Reader Feedback: "Thank you for the best article I've read...!"

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Solving Unsolvable Problems - in Your Sleep!

By Clayton Makepeace
When you snooze at night, your conscious mind conks out and the flow of new information ebbs. That gives your subconscious mind time to sort through all the new files and make connections between them and older files it has stored away over the years.
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More Flavors, More Protection

By Kelley Herring 
The sharp bite of red onion. The finish of your favorite Pinot Noir. The astringency of your cup of green tea. All three have something in common: flavonoids.
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It's Good to Know: About Jainism

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The Starbucks Approach to Marketing Your Product

By Suzanne Richardson
"Who sells more coffee - the mom and pop cafe down the block? Or Starbucks?" Copywriting expert James Sheridan asked that question at ETR's recent [2007] Info Marketing Bootcamp. Over 200 voices chorused "Starbucks!"

The answer to James' question may have been obvious. But the reason Starbucks is so successful is a "secret" every marketer should know.
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Beware of Revisions

By Rick Pendergraft
Economic reports are under even more scrutiny than usual right now [originally written November 2007, but still applicable today]. That's because the Fed uses these reports to determine policy. With the Fed recently shifting its focus back to inflation after a few months of focusing on growth, the reports are growing in importance for the market.
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The Secret of Making Hollywood Deals

By Paul Lawrence
“Retire? I’m going to stay in show business until I’m the only one left.” – George Burns

You may think it’s impossible to get into the entertainment business. Sure, it takes hard work. But it IS possible. And I’m about to show you how to exponentially increase your chances.
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It's Good to Know: India's Cultural Complexity

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How to Fly With a Painful Knee

By Dr. Bill Stillwell
When you have a painful knee - whether it's from an arthritis flare-up or a sports injury - you should use a cane for support when you walk. And when you sit, it's best to keep the knee straight. This is a position of rest. It allows the kneecap to "float" and decreases pressure within the joint.

That's easy to manage at home and in the office. But what if you have to fly? How do you keep your knee straight on a crowded plane?
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3 Easy Steps to a Higher-Quality Business

By Charlie Byrne
"Here, try these on so we know they fit," my wife gently commanded me.

Knowing we were heading up to Maine, Peggy had ordered me four wool shirts.

Now I was dreading the new-shirt routine. You know. Pull out the pins. Remove the plastic tab from the front of the collar, also pinned in. Take out the cardboard ring around the rest of the collar. Feel around until you find the one or two "hidden" pins... and hope you don't prick your finger in the process.

But wait. What's this?
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You Don't Have to Dethrone Google to Be Search Engine Royalty

By Marc Charles
"Be passionate in your work and in your searching." - Ivan Pavlov

Nobody denies that Google is the king of the search engine kingdom. But there’s a lot more to the searchable Internet than Google. For instance, you can make money on the Internet by launching niche search engines. And when you’ve cornered the market on your own niche, you can be a king – or queen – in your own right.
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"I would like to expand my business and create a website."

"Michael, I am one of many who have read your e-letter from the beginning. I listened to your advice and started a very small business that brings in a small amount of money. Now I would like to expand and create a website.

"I don't recommend stocks, but I provide people with information about any companies they request. I even tell them that they can get the same information from Yahoo and Edgar online. But for some reason, people want to either make their own investment decisions or just use advisory letters.

"What I would like to do next is keep a record of my personal portfolio online for anyone to read. There will be a disclaimer on the bottom of the page that will say that no stocks are recommended.

"Do you have any ideas on how I can get started or what software I should use?"

Jeanne in Virginia

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Praise for Ready, Fire, Aim: "The book lays out a blueprint on how to become a business genius."

"Michael's other books were good. Ready, Fire, Aim, though, is his masterpiece. Really great stuff. I read a little more of it every morning, as part of my psychological revving-up routine.
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Word to the Wise: Bugbear

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Make Way for Life Happens

By David Cross
The horse had escaped. And she was chasing the baby goats around the field. And the dogs just ate the bucket of chicken eggs. And I was trying to change a diaper. Then, when I got out into our pasture, I discovered that the water in the sheep’s trough had frozen overnight, and they were bleating and looking forlornly at the ice.
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10 Dumb Ways to Start a Business (and Waste a Ton of Money at the Same Time)

By Michael Masterson
"So many fail because they don't get started - they don't go. They don't overcome inertia. They don't begin." - W. Clement Stone

Entrepreneurship is based on selling. You test the market with a product you think will sell well. If it does, you keep selling. If it doesn’t, you try something else.
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"My understanding is that most of the fats in cattle are the kind with few, if any, health benefits."

"In a recent article, Kelley Herring recommended grass-fed beef as a source of omega-3 fatty acids. I had been told that the bacteria that help cattle digest the grasses they eat saturate most of the fatty acids they eat, and preferentially saturate the omega-3s. In other words, my understanding is that most of the unsaturated fats in cattle are omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids (the kind with few, if any, health benefits). Is my information mistaken?"

Jim S.
Raleigh, NC

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The Other White Meat vs. Fish and Beef

By Kelley Herring 
Reader Larry F. wrote to us recently [in 2008] with a concern about the health benefits of pork.
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Word to the Wise: Raillery

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It's Good to Know: A Cure for Jet Lag

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Service With a Smile

By Suzanne Richardson
Your customers don’t care how bad you’re feeling today. Even the nice ones.
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Reader Feedback: "A big thank you to Kelley Herring."

"A big thank you to Kelley Herring for writing about some of the properties of coconut oil. Since being vilified by the medical community because it is a saturated fat, many people have missed out on the tremendous health benefits of this amazing food.
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Word to the Wise: Propitiate

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It’s Fun to Know: Chimpanzee Sympathy

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I Shot the Serif

By David Cross
Which group of fonts is better for online marketing efforts: Times, Palatino, and Bembo? Or Verdana, Helvetica, and Arial? Typeface lovers will immediately know the difference. The first three are serif fonts; the second three are sans-serif fonts.
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How Much E-Mail Is Too Much?

By Bob Bly
“If a fellow wants to be a nobody in the business world, let him neglect sending the mail man to somebody on his behalf.”

Charles F. Kettering

The other day, one of my online subscribers, CR, complained about a famous Internet marketer. “I unsubscribed from his list,” she told me haughtily. “As soon as I joined, I got e-mails from him once or twice every day – and there’s no one I (or anybody else) need to hear from that much.”
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A Leveraged ETF for All Market Conditions

By Christian Hill

Most investors would agree that in tough economic times one safe haven is consumer staples. Companies like Johnson & Johnson, Coke, and Philip Morris do well in all markets, and tend to weather storms better than companies that sell discretionary goods.
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Living Rich: 5 Classic Jazz Albums

By Jason Holland

It doesn’t matter if you’re a millionaire, a billionaire, or barely scraping by – everyone can listen to the exact same music. Audiophiles might disagree and swear that thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment is necessary for true enjoyment. Still, anyone can buy a CD (or MP3 online) and be affected by a piece of music in the same way.
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