Knowing the Market

Everybody knows exercise is a significant part of staying healthy. As anyone with arthritis can tell you, though, when your joints say no to play, exercise goes from pleasurable and stimulating activity into a trial of how much pain you can tolerate.

The tendency when suffering from arthritis is to keep your joints as motionless as possible. The problem is that this leads to weakening of the muscles and tendons and a stiffening of joints, which makes the pain worse over time. It is a self-feeding cycle difficult to break out of.

One solution comes in the form of The Arthritis Foundation Aquatics Program, a warm water exercise program designed by the Arthritis Foundation. Why warm water exercise? The warmth offered by hot water allows muscles to relax and intensifies circulation of blood to the joints. In fact, ever since the discovery of the first hot springs, humans have used the miracle of warm water baths to fight aching joints.

Besides reducing the pain in your joints, exercising in water permits body weight to be supported. This makes exercising in water easier, safer and more relaxing. Not only that, but the resistance that water provides as your body moves in it helps strengthen muscles

These days, what with spas, health clubs and backyard hot tubs, just about anyone has access to a pool of hot water to relax in. Not only does this bring some immediate relief of arthritis symptoms, but it also provides us with a great environment in which we can exercise.

You should consult your doctor before beginning water exercise. Water exercise is completely safe for most people, with a few exceptions. If you’ve have suffered serious joint damage or replacement surgery you may be among them. Your doctor will know what’s right for you. Also be aware of temperature. Water between 83 and 88 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for exercise. Anything over 100 degrees may be relaxing, but can lead to overheating. After you’ve gotten the doctor go ahead, it’s time to get started.

The Arthritis Foundation Aquatics Program exercises can be found in the free brochure “Water Exercise: Pools, Spas and Arthritis” from the Arthritis Foundation. Classes are also offered at local pools nationwidecontact your local Arthritis Foundation office for information. The classes are lead by a trained instructor, usually last between 45 minutes to an hour and are scheduled 2 to 3 times a week.

With a doctor’s guidance, whether at a local pool or at home, a water exercise program is a fun and effective way to combat arthritis and keep joints and muscles healthy.

Isabelle Boulay is a writer and contributor to www.Medopedia.com, where you can find more information on arthritis treatment and treatment of high blood pressure

Translated it means: Leef je in Sint-Oedenrode of Winterswijk en wil jij een prijs winnen’ Met Win de Prijsvraag winnen is nog nooit zo eenvoudig geweest. Veel prijzen winnen met een abonnement op windeprijsvraag‘ Minstens 134 prijzen per dag. Van Maarssen tot Bergambacht, met Win de prijsvraag.nl winnen gaat hier altijd. Een man van 34 heeft deze maand nog een Porche in de wacht gesleept.

Really anyone can win realy terrific prizes every 3 weeks. 5 months ago a European webcompany took of a online sweepstakes. You can win terrific BMWs every 14 days. Before home computers were popular a common method of entry was a mailed one. Absolutely fantastic TVs to win at sweepstakes websites. There are also other online services, which automatically enter members into sweepstakes. Sweepstakes promotions are prohibited from requiring a purchase to enter. Sweepstakes are frequently used by fast-food restaurants to boost business. 11 hours ago a Dutch dutch online company has started with a dutch online sweepstakes. The reason why contests are treated differently is that the winners are not chosen by chance but by an element of skill. Entering sweepstakes by mail is declining in popularity. Sweepstakes are generally easier and quicker to enter than contests. Its great or fantastic to win 172 dollars. That should be super or really great to win 6419 dollar. 9 hours ago a Europe based online company started a dutch online contests. Sweepstakes are also legally different from contests in the United States. Many state lotteries also run a second chance sweepstakes in conjunction with the retail sale of state lottery scratch cards. In an effort to increase consumer demand for scratch cards and to help control the litter small problems associated with the disposal of non-winning lottery tickets. Really great Ipods to be won at contest websites. Many more sweepers are choosing to enter online sweepstakes. Anyone can win great plasmas every 3 weeks. Although some sweepstakes ask for a proof of purchase or UPC code, the sponsors must provide an alternate method of entry if they do so. 6 months ago a Belgium company begun with a sweepstakes websites. Absolutely fantastic Hummers to win at dutch online contests. Consumer promotions advertised as contests, however, can require an entry fee or proof of purchase. 4 days ago a Dutch dutch company has started with a dutch online sweepstakes. It will be marvelous or realy terrific to win 5899 euro. Members sign up once and are entered to various sweepstakes each month.

