I have found that some steelhead flies work better on some rivers but don’t work so well on other rivers. Several instances come mind that helps to point out this fact. One happened about 15 years ago when I was in Northwest Washington State fly-fishing the Stillaguamish River for steelhead. My friend Gordon who lives in the area and I arrived at the mouth of the North Fork early one morning and I asked him, “Well what fly should I start out with this morning?” His reply was “try this one” as he gave me a fly from his fly box that looked like a fluorescent orange wooly bugger. In about 15 minutes I was into a nice fish of about 10 lbs. To this day, that is the only fish I have ever caught on that fly, I have fished it on several other steelhead rivers here in Oregon without success. The Red Ant is another pattern that seems to be a one-river fly. It’s a great fly on the Rouge River, but for me, that seems to be the only river where it catches fish.

Another curiosity about steelhead flies: A fly pattern may catch fish one year, and the following year, it just doesn’t seem to work Therefore, if you’re going to fly fish a new river for steelhead, better check with a local fly shop or the local fly fishing club and find out what steelhead fly patterns are catching fish for that particular river.

I happened to be a firm believer in confidence that you have for a particular fly pattern. For example, when you tie a fly on the end of your leader that you feel good about, and you get that special “feeling” that it will catch you a fish, chances are, it will work. Also when fishing gets tough because of fishing pressure and hot bright days, stay with the time tested fly patterns that have caught fish over the years.

Needless to say, one of my favorite Steelhead Flies is the Green Butt Skunk. I tie it un-weighted in sizes 4 & 6, on a black finish up-eye fly hook. I consider this a good morning and mid-day fly and have also caught fish on it with bright sun on the water. Second is the plain Skunk with an all white wing, I tie it in sizes 2, 4, and 6 on nickel-plated down-eye hooks. I like the size 2 for winter fish and the 4 & 6 during late low light afternoons and evenings for summer fish. The number three and number four favorites, would have to be the Umpqua Special and the Orange General Practitioner, both of these flies are tied un-weighted on size 4 up-eye hooks. I like to fish these patterns early in the morning on the edges of fast currents using a sink tip fly line and a short leader. Pattern # 5 would have to be the Black Wooly Bugger size 6. I usually tie this fly weighted on a 4x long 2x strong down eye hook with a long black marabou tail with a few strands of pearl flashabou and a black cactus chenille body with a black hackle wrap. The # 6 fly and one of my favorites because of its versatility, is the Muddler Minnow and I tie this fly on a #6 down eye, 6x long hook. This fly can be fished wet with a trimmed cone head or it can be fishing dry or skated with a trimmed ball head using a riffle hitch.

I use both weighted and un-weighted steelhead flies. However, I feel that an un-weighted fly has more movement in the water because it is affected more by the different current flows than a weight fly. Some sections of fly-only waters prohibit the use of weighted flies, so check the fishing regulations for those waters. However there are times when you just have to get the fly down on the bottom and a weighted fly may be needed.

The on line source for more fly fishing information and tips on steelhead fly fishing, steelhead flies, rods, reels and fly lines, http://www.oregon-fly-fishing-with-stan.com/tips/fly-fishing-tips.htm

Stanley Stanton: Oregon Fly Fishing Guide and McKenzie River fishing guide, Visit: http://www.oregon-fly-fishing-with-stan.com For trout fly fishing tips, how to fly fish information, plus guided Rainbow Trout Fly Fishing, Steelhead Fly Fishing, fly fishing lessons for beginners and Oregon Salmon Fishing

Picture this. Your 9-year old daughter staggers to the breakfast table; hands on head, and moans plaintively, “I can’t go to school today. I have a headache.”

“Nonsense,” you say. You give her an aspirin with breakfast and say, “Off you go. You’ll feel better when your history test is over.”

But what if this happens every few weeks? Might it be migraine? Is there such a thing as migraine in children?

Betsy’s Migraines – a true story

My introduction to the possibility of migraine in children came when I was teaching fourth grade in Massachusetts. That’s when I met 9-year old Betsy. Betsy was a pretty child, but headaches kept her from making either friends or academic progress. Betsy claimed to experience regular bouts of migraine in children. Her doting mother vowed that Betsy’s attacks were real, but I was skeptical, since they always coincided with things Betsy disliked.

Even more suspicious was Betsy’s behavior during attacks. She began with plausible head-holding and tears. She begged for her mother to come and get her. Then, her act always went over the top. Looking around the room to be sure she had attention, Betsy shook her head violently from side to side. “You have to do this when you have migraine,” she announced loudly. She hit her head, and turned on the waterworks – always keeping a shrewd eye on her audience. When her mother arrived, Betsy abruptly stopped shaking her head, and moaned piteously. The curtain fell as her mother wrapped Betsy in her arms and ushered her from the room.

True Migraine in Children

While I never received professional confirmation that Betsy suffered migraine in children, I did learn that the condition is authentic. Its name is “migraine in children”, even when it refers to only one child.

