Author: blogger

Is MLB Hurting Andropause Sufferers and Male Hormone Industry

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On February 2, 2009, Alex Rodriguez admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs while playing for the Texas Rangers from 2001-2003. According to a Sports Illustrated published on February 9, 2009, Rodriguez tested positive for Primobolan and testosterone–two anabolic steroids in 2003.

Under the Major Baseball Leagues drug policy, the use of steroids without a valid prescription is prohibited. In the United States, primoblan, also known as methenolone, is illegal. Testosterone, a male sex hormone, can be taken legally with an appropriate medical prescription. In recent years it has been speculated that baseball players have taken testosterone illegally–without a prescription–because testosterone can enhance muscle development, strength and endurance.

In the medical field, testosterone is used to treat men with medical symptoms such as Klinefelters syndrome, Hemochromatosis and Prader-Willi syndrome. Testosterone treatment can also have significant beneficial effects on men over the age of 35 with andropause, also known as male menopause.

What is Andropause?
Andropause, or male menopause, is a medical condition caused by a drop in testosterone levels. Approximately 4-5 million men in the U.S experience testosterone deficiency. Low testosterone levels can also cause osteoporosis and cardiovascular problems, such as atherosclerosis.

The Symptoms Associated with Andropause Are:
– Irritability, depression and mood swings
– Hot flashes
– Erectile dysfunction
– Decreased sex drive
– Osteoporosis
– Increased body fat around the middle
– Loss of muscle size and strength

It is highly recommended that men have their testosterone levels checked by their physician during their annual check-up. It is a simple test, but many physicians will not check your testosterone levels unless you ask. The “normal” range of testosterone in men is between 240 and 1,000 nanograms per deciliter. A major cause of men going untreated is doctors telling men they are fine “it is your imagination” is they fall within that range. The problem “normal range” is determined by the men who are tested not by symptoms men are experiencing. Men in the lower to mid-range will have moderate to serious symptoms. To feel good men need to be at the upper end of the range

4 out of 5 men over the age of 40 have low testosterone levels and 99% of men over the age of 50 experience the symptoms of andropause, but only 5% of men with andropause symptoms seek treatment. There are many choices for the supplementation of testosterone in males, which include topical gels, creams, skin patches, oral capsules and injections. Testosterone replacement therapy is highly effective at relieving andropausal symptoms within 3-6 weeks.

Many sports enthusiasts think its a shame that athletes have used performance-enhancing drugs to give them a competitive advantage. However, hormones like human growth hormone and testosterone do not deserve a bad reputation–testosterone and Growth Hormone can be safe and beneficial if used properly and if treated by licensed physicians via individualized treatment plans in a safe, controlled environment.

Is Hormone Replacement Therapy Right for You?
Before hormone replacement therapy is prescribed, men have a physical exam and a PSA (protein-specific antigen) blood test. A series of blood tests are ordered to measure testosterone levels and, if levels are low, a physician discusses the various treatment options. Many insurance companies cover the costs of andropause treatment, and male menopause treatment is often able to be purchased with a tax advantaged flexible savings account.

Male hormone replacement therapy and testosterone replacement are effective low testosterone treatment options for men with andropause. If you have any symptoms associated with andropause, such as low energy, irritability, hot flashes, abdominal weight gain, loss of muscle strength, loss of sex drive and the inability to maintain an erection, talk to your doctor. The sooner you speak with a physician and get checked for low testosterone levels, the sooner you can begin feeling like yourself again.

Fans For Chemical Industry

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The petrochemical industry utilizes fans in many different areas of the plant. Each of these custom applications requires quality fans designed for durability, ease of maintenance and dependability. Some of the areas where fans are used include forced draft fans and induced draft fans. Buffalo Fan Co. has extensive experience providing air movement solutions involving all areas of petrochemical processing. and has worked with numerous companies throughout the United States and worldwide, serving more than 60 petrochemical facilities and counting.

Buffalo Fan Co. provides fan testing and validation services at the in-house laboratory, as well as on-site. We also offer scheduled maintenance, including balance, alignment and operational training. Buffalo Fan services and repairs all brands and types of fans. The fan services offered is an extension of Buffalo Fan’s commitment to provide the customers with the highest level of service and support.

