What is Commitment?

There are many types of Commitment. Commitment to, family, spouse, children, job, country, self, ideology and God. The state of being bound emotionally or intellectually to a course of action or to another person or persons. A Pledge. To pledge or obligate one's own self; commit, consign, entrust, confide, relegate. When I married my wife I committed myself to her welfare, both physically and emotionally. She put her trust in me to provide for not only her but for our children, forsaking all to the betterment of one relationship under God. I made a commitment to my employer to do the best as I was able to provide him with quality work for the pay that I received, never defrauding him in any way.

I made a commitment to my Country, to serve and protect such rights as were provided by the constitution, as I served in the Military, being sent where and when I was ordered. I made a commitment to myself to do those things that were lawful and needful to my welfare, to obtain the American dream of self suffiency and wellbeing. I made a commitment to my Ideology, being understood that God came first then everything else afterwards. Believing in one God, one Saviour, one Bible and one way of Salvation by the Direction of one Holy Ghost. I did my best to uphold each commitment as I was able, being limited in the body but with my spirit willing.

Even after being devastated by three heart attacks, my commitment to my wife, family, children, ideology, self and God has not dwindled nor been removed by my sercomstances. Once a commitment has been made it cannot be counted as void because of changing situations. But as we all have made commitments in our lives, not one of us ever had to shed blood for our commitment to God. We all, as believers, have made a commitment to God. To uphold, His, Statutes, Laws, Commandments, Ideals, to hold to our Faith in Him no mater what came against us, but we still have not shed blood for the cause of our commitment. We have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.[Heb 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.] Lets talk a little about the comittment of Jesus to His Father and to us.

Matthew 26:39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. Jesus made severial comittments,

1. To re-obtain Dominion over the earth. [Mat 4:8-10; Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.] For we all know that Adam was given dominion over the earth by God and then lost it to Satan when He fell. Matthew 4:8-10, proves that Satan Had dominion over all because Jesus never rebuked him for his offer to give the kingdoms of the earth to Him.

2. Preach The everlasting Gospel to the House of Israel.[Mat 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Mar 7:26-27 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.
But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. [The comittment of Jesus was to offer salvation to the Jews first, doing so fulfilling prophecy. [Isa_53:5, Isa_53:6, Isa_53:11, Isa_53:12; Mat_8:17; Gal_3:13; Heb_9:28; 1Pe_2:24, 1Pe_3:18; 1Jo_2:2] Isa 9:6-7; For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isa 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

3. To set in place a plan of Salvation for all mankind. John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

4. To give His life to secure mankinds salvation for all that would believe on Him. Joh 10:14-18; I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep(Recognition of the Saved), and am known of mine(Recoginition of the Savour).

As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep(Israel). And other sheep I have(The Gentile Race), which are not of this fold:(The Jewish Race of People) them also I must bring(Save), and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold,(No more Jew nor Greek) and one shepherd.

Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.(His fulfilment of His Comittment to God and Man.) No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

5. To live a sinless life for an example for us.

Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot(Sin) to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. 1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (Sinless)

6. Comitted to fulfill the will of the Father. Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.Mat 11:27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Mat 12:50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. Joh 8:49 Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me. Joh 8:54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:

7. Comitted to Destroy the works of Satan. Luk 10:18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Act 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. Rev 3:9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

8. Comitted to Return to reastablish Gods dominion upon the earth for eternity. Eph 4:10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) Eph 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. Rev 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. Rev 2:27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Jesus has fulfilled His commitments except 1, The return to finally destroy Satan and establish His eternal kingdom upon the earth. To those that don't believe, look at history and see all the commitments that were fulfilled by Christ and ponder the thought, that if all these things are true, then the last will also come to pass. Do you think that God will leave the last undone? I think not. This world is falling apart at the seams, conflict, confusion, war and rumors of war. The worlds monetary system is going bankrupt, soon money will be useless and the things that you thought were important, no one will even want to steel. What will be your commitment when Christ returns? Will it be to Him or will you commit to Satan and a final battle at Armogedon?

