Talking Watches for the Blind

Many people who are visually impaired or cannot see at all enjoy the benefits of talking watches for the blind. Several years ago, they did not have such a luxury, so many of them never really know what time it was without asking someone else. Now, people are can be more independent with these devices. There are various considerations that you should make when shopping for a talking watch for yourself or a loved one.

There are many different styles of talking watches to choose from. You can get a pocket watch that will read the time to you. You may opt, however, for a watch that sits on your wrist. Another option is a pendant watch that you can suspend from a necklace. The choice of style is really based on your preference, and which type of watch will be of best benefit to you.

Consider the number of buttons it takes to work the various talking watches for the blind. Some watches come with up to four buttons around the face. These buttons work various functions of the watch. Those with four tend to have more features, but they can be confusing to someone who has limited or no vision. This is especially true if they happened to put the watch on upside down. Then the buttons would be backwards, and the wearer would be likely to get frustrated trying to operate the watch.

Think about the volume and voice that is offered on the talking watches for the blind. Many older people who suffer from vision issues may also have difficulties hearing. You want them to be able to hear the watch when it reads the time, or else it will be useless to the user. The type of voice can also cause problems, especially if they are automated and computerized.

It should be mentioned that talking watches, while designed for the blind, are not only worn by those with vision problems. Some people with busy lives see the advantages of having a watch that will read the time to you. It may seem silly, but some feel that they cannot even take a moment to look at their watch because they are so busy every day. Having a watch that will remind you of the time in an audible way is the perfect solution.

As you can see, there are many considerations to make when shopping for talking watches for the blind. You will want to think about the style, number of buttons, volume, and voice. All of these factors can determine how well a person will benefit from watches that talk. Nowadays, these watches are not only for those with vision problems either, as many people who want a readout of the time are wearing them.

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So You Want to Join the Merchant Navy?

So you want to join the merchant navy as an officer? You've heard all those stories about being paid to visit foreign countries, haven't you? What about the girl in every port stories? And you must have been told about the exciting life we sailors lead, right? Are these stories true? Do you think you have it in you to sail the high seas? Well, I am here to tell you about the REAL merchant navy - some of the stories you've heard are true, some are not. I have been sailing for the past 30 years including 13 years as Captain so I am giving you an inside view.

Before we begin, let me first clarify something, the merchant navy isn't the same as the Indian navy. Merchant ships carry cargo as the name suggests, we are not the fighting navy. The cargo could be containers, oil, passengers, animals, bulk ore etc.

So what is the big attraction of the merchant navy? Usually two things come to mind - money and foreign travel. There are other benefits like tax free income, quick promotions and an exciting life. But the good salary is the main temptation. You get fat pay checks and you don't pay tax (if you stay out of the country for more than 6 months in a financial year). You start earning a big salary at a very young age. To give you an example, the starting salary for a 22 year old 3rd officer or 4th engineer (junior most officers on board ships) on an oil tanker is more than 2000 $ per month (conservatively speaking). This amount depends on the type of ship and the company you join so don't quote me! Officers normally work on a contract basis. Junior officers do 4-6 month contracts, while senior officers do 3 to 4 months on board. Some companies pay salaries round the year while others pay you only while you sail. However, your annual salary will remain the same. Why do ship owners pay you such high wages (relatively speaking)? There has to be a catch, right? The catch is, you stay away from home for extended periods of time. In fact you spend most of your time at sea rather than on land. Sure you get to visit foreign countries but things have changed now. Its not as if you reach a port and everyone goes ashore.

Work continues with every officer / crew member working in shifts (watches as we call them). You are free to go ashore once you have completed your watch but don't forget that you have to come back from your shore leave and work again. So, you either sleep or you go ashore. Work on a ship, never stops. As long as the ship is doing something - sailing, loading / discharging cargo, it's making money for the ship owner. Port stays have gone down considerably so the ship is in port for a short time. Of course, this depends on the type of ship you are on. Container ships are in port for a few hours (YES few hours), oil tankers for 24 hrs, cargo ships and bulk carriers stay longer in port. Watches in port are usually on a 6 on 6 off basis, 6 hours on duty, 6 hours off duty, and then you are back to work. Hence you cannot go ashore in every port because you need to rest sometime. The ship owner is paying you to stay on board, not to go ashore! Its not all bad news, you do get to go ashore and do some shopping and maybe sight seeing. Ports are normally far away from civilization. Travelling to and fro takes up time and is not cheap.

