Archive for December, 2009

SYOGRA Thermal Massageliege

Den Moment, als sich Herr Dirk Frauenheim in Asien auf eine mit warmen Thermalrollern betriebene Infrarot Massageliege legte, wird der Geschäftsinhaber lange in Erinnerung bleiben. 

„Ich plagte mich zuvor wochenlang mit plagenden Beschwerden im Rücken”, erinnert sich der Leidtragende aus Sankt Georgen im südlichen Schwarzwald. Nach der 30-minütigen Massage fühlte er sich ungleich besser. „Die Problemen ließen nach, und ich fühlte mich fitter”, sagt Frauenheim.

In Südkorea gesehen !

Diese Entdeckung war die Geburtsstunde der Geschäftsidee von Petra Schön und Dirk Frauenheim: die Entwicklung eines umfassenden Netzes an Massagestudios, in denen Personen mit oder ohne Rückenproblemen auf den mit warmen Jaderollen betriebenen Infrarot Massageliegen Linderung finden.

Die beiden entwickelten eigens für den europäischen Markt eine Thermalliege mit Jadekugeln sowie ein Businesskonzept für deren Nutzung.

Unter der Marke „SYOGRA” haben die Lizenzgeber mittlerweile weltweit 100 Studiobetreiber mit Lizenzen ausgestattet.

„Der Betrieb”, so planten die Lizenzgeber, „sollte ähnlich wie in einem Sonnenstudio funktionieren: “Massage to Go” – ganz ohne sich entkleiden oder vorab einen festgesetzter Zeitpunkt abmachen zu müssen”, verdeutlichen die Begründer.

Ihre SYOGRA mit Sitz im Schwarzwald öffneten Petra Schön und Dirk Frauenheim im Frühjahr 1997.

Von hier aus entwickelte Petra Schön Business Modell für den geplanten Aufbau der SYOGRA Wellness Oasen und verkauft seitdem die ungewöhnlichen  Jade Massageliegen an die neuen Geschäftsinhaber. Ihr Gemahl dagegen kümmert sich ausschließlich um die Fertigung der Massageliegen in Asien.

Erfolg von Anfang an

Die Wunsch nach den Infrarot Massageliegen war von Beginn an enorm.

Das Lizenznehmer-Konzept der Gründer verpflichtet potenzielle Lizenzpartner dazu, neben dem eigenen Namen die Marke Syogra für ihr Jade Massagestellen zu verwenden.

„Das hat den Vorteil, dass sie bereits auf einen permanent bekannter werdenden Namen zurückgreifen können”, sagt Petra Schön. Um in der Startphase für ihr Syogra-Studio werben zu können, erhalten sie zudem vom Mutterfirma gratis Werbeunterlagen wie individualisierte Broschüren oder Plakate. In der Partnervertrag inbegriffen sind zudem eine Schulung zur richtigen Einstellung und Wartung der Thermalliegen.

Der Aufschwung !

Inzwischen bitten mehrere hundert SYOGRA Standorte Jade Massage als Dienstleistung an,darunter 40 allein in Deutschland, der Schweiz und in Österreich. Weitere Studios befinden sich in Spanien, Italien, Rumänien, Belgien, Türkei, Argentinien, Thailand, Russland und Vietnam.

Top 3 Tips for Taking Great Pictures with Digital Cameras

There are many tips for taking great pictures with digital cameras. Many individuals believe that taking pictures digitally requires no specific skill or prior knowledge, but the truth is that digital based cameras integrate a high level of features that makes it challenging to capture pictures in the way that you want, or the way that you expect. By knowing a few tricks, you can capture beauty in every shot that you take. The following represents 3 tips that you can use in order to truly capture the essence of every photo that you take:

1. Many digital cameras come with preset balance settings such as “Beach”, “Sunny”, “Cloudy”, “Night”, and similar settings. Prior to taking pictures, it is important to learn how to access these balance settings and to experiment with each one. This way, when you indulge in taking pictures you will know which balance setting will compliment the photograph and can set the camera to that setting.

