Thursday, August 23, 2012

Obesity Biggest Risk Factor for Diabetes Among Poor: Study

Lifestyle changes key to decreasing disease rate among the disadvantaged.

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 22 (HealthDay News) ? Obesity is the most important risk factor for type 2 diabetes among poor people, according to a new study that also says lifestyle changes are the key to reducing diabetes in this population.

Poor people have higher rates of type 2 diabetes than more wealthy people and lifestyle-related risk factors are believed to be a major reason for that difference, according to the international team of researchers who reported the findings Aug. 22 in the BMJ.

In the study, researchers examined long-term data collected from about 7,200 British civil servants to assess the link between socioeconomic status and several major risk factors for type 2 diabetes.

Socioeconomic status was assessed through participants? job position and associated education, salary, social status and level of responsibility at work.

During an average follow-up period of 14 years, more than 800 people in the study were diagnosed with diabetes. Those in the lowest job category had a 1.86 times greater risk of developing diabetes than those in the highest job category.

Health behaviors (smoking, alcohol consumption, diet and physical activity) and body mass index (a measure of body fat based on height and weight) accounted for 53 percent of this socioeconomic difference. BMI was the single most important factor, accounting for about 20 percent of the socioeconomic difference, the authors pointed out in a journal news release.

?Given the increasing burden of type 2 diabetes and the observed increase in social inequalities in prevalence of type 2 diabetes, further efforts to tackle these factors are urgently needed,? the researchers concluded.

More information

The U.S. National Diabetes Education Program outlines ways to prevent type 2 diabetes.

(SOURCE: BMJ, news release, Aug. 21, 2012)

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Article source: http://www.healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.aspx?Docid=667889

Source: http://health-nutrition-fitness.net/health-fitness-and-nutrition/obesity-biggest-risk-factor-for-diabetes-among-poor-study/

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Wednesday, August 15, 2012

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A few years ago many of us did not even know we had a limbic system. Today, no serious programme on managing change, motivating others or developing leadership is complete without an understanding of just what's going on up there around the amygdala. Motivation is about movement and the fairly primitive part of our brain understands moving towards or moving away. Today our "away" impulse is still stronger than our "towards" so we react more quickly to a threat than a reward.

In times of change - perhaps the primary role of the leader - the perceived threats and concerns will be firing up people's limbic systems all over the organisation. Understanding the nature of those forces can help leaders think through how to structure their messages and their way of approaching organisational change. David Rock's SCARF model, built from original research in the field of neuroscience helps us to understand the real meaning of motivation. It helps to think about each facet of the model as a "hot button" - something that, if pressed, will cause an emotional reaction.

What seems life threatening to some will be life as normal for others. The strength of reaction may seem irrational, illogical and emotional - but that's exactly what the limbic system is all about. This is not about logic and rationality - this is our emotional centre at work…

Status - To some extent we measure ourselves against others. Loss of status can feel personally damaging - something as simple as a change of job title can do it. Giving people acknowledgement for their skills, experience and wisdom builds status.

Certainty - Knowing it's the end of their employment can sound terrible - but it seems not being certain and living in suspense can be even more debilitating. Helping people quickly understand what's over and what isn't affects this area.

Autonomy - Being trusted to do a good job and being left to decide what's best is positively motivating. Being micro-managed or being told someone else is overseeing the change will fire the limbic version of feeling controlled and not trusted.

Relationship - New office layouts, new teams, organisation restructuring all bring with them the change or even loss of relationship or relatedness. "You'll now be reporting into Finance" can be laden with loss as people feel estranged from the connections they have built. Team building events and any occasion where people feel "part of the action" positively affects this area.

Fairness - Perhaps a uniquely human concept. We seem to be able to live with bad news or accept negative outcomes if we're all in it together. If some are seen as escaping the cuts or getting a better deal the limbic reaction will be very strong - and motivation, cynicism and mistrust will abound.

In times of change the SCARF model can help leaders recognise what's going on and, perhaps, also help to plan for and think through the effects on people rather than hoping they'll "get over it".

