10 tips to affair-proof your marriage
South Africa's porn reality show looks set to go ahead despite recent mishaps.
Why do some people cheat on their partners? There are many reasons, but essentially they fall into one of two categories. The first is an add-on. The couple might have a good relationship and a great sex life but the cheating partner simply wants the excitement of an affair, or the ego boost provided by a new lover. Or maybe sex is so important that when an opportunity arises, it’s grabbed eagerly with both hands.
The other is a fill-in. One partner may feel there’s something missing in their relationship, that their partner is emotionally distant, or their sex life is lacking – and so he or she seeks it elsewhere. Whatever the reason, sexual betrayal hurts. And if discovered, it can destroy your relationship quicker than the latest Trojan virus.
While there are many components to a strong, lasting marriage, I believe a couple’s sex life is extremely important. Yes, there are those who stop having sex but choose to remain together. Yet the importance of sexual intimacy in a long-term relationship cannot be underestimated. It’s a defining feature. It distinguishes between our love for our partner and our love for everyone else in our lives.
So when it comes to taking action to decrease the likelihood of our partner straying, we can view this from the perspective of the above two categories. If married to an opportunistic hedonist, for instance, there’s probably little you can do. No matter how fantastic your sex life is your partner is still likely to seek those furtive, ego-boosting add-ons. It’s not you – it’s him. Or her.
But a lacklustre, emotionally disconnected love life is something you definitely can turn on its head. Now I’m not suggesting that boredom in the bedroom justifies an affair. Yet this potential portal for a marriage virus is a reality we can face up to – and lock down. If you’re looking to fortify your relationship sexually, here are a few suggestions you might like to consider:
1. Make a pact with yourself to stop being boring when it comes to sex. Treat this as an amazing adventure to embark on, as if you’re studying towards a new degree or learning to surf. Get some great books or DVDs, read up on sex techniques and positions, and try them out.
2. Pick something new, regularly, and put it into action. Never tried oral sex on your partner? Always dreamed of sex standing up in the shower? Want to give tantric sex a whirl? Now’s the time to break new ground. It may expand your sexual repertoire beyond your wildest dreams.
3. Explore your own sexual add-ons. Find props that make it more fun for both of you, that heighten desire and arousal. Buy some sexy lingerie, role play with each other in fantasy outfits, invest in those five-inch stilettos. Be daring and try a sex toy or two, and throw in some fun flavoured lubricants.
4. Look for sexual opportunities that take you and your lover out of your rut, off the beaten track. Be inventive. Grab a moment away from your home to make passionate love. Try the great outdoors. Book a weekend in a cottage and christen every room, chair, table, shower, the back seat of your car parked in the garage. Sex away from your usual playground can be invigorating.
5. Plan regular sex. It may seem cold scheduling it into your weekly timetable, but if your lives are hectically busy it’s important to make time to be intimate. Maintenance sex, as it’s called, is vital for long-term relationships. How frequent should it be? Ask your partner how many sessions a week they consider ideal, ask yourself the same question, then come to a fair compromise – with some flexibility built in.
6. Have quickie sex. There’s nothing like the excitement of grab-’em, rub-’em-up and get-it-off passionate sex to add pulse-racing sparkle. Plan one or two romantic sessions with loads of foreplay, alternating with 5-10 minute quickies. Find shortcuts that prepare you physically, if needed. Using a lubricant can help women tremendously (dry sex if unaroused can lead to tiny tears internally, inviting infection).
7. Sex doesn’t always have to be penetrative intercourse. If you don’t particularly feel like sex but your lover does, be generous and spoil him or her with loving attention ending in multiple orgasms. (Guys can have these too – stop him ejaculating during orgasm by pressing a finger firmly on his perineum.) Treat your lover to oral sex, or get a vibrator out and explore your partner’s body to their delight.
8. Allow for sexual growth. Just as our relationships change and deepen as we mature, so do our sexual wants and tastes. Over a relaxed glass of wine, ask your lover to open up about his or her deepest, darkest sexual fantasies, and reciprocate. If saying them out loud seems awkward, write them down. Then agree to give them all a go (or most, if some are utterly unappealing), one by one. You’ll be amazed at how your sexual boundaries expand.
