Las Vegas Schools Prosper this Summer

A Celebration of Progress Marks the Opening of New Las Vegas School Buildings

This past August, leaders from the Las Vegas Schools gathered at the Cashman Theatre for A Celebration of Progress. This was a celebration to mark the opening of nine new schools and one replacement school in the Las Vegas School System. In attendance were officials from Las Vegas Schools, Nevada State officials, community leaders, school principals, and architects. Las Vegas Schools A Celebration of Progress was hosted by entertainer Clint Holmes.

The event was sponsored by The Council of Educational Facility Planners International; this is the eighth year that the Council of Educational Facility Planners International has sponsored this event. The Council of Educational Facility Planners International is an organization of education and construction professionals that aims to improve the places in which students learn. Various models and renderings of the new facilities were displayed and the students from these new schools created exhibits promoting school spirit. This years keynote speakers were Las Vegas Schools Superintendent Dr. Walt Rulffes and Mrs. Ruth Johnson, President of the Clark County School District Board of School Trustees. The Hal Smith Elementary School choir performed, as well as the CP Squires After School All-Stars folkloric dance team.

The new school buildings were constructed to meet Las Vegas Schools expanding enrollment that will have around 12,000 new students enroll for the 2006-2007 school year. This influx of new students raises the total number of students in the Las Vegas Schools to over 300,000. The new schools include six elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school. The replacement school building is also a high school.

At the August 9th A Celebration of Progress event Paul Gerner, Associate Superintendent for Facilities, thanked the architectural and construction partners who made the new schools possible. The Las Vegas Schools system is expected to continue is substantial growth for many years to come.

Las Vegas School Students Take Part in Youth Leadership Summit

This summer several Las Vegas Schools students went to the Youth Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. The Youth Leadership Summit was created through a partnership between The National Council for Community and Education Partnerships and Booz Allen Hamilton. The Youth Leadership Summit is designed to give students an opportunity to participate in educational reform. Students invited to the Youth Leadership Summit were participants in the Las Vegas Schools GEAR UP program, which is a national program, intended to increase the number of students who go to and succeed in university and college. Along with participation in the GEAR UP program, students were selected based on their academic performance, leadership roles they take in their schools and recommendations from their principals and teachers. All of the participants from Las Vegas Schools will be seniors in the 2006-2007 school year.

The Youth Leadership Summit included different activities in the areas of teamwork and leadership that encouraged the students to share their own perspectives on how educators should improve student achievement. The suggestions that resulted from the Youth Leadership Summit included: creating information centers that would aid students and families in finding information for postsecondary education and creating peer and adult tutoring and mentoring programs that support middle and high school students.

Stacy Andell is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. Stacy has a nose for research and writes stimulating news and views on school issues. For more information on Las Vegas schools visit http://www.schoolsk-12.com/Nevada/Las-Vegas/index.htmlAubrette Blog1172
Annnora Blog70742

Real Estate Investing For College

Real estate investing for college is very interesting thing! Investing for college does not really have to be difficult. In fact, now it is as well easier that ever before. Investment strategies plays extremely important role in college investment. According to the Economic Growth and Tax Reconciliation Act of 2001 have been improving tremendously and options for childs education have also increased.

Developing a plan for investing in college and for your childs education is the most long term effective decisions you would make ever. Whether you are planning to save for your self or for your kids, you need to have a systematic money investing plan. While there are many ways to cover the investing for Real Estate College, the majority of students prefer mixture of funding from savings, student loans, scholarships, and other part-time jobs.

The most brilliant decision would be to open a college real estate investing account when the child is take birth. Another most important thing would to understand the necessity to have a saving on your childs name. By investing in Real Estate College you are gradually building a portfolio with a good range of account. A saving account is the most convenient to earn interest on your investment. Investing for college may start out as a long-term goal, but as your child gets older, it becomes a short-term goal. You can get apt information even through the real estate investing book that increases the knowledge and information in the real estate field. People who speak in real estate market are the people with knowledge in real estate industry. A real estate book which is introduced in electronic format is called as Real estate E-book.

When your child is young enough, you can plan and can also afford for investing in college more aggressively, because your investment will have time to recover from possible downturns in the market. But the by time your child is planning to join a high school or college, you may not be willing to take up the risk of serious downturn because you dont have the time to wait for the market to recover. You need plan an investment aggressively and also need to protect the value of your investment, so that you investment is available when ever required by you.

John Russel is a Copywriter of Houston homes. He written many articles in various topics. For more information visit: http://www.yourownhoustonhome.com contact him at yourownarticles@gmail.comAllegra Blog40908
Brunhilde Blog1766

Mars and Venus Part IV: What makes sense to buyers?

Did you ever feel that the person you were speaking to was living on another planet? Did it ever cross your mind that they might think the same about you? This is what can happen if your communication with your customer is not in synch with their sense of reality.

I am using the term sense, however to mean how they actually mentally process information. While each of us has five senses, we normally perceive the world stronger through one than the other four.

Knowing which sense a person favours, can really help your levels of communication with that person.

Did you ever forget something, like the name of a song, and you were describing your frustration to someone at not being able to remember it. Which of the following 5 sentences might you use to describe your situation?

It is so frustrating; I can feel it right on the tip of my tongue.

I nearly have it; I can hear it clearly in my head.

It's so close; I can see it in my mind's eye.

I want to remember that so badly, I can almost taste it.

It just stinks not being able to remember it.

So which of these did you associate with?

For me it is visual, but I don't know which one it is for you right now. You probably don't know which sense your customer uses.

Once you do know, it is like finding the combination to a safe.

This is the key to finding the language to use with your prospect, so that you are on the same page, and they can start to understand precisely the benefits of your offering.

So how do you find out which sense a prospect favours?

In reality most people favour one of three senses; hearing, seeing and touching. The best time to find out people's strategies is during the small talk, or ice breaker conversation at the beginning of a meeting.

You may be discussing hobbies; an easy example is when somebody says they love golf. You might say something like, It is great when one hits a good shot and how do you know when you have hit a good one?

The response is likely to be something along the lines of;

I love seeing the ball arcing up, and falling in the centre of the fairway.

That feeling when you make a clean strike is magical.

It's the sound; there is no sound sweeter that a well struck drive.

If you were selling clothes, you might ask what do you look for in a garment? In this case most clothes buyers normally go by look and/or feel, but they do major on one, and their responses would be similar to one of the following;

I look for a good cut, with vibrant colours

I like the texture, the material should not be abrasive.

How to adapt, once you know which sense a buyer favours

You might be selling sports clothes and love the texture of the latest range of active wear, but your buyer is a visual person. In this situation, you must go with their strategy and ask them questions about what they are looking for in a range of colours and what cut they believe their customers want.

It is important to note here, that even after you have elicited the buyer's strategy, you do not go into sell mode. It is still vitally important to remain in question mode. The key is to ask questions, that the prospect can feel comfortable in answering.

While this is just a summary of how people buy, in order to ensure you are able to connect correctly, you should ensure that you ask the right questions to ascertain someone's strategy, as it relates to the value proposition of your offering.

There is no point asking the clothes type questions, if you are trying to sell a sophisticated piece of customer service software to the Service manager of a large telecommunications company.

Conclusion

Every day, we use the 3R Success Framework, to help companies reach the next level in their growth strategy, and as we enter the execution and monitoring phases we help our customer's sales teams know exactly how to achieve superior results using these tools.

This type of targeted assistance is not something that can be delivered through standard classroom or eLearning methods. Our customers tell us, that this can only be achieved, when they really want to explore ways of achieving levels of true excellence. We do this through a combination of coaching and mentoring, of both the executive team and the sales team, to achieve superior results.

This series of articles will explore the different psychological buying patterns or your customers, and help you to identify how they make decisions.

This article was written by Peter Lawless, founder of 3R Sales and Marketing http://www.3r.ie. For previous articles like this, visit 3R's Articles. Alternatively, subscribe to Success our free monthly Information Bulletin with sales and marketing articles.Bibbye Blog31086
Brunhilde Blog78443

Sony Ericsson M600i: A Mobile For The 21St Century Businessman

Sony has done it again. It has surpassed excellence like it has done in the past. Sony has just launched Sony Ericsson M600i which is especially made to perfection for the 21st century businessman. This mobile is another beauty from Sony in the range of the communicator mobiles.

Sony Ericsson M600i has got touch screen navigation which makes one navigate through the phone menu in a very convenient manner with the help of a stylus. All you need to do is to just tap on any option on the menu and the application is opened.

Due to the presence of features like Edge, GSM in Sony Ericsson M600i the internet access is very easy. E-mails can be send at the speed of lightening from any place and without wasting any precious time. With this mobile you can always stay in touch with important business clients. Sony Ericsson M600i has UMTS makes the internet download speeds very high.

It has got features like business data exchange. With this feature digital business cards containing the phone numbers and addresses can be exchanged

Other special features of Sony Ericsson M600i this handset include: conference calling, notes and tasks.

Conference calling can be used for multi-party calling. One can also write notes and save them in this phone like a note pad .The function task works like your business secretary and shows the list of things to be done. The list is endless. Company intranet can also be accessed on this phone. Also calls can be attended simultaneously while surfing the net. So no calls are missed when you are surfing the net

Another application of Sony Ericsson M600i is completely incredible. Print commands can be given from this phone to a nearby attached printer to print the relevant documents. So, relevant attachments with the e-mails can now be printed.

