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By Elaine Sihera We tend to have a rosy vision of love coupled with unrealistic expectations of the relationship which it creates. Some of us believe that love is enough to see us through the bad times and that, if people love us, theyll do anything to make us happy. Others subscribe to the notion that as long as they do their little bit in the partnership, everything will be fine. Finally, everyone likes to believe that their partners will change to suit them. But, boy, are we all in for a surprise? Taking each of these beliefs in turn, love is certainly not enough on any level. It isnt enough to hold two people together, because they need to be able to communicate with, and understand, each other and also solve problems together. The very next day after their honeymoon, they will have to find out how to share the same house, the same room, the same bed, the same money and the same ideals. In addition, they now have new friends and relatives to contend with. Its no longer the carefree dating scene the two parties enjoyed before their wedding. They dont go to their respective homes at the end of the day, or at the weekends. They are at home together, for keeps. There is no escaping that fact if they are truly committed to the relationship. Those charming characteristics they like about their partners, and the irritating ones they loathe, are now with them all the time. There will even be times when they forget that they love their partner! But, thats the situation any new relationship creates and its success depends on how it is dealt with. The Need to Adapt and Change Closeness with someone else might bring intimacy, but it also brings the need to adapt and change. However, we can tolerate only so much change without being affected or feeling resentful, especially when we are happy with ourselves and enjoy doing our own thing. Getting married or going into a relationship is thus a major change in our life. The rules of behaviour are different and, unlike being at home with parents, we can no longer insulate ourselves from any ensuing problems. However, we can prevent their damage by creating safer, more uplifting environments because we are now in charge of our life. The next fallacy is that if someone loves you they should fulfil everything you desire. Such a statement not only makes your love conditional upon the other person doing what you ask as proof of their love, but it is always a warning sign for the dynamics of the partnership as it does say a lot about the person making it. What you are actually saying is, I dont trust your love, so you need to prove it to me in tangible ways, or Your feelings, wants and needs do not count. Mine have priority. It reflects an unreasonable expectation usually motivated by a lack of care for the partner or, more likely, a lack of self-esteem. It is not unreasonable to have expectations of your partner, but what they are and how you voice them are very important. Unfulfilled expectations are the biggest killers in relationships. Inclusive statements which refer to both parties are the best. For example, something like If our love is to remain strong, we have to learn to respect each others viewpoint. This statement shows that you are actually owning your share of the relationship. You are not just focusing on the other persons behaviour. The we word is used far more than me, myself and I. In this way couples create the opportunity to learn and grow. Mutual expectations and boundaries, which are consistent with shared values and beliefs, are essential to a healthy relationship. ELAINE SIHERA (Ms Cyprah - http://www.myspace.com/elaineone and http://www.elainesihera.co.uk) is an expert author, public speaker, media contributor and columnist. The first Black graduate of the OU and a post-graduate of Cambridge University. Elaine is a CONFIDENCE guru and a consultant for Diversity Management, Personal Empowerment and Relationships. Author of: 10 Easy Steps to Growing Older Disgracefully; 10 Easy Steps to Finding Your Ideal Soulmate!; Money, Sex & Compromise and Managing the Diversity Maze, among others (available on http://www.amazon.co.uk as well as her personal website). Also the founder of the British Diversity Awards and the Windrush Men and Women of the Year Achievement Awards. She describes herself as, “Fit, Fabulous, Over-fifty and Ready to Fly!” Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elaine_Sihera http://EzineArticles.com/?Beliefs-That-Harm-Your-Relationship-(1)&id=508135 xanax online 2day air order xanax online from mexico buy xanax online without prescription buy xanax without prescription in usa

By William Berg The Tulip Tree has got its name from its tulip shaped flowers. The flowers of a Tulip Tree are located at great heights and typically reach a size of 2.5 inches. The Tulip Tree produces monoecious flowers with yellow-green petals. The corolla has a beautiful vivid orange shade. Some people find the leaves of the Tulip Tree similar to tulips too, at least with a little imagination. The leaves are four lobed and have a notch at the tip. A Tulip Tree leaf will typically reach a length of 4-6 inches in diameter. The leaf colour is bright green and will turn yellow in autumn. The Tulip Tree is sometimes called The King of the Magnolias. It is called Liriodendron tulipifera in Latin, and it belongs to the Family Magnoliaceae. The Tulip Tree is related to the Chinese Tulip Tree (Liriodendron Chinese). The Tulip Tree is utilized as timber and is very appreciated