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December 31, 2011

What Is Ethanol

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The use of ethanol as an alternative fuel is becoming increasingly popular by ever conscious consumers wishing to do their little bit for the planet. It may even be a better alternative to bio fuel, it seems that it is a lot more pleasant to make at any rate.

What is Ethanol?

Ethanol is a grain alcohol, or plant mass formula derived from the natural sugars found in bio mass, or vegetation such as corn, wheat, barley, potatoes and sugar cane. This is then processed to make a renewable form of fuel or fuel additive, which is both cost effective and good for the planet. Many cars are able to run on Ethanol and gasoline mixtures. Although at the moment, the mixtures are only a ratio of 10% Ethanol, to 90% fossil fuel.

Benefits of Ethanol

There are many benefits of using an alternative fuel such as Ethanol, for starters it is a renewable resource, fossil fuels used to make gasoline is not renewable, so one day they will run out, it is because of this that people, have become more aware of alternative fuels and additives. Another good reason for using an alternative fuel such as Ethanol is the reduction of pollution, we only have one planet and if we keep polluting it we may very well find ourselves with nowhere to live. Any steps that we can make toward reducing pollution is a positive. Another good reason to consider a fuel alternative such as Ethanol is that it is far more cheaper to use and make, the main cost involved in making Ethanol is in the processing method.

How is Ethanol Produced?

The process used consists of 8 stages, corn is the main product used in this method, Milling the corn, to make it into a fine powder, or meal Liquification, which is mixing the meal with water and Alpha-amylase, then heating it at temperatures of 120-150 deg Celcius, the heat reduces bacteria. Saccharification, is the process of cooling the mash, and adding glucoamylase, this converts the starch to dextrose, Fermentation, is where the yeast is added to ferment the sugars to convert it to Ethanol. This process consists of the mash going through several different tanks, and takes about 48 hours.

Please note that this procedure is risky and I do not recommend making biodiesel without further research of the process, these are just general guidelines of the making process, if you wish to actually make your own bio diesel please consult expert companies or professionals.

Distillation, the mash now contains about 10% alcohol and 90% non fermentable solids, the solids are now separated from the alcohol, to reach about a 96% strength of alcohol.

Dehydration, is where the last of the water is removed to make the alcohol about 200 proof.

Denaturing, is used then to make the alcohol unfit for human consumption, this is done by adding a small amount of gasoline, like 2-5%.

There are 2 co products derived from this process as well. The first is the non fermentable product, this is used as a livestock feed, the second is the carbon dioxide which is collected from the process and sold to other industries.

There are many reasons to use Ethanol as either an additive or an alternative fuel; one of the main reasons is the reduction of pollution. Regular fossil based fuels are not only damaging to the environment they are a non-renewable resources; once they are gone they can never be replaced, or regenerated.

Take A Good Look At Christian Education

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If you have the important responsibility of determining what schooling situation is best for your children, then please take your time and make an informed decision based on as much research as you can handle. There are quite a few options these days, which is all the more a good reason for parents to take seriously the job of providing the best possible education for their children. Public education, Christian education, and homeschooling are just three of many options available to families today.

Many Christian couples will opt to send their children through the Christian education system without giving it much thought. It is a Christian program, after all, so what could be the problem, right? This happens in much the same way that non-Christian parents don’t think twice about sending their children to publich school. And while I am not suggesting that Christian education is a poor choice, I am saying that it is a choice to be considered among other good choices.

There are obvious benefits to choosing Christian education for children. First and foremost, there is no better place for children to be introduced to the foundational beliefs of Christianity that during the school day as they grow up. So if you place a high priority on your children being raised in the faith that you believe in, then you should take a good look at the Christian education options in your area. See if there is more than one Christian school available and find out which program best fits the needs and beliefs of your family. Be warned, however, that sometimes choosing Christian education for your kids means sacrificing a little bit in the actual education that they will learn. This is not always the case, thankfully, but I am learning that quite often Christian education systems put things like math or science on the backburner in the hopes of really focusing in on faith issues and on how to live as Christians in a non-Christian world.

What is the best choice for your family? No one can make that but you. All I can tell you is not to make a choice about Christian education or public education quickly. Take your time, do some research, and talk to parents you trust that have put their kids through Christian education and public education to see what they would suggest. You will have to pick and chose on some things, so just begin to gather ideas and figure out what things you are and are not willing to compromise on.

Marvel the Wonders of Reflexology

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It is a gentle art, a fascinating science, and an extremely effective form of therapy that has carved an impressive niche in the field of alternative medicine. Many studies have been done in relation to the effectiveness of this wonder method called Reflexology. Reflexology is the practice of strategically applying pressure to areas of the feet and hands as they correspond with specific body organs. By stimulating nerves on specific areas of the feet and hands, it can stimulate blood flow and eliminate toxin buildup in the corresponding organs and systems of the body.

Violins

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“When we listen to a piece rendered by Yehudi Menuhin, the famous American violinist, we are transported into a different world thanks to his music. Yehudi, like many others is known to have begun playing the violin from the age of 3 and became among the leading violinists and music conductors. The way the notes flow by, and the soothing sound of the violins is enough to get a person hooked on this instrument. Violins are also string instruments, much like the viola and cello, except they are smaller in size which is made up with their high pitch ranges. Also called the fiddle, these have been around for decades now, swaying people across the globe with its gentle sounds. Originally bowed instruments are said to have originated from the Asian continents and eventually spread to other parts of the world. The kind of music that is emitted from a violin depends largely on its shape and the wood that has been used in its making. The varnish coated on top and the wood that has gone into it, are said to get better with age, which is why older violins are far more expensive than new ones.

