Thaagp.org Niche News

Big Publishers Angry Over Free Book Giveaways

guestauthor — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 07:16:23 +0000

pIn the Internet Age, book publishers are having a difficultnbsp; time running their businessnbsp; in the black. Even with the addition of such devices as the Kindle and iPad, publishers must do an superiornbsp; job selectingnbsp; and then marketing each book they publish./p
pBut it seems there arenbsp;new types of publishers coming on the scene. The Concord Free Press is currently publishing books and then giving them outnbsp; for free. There isnbsp; a catchnbsp; , but its a fairlynbsp; modest one at that. The Concord Free Press merely asks you to make a donation to a charity in tradenbsp; for your book.nbsp;/p
pAnother model that is rapidlynbsp; becoming a new nbsp;benchmarknbsp; is purchasingnbsp; a title=Discount Books Online href=http://www.discountbooksonline.org/ target=_blankdiscount books online/a. Multiple services have become popular offering books at a considerablenbsp; discount ./p
pFree books sound too good to be true? Theyve been operatingnbsp; for two years and looknbsp; to be picking up steam , not dropping off the planet./p
pWe just ask people, one, make a voluntary donation to a charity or person in need; two, chart your donation on our website, Stona Fitch, of The Concord Free Press says. And three, pass the book along to someone else so that this project keeps going./p
pAnd in those last two years, readers have contributednbsp; nbsp;overnbsp; $140,000 to charities./p
pThe company itself also relies on donations, and has producednbsp; a total of four books. While this doesnt make them a powerhouse, or even a large publisher, they seem to have begunnbsp; a revolution in the way books are publishednbsp; ./p
pYou know, were not saying all books should be free, Fitch explains. Were just saying this is one way to put out a book./p
pWhile Fitch has many supporters, he has just as many detractors. Hamilton Fish, former publisher of The Nation, said his first thoughtnbsp; was pure anger toward The Concord Free Press.nbsp;/p
pAnd Stona Fitchnbsp;was waltzing around inviting people to help themselves to the books that Concord Free Press was publishing free of charge, Fish says./p
pFitch, of the Concord Free Press, says he remembersnbsp; Fish saying: This is the death of publishing./p
pEventually Fish had to come to a solid conclusion about this novelnbsp; model, and in general came to the conclusion that any new model in the book business was good for the book business. The publishing industry has mostlynbsp; been a stagnant force for some years, even with the growth of new mediums, and he believes that this will putnbsp; new life into the industry./p
pObviously, the big publishing houses are facing tremendous challenges, Fish says. Their financial viability is very much in question. We need as much innovation and independent spirit as possible./p
pAgain the pressures of sites offering a title=Discount Books Online href=http://www.discountbooksonline.org/ target=_blankdiscount text books/a look to add salt to a growing wound in the book industry./p
pIn an industry where nine out of 10 books dont make money anyway, the real issue is: What does the reader think the book is worth? he asks./p
pIt seems that The Concord Free Press allowsnbsp; that judgment in the hands of its readers./p