2. Do you enjoy taking a lot of pictures of the great outdoors or of people and places outside? If so, then it is likely that you will benefit from what is referred to as a “Polarizer”. This is a special filter that is often used when photographing landscapes and natural scenes. It works to reduce the amount of glare that is displayed in the image and even eliminates reflections that are not intended to be caught. If you are unable to acquire a polarizer filter, simply place a lens from a pair of old sunglasses over the viewing area of the camera – this will provide the same effect.

3. The next step to taking great pictures with digital cameras is to research the zoom mode on your camera. This is also often referred to as “Macro Mode”. This feature will permit you to take pictures of items that are typically hard to capture in close up. For example, you may capture a line of ants, or a flower in your garden.

It is easy to take great pictures with digital cameras. It may seem a bit overwhelming, but it is important to learn all that you can regarding the features of your camera. Once you know what can be done with it, you may incorporate these top 3 tips to capture some fascinating shots!

The author of this post is a big fan of TipDrop, a great place to post tips to help out other users.

The Benefits of Entering Photo Contests

There are literally hundreds of photo contests every year. If you are an aspiring or seasoned photographer, here is why you should think about entering some of the many competitions now open.

Are you:

- A professional photographer?

- An amateur photography enthusiast?

- Someone with a camera and a creative mind?

- Someone who’s just bored?

Yes, photo contests are for just about anyone. Unlike poetry or cooking contests (where there’s a definite level of skill involved) almost anyone can start taking pictures with a camera. With digital cameras getting cheaper and better it’s easy to learn the skills and start entering.

What’s in it for you?

I’m glad you asked that! A Photo Contest is a great way to:

a) Showcase your skills … your winning photograph may be published in very high profile photography magazines and books.

b) Be judged by experts, critics, and peers in your field.

c) Receive amazing benefits including the opportunity to talk to editors, well-known photographers, equipment manufacturers, etc.

d) Gain instant exposure … maybe a little fame.

e) And don’t forget … the PRIZES!

The prizes range from small cash prizes to fully equipped photo studios … from a membership to exotic photo safaris.

Here is a short list of some prizes from current and past contests:

* A Land Rover Biosphere Expedition to the Tatra Mountains of Slovakia to survey chamois, wolves and bears

* A 22 day overland adventure in Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar

* A Grand Prize worth over $8,500, including a Nikon camera, lenses, flash system, notebook computer, printer, software and loads of other goodies.

* A Grand Prize worth $9,300. Including: a trip to the Northwest Territories and a Nikon Digital camera kit .

Apart from winning greatprizes, you also get a chance to develop your own real-world portfolio and depending on the competition, a win (or even a good finish!) can help launch your photo career.

So what are you waiting for?

Getting Started

Get started by choosing a photo contest.

Once you’ve chosen a contest, put the deadline date on your calendar. Either look through your existing photos or schedule a time to take your …winning photo.” Be sure to read the rules, fill out the necessary forms, send in or upload your photo … and wait for the announcement that YOU are the winner.

Seventeen beauty guidelines for a night of dancing at the clubs

It is unfortunate to spend hours primping for a celebration solely to have your curls fall lifeless as well as your makeup fade away earlier than last call.

The same makeup MO will not always work for both day and night. Here are some knowledgeable beauty tips that will keep your features looking attractive round the clock.

Begin with Vigorous, Hydrated Skin

Make-up applied on over dry skin can flake off, therefore you must exfoliate in the beginning. Then, prep your face by means of a silicone based moisturizing primer. This can fluff up your skin and give your makeup an excellent base to apply on top of for a flawless appearance.

Buff Your Body

Make your skin appear superb in an exceedingly revealing dress or top by exfoliating from your neckline downward. Because your back is a laborious to reach place, employ an extended handled loofah brush. Then, make certain your newly polished skin glows for hours with a spray on body bronzer (check in the mirror for unwanted lines)

Lighten Up On Your Heavy Base

A full face of base will look cakey and spotty when the night goes on. Plus, soft lighting is very forgiving so you don’t want that a lot of coverage. Just hide imperfections like below eye circles, pimples, and any rosiness close to your nose by means of concealer.

