Friday, December 21, 2012

The Angel Company - A Review of the Scrapbooking Business Opportunity

What does it take to become an angel? Creativity, artistic flair and the skills to make money out of your imagination! The Angel Company offers its reps the opportunity to pursue their hobby as a craftsperson and earn money out of these crafts. Mischelle Smith, the founder of The Angel Company was a demonstrator for another direct selling company that dealt with rubber stamping. She started The Angel Company in 1997 at Salina, Kansas to offer buyers the opportunity to earn profits from the stamps they purchased apart from keeping them for personal use.

Products

The Company started with rubber stamps, and then diversified to distribute scrapbooks, paper crafters and exclusive papers. The scrapbook business was launched at a time when scrapbooking was the in thing to do. This product was well received by customers. However, these products are not available in shops. You'd need to buy from a distributor or host a party or a funshop as TAC calls it where you could get the products at a discounted rate.

The Angel Company - A Review of the Scrapbooking Business Opportunity

Angel introduced unmounted stamping system in 1999 and further innovated to offer the Creative Cling system that's widely used now. The business has grown to reach 48 states, Alaska, Hawaii and various US military bases worldwide.

Let's see what the advantages are of being an Angel distributor apart from the obvious advantage of being called an "Angel". We shall also discuss the challenges involved and the feasibility of this business opportunity.

Advantages Of Being With The Angel Company -

o The products of TAC offer a refreshing change from the routine electronic cards we send or receive. Using personalized rubber stamps and designing scrap books with care give a special touch to gifts and is sure to be accepted by lots of people; especially creative minded people who like to design their own gifts.

o Funshop hostesses get a fifty percent discount on the products. The starter kit costs around 0 while the retail cost of the products in 0.

o Commissions are decent; ranging between 21% and 30% on sales and up to 6.5% on downline sales. Distributors also get a rebate of up to 30% on products they want to buy.

o TAC offers training and support through Wing Workshops organized by existing demonstrators.

Disadvantages -

o This is the kind of product that could be sold only to people who are really interested. People who have busy lifestyles won't have much time for creativity and it'd be useless to try to sell to them. The products are also not going to have much of an effect on people who'd rather send an electronic card than take efforts to create a card by themselves.

o Though the commission rate is high, income potential's quite low because product costs are low.

o You'd have to spend time and money to host parties.

o The company focuses entirely on selling through funshops or selling to people you know and bringing them into the business. This is not likely to fetch much income because your sales volume is limited to the number of contacts you have.

Conclusion

The Angel Company is virtually unknown; you wouldn't have heard about the company until an angel visited you. Use this to your advantage and earn money as an angel distributor by marketing your products. Spread the word about Angel through the internet and get interested people to contact you. You need to find people interested in personalized gifts and creative people to sell your products to.

Advertise online using the various tools of the internet, get in touch with interested customers and get them to place orders. This way, you wouldn't have to disturb your friends or host parties. The vast reach of the internet is sure to fetch you plenty of leads, provided you know how to market your products effectively.

The Angel Company - A Review of the Scrapbooking Business Opportunity
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Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Writing Book Reviews - Fiction

A book review describes, analyzes, and evaluates the quality, meaning, and significance of a book. It should not retell, and it is not a book report or a summary. A review is a commentary. Although no "right" way to write a review exists, some essential information is needed in each. Fiction and non-fiction books have differences not only in the content but also what components should be in a review. Let's look as some suggestions to consider when writing a book review for a book of fiction. I will use one of my books in the examples.

First of all, do not give away the story, climax, ending of the book. Do use occasional quotes from the book to support or explain points made in the review.

The first paragraph should include the title of the book and the author's name. Sometimes publishing information such of ISBN, publisher, type of book, and general subject matter is noted.

Writing Book Reviews - Fiction

Example of a first paragraph: The Base Stealers Club, by V. Gilbert Zahel, follows the progress of a middle-school-aged baseball team as it plays its way to a championship. A part of the team also help solve a mystery plaguing the community. Published by 4RV Publishers, ISBN: 978-1-84728-220-0, the book appeals to those who interested in sports, mystery, and adventure.

