Somber Reptile

The Growing Big Picture Case for Medical Reform

January 6th, 2009 at 1:59 pm (Internet Insurance)

If there is to be one lasting lesson that we should remember from the current economic trouble , let it be that the health care industry in the United States is not well . Three of the most iconic companies in our history, GM, Ford, and Chrysler, are on the verge of liquidation not because of stock market dirty tricks but rather because they can no longer stay in business while meeting their obligations towards their employees’ medical insurance costs .

In fact, for every car or truck that GM builds, more than $2000 goes straight to the trust that the automakers have set up to deal with the ever-expanding expenses of providing health insurance to their workers , past and present . And you probably thought it was all about subprime loans .

As I write this, at the beginning of 2009 , the medical care industry is the single biggest industry in the country’s economy, as measured as a percentage of the GNP , or Gross Domestic Product ; in fact, medical care represents roughly 16% of our GDP, more than defense , more than automotive, more than information technology , more than any other industry you can think of. And it’s not close.

Any that will revolutionize medical care must make an allowance for the addition of new industry jobs, which will have an impact on the whole economy, as more citizens who find themselves unemployed or under-employed at the moment can be retrained to work the good, better-paying health care jobs of the future ; such action would have long-lasting impact not just on the whole economy and the individual people who will take on those lucrative positions , but also on the treasury and our nation’s budget , as those new jobs will create tax revenue that will help lower our shocking deficit and pay down the national debt.

And this is where universal health coverage comes into play . When you realize that over 46 million Americans lack medical insurance of any type today, it is easy to see that by bringing these folks into the fold will only increase the scope of the health care industry, an industry which, as I pointed out earlier, is almost entirely domestic. By giving these countless people a method to acquire their own health care , we can help expand those more lucrative positions , while improving the quality of life of the currently uninsured , and eliminating the wasteful spending that we associate with caring for the sick uninsured by hospital emergency departments (the caregivers of last resort for millions) and other wastefulness.

———-For more, visit Health Insurance In-depth

———-Jonathan Krakowski, the author, writes a regular column for Life Insurance In-Depth and Auto Insurance In-Depth .

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Drinks for Lounge Lizards Series #19: Apple Fucker

January 6th, 2009 at 11:46 am (University of Nutrition)

A fantastic lounge lizard recipe for: Apple Fucker, with DeKuyper® Sour Apple Pucker schnapps and Absolut® vodka.

Category: Shots & Shooters – by base-ingredient

Ingredients: 1/2 oz DeKuyper® Sour Apple Pucker schnapps
1/2 oz Absolut® vodka

How to: Pour the Absolut vodka and DeKuyper Apple Pucker into a shot glass in equal parts, and serve.

Glassware: Shot Glass

What’s in it for you?

(per 1 oz serving)

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The Basic Secrets of A Million Dollar Sales Letter

January 5th, 2009 at 6:15 pm (Better Sales)

“Accepting the consequences, good or bad, will free you; take a risk, but be aware that things sometimes turn out differently than you expected.”
-Marcia Wieder

No matter what you try to sell, you really won’t sell anything without getting a prospective buyer to purchase your product or service. In attempting to sell your merchandise or services, the sales letter you send out is when and how you talk to your prospect.

All winning sales letters speak to your prospect by creating an image in the mind of the reader. They set the scene by appealing to a desire or need, then flows smoothly into the visionary part of the sales presentation. This visionary process describes in detail how wonderful life will be and how good the prospect is going to feel after the product is purchased or the service has been performed. This is the heart, soul, and secret of a million dollar sales letter. In your sales letter and your marketing campaigns, give your prospect a clear vision of the benefits they will receive or take away from what you are offering.

For this to happen, your winning sales letter must follow a time-tested and proven formula known by the acronym AIDA:

A - You must get your prospect’s Attention.

I - Give your prospect an Interest in what you can do for her.

D - Create a Desire for the benefits you’re offering.

A - Request some Action from your prospect.

The Attention for your offer first comes from your headline. If it’s not compelling or a heart-stopping attention getter, work a little harder to make it so. Look at other advertisements that have made you stop and take a second look at what was offered. Then come up with a better one of your own that fits your offer. A powerful headline is 80% of the success or failure of your sales letters and promotions.

When your headline expresses your unique positioning statement — the million dollar phrase that captures in just a few words the “essence” of what you have to offer and how it will benefit a customer. A compelling headline can go the extra distance as an opening line for your sales letter and goes a long way towards establishing your “brand.”