9. Relax with sex. It’s messy, noisy and undignified. Learn to laugh at it, to take the act less seriously. Laughter in bed can inject a new dimension – it bonds us like nothing else. Think back to your teenage years and how much silly fun you had with your friends, what you still remember as the good times. Recreate that silliness and laughter with your lover in bed, and you’ll burn those moments into your collective sexual memory.
10. Show your gratitude. There’s nothing that generates happiness more than recognising and vocalising how much we have to be grateful for. If your lover made your earth move, thank him or her profusely and sincerely. Smile, kiss and hug your appreciation. Say what things you loved the most and you’re inviting a repeat erotic performance. Over and over
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Return Of The Bunny
April cover of Playboy SA
Empty ad slot (#1)!
Editor Peter Piegl opted to divert from what could be regarded as the modern Playboy formula, producing a magazine that is less flamboyant and slightly more serious. It’s a luxury afforded to him by Playboy, which maintains a hands-off approach to most of the 28 versions that appear across the world. As Hugh Hefner himself says in the opening pages, the local edition is “imbued with South African sensibility and style and reflecting the values that Playboy represents worldwide with special brio and energy.”
There it goes, dressed in white and pink and with a local stunner dangling from its masthead. Playboy, the must-have guide to all things for discerning well-to-do men, has returned to South Africa after more than a decade in absence. But this new Playboy has nothing to do with the first incarnation and seems to cast its net wider than the traditional audience.
A Touch Of Modesty
But browsing through the premier April issue, graced on the cover by Tracy McGregor, the famed nude pictorials appear to be much more demure than what one would expect, sticking above the belt. It is part of the design – a new approach by Peter and his collaborator, publisher Jeremy Lawrence.
“When I was discussing my position, I said categorically that I wouldn’t be involved if there was full-on nudity,” explains Peter, whose considerable media experience includes picture editor and managing editor of FHM South Africa, the popular local “lads mag”. This newer breed of magazines has cozied up to the average guy on the street with its raunchy (but generally non-nude) pictorials, lewd jokes and plenty of guffaws over anything involving sex, sport or boozing. Magazines like Playboy, Arena, Esquire and GQ position themselves above this formulaic – but lively – bunch.
Peter fittingly describes lads mags as “your buddy with jokes and entertainment, et cetera – it’s a distraction from your life” and stresses the point that this is not what Playboy is about. He takes the responsibility to heart with a sincere intensity and smartly defends some of the choices made for the launch issue. It is certainly a controversial one – both the magazine content and its very existence. One current affairs website highlighted the opinions of several media experts, each questioning if this is a good time for a new magazine. Especially one at a costly R45. Yes, Playboy does not come cheap, though it has to be said that the first issue’s production quality shines – only the best paper for Heff’s true mistress.
No Cheap Date
So what do you get for nearly fifty rands? No hyper-sexed nudity and certainly no ditzy interview questions to reveal the model’s strangest sex moment. You still get to see some naughty bits, but there is a definite lean towards the artistic. Tracy McGregor’s pictorial feels slightly too close to high-street fashion advertising, but it is certainly worth scrutiny, while European glamour girl Maria Eriksson gets the opening spot with a selection that conjures reminders of the first few pictures in a Playboy Lingerie shoot. The first new Playmate, Amy Bridger, takes the main pictorial, including the immortal centerfold. Though she does get a chance to tell us about her turn-ons and turn-offs, its all class.
Jeremy agrees with maintaining a sense of taste: “Our models have a lot of input in what we do. We don’t want to do anything that they don’t feel comfortable with.” Recruited to the team by Peter, who met him at FHM, he is a media veteran with fifteen years of newspaper and magazine experience. After FHM he needed something different.
“For me it was a conscious choice [to leave lads mags]. I’ve outgrown the market, I’ve got nothing left to offer.” He was also attracted to the article legacy: “It’s a no-brainer: you’ve got a sixty year history of top writing.” Good writing is a pillar of the Playboy world, its credibility to place alongside the pin-up girls, and it was the main attraction to both men. So naturally they take this part of the gig seriously.
“I get it for the articles”
In between the tasteful nude pictorials are all kinds of things to read. Here the difference between the local and U.S. editions (which also doubles as the International version) is striking. The U.S. edition is politicized, indulges in moments of crassness and invariably tells a few dirty jokes. In contrast, the Playboy SA has a slightly higher brow. The main feature is a seven page journey on traditional monarchies – a surprisingly interesting read and definitely worthy of the claim on memorable authoring.