Other points to be covered, in different paragraphs, are as follows:

Characters: Are the characters flat or round? A round character is multiple dimensional. Round characters make a story line more interesting and believable; therefore, the analysis of the author's use of three-dimensional characters or flat characters is important.

Example of character portrayal: Ryan Scott not only is an excellent athlete, but he also cares about others. He helps find the thief in the story; then he wants to help the young man who stole money from locker rooms. An instance where he acted as peace maker on the team is shown in the following excerpt: Ryan stood beside Colby, slipping his arm across the shorter boy's shoulders. "Hey, Colby, settle down. Josh is just repeating what he heard. I've heard my dad say the same thing about some criminals." With a slight smile, Ryan turned to Josh. "Josh, what does the preacher say about forgiving? What have we learned in church about forgiving others?"

Theme: The theme of a book may not be written word for word, but the review should note how the author reveals or develops the theme or themes. Mention whether you, as the reviewer, agree or disagree with the author's theme(s) and why.

Example of theme: The author gives support for moral values and actions through the book. Yet, the message isn't preachy or blunt, but the theme flows throughout the story. The author's opinions are solid and are ones that young readers need to realize and learn to accept.

Plot: Are the various elements of plot handled well? The elements of plot include introduction, conflict, climax, and conclusion.

Example of plot: The Base Stealers Club introduces the conflict, the problem in the first two chapters of the book, both the start of the games leading to a successful season and the missing money in locker rooms. The suspense intensifies as the team plays and tries to help find the thief. The climax is unique, as is the reaction of team members.

Author information: V. Gilbert Zabel, who also writes under the name Vivian Gilbert Zabel, for adult level books, and Granny Zabel, for children's books, played baseball and helped coach a baseball team. Her interest and background in the sport, as well as with children, can be found in the pages of this book.

Give a brief summary of the book: Give an overview, but do not give away the plot climax or conclusion.

Example of summary: The Jonesville Chargers, a baseball team of middle school-aged boys, pursues championship dreams and the solution of a mystery plaguing their team.

Give your opinion of the book: Tell how the book affected you. Say whether or not the book is interesting, entertaining, or memorable. Would you recommend the book to readers? Why or why not?

Example of opinion: I enjoyed The Base Stealers Club because I became swept up in the chronicling of a team's season, games and attempt to find a thief. This book will appeal to readers aged ten to fifteen who love baseball. Young sports fans will be better for having read the book.

Important note: Having correct grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and other components of good writing are as important in a review as in writing a book. Reviews are a form of writing.

The suggestions can be arranged differently or combined, and some others can be added. Some can be eliminated, but most of the information needs to be somewhere in the review.

Writing Book Reviews - Fiction
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Vivian Gilbert Zabel taught writing for twenty-five years, honing her skills as she studied and taught. An author on Writers (http://www.Writing.Com/), her portfolio can be found at http://www.Writing.Com/authors/vzabel Her books, Hidden Lies and Other Stories, Walking the Earth, and The Base Stealers Club, can be found through book stores or Amazon.com.

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Friday, December 14, 2012

Book Review: The Shallows, by Nicholas Carr

The question of whether new media technologies are mind numbing is an age old one, going back to classical antiquity. Nicholas Carr, in his new book The Shallows, a nuanced and considered study on the ill effects of too much Internet usage, uses the fascinating example of Plato and Socrates.

History of New Media Technologies

In Plato's well-known dialogue Phaedrus, the philosopher has Socrates discussing the merits of writing with Phaedrus. Socrates relates a story about a meeting between the Egyptian god Theuth, who amongst other things invented the alphabet, and Thamus, a king of Egypt. The technologically savvy Theuth argues that writing will be a boon to society, allowing for the storage of information and hence providing 'a recipe for memory and wisdom'. Thamus disagrees, and suggests that writing will have a deleterious effect on memory as people lazily rely on what is held in these early data banks. Thamus goes on to say that writing will not create true wisdom, as people will not cultivate their minds. It will rather create a kind of fake wisdom. The dialogue makes clear that Socrates agrees with Thamus.

