Valley Stream, NY - August 18, 2008 – In our world of ever-changing technology, we are constantly bombarded by names like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and TIVO. Our nation is one of consistently evolving electronics and in the rush to move forward, some get left behind. One such trailing entity is the advertising industry. The increasing inclusion of TIVO and DVR's in American households is causing some consternation among marketing executives. Ace Marketing & Promotions may have the solution to the advertising industry's current conundrum. The problem lies with the inability of companies to continue advertising their products or services through traditional means, such as television and radio. Digital recording devices allow home consumers to skip past commercials, which, as you can imagine, creates a problem for those who advertise through those same commercials. A similar issue took root with radio several years ago as more and more stations were made available. Now, listeners only have to press a button to move on to another station, sans advertisement. Ace Marketing & Promotions, out of Valley Stream, New York and publicly traded under the symbol AMKT, have developed an amazing system that could answer some of these rising concerns. The Blue Bite proximity marketing system utilizes Bluetooth and wireless technology to market directly to consumer's phones, laptops, and PDAs. The system works with over 950 mobile devices, from virtually every manufacturer, which guarantees the largest possible audience. It supports all of the most popular models, including the Apple iPhone, the Blackberry Pearl, and the Palm Treo. The Blue Bite system allows the company to send information, such as images, video, and audio, directly to consumer's electronic devices that come within range of the broadcasting unit. One of the many benefits is that, because it is transmitted via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and not over a wireless telephone network, it is completely free to the consumer. Additionally, the Blue Bite proximity marketing system is FCC compliant and not considered spam advertising. They will simply receive a text, video, or audio message with the client's advertisement or marketing offer. Just imagine going to a concert and your favorite band or artist tells you how much they appreciate you, their fan, and that you will be receiving something special from them on your mobile phone. Seconds later, you receive a message describing how to download a free wallpaper or song from your favorite band. Maybe you're walking down the street in New York's Time Square and you notice a billboard for a new television show. Seconds later, your cell phone receives a message letting you know that there is a free 15-second preview of that show available to watch on your mobile device. The direct marketing potential is seemingly limitless. Ace Marketing & Promotions has already completed successful marketing campaigns for several major entities, such as the Canada Tourism Commission, BBC, CW, and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). Shows and movies have included The Bourne Conspiracy, Gossip Girl, Life is Wild, and Robin Hood. Blue Bite's most successful campaigns, to date, have been ones for the BBC's Robin Hood with a positive engagement rate of over 87% and for the Canada Tourism Commission with more than 9,600 downloads over a four week period. One of the greatest things about this technology is that we've only begun to see the potential of it. The number of possible venues would seem to be almost unlimited. Shopping malls, movie theatres, airports, museums, subways, and sporting events are just a few of the target locations that are perfectly poised to fully utilize the capabilities of the Blue Bite proximity marketing system. Blue Bite also has the ability to track shoppers, let's say in a mall, and can even analyze their shopping behavior! Ace Marketing & Promotions has established, through testing and a number of successful marketing campaigns, themselves as a serious competitor in the race for advertising audiences. Their Blue Bite proximity marketing technology has opened the door to an incredibly unique, and relatively unknown, method of reaching out to consumers. The new face of advertising is no longer a reference to the next hot model or pretty face, but to the changing appearance of an industry that has largely remained the same since the inception of the television. No longer can agencies rest on their traditional techniques and simply create a jingle and a catchy slogan. The new face of advertising is here and it is Ace Marketing & Promotion's Blue Bite proximity marketing technology. For more information on the company, its products and services, visit their corporate website at http://www.acemarketing.net. Michael Trepeta received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Applied Economics and Business Management with a minor in Communications from Cornell University in 1993. Since that time, Mr. Trepeta has been associated with various broker/dealers as a stockbroker where he was involved in the funding of numerous development stage and growth companies. Mr. Trepeta was a Vice President of Investments at Joseph Roberts & Co. in 1994 and a Vice President of Investments at Rickel & Associates from 1995-1996. From September of 1996 through February 1998, he has served as President of MDT Consulting Group, Inc., a corporation contracted by publicly traded companies to serve as a financial intermediary to investment bankers and to assist in developing products, services, and business strategies. In 1998, Mr. Trepeta co-founded Ace Marketing and became an officer, director and principal owner of the company as well as a full time employee. You can contact Mr. Trepeta at 516-256-7766 Rodney Marvel is currently the Director of Operations for e-media Direct (www.e-mediadirect.com), a full-service investor relations firm located in Winter Park, FL. He has five years of experience in the marketing and financial industries. He has worked with close to 100 publicly-traded companies on a multitude of projects, including website designs, press releases, and marketing campaigns. You can contact him at: rmarvel@e-mediadirect.com or 866.284.2835. DISCLAIMER: This article written by e-media Direct, with the expressed permission of its client (AMKT), and the information and research contained herein do not represent a recommendation of investment advice to buy or sell stocks or any financial instrument nor is it intended as an endorsement of any security or investment. Neither e-media direct (including the author) can assess, verify, or guarantee the suitability of any particular investment to any personal situation and the reader of this article bears complete responsibility for its own investment research and should seek the advice of a qualified investment professional prior to making any investment decisions. This article and any sponsoring websites are provided solely for informational purposes, and they do not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities. All opinions expressed and information and data provided herein are subject to change without notice. e-media Direct and their respective officers, directors, employees and/or associated entities, including the author, may have positions in and may from time to time make purchases or sales of the securities discussed or mentioned in this article. e-media Direct, Inc. has been compensated by a third party consultant fifteen-hundred dollars in cash. In exchange for this compensation, AMKT will receive investor relations services, this written article and promotion of this article on e-media Direct websites, other non-e-media Direct sponsoring websites and various media forums. more >>

Hi Ladies I'm just doing a little research into women's attitudes towards real shopping and online shopping and I have a few questions that should only take you a couple of minutes to answer but will help me greatly to shape my next project. Please simply write the number and your response. Real Shopping - Desirable or not? 1. I prefer to go to a real shopping centre where I can see and touch things. Agree/Disagree/Doesn't matter 2. Knowing what clothes would look like on my body without having to take my clothes off in a change room would be good. Agree/Disagree/Doesn't matter 3. A shopping centre where I was greeted at the front door and asked what my needs were, then directed to the best place would be great. Agree/Disagree/Doesn't matter 4. A shopping centre where the eating areas were more like a 5 star restaurant than a school caffeteria is appealing. Agree/Disagree/Doesn't matter 5. A shopping centre where I can book the "whole treatment" (ie hairdressers, massage, nails, doctors appt etc) and go from one shop to another to get all my needs met in the one trip is appealing. Agree/Disagree/Doesn't matter 6. A shopping centre where I can become part of a community is appealing. Agree/Disagree/Doesn't matter 7. Better customer service is more preferable than a great selection to choose from. Agree/Disagree/Doesn't matter 8. I'd love to be able to get my jeans fitted at the shop - waist bands and leg length fitted while I'm at the shop. Agree/Disagree/Doesn't matter 9. I'd love to be able to get my bras made to fit my shape. Agree/Disagree/Doesn't matter 10. A shopping centre with a Childcare facility is very appealing. Agree/Disagree/Doesn't matter Virtual Shopping - Desirable or not? 1. A virtual shopping trip can be as good as a real shopping trip. Agree/Disagree/Don't have an opinion 2. A virtual shopping trip where you can design your own clothes is desirable. Agree/Disagree/Neither desirable nor undesirable 3. A virtual shopping experience where you can have a chat online with a community of virtual shoppers is desirable. Agree/Disagree/Neither desirable or undesirable 4. A virtual shopping trip where you can get everything you could get at Walmart is desirable. Agree/Disagree/Neither desirable or undesirable 5. A virtual shopping trip where you get to visit a lot of specialty shops is desirable. Agree/Disagree/Neither desirable or undesirable 6. A virtual shopping trip where you get taught how to dress yourself to make the most of your features is desirable. Agree/Disagree/Neither desirable or undesirable 7. A virtual shopping trip where you have a virtual guide, like a shopping companion, is desirable. Agree/Disagree/Neither desirable or undesirable 8. A virtual shopping trip where you pay a registration fee but have no other ongoing fees is desirable. Agree/Disagree/Neither desirable or undesirable 9. Giving out your personal measurements to ensure items are tailor made is acceptable. Agree/Disagree/Neither desirable or undesirable 10. Seeing your body shape in garments you are interested in purchasing is desirable. Agree/Disagree/Neither desirable or undesirable 11. Being able to see what different hair styles and colours looks line on you is desirable. Agree/Disagree/Neither desirable or undesirable Thank you ladies for your feedback. more >>

