Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Home Remodeling Expected to Rebound | Real Estate & Homes For ...

After three years of slumping business, builders anticipate that the home remodeling and improvement sector will pick up in 2012, according to a recent article in The Orlando Sentinel.

During the recent National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Conference, NAHB researcher Paul Emrath, reported that remodeling was beginning to edge up.

In 2011, U.S. residential remodeling added up to an estimated $279 billion, about the same as in 2010 but down almost 15 percent from 2007. New-home starts have fallen more than 70 percent around the country since the market peak in 2005.

While not coming close to approaching that peak, The National Association of Home Builders is forecasting an almost 9 percent increase in remodeling this year and more than an 11 percent jump nationwide in 2013. Emrath attributes the slow rebound to the decline in house prices and a lack of equity.

More than half of the home remodeling projects last year cost in excess of $25,000, and total home remodeling and improvement expenditures now add up to more dollars than new-home construction, according to the builders association. Remodeling accounts for close to 70 percent of U.S. residential construction expenditures.

The biggest share of home improvement spending, roughly 20 percent, goes for exterior repairs or upgrades. But kitchen and bathroom jobs are a close second at 19 percent of remodeling work. Upper-end discretionary remodeling projects that were popular in housing?s hey-day, are expected to be few and far between. Until nationwide home values improve, homeowners are expected to be more conservative with their remodeling.

Previously foreclosed homes needing repairs will continue to be a benefit to remodelers. Lenders are also spending money to improve distressed homes, with Fannie Mae spending more than $600 million to repair foreclosed properties.

The large inventory of foreclosed homes currently on the market, stand to help the remodeling business for some time to come.

Published by Mike Woods. Mike Woods is the broker/owner of msWoods real estate, LLC. Staffed with over 40 agents, msWoods assists buyers in search of Indianapolis homes for sale. msWoods also helps buyers throughout Central Indiana, including those in search of Fishers real estate. In his spare time, Mike Woods blogs about Indianapolis related topics, such as things to do in Indianapolis.

Source: http://funhomefinder.com/2012/02/29/home-remodeling-expected-to-rebound/

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Analysis: Clamor for obesity pill may test FDA limits (Reuters)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Reuters - U.S. drug regulators may have a hard time stopping millions of overweight Americans from taking a new obesity drug that many are likely to view as a miracle pill for slimming waistlines, despite its safety risks.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/health/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120228/hl_nm/us_obesity_fda

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Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Pressure builds for civilian drone flights at home (AP)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]AP - Heads up: Drones are going mainstream. Civilian cousins of the unmanned military aircraft that have tracked and killed terrorists in the Middle East and Asia are in demand by police departments, border patrols, power companies, news organizations and others wanting a bird's-eye view that's too impractical or dangerous for conventional planes or helicopters to get.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120227/ap_on_bi_ge/us_drones_at_home

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Pressure builds for civilian drone flights at home (AP)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]AP - Heads up: Drones are going mainstream. Civilian cousins of the unmanned military aircraft that have tracked and killed terrorists in the Middle East and Asia are in demand by police departments, border patrols, power companies, news organizations and others wanting a bird's-eye view that's too impractical or dangerous for conventional planes or helicopters to get.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/terrorism/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120226/ap_on_bi_ge/us_drones_at_home

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Sunday, February 26, 2012

?Por qu? Microsoft cambio el logo de Windows 8?

Windows 8: el nuevo mensaje de Micorsoft
El nuevo sistema operativo de Microsoft presentar? a simple vista un cambio trascendental: un nuevo logo. Obviamente, es una decisi?n muy dif?cil de tomar y m?s a?n de ejecutar. Las precauciones que toma Coca-Cola son un ejemplo de lo primero y el esc?ndalo de GAP advierte sobre lo segundo.

El logo de Windows 8 fue encargado a la empresa Pentagram y la charla para el redise?o se inici? con la siguiente pregunta: "Su nombre es Windows. ?Por qu? son una bandera?". A partir comenz? el trabajo.

Entonces, la idea fue volver a la ventana, a la apertura hacia el mundo. Sam Moreau, director de Experiencia de Usuario para Windows, habl? sobre las metas del dise?o:

1- Moderno y cl?sico: "Tomamos en cuenta el Estilo Tipogr?fico Internacional (o dise?o suizo), que ha sido una gran influencia en la filosof?a de dise?o de nuestro estilo Metro. Usamos colores puros y l?neas y formas claras; el nuevo logo tiene las caracter?sticas de los dise?os 'f?cil de ubicar' que hay en aeropuertos y subterr?neos".

2- Aut?nticamente Digital: "Con esto, queremos decir que no trata de emular caracter?sticas de dise?o de falsa industria como texturas (vidrio, madera, pl?stico, etc.). Tiene movimiento ?alineado con el estilo veloz y fluido que encontrar?s a trav?s de Windows 8".

3- Modesto, pero confiable: "Que te diera la bienvenida con un poco de perspectiva y cuando cambies de color, que el logo cambie para reflejarte. Es una computadora personal, despu?s de todo".

Microsoft Reveals New Windows Logo

?Te gusta el nuevo logo?

2010 AOL Inc. All Rights Reserved

Source: http://noticias.aollatino.com/2012/02/26/microsoft-logo-windows-8/

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Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://www.rssmicro.com/rss.web?q=Sony

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PlayStation Vita Facebook app pulled for repairs, Sony blames house of Zuckerberg

After a short, two day stint on Sony's next generation portable, Facebook's Vita app has been pulled from the PSN store. According to a post on the official PlayStation Forums (EU), users were encountering an error code while trying to log into the popular social network, forcing them to close the application. Community team leader PadPoet says the error is a "Facebook specific issue (on their side)," and that the two outfits are working on a solution. "We will announce further details when ready," a Sony rep told Joystiq. Hopefully the app will make a triumphant return shortly, though it's absence doesn't make cripple the handheld's social aspiration's completely -- after all, there's always Twitter.

PlayStation Vita Facebook app pulled for repairs, Sony blames house of Zuckerberg originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 17:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Joystiq  |  sourcePlayStation Forum (EU)  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/24/playstation-vita-facebook-app-pulled-for-repairs-sony-blames-ho/

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Saturday, February 25, 2012

LIS Trends: Copyright law: Two lawyers takes on legal database ...

LIS Trends: Copyright law: Two lawyers takes on legal database providers Westlaw and LexisNexis

Copyright law: Two lawyers takes on legal database providers Westlaw and LexisNexis

Chad Bray reports?in an article published on the Law Blog of 22 February 2012 that
Edward L. White, a Oklahoma City, Okla.,?lawyer, and Kenneth Elan, claim WestLaw and LexisNexis have engaged in ?unabashed wholesale copying of thousands of copyright-protected works created by, and owned by, the attorneys and law firms who authored them? ? namely publicly filed?briefs, motions and other legal documents.
Full article (Keep your hands off my briefs: Lawyers sue Westlaw, Lexis)

Source: http://listrends.blogspot.com/2012/02/copyright-law-two-lawyers-takes-on.html

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Is Chavez sacrificing cancer care for privacy?

