วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 26 สิงหาคม พ.ศ. 2553

Green Day Revives Punk Rock Music

Greenday is an American punk rock trio composed of Tre Cool on drums, Mike Dirnt on bass and Billie Joe Armstrong on lead vocals and guitars. They have backup members for guitars (Jason White), keyboards (Jason Freese) and trumpet (Ronnie Blake).

Greenday's first major breakthrough was when they performed on Sesame Street. Since then, they have sold over 25 million records in the U.S. alone and over 65 million albums worldwide, making them one of the most successful punk rock bands.

During the mid-90s, Greenday revived the popularity of the punk rock scene. Their success and that of similar bands have influenced the new generation of punk rock bands like Good Charlotte and Sum41.

Green Day have won three Grammy Awards: Best Rock Album for "American Idiot," Best Alternative Album for "Dookie" and Record of the Year for the single "Boulevard of Broken Dreams."

Green Day's Early Years and the Success of "Dookie"

The story of Green Day started when childhood friends Mike Dirnt and Billy Joe Armstrong, who were both 14 years old in 1986, decided to form a two-person band that they called "Sweet Children."

In 1998 Al Sobrante joined the band as their drummer. The three-piece band soon switched their band name to "Green Day" after a marijuana incident and played their first performance at Sobrante's school in Contra Costa College, San Pablo, California.

When Larry Livermore of Lookout! Records saw Green Day perform, he offered the band a record deal. They immediately released their first EP in 1989 called "1,000 Hours" and their first LP in 1990 entitled "39/Smooth." The band recorded two other EPs.

In early 1991 Green Day released their second album, known as "Kerplunk!" under Lookout! Records, featuring Tre Cool on drums. The second album sold over 50,000 albums in the U.S. alone and over 2 million records worldwide.

Green Day Shifts to Reprise Records

With the release of the successful "Kerplunk!" album, Green Day was a focus of major record labels, and the band ultimately left Lookout! Records. Although many fans regarded Green Day as a sell-out, the trio had no choice but to move on and produce good punk rock music.

In 1994 "Dookie," which was recorded in a mere three weeks, became a major commercial hit. Songs like "Basket Case," "When I Come Around" and "Longview" all became number-one songs on different chards. The following year, Green Day was nominated for nine awards, winning Best Alternative Album.

Green Day's third album, "Insomniac," comprised a darker and more melodic style of songs, like "Walking Contradiction," "Stuck With Me" and "Brain Stew/Jaded." After winning an MTV Video Music Award, Green Day took a break from producing music and performing concerts, claiming exhaustion.

In 1996, after their much-criticized break, Greenday recorded and released their "Nimrod" album. Major hit songs like "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)," "Redundant" and "Hitchin' a Ride" were products of the band's experimental style, far from their standard pop punk rock signature.

The Future of Green Day

When Green Day came back to the music scene in 2000, they released an album called "Warning:" which reflects a more mature version of their music. This album won eight awards at the California Music Awards in 2001. In 2004 Green Day released the 2004 "American Idiot" album, which instantly became number one on different music charts.

All throughout 2005, Green Day spent 150 dates promoting their album on a worldwide tour. The following year Green Day won awards for "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," which spent an impressive 16 weeks in the number-one position on Billboard's Chart.

To this day, Green Day remains a strong influence to modern punk rock bands.




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วันอังคารที่ 24 สิงหาคม พ.ศ. 2553

ADA-Compliant Small Elevators For Commercial Buildings

ADA compliant small elevators for commercial buildings are great accessibility options for mobility challenged individuals who find it difficult to climb stairs. These devices ensure safe and reliable vertical transportation of the physical challenged or mobility impaired in a commercial setup.

Features of ADA Compliant Elevators

An ADA compliant elevator will maintain all the safety standards that the ADA (Americans with Disability Act) insists on. Such elevators feature automatic operation, emergency call buttons and a number of other value added features. You can also find automated door opening and closing facility in such accessibility devices. The floor area will be such that there will be enough room for wheelchair users to enter these elevators.

A Variety of Options to Choose From

Elevators are very much in demand these days with increase in high rise buildings, as well as improved life standards. Consequently, elevator manufacturers have started coming up with different models and types of elevators suitable for any sort of commercial environment. Savaria Concord, Federal Elevators and ThyssenKrupp are well-known manufacturers in the industry. Some of the popular models they supply include Orion LU/LA, Prolift SCL and Prolift Voyager. Most of these are available in a wide variety of sizes, colors and finishes.

A Perfect Solution for the Mobility Impaired

For the safe transportation of the mobility impaired, ADA compliant elevators are advisable. These are ideal for hospitals, schools, lodges or any kind of commercial enterprise. Most of them are built with strong materials with good weightlifting capacity. Durable design, variable speed as well as, noise free operation are some other notable features of these devices. Backup lighting, inter locking facility and emergency battery that provides flawless power supply ensure complete safety of the users.

