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Tugas Knowledge Management

2008-10-30T15:36:00.011+07:00

Mengapa dalam pengembangan KM Life Cycle diawali dengan akuisisi infrastruktur (Berikan alasan yang logis ) ?

Infrastruktur merupakan element penting yang akan menentukan sukses dan gagalnya sebuah KM, dukungan infrastruktur disini adalah teknologi informasi dan komunikasi.
Infrastruktur berkaitan dengan knowledge yang dapat digunakan untuk menciptakan produk atau proses dan layanan baru guna meningkatkan competitive advantage dan memenuhi kebutuhan yang selalu berubah.
Dalam format ideal, Infrastruktur memiliki kapasitas meningkatkan kinerja, menyelesaikan persoalan, menambah value, serta menciptakan competitive advantage bagi organisasi.
Perbedaan dalam pengembangan menggunakan konvensional SDLC dan KM System life cycle adalah User know the problem but not the solution; Expert know both the problem and the solution. Mengapa demikian ?

Karena pada SDLC Conventional user hanya diajarkan untuk mengidentifikasi/mengetahui masalah yang ada tanpa diberitahu bagaimana cara untuk memecahkan dan menyelesaikan masalah.
Sedangkan pada Knowledge management user tidak hanya diajarkan untuk mengidentifikasi/mengetahui masalah saja namun juga diajarkan untuk memecahkan dan menyelesaikan masalah sehingga user tadi menjadi seorang yang expert atau ahli.
System testing normally at the end of conventional system life cycle, KM system testing evolves from beginning of the cycle. Jelaskan apa maksudnya ?

Maksudnya adalah pada system life cycle yang conventional system testing baru dilakukan pada akhir proses atau lebih cenderung untuk mengecek output/hasil dari proses yang sudah berjalan, sehingga bila output/hasil salah maka proses diulang lagi dari awal.
Sedangkan KM life cycle system testing dilakukan dari awal proses, sehingga ketika proses menemui problem atau masalah hal itu dapat langsung dipecahkan atau diselesaikan sehingga proses dapat langsung melanjutkan kerjanya tanpa harus memulai lagi dari awal dan output yang keluar pun dapat dipastikan sesuai dengan yang diinginkan. Dan jika dilihat dari segi waktu KM cenderung lebih efisien jika dibandingkan dengan SDLC Conventional.

Nama : Ardean Heryudhanto

NIM : 205140050

Who am i ?

2008-10-30T15:22:00.006+07:00

Name : Ardean Heryudhanto

About me : Now i'm a collage student at ABFI Institute Perbanas Jakarta, majoring in Information Technology.

How to add user online status

2008-07-17T05:33:00.006+07:00

How many people is online at your blog? you know that or don't? If you don't know how many people is online at your blog, you can use a free tracker to know it. That is much site provide this service. Once of them is http://www.histats.com/. If you use them tool, you can know how many people online at your blog, how many people was visited to your blog, and any function. This is once of example :

How to get it? please following the steps :
Please visit http://www.histats.com/.
If you was on the histats site, click Register at the top tab.
Content the form with your information, such as email, password, your blog url and etc.
Click Continue button.
Choose the style of histats counter, click Choose a counter from this category.
Please mark the radio button beside the counter style you wanted.
Click Continue button at the bottom of page.
Click at the drop down menu, choose the category which to display at your counter. the choice is : visitor today, Page views today, User online, Total visitors, and total page views. Choose empty if you want not to display them.
Click Continue button.
Wait a moment, your counter is updating.
Until the process is done, copy your counter code and paste to the Notepad or other text editor. Save into your computer.
Logout and close your internet browser.
Done. Now you has have a counter code to add at your blog.
Next step is add your counter code to your blog, please following the steps :
Login to blogger with your ID.
After entering the dasboard page , click Layout.
Click at Page Element tab. See the picture below :

Click at Add a Page element.
After emerging pop up window , Klik add to blog button for the things HTML/JavaScript. See the picture following :

Open your Counter code, copy and then paste into available column.
Click
Done. Please see the result.

Now you have a Counter, and you will know how many people online at your blog. If you don't like with this counter, you can get at the other site, this is several site provide the same service :
http://www.neoworx.net/
http://www.webfooted.net/
http://www.fastonlineusers.com/

Understanding Holistic Health

2008-05-10T20:57:00.002+07:00

Every thought and emotion affects your health. A holistic health approach encompasses treating the whole person: the body, mind, emotions and spirit. Traditional cultures have known for thousands of years that these aspects are intimately connected. Every food we eat, every thought we entertain, every emotion we feel and every interaction we experience impacts overall health. Many blame their health problems on genetics, a virus, toxins in the air, and stress. While these factors can contribute to illness, very often problems result from a lack of fundamental health-enhancing qualities such as responsibility, a strong will, family support, passion, a balanced lifestyle and a knowledge of good health.

Without these, whatever modality is chosen becomes just another pill to be taken and discarded when symptoms disappear. When disease is artificially removed without changing the underlying cause, long-term health will NOT be achieved. The quick fix approach brings little or no permanent success. I am not suggesting that we abandon medical treatment. I am recommending that we look for the deeper causes of the problem from a physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and lifestyle perspective.

We need to take the holistic health perspective. Lasting solutions can be found to multiple illnesses of society by getting at the root of the problem holistically. I have observed patterns among those who have successfully reversed health problems. These traits are not rigid models. We all have them to some degree. They are holistic health approaches that each of us can maximize in our own unique way to return to our natural state of health. Here are some very important steps you must take to achieve optimal holistic health.

I can assure you that by putting these into practice, your overall health will be much improved! Sometimes you have to reevaluate what it is that you are doing with your life. By doing this, you will start to see the big picture. Lets start with the first step, RESPONSIBILITY. This means not blindly accepting the opinion of some outside authority as the only way. Take a look at your previous choices for they may have led you to the problem.

Then recognize that you can make new choices to remedy the situation. I am not telling you to stop seeing your health practitioner. I am suggesting that you gather as much information as possible and make your own decisions. Taking responsibility is meant to empower us to make new choices for a healthier result. Next is AWARENESS, which simply is deeply knowing yourself by observing your thoughts and beliefs, your choices and outcomes, and your response to the world around you. As you observe, ask questions. Do you believe you can recover your health? What does the illness have to teach you? Why do you make the choices you make? What do you need to know? Through questioning you will discover the things that seemed unchangeable are actually flexible and can be manipulated.

PROPER NUTRITION is the cornerstone of good health. Health and longevity depend on our daily nourishment. In 1988, the Surgeon General stated that two-thirds of the deaths in this country are related to diet. Our eating habits play a major role in many common diseases and emotional disorders. Most Americans have a limited awareness of the power of food in maintaining health and reversing disease. The most effective diet includes whole grains, vegetables, low fat, no cholesterol, proteins and fruits. LETTING GO OF THE PAST.

Resolving conflicts and discovering their positive impact in our lives is paramount in healing. Resentment, anger, guilt and all negative emotional states are self-poisoning. They weaken cells and immunity and can be the reason for illness. Let it go and move on. FAITH and the developing of sound judgments are important qualities in healing. Faith is knowing there is an order and unity to life, a sense of wholeness and connectedness with something larger than oneself. With faith, unlimited opportunities unfold, and we gain a sense of confidence in our choices. FINDING YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE is prevalent among those who are healthy. Everyone has talents and skills through which they express themselves, and so do you! If you do not find your unique creative expression, you will be restless and frustrated, regardless of the success in the conventional world. Purpose stimulates a deep sense of fulfillment and joy.

With purpose, your life will take on much more meaning. I did not have a purpose for many years. The second I knew where I was going my life took a turn for the best. If you do not have purpose yet, do not worry! Focus on what makes you the happiest and visualize where and what you want to be. By working toward a goal and a purpose, you will feel alive and ready for anything. Each of the above factors has a profoundly positive influence on your health and are more effective when bring them together. When utilized, you can go beyond sickness to health and happiness. Start with small steps and build upon them for a holistic approach to your health. Action is the only thing preventing you from achieving optimal health.

What Are Pay Per Click Reports?

