This article is all about my 71 year old mother Annie.  She is, by far, the most generous person you could ever wish to meet in your lifetime, well with her clothes anyway, this is her story….

This shopping HOBBY started about 20 years ago when she was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to visit Texas (my father is an avid Country and Western fan).  She took with her every conceivable piece of clothing you could possibly imagine, she even resorted in filling up my fathers suitcase with her clothes, because if she wanted to, and had the space, she could not have got a racing snake in her suitcase if she tried, it was full to bursting!  So all in all she had got roughly about 40 kg of clothes and shoes for a 3 week holiday.

Upon arrival at their Hotel in Houston, my father suggested they go and have a look around the shops, and as this was the first time either of them had been to America they did not have a clue what to expect…..they very quickly found out and my mothers HOBBY was born!

They had a fabulous holiday, my mother shopping every day in shear awe at what was on offer and at such reasonable prices, and my father visiting all the country music outlets.  She had a very big decision to make when it came to packing her case for their journey home, with baggage allowance limited to just 30 kg each, she was in a dilemma to say the least.  The only compromise was to leave half her clothes and shoes behind at the hotel, of course these were the clothes she bought with her all the way from England, and in their place pack her new American clothes and shoes she had so much pleasure buying.  Of course, she was absolutely devastated at having to leave all her clothes in Texas; after all she had had them for decades, so it was difficult to leave them.  I often wonder what the hotel thought about this, perhaps it was something that happened often who knows.

Back safe on British soil and in the comfort of their own home, she became discontent with her wardrobe facility in their bedroom, surprise, surprise!  As all the children were now grown up and flown the nest, it was a great opportunity for my father to knock two bedrooms into one large room, thereby giving extra room for him to construct larger wardrobes for mummy dearest to fill, and fill she did.

She strutted around the village with her tail feathers fully extended for all to see.  She was so proud of her new trendy clothes she had so much pleasure in buying on her trip to Texas.  Annie delighted in all the lovely compliments she was given by young and old, she had suddenly become interested in Annie.  She had not had a very easy life, she had 5 children by the time she reached the age of 25, this was no mean task to say the least. Her confidence and self-esteem was always put on the backburner because her kids just had to come first and Annie second, it was just her way.  Maybe she had deprived herself all those years of being herself that she actually forgot she was Annie, she just thought of herself as a wife and mother with no rights of her own, perhaps that’s why she gained so much confidence in herself; almost overnight, she had suddenly become an expert in a field she really knew nothing about, but liked the person she had become because of her love for clothes, her newfound Hobby.

Before embarking on her holiday to Texas Annie had no Hobbies, she simply did not have the time to spend titivating herself, her words not mine.  For me and my siblings this newfound mum of ours was a little worrying, she was dressing up every day in her refinery, even wearing makeup….a rarity in those days, and meeting friends for lunch, so you can say she became a Lady who Lunches in a very short space of time, but she did look good, really good, and she knew it, and she made sure everybody else knew she looked good.

It goes without saying the main topic of the ladies conversations at these lunches were Annie’s clothes!  On the days she was not lunching with her new friends she was scouring all the local villages for little boutiques that could supply her with the unique clothing she had become accustomed to buying.  Of course none of them came up to scratch, there simply was no comparison with her Texas boutiques, and she took delight in telling the shop owners too.  On the odd occasions we would be dragged to these shops, kicking and screaming may I add, to be introduced to the proprietors, followed by a spate of gentle abuse from Annie advising the proprietor of how they had no idea than the man in the moon in buying techniques, and that they should take some lessons from the Americans!  Oh Lord, please let a big hole open up from nowhere and let me disappear, I was never that lucky.  Of course her generosity was faultless, we always came away from one of her hobby haunts sporting some new grossly overpriced piece of clothing, these generous gifts gave her so much pleasure, almost as much pleasure as if she was buying it for herself.  It doesn’t stop the guilt though, I would love to partake in her Hobby, suffice to say my bank balance would not survive one day shopping with her let alone everyday.

