Business, economic development - the unofficial Chamber of Commerce

The funny thing about presenting and public speaking is that the majority of people will tell you they don’t enjoy it and/or aren’t very good at it. And yet regardless of who they are and what they do, most of the speaking they do on a day-to-day basis IS public speaking.

You see, mostly when we talk to ourselves we keep it as an internal dialogue that nobody else can hear. But whenever we open our mouths and actually make a noise in front of another person we’re speaking in public - hence “public speaking”. So why do so many people find it so scary?

I think it’s the eyes. All those sets of eyes fixed on you….. BORING into you. It’s unsettling. So would it be any easier if your audience was ignoring you and all looking the other way? What if they all dozed off so it WAS as if you were talking to yourself? (Have you ever been a Rotary after-dinner speaker?)

Whatever the reason, the fact is that before getting up to speak, even the most seasoned professional will have some butterflies, whether they choose to call the feeling nervousness or excitement doesn’t really matter. Rest assured, we all experience it to some degree.

If I had one tip to pass on, if I was asked to tell you the most important lesson I’ve learnt over the years I’ve been presenting, it would have to be to stress the absolute necessity of being totally prepared.

Now this may sound obvious and I’m sure you’ve heard this before, possibly many times, and like a lot of important messages it tends to become diluted the more we hear it “Oh yes, I knew that, now what else?”.

And yet, knowing this, some people will be outside in the car park seconds before they have to deliver their sales pitch scribbling it out on the back of a business card. I know, I’ve been there.

When I talk about being prepared, I mean you should know your talk off by heart. You should be able to give it verbatim, standing on your head, without even having to think about what comes next.

Now some of you may be thinking “Yes, but I don’t work like that. I like to keep the spontaneity” or “Yes, but I want to tailor my talk to the occasion” or “Yes, but that would be boring because I’d just be on auto pilot.”

But actually, that’s not what happens. In effect, the opposite is true. When you know your talk by rote, it gives you the freedom to change it around, to add, to subtract without losing your direction. It’s like driving from A to B. If your route is set from the outset and you know it well, you can safely veer off and browse in a few antique shops and have a pub lunch in a picturesque village off the beaten track and still get back to where you were to complete your journey. But, if you’d just set off in the general direction with no main route to which to return, you’d soon get lost if you were to be diverted and you’d have difficulty picking up that thread again.

You see, there are so many things out there that can throw the speaker, and lots of unexpected things can occur when you’re dealing with the public. No matter how good you are, you will become distracted, so knowing your material to the nth degree is absolutely crucial.

If something happens that needs your attention, you’ll have to stop and deal with it, but you can return to your talk with barely a glitch and appear calm, collected and hence the ultimate professional.

You see we all get nervous. We all stick our feet in our mouths sometimes. We don’t ever operate in a hermetically sealed environment, especially when exposed to other humans. But prepare, prepare and over-prepare and not only will you enjoy the confidence of knowing that nothing can phase you because you know your material, but if you’re forced off your chosen route for any reason you can return smoothly and appear to be the consummate professional speaker.

And after all, if you can’t - or won’t - speak about your business, who will?

Maria Davies is the UK’s top professional speaker and presentations coach for women. Find out more at http://www.laddersofsuccess.com

In our training workshops we often get questions about how to get “referred leads” so sales professional don’t have to prospect anymore. It seems as if we will go to any length to avoid having to make cold calls.

In the 28 years that I have been training sales professionals, I have seen very few who actually know how to actively pursue referred leads and even fewer who actually do.

Now when we talk about getting referred leads when making cold calls, most sales people will think I am crazy.

We I was cold calling in Houston with a salesman not long ago we got at least one referred lead from every cold call we made. Even I was amazed.

The way I do cold calls, they are simply brief calls made to meet the prospect, introduce myself and my company, get an appointment to comeback, and then get out. We are finding that many times the prospect will give you time right then. The idea behind the my prospecting system is that you should never simply drive past a good potential customer without stopping.

One of the things you find when you make cold calls on a regular basis is that you will have a lot of the prospects sit and talk with you. I am not sure why this is happening more now than before. It is either that people are getting more comfortable making the cold calls or the prospects are not being called enough and welcome the company. Either way, it is really fun to prospect in the field these days.

