Americas Problems Foreign and Domestic The Combined Speeds Factor

Anyone who is familiar with Einsteins theory of relativity knows about the combined speeds factor. National behavior and foreign responses are on a collision course. What does that mean?

If an automobile is approaching another car and both cars are traveling at fifty miles an hour the combined rate of speed they are approaching is one hundred miles per hour. This means virtually nothing unless of course they should collide. More important is the amount of reaction time it takes to avoid a collision. At a combined speed of about fifty miles per hour a driver might have three seconds to avoid a collision in the last one hundred feet of distance. Now lets say that each car is flying at eighty miles an hour. At the combined speed of one hundred and sixty miles an hour the reaction time in the last one hundred feet would be a fraction of a second. The chance of a serious collision rises exponentially.

Although less tangible the fall in Americas morality and the rise in global anti American sentiment is speeding down historys highway on a sure collision course. The problem it creates is that when crises occurs (the oncoming accident) our national reaction time will be degraded and that is where mistakes are made.

To say America is falling headlong into gross immorality and violence would have been a bit panicky and excessive only a quarter century ago. We have long since crossed the threshold and now those who still retain an ounce of propriety, civility or just basic humanity are panicky for good reasons. Only those living in a cocoon could not see that Americas penchant for sex, blood and sleaze now has a life of its own, a momentum like a fast moving freight train with an engineer who isnt looking for his brakes.

The headlines tell the story and there is not enough room here to mention even a fraction of the insanity that has occurred this year alone. Anyone with a TV or radio has heard it all. In Louisiana a fifteen month old baby sexually assaulted. Several high schools have been attacked by disgruntled students and outsiders as well. Five harmless primary school aged children were brutally slain in the Amish community. A family of four was found slain and lying on the side of the road in Florida. The myriad of crime programs on television have enough real life crime and gore to keep them going for years to come.

Sex, violence, and bad behavior in general are the medias single best selling product. Our children look like they have all just been released from a mental institution where they mutilated and marked themselves in a delusional stupor. The language of the rappers and other segments of pop culture flow like acid out of the mouths of our kids with words, attitudes and dissent that would make Sartre, Lenny Bruce or Carlin look like Charlie Chaplin. Parents pound their children to get good grades while every part of their character and personality is besieged with a cultural blast of death and perversion unequalled in the history of the world. Getting As and Bs is a small price to pay for losing their entire mind to a life with so little purpose or gravity as to make feathers look heavy.

Battles over placards of the Ten Commandments, Chaplains praying in Jesus name, Christmas nativity scenes and school children going to prayer meetings have come to the forefront almost as much as the wars in the middle east. Secular liberalism has snatched the minds of Hollywood actors, academics and politicians who then allow it to trickle down all the way to school aged children. If they werent being hit hard enough from the top they are then inundated from the bottom. The internet regurgitates schemes, scum and sexual perversion to millions of kids cloistered in their dens and bedrooms while parents scarcely know what could possibly be so interesting on line other than a quaint chat room blog or IM

Collective American debauchery is up to a figurative one hundred miles an hour and coming up the road at the same speed is world opinion, unsteady, swerving in and out and ready to play chicken. The day of Americas isolation and insulation from world events has long passed. This is the most educated generation in our history yet the average college freshman doesnt even know where Kentucky is much less Kabul or Bagdad. But others around the world know exactly where Kentucky is geographically and they seem to know where America is morally. They dont have the trees obscuring their vision of the forest. Americans have never given much credence to world opinion but they have been surprised of late by world behavior as in, actions speak louder than words.

Starting with the tragic events of 9/11 the world has been sending a strong signal. Anti Americanism has capitulated so fast that George Washingtons alleged vision of an invasion of our shores by a large pact of Eurasian nations doesnt seem all that far fetched. But even if it did not ever come to that, other equally frightening portents are now casting long shadows on the future horizon. Old friends in Europe like Britain and France are distancing themselves in one way or another from the U.S. Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez insulted the President while on American soil. Iran and Korea are posturing against the U.S. with open defiance while building and testing nuclear devices. Anti American rallies complete with burning U.S. leaders in effigy are erupting like California wildfires throughout the world mostly in Muslim nations but not limited to them. Saying the world is a powder keg has gone beyond a cursory assessment of world affairs. The volatility of the present world is hardly the question anymore. A more realistic question is why have so many countries around the world taken to playing with matches?

To the secularist the combined speeds factor has only two elements, car one is the US and car two is the rest of the world. The decisions of either driver will affect the outcome of the two approaching vehicles. America is driving recklessly down the road fueled by a mixture of self indulgence, isolationism and a long history of being the biggest and best ride in the neighborhood. World opinion is barreling up the other lane with a car full of screaming multi-culturists and dissidents aching for a single chance to play chicken with the big boy on the block. The decision made in fractions of a second will decide the outcome of the contest. Everything from a close call to serious damage or death is on the menu. It is not really quite this simpleor is it?

To those who have faith in God and are guided by the Bible there is a third element. Three factors are always in play for the believer, us, them and God. The deeper a believer has gone into scripture the more likely they are to conclude that the key factor is God alone. All human history is guided by the Almighty, from whole nations, right down to the individual. Yes, even kings and presidents, whether they know it or notwhether they like it or not. The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. Proverbs 21:1

While democracy may be the best form of government to date in world history and the preservation of personal freedoms the noblest endeavor, it is not the salvation of the world. Put simply governments and ideologies do not a savior make. Religion doesnt do much for the world either. Faith in Christ and adherence to his word was never meant to be a religion but a way of life. Democracy is a form of government not truly a way of life. If democracy has provided us with the freedoms we know up to know it will be our misuse of those freedoms that will spell our doom tomorrow. The bottom line is that the U. S. and the world still need a savior. Let us hope they find Him before there is a crash that no one can recover from.

Rev Michael Bresciani is the author of two Christian books. He has articles on faith, family, current events, politics and much more. His timely articles are read in almost every country in the world. Enjoy a visit to http://www.americanprophet.org.Calley Blog37390
Bonny Blog56247

Key To Article Marketing Success

The outcome of article marketing is increased sales volume, which is also the eventual target of any SEO (Search Engine Optimizer) or Web Marketer. It does not matter if the site is selling products, services, or even an idea. Article Marketing can render improved sales by bringing in business via quality traffic and leads via the links in the resource box below the body of submitted article. Article visitors often turn into customers.

As an effective and indispensable strategy, Article Marketing has also ventured into a competitive arena. The quality of the articles is of utter importance and finally determines the success of the strategy in terms of achievement of desired results. So, it is important to pay attention to the quality of content submitted through these articles. The articles should be informative and not a transparent attempt to market a websites products and services. Readers are interested in the articles for their informative value and element of expertise. The best articles are focused, easy to understand and helpful to the readers. Many sites may not accept the blatantly self-promotional articles.

While some useful links can be strategically fruitful and render the article effective, too many links, especially too many self-promotional links, often distract the readers from the article itself and even lead to disinterest. An overt attempt to put many links pointing back to the website may turn off the publisher. In fact, many a times, publishers remove all the links from the article before submitting it, except for those that appear in the resource box of the website.

It is always suggestible to spell check the article, as well as, double-check its grammar, punctuation and coherence. The article should be written from a layman perspective lest it may turn out to be futile.

In addition to a well-organized, grammatically correct and lucid article, the website should also place due emphasis on an impressive resource box, which is also the definite advertising space for the website in the article. The resource box is the means to a few very significant ends for the website, including link building, lead generation, link popularity and brand equity build up. The best strategy is always to keep the content of the resource box simple and uncluttered.

A good resource box always contains vital information about the website, like its name, nature of business, 1-3 sentences encapsulating the sites USP (Unique Selling Proposition), and at last but certainly not the least, the website address. Besides, the resource box may also contain the websites newsletter or ezine subscription address. This address should preferably be a URL to the websites ezine subscription rather than an email address. Further, the resource box may also contain the contact information of the website, viz. business phone number or press/ media kit. The website can offer a free bonus report to further enhance its creditability, while giving the readers some more information to delve into.