She outgrew her wardrobes as time went by, the buying of clothes did not slow up she continued EVERY DAY to shop.  When is this ever going to stop we thought.  My father never questions her about her Hobby because it makes him happy that she has finally got the time, money and inspiration to go out every day and shop purely for her, and that is exactly what she did, believe me, every day.

She has now taken over fully the third bedroom in their house with wall to wall wardrobe space, well that was only a matter of time I suppose.  These wardrobes are full of items of clothing, still unworn with price tags still intact.  One of the main things I have forgotten to mention is Annie never buys anything that she would term as cheap; her motto is You Get What You Pay For.  We all know she is right, but none of us can afford to go out to these little Boutiques she frequents every day and pay £100 for a tee shirt, we just cannot justify it, at the end of the day we had a very good teacher, I think she forgets that now.  On saying that, I suppose if I had a particular Hobby which I enjoyed and got as much pleasure out of as she does, and given her age, I suppose I could justify spending the obscene amounts of money that she spends every day, because when all is said and done, it is her only Hobby and it makes her so happy, my dad is not complaining because he knows she comes home every day with a story to tell and an armful of fancy shopping bags…….If she is happy, he is happy, it makes for an easy life.  Bless her heart…This article is written for my beautiful mum who I love with all my heart. I am very proud of her; she is an inspiration to us all, including the proprietors of her chosen Hobby Boutiques.  This is not the end of Annie’s story, it is just the beginning …………….watch this space.

Perhaps this is an IllNESS, we as a family, like to think of it as her Hobby………Unless you know different!

Source by Karen Phillips

Where do you find cheerleading gift baskets? Your local stores probably do not offer them. You may have trouble finding them online. That should not deter you in your search, though.

Cheerleading gift baskets are easy to make. They are fun, too. A small group of people can make gift baskets for every cheerleader in the school with little effort.

Most cheerleaders have 7 things in common – things on which great cheerleading gift baskets can be based.

1. love of sports
2. physical energy
3. physical skill
4. rhythm
5. loyalty
6. physical attractiveness
7. outgoing personality

Look at how you can create cheerleading gift baskets around those traits.

Love of Sports

Cheerleading gift baskets can look like soccer balls, footballs, basketballs, or volleyballs. Remove the “tops” from real balls, or make cheerleading gift baskets from ceramic planters/cookie jars shaped like balls. Your cheerleaders will appreciate the tie-in with what they love. If you use planters or cookie jars, they will last for years as a reminder of cheerleading days.

Physical Energy

Place a couple of energy bars in your cheerleading gift baskets to replenish cheerleaders’ supply. Small bags of trail mix are also good. Depending on your budget, you might include a gift card from a local sporting good store.

Physical Skill

How do you acknowledge physical skill? Give them helpful cheerleading books. Or go the opposite direction, and include comical fiction about those who are less physically skilled.

Rhythm

Music CDs are always appreciated, and will be a welcome addition to cheerleading gift baskets. Choose the music for its rhythm. Get music without lyrics. It doesn’t have to be classical music. Just concentrate on rhythm.

Loyalty

For girl cheerleaders, include hair ribbons and bows in team colors. Give all cheerleaders a small team mascot, if available. If you have started your gift baskets early, you might want to design a special “loyalty” gift at one of the online sites that prints photos on products. Choose a great cheerleading team photo, and have it printed on tee-shirts, mugs, or other items.

Physical Attractiveness

Every cheerleader, male or female, loves the mirror. Have small acrylic mirrors made in cheerleading poses. Have both female and male mirrors made to fit your team. Tuck the mirrors into your cheerleading gift baskets, or tie them to the gift baskets.

Outgoing Personality

Any “smiley” item makes a good gift basket stuffer. Look for “smiley” faces on mugs, character clip-on’s, relaxation balls, and other items. A good mug for cheerleading gift baskets would be one that includes adjectives such as “terrific” and “awesome” with a “smiley” sunshine face.

Helpful Tip

Gift baskets for the team’s cheerleaders will vary according to the age and gender of your cheerleaders. Every gift basket should, however, get across the message that you believe they did a great job and want them to know that.