With visa restrictions post 9/11, many countries will not let you stay back for a holiday after you complete your tenure on your ship. So now you know why the ship owner pays you so much. You are being paid for staying away from family and home, you are being paid for long stints at sea and hardly any chance to go ashore. By the way, the girl in every port stories you have heard are pure myths!!! You will not get time to meet girls and if you do meet girls then they will be the wrong kind. On the positive side, some companies do allow officers (usually senior officers) to carry their family (wife / kids) with them but not girl friends!

No problem you say, I can handle everything, just as long as I get paid well. That's just fine, as long as you are aware of what you are getting into. Expect to work with a multinational crew. Expect multinational cuisine. Expect cultural differences, your Captain could be from U.K. while the other officers / crew could be from Philippines, India, Croatia, Bangladesh or some other country. This variety means that you may not have much in common with them. You might have to spend time alone in your cabin. Can you handle being by yourself? Of course, it might be possible that you are lucky and you get along with everyone, in which case you will enjoy yourself soaking in the various cultures. Or you could be luckier and get to sail with a majority of your nationality. It all depends on the company you work for. During your leisure time you can watch movies, play indoor games (cards, carom etc), work out in the gym (most ships have one) or just relax in your cabin. Most companies allow officers to send emails home and receive them. Of course, there are restrictions on the number and size of emails after all, satellites are used for transmitting/receiving emails. You will get snail mail (conventional paper letters) when the ship touches port but usually not more than once a month. Lately, bigger companies offer internet facilities on board so sailors aren't as isolated as before. Mobile phone sims can be picked up locally as well so you can call home whenever you are in a port.

Now we come to work. Each type of ship requires specialised crew. Each department on board a ship has different duties - the deck department looks after the navigation and loading / discharging of cargo while the engine department looks after maintenance of various machines. Life on board every ship is not the same. Some ships are old so you need to work harder to keep them running. Some ships are newer and are easier to work on. Oil tankers, gas carriers need special training and experience. Container ships and bulk carriers have similarly experienced crew. While at sea, officers generally do 4 on 8 off - 4 hours duty and 8 hours off. This does not mean that after you finish your 4 hours of duty, you can go to sleep. No, you might have to work on other things like maintenance of machinery/equipment. Normally officers and crew work 10 hour days. This is a general statement and is not a hard and fast rule. Work loads increase considerably, when ships are in port. Officers and crew are on watches throughout the day and night. There is no weekend for them - there is no such thing as a public holiday. If one officer falls sick, then the other officers on board share his duties until he is fit again. Normally ships do not carry doctors on board unless you are on a passenger ship. Ships carry medicines and all officers are trained for first aid / medical emergencies. Whenever ships touch port, medical treatment can be provided ashore.

Another aspect to think about is the weather. Ships do run into bad weather (read storms). Even the biggest ship is but a toy when up against the fury of the sea. Sea sickness is not something to be scoffed at. Before you take up a career at sea you had better make sure that you don't get sea sick. Take a trip on a boat to get the feel of things.

Right...now you are aware of various aspects of the merchant navy, money, foreign travel, life on board, work and rest hours, medical facilities, weather etc. What? You still want to join the merchant navy? Bravo!! We need guys just like you - guys who join with their eyes open, guys who don't have wrong ideas about a career at sea. So how do you go about joining the merchant navy? Information is available on the net. In addition, you can keep an eye out for advertisements in major newspapers.

A word of caution, don't be in a hurry to hand over money to some agent who assures you of a job at sea. Check his credentials; check the credentials of the company or training institution you intend to join. Preferably, find someone who is already at sea and who can guide you. This is one profession where a mentor is always a good idea.

I have been sailing for the past 30 years including 13 years as Captain. To me the merchant navy is wonderful. It has given me everything I dreamed of and wanted in life. Life on board ships isn't easy but its not as bad as it is made out to be sometimes. As there seem to be a lot of extreme views on this career, I have tried to give you the real picture. This is a serious profession where you have to work hard and your hard work pays (quite literally)!

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What is Success and How Do We Achieve It?

To be clear about what success is must be the first step to achieving success.

So far, the best definition I have come across is: "Success is the completion of anything intended." In other words success is finishing what you planned to do.

Even robbing a bank is a kind of success if that is what you wished to do. However, you probably did not intend to end up in prison!

The above definition of success shines a light on failure and success. Make a plan and follow it and you will have succeeded. Make a plan and do not follow it and you will have failed.

This gives a yard stick for judging every day of our lives. We can say at the end of the day "I have failed" or "I have succeeded."

This may seem very obvious but it is amazing that only about 85% of the human race end up doing what they intended.

I asked several people what they thought success was. One person said that "Success is making loads of money." Another said that success is "Achieving your goals". Some one else said that success is "Fulfilling your potential". An interesting answer was that success is "Making others jealous".

Brian Tracy agrees with the connection between success and goals. He has said "Success is goals, and all else is commentary." Tracy believes that people with clear, written goals, accomplish far more in a shorter period of time than people without them.