among carpenters since the wood is easy to work with. Tulip Tree wood has a pale yellow color and is particularly popular in furniture, wood carvings, cabinetry, veneer, jewelry boxes and musical instruments. Earlier, the Tulip Tree was frequently used in canoes created by Native Americans. The Tulip Tree bark has been used as a substitute for cinchona in traditional remedies. The popular Tulip Tree is known by many names in English, including Canoewood, Saddletree, Tulipwood, Whitewood, Canary Whitewood and American Whitewood. The Tulip Tree is not a poplar, but it is still commonly referred to as Tulip poplar, Hickory poplar, White poplar and Yellow poplar. Apart from being an appreciated timber tree, the Tulip tree is also planted as a shade tree and ornamental tree. It is a remarkably fast growing tree and can grow 50 feet tall in eleven years. During spring and early summer it will blossom with beautiful flowers. The twigs of a Tulip Tree will turn red and become shiny during the winter, which will add colour to the garden. The fruits of the Tulip Tree are also very beautiful. Immature fruits are green and will gradually turn brown as they mature. In fall, they will be ripe and have the shape of small cones. Tulip Tree fruits are popular among squirrels, rodents, rabbits, birds and other wild animals. Bees and butterflies will instead eat the nectar from the flowers, and the deer will happily browse the new twigs. The Tulip Tree is though, adaptable and will withstand most tree diseases and pests. Plant your Tulip Tree in moist and nutritious soil, ideally close to water. Tulip Trees are very found of moist soil and will often grow near marshlands, streams and rivers. Acid soil should be avoided. The Tulip Tree requires direct sunlight, but this is usually not a problem since the Tulip Tree grows fast and becomes very tall. The oldest known Tulip Trees are older than 15 years. In North America, Tulip Trees are found from the Great Lakes to Florida in the south. Forest growing Tulip Trees will typically reach a height of 100 feet and form a tall limb-free bole. If a Tulip Tree is planted in a more open area, it will instead grow a pyramid shaped crown that eventually turns oval with age. Read more about tulip trees and African tulip trees Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=William_Berg http://EzineArticles.com/?Tulip-Trees—The-King-of-the-Magnolias&id=143020 diazepam online prescription buy valium cod buy valium online without a prescription purchase valium without a prescription

By Morgan Hamilton There are few things that warm the heart more than pictures. Having photos of your loved ones has turned into a well-respected tradition in every house. We hang photos on the wall, put them in frames, or make them into a collage. Collage picture frames are really popular these days because they let you have several photos collected on one frame That is better if you want to show several different snapshots united together. The best is that collage picture frames offer you a wide choice of how to create and organize the whole composition. They can be found in many different sizes. You can choose the best size for incorporating your particular images together. The photographs you want to display will tell you which collage picture frame is best for you. It depends on what you intend to do, and how you are going to unite them. There are different photographs, which can be used in a collage. For example, wedding photographs can make a nice collage picture frame, as they are all very interesting and represent an important event in your life. In the past people used to show only one photo of their wedding and hang it on the wall. But the old-fashioned photo with the bride and bride-groom smiling shyly in front of the photographer is already a past. When you have all you wedding pictures, you fall in love with them all, and you don’t want to hide them in an album and look through them only on special occasions. You need to have them around you, to remind you of this glorious day. So, you make a collage and select the best ones to hang on the wall. Collage pictures frames are especially useful then. The second usage of collage picture frames is in combining children’s photos. It is very popular amongst grandparents. They combine different photos of the child, when it was at different ages. The final result is an “evolutionary map” of the growing up of their grandchild. This makes old ladies and gentlemen really glad and they happily hang this original collage on their walls. Collage picture frames can be found on the Internet. You can order different sizes and shapes, or even make your own ones. The two things you need to have for collage frames, is a frame and a mat. The mat has cut-outs, which fit to the frame. The mat can have different colors, depending on your personal taste. Some people use a blue mat for a collage of baby boy pictures or a yellow mat to display their vacation images. But it is actually a question of preference. If your snapshots are not of standard size, you’d better try to create your own collage picture frame. Believe me, it is easy and the results are really breath taking. Some frames are square, some are rectangular, you can even have a triangular or whatever-angular frame you like. You can put flowers or any decoration you think of when designing your collage. The best thing that collage picture frames offer you, is that you the pictures can be removed and replaced at any time. You can always have new ones to put in place of the old. This means that you will never get tired of your frame. Your new pictures will always have a nice place to put on. Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning information. Learn more at Collage Picture Frames Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Morgan_Hamilton http://EzineArticles.com/?Finding-Great-Collage-Picture-Frames&id=305809 zopidem diazepam purchase online with discover card valium pharmacy online pharmacy valium carisoprodol purchase valium online