A supporter of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez shouts "I love you" toward a poster of him at Bolivar Plaza where supporters of Chavez congregate in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday Feb. 23, 2012. Chavez prepares to head to Cuba for surgery to remove a potentially cancerous tumor, while the nation's congress on Thursday unanimously approved permission for Chavez to leave, a formality required by the nation's constitution. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

A supporter of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez shouts "I love you" toward a poster of him at Bolivar Plaza where supporters of Chavez congregate in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday Feb. 23, 2012. Chavez prepares to head to Cuba for surgery to remove a potentially cancerous tumor, while the nation's congress on Thursday unanimously approved permission for Chavez to leave, a formality required by the nation's constitution. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

In this photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Venezuela's President Hugo speaks during a meeting with his ministers at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday Feb. 23, 2012. Chavez isn't naming a substitute as he prepares to head to Cuba for surgery to remove a potentially cancerous tumor, and he assured supporters on Thursday that he will be around for a long time. Chavez said he will leave on Friday and will undergo the operation early next week. (AP Photo/Miraflores Press Office, Marcelo Garcia)

A woman sits in front of posters with images of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, right, Argentinean born Cuban revolution leader Ernesto "Che" Guevara, center, and Cuba's leader Fidel Castro in a parking lot in Havana, Cuba, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012. Chavez prepares to head to Cuba for surgery to remove a potentially cancerous tumor. (AP Photo/Javier Galeano)

Supporters of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez sing to him at Bolivar Plaza where supporters of Chavez congregate in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday Feb. 23, 2012. Chavez prepares to head to Cuba for surgery to remove a potentially cancerous tumor, while the nation's congress on Thursday unanimously approved permission for Chavez to leave, a formality required by the nation's constitution. The women's newspaper reads in Spanish "Go forward Commander." (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

A supporter of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez holds a poster of him that reads in Spanish "The historical importance of Chavez" at Bolivar Plaza where supporters of Chavez congregate in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday Feb. 23, 2012. Chavez prepares to head to Cuba for surgery to remove a potentially cancerous tumor, while the nation's congress on Thursday unanimously approved permission for Chavez to leave, a formality required by the nation's constitution. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

(AP) ? As Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez flies to Cuba Friday for surgery to remove a possibly cancerous growth, top doctors say he could be taking a risk by skipping more respected cancer centers in Brazil or the U.S. if his illness proves more complicated.

What muddies that assessment is the miserly amount of detail the firebrand leftist president has revealed about his condition. Since first disclosing his cancer in June, he has only said doctors removed a baseball-sized tumor in his pelvic region last year, and that the new growth discovered this week was two centimeters (one inch) in size and found in the same area.

He had earlier said his cancer was in remission after completing weeks of chemotherapy.

But late Thursday Chavez, 57, said he's "preparing to face the worst."

Referring to the new growth, he said: "The possibility that it's malignant is greater than it not being (malignant)."

Medical experts said that if Chavez has a "standard" cancer, or one that hasn't spread or isn't a rarer and deadlier type of tumor, seeking treatment in Cuba is likely as good as anywhere else.

But if his cancer is more complex, many said he's at risk in not opting for treatment in the U.S., Europe or Brazil ? which has Latin America's most advanced cancer centers with specialized radiation equipment.

"If you have a 'common' cancer, that of the breast, colon or lung ... then it's going to be easy to find standards of care that are the same in the U.S., Brazil or Cuba," said Dr. Julian Molina, an oncologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. "The problem comes when you have a tumor that's not one of the common ones, and that's what most of us suspect Chavez has."

Latin America's top cancer doctor Paulo Hoff, who heads the cancer center at Sao Paulo's Sirio-Libanes hospital, considered the region's best, would not talk specifically about Chavez's case. But he did say that a cancerous tumor in the pelvic region would be mainly limited to four types: prostate, rectal, bladder and sarcoma, the latter being a rare and deadly form of tumor.

Mayo clinic cancer specialist Molina said the consensus among doctors in Latin America and the U.S. he's spoken with is that Chavez has a sarcoma tumor because those tend to come back in the same site where a previous tumor was removed, which appears to be the case with Chavez.

The leader made a live television appearance from a hall in the Miraflores government palace Thursday night. Shouting "I will live! I will live!" he pounded a table and said he would undergo surgery early next week. It's not clear if Chavez would then have radiation therapy after surgery; if so, it normally begins between three and six weeks after the procedure.

Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff, who successfully underwent cancer treatment at Hoff's center in 2009, invited Chavez to seek treatment at the Sirio-Libanes hospital Sao Paulo last year when he was first diagnosed.

Hoff said the matter never went further than that and that he's not involved in Chavez's treatment. Given Chavez's position, Hoff said, "I'm sure they did due diligence on deciding where he would be treated" and decided Cuba was a safe bet.

Cuba's health system has long been one of the pillars of the 1959 revolution. Health care is free for all Cubans and generally considered good compared to what's available to most people in Latin America and the Caribbean.

There has been some decline in the level of care over the years, however, as economic difficulties make it difficult to purchase medicine and supplies. The U.S. embargo also complicates replacing outdated equipment, despite the fact that the sanctions in theory exempt medicine and most supplies.

If Chavez's cancer has spread to his liver, brain or lymphatic system, the most likely locales for a cancer coming from the pelvic region, he may need more advanced machines that can pinpoint intense bursts of radiation at tumors and not damage nearby tissue.

Dr. Demetrios Braddock, an associate professor of pathology at Yale University's School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, whose research focuses in part on cancers that spread, said a two-centimeter (one-inch) lesion "isn't a small recurrence, that's a significant tumor."

"Even if it were sarcoma, the way it's typically treated it to go back in and taken it out. That's how it would probably be treated up here in the U.S.," Braddock said, underscoring that's the procedure taken if the cancer hasn't spread.

Molina, however, questioned even that surgery, noting that the pelvic region "is really fully packed with organs, nerves, blood vessels ... there is not much room to work."

He added that Chavez's previous surgery in the same area would have produced scar tissue, further complicating the procedure.

Molina said he didn't know about the specific capability of surgeons in Cuba to deal with such a tumor. But both he and several doctors interviewed in Brazil acknowledged that surgeons in the U.S. have the advantage of routinely encountering more complex cancer cases and also having a much larger pool of colleagues to consult.

"When you go to a place like Cuba or Brazil, even with all the development in Brazil, you find less people with enough knowledge to make good advice about what to do," Molina said. "That is where the concern about Chavez comes in ? the concern that the knowledge is not at the same level."

Dr. Peter Bourne, chairman of the Medical Education Cooperation with Cuba, a nonprofit organization working to enhance ties between the Cuban and U.S. medical communities, said he routinely visits the island and knows its doctors are up to the challenge of treating all but the most "exotic" cancers.

