Paying for your Child's College Education

Author : Cindy Morus

This is probably the most intensive short-term cash drain on any
family's finances. Unlike most other big- ticket items, such as
homes or automobiles, that can be paid off in monthly
installments, college tuition must be paid out over a relatively
short period of time. With tuition at staggeringly high levels
throughout the nation, a family's commitment to provide higher
education for children can be overwhelming.

Ideally, a long-term plan for college education was initiated
from the birth date of your college-bound student. There is no
better way to ensure a child's education that a systematic
savings plan. But this is not an ideal world, many of us must
finance part of the college education out of the monthly family
budget.

Before selecting a college, parents need to: Determine how much
funding can be available from conventional sources such as
savings, income from the family budget, trusts, and part-time
jobs, if more money is needed.

Explore the availability of scholarships, low-interest student
and parent loans, second mortgages, and conventional loans.

Examine their own life insurance policies and retirement
programs to ensure that college funds will be available in the
event of their death.

Cost is not the only factor to be considered when selecting a
college. While private colleges are generally more expensive
than public colleges, they often have a wealth of financial aid
programs that will make the tuition bite less severe. Many state
and community colleges also have scholarships and loans
available.

Libraries and bookstores carry many excellent college guides
that give detailed information on individual college tuition
charges academic programs. Keep in mind that most colleges have
a financial aid office to assist students in determining when
financial assistance may be available.

Tuition and associated fees increase by 6% each year (or more!)

Category : Music

New Jeep Patriot to debut at the Geneva Motor Show

Author : Lisa Ziegler

The Jeep brand is continuously expanding and conquering new territories with the premiere of its new Jeep Patriot at the Geneva Motor Show for this week. The Patriot is Jeeps new entry-level price point in the UK once it finally launches this summer. The Patriot combines interior flexibility and packaging of an SUV but with the performance, fuel economy, handling, and price of a family hatchback. According to Peter Lambert, managing Director of Chrysler Group UK, You cant escape the fact that the new Jeep Patriot looks like a classic Jeep- but there is nothing old-fashioned about the performance and fuel economy of this compact SUV or its state-of-the-art four wheel drive system. He also added, The market place is changing and the Jeep brand is leading that change as the Compact SUV market grows. Our research shows that the Jeep Patriot appeals to younger customers that want more from their traditional family car young families want a vehicle that looks different but still offers plenty of room and practicality, together with great performance and fuel economy.And since safety is becoming the primary priority for customers, Jeep has made sure that the Patriot is loaded with many standard features including side-curtain airbags, anti-lock brakes (ABS), ESP or Electronic Stability Programme with Electronic Roll Mitigation and the Freedom Drive I full-time and active four-wheel drive system. Add to that the top-of-the-line auto parts and accessories like Jeep car cover which boosts Patriots tremendous value. Lambert further stated, Small family cars with four-wheel drive systems are becoming more sought after as they offer better handling and enhanced safety on the road. The higher seating position of the Patriot, together with the new four-wheel drive system that automatically switches from front to four-wheel drive if you lose traction, offers drivers a real advantage in everyday driving conditions. The Patriot is as much at home on wet and icy tarmac as on mud, sand, or snow and still manages to achieve a class-leading 43.5 mpg.The Jeep Patriot is available in two variants: the Patriot Limited and Patriot Sport both are to be offered in the UK and will have a price below the Jeep Compass Limited model. The official launching of the Patriots range in the UK is scheduled in July 2007 and will also include the introduction of a VW-sourced 138bhp 2.0 liter six-speed manual diesel engine and a 168 bhp 2.4 liter petrol engine with a five-speed manual or a CVT automatic gearbox. Lisa Ziegler is a 29-year old native of Waldport, Oregon and is currently working as a senior research analyst in a top Automotive Research Consultancy firm.

Category : General Automotive

RSS Works: Hard Metrics to Prove It

Author : Rok Hrastnik
Marketers are constantly asking if RSS marketing works and if this can be proved.It's time to take a look at some real-life RSS metrics from real-life marketers. These will show you what kind of results you can expect to see from RSS.I first presented this data at the Syndicate Conference in New York City, the first conference entirely devoted to RSS.To make a point, we’ll take a look at RSS metrics from 4 different viewpoints, each demonstrating one facet of RSS marketing and a different way of capturing RSS metrics. This data combined will give you the answer of whether RSS marketing is for you, as an addition to e-mail marketing, or not.1. CLICK-THROUGH RATES FROM RSS FEED TO SITE: THE RSS AGGREGATOR SIDERSS statistics should be most relevant when coming from actual RSS aggregators and their vendors, since these people can measure precisely how their users are actually using RSS.Customer Reader [http://www.customreader.com], who just recently launched a desktop RSS aggregator, which marketers can brand for themselves and then distribute to their readers, supplied us with their latest data. This data is based on 3,500 users of their brandable RSS aggregator and on the last [two weeks ago] 48 hours of their reader usage.The most interesting piece of data is the 23% average CTR (click-through rate) from feed to site within last 48 hours, which proves that RSS works in terms of getting readers from the outbout message to the site. RSS users are actually clicking on RSS content!Now, what is the “feed-to-side” CTR? It simply means that 23% of the end-users that subscribe to various feeds, clicked at least once on one of the content items in the feeds they are subscribed to.2. CLICK-THROUGH RATES FROM CONTENT ITEM TO SITE: THE RSS SOLUTION VENDOR SIDEConsidering the different RSS metrics systems and the fact that no marketing tool whatsoever can be measured 100% precisely from the outside tracking service side, seeing stats from RSS solutions vendors is important as well.On this end, some basic stats were supplied from SimpleFeed [http://www.simplefeed.com], the providers of one of the more advanced RSS marketing solutions.The stats are based on an app. 10,000 end-user sample, 30 day average and 4 months of data.They are seeing a 6.8% average CTR from content item [individual content item in an RSS feed] to site and a 150% [1.5 clicks] average CTR from feed to site within 30 days.3. SUBSCRIPTIONS AND CLICK-THROUGH RATES: THE MARKETER/PUBLISHER SIDEAnd finally, let's take a look at the stats from the publisher/marketer point of view.Lockergnome.com is one of the most popular tech sites on the internet.Although they are serving a more tech savvy audience, Lockergnome is an excellent example of the results you can ultimately hope to achieve using RSS.First of all, they are seeing a ration of 5:1 in favor of the number of RSS subscribers against e-mail subscribers, and even more interesting, a 500% better clickthrough ratio with RSS than with e-mail.4. SEARCH ENGINE VISIBILITYThe BTI Group is a smaller VoIP provider and, through their high ranking blogsite [http://blog.btigroup.com/], the proof that RSS works for search engine positioning.Here are just some of their achievements, as a result of their RSS marketing activities …a] 120 page-one search results on important industry search terms
#1 Voip vs traditional phone system
#1 VoIP solution provider
#2 VoIP small business
#2 VoIP architecture
#5 VoIP phone equipment
#6 VoIP benefits
#7 VoIP Small Business costsb] A 75% increase in traffic to the corporate websitec] BTI’s link popularity jumped from 164 in June 2003 to 1312 in December 2004 to 1405 in February 2005OVERVIEWThese metrics clearly show that RSS works for marketers and publishers.This data alone, also considering that RSS clearly gets 100% of your content delivered and actually provides you with an abundance of new marketing opportunities, such as podcasting, should be enough to make you do something about RSS now.Copyright 2005 Rok HrastnikRok Hrastnik is the author of »Unleash the Marketing & Publishing Power of RSS«, acclaimed as the best and most comprehensive guide to RSS for marketers by leading RSS experts. The complete guide on RSS for marketers: http://rss.marketingstudies.net/index.html?src=sa7
Category : Extreme

THE 2 THINGS NECESSARY TO BUILD YOUR MLM BUSINESS

Author : Devon Brown

When you think about it, getting people to join your MLM program has to do with just 2 things1. Exposure2. SalesLets keep this simple.Your goal in Network Marketing is NOT to make sure that you 500 bottles of wonder juice sitting in your garage. Your goal is to get other people in your downline. The more people in your downline the more money you make. Its as simple as that.So...The question now becomes:"How do we get people in our downline?"The answer comes down to doing 2 thingsPart 1Expose your business to as many people as possible.Generally speaking (if we use the 80/20 rule), if you expose your business to 100 people then maybe 20 will express interest in your opportunity.Part 2Take the 20 who have expressed interest and then make a sales presentation to them. If we're using the 80/20 rule again then 4 of them will actually join your business.It goes without saying that now those four who just joined your business must now do the process that you just did.So riddle me this batman...How do we automate this process?There are many ways to Expose your business:1. In home meetings2. Talking to friends and family3. Placing classified ads4. Handing our CD's or DVD's to strangers on the streetBut are any of these automated?Likewise...there are many ways to "sell" someone on your business.1. Take them to a live conference call2. Make a personal sales presentation3. 3-way them to your uplineBut are any of these automated?The reason I'm talking about automation is because as the title of this article is: "Expose, Sell, and Repeat the Process"But if the process is neither simple nor easy then it's not going to be very repeatable.It comes down to asking yourself the right questions.The question we should be asking ourselves is:"How do we make the processes of exposure and sales automated so that we can make the duplication process as simple/easy as possible for people to accomplish?"As I've stated in other articles I've written, Ease and Simplicity are two of the keys to success. Unfortunately, the higher ups in most MLM Companies don't seem to understand this little concept.If they did, maybe the industry wouldnt have a 97% failure rate. Devon Brown (a.k.a The MLM Success Renegade) Is one of the fastest up and coming superstars in the Network Marketing Industry. Devon is showing the Network Marketing world why the MLM companies and Gurus have it all wrong! Learn more about Devon, his Ideas On 100% Automatic Recruiting and His Powerful Concept of Simplified Duplication by visiting: Simplified Duplication