Line your cheerleading gift baskets with tissue paper in team colors. Allow the paper to extend well above the balls. Finish off your gift baskets with large bows of ribbon in team colors.

By: Anna Hart

by Anna Hart

The fact is, as most UFO sceptics readily acknowledge, between 5 and 10 percent of all reported UFO incidents remain unidentified after investigation by those qualified to do so. This fact apparently excites the scientific, astrobiology, and SETI communities not one jot. Now I would maintain that a 5 to 10% level of hardcore UFO unknowns, over six decades on, worldwide, is a major scientific anomaly. It amounts to at least several thousand unexplained UFO incidents. I was under the impression that it was the role and duty of scientists to research the unknown, but apparently not when it comes to this subject.

On the 26th and 27th of December 1969, the American Association for the Advancement of Science held a symposium on UFOs. The papers were edited by Carl Sagan and Thorton Page and published by Cornell University Press. One of the contributors was the late James E. McDonald*, an atmospheric physicist at the University of Arizona. McDonald’s basic theme was to send a rocket up the proverbial butts of the overall scientific community for their near neglect of what he (and many laypeople) consider to be one of the top scientific anomalies of the 20th Century (and now of the 21st as well) – Unidentified Flying Objects.

Unfortunately, Dr. McDonald must surely be turning over in his grave because nothing has really changed since he presented that paper. Scientists and UFOs tend to party together in much the same way as oil and water mix.

Now any scientist with an open mind, albeit even a skeptical mind, has to acknowledge that between five and ten percent of all UFO reports remain bona fide UFO reports after investigation and analysis by those qualified to do so. Let’s make life simple and say the bona fide UFO unknown rate is 5% (or 19 out of 20). Let’s call these the hardcore UFOs – the residue that has been sifted out from the larger picture. Now is the hardcore UFO glass 95% empty and evaporating (if 19 out of 20 of UFOs are explainable, then 20 out of 20 are) or is the hardcore UFO glass 5% full (if 19 out of 20 are explainable, then it’s just 19 out of 20 that’s been explained, full stop)?

One of the main scientific arguments against UFOs being of any scientific interest is that if the substantial majority of UFO reports can be adequately explained (95%) then surely all could be if there was only sufficient information. Well, the USAF (as a typical government agency that was responsible for solving UFO sightings) had a category for ‘insufficient information’, as well as ‘possible’ this or ‘probable’ that. They also had a separate and apart category for ‘unknowns’. That is to say, they had sufficient information regarding a UFO sighting but hadn’t a clue as to what the object(s) were. That’s why they were tagged as ‘unknowns’. And that amounted to roughly five percent of all UFO sightings.

Okay, 19 out of 20 UFO reports prove to have prosaic explanations. Therefore the twentieth one has one as well. Sorry, the logic just isn’t there. The first and most obvious argument is that the 20th UFO sighting has been singled out as being different because it is different. It’s like having one green apple in a basket of 19 red apples. If all you see on the surface are red apples, that don’t mean there’s not a green apple buried below, yet that’s what those who should know better conclude. Yet in reality you can’t conclude anything about the color of the apples out of sight in the apple basket until such time as you investigate and examine the color of all the apples present.

Other examples where 19 out of 20 don’t equate of necessity to 20 out of 20: If you recover from the flu nineteen times in a row, that doesn’t mean you’ll recover the twentieth time. If the N.Y. Yankees will nineteen baseball games in a row, that doesn’t mean they’ll win number twenty. If you toss a coin and it lands heads nineteen times in a row, that’s no reason to believe the twentieth toss will be heads. Taking an example from real science, if 193 species of primates have fur, surely the 194th will have fur too. Alas, we’re the 194th – “The Naked Ape”.

Here’s a bit of an experiment that helps demonstrate that the 20th case can be the odd one out. Say you want to find out if relatively nonporous solid objects sink in fresh water. So you have a large bucket of fresh water, and into that bucket you toss an ordinary coin; a lump of glass; a lump of coal; a rock; a plastic comb; a brick; a lump of gold; a diamond; a china plate; a ball bearing; some copper wire; a piece of bone; a bit of cloth; a bowling ball; a CD; some lead shot; an aluminum ingot; a large salt crystal and a clam shell. That’s 19 items – they all sink, therefore you conclude that the next solid item you toss in will also sink – an ice cube. Oops; it’s back to the drawing board.

