srijeda, 21. studenoga 2007.

subota, 17. studenoga 2007.

Outsourcing is the strategic use of outside resources to perform activities traditionally handled by internal staff and resources. Small business owners can outsource non-core functions to specialized and efficient service providers. It is required of businesses to hire special contractors for particular types of work or to meet the demands put forth by sudden spurts in the workload. Recently, the trend of partnering with firms whose capabilities complement their own giving them an access to resources that were beyond their individual reach has come up. The difference between simply subcontracting and outsourcing is that outsourcing involves the wholesale restructuring of the corporation around core competencies and outside relationships.

As a consequence, has emerged a new class of skilled entrepreneurs – the Virtual Assistants.

What is a Virtual Assistant?

A Virtual Assistant (VA) is an independent entrepreneur providing administrative, creative and/or technical services. Utilizing advanced technological modes of communication and data delivery, a professional VA assists clients in his/her area of expertise from his/her own office. A VA completes your projects using his or her own equipment, and carries out the work through email, fax, telephone and postal service. Therefore, the location of your VA is not important. This gives you a liberty to look for professionals best suited to your needs located anywhere on the globe. Since they're paid only for time-on-task, businesses can hire several VAs in dispersed locations and have 24-hour support -- paying far less than an employee or temporary would cost for such comprehensive assistance.

The services offered by each VA differ according to his/her skills. The list of services includes general administration services, database and website development, graphic design, internet research, sales support, presentation preparation, telephone answering, bill payments, travel arrangements, bookkeeping, desktop publishing, computer training, medical/legal transcription… the list is endless! Not all VAs offer all of these services. However, by being part of VA Networks, your VA can guarantee client satisfaction by a qualified VA. If your VA cannot complete your task, he/she will find another VA who can.

Why to outsource the work to a VA?

The primary benefit of outsourcing is economizing since the VA can do it cheaper. VAs only charge for actual time worked.
By outsourcing to a VA rather than hiring an in-office assistant, you will never need to pay employment insurance, vacation pay, sick pay, or contribute to retirement plans and worker’s compensation.
A VA has his/her own hardware, software, training, etc. thereby reducing your capital investment. So there is no wear and tear on your office equipment or a need for special equipment.
Engaging a VA gives you time allowing you to do what you do best. You can focus on delivering the higher value and service to your customers.
As skilled VAs are chosen to perform particular tasks, they can do it better as they do it all the time. It is their business.
Like you, VAs are entrepreneurs and understand the needs of businesses today, ensuring the success of their clients. VAs value each and every client; it is because of these clients that VAs can ensure the success of their own businesses.
The resources of the VA can give your business access to technical advances you would not normally have access to.

With modern day communication, projects can be accomplished without ever having to meet the client face to face. With the growing ease of the Internet, finding a VA almost anywhere in the world is quite simple to accomplish. More so in the developed nations like USA, Canada, Australia, UK and many other European countries the VA industry is highly organized. The potential of developing countries like India can too be exploited to provide skilled VA services.

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As many in the corporate world can attest, a well respected business degree is a must. As one transitions through their early career, those same people, after trials and errors -challenges, hurdles and sometimes heartache discover that an advanced business degree is a necessity. Online business schools are now meeting that need, right there in the board room. And they are gaining more and more respect from senior management, hiring managers and the corporate world as a whole.

Too often business men and women in the past have overlooked online education as a viable option to advance their career. Why? They were uneducated about the real value of earning an online degree. Time. And as most all in the business world know ... time is money. Enrolling in an online MBA program for instance, brings with it a schedule attuned to the real-world. Online classes and semesters generally begin much more frequently. You will virtually eliminate all "headaches" involved in attending a tradition college or university, such as commute expenses, food, parking fees and the like. All tolled, these don't add up to a huge dent in the pocket book, but where the impact is truly felt, is in convenience. And again, time. That flexibility lets the online learner guide their education.

A valuable asset to the online business student especially, inherent in a decision to seek an online business degree is prudent decision making. Knowing that there are many accredited online colleges and online business programs available will allow you the "e-learner" to make that decision securely and rapidly apply these changes to your life.us

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Business is big money in today’s economy and if you are going to succeed you will have to find the best business schools in North America. Schools that specialize in business will help you to obtain your dream job in the business and financial realm. You will also graduate with the opportunity to make some big bucks thanks to your degree from one of these accredited business programs:

University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)

The Wharton School of Business is consistently recognized as a top business school. They are known for their innovative teaching methods and their wide range of academic programs and resources. They also claim to have the world’s largest and most cited faculty.

They offer a four-year Bachelors of Science degree in Economics, with courses in accounting, finance, marketing and informational management.

MBA students are allowed the flexibility of designing their own major and they have 18 majors to choose from. Students can double major or design their own major.

University of Texas at Austin (McCombs)

The McCombs School of Business is known for a well-rounded curriculum. They also have an outstanding faculty and the college consistently ranks among the best in the country.

The undergraduate program is a four year degrees in accounting, finance, marketing, International Business, Business Honors, Engineering Route to Business and Management and Information Systems.

The MBA program requires students take nine core classes including strategy, finance, statistics, financial accounting, marketing, operations, microeconomics, information technology and managerial accounting. Students are then able to mix and match electives. Students are not required to declare a graduate major.

University of California-Berkeley (Haas)

The Haas School of Business is considered one of the best business colleges in the world. The curriculum involves more than just the classroom setting and students have the opportunity to be involved in innovation, the community and global excellence. They also stress the importance of entrepreneurship.

Consistently ranked at the top of the board on excellent business schools, the undergraduate program allows students to begin after their sophomore year and earn a Bachelors of Science degree.

The MBA program focuses on management fundamentals and leadership abilities. Students will also hone their skills in quantitative, analytical, and strategic and problem solving skills.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan)

MIT is a world-renowned school and the curriculum is both technical and real world. MIT uses a variety of techniques and projects to teach students business skills that they will use.

The undergraduate program at Sloan focuses on technical and managerial skill sets. Students are able to concentrate on one of the four areas including finance, marketing science, operations research and information technology.

The MBA program encourages students to have leadership and hands-on abilities. Students will graduate prepared to run organizations and to be excellent managers in a variety of situations.

University of Michigan (Ross)

The Ross School of Business ranks amongst the top business schools annually. They feature a wide curriculum with advanced electives and general management courses. Ross also has a commitment to research and they have excellent facilities available to students.

Ross features a BBA program that will prepare students for an MBA program. Students should have transferable credits in English, Calculus and Macroeconomics. They are able to choose from a three year or two year program.

The MBA program at Ross features a one-year core curriculum that covers the ten most important elements in business. Afterwards students work on a seven-week project that enables them to apply their education in real life experiences. Students are not required to choose a major in the MBA program and they have over 100 courses to choose from in their second year of study which allows students to focus on areas of interest to them.

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If you are having a tough time deciding on which career path to take, you are not alone. While it is important to consider your interests, goals, desires and limitations, there are literally thousands of employment options available. You could receive conflicting information from all sides, making the decision-making process seem overwhelming.

Perhaps if you knew which careers are quickly growing, you would feel more confident in choosing a specific career path. The U.S. Department of Labor has recently published some good, solid statistical information about the fastest-growing careers today, as well as careers that are expected to experience steady growth far into the future.

When you look at the top ten fastest-growing career fields, you will see two general areas that have risen to the top: Health Care and Computers. Predictions by the U.S. Department of Labor for growth in the next decade list seven careers that are related to health care, and three careers that are in the field of computers.

The single fastest-growing career field today is easy to guess when you consider our rapidly-aging population and the breakdown of traditional family ties. If you guessed the profession of Home Health Aide (also known as Personal Support Worker), you would be right. Home Health Care is currently number one, and is expected to stay at the top of the list well into the next decade.

The professions of Medical Assistant and Physician Assistant are also high on the list. With the vast numbers of people who are living well past retirement age and the increasing need for excellent health care services, this is no surprise. Also included in the top ten are Physical Therapy Assistants, Dental Hygienists, Dental Assistants, and Personal Home Care Aides.

Several computer-related fields are high on the list, which is fairly predictable as our continuing fascination with computers and computer technologies is also expanding. A bachelor's degree in Network Systems or Database Technology could take you a long way into the future, as the businesses of today exercise their preference for well-trained network systems and data communications analysts.

Another computer-related field that is growing quickly would be Computer Software Engineering. You would do well to complete a bachelor degree in software engineering to become a specialist in applications of computer software or a systems software expert. So, if you are interested in the field of Computer Information Systems, this career path could net you an annual salary of $50,000 or more.

Of course, no one would base their career decision entirely on statistics predicting professions that will experience rapid growth. It is probably more important to consider your skills and abilities, the length of time and amount of tuition you can commit to a college degree or certificate, and your overall goals for the future. But, every drop of information you learn can help you to choose a career path that will offer personal rewards as well as a lifetime of steady employment.