Book Review: The Shallows, by Nicholas Carr

Plato was not on Socrates' side in this matter. In The Republic he argues against poetry, which in antiquity represented the oral tradition. Poetry was declaimed in public, rather than written down. Plato felt the advantages of writing superior to a purely oral culture. Writing would encourage the reader to be logical, self-reliant and rigorous.

Even back in fourth century BC Greece there was concern that the new technology of alphabet based writing had the power to change the way the mind worked. Many centuries later, modern machines would have a noticeable effect on thought and literature. In 1882 German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche found his eye sight failing and couldn't concentrate when trying to write with pen and paper. To resolve this problem he ordered a Danish-made Malling-Hansen Writing Ball typewriter, which would allow him to close his eyes and tap away on the keys. The philosopher found that the forceful banging of the contraption during composition had a discernable effect on his writing, making his prose tighter and more telegraphic. He concluded that, 'Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts.'

The Shallows has an alarming subtitle: what the Internet is doing to our brains. It's tempting to think from this eye-catching book blurb that Nicholas Carr is keen to scold Internet users and predict the decline and fall of Western civilisation. This is thankfully not the case, and The Shallows surprises with its long historical view and balanced analysis of how media affects the quality of our thinking and reading. For every advance in information technology, there has been a clamour of voices warning of its dangers. When the Gutenberg press revolutionised the accessibility of information, Robert Burton, author of An Anatomy of Melancholy (1628), bemoaned the plethora of books and the mental befuddlement they caused. "One of the great diseases of the age is the multitude of books that doth so overcharge the world that it is not able to digest the abundance of idle matter that is every day hatched and brought into the world". Sound familiar?

How the Internet Affects the Way We Read and Think

The basic conclusion of The Shallows is that what a new technology gives with the one hand, it takes away with the other. The more ease and convenience the Internet places before us, the more it takes away from our ability to exercise our brains more rigorously. It promotes light, scattered reading. And for all the information we so hurriedly glean, much of it is quickly forgotten. If it is remembered, it's so fractured that it can't be integrated into an overriding schema or logic that benefits our understanding of the world, or ourselves.

The Shallows provides many examples of how cognition is diminished by the Internet's powerful ability to store, collect and sort information for us. In one study, two separate groups of people were set an identical online task. One group used programs that provided helpful prompts, therefore making the task more 'user friendly'. The second group were not given these same prompts, but had to figure out the task more for themselves. Eight months later the two groups were assembled again to do the same puzzle. Those who had done the more intellectually demanding program, were able to complete the task twice as quickly as the 'user friendly' program group. Dutch Researcher Christof van Nimwegen found that the group using the more difficult program were able to plan ahead and plot strategy, while the other group relied more on trial and error to get through their puzzle.

Another study mapped how much information is retained when reading text with hyperlinks. Hyperlinks have been hailed by many educationalists as a new path to improved learning. To test this theory, Canadian scholars gave seventy people an Elizabeth Bowen short story to read, 'The Demon Lover'. One group read the story straight through, without links. The second group read the story studded with hyperlinks, as you'd find in any online article. The hypertext readers in subsequent interviews on what they had read reported they found the story confusing and 'very jumpy'. The other group had no such difficulties.

To add further alarm to this mix, one researcher tracked the eye movements of Web users, by attaching a small camera that plotted eye movements as they read pages of text. The eye reads Web pages in the shape of an F. We merely read the first few lines of text, then the eye quickly plummets to the bottom of the page. (Disheartening news for those writing online articles!)

What are the lessons to be drawn from The Shallows? The Internet is surely an awesome and powerful tool that has enhanced our lives incredibly. Who wants to go back to standing in bank queues when all your banking can be done from the comfort of home? What writer or researcher would want to go back to haunting the stacks and dusty corridors of libraries, when so much more can be accessed with the click of a mouse?

