tips4you

I was listening to NPR the other day when they did a report on tipping in the restaurant industry. One they had a list of tips on how wait staff can increase their tips.

That got me brainstorming and surfing the net for other ideas to boost tips. That combined with lots of performances at Renaissance Festivals helped me to develop my own list of ways musicians can improve their tips.

1. Introduce yourself by name

Too often musicians forget to introduce themselves on stage. Make sure you tell the audience your band name, but to really boost your tips, you should also introduce yourselves individually. Let people know who you are as an individual and you'll see greater tips.

2. Go out into the audience with a tip jar

You really can't be passive when it comes to getting tips. You have to walk out into the audience with some visual reference that says "Tip Me!", and they will tip you.

3. Meet your audience at their level

Take the time to talk to your audience members at their level. Holding a discussion from a stage puts a wall between you and them. So instead, go out into the audience and talk to them face to face. Kneel if they're at a table, so you're at eye level. And if you have ayour tip jar with you, you will you will not only gain a fan, but you will also improve your tips.

4. Make your appearance personal

We wear kilts to most of our gigs. A kilt adds a very personal touch It links us to a certain culture and makes people take notice. Course you don't have to go that route, instead find some piece of clothing that reflects your personality and you will boost your tips.

5. Recommend your favorite CD

If you have multiple CDs, your audience will always ask for your favorite. Tell them what it is. If you only have one, you can do the same by recommending other artists that you like. That adds a two-fold advantage of helping your audience find music they like and helping your fellow musicians.

6. Smile

A bright, confident smile will bring fans back again and again with lots o'big tips.

7. Involve your audience in the music with a joke or game

Next time you're up on stage, see what happens when you joke around with the audience. Your personality will glow all the more and so will your tips.

8. Chat with fans by name

Music fans love nothing more than to be recognized by the bands they love. So do your best to remember their names. They will feel that much more attached to your music and feel like your friend. And these friends will tip you better for the courtesy.

9. Touch your audience

When you're out socializing with your audience, touch them (in a non-sexual way). Whether you shake their hand, pat them on the shoulder or back, or just brush against them, wait staff find that that even that will boost their tips 50%. And it will yours too.

10. Use tip jars with the VISA/Mastercard Logo

According to studies done in restaurants, just seeing those logos is enough to encourage customers to tip more. I know it sounds crazy, but give it a try. You may be pleasantly surprised with the results.

11. Give your audience something in return for their tip

People love feeling like they're getting their money's worth. And many people don't realize you should tip bands. So give something in return. It could be something as big as a sticker or magnet, or as simple as a business card that might include a $1 off your CDs. Or hey what about feeding their sweet tooth with a piece of candy. Whatever the case, that little gift will mean big tipping results.

12. Draw a picture

On a similar note, if you give them a business card, draw or make a comment on it. That piece will be more valuable to them and will result in bigger tips.

13. Make tipping a part of the show

Why wait until the end of the set to ask for tips. Sing a song about tipping, or get your audience involved in the tipping process by shouting something. Or offer a prize to the first tipper. But integrate it into your show and it won't seem like you're just begging for money, rather you're making it fun to tip.

14. Thank your audience

No gig would be complete without an audience. So thank them for taking the time to watch you perform. They will feel the personal touch and respond when you ask for money.

15. Bonus Tipping Suggestion:

If the change is five dollars, never return a five-dollar bill. Always give back five ones. This allows the customer to tip you with some of the dollar bills you returned. You will rarely get a $5 tip and returning a $5 bill will turn off tippers. In general, it's good to return all ones if the change is less than $8. You want the customer to have at least two ones so they can give it back as the tip.

Marc Gunn is an acoustic Celtic is an acoustic Celtic folk musician, called "The Godfather of Celtic music online" for his steadfast support of indie Celtic music. He has helped 1000's of musicians make money with their musical groups through the Bards Crier Music Marketing and Promotion Ezine and the Texas Musicians' Texas Music Biz Tips. Now you can get personal advice by visiting http://www.bardscrier.com for FREE "how-to" music marketing assistance.

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3 ways to help your friends help you find a job.

This a guest post by Melissa Cooley. If you’d also like to guest post here on JobMob, follow these guest post guidelines.

In a recent meeting with one of my clients, he expressed frustration over the fact that some people in his life are constantly sending him job postings that are not a good fit. “It’s not just about getting a job,” he said.

Do you have someone (or a few someones) like that in your life? It could be a casual acquaintance, a good friend, or even a member of your family. Well intentioned though they may be, the postings they keep sending you completely miss the mark.

Here are three tips for dealing with people whose job suggestions are falling flat:

Yes, you may be rolling your eyes when you get another email or direct message on your shared social networking site that says, “Here’s a great job opportunity for you!” when it’s not. But, they are in your corner and are really are trying to help. They mean well, so do the courteous thing and show a little appreciation for the thought.

