Home and Family

Fight Special Education Retaliation

2011-01-19T16:52:00.000+05:30

Are you the parent of a child with a learning disability or autism that feels like special education personnel are retaliating against, you for your advocacy? Has your child been suspended by the school, because you have complained about your child's treatment? This article will be discussing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, retaliation, and how you can use the information in this article to prove retaliation.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is a federal anti discrimination law and applies to any entity, that receives federal funding; which all public schools do. The child cannot be discriminated against based on their disability. This law also prohibits retaliation based on a person being involved in a protected activity (advocacy is considered a protected activity). The Office of Civil Rights is the federal agency that enforces Section 504. Any retaliation complaints could be filed with them, or could be taken straight to court.

The Office of Civil Rights has developed a 5 part test to determine whether a school district has engaged in prohibited retaliation. You can use these questions to help you prove your retaliation case. These 5 questions are:

1. Has the parent/student engaged in a protected activity? Protected activities could be filing a state complaint, filing a due process complaint, filing a lawsuit in court. Any type of advocacy could be considered a protected activity.

2. Was the district aware of the protected activity? This would not be hard to prove, especially if the retaliation is based on filing a complaint, or a due process hearing.

3. Was the parent/student subjected to an adverse action? This could be any type of action that would harm the child or parent. Examples of adverse reaction may include: suspension or expulsion of the child, suspension from participating in extracurricular activities, or preventing parents from entering school grounds-in other words banning them from school property. This seems to me to be a brand new tactic that is occurring across the USA; parents being banned from entering the school, due to their advocacy. This is a violation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, in my opinion.

Another adverse action I hear about quite often is school districts calling child protective services against parents! A friend of mine had this happen to her because she refused to pick her child up at school, when the school thought she should! Child protective services cleared my friend and even stood up to the school district, for my friend. Unless the school has real evidence of abuse; this action can be seen as retaliation!

4. Will a neutral third party decide that there is a causal relationship or connection between the protected activity and the adverse action? Is there sufficient evidence to raise an inference that the protected activity was likely the reason for the adverse action? How close in time was the adverse action to the advocacy?

5. Can the school district offer a legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason for the adverse action, which a neutral third party will not consider to be pre textual? In other words if the school district can prove that the action was done for other than retaliation then they will win the retaliation claim. For example: If your child's IEP states that he or she can be suspended for behavior, and they are suspended after your advocacy, it would be a tough job to prove that the advocacy is what caused the suspension. But if your child has a behavior plan, which does not include suspensions it would be easy to prove that a school suspension is linked to your advocacy.

Use the information in this article to help you decide if you can prove retaliation, to OCR or in court. Remember the retaliation must have occurred after a protected activity-advocacy-must be close in time to the protected activity-and must be connected to the protected activity. Good luck!

JoAnn Collins is the mother of two adults with disabilities, and has helped families navigate the special eduation system, as an advocate, for over 15 years. She is a presenter and author of the book "Disability Deception; Lies Disability Educators Tell and How Parents Can Beat Them at Their Own Game." The book has a lot of resources and information to help parents fight for an appropriate education for their child. For a free E newsletter entitled "The Special Education Spotlight" send an E mail to: JoAnn@disabilitydeception.com. For more information on the book, testimonials about the book, and a link to more articles go to: http://www.disabilitydeception.com.

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Five things to Benefit Your Child in Special Education

2011-01-19T16:51:00.001+05:30

Are you the parent of a child receiving special education services due to autism or a learning disability? Are you looking for a few things that you can do, this new year, to benefit your child's education? This article is for you! I will be discussing 5 things that you as a parent can do to help your child's education in this new year!

Item 1: Check all of your child's past standardized testing, to see if they are on grade level. As an advocate I have helped children that have been several grade levels below their peers, and the parents did not realize this. Catching a child that is having academic difficulty early, and finding out what type of related and special education services they need, will help them keep up with their grade appropriate peers.

Item 2: If you have never looked at your child's educational record contact your district office (call and make sure that this is where the records are kept), and tell them that you would like to see your child's school records. IDEA 2004 and FERPA give parents the right to look at their child's school record, though schools do have up to 45 days for this. FERPA defines a school record as anything that is personally identifiable to a certain child. For example; E mails, letters, testing protocols, discipline records, (could also apply to audio and video recording, but may differ from state to state) etc.

Why is this important? This is important because some very strange items can be kept in a child's school record, and these items can in the future be used against a child. For example: A medical record that you had not seen, a discipline record etc. FERPA does not necessarily allow for copying the records, but state law may give parents the right to do this, so check with your States Department of Education.

Item 3: If you have not had a chance to observe your child at school in their current placement, tell your child's teacher that you will be coming in to observe your child. Observe your child and the teacher's relationship? Is your child in a corner by themselves, or are they sitting with other students? Is there a child that is acting in a disruptive manner, preventing the other children from learning? Also talk to your child's teacher, about any difficulties your child is having, and any suggestions on how to improve the situation.

Item 4: Get involved with the federal core educational standards movement! Each state has in the past, had their own core educational standards. Some states have had high standards, and some states like my own, have had low standards. For some time, there has been a movement to develop federal core educational standards that apply to all states. Federal Core standards have been developed and can be seen at: http://www.corestandards.org. At the moment these standards are voluntary, but states that adopt the standards can try and get additional funding for their states educational system.

Why are federal core standards important? They are important because they are considered very high standards, and these standards are meant to apply to all children, including children with disabilities. Fight for these standards for your child, to make sure that they are learning grade appropriate tasks, to prepare them for their adult life.

Item 5: Become familiar with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and file a State complaint for violations of this law! The complaint is filed with your States Department of Education and can help enforce the law, though may not always be successful! It has been my contention for many years, that if parents of children receiving special education services, filed more complaints the situation for children would be better than it is now!

By taking the time to work on these 5 things you are showing a commitment to advocate for your child and improve their education. Good luck!

JoAnn Collins is the mother of two adults with disabilities, and has helped families navigate the special eduation system, as an advocate, for over 15 years. She is a presenter and author of the book "Disability Deception; Lies Disability Educators Tell and How Parents Can Beat Them at Their Own Game." The book has a lot of resources and information to help parents fight for an appropriate education for their child. For a free E newsletter entitled "The Special Education Spotlight" send an E mail to: JoAnn@disabilitydeception.com. For more information on the book, testimonials about the book, and a link to more articles go to: http://www.disabilitydeception.com.

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Parent Empowerment for Parents With Children in Special Education!

2011-01-19T16:50:00.001+05:30

Do you have a child with Autism that is receiving special education services? Would you like to learn how to be a better advocate for your child? This article will address 9 steps that you can take to empower yourself, to advocate for an appropriate education for your child!

Step 1: Begin by asking a lot of questions when you speak to your child's teacher. Sample of questions for your child's teacher could be: "What curriculum are you using to teach my child to read? What do these standardized test scores mean? What type of positive behavioral supports do you use in the classroom" If your child's teacher tells you something that you do not understand, ask her to explain it, and perhaps send you the explanation in writing.

Step 2: Ask lots of questions when attending an IEP (Individual Educational Plan) meeting for your child. Sample of questions at an IEP meeting could be: "What does that word mean? What services will my child be receiving, and how many minutes will they be receiving the service? What standardized testing will you be conducting on my child, to see if she is making educational progress?" Always ask for explanations, when special education personnel start talking in terms that you do not understand, or talk about services you do not understand.

Step 3: At IEP meetings give your input on how you think your child is doing in school, and on what related and special education services, you think your child needs! Parents know their child better than most school people do, so it may be easy for them to figure out what services the child needs, to benefit from their education. If you have trouble speaking up at meetings, put together a one page parent input statement, to bring to the meeting with you.

Step 4: To help yourself feel more comfortable speaking up at a meeting; "role play" with other parents, what may happen at the meeting. This is a good way to get yourself prepared, to make good arguments for services that your child needs.

Step 5: If you still have difficulty speaking up at meetings, bring another parent who has experience in the special education process.

Step 6: If your child's behavior interferes with their education or the education of others, insist on conducting a Functional Behavioral Assessment, and have a Positive Behavioral Plan developed. You may need to fight for a qualified person to do these, but it will help your child as well as other children.

Step 7: When you attend an IEP meeting, be sure and read the IEP before you leave. I realize meetings can be stressful, but it is critical that you take the time to read the IEP, and make sure that it is accurate.

Step 8: Ask for any changes to the IEP, if the document does not reflect discussions held, or agreements made. If things are not written clearly it can be difficult to enforce what is written in the IEP.

Step 9: You must realize that by standing up to school personnel you may anger some people! But what is more important, making someone upset or fighting for appropriate services for your child? In my opinion the child wins every time, because they need special education services in order to have a fulfilled adult life.

By following these 9 steps you will be empowered to advocate for your child, and they will appreciate it!

JoAnn Collins is the mother of two adults with disabilities, and has helped families navigate the special eduation system, as an advocate, for over 15 years. She is a presenter and author of the book "Disability Deception; Lies Disability Educators Tell and How Parents Can Beat Them at Their Own Game." The book has a lot of resources and information to help parents fight for an appropriate education for their child. For a free E newsletter entitled "The Special Education Spotlight" send an E mail to: JoAnn@disabilitydeception.com. For more information on the book, testimonials about the book, and a link to more articles go to: http://www.disabilitydeception.com.

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

child's different learning styles and issues

2011-01-19T16:48:00.001+05:30

Once you have discovered your child's learning styles and multiple intelligences, there is a good chance you will discover they are at odds with the way lessons are traditionally taught in the school system. How can you go about making sure your child gets the best opportunities to learn? Here are some strategies:

Get To Know Your Child's teacher - This should be your first and most important step going forward. Teachers want their students to succeed but in most cases the deck is stacked against them. Standardized testing, rigid curriculum, cost cuts, large class sizes, and lack of support are all challenges that teachers face every day.

Getting to know your child's teacher gives you and your child an advantage. It lets the teacher know you are involved and concerned about your child. You can pass on valuable information - such as your child's different learning styles and issues they may be having that the teacher is not aware of.

Scheduling a face to face meeting with your child's new teacher each year should be a priority. Call and find a time that is good for them. Dropping in or trying to discuss your child at the end of a school day is usually frustrating and not successful as the teacher needs a clear head and schedule to absorb and address your concerns.

Come Prepared - Make the most of any meetings you have with teachers by being prepared. Create a list of the issues you want to address and have an idea of what outcomes you would like to see. It shows you are proactive and, if you offer solutions instead of just a whole bunch of problems, you are more likely to get what you want.

If your child is having difficulty in school because of their preferred learning style or multiple intelligence, look for solutions that are easy to implement in the classroom. See if there is any flexibility in how projects are done.

If your child is an auditory learner, see if they can do a presentation as opposed to a written report. If they are Kinesthetic see if they can get up and stretch from time to time. Incorporating stretching exercises, even for a few minutes at a time throughout the day, makes all students learn better. If your student is visual, practice good note taking skills at home and have kids write down any instructions they receive verbally. This will help them process the task at hand.

Offer Assistance - If there are any ways you can get involved, teachers are generally very grateful for the help. Does your child's class have parent helpers? Sign up!

See if there is any material the teacher needs that you (or a parent association, or community member) could help provide. There are lots of free resources out there that teachers don't have the time to track down. Many teachers operate on a tight budget, and any "extra" things such as art supplies or teaching aids that do cater to other learning styles are usually bought out of the teacher's own pocket. It gets expensive to be a good teacher.

If there is a skill you have that you can share that might benefit the students, see if you can come in and teach a lesson. If your child is Kinesthetic you could teach a quick lessons on exercises you can do while sitting in their seats (look up instructions for exercises to do while flying for ideas). This wold be great for students who have to be active while they are learning.

Find Out What You Can Do At Home - Ask your teacher for suggestions on ways you can help your child learn better at home. See if they can recommend any extra resources for you. It might take your child a little longer to finish their homework if you have to present it in a way that fits their learning style but it is worth it!

Sheena is an educator and author who is passionate about creativity. Her website "Growing Creative Kids" is full of ideas, resources and creative inspiration for parents, educators and care givers. http://growingcreativekids.com

Sheena has two e-books available on her website at: http://growingcreativekids.com/shop

"Growing Creative Kids" a great resource providing you with the ideas, inspiration and and tools to cultivate a creative mind within your family.

"The Art of Money Getting - Adapted for the Modern Teen Money Getter" takes P.T Barnum's classic lessons and makes it relevant to today's teens.

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Special Education Programs in the United States and the Third World Countries

2011-01-19T16:45:00.000+05:30

The Department of Education in the Philippines is strengthening its policies for special education program in allowing special children who does not have the resources or access to a well deserved education because of financial disabilities of their parents. This is one good reason why people and the government should continue to support this program because the special children have the right to education equally as the normal children. Even though this group of people may not have the same skills that a normal child has, still they have a chance to experience school life which will nurture their skills and will make them capable of doing something good for themselves as well as for the people around them.

A lot of people with family members of a special child will keep them inside the house because of the fear that their child will be rejected in the society causing them more pain for them to see their family member being feared and being called names out in the streets by insensitive human beings. I can see a lot of difference when it comes to special children living in the first-world-countries. They usually have a good program for children with this kind of disability; they would even have social department visit their houses just to check on these kids, to ensure that they have been given the proper care by the parents. We know how it is in the US as well as other countries that has good budget for this departments that most of the third world countries point out as a reason why they sometimes will not be able to carry out this in their pursuit in helping these special set of people. The government of the 3rd -world-country blames it in their economic situation, but isn't the first-world-counties experiencing crisis as well? We could then conclude that it depends on the want of the government to really focus on this, unless if they find this less seriously as a social matter.

Teachers who specialize in special education program nowadays have a lot of job opportunities abroad because this will give them greener Pasteur. In Asian countries, this Major as a course was not widely known before the 20th century. Now, even the smaller countries in Asia Pacific gives a lot of emphasis in educating their special ones because we are now much open to the idea of giving life to a real life that was once often regarded as useless creatures or pain-in-the-butts for their parents. After all, they did not ask to be born as they are. We all know that there are factors where we blame the mothers for the food they eat, and the things they do when they were pregnant. We also blame the genes for this misfortune. We should keep in mind that these groups of people are alive and they should have the well deserved so-called-LIFE!

Educating them is the best way to make them feel that they belong and a teacher who specializes in this field could help a lot in molding a special child into a great special child when she/he grows up.

Lam Bong is an Author living in Sydney, Australia. He is interested in reading and creating websites. His latest website is about Sydney tutor and finding the best Sydney maths tutor on the web today.

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How to Choose a Great Gift For Dad on Father's Day

2010-05-05T18:02:00.001+05:30

With the Fathers Day barely a month away many of us are still hunting for gifts for Dad. For many of us choosing a present for Dad is a challenging and daunting task. After all, a Dad is a person who has provided us everything ever since we are born and still continue to support us in whatever way possible. The concept of giving Gifts to father or father like persons in our life like grandfather, step father, father in law, uncle or whoever is like a father to us on Father's Day is a wonderful way to express our gratitude for all the love and support they have given us.

We can never compensate for what our Fathers have done for us but the least we could do is express our gratitude. But what do we give a person who has given us everything in life? However, if we consider his personality, interests and hobbies coming up with a unique gift idea for Dad should not be difficult. Gifts like flowers may not be ideal when it comes to gifts for Dad but he may like manly gifts. If Dad likes fishing or golf, a fish rod or a golf kit would be appreciated by him. Similarly if Dad is someone who likes to be well groomed always gifts like sunglasses, cologne, cufflinks, ties, watch, wallet etc should work well. If Dad likes Gadgets then he should like latest gadgets. Gadgets like Apple iPods, Apple iPhone 3GS, Sony PSP, Garmin Hand held GPS, Blackberry Smart Phone, Digital Camera and Digital Camcorder etc are hot favorites with men. Men are also known to like Video games.

Everyone likes to be appreciated. So it is not wrong to say that a Dad would appreciate it too. Giving Dad a memento or trophy with the words 'Worlds Best Dad' or 'Number 1 Dad' would be a great idea. Similarly a Certificate with such words would not be a bad idea too. Some unique ideas can be writing a poem for him or buying him Lunar Real Estate or naming a star after him. When considering buying presents for father on father's day, birthday or any special day in his life, health options like health insurance policy or health club membership should work well too. In fact anything we know that Dad would like would be an ideal present for him. On second thoughts, I think for a father any gift given by a child would be special no matter how cheap or costly it is. It is the feelings with which we give the gifts make it special one.

On this Father's day which falls on the 3rd week of June (June 20th, 2010) let us take the opportunity to show how much we appreciate him not only by buying Gifts for Dad but also by spending some time with him talking to him and by giving him a warm hug too.

Anamika is an Expert on topics like Feng Shui, Relationships, Astrology, Hindu Mantras etc. Visit her Blog on Relationships and Dating for relationship advice on various issues.
http://relationships-love-marriage-articles.blogspot.com

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Can I Just Pretend I Really, Really Care About You and Send You an E-Card For Christmas?

2010-05-05T18:01:00.002+05:30

This weekend, the missus and I wrapped up our shopping for family for the holidays. I have to say: "We were more thoughtful this year than any time previously..." (at least I thought so)

We really thought through the whole process and I am pumped by the stack of "stuff" sitting in our kitchen that needs to be wrapped.

It's about the relationship, right?

There are people you care about - people around whom you really want to build a history. It kind of parallels your deal making process.

Makes sense, right? You want to do business with people that you can stand being around. People you like.

That's about building a relationship. Not seasonal email torpedoing. But a consistent communication thread.

My inbox got me thinking....

How special would you feel if you were sent the following e-card from someone that you spent money with this year? I love the "We hope this communication is welcomed..." Makes me feel like you really remember who I am. And are you really giving me the option to unsubscribe from next year's seasonal greetings? You tell me. Maybe I am being picky. Now how about this one... Are you feeling the love?

I now have to click on a link to go a site to see all the Christmas warmth you can't wait to share with me... As if that isn't enough to do, there is the obligatory signature language informing me that I could be sued for mishandling the email you are sending me. WOW.... way too much baggage for me to do anything with. I just have to archive it...

These both ended up in my inbox (along with a tiresome few others...) and I just didn't have the energy to keep clicking through to link after link so I could get in the Christmas spirit. It kind of made it all feel like a "chore"...

Like maybe our relationship wasn't so important after all...Know what I mean? It gets you thinking. What's the logic behind this?

Who emerged from their marketing "bat-cave" with the fantabulous idea that impersonal seasonalized hyperlink creation was something that made customers feel like "you care"?

Was there a memo in the late '90s that I missed?

Two words: CALL ME...

I know I'm a little cranky when it comes to this stuff, but doesn't it seem a little dis-ingenuous? Even if you give the sender the "benefit of the doubt", you can't overlook the general lack of creativity. The fact remains that in the haste to have another "client touch", the marketer forgot to put himself in the recipient position.

Here's reality: No one really reads this stuff. (Not even your grandma who has unlimited Facebook time)

Maybe the first one you get (right after Thanksgiving), but right around the second week in December you are left with no other choice but massive select-and-archive. You even feel a little bad about it, but you justify if by telling yourself that if you have time, you'll dig them out later at home to look through.

And you never do... It's just not a high priority.

Without a relationship, you just avoid all the rest of the noise coming at you.

And certainly this mirrors a hunch I have had for some time now as I talk with C-level executives and ask about their behavior to inbound messaging. I decided to test my theory. About a week ago, I put a poll up on LinkedIn asking the following question:

"If relationships really do matter in sales, why don't we build better ones throughout our selling process?"

Here are the overall results:

* 40% stated that they didn't have enough access to the right people to build a great relationship...
* 10% noted that they tried to build good relationships but didn't know how to keep it up...
* 20% thought that it wasn't really a good use of their time... AND
* 30% admitted they weren't really sure how to build great relationships...

When you study this further, you see that ALL of the CEO's who responded to this question answered the same - that they had not developed this skill of long term relationship building.

Are you surprised? You might have thought that senior level executives had "schmoozing" all figured out. Maybe not. Maybe there's more to that cocktail parties and fast one-liners.

The numbers get more interesting when you look at the size of the companies responding. All of the big guys (who would have the biggest sales and marketing budgets) all noted that they didn't have access to the right people to build great relationships.

Essentially, the guys with the most advantages toward building the best relationships were the least likely to know how to get the right people. Interesting indeed.

When you look at the age for relationship building, it becomes even more significant. The young guys and old guys fall into the same category - limited access to the right executives. While the mid-life high-performers know the right people, but aren't really sure what to do to keep their attention.

Kind of what you would expect from life, right? You work hard to get somewhere; and then once you're there you push so far and fast ahead that you lose valuable ties to people who could be a valuable resource to you.

Young or old, big or small - we all need to work a little harder to keep our relationships strong. They are our lifeblood, our lifeline to accomplishing our life's mission.

So think about how you treat your relationships.

Are you asking friends to triple-click through your e-card nonsense, or are you bold enough to just say "Thank You" and mean it.

These days, Dan is partner in a private equity technology accelerator and a former technology CEO. He is an early-early-early adopter of game-changing technology. He blogs regularly on his motivational selling blog The DEW View! He is a husband to a cute gal named Sara and father to two energetic boys. He's just an ordinary dude who happens to have an outrageous vision. And he wants to change the world.

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Top 3 Unique and Unusual Vampire Costumes For Kids This Halloween

2010-05-05T18:01:00.001+05:30

Vampire costumes for kids are probably one of the most popular costume choices for little ones each and every Halloween. So is there really a way to make sure your little blood thirsty vampire stands out from the crowd this Halloween? Of course there is.

You have no doubt noticed that vampires have become very popular these days. Thanks in part to television shows like The Vampire Diaries and True Blood and of course the hugely popular series of Twilight books, the popularity of vampire costumes is at an all time high.

So how do you find a costume that is different from the standard department store kids vampire costume? The answer is to find a costume that offers a bit more originality and has at least one interesting element that other costumes don't have.

For example, one of the most unique vampire costumes for kids that I have seen is a light-up costume that is really quite awesome. This kids costume comes with a black vest that has tiny red fiber-optic lights attached to it that look like dripping blood.

Not only would your child love to have light up blood dripping from their costume, but it is a wonderful safety feature too. Considering vampires are mostly dressed in black, this is a great way to make sure cars and other trick-or-treaters can easily see your child.

Another one of my favorite child's vampire costume is one that comes with a stake through the heart. A brown vinyl stake is attached to the shirt of the costume and it looks as though your little vampire has already been put out of his misery. A little bit of humor adds a unique appeal to this special costume and any little Dracula would be proud to wear it to the Halloween bash.

And don't forget that little girls can be blood sucking vampires too. The popular trend for girls this year seems to be a Gothic type of vampire (or Vampira) costume for female vampire fans. These costumes are quite elaborate and to be honest, are actually quite beautiful! Any little girl would feel like a real dark princess of the night in one of these fabulous costumes.

All of these vampire costumes for kids have one thing in common. They are really cool, very affordable and will help your child fulfill their fantasy of becoming one of the un-dead if only for one night.

So don't settle for an ordinary and boring costume this year - get one of these unique and unusual vampire costumes for kids! Check out these bestselling vampire costumes and you'll see how easy (and cheap) it is for your child to look amazing this Halloween.

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Independent Versus Assisted Retirement Living - Which is Right For You?

2009-08-10T19:25:00.003+05:30

As people age, many choose to move to Florida retirement communities to take advantage of the year-round warmth and sunshine. Depending on their needs, retirees may choose to move into either an independent living facility or an assistant living community. Many senior communities offer both options -- independent living for those who can take care of themselves, and assisted living for seniors who may need a little help with everyday tasks.

Independent Living

Many retirement communities in Florida base themselves around the concept of independent living. These facilities are just what they sound like -- independent living centers where people are generally able to take care of themselves. Residents are physically active and able to walk around the community. They are able to bathe and dress themselves, can manage their medications properly, and are free from severely debilitating physical ailments and memory loss.

Florida independent living centers are about staying healthy, active, and enjoying all that life has to offer. Most retirement communities offer numerous activities like walking groups, water aerobics, tai chi, and other fitness classes. In addition to fitness options, many luxury senior living communities also have bingo, movies, bridge, arts and crafts, socials, musical entertainment, and regular outings. Seniors who can live an independent lifestyle, but want to be near friends as well as a qualified, professional medical staff available at any time of day, should consider living in an independent retirement living center.

Assisted Living

Many retirees who can live independently and those who need the help of a medical staff on a daily basis choose to relocate to warmer areas like California or Florida. Assisted living communities are for people who may need help with activities of daily living, such as walking, bathing, and dressing. They may also need help with medication management and require daily nursing assistance as well. Oftentimes, residents of assisted living facilities suffer from memory loss or impairment, and need someone to help them to and from their room around the clock.

However, those in assisted living retirement communities can still stay active. With the help of a dedicated medical staff, residents can participate in physical activities like walks, water aerobics, and beach ball volleyball. As in independent living centers, those in assisted living can also take part in recreational and social activities like bridge games, musical entertainment, and bingo.

Choosing The Right Type Of Living

It can sometimes be hard to know if you or your loved one should be in an independent living community or assisted living community. The main thing to consider is if the person can manage their activities in daily life without any assistance. If they can generally take care of themselves, are physically able, can remember to take their medicines, and are free from memory loss or major physical ailments, an independent living community will usually suffice.

Otherwise, the person probably needs an assisted living center. Those debating between the two types of senior living should discuss the options with their health care provider, and tour different retirement communities in the area. With time, you'll find the right fit for your needs and lifestyle.

Christine O'Kelly is an author for Aston Gardens, a premier developer of award-winning Florida retirement communities. Aston Gardens offers luxury senior living for the active retiree.