(ARA) – The economy’s recent rollercoaster ride may make you feel like shouting “I want to get off.” But while you can no more seize control of the national economy than you can exit a rollercoaster car mid-way through the ride, it is possible to take control of your personal economic situation. “In the face of national economic uncertainties, getting a handle on your own personal finances can be both financially and emotionally empowering,” says Stephen Semprevivo, president of LowerMyBills.com. “There are many steps you can take, both great and small, to stabilize your personal economic situation.” Here are five simple steps that can help you take control of your finances. 1. Track Your Spending. If you really want to stabilize your finances, it’s essential to have a clear picture of where your money is going. Start out by writing down every cent you spend for one month – from your daily cappuccino to your mortgage or rent and utility bills. At the end of the month, you’ll have a snapshot of your spending habits. Armed with this knowledge, you can look for ways to trim your expenses and put more money into savings. 2. Get out of Your ARM. Even if your adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) is currently at a comfortable monthly payment, it may still be to your advantage to get out of it. By definition, the interest rate on your ARM will reset eventually. The new rate will almost certainly be higher than what you paid at the inception of the loan. Having such a loan can make it difficult to predict and stabilize your monthly expenses. A fixed-rate mortgage, by contrast, remains constant for the duration of the loan and can, therefore, provide a greater sense of stability and predictability. It may also save you money in the long run. When you’re ready to shop for refinance rates, sites like LowerMyBills.com can connect you with mortgage providers who will then compete for your business by offering competitive rates and terms. 3. Buy a House. Homeownership can help you stabilize your monthly expenses as well as help you build your long-term wealth. If you rent, there is a good chance you’re paying your landlord more this year than last year, and may pay even more next year. With home prices on the decline, now may be a good time to buy your own house or condo. If you can lock in a fixed-rate mortgage, your payment will be the same every year until the loan is paid off. What could be more stable than that? 4. Use Public Transportation. At this time last year, did you ever imagine gas would cost $4.00 a gallon? Now, it’s not hard to imagine prices topping $5 or more per gallon. No one knows for sure whether gas prices will drop, stabilize or continue to rise. Instead of reworking your budget every time gas prices change, consider using public transportation or riding a bike. Public transportation costs are historically slow to increase. So you’ll know month-to-month what your expenses will be – and they will almost certainly be lower than what you would have spent on gas. Plus, you’ll be doing something good for the environment by taking one more car off the roads. 5. Investigate Your Rates. Look at your cell phone, Internet, insurance and credit card bills. Are you getting the best rates available to you? If not, you’re likely spending more money than you need to for those services – money that could be put into savings or allocated to other areas of your budget. Take control of these recurring monthly expenses by comparison shopping for rates and terms. Sites like LowerMyBills.com can help you search across multiple service providers to find low rates on these and other monthly bills. “Taking control of your finances can positively impact both your wealth and your stress level,” Semprevivo says. “You can’t control the stock market or the price of oil, but you can take specific steps to stabilize your personal financial landscape and increase your savings.” To learn more about how to save money on your monthly bills, visit www.LowerMyBills.com. more >>

What Can a New Business Owner Outsource? The biggest, most successful companies use the power of teams to get things done quickly and productively. As a small or new business owner, it can seem impossible to pay someone else to do things you could just do yourself - when you may be struggling to make ends meet already! You need to make a choice: never invest in anything because you simply don't have the money to do it (and therefore, your business will probably stay in that condition); or make the commitment to invest in the things that are going to move your business quickly into success! The best thing you can do for your business is to leverage the power of teams. Melanie Benson Strick is a firm believer that in order to propel a business into success, you need to make use of virtual teams - and she demonstrates the power of that belief by helping businesses grow an average of 172% in their first year. So how do you know what types of activities you should be outsourcing? You want to think about all of the activities you are currently doing within your business that takes up your time. As the business owner, your time is your most precious commodity- you can't get back time you spend on projects that you shouldn't be spending! Are you doing your own bookkeeping, research, or filing? Make a list of everything you regularly do for your business, one task per line. To the left of each of the items you just wrote down, you will want to code them: put a heart next to the ones that you absolutely LOVE to do, put a diamond next to each of the tasks that you do that you are really good at, but that you may not consider to be something you love to do, and put a sad face next to the ones you absolutely hate to do. When you are starting to outsource tasks, you should start by outsourcing anything that has a sad face next to it. If you continue to do these things yourself, you end up draining yourself of your energy and can quite quickly feel overwhelmed. How much time do you spend each week doing the tasks with the sad face? Outsourcing them will free up that many hours every single week, to give you more time to focus on the items you love to do, and the items that generate more income for your business. The additional time you have to spend on income-generating activities will result in additional money that will not only make it worthwhile to pay people to do those 'sad face' tasks; but help you grow your business faster. It is common for people to experience as much as a double-increase in profits within the first few months of outsourcing these tasks because you are no longer held down by the things that are physically and emotionally draining to you. Outsourcing is not just for the big businesses- in fact, it is by outsourcing tasks that a small business can propel themselves into higher levels of success. Make use of teams and see what it does for your own business. Janet Beckers is the host and founder of Wonderful Web Women. An award winning on-line community recognised for generous and honest marketing advice for women on the internet. To learn from the most successful women on the internet through live webinars, masterminds and forums absolutely free, visit http://www.WonderfulWebWomen.com and join today. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janet_Beckers more >>

Where are all the investors? At any given time there are tens of thousands of “viable businesses” seeking capital and yet only a small fraction secure the necessary financing [equity / debt] to seize their strategic objectives. Likewise there is no real shortage of capital, even during today’s uncertain economic times. In the first quarter of 2008 alone,
more than 150 “blank check” companies
have gone public, raising nearly
TWENTY TWO BILLION DOLLARS
($22,000,000,000 USD) in capital
to grow their companies.