Is the person who is sending you the postings even aware of what you want to do and your activities to make that happen? If you are actively changing careers (as my client is doing), tell him/her what you are doing to make the transition a reality – taking classes, volunteering, interning, etc. By showing your clear plan for where you want to go and conveying enthusiasm for the direction you are moving into, you are inviting them in to support you in ways that will fit in with that plan.

I know this isn’t the most comfortable thing to do, but this job search is about you and your needs. It’s not about their need to feel good about helping you (which really isn’t help if it misses the mark). Yes, the person you are correcting may be flustered or embarrassed at first. However, if they really care about you, they will take the suggestions you give because they want to support you.

Following these three tips will be a great benefit to your job hunt. You won’t have to spend as much energy being frustrated over people’s misguided attempts to help, and your network will be able to work more efficiently for you because they know exactly what you want and need!

How else have you dealt with people who send you job postings that are a bad fit? Tell us in the comments.

Melissa Cooley is a career consultant with a passion for helping people develop strategies to reach their goals and maximize their potential. As the founder of The Job Quest, she partners with individuals who are seeking employment or facing the confusion of navigating a career path. Melissa provides a fresh perspective and other resources on her blog, Twitter, and Facebook.

This article is part of the 4th Annual JobMob Guest Blogging Contest, which was made possible thanks in large part to our Gold Sponsor, Jason Alba of JibberJobber. If you want Melissa Cooley to win, share this article with your friends.

Subscribe to JobMob via RSS or email and follow me on Twitter for more ideas on how to get the most of your job search network.

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To tip or not to tip? As an American I was brought up in a tipping culture and therefore tip service wherever I go. Many people will tell you that Thailand is not a tipping culture or at least it wasn't until us Americans ruined the place leaving tips everywhere.

So, some people tip when they go to Thailand and some don't and the argument rages on.

I had the chance to eat in some small Thai restaurants on my last trip and I watched what the Thai people did and oddly enough most of them left a tip for their waitress, not much but a tip all the same. They all seemed to leave just the change from the bill...maybe 5 to 10 baht each.

One thing is for sure whether the Americans started it or not Thais in the service industry expect something. Believe me, I've heard the term cheap Charlie thrown around on quite a few occasions when a non tipper left the scene of the crime.

Not everyone expects a tip. The street cart vendors or baht bus drivers you don't tip. The taxi's I usually round up the meter charge as a tip but for the maids, waitresses, and bartenders I tip well. You don't have to give huge tips but what you give is appreciated and usually remembered. I usually leave the maid 20-50 baht a day tip and at the restaurant or bar leave a 20 - 50 baht tip sometimes more as the restaurant and bar staff usually pool their tips. If I want to make sure that the person I want to get the tip gets it I'll slip it to them on the sly. More times than not they'll split it with the others anyway.

Some people argue that they are already getting paid to do their job and should not get any more but for me I can't see things that way, especially in a country where the average Thai earns between three to six thousand baht a month ($100-$200). Yes, the cost of living is a lot cheaper in Thailand but that is easy for a foreigner to say when we are spending the equivalent of a Thai's yearly salary in a week or two on vacation.

The Thai people are very accommodating to begin with, taking care of the people taking care of you only makes for a better vacation and that is never a bad thing.

Born and raised in Baltimore Maryland I finally set out to discover the world in 2006. South East Asia has always been a beacon for me and Thailand its crowned jewel.

I write about my experiences in Thailand as well as the cultural aspects of being a foreigner in a foreign land. I blog daily about Thailand at: http://thailandlandofsmiles.com

Almost 2 months after its first entry appeared on JobMob, the 4th Annual JobMob Guest Blogging Contest has finally come to an end. So who won?

As I’d hoped, this year’s contest was the biggest and best one we’ve had on JobMob to date.

Here are some numbers that tell the story:

As usual though, the numbers don’t tell the full story.

I had a great time meeting many new people and reconnecting with some old, interviewing Jason Alba, interviewing & being interviewed by Keller Rinaudo, and you can tell from the comments that many of the bloggers also enjoyed themselves. And of course, the articles will live on in the JobMob archive, continuing to help people for a long time to come.

So a big Thank You to all the bloggers.

Another big Thank You goes out to all our sponsors, whose prizes & promotional efforts helped get the attention of so many terrific contestants. More about them further down.

And now, on to the winners:

All contestants won at least these 2 prizes:

There was so much effort on the part of the bloggers to promote and have their articles promoted on social media (as you saw above) that I decided during the contest to add an extra prize as a surprise for the blogger who had the most success with their article on social media.

Hannah Katsman

Hannah wins:

Melvin Dichoso

Melvin wins:

“Dan Schawbel is the Managing Partner of Millennial Branding LLC, is a world renowned personal branding expert. He is the international bestselling author of Me 2.0, and the publisher of the Personal Branding Blog.”

