Travel Online TV - Travel Channel

Travel Online TV is sometimes very specific shows only a single channel or the Travel Network TV. Like the Travel Channel that launched in 1987, life back, may be the only entertainment channel, both on cable TV and online travel company that offers pure. It's like you want the window to the world and at the same time that Pandora's box that all interested travelers to gain experience of the world, a handful of knowledge and insights to meet, are theirCuriosity.

The thing that separates this from other networks, the channel is that travel is a whole new meaning. This channel has confirmed that travel is not just an attempt that someone is doing every day, but is a way of life as a life cycle, one can not live without.

Travel Channel to be made available this way, not only for the millions of homes worldwide, but also as a travel hub broadband, consisting of video streams, video on demand and otherdownloadable content for mobile devices. Now the veteran travelers quickly and easily plot their next trips for the coming days to help with the TV online travel with their laptops and cell phones.

On the other hand, beginners can travelers get some very good suggestions and travel policies for them to start their first adventure escapades with no problems at all. With Internet domains around like this, you can now say it is definitely become a partthe travel experience for everyone.

Distribute your products in Convenience Stores

Article also includes:

-Description of various organizations typically found in an inventor's distribution channel.

-Explanation of how to find a distribution channel for your product.

Many inventors have small novelty products where they want their products sold to convenience stores. This has been a difficult market for inventors because the distributors are typically rack jobbers who actually own the merchandise and buy at 40 to 45 percent of retail. The distributors can be hard to find as they don't have a Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) dedicated to them, and most operate on the office supplies distributor SIC code.

Recently on a project though, I can across a great source, Mr. Checkout. According to the website description "Mr. Checkout is a national organization of (DSD) Direct Store Delivery Wagon-Jobbers, Distributors, Retail Merchandisers and Wholesale-to-Distributor Warehouses servicing Convenience and Grocery Stores in the US since 1989. Our DSD / Full-Service Merchandising Distributor Members call on c-stores weekly." The site has a large of services including a Walgreens merchandising program and a product placement blitz service. Everyone should check this site out if you have a product for drug stores, convenience stores or grocery stores. I can't vouch for the association but I did find the site had a great deal of helpful information.

Over the years I have found that inventors are unfamiliar with distribution, which is the channel that a product follows to take to market. Often products are handled by your own direct sales efforts, reps (also called manufacturers' sales agents), brokers, specialty distributors, wholesale distributors, other manufactures with complementary lines, and rack jobbers all who may play a role in selling a product. The path your product follows to market is called a distribution channel. For example you may sell a product through a rep to a rack jobber distributor who sells to convenience stores who then sells to the consumer.

Description of terms often used when discussing in the distribution channel:

Direct sales: Indicates that sales are handled by the selling company's own sales force.

Reps (manufacturers' sales agents): Independent contractors that promote a Company's line, but have very limited authority to commit a company to any but its standard sales terms. In effect a salesperson that represents a variety of companies with non competing product lines. They typically call on a specific industry, and carry product lines where the sales volume isn't large enough to justify a direct salesperson. Reps don't take title on a product and work commonly on a 5 percent to 20 percent commission.

Brokers: Brokers are similar in some respects to a rep, they are independent from the companies they serve and receive a commission but they are more oriented towards the buyer than the seller. A rep will not carry competing lines and will have a wide range of products. A broker has a narrow range of products and many of them compete. An insurance broker, for example, carries lines of insurance from many companies, and will chose the company that is best for his customer. An insurance agent carries only one company's products, and tries to steer everyone to buy those products. A clock broker, for example, might have three stores as customers, and have access to many lines of clocks. He would then offer clock lines to his customers so they would have a constantly changing variety of clocks. Reps are far more common than brokers.

Private label: This is a practice where a company makes a product that it sells to another company that markets the product under their brand name. For example, a toy company might make a toy that is sold under the Toys R Us label. Or it might make a toy that is sold to Play School and then Play School would sell it under its label. Private labels sellers own the rights to the product and develop and produce the product to their specifications. Toys R Us might also create a develop toys that they have produced by a manufacturer. That manufacturer would be a contract manufacturer, rather than a private label manufacturer, because it didn't create the product and it doesn't own rights to the product.

Specialty retail distributors: Distributors serving small markets, for example baby stores or bike shops. These distributors take title to the product and promote the product and typically carry many products from one product inventor oriented companies. They are a key component in most inventor companies' distribution plans. They typical mark up (raise their price by) is 35 to 40 percent before selling to retailers.

