The 20 Year History of the Toyota Motorhome

For almost 20 years various manufacturers made the Toyota motor home in several models. During its heyday, this little camper was produced in over 60 different models and styles of motor homes.

Beginning with the rather small Toyota Chinook camper and carrying on through the largest of the Toyota based Winnebago and Itasca models, the Toyota based motor home help to establish many manufacturers in the RV industry.

Because of the large number of manufacturers it is not uncommon to see similar campers and very different names. The small overall size had to limit the variety of floor plans available. This caused a lot of manufacturers to build virtual duplicates that varied only in some of the fit and finish type of details.

It was not long until the manufacturers began to expand the size of the camper bodies. Using conventional manufacturing techniques found in the travel trailer industry, the stick and staple type of construction with aluminum siding became the standard.

In the decade of the 1980s production of the Toyota motor home peaked. Many different companies were producing many different models. Some of the larger companies that were in this business were national RV, the producers of the very popular Dolphin series. They also produced the Seabreeze models. At the same time Winnebago was producing the Brave, the Warrior, and the deluxe Itasca Spirit models.

Damen Corporation of Elkhart Indiana produce the Escaper motor home, while Coachman produced the popular Coachman and Savanna models. Leisure Odyssey was building the Americana, Santa Cruz, and the Laguna campers.

The Mini-Mirage was built by Mirage industries, while the still very popular SunRader was constructed with a fiberglass body by Gardener Pacific.

By the late 1980s the length of the camper body had expanded to 22 feet. This caused a massive overload problem on the original half ton pickup axle. A national safety recall was issued by the United States government to correct the problem. Most of the models were given a new one ton axle. However there are still a few units available today that have the unsafe axle. Caution is advised if you are looking at in 1980s version of this very popular camper.

In 1989 V6 appeared on the market in the Toyota chassis. This increased horse power became very popular with the camper owners and production continued until 1994 when Toyota stopped supplying the pickup chassis to the camper manufacturers for safety reasons. Winnebago produced some of the last V6 versions in 1994.

During its production lifetime, the Toyota motor home enjoyed a great popular success and was widely distributed across the country. Today the greatest number of units on the road seem to be concentrated on the east and west coast areas but these motor homes will turn up just about anywhere in the country.

How to Make Money From Things Found in the Woods

There are numerous ways to make money from things you can find in the woods or even fields. Most people think of logging timber or cutting firewood, but I'm going to list some different options that involve less physically demanding work, less equipment, and less environmental impact. The majority of them will not affect the ecosystem if done moderately. Here are eight ideas to get you started.

Morel mushrooms, also known as dryland fish, can be found in the woods in the springtime across most of the entire Eastern half of the United States and a few places in the Northwest. Morels can sell for $ 20 or more per pound.

Pine cones come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They can be turned into crafts which can then be sold. You can also soak them in certain chemicals which will in turn cause them to burn different colors when put in a fireplace. These treated pine cones sell for around $ 15 for a 3 pound bag.

You can dig ginseng and other herbal roots such as goldenseal, black cohosh, and wild hydrangea. A pound of wild ginseng usually blows anywhere from $ 300 to $ 800 a pound depending on the market that year.

Arrowheads, flint tools, and other Indian rocks and artifacts can be found in fields and woods across the country. Just one nice artifact could be worth anywhere between $ 10 and $ 1000.

Keep an eye out for twisted, small trees or branches. You can make really nice walking canes out of these fairly easily. Just try to use trees or branches that have a unique, distinct quality. This makes the cane one of a kind item with character.

You can find giant cane, also known as river cane, in 23 states. It is often found in floodplains with sparse tree cover overhead. You can take a few of the larger ones and make fishing poles (cane poles) out of them and sell them.

You can find and sell antler sheds from deer, elk and moose. Many sell for several dollars a pound, but if you find a trophy-sized shed it could bring much more.

You might need to exercise some caution on this one. Most people wait until after the fall frost. It is gathering hornet nests. They generally bring around $ 20-30 apiece from people who want them as a type of rustic decoration or just collect them. Plus, hornets do not use an old nest, they build a new one each year.

Hopefully, you have gotten at least a few ideas from this article and maybe you have most of these things in your area. Just please be responsible when taking advantage of nature's available resources and always check your local laws and regulations before proceeding.

Why Does My Designer Want to Design Web Applications?

We are often mystified by the things our web designers want to do. At times, they seem to make no sense at all. Usually we go along with it because they are, after all, the professionals. One aspect that may confuse you is why your web designer would want to design web applications. In the sometimes puzzling world of web design, design website applications are used to help customize a website and improve its performance at the same time.