Still, the thought of it does force you to stifle a bit of a yawn. The other articles are significantly lighter in tone and topic. Perhaps a tad nepotistic, but still fun is the Hugh Hefner interview. A bit less so is the Twenty Questions with Steve Hoffmeyer, but there is consolation with a write-up on top chefs using offal – the bits of the animal you usually don’t want to know about – and a brief nudge-nudge-wink-wink read on oral sex (and, inevitably, how to get the good kind). A look at future technologies satiates the engineer in you, while a look at 60 albums you should own gets your playlist sorted.
Peter frowns slightly when I point out the lack of dirty jokes and dirtier cartoons, both Playboy mainstays. He is clearly not keen on peddling smut and (while tapping on in the U.S. edition a cartoon with a few can-can dancers sans their undergarments) considers such things to lower the tone. This is partially a matter of principle, since he handles the topic of pornography with slight disdain. But there is a practical side to this as well. Everyone knows someone who had to forego his stack of beloved FHM and Maxim mags because his better half banished them from the house. Lads Mags are proof that you don’t need nudity to invite the disapproval of women – something both Peter and Andrew saw first hand at FHM.
Playboy
Amy Bridges, Playboy’s April playmate
The Ladies, they love it
But Playboy South Africa opts to err on the side of art: it’s not nudity that offends, but how it is presented. As Peter explains it, he believes the market prefers fewer naughty bits and would shun Plaboy if it went a bit too far: “They’re not going to have this magazine on their coffee table. It would be associated with pornography and I don’t think that is the right thing for Playboy South Africa.” Especially not with the launch issue: “You can always push the boundaries later, but if you start with a gynaecological study of your models, you can’t step back from that.”
What appeals to him is a magazine that has a sense of style, a dash of artistic license and the holy grail of magazine sales: cross-over potential between males and females. Miss McGregor reflects on that in her pictorial profile, saying that the shoot was “going to be more like art”.Who knows if the tactic will work, but unofficial polling at the launch and amongst friends didn’t result in spontaneous violence (or worse, steely looks of disapproval) from the fairer gender. Peter is also pretty set on not venturing too far into the pornographic: “You will get nudity in this magazine, but if you want anything harder, go online.” He sums up his defence for the artistic nude as such: “We don’t need to be as edgy as the other magazines. We don’t need to go down that road. You can have nudity, but if it’s beautiful, if your readers are happy, if your advertisers are happy and you get the rubberstamp from the girlfriends and the wives – that’s exactly what I want.”
It’s a valid point, especially in the age where pornography is easily accessible. This makes Playboy that much more reliant on the rest of its content – it’s unlikely most readers will fork out so much money just to see the models being a tad familiar. Here a different kind of controversy has reared its head. In the months before the launch Playboy SA proclaimed it wanted a 45% black male reader chunk in its demographic pie. So it was a bit strange to find no pictorial with a black model and no article that would specifically appeal to black readers. Even the opening columns (every issue rotated to different authors) were penned by comedian Chris Forrest and columnist David Bullard. Was David Kau not available?
“The first issue was difficult in terms of timing,” Jeremy explains, “We have approached different people on this. But timing was a problem. The way it turned out was purely… I don’t want to it sound as if we didn’t plan our magazine – we don’t want to apologize for our content. But how it turned out wasn’t entirely intentional.” The Playboy offices certainly don’t appear to be a front or bastion for some form of race propaganda machine, and it is true that launch issues tend to take on a life of their own Amongst assurances that they have more writers and wider cultural liaisons lined up in the future, Peter and Andrew lament how much they want to bring Playmates of other colours to Playboy’s pages. But it’s not been easy so far and they have found it hard to sell the idea to black femme fatales. But they keep trying, pointing to the nude black model used in the casting-call ad. Hopefully South Africa will soon have Playmates of every colour.
House Bunny
Speaking of which, what do the guys look for in a Playmate?
“It’s not about boob size!” Jeremy says with a grin, “We look for the girl next door – the idea of that is to give her a face and a voice and an opportunity to celebrate beautiful women. It’s the showcase the women of our country. We look for that more than anything else.” It’s is also a matter of being the brand ambassador – Playboy is an empire built on the bunny logo and spearheaded by the magazine and the temptations of the Playboy Mansion. This has played a big role in Playboy’s future, expanding into luxury goods, night clubs and other things that appeal to the man of means. The Playmate is a figurehead to that and as the local franchise expands into online and entertainment ventures, you can expect to see more of Miss April and her future monthly compatriots.
