Politics and Business News

How Business Cards Have Changed

2008-12-07T00:28:00.002-08:00

What does your business card do for you? Well, it might be time to change it a little. Business cards have been around for centuries and came into use around the 15th Century. One of the initial purposes of a business card was to promote trade. It is one of the reasons a business card is often called a trade card.

I can still remember my first set of business cards. The business card was simple and contained all the information required to reach me.

Unfortunately, by the standards of today, the information was NOT complete. The card did not have a fax number or an email address on it and many new methods of communication for today. All that the card included was my name, title, company name, address and telephone number. However, this was enough and in many cases, the card would be stapled to a 3x5 index card or rolodex and be filed away by my contacts. Sometimes the card would make it to a special wallet where It would remain there until it was needed to locate my contact information.

My first business card was simple, because there were only a few ways to reach me. Today, there are more ways to reach me than I want to admit. We live and work in a digital web of on-line, social networking opportunities in addition to the traditional means of communication. This means, we should consider adding our on-line and social network information to our business cards.

What was on my First Business Card in 1980:

Contact name

Title

Company name

Address

City, State, Zip code

Telephone number

What should be considered for businesses cards today:

Contact name

Title

Company name

Address

City, State, Zip code

Telephone number

Fax Number

Email address

Website address

State Contract Lic.

Text Message ID

Blog address

LinkedIn URL address

Face book URL address

Twitter URL address

and other appropriate social networking addresses that are primary methods of contacting you.

With all this new information, it is no wonder that two sided cards are becoming common. Now, I am not saying that you should put all your contact information on your cards. Doing that might be going over board. What I am suggesting is that you need to have a place where all your contact information is listed or available for prospects and customers to find you. Fortunately, many of the social networking tools are based on your email address. One thought is to add the logos of the social networks you belong to. Additionally, One place where you should put all your contact information is on your contact page of your website and your blog.

How to Sell to Followers and Not Leaders For Better Results

2008-12-07T00:28:00.001-08:00

As much as I think of myself as a leader, I'm must admit that I'm really a follower like most people, including you.

Leaders are doomed to a 50% failure rate and are often thought of as being just a little crazy. A successful leader is really a calculated risk taker that is fortunate to survive and tell about it. Let's think about this for a minute. Most of the successful trail blazers like Louis and Clark were lucky to survive. Being a leader is very dangerous. The survival rate of a point person or leader is not all that good. Because I'm not much of a gambler, I take calculated risks that ensure I'm making the right decision. If I have to rely on luck to be a legend and be a leader, I'm sure that I will stick with being a follower. The difference is that I want to be an early adopter with limited risk. It is one of the reasons I read a lot about what is going on in the world.

The reality is that Louis and Clark tried to minimize their risk much as they could. They sought the help of Indians and guides who knew parts of their trail and information was critical. They surveyed the land up ahead of their trail as much as they could. They took the recommendations of anyone they could to forge a successful trail as they documented their path to the west coast.

As a hiker, I have hiked the Grand Canyon about seven times and I stick to the trail on every occasion. I know that if I venture off the trail, someone will probably find me dead. I also like to hike with other people for safety and it makes it more fun. I'm saying this to share the reason why prospects ask for referrals. Your customers and mine like to make calculated decisions and they will seek out the best route for their adventure.

If I'm going to invest in something, I do my research and will look up as much information as I can. Once I am satisfied that the route I'm traveling is right, I will invest in the product or service. This is one reason prospects want information. One of the great things about the Internet is that you can post as much information and your testimonials on it for the world to see. This helps you state your case as the right source for success and generates more sales.

Prospects are followers - Salespeople are Guides to Success

Whenever I start working with a prospect who is looking for an automated marketing solution, I know they are looking for the best and safest route they can find. This is also a reason you need to have a Return on Investment Calculator. This is also why sharing testimonials and providing a road map to success for them is very important. When this happens, all I have to do is wait because, if I'm doing my job, the prospects search will lead to a conclusion in my favor. This is true for you as much as it is for me.

Based on this post, do you think of yourself as an adventurer and leader or more as an early adopter and follower? More importantly, are you guiding your prospects to a conclusion that leads to them doing business with you? Are you using enough testimonials to help prospects along the trail they must take to reach a decision in your favor. Good Selling - Steve Martinez

A Simple Plan For Creating More Sales

2008-12-07T00:27:00.000-08:00

When working with sales teams and organizations, some of the biggest challenges are related to outdated sales systems and marketing strategies. Do you have an updated sales plan and strategy? If you do, count yourself lucky because, according to research, only 20% of companies have a sales plan. Not having a sales plan is a recipe for failure in business.

On the other side of sales is production. Many of the same companies I work with will invest heavily in new equipment and programs to increase and streamline production. The logic of this strategy is that improved production will deliver a profitable ROI. While this is true, investments in sales development automation should not be sacrificed.

To make matters worse when sales are down, the sales department is often the first place budgets will be cut and the last place for investments in a tough economy.

Lessons From a Successful Burger Joint

I was ordering a double, double animal style at the local IN-N-OUT. If you are not familiar with IN-N-OUT, it is one of the best hamburger creations born in California. Now, I like their hamburgers, however, what fascinates me is the way they build a meal in short order. It is like a factory for creating a burger to perfection. When you place your order, you can watch the crew manufacture your special concoction with fresh ingredients and the aroma is tantalizing. It is the system the company created over 60 years ago that has made In-N-OUT a California success story. With a limited crew, IN-N-OUT can produce more hamburgers because they have a system. It is the system and the culture that makes the difference.

If we take the IN-N-OUT success story and apply it to sales, every business should have a plan for building sales and follow a step-by-step process. If IN-N-OUT can have a plan and a process for burgers, you should have one for sales. Here are a few ideas to consider when building a simple plan for creating more sales.

* Develop a selling process and sales steps to build new accounts.
* Follow-up all quotes with a system that doesn't forget opportunities.
* Schedule a call back system for prospects in your sales pipeline.
* Build relationships with existing customers through sequenced call-backs.
* Use all methods of communication, letters, emails, phone calls and visits.
* Automate your sales program with a CRM system that makes life easier.

When sales are down, one of the best ways to increase sales is investing in sales automation strategies. When you maximize the human factor and streamline the selling process, you will see a dynamic return on your investment. The bottom line is, if you can build a burger and everyone can build a burger, you can create and develop a plan for sales. Just follow and repeat the steps you used and you have a system. Consider investing in sales automation systems and strategies that will streamline your sales like IN-N-OUT does with burgers. It is the system that will make the difference. Invest in the system.

How to Build a Business Without Leaving the Office

2008-12-07T00:25:00.000-08:00

Do you feel like you don't have time to connect with your clients to develop accounts? I hear this often. However, you have the perfect business building tools in your office. You just have to use the tools you have.

Today, I held an interview with a new client to learn more about them. The interview was performed over the telephone because we are three thousand miles apart. The goal of this interview is to learn as much as possible about my client. Whenever I do this, I have to bite my tongue and count in my head - one - two - three - four, before I allow myself to interrupt the conversation. The temptation to talk and share is very strong and I want to interject comments as they open up. If I listen, really focused listening, I will gain valuable insight about them and what their goals are.

TIPS FOR A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW

* Schedule a specific appointment time for the telephone interview.
* Be prepared with 30 open ended questions to start the conversation.
* Don't interrupt the client and count 4 seconds before talking.
* Pretend you are a reporter who wants to know every detail with clarity.

Because you conduct these interviews over the telephone and not in person, you must learn to listen to every word clients use to describe themselves and their goals. I recommend locking your office door and instruct your staff not to disturbed you and ask clients to do the same. I can be thousands of miles away and I will learn more about a client in an hour than if I sat across from them at lunch.

When you don't understand something, ask follow-up questions for clarity. The questions are just a guide for the conversation and it is ok if the conversation strays off subject. It is best to weigh the conversation so clients talk 80% of the time. At the end of the hour, you will know more about the client and they will have enjoyed a unique experience, you will have demonstrated sincere interest and empathy by simply listening.

Try it! Client telephone interviews build business and you will be surprised how much you can learn by listening. You will discover how powerful quality time with clients can be to develop relationships with out ever leaving your office.

5 Reasons to Support an Auto Industry Rescue

2008-12-06T07:07:00.001-08:00

The Politics

A lot of people are angry about the proposed $34 billion package to rescue the auto industry. Much of this anger is misplaced. It should be directed at the Wall Street banks that caused this crisis and have garnered literally trillions of dollars in guarantees, loans and investments without any commitments to change their business plans or executive compensation.

In contrast, the auto companies and their unions have detailed plans, including concessions on CEO compensation and wrenching concessions by the unions. Any bridge loan should also require the companies to move toward high efficiency cars and keep jobs in the U.S. An independent board should enforce those conditions.

Ultimately, whether or not we are angry, we are in a major recession and America cannot afford to let our auto industry fail.

The Argument

1. Letting auto companies go under would wreck the economy. The industry is in crisis: November auto sales figures released this week showed a 37 percent decline in sales—the lowest per capita vehicle sales in 50 years. [Advertising Age] The economy is in crisis: today (December 5), the Labor Department reported that America lost 533,000 jobs in November, the largest decline in 34 years. [Reuters] The non-partisan Center for Automotive Research estimates that if the Big Three automakers cut U.S. operations by 50 percent—which is conceivable if one or more go bankrupt—America could lose 2.5 million jobs in 2009. [Center for Automotive Research] Job losses would not be limited to employees of the Big Three. Suppliers, dealers, and retailers in factory towns would also be hard-hit. Increased unemployment would result in more home foreclosures, more bad debt, and more bank failures, further straining both financial markets and social services programs. We can’t allow that to happen.

2. It’s cheaper to support the auto industry now than to pay the costs of failure. Obviously, $34 billion is a lot of money. But if automakers cut operations by 50 percent, that would cut personal income by about $125 billion in 2009 and $275 over three years which would directly cost the government $50 billion in 2009 taxes lost and $108 billion lost over three years. [Center for Automotive Research] This does not count the inevitable expense of bailing out more banks and insurance companies, and propping up more mortgages gone bad as a result of auto industry layoffs—which could cost the government trillions of dollars. Other countries understand the economics and are moving to support their companies in trouble.

3. This is a unique opportunity to promote energy independence and address global warming. Almost 45 percent of American oil production and importation is used to fuel cars and trucks. [Department of Energy] Autos are the source of more than one-fifth of the nation’s carbon dioxide emissions. [Environmental Defense Fund] So we have to modernize cars in order to solve the problems of dependence on foreign oil and climate change. This project will cost a lot in any case. The auto rescue package is an opportunity to fast-track important changes that America clearly needs.

4. The big problem is health care costs. Conservatives argue that U.S. automakers aren’t competitive with foreign companies because American auto workers are unionized. But foreign manufacturers are also unionized. And foreign auto companies, even Japanese companies that are usually held up as models, are facing sharp declines in sales. The big difference between those companies and ours is that other industrialized nations have universal health care—so their companies don’t have to pay those enormous costs. [Center for American Progress] One essential long-term solution for the auto industry is to enact an American plan for quality, affordable health care for all.

5. Bankruptcy wouldn’t restructure the industry, it would destroy it. Conservatives want auto companies to go bankrupt in order to strip union members of their pensions and health benefits. They think those companies could keep operating through a Chapter 11 bankruptcy and emerge as strong, reorganized manufacturers. But consumers will be much less likely to buy a car from a company in bankruptcy because cars are expected to last for many years, and ultimately they require replacement parts. If there is a risk that the company won’t be around in three or five years, it may be unwise to choose that company’s cars over a competitor’s. Bankruptcy isn’t a workable solution. [Reuters]

Only 20 birthers show up to protest SCOTUS case on Obama BC

2008-12-05T22:52:00.000-08:00

Four days ago, Roger Bredow uploaded a video to YouTube beseeching like-minded people to come to Washington, D.C. and stand with him outside the Supreme Court. "[Barack] Obama was born a dual citizen," Bredow said, "British, and a citizen of the United States, at birth." This, said Bredow, meant that the president-elect could never take the oath of office. And on Friday, the Supreme Court would read Donofrio v. Wells, a suit brought by a New Jersey poker player against his state elections officer, which laid out the charges in the hopes of nullifying the election.

Today at 8 a.m., they came. "If I'm going to be honest with you," said Bredow, sporting a floppy American flag hat that he'd promised on YouTube he'd be wearing, "I thought I might be the only person here." He had flown in from Georgia. The other fifteen to twenty people who cycled in and out of the small protest had traveled shorter distances—southern Pennsylvania, northern Virginia—but they felt they had to do something.

obama%20birth%20certificate%20protest%202.JPGThe "dual born citizen" claim is the latest (and maybe strongest) attempt by Obama conspiracy theorists to argue that he can't be president, but most of the people I talked to had questioned Obama's citizenship long before this. "I first heard about it from Phil Berg's case," said Julie Menge of Williamsburg, Virginia, referring to a case that alleges, among other things, that a 2007 state of Hawaii reproduction of Obama's birth certification is forged, and that Obama's paternal Kenyan step-grandmother Sarah was in the room when he was born. One protestor claimed that a mysterious Muslim imam blessed Obama's birth in Kenya, and that this fact would eventually be revealed, somehow. (He cited African Press International, a bizarre web site that claims it has, but will not make public, a tape of Michelle Obama ranting about racist media coverage of her husband.)

At 9 a.m., a black minister who would only give his name as Brother Pittman led a prayer circle and a recitation of the pledge of allegiance. Pittman, who lives in Silver Spring, came as a "representative of the Rev. James David Manning," a Harlem preacher who became an Internet legend for a February sermon in which he called Obama a "long-legged mack daddy" who was "born trash." "I've been shunned by members of my own family," Pittman said. "I tell them, do the research! Go online and look up the facts! This is all about openness and why Barack Obama won't answer questions about who he is."

There's nothing new at all about small, strange protests outside the court, whether or not the justices are at work. While the Obama protestors were praying, a group of 16 young Christians walked up to the other side of the Court steps, strumming a guitar and lighting candles before holding a pro-life prayer vigil. Police and tourists looked on and a very small group of journalists grabbed the Obama protestors for interviews. "This story is writing itself," said a Mother Jones reporter as he filmed the prayer circle.

The Supreme Court will announce whether it will actually consider the Obama lawsuit as early as today and as late as Monday. If (as expected) the Court tosses the suit, Bredow will start challenging Obama's legitimacy based on "foreign money that went into his campaign." Other protestors said they'd start contacting members of the Electoral College. Steve Brindle, who drove down from Pennsylvania, said he'd called his senators yesterday.

"There aren't a lot of people out here today," said Brindle. "There are a lot of people talking about this back home. Really, everyone's asking questions."

8 Pitfalls of Managing Your Own Business and How to Overcome Them

2008-12-05T07:02:00.000-08:00

What an exciting venture - to start, run, and manage your own business!

Maybe you have a talent that you are offering as a service to clients such as massage, consulting, or financial planning. Or maybe your business is selling a product like clothing, wines, or information products. Whatever your plan involves--services or products--managing your own business takes certain skills beyond the specialized knowledge that makes you good at what you do.

If you don't learn the skills of running and managing your business, you may find yourself experiencing some of these common pitfalls. If you do experience them, acknowledge where you are, then take measures to overcome them.

Common Pitfalls of Managing Your Own Business:

1. Not having a business plan and a marketing plan.
A business plan is a roadmap for success and a marketing plan is a schematic for everyday marketing activities. Many entrepreneurs believe they can get away without a business plan if they're not seeking outside funding, but business plans are not just for investors. They guide you to where you want to go in your business. If you don't have a plan, find a business consultant or SCORE counselor to help you write one. You can work with a marketing consultant or SCORE counselor to develop quarterly marketing plans to track what marketing activities give you the greatest results.

2. Not doing financial projections and monthly reports.
Most business owners are only concerned with how much money is coming in. But that's only gross profit, and your business success is based on net profit-how much is left after expenses. A major pitfall of business owners is not doing financial projections. You need to chart out for one year what income you expect and your estimated expenses, both fixed and variable. Use an Excel spreadsheet or have your accountant do it in QuickBooks. When they run your monthly profit and loss statement, make sure they explain what the numbers mean. You must know your bottom line each month to manage your business successfully.

3. Not having enough capital or reserves.
Some businesses need an infusion of capital when they start out. You may need to borrow funds for renting your location, purchasing inventory, or outfitting your office. If you were unable to borrow, you might have gotten personal loans or you started on a shoestring. With little capital, you probably don't have much in reserve. Business advisors suggest having at least six month's to a year's worth of expenses in the bank. This pitfall causes the demise of many businesses. Build up your reserves whenever you have any surplus.

4. Not being knowledgeable in your field or about business.
Do you have formal training in your industry? Have you studied how to run a business? Not having enough knowledge, skill, or training in your specialty or in business is a major pitfall. How will you compete against more skilled practitioners? How will you know the best quality products to buy and the best prices? You can open a business and then get more training and education as you go along, because ongoing training will keep your skills sharp and current. And you'll want to get educated in all the nuances of managing a business from financials, to customer service, to employee relations, and more.

5. Not checking the competition or staying current with industry trends.
You can't ignore the competition or pretend you don't have any. It's not spying, but you must know who your competition is and what they are up to. Can you provide better, faster, or a different service? Can you offer deeper discounts, better quality, or follow-up support? Find out what your competition is doing and offer something more. Read industry journals and stay current with what is going on in your industry. You have to be the best to stay on top, and it only takes a little time each week to do your homework.

6. Not tracking, measuring, following up, or following through.
How can you know how successful you are if you don't track your results? Did this marketing campaign attract more visitors to my website? If not, what can I do to improve my results? Learn how to track and measure your business and marketing activities. Also, make sure you follow up and follow through. If you send out postcards and offer a free 30-minute consultation, make sure you provide it to those who respond. If you advertise an open house for client appreciation day, follow through and hold the event. Clients and prospects will lose faith in you if you don't keep your word.

7. Poor customer service.
Have you heard the expression, the customer is always right? I have some coaching clients who run retail operations and they say that they train their staff to give 110% when it comes to customer service. Satisfied customers provide additional revenue in the form of return business and referrals. However, dissatisfied customers can do a lot of damage by spreading the word about your poor service. See the long-term value of happy customers and do everything in your power to make this a top priority. Without customers, you have no revenue!

8. Burnout from overworking and doing everything yourself.
Enthusiastic entrepreneurs wear a big "S" on their chests thinking they are Super Business Owner! I can do everything myself. If I want it done right, I have to do it. That works fine until you find yourself getting about five hours of sleep a night and making errors during the work day. Start looking at what you can delegate and find top quality, affordable contractors or employees to take some of the load off. After all, all work and no play makes for a very unhappy business owner. If you're so stressed out, how can you enjoy the fruits of your labor?

Do You Know What the Most Important Part of Your Craft Business Is?

2008-12-05T06:57:00.001-08:00

Some of my clients have a tendency to spend so much time on their actual creative product that selling or marketing it is only an after thought. It's sort of, "OMG you mean they won't just show up on my doorstep now that I have this great product?" The answer is a resounding, NO! It's up to you to entice potential buyers to look at what you have. Because sales are made on an emotional level it is your job to do everything you can to tap into that emotional feeling.

You are now in business to make a profit. This is no longer a hobby, which in my book means "not for profit - just for fun". Most creative artists, designers and crafters begin their business because they love to create. They love the design process. When making the leap from hobby to business there is a learning curve. You are now selling your products which means you need to have customers look at the product, fall in love with the product and ultimately spend their dollars on the product. And come back again to see what you have next!

Marketing gets potential buyers to look at your company and your product line. With so much out in the marketplace for them to chose from, you need to let them know why they should chose your design, your product, your label. So putting together even a simple marketing plan is critical for any creative product whether it is a line of clothing, jewelry, toys, table top, art or any crafted item.

