Is VoIP Good For The Home?

There is no doubt that you have heard about VoIP by now. It's made headlines and is plastered everywhere both in online and TV advertisements. Just in case you haven't caught on to the hype yet, VoIP is the abbreviated term for Voice over Internet Protocol. Voice over Internet Protocol is basically the ability to communicate on a phone over your Internet connection.

With VoIP, the promise is the ability to make local and global long distance calls at a significantly lower rate than over a plain old telephone line through your local carrier. The VoIP trend has caught on and large enterprises all over the globe are adopting this new technology to reduce their cost of business communications which may include fax, conference calling, along with streaming video applications. VoIP has been around for some time, but it has only been until recently that it has finally matured to the stage worthy of replacing everyday phone use.

At the household level, it is certain by now that you are compelled to embrace this technology somewhat, but are not sure how to go about it or even if this technology has any real benefit for your family. You are probably wondering, "How much? How difficult? Is it necessary?" This article hopefully will clear up a few unanswered questions you may have regarding this technology and maybe even excite you enough to go on out and get VoIP hooked up in your own home.

First off, you must have an Internet connection. No, not your 56k dial up connection, but an actual high speed Internet connection. This can be cable, satellite, or DSL Internet, but you will need high speed Internet for VoIP to function properly and become your new calling station. Dialup just doesn't have the capacity or speed to transfer voice digitally without significant quality loss. A company named SpeakEasy has recently come out with a new DSL product that requires no current phone line for high speed Internet if DSL is your current favorite of broadband services and if you are planning on replacing your current phone service with VoIP.

Secondly you will need what is called a gateway. The gateway is connected between your computer and Ethernet modem. The VoIP gateway is where your phone line will be plugged into. Gateways enable freedom from possible computer problems that can shut down calling capabilities or deteriorate voice quality. Computer crashes, slow memory, and many other computer problems that plague us in everyday life, you do not want to plague your ability to make phone calls.

Gateways are specifically designed for VoIP phones but adapters are available for current phones should you not want to buy a brand new phone. VoIP providers usually have the adapters available for sale so you don't have to shop around for one yourself. Before you write off buying a new phone however, video phones are the newest product line and it won't be long before this trend explodes. You may want to get your video phone so you aren't left out of exciting face to face conversations with friends and relatives when they get theirs. Packet8 VoIP has a good video phone sold separately with their services.

The services included with VoIP usually include all the convenient bells and whistles your current phone service provides including your own local VoIP telephone number, call waiting, voice messaging, 3 way calling, and more.

There are some important things to remember with VoIP before you go diving in to this feature rich voice technology. You should check with your VoIP provider for local 911 emergency coverage. Some VoIP providers charge extra on a monthly basis for both 911 and 411 access so make sure you know how much it is going to cost you before committing to a calling contract.

One last important thing to remember is that your gateway is reliant on electricity to function. This means power outages will put your phone line out of service, but then isn't your phone already only functional with electricity these days?

This article was written by Aaron Siegel of TopSavings.Net which provides consultive services for communications at the residential level all the way up to government.

Services available at the website include VoIP (Including Packet8), Internet Access (Including SpeakEasy), Long Distance, Local Phone Services, Cellular services, and more. Broadband Phone

KABBALAH OF LOVE: The Secret Power of Ego

The Key to True Love...

Do you long for love?

Most of us do. The intimate touch of another soul is the most powerful antidote for the all-too-human experience of aloneness. It may be the most compelling and pleasurable experience there is.

So why do we spend so much of our time and energy avoiding intimacy by defending ourselves, being angry, critical, closed and judgmental ? in short, blocking the experience that we most deeply want?

Defending the Ego Gets in the Way of Love.

The answer is that we are wired to constantly reinforce our limited ego-based identity, our sense of who we are.

This ego-based identity plays a very important role in human life, but it does not have the power to love. Ego is all about the self. It can and does experience need, and need is often easy to mistake for love. And it can certainly love how another person makes it feel.

But these things aren't true love. True love and intimacy doesn't come from the ego. In order to experience the power of true love you have to get in touch with a different part of yourself ? the part that lies beyond ego.

The True Nature of Ego.

This process is easier when you understand the true nature of your ego-based identity: It doesn't really exist.

Although it functions as if it's the most real thing about you, in actual fact your 'identity' is only a perspective. It's kept alive solely through the stories you tell yourself about life, others and yourself.

You could literally say that your ego is all talk ? an incessant monologue whose sole purpose is to reinforce your sense of self ? who you are and who you aren't.

Most of the time it goes something like this: "I'm better than he is, uglier than she is, smarter than him, richer than her, worse than I should be. I can do this, I could never do this, I shouldn't have done that, they shouldn't be that way. Life is good, life is hard, he's right, she's wrong, I'm great, I'm no good, it's my fault, it's their fault?" and on, and on, and on...

Just as a whale identifies its location through bouncing sound waves off nearby objects, your ego pinpoints its own presence ? defines itself - by relating to the people, ideas, and objects around it.

This process is continuous. Your identity must be continuously reinforced or you will quite literally lose the sense of who you are.

That's why it can be so very threatening to have something or somebody confronting your ego ? your beliefs about yourself, others or the world. Since the ego is actually made out of these beliefs, perspectives and opinions, and you identify the ego as 'you', when your beliefs are threatened it can feel just like a threat to your very survival.

Quite simply, the more you get to be 'right' about things, the more real and solid you feel, and the more you have to be 'wrong', the more threatened and diminished.

Who Are You Really?

