Starving For Fashion’s Sake – NOT!

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The only constant thing in this world is change. Cliché, but it’s true. It applies to almost everything but it applies more to fashion. Fashion trends change every now and then. Change in trend means change in your wardrobe. Hence, change in wardrobe means you will need to buy new ones so that your wardrobe matches the wardrobe of others who, like most women, like being “in” in fashion.

You might read from a fashion magazine that suede flats are so last season and ankle gladiator wedges are in for this fall. It doesn’t matter. You’ll just find yourself going to a boutique buying your new pair of ankle gladiator wedges, right? And guess what? Come winter, it will be “so last season” again.

So what do you do? You go to the boutique again and buy another pair that is “so this season.” Then comes the next season and your new pair is again out of season and it never stops. The cycle goes on until you find your closet full of a whole bunch of pairs that you can’t even remember when you used them… or if you ever used them, all for the sake of being “in.”

You can be “in” all the time actually. You just need to remember one word all the time–recycle.

You don’t always need to update your wardrobe with what’s new and what’s hot at the present. What you need are those that always stay “in” no matter what season comes.

Like jeans for example. Trust me, they are ALWAYS in. You just need to know what type of jeans you should wear for what. Jeans change in style but you can always wear them anytime of the year and for any occasion for that matter, even in some formal gatherings. They never get out of the fashion tier for the simple reason that they are comfortable, easy to pair with, and cheap.

Classic pumps are always around too. You can wear them when you go to work, to school, to church, and to parties of course. It goes with anything and who cares if you wear them everyday? If people notice in such a way that offends you, why care? It’s a mind over matter thing. You don’t mind, they don’t matter.

To put it simple, splurge on clothes and shoes and accessories all you want. There’s nothing wrong with that (as long as you can pay for them of course). Just make sure that when you buy, it is really a good buy-it lasts long and it never goes out of fashion.

Navigating The Online Trading Marketplace

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“ONLINE STOCK TRADING”

“Online stock trading” has seen a recent boom since the inception of T.D.Waterhouse Online ETrade etc. Since then there has been a host of online web applications that provide information for “online stock trading”. Some of them are online stock brokerage trading firms while others are individual investor “online stock trading” websites.

There is a remarkable difference in these two types of websites. Online trading firms are almost the equivalent of traditional trading with more resources to assist the accountholder for tracking their money. “Online Stock Trading” is a do it yourself website, with web based information, complete with the reports on annual fees and commissions that provide the investor with information and a method of investment.

While trying to sort through the information provided by online site sources and “online stock trading” websites can seem like an insurmountable task, there are a few of these websites that provide a simple and easy to understand format. Onlinetradingideas is a revolutionary online trading website that is invaluable in assisting the average investor in understanding the stock option resources available to them.

Online trading ideas has the unique feature of language translation right on its webpage. Whether you are searching for “online stock trading” information in Russian, French, Italian, German, Korean, Japanese, Spanish, or Portuguese, this website has the information for investors from all around the world to gain a further understanding of trading in the marketplace.

ONLINE TRADE MARKET NEWS

The online Trade Market News is a wonderful resource to achieve a wide variety of knowledge in a multitude of trading aspects. Bank of America, Yahoo! Finance, and INREEX are just a few of the topics covered on this informative page. ETrade and the Online Trading Academy as well have a remarkable amount of information on this page. The website offers informative online trading news and updates as well as unbiased trading articles.

Unbiased trading articles are crucial to a website’s credibility. Unbiased trading reports are critical to making financial decisions. The presence of these reports lends credence to the notion that this website is not just about promoting itself, but promoting the information necessary in order to navigate the harsh world of online trading.

The collection of “Online Stock trading” articles is yet another resource available, lending itself to guides and even step by step help packages to getting started in the online stock market circuit.

Financial independence is possible when you know where to look. The leaders in financial guides and resources all share the same view, make your money work for you. Financial marketing is a proven method of increasing income potential and deriving a sound plan is the key to investing wisely. The popularity of stock brokerage firms is falling dramatically with the introduction of the small online investor. It is estimated that in the next fifty years stock brokerage firms will become obsolete for the average investor.

