Online Dating !
Finding the right person to date has never been a simple task, sometimes no matter how hard you try there is always a feeling, that there is someone out there just for you that you are not able to find. Finding your right half consumes lots and lots of time and money. Welcome to the world of online dating. You no longer have to search someone special through your friends circle, just log on to a online dating site and you are ready to go to find your better half. It is reverse kind of phenomenon, in which a person understands one’s aspirations and expectations via internet and finally decides to meet in person.
There are many benefits that glorify this concept. Anonymity is the first and foremost benefit that online dating provides you. You may hide your vital information including contacts, address, surnames and so on. This provides you a freedom to know the person better without a fear of being revealed. You may choose to be anonymous if you wish to until you trust a particular chap.
Security, moreover, is other benefit which invites ladies for online dating whole heartedly. No more you need to fear unwanted person to disturb you and interrupt your search for a right match. In case someone gets on you, you may block him and continue with your search. Just logging onto a right dating site can get you access to millions of prospects to go through.
Just a few words regarding your online dating venture :
* Don’t be half hearted and get ready for risk bearing. Not all ventures go 100% successful, hence, it is important to prepare yourself for some let downs. Be sure what you want and get a through research work done before actual dating.
* Spoil yourself. Treat yourself with good and new clothes and get some shopping stuff that relaxes and you and provide better confidence then ever.
* Decide in advance the reasons you are dating for. Be sure, what you want from your partner and does the search satisfy your dating goal. Be sure if you are seeking for nice companionship or you are seeking for a life partner or so.
* Boost up your confidence before going for any sorts of date. Attending social functions and getting along with your friends would surely enhance a positive aura around you.
* Decide the meeting place in advance. Be sure, the place to be public enough. Although night clubs prove to be a bad idea for meeting for first time. Obviously you would not like to scream into ears to get your views conveyed to your partner. Choose a place like a coffee shop that proves to be ideal to talk to.
* Most importantly, enjoyment is the key for dating. After all this is the reason you are dating for.
By : The Author
Showing posts with label Articles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Articles. Show all posts
‘Excellence’ Program Assists People With Disabilities
People with disabilities remain an untapped resource in the nation’s work force, facing an unemployment rate of 70 percent.
NISH, a nonprofit organization that helps secure federal contracts for agencies that employ people with disabilities through the Javits-Wagner-O’Day Program, is working to change the status quo. The organization has introduced a new program whereby agencies designated as “Centers of Excellence” serve as mentors to other agencies to help them improve the quality of the service and products they provide to the federal government.
The Javits-Wagner-O’Day Program is the largest single source of jobs in the U.S. for people with disabilities. Often referred to as the JWOD program, it provides employment opportunities for more than 45,000 people who are blind or have other severe disabilities.
Through the JWOD program, NISH works with a network of more than 600 nonprofit agencies that employ and train people with disabilities.
The program stems from the Wagner-O’Day Act, passed in 1938, which provided employment opportunities for the blind by allowing them to manufacture mops and brooms to sell to the federal government. In 1971, Congress amended the act to include people with severe disabilities and to allow the agencies to provide services as well as products.
According to a recent Harris Interactive survey, two out of three people with disabilities who are not working want to work, but the lack of opportunities and accessibility issues prevent them from finding employment.
By : The Author
People with disabilities remain an untapped resource in the nation’s work force, facing an unemployment rate of 70 percent.
NISH, a nonprofit organization that helps secure federal contracts for agencies that employ people with disabilities through the Javits-Wagner-O’Day Program, is working to change the status quo. The organization has introduced a new program whereby agencies designated as “Centers of Excellence” serve as mentors to other agencies to help them improve the quality of the service and products they provide to the federal government.
The Javits-Wagner-O’Day Program is the largest single source of jobs in the U.S. for people with disabilities. Often referred to as the JWOD program, it provides employment opportunities for more than 45,000 people who are blind or have other severe disabilities.
Through the JWOD program, NISH works with a network of more than 600 nonprofit agencies that employ and train people with disabilities.
