Choosing Health: Exercise and Nutrition for Seniors
We are getting older all the time. It's nothing to get upset about it's only natural. However, that doesn't mean we don't have some say when it comes to our place in the march of time. Although another day is passing and – yes – you are 24 hours closer to your next birthday, we have an opportunity to actively make the choices that will determine the quality of life we will have as we progress through our golden years.
Simply speaking, there are two things that determine our level of fitness at any time during our lives: what we eat, and what we do with it. Activity takes energy, and energy means food. Once we take on the calories we need to be active, its important to actually be active in a proper way in order to live a healthy, energetic life. No matter what your age, exercise and nutrients are crucial if you want to get the most out of life, but what about as we age? As we get older, our need for vitamins, minerals, and exercise is just as important as it is when we are younger. However, the demands of our aging bodies make certain kinds of exercise and nutrients preferable to others.
As we age, there are four basic categories of fitness we have to be more concerned with than others. By focusing on these areas, we can insure that we maintain our mobility - along with our strong bones and muscles - as the years go by and we have to make a decision between a high quality of life, versus deteriorating health, and even injury.
Strength – The scientific term for the loss of muscle and strength as we age is sarcopenia. Sarcopenia is not a disease that strikes randomly, it is a natural condition that will affect each and ever one of us as we age. In fact, some studies have shown that muscle mass declines by 4% each decade from age 25 to age 50. In addition to affecting our overall strength, this loss of muscle mass affects our metabolism, and can even affect libido in men.
Endurance – As we age the loss of aerobic capacity is a real possibility. Older folks can experience the exacerbation of existing pulmonary conditions, but the loss of lung capacity and endurance due to neglect and lack of exercise is just as likely.
Balance – Several hundred thousand seniors suffer broken bones every year from falling. Without a doubt, when it comes to avoiding accidents from falling, prevention is the key. There are any number of exercises – from yoga, to pilates, to simple balancing poses – that can get you fit, and keep you safe.
In addition to making sure you are getting the proper kinds – and amount – of exercise, the need for proper nutrition is just as important in your later years as it was when you were growing up.
For most seniors, a balanced diet is still the best way to give their bodies what they need. However, most seniors find that smaller, lighter meals that are packed with vitamins are more important than the protein and carb heavy meals they needed when they were more physically active, and had higher metabolic rates. In addition to proper nutrition, most seniors – especially those with any number of pre-existing medical conditions – can benefit from adding nutritional supplements to their diets.
Get Started!
Many seniors interested in exercise can find that they have trouble getting started – or continuing with ongoing programs – and may need a little extra assistance. Fortunately, products like the Vibra Trainer Heart Rate and the Talking Pedometer with FM Radio, can offer the kind of assistance we all might seek, in a form that is specifically designed with the needs of seniors in mind. In addition, seniors who may need a boost in their diets can take advantage of supplements like Joint XI Supplement, Fiberrific Powdered Fiber, or any number of other products on the market that can give active seniors the advantage they need when it comes to staying active and fit.
Remember to always seek the advice of your physician when making changes in your diet or exercise regimen. With the right plan, the right attitude, and the right products to help you along the way, you'll be at the top of your game for some time to come.
How to use Telemarketing in Health Club Marketing, 21 tips that you have to know
There are many forms of health club marketing. Some produce a higher ROI (Return on Investment) than others. Phone sales or Telemarketing is an under valued method to effectively contact your potential health club members and close sales. Receiving a phone call from an energetic health club professional, with a purpose driven phone script, is very powerful. Be aware that effective phone skills will show your personality over the phone. Someone that has been thinking about joining a health club may just be waiting for a motivated health club owner to give them a call with an invitation to come in for a free 2 week pass to the "best health club in town." LET'S GO OVER A HEALTH CLUB MARKETING PROGRAM USING TELEMARKETING.Benefits of using Telemarketing for Health Club Marketing:1. It will affect your entire market. Having your prospects name, phone number, address, etc., reduces the sales cost greatly. A health clubs staff will no longer need to souly depend on lead boxes for names and numbers. It is also easier for sales staff to let current members, as well as hopeful members, know about new or upcoming products and services the club would like to showcase.2. It is synergetic.In other words, telemarketing will cross promote the other marketing streams you already have in place like: direct mail, lead boxes, etc. The health club establishes the conversation with the prospect rather than just waiting for them to walk in. This is proactive marketing.3. It is flexible. Different from other media in Direct Marketing, a Telemarketing campaign can change the communication of the marketing on the basis of the answers we receive. This skill set is invaluable in today's struggling economy where every new member is worth their weight in gold. You can't risk losing 1 prospect.4. It is measurable.Telemarketing campaigns have many steps that can be modified to achieve the best possible results. After comparing the results from other campaigns on a week by week basis, a health club is able to develop, analyze the benefits, point out the mistakes and take corrective actions needed to maximize its' effectiveness.5. It is fast moving.Phone calls are short - appointments are made quickly. A professionally ran health club telemarketing campaign will generate on average 25-75 new appointments a week. If you have 50 appointments show up, and close an industry standard 75%, you will receive 38 new sales a week.6. It's cheap.A telemarketing campaign will cost around $200.00 a week. That covers call list, payroll, phone lines. Now that you're starting to understand the benefits that Telemarketing can provide to a health club's marketing program lets look at some of the steps in starting up your own telemarketing campaign. Every health club will vary its' approach based on several factors, but the following steps will give the blueprint to follow.Steps to develop a Successful Telemarketing Campaign:1. Set up Call Room Rules.The staff you hire will need to know exactly what you expect from them. Things like: daily appointment quota, follow up rules, call conflicts, shift hours, conformation rules, etc. Have the rules in place to insure your telemarketing campaign is ran in a professional and profitable manner.2. Buy a Call List. There are serious laws governing telemarketing. The "Do Not Call Registry" (DNCR) is a federal department that watches out for consumers? If a person has listed their number on the DNCR, and you contact them, you may be fined up to $35,000.00. There are services that sell call list that have been scrubbed against the DNCR and are safe to call. This list is KING get a good list that has been updated in the past few months.3. Write a Call Script.A call script is a blueprint which your staff will follow while in conversation with a prospect. The script should contain the following: call to actions, a sense of urgency, value building and relationship building speech. The prospect is used to telemarketers so don't sound like one of them. Sound like a friend calling with a great offer. The best tool to use to get them in your club is "free 2 week passes."4. Hire a Call Staff.Hiring a "call room" can be tricky if you don't know what to look for. The rule of thumb is to only hire women. Men just don't have the mindset to make calls for a call shift which will last 4 hours. The most effective appointment setters have a positive outlook on life. Ask them questions in the interview that will reveal there attitude. If they have a lot of life issues going on, or are just a negative, lower energy candidate, then you would be wasting your time by hiring them. Also, remember that a person with prior experience is not always a good find. Breaking bad habits is more difficult than training someone from ground zero.So now your ready to start making calls. The training of your call room is the most important step of the process. HEATH CLUB MARKETING using telemarketing is pretty simple as long as you keep a few things in mind. Let's go over the key factors to consider when training a telemarketing call room.Telemarketing Staff Training for Health Clubs:1. Long-term relationships with your prospects should be the focus on telemarketing calls. Find a way to gain common ground with prospects by learning what their most pressing needs are such as: weight loss, personal training, child