Industrial distributors: These companies typically sell directly to industrial companies, versus selling to a retail store. Graingers and Fastenall are examples of industrial distributors that sell a wide range of products to companies. You also have specialized industrial distributors. Some examples would be a pump and compressor distributors, a distributor that sell products for high temperature furnaces, or a company that supplies safety equipment. These companies typically have a high level of technical support to help chose the right products and then get the products to work effectively for them.

Trade distributors: These are distributors that deal with tradesmen versus industrial or consumer oriented accounts. Plumbing distributors, wood products distributors that sell to contractors, auto parts distributors that serve car repair shops are just a few of the types of distributors that sell to various trades.

Wholesalers: Wholesalers are also a distribution point between manufactures and their customers. While distributors provide promotion and service, wholesalers typically don't. They also rarely carry products from inventors as they purchase very large stocks of products and serve markets like grocery stores. Like distributors they take ownership of the product, but typically only mark the product up 15 to 20 percent.

Rack jobbers: Rack jobbers are a specialty type of distribution. Most distributors take title to the product and then sell it to a store or industrial company that takes title. Rack jobbers instead rent portions of a store, which might just be a section of a rack, or endcap positions at the end of the store aisles by the cash registers. Durable hair care products (brushes, combs and other product related hair care products) at drug stores are a typical rack jobber item. The rack jobber owns the merchandise in the store, replaces it and is only paid for the merchandise when it is sold by the store. Typically rack jobbers raise their purchase price 50 to 75 percent and then the stores mark the product up an additional 50 percent.

Selling through other manufacturers: One of the reasons companies use reps is that they don't have enough sales volume on their own to justify a direct salesperson. Those companies are often willing to pickup a line from another company if it puts them in a position to have their own direct sales force.

How to find agents and distributors.

Step 1: Start by looking for trade associations, trade magazines and trade shows. You can find associations and trade magazines with Google searches if you are lucky, or by going to one of your larger libraries, where you can look for The Encyclopedia of Associations by Gale Research, and also Gale Research's Directory of Magazines and Broadcast Media. Both of these directories have a wide range of groups for even thee smallest trade associations and trade magazines.

Once you find a list of associations and trade magazines you should go to their site and look for a list of manufacturers' representatives or distributors. For example I went to look for products for the baby industry in Gale's Encyclopedia of Associations. I found the association Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association. When I went to the web site, jpma.org, I found they had a list of manufacturers sales agents. Often the web sites will also have a list of distributors, similar to the Mr. Checkout web site.

Step 2: Develop a list of manufacturers in the industry. You can find lists of manufacturers in the trade association and the trade magazines web sites. Trade magazines will also have a list of trade shows. If you go to sites for the fairs, you can usually get a list of exhibitors. You can list more complete, making your library again. Most major libraries have a service called Reference USA in its online services. You can also use the service at home if you forget your library. Go to the site before http://www.referenceusa.com library to see what information you need. Then, the SIC codes to find the few companies on the site. SIC stands for StandardIndustrial Code, and usually have most of the companies, the same code. Once you have the SIC code, you can search based on SIC codes and get a list of many companies in the sector.

Step 3: Go to the websites of companies. Some of the companies is a list of distributors, and other artifacts are representative list. Other companies are looking for agents or distributors. Often convenient to call the company and see ifworking with you in marketing your products. This is a tactic, often as manufacturers and distributors do not want to repeat a line that is too small to wear. You and your partner company would have enough volume to entice with distributors or manufacturing defects reps to bring your product.

You will also find representatives manaonline.org, which is the manufacturer's website as "agents" National Association website.

Success Tip

If you are aMinorities or women do-you may wish to check the page http://supplierregistration.target.com/Supplier/supplier_registration.aspx the idea of the information you need to know to save as a leading supplier.

Table Manners - Using the Roundtable to Connect With Your Channel Partners

In this tough economy, one of the greatest challenges Value Added Resllers (VARs) are facing is finding an effective way to work with their channel partners. The link between partners needs to be strong so that both sides benefit but, too often, each side does its own thing. There IS strength in numbers but you need to make the connection. And this doesn't mean "connecting" by sending out a few e-newsletters, picking up the phone and making a couple of calls or "staying in touch" via email.

