I’ve been asked just about every question related to using the mail stream better, smarter and with a greater degree of success. I always lean back on three reactions a direct marketer must trigger, simply to gain opportunities: An action of “Yes, I’ll buy” or “I’m interested in more” or “Not now, but maybe later”… each are about hitting the key emotions to move the mail recipient to act. Yes, action! A.C.T.I.O.N… just like the cheer often witnessed at a sporting event, but for the DM’ers of the world… it’s bliss.

DM euphoria can be achieved by putting timely efforts into a succinct package that compels the recipient to act. So, you might ask yourself, “How can I ensure that I’m covering these elements correctly?” Thanks for asking, I’ll do my best to help you understand its importance and provide benchmarks to set your mind at ease. For starters, pay attention to the things that matter; meaning, those elements you can measure. Doing this ensures you never undermine your hunt for greater ROI.

I usually give a few descriptions of good DM. Let me begin with the one we can all relate to. Okay - you accomplish your morning rituals, shower, brush your teeth, use the restroom, and as you complete this last task you are concerned you won’t have enough bathroom tissue (”TP”, in my house) to satisfy your personal hygiene requirements.

Get my drift? Move ahead a few hours. You make the trip to the mailbox (a daily ritual that is as sacred as, well, apple-pie and Chevrolet) and low and behold there is a coupon for a free roll of TP when another of same value is purchased. Now, you happen to be a non-brand loyal who is a fairly conscience shopper and you are going to the grocery to acquire this toiletry along with some other, hmm, less important items.

The previous example is one every household can understand; whether we loathe the direct marketer or are amazed of “how did they do that?” the business of direct marketing greatly influences our buying patterns and is becoming increasingly refined and more capable of “wowing” the consumer and business mindset.

There are over 100 ways to qualify, mend or create direct marketing segmentation. Each of them extends worthy time and energy in pursuit of the DM holy land: ROI that rocks. Let’s look at some key methods:

• Targeted DM. It’s making sure the list of folks with whom you are communicating is a properly profiled audience. Not an easy feat, but obtainable through either painstaking soul searching or simple business intelligence. We should all know who our best prospects are but sometimes we don’t. There are many ways to validate, but be sure to test all theories and never stop second-guessing yourself.

Dig, dig and dig deeper to ensure that your audience is either profiled to match your existing house file or you have studied your direct competition enough and realize your selling horse products to a list of horse owners will work. Hint: Think about targeting down to the minutia. How about, age of the horse, will that help you? I Bet it will. Or, maybe household income of the owner, or, zip codes where you’re having more success than others will enhance results.

• Relevant DM. It’s knowing when the last piece of “TP” is coming off the roll. How do we know such details? Well, my example is extreme, but really not too. For example, now that POS (point of sale) data is captured at the grocery store, marketers can begin to forecast consumption of product based on the last time of purchase, time before that, and where you purchased the unit. Thus, giving the marketers a fairly good idea of when you’ll be looking to acquire more.

On the other hand, relevant DM’ers know that the household of sedan vehicles might be interested in an SUV or minivan. Why? Because our households are ever changing; everyday, each of the 220 million US consumers changes… they get rich, they get poor, they expand and they contract. And as a result, they need to buy new things and that… is… relevant.

How do we capitalize on relevance in the household to motivate a purchase for our product or service? We test hypothesis of relevance based on demographic and psychographic shifting. We look for Hotline information- not necessarily from data but from propensity or profiling.

• Timely DM. It’s being instinctual about the art. Now, how can I get timely to figure into a decision? Timely is sometimes the hardest thing to know. How can we predict the trends of a household? Much easier when we know the baby is coming and they’ve registered with everyone and everywhere, giving us delivery dates and sex details.

Timely knows that those of a multi-family dwelling unit, who earn high incomes, could or should be able to afford a house and a mortgage. So, it makes sense that new home solicitation targeted to the aforementioned market is timely. And given the right, compelling offer they will ACT.

