First, now you can easily remember our website address. Just go to www.allaboutworship.com. Our old domain name is still valid as well, but we figured it's easier to remember a .com than a .info.

Second, the All About Worship Podcast is now partnering with record labels and artists more than ever before. We will be doing a lot of CD reviews on the show as well as on our website. We will also be giving away LOTS of CDs! Be sure to visit our website and subscribe to the podcast for your chance to win.

Third, We are also working on providing more content, especially for training up worship leaders and teams. Here is an article that you can find on our website:

Developing Your Vocal Confidence
by Gayle Bamberger (Musicademy)

1. Learn to breathe properly so that your breath is constantly and consistently supporting your singing voice. Take some time to do breathing exercises before you perform – this will not only improve your breath support but aid in relaxing you also.

2. Get your posture right so that your legs, hips, back and abs are supporting you.

3. Open your mouth wider, particularly on the high notes, and project your voice as much as possible. Use diaphragm pushes for more support.

4. Warm up properly so your voice is in top form. Do stretches as well to relieve any tension your body may be carrying.

Visit our website to read the full article. If you're a vocalist, I think you will find it helpful. If you would like to submit an article for our website, email it to article(at)allaboutworship(dot)com.

The European Union’s immigration pact offers a promise of tighter controls but may have little real effect

IMMIGRATION has Europe in a pickle. With ageing populations and low birth rates, the European Union needs more people. But EU countries are already taking in plenty of foreigners (see chart), and many struggle to integrate. Popular resentment of immigration is increasing, and may rise further as economies slow and unemployment climbs. Meanwhile hundreds of illegal migrants risk life and limb on leaky boats to get to Europe every week.

France’s Nicolas Sarkozy has made immigration a centrepiece of the French EU presidency. As interior minister he took a hard line on immigration, which helped win him votes in the 2007 presidential election. The new “pact” on immigration and asylum, due to be adopted by an EU summit in mid-October, is his idea.

Its main justification is that, given free movement of people around the EU, different national policies no longer make sense, especially in the passport-free Schengen area. The pact suggests common approaches: immigration should be more selective (a “blue card” modelled on America’s green card will try to lure highly skilled migrants); and illegal immigration should be tightly controlled, with more returns and beefed-up border controls.

The main new idea is to scrap mass amnesties for illegal immigrants, such as Spain’s in 2005, on the ground that these simply lure in more people. Denmark won support for tough language that seeks to stop laws on freedom of movement from encouraging illegal immigration. To Malta’s relief, countries receiving large numbers of asylum-seekers will be able to share the burden (and cost) with others.

Asylum and immigration have fallen within the EU’s competence since the Amsterdam treaty in 1997. Five-year work plans were agreed in Tampere in 1999 and The Hague in 2004; a third is due to be adopted under the Swedish EU presidency next year. Is the new pact a sign of French dissatisfaction with this process? Eurocrats hope it will create new impetus. But it also puts more stress on direct co-operation between governments, cutting out Brussels.

Will the pact make much practical difference? Bureaucrats are poor at guessing future labour-market needs. Europe is in a global competition to attract talent, but most EU members are disadvantaged by language: English is the new lingua franca. The blue card is less generous than others, notes a forthcoming report from Bruegel, a Brussels-based think-tank. It covers a shorter period than the green card, for instance.

The pact invokes the concept of circular migration to argue that immigration can benefit both sending and receiving countries. Unlike previous guest-worker schemes, the pact suggests, improved technology will mean that more people really will go home. But some will not. And an OECD report suggests it can be inefficient for employers to retrain staff rather than retain experienced workers for longer.

The pact’s proposed sanctions on employers of illegal immigrants are also controversial. Businessmen complain that the red tape for employers who want to hire third-country nationals is already onerous, and that their role is not to act as government snoopers for illegal migrants.

Enforcing departures, the ultimate sanction, remains slow and costly. Estimates of illegal immigrants in the EU range from 4m to 8m, with half a million more arriving every year. Yet even hawkish France sent back only 25,000 in 2007. A new directive on returns, criticised by some developing-country governments, may ensure that more are sent back.

So far this year, patrols have stopped 20,000 people trying to cross the Mediterranean. But they may just displace migrants to other, easier routes. The EU’s southern and eastern borders remain porous. And suggestions that more avenues for legal migration might reduce demand for the illegal variety seem wrong. Rapid population growth and high unemployment in Europe’s near-abroad, plus a huge income gap, all argue otherwise.