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Caregiving - Assess Your Stress and Take Steps to Manage It

2009-08-10T19:25:00.001+05:30

My mother had dementia and I was her caregiver for nine years. This experience gave me a clear picture of caregiver stress. Though I took proactive steps to manage my stress, by the time my mother died I was exhausted. It took me a year to regain my strength and optimism.

What is caregiver stress? According to "Frequently Asked Questions: Caregiver Stress," an article on the Womens Health Website (a government agency), it is the emotional and physical strain of caregiving. "Caregiver stress appears to affect women more than men," notes the article.

You may be so busy with caregiving that you pay little attention to your own health. Vicki L. Schmall and Ruth E. Stiehl, authors of the booklet, "Coping with Caregiving: How to Manage Stress when Caring for Older Relatives," think all caregivers make sacrifices. "No matter your relationship or age, as a caregiver you are making concessions and a personal sacrifice to provide care for another person," they write.

Caregiver stress increases over time. You may recognize your stress, but not the extent of it. Fortunately, tools have been developed to help you determine your stress level. One tool, "Caregiver Self-Assessment Questionnaire: How are You?" was developed by the American Medical Association (AMA). The "yes" or "no" questionnaire pertains to one week of caregiving. It has 18 points, such as "Felt completely overwhelmed" and "Been edgy or irritable."

At the end of the questionnaire you tally your score. If you answered "yes" to specific questions, "chances are that you are experiencing a high degree of stress," according to the AMA.

Schmall and Stiehl include a "yes" or "no" questionnaire in their booklet. Their questionnaire focuses on some of the warning signs of stress. There are 11 questions on the form, including "Are you becoming more isolated?" According to the authors, answering "yes" to even some of the questions "can indicate that stress has become debilitating."

Family members may also serve as a stress assessment resource. One day my husband told me I was short-tempered. His comment surprised me because I have a steady, even personality. But nine years of caregiving had taken a toll on me. Toward the end of my mother's life, when I awakened each morning, I wondered if this would be the day she died.

According to the article, "Selected Caregiving Statistics," published on the Family Caregiver Website, caregiving can last a few months or decades. "Studies have found that caregivers may have increased blood pressure and insulin levels, may have impaired immune systems and may be at increased risk for cardiovascular disease," the article explains.

Don't wait for your stress to go away. See your doctor if your stress level is going up and ask him or her to assess your stress. Your doctor will also be able to provide you with information on community resources. Joining a caregiving support group can also help to relieve stress.

The American Association of Retired Persons compares stress management to regular car maintenance. In its article, "Managing the Stress of Caregiving," the orgnization says stress management is "critical to staying in shape over time." So get to stress before it gets to you!

http://www.harriethodgson.com

Harriet Hodgson has been an independent journalist for 30 years. She is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, the Association of Health Care Journalists, and the Association for Death Education and Counseling. Her 24th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, MD, is available from Amazon.

Centering Corporation in Omaha, Nebraska has published her 26th book, "Writing to Recover: The Journey from Loss and Grief to a New Life." The company has also published a companion resource, the "Writing to Recover Journal," which contains 100 writing prompts. Please visit Harriet's Website and learn more about this busy author and grandmother.

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

Family Caregiver - Part 1 Caring For Elderly Disabled With Parkinson's

2009-08-10T19:23:00.001+05:30

We are married 32 years, so there were good times before he became ill. I have no degrees or titles than enable me to offer these tips for Parkinson's care except that of being the family caregiver to my husband. For the last 12 years we have lived with this disease. In the beginning he was only mildly affected but over time his disease has progressed to him being a wheelchair patient. For the first 6 years I was his sole care giver, living with and getting to know his limitations that changed from day to day.

He was 71 years old, I, 22 years younger, was 49. (He is now 82, I am 60. ) My career came to an abrupt halt as I stayed home to be the family caregiver for my husband. In desperation I searched frantically for assistance to cover his medications and help to adapt the house to his needs. Everywhere I tried, either there was no program to help us or we were only dollars from being eligible. Finally one day I made the right contact at the PA Department of Public Welfare Area Agency on Aging for our county.

I had tried there the previous year and was told there was no program to help. I called there again and again every few months. On my last call I coincidentally timed it at the beginning of a new program and was able to get my husband enrolled. The program was not for Parkinson's disease patients only, but for any senior that might otherwise be placed into a nursing home. The goal of this program is to keep the senior patient in their home, out of a facility, as long as possible. We have been enrolled 6 years. This program has been a life saver, life changer.

I am still the family caregiver but this resource

* has provided for us a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) to help me care for him and enable me to regain a few hours a day of my own.
* helped us make adaptations to our home so he can use the bathroom and stairs.
* has given him prescription coverage.

I strongly urge you to seek help from this agency if you are or have a senior that needs assistance. There are other agencies that may be able to help in different ways. Keep knocking on doors, making phone calls.
Our age difference has benefited this relationship and how we are able to deal with the demands of his condition. If I were older, I would not be physically able to care for him at home. The weird part of this, if it was me that was sick, because I am not a senior (yet), I would not be eligible for these programs. Some of you may be in this position, and I don't know what advice to offer to you.

Hopefully you will find the help you need. By the way, being family caregiver in my house also includes two senior Black Labrador retrievers aged 11+, who are on medication. Could the family help? We have no children. My husband has four children by his previous marriage, of whom only one keeps touch with him. She cared for her mother-in-law until she passed away a few years ago. She knows what is involved in caring for her father, but does not have the time due to her other commitments.

I do try to keep her in the loop when his condition changes and she does offer moral support. We all seem to have at one time or another the responsibility of being a family caregiver. Dealing with his varying conditions has given me reason to create some interesting items that help me to care for him.

Please visit my web site http://caregiversaide.com/ to see my Patent Pending Skid Seat, my Bed Sled reusable bed pad and related items you may find useful in caring for your loved one. Thank you.

Caring for my husband these 12 years has given me a genuine understanding and sympathy for other caregivers and their individual situations. I am always looking for a better, easier way to help him through the day. If he's happy then we're both happy.

Karen Shiffert is the inventor and manufacturer of the Patent Pending Skid Seat (R) developed in the course of caring for her physicaly disabled husband. Her company, Caregiversaide,LLC offers products she has either developed or discovered to help her care for her husband.

Visit http://caregiversaide.com/ to view her products and accompanying video demonstrations.

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

Senior Living Guide

2009-08-10T19:22:00.003+05:30

A senior living guide can help you to ensure the safety and security of you or your loved one. By taking the extra time required to research senior and assisted living facilities and their reputations, you can keep yourself - or your family member - out of the papers and off the news.

One important aspect of a dependable senior living guide includes a list of questions and considerations to investigate as you weigh alternatives. These should include simple but often overlooked questions of facility directors or perhaps your own independent research. Some of these questions may include the following:

• How many incidents of resident injuries or accidents have occurred?

• How many incidents of resident injuries or accidents have occurred recently, in the past 5 years?

• What procedures are in place to ensure medications are correctly dispensed?

• How often is the local police department dispatched to the facility?

• What is the current ratio of staff to residents?

• How many complaints, overall, have been filed by residents or family members?

You will want to add on your own set of questions and/or concerns to this existing list. These are a few of the obvious questions you'll want to address when creating your own senior living guide.

When you do your due diligence, your research and evaluation of assisted living care facilities should be as broad and all-encompassing as possible. This is a very important decision that you or your loved ones will have to make - therefore, each and every concern you might have should not be overlooked.

Assisted Living Dallas - Click here and let Senior Living Specialists provide FREE and complimentary services to help you locate the best assisted living residence in the Dallas, Texas area. We also provide referral services across the country!

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

Senior Living - 3 Ways to Improve Your Health and Mind

2009-08-10T19:22:00.001+05:30

As people age, they often worry about declining health, brain functions, and mood. Senior citizens may also worry about moving into a retirement community or assisted living center. While it's an unfortunate fact that aging can mean the onset of disease and disability, there are things seniors can do to improve their physical and mental condition.

Exercising, volunteering, and staying active in different ways can vastly improve a person's health and frame of mind. Senior living doesn't have to be boring or inactive. Whether you live on your own or in a retirement community, choosing fun, fulfilling activities that fill up your time is great for maintaining or bettering your overall health.

Exercise

Exercising is an important habit to maintain throughout life to keep your body in shape and prevent the onset of heart problems, obesity, and other health problems. As people age, it's very important to maintain a regular exercise routine. Most retirement communities offer a wide range of fitness classes with different levels of exertion. You should look for fitness classes or exercise methods that involve not only cardiovascular health, but also different muscle groups. Your workout doesn't have to be extremely strenuous. If you've never exercised before, you may just start with a simple walk.

Senior living centers often have walking groups, as well as games that work the upper body. Even playing bingo offers residents range-of-motion exercises when they raise their arms in the air upon winning! Retirement communities in Florida or other warm climates also usually have swimming pools, so residents can take part in water aerobics that are easy on the joints and limbs. It doesn't matter which type of exercise you choose, as long as you do something.

Volunteer

Volunteering allows seniors to be around other younger people and give back to their community. By interacting with younger people, senior citizens can feel more youthful themselves and pass on worldly advice to children or young adults. People may choose to volunteer in a school, library, church, or charitable organization.

Senior living centers often organize volunteer opportunities for residents. Since volunteering allows people to feel useful and like they're making a difference, this can do wonders for a person's emotional and mental health.

Stay Active

Maintaining a busy schedule means less time for boredom and depression. By staying active, you better yourself emotionally and physically. Traveling to new places, attending shows, and cultivating new hobbies all stimulate the mind. Many senior living facilities have extensive recreational and social calendars with a wide array of events. Whether you enjoy arts and crafts, Bible study, or musical entertainment, you're sure to have plenty of things to do in an active retirement community.

With age, it's important to keep physical, mental, and emotional health in the best shape possible. By exercising, volunteering, and staying occupied with varied activities, senior citizens can improve their overall health and state of mind.

Christine O'Kelly is an author for Aston Gardens, a premier developer of award-winning Florida retirement communities. Aston Gardens offers luxury senior living for the active retiree.

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

Tracing Your Family Lineage With the Use of a Genealogy Chart

2009-06-11T11:35:00.001+05:30

The family is the basic structure of human society. It is from this basic building block that all other groups and structures present in the society are built and dependent upon. As such, the primary environment of community and oneness that the family provides is one of the most important social bonds that can ever be formed among human beings - a bond that is strong and lasting and reinforced by blood and kinship; a bond that is strengthened further over time through family lineage.

It is because of this that tracing our family lineage becomes an important and worthwhile endeavor. Being able to identify the people both in the past and present who have made this kinship possible, and to pay tribute to their contribution to the growth of the family gives individuals a sense of camaraderie with their kin as well as a sense of security in the fact that they know exactly who the people they can count on are.

Taking up genealogy, which is what we call the study of family kinship and lineage, though rewarding is not always an easy task. It requires detailed research and an eye for organizing details that may tend to overwhelm beginners by their sheer volume and tedious requirements.

Even if you have arrived at the point wherein you've gathered sufficient data through interviews with parents, grandparents, aunts, cousins and uncles, as well as followed paper trails that have helped you acquire documentation to back up these stories, organizing the details can become one of the trickiest areas to maneuver.

Fortunately, however, there are such things as charts that enable genealogy researchers to organize their data efficiently and easily, allowing them to retrieve this data and read it relatively easily as well. It is thus one of the most important tools that genealogy enthusiasts can ever possess in their quest to build a complete and concise documentation of their family tree.

For the technologically-savvy, there is plenty of available software with electronic charts included in the package. There are also websites on the internet that provide this tool for free and are easily downloadable from the web. These online charts are infinitely helpful in arranging the data that has been acquired so that confusion can be easily avoided.

For those, however, who are technologically-challenged, or who simply want to do it old-school, you can keep it simple by creating your own genealogy chart on paper. It has very little requirements and anyone can do it. In any case, it is important to keep a back up of your records to make sure that the data you've worked so hard to find and organize remains accessible and wouldn't get lost or compromised.

Engaging in genealogy research may challenge your research skills, your patience and your ability to organize, but the fruits borne at the end of this exercise are definitely worth the effort.

Bill Turnbull has been studying genealogy for 15 years and in that time has discovered the secrets to building family trees effortlessly online. For more great information on Genealogy visit Build Family Tree Online

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

Tips in Growing Green Today or at Least Saves Some Money If You're Not Green!

2009-06-11T11:34:00.001+05:30

Here are many small simple tips you can follow:
• Plug your television into a power bar and turn that off when you aren't watching.
• Wash your clothes in cold water. Since a high amount of the electricity is used in washing your clothes because of heating the water, using cold rather than hot water will save you tons of money
• Install a low-flow showerhead.
• Set the photocopier to print double-sided only. It takes ten times as much energy to make a piece of paper than it takes to copy onto it
• Boiling water for tea in a pot on your gas stove uses one-third the energy of a plug-in kettle
• Choose a laptop than a desktop - it uses about six times less electricity than a desktop
• Turn the screen saver off. Screen savers don't save electricity. Rather, set your computer to go into sleep mode when you're not using it.
• Get rid of that old Fridge and get a new Energy Star model
• Make sure you clean and replace your furnace filter often. A dirty filter forces your furnace to work harder to heat your home.
• When summer comes, keep the blinds closed and run a couple of fans instead of air conditioning
• On sunny days during the winter make sure you open your south-facing drapes and let the sun in
• See the commercial on TV? - Unplug your chargers i.e. cell phones, PDAs, digital cameras, cordless tools and other gadgets when you're not charging.
• Turn your thermostat down at night, even a 4-degree Celsius could cut your gas bill by 10 per cent
• Get some foam sleeve insulation to insulate your hot water pipes and wrap it around the first nine feet off your water heater.
• Go from Gas-powered lawnmower to an old-fashioned push-and-pull model.
• Hang your laundry on a clothesline instead of throwing them in the dryer
• Drive at the speed limit. Going from 120 kilometers an hour to 100 cuts your fuel consumption.
• Buy a reusable coffee mug.
• Plug gaps around pipes, ducts, fans and vents that go through walls, ceilings and floors from heated to unheated spaces.
• Don't throw out that toner cartridge. Instead, reuse it.
• Use Energy-efficient automatic dishwashers that use half the energy and less water to the old fashioned way
• Fix Dripping taps
• Use a microwave instead of a conventional oven. You can save to 50 per cent of your cooking energy.
• Don't idle. You will save you gas and populate less
• Switch off your computer before you leave work.
In conclusion, simple lifestyle changes can make a big difference. It does not take much of your time to do all of these things. Think about how it changes things especially your pocket book, especially if you are not Green minded.

Steve Harrison

http://alternativeenergysourcenews.blogspot.com/

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

What You Want to Know About Aquarium Lighting

2009-05-27T15:05:00.002+05:30

Aquarium lighting is not just used for decoration so that you can see your fishes clearly during the night. They are also needed and are an important part of a reef aquarium. The proper lighting in an aquarium allows corals and invertebrates to survive. Light for these creatures is needed as their source of photosynthesis so they can generate more energy and food. Without it they will wither and die. So the lighting should be treated as an essential part of an aquarium.

Lightings for an aquarium can be divided in four main types. They are the fluorescent lighting, compact fluorescent lighting, incandescent lighting and metal halide lighting. The basic parts in an aquarium lighting system are the hoods, timers, reflectors, shields and ballasts.

For a living room set up, fluorescent lighting is the ideal lighting to use. Fluorescent bulbs are also very safe and energy-efficient and are ideal for tropical fish. Fluorescent lights come in different wattages, colors and lengths and are rated according to milliamp.

Compact fluorescent lighting is similar to fluorescent lighting but is much more powerful, energy-efficient and a great source for high-intensity lighting. It is the ideal aquarium lighting for deeper tanks.

On the other hand, for both small and big aquariums Incandescent lighting is ideal because of its versatile and inexpensive qualities. For small aquariums such type of lighting is very advantageous because it can fit different types of bulbs into it but in a deeper aquarium, this type of lighting becomes a disadvantage because the brightness of light is inadequate and bulb life is short.

But if you are looking for a more compact and aesthetic appeal and don't like fluorescent lights then a metal halide lighting may be the right fit for you. This type of lighting is very popular for reef or planted aquarium as it can really give an intensive light source. Its bulbs come in different colors and temperatures can produce a considerable amount of heat that is very useful in raising the temperatures of the aquarium water.

In choosing the right basic parts in an aquarium lighting system, hoods that easily open up with ease would be the practical choice while glass hoods are ideal for aquariums that have a sophisticated mix-and-match lighting system. Metal Halide lamps which produce harmful UV radiation and high emissions of heat should have built-in fans and UV absorbent filters.

Timers are devices that automatically turn an aquarium lighting system on and off at the same time every day. Timers can also control lighting hoods that are fitted with electronic ballasts.

Reflectors are used to direct light where it is needed. You can choose between the two basic types. They are the divergent and convergent. These two types either scatter or focus right amount light rays into the aquarium.

A shield is piece of glass that keeps water away from the bulbs and also helps prevent glass from falling into the aquarium if a bulb should break. It also keeps heat away from the water and reduces the damage caused by UV emissions.

Then ballasts are used to regulate the voltage from the regular source. They prevent burn-out bulbs and fires.

So, you see, there are a lot of choices, a lot of parts to choose from and to consider, so that you can get the right aquarium lighting. But always remember that they are not only used to make your aquarium look good and that each type of lighting functions differently and is compatible to different aquarium sizes. So choose well.

Great Summer Activities For Your Hen Weekend

2009-05-27T15:05:00.001+05:30

With summer just round the corner and the weather being kinder to us in the UK, if you're planning a hen weekend for the next few months why not think about taking advantage of the lovely climate? There are some fantastic hen weekend activities which are super fun to enjoy during the summer that will no doubt excite and entertain you and the girls! Here's a look at some great summer hen weekend activities for you to think about.

Horse Riding.
What better way to see the beautiful British countryside than on horseback? This is an excellent hen weekend activities when the weather is nice. You don't have to be an expert rider either as most centres offering horse riding will offer an experience that covers all levels from beginners up. It's worth checking this before you book anything just to make sure that your group can be accommodated. Saddle up and then giddy up as you venture out into the beautiful country for a relaxing afternoon on your hen weekend.

Picnic in the Park
Perhaps you have a big night out ahead and fancy something a little relaxing during the day of your hen weekend. Nothing quite says British summer than taking a picnic with your best friends and sitting in a lovely park. There are so many beautiful spots up and down the country that no matter where you've decided to have your hen weekend, you're bound to find somewhere picturesque to enjoy a hamper filled with snacks for you and the girls. Don't forget the champagne and a Frisbee!

Canoeing
If the weather's warm and the sun is bright then hitting the water on your hen weekend is a fabulous way to wave goodbye to your last weekend of freedom. There's nothing more refreshing than hitting the cool water on a hot summer's day and canoeing is fantastic fun for all levels of experience. You won't have to do anything you're not comfortable with as you and the girls make your way down river on an unforgettable canoeing experience.

Explore a City
The UK boasts some wonderful cities that make excellent locations for hen weekends. In the winter months it's great to cosy up in a pub or an indoor activity but if the sunshine is out then we say a hen party should be as well! A great way to spend your day in a city is to find out as much about the place before you go and then hit the streets to explore. Don your best summer dress and comfy sandals and wander simply take in the sights and sounds of your hen weekend destination.

Pampering
Okay, we know a pampering activity on your hen weekend isn't strictly something you need good weather for as it's done indoors. However, the summer months are so much better for being pampered and beautified and then showing off your newly glowing skin to the world as you sit sipping a refreshing drink outside a pub or restaurant. So whether you're getting your nails, hair or make up done, you can be sure to have a better time flaunting it outside in the sunshine!

For more information about summer hen weekend activities visit: http://www.henheaven.co.uk/

Hen Heaven has been sending girls on memorable hen parties since 2003 and their wealth of experience in organising hen weekends keeps people coming back for more! With a passionate, friendly team, your hen weekend is in good hand from start to finish. For a quote or any questions, get in touch!

How to Make Money Writing at Home

2009-04-14T13:14:00.001+05:30

Many people are interested in how to make money writing, especially seeing as you don't need any prior experience and it's an easy way to get started making some extra money from home. In fact many people go on to give up their day jobs and earn a full time income working from home as a freelance writer.

You might be mistaken by thinking that you need to have a degree in English to work as a writer. That's not so. In fact as long as you have basically good English with reasonable spelling and grammar then you can make a lot of money writing online.

The only tools you will need are your brain and a computer with Internet access. You don't need any money to get started either. Many writers once they gain some experience and an established client base can command as much as $50 or more per hour so it can be a very lucrative business.

Writing is one particular job that will never be affected by the recession. Content is always needed - articles, reports, ebooks, blog posts and sales copy are just a few of the writing opportunities available. Webmasters all over the net are constantly outsourcing their writing needs to ordinary people like you and me.

If you want to know how to make money writing at home there are many books and online programs available that can teach you how to get started. With the right information you could be earning hundreds of dollars a week very quickly.

Online Data Entry - The Easiest Way to Get Started With Online Data Entry

2009-04-14T13:13:00.001+05:30

Do you dream of achieving financial freedom by working from home? There are many great options available to you if this is your goal. The internet is full of a world of opportunities, however there are a lot of scams too, so it is important to do some research before joining a work at home program.

Data entry is one option that is very popular at the moment. It's very easy to get started, and with the right information virtually anyone can do it. Data entry doesn't involve working for an employer in the traditional sense, so basically you can choose your own work hours and do as much (or as little) work as you want. If you prefer to work for an employer then online data entry work probably isn't the right option for you.

The easiest way to get started doing data entry is to join a data entry program. Many of these programs are very good and offer excellent training to help you get started. In fact you don't even need prior experience because anyone can do it.

Now I'm not going to say that you'll earn hundreds of dollars a day from the beginning because you won't. Despite what many of these programs advertise, it does take time and effort to learn the ropes and be really good at what you do. However the income potential is almost unlimited, so even if you start small you can work your way up to big earnings (much bigger than you could ever expect from an offline job).

27,000+ people are making money using data entry programs. See how you could change your life just like them.

Home Based Data Entry - Beat the Recession and Work at Home Doing Data Entry

2009-04-14T13:12:00.002+05:30

It's pretty disheartening turning on the news these days when all you hear about is the economic crisis and how the recession is affecting people financially. Many have lost their jobs, foreclosures are rising, and some are even finding it difficult to put food on the table.

So is there anything one can do, or do we just have to weather the storm and wait for the recession to blow over?

Luckily it's not all doom and gloom. Many people who work online aren't affected by the recession at all, and if you are interested in working online there are many lucrative opportunities available.

Now just because I say that I don't want anyone to go out and join the first work at home program they see - far from it. There are a lot of scams online, and if you don't do your research carefully you could end up losing a lot of money rather than making some.

One legitimate work at home opportunity is home based data entry. The beauty of online data entry is that you don't need to have any prior experience, and even better because it's not a traditional J-O-B you're actually working for yourself, so you can choose your own hours. You could work around your day job if you already have one and make some extra money or you could do data entry full time.

So how can you get started doing home based data entry work? Do some research, find a good program that offers the training and resources you need, and just get started as soon as you can. The sooner you start, the sooner you will learn the ropes, and the more experience you get, the more money you can earn.

27,000+ people are making money using data entry programs. See how you could change your life just like them.

Work From Home Opportunities - Being Your Own Boss

2009-04-14T13:12:00.001+05:30

There are a thousand websites, books, articles, and magazines about working from home online. Many of them are fairly generalized, and can leave you wondering what work from home opportunities really are. Start here - they are not a job.

Work from home opportunities are great ways to make money online. They typically carry a high success rate for those that put in the time and effort to make them work. After a couple of years of working regularly, you can begin slacking off and earn that residual income everyone talks about.

The important thing to remember about work from home opportunities is that you are not being given a job. You may be given a title, a product or service, even a website-but not employment. Typically you make your money by earning commission on products or subscription services. You may also make money through bonuses earned by helping others get started in the opportunity.

For all intents and purposes, however, you will be an independent contractor. You will be responsible for your own taxes and your own finances. You may receive training, mentoring, and even sales materials. But in the end, you are in business for yourself, which is why these opportunities are so successful.

Be prepared to invest a little bit of money, however. Most work from home opportunities require a small investment, anywhere from fifty to five hundred dollars, or more. These start up fees can be compared to franchise fees-you are paying for the right to sell certain products and/or services under the company name. In most cases at least one website and a few tools to get you started will also be included in these initial fees.

Do not let this investment scare you off. You are much more likely to make money with work from home opportunities than you are as a freelancer. In fact, you could make much more money, and in the end work much less.

How to Fire Your Boss Forever! Finally - Real Work From Home Strategies That Work Like Magic

2009-04-14T13:10:00.000+05:30

Who else is really ready to fire their boss and start taking control of your own financial future? If you are anything like most of the people who write to me on a daily basis, you have tons of financial fears, job insecurity and even worse.....a complete and utter level of dissatisfaction with your job and career situation.

I've got some very simple advice for you...

Life is short, and most people go through it unhappy. Tomorrow is promised to NONE of us, and no matter how trite, cliche and simple that statement is, it's also dead on true. A great poet and writer once said (and I paraphrase) that all men (and women too..:-) lives of quiet desperation, and the sad but unfortunate truth is that many of us do.

So what is the answer?

Decide what you want to do with your life, and with your career and simply do it. Pick your passion and parlay it into profit and make it happen in a hurry.

What is the best way to get started?