A Simple Start-Up List: Marketing 101

Who's Your Target Market?: Once you determine this, gear everything towards this customer. A tip I give my clients is to have them give her/him a name, age, income level, number of children, marital status, location, etc. You get the idea. This way your target is always clearly in your mind. Don't make the mistake of deciding what your customer wants. Know what your target customer wants first.

Business Card: Your business card at the very least should include the name of your company, your name, email address, website and what your product is. I've gone to craft fairs and trade shows only to come home with a hundred business cards and am amazed at how many do not even include information about what the product is. Use the backside of the business card to add a tag line or an invitation to receive your ezine or newsletter. Business cards are an inexpensive advertisement. Design them well - and know you can always change them.

Online Presence: It's important you have an on-line presence. Whether it is a full blown website with a catalog of your products, a simple website or blog, being on the internet is no longer optional. This is where you are going to have photos of you work, possibly a full catalog, information about your company, your compelling story, point of view and a shopping cart if you are selling retail or wholesale. Your customers will find you here. Having an Etsy or eBay account is good but does not take the place of having your own identity.

Hang tags, romance cards, labels and packaging: All of these tell a story about your company and the product. For example ,if you create jewelry, make sure it is presented in a lovely box or bag and has a "romance card" enclosed with information about your company & how to find you again. Garments, accessories or sewn products should all be shipped or sold with a creative hang tag. And don't forget packaging for any item - it all makes your product presentation stand out - and gives you an identity and helps to brand your company.

Keep in touch with your customers: Use postcards, blogs, ezine (online newsletter): You'll want to keep in touch with your customers whether they are wholesale or retail. Let them know when you are having a sale; when you are discontinuing a design; when your new line is coming out; poll them on what they want - remind them that you are still in business.

Tell your story and get free publicity with press releases: Your local newspapers are always looking for stories. You'd be surprised at how easily you can get them to write an article about you or your company. Gear your release to what is current in the news for the best results. Also give your local newspaper a call to follow through. You can now send out press releases online.

If you look at marketing as an extension of your creative & artistic mind and it will be easy to do. If you don't know how to do the technical part, hire someone to help you. With virtual assistants and easy to find technical help on sites such as elance - it's a great way to get your project done quickly.Whatever you do, take the extra time on marketing, it will pay off for you on the road from hobby to profitable business - and who knows, you might just enjoy it!

Fast and Easy Ways to Make Money - Starting a Delivery Service

2008-12-05T06:56:00.001-08:00

There are so many ideas out there for fast and easy ways to make money. I'm sure there are many ideas that have worked for many people. However, my experience has taught me that the best ideas are ones that I can work around my schedule. It's great to get some extra money in, but if it comes at the expensive of taking away from my regular job, it doesn't help much.

One option that can get the money coming in very quickly is starting a delivery service. You can make this more specific if you'd like, like a laundry delivery service. Or, you can offer general delivery services for anything people need. Whether you're picking up dinner for a family or delivering a new bed, there is virtually no end to the types of things you can deliver.

It's a great option because depending on what you're delivering, it's likely you can work it around your schedule. For example, if you're doing furniture delivery, you can set up the appointments on weekends or evenings that you're free. All you need to do is place a few ads. You can even take advantage of free boards like CraigsList.org, which allow you to advertise your services for no charge, in most areas.

If you're just looking for fast and easy ways to make money in the short term, you can decide to only take advantage of this opportunity for a few weeks. However, it's also a great long term option to help pay for that vacation or to save up some money for holiday gifts.

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Best Ways to Invest $20,000 - 3 Businesses You Can Start Tomorrow

2008-12-05T06:54:00.001-08:00

Some of the best ways to invest $20,000 focus on starting up a business. But what kind of business works best for you? It's a good idea to start with someone you're familiar with, to cut down on the research and education portion of getting your business started. Depending on your background, 1 of the 3 following businesses might work for you.

1 ) Alternative medicine. There's been a huge rush in the interest in homeopathic medicine in the last few years. People are becoming more and more interested in decreasing the amount of chemicals they put in their body. Opening a store that focuses on selling natural remedies and books on alternative health options can be a huge money maker, and a lot of fun to run.

2 ) A re-sale shop. Re-selling gently used merchandise is a great way to make a ton of cash. If you can offer pick up services, people will give you their old odds and ends for free. You really can't beat no cost inventory! You'll probably want to employ an expert or two who can separate the truly valuable items from the bargain items and even perform repairs to increase your inventory's value.

3 ) A restaurant. Believe it or not, you can start a restaurant on a $20,000 budget. The key is to keeping the menu simple. If you can make one or two things very well, only sell those. You'll create a niche market for your tasty vitals and cut down on the cost of buying cooking tools and ingredients.

These are only 3 options of the best way to invest $20,000 in a new business venture. Put your thinking cap on and come up with your own bright idea to be on your way to financial freedom.

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Consolidate Debt - Financial Relief

2008-12-05T06:52:00.000-08:00

Credit card debt consolidation is a major step toward financial relief and improved credit reports and ratings. "Consolidate Debt, Financial Relief" is a familiar phrase used in many advertisements offering the services of financial debt consolidation companies, advisers and consultants. By obtaining a credit card with a low interest rate with the option to transfer your other outstanding credit card balances to it will both lower interest due on your total outstanding charge card debt each month, and combine all your credit card bill payments into a single statement. To further simplify bill-paying, you can take care of your total monthly charge card debt with a single check, online payment, or prearranged automatic debit from your bank account.

In addition, there are more advantages which come with credit card offers which encourage you to transfer outstanding balances accumulated on other charge cards to the new card. For instance, such new cards usually come with a fairly high charge allowance, to accommodate the old balances being transferred while letting you make charges to the new card. With an increase in credit allowance from your previous charge cards, you will gain a higher credit rating and score as long as you pay the full amount of each monthly bill promptly-or, at least by the due date. After acquiring and using this new card with its larger credit allowance, you will most likely begin to receive offers for cards with similar (larger) credit allowances from other credit card companies. For instance, if your previous charge cards provided you with charging privileges up to US $1,500 or $2,500, and your new card allows you to charge up to US $5,000 or even $10,000, you will now be offered Gold or Platinum level credit cards on a regular basis. With these higher status charge cards, you will receive offers for many bonuses-for example, travel and dining perks or advantages, which were not offered by your previous credit card companies.

Most people find that although they now have access to a larger line of credit, the transferring of delinquent or long-running balances from previous cards has made them more aware of the benefits of managing debt to their future financial relief and advantage. This process somehow often makes charge card users more responsible, and even thrifty, now that they have been provided with more credit and higher status-but with the ongoing obligation to pay off their cumulative debts in a timely manner in order to remain in good standing as a Gold or Platinum credit card user. In this situation, many people find themselves eagerly making larger payments each month to insure that they continue to maintain a good credit report and rating. To be sure, consolidating debt does bring financial relief, as well as the desire to become and remain a responsible credit card carrier of high status and in good standing.

Large Hadron Collider gears up for July restart

2008-12-05T00:54:00.000-08:00

THE Large Hadron Collider will be back up and running by the third quarter of 2009 - probably.

According to an internal report sent to the physicists working on the giant particle-smasher at the CERN laboratory near Geneva in Switzerland, the LHC should be ready to collide proton beams at the end of July next year.

CERN's ruling council is expected to make this date official when it meets on 12 December. Yet behind the scenes, discussion about how best to go about the repairs is continuing, and one option would keep the collider out of action for all of 2009.

The accident that forced the LHC to shut down in September, less than 10 days after it started operation, highlighted weaknesses in the collider's design. The problem arose when an electrical fault punched a hole in the enclosure containing cryogenic liquid helium, causing it to vaporise. Because the gas could not escape fast enough, this led to an explosive burst of pressure that damaged neighbouring sections of the machine. Engineers plan to address this problem by improving the pressure relief system, which includes increasing the number of valves.

The decision now is whether to install this upgrade all round the LHC's 27-kilometre ring, or in stages. To upgrade the whole ring it would all have to be warmed up, effectively ruling out any chance of running the machine next year. Alternatively, the pressure relief system could be upgraded in the three sectors that are already warm, leaving any further improvements to the scheduled shutdown a year from now.

LHC project leader Lyn Evans told New Scientist that the quicker option is the only one on the table. This is borne out by Rolf Heuer, who takes over as director general of CERN on 1 January. "The priority for 2009 is to get beams in the LHC and data for the experiments," he told New Scientist. "We will be doing this as soon as possible - but no sooner."

Yet last week a presentation by Jörg Wenninger, a member of the operations team, posted on a CERN website indicated that the issue is still under consideration. "The discussion is ongoing," says Wenninger. "The people who want to be really careful would say we have to do all the upgrades and there are others that say, with all the measurements we have now, we feel extremely confident that we are taking no risks next year."

Engineers and physicists are trying to simulate the accident and will report their results in February. So while the decision to run next year seems to have already been taken - officially, at least - there is still room for a change of mind. "I doubt it will change, but you never know," says Wenninger. "At the moment the consensus is that everybody is pushing for the beam next year. But since we don't have all the information, as a cautious scientist you should be a bit careful."

Clinton's Confirmation May Spark Constitutional Battle

2008-12-03T13:46:00.001-08:00

The biggest obstacle facing Hillary Clinton's Senate confirmation as President-elect Barack Obama's top diplomat may not be her husband's wheeling and dealing abroad for his foundation, as many suspected.

Instead, it could be the U.S. Constitution.

According to an emolument clause in the Constitution, no lawmaker can be appointed to any civil position that was created or received a wage increase during the lawmaker's time in office.

President Bush ordered Cabinet salaries raised to $191,300 from $186,600 by executive order early this year, while Clinton was senator.

"My understanding is that does prohibit her unless they can find some way around it and I gather that they have in the past," former Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger told FOX News.

"This isn't the first time this has come up," he said, referring to appointees of other presidents. "Maybe she has to renounce the salary increase but I'm sure they'll find a way around it."

The Obama transition team did not respond to a request for comment.

Some constitutional lawyers don't foresee the provision derailing Clinton's nomination.

"I don't believe it presents a serious issue because the legislative fix which has been done in the past is perfectly constitutional," said Adam Bonin, an attorney at the Philadelphia law firm of Cozen O'Connor.

The legislation that Bonin referred to is the "Saxbe fix" that allowed President Richard Nixon to name Ohio Sen. William Saxbe his Attorney General.

The attorney general's salary was raised during Saxbe's term in 1969 but Nixon convinced Congress to lower Saxbe's salary to what it was before 1969.

The most recent case involved Texas Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, who was nominated to be President-elect Bill Clinton's treasury secretary in 1993. To avoid conflict, Congress passed legislation lowering the salary of that position to its 1989 level.

Bonin believes Congress should pass similar legislation for Clinton.

"I think that's the safe move to make," he said, adding that he believes Clinton could be confirmed without a legislative fix because Congress didn't vote for Bush's pay raise.

Daniel Dreisdach, a professor of law at American University, said it would be difficult for anyone to use the provision to challenge Clinton's confirmation.

"In this respect, it's a bit analogous to this question of whether Barack Obama is a natural born citizen," he said, referring to a lawsuit, dismissed last month, seeking to obtain a copy of Obama's Hawaii birth certificate.

"Then it becomes who has legal standing to challenge his credentials as president or Hillary Clinton's assumption of the office," he said.

Dreisdach said as long as Democrats control the Senate, the Obama transition team won't worry about this provision in the Constitution.

"The Obama team is well aware of it and they have dismissed it," Dreisdach said. "I find it hard to believe that a Democratic majority will take a different view."

How to React to an Impending Layoff: 10 Key Survival Skills

2008-12-02T11:05:00.000-08:00

Step1
Get Your Coworkers' Contact Info. This is very important, because you'll want to keep in contact with your coworkers for job leads, networking, and for references for your next position. You may also want to meet with your coworkers over lunch to discuss new opportunities and companies that are hiring. At the least, it'll keep you sane as you vent about the job search and what a bummer it was to have been laid off. Misery loves company, right?

Step2
Sign Up for Linkedin.com. Linkedin.com is a great website for business networking. Have your coworkers sign up as well, add each other in Linkedin, and start expanding your network. Remember, it's all about who you know!

Step3
Join a Business Networking Group in Your Community. This is a great way to meet a diverse group of people and share job leads, career tips, and companies who are hiring. These groups often meet in churches, libraries, and other public venues.

Step4
Don't Become Too Casual. Don't come to work dressed in sneakers and sweats just because you'll be gone soon. Keep business casual in mind, and remain as professional as possible. You don't want to make a poor impression on your coworkers, who you may have to call upon as a reference for a new position.

Step5
Check Your Attitude. Layoff rumors aren't fun to endure. In my experience being laid off from a mid-size telecom firm during the tech bust of 2001, the company actually had two major layoffs before I was caught up in the third. It's not fun to see this happening and wonder if you're next on the list. Thus, the temptation is to become embittered and resentful. But at the same time, it is imperative that you try to keep a positive attitude as if nothing is going on around you. People like a little positivity and optimism, and they'll respect you for it. The result: you'll garner the respect of your coworkers and possibly gain more contacts and positive references.

Step6
Continue Your Work As Normal. Unless the company is completely going out of business forever, show your coworkers you care by continuing your work so they won't have to pick up the slack. They'll appreciate it and will be more likely to give you a really good reference for your future job opportunity.

Step7
Don't Gossip About Other Coworkers. Before a layoff, you may be tempted to gossip about coworkers you didn't particularly like thinking, "I won't see them again anyway." Avoid this temptation; gossip leads to hurt feelings and may make you look bad. And you don't want to look bad to people you may look to for help and support when you're jobless.

Step8
Get Your Resume In Order. Is your resume up to date? Perhaps you've become so comfortable in your job, you haven't looked at it for 10 years. Make sure your employment history is up to date and the style is eye-catching. Also make sure the resume is organized logically. Share your resume with your coworkers and get feedback.

Step9
Get Your Work Samples or Portfolio In Order. If your position requires work samples or a portfolio, go through your work files and begin printing out samples of your best work. If you have a USB thumb drive, copy these files and take them home with you. You can also e-mail them to your private e-mail account as attachments.

Step10
Always Remain Professional. It's very important to maintain an air of professionalism despite an impending layoff. You don't want your contacts (who you will need for references and job leads) to think of you in a more negative way. Unprofessional behavior includes off-color jokes, overly casual clothing, and "locker-room" or gossipy talk.

Ways to Earn Extra Cash for Teens

2008-12-02T07:34:00.001-08:00

Are you a teen looking for ways to earn extra cash? Ten profitable ideas!

Teens often feel at a disadvantage in the job market, especially in the current economy. While you might eventually land a fast food server job, it’s going to cost you money to get there and back and the hours might not be ideal. There are plenty of ways to earn extra cash for an enterprising teen. Here are ten ideas for you to roll around in your mind. Many are in the self-employment market, which makes you the boss. If you choose the self employment route, be sure you are sufficiently disciplined and are dependable!

If you’re one of those kids who still has every possession accumulated since day one, you might consider going through your room and the garage to collect all the stuff you no longer use. You might be surprised at what these items will fetch at a yard sale. You can also sell on eBay. Take clothes you no longer use to a consignment shop. You bring them in and receive about 40-50% of what the shop gets on the sale.

Yard work, dog walking and babysitting are all time honored ways to earn extra cash. Canvas your neighborhood and see what sort of jobs are there. Appear at the door looking presentable and don’t chew gum!

If you’re an older teen with a reputation for being responsible, check out house sitting opportunities. Be prepared with references from teachers, past employers and other adult references. Three ought to do it. These jobs often don’t pay much, but you do have room and board. When you’re looking for ways to earn extra cash, this can be a gem. You can still do yard work, dog walking and such other small jobs.

If you like making crafts, the holiday season and a great number of crafts fairs are in the offing. Christmas wreaths, ornaments, jewelry and gift baskets are always popular and are easy and fun to make.

Another of the ways to earn extra cash not only pays, but gives you discounted prices at retail shops! Many shops hire extra people for the holidays. Apply first in shops where you have some knowledge and would love a discount on what they sell. Music stores, pet shops, or whatever is in your skill set.

Most teens are more web savvy than the average adult. Make your own website or blog. Get into the Google Adsense program and make some money! Here’s a tip that gives you even more ways to earn extra cash in your net enterprise. Visit w3schools.com and go through their free tutorials and become an expert. There are literally dozens of topics and tutorials.

If you live in a big city, a newspaper route can pay well. Your customers will usually tip you each month for good service.

Other ways to earn extra cash require that you apply well in advance. Summer camp counselor, lifeguard and National Park guide positions may begin advertising in winter, so keep your eyes peeled now.

If you’re a whiz at math, English or whatever, advertise as a tutor. You can schedule sessions which don’t interfere with school or work and make some pretty good extra cash. You can even develop this as a business.

You can see that the ways to earn extra cash are out there. Just pick one or two ideas that appeal to you and go for it!

Bill Clinton Could Replace Hillary In Senate

2008-12-02T07:10:00.000-08:00

If that happened, Clinton would become the third former president to go from the White House to Capitol Hill.

President John Quincy Adams lost his re-election bid in 1828. Two years later he returned to Washington after winning election as a congressman from his home state of Massachusetts. He served in the House of Representatives until his death in 1848.

President Andrew Johnson also served as a Senator from Tennessee in 1875, 7 years after the Senate acquitted him of impeachment charges. He died a few months after taking office.

Bill Clinton would bring gravitas to the job, and he obviously knows his way around Washington.

But some Democratic strategists who used to work for Bill Clinton don't think the former president would want to go from leader of the free world to being the junior senator from New York. Clinton's office deferred to Paterson's office when asked for a comment.

Free Reverse Cell Phone Number Search - How to Trace a Phone Number For Free

2008-12-02T03:30:00.000-08:00

Do you wish to find out more information about the owner of a cell phone number for free?
Here are 3 simple ways to running your own reverse cell phone number search:

1) Look up the number on your favorite search engine:

Surprisingly, many people willingly give this private information over to various sites like when they make online purchases, join user discussion groups or place online classified ads. Any major search engine like Google or Yahoo can help you trace a number. Make sure to try out all possible variations. For example, some people may have used this format [ 555-555-5555 ], others may have put it down as [ 555.555.5555 ]. Using quotation marks will also help you narrow down the results. So, simply go to the search engine of your choice and enter the number and see what comes up. Many people are lucky enough to find what they are looking for.

2) Visit popular networking sites:

Social networking websites such as MySpace and Facebook have millions of users, so hopefully you can use them to trace the number you are searching for.

3) Try classified websites:

UsFreeAds and Graigslist have a huge number of users who list their personal information. Don't forget to try newspapers with an online version. Maybe the caller has posted the cell phone number in a classified ad in their local newspaper.

These free methods may work, but unfortunately there is no guarantee. The single most effective way to discover the identity of the caller is to turn to a legitimate paid directory. There are many services online that can give you access to private information for a very small one - time fee.

These directories buy access to such details from various cell phone companies, so the must charge money to cover their costs.

The Most Effective Way to Create a Schedule in Microsoft Project

2008-12-02T03:29:00.000-08:00

Project training covers the mechanics of how to use the software for project management but often doesn't deal with the details of how to apply these techniques to the real world. Setting up a proper work schedule is one of the core concepts to proper project management. An unrealistic schedule dooms the project from the beginning.

Workers Should Make the Estimates
Many employers make the mistake of sending only project managers to Project training. In fact, all of your staff can benefit from at least a basic understanding of the software and project management principles.

The only person who knows how fast Joe can complete a task is Joe. If Joe's boss tries to estimate how long it takes, the estimate is likely to come out far too large or small. Let your workers set their own goals and you create more realistic schedule.

"But Joe will inflate his estimate," some managers reply. That's a personnel issue not a project management one. If you can't trust your employees to make realistic estimates, that falls outside the scope of using Project. Managers are often surprised that when they give their employees the chance to do the right thing, most of them do.

Don't Use Tight Schedules to Motivate
New managers like to use their Project training to implement short schedules with no room for error. They think this motivates their employees to work harder. If workers see they are behind, they redouble their efforts, right? Wrong.