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As the scope of business expands with drastic changes and development in technology and global socioeconomics, there is also a rapid growth in the career opportunities and jobs that require strong analytical and business skills. A degree in business administration encourages students to strive for a thorough understanding of business principles with a spirit of creativity and entrepreneurship in order to compete in today’s business environment.

Business skills and administration are the main skills that are taught in a bachelor’s degree in business program. Employers combine academic disciplines with functional business applications, along with liberal arts to prepare students in skills applicable in every business setup.

Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) is a bachelor degree in business administration. In order to attain a degree in business administration, a student needs to complete at least four years of full-time study or 120 credit hours in one or more areas of business. This rule is applied in most universities around the world.

Most of the time, general business courses and advanced courses for specific concentrations are included in BBA or bachelors of business administration course. It is also possible for students who have completed their BBA to pursue a master’s degree known as MBA (masters of business administration). However, in order to attain an MBA degree, a BBA degree is not compulsory.

Courses and subjects may be categorized differently and vary from one university to another but there are some of basic subjects included in a BBA course: accounting, marketing management, business management, micro-economics, macro-economics, financial management, communication skills, business environment, taxation, business law, money and material management, management theory, organizational behavior, business ethics, human resource management, statistics, logistics and transport, policy analysis, and management information system.

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Remember the old slogan that “children should be seen and not heard?”

Clearly, that no longer applies to teens and tweens, prepubescents 8 to 14 years old. These days, teens and tweens are seen and heard, loudly and clearly.

What should business people do about these two groups? Just wait until they grow up? No, not at all. You need to take action now.

Though not always old enough to buy our products, we need continuous marketing communications to teens and tweens, starting now.

Properly done, that can develop a positive relationship between tweens and teens and your business, positioning you for future long term success.

As author Anne Southerland writes, get to them at age 8 or 9 “at the cusp of tweendom.”

For years, the tobacco and liquor industries have tried to reach kids with messages saying, “when you’re old enough to drink or smoke, please use our brand.”

The fast food chains market to kids, too. They aim their TV commercials at children, since kids often decide which fast food store to visit, after mom decides that “she deserves a break today.” Dad lamely completes the deal as chauffeur and treasurer.

The marketing payoff for fast food companies comes from promotion to tweens and teens when they reach the 18 to 24 age group, the heaviest fast food user group.

A majority of 18 to 24 year olds eat most meals in fast food places.

Extensive market research shows that those 11 and older don’t consider themselves children anymore.

As an example, 70% of boys and girls at age 13 select their own clothes. 60% of tween boys make their own fast food dining choices.

Most boys at age 10 already know what kind of car they’d like to buy.

In their own minds, those over 11 are now adults.

The 25 million tweens in the USA spend $51 billion each year, and another $170 billion is spent on them annually, mostly by parents and relatives.

The teen market has $175 billion in annual sales. One high school senior in three carries a major credit card. And 63% of teens are very well wired, mostly by having their own cell phones and/or laptops.

Very interesting, you say-—but what’s really at stake here for me, as a business person? Plenty! There are four major issues to consider:

1. The authority of parents is waning—because some parents are too wimpy to “train up their children in the way they should go,” the Bible way.

Coneheaded, permissive Doctor Spock mushiness prevails in many homes (“the children are our friends and we dare not offend them”).

2. In the absence of consistent, wise parental leadership, tweens and teens are strongly influenced by peer groups and marketers, research shows.

3. Marketers have been blessed for many years by Baby Boomers (born 1946 to 1964). But Boomers are starting to retire and, within 10 to 20 years, their purchasing power will wane.

4. Serious marketing futurists think that today’s tweens can eventually replace boomers financially, since tweens are extremely quality and brand conscious and are very glib spenders.

That being the case, why shouldn’t long term marketers start cultivating tweens now?

While we deplore the decline in effective parenting, my business believes that we should start relationship building with tweens and teens right now to help create our long term business success for these reasons:

1. Tweens and teens are excellent practioners of “viral marketing,” today’s term for word of mouth advertising. This is a cost-efficient way to communicate.

2. Tweens and teens are unaware of the benefits of self-employment, since parents often don’t know these things and most schools are still creating employees suitable to staff the Industrial Revolution, which no longer exists.

Tweens and teens need to learn about selling, business planning, and how to develop themselves personally and professional to be successful self-employed persons.

3. Since 10 year old boys know what kind of car they want, they should learn from marketers now how to take care of a car--specifically, which products and services they'll need.

Now what is my busines doing to start communicating with tweens and teens?

We’re taking the Tony Bennett approach. Explaining Tony’s career resurgence, his son and manager, Danny, said, “We didn’t make it cool to be Tony Bennett. We put him in places where it was cool to be.”

These include Tony in concert with BB King, the late Ray Charles, David Letterman’s Show and appearances on the Simpsons—to name a few.

So, we’re starting to put my business and myself in tween and teen places where it’s cool to be.

John just got a “space” in the wildly popular with tweens and teens www.myspace.com website.

In just one week, he’s been contacted by a local computer service and repair firm and a lady selling mortgage refinancing.

John has added Internet Messenger, because IM is very popular with younger generations, as is text messaging, especially tweens and teens.

Major portals recently launched their versions of www.myspace.com. John has created “spaces” there as well.

And one consulting professional is teaching clients how to mine existing portal directories to find business partner prospects, “talking" with prospects using IM.

That’s just our initial start toward teens and tweens.

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Creating your online business can be a long and arduous process, or it can be done relatively easily. Today is a great time to launch an online business. The secret is to find something unique, a niche market or where the competition is less, the technology is better and where you can get a better return on investment, quicker. Internet use is at an all-time high and is a great time to join the largest and biggest growth market of all time. The online games industry (not gambling) is currently the largest growth area with millions of people playing games at any one point in time.

Even countries like India and China have seen massive growth in this area. The USA, United Kingdom and other European countries have all seen an upsurge in online entertainment. Last year there were over 100,000 Internet cafes opened in India alone.

Internet cafes have sprung up all over the World trying to keep up with the insatiable appetite for games and entertainment. Simple games, wargames, role playing have become part of everyday life and for entrepreneurs this market can offer amazing rewards.

Imagine having your very own games website, fully populated with games that have massive play appeal, completely automated. With new games being introduced on a regular basis. One to games, tournaments, free games and games with a money prize, and all this for a remarkably low price.

The combination of social networking, blogs,online games and network marketing into one package has meant that for the first time the information will travel at light speed around the globe and build your games business much faster.

It's not just about games of course, it's about entertainment. It is the type of business that satisfies the basic human need to have fun and compete.

The inventors of the Internet could never have envisaged that what they were doing could give so much freedom and joy to millions of people all over the World.

There's no doubt about it the games industry is big and getting bigger by the minute. New technology has allowed the average person to become financially independent in a relatively short space of time, and being part of this Global phenomena will bring exceedingly great rewards for many people.

The great news is that you don't need to be a 'techie or geek' the system works for you so you don't have to. With the online games market growing four times quicker than the Internet as a whole the future looks extremely bright.

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The gradual shift of business operations and activities being dominated by major corporations and companies to the hands of the small business owners has seen the increase in competition for potential clients within the national scene. This is a particular problem for developed countries, because of the saturation of the market with more product and service providers than ever before, and where there is competition, there are no surprises that the bigger and more well-established businesses have the advantage.

Businesses make or break on their ability to innovate, and the way around competition in the domestic market has given business operators the incentive to look further for business opportunities. While there are countries with an established culture of fusing Western and Eastern trends (such as Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong), there is actually a largely untapped market that is craving for all the luxuries that developed countries enjoy.

China, India and Korea have built their recent economic success around their ability to pick up the jobs that others don't want to do. As the average citizen begins to realize the rewards of their hard work, they are starting to splurge on the fruits of their labour. No where is this more obvious than China and Korea, with the numbers of tourists from these two Asian countries starting to rival those of the traditional Asian tourists of Japan and Taiwan.

Nowadays it is not uncommon to see a software application or website that supports more than one language. The modern design of software and web applications facilitate the process of internationalization, making it almost as easy to carry out as changing the look and feel of the software or website; but the commodity of language services are expensive and still rather inaccessible to the small business community.

The cost of making your products and services available to potential markets around the world, versus the increasing pressure of domestic competition you make the choice!

Advertising via social networks

This is an interesting aspect of business operations that has only recently emerged on the popularity of social networking websites and applications such as blogs, MSN messenger, MySpace and Facebook. Ironically, even as technology continues to evolve at an unbelievable pace, one of the most traditional forms of advertisement (word of mouth) is being revived by the technological revolution.

Social networks are an incredible way / approach / method to spread and disseminate information. This is largely due to the fact that social networks are partly built on inferential links, i.e. A is friends with B, and B is friends with C; therefore A is also friends with C. Therefore, to spread the message to both B and C, A would only need to contact one person. If we imagine that each person in the social network also has multiple social networks, it essentially becomes an exponentially powered link.