Choose Powder Over Cream

Cream blushes and bronzers are apt to slide off, particularly in a warm, congested room or if you have been dancing. A matte powder formula, on the other hand, can stay put whether or not you exert yourself up a sweat

Acquire Your Glow On

Candlelight that will be found at any holiday rendezvous is superflattering. Utilize it to your benefit and mix a bit of highlighter on your cheekbones, brow bones, and on top of your cupids bow. The sparkle particles can catch the glow so your face will look beaming.

Prepare Your Lids

Stop your eye makeup from sliding down your cheeks by applying a shadow base to start with. Do not have an eye primer available? No worries: A creamy concealer or diaphanous foundation will do the job.

Create Statement Eyes

For a sultry appearance that accentuates your face, try a cat eye. Utilize a little, firm brush to trace your upper lash lines with black shadow (it will not budge). Next lengthen the line a half in. further than your outer corners then flick up in the direction of the end of your brows. Soften the line and hide mistakes by blending a metallic grey silhouette over it.

Solidify Your Lip Look

One mouthful of champagne and you will kiss your lip gloss good bye. A better option: Use one coating of a creamy matte lipstick, then dab with a tissue to lift off the excess pigment. This will leave a long lasting blot on your mouth. Execute one more level for a deeper color, and try to not rub your lips concurrently later. Or else, the color can blot.

Lustrous cheeks.

Ever become aware of how your face seems to get ruddy as the day goes on? Nervous tension and caffeine ingestion will produce further redness by causing blood vessels to swell up and swell below the skin. Thus do not pile on a lot of blush just brighten up your present shade with a brush of gold shimmer face powder.

Beaming cheeks.

Possibilities are, you are already rosy, since you may be obtaining more heart pumping action (like dancing) than during the week. Play up your normal color with a touch of cream blush on the apples of your cheeks.

Tawny cheeks.

Modify to the darkness of your atmosphere with a more dramatic blush than you might put on throughout the day. However apply it before you go out. Bar illumination tends to be cavelike, thus you may overdo it by accident.

Glistening skin.

When the sun goes down, it is getting to be time to attach with guys. That means you will wish to reveal a little more of yourself, skin included. To essentially glow, put on shimmer dust on important areas the brow bone, cheekbones, and decolletage.

Perfect Your Ponytail

This commonplace fashion should be dressed up for sundown and will look glam all evening. Tease the hair round the top of your cranium, spray with hairspray, after that pull everything orderly to the rear at eye level. Get a small section of hair from the ponytail and enclose it around the elastic, securing it by means of a bobby pin.

Fluff Up a Simple Updo

A messy bun or knot is great for a night out since the further it loosens up, the hotter it looks. Incorporate mousse into damp hair to get some grip and hold, afterward blow-dry (use a diffuser if you have got straight hair). Draw together the whole thing into a low hanging ponytail, leaving the tail in a loop together with the ends sticking out. Beautify with a sparkly hair accessory.

Zip Up Lifeless Hair

Forestall fine hair from losing its liveliness by misting wetted roots with a volumizing mist. Then, blow-dry your strands whilst using a small, spherical brush to raise up your roots. Midway in the course of the evening, flip your head over and revitalize your roots with your fingertips.

Try to Keep Curls Lively

The best method to party-proof your curls is to settle on a curling iron that is one size slighter than the waves you wish for. Your tresses can look tight at first, however they are going to soften slightly while not looking droopy. It is also a sensible idea to mist each section with a thermal setting spray before you wrap it around the iron for extra hold.

The last beauty tips…..

Smell Amazing for Hours

Prolong the staying power of your perfume by applying it to your pulse points (wrists and neckline). These areas give off heat to release the fragrance. And in view of the fact that dry skin cannot hold onto aromas well, rub on a moisturizer beforehand, or a perfumed gel to hydrate and smell appealing.