IS YOUR COMPANY NEXT?
To be sure investors (accredited and otherwise) took their losses (against prior gains) as the U.S. markets reacted to a housing bust and the ensuing mortgage crisis… as international commerce sought to find equilibrium amiss a declining dollar, and the growing global demand for oil painted a picture of future supply issues sending the price of crude skyward. There is also indisputable evidence that a significant amount of capital is not “active” in the “equity” markets; that is to say it is absent in the market. But, it’s not like capital evaporates during lean or troubled economic times… it simply removes itself from play, and sits on the sidelines. As of this writing, a vast amount of the USA’s equity capital is sidelined… an exceedingly expensive proposition to be sure. In the interim, the routine hedge fund activity which heretofore influenced 22% to 25% of the market, is now affecting upward to 70% of the market… a classic example of the tail wagging the dog. This, of course, cannot conmtinue, as the downward pressure on those with large cash positions ($15.0M plus USD) has them hemorrhaging cash in lost earnings. Clearly this begs the question: if there is so much capital seeking to produce returns, why is it that so many projects struggling without funding? In the normal course of events, capital ebbs and flows like the tides. But a cataclysmic occurrence like the US Real Estate Bust, and ensuing mortgage debacle, first sucks the tide out and gathers it into a tidal surge, and then dumps it back out in awesome demonstration of fee market regurgitation. During this tidal-surge build up process, capital appears scarce… but it’s not, it’s just pent-up in the tidal-swell. Show capital a viable way out and it will come out of the gate like a racehorse. However, a chasm or sizable gap exists between the CAPITAL and the ENTREPRENEUR. This gap is the unintentional consequence of securities regulations. It’s a chasm that affects all entrepreneurial companies, no matter if they are private or public, no matter what stage of development, no matter what industry, no matter the maturity of their individual products / services and marketplaces. It limits their access to capital. In all fairness, the regulations were good intentioned and the people (largely senior citizens) that regulators seek to protect should be protected. It is the unintended consequences that create a chasm between entrepreneurs with viable opportunities and accredited investors with money to invest. Although they have put a number of band-aids on these unintended consequences, the issues are complex and, if they can be resolved, would have to be so at the root of the problem. Regulators (the government) moved to protect average citizens, by limiting the offering of securities for sale to the general public unless the company has met regulatory requirements in “going public,” and full disclosure made available to any citizen thinking of investing. In so doing, however, the Regulators cut the scores of entrepreneurs with viable privately-held business opportunities from the sophisticated investors (a/k/a “accredited”) looking for a place to earn money on their money. Furthermore, regulation greatly limits the ability of a company from promote its securities. So if you can’t promote your stock – and you’re not Toyota® a known brand and maker of economy cars during an energy crisis – how do you get investors to look or even know you exist? The answer, in a word, is ATTRACTION. Attraction is to promotion, what empathy is to sympathy… and some would assert a more constructive means to the same end. In order to be attractive to an investors, you first need to understand how investors think; i.e., the psychology of investors. In a broad sense, investors always look toward hedging against the downside. The fact that there even looking at a company means there is plenty of upside, it’s the downside they seek to hedge against. On PRIVATE PLACEMENT equity deals, the GREATEST DOWNSIDE is the lack of liquidity for the securities, meaning they cannot easily be sold. This means if things don’t go as “planed,” they can’t bail. Likewise, if things look as if they are going to go really good… they can’t buy more (if the stock cannot easily be sold, it can’t easily be purchased… right?). They (investors) are kind of damned from the get-go; which gives you an idea of just how attractive private placement can get or nobody would bother. Even promise of future liquidity (the real prospect of future liquidity, if you will) is highly coveted. Okay, so liquidity, or at least the promise of future liquidity, is a big component of ATTRACTION. A comprehensive and compelling business plan is another significant component of attraction, because it’s the first impression. While it is true that what makes a business plan compelling for one investor may not necessarily strike a chord with another, there are shared interests among relatively large sub-groups (expanded upon hereinbelow), and that’s what you lasso with the business plan. The smaller nuances are best addressed in one-on-one dialog, but you’ll never see this point in the process if you don’t first capture their attention with the business plan. Of course, you can’t actually close the deal and accept the investors money on a business plan alone; you need a regulatory driven offering document commonly known as a Private Placement Memorandum (PPM). In this sense, a comprehensive and compelling business plan, alone, in the hands of a qualified investor, places the entrepreneur at risk of talking past the close. Imagine it, you have an investor ready to take a chance on you, ready to write a check, and he/she has to wait two to three weeks for the offering documents before doing so. The investors eyes, collectively, will glaze over and by the time you get back to them with offering documents, you will have lost their attention. They’ll be two or three opportunities down the road – by the time they get your PPM. Winning back their attention the second time is somewhere near the magnitude of 10 times harder. We can’t say for certain why this is, but we’d be glad to speculate: they’re struggling with why they didn’t act the first time in the face of a 100 other possibilities. At best they remember... “Oh yea, this guy/gal wasn’t ready with an offering last time I looked,” which does not bode well in conveying confidence to someone you want to make an investment. Even at this level, people “buy” out of emotion. That doesn’t mean they didn’t have their bean counters climb all over your numbers with a magnifying glass, it means they wouldn’t even given you a second thought if they hadn’t first bought in emotionally. They think you may well be onto something! So another big part of ATTRACTION is a Comprehensive Funding Package (a/k/a funding documents), which includes a comprehensive and compelling business plan accompanied by a PPM and requisite PPM Exhibits. Also you now know something of investor psychology, at least in a general sense; with one final caveat. In the final analysis each investors decision to act or not act, to write you a check or not, will be predicated on either fear or greed. The final substantial component of ATTRACTION is PROXIMITY. Since the entrepreneur cannot promote his/her offering, how is the investor supposed to know what he is missing out on? The answer, in a word, is PREPARATION. You know we’ve been doing this for a long time, and we can count on one hand the number of investors we have encountered that aren’t, themselves, accomplished business people. That having been said, the most obvious place to look when seeking to identify suitable investors is among the ranks of “top” active or retired business people (notice we didn’t say “business executives;” it’s because we don’t want to inadvertently cause you to think big corporate only). The narrower the entrepreneur is able to hone this epiphany, the closer they’ll get to actually doing an equity deal on their own. The bridge that connects viable companies to ready capital is built on ATTRACTION. Why? Because Regulation prohibits promotion. And the key attributes that make an emerging company ATTRACTIVE to investors? - Liquidity [or at least the contractual promise of future liquidity] - Preparation - Proximity Entrepreneurs’ whose offerings connect with all three of these key attributes, are the ones that get serious consideration from investors. In times of substantial pent-up capital, serious consideration may well be all it takes to do the deal. Robert Smith is managing member of RKS Capital LLC and The Equity Catalyst more >>

Always have your Company's information

at your Patron's Fingertips...

These are Soft Top Custom Mouse pads

In the sizes of 7.5" x 8" x 1/8" pads

12.99 ea + shipping

This is only going for 1 month

Prices go up after Sept. 10, 2008

http://www.cdjpromo.com/newproducts.htm

more >>

(ARA) – Is your job causing you pain? Maybe it’s not the work itself but your office environment. While you’re hard at work burning the midnight oil, poor daily habits may be taking a serious toll on your well-being. Workplace injuries, including musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), such as tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome are often painful reminders of the effect that hours of poor posture and awkward motion can have on the body. In 2006, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 357,160 cases of work-related musculoskeletal disorders that resulted in lost workdays. In addition, the Journal of American Medical Association found that costs associated with common pain conditions and lost productivity in the U.S. are estimated at $61.2 billion per year. While office injuries have become more common, many can be minimized or prevented entirely through the principles of ergonomics, or the science of designing work environments to better fit the capabilities of the individuals using them. Practicing proper ergonomic principles at work helps ensure comfort, increase productivity and reduce health issues, such as stress injuries, back, neck and shoulder strain and muscular pains. “Employees are spending more time behind a desk and in front of a computer screen, making office aches and pains more common," says Kevin Butler, board-certified ergonomist and consultant for Fellowes, Inc. "Poor habits such as slouching, reaching across your desk or bending your wrists up when you type can unknowingly cause stress on the body and lead to more serious medical conditions.” Butler recommends incorporating the following techniques at work to ensure desk dwellers stay comfortable and healthy from head to toe: Eyes – Sit approximately an arm’s length away from your monitor and position the top of the monitor screen at, or slightly below, eye level. Take mini breaks every 10 to 20 minutes to rest the eyes from the glare of the monitor. Shoulders – Keep your shoulders relaxed and in a neutral position as you type. Keep your elbows close to your sides as you use the keyboard and mouse. Take a moment every so often to roll your shoulders up and back to alleviate tension. Hands and Wrists – Keep your wrists straight and in a neutral position. Keep the bottom of your elbows even with the keyboard height, not below. Use minimum force while striking the keys and utilize your chair arms for support. Back and Legs – Adjust your chair so your thighs are parallel to the floor. Sit back in the seat so that your lower back is supported firmly by the chair or a support cushion. Place your feet on a footrest to relieve “pull” on the lower back. Make sure to get up and stretch your back and legs every hour. In addition to these recommended techniques, employees should ensure they have the right office equipment incorporated into their workspace, such as Fellowes new Professional Series Ergonomic product line, which is designed to maximize comfort and increase productivity on the job. The line offers a variety of solutions including a Gliding Palm Support that relieves wrist pressure to help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome and the Executive Adjustable Keyboard Tray to promote neutral hand/wrist position. For more information on the principles of ergonomics and assessing your workspace, visit www.fellowes.com/ergonomics. more >>