Category : General MLM

For your Information (FYI) - Bankruptcy

Author : Robert Hanania
People view bankruptcy as a wake up call and well they should because that means they hit the bottom of the barrel and are now scratching the bottom - for more cash! If you believe misery loves company be secure in the knowledge that there are at least 1.5 million people in there with you, that's how many filed for bankruptcy in the last year. Anyone can over-extend themselves and many do for more reasons than I could count.Filing for bankruptcy is not only used by the lower and middle class but the rich as well. Famous people have fallen into the hole and climbed out, people like:
Donald Trump, Filed in 1990 - Kim Basinger, in 1993 - Burt Reynolds, in 1996 Rembrandt, in 1656. I am not sure about the last one; he may still be trying to dig his way out!In the old days they would send people to debtors prison or even put them to death (not in America though), treating them like criminals. In these more civilized times the government not only banned this kind of barbaric action but made into law rules to protect us.The bankruptcy code, also known by title 2 of the United States code (11 U.S.C.,101-1330), has been put into place to protect the rights of the individual and corporations, giving them a fighting chance against dept collectors, bankruptcy courts having the final word. There are basically two kinds of dept, secured an unsecured. Secured is where the creditor has some kind of collateral, be it your car, boat, house, or any material thing of value that they can take possession of if the dept is not paid. Unsecured is simply just the opposite, where the creditor has no collateral at all. In this case if the dept is not paid all they can do is use a collection agency where they call you day and night. Also you have to watch out with an unsecured dept because if the balance is large enough the creditor can put a lean on your property by getting a court order. This will prevent anyone from selling their house and moving away in an attempt to hide from creditors.If you or anyone you know is behind on payments there is something they should know. Since 1997 the government stepped in to stop dept collectors and collection agencies from harassing and threatening people in the middle of the night and using unethical collection practices. The Fair Dept Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) makes collections agencies follow certain guidelines. These are things collectors must do:
*Stop contacting you if the request is in writing and you dispute the dept in writing.
*Within 5 days of there first contact they must send you a letter stating the outstanding dept and creditor.
*If you want to dispute all or part of the dept the collection agency must stop contacting you until the creditor responds to your inquiry.
*If the collection agency wants to take you to court for the dept owed on behalf of the creditor it should summon you to the county where you now live or where you first singed the contract.Now, don't be alarmed just because a creditor threatens to sue you because most times it is just meant to scare people into paying on depts.Under the act (FDCPA) there are many things collection agencies can't do, some of which are:
*No calling you at work
*Indicating they may be working with the federal government
*No calling your friends or family
*Implying that you may go to jail, garnish your paychecks unless the dept holder plans to do itOur government, in its infinite wisdom reasoned a long time ago that if they send everyone to jail there is zero change of collecting on any dept on behalf of a creditor. You probably have heard of someone that has had there wages garnished, that is creditors who get a court order to take a piece of their check until the dept is paid. This is a common practice in states that allow wage garnishment and there is little you can do about it except for contacting an attorney. Did you know if you have an unpaid school loan or owe the IRS they don't even need a court order to garnish wages, even in states that normally don't allow this? You can bet on it, they can also take your tax refunds!As for personal property, in cases like a store dept (store credit card, personal check or payment plan) on an item like major appliances or furniture you may have bought they still need a court order to take it back, unless you let them in anyway. That's right! If you let them in without a court order they can come and get it back! Many times if is just not worth it for them to re-possess items because they have to go the process of getting a court order and pay someone to carry it out. Also it may be harder to sell a used item that may be stained or damaged. One final word on this point, remember on secured loans and cars there is a definite risk of repossession if the loan (mortgage or car finance) is not paid. There is usually too much money involved here for creditors to loose so these payments should be on top of your 'to pay' list!If you find collectors are not playing by the rules you should call an attorney or the Federal Trade Commission's response center at 1-877-382-4357 (FTC-HELP)
You can check out FDCPS's website at www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fdcpa/dcpact.htm for more info.Robert is the owner and operator of this website: http://www.newmortgagefinance.com and a true fanatic of learning and sharing 'how to' material and info. If you love anything 'do it yourself'' you should visit this website and http://www.fileanddatarecovery.com.
Category : Finance:Bankruptcy

See the Birthday of Britney Spears & Other 1980s Star Babies

Author : Michael Cree

The 1980s was a glorious decade to say the least. This decade initiated great cultural and technological advances which still are shaping the world in which we live today. Companies launched in this decade include CNN, MTV, USA Today, and technology unleashed in this decade were the video recorder, personal computer, compact discs, satellite dishes and the grandaddy of video games today - Pac-Man.

Meanwhile, in the rest of the country, babies were nursing, beggining to crawl, walk or talk. These were no ordinary babies - but Star Babies. Of course at the time they were oblivious to their potential and the influence that they would later have on the lives of all of us. What made these Star Babies different from all the other children who share the same birthdates? Was it destiny, luck, hard work or a combination of all of these? You decide - meanwhile here are the birthdays of the top young stars of the early 1980s.

YOUNG STARS BORN 1980 - 1982

BORN IN 1980

1. Ashanti ( Douglas ), R&B Singer, 10/13/1980

2. Chelsea Clinton, Former First Daughter, 2/20/1980

3. Christina Aguilera, Pop Star, 12/18/1980

4. Christina Ricci, Actor, 2/12/1980

5. Michelle Kwan, Figure Skating Champion, 7/7/1980

6. Venus Williams, Tennis Champion, 6/7/1980

7. Jessica Simpson, Singer, 7/10/1980

Born In 1981

1. Alicia Keys, R&B Singer, 1/25/1981

2. Anna Kournikova, Tennis Player/Model, 6/7/1981

3. Barbara & Jenna Bush, First Daughters, 11/25/1981

4. Beyonce Knowles, Pop Star, 9/4/1981

5. Britney Spears, Pop Star, 12/02/1981

6. Craig David, R&B Singer, 5/5/1981

7. Elijah Wood, Actor, 1/28/1981

8. Ivanka Trump, Model, 10/30/1981

9. Jessica Alba, Actor, 4/28/1981

10. Josh Groban, Singer, 2/27/1981

11. Julia Stiles, Actor, 3/28/1981

12. Justin Timberlake, Pop Star, 1/31/1981

13. Natalie Portman, Actor, 6/9/1981

14. Paris Hilton, Celebrity, 2/17/1981

15. Serena Williams, Tennis Champion, 9/26/1981

16. Roger Federer, Tennis Champion, 8/8/1981

17. Nicole Ritchie, Celebrity, 9/21/1981

BORN IN 1982

1. Anna Paquin, Actor, 7/24/1982

2. Kelly Clarkson, Pop Singer, 4/24/1982

3. LeAnn Rimes, Country Singer, 8/28/1982

4. Leelee Sobieski, Actor, 6/10/1982

5. Tara Lipinski, Figure Skater, 6/10/1982

6. Andy Roddick, Tennis Champion, 8/30/1982

List compiled and copyrighted from various sources. Every effort was made to insure the acuracy of this list, but can not be certain of 100 percent acuracy. This listing may be copied in its entirety and displayed but must contain the following notation: Courtesy of Shop Femina: http://www.shopfemina.com

About the author:

Michael Cree was married in the 1980s and has two sons born in the 1980s. He is also the webmaster/owner of Shop Femina http://www.shopfemina.com

