High Stakes Art Print Poster By Darrin Hoover, 16 " x 20 "

Shop for High Stakes Poster Print by Darrin Hoover at Motivational Art Prints. Over 400k posters, art prints, artwork, lithographs, and photographs online. Custom framing is available. Framing your favorite art print has never been easier. PosterExpo introduces a friendly and exciting way to view your customized framed art. All mouldings are high-quality, elegant choices at affordable prices and come in a variety of colors and finishes. Each print is first mounted onto an acid-free foam-board to prevent creasing and warping, and then glazed using picture grade framer's Plexiglass. All frames ship ready-to-hang and include the necessary hardware.

Typically, getting carpeting cleaned meant using a steam cleaner and spraying a large amount of water on your floors. Afterward, you'd have to avoid walking on the carpets for quite some time because they would still be damp. Fortunately, you don't have to go through that process any longer to get clean carpeting thanks to a new cleaning method that is becoming more popular.

Dry carpet cleaning works in a manner very similar to that used when dry cleaning your clothes. Chemicals are used for the removal of those pesky stains rather than water that is used when steam cleaning. With clothes and carpet that are cleaned by water they will take on a dingy appearance after a while. This isn't the case with chemical cleaning which will leave your carpet dry as well as stain and dirt free for a much longer period of time.

If you rent your home instead of owning it, you can still use dry carpet cleaning, provided you have the permission of your landlord before you begin. Most landlords would see the benefits of dry cleaning and the value it would add to their property. The risk of water damaging the sub-flooring is also much less with chemical cleaning, which would lessen the impact on your neighbors should something go amiss during the cleaning process. The risk of mold and mildew developing in your home or apartment is also greatly decreased since water is not being used.

Dry carpet cleaning may cost a little more than the traditional steam cleaning methods of carpet cleaning but is well worth the additional price tag in most cases. If you want your carpet looking great for guests or your own personal enjoyment then dry carpet cleaning is definitely a process worth considering. More and more professionals are offering this valuable service to consumers as demand grows. Chances are that there is a company near you that offers this valuable carpet cleaning service.

Finding a professional carpet cleaning company is easy. Start with your local Yellow Pages directory, or go browsing on the internet, depending on which you prefer. Carpet doesn't need to show visible stains for it to be dirty and in need of cleaning. It likely has deep down and embedded dirt that dry carpet cleaning could get rid of. Consider this service if you want to extend the life of your carpeting and make it look fresh again.

Visit us for more information on carpet cleaning products, hoover steam carpet cleaner and carpet stain removal.

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Bacco Bucci Men's Hoover (Brown 14.0 D)

Many people are still searching the internet for information on how to build a waterfall or koi pond. Unfortunately, there is very little information regarding professional construction. There are thousands of websites involved in marketing pond products to uninformed and unsuspecting customers.

The majority of these sites promotes and advocates the use of rubber pond liners. Why? Because they sell them. Rubber liners are profitable, primarily because of the add-on products related to the pond liner industry. For example, when you construct your pond using a pond liner, you have no choice but to buy all of the related accessories such as a biofilter, special skimmers and drains, and the large variety of energy-sucking, inefficient, short-lived sump pumps.

Rarely do pond liner dealers or installers tell you the whole truth about the unpredictability of liners and sump pumps. Rarely do they acknowledge the truth about the vulnerability of liners after they are installed - whether it be attacks by rats, mice, ground squirrels, gophers, chipmunks or the sharp claws of animals that can puncture the liner in their attempt to get out of the pond after accidentally or purposely entering it. Animals burrow under the liner through the easy access of the loose rocks piled around the pond and waterfall. Against the coolness of the liner, they build their nests and raise their families that can then chew holes in the liner.

Over the past fifteen years I have replaced countless leaky waterfalls and ponds constructed using rubber liners with concrete and rebar construction. In twenty-six years of building over 1900 waterfalls and ponds, I have never had one crack or leak.

Liner advocates tell you their liner has a thirty to forty year warranty, but fail to mention it is against factory defects only. They don't mention the other issues like rodents, heavy rocks stretching and ripping the liner, and damage from children with sharp sticks or garden utensils. I've seen it all!

