March 2023 - Page 11 of 13

Discover Dubai’s Marine Thrills

Dubai is not all sun and sand. The desert may be mesmerizing to the wide-eyed wanderer, but an equally captivating treasure in Dubai is its rich and sparkling blue seas. Nestled at the entrance to the Persian Gulf, the waters off Dubai are a veritable reminder of a resplendent history and culture that traces its roots from the seas. Pearl diving, fishing, and seafaring were huge industries back in the days. The early settlers sailed the oceans to trade their goods with neighboring countries. And while pearl diving literally took a dive in the 1940s, fishing continues to thrive to this day, both for business and pleasure.

Amidst all the tall buildings and manmade wonders, tourists can still relive the good old days of Dubai through different marine leisure activities. Exciting yacht rental in Dubai, nostalgic dhow cruises, thrilling deep sea fishing, and adrenaline-pumping water sports are available all over the city’s beaches for anyone to avail.

Dhow cruise

Feel the nostalgia onboard a traditional Arabian dhow as it cruises along breathtaking sites in Dubai. From this wooden sailing vessel, you can see the seamless merging of the ancient and the contemporary wonders of this Arab paradise. You can take a dhow cruise along the Dubai Creek where you can see the wonders of Old Dubai, or along Dubai Marina where towering skyscrapers and luxurious yachts line the canal. Onboard, you are treated to sumptuous buffet dinner of international, Arab, and Asian cuisine, refreshing drinks, soothing music, and extraordinary entertainment like a magic show or a Tanoura dance.

Yacht charter

To get a whole new view of the city’s stunning skyline, watch it from the seas by taking a luxurious yacht rental in Dubai. Several companies offer yacht charter services, and take you on a relaxing cruise past the Dubai Marina and out to the Dubai seas. You are treated to fantastic views of the iconic Burj Al Arab and Atlantis The Palm as your yacht cruises around Palm Jumeirah. You can go on a day cruise and feel the warm sun and the refreshing sea breeze on your face; or you can take a sunset cruise where you can watch the golden Arabian sun slowly drift down the horizon. Night cruises are also available if you want to see the Dubai panorama light up in the cool evenings.

Deep sea fishing

With seas teeming in marine life, tourists, residents and locals will surely enjoy a fun fishing adventure in Dubai. Yachts and fishing boats are equipped with state-of-the-art fish-finding SONAR and complimentary fishing gear so you are guaranteed a catch that you can cook and eat onboard. The boat captain and crew are expert anglers, and they would be happy to assist you and give you tips and tricks on fishing. Kingfish, sailfish, hammour, grouper, barracuda, and trevally are among the many different fishes that you can catch in Dubai.

Watersports

Having all these sparkling waters and clear blue skies for most of the year, watersports are also popular past times in Dubai. In addition to swimming and snorkeling, you can also go kayaking, windsurfing, water skiing, jet skiing, and scuba diving. Beaches and resorts lining the Dubai coastline as well as in the East Coast of the UAE are perfect venues for these invigorating water adventures.

Dhow tours to Musandam

Only a couple of hours away from Dubai, spending the entire day on a cruise along the Musandam peninsula in Oman is a must-do for tourists. You can choose a tour to Dibba or to Khasab, both equally scenic and charming natural sites. In Dibba, you can enjoy lunch on an Omani dhow, banana boat rides, hand-line fishing, swimming, and diving in freshwater pools. In Khasab, you can have fun times with playful dolphins and fantastic views of the Hajar Mountains as your dhow cruises through the stunning fjords.

So if you love the seas, a taste of these marine thrills should be in your list when spending your vacation in Dubai.

How To Lose Stomach Fat Safely, Effectively and Finally Keeping It Off!

How To Lose Stomach Fat

Have you ever wondered if there’s a ‘secret’ to losing stomach fat? So many of us read and practice healthy lifestyles, exercising and making sure our protein intake is sufficient to keep us from bingeing, and yet many of us still battle the bulge.

Well, I believe I’ve found the answer to this battle and I’m very excited to share with you what I’ve found. There’s a new product on the market by Herbalife, a tried, trusted and true leader in the health and wellness industry with over 30 years of science and products. I tried the product myself and had absolutely AWESOME results. The best part was that all I had to do was incorporate this amazing product into my every day lifestyle and watched the belly fat melt away! I found it to be simply one of a kind and give it a two thumbs up – a definite winner in how to lose stomach fat and even inches in hips!

Prolessa Duo’s One of a Kind Unique Proprietary Blend

Prolessa Duo is a revolutionary product with three key ingredients:

Palm Oil– one of the edible plant oils derived from the fruits of palm trees. It’s extracted from the pulp of the fruit of the oil palm, is naturally reddish in color because it is just loaded with beta-carotene. It’s one of the few saturated vegetable fats that has no cholesterol and is known for its ability to suppress appetite.

Oat Oil– is extracted from oat in a manner that leaves its biological value intact. It’s rich in oxidation resistance agent such as vitamin E and sterols which can remove the active oxygen free radical resided in the skin cell, defer the aging process, depress the formation of age pigment and protect skin cell from damage. It’s very well known for its use in lotions because of its natural emollients.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid– perhaps the most unique of the three products in the proprietary blend. CLA for short has been beneficial in human health for a very long time. It’s been known to hinder the growth of tumors and is a well known anti-cancer agent. CLA is mostly found in grass fed beef and it’s important to understand it’s capabilities in firming and toning. It firms belly fat, firms the carcass fat and increases lean body mass and reduces body fat.