Stuart Goldsmith in "The Midas Method" has an important section on how to set goals so that they are achieved using the full power of the subconscious mind.

Maria Nemeth gives this definition of success: "Doing what you said you would do, with ease".

"Doing what you said you would do" is currently not achieved by the majority of the human race especially politicians! Doing it with ease is achieved by even fewer and requires making the most of the subconscious mind.

Jim Rohn argues that success is just a few simple disciplines practised daily.

The power of daily discipline is HUGE. Because the discipline is practised daily the effect is cumulative. The good practice is carried out 365 times a year with, perhaps, a few lapses.

It cannot fail to have tremendous influence. Once the discipline becomes a daily habit, it can be forgotten about until the rewards start coming in.

The writer who writes every day has written well over 300 pages by the end of the year. If he or she does not write every day they lose momentum and inspiration. If they keep up the writing (even just a few words a day) a magnet for relevant thoughts develops.

Recently a Liverpool student of American media studies applied for 600 jobs and received only one interview which he failed. He decided to write a novel. He determined to complete ten pages a day. He worked in the evenings at a dead end job to make money and then wrote until about 5 in the morning at his novel which has now become famous. It also looks like becoming a Hollywood blockbuster film.

He points out that if you write only one page a day for 100 days you can write a screen play. He wrote his novel by studying the structure of two other novels and noticing how they were structured and wrote his screenplay after studying video of films and noticing how long each scene lasted before there was a change.

I can't remember his name or the name of his book as I just happened to hear part of his interview on television.

The practice of daily disciplines alone can change our lives totally. Another benefit of daily disciplines is that they quickly create habits and habits create character.

A great quote by Jim Ryun, the American Athlete, is as follows

"Motivation is what gets you started.
Habit is what keeps you going"

Another brilliant quote is:

"Try not to become a man of success but rather try to become a man of value."

Albert Einstein

The next quote says more or less the same thing:

"Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it." Henry David Thoreau

Many would argue that success is not about making money but about developing oneself into a person who is valuable to others.

However, this quite often will lead to making money because people will pay for value. Any one who is very good at their job can usually command whatever pay they wish.

Adam Hollioake is one of the most successful English county cricket captains. He realised what is important in life when his brother Ben was killed in a car accident in Perth Australia. Adam learned that he should be kind to people and have fun and "that's what life is about."

His view of success in cricket is not necessarily winning. He is not afraid to lose a cricket match. He is only concerned that his team put 100% effort into the game. He comments:

"If we do put that effort in we usually win anyway".

Success then is putting in 100% effort whatever the results. More often than not, however, the results will be excellent.

Michael Angier has a great definition of success.

"Success is the result of steadily taking action on our most important goals. When we consistently focus our energies and our efforts upon what matters most, we can't help but be successful".

Angier also admires Ralph Waldo Emerson's comments on success:

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived; this is to have succeeded."

What are the causes of failure and success?

William James, the great American psychologist, puts failure down to lack of faith in one self

"There is but one cause of human failure. And that is man's lack of faith in his true self."

Faith in one self is a huge part of success. Stuart Goldsmith in "The Midas Method" talks about two kinds of belief that are necessary for success. You must believe that you deserve to succeed and you must believe that you have the ability to succeed.

Another big cause of success is discipline.

"The ability to discipline yourself to delay gratification in the short term in order to enjoy greater rewards in the long term is the indispensable prerequisite for success." Brian Tracy

Another cause is the willingness to try to succeed even if the possibility of success is remote.

"Far away in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see the beauty, believe in them and try to follow where they lead."

Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888) American Writer

My computer guru, Danny believes that you should hold on to your dream in all circumstances and never let go. Grab hold of your vision with an iron fist and even if you are down on your luck and in the gutter never give up.

Danny himself has held on to a dream for 22 years. His dream is to develop the best languages translator in the world.

It does not matter if you are 72 - grab hold of your dream. Actually visualize your hand holding on to that dream. Too many people are worn down by life and give up their dreams.

Every dream is personal but the principle is the same. You are an idiot if you let go. You have to have a reason for living. Set yourself a goal and never let go until you die.

There is nothing you can't do. If you can't swim 10 lengths without a rest, train for a few months and you will be able to swim 50 lengths.

Danny's comments about swimming reminded me about how little is taught at school about how training can improve your abilities.

At my school in the Isle of Man, there was an annual half mile swim in the sea. I knew I would drown if I attempted this but no one ever suggested that I start training hard so that I would be capable of completing the swim.

I was just classified as someone who could not do the swim. It did not occur to me that through determined training I would be able to do what I could not previously do.