Ben Bradley is webmaster of mobile phones deals. For more information about Sony Ericsson M600i, please visit http://www.orangemobileshop.co.uk.Bonnee Blog27670
Ariana Blog67968

Is Your Type 2 Diabetes Really Under Control?

If you are among the growing number of people
suffering from type 2 diabetes,
here is some good news: A plan of basic therapies
including education, a personalized meal plan,
nutritional supplements, and ongoing monitoring
and support can reduce the amount of insulin and
oral medications needed to manage the disease and
decrease the symptoms and complications of
diabetes. When you are empowered by knowledge,
you can learn to effectively manage this
potentially devastating disease.

Many diabetic patients think their symptoms are "
under control" because they are taking insulin
and other oral medications that help keep their
blood sugars within acceptable levels.
Medications are, of course, critical in the
treatment of the disease. However, if the patient
does not commit to an active role in addressing
the causes of problems, then the result may be an
ever-increasing dependence on insulin or other
medications, which have their own negative side
effects over time. For instance, did you know
that insulin is a fat-storing hormone that often
leads to unwanted weight gain among diabetic
patients? That weight gain can then lead to other
problems such as high blood pressure or joint
problems.

In my own work with patients, I stress four
important factors. The first is
education about the disease process. It is
critical to understand what diabetes is and what
the effects can be on your body. Without proper
treatment, problems such as loss of vision, pain
or numbness in the extremities, ulcers on the
feet, and damage to vital organs can occur.
Learning about how the disease affects the body
to cause these problems is the first crucial step
in your treatment plan.

The next factor is developing a personalized meal
plan. "You are what you eat" was never truer than
when talking about diabetes. By understanding how
certain foods affect your body and your blood
sugars, it is possible to enjoy good meals while
still controlling blood sugars and decreasing
your weight. As an example, eating a piece of
fruit alone can cause blood sugars to rise, but
taking a protein such as nuts or cheese with the
fruit will prevent a spike in the blood sugars.

Targeted nutritional supplements or botanical
treatments can also be very helpful. Recent
studies have shown these alternative therapies to
be effective in decreasing blood pressure,
lowering cholesterol, and decreasing blood sugars,
thus reducing potential organ damage.

Perhaps the most important factor in a treatment
plan is an ongoing monitoring and support program.
Working with a healthcare provider who will
spend time discussing your progress and modifying
your treatment plan on a regular basis is
critical to successfully managing the disease.

You don't have to be a "victim" of type 2
diabetes. By being proactive and working with a
knowledgeable physician, you can control your
diabetes without letting it control you.

Dr. Tina Marcantel is a naturopathic physician in Mesa, Arizona. Before entering medical school she was a registered nurse. Dr. Marcantel has over twenty-five years of experience in the health care field including diabetes management, women's health, weight loss, and mental health. She practices holistic, integrative patient care. For more information please visit her site at http://www.drmarcantel.comAlbina Blog46917
Bambi Blog77126

The Dating Cheat Sheet

Getting back in the dating scene should be a gradual one and should be on your own terms. Don't stress about finding someone to intermingle with of interest and not knowing where to look. It's time to take the blinders off . Gabby Love at http://www.gabbylove.com offers key tips that will guide you in exploring a new arena of life.

Bus Stops / Rail: Hey don't laugh and don't judge. With the gas crunch being the way it is there are all types of people taking public transportation. It's relatively safe and if you are brave enough to look around you may see a real "diamond".

Grocery Store: People have to eat. Now this is the perfect place to meet great potentials. Icebreaker Tip...Ask for help or advice about anything and you will be surprised at how quick a conversation strike up especially if you spy a cutie standing in a long line...go for it !

Airplanes: Hey the gods could really be with you if you are seated next to a great potential interest for a long trip. Both of you are going to the same destination with on the spot customer service from the flight attendant. Take advantage and talk...you just may be surprised.

Laundromats: Believe it or not this is a definite favorite of mine since being dressed up is not at all needed. People are relaxed and there is a little time to chat while waiting.

The above are safe and effective ways to intermingle with others without having to feel pressured. Just open your eyes, look around,and smile.

Gabby Love offers in depth reviews and recommendations concerning relationships,sex,and entertainment. Visit some of the sites reviewed by Gabby Love at http://www.gabbylove.com, http://www.nakednakedwoman.com , http://www.2eroticsex.com ,and http://www.adultsnightclub.com .Ashlan Blog99165
Annabelle Blog17826

Internet Dating Advice For A More Rewarding Experience

Avoid costly mistakes that can put you in a worse position than when you started internet dating. This internet dating advice will show you these mistakes, and then you can save yourself from any early setbacks. Any one of these will ruin anything good that you have going or completely turn other singles off of you instantly.

First mistake singles usually make is lying on their profile. When you're dating on the internet you have to be honest. Anyone can make a mistakes on the dating profile but a blatant lie is not something someone can forgive you for. There's already a big thing with trusting people who use internet dating web sites so lying is not going to do you any favors. Honesty is an attractive trait in people.

Not sending any e-mails can affect your internet dating results. Many singles never send e-mails, and the main reason for this is you can't send any until you have payed for your membership. You can reply to other singles e-mails but you need to initiate your own contact. It's no good just setting up your profile just to receive contact from other singles. Other singles like to receive e-mails, this is what starts relationships. You can add that personal touch to an e-mail to show the other singles that you're attracted to them by what you have read in their profile.

Having an empty profile is a sure way not to get contacted. By having an empty profile you're giving the impression you're only there to window shop. You need to have a nice detailed internet dating profile so other singles can see what makes you tick. They want to see what you enjoy about life, and what your goals are. They can get an idea of a future with you this way, and it puts a picture in their mind. Remember to keep all your information positive. Being negative is another big turnoff.

Not visiting the internet dating service will stop singles from contacting you. Most dating web sites will show the last time you have been online. If you only visit the service once a month everyone will see this, and it will show you're not that serious in finding a date. Also the more active you are your profile will get higher in the search results as the internet dating service likes activity as well.

Contacting singles just because you like their photo will only get you disappointment. The most attractive singles on any internet dating service will always get the most messages. These will usually be flirts or smiles from singles on a free trial. These will very rarely get a reply so you'll start assuming that no one wants to reply to your messages. Read someone's profile first before making any contact, and then send them an e-mail. Just because you like the look of someone doesn't mean you will have a lasting relationship with them. It probably wouldn't get past the first date.

Never make any sexual requests or innuendos in any messages to another single. You might think that it's funny but it will only turn the other single off. If you want to do this then there are adult internet dating services that are catered for this behaviour. On an ordinary dating service this will not be tolerated by the singles or the service itself. You don't want to get banned from using the service because of 2 minutes of madness.

If you stay away from the mistakes above your internet dating experience will be a lot more rewarding. And you wont be single for very much longer.

For more online dating advice, and online dating service reviews visit - http://www.the-online-dating-reviews.com

Jason King is the web master and dating adviser at http://www.the-online-dating-reviews.com.Cathee Blog5545
Blondie Blog80840

How To Create E-Books For Income

Writing your first E-Book may be seemingly impossible for anyone. For some, writing is natural and they can weave stories, articles and books in a short time frame. But the majority of the population would be dealing with the popular writers block; they might write a chapter or two and then face shortage of ideas. But like most of the tasks writing an E-Book will be a childs play if you divide the entire work into tiny convenient parts.

We have provided some tips which will help you to write your own E-book:

To begin with, you will have to choose a subject in which you have a keen interest or some area which you are expert in. For you the subject might be interesting but care should be taken that it also appeals the audience too.

Writing the first sentence seems to be a Herculean task. Brainstorming for the title would seem easier to most of the beginners. You might even stumble upon some new ideas while searching for a topic of your book.

A catchy title can prove to be extremely helpful in boosting your E-book sales.

You can divide your E-books into various sections or chapters and then go on adding details to it; this way the work seems easier and more systematic.

If you have some ideas on some topic then you can elaborate it to form an entire chapter or section.

If you are short of chapters or ideas then you can add in introductory and concluding chapters.

It is recommended to keep the E-book short and information packed unless the topic demands more concise information.

If you are working on a computer then take regular back ups on storage media like CDs or DVDs to avoid data loss in case your hard disc crashes. You can even upload it to your mail box.

Using short sentences and keeping lots of white space will make it easy for readers to read your E-book. Make sure that your readers wont find it difficult to read the E-book.

After you finish writing your E-book, edit it to maintain the flow of ideas. Also check the grammar and spellings and if you are willing then you can go for proofreading it from a professional proofreader. If there are mistakes in your E-book then it will get negative reviews and comments even if you will provide a highly information packed and useful E-book.

After you are satisfied with the quality of the content of your E-book you will have to create a professional book cover for it. If you are not a graphic designer then its recommended to hand over the book cover creation task to some professional artist or publishing company since it is the book cover which grabs the attention of the readers. Choosing the format of the E-book is also important and will depend on various factors of the convenience of the readers. After the book is ready you can distribute some copies to some friends and relatives for their comments which can be used as testimonials for increasing your credibility.

