I’ve seen this ongoing debate debate jump up again recently in several Blogs and message boards and I can’t help but laugh. It’s not a new debate… Ever since the long copy masters of the early 1900’s, people have been arguing for or against the practice.
As a copywriter and conversion specialist, convincing my clients to test longer copy on their web sites is often a very difficult task. After all, online customers have microscopic attention spans and are always in a hurry to move on.
Different visitors have different goals, different personalities and different buying styles. Some visitors will want to read everything you can give them before buying and then they still need “more information” before they can decide. Others just want to know “what are you selling”, “what does it do for me” and “how much is it” and they want to know it NOW!
It may sound like an impossible task to write copy that sells both of them… After all if you cut your copy to bone to sell the second visitor, you won’t have enough information to persuade the first visitor. And, if you waste the second visitors time by forcing them to read a 20 page letter to “get to the meat”, they will leave.
(Fortunately, there is a way to satisfy BOTH of them on the same page… But more on that in a minute…)
There are two basic camps in this debate… The first group says “Long copy ALWAYS outsells short copy”, while the second group says stuff like “…as a consumer, I don’t have time to read all that copy. I’ll NEVER from long copy.”
The part that makes me laugh is that 90% of the people in BOTH camps have never scientifically tested copy of ANY length! They make these statements of absolute facts, with no test results to back up their claims.
The truth is, sometimes long copy out pulls short copy and sometimes short copy out pulls long copy. But you have to TEST it to know which is going to work for your site and your target demographic. (Actually there is one absolute when it comes to copy… Good copy always outsells Bad copy, regardless of length!)
Another thing to keep in mind is, just because you conduct a test and find that a shorter version out pulls a longer version, don’t automatically assume that “short copy is better than long copy”. If you are testing a clear, attention grabbing short message against a long, boring message, your test is not going to tell you much.
Its much like comments I get from time to time about using audio as a tool on websites. Occasionally a client will tell me “we tested using audio and it didn’t work”. Well… Just testing audio vs. no audio, doesn’t mean your test result is valid. Perhaps your message was not effective, maybe they didn’t like your voice. You need to test multiple audio scripts and even multiple speakers, before you can draw a valid conclusion.
In the end the length of the copy is irrelevant, the response rate is what matters.
From my own testing I have found, as long as you keep your reader interested, keep your copy active and ensure a good flow, longer copy usually out performs short.
To often, people who have heard that “long copy is better”, write long copy for the sake of long copy. The result is usually long-boring copy. Adding more words, just to have longer copy is missing the point… The copy still needs to be tight, clean and laser focused.
The good news is, if your prospect is truly qualified and in real need (or want) of your product or service, they will read everything you give them, as long as you keep it interesting.
My friend (and long copy letter king) Michel Fortin recently posted an excellent article to his Blog about how to keep long copy interesting. You can read it here: http://www.allhottips.comAt the beginning I told you that there is a way to write your copy to persuade and keep the interest of both long copy AND short copy fans.
You can cater to both visitor types by using “Dual Readership Paths”. You do this by using your headlines and sub-headlines within your copy to tell the “scan and ” visitors everything they need to know to make their buying decision. By creatively using your sub-headlines and bullet points you can persuade those who do not have the time to read your entire message, without sacrificing needed benefits and copy for those who won’t without a “full” explanation of your product or service.
The bottom line is this…
The LENGTH of your copy is not what is important, it is the EFFECTIVENESS and response rate that matters.
Did you find this article useful? For more useful tips and hints, points to ponder and keep in mind, techniques, and insights pertaining to Internet Business, do please browse for more information at our websites.
Numerous investors believe in and use the principles of technical analysis. In fact, large brokerage houses provide extensive support for technical analysis and a large part of the discussion related to capital markets in the media is based on a technical view of the market.
Technical analysis observes historical price movements of the stock market and individual securities and develops a variety of models and technical trading rules such as moving averages, regression analysis and relative strength index to predict future market behavior. By taking into account price and volume changes, technical analysis comes in sharp contrast with fundamental analysis, which suggests that past performance has no influence on future performance or market values. Technical analysis involves the observation of past market data to estimate future market trends and therefore an investment decision using the market itself to predict its future performance.
To predict future behavior, technical analysts use several underlying assumptions that lead to this view of price movements. First of all, technical analysis assumes that the market value of any good or service is determined solely by the interaction of supply and demand. This assumption is universally accepted by both technical and fundamental analyst as it constitutes a basic theory in economics. The price of any security is determined by the interaction of supply and demand.