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Carrie_Reeder]Carrie Reeder Getting a home equity loan without perfect credit can help you pay for home repairs, consolidate debt, or provide a college education. Even with poor credit, you have several factors going for you, including your equity investment. And with online lenders, you have several choices when it comes to lenders. Being a smart shopper with your terms will ensure that you get a good deal on your second mortgage no matter what your credit score. What You Got Going For You Maybe you have a couple of bad marks on your credit, but remember the positive factors you do have. For one, the equity in your house can secure a potential loan at lower rates than other forms of credit. You also have probably made several on time bill payments. Unless you have looked at your credit score lately, dont assume you have bad credit. There are hundreds of factors that determine your score besides payment history. And time will eventually erase all your credit mistakes, even a bankruptcy. If you are concerned about your credit history, take a look at your credit report. You can verify the information is correct and know where you stand credit-wise. Sub Prime Lenders Or Not Sub prime lenders offer financing to those turned away by traditional lenders. With their slightly higher rates, they accept higher risk loan applicants. However, traditional lenders are also dealing in sub prime lending. Before you choose one lender, start asking for loan estimates from both sub prime and traditional lenders. Be honest with your credit history to get realistic quotes. You may be surprised who offers you the better deal. Pick Better Terms Rates and closing costs determine the majority of the cost of a loan, but terms are also important. For example, long term loans delay payment and increase your interest charges. However, they offer low monthly payments which can fit with your current budget needs. You can also negotiate changes in caps, rates, and fees. You may also want to keep the option open to refinance when your credit score improves. No matter which home equity loan lender you choose, make sure they offer you a financial deal that fits your needs. Otherwise, you should keep looking for a better offer. See my recommended [http://www.abcloanguide.com/homeequityloan.shtml]Home Equity LoanLenders online. Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC Loan Guide, which offers help with [http://www.abcloanguide.com]loans for people with low credit scores. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carrie_Reeder http://EzineArticles.com/?Getting-a-Home-Equity-Loan-Without-Perfect-Credit&id=118552 fast shipping xanax valium cheap prescription valium online keywordbuy carisoprodol diazepam online soma buy cheap valium without a prescription

By Mike Vincent Everyone has heard the proverb “an ounce of prevention is worth apound of cure.” But if you take a look at how people live today it appears that no one is following this advice. Instead of eating healthy foods most people are eating high-fat, high-sugar foods, exercising less and becoming obese. If you do not want to do what “most” people are doing then here is a four step program for taking care of your precious body and losing weight in the process. 1. Eat fresh and unprocessed foods as much as possible Whenever food is processed vitamins and minerals are affected, and sometimes destroyed. In addition, many processed foods have sugar and salt added, and both sugar and salt are the cause of many health problems. Choose fresh fruit over canned fruit and fresh vegetables over frozen or canned vegetables. Instead of snacking on high calorie foods, get into the habit of eating fruit. No one ever got fat by eating apples and oranges. 2. Get plenty of exercise There are two parts of weight loss: eating lower calorie foods and getting more exercise. If you do not get off your butt it will be quite difficult to lose weight. The problem is that our lives do not include much exercise. We walk a few steps to a car, ride to work and get out and walk a few more steps to a chair and desk and sit there the whole day. Then we come home and also sit around some more. If you want to lose weight you have to break this pattern. Walk up the stairs instead of taking the elevator. Park the car a bit further away and walk some more. Whenever you can do an errand by walking then do it. After you eat your evening meal, do not just sit around and watch TV, take a short brisk walk. It will help you digest your food and burn some more calories. 3. Drink plenty of water throughout the day Water is a medicine for all kinds of diseases and proper intake of water is a requirement for maintaining good health. How much water is needed? The amount you need varies according to the season of the year but if you are trying to lose weight then drinking four quarts (per day) spread out through the day will be a big help to your weight loss efforts. Water drinking helps to reduce hunger and at the same time satisfies the need to put something in your mouth, as well as helping your body to eliminate toxins. 