----------------------------------------------------
Clive is co-owner of ClearWorth http://www.clearworth.com , a company specialising in bespoke manager, leader and team development for major organisations around the world. Clive lives in the UK and France and works all over the world from Ohio to Oman, London to Lagos, Surrey to Syria. Clive thinks, teaches and writes about negotiation, influence, interpersonal relationships and cross cultural communication.

EasyPublish this article: http://submityourarticle.com/articles/easypublish.php?art_id=287045

Source: http://ruralstops.blogspot.com/2012/08/neuroscience-limbic-system-whats-that.html

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Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Debt Management Plans ? To Solve Your Financial Problems ...

August 14th, 2012 by admin Leave a reply ?

Debt relief plans don?t work like your head ache pills. They don?t relieve you off your debt problems instantly. If you enroll yourself with a debt management plan, you must wait to see results. Your damaged credit score will not get positive within seconds. It requires a lot of wise planning of your finances. You must first arrive at the total you owe to various lenders. See if a debt management plan can offer you better plans to get rid of your financial problems and arrive at a better loan rate.

Before you consider bankruptcy filings or CCJ, think again. It works better to pool all your pending dues together and make a single payment. Juggling with multiple dues and keeping track of each one of it is highly tedious isn?t it? The best thing to consider is the consolidation option.

Don?t let your pending loans disturb you mentally. You have a way out from your financial problems. Seek for expert?s advice and sort out your financial quagmire. There is no better way than merging multiple pending mortgages into a single one. Create a new budget and live within your financial limits so that you don?t get into any more problems in future.

There is no magic wand that will allay all your financial problems. You need to work out smart solutions or at least seek for advice from experts. By merging them together, you can reduce your monthly bills, you may achieve no interest rate to be paid, no creditor?s harassing calls. When you feel relaxed and barred of all the creditor?s calls you can think wisely and will be able to handle things in a better way.

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Source: http://usmmasf.org/debt-management-plans-to-solve-your-financial-problems.htm

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Choosing In Home Care Vs. Assisted Living











As America's population ages, more and more people are faced with having to provide services such as in home care for their parents and grandparents. Caring for those who helped us grow into the people that we have become is an important and often difficult duty. When it becomes clear that an elderly loved one can no longer care for themselves or maintain their home on their own, part-time or even round-the-clock care is a logical and necessary next step. In order to provide the best care for your loved ones with the least disruption to their lives, it's a good idea to consider both in home care and assisted living solutions. Depending on your preferences and the level of care needed, either of these options could significantly benefit your family.

In Home Care

According to the National Association for Home Care & Hospice, nearly 7.6 million Americans receive in home care at least some of the time. In home care is often the first choice made by many families. Many elderly people prefer to remain in their homes for as long as possible, and with good reason! We spend our whole lives organizing our homes to our liking and amass large collections of belongings, not to mention a lifetime of memories. Leaving all of this behind to move into an assisted living facility can be emotionally jarring. If your loved ones are living with dementia, this transition becomes even more difficult, as familiar people and places often help those suffering with dementia to cope. In home care can be a god-send for these folks.

In home care can be as logistically simple as scheduling family life to ensure that a family member is always home with grandma or grandpa, but for many busy families, this is tough to manage, and can put a lot of undue responsibility on younger family members. Most families considering in home care hire a home care aide or a nurse at least part time. These trained professionals ensure that the needs of your loved one are met, help them with daily tasks, and take some of the burden off of the family. Having a professional take over the in home care responsibilities for even just one or two days a week can be a wonderful stress reliever. Though sometimes expensive, in home care often costs significantly less than assisted living. Ultimately, in home care is preferred by many elders.

Assisted Living

There are many reasons to choose assisted living over in home care for your loved ones, and more than 900,000 people call assisted living facilities home, according to the National Center for Assisted Living. For some, scheduling and professional obligations make it impossible to provide around-the-clock care at home. Others simply can't keep up with the effort and expense of home maintenance and upkeep. In some cases, grandma or grandpa live alone in a home intended to house a large family, and they simply don't need the space anymore. In any of these cases, assisted living presents a solution.

In most assisted living facilities, residents have their own apartments, and are able to live as independently as they could at home, but with the increased safety and security of having 24-hour trained staff on-hand just a few steps away. With assisted living, trash, snow removal, and other maintenance is taken care of, and doesn't burden the elders or their families. As a resident's needs increase, the level of care provided can increase as well, without having to relocate. Assisted living staff can assist with medications, provide meals, and assist with day-to-day tasks, all in a home-like environment. For many elderly people, this is a wonderful alternative to a nursing home, providing much more privacy and independence.