Category : Kids & Teen

Interview for "Fragments of Reality" author Peter Cajander

Author : Juanita Watson
Today, Reader Views is talking with Peter Cajander, author of "Fragments of Reality: Daily Entries of Lived Life" from Helsinki, Finland. Peter is talking with Juanita Watson, Assistant Editor of Reader Views.Juanita: Thanks for talking with us today Peter. Please tell your readers what "Fragments of Reality: Daily Entries of Lived Life" is about.Peter: Thanks Juanita. It's a pleasure talking with you. The book is really about the everyday life we're living but often too distracted to see or observe ourselves. It tells and talks from a bit of a different angle about issues we all ponder and face in our lives.Juanita: What inspired you to write your book?Peter: The book came about in a relatively short period of time while a lot was happening in my life. I simply wrote down some of my personal observations that occurred during my various daily activities. I was compelled to share those issues that we all have in common but seldom speak or talk with others.Juanita: Hearing that "Fragments of Reality" unfolded when there was a lot happening in your life makes me wonder….do you think it takes a certain level of external pressures, or life experiences to push one to pondering the deeper meaning of life?Peter: Often that is the case. We very seldom do anything voluntarily. Many times the 'big' turning points or crises are the required changes that enable us to renew ourselves.Juanita: What topics to you discuss in "Fragments of Reality"?Peter: The book is about life and life is about everything. It has over 100 articles and poems ranging from happiness, relationships, love, death, money to tranquility and meditation to name a few.Juanita: You refer to the behavior of the mind not being completely trustworthy. What are some of the ways our mind plays tricks on us?Peter: Our mind distracts us from being in the very moment. Either we worry about the past or think about the future. But all those are just images and illusions in our mind. They are not real. We cannot change the past and the future has not yet arrived, still we are seldom here, right now. Everything happens only in the moment. How much of your life do you miss by not realizing it?Juanita: Why does the mind trick us in these ways?Peter: Mainly it has to do with the fact that we do not know who we are. We are afraid of being in the moment, with ourselves. We would rather fill the void moments by mp3-players, radio, or talking with someone. We are plain and simply restless, in our mind as well.Juanita: How long have you been contemplating the inner musings of mind and soul?Peter: I have always tried to have an open mind and observe things around and within. It's more like a state of mind or being like a child that is curious about everything and always asking silly questions.Juanita:"Fragments of Reality" is a collection of your deeply insightful, personal observations. What importance do you put on journaling and writing, and why? Would you suggest others write as a form of self exploration?Peter: Writing is just one way of expressing among others. It has its limitations compared to a live dialogue. However it is a great way to share ideas and experiences. For example, weblogs are a wonderful new way of writing that also enables better interaction directly with the readers. The style in weblogs can be very informal and therefore it could lower the bar to get started. If you haven't already, you definitely should at least give a try!Juanita: Your book is titled "Fragments of Reality." What is reality, and how can people having the same experience, and at the same time, have differing perceptions of that reality?Peter: Everybody has a different reality. It is based on our personal history, knowledge, experiences, assumptions, cultural background, observations, and so on. We only see and hear what we know.Juanita: Who has influenced and inspired you on your journey?Peter: I've been inspired by people in all walks of life - from great artists, musicians, philosophers, statesmen, but also by ordinary people. Every human being can be a source of inspiration – even the nature itself. Can you see it?Juanita: Do you think it takes a certain amount of contemplation, or inward thought to achieve true happiness?Peter: I think so. Trying to find happiness outside of oneself is a never-ending quest.Juanita: We seem to be living in a world that puts full priority on this external quest. Why do you think we are finding ourselves living in a world, and a time, with this many distractions?Peter: We are not outside of this world. We create this world. Therefore the distractions are out there as long as we prefer to have or need them. It is very easy to look outside and blame the circumstances or give excuses for not doing something because of some distractions. It requires a bit more character to make your own decisions and take life into one's own control, baring the consequences as well.Juanita: What have you found to be the key point to remember in one's pursuit of harmony and tranquility?Peter: First of all you have to be honest to yourself. Then all it takes is to be aware in the moment. Sounds easy but the trick is not to forget this while living…Juanita: Is it really possible to change our thought patterns and beliefs that lead us away from peace and harmony?Peter: Yes it is. The first step is to become aware of our repetitive thought-patterns and models. This is not easy and often the people around us can see them more clearly than we ourselves. The first chapter of the book is called 'Belief System' and it focuses on identifying some of these in order to help us to pinpoint them in our own thinking.Juanita: Peter, what have you found to be the meaning/s of life?Peter: To know ourself.Juanita: What are your hopes for readers of your book?Peter: Pick and choose. Select a topic of your current interest and ponder about it. I have received very good feedback from many readers who are reflecting on the book's topics in their daily lives and getting new insights and realizations. Enjoy and explore!Juanita: How can readers find out more about you and your endeavors?Peter: Naturally the book itself tells something about me. You can also visit the web-site http://www.fragmentsofreality.com/ for more information and contact me directly as well.Juanita: Peter, thank you for talking with us today. You've given your readers much to contemplate and hopefully they will be inspired to obtain a copy of "Fragments of Reality" and continue their explorations. Do you have any last thoughts for your readers?Peter: Thanks a lot Juanita. Sure, don't take life too seriously. Smile and have fun!Juanita Watson is the Assistant Editor for Reader Views.
http://www.readerviews.com
Category : Self-Improvement

2006-07 NFL Fantasy Running Back Ratings

Author : Brian Kevin Williams
This is the second part in a full-week feature of Fantasy Football rankings. We have gone over the top quarterbacks, and we'll now continue with the running-backs. We still have the wide receivers, tight ends, kickers, and defenses, left on tap for the rest of the week. We will also be including our "sleeper", "busts" , "break-out", and our "best overall value" picks for you in your fantasy draft. Today, we will be covering the runningbacks for your 2006-07 NFL season. This is a top list for who we think will perform the best, fantasy wise, in the upcoming football season.1. Shaun Alexander (Seattle Seahawks)
2. Larry Johnson (Kansas City Chiefs)
3. Ladanian Tomlinson (San Diego Chargers)
4. Tiki Barber (New York Giants)
5. Edgerrin James (Arizona Cardinals)
6. Ronnie Brown (Miami Dolphins)
7. Steven Jackson (St. Louis Rams)
8. Rudi Johnson (Cincinnati Bengals)
9. Brian Westbrook (Philadelphia Eagles)
10. Clinton Portis (Washington Redskins) *INJ*
11. Carnell "Cadillac" Williams (Tampa Bay Buccaneers
12. Lamont Jordan (Oakland Raiders
13. Julius Jones (Dallas Cowboys)
14. Willis McGahee (Buffalo Bills)
15. Dominack Davis (Houston Texans)
16. Willie Parker (Pittsburgh Steelers)
17. Reggie Bush (New Orleans Saints)
18. Jamal Lewis (Baltimore Ravens)
19. DeShaun Foster (Carolina Panthers)
20. Corey Dillon (New England Patriots)
21. Warrick Dunn (Atlanta Falcons)
22. Reuben Droughns (Cleveland Browns)
23. Chester Taylor (Minnesota Vikings)
24. Ahman Green (Green Bay Packers)
25. Kevin Jones (Detroit Lions)
26. Mike Bell (Denver Broncos)
27. Frank Gore (San Francisco 49'ers)
28. Thomas Jones (Chicago Bears)
29. Chris Brown (Tennessee Titans)
30. Greg Jones (Jacksonville Jaguars)
31. Cedric Houston (New York Jets)
32. Kevan Barlow (San Francisco 49'ers)
33. Dominic Rhodes (Indianapolis Colts)
34. Chris Perry (Cincinnati Bengals)
35. Marion Barber (Dallas Cowboys)
36. Deuce McAllister (New Orleans Saints)
37. Fred Taylor (Jacksonville Jaguars)
38. Cedric Benson (Chicago Bears)
39. Brandon Jacobs (New York Giants)
40. Samkon Gado (Green Bay Packers)
41. T.J. Duckett (Atlanta Falcons)
42. Laurence Maroney (New England Patriots)
43. Joseph Addai (Indianapolis Colts)
44. Michael Pittman (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
45. Tatum Bell (Denver Broncos)
46. Ryan Moats (Philadelphia Eagles)
47. DeAngelo Williams (Carolina Panthers)
48. Mike Anderson (Baltimore Ravens)
49. Ron Dayne (Denver Broncos)
50. Najeh Davenport (Green Bay Packers)Sleepers: Lamont Jordan, Deuce McAllister, Michael Pittman
(Coming off a disappointing season, I expect Jordan to bounce back and have a strong year with a new QB and new coach. McAllister was a Pro-Bowl running back before last year's injury; Bush isn't going to get every single carry for the Saints, so I wouldn't overlook McAllister. Pittman is going to see some time in Tampa, especially if the Cadillac breaks down, which many people expect just might happen.)Busts: Brian Westbrook, Mike Bell, & Cedric Benson
(I could be wrong about Westbrook, but I'm not sold on the Eagles, or Westbrook's health being 100%. It's a nice story for Mike Bell in becoming named the #1 RB, but let's get real. It's still August and Tatum Bell is still going to get his carries. When has Cedric Benson not been a bust for fantasy owners?)Best Values: Rudi Johnson & Steven Jackson
(Johnson has quietly put up back to back years of at least 1,400 yards and 12 TD's. This guy is definitely underrated, and will only improve as his team improves. Entering his third year in the league, this is going to be a big year for Jackson. With Marshall Faulk completely out of the picture at this point, this will be Jackson's season.)Break-Out Year: Ronnie Brown
(Ronnie Brown was impressive when given the ball last year for the Dolphins. With Ricky Williams out of the picture entirely, Brown will be the featured back in the offense for Nick Saban and company. With a legit QB in Culpepper, the Dolphins will be for real, so will Brown.)The New York Sports HQ will be covering issues regarding professional baseball, football, hockey, and basketball. Under special circumstances, we will also be covering other sports, such as golf, soccer, auto racing, and horse racing. We will provide insight, up to date news, opinion pieces, and all sorts of other information regarding the New York Sports world.http://www.nysportshq.com/
Category : Recreation-and-Sports:Football

What is Your Legacy?

Author : Matthew Tuttle
How will you be remembered after you are gone? Perhaps you don't care or perhaps you haven't thought about it. Maybe, if you are like me, you have thought about it quite a bit. Two events in my life really got me thinking about this issue. The first was at my grandmother's funeral. She lived in a small town in the south and I remember looking back on the funeral procession and seeing that it stretched as far as the eye could see. That small town must have been shut down that day. Then came my father's funeral. I remember a stream of people coming up to me, many whom I didn't know, telling me stories of how wonderful a person my father was. I wondered how many people would come to my funeral and what they would tell my children about me. What will your legacy be? Here are some questions to ask yourself.How is your estate plan?Do you have a will? If not, you have chosen to leave your assets to your heirs in the most confusing and time consuming manner possible. If so, that's a great first step but it may not be enough. A well thought out estate plan leaves your belongings to your heirs in the most efficient manner while taking into account their different needs and wants. Your will might cover large items but what about the small stuff lying around your house? If have heard horror stories about siblings who no longer talk because of fights over trivial items not included in the will. Have you left your home equally to your two children knowing full well that one will want to live in while the other will want to sell it? People do things like these all the time, yet it's a recipe for disaster.Are you properly insured?Will you leave behind enough money for your family to maintain their lifestyle or a stack of bills? A simple rule of thumb measure to figure out if you have proper insurance is cut in half and drop the zero. For example, if you have $500,000 in life insurance you divide that number in half ($250,000) and drop the zero ($25,000). This is how much annual income your heirs could expect to receive from the life insurance proceeds. This example ignores a number of variables but it is a good starting point in figuring out if you have proper insurance.Are you making smart choices with your money?Are the choices you are making with your money today in line with the kind of legacy you want to leave? Are you teaching your children to be financially literate? If you want to be charitable what are you doing to achieve that goal? If you want to help with your grandchildren's education how are you doing it? You can use your money to accumulate as many possessions as you want but after you are gone it is all meaningless. I will never forget going through my father's effects after the funeral and seeing tie collection that he was so proud of. Unfortunately, they were too outrageous for me to wear and my brother doesn't wear ties.What are you doing to make the world a more beautiful place?I recently read a book to my daughter entitled "Miss Rumphius". It is the story of a young girl who tells her grandfather that when she grows up she wants to travel to far away places and live by the sea. He informs her that there is a third thing she must do, something to make the world more beautiful. When she grows old she has traveled and lives by the sea but something is missing. She realizes that she has done nothing to make the world a more beautiful place. So she starts spreading flower seeds all over her town, and in short order flowers were blooming everywhere. What are you doing to make the world more beautiful?Matthew Tuttle is the author of "Financial Secrets of my Wealthy Grandparents". For more information, or to sign up for his free newsletter, please visit http://www.matthewtuttle.com.
Category : Finance:Estate-Plan-Trusts