The second assumption of technical analysis is that supply and demand are driven by a variety of rational and irrational factors. In these factors are also included economic variables that fundamental analysts recognize as determinants of market corrections, but also factors such as opinions, moods and guesses that actually shape trends which are fundamental in technical analysis. In regards to this second assumption, most observers acknowledge that supply and demand are driven by numerous variables that cannot be separated and the market has to continually and automatically weigh all these factors and reflect them in the stock price.
The third assumption of technical analysis is that the prices of individual securities and the value of the market as a whole have the tendency to move in trends, which persist for considerable lengths of time. These prevailing trends tend to adjust to changes in supply and demand. Technical analysts assume that stock prices move in trends that persist for long periods because they consider that new information enters the market over a period of time and not at once. This gradual pattern of information occurs as various groups of securities professional to the average investor receive gradually the information and or sell the stocks accordingly, moving the price accordingly and gradually reaching a new equilibrium. Therefore, technical analysis is based on a gradual price adjustment that reflects the gradual flow of information into the market.
There are numerous technical trading rules and a range of interpretations for each of them. Technical analysts, in majority, watch many alternative rules and decide on a or sell decision based on a consensus of the signals because it is rare to achieve complete agreement of all the rules. Many technical analysts assume that investors are wrong as the market approaches peaks and lows and they try to determine when the majority of investors are either bearish or bullish and trade in the opposite direction. In technical analysis, this is known as contrary-opinion rules. Another set of rules such as the Confidence Index, and the T-Bill Eurodollar Yield Spread follows the behavior of sophisticated investors and are widely known as the follow-the-smart-money tactics. Finally, there are momentum indicators such as the 200-day moving average, and the breadth of market, as well as stock price and moving techniques such as relative strength, moving-average lines, bar charting, resistance levels, and point-and-figure charts that are used to make aggregate market decisions based on rising and declining trend channels.
Overall, technical analysis is applied to both domestic and global capital markets and can also be used to analyze currency exchange rates and determine the prevailing sentiment in the bond market.
A freelance writer, top MBA graduate with Finance major, passionate about business, finance, history and music; this is pretty much me in a nutshell.
I provide high quality writing services since 2005 in the field of Business & Finance, Movie Reviews, Book Reviews, Health & Fitness, Internet and Relationships. I also have a very good knowledge of Politics and History.
My advanced familiarity with financial modeling, financial statement analysis, capital budgeting and market research has helped me a lot, not only to be a successful professional, but mostly to see life under a more creative and innovative perspective. Besides, having lived for two years in Chicago, IL and Boca Raton, FL and for quite some time in Paris, France has provided me with an international aspect and has enlarged the way I see and understand life.
I currently work as a financial and investment advisor at an international financial institution. Yet, my dream is to be able to make a living as a writer.
In September 2008, the American International Group, AIG, the largest insurance company in the United States, collapsed under the weight of bad debts incurred from insuring mortgage-backed securities. Although the corporation made significant progress in addressing liquidity issues related to its financial products and its securities-lending activities, in the middle of continued financial market turmoil, it failed to preserve and maximize the value of its business practices for the benefit of its stakeholders. As a result, AIG reported the largest quarterly losses in U.S corporate history, $61.7 billion in Q4.
The Federal Reserve bailed out AIG with an $85 billion loan in exchange for a 79.9% equity stake. Three weeks later, AIG was granted $37.8 billion loan as liquidity for its securities-lending business. Even after these initial infusions, losses continued to mount and in November, the Treasury provided another $20.9 billion under a new program, summing up the total bailout package to $144 billion under three different credit line programs. In March 2009, the Federal government agreed on providing AIG another $30 billion with a fourth program raising the bailout bill to $174 billion. By July 2009, the bailout package had reached $182 billion.
At the same time, AIG became the target of extensive outrage as a result of the $165 million paid in bonuses to AIG senior management and traders that actually caused the collapse. Investors, taxpayers and the public in general were disgusted at the idea of the people who caused AIG’s collapse and financial distress to be rewarded as heroes.
The first immediate impact of AIG bailout is evident on investor confidence. In spite of the increased consumer spending and household income in the beginning of 2009, the AIG scandal overshadowed the markets. Considering that more than the US population owns stocks and other securities and with global capital markets reacting aggressively to AIG press releases and government bailout packages, the US economy and, consequently, the global economy, are affected by the governmental actions to help a corporate monster recover.