It’s important to understand that lean body muscle burns more calories than body fat, thus increasing the resting metabolic rates and hence the weight loss effect.

How To Use Prolessa Duo

Prolessa Duo can be added to your favorite beverage, or, you can use it in conjunction with other Herbalife products like the Formula 1 Shake. You can use it like i did by simply putting one scoop of Prolessa Duo into your favorite cold beverage. It comes with a scoop in the container so there’s not need to worry about measuring the exact amount. Simply put one scoop into your morning or afternoon beverage and mix it well.

Side Effects From Prolessa Duo

There are NO reported adverse side effects from using the product which makes perfect sense, considering the wonderful and natural proprietary blend that was discussed previously. Because of the perfect balance of the ingredients used in proprietary blend, there are no ‘jittery’ feelings or cause for anxiousness or panic like with most appetite suppressant products because there are no dangerous ‘drugs’ used. Everything you’ve read is exactly what is in this product. It absolutely curbs the appetite and takes off the inches. Most of those who have done testimonials on the product have shown significant loss in the tummy and hips area which are very difficult areas to lose.

The Cost of Prolessa Duo

The product comes in two different plans – the 7 day program or the 30 day program. The 7 day program is less than $25 and the 30 day is less than $100. The product, like all of Herbalife’s products has a money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. Because Herbalife is such a well renowned company with over 30 years in the health and wellness industry and 70 different products in their healthy living product line, this is one product that I would absolutely recommend in your quest for weight loss and healthy living!

The Bottom Line

Because I know first hand that this product is absolutely AMAZING, and because I am my own testimonial that it works and I’ve kept the belly fat off, I say you have nothing to lose except the stomach fat you’ve been fighting with. I got a 25% off coupon online when I ordered a 30 day supply and posted the code for others on my site.

Secrets of Motivation

If you want to experience how motivated athletes are with the deck of physical athletic cards stacked against them, then attend a Special Olympics Championship. The athletes participate because they can, want to, and excel in multitude of different sports.

Ask any competitor, “Who won?”

They’ll respond, “We won.”

“Who had their best time?”

“We did.”

“Who’s going to win next time?”

“We will.”

Your rational mind’s inclination is to correct them and tell them otherwise but you would be wrong.

Every athlete at any Special Olympics event not only think they won, they know they won.

And they’re all right. They won qualifying to get there. Everyone wins in the experience because the Special Olympics organization, volunteers, and donors gave them the opportunity. Athletes arrived brave enough to run on the field, jump in the water, or balance on a beam. They competed with confidence, competence, and concentration to do their best among a few hundred of the best athletes in the state. They displayed class and sportsmanship beyond perceived normal comprehension of what is accepted and even encouraged on a professional big league field, court, or track where championships are broadcasted all over the globe.

The perfect sporting event occurred when the best, bravest and most positive attitude athletes at a Special Olympics Championship competed. Realize there are similarities between the Olympics and Special Olympics. Competitors arrive amped up, with extra equipment, and more coaches and team managers than weekend warriors. The differences are the Special Olympians leave behind their labeled handicaps of predisposed limitations and other public prejudices to put forth their best effort on the line.

In the Olympics, athletes tend to bring their limitations to the forefront when not living up to their own hype.

One swimmer, 10 year-old Hayes, was disqualified in the 25 yard breaststroke event. She changed strokes after falling behind two 18 year-old competitors. Hayes was on the verge of crying because she thought her dad was angry with her for the DQ. She also didn’t want to swim in her next race. I told her the most important thing was to participate and have fun. She smiled in relief and went on to her next race and tried her best to win.

These participants and coaches get to experience the same feelings as “normal” athletes who engage in sports through schools, clubs, and other athletic associations. This includes the discipline of learning new skills, training, teamwork, and the actual emotions of a competitively measured contest. We all learn that the most important measurements of the event are not the time or distances or heights achieved but the number of smiles displayed, pumped fists in the air, hugs awarded, and sighs of relief that the special athlete achieved something they were unsure of at the start of the event. All participants are winners for their involvement.

Volunteer at a local special recreation event. Donate time, money, and most of all the love of sport for all to enjoy.

Why did you volunteer at a Special Olympics competition or fundraiser? What did you learn from athletes you didn’t expect to experience? Did this help you approach future races differently?

10 Triathlete Drop Out Temptations

Maybe these issues keep you up at night or worse, preoccupy your mind during the day:

Inconsistent workouts.
Too much pain going on in your body.
You want to race but life keeps getting in the way.
Your family doesn’t relate to what you want to achieve as a triathlete.
Getting race fit is harder than you expected.
The weather sucks.
You experience more surprising barriers than surprising breakthroughs.
Your workout partners became ex-workout partners.
You’re not as fast, strong, lean, and determined as you want to be. And you don’t know how to close the gaps between your goals and your current reality.
Commitment pressures between work, family, and fun RIGHT NOW eclipsed the delayed gratification of completing a race.

Keep reading to learn about how to overcome these temptations in order to cross the finish line at your race next month rather than next season.