4. Avoid harsh drugs and use natural supplements Do not be tempted to try a quick fix and solve your health problems with a drug that may have dangerous side effects. Whenever possible, let “food be your medicine.” If you do need to boost your daily diet with something extra, then try natural supplements. For example, Mangosteen juice is a tasty 100% natural product with enormous health benefits. If you follow these four steps to natural and healthy weight loss, you will look better, feel better and really start enjoying your life. Mike Vincent is the proprietor of www.healthy4life.com, a website offering discount weight loss supplements and natural health supplements. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Vincent http://EzineArticles.com/?Four-Steps-to-Losing-Weight-Naturally-and-Healthily&id=427390 valium no prescription buy phentermine valium xanax ambien diazepam buy diazepam order online

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jon_D._Brown]Jon D. Brown If you are looking for a brand new phone that has several applications and services, then you really have to check out the new digital phones with access to the internet. They have so many options and features that they are able to do almost anything you can imagine. This digital phones review will give you useful information to make it easier for you to choose a new digital phone. These new digital phones have a really great signal that allow you to talk and listen to anybody you are talking through the phone just as if that person was right at your side or in front of you. Besides, with a digital phone internet you will be able to connect to the internet and see websites, send and read emails and download music, images, and anything else you want. But there is more, making telephone calls over the internet is a very cool technology that is rapidly changing voice communications, and you can save a lot of money because it makes really cheaper to call anybody in your own city or in any part of the world for as long as you want. This technology is called VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol), and even though it is not a recent technology, in the past few years it has provided consumers a way to mix several forms of communications like voice and emails, without having to pay high fees for long distance calls as it is usual with long distance companies. A digital conference phone is a good example of a phone that uses this technology. Just look for any reputable provider on the market or online. They will offer you this technology that give you the freedom to travel to any country with your phone and your phone number, then all you have to do is to connect to internet and you will be able to make and receive calls just by plugging in. A digital business phone system is great if you use to travel for business. Want more info on [http://www.digitalphonesystems.org/digital-camera-phone.html]digital phones systems? Feel free to visit us at: http://www.digitalphonesystems.org Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jon_D._Brown http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Great-Benefits-Of-Digital-Phone-Internet&id=383189 xanax online fedex buy cheap online xanax buying 2mg xanax without prescription valium xanax hydrocodone online purchase no prescriptions needed

By Keishia Lee Louis The most powerful romance doesn’t begin with physical action, but rather with mental contemplation and expectation. It starts with a simple idea or fantasy that develops into closer intimacy between two connected partners. Having a satisfying romantic relationship with your husband or wife takes some thought and leg work, but it doesn’t have be burdensome. In reality, becoming a romantic person can be fun, exciting and fulfilling for you and your spouse. And if you’re truly committed to making it work, romance will become second nature for you. All you need is: a willing heart to invest the time,access to a computer,and maybe a little creativity. If you’re a little skeptical, don’t worry, I started with only one of the three too. Here are three keys that have worked for my husband and me. 1. Romance of the mind begins when the sun comes up, not after it goes down. If you want have a successful romance with your husband or wife, start the day thinking about what your partner likes or wants most. Maybe it’s a specific request, a deed, or a special gift. Doesn’t have to be fancy, but it does need to be relevant to your relationship. Drop hints throughout the day to build expectancy. Some suggestions are short and sweet (or sexy) notes, photos, or voice/text messages. The idea is to show that you’re listening, to give your honey a sense of desirability and to build up his/her receptiveness for affection. (Notice I did not say sex per se.) 2. Romance of the mind is ritualistic, not boring or repetitive, but endearing. I recently read an article about couples who love having fun with each other. (http://women.msn.com/a460717.armx?GT1=6920) The one thing that they all had in common was that they had certain rituals that they enjoyed doing together. When you have a certain ritual that you and your partner share, it gives you something to look forward to throughout the day, week, month or year. Something my husband and I do to wind down our day is chat over tea, coffee, or chocolate (in the winter) and smoothies (in the summer). Sometimes we have music in the background, sometimes not. Sometimes it leads to more, sometimes not. But this practice has gotten us through some tough times spiritually, emotionally, physically, mentally and even professionally. 