2008-04-28T19:48:00.010+07:00

        A pay per click report will inform you of how many visitors you have had to your website, what keyword they used to get there, and some monitor how long they were there. These reports can be daily, weekly, or monthly. There are free pay per click services however they do not give you all the information that you can get from a paid service. Companies mainly use a monthly report on the traffic to their websites.
        In order to utilize the pay per click service to it’s utmost ability, they must report data from web marketing as well as other crucial information. This will allow the user to examine their marketing strategies to decide if they are working. Some pay per click companies put a tracking code in your website to monitor sales. How many customers have signed in and what they are interested in is also tracked. Most will prepare a report that is easy to understand. It will contain information about the sales generated by the people using pay per click, visitor breakdown, and anything else they think is of particular interest to the website owner.
        The benefits of using pay per click are invaluable to companies that want to use their website to generate more income for the company. With so many people having access to the internet, it is the number one way that customers seek and find the company that they want to use for their needs. These reports will allow you to see how well your company is doing by how many internet visitors you have each day. One of the benefits of using a pay per click report is the tracking of keyword use. When advertising your business, keywords are used to direct traffic to your website.
        When you use pay per click the reports you get will show which keywords worked the best and which ones you need to replace. A good keyword will have more hits on it and the keywords with the least hits means you need to find another. By doing this you will know the difference.
         The reports can show you how to optimise your initial web site page to get more visitors. There are certain items that people look for when going to a web page. With the reports from pay per click, the ones that work the best will be suggested so you can get the most from your website. Pay per click reports can help you to know for sure how many people have logged into your website.
        It is the best way to be aware of just how well your advertising is doing. You could advertise in the newspaper, on a billboard, or by direct mail but how are you going to know the number of people who have seen your advertisement? Plain and simply, you are not. By using pay per click you will know the exact number of visits to your website. This report will become an important tool to help you make the most of your web page and give you the knowledge you need to optimise the site you use for generating income.
by: Derek Rogers

how to setting a blog

2008-04-28T19:42:00.014+07:00

If your blog want caried by google, you must doing several settings. This is how to setting your blog:

If your blog more than 1, click at the blog title want to setting.

Click Setting and then click Basic. Several form that must in the contents to the menu basic:

Title : Content with your blog title. Example : Blog Tutorial.

Description : Content with your description blog. Example : All about blogging can find here.

Add your blog to our listing : chose Yes, so that every time posting always entered the Blogger.com list.

Show Quick Editing on your blog : Chose Yes.

Show Email post link : It is best to chose Yes, but if you chose No also it's allright.

Show compose Mode for all your blog : Chose Yes.

Show transliteration button for your post : chose Yes if the you wanted to be button to change normally alphabet to hindi (India) alphabet, Chose No if being the reverse.

Click Save Settings.

Finish.

Click Publishing to arrange the publishing menu.

Blog’Spot Address : Content with your blog address. Example : kolom-tutorial.

Click Save Settings.

Finish.

Click Formatting to arrange the formatting menu.

Show : Chose the number of post want you to display in your blog. Example : Show : 6 post, it's means your posting will display in your page Totally six posting. Chose Post (don't days) at pulldown menu

Date header Format : Chose the style of date/month what you wanted, this date/month will display above your post.

Archive Index Date Format : Chose the style for your archive

Timestamp Format : Chose the style of the time, what you wanted.

Time Zone : Chose the matching zone with your place. Example for WIB : [UTC+7.00] jakarta.

Language : Chose language what you wanted.

Convert line break : Chose Yes, but if you chose No it's allright.

Show Link Field : Chose No, but if you chose Yes it's allright.

Enable Float aligment : Chose Yes, but if you chose No it's allright.

Click Save Settings.

Finish.

Click Comment to arrange the Comment menu.

Comments : Chose Show.

Who Comment? Chose Anyone. It's means anyone can comment to your post.

Comments Default for Post : Chose New post Have Comments

Back links : Chose Show. It's means you will know if another people has linked to your post.

Backlinks default for Posts : Chose New post have Backlinks.

Show comments in a popup window? : Chose Yes. It's means when the people click Comment link your blog not lost.

Show word verification for comments? : It's better to chose Yes

Enable comment moderation? : Chose No, but if you wanted chose Yes it's allright.

Show profile images on comments? : Chose Yes. It's means the photo of commentator of blogger member can display.

Comment Notification Address : Content with your email address.

Click SAVE SETTINGS.

Finish.

Click ARCHIVING to arrange the archiving menu.

Archive Frequency : Chose monthly.

enable Post Pages? : Chose Yes.

Click SAVE SETTINGS.

Finish.

Click Site Feed.

Publish Site Feed : Chose Yes.

Descriptions : Chose Full

Article Footer : If you have advertising code like Google Adsense, you can insert the code here.

Click SAVE SETTINGS.

Finish.

make a blog at blogspot

2008-04-28T19:36:00.005+07:00

        Possibly was around you that did not yet know about blog and wondered about blog, I will review a little about blog according to my version personally.
1. What is the Blog?
        Blog (the abbreviation from Weblog) was the site that his characteristics were more personal,that is heavier to the drafting from the manufacturer blog that personally.Blog was made by the designers of the blog provider in order to work automatically and easily to be operated on, so for we that still was confused with the programming language to make one website still not the problem.If you could have made an email account in the internet, then in made blog then I was convinced you could.
2. How to make a blog?
        As in the case of the e-mail, in made blog then we must have an account before, because of that please registered your self before in free blog provider. Free blog provider really often was gotten in the internet and several that were popular were http://www.blogger.com, http://www.wordpress.comas well as http://blogsome.com. In the opportunity this time I will review about the production method blog in http://www.blogger.com. Please Click here or click the picture was supervised to register.
        After you were to the site blogger.com, you will see the picture like the picture above.Please carry out steps along with this:

Please click of the sign of the arrow that was inscribed with CREATE YOUR BLOG NOW

Write the email address care of your email (definitely that was valid)

Wrote password that was wanted by you in box Enter password

Write came back your password earlier in box Retype password

Write Display name by the name of that wanted to be put forward by you

Write the article that was printed in the box of Word Verification.Give the sign tik to the box at the edge of the article of I accept the Terms of Service.

Click of the picture of the arrow that was inscribed with CONTINUE

Wrote the blog title that was wanted by you (later could in the fox again) in the box of Blog title

Write the name of your site in the box of blog addres (URL)

Write the verification article that was put forward in the box of Word Verification, if being finished please click of the picture of the bow that was inscribed with CONTINUE

Choose the picture (template) that was wanted by you (later could in the changes again), afterwards click of the picture of the arrow that was inscribed with CONTINUE

After going out the article your blog has been created, Click of the picture of the bow was inscribed with START POSTING.Please write What you want, if being finished click of the publish button.

It's Done.

