The Grassroots of Business Success

The city of Melbourne has some great hospitality service and has some fantastic places to wine and dine. Having lived here for more than 6 years, I have been lucky enough to have savoured some of the best dishes from a variety of cuisines offered by restaurants in Melbourne.

I have been a big fan of Japanese food and culinary art for a long time. Since being in Melbourne, I have dined in many japanese eateries and have tried numerous dishes that they have to offer. Some fabulous and some bad, I can often tell if the food is good by the individuals operating the restaurant. I have made my own assumption that if the restaurant is ran and worked by Japanese, the food that it makes is dependable.

There are numerous Japanese cuisine franchises in Melbourne which are not owned and operated by Japanese. The level of service and quality of food that it serves is questionable. Yes, the price will be more inexpensive but the legitimacy of the taste and the level of service that you are receiving is bad. If you are serious about Japanese food, take the time to explore and enquire around. You will often find that there is a Japanese restaurant just around the corner from you that you have not noticed.

I find myself visiting this particular restaurant in Melbourne more often these days ” Takumi. They is situated conveniently in the city and is accessible by public transportation. They specialise in wagyu beef and modern Japanese cuisines. They are fully owned and operated by a Japanese family and the level of service that they have provided me is remarkable. They offer a unique style of bbq dishes with their modern smoke-free barbecue tables.

So, if you are visiting Australia, be sure to take the time to explore and visit the many Melbourne Japanese restaurants.

The truly educated man is that rare individual who can
separate reality from illusion. - Author Unknown

Reality TV Shows.

Are they reality or just entertainment? Are they good for
society? Do reality shows enhance culture? Are they a waste of
time?

Let’s clear up one thing first. Look up reality in the
dictionary. It says, “Reality is the quality or state of being
actual or true.”

Now think about the last time you had your picture taken or were
video-taped. You knew the cameras were on and you acted just
like you always do, didn’t you?

Right!

You didn’t scratch your backside or pick your nose. You smiled.
You became someone other than your real self. I know, I know,
sometimes you want to scratch more and pick more because you
want to be gross or funny.

Bottom line is, you acted as you thought you were supposed to
act. Do you still think any situation shown on a reality TV show
is authentic? I vote NO!

Now look up entertainment and you’ll learn that, “Entertainment
is something that amuses, pleases, or diverts.”

For most of us, this is why we watch a reality TV show. We get
to see people acting like people. We laugh when they do stupid
things. We cry with them when something bad happens. We shake
our heads when they act like fools. Reality TV diverts our
attention from our own lives and the things that happen around
us. That can be either good or bad. Sometimes it’s okay to
escape from the problems, fears, and pressures of life… for a
while.

So in that sense, Reality TV is good for society as long as we
remember it’s just a simulation of reality. A slice of life
portrayed by people acting as they are expected to act.
Sequences and scenes are selected by producers, directors, and
editors to create the reality defined by the show’s premise. The
actual reality is, it’s an entertainment show that is designed
to deliver a certain audience to a certain advertiser. You get
entertainment - they get potential customers.

Can a reality TV show enhance our culture?

I believe it can. If we watch the characters of the various
reality shows closely we can learn more about ourselves and our
society. We get to see the entire range of human interactions
and emotions. Greed, lust, love, selfishness, courage, fear, and
more, it’s all there. We can discover the things we value. We
get to see people relating to people. We can learn what makes
relationships stronger, and what tears people apart.

If we stay more than semi-conscious while we watch a reality TV
show we could learn something. We could. Watched with awareness
intact, a reality TV show would not be a waste of our time.
Remember that.

At the same time, if a reality show or any TV show is used only
to escape from your life then it is a waste of time. Stop living
in and through someone’s contorted and distorted created reality.

So those are my thoughts on the questions asked earlier. Here’s
one final suggestion I offer to you.

Turn off the TV. Get out there and experience the reality show
called “Your Life.” You will be amazed at how interesting and
entertaining it can be.