How do you strengthen your channel partner relationship so that it grows based on experience and trust? Building strong connections with your channel partners means you must focus together on the needs of today and those that are looming on the horizon. Neither of you can successfully do it alone. Together you can leverage your expertise to support each other as you work toward a common goal - success!

You are likely spending valuable time seeking out and evaluating new partners. How will each one help you grow your business? And what will they expect in return? What is the ideal relationship between the two of you? How much time will be required for both of you to realize the results you desire?

Take the time to evaluate your partner relationships Create a scoring system. For example, how much time do you dedicate to your partner? How strong is the communication? What about responsiveness to your inquiries? Do you have to wait around for input and ideas or do you have a proactive vendor who is clearly interested in helping you succeed? Do you have a channel partner who seems to have potential for better results if you cultivate the relationship? Are you randomly working with your partners or do you develop concrete strategies for brainstorming and developing programs and ideas? Whether you are a channel partner or a vendor serving channel partners, you must develop ways to plan and grow your relationships.

One of the most effective ways to build partner relations is to hold a roundtable, which is a gathering of business leaders both from within the industry and sometimes from outside of your genre, to discuss a particular topic in depth. These meetings can be held monthly or quarterly, depending on the group's interest and availability. The roundtable discussion is led by a moderator and often welcomes a guest speaker who will draw a crowd and spur on discussion. As a host, you are creating a networking source for your partners but are also positioning yourself at the heart of the leadership circle. You will hear their issues first and show that you understand and can help them be successful - ultimately becoming a trust advisor. While there is no immediate ROI or sales output, over the long term, these techniques will certainly help to grow your business. Here are a few ways to create your own unique roundtables to build those relationships that are critical to success:

1. Library Discussions - The one aspect we know about libraries is that using them in most capacities is usually free. Contact your local library to see what space that you can utilize for free. Then create a network support group that meets monthly to brainstorm and discuss important topics of the month. Not only are you positioning yourself as the resource, but those in the group may begin to start doing business - new business - with each other. Ask local business resources to come in and speak to the group on a particular idea. The whole group gains greater access to information and resources as a group than an individual would.

2. CEO Breakfasts - Invite the CEOs of your key partners and various other local businesses to come together for a breakfast brainstorm. This affords you the opportunity to hear concerns and issues from other business leaders in order to understand and then solve their problems (and yours, presumably) better. It provides a way for CEOs to network with each other as well - as service that they will thank you for by hopefully partnering with you. As you develop the breakfast concept, you can also place an ad or use word-of-mouth reminders to get people to join the group. Ultimately, you want YOUR breakfast to become the place business leaders "want to be seen."

3. Virtual Roundtables. There is no rule that says you have to physically meet somewhere to have a great discussion. Gather a group of like minded partners and create your own group, with you as its leader. Then, to give the group even more credibility and a broader information base, add in someone who is an influencer. For example, if 8-10 resellers came together to discussion similar situations and solutions, a local magazine or business news editor might be a good addition to the discussion group. The editor can offer a voice to help get attention and push their views and ideas into the world a bit more. You can do this by simple email exchange and as the group grows, considering setting up a profile specifically for the group on Facebook or LinkedIn for even more partner development.

Traditional roundtables also provide an opportunity for guest speakers to lead a discussion on one particular topic or focus. A moderator is helpful to keep discussions on track. Whatever format you choose, remember to focus the discussion on something that is extremely topical for the group - and provide solutions and answers so that members walk away with a new idea - and the desire to come back for more.

Whose Line Is It Anyway?

Laura Hall, Phil LaMarr, Colin Mochrie, Greg Proops and Ryan Stiles are the ad-libbing masterminds for this episode, hosted by the peerless Clive Anderson.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_WQw6piibw&hl=en

GTAmissions' GTAIV Video Guide - Mission 38 - Undress to Kill (Grand Theft Auto 4)

