe political parties, Partido de la U and Cambio Radical. She explained that her decision not to run with either party was based on the fact that both parties include candidates “with paramilitary links”.

She named Dieb Maloof and Habib Merheg, both running for re-election as candidates of the Partido de la U. Maloof is believed to be an associate of Jorge 40, leader of the Northern Bloc, one of the largest and most powerful paramilitary organizations. Merheg has been suspected of paramilitary ties since 2003. Both were elected to Congress in 2002 as members of the Colombia Viva party, a political organization thought to be close to the paramilitaries.

On 18 January, the tide of accusations and investigations came to a head. Both Partido de la U and Cambio Radical expelled a total of five candidates from their ranks. But these candidates were quickly absorbed by smaller, pro-Uribe political parties, much to the disappointment of opposition candidates who supported the purges. Even after the very public removal of Rocío Arias and Eleonora Pineda, both candidates were absorbed into smaller, pro-Uribe political organizations.

Power over extradition

What has US ambassador Wood – and many others in Colombia – worried is not just pre-election purging and increased paramilitarization. The 2006 Congressional elections may place in power enough pro-paramilitary politicians to make extradition unlawful.

A law that bans extradition represents a de facto victory for Colombia’s paramilitary organizations. The US has made nine extradition requests for paramilitary leaders. All are immune to extradition while under the protection of the disarmament process, but currently have no definitive guarantee that they will not be extradited.

Banning extradition is the focus of every paramilitary leader’s political power play.

If the Colombian government were left without the negotiating leverage of extradition, the matter of ultimate justice for human rights atrocities, drug trafficking, and other criminal acts would be left in the sole jurisdiction of the Colombian justice system, one not known to have much success with Colombian criminals in the past. It is a system that would certainly be manipulated again in the future and one paramilitary leaders are willing to take on.

Paramilitary influence in Colombia’s congress ultimately goes beyond extradition. It places Colombian organized crime one step closer to the ultimate tool to protect itself – control over the legislative process.

With control over the legislative process, legally protected paramilitary leaders will contribute to massacres and escalated conflict with the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Their positions as regional warlords will be solidified.

Increases in drug and gun trafficking are ensured. Exploitation of Colombia’s rural poor in the name of making the landed elite class more wealthy and powerful will grow.

Such a reality concentrates wealth in power in the hands of a few, exploiting the rest. It would consolidate many more years of insecurity for both Colombia and the region. And it promises a future where security – Uribe’s number one goal – in Colombia becomes a mirage. Paramilitary “king makers” will rule from regional outposts contributing to a de facto “Balkanization” of the country and a weakening of state sovereignty and democracy. If the paramilitaries come to control the legislative process in the Colombian Congress, a country ruled by warlords is a reality that may come to pass, and there is little the Colombian government, or any other government, can do to prevent it.

Sam Logan (http://www.samuellogan.com) is an investigative journalist who has covered business, security, energy, politics, economics, organized crime, terrorism, and black markets in Latin America since July 1999. He has reported from Caracas, Santiago, Sao Paulo, and Buenos Aires. He currently reports from Rio de Janeiro.

PHP programming is a very popular language for scripts on web sites, blogging software, and other functions online. It’s an open language with quite a few possibilities over other languages that are a bit more limited. If you want to learn PHP, you need to get started right.

The first thing that you are going to need is some basic HTML knowledge. You don’t need an advanced skill in this, but should be able to identify basic tags and understand the various elements in the code. The reason is that many times there is a blend of HTML and PHP when working with web sites or other popular scripts that are already out there.

Get yourself a good text editor that you can use. It’s very important to have one with line numbers on it. This is because when you get an error generally you are told what line number it’s on. This makes finding the mistakes very easy. Additionally, it’s nice to have PHP color syntax in your text editor so that you can tell the different parts of the code from each other based on color alone.

Also make sure that you have some basic FTP skills. This lets you upload your scripts and deal with folders online. Knowing permissions is also important. If you want to learn PHP, it’s easiest to just follow an online tutorial. There are hundreds of ones that offer easy to follow tutorials with exercises that you can follow. Do as many of these as you can until you get the basics.