Merchant Cash Advance Loans Fill Void in Todayâ#128;#153;s Economy

guestauthor — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:04:16 +0000

p A June rsquo;10 study by the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) shows that 4 out 5 small businesses in America nbsp;rely on some form of credit (a href=http://www.sba.gov/advo/research/banking.html target=_blanksource/a). nbsp;nbsp;The studyrsquo;s finding nbsp;relied on data collected from the Surveys of Small Business Finances (SSBF) and was consistent over the three previous years the survey was conducted (1993, 1998, and 2003).nbsp; With eighty percent of American family-owned businesses relying on some form of credit, the importance of this credit to the success or bankruptcy of a small business is clear.nbsp; Furthermore, this data was taken from current, active small business owners, so it does not represent any business that went under because of lack of working capital .nbsp;/p
p The most recent survey should have been conducted in 2008, based on the five year intervals of the other surveys, so it will be interesting to see how the faltering economy has changed the data.nbsp; Undoubtedly the tightening of the credit market has had a huge impact on the viability of many small businesses.nbsp; According the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4.3 million businesses with 19 or fewer employees closed during the fourth quarter of 2007 through the same quarter of 2008 (a href=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125478399429765967.html?mod=dist_smartbrief target=_blanksource/a)/p
pWith an estimated 90% of U.S. business being family-owned or controlled, access to credit is arguably one of the most vital factors in avoiding a double-dip recession . nbsp; Small businesses need access to credit in order to build on the meager steam that the economy has managed to gain through government stimulus and slowly improving consumer confidence./p
pDespite this need for credit, the economic downturn has pushed banks into even more conservative positions when it comes to lending decisions .nbsp; Qualifying for a small business loan from a traditional lender still requires a lot of paperwork, collateral and patience while the bank performs thorough due diligence .nbsp; Now, more than ever, your credit score and assets matter, putting approval rates at an all time low./p
pAll of these factors have led to a rise in the number of a href=http://www.rapidadvance.com/funding-program.htm target=_blankbusiness cash advance loans/a issued by smaller lenders.nbsp; In many ways, these non-traditional loan providers are keeping some small businesses afloat by providing faster, easier access to working capital , often at reasonable rates and flexible repayment terms.nbsp; If you are a small business owner in need of immediate working capital and you have been unable get access to credit through your local bank , then you should consider the benefits of a business cash advance loan.nbsp; Some of the benefits you can expect from business cash advance lenders are a streamlined application process with minimal paperwork, higher approval rates, no collateral pledge on your home or business , and no fixed repayment terms./p

Which Marketing Strategies Should You Throw Into Your Marketing Mix?

guestauthor — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:37:48 +0000

pWhat is the right marketing formula for a business? The marketing and the sales departments have always wondered about this. The marketing formula is much like a recipe ndash; this much of X, and that much of Y. And in the end what you have is a combination that either is a success story or is a complete failure. This combination is referred to as the a href=http://www.yourmarketingmanager.co.uk/ target=_blankMarketing Mix/a.br /br /strongLet us further investigate and also the channel options for a company./strongbr /br /How much to offer, at what price to offer, where to offer and how to offer. These 4 are the essential questions to which the business must find an answer ndash; and from this the 4 Ps have been born. These 4 Ps involve the strategic positioning so that the returns are the maximum in any given market. The mix is also used to refer to the combination of the media for the promotion such as radio and television, newspaper and magazines, billboards and the Internet.br /br /Marketing Mix is a combination of (these are the 4 Ps of marketing mix)hellip;br /br /bull;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp;Productbr /bull;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp;Pricebr /bull;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp;Placebr /bull;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp;Promotionbr /br /strongProduct: /strongThe product is of course very important and the success of the business will depend largely on how good or bad it is. The decision as to the nature of the product also has to depend on its customer base as also their buying habits, geographical locations, purchasing power and other factors. Sometimes a business may want to come out with the best there is, and sometimes the same business might market a product that is for the budget customer. An example is Tata Motors that owns the Jaguar (which is a premium brand) and also the Nano (which is the cheapest automobile in the world).br /br /strongPrice: /strongIt is the amount a prospect is willing to pay for the product. There is always the right price for a product ndash; if it is priced higher than this then it might not sell, and if it is priced lower than that then the business might be missing out on revenues. But there are many issues based on which a company determines the price and that is not limited just to the cost of manufacturing it. These other factors include the perceived value of the product in the customers mind, the market share of the business, competition and even local tax regulations and distribution and logistic costs. Then there are issues such as seasonal fluctuations that also need to be considered.br /br /strongPlace:/strong The question where the product is offered is answered here. What are its distribution channels, how and at what price does the business warehouse the items, what are the costs of order processing and how will it be donehellip; these are just a few questions that need to be answered.br /br /strongPromotion: /strongPromotion includes advertising and marketing ndash; the effort to take a product from the business to the customer. Managing the sales force (for a traditional business) also belongs to this. What a href=http://www.yourmarketingmanager.co.uk/ target=_blankbusiness marketing strategy/a is best for a business will however not be the same. It will vary depending on the product itself, the market, the customer and also the budget the company has./p