Direct Marketing Success is about capturing the rhythm of interest by instinct & skill. It’s the nose of the DM expert or CMO who understand that he or she must use the senses of observation combined with any and all analytical information that can be added to the formula.

After this soup is stewing, an educated guess is where targeted, relevant & timely meets ROI. Call it luck; call it opportunity meets intelligent preparation. Call it whatever you like, but they are forecasts that go beyond explanation. They just work. I can help you to manage these issues… another time, another place, another DM galaxy.

The biggest concern while playing paintball is the safety and security of the players. Wearing the proper paintball gear will help to ensure that nobody will become injured while playing this fast-paced sport. Without a doubt, the use of air-pressured guns can be very dangerous if a person is not wearing appropriate safety gear.

There is a variety of paintball gear required when playing this sport, not just the paintball gun or marker. To help ensure you have all the proper equipment for this action-packed sport, below is a list of gears each person must have before he or she plays the sport.

1. The paintball mask is an essential piece of equipment that will protect your face. Since most serious injuries incurred are in the face, you are not allowed to play if you do not wear a protective mask.

2. Eye protection is another important piece of protection. Investing in a good set of goggles will prevent any splat of paint for getting into your eyes.

3. Each person must have a paintball gun. The gun is used to eliminate your opponent, and thus is a critical piece in your arsenal. Remember to thoroughly research the different types of guns available before making your selection.

4. Of course, you must also have paintballs to shoot at your opponents. You should try to conserve your paintballs while playing and only shoot when you have the target in site.

5. The hopper is another piece of paintball gear you can’t do without. The hopper is where your paintballs are placed. Standard hoppers will load your gun at a rate of 12bps or less. For faster guns, you will want an electronic hopper.

6. The barrel is used to guide the paintball towards the intended target. Brass barrels are relatively inexpensive and allow you to shoot in a straight path and at higher speeds because there is reduced friction.

7. Having air supply is essential and is used in both guns and pistols. Nitrogen and carbon dioxide are available. The carbon dioxide is less expensive, but nitrogen is better.

There are other optional accessories such as belt packs, scopes and kits that can give you an even greater advantage over your opponent. Some accessories are also needed to keep your paintball in good working condition. These include oil for lubing your gun, a squeegee for cleaning the barrel, and extra rings and seals.

The paintball gear that we listed above can be used as a basic checklist for beginners as you research the sport and before you begin making any purchases. Playing paintball is great fun, but the costs can run up quickly.

If you don’t have the extra money, start with the basic gear first, then purchase additional options as time goes on. Keep in mind you must be fully protected when playing paintball, so proper clothing and safety gear should be a top priority.

John Purdy operates online paintball stores, a website offering resources to discount supplies, articles and other paintball information. Visit his site today at: www.online-paintball-stores.com

As a business, non-profit, government agency or association
manager, one way or the other (and sooner or later), you’ll
be paying for some kind of public relations results.

And hopefully, results that do something meaningful about
the behaviors of those important audiences of yours that
MOST affect the organization you manage.

Better yet, results that create the kind of external stakeholder
behavior change that leads directly to achieving your
managerial objectives.

And even better still when those results reflect how your
follow through persuaded those key outside folks to your
way of thinking as you helped move them to take actions
that allowed your department, group, division or subsidiary
to succeed.

In my view, the alternative is unacceptable: managers
preoccupied with simple tactics like press releases,
broadcast plugs, special events and brochures, which
deny them the best that public relations has to offer.

Instead, what is needed is good public relations
planning that really CAN alter individual perception
resulting in changed behaviors among key outside
audiences. But that only happens when you demand
more than just communications tactics. That’s when
you’ll receive the quality public relations results you
deserve.

Results, incidentally, based on a highly proactive premise
that can easily go your way: people act on their own
perception of the facts before them, which leads to
predictable behaviors about which something can be done.
When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by
reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the
very people whose behaviors affect the organization the
most, the public relations mission is usually accomplished.