If the goal were to strengthen links between immigration and development, the answer would be to make a case for more open borders. But that goes far beyond what politicians think voters will stomach. For now, the illusion of tighter immigration controls confers domestic political benefits, even as its failings are ignored.

Inside the empty venue, the house lights were all up, band gear was strewn across the floor where hundreds of fans would later gather in fervent droves, and some non-fraternal bandmates were jamming to a thick, funky bassline and intermittent bursts of jokey synth-sax on stage. The brothers emerged (more friendly and less blonde than expected), hands were shaken (one tiny victory for my twelve-year-old self!) and the strange fiddly, tweaky process of sound-check began. There was some issue with a keyboard (it was turned off) but once that was fixed (solution: turn it on), we caught the guys playing a new track, “Follow Your Lead,” plus “Great Divide,” from 2006's The Walk.

As we were wrapping up, a slew of women (plus two guys-- we counted) were being escorted into the middle rows for a photograph of all the participants in a one-mile barefoot walk the band had sponsored that afternoon in Atlanta. Turns out, they host one at almost every tour stop to raise awareness for global poverty, education and AIDS initiatives. Whatever you once thought of “MMMBop,” you've got to applaud a band for using its clout for such serious good.

Outside, the line was longer than I'd ever seen for any other Variety show, spooling well down the block with three hours to go. We couldn't make it out to the show, but we'll be sharing our sound-check footage with you this week. Our footage of their second take of “Follow Your Lead” is live for your enjoyment today, with “The Great Divide” coming soon.

Head to the source for a video!

Like many other pre-teen girls in 1997, I was sucked into Hanson's infectious hit "Mmmbop." Shortly after I acquired a cassette tape of that first album, full-blown obsession ensued. I plastered my bedroom walls with tear-out posters from magazines like Bop and TigerBeat. I had an entire box of floppy disks full of pictures of Taylor-my favorite-that I had downloaded from the newfangled Internet. My friends and I would gush about which brother we would marry in between bites of PB&J in the school cafeteria. Eventually I had to save up my precious allowance to buy their album on CD because my cassette copy was burnt out from nonstop play. Sadly though, I never did get to see them perform live. That is, until this Friday.

That's right-after eleven years of undying devotion, I'm finally getting to see Hanson in concert.

Most people laugh when they hear me talk about it because they're surprised Hanson is still around (and because of the deviance from my normal taste in music). So let me just say once and for all: yes, they're still around. In fact, they're fiercely talented musicians and song stylists who released three more studio albums since that fateful first. They are also making a name for themselves in the world of philanthropy with their work toward ending AIDS and poverty in Africa.

Of course I'm stoked for the concert, but I can't say the same for my girlfriend. This will be the second concert that I have had to drag her to within the past year (the first was Smashing Pumpkins last November). This time, it isn't because she doesn't like the music-it's because she knows I'll be swooning over Taylor Hanson the whole time.

I'm not sure why Taylor transcends sexuality lines for me, but I have never gotten over my schoolgirl crush on him. He's just so beautiful. And that voice; I could go on about that forever. I guess there are some things that just can't be explained-like a couple of dykes at a Hanson concert.

Read all about the concert at Brook's blog: brook-taylor.blogspot.com

For more information on Hanson, visit www.hanson.net

Source

Rein yourself in for a moment. Consolidation may be the perfect solution to your financial woes and then again it may not be. So before you jump on the consolidation bandwagon, here are a few things you might want to consider.

Are Lenders Axing Consolidation Loans?

In an effort to remedy some inequities in the federal student aid programs, Congress recently enacted the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, which among other provisions, cuts lender subsidies that have historically been in place to encourage lenders to participate in the federal education loan programs. This legislation, in concert with the recent subprime mortgage credit crisis, has lenders taking a closer look at whether education loans continue to be profitable for them.

Higher education leaders anticipate that lenders may cut back on the Stafford and PLUS loan incentives and discounts previously offered to attract borrowers--and eliminate them altogether for consolidation loans. Consolidation loans, with the tightest profit margin of all education loans, may even be on the chopping block for some lenders while others may increase the minimum balance that qualifies a borrower for a consolidation loan.

Even if lenders back out of the consolidation loan business, consolidation is still available through the federal Direct Consolidation Loan program, but the government doesn't offer the incentives and discounts that lenders have long been using to attract borrowers.

Are Interest Rates Coming Down?

Stafford Loan and PLUS variable interest rates, which are based on a formula that includes the interest rate of the most recent 91-day T bill, change every July 1; rates are expected to drop significantly on July 1, 2008. This decrease should make the educational loan variable interest rates very attractive. Because the interest rate for a consolidation loan is calculated using a weighted average of all interest rates for all of the loans you would include in consolidation, you may want to wait until after July 1 to make a more informed decision.