An over reliance, or obsession, with the Internet as the be all and end all of wisdom, intelligence and information, however, is a mistake. Just as pre-literate societies produced great oral poetry, and could cultivate a deep intellectual and philosophical consciousness, so can we moderns also find other routes to intellectual stimulation. Reading books without the non-stop interruptions of the Internet is one way. Sitting in a silent natural setting, and 'reading nature', is another way (again, studies have found that we think much more clearly in these peaceful environments).

A reading culture that is now moving inexorably to the Internet from the printed page is a culture of 'F' shaped reading: superficial, fragmented, shallow and forgetful. What this means for our intellectual and cultural future is anyone's guess.

The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains, by Nicholas Carr. Published 2010 by W. W. Norton and Company. ISBN: 978-0-393-07222-8

Book Review: The Shallows, by Nicholas Carr
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Chris Saliba is Melbourne book reviewer.

More of his book reviews can be read at http://chrissalibabookreviews.blogspot.com/

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Sunday, December 9, 2012

Driving Statistics - Accidents, Cell Phones, and Texting - Car Reviews and Ratings

We live in busy, busy world. It seems like we try to do it all. This has led us to all be pretty good at multi-tasking. But is it always a good thing?

Sure, it is quite a talent to change a baby while talking on the phone or listen to a book on tape while you jog, but it has gotten a little bit out of hand when it comes to cell phones and driving. Many of us don't think it's dangerous or think 'we' can handle it better than everyone else. Check out these stats:

America Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety

Driving Statistics - Accidents, Cell Phones, and Texting - Car Reviews and Ratings

o Over half of U.S. drivers report having used a cell phone while driving.

o 7 out of 10 admit to text messaging while driving.

o Young drivers were overwhelmingly more likely to text message, and somewhat more likely to talk on cell phones while driving than older drivers.

o Males with high education are more likely to talk while driving

o You are 3 times more likely to get into an accident if you are dialing a phone

Yikes. That is scary stuff, but why do I feel like this won't change your habits. Honestly, I'm sitting saying to myself, "that is pretty bad." But I will probably use m cell phone again. I need to break that habit. Here is some more to convince you:

Virginia Tech Driving Institute

o Dialing cell phone increases the risk of accident driving incidents by 2.8 times. Look at that, same as America Automobile Association findings.

o Text messaging while driving increases the risk of accidents by 23.2 times. 23 times!!!

Finally, some states have adopted actual laws about this stuff and I would expect more to follow.

This is what California is doing:

o No text messaging while driving

o No using your cell phone while driving

o If you are under 18, you can't even use hands-free devices while driving.

Alright, bottom line time: if you are driving, please do not text and if you don't have a hands free device, please wait until you can pull over to talk on the phone. Remember, you are not the only one on the road. WE ALL share the road. Don't be selfish. Get a hands free device and keep your eyes on the road.

Driving Statistics - Accidents, Cell Phones, and Texting - Car Reviews and Ratings
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To look at some of the Car Safety Ratings, just click here.

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Thursday, December 6, 2012

Sony PSP 2000 Slim Vs PSP 3000 - Review

The recently released Sony PSP Slim 3000 has caused quite a controversy among new PSP owners who purchased their Sony PSP Slim 2000 units within the last few months. It has not even been a full year since Sony released the PSP Slim 2000, with its biggest feature being the ability to connect to a TV through AV output. Many are arguing that Sony's latest addition to its handheld family should not even be considered an upgrade of the current model. Let's take a deeper look into the features of the PSP 3000.

The 3000 was unveiled at the Leipzig gaming conference last week. The unit has the exact same dimensions as its counterpart, the Slim 2000. However, there were a few upgrades. Sony gave the PSP 3000 a new anti-glare screen, which is supposed to make playing the PSP while outside a bit more bearable. This new LCD screen also features a broader color palette than the older model, which accounts for a brighter, more vibrant picture. Along with this new screen, Sony added a built in microphone to the 3000, which will allow many people who have access to WiFi hotspots peppered through-out a large city to utilize the PSP as a phone-like device with the built in Skype software.