"They have a very excellent cancer institute in Havana, which is the facility where he's being treated," said Bourne, a former drug czar in the Carter administration who works closely with Cuban doctors and routinely visits the island. Chavez has not publicly specified where he's being treated in Cuba.

Bourne, trained in psychiatry, acknowledged he has no inside information on the illness Chavez is facing. But based on the information that is public, it "seems certain he has cancer of the colon and that the treatment for it would be similar wherever he might seek it."

Bourne, for one, said he thought Cuban doctors would be up to the task of tackling a dangerous recurrence of sarcoma.

"They're very sophisticated in Cuba," he said, "and would be able to treat that as well as he would be treated anywhere."

___

Associated Press writer Peter Orsi contributed to this story from Havana.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-02-24-Chavez's-Health-Gambit/id-16f3fe7b2c4441c58816b496e46c22b6

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Friday, February 24, 2012

Ideas For Your Bathroom

Choosing your shower door for your new bathroom can be a very daunting task as you need to make sure that it fits in with the design of your bathroom that you already have. Many homeowners choose to refurbish their shower doors with a glass shower door due to them being new on the market and also they are much easier to look after than anything you have already. Another important point to consider is how much you have to spend as this will help you select which type of shower door you are able to get as there are a number of different types of shower doors available. There are quadrant shower doors, pivot shower doors, bifold shower doors, corner entry shower doors along with sliding shower doors and wetrooms. Depending on the design a\nd layout of your current bathroom and your budget will determine what type of shower door you will buy.

Pivot Shower Doors

Pivot shower doors provide a wide door opening with two pins that are located on the top and bottom within the frame. They make your bathroom appear to be more spacious giving a contemporary feel to your bathroom.

Bifold Shower Doors

Bifold shower doors allow you to have a spacious shower enclosure without the need to create extra room in your bathroom. A bifold shower door is designed to go inwards on itself allowing itself to fold back hence why they are known to be one of the most spacious shower doors available on the market today.

Quadrant Shower Doors

Quadrant shower doors are one of the most popular shower door and are designed to fit in the corner of a bathroom which is where most peoples showers are located. They ooze luxury and more often than not surprisingly take up less floor space than a bath would. There are many different sizes of quadrant showers including 800mm, 900mm and 1000mm.

L Shaped Shower Baths

Shower baths are excellent if you only have a small bathroom as they have a shower and a bath combined giving you the convenience of a shower and the relaxation of a bath together. Most shower baths come supplied with a glass bathscreen and a bath panel. L shaped shower baths are fully reinforced with fibreglass and encapsulated baseboard. Usually the baths are supplied undrilled so that taps can be added seperately.?

Source: http://lifestyle.ezinemark.com/ideas-for-your-bathroom-7d342d5c19b9.html

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Thursday, February 23, 2012

All Kinds Of Water Sports | Golden Wisdom Nuggets

There are literally hundreds of different kinds of sport and sporting activity all over the world that different people partake in. There is no doubt that a lot of these will differ from culture to culture and country to country depending on the sorts of natural environments they have on offer. For those countries that are lucky enough to have loads of great beaches and nice weather, water sports have flourished. Here are some of the most popular water activities that you could have a go at.

First of all, water sports are split into three different categories. There are those that are done in the water, those done under the water, and those done on the water.

First of all, how about those done in the water. Well, the most common of these and without doubt the most popular water activity that takes place throughout the world is most definitely swimming. This is something that more or less all people do or have at least tried. If ever you have merely jumped in the water and splashed around for a few minutes then you have been swimming. In addition to this you also get things like diving from a spring board, although that is something that not too many people will have tried, expect at a local swimming pool!

So what about those sorts that are done under water? well the most common option here would most certainly be scuba diving. This is possibly less of a water sports and more or a recreational activity that people will commonly do on holiday. People are fascinated by what lies beneath the surface of the water, and being able to strap on some gear and get down there to see all of the wonderful marine life is quite fantastic.

There are few others done under the water to mention but on top of the water is where the scale really starts to broaden. The list of sports that are done on top of the water are pretty much endless. One common category of these will be sports done in boards. These can range from those that use wind power for sailing and those that use engines in order to whizz around the waves.

Another popular option is definitely surging and this is something that is pretty much done by any country that is lucky enough to have nice beaches with decent waves and weather. In addition to this body boarding is a slightly easier option that you could also try your hand at.

Last of all, you might also think about heading down to the river where there are loads of great options available as well. Things like rafting, kayaking and rowing are all popular options for you to get stuck into.

Plan a great vacation today! All you?ll need is a water camera and the Gold Coast surf board hire that will be waiting when you arrive! A fabulous holiday that will give you unforgettable memories that will last a lifetime!

Source: http://www.goldenwisdomnuggets.mobi/all-kinds-of-water-sports/

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Choose From The Best MMA Gloves For Better Protection ...

Two players fighting in a ring of six sides is called MMA or Mixed Martial Arts. MMA includes the usage of a number of techniques like Judo, Karate, Kick boxing and such others. Unlike boxing, MMA is a full contact sport which means that players can use both hands and legs for the fight. Both players can use the techniques of striking and grappling on their opponents in a match. One thing that should be kept in mind is that MMA is not an Olympic approved sport and is not likely to ever be included in it. Killing a person was a usual thing in a MMA fight before but now it is a thing of the past. After the creation of the Ultimate fighting Championship in 1993, the rules of this sport were made a lot safer which resulted in the sport becoming more popular and more watched. MMA is now considered a sport that is in par with wrestling and boxing. The business of pay per view is also introduced in MMA due to its popularity.

It is necessary to use mma gloves while fighting to save yourself and others. Two players fighting must follow a certain strict rules. These rules include both the weight of every player and the equipment which is used by every player. Because MMA is a combat sport, other than gloves that every player wears there is no other equipment. Fingerless gloves are used by players when fighting to enable grappling. Another benefit of these gloves is that they can be used to protect your fist from any type of bruises when a player strikes his opponents. To prevent a player from breaking his hand a special tape is used to wrap it around the hand. Gloves of different weight are used during a fight. Some are lighter and some are more heavy. Mainly the weights of the gloves fall into two categories that are:

1. The professional players, usually wear the gloves which weight only of 4 oz (ounces).

2. 6oz gloves are used by amateur players to protect their hands.

There have been many debates on the usage and the safety of gloves in fights. Heavy injury can be sustained when hitting on the head. It is a volition by a player to hit on the head in a MMA fight, whereas in boxing it is legal. This may cause a damage to the hand of the player which is dangerous. Mma gloves are the basic requirement to avoid injuries. It is revealed through the researches that small gloves never result in big problems, the actual problem arises because of big gloves which result in big injuries. Injuries through these gloves are mostly injuries to the brain or injuries to the eye. In the past boxers never hit to the face and the brain because they resulted in long term brain fracture, but it was avoided as the gloves were not introduced then. 4oz gloves are for professionals and 6oz are for amateur and these are the only two types of mma gloves. 6oz is heavier then 4oz to avoid injuries and increasing the protection. Amateurs must use these gloves while learning so that they don?t get any kind of injury.