Consolidation: Thumbs Up or Down?

To consolidate or not to consolidate: that is the question. But there's no easy answer.

Consolidation may be a good idea if:

• You have a variable interest rate and would rather have a fixed rate. This may be a good idea but you might want to wait and consider it only if interest rates start going back up. And, what happens if variable interest rates stay down or drop below your fixed rate?

• You have a variety of loans and lenders and would like to have only one lender. One problem--you may have to 'pay' for the convenience by accepting a higher interest rate on some of your loans.

• You need more flexible repayment options. Repayment options available through consolidation are:

Standard - fixed monthly payments.

Graduated - start out with low payments and increase every 2 years.

Extended - for amounts greater than $30,000, either a fixed or graduated option.

Income contingent - based on annual income and total loan debt, with a payment adjustment every year as income changes. The FFEL program offers income sensitive repayment, which bases monthly payments on a percentage of income.

Although the Stafford Loan programs offer flexible repayment options, the Perkins Loan program currently does not. Note: An income-based repayment option will become available for FFEL and Direct Stafford, Perkins, Grad PLUS, and Federal Consolidation (less undergrad PLUS) loan borrowers on July 1, 2009.

• You absolutely need to ease up on your monthly payments. Beware of this option. A lower payment generally means a longer repayment period and paying more interest over time.

Consolidation may not be a good idea if:

• Any of the loans you plan to include have cancellation or forgiveness options that may be lost if you consolidate.

The Perkins Loan Program, for example, has a cancellation option if you teach in certain public school service professions or subject areas or in certain designated low income schools.

Portions of a Stafford Loan may be eligible for cancellation if you teach full time for five consecutive years in a low income school. (Under certain circumstances, this option may also be available for consolidation loans.)

• Your current lender offers rebates (such as an annual reduction in your interest rate) for successive on-time payments. You would lose this option if you consolidate and, as previously mentioned, lenders may be phasing out incentives for consolidation loans.

• You consolidate during your grace period(s). The remainder of your grace period is lost.

• You've already substantially reduced the amount you owe. Because consolidation generally extends your repayment period, often with an increased interest rate, you may ultimately end up paying more.

Research and Conquer

Unfortunately the answer to whether or not consolidation is right for you is..."it depends." To find out, collect information about what federal loans you have (Perkins, FFEL, PLUS, and Direct Loan programs) by accessing the National Student Loan Data System (nslds.ed.gov). Collect information about any private educational loans you have directly from your lender(s). Take the loan information and find an online consolidation loan calculator to help you determine how your loan repayments may change through consolidation.

Then ask yourself the following questions:

• Am I willing to pay higher interest or extend my repayment period and pay more interest over time?

• Am I going to lose any loan cancellation options or incentives for which I'm currently eligible?

• Can I afford my current payments without consolidating?

• Would consolidation actually make my payments significantly more affordable?

• Does the 'lower payment now' benefit offset the 'pay more for longer' downside of consolidation?

You can see that the decision whether or not to consolidate is not black and white. It is an individual decision--it may work for some and not for others. Because there are long term implications to consolidation, do your research and weigh the pros and cons carefully. When all of the evidence is in, you should be able to decide whether or not a consolidation loan is the answer for you.

Kelli Smith is the senior editor for http://www.Edu411.org Edu411 is a career education directory for finding colleges and universities, training schools, and technical institutes.

Student Loans Under Fire - Forbes
The outlook is bleak for those fresh-faced college kids trying to get ahead because many of them will not be able to get student loans this year. In the latest example of the threat against student loan funding, College Loan's Chief Executive Cary
Source: www.forbes.com

Student Loans Feel the Pinch - US News and World Report
The widening subprime mortgage crisis has snared another traditionally safe corner of the credit markets: student loans. Many parents and students lining up college financing this spring will find fewer companies offering loans and, for private loans
Source: www.usnews.com

Last-Minute Student Loans Are Still Available - US News and World Report
Students and parents have had to search harder, wait longer, pay more, and—in at least a few cases—post pleas for funding on the Web. But most of the nearly 9 million education borrowers this fall appear to be getting the loans they need. At
Source: www.usnews.com


benefits-for-students

Personally I think it would be great to see flat roof top space be used in such a way.  It might not solve all the nations energy problems but it could be a way for businesses and building owners to lower their dependency on carbon producing energy such as coal.  Of course only time will tell whether or not this is a solution that is actually practical.  Still I like the idea and look forward to hear more about it.

