The last few articles I have written have been pretty much focused on the more common aspects of Identity Theft that plague our society. This next form of ID Theft the thieves have learned how to capitalize on the weakness of the credit system that engage in a systematic manipulation of the reporting entities. I believe "Synthetic Identity Theft" is one of the nastiest forms of Identity Theft that exists right now. One of the main reasons is that it uses several different types of identifying information to "create" a fictitious person. Synthetic Identity Theft can be carried out several different ways, for instance using a real social security number with a fake name and date of birth or switch the process around and use a real name with a phony social security number and address. Either way the thief can establish different identities and when a credit history is established using the synthetic identity the available credit is usually maxed out very quickly and the creditor is left to absorb the fraud loss. It is getting tougher to use this method of ID theft, however, when it does occur, guess who gets nailed with higher rates so that the creditors can recoup their losses? We all do in some way.

With all the sophisticated software out there and "Real Time" information that can be acquired you would think that at least a credit monitoring service would have the upper hand in detecting synthetic identity theft. Sadly, this is not the case. Synthetic Identity Theft actions are far less likely to appear on a credit report if some of the information that is being used for the fictitious person is yours. The big reason for this is that your information does not merge together nice and neat like it normally would.

For instance, if someone runs a credit check on you they have all your information together, name, address, SSN...etc. Now if one piece of your information is being used in synthetic ID theft the chances of it showing up on your credit report is very slim due to the fact that your partial information is merging with a different set of identifiers. Only until the collection agencies finally unravel what took place does the victim ever learn of the fraud that's been committed using their information.

What is the likelihood that you will be a victim of synthetic ID theft? To be honest I have not seen any clear-cut statistic but I would assume that the probability is just as good with this type as with any other form of Identity Theft. Just be diligent on how you use and distribute your information because dealing and absolving yourself with any form of ID theft can be struggle.

Carl D. Clifford has been a Legal and Identity Theft Specialist since 2001. Specializing in Red Flag Rule compliance for companies and businesses he also assists in the protection of families and individuals. http://www.7idtheftsecrets.com

I have a major concern for all of your children that are in high school and going to move on to college or university soon...

After entering the financial industry, the one reoccurring theme that is haunting to me is that so many people I meet, have no understanding of the importance of their credit score. They have not learned the importance of savings either. Many of them have bad debt from racking up their credit cards with extracurricular activities. Having student loans is understandable and almost expected from most people. In fact, I would call that an investment and not debt.

But...this is not their fault. Parents may do the best they can to explain and teach but who listened to their parents when they were 17 or 18? Exactly! Instead, I would beg of secondary schools to start a "Personal Finance 101" course and make it mandatory for all students to graduate.

In this course, I would teach them the importance of your credit rating. What it consists of and how to keep it over the 700 mark if possible. They may not have a credit rating yet, but they will soon. Explain what paying your bill a couple days late (no big deal) does to hurt your score. "Oops I missed that payment, I will pay it next month", "I can put it on my visa because the minimum payment is peanuts". Do they understand that an 80 dollar pair of jeans could end up costing over 200 dollars if they are just making minimum payments? Does compound interest mean anything to the 20 something's?

Secondly, I would explain the concept of saving for a rainy day. Novel idea - I know. The students may roll their eyes at this chapter but once they get into the working world it will all make sense. What to do if you get laid off? What if something on your car breaks and costs an unexpected 1500 dollars? I know the answer, just put it on the visa and pay it later. Same with that trip to Mexico, Clothes for that trip, new shoes, groceries and the concert tickets... See where I'm going with this?

This course could also include some introduction into renting your first place, which is a high probability for most that are going away for post-secondary. What are your responsibilities and what are your rights as a tenant etc. How can you budget (another key word) to live away from home, attend school while still ensuring that you eat and maybe have some left over for a night out. This is a great lesson to learn but most teenagers are thrown into this lifestyle and have no clue how to manage or balance their expenses. This is how the snowball begins to form.....

While you are on that chapter, might as well add in the First Time Home Buyers chapter. Do teenagers have any idea how much it costs to buy a home? Do they care at this point, maybe not but might as well get them used to the words 'down payment" and "credit check". This might save the shocked look on their faces when they come to me to get pre-approved for a mortgage or at least give them the idea that there is something after 'the party years" to look forward to. Your credit score is becoming more like your fingerprint. (It tells your life story). It's key to getting the best rate, loans that you need and maybe even that job you want will require a credit check.

While no one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes with their finances, being educated is still an important part of growing up. Part of one's education should include some important life skills such as managing their finances and maintaining a good credit score for their futures. Being financially responsible is going to help them get into a home sooner and start to build "equity" sooner.

So next time, your child comes home from school and tells you he dissected a frog in class, ask him if he knows what his credit rating is? And if he puts his earphones and pulls out his phone to start texting, you will have the answer and understand what I am talking about. They may not care now but they will soon!

The last few years have likely brought much angst to your clients when it comes to their personal finances. And as a trusted adviser, your clients may want to turn to you for help to deal with the aftermath of the economic fluctuations and settle their jitters. Yet too often those big personal financial planning questions go unasked.

But why?

For the answer to that question-and tips on closing the gap to get appropriate financial planning advice to clients-Rob Healy, CPA/PFS, CFP, chair of the CalCPA Personal Financial Planning Committee, and I spoke with several CPAs and CPA/PFS financial planners and narrowed the important points into four key areas.

1. Understanding Financial Planning

Financial planning means different things to different people, and every planning situation is different. Clients often mistake financial planning for investment planning-and CPAs often don't have a clear picture of the financial planning process either. To best address clients' concerns, CPA Sue Tollis advises that CPAs should have enough knowledge of financial planning to sort out a client's needs and recommend an appropriate referral.

According to the AICPA's Statements on Responsibilities in a Personal Financial Planning Practice, "Personal financial planning is the process of identifying individual goals, family goals or a combination of the two; evaluating existing resources; and designing financial strategies that, when implemented, move the individual toward achieving these goals. In addition, personal financial planning may include implementing, monitoring and updating a financial plan. Personal financial planning encompasses a broad range of services in a variety of interrelated financial areas, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Budgeting and cash flow planning.
• Income tax planning.
• Risk management and insurance planning.
• Retirement planning.
• Investment planning.
• Wealth transfer planning.

"In addition, personal financial planning often addresses more specialized issues, such as financial recordkeeping, planning for education costs, philanthropy, divorce, planning for elder issues and other issues related to clients' finances."

Investment planning focuses primarily on bonds, securities and other types of investments traded on the markets and plans for a certain rate of return or rate of withdrawal.

Investment planning is also commonly mistaken for investment trading, which is the buying and selling of stocks and bonds by a stock broker. A stock broker is licensed to complete transactions, and may or may not be licensed to give planning advice.

What is clear is that the duty of CPAs and CPA/financial planners is to exercise a fiduciary responsibility by always placing the client's needs first to provide high quality, objective services that best match the client's needs.

Most CPAs perform some elements of financial planning in the form of tax planning, estate planning, debt management and planning, cash flow planning and more. CPA Scott Haislet says he often gets asked whether he does financial planning, and his response, "What do you mean?" helps to open a broader conversation.

For example, that question may prompt a client to talk about struggles with his house being under water and difficulty making the payments, which could lead to a discussion about debt reduction strategies to lessen the client's cash flow burden. Haislet emphasizes the importance of debt planning and has recently been providing mortgage counseling for upside-down borrowers over the last couple of years.
Matching client's needs to the right type of financial planning is critical. Comprehensive financial planning provides a framework for organizing the various elements of a client's financial picture and creating strategies based on the goals and objectives of the family.

However, not all clients require comprehensive financial plans. Clients with smaller retirement savings may need more help with cash flow management and creating savings plans, for which a company that offers money coaching would be a better match to teach people how to acquire the skills necessary to stay on task and achieve short-term money goals. Either way, integrating financial planning with your tax or estate planning allows for better strategies for the client.

2. Go Ahead, Make a Referral

When opening a discussion about a client's personal financial concerns, CPAs must face the challenge of addressing fears that arise when contemplating making a referral. Common fears include pushing a product to the client, possible damage to the client and retribution back to the CPA, liability for referring or not referring to an expert, loss of the client's tax or assurance services, not knowing enough to feel confident in broaching the subject, or not wanting to cut off referrals for tax or assurance services. These are all valid concerns, and yet the recommendations to overcome these concerns were universal.

To overcome the fears of whether your client will be "sold to" and how the client will be treated, it is important that CPAs make referrals to experts that have high ethics and standards, similar to what CPAs are held to, and who are service, rather than sales, oriented. A good place for CPAs to start building that referral network in their local CalCPA chapter's personal financial planning committee meetings. "You will meet like-mind CPAs, understand more about financial planning and learn the differences between a stockbroker and a CPA/PFS," says Lynn Gardner, CPA.

