Oregon Trail

In the eighteen hundreds, the east coast of the United States
had become overcrowded and expensive. For relief, people looked
to the opportunities in the then limitless west. Over the next
100 years, hundreds of thousands of people undertook the six
month quest to find a better life. Tens of thousands died along
the route.

The Oregon Trail begins in Independence, Missouri and winds its
way to the Willamette River Valley in Oregon. Follow the trail
from beginning to end and you’ll pass through the states of
Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming and Idaho.

Tracking the Oregon Trail can take a month by car, so I am going
to highlight certain spots in this and further articles. Arrow
Rock, Missouri is as good a place as any to start.

Arrow Rock, Missouri

Although Independence, Missouri is technically the beginning of
the Oregon Trail, Arrow Rock is a better place to start.

Arrow
Rock is a tiny town of maybe 100 people and remains much the way
it was during the hey day of the Oregon Trail. You’ll get a real
taste of the way things were by visiting the tavern and old
seminary. One of the odder attractions is the Calaboose.

Arrow Rock has, pioneer audio receiver, the rather peculiar Calaboose Jail. Built of
stone, the jail is particular because it is built for only one
person. By one person, I mean no lobby, no office, no nothing,
just a stone structure with one wooden door.

To get a better understanding of Arrow Rock, make sure to visit
the Arrow Rock Historic Site center. For lodging, there are four
or five bed and breakfast options in the town. Campers can stay
at the Arrow Rock Historic Site camping grounds.

Visiting Arrow Rock is like stepping back into the Wild West.
Look to the west and you can get a feel for how the pioneers
felt as they started their long journey.

This is a flat out lie, a fabrication by the movie studios. Sure they lose some profits but the problem of pirating is not as problematic as they claim.

First off, pirated movies are not the big business it claims to be. Yes, many are profiting from this new form of digital theft but the reality is; the biggest pirating is done in impoverished countries where most of those buying the bootlegged copies of movies would not be able to afford the price of a legitimate movie ticket anyways.

The fact is the movie studios are too stupid to realize that they can profit from movie pirating and in the process create a new revenue stream to fund more of their productions.

The studios in their infinite greed and stupidity have not truly analyzed the problem of pirating and the selling of bootleg copies of films. If they did they would find that the problem is not necessarily per se the pirate, it’s the buyer.

Without the buyer or client there would be no potential business for the pirates to profit from. In a word, to stem or slow the tide of pirating the production studios need to simply realize the average bootlegger would not be in business if there was not someone interested in buying, and in identifying the potential type of clients that bootleggers sell to, the production studios can thereby create a niche market that will afford them even more profits for their films.

There are three types of buyers in the world of pirated films and we will analyze and look at all three. Understanding their motives for purchasing bootleg films will go a long way to curb the tide of pirating.

The movie studios need to first and foremost understand one simple fact; no matter what new technology they implement they cannot and will not stop pirating in all of its forms. The sooner the studios realize that there are “acceptable losses” that have to be allowed, the better they can manage the potential new market this could create for them as a whole.

To look at the breakdown of it all; there is only one type of pirate and that is a person driven by the idea of making money selling items that they acquired in an illegal fashion. The items they acquire, in this case films, are generally obtained free of charge, making their profit margin 100%, an ideal business indeed.

But we need to look more closely at the buyer, for the pirate would not have business if there was not a ready supply of people waiting to buy from them. That being said, there are three types of buyers of pirated films.

1. Those that live in other countries or regions that are several months behind the U.S. release dates. For example, if a film is released in the states in July, it will not be released in say, South America for several months after the fact. This has a tendency of alienating this group of people making them feel as if they were less than viable than those in the premium markets of the U.S. and Europe as a whole. Those that live in regions where they see the film months after its U.S. release want to feel as mainstream as the rest of the world, and most buy pirated films from the street because they just do not feel they should have to wait to see it.

Many feel out of place when speaking to colleagues or relatives who live in other regions when asked in casual conversation if they have seen a latest film that’s out in one part of the world and not in theirs. This creates a subconscious resentment toward the movie studios as a whole and why many do not even bother to go to the movie theatres to see a first run film. Now while it is evident the movie studios as a whole do not care of the alienation of one group to another, this again has to be stressed that by implementing new measures the studios can easily generate a positive cash flow from a new market.

2. Those that don’t relish the movie theatre experience. There are many in the world who find going to a movie theatre quite unpleasant and this was my main reason and motivation for purchasing pirated films from the streets. Personally, I did not like being in a crowded movie theatre with people constantly talking through the film, or the ever persistent person sitting behind me who kicked my chair constantly throughout the entire film, not to mention the sordid conditions of the movie theatre itself; i.

e. sticky carpeting, gum in the chairs and general uncleanliness.

The main advantage to buying pirated films from the street is you can watch in the comfort of your own home. You can watch it as much as you like, and if there is a scene you wish to see again you only need to rewind to a specific scene again. This is most of the appeal of having the ability to watch a film from home. Many need the movie theatre experience to feel they have really “seen” a film but most, if given the chance would prefer to watch a new film at home.

With the advent of plasma tv’s, bigscreens and high definition surround sound systems, it is now possible to get the same experience as in the movie theatre in the comfort of ones home. You can take off your shoes without the fear of getting something on your feet. You can also pause the film if you need to go to the bathroom, thereby not missing anything, getting the full value of the film. You can repeat scenes to enjoy again and again, whereby in the movie theatre it is definitely a “one shot deal” type of situation when it comes to viewing.

3. The third type of pirate client is someone who simply put, could not afford the price of a ticket anyway. The rising cost of movie tickets can be very discouraging to those on a fixed budget or income. In many countries families are very large and not the typical “2.4 kids” expected by the average American family. So many would not be able to afford to take their whole family out for a movie night. Pirates, albeit illegal in nature, exists because they can see the needs of the potential client and fill it.

If the movie studios themselves took the time to look at the potential moviegoers and not the demographics they would know this and be better equipped to meeting the needs of all thereby making more of a profit on films.

Again, the problem with pirating is not the pirates themselves but those that buy from them, remember, there clearly would not be a market for bootleggers if there were no buyers willing to buy. It’s the buyers that drive the market and not the pirates themselves.

In the past the movie studios have thought of “clever” ideas in their efforts to prevent pirating and all of their bright ideas have met with failure, embarrassing failure.

For example, when the film Matrix Revolutions was released, it had a world wide release. Meaning the film was released simultaneously all over the world. This was done to supposedly prevent pirating, and it had disastrous results. The movie was still pirated all over and in many cases copies were sold just a few hours after its initial release in the theatres. Why did this happen? Because the studios were too ignorant to realize the different types of buyers that exist for pirated films.

Even though this movie was released worldwide at the same time, it was still pirated for reasons number 2 and 3.

Although the Matrix films were big box office draws, many did not want to sit in a crowded movie theatre around devoted Matrix “true believer” type of fans, not to mention the overall unpleasant conditions that exist in just about every theatre for a big box office draw.

So the “brilliant” idea of a world wide release did nothing to stem the tide of pirating. This is again because the studios have taken the time to profile what types of piraters are out there selling but they have never taken the time to profile the types of buyers of bootlegged films.