From home and without much capital? Easy! Create an informational product first. Put your passion onto paper (or pixel) or even simply record yourself talking about what you know the most about it, and transcribe it into a little ebook or give away. Or even easier yet, offer an audio on a blog......or podcast that helps people solve problems related to your niche, or topic of interest. There are so many different ways to slice and dice and turn various powerful permutations of this general idea into profit, that this article could take me 3 days to write.

What other methods do you recommend to start making money from home immediately?

I love article marketing, because it's free, and very easy to learn, and very easy to do very well. This article, for example is a perfect illustration of this strategy, and you can simply copy MY approach and do the very same thing for your area of interest. (i.e. - write an article, submit to EZA directory, send your traffic to a page that offers a freebie in exchange for a name, and relationship build with the people who subscribe until you've given them so much value they'd be SILLY not to want to pay you for products or services you created in step #1)

Bonus Tip: Give up on the Gurus! There is NO course, no DVD and no secret seminar that's going to make you successful overnight. Are there strategies that can accelerate ( and accentuate) your efforts? Absolutely. But is any "business in a box" solution going to get you where you want to be by itself? Absolutely not...and anyone who tells you otherwise is trying to sell you something you DON'T need to get there....I promise.

Jobs Found Through Networking

2009-01-28T23:48:00.002+05:30

Do you remember those things called "rolodexes"? You know...the big bulky things that sit on your desk with someone's handwritten name and phone number bunched in with a million others? Well, those are a thing of the past. If you can manage all your networking through an old-school rolodex, you must be doing something wrong. Networking has become an art, and requires finesse and much attention. Done right, networking can be your most powerful asset when it comes to finding a job.

When you think about it, your network of business contacts are really a lifeline that you can use should you encounter an emergency (i.e. being laid off). With that in mind, you should think of your networking list as something that should be checked on every now and then to make sure it's functioning properly. You wouldn't leave the same fire extinguisher in your house and hope it will do the job in 25 years if a fire should start up, right? No, you'd check it on a regular recommended schedule. You should follow the same theory when it comes to your business acquaintances.

Nowadays, list maintenance can be a little more efficient to manage utilizing software like LinkedIn or Naymz. You can keep in contact by connecting through profiles, which it is up to the individual to perpetually update. What's the benefit in that? Well, previously, before these networks existed, you may have had your ex-boss' business email address. If he happened to leave that job, and you've stopped communicating, and you try to contact him five years down the road, you have nothing to go on except a bounced email from an address that no longer works. Now, if you're using software like those mentioned above, the person can update their contact information constantly, even if they move from job to job, and there is no extra effort for you to keep up with them.

This is not to say that you should just make sure you add each business contact to your professional online profile and leave them there to rot without any communication. It's important for people to feel that networking is a two-way street when it comes to you. If you add no value, what value is it to them to be your acquaintance? Ask a business associate to catch up over lunch, send Christmas cards, or even just say "Hi" over a quick 10-minute call every now and then. Massage your contact list.

If you keep up with your networking, you should never be in a completely hopeless situation. You would be amazed who people know. Your plumber may be connected to the CEO of that IT firm you've been trying to get to hire you. Don't just limit yourself to business associates. Next time you're standing in line at the grocery store, introduce yourself to the person behind you. You never know...they could be the next Bill Gates.

To get the real tips, strategies, and time saving lessons on how to land your dream job, or for more free advice, visit: http://www.carvechi.com

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

The Networking Prophecy

2009-01-28T23:48:00.001+05:30

As a champion networker, can you predict your networking success? Can you look into the future and see all of your endeavors and hard work fulfilled? Can you see yourself at the top of the mountain? Many professionals have visions for big success and use their positive thoughts, resources and hard sweat to achieve their business and social goals. There are ways in which professionals can gage their success and create a path of possibility to reaching their goals and objectives.

Listed below are specific ways in which professionals can claim their networking victories ahead of time!

Date Line

All prophecies have an expected date of completion. What is your predicted date of success? Is it within one month, one year or five years? Is this time frame realistic to seeing your networking endeavors come to pass? The best way to select a date is to make a list of steps needed to reach your objectives. These steps should be detailed and dated so that you can reach a date of completion for the mission.

Roll Call

Who are the key players in the fruition of your prophecy? Who is carrying the mantle of success or running the race to the finish line? Who or what is needed as a form of resources and contacts? How are their abilities, services and products valuable to reaching the networking goal? These are important questions to answer because they set the platform for the vision. These are workable tools that can be added or subtracted during the time process.

The Journey

To see a prophecy come to pass, there is usually a journey period. During this journey there can be tests and trials and as well as mini victories and triumphs. As a champion networker, what ways do you use to navigate through the journey? How can you sustain yourself or grow and develop during this period? Is it necessary to get a mentor or join a professional group of like minded individuals? Is it necessary to gain more training through reading books or attending workshops or classes?

Chi Chi Okezie is owner/producer of SIMPLEnetworking, LLC in Metro-Atlanta, GA. Newly published author of "SIMPLEnetworking: Creating Opportunities ... The new form of success!" View excerpts of the book and polish your professional approach: http://www.snseminars.com

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

Dazed and Confused About Networking

2009-01-28T23:48:00.000+05:30

Professionals, students and entrepreneurs who are testing the networking waters may find it a bit challenging on their first strokes. Networking is such an amazing and practical tool that it is important to know how to use it correctly. Being a champion at this game requires skill, talent and knowing the sometimes unwritten and unspoken rules. How can individuals who are new at networking develop the proper skills? How can use networking to advance academically and professionally? How can professionals feel comfortable in various environments? How can they communicate effectively with counterparts in order to build lasting relationships?

Listed below are simply tips that individuals can use for their first tries at networking.

According to Webster

To get a better understanding of networking, it is appropriate to find out what the dictionary says about it. It is the act of meeting people in a business atmosphere. People are encouraged to visit various websites of clubs, organizations and associations are read their mission statements. Find out what networking means to those groups and how they encourage their members to connect with each other and do business. Another good idea is to learn the basic etiquette tips for meetings and protocol. Find out the proper ways to dress for events, proper handshakes, giving out business cards and eating in formal settings. These are all common ways of interacting with others and behaving in public.

Book Worm

Take some time to read about networking and its benefits. Reading articles, books, blogs and the internet will help clarify any myths about networking and business. Select current reading material that is associated with your industry or profession. Learn about the key networkers and their character traits, tips and effective tactics. The more a person reads, the more confident they will be in their endeavors. Also, use this as an opportunity to create goals and objectives for professional and social success.

Kiddie Pool

Before a professional decides to dive into networking, we suggest attending different events as a guest of a friend or colleague. It is a good idea to tag along side a more seasoned networker and learn the ropes. Use this as an opportunity to meet new people and imitate your colleague or friends. It is important to pay close attention to their actions and gestures. Listen to their conversation and methods of interacting with others. Professionals should try to ask questions which can give insight on how to become a good networker.

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

Network Marketing - Understanding the Source of Attraction

2008-12-16T22:47:00.001+05:30

Attraction marketing is a method that has been in the business world for decades and it has never been publicized in network marketing. The reasons being that you are not able to duplicate according to many old school network marketers.

No wonder 99% of the people in this industry ever achieve a full time income. If you continue to ignore this method and really on making cold calling and emailing garbage lead you will be part of the 99% I just mentioned. I had a lot of experience with the old school way of network marketing and I knew right away that it wasn't for me.

I was very fortunate to learn and develop the method of attraction marketing. I began to focus on getting people to come to me instead of me trying to chase them around. You can definitely utilize this concept to become a better network marketer and start having people ask about your business. The problem that many newbies encounter is very simple. They are lead to believe that making the most calls to people they don't know is the best way to explode their business. They are told that putting the business first and hidden your face can duplicate. Well the truth is this is all wrong!

The key to making your business explode is to implement attraction marketing by branding yourself as a leader and building relationships with different people you encounter. Just like these people can learn from you there is a chance that you can learn something from them.

For more information feel free to click on link located in my resources box. Thank you.

The Differences Between Direct Sales and MLM Companies

2008-12-16T22:46:00.001+05:30

For those who want to work from home or run their own business, two common ways to do so is through a direct sales business or a multi-level marketing company. Many people use the terms interchangeably, and although they can be similar, they aren't exactly the same thing. So, what is the difference between direct sales and MLM companies? Let's take a closer look to help you understand.

Direct Sales Business

A direct sales business is one in which you can work for an already established company. The company normally sells products or services and they look for representatives to help them do so. This allows an individual to become a representative via their own business and sell the company's products.

This makes it easier for someone to work for themselves without the overhead costs associated with starting a business from scratch. Many times the individual will also be able to sell the products without maintaining an inventory. This saves the rep money as well because there is no need to house the products yourself or pay for storage.

The company will already have packages set up that include product samples, promotional material and more for the representative to use. A good direct sales company will also provide training and other resources to help the business owner grow their business. These packages do cost money to purchase but many times it's a one-time fee and the individual will be able to use these items as long as they are working with the company.

You then use the material provided and sell the products of the company. In turn, the company pays you a percentage of all the sales you make. Depending on the company you are working with you might be able to set your own sales price and keep any money left over after you've paid for the items from the company.

For instance, let's say the cost for you to purchase an item is $1. According to the company's policy you are allowed to mark up the sales price to whatever you choose so you sell the item for $2. Once you receive the money from your customer, you pay the direct sales company their dollar and you keep the remaining dollar for yourself.

There are tons of direct sales companies out there that allow someone to start their own business by selling for them. A few common examples, that you may have heard of include, Avon, Tupperware, Home Interiors and Mary Kay.

These companies sell kitchenware, make up and other products but look to expand their company's profits by working with business owners around the world who like the idea of running their own business, but want the security of something already well established.

Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) Companies

With multi-level marketing companies, it's common to see the same names as you do with direct sales companies. As a matter of fact, most direct sales companies have some form of MLM in their business structure for those interested.

Multi-level marketing is just what its name implies - multi-levels of income potential. Let's use an example to help you understand how it works. You've just signed up with Company X to be a representative and sell their products to others. You've also been offered the opportunity to recruit others to also sell the products.

You book a party and the hostess (we'll call her Susan) decides she would like to sell Company X products as well. You sign Susan up and she becomes a member of your "down line." You will now make money from the sales received from your customers and you'll also make money when Susan sells products as well. Susan can do the same and depending on the company policy, you might be able to make money on sales that Susan's down line creates as well.

Although the terms direct sales and MLM are used interchangeably, they aren't the same thing. The reason is because most direct sales companies do not require their reps to participate in the multi-level aspect of the business. There is more money to be made when an individual chooses to recruit others, but for some that just isn't their cup of tea. Companies realize this and many are just as happy to offer both options to their potential representatives.

Is Network Marketing a Scam? What You Need to Know Before You Join MLM

2008-12-16T22:45:00.000+05:30

After being in the home business industry for some time now, I always get the question is network marketing a scam. It's true that there is a huge failure rate in the business, but does that necessarily mean it's a fraud business? Well let's look a little further into the whole situation.

Most people quit, plain and simple. Either because they can't get enough leads or run out of money to support their business. So who's fault is it? The company or the person themselves. In our society today it is easy to point the finger and not take the blame for themselves. That doesn't mean that network marketing is a scam, it just means that they went into something not truly understand what it was.

Also, people come into it as a get rich quick. If you fell for this assumption, please back away now. A lot of people don't get rich quick, even though no other industry in the world has helped create more millionaires than MLM. The point is, you should always expect trial and error. If you continue to persist, there is no way you can fail.

Finally, you have to get proper training on how to run your business. Remember, the words network marketing, which the marketing aspect is rarely touched upon. Calling family and friends is what most people hate to do. Instead, you can acquire the proper training to attract interested prospects to you instead of the other way around.

The marketing aspect is a huge part of the business and unfortunately, is one of the main reason people tend to call network marketing a scam.

No matter what you do in network marketing, always expect a challenge, don't think your going to get rich fast, and get the proper training on marketing.

Of course there is much more to touch on but this should get you going on the right track.

Is There a Global Resorts Scandal Brewing?

2008-12-16T22:44:00.000+05:30

If you are looking for an online business, there is no doubt you have stumbled onto Global Resorts Network. There have been many rumors about GRN. It's amazing how many half truths are being told about the company. Considering that Global has been in the travel business for over two decades should give you an indication that the company is not scandalous.

The company specializes in luxury resort vacations around the world. It has two different types of memberships - a three year "gold" membership and a lifetime "platinum" membership. The company touts over 5000 locations in 70 plus countries with members staying in 3-5 star resort accommodations.

Some insinuate that the vacations are bogus. Well, make an online reservation or by telephone to find out how easy it is to make a reservation, whether it be a spur of the moment booking or for a vacation with Global Resorts six months from now, this makes time shares obsolete.

The platinum package is a lifetime membership to a luxury resort vacation club. This membership provides you the opportunity to travel to over 5000 locations in over 70 countries staying in 3 - 5 star resorts.

You'll spend 8 days and 7 nights in a luxury resort for as little as $298.00, and that could be for as many as 6 adults if you book a 2 bedroom. In a 5 star resort, those kinds of prices are unheard of. So if someone asks you about the Global Resorts Network Scam, you can tell them what you know.

What about the business aspect of Global Resorts Network. Again, rumors fly. The compensation plan, perpetual leverage, is the main reason why there is absolutely no scandal here. This is one of the best home based business opportunities available right now.

Network Marketing - Only For the Serious Entrepreneur!

2008-12-16T22:42:00.000+05:30

One of the things that intrigue me most about Network Marketing is that there are people who love it to the extreme, and there are people who are frozen with fear at the mere mention of the word.

Those who love it have all the reasons to. It has completely changed their lives, and in most case, these are ordinary people who were behind on their Mortgages or Credit Card payments and were just looking for an extra income, or maybe they had two jobs working 60 - 80 hours per week and was just looking for more time freedom or whatever the case may be, bottom line is that now they have more time and money to spend on themselves and their families.

The Fear Of Network Marketing!

Even with Endorsements by celebrity authors like Robert Kiyosaki and Donald Trump, there are many people who shudder at the thought of this business. This could be from a number of reasons.

From my experience, the main reason is the idea that it might be a pyramid scheme. We all have been duped before or we know of someone who has been. I personally lost over $23k before I became a successful network marketer, so because of this they become skeptical and totally closed minded to the endless possibilities with Network Marketing. Now I'm not saying there's anything wrong with being skeptical, in fact I think that a little skepticism is healthy, that way you will do your due diligence, but to be completely closed minded is another thing.

Do's and Don'ts

The other huge reason why I think people are nervous about starting in this business is caused by a few bad apples with some bad practices that are giving the industry a bad name. There are some things you just don't do:

• Never tell a prospect that it's easy, because its not. It may be simple but if it was easy everyone would be successful, so people come here with the wrong expectation thinking that they are going to make $30k per month next month. So they join up having no idea of the level of commitment that is necessary to be successful here.
• Never pester or force someone to join your opportunity. If it is a friend they wont be your friend for long besides, this makes you sound desperate and people don't join desperate, they join leaders.
• Always communicate and follow up with someone who has just joined your team, they are your responsibility. Make sure you provide leadership and proper training for them even if you have to pass them to your upline, but don't abandon them after you have collected their money.

So the bottom line is if you are serious entrepreneur, then Network Marketing is a great opportunity than can take you places you could never have imagined.

Work From Home Message Boards - What Are They?

2008-09-27T10:48:00.003+05:30

During surfing on internet, you can find the up to dated subjects, which their protectors are trying to demonstrate. Those protectors access all web sites, forums, and even emails to promote their topic, or say their services. Message boards are among this type as well. You may receive endless work from home message boards.

Of course, you can find different sentences and styles, but all are directed to promote the same content along with the targeted plot, how to work from home message boards! Working from home, in fact becomes a newest idea that attracts the globalization nowadays. The idea of leaving the routine work of the monthly salary and stay at home, trying to work through it and at it may be great.

Working from home will save you the expenses of transport to and from the work place. It may save your crucial time as well. Yet, you have to put into your consideration not to commit any mistakes relating with selecting the suitable work for you, while trying to get the utmost benefits from working at Home Message Boards.

You have to realize that most of people have tended to use working of home message boards. They can find there some information of a category of business chance. If you try this method, you can find your targeted people and your opportunity to get a great business to do it from your home comfortably.

Well, since our aim is to understand well the secrets of Working from Home Message Boards, I would like to inform you that most persons who are hanging out at these works from home message boards are tire kickers. The reason is their trial of some type of service or product for one week only. As long as this does not work, they may go directly to another one. Thus, put into your consideration that giving a certain product bad feedback will not mean that this product is bad actually.

Therefore, if you wish to be successful in internet, you have to be dedicated and a hard-worker as well. Remember, the sky will not send your wealth as rain suddenly. Via work from home message boards, you can gain your wealth fast, as soon as you get involved with knowledge and skills standard. You have to keep into mind if your trial does not, you must continue your multi-trials regularly. At any given point, you will realize your target.

Despite some urge that there are many negative issues related with work from home message boards, you can try this method and wait until you catch your fish. Working from home message boards may be successful, especially if you trace the people who tried it before and use them as your model.

Discover the Top 5 Secrets to a Great Work at Home Business Opportunity!

2008-09-27T10:48:00.002+05:30

How many times have you seen a great work at home business opportunity and thought it was too good to be true? Unfortunately, many of them are. Sometimes it seems as if the scams outnumber the legitimate business opportunities! You can avoid the scams and create your own at-home business by following these simple steps:

Do what you love. Working at home won't feel like a good deal if you are doing something you hate. Since you're working for yourself, make it something you love doing! Perhaps you have a favorite hobby that is begging to be made into a business. Maybe you enjoy helping people, and you have an idea for a home business that would allow you to do that all the time. Whatever it is that you do, make sure it is something you adore. If you love what you do, you will be willing to go the extra mile, and sometimes that's the defining ingredient between success and failure.

Find your niche. If you're serious about running your own business, you need to consider what the market needs from you. Do you provide a service that no one else can offer? Do you have skills that are in high demand? Are you in a position to offer those services to someone else? For instance, a good tailor is hard to find - if you know your way around a sewing machine, then you're in luck, and so are all those people who will seek you out to make those custom clothes they want so badly!

Promote yourself! When you run your own business from home, you are your own advertising. You serve as your own manager, publicist, receptionist, and advertiser. With your work at home business opportunity, you will have to be willing to toot your own horn! Getting creative with your advertising will get your name out there, and that name-recognition will bring in more business. Promoting yourself may sometimes seem difficult because so often we equate self-promotion with arrogance or conceit.

Recognize that you are running a business, and if you don't tell everyone about how great it is, you won't have any customers...that's not conceit. That's smart business!

Be patient. Have a backup plan if the business doesn't get off the ground immediately. The reality almost always never meets our expectations, so give yourself some breathing room. Plan your finances carefully, so if you don't have a profit coming in by the time you thought you would, you won't be in serious financial trouble. That is the kind of stress you really don't need, especially when you are changing your career course.

Finally, recruit support. If you have a good support system behind your work from home business, the setbacks will seem like simple bumps in the road. Without encouragement from those around you, one simple setback might make you feel as though you have failed. A great deal of your success lies in your attitude, and if you have a good support system behind you, you will make the most out of your work at home business opportunity.

Want to Make Extra Money? Try Online Work at Home!

2008-09-27T10:48:00.001+05:30

Online work at home is becoming more and more popular. Why? In the current economy, workers are being laid off from large companies by the hundreds. The cost of daycare has gone up, and that means many families are feeling the pinch of letting someone else take care of their children while they go to work. The hike in gas prices has made those long commutes more expensive than ever, and the cost of living is going up even as salaries may be going down.

There has never been a more practical time to look into online work at home.

When you work online, you're saving a ton of money. Your workplace is simple - you need a computer and a desk where you can organize all your paperwork. You don't need a specialized wardrobe, and your commute takes only seconds. For those with children, working online at home takes away the burden of daycare, and juggling schedules to deal with a sick child becomes a thing of the past.

When you start your search for online work at home, go into it with the mind of a researcher. You're not looking for the job offers that promise a lifetime of riches! You're looking for good, steady work that provides a solid income. Write down the sites you are interested in, and when you have a long list, go back through and shorten it. You can eliminate those that require you to invest money in order to get hired. Avoid those that have excessive typos and grammar mistakes - it smacks of an unprofessional site, probably one that has been thrown together quickly. This signals a business you are probably better off not dealing with.

Do pay attention to the sites that ask for a resume and information about your current and past jobs. Have a resume ready to go, along with a polished and interesting cover letter. You are applying for a job, just as you would if you walked into the office building downtown and spoke with someone who was interested in hiring you - just because a business hires through the internet does not mean you should slack off in your efforts to present yourself in the very best light!

Once you begin looking for online work at home, you will come across businesses that are little more than scams. Protect yourself against them by doing proper research! Check out the company by doing an internet search on them. Get a contact email and phone number for someone who can answer your questions. A reputable business will be more than ready to address all of your concerns, and they will probably have a legitimate address for a home office. Always check them out!

Online work at home is a great way to supplement your income, and it might turn into a full-time job that provides you with an excellent income. Go into the search with your research cap on, and you will be pleasantly surprised at the great opportunities that come your way!

Work at Home Moms Know the Secret! Do You?

2008-09-27T10:48:00.000+05:30

Do you want to be one of those lucky work at home moms who gets to spend great, quality time with her children? I know many work at home moms who believe that leaving the world of big business and forming their own niche was the best thing they could have done for themselves and their families. It wasn't easy, though - it took time, patience, and more than a few missteps before they figured out the secret to being a work at home mom.

Have you ever wondered how you would cope with a full-time job as well as having kids underfoot all day long? That's the dilemma faced by work at home moms. They have the full responsibilities of being a mother, while juggling the workload of having their own business. Being a work at home mom takes focus! You have to be able to multi-task and juggle a multitude of things, much more so than you would if you went to an office everyday. In an office setting, the workload is shared among employees. That's an advantage the work at home mom doesn't have.

So what's the secret to being a work at home mom? How do you handle everything and pull it off with style and aplomb?

The secret lies in careful planning. A big calendar, with huge blocks to hold all the obligations that might come up, is a necessity for work at home moms! That big calendar will help you stay disciplined as well. If you have a dozen things that need to be done by the end of the next day, seeing them lined up in order on your calendar will be incentive to set your alarm an hour earlier, or to budget your time more wisely.

The work at home mom often winds up working hard during the times the kids are lying down for their nap. When the kids are older and start school, that "free" time during the day is a goldmine, and most of the work winds up being budgeted during those quiet hours. If it's difficult to get some quiet time, eventually a work at home mom might wind up hiring someone to help out for a few hours a week. After all, it's hard to make business calls when the children are running in and out of the room!

Work at home moms know it's also important to get out once in a while. When you work at home, it's easy to get stuck in a rut and hardly ever leave the house. If the only time you're going out on the town is to take the kids to the doctor or go to the grocery store, you can begin to lose your sense of identity and individuality rather quickly. Work at home moms have learned that the key to staying happy in your job is having an outlet to get you away from it every now and then.

Typing Jobs From Home

2008-09-27T10:47:00.000+05:30

Are you interested in typing jobs from home? The ability to work in your own time and from the comfort of your own home is very appealing, and in the current economic climate, you may find you need some extra money just to pay the mounting bills.

Type at home is a very popular way to make money online: it's easy to do, you don't require any special experience, and all you really need to get started is your computer and an Internet connection.

But first, let's dispel one of the myths about typing jobs from home (also know as online data entry). Online jobs are not the same as offline, in that you are not working for an employer - you are working for yourself. So basically you are creating a home business, rather than working for someone.

In turn, that also means you are not earning a weekly wage. Instead, your earnings are dictated by the amount of work you put in. The more work you do, the more you get paid. And the more work you do in the beginning, the better it will be for you financially, later on.

So how do we get started with typing jobs from home? The best way is to join a typing program that will teach you what to do - yes, there is usually a small one time fee involved, but if you really are new to making money online, it's almost a necessity. Sure, there's plenty of information available for free online, however if you were to spend time sifting through it all and looking for a legitimate typing opportunity then you'll probably waste a lot of time and energy.

With a program you can just get started straight away - on joining you get access to a members area with step by step instructions and a database of companies that you can work with. Typing jobs from home will generally involve typing advertisements for companies and submitting them online. When a sale is made through the ad you typed, you earn a commission.

In my signature you'll find a review of a great data entry program that I have used. Please check it out, it's a must read if you want to start making money online typing.

Small Home Office Decorating Ideas! Your Guide to Creating the Home Office of Your Dreams

2008-09-22T10:10:00.000+05:30

Having only a small space to work with has its disadvantages. However, with a bit of focus and forethought, you can design a home office that is not only practical and functional, but is also conducive to your style and personality. This holds true when accessorizing any room in your home. The only difference being that when you design a small home office you would want to choose space conservative options as it pertains to a work station, shelving, storage and lighting.

It obviously would not be practical to purchase large bulky pieces of furniture when creating your perfect small home office. The workstation/desk is the centerpiece, focal point, and most used piece of furniture in any home office.

There are various options to choose from when selecting this important feature. Two of these options include compact and wall-mounted desks. They are both practical for a small home office and each has its pros and cons, which are largely dependent on your unique style and needs.

Compact Desks are wonderfully suited for your small home office if you have ample space for storage furniture such as a file cabinet, bookcase, or an optional room divider.

Wall Desks are ideal if you desire an all-in-one solution that includes space for both your computer system and office supplies.

Designing a Functional Small Home Office

When designing a functional small home office, you would need to consider four essential elements. These include the wall color, lighting, storage and organizational needs of your small home office.

All these factors are important in creating an ideal workflow that would, in turn, increase productivity.