This would be really bad news if not for the fact that there is another part of you. This part ? your core essence, your authentic self ? has an intrinsic reality. Unlike your ego-based identity, its existence is not dependent upon outside circumstances or stories. And unlike your ego, it's not threatened by someone else's success, or enhanced by their failure. In fact, the opposite is true.

You could visualize your ego/identity as like the surface of the ocean; changeable, vulnerable, reflecting the sun, sky, and clouds, affected by every wind. Your core is the vast, calm, still, deep water beneath. Those deep mysterious waters teem with every kind of life and potential, but this life is invisible from the surface.

All transformation involves a process of seeing beneath the changeable surface and connecting with the vast deep life-giving waters beneath. This process usually involves a level of discomfort as your identity is shaken out of its placid solid form and made to expand and reflect a deeper level of reality.

But it's worth it.

My Little Wake-Up Call.

Last year I had a very typical experience from which I learned an uncommon lesson.

I was upstairs in my bedroom. My husband was late getting home and had failed to call me to let me know. I wasn't really worried about him, but I still began to get more and more agitated by the fact that he hadn't come home when he said he would.

The later he become, the angrier I grew. By the time I finally heard the door downstairs I was in a fury. (I realize that this doesn't show me in a particularly positive light ? but the truth is, that's exactly what happened.)

Like a balloon inflating with hot air, I got ready to blow up at him.

But then something happened. In a moment of unusual lucidity, I saw the future before my eyes. This is what it looked like:

First, I'd blow up. I'd express some righteous indignation (in a loud voice). I'd persist until my husband (generally a pretty nice, easy-going guy) admitted that his behavior had been rude and inconsiderate. Then, once my anger was properly validated, I'd forgive him and we could be friends again ? but only after I'd temporarily diminished his ego and inflated my own.

In that one lucid moment I realized that I could simply skip the whole thing and go straight to being authentic and close. I saw a new possibility ? the possibility of refusing to be a slave to my own ego. To choose from a deeper, calmer, more authentic part of myself.

I was overwhelmed with a sense of how massively stupid, predictable, automatic and ridiculous this whole pattern actually is.

What part of me saw that new possibility? The part that peeked out through the surface of my ego ? a little piece of my core.

Ego and Purpose ? The Stages of Creation.

The world was created in three basic stages.

In Stage One, G-d's* Infinite all-pervasive essential light was shining without limit, filling all space. There was no place devoid of it, and therefore nothing could exist aside from it. This is the stage of Infinity.

In Stage Two, G-d concealed His Infinite light in order to create an apparently 'empty space' in which other things (i.e., the universe, us) could exist. This concealment of the truth is Stage Two. This is the stage of the finite, where it became possible for myriad creatures and myriad perspectives, each with its own limited boundaries and parameters, to exist.

Stage Three is the merging of infinite and finite. It involves the transformation of the finite inhabitants of the universe. They must move from a state of being which conceals their infinite Divine Source to one which expresses and reveals it.

Like a game of hide and seek, G-d conceals Himself in our finite world and waits for us to find Him. Through this process He can endow us with the greatest gift there is ? to exist as finite individuals and yet experience a truly intimate relationship with our Creator.

Your ego is central to this process.

Like everything in the physical world, your ego hides the light of your essence. It is what allows you exist as a separate individual. By blocking out your intrinsic connection to G-d, your true nature and purpose, and the essential oneness of the universe, your ego allows you to function as an individual. It allows you to have a personal perspective and a personal experience of life. Without it you'd be simply a part of the whole.

But this is only the beginning the process. The ultimate goal is that through your ego - your role as a limited individual with a limited perspective, you will find your way back home.

How it Works.

We have entered the Era of Transformation. This means that you can train your ego-based identity to recognize and align itself with the voice of your authentic self. The ego doesn't have to be defended or suppressed ? it can be transformed. Your ego can be used on behalf of the purpose for which it was created in the first place ? to allow you to enhance your relationship with your Creator, express the potential of your essence, and fulfill your purpose here on earth.

Your defensive ego-based reactions will probably not go away for now. But instead of being a slave to them, you can use them as the impetus to connect to these deeper parts of you. The moment you choose to observe yourself rather than react, to question your own defensive instincts, to genuinely see another person's point of view, to admit where you may be wrong, to connect with something higher, to be generous with your time, money or resources when you don't have to, you have already begun to transform.

In fact, whenever you choose use your body, your mind, your time, your relationships or your possessions to fulfill your authentic purpose - to do something intrinsically good or G-dly - those things, for that moment, are Holy. They have been used on behalf of the purpose of Creation. You have created a bit of light through which the world's darkness and concealment will be transformed.

*Since the Torah forbids the erasing of G-d's name, it's customary to avoid writing it out in full.

@ Shifra Hendrie, Kabbalah of Transformation
http://www.kabbalahoftransformation.com.

Shifra Hendrie is a personal and spiritual coach who has been studying and teaching the principles of authentic Kabbalah for over 20 years. Her unique, highly effective workshops deliver this transformational spiritual wisdom in a structured coaching environment, where it can be integrated and applied to core challenges of participants' lives.

To download Shifra's fascinating new book, "Seven Kabbalah Secrets that Can Change Your Life", which is free for a limited time only, or to book a complimentary 30 minute Kabbalah Coaching consultation, go to http://www.KabbalahOfTransformation.com

The Struggle to Decide: The Paths Customers Take to Solve Problems

Usually my essays discuss the issues that the 'sales' method initiates, methods such as over-long buying cycles, product and brand differentiation problems, price competition, and objections. This article focuses on the buyer: what, precisely, is the real problem they face; and how you lose differentiation/competitive edge/time through your faulty assumption that a sale can be achieved through a clear-cut equation:

problem + appropriate product + professional sales effort = sale.