There are many online services which will help you to prevent others from copying data from your E-book. If you feel your E-book has data worth to be protected, then you can opt for such services from various companies.If your first few E-books are not successful then do not feel disappointed. Failures are stepping stones to success and you will attain success with some dedication and hard work.

Written By Ronald W. Firquain, Webmaster of http://www.ebooks-mall.org - eBooks- http://www.ebooks-mall.org for your Internet Marketing Business Training System.without htmlbio.:Written By Ronald W. Firquain, Webmaster of http://www.ebooks-mall.org for your Internet Marketing Business Training System.Caitlin Blog62463
Beatrisa Blog50509

Aprons Today

Virtually everyone is familiar with the apron. Aprons are protective garments worn over normal clothing, designed and crafted to cover primarily the front of the body. Aprons are commonly worn by people of all ages for several reasons such as hygienic purposes, though some that wear aprons use them to protect their clothes from wear and tear.

Aprons have been a common part of the uniform of a number of work categories for many years. Many wait staff, homemakers, nurses, and domestic staff wear them for a variety of reasons. It is interesting to note that some women commonly wear aprons for purely aesthetic reasons.

Aprons are available in a number of different styles. The role the apron itself will be called upon to fill greatly influences the style and design behind it. Taking this into mind, aprons can be designed and crafted from a variety of materials. There are rubber aprons commonly employed by people working with particularly risky and toxic chemicals. There are even lead aprons on the market, garments commonly worn by those who work with X-rays such as X-ray technicians, doctors, and those who work near radiation. More commonly, there are leather aprons such as those used by most carpenters who employ the many sturdy pockets to handle tools that would destroy flimsier aprons.

Aprons can be designed and crafted in a number of ways depending on the purpose it is expected to serve. A basic categorization in apron design is coverage where the two categories are waist aprons, which generally cover the body from waist down and bib aprons, which covers the upper part of the body as well. Aprons are commonly held in place by two straps of material, one connected to each side, that are then tied in the back. The bib apron may use this design in conjunction with a strap in around the neck, or it may use shoulders strap that cross in the back, or attach to the waistband.

Finally, it is worth to noting that the term "apron" does not refer exclusively to garments such as those mentioned above. The term is also used more generally to refer to an expanse surrounding an object. For example, airports have what is called a concrete apron around them, which is where planes as well as other vehicles can move about. Another example of this would be the rubberized skirt cushions that a hovercraft uses to contain the air blown by the lift fans, which are also referred to as an apron. A less obvious example would be at the theater, where the apron is the name given the portion of the stage separated by the main curtain that can be seen by the audience.

Patricia Brown contributes to several popular web sites, especially http://great-product.com and http://productstips.com.Anna Blog23479
Annabela Blog72795

Tips For Lowering Your Health Insurance Costs

Is the rising cost of health insurance getting you down? Don't feel alone. There are currently millions of uninsured Americans who simply can't afford to pay the outrageous premiums to get medical coverage. Fortunately, most states will step up and help low-income families cover their children at least, but what happens if mom or dad gets sick? Who's going to pay the bills than? What if the breadwinner of the family, whether it's mom or dad, is unable to work anymore and they run up large amounts of medical bills?

The system simply isn't working anymore, however, there are a few things we can do to keep our monthly premiums manageable, for those of us who can afford to make minimum payments to have a health insurance policy. With take a look at some of those.

There are things you can exclude from your health insurance policies that will decrease your monthly cost. This is the case on all policies so you'll need to look around but it is possible to do.

Another thing you might consider is to raise your deductibles. The deductible is the amount of the insurance company expects you to pay before they start paying anything. An example of this would be was called 80/20. This means that you'd pay the first 20% of the of the costs of your visit to the doctor and the insurance company would cover anything up to that. So the cost of $100 for your medical needs then you would be expected to pay $20 and the insurance company would take care of the other $80. You'd only pay up to a maximum amount every year on your deductible deductibles vary anywhere from zero to $5-$10,000.

The higher deductible you carry on your policy, the lower your monthly payment will be, however, if you carry a high deductible this means that you will be paying a large portion of your everyday medical care out-of-pocket.

If you could possibly set aside enough money that would equal your annual deductible amount you would be in very good shape because the average person only see the doctor once or twice a year. This would make your payments minimal, your out-of-pocket costs would be covered if you have the money set aside and you would be covered in case of any major medical emergency. Just another option to think about.

Joe Stewart is a former Health Insurance Agent that now provides helpful information to others. For more great information about Health Insurance, visit http://www.TheHealthInsuranceGuys.org right now!Cairistiona Blog64261
Alexandra Blog25306

Insights on a Positive Church Construction Experience

An Analysis of Select Findings from the Facility Impact Research Study (FIRSt Report)

In 2005, the Rainer Group was commissioned by The Cornerstone Knowledge Network to study the impact of building programs on churches. From the resulting study of 321 churches came several interesting facts that must be taken into consideration for any church that is contemplating a building program.

While an exhausting analysis of the study is beyond the scope of this article, there are three points that warrant special consideration and application by the church.

Many church leaders expressed concern after their building program, feeling that their builder had encouraged or guided them to build facilities that were too small.

The report cites the disappointment of church leadership in that they felt the builders guided them to build too small. Quoting from the FIRSt study, the single greatest regret expressed was that the expenditures were too low and the projects too small.

Later in the report this thought was repeated, We consistently heard that church leaders felt that church builders encouraged them to build too small. There is a sense that church builders are erring on the side of caution while church leaders would like to take greater steps of faith.

While one must be careful not to infer too much from too few comments, these quotes seem to point to an underlying problem of understanding who is responsible for which issues in a building program. While the input of the builder is important, it would appear from these statements that many churches might have relied on the builder for financial expertise outside of their core competency. Seeking counsel from a builder on construction issues is wise, but how many builders (or architects) have the financial expertise and in-depth understanding of the churchs financial situation to direct a church on how much building they can afford? First of all, its just not part of their core competency. Secondly, the maximum budget should have been set before serious discussions regarding project scope with the builder were begun.

Further, to fault builders for erring on the side of caution when providing advice outside of their area of core expertise (if that was the case), is grossly unfair. Would the church instead prefer to find itself in financial hot water to the detriment or even demise of the ministry? It would seem infinitely better for the church to build additional facilities at a later date, than to go belly-up sooner. To be honest, in church building programs it is much more common that the builders and architects have to be reigned in to stay within the budget than to recommend too small of space. After all, the more they design or build, the more money they make.

The church may realize in hindsight that they may have been able to afford a bigger building program because of giving or growth that could not have been forecasted with any accuracy before the building program began. Hindsight is 20-20, and it is reasonable to assume that in most cases the church, lender, and builder probably pushed the financial envelope as far as they could, based on the financial information available at the time. On the flip side of that is the danger of churches betting the ministry on future numerical growth in order to finance the building. If 80% of the churches experience growth from building, it means that 1 out of 5 did not, and would have financially collapsed had they built beyond their demonstrable means.

What a church constructs must be based on ministry needs and placed in context of what it can afford. The responsibility for knowing what the church can afford, and how it will pay for it, is the responsibility of the church, not the builder. It would appear that the builder, being the last person in the chain of events, is getting an unfair criticism in that they are getting the blame for something of which they were not responsible. The building budget and prevailing construction cost determines the size of the building, and with careful design and bid processes the church can minimize construction costs. This then leaves the budget as the single largest variable in determining the scope of the churchs building program.

A conservative budget formula that implements good stewardship principles is fairly straightforward: it is the money you have on hand, plus the money you can borrow, plus the money the church can raise from the sale of assets, such as land. Others, perhaps less conservative, would add to this amount, the money the church could raise during and after the building program through a capital campaign. This, however, may be arguable from a stewardship point of view in that the money raised through a capital stewardship campaign might be better applied to becoming debt free rather than increasing the size and financial liability of a building program. Since there is no one-size-fits-all solution, this needs to be carefully thought through early in the planning process. Bringing needs, desires and budget into balance is a key goal of wise preparation, which is highlighted as the final point in this article.

The churchs level of satisfaction was much higher with multi-purpose buildings or multi-building solutions and lowest with dedicated fellowship halls.

Quoting from the FIRSt study, The lowest level of satisfaction tended to be the result of building a fellowship hall that did not have function beyond fellowship gatherings and meals. The highest level of satisfaction surprisingly took place in multi-building projects in a total church relocation.

This concept was presented again later in the report; Multi-purpose buildings bring the greatest satisfaction to church clients after the fact. Before the fact, many churches may lean toward single-use facilities.

From a recent historical perspective, single use facilities have been the approach of most churches. Single use facilities are the way weve always done it when it comes to most church building programs. Parenthetically speaking, the way weve always done it are 6 deadly words in todays dynamic church environment. Multi-use buildings are being driven by two factors: changes in how churches do church, and rising building costs.

Multi-purpose space is coming to the forefront as the solution of choice as churches adapt to changing styles of worship and new ministry approaches while trying to get the most building for the money spent. Multi-phase building programs comprised of more than one building (multi-building) are common solutions to larger and growing churches whose needs are greater than their current budget.