Temple of Spirit & Truth Ministries
A.R. Smith Sermons International

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Famous Race Horse Pictures - Famous Horses and Jockeys in the World

Which horse racing fan would not be interested in seeing famous race horse pictures of winning champion horses as well as jockeys. Besides famous race horse pictures, you can also go through the online results and videos of popular and richest horse races in the world.

The Breeders' Cup is one such horse racing event that catches the attention of millions of buffs, time and over again. The Breeders' Cup World Championships is undoubtedly a multimillion dollar event today that attracts some of the greatest and finest equine competitors from all over the globe. The $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic of season 2009 held at Santa Anita Park made history when a five year old mare, for the first time ever successfully defeated the world's best horses.

Besides this, the 1993 Breeders' Cup held at Santa Anita Park is also cherished for the highest payoff in the history of Breeders' Cup, standing at $269.20. The 2009 Breeders' Cup World Championships hosted at Santa Anita during the Oak Tree Racing Association meeting was yet another landmark event in the Breeders' Cup history. The event got bigger and better. From 11 races in 2007, the number was increased to 14 races.

You can catch the excitement of many more such amazing horse races from the past through online videos. Most of the gaming portals provide unparalleled and realistic simulation of horse racing games so that you can experience the thrill of a real horse race. Horse racing games in 3D format, in full screen with the best graphic effects will surely make your adrenaline rush.

Gaming portals offer virtual players a range of screen shots so that they can learn to appreciate the beauty of the King of Sports. Also, famous race horse pictures can prove to be very useful particularly for all those horse fans that have just developed a passion for horses as well as the game. You can catch a glimpse of some of the finest horses and jockeys. All you need to do is click on any of the photos in order to view the details and the enlarged sample.

Writing has always inspired me. Writing is my hobby. I write on subject that I find interesting and innovative. I wrote on subjects like technical application involved in manufacturing companies, geographical topics, sports, new game launch and more. Collecting famous race horse pictures and videos are my hobby.

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Bathtub Faucet Repair Tips and Techniques

Did you know that you can fix a leaking shower faucet and save hundreds of gallons of water a year? Most people just think of a dripping faucet as an annoyance and don't realize how much precious water is being wasted one drop at a time. The good news is that almost anyone with a few basic hand tools can learn how to fix most dripping faucets.

Let's start with the basics. Faucets have one primary purpose, to allow the water in your pipes to be used in a controlled manner. This means that they have to open to allow water out of the pipes and close to keep water in the pipes. Not rocket science, right? The closing part is what we want to concentrate on here.

There Are Two Basic Faucet Designs

Faucets drip when they fail to completely trap the water in the pipes. Most faucets use one of two basic methods to stop the water flow. Some, primarily older designs, use rubber or neoprene washers which tighten against a "seat" and block the flow of water. Drips from these faucets are addressed by replacing the washers and/or seats. We'll talk about how to do that in a minute. Most other faucet designs involve some sort of cartridge. Some people call these "washerless" faucets. Repairing newer style water faucets like these usually involves replacing the cartridge(s).

Washers And Seats

Older faucet designs often use washers to block the water and keep it in the pipes. Tightening the handle compresses the washer against a "seat" and seals the opening, thus stopping the water flow. If you need to do a bathtub faucet repair on a three handle wall faucet you probably have this type. You will also run into this style if you need to fix a leaking shower faucet hat has two handles. Many sink and lavatory faucets also use washers. One way to tell whether or not your faucets use washers is to see if the handle gets harder to turn as you turn it off. If turning it really tight stops the drip, this probably, but not always, means that you have washers. If you do have a dripping faucet that has washers, the basic repair process is very similar whether you need to know how to repair a shower faucet,repair a leaking tub faucet or fix a dripping sink faucet. There is, however, one important difference.

Bathtub Faucet Repair

The one critical thing to remember when fixing a leaky bathtub faucet is that you will have to turn the water off to the entire house before removing any parts other than the outer trim pieces. If you're not sure which pieces are trim, just turn the water off first just in case. Once you have turned off the main water to the house you can begin taking things apart. There are lots of different brands and designs of faucets out there and they all come apart a little differently, so you will have to sort of feel your way through.

