Giving Back

Move Into the Paralegal Field with a Paralegal Cover Letter

Would you like to work as a paralegal? Take the first step. Write a great paralegal cover letter showing the hiring manager what you can do in this arena. Be sure to include pertinent and related information about your background. For example, have you been trained in this field? Have you worked in a law office before? Are you familiar with the tasks of a working paralegal? Make a case for yourself and why you’d be the person to hire to fill this opening. A solid paralegal cover letter will draw an employer’s attention and may lead to an interview for the job. So be sure to put your best foot forward in all of the paralegal cover letter samples you write and send.

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Secured Credit Cards

If you are applying for a line of building business credit against a paid balance, it is important to compare business line of credit cards. Many banks offer secured cards to people with a less than favorable credit rating, at very high interest rates.

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Home Business Expert: Law of Attraction

Nothing could be truer than the old saying that affirms “to become a positive looking business person, one has to be a positive looking person first”. But we often forget this fundamental issue and blame others for our failure. The work at home person needs to remember this and understanding the law of attraction will be of great help to her. So what is the law of attraction? Let us find out here.
Before we take a look at how the law of attraction can help a home business owner, we need to find what it is in the first place. So what is the “law of attraction”?
What is the “law of attraction?
Actually the law of attraction is nothing new - it is simply one of the better known universal laws. In simple language, it implies that we get whatever we attract. But to be an achiever, we must always attract positive thoughts; we must attract positive thinking people in our lives, too. According to the law of attraction, when we begin to attract negative thoughts, the results may also be negative as a consequence.
What does the law of attraction mean for the home business entrepreneur?
Many a Starscapes.com business opportunity owners have taken the conscious decision of not taking up a job and have opted to work from home. And there are quite a few who have even left their full time jobs to start a home business. This is why they need to be supremely confident and they should always stay positive. If you have started a work from home business, you must know that you can make it a success and so you should keep the faith. Keep believing in your abilities, stay positive and motivated and good things are bound to happen.
As the entrepreneur, when you yourself begin to have negative thoughts, then your thoughts are bound to influence your actions and such negative actions can only lead to negative results.
Although the law of attraction may sound simple, making the law of attraction work on a conscious level may need some amount of self training. Our biggest problem lies in our age-old beliefs that revolve around negative ideas and a fear of the unknown. But for those who are bold enough to conquer the fear of the unknown, the universe bows down before them. The law of attraction works in a positive way for them.
The appropriate application of the law of attraction involves three basic issues that comprise
(a) Asking (what you want). Unless this is clearly known or assessed, the desired object can hardly be delivered to you.
(b) Believing (in what you are asking). This is quite significant since your firm belief in what your goal is paves the way towards delivering the goods.
(c) Receiving or reaching (your goal) whenever opportunity comes your way. Vacillating at that crucial hour can be disastrous since opportune moments hit a person only once in life.
As you can see, all the above three factors of the law of attraction are a part of our thought processes that are manifest in actions like asking, believing, receiving, etc. Now, the law of attraction also includes controlling those thought processes that are basically tiny pulses of energy.
As we engage ourselves with our thoughts and let them out of our system, these pulses of energy travel around the universe, gathers positive or negative forces and recoils back to us with much bigger force. If we think in terms of harming a person, the tiny speck of energy picks up far more harmful energies en route and comes back to us with more harmful episodes. Thus runs an old Chinese axiom, “The fire that burns in your heart for somebody else, burns you more”. Similarly, a positive thinking for a person will come back with far more impact than what it originally was made of. This is why the law of attraction asks a person to remain positive.

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Evaluation of selected sidewalk pavement surfaces for vibration experienced by users of manual and powered wheelchairs.

BACKGROUND: Obstacles such as bumps, curb descents, and uneven driving surfaces cause vibrations that affect the wheelchair, and in turn, the wheelchair user. Chronic exposure can cause low-back pain, disk degeneration, and other harmful effects. Little research has been conducted to assess the vibrations experienced by wheelchair users. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to conduct an evaluation of the vibration exposure during electric-powered wheelchair driving and mechanical energy requirements for manual wheelchair propulsion over selected sidewalk surfaces. The goal was to determine the criteria for a wheelchair-pedestrian access route that does not require excessive propulsive work or expose medicare power wheelchairs users to potentially harmful vibrations. METHODS: Ten unimpaired individuals participated in this study. Six sidewalk surfaces were tested. Measured variables included power of the acceleration per octave, mechanical work to propel over surfaces, peak acceleration, and frequency at which peak acceleration occurs. RESULTS: For both the manual and electric-medical scooters
wheelchair, at 1 m/s, significant differences were found in peak accelerations between the seat and footrest (P < 0.0001) and between the sidewalk surfaces (P = 0.004). The greatest risk for injury caused by shock and vibration exposure occurs at frequencies near the natural frequency of seated humans (4-15 Hz). The values for work required to propel over the surfaces tested were not statistically significantly different. Besides appearance and construction, the only distinguishing characteristic was surface roughness caused by the joints. CONCLUSION: When treating the poured concrete sidewalk as the standard, surfaces 2, 3, 5, and 6 compared most favorably in terms of vibration exposure, whereas surface 4 produced mixed results. Surfaces 2, 3, 5, and 6 yielded results that were similar to the poured concrete sidewalk and could be considered acceptable for wheelchair users. In conclusion, surfaces other than the traditional poured concrete can be used for pedestrian access routes without adding vibration exposure or reducing propulsion efficiency.