To remove the fear of losing your tax or assurance work, it was mutually stated by CPAs and CPA/PFSs to have clear boundaries and agreements ahead of time regarding not providing or offering similar services to the client to avoid poaching. Neither party wants to be in a situation of "stepping on the toes" of the other.
As with any referral, CPAs must understand the importance of performing their due diligence. To overcome the fears of damage or retribution back to the CPA and other potential liability, it's important to understand the background of the person you are referring to. As we are protecting ourselves as CPAs, it's important to advise clients to protect themselves.

Irv Rothenberg, CPA/PFS, says it well when it comes to being safe: "Do your due diligence. Check the public resources for any actions against an adviser, and read their ADV Part II, the required disclosure brochure" (see "Due Diligence" sidebar).

A high level of confidence in who you refer your clients to and having multiple referral sources are critical pieces of your due diligence.

3. Having Confidence in Your Referral Source

There are two critical elements in having confidence in referring a client to a CPA/financial planner: understanding what the client may need and gaining trust in the referral.

To provide the best fit for a client to a CPA/financial planning referral, it's important to assess the client's level of investment knowledge, sophistication and personality. This will help determine whether a comprehensive-or hand-holding-approach is needed, and the planning specialization that is necessary for the engagement. Knowing how much a client has in investment assets is important, as some advisers have minimums and some clients may need money coaching instead of investment management services. This is also an opportunity for CPAs to help their client understand the importance of good planning and working with a trusted advisory team. The better the match of the CPA/PFS to the client, the better the client will be served and satisfied.

We also uncovered some good advice on how to gain trust in new referral sources. First, CPAs like working with other CPA's.

Leonard Wright, CPA/PFS, CFP adds that the industry exams are designed to cover the standards and knowledge base that CPAs already bring to the table. "Non-CPA/financial planners must learn what CPAs already do instinctively," he says.

There's a commonality in CPAs, being raised in the same family of ethics that brings the same perspective and level of care to the client. CPAs understand the role of CPAs, their contribution to the client's financial strength and the inner workings of a tax or audit practice.

Interviewing a potential referral to understand how the person or firm approaches financial planning, delivers service and-as emphasized by Gina Chironis, CPA/PFS-their investment philosophy before passing the name along to a client is key.

"Reprinted with permission from the California Society of CPAs. Unless otherwise stated, views expressed are those of the authors and individuals quoted, not CalCPA."

Angie M. Grainger, CPA/PFS, CFP(r), Certified Money Coach
 President at RETHINK Money Coaching, Inc. Helping people master their money so they use it to transition into their NEW desired ideal life.

For a FREE money quiz, go to http://www.49secretsofmoney.com

Single moms have to deal with different responsibilities and challenges, which are normally shared between both parents. Thanks to grants for single moms, mothers are able to take care of their children. Grants for single mothers from the government are offered in every state and there are nearly 900 different programs available. As a matter of fact, there are many private organizations that offer essential help to them.

Like any other government assistance, for single mom grants, the applicant must meet certain criteria to be eligible. The first criterion is the applicant must be U.S. citizen or a resident of U.S. for a minimum of three years. If the applicant is seeking grants for single mothers for educational help, they must have a high school diploma or a GED. There are certain financial programs offered by U.S government that requires applicants to bring home around 85% of their average program for their area as stipulated by the State department.

There are different types of single mom grants available. Among the different programs available, here are the most important grants for single mothers.

Education: Educational grants for single moms are one of the most common forms of government help. Federal Pell Grant or FPG is a kind of grant used by them for funding school. Single moms seeking educational government aid required to apply for FAFSA, which is required to be given to the school of their choice to complete an application. The applicant can find out more details by contacting the financial aid office of the school.

Other than government grants for education for them, private scholarships and grants are offered by non-profit organizations as well as corporate businesses. The list of this current scholarship is available either at local community colleges and financial aid offices.

Housing: Single moms sometimes face problems in finding a proper shelter both for her and her kids. Thus, the second most common type of government help for single moms is housing support. HUD or U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is known to provide housing options for single mothers at low prices. In fact, sometimes they are also known for providing free houses to families that don't have proper financial needs. To learn more about this grants, it is advisable to check the official website of HUD.

Food & Nutrition: WIC or Women, Infants and Children are another government grants for single mothers where one is allowed to purchase foods with the help of EFT card. This card is very similar to a credit card. The government provides updates every month. These types of grants for single mothers can help a lot. Single mothers can contact local service offices to get more details.

Grants for single mothers can help a lot in raising your child the way you want. But before you apply for single mom grants from government, you must ensure that you have opted for the right procedure to get the help. Ensuring that you are meeting the criteria is the first step to success. Have all the required documents and papers ready in hand. This includes your social security number, tax information, passport information, bank statements etc.

Get more information about other Grants For Single Mothers that you can use to get financial help. Single moms can get more help from our website which has state assistance information and much more. The article provides a glimpse of different types of single mom grants offered by government.

http://www.singlemomfinancialhelp.com/

Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) offer low expense ratios and high trading flexibility. That makes them attractive alternatives to traditional mutual funds. And they can serve as part of both long-term and short-term investment strategy. Here's the scoop...

ETFs trade intraday just like a stock - unlike mutual funds. You can buy them long or sell short; use them in hedge strategies, and buy them on margin. If you can think of a strategy that can be implemented with a stock or bond, that strategy can be applied with an ETF - but instead of trading the stock or bond issued by a single company, you're trading an entire market or market segment. That's what makes them flexible.

*ETF Costs:

Though ETF fees may be less than most mutual funds, some are higher. So check their fees before you buy. Use the NASD Mutual Fund Analyzer to compare the expenses of up to three exchange traded funds, mutual funds or share classes of the same mutual fund.

Be careful not to offset any ETF fee advantages by accumulating commissions and other trading costs if you trade them frequently. Trading imposes commissions. But infrequent or high volume trading can help keep commission costs at a minimum.

*Using ETF index funds as an investment strategy:

You can choose ETFs that invest in broad-market indexes. There are ETFs that mirror the S&P 500, the Nasdaq 100, the Dow Industrials and about every other major market index - on the equity side. While on the fixed-income side, other ETFs track long-term and short-term bond indexes including the Lehman 1-to-3 Year Treasury, the Lehman 20-Year Treasury and the Lehman Aggregate Bond Index. Owning only two or three ETFs, you can create a broad and diverse portfolio that covers most of equity market and much of the fixed-income market. Then just stick to a buy-and-hold strategy as you would with any other index product.

*Actively Managing ETFs:

With ETFs you can create a broadly diversified portfolio but choose to actively manage it instead of just buying and holding a major ETF indexes as is done in passive management.

Apart from broad market index-based ETFs, you can buy ETFs targeted at a wide array of small-cap, sector, commodity, international, emerging market, and other investing opportunities. ETFs track indexes in just about every area, including biotechnology, healthcare, REITs, gold, Japan, and more.

You might add one or more of these targeted ETFs to your broad market ETFs as an aggressive addition to a conservative portfolio. Then, you can buy and hold it to create a long-term portfolio or trade more actively. As an example, if biotechnology is set to fall and while gold should rise, trade out of your biotech position and into gold in a matter of moments at any time during the trading day.

ETF offer a range of investment strategies and flexibility that's unique to them. Perhaps they offer an approach to investing you're looking for.

Shane Flait helps you with your financial legal, tax, and retirement goals.

Get his FREE report on Managing Your Retirement => http://www.easyretirementknowhow.com/FreeReportandSignUp.htm.

Read his ebook: 'Wise Way to Financial Independence' => http://www.easyretirementknowhow.com/WiseWayGate.htm.

Finding a sensible place to invest your money is one of the most terrifying experiences in many peoples lives, the horror of watching all of your life's saving disappear in seconds because someone wasn't paying attention is the number one fear of the middle class today. Good investments are not always obvious. Since for many people it is their future, the importance cannot be overestimated.

Investing in a well established and trusted company is a nice secure way to make sure that your money probably won't disappear overnight. Safe stocks are more expensive because they are less risk. It has been said that property is theft, and to some degree that remains true today as if you have a good portfolio of property and find a letting agent you are paid for doing literally nothing.

The bond market is a more safe version of the stock market where money is invested in the future in the same way but is not so closely linked to market fluctuations up or down making a safer investment. A mutual fund allows you to join a group of similar investors led by financial experts who will reinvest the groups money into the stock market. This way you can be involved in the actual investment but with expert help.

Exchange Traded Funds or EFTs work in the same way as mutual funds but they will be limited to one industry allowing for a greater level of expertise. Great if you share this expertise. A private pension is for the most part an incredibly safe and reliable way to invest money for the future although obviously the profit is much lower along with the risks

Art is a good investment for those who have an interest in the art world or an eye for a piece with the possibility to make some truly staggering returns with the advantage of actually owning a thing. Private equity is the practice of investing in companies that are not publicly traded. This is a good option if you find the stock market a terrifying and insane place sucking the life out of all human endeavor that it comes into contact with.