Kristen Fife

Kristen wins:

“Brazen Careerist is a social network for Generation Y professionals. You come here to build a network of your peers, find jobs, and be recognized for your ideas.”

Hannah Katsman

Hannah wins:

“JobSpice is an intuitive online tool that makes creating and publishing a well-designed, custom resume easy and fun. In the last six months, JobSpice has been featured on NBC, PC World, and Fast Company, and has gained tens of thousands of “Word converts” from across the globe.”

Yehoshua Paul

Yehoshua wins:

“So what is JibberJobber? Is it a job search tool? Is it a networking tool? It is more like a personal relationship manager that allows you to do everything you need to do to manage a job search and optimize your network relationships – for the duration of your career!”

Nettie Feldman

Nettie wins:

Congratulations to Nettie, Yehoshua, Hannah, Kristen, Melvin, Shoshanna, Kimba, David, Jonathan, Rob, Kate, Kelli, Leslie, Mohammed, Rita, Peggy, Marina, Doug, Melissa, Ed, Kelly, Joey and Theunis.

I’ll be in touch over the next few days with instructions on how to claim your prizes.

Which article was your favorite? Read it again and then congratulate the winners in the comments below.

Subscribe to JobMob via RSS or email and follow me on Twitter for more fun job search contests.

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1 job seeker, 5 jobs in 12 months (actually, 14 months). Here are the lessons learned.

This a guest post by Yehoshua Paul. If you’d also like to guest post here on JobMob, follow these guest post guidelines.

Over the past year I have managed to become very familiar with job hunting in Israel. You can find yourself constantly working or not working at all. Most of the people I know who are looking for work rarely do EVERYTHING they could be doing to find work, many are doing things wrong, and some stuff which in retrospect should have been done differently.

Primarily it is the difference between being passive to active while not being overly aggressive. Don’t be lazy, work is out there. Get up and find it.

I am not a guru, and the lists below are far from comprehensive, but I think they will help many of you find the work you need so badly.

While job hunting-

1) Talk to people – friends, family, employment agencies, outsourcing companies, professionals in your field. If no one knows you are looking then no one will think of helping you. Use LinkedIn and professional networks. Get in touch with all the people who can help you with your search.

2) Develop your portfolio –In some fields your portfolio is a basic requirement. In others, it can be used to greatly impress potential employers.

3) Polish your resume – If you don’t know how approach someone who does. It is better to spend money on a professional resume than to have it overlooked by a potential employer

4) Sign up to jobsites – they will deliver potential jobs directly to your inbox. They can tell you where to look for work, and help focus your search. Many sites offer you valuable tips that can help increase your odds of success.

5) Visit job fairs – You’re looking for work, they’re looking to hire. These are good places to meet potential employers, make a personal connection, and gather contact information that can’t be found in job ads.

6) Rely on others to do the work for you – whether an outsourcing agency, friends, family, or the person you met the other day who swears he knows someone who is hiring – you are not their sole concern. Continue searching. Call them occasionally to stay in touch, but don’t exclusively rely on your contacts.

7) Rely on any one person – there is no reason for you to work with only one employment agency, rely on a single friend, etc. The more people who can help you, the greater your chances are of finding work.

8) Rely on people with competing agendas – always remain in control of your job hunt. If 2 employment agencies are bidding for the same job, and both send in your resume, the company will avoid the headache and move on to the next candidate.

9) Send your resume out randomly and to the wrong people – why would a law company be interested in hiring a programmer?

10) Narrow your search so much that you ignore all the other attractive options out there

11) Never follow up – call tomorrow, or wait a month/year/never. Your choice.

12) Follow up 5 times a day – people are busy. If they say they’ll get back to you then give them time.

13) Not read the job requirements

14) Send blank e-mails with your resume attached – easily forgotten and deleted.

15) Started looking the moment there were rumors of massive layoffs

16) Made sure another job was lined up before quitting your existing job which you hated

17) Asked your boss whether your contract was going to be extended before it expired

18) Made sure your work was above and beyond the accepted standard

Yehoshua Paul is a freelance Technical Writer. Since July 2009 he has worked at 5 high-tech companies – individually and as part of a team, employed and freelance, full time and part time, and always busy.

This article is part of the 4th Annual JobMob Guest Blogging Contest, which was made possible thanks in large part to our Gold Sponsor, Jason Alba of JibberJobber. If you want Yehoshua Paul to win, share this article with your friends.

Subscribe to JobMob via RSS or email and follow me on Twitter for more real-world job search tips.

View the original article here

The AMTECH thermonuclear Converter uses radiation of nuclear source heat liquid sodium and generate a potential on a composite ceramic baptized with metal ions. This puts radiation from nuclear isotopes in electrical energy used to power of the world's deep space satellites. The prototype and two successive drafts of the AMTECH efficiency if created by Daniel Nase at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in July 1997. Successive drafts were drawn up, which recycle the waste radiation from the first layer of the device. The first unit was only 40% efficient.However, the third device enhanced efficiency up to 75%. Since there are no moving parts in the AMTECH and the nuclear material is a very long decay rate, the expected power AMTECH deep space satellites for over 600 years.