When managers adopt such an approach to public relations,
the desired end-products should soon emerge. For instance,
prospects begin to do business with you; membership
applications start to rise; welcome bounces in show room
visits occur; customers starting to make repeat purchases;
capital givers or specifying sources beginning to look your
way; new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures
start showing up; politicians and legislators begin looking
at you as a key member of the business, non-profit or
association communities; and community leaders begin to
seek you out.

Still another epiphany occurs when you realize that the
public relations people on your staff can be of real use for
your new opinion monitoring project. After all, they’re
already in the perception and behavior business. But to be
certain, determine if those PR folks really accept why it’s
SO important to know how your most important outside
audiences perceive your operations, products or services.
And this is really important: be sure they believe that
perceptions almost always result in behaviors that can
help or hurt your operation.

Is your PR plan now complete? Better sit down and review
it carefully with the public relations professionals on your
team, be they agency, staff or parent. Discuss how you will
monitor and gather perceptions by questioning members
of your most important outside audiences. Ask questions
like these: how much do you know about our organization?
Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased
with the exchange? Are you familiar with our services or
products and employees? Have you experienced problems
with our people or procedures?

If you decide that, instead of mobilizing your PR staff as
key audience data gatherers, you may try professional survey
firms to do the job. Just know that that may require more
expense than using those PR folks of yours in that monitoring
capacity. But whether it’s your people or a survey firm
asking the questions, the objective remains the same: identify
untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might
translate into hurtful behaviors.

The most serious problem areas uncovered during your key
audience perception monitoring call for setting a realistic,
achievable PR goal. For example, will your goal be to
straighten out a dangerous misconception? Correct a gross
inaccuracy? Or, stop a potentially painful rumor before it
does more damage?

To show you how to reach that new goal, a matching strategy
should be established. However, there are only three strategic
options available to you when it comes to solving perception
and opinion problems. Change existing perception, create
perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. But the
wrong strategy pick will taste like raspberry jam on your
collard greens . So be certain your new strategy fits well with
your new public relations goal. You certainly don’t want to
select “change” when the facts dictate a strategy of
reinforcement.

One of the keys to success in public relations is the
persuasive message, one that helps move a key
audience to your way of thinking. It must be carefully
written, and aimed directly at your key external audience.
Lean on your best writer to accept the assignment because
s/he must produce language that is not merely compelling,
persuasive and believable, but clear and factual if it is to
shift perception/opinion towards your point of view and
lead to the behaviors you have in mind.

Who will carry that message to the attention of your
target audience? Well, with your message written,
approved and ready to go, you and your people must
answer that question this way:”Communications tactics.”
And there is no shortage of such tactics available to you.
From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to
consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters,
personal meetings and many others. But be certain that
the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like
your audience members.

It’s an unfortunate, but true aspect of public relations
that HOW you communicate your message will bear
heavily on its believability, always fragile at best. Which
is why you may wish to unveil your corrective message
before smaller meetings and presentations rather than
using higher-profile news releases.

Fact is, a second perception monitoring session will be
needed to measure your progress in moving key audience
perception,. The results will be your first progress report.
Happily, you can use many of the same questions used in
your benchmark session. But now, you will be watching
for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in
your direction.

Oh, yes. Because a program occasionally can lose some
of its early velocity, here are two remedies. Either add
more communications tactics, or increase their frequencies,
or both.

And finally, publicity placements are satisfying, but when
it’s REAL public relations performance you want, you had
best shoot for creating the kind of external stakeholder
behavior change that leads directly to achieving your
managerial objectives. And do so by persuading those key
outside folks to your way of thinking by helping move
them to take actions that allow your unit to succeed.

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box
in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website.
A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net.

Robert A. Kelly © 2006.