Although also prone to spamming (much like email), social networks are being developed to be much more sophisticated than emails, allowing the configuration of individual links to allow different levels of access to each individual. In addition, other types of multimedia contents can also be shared, and are gathered together in one place to allow easy access. MySpace is now being used by musicians to let fans preview their latest videos, tracks, see the latest concert and tour dates, etc.

Businesses are also jumping into the social networking circles. Applications such as Squidoo and Joomla are putting social networking applications at the fingertips of everyday people with no IT or programming experience. The advent of Google AdSense and AdWord also reflect the trend of businesses advertising through Internet traffic and social networks.

Explore your business social network today, and find out how far it will take your business.

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About SFI

SFI is a division of Carson Services, Inc., headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska USA. Founded in 1985, Carson Services has a long and successful track record in the publishing and network-marketing industries.

They are a longtime member of the Better Business Bureau serving Southern Nebraska, as well as members of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce.

SFI is the exclusive marketing arm for the IAHBE (International Association of Home Business Entrepreneurs) and Veriuni™, a line comprised of nutritional, cleaning, personal care, pet care, telecommunication products, and more.

SFI was launched in 1998. Today, with tens of thousands of affiliates in over 200 countries, it is believed to be the largest affiliate network in the world.

SFI's unprecedented success has been largely attributed to the unique makeup of its affiliate program—a hybrid combination of the best parts of traditional direct sales and network marketing, combined with the technological advantages of the Internet. Highly automated, SFI's expansive core computer system processes thousands of requests a day, around the clock, from around the world.

SFI is revolutionizing the way companies market their products and services. With its enormous base of independent affiliates, SFI has the power to reach tens of millions of consumers and businesses worldwide. SFI affiliates can also aggressively target niche markets with high market penetration.

Carson Services, Inc. and SFI's founder is Gery Carson. Gery's success as a entrepreneur has been told in Money Makers Monthly, Upline, Opportunity World Magazine, and in several books and videos. He has authored several best-selling marketing tools and has been featured as an expert guest on live call-in radio shows. Gery was selected to the 1992 Outstanding Young Men of America list and 1997's Who's Who in the Media and Communications.

SFI Explained in 60 Seconds - Review

First of all, you need to understand that SFI is very simple:

You basically just have to do TWO things:

Refer people to your SFI Website...

AND

Teach those you've referred to SFI how to do the same—creating a growing, profitable network for you.

We actually provide you with a variety of Websites (we call them Gateway Websites) that you can start using immediately...at NO COST TO YOU.

Why would people want to go to your SFI Website? That's easy. For valuable FREE coupons and other free stuff! That's right, as an SFI affiliate we equip you with Websites that offer FREE coupons on money-saving deals, FREE books, FREE CD's, FREE seminars, and much more.

How difficult is it to give away FREE coupons and other FREE goods? It's NOT! That's why SFI has become one of the Internet's biggest success stories and why making money with SFI is so simple.

You may be thinking, “But I don't know how to get people to a Website! And I don't know anything about growing a network!” That’s not a problem because we'll teach you everything you need to know.

We have extensive training resources especially for Internet “newbies” and we’ve taught people of every age, race, and from every background how to drive traffic to their Websites, make money on the Web, and create a profitable team of fellow home-business go-getters.

Now let's look at where the income comes from...

Every person you refer to your Website is considered a prospective customer of both you and SFI. Because of this, we’ll be actively marketing to your customers on your behalf. When SFI comes out with a new merchant coupon or new product for example, we’ll let all your referrals know about it. And for any sales that occur, we’ll handle everything: payments, shipping, customer service, everything! And then the best part – we send YOU a commission check for any items purchased by your referrals!

But that’s just the beginning. Millions of people around the world are looking for a good, honest way to earn extra money, and SFI offers one of the best. Because of this, many of your referrals will also decide to become SFI affiliates, thereby joining your team and increasing the size of your network. Now it really starts to get interesting!

Would you like to know two of the biggest secrets of the ultra-wealthy? They are:

1. RESIDUAL INCOME 2. LEVERAGED INCOME

Residual Income is income that keeps coming in, month after month, year after year, from work you do just once. It's like a royalty where you write a book or record a song and get paid forever on it.

Leveraged Income is earning money through other people's efforts. The fact is, there are only 24 hours in a day, so there's only so much you can earn through your own efforts. Hence, a truly smart business is one that allows you to "leverage" yourself through what other people are doing in a win/win way.

Well, Residual Income and Leveraged Income are no longer just for the ultra-wealthy. With SFI, BOTH have finally been made available to you, too!

Here’s how: As an SFI affiliate, you can earn income when your affiliates refer other affiliates to SFI...and when your affiliate's affiliates refer other affiliates...and so on. By simply referring a few affiliates to SFI you can eventually have hundreds, even thousands of affiliates in YOUR network, putting money in your pocket around the clock, month after month, year after year. See compensation plan for more details.

Why so many people are succeeding with SFI...

SFI is like a sleek and powerful sports car. Whereas the sports car only needs you to add fuel to go, SFI basically only needs you to add leads. That is, if you can consistently generate new referrals, you can realistically create an income of $500 - $2,000 a month within just one to two years...and much more if you really want to “go for it!”

You can do this two ways:

1. You can use your own promotional efforts (using banner ads, free classified ads, offline ads, etc., that SFI provides). If you're an experienced marketer, you'll find generating leads to be an easy task. Remember, all you have to do is give away valuable FREE stuff!

2. If you don't have the time or experience to generate your own leads, we'll teach you how. Or, you can participate in the SFI Eagle Co-op. Eagle Co-op pools together the advertising dollars of hundreds of SFI affiliates. We then place advertising on your behalf. Leads generated from the Eagle Advertising Co-op are then rotated equally among all Co-op participants. And, of course, we keep you informed all the way via e-mails and real-time, online activity reports. You can participate in Eagle Co-op for as little as $1.48 a day.

That's it! Don't try to make it more complicated.

Maximizing your income

One last thing. You can maximize your earnings with SFI by becoming an Executive Affiliate (EA). Click below to learn more about becoming an EA.

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Central High School in Brookfield Wisconsin must be proud of their own Joe Thomas. The 6'8 313lb LT is the best OL in the country, HANDS DOWN. He is also arguably the most athletic as well. He played DT for the Badgers last year when they got in a pinch.

Thomas is projected to be among the top three overall selections in the 2007 National Football League Draft by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. , Scouts Inc. and us here at the War Room. Thomas was named to 2006 Playboy All-America team, the 2006 preseason first-team All-American and the nation’s No. 1 offensive tackle according to The War Room. A second-team preseason All-American according to Lindy’s and Street & Smith’s, Thomas was selected to 2006 preseason watch lists for the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award and was assigned the only one-on-one block on UW’s offensive line 90 percent of the time the past two seasons.

In 2005, Thomas was first-team All-American according to Pro Football Weekly and was second-team All-American by Walter Camp, SI.com and Rivals.com. A consensus first-team All-Big Ten, Thomas was a Lombardi Award semifinalist. The ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 5 honoree, Thomas was an Academic All-Big Ten choice, where he started all 13 games at left tackle and was named UW’s co-offensive player of the week vs. Bowling Green and Penn State. Thomas earned third varsity letter and injured right knee while filling in on depleted defensive line in Capital One Bowl game vs. Auburn.

Thomas earned second varsity letter in 2004 when started all 12 regular season games at left tackle. He was a consensus honorable mention All-Big Ten pick and named Academic All-Big Ten and first-team academic all-district. Thomas set UW indoor record in shot put with throw of 62-0 ¼ feet, set in 2005 and was a 2005 NCAA indoor and outdoor qualifier in shot put.

Thomas in 2003 earned first varsity letter and played much of season as a blocking TE (wearing No. 82). Thomas was the first true freshman OL to see action during the Barry Alvarez era, and started at DE vs. Auburn in Music City Bowl and assisted on seven tackles.

Thomas was rated as the No. 4 offensive tackle in the nation according to Tom Lemming and among top 20 offensive tackles nationally, top 25 players in the Midwest and No. 3 player in Wisconsin according to Rivals.com. A PrepStar All-American and second-team All-America offensive tackle according to USA Today. Thomas was also a member of Detroit Free Press All-Midwest team , and was a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel first-team all-state defensive lineman and second-team all-state offensive tackle as a senior. Thomas was also first-team all-state honors at DE from Wisconsin Football Coaches Association and Associated Press. The WFCA 2002 Defensive Player of the Year with fellow Badger Justin Ostrowski, had 85 tackles and 12 QB sacks as a senior and 70 tackles and eight sacks as a junior. The three-time all-conference selection and four-year letter winner in football, track and basketball, captained football and basketball teams his senior year and finished fifth in nationals in shot put as a junior. Thomas was all-conference, all-area and all-state selection in shot put and discus … four-year honor roll student. He was also on the U.S. Army Academic All-America team, and was coached in football by Rick Synold at Brookfield Central High.

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Who Should Read This Article?

