Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Copenhagen Can Open New Era of Clean and Economical Energies

Copenhagen Can Open New Era of Clean and Economical Energies by Klaus H Hemsath

Highly paid government bureaucrats will be descending in masses on Copenhagen in December of 2009. They all have instructions to defend the status quo and make sure that the world will follow the outdated and ineffective recommendations and provisions of the ill conceived Kyoto Protocol.

Only a few, if any, officials have any concept of the coming horrors that continuing overheating of our planet has in store for its trusting citizens.

For two centuries, coal has powered the rapid industrialization of many countries. These countries are enjoying the countless benefits and the increased wealth that advanced industrialization has bestowed on them.

Since the midst of the twentieth century, a potentially fatal flaw of accelerating industrialization has become visible. Planet Earth is heating up. This phenomenon was barely visible early on, but is now escalating at a quickening pace.

Physicists can easily explain this rather sudden rise in global temperatures. Oceans and lands were capable to originally absorb huge amounts of heat and carbon dioxide with only minor indications of global warming and acidification of surface waters.

This period is ending while combustion of fossil fuels is increasing at continuously accelerating rates, caused by the explosive growth of energy consumption across the world.

China has become the most prolific user of coal for generating electricity and for supplying energy to its extremely rapid and successful industrialization efforts. This growth will accelerate further. Other countries are following the example of China and are beginning to produce and import more and more energy for powering their quickly growing economies.

Europe and Japan have been trying to reduce energy use and limit greenhouse gas emissions. Such efforts are rarely successful in creating wealth and economic growth. Adhering to Kyoto Protocol provisions seldom makes economic sense.

Several countries may continue to follow Kyoto concepts. Others like the BRIC countries, made up of Brazil, Russia, India, and China, will be better off to abandon Kyoto and continue with their intensifying energy utilization. Following the axiom of "do as they do, not as they say", these countries are entitled to imitate highly industrialized and wealthier nations.

But will such advice not accelerate global warming even further? Yes it will. However, as long as the major industrial countries cannot find the will to stop fossil fuel burning altogether, it is hypocritical to prevent less fortunate countries from joining the establishment.

Instead, the most prosperous countries can and must be the first to establish a concept and a plan for saving Earth from continuous warming. World energy supplies must be changed completely from fossil fuels to renewable and economical energy sources. Otherwise, the Earth will overheat severely long before the end of the twenty first century.

The consequences of severe overheating will be devastating. Climates will change and will spawn more violent windstorms, more destructive floods, and more severe droughts. Most dangerous and most damaging will be the indefensible rise of sea levels. Low-lying coastal lands will be submerged, precious and irreplaceable infrastructures will disappear, and large populations will have to flee to higher grounds.

Does the world really have to watch helplessly as it is being destroyed by the greed and stupidity of its most powerful nations, its clueless corporations, and its powerless governments?

The world's most dominant economies, the USA and the European Union, have all the resources, the infrastructures, and the skilled workforces that must be mobilized to improve and deploy those advanced energy supply technologies, which can still rescue our Earth. A few, critical technologies are still missing but can be fully developed within one single decade.

World economies can continue their essential growth into the next century only, if the US and the EU decide to act decisively and soon.

It will be scandalous, shameful, and contemptible if the two, industrially most advanced, and wealthiest superpowers will wait for China to snatch the world from otherwise inevitable economic collapse.

It will be a moral disaster if the Earth's wealthiest nations cannot agree to leave a better world for future generations!



Dr. Hemsath's books, Climate Change-Gold Rush or Disaster? and Clean Energy For Centuries, offer a comprehensive plan for saving Earth from overheating. He is now writing a follow-on book, Petroleum Substitutes From Biomass. For fifty years he has worked on advanced energy technologies as scientist, engineer, inventor, Corporate R&D Executive, CEO, entrepreneur, and author. He holds more than 60 US Patents. Go to http://www.thermalexpert.com


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Friday, September 11, 2009

Pennywise Band Members Still Rolling Strong

Pennywise Band Members Still Rolling Strong by Jimmy Cox

Clever Stephen King fans may well recognize that the clown in the novel, "It" is where the band members of Pennywise found their name. They formed the punk rock band back in 1988 and the name fit well and had a dark and sinister undertone at the same time. Somehow, this seems very apropos especially when considering the wild nature and offbeat humor exhibited by this group of performers.