An Introduction To Barcodes

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Barcodes encode numeric or textual information in a printable, machine-readable form. The use of barcodes can significantly reduce cost of warehouse management and inventory. Two main forms of barcodes exist today: Linear or normal barcodes encode data over a horizontal stretch of space or one dimension. This kind of barcode typically encodes between four and forty digits or characters. So called area codes encode data in two dimensions, resulting in much higher density which allows for up to three thousand characters to be encoded.

Most linear barcode types will only encode numbers or digits. Two notable exceptions are Code 39 and Code 128 which can also encode alphanumeric characters like letters. Two dimensional area codes usually encode numbers, letters and special characters.

The most common linear barcode type is Code EAN which is used to encode article numbers in retail. It’s used throughout the world with the notable exception of the USA which uses a related code, Code UPC, for the same purpose. A special form of Code EAN carries a so called Addon, a smaller barcode next to the main barcode that can encode pricing information and the like. Code EAN with a five digit Addon is used to encode ISBN (International Standard Book Number), while Code EAN with a two digit Addon is used to encode ISSN (International Standard Serials Number).

Other notable linear barcode symbologies and their applications include Code 39 (used for pharmaceuticals), Code 128 (warehouse management and retail) and Code Two-Of-Five (warehouse management and inventory).

The most common two dimensional area codes are PDF417 and Datamatrix, both of which are used in manufacturing, package tracking and similar applications which require large data amounts to be encoded.

Barcode Checksums

To ensure safe and error free reading and scanning of barcodes, all common barcode symbologies support so called checksum or check digit schemes. A checksum or check digit is an additional character or number that is calculated from the encoded data and appended to the barcode. While reading the barcode the scanner or reader can verify the checksum and determine if the barcode was scanned correctly. This is especially important if the barcode can easily be damaged or be tampered with. Simple check digit systems like the sort that is used with most linear barcodes will only detect simple errors, like a missing character. More sophisticated systems, especially those used with area barcodes can not only detect but also repair any damage that may have occurred to the code.

Barcode Applications

Today barcodes enjoy wide spread use through all types of businesses. The first major application of barcodes was in the retail sector where the codes would encode article numbers, manufacturer data and pricing. Another prominent use of barcodes is in the transport industry where the codes carry address and tracking information. Finally, two dimensional area codes have recently gained much popularity for use in personal identity cards, drivers licenses and so forth. They are also used for the tagging of electronic parts like computer or memory chips.

Fats And Carbs – Good Or Evil?

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Fats and carbohydrates are two building blocks of a healthy diet, but many people do not understand their role in proper nutrition. While the daily intake of fats and oils should be limited, these elements are still a vital part of the diet. The key is to make smart choices when it comes to fats and oils. That means substituting saturated fats with unsaturated fats, and using healthier, lighter oils in cooking.

Lets look at the role fats and oils play in the diet. Fats are necessary for supplying energy to the body. In addition, fats supply essential fatty acids and act as carriers for fat soluble vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K and the carotenoids. In addition, fats have an important role to play as building blocks for various tissues and membranes, and they also play a key role in regulating numerous bodily functions.

Dietary fat is available from a variety of plant and animal sources, and most diets do contain adequate amounts of fat. Most nutrition experts recommend keeping the intake of fat to less than 20% of calories, but studies have shown that severely limiting fat intake can be dangerous. Extreme low fat diets should only be undertaking with a doctors approval and oversight.

The type and amount of fat in the diet makes all the difference. A diet high in saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol has been associated with a variety of ills, including heart disease, stroke and other associated diseases. In addition, many long term chronic problems, such as obesity, are associated with high levels of dietary fats.

The greatest risk of complications from excessive fat intake appears to lie with saturated fats and trans fats (fats that are solid at room temperature). One of the best ways to keep levels of saturated fat low is to limit the amount of animal fats that are consumed. These animal based fats include meats like bacon and sausage, as well as butter and ice cream. Dietary cholesterol can be limited by watching the consumption of eggs, organ meats and other foods high in cholesterol.

Food labels do make the complicated process of choosing the right fats somewhat easier. For instance, trans fats will be listed on the ingredient list of foods that contain them. In general, trans fats are found mainly in processed foods.

Some fats, such as polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats, are better choices for healthy eating. Examples of these fats include canola oil and olive oil. Cooking with these lighter oils can be a big step toward a healthier diet. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature, and they have been found to have heart protecting qualities.

Many types of fish have also been found to be sources of good fat. Fish are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids. These omega-3s have been found to promote good health, and they may even lower cholesterol levels.

Carbohydrates are an important part of a healthy diet as well, and carbs are necessary for providing energy and many essential nutrients. Carbohydrates are found in fruits and vegetables, in grains and in milk and dairy products. It is important to choose carbohydrates carefully, however, since not all are equally healthy.

When choosing breads and cereal, for instance, try to select those made with whole grains, while avoiding the more highly refined varieties. It is also important to limit the intake of sugars, such as soda, candy and highly processed baked goods. Consuming large amounts of such high calorie, low nutrient foods, can make it very difficult to stay on a healthy diet without gaining weight.

Most Americans tend to have too much of certain elements in their diet. Sugar is one such element and salt is the other. While a basic level of sodium in the form of salt is important to proper nutrition, most people consume too much salt in their daily diet. Excess salt consumption can lead to water retention, high blood pressure and other complications. Choosing low sodium foods, and limiting the use of the salt shaker, can go a long way toward cutting levels of excess salt in the diet. other complications. Choosing low sodium foods, and limiting the use of the salt shaker, can go a long way toward cutting levels of excess salt in the diet.