A trust fund is investing your money directly into your family or a group of your choosing to be drawn on according to conditions set by the investor. They are not a good investment for profit but can have high human rewards. Motivation is often a key stumbling block.

Government bonds work exactly the same as private bonds but they allow the government to make use of private money for social programs as well as providing a fair interest rate so you can give back while saving. There are a number of options for good investments out there, be sure to choose the right one. Don't rush, be sure you know what you are getting into.

There are plenty of investment tips available on our website. Click on this link for more information on what makes good investments

http://www.investingcleverly.com/1193/good-investments/

Because I am a judgment broker, I witness a vast quantity of judgment sales and many more attempted judgment sales. It seems every week, the amount of cash anyone is willing to pay for any judgment is declining.

The value of a judgment depends solely on the status of the judgment debtor. With the economy shrinking, almost everything and everyone's assets are downsizing or losing value. Wages are down, home prices are down, employment and opportunities are reduced, saving rates are down. When a debtor has nothing, a judgment is worth nothing.

Even if your judgment was for fraud, where the debtor stole a lot of money from you, most frauds do not do very well in the long run. Many people that were rich a few years ago are no longer rich. Most people are not doing so well now, and most debtors are doing even worse.

Buying a judgment is always a risk. In an upward economy the risk was smaller, because most debtors (or their families) often made more money in the future. In a growing economy, buying a judgment would be a moderate risk.

Now, buying judgments is much more risky. Here are my top ten reasons selling judgments for cash up-front, brings much lower cash prices now, because of the increased risks:

1) Job loss and business failures. Debtors may find work under the table, for instance selling drugs or being an unlicensed contractor, etc. Such income sources are very difficult to verify or recover.

2) With home prices going down, liens are much less likely to pay off.

3) Debtors are now more likely to file for bankruptcy protection. In the overwhelming majority of cases, bankruptcy wipes out most judgments. Note that even if your judgment was for fraud, it takes a lot of time and money in bankruptcy court to bring this to the court's attention. Also, if the debtor is poor, you still will not get paid, or recover your extra costs to make your judgment non-dischargeable.

4) Debtors are now more likely to try to appeal or to set-aside/vacate judgments. If you buy a judgment outright and the debtor wins a motion to vacate, your judgment is gone.

5) Recovery costs are always rising. Courts and sheriff often raise their fees.

6) Laws are changing to better protect debtors, protecting their privacy and increasing their exemptions from a creditor's levy.

7) Every year it becomes more difficult to recover a judgment against debtors better than 65 years old.

8) Because asset values (vehicles, property, etc.) are declining, the economics of sheriff auction sales are making less sense.

9) As the economy slides, more and more people want cash now for their judgments, which drives cash up-front pricing for average judgments down.

10) The same risks that have always kept cash up-front prices low still remain. If the debtor dies, becomes disabled, poor, moves far away, or goes "underground", the judgment becomes worthless.

Sometimes good things happen to debtors, for instance they might inherit property or win the lotto. Cash up-front buyers cannot count on such rare potential luck.

However, future pay recovery specialists can take advantage of such lucky breaks, and then share the luck of the judgment debtor with you. Unless your debtor is rich, you are always better off with a future-pay judgment enforcer or a contingency collections lawyer.

Mark D. Shapiro - Judgment Enforcement Expert - good for all judgment owners, Judgment Enforcers and contingency collection attorneys:
http://www.JudgmentBuy.com - where Judgments quickly get Purchased or Enforced!

Ever considered diversifying your assets to other economies? If so, you better check out the Chinese economy.

Over the past few years, China has established an emerging market at par with the western economies. After all it boasts of being the worlds most heavily populated country. International businesses and companies have seen the growing influence of the Chinese economy. Thus, many investors are seeing the possibility of penetrating this market. Before any foreign business can conduct transactions in the country, they need to have proper work permit which includes business-class China visa. A China visa allows businessmen to visit the country and see where their investments go to.

In 2008, China visa applications skyrocketed with the hosting of the Olympic Games. Many business tycoons holding a China visa gained profit out of the lucrative investments they made. As the Chinese economy continues to gain tremendous influence in the global market, most CEOs are now considering China visa as an essential trade document. The growth of the economy will continue to propel people and businesses. With the unlimited opportunities in this vibrant market, there is no reason to hold off on investing in China.

Foreign investors need to understand that for them to be allowed to participate in and enter China; they need to have a China visa. Take note that there are specific types of Chinese visa which they have to avail to be permitted to conduct business in the country. For individual investors, there are three ways of penetrating the Chinese economy: mutual funds, individual stock exchange and foreign companies with base in China. Of these three ways, success is more guaranteed in mutual funds investment.

Mutual funds offer several advantages for foreign investors. First, your assets are diversified in the Chinese economy particularly on the Chinese stocks. You can gain access to different Chinese companies which may not be listed in your original countrys roster of international companies. Second, this is a convenient way of investing money in China. There are several brokerages which have simple account setup interface. Third, mutual funds are managed by financial experts in the Chinese economy. They are far more knowledgeable in terms of investing your money.

However, not all companies are equal. Some offer faster return of investment as compared with other companies. Make sure that you check necessary details like fee structures, expense ratios and recent performance history. Most successful investors prefer visiting the company using their Chinese visa. You should be particular with the history of the investment manager. A reliable fund manager must have over fifteen years of experience in the Chinese and international market. You can get to know them in person if you have a Chinese visa and you actually visit the country. Also pay close attention to the investment strategy of the fund manager. A more conservative investment strategy may be beneficial but it can also prolong the return of investment. Some managers follow a high-risk, high-growth strategy. Either way, you can get to choose which strategy fits your own personal investment pattern.

To ensure that your money will be invested properly, you can choose to stay in China using a China Visa, this way you will learn hands-on the business climate in the country.

http://www.chinesevisauk.co.uk/

After a few years of sweating profusely as a walk on full back on the University of Maryland's gridiron, Plank found his niche. A natural born hustler, Plank realized he was better suited up as a business man and not an athlete after creating his own jobs to make money during the football season. Soon he set out on a path to create performance underwear that can remain dry or relatively dry during high impact sports after being dubbed "the sweatiest guy on the football field."

Plank single handedly created his company by running through various prototypes and testing fabrics to determine which types held the best qualities of water repellant, durability, and comfort. Plank finally discovered the perfect under shirt to keep the modern athlete dry and it was a far from your basic sweat drenched cotton t-shirt. It was the first form-fitting, moisture wicking Under Armour shirt. From the shirt came the compression shorts, then the sports bras, then a full blown athletic gear empire that has teams ordering from little league to the pros.

Under Armour's humble beginnings started in his grandmother's townhouse in Washington D.C. in 1996. His cushion was about $20,000 he made during another business venture while in college, Cupid's Valentine where he sold roses for Valentine's Day. He sent samples of his shirts to his former teammates that went on to play professional football. His days consisted of calling athletic equipment managers for sales. When sales didn't take off after his shirt being modeled on the cover of USA Today, Plank realized it was going to take real work and not fools luck to create a great business. It was indeed a slow climb to major profit for Under Armour. Plank went from depending on credit cards to level the company month to month, to netting $1 billion in 2009. Notably, Plank was not on the payroll until three years after the birth of Under Armour. Under Armour is now a household name.

Under Armour's target market is now children. Reaching them as young as possible is of most importance. As far as Plank is concerned if he can get an 8 year old in Under Armour that child will wear the brand forever and may even become the world's next sports sensation. The youth is marketing for the future. With the company's next goal being to hit hard in the footwear apparel market, the youth is a good place to start.

Plank's endorsers have been Brandon Jennings, Tom Brady, Michael Phelps, and most recently Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton. Planks favorite slogans which are used in most of Under Armour's advertisements are, "We must protect this house" and "We will."

http://postpro.biz/magazine/under-armour 's-kevin-plank-billion-dollar-brand...no-sweat/
http://www.postpro.biz

The Relay for Life idea began with one person wanting to fight cancer. In 1985 Dr. Gordy Klatt decided to run and walk around a track for 24 hours as an effort to raise money for the American Cancer Society. His idea has caught on big time and now more than 3.5 million people take part in the annual Relay for Life in over 5,000 towns and cities in the United States as well as in 20 other countries around the globe. To quote the Relay for Life site, it's a "global phenomenon" and it raises much needed funds as well as a national awareness for cancer and the research into a cure.

During this first year Dr. Klatt ran over 83 miles at the University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Washington. As Dr. Klatt walked and ran his laps family and friends participated by donating $25 to walk and run with him for half an hour. This initial effort by Dr. Klatt produced $27,000 of funds that were put to cancer research to fight this disease.

