Popular Backyard Activities for Adults

When most of us think of backyard activities, children come to mind. While children may enjoy being outside, they are not the only individuals who enjoy participating in backyard activities. In fact, many adults also enjoy being outside in their yards.

Whether you are retreating your backyard alone or with some friends, you may want to think of some fun or relaxing backyard activities. This can easily be done by examining some of the most popular backyard activities, especially those that are designed with adults in mind.

As previously mentioned, many adults use their backyards to relax. If you are looking to do this, you may want to examine your backyard or patio furniture. The furniture that you have available may make it possible, or even impossible, to enjoy a relaxing afternoon in your yard.

Popular furniture, used to help achieve relaxation, may include lounge chairs or hammocks. If you do not have any comfortable lawn or patio furniture, you may want to consider purchasing some. Most, on and offline retail stores, carry a fairly large selection of patio furniture.

Although many adults use their backyards as a source of relaxation, others use it for excitement. If you are looking for fun backyard activities, there are literally an unlimited number of things that you can do.

These activities may include playing sports games, going for a swim, or having a barbeque. All of these backyard activities are ideal for individuals of all ages, especially adults.

If you are interested in playing sports games in your backyard, you will have to think about the games that you would be interested in playing. You may also want to examine whether or not you would be playing alone or with someone else.

If you are interested in playing a game by yourself, basketball or a single game of horseshoes may be ideal.

In addition to being ideal for singles games, horseshoes and basketball are also great games for when more than one player is participating.

Additional multiplayer games may include soccer, football, tennis, badminton, or volleyball.

The above-mentioned games are ideal because just about everyone one can participate in them. Most backyards are able to accompany a number of different backyard sports games. However, to go swimming, you will have to have a pool.

Even though pools are popular, not everyone has one. If you are unable to have an in-ground or an aboveground pool installed in your backyard, a kiddie pool may be a nice alternative.

While kiddie pools are designed with small children in mind, they are great for wading in hot weather, even for adults.

A barbeque is another backyard activity that is enjoyed by many adults. Since most households already have a grill, you may not have to purchase anything besides your food.

If you do not have a barbeque grill, many small ones can be purchased for around twenty dollars.

Barbeques are great backyard activities, all on their own, but they also work well in conjunction with swimming or other outdoor activities.

In addition to enjoying, the above mentioned, popular backyard activities for adults, you may also want to make up your own.

Whether you create your own unique game or stick to traditional backyard games, it is likely that you will be pleased with your decision to entertain yourself outside.

There are many adults that just enjoy being outside, even if they are not participating in anything particular.

What You Should Know About Athletic Shoe

Did you ever wonder why there are so many types of running shoes and athletic footwear styles? The main reason is to avoid foot injuries by creating a shape and style of shoe that is appropriate for different sports and activities.

Athletic shoes are made into both standard and sometimes odd sizes for men, women, and children. These shoes are designed to help a person achieve top performance in basketball, football, baseball, golf, bowling or any other athletic or team sport. In addition, athletic shoes are created for running and walking as well. The type of sports shoe that a person needs will largely depend on the chosen sport, activity level and the preference of the person wearing the shoe.

When choosing an athletic shoe, consider how the shoe will be used. If you participate in casual sports activities such as volunteer church baseball leagues or neighborhood football matches, you will not need an expensive athletic shoe. However, if you play sports competitively, you might want to consider specially made athletic shoes. For instance, a person who takes running very seriously is more likely to invest in a higher quality athletic shoe than the average runner.

Higher quality shoes are often needed because they are required to spend several hours a day training to build speed, endurance, and strength as they compete. In order to for runners to do this, they will need a shoe that will last. This is true for those who play other types of competitive sports, as well.

The choice of athletic shoe is also important for moving and protecting the foot while participating in sports. For example, in basketball or football, a person needs to think and act fast as they dribble, pass the ball or run down the field. Therefore, the person needs the appropriate shoe for optimum performance and safety. Basketball shoes often have a strong grip on the bottom that prevents an athlete from sliding. In both football and baseball, each player usually has shoes that have cleats on the bottom of the soles.