It can be very good for your own business procedures if your web designer wants to design web applications because they could design an application that allows most of your sales process to be automated. This is especially important on ecommerce websites as you need to have the facilities available to allow clients to buy whenever they want to. If the entire ordering and payment process is automated, it gives them less time to change their minds about the purchase and also makes it much easier for you on the admin side.

Your client's should also find their lives made easier by design website applications and this adds to their value to both the web designer and you. Perhaps you could have a currency convertor embedded into a travel web site or a Metric / Imperial calculator added into a site about baking.

Design web applications are also becoming more and more important in snagging market share. Custom website applications such as those developed for the iPhone and Android can be used as a triple way to enhance your brand or be introduced as another product to sell.

Custom web applications, specifically designed with your site in mind, are one of the best ways to set your site apart from the thousands of cookie cutter sites out there. They enhance your client's experience while browsing your site and can provide you with plenty of tools to make your admin processes easier.

Custom website applications can also be developed in order to get marketing information on your behalf. You could, for example, run a quiz on your site in order to gather information about readers. That is one form of custom website application.

In fact, web applications are what allow you to interact with your customers if you have a forum or blog on your website. It is the properly designed forum or blog that allows you to interact well with clients.

On the whole, there are many different reasons for your web designer to want to design customized web applications.

Why You Should Understand Technical Analysis When Analyzing Financial Instruments

Technical analysis has been around for many centuries of years, dating back to the 18th century when a Japanese rice trader developed candlestick charting.

Just after the turn of the 20th Century, Charles H. Dow's (as in Dow Jones) contributions greatly increased the discipline of prominence and his works were then expanded upon most notably by Hamilton (1922) and Rhea (1932), and a host of others thereafter.

Despite the continued development of the theoretic side of the discipline, until quite recently technical analysis remained confined to the realm of large enterprises that possessed the necessary money and resources required to utilize it effectively.

Initially the money and resources were used employing research analysts who would construct and maintain hand-drawn charts but this historically save the way to computers. In the early days, however, computers filled entire rooms and, once again, could only be afforded by large institutions.

It has only been in the last 10-15 years that personal computing power has allowed retail traders / investors the opportunity to utilize technical analysis as a tool for analysing financial instruments which, in all honesty, has proved to be both a good thing and a bad thing.

For an example of how far along we've come in this area, one need look no further than the I-phone which already allows traders / investors to access trading platforms and charts in order to place trades at any time, where they may be around the world.

Interestingly, technical analysis has also become a significant source of revenue and profit for major financial institutions due to technological advances, ie the Goldman Sachs of this world.

Algorithmic and high frequency trading have developed because computers can read information, interpret it, and execute orders much, much faster than human beings. The clear majority of these systems are based on price action and technical rules, not fundamental ones.

Whilst the discussion of these types trading goes beyond the scope and purpose of this article, it is interesting to note that the traditional broker / dealer model, whereby research analyzes provide fundamental analysis based on recommendations for brokers to sell and, in turn, dealers to execute , is being chipped away by technical analysis driven, computer executed, algorithmic trading methodologies.

The growth of technology and the subsequent ease with which retail traders / investors can access the market has also given birth to a new class of people who have adopted the misguided belief that they can achieve success in the market through the use of technical analysis, despite the fact that they have very little education or experience.

And this is not entirely the fault of the individual. A large portion of the blame must be worn by the many and varied 'operators' out there who have hijacked technical analysis and promoted it as a means by which people can make quick and easy riches.

The quick and easy part could not be further from the truth and it is the promotion of the discipline in this way that, in my opinion, causes significant damage to new traders / investors and, as an extension of that, the discipline itself.

Technical analysis, like any other method of financial analysis, is not something which can be learnt overnight and it should never be promoted as such. It requires a reasonable amount of focused learning before one might be considered competent in the area.

Once a competent level is reached, it then takes many more years of study and application before one may be considered an expert in the field. To put it in perspective, I have been studying technical analysis for five years (including both private and accredited learning) and I would consider myself just above competent. That being said, technical analysis does not necessarily require as much learning as some other areas of financial analysis which, once again, creates a double-edged sword.

To flesh out this assertion, consider the following comparison between technical analysis and fundamental analysis.

Fundamental analysis is a traditional discipline which is taught at the most prestigious business schools around the world. It involves looking at a company's revenues, expenses, assets, liabilities and all the other financial aspects of a company in order to determine its value.

The process can and should involve in-depth analysis of the company's balance sheet and income statement, which often requires application of some very complex mathematical formulas and quantitative models.

There is, however, more to fundamental analysis than just number crunching, which is where qualitative analysis comes in.

Qualitative analysis concerns the breakdown of all the intangible, difficult-to-measure aspects of a company. This process requires bold assumptions regarding a range of micro and macro economic considerations, many of which will simply not even be known to a retail trader / investor.