Once you understand why people are willing to buy films from the street, even knowing that many will be low in quality, you can then figure out how to put the bootlegger out of business………or profit from him.

Is it possible for the movie studios to profit from pirating? In a word………..yes and very easily. They can not only profit from pirating but create a new revenue stream in the process.

The easiest way to profit from the dilemma is to give potential consumers a choice. Free choice is the key to creating a revenue stream outside of the mainstream movie industry.

How? Since just about every film that is released in theatres will eventually wind up on DVD, the best way to cut out the bootlegger is for the studios to bootleg their own movies.

If the movie studios made released DVD’s at the same time as the theatre release and gave people a choice to buy them for a slightly elevated price, the profits would be astronomical. For example, if a new movie is released at the theatre one could go to the movie theatre in his designated area and instead of buying just a ticket they could also purchase a copy of the film to take home and watch, the theatres would generate double the profits.

There would be the general ticket sales for moviegoers and then the sales from those who purchased the DVD’s at the theatre. If the movie studios also made a limited number of available DVD’s for sale at the theatres, it would be an incentive to make potential buyers/collectors move faster to ensure obtaining a copy. The discs could also be encoded so that the movie studios would know which theatres got which copies thus keeping track of potential pirating. Also as an advent the studios could stipulate that to buy a DVD release version of the film one had to show a driver’s license, it would greatly reduce the possibilities of pirating.

The thing that makes pirating work is its anonymity. One can easily walk up to any seller on the street and buy anonymously but when its necessary to show some type of identification to buy a copy it thereby makes the buyer responsible for his or her own copy, and since most are afraid of the possible repercussions of pirating, most would end up protecting their copies for fear of reprisals from the movie studios on a whole.

If the price for a single movie ticket is around $12 dollars per person, the studios can fairly charge approximately $30 dollars for the “Theatrical Release DVD” or TRD and would generate a new stream of profit from these sales.

These special DVD’s will include the movie, a menu and some deleted scenes along with the film trailer as well as other trailers of upcoming productions by the movie studio releasing the film.

This is a great way to advertise for new and upcoming films by the production studios as well as distributing the DVD and drastically cutting down pirate sales. The movie studios should not feel in any way that releasing a TRD disc will take away from sales of the regular retail release of the DVD after the movie has made its theatrical run.

The reason for this is that the TRD will not have all the features and extras that will be found on the retail version. What this means is if one were to purchase the TRD disc from a local movie theatre, the version they obtain will differ entirely from the version sold at retail once the DVD is officially released. True DVD collectors will purchase the “Special Edition” DVD release just for the sake of curiosity to see how it may differ from the DVD released at the theatres.

It should be noted that most DVD’s that are released for retail all seem to have the words “Special Edition” listed on the DVD.

The disappointment to the consumer is that when you purchase these DVD’s there is very little about it that distinguishes it as truly being a “special” edition. In fact most of these so-called “Special Edition” DVD’s have just the standard features that most consumers have come to expect from any DVD purchased. But if the studios release a TRD that is limited to only a few deleted scenes, trailers and the movie itself, then when the regular retail DVD is released months later, collectors will be curious what other features are listed on the disc, so the curiosity factor alone will generate more sales also this making the retail release truly a “Special Edition”.

By making the TRD as competitively priced as the retail version, the price will not seem out of reach to the average consumer who is used to paying $24.95 for a standard DVD anyways.

What separates the TRD from the retail version is the features. The TRD DVD will have the film, a menu, and possibly a few deleted scenes. Whereas on the retail version there will be the commentary consumers are accustomed to getting on their DVD’s as well as a host of other features.

The main features can then be placed on the retail version of the DVD such as the behind the scenes documentaries, the commentary, some deleted scenes as well as trailers and possibly an alternate ending.

The alternate ending is also a tool used to insure that there will be just as many buyers for the retail version of the DVD then for the TRD.

Now while this may represent an added cost to the studios, in reality the benefit of added sales and a new revenue stream far outweigh the costs of the production of this limited edition TRD. This would be a successful method in deterring pirating and creating a new source of ticket sales for movies.

Proof that this in fact works is that the studios themselves have experimented with this technique on a small scale and lower level and met with great success.

The film, The Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants, was released to moderate ticket sales and success in the U.S. but in some parts of the world the studios chose to experiment with this film by releasing it on DVD at the same time it was released in the theatres.

The feeling at the time was that this particular film would not generate a big blockbuster response and the studios, being interested in recouping as much of the invested capital in the film as possible decided to gamble on this film by releasing it on DVD at the same time as the theatres.

The result was overwhelmingly positive. This particular film was pirated far less then normal and many got to purchase the DVD from authorized outlets and watch it at home which then turned a film that had no projected large ticket sales into a cult classic in some venues abroad.

If the studios as a whole took this approach with more of their so-called blockbuster films they would find that overall receipts for the TRD and ticket sales would increase profitability of the films by a possible 70%.

This would be added revenue that the studios would collect directly, thus cutting out the pirate or at the very least minimizing his client base drastically and also satisfying all types of potential bootleg buyers.

A poll was taken in the San Francisco area by this writer. What I was trying to determine is, if given the chance, would people prefer to buy a high quality DVD of a new release or would they rather watch the film in the theatre. Seven out of ten people asked said they would buy the TRD release of a movie if doing so would not get them into any trouble with regard to it being a pirated copy.

Most said they would gladly pay up to $30 dollars for a DVD that they could obtain at their local movie theatre. They liked the convenience of it all and most said it was the thrill of having an authorized copy of the film that they could watch at home over and over again that would drive them to buy a TRD.

When asked if they had any problems with showing an identification to obtain a copy of an authorized studio DVD, almost all said they did not find it intrusive in any way and would have no problems in doing this.

Many expressed a safety factor that had not been considered at that time. Most felt that going to a late evening movie or a movie on opening night was something they would not consider due to the fact of potential danger of car accidents when going home, or possible dangers from the area, as many said some movie theatres are in or near high crime areas.

Many had told of past movie going experiences that turned to violent altercations due to the subject matter of films being shown. It should be noted that when the movie Boyz in the Hood was released a few years ago, there were several reported cases of gang violence when patrons were leaving the theatres.

Even when the classic film The Warriors was released, the studio execs were worried of potential violence stemming from the subject matter of the film. Because of these past situations there is a whole category, pioneer audio receiver, of people who no longer go to films at night and due to their work schedules find it very difficult to see films during the day and these people are the ones who usually tell co-workers and friends, “I’ll just wait till it comes out on DVD to see it” when asked if they have seen a new release that may happen to be out at the time.

With this new method of distributing films the studios can cash in on the category of consumer that would like to see a new release but that does not feel comfortable with the “theatre experience” anymore.

When one thinks of the thousands of dollars that are put into trying to catch and charge film pirates this then seems like a more cost effective alternative. Studios should not waste resources in trying to apprehend and shut down the pirates, it’s impossible, there will always be a measure or pirating, but if the studios offset the pirating by putting out their own high quality product, they can greatly reduce the number of buyers of bootlegged films.