An ADA-compliant small elevator is not only a convenient accessibility device but also a luxurious addition to your commercial building.




Find ADA-Compliant small commercial elevators at DAY Elevator & Lift. We are a leading provider of commercial accessibility solutions; we supply commercial LULA elevators at highly attractive prices.

วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 19 สิงหาคม พ.ศ. 2553

Commercial Real Estate Economies of Scale

As with acquisition and strategy, income properties offer economies of scale when it comes to making improvements. To reposition, say, 12 houses, you work with 12 different buildings in 12 different locations. Each property requires its own unique market research, design, repairs, and renovations. In contrast, you can improve one 12-unit property with less time and effort (per rental unit). Your renovation costs also incorporate economies of scale. One large roof costs much less than 12 individual roofs. To the extent that each of a building's individual units are similar, you can apply one redesign to all units. When you focus on one, two, or even three larger properties instead of a dozen or more smaller properties, you achieve more return for each hour you invest.

As we look in to the years ahead, real estate investors who in previous years would have searched only for single-family houses will switch to income properties. Such investments provide economies of scale; they cost less per unit; they yield higher annual cash flows; and they present greater opportunities to create value, to reposition, and to turnaround through improved operational and strategic management. When compared to stocks, bonds, annuities, or other assets, owners of income properties will produce superior performance. In fact, just as I was completing this book, a feature article in the Wall Street Journal ("Investors Considering Retirement Opt for [Commercial] Property Investments," December 18, 2007) essentially promotes the same message that I advocate here. The article quotes a Mr. Larson who says, "With the stock market, you're investing in faith. But with commercial real estate you can quantify everything and even drive by it on Saturday to make sure that it's still there."

The journal goes on to report that "more investors are following Mr. Larson's example. As they're looking to build nest eggs that may need to last 30 to 40 years or more, commercial real estate seems like a stable investment compared to stocks-and it delivers a larger regular income stream. . . . Indeed while the residential markets in some areas continues to struggle, commercial real estate shows solid fundamentals." But as the article also points out, beginning commercial multifamily investors must study the local economies where they plan to invest, learn to run the numbers, and figure out target markets. Fortunately, that's the knowledge that you will take away from this book. Although, as noted, I focus primarily on the multifamily side of the commercial real estate market, the world of affordable commercial properties offers a magnificent
Affordable income properties yield superior performance.

Variety of other choices - I urge you to consider starting here and then move on to other opportunities as you gain experience. But if you do wish to jump right in to retail, offices, self-storage, or other types of commercial properties, you just follow the same fundamental analysis.




Step-by-Step, low price Training Videos on How to Build or maintain a Powerful commercial property Portfolio, covers land, apts, multifam, retail and more!

http://www.commercialprofitblueprint.com

By: Raymond Pedersen

วันจันทร์ที่ 16 สิงหาคม พ.ศ. 2553

Commercial Loans For a Small Business

In recent years, sadly, many small businesses are failing to survive and this is due to the economy and also because business owners are not aware of how to manage their cash effectively. A commercial loan can help jump-start the cashflow of a business by loaning money to purchase essential items such as vehicles and also office equipment like photocopiers, computers and phone systems.

While in personal situations it is encouraged to save for a big purchase, in a commercial environment, the time it can take to save the finances for the aforementioned items can be lengthy and therefore cause a business to miss out on a growth opportunity.

Small Business Commercial Loans

Getting a commercial loan can be easy for small businesses that have a good credit history. From the start, you should make sure that the loan is set up properly so that you can get the funds to create enough cashflow to get your business started or go through a growth phase, but not too much so that you end up having to pay back the loan over an extended period.

Look at a commercial loan that has a flexible repayment structure, as this will help you to pay off more when you can afford to without getting hit with bank fees. Your commercial loan should also have a competitive interest rate so that you can pay less on the overall cost of the loan and save more over time.

Managing Your Small Business Cashflow

Once you have injected some funds into your business, it is important to focus on managing the cashflow efficiently. This means invoicing customers and clients on a regular basis and following up with them if payment is not received.

To avoid late payment and ultimately secure a regular cashflow, many companies may also indicate a penalty for late fees. On the other hand, when the business receives an invoice, always try to negotiate payment terms to the longest possible period and pay only on the very last day it is due before late fees come into play. This will allow you to have a healthy cashflow and ensure you are still keeping your suppliers happy.




ME Bank provides first-class banking services like business banking, commercial loans, home loans and term deposits for Australians with an industry super fund.