This is to help the player grip the ground as they move quickly during play. Cleats are also important because players also have to play in varying outside weather conditions such as snow, rate, sleet, and extreme heat or cold. The right shoe is important because weather conditions can affect how well a player moves around the field, and the player's ability to run without slipping and falling. The wrong shoe can cause falling and injury to players.

There are several companies that make high-quality running and athletic shoes. Nike, Etonic, New Balance, Asics, Mullins, and Adidas are all popular shoe manufacturers. These shoes often come in a wide variety of styles and features. In addition, these athletic shoes often have shock absorbent soles for a softer impact when the runner's foot hits the ground. Furthermore, good quality athletic shoes are often made in wide and narrow styles as well as arched, normal, or flat designs that help fit the overall shape of a person's foot. Along with that, these shoes come in a variety of sizes so that everyone can find a pair that fits their foot well.

Sometimes a person can find a high-quality athletic shoe from a manufacturer or retailer that does not advertise nationally. These types of shoes are often called "off-brand" or "generic". Many times, these shoes are just as durable and dependable as the regular name brand shoes, but often cost much less than name-brand shoes. The fit of a shoe is usually a matter of personal preference, so before purchasing these off-brand shoes, it is important to test them out for fit and feel.

Further information can be found online about generic or off brand shoes. However, it is important to remember that information about these shoes often comes directly from companies whom manufacturer and advertise their shoes. If in doubt about the quality of a generic shoe, it is sometimes not worth saving a few dollars. Buy the shoes from a brand that you know will not let you down, whether it is a nationally known brand of athletic shoe or not.

Athletic shoes can be purchased for both recreational or competitive activity needs either online, in a store, or by mail order. When purchasing shoes online or mail order, there is always the risk of the shoe not fitting right because each brand will fit a little differently. However, you can increase your chances of finding a fitting shoe if you know a little about the brand of shoe that you choose to purchase. Also, consider trying the shoe on at a store before buying online.

When purchasing a shoe in a store, there may be a smaller selection than what is available online. However, the advantage is buying a shoe that will fit properly. This goes for the fitting of athletic shoes as well. If you do a little online research on athletic shoes before shopping at a store, it is easier to make a better decision about the purchase of shoes. When researching shoes online, it is easier to compare shoe brands, prices, and features.

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Glyconutrition: All Eyes On Newton

Glyconutrition and the silence in Parliament:

Sir Isaac Newton is not generally associated with medicine and biology, much less glyconutrition. Newton lived 1642-- 1727, a period now referred to as the Age of Newton. However, you don't get an entire age named after you unless you have done something spectacular...like inventing the calculus...or discovering the law of gravity and the laws of optics.

His impact was so enormous, even in his own lifetime, people of all stations in life wanted to get just a glimpse of him...or hear anything he had to say. Problem was, he was very sensitive and shy, so words didn't come easily, ergo, he didn't say much.

Except in the lecture hall of the University, where very occasionally he did lecture. (Granted, not on glyconutrition but we haven't gotten there yet).

There...he did open his mouth. Imagine, sitting through a lecture of the world's greatest scientist, who didn't know when to stop lecturing on subjects his students couldn't understand. That may be the real origin of the expression, "In every fat book there is a thin book trying to get out."

In any event, because of his enormous popularity as the greatest mathematician and scientist in history, he was elected to the Parliament of England. I guess people just figured if they could get him involved in politics, he might say something which they could go home and quote.

So, he sat in Parliament year after year and never uttered a peep. Not a single syllable. At least, not until one day, in the middle of an intensely debated issue in Parliament, Sir Isaac suddenly stood up. Immediately, Parliament was silent as all eyes were upon Sir Newton. Mustering such abilities as he was capable of producing for the drama of the moment, Sir Isaac turned sheepishly and asked that the window be closed because of the draft.

Not a particularly moving event. But, it became buzz nonetheless.


Glyconutrition: Accessing the nutrients is a key to health.

So what does all of this have to do with glyconutrition?



Actually, we don't remember Isaac having anything to do with glyconutrition. There's a good reason for that. Medical science still hadn't discovered bacteria under the microscope, let alone the 8 sugars which comprise the key molecules in glyconutrition, observable only under the electron microscope.