Bob Kelly counsels and writes for business, non-profit and
association managers about using the fundamental premise of public
relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has published over
230 articles on the subject which are listed at EzineArticles.com, click
Expert Author, click Robert A. Kelly. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola
Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport
News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communications, U.S.
Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The
White House. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Columbia
University, major in public relations.
mailto:bobkelly@TNI.net

Visit =>http://www.PRCommentary.com

In Part 1 of this article, we talked about reaching our goals as
largely a matter of following through on desire, vision and
action. The difficulty for most of us lies in continuing to
believe that our efforts will ever bear fruit when these fruits
have not yet begun to materialize.

Jonathan Swift said it best. “Vision is the art of seeing things
invisible.”

In order to continue to work toward that which we cannot yet see,
our motives must be very personal and very compelling, indeed.
So, let’s have a closer look at the first of the necessary
components, desire.

Desire, even a fervent one, can easily become clouded by
obstacles if we choose to focus on the obstacles instead of on
our goals. Obstacles are what we see when we take our eyes off
the goal.

I believe it helps if we accept from the outset that obstacles
and setbacks will arise. It should come as no surprise or source
of irritation when this occurs. This is simply part of the
natural ebb and flow of business.

If you stop and think about it, it’s ridiculous to expect that it
will be clear sailing the entire way. And yet, people do become
unduly irritated and discouraged when things don’t go according
to plan.

Hitting a few bumps and potholes in the road only signifies that
we are in fact traveling the road, and not necessarily that we’re
going down the wrong one. Viewed in this light, you could say
that dealing with a few snags here and there is a good thing. It
certainly beats sitting around doing nothing to further our
progress, right?

Now granted, in order to endure a ride that isn’t always
comfortable, you had better have a really good reason for doing
so. So here comes your self-appointed cheerleader to urge you
on.

GRAB THAT GOAL, HONEY!

That’s right. Reach out and grab it! Take those vague, unformed
thoughts that flutter around in your head and solidify them by
setting them down in black and white. Grapple with them. Tie
them down to the paper. Wrap some words around them. You
might need to change and rearrange some words. Why, you might
even need to think about what it is that you really, really want.

There is plenty of evidence to show that the daily ritual of
writing down one’s goals is of stupendous importance.
Motivational speakers have delivered volumes of goal-setting
information. Entire books have been devoted to this topic.
Writing down your desires is a recurrent theme in just about
every single success book ever published.

And consider this. Harvard studies indicate that of the 3% of
people who enjoy extreme success, the one common link among
them was this practice of writing down their goals, a practice NOT
shared with the other 97% of the “also ran.”

So why is it that we resist doing this one little thing that has
been proven to have such life-altering consequences? Is it
because it is such a small sacrifice that we figure it can be
ignored? Do people find such a small chore demeaning? Are we
just plain old lazy?

I’ve decided that IT DOESN’T MATTER what excuse we’ve been
using up until now! No more!

I know from experience that a few minutes each morning reviewing
and writing down my major goals is time well spent, and it’s not
a difficult task. Actually, I was having great fun with it.

I found myself experiencing subtle but powerful changes as I
committed my ideas to paper day after day over a period of
months. In fact, I was feeling so grounded and motivated that I
foolishly quit doing the things that were keeping me that way!

So no more excuses for me. I have resumed my goal-writing and I
intend to just DO IT! Why don’t you join me? No more arguments.
No ifs, ands or buts. Just do it.

So now that we are making our goals more tangible, just who do we
share these goals with? My personal experience has taught me to
be very guarded and private about my innermost desires.

If you know that you are dealing with someone who shares your
commitment, you can freely share your ideas and gain an important
ally. HOWEVER, unless you are absolutely certain that you will
be supported 100%, I would recommend that you not share your
goals with anyone else. No, not even your family. In many
instances, ESPECIALLY not your family.