Online Home Insurance Quote

My Life, My Credit

Your life isn’t all fun and silliness, is it? After my wife and I spent a good week away from reality on vacation, it was time for the two of us to confront reality. From high interest on our credit cards and our auto loan to home plans left pending, we had our work cut out for us. And I’m persistent old dog, so I was not giving up on my GPS project, either.

The first thing we did was tackle the credit cards. Thankfully, even in this time of tough credit, credit card companies and auto loan bureaus seem anxious to please individuals with good credit. My wife did a good job isolating the optimum deal on a zero percent credit card.

I’m thankful someone in the house has some responsible sense of our financial situation… and it sure as heck isn’t me. But the lower interest rate and smaller monthly bills should genuinely provide us a little extra breathing room.

Next we had to address a number of home improvements we had been designing for quite some time. Some may say we have no business investing in improvements at this time, but what can I say? We prefer to pig-headedly push forward.

My wife has been looking over the different available steam showers and we both agree on the bathroom lights and bathroom sinks we want for our bathroom remodel, but after looking over some discount bedding tips, we’re no longer on the same page for the new bedding.

Thankfully, she’s being either encouraging or patient of my little gadget obsession. I’m not too bad about it, but I have my weakness. Presently I have narrowed it down to a handheld tv, DVD projector or a Garmin Golflogix GPS. Speaking of GPS, we both agree it is time to develop a better understanding for GPS vehicle trackers for our vehicle safety.

I think gps tech has evolved enough and grown cheap enough that we need to integrate it into our life.

I’m only assuaged my girl and I are on the same page for a majority of this stuff. People’s lives can be so much more difficult when the people around them use your troubles as launching points for their pride rather than chances to unite and mature.

Unique Job Ideas For Communications Major

One of the interesting things about a degree in communications is the number of different fields it opens up. When you do a preliminary job search, it can look like there aren’t very many jobs for communications majors. After all, it is not like most areas of specialty where all the jobs are in the same thing. For example, if you major in business, you can find all the opportunities you like on a business jobs website. Having communications as your major requires a little more creative job considerations.

Your other interests and skills are used more heavily if you are a communications major. Many communications majors, understandably, like to go in to advertising. If you have an advertising degree in addition to your communication major, there are a lot of doors open for you. You’ll be able to work in both traditional advertising and more novel types such as viral marketing. Getting the contacts you need for success is vital and having a background in communications opens this door.

Public relations type jobs are very common for communication majors. Being a communications major almost guarantees you an interview with a public relations firm. After all, even fresh out of college they can assume that you are skilled at representing clients and spin doctoring whenever the situation calls for it. Make a good impression, and you will be a shoe in.

There are many jobs for communication majors in non profit type of businesses. If you really want to use your communication skills to make the world a better place, this can be one of the most promising career fields for you. Businesses and organizations with non profit designation need communications employees just as much if not more than normal businesses. These types of jobs offer communication majors the satisfaction of a job well done in addition to helping people with a worthy cause. What could be better than that?

If none of these career ideas appeal to you, do not give up. A major in communications is a respected liberal arts degree that will open up many other venues for you. You could be a traffic coordinator, A retailer shipping manager, or really anything else you put your mind to. Majoring in communications opens up many doors, but it doesn’t close very many. With a little bit of imagination and a lot of hard work, the world is wide open to you.

Choosing Help Desk Software

With over 100 Support Desk vendors in the market, prices ranging from free to over $4,000 per advanced user (i.e. Technical Support Rep or Customer Support Rep) and a vast array of structures, internet services, and features to look at, selecting the right customer support software for your organization can be a time sucking and frustrating process.

The reason for this post is to attempt to and make easier the procedure for you. This article will address general issues that everyone in the help desk software market should understand prior to making the ultimate choice. Considering these issues will help you make a more knowledgable conclusion.