The program stems from the Wagner-O’Day Act, passed in 1938, which provided employment opportunities for the blind by allowing them to manufacture mops and brooms to sell to the federal government. In 1971, Congress amended the act to include people with severe disabilities and to allow the agencies to provide services as well as products.
According to a recent Harris Interactive survey, two out of three people with disabilities who are not working want to work, but the lack of opportunities and accessibility issues prevent them from finding employment.
By : The Author
A Celebration of Life Begins With Lunch
On an ordinary afternoon in St. Augustine, Fla., a group of extraordinary people met at a local restaurant for a single purpose - to celebrate their accomplishments, share inspiration and encourage each other while enjoying a meal.
They came for their weekly Friday lunch from all walks of life: parents and realtors, mortgage brokers and doctor’s assistants, life coaches and flower shop employees. Many represented their own entrepreneurial ventures such as jewelry making, business coaching, spas and health clubs. Regardless of where they came from, they were there for each other, to spend an hour in support and fellowship.
These weekly luncheons are held in five other cities, sponsored by the organization Women Celebrations and attended by both men and women. Each luncheon has a theme that suggests the independence and success to which all people aspire, according to founder Sheryl Lynn. Themes have been as varied as “magnificence,” “confidence” and “work.” At an “applause” themed gathering, each attendee explained to the group why he or she deserved applause.
Members talked about moving from out of state and changing careers, business successes and personal joys. Each of the speakers received heartfelt applause as they took a moment to “stand in their power,” Lynn’s expression for people’s ability to find success and empowerment within themselves.
It was the need to celebrate everyday things that inspired Lynn to create Women Celebrations. Despite success as a mother of three and an entrepreneur, at the end of the day she felt exhausted and disheartened.
“I was not patting myself on the back upon the completion of these marvelous things. And certainly no one else was either,” Lynn said.
In starting Women Celebrations, she created an environment in which support and encouragement played a vital role.
Today, Women Celebrations has a strong presence in northern Florida and more chapters, or “loops,” are appearing across the country. The organization is open to everyone wishing to celebrate their lives, share their experiences with others through positive interaction and build a sense of community.
By : The Author
On an ordinary afternoon in St. Augustine, Fla., a group of extraordinary people met at a local restaurant for a single purpose - to celebrate their accomplishments, share inspiration and encourage each other while enjoying a meal.
They came for their weekly Friday lunch from all walks of life: parents and realtors, mortgage brokers and doctor’s assistants, life coaches and flower shop employees. Many represented their own entrepreneurial ventures such as jewelry making, business coaching, spas and health clubs. Regardless of where they came from, they were there for each other, to spend an hour in support and fellowship.
These weekly luncheons are held in five other cities, sponsored by the organization Women Celebrations and attended by both men and women. Each luncheon has a theme that suggests the independence and success to which all people aspire, according to founder Sheryl Lynn. Themes have been as varied as “magnificence,” “confidence” and “work.” At an “applause” themed gathering, each attendee explained to the group why he or she deserved applause.
Members talked about moving from out of state and changing careers, business successes and personal joys. Each of the speakers received heartfelt applause as they took a moment to “stand in their power,” Lynn’s expression for people’s ability to find success and empowerment within themselves.
It was the need to celebrate everyday things that inspired Lynn to create Women Celebrations. Despite success as a mother of three and an entrepreneur, at the end of the day she felt exhausted and disheartened.
“I was not patting myself on the back upon the completion of these marvelous things. And certainly no one else was either,” Lynn said.
In starting Women Celebrations, she created an environment in which support and encouragement played a vital role.
Today, Women Celebrations has a strong presence in northern Florida and more chapters, or “loops,” are appearing across the country. The organization is open to everyone wishing to celebrate their lives, share their experiences with others through positive interaction and build a sense of community.
By : The Author
10 Important Things to Consider Before Designing a New Kitchen
Kitchen design is very subjective, there are few hard and fast rules. A feature or layout that is perfect for one person is far from perfect for another. These are 10 things you have to take in consideration before you start your new kitchen design project…
Here are 10 important guidelines for your kitchen design project
1. For efficiency, the work triangle (the space between the sink, refrigerator, and stove) should measure 26’ or less with no single side longer than 9’, or less than 4’.