Reference: NASA: Jet Propulsion Laboratory

October 7, 2008

To whom it may concern:

I am pleased to write this letter of recommendation for Daniel Nase.I am the Director of the former programme of minority Science and Engineering Program (MSEP), at the University of Washington and was involved in selecting and providing program monitoring of Daniel during his time in our program..Daniel earned and participated in our most sought-after out and competitive internship program in the summer of 1997.Daniel's internship was sponsored by NASA and took place at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena California. This internship was in collaboration with the University of Washington of MSEP. Daniel was assigned to the AMTECH thermonuclear Converter under the guidance of leading scientists and several Nobel Laureates on the Mar Pathfinder Mission. Daniel's work supported AMTECH the increase of the efficiency of the device significantly, which led to the AMTECH is used for the propulsion of deep space satellites that are now in use today. Daniel has electronic drawing, electroplated different parts, worked on x-ray tubes, made from silicon carbide crystals, worked with lasers to 3D scanning images in Silicon and compiled and built from the nuclear power plant for the Pathfinder Mission. Daniel took also advanced classes in mathematics, chemistry and physics at Caltech as part of his summer internship.

Best wishes

Scott Minnix, Director

City of Seattle

Fleets and facilities Department

Facility's operations division

(206) 684-0142

(206) 684-0525 fax

Note: Although my internship was shorter than normal, I design, designing and building the AMTECH under the supervision of a Nobel Prize winner. I had a great time and learned a lot from the experience. If you want to verify that these intership, please contact Scott Pinkham at the University of Washington. [1] currently he is the Director of MSEP.

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Imagine being able to rewrite your own DNA by thinking or the chemical structure and shape of your body will change ...

Nanotechnology is still very new and not very useful, but the applications in medicine and engineering are almost limitless.They can create and destroy a cancer or viruses without surgery, radiation or harmful medications. they may also new nanites and other useful structures built on the same scale. Possible applications of the next generation of computer chips or maintaining youth.

Nanites ould require a highly advanced program similar to AI to coordinate of millions of them.This type of program is based on Boolean logic and a full human language written in the program. the basic concept is that human language to reason use and a computer with a complete understanding of the human reasoning can think and learn as a human being.

Nanites have two goals: self replication and a useful function. Each form can be a small processor and memory and coordination actions and processing with the other nanites.

Stanford Students found a way to neurons of the brain with a computer.Imagine how fast you can solve math problems when you access a super computer just by thinking about it.You may also be one of your memories with all your senses and remembering them is perfect retail store at any time.This is the same neural bridge that can be used to direct nanites within or anchor your body. it can also be used to communicate with other people significantly faster.

You could also modify or any part of your body will improve. This concerns things like removing all toxins, bacteria, viruses, and scar tissue. you can even improve or repair your eye sight or hearing. disabilities and damage can be recovered at will, and you could change the structure or materials in your body to adapt to unique environments such as space or deep in the ocean.

I know this is a bit scifi, but the technology will come eventually.

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Marketing is all the activities and processes of planning, communicating and executing a product, with a price, the promotion and the placement of an item to an end user. Your music is your product which you are then supplying to the end user - the music fan. Between you and the fan is a big space on how to bridge this gap. You may think that if you just get a record deal with some label, your prayers are answered and this instant bridge is built across that space. This is for the most part, not how things work today.

As an aspiring indie or unsigned singer, songwriter, or a musician in a band you can not do just a few things to promote yourself and expect success in your music career. Offline and online music promotion and marketing exposure is an ongoing process in this DIY age. Music companies are looking for artists that already have fan bases, sold CDs, and are proven ready to move up to a higher level. Presented here are more than 100 tips and ideas for you to think about and tweak as you will, to get noticed, gain fans, and get heard. You have to find a way to stand above the crowd, for talent alone is not enough.

Promo Tip #1 A music artist must start somewhere, that's usually locally, but it's better to not just dive in without a plan. But begin you must. Create a plan with some ideas and set goals as to what you need to accomplish weekly, monthly, and yearly. Start small and make it progressive. Reach bench marks and keep at it.

Promo Tip #2 Image is everything. Image is the complete package - artist/band name, look, performance, merchandise, and style, to how that brand is marketed. A stage name can be a descriptive statement of the image you or your band project. Be unique and interesting to look at in some way....build your own unique stage persona.

Promo Tip #3 Word of mouth has always been the best promotion - tell people what you do. Get people talking. Create your buzz by just giving enough info to get people interested, but hold some secrets close.

Promo Tip #4 Those that promote the most win.

Promo Tip #5 You may be a truly great talent, but without getting out there and consistently marketing yourself, networking, meeting the right people, maintaining your image, and being humble, your talent will only get you so far.