A good resource box is not larger than 20% of the total size of the article, as it renders the article abusive. The website should also make sure that the resource box does not advertise for products or services that are not cohesive to the subject of the article. Irrelevant products and services of the website in respect of the topic of the article may deliver the articles feel as a pure marketing stunt. For effective article marketing, the idea of article submission should always be to flaunt knowledge and expertise in an attempt to cater information to the readers. The marketing aspect should be disguised to the maximum. Therefore, the website should strictly avoid enlisting all its websites as well as accomplishments till date, as well.

Jonathan White has been involved in article and other online marketing for over 4 years. He owns http://articles.simplysearch4it.com & http://www.affiliateseeking.comAlleen Blog54292
Brianne Blog47397

New Learning Standards For Chicago Schools Kindergartners

Chicago schools educators were surprised during their teacher training session in mid-September with new state learning standards for kindergarten students. Previously, Illinois was one of 11 states that did not have learning standards for kindergarten. The state adopted standards for grades one through 12 in 1997 and even have specific early learning standards for preschoolers.

Setting academic goals for kindergarten students was not a priority, since attending kindergarten is not required in Illinois. Yet, all school districts across the state, including the Chicago schools, offer at least a half-day kindergarten program. In the school year 2004-2005, 146,000 children attended either a full or half-day kindergarten program, according to the Illinois State Board of Education.

The state began developing the standards a few years ago in response to many requests from kindergarten teachers, including many in the Chicago schools. They take a lot of pressure off the Chicago schools kindergarten teachers, who previously had to develop their own learning standards. The new standards eliminate the academic inconsistency that existed across the state, even between Chicago schools kindergarten classrooms.

The only downside is for Chicago schools teachers with half-day kindergarten programs. Many wonder if they can teach everything within the short time. Shelby King, a consultant who helped to develop the standards, believe they can. They just will not be able to teach at the same leisurely pace as the full-day programs.

The new standards are only guidelines for schools to use and are a mixture of educational and practical life skills, learned in a fun and carefree environment. They go beyond the usual basic reading and math skills, adding such skills as:

Phonics (being able to sound out three-letter words with two consonants and a vowel, such as the word cat), reading one-syllable and high-use words, knowing all capital and lowercase letters of the alphabet under the language arts standards;

Counting from one to 100; understand the concepts of more, less and equal; and solving basic math problems under the math standards;

Being able to describe the effects of forces of nature, such as wind, gravity and magnetism under the science standards;

Finger painting, Play-Doh sculptures, dance and familiarity with musical instruments are under the fine arts standards; and

The Physcial development and health standards include such things as:

o Ways to prevent spreading illness, such as covering your mouth when you cough and washing hands;

o Social and emotional development by learning to explore, share and work with others; and

o Ethical, safety and societal factors in making decisions, such as understanding that hurting others is wrong.

The Chicago schools teachers welcome the new state standards. Chicago schools officials hope they will assist Chicago schools students to perform better on state-mandated tests later during elementary school.

Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. For more information on Chicago schools visit http://www.schoolsk-12.com/illinois/chicago/index.html.Betty Blog94984
Buffy Blog50469

Great Deals At Discount Hotels

Nowadays hotel market competition is high, giving rise to various special offers and discount hotels. Price-cutting, freebies, and rewards have become the norm in most places.

Nowadays hotel market competition is high, giving rise to various special offers and discount hotels. Price-cutting, freebies, and rewards have become the norm in most places. The best way to get a discount is to go in low season. During the low periods, airlines, hotels, tour operators, and other travel companies are eager to attract paying customers by offering deals.

In Europe, when visitation rates are down in wintertime, hotels and airlines may halve prices. Besides paying less, visitors who come to a tourist spot during the low-season will enjoy less crowding. You'll also get to experience more local color, and you may even find that the residents, who won't be overwhelmed by hordes of tourists, treat you with more courtesy.

However, the number one reason for an area being off-season is weather-related, so it is important to find out what weather conditions are like during these periods. Hot or cold temperatures might be an acceptable drawback, but a serious weather problem might rule out a destination.

Note that each hotel, airline, or travel company individually defines the dates it considers off-season. Use a guidebook for the destination or a "travel guide" website. For example, you can look for discount hotels at traveladvisor.com. It is a free internet resource that lists reputable tour operators and has tourists' reviews of major hotels. On-line booking is a good way to save money. There are plenty of travel websites, enabling online reservation of discount hotels, like choicehotels.com, travelaxe.com, hotels.com, quikbook.com, triprewards.com, newtravelagent.com and others. They will save the time that you generally waste searching the internet for good deals; they will do all the search.

Choicehotels.com offers discount hotels for business travelers, government and military personnel. Mature travelers (over 50) will save 10%, AARP members (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons) will enjoy a 15% discount. There is also travel service partner offers, you can reserve a car at a website and have a 10% off standard daily rates, or you will be offered discounted rates for airport ground transportation. Numerous existing reward programs will help you to earn free nights and flights.

Anyway, the greatest discount opportunity is to book at the last minute. Usually this means leaving booking until a fortnight before your departure. Although you may not be able to get your exact choice of destination, the number of offers available is surprising. Hotel rooms, apartments, flights and packages can all be found at a substantial discount if still unsold 2 weeks prior to departure.

A number of Internet based companies have sprung up to cater for this market. The most famous of these in the UK is lastminute.com. This market is also being tapped by the providers themselves, just look for Bargains or late bookings on their websites. If there exist special offers and discount hotels, why not taking this wonderful chance to economize? Travel websites claim to offer up to 70% discounts, but even a 20% saving is already a very good deal!

David Brights writes for http://www.showcheaphotels.info where you can find out more about cheap hotels and other topics.Alyson Blog60501
Celeste Blog91039

Ruby: A Gift Idea for July Borns

Ancient Orientals believed that the ruby contained a spark of life -- "a deep drop of the heart's blood of Mother Earth" Eastern legends called ruby a lamp stone as it was self-luminous. It is said that once an emperor of China lighted his chamber with a large ruby & it glowed as bright as day.

Ruby is the red variety of the corundum mineral, ranks 9 on Mohs scale, sharing status with sapphire as the hardest gem after diamond. It is considered as one of the most valuable gemstone on our earth. With a wonderful color, excellent hardness & an overwhelming brilliance, ruby has been a much desired precious stone.

The gemstone ruby represents the sun, ruler of all planets. Sun represents authority, power, self, body & health. The wearer of ruby enjoys wealth & property, name & fame in the political sphere & overall prosperity. He becomes virile and his will power and spirit is strengthened. He occupies a respected position in the society & is blessed with a son. Ruby is the birthstone for the month of July and also for zodiac sign of Leo. It increases energy levels and will stimulate love if worn close to the heart. It protects sensitive natures, health and wealth, controls passion, stimulates blood circulation, gives calm sleep and takes away nightmares.

The most important aspect about a valuable gemstone is its color. The ruby is found in a variety of crimson and scarlet red colors ranging from pink to a deep ruddy violet color. Red color of the ruby symbolizes fire & blood, implying warmth and life for mankind. If you like to live your life intensely, but find it hard to keep focus, a Ruby can help bring clarity and wisdom.

Their rarity, beauty & hence value, make them best suited for ornamentation. You can find rubies in each category of jewelry such as bracelets, rings, earrings, pendants & necklaces. Engraved Rubies were very popular for attracting wealth and enhancing magical energies. Dragons and snakes were favored figures. A Ruby was considered one of the more important gifts to honor Buddha and Krishna with. Synthetic Ruby stones are quite common and very difficult to tell from natural stones. Only a trained eye can detect the differences in crystalline structures, all other elements are identical.