Get your high quality yet affordable Cheap MMA Gloves products. Visit http://www.freestylecustoms.net/

Related posts:

  1. The Best Way To Choose A Great Basketball Shoe
  2. Forms Of Soccer Work Gloves ? Opt For The Correct One Particular
  3. Effective Boxing Training Workouts Tips
  4. UFC 120 Prospects Competition: Hardy Vs Condit Should Be Dog Fight
  5. The Benefits Of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Information

Source: http://doityourself-tips.net/Recreation-and-Sports-Tips/choose-from-the-best-mma-gloves-for-better-protection/

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Thursday, February 9, 2012

Find out the Luxury of Tioman Island | Cadyhp

At this marine paradise, it provides a legend of its own. It?s remainder of the model of a mythical dragon princess flew in from China. This is basically the final resting destination help it become adore trouble, consider the form of the city. Any nearby people considered the myth of mythology of this sweetness of Tioman Island has nothing about the legends that live for a lot of generations.

Divers Interests for Both Professional and Amateur

Tioman needs . destination chosen by much of the divers, professionals and amateurs on the planet. The underwater of Tioman Island is fulled with Gorgon sea fans, Stag horn corals, besides other patterns of sea sponges. You can find a wonderful snorkeling spots around the Tioman Island the employees get a nice sensation swimming plus the parrot fish, Golden Stripped fish and wrasse. The nice thing about Tioman Island known worldwide in the 70 in the event the Time magazine listed maui together among 10 best islands on the globe.

Dragon Lair Wonder

This island main attraction is within its great beauty. Tropical jungle at the island is about 12,000 hectares with 141 bird species to boot. There are approximately 45 kind of mammals, waterfalls and mountains in the Tioman rain forest. Formation of large granite that?s appropriate for hiking adventure also can be found here. The joy of climbing might be experienced whenever the climbers reach around the summit of Nenek Semukut mountain or Dragon Horns. Hiking lovers cross-hike from your west on the east of this Tioman Island, which is from Tekek to Juara, let?s consider 2 of essentially the most populated villages on this particular island.

For travelers that are wanting an abandoned retreat, they are arrive at the white sandy beach. Here, you can discover it very relaxing and refreshing sea breezes and swaying coconut trees. As well, travelers might also enjoy breath-taking views with the surrounding villages for the island similar to Salang, Genting, Paya and Mukut. Other attractions on the land is the historic citadel of Japanese interests and, every now and again for example tomb with the old authorities, not to mention various artifacts on the museum operating out of Tekek along the lines of old coins maps, and shipwrecks.

Tioman Island is normally a significant place to go for all. Whether for children, divers, backpackers, honeymooners, and busy person will look to get a perfect getaway instead of pressure and hectic life. Tioman Island provides great services hotels and resorts. You need to choose Berjaya Tioman Suites to provide your high standard needs, Berjaya Beach Golf & Spa Resort and Japamala Turn to minimize your finances. Yet, do be sure that your expenses aren?t exceeding your trouble budget. However, in case the facility, be sure you choose your travel budget fit!

Visit tioman island
The Pulai Springs Resort

Source: http://www.cadyhp.com/2012/02/find-out-the-luxury-of-tioman-island/

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What You Need To Know About Email Marketing | Article Popular

Email marketing is an effective way to communicate with customers. With a lot of different email marketing methods, at times it can seem hard to know how to move forward. The information provided here can assist you as you learn more about email marketing, and how it can help your business.

Your marketing emails should be reasonably short. Your message should be clear and concise. This signals to your readers that you value their time. This is also effective at making readers more likely to go over the whole message. This is crucial. Don?t forget that the last part of your email will probably have important links and information.

Make sure your email marketing stays consistent with your company branding. Keep your color scheme consistent and be certain to include the unique logo for your company with every message you plan on sending out. If you have built up a strong reputation, then your emails will be seen in a good light.

When offering an opt-out link, let customers decide if they want to cease receiving your messages instantaneously if you can. If you keep sending subscribers emails after they opt-out, they may feel like you are disrespecting them.

Only send emails that are pertinent and worthwhile; customers will unsubscribe if you bombard them with useless information. Do not abuse their relationship or try to insult their intelligence through use of obvious sale petitions. Every email should have something relevant, like tips or discounts.

You should give visitors many chances to sign up without having them feel as if they are being pressured to do it. Remind customers that their information won?t be sold, and why they should be on your email list. You success is dependent upon your ability to gather customer information.

Brand your emails by using your logo, color palette and a similar layout to your website. Your subscribers are already familiar with your website and they are used to associating those colors, designs and logo with you. Portraying a consistent image to customers will make your emails less likely to be deleted or overlooked.

It is important that you find a method of marketing through your email campaigns. When you cater to your customers? various needs, your message will be delivered in the best way possible. Make use of the given advice when you are considering any communication through email with your customers.

To learn more about building lists, stop by Jill Wilson?s site where you can read all about Consumer Mailing List.


Source: http://www.articlepopular.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-email-marketing/

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Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Senate struggles to pay for highway (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Senate Democrats say they plan to take up a bill to extend federal highway programs next week, even though they haven't figured out yet how to pay for them without raiding the general treasury.

The Senate Finance Committee was struggling Tuesday to find about $12 billion to make up the shortfall between the $109 billion the bill proposes to spend and the money raised through federal gasoline taxes, the principal source of highway funds.

Sen. Max Baucus, a Montana Democrat who is the committee's chairman, said he planned to pay for a two-year bill with provisions that raise money over 10 years. His plan would still be several billion dollars short.

Baucus also promised to find a replacement for a key money-raising provision before the Senate votes on the bill.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/democrats/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120207/ap_on_go_co/us_highway_bill_senate

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Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Let us share some strategy with you that will totally change the way ...

Yes, it happens to be true. You can generate income online working from your own home and can actually make a ton of money if anyone work complicated, stay concentrated and holiday packages perform. You can build a home travel and leisure business in addition to live the world wide web lifestyle anyone always imagined of by working with an via the internet home travel and leisure business. This content will set to majority any misgivings it?s possible you have had around starting a particular online travel and leisure business. For certain i will not sugar coat it. In fact a lot of what I have to say will probably cause a particular up-roar in some parts with the online travel and leisure industry. My organization is aiming to know it like it is.

Reality!
Who definitely Makes Money in Online Travel. The the truth is that anyone can?t definitely make a ton of money reselling additional businesses travel and leisure products. This proclamation is directed for the home-based travel and leisure agent economy. Yes, its easy to get going as a home-based travel and leisure agent and the online travel and leisure agencies can present you with your own personal personalized white label top quality website, including quality support but naturally you may not be building an online business, you are merely paying yourself an income.

