By Bill Ignacio, DVM
Early autumn in the Valley is more than just parties in the pool and back-to-school. It’s a great time to be out and about! But, while we may be enjoying the warm days and the sunshine, remember that our canine buddies sometimes don’t adapt as easily. Dehydration is the first and most obvious topic of concern. If you’re out for a hike with your dog, he or she is going to cover much more ground than you, running back and forth, checking out this or that, burning much more energy!

Always make sure to have fresh water on hand for your pets. Even mild dehydration can cause hidden underlying medical issues that can become more serious. If you take a trip to the lake, there’s lots of water there to freshen up Fido. But take care if you take a coastal trip. Playing in the ocean can help cool down body temperature, but drinking ocean water can cause gastric upset, electrolyte imbalance, and even certain serious infections. Never encourage your dog to drink from the ocean, pond, or lagoon. If you’re out for the day, make sure to plan ahead and have water available.

It’s important to recognize the symptoms of heatstroke. This can be as subtle as an increase in respiratory noise while panting to something more extreme, like bulging eyes, distress on the dog’s part, vomiting and, in severe cases, collapsing. If you think you’re seeing some of these symptoms, move your dog to a shady area, try to find or simulate a breeze, offer small amounts of cool water, and cool the pads of his or her feet—rubbing alcohol works great for this. Of course, always phone your family veterinarian if you’re worried.

Now that you’re prepared to enjoy the tail end of our awesome warm weather, get out there and soak up the remaining sun! Just keep in mind the special concerns we have for our canine companions, and everyone will have a great day out together.

Photography by Mark Susan

September 14 >> STARS Tenth Annual Freedom Golf Tournament, Gainey Ranch Golf Club, 7600 Gainey Club Dr.

Over one hundred people teed off at the golf tournament put on by the Scottsdale Training and Rehabilitation Services to raise money and bring awareness to the disabled community. A brunch and an awards reception accompanied the event. For more information on STARS, visit starsaz.org.

September 14 >> Sedona Rouge Anniversary Gala, Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa, 2250 W. Hwy. 89A

Broadway star Teri Bibb, cellist Steve Velez, and pianist Brett Strader helped the AAA Four Diamond Award-winning Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa celebrate its second anniversary after a cocktail reception and a fine three-course dinner with wine pairing. Net proceeds went to the Sedona Miracle 2007, which benefits the Boys and Girls Clubs of Northern Arizona, Verde Valley Sanctuary, and the Sedona Community Foundation. Visit sedonarouge.com and sedonamiracle.org for more information.

Photography by Eric Fairchild

August 10 >> Schumacher Mercedes-Benz: An Evening of Fashion, Schumacher European Mercedes-Benz, 18530 N. Scottsdale Rd.

Schumacher Mercedez-Benz, The J Group, and Ford Robert Black presented the first-ever fashion show in the area to unveil the all-new 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class. With designers flown in from New York, a live fashion shoot with FORD Robert Black, and a cocktail reception with drinks and appetizers, the event gave Scottsdale a sleek and exquisite production. drivethebest.com

Photography by Eric Fairchild

August 16 >> Pass It On Movie Premier, Farrelli’s Cinema Supper Club, 14202 N. Scottsdale Rd. #14

Actors, authors, athletes, and inventors are just some of the all-star cast members involved in the WISH Entertainment project: a feature-length film titled Pass It On . Akin to the book The Secret , the movie considers the law of attraction and seeks to enlighten people on how to make their dreams come true. passitontoday.com

By Jon Kenton

Making decisions is a fact of life. We make many every day—what to wear, eat, or watch on TV. Business-decision making is one of the key elements necessary to build and manage a successful business. Although these decisions tackle more heavyweight topics, they nonetheless must follow the same process as making everyday decisions. We must assemble all available facts, assess the situation, develop alternatives, and then choose one of them.

The ability to consistently make good and timely decisions is based significantly on the availability and accuracy of the data and information you have—a solid, up-to-date fact base. Business and competitive intelligence are two of the primary strands required by most businesses. Whether you have the staff and resources to have a permanent function or outsource to specialists as required, the benefits from gathering intelligence cannot be underestimated.

Business intelligence

Business intelligence is all about understanding as much as possible about the markets you focus on and the business and economic environments in which they operate. Before starting a new business or expanding into new markets, the creation of a business and marketing plan is necessary. A vital part of such a plan—business intelligence—helps to paint the opportunity picture. It also enables the construction of a model that can evaluate business outcomes based on potential changes in the environment. There are two main elements: target markets and environment.

