LinkedIn and Ecademy Feeds

Coming Soon: Your Professional Network within Microsoft Outlook

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:00:24 -0800

Today, Microsoft announces an exciting new addition to the upcoming Microsoft Office 2010 – the Outlook Social Connector. The Outlook Social Connector is designed to seamlessly bring communications history as well as business and social networking feeds into your Outlook experience.

LinkedIn will be the first networking site to support the Outlook Social Connector. The LinkedIn functionality will be available in early 2010. Our big belief is that you can be much more effective if you have your professional network close at hand, and you can leverage your online identity in the work you do on a daily basis. The Outlook Social Connector will bring your LinkedIn Professional Network to where you work – right within your e-mail inbox.

Here are three key benefits you get from this integration:

1. Keep up with LinkedIn connections right from your e-mail inbox

One of the great things about LinkedIn is being able to learn what your professional connections are working on and thinking about. Just glance at the Network Updates on your LinkedIn homepage and you’ll be able to learn what articles & books your connections are reading, what conferences they are attending, and what questions they are asking and answering on LinkedIn. Many use this information to keep current with their industry and profession, as well as to learn new things and expand their horizons.

The Outlooks Social Connector makes this even easier – by automatically showing the latest activity (i.e. Network Updates) from any LinkedIn connection that sends you an e-mail. So now you can get the latest information from your LinkedIn network even without having to leave your inbox.

What’s more, for any connection with a public LinkedIn profile photo, you’ll even get to see their picture as you communicate.

2. E-mail your LinkedIn connections directly from Outlook

Know that perfect LinkedIn connection to help you with a business task or question but don’t remember their current email address? No longer do you have to go to the LinkedIn website to find their contact information before sending them a message, as your LinkedIn network is now available right within your inbox. Just start typing the name of a LinkedIn connection in the “To:” field of an Outlook message and the connections’ e-mail address from LinkedIn will automatically appear as if they are an existing Outlook contact. In fact, the Outlook Social Connector will create an Outlook Contacts folder for all of your LinkedIn connections and bring down their contact information, professional details, and picture from LinkedIn into Outlook.

3. Keep building your professional network from Outlook

Working with someone new but haven’t had a chance to connect with them on LinkedIn? By bringing professional networking to where you work, the Outlook Social Connector again makes it easy. Just click a button next to any e-mail you receive and instantly send an invitation to connect to the e-mail’s sender. It’s that easy.

We hope that these functions start bringing some of the key elements of your LinkedIn professional network to where you work – your Outlook e-mail inbox, sometime early next year. But these are certainly just the first steps. Let us know what else you’d like to see by leaving a comment below.

Posted in 1

Share the best business advice you’ve received (#in!)

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:08:27 -0800

Last week LinkedIn launched a significant integration with Twitter, enabling professionals to expand their personal brands to their professional networks and vice-versa. To show our users how that might work, today we’re asking you: What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received?

The best business advice I ever received seemed to be something of an oxymoron. As an entrepreneur, you’re told frequently, “Be persistent! Follow your vision! Flatten obstacles!” But on the other hand, you’re urged to “Learn from the market! Adapt to changing conditions! Take a different course!” Knowing when to persist and when to be flexible is more of an art than a science. So in a fluid, fast-changing world, sometimes you stick to your vision, and sometimes you adapt quickly.

Unfortunately, that’s more than 140 characters! So watch the video to see how Biz and I resolve our best advice to the unique Twitter format. And tweet your best advice today with #in.

Here’s how you can share the best business advice you’ve received on LinkedIn and Twitter

1. LinkedIn and Twitter users can participate by tweeting the best business advice they’ve received with the hashtag #in.
2. If you’ve already linked your accounts, this hashtag will automatically update your LinkedIn status, enabling you to share your wisdom with both networks simultaneously.

Posted in LinkedIn Announcements, Using LinkedIn

LinkedIn India’s Employee #1 talks

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:17:55 -0800

[Ed. note: This is the first in a series of posts on LinkedIn around the world. We just announced LinkedIn's country manager in India - Hari V. Krishnan - and here are his initial thoughts as he visits our Mountain View headquarters this week]

I am truly excited about my new role heading up LinkedIn India – a platform which has been an integral part of my own career. The Indian internet has grown strongly and changed dramatically over the last 5 years with social media, e-commerce and advertising all beginning to come of age. Having witnessed the change first hand working with leading companies like MySpace and Yahoo and start ups like Travelguru, I see the need to share knowledge assuming a more central role in sustaining the growth. I’m convinced that LinkedIn will play a strong role as a platform for sharing connections and knowledge.

India is the largest democracy on earth and one of the fastest growing economies globally. We have a large, skilled workforce and in the recent past our IT, services and telecommunications businesses have given us global acclaim. With the internet helping to shrink the world, Indians have already started developing their global connections. On LinkedIn, we already have over 3.4 million members from India and we continue to add 70,000 new users every week!

In the coming years I believe talent, professionalism, collaboration and networking will play an increasingly important role in sustaining India’s position in the global economy. The years ahead will also be full of great learning and growth for India’s professionals.

As I conclude my visit to LinkedIn, here in Mountain View, the excitement for the future of India and global professional networks is palpable. The pumped-up planning discussions and smiles (and lack of yawns) at every meeting, tell me we are excited to meet the challenges ahead. I look forward to linking up with many of you when I’m back in Mumbai. See you soon!

Posted in LinkedIn Announcements, linkedin-international

You want Tweets? There’s an App for that…

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:08:08 -0800

As you’ve likely heard by now, we launched our first Twitter integration features at LinkedIn earlier this week. For professionals who want to make Twitter part of their professional identity, you can now easily add your Twitter account to your LinkedIn profile, and seamlessly post LinkedIn status updates to Twitter, and vice-versa.

This launch also brings with it a brand new addition to the LinkedIn application platform: Tweets.

Tweets is an application that allows you to seamless integrate basic Twitter functionality into your LinkedIn experience. For our users who are regular users of Twitter, Tweets provides the following:

Twitter client functionality, right from your LinkedIn homepage. Tweets adds a module to your homepage that allows you to easily see the most recent tweets of the people you follow on Twitter. You can also easily reply to each tweet, or retweet it. Better still, you can even share it with your LinkedIn connections.

Add your recent tweets to your LinkedIn profile. Tweets adds a module to your profile that shows your Twitter account and most recent tweets with a rich, compelling presentation. You can easily choose to either display your most recent tweets, or only those tweets which feature the #in or #li hashtags.

Easily browse the tweets of people you follow. Once you click through into the Tweets application, you can easily click on any Twitter user name, and view the most recent tweets of that user.

Next week, we’ll be adding Tweets to the Application directory on LinkedIn. For the time being, if you’re interested in giving Tweets a try, here is the link to the Tweets installation page. It’s also available from the “Add Application” menu on the homepage.

Tweets joins its sibling application, Company Buzz, the most popular application to date on the LinkedIn platform. Company Buzz makes it simple for professionals to easily keep track of what people are saying about their company, products, competitors, and partners in real time by monitoring saved Twitter searches. Together, they are a powerful set of tools for professionals to make monitoring Twitter a part of their LinkedIn routine.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be adding additional functionality to Tweets to make it as easy as possible for LinkedIn members to find and follow people on Twitter. We hope you enjoy this new addition to the LinkedIn application platform.

Posted in Applications, Product Features, Using LinkedIn

LinkedIn works with Twitter, and vice versa

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:00:44 -0800

Today we’re announcing a partnership between LinkedIn and Twitter – and new features that we think are going to make both Twitter and LinkedIn more powerful for you.

The idea is simple: When you set your status on LinkedIn you can now tweet it as well, amplifying it to your followers and real-time search services like Twitter Search and Bing. And when you tweet, you can send that message to your LinkedIn connections as well, from any Twitter service or tool.

Why? Because when you’re trying to get something done, you want Twitter and LinkedIn to work together. Like peanut butter and chocolate! Or at least that’s what Biz and Reid think:

LinkedIn has always been about helping you to build your professional identity on the web. The many elements that make up your online professional brand range from your LinkedIn profile to the many professional conversations you’re a part of. Status has proved valuable to our users, from finding new assignments and jobs to kick-starting a global business enterprise.

Now you can amplify those messages by broadcasting them to your audience on Twitter.

How does LinkedIn work with Twitter?

The feature is now available to all of our users, and with today’s launch, we’re making that two-way communication between your status updates and tweets a breeze to set up. Here’s how it works:

1. On LinkedIn

Want to share some interesting ideas about an industry-specific article you’ve just read with an even broader audience? Or how about letting people view your Twitter account name on your LinkedIn profile? Begin by joining your LinkedIn and Twitter accounts in just a few clicks. All you need to do is check the Twitter box under your Network Updates box on the homepage and follow a few simple steps.

Syncing your LinkedIn and Twitter accounts

Clicking through the setup process will allow you to specify the Twitter account that you’d like to sync and/or display on your LinkedIn profile.

Display Twitter on your LinkedIn profile

2. On Twitter

As a professional online and in the real world, you’ll often find articles or think of ideas that would be useful to share with your Twitter followers and your LinkedIn connections. It’s about sparking interesting conversations. Now you can share from anywhere. As part of the setup process, you can choose to either send all your tweets or select tweets from Twitter back to LinkedIn as a status update.

Share tweets as your LinkedIn status

If you pick the latter, don’t forget to add the #li or #in hashtag to every relevant tweet you’d like to send back to LinkedIn. Here’s a good example:

Include #in with any tweet to post as your LinkedIn status

So go ahead and get started. Link your LinkedIn and Twitter accounts today to add a new dimension to your professional conversation.

Posted in LinkedIn Announcements, New Features, Product Features

Coming Soon: LinkedIn for BlackBerry

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:15:35 -0800

This morning, at the BlackBerry Developer Conference in San Francisco, I have the great pleasure of announcing one of our most important mobile efforts for 2009: the launch of LinkedIn for BlackBerry. Needless to say, this launch has been hotly anticipated by the millions of LinkedIn members who make the BlackBerry their mobile business platform of choice.

LinkedIn for BlackBerry: Home

Imagine walking into any interview, any customer engagement or client meeting with the ability to look up the details on over 50 million professionals worldwide, in real-time. Soon this will be a reality, as this application will bring the powerful capabilities of LinkedIn to your BlackBerry.

LinkedIn for BlackBerry: Search

LinkedIn for BlackBerry: Profile

We’ve worked hard to develop an application that takes advantage of the unique capabilities of the BlackBerry platform. LinkedIn for BlackBerry will also include deep integration with the native Messages, Contacts & Calendar applications on the BlackBerry platform. For example, here is an early screenshot of the native BlackBerry Messages application, with LinkedIn invitations and one-to-one messages integrated into the inbox:

LinkedIn for BlackBerry: Messages

LinkedIn for BlackBerry will join our existing suite of mobile products by the end of this year, marking the next step in our continuing effort to bring LinkedIn to wherever you work. This is just the beginning – expect continued enhancements and expansions of the LinkedIn mobile platform in 2010.

See you at the BlackBerry Developer Conference 2009. To stay updated on BlackBerry developments, join the LinkedIn for BlackBerry Group.

And, if you’re one of our users who can’t wait to find out when the application will be ready for install, just email blackberryapp@linkedin.com to receive a notification.

Posted in Applications, Product Features

Look who’s following you across Groups on LinkedIn

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:08:43 -0800

A couple days ago, we launched several new features aimed at enhancing the professional conversation in LinkedIn groups. We call one of those features “following”.

Following makes it easier for you to see contributions made by your connections and other people you value within your groups. To get you started, you’re already following all of your connections and they’re following you. But it doesn’t stop with your connections: to follow someone who is not a connection, just click “Follow Their Name” under their name on a discussion page or on the Member page in your group.

Now when you go to your My Groups page, you’ll see updates about what the specific people you’re following have contributed to the groups you share. Updates from the people you’re following (and your updates to the people who are following you) also appear on the Overview page of each group you share. All of this makes it faster and easier to interact with your own personal “group within the group.”

For more information about Following, check out our FAQ.

Go ahead, check out your groups and start following!

Posted in New Features, Product Features

A new design for LinkedIn

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:42:03 -0800

Some of you may have noticed a new site navigation experience on LinkedIn. We are in the process of testing a new design. During this testing phase, some users will see the new design, while others will not.

What’s New

A global navigation bar at the top of the page that provides convenient access to all LinkedIn services.
Simplified local navigation within each of the LinkedIn areas (Profile, Contacts, Groups, etc.).
More room available for page content. Less scrolling.
A cleaner, less-cluttered look.

An easier way to navigate and find information on LinkedIn

We began the redesign effort several months ago by analyzing how people use LinkedIn. We looked at what features people use the most and pored over several years of data from usability research on the site. Armed with this information we began doing design explorations of how to better organize LinkedIn features, and make them more convenient to find and use.