After you have the basics, get a PHP manual online or in book form to follow. This will prepare you for more advanced exercises. Start making your own scripts. This is the best way to learn since you will have to think on your own versus copying exercises that are already made for you to practice. By following these simple tips you will learn PHP in no time.

Herb likes to keep up on technology trends. Please check out his website with information on vintage door knobs and details on kwikset door knobs.

Trading the Forex market has become very popular in the last years. Why is it that traders around the world see the Forex market as an investment opportunity? We will try to answer this question in this article. Also we will discuss come differences between the Forex market, the stocks market and the futures market.

Some of the benefits of trading the Forex market are:

Superior liquidity.

Liquidity is what really makes the Forex market different from other markets. The Forex market is by far the most liquid financial market in the world with nearly 2 trillion dollars traded everyday. This ensures price stability and better trade execution. Allowing traders to open and close transactions with ease. Also such a tremendous volume makes it hard to manipulate the market in an extended manner.

24hr Market.

This one is also one of the greatest advantages of trading Forex. It is an around the click market, the market opens on Sunday at 3:00 pm EST when New Zealand begins operations, and closes on Friday at 5:00 pm EST when San Francisco terminates operations. There are transactions in practically every time zone, allowing active traders to choose at what time to trade.

Leverage trading.

Trading the Forex Market offers a greater buying power than many other markets. Some Forex brokers offer leverage up to 400:1, allowing traders to have only 0.25% in margin of the total investment. For instance, a trader using 100:1 means that to have a US$100,000 position, only US$1,000 are needed on margin to be able to open that position.

Low Transaction costs.

Almost all brokers offer commission free trading. The only cost traders incur in any transaction is the spread (difference between the buy and sell price of each currency pair). This spread could be as low as 1 pip (the minimum increment in any currency pair) in some pairs.

Low minimum investment.

The Forex market requires less capital to start trading than any other markets. The initial investment could go as low as $300 USD, depending on leverage offered by the broker. This is a great advantage since Forex traders are able to keep their risk investment to the lowest level.

Specialized trading.

The liquidity of the market allows us to focus on just a few instruments (or currency pairs) as our main investments (85% of all trading transactions are made on the seven major currencies). Allowing us to monitor, and at the end get to know each instrument better.

Trading from anywhere.

If you do a lot of traveling, you can trade from anywhere in the world just having an internet connection.

Some of the most important differences between the Forex market and other markets are explained below.

Forex market vs. Equity markets

Liquidity

FX market: Near two trillion dollars of daily volume.

Equity market: Around 200 billion on a daily basis.

Trading hours

FX market: 24hr market, 5.5 days a week.

Equity market: Monday through Friday from 8:30 EST to 5:00 EST.

Profit potential

FX market: In both, rising and falling markets.

Equity market: Most traders/investor profit only from rising markets.

Transaction costs

FX market: Commission free and tight spreads.

Equity market: High Commissions and transaction fees.

Buying power

FX market: Leverage up to 400:1.

Equity market: Leverage from 2:1 to 4:1.

Specialization

FX market: most volume (85%) is made on major currencies (USD, EUR, JPY, GBP, CHF, CAD and AUD.)

Equity market: More than 40,000 stocks to choose from.

Forex market vs. Futures market

Liquidity

FX Market: Near two trillion dollars of daily volume.

Futures market: Around 400 billion dollars on a daily basis.

Transaction costs

FX market: Commission free and tight spreads.

Futures market: High commissions fees.

Margin

FX market: Fixed rate of margin on every position.

Futures market: Different levels of margin on overnight positions than day time positions.

Trade execution

FX market: Instantaneous execution.

Futures market: Inconsistent execution.

All this makes the Forex market very attractive to investors and traders. But I need to make something clear, although the benefits of trading the Forex market are notorious; it is still difficult to make a successful career trading the Forex market. It requires a lot of education, discipline, commitment and patience, as any other market.

Raul Lopez is a full time Forex trader and founder of http://www.straightforex.com; high quality Forex training and a Forex trading course provider.