2. In kitchens smaller than 150 sq. ft., opt for at least 13’ of base cabinets, 12’ of wall cabinets, and 11’ of countertop. In kitchens which are larger, go with at least 16’ of base cabinets, 15 1/2’ of wall cabinets, and 16 1/2’ of countertop.
3. For convenience, plan work aisles to be at least 42” wide for one cook, and at least 48” wide in multi-cook kitchens.
4. Specify a minimum of 24” of counter space on one side of the sink and at least 18” on the other.
5. To create the most accessible landing for unloading groceries, allow at least 15” of counter space on the handle side of a standard refrigerator; on both sides if it’s a side-by-side model. Or include a landing area directly across from the refrigerator, but no more than 48” away.
6. For cleanup ease, install the dishwasher within 36” of one edge of the sink and allow for at least 21” of standing room next to it.
7. For microwaves and ovens, provide at least 15 “ of counter space nearby, at least 16” deep.
8. For optimum clearance, no entry, appliance, or cabinet doors should interfere with another.
9. For comfort and to help avoid repetitive-motion injury, plan for work counters of different heights; between 28 and 36” off the floor (easier for chopping and seated-use access), and between 36 and 46” for general tasks (higher counters accommodate taller cooks).
10. To install a cabinet unit above the cook top, make sure the clearance is at least 24” for a fireproof surface, 30” for an unprotected surface.
Designing a kitchen is as much a science as it is an art. Knowing the recommended measurements to use when planning the project can make all the difference in the final outcome.
By : The Author
Kitchen design is very subjective, there are few hard and fast rules. A feature or layout that is perfect for one person is far from perfect for another. These are 10 things you have to take in consideration before you start your new kitchen design project…
Here are 10 important guidelines for your kitchen design project
1. For efficiency, the work triangle (the space between the sink, refrigerator, and stove) should measure 26’ or less with no single side longer than 9’, or less than 4’.
2. In kitchens smaller than 150 sq. ft., opt for at least 13’ of base cabinets, 12’ of wall cabinets, and 11’ of countertop. In kitchens which are larger, go with at least 16’ of base cabinets, 15 1/2’ of wall cabinets, and 16 1/2’ of countertop.
3. For convenience, plan work aisles to be at least 42” wide for one cook, and at least 48” wide in multi-cook kitchens.
4. Specify a minimum of 24” of counter space on one side of the sink and at least 18” on the other.
5. To create the most accessible landing for unloading groceries, allow at least 15” of counter space on the handle side of a standard refrigerator; on both sides if it’s a side-by-side model. Or include a landing area directly across from the refrigerator, but no more than 48” away.
6. For cleanup ease, install the dishwasher within 36” of one edge of the sink and allow for at least 21” of standing room next to it.
7. For microwaves and ovens, provide at least 15 “ of counter space nearby, at least 16” deep.
8. For optimum clearance, no entry, appliance, or cabinet doors should interfere with another.
9. For comfort and to help avoid repetitive-motion injury, plan for work counters of different heights; between 28 and 36” off the floor (easier for chopping and seated-use access), and between 36 and 46” for general tasks (higher counters accommodate taller cooks).
10. To install a cabinet unit above the cook top, make sure the clearance is at least 24” for a fireproof surface, 30” for an unprotected surface.
Designing a kitchen is as much a science as it is an art. Knowing the recommended measurements to use when planning the project can make all the difference in the final outcome.
By : The Author
Despite tough times, retailers are giving more to charity
Double-digit sales declines notwithstanding, retailers have shown this is the season of giving after all.
Often-empty sales floors have made some stores look a bit like charity cases themselves lately. The pre-Christmas discounting was at levels not seen in decades, and store closings have become chillingly commonplace. But retailers have been pulling out all the stops to be charitable.
Turns out, it's a smart business move, along with a socially responsible one. More than 75% of 1,100 consumers polled in August said companies should still support social or environmental causes and non-profit organizations during an economic downturn. In the survey, by Opinion Research for cause-marketing company Cone, respondents said businesses should give as much as ever — or more.