Removing The Trim

The first step is to remove the handles. This is usually done by removing a cap to expose the handle screw and then removing the screw. Next, remove the handle. This may require a little finesse, as the handles sometimes get stuck in place. One trick is to place the handles of a pair of channel lock pliers behind the valve handle, one on each side, and tap evenly on the handle to nudge it loose. If this doesn't work you can buy a special tool to remove handles but these tools are sometimes hard to find and usually a little patience is all you need to do the trick.

After he handles are off, there is usually some sort of sleeve over the stem itself. This typically has to come off too. Once again, there are many different configurations. One popular design uses threaded plastic tubes to connect the trim sleeve with the valve. Other types have the sleeve threaded directly onto the valve. You will have to figure this step out before you can proceed. If you can determine what brand valve you have there is a good chance of finding instructions on-line.

Now For The Root Of The Problem

OK, so you have removed both the handles and any remaining trim sleeve from the valve. Now you are ready to get to the root of the problem, your valve stem. The washer is almost always at the other end of the valve stem from the handle. Usually the stem is threaded into the valve body and you will just need to unscrew it to remove it. Here's a tip. Stick the handle back on for a second and open the valve half way. This relieves pressure on the stem and makes it easier to unscrew. Now you just need to make sure you are loosening the correct nut.

Lots of valves have a packing nut around the stem. It is usually a little smaller and just in front of the actual connection with the valve body. The packing nut's purpose is to squeeze some special packing material around the stem to prevent water from leaking around the stem when the valve is in use. Loosening the packing nut won't help you, you need to get your wrench on the actual connection to the valve body. By the way, a deep socket is often the only tool that will work to remove the valve stem.

Removing The Valve Stem

The easiest way to make sure you have the correct nut is to see if there is a gap opening up between the nut and the valve body as you loosen the nut. The valve stem itself will also usually turn when you have the right one. If you have loosened the packing nut by mistake, don't worry, you will adjust it before you are finished anyway. Go ahead and remove both stems and keep up with which one is which, it matters on many valves.

After you have the stems out you should be able to find the washer on the "inside" end. If it is nicked, torn or brittle it is likely the cause of your drip. Even if it looks brand new, go ahead and replace it. You've already come this far. You can get replacement washers at almost any hardware store. Sometimes you may want to replace the whole stem, especially if the handle end is stripped out. It's best to just take the stem with you to the store and see if you can match it up. Most Do It Yourself stores have replacement stems for many popular brands. If your valve has a center diverter valve to switch the waterfrom the tub spout to the shower head the same process applies. Many times it is easier to replace the diverter stem than to repair it. This really depends on the design of the stem.

How Are Your Seats?

One more thing to check is the seats. These are the part of the valve body that the washer tightens up against to stop the water flow. If you can get your finger inside the valve, feel of the seats and see if they feel rough. If so, it would be best to replace them if you can get them out. The inside of the seats, which is where the water flows through when the valve is open, usually have either a hex or square recess. Special seat wrenches are used to remove the seats. You can usually get these wrenches at the same place you get the other parts and they're not expensive. You just stick the wrench through the seat and unscrew it. The replacement seats screw back in the same way, just put a little pipe dope on the threads before you install it.

Put It All Back Together

Once you've figured out what needs to be replaced and have done that, you just need to put everything back together. If your valve has packing nuts don't put the trim back on until you have turned the water back on. Once the water is on, go ahead and stick the handle on for a second and open the valve. Make sure no water is leaking around the stem. If it is leaking, with the handle opened half way, snug down the packing nut until the leak stops. Easy does it. If you get it too tight the handle will be hard to turn. Now finish installing the trim pieces and you are done.

Repairing Newer Style Water Faucets

If you have a newer, "washerless" type valve the repair process is similar, but usually easier. Many of these type valves use a self contained cartridge. If the valve starts to drip, just replace the cartridge and you're done. You still need to turn the water off and remove the handles and trim. The cartridge is usually held in place by a retaining nut on the valve body or, in the case of most Moen valves, by a retaining clip. Simply remove the cartridge and put another one in it's place. If your hot and cold are backwards when you finish, turn the water back off, pull the cartridge back out, turn it over 180 degrees and re-install it.