Will it work? That is for the the market to decide – the magazine business is as buoyant as the stock market, but with far fewer guarantees and slightly grimmer outlooks. But Peter and Andrew certainly believe in their vision and are certain that readers and advertisers will agree with them.
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Fans to judge live sex shows at Sexpo
“People attending the Sexpo this year will get the first glimpse of the 100 finalists chosen by us.“The finalists will be performing sexual acts live on stage so that people at the show can vote,” said Porn Stars producer Donovan van Wyngaard.
Meet hot international adult stars, visit the erotic gallery, experience new products, be educated by specialists on any topic, win loads of prizes lots of other saucy things. Add some spice to your love life and find some good laughs too.
Maybe you want to be a part of the naughty wedding chapel in Gauteng? The popular Sexpo Chapel of Love wedding chapel will offer daily commitment ceremonies or, for advance booked couples, the opportunity to get hitched Vegas style. Couples who require additional information about the Sexpo Chapel of Love should mail hitched@sexpo.co.za
for tickets and other info click
here
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Why Diddy Will Be Hip-Hop’s First Billionaire
Shortly after the release of Forbes’ first Hip-Hop Cash Kings package in 2007, the three top earners–Jay-Z, Diddy and 50 Cent–celebrated their financial victory over mortal rappers by recording a new version of 50 Cent’s “I Get Money,” dubbing it “The Billion-Dollar Remix.”
This week we’ve released a new list, one that measures rappers not by annual earnings, but by net worth. We’ve dubbed this select group “The Forbes Five.” Sure enough, our original holy trinity of moneymaking is present; their fortunes total just over $1 billion. And there’s plenty of room to grow, especially for Diddy, who leads the pack with $475 million.
The artist formerly known as Puff Daddy amassed his fortune chiefly through clothing line Sean John, record label Bad Boy and, most of all, Ciroc vodka. Television shows, acting gigs and lucrative guest appearances add have added to his coffers. Back in 1999, he told Forbes that one day he’d be “bigger than David Geffen.” Diddy isn’t there yet, but with a little bit of luck, he could be hip-hop’s first billionaire. Here’s why.
Diddy’s ten-figure dreams hinge on a lucrative partnership with Diageo’s Ciroc vodka. Diddy teamed up with alcohol conglomerate back in 2007 with the aim of perking up sales for the fledgling spirit. Diageo agreed to split any profits with him; if the company ever sold Ciroc, he’d be entitled to a share of the proceeds. The rationale: Why not? The brand wasn’t selling, and Diddy was always known for having a flair for marketing.
“The product is important,” says Jack Russo, an equity analyst at Edward Jones & Co. “But the name on the product is about ten times as important.”
Even so, the executives at Diageo could never have expected just how much Diddy’s presence would boost sales. In 2007 sleepy Ciroc was moving cases at a rate of 60,000 per six months, or 120,000 per year. In 2009 Diddy’s second year with the brand, Ciroc moved 400,000 cases. This year Ciroc is on pace to sell more than 1 million cases. The boom was fueled in large part by Diddy’s diligent shilling—on billboards, in lyrics, on Twitter and even through a self-proclaimed nickname, “Ciroc Obama.”
These days, Diddy’s interest in Ciroc is worth somewhere in the low-to-mid nine-figures by our estimates and makes up the largest chunk of his net worth. To give an idea of Ciroc’s value: parent company Diageo also bought a 50% stake in Ketel One for $900 million in 2008; Ketel One moves about 2 million cases a year. Ciroc is halfway there. To be sure, there are differences. Ketel One has a long history as a family-operated distillery, while Ciroc more room to grow and sells for a higher per-bottle price. Still, the comparison provides a rough yardstick for determining the value of Ciroc—a value that continues to rise.
“Ciroc is a very popular brand, and it’s been growing,” notes Russo. “It has that cache. It’s in the right spot in the right sector.”