This is not to say that some churches should not build just a fellowship hall or education building to bring the total church campus into balance. The dissatisfaction of many churches in building may often be due to a lack of understanding of the true building requirements (both long and short term) and the possible solutions that may be implemented to meet those needs. A simple fellowship hall that seats 150 people might be 2,200 square feet with a building cost of between $150,000 and $250,000, depending on location and stylistic issues. Some people in the church may have misgivings about the value proposition of spending $200,000 for a building they will use on an infrequent basis. However, if a fellowship hall can be shown to help achieve the mission and goals of the church, and the congregation understands and accepts the value proposition, then the church can be assured of a higher degree of satisfaction with its project.

In the final analysis, this issue, like the preceding one, comes down to understanding what must be built, why it must to be built, what it will cost, and how it will be paid forall before the church starts to build. This is the fundamental purpose and goal of a feasibility study. Regardless of whether the church calls it a feasibility study, a needs analysis, or some other name, it is a critical step in any church building program, which leads up to this final point.

Feasibility studies tend to make for better building programs and happier outcomes.

Quoting from the FIRSt study, We did find a strong correlation in overall satisfaction with the building project if a feasibility study was conducted. The disappointment, however, is that only one-third of the churches conducted a feasibility study.

When a consultant says there is a strong correlation, the implication is that of cause and effect. In this case, the operative phrase is if a feasibility study was conducted. This then squarely identifies the context of a causal relationship. They were satisfied because they conducted a feasibility study. According to the study, 33% of the churches conducted feasibility studies, which correlates closely to the 35% that considered the building process as excellent and 40% that indicated the building program created no conflict in the church. Herein lies the key to maximizing the churchs satisfaction while minimizing the risk in building. A feasibility study provides a plan for execution, brings unity to the church, and becomes the foundation for the design and construction process.

A significant difficulty with feasibility studies is that most churches are not equipped to perform them. Despite their best intentions, most church members are lacking two important qualifications: experience and objectivity. With isolated exceptions, most committees do not have the across the board experience in needs analysis, financial analysis, church design or construction to be effective in performing a feasibility study. While some members may have some needed skills, as a whole the church is lacking the skills and experience to come to an accurate and objective analysis. Additionally, one person with some experience and/or force of personality can unduly influence the process, especially when there is little or no other experience in the church.

As an active member in the church, objectivity is often hard to accomplish when you are part of the church building committee. Said another way, seeing the big picture is hard when you are in the picture. It is hard to set aside our personal preferences and needs and to be objective about the needs of the church when those needs do not coincide with our own. Moreover, churches, and particularly churches that have been in operation for a long time, have cultures and ways of doing things that can make it difficult to think outside the box. Unless motivated by a significant outside influence, churches tend to continue to think and do things they way they always have.

In summary, a church considering building should invest in a formal feasibility study to help maximize the churchs satisfaction with the building program, to insure they get the most building they need (and can afford), and to get the best building to meet the needs of the ministry, the members and the community they serve. Planning is an investment that will pay large dividends, including savings in cost and time. An outside church building consultant can help objectively guide the church through this process.

In the final analysis, the investment cost for this planning should be more than offset by the hard dollar savings the church experiences in time and effort. Added to this is the non-monetary value of increasing satisfaction, maintaining unity and reducing stress and effort on the part of the church leadership.

The fundamental concept of getting some outside help was summed up in scripture long ago Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. A wise man is strong, yes, a man of knowledge increases strength; for by wise counsel you will wage your own war, and in a multitude of counselors there is safety. Proverbs 24:3-6 NKJV

In addition to leading his church through a building and capital stewardship campaign, Steve Anderson is a church building consultant, seminar speaker, past contributing editor for Church & Worship Technology Magazine and author of the eBook, "Preparing to Build: Practical Tips & Experienced Advice to Prepare Your Church for a Building Program". Benetta Blog62000
Alexi Blog30192

Five New Area Superintendents Appointed to the San Diego Schools

In June 2006, Superintendent Carl Cohn appointed five new area superintendents for the San Diego Schools.

Each new area superintendent will be an advocate for the schools under them, as well as the communities for these schools. They will be empowered to ensure that the San Diego Schools have a fully enriched and competitive curriculum that recognizes the importance of the educational basics, as well as the nearly forgotten art, music and physical education programs. They will be responsible for expanding in their San Diego Schools partnerships between parents, the community, businesses and higher education. Each student is to be ensured as smooth a transition as possible for students and parents, especially in the early years.

These five appointments complete key staffing of top leadership positions in the San Diego Schools. Each of the five areas within the San Diego Schools will include up to 25 elementary schools and their nearby middle schools.

The new area one superintendent is Carol Barry. She earned an MA inn school administration from Azusa Pacific University and a BA in liberal studies from San Diego State University. Before her appointment, Barry served as acting assistant superintendent for the San Diego Schools. Previously, she was the principal at several San Diego Schools.

The area two superintendent is Dr. Hye Jung (Chelsea) Kang-Smith. Kang-Smith holds an Ed.D. from the University of Southern California, MS in education from California Southern University Fullerton, and her BS in biology from the University of California Irvine. Kang-Smith came to the San Diego Schools in 2005, where she first served as principal in Anaheim Union High School District and most recently as assistant superintendent.

Dr. Richard Cansdale is the area three superintendent. He holds an Ed.D. in educational leadership from the United States International University, an Ed.S. from Point Loma Nazarene University, an MA in education of exceptional children from San Francisco University, and a BA in elementary education from the University of Nevada at Reno. Previously, Cansdale was the principal at Cherokee Point Elementary School in the San Diego Schools.

The area four superintendent is Vincent Matthews, who was a 2006 fellow of the Broad Superintendent's Academy. He earned an MA in educational administration and a BA in elementary education from San Francisco State University. Before his appointment, Matthews was an educator in residence for the NewSchools Venture Fund in San Francisco. Prior to that, he was an advisor to 35 charter schools that serves approximately 9,000 low-income students.

Dr. Delfino Aleman, Jr. is the area five superintendent. He holds a Ph.D. in educational administration from the University of Texas at Austin, an MA in education from Texas Women's University, and a BA in theology from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas. Aleman, who is proficient in Spanish, was the associate superintendent for teaching and learning at the Isaac School District in Phoenix, Arizona. Previously, he served as director of policies, procedures and public information in the San Antonio Independent School District.

In addition to these five new appointments, the San Diego Schools filled three other positions through recent appointments.

Dorothy Harper is the new associate superintendent for parent, community and student engagement. Harper earned her MA in education from Memphis State University and bachelors degree in biology from Dillard University. Her experience includes vice president of development for the Newton Learning Supplemental Education Services, as well as area superintendent, assistant superintendent, and deputy superintendent at the Long Beach Unified School District. In her new position, Harper will work to establish a comprehensive, consolidated system of support that will engage parents, the community, and students within the San Diego Schools.

Arun Ramanathan, an advanced doctoral fellow at Harvard, is the new executive director for governmental relations. He earned an MA in special education and elementary education from Boston College, and a BA in government from Dartmouth. Prior to his appointment, Ramanathan was research director for the Los Angeles Unified School District. He will serve as an advocate for the San Diego Schools to state legislators on issues and laws affecting the school district.

Dr. Kyo Yamashiro is the San Diego Schools' new director of school management. She holds a Ph.D. from UCLA, which she received in June of 2006 as a top doctoral candidate. She earned an MA in administration and policy analysis and a BA in English literature from Stanford University. Prior to her appointment, she was a research and evaluation consultant for the Long Beach Unified School District. In her new position, Yamashiro works with the School Choice programs, including charter schools, No Child Left Behind program improvement, and enrollment options program magnet schools and voluntary ethnic enrollment programs (VEEP) are included.

These appointments excite the San Diego Schools. All will serve well the more than 132,000 students in the San Diego Schools, the second largest school district in California. With more than 216 educational facilities, these talented and motivated appointees will be a plus for the San Diego Schools.

Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, Which provides free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. Patricia has a nose for research and writes stimulating news and views on school issues.Bridget Blog46269
Blisse Blog61234

Getting Your First Computer

Have you ever wanted to buy your dream computer? You have save your monthly income to buy it but you did not know what specification you should choose since there are lot of choices in the market today.

Beside budget, below are the important factors that you should look into when buying a computer. They are the operating system, processor speed, graphic card capability, power supply, hard disk, and the monitor. Take a look at this simple guide and I hope that you will have a nice computer buying experience later.

Build it yourself or ask somebody else?

Firstly before stepping into choosing the suitable hardware, a question that you should ask to yourself is whether do you want to build your own computer or ask somebody to build it for you?

>From my experience, it is better to ask somebody else to build it for you if this is the first time you want to buy your own computer. You can always learn to know about your computer hardware and software later. But, do not forget to assist the salesperson and ask him or her anything that you did not know about your computer. He might give you some tips of what should do and shouldnt do with your computer during the building process.

Choosing the hardware

Now, we will look into buying hardware for your computer. Your computer hardware determines your computer speed. There are lots of factors that affect how well your computer will perform as well.

The Processor

Nowadays, two big companies are in the race of getting the fastest processor for mainstream are the Intel Corporation and Advanced Micro Device (AMD). What Im going to tell you is not which one of them are the best, but some aspect of processor that you should know.