Of course the reluctance of scientists to come to terms with the bona fide UFO hardcore is really an issue central to the sociology of science. In particular, the negative findings of the University of Colorado (Condon Committee) report (1968) have been cited as a decisive factor in the generally low level of interest in UFO activity among academics since that time. That’s despite the fact that that report couldn’t adequately explain 30% of the UFO cases it investigated. Despite that historical anomaly, UFOs for better or worse acquaint to aliens and the ETH (extraterrestrial hypothesis). There’s something about aliens that translates into little green (or gray) men, fodder for the tabloids that has an overall aura as a ‘silly season’ filler when there’s no real news around. That’s not the sort of fodder scientists like to feed on.

But these UFO unknowns don’t have to be of necessity something that equates to alien intelligence therefore the UFO ETH.

Okay, maybe the hardcore UFOs are time travellers from our future – that’s one alternative. But then hardcore UFO unknowns aren’t clustered around significant historical events that would be must sees – the bread-and-butter of that time travel industry – to tourists and historians from our future.

An early UFO ETH theory was that UFOs were actual living but non-intelligent organisms that lived in outer space but now and again would dip into our atmosphere. No biologist could actually explain how such creatures could survive, far less thrive, in the harsh conditions of outer space. So, fluffy critters from outer space without benefit of a spaceship aren’t a likely option.

Some suggest that the hardcore represent some sort of totally new natural phenomena, except there’s no even theoretical underpinning for new natural phenomena, and after six decades, well that’s a total failure to come to terms with an easy way out of the hardcore mess. However, natural phenomena wouldn’t exhibit intelligent behaviour in any event, which the hardcore UFOs do. That’s why they often tend to be the hardcore. Yet, still there’s this observation about one UFO case studied by the University of Colorado under government contract to the USAF, headed by Dr. Edward Condon. The Condon Report, as it became known had this to say: “…this unusual sighting should therefore be assigned to the category of some almost certainly natural phenomenon, which is so rare that it apparently has never been reported before or since.” You’d think that would whet the appetite of any scientist eager to make a major discovery that leads to the road to Stockholm (and a Nobel Prize). Apparently that’s just not the case. Hardcore UFO sightings, even as an apparent natural phenomenon are taboo.

Regardless, ET, space critters, time travellers, unknown natural phenomena, whatever, scientists cannot claim the hardcore UFO issue settled while those unknowns remain. They are derelict in their duty by ignoring them, hoping they’ll just ‘go away’. It’s not good enough for scientists to say ‘if 19 out of 20, therefore 20 out of 20, and go on their merry way washing their hands of the otherwise reality that that logic is faulty. They need to prove that assertion, not ignore it. Translated, they’ve got to put up or shut up. 

Some might claim that it’s the alleged nature of the unknowns as claimed by the believers that puts the onus on them to prove their case. That would be so if they claimed the hardcore UFO unknowns were proof that UFOs were piloted by ET. However, while a few sprout that line (and if they do they should put up or shut up), a majority of pro-UFO people, believers if you will, just point to the unknowns as evidence (not proof – evidence and proof are two different things) that supports the UFO ETH. Unfortunately, if the UFO ETH is really true, proof of that tends to be out of the hands of the believers since if ET doesn’t want to be caught out, he/she/it won’t be – that’s the advantage of having advanced intelligence. You outsmart lesser intelligence. So the lesser intelligence needs the cooperation (or an unintended slipup – Roswell?) of the greater alien intelligence, and we’re not getting it. Of course if there is really no ET associated with the hardcore UFO residue, then that explains that. 

But nearly all UFO believers just really believe that there’s a case to be answered for that lone 20th hardcore UFO event, regardless of what the explanation turns out to be. And the best people to find out that explanation(s) are scientists, yet scientists ignore the challenge as they did in Dr. McDonald’s day; as they continue to do well into the 21st Century.  