THE BEST IN INDIVIDUAL STOCK TRADING

Discovering the best individual method of “online stock trading” can be a difficult proposition. Some require minimum deposits while others require trading organization fees. There are a few that are commission only, though those are rare. It is quite common, however to find a firm with low fee trading that will periodically waive its commission based scale to encourage new investors to use their services.

Not all firms will treat their investors equally. There are firms who do not consider any account under $50,000 a worthwhile endeavor. Before placing any capital to be invested with any firm, it is wise to find out their average clientele. Remember that those who trade for you in any online brokerage firm are subject to a commission. The higher the trade, the higher the commission. Therefore it would make sense to assume that smaller accounts are not getting adequate attention. It is imperative to find out this information prior to depositing any sum of money with any online trading firm.

Do not assume that just because a firm is well recognized that it is suitable for the small investors needs. It is imperative that as many published reviews as possible and the opinions of both current and former clients be taken into consideration. Equally as important, don’t assume that every review can be taken verbatim. Reviews can be purchased, thus they can be misleading to the investor.

The basic rule of thumb in determining the value of reviews is fairly simple. Three out of every five reviews contains 75% accuracy, while one out of every one hundred contains 80% or better. So, if you read ten reviews by small investors and seven of them say the firm in question meets the small investor’s needs, then it’s safe to say that the particular firm is averaging a satisfied small investor rate of three out of four.

The information on “Online Trading Ideas” can significantly streamline research for small and large investors alike. They have picked the articles and reviewed the news prior to posting to help narrow down the ratio of off the mark reviews and news. It is important to maintain that every investor is different with varying demands from the financial world. Online Trading Ideas is geared toward helping the individual investor with personalized needs and risk tolerances to help them along.

Large investors, as well need to place their research on firms that can handle the large sums of money. Not every firm is equipped to deal with much more than a couple hundred thousand dollars at one time from any single investor. Remember, it’s not their money. Large sums equal large commissions and thus it is fair to say that most firms, even do it yourself online trading firms, do not limit their investors. Online Trading Ideas can help the large investor filter through what is available to them to significantly shorten research time.

The risks of online day trading vary by individual, personal circumstance, and overall risk tolerance. One of the fastest ways to reduce risk is the gather information and become an educated investor. Educated investors are those who know how to seek out trends, which have a constant list of questions and are perpetually prepared to adjust as new information develops. Most of all, the educated investor has a trusted resource to navigate him through the marketplace. For many, Online Trading Ideas has become that trusted resource.

Equity trade research is a highly unique skill. It is important to be able to trust the source of the research that is being provided. A free exchange of informed ideas can be invaluable to the equity trader.

Direct investing has been revolutionized with companies such as ING Direct. ING works on the concept that their service is of high enough quality that they see no reason to charge anything more than minimal fees. This revolutionary concept has been adopted by other firms as well and has led to higher investor confidence when choosing an online investment firm. ING and comparable companies have increased their clientele rate by a much larger margin than ETrade and other commission plus fee based services.

The world of personal investing is loaded with pitfalls, and the average investor has been greatly relieved to see such websites as onlinetradingideas. The personal investor has never before had the chance to be so successful without years of formal education the well guarded secrets of the professionals.

Online Trading Ideas has helped to open up a new world to the timid investor as well. With their stock quote research and their vast quantity of knowledgeable and variable consideration, the timid investor can understand the process step by step in a more thorough account than most “online stock trading” companies provide.

Overall the site is impressive. Online Trading Ideas is more than a simple blog thrown together to promote advertisers. This web site has in depth coverage of varying topics that make it a top pick for both the novice and experienced investor alike. Contributions are point blank honest, well written, easy to read, and littered with integrity. The step by step information pages give you real references with real links that work in real time. The most refreshing section of this entire is the section that can’t be found. There are no promises of firing your boss next week or making thirty four thousand dollars in one week.