Don?t be fooled.

I feel amazed at the amount of junk there is online in existence catering to your generate income online from home crowd, touting promoting travel for the reason that route to freedom in addition to riches. This truth is just about the most significant fact anyone will ever explain if you are just thinking about entering the internet travel company. Let me continue this for you again.

It is actually difficult to turn into rich and build a company reselling other individuals travel products. You may be rich as time passes by constructing a business of which sells your own personal uniquely top quality travel products. You will have rich and build a business if you ever ?own the travel product or service. ?

Owning the travel product or service means you will be contracting directly with travel and leisure suppliers with your company?s own personal contracts, you aren?t just reselling a travel and leisure product owned by some other travel company, tour seller, travel agency or travel and leisure consolidator. Your organization creates the travel product or service by executing deals directly with travel and leisure suppliers. Your contracts together with the travel manufacturers become ones businesses own personal unique inventory for ones travel products you?ll certainly be selling. The brand new travel product or service becomes your own personal brand. Your web travel company sells the travel product straight away to consumers via the internet or wholesales it too additional travel specialists, travel agents, tour affiliates and resellers.

The household based Travel Agent Situation.
I know My organization is opening up a are able to of red wigglers here by simply disclosing this but it?s in truth the truth. My intent is absolutely not to bump anyone all the way down but Las Vegas holiday packages to deliver insight into the way the online travel and leisure business does work and showing you Who is really making the funds and methods to make actual money by deciding through the get visit actually build a business.

Sure, if you must make $20, 000-$50, 000 from home then reselling cruises or even popular travel and leisure products will be the best option in your case but if you would like make actual money, six or even seven results and you must build an online business that provides real perceptible value and can be bought later then you need to develop in addition to sell your own personal travel products.

The Internet is absolutely not causing Travel Agencies too turned off.
I think that the biggest reason that offline travel specialists are closing is absolutely not as a result of Internet nevertheless because all they are really executing is reselling other individuals travel products. The Internet contributed to your destruction with the traditional offline travel agency even so the biggest factor in the all the way down fall with travel specialists and travel and leisure agents within the travel business is just because that they are not promoting anything distinctive or not the same as anyone in addition. It?s a real business product established to fail overall.

How do you own your own personal travel product or service? You are able to own your own personal travel product or service in two various ways.

1. Your organization acts as a travel seller providing tourdates, guiding, travel in addition to tourism related activities or you keep a lodgings property.
some. Your company partners with a couple of travel manufacturers to sell their particular person travel products under a specialized package you own.

Exactly what Online Travel Business do I have to start where I can own my own travel product or service, sell offers and build a real company?

Let?s discuss slightly about each kind. There usually are many directions it is possible to go.

OTAs or even Online Travel Agencies usually sell everything beneath sun; which include lodging, air, cars, vacation holidays, and much more. On a hierarchy amount of all via the internet travel small businesses, this is the most expensive and the most challenging variety of online business to begin with. It?s achievable don?t get me wrong it would you need to much longer and stay more pricey to manufacturing.

If anyone second collection niche and give attention to contracting your own personal lodging packages and recruiting with adventure suppliers you could easily build a smaller far more focused OTA. Another option is for you to utilize the Global Distribution System (GDS) with regard to air, car in addition to for lodging that you could not contract yourself. I don?t suggest this last option as you?ll be just reselling product anyone don?t own personal but truthfulness can merge the non-owned GDS products with your own personal contracted travel and leisure products you could create a sexy win-win for ones bottom brand.

Online Expedition Operator?s distribute dynamically offered trips in addition to pre-packaged excursions to vacationers. I imagine building a particular online visit operator business is your best possibility at constructing a successful via the internet travel company.

Now allow me to first believe that the name can be a little lose conceiving as a result of word ?Tour. ? You will find a big difference on a tour and a trip. On the tour there usually can be a tour guide or person leading the tour together with the travel members. On vacation the traveler is traveling on their own or with some others but there is absolutely no tour guide involved. With the travel company they call this a FIT getaway, Drive vacation or Fly-Drive arrangement.

I prefer selling excursions, where the traveler acquires a visit or getaway product next attends the trip on their own by themselves time. The reason being for it?s two elements.

1. You don?t ought to be the visit guide and you just don?t must hire one particular either.
some. You have got 100% far more freedom by simply not actually participating in the visit itself. Just think of that time period involved with actually a tour by having a group or even individual most people.

We controlled tours when we owned the Yellow Breeches Home Fly Doing some fishing Lodge in addition to B&B. We ran travel fishing trips with lodgings and guiding. Guess who has been one of many guides? Sure, you got it. Yours definitely. I wouldn?t change the last for all sorts of things. I learned a lot of from to be a fly sportfishing guide and having a lodging property or home. I basically wouldn?t want to run that variety of business just as before. There are much better travel company models in existence. That?s part of the beauty concerning this report is we am in a position to share several true life, realities in your case.

Sell Jaunts not Tours. This is the most important thing I can explain regarding wanting to live the world wide web life design and from home enjoying the freedom that comes from owning your own personal online travel and leisure company. You won?t be living any sort of Internet lifestyle if every week you usually are giving tourdates.

Online Expedition Guide?s furnish tours to individuals in addition to or people. If I didn?t study you aloof from above that?s fine, the visit guide business is a good business in addition to it?s easy to get going with reduced investment. This is a great company to enter the travel and leisure business in addition to starting discovering developing a company.

If you?re keen on dealing using people in addition to spending much of your energy outside next this is just about the best travel and leisure business in your case. This is actually serious operate, day-in-and-day-out, essential always outside within the elements. This travel and leisure business may well be a stepping-stone for you to then do not delay- build a particular online visit operator company. I have a really good friend that owns a mountain-climbing guide service. He runs eco-adventures offering island longing for 3 to 5 nights. He just enjoys it.

Let people share slightly strategy along that could totally change how you build or even grow ones existing visit guide company. Hopefully now you?ll already visualize it and be way in front of me but if not here it happens to be.

Create packages to your tour guide business this includes lodging, meals plus your guide or even tour service. You more than likely sell excursions, guiding in addition to or tours for being an hourly or even day product or service. Take the next step and arrangement in lodgings and meals and possibly a third activity. Sell packages to the clients and you may super-charge ones revenue in a very big process.

Example:
Take a current kayak guide that provides day Tasmania weddings excursions for $250 for just two people. Today create right away packages. Create a new product line for your business interest.

1. Contract by having a lodging supplier to invest in lodging to your kayak offers.
2. Contract using two area restaurants to invest in dinners to your kayak offers.
3. Put up for sale a some night, 1-day kayak trip outdoors, with 2-dinners. Generate profits off the lodging, dinners and a 3rd activity sign in forums seriously start adding far more profits to the business.

Online Travel Broker ? this can be a new company category I found. I believe this can be a type with business you could start with practically no capital. It?s merely takes a simple matter with understanding the travel company. Here is actually how a particular online travel and leisure broker operates.