Facts about Migraine in Children

Migraine affects people of all ages, social classes, races, and cultures. It is most prevalent between ages 20 and 50, but migraine in children hits younger generations. Often misdiagnosed initially as a “headache excuse” to avoid unpleasant tasks, migraine in children is real. Let me give you seven facts.

* Migraine often runs in families.

* Young babies and preschoolers can suffer migraine in children.

* Migraine in children begins earlier in boys than in girls.

* Up to 6 years, boys are affected equally or slightly more than girls.

* At elementary school level, 10 percent suffer migraine in children.

* The prevalence of migraines increases during secondary school.

* 20-30% of young women and 10-20% of young men experience migraines.

Migraine in children attacks every age from birth to age 20.

Symptoms of Migraine in Children

So, since your young daughter may be suffering migraine in children, and not simply avoiding a test, we need to look for signs. What are the symptoms of migraine in children?

1. PAIN: First of all, migraine in children is very painful, with severe throbbing in the head. Your daughter will probably report pain in the forehead, or the middle of the head, rather than just one side.

2. PALLOR: Typically, migraine in children will cause sufferers to appear ill and pale. There may be dark rings around the eyes.

3. QUIETNESS: A child suffering migraine in children will be very quiet. You may have trouble getting your child to say more than, “My head hurts.” He or she will choose to sit or lie in aching silence.

4. STILLNESS: Unlike Betsy in the schoolroom, children with migraines do not want to move any part of their bodies. They certainly do not want to shake their heads. If a headache complaint is followed by a running off to play, do not suspect migraine in children.

5. NAUSEA: For those taking notes, we’re on the fifth symptom now. Your child may complain of feeling sick in the stomach. He or she may not want to eat anything, and may vomit.

6. ABDOMINAL PAIN: In very young children, the main symptoms of migraine in children are abdominal pain accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

7. VISUAL DISTURBANCES: Some children experience changes in vision during an attack of migraine in children. They may have blurry vision, see flashes of light, or describe zigzag patterns in front of their eyes.

8. PHOTOPHOBIA: Your child may complain of light being too bright, and may want to go to a dark room. For those who like to sound knowledgeable, this light sensitivity is known as photophobia.

9. PHONOPHOBIA: Moving to the eighth symptom, migraine in children may cause them to hold their ears, or complain that you’re talking too loudly. Instead of turning up the television volume, they turn it down or off. This is sound sensitivity, also known as phonophobia.

10. OSMOPHOBIA: Migraine in children will sometimes cause sensitivity to smells. Even if you aren’t cooking liver-and-onions, your child may complain that dinner smells awful. For those who want the technical term, smell sensitivity is known as osmophobia.

11. MOTION SICKNESS: Those who suffer migraine in children have a tendency toward travel sickness. Even when not in a vehicle, a sufferer may complain of dizziness.

12. CONFUSION: Finally, and this is the last symptom we will look at, if your son or daughter is suffering migraine in children, he or she is likely to exhibit confusion and trouble concentrating. You might tell your teenager, “You aren’t thinking straight.”

Is It Migraine in Children?

There you have 12 symptoms. Some will exhibit all – others will exhibit a few. Some will have authentic migraine in children – some will not. How do you tell?

PATTERN: First, note whether your child’s attacks follow a regular, intermittent pattern. Migraine in children comes back again and again, following a pattern. Look for headaches that are very severe, lasting a few hours, and followed by an interval of no symptoms. Days or weeks later, a similar attack occurs, followed by another symptom-free interval. Migraine in children has a rhythm.

FAMILY HISTORY: Check to see if there is a history of migraine in your family. There may be a tendency toward migraine in children.

PHYSICIAN: Ask your doctor. A doctor will focus on ruling out other serious diseases or underlying conditions. If there are none, you will have the doctor’s reassurance, and a plan for effective treatment. I am not a professional, and my information must always be checked with your health care professional.

If your child’s attacks are migraine in children, you can provide relief.

Relief of Migraine in Children

* SLEEP: Sleep is the most important factor when it comes to migraine in children. In many cases, several hours of sleep in a dark, quiet room is all that is required.

* ICE PACK: Try placing a cold compress on your child’s head as he or she lies in a dark, quiet room.

* OTC: With your physician’s approval, use over-the-counter medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen.

* PRECRIPTION: Your physician may want to prescribe a medication for recurring attacks of migraine in children.

* WARM BATH: A hot Epsom salt bath may help an older child or teenager.

The most effective of these is usually sleep.

How Migraine Affects Your Children

In closing, I’d like to tell you about Thomas.

Thomas was a mischievous, high-maintenance little boy. From the time he could toddle, Thomas was on the go. Morning to night, he seemed never to stop. He talked incessantly, played loudly. Everything Thomas did was at top speed and volume.

Then, one bright autumn day in his eighth year, Thomas didn’t want to eat breakfast. Pale and listless, he lay on the couch, eyes closed. When his buddy called that the school bus was coming, Thomas covered his ears and moaned. When Mother opened the curtains to let in sunshine, Thomas covered his eyes. It was his first migraine.