Setting the Mood of Your Small Home Office with Use of Color

The use of color is essential in the functionality of your home office, as it will help to create a particular "mood" as you enter the space. Will you be seeing clients in your home office? Do you want your home office to be warm and inviting? Do you want your home office to blend in with the rest of your home's décor? Do you want your office to be stimulating and conducive to creativity or calm and relaxing?

These are just a few of the questions you need to ask yourself before choosing a wall color for your small home office. It is also important to remember that some colors can make the small space appear even more cramped and may not lend to a spacious feel.

According to behr.com, wall color can lighten the mood and improve productivity in your home office. Here is a run down of colors on the color wheel and what "mood" you can achieve with their use.

* Cool Colors - greens, blues and purples are shown to have a calming affect. If you are easily stimulated, it may be helpful to choose a cool wall color to help you relax and "get down to business".

* Warm Colors - reds, yellows and oranges give any space a warm, inviting feel. These colors are also invigorating and can help to awaken your creativity. As a word of caution, warm, muted tones should be chosen over bright, bold colors as they tend to be distracting and may not be conducive to productivity.

* Whites - perfect to give your small home office an open spacious feel. However, too much white can be straining on the eyes. A wonderful alternative is to use another wall color, but have white as an accent color or for trim and moldings. This would give your small home office a crisp, clean look.

* Neutrals - earth tones such as charcoal, umber, ochre and sienna would be ideal if your small home office is open to other rooms within your home. A neutral wall color would blend perfectly with other surrounding color choices. Neutrals are also not considered distracting and would aid in keeping your mind centered on the "business at hand".

Meeting the Lighting Needs of Your Small Home Office

There are three ways to light your home office. These include:

* Ambient Lighting
* Task Lights
* Accent Lights

All these play a part in striking the right balance between business and pleasure in your small home office.

Ambient Lighting

Basically, ambient lights provide lighting for the whole room. This can be accomplished through the use of ceiling light fixtures, torchieres and table lamps. Ambient light fixtures are a necessity in any small home office as they account for the majority of illumination in the space.

Those on a budget can afford stylish ambient lighting for their small home office by purchasing torchieres or floor lamps. There are a plethora of lighting accessories to choose from in either a local furniture store or on-line. One such on-line store that provides a wide selection of torchieres, ceiling light fixtures and table lamps is LampsPlus.com.

Task Lights

Task lights are another home office necessity and provide directional or focused lighting for reading, filling out paper work, working on the computer, etc. Many task lights come with the added feature of an adjustable base that allows you to direct the light where you need it most. These light fixtures help to avoid eyestrain and headaches, thereby, boosting productivity.

Accent Lights

Unlike ambient and task lights, accent lights are viewed as optional. However, they are useful in adding a decorative element to any space. If you want to showcase a particular object or wall hanging, then accent lights are ideal. The use of accent lights in your small home office may be just what is needed to add a personal touch to your office's décor.

Storage Furniture in Your Small Home Office

As mentioned previously, if you choose a wall desk, it includes space not only for your computer, but additional storage for office supplies. This may alleviate the need for some office furniture. However, you may find that you still need a bookshelf and file cabinet. If your office space doubles as a bedroom or other living area, you may desire to purchase a room divider as well.

Before purchasing additional office furniture, it is important to measure the area to ensure that you buy pieces that accommodate the space in your small home office. This will help to alleviate the hassle of having to return merchandise when you discover that the piece is too large for the space.

You would also want to consider the arrangement of your furniture pieces in your small home office. By placing the pieces in an "L" or "U" shape, all supplies would be in easy reach. Some experts purport that arranging your furniture pieces in this fashion would boost your productivity.

Two options that would provide needed storage are modular bookcases and room dividers that have bookcases built right in. The second option serves two purposes in that it lends both privacy and shelving for office supplies, books, etc.

Bookcases are also designed with adjustable shelves, which accommodate oversized books and supplies and those with doors. Those with doors would add a stylish and personalized touch to your home office's décor.

When deciding on a file cabinet, there are several things you should ask yourself before making a purchase. Some of these include:

* Do you work primarily with legal or letter size paper? Some file cabinets only accommodate for one or the other. However, some are available that would provide storage for both.

* Is your storage needs more conducive to a vertical or lateral file cabinet?

* Will you be filing important documents? If you are, make sure that you inquire specifically if a particular file cabinet of interest is fire resistant.

* Do you want to ensure that the file cabinet will not tip over (who doesn't right)? There are file cabinets available with an internal locking system that will only allow you to open one drawer at a time and those equipped with a safety device that would guard against the file cabinet from tipping if several drawers were opened at once.

This may appear to be a lot to consider, but it is best to answer these questions beforehand as it will save you from having to return or exchange items that are not conducive to your small home office needs.

Staying Organized: Essential in Any Small Home Office

One important factor that affects productivity is organization. By storing items you use frequently in an area that is easily assessable would increase what is accomplished each day by decreasing the amount of time it takes to retrieve essentials.

Experts at OnlineOrganizing.com state to have "a world of organizing solutions" and have suggestions on how to organize your home office to promote efficiency. They recommend that the least needed storage files should be furthest away from your workstation in an inactive "work zone" and those items used frequently need to be close at hand.

A simple solution would be to have three different storage zones that include items used frequently, occasionally and rarely.

Storage Zone One - Frequently Used Items

These items need to be easily accessible. One idea would be to place papers you need on a daily basis in a bin on your desk. If you have books that you use each day, consider locating them on a wall-mounted shelf above or near your desk. Another solution would be to designate the shelf in your bookcase that is most easily accessible as the area to place books you use frequently.

Storage Zone Two -- Occasionally Used Items

These are items used from time to time but not on a daily basis. You would want to keep these items in your "work zone", but their accessibility does not need to be at "arms length" as is preferable with items used frequently.

For example, you could store these essentials in a file cabinet under your desk. If you had books you use occasionally, you could store them in the highest shelf, or the one directly above the one that is most easily accessible.

Storage Zone Three - Rarely Used Items These are basically archived files. You could purchase a different cabinet for these files and they would not necessarily need to be in your "work zone".

For books you rarely use, you could designate the lowest shelf in your bookcase for their storage. This would eliminate the need to bend down often, as you would only need to retrieve these books or rare occasions.

Although it only takes seconds to bend or stoop, over a day's time, these seconds add up, therefore, decreasing your overall productivity.

Designing a Personal Home Office

This is where you can add a few personal touches to your small home office. A few ideas would be:

* Include a few family photos or pictures that are relaxing or lift your spirits. If you want to bring a little of the outdoors in, you could incorporate a vase of flowers or a few potted plants for greenery.

* Include items in your small home office that reduce stress. This would not only add a personal touch - as these items would be unique to you - but may also boost productivity. Two such items could include a stress ball to squeeze or a small basketball hoop placed along the wall to shoot baskets when things get a little tense.

* Include a water element, such as a small water fountain or fish aquarium. This would not only aid in relaxation, but would add a decorative touch to your small home office.

Summary: Creating the Perfect Balance in Your Small Home Office It may not be effortless, but you can create a small home office that is not only professional but also includes elements that are unique to your personality and style in home furnishings.

To sum up, Practicality + Functionality + Personality = a small home office that is both personal and professional.

You also want to ensure that your small home office is conducive to productivity and exudes professionalism. This is especially important if you "entertain" clients and business associates in the space.

However, you don't want to exclude personal touches altogether as this is one of the many advantages to working from home. You are basically your own boss and call the shots per se. Isn't that the allure of working from home in the first place?

It is important to find the perfect balance of business and pleasure without one interfering with the other. If you frequently have clients in your small home office, it may be essential that it retains a professional look and feel and may not allow for too many personal touches. You also wouldn't want your "personal" items to interfere with your workflow and productivity. However, you can still express your style in the furnishings you choose for the space.

These are all points you should consider when creating your small home office. With forethought, you can design a working environment that is not only conducive to productivity, but also expresses your unique style and personality.

Tameka Norris has been living in small spaces since she was 10 years old. She now runs a website titled Furniture for Small Spaces to help people who go through the same frustrating circumstance of trying to make big bulky furniture fit in places that barely offer enough room. She offers nifty tips and tactics, a Q & A section for people in need of answers, photos of her own small space trials, projects for the DIYer and recommendations on furniture choices.

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

Internet Home Based Business - How to Make it Really Pay Big Money

2008-09-20T09:29:00.003+05:30

You can make your internet home based business pay big money by considering the following factors regarding the jobs available. Whichever job you choose, you can make it pay off handsomely by concentrating on doing the job and getting it right. Part of getting the job right is to do what you enjoy doing. You will be much more comfortable with the work and it will lead to a higher level of job satisfaction. Of course, you will want to choose the work that will pay the best for the type of work you enjoy. In addition to the active work that you accomplish, consider looking at the passive job opportunities available with passive income.

Stay Focused

An important aspect of an internet home based business that pays money well is the ability to concentrate fully on the work that you are doing. This includes working during the time that you have set aside as work time and not doing procrastination type activities that will waste your time so that you are not being as efficient in your efforts as you should be to make the business pay. You will find that by staying focused, you may not need to work as long in order to accomplish the same amount of work.

Do What You Like

When you have an internet home based business that reflects your favorite activities and abilities, you are certain to be doing things you like to do and you are more likely to make the job pay. A person who is in love with the work they do will be paid not only financially, but in terms of job satisfaction as well. It's important to love what you do in order to make it pay. Choose only the job that is your passion and the financial benefits will soon follow.

Passive Income

Increase the income from your internet home based business by including passive income along with the regular income opportunities. This is particularly applicable if you have created a web page or blog to showcase your home business. You simply add pay-per-click ads like those in Google AdSense program to your existing web site and gain the benefit of passive income from the proceeds of those ads. The more traffic that comes to your web site, the more likelihood that your passive income will increase. All this is without any extra effort on your part.

Look for the best opportunities

Another factor that you must consider when you are deciding on the best internet home based business for you is that of income. Yet, even though a higher income may make a specific job more appealing to you, it should not be the only factor that affects your choice. You must consider all the opportunities that will come with a specific job in order to make the choice work for you. In other words, the highest paying per unit tasks may require much longer to complete each task, so it may not be the best opportunity for income.

The Absolute Truth About Home Based Business Magazine

2008-09-20T09:29:00.002+05:30

One way to learn more about online business is by reading it through home based business magazine. There are lots of good information inside a home based business magazine and the information probably are better than online. The reason is because a publisher of magazine needs to provide a better quality information, otherwise people will not purchase the magazine itself.

You might want to try out Internet business as your part time income to support your family or pay your bills. Some information provided on the Internet might be a little bit costly for you. So, if you have a tight budget, you don't have to worry because you can still buy a home based business magazine at local bookstores. You can check your local library as well to borrow any books or magazines related to online business. This can save you a lot of your money because the membership fee to become a library member is quite cheap.

Home based business magazine can teach you how to setup a website, where to get a cheap domain name and hosting company. It contains several tips and tricks on how to make your website more user friendly so that whoever reach your website will stay longer and digest whatever information you provided there. You can also learn how to write a good sales copy even though you have not write any before.

Your website will not make any money if you don't have enough visitors to your website. You need to learn how to get traffic for free by learning through home based business magazine. Of course, there are paid traffic as well but if you are new to this online business, you need to stay away from paid traffic and use only free traffic. Free traffic includes blog, social networking and bookmarking, article writing, press release and so many more. Once you have used all the free traffic method, then only you can try to learn more about paid traffic to improve your sales.

In fact, if you can do some heavy search engine optimization and conquer the first two pages of any major search engines, you can rest assure your income will increase dramatically. You can get more strategies on how to do this by reading home based business magazine. You need to be careful though, if your website is rank number one today, it does not mean it will stay that rank forever because your competitors will do their very best to get on top as well. That is why learning and using lots of free traffic method is always the best.

Now get out there and start looking for the best home based business magazine for yourself. If you are serious in making money online, you can always achieve the dream of having a six figure income per year.

10 Smoking Resources to Boost Your Data Entry Work at Home Jobs

2008-09-20T09:29:00.001+05:30

Besides having the necessary skills a data entry work at home agent can greatly increase their job prospects and ultimately their income by having the right equipment.

Letting companies know that you are already set up with the right equipment is a surefire way to say hire me. It lets them know that you are not just another data entry work at home searcher, who wants to sit at home and earn a substantial income. But instead, you are a professional, reliable, candidate that should be taken seriously.

Online, the more serious a client feels about you the better your prospects for continuous jobs, a raise and, in some cases, a few benefits. Heres a way to see how attractive you are as a candidate, take a look at the list below and see how many of the following you have.

1. A computer with high speed internet connection:
Don't walk, run to your nearest office supply location if you don't have your own computer. It will be difficult to land a good pay data entry work at home job without it.

2. A business line:
Having your own toll free number is a major plus. Having a business line, separate from your home or cell phone number, will make you seem more professional.

3. All-in-one:
Sure you can opt for a separate, copier, printer, scanner and fax machine but I dont know too many home offices that can afford that much space. An all-in-one is a good way to get the job done and increase the space in your home office. The fax machine for instance, is heavily relied upon among data entry work at home agents.

4. Optical Character Recognition (OCR):
The faster you can get work done, the better. An OCR is a great time saver. It is a scanner that allows you take a handwritten, type written or printed text and translate it into machine-editable text. If you wrote an article or letter by hand for a client, you could save time by feeding it into an OCR and then editing the file using a word processor.

5. A project manager/calendar system:
Organization is crucial when you are a work at home data entry clerk. An electronic calendar program lets you edit entries, track time, interchange dates, and print hard copies for your records. You can find free versions of these programs from some online search engines.

6. Business cards:
Soliciting your own work is vital to your data entry success. Besides looking online, attending chamber of commerce meetings with business cards ready can introduce you to more people and more clients.

7. A website:
While many data entry work at home agents manage with just an email address, having your own website is an additional benefit. You can send prospective clients there to view past work, your skills, ect. Its like a 24 hour bragging system.

8. Transcribing Machine:
Having a transcribing machine can increase your data entry work at home job prospects. You can transcribe for law firms, religious sermons, focus groups, medical offices, and educational seminars to list a few.

9. Form processing software:
If you are a freelance data entry work at home agent then having form processing software will also widen your job avenue. Most data entry companies provide you with this tool. However, many of them overcharge and of course you need to be wary of scams. Having your own will save you some headache.

10. Book keeping software:
Now that you work from home you are responsible for your own earnings, expenses and taxes. Book keeping software is essential.

The more tools and resources you have to help you do the job, the more data entry work at home jobs you can apply for. Legitimate companies want to work with someone who already has and is proficient with the equipment needed.

Stay at Home Mom Internet Opportunities

2008-09-20T09:29:00.000+05:30

Working moms and stay at home moms everywhere are looking for creative way to earn extra income so they can spend more time doing the things they enjoy most. Spending time with their children is the highest priority and they are willing to do whatever they can, within reason, to ensure they have the valuable family time needed now days.

With the dynamic schedule that is required for moms in general the Internet is a perfect fit, because in most cases you can work whenever you choose. You can work from the comfort of your home or from anywhere you have a computer and access to the Internet. In many cases stay at home moms have blocks of time more so than a predetermined large block of time. The Internet job opportunities allow these small blocks of time to work well.

What types of choices to work at home moms have with the Internet? If you do some research and I suggest that you do you will find opportunities such as:

1. Rebate Processing

2. Coupon Processing

3. E-mail Processing

4. Data Entry

5. Type At Home

6. Paid Surveys

7. Medical Transcriptions

8. Chat Room Operators

9. Online Retail Store

10. Online Dollar Store

I have mentioned only a few of the choices you have, but you can see there are plenty of work at home and home based businesses to choose from. You need to identify you current skill sets, time available on a weekly basis, comfort zone and income objectives. It's best to match any program along these lines to give yourself the best chance for success.

Don't do like many people do and simply join the first program you see promising you the moon for doing nothing. If it seems to good to be true it more than likely is. All you will do is lose your time and waste your money.

Take your time. You might want to use a website like mine, but not necessarily mine that has done some level of research for you or do the research yourself. It is important that you do one or the other. Perhaps even both.

Work at home programs require patience and a little time to get up and running but in the end I have found that the time required decreases as your income increases. This will vary depending on what type of business or work at home opportunity you choose. Each person's results are different depending on the program and effort applied.

The Freedom of Free Work From Home Jobs

2008-09-20T09:28:00.000+05:30

There is one industry that has continued to grow year on year and that is the work at home self employed market. More and more people are choosing to stay at home and work rather than commute.

Every one has different reasons for choosing to do this. Necessity is a popular reason you may have opted to work at home. If you have children the cost of childcare plus commuting costs are making it too expensive to work the traditional 9 to 5 job. You work all day and miss the kids growing up and you are no better of financially at the end of the month.

Another popular reason for you to want to work for yourself at home is dissatisfaction with your employer or boss. This isn't just that you want a change of job, you are fed up with the way employers treat you. There is not the job satisfaction, the conditions of work are getting no better, work demands are always increasing but not your wage and the threat of redundancy is always round the corner.

It's no wonder more people choose to work from home each year and benefit from not having to fight their way through traffic jams every morning and again in the evening. You can work the hours you want to work to fit in with your lifestyle and your family commitments. You can take time out whenever you want without having to get special permission and enjoy greater flexibility with your time.

Alternatively you may just be looking to supplement your income or you may be a mum who can spare a few hours a day but can't get out of the house. Either way working from home allows you to work the number of hours you want when you want. If you wanted you could do your work when the kids have gone to bed or you may want to work a few hours in the morning or at lunch time.

So what are the types of job that are available on the internet that you can do from home. Surprisingly there are lots of different types of jobs so depending on your level of skill and experience and the number of hours you want to work. You could do data processing, completing surveys and polls, or be a mystery shopper although this job does require you to visit shops for part of the work.

2 Keys to Online Home Business Success

2008-08-29T23:54:00.001+05:30

An online home business is a dream that many people have. More time with loved ones, financial security, and a life of ease and freedom is something that everyone would love to have. If everyone would love to have this type of lifestyle, then why are there not more people working from home?

I have never been one to beat around the bush or sugar coat anything, I am a "no fluff, no bull" kind of person and I will tell you why most people do not succeed in an online home business.

The first and foremost reason that people do not succeed is the time factor involved. Most people who want to start an online home business are working shift jobs for someone else and barely making ends meet. When they jump into the online home business arena they are under the misconception that all they have to do is put in a few hours work per week and they will succeed.

While this "can" work it will be slow and you should not quit your day job. To truly succeed you need to understand the time commitment involved in any online home business and be prepared. If you thought your 8 hour work day and 40 hour work week was grueling you have not seen anything yet.

To succeed with an online home business you must be prepared to spend as many hours as it takes to get you day's work done. I have owned an online home business for more than 10 years now and I still work 4 to 6 hours per day. In the beginning there were a great many 12 to 14 hour days as well.

The second reason that many people fail with an online home business is failure to research the opportunity. Too many people simply grab the first opportunity that they are presented with and try to run with it. They never explore other opportunities. One of the keys to online home business success is to be happy with the business that you are trying to develop. Do not settle for the first opportunity that falls in your lap.

Starting and running a successful online home business requires a major commitment of time. To succeed you should learn everything that you can before deciding on what your niche will be in the online home business world. Read what others write about their business, they have in many cases been in business for years. Learn from them before you dive in.

Is Working at Home Right For You

2008-08-29T23:53:00.002+05:30

Working from home means you are either selling a product or service or you've found an employer who is happy to have you complete your work at home rather than in office.

One of the first questions to ponder is whether you are self disciplined. While not having a boss is very appealing, it also means you are completely on your own to complete your work and you have no one to go to if you're uncertain on how to complete something.

I know some people who are in their offices working by 5 a.m. and I know some people who are still up and working at 1 a.m. If you have a job to do, whether it's for an employer or a client, the person expecting the completed job does not want to hear you were not able to complete it.

Along with self discipline comes time management. Are you able to adequately manage your time, creating a balance between work, wife and mother? Not everyone finds it easy to tell a customer "I'm sorry today is a family day" and not every customer is ok with you saying "I'm off for the day." Working at home requires balance.

Speaking of "management" how are your money management skills? Working at home will require you to create a budget, if you are running a business or to put money away if you are being paid on a 1099 form. You are liable for taxes unless a company is withholding those taxes, so money management is very important. You have to be able to put the money away and not touch it until such time that you figure out your taxes for the year.

Another question to consider is will you be ok in isolation? When you work at home, while you'll communicate with others, you are still very much alone. I've gone hours at a time with no one to talk to and no social interaction. In an office you almost always have someone to say hello to, someone to share stories with and someone to just hang out with. At home, you have none of this. In order to have any social interaction, you'll have to preplan it and work to make it happen. When my kids were young, I took mommy and me classes, I met friends for lunch and I joined a few groups. Especially for women, we thrive on social interaction. Working at home provides none.

The Best Things in a Home Business Are Free

2008-08-29T23:53:00.001+05:30

One of the biggest advantages for doing business on the internet is the low or no cost that is involved in starting and managing the business. Take the place where you do business which is the site, your online store. Most sites can be setup for free by a hosting company. You can either design it yourself or have someone design it for you, again for free.

Products for your business can be obtained for free from various affiliate programs. You do not have to pay for storage of the product because this is done for you by the affiliate. Once the prospect lands on the affiliate's page they will sell, pack, and ship the merchandise for you. Again, for free. And you are paid a commission on the sale just for leading the prospect to the affiliate's landing page through your promotions.

Now some promotions can also be free. For instance, you can write articles with links to your site, about the products, and have them published on hundreds of directories on the internet for free. The articles act as advertisement and through the links take the prospect to your site where you, in turn, through links or banners direct the prospect to the affiliate's landing page where the sale is made. You can also get the prospect to your page through links with other web pages or through your position in search engines. All again for free!

Another way that you can get free advertisement is by belonging to a forum where you can participate in discussions and develop relationships. Your name and site will be listed each time you make a contribution and if enough interest is developed in what you offered; bingo, you have another person following the link to your site.

You can also develop and place a free press release on the internet every time you add a new product or launch a new site. Blogs, Newsletters, and eBooks can also act as free advertisements. And because the internet is free, their distribution is free.

Let us not overlook the fact that in order to profit from all of the free stuff that is offered you need to do your homework. You will need to examine which hosting company offers the site designs that fit your style. Study which products you are going to be comfortable with representing and promoting. Determine how much knowledge and skills you will need to possess about the products so that you can develop interesting content to draw interest and develop a desire for the product.

You will need to develop a reputation for yourself as being an expert in the field before you will gain a following. This will take some time to establish. You need to be patient, persistent, and committed. Remember, "Rome was not built in a day" but it has lasted many a lifetime. And so can your home business. It is a great opportunity when you consider all of what can be done for free.

What Are the Best Affiliate Programs?

2008-08-29T23:52:00.000+05:30

I have some good news, and some bad news. The good news is that there are many good affiliate programs out there. The bad news is that you will have a hard time identifying which are the best. Everyone has to decide for themselves which program they know and like enough to promote on a continuous basis.

When it comes to the best affiliate programs for me, I have considered a couple of things. First, who is my target audience? (And I had to make sure it was not me, a trap that most people fall into). Since most people using the internet are females between 20 and 50 (I read this some place not too long ago). I decided to pick them as my target market and design my site around them.

My second consideration was what this group is buying on the internet. What I discovered was that they were shopping for all kinds of things on eBay, Amazon, and Overstock.com Upon further research I noticed that this group had a lot of stay at home moms who were interested in earning extra money for various reasons and were heavy into surveys, data entry, and typing jobs. I spread my research further using information that I gathered from search engines and other websites concentrating in this arena. Here I saw a lot of duplication and not necessary things that I would be comfortable with associating myself.

I started to do some thinking on my own and reasoned that if most people use the internet for information, then maybe I should provide some information. So, I have an eBook on how to make money on the internet as a free offer on my website. I also set up a FREE Newsletter where I offer marketing tips on a continuous basis so that I can stay in touch with my customers.

Looking at the web site with what I had up to this point, left some room for creative thinking. My thought was that if these ladies were going to work and shop on my site I should give them some things to shop that are not readily available in every neighborhood shopping strip or mall. So I picked the Playboy store and Fredericks of Hollywood as a special attraction. The Dollar store, Golfsmith, and Entrepreneur Magazine were thrown in because of their brand value. And that is it.

Are Networking Events Worth It?

2008-08-19T22:22:00.002+05:30

There are 2 kinds of people in the world: Those who like Sunrise and those who’ve never seen a Sunrise.

Group one thrives on networking events–the earlier the better. Why? I’ve been to lots of networking events, and they’re all the same: meet, greet, elevator pitch, business card exchange. He who leaves with the biggest card deck wins. So what’s so special about socializing at daybreak?

Better question: Are networking events worth it? Have introductions you’ve leveraged or sales you’ve made from networking (assuming you’ve made any) worth the gasoline and time drain–regardless of time of day? And if everyone shows up looking for the best watering hole, are there any fish in the pond?

Here’s the interesting thing. After 20+ years of giving networking a chance, I still don’t know that answer.

But here’s what I do know:

a. True networkers (the ones you see at every venue) are the most plugged-in, fun people I know. They know E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G and everybody.

b. They believe in “woo-woo” principles like “pay it forward” and “give to get.” They’re always first to introduce you to someone they know that you don’t. (Face it; if you met a big bore who tried to hard sell you, you’d dodge him like instant coffee, am I right? And wadyaknow, they’re ones who never show up again…sort of the networking equivalent of the Darwin Awards.)

c. True networkers are curious. They want to know all about you, what you do, who you know (and not just where you went to high school). I once had an HR consultant advise me that I should only hire people who are curious because they make better, more invested employees. They see things that others don’t because they’re paying attention…they’re listening!