For a long time India was considered as the classical country of Rubies. In the ancient language of Sanskrit, the Ruby is called Ratnaraj or king of precious stones. The most famous source for natural gem-quality ruby is Myanmar (Burma). Good stones also come from Thailand, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and recently, Vietnam has been a source too. However, Burma remains the largest & best abode for finest rubies.

Sudha Agarwal is a product consultant for FineJewelryVault.com. For these gift ideas and more, visit http://www.finejewelryvault.com/ for the finest collection of diamond gold & sterling silver jewelry at great prices. You may republish this article only if you include the authors information including all hyperlinked URL.Arabele Blog33244
Berti Blog52315

Spring Color In The Landscape

Most people enjoy color in the landscape, but especially in the Spring after the Winter season.

In the early Spring, one can enjoy blooming bulbs, which should be planted the previous Fall. Some bulbs to plant might be Daffodils, Tulips, Grape Hyacinth and Hyacinth. There are others, but these are some of the more spectacular ones. I like to plant ALOT of one kind together to create an eye-catching splash of color.

Daffodils come in various colors, but mainly yellows, oranges and whites. They can also be single, double, or even ruffled. Daffodils can naturalize, which means they multiply as years go by. They are also deer resistant.

Tulips also come in many colors, more so than Daffodils. You can choose shades of pink, purple, white, and yellow. These are the most common colors. The flowers themselves can be on the small side or very large, and they can also be ruffled. Deer love tulips, so be careful where you plant them if you have a deer problem.

I love Grape Hyacinths. They are very small and come in purple and white. Due to their size, an abundance of them should be planted together in groups to make a statement and have them stand out.

Hyacinths are a larger from of the Grape Hyacinth and also come in various colors. They are shorter and wider, rather than the tall and slender forms of the Daffodils and Tulips.

Early flowering trees are always a welcoming sight in the spring. Some of these are Cherry trees, Dogwoods, Crabapples, Magnolias, and Flowering Plum. Certain varieties of trees are hardier than others. For example, Dogwoods have been plagued with Anthracnose. Crosses have been developed between the problematic native Flowering Dogwood and the Kousa Dogwood to create hybrids that are resistant to Anthracnose. One of the successful ones is the Stellar Pink Dogwood. As its name implies, the flowers are a beautiful pink.

There are a multitude of flowering shrubs to choose from that will provide color in the spring. Some that you might consider are Rhododendron, Azaleas, and Viburnum. Most of theses varieties do well located in an area that gets both sun and shade. Rhododendron are large leaved shrubs and graceful. Most are on the larger size, but not all. A smaller Rhododendron variety is "Janet Blair" and has very pretty clear pink flowers. Rhodendron flowers can also be other shades of pink, purples, reds and white. The deer do like to eat this plant. However, the native Rhododendron is somewhat deer resistant. Azaleas come in many colors. You can find them in white, pinks, purples, and reds. The Exbury Azalea, which is larger and deciduous, comes in much brighter colors. So if you like bright yellows and oranges, you might try one of these. Viburnum flowers are mostly white. The majority of these plants get large and they are mostly deer resistant. They look nice in a relatively shady location and also work well in natural or wooded areas. Japanese Andromeda and Mountain Laurel are also lovely, early flowering shrubs. There are many varieties of these so you may select for particular colors and also shrub size. As you drive or walk around in the spring, you might see masses of Mountain Laurel blooming in the woods or at the edges.

Spring blooming perennials can be found in numerous sizes, shapes and flower colors. Bleeding Heart 'Exima' or 'Luxuriant' will bloom on and off for a good part of the season. Pink is the most common although they are also available in white. They like the shade. Peonies are a lovely old-fashioned perennial with their large beautiful flowers. They resemble a medium sized shrub (although they are a perennial) so can be used where you need some substance. Veronica with its spike-like blooms is very colorful. This is a lower perennial that prefers a sunny condition. Another great perennial is Catmint 'Walker's Low'. I have this in my garden. Mine is now two years old. It is about three feet wide and about 18' - 24" high. It blooms for an extremely long time with purple elongated flowers. Here is a tip for this plant. When flowers are finishing, cut the plant and flowers back by about 12". It will re-bloom again and be just as pretty.

Try to plant in large groups to maximize the impact of the color. One Daffodil looks lonely, but 100 make a striking picture. The same holds true for shrubs and perennials; you should plant them in groups. I like to use a minimum of five of a particular plant all in the same color. Trees can be used alone, but even with this type of plant you can add a few of one kind. A group of three Dogwood in bloom provides a mass of color.

Think in color schemes for plants that bloom at the same time. One palette might be various shades of pink, while another could be pinks, purples and whites. Want more of a cottage garden look? Add some pale yellows to create a soft kaleidoscope of color.

Select plants that bloom in different Spring months, from March through May. Then you are onto Summer color!

Susan Schlenger is a Landscape Designer with a degree in Landscape Architecture. She has been providing design services for 10 years and has worked in various parts of the United States. Her company, Susan Schlenger Landscape Design, is based in Virginia. Bamby Blog99806
Aleece Blog78208

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.Amata Blog98244
Alison Blog37597

Avoid Financial and Emotional Ruin When Getting Divorced

It is no secret that people engaging in a divorce experience financial and emotional trauma that is only made worse by divorce lawyers and the adversarial system. So I am usually preaching to the choir when I tell horror stories of some of the cases I saw in the 8 years I practiced adversarial law. I was a child of a litigated divorce. I taught emotionally disturbed children from dysfunctional families for many years, I was a divorce attorney for eight years, and now I only do divorce mediation. Having witnessed our legal system from all sides, I can safely say that the whole context of how family disputes are settled in court today is not in the best interest of families. This is a call to arms. I am not even going to pretend this is an unbiased "news" article.

We who fight on the front lines on a daily basis, working with the emotionally vulnerable who feel as though the rug has been pulled out from under them know that the last thing a family in trouble needs is the "assistance" of counsel who could be throwing gasoline on the fire in order to line their own pockets. Most of you probably don't know that family law attorneys are the ONLY kind of lawyers in California whose fees are statutorily protected by the equity in the family home. Divorcing couples may not be aware that they agreed to a lien on their homes and a possible forced sale at the end of the case when they sign their lawyer's fee agreements. People need to know that they will get more and lose less by cooperating with their ex-partner than by litigating the matter.

Most people know what assets they have. No matter how much they earn, many people live paycheck to paycheck and there are usually no issues of hidden Swiss bank accounts. While this is the norm, any couple with equity in their home who both engage lawyers will soon see why the average contested divorce in our state costs $20,000 in attorney fees PER SIDE! And that is just an average. Most often, the more equity your home has, the higher the fees. Read Charles Dickens' Bleak House and you will see little has changed in the past 150 years.

First, the lawyers will engage in expensive discovery procedures, serving interrogatories and subpoenas for production of documents. There will be depositions and then the hiring of expensive forensic accountants and other experts, just to keep the case going. When couples trust their attorneys, it's hard for them to see they are being manipulated. It does NOT have to be this way!

We need a groundswell of people demanding that the adversarial family law system be replaced with mediation. My own practice demonstrates what a sham the adversarial alternative is. I have a 100% track record with over 150 couples. When a lawyer has a powerful intention to help people find their bottom line fairly, efficiently and economically, cases settle without the expense, drama and irreparable harm to children and their co-parenting relationship, harm that is most always the result of a bloody and adversarial battle. Lawyers who are paid by the hour have no incentive to wrap it up. There is an inherent conflict of interest between the attorney, who wants to earn more money, and the client, who wants to save more money. When you are working on a flat fee, there is motivation to help couples come to a reasonable resolution without dragging it out.

An experienced attorney will usually have a good idea of how a judge will rule on a case. This is a community property state, and everything that falls into that category is evenly divided, and separate property is also well defined by statute. It just isn't that complicated. Now there may be cases where a business requires a forensic accountant to value, but you don't need to have a battle of the experts to testify why the husband or wife should get more or less money.

