3C Peter: 2月 2012

2012年2月29日星期三

Fly-Fishing-In-The-State-Of-The-Rockies

Fly Fishing In The State Of The Rockies

Fly fishing is an old and precise angling method primarily developed specifically for salmon and trout catching, however extended to varieties of marine species such as bass, carp and pike. An artificial fly with a total resemblance of the real fly is constructed with feathers, furs and materials and tied into the hook to invite the fish on eating it as food.

Colorado is a great region for fishing giving you the opportunity to catch almost eighty species of both cold and warm blooded fish. Streams ranging to 6000 miles and more than 2000 reservoirs and lakes could be found in Colorado. Gold medal streams with a length ranging to 167 miles also provide an outstanding area for angling possibilities for lager trout. Fly fishing is not only about casting, playing and getting your catch but the essence of self exploration of the place bringing a tranquil feeling.

Different fishing destinations in Colorado with useful information and complete reports on fishing, selections, directions, lodging and shops are available in websites organized according to regions.

Weather channels are also available for giving you access on the latest Colorado weather condition if it is appropriate for fly fishing.

Fly fishing became a favorite popular past time in Colorado so there are guidelines being implemented for the fly fishermen to protect the bodies of water. It is the best way to follow these guidelines to ensure that the next generation could also enjoy fly fishing.

- Avoid littering. Bring a receptacle or trash bag designated for depositing your garbage or throw it to proper dumping sites.

- Use the permitted fishing gear posted in that area and the correct bait type. The amount, sizes and kind of fish are also limited so earlier checking of the rules and regulations at your chosen destination is recommended. Also check what kind of watercrafts is allowable in that area.

- Be attentive to local cautions and procedures for the watercraft cleaning after leaving the water to avoid spreading of non-native species like Zebra Mussel to the next body of water you are going to visit.

- Avoid fishing in restricted areas for safety purposes and vegetation and wildlife protection.

Colorado also imposed safe fly fishing guidelines. Accidents may happen anytime so it is much better if you are aware of it.

- Be sure that you and your passengers wear life jackets if a boat or other watercrafts are used for fly fishing.

- Be cautious upon baiting and removing hooks from the fly fish rods.

- Avoid fishing in the restricted waterways.

- Houseboats are prone to carbon monoxide build up so be careful about its operation if you are using it.

- Follow all the posted wake warnings signs and speed limits of your watercrafts during fishing.

- Take along extra safety gadgets such as flashlights maps, radio, cell phone and water.

Fly fishers in Colorado provided some tips about fly fishing.

- Spring and winter could be a great weather condition for fly fishing for some distinctive reasons.

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Knock Sensor Failure Now What

Bella Miller skillfully navigated her BMW 735i onto the expressway, dodging a semi that was quickly barreling down on her. Darting over to the left lane she eased up on the accelerator just enough to give herself a little bit of extra room between her car and the Blazer she was now following. Traffic was fairly heavy at this hour of the afternoon, but one kilometer down the road Bella would be able to take the left fork and follow the outer beltway for seven kilometers. Within moments she would be out of rush hour traffic and on her way home.

With the fork fast approaching, Bella turned on her left turn signal and eased her car off of the expressway and onto the ramp leading to the outer beltway. Seeing that traffic was now light, she pressed on the accelerator and immediately felt a bit of hesitation followed by two loud knocks. Perplexed, Bella eased up on the accelerator and moved over to the right hand lane, reduced her speed, before pressing down on the accelerator again. This time, her BMW responded but she could still feel some sense of hesitancy, so she decided to lower her speed the rest of the way home.

Upon entering her driveway, Bella stopped her car and turned off the ignition. Immediately, the engine began to shudder, knock, ping, and shudder again, before making a noise that sounded almost like a sigh, followed by silence. Promptly, Bella grabbed her purse and cell phone and exited the car and ran into her house thinking that it might explode.

What Bella was experiencing was an engine that was in distress. Her BMW

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Get Your Car Ready for Winter

Driving in winter conditions tests your car to the limit.

If something isn't working properly under the best

conditions it certainly isn't going to work when it's cold

and stormy. Here are some tips to keep your car running

well in the winter.

The first thing to check before the weather gets cold is the

anti freeze level. Not only how much fluid is in the

radiator, but also the ratio of antifreeze/water content.

Have a tune up done. Have your spark plugs cleaned and re-

gapped or replaced.

Change to a lighter oil which will help protect your engine

from excessive wear when starting a cold car. Heavier oil

takes longer to circulate into the motor and internal damage

can occur.

Change to winter wiper blades are a must for icy driving.

Whenever starting your car, make sure that there is nothing

obstructing the tailpipe. Never warm up your car in a closed

garage. If your car gets stuck out on the road run the

heater every 10 minutes but never fall asleep with the car

running.

Have the battery serviced and load-tested. Replace the

battery if it's over 4 years old.

Check the lights, heater and defroster.

Inspect the belts and hoses to be sure they are free from

frays, cracks, leaks or rotted rubber. Make sure that

radiator hose clamps are tight to prevent leaks at the

connections.

Because of winter's lower temperatures, the air pressure in tires will drop. Check tires after driving short

distance to warm them up for an accurate reading. Adding

air to cold tires can result in overinflated tires when they

warm up.

Place sandbags in the trunk over the rear axle for better

traction in rear wheel vehicles.

An winter emergency kit for the trunk should include:

blanket, hats, boots, gloves, change of clothing, ice

scraper, small snow shovel, flashlight, batteries, kitty

litter for traction, jumper cables, a tool kit, tire chains,

a properly inflated spare tire, wheel wrench and tripod-type

jack.

Additional items for the trunk include: A Help sign to put

in your window, brightly-colored cloth, a compass, first aid

kit, wooden matches in a waterproof container, scissors,

string, and canned food along with a can opener.

Always carry a cell phone or small change or a calling card

for a payphone.

Lastly keep the gas tank as full as possible.

For more on how to protect your car in the winter visit: /gasmiles/5starshine.htm

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2012年2月28日星期二

A Subjective Insight Of The Future Automobile

The future car, lets say a 2025 model will be a very different machine to its present day Grandfather. They will be packed with computers and safety devices ensuring that not even a stunt driver can crash, and they will run on carbon dioxide and emit strawberry scented oxygen. Well they might.

Predictions of future vehicles are usually wildly inaccurate, by now we should all have space programs to rival NASA based out of our backyard. However some of the automobile related cutting edge technology emerging now may well make it into production models of the future. But how much of this technology will be needed or even wanted? Car design of the present is already influenced by politicians, bureaucrats, health and safety regulations and emissions regulations and the stunning concept seen at the motorshow emerges into the world as a 1.0 litre shopping cart, but at least its legal.

Personally I like the idea of fuel efficient hybrid cars, and fuel cell cars emitting nothing but water. However, like most enthusiasts I also like powerful loud convertibles with with the ability to snap a vertabrae at 10 paces. A sensible mix therefore is required and this will be the job entrusted to car designers and engineers of the future, to make a politically correct car that is also desirable.

Another immenent problem facing designers of the future is coming up with styling ideas that are fresh and new. Some of the more recent concepts are certainly striking but not necessarily beautiful in the classic sense of the word. But if there is one thing the automobile industry is good at that is innovation, and I for one am confident that radical and extreme concepts never before imagined will continue to appear at motorshows around the world.

Computer technology has already taken a firm hold of the automobile and the modern driver is less and less responsible for the actions of their vehicle, soon crash victims will try to sue the electronics companies for accidents they caused because their computer system failed to brake the car even though they were fast asleep at the wheel on a three lane highway. Until you have automation of every single vehicle on every single road computer driven cars are just not feasible, in my mind there are just far too many on-the-road variables, with all the logic in the world you cannot beat a brain. Now computer assisted driving is already available in certain Mercedes models which brake for you if your not looking where your going and your too close to the car in front, but there is still a driver in control of the car, or is there. What if for some reason you wanted to get closer to the car in front, you needed to get closer to the car, if you didn't get closer to the car some thing terrible would happen to civilization. Where do you draw the line with vehicle automation?