Target Markets

Target markets are the definition, size, and growth of the market your products will serve. For them to be most useful, they should be divided into segments in order to identify which parts of them may be most attractive to your business. Take the automobile market, for example. It is subdivided into categories—compact, midsize, SUV, truck, sport, and so on, and there are other attributes such as economy and luxury. Each category or segment has its own specific attributes, for instance, 2WD/4WD, petrol/diesel/hybrid, manual/auto. For each combination, it is possible to identify how many units will be sold in a given period. Multiplying this by a price factor leads to the market size in dollars. No matter your business type, you can identify divisions and segments relevant to you, and will be able to associate unit and dollar volume estimates.

Environment

Every business is affected by environmental factors that it cannot necessarily control. These factors may positively or negatively have an impact on potential revenues and profits. The key here is to identify which elements will affect your business and how they interact with one another, as well as with internal factors that you can control. For example, if demand is less, should you lower prices to stimulate sales?

The environmental factors will be different for every business, and some will be more obvious than others. In the following examples, consider your environment and write down the factors that affect your business. Keeping a watch on them will let you plan better.

Interest rates Lower rates mean cheaper lending and more cash in your customers’ pockets, as well as cheaper borrowing costs for your business.
Exchange rates Foreign exchange rates can lead to a more or less healthy tourist trade, which is important for businesses such as hotels, restaurants or anybody catering to visitors.
Weather Rain illuminates leaks and is therefore good for the roofing business; not so good for golf courses. Extreme heat is great for AC companies and ice cream and cold drink sales.
Regulations Think of how tax changes might affect your business.

One of the most crucial environmental factors is the existence and activity of one’s competition. This leads us to our next topic.

Competitive intelligence

Simply put, competitive intelligence focuses on identifying and tracking all the other companies that offer the same or similar products and services as do you. When considering the competition, it is important to not ignore the “similar” category, as these represent valid alternatives, even if you don’t think so, that a potential customer of yours may choose. It is the information gathered from competitive intelligence that allows you to make decisions about positioning your product in the eyes of your customers to highlight why they should buy your product or service rather than one of the many others.
Does your product have distinctive features? Maybe it’s made from 100 percent recycled material (attractive to the “green conscious”) or is significantly faster, smaller, or lighter (all the better for portable items) than your closest competitor. If so, highlight these differences in your marketing materials and efforts, and make sure your potential customers can see the benefits and know they won’t be able to get the same anywhere else.

There are many questions that competitive intelligence aims to answer. Develop your own list. Here are a few to get you started:

•    How many competitors are there in the same geographical area as you?
•    What products do they have?
•    How do their products and services compare to yours in such areas as features, prices, and quality?
•    Does you market have seasonal dynamic pricing? If so when do your competitors change their prices, and how much do they change them?

When it comes to the bottom line, revenue and profits are generated based on a sound strategy and plan, and the many decisions that are made along the way. Good decisions mean good business. If you want to make good decisions, you need all the facts, so go out and collect some intelligence!

By Lea Friese-Haben

Dear Coach Lea,

I find myself attracted to women who are beautiful but mean. They are the type of woman who dates others behind my back, or the kind who is only after my money. I never seem to find nice women. I find myself attracting women who are mean-spirited and only interested in what I can do for them. I would love a wife and a family, but none of the women I seem to attract is good spouse material, much less mother material. How do I change this?

Dear Beauty Chaser,
I am concerned that you seem to keep attracting women who bring pain into your life. I am also concerned that you place so much value on beauty, which is such a fleeting attribute. You can always expect to be burned when you venture too close to the flame. I think you should find a therapist who can help you discover why you continue to attract these women. Whatever you are thinking is what you are creating. Your perception of the situation has become your reality. Change is never easy, but it is always worth the effort if it enables you to keep from repeating the same mistake. There is a reason you are attracted to these women, and a good therapist will help you discover why and help you to change the pattern. I wish you luck—keep me posted.

Dear Ms. Lea,
I met an absolutely fabulous man yesterday. Although yesterday was our first date, I can’t wait to see him again. He told me that he has not dated for a long time and that his last relationship ended badly. I have been looking for a man like him for my entire life. I think we have a real shot at a future, and am just curious as to what my next move should be. What would you do?