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A Favourable Inspiration To Entertaining Elswick, Newcastle

Newcastle has a great mix of the past and the current - not so much with the balance, but how all these things are laid out together to present a gorgeous picture. From the historic fields of Newcastle, to the rightful label as the ultimate shops city scene in the UK, you might ascertain this city has more peculiar yet good destinations. Newcastle has been instrumental to the country’s industrial development creating a primary city in the region. Newcastle upon the River Tyne paints a surreal picture that can only be grasped by actually being there.

There are many places of interest when you visit Newfoundland for vacation. The City Walls, a very large and commanding surrounding wall that protected Newcastle in the 13th century, still stands in some pieces today. This is an amazing piece of history to discover! Visit the Arbeia Roman Fort and Museum and see the weapons and forts that the Romans used as far back as the first century, AD. You will also enjoy many other archaeological artefacts that have been discovered and are displayed in the museum. You can take a tour of St. James Park, which is the home of Newcastle United. See the dugouts, or be at the pitch side and take a tour throughout the whole field and changing rooms.

Newcastle is without a doubt THE place to go if you love the outdoor coastal areas! With their coastal villages like Tynemouth and Whitley Bay, you will find beautiful beaches filled with brilliant sand and crashing waves, such as Longsands Beach. If you love water sports, you can sail, surf, kayak, swim, and much more.

When you tire of the sun and surf, go shopping in the many stores and specialty shops in Newcastle. For men’s casual shopping, try Tribal. Berry’s Jeweler’s boasts over a century of being in business. For local, handmade items and more, try the Craftshop, or stop into Lush for the finest selection of soaps and bubble baths you’ll ever find.

There are definitely a lot of classy and delicious restaurants, food stalls, and public houses in the city. A popular pub is Black Bull Public House, which is known for being one of the best football pubs in the city. It is always full on Newcastle United match days. It also offers some quality beer that pub-goers have testified to as ‘the best.’

A delicious restaurant, on the other hand, is Comfort Food Co Ltd., which focuses on good cooking and an even better atmosphere to fill its seats up. The food and wine offered in the restaurant is top notch, and the customers are always happy to advertise that Comfort Food is exquisite and unique as a restaurant. It is commonly almost full by 9 pm, so it is wise to visit the restaurant early to enjoy space while enjoying the food and soaking one’s self in the atmosphere, as well.

St. James Park provides some of the best sporting entertainment in the world. Newcastle United are a great football club, with the likes of Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins playing and the great Kevin Keegan managing the club. It is not just Newcastle that plays in St. James Park. Throughout the season, the stadium is visited by the best teams in England and even Europe such as Liverpool FC, Manchester United FC, Chelsea FC, and Arsenal FC.

The football in Newcastle is definitely something that tourists have to see. Fans are also involved, as they sing songs for their heroes. The match day experience is definitely something else, especially in the football crazy town of Newcastle. Around the city there is not one citizen that does not know the status of their beloved football club.

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An Internship Is Waiting For YouWith an Internship Cover Letter

A well-written internship cover letter sample will bring your name to the top of the list of potential candidates for available positions. Mention the work you’ve done and why you feel qualified to be an intern for work as a sales rep, tile setter, painter, waitress, or electrician. Mention your abilities. Let the hiring manager know why and how you will be a first-class intern. A terrific internship cover letter is essential in order to attract the hiring manager who will make the final decision. So write your internship cover letters today and get them into the mail.

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Hiring a Professional

If you feel that your business line of credit card debt is spiralling out of control and you need help then you should contact an expert to help you consolidate your building business credit card debt. There are many companies who offer this service; so shop around to see which is the most affordable and which will help you out of debt fastest.

How this works is that you will pay a monthly fee to the company you have chosen and they will deal with the oftentimes tedious work of paying back your debt until it is all paid off. This saves you a lot of work, as you don’t have to keep track of all the different payments you must make each month, it all becomes just one easy payment.

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How to Increase Your Network Marketing Income Without Harassing Friends and Family