There is a great amount of lucrative information posted on onlinetradingideas rather than a handful of ridiculous promises aimed at the desperate and needy. This is true education and absolutely a wonderful tool for any investor wanting a bigger bite of the pie. The same is true for the investor that hasn’t yet found the courage to invest a single dime, until they receive the right information. With Online Trading Ideas, the average investor finally has a chance at making their goals attainable.

The 303 Savage

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The 1890’s was an exciting period for rifle development as smokeless powder was being perfected and it was being taken advantage by the civilian market. The very first few years since being introduced in 1886 by France, the military was the primary benefactor of the new propellant. It produced higher velocities which enabled the users to make smaller rounds with more range. That would enable a soldier to carry more ammo. As a note the 303 Savage is frequently confused with the larger 303 British. I have seen it on several occasions. While the Savage round will fit the larger 303 British gun it isn’t a good idea to shoot it that way.

One of the earlier rounds was the 303 Savage which was considered for the military but not adopted by them as they chose the 30-40 Krag. Anyway the Savage Arms Company saw that Winchester was making and selling 30-30 rifles like hotcakes. They knew a good thing when they saw it so they came out with the model 99 lever action rifles and one of the more popular chamberings was the 303. The model 99 rifle is a very well made and strong rifle that was somewhat ahead of it’s time. It has some advantages over the model 94 Winchester including the ability to use spitzer bullets. Competition, then, as now was stiff among the various gun makers and the Savage offering was definitely as good as anything out there. There have been several million 99’s made, in many calibers, so they must have done something right. The 303 Savage is a great deer and black bear round for hunting in the woods. It has been used for several generations as a moderate range hunting rifle.

The round resembles the 30-30 but is shorter and a bit larger in diameter. In power it is a virtual twin to the more successful Winchester offering though it was popular for awhile. It was produced from 1895 through the start of WWII. After the war ended Savage no longer chambered rifles for it and no other maker ever made a rifle in the 303 chambering. Another cartridge that suffered the same fate was the 30 Remington, another good hunting round, but that’s another story.

The model 99 is still available in many calibers, some quite modern, and if you look around a bit the 303 can still be found. If you have one then you will either have to hand-load your ammo or have someone do it as factory ammo is no longer made. Occasionally you might find a factory box of ammo but don’t count on it. The major problem with ammo is the cases. Norma sometimes has them but most of the time they have to be formed from another cases. The only two that make sense is the 30-40 Krag or the 303 British. Once cases are obtained then ammo can be made without a problem. You can use 30-30 bullets and loading data with good results. If you want to hunt with this relic it is good for deer hunting at moderate ranges.

Music Gear Shopping – Understand It Better Before the Purchase

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Are you planning to buy a music gear for your music loving friend? Does your studio need a brand new music gear for better sound and practising? Go through this article to know more about different music gears and tips to buy the best.

There are different types of music gear ranges that benefit your studio and practices. Portable keyboards are available in the market, which can be used wherever you want to play them. They have inbuilt speakers so there won’t be a need for any extra instrument to hear them. Some portable keyboards are both speaker attached and computer connectable as well.

Another useful gear is the drum mics. There are drum mic kits, which contain more than one microphone with accessories like clips, cases, etc. They are more affordable than buying single ones. These mics can also be used for different instruments. Both condenser and dynamic type microphones are available in the market that can be used for live performances and studio recordings respectively.

Electronic drums are most beneficial for drummers, who want to privately enjoy the sound. They have headphone attachments so that you can enjoy your own creation without the embarrassment of others hearing them. They are quieter than the acoustic drums, which makes every situation a perfect time to enjoy your own drumming without disturbing others.

With the amazing electronic drum of yours, a drum monitor or drum amplifier is the best gear you can ever have. It is also advisable to use an alternative to these amplifiers due to their versatility. Products like keyboard amplifiers, powered PA speakers are the most common alternatives used. However, it is not advisable to use a guitar amplifier or bass amplifier, as it does not reproduce the exact sound produced by a drum. It is more appropriate to find a portable and less weight amplifier so that you can carry them around.