Many water garden contractors will misrepresent the liner as the best construction material by saying concrete is expensive and it cracks. Yes, that is true, if you don't build it properly using 3500 psi concrete and rebar 8 to 10 inches on center. Plus, they say the alkali poisons the water. That is true only if you don't seal the concrete with a sealer after it is poured. Concrete construction costs 20-25% more than a liner, but it lasts for decades. You only have to replace one liner for the concrete pond to cost considerably less in the long run. In the past five years there have been scores of lawsuits against pond liner contractors and their clients win every time.

Doesn't it make sense to build it right in the first place?

Douglas C. Hoover; CEO of Aquamedia Corp, Master Waterfall Builder, architect, engineer, freelance writer, author, designer & builder of well over 1,900 waterfall and ponds in CA (26 years). Author of "Waterfall and Pond Construction Manual" and developer of the "Water Feature Digital Design Library 4.0" Free downloads, no sign in- http://www.askdoughoover.com

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Hoover U8188-900 WindTunnel Anniversary-Edition Convertible Bagged/Bagless Upright Vacuum Cleaner with Pet-Hair Tool

The Hoover Anniversary Edition Windtunnel Convertible comes with patented Windtunnel technology which removes the hidden deep down dirt other vacuums leave behind. This vacuum gives you the option to go bagged or bagless. Bagged cleaning you get the efficiency of the Hepa Filter bag which traps 100% of dust mites, ragweed and common grass pollens. Bagless cleaning you get the Twin Chamber Bagless system that helps maintain maximum cleaning power and traps dirt in a sealed chamber for convenient disposal. the system also includes allergen filtration with a long-lasting HEPA filter. to make the change from bag to bagless is quick and easy.The embedded dirt finder tells you when your carpet is clean. The light is green, the carpet is clean. th
Customer Review: Vaccum User
The vaccum is quieter than our last Hoover. However, we still must mess with the cord and push the vaccum, it is not self propelled. Does a nice job of cleaning. Still bulky and clumbersome.

What is The BCG Growth-Share Matrix? What are the main aspects of The BCG Growth-Share Matrix? How to develop Good BCG Growth-Share Matrix of a company? Where to find information for The BCG Growth-Share Matrix?

INTRODUCTION
No strategic management or marketing text appears to be complete without the inclusion of the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) growth-share matrix. When used effectively, this model provides guidance for resource allocation. And despite its inherent weaknesses, is probably one of the most widely used management instrument as far as portfolio management is concern. For instant, each SBU (strategic business unit) of large companies such as General Electric, Siemens, and Centrica require different strategies to compete effectively and efficiently. It is not a question of one strategy fits all SBUs since the likelihood for each of them experiencing the same market growth rate, industry-threats and leverage is very slim. This is where the BCG model comes into play as a management analytical tool. The ensuing examines the underpinnings of the model, for what it is used, how to use it and why it is used.

WHAT IS THE BCG GROWTH-SHARE MATRIX?
To begin with, BCG is the acronym for Boston Consulting Group-a general management consulting firm highly respected in business strategy consulting. BCG Growth-Share Matrix (see figure 1) happens to be one of many of BCG's strategic concepts the organisation developed in the late 1970s, and is being taught at leading business schools and executive education programmes around the world.

It is a management tool that serves four distinct purposes (McDonald 2003; Kotler 2003; Cipher 2006): it can be used to classify product portfolio in four business types based on four graphic labels including Stars, Cash Cows, Question Marks and Dogs; it can be used to determine what priorities should be given in the product portfolio of a company; to classify an organisation's product portfolio according to their cash usage and generation; and offers management available strategies to tackle various product lines. Consider companies like Apple Computer, General Electric, Unilever, Siemens, Centrica and many more, engaging in diversified product lines. The BCG model therefore becomes an invaluable analytical tool to evaluate an organisation's diversified product lines as later seen in the ensuing sections.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN ASPECTS OF THE BCG GROWTH-SHARE MATRIX?
The BCG Growth-Share Matrix is based on two dimensional variables: relative market share and market growth. They often are pointers to healthiness of a business (Kotler 2003; McDonald 2003). In other words, products with greater market share or within a fast growing market are expected to wield relatively greater profit margins. The reverse is also true. Let's look at the following components of the model:
Fig. 1: Source: 12manage.com 2006