If people are given the choice of buying a low quality copy of a film that may or may not play in their home players versus a studio authorized high quality copy that may cost a bit more but legal and problem free, the studios would be surprised to know that most would happily purchase the authorized studio DVD.

The studios would then be seen as pioneers, in that they are creating and catering to a whole new genre of film watcher………..the home viewer.

The selling of the TRD version of the movie would in no way cut into the rental sales either from Blockbuster and Hollywood video.

Why not? Due to the fact that there are always going to be people who just choose to view the films and not own them and for this reason there will always be a good steady rental base, besides that the TRD versions that one could obtain from the local movie theatre would be limited editions of say only a few thousand or even a few hundred per movie theatre. Once they’re gone they’re gone. This type of supply and demand will really increase sales if potential consumers know that TRD DVD’s will only be available for the first 72 hours of the films major release or however long the studios specify.

Not to mention the people who will go the local movie theatre and be satisfied with just paying $12 dollars for a movie ticket and then later after they have seen the film they loved it so much that they choose to also spend an additional $30 dollars to buy the film as they walk out of the theatre.

So many times I personally have walked out of a theatre from seeing a film and thought to myself, oh yeah I’m going to buy this movie the day it comes out on DVD. Sadly due to the fact that the studios make you wait months before the film is released on DVD, many lose their enthusiasm for purchasing it.

Having TRD’s available for sale as one walks out of the theatre, would cater to the impulsive buyer who is interested in instant gratification and getting their copy “now” versus waiting for the official DVD release months later.

The music industry employs this same technique in principle with the release of CD singles for upcoming albums. Usually, it’s the single for the forthcoming album and possibly an acoustic version along with a remixed version as well as the music video on one CD. The prices for this CD range, sometimes they sell for $1.

99 and up to $9.99 and it’s basically just one song. This creates even more of an interest and demand so that by the time the full album is released there are plenty of consumers just waiting to spend their money on the album. If the movie industry did this as well with their films, they would definitely see a marked increase in ticket sales and overall receipts.

All the way around it’s a profit environment that the studios cannot and should not ignore, if they truly wish to reduce pirating and gain more profits, not to mention create a whole new category of movie watcher, this is by far one of the best viable options for them.

Unfortunately Hollywood studios are all driven by greed and many cannot see the moon for the stars, but some of the farsighted execs in those steel towers in Hollywood should definitely want to consider this as an option to generating more capital from a new release and combating piracy.

With the slump in box office business, the studios really have nothing to lose. Now is the time to get creative, to take chances and take the movie industry in a whole new direction. It could be this simple idea that could jump start and revive the film industry in Hollywood.

Hollywood needs to realize there’s a new type of moviegoer and that there are many who like films but no longer like the theatre experience or can’t afford the skyrocketing price of tickets and by catering to these consumers they cut out the pirate or at the very least they use a pirate like approach to gain the revenue that would otherwise go to the street seller.

It’s definitely something to think about.

QUEST has also developed the REACTยฎ model which provides insights into the types of brands and activities that capture their imagination. The REACTยฎ model helps us to understand why Saudi youth love certain brands and can also act as a marketing checklist to help create advertising and promotions to better engage them.

The cost of this study is $12,500.

Quest Consulting

QUEST is a specialized research company devoted to uncovering human insights about consumers in the Middle East.

It provides these insights to multi-national and local companies to help them develop more impactful marketing communications.

The company was set up by Ken McDermott (Mohammed Suhaib), a British Muslim who has been working in the Arabian Gulf since 1985. We spoke to him:

Q: HOW DID YOU COME TO EMBRACE ISLAM?

A: I came to the Gulf in 1985 when I joined a market research company called MERAC in Bahrain. In the consumer research projects that we were conducting, there were often references to Islamic guidelines, which we did not truly understand.

I thought that it was beholden on me to read up on Islam, to help me to do my job better. That sparked an interest that eventually led to me embracing it. That was 15 years ago and I am pleased that the worst fears of my friends have not materialized. I have a loving wife and 5 amazing children and I count my blessings every day.

Q: WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO SET UP QUEST?

There has been a marked shift in our industry in recent years. Clients have become significantly more demanding and are seeking genuine insights that they can use to maximize the impact of their marketing campaigns.

Insight is perhaps the most overused word in research nowadays. Most research companies talk about it in their credentials presentations, but a lot of this is mere lip service. Real insight does not come easily. To me, a pre-requisite is that the researcher should have an insatiable curiosity about local consumers and to be engaged in an ongoing quest โ€” hence the name โ€” to get inside their heads. Too many researchers are expatriates who know that they will go home in a few years anyway and are therefore reluctant to make the time investment required.

I have been lucky enough to have been able to become associated with insights in this market and thought that now was the right time to do my own thing.

Q: WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO CONDUCT THE SAUDI YOUTH STUDY?

We all know that the local population has a very young age profile โ€” 70% of Saudis are under 30 years old โ€” and yet the feedback I was getting from advertising agencies was that there was much that they did not know. This was despite the fact that many of the leading multinationals have invested considerable sums in youth research in the past.

We decided to take it on as a challenge and to lay down a marker on what we are all about.

Q: WHAT PROBLEMS,IF ANY,DID YOU FACE?

With regard to young females, it was relatively straightforward. We were fortunate to have the services of some excellent female moderators and the girls were very ready to talk. It was almost like a dam breaking โ€” information came gushing out. With the guys it was much more difficult at first. In the Gulf, there is the principle among men of being โ€˜katoom’ i.

e. reserved. Being too talkative is taken as a sign of weakness. A conventional research approach was producing the same kind of drab, uninspiring findings that the advertising agencies had been complaining of.

Upon reflection, we realized that it will not work when an expatriate Arab moderator turns up with a tape recorder and starts asking probing questions such as โ€œTell me about your relationship with your father?โ€ There is no way that they will play ball in this kind of scenario.

So we changed our approach. We are fortunate to have on our team Mr. Maher Al Maskari, an Omani national who has over ten year’s research experience in the region. We asked him to โ€˜go under cover’ so to speak and spend time with these young guys and really get to know them. Once he had built up a basis of trust, he was able to get a much more in-depth understanding about how they really feel about their lives.

Q: WHAT WERE THE MAIN DIFFERENCES THAT YOU OBSERVED BETWEEN MALES AND FEMALES?

Significant differences were found between young men and women.

They are like chalk and cheese โ€” so much so that we are presenting the results in two separate sessions. Young men tend to feel powerless and alienated from the rest of society. Young women, on the other hand, are very pro-active and seeking a wider role in society. They see themselves very much as pioneers and are keen to break down barriers in the workplace and to become good role models and contribute to the development of society.

Q: CAN YOU SHARE WITH US SOME MORE OF THE MALE FINDINGS?

Naturally, I don’t want to give too much away as we are still doing presentations of the results to paying clients.

However, we did notice that one of the words which they often use to describe their life is โ€˜Mathloumโ€ i.e. victims of injustice. They feel that adults are too ready to condemn them as being at fault or just plain useless. For example, if a young guy has a traffic accident with another car driven by an older driver, his own parents will often automatically blame him – without taking the trouble to investigate what actually happened.