Business Cash Advance – Considering an SBA Loan? MCA May be a Better Choice in a Tough Economy

guestauthor — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:50:07 +0000

pThe Small Business Association (SBA) has done a lot for the growth of small businesses and is a reliable support for them. The SBA offers loans to finance small businesses that are unable to secure loans on reasonable terms from traditional financing sources./p
pSmall businesses were flourishing before the economic slump hit them. Consumers disposable income was high, sales were up and businesses maintained optimum stock levels. Now, consumers are holding on to cash and businesses are stuck with their inventory. Money is required to continue operations, but is no longer forthcoming from customers./p
pMany small businesses are getting SBA loans to stay afloat until times get better. However, the SBA does not have funds of its own. So, where does it get the money for the loans? That is where SBA loans can become risky for small business owners./p
pstrongRisk of SBA loans /strong/p
pFunds lent out in the form of SBA loans are really being financed by banks. The SBA is only the originator and facilitator of the loan. This means that the SBA loan carries the same risks as a bank loan./p
pBank loans once lent have to be repaid and there is no chance for renegotiations. Banks are particularly tough now as they are already facing loan defaults and cash deficit. Businesses going through a financial low face heavy penalties on late payments. The bank has the legal right to recover the debt from the business owner and can take over personal assets in case of non-payment of the loan./p
pIn February 2009, CNNMoney.com reported that SBA loan default has risen to 11.9% in 2008 from about 2.4% in 2004. Though the government is trying to address this problem, there is not much to be done when a firm is unable to do sufficient business to repay its debts. The bank has no option except to seize the personal collaterals of the business owner, such as residence, car, etc./p
pstrongMerchant Cash Advance (MCA) finances without collaterals/strong/p
pThe SBA may not approve of MCA providers, but MCAs can pull a business back on its feet. Survival of the business is paramount and MCA provides the finance when the business needs it most and does not have many other options./p
pBusinesses can apply for an MCA and get the cash approved anytime between 2 days to 2 weeks. There are no personal collaterals or lengthy paperwork involved. The business sells a percentage of future credit card receipts to the MCA provider in exchange for the cash advance./p
pThe reduction in credit card sales will definitely affect the bottom line of the business for some time, but at least the business is still standing. A clear plan on repaying the a href=http://www.tradeseam.com/smallbusiness/buying-guides/view-buying-guide/1169/Business+Cash+Advance target=_blankbusiness cash advance/a as soon as possible will reduce the overall cost of the advance to the business./p
pIt is recommended that small business owners facing financial deficit, consider taking out a href=http://blog.tradeseam.com/Financial-Services/Business-Cash-Advance/ target=_blankbusiness cash advance/a rather than an SBA loan. Current interest rates on bank loans have reached a high and with the lack of flexibility in the repayment model, banks are no longer the best financing sources. a href=http://www.tradeseam.com/smallbusiness/business-resources/get-free-quotes/1169/Business+Cash+Advance target=_blankBusiness cash advance/a providers offer fast and timely service to give businesses a second life. Though the cost of the business cash advance is high, it can be reduced through careful planning./p

Small Business Bookkeeping : The Benefits Reviewed

guestauthor — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 07:37:58 +0000