It is a pity, but oftentimes the people who are supposed to be
our staunchest supporters act shamefully like cruel opponents.
“You can’t do that.” “What makes you think you’re so special?
You can’t compete with those guys.” “Oh, man, they say you
coming!”

Such cruel remarks. And they hit particularly hard because they
come from the very people who are supposed to elevate us, to buoy
us up when the going gets rough. Some of these people might
claim that they do this out of love, to keep us from getting
hurt. This may be true, but personally, I don’t think it matters
what their motives are. The damage is still just as severe.
These people will steal our dreams if we let them.

It’s particularly sad when we are the ones saying these hateful
things to ourselves. Not aloud perhaps, but in our dismal
thoughts and sighs. Don’t steal your own dreams, my friend.

We need to keep a high polish on our heartfelt desires. If, and
only if, we really make those goals shine like beacons in the
sky, then we will find the energy keep priming the pump. Day in
and day out, we’ve got to suit up and show up! (Actually, you
can stay in your pajamas, but you do have to show up.)

As the great motivational speaker, Zig Ziglar, used to say, “A
big shot is just a little shot that kept on shooting.” Stay
tuned for Part 3.

Rosella Aranda, marketer and author, helps entrepreneurs
change their thinking and escape limitations permanently.
http://www.SabotageThyselfNoMore.com/ Free mini-course.
http://www.FinancialFreedomWorld.com/ Top Marketing Tools
http://www.FromThoughtsToRiches.com/ How to Be Rich

The struggle of driving to a offline gambler’s den can be enough reason to give it up as a bad job if it’s not unavoidable. Those traffic jams, the struggle, and tasks at hand can’t seem to compensate the hassle only for the opportunity to take your chances at offline gambler’s den, still, if you’re the type of person who is absolutely fanatic about wagering then having a try at wagering thru the web should be the obvious answer.

There’s no obligation to leave your house to have a bash at online blackjack since you will do everything from your bedroom provided you own a functional laptop or pc with a broadband connection to the internet. But, hold on for a while: there’s a fair number of important things which you really should consider regarding online blackjack, in particular if you’re lacking experience regarding this realm. So defuse your hormones and chew on what follows. Here’s a pointed blueprint that guides you what to be aware of if you are selecting an honest and trust-worthy online blackjack Web page. The very first thing which a well informed virtual risker positively must check is an online blackjack website of the sort that will guarantee high winning odds. See below for some fresh words of wisdom regarding singling out your online video poker website.

You definitely must take care to ensure that the online video poker website has a license, such as by searching for the certified approval as advertised on the casino site page. If you are unable to pick out any certified approval on that online video poker website, don’t endeavor to place your wager with that establishment. Following that you’ll likely want to turn over intensively the assortment of promotional deals that the online video poker website offers to its clients.

United States Uses WTO Article to Defend its Stance

Yet another great tip would be to risk a game at the beginning in negligible amounts in place of forking out more than you can afford right off. First of all, check the integrity and status of this online video poker operator rather than going for some undue injury- in particular in terms of money… My last essential word of wisdom regarding online casino gambling. It can obviously only be this: to always remind yourself that online casino wagering should be always about pleasurable recreation and less about big dollars. Casino wagering is not a livelihood, but, instead, a hobby which can make you bright and your life sweet.

Just having heeded the all these leads, you’re free to give in to the wonder of online video poker.

The best way to enjoy the beauty and serenity of a garden in full bloom is to sit at one corner of the garden and admire the surroundings. In this regard, presence of garden furniture is important since people can use them for different purposes such as sitting or relaxing. There are different materials that are used in the manufacturing of garden furniture such as wood, wrought iron, copper, as well as plastic. Among these, plastic garden furniture offers certain advantages in comparison to other types of garden furniture.