We factored into this effort additional features we knew were coming. We narrowed down the designs to a few candidates we felt were strong contenders. We then prototyped these designs and had users perform tasks with the prototypes in the usability lab. We went through numerous iterations until we arrived at a design we felt worked the best. One of the key features of the new design is that it allows much more space for page content – information about you and your professional network.

We are now doing limited testing of the new design. We are still iterating and would love to hear your feedback! Please consider this blog post one of the many ways to let us know what you think.

Feel free to either leave a comment at the bottom of the page or @linkedin us on twitter as well.

Posted in New Features

LinkedIn at ApacheCon 2009

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:33:17 -0800

Code Alert! This is a part of our continuing series on Engineering at LinkedIn. If this isn’t your cup of Java, check back tomorrow for regular LinkedIn programming. In the meanwhile, check out some of our recent feature announcements, tips and tricks, or success stories.

I have the honor of presenting my talk entitled “Empowering the Social Web with Apache Shindig” at the 10th annual Apache Conference this week. I’ll talk about how Apache Shindig and OpenSocial standards power our very own LinkedIn InApps Platform and hundreds of other social containers on the web. Read on for more, but first a minor digression on LinkedIn, the Apache Software Foundation, and Open Source.

LinkedIn Runs on Apache

The Apache Software Foundation was founded in 1999 to foster development of the open source Apache HTTP Server — which powers millions of web sites worldwide. Based on this success other projects were added over time. Each project is able to take advantage of the technical, legal and organizational resources provided by Apache. Today there are hundreds of high quality projects under the Apache umbrella.

The high quality and open nature of Apache software is in heavy use at LinkedIn. Many of our servers run Apache Tomcat. We build our software with Apache Ant and Ivy. Diverse and useful libraries such as Apache HttpClient, Commons, and Lucene provide great functionality for Linkedin with less effort. This allows us to focus on what we do best — providing a great web experience to our members.

Leveraging Apache software is only the start. LinkedIn actively contributes code, design and testing to many Apache projects. These efforts insure that these projects continue to grow and evolve to meet our future challenges. In addition to our contributions to Apache Shindig you’ll find LinkedIn active in the Apache Lucene community where we’ve developed a number of extensions to this powerful search technology. LinkedIn code provides faceted search via bobo-browse, real time indexing with zoie, and extra performance with the kamikaze search extension. We’ve also released our data storage solution, Voldemort with an Apache License. (Read more about Voldemort here)

Shindig, powering InApps at LinkedIn since 2008

At ApacheCon I’ll be talking about Apache Shindig, a framework that renders InApps like LinkedIn Events, Amazon Reading List, Tripit and 8 other applications. Shindig converts these applications into web content on the home page, profile page and full page views. The Shindig REST API allows our internal and external developers to access data using the OpenSocial and the Portable Contacts standards.

During the past months our involvement with Shindig has reaped benefits for LinkedIn Members and the developers we partner with. We incorporated numerous performance enhancements that have sped up page load times for InApps. These recent updates also include support for OpenSocial 0.9 which allows for easier, faster development of applications. New features include OpenSocial Templates, a new lightweight JavaScript API and “Data Pipelining” which reduces page load time. By applying these new features the applications such as Company Buzz now load much faster.

Over this same time period LinkedIn has contributed back to the Shindig and OpenSocial community. Our diligent QA teams have helped to find and fix cross-browser compatibility issues. Code contributions have flowed steadily back to the project. And we continue to work with the community to build and release the next version of Shindig, version 1.1, and future versions targeting the upcoming OpenSocial 1.0 standard.

Doing More, Learning More

At LinkedIn I’m proud to have witnessed our numerous contributions to the open source and Apache communities. By collaborating with our peers we have achieved much more than going it alone.

If you’re interested in learning more about Shindig and OpenSocial you can still register for ApacheCon and see my talk. If a more informal setting is to your liking you can attend the free Apache Social and Widgets Meetup this Thursday, November 5th 2009, which is sponsored by LinkedIn.

Posted in Engineering

LinkedIn for iPhone v1.5: Get Your Inbox Anywhere

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:17:53 -0700

Editor’s note: This blog post is authored by Andrew He, a Stanford student currently completing his Master of Sciences degree in Computer Science. Andrew is a two-time LinkedIn intern, and spent the summer of 2009 focused on the LinkedIn mobile platform.

I suppose this blog post could have been entitled: “What I did on my summer vacation.” Truth be told, I’m just thrilled to see LinkedIn for iPhone v1.5 in the iTunes app store. There’s nothing more gratifying as a developer than to see your work go live.

This past summer, I was able to dedicate myself to enhancing the LinkedIn mobile platform. In the Fall of 2008, I was lucky enough to be one of the first students to take the new CS 193P: iPhone Application Development course at Stanford. I was looking for the opportunity to put that work to good use, and LinkedIn was excited to have me join the mobile team for the summer.

LinkedIn for iPhone v1.5 adds a large number of caching and performance improvements to the original LinkedIn application. For most people, however, the most noticeable change will be the addition of a single new module: Inbox.

The Inbox offers quick and easy access to three key features: Invitations, Messages & Sent Items. The Invitations tab shows you all of your pending invitations, making it easy to quickly accept requests anywhere. The user interface includes the image of the inviter (if available), which makes it that much easier to recognize them. The badge shows you quickly how many pending invitations you have outstanding.

The application also lets you send invitations, either by entering their email address, or by going to their profile and clicking the invitation button.

The messages tab offers quick access to all of of your outstanding messages from your connections. The badge on the tab shows you how many unread messages you have. We’ve tried to make it as easy as possible to get through your messages by replying or archiving each item. You can also send a message to any of your LinkedIn connections.

Most internships at high tech startups involve new technologies and cool products. But it’s not everyday that you get to ship a real product like this with the potential to benefit millions of users.

I just want to say a quick thank you to Adam Nash, Jaikumar Ramanathan, and the entire LinkedIn mobile team. There are a lot of exciting improvements to the LinkedIn mobile platform on the way, but for now, I hope the addition of the Inbox will make the LinkedIn iPhone application an even more essential tool for mobile professionals.

If you’re interested in helping us with feedback and suggestions for future versions of the LinkedIn for iPhone application, come join us on the official LinkedIn group.

Download the latest version (v1.5) of LinkedIn’s iPhone app here

Posted in Applications, New Features

Choose Doors That Are Open [David Salmon]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:23:24 -0800

Choose Doors That Are Open

Closed doors and open doors are often used as symbols in coaching. An open door describes an opportunity that is right there waiting for you. A closed door one that may take some persistence to open or may never open at all. While you can sometimes create opportunities from closed doors, it takes a lot more effort than simply walking through an open one. Some people spend all their energy trying to force open closed doors, without even noticing one that is standing wide open nearby. Taking opportunities that are offered you is a far quicker route to success.

Become Part of the Solution [David Salmon]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:21:31 -0800

Become Part of the Solution

Watching the news and reading the newspaper can leave you feeling depressed about all the terrible things going on in the world. The ugly side of human nature is spotlighted and it looks pretty brutal. The kind and loving side of human nature is there too, but often goes unseen, in the people who work to be part of the solution.

There are thousands of people who work to help feed starving children in famine struck countries, rebuild war torn communities, bring medical supplies to refugee camps and far more. Those people rarely make the headlines of the newspaper. They just do what they can to make a difference and make the world a better place, without looking for recognition for themselves. This is the beautiful side of human nature, which does its best to balance out the ugly side.

Whiner Or Winner? [David Salmon]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:20:05 -0800

Whiner Or Winner?

It isn't hard to distinguish the whiners from the winners. Whiners spend their energy finding reasons why something didn't work. They have an excuse for every time they are not successful. Nothing is ever their fault, the blame is always laid elsewhere. Winners don't waste energy blaming others. They look for ways to make things work and look at the positive side rather than dwelling on the negative. Winners take responsibility for their lives and get one with creating.

Coaching
You can tell the winners from the whiners. Whiners spend their time complaining. Winners are too busy doing.

Coaching Question
Are you a winner or a whiner?

Daily Action
Pay attention to the people in your life and notice who is a winner and who a whiner. Observe the differences in their approach to their lives.

Quotes
Winners don't whine and whiners don't win. Unknown
"Whiners make excuses; winners just get the job done." Unknown

First Global Democratic Vote Ever [Ivor Kellock]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:13:17 -0800

I invite you to take part in the world's first ever global vote for leaders here - http://bit.ly/GlobalLeadershipAward

With Copenhagen just around the corner with one of the most important summits ever held in the history of the human race; Environmental Parliament are awarding the leader that gets the most votes in their support election a special award on 13 December 2009.

See more detail on the voting page.

You may be surprised to see who is currently in the lead!

Make history now by taking part.

Whatever your political views.

Whatever you think of climate change.

Where ever you live in the world.

We want your vote!

Thanks for your support and if you like this post please click on the like.

Kind regards

Goodwill Ambassador Ivor Kellock

What should we really be teaching our children? [Paul Clark]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:29:23 -0800

This term my son, who is 10, was sent home with a "food technology" homework to "design a sandwich". i.e draw and write about making a sandwich. He was sent home with a "science" homework to draw a cartoon-strip picture story of the life of Edward Jenner (who developed the vaccine for smallpox). An important scientist, granted, but drawing pictures of him is not science. These idiotic pieces of work have been set in line with national curriculum objectives, from a respectable independent school in Kent.

So I've been wondering a lot, if this is the nonsense that passes for education today, what should we be teaching our children?

Information gathering in China [Hani Law]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:28:34 -0800

Wish to share with you my frustrations in China, when trying to network and gather information. A lot of people loudly advertised their advice and much of the information was of low quality. There were people dropping a lot of names or brags about their connections. Many multinational service firms had extensive China operations, but the quality of their service was not nearly as consistent as in the west. The lesson I have learned is that I should not give too much weight to what any single person advises. Getting good information was hard in China.

From my experience, I can get different opinions from even two very successful old China hands on the same issue. I had to understand their logic and see which view would work best for me, and the decision was difficult.

http://www.chinesechinese.net
http://www.orientalwomentalk.net

Verkaufen Verkaufen Verkaufen - Der Weg zum Erfolg! [Seven Mirrors Christian Hanisch]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 13:54:20 -0800

Verkaufen Verkaufen Verkaufen

Die letzten Geheimnisse zum Thema Verkauf und Motivation.

Verkaufen ist motivieren. Verkaufen ist Menschen zu befriedigen.
Aber wie mache ich das?

Motivation gibt in 6 Varianten und deren Kombinationen.

1. intrinsische Motivation
2. extrinsische Motivation
3. hin zu Motivation
4. weg von Motivation
5. logisch rationale Motivation
6. emotionale Motivation

Die richtige Kombination bewirkt, dass ein Kunde gern kauft und dabei glücklich wird.

Tief im Inneren sollen und müssen wir den Kunden lieben und wert schätzen, das bedeutet, wir wollen ihn schon mit unseren Dienstleitungen zum Gewinner und zum Glücklichen machen.

Dennoch müssen wir dem Kunden auch klar machen, was die Schattenseiten sein können.

Das bedeutet, dem Kunden soll klar werden, dass er, wenn er nicht kauft, einen Verlust erleidet. Aber wer will schon verlieren und mit einem unguten Gefühl allein bleiben.

the floppy faith factory present art on sunday [jet rotmans]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 13:28:00 -0800

dear all

we wanted to show you some pictures
she made
art she had been seen
her pictures doesnt want to be shown

so you have to wait till she is home
she made some pictures from statues miranda july made
she already liked her film
what is worth while
I must say I also liked it
she is very funny
"me and you and everyone we know"
we with the factory watched it three times after eachother all the times we must laugh
endearing movie

she also made a book what we still didnt read "learning to love you more"
we saw the website

Inspiration picture for today - part 11 - by Sibren [Sibren van der Burgt]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 12:40:43 -0800

Thank you Cornelis to invite me for choosing the inspiration picture of today.

Thought:
What happens when do things you really like?

Inspiration:
You can fly

Sibren van der Burgt

Sibren ontwerpt | strategy, communication, design | add value| twitter.com/Sibren | Download bureauprofiel >>

Why Become a Fairtrade School? [Patrick London]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 12:14:15 -0800

Fairtrade schools are growing all across the globe. But many people still do not know what it means to be a Fairtrade school. Well, this simply means that a school has pledged to use and sell only products that have been certified as Fairtrade items. A school classified as such is also committed in spreading awareness about Fairtrade not just inside the campus but in the local community as well. But it must be emphasized that the driving force behind Fairtrade is apparent not only in learning institutions but also in countless business organizations worldwide.