Schedule workouts on your calendar. There’s an app for that.
The human body is resilient but not immune to injury. If in doubt, get it checked out. Don’t ignore your pain.
Designate a slice of your time pie for your tri. Your pie equals the same size of everyone else’s pie in the 4th dimension. It’s 24 hours. It’s a finite amount of time. How you slice your pie is up to you.
Talk with all family members to solicit input and for engagement. You must reciprocate with genuine interest in their interests as well. The alternative options of changing sports or families is not emotionally or economically an optimal outcome.
Re-set expectations if getting fit is mentally more difficult than desired. If the issue is physical, then focus on your strengths of swim, bike, or run. If you’re experiencing time poverty, then sort your respective priorities, rate appropriately, and reserve training times.
Dress for success in current weather conditions.
Expect the unexpected. Be flexible. Keep positive.
You will be racing by yourself. Training by yourself will strengthen your race tenacity.
If not physically ready to race early in the season, and who is?, do the race to learn new mental tactics. Ask others how they get race ready early in the season. Ask your coach too.
Maximize daily fun activities and routines to reduce stress. This allows you to pursue long-term goals that deliver happiness and greater satisfaction in your life’s efforts. Sacrifices are unavoidable, unfilled goals are frustrating, and achieving happiness requires the discipline to avoid drop-out temptations.

Racing in cold weather, rain or windy conditions turned out to always be easier than never racing. One race day morning welcomed me with a full body shiver when outdoor temps plunged to 41°F (3 °C). A thick mist hovered over the water revealing only 100 meters of water to the first buoy on a 1.2 mile swim leg.

I froze wearing full sweats plus a winter hat and gloves during the walk to the transition. After checking on the bike and getting numbered, I returned to the hotel room to get warm. As expected pre-race doubts surfaced, which then turned into jitters. I raced though. I always raced. At this point, I realized not to compete would be meaningless. The pain of not starting, not competing and not completing any race would be more painful than never showing up.

I knew and desired the great feeling earned after competing in a race. The race results of time and place were the objective metrics but the subjective mental rushes were key for pain and pleasure. A strange partnership of accomplishment. First of never wanting to do a race again due to too much pain and time commitment. Followed by never wanting the celebration and excitement of the current race to end. That included the enjoyment of camaraderie afterwards with fellow competitors, teammates, friends, and family. Mix in some tears of joy, smiles of satisfaction, and fulfillment despite a limping gait. Then you buy race merchandise to prove to everyone back home you did the race. And finally before you leave take an opportunity to enjoy the tourist stuff at any of the great race destinations. The next morning hangover feeling was easily erased from memory with its queasiness supplanted by memories of a post-race celebration and well-earned results.

I was already eyeing an open race registration to get the next party started for yet another delayed gratification of the next, greatest race ever.

Evaluate whether you’re reluctant to compete due to cold feet, cold shoulders, cold sores, or cold weather. Accept you’ve committed yourself to race in this triathlon. If you commit, complete your responsibility. Chose these three appropriate tactics to reach the starting line: Relax. Race. Rejoice.

Did you ever regret backing away from a race commitment or any other commitment? Did you ever walk away from someone who didn’t live up to a commitment given to you? What approach did you use to side step a temptation so you didn’t drop out of a commitment?

How to Teach a Women’s Self-Defense Class

In teaching self-defense to women it is important to stress at the outset that the tips we will be covering are suggestions. They are not iron clad, as every situation is going to be different, and women must assess for themselves whether they have a fighting chance.

It is also important to stress the fact that if a woman did not follow any of the steps you will be teaching, they didn’t necessarily do anything ‘wrong’. (There may be women in your class that have been assaulted in the past, and you don’t want to sound like you are attacking their behavior).

To be clear, it is indeed a sad state of affairs that we even need to address this topic. No woman deserves to live in fear for her safety. The sad truth is, there are a lot of sick individuals in this world, and they prey upon the meek.

That said, here are some tips that women can employ to make them less likely to be a victim of an assault.

1. Conduct business during the daytime, and avoid unlit areas at night.

Women are far more likely to be attacked at night in areas that an assailant can easily hide himself or herself. Always park near your destination, and in well-lit areas.

2. Travel in groups.

2 women are far less likely to be attacked than a single person. The more the merrier, and the likelihood of being attacked drops dramatically

3. Always tell somebody where you are going, and when they should expect you to arrive.

Time is of the essence if you are abducted or injured due to an attack.

4. Carry your keys in your hand.

This will allow you to get into your car more quickly, and they can be used as a weapon if necessary. Carry them between your fingers to strike with if necessary.

5. If confronted, make eye contact, and study the description of your assailant.

This is vital in finding the bad guy, and will help prevent him from doing it again. There is a fine line here. Let them know you see them, and are aware fo their presence, but some guys will take too much eye contact as an invitation.

6. Make as much noise as possible if you are attacked.

You never know who might be near by that can help you, and most attackers will flee if they think they may be caught.

7. Never let somebody relocate you.

Allowing somebody to take you where they know they will not be disturbed will never end well for you.

8. Be aware of your surroundings. Make a mental note of avenues of escape.

Make a game of it. I always do this wherever I go.

9. Carry yourself with confidence. Don’t look like a victim.

Typically, assailants look for those who will go easily and not put up a fight.

10. Don’t wear expensive jewelry or flaunt cash in public.

Particularly on vacation, people are targeted because their assailant is looking for easy cash. Also, dress moderately. Unfortunately there are sick people out there that could be prompted to attack you based upon what you wear. (Once again, it is important to stress that this is a sad reality, but dressing provocatively does not mean it is OK for somebody to attack them, it can entice somebody that is unstable).