Sideways Market

Author : Al Thomas
Last year you could have used a dart, thrown it at a stock page in the newspaper and bought that stock. By the end of the year you probably would have had a nice profit. This year you can retrieve your dart, throw it again, and there is about a 90% chance that any stock you hit will be down from its previous highs. What's going on?Even with my more than 30 years experience of trading markets there is one simple answer - more sellers than buyers. I'm not being facetious. In all those years I can't recall a market that went up this quickly, but I have seen them come down even faster. Remember the 20% loss of the DOW in 1987? In one day! Many of you don't. This break is a good lesson for those who failed to put trailing stop loss orders on all their stocks.Your broker certainly did not recommend a stop. His company discourages that sort of thing. Why I will never be able to logically understand, as it would benefit both the customer and the brokerage house. How? If you were sold out at a much higher price than that dog you have in your account now you would have more capital to invest when the market turns up again. You are a happy camper and the broker makes more commission because you have more money in your account to invest.Check out the stocks or mutual funds you now have in your portfolio. See where you would have been stopped out if you had had approximately a 10% trailing stop loss. I can almost guarantee you would have more money in your account today than you do right now.Let's try to use some common sense to figure out why this market is going nowhere at this time. Think of all the people who are sitting on stocks that are selling for less than they paid for them. A lot, huh?
I can bet many of them are saying to themselves, "I'm going to sell XYZ as soon as it goes up to where I can get out even". This effectively puts a cap on any strong rally.What are the pros doing here? Each time the market falls near its former lows they are in there buying from those people who have become discouraged and no longer want to wait for the market to head up. This is support.We have a group willing to sell their shares when there is a rally and another group willing to purchase shares when the market starts down which gives us the reasons for this sideways market.It is very difficult to make money in this type of situation so you must be very choosy with your purchases. Fundamentals don't apply well here. Technicians can make money provided they will sell with small profits. For those interested in the long term they must be patient enough to wait for the next leg up.Al Thomas' book, "If It Doesn't Go Up, Don't Buy
It!" has helped thousands of people make money
and keep their profits with his simple 2-step
method. Read the first chapter at
http://www.mutualfundmagic.com
and discover why he's the man that Wall Street
does not want you to know.Copyright 2005
Category : Leukemia

Baby Shower Theme

Author : Vincent Chua
There are people who prepare not to select a theme when they prepare for a baby
shower. However, having a baby shower theme makes the celebration more
organized.When you have chosen a theme, you can easily think about what decoration you are
going to use for your preferred theme. Without a theme, you are prone to picking
several items that you feel will look good, combine these, and get an unorganized
look.Selecting and preparing a baby shower theme is not a complicated task. Here are
some suggestions to give you an idea on how to create a theme for your baby
shower.Teddy BearsSince the teddy bear is one of the first toys your child will own, it is nice to have a
teddy bear theme. You can use med-sized teddy bears to design the baby shower
party area. It is not necessary to buy the teddy bears; you can borrow these from
friends and family members. Also, you can purchase small teddy bears as party
favors to give to your guests.StarsStars represent dreams. "A star is born," they say. You can decorate the place with
stars hanging from thin strings. You can also design the walls and the ceiling with
stars and heavenly bodies. The program may also include wishes for the baby on
how he or she will be a dazzling star.DiapersThis is the basic need of the newborn baby. The baby shower organizer can
decorate the area with diapers, especially those with cute colors and designs. You
can even prepare a diaper cake by neatly stacking the diapers together.The organizer can also ask the guests to bring diapers as gifts. A better idea would
be to have a raffle for a special prize in which the raffle entry will be a diaper. This
will help the guests since they wouldn't have to think on what gift to buy. It also
helps the parents a lot, since they will have a supply of diapers for several months.BooksBaby and kid books are good gifts for the baby. With a collection of baby books, the
parents can have a small library for the baby.The decorations can be anything related to books. You can place books on the
table, or design the walls with books. You can even have a book-shaped cake and
cookies.Noah's ArkThis is a good idea if the parents are expecting twins. The guests will be requested
to bring a pair of gifts for the babies. Pairs of stuffed animals may be used to
decorate the place.Prince/PrincessEveryone wants the new baby to feel like a prince or a princess. You can adorn the
place with fairy tale concepts pertaining to royalty. You can create miniature towers
and castles, a garden and shining stuff fit for a royalty.FairyThis is a good option if you will be having the baby shower in the garden. You can
enhance the garden surroundings to make it look like the home of fairies. You can
include vines, arches, bees and butterflies, as well as small fairy-like decorations to
create a fairy garden.CharactersYou can choose a storybook or cartoon character as a theme. How about a
superhero? There are lots of options, and once you have selected one, you can
think about what items the character is associated with that you can use for the
party.With these simple ideas, you can conceptualize a special baby shower theme that
will be remembered by the parents and the guests.© Copyright Vincent Chua, All Rights Reserved.Vincent has dozens more baby shower related articles and tips at his site: baby shower theme,
check them out today!
Category : Home-and-Family:Babies-Toddler

ICANN or I CANNot that is the Question

Author : Ann Louison
Well, it seems we should all be very busy registering new domain name extensions as soon as we can, irregardless of whether we feel this is necessary or not. With ICANN bringing on an additional bevy of new domain name extensions, there are more possibilities to celebrate and party.With Google now indexing .otherdomainextensions much higher than .com extensions irregardless of relevance to the topics or subject, it seems to be one of the few solutions to attaining top ranking positions.I guess this is the way the web is going to go at present; at least for the time being - until Google realizes (or maybe not) that it doesn't help any of us to find top ranking .co.uk, .travel or .other domains with very little relevant information and a lot of affiliate links than to find a really well informed .com domain with tons of useful information (presently ranking much lower than a .otherextension domain with much less useful information).I assume that Google will find a way to get around this but for the time being, having other domain extensions will put you in a much better position for getting tons of traffic. The newer they are, the better your traffic will be since the quantity of sites on any specific extension seems to also have a considerable impact on placing in Google.Combined with the newest craze of blogging and RSS feeds, why not get a foreign based blog or RSS instead of a .com blog or equivalent? Your profits are sure to hit the roof.With each new domain extension, the possibilities for Internet marketing remain boundless. Which reminds me, I got to get up and start building the only two other domain extensions I own other than the (now seemingly becoming useless and defunct) .com domains.Ann Louison is owner of a few gambling and casino portal sites and is dedicated to providing useful information on various topics.
Category : Traffic Generation

5 Ways To Make Money Online

Author : Melanie Mendelson

There are many different ways to make money on the Internet. Here is an overview of the five most popular online business models:Sell Digital ProductsThe term "digital product" means that the product is delivered electronically. The customers will download the product to their computers. Some examples of digital products are downloadable e-books, audio/MP3, graphics (clipart and stock photography), video and software.The digital product business model is very popular because there is no inventory, no shipping and no fulfillment cost. Since the product is an electronic file, it costs you nothing to make an extra copy - therefore, the profit margin is 100%!Sell Physical Products"Physical products" are the products that are shipped to customers through the mail. Customers place orders on your website and you ship the products to them.There are several ways to get those products - you can make them yourself (for example, arts and crafts), buy them directly from a manufacturer or buy from a wholesaler (at quantity discounts).If you don't want to deal with the inventory and shipping, another alternative is to use a dropshipping service. Dropshipping means that the inventory is stored at the wholesaler company. You collect the customer information and payment, give it to the dropshipping company and they ship the product to the customer. Your profit is the difference between what the customer paid you and what you paid to the dropshipper.Become An AffiliateAffiliates send visitors to other companies' websites and get paid a percentage of all the sales they refer. You don't have to worry about creating websites, dealing with customers, shipping and payment processing. Your only job is to advertise those websites and send people there. People will buy products from those websites and you will be paid your commission.When you become an affiliate, you will be given a unique link with a tracking code. In your advertising, you will send people to that link. This unique code will ensure that all the sales will be properly credited to you.Sell AdvertisingIf you have a website that gets a lot of visitors, you can sell advertising on it. Other companies will pay you for advertising space on your site, just like they pay to advertise in magazines and newspapers.That's how all those "free websites" make money - they sell advertising. Free content attracts a lot of visitors. The higher is the number of people who visit the website, the more money you can make from advertising.Provide ServicesThere are many types of services that can be done on the computer through the Internet. The most common examples of such services are website design, programming, graphic design, writing, data entry and transcription.Many companies will gladly pay someone to do computer work for them on a project basis, so they don't have to hire full-time employees. As long as the work can be done without face-to-face interaction, you can do it from home on your computer and make money. Melanie Mendelson has been making money on the Internet since 2002. Get her FREE step-by-step Internet Business Blueprint at her website http://www.GoForYourDreams.com