Nous prendrons en exemple Business Garden et Nowhere Else et validerons leur influence médiatique par le biais du classement Wikio.

Le premier élément indispensable pour la réussite d'un blog est sa ligne éditoriale.

Pour Business Garden et Nowhere Else, elles sont claires. Il s'agit du monde du web associé respectivement au marketing-business et à l'High-Tech.

Grâce à cela, les visiteurs sont clairement ciblés et savent quels types d'informations ils vont pouvoir recueillir sur chaque blog.

Le deuxième élément primordial est la fréquence d'édition.

Avec une parution régulière  (plus de 1,5 article par jour), vous mettrez quelques années à obtenir une médiatisation importante dans votre domaine de compétence.

C'est le cas de Business Garden.

Ce blog existe depuis le 10 septembre 2004 et son auteur a écrit 2598 articles en l'espace de 1490 jours environ, soit une moyenne de 1, 75 article par jour.

Cette fréquence de parution a amené Business Garden à être reconnu dans son domaine d'édition et lui permet d'atteindre la place de 9ème dans le classement Marketing de Wikio.

Mais, par contre, au classement général, il se situe relativement loin, en 155ème position

Pour Nowhere Else, c'est le phénomène inverse qui a lieu.

Ce blog est beaucoup plus jeune que Business Garden. Il est né le 13 aout 2007.

Par contre, son créateur se révèle être un frénétique de l'écriture.

En effet, Il avait déjà publié à la date anniversaire de son site 1248 articles soit 3,5 articles par jour.

Grâce à cette stratégie de publication, il a atteint la 5ème position dans le classement général wikio.

C'est donc une magnifique place pour un blog qui a juste un peu plus d'un an d'existence.

La fréquence d'écriture est donc le gage d'une forte médiatisation  même si d'autres éléments entrent en jeu comme votre style d'écriture, l'expression de votre opinion, votre talent littéraire, vos scoops, etc...

Mais sans une ligne éditoriale précise et une fréquence de publication avoisinant les 1,5 article par jour, vous êtes sur de ne pas devenir très médiatique dans la blogosphère...

The End Of Innocence

The Twenty Dollar Suit

In The Shadow Of The Cathedral Of Learning

Life Is Art

Pittsburgh Snow

California Dreamin'

Oakland Nights

Uptown

Schenley Park

All I have to say is, "oh really?" Could they pick a more obvious title for their article?

Le candidat démocrate à la présidentielle américaine Barack Obama, le 6 octobre 2006 à Ashville, en Caroline du Nord © AFP Stan Honda

NAIROBI

L'auteur américain d'un livre réquisitoire contre le candidat démocrate à la présidentielle américaine Barack Obama, arrêté mardi à Nairobi où il devait présenter son ouvrage, devait être expulsé du Kenya dans la soirée, a-t-on appris de source gouvernementale.

"La décision a été prise de l'expulser ce (mardi) soir car il a fraudé les lois de l'immigration", a indiqué à l'AFP un haut responsable du gouvernement sous couvert de l'anonymat, sans donner plus de précisions.

Une source aéroportuaire, qui a également requis l'anonymat, a confirmé que Jerome Corsi devait être expulsé mardi soir.

M. Corsi, militant conservateur et auteur de "La nation Obama: gauchisme et culte de la personnalité" devait présenter son livre mardi matin lors d'une conférence de presse dans un grand hôtel de la capitale kényane.

Ce pamphlet, qui rencontre un fort succès aux Etats-Unis où il est sorti début août, décrit le candidat démocrate à la Maison Blanche comme un gauchiste radical, drogué, qui tente de cacher ses "liens étendus avec l'islam".

M. Obama est chrétien mais de nombreux sites d'extrême droite mettent régulièrement en doute sa foi.

M. Corsi avait été interpellé mardi matin puis "détenu par les services de l'immigration" kényane, avait précédemment annoncé un haut responsable policier, niant que l'arrestation de l'auteur soit liée à son livre.

"Comme pour toute autre personne, nous sommes préoccupés par ses documents d'immigration. Nous ne sommes intéressés ni par le livre, ni par qui il concerne. Il s'agit de la loi du Kenya", avait ajouté le policier.

"The Obama Nation" a été tiré à 475.000 exemplaires et l'ouvrage a été commandé en grande quantité par de nombreux groupes conservateurs américains.

Le livre décrit aussi le père de M. Obama, aujourd'hui décédé et originaire du Kenya, comme un "alcoolique polygame".