Every travel and leisure supplier requirements sales employees. Your travel and leisure broker company contracts using travel manufacturers to represent their company and enable them distribute more of their total travel products. Many reduced travel small businesses don?t have got sales employees. This may very well be your entry in the online travel and leisure business business.

Let?s say your home is in a resort the city or vicinity and there are 4 the game of golf courses close by or 3 snowboarding resorts. You represent the travel supplier?s products, finding much bigger partners in addition to or resellers that will resell or even distribute ones client?s products. This business is simply a issue of selecting other travel and leisure suppliers that need sales employees and selecting larger companies looking for new travel and leisure products to provide and send. You generate income by earning a share of many future revenue booked or even earn a set fee per contract anyone sign. This is a great way to enter the travel business as a part-time company. You could commence with not much investment in addition to build out slowly.

Responsive Tour Staff receive inbound travelers from foreign countries. This can be a B2B company (business-to-business). You generate an Via the internet Tour Buyer business people don?t distribute your travel and leisure products straight away to consumers or even vacationers via the internet, you distribute your owned travel products to wholesalers or even other visit operators around foreign countries that next resell them straight away to travel agencies and the consumers of their country. In the event you live inside of a world- well-known destination vicinity or section where foreigners come visit it is possible to build a thriving receptive visit operator company. The receptive tour seller business calls for longer to formulate as the buyers of one?s travel products can be other travel and leisure companies, tour affiliates and experienced travel company won?t necessarily can do business by having a company that is definitely new or even in manufacturing mode. Adversity can be overcome even though, through place emphasis, determination in addition to having a particular owned travel and leisure product that her wholesaler or even foreign visit operator believes he can sell and generate income.

The Hybrid ? generate an Via the internet Tour Buyer business that suits individual vacation travelers. Following your business starts selling excursions and or even tours, begin to build a Responsive Tour Buyer business component.

I hope you have enjoyed slightly insight in the world and probability of the via the internet travel company and what it should take to find a home travel and leisure business.

Source: http://www.officialmaninsuit.com/2012/02/let-us-share-some-strategy-with-you-that-will-totally-change-the-way-you-build-or-even-grow/

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Tips on How Successful Entrepreneurs Manage Their Time

By Bob Garner

Setting out to succeed with your own business requires managing your time well. If not done properly, not only will you waste time and not efficiently achieve your goals, but you may also find yourself losing clients, money, and/or possibly even the business, itself.

Here are three simple steps you could take in order to manage your time more effectively.

Step One: Develop a Plan of Action

You need to know what you want to accomplish and the time frame in which you want it accomplished. Developing an overall plan of action will aid you in achieving your goal. So, begin by writing down your primary goal and then writing down what steps you need to take in order to realize that goal. It sounds so simple, but most people don?t do this and become distracted and waste an inordinate amount of time. So, do not make the mistake of disregarding this important point.

Step Two: Develop a List for Each Step

Take each step and compose a list of smaller steps you may need to take in order to achieve each step. (Think of them as sub-steps.) This will help you tackle each step correctly and systematically. Additionally, you won?t forget or overlook something important and then have to go back and fix what you missed. You don?t want to overlook this, because fixing a mistake can cost you time, as well as money.

Step Three: Complete Each Activity

Finally, when focusing on managing your time, you?ll want to make sure and complete each step ? and all the sub-steps. Set aside some time each day to review your plan and your steps. Examine what you did or didn?t do and make adjustments. Don?t be too hard on yourself ? everything takes time. Remember that even if you only complete one or two steps a day, each accomplishment brings you closer to achieving your goal.

Keep in mind that your goal is about improving some aspect of your life ? financial, physical, emotional, etc. And as long as your goal does not harm another living being ? or creature ? then it is a worthwhile goal and one in which you should make all attempts to achieve.

Successful entrepreneurs understand the importance of managing their time and follow a system that aids them in achieving their goals as quickly and efficiently as possible. They also understand the importance of actually ?doing the work? to complete each step along the path to their goal. By following the above three steps, you will use your time wisely, cut down on distractions and time wasters, and systematically move closer to achieving your goal.

About Bob Garner
As a successful entrepreneur for nearly 30 years, I know these steps work. You can find other ideas to help you build your business and achieve goals on my funny motivational speaker blog. If you?re looking for a funny motivational speaker who actually has something to say, you can also check out my motivational speaking site.


Time Management
Learn to Save Time and Organize Yourself In Over 16 Different Ways!


Related Posts:

Source: http://www.successconsciousness.com/blog/time-management/tips-how-successful-entrepreneurs-manage-time/

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Monday, February 6, 2012

Self-Awareness, Self-Improvement and Self-Empowerment ? htbcx's ...

This undated photo taken at an unknown location and released by the Danish Refugee Council on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012 shows American Jessica Buchanan from the Danish Refugee Council?s de-mining unit. U.S. military forces helicoptered into Somalia in a nighttime raid Wednesday and freed two hostages, American Jessica Buchanan, 32, and Dane Poul Hagen Thisted, [...]

Source: http://ajudaparamim.info/1244/self-awareness-self-improvement-and-self-empowerment-htbcxs/

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Sunday, February 5, 2012

Asbestos And Carcinoma Of The Lung | Business News

Mesothelioma and united states, indeed it's correct that asbestos fiber is actually a primary reason behind the real reason for this perilous sickness. Before we look at the interrelationship in between asbestos fiber and united states you'll want to know what is actually asbestos fiber and what exactly are its Asbestosis Compensation wellness benefits.

What is Mesothelioma?

Asbestos Poisoning
is actually a natural nutrient as enclosed resources. Mesothelioma resources are comfort and Effects of Lung Cancer chemical type immune and they are Asbestos Poisoning very poor conductor of electrical energy. These characteristics ensure it is suit for business use. Companies use some forms of Mesothelioma: Chrysolite or light asbestos fiber, Crocidolite or blue asbestos fiber, Anthophyllite or grey hued resources and Amosite or brown hued resources. These asbestos fiber resources enter modest dirt contaminants and for that reason very easily inhaled or ingested which often can trigger significant wellness issues. Cancer of the lung induced from asbestos fiber can be a this sort of case.

Health Risks of Mesothelioma

Normal contact with Asbestos Poisoning can cause many significant health problems as an example?Asbestos Injury united states, asbestos melanoma melanoma and asbestosis. Asbestosis can be as lung health problem which makes difficulty breathing, hmmm and permanent damage to lung area and Mesothelioma melanoma-an infrequent melanoma of tissue layer considering that the torso and stomach, and melanoma of larynx, oropharynx, colon and help.

Normal exposure of asbestos fiber causes function Symptoms of lung cancer health problems as an example united states and asbestos melanoma. Given that 1940, many American personnel, doing work in shipbuilding companies, mining and farming of asbestos fiber, producing of asbestos fiber materials as well as other asbestos fiber things, heat retaining material in construction and constructing trades, and brake pedal fix were Mesothelioma life expectancy discovered to asbestos fiber. Demolition personnel, sheetrock elimination and firefighters also are vulnerable to staying discovered to asbestos fiber that can trigger united states in that person.