Choosing in home care vs. assisted living for your parents or grandparents is an incredibly personal decision, and there is no one correct answer. In the end, your choice will be as individual as your loved one, and you will be secure in the knowledge that your family member is being well cared for.

Click here to speak to an expert senior care specialist at Pittsburgh Senior Care. Click here for the orginal source of this article: http://www.pittsburghseniorcare.org/choosing-in-home-care-vs-assisted-living/

Keywords: in home care,senior care,in home care services,elder care,senior care services

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Vodafone gets arty with the 'Tate' edition Smart II

Android Central Android Central

If you are in the market for a new budget Android device and are feeling arty then Vodafone UK have something special to offer. As from today you can pop along to Harrods in Central London and pick up the new limited edition 'Tate' edition Vodafone Smart II for the reasonable price of £70 on pay-as-you-go. The device will also be in stock at selected Vodafone retail stores from August 16th although only 1000 have been made so if this floats your boat you need to get in quick.

The design has been created by art student Gaby Sahhar and it seems only right that if you purchase the Tate edition Vodafone Smart II you will also get two for one ticket entry into the Tate Modern or Tate Britain up until the end of January 2013.

Specifications:

  • Dimensions (mm) - 109 x 58 x 12.35
  • Weight (g) - 120
  • Touch Screen - HVGA (480 x 320 @ 180 ppi)
  • Processor - 800 mHz
  • Screen size (inches) - 3.2
  • Internal memory (MB) - 150
  • Memory card (GB) - 2 (expandable up to 32 GB)
  • Camera (MP) - 3.15 with flash
  • Operating system - Android 2.3

For more information on the design of the Tate Edition jump on over to the Vodafone Blog.



Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/y4Kfc2EcAQA/story01.htm

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Philippine forecasters protest, track new storm

MANILA, Philippines (AP) ? As another storm threatened to cause more flooding, hundreds of Philippines' weather agency employees protested over their pay Tuesday and warned that forecasting services could deteriorate.

An alarmed President Benigno Aquino III rushed to assure the protesting employees that steps were being taken to resume payment of the cash benefits that had been suspended in March.

"I just reminded that since the weather is bad and we have a weather disturbance, we should not add to the worries of those who were hit by the floods," Aquino told reporters after a hasty meeting with the restive employees.

Forecasters and other employees of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration wore black arm bands and hoisted streamers urging the government to resume hazard pay and other allowances.

While the workers did not plan any work stoppage, protest leader Ramon Agustin said some hard-up employees have failed to report for work due to lack of money.

"The only reason why we remain strong in performing our tasks is our pure love for the country, but this would eventually weaken," Agustin said in a news conference at the weather agency, which buzzed with activity as forecasters tracked Tropical Storm Kai-Tak off the country's northeast.

The archipelago located in the tropical far western Pacific serves like a welcome mat for about 20 tropical storms and typhoons that develop in the open ocean and blow toward Asia every year. Heavy rain from those storms and the annual monsoon often cause flooding and landslides and leave a trail of death and destruction.

Relentless rains for nearly two weeks culminated in a two-day deluge last week that submerged the capital, Manila, and outlying farming provinces, leaving nearly 100 people dead and forcing more than 400,000 people to flee from homes.

Relief work and repairs to roads and homes are continuing in some coastal and riverside areas in Manila and nearby provinces that were flooded. Kai-Tak was expected to hit the northern tip of the main northern Luzon island before blowing toward southern China later this week.

The storm was also forecast to intensify monsoon rains that could soak Manila and northern provinces again.

"We assure the public that a walkout is farthest from our mind," said Agustin, who heads a 900-strong workers' group. "But our workers need to be rescued, too."

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said payment of the hazard pay and other cash benefits were suspended to correct past irregularities but added the workers would get back the benefits soon.

Agustin said the employees have lost an average of 10,000 pesos ($238) monthly since the benefits were suspended by officials in March.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/philippine-forecasters-protest-track-storm-113804994.html

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Sunday, August 12, 2012

What Is A HDMI CABLE?











