Are You A Good Candidate For Corrective Eye Surgery?}

Category : Medicine

Are You a Good Candidate for Corrective Eye Surgery?

by

Jordan Rocksmith

Eye surgery in Somerset, KY, and across the country can correct a variety of vision problems. Some eye surgeries are necessary to correct cross eyes, cataracts, glaucoma, and other conditions. On the other hand, eye surgery that’s intended to replace glasses or contacts is usually considered elective surgery. How can you find out whether or not you’re a good candidate for this type of surgery?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NXWDfj_EZQ[/youtube]

You Have to Be 18Corrective eye surgery is usually not performed on children because children’s eyes are still developing. In order to achieve 20/20 vision, corrective eye surgery would have to be repeated several times when performed on a developing child. Therefore, the minimum requirement is that you’re over the age of 18.However, merely having celebrated your 18th birthday doesn’t automatically qualify you as a candidate. Your vision also has to have remained stable for at least a year.Your Vision Must Be StableThe tricky part about your vision is that it can change throughout your entire life. It’s quite possible for your nearsightedness to get progressively worse until you’re around the age of 30. Fast forward another decade or two, and then you’ll probably be dealing with farsightedness that is very common with advanced age. In order to be a good candidate for corrective eye surgery, your vision needs to be relatively stable. No changes should have occurred within the last year before embarking on this procedure. This requirement is not random. Instead, it’s put in place in order to ensure the best outcome for your eye surgery.You Must Be HealthyIn order to undergo eye surgery, you must be healthy. This means you shouldn’t have any disease that compromises your immunity, such as uncontrolled diabetes. Your eye surgeon will also ask you about any medications that you’re taking to make sure that eye surgery is safe for you. In addition to being in good overall health, it’s also important that there is nothing wrong with your eyes.Your Eyes Must Be HealthyYour eyes will be thoroughly examined before the eye surgery. They should be free of infection, cataracts, glaucoma, or any other type of disease in order to have corrective eye surgery. If you have certain eye problems, such as lazy eye or a muscle imbalance, it’s important to let your eye surgeon know about this so they can take good care of you. You may also not be a good candidate for eye surgery if you often suffer from dry eyes.You Can’t Be Pregnant or NursingThere is nothing wrong with being pregnant or breastfeeding. However, since both pregnancy and nursing influence your body’s hormones, neither condition is safe for undergoing corrective eye surgery. That’s why your surgeon will wait until your menstrual cycle has fully returned before evaluating you as a potential candidate for eye surgery.Take a Break from ContactsIn order to properly evaluate your eyes for surgery, you must take a break from wearing contact lenses for a certain amount of time before your appointment. The reason for this is that contacts affect the shape of your eyes. Not wearing them for a little while is the only way to ensure that your surgery has optimal results, allowing you to be without glasses or wear a significantly lower prescription than before. Be Open with Your Eye SurgeonYour surgeon wants to achieve optimal results, and so do you. That’s why it’s really important to practice open communication with them before you undergo eye surgery in Somerset, KY, or a town near you. It may seem inconvenient to have to wait to get the procedure, but if you don’t follow your surgeon’s medical advice, then you risk having imperfect vision after the surgery.

Southern Kentucky Eye we offer comprehensive eye health services, from exams and treatment options to laser refractive surgery. Visit our page on southernkentuckyeye.com/services/ to see our page!

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Are You a Good Candidate for Corrective Eye Surgery?}


14 US soldiers dead after helicopter crash in Iraq

Category : Uncategorized

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

At least 14 United States troops, four crew and ten passengers, were killed in Iraq when their UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed, for unknown reasons. The U.S. military in Iraq are blaming mechanical failure for the crash. One other helicopter was flying with the downed one on a mission the military calls Task Force Lightning.

“There were no indications of hostile fire. Two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters were on a night operation when one of the aircraft crashed. That helicopter had been carrying four crew members and 10 passengers,” said the U.S. military in a statement to the press.

The military says that this is the worst crash of its kind in Iraq since 2005 when 31 U.S. marines were killed after their chopper crashed.