11. Be in shape physically.

You will have a far better chance of surviving an attack if you can fight HARD for more than 30 seconds.

12. Be mentally prepared to fight for your life.

Decide in advance that YOU WILL NOT BE A VICTIM. Be determined to get away from any attacker-at all cost.

13. Scratch

Leaving a mark on your attacker and having his DNA under your fingernails is helpful in prosecuting the right person.

14. Bite

This is not a ‘Fair Fight’ use whatever resources you can to save yourself.

15. Look for items that can be used as weapons.

Use rocks, sticks, your purse… ANYTHING that can help you get away.

16. RUN

Get away from the situation as quickly as you can. You are not in a fight. If you are able to escape the situation, do so.

17. Look for, and attack inherent weaknesses.

MY eyeball isn’t any stronger than yours. Poking the eyeball is a great target to help you get away. Other inherent weaknesses are:

A. Throat

B. Nose

C. Temple

D. Ear Drums

E. Solar Plexus

F. Groin

G. Shin

H. Toes and Fingers

18. Strike correctly.

You can injure yourself just as badly, if not worse than your attacker if you punch incorrectly. Practice punching with the first two knuckles, with your wrist straight. Gain power by incorporating your torso and your legs.

Use elbows and knees, as well as foot stomps and kicks.

19. If you carry pepper spray or any other weapon, PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT.

Do not carry a weapon that you are not proficient in. Any weapon can be taken away from you and used against you. Be aware of your environment if using pepper spray.

Wind can blow pepper spray back into your eyes, rendering YOU incapacitated. You would be better off spraying it into your hand, and wiping it in your assailant’s eyes.

20. Be a survivor

Mike Tyson once said, ‘Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.’

Know that a physical altercation is going to be tough. Keep your wits about yourself, and focus on surviving the attack.

Once you have gone over these tips, it is good to open it up for those in the class to share some of their ideas. This list could easily be twice as long, and it is helpful to get them thinking about ways they can keep safe.

Subjects for Discussion:

1. At home never allow somebody inside your home to use the phone or for any other reason if you are home alone. Respond with a firm ‘NO’. Do not engage in conversation.

2. Never tell somebody on the phone that you are home alone

3. Never accept a ride form strangers

*If approached, speak in a firm voice, ‘NO, I have a ride coming’, and move on. Do not engage in conversation.

(OPTIONAL) Next, I take them through a 2 minute ‘warm-up’ phase where I get them huffing and puffing from doing simple Jumping Jacks. I inform them that they were only going for two minutes, and they were only doing jumping jacks- not fighting for their lives… ‘look how tired you are.’ I encourage them to get into some sort of physical fitness program.

Finally, I teach basic striking, and a choke hold.

1. Fighting Stance

Hands up. Chin tucked in. Feet shoulder width apart. Comfortable walking stance. Stand on the balls of your feet. RELAX your shoulders.

***Stepping into a proper fighting stance alone could be a deterrent to an attacker.

2. Palm heel strike

I teach this because it is less likely that somebody will hurt themselves while learning the basics. Snapping palm toward the nose. Striking the nose will cause the eyes to water. If they can’t see you, they can’t attack you. Use focus mitts for practice.

3. Front Kick.

Aim with the knee. Pull your toe back, and strike with the ball of your foot. Snap it toward your target ad pull it back. Groin is a perfect target. Use kick shields to practice.

4. Knee strike

Target = Groin. Point your toes toward the ground, and raise your bent knee upward toward it’s intended target while thrusting your hips forward for more power.

Put it all together. Defending against a grab, raise your hand high up in the air. Snap it downward. This will cause your opponent to bring their head forward. As they do, strike them in the nose with your open palm, then kick or knee the groin, depending on how close they are and run.

5. Choke (Time permitting)

Teach a simple gi choke. Demonstrate that it can be done from standing or guard, using a jacket or shirt. Right hand grabs the collar behind the neck. Left hand grabs the collar just below the right hand (Similar to holding a baseball bat). Right hand weaves over the head, and squeeze, using the forearms to cut off blood supply to the brain.

How to Experience the Best Fine Dining in New York City

Taking on the opportunity to experience fine dining in New York City can oftentimes feels like it is a different world however it is an exciting and enjoyable experience at the same time. Be prepared to be wowed and in complete awe of the food served at the restaurants. To avoid wasting time waiting in line for a table, setup a reservation to save time and energy.