Thomas lost that day. He missed the introduction of multiplication at school. He missed a film in history class. He missed an afternoon hayride with his cub scout pack.

Thomas lost many days after that. He lost days to migraine in children, and he lost symptom-free days out of fear. He began moving more quietly, more slowly. As additional migraines came and went, his bubbly laughter was gradually replaced by sadness and worry.

Thomas’ story is fictional, but it describes the experience of many who suffer migraine in children.

If you think your son or daughter may have migraine in children, I urge you to take him or her to your family doctor. Check for underlying problems, and discuss treatment possibilities.

Whatever you do, don’t ignore migraine in children. Appropriate diagnosis and treatment can greatly improve their quality of life.

© 2007, Anna Hart. Migraines are a part of Anna Hart’s family history, and although she personally does not suffer from them, Anna can sympathize with those who do. For that reason, she has turned her teaching and speaking skills to informing others about migraines. She posts regular migraine-oriented articles at: http://www.migrainereliefblog.com . If this article on migraine in children has been helpful to you, Anna invites you to read more about migraine relief [http://www.migrainereliefblog.com/relief-for-migraine-headaches/migraine-relief-through-migraine-pressure-points-21] in her current and upcoming blog entries.

While there are those who prefer to stick to traditional methods of cooking and traditional food, there are also a class of people who are always willing to experiment with new culinary delights! The French cuisine consists of traditional and regional dishes, as well as continental food flavored with the French ethnic touch. It is because of this that French food has become so popular in the rest of Europe, USA, and many other countries. This popularity has therefore led to the initiation of the French Cooking School USA.

The French Cooking School USA, an association of different schools, was inaugurated with the idea of imparting knowledge about French recipes and French delicacies to people wishing to qualify as professionals in the art of French cooking. Development of teaching skills is also a part of the program. In addition, the advancement of science and technology and schools under this association being placed at varied locations has ensured that distance poses no problem to learning.

Having earned the distinction of being the most exploratory international institution where the culinary arts and cooking are concerned, the French Cooking School USA uses varied cooking techniques unique to France and innovative recipes to provide an extraordinary learning experience for its students. The School is run by people thoroughly acquainted with French gourmet cooking as well as the essence of France?s culture. Is it any wonder then that superb masterpieces like Souffles and Bisques have come from the French Cooking School USA?

Two of the more popular schools associated with the French Cooking School USA are the Ecole Dijon Cooking School and the Cook Street School of Fine Cooking.

The Ecole Dijon Cooking School conducts classes at Chef Drew Holladay Home. There are small groups of students who are scheduled to attend eight sessions of teaching. This school basically caters to cooking in the home. So people who wish to confine their culinary skills to their own homes or bring a change in their regular menus take admission here. Trained cooks demonstrate newer ways of cooking routine food to bring about variety.

The students at Cook Street School of Fine Cooking in Colorado learn specialized French cooking and how to prepare wine. Certificates are awarded at the end of the course. Though the fees demanded are quite affordable, the students get thorough training in the science of good eating. They can therefore opt for careers in culinary art. The course program imparts knowledge about the heritage of French cuisine, how a menu has to be prepared, knowledge about wines, and how an appetite for good food is to be developed.

Another school of mention associated with the French Cooking School USA, is the New School of Cooking. An amateur takes admission and departs as a professional cook! There is the flexibility of taking up part-time, or full-time baking courses of one-year duration. Training is given by professional chefs. There is also the option of learning Italian and Asian cooking in addition to French cooking.

Thus, the French Cooking School USA provides an ideal atmosphere and learning experience for anyone desiring to master French cooking!

Abhishek is really passionate about Cooking and he has got some great Cooking Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 88 Pages Ebook, “Cooking Mastery!” from his website http://www.Cooking-Guru.com/770/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

Whether you are traveling by air, car, train or foot, carefully consider the needs of your pet and thoroughly review the options available to you and plan accordingly. You should always consider your pet’s health, safety and preferences when deciding whether to take your pet with you or leave them home with a qualified pet sitter. If your pet becomes anxious, motion-sick or does not enjoy new and different situations, especially older dogs, then the best choice is often to leave them at home where they feel safe, secure and comfortable.

Always do what is best for your pet. If air travel is involved, then leaving pets at home with a good pet sitter is usually the preferred option. When you do travel with your pet, deciding what to take is always a good place to start. Depending on the mode of travel and the length of the trip, you will need to pack any necessary medications and medical records, especially if your pet has chronic health problems or is currently under a veterinarian’s care for an ailment. And the appropriate paperwork is essential if your travels take you across international borders (see the links below for specific requirements).

Then you will need the basics like food, food/water bowl, pet first aid kit, bed, leash, collar, required tags (ID and rabies), and grooming tools if your dog requires regular grooming, pet waste bags, crate, and toys (especially an interactive or chew toy that will keep them entertained). You will also need litter and a litter tray or disposable litter trays for your cat. Just in case, take a recent photograph along. It will be much easier to locate your pet if it becomes separated from the family if you have a photo to show people. And if your pet has an embedded ID chip you will need to have the phone number of the company and your account details so you can immediately contact them.