Category : General Business

The Best Food

Author : Dr. Randy Wysong

Everyone eats so everyone has an opinion about food. But if health is the objective, mere opinion doesnt count nor does fad or majority rule. Most people think the average cooked diet based upon official food pyramids is just fine. Some eat predominantly fast food. Others advocate veganism (eating only plant foods), or lacto-ova vegetarianism (plants plus milk and eggs). There are also proponents of special foods such as fresh juices, soybean products and macrobiotic cooked grains and rice. Everyone can make arguments on behalf of their beliefs. They can cite examples of people who have escaped disease and lived long. Some argue morality and ethics, such as those who say sentient animal life should not be sacrificed for food. Others set their eating practices by the standards of holy writ that eschew certain forms of foods and sanctify others. Others just eat what tastes good and thats logic enough for them. Eating beliefs seem to take on an almost religious character. People feel guarded and pretty zealous about food and dont like others meddling. But since health is intimately linked to what we take into our mouths, thinking, honest reflection and willingness to change are in order. It is easy to be deceived because wrong food choices may not manifest their full impact until late in life. Nutrition can even pass through genetically to affect later generations. In this regard, food ideas are also like religion in that hundreds of different sects can each claim to have the truth. But none of them needs to fear disproof since adjudication will not occur until everyone is dead and gone to the afterlife. The body is extremely adaptable and will attempt to survive on whatever it is given. If the food is incorrect there is usually no immediate harm. But the body will eventually be stressed beyond its ability to adapt, resulting in disease, degeneration and loss of vitality. Unfortunately, such consequences are so far removed in time from the eating regimen that caused them that few understand the relationship. So be careful before subscribing to bold claims about what is or is not good to eat. The true test of any health idea lies too far out into the future. Our best hope then is to be well grounded philosophically before we slide our legs under the dinner table. How do we develop a healthy eating philosophy and sort through all of the competing eating ideas? I am going to explain here a very simple principle that is so reasonable you need not even look for proofs. Follow along with me and see if you don't agree. Consider the following three premises:1. Just like a tree is genetically adapted to absorb certain nutrients from soil, and a lion is genetically adapted to thrive on prey, and a deer is genetically adapted to browse on vegetation, so too, are humans genetically adapted to certain kinds of food.2. The majority of foods we are presently exposed to are a product of the Agricultural/Industrial Revolution and occupy a small part of the genetic history of humans. (Refer back to the 276-mile time-line in which only a few inches represent industrial-type eating practices.)3. The natural, genetically adapted to food for humans must predate them. In other words, how could humans exist before the food they needed to survive existed? We were completely developed biologically prior to agriculture and any method of food processing. That means whatever diet archetypal humans ate was the perfect diet because that was the diet responsible for the existence and development of the incredibly complex human organism. That diet was the milieu, the environmental nutritional womb, if you will, from which we sprung. If you consider these three premises, the logical conclusion derived from them is that the best food for humans is that food which they would be able to eat as is, as it is found in nature. Our tissues were designed to be bathed in food nutrients derived from natural living foods, not with dyes, preservatives, synthetics, nutritiously barren starches and refined sugars and oils. Make no mistake; if we are not eating according to this principle, our bodies are in constant deficiency, imbalance and toxin exposure. The result of generations ignoring this principle is an epidemic of obesity, chronic degenerative diseases and the exhaustion of our digestive pe not eating according to this prinrocesses. A feature of all natural food is that it is raw alive if you will. This is consistent with the Law of Biogenesis that says life can only come from preexisting life. Life begets life. In spite of scientists dreams to the contrary, we have never observed life springing from non-life, nor have we ever even been able to create life from non-life in a laboratory. If we eat living foods, we enhance our own life. If we eat dead, devitalized foods we become devitalized and dead. Granted, this will not happen all at once, but as the adaptive reserves are exhausted we become just like the dead food we eat. So a fundamental feature of our natural diet was that it was raw. Yes, even the meats, organs, eggs and insects raw. Remember, were far back in time, even before the use of fire (much less the microwave, stove, oven, grill, deep fryer or extruder). Studies of the diets of past cultures and todays still-primitive societies reveals that they ate exactly as their genes and the environment dictated. We were not suddenly dropped from outer space onto Earth with fry pans, matches and rotisseries. We began on the forest floor, not in a line to a fast food counter. We had only our natural bodies in a natural world, exactly like every other creature. Every other organism on Earth eats raw foods exactly like they are found in nature. Do you think nature doesnt notice our decision to change all that? Would tofu qualify? No, because tofu is found nowhere in nature. Would oatmeal porridge qualify? No, because oatmeal porridge is found nowhere in nature. Would hamburgers, French fries, pop, breakfast cereals, granola, canned foods, candy, sports drinks, muscle building powders, vitamins and minerals, mashed potatoes, carrot cake, croissants, bagels, Jolly Ranchers, Ding Dongs, Cocoa Krispies, Good n Plentys or Fig Newtons qualify? No. None of these are found as such in nature. For those of you who are by now panicking (if not gagging) at the thought of eating raw foods, yes, there is danger of food-borne pathogens. But if you are careful and clean, the danger is far less than the danger of a lifetime eating devitalized processed foods. Raw natural foods must be safe or our ancestors would have not survived and we would not exist! It is a choice. When faced with a choice, why not opt for the wisdom of nature? Is it not strange we are the only creatures on the planet to cook our foods? Is it a wonder, given this, that we succumb with every imaginable chronic degenerative disease virtually unknown in creatures eating the raw natural diet? Simply think of yourself placed in nature in the total absence of modern technology. Ask yourself the question, what would I eat... and what could I eat? You could eat and digest fruits, nuts, insects, a fures eating the raw natural diet? Simply think of yourself placed in nature in the total absence of modern technology. Ask yourself the questiew plants, honey, worms, grubs, eggs, milk and animal flesh. These are about the only food substances in nature humans are capable of digesting without technological (including fire) intervention. These are, in fact, the very foods that are the mainstay of nomadic primitive societies. Only when these foods become scarce do unpalatable, inedible foods such as most grains and vegetables become cooked and processed to change their palatability, neutralize toxins and increase digestibility. So that is where we have been. But does this have anything to do with us here today in the 21st century microwave age? It has everything to do with us because it is this expansive historical context that served as the womb that shaped and defined us. It is this natural wild setting that occupies the vast majority of our history and predominates our genetics. It is the incubator within which life on planet Earth has developed. What would have been the predominant food in the wild? Likely prey. Envision yourself placed back in time in that setting with a family to feed. You would be looking for the most calorie- and nutrient-dense foods you could find. That would not be a few wheat seeds, some grass or a root. You would let the herbivores do all the grazing and digestion with their specialized stomachs that are capable of converting essentially any plant material into edible protein and fat. Then you would eat them. I dont like that either, but that is the way it is. Pretty simple isnt it? We should eat what nature provides that we can digest. Yet this is not explained in nutrition textbooks, and PhD nutritionists graduate without even grasping it. It cuts through all the theory, belief, and guesswork. It matches our natural bodies with our natural food. Our immersion in modern cookery and food processing has misled us. Foods such as granola, tofu, cauliflower and lettuce, which are marketed as the ultimate health foods, are in fact not natural human foods at all. These products either do not exist in nature, are so scarce as to never possibly be a sustaining food, or in their raw precooked form are unpalatable and even toxic. For example, raw soybeans contain a variety of chemicals that can stunt growth and interfere with the body's digestive enzymes. Eat enough of them and you'll die. Modern grain products are a result of agriculture and in their raw form are unpalatable, indigestible and also toxic. In nature one would never find enough kernels of rice, wheat or barley to even make up a meal, even if they were edible in their raw form. (Sprouted seeds and grains are an exception to this since they are digestible, raw and nutritious.) Who, if they were really, really hungry and options were available would eat raw broccoli, cauliflower or lettuce? These foods are only now made palatable by cooking or doctoring with manufactured dressings. Now this creates somewhat of a dilemma. Knowing what our natural diet is and consuming it are two different things. We are so acclimated to the modern diet that the notion of eating raw meat, for example, is nauseating to most. Nevertheless, as evidenced by primitive (but nutritionally advanced) peoples, raw meat and organs can be eaten with great nutritional benefit to humans, and they are totally digestible and nontoxic. Some cultures even bury raw meats and let them rot (ferment) and then consume them with gusto. These societies are robustly healthy until modern foods encroach. Then, like a dirty bathtub ring, modern degenerative diseases decimate those people at the periphery in contact with modern foods. It would be very difficult today to achieve the ideal raw, natural diet. But if the basic principle is kept in mind it helps remind us of our origins and points us to the appropriate, genetically adapted-to foods.This does not mean no processed or cooked foods should be eaten. It simply means that consistently doing so will stress the body's genetic capabilities and will ultimately result in less than optimal health. Look around the grocery store (usually the outside aisles) and consider what it is that could be eaten in its natural state. Increase the proportion of those foods. Processed foods should be chosen that compromise natural principles the least and are as close to nature as possible. They should be whole foods, packaged carefully to protect nutrient value and be free of synthetics, refined oils and sugars. For example, whole milk yogurt that has not been homogenized or pasteurized is ideal. The same thing pasteurized would be next best. The same thing pasteurized and homogenized next. Worst would be non-fat, pasteurized, homogenized, artificially flavored and sugared yogurt (which is, of course, what the majority eat because it tastes most like what they are used to candy). Eat the best foods you can find in variety and moderation and you will be doing the best that can be done. There, you have in a nutshell what has taken me decades of research, study and thinking to discover. It is simple and obvious, but that is the way of all great truths.For further reading, or for more information about, Dr Wysong and the Wysong Corporation please visit www.wysong.net or write to wysong@wysong.net. For resources on healthier foods for people including snacks, and breakfast cereals please visit www.cerealwysong.com. Dr. Wysong is a former veterinary clinician and surgeon, college instructor in human anatomy, physiology and the origin of life, inventor of numerous medical, surgical, nutritional, athletic and fitness products and devices, research director for the present company by his name and founder of the philanthropic Wysong Institute. He is author of The Creation-Evolution Controversy now in its twentieth printing, a new two volume set on philosophy for living entitled Thinking Matters: 1-Living Life... As If Thinking Matters; 2-The Big Questions...As If Thinking Matters, several books on nutrition, prevention and health for people and animals and over 18 years of monthly health newsletters. He may be contacted at Wysong@Wysong.net and a free subscription to his e-Health Letter is available at http://www.wysong.net. Also check out http://www.cerealwysong.com