1. Visit Jean Georges Restaurant located on 1 Central Park West. This is a fine dining restaurant with gourmet food for all of their customers. They offer both lunch and dinner entrees such as:

* Egg Caviar

* Yellowfin Tuna Ribbons with Avocado, Spicy Radish, Ginger Marinade

* Sea Trout Sashimi Draped in Trout Eggs with Lemon, Dill, Horseradish

* Coach Farms Goat Gnocchi with Caramelized Baby Artichoke, and Parsley

* Maine Lobers and Potato Gnocchi, Smoked Butter and Pickled Chilies

2. Reserve a table at La Bernardin who serve some of the best seafood in New York City. Le Bernardin is best noted for not serving Chilean Sea Bass, Grouper, Shark, Sword, Marlin, Sailfish. Wild Blue Fin Tuna of Oceana, NRDC, and Sea Web’s educational efforts to speed the recovery of these endangered species. Some of their delicious dinner menu includes:

Almost Raw Menu of:

* Oysters which is either in a single variety or an assortment of Oysters

* Kumamato which is taste of the Kumamato Oysters which is refreshingly tasteful and spicy

* Hamachi that is marinated Vietnamese style with Nuoc Mam Vinaigrette

* Kampachi Tartare marinated Japanese Cucumber in Aged Citrus Vinegar

* Black Bass Tartare Mediterranean Style with Olives, Citrus, Fennel, and Marjoram

La Bernadin’s menu also includes lightly cooked dinners:

* Red Snapper which is Bread Crusted Red Snapper; Zucchini-Mint and Coriander Compote in a rich Citrus Broth

* Surf and Turf of Escolar and Seared Kobe Beef; Sea Bean Salas, and Eggplant Fries; Mr. Kaufman’s Pesto and Anchovy Sauce

3. Hop on over to the Palm Restaurant for fine dining which is classic American cuisine. The Palm is located on 837 Second Avenue which has been in business for over 70 years and has continued to provide the same good food and customer service. The walls of The Palm are covered in colorful history.

A sampling of their menu:

* Prime Aged New York Strip from 12-20 ounces

* Filet Mignon

* Tuscan Broiled Split Chicken

* Veal Martini

* Alaskan King Crab Legs

* Jumbo Nova Scotia Lobster

Taking the time out to visit and take in a complete sampling of these restaurants will allow visitors to gain a better understanding the full greatness of all that New York City has to offer.

Farm Safety – National Government Resources Part 2

The federal government in the United States has a special place in being able to provide both federal and local advice and help with specific focus on the agricultural industry. This applies both to advice and guidance in a theoretical sense about all business activities, and in a specific sense to dedicated areas of the agricultural and farming industry.

Agricultural safety and health centres, come under the brief of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Health and safety on farms is a major issue, and this government agency focuses on research and policies regarding the prevention of all workplace injuries on a national level, including agriculture.

Agricultural safety and health centers take this work one stage further, providing help at a more local level, albeit still in a very wide geographical area. Some of the centres based in Washington, California, Colorado, Texas, Kentucky, New York and Ohio.

There are a few other centres as well and their work may even be subcontracted further down the line if necessary. The intent is to be able to provide more localised information and help on a geographical basis, and each center may decide on specific ways of doing this.

Their main role is to provide safety education programs, that take into account the broad locality of where they are based, and can thereby focus on specific issues that have a local bearing.

They are an excellent resource because they can combine both federal and local experience and policies, targeted much more specifically around the locality of an area.

The National Children’s Centre for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety is a dedicated centre, which as its name implies focuses on providing farm safety in relation to children.

Unlike a lot of other industries, the use of children and young people in agricultural work is still seen as a really good thing, providing valuable experience for young people in a safe environment, providing holiday jobs, and often lifestyle and community experience.

Many young people who work on farms also live there, either as part of the family who own the farm, or as part of a family who work there.

In any event, it is acknowledged there needs to be a special focus on how best to protect children and young people in terms of workplace safety, in ways that do not necessarily apply to other businesses.

This agency oversees that, and try to develop a framework that allows children and young people to grow up and be involved in the nature of the work in a safe and appropriate manner.

The United States Consumer Production Safety Commission is a regulatory agency whose focus is on setting standards for consumers to have confidence in, in terms of the safety of all products within the industry.

This agency tries to work closely with farmers and producers of agricultural products in order to achieve this. It is in everyone’s interests that consumers feel safe in the products they are buying, and this can be an ongoing challenge for the farming and agricultural industry.

The other main government agency worth mentioning is the Environmental Protection Agency. This agency has a broad remit to protect all areas of the environment, most notably the air, water and natural resources of the United States.

This agency has responsibility for overseeing and implementing laws and regulations that apply to pesticides and air and water pollution.

There can be heavy financial penalties if these regulations are not adhered to, and it can be a major challenge for many farms and agricultural businesses to make sure that all their business practices conform to current legislation.

The EPA should not be thought of as purely being a policeman enforcing government law.

It can also be a very effective resource for providing help and advice on what laws and regulations apply particular environment or area, and advising farmers on how best to meet their responsibilities.

Dealing with all types of pollution, either airborne or waterborne it is a responsibility that everyone working in the industry has, and in an ideal world would want to adhere to.

Business pressures can often lead to people taking shortcuts in the hope of getting away with it. This sadly does happen, although hopefully infrequently. It is important that all these government agencies work in a collective and collaborative manner in order to both support and regulate all farms and agricultural practices throughout the country.

How to Excel As a Single Word Triathlete

The word should convey your purpose in the sport. Clarify for others what triathloning represents for you. You might use the word to guide you in race decisions. It should represent the significance of the sport in your life. It might even propel you to achieve results you dreamed about last season.

Look at the list below. Select one word that resonates the best with you as a triathlete. You want to strip away any pre-conceived complexity of the sport to allow you to focus on less to achieve more with your talents.