Every Relay For Life has many similarities although no two will be the same. Local events take on local flavors and every person involved will bring their own ideas to the event. All Relays however have a certain theme, and follow the original tradition, regardless of where in the country, or the world, they are being held.

All Relays start with what is called a Survivors Lap. This lap honors survivors who are invited to have a lap around the track to celebrate their victory they have achieved over cancer. This beginning to each event is often characterized with love and emotions spilling over into tears and smiles as so many have a look at their lives, where they are, where they've been and most of all, where they are still going.

Care givers are not forgotten at any Relay and there is always a moment to respect them for all their efforts. Care givers give of themselves, their love, their time and of course all of the support they provide to friends and neighbors, family and co-workers who are affected by cancer.

The second part of all Relays is the Luminaria Ceremony, where we remember. After dark candles or glow sticks are lit inside bags which bear the names of those who have been touched by cancer. A silent lap is traditional among attendants. Grieving and healing come through the silence and a bonding of those involved always takes over. Life long friends and acquaintances are made and new loved ones acquired during a typical Relay For Life.

The Fight Back Ceremony marks the close of the event and is where we all vow to continue the fight against cancer and make personal commitments to that end. Getting tests, smoking cessation, taking actions and raising money are usual commitments, but there is always something new to arise from this selfless commitment to do whatever you can to help end the suffering of those who have cancer.

Robert 'BK' Kelsey writes of cancer related activities and to help those touched to get involved and attend a Relay For Life to help fight cancer. Glow sticks and other Relay For Life products are also available online
http://www.nicaboyne.com/

The following cancer news and research could save your life, so please consider it carefully. My mother passed away from breast cancer in 1997. As her son, in the few years prior to her passing, I desperately struggled alongside her to find a cure and for any news and research into the latest treatments that would prolong or save her life. We tried shark cart ledge, intravenous vitamin c therapy, iridology, naturopathic treatments and whole body hyperthermia treatment without success. What I did not know then, which I have since researched and discovered, is that the primary cause of cancer is a highly stressful event that has occurred approximately 2 years prior to the actual diagnosis.

Knowing this information could have saved my mother's life. In 1990 my mother's own mother passed away and 2 years later she developed cancer of the left breast. They were very close and it was devastating news. It was a highly stressful event, and I can remember her saying at the time that she felt like a zombie for 2 months after her mother's passing. Neither of us realized that this was the real cause or trigger of her cancer.

In the 1980's, Dr Ryke Geerd Hamer of Germany researched more than 20,000 cancer patients after developing testicular cancer 2 years after his young son was killed. He believed there was a link between his son's death and his developing cancer. He subsequently discovered in his research of 20,000 cancer patients, there was a direct link between a highly stressful event and cancer developing 2 years later. What he also discovered was that every cancer, such as lung cancer or liver cancer, has a very different emotional cause. In my mother's case, Dr Hamer discovered that the emotional cause of cancer of the left breast, being very different to the right breast, was a highly stressful conflict concerning the home, the mother, or a child. In my own mother's case, she suffered a highly stressful conflict concerning the death of her mother, so this fit.

Since this time I have spoken to hundreds of cancer patients and in nearly all cases, there was a highly stressful event that occurred approximately 2 years prior to their diagnosis, and the emotional cause was exactly as Dr Hamer had detailed it. In further research I discovered there was a very specific process that occurred at the cell-level between a highly stressful event that caused a weakening or closing down of the immune system and cancer developing. This research was conducted by Professor Gaston Naessens, who found that healthy somatids in our cells, necessary for life, changed or pleomorphised into cancer-causing fungus over an 18 month period. This weakening of the immune system was caused by a lack of adrenaline due to high stress, and the cancer-causing fungus fed on the increased levels of sugar (glucose) in our cells, causing acidification, breaking the cell's oxygen krebs cycle, causing cell mutation: cancer. This process took approximately 18 months - 2 years, and so this fit in exactly with Dr Ryke Geerd Hamer's theory.

Put simply, the highly stressful event that occurred 2 years prior to diagnosis has caused cancer because the unresolved emotional pain and stress of the event, which has been suppressed, depletes important adrenaline reserves for keeping the body cancer-free. This is very empowering news for the cancer patient. If you have created your cancer at the cell-level due to unresolved emotional pain and stress, then you can now "uncreate it" by healing your emotional pain relating to this past event and other painful events in your life. For it is this unresolved emotional pain and stress that is FUELING your cancer. In further research, we have discovered that prominent cancer researcher Lothar Hirneise, who investigated hundreds of late stage cancer survivors, cited as miracles, found in nearly all cases they had made a decision to heal their emotions and let go of their repressed feelings of anger, hate, resentment and grief that they realized was fueling their cancer. YOU CAN DO THIS TO and heal your body by healing your mind and your emotions. The great news is, cancer does not have a mind of its own and it has no power over you. It must be re-created daily, as cancer cells die daily, and it needs your body to be depleted of adrenaline in order to keep mutating. When you heal your emotions, your adrenaline levels will return to your normal, and you will return to optimum health.

Glen Russell is a cancer researcher and founder of the website http://www.alternative-cancer-care.com To discover the exact emotional cause of your cancer go to http://www.alternative-cancer-care.com/Dr_Ryke_Geerd_Hamer.html

If you run a business organization, you very well know the importance of computer network running without any trouble. If your network experiences issues which leads to unnecessary downtime, this will mean a loss of business productivity as well as potential revenue. With this in mind, you should always consider hiring a company that specializes in providing a complete IT solution for your computer network services.

Nowadays, many companies are in the business of providing networking services to various organizations. An ideal company to consider for your organization should be able to help you with the following issues:

• Assessment of your current network and your future needs
• Installation of a new network or expanding your current network
• Provide management of your network
• Provide proactive maintenance and reactionary resolution to your network
• Provide a redundant backup solution
• Secure your network on the ongoing bases
• Stay current with trends while providing updates on new technology
• Infrastructure support that includes installation of racks, cables, and patch panels
• IT troubleshooting solutions from a help desk to a network engineer
• 24 x 7 x 365 network monitoring solution
• Help Desk support that provides remote and phone support 24 x 7

Computer network service providers now a days offer a wide array of programs designed to perfectly match your networking needs. They analyze the existing infrastructure and evaluate the networking needs of an organization first before implementing any plans.

A reliable computer network serves as a foundation for realization of organizational plans. It allows exchange of critical information between different departments and locations. A professional computer network company would be able to handle your network problems quickly and efficiently assuring that as little time as possible is lost so that maximum focus can be given to the growth of your business and meeting client needs.

If you are thinking to hire a network service provider company for your business, look for the ones who can address your needs quickly and are readily available to you. You should go for the ones who have certified staff and a proven track record in customer satisfaction.

To avoid any down time, costly repairs, delays, it is a wise step to hire the computer network specialist company that will serve you with complete solution to your networking needs. Having a good computer networking service provider by your side will ensure you have a better performance, greater convenience, and improved dependability.

NIT | connect specializes in designing total business solutions for companies. They provide a wide variety of services including computer network services. To know more about their quality work and the services offered, log on to http://www.nitconnect.net

Technology has made the task of fleet management easy, organized and more effective than before for owners of transport businesses. Managing a fleet of trucks that are constantly on the move is not an easy task and any lapse in management can lead to considerable financial setback and loss of credibility.

The introduction of GPS technology has proved to be a boon for the transport business. The transport business involves extensive capital investment. There are high operational and maintenance expenses at every stage and unless proper checks and constant monitoring is done to track vehicles and ensure minimum breakdowns, the business is doomed. Luckily, GPS fleet management has provided fleet owners with a very effective tool that helps them keep abreast of the latest position of each vehicle so that corrective measures can be taken well in advance. All that the owner needs to do is find a suitable online agency that provides the latest truck tracking system and use it to optimize operational and maintenance costs and protect the assets of the organisation.

Basics Of A Truck Tracking System

The basic element of a truck tracking system is the GPS satellite system that has been put into orbit around the earth. Information is beamed to it from the earth and it is transmitted back to a small GPS receiver which consists of an integrated RF cellular module. This device also serves to transmit its location and other vital data to servers that collect different types of data, assimilate them and present them to the owner. Satellites were earlier used to make the communication uplinks available but as a result of advancement in technology, GPRS networks are now being used throughout the United States. By using the latest terrestrial wireless network, truck tracking systems have become inexpensive.

Latest Features

Some reliable websites providing Fleet management services have added many new features which have improved the performance of truck tracking systems. Apart from a user friendly interactive display of the GPS device, the screen is customisable and provides unprecedented flexibility of operations. The icons have been designed to be easily recognisable and there is a provision for getting multiple map views and related data. The screen positions can be altered as per convenience and the window sizes can be customised. This enables dispatchers to selectively view information that is most crucial at any particular time.