Delta Style Valves

One other common design that is considered "washerless" was made famous by Delta and copied by several other makers. It uses little "cup" seals that fit over springs recessed in the back of the valve body. The springs press these "seals" against the cartridge and regulate the flow through little tapered openings in the cartridge. If you have one of these and it's dripping, changing these springs and seals will usually correct it. Here's a tip. Once you have the cartridge out of the way, insert a phillips screwdriver into the seal and pop both the seal and spring out. Stick the new ones on the end of the screwdriver to help guide them into place. This is especially helpful if you don't have long slender fingers.

Delta, and a few imitators, also have a faucet design that uses a ball instead of a cartridge. This is not as common in tub or shower valves but there are plenty of them out there. The springs and seals are the same but there are lots more o-rings an parts to deal with. The good news is that these parts are readily available. While it's a little more complicated than learning how to repair a Moen kitchen faucet, which is a piece of cake, it is still easier than working with most washer type faucets.

These Techniques Work In The Kitchen Too

Armed with the knowledge you've gained in this article you now not only know how to repair a shower faucet and to repair a leaking tub faucet, but you can apply these skills to many other faucets as well. After fixing a leaky bathtub faucet, stopping a dripping outside hose faucet will be a breeze. The techniques that you will use to complete a "washerless" bathtub faucet repair can be used when repairing newer style water faucets of all kinds. Whether you have an old dripping tub faucet or a newer kitchen faucet that just won't quite shut off you can now fix it. So put these new skills to use, roll up your sleeves and stop that drip!

Copyright 2008 Bryan Stevens

Bryan Stevens is a Licensed Master Plumber with a knack for teaching homeowners how to do their own basic plumbing repairs themselves. He has an amazing mini-course called "How To Unclog A Toilet And Other DIY Plumbing Tips". To claim your FREE copy visit: How To Unclog A Toilet

If the above link is inactive please go to: BasicPlumbingRepair.com

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Create the Best Bread Pudding Recipe - New Orleans Style!

My grandmother had the Best Bread Pudding Recipe without a doubt. It is still one of my favorite desserts. Imagine my surprise on my first trip to New Orleans to discover all Bread Pudding is NOT alike!

There are actually several variations of this dessert. My grandmother's version is a variation of a traditional dessert popular in British Cuisine. It is called bread and butter pudding and is often confused with bread pudding. Cubed bread is placed in a pan and then covered with an egg mixture to make a custard. After it is baked, the bread rises to the top to form a "crust" like topping. It tastes similar to French toast. The egg mixture forms a rich custard pudding at the bottom. Of course, my grandmother added her secret spices to give this a sweet nutmeg flavor. It is absolutely wonderful!

Louisiana bread pudding is made entirely differently and is just as good. The common ingredient is stale bread, but that is where the similarities end. The bread pudding consistency is similar to a moist cake and is warm served with a wonderful vanilla, whiskey, or rum sauce. The smell is heavenly and if you get a chance to visit New Orleans, this is a MUST have dessert that is served at most restaurants.

The following recipe, a specialty of my New Orleans sister-in-law, is a requested dessert at holidays, parties or any special occasion. The secret to this recipe is the bread. Stale french bread is the best. Use the long narrow loaves, if available. No matter what size pan she uses, it is always empty at the end of our family gatherings!

Best Bread Pudding Recipe

Ingredients

6 - 8 cups stale bread, broken in cubes
1 can evaporated milk
2 cups sugar
8 tablespoons butter, melted
3 eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla
1 large can fruit cocktail, drained
3/4 can condensed milk
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup raisins

Directions

Combine milks, butter, eggs, vanilla, sugar, nutmeg. Fold in bread and stir. Mixture should be very moist.

Add fruit cocktail and raisins. Mix well. Pour mixture into a 9x13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees approximately 1 hour or until top is golden brown. Serve warm with whiskey sauce.

Variations

You can leave out the raisins. Try adding blueberries, peaches, or apples.