pWe have entered a time in which over ten years of seniority does not even equate to job security. Rather than wait for their walking papers, some people are choosing to start up their own business. When entering self employment, some do not anticipate the amount of work record keeping entails. There are a number of benefits to hiring a professional bookkeeper that can take care of this component of running your own business./p
pIt is obviously tempting for people to attempt record keeping themselves to save a few dollars. The problem is that dedicating time toward bookkeeping takes time away from doing actual work and obtaining new clients. Someone who doesnrsquo;t have much or any practice in bookkeeping will likely take more than triple the time to keep records than it does for a professional bookkeeper. The money spent paying someone to keep records for you will most certainly outweigh the money lost while not working. Professional bookkeepers avoid costly errors as well./p
pClerical errors are a pain that no business owner wants to deal with. Not only do they attract audits, valuable time is lost trying to correct them. Professional bookkeepers will catch errors before records are sent off to the government offices. Many business owners will seek an accountant at tax time, but the less time the accountant spends correcting mistakes, fewer hours they will have to work and the fewer dollars spent on their services. A professional bookkeeper will have these cleaned up before the accountant even looks at the records./p
pWithout a professional bookkeeper not only is time spent on tasks other than working and contacting clients, personal time is lost as well. Most successful businesses will require an entire dayrsquo;s worth of work, and if no one is there to update the books, an already long day becomes longer. It becomes a matter of either letting the books get behind or ignoring friends and family. By hiring a professional bookkeeper, a business owner can rest assured that someone has taken care of the numbers while he or she was busy doing work for clients. Once the actual labor is done, he or she can head on home to the family or to the pub to meet friends and not have to worry about a mountain of numbers awaiting them upon their return./p
pTime, and therefore money, is saved when hiring a professional bookkeeper to balance the numbers. Trying to take on too much yourself only costs time and clients. Letting a professional deal with the numbers game saves business and alleviates stress./p
pRead On : a href=http://pyrmontbookkeeping.com.au/Pyrmont MYOB Bookkeeping/a/p

Link Building Clues that Produce Results

guestauthor — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 13:29:17 +0000

pThe simple process of obtaining quality backlinks from sites relevant to your own is known as link building It is really a very simple procedure. In this article we will be discussing about a few link building tips that can give great long results./p
p style=padding-left: 30px;emYou can get a a href=http://www.seointernetmarketing.com.au/free-seo-bookfree SEO book/a just for requesting it. a href=http://www.seointernetmarketing.com.auSearch engine optimisation Australia/a is important for increasing and enhancing your Web presence because the Internet is global. /em/p
pWhen you are new to marketing it is a good idea to use recipricol link building at first especially if you find it difficult to get started. Exchanging links with websites to gain link power is also known as reciprocal building of links. Even though one way backlinging is the preferred method of building links that search engines like reciprocal linking can give you a good beginning point. It is important that you only link with relevant sites. You should consider other methods as your main way to gain backlinks. Doing it too much will ultimately cause you more harm than good. Searching around can yield a large community of link partners. A few years ago reciprocal linking was the preferred method and many were using its methods. But slowly, the search engines caught up and now they give more value to one way backlinks. Seasoned marketers already know the benefits of blogging. There are several third party blogging networkd such as Blogspot, Blogger, Xanga and Wordpress that can also be leveraged to benefit your site. These blogging networks allow you to create your own blog on their platform, where you can insert your own links. Strong, high quality backlinks can be created this way. The long run benefits will be worth the short run effort. Your backlinks will be made easily when you use multiple networks for blogging.br /br /Backling your blogs into niche articles can be done to a large extent. Gaining backlinks will happen more often if you are more than a responder, get invited to become a guest poster on their blogs. Your mutual benefits are boundless, you create value for them they create backlinks for you. Thats not asking for a lot, but when you do this on a regular basis, youd be able to get backlinks from high profile blogs that have a strong page rank. Is it really that easy and how do I get started you ask? You can easily find blogs that are looking for guest posters. Just do a simple search on google. This will also establish you as an expert, and give you that long needed break. In the long run you will benefit greatly by putting some effort into your posts. br /br /All in all, the advice we shared above can give your link-building venture a new push if you apply them. Be sure you dont get involved in any blackhat or scandalous link-building strategies, because this will ruin all your laborious efforts.br /br //p