The serve is the most important foundation block of anyones tennis game, unless you are Dementieva! (smile. Just kidding.)

Statistically, about 60 to 65% of the whole game of tennis is serve and return, if you understand the importance of these figures, you will easily understand why professionals try to excel particularly in these areas.

When watching professional players it may give you the impression that all hit their serves flat and at a “zillion” miles per hour….consequently many of us, when in trouble with the serve, follow that rule with disastrous results.

Factors that lead to losing control of your serve, yourself and your game:

- Panic. Your hard first serve is not working, you start hitting harder and harder and less and less of your serves are going in.

What to do - Start your matches by gradually increasing the speed of your serve, by serving the first serve with more spin the usual (kick, twist, slice, your choice) in the first couple of games. As you gain condidence and get deeper into the match according to the score and situation start using your first serve with lesser spin and as a weapon.

- Fear. Your opponents get cocky and start jumping all over your second serves and pounding them for winners or attacking you and putting enormous pressure at the net. This kibd of outright intimidadtion leads you to barely push the serve over the net.

What to do - Once you get control of your first serve the occasional need to hit second serves will be a lot easier to manage. One thing you have to keep in mind is; second serves are all about courage. No matter how much pressure your opponent is trying to exert on you, stand tall, show him you are confident, be courageous hit your second serve just as if it was a first serve but with a lot more spin on it!

- Distress. Your heart starts pounding like the steam train to Manchuria, your thoughts start getting blurred and you start serving faults and double faults in a rapid fire sequence.

What to do - Take your time, bounce the ball several times on the ground, take a few deep breaths, compose yourself, focus on the target area where you want to place your serve and go for it!

Very important: No matter how hard Professional players hit their first or second serves they always apply one kind of spin or another, you should do the same. For a visual slow motion of the serve feel free to go to my “Best Shots” section on my website at http://www.tenniscruz.com/login.asp (it is for free).

For comments or ideas about this article please email the author

Copyright © 1999-2005 Tenniscruz.com®. All rights reserved.

Sergio Cruz is ex # 1 National Champion, Davis Cup Player from Portugal and former Coach Jim Courier ATP World Ranking # 1

Contact: cruz@tenniscruz.com or http://www.forum.tenniscruz.com or http://www.tenniscruz.com

The HTC TyTN is a qwerty style mobile phone which has been very popular since its launch in July 2006. As a entry level mobile phone the TyTN is fairly well featured compared alongside some of the more well known mobile handsets within this price band. The HTC TyTN is a good multi purpose handset that would be suitable for a very broad range of users.

The TyTN supports 2G GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 and 3G HSDPA 850 / 1900 - US version . The TyTN is fitted with a 2 MP, 1600×1200 pixels, video, flash; secondary QCIF video call camera. For those that need access to the Internet on the move a WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML (PocketIE), browser is included.To allow mobile Internet access a WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML (PocketIE), browser is included. The HTC TyTN is equipped with Polyphonic (40 channels), MP3 ring tones along with a vibration alert . The HTC TyTN is has bluetooth, meaning compatibility with a range of modern mobile accessories really easy. The TyTN is 176 g, in weight. If the visual appearance handset is something you are interested in, you should be aware that the TyTN comes in, Silver and Black. This phone is nothing special. A TFT touchscreen, 65K colors display is fitted to this phone. The HTC TyTN is supplied with a Standard battery, Li-Ion 1350 mAh, battery. The HTC TyTN has a battery cell usage of 200 hours standby charge and talk time of 5:00. Additional features of the HTC TyTN include:

Pocket Office(Word, Excel, Outlook)

Java MIDP 2.0

Video call

MP3/AAC player

Video/audio album

Voice memo

Built-in handsfree

This is now quite an old phone, but still does a great job. If you can find one, being cleared as old stock you could steal yourself a really good buy.

If you find it too time consuming looking for the best deal on a HTC TyTN, after all there are many phone sites and network providers to choose from. To pick up the best deal have a go at using a comparison site .