The greater the processor clock your processor have, the better performance it will be. As example, a 3.0 gigahertz Intel Pentium Processor will beat the 2.0 gigahertz version of the same processor. But there are bottlenecks that limit performance in other places such as the caches size and latency, power consumption, and temperature.

So, for conclusion it always better to choose a processor that have least power consumption, large cache size with low latency, and capable of running fast in well-accepted temperature such as 34 Celsius, and have the latest feature such as support for dual-core and 64-bit computing.

Remember, dont compare different type of processor performance with clock speed since its proven by AMD that clock speed did not influences the performance of the processor very much unlike the 1998 era.

The Monitor

Prefer choosing a LCD monitor over CRT Monitor. No heavy lifting required with a LCD monitor since they weigh less than half the average CRT monitor. LCD monitors require half the power of CRTs and emit much less electromagnetic radiation which can interfere with other electronic devices.

Talking about the LCD size, 17-inch is enough already since it give the best support to resolution that operating system widely use nowadays (1024 by 786 pixels). But, if you want to keep your computer for a long time or want to use to make it as part of your Digital Media Centre, LCD Monitor with larger than 19 inch size is recommended.

The Graphic Card

A graphic card is a must have for modern computer today. Never intend to use integrated graphic since it will greatly slow down your computer. PC graphic such as photos and videos will require a lot of processing power. Without the help from graphic card, the CPU needs to handle all the system and graphic processing.

Choosing a graphic card is easy depends with how you use your computer. If you did not run any games, graphic card without latest features is acceptable. Just make sure that the graphic card supports the incoming operating system from Microsoft, Windows Vista. Since a high-end graphic card will require high power for SLI or crossfire function, if you want to save your electric bills, consider mid-range graphic card which usually sold at 150-250 dollar.

Power supply

The higher the wattage that a power supply support, the better it is. If you want to purchase additional hardware for your computer later such as USB optical mouse there wont be a problem for you since a decent power supply will supports your need. A good power supply is the power supply that can give out as much 500 watt of power or higher than that.

Hard Disk

An internal hard disk with latest Sata 2.0 (serial ATA) support will serve you perfectly. Other than that, the size of the hard disk should be big since you might want to store a lot of pictures, music, and movies later. 200GB hard disk is the regular specification nowadays. If you want to keep your hard disk for a long time, 500 GB would be enough.

How many hard disks should you buy? The minimum is one but I recommend you to get two hard disks for your computer. One will be for main operating system and the other one for storing your personal data. This is essential to avoid those data from clutter together. Moreover, your computer performance might increase if you use two hard disks. This is because the computer can access the operating system files directly from its own drive.

The Operating System

For the best user experience, operating system from Microsoft such as Windows XP still dominates the market nowadays. Since lots of people using it, getting support would not be hard. Just go to a tech support forum and your software-related computer problem will be solved there. Although you can use Linux operating system for free, it is not recommended because not all hardware supports Linux.

Well, thats all for now. Your journey to build your dream computer should not end here. Ask your friends for some advices such as a good computer hardware shop in the town or their past experiences in buying their computer. Thus, you will not feel regretted with what youre going to buy.

Muhamad Fuad is a full-time technology blogger who has a lot of interest to information technology. With the past-pace growing technology world, he is willing to learn new things everyday to be shared with his blog readers. Go to his blog now to see the latest thing that he discovered.Amity Blog33905
Barbabra Blog46858

Homeschooling: How to Get Started

Homeschooling is becoming a common alternative to traditional classroom teaching. Today, more parents and guardians are opting to teaching their children at home, with an estimated 750,000 to 1,000,000 students learning in a home environment. Many parents believe that homeschooling provides their children with a custom or more complete education than public or private schools. It is easy to get started you just have to do your homework.

Legality -- Can I Teach my Child from Home?

It is legal to homeschool your child in the U.S. and many other countries. Each state has different laws regarding homeschooling, which can range from simple guidelines to more formal legal requirements. Look for a local, state or regional home education organization to provide basic information on the laws that pertain to your state.

Finding the Support You Need

Some home education departments will also provide a list of support groups in your area. These support groups are usually run by volunteers who also homeschool their children. You can find a support group in your area to get the encouragement and information you need from experienced homeschooling families.

In addition to state and local support groups, private groups can be particularly helpful. Their services range from providing books, materials and other resources to consultation, testing and distance education programs. These groups are designed to serve homeschooling families and not only sell the supplies and services you need, but provide helpful information and referrals.

Additional Resources

There are many resources available to the new homeschooler. Get the information you need to get started on the right foot. Read books on homeschooling. Browse web pages and links and read different articles that are available to you.

Remember that the benefit of homeschooling is that you can customize the education to fit the needs of your children and your family. You can choose the educational methods that work best for you.

http://www.alliedhighschool.com

Heather Brunson is a lead marketing writer for Allied Schools. She has a B.A. in Journalism with an emphasis on public relations. She has additional experience in technical writing.April Blog69830
Ardyth Blog303

How 2 Make Your Articles Blast Your Website To The Top Of Search Engines - 5 Amazing SEO Secrets

I see in forums of article websites that many are struggling to use articles for SEO purposes and failing at an alarming rate. The solution are simple to correct the problems that hinder your sites climb to the top 10. If you understand what the search engines are looking for.

The first thing we must clear up is a few misconceptions about articles and their use and value. The first in this category is that links from the article directories do help you climb the search engines. You will understand this more as we cover the 3 secrets. The second is that you only need to submit to a few of the top directories.

The more exposure the better, chances are if you get included in 200 directories that you may get over 200 links just from the directories and that does not count the re-publishers of your articles. Remember, you are playing a numbers game. And that can increase web site traffic also

Now the 3 secrets. The first secret is to get at least one of your keywords in the title of your article. There is a reason for this.

The title of a page is a major factor in the search engines determining the value of the links to other sites on the page. What ever your title of the article is will likely be the title of the page. Go to goarticles or ezinearticles and click any article and the title of the article is also the title of the page. This puts your keywords in the title of the page.

Secret 2 is keywords in the content of the article. Try to get at least a 3 percent density of your keywords or phrase in the content.

This is SEO at its best because you have absolute control of the content of the article and can help to control the value of the links.

Do not buy into all of the voodoo that articles on article sites will not help with SEO. Each page is valued by the same factors as any other page on any site.

So my point is that your link needs to come from a relevant page, not a relevant site, and if you control the relevance you control the power of the link to some extent.

Secret 3 is to make sure that you have the proper anchor text in your resources box. This is the place where you blow your own whistle. Make sure that the link is html and the clickable part is one of the phrases that you are targeting. If you want to rank for frog legs, then the clickable text needs to be frog legs.

Now also consider that if you get accepted into 200 directories the chances are that you will get re-published. This is nothing more than a numbers game. The more time you put yourself in front of people the more potential you have to gain Web Traffic to your site and also you get a diversity of different IP addresses linking to your site.

Now lets look a few more bonus secrets and the additional benefits of articles and SEO. Lets look at the power of links.

Links values are calculated by the page that the link is on (notice I did not say the site?) The reason I say this is because each page is its own entity in the search engines. This can be proven several ways.The first way is page rank, page rank is assigned to each page of a website, not one pr for the whole site. I have seen sites with pr ranging from pr 10 to pr0.

Each page has its own value. The second example is you can have a site with 400 pages and have just 1 or anywhere from 1 to 400 pages indexed, if they were all counted collectively the whole site would be indexed at once.

There are over 100 factors that determine the value of any given link. Some of the factors include pr of the page, if your keywords are in the title and content, position of the link on the page, how many outbound links the page has and on and on.

The reason articles are so powerful is because you are creating a related page by controlling the title and content of the article you are writing.

You should be able to get 1 or more of your keywords in the title, and I am sure you can get at least one entire phrase in the content. This makes the page where your article is published relevant to your site because it has your keywords all over it.

The next advantage is that most articles site on directories for over 18 months and your article starts as a pr0 page, this should increase over time and Google updates. People will link to it, or might even publish it on their pr 5 site, now your links get better with time.

The many advantages of articles for SEO great are many. I wish I could mention them all here.

Article marketing and SEO are a great tool for the website owner. Learn to use them and they will keep you up top.

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Jim Corkern is the lead SEO and Marketing specialist for a quality New York SEO Company. You can visit his company site at: http://www.idnmedia.comAlica Blog14485
Arleta Blog84379

How to Land a Work at Home Job BEFORE You Start Looking

Everyone knows that you can find information on anything youve ever imagined on the Internet. Finding information on work at home opportunities is no exception. However, oddly enough, its the research you do offline before your work from home job search begins that makes all the difference in the world for your success factor.

- Decide on a Niche

If you have a niche, it will make your job search go a lot easier. A niche is simply a focus or specialty that you will specialize in. What are you naturally good at? Are you going to be a virtual assistant? If so, what field are you most qualified to participate in? The legal field? The Insurance industry?

Besides making your job search focused, and less scattered, having a niche also allows you to develop a resume and or a portfolio that sends the message that you are an expert in your field.

- Be Honest About Your Lifestyle

This will determine the job you choose. Are you a stay at home mom with kids in school during the day? Or are you a homeschool mom with kids at home all day? Are you a single person with no children? This will help decide if you can do phone work, assembly work, editing work, sales, etc. This will also help you assess how much time you really have to give to your work at home job.