Relative Market Share
According to the proponents of the BCG (Herndemson 1972), It captures the relative market share of a business unit or product. But that is not all! It allows the analysed business unit be pitted against its competitors. As earlier emphasized above, this is due to the sometime correlation between relative market share and the product's cash generation. This phenomenon is often likened to the experience curve paradigm that when an organisation enjoys lower costs, improved efficiency from conducting business operations overtime. The basic tenet of this postulation is that the more an organisation performs a task often; it tends to develop new ways in performing those tasks better which results in lower operating cost (Cipher 2006). What that suggests is that the experience curve effect requires that market share is increased to be able to drive down costs in the long run and at the same time a company with a dominant market share will inevitably have a cost advantage over competitor companies because they have the greater share of the market. Hence, market share is correlated with experience.

A case in point is Apple Computer's flagship product called the iPod, which occupies a dominant 73% share the portable music player market (Cantrell 2006). Analysts believe it is the impetus for Apple's financial rebirth 40% of Apple's sales is attributed to the iPod product line (Cantrell 2006). Similarly, Dell's PC line shares the same market dominance theory as the iPod. The PC manufacture giant occupies a worldwide market share of 18.1%, which is commensurate to its large market revenue above its competitors (see figure 2).
Figure 2: Source: Reuters 2006

Market Growth
Market growth axis, correlates with the product life cycle paradigm, and predicates the cash requirement a product needs relative to the growth of that market. A fast growing market is generally considered attractive, and pulls a lot of organisation's resources in an effort to increase gains. A case in point is the technological market widely consider by experts as a fast growing market, and tends to attract a lot of competition. Therefore, a product life cycle and its associated market play a key role in decision-making.

Cash Cows
These products are said to have high profitability, and require low investment for the fact that they are market leaders in a low-growth market. This viewpoint is captured by the founders themselves thus:

The cash cows fund their own growth. They pay the corporate dividend. They pay the corporate overhead. They pay the corporate interest charges. They supply the funds for R&D. They supply the investment resource for other products. They justify the debt capacity for the whole company. Protect them (Henderson 1976).

According to experts (Drummond & Ensor 2004; Kotler 2003; McDonald 2003), surplus cash from cash cow products should be channelled into Stars and Questions in order to create the future Cash Cows.

Stars
Stars are leaders in high growth markets. They tend to/should generate large amounts of cash but also use a lot of cash because of growth market conditions. For example, Apple Computer has a large share in the rapidly growing market for portable digital music players (Cantrell 2006).

Question Marks
Question Marks have not achieved a dominant market position, and hence do not generate much cash. They tend to use a lot of cash because of growth market conditions. Consider Hewlett-Packard's small share of the digital camera market, behind industry leader Canon's 21% (Canon 2006). However, this is a rapidly growing market.

Dogs
Dogs often have little future and are big cash drainers on the company as they generate very little cash by virtue of their low market share in a highly low growth market.
Consider Pfizer's Inspra (Gibson 2006):

"Pfizer launched this drug in Q4 2003 and continues to pump money into this problem child, despite anaemic sales of roughly $40 million in the $2.7 billion heart-failure market dominated by Toprol-XL (metoprolol). It was thought to gain market share and become a star, and eventually a cash cow when the market growth slowed. But, according to industry's experts, Inspra is likely to remain a dog, despite any amount of promotion, given its perceived safety issues and a cheaper, more effective spironolactone in the same Pfizer portfolio. Because Pfizer invested heavily in promotion early on with Inspra, the drug's earnings potential and positive cash flow is elusive at best. A portfolio analysis of Pfizer's cardiovascular franchise would suggest redeploying promotional spend on Inspra to up-and-coming stars like Caduet (amlodipine/atorvastatin) or torcetrapib to ensure those drugs reach their sales potential."