How to Reduce the Cost of Buying a New Payroll System by Spending More

guestauthor — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 11:03:51 +0000

pIf you are considering a number of new Payroll Systems but price is restricting your choice perhaps you can consider leveraging the cost by also introducing an automated a href=http://www.timeandattendanceconsultant.com/ target=_blanktime and attendance system/a./p
pOn the surface this may look like adding another cost and another layer of implementation but this can always be managed while your funding limitations may need a solid business case or return on investment to gain approval from senior management or the board./p
pYou are unlikely to get a return on investment from a new payroll system . Whilenbsp; there are efficiency savings in any good payroll software but they are not significant. By comparisonnbsp; automated Time and Attendance systems are know to achieve a saving of between 1 and 3 percent of your companys annual payroll. These savings are achieved through elimination of over payments to employees, and by dramatic reductions in payroll processing time (If you have two payroll staff you can generally do with just one).nbsp; Even if your company is at the low end of the potential savings range it is probable that your cost reductions will contribute to a significant return on investment for the Payroll/Time and Attendance project./p
pFor example, a typical Payroll System for a company with 500 employees would cost in the order of $30,000. An automated Time and Attendance System for the same number of employees would also cost $30,000 depending on the number of a href=http://www.timeandattendanceconsultant.com target=_blankpunch clocks/anbsp; or a href=http://www.timeandattendanceconsultant.com target=_blankelectronic time clocks/a required. The Time and Attendance System, saving you 1 percent of your annual payroll costs. If you do the calculations for a company paying $800 X 500 Employees X 52 Weeks and then take 1 percent of that you end up with an annual saving of $200,000… a convincing cost justification./p
pIf this scenario sounds a little too good to be true then lets be even more conservative and estimate your savings at only one quarter of one percent. This would mean that your investment of $60,000 would recover $50,000 in year 1. If you add in the cost of annual product support of $10,000 per year and amortize the software over 4 yearsnbsp; and measure the return on investment over 4 years this gives you an investment of $60K, Depreciation of $60K and maintenance of $40 K giving an investment total over 4 years of $160K. The saving of $50 K per year totals $200k. Therefore the ROI is 200K/160Knbsp; = 25% ROI./p
p If you decide to introduce a payroll system by itselfnbsp; it just going to be pure expense . Combine the payroll with automated a Time and Attendance and you will be able to choose the payroll package you want and you will have theconfidence to take the investment proposal to the board knowing that the combined solution is a better commercial opportunity than payroll alone./p
pOperationally , this is certainly a more involved process. It is challenging enough to introduce either of these two systems in isolation let alone both at the same time . To mitigate the risks ask your chosen time payroll provider to recommend a time and attendance partner. All payroll companies have time and attendance partners and both solution providers will be familiar with each others products and they will have many implemented sites../p
pJames Bell/p
pTime and Attendance Consultant/p
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Quality Swimming Pool Supplies in Riverside, CA

guestauthor — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:04:22 +0000

pSwimming pool supplies in Riverside, CA come in countless cleaners, chemicals, covers, filters, heaters, pumps, along with other necessary components to keep a swimming pool looking and working great. Anyone whos thinking of installing either an above ground or built-in swimming pool in your own home also needs to take into account its swimming pool equipment.br /br /When looking for these pool equipment, make a prioritized list first. Buy the ones that you think about most significant. Of course, these ones will assure a safety and healthy water conditions. Pool chemicals, for example, are among the vital supplies that will guarantee the cleanliness and purity of your pool. Also, itll free you from water-borne diseases. Another essential swimming pool supply is the swimming pool cover, which main function is to keep leaves or other debris out of the swimming pool water and also keep your kids or pets from drowning while they stroll around the pool area. Pumps are also the main element to maintaining a healthy and clean damages.. What it does is it supports the flow of water keeping it from becoming stagnant.br /br /Of course, you would like to research about these pool supplies. You would like to get some infos about them before going ahead and purchasing them and you can do so by checking them out online. One thing that will help your sort things out is to identify what supplies will benefit you the most and what kind or what type will match your swimming pool. Doing this research including price comparison can greatly benefit you. This way, youll get more satisfied bargains for the pool supplies that you are looking for. Most importantly, its going to spare you from being tempted to get those unneeded stuffs and end up wasting your budget.br /br /While you want stick to your budget, you also would not want to sacrifice the quality of the supplies you get. These things may be one of the most expensive types of equipment around but considering the purpose it will serve in keeping your swimming pool thoroughly clean and making your family safe ndash; itrsquo;s worthless! Afterall, top quality pool equipments can last longer than cheap types thus, making your purchase worthwhile.br /br /Indeed, keeping your swimming pool thoroughly clean determines how responsible you are as a swimming pool owner. Unfortunately, people these days usually are so fascinated at buying a swimming pool or have it set up in their house when they dont even have the basic know-how in keeping it. They do not know that they are offering themselves heavy workloads from skimming, managing chemical levels, monitoring the pump, to refilling the swimming pool, being a pool owner is no easy task.br /br /However, when youve got high quality equipment on hand, your challenging job can be made easy. When you are buying a href=http://www.sbppnp.com/ target=_blankpool supplies in Riverside, CA/a you may possibly run into top brand name items just like Polaris auto cleaners; Kreepy Krauly auto cleaners; Hayward navigator, Pentair WhisperFlo pumps, Pentair FNS Plus Diatomaceous Earth filters and also the Pool Cleaner. Equip yourself with these and you will get the best looking and great performing pool that a responsible swimming pool owner deserves.br /br //p