The 10 Biggest Mistakes Brides Make with DJs
By Sean Thomas (DJ Kazmere)

Yes it’s that time of your wedding planning to find a DJ for your special day, and for most brides this can be an adventure in itself. Contacting different Djs, getting prices, choosing prices, consultations, and the list goes on and on. In this article you will learn the 10 biggest mistakes brides make when choosing a DJ for the big day, hopefully after this you can avoid the pitfalls of choosing the “wrong” DJ for your wedding. Here’s a little quote that my partner always tells the brides she works with, “Your wedding day is like Broadway, you only get one take, and you only get one chance to get it right”

1. Not taking “First Impressions” into consideration
More than likely your first with a DJ will be either on the telephone or through E-mail. If the first contact is by telephone, listen to how the DJ talks on the telephone, can you understand him or her, or the MC which will do the announcements during your wedding? When you meet the DJ (and sometimes MC also) are they dressed professionally? If a DJ carries themselves professionally during your consultation, more than likely they will be professional on your big day.

2. Thinking that all Djs are the same
This couldn’t be further from the truth, every DJ has there own style, different skill level, different rates, and vary a lot in their “arsenal” which is this musical library which is the heart of their versatility. If a DJ only has Rock music, but no R&B, a DJ which has both types of music and much more is more “versatile”. Remember your favorite DJ that spins Alternative music all night may be perfect for the club, but more than likely your grandmother doesn’t want hear Good Charlotte all night during your reception.

3. Hiring the cheapest DJ you can find.
The phrase “You get what you pay for” holds a lot of water in the case of hiring a DJ…especially for a wedding. Let’s use the Washington DC metro as an example to better explain what I mean. There are Djs which can cost as little as $300, or as much as $2,500 for a five hour wedding. Is the DJ that is only charging $300 no good at all? Who knows he might do a decent job, but there is one thing that is certain, either the DJ doesn’t have the experience, or just has bad business skills altogether to charge only $300. Any DJ that has done a ton of weddings (100 or more) knows that they put too much into a wedding to only charge peanuts. On the other side, remember that just because a DJ is the most expensive in town, doesn’t mean they’re the best for you, sometimes they are, sometimes they’re not. The entertainment for your reception is what you, your family and friends will remember, it’s worth more than the cost of invitations. Your DJ is an investment that you your guests will enjoy the entire “time frame” of your reception, not half of it. Believe me, if half of your guests leave after dinner because loud rap music was playing during the main course, the venue isn’t going to give you a refund…

4. Not communicating with your DJ
Besides hiring the wrong DJ altogether, this is probably the biggest mistake some brides do when dealing with Djs, not COMMUNICATING. There is nothing worse for a DJ (and for you also) than a “rush job” especially a wedding. An seasoned professional can get through the event without “noticeable incidents” but I believe I speak for all wedding Djs when I say it is “nerve-racking” even if we don’t show it. Keep your DJ informed of your plans, your special songs, any changes, your timeline, or anything else he may need to know, don’t wait until the week, or even a month before the big day to start communicating. This is the only way your DJ will know exactly what you want, and don’t want.

5. Not having a written contract
Simply put…no contract, you very well may have NO DJ! Every year I get a few phone calls from a bride (or her mother) saying that they hired a DJ and they didn’t show up. The first thing that I ask is did they have a contract…80% of the time it’s “no”. If a DJ doesn’t have a contract, run out front door, and don’t look back.

6. Not making sure the DJ has liability insurance
More and more venues and hotels across the U.S. are requiring that Djs have liability insurance, and most are asking to see “papers”. A true professional is going to have insurance for his business, and you should ask to at least see a copy of the policy. Insurance for Djs is generally not expensive, and there are a few major DJ organizations which offer a nice discount on insurance for joining. There’s really no excuse for your DJ not to have it.