HOW TO DEVELOP GOOD BCG GROWTH-SHARE MATRIX OF A COMPANY?
SBUs or products are represented on the model by circles and fall into one of the four cells of the matrix already described above. Mathematically, the mid-point of the axis on the scale of Low-High is represented by 1.0 (Drummond & Ensor 2004; Kotler 2003). At this point, the SBU's or product's market share equals that of its largest competitor's market share (Drummond & Ensor 2004; Kotler 2003). Next, calculate the relative market share and market growth for each SBU and product. Figure 3 depicts the formulas to calculate the relative market share and market growth.
Fig 3

Oftentimes, if you are versed with a particular industry and companies operating in it, you could draw up a BCG matrix for any company without necessarily computing figures for the relative market share and market growth. Figure 4 depicts a fairly accurate BCG growth-share matrix for Apple Computer developed in the spring of 2005 without the author calculating the relative market share and market growth.
Fig. 4 Source: Asong (2005)

Once the products or SBUs have been plotted, the planner then has to decide on the objective, strategy and budget for the business lines. Basically, at this juncture the organisations should strive to maintain a balanced portfolio. Cash generated from Cash Cows should flow into Stars and Question Marks in an effort to create future Cash Cows. Moreover, there are 4 major strategies that can be pursued at this stage as described in the ensuing section.

AVAILABLE STRATEGIES TO PURSUE

Build
The product or SBU's market share needs to be increased to strengthen its position. Short-term earnings and profits are deliberately forfeited because it is hoped that the long-term gains will be higher than this. This strategy is suited to Question Marks if they are to become stars.

Hold
The objective is to maintain the current share position and this strategy is often used for Cash Cows so that they continue to generate large amounts of cash.

Harvest
Here management tries to increase short-term cash flows as far as possible (e.g. price increase, cutting costs) even at the expense of the products or SBU's longer-term future. It is a strategy suited to weak Cash Cows or Cash Cows that are in a market with a limited future. Harvesting is also used for Question Marks where there is no possibility of turning them into Stars, and for Dogs.

Divest
The objective of this strategy is to rid the organisation of the products or SBUs that are a drain on profits and to utilize these resources elsewhere in the business where they will be of greater benefit. This strategy is typically used for Question Marks that will not become Stars and for Dogs.

WHERE TO FIND INFORMATION FOR THE BCG GROWTH-SHARE MATRIX?
Information for the BCG Growth-Share matrix is generated from multiple sources including company's annual reports, sec fillings and a host of specialised research organisations such as IDC, Hoover, Edgar, Forrester and many more. Armed with this information, developing a BCG growth-share matrix should pose less of a problem.

Limitations
The BCG model is criticised for having a number of limitations (Kotler 2003; McDonald 2003):

There are other reasons other than relative market share and market growth that could influence the allocation of resources to a product or SBU: reasons such as the need for strong brand name and product positioning could compel resource allocation to an SBU or product (Drummond & Ensor 2004).

What is more, the model rests on net cash consumption or generation as the fundamental portfolio balancing criterion. That is appropriate only in a capital constrained environment. In modern economies, with relatively frictionless capital flows, this is not the appropriate metric to apply - rather, risk-adjusted discounted cash flows should be used (ManyWorlds 2005).

Also, the matrix assumes products/business units are independent of each other, and independent of assets outside of the business. In other words, there is no provision for synergy among products/business units. This is rarely realistic.

The relationship between cash flow and market share may be weak due to a number of factors including (Cipher 2006): competitors may have access to lower cost materials unrelated to their relative share position; low market share producers may be on steeper experience curves due to superior production technology; and strategic factors other than relative market share may affect profit margins.

In addition, the growth-share matrix is based on the assumption that high rates of growth use large cash resources and that maturity of the life cycle brings about the expected profit returns. This may be incorrect due to various reasons (Cipher 2006): capital intensity may be low and the business/product could be grown without major cash outlay; high entry barriers may exist so margins may be sustainable and big enough to produce a positive cash flow and a growth at the same time; and industry overcapacity and price competition may depress prices in maturity.

Furthermore, market growth is not the only factor or necessarily the most important factor when assessing the attractiveness of a market. A fast growing market is not necessarily an attractive one. Growth markets attract new entrants and if capacity exceeds demand then the market may become a low margin one and therefore unattractive. A high growth market may lack size and stability.
Given the aforementioned weaknesses, the BCG Growth-Share matrix must be used with care; nonetheless, it is a best-known business portfolio evaluation model (Kotler 2003).