When all of your instruments are ready to play, then you need a recorder. There are digital multitrack recorders available in the market that help you to record the music tracks. The desktop digital multitrack recorder has all the facilities like recording mixing and reproduction of your music all built in them. Portable or handheld multitrack recorders are convenient as they can be carried easily in your bag or even in your pocket.

While selecting a multitrack recorder we should check how many tracks it can record simultaneously and also the number of tracks it can mix. If the manufacturer lists the track recorder as 8 tracks, then the maximum number of tracks it can mix is 8. Handheld ones can be used in outdoor recordings, rehearsals, live performances, etc.

Another gadget you need for recording is a good audio interface. Single and double channel interfaces can be used for indoor recordings as the vocal and instruments can be recorded separately and mixed. Even 4 channel and more types are available in the market for better productions.

Aspects Of Fashion Industry – Choose Your Fashion Merchandising Colleges

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Fashion industry attracts many young people nowadays not only because it is a rather new profession, but also it is supposed to realize person’s likes in the field of fashion. Besides, it is quite a high-paid profession today. When a young person decides to connect his or her activity with the fashion industry nothing comes to mind except one its aspect – fashion design. Probably, few people actually know that it’s a separate field of fashion industry. In fact, there is a great number of other professions and specialties in fashion including designing clothing, fashion design, fashion marketing, fashion merchandising, etc. The latter doesn’t get worthy attention, but it is very important. Due to merchandising we have fashionable clothes in the shops and stores.

How can one know whether fashion merchandising is the field for him to start work at? Look through the following traits of a potential fashion merchandiser and if at least one point coincides with your way of life, you have all chances to make the career in the field. Do you like to spend your weekend walking through flea markets for the latest retro fashions? Or maybe your friends want to borrow your fashionable shoes and your defiant accessories? If so, maybe you should take a walk down the fashion runway. Being a student in merchandising, you will get an opportunity to learn more about fabrics and textiles. You are also going to study the cultures and subcultures that shape the way people dress.

No doubt, in order to become a professional merchandiser, a great desire and talent for this specialty is not enough. If a person wants to get into this career and have success in it one needs to get the right education and training at first. A fashion merchandising college will be of great help for you. Once you study at a fashion merchandising college you will get an opportunity to learn all the ins and outs of the fashion industry because there one can get a practical experience and build a strong foundation necessary for further working in this field.

A student has the right to choose whether to obtain a two-year Associate in Art degree or a four-year Bachelor of Science degree in the field of fashion. It depends on the kind of a fashion merchandising college you are going to visit. Besides, you are also welcome to unite this education with classes or even a major or minor in a related specialty, for instance, fashion design or fashion marketing. Students in a fashion merchandising college learn how to manufacture, buy, promote, and sell fashion items, beginning from clothing and jewelry to cosmetics and furniture. They also learn about textiles (fabrics and the fibers used to make them).

One should choose his or her future merchandising college very thoroughly. Depending upon the fashion merchandising college you are going to attend a sort of the necessary courses in your degree course will greatly vary. The most preferable courses include subjects like accounting principles, business law, salesmanship, fashion sketching, merchandising math, merchandising, publicity and promotions, fashion development, trend-spotting, and the history of fashion. You are certain to like those subjects, besides, they will give you the fundamental knowledge of the fashion industry.

Studying at a fashion merchandising college is not like studying at any other educational establishment. Many core courses in fashion merchandising are hands-on and involve a great amount of project work. Professors tend to rely more on their life experiences than on textbooks. If you are going to become a student expect to take a lot of field trips and listen to many guest speakers. You may visit a fashion magazine or large clothing company. You might even swing by a fashion show or two.

