titleSave Money at Resale Shops/titlepMany consumers know that you can find good deals on pre-owned items at flea markets, Ebay, Craigslist, and various classified ads. In recent years, many franchise specialty resale shops have emerged on the retail market. These stores allow shoppers to shop for specific specialized goods and also may give you cash for your unwanted items. Below are some descriptions and web sites that have a growing number of locations across the nation./ppstrongOnce Upon a Child:/strong/ppWith more than 230 stores nationwide, Once Upon a Child buys and sells gently-used childrens toys, furniture, and clothing. Most parents know that kids outgrow everything very fast. Therefore, this resale shop can save families money on items that children use for a short time. Those bags full of gently-used clothes that children wore for a few months could also earn parents some extra cash./ppstrongPlatos Closet:/strong/ppThis store has a similar concept to Once Upon a Child, except it is geared towards teens. Platos Closet, a franchise resale shop that buys and sells gently-used teen apparel, specializes in designer brands such as Express and Abercrombie Fitch. In addition to purchasing stylish clothes for a fraction of the cost, your teen can also get cash for clothes that they do not wear anymore./ppstrongPlay It Again Sports:/strong/ppParticipating in school or community sports produces positive results for your child. However, parents are sometimes burdened with bills for costly equipment and transportation fees. Play It Again Sports allows you to turn in your used sporting goods for credit towards new purchases. This store also gives cash for used fitness equipment./ppstrongHalf Price Books:/strong/ppBy the name of this store, it is easy to assume that it carries a wide variety of used books. However, they also stock pre-owned music, movies, and games. Most items are at least half off of the publishers original price. If you are an avid reader, this store may be a good alternative to the pricey bookstores that sell only new items. Half Price Books also gives you cash for your used books, CDs, movies, etc. According to this stores web site (www.halfpricebooks.com), associates will make an offer on every one of your items./ppstrongCD Warehouse:/strong/ppThis resale store buys, sells, and trades used CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, games, and vinyl records. The amount of cash you receive for CDs depends on the current inventory of the individual store. The CD Warehouse also provides a great way to unload the music that you no longer listen to or have converted to MP3 format. Music buffs can also find interesting and rare tunes for a low price. Visit www.cdwarehouse.com for more information. This franchise also operates under the names of Disc Go Round, CD Exchange, and Music Trader./ppstrongComputer Renaissance:/strong/ppKeeping up with the latest computer technology can be a costly endeavor. Computer Renaissance offers consumers refurbished name brand computers and also custom builds new computers. When it comes time to upgrade your system, you may be able to receive trade-in value for your equipment and apply it to the cost of a new computer./ppstrongReTool:/strong/ppHousehold tools can be a surprise expense because some people may only buy them when they absolutely need them while others like to tackle various home improvement projects as a hobby. ReTool offers an array of new and used tools which includes everything from table saws to nails. All used tools are inspected to ensure they are functional. This store will also buy your unwanted tools or give your credit to trade up to a different model./ppBill Loughborough is Founder and CEO of Credit Answers, a Texas based debt settlement company. Credit Answers specializes in a TARGET=_NEW href=http://www.creditanswers.comdebt management/a, credit card debt settlement, debt elimination and avoiding bankruptcy. Credit Answers is a TASC Best practices Accredited organization and serves thousands of clients across the country and settles millions of dollars each month./ppPrior to Credit Answers Mr. Loughborough had spent 20 years in the financial services industry as founder and CEO of Homeloan.com Inc., Landmark Mortgage, Factual Data, and National Mortgage Research Company. Mr. Loughboroughs Companies in the past have received the prestigious Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Private Company in America on three separate occasions. Mr. Loughborough graduated from the University of Texas in Austin with a major in finance./ppFor more information please visit: a TARGET=_NEW href=http://www.creditanswers.comhttp://www.creditanswers.com/a/pbrbr

