Golf Chipping Drill - Under and Over

When you are having around of golf you always seem a few greens and when this happens it can turn an easy par into an easy bogey or eaven worse.

To get down in two from off the green you need to have a sharp chipping game, and to get that you need to practise.

Checkout this great drill which will have you getting it close from all different sorts of lies and positions around the green.

Under and Over

So before we start we need to get our hands on some props. All you need is two bottles or boxes about 20 inches high (Maybe even alittle higher) and a stick about 6 feet long which you can lay across the top of them so you form an arch or a small hockey goal.

Now you need to place your hockey goal (Two bottles and a
stick) right on the edge of the green.

Now the fun begins

Take five golfballs and set them down just 1 foot behind thehockey goal, yes just 1 foot. Now your aim here is to chip each of the five balls over the edge of the fringe and land them on the green.

However you must make sure that the ball goes underneath the stick and it must stay on the green Do this 3 times making sure that you get each ball underneath the stick and staying on the green. If you hit the chip over the stick, or the ball does not stay on the green, or it
knocks down your hockey goal then you must start from the
beginning

Once you have completed 3 sets of 5 chips from a foot, repeat the excercise from 2 feet, 4 feet and 8 feet.

If you hit the chip over the stick, or the ball does not stay on the green, or it knocks down your hockey goal at any point then you must start from the beginning. And when i say the beginning, I mean from the one foot chips. Yes, you must start from the one foot chips.

This is a great drill because it really focusses you on making a solid contact with the ball. You will also find that you will pinch the ball off of the turf and this in itself will impart check spin on the ball.

Well thats the under part of the drill.

Now for the over part of the drill.

This is similar but this time you are not going to alter the position from which you hit the balls but the position of your hockey goal.

Find yourself a long green (about 40 yards if possible) and position the hockey goal about 5 yards onto the green.

Now set your 5 balls down about two to three feet off of the green (give yourself a good lie) and make sure you are directly facing your hockey goal.

Now the aim here is similar to the under.

But this time you must first chip all 5 balls over thehockey goal

Once you have completed 3 sets of 5 chips with the hockey
goal five yards away, repeat the excercise with the hockey
goal 10 yards away, 15 yards away and finally 20 yards away.

If you hit the chip under the stick, or the ball does not stay on the green, or it knocks down your hockey goal at any point then you must start from the beginning. And when i say the beginning, I mean chipping over the hockey goal from 5 yards away. Yes, you must start from the beginning again.

This is a great drill because it really focuses you on commiting to get the ball up and carrying a certain distance. This drill is really good because the further your hockey goal is away from the edge of the green the more lofted club you have to use.

Now with this drill you will make plenty of mistakes and this one will really test your patience. But stick with it and it will reward your patience by helping you when you get out on the course for a proper round.

Good luck and enjoy your golf.

Richard

Richard Smith is the founder of the The Big Golf Lesson http://www.biggolflesson.com.

The website offers a FREE 14 part e mail course for golfers wishing to improve their golf game andlower their handicap

The Homestead Revolution II

We are taught that the U.S. Constitution is the best ever devised by men so we ignore the many flaws that should have been corrected long ago. One is the phrase “and to provide for the general welfare.” After enumerating what powers Congress has, this phrase overrules everything. Anything the Congress should decide is good for the people becomes a legitimate government function. It makes government our ultimate caretaker and unlimits its own growth. One of the enumerated powers is to defend our national borders. This has traditionally been left undone as a matter of policy which benefits the money lover appetites for cheap slaves. Yet we have war on poverty, war on drugs, government charities and all kinds of things the founders never envisioned as functions of national government under a general welfare clause.

Why isn’t citizenship a choice and a test? Why am I automatically a citizen by an accident of birth? If citizenship was a choice for legal adults to make, how many residents would choose it? How does my age qualify me to vote? If I know nothing about anything, I have the same power at the polls as those who know much, which if the polls are rigged as they easily can be, is no power at all. Why is that fair? I don’t have to know a thing about law of any kind to sit on a jury and judge another. All I have to do is follow instructions that could be and often are unlawful.