www.youtube.com Click here to watch Mission 37! GTAmissions' GTAIV Video Guide - Mission 38 - Undress to Kill (Grand Theft Auto 4) PC Version of GTA IV, NO CHEATS OR MODS! Recorded using FRAPS and edited with Sony Vegas 7.0 PC Specs: AMD Phenom 9550 Quad-Core Proc., 6gb DDR2 Dual-Channel RAM, 640 gb HD, GeForce GTS 250 GFX Card, 650Watt Power Supply. Running Windows Vista Home 64-bit OS. Director's Channel: www.youtube.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Follow Machinima on Twitter! Machinima ‪twitter.com Inside Gaming ‪twitter.com Machinima Respawn ‪twitter.com Machinima Entertainment, Technology, Culture ‪twitter.com FOR MORE MACHINIMA, GO TO: www.youtube.com FOR MORE GAMEPLAY, GO TO: www.youtube.com FOR MORE SPORTS GAMEPLAY, GO TO: www.youtube.com Tags: gtaiv gta iv grand theft auto four gtamissions rockstar games date video mission guide walkthrough Photo Shoot yt:quality=high Grand Theft Auto IV Auto 4 GTA4 GTAIV GTA IV Rockstar Games North UPC 410425392428 MPN 39012



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRb6q24nx2o&hl=en

Collecting Vintage Chanel Dresses

Vintage Chanel is known to be one of the most wanted items for a collector of vintage haute couture and ready-to-wear dresses. What are the factors driving the high demand for Coco Chanel dresses?

Coco Chanel as a person and her revolutionary designs still remain the greatest source of ideas and inspiration for the modern fashion designers.

Collecting of Chanel dresses has a lot of people involved: museums from all over the world, designers houses, film stars and fashionable ladies of every age.

Over the last years the collection of vintage couture and designer-made clothing has become an important trend in the antique industry. The Coco Chanel clothes are among the top performers at the auctions. Chanel, who considered designing clothes as a craft work, is known to have paid a lot of attention to luxurious finishing details. The refinement of Chanel designs makes the vintage dresses of the House of Chanel truly unique and desirable as far as their quality is concerned. Their value is correspondingly high.

Chanel Dress. The reasons to collect:

Profitability. With a certain experience this is a business where serious money can be earned;
Age as an asset. The older a dress gets, the more valuable it becomes;

Quality. The quality of garments and workmanship of the dress is almost certainly much higher in the vintage dress, compared with the high-quality modern design. It is simply too costly to reproduce this standard of quality under the modern cost saving conditions. According to Dr. Valerie Steel, curator of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, "in many cases the quality of the workmanship greatly surpasses all but the most expensive contemporary couture."

Possible difficulties to expect when collecting Vintage Chanel:

Recognizing the true age of the dress. Fashion designers looking for the inspiration in the earlier time periods, do not make it easy. Often a person assuming the specific time period, can discover, that the dress comes from a more recent time.
Sizing can be a problem for people who are not familiar with vintage fashion. It makes sense, therefore, to ask for the precise measurements when buying Chanel dress online.

Identifying quality when dealing with online sources such as eBay.

In a long-term perspective, Chanel vintage haute couture and ready-to-wear garments are likely to remain the most exclusive and exciting niche in the market of vintage designer dresses.
In our website, you can find more information and details about online sources of Vintage Chanel dress, as well as the overall rules and patterns for trading designer vintage online.

Absolutely

The Nice family go for a drive, a little girl discusses aeroplanes, a baby's in the dock and a sheepdog's in the pub.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YgwF58MrvE&hl=en

Out of Control Dog? Cesar Millan and National Geographic Channel Can Help

Cesar Millan came to America wading up to his neck across the Rio Grande. After living on the street he found a job at a dog groomers, handling the tough cases. After marrying Illusion he became a US citizen. From this beginning there is now a wealth of jobs created from THE DOG WHISPERER.

Cesar, with the help of Illusion, their two sons and other workers, are responsible for the rescue of dogs who would have been put down, or returned to a shelter. Many more owners have learned how to be the "pack leader" so they can keep, and have a rewarding relationship with their dogs.

Some people think that Cesar is too harsh with some dogs. There is even one woman who thinks she can do everything Cesar can by using treats. But I've never seen her calm a "red dog." That's Cesar's name for the dogs that are a danger to other dogs and people, and are the cases he says have put him on the map. I've also never seen the treat lady (who I'm not criticizing because she also has helped some dogs) work with the number Cesar rehabilitates, many at the same time.

There is a dog rehabilitation center where forty to fifty dogs live happily together under Cesar and his workers' care. It's not extravagant, but the dogs have activities and facilities that allow problem dogs to have group therapy, learning from the well-adjusted pack. These dogs sometimes take weeks or more to learn to become calm and submissive. But more often Cesar and crew achieve this in a day or two, or even within an hour. The biggest problem is getting the owners to carry through. Usually when they see the results, they are more than happy to do so. Now if we could just get more parents to be the pack leader with their kids!