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Employees killed in Foxconn manufacturing factory

Category : Uncategorized

Thursday, May 26, 2011

On Friday evening, an explosion in Chengdu, China caused partial shutdown of a facility operated by Foxconn, one of the world’s biggest electronics manufacturers and a major supplier to companies like Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Sony, Apple, Motorola and Nokia. Initial investigations now suggest the explosion was caused by poor ventilation, which lead to high concentrations of combustible dust.

The blast happened at 7:18PM, around the time workers change shifts. A fire followed. Emergency services had control by 7:30PM. At least three people were killed, at least fifteen injured. Foxconn halted production to investigate, saying “All operations at the affected workshop remain suspended and production at all other workshops that carry out similar processing functions have also been halted pending the results of the investigation. All other production operations in our facilities in China continue operating normally.”

On Monday, city officials gave the cause as combustible dust in the air at a polishing workshop. Hong Kong-based labor rights group Students & Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior said they reported aluminium dust problems in March when they reviewed working conditions at Foxconn. After the explosion, they commented that workers were complaining “the ventilation of the department is poor. Workers polish the iPad cases to make them shiny. In the process, there is lots of aluminum (aluminium) dust floating in the air. Workers always breathe in aluminum dust even though they put on masks. When workers take off their cotton gloves, their hands are covered with aluminum dust.”

Foxconn responded by saying the group was trying to “capitalize on the tragic accident” and misrepresented “Foxconn’s commitment to the health and safety of our employees.”

Foxconn is responsible for making iPads and iPhones for Apple. Research group IHS iSuppli said the explosion may cause loss of production of 500,000 iPads during this quarter of the year. They said there is a larger facility in Shenzhen, but it cannot cope with re-compensating the possible loss.

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O.J. Simpson posts bail in alleged robbery

Category : Uncategorized

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Former United States National Football League (NFL) star and Heisman Trophy winner O.J. Simpson has been allowed to post bail after being charged with ten felonies and one gross misdemeanor, in an alleged robbery that occurred in Las Vegas, Nevada on Friday September 14, 2007. Altogether, Simpson is facing 11 charges.

The judge presiding over the case, Justice of the Peace Joe Bonaventure Jr. has granted the prosecutions request that the bail for his release be set at US$125,000, but the bail comes with other conditions as well.

According to one of Simpson’s lawyers Yale Galanter, the bail agreement was reached with the prosecution days before today’s hearing, and Simpson only had to pay $19,000 of the $125,000 to get out of jail.

Simpson must also surrender his passport in 24 hours and is only allowed to travel within the mainland United States. Simpson is also “not allowed to have any contact whatsoever with any witness” or individual on the side of the prosecution which includes “no third-party contacting” and “no carrier pigeons.” Simpson was later released a few hours after the hearing.

After the hearing, during a press conference outside the courtroom Galanter stated that he would “be taking action” against an attorney who appeared on the FOX News Channel on Tuesday night who falsely identified himself as Simpson’s attorney.

“We are his only attorneys,” said Galanter during the press conference.

Simpson’s lawyers had to speak over the large number of bystanders and media, some whom were cheering when Galanter said he would be released shortly. One man standing next to Galanter suddenly yelled “nice job guy! That’s right, up high!,” as he was attempting to give Galanter a ‘high-five.’

Simpson was charged with kidnapping with a deadly weapon robbery, and other charges on September 14 after, according to Simpson, he performed his “own sting operation” to retrieve sports memorabilia items and other “personal” items that allegedly belonged to Simpson. Reports say that the total value of all the items combined is over $100,000.

There are at least seven other individuals facing charges in the alleged robbery. Walter Alexander, Clarence Stewart, Tom Scotto and Michael McClinton are all allegedly accomplices of Simpson. Bruce Fromong and Alfred Beardsley are both dealers in sports memorabilia. Thomas Riccio is the owner of an auction who let Simpson know about the items that were going to be sold. Riccio also has an audio tape of the entire incident, which he recorded.

The next hearing is scheduled for October 22. Clark County District Attorney David Roger will be the presiding prosecutor for the State of Nevada.

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What To Ask Before Taking On A Wholesaler

Submitted by: Petercorp22 Parker

Your wholesaler is a major part of your business. Therefore, it is important to take time in deciding which to pick. There are a few questions you should bear in mind, which can make the process a little easier.