*McDonald, James E.; Science in default: twenty-two years of inadequate UFO investigations; (in) Page, Thornton & Sagan, Carl (Editors); UFO’s: A Scientific Debate; Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York; 1972; pages 52-122.

Source by John Prytz

A list of wedding gift ideas that is truly unique and specific towards the happy couple’s interests. Instead of getting the bride and groom the traditional wedding gifts, try to find gifts that they really want and will cherish. Gifts that fit into their lifestyle will be the most appreciated and create lasting memories.

For the wine, champagne, and martini lovers: These couple’s love to sip their favorite drinks over dinner or when visiting with friends and consider themselves experts in all things wine related. A martini set complete with shakers and personalized glasses. Favorite bottles of champagne, red or white wine will always be appreciated. Personalized barware to complete the home bar includes items like: ice buckets, carafes, shakers, serving glasses, beer mugs, beer steins, and coasters. Last but not least would be a wine vacation package that includes wine tours and tasting experiences at various wineries.

For the adventurous couples: These couple will love to go places and have experiences that terrify the rest of us, but more power to them for their adventurous spirit. Hot air balloon rides, safaris, expeditions and camping trips are all unique and wonderful ideas not often thought of, but that this couple especially will appreciate. They even sell outdoor gift certificate packages online where the happy couple can pick their ultimate outdoor adventure. Of course they don’t always need to go to some exotic place to have adventure, we have national parks right here that are full of amazing views and wonderful adventures just waiting to be had.

For the do-it-yourselfers: This couple will love to fix up their houses, lawns or anything else that needs tending to. They spend most of their time talking about new projects and love to show of their hard work. Gift certificates to a home improvement store of their choice would be the easiest as you might not know what exactly their plans are without giving the gift away. Another idea would be to get decorative items for their home or lawn, but again you have to make sure you know what they like and buy accordingly. Tastes differ quite a lot, so make sure you at least include the receipt so that way if they want something different they can get it without feeling bad.

For the artists: This couple will have impeccable taste and may not be very easy to buy for. They will love collectable items, some that are hard to find and authentic is the name of the game. Pictures and paintings depicting various works of art are sure to be a hit, provided you know what their unique tastes are. Items of value like crystal, collectable dishes, or rarities are other highly sought after items of interest. This couple is tricky to buy gifts for, so again make sure you know what their tastes are and if in doubt, gift certificates are always a nice gesture or make sure they get the receipt, that way it saves you from getting a gift they may not want.

For the practical couples: This couple will not want a huge fuss over their wedding or any other occasion. Simple is the name of this game and items that create memories will be more cherished and greatly appreciated in the long run. Personalized items for the home to help remind them of their happy day would be best. Items like: blankets, pillows, barware, wedding DVD’s, unity candles, photo albums, picture frames, his and hers towels, shirts or robes are useful gifts. They will also love bride and groom candies, chocolate covered strawberries, chocolates or gift baskets personalized especially for them.

For the couples that travel: This couple is always on the go and lead very productive corporate lives. Items for the home can be nice, but chances are they won’t be there often enough to truly enjoy these items. This couple needs items that can enhance their busy lives, help them stay organized and complete their professional attire. Personalized luggage with a luggage tag that helps them easily identify their luggage in an airport is considered a lifesaver. Garment bags, his and hers manicure sets, ID holders, passport holders and overnight bags are all items that can be personalized or imprinted with a company logo. These items will make traveling much easier and you know they will be used and of course appreciated.

For the love bugs: This couple is always holding hands and giggling at their own personal jokes. They’re so cute to watch and everybody wishes them the best in their future. Spa packages for two or dinner reservations for two are the kind of gifts made for this couple. They’ll love the idea of a relaxing weekend away for just the two of them and will especially appreciate your thoughtfulness. Some other ideas would be to hire a chef for the day or the weekend, bed and breakfast getaway, honeymoon of choice or a simple weekend getaway of their choice. They’ll love all of these as long as they get time to be alone together and the best part is gifts like this create wonderful memories.