Potential Implications of Insolvency for Directors

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Here is a note of the issues that a director of an insolvent company or potentially insolvent company has to take into account. The relevant legislation is primarily contained in the Insolvency Act 1986 (the “Act”).

Definition of Insolvency – Section 123 of the Act states that a company is “unable to pay its debts” (i.e. it is insolvent) when the company is unable to meet its debts as and when they fall due. This is commonly referred to as a “Cash Flow Insolvency”; or
the amount of the company’s liabilities (including its actual and contingent liabilities) exceeds the value of its assets on a balance sheet basis. This is commonly referred to as a “Balance Sheet Insolvency”.
Where a company is or is about to become insolvent its directors must act in the best interests of the company’s creditors (as opposed to the company’s shareholders) and there are certain corporate and personal consequences for those directors if they fail to do so.

The Corporate Consequences of Insolvency

Preference claim – A preference is a transaction which has the effect of placing a creditor in a better position if the company goes into liquidation than if the transaction had not occurred. If the transaction occurs within six months of the company’s liquidation, the liquidator can apply to have it set aside but he must prove that the directors in entering into the transaction were influenced by a desire to produce the preferential effect. In the case of a transaction with a creditor who is a connected person (for example any of the company’s shareholders, subsidiaries or directors) the period of six months is extended to two years and it is also presumed (unless the contrary can be proved) that there was a desire to prefer the creditor. A classic example of a preference is where the company repays its inter-company debts or director’s loan accounts ahead of its other creditors shortly before its liquidation. However paying a creditor who has refused to make further supplies may not be a preference if the primary purpose of the payment was to secure supplies which could not be obtained elsewhere.

Transactions at an undervalue

A transaction at an undervalue occurs when a company disposes of its assets for significantly less than they are worth. Once again, a liquidator can apply to have the transaction set aside if it occurred within two years of the company’s liquidation. A classic example of a transaction at undervalue is where the company transfers its business and/or assets to a creditor, director or another party for a nominal amount. If you are considering a transfer to say a current client or any other third party it is important to ensure market value is paid and/or the transfer insured against set aside.

Personal Consequences of Insolvent Liquidation

Wrongful Trading – Section 214 of the Act states that, if the directors (including any shadow directors – see below) of a company allow it to continue trading when they knew or ought to have known that there was “no reasonable prospect” of the company avoiding insolvent liquidation (see 1 above), they can be held personally liable for the debts incurred. A shadow director is a person, or entity, who has effective control over the company’s board (i.e. the company’s directors are accustomed to act in accordance with that person’s instructions). The only potential defence available to the directors is to show that they took every possible step to minimise the potential loss to the company’s creditors. It is not sufficient to show, for example, that the directors believed that the company’s financial situation might improve because of market forces that are beyond their control [MC Bacon Limited [1990]].

The directors may be able to justify trading for a short period of time if they are:

Trying to sell the whole or part of the company’s business and/or assets as a going concern; or
awaiting a decision regarding further funding (for example by the shareholders or by a venture capitalist).
In these circumstances the directors should: investigate whether the company’s overheads and operating costs can be reduced; only pay the creditors that are crucial to the preservation of the business and assets (e.g. essential supplies, employees salaries, and judgment creditors who are about to or have taken “key” assets);
postpone all other payments; not incur any new liabilities (except for immediate payment in cash see below); and
document their decisions (usually in suitably detailed minutes). Please note that such a minute will not be an effective defence to liability if there is no reasonable prospect of avoiding insolvent liquidation and steps are not taken to minimise losses to creditors. The director’s goal should be to ensure that the company’s liabilities do not increase. One way to do this is to “rule off” the account and pay for all further supplies and services on a “cash on delivery basis”.

Fraudulent trading

Any director or shadow director who knowingly allows a company to continue trading with the intent to defraud its creditors or any other person can be held personally liable to pay compensation. Further, if fraudulent trading is established the director and/or shadow director will also be guilty of a criminal offence. It is unusual for a liquidator to pursue a fraudulent trading claim as the onus is on him to show that the director had the requisite fraudulent intent.

Disqualification

If, following liquidation, administration or administrative receivership, the DTI is able to demonstrate that the conduct of a director (including a shadow or de facto director i.e. a person who acts as a director without having been properly appointed) makes him unfit to be concerned in the management of a company (if, for example, a preference, a transaction at an undervalue and/or wrongful or fraudulent trading has occurred), then the director can be disqualified for a minimum period of two years up to a maximum of fifteen years. The disqualification will mean that the director will not be able to be involved in the formation, promotion or management of any company in the United Kingdom during the disqualification period.

A director also faces disqualification if:

He breaches any fiduciary or other duty he owes to the company (this may include a situation where there is an express or implied obligation to safeguard client monies such as in a principal agent relationship); and/or
he fails to comply with any of the duties imposed by the Companies Acts (for example the obligation to maintain proper books and records).

Options

Where the directors believe that there is a serious risk that the company may not be able to avoid going into insolvent liquidation the directors should consider seeking the advice of an independent licensed insolvency practitioner (the “IP”). Most accounting firms have IP partners. The IP would review the company’s financial position and consider with the directors the options available to the company. These options include:

1. Continuing trading under the guidance of the IP;
2. Requesting further funds from the company’s shareholders;
3. Obtaining additional funds from a venture capitalist factoring or trade asset based finance company;
4. A sale of the company’s business and assets as a going concern outside any formal insolvency procedure;
5. Administration, which is a court driven procedure which stops the creditors or any other party from taking adverse action against the company while the IP considers the way forward. This process is similar to Chapter 11 in the United States ;
6. A company voluntary arrangement whereby the company agrees a payment schedule or some other proposal with its creditors;
7. Making a request for the appointment of an administrative receiver if the company has granted a fixed and floating charge (I am unaware of the funding arrangements of the Company);
8. A creditors voluntary liquidation whereby the company convenes a meeting of its creditors to appoint a liquidator; or
compulsory liquidation whereby the company is wound up by the court following the presentation of a petition by its directors, shareholders or any creditor who has an undisputed debt for more than 750.