Fred Goes on a Date With Judy

Judy asks Fred out on a date after her and Kevin break up, but will something go wrong?



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWD70zCA7LU&hl=en

Balls of Steel

Big Gay Following stalks the celebrity red carpets with his familiar catchphrase, with surprising results, and the Bunny Boiler lures innocent couples into a tarot card reading.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NPC21MLyKM&hl=en

Catfish Bait For Channel Catfish

Choosing a best catfish bait when you are fishing for channel catfish would on the surface look easy. Channel catfish are not choosy and will eat just about anything. Heck, some old timers swear that soap is the best bait. I personally have never used soap so I can neither confirm nor deny that it works but I don't know why it wouldn't. They eat everything else.

The trick is to find out which bait is best for the water that you are in and for when you are fishing. When I head out to a new lake I always take several prepared baits and some chicken liver with me. That way, I have options. I always start with one pole baited with chicken liver and another with my favorite dough bait.

If they hit on the chicken liver right away then that becomes my catfish bait until they stop biting. Once they stop biting I will try two more baits. Get the picture? By having several different baits with me I have a better chance of having the best catfish bait for that water and that "when".

It's really much easier than you think to take multiple baits with you. You can make dough and dip baits at home that can be stored in your freezer for when you are ready to use them. Simply put your prepared baits in plastic bags and place them in your cooler and you are ready to go.

In fact, another old timer's favorite that I have used and continue to use can be made at the lake with ease. Ever heard of Wheaties? Crush it up and add a little water and instant catfish bait. Add a little garlic salt and you have bait number two.

Selling is an Open Communications Channel

Yesterday I had the opportunity to work with two very experienced process control engineers as we prepared for and then participated in a lengthy meeting with a panel of technical managers at a large manufacturing company. Each of these knowledgeable gentlemen were twenty-plus year engineering veterans of their company. My function was facilitator, keeping the meeting on track so that we could accomplish our goals, chief of which was to collect the necessary information to solve their complex issues and furnish a quotation for their immediate project.

I do not pretend to be a process engineer. Any pretending would be quickly revealed and mistrust would surely ensue. There is no shame in admitting your limitations and bringing in qualified experts to assist. None of us can be experts in everything. Customers appreciate being able to speak their language and having their audience understand it. In this manner, they feel confident that there is an open communication channel and their needs are clearly understood.

Our engineers worked all afternoon, evening and early this morning preparing a sixteen-page proposal which I delivered to them this afternoon. They appreciated this extra effort as their need is immediate. We could have their purchase order and down payment as early as tomorrow!

Yes... you read correctly; a down payment. In this case, 50% of the order value. When a partial payment is part of the order process, the customer becomes committed and serious. We cannot afford to spend 20-30 hours of preparation and order components without such commitment. In like manner, our customer expects the same commitment and dedication from us. They expect us to proceed in a timely manner, communicating with them regularly throughout the process and delivering their system on-time.

These same principles can be applied in a variety of industries and services.

1. Search out and pre-qualify customers who need your help.

2. Research their credit worthiness, financial strength and reputation.

3. Be certain that they have a clear understanding of your capabilities, products and services.

4. Learn everything you can about their operations and needs.

5. Quote expectantly. Do not hesitate to ask for their business.

6. Do not be shy about making a solid profit. It is why you are in business.

7. Negotiate payment terms up-front.

8. Over-deliver on your promises.

Sales is so much about communicating clearly. When everyone is on the same page, errors and disappointments are less likely. No customer expects perfection, but they do demand your best effort and attention to their needs. Keep communicating and you will likely keep selling.

Pulling My Own Tooth Because of the Prohibitive Cost of Dentists

Jersey Channel Islands has no N H S Dentists:

I live in Jersey in the Channel Islands and I can tell you for a fact that there is no financial help for Dentist treatment available in the island, the Hospital do nothing but send you off with a couple of pain killers and tell you to go to a dentist for treatment, end of.

Now a few years ago I cracked a tooth in half, I was in agony; my tooth had split in half right into the gum. I went to the Jersey General Hospital with it; it felt like I had a sharp knife stabbing at the root of my tooth.