Is the offer of Interest to your potential customer? What makes your product or service distinctive from your competition? Why would a prospect buy your product or use your service over another’s? Make the image of your product important. Whatever you offer should have the power to stay in the marketplace a long time. Just because life changes so rapidly, your product and/or service doesn’t have to conform. Potential customers need to know you’ll be there when they are ready to purchase your product or service.

How can you make your product or service Desirable? This is where the benefits are highlighted. Will it make the prospect feel more healthy? Save money? Lose more pounds ? Will it make them look more beautiful? Find ways to communicate the benefits to your potential customers. Use words that are powerful and irresistible like: magic, caring, power, richer happier, abundance, appealing, and enticing.

After announcing or promoting your offer, what is the result or, what type of Action do you wish your prospect to take? Be clear on your directions. Do you want them to request additional information, by telephone? By email? Must she mail a check? Call for further details? Or, just give an opinion?

Working the above AIDA formula into each of your sales letters and business marketing campaigns will determine the success of your business. And putting passion, purpose, and truthfulness into each sales message will work wonders - and bring you success.

Copyright, 2004

Gerri D Smith is publisher and host of multiple Gateways to inspiration, motivation, and support for individuals, women business owners, and entrepreneurs. Gerri’s internet resource offers ways to unlock the doors to your personal and business empowerment. Now is a perfect time to own your own business and discover some of the best ways to market a product. One is by letting your customers see it before they buy it. This concept is a sharing of information and is made available by the Internet. Best of all it’s delivered right to your email doorstep. Why not invest in your future, now. To help you reach more of your personal and business goals, subscribe to Gerri’s Free bi-monthly inspirational newsletter.

Visit: http://www.distinctivebusinesswomen.com Or, send a blank email and your correct email address and mailto: gerri@distinctivebusinesswomen.com?Subject=EZ-Scribe

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Drinks for Lounge Lizards Series #2853: Brazilian Mango

January 5th, 2009 at 10:14 am (University of Nutrition)

A fantastic lounge lizard recipe for: Brazilian Mango, with cachaca, banana liqueur, Kahlua® coffee liqueur, mango juice and mangos.

Category: Cocktails – Long drinks

Ingredients: 1 oz cachaca
1/2 oz banana liqueur
1/2 oz Kahlua® coffee liqueur
4 oz mango juice
10 small, sliced mangos

How to: Add small slices of mango to a hurricane glass. Pour the cachaca, banana liqueur and mango juice in a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake well, and strain into the glass. Add the Kahlua coffee liqueur. Garnish with a sliced banana and a cherry, and serve.

Glassware: Hurricane Glass

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Drinks for Lounge Lizards Series #3: Bad Habit

January 4th, 2009 at 10:28 pm (House Of Lifestyle)

A fantastic lounge lizard recipe for: Bad Habit, with Skyy® vodka and peach schnapps.

Category: Shots & Shooters – by base-ingredient

Ingredients: 1/2 oz Skyy® vodka
1/2 oz peach schnapps

How to: Combine in a shot glass, vodka first.

Glassware: Shot Glass

What’s in it for you?

(per 1 oz serving)

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Drinks for Lounge Lizards Series #1376: Dream Cocktail #2

January 4th, 2009 at 3:18 pm (Cuisine)

A fantastic lounge lizard recipe for: Dream Cocktail #2, with brandy, triple sec and anisette.

Category: Cocktails – Short drinks

Ingredients: 1 1/2 oz brandy
3/4 oz triple sec
1/4 tsp anisette

How to: Shake all ingredients with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and serve.

Glassware: Cocktail Glass

What’s in it for you?

(per 2.3 oz serving)

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2nd Mortgage - Better Than Refinancing

January 4th, 2009 at 1:39 am (This & That)

You have probably received refinancing offers in the mail or advertised online touting your ability to pull out your home’s equity. But a 2nd mortgage, also called an equity loan, may be a better financing option than refinancing your mortgage. 2nd mortgages are ideal when you just want to tap into your equity, plan to move soon, or are unsure about the amount you want to borrow.

Tapping Your Equity

Tapping into your home’s equity is best done through a 2nd mortgage if you already have a low interest loan. Typically, applying for a 2nd mortgage requires fewer fees than refinancing a mortgage. 2nd mortgages are also paid back sooner, so your interest payments are less.

Short-Term Loan

With the costs involved in refinancing, you typically need to keep the loan for about two years to break even. However, with a 2nd mortgage you don’t have those fees to worry about recovering. 2nd mortgages do have minimum balance and early pay off fees, but they are significantly less than refinancing fees.

Flexible Loan Amount

A 2nd mortgage allows you to take out your home’s equity over the course of several years. The money can be accessed with a check, ATM card, or direct deposit, depending on how you set up your account with the lender. Additionally, you only pay interest on the money that you have withdrawn.