When Danny was young he was a skinny weakling. But one day he decided that this was not a good thing. He filled out and did some weight training and set up his own fitness, strength and flexibility routine.

He performs this every other day. This avoids the boredom of a daily routine. He does 200 situps, 30-50 leg raises and three or four sets of 20-30 bench presses.

He also does 2 sets of 20 or 30 squats with dumbells to develop leg power. The dumbbells avoid the danger of overbalancing with a barbell across your shoulders. There is also little likelihood that you will drop the dumbbells on children or family pets! Dumbells allow for greater control than barbells.

Danny's advice for success is to do something. If in doubt, read a book. The worst thing you can do is sit on your backside watching TV. If you do, nothing will ever happen. He notes the hypnotic effect of TV on the spectators. Danny seldom ever watches TV.

Danny also is impressed by Arnold Schwarzenegger who has just been elected Governor of California. If Arnold wants something, he does what is necessary to get that thing. If he had to eat 50 mars bars, he would eat them. If he had to stand stark naked on his head in a field for half an hour he would.

This is an example to us all. If you have to put stamps on thousands of envelopes to send out your direct mail sales letters, you just have to do it.

The basic principle is that you have to do what is required. Some things require certain actions to achieve them and you have to do them whether you like doing them or not.

It is no good saying I want to be Governor of California but I don't want to do any public speaking or travel on the campaign trail or be friendly to thousands of people you don't like. You have to pick up babies and smile at people you may not like.

If you want to be rich you have to do those things which will make you rich. It's no good saying "I don't really want to do it." Danny gives himself a virtual smack round the head every time he is tempted to give up on his projects.

Some people think they will make money by taking short cuts like suing people or fraud. The world would be a much better place if people just got on with doing what they had to do.

Many successful people stress the importance of action in achieving success.

Michael Masterson of the Ezine "Early to Rise" writes:"Action is the key to success, and failure to act is the reason most people will never achieve the kind of success they dream about"

Another approach to achieving success is to stay cool about it. Just get on with doing what you think is important and what you love to do.

"Don't aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally." Sir David Frost

Elvis Presley gave his cousin Donna some advice to help her achieve her goals for the future. It seems good advice to me:

Donna's best memory of Elvis was when she was 18 and she spoke to him one on one. He asked her about her plans for the future and told her she could achieve anything she wanted "so long as you have faith in God;have faith in yourself; work hard and never let anyone tell you, you can't do something".

Elvis himself had plenty of discouragement which he successfully ignored. The later part of his life was not too successful but as Donna commented, we should focus on what he did achieve which was amazing.

Peter Vidmar explains how he achieved success at the Olympic Games:

"There's only two things I had to do to win the Olympic gold: Train when I wanted to, and train when I didn't."

This is possibly my favourite quote of all time. It sums up the essence of success and the will power and discipline necessary to achieve it. Sometimes training will be easy but sometimes it will take effort because one really does not feel like training. This is simple and beautifully easy to understand.

Another quote I like is concerned with the kind of success which depends on people liking your work or product. Don't worry about whether they will like your work. Just do your best and leave the liking or disliking up to them.

"Success has a simple formula: 'Do your best and people may like it'".

Sam Ewing

Any success involves some kind of cost; usually some boring work is involved as suggested in the following quote. The word 'drudgery' sums this kind of work up exactly. Almost any kind of business involves marketing and marketing is the last thing many businessmen enjoy doing.

"Success is the child of drudgery and perseverance. It cannot be coaxed or bribed; pay the price and it is yours".

Orison Swett Marden, 1850-1924.

Mike Litman comes up with golden statements frequently. Here is just one of them:

"The biggest secret of success in life is: You don't have to get it right; you just have to get it going. Perfectionism can kill success. We never get going because we are always waiting to get everything just right. Instead, let's get going."

One success breeds another. Bobby Robson, now over 70, is one of Britain's most successful managers. He should know what creates success. He recently commented about his team's performances:

"Success breeds success"

This makes sense. Write one successful book and you will have the confidence to write another. A lady over 70 wrote a book about overcoming the pain of arthritis. It was a huge success to her total amazement and made hundreds of thousands of dollars. Not surprisingly she has now written two more books.

Success is a key goal for most people but it helps to have a clear idea of what success means to you. I hope this article will have shed some light on possible definitions of success and provided some ideas about how you can achieve your kind of success. 2500

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Starting a Mobile Locksmith Business

One of the best decisions I ever made in my 62 years of life on this planet was to become my own boss in a field that is never dull, always challenging, and intrinsically interesting. It was not an early decision. In fact it did not occur to me to enter this field until after I'd already spent ten years as a professional photographer. It came about in an odd way, as many serendipitous things do. But regardless of how it came to be, I consider that decision the one that paved the way for me to spend the rest of my working life in comfort and with a good measure of security.