Unlike wood furniture, plastic doesn’t get damaged easily due to factors such as extreme heat, rain and moisture. Apart from this, plastic furniture is economical and is available in a variety of colors, designs, patterns and shades that can easily blend with the colors of the surroundings. Plastic furniture is lightweight and can be carried from one location to another without much difficulty. They are easy to clean and require least maintenance. One can easily find them at any of the patio furniture stores. However, they do have certain disadvantages. Unlike other types of furniture, longevity of plastic garden furniture is not very long. They are easily breakable and colors get faded due to prolonged exposure to sun.

Many small business owners are concerned about business continuity and ensuring that their staff remains productive during work hours. One of the biggest risks to productivity in the work place is the threat of viruses, worms and other malicious activities that circulate around the Internet and threaten our corporate and home networks daily. Most viruses are spread via email and most are not written to cause damage to a personal computer, but specifically to disrupt network services, or simply flood your email services with thousands of these emails that spread the virus around to your business partners, staff and other contacts.

The “Onion Approach,” or layering of your security, which protects your network and PC from the infiltration of worms and other viruses, is the best way to ensure that your technology systems remain functional and your staff productive.

The inside layer is to protect your network and workstations. This can be done by using an antivirus solution that offers complete corporate protection. I recommend the corporate editions by Symantec, Trend Micro or McAfee. Any of these companies can ensure your network and workstations are protected. This however is the last defense to ensure your network is protected.

The next layer is to prevent viruses from even entering your network. This can be done with a firewall solution that offers a complete Unified Threat Management system. Firewall solutions that offer UTM provide the small business network with a gateway antivirus solution, which stops viruses at the Internet router. These firewalls mean an investment in superior technology. One example of a firewall solution that offers complete protection is SonicWALL and their solutions are priced to bring value to the small business owner. If you can prevent one virus from entering your network and therefore keep your systems protected and your staff productive then that is an investment worth far more than its price tag of a few hundred dollars.

The next and equally important layer is to subscribe to a SPAM filtering service, a great example of this type of service is SingleFin out of Southern California. This service filters or cleans all of your email before it is sent to your email server. SPAM and Virus based emails are held at the filtering server until you decide what you wish to do with them. SingleFin’s service is 100% web based so therefore you do not have to purchase any additional equipment to provide this service to you, and it offers your first 10 seats at no charge. The added bonus to a service like this is that your internet connection and bandwidth are freed up to perform your business functions instead of receiving virus type emails.

Having a great computer consulting company is critical in assisting you with this type of service. They will have all the certifications to ensure that it is done correctly with minimal disruption to your business. A qualified systems engineer will also ensure that your antivirus systems are updating properly and scanning files effectively. Not having a great update policy that is followed carefully by an IT professional is almost as bad as having no protection at all.

I always hear from small business owners: “What is the cost for this protection?” or “It must be pricey?” To totally protect your network and keep you staff productive will cost your company about $200.00 per month. Isn’t your business network and staff productivity worth $200.00 per month? Imagine the cost of your company’s computer system being down for one complete working day with no email? Staff not being able to use their systems to get out quotes, sales, drawings or business correspondence? What is the true cost to downtime? The reality is that downtime will cost far more than the wiser investment in preventing that downtime with the right technology. Get that technology now and take the worry about your computer’s vulnerability out of your day.

Stuart R. Crawford is the Director of Business Development, at IT Matters Inc. (http://www.itmatters.ca), a Microsoft Small Business Specialist and Microsoft IMPACT Award Finalist 2005 - Network Infrastructure Solution of the Year. Stuart is very active in the Calgary Networking Community, where he is an Associate Partner with the Corporate Group of Allied Associates and volunteers his time to help other small business owners and entrepreneurs. He can be reached at scrawford@itmatters.ca

Although for many people the word pig conjures up images of a farmyard, potbellied pigs are increasingly popular as domestic pets. They are much smaller than the standard farm pig, and commonly seen with mixed black and white coloring; or all black, all white, or silver coloring. Adults typically weigh around 125-200 lbs, are fully-grown at 2-3 years and are about the height of a medium sized dog. They have a projected lifespan of 15-20 years, and are relatively low maintenance pets, requiring roughly the same amount of daily care as a dog. Potbellied pigs are popular city pets, and their small size lends itself well to apartment living.