Are networking events worth it?

In my opinion, they have a place in the business promotion mix. We still live in a social society and eyeball-to-eyeball meetings still build relationships better than impersonal emails. Networking alone won’t pay the bills. But absence sends a loud and clear message: You’re not part of the inner circle.

I set high standards for my company’s networking activities. Here are a few:

1. It’s in my Marketing Manager Golda Cohen’s job description to go to one networking event each week. Fortunately, Golda loves to schmooze.

2. We focus on events that are attended by business owners with employees and “road warrior” sales reps, rather than multi-level marketers. Nothing against MLMs, but they’re not our customers.

3. Events must take 2 hours or less, including drive time.

4. You must meet and collect cards from at least 10-20 people that you don’t already know. (I’m not sure I could do this, but Golda manages it…ask her if you want to know how.) There is, of course, a follow-up database component to this rule. It’s the answer to, “What do I do with all these business cards I’m collecting?” I’ll cover that answer in my next newsletter.

5. Only attend events with or sponsored by Big Mouths (refer to a-c above). My 3 favorite big mouths in St. Louis are: Karen Hoffman, Darlene Willman and Joe High. You’d kill for a peek into one of their databases. Each of these curious, generous big mouths (I say that with admiration) has a big networking event coming up. You should go. You must see professional networking in action. It’s inspiring.

Networking - It's Not What You Know, It's Who!

2008-08-19T22:22:00.001+05:30

Networking is hugely important in the development of a new career, it's not what you know - its who! Networking entails creating and maintaining a network of contacts, friends and acquaintances with who you can exchange both information and resources. Building these relationships with other people could get your next career break!

Looking at it from a employers perspective, employing someone who comes recommended is a lot less risk than someone who turns up in response to an advert. This is part of the reason many companies give bonuses for staff introducing someone to the company. That person is also more likely to have experience and skills in all the right areas!

Networking will also help you in the actual job you are doing as well as finding a new one. Networking is now an asked for skill from major employers.

So how do you go about expanding this network?

Most important is to talk to everyone you can about any possible career move you want to make, it'll not only give you great advice on where to head and what to do, but will also put you at the front of your contacts mind when they see an opportunity.

Attend every function and networking opportunity that you can, many companies and professional organisations organise events for this very purpose. The more people you speak to the better.

Don't expect instant pay-offs from this approach, leads may be few and far between - but they are much more likely to be suited to you when they arrive!

Networking Blues - You Are Arriving to Events Late

2008-08-19T22:21:00.000+05:30

One of the keys to having a successful networking experience at events and meetings is to arrive on time. Although, it would be ideal to arrive early, arriving on time gives networkers a chance to take advantage of unique networking opportunities and meet people before the big crowd rush. But as a business professional, do you find yourself always running late to networking events and meetings? Do you always enter the room after the speaker or presentation is done? Do you find yourself standing up at the back of the room and never meeting the right people? Do you feel like events are not as beneficial as they could be?

If you answered yes to most of these questions, then time is a factor and critical issue that is affecting your networking endeavors. Learning to have better time management skills and being properly organized for networking events can improve your networking results greatly. Listed below are helpful tips that professionals, entrepreneurs and students can use to get the most of their networking experiences.

State of Mind

Before you attend another networking event, take some time to develop your ideas and mental capacity for the future event. Whether it is meditating, brainstorming or visualizing a successful event, take some quality to focus on the event. Decide what you want to accomplish from attending the event. Focus on the type of people you would like to meet and how that will impact your business, business relations or social status. Develop positive thoughts towards networking and achievable goals in your networking pursuits.

Networking Buddy

It could be possible that you may need some accountability or extra help in your networking endeavors. Professionals that battle with networking obstacles should consider a having a networking buddy or networking mentor. This is someone whom they can attend events with who are associated with their company, industry, profession or social sphere of influence. It is a motivating piece that can get you on track and improve your networking progress. Keeping connected with a networking buddy can also improve your networking outcomes and allow you to set higher goals and objectives for your networking endeavors.

Proper Preparation

In order to stay focused and prepared for networking events, this may involve professionals taking time to properly prepare. We encourage individuals to be conscious of the time, location and date of their networking events. Call or email ahead of time to confirm practical and useful information about networking events and ask to be updated on last minute changes. Also be aware of construction, traffic delays, increment weather and other issues that may cause you to be late for events and meetings.

Networking Tips - The Proper Handshake

2008-08-19T22:20:00.000+05:30

Business professionals, students, entrepreneurs and savvy networkers know the importance of making a good first impression. Whether you are interviewing for a job position, meeting the top directors of your company, making a formal presentation for clients or doing business with colleagues, your professional approach is key. Individuals and companies invest a lot of time and money developing and perfecting their skills for business and social etiquette.

Although there are several ways to make a great first impression, the handshake is the strongest and most viable element. It is the greeting call and the platform for a great conversation which leads to a great relationship.

Listed below are helpful tips that individuals can use to improve their first impression with others, gain the right attention and develop excellent social and business relationships.

First Come, First Serve

At networking events, meetings, conferences and interviews, individuals should not wait to be introduced. We encourage you to take initiative, step up to the plate and introduce yourself first. Being proactive is a great way to show that you are eager to meet the other person, passionate about building a great relationship and are not shy or intimidated. There may be situations where you are being accompanied by someone, and must wait for a formal introduction. But in most cases, it is socially and professionally acceptable to introduce yourself first and get the ball rolling.

The Right Hand

The right hand is key to making the best handshake ever. The right hand is the symbol of power, authority and order. Business professionals, students and entrepreneurs should not use their left hand to make handshakes. It is considered a faux-pas and very offensive in various foreign cultures. Also, when you are expending a handshake, always make sure that you are standing up and making direct eye contact with your business counterpart. This is a clear sign of respect and shows that you have manners and understanding.

Firm and Confident

The proper protocol for a handshake goes as follows:

1. A firm grip that is not too tight. Women should also have a firm hand grip which conveys confidence and respect to their business counterparts. Having a limp or weak handshake is offensive and not very inviting.

2. The handshake motion should be up and down and not back and forth. The grip should be two short but firm pumps. Both individuals should make sure that they are doing the motions at the same time. So it is courteous to wait for your counterpart, in order to make the right handshake motions.

3. The initial handshake is just as important as the release. After shaking your other person's hand, make sure to do a proper hand release. A proper hand release is a gently release of the other person's hand without dropping their hand or quickly letting go of their hand.

Have You Made Your First Dollar Online Yet?

2008-08-12T10:47:00.000+05:30

The process of creating a website is quite simple and can be reduced to only a few basic steps.

Get a domain name, get hosting, create the site, put relevant content on it and you are finished.

You just have contributed to the world another website that you can be proud of and so should be the rest of the internet.

Fine, time to sit back and see the visitors come in - but nobody seems to take notice of your incredible site that contains your best thoughts, developed to inform people, help them to find answers to their questions and give them solutions to their problems. How comes?

Now you realize you don't have visitors. Besides some accidental traffic no one is coming to your site. Maybe it's not even in the Google Index.

You better face the truth: a website, even the best information site ever, is useless if nobody knows about it.

No big deal if you just want to put out your personal view of the world or write about your hobbies.

But what if you want to make money with your website?

You may own or promote the best product in the world that would sell like crazy if only people would know about it.

So you are facing a new major dilemma: either you work on developing your site and don't have the time to build traffic or vice versa.

You realize that you need to have a well developed site with both information and products that people want so you can turn the visitors into buyers.

If you have the skills and the time to build such sites, create all the content, find the products to sell and do the promotion of the site - perfect.

But if you're new to internet marketing or only have limited time and/or programming skills you soon may find out that you can't accomplish your goals because of these limitations.

If only you had somebody in the know who would give you a ready developed and optimized website - you could put all your time, energy and efforts into the promotion of this money making site.

By now you have got it absolutely clear: traffic equals money and more traffic equals more money.

For the internet is a numbers game you are do drive as much targeted traffic to your site as possible.

If you had your site today you could start to make money.

You could concentrate on driving traffic to your site. Even if you only work one hour each day on site promotion using only some of the various traffic generation methods you can succeed and see results in you bank account very fast.

So start immediately. Build a site - of course do proper market and keyword research first. Make sure you apply at least the basic SEO principles so that our website will be loved by the search engines. Put enough unique content and articles that Google, Yahoo, MSN AND your readers love - and off you go.

Does that sound like heaps of work and time before you can think about making the first sale? You bet!

The other route you can take is to get a ready made and well optimized website, packed with tons of articles and relevant content, put in online and all you have to do is to promote it as much as you like.

So if you want the shortcut to online success you now know that you have to focus on marketing and you don't want to loose precious time with website building.

Did you know that you can get a perfect optimized Website with tons of content and fully integrated products in no time?

If you want to start your success and without loosing time click the link below:

http://www.ebookmonitor.com/recommends/niab

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

How to Deliver Your Worst Elevator Pitch

2008-08-08T20:32:00.001+05:30

Have you ever been to a networking event and asked someone, much to your regret what they do, and half an hour later you are still standing there nodding your head feigning interest and wondering why you even bothered getting out of bed?

It has happened to us all...but the trick is not to be one of those offenders ourselves. Not only will you switch off those people you talk to but you will get zero chance of business as a result.

So what is an elevator pitch and what are the biggest pitfalls you can fall into?

Firstly an elevator pitch refers to those first few words you speak when someone asks you 'So, what do you do?'

You therefore have to do 3 things:

Engage your listener(s) so they do actually listen to what you have to say
Ensure that you convey the message you want so the listener understands you
Ensure that what you say is remembered

Remember you only get one opportunity to make a first impression so your elevator pitch is something you should spend time planning, practising and testing.

So what are the biggest pitfalls you can fall into when delivering your elevator pitch?

Talking too long

This is probably the most common mistake. When someone first asks you what you do you don't need to go into the minutia of who you are, what you do, where and when you do it, and how you do it...reserve that for the follow on questions if the person is interested.

Instead be short and concise (generally 10 seconds is about right) giving a very brief overview of what you do.

Focusing on what you are rather than what you actually do

Tell someone you are an accountant, at best they will politely say 'oh right' at worst will yawn and think 'not another!' Focus instead on what you do in other words how you help to save people money on their tax bill, help grow their business and you may have a willing ear wanting to find out more.

Telling them everything

You might have several businesses or be involved in different types of work but trying to explain all at once is confusing and gives mixed messages.

Instead focus on one area that you think is of most relevance to the person you are talking too, so they are left with no doubt in their mind as to what you do.

Being a bore

People's time is precious so being boring isn't going to endear you to those you meet especially when they have a choice perhaps of 100 others to speak with. A bore may earn that title if they are repetitious, talk too long, focus on themselves as a person or show little regard to needs of the person they are talking to.

So think what you have to say that will be of genuine interest to the other person so they value the time spent talking with you, and again, keep it concise. Even consider using props to help you stand out from the crowd or an interesting business card which will help you be remembered.

Using jargon

Have you had those conversations with people who know exactly what they are talking about but clearly haven't registered that you don't? Many people get carried away with their own technical terms or abbreviations that only those in the profession have heard of.

Consider who you are talking to, establish their own experience in your field and tailor your language accordingly.

The Most Effective Marketing Secret You'll Ever Hear

2008-08-08T20:30:00.001+05:30

Women love to talk and are naturally supportive in almost every environment, especially in their business. How many times have you talked with a woman and gave her a recommendation on where she can get her hair done, offered her a time-saver or told her where she can buy what she needs, ON SALE of course! By offering just a few referrals, you have just made her beautiful, gave her more precious time and saved her money. By now, you have just become her new best friend. She feels that if she needs support, she can contact you for advice or possibly offer her help by putting her in touch with someone else. This referral system is also known as a "Network". Most women are born with this technique and some have become "Networking-A-holics!" They love to connect others and find a way to help one another.

Here are a few secrets to help you become a powerful networker:

Always have your business cards on you, with a back-up stash in your car!
Wear a nametag everywhere you go, it identifies who you are and provides the other person something to talk to you about
Ask how you can personally help them
Listen to her and be fully engaged in the conversation
Follow up by phone, email or another in-person meeting. Join her for a cup of coffee somewhere.
Be on the look out for what she needs
Keep a contact management system like ACT! so you can easily retrieve information for your referral
Hand write a note on the back of your card with a lead, a contact or other valuable information
Be a giver of referrals without any strings attached, remember the old saying, "Give and ye shall receive".
Attend networking events whenever possible
Make it your goal to meet 3 new people each week and learn as much as you can about them
Find a way you can promote them and get them more business
Be prepared to introduce yourself (in 60 seconds or less).

Networking is one of the most valuable skills you can develop for the success of your business. There are plenty of organizations that can provide you access to people locally or nationwide. You should visit a few and determine if they offer a full assortment of ways to help you market and promote your company specifically to your target market. Remember, networking is about building relationships so don't assume everyone will do business with you immediately. It's a process and takes time to cultivate and grow. Make a commitment to be involved and attend regularly otherwise you might just miss shaking hands with your next customer!

Palm Desert Chamber of Commerce, Palm Desert CA - a Case Study

2008-08-08T20:29:00.002+05:30

All businesses should join their local chambers of commerce and like anything you only get out what you put in. Simply joining a chamber of commerce is not enough, you should attend meetings, join committees if time permits and show up at evening mixers to mix and mingle. Finding camaraderie amongst fellow business owners makes sense and during tough business cycles, it might be just what your business or non-profit needs.

Not too long ago our not for profit Think Tank went to a number of networking mixers of many of the local chambers of commerce to see, which ones were the best suited. In the Valley each city has it is own chamber of commerce and each one competes with all the others. There are 9 or Ten here. After attending several functions we decided to join 4 of them.

Being a not-for-profit Think Tank, yet looking for business type people to be involved with our think tank, we were pleasantly surprised to find that the chambers we did join had discounts for non-business organizations. Thus we signed up to a couple of them without yet attending a mixer meeting, because the price was nominal and the chambers were rather large. But, do not let a large chamber fool you, the size does not make the chamber, the people and staff do.

In hindsight, although the Palm Desert Chamber claimed to be the largest and most active, it is probably not the best investment, considering the other chambers in the valley. There are two other chambers that rival their size and seem to be run extremely efficiently. Many of the business people we talked to before we joined warned us that the Palm Desert Chamber of Commerce was too snooty, and against those warnings we laughed and decided to join anyway.

Perhaps, we should have listened to such warnings better, although what do they say "hindsight is 20/20." Of course, that does not mean the investment in such a chamber of commerce is necessarily so awful, after all, the Presidents of such organizations do change and that usually ushers in a completely new and refreshing attitude. So, in this case study it appears that more due diligence is needed before choosing which chambers of commerce to join and the perseverance to look long-term and beyond any pettiness that is later discovered.

How to Choose a Chamber of Commerce to Join - Palm Desert Chamber of Commerce Case Study

2008-08-08T20:29:00.001+05:30

It makes sense to join your local chamber of commerce and it makes sense to do due diligence. What happens if you do not do your research prior to joining? Well, you end up wasting your money basically, and wishing you had never gotten involved in the first place. Let's discuss a recent case study and consider the ramifications of getting involved in a chamber of commerce in your local area.

Not long ago, our not for profit Think Tank joined several chambers of commerce in the local area. Although, we do most of our work online, it still made sense to tap into the expertise of the local business community. Business people know how to get things done and therefore they make great team members. Unfortunately, contrary to our own best advice, we did not do enough preliminary investigation on the chambers we joined.

We joined four local chambers of commerce, 3 were great and one, we can safely say was a huge mistake. You should never join a chamber of commerce until you attend a few functions and check it out first, talk to members, and if possible talk to all the many members who did not renew their chamber of commerce membership from prior years.

In considering all this and after joining the Palm Desert Chamber of Commerce, we have only ourselves to blame. It is for this reason that I can make a strong recommendation for you to go and meet the President of the Chamber of Commerce prior to joining, make sure they are not running a mini-fiefdom or micro-managing in a Machiavellian Way. You need to join a chamber of commerce that understands your needs and can assist you in growing your organization in the community.

Business Greeting Cards Are Social Networking Opportunities

2008-08-08T20:27:00.000+05:30

In a competitive business environment, it is important to build existing customer loyalty as well as grow your client list. Christmas cards or seasonal greeting cards are great, but don't miss out on opportunities to stay connected during other times of the year as well. Here are 5 business greeting cards that are sure to drive your sales up and provide social networking opportunities too.

When your customers are treated like family members, they are certain to continue to send business your way and to refer you to others so that your sales dollars will grow. Remember them as you would a family member by sending greeting cards when recognition or a thoughtful gesture is needed.

Business Appreciation Cards are specifically printed and designed to say just that.. .we appreciate you as a customer and welcome your business. By sending a customer this form of business greeting, they feel special and will remember you the next time they have needs your business can provide.

Congratulations Cards are great for boosting self esteem and fostering a team approach in a business/customer relationship. Send greetings of congratulations for a job well done or a big sale you and a customer worked together in securing. And, if you know of a personal achievement for a customer or one of their family members, remember to send congratulations for that as well. The same applies for your own internal employees. A note of congratulations will certainly please and inspire continued loyalty.

Get Well Cards are always appreciated when someone is ill and in need of a kind word. Wish clients, business associates and employees well and offer concerns with this thoughtful gesture. Your genuine concern for their well being will be appreciated and rewarded in kind.

Sympathy Cards are thoughtful expressions that are certain to be warmly received and appreciated in difficult times of sorrow. Remember all those you work with and for when they or their family members have experienced a loss. A simple offering of sympathy will be a pleasant exchange when someone needs a gentle gesture of thoughtfulness most.

Thinking of You Cards can be sent anytime and for no particular occasion. A great social networking tool, these greeting cards can be sent whenever you just want to reconnect or stay in touch. This card will keep your name before a client and generate good will. Don't wait for something bad to prompt you to acknowledge someone, send a card that says they are in your thoughts just to brighten their day. This unexpected gesture is sure to please and enforce your business or personal relationship.

Keep a supply of each of these type business greeting cards on hand for use at a moments notice. Add a short note and your thoughtfulness is certain to be returned many times over, growing and strengthening your business partnerships and corporate prosperity.

Here's The Safe Way To Use A Wireless Laptop to Reach The Internet

2008-04-09T13:48:00.002+05:30

If you're reading this article, then you probably just got a new laptop with wireless capabilities. Or perhaps you just set up a wireless network in your home or office and want to know how your laptop can connect to it easily.

Here's what you need to know:

For the purposes of this article, I'm going to assume some basic things about your equipment and layout. If your home network looks a bit different, you'll still be able to make things work, but it may not be quite as simple and straightforward.

Hardware

Most home and small office systems will have a cable/DSL modem. Plugged into that will be your wireless access point or router. Your model may have a few wired network ports as well as the wireless antenna. In addition all this, you have all your computers -- some of which may be connected by wires and some of which are wireless.

Network Security

One of the first things you'll want to do is increase the security of your network. There are a number of things you can, and should, do to accomplish this goal.

Make Your Wireless Network "Invisible"
As a convenience, wireless access points "announce" their presence to nearby wireless-enabled computers. This is called "identifier broadcasting." It is turned on by default, purely as a convenience. For example, it is nice if you are in a hotel or coffee shop -- it makes it easy for your laptop to find their network and use it quickly.
However, when the network is in your home or office, you don't want everyone nearby (e.g., outside or next door) to know you're there. So consult your access point’s user manual for instructions on how to disable identifier broadcasting.
Rename Your Wireless Network.
The wireless network access point/router will be configured with a name, or "service set identifier" (SSID). The wireless manufacturer sets this up at the factory; it is a case-sensitive name that uniquely identifies the network. You'll want to change that name because intruders can scan a neighborhood using the default name to find your network. In other words, until you change your SSID, you might be giving an intruder a head-start on hacking into your network from out on the street somewhere. Consult your manual and change that name. Choose a name that won’t be easily guessed by others.
Encrypt Your Network Traffic.
Your wireless access point/router should allow you to scramble, or encrypt, data moving between the device and your computers. By encrypting your wireless traffic, you are changing it to a format that can only be read by computers with the correct conversion-key for that format.
Change Your Administrator Password.
In order to do the things I mentioned above, you need to log on to your wireless access point/router. At the factory, it was given a default password. These passwords are widely known and can be used to gain unauthorized access to your network. Be sure to change your administrator password.
Use File Sharing with Caution.
Sometimes all you want to do with your wireless network is share an internet connection with others. If that is the case, you may not have file sharing turned on.
But if your network is set up to help you access files and folders on other computers, you'll need to have "file sharing" turned on. The downside to this is that it makes it easier for outsiders to steal information from you.
To stop them, you may want to consider creating a dedicated directory for file sharing, and move or copy files to that directory for sharing. Then you should password-protect that directory and the files in it. Note: Never open an entire hard drive for file sharing!
Keep Your Access Point Software Up to Date.
From time to time, the manufacturer of your wireless access point/router will release updates to the software (or patches to repair bugs). Be sure to check the manufacturer’s web site regularly for any updates or patches for your device’s software.

Convenience

Once you've taken care of the security issues, the rest is relatively easy.

After you set the SSID on your access point/router, you may want to add it (and any other wireless networks you use) to your preferred network list if Windows XP Wireless Auto Configuration is enabled. Follow these steps:

In Control Panel, click Network and Internet Connections, and then click Network Connections.
Right-click the Wireless Network Connection, and then click Properties.
On the Wireless Networks tab, click Add.
In the Wireless network properties dialog box, enter the SSID you configured for your wireless access point/router.
Fill in the rest of the fields, including the necessary authentication and encryption information based on the configuration of your wireless access point/router.
Click OK and your home network will be added to the list of preferred networks.

Now, your laptop should automatically see the desired wireless network and connect to it.

Enjoy!

Small Office Success Building Tactics - Don't Work Too Hard At MLM

2008-04-09T13:48:00.001+05:30

The following set of tactics and rules are designed to be instrumental in establishing the right frame of mind in the market place. They are a guide to running your business from home while continuing your 9 to 5, just over broke work situation. The time requirements in starting and running a business are demanding and you will not make a "real" living by putting in 2 to 3 hours a month marketing an affiliate based program unless you have a "real" amount of money to put into play.

The true home office person works a normal job; she has responsibilities and very little free time to commit to a business that isn't making any income. This is the hook that thousands of on-line lead marketing companies use to get us to chase after the bait of money for doing nothing. A small fee is paid and tons of leads are dropped into our personal funnel system and out comes a flood of money.

You will not get rich quick.

Although it does happen. Getting rich over night is like getting hit by lightning. It happens but is very unlikely. If you want to get rich quick. Buy lottery tickets. You can purchase them on line from your official state website or visit a local grocery store and purchase them off line. I am serious. Anyone that is reading this and wants to get rich quick will have a better chance at winning the lottery. This rule is very important. Don't expect to get rich quick using any of my tactics or suggestions.

Work Hard At Something.

This is too easy. You already work too hard at MLM. You already work to hard to please your family. You already work too hard for your boss. This rule is exciting to me. Work hard at something you like.

Find your passion and work hard to communicate that passion to others. People surf the net looking for information about topics that are of interest to them. They will read your content if you target it to them.

Know your prospect.

At this point, you know you will not get rich quick and will be working hard at something that excites you. Your passion for the subject matter is unquestionable. But, who will be interested in reading your website message?

Get to know your prospect. Determine their gender, age, occupation, hobbies, all or anything about the prospective visitor that would be interested in your message.

This is where many of us fail to plan. It seems too large of a task. It is not. Start with what you know and add or subtract as you market to your prospect profile. The profile is important and this is why. Marketing to a person or profile gives you the abilities to avoid getting your message in front of people that do not have an interest in it. As you look for places to market, you can avoid wasting money and time and target your efforts to your profile. You can change your profile based on your responses and get better at hitting the mark.

K-Mart and Sears are copyright trade marks. These companies use surveys to adjust their prospect profiles. They want to know who are their customers, where they live, their occupation, number of kids, what car they drive, what level of education and a host of other factors.

You have your passion for the subject matter. What is your age, gender, and hobbies? Start with what you know and add or subtract as you move forward. This rule will help you save time and money, build a prospect profile and market to that specific profile.

Your most wanted response.

You want to establish what you want from your prospects. Keep in mind you don't want to sell them anything. Some of us do have our own products to sell on line. If you do, keep an open mind while reading the next few paragraphs.

The job of the MLM affiliate is to bring prospects to your affiliate website with an open mind toward the product that is being offered. Most of us shoppers, do not see the immediate benefits of the product. We need to be educated. We surf for information so we can be an educated consumer. I don't want to be sold the product or service by you. I want you to influence me by providing the information I am seeking. If your information is good and your passion for the topic is true, I may be inclined to check out your recommendations.

You business partner is a genius at selling. His site has all the details and is ready to close the sale. You don't have to rewrite copy or try to convince your prospects of the value of the product. They are, like you, already interested in the topic. They have been educated and are in a ready state of mind. Let the affiliate site sell them the product.

You most wanted response is going to be a simple click to your affiliate website. Send them there from your website. This rule is going to sound old, you must have your own website to establish yourself. Even if your website just redirects your prospects to your affiliate site.

The Right Small Office/Home Office Printers

2008-04-09T13:45:00.000+05:30

Choosing an output device (notice I did not say "printer") is an arduous task indeed: inkjet, laser, LED, 3-in-1, 5-in-one, 7-in-one, photo printers, MFPs..... the choices are seemingly endless.. To make matters worse, the employee at the big retail/computer/electronics store has held the job for less than a week and is a lot more knowledgeable about PlayStation than anything else. So what do you do? Here's a little quick guide to help you sift through most of the choices.