In advanced cities of the future CCTV will be so prevalent that visible crimes such as car theft are all but wiped out, but that still won't stop the determined thief. GPS (Global Positioning System) units fitted as standard to all new automobiles will be able to track any vehicle at anytime anywhere, this technology is already common but more widespread use is inevitable. In the UK the government is already talking about fitting GPS to charge motorists depending on what road they travel on and at what times to cut spiraling congestion. This technology coupled with an improved mobile phone and bluetooth network can be used to track and recover stolen vehicles. When the vehicle is found to be stolen a call can be made which shuts down the engine of the car. At the same time a call is sent out which alerts available nearby police, by using the GPS installed in both the stolen car and the police car officers can track the car even if they cannot see it. The police will also have much more insight into a vehicles record when out on patrol, using bluetooth technology a police car can tail a vehicle and receive information on the owner, the current driver and their driving history, and even find out recent top speed and acceleration figures. Of course who wants that, you think you've just had a fun little blast on your favorite bit of road you get pulled over five miles later and the officer gives you a speeding ticket for something he didn't see. But if this technology is mandatory then what choice do you have.

Access to future automobiles may be very different to the keys of today, push button code entry and keycard systems where the key doesn't even leave you pocket, already available, will become common place. You hear the term keyless entry but it still uses a remote control attached to a key which is then used to start the car. Biometrics which are available on some computer systems and use fingerprinting as a password could be an effective alternative to the key, you could even program it for members of your family deciding between access only for the children or access and drive functions for those with licenses. However I belive it will be some time before this is the only means of vehicle entry or start up, what if you are lending your car to a friend and you cannot be present to allow start up.

Multimedia systems will continue to develop in cars until the point where the "are we there yet" phrase develops into "can we stay here". Manufacturers are continuing to cram more and more video screens into increasingly ingenious places providing a rolling cinematic Dolby 7.0 surround sound experience. DVDs are going to go the way of the VCR with hard disk recording of video being the dominant power much as MP3s are killing off CDs. This MP4 technology will save space in the car and allow for far more footage to be kept on board. Improvements in wireless Internet connections could mean that the larger roads can support Internet capable vehicles and constantly inform the driver with up to date relevant road information. A screen in the dash can display live images to show traffic reports and also predict traffic jams by using the GPS systems in all vehicles to show areas where vehicles have been stopped or are congested, and then supply alternate routes. The sound systems of cars will also improve and become more personalised for the various passengers, with headphone sockets and multiple sound outlets, there might be four different radio stations that can be played at once through the different jacks, and a variety of MP3s that can be played at once.

Passenger safety is already a priority for modern day car manufacturers and this will only increase in importance into the future. The widespread use of airbags will increase, the side impact protection airbags featured in some models have proved to be extremely effective in saving lives, more research and better positioning will continue to improve their performance and reliability. Airbags at the moment can only be deployed once so in a multiple collision crash their effectiveness is voided after the first impact, future airbag systems however may take this into consideration and incorporate multiple single use airbags in one position or reusable airbags which can be inflated several times. Some manufacturers use a dynamic headrest in some high-spec models, these move forward during a collision to stop the head snapping back quite so far and reducing the chance of spinal injury (whiplash.

It has been found that a vehicles bumper and frame height is a very important factor when it comes to safety during a collision, if a vehicle has bumper which is too high it can override the bumper of the other vehicle and plough directly into the passenger compartment putting the occupants at severe risk. Accidents like this usually occur when a average size car collides with a truck or SUV, this mismatch can be avoided by having adjustable ride heights on the larger vehicles, when they are on a smooth road lowering the vehicle to a suitable height would reduce the dangers normally associated with these sorts of collision, as a by product this would also reduce the top heavy nature of trucks and SUVs and rollover accidents could be avoided.

Sensors will be increasingly responsible for predicting and safeguarding against avoidable accidents. Sensors will monitor the road surface scanning for black ice and hazardous conditions, this information will then be displayed to the driver and the vehicle may take appropriate steps to improve traction thus reducing the chance of an accident. The information gathered may also be relayed to a central road monitoring network which can inform other motorists of changing weather conditions, in effect every vehicle would become a roving weather station.

Sensors will also monitor the cars position on the road and if the vehicle is found to be straying from the road or traffic lane an alarm would sound this feature is already found on the Citroen C4 amongst others. Sensors could also monitor the drivers well-being, imaging sensors would track eye movement and if the eyes close for more than a few seconds an alarm would sound to alert the driver. Audi uses sensors on its new A6 which monitor for wet conditions, if found the BOSCH brakes are applied intermittently to wipe off the water and ensure good contact when they are needed, the pressure applied in this process is so slight the driver does not notice. Improved night vision and spatial awareness would help cut down on night time crashes which account for half the road related fatalities each year even though only a quarter of all driving occurs at night. Cadillac already includes infrared night vision as an option on some of its more desirable models, infrared vision do es not see light it sees heat and the warmer an object is the more it stand out on the screen. The screen is a heads up display projected onto the windscreen infront of the drivers line of sight allowing the driver to see the real world and also the digital projection. Honda has a similar system with the added ability to identify objects and pick out pedestrians and digitally highlight those which are likely to step into the vehicles path and then emit an audible warning.

New materials are constantly brought into the automotive field, in 2005 Chrysler Daimler began using biological composite materials made from coconut, sisal, jute and other plants. This biological material is used mostly on the interior of the car and finds its way into seat cushions, seat backs, underfloor body panels and interior door panels. One of the benefits of using these biological compounds is that they can be recycled and reused and the manufacturing process involved is far more environmentally friendly than that of conventional synthetic compounds. Ceramics first used in braking by Porsche are becoming increasingly popular, although still very expensive limiting them to exclusive vehicles. The benefits of using ceramics is their high tolerance to intense heat making them suitable for high performance vehicles, and where the heavy use of the brakes is needed regularly. Their ability to perform under these extremes help reduce the brake fade associated with exess ive use and high temperatures. Materials first such as carbon fibre and carbon kevlar first used on race cars and famed for their high strength and lightweight properties have now filtered down to the production car level, mainly in high-end vehicles but in due time these composites will begin to appear in the average car, cutting weight and increasing fuel economy whilst maintaining structural rigidity.

In the future car designers will have to explore new themes and find alternative influences for their designs. In an effort to catch peoples eye the designs will have to be increasingly bold and brash often sacrificing the aesthetic balance of the design in attempt to be different in an increasingly 'done before' market. This is not to say all designs are going to be hideous, just some. Another influence to exterior design will be made by law as stricter pedestrian protection laws are enforced requiring the front ends of cars to be 'softer', this thinking has already been introduced on some models, overall though it is difficult to project how this will ultimately affect the face of car design. With the increased use of alternative fuel sources such as the hydrogen fuel cell and hydrogen combustion engine, vehicle bodies may begin reflect the green nature of their power. However I belive this to be a mistake. The Honda Insight Hybrid might have been more of a success had it not been utterly repulsive, people were already wary of its power source and to then make them vomit in disgust at its styling is just not intelligent. Why do all the eco-friendly cars look like a 60's psychedelic nightmare, why can't they just look like a decent concept car with an alternative engine. Things seem to be improving however and BMW's H2R is an undeniably stunning vehicle if somewhat impractical. And hybrid technology is finding its way into mainstream prodution vehicles as an optional power source.

The interior of vehicles will also change, becoming more user friendly and personalised. Ergonomically positioned controls and lumbar support seats with adjustable everything will come as standard to increase driver and passenger comfort and reduce chronic pain and discomfort. Customisable and personalised interior space will also become desirable features on the future automobile. Just as you swap mobile phone covers an entire dash could be swapped to match your mood, if your a little bigger than average why not fit an XXL seat in two easy steps, the possibilities will be endless in order to cater for an increasingly demanding consumer.

Alternative power sources for vehicles are becoming ever more popular. Government incentives will eventually force all but the super rich into environmentally friendly cars, no problem, by then fuel cell cars will be just as rapid as their fossil fuel counterparts but with none of the mess or stench. However it may take some convincing to get a 'petrol head' to put down his piston and pick up a proton exchange membrane cathode, its just not the same is it. Eventually common conventional fuel cars will become classics and extremely sought after by collectors, but not for a long long time.

Find out more about concept vehicles, designs, current vehicles, and strange vehicles at /

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What IS an Auction

Have you ever wondered what exactly is up with auctions? Want a simple explanation? This informative report provides the most basic - simple to understand - information available on auctions.

If you don't have accurate details regarding auctions, then you might make a bad choice when bidding in one. Don't let that happen to you: keep reading.

The most basic explanation is an auction is the process of buying and selling items by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder. Auctions are also used for determining the value of an item.

Auctions can be setup with/without reserve or minimum, or as abolute.