18 PR Tips for Startups

2008-04-28T19:32:00.004+07:00

        PR is one of the most misunderstood disciplines in the marketing department and many startup entrepreneurs and even veteran executives are quick to under estimate and under value it, or on the contrary, expect PR to solve all of their marketing needs all with just one email or press release.         In order to be successful in Public Relations, you need to grasp what it is, what it isn’t, and how it works and why. Otherwise, you’ll never be able to build the right team, determine the best strategies to amplify visibility and gain traction, or have the ability to effectively measure it. And, for disclosure purposes, the following points are based on good PR and are highly summarized and simplified to get you thinking. As in anything, there’s more to the story. And, there are always those that do not represent PR in the best possible light. Keep in mind that those who do not practice PR effective are obvious when you know what to look for, and thankfully, they do not represent the entire industry.
1 .         Understand what PR is and isn't. All too often, businesses expect PR to perform miracles simply because they confuse it with advertising, online marketing, media buying, search marketing, etc. PR can't guarantee legitimate coverage in industry publications - no matter how tight the relationship.         If PR promises it, then they're lying. I leverage relationships daily to consider stories that I package in a way that's most relevant to them. Most of the time it works because I take the time to make it valuable to respective markets. If I took advantage of my contacts to force coverage whenever I needed to deliver on a promise, then it would mark the beginning of the end of my relationships. While I won't compare PR to each branch of marketing, I will say that PR IS NOT ADVERTISING. Reporters and bloggers don't stop what they're doing to write about your company, just because we send them a press release. They're bombarded by PR people all over the world. Stories are cultivated. If we respect them, do our homework, and help highlight the value of a story, coverage is imminent. If you want guaranteed exposure, buy an ad.
2.         Don't undervalue PR. PR, when done right, is extremely valuable to company branding, which has immeasurable benefits in the long haul. Customers have choices and if you're not consistently vying for their attention, it's pretty easy to fall off their radar screen when they evaluate options. Too many companies nickel and dime PR to the point of absurdity. Don't get me wrong. Expensive PR doesn't equal success. But short changing PR is usually a first step in the wrong direction.
3.         PR is not a switch. It doesn't go off and on whenever you have the time or budget to throw at it. The market moves too quickly, and if you're not actively participating in it, you'll quickly find that company sales and site traffic will begin a downward spiral that may or may not recover. Embrace it. Nurture it. Stick with it. PR is an inexpensive solution for gaining visibility within the market segments that matter to your business. Don’t fool yourself. As a company executive, you can not and should not run PR yourself. You have more important things to do, like say, run a company. If you turn off the PR switch, your competitors will steal your thunder, and, your customers.
4.         Initial and consistent coverage takes time. In most cases, coverage doesn't just happen. PR is like farming. The more seeds you plant, along with the time you spend watering, caring for, and feeding them, your crops will grow in the form of coverage over time. While some things such as news, etc., force information out quickly, other stories take time. And when they appear, they help raise brand visibility, drive some people to buy, and they also spark others to consider writing about it - which in turn also influences the cycle to replicate. Don't assume all of this coverage happens simply because you are a popular company. Also, realize that there are different forms of media and they each react to different stories in their own way. Trades (whether traditional media or blogs) will cover certain things that relate to your industry whereas mainstream media will need the story presented in a way that has broader appeal.
5.         Get a spokesperson. Just because you created the product doesn't mean you're the best person to sell it. I've worked with some of the most passionate executives that just don't click with the people they're trying to engage - no matter how hard they try. This has negative impact that lasts and is tough to overcome. Suck it up and get a spokesperson who can help tell the story to the people that will help grow your business.
6.         PR is not the only tool in the shed. Understand that PR is only an umbrella for the specific communications initiatives that will help you achieve complementary, simultaneous goals. For example, corporate branding and product marketing require different campaigns. Don’t put all of your eggs in the PR basket. Run SEO campaigns. Look at online ads and promotions. Run contests. Attend events. PR can not be the only thing you rely on in order to build and sustain a successful business.
7.         PR at the Head, Across Chasms, and in the Long Tail. No matter what industry you're in, realize that the most popular blogs, newspapers, or magazines are only one part of the process. Your market is divided by adoption and buying behavior and documented through a bell curve rich with chasms , pyramids that further divide and classify them, quadrants that demonstrate competitive advantages, ladders that represent the technology that people can use to reach customers in different ways, a cluetrain that shows how people carry it through the long tail , and hopefully reflected by a hockey stick that forces you to evaluate what to do from Inside the Tornado. Yes, of course this was meant to be funny...but it does show that one program no longer serves the masses when you deconstruct it by the markets and the people that comprise it. This means that you have to embrace both new media and traditional media in PR. For example, in the tech space, TechCrunch, Mashable, Venture Beat, Read/Write Web, et al, will yield measurable traffic so great that most of the time it will knock out company servers.
        Every executive wants them. CEOs cry if they can't get coverage on them. But, by no means, do they carry your value proposition to the entire collective of people that will embrace your product and help sustain your business for the whole game. They represent the early adopters and pragmatists. However, there are other worlds of global microcommunities rich with horizontal and vertical publications and blogs that will carry your story to the more conservative groups of people that collectively converge as the primary base of recurring revenue. In this case, it's less about traffic and hits as metrics for success and more about quality, registrations, purchases, referrals, e tc. that define business growth and sustenance.
8.         Engage in social media. We live in a "social" economy and the only way to succeed in it, is to participate. Participation is marketing. Community relations is marketing. Engagement builds trust, relationships and loyalty, but it requires a genuine, dedicated, proactive, and value-driven effort. Blog about industry-relevant topics, not just company accomplishments. Provide tips and hints to help your customers make more informed decisions. It's not a new tool in the marketing belt. It is a new opportunity to engage customers and cultivate relationships. Simply put, be a resource for your community. Embrace online video and watch how creative, genuine, and cool content becomes incredibly viral. Words can carry the message so far, but video is also an opportunity to showcase the product while entertaining viewers. Podcast new updates, customer successes, ideas for new product uses, etc. Bookmark and share relevant links using the popular social tools available. Cultivate user generated content. Write social media releases . Write SEO press releases. However, write them well and strip out all of the bullshit. If relevant, build transparent profiles i n the social networks where you can find and support customers. Share images and behind the scenes footage using services such as flickr and YouTube. Listen and engage in MicroMedia. Hire a community manager. In the new world of social media, new PR can be complemented through the efforts of someone who can actively represent the company in all things social so that they can provide proactive information and support to people looking for guidance in the communities they frequent. Don't market to them, have conversations. Note, this is an ultra-simplified list of how to jump into the world of social media. Read the Social Media Manifesto and The Art and Science of Community Relations for additional suggestions and guidance.
9.         Support and reward your PR program. Feed it as you do any other branch of the company. Respect it when it works and let your team share in the success. Don't focus on the shortcomings. Don’t take credit for coverage if you randomly sent someone an email a long time ago. Don’t tell your PR team that the coverage that’s happening is solely driven by the viral activities of users and other existing coverage. PR is designed to spark Word of Mouth and every time a new article appears, it’s because of something that PR did either recently or awhile ago. That’s the value of PR. It’s the program that keeps on giving! Bottom line, extend congratulations as goals are achieved and support PR in a way that keeps your team motivated to kick ass.
10.         Keep good people. If you find a PR person or team that truly lives and breathes the company and the product, never let them go. They are a rare breed and deserve support and promotion.
11.         Keep an open line of communication. Meet with your PR team regularly to communicate realistic goals and measure progress. Paint a real world picture of what success looks like each month and listen to the reports to see if they are indeed attainable. You get out of PR what you put into it.
12.         Establish realistic metrics. PR isn’t a miracle solution to help you attain all business objectives. Agree upon realistic metrics in advance. All too often executives lose sight of what PR is designed to do. The right coverage is invaluable, even when it doesn't translate into visible hits, traffic spikes, or sales. Super Bowl ads, for example, rarely pay for themselves in the short run. Realize that a proactive, intelligent and consistent PR program will contribute to the bottom line. It shouldn't be solely responsible for company success or failure. Metrics can be in the form of specific targets every month, traffic, registrations, lead generation, links, and now, conversations.
13.         Do not launch your company or product at a conference. Contrary to popular belief, do not attempt to launch your company at a tradeshow unless it is a venue specifically designed to make your launch successful. For example, in Tech, we have DEMO and TechCrunch40 , and each draw worldwide attention. But, the best PR is always done before the event. At conferences, companies kick and scream for attention and usually drown each other out. Tell your story before you have to compete to do so. However, go to conferences and events for lead generation and networking.
14.         Do not start contacting people on your own. This is one of my personal favorites. Many executives believe that in order to get something done right, they have to do it on their own. So, they start emailing reporters and bloggers on a whim without regard for relationship, existing conversations, or their best interests. I have seen some pretty interesting ramifications for doing so. All I can say is this. Consult with PR before doing so. In fact, sometimes contact is best coming directly from an executive. It just needs to be planned and orchestrated in a way that is beneficial to reporter/blogger, the company, and the overall PR initiative.
15.         Embargoes and Breaking News. The blogosphere and social media in general has created the need for new rules when breaking news. Determine who your news benefits, where they go for information, and what they’re looking for. Then reverse engineer the process and design everything around what you learned, from writing the release, what you say and how you say it, to whom and when. Do not rely on a wire service to get your news out. PR is best served by specifically working with the new and traditional influencers who can help get your story told, in advance, and usually under embargo . (Note: Most of the time, less is more. Do not try to take your news to anybody and everybody under embargo. Be smart about it. A few key places can carry your story farther, and, without ruining relationships with influencers along the way.) Exclusives are a rare practice these days and usually reserved for some pretty incredible and industry moving news.
16.         Customer service is the new, new marketing. Customer service is no longer an inbound activity or viewed as a cost center. Social Media changed everything and it isn't a spectator sport. Marketing-savvy corporate executives are working with PR, Advertising, and Marcom teams to explore options and strategies on how to participate in relevant online conversations. This represents a shift in outbound marketing as it creates a direct channel between companies and customers, and ultimately people. Social Media is rooted in conversations between people and peers, regardless of the technology that facilitates them, and every day they take place across blogs, networks, forums, micromedia, and online groups. And, each day, with every new community and social tool that is introduced, brands, products and services are actively discussed, supported, and disassembled. Social Media represents an entirely new way to reach customers and connect with them directly. It adds an outbound channel that complements inbound customer service and traditional PR, direct marketing and advertising, placing companies and their customers on a level playing field to discuss things as peers. Most importantly, it transcends the process of simply answering inbound questions to creating a community of enthusiasts and evangelists.
17.         PR isn’t charity. While many PR people and agencies demand unreasonable fortunes, remember that you’re a startup and solutions are abundant when you know what you’re looking for and value the engagement. In PR, you get what you pay for – well most of the time anyway. Don’t expect brilliant PR for pennies. Nor should you expect results by over paying for services. There are consultants, individuals, and agencies willing to work for reasonable cash and stock incentives. But, I can’t think of anyone, who’s good at what they do, that will work on a performance-based payment program. PR just doesn’t work that way. Think of it this way. Good sales people don’t work solely on commission. Most earn a salary on top of their commission to keep them active and successful. If PR people wanted to earn their income on a commission basis, they would get into sales where they can usually make a lot more money. They’re in PR because they prefer to “tell” a story instead of “selling” it.
18.         You’re not the only company with a great story. Remember this. At any given moment, reporters and bloggers are getting bombarded with pitches, both good and bad, by companies that take the time to learn what they want in addition to those who simply spam them and hope for the best. It’s overwhelming to say the least. They have better things to do than stop everything that they’re working on just to read your press release. This is one of the reasons why you need PR. Well that, and the fact that you need someone who’s not drinking the bath water to tell you that your story needs help in how it’s told to the specific groups of people to whom it matters. Just because it’s new doesn’t make it newsworthy. You have to compete for attention and in order to do so effectively and genuinely, you need someone who can help tell your story, the right way, through the people who reach the customers that will impact your bottom line. It’s not an overnight process. It’s not a game. It’s a process of investing in building and leveraging relationships now and in the long term.
by: Brian Solis