titleHow To Get Your Dog To Stop Jumping On You (And Pee On Cue)/titlepDoes this scenario sound familiar? Youre dressed to impress, ready to leave home for an important business or social gathering. Youre about to open the door when your dog-who doesnt want you to go without him-jumps up on you, leaving smudgy paw marks and pet hair on your best clothes. Feeling exasperated, you raise your voice and shove your dog away from you, which does nothing to change his future behavior and quite possibly leaves him feeling a little confused and with hurt feelings in the present./ppOr, youre walking your dog right before bedtime. The hour is late, youre tired, its beginning to rain and your umbrella is back at the house. You really want your pooch to hurry up and pee so you can both go back inside-but your dog is having such a tough time finding the perfect clump of grass to water that getting to bed looks like being an hour away./ppDont feel like the Lone Ranger. Even the most experienced animal communicators can find it difficult to alter canine behaviors like these. Just remember that the trick to changing a dogs natural behavior lies in creating positive experiences, preferably ones that provide multiple positive reinforcements for the behavior you desire./ppConsistently visualizing what you want your dog to do is tremendously important. Because visualization is the most ancient and powerful means of communicating, animals always give precedence to the images we hold in mind over our verbal cues. Unfortunately, we humans tend to unconsciously hold the image of the behavior we dont want in our minds instead of the action we would like the animal to take. When our mental images are different from the verbal commands we give, animals choose to obey the mental image almost every time!/ppTeach jumping on before staying off/ppNow, to help you solve the first of the two very common problems mentioned above: In order to teach your dog not to jump on you, you must actually teach him to jump on you first./ppThere are two psychologically sound reasons for this approach. The first is that teaching your dog to jump on you is easy because jumping is something most dogs enjoy. The second is that teaching him to jump on you provides a frame of reference for staying off of you./ppBegin by changing into some clothes comfortable for playing with your dog. Invite him to come and sit in front of you and provide a soft food treat when he does. Picture your dog standing on his hind legs with his front paws on your chest as you pat your chest invitingly and say, Come up! in a friendly, playful tone of voice./ppThe moment your dog obeys, spend a minute petting and praising him, telling him how smart he is. Then, using the same friendly tone of voice, say, Off as you gently place your hands flat against on his chest and lower him into a sitting position in front of you again. Spend no more than five minutes repeating this sequence before ending the training time./ppAdd visual reinforcement/ppRepeat the sequence several more times during your next training time, which can be later the same day. This time, after praising your dog for jumping up as instructed, hold your hand palm facing out in front of the dogs face for a second before saying Off. This adds a visual reinforcement to the verbal command and helps you to shift the mental image youre holding from on me to off of me./ppGradually increase your emphasis on the hand signal until you feel confident your dog understands what it means. Then call the dog to you, but hold your palm up and say off before he begins to jump. Reward him for staying off with praise and a treat. When your dog has this sequence down pat, youll never have to worry about his jumping on you without an invitation again!/ppOnce you have taught your dog when he can and cant jump on you, you can take it a step farther and teach him he can jump up and down with you. Just start jumping up and down yourself after you have given the off hand signal. Your dog may initially misinterpret this as an invitation to jump on you, but just continue to give the off signal and continue jumping, and your dog will soon catch on and enjoy this new game./ppAnd now, a few words about peeing…/ppFinding precisely the right spot to pee is terribly important to dogs. They can spend hours sniffing every tree, shrub and blade of grass in an area no bigger than the average garage. And while allowing our pets to retain as much of their culture as possible, sometimes we simply need them to hurry it up a bit./ppThe way to speed up your dogs relief trips is to cue the dog to do what you want as he or she is actually doing it. In other words, when your pooch starts to pee, say, find a spot, find a spot, find a spot over and over again to set up an association in your dogs mind between the cue phrase and the action you want./ppBe patient-it usually takes a number of sessions for this association to be firmly made. But once it is, all you have to do is say, Find a spot, Spot and youre on your way back home!/ppCopyright Julie S. Crawshaw 2007. Julie S. Crawshaw is a freelance writer, animal lover and the author of Talking With Animals, available at a target=_new href=http://www.howtotalkwithanimals.comhttp://www.howtotalkwithanimals.com/a ./ppPlease feel free to use this article with attribution and without changes, and to visit a target=_new href=http://www.howtotalkwithanimals.com/books.htmlhttp://www.howtotalkwithanimals.com/books.html/a for more articles about interacting and communicating with animals./pbrbr

Some of us are fortunate enough to live where we can golf year-round. Others of us enjoy winter vacations to locales, either in the U.S. or abroad, that boast the sunny, dry weather that makes an afternoon on the links one of life’s greatest pleasures. As for the rest of us, well, we longingly await the coming of spring and our next round of golf.