Having the profession of a fashion merchandiser is very interesting. It involves much communication with other people. When a person gets the job of a fashion merchandiser he or she is going to spend all days long visiting various fashion shows, buying clothing and designs, speaking with designers, overseeing advertising and marketing campaigns necessary for successful selling of your products, and managing the stores within your business network. You are also expected to find yourself negotiating business agreements with manufacturers and suppliers. Besides, you are going to arrange your own store displays. The scope of your activity depends on the size of the business you have as well as on the level of practical work expected of you.

Beginning the fashion merchandising career you should always improve your skills and knowledge of fashion tendencies in the world, and the most important thing you will have to do is to perfect your ability of picking out the next big thing in fashion before anyone else does. This will guarantee your success. This ability carries the foundation of your new knowledge of past fashions and trends. It includes everything you will obtain by attending a fashion merchandising college, but further you should develop this trend adding your own good taste in clothing.

Summing up, it would be necessary to say that the career of a fashion merchandiser cooperates with many different fields of the fashion industry. That’s why if you are searching for a more interesting kind of activity, something that’s more than just designing clothes or visiting fashion shows, fashion merchandising may be your piece of cake. But be very attentive while choosing an appropriate fashion merchandising college, try to use your wisdom in this uneasy task, because it may define your future profession and even you life. You should do your research before entering the fashion merchandising college, and beforehand check whether the school or program you are going to attend is properly accredited.

The Critical Illness Insurance Market

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In my previous article: Five Steps to Critical Illness Sales Success the first step was to identify your target market. With your target identified you can begin to list the various objectives that can be achieved with the use of a critical illness insurance policy. Some potential markets are:

  •  Self employed individuals
  •  The family market / Single parents
  •  The group insurance marketplace
  •  High income earners

While there may be some overlap in ultimate objectives the reasoning behind the objectives will differ. It is impossible to launch an effective marketing campaign without understanding your target market’s goals. And without a specified target market it is impossible to fill your calendar with high quality prospects.

The Self Employed

Perhaps no other target market needs Critical Illness Insurance more than the self-employed individual. Unlike an employee of a larger company this individual has no employee benefits other than what he purchases for himself. The objectives of this market segment may include: income replacement, money to hire a temporary replacement employee, money to pay routine business expenses, major medical gap coverage and freedom from managed care restraints. It is important to recognize that the self-employed individual most likely does not have disability income protection whether income protection or overhead expense. The Critical Illness Policy is a viable and less expensive alternative to disability income.

The Group Insurance Market

This marketplace offers numerous Critical Illness Insurance applications. Depending on the group size that you target some of the objectives might be: expansion of voluntary benefits, medical gap plan, executive benefits and expansion of employer-paid benefits. This market is more complicated than other markets because you may have to understand the objectives not only of the employer but that of the employees as well. While the employer must approve Critical Illness Insurance as a voluntary benefit, the producer will still need to understand the objectives of the employees to have a successful enrollment. To open a discussion of Critical Illness Insurance as an executive benefit it is important to understand the value to the executive. The employer market may have numerous challenges but it can be one of the most profitable.

High Income Earners

This category includes doctors, lawyers, consultants and other professionals with incomes above $250,000 annually. These individuals tend to have disability income protection but are limited in the percentage of their income that can be protected. Critical Illness Insurance can ensure that they do not have to deplete their savings and investments in the event that they are disabled by a covered illness. Individuals in this category tend to be less concerned with the potential out-of-pocket expenses that may be incurred then they are about protecting their financial future.

The Family Market / Single Parents

The need for Critical Illness Insurance here should be obvious. For working Americans, whether in a traditional family or as a Single Parent the need for cash when a family member is diagnosed with a critical illness cannot be overstated. The income replacement needs are far in excess of what disability income can protect. Parents want to be with their children should there be diagnosis of cancer, spouses want to be with each other when a critical illness strikes and everyone wants the freedom to seek out-of-network treatment when it is their best interest. Regardless of whether it is a $10,000 policy or a $100,000 policy there will be tremendous financial freedom for the family.