Let's look at the fact pattern here: when you first contact a prospect, you somehow have already decided they would most likely need your product: you've done some sort of homework that leads you to recognize a demographic fit, or you identify a trigger that makes you believe they have a need you can resolve, or they are just within your customary prospect range (i.e. all companies/people with X).

If I haven't mentioned your specific way of identifying a prospect, please forgive me, but the pattern is the same: you are on the outside looking in, making a best guess, and hoping that the product, the problem, the effort, and the prospect, will all come together to close the sale.

Indeed, sales don't close that way, and prospects can't be identified on the outside. Herein lay the age-old sales problem. In fact, buyers only buy when they know how to recognize, align, and manage all of the internal criteria that has created the identified problem ? criteria that would need to be addressed before they will consider adopting a solution.

DALE CARNEGIE

Basic selling ? as taught by the master we all still follow ? taught us (in 1937 in How to Win Friends and Influence People ) that we first need to develop some sort of a relationship, see the prospect face-to-face, call them by name, and gain some understanding of their needs. And we've made headway in the last few years, developing new facets of sales to help sellers gain more complete understanding of the buyer's situation (The 'consultative' trend began with Linda Richardson and Larry Wilson in the mid 80s, to be followed by Neil Rackham and SPIN, Jaques Werth and Solution Selling, and David Sandler and Sandler Sales.).

More recently, others have carried the idea a bit further by helping you either understand the buyer's environment, or make the appropriate appointment, or potentially close the sale more quickly.

But all of the above sales models are based on you pushing from the outside (even though you may think you are just attempting to help or find someone with a true need), and you end up having to overcome objections and pitting yourself against the competition, and managing gatekeepers - all the result of being the outside 'element' attempting to get inside a closed system.

Think about it for a moment: every sales problem that ever existed still exists. Thousands of books have been written on 'getting through' the gatekeeper, making 'the' appointment, handling objections, understanding the buyer/problem/buying environment and closing the sale. Indeed, these are the very same hindrances that Dale Carnegie wrote about in 1937. We continue to experience at least a 90% failure rate as a result of the process itself.

I've worked with every type of sales situation at every end of the spectrum ? small sales, large projects, B2B, B2C, telemarketing, global project teams, and in every industry - and the challenges remain basically the same because you're all doing the same thing at a systems level: standing on the outside, pushing product/appointment/information and attempting to get in. And every sales manager I've spoken with knows the system of 'selling' doesn't work? but continues to do it anyway because that's all there is to use.

WHY ISN'T HAVING A SOLUTION ENOUGH?

How many prospects have you met in which you've had the appropriate product to suit their problem, the prospect likes you, your price point is appropriate, and you were the best solution for the prospect ? and then they didn't buy you? How many times? How many times did you just KNOW that you were going to close, and something happened, and you didn't.

What happened?

There are ever-so-many reasons why you didn't close. I bet I can name even more than you can ? every industry has it's favorites and they all sound plausible, or at least have been deemed 'acceptable' because they've been adopted as acceptable by the industry.

Except the end result is the same. You lost the sale. And Dale Carnegie, and David Sandler and SPIN get you the exact same percentage closing ratio that all of your colleagues, and competitors, have.

Obviously, the buyer's solution design is not about your product or your personality or even the buyer's need: it's not in your hands. Indeed, the buyer must design her own solution, and all you can do then is to deliver it. Knowing the problem, having good relationship with the buyer, and having the best price and product are just not enough. They are all a part of the solution but not the solution itself.

One of the biggest problems in sales is believing that just because there is an obvious problem that your professional solution and demeanor can resolve, that the prospect will choose your product to purchase. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Buyers are not attempting to find a product to purchase; they are attempting to solve a business problem, and your product might be a part of the solution if the buyer knows just how to manage the decisions that need to get made around developing an effective, efficient, adoptable solution.

THE SOLUTION IS INSIDE

The reality is that the solution must come from inside the buyer's environment. The solution must be developed by all of the players and policies and criteria that have created and maintain the problem ? all of the players ? or there won't be buy-in or action taken.

And, there is no way that an outsider can know or manage the internal politics or organization or agreements that live within the buyer's environment. Sure, you can recognize those bits around the identified problem that needs resolution. But you can't know the system or culture. You are an outsider. And when you push product information and attempt to develop a potential purchasing relationship based on who you are as a professional, you are actually keeping the buyer from their real job of discovering their solution criteria and aligning all internal systems elements that must be addressed.

I understand that those of you who are involved with selling large projects or expensive items have begun to rigorously attend to attempting to manage the internal systems that the buyers live within. But you remain an outsider, attempting to monitor or manipulate some of the activities and conversations you believe need to occur. But it remains focused on product sale, and you, as an outsider are merely attempting to pull the strings that might get them to do what you think they need to do.

But, the reality is even more confounding: the identified problem is merely a final point of a systems breakdown. The identified problem contains a range of people/strategic/environmental/market issues that are alive and well within the buyer's environment.

And, no matter how much you know, how much 'pain' you perceive the buyer to be in, or how perfect your solution, the system itself must design its own solution: there will be no decision to change without the systems issues being managed from within, and being managed in a way that the system itself is in agreement with.

You cannot do it from outside. No matter how smart you are, or how right your product is, or how badly the prospect needs it, or how unique you are, the fact remains: systems only change when they recognize all of the bits that created the identified problem (a Herculean task), and all internal elements recognize that they cannot fix their issues with known resources (ah, ego and ownership!) and are willing to manage change throughout the system (yet another huge hurdle).