Well everyone, I've been so wrapped up in work and side work that it has been insane. I work 40 hrs +1.5-2 hrs for driving to and from, and also work on cars and computers. I seriously have barely enough time to sleep and eat. I've stopped watching all TV basically because I never have the time, so sorry if I've seemed to be gone forever, It has been a little crazy lately. more >>

more >>

I am an aspiring photographer and love taking photos for myself and for fun. I would love to get involved with some websites/magazine/publishings that are looking for photos. I usually just go out and see what strikes me for photos, but would like assignments occasionally. I do have a Digital SLR so it is not like I am going around with my point and shoot camera, and getting pictures for facebook. If anyone has any insight I would greatly appreciate it! more >>

It's been a long wait, but the 2nd edition of Pearls Women's Magazine is finally available for sale. As a founder and contributor to the magazine, I am very proud of the quality of this inspirational magazine about ordinary people living extraordinary lives. Get your copy now by clicking here. It's a great read and a great gift idea for a friend! Best of all, Women Can International Inc will receive $2 from each purchase for our Women's programs. Inside this mag: A Dream Wedding - 24 page weddding special including hair and makeup tips, and finding the right dress! Miracles - Michelle Hamilton, losta t sea in shark-infested waters for 3 days Contemporary issues - self-harm. Julie Johnston from Mercy Ministries bares all in her dramatic journey of recovery from an eating disorder Health - Best selling author Philip Bridgeman - "Achieving a Healthier You" Inspiring stories of faith - Reaising a chidl with special needs Business - Houseboats for hire - Building a successful busines House - A French Provincial castle with just a touch of modern Missions - CherryDell Philips of Joseph's Coat reveals India's Platform Kids Feast - Simply scrumptious food ideas! Try Grace's Baked Pears with Choc sauce Profile - Burning corsses. Inside the KKK With Johnny Lee Cleary Family - It's a girl! Dr Razey discusses raising healthy, well-balanced girls. Pet care - Dr Ewen Blaikie -Osteoarthritis in dogs and cats Gallery - Enjoy the vivacious and energetic approach to art from International Artist, Helen Miller Craft - with Raelene Newall - Try a simple Decoupage gift Simply LIving - with Jill Bonanno. The value of friends. Economics - Life on the edge. Are you living beyond your means? To purchase your copy, click here. more >>

There are all kinds of people who would be better off working from home...single moms or dads, handicapped people, people without vehicles, people with vehicles that don't work, people with vehicles that do work who have commutes roughly equivalent to short vacations, people who have been fired, people who want to get fired, people who have family situations that make staying at home more financially feasible...and so on. And you are one of those people. So, in an attempt to ward off looming economic disaster and because you can't think of anything better to do, you begin writing a book...foolish I know...could've thought of something less labor intensive. Four years later and with econonomic disaster now an immediately imminent threat, you're done! All you have to do now is get a publisher. Well that won't be too hard. Yeah, right and my new name is Dumbhead Dorkbrain. A couple of hundred for copies of your ridiculously long manuscript. A couple of hundred to fire it off to publishers. A couple of dozen query letters to publishers who refuse to accept 'unsolicited' manuscripts...ie those they have not yet asked for based on your carefully crafted query letters. After all..and this really does make sense...they can't possibly read ten thousand manuscipts in a year or even two. A lengthy and painstaking search for more publishers who will deal with a new writer with no agent and no prior experience. Even worse, agents don't want you either. They've never heard of you. Who the h---are you anyway? Plan B. You will now search for work online. That'll be easy. So many posssible careers to chose from. You start by filling out online surveys. After four hours a day for a couple of months, you have made twenty dollars. The tunnels in your carpals are screaming. You decide to start up a home based business..order a couple of kits from likely seeming candidates. But they want you to sink a pile of money into advertising. Unfortunately, you don't have any money. A BLOG! You'll start a blog and get rich from ad revenue! So you blog your intellectual brains out, being careful to ensure that your content is original, well researched and well written. A few months later, when you haven't received any remuneration from any ads, you sadly call it a day. From time to time, you revisit your blog posts just to see if they're still there. They are. Many of them are better than the articles of local journalists who actually get paid. You submit one or two original, well researched and well written articles to the papers and magazines who pay those journalists whose writing isn't as good as yours. They don't want your stuff. They've never heard of you. Who the h--- are you anyway? You try to get freelance work. No matter that there are seventeen gazillion writers competing for the same jobs...okay,well maybe it does matter. After an in-depth assesment of all your failed attempts you should probably give up trying to work from home. Right? WRONG! What are you thinking? That's what they..and who the h--- are they anyway....expect you to do. Prove them wrong. If you have the cojones to have toughed it out for this long, why in the name of starving artists and entrepreneurs everywhere would you give up now? Part of getting what you want is believing you deserve it. And you do. more >>

(ARA) – If you’re torn between your concern for the environment and your need to make a living, good news is on the horizon. Rising demand for environmentally friendly alternatives for fossil fuels is opening up new career opportunities for professionals in a variety of fields. Growing environmental concern and limited fossil fuel supplies are driving the growth of domestic and international markets for renewable energy systems, the U.S. Department of Energy reports. Rising demand for cleaner energy directly affects career opportunities in industries related to renewable resources. “The 2008 economic forecast suggests that one of the newest, fastest growing markets for jobs will be alternative energy,” says Sheryl Decker, director of career services at Brown Mackie College – South Bend, Ind. Decker recently attended a business outlook panel presented by Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. “Growth opportunities appear in companies that are exploring the use of wind, solar, geothermal, hydropower and bioenergy power technologies.” Millions of professionals already work in alternative energy industries, yet more are needed, including: * chemists * engineers * sales and marketing professionals * administrators * managers * clerical workers * human resources * information technology * business * finance * law “Professionals who are already in the workforce, and students seeking to enter into a green career, can prepare with a number of degree programs and continuing education courses,” Decker says. “Many different types of skills can be applied to these upcoming industries.” “Alternative energy companies are seeking professionals to fill a wide variety of positions, including mechanical engineer, project manager, programmer analyst, IT sourcing specialist, administrative assistant and marketing director,” she says. ”Business Week” magazine reports that a growing number of professionals are moving to jobs in renewable energy fields to promote their own personal environmental concerns. While some intend to transfer existing skills to a different industry, others are making a mid-life career change simply to become part of the solution for the many environmental issues we face today. The rising cost of oil is proving to be a catalyst for the further development of alternative energy sources. While substantial growth is happening now, Decker points out that many people don’t yet realize the opportunities it affords. “People tend to overlook many untapped markets and job opportunities in their local employment arenas,” she says. “Networking can be an effective way to gauge the hiring needs in your area. I encourage everyone to join industry-specific organizations, volunteer in community activities, and become involved with the Chamber of Commerce. By becoming involved in the community and networking, you will see new doors opening with different job opportunities.” To learn more about career training opportunities in alternative energy, and how to prepare for working in this quickly growing business sector, visit www.brownmackie.edu. more >>