Goals v Acceptance [Richard Derwent Cooke]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 12:11:47 -0800

In an earlier blog one of my correspondents was talking about how changes in society are affecting the environment in which our children are growing up. Whether you are running a business or just reading self-help books we are all exhorted to set and pursue goals. Some people would have us believe that all we have to do is to visualise our future powerfully enough to just 'reel' it in'! After many years of earnest endeavour and experiment, using allsorts of different techniques, I really don't think it works this way… at

My Lighthouse ... seeing the light at the end of the tunnel !!! [Freddy Daems]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 12:04:52 -0800

Hello Fellow Ecademists and Optimists

Just wanted to share an inspirational Poem with you all ... a Poem to give you the courage to always continue no matter what the odds are.

I want to dedicate it to my wife Linda who never loses her patience alongside a Supporter and a Dreamer and to Cornelis who just loves the Sea.

My Lighthouse
© By Jeff Shields

I was a ship at sea
Choosing my own way
Drifting ever aimlessly
Both night and day

My course was uncertain
I faced the storms alone
Fought the wind, waves and rain
Wishing, wanting a place to call home

As the storms raged on
The clouds thick and dark
I had drifted so far gone
No hope for a new start

As I began to sink
My strength had been expelled
Can't go on I think
Too long on my own I have dwelled

When at the end I was sure
I saw a brilliant light
It was majestic and pure
The most beautiful sight

Deducting credit card theft loss [Darren Herrington]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:32:37 -0800

Q:
Dear Tax Talk,

My credit cards were stolen. I lost $14,841. Can I claim it as a deduction for income tax?
-- Martin

A:
Dear Martin,

If your credit cards are stolen, you can claim a theft loss for tax purposes. If they're lost, it is hoped you'll find them before they're stolen. For tax purposes, a theft loss is treated similar to a loss from a casualty, such as a hurricane.

For a theft loss, you should be able to show all the following:

* When you discovered that your property was missing.
* That your property was stolen.
* That you were the owner of the property.
* Whether a claim for reimbursement, for which there is a reasonable expectation of recovery, exists.

The first three factors are fairly easy to prove in the case of the fraudulent charges. Usually, credit card issuers limit the cardholder's liability in the case of theft. You would need to show why this is not the case in your situation and that you have no expectation of recovery.

Madeleine McCann detective wanted by FBI [r i c h a r d p e r r y]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:07:50 -0800

A British security consultant who was paid £300,000 to assist efforts by Kate and Gerry McCann to find their daughter Madeleine is being sought by the FBI over an alleged £1.3m fraud.

A £500,000 contract given to Kevin Halligen's private detective agency, Oakley International, to help with the search for the missing child was terminated last year after a major benefactor of the McCanns expressed concerns about the quality of the firm's work.

Source

NZ least corrupt country but has least women directors [Ann Andrews]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:17:24 -0800

Just read that NZ has come out as the least corrupt country in the world to do business with - great - however, I also read today that we have the worst stats in the developed world for women in directorship roles.

A mere 8.6% of the NZSX top 100 directors are women compared to 14.8% in the US.

60% of of NZs top 100 companies have NO female directors - in the UK that figure is only 24%

Ann

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Ann Andrews CSP
The Corporate Tool-box

Want to know the REAL culprits of the 2008 crash? [Ann Andrews]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:12:47 -0800

check out this article - grrr - ann

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Ann Andrews CSP
The Corporate Tool-box

General Motors ready to pay back bailout money [Ann Andrews]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:10:20 -0800

Well done them - getting back on track was helped by sales of 478,000 vehicles in China - a 6% improvement on forecasts. ann

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Ann Andrews CSP
The Corporate Tool-box

Snakes in a Playpen: Why U.S. Policy Regarding H-1B and EB-5 Visas is Outdated and Ineffective [Jon Hansen]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 09:45:56 -0800

In an earlier post from the spring I had talked about the manner in which inspiration usually hit me in terms of ideas for the articles that ultimately find their way to the pages of this as well as other blogs. I had bemoaned the fact that at the time I had not yet incorporated into the creative process the practice of carrying a pen and paper, without which to jot down the ideas I found the exercise of remembering these flashes of inspiration tantamount to the old Larson cartoon with the playpen of snakes. Specifically I would write, "the one that depicts two parent snakes lamenting the inability of their wooden-barred playpen to contain their numerous offspring."

My wife wouldn't approve but... [Simon • Cartoon-O! • Ellinas]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 09:35:47 -0800

...I rather like Alice Cooper.

In a sort of matey, bad, cheeky boys-on-the-back-seat-of-the-coach sort of way.

The incongruency of his entertainment and his Christianity makes him all the more fascinating.

____________________________________________________________________________________

4 times more people killed by painkillers like Asprin than Swine flu. [Paul Clegg]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 09:21:12 -0800

Did you know that more than four times as many people are killed each year by common NSAID painkillers like aspirin?

According to death statistics tables available on the 'net, you are ten times more likely to die in a car accident this year than be killed by swine flu.

Original Article: Mike Adams

The reality is that vaccines have a shelf life and I guess that as the public discover the hype surrounding these injections and exercise their right to say no, governments will be sitting on stocks of unused vaccines they have paid millions to buy.

My guess is that they will step up their campaign to frighten people into taking the vaccine.

What do you want to be remembered for ? [Barrie Cripps AIBC]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 09:05:56 -0800

What do I want to be remembered for?

Giving away billions of pounds (No I have not made them yet!)

Fantastic Husband, Lover, Parent.

Bringing about a seachange in attitude towards people suffering from mental distress so that they:

Have families who remain connected and supportive

Have friends that do not "run in the opposite direction"

Make new real friends.

Are accepted for who they are.

Helped towards recovery.

Have investments in research that lead to better therapies and medication

Live positive fulfilling lives.

Barrie Cripps AIBC

Let's connect today for a better world!

Do we need General Practitioners, Doctors now it's all on-line? [Barrie Cripps AIBC]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 08:20:30 -0800

The answer to the question "Do we need GP's now?" is of course yes we do.

There is a great deal, loads of information and advice on-line. Some of it is excellent, some dangerous and some between the extremes. How do you know what is good information and advice? You cannot be sure so do not rely on what is on-line.

The GP's in the UK are the "gate keepers" to other services. So in the health system we have they are essential.

If you are depressed or anxious how much mental health training have GP'S had? It varies enormously. The most consistent level that has emerged from the research I have read is that it is very low in most instances. So GP's may precribe medication as a first treatment, hopEfully you will be referred to a specialist if your mental health is having an impact on your life.

Skinny tastes good! Do you live to eat or eat to live? [Barrie Cripps AIBC]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 07:51:47 -0800

Having not been skiiny since my mid twenties I cannot confirm that Skiiny tates good.

I do find "thin" women attractive. Perhaps the kind females out there can tell me if I have been brainwashed by fashion images etc

Unfortunately fat, sweet things taste much better. I'd add a grahic of Death by chocolate or tripple chocolate ice cream here but I don't know how to perhaps someone will.

If you are into reading the fat content of food try peanut butter at a staggering 43% or reduced fat Peanut butter at 37%.

Do you Live to eat or eat to live?

Barrie Cripps AIBC

Let's connect today for a better world!

Post tenebras lux: How the world wide web opened up the planet [Lucas Wyrsch]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 07:34:51 -0800

Dear Ecademists,

Twenty years ago, Sir Tim Berners-Lee offered the world a very particular tool, the world wide web, developed in Geneva, Switzerland, at the European Organization for Nuclear Research or CERN, that will change the world from a close, selective and controlling planet to an open, random and supportive globe, starting to unify East with West only six months later with the end of the Berlin wall.

Who Wants To Be Normal [David Salmon]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 06:56:54 -0800

Who Wants To Be Normal

There is a Calvin and Hobbes cartoon where Calvin is off on an imaginary adventure. The little girl next door sighs and says, "It's so hard for some people to be normal." Calvin's retort is "No it's too easy."

It is too easy to be normal. Normal means you just have to lose your imagination and fit in with everybody else. Normal means average. Do we really want to settle for being average?

Defining normal isn't easy. It all depends on what we are talking about. Normal weather is something like what the past weather patterns have been. Normal in health terms means without disease and with a regular functioning body. In child development normal means something approximating the development of the average child. So here we are back with average again. Normal really means average. Are we really all aiming to match the creativity, intelligence and strength of the average person?

When Your Dreams Are Shattered [David Salmon]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 06:54:08 -0800

When Your Dreams Are Shattered

Dreams don't always come true. Sometimes things just happen, we can't control them and a cherished dream is shattered. Our dreams can be torn apart by the loss of a partner, by losing a job or a natural disaster and there seems to be nothing we can do. All we can do in these circumstances is pick up the pieces and make ourselves a new dream.

Often our dreams are based around expectations and how things will be. When those expectations aren't fulfilled that dream is shattered. A friend's husband left her after they'd been married for eighteen years, leaving her feeling shattered and shocked. Her expectations had come crashing down around her, but she said she'd learned to deal with it. She eventually made the best of it and created a new dream for herself.

Coaching

Phatics and Publics, In Groups and Out Groups... [William Buist]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:31:44 -0800

This great talk by Kevin Marks puts in context a number of changes that we are seing in the Societal Web and its great to see him linking Anthropology and Societal effects.

There is a lot here to make you think, but I found the

Bottled Sunshine [Anna Williams]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:30:56 -0800

Anna A.Williams
It has stopped raining,so may be this Sunday is not going be too bad.The cats are outside,they don't seem to mind all the puddles and wet leaves.I have presumed that fury animals don't like the wet.Obviously I'm wrong or perhaps my cats are some idiosyncratic individuals among their species.I wonder,if they go outside to search for some sunshine.What else could it be as they have all their foods inside?It has just occurred to me that anyone,who could come up with an idea how to bottle some sunshine would receive a very handsome reward.I'm not talking about red-shift or ultra-violet lamps,I mean a real sun ray.Well,I'm out to search for that elusive sun ray myself. I will be walking among leafless and moist trees grasping on the remnants of summer.

Womenfolk's resilience [STEPH DANIELS]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 04:52:32 -0800

Strengthening the resilience of women coping with returning soldiers. Part One

Many soldiers are returning home with different degrees of mental trauma. It is you womenfolk of the household who nourish and nurture them towards normality. It is your resilience that helps your returning soldier come to terms with life and start afresh. What can you do to strengthen your resilience?

Have a plan, a strategy, goals that you can refer to, reassess and alter according to results.

What do you wish to achieve? A plan that is written 60% well is better than having no goal at all. Choose to 'just do it', and do the fine-tuning afterwards.

Make them SMART goals or strategies.

Specific: simple, well defined and clear, telling you exactly what is expected. It answers the questions: how much, fro whom, for what?

Measurable: let it be obtainable, so that you remain motivated

I'd like to teach the world to sing [Jeff "Peace is our Business" Mowatt]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:56:33 -0800

So let's start by getting Coca-Cola on board. cos their former CEO wants to follow us in changing capitalism:

"Neville Isdell wants to do nothing less than re-create capitalism."

"If capitalism fails to remold itself, says the former chairman and CEO of the Coca-Cola Co., the global recession, increased government intervention, social issues, and changing social mores will fundamentally alter the free market."

""The system that continues to deliver so much to the world is under threat," said Isdell in a September 22 interview with the Atlanta Business Chronicle."

"The social issues that will define the 21st century—climate change, energy, and water—will define 21st century business, Isdell contends. Businesses must pursue profit for investors, but will have to be more socially conscious than ever before."

What does your handshake say about you? [LaRae Wilkins]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:08:49 -0800

As a business person you do a whole lot of handshaking don't you? Whether it's networking events, new business clients, established clients, business conferences or business events you're out there shaking a lot of hands. It is the accepted greeting in the western business world.

Yet how many of you have given the slightest thought or paid the slightest attention to the impression your handshake leaves on another person?

Have you ever had it evaluated? Chances are you haven't. Most people won't tell you how your handshake makes them feel, but they Will register an impression of you from it, whether it's accurate or not. Handshakes can be deal makers or deal breakers so it's important to get it right.

A proper handshake is quite simple.

1) Extend hand straight up and down and grip firmly when the hands are web to web.

2) Shake 3 times maximum.

3) Maintain eye contact

4) Exude a positive attitude and smile if appropriate.

Britain's rulers covert admirers of the Mugabe regime? [Bill Warry]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:32:56 -0800

I suspect that for most people one of the most reprehensible aspects of Robert Mugabe's regime was the way starvation was used as a weapon for bringing about the submission of his people.

Are deliberate starvation policies being carried out in Great Britain?

A short while ago I received, via the post, a penalty notice for stopping in a restricted street between 17.30 and 17.30 i.e., less than one minute.

To see what time parking is forbidden one has to squint, at tiny placards at the side of the road.