Call Center Services – Do You Know The Top 5 Myths that Must Die

guestauthor — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 10:32:04 +0000

pAs call centers have mushroomed and businesses across the globe have become dependent on them, a number of myths about call centers have gained currency and are refusing to die. In order to properly appreciate the operation and utilization of call centers it is important that these myths are dispelled.br /br /Given below is a brief account of some such stubborn call center myths that are better done away with:br /br /strongCall center is merely a numbers game/strongbr /br /While statistics play a vital role in the operation of call centers, it is the quality and personality of work that determine their actual value. This is what should be taken into consideration while zeroing in on a call center. The size, reach and manpower of a call center may speak a lot about its success but when it comes to its utilization for a particular company it is the way it caters to the specific needs of the company and the kind of connect it is able to establish with the customers that finally counts.br /br /If customers get highly professional service assistance at a personal level from somebody they take to be a company representative, their allegiance towards the company is sure to get a boost. Numbers and metrics have nothing to do with this simple logic. Call centers are much more than numbers. br /br /strongSelling undermines the services that call centers offer/strongbr /br /This is an allegation that call centers have been facing since their very inception. By their very definition, call centers have the duty to cash in on the incoming customer calls and use the opportunity of interaction with the customer to make a sale. This may outwardly appear to be a shrewd business strategy but if understood in the right perspective the process makes immense sense to all the parties involved.br /br /In the first place, the product suggestions that the agents offer to the customers are in keeping with the requirement and financial position of the customers. The representatives are experts and experienced professionals who can be trusted for need-specific suggestions and balanced advice. Secondly, there is nothing ethically wrong in trying to tap customers for possible future dealings with a company that is already offering good services to customers. There is no element of compulsion or force attached to it.br /br /strongCustomers hesitate in buying from call centers/strongbr /br /This misconception derives from the above myth and is reflected in the misconstrued attitude that some businesses have towards call centers. Certain organizations, in their attempt to retain control over customers, regard their products to be too complex and specialized to be delivered by a call center. They fail to understand that customers can be served via multiple sales channels and call center could be one of them. Treat call center employees at par with your own sales employees. Employing a href=http://www.tradeseam.com/smallbusiness/business-resources/get-free-quotes/965/Call+Center+Services target=_blankcall centers /aensures customer satisfaction as well as a boost to product sales.br /br /strongCall centers have set measures of optimum performance/strongbr /br /Operations in an a href=http://www.tradeseam.com/smallbusiness/buying-guides/view-buying-guide/965/Call+Center+Services target=_blankinbound call center/a are heavily loaded with systems and measures to track productivity and performance in terms of the length of calls and customer experience. An attempt is made to capture every aspect of a call ndash; ranging from talk time, calls per hour, rate of abandonment and waiting time of a caller to the number of sales, callbacks, referrals, escalations and so on. br /br /The fact is that there is no set measure of optimum productivity with regard to the speed, volume or quality of call. Some customers would say that they prefer a quick solution to their problem while others would bet on the service experience. However, these two aspects of speed and quality are not contradictory to each other. br /br /Therefore, data tracking and improvement is best done in accordance to the needs of the company and the objective with which they hire a call center rather than any universal criteria that uniformly govern call center operations.br /br /strongCall centers just receive and make calls/strongbr /br /This is an erroneous notion that still persists among certain sections. a href=http://blog.tradeseam.com/Business-Services/Call-Center-Services/ target=_blankCall centers/a have evolved much beyond being just call centers. In-house call center can hardly match the energy and expertise with which outsourced call centers operate.br /br /When customers dial a number for assistance they expect a live person to personally attend to them, listen to them, understand their problem and resolve it with all respect and patience. This is easier said than done. It takes a trained expert in a highly charged call center environment to handle such calls days in and days out and go further to tap the customer to do future business with the company. Taking and making calls are just the medium through which call centers perform an entire gamut of customer related tasks./p