Many new network marketers think that their network marketing income will be lucrative and they can quit their job. After a few months in the business they find themselves struggling with their businesses and they have lost more money than they have gained.
These marketers have tried everything that their company has told them to do to increase their network marketing income but nothing seems to work. Most network marketers jump around joining different business opportunity- Once they fail at one, they join another, then another, then another…trying to find the right company that offers the best products and compensation plan.
What many people do not realize is that it’s not the company, nor the products, nor the compensation plan because there is a market for everything and there are people making money from all different kinds of comp plans. You can be successful with any network marketing home business opportunity if you know how to market it.
Most network marketing companies teach the same tired old school ways of marketing:
- Make a list of family and friends (your warm market) and invite them to business opportunity meetings
- The 3 foot rule (talk to every who comes within 3 feet of you)
- Send prospects to business opportunity conference calls
- Host home parties/business opportunity meetings
- Hand out fliers, business cards, sizzle cards, DVDs, etc.
- 3 way calls with your upline
- Send people to your replicated company website
- Purchase MLM leads and call and email them
These above tactics do not work for most people, because if they did, there would be more network marketing success stories instead of failures.
The problem with the above tactics are two fold:
#1 people do not like to be sold to; in other words, no one wants to be convinced to do something.
#2 You are promoting the company instead of promoting yourself as a professional business owner.
Yes the above methods work, but it only works for the company. In these days and times, people do their homework before they make buying decisions. Everyone researching companies, products, and services online before they even think of buying something.
Knowing that, what reason would a prospect have to sign up under you?
You have already shown people how great your business opportunity is, so now when they go online and find out more about the company, they will come across another distributor with their own website who is branding themselves as a leader. You haven’t branded yourself as anything - all you did was promote the company and its website.
Well guess what? Thousands of other independent reps for your MLM company are doing the same thing that you’re doing (promoting the MLM company) which doesn’t set you apart in any way.
So the best way to market your business and increase your network marketing income is to break away from the company and promote yourself, and use the company’s products, service, and business opportunity as a solution to other people’s problems.

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Utilizing research in wheelchair and seating selection and configuration for children with injury/dysfunction of the spinal cord.

OBJECTIVE: To determine how research regarding medicare power wheelchairs and medical scooters and seating selection and configuration could be applied to the pediatric population with spinal cord injury (SCI) and dysfunction. METHODS: Extensive literature reviews were completed on (a) powered mobility options and age-appropriateness for training; (b) manual wheelchair configuration, pushrim biomechanics, and propulsion ergonomics; and (c) cushion selection and use of pressure-mapping devices. The findings in the literature review then were compared with clinical observations from Shriners Hospitals for Children, Philadelphia’s Seating and Wheelchair Clinic. RESULTS/DISCUSSION: A significant amount of research is published on propulsion ergonomics and pushrim biomechanics in adults with SCI. However, this literature review noted that there was limited research available on cushion selection and power mobility configuration. Many of the conclusions drawn from these publications are applied to pediatric patients and used during the decision-making process of wheelchair and cushion selection. However, it is critical to tailor the assessment to the pediatric population to meet their medical and functional needs. CONCLUSION: Although some of the findings can be correlated to the pediatric population, there is a lack of research on wheelchair and seating selection and configuration as it specifically relates to the young person with SCI and dysfunction. Future studies need to be completed.

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Testing of gel-electrolyte batteries for wheelchairs

A simple test rig was developed to measure the capacity of the lead-acid gel-electrolyte batteries used to power wheelchairs and medical scooters. Results of 166 tests revealed a wide scatter of battery life with different users and also showed that, in many cases, the two batteries used in a wheelchair became unequal in charge capacity after some time in use. It is recommended that pairs of batteries should be charged in series to overcome this problem.

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A New Home Based Business Starts Every Ten Seconds - Are You Ready?

Running your own Starscapes.com business opportunity is just one of many ways to make money. It is the same as owning your own traditional business and should be treated as such. You will need to advertise your business, sell and promote any products and get others to join your team. It takes allot of hard work, not to mention time and dedication. However, the potential for success is great and can be very rewarding.
Before starting a home business
you need to figure out what is real and what is a scam. You must do your homework. The Internet is great for researching anything, including getting the facts about any business opportunity.
1. Look for any information about a company before joining. Look for complaints, investigations or misleading information about the products.
2. Try and get a friend for their opinion about a company, not to join with you but just to help you make a decision.
3. Talk to people who are familiar with a company that you are interested in. What sets that company apart from all the rest?
4. Check with the Better Business Bureau and the Chamber of Commerce. How long has the company been in business? Search for any news relating to the company, good or bad.
5. What product do they offer? It is extremely important that the product is reasonably priced and a consumable. Can the product be ordered and consumed every month? Would a customer want to order and consume it every month?
6. Stay away from companies that require you to stock up on inventory. Find a company that only requires you to purchase enough products for a month at a time.
7. Avoid high start up costs. They are usually a sign that a company is just looking to make a profit and not to provide a useful, quality product. Think about it, why should you pay an outrageous amount to start a business? What purpose would it serve except to give someone else your money?
8. What is required before you actually get a check? Make sure you understand how you will get paid and what is required for you to get paid before starting.
9. Does the company provide support and training? Support is extremely important, you will need help and you will need training. Who is your sponsor? How long have they been with the company and will they provide the support you need to be successful?
10. Is there a refund policy?
11. Your compensation should be based on the purchase of a product by a customer. If you cannot figure out what the product is, then avoid that company.
12. Before signing on the dotted line talk with others in the business to see what they have to say about the company and the compensation plan.
Remember that all good things take time and patience. If you plan out your business before beginning then your chances for succeeding are greater then just by jumping into the first opportunity that you come across.
Most people join an opportunity with the mistaken notion that just by signing up and getting a free website to promote will make them wealthy overnight.
There is no secret formula to building a successful home business. Yes it is possible to work smarter by automating allot of your tasks. But to build a business takes work and lots of it.
TIP: Find a mentor. If you can establish a relationship with a good mentor who cares about making you a success, then stick with them! They are few and far between.
Starting a home business may be the best decision that you will every make. The variety is much larger then it use to be, thanks to the internet.
Nothing can be more satisfying then doing your own thing at home.
Having plenty of time to spend with loved ones along with a very profitable business is indeed a wonderful thing.
Copyright 2008 Joe Rispoli

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Communicate A Job Need With a Communications Cover Letter

If you’re in the market for a position as a communications director what better way than to write a clear and precise communications cover letter. Such a document should include your interest in the position available, your experience in this profession, your training and education, and a polite request at the end of all communications cover letters for an in-person interview with the hiring manager. He or she can also read your attached resume for more detailed information about you. However, the first step toward a meeting is write a cover letter. Compose yours today.