Conclusion

Though incorporation can shield shareholders from liabilities, the directors (who are often the shareholders as well) face a series of challenges in the event of financial difficulties that can, if advice is not sought early, result in personal liability.

http://www.kaltons.co.uk

December 30, 2011

Event Delegates Are Lifetime Friends

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Customer relationships are meat and drink to Gary Chapman, he runs a consultancy company that trains and informs corporate organizations about Customer Relationship Management (CRM). His company runs public seminars around the country on a weekly basis, dealing with thousands of delegates every year; here is his advice to you if you are planning a similar event.

The registration process may be your first opportunity to connect personally with a customer and demonstrate to them what your values and standards are. Like all relationships, we generally judge what someone is like in the first 60 seconds and this is no different. You should consider each delegate as a potential lifetime friend who you are meeting for the first time and you should give them absolutely no cause to question your professionalism.

If this is the first time you have run an event and your admin staff have not yet cut their teeth either on delegates or on the product (the event), take plenty of time to script everything from the first telephone answer to the most awkward set of requests and questions you can think up. Give your people a chance to role-play those first 60 seconds until it becomes absolutely second nature.
Answer before the first ring

Consider what standards your admin team ought to be meeting. One organization demands that all of its telephones are answered on or before the first ring to demonstrate its urgency and alertness. Hey! That’s not physically possible, I hear you say. Well, some telephone systems ring first at the receiving end before the caller hears the first ring in their ear, meaning that if you pick up after the first ring, the caller won’t hear a ring. Although that can be a bit scary, you may want to set your standard around 3 rings and stick to it.

There are all sorts of other standards that are worth discussing with the admin team to ensure that your customers get a good standard of service:

call-back within a promised timescale

paperwork posted within 8 working hours

emails sent within 4 working hours

database up to date at the end of each working day

payment reminders sent out 21 days, 28 days and 35 days after registration

Having set standards, make sure there is an easy way of checking that they are being adhered to. It is better that the admin team has their own monitoring system that you can check from time-to-time than to have big brother/sister keeping a permanent watchful eye on standards.

Gary Chapman also encourages his Admin Team to treat one another in the same way, using the same standards that they would use with an external customer. This way you actually remove stress and conflict as there is no potential to make a wrong decision. What’s the point of double standards? asks Gary Any reasoning person, given the choice, would choose the easier option. That’s how standards slip. We don’t give ourselves the choice!

Understanding Depression

Filed under: Uncategorized — admin @ 4:19 pm

Everyone can agree on the fact that depression is a debilitating disease. What we cant all seem to agree on however, is what this disease does to a persons ability to think reason and perceive. The problem in coming to an agreement here lies in the many causes and physical reactions to depression.

Common cause of depression include biochemical factors, severs stress, a sense of hopelessness, lack of sunlight and illogical thinking. The biochemical factors and sunlight are physical and environmental conditions that can be corrected with prescribed drugs or light exposure. What however can a person do about stress and feelings of hopelessness, and are these conditions causes of depression or symptoms of depression. It is within the confines of the medical profession that conversations such as this have raged for years.

Some researchers believe that stress and feelings of overwhelming hopelessness are the causes of depression, while others believe they are symptoms of depression. Research conducted supports both conclusions. Further studies have supported lent even more support to the evidence that stress, changes in expectancies, and irrational or hopeless thoughts are a result of depression, not a cause.

But what effect does depression have on our ability to think and reason? Do all our thoughts become illogical and negative? Not all depressed persons experience the same changes in their thoughts, but do all depressed persons experience some change in the thought process? Questions such as these are hotly debated even now, with all the wealth of information available to scientists and doctors. The brain is such a complex machine, that understanding of the processes and the ability to relate certain processes to the application of the masses is slow to come.

In general the depressed person sees the cup as half empty, not half full. Thats not to say that some of the population, without any evidence of depression will still see the cup as half empty. Can you see the difficulty of the situation here? There are many symptoms of depression that exist even within the thoughts of people with no evidence of depression. How do scientists and doctors distinguish, for the purpose of setting clear guidelines? I dont believe they can.

I believe our thought process is like a fingerprint. Everyones is different in some way. No two people will be the same in their thoughts, or in their ability to act on those thoughts. Treatments for illogical and depressed thoughts will always be a tailor-made situation.

Important Features of Business Improvement Programs

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There are various reliable training centers on the World Wide Web that allow business owners to actively participate to various professional Business Improvement Programs. Such professional training programs account for a wide range of features including business management, innovative sales and marketing strategies, as well as long-term business planning strategies. Solid Business Improvement Programs are aimed at debating both the basics and the subtleties of proper business management, accounting for all relevant aspects regarding profitability, the customer-employee relation, the development of strategies for achieving short-term and long-term goals and so on.

The extended curriculum provided by professional Business Improvement Programs renders such training courses appropriate for any business owner, regardless of the previous level of training in the branch. While inexperienced business owners can rapidly assimilate valuable information regarding proper business management and marketing solutions, well-trained business owners can further enhance their knowledge and acquire a set of innovative strategies for boosting the profitability and the longevity of their business.

A complete Business Improvement Program can actually guarantee success in virtually any type of business. Considering the fact that all businesses share similar characteristics, following common patterns of development, a reliable Business Improvement Program can enhance the potential of any business, regardless of its nature, size and market position. Structured on multiple levels, Business Improvement Programs rigorously explore and debate a wide range of subjects related to business planning, management, and development, familiarizing attendants with the entire process of running a business.