I've since discovered that many people follow a similar course, turning to locksmithing only after finding themselves unhappy in other jobs. I'm not sure how or why so many discover this particular business when looking for an interesting career. In my case it was a natural progression from a rather unique part-time career I had fashioned for myself: That of installing simple door viewers and doing this door to door. Many times my customers would ask if I could install deadbolts for them while I was at it, and after turning down money a dozen or so times I finally got wise and visited a local locksmith supplier who sold me an install kit and a book of instructions. From what I can tell, others come across this idea by doing Internet searches for home businesses, because ultimately this qualifies as such if you, like I do, run it out of your home and structure it as a Sole Proprietorship. In any case, it is obvious that locksmithing has become a popular choice for a chance at self-employment.

After tiring of door to door selling (which didn't take long to do) I hit upon the idea of cold calling. I was still thinking too small, but at the time I didn't know it. Lesson Number One: Don't do this. I was doing it back in 1981 or so when the stigma attached to such endeavors wasn't quite so strong. I'm afraid that calling people out of the phone book and asking if they'd like to have deadbolts installed just would not fly in the present era of terrorism and business rip-offs.

Still, I owe to this period of hard knocks a good deal. I became efficient at installing locks, rekeying locks, and duplicating keys. It was during this one year period that I scrounged together enough money to purchase a small key duplicator and also a lock rekeying kit. I carried these items in the trunk of my car and carried them into my customer's home when needed. I also purchased several boxes of the most common domestic key blanks and by the time I'd accumulated all this stuff my car's trunk was crammed and I was wishing for more room. Also, and most important, I came to realize that driving around in an unmarked car and working out of the trunk was not lending itself well to my credibility.

Lesson Number Two: Start out with credibility. Purchase a small work van, or a large one if you can afford it. Buy signs or have signs painted on it. Use whatever lending power you have, may it be with banks or with family, to locate a used vehicle and have signage made up, even if this is in the form of magnetic signs. Of course all this suggests you start out as a legitimate business, and this is just my point. Create a name for your business (think long and hard about this, as you'll lose any credibility you might initially gain if you keep changing it), have signs and forms and letterheads made up, and dive in.

There is, too, the question of legality. This is a hard subject to field, because the legality of doing business from one jurisdiction to another can differ widely, and even wildly. It is incumbent upon you to do the research and determine whether or not your jurisdiction requires a locksmith be certified, bonded, and/or licensed. You'll almost certainly discover that licensing is the fundamental hurdle, and that is usually taken care of with the signing of a few forms and the payment of a small annual fee. Certification is something else. Not all jurisdictions require this. In my case I found that the state in which I was then living -- Utah -- did not require it. Nor was I required to be bonded, though I chose to do so for the added protection (it is widely and incorrectly thought that bonding protects the locksmith's customer, whereas in fact it is the locksmith that is protected by the bond).

Lesson Number Three: Do the homework required to determine if acquiring a business license is all that is needed to establish your locksmith service. One phone call to your state's Attorney General office will likely answer that question.

Once you have lined up an affordable vehicle and put a reasonably professional sign on it, you must begin outfitting it. This should, and must, be done before you begin advertising your services because if you are like I was at this point you know next to nothing about the business and not much more about the work. We will endeavor at this point to educate ourselves. Locksmithing is in point of fact one of the few professions left in this world in which a formal education is absolutely UNnecessary. I have spoken to very few professionals during my career who got to be that way through going to a 'locksmith school' or a college. This is certainly not to say that a formal education isn't desirable. If you can afford it, if you have the means, then by all means take that route. This article is for those of you who can't.

The vehicle you purchase will in large part determine how it is to be equipped. I've always preferred a full-size van (I've owned Ford, Chevy and GMC models during my career), but there are many locksmiths who just love the Astro Van or Safari Van made by GM. These minivans are popular with many different professions and are ubiquitous. You can undoubtedly find one in your price range. Either way, the first order of business is to erect a work bench that will give you as much space as possible. Best to have the bench on one side of the van and leave the opposite side for shelves or storage bins. Make it sturdy! There is nothing worse than a wobbly bench when you're trying to rekey locks. Make it level for the same reason.

You'll need a power source. It is excusable to string extension cords until you can afford something better, but bear in mind that this detracts from your professionalism. The ultimate is probably having a RediLine Generator that runs off your van's 12V power. This is not a power inverter, it is actually a generator and it kicks out 110-115V power. They are wonderful sources of AC power and you can even run a bank of fluorescent lamps off one of these for your interior shop lighting. There are several models to choose from with varying outputs, but they are expensive. If you can locate a rebuilt, so much the better. A good inverter might do the trick if you can't afford a RediLine, but be careful. Some key machines (and you're going to have to have one) will not run with an inverter.