Category : General Food

Meeting Employee Work Expectations: 4 Keys for Minimizing Turnover

Author : Eric Fox
Workforce experts estimate that the cost of replacing a worker is 1.5 times the annual salary of the worker. To minimize your turnover costs and maintain a productive workplace, employers need to look beyond the salary and benefits.Work can be a satisfying and positive experience for your employees when their work expectations are being met. Salary and benefits are the obvious compensations that an employee expects from his or her employer, but there are a host of immaterial things that can provide job satisfaction. Whether you, as an employer, are considering a new hire or trying to retain current employees, there are four key factors that can help make work a positive experience.EnvironmentMany employees expect a pleasant work environment. No one wants to wake up each morning dreading going to work. Do your workers prefer a low-stress environment that has a social atmosphere? Perhaps you should consider assigning projects that require teamwork and personal interaction. However, different personalities expect different types of work environments. Some people work better under pressure and welcome the opportunity to be challenged. Giving workers the opportunity to express their ideas in a workplace that emphasizes results over personal relationships may give them satisfaction.Structure vs. IndependenceStructure is an integral part of the workplace for some employees. Perhaps they like to know that certain resources are available to them. Providing workers with specific timelines, procedures, or guidelines may be beneficial to them when completing a project or problem-solving. Some people, however, expect to work independently. They may want to set their own priorities or use their methods of problem-solving. Granting freedom to take on new responsibilities or to streamline current procedures might be a way to keep your employees happy.Work vs. Personal LifeMost employees expect a certain balance between work and personal life. They have commitments outside of work and feel that work should not distract them from fulfilling those commitments. Assure your employees that you understand their commitment to their families and other activities. Let them know that work will not interfere with their personal life, but also that you expect high standard of job performance.Career GrowthHaving a career is important to many people in today's society. If your employees enjoy their job, invest a lot of time and effort, and succeed at it, they probably expect to get rewarded. The reward doesn't always have to be monetary; sometimes a new job title, increased responsibility, or other incentives will provide the positive reinforcement they desire. Career-minded employees probably want to gain new experiences and increase their set of job skills, making themselves more marketable to other employers. Making sure your employees know there are opportunities for advancement may keep them satisfied and keep them with your company.Once you have identified the things that can make work a positive experience for your employees, you must keep the lines of communication open. Your employees may never be satisfied in their current positions if their work expectations are not met. As an employer, you understand the high cost of employee turnover. If you want to retain your employees, learn what their work expectations are and do what you can to increase their job satisfaction, making work a positive experience.Work Expectations article produced by Corexcel. Corexcel specializes in online continuing education and workforce training. For more information about Corexcel and the training materials they offer, visit http://www.corexcel.com
Category : Business:Workplace-Communication

The Jewels of Cleopatra's Mines

Author : Jill Russell
Emerald was one of the first mined precious gemstone by ancient Egyptians in what is now called Cleopatra's mines. Legend has it that Cleopatra loved emeralds. It has been treasured by many different cultures for over 4000 years. Many prized it as a symbol of love and rebirth, because the Green color was a sign of spring when all things come to life. Some legends say emeralds give the owner the gift of eloquence and intelligence.Currently Emeralds are mined in Columbia, Zambia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia, Zimbabwe and Brazil. The most sought after come from Columbia, some mines in Columbia will have emeralds with a bluish tone and other mines will have a yellowish tone. Zambia also has very good clean quality emeralds which are less expensive than the Columbian ones and they have mostly a bluish tone to them.The traditional 25th & 35th wedding anniversary is the emerald. Emeralds are so rare that in perfect condition they are worth far more than a diamond of the same size. On the MOHS hardness scale, which measures a substances ability to scratch another's, emeralds are 7.5- 8 where as diamonds are a 10 – the hardest. If you buy an emerald with no inclusions, it very well maybe a lab creation.J. Russell, owner of Striker Unlimited Treasures, had been looking for a way to share her love of silver and crafts with others. This is when she came up with the idea to open an online jewelry store, http://www.treasuresnjewelry.com. Jewelry is her passion, where ever she is, she is looking for a good deal to pass on to her customers.
Category : Shopping:Jewelry-Diamonds

How To Win Craps And Beat The Casino At Their Own Game

Author : Ellison Mansfield
If you've read any of my articles before, you know I always emphasize the fact that there are many viable systems for any type of gambling. Craps is one of those games that has many systems, and out of all the casino games, I'd say its one of the ones that involves the most skill on the part of the player in order to gain an edge over the casino. Before we delve into any complicated systems, lets cover some of the basics about craps.

Because the Craps table uses unfamiliar language, it is often considered very complicated. However, after learning the terminology, it is in reality, quite easy. In the middle of the Craps table are what is known as proposition bets. This includes all one roll proposition bets. The House has an advantage on these bets of from 2.778% on the "field" to 16.667% on any 2 or 12. For this reason, we will not be going into detail on any of these bets. If you want to win consistently, you want to stay away from these bets.

You may stand at either end of the table, as both sides contain exactly the same bets. If you were the first player at the table you would stand at one end of the long table and the stickman would let you pick a pair of dice. You, being the "shooter" would have to bet on either the pass line bet or the Don't pass. The first roll of the dice is called the "come-out" roll.

For today we'll cover the "Pass Line Bet" and the "Don't Pass Bet" to get you familiar with the game. Then next time we'll cover some additional bets, and start getting into the real craps strategy.

PASS LINE BET

If the dice thrown on the come-out roll total 7 or 11, (a natural) you win and are paid 1 to 1. (You would then bet and roll another come-out.) If the dice thrown total 2, 2 or 12 (a crap) you lose. (The dice would then go to the next player for another come-out roll.)

If the dice thrown total 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 then the total becomes the "point". You are more likely to win, than lose on the come-out roll. However, once the point is made, the odds turn against you.

Now, if 7 comes up on the dice, you lose the bet you made at the beginning. If the point comes up, you win.

Pass Bet Rules:

Come-out roll: Natural 7 or 11 you win
Crap 2, 3, or 12 you lose

Points: 4 5 6 8 9 10

Point rolls: Point you win
7 you lose

DON'T PASS BET

If the dice thrown on the come-out roll bet total 7 or 11, you lose. 2 and 3 win, and on 12 you "push" (neither winning or losing).

If the dice come up 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 as before, this becomes the point. After this, if 7 comes up first, you win. To lose, the point must come up.

Don't Pass Rules:

Come-out roll: Natural 7 or 11 you lose
Crap 2 or 3 you win
Crap 12 push

Points: 4 5 6 8 9 10

Point rolls: Point you lose
7 you win

Like I said, we'll cover more next time but I don't want to overload you with too much info at one time. Craps is an intricate game, and warrants that you take the time to learn it properly before trying to master its strategies.

Yes it's true: Ellison Mansfield has made a career out of gambling. He's flown under the radar for virtually his entire adult life, beating the casinos and stockpiling his winnings. After holding onto these secrets and amassing a private fortune over the past 16 years, he finally decided it was time to come out and share some of his knowledge with the world. Please see insidersystem.com for the latest winning tips and strategies.
Category : Article Marketing

4 Reasons why Portable Mp3 Players Take Content to The Next level

Author : Steve Gover

With the recent advent of the Ipod, a lot of people are using
portable Mp3 players to carry their entire music collection
around with them. What just a few years ago would have required
you to lug a suitcase full of CDs around, now can fit in the
palm of your hand. Some Ipods can carry up to 60Gb of songs (and
now video) on a single miniature hard drive. The Ipod even looks
cool and lights up like a magical glowing device. Besides Apple,
numerous companies make portable Mp3 players

This doesn't even begin to get into the phenomenon of
podcasting. Podcasting is a simple concept with amazing utility
for the average consumer. Imagine if you could take an audio
broadcast of any sort (podcasting a teleseminar comes to mind)
on the airplane with you on your next business trip.

1)You don't have to be there when the teleseminar is held. 2)You
can pause it, rewind it, fast forward the teleseminar to any
point that you feel is important. 3)You can listen to it
repeatedly. 4)You can send the podcast to friends and family
members who can also take the audio content with them on their
merry way.

I do this all the time. It works great. Download and go. This is
bigger than you think. Overall, the ubiquity of portable Mp3
players is a cultural revolution as far as information transfer
goes. Why do I have to wait for a broadcast when I can be in
another time zone and replay it at my leisure.

When you take your Mp3 player on the road with you, you are
basically shifting time. No more sitting around waiting for the
video or audio presentation to start. You can download it to
your portable Mp3 player and start it whenever you want.