Professional Business Improvement Programs are taught by the best professionals in the branch, allowing attendants to acquire vital information regarding proper business management. The training programs are well-structured and contain comprehensive materials, stimulating and facilitating the process of learning. Unlike self-study oriented programs, professional Business Improvement Programs involve active participation, allowing attendants to interact with both business coaches and the other trainees. In addition, people who participate to Business Improvement Programs are encouraged to freely express their ideas and confront their opinions with other business owners. Business coaches offer prompt and extended feed-back, ensuring that all participants understand the issues discussed during the program.

It is important to note that Business Improvement Programs are not solely focused on theoretical courses. Professional programs often include seminaries and laboratories which are aimed at developing a set of practical, managerial, negotiation and interaction skills and abilities, crucial in the process of achieving and maintaining a successful business.

By attending to a professional Business Improvement Program, business owners can rapidly assimilate a complete set of knowledge and practical abilities, vital in the process of management. With the help of such training programs, business owners can effectively increase sales by implementing new marketing strategies and by attracting new potential customers to their business. Thanks to their proved efficiency and reliability, Business Improvement Programs are recommended by thousands of business owners worldwide!

Got Voice Mail?

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“There’s not anybody who really cares about using voice messaging the way I envisioned it.” According to Gordon Matthews, the inventor of voice mail, he never anticipated that his automated message system would be used to confuse and frustrate business callers. He didn’t foresee how many ways businesses could devise to misuse his system.

When asked what aggravates them most about modern phone communication the majority of people will say that it is voice mail. Pressed for details, they explain that it is the automated answering process that companies use to screen and direct calls that bugs them, not the basic messaging-taking function.

Companies are spending large sums of money to antagonize their customers and it only seems to get worse. When a person needs help with a problem and can’t reach another human, the situation deteriorates rapidly. Using the numbers on your touch tone pad is fine when you want to verify your bank balance, pay a bill or have a dry newspaper delivered; but when your pipes are backing up, your new computer just crashed, or a tree just fell on your brand new SUV, call processing may not be the answer.

There are advantages to an automated system. It saves money in salaries and benefits. It prevents old-fashioned phone tag by allowing people to leave detailed messages in their own voice with clear and correct information. Voice mail crosses all time zones so people can leave and retrieve messages at their convenience.

The disadvantages are that people can hide behind voice mail, often the prompts are confusing, working through the menu can be more time-consuming than speaking to a “live” person, and some people just don’t like talking to machines.

If your company uses an automated system to process calls make sure it provides the best customer service by following these suggestions:

1. Keep your greeting short and sweet. (No one cares that your menu options have changed. They only want to know what options they have now.)

2. List your menu options according to popular usage.

3. Tell callers how to reach another human early in the process.

4. Think twice before using voice mail for customer service issues.

5. Survey your customers from time to time to see how they feel about your voice mail system.

6. Try calling your own system occasionally and find out first hand what your customers are experiencing.

Voice mail can be either an incredible asset to your business or an incredible pain for your customers. Don’t force innocent people to spend their valuable time in your voice mail jail.

(c) 2006, Lydia Ramsey. All rights reserved. Reprint rights granted so long as article and by-line are published intact and with all links made live.

Holiday Family Entertainment: Multimedia Slideshows

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 2:12 am

Holidays should be a time for families to get together and catch up on the past year. But, these days with so many distractions (Xbox, Blackberries and iPods) its a lot harder to promote positive family interaction. So when attention spans are short, headphones are on and cell phones are ringing it might leave you asking what happened to that Norman Rockwell family holiday? Unless you can compete with the latest technology and stimulate all the senses theres not much chance of hearing about winning the state championships or the camping trip to Yellow Stone this summer.

Emerging Band Series: Blue October

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Blue October is a rock band from Houston, Texas. The group was formed in 1996 by Justin Furstenfeld, the bands lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Other members include: his brother Jeremy as the drummer, Ryan Delahoussaye playing multiple instruments, guitarist CB Hudson, and Matt Noveskey on bass. The group released their first album The Answers, in 1998 under the management of the Jusitn and Jeremys parents and was well received in their hometown of Houston.

Blue October signed with Universal Records in 2000, but was released after their first and only album, Consent to Treatment, under the label. However, their third album, History for Sale was re-released under Universal after having unexpected sales success. One of their singes Calling You was featured on the American Wedding soundtrack, the third installment the wildly popular teen comedy American Pie series.

Blue Octobers next mainstream hit came in 2006 with the single Hate Me. The success of the bands 2006 album called Foiled has led them to be featured as musical guests on late night television shows such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and The Late Show with David Letterman.

December 29, 2011

Strengthen Your Website Content With Online Database Access

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , — admin @ 10:03 pm

Website content, as articles, has taken center stage as web publishers scramble to differentiate their online offers. As both the quantity and quality of articles have accelerated, so too have online directories. These directories often resemble mere lists, but they can be powerful content additions that serve to deepen the value of the overall selling proposition by helping users in locating critical, related resources that for the visitor is otherwise much too time consuming.

On today’s websites, it is not uncommon to find online databases designed to provide the data-hungry website visitor with more comprehensive database management functions which are far superior to list-style directories. At a minimum, we find web-driven data pages that include search and display functions which facilitate quick and easy manipulation of back-end SQL databases. Many sites also include options to add, edit, delete, print, and even download data directly from the database to the desktop, all enabled with multiple levels of login/password security. While this is not revolutionary, the technical expertise required to build database-driven web pages has been the domain of more sophisticated online publishers who not only owned the back end database outright, but possessed the required expertise to build and maintain such access for their loyal constituents.