We have all seen the critical mass theory at work in our own lifetimes. For those unfamiliar with this theory, the simple explanation is that when enough people (thought to be somewhere between 3% - 5%) move in a certain direction, the rest of the population follows. Think I Pods, cell phones, recycling, health food, ending the war in Viet Nam, etc. It takes some time for the tipping point to be achieved, but whether it is 5% or 20%, at some point, when enough people get behind something, the change manifests throughout society. We can create a transformation in the way legal services are delivered not only in the area of family law, but all across the board. Mediation is applicable to every area where people have disputes.

As with anything unfamiliar, it takes a certain amount of education to show people the possibilities before they are willing to get on the bandwagon. But if law schools taught would be lawyers to encourage cooperation when marriages break down, more and more couples will hear the message of peaceful divorce and not necessarily think that divorce = court fights. We need more divorce attorneys who take their responsibility to protect their client seriously. I have never understood how these "zealous advocates" can justify draining a client's college fund for their kids so that the attorney's child can go to private school while the client's child is lucky to have lunch money. When people are informed and demand better than what is currently available, more and more law students will study mediation and develop a skill set that supports working with people who are breaking up.

It is my mission to help transform the way people get divorced in this country. Our children are depending on adults to join this crusade. Encourage your friends and family to work together if they have to get divorced. You can split a pie two ways or if lawyers are involved, 4 ways. Which way will you get more? Do you really have to pull the child apart? Don't you think YOU are in a better position to say how your child should be raised instead of lawyers, judges and other "experts." You don't want to start World War III with the parent of your children!!! Your child needs to be your primary focus, not how much money you can get out of paying or not being there when dad comes to pick up the kids. That kind of high conflict drama is totally unnecessary. Not only do consumers need to demand a new kind of divorce, but more lawyers need to recognize the damage caused to families by the legal practice as it is set up now. I hope more attorneys will walk away, as I did, and say, "NO MORE!"

We need judges to recognize who the most egregious of these attorneys are and sanction them, instead of holding them up to young lawyers to emulate. We need an informed public to tell their legislatures that it is NOT OK to give the Family Bar the right to drain the family home of equity through litigation that only comes to an end when there is no more money to be made. Our legal system is broken and we need to do something about it. Generations of children have been caught in the middle of fighting parents who are often encouraged to fight by lawyers who stand to gain. The more we focus on and promote mediation as the rightful solution to family law issues, the more momentum we will build. Who is with me?

Belinda Rachman, EsqAllegra Blog34486
Ada Blog80540

Living Within Your Means

Seventy percent of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. Many have no emergency savings and are deeply in debt. If they lose a job most people would not be able to sustain their current lifestyle for more than a couple of weeks. Many Americans are routinely spending more than they make through the use of credit cards and borrowed money.

If you are among the majority who are not saving for emergencies first determine how you are spending. Go back through check stubs and credit card statements and determine how you are spending. Then look for areas where spending can be reduced.

While energy costs are going up, you may be able to save some on your utility bills through conservation efforts. A combination of tax credits and fuel savings might make a new furnace a cost saver over the long term, provided it is significantly more efficient than your existing furnace. Programmable thermostats might also save money. Set the thermostat at the minimum comfortable temperature in the winter and maximum comfortable temperature in the summer.

Cooking for yourself more and eating out less could also save money. Be realistic about your habits. For a busy family a supply of frozen entrees may be easier than cooking from scratch every night. If you cook only on weekends make double batches of everything that can be frozen and freeze half for a later meal. Label them with the date so that you dont waste money by leaving food in the freezer for several months then having to throw it out.

If clothing, books or other consumable products are your downfall plan activities for free time that keep you out of the mall and away from stores. If you have an overflowing closet, go through your clothes, plan your wardrobe around your lifestyle and needs, then take good quality used items to a clothing consignment shop. Use the money you get from the consignment shop to find a few good pieces that will complete a coordinated wardrobe. Give the worn and not so good extra clothes to a thrift shop or charity. They may sell the extremely worn pieces for rags, but they get some money from it and you dont have those rags cluttering up your closet and you can see what you do have to wear. Books can be taken to used book stores and a variety of other items to second hand shops or thrift stores. Keep track of everything you give away, because if you itemize your deductions you can deduct them with proper documentation.

For some people recreational spending is a problem. If you are deeply in debt you might have to sacrifice a few days on the slopes or an exotic vacation. Investigate where tourists go when they come to your area, then spend one vacation being a tourist in your own city or region. You can choose prime vacation time for that location without worrying about paying prime hotel prices.

If your debt is a serious problem and these measures wont cover it you may have to make more major changes. These changes are major because they may affect the image you are trying to project to the world or to your family. Do your children really need to go to private school? Will the public or charter schools in the area provide as good an education? If not, and scholarships are not an option, you may have to make some sacrifices in other areas. Studies have shown that graduates from Ivy League colleges do not necessarily earn more ten years later than graduate of state colleges unless they were of lower socio-economic status on entering college and made contacts and learned different values and goals in college that they wouldnt have otherwise, so if your child wants you to foot the bill for an exclusive college and that will increase your debt it may not be a good idea.

If car payments, insurance and gasoline constitute more than 15% of your income it may be time to sell your car and buy a smaller, more efficient or less expensive used car. If house payments, insurance, property taxes and other home expenses are more than 35% of your income, you may need to downsize. Americans today live in much larger houses than they did 50 years ago. Buying a smaller, older house may be just what you need to do to reduce spending so that it is within your income. You may even be able to find a smaller house closer to your workplace so that you can reduce your transportation costs.

If none of these cost reducing measures is enough to make your income meet your outgo you may need to look for other sources of income. A part-time home business, different job or a spouse returning to work may be the only solution.

Lynn Doxon is the mother of three adopted daughters and two stepsons. She works from home writing books, managing an online business at http://www.bestmarketingeducation.com and helping her husband manage his architectural business and real estate investments. In her spare time, if she had any, she would read and garden.Berget Blog82721
Caril Blog46499

What Television Shoppers Need to Know

With all the changes in technology and program content, buying a tv set is not as simple as it once was. While it is easy to be tempted to buy the one that looks prettiest in the advertisement or on the showroom floor, it's not always the best fit for your circumstances. The following will help you make a better informed decision, and using Myshopping.com.au you can make detailed comparisons between set sizes, different technology, brands and vendors.

TVMeasure where you will be watching.

It's important that the set you buy will fit in the space where you want to put it, and that it's visible from where you want to sit. Therefore, it makes good sense to measure the space where the set will go. You need to measure the width, the height and the depth of the space, so that you can choose a set that will sit comfortably in that space, with sufficient ventilation and edge space for installation and cleaning. You should also measure the distance to your cable socket if you have an external aerial, and be sure to allow sufficient space for rear panel audio and video cable connections so that they can be easily connected and disconnected.

Getting the right sized screen is a balance between the dimensions of the room and your viewing habits, and your choice of technology. A regular tv has a screen aspect ration of 4:3, (that is, the dimensions are four units wide by three units high) and its size is given as a diagonal measure across the screen. The most comfortable viewing range for a regular tv is to be a distance away from the screen that is three to six times its given size. For example, a 48cm regular tv is best viewed further away than 116 cm and closer than 232 cm.

Watching high-resolution DVD and digital TV on a wide screen set however, provides much sharper images than regular sets, and this means you can sit closer and experience a more immersive, theatre-like picture. With a wide-screen tv, you can sit as close as 1.5 times the screen's diagonal measurement and not notice any loss in quality. Sitting farther away than three times the screen however, means you're likely to miss out on the immersive 'theatre' feel, even though image-wise, the sharper pictures will be clearer from a greater distance. Conversely, what this means, is that for the same given room space, you can install a significantly larger tv if it's wide screen. So in today's market, you are faced with one major deciding factor:

Regular TV or Wide Screen

While the regular tv dimensions are 4:3 (see above), a wide-screen set has an aspect ratio of 16:9 (16 units wide, 9 units high) and this is the same shape as many cinema screens and movies. Wide-screen sets are more expensive per square cm of screen than a regular tv, and more regular TV is watched than DVDs and movies, so 4:3 sets continue to be a popular choice. However standards a re changing rapidly and almost all digital, flat-panel and rear-projection tvs are wide screen. While television stations frequently broadcast many movies in digital/wide screen format, a large amount of station-produced content is in regular format, but this too is changing. So it makes some sense to seriously consider wide screen.