Besides, since October 2007 when the Dow was around 14,100 until today that is at 9,750, investors have lost 31 percent of their value. Even worse, in fourteen trading sessions, the Dow has toppled from 8,000 to below 7,000. At the same time, unemployment is at an all time high having affected nearly five million Americans, while productions levels continue to shrink and layoffs surpass any growth.
Technically what AIG was provided is a loan, but, in effect, it is a bailout because without that amount of money the company could have gone bankrupt. Now, AIG not only has to pay back the money, but taxpayers are also hooked with the company since they own, along with the U.S. government, 79.9% of it. The question about investors is how AIG can sell off its assets at a high price when capital markets are still in turmoil and there is not much liquidity in the markets? Wall Street is out of cash and investors are out of faith. So, in a way, AIG paying back its debt is a hope given that the company has a lot of debt in its liabilities. If the market explodes, taxpayers and the government are going to be on the hook for AIG.
Another thing that seems to be slightly misunderstood is the fact that AIG failure is not terrible only because the company was so big, but mostly because with AIG getting out of the picture for having backed mortgage-backed securities, the possibility of a domino effect is evident. Any business or individual that has been involved and has done business with AIG faces the reality of seeing own assets going under. And is such an unstable and weak financial environment this would a nightmare scenario.
The government AIG bailout shows the levels of corruption in corporate America. Before AIG, the common measurement of bonuses was a company’s profitability. If the business was profitable, management was compensated with a bonus. If the business was losing money, there was no bonus involved. After AIG, things got reversed.
On the other hand, there are people who think that government bailout to AIG helped US economy to overcome the depression. However, the experience of previous recessions has shown that the end comes only when inflated prices shrink to a level that allows the majority of people to enjoy fundamental goods of life such as housing, clothing and nourishment.
The U.S. government is on the hook for succeeding in saving AIG for the moment. But, those who will make sure this bailout works are the U.S. taxpayers. The systemic risk that AIG posed in the first place and continues to pose combined with the volatility of capital markets, the cost to the US economy and the governmental inaction does little to re-inspire investor confidence. Even worse, government AIG bailout is a straight attack on the common sense of people. Unfortunately, this will take a long time until it can be forgotten and translated into rising capital markets and attractive stock performances around the globe.
A freelance writer, top MBA graduate with Finance major, passionate about business, finance, history and music; this is pretty much me in a nutshell.
I provide high quality writing services since 2005 in the field of Business & Finance, Movie Reviews, Book Reviews, Health & Fitness, Internet and Relationships. I also have a very good knowledge of Politics and History.
My advanced familiarity with financial modeling, financial statement analysis, capital budgeting and market research has helped me a lot, not only to be a successful professional, but mostly to see life under a more creative and innovative perspective. Besides, having lived for two years in Chicago, IL and Boca Raton, FL and for quite some time in Paris, France has provided me with an international aspect and has enlarged the way I see and understand life.
I currently work as a financial and investment advisor at an international financial institution. Yet, my dream is to be able to make a living as a writer.
Of all the methods people use to quit smoking, hypnosis is the most effective. There are studies that show that when people use quit smoking hypnosis programs they are successful more than 60% of the time. When you compare that with the success rates of quit smoking drugs (20% to 30%), it makes a lot of sense to use hypnosis programs.
But what exactly happens during hypnosis when it’s used to quit smoking? Basically, you put yourself into a light trance state. You’re not asleep, but you’re not intently focused on your everyday thoughts. You’re in a state of deep relaxation, but you’re still able to hear and respond to the world around you.
A lot of people think they can’t be hypnotized. They know they’re usually tense and have trouble relaxing. But most people can learn relaxation techniques. And that’s really all you need to be able to do for a successful quit smoking hypnosis program.
There are a lot of hypnosis programs that claim that you will quit smoking after one session. This is actually quite possible. Many people report that they have quit smoking for several hours or the rest of the day after only one session.
But that doesn’t mean you never have to use the self hypnosis program began. In reality, when you use a hypnosis program to stop smoking, you’re learning an ongoing technique. You’ll be able to use it for the rest of your life, whenever the urge to smoke comes up.
Think of it this way: if you take a golf lesson, your swing could be greatly improved after only one lesson. But you’d still have to practice that new technique every time you play golf.
It’s the same when you learn a hypnosis technique to stop smoking. Every time you get a nicotine craving, you have a choice to make. You can light up a cigarette or cigar, or you can practice your hypnosis technique.