Promo Tip #6 Be innovative in your promotional efforts! The Internet has made it possible to hear a LOT more music, from a LOT more artists. You are now a very small fish in a very large pond - you will need to find a way to stand out, above and glow in the dark. Think beyond the box on every promo tip.

Promo Tip #7 Learn web basics to use the Net to your advantage. The Internet thrives on links, quality content, keywords and consistency. Properly use the tools of the Internet to build your online brand.

Promo Tip #8 Create a web site. Buy your own artist name or band name URL for your web site, keep it simple, easy to remember, make sure it loads quickly and is easy to navigate.

Promo Tip #9 Submit your web link to online music directories, search engines, good music resource sites, in the best possible descriptive category. Use niche sites like tour date sites, lifestyle, regional, music magazine, music ezines, music Blogs and similarly themed sites.

Promo Tip #10 Use Myspace, Tagworld, Frappr, Facebook and any of the good social networks and extend your fan base. Update on a regular schedule.

Promo Tip #11 Go beyond the social networks and sign up to the best indie and unsigned music artist sites. Add a full profile, good photos, your best music, update the info regularly and DO NOT REDIRECT them with only a little info to find out more at another site. These indie communities are built to attract music biz personnel as well, to browse for the talent needed for various projects. While you have the viewers attention and time, have the important info right there, don't waste their time with a redirect link! Include a link to your main site, if they want to learn more they will go to it.

Promo Tip #12 Hand out your CDs (or demos). Have your web link printed on the CD. Include your band name and contact info as well. Remember, your name on the work is more important than the name of the work. Hand the CD to club owners that feature your type of music.

Promo Tip #13 Send press releases and reviews of your shows to local print newspapers, magazines and event papers. When writing press releases, read up on "press release tips" and the like to tweak your presentation.

Promo Tip #14 Professional photos mean you take yourself seriously. All photos in your press kit should be quality photos, not just your main bio picture. The money spent on a photographer that can capture your music "image" is money well spent.

Promo Tip #15 Collect addresses and email addresses (email is free!) to keep your fans current on what you are up to. When building your lists, try to list their location - city, state and zip with a bit of personal input about that fan. This is a great way to create a more personal and targeted mailing list without bombarding people that are too far away to attend a show.

Promo Tip #16 Practice and practice and practice. Longevity in the music business means learning new things, constantly creating, and always improving.

Promo Tip #17 Zero in on your target. Know where they hang out, where they shop, what they do for fun, and hit them where they live - online and off. Your audience is a specific crowd of people so don't waste time being where they are not.

Promo Tip #18 Play, play and play some more. Get gigs in one part of town on Friday and another part of town on Saturday. Do mini tours outside of your town.

Promo Tip #19 Create your own support group of family, friends, and school mates - communicate well with them on your plans and goals to help spread the word on you, where you plan to go and how you plan on getting there. Delegate tasks to the appropriate people.

Promo Tip #20 Online send out press releases and reviews of shows via all appropriate sites.

Promo Tip #21 Get online air play. There are a lot of indie radio webcasts, join sites and do what you have to do to get on the playlists.

Promo Tip #22 Create an interesting banner to drop in your forum signatures or other online locations. Many message boards will let you leave a link and/or banner in your signature, but don't like blatant advertising.

Promo Tip #23 Brand your name across the world and be ever mindful of the image you wish to portray whenever out in public or online. When it's in print, it's permanent.

Promo Tip #24 There is such a thing as overkill, in that it is better to describe your band/music as "we sound similar to the Beatles" rather than "we are the biggest thing since Led Zeppelin!" (or better than). So word your description accordingly.

Promo Tip #25 The music business is in the business to make money. If your career is in music, know when to be businesslike.

Promo Tip #26 Learn every area of the business you are in. Knowledge is power.

Promo Tip #27 You must network. Meet people, get out there, shake hands, listen to them as well and let them know about your music. Build those relationships.

Promo Tip #28 Be on friendly terms with other bands and artists in your area.

Promo Tip #29 Create a "street team", online and/or offline...they are core people that wish to help you further your marketing efforts. Give away free tickets, CDs or merchandise to your street team as incentive.

Promo Tip #30 Announce every song, every CD, decent chart position, contest win, top sales on releases, announce anything and everything to stay in the public's eye. If you can't write a decent article up for the press release, get someone that can. Write a review of every gig and get feedback from local VIPs, fans, whomever matters and include the best quotes. Is it news worthy? Write and promote it. Get the most mileage you can from your promotional tactics.

Promo Tip #31 Never mail your CD without a purpose or a contact person's name on it and expect miracles. Far better that the contact person knows to expect your CD, his or her name is spelled correctly, and you are mailing it to a company that actually works with your style of music.