Either way, there is some compromise to consider because one rectangle doesn't fit exactly into another. Wide-screen program shown on a standard tv has black bars, known as letterbox bars, above and below the wide-screen image. The alternative to this is to sacrifice some of the picture at each edge of the screen, and get the full depth of the picture. When you watch a program formatted for regular tv on a wide screen, black bars, known as windowbox bars, appear on either side of the picture. One alternative to this is to lose some picture at the top and bottom of the screen.

But one of the features of a wide-screen tv, is the ability to stretch, crop, or zoom the regular 4:3 image so that it fills the screen, ultimately distorting the image or losing some of its content.

Picture Quality, Audio Quality, Connectivity

Using an online shopping comparison such as Myshopping.com.au doesn't give you the personal feel of looking at the tv set on the showroom floor. However, once you've narrowed down your choices according to size and manufacturer specification, it may pay to look at some sets so you can judge picture quality for yourself.

So what makes a good picture? One of the first considerations is contrast: in order to have clear sharp and bright pictures, the screen itself must be dark. Screens that are two 'green' or 'grey' will not produce high definition images. Do this with any surrounding televisions turned off and an even light in the room.

A second consideration is the flatness of the picture tube. If you are looking at an LCD or Plasma screen, this is already flat, but with picture tube technology, flatter tubes result in less glare from windows and lamps, and less shape distortion. A flat tube screen will give you a better viewing experience.

If a tv doesn't have a comb filter, its resolution will be limited to about half the full potential of a DVD. While comb filters affect only composite-video or RF connections, sets with a comb filter can usually provide all of the resolution of DVD and will not have distracting 'rainbow' images where highly contrasting colours coincide. Comb filters include glass, digital, and 3DY, and different types provide different levels of quality, but ultimately, it's better to have one than not.

Digital and High Definition TV means that the ability for a tv to display a progressive scan image is also factor that affects picture quality. A progressive scan image is a feature of digital tv broadcasting and DVD imaging with a more film-like look to it than normal video.

For optimum television watching, you need to consider the quality of the sound too. It is now quite common for people to integrate tv and hi-fi equipment into a more complete home entertainment system, giving a more dynamic home theatre experience. Digital and High Definition tv and DVD, sound quality is similar to that of CDs, so it makes sense that audio connectivity allows you to connect into surround sound or other hi quality sound systems. It's worthwhile to check to see that the tv has a least one set of stereo audio inputs and one set of stereo audio outputs, as well as video input and output connectors. On the input side, check for RCA-composite, S-Video, and component video inputs. You can frequently find an additional set of audio and video inputs and/or outputs on the front or at the side of the tv, a very convenient location for more temporary connections, such as game consoles, web tv or video camera equipment. It can be terribly inconvenient if you are limited to only connections at the rear of the set, or only one set of inputs and outputs, which can often mean unplugging and reconnecting permanently installed equipment.

If you are intending to use a set-top digital receiver, make sure the tv has the correct connections, and that they are compatible with the receiver equipment. Using Myshopping.com.au you can search through a great number of brands for the correct specifications. Ideally such connections should be made with Fire Wire, DVI-D with HDCP or HDMI connectors.

Plasma or LCD

While there are still quality CRT televisions (tube style) being manufactured, the current television technology being pursued by manufacturers is Plasma High Definition or LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). The main advantages these two technologies offer includes the smaller space taken up (mostly in depth) for a bigger picture, less heat (and therefore less electricity consumed) generated for a bigger picture and the appearance of compactness through digital technology. But what are the differences?

In the Plasma tv over a million tiny glass cells are charged with a mixture of neon and xenon, behind which are coloured phosphors that emit light when energized. Each cell has a red, blue and green phosphor. When Plasma cells are charged, they emit invisible UV light. that strikes the red, green and blue phosphors on the back of the display, creating the pixels that form the image you see on the screen. LCD however, is a suspended liquid between two transparent panels that, when activated by voltage, re-position themselves so that they either allow the light to pass through the panel and or block the light, a similar process to turning on and off millions of light bulbs. The light source is provided by fluorescent tubes behind the panels. Both the lit and unlit crystals create visible pixels composing the image on the screen.

Many independent reviewers believe that manufacture's specifications of Plasma tv is not accurately portrayed. LCD appears to be both brighter and offer more contrast, whereas Plasma appears to have higher definition colour, superior viewing angles and faster response time providing crisper screen movement. Plasma uses more power than LCD, but may provide a more theatre-like viewing experience. Use Myshopping.com.au to compare the latest brands of Plasma and LCD televisions.

Remote Controllers and Accessories

All tv sets come with remote controls. Some come with what's known as the Universal remote control, a remote control that can control all of your media hardware. The remote control should be easy to use and it should address all of the tv set's functions. Many sets do not have function controls on the tv itself, which could cause problems if the remote controller is lost. Also, not every universal remote can control everything. Most are pre-programmed with a set list of codes, and if the codes don't match your older or off-brand gear, then you're out of luck. A few are learning models that can accept the IR codes from your other remotes and, thus, control any kind of gear.

A number of other features can be taken into account when considering your tv purchase. These might include picture-in-picture (PIP), or picture-outside-picture (POP), commercial skip timers, channel blocking (called the V-Chip), and tuner extras to make channel selection and switching easier. Additional accessories that you might need include additional cables, a good power surge protector and a stand. Service may also be a consideration and in some circumstances, an extended warranty or service package may be a good investment.

Search Myshopping.com.au for the different specifications and price ranges of the latest tv technology, where you not only compare the world's leading brands, but also the service and support of the people who sell them.

Andrew Gates is a writer for Australian comparison shopping site - http://www.myshopping.com.au , MyShopping.com.au helps you compare television (TV) - http://www.myshopping.com.au/PT--99_Television_TV and buy online from top-rated online stores. You can also read television (TV) reviews - http://www.myshopping.com.au/PT--99_Television_TV and specifications.Almire Blog25954
Anett Blog68683

Indoor Railing Designs

The indoor railing design that you have says a lot about you. A simplistic design or an elegant design, which is yours?

Indoor railing designs are something that many people just do not think about enough. The fact is that the railing is a focal point in any entryway or in any living area. It creates the illusion of movement. Your eye naturally moves up the railing, up the stairs to the top. Therefore, adding a bit more charm and appeal to an interior railing can make for a more dramatic or a more elegant look.

Whats It Made From

The design of your railing starts with the type of railing it is. Most are made from wood. If your interior railing is made of wood, or you would like to create one in this manner, consider your wood options. You can consider woods such as pine, oak, cherry and maple. Look at the wood patterns in the wood itself to determine if in fact this is the style of wood that you would like to have. Paying attention to these details can make for a beautiful selection.

You can also have interior railings that are made of steel and iron, if you would like. Or, you can add new textures to a wood railing by adding feet to it that aremade of stone or marble. There are plenty of ways that you can add a different texture to the standard, boring wood railing.

Decorated Railings

To add a lot of class to the wood railing you may have, consider adding to it decorative elements. These can be as sophisticated as you would like them to be, or as simplistic. Look at the various options that are available. These can be attached to various locations on the wood railing to completely transform it. Or, you can also purchase a new wood railing that features detailed carvings and elaborate details.

The shape of the railing is also important. A curved railing or a straight one will work. It is not so much the shape of the railing that you want to consider, but where you want the eye to travel. A straight railing will carry the eye upwards, creating the illusion of height. A rounded staircase and railing keeps the eyes focused on these details.