There is your lengthy sales cycle. There is the inaction where you believe there should be action. There lie the bad decisions that you question.

NEUTRAL NAVIGATION

But imagine if you are able to use your expertise and your position as a neutral navigator to lead the buyer through to all of their internal decisions without coming from a product sale focus? How, indeed, will you sell if product or pitch or relationship is not your primary focus? And how do you manage an efficient large sale if you don't need to know all of the internal policies or systems the buyer is managing?

The field of sales has been saying for years, now, that the real job of sales is to advise. But no skills have been taught to do this ? and the skills to support buyer's decisions are indeed different from sales skills. Our profession is getting too bogged down with global competition, market forces, and unknowns. We need to change the model. Take a look at Buying Facilitation: it just might make a difference for you.

Sharon Drew Morgen is the author of New York Times bestseller Selling with Integrity. She is the visionary and thought leader behind a wholly original sales model based on the systems of how people change and decide. She has taught this system to 13,000 people in the fields of sales, customer service, negotiating, coaching, and change management. Sharon Drew is a keynote speaker and decision strategist, helping companies change their internal practices to embrace collaborative decision making, ethics, values, and integrity. She can be reached at 512-457-0246 and http://www.sharondrewmorgen.com and http://www.newsalesparadigm.com

Public Relations Going O.K?

Yes?

Good!

Still, as a business, non-profit or association manager, if you're not getting the behavior changes you paid for, you're wasting your money.

Here's why I say that. People act on their perception of the facts, and those perceptions lead to certain behaviors. But something can be done about those perceptions and behaviors that leads to achieving your organization's objectives.

Which means you really CAN establish the behavior change you want, up front, then insist on getting that result before you pronounce the public relations effort a success.

In other words, the way to increase your comfort level about your public relations investment, is to make certain that investment produces the behavior modification you said you wanted at the beginning of the program.

That way, you KNOW you're getting your money's worth.

Just what, you may ask, does your public relations team have to do to achieve that result?

Here's one approach.

Because public relations problems are usually defined by what people THINK about a set of facts, as opposed to the actual truth of the matter, it will be especially helpful if the public relations program is built upon the premise mentioned above and, for emphasis, again here:

1. People act on their perception of the facts; 2. Those perceptions lead to certain behaviors; 3. Something can be done about those perceptions and behaviors

that leads to achieving the organization's objectives.

Now, Rank Your External Audiences

Identifying key audiences and prioritizing them - a crucial step in any public relations action plan -- starts with a priority-ranking of those audiences with a clear interest in your organization, often described as "stakeholders" or "publics." Included would be customers, prospects, employees, media, the business community and local thought-leaders as well as any number of other interest groups.

Stay Aware

Those with the public relations assignment must stay aware of negative or counterproductive behaviors among the organization's key stakeholders or "publics."- customers, prospects, media, community activists, union leaders, competitors the business community and others.

Interaction of one kind or another with key audiences will tell you how they feel - and how they perceive -- your organization, and in particular areas where problems may be brewing. This is informal polling, but essential to any public relations effort. If resources are available, a limited opinion poll of the priority audience would be helpful.

There are many ways to gather such information. For example, regular monitoring of headquarters and field location media, staff activity reports, employee and community feedback, regulatory and other local, state and federal government activities involving your organization. High on any such intelligence list is the Internet with its emails, ezines, chatrooms and search engines.

Identify the Behavior Modification Problem or Challenge

Now is the time to identify the behavior modification problem such as declining sales in a specific product line. Or, is it an allegation of wrongdoing? Or a quality or performance issue? Has an elected official spoken negatively about your industry? Have you learned that a national activist group may target a unit of your organization? Or, is there clear evidence of negative behavior among a key audience?

Similarly, a behavior modification challenge might include creating positive, first time impressions of a new soft drink during a new market introduction. Or reinforcing the reputation of a category leader whose sales have begun to slip.

Verify the Accuracy and Severity of the Problem

Is it true and how bad is it? Determine through field staff, key customers, media monitoring and, if the budget is there, opinion sampling, just how serious the problem is. If an allegation, is it true or false? If a drop-off in sales, gather and carefully evaluate the likely reasons. If a quality issue, probe deeply for its real cause.

After an exhaustive review of all evidence surrounding the behavioral problem, establish conclusively its size and shape. Does it threaten employee or public safety, financial stability, reputation, the organization's mission, or sales? The answers to these questions help determine the resources to be assembled.

The Public Relations Goal

Simply stated: the goal is to begin the process of altering public perception and, thus, behaviors, to a view consistent with that held by your organization.

The Public Relations Strategy

Now, you must select one of three choices available to you when you determine the public relations strategy. You can create opinion where none exists, change existing opinion or reinforce existing opinion.

Let's assume that we will strive to change existing opinion on the key issue. With your perception, behavior modification goals and now, the strategy, established, progress will be measured in terms of specific altered behaviors, i.e., floor traffic returns to the showroom; activist rhetoric declines; a low employee retention rate reverses. Such progress indicators can be set down, and agreed upon, once the negative perceptions are truly understood, thus establishing the degree of behavioral change that realistically can be expected.

A Persuasive message

What do we say? Well, we prepare persuasive messages designed to inform, clarify, and impact individual perception in such a way that individual behaviors flowing from those perceptions are consistent with that desired by our organization. Bringing important target audiences around to one's way of thinking really does depend heavily on the quality of the message prepared.