We were calling on people involved with quality assurance and I could see a plaque in everybody’s office indicating membership in the local chapter of their association.

One of the first prospects we called on suggested that we call on one of his friends from the association in another company. We did and got an appointment two days later which included a complete tour of their testing facilities.

Acting on that premise, everyone that we called on for that week we simply asked, “Is there anyone else that you know in this area that we might call on?” They would give us a name and I would ask if it was all right to use their name. Everyone said it was OK.

My assignment was to help the salesman develop his skill at prospecting, making cold calls. But it turned into a week of going from one cold call to referred lead, after referred lead.

This may not work in every industry, but when you call on people who have a strong tie to a common organization or association, give it a try. The secret is simple you just have to do it.

Who knows, maybe you too will get referred leads when prospecting.

Sell Well and Often!

Bill Truax

Bill@BlitzCall.com
800-253-1214

© Copyright 2006 WJ Truax

Bill Truax is a Sales Management and Field Operations Consultant living in Cleveland, Oh. He conducts Sales Team Assessments, trains Managers and Leaders, and Field Sales Professionals both in the field and in workshops. He has written 3 books on Prospecting and Making Cold Calls and conducts a variety of skill based seminars, workshops, and train the trainer programs. Visit his website at http://www.BlitzCall.com

Free Resources For Learning To Program In HTML by Dan J. Fry, c.
2003-2004, All rights reserved.

If you decide at some point in your life to start an online
business, you simply cannot function without a web site. But,
how do you go about building your site? Amazon, Barnes and
Noble, Staples, and Office Depot, to name a few, have many books
to assist you in web programming. These cost both money and time.

HTML, or Hypertext Markup Language, was first developed by in.
It is undoubtedly the top web programming language. Online
business owners typically find themselves in an awkward
position; Either pay someone to build your web site, or take
charge and spend the time to learn how to program. The latter
however, takes not only time but money, something that new
online business owners have little of.

Fortunately, due to the primary function of the internet, there
are many who provide free resources by way of their own
expertise to assist others.

So, o.k. Dan, what are they?

(1) HTML Goodies (http://www.htmlgoodies.com) This resource is
listed first for a reason. I think it is the best free resource
available. It teaches by example, which is the best way to
learn. All of the basics and then some are covered: tags,
tables, fonts, colors, alignment, links, dhtml, backgrounds,
images, forms

(2) Dave’s Site Interactive Tutorial (http://www.davesite.com)
Covers all of the basics plus web site publishing and copyright
concerns. Also covers the generation of list items quite
extensively. The nicest feature is the ability to test the
concepts covered within the site. There is no need to copy and
paste to another text editor. Covers a bit of web design as well.

(3) University of Texas (http://www.utexas.edu/learn/html/). A
lot of basics. However, this site goes beyond by covering some
Javascript and dynamic programming. Another nice feature is the
extensive writeup of details regarding different html versions.

(4) HTML Code Tutorial (http://www.htmlcodetutorial.com/). I
absolutely love this site. Authored by Miko O’Sullivan the
author of The Idocs Guide To HTML. Very easy to use with lots of
examples.

(5) WebMonkey
(http://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/teachingtool/) Part of the
terra lycos network of sites, I frequently check with WebMonkey
if stuck on some small part of web programming. I don’t find
them to be an extensive resource but good for quick solutions.

One of the most important things to pass along here is learn by
example. This is the only way to learn any form of programming.
You can read whatever you wish. But, until you try it and
understand the outcome, you will never really understand the
language enough to develop even the smallest html documents on
your own.

My site, e-kinetic.com, was designed and built entirely by me.
It took time, but did not cost me a dime. The biggest advantage
was the wealth of knowledge I gained by programming everything
myself. I of course made use of the very same resources listed
above. The best tip I can pass along is to be patient and
persevere. Make use of the expertise of others posted free on
the web. With a little hard work you too can build your entire
site from scratch.

Spyware Doctor is a multi-award winning spyware removal utility that is available for you both in free trial and paid version. It provides you with extensive spyware and adware protection. It effectively detects, removes and protects your PC from thousands of potential spyware and adware programs proliferating the online world today. Whenever you’re online antispyware is on alert ready to fight the spying tools.