As a result of rigid some social norms that has been enhanced function routines, the modern personnel experience small perils associated with united states from asbestos fiber. Although bulkier and more time exposure time is attributed for that chance but researchers discovered that small exposures can even lead to an infection. Besides the employees but in addition their own families are prone to asbestos fiber health problems and united states. Para function exposure is simply because asbestos fiber Mesothelioma Lawsuit Compensation resources are unveiled in the home by means of sneakers, Asbestos Injury outfits, skin and hair of personnel. To avert this exposure personnel are necessary to contemplate bathtub and change their outfits prior to leaving behind their work environment.

The complicated component of asbestos fiber associated health problems and asbestos fiber associated united states happens because can sit dormant in your body for 10-forty years prior to starting. This helps it be tough to identify the situation continuous. As soon as the health problems are manifested and determined, it really is in its final stages and chances of survival of victims can be extremely dismal.

Source: http://www.iwantresultsnow.com/business-news/1034

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Should You Choose Credit Counseling or Debt Settlement ...

Credit counseling or debt settlement? While naturally Franklin Debt Relief is inclined to argue on behalf of debt settlement over credit counseling, we also recognize that it?s impossible to declare which program is better because it depends on a number of variables that differ from individual to individual. The purpose of this article is break down which factors you should consider before choosing the appropriate option.

1. What can you afford? Credit counseling programs tend to be a lot more expensive than debt settlement programs. The reason is simple: credit counseling only produces results on the interest rates, whereas debt settlement is able to actually negotiate the amount you owe. Simply put, if you are in a true financial bind, then the clear choice for you should be debt settlement, and on a pure ?money saved? basis, debt settlement will almost always be the answer. Although this is undoubtedly an important factor, it is not the only variable to consider before making a decision on which program is best for you.

2. What sort of credit impact can you tolerate? Some credit counselors out there will undoubtedly tout that their program doesn?t affect your credit score negatively. This is a play on words. Sure, your score won?t drop, but ask any lender what the impact is to your loan application. Let me save you some time?it?s devastating. That being said, debt settlement is no better for your credit, and lenders in general definitely do not like seeing debtors seeking outside help for their financial situation. On the flip side, they definitely do not like seeing the past due marks from enrolling in a settlement program. So let?s consider this example: Four years ago, John decided to use credit counseling, and Mary decided to follow the debt settlement path. They both have the same income and expenses, and they both apply for a $200,000 mortgage. Who is more likely to get it?John, who is 1 year away from completing his credit counseling program, or Mary, who finished her debt settlement program 1 year and half ago and has since been rebuilding her credit? While this may vary from lender to lender, in general Mary would be considered the better loan applicant. What if John paid a lot per month and they both finished their respective programs in the same amount of time? By itself, the credit counseling program would be better for your credit, but when you factor in the fact that Mary would probably have more savings to contribute to a down payment, she?d still probably be considered the better loan applicant. Do I think this is fair? Not at all. It?s ridiculous that lenders are so harsh on clients of credit counseling programs. Unfortunately, the system is flawed, but until there are adjustments made to correct it, debt settlement clients will be in a more favorable position to obtain new credit upon completion of their program.

3. Who do you owe? So you can save more money in debt settlement, but not always. If you owe a more aggressive creditor like Citibank, then it?s possible that credit counseling or bankruptcy may be a better option for you. The reason: Citibank not only tends to settle for more on average, but they are also more likely to pursue legal action to collect a debt. Although under most circumstances debt settlement is still successful with these creditors, it is a much riskier undertaking when you?re dealing with Citibank. If you cannot afford credit counseling and your debt is exclusively with Citibank, then unfortunately you?re probably better off filing bankruptcy.

4. What is your personality type? I?ve read just about every article online regarding credit counseling versus debt settlement, and I?m amazed by how most finance authors eliminate the human element from this discussion. The bottom line: debt settlement is not for the faint-hearted. There is no guarantee that everything will work out completely as planned. Some settlements may be higher than estimated. Some settlements may be lower than estimated. You will inevitably get some creditor calls. This is the nature of the program, and you must be willing to accept some level of uncertainty before enrolling.

I organized the following 4 questions in this order on purpose. After all, if you can?t afford credit counseling, then it?s pretty much out of the picture as an option for you anyway. I don?t mean to sound overly cynical, but we live in a material world and issues like having an anxious personality must be sacrificed when you don?t have the money necessary to freely exercise this aspect of your character. On the flip side, if you have 100% Citibank debt, it would be foolish for you to choose debt settlement over credit counseling or bankruptcy just because you fancy yourself a risk-taker.

There are countless other variables that influence whether debt settlement or credit counseling is appropriate for you (i.e. what state you live in, your income source, etc.). Your best bet is to discuss your individual situation with someone knowledgeable in these arenas.

Go to the Lung Pain website for information on pain in the lungs. Visit the Meaning Of Roses website for info on symbolism of roses. Want to learn everything on good lab values? Visit the Normal Lab Values website.

Source: http://iperzanza.posterous.com/should-you-choose-credit-counseling-or-debt-s

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Saturday, February 4, 2012

If You Want Me to RSVP, Then You Need to Actually Invite Me

I returned the RSVP card for a wedding earlier this week, and it made my think of this piece from the archives where I struggled with RSVPs for my sister-in-law?s bridal shower. Titled ?RSVP?A Cultural Construct?,? it examined the obligations that invitations carry. The following has been edited from its original posting for clarity and relevance, and presents a some new thoughts on the matter.

Responde s'il vous plait. | Photo by Ewan, 2009. | Click image for CC license and information.

Much has been written about the decline of the RSVP. What is so hard about letting the host know whether you can attend? In many cases, the work has been done for you: virtual invitations require clicking the appropriate radio button, while paper invitations might contain a pre-stamped RSVP card or clear instructions on how to contact the host. And with the popularity of text messaging, you don?t even have to call! Yet, many hosts are often frustrated by a lack of responses. But perhaps there is something about the RSVP itself that lends itself to this sort of social silence.

In 2009, my sister-in-law got married. And I was in charge of her bridal shower. The gathering was limited to ?immediate? family, which in a Bengali/Indian household can approximate anywhere in the range of 50 ? 100 people as a result of reciprocal invite practices and whether the invited individuals have children or other family members staying with them at the time. Invitations are by default extended to all persons in the household. In this case, I was expecting approximately 75 people, coming from about 35 households. I put a lot of thought into the invitations and had them printed with matching envelopes and return labels. And I gave folks the option to RSVP by phone or email, thinking about my own busy schedule and wanting to give them different options for working me into their day. I mailed them with a little bit of anxiety because this would be the first event that I would host for the family. And I waited.