Buffalo Fan and its assotiated companies have vast experience in meeting the extremely stringent requirements of the American Petroleum Institute (API). With engineers sitting on the API task force, project management, test procedures and worldwide installations, Buffalo Fan Co. has the experience and expertise to meet the API 560 and 673 specifications without exceptions. Typical requirements are:

Fan sleeve bearings, wither anti-friction or hydrodynamic
Constant level oilers
Single or double carbon ring shaft seals
Corrosion resistant shaft sleeves with strict runout tolerances
Heavy-duty inlet silencers with minimum 15′ height requirements
NDE-Dye penetrant inspection of rotor welds
Fan mechanical run test & performance shop test

Special features of chemical duty fans are:

Cast iron access doors
External linkage radial vane damper
Tubular base
Lateral & torsional analysis complete to the bottom of the sub base

Buffalo Fan is an industry leading designer and manufacturer of the highest quality industrial fans throughout the world. Our products are known for their rugged construction and reliable operation. Buffalo Fanr offers unmatched flexibility and fan customization, coupled with superior service before and after the sale. Buffalo Fan also have the capability to provide parts and service for products not manufactured by Buffalo Fan Co.

Biomass boiler packages service the wood industryburning waste products ranging from excess wood, wood chips, coconut husks, or even cocoa bean shells to create steam that can then be used to generate power. Fans serving these types of industrial applications need to have a rugged construction to be able to handle the harsh operating environment introduced by the high-temperature biomass boilers, and Buffalo fans continue to stand up to the test. All housings are continuously welded using heavy gauge, reinforced steel, and suitably braced to prevent pulsation. Wheels and blades are manufactured with a heavy-duty, robust design.
In addition, the range of products used in the boilers means that the fans must handle often-dirty airstreams. In these cases, straight radial blade designs are used to alleviate the potential operational problems that can be caused from buildup on the blades from materials coming through the fan. Twin City Fan also understand the importance of designing a product that could meet the needs of varying climates and other environmental challenges. Buffalo fans are designed to be prolific throughout the word, from varying climates in South America, Europe, Canada, and all throughout the U.S. to ensure uninterrupted, consistent operation.

Buffalo Fan has the engineering and manufacturing capabilities to accommodate virtually every conceivable application,after completing thousands of successful installations worldwide and have a proven track record for tackling the most technically complex and unique applications. Buffalo Fan offers a great breadth of products and quickly adapting to the needs of the customers.

Imfl Is The Second Largest Market In The Indian Alcoholic Beverages Industry Dominated By Whisky

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Country Liquor has the highest market share in India making currently the most consumed alcoholic beverage in India and has a commanding presence in the northern states of India. Though in the short run, country liquor is still expected to have the major market share, in the long run, their market share will decrease to ~% by FY2015 and will be overtaken by the IMFL segment. The segment is expected to sustain the market leadership to a longer period only to some extent by increasing quality, proper branding and promotions.

Beer is a rapidly expanding segment in the Indian Alcoholic Beverages industry. It is the third largest market and second fastest growing market in the Indian alcoholic beverages industry. Beer market has been segmented into strong beer and mild beer on the basis of their alcohol content. Strong beer which has alcohol content more than 5%, dominates the Indian market accounting for ~% of the total beer consumed in India, stating its popularity and preference.

IMFL is the second largest segment in the Indian alcoholic beverage industry. This market has been further bifurcated into Whisky, Rum, Brandy, Vodka and Gin. This industry is growing at a steady pace and had a consumption volume of around ~ million cases in FY2010 from a consumption of around 135 million cases in FY2005.This industry has grown at an overall steady pace triggered by increasing population and disposable income, and also the fact that it is increasingly gaining social acceptance.

Vodka is the fastest growing IMFL segment in India. Its growth is rapidly increasing due to increase in pubs, hotels, restaurants, evolving nightlife and consumer preferences. It has grown over the past 5 years at a CAGR of 44.4%.

Wine industry in India is just in its birth stage Wine is the fastest growing segment in the Indian Alcoholic Beverages industry. Indian wine industry is estimated to reach a consumption of ~ million cases consumption by FY2015 by growing at a CAGR of ~% under the base case scenario.