care, etc. and tell them how you can solve them. Following the script is key, but as your room matures, they will be able to impervise on the fly. That's why a well trained room is priceless.2. When you call, follow the script. The people that you're talking to are busy. If you respect their time they will appreciate it. If you've called at a time that is inconvenient for them, schedule a different time to talk.3. Give the prospect an opportunity to talk.The longer they talk the more they are investing into the call. Ask him or her to tell you what their most pressing problem is. Listen intently. Take notes. This will increase the amount of shows you get.4. Expect that prospects will sometimes object to talking to you when you call.Some of their responses may be hurdles to you getting through to them. Categorize what those hurdles might be in a journal and write strategies to work with them.5. Don't be too sensitive. What they may say when they receive a call from you. Not everybody is kind.6. Talk genuinely and sincerely on the phone as you offer an honest message. Talk in conversational style rather than racing through a script.7. Ask your new prospect if they have any friends or family. Friend and family members that would also like to receive a free 2 week pass to the club are referrals. Referrals have very high show rates.8. Remember to remind the prospect of the date and location of their appointment.9. Conformation is the life blood of the program. Make sure that a lot of efforts go into this area.10. If the person reacts poorly (this almost never happens) say "thank you for your time" and move to the next person. A person's reaction is not a reflection on you, but rather on something that is upsetting them in their life.11. Remember that talking on the telephone is nothing more than educating others on the benefits of obtaining a healthy lifestyle; it is educating the public and promoting your health club. Keep in mind how your existing clients benefited from your health club. Don't you want everyone to have the same benefits your current client's experience?We have used telemarketing in our health club marketing campaigns effectively for many years. Our promotion will produce $10,000-$15,000 per week in new sales using just telemarketing. After factoring in Direct Mail, Email Marketing, Radio Marketing, Etc our on-site promotion will produce $40,000-$80,000 in new membership sales. We know it works so get out there and make some sales using telemarketing. They are just waiting on a call from you.Because of the relationships Fitness360 have developed in the Fitness industry your club may qualify to receive this service as well as other valuable services and products FREE. That's right! You may not have to pay one dime and we do all the work for you. ArticlesBase is not the only place you can find us. We also post helpful info on 21 tips for a Telemarketing Program in Health Clubs..Cheers,Joshua FlemingNational Marketing DirectorFitness360 Marketingwww.fitness360online.com1-888-4-FIT-360Direct Mail Tips for Healt ClubsAward Winning Lead Boxes-Part 1 of 2
People saved from the brink of death by the one-minute cure..
People saved from the brink of death by the one-minute cure...
Sir / Madam
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The one-minute cure was given to 50 patients who came to the clinic suffering from AIDS or the HIV virus. Thirty of them went into immediate remission and the rest reported an increase in energy and a sense of well-being.
This success rate is *unheard of* in the medical and pharmaceutical world where AIDS is still considered incurable! Dr. Moriarty went on to say that whenever the one-minute cure is administered into the community, "People come back to life. It blows my mind!"
Because you watched the One-Minute Cancer Cure video, you probably know someone who's battling cancer, or may even be at the brink of death. Or maybe you've always feared that you or someone you care about may one day be at that hopeless, irreversible or terminal phase of a disease.
The one-minute cure may very well be the secret to bringing any sick person you know "back to life." That sick person may even be yourself.
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The Ideal Retirement is Debt-free
When it comes to retirement, most of us can't wait to get there. However, so many workers aren't taking the necessary steps to get there.
Retirement is when you can relax and enjoy life for a while. Or at least, it is supposed to be. However, if you aren't prepared, your retirement could be something much different than what you had in mind.
Yes, financial advisors will tell you that you need less money in retirement, because you have fewer job-related expenses. But you will probably replace these expenses with other expenses.
On average, it is estimated that you will need approximately 70% of your current yearly income when you are in retirement. For example, if you make $50,000 a year, you can expect to need at least $35,000 a year in retirement. However, this can change with different circumstances.
Your medical expenses will be higher. Insurance will cost more as you age. You often have increased medical issues. It is recommended that you take care of your insurance needs while you are young, in order to help keep your premiums down later.
You will also want to spend more money on hobbies, vacations and other activities. You know have time to do the things you always wanted to do.
If you enter retirement debt-free, you are reducing the amount of money you need each month. This may free up money for the things you want to do.
Start with taking the time to eliminate your credit cards. You should try to pay off all of your credit cards before you retire. It is estimated that 30 million Americans have bad credit due to excessive credit card debt. You want to enter retirement with options. If you have bad credit and have maxed out all of your credit cards, you have very few options. Remember, credit card debt can grow on you rather quickly. What is just $20 a month now, can turn into $200 a month in a short amount of time.
Move on to making sure that you do not have any auto loans at retirement. A dependable car is necessary, but you should try to pay it off as quickly as possible. Choose a reliable, reasonably priced automobile. You don't have to buy new and you don't have to spend every last cent you can afford.
One of the best things that my parents did was enter retirement owning their property free and clear. No mortgage. You have to have a home, but by paying it off before you retire, you are really freeing your budget up. For many people, the mortgage payment is the largest expense they have. Think of the things you can do without that mortgage payment. No matter if times get tough, you own your home. You can take out a HELOC or reverse mortgage if times get really bad. Owning your own home gives you so many options in retirement.
Think about it, if you only had to pay your utilities and living expenses, how much money would you have back in your pocket. Take the time to create a debt-repayment plan that focuses on being out of debt before you retire. Many people that eliminate their debt early find that they can actually retire earlier than planned. That sounds really good doesn't it?
Ole! Seniors Choosing Nursing Homes in Mexico
As millions of baby boomers reach retirement age and U.S. health care costs soar, Mexican nursing home managers expect more American seniors to head south in coming years.
Mexico's proximity to the USA, low labor costs and warm climate make it attractive, although residents caution that quality of care varies greatly in an industry that is just getting off the ground there.
Here's more:
After Jean Douglas turned 70, she realized she couldn't take care of herself anymore. Her knees were giving out, and winters in Bandon, Oregon, were getting harder to bear alone. Douglas was shocked by the high cost and impersonal care at assisted living facilities near her home. After searching the Internet for other options, she joined a small but steadily growing number of Americans who are moving across the border to nursing homes in Mexico, where the sun is bright and the living is cheap.
For $1,300 a month--a quarter of what an average nursing home costs in Oregon--Douglas gets a studio apartment, three meals a day, laundry and cleaning service, and 24-hour care from an attentive staff, many of whom speak English. She wakes up every morning next to a glimmering mountain lake, and the average annual high temperature is a toasty 79 degrees. "It is paradise," says Douglas, 74. "If you need help living or coping, this is the place to be. I don't know that there is such a thing back (in the USA), and certainly not for this amount of money."
An estimated 40,000 to 80,000 American retirees already live in Mexico, many of them in enclaves such as San Miguel de Allende or the Chapala area, says David Warner, a University of Texas public affairs professor who has studied the phenomenon. There are no reliable data on how many are living in nursing homes, but at least five such facilities are on Lake Chapala.
"You can barely afford to live in the United States anymore," said Harry Kislevitz, 78, of New York City. A stroke victim, he moved to a convalescent home on the lake's shore two years ago and credits the staff with helping him recover his speech and ability to walk. "Here you see the birds, you smell the air, and it's delicious," Kislevitz said. "You feel like living."