Q: WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE DEVELOPED A MODEL THAT HELPS CLIENTS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW TO CONNECT WITH THEM?

Yes, our model is called REACTยฎ and is based on an acronym of 5 key elements that explain why they gravitate to certain activities, role models and brands so readily.

It explains, for example, their love of Playstation and rap music. Their favorite brands of cigarettes, cars and soft drinks also embody these elements. The model is a useful checklist when designing new advertising and promotions targeting young men. It can also be used as a template to develop and enhance brand equity. There are obvious parallels with youth in other countries which is not surprising, but the real value of the study lies in its explanation of the specific Saudi manifestations of these leanings.

Overall, despite having to listen to the multitude frustrations which they complain about, we came away with an optimistic outlook. Many of the young guys that we met impressed us with their intelligence and determination and we are in the process of recruiting several of them. Their image as a bunch of timewasters is inaccurate in so many cases. Many are just looking for the opportunity to show what they can do.

Q: WHAT ABOUT YOUR FINDINGS FROM THE YOUNG WOMEN?A: These young women represent a radical and ambitious generation.

They see themselves as being much better educated than their mothers and believe that this education will be the springboard for them to play a much wider role in society. They typically talk about the duality they need to have in their lives, in terms of having a role to play both โ€˜within and outside the home’.

They are losing their respect for their male counterparts โ€” and I was really surprised by the extent of this โ€” and they feel that they have a lot to offer in confronting the problems of daily life.

Q: HOW CAN YOUR CLIENTS APPLY THIS KNOWLEDGE?

A: Of course, we have been aware of the feminist movement for some time and it was covered in detail in a previous syndicated study that I was closely involved with. What I am pleased about in this study is the great deal of texture and detail that we have managed to bring to our understanding of them. I am pleased with our analysis of their hopes and dreams and the type of women and housewives they hope to become. We have developed a very detailed pen portrait of the โ€˜Aspirational Me’ as we call it.

The potential value to clients lies in their being able to align their brand personalities in line with this aspirational self and, in so doing, to hopefully steal a march on their competitors. I know of at least one client who is hoping that this will help it to topple a leading competitor that has previously been regarded as being unassailable in its category.

Q: WHAT DO YOU HAVE PLANNED NEXT?

A: Well, we have just recruited our first Saudi female and male reserachers who are now based in our Dubai office and we are in the process of opening new offices in Jeddah and Tehran.

On another front, one of the most interesting trends in Saudi right now is the growing trend towards philanthropy amongst leading businessmen who are seeking to do something to help their country. Several of them have approached us and asked if we can share the results of the Youth study as an input into their planning. We will be only too happy to help out on this and hope to do more pro-bono work in future.

* * *

For more information, please contact:

Ken McDermott (Mohammed Suhaib), Managing Director

Quest Consulting, Dubai, UAE

Tel: + 9714 3671615,

E-mail: ken@qc.

ae

Once upon a time, e-mail messages flowed freely through cyberspace and the congenial smell of e-mails was everywhere.

I remember racing to my inbox each day with a wild anticipation that I was about to be informed of new and enlightening events, along with notes from friends.

Maybe, the collection would also include an order or two to quell my monetary wishes, as well as, containing some of my favorite newsletters.

Ah! Those were the salad days.

..when my inbox was a welcome sight each morning.

Oh, of course there was that occasional sales pitch, but that was just to keep me alert.

But alas, those were days of yore.

Today we are drowning in a deepening cascade of rubbish, as a result of unsolicited e-mails irritatingly referred to as “Spam.”

“Spam” is a term contrived in a parody a few years back by an English group of comedians (Monty Python’s Flying Circus), describing a food product (Spam) exploited in a humorous manner.

While this form of e-mail sludge(Spam) is far from a laughing matter, the irrational reaction to it by some is itself fraught, pioneer audio receiver, with calamity.

If we were simply confronted with this daily deluge of these unwanted emails, that would be annoying enough.

However, what is now occurring is far worse! In fact, its really scary.

Part of this chaos springs from the fact that there in no clear cut definition to everyone of just what comprises this thing we term SPAM!

Further, nothing explains, nor excuses the destructively paranoid reactions of some to this proliferation of spam plaguing us now.

On one hand there are the saintly IP’s, installing what is loosely described as “Anti-Spam” software, which I must admit does accomplish two things.

Those being the purging of many needed emails, while taking no notice of, most of the porn and sludge.

Yet the real damage comes from the growing number of self-appointed โ€˜crusaders’ (’e-mail nazi’) that inhabit the Internet.

They take it upon themselves to police the net vowing to squash any unsuspecting spammer.

These “Not in my inbox” nerds, suffering from delusions of importance, mistakenly harass the IP’s of honest marketers and purveyors of newsletters.

In fact, many a website has been shut down as the result of a false accusation of spamming.

Often, the accusation is all it takes today, due to the hysteria prevalent on the Web, along with the growing fixations of many hosting companies.

These spiteful actions have indeed caused devastating financial harm and damage to the reputations of many well known and blameless Internet pioneers.

A few states have enacted legislation against spam, but they still can’t define it. The U.

S. congress has also mentioned some sort of a bill, but are bogged down with, things more important. Such as, which luxuries to pass new taxes on โ€” like food, cars, etc..

Once congress settles on a definition of this phenomenon and passes a new law, you can count on the spammers to really come out of the woodwork along with their lawyers.

They could sue for obesity to inboxes!

As for me, I long for the days when I can once again utter, “Don’t you just love the smell of email in the air!”

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Joe Myna is webmaster at http://www.

anezbiz.com “The Virtual Warehouse Of Info Products.” Also, http://www.ahowto.com “The Virtual Bookshelf Of How-To Courses.” Mr. Myna who began marketing on the Internet in 1996 is also the author of many best-selling marketing and How-To eBooks.

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The Internal Revenue Service recognizes that valuations include more than financial statements: “The appraiser must exercise his judgment as to the degree of risk attaching to the business of the corporation which issued the stock, but that judgment must be related to all of the other factors affecting the value.” Revenue Ruling 59-60, Section 3.03.
DEFINITION OF MARKET VALUE
The definition of market value according to the American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers’ Dictionary of Real Estate Appraisal, is: “The most probable price in cash, terms equivalent to cash, or other precisely revealed terms, for which the appraised property will sell in a competitive market under all conditions requisite to fair sale, with the buyer and seller each acting prudently, knowledgeably, and for self interest, and assuming that neither is under duress.

” American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers, The Dictionary of Real Estate Appraisal. (Chicago: American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers, 1984), 194 195.
In Revenue Ruling 59-60, the Internal Revenue Service defines “fair market value” as follows: “. . . the price at which the business would change hands between a willing buyer and a willing seller when the former is not under any compulsion to buy and the latter is not under any compulsion to sell, both parties having reasonable knowledge and relevant facts.