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5 Essential Ingredients of a Successful Online Work at Home Business

5 Essential Ingredients of a Successful Online Work at Starscapes.com business opportunity by: Carolyn Erickson
The internet changes daily as far as what works and what doesn’t when it comes to making money online.
If you are new to work at home online businesses, your head can spin with all the hype, sales pitches , and outright lies as far as the reality of starting up an online home based business.
There are however a few things to look for in your search for a work at home business that can become some nice additional income, or even better, your “job”. Working at home, generating $1000 a day is far from what I call a “job”.
To help ease your frustration, and point you in the right direction for what you should be looking for in today’s online marketplace, the following summarizes the 5 essential ingredients in a winning work at home online business opportunity.
Later in this brief overview, I will offer a “secret” to online success that is rarely mentioned in the many articles written on the subject.
1. SYSTEM- This may be the most crucial item to your success. You need a System that generates prospects, educates them on your business opportunity, sorts and weeds out those that are not interested in your offer, then closes the sale at a conversion rate that ensures profitability. The System must be as automated as possible so you aren’t spending hours cold calling or following up with people that are probably not interested, then trying to use your sales closing skills to make a sale.
Think of the successful off line businesses such as McDonalds, Tim Hortons or Subway. Do you think they could duplicate those businesses all over the country, setting up new franchise owners to run these businesses, without a SYSTEM that works?
2. BIG Profits- This is important as the advertising needed to result in sales can be quite costly. For some $1000 price point business programs, it isn’t unusual to spend $200, $400 or even $600 to make that $1000 sale. Of course, there are ways to also spend $0 in advertising, but the reality is advertising is often on the range where to make $1, you may need to spend $0.40. Your profit is still $0.60. Would you do that over and over if you had a automated system in place to make this happen? Big Profits allows enough profit so your advertising cost is well covered by your selling price. You can’t do much advertising to make a profit on selling a $20 ebook for example.
3. Hot Products- Yes, the product must be tangible and have use and value. There are many new business opportunities that offer $75,000 or more worth of downloadable products that sell for $1000. That’s pretty HOT, and full of value. Having a product that can be downloaded, means NO shipping. Now that is just way too easy.
4. Leads and Traffic- This is probably the most perplexing for most new work at home business owners. An online business will never make any money without a source of leads (prospects). The key to providing leads to an online business is they need to be targeted.
This means you need to advertise to a niche market of people looking for exactly what your offers. Seems so simple a concept, but so may people struggle in building their prospect list.
5. Support and Training- as with any business start up, you need to learn your work at home online business program.Make sure that your business program has ample training and resources so you know exactly what to do to get those prospects to your System. This is not always easy to figure out when doing your due diligence on an offer.
As a suggestion, make sure you ask for examples of where and how you will advertise. Also ask where will you get the wording for the ads,who will write the ad copy and the followup messages, what the conversion rates are for your system. If your sponsor can’t provide good answers, then they may not be that successful themselves.
This is just a brief overview of what today’s online business programs need to cut through the many offers out there and make your business stand out to others.
Earlier I mentioned I’d offer a “secret” to successful online work at home business programs that is rarely mentioned in the various sales pitches. The true secret just might be you.
Most people do not realize they are starting up a real business. There will be ups and downs, profitability may not come overnight, or you may expect riches in the first few days.
I am sure some people have had such success, but most starting out, very likely start with leads, no prior list of prospects, and a small advertising budget. You then need to make good decisions to leverage your sales to grow your business.
The best way to accomplish an online business start up is with the very best automated SYSTEM. Then you can spend most of your time on advertising and growing your prospect list- leaving the rest to the system to close sales which will deliver you paying customers. Then you can train your new customers to do what you know how to do!
For more information on automated systems, please take a look at our main business review website.
http://carolyn88.marketplace.hop.clickbank.net
To your success!

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Pre-approvals

Most pre-approval mailings request a signature and a statement of recent earnings. It sounds pretty straightforward, but the words “subject to building business credit approval” are always hidden somewhere. While it is tempting to simply sign away, or make up an amount under the “earnings” title, this information will haunt you down the road when you are unable to pay your bills. No one wants a fraud or perjury charge in addition to other trouble that might come with it.

If it Sounds too Good to be True, it is

If you have been pre-approved despite not having worked for a few months or your gross income is less than $10,000, you really should think twice before attempting to apply for a business line of credit card. You should certainly not have been pre-approved.