Are you fresh out of high school, and appreciate good food? The United States has many culinary schools and the job market is booming, so if you have ever been curious about the possibility of turning a natural love into a career, read on. At the very least, you will have fun choosing which culinary school would be perfect for you.

1. Art Institute (AI)

This institution’s culinary program is excellent. They are actually one of the leading institutions for students who are looking for not just a culinary school but a place that greatly specializes in the creative arts. Culinary programs of the Art Institutes are top-notch education and training in the following culinary fields of expertise: culinary arts, the art of cooking, restaurant and catering management, baking and pastry and culinary management. The availability of these culinary programs may vary from one Art Institute culinary school to another. It’s best to call your chosen campus location first to verify if they’re offering the courses that you’re interested in. This will help you save time in trying to find the best suited culinary school for you.

2. Atlantic Culinary Academy

The Atlantic Culinary Academy is actually a division of the popular McIntosh college. This culinary school boasts programs that specialize in Le Cordon Bleu training as well as associate degrees in Culinary Arts. This culinary school is known for being able to teach and train its students in just 18 months. And, in addition to the completion of their culinary courses, the students will also earn the Le Cordon Bleu Diplome, a highly recognized international culinary arts diploma.

3. California Culinary Academy

In San Francisco, California, this school is located in San Francisco’s Civic Center district as well as in the hip and stylish Portrero Hill district. Aspiring chefs flock to this culinary school because it is internationally known for being able to produce some of the world’s best chefs. This is made possible through their extensive training programs, great cooking facilities, and excellent instructors.

4. Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts

This school has several locations in Atlanta, Minneapolis, Las Vegas and Florida to name a few. It is a culinary school that is highly revered for its Associate of Occupational Science Degree In Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts. There is a fifteen month program that includes a highly extensive cooking technique and training program, but what makes this school unique is their inclusion of an internship wherein the students of this culinary school will gain over one hundred hours of real on-the-job experience before they ever leave. This is a classical culinary school for aspiring chefs, and oh yes, one more thing, it is also incredibly demanding.

5. Online Certificate For those who simply don’t have the luxury of time to just actually go to a normal culinary school, there is the Art Institute Online, that hopes to be able to reach out to more students who are interested in taking up art courses as well as courses regarding culinary arts. This online program is actually uniquely designed for working people who have already earned their Associate’s degree. Of interest, this program combines all kinds of courses such as human resource management to law and ethics and accounting. Why, you ask? The program is aimed towards culinary arts students who are thinking of opening their own restaurant someday.

A Franchise Opportunity can be very rewarding but frustrating at times without the proper guidance. This website is designed to help guide you and give practicle advice about the process of Buying a franchise. There are many things to concider before taking on this endeavor, with the first being, is franchise ownership the business model for you.

Many people look to franchise ownership because the business model has “systems” in place. Everthing from advertising, management assistance, purchasing, or tracking the success of your Franchise. This established “system” is able to transfer proven and refined operations. Which includes operating and management controls developed by the franchisor, and uniform operational standards such as quality control. For some this is exactly what they are looking for, a business that allows them to explore their entrepreneurial desires coupled with a blue print of how to accomplish the tasks at hand. But for some they need more freedom to express their creative side of business ownership and would feel shackled by these processes.

Because of these “systems” that are offered, Buying a Franchise has a more solid track record of success than conventional businesses. With most businesses the learning curve is steep and unforgiving. Most studies conclude that over 90% of new businesses fail within 5 years. In comparison, U.S. Dept of Commerce studies have shown that 92% of franchised businesses are still operating after 5 years.

In conclusion, Buying a Franchise can be a very rewarding and exciting journey with the proper information and guidance. We hope that this site will lend that helping hand, to assist you in making an educated decision about Buying-Franchises.

For more Franchise information find us at http://www.buying-franchises.com

Full time Vs Part time

Various people treat home based business ideas in different ways. Though some people like to run with a home based business idea as a full time business, others like to take up a home based business idea as a part time activity only - maybe just to test it first. However, each approach has its own pros and cons.