“
The purpose of Revenue Ruling 59-60 is to outline and review in general the approach, methods and factors to be considered in valuing shares of the capital stock of closely held corporations. The methods discussed in the Revenue Ruling apply to the valuation of corporate stocks on which market quotations are either unavailable or are of such scarcity that they do not reflect the fair market value.
The Ruling goes on to state that no set formula can be devised to determine fair market value of closely held stocks and that the value will depend upon such considerations as:
(a) The nature of the business and the history of the enterprise from its inception.

(b) The economic outlook in general and the condition and outlook of the specific industry in particular.
(c) The book value of the stock and the financial condition of the business.
(d) The earnings capacity of the company.
(e) The dividend-paying capacity. The ability to pay dividends is often more important than a company’s history of distributing cash to shareholders, especially when valuing controlling interests.
(f) Whether or not the enterprise has goodwill or other intangible value.

(g) Sales of the stock and the size of the block of stock to be valued.
(h) The market price of stocks of corporations engaged in the same or a similar line of business having their stocks actively traded in a free and open market, either on an exchange or over-the-counter. With respect to an individual dealership sale, the best comparable is the amount the public company paid or received for buying or selling a similar dealership, not what the public company’s stock value or earnings multiple, per se, that is reflected on the stock exchange.

In practice, in arriving at the fair market value of a new car dealership, several different formulas have been used:
1. Return on Investment (or earnings valuation) Formula: The value of a business to a particular purchaser based upon a return on investment analysis. This value varies from purchaser to purchaser according to the purchaser’s investment criterion and it may or may not reflect fair market value. The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) refers to this value as “Investment Value.

” A Dealer Guide to Valuing an Automobile Dealership, NADA June 1995, Revised July 2000.
The capitalization rate is determined by the stability of the dealership’s earnings and the risk involved in the automobile business at the time of sale, investment, or valuation. This method is highly subjective as the capitalization rate is based upon the particular appraiser’s perception of the risk of the business; consequently, the lower the appraiser perceives the risk, the lower will be the capitalization rate and the higher will be the price he would expect a potential purchaser to pay for the business.

In short, the capitalization rate is the appraiser’s opinion as to a rate of return on investment that would motivate a prospective purchaser to buy the dealership. Considerations include those specified in Revenue Ruling 59-60, as well as available rate of return on alternative investments.
2. Adjusted Net Worth Formula: Net worth of the company, adjusted to reflect the appraised value of the assets used in the day to day operations of a business, assuming that the user or purchaser will continue to make use of the assets.

To this “net worth” value will be added blue sky or goodwill, if any. The “Adjusted Net Worth Formula” is the most common method used in purchasing and selling a new car dealership.
3. Orderly Liquidation Formula. This method values the assets as if all of them had to be sold – not at a “fire sale,” but in an orderly manner and without time constraints. Normally, if the dealership is profitable, some value will still be placed upon goodwill.
4. Forced Liquidation. The lowest of all values, forced liquidation means that all of the assets must be sold at a forced sale such as an auction, creditors’ sale or by order of a bankruptcy court.

A bankruptcy proceeding regarding a new car dealership almost never brings goodwill. This might be the most appropriate formula if the dealership has no lease (or only a short term remaining on its lease) and cannot, as a practical matter, relocate.
5. Income Formula. The income formula is basically taking the store’s earnings and multiplying it by an appropriated capitalization rate. The trick here is the definition of “earnings.” In determining “earnings” a perspective purchase could use any combination of the following:
(a) current earnings
(b) average earnings – add the last five years together and divide by 5
(c) weighted average earnings – usually an inverted weight with the current year multiplied by five, last year by four, the year before last by three, four years ago by two, five years ago by one, then adding them together and dividing by 15
(d) cash flow – net income plus agreed add-backs such as depreciation, LIFO, personal expenses, excess bonuses and such
(e) forecasted, <a href="http://www.

buycarplayer.com/” target=”_blank”>pioneer audio receiver, earnings – future projected earnings discounted to present day value.
6. Fair Value. NADA also refers to a third value in addition to “Market Value” “Investment Value,” which it calls “Fair Value.” NADA describes “Fair Value” as being “. . . primarily used when a minority shareholder objects to a proposed sale of the company in assessing liquidating damages.” and defines it as: “The value of the minority interest immediately before the transaction to which the dissenter objects, excluding any appreciation or depreciation in anticipation of the transaction and without reference to either a minority or non-marketability discount.

“
The NADA guide states: It is not common for auto dealers to run across this particular valuation standard. This author has never used, nor has ever seen this value used with respect to valuing automobile dealerships.
As can be seen in this report, this author in discussing valuations excludes what NADA describes as “Fair Value”.
7. The Greater Fool Theory. The National Automobile Dealers Association publication (A Dealer Guide to Valuing an Automobile Dealership, NADA June 1995), bemuses, in part: “A Rule of Thumb is more properly referred to as a ‘greater fool theory.

‘ It is not ‘valuation theory, however.” (In its “Valuing an Automobile Dealership: Update 2004″ NADA dropped the reference to “fool” and simply states that the theory is “. . . rarely based upon sound economic or valuation theory,” but advises sellers to “Go for it, and maybe someone will be stupid enough to pay [it].”
The considerations for valuing new car dealerships are more complex than those used for valuing most other businesses. Dynamics such as the unique requirements of automobile manufactures and distributors can limit the amount of monies that may be paid for a dealership, regardless of what perspective purchasers may offer to pay for the store.

Therefore, the value of a new car dealership varies based upon the needs and ability of the purchaser and, consequently, the same dealership could have two different values to two different purchaser and both values would be correct.
Thus, our valuation of the subject dealership should be considered in the context and limitations of the facts and history of new car dealership sales as delineated herein.
Although the terms “blue sky” and “goodwill” are sometimes used interchangeably, in our experience they are two separate items.

“Goodwill” reflects the intangible value, over and above the hard assets (net worth) of a going concern, when the business is run profitably. It has to do with the operation of the business. It reflects the fact, for example, that the day the purchaser closes on the purchase of a dealership, customers will be lined-up in the service drive, the dealership’s phone number will already be listed in the yellow pages, existing customers will have relations with employees of the store, the back-end (parts and service) will have an established gross profit, and a plethora of other advantages that do not exist with the opening of a “new point.

“
“Blue Sky”, on the other hand, is the intangible value of the business opportunity itself. It is the value, for example of being able to own a particular franchise with a certain retail sales potential, or having a business in particular location, or the fact that a particular franchise or location will complement other franchises or locations of a potential purchaser, or the fact that there are few competitors in the area, or the fact that the franchise is ideal for a certain location.
Examples of pure “blue sky” would be the purchase of a letter of intent (LOI) to establish an heretofore non-existent dealership, or the difference in value between a Subaru franchise in snow country, versus the desert, or the difference in value of a domestic franchise in Flint, Michigan versus Marin, California, or vice-versa, the difference in value of a Nissan store in Marin, California versus Flint Michigan.