Portable Mp3 players seem to be here to stay. Find out why and
what the latest trends are: you'll be surprised how you ever
lived without one. I was

Category : Pets

Southern Explorations, LLC Launches World-class South and Central America Tours

Author :

date">March 3rd, 2005s World-class South and Central America Tours

FIVE ADVANCED and Essential features of Your Follow up Autoresponder

Author : Radhika Venkata
If you are not using a follow up autoresponder until now, just buy it. Follow up autoresponders are very valuable tool for online business.You can offer free email coursesSend ezines, ezine articlesFollow up your customerConduct polls and quizzes*****Your personal Follow up autoresponder software:These software should be installed on your web site. You are completely in control of your software. These are affordable with good features.http://www.autoresponseplus.com/http://www.scripts4webmasters.com/arpproadv/*****Five Advanced and Essentials features of a follow up autoresponder:1. Personalization of Your emails:If your subscriber sees his/her name in the subject field, they will stop a second at your email. Well... it's human nature to respond to their names. Once they stop at your email subject, more chances of clicking on your email and go in to the message.2. Email un/subscriptions:Advanced feature that needs some email forwarders to redirect subscribers emails to the cgi script. In this feature you can offer un/subscriptions through emails apart from form subscriptions.3. Broadcast emails:Broadcast emails also called one-time emails. Means instead of follow up emails at specific intervals, you can send promotional emails, ezines to your subscribers one time.4. Bounced emails:Very good feature. You can use this feature to clean up your lists. Your host will be happy as bounced emails uses the server resources and you delete them with your autoresponder script. Some free email services put your emails as spam or your subscriber no longer at their subscribed email or other problems like your subscriber email server is not working at the time of your emailings... Any of these reasons. The email will bounce back to your server. All these emails should be cleaned up once in a while, otherwise your host will send you email telling you are using too many resources.5. Custom fields:These are the fields to keep certain text in their text areas and if you keep the defined tag, the script replaces it with the text you provided. Great for keeping ads, signatures, links in your emails.FIVE BASIC and Essential features of Your Follow up Autoresponder: http://www.webmasters-central.com/wp/em/5basic.shtmlAbout The AuthorRadhika VenkataSubscribe to 'EbookBiz Magazine' which is completely focused on ebook business and Internet Marketing. Receive FREE Ebooks with Resale rights every month!http://www.ebooks-world.com/freetosell.shtmlWebmaster Resources: List Your product, ezine or web site free!http://www.webmasters-central.com/
Category : Business:Email-Marketing

Do you know who is snooping around your computer right now?

Author : Joe Reinbold

How secure is your computer? Most of us have virus protection
and probably feel pretty safe. But how many know that there can
be many individuals out there who may be trying to snoop (or
actually snooping) around your hard disk all day long? I would
venture that there are not many sitting at their computer right
now who have even thought about it!

High speed access to the Internet, i.e. DSL, cable and a couple
of others have opened the doors to our work areas. I had even
recorded attacks on my computer when I was using a local dial up
service. The high speed access capability is great, I know that
from personal experience. But it does open you up to extra risks
since your Internet connection is probably open all day, even
when you are not using it.

Intrusions on the Internet are common because hackers do
frequent scans looking for systems they can break into. A
typical hacker may scan thousands. He or she isn't targeting you
personally. In the hour preceding the writing of this article I
had three attacks on my computer through my cable hookup. Two
were hackers probing to see if they could get in and the other
was a hacker checking to see if I had a specific Trojan program
that might have compromised my system so that they could get in.
This is a regular daily occurrence. Luckily my system has a
software (firewall) program that detects and stops any attacks.
It also logs in the attacks so that I can see what they were.
The program is called Black Ice Defender,
http://www.networkice.com and cost me about $40. It was well
worth the price. There are a number of programs out there and
one that seems to be generally recommended along with Black Ice
Defender is ZoneAlarm http://www.zonelabs.com which happens to
be free (free for personal and non-profit use).

A while back I had read several articles in PC Magazine about
these risks and that was what made me get a copy of Black Ice.
By the way it is easy to install and use. I don't know about
ZoneAlarm but from my readings it appears it is also fairly
simple. One of the ezines I subscribe to recently had a short
article about a site called "Shields UP!" where you could go to
check your computer security for free. If you are interested go
to: https://grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2

These tests are for Windows systems. There will be two buttons,
"Test My Shields" and Probe My Ports". These tests take a couple
of minutes each and they will give you a full report. When I was
finished, I felt pretty good for the moment since they couldn't
get into my machine. In fact they evaluated it as "appearing
that my computer didn't even exist".

You can sit there and say that you are only a little guy or gal,
who would even try? Well that may be so, but on the other hand,
do you know exactly what you have saved on your computer -
credit card numbers, account numbers, personal information...?
You would be amazed at the number of files that are saved on
your machine by windows and other programs that you aren't even
aware of.

I have had to change credit card accounts twice in the last year
due to some large well known companies who's systems were
attacked and credit card files were compromised. So it can
happen, even to the big guys. The software is out there to help
you, it can be free or relatively inexpensive. Why not feel a
little more secure?

Category : Meditation

Introduction to Satellite Digital Audio Radio service(SDARS)

Author : Jith Crs
Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service (SDARS):SDAR is a satellite-based direct-broadcast radio service in which
digitally encoded audio entertainment material is broadcast to
Earth-based receivers, either directly from an orbiting satellite, or from the satellite to
the receiver via a repeater station (This is a special case in which the receiver is in a
shielded location). SDARS is a radio communication service through which audio
programming is digitally transmitted by one or more space stations directly to
fixed, mobile, and/or portable stations, and which may involve complementary
repeating terrestrial transmitters, telemetry, tracking and control facilities.
Through SDARS compact-disc quality audio is available because of digital transmition
is employed.History of Satellite Radio:Satellite radio is an idea over a decade long. In 1992, the U.S.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) allocated a spectrum in the
"S" band (2.3 GHz) for nationwide broadcasting of satellite-based
Digital Audio Radio Service (DARS). Only four companies applied for a
license to broadcast over that band. The FCC gave licenses
to two of these companies in 1997. CD Radio (now Sirius Satellite Radio) and
American Mobile Radio (now XM Satellite Radio) paid more than $80 million each
to use space in the S-band for digital satellite transmission. The first satellite based radio launched by XM on Sep 25, 2001, then followed by Sirius on July 1, 2002. At this time, there are three space-based radio broadcasters:
Sirius Satellite RadioXM Satellite
RadioWorldSpace Satellite Radio Importance and significance of Satellite radio:We all have our favorite radio stations that we preset into our car
radios, flipping between them as we drive to and from work, on errands
and around town. But when you travel too far away from the source station, the
signal breaks up and fades into static. Most radio signals can only travel about 30
or 40 miles from their source. On long trips that find you passing through
different cities, you might have to change radio stations every hour or so as the signals fade in
and out. Now, imagine a radio station that can broadcast its signal from more than 22,000 miles (35,000 km) away and then come through on your car radio with complete clarity. One could drive
nearly hundreds of kilometers without ever having to change the radio station! Not
only would you never hear static interfering with your favorite tunes, but also the
music would be interrupted by few or no commercials.Satellite radio companies are comparing
the significance of their service to the impact that cable TV had on
television 30 years ago. Listeners won't be able to pick up local stations using
satellite radio services, but they will have access to hundreds of stations offering a
variety of music genres. Each company has a different plan for its broadcasting
system, but the systems do share similarities.XM Satellite Radio, Sirius Satellite
Radio and WorldSpace satellite individually provides digital-audio
radio services (SDARS), with commercial-free programming, digital-audio quality, and
countrywide coverage. Each company offers nearly 100 channels of digital music and
talk radio (many of them commercial-free or with a reduced number of commercials)
that can be received from coast to coast with no service interruption. Each
offering number of music channels, these services clearly provides programming options
not available through traditional radio.One of the main feature of SDARS is SDARS provides almost Commercial free (or Commercials are restricted) programs. And also it provides news, weather forecasts, and sports apart from
entertainment-based programs The primary application for this service is constant coast-to-coast coverage of radio for cars. We have all experienced the problem of trying to listen to radio on a long trip. Both AM and FM stations fade in and out as we drive into and out of their coverage
area. Portable full satellite radio service available now a days for
the car, home stereo and personal radio environments. Car manufacturers have been installing satellite radio receivers in some models for a few years now, and
several models of portable satellite radio receivers are available from a variety of
electronics companies.Signal reception is generally poor as well as variable in the cases of AM or FM. With the SDARS systems, radio coverage throughout the 48 continental states is solid and continuous. Unlike
for AM and FM channels SDARS signals are available in a unique formatSubscription based radio service:Because the technology requires access to a commercial satellite for
signal propagation; Satellite Radio services are commercial business
entities (not private parties), which offer a package of channels as part of their service
—requiring a subscription from end users to access its channels. Satellite
Radio Service can be subscribed at a monthly fee of $12.95 U.S. and up which
is very much worth full to the service that it gives. Future of Satellite radio: SDARS seems to get good market growth because of the following factors. Increasing
partnerships of XM and Sirius with Automobile OEM and distribution outlets made the
SDARS more popular. Introduction of more convenient hardware smaller and more
portable radios for the automobile as well as the home stereo,
computer and office and personal environments made possible at the
same time.Home and personal use Industry promotional advertising and
awareness campaigns given the SDARS more popular. Sirius and XM now
also offer subscribers the option of listening to their programming
online. Apart from all of this,
price drop of hardware making it more affordable for after market purchase.Author can be contacted through crsjith@gmail.com for more
information about SDARS.Jith is an Electrical and Electronics Engineer from southern India. Author is an expert in Avionics systems, Automobile systems and have good command over communication protocols.
Category : Computers-and-Technology:Satellite-Radio