วันพุธที่ 11 สิงหาคม พ.ศ. 2553

Commercial Wheelchair Lifts

Business places and commercial buildings are locations where wheelchair users face accessibility issues. Commercial wheelchair lifts are suitable solutions for them to overcome their accessibility challenges in public settings.

Versatile Models of Wheelchair Lifts for Multiple Applications

Vertical wheel chair lifts, inclined platform lifts, and portable wheel chair lifts are the commonly used commercial wheel chair lifts in public settings. Most of these models are suitable for indoor and outdoor applications. Certain models come with advanced space saving features. There are equipped with fold/unfold options. When the lift is not in use, the user can conveniently fold and keep it, without blocking the stairway.

Convenient Operating System with Advanced Safety Features

Commercial wheel chair lifts are now available with a wide range of safety features where the users will be able to operate the system independently. Most of the lift models available in the market are equipped with a large platform which can accommodate any type of wheelchairs including power wheelchairs, child wheelchairs, sports wheelchairs and adult wheelchairs.

For the users to conveniently operate the system, these devices are incorporated with multiple control stations, key lock and emergency stop switches, anti-slip flooring, safety pan, and over-speed safety device. There will be sensitive bottom plate systems which will automatically shut down the unit, on sensing some obstructions on the path.

Commercial wheelchair lifts offer benefits such as:

o Affordable operating costs
o Flexibility to use in different commercial settings
o Smooth and quiet operation
o Versatile designs, specifications and features
o Easy installation
o Customizable to the specific requirements of the users
o Safe and reliable operation

Get Quality Products from Reliable Dealers

Commercial wheel chair lifts are now available with many dealers in the US. These lifts sold by the distributors are fully tested and proper functioning is ensured through scheduled checkups. ThyssenKrupp Access, Savaria Concord and Garaventa are some of the companies manufacturing commercial wheelchair lifts that enjoy great demand in the market.




Wheelchair lifts are ideal for those people who have difficulty in climbing stairways. DAY Elevator & Lift is a trusted source for vertical wheelchair lifts, dumbwaiters, stair lifts, ramps and pool lifts.

วันจันทร์ที่ 9 สิงหาคม พ.ศ. 2553

International Article Marketing

An American reader on Facebook asked me a series of questions about article marketing to develop Canadian and British markets.

Visibility Is Not Marketing

Sure, slapping a series of articles up on the web with the right keywords and keyword density might get you some online visibility. But there are two things you need to think about.

A Numbers Game

In many cases you will need more than a dozen articles.

In fact, you might even need a couple hundred articles on the same subject. Article marketing for online visibility is a numbers game.

If you have the highest number of articles online on a specific subject, you will get good search engine results for your keywords.

Marketing Strategy

The internet does provide an opportunity for international visibility. But it still astounds me how people try to have an international business without... well... any business activities.

The promises of the "get rich quick" style of online marketing are part of the reason why many "online businesses" do not realize you need more to develop an international clientele. You need marketing.

One Marketing Does Not Fit All

There are two assumptions I see experienced marketers make:

First Assumption


  • "I have international clients, therefore I have an international business".

These are usually successful businesses that market to their domestic market, or one broad market.

They know their domestic market very well.

But they base their foreign market knowledge solely on their own experience of the international clients they have. Imagine the increase in sales if they were to market to each country.

Second Assumption


  • This is an automatic assumption that other English speaking countries will respond in the same way.

Most people can see cultural differences between Americans, Canadians, Australians and the British.

Why would you think of marketing to them in the same way?

An easy way to pick up cultural differences is to watch television from different countries.

Every time you visit a foreign country and turn on their television, you experience a culture shock. I found Sunday afternoons the best time to see just how different television can be in different cultures. It is also interesting to compare differences in television series.

Try to put aside your own personal reactions, and then notice the different emotional buttons their television commercials hit for different products.

Their television shows and commercials are different. Because different cultures want different things, and they respond differently.

International Article Marketing

So what about international article marketing?

Well, if you are serious about marketing to different countries, you need to adjust your article marketing in two ways.

1 - Country-Specific Web Marketing

You need to research each country you are targeting. Yes, even if they speak the same language as you do. Here are some questions you need to ask:


  • What keywords do you need in this country?
  • How do you international prospects respond to these keywords?
  • How do they use their search engines when they are looking for your product or services?

Several things may change:


  • Your keywords
  • The leading search engines

2 - Country-Specific Marketing

If you want your articles to bring in international leads, you need to write them with your foreign markets in mind. Here are some questions you need to ask:


  • Is your foreign market interested in your product?
  • What is the competition in this country?
  • What is it about my product that interests my prospect in this country?
  • How do they want to hear about what I have to say?