The job of dispatchers and fleet managers has become more effective because of the latest facility of being able to see a number of interactive maps all together in the same screen. Each map is visible in its own window which can be controlled independently. Specific vehicles can be zoomed in the backdrop of all other vehicles. In this way, the fleet manager can make better decisions regarding operations. The tiled view facility enables them to better monitor the position and progress of different vehicles.

Fleet management with the latest truck tracking systems enables managers to cut down losses and maximize service calls of vehicles. Fuel costs and downtime of vehicles can also be minimized ensuring optimum profitability. With better fleet management, the organisation can achieve greater customer satisfaction and continuity of business.

For running a transport business profitably, it is imperative to take the help of a reliable website that provides the latest GPS fleet management techniques for better monitoring of vehicles and minimizing losses.

http://www.trafficmaster.co.uk/fleet-management

Computer systems ought to be an aid to the human, but as we get more creative, we delegate as much as we can to the systems. When systems aid the decision maker, great decisions can be made. When systems actually make the decisions, we have seen many "silly" decisions made simply because systems succumb to their decision algorithms instead of instincts and feelings. Artificial Intelligence is quite often understood as the computerized simulation of human thinking. However, in its current form it is based on forms of logic. We will find that the customer does not always relate to the most logical decision - as illogical as that sounds! However, this is the human way, so we must find ways to overcome this deficiency with our Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems.

It may be that we haven't quite turned the corner to the most sophisticated forms of AI. We believe we can achieve much more. Technology has not been growing in a linear form, as we believed in the past. We now have proof, based on historical growth, that technology grows exponentially. This means we can expect to see very human-like systems in the very near future. AI systems may not take the form we expect. For example, while consumers expect a neural network with many lights and microscopic transistors, researchers developed a system with a functioning animal's brain installed within as the functioning CPU. A lot of progress was made with this method of artificial decision making. With this research and other breakthroughs, all of a sudden, the attributes we thought could never be handled by an AI suddenly are.

We would not have enough time to discuss each aspect of an AI system. The least we can do is look at ways these are developed and state some of the ways we can overcome the obstacles associated with these.

Too much complexity: Think of AI systems as being split into three parts. The first part would be the input (where it is fed the information used to make decisions). The second part would be what we call the "hidden node" (where the algorithm lives that will process the information and decide what the outcome will be). The third part would be the output (where it organizes and displays its decisions to the end user or connecting system).

Concerning the hidden nodes section, you can have multiple nodes. In fact, the more hidden nodes you have the more complex your AI system will be. However, if follows that if you have too many hidden nodes, the complexity can become too high, and there become too many patterns for the NN to learn. Who would think a computer could have too many patterns to learn? It is not so much a problem of CPU efficiency as it is more of an introduction of inconsistencies into your algorithms causing multiple system failures, as well as an overload in specifics, such that the system does not recognize outliers. So use less hidden nodes for a more simple or basic problem.

Memorization: You want your system to actually "learn", and not just "memorize". When it just memorizes, it is unable to properly analyze new problems or outliers. There is no need to create overly complex systems to compensate for memorization deficiencies. You can mitigate this problem by testing the system with brand new information to see if it learned anything yet. Instruct your analysts and programmers to develop algorithms that find ways to categorize brand new information and store it, but in addition, receive feedback from output, and store this (effectively learning from mistakes as humans do)

Over Learning: If you "teach" the system for too long, it can "over learn". This can cause it to get "paranoid" and see patterns there that do not truly exist. As a result, errors can start increasing at this point onwards. This would render your system useless, or leave it vulnerable to a hacker's manipulative tactics. You can mitigate this by stopping training and testing to see what point the errors stop decreasing. This is why you should spend ample time developing ways to test your system.

Local Solutions: You may receive a solution that is simply a local one. So although the solution works, it may not be the optimal solution. You can mitigate this problem by testing the solutions received to determine the best one.

Limited Capabilities: The hard truth is that your AI system can only solve problems that it is made to solve. As a result, some problems cannot be solved efficiently by the system. The good news is that it can solve problems that should!

The takeaway message is that the AI system should not completely replace the human being. If it does, the process must be basic or straightforward in nature. A system must be in place to monitor how the AI system treats outliers. Also, human review and intervention is absolutely necessary to the effectiveness of the system.

Many states are in the process of making their police citations an electronic process. The state of Wisconsin has been using the eCitation program which is a federally funded program that streamlines the process of filing traffic citations with a variety of offices. The process takes place in the officer's cruiser where with a click they can file directly to places such as district attorneys, courts, and Department of Transportation. By using eCitation hand written tickets will not exist and neither will the errors they come with. Annually hundreds of tickets get misplaced or are thrown out due to illegibility when officers handwrite citations but with eCitation everything is electronically submitted, filed, and distributed to the proper channels to different locations.

With the threat of funding being pulled Wisconsin's police force may be at risk of ultimately reverting back to the old system which exposes them to lack of efficiency. With officers hand writing citations there is much lost time spent on the side of the road and can lead to reduced revenue loss from tickets being thrown out due to errors. By equipping officers with eCitation they can spend more time and focus on their environments and less on paperwork.

Zebra Technologies offers Electronic Citation products such as mobile printers and supplies. Integrated card readers can be added to the Zebra mobile printer to capture credit card information allowing immediate payment at point of citation. These solutions coupled with Handheld Computers from Motorola can provide GPS Location, pictures of the drivers license, and license plate, and notes(legible ones). A signature capture is even available.

Typically the Zebra QL220 or QL420 series is used for creating the ticket. This is a direct thermal printer used with special paper that is able to endure long periods of time in sunlight. This unit coupled with a Motorola handheld computer such as the MC75 or MC55 can make a complete system. The Motorola handheld computer can be batch, wireless, or even connected via cell phone service back to the office. This gives immediate feedback to the department responsible for the ticket. With special software and the right scanner, the drivers license can even be scanned to pull information on the driver. This scan can even allow for lookups into other violations that the violator might have, possibly making the officers job a bit safer too.

To put it simply, the ROI for using this technology over manually writing the citation, is pretty evident. Even the speed with which the officer can handle the cycle of a citation, will be expedited. Did I say he might have more time to write more tickets?

Copyright (c) 2011 Carl Shackelford

A1 Barcode Systems, 800.798.2042x0

http://www.aonebar.com

Zebra Mobile Printers

Motorola Handheld Computers

Computer repair is pricey and time-consuming. It's your responsibility as the owner of a desktop computer or laptop to ensure its healthy condition, well before a computer repair technician's costly services. Often problems occur due to carelessness and lack of insight about a computer's needs.

Once owners learn what not to do, and how some of their bad habits can lead to equipment failure, then computer repair trips are likely to boil down to a minimum. It's also important to know the steps that should be taken towards a smoother running computer. Here are a few key points to be mindful of, which will guarantee time and money is well spent.

1). The laptop power cord, or any cord for that matter should be treated with care. Often owners will ride over them with their chairs or accidentally step on them. Keep cords in a safe area, away from commotion. As well, laptop cords are often folded improperly and then hurriedly stuffed into a bag. Make sure you properly fold your cord and secure it nicely to avoid damage. The cord is not as sturdy as you might think. When taking the cord out of the power socket, instead of pulling on the cord from the middle, place your hand directly over the plug and then pull. By tugging at the middle you run the risk of loosening or permanently damaging the plug.

2). Desktop computer and laptop owners should buy or download antivirus software. A virus could seriously damage or slowdown your computer and even lead to data loss. Even if you are downloading content that seems relatively safe and which you are knowledgeable about, there is still the chance that a virus could appear. To avoid frustrating trips to the computer repair shop, take a few minutes out of your day to install antivirus software.

3). Lack of cleanliness can lead to serious computer problems in the future. Eating over your keyboard can cause crumbs to lodge themselves in between the keys, which can lead to their damage. This issue could also draw in the presence of small bugs. Also, make sure that your hands are clean to avoid leaving stains and other unwanted marks. Unclean hands can cause the exterior coating of your computer to fade.

4). Avoid placing your laptop on soft surfaces such as beds and tablecloths. The fans underneath your laptop are likely to absorb the dust and dirt lodged within soft materials. This can cause the fans to clog up and eventually overheat your laptop. Working on flat surfaces such as desks is the best choice.

5). Protect what you pay for. Look into getting a bag or case for your laptop. Many breaks happen because the owner accidentally drops their laptop with nothing to break the fall. A case will discourage unwanted scratches and even serious damage to your computer.

6). Temperature plays a significant part in the health of your computer. It's important not to leave your laptop in the car, especially for long periods of time. Car interiors absorb heat from the outdoors that can affect your laptop in a negative way. During the winter, when re-entering from the outdoors, allow your laptop to warm up to room temperature. This will deter damage to the disk drive from condensation.