Whatever TV store you walk into, HDMI cables is one jargon that comes your way most frequently. This article explains about HDMI cables go through it to get complete knowledge.

"HDMI stands for High-Definition Multimedia Interface, and that's a pretty good description of what it is. In layman's terms, HDMI is a type of digital connection that's capable of transmitting high-definition video and high-resolution audio over a single cable.

In the recent years, HDMI has become the standard audio and video connection for high-definition home theater gear is it home theatre systems or HDTV viewing. Over a single cable, HDMI provides an interface between modern audio/video devices (Blu-ray player, cable set-top box, DVD player, or receiver) and digital displays.

HDMI delivers the best image quality if compared to any of the cable types available today. It can handle high-definition video such as 1080p resolution at 60 frames per second and that is the most bandwidth-intensive video format currently available. Also HDMI is the reigning king of quality as well.

There are few things that need to be considered:

1. Compatibility with your system

2. What is the length that you require?

3. Does it provide an easy connection?

You should always check for HDMI cable's compatibility, it must support your system completely. Then it should be an easy connection and that means no set up hassle and the length of the HDMI cable is as per requirement.

There are several different versions which are most confusing aspects of HDMI. Mostly new products support HDMI 1.3 however many older products supports older HDMI iterations such as HDMI 1.2. When you analyze more you will find that HDMI 1.3 and its increased bandwidth offers few real-world benefits, such as it adds support for "Deep Color"--which is an expanded color gamut.

There is one more thing that can increase the ambiguity that is the price. One may find HDMI cables at cheap prices, which might increase the confusion as to which one offers a good deal. The digital information, which is transmitted by the cables, is exactly same, unless you see something obvious such as a flashing screen. Whether you buy it from Internet retailers or from some local electronic stores, they offer same performance.

HDMI cable looks to be pretty much uncontested for home theater electronics for years to come. If you keep the overall picture in mind and then recommendation would be Panasonic HDMI cables for that rich experience.

This article has been viewed 11 time(s).

It is a violation of our terms and conditions for writers to submit material which they did not write and claim it as their own. If this article infringes on your copyrights, you MUST either call us at 706-866-2295 or send proof of infringement along with the offending article's title, URL, and writer name to

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Treasure Coast Real Estate | Newhaven Homes For Sale August ...

by starfish on August 10, 2012

Find Newhaven Homes For Sale and Newhaven Home Values. We also have information on mortgages, insurance, movers and other Treasure Coast Real Estate Services for anyone looking to sell or buy a home in beautiful Palm Beach COUNTY Florida.

Paul Kitchen and Starfish Team provide clients, family and close friends with professional, honest and dependable service. A resident of Treasure Coast, Paul is extremely familiar with the local neighborhoods including Newhaven, school districts and the Treasure Coast Real Estate market in this beautiful Florida town.

Paul Kitchen
Broker-Owner
Starfish Real Estate
8985 SE Bridge Road Hobe Sound, Florida 33455
(561) 935-9412
(800) 793-7304 toll free
Treasure Coast Real Estate
Treasure Coast Real Estate Blog

Starfish Real Estate

Source: http://www.treasure-coast-living.com/2012/08/10/treasure-coast-real-estate-newhaven-homes-for-sale-august-2012/

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Saturday, August 11, 2012

Romney picks Paul Ryan as VP running mate

Ryan and Romney on election night in Wisconsin in April (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

NORFOLK, Va.--Mitt Romney will name his vice presidential running mate on Saturday.

According to a statement the campaign released late Friday, the presumptive Republican nominee will announce his running mate at an 8:45am rally here on the USS Wisconsin--the first stop of his four-day bus tour of key battleground states. The campaign offered no further details, and aides traveling with Ronney declined to comment.

But Republican sources told NBC News, the Huffington Post, the Associated Press and CNN that Romney is expected to name Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin--reports the campaign refused to confirm. But early Saturday morning, the site, RomneyRyan.com, began referring to a page on Romney's official campaign website touting "America's Comeback Team."

Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Ohio Sen. Rob Portman and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio--all of whom were said to be on Romney's short list--were informed late Friday that they were not the pick, according to ABC News's Jon Karl.