The greatest error in the Constitution is to allow government credit. Credit allows all the power of revenue with no accountability for its use. It overrules wisdom and planning. It increases the power of central bureaucracy. The United States is insolvent. It cannot pay its debts next year, ten years from now or twenty. All of this will collapse of its own weight like a stick house in a stiff wind. Are you ready? Do you care?

Incorporation and many aspects of government are privileges that no person has a right to bestow on any agency, because a person has no right to such privilege her/himself. Privilege creates obligation to the grantor and that is why government grants incorporation privileges to businesses. If government derives any power from the consent of the governed, the governed must possess this power to begin with. I have no power to limit your civil and social liabilities to your company, so you can keep your personal bank account in the event of a lawsuit or criminal proceedings. So how can I grant this power to you or anyone else? I have no power to force you to fight a battle for me. If I join with others who do not have this power, we do not suddenly have this power among us, by the act of union. Multiply zero one hundred times and we still have zero. I cannot rightfully demand that you pay me taxes or render me any service whatsoever. Nor can I gain this power by uniting with others who also don’t have it. We pretend government has powers granted to it by us, we never had ourselves and never will. As long as most of us are willing to pretend government has derived powers from us, it all works. It just doesn’t work very well for any but the wicked. To better understand the things I am saying, it is good to read the writings of John Locke, the philosopher who had such a profound influence on many of America’s founding fathers. Mr. Locke shows us the differences between natural law and social contract, moral foundation and moral fraud. The whole world owes him a great debt and few Americans have a clue who he was. It is much like when we ask a musician who her influences were. When she tells us, we have a much better understanding of her work. We hear some little about our founding fathers, but not about those who influenced them. Therefore, we don’t understand the founders as we should. Nor do judges who are supposed to interpret law by the intent of the lawmakers. In short, ignorance prevents justice and true social welfare. John Locke was a well reasoned expert on absolute morality, without preaching. This is a subject that has most of the world confused, especially leadership. Locke paints a clear picture with the most reasoned and intelligent style I have ever read. No American should ever graduate from high school without a thorough dose of John Locke. He remains a brilliant light in a dark and fearful world. He certainly cleared up a lot of confusion about morality and government for me. Once we see the moral high ground, no one can confuse us about duty and honor. No one can bend us to their will for their own wicked intentions. We see what was hidden and remains so for most. We won’t be fooled again.

Even if you were my child, I cannot contract your services to anyone beyond your age of legal majority. When the founders of the great federal estate got the States to ratify, by fraud and deceit, they decided the government they all agreed to abide by. It had no power over their children or any descendants thereafter. A contract, which the Constitution is, binds no one but the contractors until they nullify it or die. Therefore, you are free to live as you choose and contract with whom you choose. If you do not exercise this freedom carefully, you will be punished by those who claim rights and powers they never had and never will.

To be free in America is to keep your ideas to yourself and keep a low profile. You are free until you come to the attention of the privileged. You accept your punishment quietly and know that freedom does have a price. You do best to minimize the payments for yourself and others. For most, it seems good to be enslaved to the corporate, money lover world but encouraged to call this slavery freedom. Few choose to be free. Freedom is uncertainty and that scares people out of their wits. Slavery is certain and we all know the rules. That brings us comfort and certainty, most of the time; until there is a crisis in confidence, which ends many a confidence game.

The original idea of independence from Britain was the liberty of every American Englishman in particular. That idea died with the founders. Now we want equality of slavery. We think we want to be treated all alike. We want the rich slaves to share their money and power with the poor slaves and vote for those who help us believe we can make them share. Freedom works by the law of supply and demand, just like everything in a free market, under the old world value system. Demand is down, the price is right. The book is now about 30 years old but I bought it in paperback a few years ago. It’s called How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World by Harry Browne. I cannot recommend it too highly. In the first part of the book, Harry tells us about all the traps we fall into, which rob us of freedom. Most of us fall into several of them. In the last part of the book, he tells us how to get out of these traps. None of the work is hard on the road to freedom, it only requires a sincere desire to get free. Once you have the desire, the work is usually pleasant and sometimes great fun. Freedom is our birthright and most of us have sold it for peanut butter sandwiches, as Esau sold his for soup. In a nutshell, if you are going to be free and you are going to weather all the coming storms in some semblance of comfort, you must end the dependencies that have been created for you, often before you were born. Independence, which means liberty, is another way of saying not dependent. It isn’t a gift from government or grandpa. It is a choice you make every day, even if you are sure you never had a choice.