Anti-Spyware Spyware is nasty as it collects information from you without your consent. Different programs offer different features and some are more powerful than others, but you should definitely be utilizing some type on your system. Data loggers, key loggers are just a few programs which harvest info from your computer. Winclear is the only program created specially to auto remove such spywares. 74. That is why every computer owner needs winclear.

Protect With Winclear :Statewatch News Online Privacy International Canadian
The average pedophile will victimize between 50-150 children before he comes to the attention of law enforcement. A large and growing number of predators have gravitated towards the internet, reasoning that browsing the personal profiles children themselves post on instant message services and anonymously lurking in chat rooms is less risky and more effective than hanging around playgrounds and schoolyards. The number of predators using the internet to groom children for future exploitation rises every month. Winclear is the only software which is capable of removing keylogger programs. I know for sure that you are aware of the words “identity theft and fraud” online phishing and scam. Winclear has been the industry leader in fighting keyloggers for the last 8 years.

Winclear:
There are a lot of ways to get into a computer system : adware malware viruses trojans worms rootkits backdoors open ports and backdoors are just some of the ways people get into your data. That is the reason why you need Winclear installed onto your computer. As soon as these details have been entered an error page appears; it tells the user that the transaction has been unsuccessful and offers instructions on how to pay for the ticket by postal money order. Protect your computer security by using Winclear! More about Winclear here: Computer Security.

Recently, I asked Jim Daniels why he had no information about Ad
Swapping at his new site. He said he did not have much
experience with it and asked if I would like to write an article
since I have had some very good results with it. So, here I am
sitting down to let you all know that Ad Swapping does work
well. I subscribe to just one ezine, Ezine-Swap, Ezine-Swap.com,
that carries nothing but ezines wanting to exchange ads. All
pertinent information for the ezine is listed: circulation,
target market, etc. This makes it easy to pick out a targeted
market like, for me, women. Some issues I send out 5 emails
requesting a swap and usually get a 98% “yes” response. This
last time I only sent out one request as I did not think the
other newsletters were appropriate for my product. This was a
positive response, too. I have just joined Binky’s Swap Club but
do not yet know how this one will work for me. I have signed up
to accept 4 ads and will have my ad published 4 times. I have to
send a Courtesy Copy to each person that I run an ad for which
is more time consuming that just adding them to my mailing list.
Another thing I must be careful of is to not carry to many ads
so that none of them are noticed. Although the tracking system I
use does not show me exactly which ezine I am getting hits from
I know I am getting responses based on the dates and when the
ezines are printed and the fact that “unknown” shows up as a
referral. Being a fledgling site that does not yet get a large
number of hits, I am pleased with the 10 or 20 hits/ezine I get
from doing this. I have spent money in the past on ezine
advertising and have not been as pleased. After all, this
advertising costs me nothing but my time (and that isn’t much)
and allows me to target my ads. What more could I ask for?
Another good aspect of swapping is the fact that I can test out
ads at no cost to me. If an ad does not work, I just change it
until I have one that does work. Then, I use the ad for larger,
paid advertising campaigns. As far as I can see, swapping has
worked as well for me as paid ezine advertising. Of course, to
reach the really large numbers, you will have to use paid ezine
advertising. I highly recommend this form of advertising to you.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me
at Ginny@bedaisyfresh.com.

As I dusted the ceiling of #202 with my long feather duster in preparation for painting, I kept hearing a soft whirring sound like a small electric drill a jeweler or dentist would use. It came on for a couple of seconds and then went off. It seemed to be coming from below.

Well, I thought, that made sense. The tenant below was some kind of inventor so he was probably working on a project.

But it wasn’t really coming from below. I followed the soft on again off again whirring sound out onto the apartment’s balcony. The whirring got louder then stopped. I heard rustling from above. As I approached the sound two gray pigeons suddenly burst out from under a space between the aluminum porch overhang and the main wood roof. They flew over to the peak of an adjoining building and watched me.

Wow, I thought, nesting pigeons, we’ve never had those before.

Later, a tenant told me, “You’ve got to kill them. They’ll keep coming back year after year. They’ll never go away.”