Power now available, you need to start out with at least a key duplicator on your bench and preferably, as well, a good code cutting machine. The latter is desirable but not necessary in the beginning unless you plan to launch directly into automotive locksmithing, in which case you'll find it hard to get along without one. We'll touch on that in a moment. Key machines are almost impossible to find used. You'll likely end up buying a small HPC Speedex because they're pretty much the least expensive good key duplicator around. Expect to pay around $500. Best if you include this in your initial loan. A key duplicator is bread and butter for any locksmith, mobile or otherwise, so don't even think about starting up until you have one.

Equip yourself with a good rekeying kit. I've always preferred 'universal' kits because they do the work of dozens of other keyway-specific kits and they are easy to use. LAB makes the best of these, hands down. If you have the space, try to get a metal Classic Kit. If you don't, you can start out with one of LAB's Mini-Durex kits or, better, the miniature version of the Universal Kit (LMK-005 or LMK-003). You simply can't rekey locks without one, and if you get a Universal you won't be confined to keying up one or two brands . . . you'll be able to handle them all. Don't know how to rekey locks? Pick up an instruction manual on the Internet or at Amazon.com. They are available and this is one of the quickest locksmith skills to pick up. While you're at it, buy at least one plug follower, a pair of pin tweezers, and ideally a pair of TruArc pliers. Over time you'll accumulate more rekeying tools but these fundamentals are nearly essential.

Even before I was making money rekeying locks, I was being called to open cars. If you intend to advertise yourself as an emergency service, you're going to have to take in this kind of lucrative work. Let me tell you now, this will be the easiest money you've ever made. It is well worth learning the skills required to open vehicles even if it means spending a couple of hundred dollars on tools and a good manual. Lockouts, at least in my case, virtually supported me for years. If you live in a medium to large city, count on getting lockout calls day and night even if you have only a tiny ad somewhere (a subject for later). There are many good lockout kits available online, to suit any budget, and the same goes for lockout manuals. Do a Google search for 'car opening tools' or 'lockout tools' and you'll have no trouble finding suppliers. Are they legal where you live? Again . . . this is up to you to determine. The supplier cannot and will not endeavor to police this aspect of marketing, as it is simply not possible. I'm not advocating the purchase of anything that is not legal where you reside!

House and business lockouts are likewise lucrative sources of income for the locksmith, but these require different skills, different tools. Here is where it becomes necessary to learn the skill of lock picking -- probably the most fundamental skill of the trade. It is not as easy to learn as car opening and lock rekeying, but it is by no means difficult, either. It requires practice and patience, and it requires good tools. Do not get stingy here. There are lots of cheap lock picking tools for sale. You'll find them in automotive magazines, even. Stick with tools from the established firms like HPC, SouthOrd, Lockmasters, etc. Purchase a beginner's set with a few picks and one or two tension tools for start, unless you have a big budget, then go for a set that will last you a while. Choice of spring steel or stainless steel is largely a matter of personal choice. Whichever one you start out with will likely be the kind you'll stay with, because you'll form an attachment to that type and you'll train yourself to make the best of it. More important is the concept of practice. Buy Practice Locks. Once you've picked all the locks in your home you're going to need more challenges, and now that Practice Locks are an accepted training aid in this field you'd do well to pick up a few of them. Practice until you can repeatedly pick the most challenging of your Practice Locks and then practice some more.

Did I mention that servicing lockouts will likely be the single most lucrative service you offer your customers? I thought so. Good!

There are other aspects to providing a locksmith service and among these is the ability to install locksets on homes and businesses. Primarily you'll be asked to install deadbolts, but later on, as your business gets bigger, you'll want to offer commercial business and real estate companies the option of replacing all their old lock hardware for newer more secure hardware. Again, practice is called for and you should be prepared to install a few unnecessary deadbolts and knobsets on doors in your own home that don't need them. After doing this a dozen or so times, it will be easy to go to that first installation with confidence. You'll need to add a few essential tools to your toolbox, such as a 1/2 inch drill, a couple of hole saws (2-1/8 inch and 1-inch), a 1/2 inch boring bit, and a good wood chisel. With these tools, you can install deadbolts in metal or wood doors. Complete installation kits are available and are the best choice if you can work them into your budget. Need instruction? Books galore available on Amazon.com or at any large scale bookstore in your city.