Many expatriates are Americans or Europeans who retired here years ago and are now becoming more frail. Others are not quite ready for a nursing home but are exploring options such as in-home health care services, which can provide Mexican nurses at a fraction of U.S. prices.
Retirement homes are relatively new in Mexico, where the aging seniors usually live with family. There is little government regulation. Some places have suddenly gone bankrupt, forcing American residents to move. Some Mexican homes have rough edges, such as peeling paint or frayed sofas, that would turn off many Americans.
"I don't think they're for everyone," said Thomas Kessler, whose mother suffers from manic depression and lives at a home in Ajijic. "But basically, they've kept our family finances from falling off a cliff."
Residents such as Richard Slater say they are happy in Mexico. Slater came to Lake Chapala four years ago and now lives in his own cottage at the Casa de Ancianos, surrounded by purple bougainvillea and pomegranate trees.
He has plenty of room for his two dogs and has a little patio that he shares with three other American residents. He gets 24-hour nursing care and three meals a day, cooked in a homey kitchen and served in a sun-washed dining room. His cottage has a living room, bedroom, kitchenette, bathroom and a walk-in closet.
For this Slater pays $550 a month, less than one-tenth of the going rate back home in Las Vegas. For another $140 a year, he gets full medical coverage from the Mexican government, including all his medicine and insulin for diabetes.
"This would all cost me a fortune in the United States," said Slater, a 65-year-old retired headwaiter.
On a recent afternoon, lunch at the Casa de Ancianos consisted of vegetable soup, beet salad, Spanish rice, baked dogfish stuffed with peppers, garlic bread and a choice of four cakes and two Jell-O salads. Slater's neighbor doesn't like Mexican food, so a nursing home employee cooks whatever she wants on a stove beside her bed.
Like many retirees, Slater has satellite television, so he doesn't miss any American news or programs. When he wants to see a movie or go shopping downtown, the taxi ride is only $2 or $3. Guadalajara, a culturally rich city of four million people, is just 30 miles away.
For medical care, Slater relies on the Mexican Social Security Institute, or IMSS, which runs clinics and hospitals nationwide and allows foreigners to enroll in its program even if they never worked in Mexico or paid taxes to support the system. He recently had gallbladder surgery in an IMSS hospital in Guadalajara, and he paid nothing.
Many of the nursing home employees speak English, and so does Slater's doctor.
The Casa de Ancianos began accepting foreigners in 2000 as part of an effort to raise extra money, director Marlene Dunham said. It built the cottages especially for the Americans and uses the income received from them to subsidize the costs of the 20 Mexican residents at the home.
The program was so successful that the nursing home has plans for 12 more cottages, a swimming pool, a Jacuzzi and a gazebo with picnic area. The nursing home now advertises on the Internet and through pamphlets distributed in town. Some U.S. companies have also begun investing in assisted living facilities in Mexico, said Larry Minnix, president of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, which represents 5,800 nursing homes and related services.
However, Minnix cautioned that lax government regulation poses dangers at smaller homes.
"It's the same danger you have of going across the border looking for cheap medications," Minnix said. "If you don't know what you're getting, and you're not getting it from people you trust, then you've got an accident waiting to happen."
Since many nursing homes are run out of private homes, regulation by state health departments is often spotty. Managers such as Beverly Ward of Casa Nostra and Maura Funes of El Paraiso, both in Ajijic, said that Mexican officials inspect them only once a year, unlike U.S. inspectors, who may visit a home several times a year.
The U.S. Embassy said it had no record of complaints against Mexican nursing homes, but some residents in the Lake Chapala area reported bad experiences at now-defunct homes.
The first home that Jean Douglas lived in after she moved from Oregon was staffed by "gossips and thieves," she said. It went out of business. Irene Chiara of Los Angeles also lived in a home that was shut down by Jalisco state authorities.
"It was filthy, and the food was very bad. It was all made in the microwave," she said.
Some Mexican managers also underestimate the costs and difficulty of running a retirement home. Two hotels turned into assisted living facilities, The Spa in San Miguel de Allende and The Melville in the Pacific Coast city of Mazatlán, recently abandoned the business, their managers said.
"It was very expensive to run it," said Luis Terán, manager of The Melville. Some managers said they were especially selective when admitting foreign residents, to make sure they'll be able to pay. Medicare, Medicaid, the Department of Veterans Affairs and most U.S. insurance companies will not cover care or medicine as long as patients are outside the USA.
Some American residents said they had doubts about the quality of Mexican medical facilities and would go back to the USA if they became seriously ill. Jim May, 74, a resident of the Casa de Ancianos, said he recently decided to move to Texas to be closer to Veterans Affairs hospitals.
The language barrier can be daunting, and Mexican food can be very different, some residents said.
Some residents said they miss home and find it hard to make friends with Mexican residents. "It's a very nice place, but it's lonesome," said Polly Coull, 99, of Seminole, Fla., a resident at Alicia's Convalescent Nursing Home in Ajijic.
Mexican entrepreneurs are doing their best to prepare for a tide of Americans. In the Baja Peninsula town of Ensenada, the Residencia Lourdes opened in 2003, offering care for patients with Alzheimer's disease and senile dementia. The towns around Lake Chapala have at least five small retirement homes. Most of them opened in the last five years and house from one to 25 foreigners. The largest, Alicia's Convalescent Nursing Home, consists of four renovated homes, one of them specializing in stroke victims and another for Alzheimer's patients. Prices range from $1,000 to $1,500 a month and include everything except medicine and adult diapers. The rooms are outfitted in Mexican style, with murals, hand-carved beds, arched ceilings lined with brick and individual patios.
In other American enclaves, in-home healthcare services have sprung up to serve the retirees. In Rosarito, just south of the U.S. border, INCARE provides nursing aides to retirees starting at $8.33 an hour, less than half the cost of the same service in nearby San Diego.
Developers of independent living facilities for seniors are also beginning to look to Mexico. A Spanish-U.S. venture is building Sensara Vallarta, a 250-unit condominium complex aimed at Americans age 50 and older in the Pacific Coast resort of Puerto Vallarta. And in the northern city of Monterrey, El Legado is marketing itself as a "home resort" for seniors.
Academics and government officials are beginning to take notice. In March, the University of Texas at Austin held a forum for developers, hospital officials, insurance companies and policymakers to discuss health care for retirees in Mexico.
"With the right facilities in place, Mexico could give (American retirees) a better quality of life at a better price than they could find in the United States," says Flavio Olivieri, a member of Tijuana's Economic Development Council, which is seeking funding from Mexico's federal government to build more retirement homes, including senior apartments. "We think this could be a very good business as these baby boomers reach retirement age," he says.
Hong Kong: From Junks to Jets â The Rise of a Global Powerhouse
           Today, Hong Kong has been known as one of the successful in East Asian for economy in terms of business and trade. Hong Kong has create the reputation not only recently but far before that. The influence of being one of the British colonies from 1841 to 1997 has been seen as the main factor on what is Hong Kong today. We can see some similarity between Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand which all the colonies are now been well in terms of country development.
           It has been a great scenario to see the development and the growth in Hong Kong and how its can survive during the economic crisis in 1997 and once again in 2008. Although it canât be deny that some slow in the economic growth been monitored during this period, anyway the magnificence is to see how Hong Kong keep its economy surviving until today comparing to other developing countries.
           We are going to discuss from the historical background of Hong Kong, the factor that keep Hong Kong to be always competitive as economy power, the influence and impact after the handover to China and future of Hong Kong business.