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My Dead Beat Multilevel Marketing Sponsor

Someone introduces you to a product or service that you enjoy or that benefits you in some way. Then, you join that Multilevel Marketing business opportunity “under” that person. By “under” we mean you are sponsored by that person and for the purposes of commission tracking, you reside on the “first level” or “first generation” of their downline genealogy.
In the language of the industry, they are your sponsor.
This scenario is repeated everyday in an income arena that attracts everyday people by the thousands. The tidal wave that is Multilevel Marketing surges with new recruits eager to create mind-boggling incomes. They join, they purchase and they get excited.
And then we hear:
The person who sponsored me never calls. He promised a great opportunity then disappeared. What a dead beat!
Or, after getting me to join, she moved on to the next prospect. Aren’t I just as important?
Why did they desert me? I have a huge upline support team with awesome tools and resources. But, my business is stagnant because I’m waiting for some help.
A Wake Up Call for Multilevel Marketing Wannabes: Here’s where we jar most home business rookies with a big dose of reality.
The fact is that your sponsor is NOT there to do it all for you. As a Networker, you are an independent business entity. You will never be successful until you learn to BE successful on your own.
But, to soften that hardcore position, understand that your sponsor or Upline Team SHOULD be available to assist you and provide tools, training and resources - but they should NOT be building your business for you.
Nor should they be promising such nonsense in any of their promotions.
What Are They Obligated to Do? As your sponsor, they have an obligation to support you, encourage you and even to train you. Their #1 goal should be to assist you into the first stages of success. If they don’t, it’s their mistake. Your pitfall is allowing that mistake to stop you from succeeding anyhow!
Experienced and successful Multilevel Marketers know the value of helping you to reach profit. They know the power of getting you to what we call “The Point of No Return.” They grasp the importance of having team members like you in the “making good money” column.
They also know that if they GET you there without teaching you to be self sufficient, THEIR business won’t grow and yours will stop the moment they release the reins.
The Multilevel Marketing Fishing Pole: Do you recall that old saying that if you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day - but if you teach a man to fish, you feed him forever?
That is why you must learn to work your Multilevel Marketing business. It’s okay to be slow at first. Maybe you have questions - maybe you don’t know everything. No one does when they first start. But, that doesn’t justify expecting your sponsor to make you rich.
Pointing Fingers Again? When you’re feeling discouraged or frustrated with your home business growth, or lack of it, what do you do? Do you blame it on the company? What about the pay plan?
Ever think the product must not work because the last 3 people you shared it with didn’t have dramatic results?
Have you mentally or verbally accused your sponsor of being unhelpful? Do you wish you had a different upline team?
So, let’s say you are part of a legitimate Multilevel Marketing opportunity with a great product backed by a solid company - lots of satisfied members - sales climbing everyday - people across the country excited about their results. But, YOUR results have been less than expected. What’s the problem? Who’s to blame?
Perhaps your expectations were not very realistic in the first place. Maybe the time spent waiting for help should have been spent - doing something.
Doing something - anything - even if you’re not good at it (yet) is better than doing nothing.
We used to refer to this as “making a big mess and cleaning it up later.” Get your material out there. Talk to people. Advertise. Give away samples. Do something. Worry about getting good at it as you go along.
Who Determines My Success? You do. Period.
Upline teams and sponsors can be contributing factors to your Multilevel Marketing success. Having someone who is very involved in your daily activities is a real plus, not a necessity. Company tools and resources offer tremendous advantages to your business growth - if you use them.
If your dream is to sit back and let someone else make you rich, buy a lottery ticket.
Shouldn’t They Call Me Once in a While? I’m sure that would be nice. We’ve always told our members to develop a pattern of time management based on the “work with the workers” theory. Be available to everyone who needs help, but concentrate on those who are making an effort.
If your sponsor is really as good as you think he/she is, they are probably quite busy. Their time is divided between many team members. They’re working with the workers, taking calls and answering questions.
So? When was the last time you called THEM?
In fact, when is the last time you dialed into a live conference call? Have you attended a live event or training? Have you reviewed each link on the company website or back office? There’s usually an FAQ section.
Do you have the phone number for your sponsor’s sponsor? Called them lately?
The point is that it’s YOUR home business. Don’t point fingers or make excuses. Get excited, make a commitment and get busy.

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Real-time head movement system and embedded Linux implementation for the control of power wheelchairs

handicap scooters has become very important for our quality of life. A loss of mobility due to an injury is usually accompanied by a loss of self-confidence. For many individuals, independent mobility is an important aspect of self-esteem. Head movement is a natural form of pointing and can be used to directly replace the joystick whilst still allowing for similar control. Through the use of embedded LINUX and artificial intelligence, a hands-free head movement wheelchair controller has been designed and implemented successfully. This system provides for severely disabled users an effective medicare power wheelchairs control method with improved posture, ease of use and attractiveness.