Reserve auctions generally have a minimum bid or reserve price. If the bidding does not reach the minimum, there is no sale. Although the seller may still owe the auctioneer their fee.

In absolute or no reserve auctions, the sale is guaranteed, with only the price left to be determined. In the context of auctions, a bid is an offered price.

Almost anything can be sold at an auction. Some typical items sold at auctions are:

Antiques - The antique business, where besides being an opportunity for trade they also serve as social occasions and entertainment in the sale of collectibles such as stamps, coins, classic cars and fine art.

Luxury Real Estate - Luxury real estate sale includes all types of real property such as residential and commercial real estate, farms, vacant lots and land.

Other items sold at auctions include:

* Spectrum, where companies purchase licenses to use portions of the electromagnetic spectrum for communications (ie. for cell phone networks).

* Timber, where companies purchase licenses to log on government land.

* Electricity, where large-scale generators and consumers of electricity bid on generating contracts.

* Environmental, where companies bid for licenses to avoid being required to decrease their environmental impact.

* Debt auctions, in which governments sell debt instruments, such as bonds, to investors. This type of auction is usually sealed and the uniform price paid by the investors is typically the best non-winning bid.

Lets not forget about police auctions, insurance auctions and used car auctions which are very popular. Internet auctions are also hot. The world's largest auction site is eBay. eBay is the source of millions of dollars worth of profits made from todays most popular auction.

There's a lot to understand about auctions. We were able to provide you with some basic facts above, but there is still plenty more to learn about auctions.

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2012年2月27日星期一

Free Reverse Phone Lookups - Do They Exist

By far one of the most frequent questions asked is if there is a free reverse phone lookup available on the internet. If you do a search, you'll find many websites claiming that they provide a reverse phone lookup for free. However, if you look closer, you'll discover that NONE are actually free.

These "free" websites allow you to lookup the issuing location (city and state) and carrier of the cell phone number you choose, but provide absolutely no other information about the owner. So essentially you're getting free information that is completely useless... but why? Why aren't there any free reverse phone lookups available?

It all comes down to how the information is classified. Your home phone, for instance, is in the public domain and can be found in the local phone book. Sometimes you actually have to pay a fee in order to get it removed from the public eye.

Cell phone numbers on the other hand are generally considered more private because you pay for each phone call you receive (including from telemarketers, which makes it illegal for them to call you without your permission). This is why cell phone information is much more difficult to get a hold of.

There was a plan at one time for all of the major carriers to get together and create a free reverse phone directory, but privacy concerns regarding telemarketers (as we mentioned before) stopped the project in its tracks.

So how exactly does a reverse phone lookup work then? Quite simply, with A LOT of effort and work. All of the data has to be manually put together from millions upon millions of different records and databases. This is why it is considered a service that no company can realistically offer for free. This is also why there is so much inconsistency in quality of reverse phone lookups online, as the accuracy and amount of data they have is directly connected to how much effort they put in... therefore many services vary greatly in what exactly they provide.

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7 Marketing Lessons We Can Learn From TV Infomercials

I hate to share this, but I love watching infomercials. And I've ordered more than once from them! Everything from cosmetics to a cell phone accessory.

When pressed, my friends admit the same. If you sniff around most people's homes, you'll find SOMETHING ordered from an infomercial, whether it's the Ronco Rotisserie or Victoria Principal's skincare.

You may think of these often annoying programs as "trash TV", but think again. Did you realize that they use many of the exact same strategies that we should?

Now, I don't mean you need to scream at your customers or flash "$19.95" in blinking digits on your website! Those are gimmicks. But what most people don't realize is that many of the STRATEGIES that sell the kitchen doohickey gadget are the same ones that can also sell your products and programs.)

Here are 7 of my favorites:

1. They grab your attention.

Infomercials air on the most challenging medium there is out there: television. You're just a second away from your prospect clicking their remote to the next channel. So they do their best to get your attention right away and KEEP it for as long as possible.

That's why infomercials give bold statements and emphasize how this doohickey will change your life. You should do this too -- stop beating around the bush and make it clear to your prospects how your products and services will change *their* lives!

2. They give tons of real-life testimonials.

You'll see that TV infomercials have evolved greatly since years ago. It used to be one or two people talking to a camera for the entire time. These days most typical 30 minute spots are over 80% customer testimonials! And that's for good reason... they are the hands-down BEST way to gain instant credibility.

A great example is for one of those home exercise machines. I noticed years ago they just showed the super-ripped guy using it on the infomercial. Now they show that guy, PLUS dozens of before and after testimonials from real-life guys with beer bellies and real jobs who used the product with success. That was a great move on their part, because c'mon, I just can't believe that super-ripped guy got that hot looking using it just 30 minutes, 3 times a week!

3. They use personalities.

The most successful infomercials now use celebrity guest hosts. They know this gets people's attention more than practically anything out there. Pro Activ uses Jessica Simpson. Youthful Essence (a skincare product I love) uses Susan Lucci. Even NutriSystem is now using Dan Marino in their commercials to target men.

You can do the same in your marketing. You can either hire a star, or even better, make YOURSELF the celebrity... by sharing stories, being personal, and having fun with your market.

4. They give an irresistible offer.

It's rare these days to see an infomercial asking for you to pay for something in full. You'll mostly see things like "3 payments of $19.95" or "4 payments of $39.95". Why? Cash-crunched Americans are always more concerned about cash flow than the total price. They'll even happily pay much MORE in the end in order to gain a lower monthly payment!

You can do the same. Offer a payment plan for your products, courses, workshops, and coaching. You'll be AMAZED at the increased response, and it's easy to do with marketing-savvy shopping cart systems.

5. They give a strong call-to-action NOW.

These folks know that as soon as you change the channel, you're going to forget about their product. So they make it very urgent that you pick up the phone and call them now or visit their website and order. They usually say something like "If you call in the next 10 minutes you also get..." and they list a few great bonuses.

This isn't just specific to TV. Everyone would rather put off ANY decision these days, we're all so busy and overwhelmed! So you need to give people a good REASON to act now, whether it's a discount that expires, a payment plan that expires, a limited number of products or seats, a special bonus... you get the idea.

6. They sell on continuity.

What's "continuity"? online newsletter it's when you make ONE sale that results in multiple charges over and over. For example, because my friends have been raving about I.D. Bare Minerals natural makeup, I recently ordered a kit from their infomercial. Now, every 2 months, I receive a fresh supply in the mail, and my card is charged again. I love it because I don't have to remember to reorder. They love it because they only had to make ONE sale, and how they've got me as a customer forever until I cancel!

Hear me now... continuity will change your life! Consider how you can use this principle in your business. Could you convert some of your current offerings into a monthly membership? Or instead of doing one-shot teleseminars, create an ongoing monthly program? (I did this with my Marketing & Motivation Mastermind.)

7. They repeat themselves. And repeat themselves.

And repeat themselves again! Smart marketers know it takes an average of 9 TIMES for someone to see/hear your message BEFORE they will even consider purchasing! That goes for you too. So many of my clients complain that advertising doesn't work when they only ran one ad ONCE. Or published ONE newsletter and it didn't get them results.

Remember it's the ongoing exposure and repetition that breeds familiarity and trust with your prospects! And that leads to more sales than you've ever imagined.

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Affiliate-Marketing-Options

Affiliate Marketing Options

Have you been wanting to give your current job the shove for quite some time? Do you have the tune, take this job and shove it as your cell phone ring tone? Would you love to get into your own business but you

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2012年2月26日星期日

Using the Internet to your Advantage

Coming from the "Internet generation," I understand the importance of doing your business, or at least advertising your business online. The Internet has opened up a wealth of possibilities to businesses that were simply not available 10 or 15 years ago. But before I start telling my age, please let me explain further.

Open 24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week

The Internet never closes down for the end of the business day or the weekend. Your businesses information and contact information is available at any time. This means that potential clients can research and decide if they want to do business with you, without having to contact you. Before, the only time a potential client could inquire about your business was during business hours, unless you wanted to give out your private phone numbers and cell phone numbers. Now, they can send you an email, and you can answer it at your convenience.

More Information Then Ever Before

The Internet does not constrain you to a certain number of words. You literally have unlimited amounts of space to talk about, advertise, and display information about your business. Before, you would have to fit what you felt was the most important information into a 30 second commercial, or a specific size of brochure.

