The Colloid Base

Vilfredo Pareto’s Principle, or The “Pareto Principle,” is more commonly known as the 80-20 rule. It suggests that a ratio of approximately 20% to 80% can be found as an effective measure for most things in life. Whether revenues generated per customer or value for hours worked, it usually can be found that 80% of all of our results in business and in life come from only 20% of our efforts!

As importantly, the 80-20 ratio seems to hold true for many input/outputs, causes/consequences, or efforts/results. It also holds true across the spectrum of relationships, business, finances, time whatever the case may be.

Richard Koch, author of The 80/20 Principle, suggests that the key to earning more and working less is to pick the right thing to do and only those things that add the highest value. Contrary to public belief, “be intelligent and lazy” is NOT an oxymoron in fact, it’s an important theme of this book! Discarding low value activities in all areas of your life, the true essence of the Pareto Principle, will create the time and freedom for you to enjoy a more richly endowed lifestyle.

How can you apply Pareto’s Principle?

Look for the evidence of Pareto’s Principle in all areas of your life. As best you can, determine where 20% of your energies, resources, time, and talents should be invested for maximum benefit (The 80-20 Rule). Then do it.

In addition to concepts like Pareto’s Principle, wizardZofwealth.com offers people of all income levels wealth-building strategies in the areas of small business, entrepreneurship, self development, personal finance, trading, and investing. The site’s exclusive Wealth Notes presentation style makes learning easy for people seeking financial independence.

Quilts are a decorating palette of color, texture, and comfort. They add so much to your home decor. Not only do people notice the wonderful patterns, but they have a very “inviting” feeling. You almost want to curl up with a good book, and place that cover across your legs, and be whisked away to far away places and great adventures.

Quilts are not only to be used on beds, or chairs. They have come into their own as coverings for tables, trunks, and other areas that need a touch of “special.” You can use the many colors in a quilt to highlight a room, bring out other features, or to contrast and give a great visual effect.

When you purchase a quilt, they can be hand-made, or machine-made. They are pieced together or squares of different patterns, or textures are sewed together for a certain effect. Whatever quilts you choose, they can be utilitarian besides beautiful. they are pefect for a light cover for a short nap, to enjoy by a roaring fire, or to cover a sleeping baby on your lap. Quilts are really just the touch for so many opportunities to provide comfort and decoration.

There is a vast price range when you purchase a quilt. Some of these masterpieces take months or even years to put together, while otehrs are gifts from relatives or friends that decided to make you something that would bring you a lot of enjoyment. Whether they are picture-perfect, a memento of generations past, or an attempt by a love one to create something unique and different as a gift or token of appreciation and affection, by all means use them in your decorating scheme. People will notice them and they add a feeling of “come sit a while and let’s relax” to your home.

You might notice that people choose the chair or table near the quilt and finger the thread and texture lovingly. Its friendship and hospitality all brought together with needle and thread, a lot of creativity and imagination, and no matter where you purchase your quilt, they are made by someone who loves what they do and wants to share a “welcome” to whoever purchases their work.

So invest in quilts and add that very special decorating item to your home - you’ll be amazed at the many uses you will find for it and the many times you find yourself using its wonderful “hugging” effect.
ENJOY!
©Arleen M. Kaptur 2002 August

About the Author

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Business owners are always looking for ways to lower expenses.
Bartering allows you to build your profit into your expense and
conserve your cash flow. It’s just one more tool to use to
increase the chances of your company’s success.

You gain more customers in the process because these are not
people that you would have normally done business with. You have
more to gain than just new customers, once you’ve bartered
successfully with another business owner, you open yourself up
to a new business relationship that can help your company grow
for years to come.

Bartering online makes it easy to approach companies that you
may never have thought of doing business with. Joining an online
barter club is a smart and simple way to find business owners in
your area willing to barter for goods or services you require.

Some companies deal with barter currency, others charge
membership or transaction fees and some provide their service at
no cost. The best suggestion I can offer is to shop around and
decide what is right for your company.

Whatever barter site you decide to deal with should provide you
with ample information on how their barter system works and
informative pages for people who may be new to the barter world.
If you are unsure of anything, it doesn’t hurt to ask questions
before making the decision to join. How quickly and accurately
they respond is a good indication of how your concerns would be
addressed as a member in the future.

Many business owners who enjoy bartering are not just members of
one organization; you can join a few and start weeding out the
ones that don’t seem to be working for you.

Be leery of hidden fees. Although a company may state that there
is only a one-time membership fee, as a member you may still
have to pay an annual fee or a percentage per transaction.

Good communication is the key to bartering successfully and a
declined trade shouldn’t discourage you from contacting other
business owners. Be realistic in the value of services you are
offering and what you are seeking in return.

Remember that your success does not solely depend on the company
that you decide to join. You need to remain active in pursuing
trades because if little or no effort is put forth, then your
results will be of no accomplishment. If you pursue all possible
leads, you will gain all the benefits and rewards that bartering
brings.

Just because your outdoor thermometer keeps showing lower and lower numbers, does not mean that it is time to put away your awesome fashion in favor of bulky coats, sweaters, and shoes. With fur trimmed boots, it is possible to stay warm and remain fashionable.

Some might think that the warmth that fur trimmed boots offer is part of a wave of the future. But the simple “technology” of fur has been around since time began. How else would animals stay warm during those freezing cold months without the fur on their backs and feet? And would early humans have stayed warm without that same animal fur on their own backs and feet? Fur is nature’s “technical fabric.”

Fur trimmed boots use nature’s “technical fabric” in the best of ways - they are trimmed with more than just fur, they are trimmed with warmth. The fur of fur trimmed boots does indeed keep your feet warm, but it also adds a certain style and flair to your boots.

That hint of fur that onlookers can see on your boots can be intriguing. Fur trimmed boots are an excellent way to spice up and outfit, both in heat and style. Most are not only great because of the warm of the fur and the style of the boot, but because they have other great details.

For instance, many fur trimmed boots have rubber soles so that you can stay standing while walking through slippery snow and ice. Some have beautiful and functional laces or closures. Others may have intricate designs of thread or beads or fur.

Whatever sort of fur trimmed boot that you think will keep your feet happiest and most attractive, you are likely going to be able to find it. They are just that popular.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on fur boots and fashion please visit Fur Boots.