The potbellied pig originated in Vietnam, and is a combination of several breeds. Given the chance, they can interbreed with common farm pigs and wild boars, as they are all part of the genus sus scrofa. Potbellied pigs are exotic pets, which can make them a bit more troublesome than a cat or a dog for this reason: not all veterinarians treat them which can make it difficult to get these pets the care they require. Pigs need their tusks trimmed every couple of years, and may need their hooves trimmed annually. A veterinarian, or an owner who has learned how from a doctor, can perform these tasks. Pigs will need to be spayed or neutered and require regular vaccinations.

Potbellied pigs make enjoyable pets because they are very intelligent and affectionate. However, like many animals they are prone to laziness and aggression if not properly exercised and socialized. At times, an adult pig may rebel against the owner in so-called “dominance aggression”, and will need to be reprimanded gently yet strongly, and taught to respect the owner’s authority. They can be well trained, if properly motivated by food and other rewards. They take well to positive reinforcement when they are behaving well, but should not be physically punished.

Pigs should have daily leash-led walks or they will gain weight. They will eat nearly endless amounts of food, particularly high-carbohydrate unhealthy food, if allowed, so it is vital to restrict your pet’s access to the food it craves. They are relentless in searching for food, and should be kept far away from the kitchen or any food storage. Special pig feed can be purchased in a pet store or special-ordered. Pigs are omnivores, equally interested in vegetables, meats, sweets, and carbohydrate-based foods.

Pigs are social herd creatures, and it is often recommended that they be kept in pairs or groups, especially if they are kept outside the house. This keeps them stimulated and active. Because of their intelligence, if pigs get bored they may become destructive and troublesome. Inadequate attention or playtime can compel pigs to do anything from rooting up plants to taking up linoleum floors and eating drywall. Pigs need to be kept in their own confined area of the house, preferably an entire room, if not a confined outdoor area. They are clean and essentially odor-free, so it is not usually difficult to find a room where they can roam.

Like any pet, a potbellied pig is a serious commitment, and requires some specialized care that demands time and resources. Shelters are overflowing with abandoned pigs whose owners did not anticipate the kind of attention that their pet would need. However, the intelligence, affection and personality of a well trained, adequately cared for potbellied pig can be very rewarding for the prepared, responsible owner.

Gray Rollins is a featured writer for PotbelliedHogs.com. To learn more about how to care for pet pig and potbellied pigs as pets, visit us.

The Bahamas are made up of several small islands spread out through a wide expanse of ocean. In the early days of the European settlements, the lighthouses served an essential purpose, guiding ships to shore in the darkness. During night storms when the overcast sky was unable to be used as a navigation tool, the lighthouse was what brought the ships in, sometimes meaning the difference between life and death for the ship and its crew and cargo. Some of these lighthouses still remain and can be visited today.

One of the best known of these lighthouses is found in Hope Town, on Elbow Cay, which is part of the Abacos of the Bahamas. This lighthouse is a remarkable red and white structure, and was opened in 1863. It is one of three lighthouses in the world, all of which are found in the Bahamas, that still operates in the old-fashioned way. The light is powered by kerosene and run by hand. The lighthouse keeper must adjust the cables and weights that keep the kerosene flowing properly. Due to the special lens inside, the light from this lighthouse can be seen up to 17 miles out into the ocean. Visitors are welcome to make the 101-step climb up to the top to admire the view.

Andros, of the Bahamas, is home to the Bird Rock Lighthouse, known especially for the ospreys that make their homes there. It began its operation in 1876, built by the British. It was run by hand, withstanding storms, hurricanes and even tidal waves. But, it did not withstand progress. In 1978, it became automated, ending its near century of continuous occupation. Soon, even the light was gone. However, in 1999, the light was relit and the restoration of this landmark lighthouse became a project of local interest and importance. The end result of the restoration efforts is a fascinating guesthouse that also houses a small museum devoted to the history of the area.