Adding features to the railing are essential as well. From pedestals that will hold a decorative item to the simple addition of iron work to the posts can make a grand entrance. Design your interior railings based on the features that fit your lifestyle and your designed room look.

Adam Peters is a syndicated writer of http://www.home-decorating-reviews.com .For additional information regarding railing styles or wrought iron go to http://www.home-decorating-reviews.com/railing.html.Arlee Blog92465
Anna Diane Blog1783

Own Furniture? Protect Your Investment!

How much did you pay for your furniture? I'll bet it wasn't cheap. Most people spend thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars to furnish their homes and then forget about it, leaving all of their furniture, carpets and floors to waste away over time.

You would never go to the beach without u/v protection, would you? Everything in your home is exposed to low-levels of u/v light all the time and it can't regenerate the way your skin can. It doesn't have any way to protect itself. Most people never think about this and so the money they invested in making their home beautiful slowly goes to waste, pennies at a time as their carpets, leather sofas and wood floors fade, scuff and dry out.

Proper furniture care is difficult to define. Standard furniture polish you can find in the supermarket can make your coffee table shine like new and also offers some short-term protection against small scuffs and scratches, but don't address the long-term issues, of which u/v light is at the forefront. Even at the low-levels you'll find in an average living room, over time it is extremely damaging to everything it touches that is made of wood, leather or fiber.

Most people have either owned furniture long enough to see some of the effects, or grew up in a house where your parents had an old couch that you could just tell was old simply by looking at it. Worn-out u/v damaged furniture isn't the worst thing in the world, in fact some might say it makes a place look homey, or lived in. That's perfectly understandable for someone who already owns an old, faded sofa, but if you own furniture that is fairly new you know it looks great the way it looks now! In fact, that's why you bought it. You don't want to even imagine that brand new home theater seating looking cracked and faded. It's enough to make you wince.

Luckily some companies do offer the kind of u/v protection furniture needs. Most people have heard of Scotchgard, but many are not clear on exactly what it does, which is simply this: Provide long-term protection against the elements to anything it is sprayed on. It's often viewed as an industrial or automotive product, but it is much more than that.

While Scotchgard is arguably the best known consumer product available, MasterSeal by Guardian products is also an excellent product and has been embraced by some as the only protectant they trust using on their most delicate leathers.

Guardian also manufactures commercial-grade furniture protectants that are used by many furniture retailers offering extended warranties on their products. Often-times when you purchase an extended warranty on furniture you are not just making an agreement that the retailer will service your furniture for a longer period. Many dealers are actually treating your furniture with commercial protectants to make the materials last longer and keep their original look. That is why extended warranties on furniture are often a better value than warranties offered on other products, such as electronics.

If you didn't buy an extended warranty, don't feel like you've completely missed the boat. If you regularly clean and polish your furniture you are already doing something to slow down the aging process. The other half of the job is actually a lot easier because many of the long-term protectants have to be applied at most twice a year or in some cases, just once!

And if you want to get the good stuff, the commercial-grade protectants the retailers use, some of them are actually available to consumers as well. In fact, there are even companies that will come to your home and spray the protectant onto your furniture for you, and then give you a warranty afterwards no matter how long it's been since your original warranty expired.

Proper furniture care is an important thing to think about because it doesn't take a lot of time but it can save a lot of money in the long-run. Ten years from now instead of spending money to replace a faded TV room couch you could be sitting on your just-like-new decade-old sofa and watching your brand new big screen televion.

And that's a tip most people don't know. I hope you've found it helpful.

Michael Wangner is a consultant for Furniture Marketing and Metro Guardian, which offers commercial grade http://www.metroguardian.net/shop/ and more direct to consumers via its website.Arabella Blog73919
Celesta Blog90758

Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Role Of The Individualized Education Program Team

The fastest growing diagnosis within the disability of Pervasive Developmental Disorders is Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder are from all socioeconomic groups, as well as cultural, racial, and ethnic populations. More students with Autism Spectrum Disorder will be found in every community and neighborhood due to the increased identification of the disorder. Estimated annual cost of educating and caring for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder is to be around 90 billion dollars according to the Autism Society of America. Early diagnosis and intervention is a key factor in reducing treatment costs by two-thirds.

There are five related developmental disorders placed under the umbrella category of Pervasive Developmental Disorders. They include:

1. Autism Spectrum Disorder
2. Aspergers Syndrome
3. Childhood Disintegrative Disorder
4. Retts
5. Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified

Specific Aspects of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder affects the neurodevelopment system. The results are distinct learning and behavior characteristics
Autism Spectrum Disorder has an underlying biological/genetic cause that produces organic and/or physical changes during brain development. This results in atypical cognitive and social development and behaviors
Autism Spectrum Disorder affects individuals uniquely
Autism Spectrum Disorder does not result from poor parenting
Autism Spectrum Disorder affects the individuals ability to integrate sensory information and regulate their emotions

There are five deficit areas to consider as diagnostic criteria for identifying individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, they are:

1. Communication
2. Socialization/Social skills
3. Restricted interests
4. Sensory integration
5. Behavior

Individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder exhibit varying degrees of difficulties in these five areas.

Recent research shows students with Autism Spectrum Disorder exhibit the same early symptoms that include:

Lack of eye contact
Lack of joint attention (attention to the same item or topic as another person)
Atypical sensory/motor processing

Goals and Objectives for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

The general education teacher must ensure that students with Autism Spectrum Disorder have goals and objectives designed to promote the development of independent living, academic skills, and appropriate social behaviors and skills.

It is essential that these goals be introduced early and addressed annually in the individualized education program. If these goals are not addressed until the child reaches secondary school, there is a higher potential for many students with Autism Spectrum Disorder leaving school not able to live independently, succeed academically or be gainfully employed.

In order to help provide a smooth transition to a post-high school setting, the responsibilities of the IEP (individualized education program) team may include:

Developing goals and short-term objectives that promote self-monitoring and independent living skills

Secondary individualized education program teams have the responsibility to identify the long-term supports these students will require for academic, economic and social independence. They must ensure students with Autism Spectrum Disorder have long-term goals that specify the need for explicit instruction in the essential social skills necessary for all post-secondary academic, social, and/or vocational settings. Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder must be given multiple opportunities in a variety of social, academic, and vocational contexts to practice these skills.

Of highest priority is ensuring that students with Autism Spectrum Disorder acquire the essential social and daily living skills they need for a responsible integration into the community.

Transition Goals and Objectives of the Individualized Education Program team may include:

Providing students with Autism Spectrum Disorder vocational and career exploration
Experiences to assist them with learning which careers or college majors can accommodate their uneven academic and/or social development while at the same time utilizing their unique abilities and interests
Opportunities to acquire vocational and/or work-related behaviors and skills required for successful employment and/or educational settings

Source: The Autism Society of America

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.

Written by: Connie Limon. Visit us at http://www.about-autism.info for more information about Autism Spectrum Disorder.Bernie Blog72467
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Payday Quick Loans

There are some important things that you should know before you take up a payday quick loan. You might be tempted to jump at the opportunity that is provided to you if you are in a financial crisis and need the money badly.

The approval process for all loan companies that offer payday quick loans online is pretty simple; and once you provide them, the required details-for instance your job proof, previous salary stub, and checking account details-your approval will not take much time.

This makes it necessary for you to know what the fees and terms of repayment are. You should also do a thorough research of all the companies offering payday quick loans if you wish to apply for one online only. You can in no time get to know which will be the most economical offer for you.

The upper limit of these payday quick loans is usually $1500, and the money is electronically deposited in your checking account instead of your having to wait for money orders to arrive in the mail. The fee for, say $100, is about 15-30 %. Although of late, owing to the competition in the market among the companies offering these loans, the rates have come down to 12% in some cases.

It is advisable to ask for the loan with the shortest term, for as if you keep it for a longer time, the fee will also increase automatically. That is why it is advisable to seek these loans only when you are in dire need of cash and borrow the minimum possible requirement and not borrow any extra money for just-in-case times. Obviously, you wouldnt like paying interest for money that was lying idly in your account. Payday quick loans are meant for a purpose and should be handled likewise.