Le camp Obama a promis de répondre "vigoureusement aux calomnies" de M. Corsi.

Selon un communiqué annonçant son point de presse, M. Corsi avait l'intention de "révéler des liens secrets" entre M. Obama "et de hauts responsables gouvernementaux kényans", "leurs liens à des groupes sectaires au Kenya, et un complot à venir au Kenya si le sénateur Obama gagne la présidentielle américaine".

Le père de M. Obama était issu de l'ethnie luo, dont est également issu le nouveau Premier ministre kényan, Raila Odinga, actuellement en déplacement hors du Kenya.

Ce pays d'Afrique de l'Est a traversé début 2008 l'une de ses pires crises politiques, provoquée par le rejet de l'opposition de la réélection du président Mwai Kibaki, issu de l'ethnie kikuyu, lors de la présidentielle du 27 décembre 2007.

Candidat de l'opposition, M. Odinga avait accusé M. Kibaki de lui avoir volé la victoire.

Les violences politico-ethniques ont fait environ 1.500 morts et plus de 300.000 déplacés. A l'issue de pourparlers de paix, un accord de partage du pouvoir a été signé, créant notamment un poste de Premier ministre attribué à M. Odinga.

M. Corsi avait écrit en 2004 un livre anti-Kerry "Unfit for Command" (Pas apte à diriger) qui accusait le candidat démocrate à la Maison Blanche en 2004 John Kerry d'avoir menti sur ses états de service pendant la guerre du Vietnam.

Le correspondant de Radio France internationale (RFI) au Niger, Moussa Kaka, le 12 février 2005 © AFP/Archives Seyllou

NIAMEY

Le correspondant de Radio France internationale (RFI) au Niger, Moussa Kaka, est sorti mardi de la prison de Niamey après plus d'un an de détention, a constaté un journaliste de l'AFP, et les charges contre lui ont été requalifiées de crime en simple délit.

Vêtu d'un tee-shirt RFI, Moussa Kaka, visiblement stressé et en colère contre les autorités, a retrouvé ses deux femmes et ses enfants ainsi que des amis qui l'attendaient devant le centre de détention où s'étaient réunies des dizaines de personnes.

"Je suis très ému car je reviens de très loin, sincèrement à la limite des portes de l'enfer", a-t-il déclaré à la presse.

"Du début jusqu'à aujourd'hui j'étais innocent, seulement je leur +pompais l'air+ en faisant mon travail de journaliste alors il fallait qu'ils me mettent à l'ombre", a-t-il dit, ajoutant "je n'ai rien fait de mal. Je garde la tête haute".

La cour d'appel de Niamey avait ordonné un peu plus tôt sa mise en liberté provisoire "d'office".

"Les faits sont requalifiés d'+atteinte à l'intégrité du territoire national par entente avec les éléments du MNJ+", le Mouvement des Nigériens pour la Justice, rébellion touareg, a précisé son avocat Me Fodi Boureima Mamadou.

"Moussa est renvoyé devant le tribunal correctionnel. L'infraction qui était considérée comme un crime au départ a été requalifiée en délit", a souligné l'avocat.

Le journaliste, également correspondant de Reporters sans frontières (RSF) et directeur de la radio privée Saraounya, encourt désormais une peine allant de un à dix ans de prison.

Correspondant de RFI depuis 15 ans, Moussa Kaka avait été arrêté le 20 septembre 2007 puis inculpé de "complicité d'atteinte à l'autorité de l'Etat" pour des liens présumés avec les rebelles touareg.

Il est poursuivi sur la base d'enregistrements d'écoutes téléphoniques, seules preuves à charge qui contenaient des conversations avec notamment Agaly Alambo, chef du MNJ.

Niamey a toujours affirmé qu'il n'avait pas été arrêté en raison de ses activités journalistiques.

Le président Mamadou Tandja a toujours nié l'existence d'une rébellion touareg, refusant de dialoguer avec le MNJ dont il qualifie les chefs de "bandits armés et de trafiquants de drogue".

Le PDG de RFI, Alain de Pouzilhac, s'est dit "très heureux que Moussa Kaka retrouve enfin sa liberté". "C'est pour toute la famille RFI un grand soulagement. C'est l'aboutissement d'une procédure judiciaire et nous restons confiants dans la décision de la justice nigérienne", a-t-il dit dans un communiqué.

Reporters sans frontières (RSF) a également salué cette mise en liberté provisoire, "une première étape qui, nous l'espérons, débouchera rapidement sur une issue honorable et juste".