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The ANSI/RESNA wheelchair standards: sample evaluation and guide to interpreting test data for prescribing power wheelchairs

This study is a joint project of ECRI and the National Rehabilitation Hospital, supported by a grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR, U.S. Department of Education, Agreement No. H133E80016). ECRI is the first independent laboratory to test power wheelchairs and medicare power wheelchairs according to the standards of the Rehabilitation Engineering Society of North America (RESNA), now known as the Association for the Advancement of Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology (AART); these standards will ultimately be distributed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). We tested 10 power wheelchairs, which are similar in size and configuration, from seven manufacturers; all units are intended for adult use. Our testing showed that none of the sample wheelchairs are ideal for all environments in which these devices are typically needed. Each unit has advantages that should be carefully considered when specifying a power wheelchair. Numerous factors are involved in prescribing power wheelchairs, and learning the subtle differences in features and performance of a particular model and how they will affect the user is difficult. In addition, acquiring objective information about power wheelchairs from manufacturers is not typically easy. Considering these factors, and because the standards on which we based our testing do not generally provide criteria for passing or failing models under test, we did not rate the units. The purpose of this article is to present the data collected in our study, using wheelchair performance characteristics based on some parts of the ANSI/RESNA wheelchair standards, as an example of what prescribers can expect to receive from manufacturers and to provide guidance in interpreting and applying the data in writing power wheelchair prescriptions. Thus, this article provides an overview of the types of problems faced by those who specify power wheelchairs for users, the problems faced by the users themselves, and the components that are most susceptible to damage during use.

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Use the Wild Wild Web to Find Great Cover Letters

Many job-hunters look for great cover letters online. You can too. A terrific cover letter online may be the short-cut to writing a cover letter of your own that turns the key to your future. You can find good examples of cover letter examples online to help you decide which details to include and how to include them. It’s important to speak about your experience, your background, and how you will be an asset to the organization you wish to work for. That’s an important key to remember when looking for a cover letter online and using it to create your own.

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Can you get a 0 Interest Credit Card?

In today’s world of living and fighting with building business credit card debt for most of your life, is there such a thing as a 0 interest business line of credit card?

A Brief History of the credit card

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“Can You Live Where You Work… and Work Where You Live?”

A unique situation occurs when a business opportunity is operated out of the home. Conflict can result from the infringement of the customer/business interaction on family functioning. A family and business does not integrate successfully in the same space without some planning. Five areas of family functioning are likely to be affected.
Family cohesion. Each household will need to answer the following: 1)What will the business demand from the home space? 2)What does the family need from the space in the home? 3) How can you develop a management plan for household space use that best accommodates your family and your business?
Personal and family time schedules. If the schedules of family members are fixed and intermeshed (one car and each person needs to be on time for various commitments), a Starscapes.com business opportunity would have to meet this time schedule. It would be difficult to retail items such as paintings and crafts if customers stop by anytime.
Use of space. Is your business one which requires storage space, an area for customer interaction, specialized tools and equipment, or convenient access for pickup and delivery? Is confidentiality a problem? The arrangement of space may affect ongoing family activities. The most convenient part of the house for customer interaction, pickup and delivery is often the most shared and public parts of the house (kitchen, living room, etc.).
Space separations must be maintained for deductions as business expenses for tax purposes. One must determine if this part of the house has too many uses that are part of the pattern of your family’s life to also be used in the business.
There are many different types of home-based businesses, but they can be grouped into broad categories: production/service; consulting or counseling; sales or marketing and mail order. These different types of businesses have different space needs. Thinking about what category describes your business can help you begin to think about space needs. Think about storage space, space for tools and equipment, production space, area to meet with clientele, pickup and delivery and office space.
The Neighborhood. How do your neighbors feel about a business in the neighborhood, and do city and county codes permit your business to be established in the neighborhood? Higher traffic in the neighborhood may cause disenchantment among friends and neighbors. A seamstress may consider fitting garments at the client’s house or secure alteration business through a clothing store or dry cleaners in order to preserve the character of the neighborhood, for example.
Shipping and deliveries could be made to a U.S. postal service box or parcel service branch office to avoid unwanted truck traffic.
Risk handling behavior. Another aspect of family functioning which relates to a business at home is the family’s attitude toward risk. Some are risk seekers who look for opportunities to be tested, willingly take financial risks, and promote novelty and change in their lives. Others tend to avoid change and desire a secure environment at home and around the family.
For complete information and worksheets order, “Can You Live Where You Work…And Work Where You Live?”, publication 354-306, from the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service, Distribution Center, Landsdowne St., Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-6192. Publication cost is $1.50.

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Advertising, Promotion and Distribution