But that has all changed. A flurry of new, low-cost desktop tools have entered the scene, leveling the playing field for the budget-strapped internet marketer who, until recently, was limited to throwing in a basic “telephone book” style directory in an attempt to bolster his value proposition.

Three such tool categories warrant a closer look:

Web data extraction tools costing less than $400 enable web content, as “repeating data”, to be easily extracted to MS Excel, MS Access, or virtually any SQL database in high volume. This data serves to build, or at least augment the publisher’s's new online database. (Ideally, one should first obtain permission from the website owner before scraping large volumes of data).

The next challenge is to manipulate the collected data now resident in multiple files, and often in disparate data formats. Though list processing applications have long been available, lower cost tools now offer powerful merge/purge capabilities without the need to import and export files in the process. Some simple routines and the data is ready to upload to the database on the host web server.

Finally, the publisher builds the web pages which access the database. Perhaps most exciting is the arrival of a wide variety of desktop code generators, many which are open source, that allow a non-programmer to build customized web pages that rival the database search, display, add, edit,delete and download capabilities previously reserved for the more technical publisher. No longer is the web publisher required to know a single SQL command to accomplish this feat. Amazingly, most of these tools generate pure PHP or PERL code. All that remains is to upload the generated code to the host database and the project is complete. The website now houses a “living, breathing” database, to the extent that the publisher desires to maintain fresh data.

One of the more common, and simple applications of database-driven web pages is to build versatile Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) pages. Questions and answers can be queried by category (e.g. pricing, product) or keyword (e.g. sporting goods), while enriching the users support experience.

How can such newfound capabilities be monetized? The possibilities are plenty. Limited datasets can be made freely searchable and viewable for casual visitors, though it’s usually wise to request that the user register even if membership is free. The idea is to prime the pump, getting casual users to thirst for more comprehensive database access. Extended and full database access can be reserved only for paid members.

Never has a publisher had such power to build data-rich content that can serve to immediately strengthen his unique selling sales proposition. In the old paradigm, he who owned the data held all the power. Today, data is everywhere for the internet entrepreneur. By applying the latest database tools, any website publisher can now cement the most loyal of customer relationships by ensuring that his customer has a reason to keep coming back.

Web visitors have a difficult enough time sorting out the perceived sameness of online offerings. For the content builder, there are few better methods to establish and lock in immediate credibility with customers than to implement an easily accessible database that underscores the site’s overall content theme.

How Do You Spot A Scam?

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , — admin @ 2:00 pm

Its not always easy to spot a scam. Many times, checking with the BBB and other resources simply is not sufficient because the scam is too new. But when you are looking for a work at home opportunity of any kind, it helps to know what red flags to be aware of, whether in a job or business opportunity.

The first rule of thumb is can you follow the money? That is, can you figure out how the company will be earning money from your efforts? If youre offering lifetime free services to someone and earning a large commission every time someone signs up, where does the money come from? Its easy to tell yourself it cant be a scam because no money is being spent, but you need to consider more possibilities. What information are you giving them? What about your customers? Can that be used against you? Do you have to download anything at any point? Spyware and/or affiliate commission theft could be the goal.

Second, is the pay commensurate with the effort you are putting forth? If they are offering 2-3 times the going rate for a job, but you have to pay for training, its probably a scam. Theyre relying on your need to earn money and desire to earn lots of it with little effort to cloud your judgement. Similarly, if you are earning commissions for your efforts, does it look like the company you will be representing can possibly be making a profit? This is very similar to point #1 above, but worth considering on its own.

Next, what kinds of promises are being made to you and to the customer? Are they even remotely possible? This can be either a bad case of exaggeration, which may concern the FTC, or a sign of a scam. In either case you do not want to be involved.

In the case of home business, I am always wary of pre-launch hype from marketers I have never heard of. If they dont have a name in the business, how do I know their product will be any good? It could just be a way to get information, get you to download something, etc., rather than the introduction of a real, quality product. Pre-launch marketing does get used by reputable marketers too, but not very often. After all, if youre offering a quality product do you really need to get people excited about it before they can see it. It might be fun, but not all that necessary. Pre-launch hype also has a way of annoying potential customers, as they wade through months of excessive advertising and spam about the product. It generally makes much more sense for a company to launch a product when ready, rather than give a buyer time to change his or her mind because theyre tired of the hype.

There is no guarantee, however, that a given opportunity is a scam just because it looks like one. It is possible to misjudge, but you have to decide if you would rather miss an opportunity that could hurt you financially or destroy your reputation if it is a scam than take a chance on it. If too many warning flags go up, it is probably not worth it in my opinion, but you have to decide for yourself.

Bachelor Degrees, Online?

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: — admin @ 10:10 am

Should you get your bachelor degree online? For many people this would seem hard to do. Depending on the field of study that you plan to get, it can be actually quite welcoming and a great way to get in the education that you have always wanted. Sure, it isnt easy but neither is college for that matter. The online bachelor degree programs are a good way for many to get the education that they need without having to get into a college that is set up traditionally.

There are many programs that are offered through online bachelor degrees. If you would like to know if any of the programs or classes that you need to take are available to you on the web, all you need to do is to log on to any of the various online schools and find out. This level of education that the bachelor degree is one that is advanced and will require much learning.

One of the aspects of online education that people do not understand is how you get the hands-on training that many fields require. While you may or may not need this in the bachelor degrees that you plan to get, you will find that information about this is easy to find at the online universitys websites. In most cases, the online universities will work with area schools, offices, or establishments to allow you to get your lab time in. This is convenient and affordable as well especially useful when you consider you will be meeting some of the people that you may work with once you get your bachelor degree.