Promo Tip #32 Wear your band! Get a jacket, t-shirts (etc) and add your band name or logo on it. Wear it everywhere and be a walking advertisement. If you have a niche fan base, think of a merchandise item that they need that of course has your name on it!

Promo Tip #33 Create an interesting band logo. It can be a conversation starter or a potential contest question.

Promo Tip #34 Join a Songwriting Circle. This is a local idea (though it is possible through the Internet), to meet with other songwriters in your own area and share your songs. You can get feedback on your work, share ideas and tips, possibly collaborate on work, learn about what's happening locally, help each other in many ways. If you wanted to start your own circle or look for one, you could use Craigslist for your Wanted or Needed post. Most ask that you be open minded and dedicated, with a willingness to listen and give feedback.

Promo Tip #35 Burn your best song as a single. On the CD and cover include ALL contact info, website, names, etc and distribute that CD wherever you go, for free.

Promo Tip #36 Have a custom vinyl car wrap created about your music/band and put it on your car. OR a use a magnetic door sign for your vehicle will work as well.

Promo Tip #37 Cross promote online on your web sites with local bands as well. You give them a boost on your site and they give the same back to you. Ask other people to LINK TO YOUR music site from their website!

Promo Tip #38 Introducing your band whether in person or online has a lot of similarity in speech writing techniques, in that you have to grab the reader or listener or viewer in the first 30 seconds. Your opening line needs to have punch, snag the audience and reel them right in. Remember the rock group KISS and "Are you ready to Rock?!!" Find your attention getting line and use it. Don't fall victim to the less inspiring, "um, hi guys, um, we are the 'Example' band..."

Promo Tip #39 Use Internet class ads as well as local newspapers to promote upcoming events and possible collaborations with others. Print papers and magazines need advance notice so plan accordingly.

Promo Tip #40 Create an online newsletter, with content of value to the receiver. This is an invaluable way to keep fans informed on gigs, news, gossip, new releases and other great info. Send out your newsletter about once a month.

Promo Tip #41 Be outrageous or controversial. Shock value can work, but it can backfire too. Can you maintain the image? It has worked for many, but was a disaster for many more. Think this tip out.

Promo Tip #42 Create a fan club online and get them to spread your banners, links and provide content for them to spread.

Promo Tip #43 Who are the VIPs in your community - who are the popular people in your area? Get to know them, give them a free CD and invite them to your show. When they speak, others will listen.

Promo Tip #44 Create a video and get on YouTube. Place your video on all relevant video sites. Video Scrapbook (or Diary) your music band's progress, accomplishments, and jam sessions. This could make for good clips in other projects.

Promo Tip #45 Have a CD, digital download and other merchandise for sale. Generate some sales so you have something to invest in other areas of your marketing effort.

Promo Tip #46 Have star quality, but don't be a big-head. Let people know you are professional and have the ability to be a long lasting star in this business.

Promo Tip #47 Never Spam email.

Promo Tip #48 Have a press kit ready to send out or email. Have it neatly organized with a brief bio, a short description (about 30 words or less) on what you sound like, full length bio, quality photos, music samples, current press releases and quality newsworthy items, song lyrics, radio airplay and chart position information, and detailed contact information.

Promo Tip #49 Join online music groups and newsgroups.

Promo Tip #50 Be a bit mysterious, hold back and leave them wanting more. Timing is everything for some info, releases, etc.

Promo Tip #51 Create a music slogan of up to 8 words (less is better) that quickly, accurately and in a catchy manner describes your music in a real way.

Promo Tip #52 Give a review to get a review, honestly is the best policy, but never brutality. Many times someone will return the favor and it shows your knowledge, your twist, on the music created.

Promo Tip #53 Print up posters and/or flyers about your upcoming show and post them wherever your type of fans would hang out and include your web link, show date, name of CD, where CD can be purchased.

Promo Tip #54 Get into podcasting and videocasting yourself or making your music available for podcasting.

Part 2 of 100 Tips to Marketing Your Music continues the remaining promo tips plus some bonus ideas!

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Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy before the fetus is capable of independent life. There are many perspectives on abortion. The main perspectives are pro-life and pro-choice, yet the medical and legal communities also have their own perspectives too. In this research paper, I will show and respond to the pro-life and pro-choice perspectives, and then advance the topic of abortion by integrating the various perspectives on a biological timeline.

The pro-life view is characterized by “all men are created equal.”1 My personal view is that equal rights should be available to everyone regardless of sex, race, preference, age, etc. Throughout history their have been many conflicts of significance to women and blacks concerning the fight for equal rights; pro-life supporters say “why not babies too?”2 They also believe “there are no sub-humans.”3 Personally, I agree that there are no sub-humans. There are humans and not humans. I do not believe fetuses in a vegetative state, similar to a piece of tissue, are not humans because they are not conscious. Just because something has the potential of becoming a human in the future does not make it a human now.