Dear Desperate,
Wow—scary. You could see all that after one date! Did you see the movie Fatal Attraction? What about character, integrity, family values, religious beliefs, culture, and other issues that are essential to a good marriage? All these things are revealed with time, and not over a couple of hours. You need to put the brakes on!
At this early stage, step back and see what unfolds. It has been one day since you met the guy. Why not give him a little time and some breathing room? The journey is just as important as the destination—so quit trying to rush it!
Men can smell desperation from a hundred yards away and will ultimately do whatever they must do to get away from desperate women. Why not try a different approach, such as being friendly and outgoing—not to mention self-sufficient—instead of looking for a man to rescue her?

Dear Coach,
I met a great woman at a wedding this weekend, and I would absolutely love to see her again. We had a really nice long conversation, and were seated at the same table during the reception. She left early, but did ask for my phone number before her departure. I was so excited that she asked—and as a result, I forgot to ask for hers. She hasn’t called yet and I am a little anxious. Should I call some friends and get her number, or should I wait for her to call?

Dear Excited,
Hmmm…it depends on how much time has transpired. If it has been more than three days, I would call the friend and get the phone number. If you really want to impress her, ask her out with flowers. It’s a very sweet gesture and will really make an impact. Make sure that the flowers are not red roses.

Dear Lea,
I am living with a great guy—not perfect, but great just the same. The problem is that my family and friends do not like him and do not want me with him, as they say he is to controlling. He does not like to spend time with any of my family or friends and forbids me to attend any of their events. This hurts my feelings, and he gets angry if I even bring up the subject. He said that if I love him, I should be happy with our relationship and not need to attend these events, and that he should be enough for me. I love him, but I love my friends and family, too—why do I have to choose between them?

Dear Denial,
Your relationship is not based on love. It is based on manipulation and control. You are in denial. I know from my own personal experience that a great guy would not ask you to choose between him and your friends and family. A man who tries to alienate you from your family is only concerned with his needs, not yours. Everyone wants to feel needed by those they love, but this is not the same thing. This man has no self-esteem and is relying on you to validate him. Without professional help, this situation will only get worse. There are even documented cases of such situations escalating to violence. Remember, someone who loves you and wants your happiness would never ask you for such a sacrifice! Don’t delude yourself into thinking that you can change him either (look at how hard it is to change ourselves). Please reconnect with your family—that’s what they are there for. I wish you luck and much courage. Please let me know how it is going. I’ll keep you in my thoughts and prayers!

By Diana Bocco

As the world spins into the next decade, changes in the fuel industry are becoming increasingly evident. From the ecological conscience of society to the governmental concern about escalating prices and fuel shortage, the topic continues to be one of much debate. According to Sara Banaszak, a senior economist at the American Petroleum Institute (API) and executive member of the International Association for Energy Economics (IAEE), the primary energy challenge for America is ensuring the availability of affordable, reliable energy, which in turn will help to secure economic prosperity and a variety of choices for American consumers.

“America’s oil and natural gas industry has been doing this for more than 100 years,” Banaszak says, “but in an increasingly globalizing world with tremendous growth occurring in areas such as Asia, we will need to increase energy efficiency, the use of advanced technologies, and the diversity of energy supplies.”

From an industrial standpoint, there are many technologies readily available in renewable energy, but their ability to compete economically with traditional fuel depends on many factors such as technology development, geographical region, and the scale or amount of the technology to be used.

“Using wind power to generate electricity can be economically competitive, but not necessarily in all locations,” Banaszak says, “and not necessarily for generating enough electricity to meet demand in a large East Coast city.”

Other fuel sources, such as ethanol derived from corn, have been explored as well over the years, although none has proven to be competitive enough as a replacement fuel. According to a study by the University of Minnesota, even if the entire 2005 U.S. corn crop had been converted to ethanol, it would have supplied only 12 percent of gasoline demand. Banaszak says that we nonetheless should be optimistic about future alternatives.

“We have solved previous energy challenges with new technologies,” she says, “and the United States is a leader in using the spirit of competition and market incentives to develop the new technologies needed.”

Ethanol is an alternative fuel with a long history of successful use by consumers. E10 (a mix of 10 percent ethanol with gasoline) has been readily available for years and is quite accessible in both price and production. E85, another type of ethanol fuel, faces some significant technological and economic hurdles. E85 requires specially built “flexible-fuel vehicles” (FFVs), not currently available to the general public. At the present time, only some fleet vehicles, such as buses and taxis, use E85. The EIA estimates that even by 2030, there will be no more than 10 percent of FFV vehicles roaming the streets.