Anyone nursing a new (especially untested and unproven) - idea for a business, and/or who is at a loss as to whether or not it will be beneficial to undertake a formal business plan preparation process. The ideas presented in this article are just that - ideas. You are expected -- and strongly encouraged - to apply your discretion in assessing their usefulness or relevance to your situation.

“Market research does not work. One cannot do market research on something that does not exist.” - Peter Drucker

Entrepreneurs are often dreamers

They are typically people who start businesses in new areas, that previously did not exist. Their ideas can therefore sometimes be met with resistance especially from people called “experts” who are famous for challenging the practicality or logic (from the expert's perspectives) of any new, unproven or unusual idea.

Business Plans Versus New/Uncharted Markets

Most of us have heard or read about the importance of going through the motions of preparing business plans before starting a new business. However, what few people take note of is the fact that some of those who have succeeded in business did not have business plans when they started their FIRST businesses - even though, they probably never intended for it to be so.

This is especially true for those entrepreneurs who had to enter an uncharted market i.e. who set out to do what had not been done before. Their new product or service could therefore not be compared with any known standard, since nothing like it existed at the time. If that sounds anything like the kind of business idea you have in mind as a first-time startup, you may have to contend with at least two challenges.

Two Challenges:

1. A business plan might not be as good an instrument to convince your potential investors(banks, venture capitalists etc), as the personal conviction, enthusiasm, charisma and passion you demonstrate for what you want to do! For instance, the “experts” among them, who the rest might look up to for assessment of the viability of your proposed venture, may not reckon with your idea if it is new or unusual. David Sarnoff certainly would have understood this point!

Sarnoff, who invented the radio, had to endure what must have been heart-breaking rejection from those he approached to invest in it's production. Among other things they could not see THE radio(!) as commercially viable, arguing that no one would pay to have a message sent to no specific recipient!

If only they could see us use that same radio now! :-) Sarnoff's associates could not - at the time - see what he was seeing! And that's what a first-time startup with a new idea needs to keep in mind. People may not see what you see - at first. That will not mean you are wrong, and they are right - no matter how many they are! If it was so obvious in the first place, you probably would not have been the first to discover it!

2. You might just find that the market is not exactly ready for what you have - even if the idea is quite sound. Again it would be up to you, to “create the demand” for your new product or service idea in the market.

For instance, incredible as it might sound, the telephone that is such an essential requirement for our existence today, was described as having "too many shortcomings to be considered as a means of communication" in a Western Union Internal Memo.The memo concluded that the telephone was of no value to the organisation. But that was way back in 1876! We all know that no business that desires to succeed today will operate without a telephone number.

It's all about vision. Entrepreneurs are people who apply their creative thinking skills to explore what can be, instead of dwelling on what is, as most others do. That tends to make them see far beyond what people around them can - sometimes causing them problems with others. I believe it was Robert Schuller who said "If you want to be a pace setting thinker, you can expect problems with people - especially those trapped by tradition." A first-time startup with an unproven business idea is most likely to experience this.

"If fifty million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing." - Anatole France

Two Case Studies

Below is a description of two first-time startups who were so closely driven by their circumstances, that they could find no use for a business plan in starting up what eventually turned out to be successful ground-breaking ventures.

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Who Should Read This Article?

“Market research does not work. One cannot do market research on something that does not exist.” - Peter Drucker

Entrepreneurs are often dreamers

Business Plans Versus New/Uncharted Markets

Two Challenges:

"If fifty million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing." - Anatole France

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If you are a person who reads newspapers, especially the “USA Today,” and the “Wall Street Journal,” you will observe many advertisements for this product, along with hundreds of articles explaining how to use the product . . . If you read the monthly or weekly, news magazines such as; “Fortune,” “Business Week,” “Us News and World Report,” and many other such magazines. If you, surf the net, or search E-bay for deals, the electronic product that is most advertised above all other product is the ipod. The ipod was made famous by Apple Computer Company. It was created to play hundreds, then thousands of songs for the individuals listening enjoyment.

The ipod started with songs that were already placed (downloaded ) into it. Then as technology developed they were made so you could download the music to the ipod through your own computer. The ipod is a musical dynamo. The ipod has developed into an extremely high quality digital musical product. The ipod has blossomed into the finest portable listening device. It’s the portable digital musical machine of the world. The technical advancements such as; increased storage, e-mail, calendaring, and address book, helped the ipod to take a center stage in America and the World.

The ipod can be tailored to anyone’s pocketbook. The least expensive ipod an be purchased starting at around $ 69.00 dollars and increasing to $ 500.00 dollars depending on what type of accessories that are built into the ipod.

The ipod memory starts about 512 mega bites(mb) , and goes up to the present, top of the line ipod, of 60 giga bytes(gb). As the memory increases the ipod increases in price.

The latest top of the line ipod’s have digital musical video capacity with a two inch (2"0) up to a two an half inch (2.5") colored display.

Is it no wonder the ipod’s maintains the title of the hottest portable musical producing product in America.

What assists the ipod’s in being in high demand is that they have stylish features. They are small, compact, and you can have any color or a set of colors, or change colors when you wish. There are different types. There is the ipod nano, ipod shuffle, and the Apple ipod.. Apple Computers has an extremely large array of ipod’s.

The ipod is a status symbol no matter the age or generation.

The Holiday seasons are slowly sneaking closer, and if you want to get a loved one an ipod as a gift order it early. The problem with trying to purchase an ipod just a few days before Christmas or New Years and other Holidays is that the demand is high and supply is low. This develops into higher prices when supply is low. (Supply and Demand Theory).

We are sure that each of you will do your part to maintain the hottest musical product, at the top of the charts.

At JT Mall of Electronics we sell the best ipod’s with the most variety and guarantee the products. The quality of the product will be superior and the price below others.

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The Globalist Free Traders have found an evangelist in Thomas Friedman of the New York Times. In his book The World is Flat, Friedman calls periods in history that paved the way for Globalization and Free Trade flatteners but he skips over some of the most major ones. The Lend Lease Act in the World War 2 era is one of them. It changed the course of history and it demonstrated that you can't do business with people who do not have money. You either have to find a way to get money to them or you have to give them things to restore their economic values in a balanced geopolitical setting. You can not move production from place to place seeking the cheapest labor markets of the world because there is an endless pool of workers who will do most anything to survive and they will never have enough money to buy anything the economic host nation may still have left to sell.

In the end, you have a continuous diminishing process where a working poor class needs cheaper and cheaper prices while the impoverished destitute classes do not make enough money to grow their own economy proving you can not do business with people who do not have money. You can only use them for selfish purposes. This then acts as a boomerang coming back to knock you out too. It is like a dog chasing its own tail. Consumers in the USA shop their way out of their jobs. The money spent at the retail levels quickly fans out to the places where the products are made. The money does not stay in the USA to regrow its own economy.

Who won World War 2? The American workers did. Who lost World War 2 fifty years later? The American workers have. The U.S. has gone through the most massive dislocation of workers in U.S. history with millions losing their jobs. More than 700,000 workers related to the steel industry, over 400,000 auto workers and over a million workers in the computer industry lost their jobs. One third of those over 55 who lost their jobs never found another. Now, workers as taxpayers pay to bring in foreign auto assemblers. The State of Indiana after all things are considered, is paying Honda about 150 million dollars to bring an assembly plant into their state. This will provide 4000 new assembly jobs but recently, close to 20,000 auto parts factory workers have lost their jobs in the state. Taxpayers in other states have paid out even more to get KIA, BMW and other foreign auto assemblers to come to their states. Misssissippi is paying KIA 400 million dollars to assemble KIA automobiles in their state. These autos are describes as being built in the USA and not Made in the USA since the parts come from the wage slave workers of the world. The number of assembly workers in all these foreign plants is only a fraction of the workers of the existing workers in U.S. auto manufacturing plants. They also work for about one half of what the auto workers made in the past.

Who won World War two in the final analysis?

Let us go back in time to 1940. The USA was still coming out of the Great Depression. Tariffs were blamed as the major cause of the depression. However the main cause of the Depression was the stock market crash and the economy took this big hit during a time when tariffs were not even applicable. Free Traders today like to blame the Smooth-Hawley Tariffs as the cause of the Depression, but this bill was passed after the Stock Market crash in 1930 and never really did take hold before Roosevelt took over. Soon afterwards Roosevelt had the authority to lower and raise Tariffs at will in 1934

The next phase ignited the most powerful industrial might in history. Tariffs had no part in the process. Roosevelt knew our nation could not mobilize by semi-independent ways - mobilization had to come as a whole based on many vital needs whether for the military or for civilian uses. President Roosevelt had to sell the war to the American people in a sequence of actions. He started out by doing it with executive orders and schemes. Roosevelt said- what I am trying to do is eliminate the dollar sign - we need to get rid of the silly foolish dollar sign. This was good news to England and Russia who did not have much money left to fight a war.

Thus began the first wave of Free Trade but it was built on giving away products made in the USA. Many Americans accepted the premise thinking they could stay out of the war while building up our economy at the same time.