Global Users

Before the Internet, you were required to spend large amounts of money to advertise anywhere but your local area. You had to rely on people driving by or hearing/seeing one of your local ads in order to do business with them. The Internet however, is reachable by every country on the planet, and a website or online ads usually costs exactly the same whether people from your hometown, or people from the other side of the world are viewing it.

Changeable Content

When creating a business brochure or handout, you had to make sure you only put none-dateable information in there, because after all, once they are printed, you cannot change the information. This created potentially large advertising costs, and sometimes many wasted ads due to changing information. Likewise, you were unable to change the text or print on a radio or TV ad until that ad ran its campaign. Online, changing information is as simple as point and click. Your phone number changed? Simple, log onto your website or ad and change it.

Small Cost, Large Results

We all know how expensive traditional advertising campaigns can be. A simple ad in the newspaper now costs about $15 a week, a billboard around $600 a month. However, advertising online is far less expensive. For example: a static, 5 page website will cost you around $109 (if you choose the right designer) and about $3 a month after that. That is a total of $145 dollars a year. Posting to search engines where clients can find your business is free, and allows visitors to search for, and find your website. If you choose to advertise your website on other networks, you only pay when someone actually clicks on your ad. That allows you to control the amount of money, and you only pay for the people that actually see your website. Small businesses or businesses with small budgets and get, and maintain a website for about $.39 a day.

Overall, the Internet is not one of the best ways to successfully advertise your business. If you are new to the Internet, you may want to consider hiring a professional to develop and maintain your advertisements for you. When searching for a designer and web developer, please pay special attention to their details. Here are a few things that you will want to avoid:

1)Template Websites- Templates, sometimes called cookie cutter websites, are pre made designs and set ups of a website. Any number of other websites can use the every same template for their website. In the event that a potential customer has visited a website with a similar template to yours, then chances are they will either not take your business as serious, or reference your business with that website. Ask the potential designer if your website will be unique or made from a template before you do business with them.

2) Hourly Rate Design- Some web design companies offer "hourly rate web design." It has been found that many hourly designers will tell you something takes much longer to complete then it usually does. In this case, you will end up paying for hours of work when the work only actually took a few minutes, or they will hold your website hostage until you do. Look for set packages that list what you will get, no matter how much time it took to complete.

3) High Hosting Charges- Many new business owners and business owners not familiar with the Internet will let their web designer host their website for them. While there is nothing wrong with this, be cautious of the amount you will be paying month for their hosting. Small businesses that only require small website should not pay over $3-$7 a month for hosting. Larger businesses or businesses with large or dynamic websites should never pay over $10-$15 a month. On the other hand, you may find a design company offering free hosting as an introductory offer. If this is true, be sure to ask how much you will be paying for hosting once the offer expires.

4) Long Completion Times- Web design is a complicated process, however, a good designer can finish a website in a rather small amount of time. Be cautious of web designers that take a long time to complete each website. This may be a sign that they may have to much on their plate. If that is the case, then chances are you will not receive the proper attention and care that is needed to make a website a success. Always ask a potential designer how long it typically takes them to finish and publish a website.

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Influencing the influencer

Marketers/advertisers usually focus their efforts on the people responsible for making the purchase. In many cases, this is an effective approach but in other cases it can make for a totally useless marketing campaign.

Virgin Mobile took a more effective approach in marketing their cell phone service by focusing not on the people that would be making the actual purchase, but instead focusing on the influencers of the people making the purchase. To make this campaign work, Virgin developed a viral website called Parental Enlightenment Kit which offers many tips (often fairy funny ones) to convince their parents to purchase a Virgin Mobile phone for them. By enlisting the teenagers Virgin has multiplied the effectiveness of their marketing campaign for 3 reasons:

1. The teenagers will continually mention the phone/service to their parents until they get it - Virgin's campaign will continue to work long after the teenager has left the computer.

2. This approach is exactly the type of thing that spreads virally. As teenagers tell their friends about it, it will increase exponentially in it's effectiveness.

3. They have targeted the most likely decision maker rather than the person responsible for the purchase.

Companies in other industries have take the same approach and achieved amazing results. For example, Pfizer targeted men with erectile disfunction (a more PC term for impotence) rather than the doctors who would actually prescribe the drug (Viagra) to treat it. You can take the same approach to market your product/service and reap tremendous rewards.

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Fly-Fishing-In-The-State-Of-The-Rockies

Fly Fishing In The State Of The Rockies

Different fishing destinations in Colorado with useful information and complete reports on fishing, selections, directions, lodging and shops are available in websites organized according to regions.

Weather channels are also available for giving you access on the latest Colorado weather condition if it is appropriate for fly fishing.

- Avoid littering. Bring a receptacle or trash bag designated for depositing your garbage or throw it to proper dumping sites.

- Avoid fishing in restricted areas for safety purposes and vegetation and wildlife protection.

Colorado also imposed safe fly fishing guidelines. Accidents may happen anytime so it is much better if you are aware of it.

- Be sure that you and your passengers wear life jackets if a boat or other watercrafts are used for fly fishing.

- Be cautious upon baiting and removing hooks from the fly fish rods.

- Avoid fishing in the restricted waterways.

- Houseboats are prone to carbon monoxide build up so be careful about its operation if you are using it.

- Follow all the posted wake warnings signs and speed limits of your watercrafts during fishing.

- Take along extra safety gadgets such as flashlights maps, radio, cell phone and water.

Fly fishers in Colorado provided some tips about fly fishing.

- Spring and winter could be a great weather condition for fly fishing for some distinctive reasons.

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2012年2月25日星期六

The Inner Critic Unveiled

Watch your thoughts; they become words.

Watch your words; they become actions.

Watch your actions; they become habits.

Watch your habits; they become character.

Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

- Patrick Overton

You may ask what is "the inner critic", but you are very familiar with it already. Remember the last time you made a seemingly bad decision and the little disembodied voice in your head whispered knowingly "Way to go! You really messed that up. Havent you learned anything? How totally inept can you get." Viola! Enter, stage left, the inner critic. Also know as your "inner dialog" your "scripts or tapes" and some people mistake it for their conscience. Everyone has an inner critic, some have a more aggressive critic than others.

In the "7 Habits of Highly Effective People", Stephen Covey refers to it as the scripts that have been handed to us by parents, society, cultural influence, friends, co-workers etc. It is the concept of how others perception of us and our behavior shapes that inner critic so we perpetuate that perception "it must be so, they see it." Peoples perception of us does not make it so. Mr. Covey uses an example from the play "Man of La Mancha" where Don Quixote sees a lovely and virtuous person in a woman of the street. He even gives her a new name, but she cant see beyond the scripts that have been handed to her for years that she is a shameful creature.

The Patrick Overton quote above shows the perpetuation of such a situation. And it all starts with our inner thought life, our inner dialogue. Dale Carnegie states "Remember, happiness doesnt depend upon who you are (position, influence) or what you have (money), it depends solely upon what you think."

But how does the inner critic come to be, you ask? Actually, the inner critic started out as a very important aspect of our life growing up. I believe I can state without backlash that most all human beings want to avoid pain, all pain, even emotional pain! But you cant be alive, on this planet/dimension, and not have the close calls and occasional brushes with at least some pain no matter how charmed a life you have. But the developing individual in the child keeps a scoreboard of experience in life as part of understanding the workings of the world. Before long the scoreboard gets a voice, "you know the last time Suzy broke something you took the blame." Before you know it you have an inner critic who is trying to protect you, keep you from pain of every conceivable kind. A "protector" who takes on a life of its own.

So why isnt the inner critic considered your dearest and closest friend? After all, who else will go to such trouble and gymnastics to keep you safe and out of harms way! But heres the rub, this is where we get the concept of our "comfort zone", better known as our self-imposed prison. Oh yes! That inner critic becomes the jail keeper and you find yourself going through the motions of life never taking the risks or grabbing the opportunities that come your way. And what is life in a prison (no matter how nicely furnished or comfortable)? This is how so very many people live a life full of regrets "if I had only had the guts to try that idea", "If only I had accepted that job." "I always wanted to ____________, if only I had." Or even worse than all the others "I would have really liked to have that life, but I am not worthy."

The inner critic can very easily destroy self esteem, built upon some careless and hurtful word said at some point in our past and the scoreboard keeps a tally of the minutia that supports such a statement! Another example of your inner critic turned your jailer is the tendency to always question your decisions or experience. Do you need to have somebody validate your decisions were good ones or your experience is true or common? Even something as simple as a $2 purchase you fret over if you made the right choice. This is the inner critic, so-to-speak, out of control.