The messages must contain clear evidence supporting your organization's views on the issue such as a credible third-party endorsement of your position. Regular assessments of how opinion is currently running among employees, suppliers and community leaders should be made. Finally, action-producing incentives leading individuals to change their perceptions of the issue, thus altering their behaviors, should be included in the message - incentives that testify to the organization's good intentions and veracity.

It's Tactics Time

Now, you select the most effective communications tactics available to you.

The question is, how will you reach your target audiences - especially in various locations? You have many choices. Face-to-face meetings, email, hand-placed feature articles and broadcast appearances, special employee, supplier or community briefings, news releases, announcement luncheons, onsite media interviews, facility tours, promotional contests, brochures and a host of other carefully targeted communications tactics.

Reaching such audiences with the message through special events is particularly effective. They offer news value and include activities such as financial roadshows, awards ceremonies, celebrity appearances, open houses and trade conventions.

Your public relations effort can be accelerated, even amplified by carefully selecting the very best tactics from among print or broadcast media, key podium presentations, special events or top-level personal contacts. When these tools communicate with each target audience, they must score direct bullseyes.

And remember that vital to the success of any action program is the selection and perceived credibility of the actual spokespeople who deliver the messages. They must speak with authority and conviction if they are to be believed, and if meaningful media coverage is to be achieved.

Action

While it's pull-the-trigger time, you should insure that you approach your target audiences with a tactical schedule calculated to reach them consistently as well as through varied media such as newspapers, radio and television appearances, high-profile speeches, facility tours and community briefings.

How are we Doing?

The key activity here is monitoring progress, seeking signs of improvement in target audience perceptions and behaviors.

You and your colleagues should speak regularly with members of each target audience, monitor print and broadcast media for clear evidence of the organization's messages or viewpoints and regularly interact with key customers, prospects and influential citizens.

Indicators that the messages are moving community opinion - read perceptions and behaviors -- in your organization's direction will start appearing. For example, indicators like comments in community meetings, local newspaper editorials, e-mails from suppliers as well as public references by political figures and local celebrities.

The End Game

You'll know when you arrive at the public relations end game because the changes in behaviors will become truly apparent -- among them, encouraging supplier and thought-leader comment, increasingly upbeat employee and community feedback and an increased pace of positive media reports.

Bottom line? The public relations program can be deemed a success when you clearly meet the original behavior modification goal you set when it all began.

Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net.

Robert A. Kelly ? 2005.

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to business, non-profit and association managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. He has been DPR, Pepsi-Cola Co.; AGM-PR, Texaco Inc.; VP-PR, Olin Corp.; VP-PR, Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.; director of communications, U.S. Department of the Interior, and deputy assistant press secretary, The White House. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Columbia University, major in public relations.

Visit: http://www.prcommentary.com; bobkelly@TNI.net

Helping Your Child Develop

Here are some things that you can do to help your child develop.

Show your child that you care about him and that you are dependable.

Children who feel loved are more likely to be confident. Your child must believe that, no matter what, someone will look out for him. Give your baby or toddler plenty of attention, encouragement, hugs and lap time.

Set a good example.

Children imitate whatthey see others do and what they hear others say. When you exercise and eat nourishing food, your child is more likely to do so as well. When you treat others with respect, your child probably will, too. If you share things with others, your child also will learn to be thoughtful of others' feelings.

Provide opportunities for repetition. It takes practice for a child to crawl, pronounce new words or drink from a cup. Your child doesn't get bored when she repeats things. Instead, by repeating things until she learns them, your child builds the confidence she needs to try new things.

Use appropriate discipline. All children need to have limits set for them.Children whose parents give them firm but loving discipline generally develop better social skills and do better in school than do children whose parents set too few or too many limits. Here are some ideas.

Direct your child's activities, but don't be too bossy. Give reasons when you ask your child to do something. Say, for example, "Please move your truck from the stairs so no one falls over it"--not, "Move it because I said so."

Listen to your children to find out how he feels and whether he needs special support.

Show love and respect when you are angry with your child. Criticize your child's behavior but not the child. Say for example, "I love you, but it's not okay for you to draw pictures on the walls. I get angry when you do that."

Help your child make choices and work out problems. You might ask your 4-year-old, for example, "What can we do to keep your brother from knocking over your blocks?"

Be positive and encouraging. Praise your child for a job well done. Smiles and encouragement go much further to shape good behavior than harsh punishment.

Anil Vij is the creator of the ultimate parenting toolbox, which has helped parents all over the world raise smarter, healthier and happier children ==> http://www.expertsonparenting.com

Sign up for Anil's Experts On Parenting Newsletter - just send a blank email ===> mailto: parentingnews@aweber.com

Say Goodbye to Traditional Telephone Lines

Like old, dusty books on the shelves of public libraries, regular home telephone lines have been plummeting in popularity. Some experts even foresee that traditional LAN telephone lines will eventually reach extinction- but before you start to chuckle at this forecast, it may be less farfetched than you actually think.

"Many people don't leave home without their cell phones nowadays," says Larry Lehoux, the CEO of the Data Corp., a world leader in the development of digital communications software. "Cell phones have really revolutionized the way we live; people no longer need to sit and wait around for important phone calls. Cell phones have given us freedom."

It's true. Most of us carry our cell phones around everywhere; the grocery store, the mall, in our cars and even at the gym. Cell phone use has been steadily increasing around the world and people are not just using their cell phones to talk, there are now a variety of other activities that are keeping their interest.