Home based business idea - Part time

The first option is to start with your home based business idea as a part time job. A number of entrepreneurs take this approach. This approach helps you in mitigating the risk that is generally associated with starting a new business. In case your home based business idea fails, you at least have your job intact. Once you have your home based business idea doing well, you can take it up as a full time business. The main problem with operating a home based business idea as a part time business is maintaining the balance between your part time home based business idea and your full time job. If you don’t plan really well, you might end up messing up with both (which is the last thing you would want). Also, running your home based business idea in spare time will mean that you don’t have any time for your family and friends. Moreover, maintaining the focus on two things (your full time job and your home based business idea) is not an easy job. Also, the growth of your home based business idea will be much slower than what it could be if you were running it as a full time business.

Home based business idea - Full time

If you plan to take the plunge straight away, you might leave your full time job and start dedicatedly with your home based business idea. However, in such a case you need to be sure of the success of your home based business idea. You should have vetted your home based business idea enough so as to give you the confidence of going all out. Even then, you must have a back up plan just in case the home based business idea doesn’t deliver as per your expectations. Also, do not put in all your savings into your home based business idea, put aside some amount to cover your living expenses too. However, running your home based business idea as a full time job will help you in maintaining a better balance between work and family (as compared to operating your home based business idea as a part time activity). Also, with more time on hand, you would be able to plan and implement better and hence see your business grow even faster.

Warren and Karen have been involved in the internet for a number of years and run several websites. They are most interested in providing opportunities for people to connect with information relating to business, health and creativity. Check out their Home Base Business Idea blog for more information.

As a property owner in a community which has Home Owners Association with legal covenants and restrictions you have 3 choices 1) Become active in the management, 2) Attend meetings and have an understanding of what going on, 3) Do nothing and pay the consequences of ignorance.

•Acknowledge your ownership and take control of your property. There may be restrictions that you may not agree with some don’t make any sense. The only way to change them is to be an active participant in the process. Voting only takes place on items listed on the monthly agenda the board members and the management company set the agenda.

•Yearly elections of new board members. In the covenants you will find how many board members and for how long board members are allowed to serve. In most communities you are limited to 2 or 3 successive terms with half or a third of the board changing each year. Some areas allow the same board members to be re-elected continuously with out changing (these little kingdoms are where the problems are the most evident).

•Committees are another way to have your voice heard. The board is not always easy to be elected into you may find the process is similar to being a politician in local elections others are begging for home owners to participate. HOA’s are always in need of committee members and leaders to help spread the work, with amenities such as pool, tennis courts, playgrounds, common areas, and social functions these all need committees and committee leaders. These are good places to get your foot in the door to have your voice heard and listened to in regards to how the community is handled.

•Management companies can be the most helpful and useful to HOA’s. The better ones have experience in all areas of land, building, and amenities management and help direct the part time inexperienced board to knowledgeable decisions. When you are dealing with an inexperienced management company or a small one person manager the problems can get out of hand real fast. They normally don’t have the contractors support and are not available when you really need them. Also smaller operations don’t have the full time accounting departments to keep the books straight which can be dangerous if the board is not keeping track of the funds.

•Foreclosures have been out of hand in some communities. Non payment of association dues or fees has been the number one reason of foreclosures in condo and townhouse communities across the country. Families have lost there properties for $600.00 in over due payments, the real problem is $15,000 in added fees the management companies an attorneys are allowed to tack on which pushes the property in to foreclosure. I have interview many management companies and found that when they reference how their attorneys can speed up the collection process by foreclosure I show them the door. These are the people you don’t want anywhere near your community. They because of the tactics they use will drive down values of each individual property and are of no benefit to the home owner or the HOA.

Be active in your community protect your property and family from unscrupulous management companies, HOA board members, attorneys and investors who have their own agenda when it comes to your property.

Bill Carey with over 30 years in real estate sales, investments, and home building offers a unique perspective to the buying and selling process of residential real estate for F*R*E*E consumer information and reports log on to http://www.CharlotteNCExecutiveHomes.com and see
“Insider Real Estate Secrets Revealed”
…a must-read for Home-Owners and Renters!
It’s a F*R*E*E 12-lesson e-course covering more than 20 topics exposing the realities behind buying and selling a home.
It Could Make(or Save) You Thousands of Dollars

See http://www.BillCareyRealtor.com and sign up for our monthly e-newsletter with tips for buyers, sellers, home owners and soon to be home owners.