You have been told choose this and you will be free. You did, but you don’t feel free, you feel obligated to others. You created some obligations and you accepted others handed to you. You were told some of these are your duty, others build character and you accepted them. Until you begin to see the possibilities independence suggests, you will never know what you have been missing and how your personal growth has been restricted. Break out of the traps and dependencies. Plan your way out as you would a prison escape and you will likely succeed to survive a turbulent, uncertain future. Even prison offers only so much protection and security; ask someone who has been there.

The War House Poems [Now in Spanish and English]

1) The Curse

Never, O Death, was such a curse as this

Crushed from thy youth for war

For the war machine;

Here, hate and madness kiss

And horror crowns for the brows of the

Dying… (the Middle East).

Garlands of serpents are there; and

For peace, a golden chain with no name

Only an infernal hiss, with a kiss…!

#1080 1/18/2006

2) The Machine of War

Feed the war machine with red;

With mindless steel and lead

Feed it with our youthful lambs:

Our sons, the unhappy dead…!

Quenchless and malign and sad:

Feed the war machine with Red.

#1079 1/17/2006

3) Babylon’s Sun

We give to the hands of strange

And relentless men

The haunting few, that is,

We give to them our destinies!

And when we moan for our dead,

We moan alone, sad but alleged.

In the bitter twilight with:

Lips of steel and stone we moan

In the deserts sands alone;

Babylon, the vulture beneath

The sun,like a raven: hovers

Over America; the kings have

Come, for our sons…!

#1081 1/17/2006

4) Lonely Star

I will never know this world

Alone in this dim, slim shadowland,

Bodies and souls seeking

Roaming to and fro;

The watchers of this planet’s

Passing play, watches from afar

(in the clouds of the heavens).

Where is the light? The Light!

I here only the music, and silence;

Feast on this they say: let us forget

Tomorrow or today, all we may

Dread by the unknown horizon.

#1082 1/17/2006

IN SPANISH
Translated by Nancy Penaloza

La casa de la guerra

[Poemas]

1) La Desgracia

Nunca, Oh! Muerte, estuvo una desgracia tal como esta
Machacado desde tu juventud por la guerra
Por la mquina de la guerra;
Aqu, El odio y la locura se besaron
Y coronas de horror para las frentes del
Moribundo… (El Oriente Medio).
Las guirnaldas de serpientes estn all; y
Para la paz, una cadena de oro sin nombre
Solamente un silbido infernal, con un beso…!

#1080 1/18/2006

2) la mquina de la guerra

Alimente la mquina de la guerra con rojo;

Con acero violencia y plomo
Aliméntelo con nuestros corderos jvenes:
Nuestros hijos, los muertos infelices…!
Insaciables y malignos y tristes:
Alimente la mquina de la guerra con rojo.

#1079 1/17/2006

3) Sol De Babilonia

Damos a las manos del desconocido
Y hombres implacables
Lo Poco inolvidable, es decir,

Les damos nuestros destinos!
Y cuando nos quejamos por nuestros muertos,
Nos quejamos solos, supuestamente tristes,.
En el crepsculo amargo con:
Labios de acero y piedra nosotros gemimos
En las arenas de los desiertos solamente -;
Babilonia, el buitre debajo
El sol,- como a cuervo merodea
Sobre América; los reyes han
Venido, por nuestros hijos…!

#1081 1/17/2006

4) Estrella Solitaria

Nunca conoceré este mundo
Solo en este oscura, oscura tierra sombria-
Cuerpos y almas buscando
Errantes de un lado a otro;
Los vigilantes de este planeta
Juego pasajero, mirando desde lejos
(En las nubes de los cielos).
Dnde est la luz? La Luz!
Yo aqu solamente la msica, y silencio;
Banquete en esto ellos dicen: olvidémoslos
Maana u hoy, todos podemos
Temor por el horizonte desconocido.