Unrealistic schedules merely depress employees. Faced with insurmountable obstacles, your staff feels doomed and loses the incentive to work hard. You can't simply force people to work past their capacities, not for very long anyhow.

Even if employees fall for this trick, and it is just a trick rather than good management, you end up with burned out staff that make more mistakes and does less work in the long run. A reasonable schedule gives the workers achievable goals, and workers who are on or ahead of schedule feel happy and motivated.

Planning Means Changing
A 19th century Prussian general, once said, "No battle plan survives contact with the enemy". Neither will your project plan. An error common to managers fresh from Project training is to make a plan, carve it in granite, and assume all will proceed as expected. When complications come up, they badger their staff to keep the plan on track.

Your first project plan will be wrong. As the project unfolds, unanticipated crises and expenses turn your original estimates into so much nonsense. The only choice is to change the plan as new events arise. By doing so, although your completion date will change, it will become more accurate. You will also learn about proper planning.

Your second plan will also be wrong, but less so. The more experience you get, the better your project planning you will get. However none of them will survive unchanged.

Free Government Grant Money

2008-12-01T07:37:00.001-08:00

Getting Your Share Of Free Government Grant Money

With the ups and downs of the modern economy, sometimes we all find ourselves in need of a little economic help. Money is a necessity and, sometimes, it can be hard to find. Luckily, our government offers free government grant money for a wide variety of reasons.

This free government grant money is available to anyone living in the United States who is willing to do the research and meet the qualifications for the particular program they are applying to. Programs exist to help you pay your utility expenses, start a new business or even keep your car legal to drive to work. The programs that offer free government grant money are numerous.

While the money these programs offer is free, there is work involved to receive this free government grant money. The individual or group seeking to receive free government grant money must research the available programs and then apply to these programs through their requested method, usually in writing or via online application. The majority of available grants are for groups engaged in research or public service so being associated with one of these areas will make for a much easier experience.

After submitting an application for a grant or a grant proposal, there is usually a lengthy waiting period involved while the committee that handles the particular grant reviews your qualifications, the amount of your request and other factors that determine both your eligibility and need for the requested funding.

If it is determined that you are eligible and you are approved, the grant source will then disburse funding according to their regulations, usually via check. At this point, you can begin using the money for the cause you requested it for.

While many grant requests are approved every year, there are still many that do not get approval for a variety of reasons. If your request for free government grant money is denied, you can usually appeal the decision or start fresh with another grant funding source. If you were denied based upon your qualifications, try to find out what part of your organization disqulified you and consider restructuring to meet eligibility requirements. The majority of denied grant requests are caused by poorly written grant requests or improperly filled out applications so be certain that you fill out applications completely and consider hiring a professional grant proposal writer if you are asking for large grants.

Also remember that free government grant money can be a great resource if you know what you are looking for. Unfortunately, many grant programs receive very minimal advertisement so don't be afraid to ask about grant opportunities for your particular goal or need. The Government Printing Office is a great resource for those seeking information about a wide variety of government programs, including grant opportunities. The Government Printing Office has many of their publications available for order on their web site that can be found at www.gpo.gov which makes this a wonderful starting point for those seeking to claim their share of free government grant money.

By making use of the resources available, asking the right questions and restructuring to meet eligibility requirements, you and your organization can earn your share of free government grant money. Apply for a government grant online.

The Loch Ness Monster and an 850 credit score

2008-12-01T07:12:00.000-08:00

Most of us are familiar with the alleged creature purportedly inhabiting Loch Ness in Scotland. “Nessie” was brought to the world’s attention back in 1933 however the scientific community regards the Loch Ness Monster as a modern day myth. In fact you are just as likely to see Nessie as you are an 850 credit score. Credit scores haven’t been around quite as long as the Loch Ness Monster. Back in the 1950’s insurance companies, retailers, banks and other lending businesses used data base information from thousands of customers to create these scores.

Over the past 10 years my company has closed and funded over 4,000 home loans. That’s at least 4,000 credit reports and not one with an 850 credit score. Supposedly 1 in every 100 credit reports has a perfect score. We’ve simply never seen it. That could be due in part to the fact that we primarily deal with first time home buyers. From what I’ve gathered from Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian, if you want a perfect credit score you will more than likely need the following:

* No bankruptcies, collections, judgments, or foreclosures, EVER!!
* At least 1 mortgage loan with no late payments.
* 4 or more credit cards with balances of no more than 35% of the credit limit.
* Minimal Inquiries
* Twenty plus years of credit use with multiple accounts.

As you can see the quest for a perfect credit score may seem pretty far from reach. Keep in mind that our past 4,000 clients all got great home loans and did not have a perfect credit score. In fact, there isn’t much difference in a 750 score than an 850 score. You don’t get any brownie points on your home loan application for having a score above 750.

Keep doing what you do, pay your bills on time and don’t let your debt get out of control. Remember to check your credit report periodically for errors and dispute those errors immediately with all three bureaus. And for best results always get all three credit scores with your credit report.

http://www.creditscorecowboy.com/ is your source for free credit scores and a free credit report, credit monitoring, identity theft software and a blog with a wealth of information about credit. People around the world depend on us for expert advice on how to maintain a healthy credit score.

Knowing Basic Mortgage Vocabulary Terms Can Make a Difference in Your Mortgage Payments

2008-11-30T23:59:00.001-08:00

Anyone who is shopping for a new home should make a point of learning the basic terms vocabulary terms associated with mortgage loans and home financing. Going into a mortgage loan with the right knowledge will help you to make better decisions. You will be paying for this loan for many years to come so it is important that you get the best deal possible; having knowledge of mortgage terms will help you achieve this.

One of the most important terms you need to learn is principal. The principal is the actual amount that you borrow from the lender. You will be given the principle after you have made the down payment. A down payment is the amount that you are required to pay in order to receive the loan. The amount of the down payment will depend on the amount of the house you are purchasing and your credit history.

The next term that you need to understand is interest. Interest is the percentage that you will be charged in order to borrow the money from the lender. Along with the interest charged you will also be charged points. A point is a certain portion of the amount of money borrowed.

The principal and interest make most of your mortgage payments. This method of payment is called amortization. Amortization is the way that your loan is reduced over time. Your payments will go mainly towards your interest for the first few years, after that it will mainly pay down your principal. This is a slow and time consuming process unless you can afford to overpay on your monthly payment.

Another important term to know when applying for a mortgage loan is insurance. In order to close on your mortgage you will need to have homeowners insurance. Homeowners insurance will pay for damages associated with flood, fire, theft among other things. Always be sure to look over your policy carefully and ask questions about it.Without insurance you would be responsible for all damages that occurred in any circumstances. There is nothing worse than thinking that you are covered for something then having it turn out that you aren't after a tragedy strikes.

The next term that you need to understand is taxes. If you own a home you will need to pay property taxes to the state or government. These taxes are used to help pay for new roads, schools, and other projects in your district. Most people can't afford to pay for the taxes straight out of pocket so they have them included into their monthly payment. This way when tax time comes around at the end of the year you don't have to worry about giving the tax man that fat check.

If your down payment is less then twenty percent of your homes total value then you will often be charge additional premiums for your insurance. This is called PMI or private mortgage insurance. This is done in case you default on your loan, failing to make your mortgage payments. It is protection for the bank alone. I feel like it is a real bad deal for the home owner especially if things are kinda tight anyway. if there is any way that you can get the 20% down through an 80/20 loan or whatever do it. The PMI is just throwing you hard earned cash away.

It's Easy To Change Your Life!

2008-11-29T05:20:00.000-08:00

Life sometimes can be difficult. It takes courage and strength to move us forward. Whether it is a bad relationship, divorces
or retrenchments. Whatever it is, I hope all of you will continue to progress towards greater things. Here are some good positive quotes that I would like share that I hope will motivate all of us:

” To love means not to impose your own powers on your fellow man but offer him your help. And if he refuses it, to be proud that he can do it on his own strength.”

“Focus on where you want to go, not what you fear”

“Take risk, stretch your limit, or risk stuck with where you are now!”

“Being deeply loved by someone is strength, while loving someone deeply is courage!”
“Courage is the willingness to be afraid, but act anyway!”

CHANGE BEGINS WITH A CHOICE

Any day we wish, we can discipline ourselves to change it all. Any day we wish, we can open the book that will open our mind to new knowledge. Any day we wish, we can start a new activity. Any day we wish, we can start the process of life change.

We can do it immediately, or next week, or next month or next year. We can also do nothing. We can pretend rather than perform.

And if the idea of having to change ourselves makes us uncomfortable, we can remain as we are. We can choose rest over labor, entertainment over education, delusion over truth, and doubt over confidence. The choices are ours to make. But while we curse the effect, we continue to nourish the cause.

As Shakespeare uniquely observed, “The fault is not in the stars, but in ourselves.”

We created our circumstances by our past choices. We have both the ability and the responsibility to make better choices beginning today.

Those who are in search of the good life do not need more answers or more time to think things over to reach better conclusions. They need the truth. They need the whole truth. And they need nothing but the truth.

We cannot allow our errors in judgment, repeated every day, to lead us down the wrong path. We must keep coming back to those basics that make the biggest difference in how our life works out. And then we must make the very choices that will bring life, happiness and joy into our daily lives.

Zombie Bankers Feast On U.S. Economy

2008-11-29T00:44:00.000-08:00

No one knows who they are. No one knows how many there are. No one knows how much they are using the healthcare system. No one knows how much they are contributing to the economy and the tax base. Who is this mysterious cabal endangering America’s national security? While they might fit the description, it’s not undocumented workers living in the United States. It’s the zombie bankers feasting on Wall Street!

No one knows anything about these flesh eaters and their activities other than Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and a few survivalist reporters that have covered the orgy from ground zero. But every zombie hunter knew what these vermin would do with the $700 billion in free money Congress and President George W. Bush released to them. Since there were no strings attached to the citizens’ bones, the zombie bankers proceeded to spend it on dividends, salaries, mergers, and lots and lots of bonuses. The farthest thing from their decaying minds was to feed credit-starved businesses, working families, and college students.

Yet if real brain-hungry zombies had invaded America, forget about asking undocumented workers to give any wounded survivors a lift to safety. Illegals have no license to drive around here, remember? In Texas, if undocumented workers are living here legally, they must jump through more hoops before they renew their state-issued drivers’ licences or identification cards. As of Oct. 1, 2008, these workers must produce proof of legal residence — all in the name of national security! Moreover, legal immigrants who apply for temporary residency renewal six months before it expires are left hanging. No licence, no ID card, no nothing.

Okay, so where are Zombie Street’s hoops to dine? Where is Zombie Street’s timetable of repayment for accepting $2 trillion from the Federal Reserve in emergency loans? Where is Zombie Street’s proof it hasn’t already started a "Great Depression" by its own acceptance of tax breaks above and beyond the original feeding-frenzy bill? And why does the U.S. government helping the Big Three automakers — but not Zombie Street — get labled "protectionist"? Why are the Big Three the "cry babies," yet Zombie Street gets no tough love for its bitching? Why not treat the Big Three and Zombie Street the same? Restructure their business systems!

Naomi Klein, author of The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, is unfortunately wrong now. Wall Street is not a "multi-trillion-dollar crime scene" anymore. It’s a bloodbath. It’s Night of the Living Capitalists.

Congress must do what traditional zombie hunters do during a zombie invasion. Aim for their heads, which means in this case, figuratively speaking, of course, jail their leaders. Or if that’s too extreme, President Barack Obama come Jan. 20, 2009, could follow Sen. Bernie Sanders’ recommendation for the second course of the feeding-frenzy.

"We should use the second $350 billion tranche to create millions of good paying jobs rebuilding our crumbling bridges, roads, culverts, schools and water systems. We can also create millions of jobs by moving away from foreign oil and fossil fuels and into energy efficiency and sustainable energies," the Independent Vermont senator said.

— Nathan Diebenow

Sell My Mortgage Note Or Sell My Real Estate Note FAQs

2008-11-29T00:40:00.001-08:00

Many mortgage note or trust deed holders don't realize the options they have with their Mortgage Note or Deed of Trust. First of all, you can sell it for all cash. Secondly, you can sell part of the note or trust deed structuring the sale in a manner that accomplishes their specific goals. As I get a lot of questions about the process of selling a mortgage note or selling a trust deed, I have put together a list of Frequently Asked Questions that may help. Some answers may surprise you. (Please note that my answers are for our company and may not be true for some note buyers.) The FAQs and answers are as follows:

1. What are the advantages of selling an owner financed mortgage? - The two biggest advantages are a) Accessing the cash now for critical investments or expenses and b) Eliminating the hassles of managing the borrower's payments and reporting.

2. What are the criteria for how much I will receive for my private mortgage? There are 5 main factors. They are: Equity in the property, seasoning on the note, the interest rate on the note, the time left on the note and lastly the credit of the borrower.

3. Will an appraisal be necessary for me to sell my private note? Yes to determine the value of the security.

4. Will you need to check the buyer's credit? Yes, it is a very important factor in determining the lump sum payment for your private mortgage.

5. How long does it typically take to receive my lump sum payment for my owner financed mortgage note? Typically 1 to 2 weeks for our company. I can't speak for others.

6. Do I have to tell the buyer I'm selling the note? Yes. That's the law.

7. How can I be sure the mortgage note has a clause allowing me to sell it? Just look at the original note or we could look at it for you but every note I've seen allows for the sale of the note. It's standard in most mortgage agreements.

8. Can I sell my private mobile home mortgage? Yes, if it includes the land.

9. Can I sell a private mortgage on raw land? Yes, with or without improvements.

10. Can I sell a mortgage on a piece of commercial property? Yes.

11. What if I don't know the credit of the borrower that I gave an owner financed mortgage? You can ask for a quote based on your best estimate and adjust (up or down) the final payment after credit is pulled.

12. Can I sell a Land Contract? Yes

13. Can I sell a Deed of Trust? Yes.

14. I would like to sell my mortgage note payments for some extra cash but I am afraid of loosing all the monthly income? Not to worry. Some note buyers (including us) can make a partial purchase of your private note for just the amount you need.

15. Is there a minimum mortgage size for home note buyers to buy? Ours is $30,000.

16. Can I sell a condo mortgage note? Yes.

Finally, don't assume you can't get the cash you want from the sale of your mortgage note or trust deed. There are a number of ways to structure a note sale so as to accomplish your goals. Quotes are free from most legitimate note buyers.

Low Rate Secured Loan - Derive Complete Benefits

2008-11-29T00:39:00.000-08:00

Taking loan on your mind? Want funds at lower rates? Getting lower interest rate loan is a possibility now. Low rate secured loan provide right monetary assistance at affordable rates of interest.

Secured loans require a borrower to pledge their valuable asset as security. You easily can place anything like car, stocks, house, real estate and valuable documents as collateral. Higher the value of collateral higher will be amount offered.

One can use the amount for catering various needs such as:-
• Debt consolidation
• Home improvement
• Higher education
• Buying new car
• Wedding
• Business expansion
• Holidays

With a low rate secured loan you can avail a substantial sum of £ 5000 to £75,000 for a repayment term of 5 to 30 years. You can borrow an amount required suiting your conditions and repayment ability. Low rate secured loan carry lower rate of interest that is easily payable. Longer repayment term and affordable rates make low rate secured loan a better option to depend on for any borrower.

The following factors are considered before approving the loan amount:-
• Borrower's credit history
• Monthly income
• Value of asset
• Economic conditions
• Repaying ability

Secured loans are open for all types of borrowers. Those suffering from bad credit like CCJs, IVA, arrears, late payments, defaults, and bankruptcy can easily apply. This is because the presence of security reduces the degree of risk involved to some extent and enables even bad creditors to get finance.

You can apply for a secured loan offline and online. Online is fastest way of accessing funds. Just fill up a simple online form and get started immediately! With little online research you can check the credibility of lender and can easily find a deal with better terms and conditions.

A secured loan is an easy way grab monetary assistance at lower rate. The value of the placed asset can help you to get a low rate and substantial loan amount.

Five Myths About ADHD Treatment

2008-11-28T07:04:00.001-08:00

Parents faced with the problem of a child suffering from ADHD may take the easy ADHD treatment option, that is conventional medication, using drugs which are also known as psychostimulants, recommended by their doctor or pediatrician. Here are some myths to bear in mind when deciding which is the best way of treating ADHD before going down the 'drug path'.

First Myth. ADHD can be cured and you only have to take the medicine! This is entirely false as there is as yet, no permanent cure for treating ADHD. There are many ways of treating this condition but all or any of them will only help to keep the symptoms under control and interfere less dramatically with your child's development. The drugs can help to keep the child calmer and help him/her to focus better so that can learn like normal children. The alternative treatments can range from talking therapy (psychotherapy) to behaviour therapy and social skills training. Sometimes these are used in conjunction with taking conventional medication.

Second Myth. ADHD only affects children! Entirely false as many adults - about 1.5 million of them- suffer from ADHD and it severely compromises their productivity at work. It has been proved now that there seems to be a hereditary link and many ADHD children (maybe as much as a third) have parents who are suffering from this condition or certainly suffered from it in their childhood.

Third Myth. Side effects from conventional medication using psychostimulant drugs are very minor and have been wildly exaggerated! This again is completely false because while the drugs are an effective aid, there have been so many health warnings that the FDA has been compelled to recommend that children should be checked for heart problems. Other drugs like Adderall have been banned in Canada.

Fourth Myth. It is the fault of negligent parents and too much TV! Again this is just not true. Parents cannot be blamed but they CAN be involved in behaviour therapy whereby the child is rewarded for small gains, eg, being able to sit at the table for the whole meal. Also, parents can play a vital role in staying with the children by playing with them and making sure they do not become couch potatoes. They can take them into the open air for exercise. A University of Illinois study showed that being in a green area (as opposed to walking through a shopping mall) lessened hyperactivity. The children were then given some tests and they did much better at attention and impulse control than the children who had walked through the mall ! This was a very small study (only 17 kids) so more research needs to be done.

Fifth Myth. ADHD is caused by too much sugar in kids' food. Only partly false in that if children are not nourished with a well balanced diet, this may cause them to eat too much junk food which is not only full of sugar but also colourings and additives as well. This type of diet has been shown to cause hyperactivity in kids and the British Food Agency did an extensive study on this.

If you need more advice about how to treat ADHD , take a look at the site below which sets out very clearly what the best ADHD treatment may be for your child. It also explains a natural treatment for ADHD.

Debt Management - What it Means For You

2008-11-28T07:02:00.002-08:00

Within this age of falling economic indicators and ever escalating credit card bills for the average American consumer, debt management has become something of a hot topic everywhere from water coolers to bar stools, but there are a host of different methods surrounding debt management. Everything from bankruptcy to home mortgage refinancing to payday loans could reasonably be considered a form of debt management, but, within the scope of our current essay, we shall concentrate upon those types of debt management that consolidate unsecured (meaning, those loans without property attached) revolving debts through a series of negotiations with the lenders by a third party debt specialist. Credit card representatives are surprisingly open to bartering when properly cajoled by experienced debt management professionals, and, depending upon which program you choose, your interest rates and sometimes even your actual balances may be reduced significantly through these negotiations. The principal forms of this sort of debt management are Consumer Credit Counseling and Debt Settlement. Both strategies consolidate existing loans while attempting to decrease the overall money that is owed - though, to tell the truth, Debt Settlement (not accepting funds from credit card companies, unlike the lender subsidized Credit Card Counseling industry) has a far better success rate for actually diminishing the financial obligations.