Another tenant said, “They’re like flying rats, and they carry mites. You gotta get rid of them.”

A prospective tenant visited the apartment. When she stepped out onto the porch the pigeons panicked and flew away scaring her.

“Those are dirty things,” she yelped, and never came back.

The pigeons had to go. They were building a nest, but hadn’t laid any eggs yet. As I pondered the problem one of them stood on the peak of the adjoining building’s roof, a long twig in his beak, impatiently waiting for me to get lost.

I have nothing against pigeons. I thought it was kind of cool they were building a nest up there, preparing to raise a family. I thought maybe I could find a tenant to move in that liked pigeons.

“Maybe some wild bird, a natural predator, will kill them,” said another tenant.

“The cats are trying to get them,” said another.

“The owner won’t like them,” said yet another.

“Get one of those fake owls at the hardware store,” said another.

I thought about all of these ideas as I began to tape off the living room.

I didn’t want to drive to the hardware store. I practically lived there already, and I wasn’t in the mood to spend another dime. Maybe I could screen off their entrance. I tried reaching up there, but it was too high, and if I stepped out on the railing the fall would kill me, and I didn’t have a ladder that would go up that high.

Then it hit me.

A natural predator, a fake owl.

I looked at my feather duster.

It was a big oversized one with a telescopic handle and big brown feathers. It looked like a headless turkey vulture.

I put two pieces of blue masking tape on it for eyes and then taped it to the railing.

The wind blew its feathers about like a big ugly bird monster. It appeared lifelike.

The two pigeons on the adjoining peak watched me mount it. They began talking about it. They paced nervously back and forth. I could sense their fear. They realized instinctively and almost instantly that this was no match for them, and that this was no place to build their nest, raise their family and revisit year after year.

They departed and I haven’t seen them since.

From ‘The Property Manager, a homeowners guide to cheap and easy repairs.’ by Jim Muckle

Jim Muckle is the author of The Property Manager, How To Find Jobs Teaching Overseas, Teaching In Saudi Arabia, Teaching in Japan, The Class Act Reading Game and The Stay At Home Dad. The contents of all of these booklets can be viewed at his web site at Booklets From Jim Muckle @ http://hometown.aol.com/jimmuckle/myhomepage/business.html

Uncle Sam and his band of merry-men, better known as Congress, have been pushing snake oil on the unsuspecting public in the form of retirement plans. But wait, isn’t a pension plan one of the perks we look to when shopping for an employer? Well, not all pension planning is created equal and in most cases, quite disastrous.

Distributions from all qualified plans must begin no later than April 1st of the calendar year following the year that the participant attains age 70 1/2, or the calendar year in which the employee retires. Special rules apply if the distribution is made to a 5 percent owner of the business. The purpose of minimum distribution rules for retirement plans is to force the owner or participant of the pension plan to withdraw money from the plans, thus triggering an income tax on these monies. On April 16, 2002, the Internal Revenue Service issued final regulations as to these distributions.

Generally, the idea pursuant to the regulations is to have the owner or participant of the pension plan begin taking the money out of the pension plan beginning at the later of when he finishes working or age 70.5. One purpose of this is to insure that these monies will be subject to income tax prior to the death of the owner.

Based on the current system the government has created with pension plans, the average retired couple will pay eight to twelve times more in taxes on their IRAs and 401(k)s during their retirement years than they saved during their contribution and accumulation years. Generally, it is understood that you put money into your pension plan and tax is deferred and this is a great thing. Unfortunately, you may well be in a higher tax bracket if your pension accumulation is done right.

In addition to a higher tax bracket upon reaching retirement, many people find themselves with a free and clear home; they no longer have mortgage interest deductions to offset income tax. Many Americans find they are now paying back everything they saved in taxes during their accumulation and contributions years within the first two years of distributions. Therefore, there is an insidious income tax awaiting most people and if they didn’t plan their estates, double taxation in the form of both income and estate tax.

Many postpone the transfer of their qualified funds until age 59 in order to avoid the 10% tax penalty. Sometimes by delaying the payment of taxes, retirees will find themselves in a higher tax bracket after age 59 because Congress could raise tax rates because of a political change. Inevitably, one must pay the piper now or later.