Now for the true death sentence for the inner critic, ever heard of the "self-fulfilling prophecy?" The theory that, if you believe in a certain outcome, you will act in such a way that you actually bring about just that outcome. So, if your inner critic keeps telling you that you really dont deserve such-and-such, you are likely to act in a way to make sure you don't get it. An emerging theory that is gaining acceptance, known as the law of attraction says "as within, so without." As your inner dialog/scripts define your "reality" then the outer world of form and substance will manifest just that. Essentially, you will attract into your life just what your inner thoughts keep saying!

So, how do you or I stop, or at least change, the inner critic? How do you counter the years of self-programming? Below I give an exercise to start on the path right now, today. But, part 2 of this article, "Affirmations to the Rescue" will go into more details about how to truly start countering and combating the inner critic and start on your path to personal freedom.

The next part of this article we will get more in depth with the most effective ways to reverse the damage and throw open the prison doors! But right now you need to start becoming increasingly aware of your inner critic, sensitize yourself.

1) The best way to begin is to carry with you a compact notebook and start recording your inner dialog/tapes/critic etc. This doesnt mean recording blow-by-blow each thought, but it does mean jotting down the general idea. An acute awareness is the first step, so take that travel size notebook everywhere with you. As you take notes in such an analytical approach, you may start to make connections of how such scripts/dialog may have started.

2) A second activity would be to tackle that inner critic and observe what responses it throws in your face. Start by writing down something you want to do that is truly outside your comfort zone and then note each of the thoughts that run through your head in response. Keep writing as long as arguments keep coming up. Can you identify how or where you may have developed such scripts? These exercises will greatly assist you when we get to part two!

An example from my personal life follows. I was on the phone with my mother, when she said "dont dream so big, youll only be disappointed." I was throwing my hands in the air AHA! That is where that particular script came from for me! And it made sense, my mother, a depression era child, with mostly bitter disappointments in life had just existed in life, eking out enough to keep good clothes on us and live in safe neighborhoods with decent schools.

She had a rigid "comfort zone" which didnt include dreaming even about a vacation. I have to give her credit, she survived as a single parent when it wasnt acceptable, managed to raise me without any major hiccups and saw me on my way into adulthood. But she may never realize that her approach robbed her of any vibrancy and joy in her life.

By understanding the inner critic I have compassion for my mother, but I also fully recognize that I dont want that in my life and I have the choice to break down those limiting thoughts and scripts. You do too!

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People with Serious Mental Illnesses in Jail and Prison

Their Stories

People with mental illnesses often come into contact with the criminal justice system.

Steven, 28, has bipolar disorder. He can maintain a normal family life and a job as a landscaper. He had never had problems with the law or any history of violent behavior. One night while he was driving, the police pulled him over. He heard voices telling him to keep going. He did, was shot in the hand, bitten by police dogs and arrested. He spent four months in jail, without the medication that had kept him stable. Eventually, he was found not guilty by reason of insanity and was hospitalized; the charges were dismissed. (Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati , 8/00)

A man with a mental illness who was homeless was arrested in Florida for shoplifting an ice-cream sandwich that cost $ 1.16, then imprisoned because he lacked the $25 bail for release. (Sun-Sentinel, Ft. Lauderdale , 11/98)

Many lack access to adequate services through the public mental health system.

Roy was so desperate for mental health treatment that he showed up at the courthouse and signed his commitment papers. On the day of his hearing, he packed, ready for a hospital stay, but the hospital couldn't take him for two months. "What am I supposed to do until then," he asked. No other services were offered him. Seven weeks later, Roy walked into the woods, strapped his belt around a low branch and stepped off a plastic bucket. His body was found a week later, on the day his mother got a call that the hospital was ready for him. (Time, 7/00)

Seeking help for their 20-year-old son who was exhibiting unexplained paranoia, a Latino family called the community mental health crisis line. Nine hours later a mental health professional arrived with police. After a brief exam the mental health worker said the young man may need hospitalization and the officers agreed to take him to a mental health facility. Although they had found him passively sitting on a sofa, the officers used physical force, beating him with nightsticks and ultimately pepper-spraying the apartment. The family watched, stunned. The young man was diagnosed with schizophrenia and more than a year later remains withdrawn and unable to return to his job. His family is discouraged about accessing any public services. (Report from a Washington DC suburb, 4/02)

The criminal justice system is used to fill the void.

A man with a history of epilepsy was arrested after appearing confused and disrupting service on a city bus. Upon release, he was found outside the jail banging his head on a wall and crying. He was then admitted to hospital, where he threatened people with pencils. Hospital staff called the police and allowed them to enter patient areas with firearms. After the man became agitated from complications associated with epileptic seizures, he was shot dead by a police officer. His family had brought his seizure medication to the hospital the day before, but they spoke only Spanish and no one could communicate with them. The medicine was set aside. (Mental Health Weekly, 6/01)

Once people are in the

criminal justice system, their mental health needs are not met.

An Oregon man with a mental illness gouged out his eyes as he waited in a Portland jail cell for a psychiatric hospital bed. (The Oregonian 6/12/02 )

Romus was arrested and brought to the Orange County jail in New York , shouting gibberish. As a result of budget cuts, no psychiatrist was on call, so Romus was pepper-sprayed and shackled to a restraint chair, where he sat shouting, twisting and kicking for hours. Eventually, an officer dragged

Romus , in the chair, to the jail's mental health unit and pushed him in. (Middletown Times Herald-Record, NY, 7/01)

Shawn, 20, diagnosed with schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder, has been in and out of state hospitals. He was arrested after punching a security guard who tried to stop him from stealing. While in jail awaiting a court hearing, Shawn has tried to kill himself at least four times. "I use razors, floor tiles, nails, screws, glass, anything," he says, "I want to die." When he tries to hurt himself, the jail locks him in the medical observation cell. "When I get locked up like that, all I do is cry, punch myself in the face, bang my head against the wall." Guards then strap him in a restraint chair. "There is not a day...that I don't think of killing myself," he told a reporter. "I just want help. I want this to end. I've come to the conclusion that death is the only way out." ( Portland Press Herald, 11/01)

Criminal justice and mental health systems have not collaborated well.

Paul, 24, was arrested for breaking and entering. While processing him, police saw that he was highly agitated and his behavior was strange. Concerned, the arresting officers called the area mental health center, a hospital, the state police and the District Attorney's office to find out what to do. While the various organizations argued over who should take him, Paul hanged himself in his cell. (Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati , 8/00)

Joseph is deaf, has a serious mental illness and cannot speak. He was arrested on a misdemeanor charge. Although the charges were dropped, he remained in the detention center for two years, lost somewhere between the city's criminal justice and mental health bureaucracies. (The Washington Post, 9/01)

Collaboration between mental health and criminal justice can lead to better outcomes.

Richard, 43, has schizophrenia. He has been arrested 137 times for petty crimes such as trespassing and panhandling. Unwilling to take medication on his own, he was caught in a dangerous cycle, from jail to hospital to homelessness. Thresholds, a nonprofit rehabilitation agency, convinced a judge to release Richard to their custody. Now he has a single room the group provides for him, food, money and constant support. It took time, but Richard has been able to break his cycle of living on the streets or in prison. Over a year later, he remains arrest-free and says he has never felt happier. Thresholds costs $25 a day, while jail costs $75 a day. (Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati , 8/00)

Individuals with Mental Illnesses in Jail and Prison

Data

Nearly two million new jail admissions are of people with mental illnesses35,000 individuals a week.

At the end of 2000, nearly one million individuals with mental illnesses were in the criminal justice system.

More than 16% of jail inmates have a mental illness, according to the United States Department of Justice.

Seventy percent of jail inmates with mental illnesses are there for nonviolent offenses.

Offenders with Mental Illness

In Jails : 101,000 individuals with mental illnesses were inmates in local jails at year-end 2000. Of these, 63,000 had a severe mental illness.

5 Jails are locally operated facilities that hold people pending arraignment or awaiting trial, conviction or sentencing. Sentencing is either to probation or incarceration in jail (generally under a year) or prison. There are 3,365 local jails.

In Prisons : 201,000 individuals with mental illnesses were inmates in state (191,000 or 16.2%) and federal (10,000 or 7.9%) prisons at year-end 2000. Of these, 132,000 had a severe mental illness.