"Mobile phone technology is becoming so sophisticated that people use their handsets for tasks other than just talking. These new activities include text messaging, download ringtones and wallpaper, playing games and even surfing the Internet" says expert Lehoux.

The Data Corp's web-based software application, Mobiletoolbox, specializes in text messaging technology and mobile content delivery. Mobiletoolbox allows companies to communicate easily with their clients via cell phone text messaging and also allows the sale and delivery of mobile content such as ringtones, wallpaper and screensavers. "Text messaging is still relatively new in North America, but the market is ripening. People are starting to realize that there is huge potential for these services."

After all, what company wouldn't want to be able to reach customers at any time and anywhere? Text messaging has been popular overseas for quite some time, but is picking up quickly in North America. LAN telephone lines may be dying slowly but new technology has given rise to great opportunity in our mobile world.

For more information about sending out SMS text messages or selling mobile content, please visit the Mobile Toolbox homepage at www.mobiletoolbox.com or contact The Data Corp toll free at 1-877-410-6683.

Mobiletoolbox - http://www.mobiletoolbox.com

The Data Corp - http://www.thedatacorp.com

A Beginners Look at Secured Homeowner Loans

Secured homeowner loans come in a variety of different types and amounts, and are intended for a wide variety of uses.

These loans can be used for the same purposes as most personal loans? they can allow you to purchase a new car or other vehicle, pay for education expenses, make improvements or repairs to your home, or even consolidate several debts into a single low monthly payment.

Unlike some personal loans, however, secured homeowner loans use the equity in your home or other piece of real estate as collateral? which can lead to larger loan amounts than you might otherwise be eligible for with a standard personal loan.

So what is equity, anyway?

One of the key things that separate secured homeowner loans from standard personal loans is that they're based on the equity that a homeowner has in their house or real estate.

"Equity" is a fairly common term, appearing in advertisements for a variety of lending services, but many people aren't completely sure what equity is especially in relation to secured homeowner loans.

If you fall into this group and are confused by equity, it's actually quite simple. Equity is the portion of your home that you actually "own"? it's a measure of how much of your mortgage you've paid off.

The more equity you have, the more money you have invested in your house? and the more you can convert into useful secured homeowner loans should you need to.

The equity is considered to be the collateral for the loan, and larger amounts of equity usually translate into larger maximum loan amounts.

Shopping for a loan

When you're in the market for secured homeowner loans, you need to make sure not to blindly take the first loan rate that you're offered.

You can often find lower interest rates and more flexible repayment terms for secured homeowner loans if you shop around for quotes before committing to an agreement with any lender? visit several banks, finance companies, and other lenders and have them calculate a quote for you so that you can compare the offers at your leisure.

Taking the extra time to get several quotes for secured homeowner loans beforehand helps you to discover what the average offered rates and terms are, and also shows you which lenders offer the lowest interest rates and the best loan terms.

This way, you can make an informed decision in regards to your financial needs and will often end up saving quite a bit of time and money in the long run.

You may freely reprint this article provided the following author's biography (including the live URL link) remains intact:

About The Author

John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help homeowners find the best available loans via the http://www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.

Inspired Intuition - Following Your Inner Voice

"Some people call the still, small voice insight or intuition?Our insight is a gift from God, not to be taken lightly or for granted... If we acknowledge that the voice doesn't just pop up in our mind like some haphazard jack-in-the-box, that it is available to us always, we have the most important source of assistance in building our dreams. We can turn random intuition into regular inspired insight." From Building Your Field of Dreams by Mary Manin Morrissey

Inspired Intuition - Following Your Inner Voice

I have a wonderful story to share with you - one that comes from a client who has given me permission to share her story. This client (Jenny) was on a journey of self-discovery, acknowledging her life's dream (working with plants and landscape design), and being open to the possibility of exploring her dream. A natural fear that kept popping up was how to pursue her dream and generate income at the same time. Along the way Jenny got her answer and if she had ignored her intuition, she might have missed it!

Here's what happened: Jenny always received a quarterly newsletter from her alma mater which she normally tossed without reading. One quarter,when the newsletter arrived, an inner voice (intuition) told her to read this particular newsletter. In the newsletter was a request for a sorority house mother. Reading this, Jenny got very excited, because she also dreamed about being a house mother and working with young people (something she is very good at by the way). Quickly her mind kicked in and said "Oh, why bother to call? They've probably filled the position". But following her heart and intuition, she called anyway and was immediately asked to come for an interview. The sorority loved her and hired her on the spot.

Now here's the best part ? she received a salary, a furnished apartment in the sorority, all meals, cleaning service, holidays and summers off, a chance to work with young people, and time to take all the courses she wanted in landscape design right there at the university! And all because she followed her intuition (reading the newsletter) and acted on the synchronistic event (the opening for a sorority mother). This is a perfect example of SynchroDestiny ? trusting one's intuition, acting on synchronicities, and following one's natural path (destiny). When we do this, we are on the path of least resistance, and resources line up to support us.

How many times have you had a hunch, inkling, a gut reaction or other display of intuition and failed to act on it? Sometimes our intuition is a warning; other times it's a nudge to do or follow something. What happens when you don't follow your intuition? Do you regret it later and say: "I knew that would happen!"? Here's a personal example when I am playing golf: I am ready to play my approach shot to the green and my intuition (first reaction) is to take a 9 iron for the shot. But then my mind takes over and says, "What are you crazy? You'll never get the ball there with a 9 iron! You need a different club." And so I talk myself out of the 9 iron, reach for an 8 iron, and hit the ball over the green! Then I say: "I knew the 9 iron was the right club! Why didn't I trust my intuition?" I find that the golf course is an excellent place to practice listening to my inner voice!