Along with these hardware improvements, the Slim 3000 also features a few cosmetic improvements as well. The 'HOME' button no longer exists, as it has been replaced by a PSN button. It functions exactly the same as the old button, but instead has the PlayStation logo instead of the word 'HOME'. Also, the brushed aluminum ring which was featured on both the PSP Fat, as it has become known, and the PSP Slim has been replaced with a more polished and thinner chrome ring. The edges of the PSP 3000 have also been smoothed a bit so that it feels more comfortable while holding it in your hand.

Sony PSP 2000 Slim Vs PSP 3000 - Review

Sony PSP 3000 will be available this October, featuring the colors Piano Black and Mystic Silver. All in all, if you're already a proud PSP 2000 Slim owner, you might want to skip this upgrade as the anti-glare screen is only a major upgrade if you find yourself playing a lot while outside. However, if you're looking to purchase a PSP, the 3000 is the way to go.

Sony PSP 2000 Slim Vs PSP 3000 - Review
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Sunday, December 2, 2012

Book Review: Dear John

Dear John is Nicholas Sparks' latest novel. I've read all of Sparks' books and I have my favorites, such as The Notebook, and now Dear John is on my list of favorites too.

It's a touching story of young love that lasts a lifetime. The main character, John Tyree, first met the love of his life, Savannah Curtis, on the beach in North Carolina. At the time, John was home visiting his father while on a short leave from the military. Savannah, a college student, was in town with some of her peers working on a Habitat for Humanity project.

The two were an unlikely pair from the beginning. John was somewhat of a rebel who ran off right after high school to join the Army, while Savannah was a pure, hardworking, Southern girl. But, as they say, opposites attract. From the beginning, theirs was a powerful bond that unfortunately was always separated by time and distance. John had his obligations to his military duty and Savannah had her obligations to completing her education.

Book Review: Dear John

However, the two remained very committed to each other, despite their distance, until the unexpected events of September 11th changed everything, not only for the world, but also for this young couple's future.

A novel like this makes you wonder about all the people who pass through our lives and how often a single incident can change fate forever. It's a very endearing and heartwarming story about love and sacrifice. If you decide to check it out, my only recommendation is that you might want to have some tissue nearby!

Book Review: Dear John
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Nicole@sharpmom.com is an authority on fashion, fitness, family and fun! You can read more about her and a wealth of mom-related topics at http://www.sharpmom.com

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Monday, November 26, 2012

How to Write an Article Review - 5 Easy Steps

First of all an article review is a writing giving your opinion on certain thing. It could be a product, a service, a movie, a book or even an article. Writing an article could be a little bit challenging for some people, but is not have to be hard. I am going to give you 5 tips on how to write an effective article review.

1. Research. If you going to talk about a service or product you have to know it well. Even the experience use in it would be very helpful. You have to know their uses. If you do not have used the product or service research about people who tried it. Writing about an article or movie well you know what you have to do, read it and see it.

2. Introduction paragraph. Give a brief overview of what is about, with no details. A few main points will be fine.

How to Write an Article Review - 5 Easy Steps

3. Give information. A description of what does, benefits or importance for the user.

4. Critique. This is the most important part of the article. Why did you recommend it? Why not recommend it? Give your opinion of why you like it or not. You can compare it to others similar to it as well.

5. Wrap it up. Make a conclusion of why you recommend it or not.

There you have it. Follow this simple 5 steps and you can write effective article reviews and doing it fast. If you have questions or want to see some samples about articles review you can visit my blog.

How to Write an Article Review - 5 Easy Steps
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Thursday, November 22, 2012

"Switch How to Change Things When Change is Hard" by Chip Heath and Dan Heath Business Book Review

Business mavens, Brothers Heath released their new book, entitled, "Switch: How To Change Things When Change Is Hard," (Broadway, 2010), in February. The authors address change at the individual, organizational, and societal level. Change involves the brain's emotional and rational side. The Heath brothers identify the overpowering emotional element as the Elephant. The rational, decision-making component is secondary and sits atop the Elephant as the Rider. When conflict between the two exists, the Rider is inherently the underdog. To make lasting change, the Elephant and Rider need to unite. Also key is having clear direction. Following is an example from each of the nine principles contained within the triad to accomplish long-term change. It's noteworthy that the change framework benefits anyone without a vast amount of authority or resources.