(ARA) - With oil and gas prices at an all-time high, most consumers have experienced pain at the pump when they fill up their vehicles. However, the old saying, “One man’s pain is another man’s gain,” could be true. There are ways for the consumer to profit from high gas prices. A lot of the oil wells in this country are on land owned by farmers and cattlemen who own the mineral rights. These mineral rights owners lease the land to oil companies who produce oil and natural gas found on the property. As long as the oil companies are producing oil and natural gas they own the rights. When they stop production the lease reverts back to the mineral rights owners who can then re-lease the rights again. After 9/11, oil and gas prices dropped so low that many independent oil companies stopped production and folded because they could not afford to keep the wells running. Wells that were no longer functioning had to be “plugged.” At the time, a small company called Allenergy Inc. plugged wells for many different companies and municipalities. In 2005, a new CEO named Larry Sanford came on board and changed the direction of the company. Sanford decided to push the company in the direction of oil and natural gas production so he started to acquire leases that contained existing “plugged” wells. “We thought we could be considerably more successful if we made the transition from plugging wells to generating revenues from oil and gas,” says Sanford. Over the last few years, Allenergy has acquired thousands of acres of leases in Kansas and Oklahoma with more than 150 oil and natural gas wells. Allenergy also acquired a service company, Rex Horning Well Services, so that it could maintain its own wells and generate additional revenues from servicing other oil companies and utilities in the area. The results have been very impressive for this unknown gem. In the first quarter of this year, revenues were up significantly. Allenergy’s production was up 683 percent year over year. The company is positioned to be extremely profitable for many years to come regardless of any oil price fluctuation and the recent higher prices have only further fanned the flames of profitability. Because Allenergy is environmentally conscious, it has won the favor of mineral rights owners and acquired leases that were sought after by much larger oil companies. To this day, the company continues to acquire more acreage with wells. Many of Allenergy’s leases have untapped acreage, which can produce additional significant oil and natural gas. Therefore, they have undertaken an extensive drilling program that is increasing production, profitability, and adding to the bottom line. Before Allenergy becomes a household name, those who purchase Allenergy’s stock have the opportunity to participate in the company’s growth and successes with very limited risk. Whether you decide to invest in Allenergy or are just concerned about all the money being sent abroad, it is comforting to see a U.S. company prosper and profit from the increase in oil and gas prices. Your pain from the pump will diminish when you know that you are reaping the rewards and profits of higher oil and gas prices and participating in an American company’s success story. Allenergy (ALRY.PK) is a penny stock as was Microsoft ( MSFT.N) prior to becoming a behemoth. For more information, visit www.allenergyinc.com. more >>

(ARA) - By now nearly everyone has heard something about the digital TV transition set to take place on Feb. 17, 2009. That’s the day when all full-power broadcast television stations in the United States will cease broadcasting on analog airwaves and begin broadcasting solely in digital. That’s less than a year away -- so now is the time to start thinking about how the switch will affect you. Will you choose to get a converter box or will you take advantage of this opportunity and step up to the amazing picture of a high definition TV with a built-in digital tuner? While the change to all-digital TV might sound a little scary to some people, the fact is that digital broadcasting will benefit everyone, bringing improved picture and sound quality, as well as additional channels and interactive video and data services. The best news is that it’s actually very simple to make the switch from analog to digital TV at home. Follow these tips and you will be well on your way to enjoying a high-definition digital experience in your own home. Getting Started: If you’re looking to get the best high-definition picture, you’ll need an HDTV set capable of 720p, 1080i or 1080p picture resolution. You’ll also need a high-definition source such as an HD cable box or satellite receiver and be watching a high definition channel that will show 720p or 1080i resolution. To receive 1080p resolution, which is the clearest, most detailed picture available today, you’ll need a Blu-ray Disc player. If you’re a little confused, don’t fret. The salespeople at almost any store that sells HDTV will be glad to help you out. Making the Right Connection: It's important to remember, however, that when you buy an HDTV, one of the most important components may not be included. To get all that high definition picture and sound from your HD cable box or satellite receiver or Blu-ray disc player, you will want to purchase an HDMI cable to connect your high-definition source to the TV. Widely regarded as the best high-definition connector available, HDMI cables give you the very best sights and sounds, and because they carry both audio and video digital signals they’re also the easiest way to hook up to your HDTV. Not All Cables are Created Equal: There are many different choices when it comes to buying HDMI cables, but like you wouldn’t put economy tires on a sports car, you will want to make sure you go with the highest quality cable available to get all the performance from your high definition gear. This doesn’t have to mean buying the most expensive cable, but you will need to find one that can support the large amounts of data coming from sources that have the new HDMI 1.3 format, 1080p, and the new HD audio formats used on Blu-Ray discs. Even if you haven’t converted to Blu-Ray just yet, planning for future technologies is advisable when it comes to purchasing HDMI cables. Noel Lee of Monster Cable believes it is possible for all Americans to make the perfect digital connection. His company is offering “Monster Advanced for HDMI” speed-rated cables. “We’ve worked to create a speed-rating system for every budget and hookup,” Lee states. “This way, everyone can enjoy maximum high-definition performance, no matter what system they own.” For more information about HDMI and to learn which speed-rated cable is right for your HDTV, visit Monster’s HDMI learning center at www.monstercable.com/HDMI. For more specific questions, visit www.monstercommunity.com. more >>

Directly from the Giveaway of the Day website: Liquid Story Binder XE "July 18, 2008 Liquid Story Binder XE is a uniquely designed word processor for professional and aspiring authors, poets, and novelists. Writing software for those who require the editing ability of a commercial text editor as well as a document tracking system. It is for those who want the freedom to create, outline and revise but are tired of losing track of their work. Liquid Story Binder features: Multi-Window Display, Spell Checking, Thesaurus, Reference Notes, Timelines, Story Boards, Plot Outlines, Dossiers, Audio Recorder, Image Gallery, Reader, Manuscript Formatting, Time and Word Count Tracking, Chapter and Book Backups, Paragraph and Punctuation Cleaning, Toolbars, Templates, Portable Drive Install, Universal Search, Repetition Visualizer, External Editing, Project Goals, Playlists." http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/liquid-story-binder-xe-291/ more >>