Although my grandmother's recipe is still one of my favorite desserts, I can truthfully say that this is the Best Bread Pudding Recipe - New Orleans Style!

Dianna Eure Smith is a Cajun cooking enthusiast. This recipe as well as the whiskey sauce can be found at Cooking New Orleans Style. When her New Orleans in-laws lost the family recipe book during hurricane Katrina, she decided to create a website where the family recipes could be viewed by all of her displaced friends and family. Dianna's free newsletter, "Cajun Cooking News" is loaded with additional free recipes as well as cooking tips and techniques. Subscribe for FREE recipe alerts by visiting http://www.Cooking-New-Orleans-Style.com

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Health Benefits of Eating Raspberries

Research findings by nutritionists from laboratories all round the world agree that there a lot of health benefits can be derived by eating raspberries. Don't go for raspberries which show signs of mold or mushy spots, but those which are ripe, firm, and colorful raspberries. They can be either fresh, canned or frozen. But take note. When frozen raspberries thaw, they may not be as firm as the fresh ones. They however remain sweet and delicious. To get the freshest raspberries, visit markets where farmers have stocked the berry which has just been harvested. This offers the best berries to boost your health. Here are some of the health benefits to be enjoyed by anyone who eat raspberries in its many forms.

Strengthened Immune System
Minerals such as Vitamin C are thought to help the body to develop strong connective tissues and an immune system able to ward off the attack of micro-organisms. Raspberries like other berries such as blueberries, cranberries, and strawberries contain a lot of Vitamin C in its structure. Nutritionists have said that one cup of raspberries offer humans beings Vitamin C as well as potassium for 64 calories.

Disease Prevention
Though raspberries themselves are not a cure-all berry , they contain a number of other substances which are thought to prevent many diseases. These substances include, but are not limited to, flavonoids and phytochemicals. Raspberries, along with berries such as blueberries, cranberries, and strawberries, also contain a substance thought to prevent bladder infections. The substance does this by preventing bacteria from adhering to the cells which line the walls of the urinary tract.

Healthy Vision
Raspberries are also thought to contain compounds which are important towards having a healthy vision. The substance that appears to be responsible for this is called lutein.

Researchers have identified a lot of compounds in berries such as raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, and strawberries which may help in the reduction of the risk of being affected by several types of cancers and heart diseases. Though a definitive study hasn't been conducted on this, researchers counsel that a diet rich in berries can help to reduce or delay several types of cancers.

Pigment
Raspberries has a pigment, which is thought to be responsible for their blue and red hue. The pigments are also believed to contain compounds which are the key components of the ability of raspberries to prevent the development of many types of diseases in humans.

Conclusion
Always eat a diet rich in raspberries and others with similar nutrition such as loganberries, currants, bilberries, and lingo berries. Serve them just as they are, or top them with a dollop of light-whipped tripping. Add them to a whole grain, cereal, sprinkle them on a salad, stir them into vanilla yogurt, or combine them with banana and low-fat milk. Anyway you eat them, you are certain to enjoy immense health benefits from this wonderful plant which researchers are yet to totally unravel.

Sandra Rathbun is a health and nutrition expert, who also owns a blog on fruits and their benefits. She regularly writes articles on acai berries and blue berries.

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Fantasy Rugby

For the first time I have broken my two cardinal rules in Fantasy Rugby. They are my only two rules, and the reason I have been able to stay at the top of any fantasy rugby league I have been in since I started playing in 2002. Each rule has been broken only once this season, but I have now slipped from third place to thirteenth place in my Super 14 Fantasy Rugby league. I am sure my neighbours on the table are not even participating.

Rule Number One: Always have a valid team.

This is not rocket science. If you do not have a team valid you get no points for the entire round. What I have now learned is that you should not even alter your team close to the deadline. I made an arbitrary change in my fantasy rugby team, and just as I was about to replace the player my computer froze and I couldn't find a way to replace him. As I tried to find a way to get online I watched the time tick away until eventually the cut off time was reached and my carefully crafted team was invalidated for the whole round; all because I tried to alter the team too close to the cut off date.