(Your Comments are Welcome)

In the past lithography and traditional printing methods were used if the artist wanted to market reproductions of original artwork. While effective, these methods had serious drawbacks:

First and foremost, a high output number would compromise the value of any reproduction. Second, the quality of 4 color copies limited the color rendition of such reproductions. Also, the choice of substrates was dismal compared to giclée.
The advent of high-end digital printmaking has opened a new world for artists: more paper choices, better color, limited production.

On a pure marketing standpoint, artists who have shows and lectures can now suggest giclees to potential buyers. Collectors in particular want to buy art that is not made in mass quantities. When buying a giclée they are assured to possess something rare and exquisite.

Giclees are well established in the art world; they are bought and sold in world class auctions as well as in galleries. Many museums display giclees.

Listen to your clients: I recently had a call from a portrait artist. She has a business where customers come to her for family portraits she makes on watercolor paper. She had a few inquiries regarding making copies so that more than one household could have the portrait of their loved ones. At the same time they asked for a quality print, possibly on the same paper. We reproduced the original and it was virtually impossible to distinguish it from the giclée. Now the artist was happy to make additional income and the families had as many portraits as they wanted!

No matter what the market is, whether it consists of commissioned art or not, high quality reproductions can generate an additional stream of income given the proper marketing.

How can you increase the value of your artwork?

One proven method is to create posters (It has been done for a long time by artists and photographers) and sell the posters at art shows. This creates a buzz and facilitates the selling of your work in a poster format to be displayed in various locations. A well designed poster is one of the best advertisements!

Second, create art and make high quality giclée reproductions without ever selling your originals. Make for example an artist proof edition of 25, sign it and release it as the only art available.

If you wish to be able to sell your original you can do so and still increase the value of your art. Start with small limited editions. As soon they are sold out the value will increase. Always establish and maintain a personal relationship with every past, current and potential buyer of your art! Buyers connect emotionally with the art as well as the creator. They will be more receptive to collecting more work if they feel a bond.

Use the Internet

Create a website with a portfolio so people can see the art. Add the URL to business cards, posters, postcards etc. Optimize the site for keywords you want to target (i.e. abstract paintings, oil paintings of flowers, portraits on oil etc.)

The artist is encouraged to pre-sell the complete limited edition if a LE is decided. It is a good idea to track the collectors and notify them when the particular edition is sold out. Another advantage of having a website is to create a newsletter notifying people of limited edition publication as well as accomplishments and new art. These practices reinforce the added value of their current (or potential) purchase. Last but not least, ask for a Certificate of Authenticity from the printmaker.

We have more information available at Our guide to giclee printing and marketing.

Fabio Braghi is the owner of a giclee printing company based in Tampa, FL.

In the North American school system students seeking to be the best strive for an ‘A’ grade. However, the school system is not the end of the drive to be the best and earn an ‘A’ grade. Letter grades are used by rating agencies to rank communities in terms of investment risk.

Ostrava, in recent times, received an ‘A3′ grade from Moody’s Investors Service.

What does this mean to you as a potential investor? What are the other indicators which would point to the health and prospects of Ostrava’s property market?

What does this rating actually mean?

There are 25 rankings from Moodys in the investor services, an ‘A3′ is seventh from the top and is defined as an upper-medium grade. A similar grading company, Standard and Poors, also gave Ostrava an ‘A’ ranking based on their grading system.

What will that mean for the city?

Some investors will only look at cities with ‘A’ ratings. It is an indicator of the financial and fiscal health of the community.

Since the restructuring of the industry in the 1990s, the economic platform of the city has changed substantially. In fact, most of its incomes are no longer dependant on local economic conditions.

Ostrava, in receiving this rating, achieved the identical level of rating as other mid-sized cities in Central Europe. Brno, for example, also received an ‘A3′ rating (for a complete discussion of Brno property and economic developments visit our feature on Brno property.)

Let’s go through some other indicators as to the investment potential for this Northern Moravian city.

Area: 214 km2
Population (latest data April, 2004): 315 000

Road Distance from important European and Czech cities:

City / kms

Brno / 170
Olomouc / 93
Prague / 360
Vienna / 310

Bratislava / 300

Warsaw / 300
Budapest / 389

Berlin / 540
Paris / 1 500

With the completion of the D-47 highway the infrastructure capacity will greatly increase as well as the ease of travel. Travel time to the Czech capital, Prague, will be shortened to a little over three hours.