"There's an expectation that companies better pay up," says Marian Salzman, a trends expert and chief marketing officer at Porter Novelli Worldwide. Consumers "want the retailers and brands to be accountable to the community but feel broke themselves."
The Chronicle of Philanthropy's annual report on corporate giving, out in August, looked at charitable giving by the top 150 companies in the Fortune 500. Of 11 retailers on the list that provided information, Target, Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Costco said they planned to increase giving this year, and the others said theirs would remain the same.
"There's no formula that says when profits are up, giving is up and when profits are down, giving is down," says Margaret Coady, director of the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy. "There are many factors that determine giving, including the commitment that companies have to communities and non-profit partners."
A few factors are making retailers more charity-focused :
• Retail charitable giving and cause marketing is increasingly resonating with consumers. Even as they cut back on their own spending, consumers increasingly say they are more inclined to buy cause-related products or support retailers who help the needy. When asked if they had to choose between two gifts priced the same and of similar quality, 77% of 1,070 people polled said they'd pick the one supporting a cause, according to a November 2007 survey by Opinion Research for Cone.
The gifts sold at Things Remembered that include a $2 donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation are among the stores' top sellers. Boosting the sales: the story of Elysia Bryan, who in 1997 made a wish before she died of cancer that she could give her family and friends personalized gifts saying, "Thank you, I love you, and always remember me." That led to a program that has raised more than $5.5 million since 1998 and helped 750 kids.
• Big-box retailers still have the most work to do when it comes to creating goodwill in their communities. While many welcome the arrival of a deep discounter or other type of megastore in their area, others lament that they drive out smaller local businesses. That's led companies including Wal-Mart and Target to home in on the issues and charities that matter most in the communities they do business in.
"People don't love big-box retailers. They're so impersonal and disconnected," says Ken Nisch, chairman of retail brand and design firm JGA. But their community efforts help soften the image.
• With the consumer spending slowdown, retailers are using charitable ways to draw customers into stores. Macy's promised to donate $1 (up to $1 million) to the Make-A-Wish Foundation for every child who dropped off a letter to Santa. Tuesday, Macy's presented the foundation with a $1 million check. Kohl's displayed stuffed Curious George dolls by the doors that sold for $5, and the net profit went to charity. Target donated part of the purchase price of items in a cause-related holiday collection to charity.
Target has given 5% of its income each year since 1942 to charitable causes, mostly education. Since early November, Wal-Mart has announced eight initiatives funding hunger and projects including international disaster relief.
But it is Kroger, a retailer in the low-profit-margin grocery business, that gave the highest percentage of its pretax profit to charity of any major retailer on The Chronicle of Philanthropy's list. The 6.9% of 2006 pretax profits Kroger gave to charity in 2007 is more than three times that of Wal-Mart. Target donated the second-largest percentage of its pretax profit, or 3.8%. The Chronicle's list combines foundation and corporate charitable giving of cash and products but does not include donations encouraged by the retailer but made by employees or customers.
Kroger focuses most of its charitable giving on hunger relief and local issues that customers say are important to them — and believes it pays off.
"Our customers have told us that it's one of the reasons they go to us over one of our competitors," says spokeswoman Meghan Glynn. "What we do to support communities is very relevant to them."
Laysha Ward, president of community relations at Target, says education is one of its customers' top priorities, which has made it one of the discounter's. Target lets customers who use its store credit cards designate one or more schools they would like 1% of their purchases to go to.
Much of that money and Target's other educational giving has gone toward renovating and upgrading elementary school libraries. Target employees help select the schools, typically those where up to 75% of students are below the poverty level, then design and do library renovations.
Target has also donated millions to the arts, social services and the United Way. Target's giving, says Cone Executive Vice President Alison DaSilva, is "the gold standard."
"Almost all of our clients ask us to benchmark them against Target," she says.
Mixing charity with shopping may be the ultimate win-win-win. Stores sell more products and improve their images, charities get donations and free publicity, and people get a charitable nudge many appreciate.
"People want to do good, but they don't always know how to do good, and they don't always want to spend the time to figure it out on their own," says Michael Stone, CEO of The Beanstalk Group, which specializes in brand licensing for corporate and non-profit clients.