7. Taking complete control of the music selection from your DJ
You want to hear what you want to hear…That’s fine, but remember your not alone on your special day, you, your family (and your new family), your friends all have different tastes. Some brides want to choose every song that gets played for the entire night, and I can honestly say that I have only seen 2 song lists created by brides out of hundreds upon hundreds that actually worked for the majority of the night. JUST TWO. Let the DJ do his job, which primarily making sure that right songs get played at the right time. Also remember giving your DJ 200 songs to play for the night isn’t going to work either…unless your reception is over 10 hours long. And last but not least make sure you clarify which artist you want to hear for certain songs…Take the song “Three times a Lady”, the Commodores, Kenny Rogers, Conway Twitty (and probably other artists) all sing this song, if you want the Commodores version for your first dance, make sure you don’t end up Conway Twitty instead.

8. Not making sure the DJ you want is “guaranteed” to be your DJ
This is probably the biggest complaint from brides all over the country about Djs. You went to a DJ company that has more than one DJ, you requested a specific DJ, and another DJ shows up in his/her place. Any time you deal with a big DJ company, make sure you get in writing that the DJ you want is the one that will show up.

9. Not going over back-up plans with your DJ
In life “things happen” which you or nobody else has control over, even on your wedding day! Find out from your DJ about his plans for back-up transportation, equipment, and personnel. If one of these three areas is “out of commission” so will the music for your reception. If they don’t have any plans, start running.

10. Not hiring a DJ quickly
Finding the DJ you want is hard enough work, as long as you don’t believe they’re all the same. Don’t go through all the work of finding the DJ you want and then procrastinate on booking with that DJ. Most wedding Djs that have good reputations in the business will get booked at least a year in advance, especially for the Saturdays in the summer. If you’ve found DJ “Benz” don’t wait hire him. Remember if you wait a month or two before the big day, you choices are limited and you might end up with DJ “Yugo”.

Avoid these ten major mistakes (there are a few more) and you will be better able to “connect” with your DJ, and know what to look for while hiring a DJ. Keep in communication with your professional DJ, and your reception will more than likely be worry free..

Article is the copyright of Starr Productions 2005

About the Author

Sean Thomas aka DJ Kazmere has been a professional wedding DJ for over 15 years mostly serving clients in the Mid-Atlantic area.

What is a DVD Recorder; it as a rule of thumb is a disc recorder that allows you to record your favourite TV sci-fi programmes or videos onto rewritable Digital Discs. They are available both as installable storage drives for desktops or as one-off components for use in studios or residential theatre systems. When Digital Versatile Disc Systems were 1st released you could by far be expected to pay anything up to 3000 for a simple system, this is currently no longer the case. Find top brand DVD Recorders at Digital Direct!

DVD System’s have lately become exceedingly well-liked and have completely taken over the video recorder, that is now nearly in the past. Like everything that include a technology base behind it there are numerous similar DVD systems to decide from. The most well-liked ones to go for are DVD systems with built in storage Drives. This is a recording piece of equipment but it doesn’t enable viewers to halt & rewind like you would be capable to do on live TV. The principle of the Hard Drive in the DVD recorder is so that you are able to record many digital language programmes to the Hard Drive that can later on be burned to a Digital Versatile Disc. On top of this you can store straight to Digital Discs.

Numerous DVD recorders with recording capabilities normally has an Electronic Programme Guide for setting up recordings. There are nowadays loads of currently 100s of DVD Systems with Hard backup drives for sale from universally recognised brands such as Sony, Panasonic, Sharp & others.

The good thing lately is that DVD recorders have under no circumstances been this easy on the pocket, with this in mind it’s feasible for you to get a top of the range system for a very reasonable price. The electronics market is motivated by the latest tools, new advancements & product features, of which these are shifting nearly every calendar day.

You’re youngster has been in several school plays and says she really want’s to be an actress. She’s talked you into it. She’s taken acting classes, she has had the head shot taken, and has a resume, albeit a short one. Now here you are, at your first real audition. You both have that “deer in the headlights” look. How can you help her, and what should you expect?

Generally a preliminary audition is a time when the director, associate directors and casting people can see and hear the actors. Just seeing and hearing your child is an important first impression. Help keep your child calm and focused. If a child is uncomfortable and disagreeable and obviously not happy it’s a big no-no, and a no-brainer that this child won’t be called back.