Lack of money was the biggest problem in the world. The world was coming out of a Great Depression. After World War 1, the allies wanted Germany to be just one big farm without any production capabilities. Hitler came and filled the void by creating a strong military to invade other countries killing people who were in the way. In the process, Hitler demonstrated how a war machine can create industrial might out of nothing. China and Russia with a elite groups controlling the masses did not have this same capacities but still killed millions for their causes. They killed more than Germany ever did, but the USA chose Germany to be their first enemy. At the same time Japan was claiming a right to the mainland for the sake of their own economic survival. The U.S. approved their claim at the beginning of the century but reversed their agreements with Japan in the 1930s. Japan felt the U.S. betrayed them. This set the stage for Pearl Harbor. After all is said and done, it was really not a surprise attack.

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Espial Natural Products - The Opportunity Of A Lifetime!

Before we actually dive a little deeper let me reiterate that coming up with some information on Espial USA wasn't all that easy. If you search and hope to find out about Espial natural products chances are you'll stumble into a few sleazy websites. Since there was a real lack of good information about this company, this article was born and with it I hope you are now able to make a good decision.

1) The Partnership Of LeRoy and Marcia Cox

With the goal to reach into the home, skin care and nutritional products industry, Espial USA was started. Since its establishment by the couple LeRoy and Marcia Cox in 1989, they had a commitment to produce reasonably priced products as mentioned above to the society. Besides this, you can say that they were aimed at only producing natural products which is against animal testing. Kind of like the BodyShop culture.

2) What Kind Of Products Are Offered?

You can find that Espial natural products are earth-sensitive, non-animal tested products. Natural environmental products have since become a trend in the 21st century. Since Espial's products are plant based; they do not use honey, lanolin or beeswax. Apart from its wide range of natural personal care range, I mainly observe that in the forums there are two more popular demands. Such as its Pure Australian Tea Tree Oil and Aluminum-Free Good Sense Deodorant in particular.

3) All That Remains

There is a specific reason why there are only so few information to digest about the Espial Natural products business opportunity. If you do a search more on this company there really isn't a real website you could refer to anymore. My research has only been able to reach to the point where LeRoy Cox starts another company in 2000 called BioGreen Systems and thats about it. Has the company finally "sizzled off"? Maybe. You should also know that they were operating with a typical network marketing system, one that pays 7 levels deep based on PV and BV. If you were in Amway you should know what this means.

Moving On To Your Financial Future

If you were someone who constantly is on the lookout for new opportunities. Or you might even consider opportunities akin to the Espial Natural Products range then good for you. However, just like in any business you should never ever neglect the marketing part of it. Start by gaining more knowledge about how to market effectively online.

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We chopped up the Golden Goose that layed the Golden Eggs. Why did we let it happen? Who said we had to compete in a global economic arena? The Marshall Plan helped restored local value added economies in Europe and Asia after World War 2. It was based on the awesome indusrial might of the USA that won World War 2. We gave the Golden Eggs from our Golden Goose economy for others to share. We did not send the Golden Goose itself. Now we have chopped up the Golden Goose and sent the pieces around the world. Now we have to defend our interests worldwide with wars.

What is this thing called Free Trade? It is not trade. It is based on moving production and factories from place to place based on the cheapest labor markets of the world down to the levels of wage slave and even child labor. Workers are the real commodities of Free Trade. They are put on a world trading block to compete with one another for the same jobs. They really have no voice in the process of Globalization which is driven by elite groupings inside and outside goverment.

Teddy Roosevelt said his worst fear for America was big government getting in bed with big business. This is what Free Trade is all about. Franklin Roosevelt said economic diseases are highly communicable. Today they are an epidemic out of control.

The value of stocks are now based on people getting fired instead of hired. There was a time, when companies were awarded more stock value by how many people they could employ while still making a decent profit for the investors. After all, labor is the core of any society. Labor is the key to a good society socially and economically. If a society falters, everyone loses. Free Trade has degraded labor and made it something sinister. A working poor class has been created in the USA and an impoverished working class outside of the USA. No wonder most of South America is radically protesting Globalization. Subsistent living workers are losing their jobs, farms and small businesses due to Free Trade.

Even if everyone in the world was provided a good education, high tech skills and a computer, it would be senseless if everyone has to compete for the same jobs. It is also nonsensical to have tax payers fund research and development if the manufacturing process goes outside the country. In the end, Tax payers pay their way out of their jobs.

Productivity is a good thing but when it is based on the deflation of wages, nothing good happens. In the USA, we have scrambled the common good till there is nothing left of it.

We have put individual libertarianism before the welfare of our society in an anything goes economic arena. The Free Traders keep saying this is a good thing. Why have we let them take over. A new "ism" has quietly taken over in the form of Globalism. This new "ism" fuses with all other "isms" for the sake of power and money for a few. It makes a mockery out of the free enterprise system and workers dignity.

I worked at four different factories while attending college in the 1950s. I made the eqivalent of $15 to $20 an hour. The jobs were plentiful. If these jobs were available today, thousands would be standing in line to get them. The industrial revolution is not over. We still use the products. The only difference is these products are made outside the USA.

Later, I served super markets city wide. There were many. I traveled in all parts of the city without a problem. However, in the course of about eight years about five store owners were killed during the course of robberies but the worst had just begun.

During the Clinton years, about 20 were killed with only a fraction of the stores left. Now, as I travel all these areas not much is left. There are miles of empty stores throughout the city. I experienced the Hough riots in Cleveland first hand and saw blocks of stores burn now but nothing compares to what I see now with miles of streets looking like a third world country. Hurricane Katrina exposed the Silent Depression after it hit New Orleans. It exposed a vast underclass not only residing in New Orleans but across our land.

I traveled across town to go to college. There are more highways now but the fastest way to go is through the center of the city now bypassing all the highways. It was almost impossible to do this during the 1950s. These streets were full of life and busy activity. Emptiness has replaced all this activity. Recently, I did travel in a area near downtown Cleveland. To my surprise everything, everything seemed to be cleaner. There were two policemen riding their bikes patrolling the area. Everything seemed to be better until I realized something was missing. There were no people on the streets during the day where once these streets were full of life and business activity.

South of this area, I had a business appointment and could not find the place. I wondered if I should walk down the streets to locate the place. I did not feel safe so I went to nearest large big box store and asked the guard at the door if it was safe enough to walk down a certain street. He said he would not do it.

We had a small factory in the inner city too. I worked out of the factory for years and at the end of the block, I ate lunch at a little restaurant bar. Just a few years later the whole area rapidly changed with most of the factories empty and the restaurant closed. The owner was shot to death in a robbery.

What follows all this. First of all, the unemployment rate is fabricated when compared to the past. Only about 38% of all workers qualify for unemployment insurance in America. The Bureau of Unemployment changed their reporting methods to adjust to this fact. Since 1985 the growth industries were in temporary work offices, contract and day workers agencies, pay day loan stores, credit card industry with usuary rates up to 30% or more and the food banks feeding the hungry. The prison population keeps breaking records. Reportedly, the USA has more people in prisons than any other country based on total population. Prisons have become one of our major industries.

Getting America Working Forum reports that 50% of human resources in the USA are not being used. Millions are missing in action and not part of any kind of reporting.

There are over 40 million Americans in need of food with about one third being children. About the same number of people having no medical insurance. We have a top TV American Idol program doing a charity drive relating to this. Many of the homeless are working families who do not make enough money to pay for shelter. Reportedly, Walmart and other type employers tell their workers to seek government assistance. The largest employers in most major cities are governments and then medical with both depending on a tax base which is dwindling. At the same time the public workers make much more than the people they serve. How can anyone expect this to work.

Why did we chop up the Golden Goose like this? Who led the way? The U.S. Government itself sponsored the moving of factories outside the USA starting in 1956 and this program never ended. The American workers have lost World War 2 more than fifty years later. We need to bring back local production for local consumption. The new working poor class in the USA is finding it difficult to even afford the cheaper imports while the workers outside the USA do not make enough to buy the very things they make let alone have anthing left over to buy what the USA has left to sell. The money spent at retail does not stay in place to grow local value added economies but it quickly fans out to the places where the products are made.

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Before starting that great new website for your small business, consider your expectations carefully. Most entrepreneurs with their first website lack the experience to know what is truly required to be successful online. Website failure may be defined as anything from total catastrophe to simply results less than expectations. Each can occur even if you have a gorgeous well-designed site.

Don't expect search engine success with high traffic and added revenue instantly. It is rare.

Here's the short list of what you need if your goal is website traffic and new customers. These facts have been overlooked or misunderstood by many of my small business clients, and in most cases the errors of omission are due to inexperience.

1. You need a trusted site with name, address and phone number, not just a PO Box.
2. You need to be online 6-12 months or longer to achieve search engine ranking.
3. You need a large site with 10-20 or more pages of quality content for credibility.