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           Hong Kong has been a unique colony as East Asian economy power to the British since been found in 1841. Before that, Hong Kong is a part of China. History began when in 19th century, Chinese tea has boom in Britain (Szczepanski, 2009). The demand is high but British are unable to deal with Qing Dynasty for better transaction rather than pay with gold or silver. As a result, British decided to introduce opium from India to China for an exchanged for tea. China government is not agreed with these and destroyed a lot of opium own by British. The British has declared war due to this and won the First Opium War thru Treaty of Nanking in 1841. Here is when the interference of foreign power started in Hong Kong. At the beginning Hong Kong is just become a military staging point to British around the area.
           The strategic geographical location of Hong Kong has been the main reason of it economy growth since then. Since during the colonial area, Hong Kong has been know to its free-market, private-enterprise and capitalistic system which benefits a lot of traders in terms of a free port, low taxes and limited government intervention to the economic and social affairs.
           Therefore during the early stage of colonial period, British is very concern about Hong Kong potential of being free port and the possible treat can be to Hong Kong due to its location, surrounding by area that are still in China control. Anyway in 1898 British are able to lease Kowloon from China after won the Second Opium War. And in 1898, British sign the Second Convention of Peking, where all island surround Hong Kong are under British control for 99 years which are known as New Territories.
           In year 1984, the Sino-British Joint Declaration has been signed to agree that Hong Kong, Kowloon and New Territories shall be given back to China as well. China has made a promise to implement One Country, Two System regime where allowing Hong Kong people are free to continue and practice capitalism and politic freedoms for 50 years.
           Above we can understand that Hong Kong has established the relationship with Europe country especially British for such long time. The experience and understanding of dealing with European countries has made a great success for Hong Kong textiles and garment industries in the economic growth. Although Hong Kong has been officially handover to China on 1st July 1997, the strong fundamental based that Hong Kong have has make its able to sustain in the Asia economic crisis 1997.
           In early stage, Hong Kong as other islanders, the economy is based on fishing and agriculture. Anyhow within the colony Hong Kong as adopt a journey in being developing country towards manufacturing and service industrial base. Formerly Hong Kong has been made as a military port to monitor British interest in East Asian, acting as an international financial centre.
           Historically Hong Kong has been incorporated into China during Qin Dynasty (221BC to 206BC). During year 1941 to 1945, Hong Kong has been occupied by Japan. This period has been a falling in all of the initial economy and trade activities in Hong Kong.
               In early 1950âs, monitoring a lot of immigrants from mainland China especially from Shanghai move to Hong Kong (Yu, 1999). These cheap refugees have brought together with them the skills and capital along with them that helped Hong Kong to revive the economy. Following this pattern, foreign companies also have relocated offices from Shanghai to Hong Kong where this movement has make a changes in Hong Kong from territory entrepot trade to industrial and manufacturing.?
           Early industrialization in Hong Kong only involves producing small items from buttons, artificial flowers, umbrellas and textiles. In the beginning of 1960âs, was a turning point for Hong Kong economy when the industrial and manufacturing is performing well and growing strong since. This is the period whereby the textile industry experienced a boom. The positive impact of the industrial development and growth in 1960âs was the development of multi storey building in Hong Kong. The potential of being an economy power from the industry has increase a massive number of immigrants from mainland China to Hong Kong where all of them acquire a place to start their life in Hong Kong. Hong Kong which is an island conceptually only has limited space for housing or building development. Therefore the multi storey building has been the best solution for this problem due to land scarcity. It helps the construction sector in Hong Kong to make it as one of the main economy source.
           In 1997, China has decided to open their market for outsider. Anyway the China system is still far behind compare to what has Hong Kong established especially in terms of financial services, real estate, insurance, brokering and banking. Hong Kong has taken this opportunity as a gateway and resource for both China and foreign investor to success in their business. While China is starting to improve its skilled workers, Hong Kong already one step ahead to focus more on preparing themselves towards post industrial level in business and financial service sector.
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           Asian Financial Crisis (AFC) originally started in Thailand on 2nd July 1997 just after Hong Kong officially been hand over to China on 1st July 1997. Hong Kong as one of the power house economy in Asia also has no exception being affected by the crisis. It has been mentioned that Hong Kong was not well prepared to survive during the crisis. The crisis has spread quickly in Asia, where we can see financials problems in Japan and many corporate companies goes bankrupt in South Korea. During the crisis, phenomena seen are the falling stock markets prices, rising of interest rate, inflation, unemployment and growing social inequities.
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               Even though Hong Kong was handed to China, the impact of AFC in 1997 was not totally felt by Hong Kong. Hong Kong, during the recession the concerning factor was very much on the instability of the exchange rate (Floyd, 1998). The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HMKA) took actions forcing the interest rate higher than normal and intervened in the stock and future markets to cut off all the currency speculators.
           Among other key factors that save Hong Kong from disastrous affect of AFC was sound corporate governance, good supervision in the banking and financial system, large foreign reserve and strong commitment from China to stabilize the financial health.
           Besides of all the surviving factors mentioned earlier, Hong Kong as several natural competitive atmospheres such as Hong Kong has been successfully in manufacturing like electrical goods and services economy which like in finance.
               Hong Kong stock market has the potential to play a vital role of rising capital for China and plays an international role in the world economy. Influences of western law and openness to trade have played a great part in Hong Kong success today. Hong Kong in has a labor force of 2.8 million (1998) and low rate of unemployment (2 percent) to add value on this they have a skillful labor who can work for longer hours independently. Low tax rates in Hong Kong attract many international companies to make investment example the tax rate for local companies are same as per foreign companies. Other tax benefits are no value added/ sales tax, no capital gain/ withholding tax, no estate duty and no global taxation.
Hong Kong was described as a âbarren island with hardly a house upon itâ (Chan, 1991, p.21) when was established 160 years ago by the then-British Empire as a key port for the pursuit of British interests in China (Zhu, 2005). The visiting American journalist coined it âdying cityâ in 1951 (Ho, 1992). However, by 1971, the per capita income of Hong Kong had reached HK$6,096 and placing it second behind Japan in East Asia (Riedel, 1974). Since then, Hong Kong has been growing in average rate of 6.5 per cent between periods of 1987-1991 (Chau, 1993). In year 1992, Hong Kong GDP has reached HK$ 742, 582 million and has emerged as one of the richest economies in Asia (Chau, 1993). This stellar economic growth and performance has triggered development economist to search for an explanation (Yu, 1999).