Nick Fotache is the president of Computer Republic, a company specializing in laptop repair, computer repair, and data recovery services.

http://www.computerrepublic.ca/

Dress Code For Bankers

In the seventies, it was easy to spot a banker. Men wore suits, white or light blue shirts, and ties. Ladies wore suits, hose and heels. Today, it would be rare to see either of these exclusively in a bank in most of America. Yet what remains as inappropriate has not changed during the past forty years. Shorts, visible bra straps, halter tops, T-shirts, sundresses, sneakers, jeans with holes, and flip-flops have never been acceptable office attire for a teller or any other banker.

What has tripped us up in this issue of appropriate work-wear? Ever sense the word "casual" crept into the description of what is acceptable work-wear, we have been confused about what is appropriate for work and what is not. The term business-casual attire in a financial institution might look very different than the same term used for a car dealership, a hospital, or an oil company. Perhaps the trip-up is in the definition of the term. It is always management's job to determine what it means and to do an effective job of explaining it to employees.

Though appropriate work-wear is a year-round challenge, as the temperature rises, so do the issues in the summertime. It might be okay to wear fewer clothes in the summertime for most places, but work is not one of them if you're a banker. Summertime is not an excuse to dress less professionally.

Employees might define the dress code term of business-casual to mean weekend wear or whatever makes me feel comfortable or good. Neither of these would accurately represent what management has in mind for business-casual attire. We can never forget that the way we dress reflects on the image of the company. Employees dressing too casual can sabotage the image of professionalism that most customers expect.

Here are some tips on projecting an appropriate and professional look.

Take your cue from management. Management, especially upper-management, sets the tone for what is the expected and preferred work attire. Or look at TV newscasters for cues on professional attire. Both men and women can get good visuals for appropriate, professional attire using this method.

If you're on an upwardly mobile track, hiring an image consultant might be worth the cost. You must not only talk the talk, you have to walk the walk of the position you currently have and the ones to which you aspire. Many department stores like Nordstrom's have stylist and image consultants available to help you shape your wardrobe to compliment your body type and know how to work within your budget.

Think: Layers. You can wear some of those summer dresses, but layer them with cardigans, jackets, or crop sweaters. Add a tank top under a dress or a top that's cut too low for the office. Perhaps dress jeans can be worn if paired with a jacket. Layering can help solve the issue of too much skin showing, tops cut low and sleeveless dresses. Dressing professionally means avoiding clothes that are too tight or that might be considered revealing.

Be consistent. Being professional means being consistent in the way you interact with others and it also means being consistent in how you dress. Mixed signals are sent to others when one day you look professional and the next you look like its game day. If your bank allows "theme" days, then everyone should participate giving a consistent message to customers that this day has some special significance and our clothing reflects that.

When in doubt, don't wear it. Skirts and dresses that are too short should never be worn to work. Too short means anything four inches above the knee, or that shows too much leg when you bend over. Tops that are cut off the shoulder or dip too low in front should not be worn unless you can find a good layering option. Tops that show your midriff when you raise your arm are not a good choice for professional office attire. Try layering another top under it to make it wear-worthy for the office. A good test to use is "when in doubt, don't" meaning if you put it on and then question if it's okay, that's a good cue you should not wear it.

Clean, pressed, and polished. There's more to looking professional than wearing the right clothes. No matter how appropriate the clothes, if they are not clean and pressed you'll look unkempt and unprofessional. If you don't own an iron, buy one or take your clothes to the cleaners. Scuffed, unclean shoes take away from a professional image. Make sure shoes are clean and scuff-free. For men, socks are a must. The rule for pant length for men is when you sit down your pant leg does not show any skin above your socks. If sandals or open-toed shoes are allowed at your institution, make sure feet and toenails are manicured.

It goes without saying that your body needs to shine. Nothing says unprofessional more than hair that's not been shampooed or body odor that perfume or cologne has tried to mask. If you wear facial hair, make sure it is neat and trimmed. If you're a lady with facial hair issues seek out a good option for dealing with it by checking with spas and salons in your area or do an Internet search for home remedies.

Distractions must go. Underarm hair, unkempt hair styles, chipped nail polish, hairy legs, tattoos, logoed shirts, heavy perfume or cologne, and loud and noisy jewelry distracts from a professional image. Good grooming is a must. If you have some medical or religious reason for not shaving under your arms or legs, then wear hose or pants or shirts that cover it.

Fun t-shirts or Hawaiian shirts should be replaced with button down or polo shirts, unless you're wearing them for a theme day approved by the bank. If you have tattoos, make sure your clothing covers them at all times. While tattoos have become commonplace today, professionals realize that many of their customers might find them offensive. That might mean a long sleeve shirt or a jacket is a must every day.

Keep haircuts up-to-date. In between haircuts, shave neck hair growth as needed.

Loud, noisy jewelry can be fun, but if it distracts from the business at hand save these pieces for after work events.

What are your options? Many financial institutions have options for logo-wear that can be purchased to wear or are provided for wear on certain days. These most often involve shirts or tops with the financial institution's logo on them. The financial institution should specify when these are to be worn and what to pair them with, such as chinos, slacks, khakis or pants.

You've said it and we all know that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. But as a banker it doesn't stop there. Because with every customer encounter you make an impression. So ask yourself often, "Does this make me look professional?" It's the perfect question to stay in check with your dress, your attitude and your behavior.

Janice Branch, Senior Training Consultant for InterAction Training, is a seasoned presenter that has all the right stuff to "wow" her participants. Whether it is teaching how to coach, manage, lead, service, sell or train, Janice is the "go-to" person every participant wants to hear from.

http://www.interaction-training.com/index.html

British companies must ensure they are fully prepared for the Olympic Games in London in order to preserve productivity levels.

With just one year to go until the 2012 Games commence in East London, businesses must immediately start looking at how the international sporting event will affect their operations and employees.

Many employers are concerned that some of their workers may take unauthorised absences in order to watch some of the sporting events or even because they are suffering from the after-effects of partying.

It is essential to start communicating with employees about the expectations on them in relation to work attendance and performance during one of the busiest times in Britain's and especially London's recent history.

Employers are advised to establish a leave policy for the Olympics as workers, especially those in London, will want to get involved as much as possible even though they may have work commitments.

Business must also adopt a flexible approach towards the event and recognise that it is a once in a life time opportunity for many of their employees to take part in an international occasion.

Increased business flexibility can include allowing employees to start work or their lunch break at different times to help them watch their favourite events during the working day.

Organisations that operate in the east of London may want to allow their staff to work from home over the period of the Games as it will be extremely difficult to commute to-and-from areas in that part of the city.

Businesses may want to invest in technology that will enable remote working for employees in time for the Games to ensure that performance and productivity levels are not adversely affected.

It is also the responsibility of employees to inform their bosses within an agreed timeframe when they want to take time off during the event as this will enable them to manage with absences effectively.

Businesses should try not to dread the event and take advantage of the spirit of the Games as a way of engaging staff and boosting morale as this will improve performance even when the competition has closed.

Any organisation that is concerned about how the Games will affect their operations and staff should employ the services of performance improvement consulting professionals as they will be able to advise them on effective policies.

Performance improvement consulting experts can demonstrate how an organisation can boost productivity levels at the same time as enhancing employee morale.

Himsworth Consultancy is a leading Management Consultancy firm of senior business and peformance improvement consulting professionals that can improve customer service through systems thinking. Click the links to discover more.

http://www.himsworthconsultancy.com/

One of the main reasons why online payment is getting more and more popular is that it takes much less time and energy from customers, hence providing them with a secure and seamless online payment experience is a common interest for both the payment service provider and the merchant. Technology and human expertise are equally vital to ensure all that.

The more experienced and specialized support team is available, the more effective way merchants' or their valuable clients' problems are resolved. As merchants are in necessity of a dedicated account manager, it is crucial that after an unsuccessful attempt to pay online, card holders can reach a customer service representative in charge, who is happy to give professional help and advice and support them about any issues regarding online payment, tailored to their momentary demands.

 What makes customer service professional in online payment?

• Developed tools and features (like a sophisticated admin system with access for the merchant)
• Dedicated team dealing with specifically payment or technical issues
• Close cooperation with the Anti-Fraud team
• Focus on the best interest of clients, unique solutions
• Personalized communication (not limited for time)
• Qualified 24/7 support available at all relevant points of the online payment process

Consumers do not really care about the particular service provider and what happens behind the curtain as long as their wishes are fulfilled somehow. Now let's flip the script and see it from the merchant's aspect.

 Leave it to the Experts!

One could be forgiven for believing that there is a best for all system. We are convinced that it is a cornerstone of the long term success of a web merchant to carefully choose an online payment solution. There are a lot of widely different web stores operating in widely diverse industries that sell online. Businesses with different profiles require different means and methods to achieve their targets and prevent fraud losses.