7 There are 1,558 adult correctional facilities housing state prisoners and 110 facilities housing federal prisoners.

On Probation : 614,000 individuals (16%) with mental illnesses were on probation at year-end 2000. Of these, 315,000 had a severe mental illness.

8 Probation represents a more moderate sanction than incarceration. It is generally given to offenders with few or no prior convictions or to those guilty of less serious offenses.

Description of the Population

New Department of Justice data confirm previous research findings that most individuals with mental illnesses in the criminal justice system have had extensive experience with both the criminal justice and mental health systems and have a severe mental disorder and poor functioning.

As seen in this table on offenders with mental illnesss, on every item, in all settingsjails, state prisons, federal prisons and probation-offenders with mental illnesses are more likely than other offenders to have the reported problem.

1. Based on admission rates reported in Bureau of Justice Statistics Bulletin, Census of Jails, 1999 (August 2001, NCJ 186633, p. 5) multiplied by the percentage of jail inmates with a mental illness (16.3%) reported in Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report, Mental Health Treatment of Inmates and Probationers (July 1999, NCJ 174463).

2. Calculated using the respective rates of mental illness reported in Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report, Mental Health Treatment of Inmates and Probationers (NCJ 174463) and year-end jail and prison population numbers reported in Bureau of Justice Statistics Bulletin, Prisoners in 2000 (August 2001, NCJ 188207) and probationers reported in Bureau of Justice Statistics press release of August 26, 20001.

3. Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report, Mental Health Treatment of Inmates and Probationers (NCJ 174463).

4. Id.

5. Based on self reports by inmates and probationers and, for severity, on overnight admissions to a mental hospital or treatment program.

6. Bureau of Justice Statistics Bulletin, Census of Jails, 1999 (August 2001, NCJ 186633).

7. Bureau of Justice Statistics Bulletin, Prisoners in 2000 (August 2001, NCJ 188207).

8. Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report, Substance Abuse and Treatment of Adults on Probation, 1995 (March 1998, NCJ 166611).

9. Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report, Mental Health Treatment of Inmates and Probationers (July 1999, NCJ 174463).

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Policy to Address Issues Regarding People with Serious Mental Illnesses in the Criminal Justice System

Impact

The increase in the number of individuals with serious mental illnesses who come in contact with law enforcement officers or are booked into jail or sentenced to incarceration means that more and more individuals suffer significant harm. For example:

They experience great trauma in connection with arrest, booking or detention.

They are unnecessarily stigmatized by involvement with criminal justice.

They are penalized in their eligibility for housing, employment and public benefits as a result ofand long afterarrest or detention.

The various parts of the criminal justice system also face major problems, including:

repeated use of significant police time and judicial resources;

significant stress among law enforcement personnel (for example, when individuals with depression try to encourage the officer to shoot them);

occupancy of jail beds needed for more serious offenders;

management problems in jail, often requiring suicide watch or causing major disruptions for jail staff;

challenges to probation and parole officers who lack special training or are too few in number to work with people with serious mental illnesses;

a scarcity of financial resources as a result of these and other issues.

Taking a Different Approach

What is needed is a new approach to policy that will:

assure that individuals with serious mental illnesses do not end up in the criminal justice system when a mental health approach would be more appropriate or because of prior failures to make mental health services accessible;

effectively move people with serious mental illnesses out of the criminal justice system more expeditiously; and

ensure that those who have been arrested or incarcerated do not return.

Goals for Policy

Such policies will result in:

better outcomes for the individual with mental illness;

greater safety for allthe community, law enforcement officers, correctional staff, the individual with a mental illness and his or her family;

a more efficient criminal justice system;

greater cost-effectiveness across the criminal justice and mental health system, as mental health issues are addressed earlier and in a more appropriate forum;

a more pleasant community for all.

Approaches That Have Been Tried

Many communities have adopted programs that will divert people with serious mental illness from the criminal justice system at various stages of the process:

time of arrest (pre-booking diversion);

as the individual's case is initially processed in the jail (pre-booking diversion);

following booking, but without a trial (post-booking diversion);

at adjudication or the trial stage (court-based diversion); or

following incarceration (re-entry programs)

Diversion is most likely to succeed, to violate individual rights less and to be less costly to the criminal justice system if it occurs in the early stages of criminal justice processing. However, depending on the seriousness of the crime or the individual's prior history in the criminal justice system, this may not be feasible.

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Life Lessons an Inpirational Story

Ju was physically abused as a child. She lived with a mother who was diagnosed with post depression and a father who was a wife abuser.

Her parent divorced and left six of them with her mother. She left school at 15 and went to work waiting tables to help her mother feed them all.

At 18 she met and fell in love and was married soon after. Then she found out that her husband drank too much, slept around with other women, a wife abuser and took drugs.

She was divorced at age 20 with two children. Her husband took their son away and handed him to his friend. He was sent to jail for an offence with the law.

Her husband's friend did not want to hand the boy over to her and demanded money in exchange. The child had scars on his chest due to burnt from cigarette butts. That was what he got for crying out for food.

She finally managed to get her son back. She left her children in her mother's care while she left to find a job.

At 28 she had an accident. Her dress caught fire and she suffered 2nd degree burns.

With that her self-esteem and self-confidence went down the pit. She was depressed. She attempted suicides several times and was given psychiatric treatments.

After a major surgery and lots of counseling and support from relatives and friends, she started her life all over again even with one partly deformed hand and fingers.

Her anxiety was all the time still present. It was tougher to find a job. She felt like a disabled person.

The one thing that kept her going in spite of her misfortune was her will to be able to feed herself and sent money for her children. She did not want to ask for financial support.

At 38 she was diagnosed with cancer of the cervix. That was a big blow to her. She went through another depression episode.

"Why me?" was the question she repeatedly asked. Of course when she asked that question, she got all the wrong answers. She felt more depressed. She blamed her father, her mother and everyone for what brought her sufferings. Worst, she blamed herself.

She agreed to go for the treatments, chemotherapy and cesium, because she did not want to go through the pains.

This was when she took the time to look within her. She thought that she might not live long enough so she decided to reconnect with her children. It was not easy especially with her son who had gone through his own childhood trauma.

She turned to her family for moral support and she turned to God.

Now eight years later, she is still alive. Waking up and able to breathe for another day is a gift for her.

She has two grandchildren whom she adores and that give her much joy. She takes some jobs every now and then when her health permits and rests when she needs it.

Her question has changed. She now asks what is it she could do to get more out of what is left?

Things happen and happen to us all. Life does not play favorites. Everyone has a story to tell.

It is how we handle it that matters. We do not have to wait until a major catastrophe interrupts us to think of what we should do with our lives.

It is up to us to make or break us. No one can tell our brain and mind what to do. No one can tell us what to think of and what to put inside our head.

We have the power to think what we want to think. To forget past hurts or to linger with them.

We can decide, plan and take action on what we want to have, do or be. At least when the universe intervenes, we know that we have done our best.

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2012年2月24日星期五

Getting Past Major Learning Barriers

Tom stepped into the meeting room, but from his perspective it might as well have been a jail cell. He was a prisoner in his own work day. Why? The PowerPoint slide projected on the screen said it all. Welcome to our Refresher Training. Refresher training might be needed for some people but Tom already knew all this material . . . but the training was mandatory. Besides, he had a desk full of more important work. He told himself how stupid this mandatory training policy was; that he hated to attend training on stuff he knew.

Marys supervisor asked her to attend the coaching skills training being provided by the company. The problem was that Mary wasnt a coach. She wasnt even a supervisor. She didnt see any value in attending this workshop. All she could think about was, What good is this going to be for me?

Kat was really excited about the workshop session she had registered for. It was on a topic she was interested in and wanted to learn more about. She saw how mastering these skills would help her reach her goals. She arrived early and sat close to the front. The problem became clear very early on though. The material was too basic. She already knew this stuff! She was disappointed to say the least. She put out her own money and time for something that was going to waste both of those things.

Im guessing you can relate to at least one, and perhaps all of the scenarios youve just read. These are just some of the common barriers that get in our way of being the most productive learners: we are forced to be there, we dont see the learning as relevant or valuable, and we feel like we already know the material.

While these barriers are real, there are things we can do to jump over or break through these barriers to make the time invested in these situations more valuable and useful to us. Here are three specific suggestions that will help you in each of these situations and many more.