3. Romance of the mind is well-planned but has a feeling of spontaneity. One of the movies that I truly enjoyed this year was Hitch. He had a way of making romance look easy, but he wasn’t perfect. He planned, but he wasn’t rigid. And when his plans fell apart, he could go with the flow. If only we all could be so talented. I’ll let you in on a little secret: the good news is that we can. Just plan around what you and your wife or husband like doing. If you like elaborate evenings for two, go for it. If you love to travel, there are plenty of romantic places to see. If you like staying home and playing board games– there are plenty of nice (and some naughty) ones out there.Just plan and see where you’ll end up. When we lived in Brooklyn, my husband and I used to plan walking dates in Prospect Park (the Central Park of Brooklyn) or near the water along lower Manhattan. We’d have our meeting time and place, but no specific agenda in mind. Sometimes we heard musicians. Sometimes we just enjoyed nature. One time we even had an unexpected fireworks show. It was spectacular against the purple glow cast on the water. I was certain that he knew about it. He denies it to this day. Hope this post inspires you to make an effort and draws you closer to your spouse. Keishia Lee-Louis is the Editor of http://www.Married4Good.com (Launching November 2005). Her work has appeared on iVillage.com, BibleResourceCenter.com, and in numerous other publications. Currently, she is writing a book on marriage and relationships(Spring 2006). If you’d like to see more of her work, visit http://married4good.blogspot.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Keishia_Lee_Louis http://EzineArticles.com/?Romance-in-Marriage-Begins-in-the-Mind&id=70700 online pharmacies illegal for xanax xanax online xanax online xanax without prescription in the us

By Annie Kaszina Its easy to underestimate the power of hope in a relationship. A sense of hopelessness keeps women in a bad relationship long after they should have left. With the help of their partners carefully chosen words, they know that the future without him holds nothing for them. (After all, hes said that a future without him holds nothing often enough.) Isnt it amazing the way we confuse conviction with authority? Hes so convinced that your future without him is hopeless, that you believe it. Not that hes ever had any particular talent for foreseeing the future but, hey, as you lose your own sense of certainty his becomes more and more powerful. So heres the thing: women in an abusive relationship dont lose all hope, they just invest it in the wrong place. They invest it in the pipedream of the relationship finally blossoming. And with every disappointment, they learn once again that hope is futile. Actually, hope is one of the great motivators. Its only misplaced hope that is futile. One reader wrote this week asking: How do I find the strength to leave? If you have no hope in what lies ahead, its almost impossible to find that strength. Its all a question of focus. There is definitely a rock bottom. As long is you remain in the relationship it is a movable bottom. An abusive partner has a talent for lowering it time and time again. You lose the energy even to dream. Of course it takes strength to leave. But never underestimate the strength it requires to stay. Its like being a boxer constantly knocked to the ground by a more powerful opponent, only to struggle up to standing to get knocked down again. The torment you know feels less intimidating than the torment you dont. Thats just the way youve been programmed to think. Once you drag yourself out of the relationship, your strength starts to return or, more correctly, you start to become aware of it. Self-respect and self-reliance will follow in its wake. So will dreams and hope. It doesnt happen overnight. But youve been through worse and the journey becomes more and more rewarding. (C) 2006 Annie Kaszina Annie Kaszina Ph D, is a coach and writer who has helped hundreds of women to rebuild their confidence and their life after an abusive relationship. Annie is the author of “The Woman You Want To Be”. This ebook will teach you how you can love yourself first, so that you can create strong self-belief and build the fulfilling future you’re looking for on firm foundations. To find out more and sign up to Annie’s free bi-monthly ezine visit http://www.EmotionalAbuseRecoveryNow.com You can email Annie at: annie@EmotionalAbuseRecoveryNow.com Feel free to reprint this article on your website or in your ezine, just include the resource box. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Annie_Kaszina http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Power-of-Hope&id=261939 order xanax xanax online prescriptions online pharmacy prescription xanax xanax online cod