To a point, consumers can endeavor to attempt this sort of thing themselves. Certainly, representatives of the unsecured creditors will be open to conversation about the consumers' renewed attention toward paying off their debts and will often shrug away interest rate reductions or waivers of past fees. However, unless you include a certified debt management company, it's unlikely that you shall be able to truly lower the amount of the burdens. This is the importance of the consolidation effect. Debt management companies - Debt Settlement companies, particularly - can wield their leverage so effectively primarily because, since they've already consolidated all the various debts from the borrowers, each lender knows that they will be surrendering no more than their competitors. It's not exactly that lenders do not care about retaining the rights to whatever money's owed at whatever interest rate was originally agreed upon, but those lenders also understand that - however weakened after the legislation of past year - Chapter 7 bankruptcy debt elimination does still exist. As long as there is some semblance of bankruptcy protection, however unlikely the chance or unpalatable the option, each borrower has the potential of declaring bankruptcy protection and legally abandoning all credit card accounts. The credit card companies are under no obligation to make such offers, of course, and a few lenders yet refuse to negotiate with Debt Settlement counselors nor decrease current credit accounts regardless of the threat.

Since debt management remains such a relatively young field, many consumers are rightly concerned about how to go about selecting a company to work with. It's not like you can just ask your grandfather for advice on debt management the same way you'd expect him to have knowledge of loan officers or accountants. To a certain point, one has to trust instinct when choosing the firm and the counselor with whom you're - in a very real way - entrusting your family's financial future, but there are ways to verify the company's qualifications before starting the process. The Better Business Bureau and several federal agencies maintain records of prior clients' disapproval. The internet tends to highlight negative features of virtually every enterprise. Consumer Credit Counseling agencies, the past three years, have become an essential part of the bankruptcy declaration - pointless courses are now required before and after Chapter 7 debt elimination - and, through this unexpected turn of events, the more legitimate Consumer Credit Counseling firms must now undergo Justice Department scrutiny and approval in order to be considered for this (highly profitable) secondary purpose. Consumer Credit Counseling companies that do not bother to request government certification likely either have something to hide or display a laziness that in itself should be a warning sign. Debt Settlement companies, while they are not subject to the same governmental scrutiny, maintain their own national organization which subjects members to a rigorous bout of testing before certification would be awarded.

In the most basic possible explanation, the Debt Settlement approach attempts to negotiate lower balances from the creditors in exchange for a heightened payment schedule (and hefty tax write off for the lender, naturally). While the Debt Settlement method does carry alongside a deleterious effect as regards credit reports and FICO scores, the worsened credit rating is still relatively minimal compared to most other debt management solutions. Many of the unsecured lenders - we're largely talking, once again, about credit card accounts - try to woo problem spenders and delinquent borrowers through offers of one-time lump sum payments that greatly diminish overall balances but those balance are not then reported as 'satisfied' to the credit bureaus, Indeed, while these sorts of shenanigans may technically be considered debt management, they are often falsely named debt consolidation when in fact the practice actually resembles a last ditch scheme of desperation on the part of the borrower and the lender. This sort of debt management approach is thought to be the last refuge of the wicked, and your credit report shall reflect this.

As long as you do not overly upset the household budget nor forget to save some additional funds for medical emergencies and the like, each borrower should do what it takes to pay off their loans as swiftly as possible with the worst interest rates tackled first. While tax liens and court mandated burdens cannot be avoided - after all, the ultimate consequence for ignoring those debts is rather more severe than purely lowered FICO scores - there's also little reason to pay much more than the minimum. Governmental debts generally feature very low interest and court representatives are surprisingly willing to extend terms and lower payments so as to not too greatly inconvenience the debtor, and the same can be said for most (typically community or state monitored) utility companies. Utilities, it should be said, also tend to forget to report late payments to the three credit bureaus, but the same cannot be said for real estate loans or other secured debts. You need to make sure your mortgage, especially considering the current boom market for foreclosures, is paid precisely on time (mortgage lenders, already tending toward the predatory, love nothing more than to ruin their borrowers' credit scores so as to prevent future refinancing), but, even so, you shouldn't concern yourself with getting rid of secured loans too quickly. They look the best upon credit reports, they appreciate in value (apart from automobiles, of course) and they tend to have the best interest rates.

Credit cards should be the primary focus of proper debt management, and, to really strike a blow against the various lenders, you should probably consider one of the debt consolidation techniques that are increasingly popular for Americans of all walks of life. To be sure, you can talk to credit card companies on your own, but, as we said earlier, they are far less likely to treat settlement negotiations with amateurs as seriously as they would an experienced (and, with regards to the new debt settlement industry, certified) debt management profession. Even so, you have to remember that there are many different forms of consolidation out there and an equal number of possible results to be had from your efforts. So many consumers walk blindly into Consumer Credit Counseling offices after being pummeled by the endless succession of advertisements and are immediately talked into signing on in order to receive the lower interest rates (and, more importantly, the vastly lowered payments made available) without actually thinking over whether or not the program is right for them. There are FICO score issues to be discussed - Consumer Credit Counseling actually shows up worse than bankruptcy protection when written upon credit reports - and the question of whether or not such a program would actually aid your finances in the long view.

Remember, while interest rates will almost assuredly be lowered well below what the credit card companies charge, there are fees involved with Consumer Credit Counseling (apart from whatever they charge the credit card companies; yes, it's a very profitable enterprise) that do not always make up for the comparatively lessened interest rates. At the same time, while the payments will almost always be substantially lower through any Consumer Credit Counseling consolidation program, that's often because the terms are extended to such a degree that - even if the interest has been dramatically shaved - the borrower will still end up paying more money over the course over the loan. Particularly for debtors that already have demonstrated problems with their buying habits, lower monthly minimums are not necessarily in the debtors' best interests. Consumers prone to purchasing binges should not always have more spending money made available to them when they have not addressed the underlying causes that first landed them in the predicament of needing debt management assistance. Much of the time, you would be better suited by merely taking care of the bills at hand - with credit card remaining the priority - rather than paying additional money for one company to artificially lengthen the repayment process. At the very least, take care to investigate the Debt Settlement approach and indulge a free initial consultation to distinguish their possibilities when compared to Consumer Credit Counseling.

Even after the approach has been decided upon and the company of choice has been, as they say, vetted, there are, still, several things to watch out for regardless of the business' standing within the community or their previous dealings with friends and family. Remember, no matter how legitimate the company, you are personally dealing with a debt specialist working for that company, and, regardless of the organizational guidelines, even the best firms may sometimes hire counselors that are striving to get ahead above and beyond the purposes of their client. Once again, you must get everything - EVERY LAST DETAIL - written down and fully documented to prevent potential abuse from less than competent assistance. Ensure, through recorded agreements, that the creditors shall be paid each month on time as promised so that the debt management company knows that they themselves will be held liable for any potential slip ups. If the debt management firm says that the creditors insist upon an initial payment toward said debt management firm prior to negotiation (which does occasionally happen), ask to see the paperwork - or, better, talk to the lender yourself and verify precisely what they want.

Do not agree to any program necessitating stipends that you believe your household cannot regularly meet. It is the responsibility of the debt management company to calculate a budget that recognizes the day to day expenses their clients of yet and does not stipulate a monthly payment that overly restricts the availability of their funds. So much of debt management revolves around proper budgeting, and the counselor has to be considerate of their clients' needs. While you should not thoroughly respect any program that allows overly lax terms (minimizing payments without touching the balances of your credit card debts, after all, only increases the eventual sums to be paid once compound interest continually adds up), you have to make sure that the payments are still comfortable for the household throughout the year. As well, you should know that most of the more effective debt management solutions force their clients to refrain from additional borrowing over the course of the program. Once again, this philosophy changes alongside the debt relief approach that you choose, but you'd probably better assume that, while within the debt management proceedings, you will not be allowed to take out further loans.

If anything we have written sticks with you, it should be this: document on paper ever single element of debt management. Even prior to accepting one program or another, you should receive a written estimate that details every single fee the debt management company may charge. However comfortable and friendly the debt counselor that you plan to work with may seem, do remember that the most successful financial professionals essentially ask for as much as they think the borrower is willing (or able) to pay. No matter your relationship with the debt management specialist handling your case, demand a legal documentation of everything discussed. It's just common sense, really. Even if your counselor genuinely is legitimate and beyond reproach, the debt management company itself may have institutional guidelines that attempt to slip in unnecessary charges hidden in the fine print. The eventual quote can't be analyzed too closely. If you aren't sufficiently familiar with the verbiage or concepts surrounding the debt management contract, ask friends or even acquaintances for assistance. Make absolutely sure that this is the program that you want to join and that this is the company you wish to work with for a number of years. Once you sign up for a debt management program, it's not exactly a life partnership, but the repercussions shall be felt for years to come should things go poorly.

Glass Coffee Tables - Just the Thing to Give Your Living Room a Fantastic Look

2008-11-28T07:02:00.001-08:00

You just moved into your first "real" place after college and you want it to have a very adult feel to it. What would be a nice choice for furnishing your living room then would be glass coffee tables. One would be the perfect way to set off the look of the space.

Glass coffee tables are extremely pleasing to the eye, which is the result of the way they can be styled through the materials they are made from and the ways in which they can be finished. For instance, maybe you want the space to have a very sophisticated appearance. Well, what you could go with then is one that has a base crafted from wood that has a sleek, clean look to it and a glass inset table top. To finish up the piece's appearance, a black finish is applied to it. Or, maybe you are looking for something that has a very classic appearance. What you could go with then is one crafted from metal and glass, featuring a metal base finished in a brown rust patina color that elegantly loops supporting a glass table top that has a slight tint to it. These are just a few of the options that are available too since there are many, many more to pick from as well. A few of the others are those that are more on the contemporary side, some that have a traditional motif, and there are even art deco options.

Along with improving the appearance of your living room, glass coffee tables are a perfect way to add some practicality to it as well. The reason being is that their surfaces offer you a convenient place to set down and even display different items. Like, you can put a vase filled with flowers on top of them or you could set down TV remote control on them or magazines to give company something to read if they wanted.

Interested in glass coffee tables? Well, if you are, a fast and effortless way to look into all the choices that you could possibly purchase is by simply turning on that computer of yours for some comparison shopping on the World Wide Web. This really is the way to go since you do not have to go anywhere to do it since in a matter of key strokes and mouse clicks, you can have all the options offered by the different online stores right in front of your eyes on the computer screen. When you do decide on something, you can shop around to find it at the best prices possible and what you buy will also be sent right to you. So, no worrying about how you might have had to transport it from point a to point b.

So, if you have moved into your first place and you are looking for a lovely way to decorate it, turn to glass coffee tables. One would be a nice fit in your living room.

Choosing a Home Security System

2008-11-28T07:01:00.001-08:00

Choosing a security system for one's home can be a daunting task. There are so many different companies on the market today, how does one know how to choose? Home security is a serious issue that should not be taken lightly. One should not simply pick a security system based upon one commercial or a sign in someone else's yard. There are two main areas into which a person should look-the features available from potential systems and the company itself.

As far as features are concerned, there are those features which one wants, and those which one needs. A good security system provides a balance of the two. One may want all of the available features, but they need a system with a keypad that is easy to use. Features that should be included in a security system include 24 hour monitoring with live people able to contact one in case of an emergency or possible break-in. Motion detectors and door and window protection are a must have in a security system, and without them, it isn't really a security system. One should also be able to manually pull a fire alarm or manually contact the police through their system.

One might enjoy the convenience of being able to activate and deactivate the alarm system from a keychain touchpad. People who are familiar with security systems may be able to handle a complex keypad, while others need a more simplified version. Options which some customers may want or need include flood sensors, carbon monoxide sensors and fire/smoke sensors. These features can prove to be real life savers in cases of emergency. A security system has a responsibility to protect the household from intruders as well as from internal threats to the customer. If a system does not even have these features available, it may not be the wisest investment.

A security system company should have a reputation of excellence. After all, the company is dealing with people's lives that are potentially at stake. The company should have years of experience in business, as overnight companies are certainly not worth trusting. The company should offer stellar service with 24 hour availability. If a problem arises, one should hear a real human voice offering help no matter what time of day or night it is. A reputation of commitment to excellence and nothing less should be not only a benefit, but an absolute requirement in selecting a home security system. One shouldn't put the safety of their family in any hands but the best.

Selecting a home security system is one of the most important decisions which a person can make as the safety of everyone in the home depends upon it-from Fluffy the cat to a helpless newborn. All of the home's inhabitants will depend upon this system, so great care should be taken in choosing the right one. This is a crucial decision, and one should only put their stake into the best company available with the best array of features to ensure the safety of the household.

Selecting a home security system is one of the most important decisions which a person can make as the safety of everyone in the home depends upon it-from Fluffy the cat to a helpless newborn. All of the home's inhabitants will depend upon this system, so great care should be taken in choosing the right one. This is a crucial decision, and one should only put their stake into the best company available with the best array of features to ensure the safety of the household. ADT is America's leading provider of home security solutions. An ADT security system is a great choice to help protect your home and family.

New biography on Michelle Obama reveals her cruel awakening

2008-11-28T03:43:00.002-08:00

She's the boss; gotta check with the boss, is Barack Obama's standard comment, reinforcing his wife's image as the coolly impressive power behind the new U.S. President-elect.

Indeed, some say Michelle Obama is even smarter than her husband. Well organised and a formidable list-maker, she can be forceful and at times intimidating. Former colleagues describe her as a better boss than an employee.

Barack and Michelle's united ambition has taken them to the pinnacle of power. But as she oversees the packing for the move to Washington, Michelle surely cannot help but reflect that had her husband been prepared to do as she had once demanded, his career in politics would have been over before it had even begun.

Less than ten years ago, Michelle was decidedly hostile about her husband's political ambitions.

'She did not like politics. She did not want him to run for office. I know this because Barack told me,' says Newton Minow, a lawyer and one of the couple's oldest and closest friends.

Barack and Michelle have suffered from that problem of many a modern marriage: the clash of two careers with the demands of raising children. They may have started out as a collaborative partnership, but from the moment their daughter Malia was born, in July 1998, the balance tipped.

Barack was full of good intentions - an adoring father, willing and charmingly clueless - but he was unswervingly determined to pursue his political career.

Michelle recalls them agreeing early in their marriage that their children would have 'the kind of dinner-together-every-night childhood' she had enjoyed. But they would never have that kind of household, not even briefly.

She had married a man who was operating on an accelerated timetable. 'There are times when I want to do everything and be everything,' he once confessed. 'I want to have time to read and swim with the children and not disappoint my voters and do a careful job on each and every thing that I do. And that can sometimes get me into trouble. That's been one of my bigger faults.'

He may have recognised the fault, but he didn't seek to correct it - so it was always going to be Michelle who would find it impossible to have it all. While Barack spent three nights a week in the state legislature or campaigning, it was Michelle who combined work with caring for Malia, getting her up in the mornings and reading to her at night.

By the time Sasha was born in 2001, Michelle had had enough. 'You only think about yourself,' she told her husband. 'I never thought I would have to raise a family alone.'

She urged him to take a job outside politics, but her pleas were futile. 'Her displeasure - or, simply, loneliness - was not something he took lightly, but it didn't keep him from doing what he wanted to do,' says Martha Minow, Barack's professor of law at Harvard.

To understand Michelle's frustrations and early antipathy to politics, you have to understand the world she came from. Now 44, she is the second child of Fraser and Marian Robinson, a working-class family from Chicago's south side.

Chicago was a segregated city in the Sixties and Seventies under Democrat mayor Richard J. Daley. He preserved segregation through a system in which a handful of African Americans were rewarded for helping to keep the others subjugated. Michelle's father was almost certainly part of that system.

Fraser was a caretaker at the city's water department, but he was also a volunteer precinct captain - a powerful neighbourhood leader for the Democratic Party whose job was to get people to the polls on election day.
A city job was particularly valuable to an African American in that it insulated him from the racism of the open job market. Toward the end of his career, Fraser would have been earning more than £24,000 a year. His wages meant that, although black women rarely had the option of being stay-at-home mothers, Marian could, and did.

Michelle talks movingly about how important her father's job was to him. Despite being diagnosed in his 30s with multiple sclerosis, he never stopped working - even when on crutches and in a wheelchair.

But for all the pride Michelle took in her father's professional dedication, she witnessed first hand how the system bought and protected you, but also controlled you.

In 1981, Michelle arrived at Princeton University in New Jersey to read sociology. When the mother of one of her room-mates found out her daughter had been assigned to a room with a black girl, she spent the night calling everyone she knew on campus trying to get her daughter moved.

'I sometimes feel like a visitor on campus; as if I will always be black first and a student second,' Michelle said. After graduating cum laude (with honour), she went on to Harvard and in her second year was hired by the corporate law firm Sidley Austin. Two years later, in 1989, a new member of staff arrived: Barack Obama.

Hearing his name and the fact he had been raised in Hawaii, she assumed he would be 'nerdy, strange, off-putting' and resolved to dislike him.

When the firm appointed her to be adviser and mentor to Obama, she felt self-conscious. She thought it would be 'tacky' if, as 'the only two black people here', they started to date. But her resistance did not last long. During that summer, their colleague Mary Carragher remembers that she would go to Michelle's office to talk about a case and see the two of them chatting. 'I could tell by the body language he was courting her,' she says.

Barack and Michelle married in 1992. By then, she had entered public service, working in economic development for the Chicago city government, and he was working at a civil rights law firm. He had spent his first six months after graduating from Harvard on a voter registration drive targeting low-income African Americans - reminiscent of what Michelle's father had done as precinct captain.

It was so successful that it helped Bill Clinton win Illinois. Three years later, Obama told his wife he wanted to enter politics. 'I was like: "No, don't do it, we're just married, why would you want to do this?"' said Michelle.

Barack argued that you have to start changing the world somewhere, so you may as well start by running for the Illinois state senate, which he won.

'You know, Barack is convincing and passionate,' Michelle told me. 'You have this conversation - we could build a comfortable life for ourselves.

We've gone to the right schools and have all these advantages, [but] look around: most of my family are not in the position I am. It isn't enough for the Obamas to be OK, and for ours kids to be OK, knowing that the chasms are so vast. Eventually, my conscience said: "OK, you're right, we do have an obligation".'

At first, Michelle was happy with her husband's political success.

She still no real understanding of how a political career would affect their marriage or their home life.

'That's the usual arc,' says Abner Mikva, a former U.S. congressman and judge, who became one of Obama's closest advisers. 'The wives are pleased, but then the burdens begin to get more and more. There was the struggle of her trying to maintain a family life and some relationship, not only between them, but especially when the children came along, trying to make sure he was performing some of the roles as father. The higher up he went, the harder it became.'

As well as spending three nights away from home whenever the Illinois legislature was in session, Barack was teaching law part-time and engaging in political networking when back in Chicago.

Life was relentless for both of them and by the end of 1999, following the birth of Malia, Michelle had been functioning largely as a single parent for 18 months.

To all around them, it was evident that cracks in their marriage were beginning to show. That Christmas, the Obamas travelled to visit Barack's beloved grandmother in Hawaii. It was a trip they usually loved, but that year they were barely on speaking terms.

The following spring, Barack lost a bid for a Congressional seat in Washington. 'He would always tell his wife I'm going to give it one shot and if it doesn't work out, I'm going to go to work in the private sector,' says Dan Shomon, Barack's political consultant and confidant.

But Michelle could see a pattern and she'd had enough. Barack had been offered the chairmanship of a foundation, a well-paid job.

'Michelle wanted him to take it,' says Newton Minow.

The job offered much-needed financial security - something that would help redress another growing imbalance in their marriage.'

While Barack was pursuing his political goals, Michelle was bringing in the money. But they were struggling.

They both had student loans and Barack was compounding their debt by putting professional expenses on his credit card and neglecting to claim reimbursement.

The foundation job would have given the Obamas the chance of the normal family life Michelle craved. But it was not to be.

Barack turned it down. His decision could have proved a breaking point for their marriage, but fortunately for him Michelle suddenly accepted the things she could not change, such as Barack's nature.

In 2001, she gave birth to their second daughter Sasha and started a new job in public relations for the University of Chicago hospitals. She was breast-feeding, and, with no childcare had no choice but to take the baby to work with her.

She contemplated giving up work, but decided to take control at home in a different way.

'This was the epiphany,' she said. 'I am sitting there with a new baby, angry, tired and out of shape. The baby is up for that 4am feed. And my husband is sleeping.'