1. Use the time to review and focus. So you dont want to be there, or feel that you already know the material. So what? You are there. So be there (and get over yourself)! Rather than having your own little pity party, or being cynical about the material and the experience, use the time to review what you know. Use the time as an opportunity to do some thinking. Reflect on your experiences with these concepts. Think of ways you can improve on what you already know. You may become a valuable resource to other learners, or you may learn something new through your reflection. The time is there, use it wisely. Even if what you learn is different than what others learn, you will have made good use of your time, improved your mood and outlook, and taken something valuable from your time spent.

2. Look for the nugget. Everyone can learn something new. Maybe you do know much of the material being covered. If that is the case, be a detective. Look for and uncover at least one nugget that you had forgotten, that you have stopped applying, or one twist on something you already know well. Often one well applied nugget will pay for your time invested many times over. And without sleuthing, it is value you would never have received.

3. Be a beginner. Remember what it is like when you first learn something new? You are excited, interested and having fun. Once we think we know it all, we stop looking for any evidence to prove ourselves wrong. One of the best ways to remove all of these barriers is to come to any learning situation as a beginner, by asking yourself, What can I learn? The Zen saying states it well, In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, in the experts mind there are few. Give yourself more options. View the world from a possibility perspective. Come to the learning table as a beginner.

These three suggestions can have a major impact on the value you get from any learning experience (classroom or otherwise). Once you know and apply these strategies these common barriers to your learning will be a thing of the past. And youll get more value out of all your future learning experiences.

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Dirty White Boy MHM Mental Health Matters

What exactly do I mean by the name of this chapter? What I mean is this, when you dont have any money because you are on social security you are frowned upon and looked down upon, hey lets face it when you are this low, you never take a shower so you look terrible and smell just as bad.

I wonder why that is the first thing to go is personal hygiene, why this is I am not sure but it is a proven fact, henceforth the name dirty white boy. Because if you look bad, smell bad and live in the not so great part of town and to top it all off you have to drive clunkers, that literally look like shit on wheels, now do you see how some people not knowing you have an illness, could mistake you for a low life, trailer trash, or even a DIRTY WHITE BOY!

Now dont get me wrong these biologically unhappy people cant help themselves. Let me try to explain an illness or illnesses to you all, as I have BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder), ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder), OCPD (Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder), GAD (General Anxiety Disorder), and I am (Bi Polar) now hows that for an illness?

Let me explain some of the symptoms of all these illnesses and then I believe you will have a better chance at understanding what a fellow human being my be going through, be it a loved one, friend, patient.

BPD Some of the symptoms for this illness are very severe. The reason they call it borderline is because the patient is said to live at the border of reality and make believe. I must admit this is the toughest illness that I have ever went up against and just when I think I have it whooped, it lets out a furious attack and I get knocked down a few pegs. So what are some of the symptoms of this dreaded disease?

You are very compulsive in all or any of the following Sexual behavior when you are in a down mood you something tells your mind that having sex with anyone you can find will make you feel better, guess what it does for five min then all hell brakes lose. You feel dirty you shower ten times yet you still feel dirty and cheap.

The thing that is strange about this is its likely to happen again, even though this behavior is destructive, when a person hits a thing that is called Diaspora they will do absolutely anything to get out of it and I mean they will literally do anything to get themselves out of this feeling. They call this the caged animal part of the disorder.

Some have a compulsivity to spend money and do they ever, they buy everything in sight and they wont stop until the dysphoria goes away, yet now they are $6,000 in dept, not to mention all the bounced checks that they wrote.

You want to know the funny thing they would rather go to jail for writing bad checks than stay in dysphoria which literally is the worst feeling in the world its every bad emotion their ever was put together and all wrapped up in one and you feel them as though they are happening at once, you feel them all at once, this is dysphoria and please know that if you havent experienced it you are lucky because it can literally ruin your life and is the absolute worse feeling that any individual can possibly feel and you live in constant worry that it will come back again,!

Yes it comes back time after time and leaves you defenseless for you to make the right decisions. Please know there is also medicine for dsyphoria, so there is now hope were a few years ago it was just tuff it out, so please know they are coming up with more and more miracle drugs to combat these negative symptoms, so your chances of recovery are getting better by the day!

Black and White Thinking I know this sounds weird, but once you see the reasoning behind black and white thinking it will all become clear. Say that someone you love dearly does something to piss you off. A normal reaction would be to go to that person and ask them why they did such a thing and try to work the problems out in a civil matter.

Not you though you see them as evil and you can only see them in the black (THE BAD), which is another symptom of BPD. You will even go as far as hating this loved one and doing some pretty dumb things to get even, now lets talk about the white (THE GOOD)

A friend or loved one buys you a gift, you are really touched and now you feel this person can do no wrong they are now great to you and youll do anything for them, anyway you can. Now the thing that may seem weird to you, there is no gray its either LOVE (WHITE) or HATE (BLACK), can you see how this type of behavior could run off some mates AND RUIN A RELATIONSHIP?

Back and fourth, love ya then, hate ya, Love ya, and hate ya. Tag you are it. Please know with the right medication this can greatly be controlled, which is a great break through and is helping many couples stay together every day, so dont let the black and white thinking ruin your life!

Love can break all boundaries, overcome any obstacles, so stop and think what it was like before your loved one had a biological unhappiness and then never let go off that picture until the dream becomes a reality. Visualize you and your mate doing the things that you want, you each being the person that the other loves and please remember that a winner never quits and a quitter never wins.

Self-Mutilating Behavior - This may sound a bit gross and at times it can be very gross indeed. Now let try and explain why a person would act in such a manner and inflict pain on themselves. Ok the reason why they would take a razor and slit their wrist or their leg is because they are in that nasty little word disphoria and when the razor breaks the skin and the bloods start to flow everywhere, it gives such relief!

Now I feel normal again! When I was going through my toughest times with my BPD, I would drive nails through my hands and my feet, sometime I would actually have three to four nails in one hand and the same in one of my feet and I can honestly say I felt normal again. I am so thankful that they have medicine to control this behavior and I havent self-mutilated for five years now

Trapped Animal Effect Lets say you are in Africa and you are out on the plains and as you are walking around you see a cave so you think you will set up camp there for the night. Low and behold there is a mother lioness and her cubs in the cave with you and your crew are in front of the exit. Now can you see how the mother lioness would go absolutely nuts and stop at nothing to get her cubs to safety? Well this is how a person with BPD feels at certain times in their life, and I must admit that you will make some bone head decision when you are spa zing out and feeling like that trapped animal, please know that this is greatly reduced with medications.

What are some of the most common behaviors of ADD and ADHD? One thing for sure, is the fact that we have an abundance of energy and we just keep going and going, sometimes its even hard to get a breath in! Running here, running there and starting this and starting that and never really finishing anything.

Unfinished piles of work everywhere and this absolutely drives you crazy. You interrupted your dad when are talking to him and this pisses him off and in turn makes you mad at him, as a matter of fact you are always interrupting everyone! When will this madness end? I need to slow down and take a break, I cant sleep

WAIT A MINTUE! There is hope and I can est. to the fact that adderall has changed my life. WAIT A MINTUE! There is hope and I can est. to the fact that adderall has changed my life. Yes I can concentrate again. I can actually read something and understand it, I can read holy shit, I cant believe it I only had to read it once and I remember how it goes and all that and I didnt even analyze it a hundred times.

So yes even with ADD and ADHD there is now hope in a pill called an stimulate, which for someone with the above mentioned illness actually act to slow you down a bit and helps you to concentrate. Now the down side is this, people without ADHD use this drug like cocaine and they get a high a great feeling, that they want the feeling to last for ever and they become addicted to the stimulant.

It is usually abused by the younger generation and college kids to stay up all night to help them study for exams and of coarse party all the time, so this is where the negative press comes from. Some dumb kids ruining the entire positive that is happening, for many children and adults. So lets stop the negative stigma and get the good press and the entire positive that these medicines are doing for millions.

Now lets move on to OCD, obsessive compulsive disorder. Now this can be very debilitating and can ruin ones life. Some of the symptoms are excessively checking to make sure that the door knob is locked, even though they checked it all ready one hundred times, dam when will the madness end?

Their are some that pull their hair out and in doing so there are even bald spots all over there head, and not only cant they stop, they look terrible in the process. Basically this illness is an anxiety disorder one that cant be controlled very easy.

It is almost always excessiveness in anything you can think of and then some. Now I know some people who are millionaires that have this disorder, that with medication are very happy and seem to have the illness under control and function very well and then there are those that dont responded to the treatments as well.