As the vodka’s value grows, so, too, does Diddy’s fortune. It’s conceivable that Ciroc could someday be worth as much as Ketel One, and in that case, Diddy’s interest could be worth somewhere in the mid-to-high nine figures in the event of a sale. Add in Diddy’s other companies, which include Sean John clothing, Enyce clothing, Blue Flame marketing and his Bad Boy Worldwide record label–Diddy’s interest in those companies adds up to well over $100 million–and a billion-dollar net worth doesn’t seem so far away.
Not to be discounted, of course, is Diddy’s ability to constantly reinvent himself, to come up with new ventures and ideas that will keep adding to his coffers.
“He makes his lifestyle coexist with everything else he’s doing,” says Fred “Fab 5 Freddy” Brathwaite, the artist and hip-hop pioneer who served as longtime host of Yo! MTV Raps. “The broad scope of his career and how he’s been able to stay relevant is one of the great examples of personal brand-building.”
Jay-Z and 50 Cent have already sold their biggest ventures–Rocawear and Vitamin Water–to Iconix and Coca-Cola, respectively. Neither should be discounted, and both have plenty of other tricks planted firmly in their sleeves, but right now Diddy has the edge in the race to a billion.
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Green Trends and Predictions for 2011
This can serve as a guide for businesses as a place to prepare for green trends that will continue throughout the coming year.
Many industries around the world are faced with two primary energy challenges: how to efficiently provide clean, secure and affordable energy and how to minimize the impact on the environment.
Two major power-hungry segments of the economy include:
- Airline industry
- Data center industry
Traditionally, these energy hogs utilized the most energy of any other
industry in the United States and generated the largest carbon footprint.
Business owners are looking for options within these industries that are more eco-friendly
with a reduction in carbon emissions.
What to do?
Many companies that utilize a great deal of travel are looking for ways to not
only minimize their carbon footprint, but also reduce their expenses. Companies
are deploying various means of eco-friendly business models so as to reduce
the amount of air-travel they utilize. And, in order to reduce the
demand for power-hungry data centers, web masters, site designers and businesses
are moving their web sites to green
web hosting, which provides more efficiency and uses less energy than
hosting in traditional data centers.
-
Telecommuting is becoming more popular among businesses with the
use of VOIP services such as Press8
telecom. With the Press8 Hosted phone systems, companies are able to
offer their employees the option of telecommuting — an attractive option
because of high gas prices, nightly traffic jams and long commutes. Press8
phone systems offer methods to ensure employees working at home or from a
remote office location are making productive use of their time. -
Green web hosting among businesses is becoming more popular because
it presents a clear solution for a reduction in the utilization of
traditional, power-hungry data centers. Many webmasters are moving their web
sites to companies that utilize green data centers. A word of caution: many
so called “green web hosting” companies are merely web hosts that purchase
Renewable Energy Credits (REC’s) and then these companies market their
services to the Internet community as “green”. In order to be a “true” green
web hosting provider, the web host must utilize a “green data center”.
GreenHostIt, an Austin, Texas web hosting firm, offers green
web hosting for personal and business web sites and hosts its servers in
a “true” green data center.
2. Water and Wastewater
As part of a progressive replacement program, companies will continue to develop and install innovative water-saving technology and procedures. The challenge is to implement conservation measures to reduce water consumption, and thus the “water footprint” a company generates. Many strong industries within the economy are moving toward improving their wastewater treatment facilities. The investment is high but the payoff is significant.
What to do?
Companies can explore the option of updating their wastewater facilities. And
those companies that do not have the resources for a large infusion of cash to
update these facilities might consider outsourcing to treatment facilities that
already have this technology in place.Many companies are implementing reverse
osmosis systems which operate by pumping water under very high pressure through
a semi-permeable membrane. Today’s systems provide the same amount of water for
only about 35 percent of the electricity consumption.
3. LED Lighting
Commercial, Residential, Marine, and Solar — each of these industries is seeing strong movement towards “advanced lighting”. By upgrading lighting, these industries are recognizing substantial savings through alternative energy and efficient lighting. A leader in this industry is NeuTex Lighting and through their comprehensive catalog of advanced lighting products, companies and individuals are able to capitalize on significant savings in energy expenses by “going green”.
What to do?
Before building a new house, commercial building, marine operation or solar
configuration, consider speaking to your local city government about green
building practices.