In 1991, they released a debut album that was named for the group, and they released one album biannually after that until 2005. All of these releases were with Epitaph Records. With "Reason to Believe", their album that came out in 2007 the group has a total of 9 studio recorded albums, one album that was recorded live, a DVD release and 2 Extended Play selections to their credit. Much to the delight of their fans the 2008 album was sent out free online thanks to a collaborative arrangement with Textango and MySpace. Fans could still purchase the album in Europe or the US.

The present band members have been in place for almost 13 years and they include:

Jim Lindberg (vocals)
Fletcher Dragge (guitars)
Randy Bradbury (bass)
Byron McMackin (drums)

Except for Bradbury, this was also the original lineup from 1988. In 1996, the bassist for the group, Jason Thirsk, committed suicide and this was when Ray Bradbury was brought in to take over on bass guitar.

The four young band members had all played in different bands found around Hermosa Beach in California. Once they found each other, they realized that they had the ability to excel at creating great music with a unique flavor and style. In just two years, they went from mere performers to a signed recording act and a year later, they were releasing "Pennywise" which was the album that gained them good visibility among members of the punk community across the nation. The songs had lyrics that encouraged positive attitudes and progressive ideas for members of Generation X.

Their main vocalist, Lindberg, left the group for a short time after that debut album but he was back with the gang in 1992. This was just in time to record their second studio album, "Unknown Road" which would be released in 1993. This second release would make the group a strong reputation in the world of punk music. In 1995, some punk style bands were going mainstream but Pennywise preferred to stay away from the lure of the major labels. There was really no need for them to move away from Epitaph because their Pennywise merch and music were all selling well. To prove the point the group made another album, "About Time" in 1995 and it became another success for them.

In 1996, Thirsk was trying to overcome his alcoholism, but he ended up taking his own life. When bassist, Bradbury joined the band the group recorded "Full Circle" in 1997 and "Straight Ahead" in 1999. Their live album in 2000 was entitled, "Live at the Key Club", then "Land of the Free?" followed in 2001, and "From the Ashes" was released in 2003. The DVD created by Pennywise was called "Home Movies" and was brought out in 2004, although it had first been released in 1995. There is a Steve Martin film called "45 Revolutions" which features a little of the group. In 2005, the band created an 8th album with the title, "The Fuse". It was released first to the European market and then to the US.

Fans can prepare to see Pennywise onstage when they perform at the spring Jagermeister Music Tour. They will be performing along with Pepper, a reggae rock group. This will be the perfect time for diehard fans to cheer in person once more for this independent minded group of musicians.



For The Latest Range Of Pennywise Merch
Checkout:
http://www.planet13.com.au

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Thursday, September 03, 2009

The Three Reactions in Judo Technique

The Three Reactions in Judo Technique by Jimmy Cox

In excitation and message transfer, a time gap, like a physical solid, occurs between the stimulus and the contraction of the muscles. This time gap is called reaction time. It can be used to your advantage in your judo technique.

Evaluation of the use of these three reactions in judo:

a. Unconditioned reflex action

Since this reflex action is unrelated to the joint nerve center, it tends to result unconditionally from any given stimulus. In judo or boxing, for instance, if your opponent makes a movement toward your face, you are apt to close your eyes. You must not do this. If you close your eyes you cannot see him for the moment. This momentary blindness of yours gives him a good chance to attack you. Therefore this reaction must be checked by continual training.

b. Conditioned reflex action

Since this type of reaction rarely troubles the joint nerve center and comes after long acclimatization to the same stimulus, it is similar to the unconditioned reaction. In judo this reflex may not always be useful because other stimuli may be confused in certain techniques. Your opponent may take advantage of this reflex by a feint. So your joint nerve center should, first of all, analyze the various given conditions correctly and send suitable messages to the various areas.

c. Reaction achieved by practice

If you react after judgment is made in the joint nerve center, you take all the given stimuli into consideration. Reaction achieved by practice enables you to exercise correct judgment in each case. It is necessary in the study of all techniques. It is not useful in a contest unless the reaction time is shortened almost to that of an unconditioned reflex action. This can be attained by continual training over a long period of time.