In short, “blue sky” may exist whether or not the business is profitable, or even “dormant”, as with a LOI. When a store is profitable, however, the distinction still exists, although the term becomes blurred as dealers generally use the terms “blue sky” and “goodwill” as synonymous.
In valuing an automobile dealership, it is common to:
• use the American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers’ Dictionary of Real Estate Appraisal and the IRS Revenue Rulings 59-60 definition of “Market Value” and we used the Adjusted Net Worth formula with “Market Value – Continued Used” when valuing the assets;
• use “blue sky” and “goodwill” synonymously, as the dealership is profitable;
• assume an “asset sale” and (1) add the assets of the corporation a buyer would normally purchase to the blue sky and goodwill values to determine a sales value, (2) then add and subtract from/to that value the assets and liabilities that will remain with the seller.

• consider the unique requirements of the industry with respect to the ownership and capitalization of a new car dealership;
• value blue sky/goodwill based upon what the seller could reasonably expect as a sales price, if the seller’s interest were actually sold pursuant to the American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers’ Dictionary of Real Estate Appraisal definitions of “Market Value”, but with regard to what the factory and a lending institution would require to approve the sale and issue a flooring line.

• consider, if appropriate, a minority discount
• land and buildings are valued separately.
Note too: NADA states that in valuing an automobile dealership, “market value” is interchangeable with “fair market value” unless specified otherwise. NADA refers to this value as being used for computation of taxes, divorce, Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOP) and shareholder agreements. See: National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) publication: A Dealer Guide to Valuing an Automobile Dealership, NADA June 1995, and Revised July 2000.

NEW CAR FRANCHISES CANNOT BE SOLD
The term “sale” of a new car franchise is a misnomer, in that a new car dealership franchise cannot be sold. Each and every factory and distributor issues a contract called a “Dealer Service and Sales Agreement” which is entered into between the dealer and the factory and which agreement specifically states the franchise cannot be sold.
What actually occurs in the “sale” of an automobile dealership is that the parties sign a Purchase Agreement with respect to dealership assets or stock and give the Agreement to the factory for factory approval of a number of approvals that must be obtained before the sale can be consummated and the purchaser appointed as the seller’s successor dealer.

These approvals include:
(1) the purchaser’s character;
(2) the operator’s experience;
(3) the dealership’s location, with respect to current demographics;
(4) the adequacy of the facility, with respect to current planning volume;
(5) the dealership’s capitalization;
(6) the dealership’s projected viability as a profitable entity; and
(7) the investor’s source of funds
Consequently, the fact that a particular prospective purchaser has “the highest offer” does not mean that a dealership can be (1) sold to that prospect or (2) that the dealership has the value offered.

A new car dealership may only be sold to a candidate that meets all of the qualifications of the manufacturer and distributor with respect to capital, experience and projected viability. Although many courts, especially bankruptcy courts have attempted to ignore this rule and value the dealership at the value placed upon it by the highest bidder, the fact that the highest bid does not establish the value of a new car dealership has been upheld by state and federal appellate courts in every jurisdiction in the United States, including bankruptcy court.

See: In re Pioneer Ford Sales, Inc., 729 F.2d 27 (1984), where the Bankruptcy Court, 26 B.R. 116, had approved the transfer, which ran from Pioneer to Pioneer’s principal secured creditor, to Toyota Village. The Court of Appeals reversed both the bankruptcy court and the district court finding that Ford’s disapproval was not unreasonable. See too: Ferrari v Simms, US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Case No: 9916059, April 27, 2000, wherein: the US Bankruptcy Court approved the sale of a bankrupt Ferrari dealership and Court of Appeals reversed stating: the manufacturer “.

. . did not unreasonably withhold its consent.”
Thomas M. Pitegoff, in his article: Franchise Relationship Laws: A Minefield for Franchisors, THE BUSINESS LAWYER, Vol. 45, No. 1, November 1989, states at page 289. “A franchisor at common law and under the Sherman Act may also withhold consent to a transfer on the basis that the price at which the franchisee is offering to sell the franchise is so high that it would jeopardize the financial stability of the business and hinder the transferee’s ability to succeed.

It is well established that the franchisor has an interest in ensuring that the purchaser will have a chance to realize a reasonable return on his investment.” See: In re Beverage International, Ltd., [1986-1987 Transfer Binder] Bus. Franchise Guide (CCH) ะ‚ะ‚ 8636 (Bankr. D. Mass. 1986); Walner v. Baskin-Robbins, 514 F.Supp. 1029 (D. Tex. 1981); Hawkins v. Holiday Inns, 634 F.2d 342 (6th Cir. 1980), cert. denied, 451 U.S. 987 (1981); Kestenbaum v. Falstaff Brewing Corp., 514 F.2d 690 (5th Cir.

1975), cert denied, 424 U.S. 943 (1976); Hanigan v. Wheeler, 504 P.2d 972 (Ariz. 1972).
REAL PROPERTY AND FACILITIES
Insofar as the operations of a new car dealership are concerned, a factory/distributor will not approve the “sale” of the dealership without passing upon: (1) the condition of the physical facility; (2) the rent factor; and (3) the lease. Furthermore, the value of real property and facilities to a manufacturer and to a new car dealership does not necessarily relate to the market value of land and buildings in the market area.

See: John Pico “Buying and Selling Automobile Dealerships”, National Legal Publishing Company (1986). There are “per car” rental factor and percentage of sales formulas used to determine whether or not a dealership could even survive servicing a proposed rent factor.
Additionally, unless there are extenuating circumstances (such an anticipated move in location), manufacturers and distributors generally will not approve a sale without a candidate securing at least a five year lease on the dealership on an “approved” facility.

In some instance, the prospective purchaser’s problem with relocating could be that the state has a mileage law.
CURRENT STATE OF THE DEALERSHIP ECONOMY
There are three major factors to consider when discussing “the economy”: (1) The health of the national economy; (2) The health of the local economy; and (3) The fiscal health of the franchise and its dealers.
IMPORTANCE OF LOCATION
The strategic importance of location in valuing a dealership, especially this dealership, cannot be overstated.

Michelle Krebs and Donna Harris, Staff Reporters for Automotive News, wrote an article on January 21, 2002, detailing the importance of a dealership’s location stating that location, always an important asset, has become even more so in valuing a dealership. See too: Dealer Magazine, June 2000, “Defining Blue Sky”; Beers and Cutler, (beersandcutler.com), “Auto Dealer Report”, Issue 2, 2001; and MerillLynch, in its April 19, 2004 report on Auto Dealers wrote:
THE CONDITION OF THE FACILITY
See the Donna Harris’ Automotive News article of January 27, 2003 entitled: “Showroom renewal”, wherein she states “More makers than ever want dealers to remodel their stores.

” She quotes Lou Porreco, president of five dealerships in Pennsylvania and Florida, is at the top of the district in customer satisfaction and sales volume: “When there is a buy-sell agreement, and a new dealer is coming in or a dealer is getting a new franchise or a dealer wants to relocate, the factory makes it contingent on remodeling.”
See too: Michael Bradford’s February 4, 2004 Automotive News Article entitled: “Dealers Respond – Redesigns”, whose investigative reporting reached the same conclusion.