How do we know when it is intuition? Things happen synchronistically; there is a feeling of effortlessness; there is a feeling of elation or inspiration; it just 'feels' right; and it keeps coming up. (Remember the story).

Are you paying attention to your intuition? If not, what's an area in your life where you could start listening to and following your inner voice? Pick one area and over the next week listen to your internal guidance. What is it telling you to do or not do? Take a chance and follow the guidance. The more we pay attention to and act on this guidance, the clearer it becomes. And with clear guidance comes more synchronicities leading you on your natural path. Voila! SynchroDestiny!

Copyright June 2003 by Vicki Miller

As a Life Transition Coach I work with clients to identify what's most important to them and prioritize around these values. I help my clients identify and remove obstacles in the way and bring clarity and focus to their dreams. What is your dream? Are you undergoing a major transition and not clear where to turn? Call (972-306-4489) or email me, (coach.v.miller@verizon.net), to set up a complimentary, no obligation 30 minute coaching session. Download my FREE e-Book, 12 Fun Ways to Change Your Life, or sign up for my FREE monthly newsletter at http://www.thrivingthroughchange.com

Teaching a Kid to Fish

Teaching a kid to fish does not have to be difficult, if you follow the right steps. There is an old Chinese proverb that states:

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime". How true that is, teach a kid to enjoy fishing and you will have a lifetime fishing partner! I taught my kids to fish, while pulling out my hair, and now they love it. I will show you how to take the pain out of this task so that they will come to love fishing and the outdoors.

First and foremost you must be patient with your kids as they learn to cast for the first time. They become aggravated when they can't cast as far as you can, then quickly want to move on to another task that they already have an interest in. Out comes the Game boy. I created a game for my kids that we played at home in the yard; you may find this fun and helpful.

Make three targets and set them out in the yard at ten, fifteen, and twenty feet away. Then assign a point value for each target, say ten, fifteen, and twenty points. We always played to a score of fifty. They may only play once or twice a week so let them win some too! Now you have a game they can play to learn the task of casting before you go to the lake.

Now that you have a cast master, it's off to the fishing hole!

Show them how to properly tie a fishing knot by tying on your hook on your line as they follow along, tying on their own hook. This can be done in conjunction with the casting game. In steps frustration, don't let them struggle with this task too long or they will lose interest. Out comes the Game boy. Ask them if they want you to do it, remember it has to be a fun experience.

Now for the prey, be sure to target fish that are easy to catch. Bluegills for example are abundant around most docks and marinas, and are very easy to catch. Use very small hooks and a small piece of worm for bait with a bobber.

Crappies are also easy to catch, and eat; they are located around boat docks with brush piles under them. Check with local marinas to see if they have a crappie house, if you don't have a boat. Using live minnows for bait and a bobber so they can see when they get a bite.

Catfish are also simple to catch. They are bottom feeders and eat minnows, stink bait, and a host of over the counter and home made baits as well. I recommend a sliding weight above the hook. Let the fish take the bait on a free line, if they feel the resistance they will drop the bait. Set the hook while the line is moving and you will catch the fish almost every time.

Don't try to make them a bass pro on the first trip, keep the action fast. I recommend a Zebco 33 spin cast reel. It's very dependable and near indestructible, it will last them for many years. Use a light rod not more than 5'6" long, any longer than that and their casting accuracy goes way down. Also with a light rod that one pound crappie seems to be as big as a whale. I would buy monofilament line not larger than 10 lb test in strength. Heavier line will make it more difficult to cast, and I believe lighter line catches more fish. A small tackle box is a must have for every junior angler!

Don't go out there and set junior up with a crappie rig and you tie on this pretty spinner bait, they will want to use the same bait as you do. Stay away from treble hooks! There are way too many points to stick into too many different places.

As I close be sure to teach them about conservation. Keep only what you will eat. Don't throw your excess bait into the lake, give them to another fisherman. Don't keep them out there all day, if the fish aren't biting try skipping some rocks. You may also consider hiring a fishing guide! They get paid to catch fish.

The Fishing Vacation Guide- All the very best fishing vacation destinations, fishing tips, fish recipes, and so much more!

Dont Trade Your Future for Todays DooDads

"Easy Low Down Monthly Payment," "Buy Now Pay Later," "You Deserve the Car Today and We Can Finance It for You," & "Spend Today, 0% APR until Next Year!" We see those statements above every where today, on TV commercials, car dealership, banks and magazines. Those statements have put a lot of people into a financial disaster, because the statements make a lot of people believe that acquiring bad debts is an ok thing to do.

One of the main reasons why a person gets into a financial disaster is because he/she can't wait when it comes to buy the things she wants. They keeps buying doodads and liabilities (things that lose values/luxury that goes beyond your current means) because they have no control of their spending habit.

For example, I have a friend who loves to use her credit cards to buy jewelry when she is depressed! Today she has over $20,000 bad debts. Every month, she can only pay off her interests from her credit cards only! Her office looks nice and well decorated but her financial statement looks very grim. She only lives from paycheck to paycheck to pay her debts.

Another example is if you buy a $500 computer with your credit card that has 18% interest, within a year you will pay approximately $300 interest from your card if you only pay the minimum payment every month for 12 months. A $500 computer + $300 interest = $800. So you pay $800 for a $500 computer. That's not very smart move to make. Someone who is smart won't pay $800 for a $500 computer! In a year, that $500 computer won't even sell for $500 anymore on eBay or a garage sale.