The millions who walk through stores every day are a charity fundraiser's dream come true. Wal-Mart stores alone have 120 million visitors a week. "To get those eyeballs on a worthy cause would just be incredible," says Stone.
The percentage of people who think it's acceptable for companies to involve a cause in their marketing has increased from 66% in 1993 to 85% last year, Cone says. Almost 80% of people say they'd switch from one brand to another if the other brand is associated with a good cause, and the price and quality are about the same, up from 66% in 1993.
Cone tested such responses in actual shopping this year, when it split 182 consumers into two groups and showed some a magazine with generic retail advertising and the other cause-related retail ads. When they went shopping after viewing the ads, all of the brands associated with a cause sold better than the others. One brand of shampoo linked to a cause saw 74% higher sales, and a toothpaste brand was up 28% with a cause-related ad.
Macy's hopes cause marketing makes people like the company better, too.
"Our corporation is truly extremely supportive of cause-marketing initiatives. It supports the DNA of what this brand is all about," says Martine Reardon, executive vice president of marketing at Macy's.
She compares it with the way kind people win friends : "If you see someone out there doing something nice, you think that's what they're like, so you want to get to know that person."
John King of Southport, New York City, says he feels better about a retailer that supports charities and is more inclined to shop there. And he feels even more strongly if they stop. He and his family no longer shop at Target because the company banned Salvation Army bell ringers from the front of their stores four years ago. At the time, several Christian groups called for a boycott of Target.
Target says it doesn't allow any solicitors and highlights the $2 million it is donating to Salvation Army this year for its libraries, and other efforts, including toy drives.
Still, some find requests for donations outside stores or from cashiers wearying, while others are skeptical.
"I give to charities of my choosing that I have investigated, and I know that all the money I send goes to the charity," says Ray Tyc of Montgomery, Ala. "I'm not so sure about that with the retailers."
DaSilva says Cone's research has shown that "consumers are not all created equal regarding receptivity," but the millions raised from consumers show it's worth a try.
"Consumers are struggling to pay their own bills, but their friends and families are getting laid off, and they almost can't help but feel a sense of compassion," says DaSilva.
"Companies who recognize this mind-set of consumers will gain a competitive advantage."
By : Jayne O'Donnell
Re-Publish By : The Author
Double-digit sales declines notwithstanding, retailers have shown this is the season of giving after all.
Often-empty sales floors have made some stores look a bit like charity cases themselves lately. The pre-Christmas discounting was at levels not seen in decades, and store closings have become chillingly commonplace. But retailers have been pulling out all the stops to be charitable.
Turns out, it's a smart business move, along with a socially responsible one. More than 75% of 1,100 consumers polled in August said companies should still support social or environmental causes and non-profit organizations during an economic downturn. In the survey, by Opinion Research for cause-marketing company Cone, respondents said businesses should give as much as ever — or more.
"There's an expectation that companies better pay up," says Marian Salzman, a trends expert and chief marketing officer at Porter Novelli Worldwide. Consumers "want the retailers and brands to be accountable to the community but feel broke themselves."
The Chronicle of Philanthropy's annual report on corporate giving, out in August, looked at charitable giving by the top 150 companies in the Fortune 500. Of 11 retailers on the list that provided information, Target, Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Costco said they planned to increase giving this year, and the others said theirs would remain the same.
"There's no formula that says when profits are up, giving is up and when profits are down, giving is down," says Margaret Coady, director of the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy. "There are many factors that determine giving, including the commitment that companies have to communities and non-profit partners."
A few factors are making retailers more charity-focused :
• Retail charitable giving and cause marketing is increasingly resonating with consumers. Even as they cut back on their own spending, consumers increasingly say they are more inclined to buy cause-related products or support retailers who help the needy. When asked if they had to choose between two gifts priced the same and of similar quality, 77% of 1,070 people polled said they'd pick the one supporting a cause, according to a November 2007 survey by Opinion Research for Cone.