It is very interesting to observe the people divided mostly into two groups of competition for one or the other goals of their own. From individuals to nations, all are in race to go ahead form their rivals. Subjects and goals of such rivalries may be many. Here in this brief Article, I am going to discuss the ‘Rivalry’ of two sectors of Retail Trade. Both strive for the same customers or the markets. These two retail sectors will be named further as ‘Former’- An Unorganized Small Traders’ Group, serving the society for not only centuries but millenniums; and ‘Latter’ – The Organized Mall Culture, recently developed during the last two decades and growing fast throughout the world.

The back and forth between these two retail sectors is rapid. I just remember an old Hindi movie “Toofan Aur Diya”. The title may be taken in English version as “Lamp (lit with kerosene with no shield of glass) against whirl-wind”. Here, as an observer, we can watch the exertions of the weak with the strong. Let us see how long this competition does go on and what its future would be. It can be presumed that this ‘Rivalry’ may end with either of the two outcomes - one, as per Charles Darwin’s theory “Survival of the Fittest”; and the other the “Co-existence of Both”. Whether we Love it or hate it, the organized retail sector is to stay everywhere. On the basis of viability of business, some units of both the retail sectors may close their shutters for ever or may shift elsewhere, but all of them are never to quit the battle field of their rivalry.

Due to straight result of globalization, the Latter is increasing at the speed of light stretching the feet towards even smaller cities. Some Social Activists have started their movements against the Mall Culture with their slogans as “No more Shopping Malls in India”. One of such Activists, Medha Patkar says, “Opening of a mall in a city puts an end to the business of thousands of hawkers and traders. This mall culture will plunge the middle class into a greater financial crisis and turn hawkers into beggars.”

On the other hand, quite contradictory to above, ICRIER (a renowned think tank) commissioned by the Ministry of Commerce to study impact of the Latter on the Former reported that they both can co-exist. How surprising the finding is that a lion and a hare can live together in a den as we might have read in some fables in our childhood days. It is easy to say ‘Nothing is impossible in the world’, but somebody has humorously commented as whether we have ever tried to insert back the tooth paste once pressed out from the tube!

I have studied the Report with a bird-fly-view and noted as over all that ICRIER has, no doubt, sought opinions from various people concerned to the studies; but at the same time, we should bear in our mind that it is not all the time necessary to believe that few opinion givers represent the views of all the people. Just to have fair and authentic opinions, the Researchers should take into consideration many factors and particularly intellectual standards of the opinion givers. We have witnessed many Reports of Commissions and findings of Opinion Polls, not only in India but worldwide, and found that realities and such calculative results have no match of their ends. We all know that when Saddam was in power, he had gone under the exercise of having mandate of the people of Iraq and showed to the world that 98.5% of the population was in favor of his dictatorial rule of Government. But, when he was finished, the very same public had destroyed the statues of Saddam erected in public places.

While summing up, I would say that the casting votes are in the hands of the customers and they only can play a role of a king-maker whom the crown of success is awarded. Any sector, whether be a traditional retail street shop or a big mall, will have to create good relationships with customers and attract them to pay frequent visits to their respective business premises. They would need to win the trust of the customers with standard quality of goods, fair price, genuine weight & measurement and prompt services after sale. The customer will never compromise with these fundamental expectations. A trader, in any status, may fool the customer for one time, but not all the times. Now-a-days, the customer everywhere has become more aware of his best interests as well as laws of consumer protection. Those days have gone when they were easily cheated and exploited.

- Valibhai Musa

The origin of polymers can be traced to the 19th century when attempts were made to develop a synthetic polymeric material and the first success was based on Cellulose. It was a material called Parkesine, after its inventor Alexander Parkes. Though this was not commercially successful, but it led to the development of Celluloid which was an important breakthrough. During the early 20th century, there was a considerable interest in these new synthetic materials which led to the introduction of more polymers.

The table below shows the chronology of some commercial polymers, which shows that polymers are essentially 20th century products while metallurgy dates back to 3500BC!