A luxury car is another good example, a friend of mine decided to buy a luxury car because he thought he could afford the monthly payment, but what he didn't realize was, a luxury car requires a luxury maintenance cost! It's called the true cost of owning a car! The month payment of a car is not the true cost of owning a car! Go to edmuds.com to find out the actually true maintenance cost of your car. The car that he bought ended up owning him. He had to pay the repair cost, gas, waxing it, cleaning it, and other maintenance fees. Don't even think of owning a luxury car is you can only afford the monthly maintenance.

So this is the wisdom key that I want you to remember "Don't Trade Your Future for Today's Doodads." It's not worth it & wise to buy something that will lose values by using your credit card. Think long term instead of short term. Think of what will happen with your financial future before you buy things on credit. Think of the amount of the interest that you will pay to the credit card company.

The next time you're tempted to buy liabilities or thing that you know that you can't afford yet, wait, take the time to wait! Say this to yourself "I will not trade my future for today's doodads."

Go to www.pebden.com to find more information about financial education products.

? Copyright Pebden.com 2005, All Rights Reserved.

Entjik Jeffrie

Importance of Business Branding

Branding is very important to a business, whether it is an online or offline business. Your brand will be the first impression the public has of your business and could very well be the most important one. The goal in business branding is to give consumers a visual image of your company. Business branding is very important to a business because it allows the public to identify your company name on sight.

There are several elements of business branding, the first of which is your logo. It is a good idea to use a professional in creating your company logo. A logo designed with clip art and unprofessional graphics can make your business seem unprofessional. Your company logo should appear in as many places as possible including emails, letterhead, pens, and notepads. The image your company projects should be professional and memorable.

Another important feature of business branding is your slogan. A slogan identifies the values and mission statement of your company. A slogan should emphasize the message you want to convey to the public. You should choose your wording carefully and create a short slogan that is easy to remember. Business branding is very important to any type of business and you should include your logo and/or slogan in your web site design and signage. In creating the perfect brand for your business you need to determine who your customers are and how your business can fill their needs, and who your competitors are and why your business is a better choice for consumers.

Business branding must be highly visible and easily identifiable to the public. Your branding logo and slogan should be consistently displayed in all your company advertisements and correspondence. The image your company projects is just as important as the quality of services and products you provide.

For more valuable resources for growing a successful business head over to http://www.redrockva.com today!

Playing Your Cardio Right

To many, that half-hour a day is the most enjoyable, most therapeutic part of your agenda. To others, it's as dreadful as taking out the trash and doing the dishes. Yet, like your household chores, you know it's something you simply must do.

Cardiovascular activity, referred to simply as "cardio," should be as much a part of your body-sculpting endeavors as pulling and pushing those metal plates. As often as you're pumping the iron, you should also be pumping your heart.

Unfortunately, Americans today are more glued to the screen, whether it be the television, Nintendo, or yes, even the Internet. It has been concluded that the majority of Americans have insufficient cardiovascular activity in their daily schedules, thus leading to a cartload of various health problems.

The 30 minutes per day that you should reserve for cardio work should always entail exercises that are enjoyable, manageable, and of course, safe.

So if you're ready to get sweaty, here are a few wise choices:

RUNNING (Outdoors): Believe it or not, this exercise reminds me a lot of Howard Stern. Like the infamous DJ, you either love it or hate it. Beyond question, however, is the simple fact that running is a fantastic way to whip you into shape and provide full cardiovascular fitness. Running is a full-body exercise in which only you channel the motion, resistance, and weight distribution. There are no wheels or cycles doing any of the work for you.

Sometimes, running can actually be too rigorous an exercise and for bodybuilders it's been known to foil some of that hard-earned muscle mass. Also, running can take a considerable toll on your joints, particularly your knees and ankles as well as your abused feet.

TREADMILL: This may seem like the equivalent to a run through the park or the neighborhood, and in a lot of ways, it is. Running is the same vigorous exercise whether done outdoors or in. Yet, the treadmill, because of its smooth rubbery conveyor belt is a lot more merciful on your joints. It doesn't wear and tear your body the way running on the tarred street will. There is no pounding-like effect.

However, the treadmill does not offer the natural variations such as hills and curves which provides for a more rigorous workout on the streets. Also, the fresh air that can fill and expand your lungs is not a benefit from an indoor facility.

STAIRMASTER & STEPPERS: Some people refer to these devices simply as "sweat machines." close by. Stairmasters, whether they're the rotating kind or the step versions, are both excellent methods of losing weight and shedding body fat.

Yet, many fitness experts have concluded that stairs work may be insufficient in your quest to get in shape. For one, the exercise relies solely on lower body movement and tends to abandon the upper torso. Too often, people rest their arms on the bars at their sides, taking some of the resistance (your body weight) out of your legs.

STATIONARY BIKES: When you ride the stationary bike, it feels like you aren't going anywhere. That's because you're not. But whether or not you're making strides with your cardiovascular health is another matter. While these bikes are beneficial in raising the heart level, they also provide far less strain on the knees and back than other methods of cardio and are excellent for toning up the quadriceps.

The workout you'll get from a stationary bike, however, is of the low-impact variety and like the scenery in front of you, it may feel like you're not going anywhere, especially if you've set high fitness goals for yourself.

SWIMMING: Go on and make a splash. This is an excellent cardiovascular activity in that it is a total body exercise and hits the various muscles in the body. The water provides an excellent form of resistance that will get your heart pumping in no time. The benefits for the heart and lungs are endless.

As for the down side? There's only one.

Not every fitness club has a swimming pool.

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