Blogging For Website Traffic

2008-04-28T19:30:00.004+07:00

        Nowadays, it seems that everyone and his cousin have taken to blogging. This form of online self-expression has slowly but steadily taken over the World Wide Web to become somewhat of a phenomenon in recent years. Some people use blogs as their personal journals, some may see them as an outlet for their creative work, and others may just want their own personal place in cyberspace to share thoughts and ideas. Now, a quick question for the Internet businessman.
        If you have a blog, can you use it to boost your site's exposure and drive more traffic to it? A blog is great for sharing ideas and posting about things you like or don't like, but can a blog help your online business succeed? The answer is a definite YES. Your blog can do wonders for your website, but it all depends on the way you utilize its potential power. I'm going to teach you a tried and proven method that has been effective for other website owners, and this method is applicable for any type of blog. You will just need a lot of creativity and some time to make it work.
        First thing you have to keep in mind is that most blogs on the Web have a community feel to them. You may think that your blog is your own, since you're the one who installed and developed it. And you may be right. But your blog is also connected to other blogs on the same site. You may also be connected to other blogs that are using the same blogging software as you. This situation guarantees that sooner or later, a person will land on your blog and be able to see all that you have to say. This can also mean that your blog is now getting free advertising within the blogging community.
        I don't think you need me to tell you how beneficial this can be for your site's traffic. However, you do have to keep in mind what you're posting as your blog's content. If all you're doing is making posts that promote your products or your business, then you're dead. Believe me, that is not the recommended way to use your blog. Have you seen the Internet lately? It's already overflowing with loads of advertisements for products and services. Be different. Your visitors need a good reason to keep coming back to your blog. Use it to give expert and knowledgeable information about your line of work to your readers. If you're selling a product on your site, talk about it on your blog, and don't just post a measly advertising blurb.
        Let's say you're selling power tools on your website. You can write reviews and other useful posts about the kinds of tools you have on your site. What you're doing is providing some insight for your potential customers about the tools you're selling. These blog posts will then be able to generate confidence in your readers and encourage them to actually buy the products. Another advantage of having a blog is that it makes it easier for interested buyers to get access to the seller (that's you). Usually, readers of a particular blog post are allowed to leave comments on what they've just read. For example, you've just finished a review for the new Ajax power drill.
         Whenever a reader comes across it and has a question regarding that product, he or she can easily leave a comment. You can then see the questions and post your answers. See? You can now connect with your readers and potential customers personally. This make you much more approachable, as compared to the faceless entity behind the impersonal commercial website. In addition, your readers will also have the option of subscribing to your blog feeds via RSS or to your newsletters, so they can be immediately notified about any new posts you make.
        If you have established a reputable standing in your niche, a long list of eager readers will soon be waiting for your next post, and lots more will be coming to your website.
by: Richard Legg

7 simple steps to Keyword Mastery & Search Engine Ranking

2008-04-28T19:26:00.004+07:00

        Keyword Research has become an integral part of starting up your own business or growing your business (exponentially). Search engine marketing is here to stay for the long term, hence finding customers through keyword research should also be an integral part of your marketing.
        Earlier, all you needed to do was to enter the description of your business in the title & meta tags and you were done with optimizing your web-site. Things have changed! And hence this article... How does Search Engine Optimization (SEO) relate to keywords? SEO is the process of increasing the number of visitors to your web-page by the careful and deliberate use of targeted keywords and their specific placements designed to get the page to show up on the top listing for such keywords.
        (SEO also includes other strategies not discussed here.) TIP: Keyword Research is very useful to you when you decide to start a pay-per-click campaign to drive visitors to your website or increase revenue using adsense. Here are the seven simple steps to keyword mastery that will cause your page to be indexed correctly by Search Engines and your link to be displayed at the very top on the search results page.
        Step 1) Start with the most common words you use to describe your business(or your niche, if you operate in one). If you are in the automobile service business, you may have the following: Car Repair , Body Shop, Car Repair, New tires with car repair, Wax and Shine etc. If you actually have a niche business such as Jaguar Service And Repairs, then it becomes even more easier.
        Step 2) Call your friend. Ask him how he would try to find your widget on a search engine if he lost your phone number and he wanted to look you up on the Internet. What if he forgot the name of your establishment? What if .... Your perception of how people see you may be different from your customers' perception of you. Add these new words to the list. Repeat this as many times as you can with different people.
         Step 3) Find other words related to your original list. such as names of the brands. Lexus Repair, Lexus spare-parts, Honda kit, etc. Mix and match keywords with your original list to find even more keywords.
        Step 4) Go to google and run a search for your widget. See what keywords bring up your competition and what words do not. Add them to your list .
         Step 5) Add plurals and common mis-spellings too.
        Step 6) Figure out as to how often people search using each of the phrases you have identified in your list. You can use the google adwords tool for this purpose. TIP: Use adwords tool to see how many people have searched for each of your phrases in the recent past. https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal . This also suggest keywords you might want to use.
        Step 7) Make sure your keywords are placed in the following locations on you web page: Page Title, Meta Keywords, Meta Description, Header Tags, Alternate Description for images, First Paragraph on the page, strong Tags, Em tags, Ordered and unordered lists, Anchor Tags, File names, Folder Names, Footer Tags, Any URLs and links in your pages. Should I use many keywords in the same page? Yes. Use as many keywords as it makes sense. Don't overdo it. If your content becomes just a keyword trash-bin, users will start skipping over it and the search engines will catch on pretty fast. So avoid using too many keywords where it does not make sense. It's best if you have multiple pages offering up different keywords. One caveat.
        You need to be aware of 'Keyword density'. Sometimes, if your usage of keywords is too high, and it looks like you have placed too many keywords, the search engine may not give you the best ranking. "Sprinkling" is the key-word when it comes to using them on each page. You should also be aware of negative keywords. These are keywords you need to use in your PPC(Pay-per-Click) text so as to make sure that people do not click your link expecting to get freebies. e.g. If you said : "Self Clearning Widgets- $500 and up", you keep out the people who are looking for cheaper stuff. Are phrases better than individual words? Depends! If your customer is searching for self-cleaning widget, then you should use self-cleaning widget.
        If your customer is searching for just widget, and auto clean, you should use these words separately. How often do I have to check my keywords? As often as you can. Your customers react to various influences around them and search for different terms at different times. To be able to remain on top with a good ranking you need to keep on top of your keywords. Sometimes they react to an offer made by a competition and start searching for similar offers. I know. You are saying:"But I don't have that much time to devote to just keyword research." That brings us to the next question. Do I have to do it all by myself? I have had many websites in the past few years. In the beginning I did everything manually the old fashioned way.
        Lately I've found a few tools that help make life easier for me, though you could do it all by yourselves if you had the time and the tenacity(which I sorely lack). I suggest you find yourselves a tool to do the work for you. I use Keyword Elite now, though I've used WordTracker in the past.
         Pick 1: Keyword Elite tool : If you really plan to take your business to the next level, this is a great tool. From generating your own keyword lists, to analyzing pay-per-click listings, to studying your competition, this one accomplishes quite a bit. This tool works with Google, Yahoo,MSN, Ask etc. It will save you tons of hours of wasted time and effort. Also, I like the fact that it is multi-threaded(lots of more power.) WebSite: http://www.elitekeyword.net
        Pick 2 : WordTracker: Offers a free, 'lite' version, as well as a paid version. Features include an online management system for different keyword projects, searching for often misspelled words, a system to calculate your best keywords, and much more. WebSite:Wordtracker.com/FreeWordtracker
        Pick 3 : WebCEO :From a free version to a $389/- version this company has various options available. For small business owners, the $199/- version would be suitable.Go for the $389/- version if you have multiple web-sites running and your business model is solely online.
        Web Site: http://www.webceo.com/cgi-bin/go/clickthru.cgi?id=linkflow What next ? Use keyword research to identify the most likely phrases for your business. Master keyword research just like I outlined in this article and create a massive list of targeted keywords. Make a list of the 5 most promising keyword phrases.
by: Dave James