What Kind Of Business Do They Deal With?

This is especially important if you run a small company. Most wholesalers sell in bulk orders so, as a smaller enterprise, you might not fill the quota that they require. Bulk orders for such a company may not only prove too expensive but also may not be practical. Make sure to ask a wholesaler what they are willing to deal with and what their minimum order is. Many companies online are more willing to sell smaller amounts. Alternatively, you could see if they would be willing to sell a number of different items to make up the order quota. It is very possible that you could negotiate a deal with the wholesaler. However, if you’re just starting out, then it’s better to avoid any deals which involve you having to sell a certain amount by in a certain period

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsLNlqnExR4[/youtube]

Do They Keep With The Trends?

If you’re a retailer who sells items that need to be in fashion such as wholesale clothes, then this is very important. You want a wholesaler who is able to be ahead of the next trend. Not only will they have what you want but they will also save you the time and effort needed to follow the market yourself.

How Good Are Their Prices?

You should take the time to research into a number of wholesalers in order to ascertain which one can offer you the most competitive prices. Most of the time, a wholesaler who imports their stock is able to pass it on cheaper. In addition, wholesalers that buy directly from the manufacturer can buy cheaper and so sell onto you at a reduced price. Do not forget to find out what the shipping costs are. This can really increase the charges of stock that you thought was cheap initially.

Are They Able To Drop ship As Well?

If the company deals with dropshipping as well as wholesale, then this can save you a lot of time and money. Not only can they stock your product, saving you money on needing storage space yourself, but they also pack and ship the product to your customers. Your role then boils down to marketing your product and getting the customers in. However, you need to remember that this company will represent you and be the middleman between you and your customers. Therefore, it is important that they are reliable and pack the products properly so they reach your customers in the condition expected. Also, ask how quickly they can ship a product if you ever got a last minute order in.

It can be daunting trying to find a wholesaler because there are so many available. However, asking the right questions can help narrow your search down some.

About the Author: When looking for a wholesaler or dropshipping business, a wholesale directory is a good place to start. Many can be found online and some even incorporate forumsEsources :-

esources.co.uk/

Source:

isnare.com

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General relativity effect confirmed: satellite experiment

Category : Uncategorized

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

A team of scientists at Stanford University claim to have detected a subtle, missing element of Einstein’s theory of relativity.

In a press release dated February 16th, Robert Kahn, Stanford University’s Public Affairs Coordinator, announced the experimental confirmation of frame dragging, an effect in which the presence of a rotating body causes space itself to be pulled along as the body rotates. While the effect was theorized by Josef Lense and Hans Thirring as far back as 1918, the small scale of the effect, as little as one part in a trillion for a satellite orbiting the Earth, made detecting the effect difficult.

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The observation was made by the Gravity Probe B satellite, which carries finely-machined gyroscopes. Scientists looked for small changes in the motion of the gyroscopes to detect the frame dragging effect, as well as the much larger geodetic effect – small corrections to the Earth’s gravitational field due to differences between Einstein’s and Newton’s theories of gravity.

The experiment was conducted on the satellite from 2004 to 2005. However, the complexity of the data analysis along with unforeseen engineering problems have made finding the effect in the experiment’s results difficult. In particular, the presence of small electrical charges on the gyroscopes interfered with their results.

Francis Everitt, the experiment’s Principal Investigator, stresses in an interview with the New York Times that their announcement is only preliminary and that, with further analysis, they hope to improve the precision of their results; currently, they say they have only detected the frame dragging effect to within plus or minus fifteen percent of its expected value.

The theory of general relativity was developed by Albert Einstein in the early 20th century to explain the behavior of moving objects in space, after the discovery that the speed of light was always the same no matter how the person measuring it was moving. While it successfully explains many strange behaviors in space, such as the slow shifting of the orbit of Mercury and the bending of light by massive objects such as black holes, testing the theory on Earth has always been difficult due to the small scale of relativity’s effects in everyday life.