The difference between advertising and promotion is that advertising is easier and more effective once you identify your customers and determine market potential. This will help you to determine when, where, what and how to advertise. Advertising lets prospective customers (target market) know about your product and makes them want to buy from you. Effective advertising gets the right message to the right audience at the right time plus is measurable so you can determine if it is increasing sales. It creates a business image in the customer’s mind, increases customer information, about the home business and attracts customers.
Choose forms of advertising and the distribution method by their appropriateness to your business. Remember to use a mix of advertising methods. Experts say to not spend your entire advertising budget on one type of media. Take advantage of every opportunity to promote your business. Promotion can be done through news stories of your grand opening or local radio news programs.
Computer marketing. The newest form of advertising and marketing is on-line. It is estimated that over $1 trillion worth of commerce will be done over the Internet by the year 2002, and that most of the products sold will be by entrepreneurs. Advertising can be done for little cost on local bulletin boards and community pages, to sizable monthly fees for sophisticated marketing services. To sell on-line you will need to establish an attractive web page with quality pictures and exact descriptions of your products. You will also need to be ready to accept credit card orders. An advantage to marketing this way will be your access to a much larger market.
Word of mouth. Word-of-mouth advertising can be a powerful medium for a home based business opportunity in the local area. It is sincere, believable and unsolicited. It is also uncontrollable, so you will want to make sure that it is positive advertising. It is largely up to you to make sure that your product and the experience your customers tell others about is the kind of advertising you want. Be professional and prompt, meet deadlines, keep appointments, and do not accept more work than you can deliver. These good business practices and friendly hospitality will enhance your business and make people want to come back. It takes time to build a reputation.
Brochures/Hand-Out Flyers. A brochure or flyer can be small, inexpensive and attractive and is an excellent method to advertise your business. Get advice from a printer or hire a graphic designer to help with the layout of pictures, text and lettering. Do not invest money in these items if you did not consider how either will be used or who it will be used for and it is constructed in such a way that it will be opened, read and responded to. They have many uses but are wasted if not well planned.
Direct mail. Mailing brochures or letters to businesses or people likely to become customers may be helpful when you first open your business. Mailing again at regular intervals throughout the year also may help but you must keep an up-to-date mailing list. Direct mail is most effectively used on clients within a 50 mile radius of your business if it is only used to advertise and not for orders. If orders are taken, distance is no object. It adds a personal touch as a direct communication between you and your customer. Mailing can be expensive and should be weighed with the other options.
Bulletin boards. Post professional looking brochures, flyers or business cards on public bulletin boards in restaurants, grocery stores, laundromats, apartment complexes, schools or anywhere visible to your target market. It is common courtesy to ask permission to post. Some locations specify where posters can be used or may not permit their use.
Newspapers. Contact the local editors and tell them about your new service or product. An editor may want to do a feature story, especially about your grand opening. Getting an article may be easier if you can tie into the activities of a charitable organization, a benevolent group or a community activity. Include a black and white picture and send along a news release. An article like this is promotion and not advertising, but may be very effective.
Newspaper advertising should be done on a consistent basis. People need to see your ad several times before it will stick in their minds. Ask to have your ad placed in the same place each week and preferably on a page that is highly read. Placement does make a significant difference in whether or not an ad is noticed. Color and size also make a difference but do cost more.
Classified ads are usually inexpensive and appropriate for a small business. Run ads in local newspapers and shoppers’ guides in your community.
Shows and displays. Depending on your type of business, it may be appropriate to display some of your work in a public library or bank along with your business cards for people to take. You can also use road signs.
Other businesses. You may want to advertise in a business that is complementary to yours. For example, a fabric store for alterations or gourmet food store for cooking classes. This type of advertising benefits both businesses.
Yellow pages. Check with the phone company for the time of printing for the next book. Be sure to get your business name in the white pages and consider a yellow page ad. A listing in the yellow pages can be helpful but may have a charge, so check with your local phone company. Always consider your customer. Would a potential customer consult the yellow pages looking for your type of product or service?
Local radio and TV. Many radio stations have local talk shows. Call the directors and see if they are interested in discussing your new business. Radio ads give you the flexibility to choose the audience that will hear your advertisement. This can be done by choosing the station and time of day the ad is broadcast. The radio sales agent can help you to design your ad to meet your goals.
Television ads can be effective but are very expensive to produce and run. Local cable companies may provide low cost space on their cable access page. Distribution can also be accomplished via television. Shows like QVC and other home shopping shows are popular and effective, but you must have a significant supply on hand that can be shipped immediately. Infomercials are also gaining in popularity but are very expensive to produce and air.
Specialties. You may want to offer matchbooks, pens, calendars, decals, balloons or other tokens of appreciation for doing business. Many of these items have long-term use and make good seasonal gifts. You could print stickers or labels to attach to every product. However, labels may be expensive. Weigh the cost and the advantages of the items depending on your particular business.
Telemarketing. Telemarketing is a sales approach that is done entirely by the phone. It may be selling to customers who call or calling potential customers.
Selling on Consignment. You may choose to sell on consignment, where the retail store displays your products, advertises and sells them for you. For this service, they charge a flat fee of 30 to 50 percent of the selling price. The store generally pays its consignors once a month for merchandise sold. A consignment store should reflect a neat and friendly yet businesslike appearance. Other merchandise in the store should be similar in quality to yours. The store owner should be able to suggest realistic selling prices for your products.
Since you own the products until they are sold, the store is not responsible for theft or damage. Another disadvantage is that your money is tied up in the merchandise until it is sold. It’s in your inventory, not the store’s. If an item does not sell, it may be returned to you in less than salable condition or be out of date. Inspect written agreements carefully. Make sure to include all of the details you find necessary to protect your investment, including length of shelf time.
Chamber of Commerce. Joining the local chamber of commerce and other professional organizations is a good opportunity to make valuable contacts and participate in community activities. It also helps makes your business visible.
Additional ideas and information can be obtained from the following:
Read magazines, trade journals and observe competitor ads in newspapers.
Talk with public relations people and others who promote products and services to find out the best ways to advertise your business.
Attend trade shows. The wholesalers and distributors have excellent ideas on what they would do if they were in your shoes. If you are wholesaling, visit with your suppliers. Gain contacts to meet with others who are in a business similar to yours. If you are not in their market or potential market, many will be glad to share their expertise.
Consult people in the franchise business or in unrelated franchises if you are considering this form of business. Determine how they reach their clientele and learn their repeat sales techniques and the preferences of those customers.
Depending on the suitability of your business, don’t overlook parades, mall shows, gallery shows, street fairs, summer festivals and county fairs.
Plan your advertising based on a set budget. This can be determined by spending:
The same amount as last year.
What the competition does.
A percentage of your sales.
To meet your objectives (example: increase sales by 10 percent).
Regular, steady, targeted advertising attracts more customers than splashy, appeal-to-no-one advertisements. Zero in on your specific target audience with cost-effective advertising. Plan an appropriate advertising theme using the name of your business and featuring a logo (if you have one). People tend to remember and trade where there are catchy (not overly cute) names, slogans and logos.