Active
“Clipped-in”
Complete
Confident
Controlled
Decisive
Defined
Developing
Driven
Engaged
Enlightened
Evolving
Fast
Focused
Get-er-done!
Hyper
Innovative
Positive
Quick
Streamlined
Uber
Under-construction
Work-In-progress

Less is more. Most non-triathletes think there are three elements of a triathlon: swim, bike, and run. Most triathletes will claim you also include transitions and nutrition. The sport in most simplistic terms include these five parts of training, plus two-parts racing: getting started and Get Er Done!

Get focused. Stay focused. Excel at what do you really, really well. Describe what you do in terms that all others can understand. Performing to your maximum triathlete level is easier than others think. Even easier than earning Ironman status and sporting an MDot tattoo. But you don’t need to tell them that type of insider information.

The initial barrier to getting it done is mental. The secondary barrier is motivational, to work through all the training to cross the finish line. Follow these seven steps to be a Git Er Done triathlete on race day:

Choose doing, dreaming is for spectators.
Connect with your supportive significant other to ensure sustainability in a relationship and in workouts.
Choose your personal commitment for action: wishing, wanting, and dreaming idles action.
Establish a workout routine. Get into your rhythm of consistency to eliminate another decision of when to workout.
Team up with a workout buddy. Either in person or virtual partner. Hold each other accountable to finish each day’s objectives.
Do workouts in a bubble. Turn off, tune in, and workout.
Fear Failure. Be proud of your successes.

My wife Chris chose to race in her first triathlon without any background of swimming, biking, or running in a competitive setting. She trained with me to build a strong bond, honor her self-commitment, and achieve unified fulfillment.

Chris exited the water in 2nd place for the women’s division.

A research study at Indiana University confirmed exercising proved much easier when mates workout alongside each other. Spouses training together proved more supportive to each other. Researchers in the study tracked married couples who started an exercise program. Half of the group comprised of both couples who exercised and half with only one spouse on a workout program. Over the course of a year, 43% of the individual spouses dropped the exercise program.

In contrast, 94% of the exercising couples continued working out together.

One binding factor included excuses to bail out were kept in check. Half of the quitters stated family responsibilities and lack of support from the other spouse resulted in their dropout decisions.

In our relationship Chris emphasized the fun because life is hard enough without adding competitive stress as an ingredient of success.

Take your first step into race action. Time waits for no one. You shouldn’t either.

What other word do you use to describe yourself as a triathlete?

Licensing: Help To Grow Existing Product Lines

The attraction of licensing trademarks for business intentions appears to be at an all-time high, mostly in the fashion arena where consumers are buying more licensed products and brand names than ever before. For retailers, licensing opportunities provide them with a point of difference from their competitors.

Licensing is leasing a legally protected property (like trademarked or copyrighted name, logo, likeness, character, phrase or design) to another party in combination with a product, service or promotion. It is a process which lays stress on consumer management, development of brand equity in line with international imagery, providing right shopping ambience and perhaps is less about manufacturing. Licensing is a way of growing with an already established brand. It provides the brand recall benefits, which are not achievable in case one comes out with a brand new image.

There are many types of licensing business like art & design, corporate brands, events, fashion brands, food & drink, institutional, magazine brands, music, personalities, sports and television licensing to name a few.

The advantages of licensing for licensors

The main advantage for a licensor is the facility to use and develop its brand or property.

Licensing can achieve this by:

. Improving its brand existence at a retail or distribution outlet.

. Making further brand perception to support its core products or services.

. Providing and increasing its core values through various links with the licensed products/service or category.

. Coming into new markets (consumer or geographical) which were unfeasible with its own strengths.

. Making new revenue flows, often with little involvement or additional financial resources

The advantage of licensing for licensees

The main advantage for a licensee (particularly manufacturer or retailer) is the capability to considerably upsurge consumer interest in and sales of its products or services.

Licensing can achieve this by:

. Shifting the values and consumer favour towards the licensed product or service.

. Providing added value and differentiation in the competitive market.

. Offering additional marketing support or speed from the core property’s activity given by the licensor.

. Attracting new target markets who have not been paid attention in a licensee’s product or service.

. Providing credibility for shifting into new market sectors through product extension.

. Attaining additional retail space and favor.

Licensing: The increasing scenario worldwide

Reviewing the year-after-year worldwide retail sales from 2000 to 2004, the licensing business this year has shown an increase. In general, 2004 anticipated worldwide retail sales of licensed business increased 1.5 per cent to $175.3 billion against 2003 $172.7 billion, with the USA making nearly $110 billion (nearly $5.805 billion in royalties) and Europe $34 billion. In UK, the brand licensing industry is worth approximately £7billion in retail and £368million in royalties.

Recently many international textile-garment-apparel manufacturing companies are in news due to their licensing agreement with many other companies.

Everlast Worldwide Inc, which is a men’s and women’s apparel and accessories seller, recently announced signing a new four-year license agreement with Jacques Moret Inc of New York City. As of January 1, 2006, this new agreement grants Moret, a major supplier to the US apparel market, a license for Everlast men’s activewear, sportswear, outerwear and swimwear in the United States. Moret will partner with M. Hidary and Company Inc for design, development and sales of the activewear portion of the license. M. Hidary has achieved great success with its vast experience in the men’s branded activewear business. They will purchase certain men’s apparel inventory owned by Everlast and assume other transitional costs associated with the men’s business. Additionally, certain key sales, merchandising and operational personnel will join the new group.