After waiting at the hospital for nearly three hours to be seen I was sent away with a couple of morphine tablets and told to go and see a dentist the following morning, they refused point blank to pull the tooth out for me and to be honest this is really in my opinion what they should have done. I couldn't believe that any hospital or Doctor could be so callous as to send anyone away from their doors in such obvious agony, when simply pulling the tooth out would have cured the problem, I mean just how long would this have taken them, and I couldn't help thinking how such a wealthy island could really be so penny pinching, especially as I had told them that there was no way I could afford to go to the dentist. Our Dentist prices are from what I have seen on the internet price guides around three times what they are on the mainland (England) UK!

I went home took the morphine tables and waited for them to kick in, at this point I was in so much pain with this split in half to the base of my gum tooth that I would have done anything to kill the pain. It really was that horrendous that the pain actually made me physically sick.

After the morphine kicked in I got a pair of my husbands pliers and literally yanked the offending half of the tooth out myself. There was blood everywhere, but believe it or not the relief I felt in getting rid of this offending half tooth was incredible.

I told a Jersey States member of Government in the Royal Square about what I had had to do and showed him the half tooth, which I had taken with me in a plastic bag. He said he would look into it and see something was done about this situation for the future. What did he do nothing the same situation exists to date!

I saved up a bit each week for the following two years for the day the rest of this offending tooth rotted out, and I had to actually go to the dentist and have it pulled out completely, I had to live with constant pain from it, along with the fact I could not chew on this side of my mouth for that period of time. At the time I had to go to the dentist and have the rest of this tooth pulled out I still hadn't managed to save enough to cover the cost and had to make a payment plan with the dentist for the remained of the cost.

The dentist told me that had I come to him when my tooth splintered in the first place he would have been able to save the tooth, now I have a gap in my teeth, why purely because of the prohibitive cost of going to the dentist, and the fact that the Government has done nothing about this situation.

I am not alone and I find it a totally unacceptable in a tax haven that nothing has or is being done abut it!

How To Channel Stocks

For the majority of people the phrase channel stocks is almost as strange as the concept of jumping off a bridge with no support system in place. Learning how to effectively channel stocks is very important though, many stock investors swear that this is the best place to be when you are looking to invest money in the stock market and obtain the best return possible. Nevertheless, this does not mean that it is the perfect place for every investor, after all, there are different styles of investors and putting the style that is best for you to work is critical.

In a typical world, there is no clear indication of exactly when a channel occurs for stocks. Learning how to quickly tell by looking at a stock chart where exactly a channel is occurring is very important. If you have learned to identify a channel, you will be able to quickly and easily capture the benefits that it can provide to your budget. However, before you ever start investing in channels you need to understand exactly what they are worth to you as an investor.

It is a great idea if you are looking at getting started in the stock market to channel stocks that you look towards a program to help educate you about the proper techniques. One of the best places to get started is by looking towards programs such as Stephen Cooper Stock Investing program. Looking towards the success of others are a great place to get started in your own investing career is a good first move. Simply diving into the stock market entirely on your own will often result in a huge disaster and can cause you to lose almost all if not all of your initial investment.

By properly following channels for stocks, it is possible to reduce the risk of investing while at the same time significantly increasing your return to levels that you never previously imagined. By learning how to capture the benefits of the channels that naturally appear in the stock market you will find that not only are you a much more confident investor but you are also making greater returns on your investment. For the majority of investors it is scary to start looking for channels, but for those consumers who are comfortable working in channels it can be a great place to invest.

Any investor who is completely unsure about how well a channel will work for them it is a great idea to start with some small investments and then work on increasing your overall investing slowly over time. If you find that you are having great success with channels then you can feel free to increase the number of investments that you make or possibly even the amount of money that you invest each time. Growing comfortable with channeling stocks is a great way to earn nice returns and the Stephen Cooper Stock Investing program is sure to help you reach your maximum comfort level in the stock market.

Channel Catfish Fishing

There are some who might think it strange to write an article on Channel Catfishing but for those who know and have experienced catching and eating this fish it may not be so surprising. But for those not as familiar with catfish or fishing in general, reading about what is probably the most plentiful catfish on the North American continent can be a true learning experience that can be put to good use.

Let's start with the basics. Channel catfish are, in fact, an extremely common variety of catfish that can be found in most parts of the United States. They are sometimes referred to as blue channel cats, river catfish, or spotted cats from time to time, as they do have spots, resemble a smaller version of the blue catfish, and often prefer rivers.