If you found this article useful please have a look at the other articles we have written: PEST analysis, Porter's 5 Forces analysis, Ansoff analysis, SWOT analysis, Porter's Generic Strategies, Scenario Planning, Value chain analysis.

REFERENCE
12Management (2006). BCG Matrix. www.12management.com [Accessed: September 23, 2006]
Asong, B. (2005). Case Study: Apple Computer Market Assessment and Product Launch Strategy. CLC-PHW: London, pp. 17-40.
BCG (2006). The Growth-Share Matrix. www.bcg.com [Accessed: September 20, 2006]
Canon (2006). InfoSource research puts Canon No.1 in the UK & Ireland. [Accessed: September 28, 2006]
Cantrell, A. (2006). Apple's Remarkable Comeback Story. [Accessed: September 28, 2006]
Drummond, G. & Ensor, J. (2004). Strategic Marketing: Planning & Control. 2nd Ed. Butterworth-Heinemann: MA, pp. 96-100.
Henderson, B. (1976). Anatomy of the Cash Cow. Accessed: September 21, 2006]
Lane, S. (2006). Overall Mac OS usage market share declining? [Accessed: September 28, 2006] www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=2059
ManyWorlds (2005). Models and Concepts.[Accessed: September 24, 2006]
McDonald, M. (2003). Marketing Plans: How To Prepare Them, How To Use Them. MA: Butterworth-Heinemann, pp. 175-245.
MindTools (2006). The Boston Matrix. www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_97.htm [Accessed: September 28, 2006]

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cooper, R. G., Edgett, S. J., & Kleinschmidt, E.J. (2006). Portfolio Management. Working Paper No 12: The Product Development Institute.
Lee, C. K. (2004). Asia Zirconium Limited Valuation report. Prudential Tower: Standard & Poor's.
Vriens, D (2004). The Role of Information and Communication Technology in Competitive Intelligence. Idea Group Inc: University of Nijmegen.
Zolkiewski, J. & Turnbull, P. (undated). Relationship Portfolios-Past, Present & Future.

hoover 38528

Hoover 40311048 Deep-Cleansing Fragrance-Free Carpet/Upholstery Detergent, 48 Ounces

Hoover, 48 OZ, Deep Cleaning, Carpet Detergent, Fragrance & Dye Free, Biodegradable.
Customer Review: Works as expected
Cleans the carpet well, as I would expect, and does NOT give the house the revolting stink of a public toilet at cleaning time, as their regular product and their competitors' products do. It leaves no odor of its own that I can sense. I don't suffer from migraine but this would probably be a good choice for those who do.
Customer Review: Hoovers Cleaner
Works perfectly with my Hoovers Steamvac. Will continue buying, since it seems to work better than the other brands out.

Investing in a vacuum cleaner is a serious decision and without expert vacuum cleaner reviews you are very likely to make a choice that will cost you time and money not to mention the stress you will experience after a hasty decision.

So take your time to do the proper research and select the best model for your needs.

There are almost countless options when it comes to buying a vacuum cleaner. First, you have to choose a brand like Kirby, Dirt Devil, Hoover, Eureka, Miele or any other well established manufacturer.

Then you need to decide on a specific category of vacuums central, industrial, upright, commercial, hand held etc. And each of these categories has different number of models like bagless or without bags, wall mounted, with HEPA filters and so on. The list of available vacuum cleaners is huge these days and thats where vacuum cleaner reviews can help you finding the best model for your needs.

But its not only the vacuum cleaners that you need a review of. There are many items associated with vacuum cleaners like bags, parts, accessories, filters and belts that you will eventually need to replace or add to your chosen vacuum.

Taking some extra time to review these vacuum cleaner accessories will save you all the troubles after a year or two of using your vacuum cleaner.

In order to make the best of the information online you must first know exactly what your needs are.

What kind of flooring do you use? How are you going to clean your drapes? How about your walls or furniture? Do you have any pets that leave fur all the time? They would require special models of vacuum cleaners.