Air Transportation:

Ostrava - Mosnov International Airport is located 25 km from the city centre. It is the biggest regional airport in the Czech Republic with a capacity of more than one million passengers per year (current actual figures are just over 200 000 per year and expected to triple next year) and a runway 3500m in length and 63m wide, allowing it to accommodate the world’s largest airplanes. Currently it caters to both domestic and international flights.

Although there are currently not any well-known low cost carriers flying into Ostrava we expect it will only be a matter of time.

Average monthly salary for Ostrava region (2004): 18 966 CZK

Average monthly salary for Czech Republic (2004): 18 582 CZK
Average monthly salary for Czech Republic (2005 2nd Q): 18 763 CZK

Education: 16.3% of residents in Ostrava have University level education compared to 9.4% Czech wide.

Average temperature in January: - 2C to -4C

Average temperature in July: 15C to 19C
(hey, some investors want to know this….)

Economy:

Industrial production has always had a strong factor in the economy of the Ostrava region. Mainly its been based on the excavation and processing of coal and on related branches - metallurgy, the coking industry, the chemical industry, electric power generation, civil engineering and heavy engineering. Metallurgy and heavy engineering remain the largest employers in the City.

Some of the Largest Employers in Ostrava

Employer / Business / Activity / Employees (Jan. 2004)

Mittal Steel Ostrava a.s. / Metallurgical production, manufacture of metallurgical and engineering final products / 10 968
Faculty Hospital / Healthcare / 3 180
Czech Railways / Transportation and communication / 3 075
Vitkovice Machining / Machining and Metallurgy / 2 697

Vitkovice Steel / Metal production, processing / 1 682

Ostrava Blast Furnace / Metals and coking-chemical production / 1 305

Foreign Investors in Ostrava

(by no means comprehensive, only a sampling)

Investor (Country) / Business Activity / Employees (Jan. 2004)

Mittal Steel Ostrava a.s. (UK) / Metallurgical production, manufacture of metallurgical and engineering final products / 10 968
Vitkovice Tube Mill, a.s. (Cypress) / Steel tube production / 932
Dalkia Ceska republika, a.s.(France) / Heating and Electrical Production / 697

BorsodChem MCHZ, s.r.o. (Hungary) / Chemical production / 623

Tesco Stores CR a.s. (UK) / Retail / 580

Ahold Czech Republic, a.s. (Holland) / Retail / 529

Hayes Lemmerz Autokola, a.s. (USA) / Production of car wheels and automobile parts / 410

Ostrava Water and Sewage, a.s. (France) / Production and delivery of drinking water, removal and cleaning of waste water / 382

Trefil a Schomberg, s.r.o. (Germany) / Plastics production / 339
Hayes Lemmerz Alukola, s.r.o. (Italy) / Automobile parts manufacturing / 310

Connex Morava a.s. (Czech Republic/France) / Road transportation / 212

Other Investment News

US based Roper Industries Inc. has decided to invest 24 mil. CZK over the next five years into a new technology centre in Ostrava where it will create 18 highly qualified jobs.

“In Ostrava we will be focusing on projects for the development and innovation of our laboratory instruments. The Ostrava centre will supplement the technology centres of our existing Instrumentation Segment operations located in the U.S., Denmark, Germany and France employing in total almost 1000 people,” commented Will Crocker, Roper’s Vice President and Group Executive for the Instrumentation Segment. “The laboratory instruments produced from the design work there will serve foremost our materialography and physical property testing markets. The results from the product development in Ostrava will be utilized by our segment’s production plants abroad where they will produce the final products.”

The new customer support centre of GE Money Multiservis for Czech and Slovak clients, a subsidiary of one of the largest and most renowned American companies will be located in Ostrava (Moravia-Silesia region) and will provide work for up to 500 qualified staff members. The total investment exceeds three million euro.

“Our primary reason for opening the new centre is the growth of GE Money in the Czech Republic,” says Jiri Pathy, Chairman of the Board and General Director of GE Money Multiservis, the company in charge of developing the new centre within GE Money group. “In order to maintain a high standard of services, we will gradually increase the number of staff who are responsible for operating GE Money group and caring for its customers. The new customer service centre allows us to continue to fully meet our customers’ needs,” adds Jiri Pathy.