On the northern part of San Salvador, another island of the Bahamas, there is another of the rare kerosene lit lighthouses. The light at Dixon Hill Lighthouse was first lit in 1887, and it continues to be run by the manual efforts of its keepers. It is 83 steps to the top of this lighthouse, and visitors are welcomed.

Yamacraw Point, which is on New Providence Island of the Bahamas, is home to another lighthouse. The location is notable for its beautiful view of where the sky meets the sea, and the equally lovely beach that makes it possible to contemplate that distant meeting point in complete comfort and peace.

Lighthouses once were a vital part of the seafaring life. The lit beacon allows ships to find land in difficult dark weather, as well as prevented them from running aground upon a tiny island in the middle of the night. They remain an important part of nautical history, standing as a reminder of those brave travelers, who navigated the seas with simple tools and their knowledge of the sky above. Lighthouses throughout the world are being restored with loving attention, but the Bahamas are home to most those that are still run the old-fashioned way. Visiting one of these fascinating historical landmarks adds a nice touch to any Bahamas vacation.
About the Author

This article provided courtesy of http://www.charter-boat-guide.com

As a business you can’t afford to ignore the Internet Age; in 2002 there was an estimated 605 million people online around the entire globe, today this is estimated at over a billion users worldwide.

By using the Internet to market your business an entire world of potential customers are opened up for you, rather than just your local town, city, or country.

Some Facts:

• According to Forrester Research Inc approximately £2.5 billion worth of goods and services were sold online to US and European customers in 1998, more than double the 1997 figure.

• In the last six months more than a third of households have made a purchase online, this is double last year’s figures - Forrester anticipate this will reach 40% of households by 2009.

• In 2004 the top 400 retailers totalled online sales of around £25 billion, in the US this accounted for over 58% of all retail sales.

• Online sales grow by 25% each year.

• Over 40 million potential customers used the Internet last year seeking out local information; even if your focus is on the local market, you still need to be using the Internet to make sales.

Every day customer confidence in online shopping soars; this is relevant to you as a business whether you sell to consumers or business to business.

Having a website isn’t just about having a ‘presence’ on the Internet any longer - just so that you can show that you are a legitimate business, it’s about connecting with customers via the Internet, and making sales directly from your presence on the Internet, because believe it or not most of your potential customers are highly receptive to this.

If you don’t have a website yet and have been in business longer than six months, something is very wrong with your marketing strategy - and if you do have a website but aren’t using this as a portal to gain Internet custom in addition to your offline marketing, again, something is very wrong with your marketing strategy.
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Some Reasons Why You Absolutely Need a Website

No boundaries: As already mentioned, the world is your oyster when you utilise the Internet as it is meant to be utilised; for most business there should be no geographical restrictions for your customer base.

Speed: Time sensitive materials can be released instantly, no need to wait for the layout designer, printing firm, and then post to deliver the latest incentives or news to your customer base.

Convenience: Customers can loose (or bin) your business card and brochures, they can’t ‘loose’ your website, which gives them ready access to your contact information should they wish to work with you/buy from you again.

In addition they can find out information about your services and/or products at a time that is convenient for them, rather than being tied to your business hours which may not suit them.

Getting a website, ensuring it is well designed and practical for making sales is just half of your slog unfortunately; your next step is ensuring it is correctly marketed so that potential buyers can actually find it using a search engine search.

The most popular method of finding goods and services is via a search engine - therefore once your website is designed and launched you’ll need to pay attention to search engine optimisation to ensure that potential customers can actually find you. This is just one way of marketing your website, albeit one of the most important.

If you want to get help establishing a high quality website contact sales@trulyace.com

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