Second, you need to consider the price, weight and versatility of different models.

Even if you choose the most expensive model that doesnt mean that you will get the best vacuum cleaner for every need that you have. And some of the latest models are very heavy to operate so consider the weight too.

Here is where detailed and well researched vacuum cleaner reviews will help you make the final choice of choosing the best model for your needs. You can learn all the pros and cons of each model, the most important features and what is the best use of each specific model.

And you will know in advance which vacuum cleaner parts or accessories are really needed and where and how you will replace them if needed.

So take the time and find a reliable and expert online vacuum cleaner site that will show you what you need to look for when buying a new vacuum for your home or business.

Tomaz Mencinger is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Vacuum Cleaner Reviews. He provides an in-depth library of researched information on vacuum cleaners, bags, parts, belts, choosing the best brand and ratings of less known and yet affordable and versatile vacuums from other companies.

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I Love hoover T-shirt

Text on teeshirt: hoover
Our standard t-shirts are made of 100% cotton and preshrunk (ultra cotton heavyweight). We typically use Gildan Activewear but at times may substitute with orthe brand name t-shirts. We carry thousands of t-shirts with sayings. To view additional t-shirts please visit our storefront on Amazon (DesignAProduct) and search for t-shirt.

Why do we need chlorine shower filters? What can chlorine filters for shower heads do to improve our health? You'll find the answers here.

There are a number of different contaminants that can find there way into the water we all use for our showers and baths. Whether chemicals, sediment, certain elements, microbiological agents, it is important to identify the source of the problem and then to find the proper method to deal with the problem. One of the more prevalent, insidious and potentially dangerous contaminants, chlorine is added by public water treatment facilities.

The treatment facilities need to disinfect prompts our need for chlorine shower filters. More and more people are using chlorine filters for shower heads.

It's probably safe to say that most know that salt is also known as sodium chloride. That chloride is the element chlorine, in it's most abundant natural form, bound to the element sodium. In it's natural state, it is commonly found in water and is not dangerous. If it were only natural water that we had to worry about, we would not need chlorine shower filters.

Commercial chlorine is produced by passing an electrical current through the two elements. The chlorine, now in it's natural, gaseous form, is then used mainly as a disinfecting agent in swimming pools and drinking water as it is highly effective against microbiological agents. Since, in it's natural state, it is not harmful, it was believed to be safe for drinking and bath water. If that were the case, the popularity of chlorine filters for shower heads would be difficult to understand.

But, now we know that the caustic nature of commercial chlorine can have harmful short and long-term effects on our health. Making the water in any bathroom unsafe, unless we use chlorine shower filters.

You may think that if you have a well, you don't need chlorine filters for shower heads, but this type of contamination is particularly prevalent in well water. Chlorine used commercially finds it's way to this water source by seeping through the ground. Most people probably don't think twice about emptying their pools into the ground where chemicals within the pool water are absorbed into the soil, eventually finding their way to the underground well. Rain is also an unwilling culprit, pulling contaminants from the air or from industrial sites to runoff into the soil.

Chlorine shower filters have become more prominent as of late as people have become more educated as to the dangers of these contaminants in their shower water. Chlorine, as stated before, is poisonous. Dissolved in water, it can cause dry skin, irritation, and damage hair. Used in a hot shower, it can regain it's gaseous form and be inhaled. The potential dangers to one's health are numerous.

Faced with all of this, it might be a wise choice to protect you and your family with chlorine filters for shower heads in your home. There are many choices on the market. Doing a simple online search for chlorine shower filters will yield page upon page of options. It is imperative to find chlorine shower filters that can effectively purify your shower water, so take your time to make the best choice. Many sites have independent user ratings that may help you in your search.

Chlorine filters for shower heads will significantly reduce your exposure to this harmful irritant. Be sure to follow all instructions for installation and replacement. You should purchase chlorine shower filters for all of the bathrooms in your house that have showers. Should problems with odor, skin or bronchial irritation persist, check for proper installation, as well as the life-expectancy of the filters, it may be time to replace them.