Pro-choice enthusiasts also believe “babies feel pain in the womb.”4 Yes, babies do feel pain in the womb after they become conscious. Fetuses are not considered babies until they are conscious. This looks to me like they are making over generalized universal statements that only apply to existential situations, which is invalid and therefore an unsound argument. Although I do agree with them from an emotional perspective, I think other pro-choice individuals would also agree that harming babies who feel pain is morally wrong. I think the real question that integrates the two perspectives is when does a baby actually occur?

Some pro-life enthusiasts believe “babies are not sub-humans simply because they are less developed”5 and “aborting babies is morally wrong.”6 However, fetuses are not babies until they are conscious. They also argue, "Most 18 year olds are not fully developed"7 and ask whether that makes them "sub-human."8 I believe the term sub-human is a fictitious construct of the pro-life perspective to gain an emotional advantage in debates. Should we consider a living piece of skin cut from our body a sub-human, of course not, then why make the same comparison with a growing piece of flesh that is not yet an independent, conscious living being.

Their next argument is that “babies are living humans in the womb”9 and “killing humans is murder;”10 therefore, “abortion is murder.”11 However, in modern medicine, abortion involves terminating a pregnancy before the fetus is capable of independent life. This occurs before fetuses become conscious babies. This means that very few babies are legally killed today since partial birth abortions became illegal in 2003, and doctors are unwilling to perform an abortion once the fetus is conscious (after eighteen weeks). Therefore, abortions before eighteen weeks are not murder, and the actual number of nationwide abortions after eighteen weeks is only a small percentage of the former one million thought to occur.

They also mentioned, “Adoption is an option that does not require putting a pair of scissors into the back of a babies head and them vacuuming them out.”12 This is the clear use of emotional language to influence the reader; this procedure, called partial birth, is now illegal. It involves mothers partially giving birth to the baby in order to kill it. Therefore, this would exclude mothers who would want to avoid having a baby due to health risks. They also say, “If you are willing to have sex, then you should take the responsibility to at least deliver the baby.”13 I agree in most cases, yet this statement does not take into account that it may be hazardous to the women’s health to have a baby, accidental conceptions do happen frequently, and it is not a baby until it is conscious. This is just another example of making universal statements that only apply to existential situations.

According to the pro-life perspective, “there are approximately 1 million abortions every year.”14 However, this is no longer the case since partial birth abortions are now illegal. I think this perspective lacks accurate and complete information on the topic and is more emotional than logical in nature.

In contrast, the pro-choice view believes “a fetus is not a human being until it becomes conscious.”15 From conception to eighteen weeks, the fetus is in a vegetative state, and "is not a moral patient since it does not have self-consciousness.”16 Therefore, abortion can be justified. There are two main types of abortions; one type is spontaneous, and the other is induced. If the fetus weighs less than 18oz or is less than 20 weeks into the pregnancy, it is usually considered a spontaneous abortion. Spontaneous abortions are also known as miscarriages. They usually occur during the first three months of pregnancy. It is estimated that “25% of all pregnancies end in spontaneous abortion.”17 This measn that miscarriages are very common naturally.

The second form of abortion is induced abortion. This is the deliberate termination of the fetus. There are five methods to induce abortions. The first type is called vacuum aspiration and is available between two and twelve weeks. This procedure involves attaching a tube to a vacuum, and inserting it into the uterus to suck out the embryo.

Saline Infusion, available between fifteen and twenty-five, is where doctors replace some embryonic fluid with a salt solution causing the uterus to contract and expelling the fetus.

Hysterotomy, available between two and seven weeks is similar to a Cesarean Section except the cut is smaller and lower.

RU-486, available between two to seven weeks, is known as the morning after pill; it was developed in France, and approved for sale there in 1988. Clinical trials in the United States began in 1994.

Partial Birth, formally available between thirteen and thirty-six weeks became illegal in 2003, involved partially giving birth and then pushing a pair of scissors into the back of a babies head. Many Pro-Choice and Pro-Life supporters were outraged about the barbaric killing of living conscious babies which resulted in President Bush outlawing the procedure in 2003.

In addition, the Supreme Court case Roe vs. Wade set the six-month rule in 1973 under Justice Blackman. The Supreme Court ruled that they could not ban abortions in the first six months of the pregnancy. After six months, individual states can ban an abortion except in cases in which the woman's health is at risk. I think this determination gave women six months, which is ample time for women to discover they are pregnant and decide whether it is safe for them to give birth to a baby under the advice of a physician.

In addition, mothers who have abortions may put themselves at risk of infertility, depression, or even death. Abortions are also a very painful procedure, especially in late pregnancy; so I believe a women’s right to make a decision that carry's significant personal consequences should be respected as long as it does not violate the law. Since the medical community and the law does not advocate the killing of conscious babies. The gap between 18 weeks and 6 months may be a bit wide, but it gives doctors some discretion in extreme cases without making it illegal.