Chronology of some Commercial Polymers Year Polymer Year Polymer
1868 Cellulose nitrate (CN) 1950 Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)
1909 Phenol formaldehyde resins (PF) 1953 Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET)
1926 Alkyd resin 1955 High density polyethylene (HDPE)
1927 Cellulose acetate (CA) 1955 Polyisoprene rubber (IR)
1927 Poly(Vinyl chloride) (PVC) 1956 Acetal resin (POM)
1929 Urea formaldehyde resin (UF) 1957 Polypropylene (PP)
1929 Polysulphide rubber 1957 Polycarbonate (PC)
1932 Polybutadiene rubber (BR) 1959 Chlorinated polyether
1935 Ethyl cellulose (EC) 1960 Ethylene-propylene rubbers (EPM/EPDM)
1935 Polychloroprene rubber (CR) 1962 Phenoxy resins
1936 Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) 1964 Ionomers
1936 Poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAC) 1964 Poly(phenylene oxide) (PPO)
1937 Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) 1965 Polyimides (PI)
1937 Acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR) 1965 Thermoplastics rubbers (TPR)
1938 Cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) 1965 Polybutene (PB)
1938 Polystyrene (PS) 1965 Polysulphone (PSU)
1938 Polyamides (nylons) (PA) 1965 Poly(4-methyl-1-pentane) (P4MP)
1939 Melamine formaldehyde resins (MF) 1968 Phenylene ether sulphone
1939 Poly(vinylidene chloride) (PVDC) 1970 Ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer
1940 Butyl rubber (IIR) 1970 Ethylene-chorotrifluroethylene copolymer
1942 Unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) 1971 Hydrogels (hydroxy acrylate)
1942 Low density polyethylene (LDPE) 1971 Poly(ether sulphone) (PES)
1943 Silicone rubber (SI) 1972 Acrylonitrile polyesters
1943 Fluoropolymers 1972 Mouldable polyesters
1943 Polyurethane (PUR) 1974 Aromatic polyamides
1947 Epoxy resins (EP) 1977 Linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE)
1948 Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styreme terpolymer (ABS) 1978 Poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK)

This is why, during the early application of polymers, they are regarded as cheap substitutes for traditional materials like wood, metal, glass, and ceramics. But now, the special properties of polymers are being appreciated which has established them as important materials in their own right.

Furthermore, the rapid growth in the use and application of polymers can be attributed to the following factors:

1. The basic raw materials (Monomers) from which polymers are manufactured are readily available in large quantities and at attractive prices.

2. The processing methods and machinery for converting polymers into a variety of useful end-products are many and most operate on a continuous basis and are highly automated.

3. It is now possible to produce polymers of specified molar mass and structure for specific applications because of the better understanding of the relationship between structure, property and behavior of polymers.

4. Intricate designs can be fabricated using polymers owning to their easy shaping at low temperature. Their diversity, flexibility, cost and superior performance over traditional material are significant features that cannot be ignored.

In other words, it is imperative to know what really a polymer is and its constituent in order to be able to discuss its numerous characteristics. ‘Polymer’ is a name given to a large or giant molecule – macromolecule formed by an almost endless repetition of smaller identical units called monomers. They are made up of macromolecules of different size. When a specie of monomer builds up the macromolecule, the product is a Homopolymer, normally called a polymer. E.g. Ethylene to produce Polyethylene. If two species are involved, a Copolymer is produced. E.g. producing Styrene acrylonitrile using Styrene and Acrylonitrile. For three species, a terpolymer is formed.

In addition, the type of monomer(s) constituting a polymer chain and the way they are linked determine the properties of the polymer. However, Carothers in 1929 classified polymers into Condensation and Addition polymers. This is due to the fact that condensation polymers are formed by condensation reactions involving the elimination of a small molecule at each step, while in addition polymers, no loss occurs during the polymerization reaction as the monomer molecule add to a growing chain one at a time. But with advances in polymer science and technology, this classification proved inadequate, thus leading to Flory’s classification of Step and Chain polymers. This was based on the mechanism of the polymerization reaction. But a more satisfactory classification showing groups of polymers having similar properties exits as shown below.

Finally, Polymers have come to stay, and the imperative is on Scientists and Engineers to work on full exploitation of these polymers and the synthesis of new ones. In general, we are expected to contribute to the development, improvement and utilization of in engineering and other fields to make our world a better place to be.

REFERENCES:

Katchy, E.M.(2000). Principles of Polymer Science. Enugu, Nigeria: EL’Demak.

Crawford, R.J.(1987). Plastic Engineering. Pergamon: Oxford.

Flory, P.J.(1953). Principles of Polymer Chemistry. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press.

Carothers, W.H., J.AM.Chem.Soc.,

In addition to BroadVision Retail Commerce, Road Runner Sports utilized BroadVision One-To-One(R) Publishing(TM) and BroadVision Instant Publisher(TM), BroadVision Command Center(TM) and BroadVision Design Center(TM) tools to create a site that delivers comprehensive information about their product line as well as superior customer service. The site is designed to offer customers a convenient, self-service approach to customer service while improving efficiency.