What suits someone else's needs may not necessarily be effective for your business. Running an online store, you have to be able to think on your feet when selecting a payment provider. As an example, either you deal only with low-risk transactions or you have a very experienced and skilled Anti-Fraud department, you do not necessarily need a payment provider with fraud prevention as the top significant feature. It's the same with 24/7 payment-support.

No matter if you do not have enough practice in payment process or do not plan on providing such services yourself, let your Payment Service Provider unburden you from these concerns by taking care of all payment-related issues.

Zsolt Gocsei, Communication Manager at Escalion Hungary Ltd.
http://www.escalion.com

Business is now at its all time peak, and different businesses have taken to advertising their merchandise and services via the net due to the fact that 70% of clientele have access to the internet and practically do everything from there.

Online marketing and advertisement has become one of the main revenue generating activities for any business. Google has become the most popular search engine for businesses, making work easier by defining and creating platforms for research, marketing, advertising and selling anything from products to services.

You can use Google Ad Extensions to increase the chances of your add being clicked on by adding more information that will help sell your product much faster, like business premise location or contact...Etc. Research has come to reveal that the Ad extensions have boosted sales of the products by 70%.

So just to clarify these Google Ad extensions here are a few examples:

Site link Ads which can be applied to search based ads that help refresh or update old promotions or web pages. Site link extensions add more links to the ad that you have put up so it gives the searcher more pages to click on your site. Site link extensions can be changed every day and by doing so your product looks new.

Product Extensions give more details about the product like image, description and price of your product in a plus box under the Ad. So when the client clicks on the product all information that would create interest and also create a sale can be seen under the ad.

You can also add Location Extension on your Ad. This will cause the buyer to know how fast or how the most convenient way of getting the product. Also by providing location of the point of sale would make the buyer want to visit your store for curiosity purposes if it happens to be on a high end street.

For effectiveness and to create rapport with the clients you cannot go past the telephone. This is the best method as you can add call extension to your ad. Now when a client clicks on your ad from a mobile browser they will be prompted to call you direct. This allows the client to inquire more about the product and also gives you the opportunity to sell your product more.

Google Ad extensions are simple to add into your Google AdWords account, so add a Google Ad Extension and see the difference it makes to your business.

Are you searching for the best AdWords management company? Here it is WebSavvy.com.au, Australia's number 1 AdWords management company. Visit http://www.WebSavvy.com.au and learn how to manage your AdWords campaign in a better way.

You may have heard about joint ventures as a means of growing your customer base by partnering with a similar business to share resources and customer lists. However, many small business owners are hesitant to enter into one of these arrangements because they are unclear on exactly what the benefits are.

If you have been leery about seeking out a potential joint venture, consider the many benefits these arrangements might provide.

Benefits to Your Partners

The first question you might ask when considering a joint venture is why another business would be willing to work with you in such an arrangement. However, joint venture partners stand to reap numerous benefits from one of these agreements, whether they are a larger business, smaller company or a related business of a similar size. Some of the benefits include:

- Potential profits from commissions, particularly if they agree to work with your smaller business to help you build your own customer base

- Shared allocation of marketing tools that will help their business become more visible to a targeted customer base

- Additional customers for a lower price, if they are a smaller company than you

It's important to keep these benefits in mind when you are wooing potential partners to make the arrangement look more attractive to those companies in which you are most interested.

Benefits to Your Customers

Even your customers benefit from your new JV partnership, although those advantages may not be immediately evident to them. Customer benefits include:

- Improved trust and confidence in your business, due to their past history with your JV partner

- The ability to find your company more effectively through targeted online marketing tools you and your partner share

- The ease of shopping among related businesses from information they receive from a single source

Additionally the customer benefits translate to benefits for your business, by increased sales and a healthier bottom line.

Benefits to You

If you did not stand to gain anything from a joint venture, there would be no point to spending the time and energy to form them, right? The good news is that there are many potential benefits you may enjoy, including:

- An increase in targeted customers and sales

- More effective marketing so you get the best value for your advertising dollar

- If you partner with smaller business, you might enjoy additional revenue from commissions on your partner's sales

- The ability to improve your reputation and trust among potential customers by cozying up with businesses they already work with

When an effective joint venture is established, all involved parties stand to gain from the arrangement. JVs allocate the necessary resources to effectively advertise to a targeted market with a smaller advertising investment and a greater return. Your customers enjoy greater consumer confidence in shopping with companies related to businesses they already have a relationship with. Finally, your increased sales and bigger customer base will benefit your own company where it counts, your bottom line.

Christian Fea is CEO of Synertegic, Inc. A Joint Venture Marketing firm. He exemplifies how to profit from Joint Venture relationships by creating profit centers with minimal risk and maximum profitability. To discover more Joint Venture Marketing Strategies join his free report on Joint Venture Marketing.

http://www.christianfea.com/joint-venture-wealth-report/?a=3

Many Americans worry constantly over how they are going to fund their retirement. Given a 4% withdrawal rate on retirement savings, they would have to have $1,000,000 in the bank to afford a $40,000 per year cost of living. That's very discouraging.

But what if you could get the same income off of $1,000 in savings? How? By starting up your own business. And I'm not talking about selling Amway or some multi-level-marketing scheme. Or buying zero-down real estate. And it's not some get rich quick scheme that has about as much chance of working out as the nation's mortgage industry. What I'm going to propose is starting a business, starting out small, and building it up with little risk, in your spare time on nights and weekends. And keeping your day job the whole time, until you reach retirement age.

We all know that most of the millionaires in the U.S. got that way from owning businesses. But did you know that there are millions of folks that make great money, while not millions, owning their own start-up business?

So what kind of business can you start-up? We have many great businesses that you can start for under $5,000 at StartThis.com. And the list is free. We personally endorse all 50 ideas, and they were garnered from over 1,000 candidates.

Now besides a great idea, what does it take to succeed and make that $40,000 per year, or whatever amount you need? It takes five elements:

I. A Great Business Model

A great business model is a combination of a great idea with one that you can get enthusiastic about and a basic operating plan that works with your schedule and delivers your desired profits. It should also tie to your skill set, and be something that you love doing.

II. Sell, Sell, Sell

90% of a successful start-up is related to sales. You have got to be committed to selling your product and service and, to do that, you have to believe in it 100%. If you are enthusiastic about your start-up, it is easy to sell it. And you have to make the commitment to do the unpleasant part of sales, too, such as cold calls.

III. Cut, Cut, Cut

You will need to keep your expenses low at all times. You never want to waste money on things you don't need, such as an office in many cases. By going it barebones, you will keep more money in your pocket, and give yourself more cushion in case of some calamity, such as a drop in sales. Fancy offices and office equipment are for companies that are more into ego than profit.

IV. Cover Yourself

From asset protection strategies to forming the correct entity structure and making sure to carry lots of insurance and keep abreast of the laws - the goal is to keep yourself out of trouble, both legal and lawsuits. Some of these steps you only have to address once, and they protect you for years, kind of like a vaccine. Others you have to stay proactively on top of at all times.

V. Have An Exit Strategy

It is essential that you have an exit strategy in mind from the day you start your business. You never know what will come up in life - sickness, divorce, midlife crisis, relocation - and you want to be able to gracefully exit and sell your business when that happens. In addition, if your business grows to huge proportions, you may want to take it public, or sell an interest in it to a private equity group.

So do you want to scrimp and save your whole life to make $40,000 per year, or take $1,000 out of your savings now and have a side income that gives you a better quality of life now? You can retire on $1,000.

And that's how you do it.

Frank began his start-up career in college, selling ad space on flyers that he posted all over the campus. It was so effective, that after two clients the school banned the concept. Upon graduation, he started his first big success - a billboard company in Dallas, Texas. He diligently worked 18 hours a day for 14 years, and built it into the largest privately-owned billboard company in Dallas. He sold it in 1996 for $5,800,000 to Universal Outdoor of Chicago, a publicly traded company. During this time he also bought Leonard & Co. billboard company in Los Angeles, California, turned it around, and sold it to Heywood Outdoor of California for a $600,000 profit. Then he built a third billboard company in Dallas, and sold it to Clear Channel. Frank then changed industries and started buying and operating mobile home parks. He continue with this until he had bought and sold about $50,000,000 of property, and attained recognition as the 63rd largest owner of mobile home parks in the U.S. In addition, he owns an old-tyme photo shop which he started from scratch, and has written several best-selling books. His love of entrepreneurship runs deep - he has read probably two hundred biographies on famous start-ups. He is also a third-generation entrepreneur - nobody has held a real job in his family since 1928!

For more information on starting a business visit our website at starthis.com

I still remember my first few years in real estate. Being new, I tried to scrape together as many clients as I could while juggling all the behind the scene "stuff". As most of my fellow associates will agree, there is a lot of work in starting any new business, let alone a real estate business, and creating a profit centre that keeps us wanting to remain in business.