Your pet should have its own bag so you know where everything is and can grab items when you need them. Don’t forget to carry some water if traveling by car, and remember to take enough of your dog’s regular food for the entire trip. If you can’t find the same brand on the road, abruptly changing a dog’s diet can cause stomach upset and diarrhea, something to be avoided while traveling. It is always best to stick to their regular feeding schedule as well.

If you are traveling by car and your pet is unaccustomed to car travel, begin preparing in advance of any long trips by first getting your pet comfortable in the car and then take it on several local trips of increasing duration. This will help minimize the risk of motion-sickness and help it become accustomed to car travel. If your pet appears to be prone to motion sickness consult your vet. Your dog should never be allowed to ride in the passenger seat, on your lap or allowed to run loose in a moving car.

Always use either a crate or one of the available safety harnesses or other barrier systems to restrain your pets. Restraining your pet is as important to their safety as buckling up is to yours. Some states even require restraints on pets in a moving vehicle. Restraining your pet serves the same purpose as our seatbelts; they help protect your pet in the event of an accident and they keep them from distracting the driver or jumping out an open window. Restraining your pet also maintains control of your pet when you stop for gas or a snack.

Crate-training your pet at home pays big dividends while traveling Not only does the crate provide a safe place for your pet while traveling when secured to the seat or floor of the vehicle, but your pet will feel at home, safe and secure in their comfortable crate wherever your travels take you. And crates are the most effective way of restraining cats and small dogs in a moving vehicle. Your local pet store will carry a variety of styles, sizes and makes.

For larger dogs, or if your pet prefers, there are also pet restraints available that work with your car seat belts or cordon off part of your vehicle. There are a wide variety of styles and types including harnesses, seat belt attachments, car booster seats, and screens and netting that create an internal barrier in your vehicle. Whichever method you choose, make sure it fits your pet and car, is comfortable and your pet will tolerate wearing it for hours at a time. And keep your pet’s head inside the car window to avoid eye injuries. Stop every two hours; this is advisable for you as well as your pets. Stretch your legs and take a walk. Be a responsible pet owner and don’t forget the pet waste bags and antibacterial wipes. Finally, never leave your pet alone in a parked car. They may attract thieves and can easily become overheated and distressed even on a cool day.

Traveling by air is always stressful for an animal so visit your vet well in advance of the planned trip to make sure your pet is physically fit and don’t fly your pet unless it’s absolutely necessary. But if you must, always check with the specific airline carrier and ask about all regulations (see the websites below for more information). Find out what their requirements are including quarantine periods at your destination and if your pet qualifies to ride in the cabin or must be sent as checked baggage. You will need to determine the container requirements, check-in times and health documentation needs as well. Always use a good quality container in good condition; many mishaps occur every year from pets traveling in damaged or poor quality containers.

If your pet must travel as checked luggage use a direct flight and travel on the same plane as your pet. Don’t travel when temperatures are forecast to be above 85 degrees F or below 45 degrees F. When you book your flight ask the airline if you will be allowed to watch your pet being loaded and unloaded and when you check-in, request that you be allowed to do this. After you’ve boarded, notify the Captain and the head flight attendant that your pet is in the cargo area. If your flight departure is delayed or has to taxi for longer than normal, ask that they check the temperature in the cargo area and report back to you.

Even if you know that your pet is a nervous flyer it is not advisable in most situations to use sedatives to calm them. According to the American Humane Society and the American Veterinary Medical Association, sedatives for air travel are not recommended because it is much more difficult for an animal to regulate their body temperature and maintain their balance and equilibrium if they’ve been sedated. Because of the altitude and temperature of a plane’s cargo area pets that fly in the cargo area are also more susceptible to respiratory and cardiovascular problems if sedated.

Before any trip get your pet’s papers and medications in order. Learn about the area you will be visiting in case there are diseases or hazards foreign to you and your pets. Your veterinarian can give you advice if you will need any additional vaccinations or medications. Have your vet perform a routine examination on your pet. Get any required legal travel documents (for air travel, contact the airlines for specifics that you’ll need to give to your vet), make sure your pet’s vaccinations are up-to-date, and get any medications your pet might need during the trip.

If you’re giving your pet medication specifically for travel test them on your pet several days before you travel to ensure the dosage is accurate and that there are no adverse side effects. Depending on where you’ve been, another examination by your vet after your trip might be a good idea to check for parasites such as, roundworms, tape worms, hookworms, heartworms, ticks and fleas, that were picked up while you were away.

If you are traveling overseas there are very strict and detailed regulations for transporting pets. Be sure to follow the vaccination requirements exactly. You don’t want your family pet to undergo any unnecessary quarantine periods. Pets are an important part of the family so be sure to take the time to plan and properly prepare them for the family vacation. By planning ahead and knowing what to pack, what to expect, and what to do each step of the way, you will ensure that your pet has a safe and stress-free holiday.