Soon after the Romney campaign announced the Saturday appearance, speculation about the VP pick began, with Romney's choice of venue for the announcement offering a potential clue. The USS Wisconsin is the ship named after the home state of Ryan, the chairman of the House Budget Committee who has created buzz among conservatives recently. But the announcement also takes place in Virginia, whose governor, Bob McDonnell, has also been rumored as a possible vice presidential pick.

CNN reported late Friday that Romney phoned several Republicans believed to be on his short list to tell them he had made a pick--though he didn't identify who that person was, nor did the network identify who he phoned. A Romney spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The campaign has tried its best to stoke the buzz over Romney's VP pick. In recent weeks, the campaign has sent out emails to supporters soliciting contributions as part of a contest offering a chance to meet Romney and his running mate. More recently, the campaign unveiled a mobile phone application, Mitt's VP, that promises to reveal the name of Romney's running mate before it is announced to the media.

Romney has also repeatedly declined to offer any hints about who he might pick--most recently in an interview with NBC News on Thursday. Asked about the vice presidential announcement during a media briefing on Friday, Romney senior adviser Eric Fehrnstrom directed reporters to download the campaign's mobile app.

Romney and his vice presidential candidate are scheduled to travel throughout Virginia Saturday, before heading to North Carolina on Sunday, Florida on Monday and Ohio on Tuesday. Romney aides are hoping the VP pick will offer new energy to a campaign that has been besieged by negative attacks from President Barack Obama's campaign and negative headlines about Romney's own strategy.

Ryan, 42, has been viewed by Republicans as a game-changing pick for the Romney campaign--a rising star Republican who has been praised as a conservative intellectual. Perhaps most importantly, Ryan and Romney get along. In the run-up to the Wisconsin primary in early April, the two campaigned together nearly everyday for a week--with Ryan even playing an April Fool's Day joke on the GOP candidate. Reporters trailing Romney at the time noted the budding "bromance" between the two men--a description Romney aides did not dispute.

Romney flew from Boston to Norfolk late Friday afternoon with several of his senior aides, including Fehrnstrom and senior strategist Stuart Stevens. He made a brief appearance in the press cabin, where he made small talk on yogurt. There were no major hints that a vice presidential announcement was coming. Indeed, the campaign's mood was so relaxed that several reporters skipped the flight to Virginia and had downgraded plans for coverage of the bus tour thinking that a VP announcement would not come until next week.

Upon landing, the presumptive Republican nominee boarded a new campaign bus touting his plan to "strengthen" the middle class but not his VP. Less than an hour before the campaign announced that Romney would unveil his VP pick, senior Romney aides were spotted mingling with reporters in the lobby of the Marriott Hotel in Norfolk, where the candidate and his entourage are staying, but gave no indication an announcement was imminent.

Reached by email about the VP news, aides all offered the same response "Keep an eye on the app," one said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/mitt-romney-announce-vp-pick-saturday-032140054.html

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3 US troops killed by man in Afghan uniform

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? A man in an Afghan uniform shot and killed three American troops Friday morning in southern Afghanistan, the U.S. military command said, in the third attack on coalition forces by their Afghan counterparts in a week. The Taliban claimed the shooter joined the insurgency after the attack.

So far this year, at least 21 similar attacks ? in which Afghan forces or insurgents disguised in Afghan uniforms have turned their guns on international troops ? have killed 30 coalition service members, according to an Associated Press tally.

The assaults on coalition forces by the soldiers and police they are training raise doubts about relations with Afghans more than 10 years after the U.S.-led invasion to topple the Taliban's hardline Islamist regime for sheltering the al-Qaida leadership. The attacks also call into question the quality of the Afghan forces taking over in many areas across the country, in preparation for the departure of most international troops in 2014.

Friday's shooting took place in Sangin district of Helmand province, said U.S. military spokeswoman Maj. Lori Hodge. She gave no further details and said the military were investigating.

Exactly what happened in the attack was unclear, and there were conflicting accounts. Sangin Gov. Mohammad Sharif said the shooting happened at a police checkpoint after a joint meal and a security meeting, but an Afghan army commander, Farooq Parwani, said that the attack happened on a U.S. base.