- Neutex Lighting is a good source of information and their web site describes
the ever increasing group of ways that companies and individuals can be less
wasteful. - GreeningDetroit.com offers a unique directory designed to provide building
solutions, products and services, green news and environmental
responsibility options.
4. Eco-friendly automobiles
Trends in the automobile industry show strong growth in hybrid and fuel-efficient diesel engines. New product development with these types of engines is accelerating. Fuel-hogs such as large SUV’s and vans are harder to re-sell and more expensive to maintain at the fuel pumps.
What to do?
Before purchasing your next automobile, consider a hybrid or diesel powered
engine. The up-front cost is higher, but long-term savings in terms of fuel and
overall maintenance is significant.
5. Reduction in waste
Consumers have taken notice and appreciate companies that produce products packaged in eco-friendly materials.
What to do?
Reduce, reuse, and recycle. The first step in managing waste is to
reduce the amount of material used. To further cut back waste generation,
companies can work with suppliers on container return programs. By recycling
trash, companies are diligently working to decrease the amount of waste
generated. Companies world-wide are showing signs of more often utilizing
alternatives to packaging their products in materials that are harmful to the
environment — specifically plastics. Consumers notice and show their
appreciation with their wallets.
These companies are examples of cutting-edge corporations that are “going
green” to reduce, reuse, and recycle:
- Chantal Cookware, a major cookware
manufacturer, encourages recycling in the day-to-day business
operations at their facility and with their suppliers. For example, when
shipping products Chantal only uses recycled paper and air pillows rather
than cheaper Styrofoam pellets. - Thirsties, a company that manufactures modern cloth
baby diapers, boasts the use of only the best made-in-America
components in order to reduce their carbon footprint, to help support
domestic textile mills, and to ensure diapers will last wash after wash.
This company provides an excellent product that reduces the buildup of
disposable diapers in our landfills. - WexelArt frames manufacturer produces art
frames that can be re-used by simply removing the art and replacing
with new art. The frames can also be used by companies to display brochures,
promo posters, or sales and special offers. A genius product that allows
companies and individuals to reuse frames for many different purposes.
6. Improvements in the food industry
Soy growth among farms across the world is showing rapid growth in this economy. Soy foods are a source of high-quality protein and has the potential to be a key source of income for farmers.
What to do?
Many farmers and food producers are developing management plans for sustainable
growth and promoting standards and verification mechanisms which help to grow
crops that are more efficiently utilized. The soy industry is showing
significant growth because of the high nutritional components of soy. Many food
manufacturers who are not yet involved in production of soy food materials are
now exploring the options and benefits of including soy in their product line.
7. Higher use of post-consumer recycled fiber
Consumers appreciate the use of post-consumer recycled fiber in packaging and its use among responsible corporate entities is growing.
What to do?
Many companies are utilizing 10% post-consumer recycled paper. Examples include
coffee cups at your favorite coffee shop. Consumers notice and companies will
continue to explore the benefits of higher use of this renewable resource.
8. Higher use of recycled rubber materials
Used automobile tires liter landfills and are among the largest and most
problematic source of waste at landfills due to their large volumes. Tires can
be recycled for use on basketball courts, new shoe products, hot melt asphalt,
and recycled asphalt pavement – among other things. Industries that recycle
these materials and re-use them in construction are showing strong growth.
What to do?
Where there is growth, there is strong interest. Companies might consider
researching possible use of these types of materials in the construction of
their products and market them as “recycled” automobile tires. This benefits the
environment and benefits the companies that recycle them in terms of possible
economic gain.
8. Higher incidence of recycled batteries and computers
Companies are more and more often recycling old computers when they are replaced with better and faster machines. Apple recycling program, HP recycling program and Dell recycling program are among a few of the top programs that offer this service.
What to do?
Companies can utilize these services and consider advertising to their consumer
base that the company participates in programs to recycle used computers in an
effort to reduce landfill waste.
9. Clothing material trends
The fashion industry is seeing strong trends toward renewable resources such as eco-friendly bamboo. Not only is bamboo considered one of the most renewable resources in the world; it is also one of the softest materials, even more so than cotton.
What to do?
Companies that are involved in the fashion industry should take note of this
growing trend and explore the possibilities of including these items in their
product line.
- SavageDesigns – an ecologically and socially conscious clothing and design
company that is committed to increasing the health of its consumers by
providing healing clothing with nettle fibers. - Cariloha – bamboo clothing manufacturer that offers franchising
opportunities for entrepreneurs.