What is the answer? Simple, investment grade life insurance. This type of life insurance is not the same as the one you get countless letters about in the mail. This is life insurance that is focused on building up a triple compound because it is tax deferred. The difference between the deferral that life insurance experiences and pension plans is that when it comes time for payout, life insurance is received as a loan. This is a powerful concept because the proceeds will not be taxed; loans are not a form of taxable income. However, as a loan you will have interest on the payments. Most people mistakenly think they are going to pay interest on their own money with life insurance. While in theory that is true, the best insurance carriers provide for zero wash loans where the interest basically is forgiven or taken out of the death benefit when a person passes on. We are talking about real life insurance not the typical death insurance that most people have because you use it while you’re alive.

The best candidates for creating amazing wealth with investment grade life insurance are those in the age rages of thirty to fifty. Once committed and in the proper product it is foreseeable they will retire wealthy and without the annoying taxation that surrounds a pension plan. There are even strategies to start a contribution plan to your investment that only requires repositioning your current finances. To see a presentation on ways to finance your retirement go to www.abundantmoney.com.

If you are over fifty, I’m sorry we missed you. If you have children don’t let another day go by without them starting a plan because 79 million people are heading for the social security hand out in the next few years. Despite Social Security getting a 2.7 percent boost next year (2005), Medicare will eat up much of the increase and when the 79 million qualifying Americans sign-up - look out below.

James Burns, Esq.

Law Office of James Burns

18662 MacArthur Blvd., 2nd Floor

Irvine, CA. 92656

Jambur64@cox.net

(949) 440-3243

James Burns is an attorney with 2 law degrees one in tax and has trademarked financial concepts to assist individuals in creating wealth, protecting it and eventually transferring it to loved ones.

Diners have become more health-conscious the last few years, and
now want healthy choices whether eating at home or at their
favorite restaurants. Luckily, the restaurant industry has been
quick to accommodate the demand, so you’ll find you have many
options to “eat healthy” these days.

Whether you’re eating at home or dining out, the same rules for
watching your weight apply. You need to eat more vegetables,
fruit and whole grains. Choose smaller portions of lean meats,
fish and poultry. Eat a variety of foods, and fresh, raw foods
are better. Cut back on salt, sugar, saturated fats and alcohol.
Drink plenty of water, and include exercise every day as part of
your daily lifestyle choice.

So whether you’re having lunch with the gang, or enjoying a
romantic dinner for two, you can enjoy delicious-tasting foods
that are low-in calories and good for you, with just a little
forethought and planning.

Here are some easy tips to remember when ordering out that will
help you to lose weight even when eating at your favorite
restaurants:

1. If you know the menu from the restaurant you’re going to,
plan what you’re going to have ahead of time. This will help
save you from making a last minute decision that could result in
high-calorie choices.

2. Drink at least one full-glass of water or iced tea before
eating your meal. This helps your digestive process, and,
because you’ll feel full sooner, you will eat less.

3. Don’t be afraid to ask for the “senior citizen” special or
kid’s-sized portions. Most restaurants will accommodate you –
and often you’ll pay less as well!

4. Order first. That way you’re much less likely to be
influenced by the choices of your companions.

5. If you’re not sure how something is prepared, don’t be afraid
to ask. And if the dish is cooked in oil or butter, you can
always ask if they have a “fat free” option.

6. If everything on the menu is high in fat or calories, ask if
the chef could prepare a plate of fresh fruit and vegetables.
Many restaurants offer a vegetarian selection, so if you don’t
see it on the menu, ask.

7. When ordering meat or fish, ask that it be grilled or
broiled, and prepared without oil or butter. (When you eat it,
use lemon or herbs and spices to give it flavor rather than
heavy sauces).

8. Order an appetizer and a salad as your meal. Or a soup and
salad. For dessert, choose fresh fruit.

9. When choosing soup, remember that cream-based soups have many
more calories than broth-based ones.

10. If you’re having a full meal, split the appetizer and desert
with your companion.

11. If you decide to order pasta, tomato sauce has fewer
calories than cream-based sauces, just like soup.

12. Choose breadsticks over bread, or if you eat bread, don’t
add butter. Stay away from muffins and croissants, and choose
whole grain over white.