3 years in power... Vice President [Cornelis de Maijer]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:10:08 -0800

Jasmijn

Hurraaaay I am 3 years now

Happy Sailing!
Cornelis de Maijer
www.flakacruising.com
FOLLOW ME on Twitter

Well, only 34 days left until Christmas ... [Keith Spitalnick]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:55:32 -0800

...and the question I keep getting asked is where I see GBP/EUR headed by then. I personally feel that GBP/EUR is in an upward trend however the language from the Bank of England is holding it back, trying to hold the pound low. After Christmas sterling could start to rally. 1.1500 is my short term target.

Alan und der platte Reifen . . . [Andreas Wiedow]

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:26 -0800

. . . Kurz vor 5 am Freitagnachmittag war's Zeit, doch nochmal rauszugehen. Ach, dachte ich, dann können wir auch gleich noch Besorgungen machen, Post, Einkaufen, usw. . . .

Also ging ich in die Garage während Alice mit Alan wartete . . .

Fuhr den Wagen raus, stieg aus, um die Garage zu schliessen und sah es . . . der hintere linke Reifen war ziemlich platt. Ich meine, er war nicht ganz platt, sah aber platt aus.

Mist, dachte ich, so kannst Du doch nicht fahren, auf der anderen Seite . . . hmh . . . fuhr den Wagen also wieder in die Garage, warf alles über den Haufen und war daran, abzuschliessen . . .

Postpaket. Einkaufen. Hmh . . . in der Nähe ist A.T.U. (Auto-Teile-Unger) . . . hmh . . . ist der Reifen wirklich ganz platt oder täusche ich mich nur ?

Ich trat ein wenig mit dem Schuh dagegen . . . ja, der Reifen gibt schon nach . . .

Revealed... the 515 chemicals women put on their bodies every day [SANOJ RAJ]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:06:50 -0800

Women and beauty products - it's a love affair that's been going on for centuries. And no wonder. There's nothing like a new lipstick or favourite perfume to make us look and feel good. Or so we thought...

In fact, according to a new report, most of our favourite cosmetics are cocktails of industrially produced and potentially dangerous chemicals that could damage our health and, in some cases, rather than delivering on their potent 'anti-ageing' promise, are causing us to age faster.

Research
by Bionsen, a natural deodorant company, found that the average woman's daily grooming and make-up routine means she 'hosts' a staggering 515 different synthetic chemicals on her body every single day..

by-Maureen Rice

Jr.Dr.Raj

Put Yourself In The Power Position [Bernadette Doyle]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:35:57 -0800

Isn't it easier to make a sale when you have what they want and both of you know it? It's called being in the power position. It puts you in control of the transaction and helps close the sale on your terms. Isn't that what we all strive for in this business?

But putting yourself in that role is not about being power-hungry. It's about maneuvering yourself into a position where you have more business than you do days available and everyone knows it.

But how do you get to the power position?

Let's start with what NOT to do…If you've worked in the traditional sales environment, you typically make calls, do your prospecting, make appointments, present and hope to close the sale. You've already put yourself at a disadvantage. You've put yourself in a place where you need the client more than they need you. So how do you change it?

Supply and Demand Basics

Why is it so frustrating? [Dr. Mehmet Yildiz]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:27:00 -0800

I am wondering why Ewing said "Nothing is as frustrating as arguing with someone who knows what he's talking about".

Would you agree or disagree with this statement? Why?

What could be the way to turn it into a pleasant situation?

Regards,

Hey, it's not my bill to pay ! [Darren Herrington]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:05:17 -0800

Q:
Dear Debt Adviser,

A debt collector called me last week about a debt from 2002! I know this is not my debt. It's for a phone bill from a different state! They had my Social Security number and everything. This is a debt that showed up on my credit report a few years back and I notified the credit bureau that it wasn't mine. They supposedly reviewed it and the matter was to have been resolved, but I never got any paperwork. Now this debt collector is calling and harassing my family and sending me notices. What do I do?

Do I have to pay for another credit report and file a complaint again? This is so upsetting and really causing a lot of stress for me. Can you steer me in the right direction? Thanks so much!
-- Amy

A:
Dear Amy,

I know how upset you must feel. Having a collector harass you out of the blue is a lot like being the victim of an assault or a crime. Will anyone believe you? How do you prove your innocence? And it is so embarrassing for most of us.

Sick at work but smiling on Facebook... [Dr. Gaby Cora & The Power of Wellbeing®]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:26:35 -0800

Cost this young woman her insurance benefits.

It may cost her job at IBM too...

What are your thoughts?

ENJOY,

Dr. Gaby Cora
GABRIELA CORA, MD, FAPA, MBA
"I work with people who want to be healthy while they become wealthy"
Wellness Doctor & Coach - International Speaker

Are you interested in learning strategies to maximize your performance and productivity while you maximize health and Wellbeing?

LEADING UNDER PRESSURE: Maximize Your Health While Building Your Wealth

Want provocative?

Strictly Come Dancing - revealed [Mark Lee]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:30:00 -0800

I was in the audience for tonight's recording of Strictly Come Dancing. I had applied for tickets right at the start of the series and they came through a couple of weeks ago.

It was great to be there although some of the magic disappears when you see it live. I was really pleased to have the opportunity to see some of the behind the scenes secrets and share them below for anyone interested.

Here's a few facts about tonight's show:

- It was recorded in a much smaller studio than usual (due to Children in Need). So the audience was half the size of usual.
- The studio still seems MUCH bigger on screen than it does when you're there.

Do you rely on charisma or on substance? [Dr. Gaby Cora & The Power of Wellbeing®]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:23:15 -0800

Many prefer to follow a leader that they feel deeply connected with. Charismatic leaders can lead the way almost effortlessly, as people follow whether or not there is substance to support the following.

Other leaders invite followers based on their analysis of the situation and their vision to a better future. These leaders may or may not be as engaging although they may have the right take on the challenges and on the solutions.

Of course, it's best to find leaders who have a great combination of these abilities: charisma and substance will do wonders!

How about you, do you follow with your heart, with your brain or are you in full alignment?

ENJOY,

Dr. Gaby Cora
GABRIELA CORA, MD, FAPA, MBA
"I work with people who want to be healthy while they become wealthy"
Wellness Doctor & Coach - International Speaker

Are you interested in learning strategies to maximize your performance and productivity while you maximize health and Wellbeing?

The Best Compliment [David Salmon]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:14:27 -0800

The Best Compliment

Compliments are great to hear. We all like to know that our friends approve of our taste and like the way we've landscaped our garden or decorated our house. But in reality compliments say more about the person giving them. They are saying that their personal tastes match ours. One compliment that really applauds the person we are complimenting whether we share their tastes or not is "It's so you".

When you think about it, it doesn't matter if your friends like the new dress you have bought. You don't want to know if they would buy the dress for themselves, you want to know if they think it suits you. Nobody wants to be a clone of anyone else.

Put Your Goals In Writing [David Salmon]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:07:53 -0800

Put Your Goals In Writing

Writing down your goals is one of the most powerful things you can do to set them in motion. The pen is powerful. Getting your goals out of your head and down in black and white on paper is an almost magical process. They are no longer just ideas, but become real.

When your goals are down on paper it is easier to keep track of them. It's hard to hold them all in your head and keep them clear. When they are on paper it is easier to see problems and solutions more easily and patterns begin to emerge.

Writing transforms your goals from just thoughts into tangible objectives. You can track them and they are easier to accomplish. This is an important step in the whole goal setting process. It can really be the difference between dreaming a dream and living it.

Coaching

Would it be totally wrong to pay the ransom in order to save two lives? [Simon • Cartoon-O! • Ellinas]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:48:06 -0800

The plight faced by the yachting couple captures by Somali pirates could be ended if someone pays them.

They have demanded the equivalent of £4.1m.

If a consortium of 'entrepreneurs' / concerned citizens could get enough cash together, would it be wrong to pay the pirates?

Or do two innocent people HAVE to die in order to prove that crime doesn't pay?

Would paying the pirates encourage more kidnappings?

How much are two human lives worth?

____________________________________________________________________________________

What and How do you think about "Homeopathy" ? [Doctor-Das, Suman]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:44:33 -0800

First of all, let me mention that, I am not a 'Homeopath' by profession! My core subject is 'clinical nutrition'.... But I had to study some homeopathy because my job includes 'delivering lectures on applied nutrition for homeopaths'.... I am also associated with few homeopathy clinics as a 'clinical nutritionist'....

....This alternative medical science called homeopathy was first proposed by German physician Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, MD. in 1796

….in India, homeopathy is legal and the Indian government got national homeopathy council and board. Homeopathy is also legal in the UK, and there are NHS hospitals. I came to know that, recently the Canadian Government also legalized Homeopathy. And there are more countries where homeopathy is legal.

Anyways, my question is -

Helping the poor - more money or a different approach? [Jeff "Peace is our Business" Mowatt]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:33:50 -0800

An article in the NY Times raises this question, pointing out the differences of opinion between the more money camp ( Bono and Sachs) and those that claim more money can do more harm. (Easterly & Moyo)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/books/review/Kristof-t.html

Another article in Open Democracy raises similar questions. Is development aid helping and is this the question we should be asking.

http://www.opendemocracy.net/roger-c-riddell/is-aid-working-is-this-right-question-to-be-asking

It underlines that donor government's own agendas often dictate the direction and consitency of aid.

What If we make Black Friday a turning point? [Debra Rice]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:04:53 -0800

Debra Rice
Seeking to Empower others through Education, Inspiration and Motivation.
www.ricetraining.co.uk
www.hmomentor.co.uk
What if, you first got to decide how you'd like to feel - happy or sad, hurt or mad, approving or jealous - and then the universe had to go out and rearrange all the people and circumstances of your life to make it so?
Black Friday is fast coming upon us and maybe in these times of recession we could think of this as a turning point. Should we give it a go? What do you think?
In recent times merchants and the media have used the term "Black Friday" to refer to the beginning of the period in which retailers go from being in the red (i.e., posting a loss on the books) to being in the black (i.e., turning a profit).

A Piece of Chocolate [Anna Williams]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:59:45 -0800

How many of you wanted to enhance your mood on a dark,rainy day with something sweet?
I suspect nearly all of us would willingly reach for a piece of chocolate.Immersing yourself in a velvety,delicious texture,enjoying both the taste and smell of cocoa and vanilla will make us see a ray of sunshine,even on the darkest of days.

I have described how chocolate makes us feel.Though,it is interesting to note,how we feel before and after giving into temptation.Here are the groups based on our reactions:
1.Feeling guilty before and joyful afterwards
2.Feeling guilty before and guilty afterwards
3.Feeling joyful before and guilty afterwards
4.Feeling joyful before and afterwards

I leave it to your own interpretation which group will benefit most from that delicious piece of chocolate.Which group will you be a member of?

I can detect a note of scepticism in some of you.What can a piece of chocolate give me?

Must see video on Twitter, LinkedIn and the how our world is being changed [Nick Braak]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:24:59 -0800

If you're one of the many who wonder where all this social networking interconnectedness is going, and why it HAS changed at least a part of the world, I suggest you watch an important video rebroadcast of an event that took place in London a couple of days ago.

I warn you it's a lengthy video, over an hour, but in it you'll hear the real, up-to-date mega-overview from three people who are actually at the controls at 10,000 feet.

The three are:

* Reid Hoffman, CEO of LinkedIn,
* Biz Stone, founder of Blogger and Twitter
* Stephen Fry, thespian and twitter celeb

The format is a panel discussion with audience questions, so you'll need to listen and try to grab onto the many facts and memes.

My take is that only the most hardened nay-sayer could fail to be wowed by the enormity of how powerful this stuff is.

Powerful as in world and business changing.

Permanently.

Are you open to feedback? [Dr. Gaby Cora & The Power of Wellbeing®]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:11:48 -0800

Many of us post blogs or express our opinions and share them with an audience at large.

Sometimes, we just want to discuss facts, some other times we invite others to share their opinions and some other times we are in for a surprise when others' experience seems to be diametrically opposed to ours.

When others reflect a very different experience, do you feel open to feedback or do you feel stuck in your position?

ENJOY,

Dr. Gaby Cora
GABRIELA CORA, MD, FAPA, MBA
"I work with people who want to be healthy while they become wealthy"
Wellness Doctor & Coach - International Speaker

Are you interested in learning strategies to maximize your performance and productivity while you maximize health and Wellbeing?

Social Network or a global online BNI type chapter? [Andrew Peel]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:44:42 -0800

I have seriously been turning the idea round in my head of leaving ecademy. When I originally joined it felt like any other social network but with it's own dynamics, which is why I like to be in different social networks. They each have their own way of operating and you pick up things in one you and miss them in another.