#1082 1/17/20

Dennis Siluk - EzineArticles Expert Author

See Dennis’ web site: http://dennissiluk.tripod.com

Bryan Ellis on Virtual Real Estate Investing

A newcomer to the world of investments in the notion of “Virtual Real Estate Investing“. What is meant by “Virtual Real Estate Investing” ranges from online games like SecondLife (where real profit can be made) to the use of internet technologies to make normal real estate investors more profitable.

To separate fact from fiction, I asked Bryan Ellis for comments. He’s the man many consider to be the father of this new form of investing.

When I began using the term virtual real estate investing in the late 1990s, I did so because I saw clear parallels between the strategies used for profiting from physical real estate and those that would create income in the online world, said Ellis.

Bryan Ellis cites the similar strategies one can employe to make money from “virtual property” and “physical property” as a primary parallel of the two markets. “These types of assets - websites and physical real estate - can be monetized in very similar ways like buy lo/sell high, leasing/rental and advertising opportunities” he says.

I must admit: Its easy to see the parallels. Consider this: If you own a piece of real estate in a desirable neighborhood, your real estate has value because other people are interested in that location. Similarly, ownership of a desirable domain name is valuable for the same reasons. Regardless of the type of asset, you can sell or lease or use any number of strategies to turn the assets into cash.

In our next installment of this series on virtual real estate investing., Bryan Ellis will share the internet analogies to the physical concept of real estate development.

Purchase Womens Exotic Lingerie on the Internet

There is a vast array of ladies lingerie online for instance the best nightwear lingerie, satin lingerie, exotic lingerie & much more. There are many interesting makes of womens lingerie on the Internet that you will without doubt be puzzled and will want to know which exact one to get now and which 1 to buy later. Because there is defiantly no way, you can ever say no to lingerie on the internet!

Ladies Nightwear Lingerie: If you are confused about nightwear lingerie to purchase and which will suit you & the occasion the most, this is the ideal place to get all the required information about women’s nightwear lingerie. Get stunning and sexy reversible venice tie bikinis, halter ring swimsuits and reversible venice tankinis from Moontide.

Sexy Ladies Lingerie: While all lingerie is sexy lingerie, it is exceptionally important to assess if you will look sexy in particular lingerie or not. E.g. corsets and bustier might not look right on everyone, so even if you spend a great deal on this sexy lingerie, you may not look sexy whatever.

Ladies Satin Lingerie: Satin is a fabric, which can appear sexy in any case. If you purchase satin lingerie, the chances are you will never feel like coming out of it. The 1st thing ladies in addition to men love about satin lingerie is the utter softness and sheen of the fabric. If you want to come across striking and attractive, it is definitely worthwhile giving satin lingerie a go.

Ladies Exotic Lingerie: If you want to appear out of the ordinary and yearn to buy exotic lingerie, then lace courtesan chemise set, is the correct choice for you. There are countless exotic lingerie styles available on the Web, all of them are bold, gorgeous and of course, weird. Your other half would have never ever believed you could look so amazing, as exotic lingerie is something that comes into view more frequently. What’s more, you can also acquire fetish sets as they work well as superb exotic lingerie. The finest exotic lingerie available to purchase on the Internet is ‘Shangai Sweetie’ - if you are able to lay your fingers on this sexy lingerie, just do not give it up!

The Answer to Your Worst Networking Nightmare

Imagine you just met your ideal client at a networking event. He’s friendly, has great ideas and could use a valuable person like you to help grow his business. Not to mention, he’s the kind of person from whom you could learn a great deal as well. After all, networking is the creation and maintenance of mutually valuable relationships.

After chatting away, building rapport and connecting for a few minutes - the crucial time comes: the exchange of business cards. At his request, you give him your card. Then you ask for his card in return.

And at that moment, your worst networking nightmare comes true. He utters the one sentence you never want to hear from a new and potentially valuable contact:

“I don’t have one of my business cards with me right now.”

Ouch.

What do you do in this situation?