Burnaby, B.C.-based ID Wear, a group of Pimlico Apparel, has recently received the sole license for the manufacture, design and sale of the Playboy brand of high-end denims for the North American market. Pimlico produces denim products for its own brands, ID Wear and private labels such as Nordstrom’s and Harley-Davidson. Moreover, ID Wear is the first North American company to provide laser logoing on its garments.

Marvel Enterprises, Inc., a global character-based entertainment licensing company, recently declared that it is strengthening its important apparel licensing business with leading partners Kids Headquarters (as master apparel licensee) and Mad Engine (which will spearhead t-shirts and tops). This statement means a brand new partnership with Kids Headquarters and an expanded relationship with Mad Engine.

Juicy Couture has partnered with Sàfilo Group for a full eyewear collection that it will introduce in spring 2006. A budget-priced set of sunglasses and ophthalmic eyewear for men will also be introduced via an agreement between fashion brand Haggar Clothing Co. and The Feldman Corporation’s I-dealoptics division.

Aviation and military-inspired leather outerwear and sportswear brand Avirex signed a multi-year license agreement with Kids Headquarters for sportswear and outerwear for boys.

Outerwear and Sportswear Company G-III Apparel Group obtained privately held outerwear companies Marvin Richards and Winlit Group Ltd. G-III now possesses licenses for Calvin Klein and Guess men’s and women’s outerwear, Tommy Hilfiger leather outerwear, London Fog and Pacific Trail.

Top 5 Children’s Apparel Character Licenses: 2004

1. Winnie the Pooh & Friends

2. Disney Princess

3. Spider-Man

4. Mickey Mouse & Friends

5. SpongeBob SquarePants

Sesame Workshop and Pearl Izumi, an athletic-wear producer, have tied up to launch Sesame Street cycling jerseys and socks. Through a licensing agreement with plus-size apparel manufacturer Bodywaves, Inc., Champion has set up Champion Plus, a full line of women’s activewear that covers both performance fitness and “ath-leisure” styles. Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Tunk Limited., a CINQ Group brand, have partnered to make tops, jackets and headwear.

Licensing practice in India on a rise.

Nowadays, many Indian textiles companies are entering into licensing agreements with international brands, leading to the growth of the concept of business through licensing.

Gokaldas Images Ltd, which owns and markets the apparel brand Weekender, has signed an agreement with the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) for licensing and marketing the apparels with the WWE logos in the domestic market. A successful form of licensing – sports licensing, has developed into a multi¬billion dollar systematic business and has increased its scope to sporting events like WWE, the Olympics, EURO, Cricket and Soccer World Cups. It is estimated that one fifth of the WWE’s $ 300 million per annum profit is achieved by licensing. Moreover, Weekender – Gokaldas Images Ltd. markets the Enamour lingerie as well.

Character and entertainment licensing too has benefited in last few decades, making billions of dollars of profits each year.

S. Kumars is planning to introduce six new international brands into the country and it is looking towards a long-term partnership with these international textile brands.

Recently, Indus Clothing Ltd signed a licensing agreement with Disney cConsumer Products (DCP) to produce its kids’ wear brand Disney cJeans in India. This deal will permit Indus Clothing Ltd to venture into standalone retail stores for the complete product line covering the Disney brand. The company intends to invest about Rs. 21 crore to establish 20 standalone Disney jeans outlets by the end of 2007 and 50 outlets the following year. Their main focus is to put up a strong retail network for the brand and subsequently plan to develop and maintain a consistent brand image. Indus Clothing Ltd is also the licensee for Lee Cooper apparel to market their products in India.

Madura Garments possesses the world license for three brands namely, Louis Philippe, Allen Solly and Peter England. It has now also come into a strategic tie-up with the fast-growing brand Esprit, with an objective of strengthening its brand portfolio in key segments like women’s segment, premium relaxed clothes segment and accessories. An Italian brand that is synonymous with MTV, UMM (Underground Music Movement) has joined Pantaloon, one of India’s largest retail chain stores.

American innerwear brand Jockey entered the Indian market in 1998 through a marketing arrangement with Bangalore based Page Apparels. Besides the normal production and distribution rights in India, the brand also has a buyback arrangement with the parent company.

The Shirt Company (TSC) has been granted the license by the owner of the Barbie brand – Mattel, to make and retail Barbie apparel in India. For this it works closely with Smith & Brooks, the official licensee for Barbie clothing in the European market. Moreover, the apparel division of the Forbes Gokak Group is the licensee for brands like Daks, Trussardi and Savile Row.

Tommy Hilfiger entered the Indian market through a joint venture between the Murjani Group and the Arvind Mills. Called the Arvind Murjani Brands Private Limited, AMB has the licensing agreement for marketing and distributing Tommy Hilfiger apparel in India. The Murjani Group, located in New York, was established in 1930 by B K Murjani. By 1958, with a production of over 10 million units per annum, Murjani’s became one of the biggest apparel producers in the world.

It was in the early 1970s, when Murjani initiated brand name development and marketing. Over the years, the group has widened and introduced a range of major global brands, such as Gloria Vanderbilt, Coca-Cola Clothes and Tommy Hilfiger. Fashion retailer French Connection UK has firmed its plans to launch the brand in India. The company is assumed to be in talks for the licensee deal with Vijay Murjani, Murjani Group.

Many companies prefer licensing in order to reinforce brand image, create recognition and build brand equity. Licensing is the business arrangement in which the proprietor of the ‘product’, ‘trade mark’ or ‘brand’ allows some other group to use its brand name in return for specified royalties or payment.