Hong Kong is a good case study of the economic growth factors (Sung & Wong, 1998). There are three factors drives Hong Kong economic growth, namely, innovation, imitation and technology transfer. According to Sung & Wong, 1998, innovation is defined as effort to develop a new technology to improve productivity factor, invention a new product or improvement of the quality of some existing products. Imitation is defined as a learning effort and improvement of the technology developed by other firm. Based on Yuâs survey (1995), 88 per cent of the manufacturers imitated and supplied similar garments that already appeared in the market while only 8 per cent of them are attempting to make unique and novel products. On the technology transfer, this can be due to technology spillover through firm-to-firm or person-to-person contacts (the contagion effect) (Findlay, 1978). It is believed that Hong Kong growth can be attributed to accumulation of primary factors such as physical capital and labour force, technological progress, and human capital accumulation (Sung and Wong, 1998). The manufacturing sector in Hong Kong is learning by doing effect by conducted joint ventures with foreign firms to obtain foreign technology âknow-howâ from multinational corporation that have taken advantage of Asiaâs low production costs (Engardio and Cross, 1992)
When China opens up its economy to foreign trade and investment on 1979, Hong Kong is China largest investor. The cumulative direct investment in China from 1979 to 1995 was US$78.6 billion (Sung and Wong, 1998). In 1995, the real investment of Hong Kong to China reached peak in 1994, with US$12.5 billion. Besides, outward investment of Hong Kong to China, Hong Kong is receiving capital from China as Hong Kong remains the prime destination of China investments. However, Chinaâs direct investment is much smaller than Hong Kongâs direct investment in China. For illustration, in 1995, Chinaâs direct investment in Hong Kong is just 17.7 percent or US$1.37 billion of Hong Kongâs direct investment in China. The imbalances of investments are due to the factors of many multinational companies are using their Hong Kong subsidiaries to test China investment environments as Hong Kong has the expertise.
As Hong Kong moving up the economic âvalue ladderâ, the abundance of cheap labour which drives the growth during Hong Kong early industrialization period is slowly diminishing. Labour-intensive manufacturing had relocated from Hong Kong to China due to significant wage and rental differentials. With the relocation of the labour-intensive processing to China, Hong Kong manufacturers can focus on skill-intensive operations and services such as product design, production management, sourcing, order taking, financing and marketing (Sung and Wong, 1998). The relocation of the manufacturing sector in Hong Kong had spurred the entrepot trade between Hong Kong and China. From 1979 to 1996, Chinaâs trade via Hong Kong with third countries had rose from US$1.2 billion to US$120 billion. With the entrepot trade with China, Hong Kong had served as middlemen between China and the rest of the world, where Hong Kong acquires the technology and finance for China firms in return of Hong Kong development and growth (Sung and Wong 1998).
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The future of Hong Kong is depends on how well it can be integrated with China (Floyd 1998). Through out the years of British rules, Hong Kong economy has become internationalized and Hong Kong city has become one of the most international cities in the world (Vogel, 1989). With this, China had recognized Hong Kongâs economy as an important asset for the Chinaâs development (Hook and Neves, 2002). To maintain Hong Kong positions as international hub for trade and finance and the main gateway to China after the reversion of Hong Kong, China had implemented the âone country, two systemsâ policy. Hong Kong capitalism will be allowed to continue and it will benefit the economic reform process in China (Floyd, 1998). On the economic front, Hong Kong had increasing important to East Asian economies as Hong Kongâ trade with Japan and China is rising. However, it is speculated that a resurgent of Shanghai would compete with Hong Kong directly or even replace Hong Kongâs role in Chinaâs future economic development (Wong, 2004).
Hong Kong survivable in the future depends on how well it alert to opportunities, flexible and adaptable to the fast changing environment (Yu, 1999). Hong Kong producers have conducted joint ventures with multinational corporations, learnt foreign technologies and imitated their products. To continue enjoy healthy economic growth in future, Hong Kong economy needs to diversify and go through structural change from manufacturing to services (Clark, 1945). When the labour intensive relocated to China, Hong Kong manufacturers had become property developers and transforming their former factory sites into commercial complexes and make investment in real estate (Yu, 1999).
China must maintain the government principles of âone country, two systemsâ, âa high degree of autonomyâ and âHong Kong people administering Hong Kongâ way beyond the 50 years of Sino British Joint Declaration 1984 of no intervention in Hong Kong administration. With this, the business and entrepreneurship are given the freedom to operate and remain as the main driver in economic transformation and adaptive to environment changes. Riedel (1974) has remarks that âHong Kong entrepreneurs are left free to do what they can do bestâ¦â
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Hong Kong economy evolution was influenced by historical, geographical, cultural and technology driven factor. Historically, being a colonial of British, has prepared Hong Kong in the early stage for capitalism and free market society. Geographically, it was strategically located in East Asian, easy gateway for China, Taiwan, South Korea & Japan for international financial and trade center. Culturally, Hong Kong people are hardworking, high ethic and independent. Furthermore Hong Kong is gifted with technologically driven factors such as good financial system, communication; good infrastructure and government back up on research and development.
During the Asian Financial Crisis, Hong Kong managed to overcome the crisis due to solid governance and financial system plus a strong foreign reserve. After the handover to China, Hong Kong capitalism still prevails and the people are still enjoy democratic atmosphere. Under the âOne Country, Two Systemsâ concept, China will continue to fully support Hong Kong liberalization economy which ensure the free market as well as the investor confidence on Hong Kongâs future.
In future, Hong Kong needs to be more alert, sensitive and adopt flexibility to the changing economic environment to grabs the investment opportunities. This is will ensure Hong Kong future prosperity and continuous growth.
Getting Rich by Investing in an Excellent Business
At the annual meeting in 1996, Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger commented that, âIf you find three wonderful businesses in your life, youâll get very rich.â At the meeting one year later, he said, âThe single biggest recurring mistake Iâve made has been my reluctance to pay up for outstanding businesses.â As a new investor, you may here this and wonder, âYes, Joshua, but what is it that actually makes a company an excellent business?âTo help you understand the traits of an excellent business, Iâve put together some resources that will give you an idea of what you should look for in a stock, and, just as vital, why it is important. Armed with this information, over time youâll be more likely to build a portfolio of wealth creating assets that can provide financial security for you and your family.An excellent business earns high returns on capital with little or no debtThere seems to be little doubt, based upon the evidence, that itâs easier to build a large net worth through value investing â that is, the disciplined purchase of stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and other assets that appear to be selling at a substantial discount to a reasonable personâs estimate of intrinsic value (or âthe realâ value.) Think of it as if you knew a local car wash had gold buried underneath it. The proprietor might be asking $800,000 for the land and enterprise, but you know full well that you could pay substantially more, not only owning the business, but also selling the gold you dug up on the open market. Thus, you had reason to believe that it was being sold for far less than its intrinsic value.The one major shortcoming of this approach is that an asset bought cheap must be sold when it reaches intrinsic value unless it is an excellent business. As Charlie Munger has pointed out, over long periods of time, the rate of return which an investor earns is likely to be very close to the total return on capital generated by a firm, adjusted for dilution in shares outstanding. Thus, you are likely to do better paying fair value for a business that can reinvest its capital at high rates of return â say, over 15% to 20% per annum â than buying a mediocre business trading at a small discount to its liquidation value.For more information, read Business Like Investing: Thinking Like an Owner; on the second page of the article youâll find information on why return on capital matters.An excellent business has durable competitive advantagesIf you had unlimited funds, do you really believe that with the best pick of any manager in the world, you could unseat Coca-Cola as the undisputed leader in the soft drink industry? How about Johnson & Johnson with its myriad of patents, trademarks, and brand name products? The reason these businesses are able to succeed so well is that they have durable competitive advantages â things that their competitors canât reproduce.Sometimes these advantages are easy to spot â as is the case of Coca-Cola, which