Rule Number Two: Make sure your entire team is supposed to take the field.

It seems simple, but this must be a priority. A few hours before kick off scan the news for any late withdrawals. I normally scan through my team and compare with the latest team lists to make sure everyone is playing. The week after I had an invalid team I backed this up by making the terrible fantasy rugby mistake of having a player who was ruled out mid-week remain in my team for the weekend. To make it worse, the player was Dan Carter. As everyone else sold him my team value went down $400,000 and one of the premium spots on any fantasy rugby team, the inside backs, was worthless.

These rules may seem simple, but they are relatively easy to break if you are not careful. The repercussions of breaking either, especially rule number one, can break your whole rugby season, and send you towards the bottom of your fantasy rugby league. This is what has happened to me. There are additional benefits of paying attention to rule number two though. If you are quick with selling any injured players you get to sell them at the best price and everyone who sells them after you will get a progressively worse price.

You will not be guaranteed to win by abiding by these rules, but if you break them you won't stand a chance. I have had some great point scoring rounds since I broke the two rules, but I never recovered from the round where I had an incomplete team. Financially I have also struggled since I lost all that money on Dan Carter.

So with these two tips in mind, good luck with the coming season.

For more information on Fantasy Rugby, including fantasy rugby tips and advice, the latest team announcements and player injury updates, check out my Rugby Blog, Rugby Fix - your resource for all things Fantasy Rugby!

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Effective Marketing Ideas For Your Coffee Shop

Most of what I am going to talk about in this article is geared towards the new coffee shop. However, it can be utilized and directed towards an established shop.

Outside of your regulars, coffee is an impulse buy because the customer saw your sign. Aside from your regulars, most folks do not set out to 'go to the coffee shop' like they would to a restaurant (unless you ask them to so more on this later). You need a steady stream of customers outside of your normal morning commute business.

The morning commuters are your bread and butter, the rest helps fill in the revenue holes. These are your impulse buyers. They are going to come to you mainly via your sign outside, so instead of sending out 10,000 post cards to your neighborhood residents, spend that money on a premium location, visible sign and branding your image. You'll be glad you did:

As far as your signage, get one that is AS BIG AS POSSIBLE. That is, as allowable by your city ordinance and landlord, without being tacky! The bigger the sign is, the more visible it is.

By branding your image, you are identifying your existence within your community. Be sure you have a unique logo. If you cannot design it, get one custom made by a professional! I have seen a lot of cheap looking logos that do not help the image.

Another step in branding your image is to secure your shop's name on the world wide web by registering the domain name. Try to get all the domain tags: .com, .net, .org, etc. This is for email, and your website. You will be glad you did because it gives you a more professional image. Remember, the more common your business name is, the more difficult getting it registered online is going to be because the name may be taken.

As for your website, get one! If you can do this on your own, more power to you here too. I know just enough to be dangerous but you can get a nice website, even with online sales capabilities done economically. Check around locally, I bet there are a few web gurus in your area.

Here is where you have the chance to have every customer take your name with them when they leave allowing others to see it. Whether you have sleeves custom printed or you use stickers and put one on each cup or protective sleeve, they are all part of your branding. Be sure the design is clear and defines your shop well.

The same goes for stamps. You can have a rubber stamp made to stamp your whole bean coffee bags with. Note that the brown Kraft paper bags are what you'd need for this. If you use the foil bags, your stickers will work well for this too.

Press releases are an inexpensive way to tell the world what you are doing. A carefully crafted press release sent to the right person at the right news outlet can be the best form of advertising for you. Just be sure that whomever is on the press release as the contact person is actually available to be contacted.

Another great form of marketing is your use of tee shirts, caps and other wearable's. These are walking billboards for you courtesy of the folks that buy them. You can give them away if you want, it's all good advertising. Yes, they are expensive but I consider this great advertising and an expense under that category. Better, yes if you can make up the cost on them. But put this cost into your advertising budget. See if you can get them locally, if not there are several reputable companies on the internet. You will pay about $15.00 each in the end, but again the investment is very well worth it.