13. Choose steamed vegetables instead of baked potatoes or other
starches. Again, use lemon and herbs and spices rather than
butter to flavor them with.

14. Whenever possible, eat like the Europeans do, and have your
biggest meal at lunchtime. Not only will you save money, but
you’ll cut down on calories at the same time!

15. Take the time to enjoy your meal. Savor the flavors and
textures of your food, and enjoy the company you’re with. When
you eat slowly, you give your body’s internal clock the time it
needs to know when you’ve had enough. When you’re full, stop
eating. Ask your server to remove your plate so you’re not
tempted to keep eating while you wait for your companion to
finish.

16. Ask for salsa on your baked potatoes, rather than sour cream
and butter. Not only is salsa much lower in calories, but it
adds a “spicy” flavor to potatoes.

17. Order salad dressings and sauces “on the side.” This gives
you more control of how much to use. Another tip for salad
dressing — rather than pouring the salad dressing on your
salad, dip your fork into the dressing first, and then into the
salad. You’ll get the same amount of flavor, without all the
added calories!

18. Choose brown rice over white rice (or french fries), whole
grain breads and rolls over white. Not only are they lower in
calories, but they are better for you.

19. Stay away from “all you can eat” buffets and salad bars.
It’s too easy to lose track of the amount of food you’re eating,
even when it’s salads. If that’s your only choice, then stay
away from the pasta, marinated salads, cheeses and fruit salads
with whipped cream. Stick to soups, raw vegetables and fresh
fruits.

20. Have your soup first. It will help to fill you up, and most
soups have fewer calories.

21. If you’re craving something sweet, and don’t want fresh
fruit, choose sorbet. If you absolutely HAVE to have the
chocolate sauce, use the same trick as you did with the salad
dressing — dip your fork into it first, then your dessert.

22. Split your dessert with your companion. You’ll still feel
like you got to be indulgent, and you’ll only have to exercise
half as long to burn off the extra calories!

23. When ordering sandwiches, order them with mustard only,
rather than mayonnaise. Not only does mustard have almost no
calories, but you won’t miss the mayo!

24. If the portion you were served is large, only eat half of
it. Take the other half home. Not only will you get two meals
for the price of one, but you’ll cut the calories in half as
well!

25. Go for a walk after eating. Stroll along the beach, walk
through a park, visit a zoo. You’ll burn calories and get your
exercise at the same time!

Design is a vital component of my business.

It struck me the other day when I looked closely at how my business operates and appears in public. I find that nothing I do is left to happen randomly. I design, I plan and project, I piece together, stand back and look. I go back and change things around.

For example: I chose a colour for my office, it was yellow, because yellow stimulates thinking. When I need to design and develop ideas I go to another room, with a wide window overlooking a mountain, with a board to capture ideas, with music and different sources of light to create varied atmospheres to stimulate ideas creation. When I decide to have some thinking time, I will light a special tea tree flavoured incence.

Design not only covers my business card and my logo- or my website for that matter. It involves how I present myself, what I talk about, who my business partners are, what I get involved in and how I choose to contribute to my community.

For example: I choose my clothes very carefully, (”That’s what all women do,” - I can hear you think it.) That is not what I mean; I visualise the environment that I am going to; I connect with the people and then I go and select my clothes - with the main aim of feeling comfortable. Will I organise a lucky door prize? Will I organise several door prizes and what is the intended effect? Am I going to meet with someone outside the meeting room? Will I go in on my own? Will I wait till someone talks to me? - These are all questions that quickly go through my mind and based on what I want to achieve, I will make a decision.

I ask myself: Who do I choose to be? - Then I design and assess my business on an ongoing basis. All comes together in an impactful symphony - running a business by design.

Find more thoughts on entrepreneurship and business at http://www.rightnowcoaching.com

Astrid McCormick is a business and personal coach assisting entrepreneurs to find their individual way of becoming successful business operators. The rightNow coaching system is about seeing the greatness in people and pointing out their assets even when they are invisible to their owner. Personal wisdom, humor and surprise are her coaching tools ensuring successful outcomes for clients. More thoughts on the http://www.rightnowcoaching.com website.