My Favorite Concert Experience

guestauthor — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 10:15:35 +0000

pListening to music is a spiritual and emotional experience.nbsp; Music soothes us when we are feeling down and takes us over the edge when our adrenaline is pumping.nbsp; Recall the last movie you watched.nbsp; Was it a horror film?nbsp; Was it a comedy?nbsp; Was it overly dramatic?nbsp; No matter what type of movie it was that you watched, I have no doubt that there was music involved.nbsp; Some films downplay the role of music in the story, while in others a catchy tune serves to heighten the mood without any help from the characters.nbsp; br /br /Music is best experienced LIVE!br /br /People everywhere enjoy going to concerts.nbsp; I believe that music is most enjoyable when it is live.nbsp; Whether in a bar, a football stadium or in an outdoor amphitheater, I love the excitement of watching the band walk onstage and hearing the music blare out of the massive speakers that surround the area.nbsp; I also love watching all of the other people at the concert.nbsp; Some bands tend to attract eccentric crowds full of people who get totally overcome by the music being played.nbsp; I enjoy these concerts because they really bring out the wild side of everyone in attendance.nbsp; br /br /Some bands perform better than others.br /br /There are certain bands, usually the ones that have been around for a while, that really know how to put on a good show.nbsp; While the music is important, it is not the only reason that people go to concerts.nbsp; I go to concerts for the music and people watching, but some people go just to see the rock stars on stage.nbsp; Some bands are more about unpredictability than anything.nbsp; For example, the Grateful Dead were famous for never playing the same set of songs twice, while the band KISS is known as much for their music as they are for face paint and pyrotechnics. nbsp;br /br /I love the Rolling Stones!br /br /I went to a Rolling Stones concert in Seattle five years ago.nbsp; This was undoubtedly my best concert experience ever, as I absolutely love the Rolling Stones and think they can do no wrong.nbsp; I have a Rolling Stones full color banner on my wall at home!nbsp; The band may be getting older, but they still know how to rock!nbsp; The women at the show were beautiful and the energy was explosive!nbsp; Ive now been to ten Rolling Stones shows and I cant wait to go to ten more!br /br /Those are big lips! nbsp;br /br /My first Stones show was the best.nbsp; The lead singers first words after the band came onstage were We are the Rolling Stones!nbsp; After he said those words, a huge custom banner in the shape of the bands trademark lips symbol unraveled on the wall behind the band.nbsp; After the a title=custom banner href=http://www.thesignchef.com/ target=_blankcustom banner/a was unraveled, the band started to play and didnt stop for three hours!nbsp; I must have taken thirty pictures of the band playing in front of that huge a title=full color banner href=http://www.bestbuysigns.com target=_blankfull color banner/a.nbsp; Ive since learned that the lips banner unravels behind the stage at the beginning of every show, but even after ten concerts I still get goosebumps whenever that huge print banner appears.nbsp; I showed my parents a picture of the full color custom banner from the concert in hopes that they would get me a replica for my birthday last month, but they did not get the hint.nbsp; I guess I am just going to have to keep going to Rolling Stones concerts to get my lips full color banner fix!nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; br /nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; br /br //p