Some people become frustrated with the person who commits this cardinal sin of networking. Not a good idea. Although business cards are the number-one networking necessity, don’t make a big fuss if someone doesn’t have one. Unfortunately, it happens. People may be changing jobs, reprinting or assumed they didn’t need their cards at the time. But calling them out will only reinforce emotions of their un-professionalism.

A common solution to this problem is suggested in most networking books: simply write your new contact’s information on one of your own cards. Not a bad idea. But space is limited. And how many times have you written information down in your haste only to become completely baffled by your own hieroglyphics when you read your notes a week later? Perhaps this isn’t your best option.

Another way to capture contact information is to use scrap paper. People do this all the time, and it’s not an effective networking technique. Not only does it make you look inefficient and disorganized, but Donna Fisher, author of Networking for Dummies, explains that pieces of paper are more likely to get tossed or lost than business cards. So much for that idea.

Finally, the one attempt at solving this networking nightmare - which usually fails - is when the person says, “Well…just give me your card and I’ll call you.”

Yeah right.

You can’t depend on someone to call you. Not because they don’t like you or because they’re not interested in developing a mutually valuable relationship - but because people lose, forget and misplace things. They also meet lots of people every day - and it’s challenging to differentiate yourself among the masses.

Therefore, the question still remains: How do you effectively and professionally capture the information of a valuable contact that doesn’t have any business cards?

Thus far in the field of networking, there is yet to be a solution.

Until now.

  • What if there was a way to be one step ahead of every person you met?

  • What if you could leverage every networking opportunity to transform new people into mutually valuable relationships?

  • And what if you could eliminate missed opportunities by helping others become capable of being reached?

    This is the answer to your worst networking nightmare, and it’s called My Card. Here’s how it works:

    When someone reluctantly tells you they don’t have any business cards with them, reach into your pocket and offer them My Card.

    “You don’t have one of your business cards with you?” you empathize, “Well, don’t worry about it - it happens all the time! Here you go…”

    On the front of the card you hand to them, it reads in sharp blue writing: My Card - because to your new contact that doesn’t have a business card, that’s exactly what it is. It’s their card!

    “I want to help in any way I can - and also get to know you better,” you explain. “Here! Fill out the card with the best way to reach you. Then I’ll hang on to this one so we can be sure to stay in touch. And here are a few extras for you to keep with you until you get your new cards. I don’t want you missing any networking opportunities!”

    No scrap paper. No scribbles. No assumptions or hopes for future contact. Just a fun, simple, memorable, face saving tool that creates a connection between two people who want to build a relationship. What’s more, when you graciously hand this card to someone you’ve just met, you will:

  • Make an UNFORGETTABLE first impression
  • Show them that you’re committed to developing a mutually beneficial relationship
  • Demonstrate effective networking skills
  • Reinforce the idea that networking is all about them
  • Stay in touch with new people to whom you can give value

    Basic to all victory as a successful business communicator is approachability, or “capability of being reached.” So, if someone doesn’t have their business card, they’re not capable of being reached. They’re not approachable. They can’t be helped, and they can’t help others.

    But if you pull My Card out of your pocket; tell your new friend to fill it out - and give them a few extra cards for future use - you will break down those barriers. You will save the day, save the information and save the face of the person you’ve just met. Not to mention, make their subsequent networking a lot easier.

    You will become a Networking Superhero!

    And you will turn friends into mutually valuable relationships. All because you took the initiative to empathize with someone who wanted to connect with you, but couldn’t because they needed a front porch through which to express their inherent human desire to do so.

    Remember: Interest in someone’s business card = interest in them. And interest in other people is the most important rule of interpersonal communication.

    My Card is the answer to your worst networking nightmare - and someone else’s. And for $10.00, you can own a 50 pack today, and you’ll never miss another important networking opportunity again.

    Click here to buy a pack today!

    EzineArticles Expert Author Scott Ginsberg

    © 2005 All Rights Reserved.

    Scott Ginsberg is a professional speaker, “The World’s Foremost Expert on Nametags” and the author of HELLO my name is Scott and The Power of Approachability. He helps people MAXIMIZE their approachability and become UNFORGETTABLE communicators - one conversation at a time. For more information contact Front Porch Productions at http://www.hellomynameisscott.com.