is the second most recognized word on Earth. However, it is possible for them to remain buried. One of the secrets to the phenomenal success of Wal-Mart is that Sam Walton built a distribution system with logistical capabilities that allowed him to lower the transportation costs of moving merchandise to his stores, allowing him to make far more profit than competitors selling at higher prices. He and his fellow shareholders won from the increased income while consumers won from the lower prices. These forces worked in combination with one another, reinforcing and accelerating the results so much that the tiny five-and-dime grew into the largest retailer the world has ever seen.When you buy into a company through the purchase of its common stock, try to identify the durable competitive advantages it has that could stand up from attack by competitors and market forces such as outsourcing and increased globalization.An excellent business is scalableWhen businesses are highly successful, one of the key ingredients more often than not is scalability. Take American Eagle Outfitters, which has one of the best long-term investment records over the past decade. Why was it successful? Target? Wal-Mart? McDonaldâs? Coca-Cola? Pepsi? Microsoft? All are excellent businesses in part because they had products or services that could be replicated in cookie-cutter fashion very, very rapidly.Think about it. The McDonaldâs in Hong Kong is very much like the McDonaldâs in Chicago. And New York. And Southern California. By having the menu, layout, fixtures, and technology packaged in a way that restaurants could be rapidly opened, it made it easier for the chain to roll out across the United States and world. Coupled with its relatively high returns on equity and the cash provided by the franchisees, which footed the bill to build a huge portion of the overall business, itâs not hard to see why the shareholders might consider Ray Kroc as a hero.The price still matters â¦For those of you too young to remember the Nifty Fifty, this idea of buying excellent businesses was taken to such ridiculous extremes in the 1960âs that investors paid upwards of sixty and seventy times earnings! To contrast, a normal price-to-earnings ratio on Wall Street is considered fifteen; that is, for every $1 in per share profit a company generates, it would trade for $15. It didnât take a genius to see that even if the business was all it was cracked up to be, at those prices, it would be virtually impossible to earn a satisfactory long-term rate of return.Thatâs why you need to take a moment to read Price is Paramount to see an illustration of how lower growth rates can actually lead to higher rates of return in certain circumstances.Buy and Holding Investing StrategyAlthough I actively manage my regular investment accounts, and as you know, there are several businesses in which I am involved, one strategy that I use for one of my personal IRA accounts is to select only one business each year that has durable competitive advantages, earns high returns on equity, boasts talented management, has a history of disciplined capital allocation including returning excess capital to owners in the form of cash dividends and share repurchases, and the potential for future growth where I can be reasonably sure that earnings are likely to be materially higher in five or ten years. I then use the entire annual contribution limited to acquire as many shares as possible, instruct my brokerage firm to reinvest all dividends, and practically forget about the holding altogether. At least once a year, Iâll review the companyâs progress and results to make sure there arenât material changes in the underlying quality of the enterprise. For the most part, regardless of market conditions, I simply forget these equities exist.Why, do you ask, would I be inclined to do this when my regular investing results are so good? Itâs simple: Insurance against ignorance and overconfidence, as Benjamin Graham called it. Thereâs no way I can possibly know everything, and as evidenced by the impressive work of Professor Jeremy Siegel, excellent businesses with reinvested dividends over several decades have crushed the broader market. One well-known financial news and commentary company points out in an online product description that only $2,000 invested in Pepsico 25 years ago has now grown to over $150,000; a single share of Coca-Cola bought for $19 with dividends reinvested in 1919 would now be worth more than $5,000,000+. Through market highs, lows, and in-between, these great businesses just keep on compounding. By owning a collection of them, in a retirement account, outside of the realm of my enterprising endeavors, businesses, and active investment portfolio, itâs a quiet reminder to manage my affairs conservatively (as would an insurance company that guards against a 1 in a 1,000 year storm) and let the companies themselves do the heavy lifting. It is also my hope to someday use the account as a sort of living, breathing didactic exercise to prove the merits of compounding to my children, grandchildren, and even â dare I say it â great grand-children.In ways, itâs comparable to what Anne Scheiber did when she amassed a $22+ million fortune from her tiny New York apartment. By selecting value priced, blue chip stocks, the frictional expenses of active management, frequent big / ask spreads, commissions, and taxes are all greatly reduced, leading to more capital compounding for the investor. As Charlie Munger pointed out, by holdings stocks for long periods of time and paying only a single 35% tax at the end (these rates were before the Bush cuts on capital gains), a 15% return would by upwards of 13% by the time it is all done â compared to much, much less â 10% or 11% depending on the circumstances â if the money were made by frequent trading. Over a 50 year time period, a small 3% advantage can result in triple the wealth. You read that right. As one great investor said, this is a game of inches, not of feet and yards. You make the best decisions you can and over time, they amount to something meaningful.How can you go about choosing which stocks should make the cut? Believe it or not, you shouldnât just go with the cheapest or most undervalued company. Thatâs because over long periods of time, a stock is likely to compound at the rate the underlying business earns on shareholder equity. That is, provided youâve paid a reasonable price (remember â Price is Paramount), and Wall Street maintains a consistent valuations as measured by the price-to-earnings ratio, a company earning 13% on shareholder equity will probably compound at that same rate, with dividends reinvested, provided it is held in a tax-advantaged account. Given a ten year or longer time span, youâd be better off owning this business than one earning 8% on shareholder equity but trading at a 30% discount to intrinsic value.
The New Trend in Residential Metal Roofing
You've seen steel roofs on barns, but how often have you seen them on residential property? It's very likely you'll be seeing them a whole lot more around the country. With wildfires, hurricanes, hail and other extreme conditions damaging houses, an increasing number of homeowners are taking advantage of the benefits of metal roofing.
Steel roof installations have more than doubled in the last five years and will continue to grow 15 percent per year, according to the Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA). There is no material more capable of protecting a home from destructive weather conditions.
Benefits of Metal Roofing:
DURABILITY
A metal roof will last at least two to three times longer than an asphalt roof, or 40 to 60 years. In the warm, humid Southern states, metal is virtually immune to the unsightly mildew stains that often form on asphalt shingles. Properly installed, a metal roof won't leak or rust and can withstand wind gusts up to 140 miles per hour.
Shane Scott, a real-estate entrepreneur from LaGrange, Georgia, renovates and resells older homes. He installed a metal roof for his own home in 2000 and was so pleased with it he's purchased metal roofs for all the homes he's refurbished since then.
"When buyers are considering a home, they're always concerned about the condition of the roof," notes Scott. "With metal, they know they won't need to do anything to it for at least 50 years. With an asphalt roof, they'll need to replace it within 15 to 20 years."
PROTECTION
Most metal roof systems have passed UL 2218 Impact Resistance testing at its most severe level, Class IV. As a result, homeowners in hail-prone states who choose metal roofing may be eligible for discounts on their insurance premiums.
Ed Parker, a retired homeowner from Sharpsburg, Georgia agrees. "We've gone through two or three asphalt roofs on our home over the years and they discolor and rip off during wind storms, or leak due to hail storms," Parker said. "Metal is much more durable."
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
The National Association of Homebuilders Research Center estimates that 20 billion pounds of asphalt roofing is taken to landfills every year. Metal's longevity removes the need for frequent roof replacements. Better still, it can be laid over the current roof, eliminating the costs of shingle removal and land-fill fees. If a metal roof is ever removed, it can be recycled.
Steel is the best choice for "green" buildings, where the goal is to reduce or eliminate chemical substances, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). Unlike wooden shakes or some other traditional materials, steel is not vulnerable to insects, mold or rot. Therefore, it does not require the application of insecticides or other hazardous chemicals.
ENERGY EFFICIENT
Time-tested metal roofs save energy and reduce your cooling costs by as much as 40 percent, depending on location, says the MRA. The advent of new reflective paints with energy-saving properties has revolutionized the residential roofing industry.