- Create a Self Marketing Plan

For example, if you are a technical writer - or any type of freelance writer for that matter - it is imperative to have samples of your work.. In this day and age, it is a death wish to not have a website. Not that everyone has a website, but those who dont miss out. There are many options now for low cost sites with easy to use templates if cost and web skills are an issue at this time. If a client can see what you do right a way, then it maximizes your potential success.

-Update Your Resume

Definitely dust off that resume. There is nothing like going to a work from home job site, seeing a fabulous posting, and you cant apply for your dream job immediately because your resume is not ready. Building a competitive resume takes time. Once you discover your niche, create a resume and even a website emphasizing your skills. This way, when you begin your search youre ready to apply, bid for jobs, etc.

- Do Some Real Soul Searching

Really go deep. What do you really want? What are you really good at? What are your true goals? What is that working from home really represents for you? Flexibility? Family time? Saving on gas, car, cleaning, etc.? A less stressful workplace? Write these down, and formulate a focus and mission. Paste this to your bathroom mirror, your computer or your refrigerator as a reminder of what your focus is and to not give up - even after you start gaining jobs to do at home. We arent always feeling inspired. This will help you remember why youre doing what you are doing.

Following these suggestions will support you in having a tightly focused, well thought out, and productive job search. Much success!!

Daphne Edwards enjoys working from home in Texas, where she combines earning a great income online with staying at home to raise her two active sons. Buffy Blog50469
Blondell Blog2012

Your First Car Loan : What You Need To Know

So that bucket of bolts you drove throughout high school and college has gasped its last exhaust-filled breath. Its done. That means youre in the market for a new car. Soon youll brave the treacherous world of the car lot. Be careful, its a jungle out there. Eager salesmen hover like vultures, ready and willing to separate you from your hard-earned cash.

Once you decide on a car, youll then have to survive the depths of the dealership, where finance managers lurk at every cornerpen and paper in hand, waiting for you to sign on the dotted line. But dont worry, with a little prior planning, you can get that new car without breaking the bank.

First off, you need to make a decision: buy or lease? If you like to drive a car until it diesand with todays autos running well past the 100,000 mile markthen youll probably want to buy. However, if you see yourself in a different ride every couple of years, then leasing might be the right option for you. In a lease, youre essentially renting the car for a pre-determined amount of time (usually three years). During that time, youll have to keep the car in tip-top shape and only drive it for an agreed-upon amount of miles per year (usually around 15,000). After your lease is up, you can purchase the car at a residual price or start a lease on another car.

Once you decide on buying or leasing, its time to figure out how youre going to pay for it. First, decide how much you can afford to spend on a new car. As a good rule of thumb, many experts suggest that you spend no more than 20 percent of your net income per month on a car payment and other related auto-expenses.

Next, decide how you want to pay for it. Once youre on the lot and fall in love with your dream car, the salesperson will do everything in their power to get you to finance the car through the dealership. Auto financing is a big money industry, and car manufacturers would be remiss to not take advantage of it. Financing with the dealership is tempting, as its the quickest way for you to drive off the lot in your new set of wheels.

But buyer beware, dealers know that buying a car can be a mentally exhausting experience, and finance departments will often add hidden fees in the paperwork for services or features you dont want (e.g., extended warranties, service agreements, etc.). Dealerships also offer attractive financing deals like rebates or low interest rates, but many of them depend on your credit scorewhich you should always know before you even step foot on the lot. You can check your credit score and correct any errors by visiting www.equifax.com, www.experian.com, or www.transunion.com.

If you want to be a truly empowered car buyer, then secure a loan through a bank, credit union or other lending institution before you buy. Youll generally get a lower interest rate than what the dealership can offer you, and youll essentially become a cash buyer. This means youll have more negotiating power on the total price of the vehicle, lower monthly rates, and no chance of the dealerships finance department sneaking in any hidden fees into a finance contract. Most lending institutions, upon approving your loan, will give you a check that can be made out to a dealership. Negotiate the price of the car along with tax and licensing fees, and off you go.

Whether you lease or buy, finance through the dealer or through a separate lending entity, always read every contract that requires your signature thoroughly. Make sure the figures in the contract are correct and that you understand all of the charges included. Also, if at any time you should feel pressured by a car salesman or lending agency, walk away. Remember, you are the buyer, therefore you have the power.

Happy hunting!

Joe Kenny writes for the UK personal finance sites http://www.ukpersonalloanstore.co.uk and also http://www.cardguide.co.uk.Celestine Blog19650
Catha Blog65439

How To Hire Better Call Center Agents - Every Time!

Reduce Turnover Raise Productivity Lower Absenteeism

A typical Call Center employs 3 Different Types of Call Center Agents:

1. Top Performing Agents - Grade A Agents with the Right Stuff that pushes them to Succeed, and the seemingly Natural Compatibility with the Duties of the Position. You probably have a few in your Call Center Operation now and wish that you could duplicate them.

2. Adequate Agents - Grade B Agents who Perform their Duties Adequately Enough to get by but No Better.

3. Marginal Agents - Grade C Agents who have a High Level of Absenteeism, Low Productivity, Poor Performance & Poor Customer Satisfaction Ratings and who have a Negative Impact on Agent Team Morale.

We ask for a lot from todays Call Center Agent: Handle More Customers & Calls, Order Taking, Cross-Selling/UpSelling, Being Proficient with Computer & Support Systems, Being Non-Confrontational & Good-Humored, Work Well in a Team Environment, etc., etc.

As a Call Center Hiring Manager, your Challenge is Twofold:

1st How Do You Find a Sufficient Quantity of Quality Applicants for your Call Center Agent Positions?

Many North American Labor Markets have reached the Saturation Point for Call Center Agent Applicants in the Local Labor Pool. In fact, 64% of all North American Call Centers now find it a Major Struggle or Somewhat of a Challenge to Find Quality Applicants for Call Center Agent Positions. And 37% of Call Center Employers are now Reporting Severe Competition for Call Center Agents by Other Employers.

2nd How Do You Weed Out the Job Candidates Who Will Burn Out Fast Because They Aren't Suited For The Work, and Identify the People With the Skills, Motivation, and Work Ethic to be Your Top Call Center Agents?

While Almost Everyone can Use a Telephone, Not Everyone is Cut Out to Work Successfully as a Call Center Agent.

Hiring the Wrong Call Center Agent is the Root Cause of Turnover and Absenteeism, and is a Significant Drain on your Bottom Line, on Customer Satisfaction, and on your overall Call Center Agent Team Morale.

Today, the Average Annual Turnover Rate of Full-Time Call Center Agents is over 30%. The Turnover Rate for Part-Time Call Center Agents is Worse (84% - with 15 Month Avg. Job Tenure). And, the Average Cost to Recruit/Hire/Train a Replacement Call Center Agent ranges from US$2,600 US$15,000 (depending on the type of Agent Position).

Every Failed Hire Causes You to Throw Precious Budget Dollars Down the Drain Retraining Recruits for the Same Position. Not to Mention the Lost Sales & Service Opportunities, Poor Customer Satisfaction Ratings, Lowered Productivity and Higher Absences associated with a Poor Job Fit.

There are a Series of Best Practices Steps you can take to address these Two Issues in order to Recruit More Top Performing Call Center Agents:

STEP 1: Create an Agent Success Profile What are the Core Competencies, Personality Traits, Skill Set(s) and Demographics of your Optimal Performing Agents?

Who are your Top Performing Agents?

You should be Profiling your Top Performing Agents for their Gender, Diversity, Economics and Education.

Across all Call Center Industry Segments (except OutBound TeleSales and Technical Support/Help Desk), over 75% of all Top Performing Agents are Female and 66% of them are Working Mothers. Only 5% have College Degrees, and 30% of them participated in Welfare-to-Work, Unemployment Insurance or Public Assistance within 6 months prior to their Hiring.

Is there Specific Must Have Skills/Knowledge that your Top Performing Agents need?

How do your Top Performing Agents Profile in Terms of Typing Speed/Accuracy, Computer Literacy, Specific Industry Knowledge/Experience, etc.?

What are the Key Personality Traits of your Top Performing Agents?

Are you looking for an InBound Agent? (A Persuasive Communicator Motivated by Security, Work Environment, Coworkers / Team, Service and Recognition).

Are you looking for an Inside Sales Agent? (A Persuasive & Persistent Communicator who is Service Oriented, yet Motivated by Sales Opportunity).

Or are you looking for an OutBound Sales Agent (An Assertive & Persistent Closer who is Motivated by Income and Conquering Challenges and who Initiates Customer Interactions).

STEP 2: Create a Recruiting Strategy Create a Recruiting Communications Plan that Identifies & Targets the Job Seekers that Meet your Agent Success Profile Criteria.

Your Recruiting Communications Plan should include:

Personal Referrals
Print Advertisements
Elementary & High Schools (Part-Time Job Opportunities for Working Mothers of Students).
Colleges, Universities, & Technical Training Programs (Part-Time Job Opportunities for Students).
Minority Organizations (Native Americans/First Nations, Gay/Lesbian, New Immigrant Support)
Online Job Postings
Virtual Communities
Job Fairs
Outplacement Programs (Transferable Skills: i.e. Laid-Off Customer Service/Sales Staff).
Unemployment Offices
Welfare-to-Work Programs

STEP 3: Deploy an In-Depth Telephone Screening Process All of your Recruiting Advertising should use as the Call-to-Action a 24x7 Automated "Employment Information Line"/Phone Screen which is then followed by a Structured Telephone Interview.