The U.S. military said it was also not clear whether the attacker wore an Afghan army or police uniform.

Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi said by telephone that the attacker, whom he identified as a member of Helmand police named Asadullah, had joined the insurgency after his attack. Ahmadi said the man had been helping U.S. forces train the Afghan Local Police troops.

"Now, he is with us," Ahmadi said.

The U.S. is hoping the Afghan Local Police will be a key force to fight the insurgency after most international troops withdraw.

The attack is the latest in a rising number of so-called "green-on-blue" attacks in which Afghan security forces, or insurgents disguised in their uniforms, kill the U.S. or NATO partners who are training Afghans to take over once most international forces leave in 2014. Compared to the 21 attacks this year that killed 30 foreign troops, there were 11 such attacks and 20 deaths in 2011. And in 2007 and 2008, there was a combined total of four attacks and four deaths

The NATO coalition says it takes such attacks seriously, but it insist they are not a sign of trouble for the plan to hand over security to Afghan forces.

"We are confident that those isolated incidents will have no effect on transition or on the quality of our forces," said Brig. Gen. Gunter Katz, a spokesman for NATO troops.

On Tuesday, two gunmen wearing Afghan army uniforms killed a U.S. soldier and wounded two others in Paktia province in the east. And on Thursday, two Afghan soldiers tried to gun down a group of NATO troops outside a military base in eastern Afghanistan. No international forces were killed, but one of the attackers was killed as NATO forces shot back.

Also Friday, NATO said another coalition service member died after an insurgent attack in southern Afghanistan. It gave no further details. The death brings to 19 the number of coalition troops killed in Afghanistan this month.

And elsewhere in Helmand province Friday, six Afghan civilians were killed when their car hit a roadside bomb, one of thousands planted by insurgents across the volatile region. Helmand police official Mohammad Ismail Khan said the bomb killed three children, two women and a man.

Meanwhile, the U.S. government identified four Americans killed Wednesday in a twin suicide attack in Afghanistan's east. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton condemned the bombing by two men wearing suicide vests in the eastern Kunar province. The Taliban also claimed responsibility for that attack.

Clinton's statement said USAID foreign service officer Ragaei Abdelfattah, three coalition service members and an Afghan civilian were killed. A State Department diplomat was injured.

The Defense Department identified the three troops killed in Kunar as Air Force Maj. Walter D. Gray, of Conyers, Ga.; Army Maj. Thomas E. Kennedy, of West Point, N.Y.; and Command Sgt. Maj. Kevin J. Griffin, of Laramie, Wyo.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-08-10-Afghanistan/id-5085a358a6724dcaa0ddcb82dc6b8578

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Useful Strategies For Small Business Branding ...

By Mia Johnson

Not only large corporations can benefit from branding strategies, small business can raise brand awareness as well. Unfortunately, not all small business owners are aware of this. Small business branding refers to raising awareness across the target market. For instance, one of the most successful ways in which you can raise brand awareness is to use branded table covers.

Although this strategy is totally different from the strategy used by Nike in order to make their products more popular, it is still highly effective. Nonetheless, you can benefit from a high level strategy across one or more niches. Here you will find some of the most useful ways to do so:

Choose One Niche
It is essential to focus on this aspect before moving on to the following steps. Although choosing the niche is obviously the first step, many small business owners cannot decide on only one niche. They usually fear that if they choose a particular niche over another one, they automatically give up all the benefits the other niche could have provided. Despite the fact that this may be true, it does not mean that you have to limit yourself to only one niche! You can successfully run several marketing campaigns in the same time. All you need to do is to make sure that your campaigns are well-structured.

??Offer Discounts And Free Products
If you come up with an offer, you will certainly get the attention of your potential customers. Whether you have some promotional offers or you just give them free products, this will certainly help you raise brand awareness.

The most popular products include

:??? Discount coupons;?? Vouchers;?? Product testers;?? Free cosmetics.??Print Materials With Your Company?s Logo

This is one of the most important aspects of a successful branding campaign. Focus on affordable materials and products and print the logo of your company on them, then distribute them. A company can be easily and effectively promoted through:

? Flyers;?? Emblems;?? Pamphlets;?? Brochures;?? Branded materials with the company?s logo and message on them.