These tips are based on how much paper you use per month. If you do not know (I wouldn't if somebody asked me), then think of how often you buy paper and how much; then divide by the appropriate timeframe. Regular office paper (A4, letter- or legal-size) normally comes in 500-page reams or 2500 or 5000-sheet boxes. If you buy a 2500-sheet (5 ream) box once a quarter, you therefore use 833 sheets per month.

A - Less than 50 sheets per month: Get as cheap an inkjet as you can - just make sure there are store-brand or knockoff cartridge brands readily available so you can purchase those as soon as the warranty on your printer runs out. If your printer dies, DO NOT fix it: it will be cheaper to get a new one (which will come with a new cartridge pack). I would personally buy a "multi-function" with a flatbed scanner, as they are now quite cost effective. The more mainstream the brand, the more retailers carry it, the better.

B - 50 to 250 sheets per month: If your usage dictates that you need colour and/or a multi-function (any combination of 2 of the following: printer/fax/scanner/copier), then definitely get a multi-function inkjet. However, before you do, do some research (15 minutes on the internet) to determine how much cartridges cost and what their yield (how many pages you can get out of them) is. If a cartridge costs $45 and yields 450 sheets, it will start getting expensive. If you do not need anything other than straight B/W printing, then get an entry-level laser/LED printer. They now come with a very good price tag (under $200) and are very cost-effective.

C - 250 to 1000 sheets per month: In this case, there is no doubt you need to get a laser or LED since it does not make any kind of sense to get an inkjet - the cost will be much higher. If you can, try to get a Multi-function, but remember to do your homework on cartridge cost vs. yield - and do not let the comparatively lower cartridge cost fool you (a $280 cartridge with a 5000 page yield is a lot better than a $120 cartridge with a 1000 page yield). Also, get a system that is suited to your primary application: do not get a fax-based system if 90% of your usage will be copying.

D - Over 1000 sheets per month: In this case, your best bet is to call 3 or 4 office-equipment providers, as they will guide you towards the best choices according to your needs. Just be sure to get 3 or 4 quotes (just to keep them honest) and get an all-inclusive service contract; they include toner and all your services and are typically cheaper (at this stage) than buying toner alone for a laser system.

A few parting words: These tips are for basic office use only; if you need oversize paper (11x17 or A3), o photo-quality finishes for pre-press, these tips are not for you. Also, I do not recommend refilling laser cartridges, as the systems themselves are somewhat of an investment and can be picky. For inkjets, however, since the machines themselves are almost disposable nowadays, it should not be a major issue.

How to Get that "Hotel" Feeling at Home

2008-02-26T15:08:00.000+05:30

I've had my share of good and bad hotel experiences over the years, and the thing that bugs me most is ... why can't I stay in hotel rooms more often? Here are a couple of things you could do to give your house/room a hotel feel.

Clean Up!

Marcus Aurelius once said, "He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the universe." Just like you, proper grooming habits make the difference in your room. Make your bed every morning, dust your displays, sweep the floors and wipe the furniture. Make it your routine. A routine builds tradition, and tradition is synonymous with timelessness. If you're one of those no-time-to-do-chores person, at least make the bed after you wake up, and perform general cleaning on lazy Sunday mornings. You may have help in the house, but nobody knows your room like you do, plus, you're your own bellhop on this one.

Simplicity!

Everything you put into your room is an investment. Movie and videogame posters taped to the wall scream, "invested on being juvenile." Getting your favorite movie poster framed and hanging in your room is a lot better and helps give out your personality without you having to say a word. You may have a lot of interests, but that doesn't mean you have to lay it all on the table in one go. Understated interests generate mystery and may spur genuine interest from onlookers, while randomly placing things is just tacky.

Pictures!

Hotels always try to make their service as personal as possible, but they can't pull off something like this. Keep pictures of your family and friends in the nightstand or desk. Not only do they show other people that you're in touch with your roots, it also helps remind you of how great people in your life are.

Lighting!

If you don't have one of those dimmers, put lamps -and here's the secret- with low-watt bulbs on your nightstand. The low-watt bulbs give out yellow light that give your room a warm vibe. If you don't have a pair of matching lamps, just replace your light bulbs with a low-watt one (14-watts). Think about it, have you ever been in a hotel room that was lit with a fluorescent lamp?

Smells!

Make sure your room smells new, fresh. I myself prefer a more subtle scent than store-bought air fresheners, so what I do is, I get a lot of cotton balls, soak them in vanilla, and keep them near the air conditioning. It gives off a nice sweet scent, perfect for my personality!

Comfort!

This is your main goal! You have to make your bed comfortable. A comforter is a nice little investment for those cold nights. If you're a dude, more pillows than you're used to is okay too, as long as you don't come off as a guy who has a pillow fetish. A CD that plays ocean waves also makes getting to sleep easier for some people. Adding things that help you achieve comfort is a must, if your aim is to make your room conducive to a good night's rest.

Create a Home Inventory as a Backup

2008-02-26T15:02:00.000+05:30

If a catastrophic event damages or destroys your home, would it be made worse by you not knowing what all you lost? Though memories cannot be replaced, the contents of your home can be if you have homeowners or renters insurance.

One of the easiest ways to make sure you get all of your things back is to create a home inventory. This will simplify the claims process and ensure that your settlement amount is appropriate.

Creating the inventory can be tedious, but it can also be as simple as walking around your home with a video camera. Be sure to note the quantities, serial numbers, make, model, and purchase price and date. Supplementing the inventory with photographs is also helpful. You can get a personal inventory chart from your insurance agent.

Add up the value of the contents of your home and store the video and any supporting information in a fireproof container or move the information to a different location, such as a safety deposit box. It is also helpful to store contact information for your insurance agent with your home inventory. Make sure you have enough insurance coverage for your personal belongings.

Here are 5 things you can do if your property is damaged:

1) Report the claim to your insurance agent as soon as possible. Some insurance companies also have a 24-hour phone number that you can use to report a claim.

2) Report the incident to the police, if the claim involves a theft.

3) Prepare a list of the damaged or stolen items. Include a short description of each item, including its age, current value, make, model and serial number if you have it. Make a copy of the list, and give it to your adjuster.

4) Protect your property against further damage or theft, once it is safe to do so.

5) If your home is not fit to live in, make sure your agent and adjuster know where you can be found. Also remember to provide them with new contact information if you change locations.

Join Overnight Summer Camp

2008-02-25T12:40:00.001+05:30

Overnight summer camps are arranged for the people during their summer vacation to spend the days in useful way. Summer camps are special camps arranged for the kids, men and women of all ages. People of all ages can join the summer campaign and enjoy the spirit of vacation. Outdoor education is also conducted in adventure program which is referred to be an organized learning.

Academic adventure courses are offered to the people to enable them to know about various sorts of academic programs conducted. These programs enable the clients to know various activities around the world and also to play a challenging role towards environment. Weight loss retreat course is inclusive of the schedule conducted to reduce the weight of the people who wants to be fit and healthy. More and more activities are available for the people to learn and to maintain their body slim and healthy. This type of stuffs enhances people to develop their extracurricular activities and at the same time act as program which provide mind and body relaxation.

Nowadays, trend has been totally changed and people are not interested in wasting the time. As per the age schedule and their interest in learning the adventure, they can choose the course required for them. Considering the capacity of the trainees and the health condition, trainers teach them activities in the camp. The fees determined comprise of type of program chosen in the camp, duration of the course, the number of skills and activities interested to learn. Well trained, experienced professional trainers are available and they are the efficient person to provide training to the trainees required all over the world.

More number of people coming forward to know about the various programs and they become the professional in offering the summer camp. Today most of the institution started to offer overnight summer programs in effective manner to reach people of all kinds. Interesting activities like hikes, biking, rock climbing, caving, horse riding, rafting, athletics and many other academic adventure programs are conducted. As per the requirement of the students who are joining the program the courses are conducted. The fees charged will differs accordingly to the type of program chosen by the student. So, join summer camp and enjoy the benefit of it fruitfully without lose of energy.

Disaster Preparedness - Earthquakes

2008-02-25T12:38:00.000+05:30

Before the Quake:

1. Discuss safety rules from whatever manuals or websites that deals with earthquakes.

2. Conduct earthquake practice drills, where you search out and stay in safe places.

3. Take any big, heavy objects and breakable objects that are on higher shelves and put them on lower shelves.

4. Secure water heaters, gas appliances, refrigerators, heavy furniture, bookcases, and shelves.

5. Secure mirrors, pictures, and hanging plants, especially those hanging over beds.

6. Keep hazardous and flammable liquids in cabinets or on low shelves.

7. Check your house for structural flaws that could cause problems in an earthquake.

8. Prepare emergency kits as listed above.

During the Quake:

1. Stay calm.

2. Find a secure place. Stay there until the shaking stops.

3. Inside a house, go under a bed, desk, table, or bench and cover your head with cushions or some other soft objects. Otherwise, stand in a doorway or against a wall away from windows and glass dividers.

4. Inside a public building, get under a desk or something similar, or crouch against an interior wall, head protected with your arms or an object like a briefcase. Do not rush to an exit - stairways may be overcrowded with people and they may be unsafe. Stay away from elevators - power may fail. If you happen to be inside an elevator, stomp on the floor after the quake to get help. If you are in immediate danger, you might try to escape through the trapdoor on top of the elevator - there maybe danger from frie.

5. Outside, keep away from anything that can fall on you - buildings, trees, telephone and electrical wires. Watch out for falling debris, especially window glass. It is better to duck into a doorway than expose yourself to falling debris. If you are on the beach, get off - to escape a tsunami (wall of water) that may be generate by the quake.

6. On the road, stop in a safe place, away from underpasses, overpasses, trees, telephone and electrical lines. Stay in the car.

7. Be prepared for aftershocks. Decide where to take cover if they occur.

8. Don't use matches, candles, any flame because of possible gas leaks. Put out fires.

How to Choose the Right Home Based Business for You

2008-02-19T15:02:00.000+05:30

Many people use their previous career experience to launch their home based business. After years of letting an employer reap the rewards of their hard work and talent, some decide to venture out on their own. This is an excellent way to establish a home based business since generally you are knowledgeable about the field and have several already established contacts that could turn into clients with careful marketing and persuasion.

Others use their hobbies to start a home based business. They spend hours doing something they greatly enjoy, and soon discover they can make enough money to support themselves and their family. If you have a hobby that you greatly enjoy and can turn into a business, this is an excellent way to start. While there will be some supplies you need to purchase to get underway, chances are you already have a lot of what you need. This can save you time and money, which is extremely important when your business first opens its doors.

Some people choose to pursue a home based business that allows them to serve as an affiliate. This means they don't have to be experienced or knowledgeable about what they will be doing, since the parent company will train and teach them everything they need to know. If you can't think of a business to start out of your home, this can be an excellent choice since everything comes already packaged for you. In fact, you can generally purchase all the supplies necessary to start your home business as one big package, and then add other supplies and product as you need to.

When choosing a home based business that is right to you it is important that you keep in mind your strengths and weaknesses. In order for your business to be successful you must choose something that caters to your strengths and minimizes your weakness. For example, if you have excellent skills in dealing with people, you might choose a career in sales since that requires a lot of interaction with others. However, if your strength is in dealing with financial aspects or computing numbers, you should consider home based businesses where interaction with people is limited and you can spend most of your time working with finances or numbers.

It is also crucial that before deciding on a home based business you review what monetary and in-kind resources you can contribute to get your business going. Some home based businesses require a lot of money to get started, especially if you are making or selling products and goods. You will either need the money in your banking account or borrow it from the bank. The less money you have to borrow from a bank to start your business, the less you have to pay back later.

Starting your own home based business is a great choice as long as you carefully plan for it. Make sure the business you come up with is well-suited to your knowledge and your skills. You should also have the time, money and resources to invest in the business to really give it a good start. Doing so will allow you to reap the rewards and benefits of working for yourself for many years to come.

Revolutionary Facts For You to Learn Before You Start Your Homebased Business and Get Scammed

2008-02-19T15:01:00.000+05:30

The Benefits of Finding a Homebased Business Opportunity
Working from home as the owner of your own homebased business is extremely appealing to all sorts of people, from office executives to stay at home parents and retirees. For some, the freedom to work on their own schedule is the best part, allowing them time for their family or to pursue new hobbies. For others, it's the ability to make their own decisions and control their own finances.

Finding the best homebased business opportunity for you isn't always easy. There are millions of different opportunities available. Unfortunately, with such fast paced growth in online entrepreneurship, there are just as many scams available. Examine offers carefully and do your research before signing up for anything, especially if it requires payment.

The Best Homebased Business for You Think about your personal interests, as well as your skills, if you are considering a home based business. There are so many different options available; it would be a good idea to narrow down those you would be most successful with. A general online search can return a wealth of information, but will require careful investigation of each company to avoid scams.

Some of the best homebased business ideas include:
• Offering a service you excel in, like writing, art, or graphic design.
• Selling items that interest you online or through a website like eBay.
• Joining an affiliate marketing program and promote other business's products.
• Writing ebooks or make a product to sell online.
• Becoming a virtual assistant, providing advice or training in an area you excel in, and more.

With so many different homebased business opportunities out there, how do you decide on the best one for you?

That can be difficult, especially if you're new to the world of working from home. Thankfully, there are thousands of resources available. If you have some idea of what you would like to do from home, there are websites, books, and even courses that can help you get started.

Internet marketing is one of the most popular, not to mention most profitable, homebased business opportunities around. There are several different programs to choose from and it is important to carefully compare the various details of each. Consider the price of joining the program and what that includes. Some homebased business opportunities offer training, materials, and even leads. It is also important to review the feedback of others on the company before deciding if it is right for you.

Enjoying the many benefits of working from home is within reach. For the best results, try a homebased business part time until you see if it the best choice. You may start two different home based businesses or continue working at the office until you decide on the most enjoyable and most profitable option.

4 Steps to Create and Promote your Home Based Business

2008-02-18T16:24:00.001+05:30

If you're going to join the ranks of people who are endeavoring to make some money through their own Home Based Business, there are some things to look for that are basic and essential.

1. You have to find a business that you are comfortable with. Look, it does no good for you to start an online flower business if you really have no interest in gardening. If your interests lean more towards motorcycle repair or hang gliding, then that is what your business should reflect. I'll say it this way, turn your hobbies and passions into a business project where you simply "share" with others what you are really interested in.

2. Decide how your business will interact with other people who are interested in the same topic. Now that's a clumsy way of simply saying, "decide what your business will be." Will you offer information on hang gliding? Will you sell products to hang gliders? Will you teach new students who want to fly how they can hang glide? Basically you are deciding what aspect of your business you will focus on.

3. Now that you have come up with what your business is and what it will focus on, you will want to settle on how your business will interact with your potential customers. What do I mean by "interact"? Since I emphasize the fun of running a home based business, I propose that one of the best ways to "establish" your business is by running it online using a web site. Your marketing, sales and, depending on what you do, your teaching can all be run right from your home on the internet.

4. Promote, advertise and market your business. Let me tell you an easy and effective way to initially begin promoting your business. Write some articles about various subjects in your chosen business. Look, you already have a passion for turning your hobby into a business. Take the next step and jot down some of your ideas. A 3-4 paragraph article of 300-400 words along with a link back to your web site will go a long way towards not only promoting your web site, but establishing yourself as an expert in the eyes of your readers and potential customers. Not only that, web site owners can pick up your articles, post them on their web site and provide a link back to your original web site...and you, my friend, will begin to be seen as an expert in your chosen field.

Proofreading Jobs at Home

2008-02-18T16:23:00.000+05:30

How often do you read a book or a newspaper and become frustrated with the spelling, grammar, or layout mistakes? If you are one of those people then maybe you should consider proofreading jobs. There are, in fact, a number of home-based proofreading jobs available. You just need to know where to look for those jobs and how to distinguish between the legitimate jobs and scams.

First you need to determine if you have what it takes to become a proofreader. Do you have an eye for detail? Proofreading is a job that requires an above average grasp of language, grammar, and vocabulary. You need to understand how words are supposed to be placed on a page. To qualify for proofreading jobs at home, though, you also need to have an understanding of basic proofreading symbols, styles of writing, and printing requirements. A good proofreader works with all of these factors.

If you feel like you have some of the skills for proofreading jobs at home, but are unsure just how good your skills may be, then you may want to consider taking some proofreading tests online. There are also classes that will help you develop the skills to become a professional proofreader. The more you practice, the better your skills will become. Many of these classes also offer resources to find proofreading jobs at home.

When you feel that you have enough skills built up to proofread professionally, then you can start looking for proofreading jobs at home. There are a number of resources you can use to find these jobs. There are specific resources that focus directly on proofreading and editing, but you can also find proofreading jobs on journalism, writing, and other websites.

Besides general job boards, you may also find proofreading jobs through publishing companies, magazines, newspapers and more. It may take more digging to find proofreading jobs at home, as many of the big employers of proofreaders require your presence in the office several days a week. Still, that does not mean that the home-based jobs are not to be found.

The other obstacle is the common proofreading scam. Some companies will post "jobs" online luring people interested in this kind of Home Based Business. They then require a "sample page" from each applicant. The sample pages are actually manuscript pages, and it is a way for a company to basically get the pages proofread for free. While both legitimate companies and scams may require these sample pages, it is hard to know when you are looking at a scam versus a legitimate job. Therefore, you should research any companies to which you apply.

Home Business Today - No Success Without Coaching and Career Training

2008-02-14T14:47:00.000+05:30

Coaching Benefits are Many

The benefits and advantages of having a home based business are many; it is a great opportunity to step put of the dullness of regular jobs and lives. But you have to be ready for challenges as well as ups and downs inherent with a home business opportunity. That’s why today’s Network Marketing can’t survive without Coaching and Training. Too complex are new industries and products, too challenging are certain programs.

With a proper coach or trainer, it's like having an expert contact you every day and walk you through the steps to creating a successful business. Most home businesses (and many small ventures) are started on a part-time basis, where people spend at first little time with it. As soon as they realize they can make money with it, they want to spend more time with it and want to become better.

Coaching & Training Tools

At this point experienced coaches and trainers come into place. A lot of work at home business opportunities have the potential to mature into a successful home business if professional coaching and career training is provided through all phases. Coaches provide tools and resources to help improving or growing the business. They offer techniques and support that can be essential for the development of the business.

There are no mysteries to building a successful home based business. Network Marketing Trainers often tell their own successful life experiences of setting and achieving goals. They share what happened to them and how they did it. Their coaching should be based on proven success principles, and be designed to help create immediate results; the focus of the coaching is the personal success of the one to be coached.

Learning the Secrets from Trainers

One must remember: to become successful in your Home Business, being coach able, trainable and teachable is essential. Learning the business-building and personal-development secrets will put everybody willing to change on the path to network marketing success. Career Coaching & Training is a real chance to give new home business owners a step-by-step guide to building and growing their businesses. It is a real, solid opportunity for people who are willing to be trained, having the intention of winning in life.

Dish Network Has Everything You Need!

2008-02-14T14:46:00.000+05:30

If you've been thinking about switching to Dish Network it's probably because you'd like the increased variety that comes with a greater selection of channels. After all, no other television provider can give you as many channels per dollar as Dish Network. But you may be concerned that with all of the extra channels you can get, television may become too complicated and that you'll simply have too many choices for television to be the relaxing experience that it's supposed to be.

Fortunately Dish Network has anticipated this problem and provides a technological solution through it's Electronic Program Guide. The Electronic Program Guide is the central piece of software on all Dish Network receiver boxes and makes it easy to navigate all of the channels in your subscription. When you bring up the Electronic Program Guide, a table listing all of the available programs comes up on your screen. Each program occupies a cell of the table which includes helpful information like when the program was made, who the actors or hosts are, and often information about the subject matter or plot. You can scroll up and down through the table to see what's on different channels and left or right to see what's on at different times. On some receiver models, you can even see what programs are scheduled to be aired up to nine days in advance! The Electronic Program Guide also lets you and everyone else in your family assemble lists of your favorite channels, so you can quickly go to the shows you want to watch without having to sort through all of the channels everyone else insisted on subscribing to.

Dish Network also provides great hardware which can make television viewing more manageable and enjoyable. The Dish Network DVR (Digital Video Recorder) is a great example of this. Some Dish Network receivers have Digital Video Recorders built in, making it easy for you to record everything you want to watch in advance so that you can watch it when you're ready. This is a great feature for people who love television, but have obligations outside the home that conflict with the scheduling of their favorite shows. It works a lot like an old fashioned VCR, but it can be programmed quickly and easily using the Electronic Program Guide, it records onto a hard drive so you don't have to fumble with video cassettes, and some models can store up to 200 hours of programming, so you can take your time in getting around to watching everything.

A satellite television company can have the best technology available, but it doesn't make any difference if it doesn't offer any programming worth watching. Fortunately Dish Network has this covered too with programming packages ranging from the budget conscious Dish Family with forty channels to the Platinum Level High Definition Programming Package with a mixture of HD (High Definition) channels and regular television channels totaling almost two hundred and fifty! Inbetween are Dish Network's America's Top Entertainment Packages which includes versions with sixty, one hundred and twenty, and one hundred and eighty channels. America's Everything Pak has a total of two hundred and ten channels which includes four movie packages from HBO, Showtime, STARZ!, and Cinemax. For even more variety, Dish Network offers seasonal sports subscriptions, foreign language programming, Pay Per View, and Latino packages which offer a mixture of channels in English and Spanish.

Current Internet Network Security Policies Are Nonsense!

2008-02-13T15:18:00.000+05:30

the use of external consultants for the entire internet network security policy framework is not a great idea since the external consultants will find it difficult to grasp the intricacies and business drivers for the network security decisions.

Also, in terms of implementation, the internet network security policy should be disseminated to each and every employee of the company through seminars , handouts and quizzes rather than an innocuous email that no one reads.

The network security policy should capture the latest trends in the network security industry rather than playing catch up. One of the network security aspects that Internet network security policy makers should be worried about now is access to corporate data through a Blackberry or a mobile phone.

New ways of accessing internet cause internet security policy nightmares for CIOs. For example, most companies allow employees to access the corporate intranet mails thru Blackberrys. Also, some companies allow VPN access to the entire corporate intranet. All this is usually actually in violation of the existing corporate internet security policy which has to be rewritten.

In conclusion, internet network security policy implementors should focus on internal buy in among employees and proper dissemination to the entire IT work force,including contractors.This will ensure that the internet network security policy doesnt end up as a useless binder in your boss's cabin!

IT Network: Faxing Capabilities

2008-02-13T15:16:00.000+05:30

If you sense resistance during the IT network sales cycle, listen very carefully to the prospect's objections. Many times, they like what they hear, but small business owners need to hear three or four different opinions in order to bolster their confidence. Take time to understand exactly what's driving the investment in this planned IT network.

In small business IT consulting many of your prospects and clients will have similar IT network needs.

Consider Faxing Needs

Most small business employees have similar experiences when it comes to sending faxes. When a document that needs to be faxed is complete, the employee prints the document and cover sheet, gets up from the desk, walks over to the fax machine, and stands there waiting on line until the fax machine is available. This creates an enormous productivity bottleneck.

Ask Questions about IT Network Needs

To understand the cost of not addressing the single Internet access account or fax machine dilemma, talk with the small business owner. Here's a sample line of questioning you can use to shed some light on the real costs and limitations of sending faxes through a fax machine:

How many people in the office send faxes regularly?

What's the average number of pages in each person's fax?

Does each person typically create a cover page to go along with each fax?

How many faxes a day are sent out?

How often are people sending the same fax to multiple recipients?

How far away is the fax machine from most people's desks?

How many hours are wasted on a daily basis with people waiting around to send outgoing faxes?

How many hours does this translate into annually?

How to Set Up Your Home Office

2008-02-11T15:38:00.001+05:30

There is no "one perfect way" to set up a home office since we are all a bit different in our organizing style, our circumstances, and space available. What we need to do is to cover the bases and enable you to determine YOUR perfect "Home Office Set Up" solution.

First, determine your organizing style for the office itself. Are you more of a Visual person, where you need to see everything as it pertains to your business? Are you more along the lines of a Logical organizer, where order and structure are the main focus of how you will work the most productively? Or, are you more Inspirational, needing to have all of your nick knacks around you in an aesthetically pleasing environment to help motivate you to work, free from all distractions?

Knowing WHAT your environment needs to be in order for you to be the most productive is the most important element of your office. Understanding and realizing this element, determines what your choices are for your base of operations.

Many people will only have one or two choices for their office. Although the ideal scenario is to have a room that is strictly used for your office, it is not always feasible, especially if you are just starting your home based business. However, it is important that you identify your choices and make a quick list of pros and cons using your organizing style as a guide.

Quickly make a list of your choices. Be sure that each area has the necessary equipment, and/or can have the necessary internet connections and phone lines needed to run your office.

Is it a spare bedroom?
Using the loft?
Perhaps even the attic?
How about ransforming the formal dining room into a makeshift office?
Dare I say, even your master bedroom…ONLY as a last resort. Try and keep your bedroom as YOUR room and sanctuary.

Once you have listed your choices, determine which category fits your organizing style the best.

If you are a logical organizer, you probably do not want to be in an open area where family and life can disrupt your business. If you are more inspirational, keep yourself away from distractions. Once you have decided on your perfect solution, you will need to lay down the ground rules.