Although I have done most of my Channel Catfishing in rivers they are not limited to just rivers as they are not to picky about there homes. You can find channel cats in most types of freshwater, as long as the waters are warm enough (waters should warm to at least 70 degrees in the mid spring for spawning purposes).

How can you tell that channel catfish fishing will be good in a particular spot? Consider the habits of the channel cat. They often do prefer rivers, though unlike their larger cousins, they usually will be found wherever the current is slower, looking for a little shelter in natural pile ups, rock formations, and ridges in the river where food can get hung up.

In lakes, you're most likely to find them in shallower water, perhaps near the shoreline, where they can find brush cover and overgrowth from trees and grass to shelter them. Don't expect to find them hanging around locations with a very muddy bottom; they prefer the sand and rock bottom areas.

Another good place to find channel catfish is just below dams - these opportunistic feeders can find lots of flotsam and jetsam in the area to munch on.

What sort of equipment do you need for channel catfish fishing? Well, this depends on where you are fishing them. I have caught them as small as 3 0r 4 pounds but on average I usually catch them around 10 to 15 pounds but it is not uncommon to find them even bigger than this.

Therefore, you should have strong, solid equipment that is prepared for anything, including a struggle with a monster channel cat especially if you are fishing them in a fast river current.

In terms of bait, don't even bother bringing artificial baits; channel catfish fishing won't accomplish much with such a farce because catfish tend to find food based on their sense of smell rather than by sight.

Therefore, you need some sort of bait with an aroma that can permeate the waters and draw the fish to your line. This could be night crawlers, chicken livers, pieces of shad, or other fresh fish. My favorite bait to use is frogs because you can usually find them anywhere you are fishing so you don't need to run to the bait store everytime you go catfishing, plus other smaller fish tend to leave your frog alone while waiting for a jumbo cat to bite.

Big Brother | Kris Massages Dogface | Channel 4

Kris gives Dogface a sensual massage | Nightly, Channel 4 | Find out more about the Housemates www.channel4.com Visit the official Big Brother site www.channel4.com Watch Big Brother on 4oD www.channel4.com



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbTDcFkVDxc&hl=en

Weathervanes - The Primitive Weather Channel

Weathervanes are a classic weather telling device. In days before the weather channel, these pieces of metal, posted on the top of the barn were exceedingly popular to have around. They would let the folks on the farm know if there was a storm coming their way. It was the only real clue the pioneers had as to what the weather was doing, and when the winds were shifting. They would use that information to make their own predictions on what kinds of weather may be coming their way.

But weathervanes go back far before the pioneer days and the Wizard of Oz, they go back to the times of Ancient Greece. In 48 B.C., there were weathervanes built to give the Greeks a clue to what was happening with the winds, one of them as a massive man-sized weathervane that was half man, half fish. They hoped to have some idea of the power of the winds, through their weathervanes.

Further forward in history, the Vikings also seemed to know a thing or two about weathervanes' usefulness to tell weather. Theirs regularly had designs of Norse mythological animals and would be put on a ship so sailors could know what was happening in the atmosphere. On land, they were put atop Scandinavian churches.

But often you have likely seen the rooster as an animal on weathervanes. You may think that this is because of the old country influence, but it actually goes back much, much further. These rooster weathervanes became popular in the ninth century when the Pope wanted a religious reminder to adorn the top of the church. His selection was pulled from the bible, Luke 22:34, stating the morning after the last supper the cock would not crow until Peter denounced Jesus three times. Because of this verse, there are rooster weathervanes adorning chapels and abbey's throughout Europe and beyond.

When it comes to the translation of the words weathervanes, you may actually picture something a little different. It is believed the word vane comes from the original 'fane' meaning flag in Anglo-Saxon. This would make sense, as through medieval times there were many flags and banners posted above buildings that would essentially serve the purpose of a weather vane. At some point, either because they grew tired of the wearing out of the cloth, or the cost to replace it, they moved to metal flags, some with coats of arms or other insignia, that were on posts where they could still shift and move with the wind.

Still today weather vanes are popular. While we may have better technology when it comes to predicting the weather, like Doppler radar instead of weathervanes, many still like the tradition of the pieces, and the antique look they bring to their home.

In many rural areas you can still find weathervanes in many designs from flags to ships, dogs, horses, and the famous rooster adorning homes and barns. While they may no longer need to be your only source for weather information, they are a great way to appreciate a blast of wind as they did in the past.