Key Topics Covered in the Report:

1The market size of Indian alcoholic beverage industry and its segments including country liquor, IMFL (Whisky, Rum, Vodka, Brandy and Gin), beer and wine on the basis of consumption and per capita consumption
2Government regulations affecting the alcoholic beverage and its segments
3Market segmentation of the Indian alcoholic drinks industry and its segments
4Recent trends and developments in the industry and in its segments
5Competitive landscape of the various players operating in the country in beer, wine and IMFL market
6Company profiles of leading players in IMFL, beer and wine market
7Future outlook on the basis of assumed scenarios i.e. base case, worst case and aggressive case on alcoholic beverages, wine, beer, IMFL (Whisky, Rum, Vodka, Brandy and Gin) and country liquor consumption and per capita consumption in India, from 2011-2015
8SWOT analysis of the Indian alcoholic beverage industry

For more information please refer to the below mentioned link:
http://www.ammindpower.com/report.php?A=220

Will The Rv Industry Survive The Economic Crisis

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Unfortunately, the immediate future of the RV Industry is not looking bright. I am afraid there will still be a few more RV Manufacturers going out of business. Once the dust settles, the RV Industry will start to slowly grow once again and yes, people will start to buy RVs again.

I am going to use the example of the Dot Com Bubble burst of 2000 and 2001 to try to explain what has happened to and what is going to happen to the RV Industry. You are probably asking yourself “What the heck does the Dot Com Bubble Burst have to do with the RV Industry?” stick with me here it will all make sense at the end (I hope).

In the late 90s more and more people were getting on the internet. Some retailers and entrepreneurs saw the internet as an opportunity to start selling tons of merchandise. So they started up a bunch of websites selling everything from pet supplies to music CDs. The philosophy of some of these dot-coms was “If we build a website people will come and buy all of our stuff”. So the dot-coms starting borrowing millions of dollars from the banks and went public with their stock so they could build their websites. The stocks kept soaring and the dot-coms kept borrowing more and more money to add on to their websites and advertise them. There was only one problem; a lot of these dot-coms were making no money at all.

In fact there became a glut of dot-coms on the internet all spending millions on their websites to sell their stuff. These dot-coms knew they couldn’t fail, after all it was the internet and everybody was making millions of dollars on the internet weren’t they?

Well, all the sales didn’t come in as expected, in fact some of these dot-coms never made a profit the whole time that they were in business. Now the banks were getting worried about some of these dot-coms, because loan payments were not being made on a timely basis and some of the banks started to call-in some of the loans. Now the shareholders were getting worried because of lack of sales and profits, defaulted loans, bad business practices, etc and they started selling off their stock like crazy and stock prices plummeted and lot of the dot-coms went belly up (out of business).

Here are just a few of the dot-coms that went out of business, Beyond.com, Boo.com, Pets.com, KOZMO.com, eToys.com, eXcite.com and so on and so on. But wait if you search the internet you can still find some of these websites, “What’s up with that?” Well, some of the other dot-coms that did not go out of business bought their names and are using them.

Now there were some survivors of the Dot-Com Bubble Burst such as eBay.com, Amazon.com, Travelocity.com and Yahoo.com to name a few. It took these survivors awhile to get back on track, but they are now flourishing.

So what went wrong? Rather than trying to figure out what the consumer really wanted, the dot-coms adopted the philosophy of “if we build it they will come” and if they don’t come, we will just borrow more money and make our website bigger and advertise more until they do come. It never dawned on the dot-coms that not all of the internet visitors were ready to buy stuff on-line, because they were not sure how secure their transactions would be (there was no consumer confidence).

These dot-coms also ignored the fact that were lots of other websites that were selling the same stuff they were and that these other websites actually understood what the internet consumer wanted. These other websites were doing a better job at customer service, etc. These big dot-coms just ignored the fact that there were too many websites selling the same stuff and ended up going out of business.

Does any of the above sound familiar? During the 90s and into the 2000s many of the RV manufactures increased production and opened new factories as a result of strong RV Sales. Of course a lot of the manufacturers had to get loans to continue their expansions. According to the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association RV sales peaked in 2006 at about 390,000 vehicles. Some of the RV Manufacturers were caught by surprise when RV sales started to decline in 2007.