So will you have to take hypnosis “lessons” forever? Well, think about the golf lesson analogy. If you want to improve your golf game, do you have to take golf lessons forever? Of course not!
You take a lesson to improve your swing, then you go out and practice what you’ve learned. And the more you practice, the better you get, and the easier it is to play well.
But even if your game improves a lot after that one lesson (and lots of practice), there might come a time when you would want to take another lesson. What if you had an accident and hurt your knee, or you just couldn’t play golf for several months? You might need a refresher lesson just to get back into shape.
It’s the same thing when you use hypnosis to quit smoking. You learn it. You practice it. You improve your technique. And the beauty of it is, even though your goal is to quit smoking forever, if that doesn’t happen after your first hypnosis try, you can still try again until you reach your goal.
When your goal is to quit smoking for good, you haven’t failed unless you stop trying. Chances are you’ve already tried to quit smoking at least once. So you already know that it’s not an easy thing to do.
The reality is that most people try to quit smoking several times before they finally quit for good. So instead of beating yourself up for relapsing, think of it as getting one step closer to your final goal. As long as you keep trying to quit, there is no doubt that you will be successful. And using hypnosis will definitely help you achieve your goal.
To learn more about how to Quit Smoking using Hypnosis, visit - for tips, real life experiences, and recommendations on how to quit the habit, using hypnosis.
Amazing High Contrast 15 inch LCD Media Screen with DVD player and VGA input.
A full featured LCD monitor (with built-in TV and DVD Player functions) for the office lobby, conference room, bed room, study or even the holiday home. This unit has a 15 inch high contrast high resolution display that will quite simply blow you away. With all its functions catered for todays modern multimedia lifestyle, including VGA input, DVB-T tuner (see link below), Analog TV tuner, memory card and USB slots, awesome DVD drive, and AV-IN, this product can fill just about any requirement from a modern LCD.
Portability is also made possible by way of convenient carry handle, and 12 Volt operating voltage so you can even use it in the car or motor-home. The AV input is a remarkable addition for gaming and HDD Media Players, all in the eye catching resolution of 1024×768.
Quite simply, this is the most attractive fully featured screen we have seen in a long time and must been seen to be believed. Get yours today at outstanding Chinavasion wholesale prices with a 12 month warranty.
At a Glance… Full featured LCD monitor (with built-in TV and DVD Player functions) for the office lobby, conference room, bed room, study or even the holiday home. This product can fill just about any entertainment requirement from a single LCD screen. Wonder if your country uses the DVB-T digital TV broadcast standard? Check this out – DVB-T Country List
Manufacturer Specifications
Primary Function: Multi Function 15 inch LCD Monitor Screen Information: - Screen: 15 Inch LCD - Aspect Ratio: 4:3 - Resolution: 1024×768 Speaker Power Output: 3W x 2 Color Systems: PAL / SECAM Functions: - DVD - VGA (PC with 3.5mm Jack for PC Audio In) - Analog TV - DVB-T - AV IN (Stereo – 3 x RCA) - SCART IN - SD/MMC/MS Card Slot (up to 4 GB) - USB Port (up to 4 GB) Media Formats: - Video: DVD, VCD, MPEG4, DIVX, XVID, AVI, ASF, VOB, DAT, MPG - Picture: JPEG, BMP, GIF - Music: MP3 Digital TV (DVB-T) Specs: - DTV Preset Country Profiles - Frequency Bands: - VHF- 174MHz~230MHZ - UHF- 470MHz~862MHZ Analog TV Specs: - Preset Country Profiles - Frequency Bands: - VHF-L 48.25MHz to 91.75MHz - VHF-H 168.25MHz to 222.75MHz - UHF 471.25MHz to 863.75MHz Power Supply: 12V DC OSD Languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Danish, Finnish, Swedish, Russian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Turkish Dimension: 363mmx317mmx204mm (including stand) 363mmx317mmx204mm (no stand) Manufacturer Ref: ZDF850KVF0UV
Product Notes
Auto OFF when no signal is detected High Contrast Gloss Screen Ear Phone Output VESA 75 Wall Mounting Standard Slot Load DVD Drive Analog TV Preset Country Profiles: UK, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Luxembourg, France, Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands Analog TV Input Impedance: 75 Ohm DTV Preset Country Profiles: Europe, UK, Australia Additional DVB-T Digital TV Details; - Input Level: 20-70 dBmV - Input Bit Rate: 4.98-31.67 Mbps (8 MHz B/W) - Demodulation: COFDM - Modulation: QPSK, 16-QAM, 64-QAM - Bandwidth (B/W): 7 OR 8 MHz - FFT Pattern: 2K, 6K, 8K - Monitoring Space: 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, Off - FEC: 1/2, 2/3, 3/4, 5/6, 7/8
Package Contents
Model CVSAM-3500 15″ LCD Media Screen User Manual – English Power Adapter Remote Control Car Cigar Lighter Power Adapter TV Antenna Stereo RCA Cable VGA Cable SCART Cable 3.5mm to 3.5mm Audio Cable for PC Sound Input Visit the website: You will find much more. Current Reviews: This product was added to our catalog on Monday 09 February, 2009.