DIRECT THE RIDER-Analytical, Rational Thinking.

Find the Bright Spots. In 1990 an international organization that helps needy children accepted a Vietnamese government invitation to decrease malnutrition. They earned six months to make a difference. The short timeline negated ending poverty, purifying water and building sanitation systems to address starvation. Organizers traveled to a rural village and met with mothers. Despite widespread malnutrition, some children were thriving. Why? The team searched for bright spots-successful efforts worth emulating. They discovered bright spot moms fed their children four times a day (easier on kids' digestive systems), vs. the standard two. Another finding among several was that bright spot moms added shrimp and crab from the rice paddies into their kids meals. Cooking classes originated with bright spot moms teaching other mothers how to prepare healthy meals for their children. The mothers already had the emotional component (Elephant) - natural concern for their kids. They needed direction (Rider) not motivation. Six months later, 65 percent of the village kids were better nourished and stayed that way.

"Switch How to Change Things When Change is Hard" by Chip Heath and Dan Heath Business Book Review

Script the Critical Moves. Doctors studied a case history of a patient with chronic arthritic hip pain. Their options were to perform drastic hip replacement surgery or administer a single untried medication. They chose the drug 47 percent vs. doing hip surgery. Another doctor set studied a similar case history with two untried drugs presented as a choice. Here, only 28 percent of the doctors chose one of the prescriptions. The remainder selected hip surgery. The study results display decision paralysis. Too many choices tax the Rider's strength; and it will always revert to the status quo. Change creates uncertainty and ambiguity. Any successful change requires translation of ambiguous goals into concrete behaviors. Script the critical moves (not every move but key moves). In the above studies, the critical directive to "Use invasive options only as a last resort" would have resulted in more physicians choosing the drug option. Clarity dissolves the Rider's resistance.

Point to the Destination. In the mid 1980s a popular investment firm's research department ranked an embarrassing fifteenth in its ability to generate revenue for banks. Top executives recruited a new leader who became both GM and coach. He announced that he expected analysts to initiate at least 125 client conversations a month. He promoted a team environment; requiring analysts to cite colleagues' work at least twice during presentations. He also declared that the firm would crack the premiere investment magazine's Top 5. He not only scripted the critical moves (make 125 calls, cite colleagues' work); he also created a destination postcard- a vivid picture from the near-term future that shows what could be possible. In three short years the firm leapfrogged from fifteenth to first place. When you describe a compelling destination you decrease the Rider's ability to get lost in analysis paralysis.

MOTIVATE THE ELEPHANT-Emotional, Instinctive.

Find the Feeling. In the late 1970s, a state's Department of Youth Services (DYS), an agency that focuses on delinquent kids; overhauled its operations. Nonprofits including group homes and halfway houses replaced youth prisons. The head of accounting for DYS ruled his division with an iron fist, earning the title of Attila the Accountant. Expense reports submitted with a single mistake like a date omission or miscalculated subtotal were returned to the offending nonprofit for corrections. The organizations operated on a shoestring budget and delayed payments jeopardized their ability to service kids. Frustrated, Attila's colleagues invited him on a field trip to visit some participating nonprofits. He witnessed firsthand their operational and financial challenges; and returned to the office a changed man. He was still authoritarian but less nitpicky about expense report submissions, allowing the nonprofits to receive their payments faster.

Shrink the Change. A local car wash ran a promotion using loyalty cards. One customer group received an 8-stamp card, earning a free car wash once filled. Another customer set received a 10-stamp card, with 2 stamps already completed, advancing them 20 percent towards their goal. Several months later, only 19 percent of the 8-stamp customers had earned a free car wash, vs. 34 percent of the head-start group, which also earned their free car wash faster. The authors state that people find it more motivating to be partially finished with a long-term goal than to be at the starting gate of a shorter one. How could you rally your family, coworkers, community, etc. to achieve a long-term goal by highlighting what's already been accomplished towards its completion? To motivate an uninspired Elephant, shrink the change.