You will benefit from leaning more about the online bachelor degree that you are after. You can easily find online colleges that offer the education that you are after in an online manner. See what they are, what their classes will include and find out just how well they will work for you. The online bachelor degrees that are offered are pretty wide-ranged too!

How Long Until Vision Clarity? Recovery from LASIK Eye Surgery

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 12:06 am

As with any other surgery, LASIK also has a recovery period. Since LASIK involves cutting a flap in the corneal tissue, the recovery typically pertains to the healing of the cornea. Patients who have undergone LASIK surgery may experience blurry vision and watery eyes until the cornea heals completely. However, it is true that in case of LASIK, the patient requires less time for full recovery, relative to other refractive surgery procedures.

It is reported that LASIK helps restore vision clarity shortly after the surgery. However, there are a few exceptions and LASIK does have associated complications. During recovery, a patient may suffer from halos/starbursts, light sensitivity, astigmatism, dry eye syndrome, or other minor side effects. But these conditions normally dissipate over a period of a few weeks. Moreover, instances of such complications are minor a mere 5%.

In general, your eye surgeon would schedule post-operative meetings, in order to test your vision and assess the results of the surgery. These post-operative visits are highly beneficial for a speedy recovery, since the doctor may advise certain valuable tips and precautions that you must take. Though quite rare, a few patients might require enhancement procedures to attain optimum visual acuity. Such aspects may be discussed at these post-operative visits.

Following the LASIK surgery, you should be able to resume your daily life fairly quickly. However, it is recommended that you should not take part in any major sporting activities for at least a month or so after the surgery. For instance, tiring contact or water sports are highly detrimental to recovery.

LASIK is the preferred choice of many among the available types of refractive surgery. After LASIK surgery recovery, majority of patients have had excellent results, without any serious or long-term complications. Furthermore, they have been able to see as well as they did with their eyeglasses or contact lenses – a dramatic change in a persons life, with a whole new range of activities available that he or she could not enjoy while wearing eyeglasses.

December 28, 2011

Diversity Education Program

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: — admin @ 4:20 pm

With prejudice and violence continuing to cause problems in schools and communities nationwide, studies show many young people have hate-related words used against them at school and are often exposed to hate-related graffiti.

While parents play a critical role in helping their children develop positive attitudes about diversity, they cannot do it alone. Community programs can have a significant impact.

Recently, Boys & Girls Clubs of America announced its national rollout of “Youth for Unity,” an interactive program designed to build the ability of local Boys & Girls Clubs to help young people better understand diversity and combat prejudice, bigotry and discrimination.

The program, available to some 4 million young people at more than 3,700 Boys & Girls Clubs locations, incorporates activities for youth, peer-leadership programs and resources for parents.

“Youth for Unity delivers perspectives and skills that will help youth adapt and thrive in a diverse society,” said Judith J. Pickens, senior vice president for program and youth development services for Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “The Youth for Unity program is one of many ways Boys & Girls Clubs of America continues to provide vital youth services in response to our nation’s shifting demographics.”

In a 2005 survey of Boys & Girls Clubs members, 50 percent of respondents said they believe their parents would not approve if they dated someone from another race, religion or ethnic group. Ten percent of students ages 12 to 18 reported that someone at school had used hate-related words against them, and 33 percent had seen hate-related graffiti.

The Youth for Unity program is part of a larger Boys & Girls Clubs of America diversity initiative funded by a $4.5 million commitment from The Allstate Foundation. – NU

About Buying Fly Fishing Flies Online

Filed under: Uncategorized — admin @ 2:07 pm

For many fly-fisherman, fly-tying is a serious hobby. Not only is fly-tying economical, it is enjoyable. Nothing beats the thrill of mastering a new fly pattern, or creating specialized flies for ones’ unique fishing situations. Also, one cannot underestimate the sense of adventure that accompanies the fly-fisher on the prowl for the perfect materials, whether browsing the local fly shop, ransacking a craft store, or even salvaging road kill.

Given that tying your own flies provides so much satisfaction, why buy flies online?

Obtain local fly patterns

The first reason is that as your fly fishing experience grows, your desire to test new and foreign waters increases. As a result, your need for localized patterns becomes more important. Sure, you want to do the research and tie your own variations of the Club Sandwich before you hit the Snake River for the first time, but there’s something to be said about fishing the tried and true local patterns on your initial outings to foreign waters. With that idea established, you can either buy these flies from a local shop or purchase them online. I recommend doing both.

Say you live in New Jersey and you’re planning your first trip to Colorado. You and your buddies plan to hit a few a rivers within 10 days. Before you go, do research on the internet – find out what’s hatching on these rivers when you plan to visit them, and what patterns work best. Then, based on your research, purchase enough flies online to cover you while fishing these waters. Now you have a safety net – you won’t have to worry about not having enough flies for the rivers you’ll fish at the end of your trip.

Next, research local shops on the internet – find out who the proprietors are and when they are open for business. Now this idea might seem obvious to many of you, but make it a point to stop at these shops before you fish. When you arrive, ask them about recent fishing activity and what flies they would recommend. Tell them about your trip, let them know you found their site on the internet, and ask for their advice. Tell them what flies you already have and ask about what else you may need. If your budget allows, purchase as many of the flies they recommend.

Save time while supplementing your current collection

There comes a time in which your energy is better focused on fishing than tying flies. A typical North American fly-fisher and fly-tyer spends the “off” months tying flies for the season ahead. Many fisherman focus the bulk of their tying efforts on the winter months to prepare for spring, summer, and fall fishing. If you are one of those anglers who feel like they never have enough flies, purchasing your “basic” flies online can leave you time to focus on the more specialized, region-specific flies that you might not find on the web. For example, why not buy your attractor flies such as Adams or Stimulators, so that you can concentrate on the special mayfly flies that you know will require special attention to detail? The same idea applies to those “hard-to-tie” flies – if you dislike tying size 24 Tricos, why not buy those items online so you have more time to crank out the flies you prefer to tie?