Grace To Be Ourselves

2008-04-28T19:21:00.004+07:00

        Brett Favre, quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, announced his retirement this week. At a news conference yesterday his simple explanation for the move was that he was tired. At thirty-eight and possessing graying hair, Favre and his family have been through multiple tragedies and upheavals in the last few years, but he kept on playing, even the day after his father died. Having given more to the game than most and played the game with more joy than anyone, Favre had a right to his reasons and wanted his loyal fans to hear those reasons from him, not filtered through the media, which has been known to have quite vivid imaginations regarding the facts at times.
        Favre was emotional during the hour broadcast from Lambeau Field, home of the Packers and all they have accomplished. It seemed he embodied every uphill battle and triumph the team had delivered to the people of Wisconsin during his sixteen seasons. What was quite wonderful, and rather poignant, was that of all the records that Favre holds - most yards passing, most starts, most passes completed among them - he claimed none solely for himself. He believes everything he did was a team effort and the whole team deserved credit for what are labeled publicly as his achievements. And what matters most to him is that he is leaving at the top of his game by his own standards, not anyone else's.
        That said, Brett Favre is the first to tell you his is not perfect. His battles with prescription drug dependency and alcohol abuse are well-known and almost cost him his marriage and family. But between the public hero and the private man who struggled to work through his issues to reemerge in wholeness and health lies grace. In this respect Brett Favre, Jesus and the rest of us have grace in common. Grace is one of those words that gets tossed around like a Frisbee at a church social, so for the record, my dictionary and I are defining grace as, " unmerited favor or generous courtesy granted." Take your pick. Either way, grace is something we cherish when we are the recipients and something we have a lot to learn about offering up more often. So I think it is important to take the time to say that we may not be as familiar with how grace functions as we may pride ourselves.
        With that settled, please know that I am not calling Brett Favre a messiah in any way, shape or form, nor do I believe he had a messiah complex. I don't think Jesus did either. Jesus lived His life with humility, kindness, faith and a complete boldness that was unheard of in His time and unmatched in our own. His public ministry, marked by frequent run-ins with religious authorities and filled with conflict, also contained instances of insightful teaching, miraculous healings and speaking events that drew crowds simply by word of mouth. The level of warmth and acceptance He felt for the marginalized people of His culture - women, children, tax collectors, prostitutes - drew controversy, but didn't distract Him from His work and did little to damage His image with the general population.
        People loved Him for who He was and what He brought to their lives: hope. Meanwhile, scripture tells us that Jesus did struggle with this work He was called to do, and even more so, the brutal end he foresaw for His own life. Frustration with the disciples is evident. They can't be blamed for not quite getting the full depth of Jesus' thoughts and ideas. We have barely scratched the surface of that ourselves and we possess two thousand years of hindsight. I am fairly sure Jesus didn't blame them either. Having grown up in the Temple, Jesus also never left his faith behind to pursue or create a new religion. He understood, better than most, the power religious institutions can have over people. So even in his verbal scuffles with Scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees He knew they were trying to preserve a history and a people which had known more slavery than freedom, while He was pointing the way to a newly-defined freedom in God's love.
        Crowds followed Him day and night, hardly giving Him any opportunity for sleep, let alone personal reflection and prayer, but for these and the many people who were never able to grasp what Jesus was offering them, Jesus only had mercy and compassion. And yet, in all that he thought, said and did, He didn't take credit for His knowledge, insight, teaching or preaching abilities, but always pointed back to God as His Sources of being. It may have been easier to smile and say, "Thank you," but He didn't. We remember Him today as One with authority, but also great humility. We remember Him as a man of grace, a man who gave unmerited favor and generous courtesy to those least deserving and those most in need of its transformative power.
        And so, we are back to Brett Favre, expressing humility in the face of great opportunity to take all the credit, smile and say, "Thank you." Instead he chose the grace of shared experience, shared victory and shared credit with the people who helped him make it all possible. He chose grace, giving favor to those who had not asked him for it. He offered generous courtesy when no one would have faulted him for doing otherwise.
        He chose grace. We too have the opportunity to express humility in the face of opportunities to take all the credit, smile and say, "Thank you." But instead, we can choose to extend grace to others at times when unmerited, unearned favor or generous courtesy may take some effort on our part. The effort is worth it, particularly when we may be blessed with grace we have not merited or earned, or have generous courtesy extended at a time when someone else makes the effort for us.
by: Cory L. Kemp