“Expanded E85 use would require overcoming major technological and economic barriers,” says Banaszak. Even with those breakthroughs, significant problems remain for both ethanol and biodiesel. Gathering feedstock, processing it, dealing with waste products, and delivering the biofuels to markets at a cost comparable to gasoline has yet to be demonstrated on a commercial scale.

Increasing biofuels usage would also require policymakers to address secondary impacts on, among other things, food supplies and the environment. “Diverting large amounts of U.S. corn for ethanol could mean less for food and animal feed, and in turn cause prices to escalate,” says Banaszak.

State laws push local governments to create “boutique fuels” that could be used to reduce that state’s gas consumption by a small but steady percentage. In fact, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT05) mandates that by 2012, at least 7.5 billion gallons of biofuels per year will be used. In 2006, the industry exceeded a 4 billion-gallon requirement, using 5.4 billion gallons. Considering also the number of biofuels plants under construction or planned, EPACT has succeeded in spurring investment and market development of biofuels.

Alternative Fuels Currently Available
Biodiesel: vegetable oils

recycled restaurant grease
safe, biodegradable
requires engine modifications

Electricity: EV batteries
limited storage capacity
must be recharged often

Ethanol: corn and wheat fermentation
must be blended with gasoline
higher concentrations require special vehicle modifications that are too expensive

Hydrogen: Artificially produced hydrogen (H2)
still under development
will likely only work with commercial vehicles over the next few decades

Methanol: wood alcohol
added to gasoline to create cleaner burning fuel
contaminates groundwater

Natural Gas
domestically produced natural gas
cleanest-burning alternative fuel available
not many car models available that run on natural gas only

Propane
Propane or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)
a byproduct of natural-gas processing
used mostly in fleet vehicles (taxis, buses, police cars)

By Jon Kenton

“I recently experienced a real computer catastrophe. I am not sure what exactly caused it—possibly a thunderstorm—but my PC crashed in a really bad way. I got a new system, which is great, but I ended up losing most of my files, as they could not be recovered from the old disk. How do I stop this from happening again?”

I heard this sorry tale from a friend of mine a few weeks ago. I answered, “What about your backups?” “What backups?” he responded, with a nasty glare.

Does that story resonate within you? The most important thing about backing up is that you must actually do it. Whatever scheme you end up choosing, make sure you create a schedule and stick to it. Write it in your calendar, put sticky notes on your monitor—whatever works—but do make those backups. There are numerous options to consider—the amount of data, cost, convenience, complexity, and portability. There is also the issue of software, such as various backup packages. In this article, I am going to focus on where to store it safely. I prefer to use a KISS (Keep It Seriously Simple) approach: create a copy of your valuable data files, documents, and media somewhere other than your primary storage, so that whatever could damage the primary storage won’t do the same to the backup.

If you don’t have that much data, and need portability, then using CDs, DVDs, or flash drives would work. CDs have a max capacity of 800MB, and regular DVDs are just less than 5GB. If your drive has the capability to do double layered and double sided, the DVD capacity can be as much as 17GB. Blank CDs and DVDs are relatively cheap, and you can match the capacities to your needs. For the best portability, flash drives work well and are available with capacities as high as 8GB. The size and portability benefits come at a higher price and don’t necessarily meet the requirements for longer-term storage.

The fastest, largest-capacity, and best dollar-per-MB option would be using another hard drive. There are multiple ways to utilize a secondary hard disk for backup storage. All allow you simply to copy the files or directories you want to back up or archive to the second drive, and are all instantly accessible. Here are some of the options, pros, and cons:

1.    Add another internal drive to your system. Speedy and simple, but can’t be removed. If your system does crash, there is a chance that both disks will be damaged.

2.    Use an external drive. This option is a hard drive in a small external, independently powered unit that connects via USB. There is no need to take the skins off your system; the unit is simply “plug and play.” You can either leave it permanently connected (may have pitfalls similar to option one) or just attach it when you want to backup or restore files. It also has the benefit of being able to be stored away safely, and can be connected to any other system if required.

3.    Network attached drives are rather more complex, but do afford flexibility for multiple computers on a home network. With such setups, you can share your storage across your workgroup (not too difficult to configure). You may then back up system A on system B, and vice versa. There are products available that let you add storage as an independent unit on your wireless network. This option offers great flexibility but can be more complex to set up, and if your network has problems, you can’t access the storage.