Higher Approval

Lenders tend to be more lenient with approving 2nd mortgages. Since the amount usually is less than a traditional loan, lenders remain confident that they will receive payment. If you have had a few credit glitches in the past two years, think about going with a 2nd mortgage.

2nd Mortgage Mistakes

2nd mortgages aren’t for everyone. You should weigh the cost of PMI and payments when choosing your financing options. Borrowing more than 80f your home’s value will subject you to private mortgage insurance.

Your monthly payments should also be a factor in your decision. By taking out equity when refinancing your home, you will have a lower payment than if you had both a mortgage and 2nd mortgage payment. Also, if you refinance in the future, you will have to pay off your 2nd mortgage.

About the author:

Carrie Reeder is the owner http://www.abcloanguide.com,an informational website about various types of loans. To view our recommended sources for 2nd mortgage loans online, visit this
page: http://www.abcloanguide.com/mortgageloans.shtml

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In Living Color (Season 3) DVD Review

January 3rd, 2009 at 10:49 pm (University of Movies)

Nominated for 17 Emmys in its short four-year stint, In Living Color is widely considered the best skit comedy show since SNL. Created by the multitalented star Keenen Ivory Wayans (the eldest child from a large and talented family), the 30-minute TV show became an instant hit for emerging big network competitor FOX in the spring of 1990. Showcasing the talents of the Wayans family (especially blockbuster talent Damon Wayans), along with initial cast members David Alan Grier, Tommy Davidson, Kim Coles, T’keyah “Crystal” Keymah, Kelly Coffield, and Jim Carrey (who would use the show as a springboard to smash hit movie career that would begin with Ace Ventura: Pet Detective in 1994), In Living Color quickly achieved the status of TV cult icon…

Along with clever, cutting-edge writing, In Living Color featured a plethora of talented cast members who would move on to enormously successful Hollywood careers. The show’s dance troop, The Fly Girls, hired an ambitious dancer named Jennifer Lopez for the show’s final season, and Season 2 of the show involved the hire of Oscar Award-winning actor Jamie Foxx (of Collateral and Ray). For its final season, In Living Color also featured notable appearances by comedian Chris Rock. Along the way, the series would create a number of legendary recurring characters such as Homey D. Clown (Damon Wayans), Fire Marshall Bill (Jim Carrey), and Men on Film (Damon Wayans & David Alan Grier)…

In Living Color (Season 3) DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere “Homey the Sellout: Part 2″ which features comedy sketches “Pee Wee’s Adult Adventure,” “Misery II,” and the Homey D. Clown skit “Homey the Sellout” (Part 2 of 2)… Other notable episodes from Season 3 include “Green Eggs and the Guvment Cheese” which features skits “Jesse Jackson Children’s Books” and “Fire Marshall Bill,” and “Santa Fire Marshall Bill” which features skits “Great Moments in Black History” and “Homey D. Clown”…

Below is a list of episodes included on the In Living Color (Season 3) DVD:

Episode 40 (Homey the Sellout: Part 2)
Episode 41 (Men on Television Part 2: What Happened to Blaine?)
Episode 42 (Clarance Thomas’s First Day)
Episode 43 (Green Eggs and the Guvment Cheese)
Episode 44 (The Adventures of Handi-Boy)
Episode 45 (Home Alone Again)
Episode 46 (The Jackson Bunch)
Episode 47 (Late Night with Mike Tyson)
Episode 48 (Krishnia Cop)
Episode 49 (My Left Foot of Fury)
Episode 50 (Anton and the Reporter)
Episode 51 (Sidekick in Nam)
Episode 52 (Santa Fire Marshall Bill)
Episode 53 (Michael Jackson: Little Timmy’s Not My Lover)
Episode 54 (Grim Reaper)
Episode 55 (George Bush Meets Tommy Wu)
Episode 56 (Hour of Power: Preachers on Trial)
Episode 57 (The Fist That Rocks the Cradle)
Episode 58 (Club Ozone)
Episode 59 (Anton and the Green Card)
Episode 60 (Player’s Club)
Episode 61 (The Last Man on Earth)
Episode 62 (Cousin Elsee)
Episode 63 (Silly Cone)
Episode 64 (Wanda on the Dating Game)
Episode 65 (Anton Gets Rich)
Episode 66 (Michael Bolton)
Episode 67 (Bloopers)
Episode 68 (Men on Football)
Episode 69 (Homeboy Shopping Network)

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of the In Living Color (Season 3) DVD.

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The New Telemarketing Part II: Why Do We Need It?