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The Simpsons episode to premiere on Sky1

Category : Uncategorized

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

In the Name of the Grandfather“, the fourteenth episode of the twentieth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons will today become the first episode of the show to premiere in Europe. It will air at 7:30 PM on Sky1 in the United Kingdom and Ireland and be paired with “Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes“. The special broadcast is part of FOX’s year-long “Best. 20 Years. Ever.” celebration which commemorates the 20th anniversary of the show. To promote the broadcast, executive producers Al Jean and James L. Brooks, as well as Nancy Cartwright visited Ireland and are scheduled to participate in the Saint Patrick’s Day parade in Dublin. The episode was screened at the Lighthouse Cinema in Dublin on March 16. The American debut of the episode will be March 22, 2009.

In the episode, the Simpson family travels to Ireland so Grampa can visit a pub where he once had the best night of his life. Guest stars scheduled for the episode include Colm Meaney as Tom O’Flanagan, Kathy Ireland as herself, Glen Hansard as a street musician and Markéta Irglová as an Eastern European woman.

We wanted it to be an affectionate love letter to Ireland.

Executive producer Al Jean stated the episode is intended to be “an affectionate love letter to Ireland” because many of the writers have Irish roots. The episode will feature Irish landmarks including Giant’s Causeway, the Blarney Castle and the Guinness Brewery.

Previous episodes of the show where the Simpson family visits other countries have been controversial. For example, the Simpsons visited Australia in “Bart vs. Australia” and Brazil in “Blame it on Lisa“, and both episodes generated controversy and negative reaction in the visited countries.

The Rio de Janeiro tourist board claimed that the city was portrayed as having rampant street crime, kidnappings, slums, and monkey and rat infestations; and threatened FOX with legal action. When asked whether he thought this episode would generate similar controversies, Al Jean replied “I’m Irish American and I know Irish people have an excellent sense of humor so we weren’t very worried.”

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Best Shopping Mall In Chennai

Category : Parking

Best Shopping mall in Chennai

by

Best mall chennai

Shopping malls have become an integral part of chennaites. There are many famous malls in Chennai city. People have become very much used to the habit of spending their time in malls during weekends. Malls consist of Movie theatres, famous restaurants, Games, Car parking and many such. MARG Junction, one of the biggest shopping complex in Chennai, is an upcoming mall in Chennai. MARG Junction mall is located in Karapakkam in OMR, the IT corridor of Chennai City. This will be the

best shopping mall in Chennai

, as it is bringing PVR cinemas to OMR and other factors which chennaites will love!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGBZSPuO7Jk[/youtube]

Old Mahabalipuram Road very popularly known as OMR is famous for the leading IT companies. The working population of the OMR will be very much pleased to have such a mall in their locality. Moreover bringing PVR cinemas to OMR is such a good thing. The highlight of MARG Junction Mall is that this is the going to be the only riverside mall in Chennai. The best mall in Chennai is been constructed by the MARG group, one of the leading infrastructure firm in Chennai. They have been involved in very big projects of the country including government projects. There projects include karaikal port, Swarnabhoomi, the land of new thinking and many such. MARG Group are into Engineering Procurement & Construction, Marine Infrastructure & Services, Urban & Industrial Infrastructure, Commercial & residential real estate.

There are various

shopping complexes in chennai

. Malls in Chennai include Spencer Plaza which is a historical landmark in Mount Road; Abirami Mega Mall which consists of many theatres inside the shopping complex is located at Purasawalkam; City centre is one of the favourite shopping centres in Chennai for the beach lovers. City centre is located in Mylapore and it has inox theatres for the movie lovers. Marina beach is its nearby landmark. Ampa Skywalk in Amjikarai is another mall in Chennai which brought PVR cinemas to Chennai city. Express Avenue one of the latest malls in Chennai is liked my most of the people in Chennai. The reason is that it is located at the centre of the city and it is very spacious. Having luxurious theatres is another reason. Along with these famous malls, MARG junction is a going to be launched and it will be the best mall in Chennai. Chennaites are eagerly waiting for the MARG Junction to be opened as soon as possible.

http://www.margjunction.com; I love to update the latest happenings in Chennai.