The original Mentor was the name of the wise and trusted counselor that Odysseus, of Ulysses fame, gave the care of his son to when he set out on the "odyssey". Today the term mentor still refers to someone who has accumulated knowledge and wisdom which can be used to help normally younger, but certainly less experienced mentees (those receiving the support). In England's historical industrial period a wonderful phrase of "learning from Nelly" came about to describe how a new machine operator would be paired up with an experienced worker to act as a type of mentor. In the days that the Navy had sailing ships they had new recruits "learning the ropes" from experienced seamen. So mentoring is not a new fad. Modern use Mentoring has been used for some time in larger businesses and mostly in regard to management, along with formal coaching methodologies. The use of mentoring for Entrepreneurs really took off with the rise of Silicon Valley, where successful Entrepreneurs decided to put back some of the experience that they had gathered to help younger rising stars. Often increasing their own fortunes on the way. Mentoring can be very satisfying and enjoyable, as you steer a younger, or less experienced, mentee around the pit falls and traps of starting and growing a business. You may also have connections in the business world that the mentee just starting out has not, which can allow an accelerated route to success. Often mentoring is given freely, but in this commercial world there may also be tangible rewards. In return for your mentoring, you may be given an opportunity to gain equity in the business (sometimes requiring monetary investment, but not always) and as the business grows a NED (Non-Executive Director) position. On the other hand, should the mentorship reach the end of it's natural life, you will have the satisfaction of having assisted a young business and they may come back to you in future, when successful, with interesting opportunities. Mentor Responsibilities It is useful to agree between the Mentor and Mentee the scope of the activity and the role to be undertake. Often the Mentee will not really know themselves what it is they are looking for, other than help and guidance from someone who has done it all before. They may however also be looking for introductions to people that can assist their growth, or to potential investors in the business. If you are happy to generally guide them but do not necessarily have the specific contacts, or access to investment they may be looking for, it is best to make that clear at the beginning, to avoid misunderstanding. Mentor guidelines 1. You are providing guidance based on your experience, rather than telling the Mentee what he MUST do. It is ultimately their decision. 2. Make sure your guidance is clear and based on what the Mentee has indicated they need, rather than long tales of your wonderful life. 3. Being a Mentor requires a very open and trusting relationship. The Mentee is potentially in a vulnerable position of opening up about areas they do not understand, or worries that they have. Sensitivity and understanding is required, not making them feel belittled by just how great you are, so that they are reluctant to admit concerns. You can even share some of your own early worries in business showing empathy for their situation. 4. Try to avoid being patronizing, the Mentee may be inexperienced in some areas, but will also have strengths and abilities. Look for the strengths and encourage them. Take a genuine interest in the Mentee and their business. 5. Having said all the above, it is important that the Mentee has confidence in you, so backing up your guidance with examples of how it worked for you is useful and can build confidence that you know what you are talking about, without it becoming a boasting session. 6. You may suggest areas that they want to look up, or learn about themselves, before your next meeting. If they are happy with that, great, but don't become a school master. If that is not what they want, find other ways of imparting the knowledge. 7. There may also be specific actions or activity that you both agree should be carried out in the business. If so schedule a set time for you both to review these and to learn from them. Don't however keep checking up on the Mentee, that can quickly sour a relationship. 8. You can assist by bringing a fresh pair of eyes to the business, seeing the roots of problems rather than just the symptoms. Try and get to the roots and explain why it is important to tackle those and not just the more obvious problems that result. Again you can't force them, if they just don't want to tackle them. 9. Work through the problems together rather than simply give the answer. Encourage the Mentee to solve the problem with your guidance. They will need to be able to do that themselves when you are not around. 10. You may not have all the answers. If there are others who can assist better in certain areas refer the Mentee to them. Make it clear that referring some issues to other experts is the right thing to do. You should not feel that you have to know everything. 11. Along the way get feedback from the Mentee on how it is going. You can adjust the Mentorship accordingly to improve the Mentoring results. The relationship can also be a valuable help to your own learning and development. 12. Don't treat the activity lightly and continually "fly by the seat of your pants". Give some thought and a bit of preparation before contacts with the Mentee. Think about questions they may come up with. Have suggestions for "next steps" ready. 13. In your everyday life, look out for useful articles, contacts, exhibitions, marketing opportunities etc. that you can pass on to the Mentee. 14. Finally, remember you are providing guidance, they make the final decision and never be tempted to do the job for them. Useful tips * Confirm the scope of the Mentoring and your roles * Communicate on an agreed, but regular basis * Set specific dates and an agenda for meetings * Review progress Understand yourself * It is important to understand what you want out of being a Mentor, this will help setting up the relationship in the right way * Know your strengths and weaknesses, the areas that you can and can't help with * Decide how much time can you put in more >>

Hi everyone, This is for you all the Entrepreneurs out there and I thought it would be a good idea to share in details about the early history of 'Entrepreneurship'. Happy reading. The earliest definition of an entrepreneur as a go between and Marco Polo was an early example of the earliest entrepreneur, who at that time attempted to establish trade routes to the Far East.. Marco Polo would sign a contract with a money person (now what we call a venture capitalist) to sell his goods. For his efforts and goods sold for that time he would receive only 25% from the profits he made. By the way the word entrepreneur is French and literally translated, means "between-taker" or "go-between." I would translate in my language in Bahasa Melayu is literally translated as "keusahawanan." From there on the evolution of entrepreneurship started. During the Middle Ages, the term entrepreneur was used to describe both an actor and a person who managed big production projects without any risks involved but merely managed the project using the resources provided generally provided by the government of the country. A typical entrepreneurs in the Middle Ages was the cleric - namely the person in charge of great architectural works such as castles and fortifications, abbeys, cathedrals and public buildings. In the 17th Century the evolving of entrepreneurship link with risk developed as an entrepreneur being as person who entered into contractual arrangements with the government to carry out a service or to supply specific products. The entrepreneur has no other alternative at that time but to accept the fixed price accorded to him whether he made profits or not. One entrepreneur by the name John Law a Frenchman who was allowed to establish a royal bank. The bank operated an exclusive franchise to from a trading company in the New World- The Mississippi Company but the company went down when Law was trying to push the company's stock price higher than the value of its assets, leading to the collapse of the company. A well known economist and author in the 1700, Richard Cantillon noted Law’s mistake and Cantillon developed one of the earliest theories of the entrepreneur and is regarded by some as the founder of the term. He viewed the entrepreneur as a risk taker, observing that merchants, farmers, craftsmen, and other sole proprietors "buy at a certain price and sell at a merchant price, therefore operating at risk." By the 18th century , the person with capital was differentiated from the one who needed capital. In simple word, the entrepreneur was distinguished from the capital provider (currently we term as Venture capitalist). The reason of differentiation was the result of the industrialization taking place throughout the world. Many new inventions developed during this time were the reactions to the changing world. During this time that Thomas Edison and Eli Whitney were developing new technologies and they were unable to finance their inventions themselves. Whitney financed his cotton gin by means of expropriated British crown property and Edison raised capital from private sources to develop and experiment in the fields of electricity and chemistry. Both Edison and Whitney were capital users (entrepreneurs), not providers (venture capitalists). A venture capitalist is a professional money manager who makes risk investments from a pool of equity capital to obtain a high rate of return on the investments. From the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, entrepreneurs were frequently not distinguished from managers and were viewed mostly from an economic standpoint: Briefly stated, the entrepreneur organizes and operates an enterprise for personal gain. He pays current prices for the materials consumed in the business, for the use of the land, for the personal services he employs and for the capital he requires. He contributes his own initiatives, skill, and ingenuity in planning, organizing, and administering the enterprises. He also assumes the chance of loss and gain resulting to unanticipated and uncontainable situation. The net residue of the annual receipts of the enterprises after all costs have been paid, he retains for himself . Reference: Entrepreneurship: Hisrich, Peters and Shepherd (2005) Visit: http://groups.google.com/group/women-entrepreneurs-in-smes more >>

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier On Jeopardy the other night, the final question was How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns ------ All three contestants missed it. This is really an awesome sight to watch or just visit. If you have never had the chance to see this ceremony it is....Very moving, very emotional, very heart warming.........just a fascinating experience you must witness to appreciate. 1. How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns and why? 21 steps. It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute, which is the highest honor given any military or foreign dignitary. 2. How long does he hesitate after his about face to begin his return walk and why? 21 seconds for the same reason as answer number 1 3. Why are his gloves wet? His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip on the rifle 4. Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder all the time and if not, why not? He carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb. After his march across the path, he executes an about face and moves the rifle to the outside shoulder. 5. How often are the guards changed? Guards are changed every thirty minutes, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year. 6. What are the physical traits of the guard limited to? For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must be between 5' 10" and 6' 2" tall and his waist size cannot exceed 30." Other requirements of the Guard: They must commit 2 years of life to guard the tomb, live in a barracks under the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives. They cannot swear in public for the rest of their lives and cannot disgrace the uniform {fighting} or the tomb in any way. After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel signifying they served as guard of the tomb. There are only 400 presently worn. The guard must obey these rules for the rest of their lives or give up the wreath pin. The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to keep the heat and cold from their feet. There are metal heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe in order to make the loud click as they come to a halt. There are no wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform. Guards dress for duty in front of a full-length mirror. The first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to anyone, nor watch TV. All off duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery . A guard must memorize who they are and where they are interred. Among the notables are: President Taft, Joe E. Lewis {the boxer} and Medal of Honor winner Audie Murphy, {the most decorated soldier of WWII}. Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard duty. ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM. In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington , DC, our US Senate/House took 2 days off with anticipation of the storm. On the ABC evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from the hurricane, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment. They respectfully declined the offer, "No way, Sir!" Soaked to the skin, marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment, it was the highest honor that can be afforded to a service person. The tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24/7, since 1930. GOD BLESS OUR MILITARY & GOD BLESS AMERICA!!! Thank you all for taking the time to read this. If you have any prayers or comments for our troops, please leave them here and I will post them on my military blog (if you want your name on it please leave it at the end of your comment and if you wish to not have your name added do not add your name or let me know) for our troops to let them know we are thinking of them here at home and are thankful for the jobs they do everyday to protect our freedoms here at home. Also, please remember, some of these men and women have paid the ultimate price and they gave us their yesterdays so we can have our todays. Help me to let all our troops know they are not forgotten, for some of them, we are all they have. Thank You and God Bless Dean Emery more >>