Where would we be without business cards? Think about it: how many people have you run into that do not have a business card for whatever it is they do for a living? Not many that I can remember. This is your time to tell everyone you meet that you are in the coffee business. Everyone you meet should get one of these and a few to spare. Do not be shy about handing them out!

Menus are a great example of simple marketing. These are the take out type so try to keep it simple. Under four pages, printed on an 8.5"x11" sheet of BRIGHT colored paper and folded in half is best. You can leave them at area businesses if they allow it. You can also put them on your counter by the checkout and anywhere else your customers will see and take them. You can have them copied at any copy place, or see if you can have a local copy shop do them. They should cost about .10-.15 cents each. All you need is a place to make them on a copy machine. Menus printed on a printing press will be more expensive in most cases.

Support materials are also a good way to advertise your products. You can usually get POS materials FREE from any supplier you are using. This goes for tent cards to put on your counter to full color posters to hang in your windows. Check with your distributor. If they do not keep these kinds of materials on hand, a call to the manufacturer can usually get them in your hands relatively quickly.

Vinyl lettering on your vehicle is another form of advertising, and another type of moving billboard. There are several places online that will allow you to use a particular vehicle template to design your lettering. Again, check around locally for better service and pricing. I had vehicle lettering made for my SUV: rear window and both rear side windows or under $100.00. Your vehicle will essentially become a moving billboard.

Vinyl lettering can be gotten for your store windows too, which will be similar to your vehicle lettering. Check with the same source.

Word of mouth is an excellent source of marketing. Customers can be your biggest and best marketing source for you. It can also backfire on you if you tick someone off or if a customer ends up having a bad experience at your shop, for whatever reason.

Make every effort that all customers are satisfied before they walk out of your door. You may never have the chance to do it again and everyone that that dissatisfied customer meets may be told of the unfortunate incident at your store. They may not come to your store if there was ever that chance they would.

Talk to the world online via your blog. This has got to be the best invention since a website and the internet itself started. Where else can you talk about nearly anything and let the world read it? You may just develop a following not only locally, but around the world.

Have event nights. This is great for weekends and 'dead' times. Earlier, I spoke about customers coming to your shop if you asked them to. This is where you have that chance. Events that will bring in business are almost plentiful. A few examples are trivia night, open mikes, singer-songwriter and other music performances, book signings and poetry. It can also be just about anything else you can think of that is of interest to others.

A word of caution about playing DVD's and TV/cable shows: Most of these are copyright protected and although you may not think you are breaking any laws, it can be construed as such. It's a royalty issue because you are making money on your beverages, in your establishment showing a DVD bought for 'personal' use. Just be careful here.

It's been my experience that this coupon mailers are usually a waste of money in the specialty coffee industry. There are way too many coupons in most of these mailers and most recipients throw them out. I know I do.

Internet advertising is good if you can limit to advertising locally using your zip code. You can reach a captive audience on the internet. It's relatively inexpensive because you choose what to spend on each ad and only pay per click. This is also good if you choose to sell whole beans online, however if you do not roast in-house this may be cost and inventory prohibitive.

Be careful when using coupons in any form. Coupons tend to cheapen the specialty coffee industry so I do not recommend using them. Bogo's (buy one get one) are ok for some advertising, like opening a new coffee shop but, you will get your bargain seekers that wait for those coupons in order to patronize you. You could create more monsters!

You will also, occasionally get regulars that bring in the coupons. Even though they are as deserving of the coupon as anyone else is, your aim is to get NEW customers so the 'coupon' doesn't always work. The only way I recommend a coupon is for a first time customer. You can usually get mailing addresses of new residents from your chamber of commerce and do a select, targeted mailing to the new residents only. So there are some easy, mostly economic ways to effectively advertise and market your coffee shop.

Remember, your customer service and quality will always have to be top notch but you can skimp on some advertising dollars by being crafty and conservative.

Tony DiCorpo is a coffee shop owner, operator, barista and entrepreneur. He is also a coffee shop business consultant. He has authored many articles on the specialty coffee business and a business plan package that can be found at tonys-coffee-shop-business-plan.com

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