Laverne

Having just recently returned to my childhood neighborhood in Baltimore, I couldn't help but notice how much things have changed since I left. Growing up in the early 60's, I recall a much different neighborhood. Back then, much of Baltimore consisted of poor working class neighborhoods that were self contained units. In each neighborhood, you could usually find several schools, corner grocery stores, bakery, drug store, doctors, dentists, diners, and a bar on every corner. What you couldn't buy at the local store was brought to you by A-rabs(people that delivered produce and other items on a horse and cart) and other industrious merchants. There were also many large businesses that provided employment for the working class people that lived in Southwest Baltimore. The neighborhood had character and many characters. One of them was Steve the Barber.

Steve had been at the same spot for about 25 years. His shop consisted of a corner rowhome converted into a barbershop. Steve's place was always bright, and seemed bigger than it actually was because of all the mirrors on the walls. Steve would always greet you with a 'Hi Sonny' as he glanced over his 'Mr. Magoo' eyeglasses at you. Once in the door, you would sit in one of the cheap metal frame chairs waiting your turn for Steve to usher you into the 'big' chair. Steve's speciality was a cut called a 'Wiffle'. The cut was similar to what a G.I. gets in basic. All the hair clipped close to the scalp. Since Steve was about 80 at this time, it was a cut that he could manage without having you look like 'Alfafa' from the 'Little Rascals'. Every once in a while he would nick your scalp a bit, and you might have a little bald spot here and there, but nothing that a young boy couldn't live with.

Being young and haircuts not being one of life's priorities for me at the time, it was usually up to my mother to remind me that I was getting a little shaggy and it was time to visit Steve. She would give me a quarter, and inform me that the quarter was for a haircut and not for sodas an other things at the store. Getting a haircut was not only a way to clean up my act, but became a financial bonanza as well because 'Old Steve' didn't know how to count! He would charge 25 cents for a haircut and give you back 35 or 40 cents in change. A haircut and a soda and chips to boot. What a deal!

Looking back on it, I don't know if Steve was suffering from what they call 'Old Timer's' disease or was just a nice old man that loved his job and kids. Rumor had it that Steve liked to slip into the back room and nip on the bottle a bit as well. Whatever the case, the day came for Steve to hang up his shears and one day told us that his grandson would soon be taking over the business. He also informed us that the boy had decided to move the shop to the new shopping center out in the suburbs. We all felt a sense of loss after Old Steve left not only because we had lost our source of free haircuts but because Steve was like family.

Driving through the old neighborhood yesterday, I passed by Steve's old place. It's now just a boarded up shell. There's no indication of the life that once occupied that building. The bakery across the street from Steve's is also long gone. So have practically all of the local corner stores, and the new car dealership down the street from us closed up many years ago. It's a neighborhood that has been dying for years. While renewal has come to many of Baltimore's neighborhoods, our little neighborhood continues to exist on life support waiting for something to save it from the cancer that has been eating at it for several decades.

While change is inevitable, not all change is for the better. Looking back on my childhood and other times from my past, I sometimes long for things lost from those days. Maybe it's just a natural reaction to growing older that leads us to romanticize the past, and perhaps see things as being better than they actually were. But I recall a time when people left their doors unlocked, I remember running down the street barefooted not having to worry about stepping on hypodermic needles. I can recall my parents sitting out on their doorsteps in the summertime and actually talking to the neighbors.

Although those times were hard in many ways, I feel fortunate to have lived back then. As I drive through the old neighborhood, I see kids running, apparently oblivious to the despair around them. I can't help but wonder, what kind of memories will they have of their neighborhood?

Bob Mathers is actively engaged in Network Marketing. He also contributes articles from time to time on business and other topics. His current website is Want to Start Your Own Home Business?

There was a special programme for internal market development and some legislative regulations were made in order to run this programme successfully.

From an economic point of view, the question whether there is an external dimension to the internal market sounds almost ridiculous. How could, an economist would argue, a policy of economic integration that is as encompassing as the internal market programme and that applies to twelve developed countries which play an important role in international trade not affect trade and economic relations with the outside world? However, from the point of view of law-and policy-making the question could be raised in the early stages, as indeed it has been. One can safely say that until 1988 the attitude of the Community's institutions towards both the external effects of the internal market programme and the relationship between the programme and the Community's external policies was one of benign neglect. The Commission's White Paper contains only a few references to external policies.