A 24x7 Automated "Employment Information Line"/Phone Screen Can Be As Simple As An Extension on your Current Voice Mail System:

Hello and Thanks for Calling youve reached the 24 Hr. Employment Information Line for the ABCXYZ Company.

At ABCXYZ Company you will have the Opportunity to Have Fun Make Good Money and provide a Service that Our Customers Really Appreciate.

Youll Earn a Guaranteed Base Wage of $__/Hr Bonuses Get Training and All the Support youll need to Succeed.

Were Conveniently located Downtown with Easy Public Transit Access and theres Plenty of Parking nearby.

To Succeed Youll need to be Confident Professional and have an Excellent Telephone Communication Style.

To Take The Next Step in Our Hiring Process at the Sound of the Tone Please Tell Us Your Name and Please Spell Your Last Name.

Also Please Give Us Your Telephone Number and the Best Time to Call You Back.

And finally Please Read Back to Us the Ad you are Responding to and Remember this is a Telephone Audition So give it Your Best Shot!

Here Comes the Beep So Give Us Your Name Your Telephone Number and Read Back the Ad.

Good Luck in your Job Hunt

Thanks for Calling.

A 24x7 Automated "Employment Information Line"/Phone Screen can also be as Sophisticated as an Interactive IVR System:

This Position requires you to Read Speak and understand English. Are you able to do so?

Press 1 for YES Press 2 for NO

This Position will require you to work Non-Traditional Hours including Evenings Weekends and Holidays. Do you wish to continue this Process?

Press 1 for YES Press 2 for NO

This Position is Fast-Paced Structured and Requires that you have the Ability to Multi-Task. For the Majority of your Shift you will Remain at your Workstation while Assisting Callers and Customers by Telephone. Your Performance will be Monitored and Measured to Ensure the Highest Levels of Customer Service. Do you wish to continue this Process?

Press 1 for YES Press 2 for NO

You will Save Time and Money using a 24 Hr. "Employment Information Line"/"/Phone Screen by:

Reaching More Applicants Faster.
Recruiting Top Candidates Before Your Competition.
Building a Bigger Applicant Pool.
Ensuring that Applicants have a Clear Understanding of Important Job Requirements.
Assessing Applicants Ability to Follow Basic Instructions.
Conducting Voice Auditions to assess an Applicants Telephone Personality.
Reducing time spent with Unqualified Candidates.
Maximizing Applicant Buy-In and Participation in your Hiring Process.
Part of a Legally Defensible Hiring Process.

The Job Candidates who pass through your 24 Hr. "Employment Information Line"/"/Phone Screen should then be promptly followed up with using a Structured Telephone Interview.

A Structured Telephone Interview is:

Used to Further Sell The Job Opportunity.

Used as 2nd Screen of Candidates for Must Have Skills & Attributes (Start Date, Shift Availability, Wage Rate, Typing Speed, Specific Product Knowledge, Sales Ability, Security Clearances, etc.)

Used to Further Evaluate a Candidates Telephone Personality.

Where Appropriate, Used to Schedule a Candidate Visit at your Office for Going Forward with Hiring Process.

Delivered consistently, a Structured Telephone Interview is part of a Legally Defensible Hiring Process as all Candidates are asked for the same information in a uniform and consistent fashion.

STEP 4: Deploying Pre-Employment Assessment Testing to Confirm Personality Traits/Job Fit and Skill Set(s).

Candidates for Call Center Agent Positions need to have a Unique Constellation of Traits - and Specific Amounts of those Traits - in order to Successfully Complete the Job Requirements.

A Call Center Agents Success Depends Much More Upon Personality/Job Fit Factors than Product Knowledge, Past Experience or Skill Set.

Merely knowing how to react in a Customer Service Situation is Far Different from Actually Engaging in the Necessary Appropriate Behavior Consistently - and for the Long-Term.

This is what Call Center Agent Personality/Job Fit Testing Measures.

SPAS Service Personnel Appraisal System - is CD-Rom based Call Center Agent Pre-Employment Screening Software, which is Easy to Deploy, Very Cost-Effective and Highly Predictive of an Individual's Suitability for a particular Call Center Agent Position.

SPAS Weeds Out Job Candidates Who Burn Out Fast Because They Aren't Suited For The Work, and Identifies The People With The Skills, Motivation, and Work Ethic to be Top Call Center Agents.

There are Specific Versions of the SPAS Call Center Agent Pre-Employment Testing Software Validated to Test for Call Center Agent Positions such as:

InBound Customer Service
OutBound Telephone Sales (B2B) Business-to-Business
OutBound Telephone Sales (B2C) Business-to-Consumer
Inside Sales Agent
Tier 1 Technical Support/Help Desk Agent
Central Station Monitoring Operator
Telephone Collections
Telephone Answering Service Operator
Reservations/Guest Service Agent
Government Information & Referral Operator
Tele-Counselor
Mystery Shopper

Whatever Call Center Agent Personality Testing Instrument you Deploy make sure it is Validated for the Specific Call Center Agent Position you are looking to fill and Use it Consistently at the Same Point in your Hiring Process and with All Candidates.

You should also perform a Skills Test on your Job Candidates. Skills Tests are designed to Identify a Candidates Skill Level in Specific Areas such as Keyboarding, Software Literacy, Spelling, Telephone Etiquette, Listening, etc.

STEP 5: Using a Structured Face-to-Face Interview based on Core Competencies, Personality Traits and Skill Set(s).

This Style of Interview has Great Value in Call Centers because it allows you to Identify Candidates Past Behaviors and Use Them as Good Indicators of Future Performance and Behavior.

Before you conduct a Structured Face-to-Face Interview, you need to go back to your Original Success Profile and Core Requirements Document. Identify the Most Appropriate Core Competencies for the Position and Build your Questions around these Competencies.

They should be Very Specific Questions Designed to Determine How Candidates Behaved and Thought during Certain Situations.

Structured Interview Questions could include:

Tell Me About a Time When You Went Far Beyond What Could Normally Be Expected In Order To Satisfy a Customer?

The Target Behavior you are looking to uncover is Customer Focus. Can this Candidate Demonstrate that they can go Above & Beyond The Call of Duty to ensure that Customer Requests are Handled Effectively and with a Customer Service Orientation?

STEP 6: Having Your Candidates Experience a Job Preview Depicting Day-to-Day Activities, Responsibilities and the Environment of the Call Center.

The Goal of a Call Center Job Preview is a Final Attempt to Sell the Candidate In or Out of the Job.

You need to Paint a Realistic Picture of the Company, Call Center Environment, Hours, Flexibility, Management Style, Performance Expectations, etc.

This can be done as easily as having Candidates Sit in the Call Center for a Period of Time to Form Their Own Opinion before Accepting or Declining the Job Offer (**Check Your Local Labor Laws to See If Candidate Time Spent in a Call Center Preview by Sitting In The Call Center Qualifies as Paid Time.)

There are also Software-Based Call Center Simulators that are available to give a Candidate the Ability to Accurately Experience Call Center Work such as Referencing and Cross-Referencing Data and Dealing with a Variety of Callers and Customer Service Scenarios. (**Used as part of a Pre-Employment Process, Software-Based Call Center Simulators are Not Subject to Local Labor Law Interpretation as Paid Time.)

During the Call Center Job Preview Time, the Candidate should also be Encouraged to Speak Off the Record with Supervisors/Team Leaders and Potential Coworkers.

Done correctly, this Step will Help You Attract People who Genuinely Want to Work in your Call Center.

STEP 7: Reference Verification - (also Security Clearances / Drug Testing if required).

These Best Practices Hiring Steps are Easy to Deploy, Very Cost-Effective and Highly Predictive of an Individual's Suitability for your Call Center Agent Positions. They will allow you to Recruit, Select and Hire New Call Center Agents who fit your Employment Needs Better and Stay On The Job Longer - leading to a Call Center Agent Workgroup that has More Experience and is More Productive.

Your Individual Call Center Agent Productivity Will Go Up - Along With Your Customer Satisfaction Ratings - and Your Turnover Costs Will Go Down.

I would be Happy to Prove to you in Advance and at No Charge that these Best Practices Hiring Steps Will Work for your Call Center Team as well.

Please Don't Hesitate to Call/eMail me, or to Find Out More Click Here:

http://www.telesoftsystems.ca/64201.html

Regards.

David Filwood
Principal Consultant
TeleSoft Systems
604-986-4116
david_filwood@telesoftsystems.ca
http://www.telesoftsystems.ca

David Filwood is the Principal Consultant with TeleSoft Systems http://www.telesoftsystems.ca, a Call Center Improvement Consultancy based in Vancouver, BC.Bamby Blog38287
Caritta Blog26493

Connecticut Bankruptcy Law: Exemptions That Help Protect Creditors

There are certain exemptions related to the Connecticut bankruptcy law that helps protect creditors when a debtor files bankruptcy in Connecticut. One also has the choice in Connecticut to avail of federal exemption statutes instead of the Connecticut exemptions, and it is also possible to use federal supplemental exemptions in conjunction with the Connecticut exemptions.