So how does one get past the point of "I have the passion but my cash flow doesn't sustain growing with a team" to "I can hire my first assistant"?

Leverage.....learn this word, it will take you places.

The definition of leverage from freedictionary is: "Positional advantage; Power to act effectively."

Here are some people that you can call on for "positional advantage":

• Your managing broker. These folks are there for your support and to partner with you in your success. If they aren't, switch offices. Call on your managing broker for tips, tools, suggestions, lessons and, above all, support. I remember my first poor manager came with me to teach me how to measure houses 3 times. Yes, there are some things I just didn't get, but we agreed it was better for both of our licenses' that I understood it.

• Your front end or admin staff. Depending on the busyness of your office, these valuable people might have some time to do some small odds and ends for you. You don't know if you don't ask.

• Your family and friends. Why not? My husband and kids have spent endless hours sitting with me, sometimes in front of a good movie, stuffing and licking envelopes. My niece came to help one day and 8 years later, I don't know what I would do without her.

• Other associates in your office. Everyone needs a little help, so why not team up with someone that you can relieve each other for days off (yes you should take one or two), holidays, costs of advertising by sharing space....and even stuffing envelopes (if you still do that).

• Other professionals in your network (if you don't have a network, create one). Inspectors, mortgage brokers, lawyers etc. See if they will help with your expenses by advertising on your website or on your marketing material. Rally your community shops to sponsor some valuable mail outs (ice-cream coupons in the summer, hardware store for Father's day, local Spa on Mother's day....think outside the box).

As your business, recognition, and profits grow, so will your need to bring on your first hired team member. But in the meantime, take a look around and grasp every opportunity to incorporate the power of "Leverage" in your business.

Nina Campbell has been a REALTOR® for the past 18 years in the Greater Vancouver area. Passionate about the real estate profession, Nina began actively teaching within the real estate industry. http://www.ninacampbell.ca

Taking her own principles for developing successful businesses, Nina has written a book, soon to be published, on Business Building and enjoys speaking to groups interested in developing a solid Foundation for their own business success.

You can contact Nina Campbell Direct at nina@pratraining.com.

Recently, I received a call from a lady who needed financial assistance to start a business. She had done a 'reverse mortgage' on her home to purchase some land to use for a business idea. I learned that she was in her seventies, had very little income and no savings but wanted so desperately to leave a legacy for her adult children. She said, 'Sylvia, I will fight with all my strength to make this happen for my children before l die."

After that call, I was both touched and shaken. Here, an elderly lady so passionate about taking care of her adult children, waited so late in life to plan for her family's future. Sadly, her financial situation might hinder her from receiving a small business loan.

Have you considered what you will leave behind for loved ones beyond your financial assets?

Leaving a legacy for our five children is extremely important to my husband and me. For us, it's leaving our property, stock, a family business and a substantial amount of savings. For others, it could be leaving their life savings to a favorite charity. By planning, you ensure that your wealth and values will continue to be preserved for generations. Do you have a legacy plan in place?

A common misconception is that estate planning is for the wealthy, when in fact, says attorney Jim Eager, "estate planning is not for the wealthy alone, and does not deal merely with the transfer of financial wealth. It encompasses retirement, business succession, charitable, medical, disability, legacy and gift planning. "

What is Legacy Planning?

According to PlanYourLegacy.com, legacy planning allows you to preserve your values, memories and final wishes to ensure you leave your loved ones with clarity and inspiration rather than confusion and pain.

Why Legacy Planning?
By planning, you've shielded your loved ones from conflict that plagues families after a death
Prevents surprises by bringing your extended family into the planning process
Allow you to establish your legacy while you are alive to see it progress
A Few Tips to Better Manage Your Affairs
Make sure your wills, life insurance policies and retirement plan beneficiaries are updated and reflect your current wishes.
Keep in mind that retirement plans, IRA's, and life insurance policies all have beneficiary designations that supersede wills.
Make sure you understand the tax consequences of gifts left to heirs.
Seek an attorney and/or professional financial advisor to assist in legacy planning.


Imagine leaving a legacy that can influence the well-being of your family, friends or your favorite charity? By doing so, ensures that your final wishes are honored, thus, avoiding confusion!

Sylvia Browder is CEO of Browder Consulting Group, a virtual small business consulting firm. In her role, she helps Women in Business grow and succeed. She is Founder of National Association Women on the Rise, a virtual community for aspiring and established women entrepreneurs. She is 'employed as Project Director and business consultant for the Women's Business Center, Inc, a non-profit economic development organization with a mission of empowering women. For FREE weekly articles go to Sylvia Browder's Blog for Women Entrepreneurs, http://www.sylviabrowder.com. She can be contacted at info@browderconsultinggroup.com

With the Gulf oil spill still fresh in all our memories and the recent fresh water wars in the Southeast, the protection of our natural resources is no longer just the concern of certain core environmental groups. As data gathering techniques have improved with the increased use of technology, so has public awareness of pollutants and the effects they have on Mother Earth and our health and well-being. An environmental accident can have both physical and financial repercussions on a business as these types of accidents are now part of our nightly dose of evening news.

Even if these occurrences are not directly caused by an individual, as we have seen in the BP incident, that the liability can be spread among many different parties. As with other unexpected incidents in life, the best approach to these types of pollution exposures is to be proactive and have a good plan in place before needed.

For many this proactive plan includes insurance with coverage that will protect your dealership from Pollution and Hazardous waste exposures. Many businesses feel that if they have put adequate procedures in place that they do not need additional coverage; but the fact is that accidents do happen and people do make mistakes. You may have adequately trained your own staff and put auditing tools in place, but it is much more difficult to control the companies you may employ for your waste transport and disposal. Millions of dollars every year are spent on clean-up from all types of pollution claims.

Cost of the clean-up can include the cost of fines levied from environmental agencies. The cost in terms of negative public relations if you were to have an accident with no quick plan or resources available to resolve it in a timely manner, are harder to quantify, but nonetheless very expensive. The fact that BP did have those resources available to draw upon accounts for the ability to sustain them as a viable business during and following last year's spill.

Some of the most well-known pollutants cause risk to the drinking water resources. An auto dealership is always at risk for this type of pollution just due to the nature of the business. Auto repair work requires the use of fuel, grease and other oils and solvents that if not properly disposed of can cause damage to the ground and seep into the water supply. Although this is one of the most known pollutants auto dealerships also have exposure from their marketing strategies. Many dealerships use banners, balloons and spotlights and other attention getters to advertise and all of these can also contribute to the potential for visual and audio pollution. The decision on whether a dealership may get zoning approval may be based on the proactive procedures they put in place and their coverage and ability to respond if an unexpected accident were to occur.

So how does an auto dealership determine if they have a pollution exposure and if insurance coverage for that exposure is necessary? The first step would be to do an appraisal of the physical aspects of your business. Do you store used oil or used batteries? Do you have underground or above ground storage tanks and what is the risk of spillage? How do you wash down service and body shop areas including new and used car detail areas? An objective assessment of the physical storage areas in your buildings in most cases will quickly point out your need for insurance for pollution exposure.

A Pollution Liability policy will ensure that the negative impact to your business both financially and publicly will be minimized. If you have ever been in a car accident you will remember how relieved you felt when the other party provided proof of insurance. This is exactly how your community will feel if an accident caused by your business should happen and cause harm to your community. This type of policy can not only provide coverage for the actual clean up of the pollutant but will also pay for the legal expenses in defense of any claims against your business covered by the policy. Without adequate coverage in place you not only bear the responsibility of what happens under your own roof but you also are liable for what happens with other parties such as the waste hauler that is carrying your used motor oil, neighboring businesses, government agencies, customers and many others.

It is legally your responsibility to notify the appropriate government agencies whenever a hazardous material discharge has happened anywhere in the U.S., and it is also your legal responsibility to make sure all your employees are trained to handle hazardous materials. The rules are very clear as to how often the training needs to be conducted and the content of the training material. What is not as clearly defined is you moral obligation to the community who supports your business. You have that obligation to have the necessary financial support and immediate response to remedy the unexpected as quickly and as thoroughly as possible. This community has been responsible for your financial success and you share in the responsibility of their well being.

When considering purchasing pollution coverage, make sure the policy will protect you for the types of exposures that exist in your business. Pay special attention to your named insureds and locations (including those closed or vacant), policy retro dates and any special endorsements added to the basic policy. Your insurance agent can help you review the entire policy and explain its application to your business.

If you think you don't have any exposure, remember that we do not know what technology will reveal as the next pollutant and the types of damages it may cause. For example, in the early 1900s, asbestos was considered a valuable material and used extensively in auto parts such as brake shoes/pads and various gaskets and widely used in the building industry. Since the mid 1900s, we have seen thousands of asbestos lawsuits costing various industries billions of dollars and the bankruptcy of many companies.