Taiwan-based ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. is in the process of constructing a new plant and repair center in Ostrava. Investment into the facilities will reach 20 million EUR and eventually at least 1300 employees will work be employed. The centre should produce up to 200 thousand personal computers per month and the capacity of the repair centre should reach 50 thousand computers per month.

“The important factors in deciding on the location of this plant were mainly the preparedness of the industrial park in Ostrava-Hrabov and the proximity to the Technical University of Ostrava with which we intend to closely cooperate. We are interested in their graduates and would like to take part in creating specific study programs for their electrical engineering departments. We are already considering moving part of our technology-driven activities to the Czech Republic,” said George Wu, Associate Vice President of ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.

The best quality and most beneficial industrial zones in the Czech Republic were handed awards by the Czech ministers. The fifth annual “Industrial Zone of the Year” awards were presented according to the recommendations of the Ministry of Industry & Trade and CzechInvest in cooperation with the Association for Foreign Investment (AFI) and partners in the “Partnership to Support Foreign Direct Investment in the Czech Republic”.

The award for Industrial Zone with the Most Economic Benefits was given to the “Cernovicka terasa” Industrial Zone in Brno, while the Zone with the Most Social Benefit in 2004 was the Ostrava Hrabova Industrial Zone - 1st Stage. The Industrial Zone with the Best Town Planning Solution is being prepared by a private developer in Ostrava — CTPark Ostrava, and the “Brownfield of the Year” was won by the Skoda Plzen Industrial Zone.

American company CTS Corporation declared plans to invest nearly 22 million dollars into a new facility in the Ostrava region of the Czech Republic. CTS Corporation is a leading designer and producer of electronic components for the automotive and electronics industry. Their main customers are Siemens, Magneti Marelli, Pierburg, Toyota, Renault and Nissan.

The new facility is expected to employ over 160 people within three years. Production in the new plant is targeted for as early as June 2006.

“This investment in the Czech Republic will enable us to raise our production capacity and better serve the European market, which at present is supplied mainly from our plant in Great Britain,” commented Ron Bell, Director of CTS’s European Automotive Operations, and added: “In the Ostrava facility we will be producing electro - mechanical sub - systems and sensors for the auto industry.”

Ostrava Property Figures

Apartment and Flat Rentals in CZK per month (2005 1st Q):

(average range - exceptions can be found either way)

Size / CZK per month

1 + 1 (studio or bachelor) / 4 000 - 5 500
2 + 1 (1 bedroom) / 5 000 - 7 000

3 + 1 (2 bedroom) / 7 000 - 9 000

4 + 1 (3 bedroom) / 8 000 - 11 000

House Sales in thousands of CZK per flat (2005 1st Q):

(average range - exceptions can be found either way)

Size / New Build (ave. 17 000 CZK/m2) / Heritage Building

1 + 1 (studio or bachelor) / 650 - 950 / 350 - 700

2 + 1 (1 bedroom) / 800 - 1 200 / 500 - 800

3 + 1 (2 bedroom) / 1 300 - 2 500 / 700 - 1 200

4 + 1 (3 bedroom) / 1 800 - 3 000 / 1 200 - 2 100

Property Examples

(common closing prices are commonly 5 - 10% less than the asking price)

Property Description / Link

Studio (1 + 1) flat right in the center of Ostrava. 37 m2. Completely reconstructed. Floor 5 of 5 with an elevator. Asking price: 395 000 CZK / Ostrava Property Example 1

2 bedroom (3 + 1) completely reconstructed. Floor 1/3. 76 m2. The price includes a garage. Asking price: 1 260 000 CZK / Ostrava Property Example 2

More examples added regularly…

As we’ve emphasized before, at Czech Point 101 we are not going to over-inflate figures or try to sell you on hyped up facts. Our goal is to inform you to make the best investment decisions possible.

Recommended Reference Websites

Ostrava city website

Ostrava Airport

Ostrava Hrabov Industrial Zone

The sources for this newsletter include the Ostrava city and CzechInvest.

Nathan Brown is the owner of Czech Point 101, a business which helps buyers find their perfect home in the Czech Republic and complete the purchase. Current projects in which Mr. Brown is directly involved include commercial and residential property investments and a portfolio of individual and corporate business interests in Czech Republic and North America.

Phone: +420 774 440 999
Email: nathan@czechpoint101.com
URL: http://www.czechpoint101.com