But, Sir Isaac and the people of "merry ole England" were unconsciously accessing glyconutrition far more readily than we do today...through their diet:

- Glyconutrition supplied the essential ingredients of protection for newborns who were breast fed. The sugars involved with glyconutrion are present in surprising quantities for the baby.

- Garlic, certain saps and quite a few of the herbs rich in glyconutrition, were part of the diet in merry 'ole England of that day.

- England didn't then resort to "green harvests", processed foods, chemical preservatives which destroy glyconutrition. Indeed, our society depletes the soil, processes food for taste and convenience and introduces toxins that overwhelm our immune system. What little glyconutrition we do get, is simply not enough to do the job.

- Instead, glyconutrition was not processed out of the corn, oats, barley, wheat, leeks, carrots, radishes, pears, and red wine of that society. Granted they had other problems (like the Black Death), but not for lack of glyconutrition.

- Fruits are loaded with pectin's (such as apple pectin's) and are instrumental in providing glyconutrition.

It is, for that reason, "merry ole England" did not see the huge epidemics in so many categories of diseases as we do today:

- Overactive Immune deficiencies include food allergies, pollen and grass allergies, asthma, eczema which result from severe lack of glyconutrition, producing a misguided inflammation. In short, because glyconutrition is lacking, our immune system over reacts to certain foreign substances in our body, which normally it should be able to easily handle. Without glyconutrition in proper supply, asthma and allergies produce exaggerated inflammatory responses.

- Under active immune systems - from lack of glyconutrition - can produce colds and flu, cancers of all types, bronchitis, ear infections, shingles, strep, TB, urinary yeast infection, hepatitis B and C, sinusitis, and Candida. Again, lack of glyconutrition leads to the incapacity of the immune system to regulate itself properly. The 1985 issue of Cancer Research, scientists noted the fact that cancer cells in the stomach and colon were associated with a lack of specific sugars (glyconutrition) or deformed sugar molecules.

- Auto-immune disease such as Lupus, Rheumatoid arthritis, MS, Psoriasis, and Type I & Type II Diabetes occur when the immune system goes into overdrive attacking healthy cell tissue. Such activity is linked to low levels of specific elements found in glyconutrition.

- Inflammatory disorders such as Fibromyalgia, ulcers, heart disease, colitis, are linked to improper levels of glyconutrition in the diet. For example, in the January-March 1998 issue of Integrative Physiological and Behavioral Science, tested subjects took supplements of Aloe Vera extract (containing glyconutrition compounds -especially, acetylated mannans) and reported significant improvement in the symptoms accompanying Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. (Miracle Sugars, Rita Elkins, M.H. woodland Publishing, p. 33).

Glyconutrition: Ho-hum?

Most people of his era were amazed at what Isaac Newton produced. They were so spellbound by anything he did, a whole Parliament stopped mid-sentence to hear what he would say next.

Today, on the other hand, I am amazed at the fact that glyconutrition holds the answer to so many maladies - perhaps thousands- ...and, so few are even aware of the subject. Most doctors don't know about glyconutrion despite the fact that glyconutrition is listed in the PDR (Physicians Desk Reference), the "bible" of the medical world, used by 99% of all doctors.

One thing about good old Sir Isaac. When he made a discovery, he knew what he had and he used it, bettering the world in which he lived. An entire generation could see the progress and named an era for him.

Will we do the same with glyconutrition... What may be the greatest medical discovery in the medical history of the last century?

Sports Injury: An Athlete's Worst Nightmare

Sports injury...it is every athletes' worst nightmare. For professional sportsmen and women, a major injury could be the end of their career. Breaking an ankle, dislocating a shoulder or hip, or having unbearable pain in the knees could cause an athlete to lose the opportunity to gain honor, fame, and fortune in the field of sports. For individuals who engage in contact sports competition, it could be the end of an athletic dream or a means to stay fit. For many, sports is already a way of life and defines who they are. But getting sidetracked by an injury could make them lose their sense of identity and chance of a lifetime to gain glory and financial independence.

Since sports injuries are inevitable, it is very important to understand how to prevent such injuries from happening or how to administer proper treatment when they do happen.