Allan Cassell is a passionate spokesman about the health benefits of purified drinking and bathing water. Visit his site now: http://www.clean-water-pure-water.com To discover the purification system he endorses and why.

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Rated X (Unrated Version)

Emilio Estevez and Charlie Sheen bring to the screen the critically-acclaimed true story of the Mitchell Brothers, the original San Francisco sex entrepreneurs. A truly daring portrait of the early days of American pornography.
Customer Review: Yes, it's rated X (or should be)
Emilio Estavez directed this, but one wonders why. It doesn't take a genius to realize that a movie about two porn movie directors is not going to win any Academy Awards. What was Emilio thinking? You can play it as tragedy. You certainly can't make heroes of these guys. I guess what he was thinking was this was a part of America from the sixties to the nineties in the twentieth century--this was the reality and let's tell the truth. But somebody else might say, why bother? Most critics and viewers would call this a prize turkey, but...but is there some redeeming social value? Charlie Sheen and Estavez star as the brothers Mitchell, two entrepreneurial guys who stumble from the free love scene of the sixties in San Francisco to the cash cow of the first widely distributed porn movies, including the infamous "Behind the Green Door." Maybe there is a kind of free speech angle here, with the porno boys fighting the good fight against censorship and Big Brother. On the other hand, there is a didactic tale here about how success corrupts and how sex, drugs and rock and roll--forget the rock and roll; this is almost pure sex and drugs--how sex and drugs may lead you to make a movie called "Sodom and Gomorrah" which may suggest that you ought to be starring it in. Charlie Sheen is very good and so is Estavez. His direction is also not bad. The movie moves right along and the degeneration of the brothers is well expressed. Megan Ward had a chance in a supporting role here, but she failed miserably, possibly because how could she feel any connection with a role that made her the quasi-tolerant, quasi-suffering wife of a man who makes his living pandering to lust (and indulging his own) while smoking, drinking and snorting anything he can get his hands on? Not pretty. However, I wouldn't be surprised if someday in the distant future, long after I am gone, in some social science class at say Cal Berkeley this movie is played as augmenting an anthropological study of a certain segment of our population in the later part of the 20th century. The students can see this as a film documenting the moral corruption of a nation following Vietnam and the Nixon administration, perhaps even anticipating the moral corruption we see today. But I would advise you to skip this unless you are a big Emilio Estavez fan, in which case this is a must see, or if you are a Charlie Sheen fan, and then it is worth seeing because this is one of his better performances--and it's amusing to see these guys in their bald domes and their side burns and authentic seventies attire. To be honest, I've seen people win Academy Awards who weren't half as good as Sheen was. Naturally this won nothing.
Customer Review: Band of brothers.....
Real life mainstream actors/brothers Emilio Estevez and Charlie Sheen take on the amusing and twisted underground characters/brothers of Artie and Jim Mitchell in "RATED X". Artie and Jim Mitchell were at the forefront of the San Francisco porn revolution in the early 70's. The owned their owned theater, made their own X rated films- and lived a life of abundant excess. When they created/produced/wrote and directed "Behind the Green Door", they found themselves thrust in the spotlight - and made millions. Unfortunately, their success sufferd a serious backlash- and while some were able to pick up and recover - others only found themselves thrust deeper into a life a drugs, despair, and eventually murder. The movie takes an unflinching look at a classic time in American Hostory, and the story of the Mitchell Brothers is quite amusing and saddening at the same time. Great direction by Emilio Estevez and some fine acting by both actors (especially Sheen in the final half of the film) make this an entertaing "diamond in the rough". Recommended!

We now have an energy crisis beyond any proportion in our American history. It's really our fault. We sat on our collective asses and let our government allow the contributors to their campaigns make hundreds of billions of dollars while eliminating subsidies for alternative energy over a decade ago. We have the ability to eliminate oil as a primary fuel within five years if we force our government to invest in our country instead of telling us about "free market" forces until we all choke from coal plants and have to do our banking at the Saudi Branch Bank on the corner of Main Street and Far East Avenue. The Hoover Dam was build by the government during one of the worst economic times we've ever seen. It provides an enormous amount of power, imagine that concept with solar mirrors and windmills.