  • Movie Poster Collecting

    There is a great deal of history behind movie posters and movie poster collecting. Jules Cheret, who created 2 movie posters in the 1890’s, was the artist given credit for creating the first movie posters. By the end of the first decade of the 1900’s, movies had become a great source of public entertainment. In this time period, the movie poster would become a standard size known as the one sheet measuring 27″ x 41″.

    In the early days, the names of actors did not appear on the posters, which the movie studios liked, because it meant paying actors less money. It was in this early period in movie history, however, that movie studios realized movie stars were as much of an attraction to the moviegoer as the movie itself. Thus, the movie star was born, and movie posters began showcasing actors’ names along with the title of the movie.

    By the 1920’s, the golden age of silent movies, movie posters became more artistic and spectacular, with accomplished artists being hired by movie studios to paint portraits of the stars for posters. By the late 1920’s, movie poster images became sharper due to a new printing process developed by the Morgan Litho Company.

    In the 1930’s, also known in the movie industry as “The Golden Age of Movies”, another style of movie poster was created, the half sheet. Major movies would sometimes get more than the two styles. However, due to the depression, many movie materials were being created more cheaply, causing a loss of quality in movie posters.

    The dawn of World War II in 1941 saw many of the movie stars heading off to war and war was the major theme of movies at that time. The movie industry cut advertising costs and used cheaper paper for posters due to the paper shortage of wartime.

    By the 1970’s, movie posters used photography, occasionally using drawing and painting styles. Movie posters at this time were being printed on a clay-coated paper, which gave them a glossy finish. Star Wars and Star Trek posters were the most popular posters of the time and are still collected by many today.

    In the 1980’s, the age of the special effects blockbuster, the mini sheet was invented, and video stores became popular, thus the video store poster was created. Today, reprints of movie posters are mass-produced and sold in many stores or are just a click away on the Internet.There are several types of movie posters. Because of their rarity, the avid movie poster collector has concentrated on movie poster or theater art. These are the posters that are delivered and displayed by the movie theaters and then intended to be thrown away. Another type of movie poster is the commercial poster, which is mass-produced for direct sale to the public. Video posters are distributed to video rental stores for advertising material. Cable and TV posters are use as promotional material for TV stations for their programming. Like theater art, video posters and cable and TV posters are not produced for the public. Although not as valuable as theater art, these types of posters are still popular among collectors. Special promotion posters promote a movie along with a product. Finally, there are anniversary issues, limited editions, and special releases that are released in limited quantities and are gaining favor with the theatre art collector. Other types of movie posters include advance posters that promote a movie well ahead of the movie’s release. The award poster, which indicates that a movie has won an Academy award. The combo poster, advertising two movies instead of just one. The popular double-sided poster that has art on both sides, with the artwork reversed on one side of the poster. There are featurette posters highlighting short films or cartoons, review posters for when a movie gets a good review, serial posters for movie serials, and special distribution posters.

    With the popularity of movie posters has come the necessity to create various sizes of posters. The first and most widely used poster is the one sheet, which is usually 27″ x 41″. The subway, also known as the two sheet, is larger but not exactly two times the size of the one sheet. The 3 sheet is three times the size of the one sheet measuring at 41″ x 81″. The 6 sheet is six times the size of the one sheet measuring of 81″ x 81″. There is also a 12 sheet approximately twelve times the size of a one sheet, and the colossal sized 24 sheet measuring 246″ x by 108″. Other sizes include the mini sheet, which is usually much smaller than the one sheet and comes in a variety of sizes, and the stock sheet issued for cartoons or other shorts.

    As with all collectibles, condition is a great factor when placing a value on posters. A movie poster’s value is determined by demand, rarity, and condition. Poster collectors use the same grade system used by comic book collectors: mint (perfect), near mint, very good, good, fair, and poor.

    For those who want to be serious movie poster collectors, you will need to know some things about taking care of your movie poster art.

    Tips to retain the total collectable value of movie posters

    Never alter the appearance of a poster. Do not fold, bend, tear, or punch holes in it even to hang it on your wall.