The gifts sold at Things Remembered that include a $2 donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation are among the stores' top sellers. Boosting the sales: the story of Elysia Bryan, who in 1997 made a wish before she died of cancer that she could give her family and friends personalized gifts saying, "Thank you, I love you, and always remember me." That led to a program that has raised more than $5.5 million since 1998 and helped 750 kids.
• Big-box retailers still have the most work to do when it comes to creating goodwill in their communities. While many welcome the arrival of a deep discounter or other type of megastore in their area, others lament that they drive out smaller local businesses. That's led companies including Wal-Mart and Target to home in on the issues and charities that matter most in the communities they do business in.
"People don't love big-box retailers. They're so impersonal and disconnected," says Ken Nisch, chairman of retail brand and design firm JGA. But their community efforts help soften the image.
• With the consumer spending slowdown, retailers are using charitable ways to draw customers into stores. Macy's promised to donate $1 (up to $1 million) to the Make-A-Wish Foundation for every child who dropped off a letter to Santa. Tuesday, Macy's presented the foundation with a $1 million check. Kohl's displayed stuffed Curious George dolls by the doors that sold for $5, and the net profit went to charity. Target donated part of the purchase price of items in a cause-related holiday collection to charity.
Target has given 5% of its income each year since 1942 to charitable causes, mostly education. Since early November, Wal-Mart has announced eight initiatives funding hunger and projects including international disaster relief.
But it is Kroger, a retailer in the low-profit-margin grocery business, that gave the highest percentage of its pretax profit to charity of any major retailer on The Chronicle of Philanthropy's list. The 6.9% of 2006 pretax profits Kroger gave to charity in 2007 is more than three times that of Wal-Mart. Target donated the second-largest percentage of its pretax profit, or 3.8%. The Chronicle's list combines foundation and corporate charitable giving of cash and products but does not include donations encouraged by the retailer but made by employees or customers.
Kroger focuses most of its charitable giving on hunger relief and local issues that customers say are important to them — and believes it pays off.
"Our customers have told us that it's one of the reasons they go to us over one of our competitors," says spokeswoman Meghan Glynn. "What we do to support communities is very relevant to them."
Laysha Ward, president of community relations at Target, says education is one of its customers' top priorities, which has made it one of the discounter's. Target lets customers who use its store credit cards designate one or more schools they would like 1% of their purchases to go to.
Much of that money and Target's other educational giving has gone toward renovating and upgrading elementary school libraries. Target employees help select the schools, typically those where up to 75% of students are below the poverty level, then design and do library renovations.
Target has also donated millions to the arts, social services and the United Way. Target's giving, says Cone Executive Vice President Alison DaSilva, is "the gold standard."
"Almost all of our clients ask us to benchmark them against Target," she says.
Mixing charity with shopping may be the ultimate win-win-win. Stores sell more products and improve their images, charities get donations and free publicity, and people get a charitable nudge many appreciate.
"People want to do good, but they don't always know how to do good, and they don't always want to spend the time to figure it out on their own," says Michael Stone, CEO of The Beanstalk Group, which specializes in brand licensing for corporate and non-profit clients.
The millions who walk through stores every day are a charity fundraiser's dream come true. Wal-Mart stores alone have 120 million visitors a week. "To get those eyeballs on a worthy cause would just be incredible," says Stone.
The percentage of people who think it's acceptable for companies to involve a cause in their marketing has increased from 66% in 1993 to 85% last year, Cone says. Almost 80% of people say they'd switch from one brand to another if the other brand is associated with a good cause, and the price and quality are about the same, up from 66% in 1993.
Cone tested such responses in actual shopping this year, when it split 182 consumers into two groups and showed some a magazine with generic retail advertising and the other cause-related retail ads. When they went shopping after viewing the ads, all of the brands associated with a cause sold better than the others. One brand of shampoo linked to a cause saw 74% higher sales, and a toothpaste brand was up 28% with a cause-related ad.
Macy's hopes cause marketing makes people like the company better, too.
"Our corporation is truly extremely supportive of cause-marketing initiatives. It supports the DNA of what this brand is all about," says Martine Reardon, executive vice president of marketing at Macy's.