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ArticleRich.com


Denny’s Super Bowl free ‘Grand Slam Breakfast’ brings 2 million diners

Category : Uncategorized

Friday, February 6, 2009

Denny’s 1,600 chain restaurants across North America, Puerto Rico and Canada, were slammed for eight hours Tuesday with hungry patrons standing on sidewalks for nearly two hours to take advantage of the $5.99 “Grand Slam Breakfast” giveaway.

Denny’s, a dining chain with annual revenue of about $900 million, has advertised in a TV commercial Sunday during the Super Bowl XLIII that it would give away its signature breakfast from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m. local time Tuesday, at all its restaurants in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, while supplies lasted.

Denny’s Diner has promoted the iconic dish giveaway heavily, with a bold 30-second appeal ad that aired during the third quarter of the Super Bowl 43 on Sunday, plus another 15-second ad during the post-game show, offering a free breakfast to some 90 million viewers. In addition, it has placed a full-page ad in USA Today‘s Monday edition. The promotion was further announced on The Today Show and notices were also sent out to the chain’s “Denny’s Breakfast Club” members.

The NBC ad, which was bought to unveil a new promotion for customers squeezed by the recession, may have cost as much as $3 million, said Nelson Marchioli, CEO of Denny’s Corp. Super Bowl XLIII’s 30-second commercial time slot costs $2.4 million–$3 million for the airtime alone, excluding production and talent costs.

The game was televised live by the US NBC Sunday Night Football and Canada’s CTV Television Network. BayTSP has reported that, “as of 10 a.m. Wednesday, commercials that initially aired during NBC’s Super Bowl XLIII broadcast subsequently had been watched online more than 28 million times.”

“The promotion has a total cost of $5 million U.S., which includes $3 million for the commercial on NBC,” said a Denny’s spokesman, noting also that the company received about $50 million in news coverage, most of which was positive. According to a Denny’s representative, two million people walked through the restaurant chains’ doors Tuesday, and each Denny’s restaurant served an average of 130 Grand Slams per hour.

With the “Denny’s Feeds America” promotion, the company has reported 14 million hits on its Web site between Sunday night and Monday morning. Denny’s shares rose 6 cents, or 3.1 percent, to $1.98 in afternoon trading. The stock has traded in a range of $1.18 to $4.10 over the past 52 weeks.

“Denny’s free Grand Slam” has ranked in the top 10 Google searches early Tuesday and fell to No. 18 by the end of the promotion, while “denny s locations” was #9 on Google Trends, which tracks fast-rising searches. It has also held spots No. 1 (Denny’s) and 7 (Grand Slam) on Twitter‘s trending topics. It has generated much chat on Twitter, garnering 1,700 tweets on Tuesday, compared with its average of 59. Doritos, winner of the USA TODAY survey for best Super Bowl spot ad, had 933 mentions after reaching a peak of almost 3,300.

The idea of the TV ad was to get people to come in and re-evaluate Denny’s Diner. “A lot of people have forgotten what Denny’s is, or they think they know, while we’ve come out with a whole lot of new products. We felt like we needed to jump start the brand,” Denny’s Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer Mark Chmiel said.

“We’re celebrating the Grand Slam this year,” Chmiel said. According to the company’s financial data, on January 15 Denny’s reported systemwide comparable-store sales for the fourth quarter were down 6.1 percent, compared to a 0.2 percent decline from the same period in 2007.

According to Robert Gonzalez, public relations company Hill & Knowlton spokesman, Denny’s has expected at least 2 million people to eat a free Grand Slam by the end of the promotion. “Every restaurant is packed with people and lines,” Gonzalez said. “Everything today is about fast. People are on the go, and they’re eating fast food. It’s cutting into sit-down dining,” he added.

“Each of the more than 1,500 Denny’s were planning to make about 100 Grand Slams an hour,” Denny’s spokeswoman Cori Rice said. It had predicted it will have served about 1,400 people per location, more than five times the normal volume. “Grand Slam Breakfast” is a four-item option on its menu, consisting of two pancakes, two eggs, two strips of bacon and two sausage links. It weighs in at 44 grams of fat, 56 carbohydrates and 770 calories.