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Carrie_Reeder]Carrie Reeder If you are thinking about purchasing a new car with bad credit, timing is important. Sadly, millions of people are living with bad credit. Unfortunately, it takes time to improve or boost credit rating. Still, if you need to buy a new car, there are options. Before buying a car, carefully consider whether now is the right time. Can You Buy a Car with Bad Credit? Buying a new or used car with bad credit is very possible. Of course, there are some disadvantages. Because of a bad credit rating, many lenders consider bad credit applicants a huge risk. Thus, they are likely to increase the interest rate on the auto loan. This way, if and when a loan defaults, the auto lender is able to recover some of their money. Furthermore, some dealership will not approve a bad credit loan application unless there is a co-signer or down payment. When is Buying a Car with Bad Credit a Good Idea? If you are hoping to quickly improve your credit score, buying a car with bad credit is a wise move. Rebuilding or re-establishing credit is challenging. However, if you obtain an auto loan, and make regular payments, your credit will improve in as little as six months. Increasing your credit score opens the door for lower rates on future auto loans and credit account. Because bad credit auto loans have higher interest rates, you must be in a position to afford higher monthly payments. If possible, finance a low amount. You may choose to buy an inexpensive car, or purchase the car with a sizeable down payment. Purchasing a New Automobile after Bankruptcy or Repossession If you experienced a recent bankruptcy or repossession, consider postponing buying a new car. A bankruptcy or repossession is extremely damaging. Hence, if financing a new vehicle, you may obtain an interest rate 18% or higher. To avoid excessively high rates, consider rebuilding your credit first. You may apply for an unsecured credit card or store credit card. After 12 months of timely payments, your credit score will have likely improved. Make a habit of reviewing your personal credit report. Once your credit score has improved, now is the time to finance a new vehicle. View our recommended lenders for [http://www.abcloanguide.com/badcreditcarloans.shtml]Bad Credit Car Loans. Carrie Reeder owns ABC Loan Guide, an online resource with information about [http://www.abcloanguide.com/autoloans.shtml]CarLoan lenders and [http://www.abcloanguide.com/mortgageloans.shtml]Mortgage Brokers Online. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carrie_Reeder http://EzineArticles.com/?Buy-a-Car-with-Bad-Credit—When-is-the-Right-Time-to-Purchase-a-Car?&id=145438 prescription drug xanax pharmacy xanax prescription xanax online with physical ordering xanax online no priscription

By Jim Sutton Today, every large city has at least one major daily newspaper, and many have several papers, including specialized business news, senior citizen news, shoppers guides, advertising sheets, and so on. Some of these papers are published weekly and others may come out every other week, or every month. But in all these ways news and information, and lots of advertising, goes out to the public. Rather than hurting local newspaper distribution, the Internet has actually enhanced and often increased it. I may live in Sacramento, California, for example, but I can jump on the Internet and catch some of the local news in Portland, Maine by way of the local newspapers. I can even subscribe over the Net in just a few minutes. Such public presence makes every newspaper available to the entire world. The result of such exposure is a much wider audience, and more subscriptions. The Need in Your Area More than likely, your area already has at least one daily paper based in a nearby city, as well as other publications, such as The Wall Street Journal and USA Today. Im sure there are also real estate guides, shoppers, business news, free papers that target farm or city readers, and other local or regional publications. You may wonder if there is really room, or a need for yet another newspaper. Are Local Businesses & Readers Being Served? You need to know the answer to the above question before you go very far in trying to develop a newspaper or other local publication. You need to have an accurate understanding of who you will serve, how you will serve them (what can you offer that no one else is offering), and why. You should be fully aware of other publications in your market area and what they are doing. Take the time to do a little research. Drive around and collect one each of every newspaper, shopping guide or trading post, real estate guide, and free magazine publication you can find. Spend a couple of days looking them over. Go through each publication more than once. Take note of the advertising, the news offered, the features (comics, puzzles, tidbits) offered. Ask yourself how well the people you know are being represented by these publications. How well are the small and medium sized businesses in your area publicized? The second step in your research is to go out and visit with local business people. Visit briefly with barbershops, pet stores, cafes, repair shops, appliance stores, tax services, attorneys, clothing stores all kinds of businesses. Stop in and ask business owners and managers about their advertising methods, their needs for new sales and new customers. Ask them how a publication might better serve the community and marketplace. Next, go through the phone books Yellow Pages for your area. Take a look at every business category in the book. Pay special attention to the businesses that do not advertise in the phone book. Go back through your collection of newspapers and guides and see if you can find ads for these businesses. Make a list of the business for which you can find no ads at all. Give them a call, and ask them how they promote their businesses and why. Youre Looking for two things: 1. Are the existing local publications truly serving your area? Is there a workable and effective way for most small and medium-sized businesses in your area to get the word out about their products and services? 