    Never place a movie poster in direct sunlight. UV lights can also be harmful.

    Don’t write on your poster, even on the back. Marks on the back can sometimes be seen from the other side, taking away from the poster’s value.

    Never put tape on the front of a poster even to repair tears. If you do use tape, use acid free tape available from an art supply shop, and place the tape on the back.

    For expensive movie art take it to a professional to be restored. Posters can be restored the same way rare comic books are professionally restored.

    When shipping posters use thick poster tubes or bubble envelopes.

    For long time storage, frame, or place the poster in a plastic bag or tube, and keep it in a cool dry climate.

    When framing a poster do not dry mount it, and use an acid free backing board.

    Now that you know a little more about movie posters and movie poster collecting, go ahead, start collecting!

    Poster Girl

    http://posterlovers.com/ - Search through the world’s largest available collection of posters, fine art prints and photos. Liven up your walls with wall posters and art prints.

    Alternative Billing — Win Win Strategies

    Better Legal Billing: Time Slips for the Future

    Options Abound, But It’s Often Up to Clients to Suggest Them

    In the old days of legal billing, lawyer’s invoices usually a single page of elegant letterheadcontained only the phrase, “legal services rendered,” and a hefty dollar amount. No time breakdowns, no list of activities performed or equipment and supplies usedjust a final, usually shocking, charge.

    But client demands and the evolution of sophisticated billing software have led to more detailed invoices today. Itemized statements have triggered discussion among businesses about whether hourly billing is the best way to be charged for legal services. As the legal profession becomes more competitive and dependent on high quality customer service, lawyers need to embrace alternate billing methods.

    Fixed or flat fees, contingency fees, non-refundable retainers with discounted hourly fees, blended hourly fees and variations on those themes are becoming increasingly common. But many law firms have been slow to join this trend lawyers still perform approximately 95 percent of their corporate legal work on an hourly basis.

    What does that mean for your small business? If your company is currently working with a law firm or looking for legal counsel, try requesting alternate billing options. While many law firms rarely initiate different options, they’ll negotiate when brought to the table. If you want something better than the old “bill by the hour” deal, try presenting one of these billing structures:

    Project billing for routine issues

    Questions To Ask Your Legal Counsel

    Is the attorney experienced in business law or just practicing it between drafting wills and selling homes?

    Does the attorney give advice in plain language or does he use a lot of jargon?

    Is there good “chemistry” between you and the attorney?

    Are the attorney’s ethics and goals clear?

    What’s the attorney’s track record with other businesses similar to yours?

    If your legal needs include large but repetitive tasks, consider a flat-fee approach, also known as project billing. If you need legal assistance on a large research project involving several repetitive tasks with a fair amount of predictability for cost estimation and time duration, request a dollar cap for predetermined services. Be sure to compare estimated costs at the equivalent hourly ratea projected cap that far exceeds any likely bill is really no cap at all.

    Once you get a project billing estimate, don’t hesitate to shop around. Making an informed decision shopping around, comparing prices and services with other law firms is good business sense, especially if you intend to hire a firm for a single project. If you anticipate establishing a long-term relationship, mention this as you’re negotiating a project amount a firm may provide a better deal if it expects future work from your company.

    Results-oriented options

    Forget the image of personal injury attorneys taking a third of any verdict or settlement. Consider instead contingency fees fees based on the outcome of the case and the performance of your counsel. Creative use of contingency fees can create efficiencies in even the most high-level corporate settings. If you retain a lawyer to help your company avoid litigation, couple a reduced hourly rate with a bonus for successfully lowering your litigation outlays.

    You also can establish an incentive based on a percentage of money won or saved in trial. If you’re a defendant in a case where the plaintiff has a strong shot at a $1 million settlement, negotiate a flat fee if the case goes to trial, plus a bonus if the plaintiff ends up getting less than $1 million. If you’re a plaintiff and estimate your case is worth between $1 and $2 million, you might negotiate services for a flat fee plus a percentage of any settlement over $1 million.