Green marketing for business
Along with the rise of green consumers, we see the rise of eco-labeling,
which is “green advertising”. That creates the opportunity for just about
anything to be marketed as green. It is important that the marketing strategies
that companies use are “true” and companies that market their products and
services as eco-friendly are indeed “green”. This article can help entrepreneurs
and business owners find “true green” companies and services for the growing
eco-friendly economy.
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Make Money Online Using FaceBook
Over the last few years social networking sites have become increasingly popular. Most recently FaceBook has really exploded in popularity. Because of this popularity,it is now a great place to make money. Here is how you can earn money on FaceBook.
FaceBook is just like MySpace, but for the professional. Recently adults have been joining this social network in droves. That means there are now more people to market to as well as potential leads. Simply stated, you can now tap into all these people in order to market your products and services.
One of the best ways to earn money on FaceBook is to fill-out a content rich page and then begin to join groups. There are many excellent groups on FaceBook. If you join one of these groups and become a contributing member, you can market to these people but just be careful not to overdo it. You must be willing to add value before you try to make money from your connections.
Another fantastic way to make money on FaceBook is to use your imagination and create an application. Applications are like little games or different types of functions you can add to your page to make it more interesting. These are developed by companies other than FaceBook and can be very lucrative. In fact, one company’s application is worth approximately 0 million. It simply takes your imagination and a good contact who can build your application for relatively low cost. There are plenty out there and I happen to know a really good one.
FaceBook is set-up so that the only people who can see your account are people who are associated with you. You have to live in the same area, go to the same college, work in the same place, or have some other type of connection. If you do not already have a connection then the person would have to accept you as a friend so that you can each see each others profiles.
If you join a group with other people then you are automatically associated with them. And if you provide great content to these people and become seen as an expert in that niche, then you can then begin to post links back to your site and you will get traffic to that site and you will make more sales because of it. In other words, you will earn money on FaceBook.
Now, the last thing you want to do is SPAM anyone. This will turn everyone off and it will result in you losing your account. So you need to make sure you put in the necessary effort with the contacts you make. You need to build your reputation and you also need to establish yourself as an expert. If you do these two things then you will definitely make money.
Contrary to what many think, you can earn money on FaceBook. It is just another web 2.0 tool enabling you to make money with Internet Marketing, and it is one of the best ways. Just make sure you take your time and put in the necessary effort. If you do then you will reap the benefits and explode your income.
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Year-End Review and Goal Setting
Yes, it’s that time of the year again – time to begin closing the books, reviewing financials, assessing performance and taking a hard look at the bottom line. How did performance match up against your goals? Did your marketing campaigns produce results? What were the effects of any cost-cutting measures you put in place? Where did new revenue come from?
If you can’t specifically answer these or similar questions, then your goal for the coming year is simple: Improve your analytics. At the end of the day (or week or month or year), it always comes down to metrics. I have always embraced Tom Peters thinking: “You cannot improve what you do not measure.”
That seems like common sense; however, there are still too many businesses operating blindly – businesses that fail to measure anything but the bottom line. And the bottom line will not improve unless you are making sound and informed decisions about every facet of your operation. You cannot make informed decisions without analytics. It all comes down to the data.
Chances are data is collected at every turn in your organization. In fact, the problem can be too much data. Too much information often leads to analysis paralysis. However, the good news is that there are ways to convert that data into actionable information – information you can use to make informed decisions and make them at the exact time they’ll do the most good.
In addition to being a time of review, the end of the year is also the time to plan for the future and set goals for the coming year. No matter what goal you set for your organization, your first one should be to establish its metrics. How are you going to measure it? Do not take one step until you decide exactly how you will measure your progress toward your destination. Increasing revenue or decreasing costs are obviously quantifiable and therefore, easily measured. Other goals may be less tangible, but that does not mean there are no metrics to track progress. A brainstorming session can lead to very creative, and sometimes out-of-the-box, measurements.
How you measure is not the critical issue. The fact that you do measure is… because anything that gets measured improves. So decide what you want to improve, set your goals, and then determine your metrics. With that formula, you’ll enjoy the year-end review that occurs twelve months from now.