2. Are most of the small and medium-sized business owners in your area really aware of the opportunities open to them for advertising? Do they understand the importance of consistent and effective advertising? Do they have realistic expectations? As you develop a clearer picture of your area and how well the local people and the businesses that serve them are being represented by the local printed media. Demographic Information Another step I would encourage is to check out the specific demographics of your area. Always take such information with the proverbial grain of salt. But you may be surprised to learn some of the facts about who lives around you. You can find such information on the web, at sites like CensusScope: http://www.censusscope.org/ U.S. Government (population, business info, etc.): http://www.census.gov/ Free Demographics PDF file download: http://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/censr-4.pdf You can find more sources by doing a Google search, typing in the word demographic and the name of your city, county or state. When looking over demographic information, note the numbers of youth, elderly, working-age adults, birth rates (new or expanding families), households, businesses (and what kinds), and other features of the area that influence the local interests and needs of potential readers. The more you know about all the people you serve, the better prepared you are to develop a publication that truly serves the people. Going Door to Door Even so, you will get a better feel for the people who read the paper by getting out and talking to your neighbors. Why not visit a few people in some of the local neighborhoods? Interview some folks on the street. Talk to a couple of local police officers, chat with a pawnshop owner, the owner of a local bar, a few of the pastors, an officer of a local bank, a store keeper. Ask their opinions of the area, the people they serve each day, what the greatest needs are, and what they think might help the community the most. Get some feedback from children, teens, and some working moms and dads. All of this may sound like a lot of homework. But its the very kind of work you will be doing if you start up a local newspaper. And you cannot imagine how much you will gain from such activity. In a few days, you will know the community like you have never known it before. And youll also be better prepared to decide whether or not there is really a place for a new paper in your area. Practical Applications of the Data Buy yourself a spiral bound notebook and write down the main things you learn from the above research. List the businesses you want to give special attention to, the groups of potential readers you especially want to target. Write down the primary goals of your newspaper of other publication. What do you want to accomplish besides making a living? Are there large gaps in the coverage and local representation offered by other publications? Can you see a way of marketing/selling your paper to advertisers that will help them to see the immediate benefit to advertising with you? With some blank sheets of typewriter paper, layout some page ideas for your publication. Sketch out some headlines, some ideas for main photos, some good ideas for ads, and the kinds of ads you want to run. Build a mock-up of your paper. How many pages will it have (think is sets of 4 and 8, since the printer will think this way). A 16 or 20 page paper is a great size for many small weeklies to start with. That gives you space to fill with information and ads, without giving you a huge mountain to climb. As you work on ideas, keep in mind the segment of the population, and the specific businesses you want to center your attention on. Build a newspaper that appeals to the readers and advertisers you want to attract. If you’re like me, you’ll also be going through the numbers, with a calculator and notepad, over and over and over. Spend all the time you want (and need) playing with numbers before you start trying to sell the first issue. How many households are in your area (demographics)? How many of those do you plan to reach? How much will postage cost for the number of papers you want to direct-mail to homes, businesses, or p.o. boxes? Get to know your post office staff. Find out about Standard (used to be called Bulk) rates, route saturation mailings, and keep researching until you get the lowest possible rates for your paper. Finally Get quotes on every configuration of printing your paper. Find out about 4-color process, spot color, black ink only (more about this) and combinations of these, which pages will be color and which will be black ink only (if any). Adjust all your own rates according to this data. And remember that the market you choose to reach will determine much about your use of color and other options. To learn more about starting your own local newspaper, visit www.newspaper-info.com Jim Sutton started a small weekly newspaper in Western Montana that covered several small communities. He operated that paper from 1994 until 1996 when he closed down to relocate. His website, http://www.newspaper-info.com offers insights gained from experience into starting a newspaper publishing business. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Sutton http://EzineArticles.com/?Could-Your-Area-Support-Another-Local-Newspaper?&id=215641 buy cheap online xanax buy xanax online prescriptions xanax cheap no prescriptions cod prescription drug xanax