Clint Eastwood should have thanked Italy’s film industry when accepting his second Best Director Oscar for this year’s critically acclaimed Million Dollar Baby, because without the advent of the Italian-born Spaghetti Western in the 1960s, Eastwood wouldn’t have a career.

Italians didn’t invent the Western, but they took an American staple and made it their own. By 1960, US film production companies had exhausted the good-guy-fighting-for-justice storyline, and film sales dwindled. Italian filmmakers capitalized on the lucrative American market by tweaking the conventional plot, adding a few crucial stylistic elements (including memorable musical scores) and selling them back to the Americans.

It was the golden age of Italian Cinema (1956-1971) and between the years 1963 and 1973, over 400 Italian-style Westerns (dubbed “Spaghetti Westerns” by American audiences) were made.

Italian Western director Sergio Leone got the tumbleweed rolling. He was the first to make a huge impact in the United States, with the quintessential Spaghetti Western The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, making a star out of a young, relatively unknown (but incredibly handsome) American TV actor named Clint Eastwood.

The graphic violence attributed to the series of films that Leone would complete may have had something to do with the Vietnam War, which took place during this phenomenon.

Leone’s first film, 1964’s breakthrough hit A Fistful of Dollars (Per un Pugno di Dollari) was based on Akira Kurosawa’s samurai epic Yojimbo. Leone was a postmodern mannerist, exaggerating artistic elements of a film to make a profound impact on the viewer, like close-up shots that would fill up the entire screen and exceedingly slow movements.

In contrast to the Spaghetti Western genre, American Westerns abided by an unwritten ethical code called the Hays Code, which prevented the shooter and the victim from being in the same frame together (so if the frame was focused on the victim, the shot would come from off-screen for example). But with an eye for arresting violence, Leone had a different view on censorship. The Roman director once said: “My representation of death is moral as well as intellectual.”

Take the psychedelic opening sequence for A Fistful of Dollars: It begins with a hazy white spot on a blood-red screen, accompanied by the sound of gunshots combined with Ennio Morricone’s unique music. Morricone became instantly famous for his one of a kind musical scores - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly theme is the most familiar of these.

Morricone’s hoof beats, whistling and use of the human voice as an instrument became the standard musical style of the Spaghetti Western. Simple but eerie, the nearly tangible presence of the music was extraordinary and absolutely original.
Leone made instant celebrities out of not just his music composer but Eastwood - who would star in his trilogy of Westerns: A Fistful of Dollars (1964), A Few Dollars More (1965) and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966).

In a scene in A Fistful of Dollars, one of the characters gets shot and a close-up of his face reveals thick, red blood gushing out of his mouth. By today’s standards it would have no impact on the average viewer, but 40 years ago it was monumental. From then on filmmakers began to allot a large part of their film budget to what was called a “blood budget”.

Critics attacked these films for their gratuitous violence, but audiences loved them. And Leone’s revamped Western formula was imitated for years to follow.

Then “The Other Sergio,” Sergio Corbucci, showed up in 1966 with Django. Critics had a field day with this film, and it was banned in several markets. Its nauseating brutality (I shut my eyes and covered my ears!) became part of the formula. The most brutal of the Spaghettis is one of the 30 unofficial Django sequels (yes, 30), aptly named Django Kill! (1967) Aside from being the most sadistic, with elements like torture, vampire bats, a crucifixion and an army of homosexual outlaws, it’s also by far the strangest.

Leone only made a total of five Spaghetti Westerns, releasing his final film in 1972 and retiring from his self-made genre when he noticed that audiences were mocking the film titles and contrived storylines.

Naturally, filmmakers began to spoof the films, and a plethora of Western comedies followed. But by the mid-’70s, the Spaghetti Western genre faded away.

I haven’t always been a fan of this genre, it just happened by fluke. These films defy description. The whole magic is in the rattling of the spurs and the cutaways to Eastwood’s squinting glare. Next time you’re at Blockbuster move away from the New Releases wall (they all suck, anyway) and pick up a copy of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. You’ll be hooked, and I ain’t just whistlin’ Dixie.

About the Author

Student writer, professional daydreamer. Go to www.pumpkin-face.com for a complete list of articles.