For example, understanding and quantifying the effect of proposed changes to tariff laws in a country to which the company in question exports 40% of its production, is not something retail traders / investors are likely to be able to do, let alone factor into their decision-making process.

As you may imagine, it requires many years of study to become a fundamental analyst and the performing of the discipline by a retail trader / investor who has not studied the principles is essentially impossible.

That's right people, knowing a company's current P / E ratio and comparing it to other stocks in the sector in order to decide whether it is cheap or expensive does NOT institute sophisticated fundamental analysis, just as saying that has just printed a 52-week high does not measure worthwhile technical analysis.

It stands to reason, therefore, that most retail traders / investors simply do not use this method of analyzing financial instruments and if they do use it, they are very do so ineffectively. I certainly do not know too many retail shop assistants, doctors, or taxi drivers who study fundamental analysis for kicks.

So, given the difficulty of both obtaining and applying the skill set required to perform fundamental analysis, people have invariably turned to other, seemingly simpler methods. One of these methods is technical analysis.

As mentioned above, there are many 'operators' out there who have promoted technical analysis as an easy method of mastering not only stocks, but other, more complex financial instruments. Websites with the tag lines like 'sign-up and learn to trade like a pro' have popped up across the internet like pimples on a teenager's face.

In my opinion, this is extremely damaging to the discipline because it creates unrealistic expectations for new investors / traders which, inevitably, can not be fulfilled. When these expectations are not fulfilled, it leaves many retail clients believing that technical analysis is nothing more than glorified guesswork or tea-leaf reading. And, in all honesty, I do not blame them.

The point, however, is that technical analysis is a useful, valuable and easily accessible tool for analysing financial markets but that it should only be used after the appropriate study and research has been conducted.

Just as you would not put the knife in the hands of a first-year medical student to perform your open heart surgery, do not think that because you have read one book or attended one seminar on technical analysis and know what a moving average is that you're capable of utilizing it to make sound trading / investing decisions.

Whilst I may seemly have just attempted to promote technical analysis to an intellectual status beyond that of the common man, whilst at the same time eviscerate the usefulness of fundamental analysis for retail investors, that is absolutely not the intent of this article.

The intention is to encourage retail clients to develop their knowledge and skills before committing their hard-earned dollars to the market. The intention is to ensure that new traders / investors do not get to get up in get rich quick schemes. The intention is to empower you as a trader / investor.

One of the clear benefits of technical analysis is its accessibility; If you have a computer, an internet connection and access to a trading platform with decent charts, you can conduct technical analysis. You must acknowledge, however, that just because something is easily accessible it does not make its application easy. This is the one of the key themes that I am intending to convey through this article.

Let me put it another way for you.

Driving at 200km / h is easily accessible. If you have a reasonably modern car and a stretch of road, you can do it ... but does this mean you should? Absolutely not. Why? Because the chances are you will hurt yourself and / or someone else.

The same applies to technical analysis and trading / investing. If you try to go 200km / h with your trading, you will put your trading account into the wall. So, before embarking upon your technically driven trading / investing career (or even if you have already begun) do not just read one book, read many - and then read some more.

Do not just attend one seminar; attend an intensive workshop where the presenters trade real markets, in real-time. You should even consider formal study. In Australia, FINSIA (the Financial Services Institute of Australia) offers courses in technical analysis and advanced technical analysis.

Educate yourself people and for heaven's sake, do not believe the tag lines !!!

Windows XP Will Not Shut Down - Try These Tips

If you are running Windows XP and it will not shut down here's a few things you can try. This is a fairly simple problem to fix. First of all let me say, I know how annoying this problem can be. I used to hate sitting there looking at the computer waiting for it to shut off.

You can pull the plug from the wall or hold your power button down for more than four seconds, but this is not the proper way to shut down your computer. Each time you do an improper shutdown you cause more damage to your system. There is a couple of reasons why XP will not shut down.

First of all you want to update your virus definitions of run a full scan. The same with your spyware cleaner. A virus or spyware running in the background can interrupt your system when you go to shut down. These stubborn programs do not want to be shut off and continue trying to run. In most cases, even the largest reason XP will not shut down is because of a corrupt registry.

When Windows tries to shut down. It references the registry to see if any settings have been changed. If it comes across corrupt entries or registry keys that are trying to reference software that is no longer on your PC, by default it will wait the full 30 seconds per program. So what you need to do is clean and repair your registry. By installing and un installing software you create registry keys. Uninstall programs never do a complete job and leave behind entries. You need to clean these out of your system.

Over time, your registry will become bloated and slow. This causes slow start ups, slow shutdowns, blue screens, slow program load times, and other annoying problems. The best way to clean and repair your registry is with a third-party program designed to do this. You can do it manually, but is not recommended. Delete or change the wrong file and your computer may become unusable or unstable.