Another thing that impressed me at the time was the level of debate which I would have expected in a social network called ecademy with it's implications of learning.

Then along came the new version and I thought well it has it's good points and it's bad points however I will give it a try.

What really set off my 'unease meter' were three things I suppose:

The way in which the full force of ecademy was used to promote Penny Power's book
Ecademy.tv and Thomas Power's regular 'views' on social networking
My genuine disbelief at what people had been paying for Blackstar membership previously

Penny's Book

How *^@!! ** is that? [Stuarte Harris]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:39:49 -0800

A few minutes ago I almost wrote "how daft is that?", which alarmed me because I really don't like the expression "how [whatever ] is that?"

Does it come from a film or TV series that I missed?

Jamie 'Afro' to rock Windsor [Jon Davey]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:59:23 -0800

Jamie 'Afro' to rock Windsor http://bit.ly/07ttWkx

Thank you.

Jon Davey
"Sponsor THE Shed" Campaign
The Business Leads UK Social Network
More about me...

How Does Credit Restoration Work? [Darren Herrington]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:11:52 -0800

Credit bureaus insist that individuals cannot repair their credit without waiting years for negative items to be removed. Don't believe that. NCR Credit Plus has been doing this for a long time and in that time we have found that through continually refining and redefining our strategies, we have secured methods that provide optimal performance. Although the details of the process change as new laws are passed and regulations are added, the underlying principle has remained virtually the same.

Here are the four essential steps that make up the process of restoring your credit profile.
Step 1: We examine your credit reports

Profiles for Posterity... [Ruth Edwards]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:32:52 -0800

Having just refreshed my online profile and updated my photo I realised when looking at the words that I had written originally I had moved on in my life in the last 2 years more than I had at first realised. Instead of throwing away the original I have kept it and filed it for posterity - as a memoir to look back on at my journey.

Now I attended Thomas Power's Social Media Retreat In August this year. Of all the valuable nuggets on offer over those two days one stuck firmly in my mind. As we create our digital footprints so we create a record of ourselves for others to remember us by and to look back on our achievements and contributions. We create 'profiles for posterity' - a possibility now thanks to the fact that we are able to broadcast ourselves as individuals like never before.

Note to Sir Richard Branson [Jon Davey]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:26:54 -0800

I've just sent a note to Sir Richard Branson ... let's see if he connects ... our sponsor the shed campaign is probably right up his street !

Sir Richard Branson invited to sponsor Virgin Networks

Thank you.

Jon Davey
"Sponsor THE Shed" Campaign
The Business Leads UK Social Network
More about me...

A little help in dealing with your burdens [STEPH DANIELS]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:01:17 -0800

• Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue.
• Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
• Always wear stuff that will make you look good, if you die in the middle of it.
• Drive carefully, it's not only cars that can be "Recalled" by their maker.
• If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
• If you lend someone £20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
• It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to be kind to others.
• Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.
• Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
• Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.
• The second mouse gets the cheese.
• When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
• Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.

The QSI needs you - Calling all Quantity Surveyors [Andrew Williams]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:00:20 -0800

Quantity Surveyors International (QSi) is having a recruitment drive.

For more info go to www.theqsi.co.uk

If you know any Quantity Surveyors who may be interested in joining please ask them to
email andrew@andrewrwilliams.co.uk

Thank you

Classical Music Fans [David Chan]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:14:51 -0800

I have found a cool site for fans of classical music. You can get free sheet music, and see clasical concerts scheduled in your local area. You can also watch videos and listen to music. You can also list classical music events in your area for others to search.

Membership is free. You can also ask for arrangements and transpositions from qualified musician at a modest fee.

May the Light of the Present shine on you!

David

Watch out! The Dingoes are here! Order your copy from your nearest bookshop now!

I am the author of a book called Dingoes and Marsupial Lions published by Wizard Publishing, November 2006, ISBN 9780955021015.

Rare Books
free music to download

Awesome ' Children In Need' Collaborations [Carolyn Williams]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:20:35 -0800

Set The Fire To The Third Bar

Diamonds Are Forever

Growing UK Educational Fraud [Timi Ogunjobi]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:52:45 -0800

There is a growing concern which only affects foreign students. Typically when students from visa countries apply to study in a UK college or university , they are asked to pay a deposit to the school after which they are issued an admission letter to enable them apply for a study visa . More than 80% of these visa applications fail though . For the student to get their deposit paid back by the school now becomes so difficult that most just stop trying after months of fruitless correspondence with the school. It is a real and growing scam and it is thought that many of these colleges and universities actually issue out admission letters to students whom they know have no hope of getting a visa just to collect a deposit which they have no intention of paying back.

HP GET-IT: Digital Community Centres [Jeff "Peace is our Business" Mowatt]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:41:02 -0800

I discovered this by chance today on the site for Global Entrepreneurship Week. HP are supporting digital inclusion and business skills development in Ukraine where we've been working as a social enterprise for the last 5 years. Interestingly this is precisely what I had in mind for our own village in the UK, in the BBC Village SOS campaign. .

Government contracts for Entrepreneurs [Guy Rigby]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:27:04 -0800

There are at least two reasons why you might visit www.supply2.gov.uk, the only official government lower value contract opportunity portal, created specifically to provide businesses with visibility and access to smaller public sector contract opportunities, typically with contract values below £100,000.
First, if you're an aspiring entrepreneur but are lacking that spark of an idea, supply2.gov.uk has no less that 1,866 service classifications that you can browse through, giving you every possible idea for your new service business.
But if you are already established and take the time to register, you can get free contract alerts in an area of your choice as well as gaining access to UK-wide lower value contracts through the Online Contract Search. For a small cost, you can also upgrade to get contract alerts in a wider geographic area.

How to win the Lottery- Part 2 [Guy Rigby]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:20:46 -0800

Amanda Shaw of WiFi Solutions UK Ltd and Peter Brown of Flair Leisure Products Plc liked my recent post on "How to win the lottery" and sent their own inspiring stories, reproduced with their permission below:

Amanda Shaw- WiFi Solutions UK Ltd

I started my company, WiFi solutions UK Ltd when my husband's firm, Kodak, closed down on 31st December 2006! It was such a nerve wracking time.

How to win the Lottery [Guy Rigby]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:14:20 -0800

Have you ever won the lottery? I was reminded this week of the old joke that, to win it, it's helpful to buy a ticket. I was also inspired by an article that defined the illiterate of the 21st century as "people who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn". These thoughts combined to stir my entrepreneurial spirit.

Taking the lottery point, I am constantly amazed by the many struggling businesses that appear to sit on their hands, hoping against hope that their prospects and circumstances will somehow magically improve. As a friend of mine once said; "if you've got nothing to do, go and polish the church pews; something will happen".

There's a strong message here- don't get frozen in the headlights and do nothing! For some businesses this may promote a new beginning….

Inspiration picture for today - part 10 [Cornelis de Maijer]

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:01:40 -0800

Happy Sailing!
Cornelis de Maijer
www.flakacruising.com
FOLLOW ME on Twitter

Dakar Dragons: The day has finally arrived! [Richard White]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:29:56 -0800

The day has finally arrived! The Dakar Dragons project commences for real with our first visit to Senegal to spend time with the inspirational Viola Vaughn and the girls running the 10,000 girls project.

The final line up for making the trip is:

y2k was a joke compared with b2k ! Don't click otherwise you face a bug !!!!! [Andreas Wiedow]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:22:24 -0800

I thought b2k for blog # 2,000 on ecademy would fit well . . . and I wonder if I'll be able to blog after b2k. Will blog #2,001 pass the submit button ?

I know that many macs are laughing now at me because they won't have a b2k problem at all. They won't come even near a 100 blogs in total normally . . . . . .

Breath of Devotion [ted jacob]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:56:57 -0800

Dear Loving Ones,

If you are into breathing meditation, yoga practices or simply curious about breath meditation techniques, have a look at this library of manuals on Kriya Yoga and Kabir.

"Stilling the breath and thereby stilling the mind".

Got to start somewhere!

>> http://yoganiketan.net/

with Love

Self-awareness is the Witness 2 [ted jacob]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:24:51 -0800

Q: What comes first: consciousness or awareness?
M: Awareness becomes consciousness when it has an object. The object changes all the time. In consciousness there is movement; awareness by itself is motionless and timeless, here and now.

Q: There is suffering and bloodshed in East Pakistan (going back in history) at the present moment. How do you look at it? How does it appear to you, how do you react to it?

M: In pure consciousness nothing ever happens.

Q: Please come down from these metaphysical heights! Of what use is it to a suffering man to be told that nobody is aware of his suffering but himself? To relegate everything to illusion is insult added to injury.

The Bengali of East Pakistan is a fact and his suffering is a fact. Please, do not analyse them out of existence! You are reading newspapers, you hear people talking about it. You cannot plead ignorance. Now, what is your attitude to what is happening?

The OTHER Million Dollar Challenge [Nick Dutch]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:24:01 -0800

Nick Dutch Tarot Entertainer

Self-awareness is the Witness 3 [ted jacob]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:20:49 -0800

Q: I admit that the world in which I live is not the real world. But there is a real world, of which I see a distorted picture. The distortion may be due to some blemish in my body or mind. But when you say there is no real world, only a dream world in my mind, I just cannot take it. I wish I could believe that all horrors of existence are due to my having a body. Suicide would be the way out.

M: As long as you pay attention to ideas, your own or of others, you will be in trouble.

But if you disregard all teachings, all books, anything out into words and dive deeply within yourself and find yourself, this alone will solve all your problems and leave you in full mastery of every situation, because you will not be dominated by your ideas about the situation.

Take an example.

You are in the company of an attractive woman. You get ideas about her and this creates a sexual situation. A problem is created and you start looking for books on continence, or enjoyment.

Self-awareness is the Witness [ted jacob]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:17:18 -0800

Q: You told me that I can be considered under three aspects: the personal, the super-personal and the impersonal. The impersonal is the universal and real pure 'I'; the super-personal is its reflection in consciousness as 'I am'; the personal is the totality of physical and vital processes.

Within the narrow confines of the present moment, the super-personal is aware of the person, both in space and time; not only one person, but the long series of persons strung together on the thread of karma.

It is essentially the witness as well as the residue of the accumulated experiences, the seat of memory, the connecting link. It is man's character which life builds and shapes from birth to birth.

The universal is beyond all name and shape, beyond consciousness and character, pure unselfconscious being.

Did I put down your views rightly?

M: On the level of the mind -- yes. Beyond the mental level not a word applies.

How Positive Are You Really? Take this 2 minute Test. [Sam Borrett]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:51:06 -0800

How Positive Are You Really?

Take this 2 minute Research Test.

Do you really have a handle on your emotions or don't you have a clue?

Let's face it SOMETIMES we don't have a clue...how do you think we get into arguments?

Cheers
SAM

Sam Borrett
Master Mentor, Entrepreneur, Facilitator
Mentoring4Change.com
Jupiter Properties Pty. Ltd.
EastWest Property Investments
ClubFreedom
PO Box 241 Brunswick Heads, NSW, 2483

Promoting healthy skepticism [Dr. Mehmet Yildiz]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:34:39 -0800

Are you a skeptic?

I mean, do you habitually doubt accepted beliefs? Skepticism is doubt about the truth of something. It may even stretch to agnosticism which is the disbelief in any claims of ultimate knowledge.

It is believed that healthy skepticism is a scientific and humanistic approach. The reason I touch this topic was a paper I read in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute Advance Access. You can read the full text paper titled "Promoting Healthy Skepticism in the News: Helping Journalists Get It Right"

Generate Money While You Sleep [Bernadette Doyle]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:07:23 -0800

Do you feel like your days aren't long enough to meet the demands of your workload?

Perhaps you have a steady workload but you are having trouble getting it all done. You could put in the extra hours but nobody wants to spend their personal time at the office. Your time is valuable, pure and simple. You can't make more of it.

What you're experiencing is what I refer to as the 'time-trap.' The time trap is a term that I use to describe a business that will not function without you. Essentially when your money is reliant on YOU and your constant work, you are stuck in the time trap.

You shouldn't have to pull a switch, so to speak, every time you want to make your business go. Your company is your baby, but unlike an infant it should be somewhat self sufficient.

Ideally, you want a passive income as well, money that doesn't require your constant efforts. Money that is generated even while you're not working.

Nailed: Meerkats [r i c h a r d p e r r y]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:24:21 -0800

Looks like the pitchmen are playing with the blooper video format with the Meerkat adverts.

On YouTube, the original adverts get 200k to 300k views.

What do the fake blooper reels get?

- 200k views

Explaining prophesy (short video) [Nick Dutch]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:03:40 -0800

Nick Dutch Tarot Entertainer

Healthy Exotic :: Fruit Drink! [Charles Whitlock]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:40:16 -0800

There are a Lot of Nutritional Supplements out there...Mandura is the one that is making waves ...With a dynamic taste that kids even like... Combined with 4 key ingredients Durian, Mangosteen ,Acai Berry, Blue Berry... for a refreshing healthy taste that is totally amazing..