The Best Distributor Of Chinese Wholesale Electronics. China Electronics Wholesale and Dropship: Gadgets, Cell Phones, Car DVD Players, Digital Cameras, Digital Camcorders, MP4 Players, MP3 Players, Spy Cameras, Security Products, PC Accessories, and more… Visit the website: http://www.boutic.power-heberg.com
Long associated with the rich and powerful, cigars evoke images of relaxation and rich flavor. A culture around the art of smoking, created and debated by cigar aficionados, assembles various theories and accessories to facilitate or enhance smoking. Cigar smoking, much like wine tasting, has for many years been viewed as a diversion of the elite of society.
The general consensus is that Spain is where cigars were first produced, catching on quickly in the other European countries. Although manufactured in many different countries, Cuban cigars have been considered one of the most flavorful and rich of all cigars for an appreciable period of time. This is due to the regional microclimates Cuba is blessed with, which are said to produce the highest quality tobacco. Combined with the skill of the country’s cigar makers, the result is a world standard in cigars. Other countries that produce sizeable amounts of tobacco and cigars include Brazil, Honduras, Ecuador, Mexico, Cameroon, Indonesia, Dominican Republic, and the United States. Many speculate that the reason cigars have long caught the attention of so many lies in the way it is manufactured. Hand wrapping is the basis of all high quality cigars. Unlike cigarettes, which are mass-produced by enormous machines, cigars undergo a lengthy process of fermentation and aging (much like wine), creating subtle flavors and textures before they are individually wrapped by craftsmen working with their own hands. This makes cigars highly individual, each with a subtle unique character, the best of which provide no smoky aftertaste at all.
The taste of cigars is also much more complex than the flavor of cigarettes. Most cigars are created by wrapping three distinct and different layers of tobacco leaves together, yielding a depth of flavor impossible from a cigarette. Long leaves of tobacco are typically used as the filler in high quality cigars, though a combination of scraps may also be used. This creates complex flavors subtle variations, and different textures. Cigarettes, on the other hand, are mass-produced, filled from gargantuan hoppers containing generally only one type of tobacco. Cigar flavor variation is further diversified by the addition of non-tobacco flavorings. If desired, a cigar aficionado can find chocolate, apple, vanilla, or even coffee-flavored cigars! Most common, however, are cigars flavored with expensive liquors.
Despite the fact that cigars have long been enjoyed for their smooth and complex flavors, smoking them does pose a considerable health risk. All tobacco products contain the addictive substance nicotine. Everyone has heard about the negative health risks of nicotine, but not everyone is familiar with how it causes them.. As even the casual smoker can attest, nicotine is a stimulant that produces a mild sense of euphoria. It is extremely addictive and cigar smoke contains a multitude of toxins, carcinogens, and irritants. There is still a significant risk of developing various types of oral and larynx cancers even though most connoisseurs of cigars will avoid inhaling the smoke.
Robert Williams enjoys writing for several web sites, on and subjects.
Traditional cigarette poses an undeniable hazard to our health. In the United States, traditional smoking kills nearly 440,000 people every year and about 1 in every 5 deaths is attributed to smoking. In the UK, approximately 11,000 die from smoking. Traditional smoking is a main cause of cancers of the lung, pharynx, esophagus, pancreas, etc. What device could take the place of the cigarette but let the smoker enjoy the same hand to mouth sensation? is ideal.
First developed in Beijing, China, electronic cigarettes (also known as personal vaporizer, e-cigarette) simulates smoking a real cigarette without the tar, tobacco and other chemical elements. They always take the form of cigarettes, pipes cigars, and pen. Instead of producing smoke when smokers use, e-cigarettes produce vapor. So there is no arsenic, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and other bad chemicals. The bad health affection to smokers themselves or others who are around them will be massively cut down or even cut down to zero. Plus, they are not as expensive as before, especially when you from suppliers.