Public projects such as roads, bridges, and power plants gave this country the ability to prosper and grow. We here in the Southwest have more solar emittance than anywhere else in this country. If you don't believe that, come out to Vegas in August and see for yourself. The title line of this blog comes from the movie "Fools Rush In," and there are days in the summer that question is heard from anyone venturing out for a walk on the Strip.

There is no viable reason for our government to not put together an energy policy and participate in solar, geothermal, and wind resources here in Nevada. The Bureau of Land Management owns over 75% of the land in the State of Nevada and the military uses millions of acres as well. The time for rhetoric about privatizing is over. The regime in Washington is more concerned with Yucca Mountain than it is building breeder reactors to use the resources of the tons of fuel they would bury for 250,000 years. France has been using breeder reactors for many years and it is only our paranoia that the byproduct of the process-plutonium-is a crucial element in nuclear bombs and (God only knows how) might be stolen and used to make one. Never mind if one wants plutonium from a nuclear energy facility in a civilized country they would have a better chance of stopping the earth's rotation. People now drive to Mexico from San Diego to buy gas at half the price because the government subsidizes and runs the oil business. That is not even what I am asking you to ponder-just get the government to begin to put plans and efforts in place to use what has been given to us as an unlimited free resource. It is in our scope of national security.

There are answers, there is hope, but only we can make that a reality by demanding it. The sun shines on Las Vegas and the rest of Nevada-start using the gifts we been given and get this parasitic government to do what it is supposed to-our will! If we do, the resulting power will eventually cut off all money flowing to foreign countries for energy resources-and that without the shell game of opening up drilling that the politicians are already counting on to increase the flow of money in their pockets. Of course now we have no choice, they have to drill offshore, but do you think that's going to lower the price of oil substantially? It will not happen.

There's just no excuse not to act as you-Mr. and Ms. John Q. Public are paying through your noses because you have not spoken up and allowed this all to happen as your comfortable existence wasn't disturbed. All that's changed now-are you ready to deal with it?

Nick Oliva (O-lee-va') has been a musician, composer, photographer, an audio engineer, an Entertainment Director and Technical Director for over twenty-five years and is a successful self-made money manager. Website: View my blog and buy my latest book at http://www.onlymomentsbook.com

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Hoover Dial-A-Matic D Vacuum Bags, 3 ct

The accessory industry for home cleaning supplies is a multi-million dollar a year industry. The same company that brought you Vivanco vacuum cleaner bags also can help guide to how to buy your accessories for your vacuum cleaner, whether it be bags or other parts.

Often times, people have trouble when it comes to buying consumables for their vacuums because it is not an every day purchase. Vivanco specializes in accessory convenience and offers a few tips on how to buy your accessories and vacuum consumables. Here are the hottest of those tips.

Try to Come Prepared

Before you head to the store to the Vivanco vacuum cleaner bags display or any other consumable section, make sure you have the necessary information. If at all possible, bring the original reference number for your vacuum cleaner, know the name of the brand, the model name, and possibly even the sku number for it. If you know all of these things, a store associate should be able to help you easily find what you need.

If You Dont Know the Brand, Find Out

If you dont know what your vacuum name or sku is, then go look. Go to the vacuum displays at the store and look for your model. After all, you know what your vacuum looks like. Once you find it, you can ask an associate to point you to the right bag or part.

Go to the Right Stores

Any store worth its salt should make your accessory or consumable purchase easy. For instance, Vivanco vacuum cleaner bags are displayed so that you can easily tell which bag goes to what vacuum cleaners. There should be some easily attainable compatibility information, cross reference charts and a user friendly purchase area. If you arent getting those things, then you may want to reconsider the store you are shopping in.

Overall, a purchase of vacuum parts or bags should not be difficult. It is not something you buy everyday, so you may be a bit uneasy, but the right store should make your purchase simple. Look for good cross reference information, bring as much information as you can with you, and dont be afraid to go find your vacuum to make sure you have everything right. Do those things and your consumable purchases will be a breeze.

Dean Iggo is the webmaster of a vacuum cleaner reviews website which provides unbiased ratings of Miele Vacuums, Dyson, Roomba, Hoover, Oreck, Kirby and more.

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