Discuss your needs with your site designer. It should not be a cousin, uncle, or friend who happens to have software to make websites. A truly successful site takes more... much more. Professional help may be more cost effective than you realize. Some service providers will try to take advantage just because you are in business. I regularly save clients more than they pay me for designs by helping them shop for economical service providers for their domain and hosting.

Realistic expectations up front will help you avoid disappointment. Be prepared with an ongoing annual budget to add fresh content and features to your site. A smaller site is okay to get started. If you cannot meet the goals in the above list, your traffic and new customers must be pointed to your site with direct marketing efforts. If presenting your company online achieves a positive first impression that may be enough to begin. As your budget increases you can revise expectations as you continue to grow your online presence.

To compete online, compare your plan to what your competition is already doing. If they have full disclosure of their physical address, phone number, and contact names you need to do the same. A prospective customer comparing one site to another with trusted information will usually rule out the one with a PO Box number, or less than adequate contact information. Real and complete details provide better ranking with search engines, also. Listing your city, state or province, and country will allow search engines to localize search results.

Bonus Tip: If you work from home and offer a product or service sold without a showroom, there are options to avoid strangers disrupting your family life. Some clients get box numbers from service companies, and use that company's address as theirs except instead of box number, they call it unit number. In the USA, you cannot use a US Post Office street address and box number for your return address, even if it is revised to unit number. You will need a private company, however, the peace of mind and the benefits in credibility may be worth the modest cost.

Aging of your site is likewise important. Too many sites are here today, and gone within a year. To maintain credibility the search engines need to serve up relevant results. Until you prove to them your long term intent they will select older and more established sites for page one. Quality content added often can expedite the waiting period.

Do you renew your www domain every year? Stop. Register your website for 2-5 years to prove you are there to stay.

Finally, you need to create an authority site that adds value to the internet community. Establishing your expertise begins with valuable advice and content for your visitors. The size of your website will grow as you continue adding content. This improves the customer experience and provides a reason for them to return, or buy. Quality content added often will bring the search engines back more often, also.

Success online is more than just having a website. Realistic expectations require knowledge of how the internet and search engines work. Some people have contacted me after buying a turnkey site thinking money would roll in, and years later the website made zero revenue. You must be unique, so looking like 1000 other sites with identical content is not a solution.

In conclusion, what I have described for your ideal website is similar to what you might look for in a consultant. People are usually more comfortable when they take advice from an older and trusted authority. Provide that slant in the design of your online home, and visitors can sense you have dependable solutions. Define your niche. Set your new website goals. Get help or advice and avoid joining the long list of small business website failures.

Jim Degerstrom offers small business advice based on 30 years in management, sales, and marketing, including President or General Manager of small companies in 5 states. He is proficient in website and

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Richard wants to be remembered. He’s always chasing some personal goal. He secures powerful jobs. He makes lots of money. He donates his time to charities. However, he has many children by different women (he wants to preserve his genes). Richard feels his legacy will live forever. He dies. No one shows up for his funeral. His name is forgotten.

The human race continues to search for significance. No one wants to believe that his or her life has no meaning. It’s a scary thought to think the world can exist without you. It makes you feel trivial. People race to preserve their names in history by gaining wealth, fame, and power. Some people commit outrageous crimes. People will do almost anything to get on TV—just look at the Jerry Springer Show. Why? People want a meaningful existence. According to a Yankelovich Monitor study in 1997, only 25% of adults said “a lot of money” signified success and accomplishment (down from 35% from previous year). Many people are succeeding in the corporate world while failing miserly at life. Why are people chasing empty dreams?

Finding purpose continues to be one of mankind’s greatest mysteries. More than 3,000 years ago, King Solomon conducted one of the most intensive studies in human existence. Solomon, who is credited as the wisest man to ever live, compiled his results in the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible. He had wisdom, wealth, and personal achievement. His prestige was known throughout the world. Every pleasure was within Solomon’s reach. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines to serve him. Solomon had it all. This self –gratification, however, was the major factor in Solomon’s down fall. In his old age, Solomon attempted to find the significance of life. The more he dealt with this matter, the more bitter and pessimistic he became. He remained empty. In the end, Solomon realized none of these things would last. He writes, “ Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” And so it is today, the wrong search in life may lead you to nothingness.

Everyone wants to feel his/her life has significance. Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl is one of the ten most influential works in American literature; it describes his experience as a Nazi prisoner in a concentration camp. Frankl, who was an internationally renowned psychiatrist, was born in Vienna in 1905. He believed the search for meaning was the primary human motivation. Human beings were not mere biological puppets but were responsible for their own decisions. Frankl had managed to survive the torment of prison. He observes, “In a position of utter desolation, whenever man cannot express himself in positive action, when his only achievement may consist in enduring his sufferings in the right way-in such a position man can, through loving, achieve fulfillment. For the first time in my life I was able to understand the meaning of the words, ‘The angels are lost in perpetual contemplation of an infinite glory.’”

If individuals can find a purpose in life, they can endure the most severe horrors. Can you answer the following questions:

1) What motivates me to get up in the morning?

2) What things are important to me?

3) If I won a million dollars, what would I do?

4) What is my legacy?

5) Is what I’m doing today really going to matter ten years from now?

People continue to search for a meaningful existence. Patrick Morley, author of The Man in The Mirror, makes this observation, “Significance is not possible unless what we do contributes to the welfare of others. If what I do is only for my own self-gratification and pleasure, then I will never derive a lasting sense of purpose and meaning from it.” Do you feel empty? Are you just wasting your time? Quit getting upset by the small things in life. Discover the big picture. Don’t get trapped by the empty quest that Solomon went through. Decide today on your legacy. You can make a difference.

Daryl and Estraletta Green provide personal advice all around the country. Daryl is the author of two books, Awakening the Talents Within and My Cup Runneth Over. They have been noted and quoted in such media organizations such as USA Today, NBC’s Alive at Five, Heaven 600, Answerline, American Urban Radio, The Bev Smith Show, The Hallerin Hill Show, Ebony Magazine, and BET’s Buy the Book. The Green’s nationally syndicated column, FamilyVision, reached 200 newspapers and over 12 million readers. For a free list of the Green’s Top Ten

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Mark Oloo

Report this author if you suspect they are involved in any fraudulent practices.

Mark Oloo is a Kenya journalist, working in Nairobi and covering socio-economic issues in Eastern Africa. He has had a stint at various media organisations including the USA Today and the Kenya News Agency. He interned at the Tallahassee Democrat Newspaper in Florida-USA as an International Journalism Exchange (IJE) fellow under the American Society of Newspaper Editors (ASNE) and the Washington-based International Centre for Journalists (ICFJ). During the time, he took part as guest speaker at the Florida A&M University's school of Journalism on various topical media issues. He has also been an associate editor of Business at Kenya Times Newspaper. He worked closely with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in 2006 in Singapore to assess how the media would be mainstreamed in global economic issues. Mr Oloo, who is also a former Reuters Foundation fellow in Ghana has a Masters degree in Journalism from the University of Nairobi. He has a Bachelors degree in Media technology from Maseno University.

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Increasing attention is being drawn to herbal supplements (the use of herbs in various forms to alleviate ailments). More people are turning to herbal remedies for relief, claiming they are tired of paying high prices for traditional medications and worried about possible chemical side effects. However, recent reports describe the harm some herbal supplements can cause. How do we know which are the best supplements and, more importantly, if these remedies are safe?

Opinions on the safety of herbal products vary greatly. The herb industry is partly regulated in the U.S. by the Food and Drug Administration. However, some advocates of this "alternative" medicine industry discounts many of the FDA's opinions, claiming that they have business ties to the pharmaceutical industry, causing a conflict in interest. However, there seems to be a consensus that the U.S. should move towards a model where herbal supplements are subject to regulatory controls and scientific testing similar to that of pharmaceuticals, in the interest of consumer safety.

Tug of war: Herbal medicine vs. Pharmaceuticals

Who believes that herbal supplements are beneficial? According to the World Health Organization, most of the world population (approximately 80 percent) have used herbs to try to heal an ailment. Herbal "medicine" is a multi-billion dollar industry, grossing over $2 billion in 1996 and estimated at almost $6.5 billion in 2000. This figure seems less impressive when you compare the profits of the top 10 drug companies, each of which enjoy average profits of $2.5 billion.

Some people complain that taxpayers subsidize research for pharmaceuticals, and then end up paying huge medical bills if they do not have insurance to cover the cost of the drugs. That is pretty profitable business, according to herb supporters.

The top selling drugs are for heartburn, ulcers, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, depression and allergies. Supporters of "natural" remedies say that these common illnesses could be alleviated by a change in diet and exercise, as well as reducing stress. However, it is often easier to pop a pill than it is to change a lifestyle.

Most of us recognize the need to improve our nutrition and want to eat things that are healthy for us, perhaps including herbal supplements. You may have resisted taking prescription drugs, and wondered if there is a more "natural" way to solve the medical problem.