Once you've accumulated vehicle and the tools, and some knowledge gleaned from practice and reading, you can start thinking about getting your feet wet. The best way to start is the old fashioned way and that is to appeal to family and friends for work and for referrals. Network. Talk to everyone you know and let them know you're serious about this and that you are available. Step two is to advertise and this is absolutely necessary, even if you start out only as a listing in the Yellow Pages. This is where 99% of the people who need a locksmith will look. Newspaper ads, flyers (Yucchhh!), direct mail and radio ads don't work for locksmiths unless you have one enormous budget. Try to justify a small one-eight or one-quarter page Yellow Page ad if at all possible. Even in the face of huge competition, you will get calls and over time your name will be spread around, if you do a good job. Well, it will get spread around if you don't, as well, but you'd do well to avoid that.

That's how I did it. That's how thousands of others have done it, give or take a detail or two. Be sure to cover the legal bases, because if you jump into it and find later that you're acting outside the law, don't come to me! This is part of your research. It is not that difficult to acquire a certification and satisfy local laws that may pertain to this business. If you keep the business small, and maintain yourself as a sole owner, you're going to be profiting right off the bat because overhead with a mobile service is nil.

It's within your reach whether you're 18 or 58.

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33 Travel Safety Tips

Traveling to unfamiliar destinations can bring to you the sort of troubles you do not want to experience while on the road namely: robbery, rape, or murder. Tourists often fall prey to perpetrators because they do not prepare properly before embarking on a trip. Let's examine some things you should do to prevent your travels from becoming a tragedy:

1. Never list your home address on the luggage tag. If on business, put the company's address on the tag; if visiting friends you can list their address. Use covered luggage tags as well.

2. Stay with your luggage until the luggage is checked. If you must put your bag down, keep one foot on the handle.

3. Carry important papers with you; NEVER check anything that you simply cannot afford to lose. Photocopy your passport, driver's license and credit cards.

4. Bring a small flashlight. You never know when you'll suddenly be "in the dark" and find yourself in unfamiliar surroundings. At night, keep your flashlight by your bed.

5. Make sure that your prescription medicines are filled properly and labeled accurately. In some countries certain prescription medicines are forbidden.

6. Never wear anything that projects affluence. No gold chains, expensive watches and rings, luggage, or other paraphernalia should be in easy view. Better yet: leave your jewelry at home.

7. If possible travel with only one or two credit cards.

8. Women particularly should never accept a drink from a stranger. Keep an eye on your drink at all times.

9. Vary your schedule; try not to come and go at the same time everyday.

10. Only stay in a hotel that uses cards to open room doors and make sure your room has a peephole and a deadbolt lock. Secure the chain and secure the door by pushing a rubber stop under it.

11. Stay in a room near a stairwell. Never take the elevator if a fire or smoke is detected. Always stay in a hotel where the doors enter the hallway and not directly from the outside.

12. Do not wear name tags in public.

13. Do not use unmarked taxi cabs.

14. Sit behind the driver so you can see him, but he cannot see you.

15. Pay the driver upon arriving at your destination and while you are still sitting in the vehicle.

16. If you must rent a car, rent only from a reputable company. Any operating problems that occur could signal sabotage.

17. Be aware of 'staged' car accidents meant to catch you off card.

18. Back into your parking spaces to facilitate a quick exit.

19. Park only in well lit and well traveled areas.

20. If your cell phone does not work outside of the country, consider renting one that does for the duration of your trip.

21. If detained for whatever reason by an official, ask for identification. If in doubt, tell them that you want to see his superior. Keep your emotions in check.

22. If traveling with children, bring along an updated photograph of each child in the event that you become separated from them.

23. Write your child's name and your hotel number on each card; include a close friend's or relative's contact information on the card. Give a card to each child which they will carry with them as long as you are away. Destroy once home.

24. Discuss with your family what they would do in event of an emergency while away from home, e.g. whom to call, how to contact emergency personnel, etc.

25. Do not discuss travel plans, your room number or any other personal information in public within earshot of strangers.

26. Bring along a basic first aid kit with bandages, iodine, mosquito repellant, sunscreen, alcohol packets, dramamine, pepto bismol, diarrhea medicine, etc.

27. Familiarize yourself with train and bus schedules before traveling. Have an alternate plan in place in the event your transportation plans change.

28. Do not flash your passport in public. Discreetly show important documents to officials only.

29. Consider purchasing portable alarms that emit a loud sound.

30. Watch for scams on the street. Children working with adults are notorious as pickpockets.

31. Never flash your money in public. Exchange funds with reputable and recognized exchangers only.

32. Have tips ready in advance for service personnel.

33. Consider renting an escort [security] service if traveling in areas where crime is high.

The key to safe traveling in any area is situational awareness. Distractions because of luggage, children, hotel personnel, strangers, etc. can put you at risk. Know your surroundings and stay in control of every situation.