Why I'm LOVING LinkedIn [Dr. Gaby Cora & The Power of Wellbeing®]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:20:51 -0800

I am spending more time on LinkedIn than on any other network these days.

Why?

Perceived quality of connections
The opportunity to blog in a specific group with people with similar interests
Perceived quality of opportunities
Tangible results: speaking engagements, consulting opportunities and direct sales...
And, it's FREE!

How about you?

ENJOY,

Dr. Gaby Cora
GABRIELA CORA, MD, FAPA, MBA
"I work with people who want to be healthy while they become wealthy"
Wellness Doctor & Coach - International Speaker

Are you interested in learning strategies to maximize your performance and productivity while you maximize health and Wellbeing?

Brand You! [Terry Daniel]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:05:45 -0800

You are the entire package! You have the skills, the personality, the training, the equipment and home studio setup, the knowledge, dedication, and attention to detail. You're it! But how will anyone know?

It's all about your brand. Regardless of your voice over prowess you need to figure out your brand. Your brand is your image, your reputation, how people come to know you and what you're about! Competition is fierce, and as a voice over talent, if you don't know how to brand yourself, much less know your brand, you might as well step into oblivion.

The concept is simple really. Assess your strengths and what makes you unique. Think of how you want to be known and begin positioning yourself. What do you need to do to make your vision of you a reality? You definitely need to have the obvious business cards, web site, demo, and social media presence. That's a given.

What if they are lying? [Derek Sorensen]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:36:43 -0800

Global Warming again, I'm afraid, so once again, the disclaimer:

If you don't like discussions about religion, or you are so devout that you can't handle a dissenting view, it's probably better you don't read this blog. Please click here to go and find something you'll find more comfortable. I'm sure someone will there be posting funny pictures, or talking about plumbing or mobile phones or something. But for goodness sake, please DON'T read below the line.

There's been a leak. It appear to be significant, and serious, although you might not realise that from some of the reporting. For example, the BBC focuses on the "hacking" aspects of the incident, as do a number of other media outlets.

BlackStar Boardrooms - the hidden gems of BlackStar Membership [William Buist]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:30:07 -0800

BlackStar is Ecademy's premium membership. It demands a time and personal commitment to make it work. Not everyone gets that. Some time ago I wrote about BlackStar whatever next >

What do you do in 2010 [Mike Borchert]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:04:05 -0800

Tell me something what do you do with the next year!

Mit freundlichen Grüßen,

Mike Borchert

Telefon +49 175 223 79 24 / Wunder Werk Kommunikation
Club Zeitmanagement das wirkt
Club Praxistransfer in den Alltag

Is Andreas Wiedow an undercover NLP specialist ??? [Mike Borchert]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:00:08 -0800

Is andreas wiedow a disguised pro NLP?

You are uncovered, come out!

Mit freundlichen Grüßen,

Mike Borchert

Telefon +49 175 223 79 24 / Wunder Werk Kommunikation
Club Zeitmanagement das wirkt
Club Praxistransfer in den Alltag

Do you address the challenges or do you keep quiet? [Dr. Gaby Cora & The Power of Wellbeing®]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:57:15 -0800

I was very surprised to hear one of my Fortune 500 clients praise my skills to address the challenge and suggest solutions without just agreeing with everything they said.

Apparently, they were used to consultants smiling at them saying everything was fine and making a couple of suggestions to keep their retainers over time whereas I was seriously helping them resolve a tough situation with short as well as long-term expectations.

This has happened to me repeatedly. I have had the same clients for years, not to solve the same problems but as a partner of choice to help them solve new problems.

Do you address problems when you see them or do you keep quiet?

ENJOY,

Dr. Gaby Cora
GABRIELA CORA, MD, FAPA, MBA
"I work with people who want to be healthy while they become wealthy"
Wellness Doctor & Coach - International Speaker

Are you interested in learning strategies to maximize your performance and productivity while you maximize health and Wellbeing?

Entrepreneurial Spirit Shines in Miami with Donald Trump [Michael Timothy]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:54:18 -0800

Sharing and hoping others can see the value the Trump Network is creating. In a time when many have financial stress and daily burdens of bills and worries, Donald Trump and the men from Ideal Health have created a vehicle to lift these fears and intrusions that are having serious affects on the strength and core of the family structure. I wanted to share with all the unbelievable weekend in Miami with the Launching of the Trump Network. Over 5000 in attendance to hear and see the vision of this company. A new childrens program was released to help change and enhance your childs eating habits. Also they have partnered with an Italian and Swiss company releasing a cosmetic line in the spring. The growth of this company is incredible. Up 300% since March and future growth to be even higher.

I have left a small clip from the event. Enjoy!

I thought…. You will Say Something…. [Doctor-Das, Suman]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:37:21 -0800

I thought…. You will Say Something….

Doctor-Das, Suman ( "Doctor-Da" )

....let's connect for a better tomorrow

100+ Icebergs are heading towards NZ! [Ann Andrews]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:43:11 -0800

As huge chunks of the Antarctic ice shelf start to melt and break off - the icebergs then start floating out into the oceans - last year we had an iceberg floated past NZ and it became a huge tourist attraction. Imagine the flurry of activity people are preparing for now we have 100+ heading our way.

Check out this news flash

Ann

Sign up for our POWERTOOLS newsletter - tips and tools for growing your business, and receive a FREE e-book - 25 Ways To Beat a Recession

Ann Andrews CSP
The Corporate Tool-box

Networking for business in difficult times [Laura Networking for Business Swetman]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:43:57 -0800

Every business is conscious of the current economic climate - and if they aren't, they should be! For small and medium-sized businesses the challenge is not only maintaining their business, in some cases to replace clients who have succumbed to the economic climate, but also achieving growth and profitability.

There are a number of 'essentials' when networking for business, whether in a difficult economic climate or not.
First, please make sure you take business cards with you - it's surprising how many people don't!
Make sure that your business cards tell people what you do, especially if your business name doesn't do that.
Practice what you are going to tell people about your business, if you can't describe what you do in an effective manner then others won't 'get it' and you won't get business from networking.
Be positive - even if things are difficult at the moment, nobody wants to do business with someone who is downbeat and negative.

South Wales Animal Rescue Need Your Help! [Simon Jones "Web Wizard"]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:26:25 -0800

Hi All,

I'm going to break all the rules here for a short appeal to animal lovers out there.

South Wales Animal Rescue are a small non-profit animal rehoming centre just outside of Swansea. Their animals come from all backgrounds included everything from mistreated pets, animals who the families could no longer handle right down to pets of the deceased.

In the current financial climate and with Christmas around the corner, less people are adopting from animal shelters and they are having to turn away animals as the care and upkeep is costing more than they're receiving in donations.

Being good at delivery is no longer enough for a consultancy [Phil Richardson]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:16:43 -0800

In today's economic climate being great at delivery is no longer enough. Having a team of seasoned professionals who measure their success by the success of the projects they have worked on is not a sustainable model for the future. Many consultancy and business services firms have build a business based on many one-off projects. Now is the time to grow relationships with past and existing businesses and create a new propositions for new markets.

Key measures will be the value of future projects. The topics for the consultancy leadership needs to be proposition development, value pricing, lead generation, coaching, consultative selling and pipeline management.

Dubai Property Investors [Sunil Thacker]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:43:46 -0800

BETA: Twitter Sales Lead Tool [Chris Butler]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:04:50 -0800

We've released BETA version of our Twitter Sales Leads tool to our Business and Pro Neworker members to enable them to see how the final version will work. The final version is due for release next week.

BETA means it is still in test and not all features are yet there: missing is the ability to create a sales leads in WeCanDoCRM Social CRM to track the progress of the Twitter sales leads you find.

As it stands though, the BETA version is locating prospective customers for your products and services on Twitter by searching on your company keywords (as entered when you added your Business profile).

Twitter Sales Leads tool

How to have a good One2One meeting [Dave Clarke]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:45:07 -0800

In the NRG Business Networking Blog I share insights, stories and experiences to help people with getting results from networking. I was asked in a recent One2One meeting if I could share some of these here.

In my experience people who are networking for business often underestimate the importance of having One2One meetings. Or if they do have them they can be unproductive.

When agreeing to meet someone for a One2One for the first time in a Networking context your aim should be to establish whether you are going to go forward & build a business relationship or not. You don't need a formal agenda, but there are some things that help in the long term when you agree them up front:

1. The amount of time you will both set aside for the meeting
2. What you want to learn about each others background and business.

Put Your Goals In Writing [David Salmon]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:43:41 -0800

Resist the Temptation to Burn Your Bridges [David Salmon]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:41:22 -0800

Resist the Temptation to Burn Your Bridges

It can be tempting when leaving a job or ending a business relationship to go out with a parting salvo, burning your bridges with a scathing riposte and telling your boss what you really think of him. The problem with this, though satisfying at the time, is that the world is a smaller place than you think and you never know when you might cross paths with that person again.

People who exit a company dramatically, by having a huge flare up with the boss, are going to have trouble if at some future date they suddenly need a reference from him.

Neither is there any guarantee that we will never see that boss or colleague again. Even if we change industries we may find ourselves in a new job facing the same person, that we burned our bridges with, as our new manager. People are so much more mobile these days that the fleeting satisfaction of burning our bridges in style may come back to haunt us sooner than we think.

Peter Drucker zum Geburtstag [Josef Kirchhartz]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:36:31 -0800

Am 19.11.2009 wäre Peter Drucker 100 Jahre geworden. Er hat das Management geprägt, manche sagen, er hat das Management erfunden. Eine Botschaft Druckers ist: Gutes Management hat nichts mit kurzfristigen Erfolgen zu tun. Doch viele Top-Manager sehen nur den täglichen Aktienkurs. In ihrer arroganten Art und Weise kümmern sie sich wenig ums Unternehmen, gönnen sie sich hohe Vergütungen, beim Scheitern noch satte Abfindungen. Für Drucker war das Einstehen für und Kümmern ums Unternehmen noch eine wichtige Tugend des Managers. Anlässlich des 100. Geburtstags von Peter Drucker ein Interview mit dem Drucker-Experten Winfried W. Weber Hier lesen Sie das Interview.

Mit herzlichen Grüssen; have an excellent and successful time!
Josef W. Kirchhartz | imPulsGeber | Coaching & mehr

58k lost in just one day. Business as usual.. [Michael Heaney]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:29:55 -0800

Men, morals and money; war, weapons and waste

Back in the glory days of the First World War, the one they call the "Great" War, our generals could simply order seven hundred thousand of our soldiers to march slowly towards the enemy lines and apparently not give a jot about the loss of our brave boys-

58 thousand British soldiers were lost on the first day of the Somme offensive.

Nowadays - with muffled drums, bowed heads, and hushed tones we pay our respects, conscious of the loss of every single soldier.

Meanwhile back home, as directed by the press, we have spent the summer fascinated, focusing and fulminating over the cost of moat cleaning, duck islands, profligate parliamentary allowances and extravagent expense claims for coffee tables, carpets and cleaners.

Video Blog: I am the Eggman.. are you? [Richard Derwent Cooke]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:19:29 -0800

I don't know why but the song, "I am the walrus" by the Beatles suddenly came to mind today. I never tried to understand John's lyrics literally, I just went with the flow, but today, some 30+ years later it got me thinking. What is an eggman? Here are a few thoughts on it. I'd love to hear your ideas too.

Cumbria flood - the morning after [r i c h a r d p e r r y]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:52:32 -0800

Video courtesy of Kev from Cockermouth -

Authentic Voices [Simon • Cartoon-O! • Ellinas]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:39:09 -0800

When you write, what sort of 'tone' do you adopt? Do you deliberately adopt a tone?

Perhaps it depends on the subject matter, but the resultant 'tone' can be either a complete charmer or a total turn-off for your 'audience' (insofar as you can actually HAVE an audience on the web).

Whether your topic is business, social or even, simply self-promotional, most people prefer to sense that there is a REAL human being behind the words.

'Real Human Beings®™' betray themselves with casual use of emotional language. They express personal opinions. They engage with references to their day-to-day lives and experiences. They are authentic.

When writing on a 'business networking' site like this, some people appear overcome by the perceived gravitas of it all and cloak themselves in 'corporate talk' and 'self help jargon'. Their contributions, in my opinion, end up like margarine - one molecule away from being plastic.

yasni - vorne hui und hinten pfui ? Wie Sie sich mit Nachrichten die Reputation versauen . . . [Andreas Wiedow]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:16:38 -0800

. . . Hier nur eine kleine Auswahl von Nachrichten, die mir über dritte Wege zugekommen sind.