In judo the third type of reaction (reaction by practice) is the best of the three, and the second type (conditioned reflex action) comes next. The first type (unconditioned reflex action) does not have much use in judo.

We have studied the three kinds of short reaction time. Let us now study some cases in which the reaction time is longer. These cases must be taken into consideration as you are studying judo technique.

Nine cases in which reaction time becomes longer:

The following are typical situations or conditions in which the time required for reaction becomes longer:

1. When one is not trained in judo.
2. When one's mind or body is fatigued.
3. When one is absent-minded.
4. When one is emotionally upset.

These cases, except the first, usually occur in daily life. Even if your opponent is not proficient in judo, he will expose these weaknesses in you.

Next let us consider how you can lengthen the time that your opponent reacts:

5. When your opponent focuses his attention on one movement, his reaction time to another stimulus becomes long. For instance, if you try to apply hane-goshi in the left direction, your opponent will try to defend himself in that direction. At this moment his attention will probably be fixed in that direction only. Therefore his reaction time in the opposite direction becomes longer.

6. When stimuli are combined, the time becomes longer. If your opponent knows that you can apply hane-goshi from both sides, he must be ready for an attack from both sides. Therefore his reaction time becomes longer.

7. When we see a movement by indirect sight, the reaction time to that movement becomes longer. When you see an object, you see some parts more clearly than the others because the central fovia of the retina can image an object clearly, but the other parts cannot. Therefore, if you attack your opponent from a direction in which your movement cannot be clearly imaged, his reaction time becomes long.

8. When your opponent inhales, his reaction time is longer than when he exhales. We can exert a stronger force when we exhale than when we inhale. While inhaling, your opponent will find it difficult to defend himself against your attack, whether he be a master or a beginner in judo.

9. The moment your opponent is off balance in any direction, his reaction time becomes longer.
Use this reaction time against your opponent and you judo technique will improve.



Here You Will Find One Hundred Lessons Which Will Take You Step By Step Through The Practice Of Judo Training FREE. Visit: www.judotechnique.net

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Wednesday, September 02, 2009

Customer Service - Full Circle?

Customer Service - Full Circle? by Jed McCall

Try to think back to a time when customer service meant exactly that, serving the customer. Now that everyone, Convenience Stores, Petrol Forecourts, Banks and all and sundry, have moved to self service or hardly any service, it is time for those amongst us who actually want to serve the customer, because we fully understand the importance of this, to stand out from the crowd.

You have probably tried many tactics to gain ground against your competitors, now try this one: Be nice, respectful, speak politely, actually interact with your customers, as this is so rare now-a-days, that this level of customer service in itself will create a wow factor.

Think back and consider when customer service meant serving the customer, not just standing or leaning there like a waxworks dummy and, heaven forbid that a customer might ask a question or require some information. Hoping that not even a smile will be needed as the money changes hands at the cash point.

Let me point out right now that none of this is in any way meant to be disrespectful to providers of good customer service, those who do it well and serve their customers with courtesy and respect, a big thank you and keep it up. This level of customer service will set you apart.

Some tips that will allow you to stand out from the crowd and bring your customer service full circle.

- Smile and greet your customer, if you know their name use it.

- If the customer is known to you ask after their little dog, sick husband etc.

- Pay attention to the customer, if you notice a new or different hair cut, jacket, dress etc., comment favourably.

- Tell them about their favourite product that has just come into stock.

- While the payment is taking place, remain focused and remember to ask if anything else is required, you could suggest (up-sell) a product to compliment what has just been purchased.

- If cash is used to make the purchase, give the change correctly,coins first and do not throw it at the customer or drop it on the counter.

- Handle the goods with care and respect the customers purchase.

- Politely hand over the purhcase and thank the customer for visiting the store, make a point of telling them you look forward to seeing them again.

This is how customers were served in the early 1900's through to 1970's. If you can take on board the suggestions above you will set yourself ahead of most retailers. Travel full circle with your customer service, make a difference to your business profitability, make a difference to your customers experiences in your store, make a difference to the job satisfaction enjoyed by your staff.



Retail professional with experience in convenience retail, petrol forecourts, training and development.
What has always made the difference to success and profitability is to excel in customer service.
Some ideas from an old hand.
http://www.how2retail.com


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