I. What Does an E-cigarette Consist of?
Almost all the personal vaporizers consist of three parts, that is, the battery, the heating element, and the mouthpiece which houses the cartridge.
- Battery
Lithium-ion rechargeable battery is employed by most electronic cigarettes. The battery life span is up to the size and type of the battery, using frequency and operating environment.
- Heating element
Also called atomizer or atty, the heating element is used to vaporize the liquid in the mouthpiece so smokers could inhale vapor.
- Mouthpiece
This part refers to the small disposable plastic cup. It is affixed to the end of the tube. Absorbent material is contained inside in this part.
II. What Are the Benefits of E-cigarette?
In comparison to traditional cigarette, the electronics cigarettes have the following benefits:
- No flames and less pollution
Personal vaporizers run on batteries. It is not necessary for smokers to spend extra money on buying lighters, lighter fluid and matches any more. So there is much less pollution and no fire to catch onto anything.
- Less waste
The batteries of e-cigarette are always rechargeable, so less waste will be produced.
- No hovering cloud of smoke or second hand smoke
E-cigarettes only produce smoke-alike vapor. They reduce smokers’ influence on our health to the least degree.
- Big money-saving
Although one pack of electronic cigarette is more expensive than traditional types, one cartridge for the electronic is equal to 2 packs of cigarettes. In the long term, e-cigarette helps save more.
- Legal in any place.
Smoking is prohibited in the public area in many countries. But e-cigarette is not a real cigarette; smokers could use them in the public area like restaurants and bars without being punished.
III. What Are the Popular Models of Personal Vaporizer?
Popular models include Crown 7, Gamucci, Smartfixx, Njoy, and so on. If you want to find cheap products, you could consider buying from China markets.
Felicia is a distributor dropship consumer electronics direct from china and serves you the best And welcome to my blog:
The study of the economy of Cuba can be divided into four phases. The first phase consists of the occupation of the island by the Spanish, which led to the extinction of the aboriginals and the bringing of African slaves to work on the sugar plantations. At this point of time, Cuba provided for the highly profitable business of sugar cultivation and its exports. Sugar industry was the crux of Cuba’s economy and Cuba rose to become one of the largest producers of sugar in the world.
The second phase pertains to the years following the wars of independence against the Spanish and also the invasion of Cuba by the US. It is marked by the sweeping powers of intervention obtained by the US in 1902, with the Cuban economy being controlled by the growing investment of the US citizens in the sugar plantations of Cuba. Now, again, money and profits from the sugar plantation, sugar refineries and subsidiary sugar products such as rum went to the many American investors and a few Cuban elite. The other major industries also included tourism, tobacco, transportation, mining and the communication industry.
The third phase begins with the Cuban revolution and the beginning of Fidel Castro’s rule in the year 1959. All plantations that were more than 400 hectares became state owned and all industries including the petroleum and the telephones became nationalized. This lead to the US trade embargo towards Cuba. Cuba lost its traditional international market. However, Cuba found a trade and political ally in the USSR when the Cuban-sugar for Russian-oil package worked well. Cuba reoriented itself to the Russian and pro-Russian market and did over 80% of its international trade with them. The next 30 years saw tremendous improvement in health care, education and social welfare. Cuba boasts of a 97% literacy rate and the life expectancy increased to 76%. There was an egalitarian distribution of income and Cuba’s income inequality index became the lowest in the world.
All was well until 1989 when it became clear to Cuba that sooner or later Cuba would have to learn to do without any subsidies or trade relations with the USSR and the eastern European countries. The fourth phase begins here with the government dubbing it as the ‘Special Period in Peacetime’. The economic reforms include:
(i) the opening and gearing up of tourism as an industry
(ii) diversification of the agricultural sector by producing fruits and vegetables and rice along with live stock for local consumption that include the visiting tourists.
(iii) production of more of citrus food and less of sugar
(iv) focusing on that sector of fisheries which sent its fleets to nearby seas and exporting spiny lobsters to Japan
(v) State-owned lands have been converted to agricultural cooperatives that are managed to a certain degree by the workers. Retail outlets at a small scale have been allowed for the food market. In the field of food production, allowing the of excess production (which is above the state-fixed production quota) in the free market has brought down black markets, in addition to enhancing production
(vi) Foreign investments in various industries such as tourism, mining, telecommunication, construction and manufacturing sectors have been allowed
(vii) Self employment has been legalized for around 150 occupations.