She compares it with the way kind people win friends : "If you see someone out there doing something nice, you think that's what they're like, so you want to get to know that person."
John King of Southport, New York City, says he feels better about a retailer that supports charities and is more inclined to shop there. And he feels even more strongly if they stop. He and his family no longer shop at Target because the company banned Salvation Army bell ringers from the front of their stores four years ago. At the time, several Christian groups called for a boycott of Target.
Target says it doesn't allow any solicitors and highlights the $2 million it is donating to Salvation Army this year for its libraries, and other efforts, including toy drives.
Still, some find requests for donations outside stores or from cashiers wearying, while others are skeptical.
"I give to charities of my choosing that I have investigated, and I know that all the money I send goes to the charity," says Ray Tyc of Montgomery, Ala. "I'm not so sure about that with the retailers."
DaSilva says Cone's research has shown that "consumers are not all created equal regarding receptivity," but the millions raised from consumers show it's worth a try.
"Consumers are struggling to pay their own bills, but their friends and families are getting laid off, and they almost can't help but feel a sense of compassion," says DaSilva.
"Companies who recognize this mind-set of consumers will gain a competitive advantage."
By : Jayne O'Donnell
Re-Publish By : The Author
After-Christmas sales could offer really big bargains
Mark down Dec. 26 as the second Black Friday of this wacky shopping season.
Except desperate retailers are making the deals even bigger.
Day-after-Christmas sales will rival those of the real Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving that kicks off the shopping season and can put retailers into money-making territory for the year.
This year, whopping pre-Christmas sales have not done enough to sway shoppers to spend. They're awaiting deeper discounts, and retailers are promising them.
"People can come in from 7 a.m. to noon and they are going to find great deals," says Tom Aiello, a spokesman for Sears Holding, which owns Sears and Kmart. "It's like Black Friday."
The $300 billion retail industry is trying to stave off a record bad year. Industry sales will be flat or down.
"There's not a lot of time for retailers to make up for what's been lost," says Kathy Grannis, National Retail Federation spokeswoman.
Among offers :
• Sears will offer up to 75% off on electronics and 50% off on Craftsman tool storage chests. Kmart will add 40% off to clearance items, already marked down 30%.
• Toys R Us circulars in newspapers Thursday will bill the day after Christmas as the "biggest" after-holiday sale with deals including an $81.99 race car set for $19.99 and table games, originally $239.99, for $31.99.
• Crate & Barrel has savings of up to 70%.
• J.C. Penney stores open at 5:30 a.m. with twice as many door-buster deals as last year. Among the 100 deals: 70% off jewelry.
"People are saying, 'Why wouldn't I wait for another 30% off on already 50% markdowns,' " says Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at NPD Group.
Post-holiday sales usually account for 10% to 15% of the seasonal retail sales, but Cohen says the number will be higher as people cancel last-minute shopping for better deals on Friday.
But good deals for shoppers are bad for retailers, whose margins are already squeezed.
"It can help them move out their inventory, and if they can just break even, that's going to be good," analyst Jennifer Black says.
Shelly Baur of Kirkland, Washington, will give her husband clothes.
"The second present to my husband will be clothes shopping for the after-Christmas sales," she says.
In Ocala, Fla., Donna Ketterer and her husband are waiting for a deal on a video camera.
"We feel this is an item that will drop in price after Christmas," she says.
By Theresa Howard
Contributing : Jayne O'Donnell
Re-Published By : The Author
Mark down Dec. 26 as the second Black Friday of this wacky shopping season.
Except desperate retailers are making the deals even bigger.
Day-after-Christmas sales will rival those of the real Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving that kicks off the shopping season and can put retailers into money-making territory for the year.
This year, whopping pre-Christmas sales have not done enough to sway shoppers to spend. They're awaiting deeper discounts, and retailers are promising them.
"People can come in from 7 a.m. to noon and they are going to find great deals," says Tom Aiello, a spokesman for Sears Holding, which owns Sears and Kmart. "It's like Black Friday."
The $300 billion retail industry is trying to stave off a record bad year. Industry sales will be flat or down.