Guten Morgen xxxx, darf ich Dein Bekannter sein??? Als Vorschuss sende ich Dir Klicks, Doppelherz und Grüße aus xxx.

Was soll das ? Zeitverschwendung. Zeitverschwender. Geduzt ?

Einen schönen guten Tag sehr geehrter Herr xxx, mein Name ist xxx xxx. Ich bin offen für neue Bekanntschaften, die auch wie ich das Interesse an der Pflege des Eigen-Marketings im Netz haben. Ausserdem mag ich sehr gerne die deutsche Sprache, die zu einer schönen Bereicherung meines Lebens beigetragen hat. Wollen Sie mit mir eine Bekanntschaft schliessen? Ich freue mich auf Sie. Mit freundlichen Grüssen, xxx xxx - Info von mir: http://person.yasni.xxxx.htm

Da hat sich jemand von anfänglichen Drohgebärden in den Wolf im Schafspelz verwandelt. Schwülstig und gestelzt. Wollen Sie mit so jemandem wirklich vernetzt sein ?

Hold the Front Page [Jon Davey]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:52:17 -0800

Oh... it's OK, you've already got the hottest story in the Royal Borough!"

Don't you just love it when a plan comes off ... just need the bidding to fly a little higher to give the story even more credibility ...

Thank you.

Jon Davey
"Sponsor THE Shed" Campaign
The Business Leads UK Social Network
More about me...

Search engine optimisation [Robert Oosthout]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:33:51 -0800

Al lot of you already know this and I want to share this with you because Andi Elam gave me a simple exercise and it works.

He said: Take your fifty words on your Ecademy profile page and type them into Google. Start with the first one and add the second, and the third and the fourth and the fifth. Then take the second word and repeat the exercise with number two to six and so on and see what happens.

Do you want to get your music played on the radio? By Kenny Stevens [Chantal Cooke]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:46:24 -0800

Here's the latest blog from Kenny Stevens of Passion for the Planet..

Getting radio airplay is easier than you might think. This blog from Schofield And Company tells you how to do it, and I agree with every word. It's aimed specifically at online radio stations, but the same applies to all types of radio station. So if you're an aspiring musician here is what you need to know…

Step 1
Visit an online radio station database website to search for stations compatible with your music. Live 365 offers links to over 6000 stations. You can search by genre and each listing will have contact information as well as a link to the station's website.

Step 2

Andreas.......is making money enough? [Barrie Cripps AIBC]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:37:55 -0800

Do I have to identify Andreas other than by name and that he is from Germany!

Hi Andreas,

I read your Blogs and sorry mate "I like you" well your Blogs and style.

You appear to be totally focussed on making money. The question "is making money enough?" comes from your repeated reasons for being on Ecademy "to make money".

When making money you also give to other Ecademy members. What do you give opportunities to enjoy your humour, to learn, introductions to other Blogging sites (Mehmet..in recent Blog), you may give many other things.

Fifteen Months at eCademy [Melinda M. Sorensson]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:32:56 -0800

Up until 15 months ago, I had no knowledge of Social Networking Sites.

I do not remember how I got into eCademy but I joined for three reasons

1. To promote my broker, Van Eaton & Romero, Inc, to date a very well run private company, the biggest one in Lafayette, Louisiana.

2. To find subjects for my next book "Mind of a Scientist, Soul of an Artist, Heart of a Sage" ISBN13 978-0-9796507-1-0 ISBN10 0-9796507-1-2 due out in early 2011, and

3. To promote the sales of my first book "My Journey to an Integrated Life" ISBN13 978-0-979650703 ISBN10 0-979650703

Within 5 months of my joining I had already fulfilled everything I had wanted to accomplish, but more than that I have met people from different parts of the world with whom I now share a bond of friendship with and for this I am deeply grateful.

So, you thought £1m was a lot of money! [Russell Weetch]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:11:59 -0800

At the end of September the UK Public Sector next debt is £829.7 billion(1) (£681.1 billion excluding financial interventions) which sounds like an awful lot of money. But how much is it? I mean spelt out that's £829,700,000,000!

Ok, let's assume that you were put in a room with all this money(2) in £5 notes (proably why there is a shortage at the moment) and you were allowed to keep as many notes as you initialled.Let's say that you don't need to sleep, eat etc. and can sign one note every 3 seconds.

You'd be making £100 per minute, after an hour you would have 6 grand to put in your back pocket and at the end of the first day You'd be getting on for £145,000. By the end of the week you would have just joined the millionaires club. You'd be doing around £4m a month and by the end of year 1 you'd be £52m to the good - still, it wouldn't worry the headline figure too much as it would pretty much get lost in that.7 rounding bit.

Is new technology taking over our lives? [Norman Feiner]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:08:45 -0800

John came home with an unusual purchase.

It was a Japanese Hi-Tech Humanoid Robot that John claimed was actually a lie detector.

It was about 5:30PM that afternoon when Tommy, their 11 year old son, returned home from school.

Tommy was over 2 hours late...

"Where have you been? Why are you over 2 hours late getting home?" asked John.

"Several of us went to the library to work on an extra credit project." said Tommy.

The robot walked around the table and slapped Tommy, knocking him completely out of his chair.

"Son," said John, "this robot is a lie detector, now tell us where you really were after school."

"We went to Bobby's house and watched a movie." said Tommy.

"What did you watch?" asked Tommy's mom.

"The Ten Commandments" answered Tommy.

Fund Switch - RMWM - Nov 09 [Marco Pietropoli Wealth Management]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:42:05 -0800

Please see below the email sent to clients for an investment switch.

This is not general advice that should be acted apon unless you have the appropriate understanding of investments. We recommend that you seek Independent Investment Advice from a regulated professional.

For more information about RM Wealth Management click here.

For recent TV interviews of Marco Pietropoli click here.

For Economic Market Reports click here.

Dear Client,

These fund switches relate to all clients.

Please respond to this email to confirm you agree.

This is a significant Down Risk Move for all of you (less of a down risk move for the Transact platform - see below).

The purpose of sport is..... [Stuarte Harris]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:25:16 -0800

Interesting discussion on R4 this morning following Thierry Henri's handball that put France into the World Cup finals.

One t**** point raised was that Henri's moral duty to own up to cheating was trumped by his moral duty to do whatever it takes for the team and the country.

Another point raised by Simon Barnes of The Times was that in the 19th century sport was valued as a way of building character. Now sport is valued as a way of revealing character.

It reminded me of a saying, which goes something like: "You can tell a lot about a person from how they play a game. You can tell everything about them from how they lose."

A friend of mine, who was a PT instructor in the army and went on to establish a trainer training business, now spends most of his working time playing golf with employees, prospective employees and business contacts. His observation is that he can get more valuable information about people on the golf course than in any other way.

Mark Perl PPE or FFF? [John Cassidy]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:55:58 -0800

Mark Perl is the subject of todays ecademy photo profile critique

So the usual question, from visual first impressions is Marks profile image PPE (professional, personable and engaging) or FFF (fuzzy, faraway and forgetful)?

Don't forget to use my checklist as a reference and I'm always looking for volunteers and suggestions to critique, especially if you think the image is a particularly good or bad PPE or FFF example PPE.

First impressions with Marks photo is very professional looking. Its a good relaxed pose with a great natural smile. Capturing the right smile and expression can be more difficult than it sounds. Smiles don't want to look too forced or cheesy and also a big smile can cause some some people to squint too much so getting the balance right can be tricky. Here it is spot on.

Trial begins over slashing in hot tub during Christmas party [Hedd "Events" Adams-Lewis]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:51:25 -0800

Not really what you want to happen at a Christmas Party!

To be on the safe side, read the RoSPA guide (the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents), to make sure your colleagues only hear jingle bells, not alarm bells during this year's office party!

Hedd

You could earn a minimum of £50 Bonus Bond Vouchers for succesful referrals. Click here for more details.

What do you hate most in presentations (after death by PowerPoint)? [Anthony Warren]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:47:33 -0800

Please let me know by answering my poll:

What do you hate most in presentations (after death by PowerPoint)?

Anthony Warren
CEO, Redshots
Business & Executive Mentoring

Anyone Using Videos for Marketing? [Amanda Vlahakis]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:28:46 -0800

For some time now streaming videos for marketing purposes has been a growing service offering.

Is anyone here using it to great effect and finding it useful and getting a good ROI (because I believe it's not cheap), or do you have an examples of a business using it to great effect?

Regards

Amanda

Getting a Loan is no Cake-Walk [Jolene Data Queen Phillips]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:03:28 -0800

GETTING A LOAN IS NO CAKE-WALK

Has anyone seen those NatWest television adverts recently? In them we're presented with the endearing image of a bank manager, ever cheery, as he visits 'local businesses' (one of them a cake factory if I recall) with the avowed intent of understanding them better so as to provide the perfect loan solution.

I'd be frankly delighted if I was to be proved wrong, but I suspect this vision of financial utopia to be a little warped. David Frost, the Director-General of the British Chambers of Commerce, wrote in The Times this week that "Britain's banking culture [has] centralised decision-making, with a "tick-box" approach to lending that fails to recognise the needs of individual SMEs."

That strikes me as a truer reflection of lending practice than the image of Mr NatWest clad in white apron and gloves exploring the cake-shop floor.

Morning Call by Greg Secker [Greg (Professional Trader and Coach) Secker]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:51:29 -0800

FX Report

The EURO/USD pair has shown weakness this morning currently down at the 1.4914 level. The GBP/ USD pair has shown weakness today and is currently down from its open of 1.6664 at the 1.6622 mark. The JPY/USD pair has dropped this morning to the 88.84 level.

Due for release today is the JPY Bank of Japan Interest Rate Decision, NZD Credit Card Spending and NZD Credit Card Spending.

International Report

The Dax closed 85 points lower at 5,702, the Cac lost 67 points to 3,760 and the Swiss Market index shed 82 points to close at 6,286. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 93.87 points, to end at 10,332.44. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index fell 14.90 points, to 1,094.90. The Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 36.32 points, or 1.66 percent, to 2,156.82. The Nikkei fell 51.79 points to a four-month closing low of 9,497.68. The Topix index edged up 0.1 percent to 838.71.

Last Nights Ecademy Event, One of the Best [Gordon Wheaton]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:46:41 -0800

Last nights Ecademy event at the Grosvenor Hotel was a fantastic event. I think this venue grows on you. It is about the third or fourth time I have been to an event at this venue and it is certainly warming to me. Thomas and Penny really know how to do a great event for all of us. They do it every month. Mike Southon last night was great. I am a huge fan of the Beatles and will quite often listen to ITunes when I am working. I have quite a lot of the Bealtes classics on there. But I had not heard most of the material Mike had last night. His presentation had the right mix of music, humor and great footage to make it a great speech.

The Importance of Communicating [Henry Newrick]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:41:28 -0800

I have a dear friend, one of my closest friends in fact, who almost NEVER writes, emails or phones. I have to do all the 'running'. She says that friends will always be friends and communication, frequent or otherwise, is not necessary (we live at opposite ends of the world) and that when we do meet up those moments are treasured. On the other hand I try to keep in contact with long standing friends even if we are half a world apart, and this effort to remain in touch is often noticed and remarked upon favorably. Whilst the old adage 'Out of sight, out of mind' may not apply to personal friendships, it certainly is applicable to other relationships, especially business ones.

It was Abraham Lincoln who once said that 'If you would win a man to your cause then first make him your friend'. He was of course speaking of political life in the United States in the 1860's but the principles are as true today as they ever were back then.

Video Blog: Lost in the Dark [Richard Derwent Cooke]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:29:37 -0800

Some thoughts about being lost in the dark and what to do if you are not sure that you are on track

Opportunityisnowhere [Sunil Bali]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:28:44 -0800

'Opportunityisnowhere'

"Life expands or diminishes in
proportion to one's courage."
Anais Nin

Every year I speak in schools to groups of 10-year-olds who are about to go to secondary school, and to groups of 16-year olds who are about to choose subjects for their A-level exams.
I love doing this as it's hugely rewarding to work with young people and to be able to inspire and motivate them. Before I explain why and how they can be, do or have anything they want, I like to gauge the mindset of my audience. One of the ways I do this is by putting up the following words:

opportunityisnowhere

It's revealing that in the 10-year-old group, typically over 80% of the students say they see:

opportunity is now here

Weekly E-zine: Free as a Bird [Mike Southon]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:38:03 -0800

This week:

1. 'Something About The Beatles' - Live in London, Wednesday 25th November 2009
2. Weekly E-zine: Free as a Bird

1. 'Something About The Beatles' - Live in London, Wednesday 25th November 2009

If you are interested in mentoring, or would just like to see my 'Something About The Beatles' presentation, you would be very welcome at an event hosted by my friends The Rockstar Group on Wednesday 25th November in London.