Investment into biotechnology and pharmaceuticals during the third phase reaped returns when products of this industry were available for export now at the fourth phase.
The other Cuban industries include cement, steel, agricultural machinery and construction.
Fisheries, nickel and ore production, growing agricultural products such as fruits, tobacco are some areas that have shown growth in the export sector. Cuba now exports to European countries (50%), Canada and Latin America (20%), and Asia (20%).
Spain, France, and United Kingdom have invested in the tobacco and cigar production. Spain and Canada have invested in the exploration of oil off the shores of Cuba. Mexico, Canada, Australia, South-Africa, Netherlands, Brazil, and Chile are the other major countries that have invested in the various industries of Cuba.
Cuba has entered into an agreement with Venezuela whereby thousands of Cubans who are doctors, teachers and sports trainers, and engineers would move in to Venezuela to assist their development program in return for 53,000 barrels of oil per day being shipped to Cuba for the next five years.
“Energy revolution” where apart form changing the entire system of power generation and distribution, energy conservation is also aimed at, has been in vogue in Cuba for the last two years. The quality of life of the Cubans are improving with the volunteers of the government replacing on a door-to-door campaign, the existing electric stoves and lights with the ones that are more efficient and less energy consuming. Energy efficient refrigerators and television sets have been distributed and would be installed in all the thousands of housing units that the government is building. Energy efficient buses from China would soon be available for the Cuban public transport. It is just a matter of some time when power generation would take place at hundreds of units that are well synchronized, thus avoiding wastage of power while distributing it through very long distances. Generation of natural gas while exploring for oil at oil rigs is also considered.
Cuba has also legalized the US dollars. Further, the Venezuelan inputs for domestic oil production and upgradation of existing power stations have raised the level of optimism. Cuba is also hoping to find oil off its shores. Apart from the sugar industry and its related products, there are various industries such as tourism (also called the lung of the Cuban economy), fisheries, nickel and ore production, production of tobacco, Cuban cigar, citrus fruits, pharmaceuticals, coffee, besides basic manufacturing industries which have earned Cuba foreign exchange. Cuba has learned to manage its post-USSR economic condition and is steering towards a more prosperous economy.
Visit CubaChannel.com today for breaking news, regular news articles, blog, videos, forums, and information about the land, people, history, culture, government, political conditions, travel, business, and economy of Cuba at http://www.cubachannel.com
There is a debate raging among and pipe aficionados as to whether Santa smokes a cigar or a pipe. That’s right–the world is being held in suspense over what the Man in Red prefers to smoke with. The debate has the country divided and the opposing parties are at odds grappling over the issue of pipe vs. cigar.
The pipe faction, encouraged by the poem “A Visit from Saint Nicholas” by Clement Moore, believes that Santa smokes “the stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.” The pro-pipe group remarks that Santa would be better off smoking a pipe. They submit the idea that if Santa were a cigar smoker, he would leave ashes and cigar butts in homes when he takes his breaks to eat all those cookies that are left out for him. They also insist that Santa stops for a cookie break every 3,000 miles, when he changes the reindeer harnesses and gives them some of the carrots that children leave out for them, and that he would have to leave at least some clues behind in the form of cigar ashes during these frequent stops.
The cigar faction reasons that Santa, being a practical yet sophisticated man, would definitely enjoy a good stogie. Imagine, they argue, the changing of reindeer harnesses while wielding a pipe! No, that image calls for a fine cigar like a Winston Churchill 10 or an Avo Domain 60. These are cigars designed for a workingman who is intent on getting the job done. Besides, they say, cigars are biodegradable and easy to stow away on a long sleigh ride.
My staff called the North Pole and interviewed elves that occupy key positions in Santa’s workshop and warehouses, but the findings were inconclusive. The elves agreed that only Santa and Mrs. Claus know what he prefers, though they did allude to the fact that Mrs. Claus shops online for purveyors of fine cigars and pipes.
The debate was finally resolved by a council of retired senior elves and Santa’s worldwide agents. They took a vote, and here was their conclusion: Santa smokes cigars while traveling the world south of Miami’s latitude point. Santa smokes pipes when he travels north, with a few exceptions: England, where he often smokes Churchill 10′s, and California, where he smokes anything he darn well pleases. So have a jolly holiday! Oh, and leave out some carrots for the reindeer.