To give an example, here are flag banner solutions from an outdoor advertising company in Australia
The advantage in this situation is that people will keep these handy materials and use them in the future. Whenever they do, they will automatically remember your company and they have the contact details written on the products, therefore they can easily get in touch with you. Also, it is recommended to distribute these products at fairs and charity shows, since there you can find hundreds of people.

Message Repetition
It would be extremely affordable for small companies if one message is all that it takes in order to create an efficient, long-lasting branding campaign. Unfortunately, things are not like this, and a message must be repeated several times in order to be heard.

Alternative Ways Of Advertising Small Businesses
Advertising a business using mass-media can be expensive, particularly for a small company. Fortunately, there are numerous other ways in which a company can run marketing campaigns and advertise its products and services. One of the most effective ways of advertising in the long run is to request contact details in exchange for a free product. This way, people will be receiving frequent updates regarding the business and its products.??This stay-in-touch strategy is an excellent idea and, if you perfect it, your business will slowly but surely become popular. Unfortunately, this strategy is not widely utilized yet, but it can make a small company be 90% ahead of its competitors in no time.??To summarize, implementation is one of the key aspects of the process. If you cannot implement these strategies, it is recommended to use the services of a professional branding company to do it for you.

Mia Johnson is a business journalist whose writings cover various areas in finance, marketing, money markets and investment. Her texts are helpful to everyone who runs a business, from the small-scale businessperson to the established business owners.

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Source: http://womenconnectonline.com/useful-strategies-for-small-business-branding%E2%80%A8/

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Real Estate Marketing? Stake Your Claim - The One Rule that ...

Like you, I struggle with the idea that to succeed, a real estate professional is expected to be an expert in all aspects of business. Brokers and agents are bombarded with all kinds of training they ?must? take, coaching they ?need?, technology seminars they ?have? to attend, ?must-go-to? conferences, marketing this, SEO that and so on. It?s overwhelming and in my opinion, not the best use of time and resources for most.

Marketing is one of those subjects that are not only complex but unfortunately, and respectably so, hardly well understood.

Although a single article will not cover everything there is to know about marketing, my hope is to leave you with a critical thought that stands to change your business, how you think of marketing and help shape your efforts in this area.

If all you do is re-program your business to address this single principle in marketing, you could set a new foundation for solid growth ? even market dominance.

Simply said, it?s niche marketing. Carving a piece of the pie for your business where you or your organization becomes known and referred to as ?experts? in a certain market segment.

The kind of market focus that inherently lends to the buildup of expertise that eventually no one else can claim overnight, truly setting your services apart.

This is the sacred part of the recipe for success in real estate. And for that matter, any business.

Whether you like Donald Trump or not, the man knows a thing or two about marketing. In one of Trump?s early Apprentice TV show episodes, he noted that if one could not pin point their target market with the tip of a needle, their business will fail. Yes, fail!

The typical business person or entrepreneur could keep going in circles implementing different strategies, changing things around, blaming the market for this or that, yet without addressing this single most important catalyst, limitations and challenges typically persist. Don?t take this to heart though. It applies to any kind of business.

Consumer product giants figured this out decades ago. A commercial that depicts 6-12 year old kids playing soccer in the yard, sliding on the field with their white socks picking up those familiar hard to remove grass stains while mom looks over from the kitchen window with a smile, does not happen by chance.

Key to getting the box into the right household and the differentiating positioning in the marketplace is the laser sharp target marketing.

Examples abound. Just examine TV advertising campaigns by the world?s most successful brands, and you?ll start to notice more and more of a common approach. Mind you, you?ll never again watch a commercial for its own sake, without making judgment or conclusions.

Another extremely important outcome ? and opportunity to further validate the value of niche marketing, is more effective use of your marketing resources.

Imagine splitting $1000 advertising dollars to convince 20 people with different issues, requirements and needs that your product is the right solution for each of them. The results can in no way match the impact of directing all these advertising resources towards just one group of 20 people that shares the same issue or need. They?ll be exposed to your message more frequently, across a number of mediums. They?ll hear about it on the radio, glance at it while passing a billboard, see it in the paper, hear about it from a friend and read about it in your newsletter or the local paper. And they?ll relate to it each time.