Football fans can get to see all of the games this year

Author : Michael Hanna

The ever-increasing season ticket prices means a lot of fans struggle to watch all of their team?s matches. With the price of even just a championship season ticket being around ?400 most fans can struggle to foot the bill, even if their team isn?t in the expensive premiership. This will mean that football?s best fans wont be able to support their team, just simply because they can?t afford it.But football fans have been offered a new solution. Barclays bank (sponsor of the premiership) has offered a great way for you to buy your season ticket this year. If you purchase any football season ticket with the new Premiership Barclaycard and it costs more than ?250, you'll benefit from 0% interest for as long as it takes to pay off. The Premiership card also offers 10 pairs of tickets to be won each month during the football season, by just making a transaction on your football credit card each month to be entered into a prize draw.And with more and more clubs from the premiership making it in to Europe fans can find it even more and more expensive to support their team. But, if your club does make it into Europe, don?t you want to be there to see them! The Premiership credit card also offers help when you're abroad. You can use your credit card anywhere in the world, and if you lose your card whilst abroad, Barclays offer an emergency card replacement service, and you won't be charged a cash handling fee for the service.But with having to work all week, and enjoying the football at the weekend, who has time to go and apply for a credit card? With Barclay?s card you also have the option of ordering your credit card online, which will save you time and give you more opportunity to keep up with the football stats.With football becoming more and more about money at least we, the devoted fans, can still afford to do what matters to us ? enjoy the football and support our team.If you want to find out more information on credit cards. Author:Michael HannaAbout MichaelMichael is a keen writer, and internet marketer living in Scotland:Contact details:E-mail: samqam@googlemail.com Phone: 0131 561 2251Michael's Website: Belfast

Category : General Sports: Soccer

Clean Vacationing

Author : Lillian & Dave Brummet
Clean Vacationing(409 words)Admit it. When the sun is out and you are at your favorite campsite or cottage on the lake the last thing you want to do is spend a lot of time cooking a meal. Often, when vacationing, the lure to purchase instant foods is strong. Unfortunately, these convenience foods often come over packaged usually including some type of plastic. As we can see when we come across trash in the wilderness, the plastics tend to linger the longest - other than maybe glass and metal. Nothing ruins the feel of a pristine, natural area more than a bunch of garbage. Numerous studies prove that tourists return to an area primarily for its cleanliness and greenery. In this era where the economy has come to rely more on tourism, cleaning up is truly a benefit for the community.We soon realized that walking by these messes and complaining over such disrespect, we were behaving not much better than the polluters who left it. Now when we hike we pack a supply of plastic bags (grocery bags work well) to clean up as we go. Often we earn up to $10 in returnable bottles and cans in the process. When you take a bit of time to clean up some trash not only do you have a better trail or beach to come back to, you have helped to make it safer and nicer for the next user. This simple measure just might influence others to keep it clean, as well. When on the water with the canoe we also clean as we go by diving for garbage below the surface using a mask and snorkel. It is amazing the finds we have from these excursions under water. One of the first times we did this, we found an expensive diving mask in about 30 feet of water â€" enough incentive to continue this practice! We have found antique bottles, jewelry, fishing lures and reels. It feels very good to clear up a beach of shards of broken glass hiding just below the surface before an unwary swimmer splashes into it. It does not, however, feel as good to find a large fish hook by imbedding it in the bottom of your foot. Take heart in knowing you have done a good thing as your expletive echoes off the far mountainside. Imagine an innocent child stepping on that hook instead of you and decide if it is worth taking the time... About the Author
-- Written by Dave and Lillian Brummet based on the concept of their new book Trash Talk. The book offers useful solutions for the individual to reduce waste and better manage resources. A guide for anyone concerned about his or her impact on the environment. (http://www.sunshinecable.com/~drumit)
Category : Movies

Are Website Directories Sustainable For the Future?

Author : James Smithston

Website directories have been around since the beginning of the internet as we know it. There have always been web sties, or pages of web sites, devoted to links or categories of links. The only difference between an organized links page on a company website or personal website and a web directorys the size of the pages and the extent of the links. The website directories provide a great service in assisting searches find websites that they are looking for. As well as providing websites a place to be listed for easy access by searches. Because there are a number of various types of website directories, they are in deed sustainable fro the future. As I said, they have been around since the beginning of the internet. Some website directories are free and require that your link and post to the directory. Others are fee based. Though the fee based website directories are harder to maintain. They do help you get noticed better. And isnt that the reason for being on the web? Sustainable website directories are those that the search engine will locate by various links you have on your page. These sites are the ones you will want to be affliated with. Using them provides that you will be able to be located by searches. The search engines follow the links, maintain their directories on a regular basis review and post quickly and have back links. These services can be used to attract and keep customers at their site. Web directories are truly sustainable for the future. As long as people find the directories useful either for the category of links available or for simple SEO purposes, directories will be around to help guide people to sites and sites to people. Using a website directory is a win-win situation for all involved. Written by James Smithston. Get SEO benefits by having your site listed on our web directory. Submitting your site to directories like eonte will help boost your website's link strength.

Category : General Webmasters

Home Schooling And Public Schooling: Is One Better Than The Other?

Author : Anne Clarke
When you consider whether or not to send your child off to a public school or to keep them at home, you must take many factors and weight them carefully before you decide. There are pros and consider for each option. Personally, I was home schooled for some of my education and I attended public school for the rest of my education, therefore have had experience with both.· Home schooling vs. public schooling:o Home school pros:1) You can purchase a home school curriculum, which will include most of the ideas and materials you need.2) Unlike teachers in public schools—your child gets one-on-one attention most of the time think of this when you consider Home schooling vs. public schooling.Teachers in public schools often have at least fifteen students at one time nowadays—maybe more. And I only had two sisters who were also being home schooled—all three of us learned essential lessons in every subject, but had mom right over our shoulders helping us understand the material—we even had "homework" to do (no pun intended) but were still usually done by lunchtime. This should also be carefully considered for the benefit of your child when you think about Home schooling vs. public schooling.3) You do not have to stick strictly to some mail-order curriculum.
You can adjust to your children's needs.Here are a few examples:You know your kid—if he or she is behind in math, slow down a bit, spend more time with math, catch the child up to the right level. Another example would be a child who is much more advanced in, say, grammar—you can choose to make his or her more challenging4) Many colleges and universities look for children who have been taught at home.Why? The answer is simple, most moms (or dads or guardians) are afraid that they will not teach their child or children as well as a certified teacher, thus they tend to overcompensate for these fears by actually teaching more than a child in that grade would learn.· Some of the downsides to home schooling your children:1) All children need to learn how to function and behave in society, especially when it comes to social relationships.This problem can sometimes be solved by involving your children in outside activities, i.e. softball teams, dance lessons, etc. In fact, our P.E. class when I home schooled was always practicing dance, because both my sisters and I took dance lessons.2) It takes time.In home schooling vs. public schooling you pretty much have to be unemployed, because home schooling can be a tough job—you do not only teach, you also grade, prepare lesson plans, and focus on your children the majority of the day. And then there are your other household obligations—someone has to clean the toilet, right?3) It can be frustrating:Especially if your child or children are hard to handle, they may not develop the respect for you that you must have from them as a teacher. Although a child's relationship with authority figures should be sound and proper, often they are not.If your child (children) does (do) not respect you or listen when you try to teach. Therefore when considering the idea of home schooling vs. public schooling—you might prefer the latter of the two in such a case.Teachers are trained to gain respect from his or her students—and often a child who starts out as a problem child will soon be "tamed" through the instructor as well as by following the example of the rest of the students in the class.Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles about homeschooling please visit Considering Homeschooling.
Category : Reference-and-Education:Home-Schooling

Motivate People with Feedback

Author : Alan Fairweather
Someone once said - "Feedback is the breakfast of
champions." Personally, I think that pancakes, crispy bacon
and maple syrup are the breakfast of champions. However
there's no doubt that giving people feedback is absolutely
vital to ensure a motivated team who'll deliver results.One of the top three factors that motivate people at work is
- feedback.The majority of people want to know how they're doing at
work. They want to know when they're doing well and they
want to know when they could be doing better. There are a
small minority of people who don't want feedback at all; but
let's face it; you don't want these people on your team
anyway.Okay, so I'll accept the fact that many people don't want to
hear bad things about their job performance, however it
depends on how they hear the bad news that'll effect their
motivation at work. I'm sure that you'd want to know whether
you were doing your job okay - I'm sure I would.Like many people, I can be very sensitive to negative
feedback. At the end of any seminar or workshop I scan the
feedback forms looking for any comment that would dare to
suggest that I hadn't done a good job.It's easy for me to look at negative feedback on the forms
and say - "You can't please all the people all the time" or
"Who cares" or "What do they know anyway?"
I try to keep an open mind and think about what's being said
in the feedback. Is it something I should do something about
- if this person didn't like something that I said, maybe
there were others who felt the same way but didn't make any
comment? All I want to do in my job is be the best that I
can be, so it's important to listen to what my "customers"
have to say.We all feel different about feedback because we are all
different. Some people love it, others are okay with it and
others just hate it.
I'm sure that you have people on your team who always want
to know "how they're doing." They come and speak to you and
show what they're doing. "Is this okay boss, am I doing
this right?" They're constantly looking for reassurance that
they're doing the right thing. Then you'll have others on
your team who never come and speak to you and get most
uncomfortable whether you're giving them the good news or
the bad.But let's think about you for a moment about you. You might
be the kind of person who's comfortable with lots of
feedback or maybe you'd prefer it in much smaller doses.The important point is - the way you feel about receiving
feedback could affect the way you give it to your team.Managers who are happy to receive feedback are usually happy
to give it to their team members because they believe their
entire team feel the same as they do.
And of course if you look at it the other way round -
managers less comfortable with feedback tend to believe that
their team feel the same way. This is often the biggest
danger because many managers don't receive feedback from
their manager and subconsciously feel - "Why should I give
feedback to my guys when I don't get it?"Whether you receive feedback or not; whether you feel
uncomfortable giving it or not - you still need to do it for
your people. Just be aware that they're all different
individuals and they might react in different ways. Almost
everyone wants feedback - how much, is just a matter of
degree.Discover how you can generate more business by motivating
your team!
Alan Fairweather is the author of "How to get More Sales
by Motivating Your Team" This book is packed with practical
things you can do to get the best out of your people.
Click here now http://www.howtogetmoresales.comhttp://www.alanfairweather.com
Category : Business:Team-Building