January 3rd, 2009 at 4:32 pm (Better Sales)

Second in a series of articles, we’ll discuss various issues and practices associated with modern ways of selling over the phone.

*****************************************************************

The New Telemarketing is a set of selling practices designed to accomplish several things:

(1) To sell more goods and services than its predecessor, the “traditional” style;

(2) To be less offensive than its predecessor to buyers;

(3) To be consistent with a customer service style of communicating;

(4) To help in recruiting and retaining qualified phone representatives and managers; and

(5) To repair and reform the image of telemarketers in business and consumer communities.

We need new practices, because traditional telemarketing, which utilizes a command-and-control communication style is inherently offensive, inefficient, and out of date.

It has resulted in hostile legislation (chronicled in the first article in this series), fewer sales, and a poor image in business and beyond.

The main driver of telemarketing is people: buyers and sellers. Traditional telemarketing offends and degrades all parties, and a proper replacement will elevate the process and make it a more enjoyable and productive process for all.

The New Telemarketing will produce more sales, at a lower cost. It will enable companies to recruit and retain high quality personnel, who will earn a better living, and it will rehabilitate the image of practitioners.

What Thomas Watson did at IBM to improve and reform selling, we need to do with telemarketers across companies and industries.

In later articles, we’ll discuss exactly how The New Telemarketing differs from its predecessor style, and how it works.

Dr. Gary S. Goodman, President of www.Customersatisfaction.com, is a popular keynote speaker, management consultant, and seminar leader and the best-selling author of 12 books, including Reach Out & Sell Someone®, You Can Sell Anything By Telephone! and Monitoring, Measuring & Managing Customer Service, and the audio program, “The Law of Large Numbers: How To Make Success Inevitable,” published by Nightingale-Conant. He is a frequent guest on radio and television, worldwide. A Ph.D. from USC’s Annenberg School, a Loyola lawyer, and an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker School at Claremont Graduate University, Gary offers programs through UCLA Extension and numerous universities, trade associations, and other organizations in the United States and abroad. He holds the rank of Shodan, 1st Degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate. He is headquartered in Glendale, California, and he can be reached at (818) 243-7338 or at: gary@customersatisfaction.com

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Pastimes of Luck Gambling Maniacs like to Play: All You Need to Know about Gaming Establishment Betting

January 2nd, 2009 at 4:41 pm (Gambling Fortunes, Recreation, Wagers)

In the likely case that you haven’t got the picture on gaming hall gambling, then feel free to read on.

A running definition of a gaming hall is a building that features card playing. Here, guests will be encouraged to take risks handling slot-machines or plenty of other betting pastimes. Betting house games on the whole include 100% determined balances constituting them that maintain that the betting house reserves its against the gambling fans.

A lot of betting room games can result in you becoming overly dependent in no time. Let’s examine the famous one-armed-bandit, a coin operated machine with three, sometimes more reels that whirl when a bar latched onto it is operated. The machine more often than not will spill winnings referring to a string of emblems presented on the display of the instrument. Regrettably, gambling saloon pastimes suggest a false impression of control, thereby conning the gaming fan - the victim is provided with judgments, but in reality these won’t ever truly level the player’s long term disadvantage. This is due to the betting room never returning the full wager as expected. This systematic process is continuously found in famous casino games such as blind poker, dice games, roulette or blackjack.

Five-card stud poker is indeed a very popular casino pastime. The players, meticulously guarding their partially guarded hands, place bets in the pot which is ultimately given to the prevailing gamester holding the winning hand. (And yes, the best bluffer may well prevail ..)

Double Double Bonus Power Poker

Like poker, blackjack is likewise a very trendy casino game. A considerable chunk of its approval is based on its peculiar mix of chance and cunning and decision making, and a trick termed card counting. The aforementioned is a skill by which gamblers can dramatically skew the probabilities of the card game in their favor by both wagering & strategic opetations in correlation to the cards shown.

Craps is the name of yet another well known pastime where people place bets on the roll of 2 dice. Players are placing bets on the score of 1 spin, or on a succession of rolls of 2 dice. Dissimilar to blackjack, there is no easily available long term killer betting system punters could apply to beat the odds.

Roulette is a notable gambling pastime; a croupier will whirl a roulette wheel that has a set of thirtyseven (European roulette) or exactly thirty-eight (Vegas roulette) independently tagged compartments in which the white ball will eventually come to settle, thus defining the winning number and the other chances that will always go along with it. Assuming that our punter wagers on a single number and actually is successful i.e. she’s indeed having a lucky day, the bounty is going to be 35 to 1, the wager itself being repaid. Accordingly in totality the initial wager is increased by thirty six.

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