You may increase your leads by:


  • Emphasizing different features and benefits of your product
  • Hitting different emotions
  • Adjusting your vocabulary and your communication

Understanding Your International Markets

International business is all about understanding your clients in different markets, in different countries.

A shared language can be deceiving. You many think you know foreign cultures, simply because you can easily communicate with them.

But, do you know these foreign markets well enough to you sell to them?

Understanding your international markets is key to more effective marketing to bring in more international sales.




Are you committed to speeding up your international sales cycles?

Learn how to combine cross-cultural marketing tools and international sales strategies for faster sales.

Join us on the International Sales Road Map.

Would you like to develop your international business?
Are you a beginner at international sales and marketing?
Read the Beginners Guide Discover Your International Business.

Cindy King is a Cross-Cultural eMarketer & International Sales Specialist, aligning businesses with different cultures. She has over 25 years field experience in international business development and helps mid-sized business owners create international business development strategies that shorten time to profitability.

วันเสาร์ที่ 7 สิงหาคม พ.ศ. 2553

Commercial Mortgage Interest Rates

Commercial mortgage interest rates are a combination of the margin that the bank changes and the index that they use. For example if a bank quoted Prime (the index) plus 2% (the margin) you're actual or "effective interest rate" would be 7% (Prime is currently at 5%).

Lenders use a wide range of indexes. On owner occupant transactions Prime is still very popular and is used much of the time. This is especially true with floating rate loans. The SBA 7a program still uses Prime for example. Commercial investment deals use a broad range of indexes. The treasuries are popular but each individual lender has their preferences. The index used is probably less important for the borrower than the margin that the funding bank uses.

The margin is basically how the bank makes its money and its spread. The bank typically is borrowing the money that they lend and therefore has a cost of capital. The spread is the difference between what they pay for their sources of capital and what they make off of lending money.

Creating or pricing out the margin is no easy task. It's a complicated process as the bank has to be competitive in order to win deals yet not quote margins to "skinny" as to not make enough money. Banks have to essentially predict the future and take into account a percentage of default, cover future costs, and of course try to make a profit.

The combination of the margin and index is commonly referred to as the Effective Rate. It's what the borrower uses to figure out their payments. For instance, if a lender quoted you 5 Year SWAP (Currently at 3.9%)plus 2.5% your Effective Rate would be 6.4%.

One of the odd things that we have seen in the last year is the fattening of margins which comes as a surprise to many borrowers. Many assume when they hear that "interest rates" have been lowered by the Feds that it means that there potential interest rates on loans have been reduced. What it really means is that the cost of capital for the banks has been lowered but that doesn't mean that the banks have kept their margin the same as a year ago. For example, margins in January 2007, where commonly 2%, now it's not uncommon to see margins at around 4%. So the borrower's effective rate is the same or in many cases actually higher than it would have been before the Fed lowered rates.




Jeff Rauth is President of Commercial Finance Advisors, Inc out of Birmingham, Michigan. He specializes in Commercial Real Estate Loans between $400,000 - $5,000,000. Offers unique loan programs such as Commercial Second Mortgages, Commercial 30 Year Fixed and 90% non SBA financing, Commercial Equity Lines. 248 885-8797 In addition, they have opened up a commercial mortgage broker STORE offering training books, legal docs, spreadsheets etc that brokers need. Prices start at only $4.95! Check it out SBA 7a Loans or commercial loan rates or commercial loan calculator.

วันอาทิตย์ที่ 1 สิงหาคม พ.ศ. 2553

Reverse Lookup Cell Phone Numbers - Your Kids Will Never Know What Hit Them

We were all kids once, and we know how sneaky they can be. I remember when I was a little kid I would sneak around my house constantly. I would never want my parents to know what I was up to because the mystery of everything made it so exciting.

Unfortunately, this continued into my teens and started to get me in to trouble. I would have light night conversations with girls and my parents would want to know who I was talking to, but because of the nature of cell phones and the inability to look up cell phone number owners on public databases, they had no way of catching me.

Taking it in another direction I also participated in something that probably everyone reading this has been a victim of. Prank calling! Constantly on weekends my friends and I would use one of our cell phones and call neighbors or random numbers off the top of our heads and we would get the biggest laughs out of these calls.

Kids are more mischievous than any of us would dare to guess or even realize, and it would be great if there was a way to find out what they were up to. Whether it be the late night phone calls to a girlfriend/boyfriend or incoming prank calls from the kid down the street.

There are a number of free ways to look up phone numbers such as the white pages, or simply typing the number into google. However, cell phone numbers are not listed in public directories and this sucks. Luckily, there are actual private databases that you can search for any number if you just know the right place to start looking.




If you need to reverse lookup cell phone numbers for any reason at all, Click Here Now!