Acute sports injuries are caused by a single traumatic event and may result from sudden movements like pulling a muscle, spraining an ankle, fracturing a wrist, and many more. A sudden forceful movement may cause damage to the muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, or joints. Sprains and strains are the most common among acute sports injuries. A sprain is an injury to a joint and the ligaments. A sprain, on the other hand, is an injury to the muscle tendon unit. Athletic ability hampered by acute sports injuries may be regained after six to eight weeks, but it may take many months or even a surgery to regain full function of the injured body part.

Signs of an acute injury include:

Sudden, severe pain;
Swelling;
Inability to place weight on a lower limb;
Extreme tenderness in an upper limb;
Inability to move a joint through a full range of motion;
Extreme limb weakness; and
Visible dislocation or breaking of a bone.


Overuse or chronic injuries are more subtle and may develop overtime. Training errors like rapid acceleration of intensity, duration or frequency of physical activity is the most common cause of this kind of injury. Overuse injuries may result from repetitive micro-trauma to the tendons, bones, and joints. They may also be developed from abnormal sports or physical activities like going to sports camps, working on new techniques, or being pushed over or beyond one's physical limits. Returning to normal training after a long rest may derail the training phase of the body and cause it to be prone to this kind of injury.

Signs of a chronic injury include:

Pain when performing activities
A dull ache when at rest
Swelling
Every once in a while these sports injuries may be developed. However, with proper treatment they can be back to normal in no time. It is important to consult doctors about possible treatments for various sports injuries. Common treatments for these conditions may include medication and physical therapy. Athletes who sustain sports injuries may use scientifically proven medications for pain relief like Tramadol. Tramadol is a synthetic pain reliever that has gained the approval of many doctors across the United States. It works by binding the receptors of the brain which are responsible for transmitting painful sensations throughout the body.

Several medical studies show that this medication has a low abuse rate compared to other pain relievers. In addition, Tramadol side effects are milder compared to other pain relieving drugs out in the market. These side effects may include nausea, constipation, dizziness, headache, drowsiness, and vomiting. Those who want to use pain relievers should consult their doctors before taking more potent forms of the medicine. Although Tramadol side effects are mild and bearable, it should not be used by individuals with certain health conditions and medical history. This drug may also interact with other drugs that may lead to the development of more unwanted side effects.

Rather than seeking medical attention to treat sports injuries, this condition can be prevented by properly engaging in sports training and competition. A well-planned training program which includes flexibility training and warm-up exercises may lessen the development of injuries. If these things fail, ask your doctor about Tramadol.

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They're Watching You in Las Vegas

Vacationing in Las Vegas...

Have you ever thought about going to Las Vegas to experience one of the many world-famous hotels and casinos on the Las Vegas Strip? If you have then chances are that you've been over just which casinos to go to and what hotels to stay at and see. However, an important issue that many people might not realize on their stay is that there are plenty of people watching you while visiting Las Vegas. Whether you are good news or bad news, the authorities in Las Vegas, the federal authorities in Washington, DC, as well as the Las Vegas casino and hotel owners all have their eyes on every little thing that you do.

There are many people who simply disbelieve the fact that cops and federal authorities are able to keep tabs on every single person within the Las Vegas hotel. After all, many people just see themselves as blending in with the crowd. However, this is not how the federal authorities in Washington and others who own the casinos and hotels see you. Here are just some of the thoughts that are running through their head, as well as how they are able to keep so close of tabs on each individual person throughout the hotels and casinos in Las Vegas:

Are you a Good Guy or Bad Guy?

This first question is the very important real question that local and federal authorities have to answer about you to tell whether or not you pose a threat while taking a vacation or living in Las Vegas. In order to get the most basic of information, though, there are thousands of hidden and real cameras within the hotels and casinos on the Las Vegas Strip. These thousands of hidden cameras all point towards every person playing within the casino walls and there are hundreds of casino and hotel employees that will do anything just to be able to find the one suspect among the hundreds of thousands of individuals within the crowd.

However, one way in which the Las Vegas casinos and hotels are able to match the faces of everyone in the casino is by the face-recognition software that these highly-intelligible security cameras contain. Face-recognition software and cameras are able to send and share information instantly and directly with other cameras in other Las Vegas hotels and it's just a matter of time before they know your real name!