Then came the volatile fuel prices which caused a lot of potential RV buyers to steer clear of buying “fuel-guzzling” RVs. To be honest, there really has not been a major improvement in fuel mileage in the motorized RV category for the past two decades. Now, if the fuel prices were not enough to hurt the RV Industry, the housing loan debacle sure was. Lending institutions were being hit hard by subprime loan defaults. So their reaction was to tighten up the loan market making it harder for someone to buy a “luxury item” such as an RV.

Then to put the final nail in the coffin of the RV Industry the stock market decided to make a “major price correction” in other words the stock market plummeted. This price correction affected a lot of “baby boomers” financially. Since baby boomers are the major buyers of RVs it also affected the RV Industry. Because the RV industry was too slow to react to the economic downturn, they produced too many RVs that were not selling, creating the new RV glut that we have now. So the RV Industry has gone from “feast to famine” in 2 1/2 years.

So, as you see there are quite a few similarities between the Dot-Com Bubble Burst of 2000 and 2001 and the RV Bubble Burst of 2008 and 2009. Just like the Dot-Com Bubble Burst there will be survivors of the RV Bubble Burst. The number of RV Manufacturers that survive is yet to be determined as we are in the middle of the RV Bubble Burst. But there will be survivors.

What will happen to the RV Industry in the future is going to be in the hands of the surviving RV Manufacturers. All of the surviving RV Manufacturers by default will have larger market shares of RV sales then they had prior to the bubble burst. Some will come back quicker than others. Some may even start to look at the future and build some innovative motorized RVs that are far more fuel efficient, while still providing the luxuries that RVers expect. Hopefully all of them will have learned from this experience; that they need to keep their ears to the ground and have contingency plans in place on how to react quickly to changes in the RV marketplace.

What can RV consumers expect? Once the glut of RVs is sold off, you can expect fewer RVs to choose from. You will not have a selection of unlimited floor plans to choose from. Depending on the type of RV you are looking at you may find that there are only two or three companies making them. You may also find some very innovative RVs to choose from made by either existing RV Manufacturers or brand new RV Manufacturers who are trying to make a name for themselves. Either way, the RV Industry will still be around, hopefully a little bit wiser from their experience over the past couple of years.

RVing is not dead; it is just trying to catch its breath. The long term future of RVing will be bright as long as the same mistakes are not repeated.

The Asian Fashion Industry Is Coming Of Age

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When most people think of fashion they think of the runways of Paris or the big designer houses of New York City. Quietly standing in the sidelines and starting to claim its own spot in the limelight is the world of Asian fashion. Whether you know it or not if you like to wear trendy clothes then you are already probably wearing some of todays hottest Asian fashion.

The biggest players in the industry right now are the Japanese fashion houses and the Korean fashion industry but these are not the only countries setting their sights on the global market place. While China is best known for its production capability, there are signs that it is also targeting the broad Asian fashion market. Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia also have the capability to take market share away from western designers.

Over the past five to ten years the Asian fashion industry has begun to make its mark on the world. We find this to be particularly the case in contemporary fashion. The styles targeted at the younger set owe a particular debt to the Japanese designers. Pop culture and styles made evident by entertainment stars have popped up throughout Japan and have spread to the rest of the world. The school girl look, for example, can be traced directly to the Japanese world of styles driven by pop singers.

Today we see Korean designers having more and more impact on style. Seoul, in particular, has set its sights on becoming a hub for fashion. In the past Korean designers have kept their sights close to home but now are moving to make an impact on the global stage. Even though this means competing with well known brands, the Korean fashion houses are well positioned to make a move. The region is long known for the quality of its Asian fashion trades people and the industry is working to bring prices down in order to increase competitiveness.

If you are looking for ready to wear Asian fashion then the Internet can put the world at your fingertips. There are dozens of good sites that carry a comprehensive line of Asian fashions of all styles. A quick Internet search will present you with choices that are as specialized as bridal wear and as general as sites that carry a little of everything.

It is a given that Asian fashion is poised to make significant in roads in the fashion world. The timing is right and the creative talent is there. The demand from buyers is there as well. The main stumbling block is the inconsistent nature of the sales pipeline. A great deal of progress has already been made and as the Asian fashion industry becomes more mature it will learn how to take advantage of the entire worldwide market. If recent runway shows like ones recently held in Korea are any example of what the industry is capable of, Western fashion labels should take heed. The Asian fashion industry is coming of age.