Snooker Tables

2008-04-28T19:15:00.004+07:00

        Snooker is one of the great games, relaxing, requiring some skill but not too strenuous. Having a snooker room in your home is something to aspire to, at least for men. However you do need a large room for the 12-foot full-blown version. The good news is you can get smaller tables too, starting at 7 foot. They still have the same slate bed and leather pockets so they last forever and still have that classic wood frame. The 7 foot and 8 foot versions only have 10 reds on the table so the table doesn't get overcrowded with balls, but apart from that its almost as good as the real thing. If you are thinking of buying a snooker table, first check the room size required.
        As a general rule of thumb, add 10 feet to each dimension to find out what room size you need. The 12-foot table for example requires a room size of 22 feet by 16 feet to allow for a clean cue action all around the table. The cues are normally 57 inches in length. So for a 7-foot table you need a room of 17 feet by 10 foot 6 inches. (A snooker table is always twice as long as it is wide) When it comes to which one to buy, bear in mind that the actual playing surface is virtually the same on all snooker tables. The legs and the type of wood used determines the price of your table.
        The tables can be made either in solid wood like mahogany or ash or made from boxwood covered in a veneer. The tables made from the solid wood are stained to give it the colour you want whilst the veneered type have the correct colour of veneer applied and are less expensive. Also the leg design is also a factor in the cost. A complicated design is more difficult to make and so more expensive. The larger tables have 8 legs and the smaller tables have 4 legs and the medium size tables have 6 legs. The weight of a big 12-foot table is almost 1 ton and generally the weight of a snooker table is the equivalent weight of 2 men per leg. So a 4-leg table is half a ton up to the full ton for an 8 leg table.
        Most of the weight of a snooker table is in the slate of course. The thickness of the slate is usually 1 inch up to 1-¾ inches for the tournament tables. The smaller tables usually have a single piece of slate for tables up to 8 feet. Those pieces of slate are very heavy and would need 3 guys to lift it, and the bigger tables have their slate cut into 3 or 5 pieces so the slate can be lifted and then assembled at the customers house. This is why snooker tables should be professionally installed. When the snooker table is put together, the frame is assembled first and that has large wooden cross members to put the slate on.
        The slate is the put onto the frame and if the slate is in separate pieces they are aligned to provide a perfectly flat surface so the gap between the individual pieces is virtually non-existent. The cloth is then stretched over the slate and stapled to the frame to keep the cloth taught. The cushions which already have the rubber and cloth prepared, are then bolted to the frame. The pockets are made from metal and leather are screwed into the side rails last of all.
        So if you are thinking of buying a snooker table, first determine what size table will fit in your room and then decide what colour wood would be best in your room from light coloured ash to the dark mahogany. The weight of the table is spread between lots of legs and a standard floor type is usually quite sufficient. Then think of what it would be like to have your own snooker table, the look and feel of it, and enjoy.
by: Steve Porter

6 Significant Dog Instincts And Traits

2008-04-28T19:13:00.004+07:00

        Domestication: Canines were probably the first species to be domesticated by humans. It's a generally accepted theory that the worlds first dogs were tamed wolves. Dogs share biological similarities with wolves. They look much alike. Anatomically, they have almost identical teeth, adapted for seizing and tearing. Their actions are similar and they have extremely sensitive senses of smell and hearing. Domesticated canines are loyal to and dependent upon their masters. They have taken a subservient place in human society. The only reward many dogs seek is a kind word and a pat on the head. Still, the study of dogs and wolves teaches us many traits that haven't changed much since before they were domesticated.

        1. Instinct: Instinct is an inborn tendency to behave in a way that is characteristic of a breed.
        2. Body Language: Postural display is yet another characteristic of canines. * When meeting a strange dog or person, non socialized dogs will raise their hackles (hair on their backs and necks). This is more noticeable in short haired dogs, which makes them look larger than they normally are. It is meant to intimidate other dogs and people who pose a threat. Oftentimes hackle raising is combined with pulling back their lips to show their teeth. * A dogs ears and tail positions are among other postural displays that will tell what a dog is thinking. For instance, most dogs will tuck their tails between their legs and their ears will fall when submitting to a greater power. * Rolling over on their backs is another action of submission a dog will portray. * Kneeling, or putting their front legs on the ground and lowering their front quarters is an indication they want to play. Combining this with a wagging tail displays friendliness. * A superior more dominating dog will usually assume another significant body posture toward another dog. Standing tall on stiff legs, the superior dog will strut around the powerless one, often stressing this posture with frequent growls and snarls. * Another instinctive habit seen in many dogs, is turning in circles before lying down. Some experts say this circling goes back to the days when dogs turned around and around to pack down the grass to make a soft bed. Others think the habit is more likely connected to their checking the ground for the scent of its enemies, since the dog has its nose to the ground during the turning around. * Digging is another inborn trait in that dogs will occasionally dig dens under porches or yards. Terriers were known to pursue their quarry underground by digging, and this too is an inherited behavior. * Chasing cars and/or other animals is not a bad habit, but just another instinct in many dog breeds. * Attacking small animals is an inborn hunting trait derived from the time these small rodents were the dogs main food source. These inherited instincts are so natural that they cannot be stopped or changed completely, no matter how much effort is used.
        3. Sense of Smell: Sniffing or smelling the wind is another characteristic long established by wolves and other wild canines. This serves as a dual purpose; to detect the scent of prey and to distinguish predators in the area. Some breeds have a more keen sense of smell than other breeds. Domestic canines have 40 times more olfactory (sense of smell) cells than humans have.
        4. Sense of Hearing: With their erect ears dogs can hear the faintest sound and are excellent in early warnings of danger. Able to differentiate the distinct sounds of different cars in the distance, pet dogs often announce the arrival of their owner even before they can be seen.
        5. Sight: Dogs have highly developed visual capability. Their fields of vision is different and in some ways inferior to that of humans, but for their purposes, it is quite adequate.
        6. Memory: Dogs have an excellent memory which gives them the capability to learn quickly. In addition to a good memory and learning ability, a dog has the capacity to think and reasoning capabilities with which to solve problems. Dogs are a cunning and intelligent animal with a complex mind. Although dogs' instinctive actions and personalities are influenced by heredity, like other intelligent mammals, they are the products of genetics, experience, and training.
by: Lamar Deane

What Does Your Child REALLY Need From You?

2008-04-28T19:08:00.009+07:00

        Most parents want to be good parents. Yet parenting is one of those things that does not have hard and fast rules. So how do we know what to do? How do we know what will support our children in being all they can be? One of the most important things for parents to do is to learn to trust their own intuition. Your feelings tell you when you are on course or off course in your behavior with your children. When things feel right inside, then you know that you are being a truly loving parent, and when they feel wrong inside, you know you are out of alignment with what is in your highest good and your children's highest good.
        I remember my mother telling me that she used to put her fist in her mouth to stop herself from crying and from picking me up when I was an infant and cried. She had read in Dr. Spock that babies should not be picked up when they cry, that it is good for their lungs to cry, and that she would spoil me if she picked me up. But her insides were telling her the opposite - that babies cry when they need food, changing, or love. It is so sad that she followed Dr. Spock instead of her own inner knowing. Now research has proven that babies who are not picked up when they cry become more dependent and insecure than babies who are kept with their mothers. In other countries, babies sleep with their parents until they no longer want to, feeling safe all night.
        In our country, most babies are alone at night, some crying themselves to sleep. This is not only sad, it is not healthy for the baby. So the first thing your child needs from you is to trust your inner knowing rather than any book you read. Your child needs your loving presence - not your busy preoccupied presence. For your children to feel important to you, they need to feel you fully present with them - reading to them daily, playing with them, holding and comforting them, and listening to them. Your children need for you to create a healthy environment for them by feeding them healthy food, restricting screen time - TV, computer, video games - and making sure they play outdoors and get enough exercise.
        They need your encouragement to develop their hobbies and interests. They need you to try natural remedies before resorting to drugs for illness, so that you don't set them up for more illness with the side effects of drugs. They need for you to be a good role model of self-care. Children need to see their parents taking full responsibility for their own feelings instead of being victims and blaming others. With this role modeling, they will also learn to take full responsibility for their own feelings. Learning and practicing the Inner Bonding process that we teach will support you in becoming this loving role model for your children. Children also need you to be a role model for care of the environment.
        My daughter told me that my 3-1/2 year-old grandson got very upset with the checker at the market for using a plastic bag. "No, no plastic bags! It's bad for the environment!" he told the checker. By role modeling caring for our planet, we can raise children who are much more conscious of taking care of our environment. Your children need to see you being connected with a spiritual Source of love, peace and wisdom in order to naturally connect with their own higher power.
        By developing your spiritual connection, they can learn to have their own. What do your children really need from you? They need you to learn to be all you can be so they have the role modeling and permission to be all they can be.
by: Margaret Paul, Ph.D.