Recently, the government of India has approved the UK-based kids’ care retail chain Mothercare Plc’s offer to set up a 100 per cent subsidiary in India with an investment of Rs 32.25 crore. The Indian division will find and purchase textile and garments from local traders and would promote the same in India through franchise operation with third party business associates.

Mothercare has already provided a license to Shopper’s Stop to use its trade mark and brand name on the products to be supplied by its Indian subsidiary to the retail major for sale and distribution in India.

Indian players have used the licensing practice after the huge success of the strategy in the international market. The inclination for making business through licensing has assisted many companies to post some big alternations of the otherwise ‘own brand extension’ concept. Oxford Industries, Inc. is an illustration of how a company can get bigger with licensing. The company is a diversified international producer, licensee and wholesale marketer of branded and private label apparel for men, women and children.

Oxford offers retailers and consumers with a huge variety of apparel products and services to suit their individual requirements. Its major brands cover Tommy Bahama, Indigo Palms, Island Soft, Ben Sherman, Ely and Walker and Oxford Golf. These brands are offered in national chains, specialty catalogues, mass merchants, department stores, specialty stores and Internet retailers. The company also has exclusive licenses to make and sell several product categories under the Tommy Hilfiger, Nautica, Geoffrey Beene, Slates, Dockers and Oscar de la Renta labels.

Fashion licensing is largely divided into two categories: apparel brands and designer names. The priority of fashion licensing is brand extension, which is mainly obtained by designers through licensing products other than their main apparel lines. Calvin Klein remains one of the premier examples for this type of licensing agreement, as its income tripled after adopting such a marketing strategy.

In 1997, licensing, which is responsible for more than 90 per cent of the label’s sales, has now made the brand’s global retail volume of about $ 5 billion from $ 2.1 billion in 1994. Many international brands catering to Indian players for licensing is a clear signal that a market which was premature a couple of years back, has now been accepted by the entire business community and will reach to its maximum level in the coming years. Licensing prospects now exist in all spheres. Leading international names that offer huge opportunities to harness the power of their name are Warner Bros, You and Me Baby, Nickelodeon, Barcode Kitties and BBC Worldwide, that is famous for operating brand names like Teletubbies, Tweenies and Fimbles.

Conclusion

In year 2004 licensing business shown tremendous growth, with notably 5.6 percent increment in entertainment, 3.8 percent in brands & trademarks and also showed good growth in other categories compared to 2003. So as character and entertainment licensing business showed a healthy growth in last few decades, and making billions of dollars of profits each year, the prospects of over all business, particularly fashion, textile and garment retailing will definitely have a bright future.

Business Growth – Looking At Darwin And The Demon

As commercial processes commoditize in a developed economy, they are outsourced or transferred offshore or both, leaving onshore companies with unrelenting pressure to come up with the next wave of innovation. Failure to innovate equals failure to differentiate equals failure to garner the profits and revenues needed to attract capital investment. It behooves us all to use our brains to get out in front of this Darwinian process.

For starters, we need to appreciate how broad the domain of innovation really is. Sure, it includes the type everyone knows about: disruptive innovation, the stuff of technology legend and Silicon Valley lore. But we should not be blind to the existence of more mundane forms that are equally effective, as the following taxonomy illustrates:

Disruptive Innovation. Gets a great deal of attention, particularly in the press, because markets appear as if from nowhere, creating massive new sources of wealth. It tends to have its roots in technological discontinuities, such as the one that enabled Motorola’s rise to prominence with the first generation of cell phones, or in fast-spreading fads like the collector card game Pokemon.

Application Innovation. Takes existing technologies into new markets to serve new purposes, as when Tandem applied its fault-tolerant computers to the banking market to create ATMs and when OnStar took Global Positioning Systems into the automobile market for roadside assistance.

Product Innovation. Takes established offers in established markets to the next level, as when Intel releases a new processor or Toyota a new car. The focus can be on performance increase (Titleist Pro V1 golf balls), cost reduction (HP inkjet printers), usability improvement (Palm handhelds), or any other product enhancement.

Process Innovation. Makes processes for established offers in established markets more effective or efficient. Examples include Dell’s streamlining of its PC supply chain and order fulfillment systems, Charles Schwab’s migration to online trading, and Wal-Mart’s refinement of vendor-managed inventory processes.

Experiential Innovation. Makes surface modifications that improve customers’ experience of established products or processes. These can take the form of delighters (You’ve got mail!”), satisfiers (superior line management at Disneyland), or reassurers (package tracking from FedEx).

Marketing Innovation. Improves customer-touching processes, be they marketing communications (use of the Web and trailers for viral marketing of The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy) or consumer transactions (Amazon’s e-commerce mechanisms and eBay’s online auctions).

Business Model Innovation. Reframes an established value proposition to the customer or a company’s established role in the value chain or both. Examples include chestnuts like Gillette’s move from razors to razor blades, IBM’s shift to on-demand computing, and Apple’s expansion into consumer retailing.

Structural Innovation. Capitalizes on disruption to restructure industry relationships. Innovators like Fidelity and Citigroup, for example, have used the deregulation of financial services to offer broader arrays of products and services to consumers under one umbrella. Nearly overnight, those companies became sophisticated competitors to old-guard banks and insurance companies.