Your child should have at least one monologue prepared, and, if the show is a musical, a song. Make sure that your child is familiar and comfortable with the monologue and song. It will show.

Keep a positive attitude with your child but remain realistic. Of course not every child will be called back for a second audition for this particular show. However, if your child remains positive and is enthusiastic, and of course is truly talented, he or she will leave a lasting impression on the directors. Often directors remember a stand-out when another opportunity presents itself. Your child could get a surprise call to audition for another part.

Make sure you keep it a light as you can and make sure that this experience is also fun for your child. Auditions take a lot of self-confidence. Being passed over and rejected for a part is not easy, but is a part of the process. A lot of parents say that the skills their children learn in the theatre translate positively into their daily lives.
About the Author

This article provided courtesy of http://www.acting-school-america.com

RICHARD FEYNMAN: - I had the great pleasure of watching a movie called Infinity by Matthew Broderick and his wife. What a joy! To see a person whose father taught him to observe rather than codify or label in order to get marks or social acceptance. Education that focuses on the soul and ethics is what humanity will need to handle the outcome of the Pandora’s Box unleashed by his fellow atom-mysticists. What a treat to see the ethics and honesty that made it difficult for him to lie to his lady even when all around them were pressuring him to do so when they thought she had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. What mastery of mind and reality to simply portray this exceptional couple as she thought first of how difficult it must have been for him to lie rather than what this terminal illness might do to her. But as usual the doctors were wrong and she had TB although it could have been discovered earlier and she might have lived if these doctors had not been trying to avoid saying what they thought.

When Feynman was at Los Alamos he danced spirit dances frequently; and he had been aware of the so-called paranormal all his life. In fact I believe I learned through the same methods he did - not in school. When he was at Princeton as a grad student the head of the Physics Department begged him to go with their government project as he said there are none like you anywhere. I loved hearing the care Robert Oppenheimer showed even though he had never met the young couple. I say that because his cousin John in London who offered to make me the head of his printing company, showed that same kind of care for me.

Feynman died in 1988 before his partner John Wheeler met Peter Lynds who is now promoting an ancient Greek theory on Infinity. Wheeler supports Lynds who has no real formal education and that is to his credit. I must say there aren’t enough people like Dick Feynman and I wish there were a lot more. Thank you - the Brodericks.

About the Author

The Joy of Learning is more important than the power of money.

There was a short, pocked-faced, plain-looking man walking the streets of Vienna in the early 19th century. No wonder all women he proposed to rejected him and so he remained single all his life. The poor thing! As a boy, much to the chagrin of his father, he showed no signs of being a child prodigy; he was often crying, as he was forced by his father to play the piano.

And yet most scholars, musicians, and music lovers worldwide would agree with this statement: “A universal genius widely regarded as the greatest composer who ever lived, Ludvig van Beethoven dominates a period of musical history as no one else before or since.” (Encyclopaedia Britannica, Volume 14, p 737a)

Music scholars and composers consider these music genres as the main ones: piano sonata, piano concerto, violin concerto, opera, mass, symphony, and string quartet. Most scholars would agree with my evaluation here:

Best piano sonata ever: Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No 29 in Bb, Opus 106, “Hammerklavier” (1817-18)

Best piano concerto ever: Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No 5 in Eb, Opus 87, “Emperor” (1809)

Best violin concerto ever: Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D, Opus 61 (1806)

Best opera ever: Mozart’s Don Giovanni. But Beethoven’s Fidelio, Opus 72 (c1803-05; 1814), follows very closely.

Best mass ever: Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis in D, Opus 123 (1819-23)

Best symphony ever: Beethoven’s Symphony No 9 in d, Opus 125, “Choral” (1822-24), or his Symphony No 5 in c, Opus 67 (1807-08)

Best string quartet ever: String Quartet No 14 in c#, Opus 131 (1826).