And waited.

And waited.

A few emails trickled in from non-family members and cousins who were close to my age. So I prepared for the rush of acceptances. Surely the phone would begin to ring. Surely my inbox would overflow.

And nothing happened.

I mentioned to S that I hadn?t heard from anyone but a handful of folks. I was worried. We were planning on catering the event and had no idea of a headcount. He asked if I had followed up the paper invitation with a phone call. I was taken aback. A phone call? You mean I needed to chase folks down to determine if they were coming? I was already up to my neck in party planning activities?where was I going to find the time to call all these people? The purpose of the invite was for them to call me. After all, I was the one doing all the work?all they needed to do was indicate whether they were coming or not (and show up close to on time).

But according to S, no one would come if I didn?t call. I was at a loss. ?Then what was the purpose of the invitation?? I demanded to know. S shrugged. ?If you don?t call, it means you don?t really want them to come.? Apparently, I came very close to alienating the guest list, which contained mostly family members, because of the way my invitation was delivered. I stewed on this for a day or so, and then began the process of tracking down the assorted telephone numbers needed. I felt foolish during my first few calls: ?Hey, it?s Krystal. How are you? I just want to be sure you received the invitation and are planning on attending the shower.? I stumbled through the first calls. I was embarrassed. I felt as though I was begging people to attend.

And in truth, in many ways, I was. To be a host is a great honor. It means that you have the physical means of showing generosity to others. However, to be invited means that you will have to reciprocate in some way?this is the social expectation as outlined by Marcel Mauss in The Gift. (I talk about Mauss at length here.) So to be a guest, to be invited, is actually a bigger burden than it is to host, particularly if you have little means to reciprocate.

For my guests however, a personal invitation is embedded in their cultural practices. The importance of individual contact conveys importance both about the event and about the requested guest. Visiting becomes an important activity in this instance because it is common for Bengalis to deliver invitations to events during the course of a visit. Abu-Zahra (1974) writes in her discussion on the etiquette of visiting:

?The system of visiting, therefore, is the criterion according to which villagers are judged as to whether they have respect and are appreciated by the rest of the villagers or not. In order to attract visitors one should do favours to others and this is dependent on the amount of wealth which would enable one to have sufficient influence to help others. To achieve the same end one also should be kind and gentle to others. This will attract people who will praise one and thus, one will enjoy an ?honourable reputation?? (122).

Sweeping changes to social norms are not common short of revolutions. The social order?as conceived of our other longtime friend, Durkeim?is a somewhat stable force. In Bangladesh, hosts often visit the homes of the invited as a means of delivering the invitation. To understand why, we need to understand the importance of reciprocal action to this society. There are ?costs? associated with being invited that are both social and physical. Delivering the invitation during a visit, helps mitigate the ?cost? to the guest because it allows him to preemptively fulfill his duties to reciprocate. When the time came to deliver the wedding invitations for my sister-in-law, only those guests who lived a considerable distance away received an invitation in the mail (although they did receive a very lengthy phone call preceding the receipt of the invite). All other guests received a personal visit from my in-laws, during which time their presence was requested at the wedding.

There is a great deal of prestige and reputation tied to visiting. There are rules that govern proper visiting etiquette (Abu-Zahra 1974:127):

  • (W)hen one visits a person one makes qdar [esteem] for him, and if one had not been visited earlier by this person he is lowering his qdar (hat be-qadruh).

Abu-Zahra stresses the honor tied to a return visit?visiting someone who visits you (i.e., attending the event to which you were invited during a personal visit)?allows you to gain standing within the community because it is as though you have allowed your host to pay off a social debt, which was incurred when the host visited to deliver the invitation. Mauss noted that though gifts (and invitations) are supposed to be given freely and willingly, they in fact come with the obligation to give and an obligation to receive. The same is true for invitations?eventually, the invited is expected to reciprocate in some form.

  • People should be either formally invited or should be paying back a visit, otherwise their uncalled-for visits are much despised.

Because there is so much social currency invested in visiting, these must be planned encounters lest the visitor place the host in a debt that he cannot or will not repay. That said, the practice of delivering the invitations is finely orchestrated. The host family calls ahead and makes arrangements to visit for tea or dinner on a particular day so that the future guests are prepared to receive the social debt. If the intended guests know that they will be unable to attend the event, during this planning period they indicate that they have other commitments, so that no debt is created unnecessarily.

  • Correspondingly it is a mark of great honour and fame (saya) that a person makes few visits or none, yet is visited by everyone.

To be able to make few visits is a mark of wealth. If you are so wealthy as to host many gatherings, and need not to participate in return visits to offset costs (both material and social), then you attain a different status within the community. However, most folks fall in the reciprocal relationship.

In terms of my own event, a telephone call would have been sufficient because this was not a formal event, such as a wedding. The practice of visiting is reserved for truly important invitations. Unfortunately, I had overlooked this element of the invitation and was now faced with a group of people who were rather put out at my behavior. During my calls, an aunt said that her young daughter (approximately 4 years old at the time) had said upon receiving the invitation, ?If Krystal doesn?t call, then I am not going!? I laughed good-naturedly and apologized for the delay in calling, but I was later struck by how patterned the process of inviting someone was in this case. For someone so young to know the etiquette indicates that it is being taught.

An Op-Ed in the New York Times suggested that the RSVP no longer fits with our lifestyle:

What?s clear is how hard the R.S.V.P. rubs against the grain of contemporary life. In requesting people to anchor a plan in the distant future of a month hence, you are demanding a kind of navigation that Americans increasingly do not practice. We prefer to remain flexy, solidifying our plans incrementally as the date approaches. Let?s talk tomorrow. I?ll call you when I?m on the road. Cellphones in hand, we microadjust our schedules as they unfold around us. We?re like the air traffic controllers of our own lives.

But perhaps it?s the manner in the way the invite is delivered. By sending an evite or mailing a paper invitation, perhaps the event loses some of its importance. We?re saying, ?I?m too busy to formally invite you.? So perhaps it?s fair for the invited in this case to say, ?I?m too busy to respond.?

Or perhaps, removed from the personal connection that is reinforced by individual contact, the event seems less real in the minds of recipients. It?s as though they haven?t actually been invited. Before we insist that increasing poor manners are to blame for the lack of responses, we should note that RSVPs are a relatively recent social construct. Bengalis are not alone in hand delivering invitations?it is a practice found in the long history of social visits. That said, perhaps some flexibility is needed from both the host and the invited. Most of my RSVPs came from people who were my age or younger, and seemed comfortably using email or text as a means of contacting me. No one called. Perhaps I should have called the older relatives as a sign of respect. From here on out, however, I think I?ll let S handle the guest list.

Reference:
Abu-Zahra, N. (1974). Material Power, Honour, Friendship, and the Etiquette of Visiting Anthropological Quarterly, 47 (1) DOI: 10.2307/3317030

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=578ff088db2760dec9fc6e302a45cb81

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