The DogSmith was founded in 1998 by Niki Tudge, a leading proponent of positive animal training techniques. The DogSmith mission is to enhance the lives of pets and their owners by improving their relationship and the quality of the life they share, through; 1. Providing professional support and training to Pet Dog owners, 2. Supporting and assisting animal shelters and rescue organizations to minimize the number of unwanted animals and 3. Offering affordable and professional care for family pets.

To learn more about the DogSmith and their ARRF (R) and MTR (R) methodologies visit http://www.888DogSmith.com

There is Southern Cooking and then there is SOUTHERN COOKING! You can follow a recipe and still come out with a dish that does not resemble what the recipe intended. The reason is technique and the little secrets that are not included in the recipe.

Technique is as important as the ingredients and proper technique helps you avoid the following common mistakes made by novice cooks. You can find many free Southern recipes on the internet, but few web sites provide the additional information needed to to be a real Southern cook. So when you find a site that does, bookmark it and stick with it for your Southern recipes. (See Resource Box below for recommendation).

7 Biggest Mistakes:

1. Failure to Properly Preheat Oven When Baking.

Have you ever made cornbread that came out soft and crumbly without a crust? Or biscuits that did not rise and have a gray color? It was probably due to the fact that your oven was not properly preheated. When baking, the crust is set in the first 10 minutes. So, if you want a nice, golden crust on your cornbread, be sure to get the oven up to 400 degrees before you put the cornbread in.

Ovens vary in how long it takes to reach a given temperature. Some ovens will reach 400 degrees in 4-5 minutes. Some will take as long as 15 minutes. A good practice is to get a thermometer (any food thermometer that goes up to 425 degrees will work) and time how long it takes your oven to reach 250, 350, 400 and 425 degrees. Write it down and keep it handy if you can not remember. Then always allow the alloted time to reach the desired temperature before beginning your baking.

2. Undercooked Vegetables

Keep in mind we are talking about Southern cooking. Not Chinese or West Coast casseroles. Many vegetables, Southern Style, are cooked considerably longer than most people tend to cook them. Specifically, green beans are cooked until soft and dark green in color. They are not crunchy and bright green. Okra and green tomatoes, are cooked until some burned edges appear and are very crunchy. As a general rule boiled vegetables are cooked until very tender and fried foods are cooked until crunchy (this goes for cornbread, fried chicken and pork chops, too).

3. Failure to Use Cast Iron

I have never researched all the reasons why, but Southern cooking is best cooked in cast iron cook-ware. The cast iron holds and transfers heat unlike any other type metal. Food just does not cook the same in aluminum or steel. Especially cornbread. Besides, it is the traditional way to cook Southern.

Older cast iron tends to have problems with rust and food sticking, but the newer cook-ware comes already cured (seasoned) so it is not as much a problem. However, it is not difficult to cure your cast iron if you have an older style. You can get complete, free instructions in the web referrals below.

4. Failure to Use Onions and Bacon

Onions and bacon (or bacon grease) are used extensively in Southern cooking. Some cooks, however, stray away form cooking real Southern because they (or family members) do not like onions and/or concerns about the fat content in bacon.

They do this because they fail to understand the reason for using bacon and onions. They are NOT in the recipe so that you taste onions or bacon. They are there only to provide subtle flavor. A unique Southern flavor. If you do not like onions, use only a small amount and remove the onion from the dish before serving (put onion in cheesecloth while cooking and it is easy to remove). If you are concerned about the calorie content of bacon, do not use whole bacon. Just add 1/2 tsp of grease from previously cooked bacon. And, accept the fact that Southern cooking is not inherently low fat. It is meant to be flavorful and robust. So, use that bacon and onion for real Southern dishes.

5. Overworking Dough

Southern breads are meant to be light and fluffy. Even cornbread should not be heavy and solid. Many Southern cooks never learn how to make good biscuits. And homemade Southern Biscuits are the trademark of good Southern cooks.

Three errors cause bad biscuits (and other breads). First, do not overwork the dough. Biscuit dough should only be kneaded three times. No more. Just enough to shape it for cutting out the biscuits.

Second, when cutting the dough, do not push down and twist the biscuit cutter. Push straight down and straight back up. Twisting compacts the edges of the dough and causes uneven cooking.

Third, remember the previous mistake above…preheat your oven. A cold oven can result in flat, hard biscuits.

6. Yellow Cornmeal and Sugar in cornbread

Everyone has their own preference, but, please do not use yellow cornmeal in cornbread. It may be mental, but it just does not taste the same as white cornmeal. Besides it looks funny. And, NEVER, NEVER put sugar in cornbread if you want authentic Southern cornbread. Cornbread is bread to accompany a meal. It is not dessert. It is not cake! It is BREAD. So, if you like sweet cornbread…go ahead and use your sugar…but, do not call it Southern Cornbread!