Grow Your People. In 1977 the St. Lucia parrot faced extinction. Island natives undervalued the bird, some even eating it as a delicacy. No clear economic case for saving the parrot existed. Conservationists knew an analytical case for protecting the bird would fail. Instead, they implemented an emotional appeal. Their goal was to convince St. Lucians that they were the kind of people who protected their own. They wanted St. Lucians to swell with pride over their exclusive island species. The St. Lucia Parrot Campaign included T-shirts, bumper stickers and locally recorded songs about the parrot. The animal became part of the natives' national identity. In 2008, conservationists noted that no St. Lucian had been caught shooting the parrot in fifteen years, resurrecting the species from extinction.

SHAPE THE PATH-Provide Clear Direction.

Tweak the Environment. The airline industry abides by the "sterile cockpit" rule. Anytime a plane is below 10,000 feet, either ascending or descending (the most accident-prone times), no conversation other than flight-related is permitted. At 11,000 feet the crew can talk freely. An IT group adopted the sterile cockpit tenet to advance an important software development project. They aimed to reduce new product development time from three years to nine months. They established "quiet hours" Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings before noon. It gave coders a sterile cockpit, allowing them to concentrate on complex bits of code without being interrupted. Ultimately, the group achieved their nine-month development goal. What looks like a people problem is often a situational challenge. People have a systematic tendency to ignore situational forces that shape other people's behavior. Simple tweaks of the path can produce dramatic behavioral changes.

Build Habits. One of the subtle ways our environment influences us is by reinforcing (or deterring) our habits. Habits are important because they're behavioral autopilot. They allow good actions to happen "free" without taxing the Rider's self-control, which is exhaustive. To change yourself or others you need to change habits. Forming a habit involves both environmental and mental influences. "Action triggers" are effective in motivating action. They preload a decision and are most useful in difficult situations when the Rider's self-control is strained. Action triggers create "instant habits."

Rally the Herd. A hotel manager tested a new sign in the hotel bathrooms. It simply stated "the majority of guests at the hotel reuse their towels at least once during their stay." Guests who got the sign were 26 percent more likely to reuse their towels. They took cues from the herd. In ambiguous situations we all look to others for cues about how to behave. Change situations often involve ambiguity along with their inherent unfamiliarity. To change things, you must pay attention to social signals. They can either guarantee a change effort or doom it. Lead an Elephant on an unfamiliar path and it's likely to follow the herd.

The authors acknowledge that change isn't always easy. When change works it tends to follow a pattern. People will change with clear direction, ample motivation, and a supportive environment. The Rider, Elephant and Path need to align in support of the switch. Visit the authors at http://www.heathbrothers.com.

"Switch How to Change Things When Change is Hard" by Chip Heath and Dan Heath Business Book Review
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Timothy Zaun is a blogger, speaker and freelance writer. Visit him online at http://timzaun.com.

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Monday, November 19, 2012

The Sovereign Individual - By James Dale Davidson and Lord William Rees-Mogg

The Sovereign Individual by James Dales Davidson and Lord William Rees-Mogg begins ominously, stating "The coming of the year 2000 has haunted the Western imagination for the past thousand years." At that point the author goes on to state that the computer revolution is sure to subvert and destroy the nation state as globalization and cyber-commerce (not to mention cyber-currency) will slowly but surely diminish the power and influence of governments as regards taxation, politics, lobbyists and labor unions. Furthermore, the author states that even regulated professionals will lose their authority as talent becomes "democratized." The workplace environment will give way to telecommuting, while citizenship will become obsolete. However, Davidson's prophecy for the technology-fused future doesn't end there. He also predicts that the 21st century (and onward) will produce its own medieval merchant republics that will form their own legislative proposals, mafias, covert agencies and criminal gangs.