Nationwide, Denny’s expected to sell about 2 million Grand Slams — about 15 percent of the annual tally. According to Mark Chmiel, chief marketing operator and executive vice president, the diner chain has reported approximately 2 million meals worth more than $12 million were given away nationwide and each Denny’s restaurant served an average of 130 Grand Slams per hour. It estimated it has earned about $50 million worth of public relations following the free Grand Slam campaign, Chmiel said.

The company is also experimenting with a Grand Slam Burrito and also has introduced for this year, a Grand Slamwich, which includes eggs, bacon, sausage and cheese between two slices of bread, with a teaspoon serving. “It already has shown strong consumer appeal,” said Chmiel. The company has received flood of e-mails and letters proving the positive impact of the Grand Slam campaign and commercials on its customers.

Chmiel also announced he’s planning a third major promotion in this year’s third quarter, which happens to include another major sporting event, the World Series. “That’s one we’re definitely looking at,” he said.

Jobless Paris Winslow of downtown San Francisco, California has joined the long line which stretched from the front door on Mission Street, between Fourth and Fifth streets, to the corner of Fourth and up the block. “The economy is getting kind of scary. This line looks like those pictures of soup kitchen lines during the 1929 Great Depression,” Winslow said.

“I came all the way from San Francisco for a free $6 meal, Isn’t that pathetic? A year ago, I never would have done this. These days I’m willing to put my ego on the back burner,” said Stephen Weller, a jobless contractor who waited with his dog, Emmett. California Denny’s restaurant managers have issued rain checks (for free chilled meals, as security backed by actual bacon) to anyone who failed to get in by the 2 p.m. deadline.

A big eater could also “Slam It Up” by adding any two additional items for 99 cents each to their meal. Customers on Tuesday were also handed “bounceback” coupon books that include offers for additional free menu items with purchases. Chicago Tribune reporter Kevin Pang has eaten five free Grand Slams on Tuesday at five different Denny’s Diners in four hours. He claims to have consumed 4,100 calories at Harwood Heights, 5:36 a.m, at Schiller Park, 6:22 a.m., at Franklin Park, 7:08 a.m., at Melrose Park, 7:41 a.m. and at Grand Slam No. 5 Oak Park, 8:57 a.m.

“The Grand Slam has always been a Denny’s favorite. This free offer is our way of reacquainting America with Denny’s real breakfast and with the Denny’s brand,” Denny’s CEO Nelson Marchioli said in a statement. In 1977s, the Grand Slam started as a baseball-related promotion in Atlanta, Georgia. Its normal price averages around $5.99. Marchioli said the event was also a way to kick-off its “Year of the Grand Slam” promotion. Denny’s claimed it has sold 12.5 million Grand Slams a year.

“The economy’s tough and people are jumping all the way to fast food to try to figure it out. We all use fast food, whether it’s for time or convenience or for money. But you can go to Denny’s and you don’t have to give up a real breakfast and that was the whole focus of our commercial,” Marchioli explained. McDonald’s (MCD, Fortune 500) has done well during this economic meltdown since the global recession pushes people toward less expensive dining options.

McDonald’s has announced plans Wednesday to open 175 new restaurants in China this year despite the global economic crisis, thereby increasing the number of outlets in China by 17 percent, from 1,050 currently. Last month, McDonald’s 2008 net profit has risen 80 percent from 2007 to 4.3 billion dollars.

Marchioli has also introduced Denny’s $4 Weekday Express Slam, which is a streamlined version of the Grand Slam. “I want to take back share. For too long, we have allowed others to take share, whether it was Starbucks or McDonald’s. They’re fine competitors and I don’t expect to take all their business from them, but I’d like a little bit back,” Marchioli noted.

According to Rafi Mohammed, author of “The Art of Pricing,” people love free. “It triggers a Pavlovian response in people,” said Mohammed. If Pavlov’s dogs salivate when a bell rings, Denny’s free Grand Slam breakfast has attracted 2 million hungry customers. “I believe free maximizes trial and doesn’t devalue a product as long as it is a rare event. Aside from the cost, the major downside is that it attracts customers who truly have no intention of coming back,” he added.