Debtors dont Necessarily Lose Everything in Bankruptcy

Many people are under the false impression that bankruptcy means losing everything that the debtor owns in order to satisfy his or her debt. As a matter of fact, the Connecticut bankruptcy law allows debtors to keep a number of things that are essential for the well being of the debtor and his family. In spite of the fact that there is a federal exemption law, Connecticut bankruptcy law allows you to choose between state and federal exemption laws.

Items that are exempt under Connecticut bankruptcy law include personal effects, furniture, cars (subject to a specified amount of equity), and tools of trade, equity in residence, clothes, household goods as well as books and jewelry.

It should not be difficult to locate a Connecticut bankruptcy law attorney, because there are a number of them that specialize in providing service to all kinds of clients. You will be able to get effective counsel across Connecticut that deals with unforeseen medical expenses, divorce or unemployment that can catch you off guard and result in bankruptcy. A good Connecticut bankruptcy law attorney will be able to assist in taking the best option in all matters relating to filing bankruptcy.

Whether it is consumer, business or commercial bankruptcy, you will need a Connecticut bankruptcy law attorney with extensive experience in knowing all the intricacies of the laws pertaining to Connecticut bankruptcy. Keep in mind however, that there is no magic formula to help make the decision to file bankruptcy. You may consider bankruptcy as an option if you are paying minimum amounts on bills, receives a notice that a mortgage or loan is being foreclosed on or you have had severe financial setback.

Consumers can file for bankruptcy under Connecticut bankruptcy law either as Chapter 7 bankruptcy or Chapter 13 bankruptcy. With new federal bankruptcy laws coming into effect from October 17, 2005, a means test will determine whether the debtor is eligible for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. For those that do not qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, the best and only option will be the Chapter 13 bankruptcy.

Simon Peters is the owner of http://on-bankruptcy.com, it is THE best source for advice on the subject of bankruptcy, nothing to sell, just information . . .Brandi Blog85035
Bathsheba Blog24700

The Truth About Weight Loss Surgery

Weight loss surgery has become popular because of its quick, dramatic results, but is it truly worth the cost? Is there a better option?

Patience is a virtue many of us do not possess. When it comes to weight loss, we like to see immediate results. There is nothing more frustrating than faithfully following a diet when the extra weight refuses to budge. Losing weight can be such a slow and agitating process that its understandable why people have turned to more drastic options such as weight loss surgery.

Today, over 58 million Americans are obese. Although this is a stunning statistic, its not so surprising in a country where so much of our lives center on food. How many times have you been out to eat in the last month? How many times have you eaten fast food? If food is fuel for your body, what kind of fuel are you putting into your system, and how can you truly expect it to function properly when you are following an improper diet.

More now than ever, obese individuals are turning to weight loss surgery for a solution. Today, many medical insurance plans actually cover the costs of the surgery, claiming that the benefits outweigh the health risks. Weight loss surgery has become a popular way to rid yourself of unwanted pounds in a quick, effective, and efficient process.

Among the recent weight loss surgeries on the market is the popular gastric bypass surgery. Available to only those individuals deemed morbidly obese, this weight loss surgery reduces the stomach in size. Patients emerge from the surgery, no longer able to eat really large meals. Their appetites have shrunk, and they begin feeling full after very small portioned meals.

The eye-catching feature of this weight loss surgery is the fact that patients lose an average of 2/3 of their excess weight within the first two years following the surgery. Patients who have this weight loss surgery literally shed their extra weight quickly with dramatic results. Friends and family usually lavish them with praise about how great they look.

What you might not know, however, is the dangers connected with this weight loss surgery. 10-20 percent of post op patients require follow up operations to correct resulting problems. About a third of the patients of this weight loss surgery develop gallstones. About 30 percent of people having the surgery later develop vitamin deficiency because they do not take the proper supplements. There are also other issues that have frequently occurred in patients that your physician may not be telling you about.

Dumping syndrome is a huge risk connected with this weight loss surgery. This occurs when food is broken down too rapidly when moving to the small intestine. If a patient who has this weight loss surgery overeats, he or she may vomit, feel nausea, or have diarrhea.

If those arent enough reasons to be skeptical about weight loss surgery, there is the last and most important reason; recent studies have shown that one in fifty patients die from the surgery.

For those people struggling with their weight, weight loss surgery may seem like an answer thats more like a dream come true. Its not only a solution to their problems. Its a quick one with dramatic, immediate results. Its important, however, to realize that weight loss surgery should be a last result.

If you have a problem with overeating due to hunger or cravings, you may feel youve tried everything, but there could be hope yet. If you havent heard the buzz about Hoodia Gordonii, you really should give it a try. No, this isnt another fad diet pill. In fact, its not even a drug. Hoodia would fall under the classification of vegetable since its from a cactus like plant. Although it just appeared on the market in 2004, bushmen in Africa have been consuming this plant for years to ward off hunger during long journeys. Imagine being able to lose weight while never being hungry. Ask yourself, Have I really tried everything? Wouldnt it be worth a try before signing on for something as drastic and potentially dangerous as weight loss surgery?

When weight loss is the necessary outcome, using Hoodia Gordonii is almost essential. Visit Martin Stanwycks site http://www.hoodia.info.ms to learn more about how it can change the way you look, your health, and your self esteem.Angelina Blog20379
Albertina Blog39273

Is Your Networking Working?

Small business owners attend networking events to get clients. Much of the time, it doesn't work the way they anticipated, and they often give up before really determining why it didn't work. They move to a different group and are destined to repeat the same mistakes.

First of all, let's talk about networking basics. In order to get the maximum bang for your networking buck, join a group where your target market gathers and keep showing up. That means to go to every event you can possibly attend over and over so you can build relationships with the other members and they grow to trust you. You are not just looking to get clients directly from the group though; you want them to refer others to you, so that relationship is very important. Also, you need to stick with it for at least several months (depending on the frequency of the meetings), bringing the same consistent message.

There are several basic reasons why networking might not work for someone and here they are:

1. You're networking with the wrong people

2. You're doing it wrong

3. It's just not a good group for you

Determining what the problem is, is the first step.

Here is the biggest clue that it is not you if you are networking at more than one place regularly and getting clients at the ABC group, but not at the 123 group, it's probably not you. If you have been regularly attending 123 for at least 4-6 months, take an objective look at why it might not be working for you.

If the other members of this group are not in your target market, and they also do not share your target market, that could be the problem. You could be the best dentist on the planet, but if you're marketing to the "Proud False Teeth Wearers Society", it isn't going to work for you! Cut your losses and leave!

Occasionally, it's just not the right place. Maybe the members' occupations or hobbies are not remarkably different than the ABC group, but you're just not getting any business. It could be that they are very cliquey or disorganized. Maybe there is already someone there with the same business as yours who is getting all the referrals already. Don't swim upstream all the way just find another group.

An important message to get from this is it's not personal. Nobody in the group is out to get you; they don't even know you. Don't beat yourself up over it it's not you.

But what if it really IS you? What if networking doesn't work for you no matter where you do it? Maybe you just aren't doing it right. Here are the most common mistakes I see over and over:

1. No clear target market there is a woman in one of the groups where I network who sells a skin care line. When she introduces herself and her product line, she closes with "and my best client is anyone with skin!" That does not help me figure out whom to refer to her. Does she really want me to refer every living being I've ever encountered? Clearly communicating your target market as though you are painting a picture with your words is the best way to get referrals. The reaction you're going for is this: "Oh my gosh! That's me/my sister she's talking about!" Would that happen with a target market of anyone with skin'? Never. The more specific you are, the more likely you are to get a referral.

2. Unprofessional people, dress up. There are a few business owners who really don't have to wear a suit or other professional attire, but not many. For example, fitness instructors, contractors, artists, etc. - it is expected that they will not be in a suit. For everyone else, dress up. In fact, it is ok to over-dress err on the side of caution. I know a woman who owns a wig shop. She always wears a pretty dress and full makeup, like I would wear to have cocktails with a friend. During her 30-second intro, she changes her hair once or twice! It makes quite an impression. For most people, wear a little makeup and comb your hair. I suggest you actually have a hair style! You will be judged dress appropriately.

3. Too many hats no, this is not another style issue I'm talking about people who are promoting more than one thing. MLMs (multi-level marketers or network marketers) are the most frequent offenders as they are not only trying to sell their product, but also promoting the business opportunity. Just pick one thing and stick with that consistently. If you mention both every time, the other members don't know what to do for you don't make people try to figure stuff out or think too much because they just won't.

Conduct a return on investment analysis periodically once a month at least. Look at the time and money you're putting into your networking and ask yourself if you're getting a positive return on your investment. If not, you need to figure out why before you quit, but you may need to quit. Many people don't want to stop going to the meetings because they paid a big annual fee, but if they continue going they are only continuing to waste more time and money. Make it work, or get out.

Copyright (c) 2006 Audrey Burton

Audrey Burton is a practical Small Business Coach. She eliminates your business overwhelm and gets you motivated and excited about your business! To sign up for her free, monthly email newsletter, visit her site: http://www.TigressCoaching.com.Cairistiona Blog53012
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