Whether we’re just learning the game or are avid players, this is the perfect time of year to haul out our equipment and make sure we’re prepared for the coming season. Here are some things to consider when gearing up:

Golf Clubs: Look at your golf clubs and think about your game. Do your clubs show your ability to its best advantage, or are they relics whose time has long passed? If you’re ready for a new set (or even a new driver or putter), you can’t go wrong with TaylorMade, Callaway, or any other premium brand. If you can’t afford the best, Callaway pre-owned golf clubs are certified and will help you get the most from your game. This is particularly true for women, who benefit from Callaway’s commitment to incorporating the technology of men’s clubs into lighter, shorter clubs with smaller grips.

Golf Shoes: You can’t develop a great swing unless you have good golf shoes that give you the kind of grip you need on sloped fairways or in the wet rough. Plus, you need a well-fitting pair of shoes that will ensure your comfort as you walk the course. There are many excellent brands of shoes available, some with soft spikes and others that are spikeless. The style, materials (leather vs. manmade), and extra features (like gels that are responsive to your foot’s temperature) are a matter of personal taste, but comfort and functionality are key.

Golf Apparel: With an unprecedented number of styles and fabrications, there’s no reason you can’t both look and feel great on the course. For men, there are a wide variety of long- and short-sleeved shirts, sweaters, and slacks. Women can definitely make a fashion statement on the links with solids and prints in stylish color palettes. Whether your prefer skirts, skorts, or shorts, and whether you favor tanks over short-sleeved tops, you can easily find golf apparel that makes you feel terrific during the game and in the clubhouse.

Golf Accessories: As you’re looking over your equipment, don’t forget to check on your glove. You want to ensure that you have a great grip, so be sure to find one that has a great fit and that feels great. While you’re at it, make sure that you have a hat, moisture-wicking socks, and other golf accessories that will enable you to keep your mind on your game.

Golf Balls: Every golfer has his or her favorite golf balls, but if you haven’t tried out some of the new offerings, it’s always fun to experiment. Nike, Callaway, TaylorMade, and Bridgestone all have many different styles from which to choose.

Once you have your equipment in order, all that’s left is to patiently wait for the weather to clear and then hit the links.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web.

Learn more about Gear Up Your Golf Equipment or Majon’s Sports directory

Think Bill Gates; the image that pops up in your mind is of a suave business tycoon, wearing a Giorgio Armani suit, diamond cufflinks and tiepin, a diamond studded top-of-the-line Rolex wrist watch, Gucci shoes, et cetera. The more imaginative amongst us may even smell the Calvin Klein Eternity perfume he must be wearing. Then there are people who may see the profile of a ruthless monopolistic tyrant with little regards for laws of fair play and equality.

A larger chunk of people will have the vision of their role model, inspiration personified, a living proof of what can be achieved in a lifetime and that is literally EVERYTHING. But probably then they belong to that fortunate strata of society that is just cursorily checking out this article from the confines of their plush offices, comfortable homes or from a swanky, up market cyber cafe. But the name Bill Gates have altogether different connotations for little Ankit.

Ankit is your normal kid apart from the fact that he has been diagnosed as an AIDS patient- the only inheritance his mother, a sex worker living and working in the by lanes of Kolkata, could pass on to him were strains of deadly HIV virus. For Ankit, “Bill Gates” is the name emblazoned on the side of the van that comes to distribute medicines and nutrient supplements in the slum he lives in. He is also aware of the fact that this is the name of individual who along with his wife is paying his medical bills and funding the NGO that runs a school where he is currently studying. Yes, we are referring to the “Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation”, the largest transparently operated charitable foundation which is currently the guardian angel for millions like Ankit across the globe providing them the right and means of living in an otherwise hostile world.

Welcome to the brave new world of successful entrepreneurs who are sweeping the world with winds of change through their considerable works of philanthropy providing succor to the underprivileged amongst us. In this august list Bill Gates is more of a rule then an exception. Here, we are talking about those self-made billionaires and millionaires who having seen the hardships of life are ready to give back to the society and make this world a better place to live in. This is the new crop of business persons who routinely make it to the Fortunes’ list of Who’s who but are still not snobbish or uptight about it.