7. Failure to Use buttermilk

All good Southern cooks use buttermilk in everything except desserts. Regular milk does not add the flavor that buttermilk does. Especially in any dish with cornmeal (cornbread, hush puppies, tamale pie, etc.). If you do not have buttermilk, you can make a reasonable substitute by stirring 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in a cup of regular milk. Allow to sit for a minute before use.

These are some of the most common mistakes (or lack of Southern cooking technique) made in Southern cooking. You can ignore all of them and make eatable food, but it will not be traditional Southern. Even some good Southern cooks fail to comply with all the above, but they have probably developed a variation of these same techniques.

So, get in that kitchen, fire up the stove and make your family a real Southern dinner tonight.

Ken Miller is a free lance writer and webmaster for http://www.olsouthrecipes.com, Southern Recipes – Southern Cooking, where you can find FREE recipes for the most popular, authentic Southern dishes like fried chicken, fried okra, biscuits and gravy, cornbread and many more.

Both parents that are employed have become a common setup in most families today. The society has become open-minded with the need for mothers to help provide for the family. Thus, proper child-rearing has been a strong and primary concern for working parents especially if children have reached the school age. The parents’ responsibility is to find reputable institutions or individuals which will provide the proper childcare that the children needs.

Childcare Options

Childcare refers to the supervision of children in the absence of parents or guardians. Childcare is called for when there are minor children in the house that needs taking care of. When parents are away from work, the childcare provider shall act as the second parent. In some cases, parents require childcare for children when they need to spend quality time together away from home.

Depending on situations of parents and the age of children, childcare may be an every day or occasional requirement. Childcare may be done in the home of the kids, in the home of the childcare provider or in an established childcare or daycare centres.

Most parents choose in-home childcare such as the nanny, babysitter, au pair and governess because of the belief that their home is safer for the children.

The Nanny

In the old days, nannies are employed only by the rich or the aristocrats. Nowadays, many families employ nannies for childcare excluding the traditional concept of a nanny who wears a uniform.

A nanny is an individual who looks after children to provide the necessary childcare. Basic duties include childcare during the agreed hours set by the employer; supports the intellectual and social development of children; protection of children from harm; meal preparations; proper communication with the employers; and sometimes maintenance of cleanliness of the home.

The nanny may be hired as a live-in or live-out employee on a full-time basis. Formal training is not commonly required but advantageous. Parents prefer that a nanny has previous on the job experience.

The Babysitter

Unlike a nanny, a babysitter is hired on a part-time basis only usually when parents are still at work or out on weekends. Babysitting requires no formal training. Mostly, babysitters are teenagers who need the extra money. While training is not required, babysitters should have the right skills in times of emergency.

The Au Pair

A French term which means “equal to”, the au pair is a foreigner, usually an unmarried woman of 18 to 26 years old, who visits a host family for a period of two years. The au pair is intended to be considered a part of the family and receives a personal allowance and a private room. During her stay, the au pair is tasked to help in childcare and household chores of the host family.

Considering the meaning, the au pair is not a domestic helper. An au pair is included in all the daily activities of the family and attends social events with them. Being an au pair is an opportunity for travel and cultural exposure.

The Governess

The governess is a trained and educated childcare provider who is solely employed for the education of children.

Choosing the right childcare option for the family takes considerable time and extensive research. It is noteworthy to consider that parents should never depend on childcare providers alone to support the growth of children. More importantly, parents must remain to balance time to be with the children in the growing up years.

Grunty’s day care nursery is a long established Nursery School based in Blackpool. Grunty’s is part of Partington’s Holiday Centres

In a world economy that is in constant flux and undergoing turbulence, more companies are realizing that their most precious asset is their customer base. An even more important realization is the need to satisfy the whims and fancies of these customers in order to survive in these increasingly competitive markets. Organizations that do not act on this dictum have suffered the loss of market share or worse, total annihilation. Such dire consequences have awakened many organizations to rethink the way they see marketing. Thus, there is urgency for an organization (be it products or service providers) as a whole to develop appropriate holistic customer-focused strategies to ensure that the customer remains at the core of their organizational thinking.

With the rapid advancement of information technology (especially the rise of the Web) and the increasing difficulties of meeting customer’s needs and wants (for example, their expectations of 24 / 7 customer service especially for online transactions), there is a shift from a traditional marketing approach to customer targeted marketing. Many organizations and marketing consultants are emphasizing the need to allocate more funds to apply new-found knowledge of consumer behavior in new products development, build better customer relationships through customer loyalty and retention programs.

This purpose of this paper is to raise the awareness of the need to concentrate marketing efforts towards the customer rather than the inward-looking traditional product-focused arrangement. And more importantly, the paper will shed light on how an organization could go about in making this important transition in this current competitive market.

Marketing Approaches Explained:

Before I proceed to discuss the shift in the marketing approach, it will be appropriate to explain briefly the two marketing approaches separately for greater clarity.