The event starts at 6:30 PM and the venue is The Strand Palace Hotel, 372 Strand London, WC2R 0JJ

The event is free for Rockstar Mentors and Mentees - guest tickets are only £10.90

More details and booking here: http://rockstargroup.eventbrite.com/

Medical Journal will be released on 20-11-09 [Zeina Shbaklo]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:20:55 -0800

Ladies & Gentlemen ,

Medical Journal will be released on 20-11-09 including latest updates with http://www.entrepreneur16.com/

Best regards

Business 2 Business Show - Rose Bowl March 2010 -Free Lunch too [IAN STARLING]

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:17:06 -0800

The Business League is coming to the South Coast of England.
We will have a stand at the Business to Business Show at the Rose Bowl on 3/4 March 2010, come along and visit us.

In fact why not book to come do some networking at our VIP Networking Lunch on Thursday 4th March at 2.15pm. Have a free sandwich and drink on us

We are also launching our first Business League club in the area on Friday 26th March in Portsmouth at 7.15am. Venue to be decided.

If you would like to book your place in our VIP Networking Lunch - email ianstarling@thebusinessleague.co.uk - just put VIP Lunch in the subject line to get my attention

IAN STARLING - Deputy CEO - The Business League
www.thebusinessleague.co.uk
www.network1radio.co.uk

Inspiration picture for today - part 9 [Cornelis de Maijer]

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:53:22 -0800

Thought:
Making the best out of a down turn in business

Inspiration:
The sailor who handles "the no wind situation" the best and takes the time to prepare for the comming winds, will win the race

Happy Sailing!
Cornelis de Maijer
www.flakacruising.com
FOLLOW ME on Twitter

A Pension Deadline for 2010 [Mark Cooper]

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:49:39 -0800

A significant deadline for Pensions is heading our way in April 2010; to be precise at midnight on 5th April 2010 the minimum age at which a lump sum and/or income can be taken from a UK Pension Plan will increase from 50 to 55.

In the recent past changes like this, such as the equalisation of male and female State Pension ages to 65, or the movement of all State retirement ages beyond 65, have been introduced on a graduated scale.

Not so in this case, simply a five year leap in one go.

Another point to note is a change in terminology in recent years whereby the 25% lump sum normally available, previously universally known as the "Tax-Free Cash Sum" is now referred to as the "Pension Commencement Lump Sum". It remains tax-free at present, but the change in the Government's own terminology is certainly thought provoking.

Do you remember Mehmet's first blog ? [Andreas Wiedow]

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:41:08 -0800

On yasni that is

His own category

Why does Mehmet have his own category there ?

What's importance of yasni ?

Why does he spend time to blog there ?

Questions . . .

Don't like me, please

Cold call relation of this blog . . . selling centers are more related to project teams and managers than call agents. Checking parties at the buying centers as long as it takes until all parties involved buy into the selling center's desired outcomes - and that sometimes takes a lot of TIME. And before the blast gets out . . . hush . . . hush . . .

Propagating your personal brand [René Power]

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:59:12 -0800

You're an expert in what you do.

Online, you might have a profile on MySpace or Facebook. You've realised it is important joining the debate on Linkedin, using it as a way of building your credibility and reach. You post the occasional blog, answer a question and contribute to some industry facing groups.

You may have a Twitter account and post links to content relevant about what you do to people who may be following you.

If you're more switched on you might have some content lodged on sites like YouTube, Vimeo or Slideshare.

But do you have these listed on your business card? Are they in your email footer? If not, you're missing two golden opportunities to propagate your brand and expertise.

Don't settle for guidelines dictated to you by the corporate design police in your company. Extol the virtues and importance of these things to senior management and encourage their use.

Growing YOUR membership [Jon Davey]

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:52:04 -0800

Last night I was at the Federation of Small Businesses Thames Valley Regional AGM in Bracknell, Berkshire.

The local branch had shown the highest growth in membership and this was being celebrated by the FSB National Chairman John Wright

When you drill down on what is unique about East Berkshire FSB you find the publication I started back in 2002 ... Business in Berkshire ... read more here

Now it might not be cool in the UK to big yourself up ... unless of course you are a Blackstar ... but the reality is I assisted the UK's largest small business organisation which has a membership of over 215,000 paying members ... John Cassidy played his part as well this year snapping the great and the good at all the events (that should be good for a tick or two)

Poverty is Hereditary…. [Doctor-Das, Suman]

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:51:49 -0800

jokes apart….

Let's do argue on it and we all have poverty!

It could be - Time!
It could be - Happiness!
It could be - Joy!
It could be - Dreams!
It could be - Friends!
It could be - Love!
It could be - Fun!
It could be - Humor!

….what is your poverty ?

Doctor-Das, Suman ( "Doctor-Da" )

....let's connect for a better tomorrow

WISE - World Innovation Summit for Education [Elaine Gold]

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:44:11 -0800

For 3 days this week Doha was packed full with over 1000 attendees and 90 speakers here for the first WISE Summit. I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the summit, and was really inspired by the whole event.

The theme was 'Pluralism, Sustainability and Innovation', and under these categories there were 6 Award winners as Laureates

Among the inspiring speakers was Professor Sugata Mitra whose 'hole in the wall' project thows down an interesting challenge to educators and calls for a rethink on the way children learn - this project was also the inspiration for 'Slumdog Millionaire'

Curveballs & Dick Whittington [George Emsden]

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:10:24 -0800

It's November. Remembrance Day and most recently the Lord Mayor's Show. Rained on like last year, a 3 mile procession squeezed onto a 1.7 mile route celebrates an office created in 1215 where the most famous Mayor was Dick Whittington - real historical character although probably better known as a pantomime one these days. Primogeniture rules where the eldest son has the right to inherit the whole estate with his siblings getting little or nothing. Dick is a younger son so he has to get a trade, resulting in his being apprenticed to be a Mercer. The Worshipful Company of Mercers are traders in fine cloth, being one of the twelve first or "great companies" of the City of London and part of the respectable business community. In contrast, Southwark across London Bridge is where you went if you wanted a good time or do something shocking like visit the theatre http://www.geor

Curveballs & Dick Whittington [George Emsden]

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:58:56 -0800

A Profile blog [Howard Marshall]

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:57:18 -0800

Sam Borrett's blog 'Does your ecademy profile truly reflect' seems to hold quiet some truth.
I know when I joined ecademy my profile was geared to promote me as an new author and my published book, Dog Dirt Doris, which after one year is gathering pace and recognition; thank you for asking!
However, this is not necessarily the case now.
I was subtlety prompted by ecademist Saachi Williams, from observing her 'Updated Profile' post, that perhaps mine too needed Up-Dating.
To this end I assessed what I wanted to present on ecademy.
I am fortunate to be fully occupied as a business development anylist, so currently not looking to promote myself further in that field, other than to say that is what I do.
I promote my book in other areas to a more appropriate receptive audience, but feel that my book still has a place along side my ecademy profile.
That said it does not stop people approaching me or having an interest in my book.

Why Beelzebub Was in Our Solar System... X [ted jacob]

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:06:32 -0800

The Impudent Brat Hassein, Beelzebub's Grandson,
Dares to Call Men "Slugs"

Hassein immediately sat down at Beelzebub's feet and
coaxingly said:

"Tell me anything you wish, my dear Grandfather. Anything you
tell me will be the greatest joy for me, if only because it is you
who relate it."

"No," objected Beelzebub, "you yourself ask what interests you
most of all. It will give me at the present moment much pleasure
to tell you about just whatever you particularly wish to know."

"Dear and kind Grandfather, tell me then something about those
. . . how? . . . those ... I forget . . . yes, about those 'slugs.'"
"What? About what slugs?" asked Beelzebub, not understanding
the boy's question.

"Don't you remember, Grandfather, that a little while ago, when
you spoke about the three-centered beings breeding on the various
planets of that solar system where you existed for such a
long time, you happened to say that on one planet—I forget how

DOES YOUR ECADEMY PROFILE TRULY REFLECT......... [Sam Borrett]

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:41:31 -0800

DOES YOUR ECADEMY PROFILE TRULY REFLECT WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU WANT TO SHARE?

I think this question reared its head because someone I've been talking to on Ecademy raised the subject of what I wanted from Ecademy. As regards sharing, it's clear I want to share hopefully inspiring ideas, insights and observations.

The truth is I joined one year ago without any clear idea except that I like sharing ideas and writing blogs, as it turns out; twelve months ago I didn't know what a Blog was.

Therefore I have decided to narrow my focus a bit; those of you with many interests like me will understand the dilemma. Actually I spend more time on my workshops, one day and two day meditation events, mentoring, facilitating and enjoying life than on my profitable real estate deals on which I spend comparatively no time at all.

Build A Strong Client List [Bernadette Doyle]

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:22:24 -0800

Building a strong list of clients and prospects is an absolutely critical step in developing your business. It takes time and effort to refine your list, but every entrepreneur starts somewhere. Let's discuss the three types of client lists used in direct marketing, where they originate and the value they have for your business.

Compiled Client Lists

When you rent or buy a compiled list from a list broker, they've pulled the names together by key attributes. For example, all the people on the list might be IT professionals. Another common way to compile lists might be firms in a geographic location with a certain number of employees.

Explaining Dream Interpretation (short video) [Nick Dutch]

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:17:57 -0800

Nick Dutch Tarot Entertainer

DISCUSSION: What are the dangers facing small business owners today? [Stacey Huish]

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:01:07 -0800

An open discussion for all to participate in .... please give your opinion!

Stacey Huish
CEO VA Connections
WEB: http://www.va-connections.com
Email: va-connections@iinet.net.au

DISCUSSION: What are the dangers facing small business owners today? [Stacey Huish]

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:58:01 -0800

An open discussion for all to participate in .... please give your opinion!

Stacey Huish
CEO VA Connections
WEB: http://www.va-connections.com
Email: va-connections@iinet.net.au

How Credit Affects You? [Darren Herrington]

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:06:18 -0800

Your credit score may look like a harmless three-digit number, but don't be fooled. A good credit score can be your ticket to the best interest rates whenever you borrow money. A bad credit score, on the other hand can hurt you in many different ways.

What Is "Bad Credit?"

Many people who have bad credit often find themselves in difficult situations financially. But what exactly does it mean to have "bad credit," "blemished credit," or "less-than-perfect credit?" Well, it can mean a few things. A person can have bad credit from not paying their credit card bills or monthly mortgage payments on time or missing them altogether.
It may be that you shared an account or two with your spouse who had bad borrowing habits which affected your credit. Or it could be that you've gone through a bankruptcy or foreclosure process.

Nailing the X-Files - Towards the end [r i c h a r d p e r r y]

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:50:59 -0800

Getting to the end of the 100+ episodes of the series now..

Revealing mistakes: (At 25:36) This hospital exterior shot is the same location used in the previous story in this season, "Alone" (At 39:43). The footage for "Alone" was looking to the left of the hospital, and from "Essence" pans from the right (the "Emergency Urgent Care" sign is the giveaway).

If you're still thinking global, you're narrow minded.

21 views and rising [r i c h a r d p e r r y]

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:19:31 -0800

I think he's from Germany

At time of finding, this YouTube video had just 21 views

I don't even know if this is his video

What I think does not matter

MIKESTAR

If you're still thinking global, you're narrow minded.

We eat awful things unknowingly [Dr. Mehmet Yildiz]

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:04:25 -0800

Oh no...we are unknowlingly consuming endangered tuna! What a shame!

"New DNA barcoding from the Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics at the American Museum of Natural History shows that nearly a third of the tuna plated in sushi restaurants was bluefin -- even if it was not labeled bluefin on the menu." Here is the link to the scientific paper on this.

Why did I mention this? Because, my special lunch today is related to this food, I am a bit concerned now. As you may have guessed, I may act like a vegetarian or fruitarian. Wish me luck. I may share the details of this unknown lunch tomorrow, if I can survive!

Is delivery important? [Warren Cottis]

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:58:11 -0800

Over the last few weeks you've read my thoughts on...

* The Need for a Marketing Plan & Budget plus

* Constructing a Marketing Plan & Budget

But what about the delivery of your Marketing Plan... because that's where the rubber really hits the road?

Well, the ducks that you have to get into line are... the right way, the right audience, the right message, the right person and the right time says Daniel Levis.

I purposely jumbled the order to start you thinking but here's what works.

* The Right Person...

* Communicating the Right Message...

* To the Right Audience...

* At the Right Time...

* In the Right Way.

You might immediately ask who is the Right Person?... and the answer should now jump straight out of your marketing plan. In truth it could be a number of your people using a number of your marketing weapons... but more on that next week.

Challenging your religion [Derek Sorensen]

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:41:22 -0800