Many of them have succeeded not because of the society but in spite of it. But still they acknowledge the fact that we all are clogs of the same wheel and well being of the individuals is not a zero-sum game. For them philanthropy is not just an extension of their corporate social responsibility, or the pursuit for the bored wife of a high flying CEO. For them it is a means of defining their existence in the larger scheme of things, something that completes them and provide them a purpose apart from mindlessly chasing money. That is why we get to see most of them so passionately involved in various projects and activities and they are not there simply writing down checks but they are more “hands on” making their presence and influence felt as well as leveraging their experience and intellect for the cause.

Let us try and examine what makes a successful entrepreneur a philanthropist. Is it in their DNA or had they learned the art of giving and sharing on their way up. It is worthy of being noted here that several studies point towards the fact that when it comes to charity self-made entrepreneurs are almost twice as generous as  compared to charitable Heirs that is millionaires who got their wealth mostly through inheritance. So it appears quite ironical that people hailing from the cut-throat world of modern day business where success often comes at the price of morality and innocence are so willing to support others.

But it will not appear so ironical if we study the fine print in greater detail. Most of these entrepreneurs have themselves got a helping hand early in their career. Whether it is in form of an angel investor or the friendly neighborhood uncle who let them use their garage, or the professor at the University who believed in them and polished their business proposal for final presentation; they all have got some help in one form or the other. Most of them were also beneficiaries of various scholarship schemes in the early phase of their career. It all makes them realize how significant even a small help can look from the end of the beneficiary. This ingrains the art of giving and reaching out in their hearts and this is a lesson they do not easily forget later in their lives. Most of the entrepreneurs when they start working on their innovative ideas do so in collaboration with some good friend or associate, someone who believes in them as well as in their dreams. So naturally they learn the ropes of sharing and collaborating and how beneficial symbiotic relations can prove to be.

So this is where they pick their living-for-each-other traits. They have the intellect that keeps them bothering with status-quo and as soon as they figure a way out they get on to work towards achieving it. In this world, ideas are a dime a dozen but success comes only to them who can execute these ideas and shape them into reality. This is a quality that makes them a success in business and this is the quality that distinguishes them in the arena of philanthropy as well since the projects they undertake usually achieves the objectives they have set out for. They bring in money and influence; have an eye for recognizing talent and try to nurture it. They want to be a part of the solution and hence their impact is often very positive and encouraging.

For more on entrepreneurship, please go to canadiantradeenclave.ca

There are many signs of a cheating boyfriend, but the most common ones will be the little details. Your boyfriend will remember to cover most of his tracks, but the little things will eventually be overlooked. That’s how you can catch him in the act!

Your boyfriend will give quite a few subtle signs. His personality will change a bit. He might become defensive when you ask him where he’s been. He will tell you that you’re smothering him, that you are too clingy or too possessive.

Then, he will inform you that he’s going out with the boys…again.

Is he really going out with them? Or with someone else? Give him a call while he’s gone to make sure. If he tells you that you’re smothering him again, what’s new? You’ve already been accused of that!

If you suspect he is seeing someone in particular, mention that person’s name out of the blue. One afternoon after he’s come home from work and seems relaxed, simply ask, “Who is _____?”

His reaction will tell you a great deal. If he squirms and asks you “What?” when you know he heard you, he’s just buying time to think of a good answer. A suspicious “Where did you hear that name?” speaks volumes, too. Watch his eyes and face for signs of concealed panic.

Does he start visiting a tanning salon and paying much more attention to his appearance? Watch for new clothes in his closet, especially new underwear. One of the first things a man will do when he’s having an affair is buy new underwear for his lover’s enjoyment.

If he comes home with a tan but swears he’s been at work all day, then you might want to check into how many vacation days he has left. Has he been using them for afternoon rendezvous with his new lover?

When you suggest taking some time away, maybe going on a vacation for a week, he tenses up. No way, he says. We can’t do that! But when you press the issue, he admits he doesn’t have enough vacation time to go away.

Truth is, he doesn’t WANT to go away. He can’t take his lover with him if he’s with you!

There are dozens of sneaky ways your boyfriend will try to hide his indiscretions. Pay attention to the little signs he might not think to cover up, and you can catch him at his own game. What other signs will point to a cheating boyfriend?

Don’t even think about reading anything else on learning the signs of cheating until you read a FREE sample of my best-selling book Catch Them Cheating Don’t make the same mistakes I did… Learn from my past so you don’t have to suffer anymore!