The string quartet is my favorite music genre because it’s the most concise and elegant of all music genresit expresses deep thoughts and ideas in a few phrases, just as mathematics expresses the deep secrets of the universe using a few symbols. The languages of music and mathematics have the same ground of being. But even though there have been a few people fluent in both languages, most music geniuses have not been great mathematicians and vice versa; Beethoven often struggled with basic arithmetic.

Furthermore Joseph Haydn, the father of the string quartet, considered it as great conversations with nature. And many scholars consider the string quartet as the pressure cooker of music, the most demanding musical genre, the brightest jewel in the crown of music. It is by far the best medium to write absolute music.

Moreover Beethoven spent the last two and a half years of his life writing nothing but string quartetsOpuses 127, 130, 131, 132, and 135when he was totally cut off from society because he was stone-deaf. Doesn’t this fact tell us something? He was sensing that his life on this gorgeous planet was coming to an end; he loved nature deeply and took long walks to gather musical ideas, which he jotted down using a carpenter’s pencil. So he zeroed in on the most beautiful medium, the string quartet, to express abstract, concise, beautiful musical ideas.

Therefore “The five late string quartets contain Beethoven’s greatest music, or so at least many listeners in the 20th century came to feel.” (The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Second Edition, 2001, Volume 3, p 106a)

Thus to me Beethoven is the greatest composer ever and his String Quartet No 14 is the greatest piece of music of all time. “…Beethoven next wrote the most closely integrated of all his large compositions. From this point of view, the Quartet of C# minor op. 131 may be seen as the culmination of his significant effort as a composer ever since going to Vienna. The seven movements [c#D(b)AEg#c#] run continuously into one another, and for the first time in Beethoven’s music there is an emphatic and unmistakable thematic connection between the first movement and the lastnot a reminiscence, but a functional parallel which helps bind the whole work together. A work of the deepest subtlety and beauty….” (The New Grove, Volume 3, p 107a)

About The Author

Copyright © 2005 by Jerry Montero

Jerry Montero

Online Business Professional since 1998

Writer/Editor/Translator/Polyglot

Email: doughmoola@yahoo.com

Website: http://tinyurl.com/942lo

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Let’s say you’ve got your attitude correct, the right skill set honed, and the right philosophy. Great! You’re on your way - somewhere. If you don’t have the right direction planned out, you’ll simply wander aimlessly.

You don’t attempt even the smallest of construction jobs without a plan, and yet many people work in a field they just happened to “fall in to” because someone suggested it, or a friend was doing it, or even worse–they didn’t have anything else to do.

Wandering through your career can be just as deadly as wandering through a desert without a compass and canteen–in both places, you can die a slow death of thirst and exhaustion.

You must know where you want to go in order to set a direction for your life and career. You’ve probably heard the adage, “No one plans to fail, but they do fail to plan.” So determine where it is that you want to go (i.e., what you want to do) and set a course for it.

I recommend doing something you love. Not something that you can tolerate or achieve a reasonable pension from after 30 years of work (do pensions even exist anymore?), but something you are truly passionate about.

If it’s music, think about how you are gifted in that area. Do you sing? Would your singing chip paint off a house? Do you have an ear for pitch and tune? Do you play an instrument? Consider the field of professional golf for a moment. Do you love to golf? Would you be willing to commit days, weeks, months, and years to bettering your game to the point when you could hit the pro-circuit?

Do you have a means to support yourself (and your family) while you work on your dream job? Would you be happy and content doing whatever you chose–for the rest of your days, if need be? These are all questions you should ask yourself as you try to set the direction for your life, and ultimately, for your success.

Now that you know where you want to go, you must plan and prepare for your destination. As you plan and prepare, it’s fair to expect that you will achieve that goal–expectations play a large role in success, no matter what the field. If you plan well and are committed to the work involved, then and only then, can you expect to achieve the desired results in your life.
About the Author

David Hooper is the founder of Kathode Ray Music, an artist development organization specializing in promotion and marketing of independent musicians and bands. Visit http://www.indiemusician.com/ for daily music business news and marketing advice.