Home Office Furniture Essentials

2008-02-11T15:12:00.000+05:30

If you have been planning on "creating" your own home office, chances are that you have come to the realization that you need to buy some home office furniture. However, what you may not know is what types of home office furniture pieces are important for your home office. There is no doubt that there are a number of different things which are required for any home office in order to make sure that the work that you do here actually gets completed in an effective manner. A home office is a place in your home that you will want to keep organized, so chances are that you will find any home office furniture essential very beneficial to you and your office. Here, we will take a much closer look at some home office furniture essentials.

One of the most important pieces of home office furniture is a computer desk. Unless you have a laptop computer, chances are that you will not be able to have a computer in your home office without having a computer desk. There are so many different types of computer desks which are available for you to choose from for your home office. For example, if you are looking for a very spacious computer desk which will provide you with the additional desk space which you may be looking for, then you should probably consider getting a L shaped computer desk. If you are looking for something that is more compact, you can find desks which will just fit into your corner. These are beneficial for anyone who does not have a spacious room to work with. With so many different options for you to select from, in order to find the desk which is the most suitable for you, you should be sure to check out a variety of different places.

Another very important piece of home office furniture, which goes along with a computer desk, is a computer chair. If you are interested in actually being able to sit at your computer desk, chances are that you will find that a computer chair is probably necessary. Much like computer desks, there are a variety of different types of computer chairs for you to choose from. Whether you are looking for something that is suede or something that is leather, there are so many different options out there for you.

Other pieces of home office furniture which you will probably be interested in having for your home office include waste baskets, file cabinets, book cases, and printer stands. Another home office essential, although it may not technically be considered a piece of home office furniture, is a paper shredder.

Essential Office Equipment for a Home Business

2008-02-08T14:57:00.000+05:30

You’ve come up with a name for your business, and you’ve laid out a business plan. Now, its time to put together your home office. Many people just starting out spend too much money on their office equipment. A good home office is not only cost effective, it’s space saving.

The first piece of office equipment you will need, no matter what home business you may be establishing, is a desk. Yard sales or second hand stores can offer you a great product for a low price. It may not be the best on the market, but you can invest in the high end office furniture when you hit it big and have the money to waste. Starting out you need inexpensive and functional.

The next piece of essential office equipment is a printer. There are some nice, compact models on the market today that do a multitude of work at a small price. These all-in-one systems will print (usually with both black ink and color ink), they will fax, they will scan, and they will copy. The biggest downfall of these is that they can be slow.

If the business will be paper heavy, and you will be making lots of copies or doing a large amount of printing, then you may need to invest in a stand alone printer. Instead of leasing a new one (and throwing money away in the process), you can usually find some discounted ones at a used office equipment store.

The final piece of office equipment that most every business can utilize is a computer. Here is where the eyes can be much bigger than the checkbook. Get a computer that has the memory you need and will do the functions you want for your business. Spending extra money to get all the bells and whistles – which you probably won’t have the time to use while you start up a new business – is just more money down the drain.

DISH Network Satellite Equipment - What's Free and What's Not?

2008-02-08T14:53:00.000+05:30

In order to compete with DIRECTV and the cable companies, DISH Network is giving away satellite TV systems to people who subscribe to their service. But what equipment do you get for free, and what equipment do you have to pay for?

Free DISH Network Satellite Equipment

Here's the equipment you get for free when you subscribe to DISH Network:

Satellite TV Dish

A satellite TV dish captures the signal from a satellite orbiting above the earth. The signal is sent to an LNB (low noise block) converter which amplifies the signal and sends it to a receiver.

Satellite TV Receiver

A satellite TV receiver processes the satellite TV signal and sends it to a television. DISH Network will give you free satellite TV receivers that will allow you to watch four different shows on four different televisions. These receivers feature an electronic program guide, parental locks, and DISH Home Interactive TV.

DISH Network is currently running a promotion that lets you upgrade to a DVR (digital video recorder) receiver or and HD (high definition) receiver for free.

The DVR receiver allows you to digitally record up to 100 hours of satellite TV programming, and pause live TV so you can get a snack or answer the phone. The HD receiver allows you to watch satellite TV in high definition format.

All receivers come with universal remote controls that allow you to operate your satellite TV receiver plus your TV, DVD player, and VCR.

Pay-For DISH Network Satellite TV Equipment

For an additional $199 you can purchase a DVR/HD combination receiver. This receiver can deliver standard definition and high-definition broadcasts, and features a 250 gigabyte hard drive that can digitally record up to 180 hours of programming.

DISH Network Satellite TV Programming

DISH Network currently has 350 channels of satellite TV programming which include movie channels, sports packages, Sirius satellite radio channels, news and weather channels, game channels, pay-per-view movies, and pay-per-view special events.

Derive Better Business With A Registered Office

2008-02-07T14:30:00.000+05:30

If you a businessmen who needs an address which has good commercial reputation, a registered office is the way to go. Primarily, it fulfills the purpose of giving your business brand name more visibility in the market. This casts a good impression on your customers. A registered office address is accorded high significance for a business to grow. This is because a registered office in a strategic location will help the image of the company. The fame of the place itself acts as the advertisement for your business firm.

A registered office is a mandatory requirement under UK law. This office does not require to be the place from where the business is run. It is basically the address of a company registered under Companies House and this serves as the official address of that company. In UK, You can have a registered office anywhere in England and Wales.

In UK, it is a law for anyone willing to start a business to get a registered office address to run their businesses as well as to keep in closer touch with the Government agencies. This provision is specially beneficial to the British overseas residents since it helps them to run their businesses and communicate in UK while working from any desired location. Also, mail deliveries are faster and more convenient when a the postal address is well-renowned and reliable.

Many companies in the UK actually provide the registered office address service to small businesses. And for all the ease and convenience that a registered office provides, all they charge in return is a small fees. In some cases, some companies even dispense with the administration fee. And they may also give you concession of the mail forwarding fee and postage fee.

It becomes the duty of the companies, who provide the registered office service, to forward mails received by them to their clients, that is, the small business firms. Speaking on behalf of the small-time businessmen, it is advisable that they do enough research for the same to get such deals at ideal rates.

Work At Home Office

2008-02-07T14:28:00.000+05:30

If you are going to work at home, you need an office to call your own. While this is not an absolute necessity, it will definitely make your business run more smoothly from day one. As you can imagine, having a home office is better than working from your dining room table. You may be able to get away with not having your own workspace, but over time it will surely begin to wear on you. Even if you do not have a separate room for an office, you will still want to set something up.

Your office does not have to be in a room of its own. In other words, if you work at home you may be able to add a desk to your bedroom and leave well enough alone. Of course, if you have an extra space you will definitely want to look into making it an office. Generally speaking, this all depends on the layout of your home. Some people are lucky enough to have a spare bedroom that can be turned into an office. But of course, some are not. This is something to consider before joining the work at home revolution.

When it comes to setting up your office there is also a lot to consider. First off, you need to keep things clean and neat. Depending on your occupation, you may find it difficult to organize all of your material and supplies. But with that being said, you need to find a way. The fact of the matter is that staying organized is very important to your overall success.

All in all, if you are going to work at home you need to have an office of some sort. At the very least this will give you a place where you can store all of your work related material. If you take the time to set up an office, it will be much easier for you to work from home.

Business Cards - You Must Have Them, But You Have Options

2008-02-06T13:34:00.001+05:30

One thing that all businesses must have is a quality set of business cards. It doesn't matter if your business is dog walking or dog food manufacturing, the surest way to signal to your prospective customers that you aren't a serious business is to hand them a handwritten piece of paper with your information on it. You must have a color business card, printed on card stock, in order to be a serious business.

So, you have two choices. You can purchase professionally printed business cards, either at a local store like Office Max, or you can buy online at a place like VistaPrint.com Both of them will require you to purchase at least 250 of the cards, and will run you between $30 and $80 per batch, depending on what options you have. Online sites like VistaPrint have business card templates that you can use to design your card before it is printed, which can be a nice benefit.

The other option is to make them yourself. In this case, you have three main options.

The first is creating yourself, printing yourself. This is the cheapest method, and you can usually print them in quantities of 10 or less at a time. Virtually all word processing packages have a business card template you can use, though they are often extremely bland. Open up Microsoft Word, select new, and select business card as a template. Type in your name and address in the few choices you get, and you're all set. A short trip to an office supply store will get you card stock paper, some especially made for home printers, and you're good to go.

The second method is to use business card software to create your cards. Several are available, some as freeware, that allow you to have a better experience in creating your own cards, including changing colors, designs, logos, etc. Often these will allow you to either print directly, or allow you to export an image that you can use to print. If you are a designer, you can use professional-grade image software like photoshop to create exactly how you want things to look, including the use of fancy techniques like fades and gradients.

Finally, you can do a blend of both. Use your word processor or software to design your card, but print them at one of the online shops, like VistaPrint. They usually allow you to upload the full image you want printed, and often you can get good quality cards for $20 or less, including shipping. Once you have your card uploaded, they generally store them for you, so that you can either order another one if you have an employee, or if you ever need more.

Making your own card is not hard to do, and is vital to growing your business. You can make them yourself, using standard business card templates, get software to help you out, or you can use the online templates available at online printing shops. Once you have it crafted, you can print them yourself in very small quantities, or print them online or in store, for a more professional look. Whatever you do, you must have them, so you may as well enjoy it!

3 Things You Should Know Before You Go To A Networking Event

2008-02-06T13:33:00.001+05:30

Very few people make any preparation for a networking event. Those that are experienced networkers are even worse. We think that being dressed professionally and having a good opening line is all that we need to have a good networking event.

But you are going to spend several hours of your free time doing this event. Does it make sense to arrive unprepared with no clear goals? Remember it's YOUR time that you are using at these events.

So here are three things that you should be clear about prior to arrival.

1. Know yourself.

How are you feeling? Rushed? Stressed? Put upon? Don't really want to go? First be aware of your mood and if negative, figure out how to put it away for the event. If you need to, arrive a little late and give yourself some up time. Go browse a favorite store, grab a cup of your favorite coffee, whatever it takes to put yourself in a better place, relaxed and positive.

What happens if you don't? You see it all the time. People looking stressed, tired, unfocused. More worried about the food or drink than networking. They just want to relax, join up with someone they know and talk (whine?) about their work day.

I certainly understand. But what are you accomplishing then? If you are using a networking event to unwind, wouldn't it make sense to just head on home? The other thing is that you are sending out signals, negative signals. Not a productive use of your time.

2. The second thing you should know is who's going to be there.

Many networking events are constructed so that you know who else is registered. You should check it the afternoon of the event. (Typically 50% register within the final two days, depending on the type of event). Search for people you would like to talk to, whether similar businesses, to sell or buy from or even a business that you would like to know more about.

By focusing on several people you would like to meet, you already have made the event more meaningful for you to attend. It's also going to force you to circulate the room more (to find them), introduce yourself to people and make you more active at the event. You don't need to tell them you were specifically looking for them, but introduce yourself as you would to anyone else.

When you do meet up with 2 or 3 people that you had marked for conversation, you'll have accomplished something positive! Unconsciously, you will be feeling good about that and it will show. Chances are you'll be feeling pretty good and people will respond to that.

On a final note for this section, when you look at who you would like to meet expand your idea of who would be useful to you besides just a possible sales prospect. How about meeting someone that ....

o Has a business that you have an interest in?

o Appears to be well connected in the community?

o Is in a position that you have an interest in?

o Might have services that YOU could use?

o Might have services that someone you know could use?

o Has an off the wall business that you aren't clear on, but it might be interesting to know about?

o Or business that you should know more about, but don't understand... something like internet marketing? (I still don't get it!)

The bottom line is that there are a lot of people out there with a lot of knowledge that YOU may not have and networking is a fantastic opportunity to meet them and gain from it. Certainly we would like to get business from networking, but by opening yourself to the wide range of people that you could meet, you have a much better chance of making any networking event a more profitable use of your time.

3. Know your goals!

Certainly adhering to step 2 would be a great start to making a goal for networking. But there are certainly other things that you can focus on as well depending on what you want to accomplish. Getting an appointment to meet (or meetings) with one or more people, getting to know someone better (building that relationship), getting a certain amount of business cards, introducing yourself to the powers that be (if a chamber event, the officers and the people who work at the chamber), and meeting X amount of new people (a great networking goal!).

Making goals doesn't have turn into this high pressure "business" thing. But BY making goals, you are more likely avoiding the opposite extreme which is to show up, talk to some people and then go home.

Successful people in any business today know the value of preparation. For some meetings, the preparation can take a great deal longer than the meeting itself. But good prep is likely to create good meetings. It is no different with networking. The good news is preparation time is pretty short, checking out where our head is at, how's coming and what you want to accomplish. In fact, after doing it a time or two, it will be pretty natural and talk just a few minutes. But the payoff is significant.

Be Your Own Boss With Network Marketing

2008-02-05T13:28:00.000+05:30

Do you dream about being your own boss? This is a very real possibility today for almost anyone no matter where they live in the world. The reason for this is the internet. Another reason is using the internet to start your own network marketing business and run it out of your home.

Being your own boss is not for everyone however. Here are a few pros and cons of being your own boss in network marketing.

1. Not everyone is self motivated. If you are the type of person who needs a boss to tell you what to do you will have trouble getting up and going to work for yourself. On the other hand if you thrive on independence and are very goal oriented being your own boss is a great idea. Building a successful network marketing business is a challenge that when you have done it can reward you by being your own boss.

2. Some people can not deal with the ups and downs of an income without a job. Payday is not always going to be every Friday at first. Unless you have a large bank account to tide you over until you have a steady income coming in this can be tough for some people. On the flip side you can start your own network marketing business part time and build it up until you can replace your income from your job.

3. What is your computer skill level? Having some computer savvy is a must in todays business world. If you want to build a world class business you need to know how to do internet marketing. The nice thing is it is not rocket science. Once you get a system of creating leads and getting traffic to your website or blog the internet will become your biggest lead generator.

4. Some people have trouble being their own boss because of the distractions working at home can bring. It is imperative that you set office hours and if you can set up an office where you work. When you are in there you are at work and must keep any outside interference to a minimum.

On the bright side you get to set your own schedule. If you want to go to your kid's ballgame you can. If you want to take a 4 day weekend you do need permission. To be your own boss with network marketing is a dream come true for many people and you can be one of them.

DIY Guide For Office Furniture Leads - Desks, Cubicles, Copiers, Fax Machines, Printers, Supplies

2008-02-05T13:27:00.000+05:30

Are you a salesperson that sells office furniture such as cubicles, desks, or ergonomic office chairs? Or perhaps you sell Copiers, fax machines, or printers? Maybe you sell office supplies or mailing equipment? Whatever you sell, do you want to generate more sales leads without cold calling via the internet?

This is a do-it-yourself (DIY) guide for generating internet office furniture leads and other sales leads for salespeople that sell office furniture and equipment.

One of the easiest ways for salespeople to generate leads is to draw on people that are using search engines to look for the products that you are selling and pay to capture that lead. It costs just pennies to capture the lead.

Before explaining how to do it, you must first create a list of "keywords" that you think people that need your products are searching on search engines. Here is a short list of popular internet searches for office equipment and furniture:

* color copier printer fax
* refurbished copiers
* discount office furniture
* commercial office equipment
* Chicago office cubicles
* leather office chairs
* contemporary office chairs
* Atlanta office supplies
* wholesale office supplies
* rebuilt mailing equipment
* secretary desks
* audio visual presentation equipment
* multifunction printer scanner
* home office furniture
* Los Angeles office furniture

Of course, this is just an example of keywords that you can use. For yourself, you need to choose keywords that are relevant to what you sell. Choose specific keywords and use the city that you live in, like I did in a few of the examples above.

To use internet search engines for office furniture leads you must have a website yourself. Create one if you do not already have one. The way it works is that your keywords are shown as "sponsored results" whenever someone searches those words on search engines. Whenever someone clicks on your link and is taken to your website you pay for the click. But don’t worry; each click is relatively cheap. It normally costs just pennies per click.

It really is that easy. People searching for your products on search engines come to your website via sponsored listings and then it is your job to close the sale on the lead.

Stay At Home Work - Creating A Great Home Office Environment

2008-02-04T12:49:00.001+05:30

When you begin any kind of stay at home work or home based business, it’s a good idea to put a lot of thought into your stay at home working environment. After that cubicle where you were forced to make good use of your space, it’s easy to spread out and become disorganized. Or worse, not put any thought at all into your stay at home work environment.

For instance, your stay at home business office needs to have its own phone. In many homes, the phone is in a central location where it’s easily accessible. You will waste untold amounts of time and energy if you don’t have a phone for your stay at home job. This is a problem that’s easily solved with a remote phone that you keep in your stay at home business office.

Too, it’s easy to let the office where you perform your stay at home job get cluttered and dirty. After all, you think, no one sees my stay at home work office but me. And that’s exactly why you need to make sure your stay at home office is neat and clean. It reflects professionalism which has a psychological affect of making you feel more professional, which makes it easier to take a more professional attitude toward your stay at home job.

And it doesn’t hurt to decorate your stay at home work office so that it’s a pleasant place for you to be. You’re going to be spending a lot of time in your stay at home work office, so you want to feel comfortable and make it a place you enjoy being in. That enjoyment carries over to your stay at home job and can make it far more enjoyable. So paint the walls a cheerful color that makes you feel good and put up some posters or pictures. Invest in some houseplants. You’ll be amazed at how great a difference making even a few small changes in your stay at home work office will make you feel toward your stay at home job.

If your stay at home work office must be in the basement of your home, you want to pay even closer attention to the lighting and humidity levels. A constantly damp environment isn’t good for office equipment—or you. It can cause you to be more susceptible to colds and allergies. So invest in a good dehumidifier to protect both yourself and your stay at home office equipment. And make sure you have great lighting. A basement can be a dreary, gloomy place for your stay at home office and good lighting can not only make it brighter and more cheerful, it also makes it a lot easier to see—which is important to performing your stay at home job more efficiently.

Also, no matter where your stay at home work office is in your home, it needs to have good ventilation. This is especially important for a stay at home work office that’s in a basement. You need fresh air, and, again, so does your equipment. So invest in a good fan and/or air filter to ensure the air in the office where you do your stay at home work has the freshest air possible. Your stay at home work office equipment will work better and so will you.

Finally, you also want to invest in some quality stay at home work office furniture. You want a good, comfortable chair and a good desk for your stay at home work office. Nothing’s worse than spending a lot of time in a chair that isn’t comfortable or a desk that’s too high or too low to allow you to do your stay at home work comfortably. Buying quality stay at home office furniture doesn’t have to cost you a fortune, either. You can pick up great furniture for your home office at liquidation sales and online auctions. So chose stay at home office furniture that fits both you and your budget.

Home Office Shredders

2008-02-04T12:46:00.000+05:30

Home office shredders are light volume shredders. They are used at places where documents are to be shredded periodically. These shredders are also known as deskside shredders. They are more suitable for personal or home office use and most of them are designed to fit under a desk. Some of these shredders have cabinets which function as convenient waste paper bins. Most home office shredders use a combination of plastic and metal gears.

The CD/DVD/paper shredder is a home office shredder. It can shred up to seven folded sheets of paper at a time and can also convert CDs, DVDs and credit cards into confetti. It is a tabletop shredder that ensures total document security. The cross-cutting heads of this shredder can slice paper, rubber bands, credit cards, floppy disks and CD-ROMs into 2 × 23 mm flakes without difficulty. This shredder has durable steel gears and reverse mode. It also has easy-to-empty plastic container and cleaning brush.

The deskside straight cut shredder is another variety of home office shredder. It has a thermally protected motor, soft lines and rounded corners for an up-to-date style. It can shred up to 20 sheets at a time with a speed of 20 feet per minute. Most deskside straight cut shredders are fully automatic.

Some home office shredders are designed for deskside use in shared spaces and cubicles.

Most home office shredders have ultra quiet motors which give a high level of performance. The total daily shredding capacity of these shredders is as high as 300 sheets. Their durable steel cutters can handle credit cards and staples. The reverse function provided in these shredders help to remove paper jams easily.

Home For The Holidays

2008-02-02T14:57:00.000+05:30

What makes a family? I ponder the question often, but not because I don't know the answer. On the contrary, the answer was embedded in my mind by my parents long ago, and that's why I try very hard to pass this knowledge on to my children so that they not only know the meaning of the word family, but will also recognize its significance.

Family is the most vital aspect of our childhood; every experience that we share with each family member plays a role that will forever be implanted in our subconscious and somehow manifest in our lives for years to come. Since we don't get to choose our family, they come in all different shapes and sizes. Most can attest to a crazy aunt, a loud uncle, a cousin that is hard to bear, or a grandma that lost a screw or two. But all in all, even under the worst circumstance, family unites us and makes us whole.

On our last family reunion, I was watching my niece and nephew mingling with my children. The four-year-old precautious child ran around hugging and kissing her 'cousins' (a new word that she recently learned and loved). Her cousins, who are much older, took time to play with her and obliged to her every whim while she happily sang and showered them with gratitude kisses. Taking their age difference into consideration, it was obvious that the cousins play time would be kept to a minimum. As our week progressed, it was apparent to everyone that these few hours she spent with them on a daily basis made a world of a difference to her as it did to them. Her brother, who is just short of being ten, had a blast with the 'big kids,' regarding himself as their peer because he got to play in a different league. It was amusing to watch how he tried to be more mature and conspicuous in order to blend in among them.

Every night at dinner, it was fun to see everyone gather around and tell stories of the past year. It was a precious thing to watch our kids taking care of their grandparents and taking charge over making dinner plans. Our fifteen-year-old suddenly looked eighteen and my husband and I once again had an eye opener over the realization that our college age kids now had a life of their own; they are all working their way up the ladder, learning and building their lives, and we don't have many years left to hover over them.

Tips For Interviewing Family Members For Your Genealogy Research

2008-02-02T14:56:00.000+05:30

Some people are born interviewers, they just seem to be excellent at asking just the right questions and remembering all the answers. This article is likely not for those people, however I suspect even they may find some ideas here that would improve their abilities to find out nuggets of family history interest from their relatives.

First off, is take something to record your interview with you. Don't expect to take notes. It's hard to keep up and it takes you out of the conversation. Something that records direct to digital audio files is a most wonderful choice. I have a Zoom H4 digital recorder that I use for many purposes and this would be an excellent choice, but there are many choices out there. Just be sure that whatever you use you are able to convert the files to something useful to share with others at some point. Be sure to ask your relative if they mind if you record the conversation. Explain that you want to ask about the family history and about what they remember growing up and explain that you would like to record it so you can get all the details straight and not have to sit and write the whole visit.

Okay, so what do you ask about? So many genealogies are simply dry facts. Name, date, born, died, where can be such a dry distillation of our lives. Try to dig a bit deeper than that. Ask if they could describe what their parents looked like, favorite sayings of a family member, favorite songs. Did they play a musical instrument?: What did they do for a living? What was it like growing up in that family? When did they first get a radio/tv/car/etc. what was that like? Did they ever travel, where, how did they get there, what was that like? Where did they live, why? This gives you some ideas. Try to let the conversation flow.

Now, I just said try to let the conversation flow, but I think you should go in with a list of questions that you would like to hear answers to. Think of yourself as a reporter digging for a story. If new questions come up in the discussion, follow them and see where it leads, but try to get through all your questions. If there seem to be too many questions to get to, you might consider finishing up and not making the visit feel like an extended inquisition. It's common for an eager researcher to be excited about finding out family details and lose track of time. Keep your family members time in mind too though, they will likely be glad to chat with you, but don't overstay your welcome. It might be better to say "I can't believe how the time has gotten away, we've been talking for an hour, I should probably go, do you think we could do this again sometime?" than to have to be told, "Wow, we've been talking three hours, I really need to get started with dinner."

Think about common interview techniques, in other words learn from good interviewers on tv or the radio. Notice how they try to work into open questions to let the interviewee answer with more than a yes or no? Also, don't expect all the answers. Some people don't remember much of what they were told as children about their extended family. You could probably find out a lot about what life was like as they were growing up, about things they did as a family from those that don't remember many family details. That kind of information can be as valuable.

Another good idea is to take what you learn in your initial interviews and do some research from there in the library, courthouse, or elsewhere and fill in some details. Then, go back and ask questions about some of the things you've found. "Do you remember anything about your parents having a child that died young?" Using research to go back and have further discussions can help refresh memories. I remember in one of our family histories it took finding a great-great-great grandfathers name written for some of the great-aunt's and uncles to say "oh yes, that's right daddy had a grandfather named _______." Sometimes you'll be able to use those moments to either simply confirm what you've researched, or even expand a bit.

To finalize, I suggest any family history researcher or genealogist to make talking to their older relatives the first priority in their ancestry research. We often overlook the recent history in search for the older histories, but sometimes it's so much easier to put details into the more recent history if we just take the effort to do so. Additionally, if you spend too much of your time in the library early on, you may regret missing the opportunity to learn more from your older relatives when you had the chance. Enjoy your interviews and good luck with your research.

Comparing VoIP Providers For Small Business Solutions

2008-02-01T14:34:00.001+05:30

It is no secret that communication is key to survival for small business. The advantage to small busineses of using a VoIP solution is that the market is very competitive. While there are relatively few companies from which to choose for normal phone service, many VoIP providers will gladly offer VoIP phone service at a very competitive rate and with unlimited long distance.

But....you need to do your homework first.

Phone service features indispensable to your business, such as voicemail, conferencing and call waiting, allow business to flow smoothly and efficiently. So....how do you decide if a VoIP solution is best for your business?

One of the first steps when analyzing your current service is to decide what features your business needs. Does it need multiple lines to accommodate the sales force? What about a toll free number for customer service? Make a list of all the features your office uses and think about others you might want to try.