It is much easier using software that is safe and effective and will not remove any entries that you need to run Windows. The whole process can be done in less than a minute. Running a scan on a fairly new computer rejected in over 300 errors. The PC, we ran a scan on was less than a month old. So you can imagine an older computer will have a lot more errors and bad entries.

Once you clean and repair your system it should run like it did when you first bought it. Some systems have become so corrupt that it would take over 30 minutes for the computer to shut down. Computer technicians like this problem because it is easy to fix. For service calls, they will carry repair software on a CD or memory stick, run a quick scan on the PC and repair it. Now you can purchase same software they use and save yourself the service call fee. Or a trip to the shop.

Make Goal Based Investing to Realize Your Financial Goals

Life is all about setting different goals and achieving them one after another. As Tony Robbins said setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible. When each rupee you invest has a definite purpose behind it, is called Goal based investing.

Goal based financial planning is done for long term, midterm and short term gains. Long term plans typically yield more wealth comparing the other two. A midterm plan could be buying a home where a short term plan may be having a car.

How it is Different from the Traditional Approach
Unlike the traditional approach of investing, goal based investing does not only focus on your risk profile, rather its focus remains on achieving the target. The investment plans should be designed by keeping the goal at the center.

The focal point of the traditional approach remains in selecting areas that ensure safe returns. It finds a safe and sure path to grow money. Whereas, in Goal based investing, realization of the goals defines its ultimate success. Wealth generation is not the sole target.

Goal based investment plans get designed only after doing a detailed research of the investor's net worth, level of risk-tolerance and financial goals. In case of traditional approach, first the risk quotient is calculated and according to that a pre-designed investment plane gets selected.

Benefits of Goal Based Investing

In life, each rupee you spend is a type investment that yields certain results for you. If your goal based investments are planned, well thought out and work for achieving specific goals then they do not affect each other. The benefits of making goal based investments are-
It engages you in making systematic approach towards a better money management.
It is nothing but a good habit that restricts you from making spur of the moment purchases.
Channelizes your money towards building value assets and wealth through proper financial planning.
Increases the achievability of the financial goals of your life.
You can continuously monitor and make changes to your plan in order to reach close to your desired financial goals.

How to plan a Goal Based Investing

Planning a goal based investment requires-
You have to make a list of important life goals that you need to achieve. You should prioritize them according to their importance.
Analyze your money needs. It will help you in clustering your investments according to the upcoming life events.
Cluster your investments in three sections- 1) Short-term, 2) Mid-term and 3) Long-Term.
Now choose viable investment plans and start investing.

Short Term Goal based investments are made to fulfill prerequisites that are going to arise in next 2 years. You have to choose less volatile and low risk areas to invest as you need to turn them into liquid soon.

Mid-term Goal based investments are those where you need the return in next 3-10 years. Long-term goals may include retirement and child's higher education. To meet such kind of goals, you need to accumulate large corpus. For that, you have to give good effort to identify pre-determined asset class and make systematic investment over longer period of time. During the course of time, you should stay invested in your plan irrespective of the short-term market upheavals.

If you tie your financial investments around a time frame and specific life goals, it gets a lot easier to achieve.

How to Make More Money!

Unfortunately this world does not run on Dunkin '; it runs on money. We all need it! So people go to college people play the lottery; people even try their hand at bank robberies. The bottom line is that without money life is not as fulfilling as it can be. So everyday we wake up in pursuit of financial security.

For the most part society falls into two categories!

# 1 People looking to learn ways on how to make more money to supplement their existing income.

# 2 People looking to eradicate their 9 to 5

No matter what category you fall in you need to know how to make more money. Oh not to mention to make more money with less work.

So lets talk how to make more money at home. We're the most popular ways to make money are the most consistent.

Affiliate marketing and Network marketing.

Both of these business models work but in different ways. Now what makes them worth pursuing are the residual aspects attached.

Residual wealth is my best example on how to make more money. Doing work one time and receiving benefits over and over should not be taken kindly.

So first up is affiliate marketing.

How to make more money online doing affiliate stuff? And how is it residual?

The answer is easy people buy things online and that trend alone is drastically increasing. That opens opportunities for affiliates to cash in.

Wheres the residual? Good question!

The residual is in the amount of recurring volume or traffic looking for the products you promote. So creating a well targeted sales funnel one time for that niche, will cause consistent sales aka more money each & every month.

What about network marketing? Well this is the king when it comes to residual money. This business model allows you to benefit off the efforts of others. Now when you have a team in place all working to build a high monthly income everyone benefits.The more team members in your organization the more money.

Learning how to make more money at home is not rocket science nor is it like winning the lottery.

Your chances are realistic.

But the only way to guarantee your success is to learn Internet marketing. Building this know how opens the gates for any money making approach online.