Traditional Marketing-The 4 Ps of Marketing:

The marketing mix or what is commonly known as the 4 Ps is a framework for marketers to implement a marketing concept. It consists of a set of major decision areas that a company needs to manage in order to at least satisfy consumer needs. According to Kotler et al. (1999), the mix is a set of “controllable tactical marketing tools [...] that the firm blends to produce the response it wants in the target market” (p.8). Hence, in an effective marketing program, all of those elements are “mixed” to successfully achieve the company’s marketing objectives.

The traditional marketing mix contains four major elements, the “4 Ps of marketing”. As defined by Kotler et al. (1999):

1.Product: Anything that can be offered to a market for attention, acquisition, use or consumption that might satisfy a want or need. In includes physical objects, services, persons, places, organizations and ideas.

2.Price: The amount of money charged for a product or service, or the sum of the values that consumers exchange for the benefits of having or using the product or service.

3.Promotion: Activities that communicate the product or service and its merits to target customers with a view to persuading them to buy.

4.Place: All the company’s activities that make the product or service available to target customers.

With the rapid changes surrounding organizations, the traditional marketing mix of the 4 Ps has been criticized for being too myopic in this current market situation. The traditional marketing mix has also been disparaged for being too product-focused and for taking an overly inward-looking strategy with regards to the organization’s resources and capabilities in production matters. This is antithetical to attending to the more important organizational goal of satisfying the desired needs and wants of customers.

In addition, the Web and E-commerce revolution has played a major role in alleviating customers’ ability to shape their relationships with the company. This has led customers to expect companies to market their products and services in ways that reflect more directly their individual needs.

These changes have prompted enterprises that wish to stay ahead of their competitors to shift their traditional marketing approach to customer-targeted marketing.

Customer Targeted Marketing:

In customer targeted marketing, the customer becomes the central focus of the organization’s strategy and activities, rather than the product itself (which is the prime concern in traditional marketing). The organization’s paradigm shift in marketing requires a company to build a commitment to quality and to listen critically to the customer to determine the market needs and how the company can meet those needs more effectively.

One of the major characteristics of the approach is to focus on each customer’s interests and interactions with the organization to deliver targeted, personal messages. This would require the company to be constantly gathering information about their customers in an effort to better serve them and, most importantly, to retain them as loyal customers. As suggested by Peppers and Rogers (1998), the organization would need to use various techniques and strategies (possibly with the help of information technology and the Web), such as focus groups, in-depth interviews, customer surveys, attitude testing and so on to obtain information about consumers for more effective marketing of a product or service. With these customers’ data and feedback, the organization will apply the knowledge to develop more customer-centric products and services and/ or to improve existing ones. In addition, the information will be shared within the organization to encourage employees at all levels to focus on creating maximized customer value and loyalty.

Why Customer-Targeted Marketing?:

In order to have a competitive edge and to satisfy increasing levels of customers’ desires, companies realized that they have to see their customers as individuals rather a homogeneous mass of similar tastes, values and buying behaviors. Due to such transformation, companies need to be more customer-focused in its overall marketing strategy. This has resulted in organizations adopting a customization strategy to increase customer’s loyalty to their products and services. For example, in banking and insurance industry, there has been a move towards greater customization. Standard products/services have been given way to a varied menu of features from which customers may select their own preferred combination.

In view of these changes, companies that understand the asset value of each customer, and that tailor their marketing efforts (and their costs) to acquire and sustain the highest-value assets, will win over less-adaptable traditional marketing approach of the 4 Ps.

The Process of Transition:

In order to strategically change from a traditional marketing approach to customer targeted marketing, an organization must be aware of these following areas:

Paradigm Shift. A company must fully understand that customer targeted marketing requires a shift in the organizational mindset, and not just structural organizational changes. They must realize that their sole purpose is to continuously satisfy customers’ needs and wants. Thus, to ensure a smooth transition from a traditional marketing approach to customer targeted approach, an organization must reflect and ask itself questions as to what areas need to be analyzed and to understand the ramifications of such a transition in the organization. On the other hand, an organization needs to realize the negative consequences for not willing to be a more customer-focused marketing organization.

Customer Targeted Planning. As in any organizational change initiative, proper planning is needed. The objective of planning customer-centric marketing strategies is to find win-win opportunities with customer and to identify the best mutual opportunities for your customers and your company. This requires the organization to see the issue(s) from the customers’ perspectives and to strategically plan the organization’s resources around them.

In short, the organization’s shift to customer-targeted marketing should embrace these three important points:

1.Planning should focus on customer wants and not looking inwardly at company goals

2.Focus on the honest feedback and suggestions through creating different channels of communications. Listen to the customers, rather than forcing them to listen to you.

3.Integrate your customers in every aspects of your business, from new product design to after-sales services and more.

Organization-wide Responsibility. For the approach to be successful, members need to understand the new philosophy of marketing and embrace it organization-wide. Many organizations tend to underestimate the degree to which every facet of the enterprise needs to be involved in the process and to be integrated into the actual customer relationship.

Organization Redesign. An organization has to assess the roles of all functional departments interacting with customers to ensure that they add value to customers instead of increasing the costs. By reorganizing the company with the customer as the focus, many departmental roles and responsibilities will have to be redesigned. And when that happens, the employees will have to adopt new work processes that would be more customer-centric in nature.