"There's not a lot of time for retailers to make up for what's been lost," says Kathy Grannis, National Retail Federation spokeswoman.
Among offers :
• Sears will offer up to 75% off on electronics and 50% off on Craftsman tool storage chests. Kmart will add 40% off to clearance items, already marked down 30%.
• Toys R Us circulars in newspapers Thursday will bill the day after Christmas as the "biggest" after-holiday sale with deals including an $81.99 race car set for $19.99 and table games, originally $239.99, for $31.99.
• Crate & Barrel has savings of up to 70%.
• J.C. Penney stores open at 5:30 a.m. with twice as many door-buster deals as last year. Among the 100 deals: 70% off jewelry.
"People are saying, 'Why wouldn't I wait for another 30% off on already 50% markdowns,' " says Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at NPD Group.
Post-holiday sales usually account for 10% to 15% of the seasonal retail sales, but Cohen says the number will be higher as people cancel last-minute shopping for better deals on Friday.
But good deals for shoppers are bad for retailers, whose margins are already squeezed.
"It can help them move out their inventory, and if they can just break even, that's going to be good," analyst Jennifer Black says.
Shelly Baur of Kirkland, Washington, will give her husband clothes.
"The second present to my husband will be clothes shopping for the after-Christmas sales," she says.
In Ocala, Fla., Donna Ketterer and her husband are waiting for a deal on a video camera.
"We feel this is an item that will drop in price after Christmas," she says.
By Theresa Howard
Contributing : Jayne O'Donnell
Re-Published By : The Author
Newsworthiness
Newsworthiness is defined as a subject having sufficient relevance to the public or a special audience to warrant press attention or coverage.
Normal people are not newsworthy unless they meet an unusual circumstance or tragedy. The news divides the population into two groups; those few whose lives are newsworthy, and the multitude who are born, live out their lives and die without the news media paying them any significant notice. The news has always covered subjects that catch people's attention and differ from their "ordinary lives". The news is often used for escapism and thus normal events are not newsworthy. Whether the subject is love, birth, weather, or crime, journalists' tastes inevitably run toward the unnatural, the extraordinary.
The subject and newsworthiness of a story depends on the audience, as they decide what they do and do not have an interest in. The denser the population, the more global the news becomes, as there is a broader range of interests involved in its selection.
Only a fraction of news manage to convey the overall world development.
By : The Author
Newsworthiness is defined as a subject having sufficient relevance to the public or a special audience to warrant press attention or coverage.
Normal people are not newsworthy unless they meet an unusual circumstance or tragedy. The news divides the population into two groups; those few whose lives are newsworthy, and the multitude who are born, live out their lives and die without the news media paying them any significant notice. The news has always covered subjects that catch people's attention and differ from their "ordinary lives". The news is often used for escapism and thus normal events are not newsworthy. Whether the subject is love, birth, weather, or crime, journalists' tastes inevitably run toward the unnatural, the extraordinary.
The subject and newsworthiness of a story depends on the audience, as they decide what they do and do not have an interest in. The denser the population, the more global the news becomes, as there is a broader range of interests involved in its selection.
Only a fraction of news manage to convey the overall world development.
By : The Author
History of news reporting
In its infancy, news gathering was primitive by today's standards. Printed news had to be phoned in to a newsroom or brought there by a repoter, where it was typed and either transmitted over wire services or edited and manually set in type along with other news stories for a specific edition. Today, the term "Breaking News" has become trite as broadcast and cable news services use live satellite technology to bring current events into consumers homes live as they happen. Events that used to take hours or days to become common knowledge in towns or in nations are fed instantaneously to consumers via radio, television, cell phones, and the Internet.
By : The Author
In its infancy, news gathering was primitive by today's standards. Printed news had to be phoned in to a newsroom or brought there by a repoter, where it was typed and either transmitted over wire services or edited and manually set in type along with other news stories for a specific edition. Today, the term "Breaking News" has become trite as broadcast and cable news services use live satellite technology to bring current events into consumers homes live as they happen. Events that used to take hours or days to become common knowledge in towns or in nations are fed instantaneously to consumers via radio, television, cell phones, and the Internet.
By : The Author
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