ONE MAN SHOWS
Revenue Ruling 59-60, Section 4.02 (b) states: “A sound appraisal of a closely held stock must consider . . . The loss of the manager of a so-called ‘one-man’ business may have a depressing effect upon the value of the stock . . . In valuing the stock of this type of business, therefore, the effect of the loss of the manager on the future expectancy of the business, and the absence of management-succession potentialities are pertinent factors to be taken into consideration.”
POTENTIAL PURCHASERS
Public Companies
At this time, public companies are no longer the darlings of the industry and as a rule are no longer spending huge sums remodeling dealership facilities they once were and many manufacturers and distributors are rejecting offers by public companies to purchase their dealerships.

For example, in 2005 Ford Motor Company refused to approve a public company’s $87 million offer for the a Dealership Group. The rejection was upheld by both the California New Car Dealer Board and the state courts. In 2005 Mercedes-Benz blocked another public company from purchasing one of its dealerships by exercising its right of first refusal. In the same time span, Ford Motor Company repurchased yet another public company’s Ford dealership and turned it into a company store.
In addition, manufacturers and distributors have limited public companies to a specific number of franchises they may own (for example, Lexus only allows a company to own a combined total five Lexus dealerships in the entire United States) and they have implemented rules prohibiting companies from owning dealerships in the same market.

COMPARABLE DEALERSHIP SALES
Comparable sales are relevant to the extent that the stores being sold are truly “comparable” to the dealership being valued, with respect to potential, facility, location, brand, demographics, and so forth. As no two stores are truly identical, the blue sky paid for each “comparable” store would need to be adjusted for the each of the factors mentioned in this article in order to accurately reflect a “comparable” value.
John Pico has a Doctorate in Jurisprudence and is a vice president of Automotive Advisors.

He has completed over 1,000 dealership transactions and published the first books copyrighted in the Library of Congress on Buying and Selling Automobile dealerships. You can obtain his biography and more information, sources and references at http://www.automotiveadvisors.com/johnpico.asp

THE LOYALTY FLOOD

Unfortunately for many businesses, any advantage that was originally gained through loyal programs has quickly eroded.

While airline,, pioneer audio receiver, hotel, and car rental agencies were the pioneers of mainstream loyalty programs, other businesses were quick to jump on the loyalty program bandwagon. The result is a business environment where every restaurant, gas station and pet store has some form of loyalty card or program.

As a result, having a loyalty program is no longer a competitive differentiator. It has become a mainstay of a business environment where loyalty programs have become a commodity and a potential detractor to the overall customer experience.

They get in the way of business efficiency – often requiring an additional step in the customer experience process. They have become nothing more than another way to offer a price promotion. Loyalty programs can also create disdain for customers that can’t receive the benefits or special pricing offered exclusively to program members.

WHEN LOYALTY PROGRAMS BITE BACK

Some loyalty programs miss the point entirely and can actually drive customers away. Hilton Hotels, for example, has a long-standing loyalty program called Hilton Honors that accumulates points based on the number of overnight stays at their network of hotels.

For a career traveler, these loyalty points may continue to accumulate over a 10 or 20-year time span.

On the surface, Hilton’s loyalty program appears simple and straightforward; The more a customer stays – the more rewards they will receive. In certain circumstances, however, the fine print can really bite back. If changes to a customer’s travel habits keep them out of a Hilton property for 12 consecutive months, the customer will lost ALL accumulated points and privileges. This policy, in effect, erases 20 years of loyalty and any associated rewards or benefits.

The customer may have been loyal and may even have been an advocate for Hilton. Penalizing a loyal customer for lack of activity for 12 months will certainly damage any good will that may have been accumulated over the prior 10 to 20 year time span.

IT’S TIME TO RETHINK CUSTOMER LOYALTY

If companies want to reap the benefits of true customer loyalty – it’s time to rethink what customer loyalty really means. Customer loyalty is not obtained by holding a card, accumulating points, or redeeming rewards.

Furthermore, loyalty can not be measured simply by customer longevity, frequency, or purchase volume. Customer loyalty is not a one-way street; it cannot be determined solely based on what the customer has done for the company.

Instead, customer loyalty should be turned upside down. Perhaps more companies would get it right if they measured loyalty in terms of the degree to which the COMPANY is loyal to the customer rather than vice versa. Companies should strive to remember repeat customers, address them as individuals, call them by their name, and treat them special.

Think about the simple lesson of customer loyalty that was demonstrated each week on the 1980’s sitcom “Cheers”, the bar where everyone knows your name: At the beginning of each show, the bar’s best customer, ‘Norm’, would enter the bar and proceed to ‘his’ barstool. There was no loyalty program, no card to scan, and no ‘platinum’ level required to gain entry. Everyone indeed knew his name, he had his own seat at the bar, and the bar owner knew exactly what he wanted to drink. ‘Norm’ was indeed loyal, but the establishment was extremely loyal to him as well.

In order to create a competitive differentiation, companies should begin to rethink customer loyalty:

Old School: “What has the customer done for me lately?”
New School: “What have I done for my most loyal customers?”

SUMMARY

Individual customer loyalty is a simple concept that is often overlooked in today’s business environment comprised of multiple touchpoints, channels, and markets. When businesses get large and complex, the customer becomes nothing more than a number, a body, or an inconvenient commodity.

When that happens, it becomes increasingly difficult to treat truly loyal customers differently.

With the overabundance of loyalty programs today that offer nothing more than price discounts, it’s no wonder that customers are becoming decreasingly loyal to any one brand.

With so much at stake, it’s time to rethink customer loyalty.

buycarplayer.com/” target=”_blank”>pioneer audio receiver, various vehicle models.

The Mazda Radiator performs a crucial task in the engine’s cooling system. Head dissipation occurs inside the radiator. When engine burns the air and fuel mixture through the process of internal combustion, the temperature rises and reaches approximately 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit. To control engine temperature, Mazda vehicles are equipped with Mazda Radiators. These components typically remove at least one-third of the heat produced in the combustion process.

Failing to do so would result to overheating, and eventually, other broken car parts.

So how does the Mazda Radiator work? Anti-freeze or coolant mixture circulates around the engine to absorb heat, which then goes directly to the radiator for the cooling process. The air passes through the tube area of the Mazda Radiator and absorbs the heat from the coolant. After being cooled, the coolant then goes back to the engine to perform the same process.

Because of the crucial task of keeping the temperature at bay and the different car make designs, Mazda ensures that their Mazda Radiators match the vehicle’s specifications.

Attention to details, precise assembly, and quality materials are what they focus on when producing Mazda Radiators. Manufacturers of Mazda cars make sure that the radiators perform efficiently. The result is longer engine life and great Mazda riding experience.

From their many items you can look at the many different Pioneer Car CD Players.

In the Pioneer Car CD Player range you will find many different varieties that you might like to buy. There is also the premier pioneer range of Pioneer Car CD Players. Before you visit their showroom or other authorized car audio dealers you should check out the various products that are available.

From this initial research you can see what the difference is between their normal Pioneer Car CD Players and the Premier Pioneer Car CD Players.

In addition the prices for these can be found as well. While some people may state that they want to look at the many Pioneer Car CD Players in person, seeing the various specifications and a brief description of the many varieties can help you to narrow your search.