Today players are hitting more feeds and drills then ever before. Back in the day you went to a local park with a friend with a couple of tennis balls and stayed there until it was dark playing baseline games and practice sets. But now it seems that the game has evolved and players are now more fit, there strokes are finely tuned and they just don’t miss. Even the upcoming juniors these days are extremely solid from the baseline. So why not purchase a ball machine?

Young top juniors and professional tennis players have reached their peak through endless amounts of feeds and drills over and over again. It’s not the most glamorous way to become a top junior or rise in the professional ranks. But these players are determined to make it on the tour, and have the do whatever it takes mentality. I started playing tennis at a very late age and had to do something to catch up with the group that had been training since they started walking. Well lucky for me I had a brother who started out about the same age as me and so we were able to practice and push each other to become better.

Well what do you do if you have the determination, motivation and talent but just lack of players to practice with and a limit of time with a coach? Here’s my answer, purchase a new or used ball machine. They have been around for ages and they work like a charm. There better then feeding out of the basket because they can emulate an actual ground stroke. I’m not going to lie it doesn’t beat playing with another teammate or neighbor but when it comes down to it a ball machine will teach you to groove your strokes and fix bad habits in no time. It is all about repetitions in becoming a great tennis player. You must fix the habits you have created and turn those bad habits in to 30 day mind-body connections. You might have heard your parents or teacher tell you it takes 30 days to break a bad habit. Well it’s true and it’s the continuous repetitions of practicing each type of shot.

Now these days ball machines like the lobster ball machine and the tower ball machine come with features that allow you create different types of spins and pace to create the specific ball you continue to struggle with day in and day out on the court. Now I am a college tennis player and have been playing for years. But when I practice at school I do a couple things everyday to make sure I continue to get better. First I always try and match my intensity the day before. If I come out to practice each day to get better then I will. Next I focus as much as I can in each drill, set or game we play that day, trying to put myself in a match like situation. Lastly I finish the day hitting feeds on specific types of balls I struggled with or felt I needed to tune up.

This is where a ball machine will come in very handy. No matter if you have someone to hit with or not I suggest hitting with a tennis ball machine 1 once a day to keep your strokes grooved as well as training your mind for on court match play. Try and emulate yourself in a match like situation as you hit balls from the ball machine. I guarantee any player no matter what level can improve there game with a tennis ball machine. I suggest you look in to a ball machine because it may make the difference in your tennis game.

By Travis Helgeson

If you are serious about your tennis come visit The Tennis Site for all your tennis equipment, apparel and ball machines.

Check out my Tennis Blog

Coaching our youth is a delicate practice that needs to be taken with the kids self confidence at the heart of the teaching. These days, parents and coaches alike want to win so bad, they put undue stress on the kids that can have a negative effect.

We over criticize when we are talking to them instead of building up their self confidence. I once heard a parent yelling at his kid from the stands, “If you don’t get a hit, you will not be eating dinner tonight!” Needless to say, I went up and spoke with the parent about this approach. Some people may think this is harmless, and it may have been said in a joking fashion. But think of the kid on the field who is playing in front of all the parents and friends who hears this as he is strolling up to the plate. Talk about stress and the feeling of rejection and humiliation if this kid doesn’t come through.

Remember, we are building more than just ballplayers here. We are building people who are going to go out in the world someday. We are building character, pride, self confidence. We do this through encouragement and a nourishing attitude. Not through pointing out failures and humiliation. To learn more about this, visit http://www.pro-baseball-drills-and-equipment.com.

But how do we get them to play better if they can’t stand a little criticism? By encouraging them. When your kid takes a swing and misses, the first words out of your mouth should be, “Nice swing! You just missed it, keep trying and you’ll get a hit!” That encourages your kid to keep trying. Not only that, your kid will be excited about trying more. This promotes self confidence.

If your kid strikes out 4 times in the game. Put an arm around him after the game and tell him he really swung the bat well and that he will get them next time. And tell him how proud you are of him for trying.

Remember these simple tips:

1- Encourage them through positive reinforcement.

2- Nurture them when times are tough.

3- Be there for them when they need your help.

4- And love them unconditionally.

Remember,help your kids out by encouragement. I can’t say this enough. They will believe what they hear and if you are encouraging them all the time, they will feel good about themselves. Not only in baseball but in other things.

And also remember, be patient. They are still learning,so you need to give them time to succeed. Just keep loving them and nurturing them and the rest will fall in place.