Plants have been used for medicinal purposes since the Stone Age, so itis not surprising that a natural solution is appealing. However, consider the following facts:

More than 50 percent of the drugs made in pharmaceutical companies are actually made with plant derivatives, such as digitalis (made from foxgloves) and taxol (from the Pacific Yew).
According to a study by the California Department of Health Services, 32 percent of 260 Asian patent medicines sold in California were contaminated with pharmaceutical drugs, steroids or heavy metals. Herbal medicines imported from India, Mexico and China also were found to have less-than-natural substances.
Prescription weight-loss pills containing a Chinese herb,Aristolochia fangchi, have been found to cause cancer or severe kidney damage, according to the New England Journal of Medicine. The FDA announced they will stop the import of this herb.
Take a look at some of the reputed benefits and side effects of some popular herbs.

USA TODAY July 19, 2000 story on "functional foods" indicates that foods and beverages with added herbs and supplements are being looked at more carefully by the FDA. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has identified 75 foods with herbs added including varieties of some popular beverages. The FDA has the authority to take products off the shelves if they feel products are unsafe. No clinical trials are required for "functional foods," so be aware of the foods and beverages you consume.

Still not clear on whether to use herbs?

Do not rely on an advertisement for an herbal product or the recommendation of a friend who may have a totally different medical history and react in a different way. It has been found that some herbs cause premature contractions, so pregnant women should avoid herbal supplements as should the very young or elderly, who are prone to adverse affects of many herbs. If you are thinking of using herbs as a preventive measure or to relieve symptoms, make sure you:

Research the herbs and products you are interested in, looking at varying opinions to give you a rounded perspective. Remember that just because it is natural, does not mean it is safe. Some herbs (e.g. comfrey) have toxic effects. Be careful!
Talk to your physician or contact us to determine if there may be side effects or if it may counteract other medications you are taking. Forty percent of people taking herbal supplements do not tell their doctors and dentists. Do not make this mistake! If you take herbs that act as blood thinners and you need a tooth extracted or other surgery, you may bleed excessively.
If you buy a herbal product, follow the directions carefully.
It is not uncommon for people to have allergic reactions to herbs soon after taking them. If you have any problems such as nausea, rashes, cramps, stop taking them. Call your physician if you have any concerns.

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In an article that appeared on the Useless Knowledge website August 11th, titled “Correlating Blackness And Criminality In American Cities” the author insinuates that high black crime rates are because of blacks’ predisposition to such behavior. He bases this premise on the correlation between cities having large black populations also having high crime rates. In fact, in his own words he says, “This is absolute proof that there is an infallible correlation between how black a city is and how great its crime rate, at least in the USA.” I found his theory to be simplistic and superficial, but then I wondered, “What if this same level of pseudo-scientific analysis was applied inversely--to whites?”

First let me say that if his theory held true, such numbers would be reflected worldwide. Blacks in America descend from African blacks, so wouldn’t African countries have ridiculously high crime rates?

High inner city crime rates can be blamed on a lot of things, but not a cultural predisposition. Still, this misguided assumption has been bandied about for decades and isn’t necessarily racist. The idea that blacks are more likely to have violent and criminal tendencies, “is one of the most readily invoked contemporary stereotypes about blacks…and unlike racial attitudes toward the principle of equal treatment, there is evidence that the association of blackness and criminality…is deeply embedded in the collective consciousness of Americans, irrespective of the level of prejudice or personal beliefs.” (1)

Using population figures one can assume that the victims of this “black crime wave” be black. FBI data shows that so-called “black on black crime” is no more prevalent than white on white crime. Crimes committed by whites (in the suburbs, rural area or otherwise) tend to have white victims. Why? Because most crimes are committed near the home of the offending party, meaning that those in black communities are more likely to prey on their black neighbors.

So taking the author’s assumptions about race and criminality and applying them inversely, I can conclude that white people are predisposed not only to random acts of violence, but crimes that impact upon large numbers of people and cut across racial lines. For instance, the overwhelming majority of white collar criminals are WHITE. The Enron, Tyco and Dynergy scandals, which not only hoodwinked shareholders, but in some cases looted the pension funds of their employees, were not masterminded by blacks. None of the Keating 7 were black. But these crimes have a much larger impact than that of a black man who holds up a liquor store.

Worse, the Government Accountability Office reports that these white-collar thieves avoid paying hundreds of millions of dollars in restitution. They transfer assets to relatives, give businesses to their minor children and then hire on as a salaried employee, transferring hundreds of thousands of dollars to a trust funds for their minor children, or deeding a home to a relative, then renting it back (all of which constitute fraud—another crime). “The GAO studied five unidentified federal cases in which executives and business owners found guilty of fraud were ordered to pay a total of $568 million to investors and shareholders. Only about $40 million, or 7% of what was owed, was ever collected.” (2) Moreover, 43% of those charged with fraud are never prosecuted(3), so not only do whites commit these crimes, but they get away with them!

Still, some critics argue that white-collar crime sentencing goes overboard because the punishment is stiffer than for some drug crimes and murders. But while the latter are no doubt heinous, white collar crimes can involve hundreds of millions, even billions of dollars. This impacts upon the victims’ present living situation—and in the case of Enron, where pensions were lost—their futures.

I know what you’re thinking, such far-reaching cases are rare—and on that point I agree. But the majority of financial crimes of a lesser and more common nature (involving banking, computers and identity-theft) are also perpetrated by whites (4).

Now let’s deal with a more common crime-murder: The estimated homicide rate in this country, excluding all those committed by blacks, is over three times higher than the homicide rate for the other six major industrial nations. (5) Therefore, whatever compels white Americans to kill other people, causes blacks to kill at a much higher rate. (6) But on an extreme level, whites make up vast majority of serial and baby killers. Gacy, Bundy, Dennis Rader (The BTK killer), The Green River Killer, et al. Were not black. And in the latter group who can forget Charles Stuart and Susan Smith—both who blamed the deaths of their children on black attackers. And what about Andrea Yates, the Houston woman who drowned her five children? As for other crimes against children, look at the internet pornmeisters and booty bandit, boy rapists in the Catholic church. How many of their faces are black?

And who are these right-wing zealots (terrorists) bombing abortion clinics and murdering doctors for performing a legal act? And wasn’t mad bomber/baby killer Timothy McVeigh white? Weren’t the inventors of the drive-by and other organized crime kingpins white? Who was behind the lynchings of the 19th and 20th centuries? Who commits the majority of hate crimes?

Here’s another crime that is the domain of whites—TREASON. These FBI, CIA and military agents who sell secrets to the Russian and Chinese governments are not black? What about “American Taliban” John Walker Lindh? These are men who will compromise the security of the country for a few dollars.

See how dangerous it is to play with facts?

The author of “Correlating” probably doesn’t, for he wrote, “What I don't like, however, is being lied to. For decades, I've heard people denying, minimizing, justifying and extenuating black criminality.” He then says that poverty is no excuse.

For starters, I have never heard anyone justify criminality on any level. But whether you want to admit it or not, high crime rates can be correlated to high poverty rates. This is not the sole reason for such behavior. You state quite emphatically that “...there is very little real poverty in the United States. Anyone who thinks there is should visit the slums of Cairo, Rio de Janeiro or Bangkok. Then he'll see what poverty really is.” Compared to what? While poor people in this country may not sleep in mud huts, go days on end without food or potable water, it does not make their poverty less “real”, especially when contrasted with immense American wealth.

White bias of police officers, prosecutors and the courts also play a role in black crime rates, as do character weaknesses (caused by the lack of strong social organization, such as a church), single-parent households and residual effects of slavery (Wilson). Other factors include “the ecological concentration of ghetto poverty, racial segregation, population turnover, and joblessness... the profound changes in the urban structure of minority communities in the 1970s may hold the key to understanding recent increases in violence.” (7)

This article was written for two reasons: (1) To offer some reasons for crime concentration in particular areas, not just the black community. In reality, both the author of “Correlating” and my own argument concerning racial predisposition to criminal behavior can be dismissed. (2) To paraphrase an old saying, sometimes numbers are used in the same way a drunk uses a lamppost: For support rather than illumination. My point being, anyone can crunch numbers to fit their own needs and “validate” a stereotype. This is what I believe the author was guilty of. I wanted to show him that such a knife can cut both ways and is therefore, a very dangerous implement.

Sources:

(1) Devine, P. G., and A. J. Elliot. 1995. “Are Racial Stereotypes Really Fading? The Princeton Trilogy Revisited.” Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 21 (11): 1139–50

(2) Richard Willing, “Study: White-collar criminals dodging fines,” Richard Willing, USA TODAY, March 3, 2005

(3) Howard Gleckman, BusinessWeek, “Where White-Collar Criminals Belong: Jail Careers”, January 2, 2002

(4) Randall Kennedy, “Race, Crime and the Law”, (New York: Pantheon), 1997, p. 145

(5) James Q. Wilson, The Hoover Institute, ”Crime”, (Hoover Press), p. 115

(6) Neil Weinberg Mary Ellen Egan, “White-collar crime sentencing goes overboard?” Fornes.com and MSNBC.com, April 21, 2004

(7) Robert J. Sampson and William J. Wilson. 1995. "Toward a Theory in Race, Crime, and Urban Inequality" in Crime and Inequality, J. Hagan and R. Peterson (eds.), (Palo Alto. CA: Stanford University Press), Pp. 37-54.

Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Report, 2003

Lincoln Quillian and Devan pager, “Black Neighborhoods, Higher Crime? The Role of Racial Stereotypes In Evaluations of Neighborhood Crime”, American Journal of Sociology, November 2001, p. 717

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One-year MBA programs are perfect for people who already have a master’s or graduate degree in a complimentary subject and for those who cannot afford to spend two years of their life in school or far from their families. Whatever your reason may be, here is a list of some of the top one-year MBAs around the world.

Northwestern University
Kellogg School of Management

Location: Evanston, Illinois, USA
Program: One-Year MBA
Ranking: #5 by US News and World Report, #3 by BusinessWeek, #19 by Financial Times
Description: This 12-month program at Northwestern focuses on core courses during the summer and electives during the following year. The program is tailored for students who possess an undergraduate or graduate degree in business.
Tuition: One-Year MBA Program $58,580

INSEAD

Location: Fontainebleau, France or Singapore
Program: MBA
Ranking: #7 by Financial Times, #9 International by the Wall Street Journal, #6 by BusinessWeek
Description: INSEAD offers two campuses and two start dates. Students can choose to apply to the European campus in Fontainebleau, France or to the Asian campus in Singapore. In addition, there are two start dates – July and January. The program lasts 10 months and is divided into 5 periods that include core and electives courses.
Tuition: Fees for self-sponsored participants €48,800; Fees for company-sponsored participants €65,000

Instituto de Empresa

Location: Madrid, Spain
Program: International MBA
Ranking: #11 by Financial Times, #12 by The Wall Street Journal, #6 by Forbes
Description: The International MBA at Instituto de Empresa lasts 13 months (November – December) with a pre-program/orientation session that starts in September and includes an intensive Spanish course. The program includes core courses, electives, forums, optional business Spanish lessons, and projects.
Tuition: €45,000 + €1,050 (contribution to the IE Business School Foundation)

Cornell University
Johnson School

Location: Ithaca, New York, USA
Program: Accelerated MBA
Ranking: # 14 by US News & World Report, #13 by BusinessWeek, #29 by Financial Times
Description: Cornell’s One-Year Accelerated MBA program lasts 12 months starting in May and graduating the following MBA. This program is specially designed for individuals who already possess a graduate degree in a technical, scientific or quantitative field. It requires strong quantitative skills and professional work experience.
Tuition: $62,600 USD

Cambridge University
Judge Business School

Location: Cambridge, United Kingdom
Program: MBA
Ranking: #15 by Financial Times
Description: The One-Year MBA program at Cambridge starts in September and ends in August with the culmination of an individual project. The program includes core courses, electives, a Cambridge Venture project, a global consulting project, and an individual project. One thing that distinguishes this program from the rest is its location at the heart of Silicon Fern – a concentration of new high-tech and bio-tech businesses.
Tuition: MBA Program £28,000 College Fee £2,000

University of Oxford
Saïd Business School

Location: Oxford, United Kingdom
Program: MBA
Ranking: #19 by Financial Times
Description: Oxford’s one-year MBA program starts in October and ends in September. The program includes core courses, electives, and an entrepreneurship project. Most of the core courses focuses on quantitative subjects such as Finance, Economics, and Decision Science, while electives include marketing, entrepreneurship, private equity and other subjects.
Tuition: MBA Program £28,000 College Fee £3,000

ESADE

Location: Barcelona, Spain
Program: One-Year MBA
Ranking: #24 by Financial Times, #2 International by the Wall Street Journal, #7 by BusinessWeek
Description: ESADE’s one-year MBA program lasts 12 months starting in April. The program requires that applicants have a business or economics undergraduate degree or an engineering undergraduate degree with significant business experience. The program is divided in 5 modules, which include core and elective courses along with Spanish lessons.
Tuition: €42,500

Emory University
Goizueta Business School

Location: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Program: One-Year MBA
Ranking: #20 by US News and World Report, #23 by BusinessWeek, #33 by Financial Times
Description: The One-Year MBA program at Emory starts in May and lasts 12 months. Admissions requirements include that applicants have a business or economics degree, or an engineering degree and business experience. Applicants should have strong quantitative skills and significant work experience. The program focuses on core courses and electives with the majority of core courses being completed during the summer.
Tuition: $56,220

University of Florida
Warrington College of Business Administration

Location: Gainesville, Florida, United Kingdom
Program: Traditional MBA - One-Year Option
Ranking: #37 by US News and World Report, #13 Regional by The Wall Street Journal, #6 by Princeton Review
Description: Besides a tradition two-year and online programs, the University of Florida offers two options for its one-year MBA. Option A is designed for students from all majors. This option lasts 12 months and focuses on core subjects and electives. Also, option A offers a 1/3 scholarship to all students. Option B is designed for business majors who completed their bachelor’s within 7 years. This option lasts 11 months and focuses mainly on electives.
Tuition: Option A Florida Residents $9,602 Out-of-State $29,397 (including 1/3 scholarship).

Option B Florida Residents $9,602 Out-of-State $29,397

Babson College

Location: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Program: One-Year MBA
Ranking: #41 Overall (#1 Entrepreneurship) by US News and World Report, #1 Entrepreneurship by Financial Times
Description: Ranked as the top MBA in Entrepreneurship, Babson offers an MBA program that starts in May and lasts 12 months. This program requires that applicants have a business undergraduate degree and at least 2 years of professional experience. The program focuses on core courses during the summer months, and allows students to choose their electives during the following two semesters.
Tuition: $48,668

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Introduction

Today technology is changing expeditiously. New technical inventions are taking place in huge number. These new inventions open new field of subject-matter for protection under Intellectual Property Law. Intellectual Property law gives an umbrella protection to new inventors. Patent provide protection for those line of process, products which are novel and are capable of proving that it involves an inventive step. USPTO grants maximum patents in a year. The paper written here advocates the invalidity of Business Method patent in Indian scenario. Business method today is capable of IP protection in countries like USA, Australia, Japan and New Zealand. India is against granting of protection to Business Method.

Definition: Business Method Patent

Business Patents are those patents which are given to business methods or business systems or like. A business method may be defined as "a method of operating any aspect of an economic enterprise". Business method patents are part of a larger family of patents known as utility patents, which protect inventions, chemical formulas, processes, and other discoveries. A business method is classified as a process, because it is not a physical object like a mechanical invention or chemical composition.

Background To Business Method Patents

Business Method Patents were not considered as a subject matter for protection under Patent Law. Earlier Business Method was considered as an abstract idea and was thus not falling under the purview of Patents. But by a decision by a Federal Court even Business Method have been granted patent protection. Section 101 of US Patent Act defines Inventions which are capable of Patent protection.

A combine reading of Sections 101, 102, 103 and 112 will lead to following construction:

• Any process, machine or composition of matter may be patented if;

• It is new (Novelty Section 102), Non-obvious (Section 103) and is capable of adequate description and invention (Section 112).

Protection Under TRIPS

TRIPS also provide subject matter for patent protection. Article 27 paragraph 1 of the agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Rights (TRIPS) provides that "patents shall be available for any inventions, whether products or processes, in all fields of technology, provided that they are new, involve an inventive step and are capable of industrial application..."

Further, Article 27 paragraph 2 of the TRIPS agreement permits Members to "exclude from patentability inventions, the prevention within their territory of the commercial exploitation of which is necessary to protect order public or morality, including to protect human, animal or plant life or health or to avoid serious prejudice to the environment, provided that such exclusion is not made merely because the exploitation is prohibited by their law."

Cases In Which Business Method Was Upheld

Concept of Business method patent is now a decade old. State Street case is an important decision in this regard. Further developments have taken place after this judgment.

Business Method was considered as an exception to Patent protection until 1998. The first case of this kind was filed in the year 1908. In Hotel Security case the question was whether business methods can be said to be patentable. Here the case rejected the argument of it being capable of protection and created a per se exception to business methods. It was until year 1998 that this position was accepted.

1. State Street Bank v. Signature Financial Group, Inc.

In the present case the District Court had rejected application for Business Method Patent on the said process of “hub and space”. But Later the Federal Circuit confirmed that there is no rule which prohibits the patentability of "business methods." The Court stated “The judicially-created business method exception to patentability is . . . an unwarranted encumbrance to the definition of statutory subject matter in section 101 that should be discarded as error-prone, redundant, and obsolete.” It merits retirement from the glossary of section 101. Patentability does not turn on whether the claimed method does "business" instead of something else, but on whether the method, viewed as a whole, meets the requirements of patentability as set forth in Sections 102, 103, and 112 of the Patent Act.

USA

srijeda, 21. studenoga 2007.

USA

subota, 17. studenoga 2007.

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