According to University of Portland consumer psychology professor Deana Julka, people flock to free promotions amid just a few dollars saving because there’s nothing in life for free. “So when there’s something out there that costs nothing, it creates a psychological rush. Especially in these times when people feel overtaxed or overburden, there’s an internal reward people feel by getting something for free,” she said. “It’s being thrifty and feeling like you beat the system. Free really hits the spot for a lot of people,” Julka added.

“Free is an emotional hot button. When free is concerned, there is no downside – or, at least, we don’t see the downside immediately. So we overvalue everything that is free. People love free stuff, particularly when money’s tight,” said Dan Ariely, a business professor at Duke University, author of “Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions.”

Experts, however, explained these moves need to be done sparingly, since giveaways can teeter in the balance between desperation and a well designed marketing ploy. “Giving your product away for free is not worth it because it undermines your brand value,” said branding expert Rob Frankel, saying people are attached to the idea of it being free, than the actual product itself.

Free giveaways are not anything new in the food industry. “It just feels good when you can get something for free and not have to worry about it coming out of your wallet,” Frankel noted. Dunkin’ Donuts and Panera Bread all have had free coffee and food promos last year. “In November, Starbucks gave away free cup of coffee to anyone who came in on Election Day. Have you taken a look at how Starbucks is doing now?” Last week it has announced it would shut down 300 stores, in addition to the 600 it already planned to close.

On February 24, IHOP will be offering a free shortstack to every customer to encourage donations (in place of the cost) for Childrens Miracle Network. The International House of Pancakes (IHOP) is a United States-based restaurant chain that specializes in breakfast foods and is owned by DineEquity. The chain had more than 1950 restaurants in all 50 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada and Mexico. Since 2006, IHOP’s National Pancake Day celebration has raised over $1.85 million. In 2008, over 1.5 million pancakes (12 miles high if they were stacked) were given to customers for donations.

Denny’s (“Denny’s Diner”) is a full-service diner/family restaurant chain in the United States. It operates over 2,500 restaurants in the United States (including Puerto Rico), Canada, Curaçao, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, and New Zealand). The resto chain is known for always being open, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert around the clock.

Today, Denny’s operates about 1,600 restaurants in all 50 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico. There are also about 578 Denny’s restaurants in Japan operated under a license by a subsidiary of Seven & I Holdings, seven Denny’s locations in New Zealand, and approximately 38 Denny’s diners in the United States. Denny’s headquarters is now located in Spartanburg, South Carolina, headquarters of the parent company Trans World Corporation that acquired Denny’s in 1987.

Denny’s was historically notable for offering a free meal to anyone on their birthday. The offer included a limited number of meal options from a special birthday menu. The promotional ritual ceased in 1993, though occasionally individual franchises will continue the tradition.

In 2008, Denny’s has ceased to be in the ranks among the top diner chains in the $83 billion breakfast market, whose top five firms — McDonald’s, Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, Burger King and IHOP — accounted for 22 percent of the volume. “A lot of consumers have written Denny’s off their let’s-go-there list,” said Ron Paul, president of Technomic, a consulting firm.

Super Bowl XLIII was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers (15–4) and the National Football Conference champion Arizona Cardinals (12–8) to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 2008 NFL season. It was played on February 1, 2009, at Raymond James Stadiumin Tampa, Florida. It has an attendance of 70,774 and 98.7 million viewers. Pittsburgh earned its sixth Super Bowl win, thus securing sole possession of the record for most Super Bowl wins.

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China overtakes Germany as world’s biggest exporter

Category : Uncategorized

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Chinese officials have said that their country’s exports surged last December to edge out Germany as the world’s biggest exporter.

The official Xinhua news agency reported today that figures from the General Administration for Customs showed that exports jumped 17.7% in December from a year earlier. Over the whole of 2009 total Chinese exports reached US$1.2 trillion, above Germany’s forecast $1.17 trillion.

Huang Guohua, a statistics official with the customs administration, said the December exports rebound was an important turning point for China’s export sector. He commented that the jump was an indication that exporters have emerged from their downslide.

“We can say that China’s export enterprises have completely emerged from their all-time low in exports,” he said.

However, although China overtook Germany in exports, China’s total foreign trade — both exports and imports — fell 13.9% last year.

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