If she left, she told herself, Barack would have to cope. So she started going to the gym at 4.30am - in part to get in shape, but also to force Barack to deal with the children.

'I'd get home from the gym, and the girls would be up and fed. That was something I had to do for me.'

She had realised she could not live her life being resentful; it would wreck her and poison their relationship. So she put together a support system, hiring a housekeeper to do the laundry, cooking and cleaning, and got her mother to help with baby-sitting.

Finally, she was acknowledging that it mattered 'less to me that Barack was the one babysitting and giving me the time for myself; it was that I was getting the time.'

It was a good thing Michelle was able to make it work because in mid-2002, her husband announced he was going to run for a seat in the U.S. Senate.

During this intense period, he would estimate he had taken seven days off in 18 months. That the Obamas survived as a family is a testament to Michelle's flexibility and stamina.

'Are you going to run for President?' Malia, then six, asked her father in 2004 after he was elected to the U.S. senate. It was the question on everyone's mind.

Instead of becoming a senator's wife in Washington, Michelle had chosen to stay in Chicago because her support network - her mother and her friends - were there.

Obama would later write about how much he missed his family. His career was underway, but he had paid for it in terms of domestic ease and routine family happiness.

Their financial problems went away, however, thanks to his autobiography, Dreams From My Father. In 2005, with the royalties from that first book and a $2million advance for future ones, the Obamas were able to buy a $1.6million mansion. For the first time in their lives, they were debt-free.

'That's a new experience for us in our 40s,' Michelle said. She kept a family journal for her husband and bought webcams for him and their daughters, but no longer expected their lives to be less hectic.

She was also unfazed by another inevitable aspect of her husband's rising profile - female competition. 'I never worry about things I can't affect, and with fidelity... that is between Barack and me, and if somebody can come between us, we didn't have much to begin with.'

Valerie Jarrett, one of Michelle's oldest friends, puts it a little more vividly. 'He knows that if he messes up, she'll leave him. She'll kill him first - and then she'll leave him. And I think there is a subtle element of fear on his part, which is good.'

Shortly before Christmas 2006, Barack met Newton Minow and Abner Mikva to discuss his potential presidential candidacy. Minow recalls Obama saying: 'Michelle's not keen about this.' Mikva sees it more that Michelle wanted to be sure his campaign would be well run and was winnable. 'It wasn't that she didn't want him to run, but she wanted to make sure that it was well organised,' says Mikva.

A Review of the Six Figure Yearly Internet Income Program

2008-11-27T23:36:00.001-08:00

How would you like your day to start out by getting up, checking and returning emails, see how much money you made the night before, make a few transactions, and then enjoy the rest of your day? Well, according to the Six Figure Yearly Internet Income Program we just reviewed, this is an ordinary day for the guy who invented the system you are about to read. Now, keep in mind it probably took him years to figure this out, so don't expect any money tomorrow.

Unless of course, you have been spending countless hours in front of the computer and have just a small amount of experience, but can't seem to turn the corner. If this is so, you may enjoy the Six Figure Yearly Internet Income Program information and actually start becoming successful in a shorter amount of time. Why work all by yourself when someone else has already gone through the growing pains for you.

One to Three Hours a Day and More

When you first come to their sales page, this is what you'll see. It talks about only utilizing one to three hours a day which can transform into a large sum of cash for you and your family every month. Probably the biggest advantage we found on the Six Figure Yearly Internet Income Program sales page was his offer to help everyone as opposed to just selling an idea. Why is something like this so important?

Well, to be quite frank, most products give you their secrets and that's it. There isn't any extra help involved as it's almost like they figure you already know what you're doing. However, there are thousands of people coming online everyday to at least build a secondary income. If you are someone like this then no offense, but we already know you most likely need your hand held through the step by step process.

Now how big is this actually? Let's put it this way, we've seen statements like this before, but the Six Figure Yearly Internet Income Program offers something different. The site owner exclaims that he will actually help you until you are making money from this system. This alone will perk up the newbie's interest all by itself. Fortunately though this seems to be a system for any age and skill level.

The Testimonials

As you research the information yourself, be sure to look at the pictures. Then read what everyone else is saying. One thing we found in many of them was the accolades regarding their step by step video guides. Evidently they are simple, concise, and create an easy learning curve that everyone can understand. Another thing you'll notice in the testimonials is that they are pretty humble. There really isn't a hyped up version in any of them.

Our Overall Analysis

You will probably be very intrigued about what the Six Figure Yearly Internet Income Program is all about. Our favorite sentence is the very last one that says, "You may not become rich . . . but you'll never be broke again!" This gets you into a realistic mode right from the beginning. By the time you reach the end, we might see your testimonial up there as well.

10 Ways to Find Your Own Style

2008-11-27T06:27:00.001-08:00

Many people want to know how to develop their own style. Style is individual and reflects a persons lifestyle and personality but here are my top 10 ways to find a style that makes you look and feel great.

1. Think about how you want to look and feel and what you want to hear others say about your style.

2. Picture yourself in everyday life and get a mental picture of the style you have and the type of clothes that you would like to wear.

3. Think about whether you want to fit in or be individual, wear clothes that associate you with a particular group e.g. Goths or stick to main stream clothing styles.

4. Look at people around you and what they are wearing, look at celebrities and what they wear. Pick and choose bits that you like then add your own ideas and experiment with different accessories.

5. Find out which colours really suit your complexion and hair colour and incorporate these into your style.

6. Find some key basic items that fit in with your style, fit you really well and look great on you. These can then be teamed with different items and accessories for variations of your style.

7. Research which styles of clothes suit your body shape and base your style around these.

8. Use your style to enhance you best assets and minimise your worst. If you hate your legs wear dresses with leggings or trousers. If you love your face wear jewellery to draw attention to it.

9. Try on lots of different clothes and accessories in different combinations. Its not just about what you wear but the way that you wear it.

10. What ever style you choose - make sure you feel comfortable and confident with it.

Want a Bailout? Go to the Back of the Line

2008-11-27T03:49:00.002-08:00

I apologize for my many rants lately but there is so much bad news everywhere that you can't help it but get in the bad mood. Usually I am a very positive and realistic problems solver, type of guy. I like common sense and I approach problems with a reasonable and fair solutions but lately I been getting so upset finding out how the tax payers are getting the worst of the deals left and right. For example the bail outs or rescue plan.

• We start with the Real Estate Markets. And the Mortgage industry .This bail out will require about $700 Billions (please notice the B in Billion) A lot of people make so much money out of this period, took the money and run but the irresponsibility of these deal will be given to the tax payers to foot the bill. Why? I will hate to reward people who help artificially inflate house prices by buying homes that do not worth the high price they were paying.

Just wondering, from where exactly are we getting the money to pay for this bailout?. Are we barrowing more money or are we printing new money? Are our elected officials helping us or are they part of the problem? Or are they just busy pointing the fingers at each others? If we are not careful we will be leaving a legacy of debt to our grandchildren (about $10 Trillion in debt and add of subtract another trillion for the bailouts.)

• Next in line is the Car industry. The 3 US car industries want their bailout too or they will have to close down plants and layoff a lot of employees. So Taxpayer have to bail them out too so they can continue making big gas sucking vehicles. Are we getting any discount on car if we accept this bail out? TV news shows last night that there were two angry and frustrated citizen, protesting and they said "Why taxpayers have to bail out the auto industry? Why not the Oil industry, with their record braking profit bail them out instead? They depend of each others so they should help each other as well".

• Who is next? The medical industry, perhaps the water or electric companies, whatever just get in the back of this long line.

And to finish with my rant with a positive and sarcastic tone, I will quote a line of a popular song from the group WAR.

I'd kinda' like to be the president
So I could show you how your money's spent
Why can't we be friends?
Sometimes I don't speak right
But yet I know what I'm talking about
Why can't we be friends?

What Type of News Events Attracts Interest?

2008-11-27T03:49:00.001-08:00

Keeping up with current news events is a pastime for many individuals. They like to keep abreast of what is going on in the world and perhaps it enables them to carry on an intelligent dinner conversation. Events that are newsworthy can range from business news to news about the president-elect, Barack Obama. In fact, what makes a story newsworthy is the fact that people are interested and will either read or listen to it.

What types of news events will captivate an audience? It actually depends on who it is presented to and in what manner it is presented. All events have the potential to be newsworthy, but they do have to include certain components to make them interesting to the readers or the viewers of the information.

Stories on a national level normally draw a large crowd of viewers because of their impact on the nation and the effect that they can have on everyone. This does not mean that local events cannot also draw as much attention, as long as the material is presented to the correct audience and presented in a way that draws them in.

Does the story carry an impact or is there a conflict involved? Is it relevant? These are some of the qualifications that news professionals use to decide whether a story is indeed newsworthy. The timeliness of a news event is one huge factor. A story about swimming safety in a local newspaper will draw more attention to itself if it is printed during the summer than if it is printed in December.

Local events can be very newsworthy, especially if they make an impact on the audience. To make an impact, a story simply has to have an effect on a large number of viewers or readers. It is all about giving the readers or viewers information that they want to read, whether it is about community events, sporting events or upcoming festivals.

These days, almost everyone is interested in news stories featuring information about the president-elect, Barack Obama, because of the timeliness of the story. But other stories, including community events in small town newspapers can draw just as much attention because of the impact that it has on those who reside in the community. Individuals who make their living reporting news events are in charge of presenting the news in a way that draws the audience in and makes them want to read or view the information.
Did you enjoy this article ? Why not visit us for part 2 and learn more party planning tips, on how to throw the perfect party that everyone will talk about forever.

Egyptian Discoveries - New Pyramid Revealed

2008-11-27T03:48:00.001-08:00

4300 YEARS OLD PYRAMID FOUND

Dr. Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, and a team discovered a pyramid of a queen at Saqqara. The pyramid, which dates to about 4,300 years ago, is 5 meters in height, although it originally reached about 14 meters. The base is square, each side having a length of 22 meters. The magical proportions of the Great Pyramid can be seen in the smaller pyramids.

The Egyptians never seemed to have anything built without exact proportions set out. The sides of the pyramid sloped at an angle of 51 degrees, and the entire monument was originally covered in a casing of fine white limestone. Something also see at Giza where the three most famous Pyramids are. The belief is that the pyramid belonged to a queen named Sesheshet, the mother of King Teti, the first king of Dynasty 6.Her name is mentioned in a medical papyrus containing a recipe, supposedly created at her request, for a preparation to strengthen the hair. The hostorians now received evidence that they were wrong assuming she wasn't the first wife. This pyramid proved that she was.

The Egyptians also never did anything without a bigger plan. The surrounding area is very rich in history. A New Kingdom chapel (1550 BC) decorated with a scene of the deceased offering to Osiris. Other finds from the area include a group of coffins dating to around 300 B.C. a wooden statue of the god Anubis, amulets, and a symbolic vessel in the shape of a cartouche, which still contained the remains of some green substance.

The desert around Cairo is littered with treasure that will still be discovered. So much lies hidden that we could not foresee what else will reveal itself from below the sand. If only we could find things faster. If Anubis and Osiris are there, you can believe Horus and Isis is not far.

The desert might seem dry and worthless but it the perfect place to hide something. The dry air does assist in the preservation and the sand to cover the treasure from unwanted attention. Unfortunately the experts also need to work through the sand to get to the tombs and temples.

A last remark is that Egypt was so rich that it supplied food to the entire region and the Bible is one reference book we can use to see that this is true.

Oil Prices Hit a Great Low

2008-11-27T03:47:00.001-08:00

The credit crunch is affecting every aspect of our lives, but the good news for consumers is that the latest oil prices have hit an all time 3 year low, with the current rate below $50 a barrel.

This is spreading speculation that petrol and fuel prices are set to shortly follow which is great news for car and van owners, but worse news for garages who are currently struggling to stay above board in difficult times.

ASDA has already cut their fuel prices ten times during these last few months and they are now set to let fuel go for around 90.9p which is an amazing price compared to a few months back when it hit peaks of around 120.1p. Other petrol garages are soon set to follow in the footsteps with massive reductions.

In a massive turnaround though supermarket Morrisons decided to drop their fuel prices below 90p to 89.9p a litre and cutting down diesel to 105.9p

But will this price stick or drop lower? Well you really cannot tell, as mentioned previously, the current financial situation is causing a nuisance even to the wealthiest of people and companies. As we have seen over the past few months the banks have been struggling a terrible amount with the government using tax payer's money to bail them out. But not only that, high street stores are also suffering. It is said that the major UK brand stores such as Woolworths are massively in debt and could be letting their shops go for only one pound.

It looks like by 2009 the world will enter a depression and a lot of companies will be unable to successfully find their way out of it. So as far as the fuel prices go I am in two minds, because of the following. They could in fact decrease a massive amount to allow the falling market to be able to afford fuel, or it could go completely the opposite way, with prices going through the roof so that garages can earn a nice profit to keep them afloat.

Whatever happens we all know that we should get strapped in and ready to experience a very tough time. There is no way that the credit crunch will be over by the end of 2008, so you should buckle your seat belts and expect a bumpy ride over the next coming year, both emotionally and financially in every aspect of the word.

Giving Thanks For America With No Apologies

2008-11-27T03:45:00.001-08:00

In the Autumn of 1621, the Wampanoag Indians and the Pilgrim settlers celebrated together a feast which we have come to know as "Thanksgiving." Only 53 survivors remained of the original 102 Pilgrims who made the perilous voyage. About 90 Indians came with their king. Whether or not turkey was served is open to debate, but "fowl" (probably duck) and deer were the main dish. Two groups of very different people put aside their differences and joined together in what they had in common, the harvest. That first Thanksgiving was a special moment and it deserves to be a holiday we can be proud of and learn from even in this modern era. The Pilgrims left England because they were subject to persecution for their religion. They came to this country for freedom. Only by the grace of GOD and with the help of the Indians did the Pilgrims make it to Thanksgiving.

Fast forward 387 years later and the children in Claremont, California cannot even celebrate the day in honor of the Pilgrims and Indians. For over 25 years the kindergarten kids of Condit Elementary School and Mountain View Elementary have celebrated thanksgiving by dressing up in costume and meeting together in celebration of this great holiday. Now a small group of parents have complained and that tradition has been abandoned by the school administration. The Pilgrims are now compared with "Nazis" or "Slave masters" and the Indians as "friendly Jews" or "slaves." We have become a nation of drowning in narcissism, whereby the few can punish the many for any perceived slight. It is not what is intended, or even what occurs that matters, only the perception of the "victim."

Our founding fathers were good men and they were visionaries in their time. They were also a product of that time. Hindsight is 20/20. How can we hold all of our past history to today's standards? Is America a perfect country, no it is not. Have we made mistakes in the past, yes we have. Were the native peoples of North and South America defeated by Europeans, yes they were. All human history is a saga of struggles with winners and losers. One must not forget we fought a Civil War to end slavery and the good guys won! It took another hundred years to build upon that victory, but equality for all became a reality. Instead of trashing our past and tearing down our history, we should cherish that first Thanksgiving. The Pilgrims and the Indians on that day represent the best in us, not the worst. Our past is not perfect, but it gave us our present: a free people who have put race aside and elected our first black President.

Freedom is what makes America great. Free speech is key to all our freedoms. We cannot let political correctness destroy our freedom. If we do then George Orwell's nightmare will become our reality. If Columbus is now a bad guy for discovering the New World and the Pilgrims are evil people, where does it end? I make no apology for the Pilgrims or Thanksgiving. I am thankful to be born in the USA. I also look forward to sharing the holiday with all those from across the globe who came here for citizenship because they wanted to enjoy the freedom only America can give. I pity the narrow minded folks who would ruin this holiday for our children and take away the true spirit of that first Thanksgiving Day.

Refinance Auto Loan

2008-11-27T03:44:00.000-08:00

How Refinancing an Auto Loan Can Save You Money.

With the state of our worlds economy making monthly payments is getting harder and harder. United States job loss totals are higher than they have been in over thirty years. Americans are finding it tougher than ever to find steady employment. As a result bankruptcy, foreclosure and repossessions are skyrocketing to record breaking numbers.

There is help out there for people with auto loans. With many of us paying outrageous interest rates and high payments, people are always looking for ways to lower there bills. Refinancing your auto loan is one of the quickest ways to reduce debt and lower monthly bills.

The first step is to know what you have. Find out what your rate is and how much money you owe on your vehicle loan. This can be obtained by calling, checking online, or faxing a request to your auto loan lender. Once you know what you owe then you can determine how beneficial a refinance will be. Make sure to get your current interest rate. If you have had your auto loan for at least a year, a refinance can almost always lower your payment.

Determine if you have any money to put down. Putting money down with your refinance can also lower your payments even more. Putting down increments of $1,000 will on the average lower your payment by $20.00 a month.

The next step is to do research. Search around for a better interest rate. Try to find a rate that is at least one to two percent better than the rate you are currently paying. The better the rate the more money you will save a month.

Call your current lien holder for the refinance. As long as you have kept up on your payments, your current lien holder will do all they can to get you the best rate. They want to keep your business their. Tell them you want to refinance your loan and have already received quotes with a better rate. In turn, they will be more aggressive in helping you get a better rate.

Search the internet. There are many sites online that will offer you a free quote. The loan term will also determine how low your payment will be. The longer you finance your loan, the lower your payment will be. The most popular loan term currently is 72 months. Compare rates for 60 months and 72 months. Sometimes the rates at 60 months are lower. The payment sometimes is the same as payments at 72 months. It is a much better way to go. You will pay less money in interest with a shorter term.

Search online for a free payment calculator. You can type in how much you owe, the term, and the interest rate and it will calculate what the payment will be. You can compare different scenarios to see if you need to put money down or not.

Once you have put together the perfect plan get the loan refinanced. Do not wait to refinance, interest rates can change on a daily basis. If it is a good deal that saves you money get it refinanced quickly. You can get several banks to get you their best rates with a free car loan quote online.

Host Gifts - 5 Ways to Be a Great Guest

2008-11-26T23:05:00.001-08:00

When I was growing up (as my daughter would say, 'when dirt was new'), my mom always kept a cabinet filled with hostess gifts. She believed in always being prepared to arrive at parties, small and large, with an appreciation gift to her hostess. When mom would find something that she thought would be wonderful, she would buy several to stash away. She would either tie a bow around the top or when gift bags became en vogue, she would just slip it into a small bag.

There is a lot to be learned from her example. First of all, graciousness. Taking a gift to the party is much like writing the thank you note before you actually attend. It is telling the host and hostess that you know ahead of time that you will have a wonderful time! Secondly, by planning ahead, you reduce your stress level and you are always prepared ahead of time so that last minute invitations won't get you ruffled. Lastly, mom was never in the rut of taking wine or sending flowers. Her philosophy was that everyone else did it, so there would be an over abundance of both. Besides, she was a last minute gal, so being able to grab and go certainly had it's advantages. Keeping a list of recipients is also a good idea so that you don't run the risk of repeating your gifts.

Here are five ideas for host gifts to have on hand that will let your hosts and hostesses know how much you appreciate being included.

1) Candles. Soy candles come in a variety of heavenly scents and containers. They are consumable, but not perishable which is always appreciated.

2) Bar implements. Wine bottle stoppers, wine openers, and bar napkins to go with those bottles of wine that everyone else will show up with.

3) Spa products. Bath confetti, gourmet skin scrubs, eye pillows or body and lip balms are especially great for hostesses although more and more hosts have come to appreciate the pampering delights of such gifts.

4) Picture frames. Classic, small picture frames are always appreciated. Keep a selection of fancy and tailored frames on hand. If you happen to have a photo that is special to the hosts, include it in the frame as an extra touch. Look for frames no larger than 5 x 7, although 4 x 6 is a preferred size since it will fit most personal snapshots.

5) A tea me basket. Great for curling up with a good book or movie. Fill a tea mug with individual packets of tea or cocoa, add some cookies and a bow and you are all set! Tea, cocoa, coffees, even margarita mixes can be ordered en masse with your own personalized label!