For the fitness buffs and health lovers: This couple is extremely committed to leading a healthy lifestyle and everything in their lives will be centered on staying healthy and living a full life. Paid memberships to a favorite gym is something that is sure to be used. Maybe they want to find new ways to stay fit? If that’s they case, try getting them dance lessons, classes to yoga, palates, swim aerobics, boxing lessons, karate lessons or any other classes they may be interested in. This couple will always be earth friendly so any gift that promotes a greener earth will also be greatly appreciated.

All these gifts can be given to all different types of couple’s; this is just a short list to help spark some ideas to life. Gifts that are personalized towards the couple hold more meaning and tend to be cherished for a long time because they always remind the couple of their special day in time. The trick to finding the perfect wedding gift is to make sure you buy something that is specific toward each couples wants and needs, not items that you think they may like. The true art of gift giving comes from knowing what each person’s unique tastes are and giving from the heart. Happy Shopping 🙂

Source by Angelique Ellerman

There are so many new Network marketing companies launching their business in the past 6 months worldwide.

It has become more difficult for opportunity seekers to decide which company that they should join. It is disheartening that 95% of company fail within 24 months. In order not be to a part of this statistics, the best way is to look at the reasons why they fail.

These are the four major reasons why a company fail

1) Management team

a) The management team is very crucial to ensure the success of any companies. In the network marketing industry, it is very important to have someone with network marketing experience in the team. This person must have proven track records of running successful companies.

b) A strong company should consist of a team from various expertises. The whole team must consist of expert from management, marketing, financial and research team.

2) Product

a) The product must satisfy a market demand. It should be in front of the market trend. If you have a product that solves people financial challenge during the recession time, then you found a hot selling product.

b) In order for the company to remain in the business, it should have more than one product to market. Company with only one product is like putting all the egg in one basket and eventually it will reach saturation.

c) A very important consideration is: Does the company produce their own products or they are just another distributor for other company? The benefit of manufacturing their own product is to ensure highest quality and constant supply to the market.

d) The market that company products served should not be seasonal in nature. If the company is selling Christmas decoration products, then they are going to have sales during the year end and it will have difficulties to survive throughout the year.

e) The company’s product must be able to pass the following screen test “Would people buy these products if an income opportunity were not attached to them?” Are the products or services fairly priced? This is an acid test that the products are in demand and that is vital to any network marketing companies to remain in business.

So these are few key factors about product that you must take into consideration

3) System for effective training and support

a) A proven training system is crucial for any network marketing companies to stay in business. It must consist of marketing and products training. Most companies focus too much in product training but neglect marketing training. This is fatal as product does not move until it is market to right audience.

b) A support system to help distributors to sell products and recruit members must be in place. There must be seminar or webinar where distributor can lead the prospects to find out more information.

It is important to find a company with a support system that helps network marketing reps to grow their business.

4) Change in compensation plan too often

A new company in order to attract more distributors to join would do so by paying them a higher commission up front. This is perfectly fine if the company’s sale volume increased and the running cost can be averaged down.

Problem started when the sales volume does not match the company expectation. The company is not making enough profit to sustain their operation. The obvious thing for the company to do is lower their payout commission.

No distributor likes to make less money than they used to be. So a lot of distributors started to switch to another company. As a result, especially in the case of newly started network marketing companies, the resultant drop in sales volume is hurting them so badly. They may eventually have to shut down their operation.

So any companies offer you a high payout plan especially they are new, please be very cautious as they may eventually has to face the issue of sustainability.