Payday quick loans solve the financial problems of a vast majority of people today and therefore they should not be abused lest, you founder in the waters of debts for ages. The benefits of these loans that most attract people are that there are no questions asked about why you want to borrow the money and there is no credit check involved. So for people with poor credit scores, these loans are a boon.

For further information, you can visit http://www.payday-loans-cheap-fast.org/ .

As the founding director of Outsourcing Haven, Mandeep Raj Mishra has effectively completed a number of SEO projects in various industries. He has been involved in the area of SEO for a couple of years and has also written a number of articles, reviews and critical analysis related to Internet Marketing and Search Engine Optimization.Bernadine Blog22851
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How To Save Money On Professional Teeth Whitening

Have you been considering getting your teeth professionally whitened? This is become more and more common recently with major advances being done in the area of teeth whitening by dentists.

Did you know that you can have your teeth whitened at home also? You can buy a home a teeth whitening kit at most any major department store such as Wal-Mart, K-mart, etc. many people want to know which works better, the home teeth whitening kit or having your teeth whitened at the dentist?

I can tell you right now that the general consensus is that the dentist wins hands down. Have you ever heard the old saying, "you get what you pay for"? Well, that's exactly right. There's nothing wrong with a home teeth whitening kits, they just don't work as well as having your teeth done by a professional.

One way that you might be able save a few dollars by getting professional teeth whitening done is by becoming a member of a dental discount plan. Dental discount plans, also known as discount dental plans, or simply a savings plan that enables you to save 10 to 60% off of everyday dental procedures by being a part of their network. Not all plans cover cosmetic dentistry, such as teeth whitening, however, those that do can save you a substantial amount of money, normally much more than what you would pay for the plan on an annual basis.

The cost of these plans starts at about $80 annually for an individual and around $150 annually for entire family. These costs cover most standard dental procedures and will allow you and your family to save on every visit that you have two the dentist, both minor and major procedures, for the next entire year. If you've been considering getting your teeth professionally whitened, or having any other dental procedure done in the near future, I highly recommend that you get more information about dental discount plans.

Joe Stewart is a former health insurance agent that now helps others by providing expert information. Watch the new video "Discount Dental Plans vs Dental Insurance" by visiting http://www.Discount-Dental.net right now!Brittaney Blog23235
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How To Install Vinyl Sliding Door For Your Kitchen

In today's world, it seems that almost any topic is open for debate not only for the subject that is in people interested. Many of home owners tend to learn about how to fix their house by themselves. It was quite surprised to find some of the issues I thought were settled are actually still being openly discussed. I trust that what you've read from this article is very informative. The following section should go a long way toward clearing up any uncertainty that may remain.

There are plenty of good reasons why you should have vinyl sliding door for your kitchen. Most of kitchen generally has an ordinary door but it is absolutely a good idea to replace it with vinyl sliding door. Vinyl sliding door could help to improve overall appearance of the kitchen as well as improve function of the kitchen. That is, use sliding door is very convenient. This is because kitchen is an optional room for many of houses and usually has limited space. Using sliding door can save great amount of space when you open the door, as a result, you will gain more space to locate additional kitchen furniture and equipment. The following detail will describe about how to replace vinyl sliding door to your kitchen, so you can apply method described below and you can do it yourself.

Getting to know frame of vinyl door is still essential, the retrofit frame is the most common type of vinyl kitchen door frame. The retrofit frame is pretty much the same as retrofit window, the door will have a 2" lip flush with the outside edge of the frame. Generally space for kitchen door will be a bit larger than normal space for door of other room in the house, so before you start, you have to make sure that you have measured all sides of the stile and get the exact side of the frame that you need.

The process of installation of retrofit frame for your kitchen is the same as replacement frame. In fact, you have to check all conditions within the kitchen before you start the installation. The first thing that you have to examine is the level of kitchen floor. If the base is not level, add shims to create a level base. You should know that this process is very important as I have seen many of home owners or even professionals forget to measure the level of the floor which usually cause the whole frame will be thrown out of square in case if you have inconsistent floor level, i.e. sloping floor.

Especially for a kitchen floor which many of home owner love to use tiles as flooring material. If they did not properly design the level and slope of the floor, it would be difficult when they want to replace kitchen door. If you find that the kitchen floor is not properly designed and sloping, you may have to use shim to make the base of the door strong enough to support the doors weight. Another important process is when you put the door in place also very important and these are only some tips about how you can improve the quality and appearance of the kitchen by yourself.

Cherdkiat Taesookavat is an architect, providing information and directories about home decor, please visit http://www.kitchen4homes.com/Benedikta Blog78245
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Social Networking - Do You Practice Netiquette?

Over the years, the beauty of the Internet has opened many different doors pertaining to socializing, networking, and the overall art of communication. Today, computer users of all ages are exploring the possibilities associated with chat rooms, discussion boards, forums, and online personals. Sending emails, instant messaging family and friends, and relaying text messages across the World Wide Web are also popular forms of contact. Despite the fact that users are unseen behind the guise of their computer, there is still a written and unwritten code of conduct that exists about the Internet.

Even in the world of online communication, one may offend, confuse, and irritate the people they send emails to or speak with in a chat room. Just as you participate in face-to-face communication, you are often aware of the way you move your body, execute hand gestures, or raise your voice. When contacting others across the Internet, there are also certain messages conveyed through the way you type out your thoughts. One of the most irritating online habits involves the use of all-caps when typing to others. Not only are long strings of capped words a strain on the eyes to read, but is often viewed as "shouting."

When typing emails or chatting with others while online, spelling and grammar really does count in not only making people see your side of things, but also promoting intelligent and free-flowing conversation. Usually, glaring spelling mistakes cause a distraction and confusion in correspondences. Additionally, just because you attempt to avoid making spelling errors and lapses in grammar doesnt mean you have the right to criticize others for their poor use of the English language. It is highly suggested to ignore the spelling mistakes of others and concentrate on the way you communicate while online.

Additional email etiquette rules include the avoidance of sending or forwarding junk mail and Internet hoaxes, forwarding virus warnings (which are sometimes hoaxes), replying to all recipients of a collectively sent email, and sending unnecessarily large attachments.

There are also plenty of "netiquette" issues to recognize when communicating with others in online communities (chat rooms and forums). One of the first things to do when joining a chat room, forum, or other online group is familiarize oneself with the rules or guidelines of the service. This practice comes in rather handy and helps one avoid any future online confrontations or misunderstandings.

At all times, your privacy should be protected, as well as other members of the online community. It is unwise to use full names in chat room correspondences and is rude to ask the full names of those you come in contact with. Staying on topic is also a rule of Internet etiquette. For instance, if you have joined a chat room community regarding model airplanes, it is often inappropriate to start sharing your marital problems with others. Using offensive language is warned against and is usually punished (suspension or ban).

When chatting, it is also suggested to keep messages short and present information in the most concise manner. Also, a common practice is to use abbreviations, but not everyone is familiar with the current lingo and this should be kept in mind the abbreviation of your words and phrases should be used sparingly.

Overall, it is suggested to treat communication across the Internet in the same manner that you like to receive correspondences. Usually, the things that irritate you are the same actions others dislike as well.

Linda Allen is the co-founder of GirlfriendsCafe, a popular social networking site for women throughout the United States and Canada.Brynne Blog22048
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Is It Time for Wireless E-Commerce?

The answer is yes. According to Bill Watterson, author of Calvin and Hobbes, The problem with the future is that it keeps turning into the present. Businesses are well aware of mobile phones potential for wireless marketing, advertising, sales, and payments although many thought this potential would be realized somewhere down the road. But it seems like that future is now here.