Author James Dales Davidson isn't ranting about doom though-he actually offers a very in-depth analysis of the world scene today-a world taken divided between financial freedom and financial control, all facilitated by the information age. In his book he writes on a possible societal transformation hauntingly reminiscent of the America of ancient days: the Roman Empire. He also compares the advent of digital technology to the revolution of gunpowder. The theme of it all? The rise of Sovereign Individual and the death of mass democracy as well as the welfare state. James Dale Davidson is the author of this controversial but politically piercing book about the dire effects of the informational age.

James Dale Davidson may already be known to you as an American investment newsletter writer, as well as the author of other issue-oriented books like The Great Reckoning and Blood in the Streets. He has co-authored all three books with William Rees-Mogg. Professionally, Davidson is the founder and former head of the National Taxpayers Union, and worked on the Arkansas Project against President Bill Clinton, as well as being an investor in NewsMax.com. Davidson went from graduating Oxford University and working as an assistant to serving as a chief financial officer and now a best-selling author. Indeed, the Sovereign Individual spawned a group called the "Sovereign Society" dedicated to individual financial freedom and libertarianism.

The Sovereign Individual - By James Dale Davidson and Lord William Rees-Mogg

While Davidson's book certainly has dark undertones, it is not a book of doom. The focal point is on how to survive and profit from the digital revolution-how to invest, find tax shelters, avoid criminal enterprises and even promote one's own business on the Internet. "The Sovereign Individual" is Davidson's most critically acclaimed book. The Library Journal calls The Sovereign Individual "visionary...strongly recommended for academic libraries."

Readers have also expressed their appreciation for Davidson's work, calling his book a must-read book for anyone that wants to avoid the coming crises and remain financially independent. Touchstone originally published this book in 1999 and now its predictions, once far-fetched, are gradually becoming a very real possibility, especially in lieu of the financial collapse of many banks in the USA and around the world.

You can still order The Sovereign Individual online (of course...who buys anything from a brick and mortar book store these days?) and see what all this 21st century hype is about!

The Sovereign Individual - By James Dale Davidson and Lord William Rees-Mogg
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Englishman Peter Macfarlane is an author and lecturer on offshore finance, investment, due diligence and wealth creation matters. After fifteen years advising high net worth clients on offshore asset protection structures such as companies, trusts and private interest foundations, he decided on a career change and now mentors individuals who are interested in creating, preserving and growing wealth in a secure offshore environment. Peter defines wealth in the broadest sense, believing that money is worthless if you don't have health and happiness. He is now joint editor of The Q Wealth Report, a publication dedicated to publishing freedom, wealth and privacy information for a select audience. More detailed articles about wealth creation are available at the Q.

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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Review of Martin Luther King Jr's, "Letter From Birmingham Jail"

In "Letter from Birmingham Jail" Martin Luther King strives to justify the need for nonviolent direct action in order to end all forms of segregation and helping the civil rights movement. He wrote there are unjust laws and just laws. He believes segregation laws were unjust because it damages the personality and makes African American lives below the standards given to them by the Constitution. He believes just laws to be laws that are for everybody and it positively affects the group.

He wrote this in response to his fellow clergyman's assertion that breaking the law is not how to achieve equality. King countered that one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. King had hoped that the white moderates would accept the equality of African American people with white society. King writes this letter to persuade his clergymen to remain strong and keep fighting to end racism and prejudice.

Martin Luther King was sent to prison for having a direct action parade and protest in order to advance the Civil Rights Movement. He wrote this letter to his clergymen in order to make them understand that they were breaking unjust laws that needed to be changed, especially after the Supreme Court decision that ended segregation. He wanted everybody to understand that this decision had to be upheld. I believe Luther's actions truly reflect his belief that all people should be equal. His actions also shows his commitment to the movement and the fact that this man was a leader.

Review of Martin Luther King Jr's, "Letter From Birmingham Jail"
Review of Martin Luther King Jr's, "Letter From Birmingham Jail"
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