(ARA) – When people face tough economic times, charitable giving is one of the first areas in which they cut spending. Suddenly money that used to be discretionary is needed to pay bills. Larger nonprofits like the United Way aren’t likely to feel the pinch as quickly as smaller groups like schools, sports teams and churches. For them, the impact will be immediate. School wrapping paper sales won’t raise as much money as they have in the past, parents won’t be able to count on the local restaurant to sponsor little league teams this fall and there won’t be enough money in the coffers for the church to sponsor Bible camp over the long holiday break. While conventional fundraisers may struggle in the tough economy, that doesn’t mean people are unwilling to give. You just have to come up with some creative ways to make fundraising -- and in turn giving -- fun. Here are some ideas on how to accomplish that goal: * Hold a silent auction One of the easiest ways to raise a lot of money fast is by holding a silent auction. People are always willing to spend a little bit extra on something they want anyway if they know the profit will be going to charity. Among the prizes that often do well in this type of fundraiser are dinner at an expensive restaurant, theater tickets and balloon rides. The latter is the easiest prize to offer, particularly if you opt for a trip through FundraisingRides.org, which offers rides at 150 locations nationwide. Just log on to the site, print out a free fundraising kit, and hang the color posters you’ll receive advertising the prize in prominent places. If you decide to auction off a hot air balloon ride for two, the charity can purchase it through the Web site for just $240. Set the opening bid at the retail price of $400, and say you get a winning bid of $465, that’s $225 in profit for your charity. Hot air balloon rides for four are also available through the site and can be purchased at a discount rate of $480. Unlike with other fundraising efforts in which you have to purchase the gift to be auctioned off first and risk losing money on it, FundraisingRides.org asks for no money upfront. If you’re unable to secure any bids, you’re under no obligation to purchase the ticket. Log on to FundraisingRides.org for more information. * Raffle Another fun and often successful fundraising campaign is to sell raffle tickets for a great prize. If last year’s holiday season was any indication, Nintendo Wii game systems will be hot sellers again this year, and they may be hard to come by. Buy a system now while availability is good for around $250, and just as the holiday season is getting under way, start selling raffle tickets for $10 apiece. If you sell 50 tickets, you’ll make a nice profit of $250 for your charity. * Set up a game of chance Another fun variation on the raffle is to sell tickets for a game of chance that can be held in conjunction with a school event or church function. In exchange for a small donation, participants will receive a helium balloon with a crumpled up ticket inside. On the count of three, have everyone pop their balloons with a pin, and retrieve the ticket that was inside. Then read off the winning number and see who purchased the winning balloon. The prize can be something donated by a local business or individual so the money raised will be all profit. No matter what type of fundraiser you decide to do, remember to keep it fun. That’s the key to success. more >>

I don't know if you have had the time to really sit down and ponder what the word focus means or how it affects us in our lives. Allow me to fill you in on my focus journey, because I've literally spent hours consumed by this subject! Focus, according to the encarta dictionary, means to pay particular attention to something or part of something or to clear your vision. There are so many parallels to our lives that it is truly amazing how simple yet profound this one word can be to us. I want to introduce you to the concept of the "Kaleidoscope Effect" and how I began to focus on "focus". If you look at a kaleidoscope, it is made up of different parts. First there are coloured beads. To me these represents the opportunities, the giftings and abilities, the knowledge and understanding of life that we have. There are also mirrors. These are the reflectors or the feedback that life gives us. There is a hole in the bottom that lets in shafts of light and these are the moments of enlightenment when we experience a shift in our understanding. The kaleidoscope is dependent upon the placement of the mirrors and the light coming in reflecting off them for the image to be created. In our lives, we are dependent upon the view that we see of ourselves and our world and the enlightenment of our minds to determine the image of what our life is going to be like. At times we can be like a kaleidoscope, between shutters, and we need an external force to be a catalyst for change, turning the focus to create a new image. The beauty of focus in our lives is that it allows us to have clarity of vision. Like living in a house that has clutter, when we declutter our lives, we breath a sigh of relief because we are no longer distracted by things that annoy us. If we shift the view of our lives, we change our world. For example, if I am living with my family of six in a one bedroom apartment in Australia I may feel impoverished. However, if I consider my situation in comparison to someone living on a rubbish dump or humpy in India, how I feel about my situation is altered. So too, when we shift the view of our world and take the focus away from things that rob us of energy and place it onto the things that energise us, our world view changes. If you'd like to know more about this subject of focus, feel free to contact me, info@kaleidoscopeeffect.com or sign up for my inspirational E-zine, Motivational Magic. Presented monthly, it is full of motivating articles guaranteed to spark something in you. more >>

Research For a successful online business the first step is to research your product/service and the market you are entering. You need to determine if there a market for your business, what you offer that your competitors do not, and whether or not you have you a leading edge. The SBA website offers practical advice on how to start up a business from financing to marketing and much more. Product/Service and Suppliers Once you have decided on a product or service the next step is to think about what information you need from you suppliers. This needs to be done diligently and carefully. If you're selling products on the Internet guaranteeing delivery within 7 days however your supplier only guarantees delivery in 28 days, you could to run into problems. Here are some pointers to consider when evaluating your suppliers: * Delivery turnaround * Returns policy * Minimum order quantity * Stocks held Website Your website is your link to your customers. You need to consider what the customer would like to see and what information you would like to provide. You also need to consider the mechanism for how customers will interact with the product/service on offer; you may also want a support structure. This could be over the phone or online help. Here are some points to consider when designing and setting up your website: * Cover legal requirements – terms and conditions, privacy policy etc. * Contact details – provide a phone number and address to promote customer confidence when buying * Ease of use for visitors * Clear pictures/descriptions of products * Secure ordering * Delivery time Marketing Once you have set up your website the next step is to attract customers to your site. Listed are some ways to do this: * Public relations * High search engine placement * Start an affiliate program Shipment Once a customer has purchased a product you also need to think about how to get the products to him/her. You need to make a good impression and insure that the product arrives safely, on time, and physically looks appealing. Points to consider: * Costs of postage and packaging and the different options – difficulties with having it signed for if people are out * Presentation of the packaging e.g. could it be attractively wrapped? * Sticker with website address to reinforce the site address Repeat customers Once a customer has bought from your website there should also be potential for future revenue. Look for opportunities for them to revisit your site and recommend it to friends, colleagues and family. Here are some ways to attract further business: * Gift Certificates * Newsletters with special offers * Refer-a-Friend incentives more >>