The next step is to make an estimate of all intrastate (in- state), interstate (state-to-state) and international calls. An easy way to estimate these numbers is to view a recent phone bill. You might be surprised at how large or small your call volume actually is. If you rely heavily on fax machines, consider the number of incoming and outgoing faxes. As you review these numbers, remember to consult growth projections for the rest of the year.

How To Run Your Home-Based Office Efficiently

2008-02-01T14:27:00.000+05:30

Run your home-based business smoothly with contingency plans in action. Have a backup plan to meet any emergency. Put aside some money from profits to sail through sudden bad times. Use your time wisely without getting distracted by television, telephone, or a million other household chores. Keep your office organized to maximize efficiency. Avoid wasting time in searching for essential items of trade. File tax returns on time and honestly. Have a sound financial advisor to tide you over after any financial problems.

Ways to run an efficient home-based business: Working from home is a ideal situation. You have no boss to please, no driving long distances, and you are the master of your precious time and family. To stay on track, follow a few rules to keep the business running smoothly.

• Structure your day. Time slips by silently, so create a structure that mimics your workplace. Keep a list of ‘to do’ things and cross them off by the end of the day. Be disciplined; do not be distracted by household chores, television, etc. Finish your work in the structured time, before proceeding to do home chores.

• Create your workspace. Create a space exclusively for work at home. Then create an office environment in that space by using some furniture, plants, altered lighting, etc.

• Stay connected. Carry an organizer to allow you instant access to information on the Net. Since you may not be physically present at home all the time, this gadget will let you stay in touch with your clients at all times.

• Organize your family time. Look after your home-based business and organize family time in such a way that they do not impinge on each other. Have a baby sitter to devote uninterrupted 4-6 hours on your work without children’s distraction.

• Get help. To improve your productivity and profitability, hire some domestic help. This will free your time to focus on work, meeting up with clients, and various office jobs. • Motivate yourself. You are not running after report cards anymore. Set your own goals and constantly raise the bar to increase your efficiency and capital gain.

• Reward yourself. When you achieve your goals or put in long hours for job completion, reward yourself with a break. It will recharge and relax you.

• Learn multi-tasking. A home-based business owner is his own CEO, president, secretary, driver, manager, etc. So learn the rudiments of all the jobs not only to save on support staff expenses but to become an expert, too.

• Network. Meet up with other home-based business owners to expand your client base. Their support also helps in the growth of your business.

• Expand outside the home. Let home be your launch pad. As the business expands, consider moving the business outside the home for greater efficiency.

• Outsource business-related tasks. Use the web designer’s expertise to advertise your work. Bookkeeping, physical product creation or delivery of goods can be done better with professional help.

Adherence to a few simple rules will help you run your home-based business efficiently and make working from home a pleasure.

How To Run Your Home-Based Office Efficiently

2008-02-01T14:23:00.000+05:30

Home Safety Tips - Reducing And Preventing Equipment Related Accidents

2008-01-31T14:42:00.001+05:30

Most equipment related accidents can be decreased a great deal if people would only learn to use the equipment properly and recognize signs of malfunctioning equipment. The advances in technology have brought about highly sophisticated electronic equipment in many houses hence the need for more education to help decrease equipment related accidents. Below are a few tips on how you can reduce accidents of this nature in the home.

There is a saying that says that, "A bad man quarrels with his tools." With due respect always use equipment only for the use to which it was intended and do not operate equipment with which you are unfamiliar. To prevent damaging it, handle equipment with care. Damaged equipment can malfunction and injure you.

For electric equipment, use three-prong electric plugs whenever possible. Do not twist or bend the electric cords because the lines inside may break.

To further protect yourself, be alert to signs that indicate equipment is faulty for example breaks in cords, sparks, smoke, electric shocks, loose or missing parts, and unusual noises or odors and report any signs of trouble immediately or take it for repairs, do not try to be a superhero.

It is also very important to make sure that electric cords are not in a position to be trapped as a vacuum is pulled or beds are raised or lowered and any other electric equipment because this can strip insulation covering the electric wires. Electric equipment can present a safety hazard to anyone in the family when safety measures are ignored. So always be alert for wet surfaces on areas where electric cords or connections are present. Inspect your home regularly to identify areas where there may be a high risk of accidents.

In conclusion, many accidents in the home frequently result from careless use of equipment or from malfunctioning or poorly maintained equipment. All these can be prevented when families work together to prevent accidents. Involving every member of the family will even reduce accidents further since everyone will be aware of the consequences and advantages when they are properly used and signs of malfunction recognized in good time. Finally, a good home aims at prevention and not treatment.

Accidents in the Home - Safety and Prevention of Accidents at Home

2008-01-31T14:39:00.000+05:30

Safety and the prevention of accidents in the home are some of the areas that are considered to be very important. Often, we incur injuries that can easily be prevented. It is even more important to take the two factors into considerations when there are children and the elderly at home. Following are a few tips on promoting safety and preventing accidents.

The first step is to identify the age groups that are present and modifying the environment accordingly to help decrease or eliminate accidents that may result in injuries. Education is an important factor. This includes showing children simple procedures such as washing hands after using the bathroom (toilet) and before touching any food. During this teaching process it is very important to take into account the age groups in the home because some educational materials may not be suitable for certain age groups.

Improving safety at home may also include enforcing the regulations or laws that can modify the behavior of the age group or people at risk the most. Looking at the risks involved individually can help a great deal.

Another factor is that it is very vital to have all the most important phone numbers in readily accessible locations. This includes the emergency number, poison control number, your family physician number and other important numbers.

Parents and children can recognize dangerous items in the home by using childproofing products. Many factors should be considered such as falls, infection, injuries, burns, suffocation, drowning, and inhalation, ingestion of poison/foreign bodies, guns and substance abuse. Statistics show that each of these factors is predominant in one individual age group and not others.

For example, infections are high in neonates and can easily be prevented by washing hands frequently. Falls are also a highest risk in infants and can be prevented by closely supervising children. Burns are the highest risks among the school-aged children and teaching them about prevention of accidents can promote safety in this age group. Drowning is another safety risk highest among adolescents. Teaching adolescents about responsibilities, about the new world of freedoms that accompany being a teenager, can help equip them with the knowledge they need to face the dangers and risks when they are on their own.

How To Build A Lamp Out Of Rocks

2008-01-30T12:05:00.001+05:30

A lamp out of rocks?...Am I crazy? Actually, I have been doing this for a few years now and when done correctly, the final product is beautiful and extremely unique. If you decide to take this venture on, be prepared for your family and friends to be in awe of your new wonderful creation. A stone lamp fits wonderfully in that cabin of yours in the woods or can be placed in that special rustic corner in your traditional home.

Let's get started with the tools and parts you will need. These tools are essential for getting this project done correctly and may require a little bit of a financial investment to get started.

A drill press. The press does not have to be a large, floor model...it can be a bench top type for now. It does have to have a setting on it that will enable the drill to go fairly slowly through the rock. A setting of around 200-300 rounds per minute is best.

A 3/8" mortise bit. The mortise bit for this purpose only has to be around 5" long. DO NOT buy a carbide-coated bit, as these seem to not work as well. Home Depot or Lowe's both carry a standard 3/8" mortise bit for around $5.00.

A lamp kit with a harp included. These lamp kits are easy to use and will come with everything you need to put your lamp together. You will want to make sure the kit comes with a harp also if you are planning on using a shade that requires a harp. These sell for around $8.00 at most hardware stores.

A 3/8" thread rod around 10 inches long. This rod can be bought along with your lamp kit in the hardware's lighting section. Usually, the lengths come in 24" to 36" and cost around $4.00. After you put the lamp together, you will want to cut the rod to length and I will explain how to do that.

A hack saw for cutting the 3/8" rod to length.

A good strong epoxy glue that sets within 30 minutes.

An angle grinder with a wheel suitable to grind rock.

Your Rock

The best place to get your rock for your lamp is to find a dried up riverbed. Rocks from dried riverbeds tend to be easier to drill and lend themselves more easily to making a lamp. Please note: We don't want to disturb riverbeds that are in use by our natural rivers and streams but picking up rock from dried up sources poses no harm to the environment. You will need a base to start with. Look around for a fairly flat base that when set down on a table, it won't rock back and forth but will sit stable. For this project, your base should be about 8 inches square and about 1 inch to 2 inches thick or thereabouts (any variation is ok as long it is fairly flat). After you have found your base, look for smaller rocks of different shapes and sizes and choose ones that are fairly flat on both sides too. This will make it easier to drill and fit together on your lamp. These should be around ½ " thick or so. You will need about 6 of these smaller rocks.

Drilling The Rock

Now that you have gathered your choice rock for your lamp, it is time to drill. Place the base of the rock on your drill press and roughly find the center of the rock. (You do not have to be exactly perfect in finding the center as this is a rustic lamp and if you are a little off, it only makes it more rustic and interesting). You should make sure that where you are going to drill is relatively flat so the drill bit does not dance around on you. (Before you drill, make sure you have a little water on hand to either spray the drill bit or splash some on to it as the drill bit can get very hot and could break if not kept cool). Begin drilling slowly, around 200 to 300 rounds per minute, and continue until you are completely through. Yeah....you did it! Now, repeat these steps with your remaining smaller rock until all are drilled and ready to put together.

Pre-Assembly

Take your length of 3/8" rod and cut it down to about 10" or so. Place the rod into the larger base and start stacking the smaller rock on top. Since none of these rocks are exactly flat, you may have to move them around a little to make sure they fit together snuggly so that the inner rod does not show. After you have completed this process you will most likely have extra rod on top that needs to be cut off. Taking your lamp parts into consideration, you will have to leave enough rod to hold your coupler, your piece that holds your harp, and your actual lamp fixture base. Usually, this means leaving about 1 inch or so above the last stacked rock. You can test this by getting all your lamp parts out, putting them one by one on the top of the extra rod, and then making a mark just under the first piece (coupler) to see how extra rod you need to leave protruding out. Mark your rod where you need to cut it, pull off the rock one by one keeping them in order and cut your rod to length.

Final Assembly

Put your pre-cut rod back into the base and put some of your epoxy glue around the hole where the rod fits into and around a small area where your first small rock is going to sit. Take your first small rock and slide it down over the rod and put it on top of the glued area on your base. (It is important to keep your glue area small so it is not seen after the rocks are placed together). Continue this process until all the rocks are places tightly together on the rod. Make sure the inside of your rod is clear all the way through the center without any obstructions so you can slide your lamp cord through it in the next step. You have now completed the most difficult part of making this lamp. Let your lamp sit for a couple of hours or so to let the glue set up.

Using the directions on your lamp kit box, assemble the rest of the lamp parts as shown. You will have to push your cord all the way through from the bottom of the base. (Sometimes, depending on the rock base, your cord will not sit correctly under the base and may cause the base to rock a little. This is where you will need your angle grinder with a wheel suitable to grind rock. Turn your lamp upside down and take your angle grinder and dig a small indentation from the middle of the rock where the rod is towards the back of the lamp. Just make sure the groove is deep enough to hold the lamp cord).

Finally, spray the lamp with a satin or semi-gloss clear lacquer to seal the rock and to bring out the natural colors of the stone. Apply two or three coats of the lacquer. After the lacquer is dry, you may want to put a piece of felt on the bottom of your lamp so it will not scratch the table it sits on.

Prepare for the Worst - Gather All Your Vital Documents

2008-01-30T12:03:00.000+05:30

Scenario: You came home from work only to find that the tropical storm lingering out in the Atlantic Ocean has rapidly turned into a category 3 hurricane. Your home is in the direct path of the eye of the storm and officials have called for a mandatory evacuation within 4 hours.

In this scenario, how long do you think it will take you to gather all of your important documents assuming you won't have a home when you come back? If you said an hour or more, that is way too long! It shouldn't take you more than five minutes to grab all the papers you need. You will have a very hard time trying to put your life back together if you're missing critical documents.

Start now by using this checklist to gather all of your important documents and store them in a fireproof, waterproof or safe deposit box. Use plastic covers for passports, birth and marriage certificates, etc.

Don't let another hurricane season go by without you being prepared.

Emergency Document Checklist

Copy of driver's license
Passport/ Immigration papers
Social Security Card
Certified copy of birth & death certificates/ Adoption papers
Certified copy of marriage license/ Divorce
Church records
Copy of medical & dental insurance
Home insurance policy/ Photo of valuables
Property & vehicles titles/ Deeds
Wills/ Trusts/ Power of Attorney
Income tax returns (past 3 years)
Investments/ Stocks & bonds
Credit card/ Loan information
Bank information & contact
Employer benefits statement
All account numbers & passwords
Medication list
Resume/ Address history
Cash ($2,000 if possible)
Current pictures of each family member (pets too!)

Alberta is a member of The National Association of Professional Organizers and owner of Emplayce-The Organizing Source

Small Business Information Center - Your Information Gateway

2008-01-29T12:54:00.000+05:30

Starting up a small business is really a testing time for any entrepreneur; one has to undergo a lot of stress full with so much to do in so less a time. The initial phase before starting up a business is also characterized by toiling under pressure to find out what is right and what is wrong.

The major issue of concern before starting up any small business is the availability of right resources. Do you have the right kind of guidance? Do you have enough small business information? What is the source of your information?

Internet is one of the best resources for searching for small business information. You can also get some practical information on ‘how to start your home business’ and can also search for some small business opportunities that suit your taste and budget.

However, the best thing would be to visit a small business information center. You can also find out about the addresses of some government based small business information centers and administrations.

There are many local Business Information Centers which provide the small business owners and the prospective entrepreneurs with important information. The small business centers also provide contacts for state regulatory requirements for people wanting to start up small businesses.

The primary objective of any small business information center is to facilitate sustainable small business development. You also find information about licenses and permits you need to obtain and maintain in order to run your business smoothly.

Small business information you need before starting up a business:

• Information for obtaining the necessary licenses and permits

• Availability of different financing options for your short term or long term goals

• Information on some copyright and trademark issues.

• Information on how you can get some guidance from external sources.

Some of the organizations that can help you to set up small businesses are the following:

Small Business Administration (SBA)

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is an independent agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business owners. The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses. Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U. S. Virgin Islands and Guam.

There are many SBA programs and services which support your small business. You can also get SBA-backed loans and find government contracting opportunities. SBA also provides disaster assistance and training programs to help your business succeed.

There are around 25 million strong small businesses providing strength to America’s economy. Despite their immense contribution to the economy, small businesses are heavily burdened by the costs of government regulation and excessive paperwork.

Office of Advocacy within the U.S Small Business Administration helps to reduce the burdens that federal policies impose on small firms and maximize the benefits small businesses receive from the government. It encourages policies that support the development and growth of American small business.

Choosing A Security System for Your Home and Office

2008-01-29T12:51:00.000+05:30

Over the last few years, many home security companies have started to combination plans that will cover your home and your business. This can let you deal with a single company for all your security needs - both home and office.

In the past, it may have been necessary to deal with two different companies or at least two different accounts at a single company - one for your home and one for your office.

It wasn't so much a matter of needing different types of alarm systems as it was a matter of policy. Most security companies treated business security different than home security. By combining the two into a single plan, it simplifies things for the customer and it simplifies monitoring for the security outfit.

The basic security requirements are not really any different between a home and a business. The alarm system can be wired or wireless, monitored or stand-alone. These are decisions that you would make for either your home or your office, depending on your budget and your needs.

The difference between home and office systems lies mainly in the way the monitoring is handled. Both home and office systems offer central monitoring so the alarm company can alert you and the authorities in case of an alarm. Office systems are handled a little differently though.

Many businesses have security guards that keep track of things after hours - either hired by the business directly or supplied by the building management in rental offices. The alarm company can work with these security guards in case of an alarm, which is not something that is common in the case of home alarms.

Office alarms generally cover more than just break-ins too. They often include fire and smoke detection and the alarm company can alert the fire department in case of a fire.

Free Network Monitoring Software

2008-01-28T18:38:00.000+05:30

Are you looking for a free solution for all your network monitoring needs? Then you should be really looking for free Linux networking status monitoring software online.

Today, businesses are seeking solutions for monitoring their networks and protecting them from unauthorized visitors. Software like Big Brother, Bandwidth Monitor and FreePing helps you protect your network from the unwarranted use of office software by the employees.

Free network monitoring software would help you to not only prepare reports on the uptime, downtime, and virus attacks, take backups of documents and passwords but also show online and offline time. Networking status monitoring can be done both internally as well as through remote controlling devices.

Free network monitoring software can help you find the complete status of your network and all your systems, and help you encrypt your emails and documents. Such software can also help you trace the routes of unauthorized visitors and debug their connections to your systems and network.

Before you can purchase network monitoring software, you need to get a thorough compatibility check done by a reliable third-party vendor. It could be from your own computer vendor or the manufacturing company.

Network status monitoring software usually comes for a nominal price of about $55 or more. The software is still priceless, since it serves multiple purposes and it all comes in one package. This would save a lot of your time you would have spent looking around, and give you maximum value for your investment.

Some free network monitoring software is also available in various languages (foreign or local). You could get reviews of various free networking monitoring software beforehand in some computer magazines online as well as offline. Finally, be choosy about the software you purchase.

Associate Your Company With A Registered Office Address And Reap Business Benefits

2008-01-28T18:35:00.000+05:30

It is mandatory (from legal perspective) for UK registered companies to use a registered UK address where the Government agencies can send official documents, such as statutory letters, court documents and so on. The registered office address will be recorded at Companies House.

A company when incorporated is assigned a registered office address that gets recorded in the public record, such as Companies House. All the official correspondence (letters and reminders) takes place at this address.

However, there are numerous small companies/business set-ups that do not wish to use their addresses as a registered address for official communication. This is because an effective and prestigious company address plays a crucial role in creating a good image of a company in the eyes of the customers. In addition, an effective registered office address ensures prompt and reliable delivery and receipt of official mails. All the office documents received at the registered address is forwarded to the designated address of the client. The small companies can use this address on their business stationary.

There are many firms that offer registered office address service to such small companies. For example, a small company run by a single director from his/her home can avail this service to enhance the efficiency of the business by ensuring reliable official correspondence. The director can use this separate company address to receive routine paperwork from Companies House and Inland Revenue.

The registered office address service is useful for the UK companies owned by people residing outside the UK. It is a legal requirement of a UK company to have a UK-registered address. So, such companies can avail this service and run their businesses smoothly.

The companies availing the registered address service should take care of not using the address as a 'trading address' for their general mails.

Is Your Wireless Network a Home Security Breach?

2008-01-25T18:55:00.000+05:30

Wireless networks for home computers are becoming more and more popular but do you know how to protect your Wi-Fi network?

A recent survey from www.wi-fi.org shows that protecting your wireless network has become one of the top three issues in home security. According to the survey the top three concerns about home security was:

* Locking windows and doors

* Installing a home alarm system

* Securing your wireless network.

More than 40 percent of the survey respondents felt that a protected Wi-Fi network was an important part of creating a safe home.

Is your neighbor using your Wi-Fi network?

Did you know that 17 percent of Americans thinks it's ok to use someone else's network. The wast majority thinks using your neighbor's Wi-Fi is like stealing. They don't like their neighbors borrowing their signal without their knowledge.

Most new laptop computers have access to Wi-Fi networks as a standard feature. Try taking your laptop for a drive in the neighborhood and you'll probably discover that your computer can connect to several networks - especially if you live in the city. Some "Wi-Fi snatchers" even put small graffitti marks on walls indicating where your can find an open network.

Only seven out of 10 respondents in the survey had activated their Wi-Fi network security - that leaves 30% of networks wide open. Securing you network does require a little technical knowledge, but most systems come with an easy step-by-step guide for setting up the network security. When you have secured your network you can really enjoy the freedom of Wi-Fi without worrying about bandwidth theft.

Have you checked if your Wi-Fi network is secure?

Can you take your laptop computer across the street and still access your home network? Does using your network require you to logon to the network? If not your network is probably wide open so everyone in the neighborhood can use your network. Maybe it's time to find the manual to your system and start doing something about your Wi-Fi security before someone starts stealing your bandwidth or worse - gets access to you computer.

Office Printing Solutions

2008-01-25T18:53:00.000+05:30

Every office has different needs when it comes to their printing solutions. Most companies will grow from a home based business into a larger office will require a change in their printing solutions. It doesn't make sense for a business to have several small ink-jet printers running all at the same time each serving as individual employee. Ink-jet printers are notoriously expensive to maintain and can only serve one or two people at a time without causing a huge backlog of print jobs. A larger office should have a singular large format laser-jet printer that will process jobs more quickly and more efficiently than smaller individual printers can. In the long run this will be much better for your business as it will lower many of the costs your business will incur. Converting from individual printers to one central unit will require several things and you should be aware of them before moving forward with this process.

Your office will have to establish a network of some sort for all the machines in your office to print to a single machine. This could mean bringing in a computer expert to establish your network, or simply setting it up yourself. Setting up a network for your office is really quite simple and can be done in any office outfitted for DSL, which most already are. All you will need to do is to route the DSL through one central router and out to the individual machines and setup the central printer either through your router or one of the computer's on the network that can grant access to all the computer's on the network.

Once you have a network in place you should do plenty of research before purchasing the printer you are going to place on your office network. There are plenty of models out on the market from companies like Brother, Hewlett Packard, Epson and Lexmark. You should choose a machine that gives you the options you need and has the print capacity that fits your company.

Understanding The True Cost Of Corporate Office Space

2008-01-18T16:01:00.000+05:30

How do I assess my true office accommodation costs?

We have been asked by a number of clients to help them identify the true cost of an office or location. Here is a guide to the factors you should consider to assess total accommodation costs.

The UK Department of Trade and Industry commissioned a report into remote working in 2005 and found that a significant operational cost reduction was achieved.

In a recent report the following figures were published from a study of 13 large corporations, spanning some 30 teams (1.0)

• 86% of managers and 74% of staff spend time out of the office during any month.

• An average office worker spends 10-20% of time away from their desk.

Taking the above we can calculate, in rough terms, the expected usage of accommodation to staff ratio. (This is only a guide and further study of any organisation will be required.)

Total cost of location – In order to calculate the exact costs of providing a desk, a number of factors need to be considered. A recent report from The City University Business School calculated the average desk cost as follows;

• Central London - 20K per desk per year

• Other major UK cities - 13k to 8k per desk per year

The above is inclusive of all service costs to the desk and space such as corridors or larger personal enclosed office space. We can use these figure to show wastage costs per office or team.

Example:

100 staff with 10 managers

100 staff of which 74 are out of the office 10% of the time = 7.4 empty desks

10 managers of which 8 are out of the office 10% of the time = 0.8 of an empty desk.

Total yearly cost = 8.2 desks at 8k per year 65.6k

(This does not include sickness or holidays)

(Remember that unless you maximise the space left, savings will not be made in direct accommodation costs.)

Conclusion - It is recommended that a short study is commissioned to look at potential within the organisation and identify an appropriate project that will bring cost savings and increased productivity.

HughesNet Is The World's Leading Broadband Satellite Service For All Consumers

2008-01-18T16:00:00.000+05:30

HughesNet offers several service plans to meet a variety of needs. From surfing the Internet at super-fast speeds, to managing a small business from home, HughesNet has solutions for home users and home businesses. HughesNet’s business-class service plans offer companies the ability to securely connect their locations with broadband Internet in areas where fiber, cable or DSL are not available.

HughesNet Speeds
Maximum download speeds are not guaranteed. Actual upload speed will likely be lower than speed indicated during peak hours. Download speeds may also be temporarily slowed in cases when patterns of system usage exceed the download threshold for an extended period of time. See the HughesNet Fair Access Policy for more information. If you choose to run VPN over satellite, your data speeds may be reduced by as much as 50-75%. Despite the high speeds, time-sensitive applications, such as multi-player “twitch” games, are also not recommended over HughesNet due to signal latency.

Dynamic IP Address (NAT – Network Address Translation)
HughesNet provides a dynamically allocated IP address to the DW7000 modem with each service plan except Business Internet. IP addresses are assigned via Network Address Translation which enables dynamic assignment of private IPs to devices, keeping them private from users outside of the network.

Static IP Addresses
Static IP Addresses are available for all service plans. With the exception of the Business Internet service plan, static IP addresses must be ordered separately.

A static IP address is a permanent Internet address for a computer, much like a telephone number. Static IPs make managing Internet connections more secure and email access easier. Generally, a subscriber’s Internet Service Provider (ISP) determines the type of IP address (static or dynamic) the subscriber uses. Because there are a limited number of static IP addresses available, most residential subscribers use dynamic IP addresses.

Dynamic IP addresses (also referred to as a NAT or Network Address Translation) are randomly assigned IP addresses from a pool of available addresses. When connecting to the Internet, users with a dynamic IP addresses use a new IP address each time they connect to the Internet. Static IP addresses are necessary for some Internet uses such as:

• Accessing some applications remotely

• Using video conferencing services

• Accessing home computers remotely

• Operating a home email or web server

• Using some applications requiring Internet access

• Accessing some protected or secure web sites

• Offering e-commerce transactions using SSL (Secured Socket Layered) encryptions

Dial Up Account
HughesNet provides dial up accounts for accessing the Internet and HughesNet email when traveling. HughesNet also provides web-based access to HughesNet email.

Warranty Extension
HughesNet offers a 15-month warranty extension for customers who select either the Home or Professional service plans with the upfront purchase option. The warranty extension is included in the cost of the Home or Professional service plans under the promotional payment plan option. Small Office and Business Internet service plans have a 24 month extended warranty that is included in the cost of both service plans.

Onsite Maintenance
HughesNet offers next-day onsite service for the Small Office and Business Internet service plans for an additional monthly fee.

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