A higher rate of exposure to a single minded message via a combination of channels delivers the ?frequency of exposure? necessary for enhanced conversion. Frequency with a message that hits home (insightful, relevant messages that touch hot buttons to make people stop and take a closer look), builds familiarity. With familiarity and frequency, trust and awareness for the brand evolves. And when the need arises, the product or service is top of mind with the prospective buyer.

This is one critical aspect of marketing that makes the phone ring.

It?s also a key catalyst that helps organizations weather tough times better than others, or do exceptionally well in good times, almost always contending for the top market share spot in their business.

In real estate, a niche may be military personnel, seniors, empty nester, university students or corporations who frequently relocate staff. Each of those areas of speciality, and the respective audiences draw and respond to different messages. In fact, completely and entirely different stimuli drive each. As time passes, the insight you build around your chosen niche will turn into a goldmine of knowledge that shapes all your communications. Website, business cards, voice mail, brochures, advertising, social media and others. If you?re a broker, having a team that specializes in a certain niche, itself, gives your business a unique competitive edge.

Search engines would also start to pinpoint your business more frequently, for your target group inherently searches using terms relevant to their lifestyle and needs. Integrate those into your online messaging.

And if you have strong knowledge or expertise in the distressed property, foreclosure or online real estate auction markets, highlight these facts in your niche-focused marketing communication. The auction space, a $58 billion dollar market in 2011 is a rapidly rising segment that NAR (National Association of REALTORS?) projects will make up 1 of every 5 property transactions in the U.S. within 4-5 years.

So go pick your target market and go after it! Change everything.

To read this and other useful articles, visit ListedBy.com and drop by the Forum.

Source: http://www.realestateglobalnetwork.com/xn/detail/2211201%3ABlogPost%3A240867

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Friday, August 10, 2012

Farmers Deplete Fossil Water in World's Breadbaskets

Irrigation has helped farmers feed a population that has now reached 7 billion people. But in many places farmers have overused underground aquifers that have taken thousands of years to form, drawing down the fossil water much faster than it can be replaced. The Ogallala aquifer in the American high plains, along with similar aquifers in Mexico, Eastern Europe, Egypt, Arabia, Iran, India and China, represent the crisis zones for humanity?s groundwater footprint, according to a new analysis published in Nature on August 9. (Scientific American is part of Nature Publishing Group.) Here?s what the world?s groundwater footprint looks like:

aquifers-map
View a Larger Version of the Map

As shown, the ?footprint? (gray) represents how much water people are drawing from the aquifer, compared with how much the aquifer actually holds (in red, orange or yellow, depending on how bad the water imbalance is). The imbalance exists because these aquifers support agricultural zones much larger than their physical extent. These areas also happen to be some of the most vitally important agricultural regions of the world. In fact, 1.7 billion people in these regions rely on these waters directly?each and every one of them facing a looming water crisis. And in times when the rains fail?such as is occurring now throughout the Ogallala aquifer region in the U.S.?such fossil water is the only hope to keep crops from failing too.

The problem with drawing too much water from an aquifer, which has been stored in these geologic formations for thousands of years, is that it can?t easily be restored once pumped dry. That?s the crisis facing farmers who rely on the Ogallala Aquifer, which once contained enough water to cover the entire continental U.S. roughly half-a-meter deep. Once pumped dry, the Ogallala would take at least 6,000 years to refill.

Another complication of pumping too much water from an aquifer is that creeks will run dry and surface waters can literally be sucked back underneath the surface. That?s not good for wildlife. Yet the world needs more water to meet the demand of a growing population for food.

As the map shows, however, the world actually has vast reserves of fossil water in places like Siberia and throughout Africa and South America. And then there are the easily rechargeable aquifers like the Floridan Aquifer in the southeastern U.S. or the lower portion of the Ganges River in India. These aquifers can be drawn down and then recharged by a good storm or monsoon.

So the question confronting us as we struggle to adapt to this new age of man, or Anthropocene, is whether we can learn to sustainably manage these groundwater resources. Or whether we?ll pump them dry and then have to wait for the fickle rains of a changed climate to sustain us.

Image: Gleeson et al. / Nature

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=5d82bcb8cc64e5d2160ac9b90cc1c26d

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