Plan Your Party in 10 Easy Steps

2008-11-26T23:04:00.000-08:00

It takes preplanning and thought to host a party that everyone will talk about months after the event. If you do things right, you can ensure that all of your guests will have a great time building memories. Here are the steps to planning an enjoyable party.

Step 1: Location, location, location.

Where you have the party will make the difference in how many people you can invite, what activities you can provide, and many other options. You can have a party indoors, outdoors, at your house, at a friend or relative's house, a rented hall, or a restaurant. The season and occasion will obviously influence this choice.

Step 2: Choose a theme.

How about a costume party? A dinner party? A dance? A slumber party? The theme is a crucial element because it will determine what guests will wear and how they will pass the time at the party. If the theme is poor, it won't be as much fun for everyone, so choose wisely. Make sure guests know the specifics of the party theme well in advance of the date.

Step 3: Set financial boundaries.

Exactly how much money are you willing and able to spend on this get-together? Set your budget early and stick to it as closely as possible. If you are planning with someone else, this is an important detail to agree upon.

Step 4: Select the day and time.

Try to pick a day when a majority of the people you would like to invite will be able to attend. Check local event schedules and ask close friends what date is best if you are planning a holiday party. If in doubt, plan your party early in December to avoid losing guests due to trips and other scheduling conflicts.

Step 5: Prepare invitations.

Form a list of people that you would like to attend. Make or purchase invitations and send them out. Go green and email invitations with many of the free invitation websites available. Be sure to include the occasion, date and time, location, and contact information so they can let you know if they will attend, not attend, or bring a guest (if guests are allowed). Depending on the type of party, you may send invitations weeks or months in advance. A wedding invitation, for example, should go out two months ahead, while a birthday party may only need two weeks notice, unless it is close to a holiday.

Step 6: Plan the food.

Start planning what you will serve and who will prepare each dish. Plan to include menu items that you can prepare the week before the party. Don't forget drinks like punch, coffee, or liquor. Even if you are serving a meal, you might want to have snack foods available, such as vegetables or chips with dip, fruit salad, or cheese and crackers.

Make sure that utensils will be available: plates, napkins, cups, and plasticware or silverware. If you are concerned about the amount of trash this party will create consider a green alternative. Rent glassware and china from a rental company. They will drop off and pick up dirty dinnerware after your party.

Step 7: Plan the activities.

If it is a dance party with a DJ, dancing will naturally take place. Make sure you book the DJ well in advance and have an area cleared for guests that are inspired to move and groove. Think back on previous parties and you might realize that certain friends require a large amount of space to bust their moves! Consider setting up games in another area to keep guests occupied and mingling.

Step 8: What music will you play?

Select appropriate music for the theme of your party. If you don't have a DJ you can play your own music, and download requests from iTunes. You may also want to ask some guests to bring their music. Another option is to play the radio.

Step 9: Location Preparation.

If you are having the party at home, make sure you have cleaned up and organized at least a day or two before. In the final hours before the party, you will be decorating, setting up games, and making sure the mood is right when guests arrive. Make sure that the lighting is appropriate. Check the restrooms for extra toilet paper, tissue and soap.

If you are having your party off-site, arrive at the location two hours ahead so you can be sure that things arrive and are set up as planned.

Step 10: Have the party.

Address any rules and safety issues with your guests. If you have a pool without a barrier, consider asking guests to let their small children play in the play area that you have arranged with a babysitter in another part of the house. If you must depart the location at a set time, provide this information in your invitation. Otherwise, just enjoy yourself. The whole idea is for everyone to have a good time. Now that you know how to plan a party, go ahead and have a blast.
Kathi Burns, CPO is a Board Certified Professional Organizer, Image Consultant and author of Master Your Muck.. Kathi has been featured nationwide in both print and on air media.

Boredom Busters - 7 Tips For a Snowy Day

2008-11-26T23:03:00.000-08:00

The weather isn't cooperating and you are now officially stuck inside for the day. You and your children are going to be playing all day and you need something to do. You can't take them out on the swing set or let them run free in the back yard. What are some things that you can do on a rainy or snowy day? Let's look at seven different activities that can relieve the boredom.

The first thing you can do is play a board game. This is one of the classic snowy day activities in many families. Sit down and grab Monopoly, Life, Scrabble or one of the other popular board games. Start playing and let the fun ensue. This will create lasting memories for your kids and they'll have a blast in the process.
Make cookies. While this might not seem like a fun activity at first, you can get the whole family involved. If you're making sugar cookies, you can involve cookie cutters and make some fun shapes. The kids will love all of the different things that you can make a cookie into. Then put different colors of icing, sprinkles and toppings on them. They're delicious and fun at the same time.
Play hide-and-seek. Most people forget about this simple game. It is an oldie but a goodie. Most kids love this game if you'll show them how to play. It doesn't matter if it's raining or snowing outside, you can play all day inside.
Bundle up and play in the snow. Obviously this one doesn't apply to rainy days, but if you have snow, you're good to go. Every kid loves to play in the snow. You can have a snowball fight; build a fort, snowman, or snow angels. Snow days are some of the best memories in most kids lives. Don't miss an opportunity to make a lasting impression on them. Make sure they're bundled up and let them go at it.
Color some pictures with them. This one may seem obvious, but if you get involved, your kids will love it. Even a simple activity like coloring with them will make them happier than you can imagine. It encourages their creative faculty and it gives you some quality time.
Play cards with them. When you get tired of the board games, there are a number of classic cards that you can teach them. Rummy, Go Fish, Spades...the list goes on and on. These are games that they will carry with them their whole life. Just be prepared for them to ask you to play pretty much every day.
Play dress up. This might not be something that you're proud of, but dressing up is one of the most fun activities to a child. Be a cowboy or a pirate or something else crazy. If you have a little girl, let them dress you up and put makeup on you. You don't have to go out in public like that, but at least let your kids have fun. I guarantee it will be one of the most memorable experiences of your life.

Creating Unique Christmas Decorations Based on Your Specific House Plans

2008-11-26T22:58:00.000-08:00

If you tend to go more than just a little overboard when it comes to Christmas, now is the time to start preparing yourself. With Christmas still six weeks away, there is plenty of time to begin those creative projects and have them done in time to enjoy when the day finally comes. When it comes to decorating our homes we generally put most of our energy and money into decorating the interior of our homes rather than the outside. This makes the most sense since we spend the majority of our time indoors in the winter where we can enjoy those decorations. But if you are looking for something to really spruce up your Spanish style house plans, then perhaps you should look no farther than your front lawn.

When people begin to decorate the outside of their homes for Christmas, they generally start with Christmas lights. People put up lights of all different colors and styles. You could choose to put all red lights on your house and all green lights on all the plants surrounding it. Or you might decide to add all white lights to your house with strands of multi color lights on all the plants and trees. They even have strands of giant light bulbs that you can use to line your driveway. But there is another way to decorate your front yard: with Christmas yard art. Imagine having Santa's sleigh and his eight reindeer prancing through the front yard of your unique cottage house plans. Or maybe even a couple of jolly elves twirling on your lawn. All you really need is a simple plan to follow and some wood, tools and lots of paint.

When it comes to decorating your front lawn with Christmas yard art, the possibilities are limited only to your imagination. If you have a creative side and can draw just about anything then all you really need is to get to work. All you need to do is take a large piece of wood and draw the shape of the figure that you want to create. Then cut this shape out with a jigsaw with great care. Then simply paint the wood and you will have a beautiful new way to decorate your home. If you really want to emphasize the figures in front of your prairie style home plans, all you then need to do is install a light that will light the figure up at night. So whatever your grand plans for your house this year, make sure to get a head start and start planning now!

Dealing With Anxiety - Take it One Step at a Time With These 3 Tips

2008-11-26T22:56:00.001-08:00

Anxiety is something that many Americans deal with. For some it is a nuisance and for others it is a serious problem. It can affect your daily life, your happiness and your overall health. One common side effect of anxiety is insomnia. Many people lie awake at night worrying, which leads to more anxiety over lost sleep in the morning. It may not be possible to completely get rid of your anxiety, but here are some ways you might be able to lessen it.

1) Delay Your Worries- Most of the things we worry about aren't going to happen, and even if they might they probably aren't going to happen today. When you find yourself worrying too much, remind yourself of that, as well as the fact that worrying hardly ever helps the situation. For example, maybe you're worried about a promotion you're trying to get at work. Next week, you are going to find out whether you got it or not. When you find yourself worrying about not getting it, remind yourself that even if it did happen, it won't be for another week. Worrying for a week straight will only be detrimental to your life and health, and won't increase your chances of getting the promotion at all. Ignoring your worries may only work temporarily, but then you just remind yourself all over again.

2) Take Action- Worrying in itself doesn't help anything, but worry that leads to action does. Sometimes when we get too busy worrying about something, we forget to actually do something about the problem. One example that is relevant to a lot of people right now is being stuck in a ton of debt. This can be a huge source of stress, and it piles up for a lot of people because they constantly worry about it but don't do anything to begin paying it off. This is one instance where taking control of the situation and doing something about it will be much more beneficial than worrying or ignoring your worry.

3) Don't psych yourself out- When your stress is about a personal goal or challenge, fear and worry can cause you to feel more daunted than necessary. An attainable goal can turn into a way bigger deal than it actually is when fueled by worry, making you feel like it is impossible or that you are inadequate. Remind yourself of reality, and don't let your anxiety get the better of you.

Managing Your Weight During the Holidays

2008-11-26T22:55:00.000-08:00

Managing your weight during the holidays can be difficult. The dinner table often features numerous types of poultry and an even higher number of side dishes. This is the time when we tend to throw our weight loss goals aside and indulge in the festivities. That, however, is not always the best way to approach the holidays because let's face it, the holidays quickly end but the extra weight you put on will taunt you for months to come. That is why it is important to stick with your diet plan even during the festive months. You can still enjoy the delicious meal; simply remember that moderation is the key to success. Furthermore, during the holiday season, some people tend to purchase hoodia pills in order to better control their hunger while at the dinner table. However, no matter how you control your appetite, remember that portion control is the only rule.

Any person who is serious about weight loss is well aware of the fact that eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day is much better than eating three large meals. When we consume smaller meals at the same time each day we improve our weight and our health in so many ways. By normalizing your eating schedule and your portion sizes, your metabolism will increase, your energy levels will soar, your mood swings will decrease and weight loss will fall into place naturally. Sometimes, buying the best diet pills also helps. This does not mean that you have to purchase a weight loss product in which you can't pronounce any of the ingredients. There are numerous all natural appetite suppressing products out there which I would strongly recommend over ones that have been created in a laboratory.

In my opinion, self control and all natural herbal remedies are wonderful at helping us maintain healthy food intake.

Christmas Gift Giving Tips For Military Personnel

2008-11-26T22:54:00.000-08:00

If you have a friend or family member in the military, you've probably been racking your brain trying to figure out what types of Christmas gifts would be best to get them this year. Moms particularly are having a difficult time with this decision, because they know their children have very little personal space to store any gifts they may receive. If you are in the same situation, here are some gift tips, ideas, and suggestions which might help.

Before selecting the gifts you will send your military personnel, realize where they are stationed at. Or maybe more appropriately what type of environment they are in. Anyone in the military who may be deployed in places such as Iraq or Afghanistan will have more limitations on the types of gifts they're able to receive than someone who may be stationed at a military base within the continental United States.

If you're planning to send a gift to someone in the military who livs off-base in their own housing, then your options are a bit more normal. If the person lives in barracks on the base however, or if they're stationed in other small space housing such as on a ship, then your gift selections will be more limited.

Some of the easiest and most obvious gift ideas to give to someone in the military include cash gift cards, and personalized greeting cards. You could combine these two items, and take things a step further by getting as many friends and family members from home to sign the gift card as you can before sending it off.

Stocking stuffers are another excellent idea because they tend to be small, and take up very little space. When you choose stockings stuffers try to include consumable items such as food and snacks, or stationary, stamps, and pens.

There are many basic items military personnel can often use as well. Simple everyday items such as soap, shampoo, and a toothbrush my go over quite nicely particularly for anyone who is deployed into desert or harsh environments. You could also try other everyday items such as socks, or warm gloves to warm their hands if they're in cold environments.

The perfect standby gift for military personnel of course is anything handmade from home. Food is the most popular and favorite. Since your loved one will be a way from home for the holidays, try sending them a batch of home cooked candies, cookies, and other goodies.

Last but not least, try sending yourself and other loved ones. You may not be able to travel to the location they are asked, but you can record your voice, or possibly even make a video of yourself, other family members and friends. If your loved one has access to a computer anywhere in their military unit, you can probably create a CD or DVD with your home video and audio messages too.

Apply the Law of Two Business Cards - Ask For Two Cards and Give Two Cards to Be Memorable

2008-11-26T22:53:00.001-08:00

You should always offer to give two business cards and ask to receive two business cards from the people that you meet each day. This simple concept changes the way that others see you and how you see the process of networking.

Always ask for two cards when you meet someone new. The request is, "May I have two of your business cards? It seems that whenever I meet someone new I invariably meet someone who needs to know them and I like to have a card available to make the introduction." Often you will be offered many more cards. Just take two for now. Since you have requested her card she will usually request yours as well.

If she doesn't ask for your card do not offer it. You will have her card and you can connect with her if you choose. You will be tempted to think that if you don't give your card she can't contact you, and you'll be correct in this assumption. However if you have to offer your card, chances are she was not interested in you and your product in the first place. That's fine for now since you are going to control the relationship.

When asked for your card, give two cards. You will stand out from the crowd. It is important that you explain your actions or the people you meet will think you're making a mistake. When giving two cards simply say, "I always give two cards, one for you and one for one of your friends." In this way you have set the expectation that you are worthy of being recommended and that you expect that people will want to recommend you.

Successful networking requires that we manage the relationship and the expectations of those we meet each day. Asking for or giving two business cards creates an expectation that you are not the run-of-the-mill acquaintance and people will know are a professional. We all want to do business with professional business people. Apply the law of two business cards and you will win more business.

How a Merchant Cash Advance Works

2008-11-26T08:34:00.002-08:00

To create a real world illustration of how a Merchant Cash Advance works, let's say you have a restaurant. Your restaurant needs $15,000 for remodeling, and you qualify for a $15,000 Merchant Cash Advance to handle the remodeling costs.

First off, here are the players:

You and your business
The Merchant Cash Advance provider, who gives you the cash
Your processor
Your customer

The Set Up
To get this money, you would sell the Merchant Cash Advance provider the right to receive a set amount of your future credit card sales - for this illustration, let's say $20,000.

So you sell $20,000 worth of future credit card sales to receive the $15,000 you need right now. Basically speaking, the $5,000 difference is the cost of the money, which goes to the Merchant Cash Advance provider (*please note, the actual amount going to the provider varies, but it is always clearly established in the terms of a deal). Once you agree with the provider's terms, shake hands, sign the papers, and it's done.

You'd get the $15,000 within days and be set up to automatically handle everything with your provider (via your processor). Sometimes this means switching processors to one that has an existing partnership with your provider. If this switch is necessary it can be handled quickly, and depending on the circumstances, may even offer additional benefits to you and your business.

From here, it is really easy.

The Process
Your business would continue to handle business as usual. The only difference now is that when you run a batch on your credit card activity, a fixed percentage of it will be forwarded to the Merchant Cash Advance provider. This continues until the full amount you promised to pay the cash provider is delivered.

So let's say the agreement calls for you to forward 18% of your batches until the Merchant Cash Advance provider has received all $20,000(*please note, the actual percentage varies, but it is always clearly established in the terms of a deal).

You run a batch report on Monday and see that you have processed $1560 in credit and debit card sales over the weekend. 18% of this is $280.80, so this amount ($280.80) is automatically forwarded to the provider. It reduces the amount of future credit card receipts you owe to $19,719.20. You did nothing different-it was business as usual. Now, however, your credit card processor adjusts your batches to send your provider a fixed percentage until your obligation is fully met.

Does this mean every forwarded amount will be $280.80?

No.

It means that whatever your sales are, 18% of the credit and debit card sales will be forwarded. The percentage is fixed, not the dollar amount. So a busy day means forwarding a little more, a slower day allows you to forward less.

These transactions will occur every time you batch your credit and debit card sales until your obligation is met in full. Once this point is reached, the provider immediately stops receiving anything from your batches.

The Summary:
And that is the bare-bone basics of a Merchant Cash Advance from start to finish.
1. You qualify.
2. You sell a dollar amount of your future credit and debit card sales in exchange for a lump sum of cash.
3. You make sure the processing and paperwork is addressed, and then you receive your money.
4. You spend it on any business purpose.
5. You continue business as usual. As you batch credit and debit card sales, a fixed percentage is forwarded to the provider through the credit card processor.

Once you've met your obligation, collection stops automatically.

A Successful Entrepreneur - The Secret is Reinvesting

2008-11-26T08:34:00.001-08:00

To be a successful entrepreneur you must have the drive to be successful. However you choose to make money, your money will not increase in value by just sitting in an account. Sure, you can make some money in interest, but that really can be a slow process. And you could make money by investing in the stock market, but that could be risky. The best way to grow your money is to reinvest it.

Say for instance that you have made some really big bucks flipping houses. The only way to make more money is to keep it working. If you no longer want to repair and resale houses, find something else to invest in. Since you are successful in knowing what people want and need in the housing market, go further into real estate. Perhaps you could consider purchasing land. Land never really looses its value, unless of course you are investing in a dying town and it finally gives up the fight. Your land in that case may just be worthless. But in most cases, it just gets more valuable.

And you once you have it, you may choose to put a housing development in and build the houses yourself. If you choose not to get into building houses, you can always set up the development and sell the lots. You can still charge big bucks and the new landowner is responsible for building the house. That is pretty much a win-win situation. You can stipulate how much value the new house must have, they do the work and you rake in the money. Whatever you choose, remember the key is reinvesting!

If you need money now, like I mean in the next hour, try what I did. I am making more money now than in my old business and you can too, read the amazing, true story, in the link below. When I joined I was skeptical for just ten seconds before I realized what this was. I was smiling from ear to ear and you will too.

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Turn $100 Dollars Into $1 Million - Online Auctions Are the Key

2008-11-26T08:33:00.001-08:00

For many people, the dream of becoming rich is one that is always in the back of their minds. While the desire to simply provide for ourselves and our families is always a driving factor in what we do, the desire to have wealth above and beyond that can often be the number one factor in all decisions made. For that reason, many people are constantly on the lookout for ways to achieve this.

Home business has always been a way to control your own profits. You decide what products or service you will sell; you decide how much money you have to invest in that, not only in the beginning, but also as the company grows. Basically, with home business, you hold the key to your own success. With effort and determination, there really is no limit to how wealthy you can become.

One of the best home businesses for building cash is online auctions. Some people have no money to start their business, so a great way to get it is by just having a yard sale. Homes and garages are notorious for containing unwanted and unused items. By selling those items, you can normally make at least $100, if not more. So take that $100 and buy some wholesale goods to auction online. These are great because you pay pennies on the dollar for something you can resell at full price. You can keep selling, investing back into more product, and so on and so on. Each time you will be making more money than the last time.

The Rapid Emergence of USB Memory Sticks

2008-11-26T08:30:00.001-08:00

The rapid emergence of USB memory sticks has taken the market by surprise. The technology and flexibility of the USB portable devices is increasing on a massive scale. Approximately 116 million of these devices were shipped by manufacturers in 2006. This is an increase of over 25 percent from the preceding year. In 2007, experts predicted the sales of removable memory sticks to increase by almost 300 percent.

Such whopping statistics provide a clear indication towards a recent trend to a much more faster and flexible solution than a floppy disk or compact disc solutions. It is believed that only ten percent of the users utilized their floppy disks, in 2003. Five years onwards, looking beyond 2008, we can safely assume the demise of the floppy disks, forever. Still, industry experts believe that a USB memory stick has a long way to go.