Starting a business from scratch is not easy. In fact, over 50% of small businesses fail in the first year and 95% fail within the first five years. Why? What goes wrong? Below are the common pitfalls to be aware of and plan to avoid. Poor marketing: Successful businesses are ones that understand and meet the requirements of their customers, you must know who your client is. Learn the basics of marketing and make sure that you track the success or failure of each marketing technique you use, then dump those that aren't working. Make certain your marketing strategy sets you apart so a customer can clearly see why they would rather go to you than a competitor. Cash flow problems: Many businesses struggle through poor cash flow management. You need to be able to live for one to two years without income when getting started; often businesses are very slow to get off the ground. Also, you have to create and use a realistic business budget, and not constantly drain the business income on personal spending. Tight control and monitoring is essential. Poor business planning: A business plan should cover aspects such as marketing, finance, sales and promotional plans, as well as detailed breakdowns of costs and profit predictions. Many business owners think that dedication and hard work will pull them through. A global look at the business, frequently updated, is essential to assure success. If the skills are not present to prepare one, no other allocation would be as effective as obtaining professional assistance. Maintaining poor books and records - which results in having no conception of profits, costs, margins, sales or customer ratios. The business owner is then unable to make intelligent decisions because of the lack of this information. Good planning means that you've looked at all the aspects of your business and are prepared to handle problems when they arise. Your business plan helps you to focus on your goals and your vision, as well as setting out plans to accomplishing them. Lack of capital: Insufficient capital often means that businesses are unable to take opportunities available to them, or have to compromise - going for high cost solutions to problems, rather than lower cost ones that would yield greater competitive advantage. Failure to embrace new technologies and new developments: In a fast changing world leading businesses are ones that make best use of advanced modern technologies in an appropriate way. That allows them to work more efficiently. Poor choice of location: Location is a very important business decision. A good location is one that appeals to large numbers of customers, while at the same time minimizing costs. If your business runs out of commercial space, you need to make sure that you are convenient to your customers, and near to your suppliers and your employees, with good easy communication routes. Poor management: Weak and inexperienced management is one of the major causes of business failure. Managers have to lead a team to be motivated and accountable. Poor human resource relations: Successful businesses motivate their employees to work hard to help the business succeed. Failing to develop an orientation system for new employees or to follow through on personnel development to foster a team spirit. Conversely, many owners are unable to swiftly discharge poor performers without fear or favor. Lack of clear objectives: Successful organizations have clearly focused and communicated objectives that enable everyone in the organization to pull in the same direction. -jd more >>

It’s very easy to get carried away with all the exciting (but expensive) things you can do to make your website look snazzy and to feel that you have to spend a lot of money advertising it. As a result, you can incur hefty bills which may not be offset by the sales you generate. However, if you are careful with your costs and plan your marketing strategy well, online business success is achievable. In this article, I’m going to share my top ten tips for online business success to ensure that you see black not red! 1. Design a Professional Looking Website Your website is a permanent online advertisement for your business. It is therefore the key ingredient for online success. A professional design will enable you to stand out from your competition; inspire confidence and showcase your products and services effectively. 2. Write Motivating Sales Copy Although a well designed site is essential, if your copy is badly written then you are unlikely to generate any sales however good your website looks. Draw your visitors in with snappy headlines and make your sales message easy to digest by using sub-headings. Keep your style punchy and jargon free to engage your visitors and use clear calls to action to lead visitors to purchase. 3. Treat Email Addresses Like Gold Building a list of email addresses of potential customers is the best way to capture the people who visit your site but don’t buy straight away. An opt in email list works best if you offer free information in exchange for a visitor’s name and contact details. 4. Control Your Product Line Ideally you should try and only sell a product or service that you own completely so that you never have to worry about supply or price rises. If this isn’t possible for you, then make sure that you only link up with reputable companies whom you can rely on moving forward. 5. Make Payment Easy Offering a fast and secure way for your customers to buy your products online is vital for online business success. One way to do this is to enable visitors to pay by credit card from a secure page on your website. 6. Have a Good Customer Support Strategy Offering customer support shows your visitors that you care and gives them confidence that they will be looked after if they have a problem with your products and services. There are many ways that you can provide good customer support. For example you could use a live interface or provide a freephone telephone number that is manned all day. 7. Use Affiliate Programs to Generate Business By setting up an affiliate program, you can get other people to market your products and services for you from their websites in return for a sales commission. 8. Increase Your Income by Joining an Affiliate Program Joining affiliate programs selling products that compliment what you offer and recommending them to your site visitors, can be a great way to increase the income that you generate from your website. 9. Keep Your Site Fresh Ensuring that you regularly update your site’s content is beneficial for two reasons. First, it helps to keep it fresh and secondly it appeals to the search engines when they are deciding where to position your website in their results pages. 10. Market Your Website for the Search Engines With over 12 billion web pages on the internet and the vast majority of users finding them via the search engines, having a high search engine ranking is essential to online business success. You can improve your website’s chances of achieving a good position in the results pages by designing it in a way that will appeal to the search engines. This process is known as search engine optimization and it’s becoming an increasingly popular web promotion technique. -jd more >>

New From SistarDiva Products

Custom Beverage Mugs

11 oz sized

From $20.99 set of 2

I'll drink to that.........

Shopps at SistarDiva.com

more >>

(ARA) – As a kid did you spend all your spare time at the arcade, or playing games on your home computer? If so, your experience as a gamer could end up paying off big. There’s a growing need in this country for people with the kinds of skills you have. Thanks to innovations from Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony, among others in recent years, the video game industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Sales of computers, gaming systems and the video games themselves generate revenue in excess of $10 billion each year. There’s also been tremendous growth in the related simulation sector of the industry. The U.S. Army alone is planning to invest $100 million in training games and simulations over the next 2- to-3 years. Companies like State Farm are investing as well. "State Farm is researching and prototyping how game technology can be used in the workplace,” says Brandon Whatley, systems analyst for State Farm Insurance. “We are currently exploring various options in the areas of group collaboration, training, recruiting and virtual work.” Both industries need smart men and women with highly specialized skills to help them continue to grow. Among those who have answered the call is Christopher Axthelm, 28, of Washington, D.C. Like many American kids, he grew up playing video games. “I got a Nintendo Entertainment System when I was about ten years old and started programming video games in early high-school on my TI-85 graphing calculator,” he says. After graduating from high school, he pursued a communications degree at the University of South Florida, and after graduating from there, worked in customer service for a Washington, D.C. company for a while. “But it really wasn’t what I wanted to do with my life, so I decided to go back to school,” says Axthelm. Remember that love for gaming Axthelm had as a child? He decided to pursue a degree in Game and Simulation Programming (GSP) at DeVry University’s Arlington campus so he could make a career of it. “During their time at DeVry, GSP students are exposed to a wide range of concepts,” says Professor Joe Keum, who teaches at DeVry’s Crystal City, Va. campus. “They learn to program in C++ at some level of competence. They learn software development, gain valuable team project experience and come to understand the basic hardware and network issues regarding 3D computer graphics.” The GSP program at DeVry is designed to produce graduates who are able to: * Apply higher level math and science to programming multidimensional dynamic imagery in interactive computer programs. * Create game and simulation software programs that employ contemporary application functionality. * Apply software engineering and project management skills to game and simulation development. * Communicate effectively both orally and in writing; and * Participate effectively in project team environments. Axthelm just graduated this past February and is already employed in the industry. Open Path Products, a wireless technology company located in Annapolis, Md., hired him to help develop technology that will grow their business. “I’ll be editing code to make video games work on a variety of systems,” he says. Michelle Mercurio, director of career services for DeVry’s Mid-Atlantic region says with a gaming degree, students can be poised to cash in on a booming market where exciting new jobs are created every day. “Our programmers are equipped to enter a variety of non-traditional fields within the gaming and simulation arenas,” she says. Examples include military tactical and strategic simulations and training, automotive design and testing, training for health care workers, crime scene reconstruction, flight simulation and any other industry that does design and prototyping work. For more information on the Bachelor's degree program in Game and Simulation Programming from DeVry, log on to www.DeVry.com. more >>

I Needed to add a link to My Blog Interested in: Dealing with Control Freaks, WTF is Social Media, Geroge Carlin, 800 Vulnerabilities Within Antivirus Products, My Special Sauce, Inconveniencing Your Audience Increase Your Persuasiveness That's just the last 30 days or so! more >>

(ARA) – Your great-grandmother probably had just one treasured wedding portrait, and your own mother likely captured memories of her special day in an old-fashioned photo album. You, however, are getting married in the Internet age, which means you’ll be able to preserve a virtually limitless number of images from t