Maximize Your Long Term Disability Claim Recovery

2008-04-28T19:04:00.004+07:00

        Don’t let your long term disability claim go unpaid by your employer or insurer. Fight back with information and the help of a professional specializing in collecting the benefits you may be entitled to. Learn the facts! Statistics show that people are more likely to become disabled prior to age 65 than die. If you become disabled, you still have to pay for your mortgage and automobile expenses, buy groceries, pay medical expenses, etc. Social Security disability benefits will typically replace 25-30% of your income, perhaps less, particularly at higher income levels.
        However, Social Security disability benefits may not be payable if you are disabled from your job but not from any work. Long Term Disability Benefits (LTD) can be an important supplement to Social Security Disability benefits or provide benefits not otherwise available. LTD coverage or plans can be purchased individually, through a private policy, or are usually obtained as an employee benefit through your employer. If provided as a benefit by your employer, these claims are governed by a federal law, The Employee Retirement Income Security Act, also known as ERISA. If the employer is a governmental entity or a religious organization, the plan could be exempt from ERISA. These disability policies come in many forms. They can pay 50% of salary, 60%, but usually no more than 70%.
        The definition of disability can be for your own occupation or any occupation. Depending on how these plans are purchased, the benefits can be taxable or non-taxable. Employer provided LTD policies will almost always be subject to reduction or offset for Social Security disability or other forms of disability income that your receive or qualify for. These policies can exclude payment for pre-existing illnesses and limit payment for mental-nervous disorders, substance abuse disorders, and self-reported disabilities. There are limited time frames to file applications and appeals and statutes of limitation to file lawsuits, so it is important to act promptly and apply for benefits. Also, plans may have different waiting periods where you must be disabled for a certain number of days or months before benefits become payable. ERISA accords significant advantages to the employer or insurer.
        These cases are heard in Federal Court. You are not entitled to a jury trial. It is CRITICAL to get experienced legal help early in the process, before your administrative appeals are exhausted, not after. The employers and disability carriers have deeper pockets to investigate and adjudicate these claims. They can require you to be interviewed in your own home by their employees, they can make you attend medical exams by their doctors or attend a functional capacities evaluation (FCE). They can have you followed by an investigator taking videotapes of your activities and interview your neighbors. They may conduct Internet searches to see if you are active in groups, write articles, have sued other people before, are in a bowling league, or are involved in other activities that they may claim shows that your are not disabled. These activities are designed to provide grounds for denying claims or to disregard otherwise supportive medical records.
        The only weapon you have to fight back is a skilled disability lawyer. An experienced attorney can obtain detailed medical depositions and opinions from your doctors and others, not just routine medical records, to neutralize and outweigh the plan’s evidence. It is very important to obtain skilled representation before you have exhausted your administrative appeals. The “file” or “record” in an ERISA appeal is usually closed as of the final administrative appeal. You are usually precluded from submitting new medical evidence in Federal Court. Even the most medically sophisticated claimants will have difficulty knowing what proof of disability is required, what their medical records say, how to neutralize LTD doctors, and best create the record for your case. Fees: These cases are usually handled on a contingency fee basis so there is no legal fee charged unless you recover benefits.
        However, a fee contract can be uniquely structured for the specific needs of every client, incorporating retainers, hourly fees, or special contingent fee arrangements that fit your situation.
by: Evan Zagoria

Tackling Peer Pressure

2008-04-28T19:02:00.004+07:00

        If you’re in your early teens you may already have encountered peer pressure … if you’re approaching your teens, it’s something you may face fairly soon. During the 26 years of conducting our SuperCamp academic summer camp programs we have learned quite a lot about the problems that teens face. Peer pressure is something that teens find very hard to deal with so we've come up with some suggestions. Think about this scene: you’re on your way to a concert with a group of friends and someone pulls out a bottle taken from Dad’s liquor cabinet and starts passing it around.
        You don’t want to drink, but everyone else seems to be doing it and you don’t want to look like an outsider by refusing. What do you do? Maybe you’ve been in a similar situation – one where friends are coaxing you to do something you know is not a good idea, like drinking, skipping school, or cheating on a test. This is not to put down your friends – they are the people who listen to you and are there for you when you need them. However, it’s important to remember that if someone wants you to do something that just doesn’t feel right – from something seemingly minor to some scheme that could land you in the principal’s office, or grounded, or even worse – it’s time to stand up for your beliefs and let the person know how you feel.
        How do you do it? Step Out and Stand Up Step out of your comfort zone and stand up for what you believe in. We all know this isn’t easy. Many problems have occurred for many teens because no one wanted to stand up and speak out about how they felt. It takes courage. There may be one person among your group of friends who dominates – the one who stirs others into action. That’s fine. But when this person wants you to do something you’re not comfortable with, you need to let him or her know. Chances are you’re not the only one in your group who feels uncomfortable. Others may share your opinion, but are waiting for someone else to take the lead.
        They are looking for a way out, but are afraid to speak their minds. Once you speak up, they will quickly take your side and share their concerns. So how do you “just say no”? State your position firmly, but avoid putting the person suggesting the activity on the spot. Calmly and simply stating “I don’t want to drink” is better than “No, thanks, dude. I don’t want to end up like you.” Always avoid personal attack – make the activity the issue, not the person. Sometimes a little humor can lighten the situation – half jokingly saying something about the consequences can get your point across and give others an easy opportunity to agree and a reason to "back out." When That Doesn’t Work Ideally, you should be able to stand up for what you believe in, but if you’re having trouble saying “no” to your friends here are two alternative strategies: Ignore it. When someone comes up with some crazy plan you don’t want to be part of, pretend you never heard it.
        Turn up the radio or pretend to be concentrating on your homework or what someone else is saying. Your friend may take the hint and the whole idea may be dropped. Blame your parents. This is one time when your parents’ rules come in handy. Say something like, “No way! If my parents found out, I’d be grounded for the whole summer! I’m not risking it.” Whatever strategy you choose, you can feel proud of yourself knowing you have the ability to say no – you did not cave in to peer pressure. Going against the crowd isn’t easy – it takes courage and self-respect. But the more you do it, the more your courage and self-respect will grow.
        And respect for you will also grow among those who agreed with you and declined to participate in the activity. In fact, they may thank you for saying what they were feeling! Would You Like Some Help? At SuperCamp, our exceptional staff go in-depth with campers from age 9 to 18 on how to deal with peer pressure. Our Youth Forum is seven days long and it’s for students going into grades 4-5 in the fall.
        Junior Forum and Senior Forum are 10 days long. Junior Forum is for incoming 6-8 graders and Senior Forum is for incoming 9-12 graders. We even have a college boot camp, Quantum U, an 8-day programs for incoming college freshmen.
by: Jim Hartley

Tips For Hiring A Contractor

2008-04-28T18:57:00.004+07:00

        You’ve seen it in the magazines and you’ve seen it on TV. Now, see it right inside your homes: hardwood flooring being installed. Hardwood flooring, ever since, has always been an image of sophistication, tradition and of being conservative. Hardwood floors lasts a lifetime. Its durability makes it easy to maintain. It is stylish. It is hypo-allergenic. It is environment-friendly. It has a great variety of designs from natural wood types, patterns, stains and finishes. And more importantly, it adds value to any home. As I have mentioned, hardwood floors lasts a lifetime.
        But just because it could last forever (or so at least), that does not mean you don’t have to maintain it. With so many hardwood flooring installation companies there are in every local areas, it is impossible that you cannot find a contractor that suits your style and budget.
        A hardwood flooring Tennessee-based contractor, Grigores shared these tips, based from their experience, if you are working with a contractor.
        · Start with an idea — You might have seen a beautiful flooring design from a home magazine or the Internet, and imitate that almost same look to your house. Sketch your ideas and detail it so when you found your contractor, you can easily recall the things you want to be done.
        · Look up Contractors — You can either ask someone you know if they could recommend you to one. Or if there is none, you could always rely on the Yellowpages or the Internet for resources. And do not ever forget to look for licensed permits from the local office.
        · Get Bids — Call them up. Set up a meeting. Discuss your project. Ask them for an estimate. Do not settle with one hardwood flooring installation contractor. If you can accommodate three bidding contractors the better.
        · Invite them to your home — Do not ever rely on phone-based quotation or Internet-based quotations. As a true contractor, they will insist on seeing your place to see the scale of your house’s flooring. And if they did, then let them evaluate. Seeing the scope of the projects gives the contractor’s estimator an approximate amount of the cost that will be shed out for your hardwood flooring project.
        · Reference and Testimonials — Knowing how the contractors worked with their previous customer can help your decision on whom to pick on the bidding. Customer service is one of the many essential factors you should consider when hiring a contractor.
        · Contract — get a signed, written contact of the project cost and be sure to understand it. It should contain the following details: the company’s name and particulars; detailed project description; materials list; a statement that “all necessary permits and inspections are the responsibility of the contractor”; starting and completion dates; warranties guaranteed by the contractor; a guarantee that the contractor carries liability insurance and worker’s compensation coverage; a statement that either the contractor shall held responsible of clean-up; total price and payment schedule, if applicable; and the contactors license number.
        · Working hours — make sure that you know how you’re going to pay the contractor. Is it an hourly basis?
by: Dhorj Escusa