Bill Bathe- former major league baseball player who played in 1989 world series. Former instructors include Eddie Matthews, Harmon Killebrew, Billy Williams, and Dusty Baker to name a few. Visit his website at http://www.pro-baseball-drills-and-equipment.com which provides drills, information, and tips. Also, digital online video analysis, equipment, posters, and more. In addition, stories and pictures on the journey to the big leagues.

Nothing can be more exciting and thrilling than seeing everybody gaze upon your beauty, as you get dress-up with the latest trendy clothing and accessories, you’re a fashion chic! And yet such luxury cannot always be satisfied in a single day of glamor, if you want to do it everyday, you can! Well of course, being a fashion chic can be costly as shopping becomes part of the daily life. But how can you live in the world of magic fashion everyday? Do it virtually with Bratz dress up games!

You are of course undeniably beautiful and you can help some to be beautiful too! The Bratz are becoming too busy in their careers that they sometimes cannot attend to themselves, and imagine Chloe in total disarray? That would be awful! Bring Chloe back to the world of fashion with Bratz dress up games. You got to pick the most pretty and fashionable wear that you could find. You know as well their celebrity life and it can be dreadful if their fans found out, how can she seem unsightly in a fashion pixie party unprepared.

You can do more than that in Bratz games. The game virtually would allow you to choose what color you would prefer for the dress not only for Chloe but the rest of the Bratz. If you are a certified fashion savvy, you can indulge yourself in a modish collection of dresses in the virtual game and you can even design them by yourselves. Bring out that smart chic a la mode in you!

The Bratz have the passion for fashion and their natural inclination to fashion is irresistible that you will opt to join their get-up. Pick a cute, stylish and hottest design for the Bratz with the Bratz dress up games and you will be pretty sure that you can get the hottest guy in the fashion pixie party. Dressing up does not only means, getting the chic dresses but you also have to pair it with trendy accessories.

Bratz games can virtually enable you to live in the fashion world without having to spend too much and you can join the Bratz anytime that you want! Nothing can be more exciting and thrilling than seeing everybody gaze upon your beauty, and in special you are with the world’s hottest celebrities, the Bratz! Get up and let the world see the smart chic and fashionable, YOU.

Stephanie Bailey is a game enthusiast of http://www.bratzgames.biz – an online Doll games. She create her own personalized virtual games online. She love to play with young girls which they enjoy the lovely doll and Bratz Games .

They sound like characters from an action video game – Orange Monster, Black Samurai, White Knight – but in fact, they’re three of the hippest watches made by Seiko and are much sought-after by wealthy enthusiasts and collectors, particularly in Asia.

This may come as a surprise, but Seiko watches are gaining an image as hip and collectable. In many parts of the world, the Seiko watch brand has been seen as reliable, but unremarkable. But look closely and an exceptional story begins to emerge.

Seiko burst onto the international watchmaking scene in 1969, when it caught off-guard and almost destroyed the Swiss watch industry with the launch of the Astron, the world’s first battery-powered quartz wristwatch. The Astron was more accurate and durable than the hand-wound mechanical Swiss watches costing several times as much. Overnight, demand for mechanical watches plummeted.

Many watchmaking innovations over the past three decades are probably due to Seiko: the first quartz watch; first quartz LCD with six-digit display (hours, minutes and seconds); first calculator watch; first quartz with day and date; first quartz chronograph (date, stopwatch and alarm); first TV watch; first thermic quartz watch (powered by the wearer’s body heat); first kinetic quartz watch (powered by the wearer’s movement)… and the list goes on. Seiko watches have been at the center of watch evolution, and its influence extends far beyond watchmaking: the LCDs in your clock radio, microwave oven or CD player all owe a debt to innovations made by Seiko.

Seiko, in fact, has been the innovator of so many industry “firsts” that it’s difficult to name them all. Recently, for example, was the 40th anniversary of the first quartz chronometer, launched at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Used to time marathons, it brought unprecedented precision to sports timekeeping, being accurate to within 0.2 seconds a day. Just a few years ago saw the 10th anniversary of the world’s first kinetic chronograph, the quartz watch powered by the movement of the wearer’s wrist, thereby eliminating the need for a battery. To celebrate the event, Seiko launched the Arctura Kinetic Chronograph, which takes kinetic movements to a new level of precision, being accurate to within 15 seconds per month.