There is also nothing in the definition of the internal market as laid down in Article 7a, EC Treaty, which provides a link with external relations, and the Single European Act did not amend the EEC Treaty provisions which do deal with this subject (the main ones being those on the Common Commercial Policy). Even the famous Checcini report on the economic effects of 1992 did not take account of the external dimension. The latter was only present in one very specific way: the internal market programme was (and is) clearly also aimed at improving the competitiveness of European industries in the face of Japanese and US competition. But this was only regarded as a strategic motive for the programme, unrelated to its contents, which would merely involve the elimination of barriers in the internal market.

It has for example been said that the concept of an internal market, as introduced in Community law by the Single European Act, does not have an external dimension, in contrast with the concept of a common market which includes a Common Customs Tariff and a Common Commercial policy.

The article was produced by the writer of masterpapers.com. Sharon White is a 5-years experienced freelance writer and a senior manager of adolescent essays services support team. Contact her to get analysis essays tips and analytical essays tips.

Are you loosing your life?!

Ok, I know youll ask me, What do you mean Tohami?!

So let me explain

How do you spend your time? Who is the person you become by the end of the day when you go to bed? Are you the same person who woke up in the morning? No difference?!!

If yes, then you are loosing your life. 24 hours passed without adding anything either to yourself or to your dreams.

Focus everyday to improve a little bit. Learn something new. Master a new skill. Think of a new idea. Save some money. Invest some money. Add little things to your life and yourself. Get most out of everyday.

Small things accumulate to form long-term success. This is what successful people do and this how success stories are built; step-by-step. Short term accomplishments result in long term achievements.

Little things make a difference.

Reading 10 pages everyday will result in finishing 300-pages-book in a month and 12 books in a year.

Writing 1/3 page everyday will result in writing 360-pages-book in 3 years. And who knows, you can become a bestselling author. Can you imagine the amount of fame and credibility youll get?

The primary reason for all great success stories is the concept of continuous improvement.

Commit yourself to continuous and never-ending improvement.

Improve all areas of your life.

Improve the spiritual area. Do little things everyday to improve your relation with God and create peace in your life.

Improve the personal area. Become more. Improve your career. Do an excellent job even on small tasks. Improve your finances. Save, Invest, and give out some to charity.

Improve the social area. Spend sometime with your family, friends, and spouse. Participate in charity work.

Improve the physical area. Exercise, eat healthy food, drink water and breath fresh air.

My friend small things make a difference. Continuous improvement is the key to long term success.

Improve everyday and your future will take care of itself.

Mohamed Tohami (http://www.tohami.com) is a success mentor helping thousands of people worldwide to live a purposeful life and achieve their goals. Sign up now for his Make a Difference Ezine and learn powerful success strategies to achieve your goals and build an extraordinary life.

In Illinois, a research facility has perfected a way of communicating with Bonomo Chimps and has been using this machine for 7-years now. The primates use the machine to talk to humans and have no problem using the 350 word machine, each with its own button to communicate.

Many people are amazed at this break thru although they really should not be, because their findings are completely in line with Jane Goodall's research and the Institute in Washington State that works with Chimpanzees. In "The Language of Animals" by Stephen Hart discusses these types of communication between humans and animals are discussed in depth too and we should not be surprised by this great work in Illinois.

These Bonomo Chimps are impressive primates and we really are not all that different, as the DNA is barely 1% different. It is time that the world realized the truth. We must stop allowing religion to cloud our judgments of this science. One Bonomo Chimp Kanzi is a superstar, but all these primates are capable of this, as well as dolphins and other higher order mammals it is just a matter of time until our tools allow us to communicate with all of them.

Mankind needs to ditch their arrogance and religious beliefs long enough to wake up and realize the reality of the many species here on Earth. Indeed if we fail to realize that there is other intelligent life here on Earth then we miss a grand opportunity. If you do not believe they are intelligent because your Church, Mosque or Priest says so then you are denying reality. If you do not believe me, just ask them, because the Bonomo Chimps will tell you straight to your face? What are you afraid of - the truth? Think on it.

L. Winslow is an Economic Advisor to the Online Think Tank, a Futurist and retired entreprenuer http://www.worldthinktank.net . Currently he is planning a bicycle ride across the US to raise money for charity and is sponsored by http://www.Calling-Plans.com and all the proceeds will go to various charities who sign up.