It should be obvious that there is a lot of opportunity in the marketing of Critical Illness Insurance. But beyond the sales opportunities is the chance to really make a difference in the life of an individual.

Co-Opetition Could Be the Cure for America’s Social Ills

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A Primal Wisdom is a prophetic, engaging and thought-provoking look into the worlds of politics, religion, and interpersonal relationships that is a very timely read in regards to current events.

In his book, V. Frank Asaro defines his theory of “co-opetition,” a natural unification of cooperation and competition. Too much of one and not enough of the other, says Asaro, causes imbalance. Using the example of an out-rigger canoe (pictured on the cover of his book) he says, “piled into the main hull are competitive, free-enterprise elements, but fixed out on the end of the spars is the pontoon itself, housing ethics, business law and regulation.” Working together, they balance each other out and keep the canoe afloat.

This “sweet spot” isn’t an exact balance between the two, but the fulcrum point exists in a different place for each case. Some strife (competition) is a good thing, says Asaro. Likewise, we all need some regulation or we’d live in chaos. A stable government, he says, “can be provided by finding the point of synthesis between the power of the masses and that of an influential elite of society.”

Asaro first developed this theory of co-opetition back in the 1970s and has been writing about it since. Now, in his groundbreaking book, he tackles hard issues such as illegal immigration, government over-spending, gun control, education and social security.

I found this book interesting and it gave me a better understanding on some political issues and why America is struggling right now. I especially liked his argument on gun control (he tells us where the sweet spot is and why) and names advocates of freedom who were pro-gun, including the Dalai Lama, Indira Gandhi and George Orwell. I also found the section on social engineering fascinating, and how the Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae loan debacle began the downward spiral towards the recession of 2008.

If you give the people too much, says Asaro, they will forget how to take care of themselves and rely more and more on government. He gives an example of the near extinction of a breed of wild monkeys in Costa Rica. Tourists and park naturalists had been feeding them, so mother monkeys had forgotten how to teach their young to forage for themselves in the forest. The youngsters, without continued outside support, began starving to death.

Asaro’s book gives solutions for finding this “sweet spot” between competition and cooperation in the above-mentioned areas and more. His vast knowledge of social issues and obvious intellect make for a great read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it has given me fodder for discussion, and some solid arguments to back up some of my beliefs as a conservative, and to see the side of people more liberal in their thinking. Even if you aren’t interested in social issues, it makes for a deeper understanding of how human intuitiveness works, given the chance, in naturally regulating the sometimes overreaching arms of other tribes, countries, or governments.

Asaro, an inventor, lawyer, philosopher, musician, composer and more, uses his insights and a lifetime of learning to give us a book that will be the cause of great debate by its readers for years to come. It’s so rich you’ll want to keep it as a reference, and in it you’ll find yourself reading solutions to questions you never thought to ask.

Little About Indian Classical Music

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Sitar, sarod, tabla, sarangi or dhrupad, khayal, ghazal or raga, tala, gharana- these are known the world over today. They represent Hindustani Art Music – in reality, a part of Indian Classical music. The terms North Indian Classical Music or Shstriya Sangeet are also occasionally used.

Indian music has developed through very complex interactions between different people of different races and cultures over several thousand years including the Vedic chant tradition dating back to approx. one millennia BCE, the equally ancient Persian tradition of Musiqi-e assil, and also the existent folk traditions prevalent in the region.

However, references to music in ancient texts, aesthetic formulations, and depictions and written discussions of musical instruments offer clues to the Indian music history.

Indian classical music allows for a much greater degree of “personalization” of the performance. Thus they do not represent mind of the composer but a universal idea of the world. They transmit not personal but impersonal emotion.

A difference with the western classical music is that Indian music is monodic, not polyphonic. Hindustani (North Indian) ragas are assigned to specific times of the day (or night) and to specific seasons. Many ragas share the same scale, and many ragas share the same melodic theme.

For most historical eras and styles, surviving treatises explaining musical scales and modes provide a particularly important means of recapturing at least a suggestion of the music of former times. Tracing the musical theory of the past makes clear the position of the present musical system.