These are few of the important consideration before you decide to become the distributors for that company. If you have been careful with your selection and with your commitment to grow this business, you will be successful in a very short time.

by Ngoh Kwong Meng

In 1991, when the then Finance Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh opened India to globalization, he ushered in a change in the banking industry too. Multinational banks soon found their way into the thriving Indian market, vying for a piece of the huge billion customer Indian market pie. Things became better for the customer too! More providers meant increased efficiency in the Indian banking sector, which was then a bureaucratic setup. The changed rules also completely changed the factors that customers consider when they open bank accounts today. To understand it better, let’s look at the changes that a modern customer has gone through since then.
When You Open a Bank Account: The Changed Rules

Location And Networks Do Not Matter:
If you ever tried to open a bank account in the past, you will know that customers always preferred banks that were closer to their home and had a large network all over the country. But with technology, this condition has become irrelevant. As a customer, you can take your bank with you wherever you go. No matter where in the world you are and what time it is, all you need is an internet connection and you can transact at lightning speed.

Watch Out For Allied Services:
 In the past, when customers would open a bank account, they were looking for just plain vanilla banking services. Competition today has ensured that bankers sell mutual funds, insurance and a basket of other services. Loans are increasingly available to a larger segment of the population. Hence, a customer today thinks about how large the banking group is and how can they help him meet his overall needs when he opens a bank account with them.

Watch Out For E-Banking and M-Banking:
 It is not only convenient but financially more viable to subscribe to e-banking and m-banking. Any bank that doesn’t provide you these services is robbing you of a truckload of discounts and promotional schemes. Today’s customer will simply refuse to open an account if the bank doesn’t have a robust IT system in place.

Watch Out For Commitment To Services:
 Lastly, the Indian customer has been fed up with beauracratic banks. He has very little patience with regards to service delays. It is for this reason that some banks even provide cash delivery at home to keep their customer base intact. It is such service that inspires word of mouth confidence, and more and more friends and relatives of a customer open accounts with the same bank.

To conclude, technology and professionalism have changed the Indian banking industry for the better. Today’s customers have totally different expectations and aspirations as compared to their traditional counterparts.

Source by Winston Jenkins

Giving Valentine gift baskets is a great way to let your loved ones know just how much you love and care for them. Here are some ways on how to put together gift baskets that would be perfect for Valentine’s Day.

Valentine gift baskets usually are representative of the love and appreciation that the giver has for the receiver. They could be packed with different goodies such as flowers, chocolates, mini vials of perfumes and colognes, candy, cake or wine. There are some who would include items like gold jewelry such as necklaces, pendants and others. There are also those who include some electronic gadgets such as mobile phones, MP3 players and others. Although the contents could vary, the messages that Valentine gift baskets send are typically the same.

For men who plan to give these gift baskets to their girlfriends, they could probably put together two champagne goblets that have been beautifully hand-painted that would be used for a dinner that they could share. The basket could contain some chocolates and flowers, as well as some hand and foot soaks, lotions, massage oils and creams. Gift baskets for ladies could also include beauty products that would surely be appreciated like make-up and other beautification creams. Another good idea would be a basket filled with snack food like cookies and candy bars and even gourmet foods. Also a good idea would be a gift basket that has a touch of some beautiful jewelry.

As for women looking for items that they could put together for their boyfriends, there are also a lot of options that they could use to create the perfect gift basket for men. Some great ideas would be a CD with all his favorite songs or a DVD of his favorite movie. Toiletries and grooming products such as cologne, shaving lotions, deodorants, body sprays and bath products would be great for the beauty-conscious man. You could also mix some electronic gadgets with accessories such as sunglasses, a wallet or a wristwatch.

Source by Online Shopping

The date of June 15th will be here before you know it. It’s time now to get crackin’ on a strategy that will provide you with a selection of cool Father’s Day gifts to consider. So what’s a smart solution to meet the challenge of providing Dad with a token of your affection and appreciation for putting up with you all of these years? 

Father’s Day Gift Baskets is an excellent idea to consider. Why? First, there is an abundance of themes with this type of gift – one of which Pop might find most pleasing to receive. Secondly, they can be shopped for and purchased in an extremely efficient and time saving manner. Let’s now examine the first reason.

What kind of hobbies and interests do typical Dad’s find interesting? How about ideas such as golf, NASCAR, motorcycles, sports, trucks, gourmet food, cigars, handyman stuff, movies, casinos, coffee, junk food or general “guy stuff”? Well, there are cool Father’s Day gifts in a basket that have all of these mentioned themes and more. 