Consumers are getting used to the concept of more advanced and less costly memory sticks which can easily hold 1GB of data. The same memory stick can rewrite thousands of times and fulfills the need for long term storage. Now, it is not unusual to see memory sticks which can hold more than 32GB of data. A new generation USB memory stick can transfer at the rate of 30 Megabytes per second and can write the data at almost 15 Megabytes per second. As stated, the fast rate of data transfer is complemented by its immense storage capacity.

Companies are using it effectively to promote their brands and distribute vast quantities of information to the potential client. Large corporations see the USB memory cards as an effective solution to market their products through a process of distributing the content to several customers. The popularity of the USB sticks is largely in part due to the flexibility of backup solutions. Business owners and University students find it convenient to store large amounts of data for every day usage.

Almost all the new and refurbished computers support the USB technology. The newer version of Windows operating system provides plug and play compatibilities. Computer software is specifically designed to incorporate the USB technology. Simply, the absence of device drivers makes USB memory sticks a formidable technology that not only provides varied options but saves plenty of time.

There are computers that can boot from the USB flash drive; memory sticks that are water resistant and newer versions that can hold 64GB of data. It will not be an oversimplification to suggest that the future of portable storage is safe no matter what form the USB stick may take.

The Rapid Emergence of USB Memory Sticks

2008-11-26T08:30:00.000-08:00

Three Tips to Learn Sign Language

2008-11-26T05:12:00.001-08:00

The hardest part in learning sign language is to get a good teacher. Teaching sign language is more difficult that learning it. So find a good teacher is more important when you plan to learn it. A person having the ability to speak will find it very difficult to avoid using his tongue. The teacher should be able to act completely deaf to teach it. Choosing a real deaf person as a teacher will be more appropriate for learning that language. The online training centers often provide visual aids that contain illustrations and instructions from real deaf teachers.

Assume yourself to be a deaf person when you are trying to learn this language. You will find it difficult to speak out if you are thinking the other way. You will always feel speaking handier when you are not assuming to be deaf. The grammar of sign language is entirely different from that English or any other spoken languages. When you are not thinking that you are not deaf you will be thinking in the spoken language. This will prompt you to show the signs like you speak. This will be incorrect in the sign language. Always practice the signs thinking that you are a deaf person.

Practice is the most important part. Unlike any other spoken language there are very less opportunity for practicing. You may not easily find anyone to communicate with you in sign language. You can improve your language skill by getting connected with people of similar interest. There may be several deaf communities available locally in your town. Search them out and get associated with them. You can also find some online communities on the internet. You can also rehearse the signs by reviewing the videos .
One of the best resources for learning Sign Language is: http://www.SignLanguageReviews.com. If you are serious about learning sign language at home without a teacher, you should learn about this simple Rocket Sign Language course.

Starting a Profitable Internet Marketing Business in 4 Easy Steps

2008-11-26T04:40:00.000-08:00

In this article I want to show you how you can easily create your own money making internet marketing business in 4 easy steps - without breaking the bank.

I'm going to assume that you don't have much spare cash to invest in your business (or that you you want to create your business with as little up-front investment as possible).

I admit it, I don't like spending money where there are free or low cost alternatives, so if you're like me and don't want to bankrupt yourself but DO want to create an online income from internet marketing, then this article is for you.

It doesn't really matter whether you just want to create a little extra money to supplement your 9 to 5 earnings, or whether you want to develop a full time money making empire; the principles of making money online from internet marketing are the same.

Step 1 - Get your product(s) to sell

Perhaps the cheapest way to get products to sell is to create your own ebooks or reports; this involves minimum upfront costs (just the purchase of a good pdf compiler, available from less than $20) and each report or ebook you sell represents 100% profit.

Alternatively, find a suitable product to promote as an affiliate (there is a huge range on Clickbank, or try Commission Junction). Marketing an affiliate program may well be the best choice if you're completely new to internet marketing as you not only get a ready made product but will often get marketing materials as well. Using the affiliate marketing route, you will receive a commission for every sale you make (which could be up to around 75% of the sale).

Whichever route you choose, try to ensure that your products are for a market that is in demand and for which there are ready buyers.

Step 2 - Create your web site

Even if you have no experience designing and creating a web site, the days when you needed an in depth knowledge of HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) coding have long since passed. If you have this skill then great, but it's now very easy to create your site without any knowledge of HTML at all. There are numerous (free) web site design programs you can use - Microsoft's Frontpage, Nvu (available from download.com) or the excellent MyFreeWebsiteBuilder are the best known examples - which are true visual design programs (i.e. what you see is what your get, aka wysiwyg) which don't require any knowledge of HTML at all.

There are however a few rules to follow when designing your web page(s).

Keep it simple - visitors to your page(s) should be able to see at a glance what you have to offer. If you are promoting more than one product, place them on seperate pages so that you focus your visitor's attention on one product at a time
Use the minimum number of typefaces (fonts) that are easy to read
Use colours in graphics that are compatible and easy on the eye, and avoid blocks of text that use colour. As a general guide, use red text for headlines, and black or blue for the body text
Show your enthusiasm for the products your are promoting - if you don't demonstrate enthusiasm then you're unlikely to get a positive response from your prospects.

Sending good quality traffic to your site and it then not converting into sales has to be one of the most frustrating things as an internet marketer. A number of reasons can cause this, of which poor site layout is one - visitors aren't turned into customers and leave the site without making a purchase, so engaging the visitor is something you should always keep in mind.

Step 3 - Get your page(s) hosted

You could spend hundreds of dollars getting your pages hosted, but why do that when you can get quality, professional hosting for only a few dollars per month? Try to ensure that whoever you choose to host your site provides an easy to use panel for uploading and editing your pages, has sufficient web space for your site to grow, and provides built-in email (so that your personal email remains separate from business emails).

If you really want to get up and running with minimal cost, why not create your web site using the free hosting provided by Wordpress? Although Wordpress is intended for simple blogging, there's no reason why you can't generate a blog that is marketing related!

Step 4 - Get visitors to your web pages

Once you have created and uploaded your page(s), your next step is to drive visitors to them.

You could pay for ads using Google Adwords, MSN, or Yahoo, but why not start with generating your own free traffic? Join a traffic exchange (most are free for basic membership), create interesting articles related to your market and post them on article directory sites (free, and great for getting links back to your site). It's perfectly possible to generate a large and growing number of visitors just using these free methods.

Just remember when placing ads on traffic exchanges that you have a limited amount of text space to grab attention, so make sure the headline and subtext will entice viewers to click!

For best results with articles, compose them with a liberal sprinkling of keywords related to your topic throughout the text, and make sure you include a link back to your web page(s) in the resource box at the end of your articles.

Monitor the results of your traffic generation strategies, and apply your main energies to those that produce the best results first before spending too much time modifying those that are not producing results.

Once you have followed all 4 steps above, you should be well on your way to generating that extra income. Best of luck!

Energy Efficient Ideas to Discuss With Your Home Builder

2008-11-26T04:39:00.000-08:00

If you live in Dallas Texas are you planning on buying a new home? What energy efficient items should you talk with the builder about?

There are lots of options that you can have installed in your new home. One of the biggest money savers is your windows. Heat gets into or out of your house through the windows. Talk with your builder about the different types of windows that are available; if they have low-E coating; are Argon filled; are double, triple, or quadruple paned. The more panes the window has, the better it is at blocking heat or cold transfer. When you buy the windows, you need to have them tinted. You can also purchase drapes and close them during the day. Doing these steps will put you on your way towards keeping the heat out (or in).

The next thing you should do is to install solar panels. If you pay to have it done, you will need to come up with about $30,000. To save money I recommend a do it yourself home solar approach. Basically this approach is to build one solar panel at a time and gradually get your home using more and more electricity from the sun. This is a great, cost effective approach. Each solar panel, deep cycle battery, controller, and inverter will cost you about $200. So when you have an extra $200, you say okay, I'm going to make my wash machine run on solar power this month.

The next thing you need to do is to make a wind power generator. There are good winds in Dallas Texas. You can build a wind turbine for your home for about $150.

Next, a properly insulated attic will save you big money on your electric bill. Ask the builder how many inches of insulation were put in the attic and in the walls. The number you want to hear is at least 6 inches. If it is not too late, have the builder put 10 - 12 inches in the attic. Also, ask for roof fans installed to vent the hot air from the attic to the outside. These roof fans are really cheap and easy to install and will make a huge difference in cooling off your house.

Finally, get a thermostat that is programmable. This will help save you money off your monthly electricity bill. For example, you will be able to tell it to turn the air off at 7:30 am when you go to work, and turn the air on around 4:30 pm just prior to getting home. The same thing can be done at night when you sleep so that it turns the temperature down to 72 degrees at 1:00 am.

5 Things You Should Know About Shopping Online

2008-11-26T04:36:00.000-08:00

Most of us turn to the Internet to research products that we are interested in buying. Some of us actually make purchase decisions based on what we find online. Yet many of us take this knowledge from the Internet and drive to the nearest retailer and pay 10-20% more than we would have paid online. Some of the reasons we do this are obvious. We need the product right away. We don't want to pay shipping costs. We don't understand the dimensions that are given for a particular product. We are concerned about the colors we see on our screen matching the actual product we get. We need to touch and feel the product before we buy. We like the interaction that a trip to the store gives us, and lastly we just don't trust the Internet.

The following is a list of 5 things you should know about shopping on the Internet that should allow you to fully utilize this resource.

1. Most Internet retailers use a nationwide distributor for their products. This means that even though the company is based in a specific area they probably have a warehouse in your area. This allows for items to ship to you sometimes the very next day. So if you need it quick chances are the Internet can still provide.

2. Most Internet retailers have free shipping over a certain order value. With that in mind, if you have enough things you need at once, or can wait till you do, you probably qualify for free shipping.

3. Some Internet retailers can provide a sample of a product if color or size is an issue for you. Keep in mind that this would not be the case for a large ticket items, but for something small that you would need a quantity of, this could very well apply.

4. Most Internet retailers have a toll free number to call for order placement and to answer any product related questions. I have called quite a few Internet based companies and I find that they are hiring intelligent, friendly, and eager sales and service associates. My interactions with these companies have been very pleasant and sometimes quite enjoyable.

5. The Internet is safer with your credit card than just about any other place you use it. I have heard often from people who will not shop on the Internet that they just can't get over the hurdle of entering their credit card online. They feel like they are typing their number into a public forum, and are concerned that their information will be stolen. As long as the sites URL credit card form page start with https:// this means that this sites page is secure. When you see a URL that begins with http:// where you enter your credit card information you may want to reconsider.

I suggest giving some considerations to the positives of ordering online before you decide that it's not for you. The major advantage of buying online remains price. A lot of online sales are tax free. Most orders qualify for free shipping. The time savings that you realize from not leaving your office or home is hard to put a price tag on, but is probably the greatest benefit of all.

Blog Traffic - Web 2 Traffic Tactics

2008-11-26T04:20:00.000-08:00

The blogging phenomenon perfectly integrates in the second generation of web services know as Web 2.0 since this is the most convenient platform for all Internet moves. What is there for bloggers with Web 2.0? First of all, the whole aim of the new web-technology is to facilitate collaboration and sharing between users, on the one hand, and increase the usage rate on the other hand. The next legitimate question that rises here touches on the best ways to attract traffic in the conditions of the transition to blogs that are sources of highly functional content.

First and foremost, we need to say here that with blogs web information is no longer centralized in terms of authority, not to mention that the freedom to use and re-use material is limitless. From a certain point of view blogs become a real market, in which content is the transaction environment. Hence, Web 2.0 traffic tactics mainly gravitate around the optimization of blog articles for advanced search on the search engines. Though it may be very tempting, don't aim too high from the very beginning, it is almost impossible to get large numbers of visitors form the first blogging days.

The key to getting good traffic is perseverance and service quality. Content has to be re-freshed every week if not more often; in order to make that an easier task, it is enough to change some of the content, even if you don't replace it all. With the large number of applications available with Web 2.0, you should place a Google search box directly on the site, so that any user may find it comfortable to perform any further search directly from your blog page. What's there for you? You make the user spend more time on the site and, consequently, you increase the chances of his or her returning to the blog in the future.

People are now more interested in blogs that have RSS feeds; well, you'll have to let Internet users know that as soon as you can! Initially, graphics were the best means to indicate the presence of an RSS feed; the great advantage now is that you can adjust the very colors used for this attention sign to the theme or topic specific to the blog itself. The system is created in such an easy to use way that all you have to do is insert the text and the color scheme and then a graphic pattern is generated immediately.

Property Investment Masterclass

2008-11-26T04:19:00.002-08:00

One thing we can pretty much guarantee is that a dwelling, be it a house, flat whatever will always have some value because its one of our basic human needs, next to food and water.

Unlike shares - they're not a basic human need but are arguably an essential vehicle not only for creating wealth IF ITS GOING UP. We all now know first hand most of us that a share actually can be worthless, I've personally seen 2 of my sharepicks become totally worthless - unlike property, so which one is safest? No prizes for guessing its Property.

Having been in the mortgage business I have seen first hand how property investors have raked in some massive profits over the last 10 years particularly. OK its not looking so rosy now but the secret to successful investing, be it shares or property is not being greedy, setting a target profit (or loss)and getting out at the right time. With regards to property in the UK that happened to be mid 2007. Anyone with investment property that missed that will either have to take a smaller profit (if they still have one) if they sell now or wait probably 3 to 5 years (maybe longer) to get the value back to its peak.

One method thats been used in the past with a rising property market has been to refinance to get equity out to use as gearing to buy another property, thus increasing your holding (and liability). The risk of course is that property prices can (and have) go down as well as up like any investment. And as we all know if you do not make your mortgage payments your property may be repossessed.

It has been argued - and with justification I think, that there is more security in multiple holding in that for example if you have 2 properties and one doesn't have a tenant you effectively have 50% of ideal cash flow. Whereas if you owned ten properties and had 2 with no tenants you have 80% of ideal cash flow. That said, of course the shortfall that you are liable for is twice as much as the first example!

So its a serious business that must be run responsibly, taking into consideration all the associated costs of purchase and sale and in the interim, such as maintenance, letting agents fees etc. My advice is get proper and appropriate advice!

The profits in the buying - knowing where and how to get the best price, and in the selling - knowing when to take your profit.

If you would like to educate yourself on the ways and means of buying right and maximising your property profits over the next few months the Property Investment Masterclass will have you ready to start when the market hits the bottom.

The author of Property Investment Masterclass is Rod Thomas.

Over the years I've bought probably five or six different course on how to make money from property and as yet I haven't done anything with them. Perhaps its just me but I suspect a lot of people like me buy into the dream but don't actually want to do anything to amass great wealth. We think that just because we've bought the course or manual that we're on our way. sadly not true as some of you might admit.

Bottom line is we will never make any money or success of ourselves unless we take action. And the sooner the better - I'm writing from the heart here because I've probably been procrastinating for 15 years if I'm totally honest ... that makes me feel a bit sad now putting that in print. Fifteen years ago I read a book called 'Lazy mans way to riches' by Joe Karbo. How I wish now I'd actually read it and just followed his guidance.

Don't be like me and waste the next fifteen years. If you want to make things happen you've got to take action. Start with the smallest step, educate yourself on your chosen interest then launch YOU - decide on your future instead of being a victim of circumstance

My very sincere best wishes to your success.

Save Your Data Using Linux Data Recovery Software

2008-11-26T04:19:00.001-08:00

As our technology is developing, the size or amount of information increases. The maintenance of huge amount of information is not an easy task and some times it happens that it get corrupted, lost, deleted, formatted or inaccessible and you are not able to use it any more. If it is very important then you are in a big problem. Now you search for a solution which gives you the data back. For this you have to do the Data Recovery Process. According to the Operating System, Different recovery is available. For example, for the windows there is the windows data recovery and for the Linux there is Linux Data Recovery.

To perform the recovery on Linux there are Linux Data Recovery Software are available that recover your information in the situations like:

Your files and folders have lost on Linux desktop
You have formatted your hard drive
Operating system crashed or corrupted
Linux Hard Disk Drive is now showing the Files and folders
Deleted or lost Volume

Now you are thinking that what exactly the Linux Data Recovery Software does ?

It will do many kind of recovery process.

Ex2 and Ex3 Data Recovery
ReiserFS File System Recovery
Linux Partition Recovery
Linux Deleted Files Recovery
Linux Formatted disk recovery

All these recovery process are done by the Linux Data Recovery Software. The Software uses a very strong searching algorithm to find all the deleted, formatted, corrupted, lost or inaccessible file and folder from all the volumes of the Linux File System. Once the Searching completes, It Repairs the files so that they can be accessible once again. After this process it restores the files to its original location so that you can access and use it once again.

If some error messages are coming to your screen then there are chances of some or more amounts of data have been corrupted in your Linux Computer. Some error messages are:

1. Maximum count Reached

2. Cannot read the table of mounted file systems

3. Internal Compiler Error

4. Unknown terminal type Linux and similar

5. Cannot initialize drive X and many more.

If you are facing these messages then you need to be careful and use the Linux data recovery software to recover. Purchase or Download it and then install it to your Linux machine. Execute it and it will care all the rest things.

The Best Compressed Air Dryers

2008-11-26T04:13:00.001-08:00

Are you looking for the best compressed air dryers? Despite the countless choices you have in the industry, it's not really going to be a very easy one. After all, a cheap air dryer doesn't really mean it's the most advisable, in the same way that you really can't equate high quality with super-high price.

Ways to Find the Right One

You therefore need tips that will be your comprehensive guide when you're out there, searching for the most appropriate compressed air dryer for your company:

1. Go for those that are multifunctional. A number of air dryers today can actually perform two important functions. They are not only known for their adsorption methods, but they also act as refrigerants. This way, you can eliminate buying separate dryers, and you can easily regulate the pressure dew point, especially when the weather changes. You can also maximize the performance of your compressed air dryer and save energy along the way.

2. Choose a refrigerated compressed air dryer when you're trying to save. If you want to lower down the costs of your capital or investment, you better choose a refrigerated air dryer. For one, it has a very low initial cost, and it doesn't take much for you to operate and maintain it. What's more, it doesn't get easily damaged by oil. You just need to watch out for its dew point limitation.

3. Use desiccant dryers when you're working in a hazardous environment. A compressed dryer that has a desiccant is plainly called desiccant air dryer. What it does is to absorb the water vapor form the air stream as well as remove the moisture using an internal or external heat during the regeneration process. The good thing about this is that it can go to extremely low dew points, and you don't even have to worry of the machine eventually freezing up-it can go between -40 and -100 degrees Fahrenheit. Moreover, it can be attached to locations that are very dangerous, and you don't need to go near it to operate the device properly since it can be handled remotely. Nevertheless, there are minor disadvantages that you have to take note of too. You may have to set aside quite a large amount of money for your investment. You also need to change the desiccant bed regularly to ensure that it can still work smoothly. You also need to watch out for oil that may cover the air stream.

4. For convenience, opt for deliquescent compressed air dryer. If you don't like to be hassled with constant maintenance of your air dryer, or if you want to minimize your labor costs by hiring few operators, you can choose deliquescent dryer. First, it doesn't need to run with power supply, so you can lower the installation costs. There are no also moving parts to think about, and since it doesn't have electricity, you can expect lower charges for in your electric bills. This is also one of the dryers that can be attached right outside of your building. This is because it has an automatic drain that will protect the equipment from freezing.

Small Business For Ladies

2008-11-26T04:12:00.001-08:00

More women indeed are venturing into small business, and tapping the internet for more sales worldwide. Some women and small business are earning good income to augment their regular income from stable or other part-time jobs. The products women and small business are selling online range from scented beautiful candles, home decors and even party hosting. They have optimized the use of the internet with their blogs and snappy copy ads. It is indeed interesting to know that women and small business are making good in these times of economic uncertainties. The entrepreneurial skills of women are put to good use indeed.