    Contingency fees turn the matter into a shared risk or shared incentive, making the law firm your business partner, not just representation. Contingency fees can work well with both flat fee and reduced hourly fee arrangements. Because a number of variations on the “pay-according-to-success” theme exist, you should ask firms for the options they’re willing to discuss.

    Multi-layered tasks

    If you’re shopping for a firm for substantial legal work involving a number of legal specialties, consider using blended hourly fees. Rather than each attorney billing at the usual hourly rate, the firm calculates in advance an “average” rate based on the anticipated time each attorney spends on the matter.

    The value of this arrangement is twofoldit helps define responsibility in a project and it provides a fair price schedule for the client, who avoids paying a senior partner’s hourly rate for research that should be conducted by a junior associate

    Legal “Insurance”

    Firms without in-house counsel that frequently hire legal services might consider contracting with a firm. In this legal billing option, firms and clients agree to a specific charge per month in exchange for a predetermined set of legal services. The contract fee permits the client to pick up the phone and talk to the attorney without needing to eye the clock. This approach works like a legal insurance policy. It encourages companies to contact their counsel on non-litigation, non-crisis matters, and to save money in the long run by engaging in more preventive legal action.

    Just as in business, the impetus for change comes from consumer demand. The sooner businesses take the lead in securing more effectively tailored billing methods from their legal counsel, the sooner they’ll get better, more cost-effective legal assistance.

    Dan Harris is an attorney with the international law firm of Harris & Moure, pllc. Website: http://www.harrismoure.com

    firm@harrismoure.com

    Repetition Speed when Trying to Build Muscle

    To make sure that muscle gains are achieved safely, form is one of the most important factors. Proper form should never be sacrificed in an attempt to add weight or artificially increase repetitions. Use as much weight as possible to perform repetitions, while maintaining good form.

    In other words, don’t stop the exercise just because a slight level of cheating becomes necessary. Always strive to perform two additional repetitions, using a little momentum and all the effort that can be mustered, but only if it is safe to do so.

    During the first few repetitions of a given exercise, you are able to move faster due to you high levels of strength available. However, this is also when injury is most likely to occur. It is important to make sure that the first few repetitions of every set are performed in a slow and deliberate manner. Perfect form should always be the goal.

    Even though a muscle can produce more power at the beginning of a set, during the first few repetitions, the muscles and tendons have not been given enough time to warm-up. Injuries can happen at any point during the performance of an exercise. But, more often than not, the majority of injuries occur during the first few repetitions. Those that don’t, occur because of a lack of proper form.

    Really slow repetition speed is not required to build muscle fast. As a general rule, lifting the weight in approximately two seconds will work just fine. Lower the weight in approximately four seconds. This may vary slightly throughout the set, which is perfectly fine, however, always try to perform each repetition at this rate of speed. This will help you maintain excellent form.

    California Contractor License Application

    While submitting an application for a contractor’s license from the state of California, the customary formalities have to be completed.

    The application for a California Contractor’s license should include a form to describe and substantiate the work experience of the applicant. This must be included while presenting an application for an original contractor’s license, additional classification or application for replacing the qualifying individual, if the knowledge or expertise one claims is from owner builder work.

    This form is used over and above the Certification of Work Experience enclosed with the submission or application. One form is obligatory for each concluded construction project. This application for an original contractor’s license is to be utilized for a 7065 waiver only in case the individual is the only owner requesting for a corporate license. Section 7065 of the Contractors License Law mentions “”No examination shall be required of a qualifying individual if, within the five-year period immediately preceding the application for licensure, the qualifying individual has either personally passed the written examination for the same classification being applied for, or has served as the qualifying individual for a licensee whose license was in good standing at any time during the five-year period immediately preceding the application for licensure and in the same classification being applied for.”"

    The application for additional classification in California is used for accumulating classifications to a prevailing license. One can insert any classification to an offered license for which one has qualifying experience and has passed the appropriate examination.

    California Contractor Licenses provides detailed information on California Contractor License Application, California Contractor License Bond, California Contractor License Check, California Contractor License Exam and more. California Contractor Licenses is affiliated with Mesothelioma Diagnosis: A Guide.

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