As each day passes and more and more medicine comes out, we have hope that, we may have never had before, so hold on and keep the faith and with some hard work on your and your Drs. Part, it is my belief that we can greatly control this animal!

Lets move on to the next illness that affects our biological clock in our little head of ours. Have you ever heard of OCPD- Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder? What exactly is this animal? Let me try to explain this disorder, as I have it and it is in a pain in the neck, it can literally ruin your life.

Lets see you see your self as perfect, or the need to be perfect, yet in your mind you cant seem to get it right, just that one idea that is lurking in the dark and you know this is the Perfect answer to your problem. What about this idea or that idea?

Everyone says you did a great job and they are all signing your praises, yet you know that it is far from your best and you tear it up and start over and if someone offers you help you, you go nuts. There is no way that they could even come close to the perfection that you must have, so you politely tell them that the way they are helping is really off coarse and is deviating from your plan and could they please stop so you can get back on track to perfection.

I must admit I to this day have quite a bit of trouble with this disorder. I can never seem to please my self or anything I do and it causes me a great deal of pain, the medicine seems to help a bit, but I must admit that I feel the need to be perfect in everything that I do, but I can never satisfy myself, my hardest critique.

For this at least for myself I try to use consoling and Ive made small steps in the write direction, with allot of blood, sweat, and tears, I have been able to give myself small praises and believe me if I can start to praising myself, some then there is light at the end of the tunnel for all of us who have this disorder, so keep your head high and know that if you shoot for the moon, if you miss at least you made it to the stars and this could very well be the step that just lets you settle for second best, which may indeed be perfection to everyone else!

Anxiety, or GAD- General Anxiety Disorder, is absolutely terrible and you honestly feel as though you are having a heart attack, or even worse you are losing your mind and your heart flutters and is beating stronger and stronger, as you are sweating profusely and you feel as though you are losing all the sanity that you have left!

When it is finally over you are so beat all you want to do is sleep and sleep as long as you can, I mean if you are sleeping you cant have another panic attack. The worst of it is now you live in fear of it happing again and again. For some it is going out in public, the world starts to shrink and you can feel it closing in on you and you cant breath and the hearts starts to beat a little faster and faster until its a full blown attack.

Some are terrified with public speaking and it all starts over and over again and again. This is a viscous cycle that just keeps getting worse. Heres the thing the drugs to combat this are very addictive and are hard to get a Dr. give them to you, but if worse comes to worse they will and this will help you tremendously. Along with the medication you need to practice some relaxation as much as you possible can and try to stay calm in all situations. You may also need therapy as they will help you see what is triggering it all. I believe that with all three that you will find a great deal of satisfaction with the outcome!

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Criminal Record - Stigma For Life

If you've ever been convicted of a crime, no matter how small, you know the stigma that you carry with you because of that conviction. Unfortunately, even something as minor as a shoplifting charge or disorderly conduct conviction can make life difficult in so many areas.

Probably the area where a criminal record has the most impact is in applying for and getting a job. While there are laws against discrimination, and yes, not hiring somebody because of a past criminal offence is considered discrimination, these laws are constantly being broken and are almost impossible to prove.

If you look at any typical job application there is almost always a section that asks if you've ever been arrested or convicted of a crime other than a motor vehicle offence. Many ex-convicts are hesitant to fill out this section because they are afraid that it will cost them the job. Ultimately, it doesn't matter because if the employer checks, the conviction will turn up unless it was while the person was a juvenile, in which case the records are sealed. If ever there is a question of whether or not discrimination occurred the employer will always fall back on the standard answer, "There were other applicants more qualified". Yes, discrimination against an ex-convict is very hard to prove.

Gaining employment isn't the only place where an ex-convict has problems. There is the social aspect of his or her life that probably gets the biggest beating. Imagine a guy meeting a nice girl, taking her out for a drink or maybe dinner, they get to talking and the girl asks what he's been doing with himself. Now if he's been out of prison for a long period of time this can be fairly easy to get around. But if he's just been newly released from jail and has been out of society for a while getting around the issue is close to impossible.

In the same situation, hardened criminals who have been serving a long sentence and are just not used to being in society, have a hard time fitting in as it is. Their appearance will be different from most. Their actions will seem strange. They will seem ill at ease with their surroundings. This isn't opinion. There are studies that show how difficult it is for an ex-convict to get back into normal society. Ultimately, the girl will either find out he was in prison or he will have to tell her. Studies show that the percentage of relationships that actually succeed under these conditions is very small. In most cases the girl will break it off as gently as possible.

There is an old saying that goes, "Once a con always a con". While this isn't always true, unfortunately, it is the perception of most people. We have a very hard time trusting somebody who has been convicted of a crime. Why? Simple. If they stole or injured or did something unlawful once, what's to say they won't do it again? In our troubled world as it is, it's hard to know who to trust, even if they don't have a record. Certainly someone who has already gone down that road can't be a good risk for getting into a relationship with.

Yes, unfortunately as much as we like to think of ourselves as a forgiving species, having a criminal record is usually a walking death sentence for ever having a normal life again.

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2012年2月23日星期四

The Ultimate Tax Planning Strategy

The taxes that are withheld from paychecks amount to about 25% of your gross pay (including federal tax, state tax, social security tax and medicare tax). But these taxes that are withheld could be working for you as investments if you employ what I call the ultimate tax strategy. This tax strategy consists of how you plan to pay no taxes just like all of the large corporations. Large businesses have teams of accountants and lawyers going over the tax code to make maximum use of legitimate deductions.

In my opinion, there is a distinct difference between an individual and a business in the U.S. tax code (others have called it the difference between the rich and the poor). Such as businesses are rewarded with tax deductions because they create jobs and engage in entrepreneurial activities that support individuals and government. But individuals are awarded few tax breaks because they dont create jobs and dont take risks that add substantial value to the economy. This is simply the fact and we just need to find a way to make the most of the few tax deductions that are available to wage earners as well.

When tax time comes around, the only substantial tax break most individuals have is a deduction for their home mortgage. This deduction is a social policy benefit to many people, but instead of helping people, it can motivate them to buy a larger home or higher mortgage than they would ordinarily afford. And unless you live in a neighborhood that continually appreciates, this is not a great strategy for you to target.

First, I need to make some big disclaimers about minimizing your taxes. There are many people in jail that have written books, tapes, websites and held seminars on how to never pay taxes. You can spot these people due to their focus on concepts that the IRS says are invalid; strained interpretations that havent held up in court, constitutional nonsense and a lot of straight fraud. Once the IRS audits these patriotic educators, the result is an invoice for back taxes, interest, penalties, and a jail or prison sentence. And illegal tax avoidance isnt limited to wage earners. Nearly every month there is someone who tried to avoid taxes from a giant windfall (sold a company for millions, exercised stock options, received a large bonus) and paid some small shady offshore consulting company to create a fictitious tax loss to offset the big gain. The same thing happens; IRS files suit for back taxes, interest, penalties and possibly jail depending on the circumstances.

The ultimate tax planning strategy works when you buy investments that have a positive cash flow (before any tax consequences), and give you a legitimate tax deduction as an added bonus. Now it is just a matter of buying enough of these investments to reduce your tax liabilities close to zero. If you have too much of these investments, the IRS limits tax loss carry-forwards, and you may end up losing them.

The two legitimate deductions that I want to mention are real estate depreciation and oil well depletion. You are buying something that is going to put money in your pocket (or a very high probability of success), and because it is in alignment with government policy, they give you a tax deduction to take this risk.

To figure out how much of a deduction that you need, start with your 1040 federal tax form. Add together the Standard Deduction (which is around $3,000) and your itemized deductions from Schedule A. The difference between the number that you just calculated and your actual Adjusted Gross Income is the amount of depreciation you need to acquire for the ultimate tax strategy.

Investment real estate depreciation is calculated over 29.5 years right now, so take the amount of depreciation that you need and multiply it by 29.5 to calculate the purchase price you need to buy. (Note that depreciation is limited to $25,000 per year unless you meet the IRS qualifications as a real estate professional. The taxing authorities dont like wage earners taking these types of deductions so there are many limits on them, including the Alternative Minimum Tax, to block you from taking excessive deductions).

Now even if you arent able to buy enough tax deductible investments to get your taxable income all the way down to zero, any investment that meets the IRS rules for a deduction, and is a positive cash flow investment, will increase your net worth, reduce your taxes and thus create more money available to you to spend or invest.

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