Help Desk Software – Architecture

The issue that tends to generate the most confusion in our industry is client/server web-enabled solutions (C/S) vs. 100% web-based solutions. In general, C/S architected solutions are dying breed. At one point, an awesome step up over main frame solutions, C/S technology has been phased out due to the availability and rewards of web-based solution architectures. The main reason some helpdesk software vendors continue to sell C/S solutions is due to the conclusion that they do not have the development assets to adapt their older product to a web-based architecture. Some of the rewards that web-based solutions include over C/S solutions include:

  • No client-side software install, updates, or support
  • Log in from anywhere on the web, anytime with any web browser
  • Access to all features and functions at anytime and from any place

When you start to demo different customer support software solutions please take note if you are required to load code on your desktop to starts the demo. If so, you are not doing business with a business that gives a web-based solution. True web-based architectures need only a URL in order to do a demo.

So, if the business emails you a 5 MB exe. file to demo their solution, you are not looking at a 100% web based helpdesk software solution. The file that business is sending you is either front ending a C/S system or is a entire canned demo on your computer. Make sure you evaluate the solution you are going to buy! If you do purchasea C/S solution, please take note that web-enabled add-on modules will not give you full access to all of the features when you are in a browser on the web.

Wuhanhf

The topic of diabetes 1

Let’s consider types of diabetes, diabetic desserts and diabetes news headlines in line with Maternal Diabetes & diabetes statistics as one of the most important things for us all to consider is our fitness. One of the amazing things [relating to well being] about us in this wealthy time that we are living in is that of the amount of health related disease that exists and that we have to pay attention to diabetes 1 to be able to live lives of stability. There are of course different things that need to be know about this type of disease such as diabetic desserts & diabetic shoes which all links into signs of diabetes and people becoming knowledgeable when they or someone else in their family has the disease.

As we deal with gestational diabetes diet, sugar diabetes and diabetes insipidus that links into us having to cope with a diabetes educator & diabetes statistics depending on the actual type of the disease that we have to face. Of course whatever we eat on a regular basis will affect our well being and therefore we see that diabetic food ends up playing a critical role in our lives. People go to great lengths to understand diabetic diet plan as soon as they really understand how critical what we eat is in controlling all things related to Diabetes Mellitus & diabetes statistics.

As we encounter many things as human beings and especially when considering fitness, a diabetes educator & diabetes statistics and especially diabetes type2 symptoms becoming as educated as we can about the topic is the best thing we can do. As we continue to live and have to deal with types of diabetes, diabetic food and diabetes news headlines and with the amount of research that is being carried out into diabetic desserts & diabetes statistics then there is great hope that in the not too distant future – there will be a cure for diabetes. It is hoped that those having to deal with american diabetic association & diabetic testing strips on a daily basis and having to know all that they can when it comes to diabetes 1, sugar diabetes and diabetes type2 symptoms more and more people for sure will experience richer lives.

How To Speed Up Metabolism: Could You Be a Victim Of Metabolic Syndrome?

Many struggling dieters understand only too well that a damaged metabolism surely leads to greater difficulty in losing weight and makes long term weight management virtually impossible. Looking for advice on how to speed up metabolism is all very well but how can you tell if your metabolism really is damaged or whether you are just deceiving yourself that you are following your diet religiously?

By answering the following questions, you should be able to gain a fairly accurate idea of how likely you are to be suffering from Metabolic Syndrome, which is sometimes known as being Insulin Resistant.

Take a look at the ten questions following and score 1 point for every positive answer you give:

1. Do you find it difficult to lose weight when following a low-fat diet regime?

2. Do you crave sugar or candy and do you get a sugar-rush followed by a downswing in mood?3. Do you feel tired, headachy or anxious during the day? Do these feelings subside following a meal?
4. Do you find it hard to stop eating once you start?
5. Do you crave bread and consume more than one or two slices at a time?
6. Are you weary all the time?
7. Are you thirsty most of the time?
8. Are you often moody, irritable or anxious?
9. Do you have a family history of alcoholism, diabetes or hypoglycaemia?
10. Is your waist to hip ratio larger than 0.8 (if you are female) or 0.9 (if you are male)? To work this out, measure around your waist at belly button level (in inches), measure round the widest part of your hips and divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement.