While innovation and continuity rarely go together, Seiko has both. The company, founded in Tokyo by Kintaro Hattori in 1881, is still a family business. Although part of the business is a publicly traded company, the current president of Seiko Watch Corporation is the founder’s great-grandson, Shinji Hattori, who is also the nephew of the current honorable chairman.

Given Seiko’s history of producing revolutionary products and ideas that are emulated everywhere, you might expect that it would enjoy a reputation similar to that of Apple or Sony. Yet many people don’t few even realize that Seiko is the world’s leading manufacturer of watches, selling over 14 million watches annually. It also annually sells more than 350 million quartz movements to other watch makers. Here again, Seiko has revolutionized the watch making industry. Previously, only Swiss and Japanese companies could make reliable watches. But now anybody can simply add a dial, case and strap to a Seiko quartz movement and sell it under their own brand name. Although it doesn’t want to name companies it provides movements to, Seiko’s quartz movements are at the heart of many watches sold by some of the biggest name brands in fashion and sports.

Seiko doesn’t really get the respect it deserves. The product quality is phenomenal, but there’s a misperception of their brand.

Some people believe Seiko offers too many budget-price models. Cheap, in the public’s mind, means poor quality even if that’s not the case. Also, Seiko’s watch designs change too often. Some of the best Seiko watch designs never get the chance to develop a following, whereas the best Rolex or Omega watches stay in production for 20 or 30 years. For collectors, it’s a problem, and collectors add value to brands.

One Seiko executive recently stated the company is in the process of refining its brand. “We have very strong brand awareness, with around 70 per cent recognition of Seiko as a watchmaker. But there was some confusion about the brand. The company’s pioneering history, our dedication to producing elegant watches, wasn’t really understood. We’re proud of the company, so we decided to streamline and focus the branding, and emphasize our legacy.”

Until recently, regional Seiko companies sold the brand according to local tastes. But just recently the Japanese parent, Seiko Corporation, decided to overhaul its branding and marketing strategies. The company’s position is that customer perception of the brand should be the same in Tokyo, London, Paris, New York or Sydney. That means building a brand image that conveys core values, no matter what the market. Over a period of several months Seiko has revamped its public profile, from billboard and TV advertising to in-store presentation and packaging.

So far, the strategy has been successful. In line with company expectations, Seiko is gradually being seen as a premium watch brand. Not just trustworthy and reliable, but a real status brand. Technological innovation is at the heart of company, but Seiko watches have a certain refinement that they’re trying to emphasize also.

So, how might Seiko improve its brand status? Being the largest watch company, with an excellent line of products and constant innovation, perhaps Seiko could start by being a little less modest about their product.

Watch Source Guide is a comprehensive source of information about watches for enthusiasts, or for anyone planning to purchase a watch and wants to make an informed decision. Includes sections on watch functioning, maintenance, articles and more. More information on this and other related topics can be found at http://www.watchsourceguide.com

Once China has hosted this years Olympics the focus will switch to London.

I feel we should start by all wishing them all the best, they seem to have handled the earthquake disaster well and in my experience are dignified people, who should be encouraged to adopt a more positive human rights policy.

It will then be our turn and a legacy we could leave is to really focus on making these Olympics the driving force for green issues.

There will be many green issues regarding the actual building of the stadias, transporting competitors to and from them and their usefulness afterwards.

Big business will be interested in the games and in turn this allows the consumer to exert a collective influence. Big business has one purpose to enhance the wealth of their shareholders. I am not anti business I just believe by understanding how it works then effective influence can be exerted.

So what issues can be highlighted by making this the truly green Olympics.

Should it be the dreadful diet of many youngsters?

Should it be the ridiculous amount of packaging which supermarkets in particular use to preserve food

Should it be a move away from oil powered transport, the rising cost will continue, what price petrol 2 Pound a litre by 2012?

There are always reasons for not doing something, the China and India are building power stations by the week so what’s the point of us bothering walking to the shops?

We cannot lecture others on a greener lifestyle if we make no effort ourselves.

More information can be found at http://thegreenolympics.com If you wish to email me regarding any question or to contribute to the debate please feel free.Written by Doug Holloway. My previous articles were entitled Eco Friendly Carpet Cleaning and How to Find A green Carpet Cleaner