Critical Mass

Almost a third of North Americans now say they could not live without their cell phone and these devices are rapidly evolving into more than a mere portable tool for voice communications. According to a recent study [AP 2006] Americans have become addicted to their cell phones, with four out of 10 adults aged 18 to 29 considering dropping their landline service. In fact, almost a third (29%) say they could not live without their cell phone. The mobile has reached critical mass.

Thirty-five percent of those surveyed say they send SMS text messages, including 65% of those ages 18-29 and 37% of those aged 30-49. At the same time, 18% say they have used or would like to use a mobile instant messaging service on their cell phone. Meanwhile, 38% say they would like to have desktop IMs from select contacts automatically forwarded to their mobile device, including 50% of those ages 18-29.

In terms of must-have features when buying a new handset, the top-runners are: mobile maps (51%), text messaging (48%), and a built-in camera (47%) top the list, followed by games (34%), mobile email (32%), and mobile search (31%).

New Applications

The new .MOBI top level domain is expected to eliminate some basic problems associated with mobile browsing of ordinary Web sites, including large graphics and multimedia content. The new standards will ensure content works for Web browsing, mobile messaging, and device compliance on mobile devices. [Sullivan 2006]

Internet access via mobile phones is actually outpacing wireless access from a notebook PC in many countries with 56% of global mobile phone users browsing the Internet or downloading email in 2005. In Japan 92% of users went online via their mobiles. Rates are high in France and UK as well but flattening in North America. [eMarketer 2006]

About 20% of mobile phone users are already receptive to relevant advertising, if done correctly. Apparently understanding the trade-off of ads for services, over a third of users said they would also be willing to provide advertisers some personal information. [Burns 2005]

Podcasting and cell phones already offer a powerful synergy. Recently Mobilcast announced that it will help NPR deliver 45 of its podcasts to mobile phone users. NPR has had nearly 18 million downloads of its podcasts since its launch at the end of August 2005. [NPR 2006]

Mobile Video

According to an eMarketer report, This is the year that carriers, content providers and marketers are sitting up, taking notice and starting to experiment and invest in mobile television initiatives.

JupiterResearch also finds that the mobile video market is expected to grow by roughly eight times its 2005 revenue size by the end of the decade. In 2005 revenues from mobile video content reached $62 million. By 2010, the number is expected to reach $501 million. [Burns 2006]

From a technical point-of-view, the two key developments for mobile TV are growth in smartphones and growth of advanced 3G networks. Although adoption has been slow to date, these will move mobile TV past the pilot stage toward critical mass and finally to mass-market penetration.

A new study from London-based research company Red Bee Media and British digital media research agency iBurbia indicates that consumers will pay for video they value and are also willing to accept some advertising. [Video Content 2006]

But already consumer interest bodes well for the mobile industry as vendors use different business models to try and tap into this consumer demand," said Julie Ask, Research Director at JupiterResearch. "The challenge is not interest but rather finding the correct mix of premium content and price points." In the longer term, adoption is expected to depend more on business models and content offerings than on the technology or devices, [JupiterResearch 2006]

Keitai Culture

We may be only a hop-skip-and-jump away from something the Japanese know all about alreadykeitai culture. Theres more to it than just owning a fancy cell phone.

Mobile communications have become part of popular culture and everyday behavior for many Japanese. With over 72% penetration, most everyone between the ages of 12 and 50 (89 million) has a mobile phone. This may provide a proactive glimpse of our own future. By understanding how a once-alien technology became such a natural extension of everyday life in Japan, we may yet understand what is in store for the rest of the world. [Jardin 2005]

As personal network keys, keitai open doors to other media such as audio and video. They also function as remote controls, letting owners change television channels or operate DVD players. Five million Japanese now subscribe to TV guides on their phones and Sony is offering a hard disk recorder that can be programmed remotely by cell phone.

Cell phones open doors in other ways too: The embedded circuitry in newer mobiles, once programmed, also authorizes entry through corporate security doors and functions as an electronic key for some homes. Once a child returns from school and flashes the phone over a reader, the phone opens the door and automatically sends an email to the parent reporting his or her arrival. [Johnson 2006]

Future Present

Keitai culture is the present in Japan but all signs suggest that its our rapidly developing futureand entrepreneurs need to think ahead.

Considering the growing critical mass, new standards, and expanding applications for cell phones, small businesses can no longer afford to ignore their potential for marketing, advertising, sales, and payments. This is especially true in the case of Web-based businessessince mobiles increasingly appear less a device just to make phone calls with and more a general information, content, and Internet appliance.

Sources

AP-AOL-Pew Research Center Mobile Lifestyle Survey, AOL Mobile 04/03/06.
Enid Burns. Mobile Users Will Take a Few Ads, ClickZ Stats 09/14/05.
Enid Burns. Mobile Video Market Set for Growth, ClickZ Stats 03/28/06.
Xeni Jardin. How Mobile Phones Conquered Japan, Wired News 08/19/05.
Tim Johnson. In Japan, Mobile Phones Replacing Wallets, Keys, Credit Cards, Knight Ridder Washington Bureau 04/25/06.
JupiterResearch: Mobile Video Revs to Reach $500MM, MarketingVOX 03/29/06.
NPR Podcasts Come to Mobile Phones, Marketing VOX 03/29/06.
Laurie Sullivan. Mobile Domains For Sale In May, Information Week 03/30/06.
Video Content on Mobiles: Short Preferred, Ads Tolerated, Marketing VOX 04/10/06.
Will the Mobile Phone Become the Dominant Internet Platform? eMarketer 04/21/06.

Dr Paul Nicholls is a regular fixture at eBizTutors.com where you can find many more ebiz resources for the new or seasoned online entrepreneur: blogs, tutorials, programs and support. Visit us at http://www.eBizTutors.com.Alida Blog9030
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Distance Learning Schools

If you are seeking a way to improve your financial outlook through higher education, but can't conform to a traditional college class schedule, Distance Learning Schools may be just the ticket you need to achieve your goals. Many working adults prefer the flexibility and pace of distance learning to the rigid structure found at many campus-based schools.

When most people think of Distance Learning, they think of online colleges. Distance Learning is widely available over the Internet, and sometimes through mail-order services as well. The flexible educational path offered by online schools can help students to gain a complete education that can enhance employability and income potential. They also impart necessary technological skills needed for many jobs. Students are able to study in their own environment in their spare time to earn degrees ranging from professional certification to associate, bachelor, master, and doctorate degrees.

Students will find highly skilled professionals teaching extensive classes online, offering the accessibility and freedom that working adults desire while taking college-level courses. Furthermore, instructors at Distance Learning Schools routinely interact with students, providing necessary feedback and individual student assessments. Thus, students can obtain a professional degree or certification in their own homes, at their own convenience, and without the hassles of commuting to class.

Meeting the needs of stay-at-home-parents, working people, and retirees, the courses offered by Distance Learning Schools can easily be completed via a computer with an Internet connection. One needs only to download assignments, listen to online lectures (or read lecture transcripts), study for exams, and complete and submit projects in a reasonable time frame. Most schools require at least 12-15 hours of study per week, but students can spend more time to complete their studies in a shorter period of time.

Because online colleges and universities vary in curriculums, the student should carefully review course guidelines before enrollment to determine which types of certification or degree programs are available. For those needing help with tuition costs, some Distance Learning Schools may participate in financial assistance programs (such as the Pell Grant), and other student loan services.

If you're seeking new skills to start a new career, or you'd like to enhance your personal marketability, or you're simply thirsty for more knowledge, distance learning schools may be a valuable option for you. Whatever the case may be, Distance Learning can provide you with the advantages you need to succeed and achieve overall personal and professional satisfaction.

If you are interested in learning more about Distance Learning Schools and other programs of study, please search our site for more information and resources.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.

Michael Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc., in association with http://SchoolsGalore.com. Visit our Distance Learning Directory and find Distance Learning Schools, Online Schools and other Schools, Colleges, Universities, and Trade Schools at http://SchoolsGalore.com; your educational resource to locate schools.Alexandra Blog23173
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