If you are still wondering if can take a crack at small business, and market your handcrafted bone jewelry try it now. There are thousands of women and small business that have gained good reputation and money with a little financing. You can approach the women-friendly loan agencies for some savvy advice on investing. They will help you review some options and perhaps they can also take a look at your business plan to determine the viability of your project. Successful women and small business have made it - backed up by funds to jumpstart the little business. There are also agencies that can provide tools, products and services that will help the business rake in hundreds of dollars. Some companies can help women and small business build their own online network.

How did some women and small business start in a competitive market? It is all a matter of attitude and great ideas. It also helped to know the market trends and consumer demands. The internet is one vast market for their products and women and small business use software to give them that competitive edge. More importantly women and small business should capitalize on the trust of their customers. The clients should be on the top list of people to be nice with. A relationship with a client does stop after the delivery of the goods. Women and small business should follow up customers and try to know if the customer was satisfied. This way they can monitor their own performance.

It is also important for women and small business to hook up with networking groups. By joining these groups and participating actively in community activities. There will a nominal fee required for women and small business. Referrals should not be expected immediately. It may take a year or less for women and small business to get a foothold in the networking set-up. Joining a network will give enterprising women and small business exposure weekly or monthly.

In starting a business, the advice of experts should be sought from lawyers for legal advice, and accountants for the tax aspects and the like. Their fees may be a bit stiff for women and small business. There is an option to get a business consultant who can help untangle the technical difficulties in starting a small business. The consulting firms will provide trainings and seminars for women and small business to set up a niche in the business world.

Future of the Industry

2008-11-26T03:41:00.001-08:00

Here I have stated that the future of the baking industry is mixed.

The number of bakers coming into the industry is slowing and in a few years the plant bakeries will find the benefits of being large reducing.

Small bakerties employ far more employees than all the large bakeries put together. Large bakeries may employ so few people but they manufacture more product.

Not necessarily better product its just more convenient. Being produced by machines does not make the breads better, in fact the doughs have to be manipulated to be able to produce the product by the machines.

This is being done by high speed mixers. Making 280 pound of flour into a dough in just three minutes.

To do that, creates a fantastic amount of heat. Heat which would otherwise kill the yeast, so frozen water has to be used without it actually freezing.

Small bakeries, those employing 2 to 10 employees can make breads that have more flavor, better crust color and crumb texture.

They can make these bread on a daily basis thereby giving their clientelle a far fresher and much more appealing product.

People complain a lot of those breads they purchase from the supermarkets yet they continue to purchse them. The reason, can only be convenience of one place shopping.

The small bakeries are holding their own in this convenient market place and they do it by versatilty. By making a variety of products thet the supermarkets cannot do.

Supermarket foods are all the same, no matter from which supermarket one purchases their product. The taste is virtually the same.

Most people I have spoken with claim the food is tasteless and I have to agree. Much of it is.

Small bakeries can hold their own and will continue to hold their own as long as they do not try to compete with the supermarkets. For that would be certain death of our trade.

Is it Time to Upgrade Your Client?

2008-11-26T03:38:00.002-08:00

Your business is always changing and evolving. As you grow, your business grows. Growing can mean a lot of different things - higher paying clients, creating products or programs, or adding a new line of revenue. As your business continues to shift you will find that it might be time to upgrade your client.

What does "Upgrade Your Client" mean? It means that you are ready for a new type of client. It might be one that is committed or further down the experience curve than your current client. In my first few years of business I was great at attracting brand new business owners. Those who were just leaping into the solo-entrepreneur home-based experience. I loved them at the time. Over the years my business has evolved and I attract a much more seasoned and committed type of business owner who is adding multiple streams to her business, leveraging her marketing with systems, and creating products and programs to reach more people. Now I really love this client! The evolution has kept it interesting and allowed me to grow along with my business.

There are certain points in your business life cycle where things are ready to change. You just have to listen and pay attention to the signals!

Signs that you are ready to Upgrade Your Client:

1. You are restless.

You find that you are feel restless and even impatient with clients and your daily tasks. You just find that you are grumpy and irritated that your clients are having the same problems over and over again.

2. You are Bored.

You look at your calendar in the morning and you start sending messages to the universe... oh, how I hope they cancel today! You know something is up if you don't even have the energy or interest to meet with your clients!

3. Your clients are restless and bored.

How do you know this? They start canceling, rescheduling or not even showing up for appointments! Or they show up but are not prepared or obviously not enthusiastic about being with you.

4. You are distracting yourself with other things.

You find that you are running errands, doing laundry, losing yourself in endless computer time - anything but calling a client or doing the work.

Ok, before you think that you are a hopeless business owner and you should just close your business down, consider this...these are all signals - good signals - that your business is wanting to shift. That it's time to upgrade your client. These are flashing beacons asking you to pay attention that it's time to let your business evolve to the next level. It's funny, but your business will speak to you if you just listen.

There's one more signal. This one feels really good.

5. Your clients are asking for "what's next?"

Yes, they are outright asking you for more. They want more from you. It's time to go further than you've gone before with your services or products. They are calling you forth into the new evolution of your business! This happened to me. I had clients signing up for my year-long Platinum Style program before I even officially launched it. My clients were ready. I just had to keep up!

These 5 signals mean that it's time to shift your business model - maybe it's time for a more successful and committed client - one who can pay you more too; maybe it's time for a new type of client or a similiar client in a new industry to making things more interesting, or you might be getting the signal that it's time to package your wisdom, knowledge and expertise into products or programs to reach more people. It's time to create multiple streams of income.

All these avenues to shift your business are part of the natural evolution. The big message for today is to pay attention to the signals. Don't think your business is going down because you are irritated or bored - it's a good thing!

Now, what signals are you experiencing? Where is your business telling you it wants to move to?

If you would like to use this article in your newsletter or blog please feel free to do as long as you include our credit information: Written by Laura Howard West, Center for Joyful Business, joyfulbusiness.com I would also appreciate it if you'd send us a copy for our media files. ©Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

Laura West is an award-winning online entrepreneur and president of The Center for Joyful Business. If you are ready to shift your marketing and mindset for more success with joy and ease, get your free report: Business Attraction Success Kit
Award-winning writer and coach Laura West is the creator of The Joyful Business Guide™ system and products which bring together intuitive, creative and practical tools for using attraction principles for more passion, purpose and prosperity in your business and life!

If you like today's issue and the postings at Café Entrepreneur then you'll LOVE the Joyful Business Guide™ system in guiding you to more enjoyable and fulfilling success in your business.

Resources For Looking Up Numbers Are Available Online

2008-11-26T03:38:00.001-08:00

Phone number research is definitely on the rise, and there are many factors that could be contributing to this fact. One major element is the large increase in the amount of phone numbers in use. The more numbers that are in use at the same time, the more numbers there are to lookup. Another factor that might be increasing interest in number research is the vastly improved ease of use. Now that consumers can use reverse lookups, researching phone numbers is easy.

Without online resources like reverse lookups, researching phone numbers can often be difficult or impossible. Traditional search methods like internet search engines are almost entirely ineffective at looking up phone numbers. Other search methods like the white pages or social networking sites may help you find access to some numbers, but they offer nothing close to comprehensive coverage.

That's why reverse phone lookups are so widely hailed as being incredibly useful. With the help of a reverse phone lookup, you can research almost any number in little or no time at all. Reverse phone lookups have massive databases of owner information, which means they can help you find the address and identity of almost any phone owner nationwide. Moreover, reverse phone lookups are easy to use and work quickly, so getting answers can mesh easily with even the most hectic of schedules.

Now that you can learn who owns a phone number, you have the ability to help yourself in dozens of different situations. Not only can you handle all of your phone research needs, but you can even look up old friends and find addresses to go with old phone numbers that you might have thought were out-of-date. This is just another example of how reverse phone lookups can be a real help.

For Faster Profits, DON'T Reinvent the Wheel - Make BIG MONEY From Other People's Ideas

2008-11-26T03:37:00.001-08:00

Just about everybody who starts a business spends way too much money on things that seem smart at the time, but later turn out to be worthless.

* The guy who starts an Internet business spends a lot of his start-up cash on fancy business cards and furnishing a nice office. Then it turns out all his customers work with him via email. He never has a chance to hand out his business cards and no one notices his nice office.

* The woman starting a gourmet coffee bar spends tens of thousands of dollars on equipment and staff, only to discover the gourmet coffee craze has move on and she needs to retool her location to offer breakfast and lunch.

* The couple opening a retail store find out just a little too late there is little demand for their products. Similar items can be conveniently purchased at WalMart for a lower price.

All these cases involve good, ambitious people losing most of their start-up investment to bad ideas. The really sad thing is they could have saved all that money AND time by simply learning from someone who had already worked the business.

It's one of the oldest and truest rules in business. First find others who have succeeded in your chosen business. Pick their brains. Learn from their experience.

The only problem with that is most businesses are so complicated that no expert is going to spend the months, and maybe even years, it takes for you to fully learn the business.

That's why franchise and licensing opportunities are so popular. For decades, America's most successful small businesses have started as franchises.

A franchise is always based on a very successful and completely proven business idea. The parent company shares their methods, knowledge, and experience with you. Rather than having to learn from the "school of hard knocks," you simply follow a prescribed formula set out by the franchiser.

Good franchise opportunities can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars or even millions. Good licensing deals often cost considerably less.

A company with a proven business and market can license you to work their business in your town or area. You can benefit from the parent company's extensive training, marketing, supply sources, and brand name recognition.

Rather than having to find all your own products or services, advertise to familiarize your name with prospects, and figure out effective accounting and operating systems -- all of which can be extremely expensive and time consuming -- you fast-forward to profits using the extensive assistance provided by the parent company.

Licensed opportunities are free from many of the extensive government regulations that limit franchises. This gives the parent company MUCH more flexibility in creating an opportunity that is perfectly tailored to their industry.

The best way to tap into the food industry's massive profits is to follow a simple, step-by-step system developed by someone who has done it successfully many times.

And, by looking for systems that involve a license instead of being a franchise, you will save a lot of money in both start up and operations costs while still getting the benefits from following a proven system.

In these days of slow sales and downward expectations, this type of proven business is just the reliable money-earner you need.

Business Intelligence and OLAP

2008-11-26T03:35:00.001-08:00

What exactly is the definition of business intelligence. At first glance it might seem that one definition would be the opposite of business stupidity. However; despite the wording, business intelligence the process of gathering and processing data that will be beneficial to any one business.

The Gathering of Business Intelligence

For most businesses this basically means the study of their customers buying habits and changing needs as it pertains to the products or services that a business is providing. Another aspect of business intelligence my be the studying of of a businesses strengths and weakliness as well as their competitions.

A Labor Intensive Costly Proposition

So, needless to say the task of gathering and processing of business intelligence can be a very labor in tensive and costly proposition. Surprisingly, with so much work having gone into business intelligence, a recent study determined that 90% of business managers have very little faith in their companies business intelligence.

A New Solution

So what is the solution? One new solution that more and more businesses are using is what are called business intelligence tools. Business intelligence tools are basically software that is developed to more accurately and efficiently process the data that is gathered as business intelligence.

OLAP or (On Line Analytical Processing)

OLAP or (online analytical processing), is just one of those tools that are now available. It is important to remember that a massive file of data is completely worthless unless the people that need to use it can understand it and make use of it. OLAP can allow a person who's strong point is the gathering of business data, yet who is lacking in the ability to make it understandable to the "common Joe" to have a place where their data can be processed and clarified.

Confirm Criminal Identities With Online Records

2008-11-26T03:34:00.000-08:00

Criminal records don't normally cross people's minds very often. But that doesn't mean that criminal records aren't important in many different situations. Being able to find a criminal record for someone is often the only way to confirm or deny that a given individual is a criminal. Knowing if someone has a criminal record can help you make informed decisions about the people that surround you and your family. That's why finding criminal records is so important and why so many people turn to public records searches.

Public searches are the ideal tool for almost any public records-based research project. By utilizing massive databases of online information, public records searches can help users find hundreds of millions of different public records, including criminal. Plus, while searching for criminal records, you can also locate other potentially related information like divorce records and court records. Moreover, even though public records searches are so powerful, they only take a few seconds to use, which can help make them fit into your busy day.

That means that finding the criminal records you're interested in is reduced to a simple, quick process. All you need to do is log on to a public search and become a member of the site. From there, you just search by first and last name (and perhaps city and state) to find the criminal records that you've been wondering about. This way, you can confirm the identity of a criminal or quit worrying needlessly about someone who doesn't have a dark past.

No matter how you think about it, being able to find online criminal records is a valuable and positive thing. It means that you won't have to worry about potentially exposing yourself or your family to a dangerous situation simply for a lack of information.

Take the Good With the Bad in Business

2008-11-26T03:21:00.000-08:00

In my normal daily routine, I awoke to the dog scratching my bedside anxious to go for his early morning exercise. In the process of getting him and I ready for our half hour trek into the morning chill I turned the coffee pot on and let that brew while I was out so it would be ready by the time we returned.

A half hour later we returned, I poured my coffee and as I often do I sat at the kitchen table reading one of my favorite business magazines. I was particularly intrigued with an article in regards to how failure is actually a good thing when it comes to business. In my own business experiences I have failed so I proceeded to read on as to see how what the author was describing directly correlates to my situations that I encountered.

As I concluded the article talked about parallels to my own business and probably yours, ones of finding the positives out of the negatives, meeting a new person in bad business ventures and why a person who has failed is stronger than one who has not.

Take the first point of pulling the positives out of the negatives. It is invariably easier to get down on yourself and say, "oh why did this happen to me", or "I can't believe it didn't work out." However we need to focus in on the positives here. Write down the reasons the venture failed. Did it fail because of, lack of funding, a bad business partner, not enough research up front or you provided a business or service that people did not want?

All issues that are very fixable when you can clearly see what the issues are to begin with. As I have found in business, regardless of how bad a business venture goes, you will find one or more people that are wonderful human beings, great mentors and/or excellent business people. I recently built a property to flip and sell. However the project took a long time to complete, as we hired people who weren't right for the job or we hit government road blocks with certain regulations. By the time the property was complete the real estate market tanked and I had to take a huge hit on it. Ok, lesson learned.

But along the way I met some really good people. One's that helped steer me in the right direction and others who worked hard to get the job done in a timely fashion and on budget. To this day I am still friends with these people and when the situation exists, I call upon them for help. I can almost guarantee that you know many of the same that I do.

A person who fails is stronger because they now know what doesn't work! Yes a little backwards in the way of thinking but you now have found an avenue in your business that hits unnecessary roadblocks or walls that will either cost you too much time, money or both. Failure is a part of life, whether it is in business or your daily routine. Those that are able to use that failure to their advantage and learn what to do because of it, are those that rise above and succeed.

10 Things to Remember When Using Voiceover Narration in E-Learning Courses

2008-11-26T03:20:00.000-08:00

1. Increased bandwidth and streaming media have enhanced the feasibility of integrating audio in online learning environments.

2. The human voice is immensely powerful and expressive. By modifying loudness, pitch, pace and tone, voiceover narration can be used to motivate and inform students.

3. Use of Voiceover narration can significantly help the learning experience particularly in learning a foreign language.

4. Audio instruction is beneficial for children who have not learned to read and adults who are visually challenged or are unable to read to a functional level.

5. Some studies have shown that learning is more effective when animation and narrations are presented concurrently rather than sequentially. It is recommended that extraneous material such as sound effects and music be excluded from a multimedia presentation.

6. The appropriate narrator (male, female, old, young) depends on the type of course you're creating. For example, if the course tells a story for young children, it may be more suitable to use a child or female voiceover artist.

7. Choose a voice that can enunciate clearly and at a pace that is suitable for the type of course and the audience it is aimed at.

8. What Gender of narrator should you choose? Some studies have shown that a combination of male and female was the preferred option to hold attention and interest.

9. Is it necessary to narrate all the text on the screen? It may be more effective to voice key points and ideas. However, use audio narration, rather than text or text and audio, to explain a complex visual. Using audio and images manages a learner's mental load during learning.

10. If you choose to use on screen characters (or Learning Agent) as part of your eLearning course, consider the importance of the agent's voice. Agents that use conversational audio narration in a familiar human accent rather than onscreen text or machine-generated language have better learning results.

Stresses of Running a Business

2008-11-26T03:11:00.000-08:00

There is a small bookstore or coffee shop that lurks in everyone's dreams-a small business to call your own, one where you work when you want, meet interesting people, and live off the profits in an easy life. However, before one starts fantasizing too much about owning a business there are several things you should keep in mind about the level of work, dedication, and time you will need not only to run a business, but to run a successful one.

Here are six things to keep in mind when considering going into business for yourself:

· Self-Discipline-it can often times be hard to keep deadlines when there is no one there to tell you to get back on track or keep you from taking breaks. Deadlines are key to running a successful business. Clients need to know that they can depend on you and the you give them the services that you promise.

· Working all day-your work schedule has to become your life. Whether you are working all day, seven days a week still does not guarantee you success. This can be frustrating for anyone, but spending the hours of your life constantly on your project is essential.

· Dealing with stressful environments-Business meetings, pitching your ideas, uncertain circumstances, these can all lead to a lot of stress. It is important to keep a cool head, prepare as well as you can, and stay healthy to keep your stress levels down.

· Uncertain job prospects-at the beginning of your business, it is likely that you will have to take some financial risks. You may need to take some jobs that are risky and have uncertain pay. As stressful as this can be, it is just the reality of the beast.

· High volume of travel-to make your business sell you need a lot of face time, and this requires that you travel to the costumer often times. Travel is very stressful on the body, especially if it is constant. Long commutes to work and lots of air travel are important for your business, so play accordingly.

Running a business can be a stressful affair, but it can as result in a great success, which can pay off your investment of time in energy spent.

To Profit More, Carefully Study and Improve How You Have Made Successful Business Innovations

2008-11-26T03:10:00.001-08:00

In the typical growing company, most employees have been with the organization in their current job for only a few years. Today's reality seems like all that there is, or ever has been. As a result, people are conservative in wanting to optimize what they have today. But if the company had simply done that kind of optimization in the past, the company might not have survived.

How did we get to where we are today, and what does it teach us about what we need to be doing now?

Most companies employed a process at least once to create the current business model. By making that process explicit, you can begin to see what elements need to be repeated and by whom.

Key elements of this process mapping include:

(1) How does the process begin?
(2) How are objectives set?
(3) What questions are asked?
(4) How are the questions answered?
(5) What does the output look like?
(6) How is the output used?
(7) How is this thinking turned into operating results?

Note that for smaller companies, you may be describing the inner dialogues that some of the senior executives have with themselves.

Locate the Opportunities to Improve Your Process

If you have only seem one example of something, it may look pretty good. The first telephone was a marvel in its time, but we would find it hopelessly ineffective today. If Alexander Graham Bell had known all that we know today, the original telephone would have looked much different

How can we see beyond the first example? You may have the same problem with a business model innovation process. You may have difficulty in seeing how it could be made better. Here are some suggestions to help you.

You can use five primary methods for making this assessment. Each one will teach you something you need to know. So, you should them all.

First, compare the process you have now to the best process for business model innovation in place among your current and potential competitors. What elements are present in their processes that would enhance yours?

Second, ask those who would employ the process what seems most difficult for them to do now. Ask them to separate their replies into two categories:

(a) The ways the process can be simplified or sped up; and
(b) What knowledge, information, experience, tools, and other resources would make the tasks easier.

Third, ask your stakeholders how the process could be improved to better serve their needs. In many cases, you will find that your business model improvement process does not consider or involve stakeholders enough.

Fourth, think of the most effective innovation process you have seen employed by any other organization. What elements did those processes have that yours does not? What elements does yours have that the other one eliminated? Which of these changes would make good sense for you?

Fifth, imagine perfection in improving business models. This might mean being able to produce a business model overnight that would lead to a rapidly increasing lead over competitors, could be instantly implemented, and would reduce costs from where you are today. What could you do better to move closer to that image of perfection?