For access to the best and Cigar accessories available check out the great deals available only on the authors website – http://www.davidoffmadison.com
Put This in Your Pipe and Smoke It – Top 5 Nicaraguan Cigars
Arnold Schwarzenegger. Tom Cruise. Mel Gibson. Harrison Ford. Sylvester Stallone.
What in the world do all of these high-octane megastars have in common? No, they’re not all starring in Mission: Testosterone, this summer’s most muscled blockbuster. But, they do share a unique bond. In fact, they share the same connection with such historically notable folks as Fidel Castro, W.C. Fields, and even King Edward VII.
How could kings, comedians, and revolutionary leaders have anything in common with the Terminator, Rambo, and Braveheart?
It’s simple: They all love a good cigar! No, actually, they all love a great cigar!
And, when it comes to great cigars, arguably there are none better today than those coming from rich soils and humid mountain hillsides of Nicaragua. Long having taken a backseat to the Cuban cigar-making dynasty, Nicaragua is making its mark on the international scene with the finest cigars found anywhere on the planet.
Just like its booming real estate market that has rebounded after natural disasters and political unrest to become one of the best places in the world to invest, the Nicaraguan cigar industry is benefiting and experiencing a renaissance as well. From the center of it cigar revolution in Esteli to Condega and all the way out to the Jalapa Valley, Nicaragua is home to the world’s best cigar makers, tobacco, and established and up-and-coming brands.
With so many great cigars to choose from, the problem for the cigar aficionado and the newbie alike becomes not “How can I find a good Nicaraguan cigar,” but where should I even start? To help you make your way through the jungle landscape of choice, let’s take a look at five all-time favorites.
5. Plasencia Organica Nesticos
Profile: small cigar, mild, but rich taste
Big things come in little packages! The world’s first 100% Certified Organic cigar, the Plasencia Organica Nesticos are pure handmade tobacco magic. These little cigars take advantage of Plansencia’s renowned three-year-aged, organically-grown Nicaraguan tobaccos and serve it up in a smoke-able size that allows you to enjoy big cigar flavor even when you don’t have a lot of time.
4. Joya de Nicaragua Antano 1970, Robusto Grande.
Profile: strong, robust, earthy, woody, big, heavy-bodied…you get the idea, this cigar ain’t messing around!
This hefty all-Nicaraguan tobacco cigar was crafted to appeal to an American clientele who could no longer puff their favorite Havanas after the Cuban revolution. Let’s just call it like it is: The Robusto Grande is a big daddy of a cigar – both in size and flavor. There’s no getting around the fact that it packs a seriously rich blow with that characteristic Nicaraguan metallic twang. If you like your cigars to knock you out with a power-packed punch, this is your choice.
Rated 90 by Cigar Aficionado, this ridiculously rich tasting cigar by Felipe Gregorio is definitely round and robust, but has a seamlessly smooth quality that makes it a definite contender. The Fat Boy’s small, but stocky size (3.5 x 55) gives it a definite “Don’t Mess with Me” attitude. When you’re feeling like a fine fatty at a reasonable rate, find yourself a Felipe II and get ready for a taste explosion.
2. Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series
Profile: medium to full-bodied, long finish, perfectly balanced.
If you want to feel like a celebrity, then you’ll want to take a pull on any cigar from the Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series. Made to celebrate their 30th anniversary, this line is crafted from only their best tobaccos and is often quite difficult to find. However, when you do get your hands on one, you’ll experience a masterful cigar from first spark to final ash tap. Despite the price, this is a must-have in your collection.
1. Perdomo Edición de Silvio
Profile: robust, delicate tones, perfection
This exquisite cigar is considered by many to be one of the best in the world bar none. With a secret blend of the finest tobaccos, this is the holy grail of cigars. And, although it is by far the most exclusive (read: expensive) cigar on my list, it’s not to be missed. So, when you start making huge profits with your Nicaraguan real estate investments, you can experience a little decadence with a Perdomo Edicion de Silvio.
As you can quickly see, the Nicaraguan cigar revolution is in full swing – a rich variety of flavors that is unmatched anywhere in the world. With its fascinating history, the Nicaraguan cigar story is one that can’t be missed. When you light up any of the above cigars, you’ll know that you’ve found a new favorite in Nicaragua.
Originally from San Diego, California, Scott Taylor is an extreme adventure-loving world traveler and international real estate expert and investor living and working in Panama City, Panama. With years of experience investing in countries around the globe, Scott has a particular affection for the land, people, and?of course?real estate of Nicaragua.