The Appeal of Spiked Dog Collars as a Human Fashion

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And the amazing thing is that these types of dog collars with spikes sticking out of them probably appeal more to humans as some sort of fashion statement then dog owners. Let’s face it, there are probably more people wearing spiked dog collars then dogs. This trend of people wearing spiked dog collars began during the rise of the punk music movement when young punks began wearing them to shock establishment. Wearing a dog collar fit right in with the image that punk rockers and their fans were trying to project. What began as a punk rocker bad boy image symbol has become more main stream these days with many people, particularly teenagers, wearing them as a fashion accessory.

This of course doesn’t mean that you can’t buy a spiked dog collar for your dog if that’s the image you are trying to project, but aside from guard dogs or junkyard dogs the appeal of a spiked dog collar on a dog just really isn’t there. If you have teenaged kids on the other hand they may be more than willing to wear a dog accessory most people wouldn’t put on their dog.

Spiked dog collars aren’t the only dog fashions that have found favor among their human masters. Dog tags, worn on a long chain around the neck, became a part of the human fashion world back in the 1990’s. They caught on quicker then the spiked dog collar because they weren’t nearly as obtrusive being worn under clothing. Dog tags were looked on more as jewelry then clothing and aren’t nearly as offensive as a spiked dog collar by the more mainstream of society. Now days with all the metal accouterments found on fashions and piercings those sporting a spiked dog collar or metal dog tags aren’t much noticed anymore. These types of fashions aren’t even considered a “bad boy” accessory anymore with many teens sporting such fashions with hardly a second thought. There are even spiked collars with a more godly feel to them, sporting little metal crosses hanging from them.

The spiked dog collar, once considered a punk rocker or “bad boy” fashion accessory, is no longer seen in that same context. Like most fashions that were shocking when first seen its image has changed as it has become more popular to the point that it is widely accepted by even those who are rather conservative. One thing is for sure, the spiked dog collar is a dog collar that easily crossed over into the realm of human fashion.

Shopping Centre Operating Costs

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When you efficiently manage a Shopping Centre, the expenditure and operational costs have to be well under control. In this property market there are a number of pressures to balance as part of that property management process, and the expenditure will always be of great concern. It is very difficult to lease vacant premises to new tenants if the outgoings are excessive for a property of its type. The landlord will also have a lower net income if that is the case.

Most importantly the Shopping Centre should be performing financially to standards which are at least equal to or better than any other competition properties in the area of similar type and size. The standards should include key financial criteria such as:

  • Repairs and Maintenance costs
  • Insurances
  • Essential Maintenance Services
  • Income generation
  • Vacancy factor
  • Income growth
  • Sales MAT (Mean Average Turnover)
  • Sales per retailer type
  • Sales per shop size
  • Customer visits to the property
  • Council rates and other statutory costs

These figures should be managed and understood within the Shopping Centre financial performance plan. To achieve this it is not uncommon for Shopping Centre’s to share some information and averages as part of market research into financial performance. If you cannot compare your property to something else then you will not know where it is headed and how it is performing.

It should be said that the history of your property over the last few years will always be useful as a benchmark in your property performance plan. As part of that historic analysis, you can split the outgoings between controllable items and uncontrollable items, and then track the escalations by income codes or types.

The uncontrollable items are those that are applied to the property and must be paid. Typically they are council rates, water rates, and land tax. The escalations in these items occur because of the uncontrollable policies and rating processes of the local councils. Usually they will base their rates and charges on the property value. It is not unusual for the councils to be valuing the local properties every two years for this purpose. Retail Centre Managers know the high value of monitoring and disputing the property value when it comes through. You can save extensive operational costs and payments for rates and taxes if you get a realistic property value.

Cooperation between Centre Managers is therefore common and quite productive given that the job and industry is just so special. Unskilled and ordinary property managers have little chance to improve and specialize without gaining experience from other established Retail Centre Managers in this part of the property industry.