If your total is 7 or over, then it is very likely that you are a victim of Metabolic Syndrome, your metabolism is very compromised and you are at risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. You need to get help with this problem immediately and would benefit from a health check from your doctor.

If you scored 4-6 then your metabolism has suffered significant damage and this must be repaired if you are not to develop more serious metabolic problems. Incorporating as many metabolism boosting tips into your diet and lifestyle as you can will definitely be to your long-term advantage.

If you scored 0-3 then your metabolism is just a little ragged around the edges and can quickly be brought into prime condition by making just a few adjustments to your diet and lifestyle.

Don’t risk your health by ignoring the warning signs – you have taken the first step by looking for advice on how to speed up metabolism, now follow it through and take the action that will repair your metabolism, bring down your test score and show you how to lose weight faster than you could have thought possible.

Don’t put it off – do it now before your risk of suffering Metabolic Syndrome increases!

 

 

Fishing Trip

Does Your Web Site Deserve to be Fired?

If your website was one of your sales staff would you be happy with his results? A good website design should deliver you quality leads and generate a return on your investment – not just than just sit there and look good.

Remember that website design is a marketing activity not a technology decision. So many people seek out a web developer as their first port of call when they need a website. But that’s putting the cart before the horse.

Your first activity when contemplating a website should be to think about your marketing objectives and what job you need your website to do for you.

To do that let us revisit the sales person analogy. If your website was a sales person what should its sales process be? How will it get customers to engage with them and your company. Thinking about this analogy forces you consider what information and functions your website needs to get you real sales results.

For a start, You need to arm your online salesperson with information to they can appear knowledgeable about the benefits of your products and services. He needs to be able to succinctly articulate what your unique selling proposition is.

You need your salesperson to acknowledge that customers are different stages of their buying process and therefore have different informational needs. For example, provide product comparisons for people who haven’t yet decided on the right product, but also provide in depth product information for those who are further advanced in their decision process.

You need people to trust your online salesperson too, so consider what do you need to do or say on your website to engender trust. Even the aesthetics of your website can contribute to trust. A shabby looking website from 1992 isn’t going to help your image.

Not everyone will buy or engage on their first visit. Your online salesperson needs to provide a reason for the customer to come back. Constantly updated content gives people reason to return. Make sure your website is a worthy destination. A website that never changes is like a retail store that doesn’t change their window display. It makes people think they’ve already seen everything you have to offer and they won’t bother to come in.

At some stage in the process, your online salesperson needs to ask the customer’s name and contact details. To do this, you usually need to give them the promise of something in return (eg. early notification of specials, a free assessment). This is a critical point in your sales process. Now your visitor isn’t anonymous, he has a name and you know how to contact him and have permission to do so. At this point, you can call them an actual “lead”. Yippee.

Once your online sales person has promised something they have to deliver. They need to follow up on their promise. If you promised email notifications of sales, make sure you do it. Take every opportunity to re-engage with them. That means more opportunities to communicate with your customers and ultimately make sales.

If you actually want to sell your products online, at some point you need to facilitate the sale. Online shopping cart facilities make this easy. Design your sales process so that it provides a good shopping experience. No-one likes waiting in a checkout queue and similarly online shoppers don’t like clunky purchase processes.

So when you’re ready for a new website – remember, the brief to your web designer should read more like a job description than a shopping list.

Jane Davies is founder and Director of Cat and Moose Marketing Solutions and specialises in online marketing in Brisbane. The core philosophy is to create and design websites that deliver real marketing results rather than just sit there and look good. Cat and Moose Marketing Solutions also advises clients that online marketing be used as part of a broader marketing plan.

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