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New design and development of a manual wheelchair for India

PURPOSE: The most common methods of delivering assistive technology in developing countries are charitable donation and workshops. This describes a new approach to solving the problem, a collaboration undertaken by a US-based lab and a manufacturer in India to produce quality wheelchairs and handicap scooters . One goal is to publicize the design free of charge to manufacturers and interested parties world-wide. The process, a demonstration of a new technology transfer method, and the product, an adult manual wheelchair, are described. METHOD: An iterative process occurred over four years to design and produce the medical scooters . This consisted of prototypes, small production runs, ANSI/RESNA testing, hardness and tensile testing and informal user testing. RESULTS: The design is a manual folding cross-brace design with several points of adjustability. Final pre-production prototypes experienced fastener failures during durability testing. Higher grade bolts were specified. Trial-run production has begun. An ANSI/RESNA wheelchair test lab was constructed in India. Subsequent projects include power and pediatric tilt-in-space wheelchairs. CONCLUSIONS: The approach seems promising as a method to improve the quality of assistive technology available in India and begin to meet the vast need in India. Pitfalls encountered throughout the collaboration are described in this paper along with solutions to remedy these problems for future projects

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Technological advances in powered wheelchairs

During the last 40 years, there have been revolutionary advances in power wheelchairs. These unique wheelchair systems and handicap scooters, designed for the physically immobile patient, have become extremely diversified, allowing the user to achieve different positions, including tilt, recline, and, more recently, passive standing. Because of this wide diversity of powered wheelchair products, there is a growing realization of the need for certification of wheeled mobility suppliers. Legislation in Tennessee (Consumer Protection Act for Wheeled Mobility) passed in 2003 will ensure that wheeled mobility suppliers must have Assistive Technology Supplier certification and maintain their continuing education credits when fitting individuals in wheelchairs for long-term use. Fifteen other legislative efforts are currently underway in general assemblies throughout the US. Manufacturers, dealers, hospitals, and legislators are working toward the ultimate goal of passing federal legislation delineating the certification process of wheeled mobility suppliers. The most recent advance in the design of powered wheelchairs is the development of passive standing positions. The beneficial effects of passive standing have been documented by comprehensive scientific studies. These benefits include reduction of seating pressure, decreased bone demineralization, increased bladder pressure, enhanced orthostatic circulatory regulation, reduction in muscular tone, decrease in upper extremity muscle stress, and enhanced functional status in general. In February 2003, Permobil, Inc., introduced the powered Permobil Chairman 2K Stander wheelchair, which can tilt, recline, and stand. Other companies are now manufacturing powered wheelchairs that can achieve a passive standing position. These wheelchairs include the Chief SR Powerchair, VERTRAN, and LifeStand Compact. Another new addition to the wheelchair industry is the iBOT, which can elevate the user to reach cupboards and climb stairs but has no passive standing capabilities. In addition, the physically immobile patient must be seated on an ERGODYNAMIC Seating System 2000, which is inflated by the alternating pressure compressor 8080. This seating system has a deep center seam between the two ischial-support chambers, which provides a recess for the coccyx. The pre-ischial crossbar compartment inflates during each cycle to prevent the pelvis from slipping forward. It is essential that the physician of the immobile patient order two ERGODYNAMIC Seating Systems 2000 because the patient must have an additional seating system in the case one leaks. Moreover, two compressors are necessary because each compressor must be serviced after 2500 hours of use. For the protection of the consumer, these pressure relief systems must be supplied and serviced by a Certified Rehabilitation Technology Supplier such as Wheelchair Works Inc. Despite the indisputable scientific evidence of the medical benefits of passive standing for the immobile user, few individuals have access to these revolutionary wheelchairs. Consequently, it is mandatory that the medical community, headed by specialists in physical and occupational therapy as well as rehabilitation medicine, CRTS, and manufacturers collaborate in a national education campaign to convince Medicare/Medicaid and all commercial insurance companies to approve immediately these assisted technologies. This program is essential so that the physically immobilized patient can achieve the undisputed physical benefits of passive standing.

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