"We've reached a large group of customers through our web site and believe the newly added functionality will assist in building relationships with these customers while contributing to our bottom line," said Jeff Rohling, chief marketing officer for Road Runner Sports. "BroadVision's e-business software suite was selected because it replicates the personalized service at our call center. Our customers can now enjoy the same personalized call center service when they contact us via the Internet."

"Road Runner Sports is a great example of BroadVision's expertise in delivering customized solutions for the retail industry," said Chris Grejtak, chief marketing officer for BroadVision, Inc. "BroadVision software will help Road Runner achieve a quick return on investment and develop deep ties with customers who will come back to the site for quality service and repeat business."

About Road Runner Sports, Inc.

Road Runner Sports, Inc., founded in 1983 in Del Mar, Calif., has grown to become the nation's No. 1 seller of running shoes, apparel and accessories. Communicating with more than 4 million customers a year through its catalog, Web site, and retail store, Road Runner Sports prides itself on offering superior customer service, information and exceptional inventory.

About BroadVision

BroadVision ((Nasdaq:BVSN)(Neuer Markt:BDN)) develops and delivers an integrated suite of packaged applications for conducting e-commerce interactions and transactions. Global enterprises and government entities use these applications to sell, buy and exchange information over the web and on wireless devices. The BroadVision e-commerce application suite enables a corporation to become more competitive and profitable by establishing and sustaining high-yield relationships with customers, suppliers and employees. BroadVision services professionals, supported by over 100 partner organizations worldwide, transform these applications into business value for our customers through consulting, education, and support services in more than 34 countries.

BroadVision -- founded in 1993, public since 1996 -- has more than 1,100 customers and is a component stock of the Standard & Poor's 500 index. IDC ranks BroadVision as the world's leading provider of e-commerce software applications (International Data Corp., E-Commerce Software Applications Market Forecast and Analysis, 2000-2004). BroadVision is headquartered in Redwood City, Calif., and can be reached at 650/261-5100 or info@broadvision.com.

Note to Editors: BroadVision, BroadVision One-To-One, BroadVision Business Commerce, BroadVision One-To-One Publishing, BroadVision Instant Publisher, BroadVision Design Center and BroadVision Command Center are trademarks or registered trademarks of BroadVision, Inc. in the United States and other countries.

Business Wire,  March 13, 2001

source:http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2001_March_13/ai_71620894

The object of their devotion was not some new indie-minded trend-setter, but Hanson.

Yes, the trio of Oklahoma-bred brothers who gave us "MMMBop" are cool again, basking in critical praise for their latest independently released album, The Walk, and courting a mix of old and new fans on the road. (Hanson performs Thursday at House of Blues at Downtown Disney.)

Always a magnet for screaming girls, brothers Isaac, Taylor and Zac -- now ages 27, 25 and 22, respectively -- are looking out at a different niche in concert crowds: guys about their age, with their own bands.

"In the last five years, we have really resonated with younger guys starting bands now," Taylor Hanson says in a phone interview. "I was blown away when we were at South By Southwest because some guy in the audience would say, 'My band's down the road at this club, and I remember when I saw you play drums at this show.' "

At least one band vaguely reminiscent of Hanson -- the Jonas Brothers -- is sparking teen hysteria with the help of the Disney Channel promotional machine. Although he doesn't see similarities in the music, Hanson isn't without a twinge of deja vu.

"There's a surreal quality to looking at that audience and the sudden awareness of that band by so many people," he says. "From their perspective, I hope they are able to harness whatever is most authentic about what's going on right now and make a career."

For Hanson, the road to sustaining a career led them outside the major labels. On two independently released albums, The Walk and 2004's Underneath, the brothers have been able to make their own decisions.

The new release has sparked a wave of activism. Stops on the "The Walk Around the World Tour" include one-mile barefoot pre-show walks by the band and its fans to fight poverty and AIDS in Africa. The location of each walk is disclosed three hours before it happens at Hanson.net.

So far, the band has walked roughly 6,000 miles toward its goal of 24,902, the circumference of the Earth. There also are a coffee-table book and EP inspired by the project.

Fans also can organize their own walks at the band's Web site. The band will donate $1 for each walk to buy shoes, support clean water, schools, medical research and health care. Hanson also teamed with California-based TOMS Shows to send 50,000 pairs of shoes to Africa.

The idea, Hanson says, is to use the independent avenues that have sustained the band's music for a larger purpose.

"We've got so much access to one another today that didn't exist even 5 years ago, and we need to use these ways we communicate as avenues to make a difference."

Jim Abbott can be reached at jabbott@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-6213.

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