4.    All of these options can be configured with removable hard drives. Drive units can be taken out and stored in a safe place. This option is more expensive, but you can isolate the physical unit and the data it contains. Caution: store the unit away from the main unit. If you remove the drive and leave it next to the system, and you have a fire in your home, the backup will also be lost.

If you are serious about your backup requirements, you can subscribe to a third-party service. Many businesses do this. This option is the most costly, requiring monthly subscription fees, but is typically the most secure. Data is archived offsite (anything that happens to your system or location won’t affect your data) and the companies offer backups of your backups. Search the Web for “online backups” and you will find numerous options.

No matter which of these options you may choose, it is most important to develop a process to follow regularly: identify the data you want to protect, create a series of folders on your backup media, name and date them appropriately, decide on the frequency of backup you need, and finally make sure you actually create the backup copies. Remember KISS: there is no backup process in the world that will protect your data unless you use it. The three golden rules for protecting data are make backups, make backups, and make backups !

By Greg Rubenstein

Until a couple of years ago, it had been easy to dismiss American-made sedans that combined luxury and performance. If you were in the market for a Mercedes-Benz, BMW, or Lexus, you likely never gave much thought to a Lincoln, Chrysler, Buick, or even Cadillac—and for good reason, since choices from the domestic manufacturers were largely underperforming front-wheel-drivers with interior quality a distinct notch down from the imports. Then in 2004, Cadillac made a blip on the radar with its hot rod CTS-V. A year later, Chrysler gave buyers seeking speed and comfort an even better reason to visit an American dealer: the knockout 300 sedan.

Though technically not made in the United States (it’s produced in Canada), the 300 is both roomy and stylish. In SRT-8 trim, its luxury is nearly elevated to par with imports costing twice as much, while offering blazing rear-wheel-drive performance that only the most expensive Mercedes-Benz AMG or BMW M models equal.

Since its introduction in 2005, we’ve tested a handful of 300s and enjoyed every one of them, though for different reasons. The V6-equipped base model offers plenty of style, decent performance, and good fuel economy, starting under $25,000. A big step up is the 300C, priced at $36,000. This model gets a 340-hp 5.7-liter Hemi with five-speed auto, 18-inch wheels, leather seats, and dual-zone climate control.

Then there’s our favorite 300C SRT8. With a base price of just over $40,000, Chrysler is stacking up this muscular, well-appointed, and agile sedan against some serious competition. After riding this Hemi from Scottsdale to Las Vegas and back, it’s obvious that this is a serious player in both performance and luxury.

If you’re scoffing at the idea of comparing a Chrysler against a Japanese or European luxury performance sedan, one look at the specs should be enough to at least get your attention. How about this: a 6.1-liter V8 cranking out 425-hp and 420 pound-feet of torque. Mated to a five-speed automatic and turning jumbo 20-inch forged aluminum-alloy wheels shod with superwide Goodyear tires, there is enough power to reach 60 mph in less than five seconds and turn the quarter-mile in a bit over 13 seconds.

For stopping, there are massive slotted brake rotors with snazzy gray-painted four-piston Brembo calipers. This 300 offers up an SRT-tuned suspension that does a great job at delivering a smooth ride while still offering plenty of control.

The 300C SRT8 rides a half-inch lower than the standard 300C. Whether carving up the freeway or zipping about town, this 4,160-pound sedan carries its weight well. It’s not exactly sprightly, and road feel through the power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering isn’t clairvoyantly informative, but both dynamic handling and responsiveness are appropriate for a big sedan with sporting aspirations. It all just works together nicely and feels good, without any untoward drama.

The 300C SRT8 starts out at $40,420. On our test model, Inferno Red Crystal Pearl Coat paint added $255, a power sunroof tacked on an extra $950, and a navigation system with 6-CD/MP3 stereo and hands-free communication bumped it up another $1,770. Uncle Sam sticks this Hemi with a $2,100 gas-guzzler tax, bringing the total to $46,140, including $675 for delivery—all told, a hearty fare, but not out of line for the goods delivered.

Guzzler tax aside, we obtained a respectable 18.5 mpg in heavy-footed mixed-use driving. Virtually every SUV we’ve tested returned worse overall fuel mileage, but trucks are exempt from the tariff. Go figure.

In a crowded field of sedans offering luxury and performance that cost upward of $40,000, the 300C SRT8 stands out for its bold styling, and its performance is a real hoot. This is a sweet feel of a deal.