While asphalt and cedar shingles absorb heat, the new cool pigment technology can reflect up to 85 percent of the sun's radiant energy. Now, even dark colors achieve the "cool" attributes. An Energy Star roof can stay up to 100 degrees cooler on its surface than other roofs, so less heat is transferred into the building.
Wilmer Dykes, a homeowner from Cochran, Georgia, noticed a decrease in his energy bill of at least 25 percent after installing his metal roof. Dykes believes keeping his old roof on his home helped save energy. "By building the new metal roof over it, we created an air pocket between the two roofs, giving us an added layer of insulation," he said.
LOW MAINTENANCE
A metal roof won't crack, curl, split, rot or lose impact resistance with age. The only maintenance recommended for a metal roof is an annual inspection, clearing the roof of accumulated leaves or other debris and checking roof top ancillaries and air conditioners to ensure that they are properly drained and supported.
TAX AND INSURANCE SAVINGS
The U.S. Energy Policy Act of 2005 allows for a tax credit for homeowners who install qualified energy-efficient improvements to an existing home, including metal roofs that meet the Energy Star program requirements. For more information, go to www.energystar.gov.
AESTHETICS
For some, a stigma still remains from the old, ugly metal barn roofs. However, a host of new colors, finishes and profiles has drastically improved the look over the last 10 years.
Don Smith, another homeowner from Cochran, said that aesthetics was one of the most important factors in his decision to purchase a metal roof. "I had seen steel roofs in the high-end subdivisions and really liked the look," he said. "Now, strangers stop in my driveway and ask me questions about my roof because they like the look of it too.
Casey Paulk, owner of Paulk Landscaping serving central Georgia, agrees. "In my business, I see a ton of homes, so I'm always comparing, contrasting and making mental notes," he said. "When I built my new home, I did a lot of research. I decided to go with a metal roof primarily for the aesthetics - I love the way metal looks."
BE WARY OF YOUR WARRANTY
Finding a warranty that offers complete protection is harder than most consumers realize, says Clay Smith, owner of Mid-GA Steel and Supply (www.midgasteelandsupply.com), headquartered in Grantville, Georgia. "There is no way to tell if two metals lying side by side have any difference in quality," he said. "Unscrupulous manufacturers can make 25-year warranty claims for cheap metal that actually has just a five year life before fading."
Because of this risk, it's important to find a manufacturer that puts its steel vendors' coil numbers on their warranties, which connects the buyer with the vendor and the exact metal purchased. "This will ensure that the warranty will be fully honored throughout its duration," Smith said. "Without the coil number on your warranty, you have no protection, regardless of what your warranty might imply."
A LONG TERM INVESTMENT
Often one of the barriers to purchasing a metal roof is the cost, which is two to three times that of a shingle roof. However, buyers who realize a metal roof is a one-time investment versus an ongoing, life-long expense understand the considerable value it offers.
Asphalt roofs typically need to be replaced approximately every 15 years due to deterioration. Conversely, a metal roof is a permanent, extremely low-maintenance roof. "Although the up-front costs are considerably more than an asphalt roof, over the long term the durability of a metal roof makes it well worth it," said Mr. Paulk.
THE FINAL SOLUTION
The rapid increase in the number of metal roofs nationwide will likely continue to intensify, as consumers better understand the durability and both the short and long-term savings metal roofs offer. Add to that the beauty of metal roofs seen in their own neighborhoods, and it's easy to understand the surge in growth. The market is ripe; as baby boomers pay off their homes and settle into retirement, they are looking for a roof solution that lasts a lifetime.
Cat tree furniture at wholesale prices
Catnip cat toys are a fab present for any of your feline mates. Which types should be acquired for kitty? A catnip mouse always ranks highly. Felines enjoy stalking and chasing down victims as prey, and they are an ideal combination of hunting and the love of all things catnip.
Plasticized catnip mice are glorious for knocking across hard surfaces since they go flying easily so your feline chum can pursue it with predatorial intention. These are cheap and it is easy to purchase a bag of many for just a few USD. Bigger, more lifelike mice also exist, perfectly suited for more intent wrestling and rabbit kicking your small chum will enjoy. Regularly the bigger ones will have come with bells on, as it were, sewn to or in the interior of the toy such that your hunter will adore the catnip smell and the musical jingling breaking the silence of the night you have become so attached to.
Are there more toys out there? Beyond mice exist many more catnip infused pleasures. To be certain, many cat toys can be refilled with catnip thru a pouch that you simply place more in. If you buy bulk catnip then you can keep them fresh a considerable time. Certain types are simply boxes for catnip. They'd look like an ordinary fabric bag, or possibly more artistically rendered items like food your feline might recognize. Remember a refillable item will be delightful for longer, as catnip is more powerful when fresh, so having more value.
Another popular toy is catnip scented balls for chasing around. Very similar to the small mice, these are most suitable to a smooth floor, since they'll have enhanced rollability and your little pal will enjoy attacking them, so getting more exercise. Some pussy toys can hung over door frames or mounted to walls, so on occasion of their attack by your crazy pussy, they bounce to and fro, and cats will assume that these are worth a fight, and so more necessary to attack! buying catnip Nebraska
bear in mind that for sanitation and cleanliness concerns, usually toys are non-returnable as they may have been licked and drooled on. Catnip doesn't go in them by accident, of course! As noted previously, a mess of catnip moggy toys exist and naturally they are always fun!
When you adopt or get a pet cat, the last thing you think about is the impending financial burden this small darling adds to your folks costs. You may not have heard of moggy health care insurance, but it does exist and it helps you keep your kitty in the best of health without placing you in deep debt with vet bills. Whether its for emergency care, unexpected illnesses or routine care, you want to put a plan in place for cat medical care. Check out these buying catnip Nebraska
by the time you finish this article, you will be in a position to put some real buck numbers to the cost of keeping a cat. Being a responsible caretaker of a cat - or any creature - brings with it certain commitments to physical care. If your current circumstances don't allow for pet care it is better that you do not take in a cat.
the price of keeping a cat doesn't end at the pussy food bowl. But it generally starts there. Here's an inventory of the costs associated with classic care. These costs do not include care for emergency scenarios and sicknesses. That's where moggy medical care insurance actually can pay off. Typical price of Keeping A cat For One Year
one. Food : This number is based on commercial dry and wet pussy food products. $400 cat toy glove at wholesale prices
If you use raw beef instead of dry or wet commercial products, your cat will benefit, but you will have more work to do to prepare and store her meals ;
two. Kitty litter $60 ;
3. Bedding, scratch post, travel carrier $220 ;
4. Sterilize or spaying $50 ( when adopted at a local shelter ) or $125 outside of a shelter service vet ;
5. Basic Core vaccination shots $75 - $125 ;
6. An annual veterinary examination with re-vaccination $75 - $125.
in short , you should expect a first year cost of keeping a moggy to be about under $1,000 for the 1st year. Thereafter $475 - $525 a year and this doesn't included any goodies like toys, treats, and flea care.
You can see the price tag of keeping a cat isn't small change. So what happens if Ms Kitty swallows a yard of string or rubber bands or Christmas tree tinsel? Now her intestines are all wrapped up and you've got an emergency veterinary bill to face.
Now you have got a enormous choice to make. You can take on the big cost of this surgery to save her life or end her suffering and humanely euthanize her.