8 Tips to Keeping your Kitchen Organized

2008-04-28T18:52:00.004+07:00

        As I went out to feed the birds today I sunk up to my knees in snow as I made my way to the bird feeder. And more snow is expected for the end of this week. I know this kind of weather makes some people have cabin fever. Do you get cabin fever? I was working with a woman who said her therapist told her to get organizing. He told her even if you don't do any more than move one can to the other side of the shelf you have done something and that is a good thing. In my jargon as a professional organizer of homes I would say doing this is taking baby steps. If you are having cabin fever and want to get outside but can't because of the weather and it is too early for Spring cleaning here are 8 tips on organizing your home.
        Let's start with the kitchen: Pantry or food shelves: Put like items together, soups in one place, and canned vegetables in another and canned fruits all together, pasta in one place—you get the idea. Everything has its place so when you need it you will save time and easily be able to see what you have. (It just might scream 'take out' pizza night.) If you haven't done this for awhile it is a good idea to make sure the cans or bottles are still good by checking expiration dates and check to see it is bulging. If it is, it is definitely spoiled and you need to get rid of it. Snacks: Place them in a basket at a convenient level to grab and go. Or if you have family members that you don't want to get into them, hide them.
        Lids: Do you have plastic or glass bowls used for storing left-overs? If the lids are always all over the place, put them in a basket by themselves which makes it easy to match to the bowl and eliminates hunting for the matches. If you keep the lids on the container that takes up a lot of space in your cupboard.
        Dishes: Do you have enough room for all you have? Get metal stacking shelves that can double the amount of space in your cupboards. They come in many sizes and there are corner ones as well as straight ones that are adjustable. It is a good time to determine if you like or need all the dishes you have. If you see you never use some as you don't like them or you have too many for your needs or space; then donate to a charity.
        Silverware drawer: Place the silverware in a container made for that purpose. Larger serving pieces can be placed next to it. Does your container slide back and forth as you open the drawer? A simple solution is to use sticky Velcro on the underside of the container—works great for bathroom drawers too where containers tend to want to slide about.
        Pans: Place the ones you use most frequently toward the front of your shelf (if you hang them you have no problem with finding the right size when you need it). If you have pans with a finish that can be chipped or scratched paper plates between the pans prevents this from happening. If you have medicines in the cupboards check their expiration dates and make sure little children can't get into them. Have vases become squatters under your sink? If they belong in a different place, move them to their home. Kitchens are often the hub of the home so a well organized one makes everyone happy. While you are waiting for Spring, or if you live where it is already Spring check out those cupboards, take an inventory and Get Organized now.
by: Marilyn Bohn

The Power of Selling in the Executive Suite

2008-04-27T16:24:00.003+07:00

        Sales begin from the bottom-up or the top-down. They can begin internally from a perceived need, or they can begin externally from a marketing presentation. No matter how the sale initiates it ends with the executive in charge of the decision saying yes or no. Sales can turn into large accounts if the executives impacted associate you and your company with solutions that benefit each of them. If so, you will be able to use this credibility for more sales and referrals, quicker and easier. If not, your stuff will be considered a commodity and the subordinates will be under tremendous pressure to reduce your price and/or switch vendors.
        Therefore your goal is to be recognized by the leaders. Executive Make Decisions. Subordinates Recommend Most sales people believe that sales, especially technical sales, are made at lower levels. They argue that the executive is just a rubber stamp. If the executive is so perfunctory, then why is the information about your offering taken to him or her for approval? It’s because this executive is intimately involved in the outcome. He or she may have been the thrust behind the bigger solution of which your product plays a part. Most importantly s/he will take the hit if it fails. If one believes that the senior techie or subordinate makes the decision, then you have relinquished control of your sale to the techie. What if the boss says no to the techie’s recommendation? What if this subordinate doesn’t understand the bigger picture? Then you’re dead. Subordinates are important to you because they can affect you positively or negatively, but they do not call the shots.
        They approve the spec’s and requirements. Senior managers approve the deal and being connected in where they live gives sales people the opportunity to influence the real issues. Being connected in the executive living quarters also gives sales people the opportunity to influence other associates. These associates are important because at the upper levels they talk and listen to each other. Subordinates can be dismissed, but same and higher levels will not be dismissed. Exec’s eat lunch together.
        They sit in staff meetings and discuss strategies that involve your solutions. The better known you are by these suite members, the better your chances for success. How Executives Decide Decisions are based on risk and effort involved compared to the perceived benefit to the individual executives. They hate risk and avoid unnecessary battles. If something is working, why change? 80% of high level managers are risk avoiders. So knowing what each fears is critical to understanding what it will take to overcome a no or a stalled decision. Additionally, leaders seek concurrence from their associates. Rarely will they go it alone or without trial balloons. Politics are crucial and personal gains are the root of politics.
        All the more reason to know what the other executives are thinking. Executives are paid to make decisions to help the company prosper and/or survive. If they make good decisions they keep their job and all its rewards or move up the organizational ladder to more rewards. While making their decisions, they gather information, analyze it, filter it through their intelligence/experience and political mechanisms and then decide. Decisions they make are good for the company, but real good for themselves. Even those really nice, salts of the earth, corporate team players, decide based on what’s in it for her/him. If they say no to a decision, they may use the company, the economy or budgets, as excuses. Bottom line, the gain is not big enough for the risk and/or effort involved. Think about a sale you worked on hard and didn’t get. If you knew what the executive in charge of the decision feared or was afraid of losing, you would have had the real reason the sale stalled, stopped or was lost.
        If you knew, you could have possibly built a strategy to relieve the fear and/or perceived effort. You probably rationalized the loss on price. Sales are not lost on price. Price is an easy justification – usually passed-on by the subordinate. So What Do You Do? Understanding what’s good for the executive, from the executive’s perspective, is going to be your #1 key to winning over executives. To do this you must gain access to the executives and learn what’s in it for each, the risk for each and the effort for each.. The magnitude of these and the impact to each will dictate the involvement/influence of the particular associates. Have you made sales in the past without doing this? Absolutely. However, you were lucky. Someone else delivered your message or the executive figured out by her/himself that the win/fear ratio was the best with you. To get to the leaders clubhouse use the subordinates. If you sell the subordinates, they will help you. If you don’t they will block you.
        Once in the “members only” area, learn the results, expectations, benefits and fears of the members you meet. Without this first hand knowledge of each executive you will never really know what’s important and what’s holding up the decision going your way. After getting there and interviewing each executive, you can now do what you know how to do best. Present your solutions. However, now you’ll know how to fit your solution to each executive so s/he will personally gain or avoid loss without risk. Remember each member has his/her own agenda. This is why individual meeting are far better than group presentations. These people do not want to sound self-serving in front of their associates. But you will never get their vote unless each sees the win for him/herself. Fear of the Subordinates If you’re still hung up, on the subordinate, purchasing agents, brokers, and administrators being the decision-maker, consider this. These people can maintain a sale – meaning they can continue to approve buying the same product. They cannot approve new initiatives or system changes. They can not spend money without a budget.
        Matter of fact they usually have to get approval to spend their budget money. These people can only solicit bids, beat you silly for price and finally recommend. Call me crazy, but this is the way it is. You can not ignore the techie or circumvent them or they’ll hurt you. If they keep you from moving up, they have not yet bought into you. If you’re the incumbent, keep these people happy. However, make sure you get introduced to the executives and develop a positive relationship. Your competition is hammering away trying to find an in. The one that appeals to the executives, wins. The one that stays low, eventually loses.

by: Sam Manfer