Now when you look at the products that are displayed on the website you will find that there are 11 different Pioneer Car CD Players. Some of these Pioneer Car CD Players have access to satellite radio frequencies too. There are some CD players that are wireless.

As you look through the different Pioneer Car CD Players you will see the various differences in their playing abilities.

In the Premier range there are 8 varieties of Pioneer Car CD Players. While these products deliver cutting edge technology the price range for all of these CD players is very affordable to any of their customers. Now for the person who wants the very newest of technology installed in their car, you should see if any of the Premier Pioneer Car CD Players catch your eye.

When you have made your choice you will need to see the best way to install this item in your car so that you don’t run into any trouble.

To help you with this problem you can ask for assistance from the Premier Pioneer Car Audio staff.

These people are trained to give you the very highest quality help and product installation. There is another great benefit to buying Pioneer Car CD Players, and that is that when the installation is performed by the pioneer staff, you will get a good deal on your 2 year warrantee.

These variants are available with a choice of three revolutionary engines: 1.8-litre TSI (Turbocharged Fuel Stratified Direct Injection), 1.9-litre TDI PD (Turbocharged Direct Injection with Pump Duse), and 2.0-litre TDI PD that generate 160 bhp, 105 bhp, and 140 bhp respectively. The artistically designed 2009 Skoda Laura offers a comfortable and pleasurable ride on all types of roads and sports a host of elegant and functional features. It is also packed with an assortment of advanced technologies that help heighten comfort levels.

The car offers optimum safety with abundance of new and advanced safety and security features. The TSI engine is a combination of turbocharger, stratified direct fuel injection system, and variable valve timing. The combination of these three advanced technologies ensures higher performance and better mileage. The turbocharger in the system helps improve engine efficiency and reduce fuel consumption by supporting complete combustion of injected fuel.

The fuel stratified direct injection engine technology uses stratified charging to directly inject fuel in relatively small and precise quantity to ensure optimised combustion. Variable valve timing technology helps improve engine efficiency by monitoring the opening and closing of valves in accordance with varying speed. The TDI Pump Duse engine is advanced diesel technology that plays a vital role in improving engine’s response and better acceleration. The Pump Duse technology was pioneered by Skoda Auto.

It, pioneer audio receiver, comprises integrated injector and pump unit for each cylinder in the engine and helps optimise combustion which in turn, results in lower fuel consumption. The 1.8-litre TSI is available in the Ambiente with a 6-speed fully synchronized manual transmission and the 2.0-litre TDI PD is available in the Laurin and Klement with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The 1.9-litre TDI PD is available in both Elegance and Ambiente with an option of 5-speed fully synchronized manual transmission and 6-speed automatic transmission.

The finely-tuned suspension system is specially designed for Indian road conditions with MacPherson strut in the front and multi-element axle at the rear. Moreover, the rack and pinion steering with electro-mechanic power steering and disc brakes add to the performance and efficiency of the car. The 2009 Skoda Laura is a blend of contemporary styling and dynamic contours. The elegant silhouette, sloping roofline, strong shoulder line, and lower sills impart a sporty and elegant appeal. The exterior of the car is beautified with chrome front grille, flared headlamps, new taillamps with a chrome central insert, and turn indicators in the external mirror.

Each team had crafted a unique design and members wasted no time looking for junks โ€” hoses, batteries, propellers, tubes, and engines. After several hours of hard work and meticulous technical maneuverings, both teams finished the project.

The team that used a propeller to thrust the torpedo won.

I’m amazed that people can actually make something innovative out of nothing. And in a short time! For me, it doesn’t matter which team won. As far as effort and creativity are concerned, both teams won big time.

Can we make a โ€œtorpedoโ€ out of our personal junk? How can we optimize what we have?

I feel sad when people blame everyone and everything except themselves when something bad happens in their lives. I know a 30-year-old man who can’t seem to pursue a career.

He quits jobs as quickly as he changes clothes. Because of his perceived โ€œmisfortunes,โ€ he accuses employers and co-workers of politicking, blames parents for not supporting him enough, faults his neighborhood for โ€œbad Luck,โ€ and even chides his looks and genes for his desperate circumstances.

In reality, this man is considered lucky by current standards. Despite his complaints, he actually finished a degree in an expensive private school and was raised in a middle class neighborhood by supportive and educated parents.

In my opinion, this man is making a junk out of his privileged status.

Compare this man to Mama Teeya. At age 60, she migrated to North America with her husband. When she came, she didn’t know how to drive a car so she had to walk to look for work โ€” even in winter. Trying to save money, she moved from one apartment to the next more affordable shelter. While everyone was asleep, she was working. Rain or shine, she walked to work with umbrella in tow.

After five years working two minimum wage jobs โ€” as gas station attendant and hotel janitress โ€” and some babysitting on the side, Mama Teeya and her husband (who worked at 7 Eleven) had saved enough money to afford a small two-bedroom townhouse unit. Eventually, they managed to buy a brand new Hyundai and a rusty, pioneer audio receiver, seven-year old Oldsmobile.

Despite her meager income, she supported her nieces and nephews attain college degrees by sending hard earned dollar to her home country.

Like Mama Teeya, how can you optimize what you have and lead a life of success?

Acknowledge your limitations. Because of Mama Teeya’s age and unaccredited education, she realized that she had to accept a minimum wage job.

Determine your strength. Mama Teeya knew that if she worked hard and be frugal โ€” her two positive traits โ€” she could attain her goals.

She decided to focus on her strengths rather than on her weaknesses and limitations.

Count your blessings and be thankful. Mama Teeya never failed to enjoy what she had. She was always thankful for her job, family, house, and friends. She socialized with close friends and danced cha-cha and tango with her husband on free week nights.

Instead of blame, find solutions to problems. Mama Teeya never blamed her age, her education, and her immigrant status for her low-income jobs. For her, it was already a blessing to have a job.

The salary was just a bonus.

Don’t complain about your circumstance. Mama Teeya never complained that she had to walk to her work. Also, she never whined for not getting enough sleep to maintain two jobs. She just loved what she did.

Work hard with joy in your heart. Mama Teeya enjoyed every minute of her work. According to her co-workers, she greeted customers and went to work enthusiastically.

Help others generously. Because of her generosity and kindness, she had helped her nephews and nieces financially and emotionally.

Have a strong faith. Mama Teeya communed with God despite her busy schedule and regularly attended church and religious gatherings.

Mama Teeya optimized what she had. Everyday, she was thankful that God gave her two decent jobs, her own car, a comfortable townhouse unit, and a devoted husband. Through frugality, hard work, and strong faith, she had lived a full life and fulfilled her American Dream before she passed away last year.

Mama Teeya is now gone but her example will live forever.

Copyright 2003 Dr. Michael G. Rayel, author of First Aid to Mental Illness (Finalist, Reader’s Preference Choice Award 2002), has pioneered the CARE approach as a first aid for mental health. As an expert and an award-winning author, Dr. Rayel has appeared on radio and prominent newspapers. As a first aid advocate, he has conducted Mental Health First Aid workshops around the country. His books are available at www.drrayel.com and major online bookstores.