Another way that Las Vegas casino and hotel owners tend to use the information they gain about you is to give you the ultimate Las Vegas experience. In other words, they are able to tailor your casino experience just the way that they like it. For example, some of the tracking software that Las Vegas casinos use is employed to track your every move, including the bets that you make, wagers that you roll, as well as keeping a tally of all the money that you spent. There is very little information that is not known about you, however, and casino owners can also use that. For example, if you happen to be in a Las Vegas hotel on your birthday, then you just might get a special promotion or end up winning the jackpot on the slot machine, too!

All things considered, though, Las Vegas casinos and hotels are much better off in the way of security than they were just fifteen years prior. Even though it can be scary to be spotted and well-known in Las Vegas hotels, it's also better to say that there is enough security to go around!

How To Save Money: 3 Key Strategies To Save Money







How to save money is a key concern for many individuals and families. Learning to save money is not about buying books or software. It is not about joining programs. Saving money is about a mindset. If you have trouble saving money, then you will need to change the way you think about money.



This means that you will need to find the ways that you sabotage your own financial goals. Do you equate money with happiness or love? Many people who fall into this category spend money in order to make themselves happy or to make those they love happy. Money does not buy happiness and it does not replace love. Keep your wallet in your pocket (or pocketbook) and focus on giving of yourself and your time. Those gifts mean much more.

Do you believe that you deserve the best? Get over yourself. You do deserve food every day, but that does not mean you deserve lobster or fillet mignon. You do deserve (and need) clothing but it does not need to bear a designer label. You deserve your basic needs for food, clothing and shelter and everything above that is luxury. Just because someone else has it does not mean you deserve it.



Understanding the root cause behind your financial problems can help you greatly with the first key strategy to save money -- Think Before You Spend. This is all about evaluating needs and weighing those needs against desires. You need a winter coat, but you want that cool leather jacket. When I was a college student living in London I had a pretty strict budget. I had to pay my rent plus purchase food. But I wanted to travel too.

So I cut my food budget to the bone and sacrificed meat and rarely ate out except when traveling. My choice was to eat peanut butter so I could travel to Paris. What choices are you willing, and able, to make? It sometimes helps to put off the purchase of those "desired" items. You may find that you do not really want that leather coat enough to brown bag it for a month. And sometimes, anticipation pays off and makes you enjoy the purchase all the more.

Another key strategy for saving money is simple -- Keep Track Of Your Money. Credit cards are a wonderful convenience as are debit cards and checkbooks, but the problem is that unless you are handing over cold hard cash it is really easy to not pay attention to where your money is going and very difficult to keep track of how much you have left. You should never be shocked by your credit card bill and you should not be caught off guard by your bank balance. You may not have it down to the penny, but you should have a pretty good idea of how much money you have on hand.

Finally, the most important strategy for saving money -- Earn It Before You Burn It. This means that whether you are shopping for essentials or luxuries you know that you have the money to pay the bill. Perhaps you choose to use plastic for convenience or rewards, but before you hand over that card to the clerk you better be sure that you have the money to pay the bill when it comes due. Once you start carrying balances and paying interest on your credit cards, then you are destroying your ability to save money.

If you follow these three key strategies to save money, then you will be ahead of the game. Think before you spend, keep track of your money, and earn it before you burn it to save money.

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Can You Really Retire in Thailand On $500 Per Month?

Find Out How You Really Can Retire in Thailand On $500 Per Month?

When many people retire, they just stop working and continue to live where they currently are. This is not for me. I live in Hawaii and have been here for 23 years and love the islands, but I don't want to retire here.

The cost of living in Hawaii is not conducive to retirement living unless you have a ton of money. I have a nice nest egg, a pension coming and a military retirement, but I don't want to struggle with day to day living in Hawaii.

I prefer to live in a country where it will take about 25% of what it costs me now to live. That place is Thailand.

I have been stationed there as a soldier, participated in military exercises there, and take two or three vacations in Thailand every year. It is my personal paradise and where I will spend my golden years.

If you have ever visited Thailand and been to Bangkok, Pattaya, or Phuket, you will think I am crazy saying that you can retire in $550 per month. But, keep in mind that living in Thailand permanently is different than being there for a two or three week vacation.

During a vacation you tend to spend all of the money that you saved up over the year and have a great, blowout holiday. If you live in Thailand, you won't be going out bar-hopping and just throwing your money around like you do on vacation. Plus, if you live in a place, you tend to know the places to get the best deals and prices.