When you have pussy health care insurance you don't have to think carefully about treating your cat's illnesses or random wounds. You can opt to treat your pussy without taking on great debt to pay the vet. Standard pussy medical care plans reimburse from 70% to even one hundred pc of vet bills after you pay the deductible, typically $100.
Why Politics, From Me?
I’m 58 years old! I am a Veteran of the U.S. Navy who worked in Top Secret communications! I am a Recovering drug Addict with over 13 years of clean time, after having used drugs for nearly 30 years! I have been incarcerated many times and am a convicted felon! I am a Certified Drug and Alcohol Abuse Counselor! Does this mean anything? Not in itself, but if I may, let me try to qualify! My primary presence on the Internet has been as the WebMaster of my Addiction Recovery site, “Addiction: Why Me?” I have had over a dozen articles pertaining to Addiction and Recovery from this disease, published on the Internet. I have had one article published regarding my Political views. I thought to myself, recently, why should anyone care what I think about politics? Well, just what does qualify someone to make public commentary? Surely, some of the commentators regularly on television don’t seem to know anything special! So, I’ll take a shot at making my case…
My family migrated from Missouri to California in 1958, when I was 9 years old. This move in itself most certainly changed my future and that of my entire family. Missouri is a conservative area. California is liberal and trendy. They are two very different places in our Society. Thus, ingrained midwestern values and beliefs were the root of our family, and over a lifetime, we have melted into the West Coast lifestyle and have become Californians. Thus said, on to my life as it pertains to my political views…
A teenager of the 1960’s, I’m sure that I am a typical baby-boomer in many ways. But, in many ways I’m not a typical or average citizen, at all! Only about 1% of the U.S. population succumbs to drug addiction. I am one of them! I am also a Veteran of the Armed Forces, also a small percentage of the population, since the WWII Vets are passing in great numbers. I am also a convicted felon. Would it surprise you to know that 1 out of 99 Americans is incarcerated over the course of a month? I don’t know the stats on those who have ever been incarcerated. Currently 2,300,000 Americans are incarcerated. That said, let’s move on to my individual case…
When I was 13, John Kennedy was assassinated. That event had a prominent effect on me as a person, as it did many Americans. The mystery of that incident brought politics into the lives of people who had previously basked in the luxury of the robust American lifestyle that followed WWII. Before that most citizens of the U.S. took it for granted that we had the best, most honest government possible. It has never been the same since. The Vietnam War added to the questionability of our undaunted faith in Government and it’s many agencies. When President Richard Nixon was branded as an outright liar, a little more confidence slipped away. Average American belief systems were challenged by the Civil Rights movement, the Women’s Rights movement, and concerted efforts on the part of our citizenry, as a united front, to force an end to the Vietnam War.
As I approached the age of 18, it was a safe assumption that I would be drafted into the military. Every boy who was not wealthy and able to find an exemption of the privileged, got drafted. That part has not changed. The poor still fight the wars for the rich. The poor still do the dieing for the Capitalists. Having had many friends die in Vietnam, I reached the conclusion that the only way to avoid being drafted into the Army Infantry was to enlist, which I did. On November 17, 1967 I took the Oath to defend my country in the U.S. Navy. I was just a kid. I had no idea how prolific an effect this would have on my life. The worst thing that happened as a result of serving was that my recreational experience with drugs would turn into an Addiction lasting nearly 30 years.
Politics came head on into my life as a Navy Radioman, working in Top Secret communications at the Commander-In-Chief of the Pacific Fleet Headquarters, Naval Communications Station, Message Center Makalapa, across the King Kamehameha Highway from Pearl Harbor, several stories underground. As a result of my security clearance, I became privy to all communications to the Pacific Fleet, including operational information between CINCPACFLT, the Pentagon, and the White House. I will not now and never have discussed any details of this information, as I took an oath not to. The only exception was in protected confidence with my Counselor in drug treatment at the VA Hospital program in Fresno, California. Even then, many details were omitted, and limited to a couple of sessions. The point being, that I found out many things that obliterated my trust in the Government. During this period, President Richard Nixon was forced out of office for basically deceiving the public and abusing his power, for political gain. I couldn’t avoid politics even if I had wanted to.
I re-entered civilian life skeptical of government, spiritually bankrupt, and severely addicted to drugs. My dependency started in Navy schools, with Benzedrine, an amphetamine. I eventually used drugs as psychological self-medication, also. Once addicted you use drugs for any and every reason you can think of, avoiding confronting the problems that they actually mask. The first year I was out, I didn’t work. I grew my hair out, and lived outside the norm, not desiring to be a part of anything, especially Society. I did get involved in the fight to stop the War in Vietnam, helping people beat the draft, and participating in demonstrations. In my mind, the government was responsible for everything that was wrong with the World and me. Though my thinking was very distorted, I became extremely politically aware, keeping up with the daily news, and being able to factually defend my positions as an anti-social personality developed in me. Marriages failed as a result of my Addiction. I lost and quit jobs as a result of my drug use and abuse. I went back and forth from a functional addict to a dysfunctional addict. I was in and out of jail. I became a pipeline welder with my own tools for the independence and high demand that made changing jobs easy. This lasted until drug testing became a regular part of the job market. I had chosen selling drugs as my profession, which made using that much easier. But, in the end the law caught up with me. After many incarcerations and many ups and downs, I just could not stay out of jail. My arrest on January 21, 1995, and a radical spiritual experience while facing a prison sentence, allowed me to acknowledge that I had hit my bottom. I had lost the will to live and broke down mentally during my detoxification from Meth, in jail. I resorted to prayer and my prayer was answered. I used drugs for the last time at the beginning of that jail term. I took my last drink on March 24, 1995. As a result of a plea bargain, my prison sentence was suspended on the terms that I serve one year in jail and one year in a drug treatment program. I would actually only serve four months in jail and remained in the program for six months. I entered the VA Hospital, Fresno, California, Chemical Dependency Treatment Program on April 11, 1995. As it turned out the very government that I had blamed for my problems for nearly 30 years, became my saving grace. I had to seriously re-assess my political views after that. At 50 I began my quest for Certification as a drug counselor at a State University. Little did I realize how politically dependent the profession I had chosen, was. After 7 years of Counseling I had a serious health crisis that took me off of work for 8 months. During this period of time the failing economy under the Republican administration, resulted in a major cancellation of Grants. Drug treatment depends hugely on Grants as treatment is a financial impossibility for most Addicts. Having lost my job and my health insurance, I found myself approaching 60, in a scant job market, competing with people half my age. I am now living on unemployment insurance compensation, with no real prospect for a job. Politics are again very crucial to my life. Republicans fund wars and big business. Democrats fund social programs and middle America. I fear it will take a robust economy and major funding for drug treatment before the market become great enough for the job competition in my field to accommodate my demographic. Meanwhile, I contribute meekly to the Democratic Party and depend on my Spirituality to get through, one day at a time. I sponsor a needy child through Children International, and have several family members, also in financial distress, living with me. I have developed a totally non-profit Addiction Recovery website, “Addiction: Why Me?” and use it to keep me sane and as my way of still being able to help other Addicts. I feel that my experiences with the military, the criminal justice system, and my Recovery from drug Addiction, have shaped a well-informed, highly aware political position and very well developed political opinions. Of course the key word is “opinion”! I feel very qualified to comment…
You be the judge! I will quote this article as a reference in all future political articles that I submit. Thank you, CounselorDave!