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Top 10 Best Christmas Gifts For 2011 For Men On Your Christmas List

If you need help finding the top holiday gifts that will be cherished by the man or men in your life, here are some suggestions on the top 10 best Christmas gifts for 2011 for the men on your Christmas list. These gift ideas are suitable for any budget.

Top 10 Best Christmas Gifts For 2011

1. Golf Club Drink Dispenser

One of the best Christmas gifts for 2011 for men who enjoy golfing is this drink dispenser that looks just like a golf club and can serve both cold and hot drinks. It is a wonderful gift for him that will also be a great item of conversation.

2. Pro-Chip Pool Island Golf Game

Another of the top 10 best Christmas gifts for 2011 for the man who enjoys golfing is this Pro-Chip Pool Island Golf Game that will enable him to practice his shots and become better at his golf game. It can be used both in a pool and on dry land and is certainly a gift he will enjoy having.

3. Invicta Men's 0777 Subaqua Collection GMT Limited Edition Watch

Men love their watches and this one from Invicta will make the perfect gift in addition to being very reasonably priced.

4. Ipod Touch 4rd Generation 32 GB (newest model)

This latest version comes in both black and white and will be a great gift to get for him for Christmas. This large round unidirectional stainless steel bezel watch from Invicta has many amazing features that are sure to delight him making this one of the top Christmas gifts for 2011 for him. This watch is a must have for his watch collection.

5. Men's Air Force A-2 Flight Leather Bomber Jacket

Leather jackets are always a must have at Christmas and this particular one features the softest nappa leather. The construction of this leather jacket strictly adheres to the same standards followed for the authentic A-2 military version which makes this one of the best Christmas gifts for 2011 for him.

6. Roku HD Streaming Player

This Roku streaming player will easily stream all programming available over the internet directly to his TV from a multitude of sources which makes this one of the top holiday gifts for 2011 for him.

7. Koolatron Retro 10-Can-Capacity Vending Fridge

Another of the top 10 best Christmas gifts for 2011 for men is this retro vending Fridge which amongst its many features can comfortably hold ten soda cans and will be perfect for an office or "mancave".

8. Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS Receiver With Heart Rate Monitor

For the man who is into fitness or would like to start a fitness program, this heart rate monitor will be perfect for him to ensure that his efforts are not only effective but also safe which makes this one of the top Christmas gifts for 2011 for him.

9. Pac Man Arcade Machine

For the man who is young at heart and loves his toys, this Pac Man arcade machine will take him back to his younger days.

10. Beats By Dr. Dre Headphones

Although there are many pretenders on the market, the Beats by Dr. Dre headphones are the original and the best for ensuring superior sound quality which makes them one of the best Christmas gifts for 2011.

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Blancpain Watches Presents a First in Their Villeret Quantieme Annual GMT

Blancpain is presenting their first Annual Calendar with GMT function, a first for the combination of these two complications. The Villeret Annual Calendar GMT uses the new Calibre 6054F movement developed by the R&D teams of Blancpain. It is a self-winding movement that requires only one adjustment in the date annually, at leap year. All the other months run by smoothly from month to month as the 30th or the 31st rolls by as the month dictates. There is a small 24 hour hand in a sub-dial at the 8 o'clock position serving as a reference time. GMT function is accomplished by a central hour hand on the timepiece that is linked directly to the date. The date window is large and configured in such a manner as to ensure optimal visibility.

The Annual Calendar GMT comes in with white or red gold versions, the dial is done is a stamped opaline white design with hands and hour markers matching the case metal. The case has the Blancpain under-lug corrector system that is hidden from view when looking at the watch from the top keeping the lines clean and simple. The 1 o'clock position changes the day and the one at 5 o'clock will adjust the month. By using the crown one can quickly adjust the date and the time. The watch has an exhibition back protected by a sapphire crystal displaying the beauty of the mechanisms of the movement and the guilloche work on the oscillating weight. The alligator strap is lined with alzavel for comfort and comes with a triple-folding clasp for easy operation and security.

The watch has a classic look and feel to it with easy to operate functions and a luxurious yet simple dial design. The day of the week can be found at the 2 o'clock position and the month of the year at the 4 o'clock position with the day of the week at 3 o'clock. The case back has the brand engraved across the top of the case and on the inner plate. Blancpain Watches has designed a beautiful dress watch in this 40mm by 10.9mm case size that will turn heads. Their reinterpretations of the Villeret collection are works of art. Sapphire crystals protect the dial and the case back.

Since 1735 Blancpain Watches has passed down their expertise and creativity for incredible craftsmanship. Their heritage is an integral part of every timepiece they produce passing down their art from generation to generation.

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