As I've gotten older and have a lady that I see in Thailand, I don't have the need to go out as much. We still go out for dinners and shopping and sight-seeing, but I spend a lot less than when I am in Pattaya on a single man's holiday.

My last trip I spent three weeks in Khon Kaen, northeast of Bangkok. My hotel room was basic and cost about 12 dollars per day. My lady would cook breakfast for me and then pick up some goodies from the local street vendors for my lunch. We would go out for dinner and have three or four plates of food, a couple of beers, and some water.

My daily expense for this was about $25. This is for meals and my room. Granted, I spent a little more when we went out shopping and I also saved a bit by drinking beer in my room instead of bar-hopping. Movies were bought at the mall for $3 and watching a movie in the room, drinking a beer, and having a pizza was cheap entertainment.

Once I retire in Thailand, I will buy a house, so the hotel bill is gone. My soon-to-be wife will be able to cook for us in the house and we won't go out for meals as much. We will still go out, but it won't be every night.

Even if you don't own a house, getting a monthly rental in a city away from the touristy areas will still be cheap. Getting by on less than $20 a day is easy unless you are out in the bars and clubs every night.

I recommend that you visit Thailand and see what this beautiful country has to offer and see if it is the right place for you to retire.

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Reverse Type 2 Diabetes In 10 Steps!

 

Reverse Type 2 Diabetes In 10 Steps

 

 

I was diagnosed with type one diabetes
Results from the body's failure to produce insulin, the hormone that unlocks the cells of the body, allowing glucose to enter and fuel them. It is estimated that 5-10% of Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 1 diabetes.

Having type 1 diabetes increases your risk for many dangerous ramifications. Some complications of type 1 diabetes include: heart disease (cardiovascular disease), blindness (retinopathy), nerve damage (neuropathy), and kidney damage (kidney disease).

Type 2 diabetes usually occurs gradually
Results from insulin resistance (a condition in which the body fails to properly use insulin), merged with relative insulin deficiency. Most Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 2 diabetes.

Having type 2 diabetes increases your risk for many dangerous ramifications. Some complications of type 2 diabetes include: heart disease (cardiovascular disease), blindness (retinopathy), nerve damage (neuropathy), and kidney damage (kidney disease). Learn more about these complications and how to cope with them.

Gestational diabetes is treatable
Gestational diabetes affects nearly 4% of all pregnant women - approximately 135,000 cases in the United States each year.

Because gestational diabetes can hurt you and your baby, you need to start treatment quickly. Treatment for gestational diabetes aims to maintain blood glucose levels equal to those of pregnant adult females who don't have gestational diabetes. Treatment for gestational diabetes always includes special meal plans and scheduled physical activity. It may also include daily blood glucose testing and insulin shots. You will need help from your doctor, nurse educator, and other members of your health care team so that your treatment for gestational diabetes can be changed as needed.

For the mother-to-be, treatment for gestational diabetes helps lower the risk of a cesarean section birth that very large babies may require. Sticking with your treatment for gestational diabetes will give you a healthy pregnancy and birth, and may help your baby avoid future poor health. (See Diabetes Symptoms)

Pre-diabetes
Pre-diabetes is a condition that occurs when a person's blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. There are 41 million Americans who have pre-diabetes, in addition to the 20.8 million with diabetes.

 

 

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How To Profiting From Online Social Networking

 How To Profit From Social Networking..

This is the second in a series of articles we will be publishing relaying thoughts and ideas from the Internet Retailer Conference in Chicago, which occurred June 5th through June 7th. Peter Kosciewicz, Director of E-Commerce for the Eastwood Company, and Chris Saito, Senior Director, Shopping Products for Yahoo! Shopping, delivered a presentation entitled "Social Networking: The Peer Persuasion Marketing Tool."