Some consequences of an abortion include Post Abortion Syndrome, which causes depression and may even influence a mother to resort to suicide. Infertility can also happen if the doctor slips and cuts part of the uterus or the fallopian tubes. Even potential death can happen due to internal bleeding, when the doctor cuts part of the uterus or the fallopian tubes.

Therefore, the health and well-being of the mother is also an important factor; we must consider abortion as a possible solution when it is potentially harmful for the mother to have a baby.

I think the statements by the authors who advocated pro-choice as their perspective used a descriptive rather than a prescriptive approach. This means that I was required to respond to facts rather than lots of opinions and personal bias. This made a much stronger argument for the pro-choice perspective. Therefore, I decided that giving pregnant women the opportunity to abort a vegetative piece of tissue was the right decision. After all, I think the law, the church, and other organizations have no rights over women’s bodies and any vegetative tissues inside them.

Next, let us discuss an integrated biological timeline. The law says that abortions are legal from conception to six months. After six months, induced abortions are illegal, except when a women’s health is at risk. The medical associations allow physicians to provide induced abortions from two weeks to twenty-four weeks. After twenty-four weeks, no induced abortions are available because the medical community views abortions of babies who are capable of independent life as murder. Since an abortion is the termination of a pregnancy before the fetus is capable of independent life, the possibility of independent life does not occur before the brain is conscious. Therefore, an abortion is medically impossible before eighteen to twenty weeks, because the baby is not yet conscious or capable of independent life.

Moreover, most doctors absolutely refuse to conduct abortions after eighteen weeks, because it is possible that the fetus is conscious. This means that even though abortions are legal between eighteen and twenty-four weeks, most doctors refuse to perform the procedure. I think an additional reason is that doctors believe the mother has sufficient time to seek a physician’s counsel and terminate the pregnancy before eighteen weeks.

The pro-choice prospective reinforces that “from zero to four and a half months abortions are moral, because the fetus is not conscious.”18
They also bring up that from conception to three months, 25% of pregnancies end in miscarriage naturally. This is when the fetus is still in a vegetative, tissue-like state. The Pro-Life Prospective varies widely. Some pro-life supporters believe a baby happens the moment a sperm enters an egg. Others believe a baby occurs the moment the egg is implanted. Still others believe a baby occurs when the fertilized egg reproduces cells and looks like a soccer ball. The list of when a baby actually occurs goes on and on, and seems to vary widely based on education and religious background. Some people even believe god is the sole culprit in their pregnancy and the combination of human sperm and eggs has nothing to do with conception. This is because they believe god gave the fetus a soul at that moment, and otherwise the baby would be stillborn. I even looked into the origins of the word soul; to my surprise, it comes from ancient Greek (Indo-European), and literally means the conscious mind. I think people should investigate both sides thoroughly before making value judgments or simply adopting someone else’s perspective as their own. However, in the case where pro-life supporters believe a baby occurs when a fetus becomes conscious at eighteen to twenty weeks, they are completely in agreement with people who share the pro-choice prospective.
I think calling a piece of tissue in a vegetative state a baby would also require us to acknowledge the rights of skin grafts and other forms of living tissue that have no viability outside the body. We could even take this issue to the extreme and start charging people with murder for kicking men or women in the gonads! We could even give rights to bacteria and convict people of genocide for taking showers! Of course, this is ridiculous. However, worrying about the potential lives of what would have, could have, or should have been is equally ridiculous when those things are not conscious beings.

I think we should protect conscious human babies in the womb. This opinion stems from women having plenty of time to terminate their pregnancy before the six-month deadline. Although each situation is unique, in many cases the baby would be more viable than the pregnant mother who wants to abort it for personal health reasons. Since both perspectives believe killing a baby (human) is immoral, the real decision is when a baby (human) actually occurs. Both the pro-life supporters and pro-choice supporters believe killing a conscious baby in the womb (capable of independent life) is immoral. In addition, it is statistically unlikely for a baby to occur before eighteen weeks and most fetuses become conscious babies between eighteen and twenty weeks.

Therefore, if we can compromise that babies only occur after eighteen to twenty weeks, then both perspectives agree about not conducting abortions on conscious babies (humans). Moreover, physicians will not allow abortions on conscious babies, so there is no longer a reason to debate either prospective - unless the physician is an outlier in the medical community and agrees to conduct illegal abortions.

Bibliography
Alcorn, Randy. Pro Life Answers to Pro Choice Arguments. Portland, Oregon: Multnomah Books, 1994

Almond, P. Introducing Applied Ethics. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 1995

Carton, Jean. Who Broke The Baby? Minneapolis, Minnesota: Bethany House Publishers, 1997

Crutcher, Mark. Lime 5. Denton, Texas: Life Dynamics, 1996

Smart, J.J.C & Williams, B. Utilitarianism: For and Against Cambridge. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 1973

Sterba, J.P. Ethics: The Big Questions. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 1998