Also, consider how much your time is worth. Think about your fly-tying time as if you were a professional fly-tyer. How much is an hour of your fly-tying time worth? If it takes you two hours to tie twelve size 26 BWO emergers, you might be better off spending $10 on a dozen of the same fly so that you can use those two hours to tie 18 Rusty Spinners.

Variety

No matter what you want to purchase, nothing beats the internet for window shopping. I have seen the same fly pattern tied three different ways on three different sites. This variety allows you to find the best pattern that matches your intended fishing location. For example, if you plan to fish faster moving water, your parachute patterns might need a bit more hackle, or even a brighter post. On the other hand, if you plan to fish tailwaters, your mayfly patterns might need to sit lower on the water. By the same token, if you intend to fish mostly in the spring, your mayfly patterns might need to be a lighter color than if you intend to fish in the fall.

By browsing different sites for the same patterns, you will be able to compare patterns and ascertain the right fly for you. The best way to do this is to open two or three browser windows at a time on your computer. Then go to different sites in each browser and compare the patterns you are interested in.

Save money

Quite simply, buying flies online can save you money. Not only can you find discounts for large orders, the actual cost of individual flies can be lower than if you purchased flies from some of the larger fly fishing retailers. The best online merchants often charge as little as 65 cents (sometimes, even 50 cents for fly patterns). One disadvantage is that you don’t get to inspect the flies before you purchase them, unlike in a store. I recommend buying a few different patterns.your first time so that you can determine not only the quality of the flies, but the consistency of the quality across different patterns. For example, a good initial purchase might include a stonefly nymph, a caddis pattern, a mayfly emerger, a mayfly dun, and an attractor pattern. This way you could check the various elements of typical flies such as tails, dubbing, hackle, deer-hair, and hook strength.

Types of web sites

There are hundreds of web sites that sell flies online. These sites fall into two categories: companies that only sell flies, and fly shop owners who run web sites for their businesses.

Businesses whose sole purpose is to sell flies online usually have a greater amount of flies available. One advantage these sites offer is that they are more likely to offer discounts on larger purchases. Also, their web sites tend to be more user.friendly (though not always). Many of these sites typically include advanced functionality that make selecting and purchasing flies easier on the user. The best of these sites allow you to set up personal accounts or use “shopping carts” to store your selections before purchasing. In this manner, the purchase experience is more convenient. Shopping carts tend to be “persistent” – in that a visitor may select items to the cart one day and return to the site at later time to find that the shopping cart still contains the previous selections. This allows you to select items you are interested in, leave the site and do more research, then alter or add to your selections later.

Fly shop web sites, on the other hand, typically present the user with flies specifically relevant to the area that the fly shop services. You have a better chance of purchasing flies that are most effective to the area you want to fish if you purchase them from local fly shops. Furthermore, you are supporting the local economy of the area in which you desire to fish. Many fly shop web sites also include online hatch charts which can inform you of flies you most likely need.

The authors experience

In the spring, and summer I do a lot of fishing on the Delaware River in the Catskills Mountains of New York. Throughout the winter I will tie a decent amount of the flies I actually need. As spring approaches, I have found that supplementing my collection with web-bought flies ensures that I am ready to meet the various hatches encountered in the spring. Any Delaware River fly fisherman will tell you that hatch-matching is a critical part of success on this river. In my limited experience, I have encountered days in which four or five different hatches took place. On top of that, the hatches change from week to week. I have ensured a decent modicum of success by checking local hatch charts ahead of time and then purchasing a dozen flies from week to week.

Hopefully, these tips will help you increase the amount of flies you own, and enhance your fly-fishing experience.

Article courtesy of Steve Clark of TotalFlyFishing.com at www.totalflyfishing.com.

Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephen_Clark

Learning Self Defense At Home Or In Class

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: — admin @ 2:05 pm

Whether you live in a small rural area or a bustling city, the need for self defense can occur at any time. You never know when an unfortunate situation may present itself and may call for quick action, including that of self defense.

There are a number of instructors who teach self defense classes in order to help educate individuals with how to protect themselves in certain situations. Class demonstrations and active participation are both a part of self defense classes, which are often held in the evening to ensure a convenient time when most people are finished with work.

For individuals who do not have the time, money or the geographical location to participate in self defense classes, there are books and videos that may help to educate in the same manner. Although neither of these methods actually test your knowledge with practice and hands-on training, they can help to instill basic knowledge of how to react in a dangerous situation.

The techniques learned in self defense training are to be used for that purpose only and should not be bragged about to others. The decision to learn self defense is a private choice that should not necessarily be broadcast to anyone other than family and close friends. The best source of self defense is the knowledge that can be kept private. With that being said, it is ideal if family and/or friends can take self defense training together. This will provide for a more comfortable learning environment and may result in a better understanding or the concept.

Even with the knowledge of physical self defense, perhaps the best mode is that of common sense. By carefully selecting the times that you are out, not following an exact routine and choosing friends wisely, you will help to lessen the chances of ever needing to put your self defense training to use. However, if the unfortunate does occur, it is good to have the peace of mind in knowing that you can and will defend yourself at a moments notice and in any situation.

For information on self defense classes in your area, you may be able to contact city hall or stay tuned to the local newspaper for scheduling. If you prefer books and/or videos on the subject of self defense, these are readily available online from a variety of internet specialty stores. In addition, some areas may post upcoming self defense class schedules on the internet.

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