According to Kosciewicz, the Web today has grown into an "architecture of participation" that facilitates social networking through devices such as blogs, wikis, RSS, podcast, and more. Forrester Research has published studies that show that traditional marketing is continuing to lose credibility. For example, in 2002, 78% of respondents in a survey said that ads are a good way to learn about a new product. In 2004, that number dropped to 46%. In 2002, 14% of respondents agreeing that companies generally tell the trust. As pathetic as 14% is, in 2004, it had declined even further - down to 7%. Social networking as a means of marketing overcomes this lack of consumer trust because it relies on the word of the consumer rather than the word of the producer. Research from Datamonitor reported that 85% of respondents in a survey indicated that word-of-mouth from friends, family, or colleagues is more trustworthy than corporate-generated content.

So how do you take advantage of social networking to sell more merchandise? Simple - you open yourself up. You plant the seeds of a community to grow up around your site by using devices such as blogs, customer reviews, and forums to give a voice to your customers or prospective customers. The caveat is that you must be high caliber. You must have high quality service and a high quality product. If not, avoid this marketing method.

Kosciewicz outlined four important rules for using social networking on your website:

1. Guide but don't control.
2. Never censor.
3. Don't be afraid of negative comments.
4. Don't be paranoid.

If you open up a forum on your site, but then restrict what people are allowed to say, such as removing posts that are negative toward your company or that mention your competitors, then you will do more damage than good to your reputation. Use negativity as a way to improve your business. If people are negative, look at that as feedback and act on it. Make changes, and then let your community know about it. Don't worry about your community talking about your competition. Your attitude has to be that you are the best, so why worry about it?

As a community develops around your web site, certain members will establish themselves as more influential than others. They will be more outspoken, and will be the ones who often respond to others. Cultivate these members, because they can be powerful allies. Once you have identified the more influential members of your community, inform them regularly, give them free merchandise, become their friend. Feed your influencers information, and they will distribute it for you. But do not make it appear that you are only interested in them because they can help you sell stuff. You need to be genuine.

Measuring the impact of social networking is difficult. Unlike other forms of marketing, there is no direct connect between social networking activity and sells. What you will want to do is track traffic to pages such as customer reviews, referral links, etc.

Social networking can be a powerful marketing tool, if you have a high quality product and are not afraid of an open dialogue with your customers.

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Why Isn't There A Hybrid Pickup?

Could It Be Finally Here!

One thing that stops Americans from purchasing hybrid cars is the lack of options out there for them. For instance, some people just like to ride in certain models of cars, and when those models are absent from the market, people start to get upset. What the automotive industry needs to do is make sure that every consumer need is satisfied when it comes to hybrid cars. What should it do to satisfy every potential customer's need? Just take a look at what people are buying. And hey, why isn't there a hybrid pickup?

Half of the entire US vehicle market is based on sales of SUVs and pickups. That whole market is comprised of 16 million vehicles. And since pickup vehicles use tons of gas per year, it would be a great idea for pickup hybrids to flood the market. These types of hybrid cars would save pickup drivers tons of money on gas. The savings would make a great case for the hybrid car industry. Alone, those dollars saved would get people curious about hybrid cars. If people saw just how much money hybrid pickup drivers saved on gas, they might be led to rush and get a hybrid for themselves. The dollars saved would provide the perfect visual for potential hybrid car buyers. 

But the question still is, why isn't there a hybrid pickup truck. Hybrid car drivers all over are waiting to hear the answer to that question. 

Well, actually for a short time, a hybrid pickup truck did in fact exist. Late in the year of 2004, there was a hybrid system on the Silverado and Sierra models. This system was introduced by general motors. However, this truck was not really the market. It was developed, but no one really knew where to buy it. Then in about the year 2006, GM dropped the hybrid pickups known as the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. And that's the last the market heard of hybrid pickups. But these hybrid cars or hybrid pickups were let go for a number of good reasons, one being the hybrid pickups created an increase in the fuel economy. 

But in the near future, more hybrid pickups will be introduced to the market. And that will be approximately a year from now. So a hybrid car-lovers can get ready for these great utility vehicles. Hybrid cars are already selling fast. So with a new kind of hybrid car like the hybrid pickup, hybrid car sales will take off even more. And then, auto manufacturers would need to produce more hybrid cars. The end result would be that hybrid cars would multiply on the roads because everyone would be driving a hybrid car. And that would do wonders for the environment and the general economy. 

So if you want a hybrid pickup, you may just have to wait until about 2008. And that should be fine. Just purchase a different kind of hybrid car while you wait. There are plenty of other hybrid cars available.

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