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Christmas Gift Ideas for Him
Going Crazy wonder how you’re going to do the right gift for? It can be your husband, boyfriend or just to be your father’s good old easy. Are you still undecided what to get him? Now, do not worry. It is not hard to find that great gift for him. Season Sun continuing to read on, because I want to share with you some of the best gifts for Christmas.
One of the most popular gifts for men are gadgets or boys toys. There are lots of different things to choose from and always siomething new on the market. For those for whom money is no object, there is a huge variety of electronic gadgetry to suit all budgets. If you are on a budget, don’t worry, there’s a huge range of things that he will love. How about a digital key finder. How many times have you heard Dad say ‘where did I put my keys’? Well, now you have the answer.
Gift experience days make brilliant and unusual Christmas presents, particularly for the more adventurous. He might enjoy a day at the race track, driving the latest sports cars. If your man is mad about sport, many teams hold open days, could spend a day touring his teams home stadium. Whatever he’s into there’s sure to be an “experience day” to suit.
This is the type of gift that could be bought by a number of people to keep expenses down. Look around the web for more ideas.
Personalised presents show just how much you care about the man in your life. It’s a great idea for gifts from the family. Anything from homemade and not expensive xmas gifts to something unusual and unique. Home made calendars with family photos would make a superb gift for Dad, something for him to look at all year. Or have a name or slogan put on items such as mugs, towels, key rings etc.
For the more unusual Christmas gift, name a star gift packs certainly have the wow factor.
Food and drink may be one of your choices for a Christmas gift. It could be your man’s favvourite speciality drink or food. Many men have a sweet toothe and love chocolates. You could buy a single giftwrapped item or go for the wow factor with an impressive hamper or food basket. This could be a wonderful surprise gift for the man in your life. Gift wrapped, homemade buscuits, cakes jams and sweets, are fun to make with the kids. You may even have favourite recipes that loved ones would appreciate and are a good present for someone who cannot be with you for Christmas feel part of family or friends.
Home made sweets are a good present for someone who cannot be with you for Christmas feel part of family or friends.
Finally, a gift that you can give that he will receive all year round, sounds too good to be true. A magazine subcription is rarely thought of as a Christmaspresent for men, but just think about the pleasure he would have for the next 12 months, reading his choice of hobby or interest magazine. Wnat a great way to show the man in your life that you care 12 months of the year.
See Also:
Saving Money on Christmas Gifts
How to save money this Christmas
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Top Gear Festival – South Africa
Following 2 successful years of Top Gear Live in South Africa next year brings an all new Top Gear Festival!
With more on offer than any other year and at Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, the home of motor sport in South Africa, this is a day out that cannot be missed.
The all new Top Gear Festival moves outdoors to fit in much more for visitors to do. With a wide range of cars featuring on the Grand Prix Race circuit, various open air theatres and a motor exhibition, this is a day out that will rival all others. Come and see Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May host the different features as well as get up to their usual shenanigans in the open air theatre.
Club House R 875.00
Dstv Top Tier Ticket R 495.00
Click here for tickets
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Khanyi Mbau vs Debora Patta
The subject matter was Bling. It’s all about the rich and the famous splurging their millions on parties.
Khanyi Mbau looked really beautiful with make-up on her face extended to her chest as she was wearing a strapless dress and had lots of lip-gloss -s he probably went to a salon for her 3rd Degree gig. In true Khanyi Mbau style, she posed for the cameras and enjoyed the free publicity.
I found myself having a great time and smiling all the way and even the hard-nosed Debora Patta, who hardly ever smiles on her show, flashed a big smile every now and again when talking to Khabyi.
But the subject was not just about Khanyi, it was also about how the poor are suffering while the rich and famous are “wasting” money on parties. But hey, it’s their money, so why not? According to COSATU secretary general Zwelinzima Vavi, that’s an insult to the poor and Debora Patta agrees even though she didn’t say it, it was clear she shares Vavi’s sentiments.
Patta said she wasn’t going to change Mbau’s mind but twanted to try to understand what is going on in her (Khanyi) mind.
Khanyi appeared very articulate and was very much together throughout the interview. She marvelled at the spotlight, used the opportunity to market herself and said her work is to attend parties and that she charges a cool R35 000 per appearance.
There was a mention of Paris Hilton and Patta said Mbau cannot be equated to Hilton as Mbau doesn’t own hotels as the heiress [Hilton] does.