Human Resource Training. There is a need to develop customer-focused human resource through customer behavior training, across the functional departments. By investing in such training at all levels, the members will be more knowledgeable, more autonomous, and more efficient in anticipating and meeting the needs of the customers.

Use of Information Technology. With the advancement and increased affordability in information technology, more companies are able to collect available data on customer purchase behavior more efficiently. For example, technologies ranging from checkout scanning to Internet cookies are commonly used to track customers’ buying behaviors. Companies that employ such technology will be more adept at acquiring new customers, retaining existing customers, and cross selling than those who do not.

Enhanced Customers Communications. With the use of the Internet as a medium for targeted communication, this allows companies to be in touch with customers at less than one-hundredth of the cost of more traditional snail mail, brochures or flyers. Communication through emails with the customers is almost free, and the customers can retrieve communications almost immediately. However, this has also resulted in customers having 24 / 7 service expectations of these companies.

Customer Targeted Measurement. An organization must be able to measure and evaluate the success of their customer targeted marketing strategy. In most cases, traditional measurement techniques such as profitability, market share and profit margins are used to measure the success. There should be an added emphasis given to developing measures that are customer-centric and which are able to assess the marketing strategy. Customer acquisition costs, conversion rates, retention rates, customer sales rates, loyalty measures and customer share within a brand are some examples of customer-centric measures than a customer-focused organization can adopt

Conclusion:

The need for survival has provoked many organizations to shift from traditional to customer targeted marketing. The market conditions surrounding us will continue to change at an accelerating rate and customer’s expectation will continue to rise. Hence, without any doubts, more and more companies will adopt a customer-targeted marketing strategy with increased intensity.

About The Author

Dr. Alvin Chan is an Innovation Research Specialist in Asia. He has consulted for and aid in the development of managerial innovations and effective learning methodologies in several organizations. Currently, Dr. Chan is the Senior Research Consultant at FIrst Quatermain Centre of Collaborative Innovation (www.firstquatermain.com).

Please email to Dr. Chan at bizguru88@hotmail.com as a courtesy if you are reprinting the article online or in print.

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Using Boolean Phrases

The first step is to choose one of the search engines from the above list and type the address in your Internet browser. Then decide what key words would be effective for finding the type of resource you want. Once you have a list of key words, use the following Boolean techniques to run the most efficient search.

o If searching for a phrase on a webpage, place the statement between quotation marks. Example: “free resume database”

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o If looking for a website with specific text such as: free resume search, type the command text: free resume search.

Below you’ll find suggestions of Boolean phrases and keywords to use that will help you find the free resume resources listed above. At the end of this article you will also find a suggested website that can give you access to hundreds of free resume resources instantly.

Free Resume Databases (These sites allow you to search through a database of resumes)

o “free resume database”

o “search for free” AND resumes

o “free resume search”

o text: free resumes

o free AND resume*

Association Websites offering Member Resumes (Many associations or organizations offer sections on their websites where members, who are looking for jobs, can post their resumes)

o “member resumes” AND association OR organization

o url: memberresumes

o text: search member resumes

o member AND resumes

o title: association AND resumes

Free College and Alumni resumes at University websites (Some Universities offer a section on their website where students, looking for internships, can post their resumes. Some also have pages where alumni can also post their resumes, when searching for work)

o “alumni resumes”

o url: edu AND resumes

o alumni OR student AND resumes

o text: alumni resumes

o university AND resumes OR cv

Free Resume Newsgroups (Newsgroups are email lists where people can post various things. There are several free resume newsgroups.)

o “free resumes” AND newsgroups

o newgroup* AND resumes

o url: newsgroup

o text: newsgroup

Free Resume Blaster Sites (These sites send resumes to your inbox after you fill out a form describing the types of resumes you need.)

o “resume distribution”

o “blast your resume”

Active or Passive individual candidate resumes on individual web pages. (There are thousands of personal resumes posted on the web. Some are active and some passive. Using the 4 numbers of the current year in your search can help you find more active resumes)

o url: resume AND 2005

o url: resume AND java AND oracle AND php

o resume AND experience AND education AND java OR oracle

o title: resume AND manage*

Now you’re ready to begin your search for free resume resources. If you find that your busy schedule doesn’t allow enough time for you to run searches to find a substantial amount of free resume resources, you should visit http://www.freeresumesites.com. They have already compiled an extensive list of hundreds of free resume databases, association websites, college resume sites, free resume newsgroups, free resume blaster sites, free job posting sites and links to pages that offer individual resumes. They charge a very minimal fee to access this list. This site can save you time and will provide you with all-of-the free resume resources mentioned in this article.

Remember, the Internet is an amazing resource for recruiters and if you don’t want to spend large sums of money on useless job boards, you now have the skills it takes to find free resumes. Good luck with your recruiting efforts!

Kim Proulx is a professional Internet Researcher with 10 years of experience.

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