You can capture a theme that dear ol’ Dad finds appealing and focus on that alone when you buy a gift basket. All of the contents within the basket or creative container are related to that specific idea alone to peak his level of interest. Imagine his eyes when he opens the package and discovers items that are related to his passion. He will know that you did your homework! 

Ok, so there is a high probability that there is a gift basket that specializes in something that will make Dad a happy camper. But how do you find the one that you know will make his day and get it into his hands by June 15th? 

Just go online and let technology make your life easier. Use your favorite search engine whether it is Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc and type in the specific type of gift basket that you are looking for. It might take only a few minutes, if that, to find the cool Father’s Day gifts idea that will make Dad forget the challenges and grey hairs that you gave him so generously over the years.

The next step after finding the best gift within your budget is to fill out the shipping, billing and safe credit card information. You can also type in a personal message to show that you wish Pop only the best. Your thoughts can be expressed from a perspective of love and respect to some good-natured ribbing that he would find uniquely your own. The gift can be shipped anywhere including Dad’s own doorstep. How’s that for efficiency and convenience?  

Take the advice of aGiftBasketParadise.com and get a Father’s Day Gift Basket with a theme that Dad would identify with. Stand out from your other siblings and be Dad’s favorite among the cast of characters in your family!

Source by Brian Connors

Creating your own baskets to give as gifts is really easy and fun. You can save money by making them yourself instead of buying them from a trendy store. You could also start a home based gift basket business. You only need a few simple supplies to get started.

Supplies:

Basket (base container)
Filler (shreds)
Clear Cellophane Bag or Basket Wrap
Ribbon (to tie off the bag)
Ribbon (to make a bow)
Gift Tag
Product Fillers
Scissors

You don’t have to fill your basket with all of the following product suggestions. The suggestions are just to help you with your creative process.

Try to be creative with your bases. Instead of using baskets, you can use: Chip ‘N Dip bowls, ice buckets, cleaning buckets, plastic bins, popcorn bowls or for the sportsman themes, try using small tackle boxes and tool boxes.

Now let’s get you started with some theme ideas for your gift baskets.

1. Movie Night – 2 movie tickets, 3 bags of microwave popcorn, bonus-sized candy packages, DVD movies

2. Grilling – oven mitts, BBQ apron, seasoning mixes, bottles of marinades, BBQ sauce, small grilling accessories, grilling cookbook

3. Handyman – hammer, screw drivers, wrenches, nails, screws, bolts, washers, measuring tape, honey-to-do list pad

4. Fisherman – fishing hooks, sinkers, flies, bobbers, fishing line, small tackle box, fishing books

5. Grooming – razors, shaving cream, aftershave lotion, cologne, shower gel, soaps, nail grooming accessories, male hair care products

6. Games – poker playing cards, poker chips, dice, score pads, pencils, snacks, handheld electronic games

7. Snacks – potato chips, pretzels, cheese curls, snack mix, popcorn, candy, peanuts

8. Coffee Lover – coffee mug, coffee commuter cup, 2 bags of coffee, coffee shop gift card

9. Meat and Cheese – 3 different sausages, cheeses and crackers

10. Football Fan – Nerf football, chips, pretzels, jar of salsa, jar of cheese sauce, nacho chips, peanuts and a few small items featuring their favorite team.

11. Best Dressed Man – tie, tie tack, cuff links, cologne, watch, wallet, key fob, belt

12. Mexican Night – taco chips, mild salsa, hot salsa, chipotle cheese sauce, jar of hot peppers, can of refried beans, gift card to local Mexican restaurant, bandana

13. Car Care – sponges, drying cloths, cleaning products, steering wheel cover, gift card to local car wash, gift card to local car parts store

14. Traveling Man – toiletries travel bag and travel-sized: shampoo, conditioner, shave cream, razors, after shave, deodorant, shower gel, soaps

15. Dog Lover – dog book, bones, treats, leash, collar, clean-up waste bags, shampoo, dog toys and a disposable camera.

I hope these 15 theme ideas have sparked the creative process in you.

Source by Shelly Hill