Newark Nottinghamshire Vacation of Dreams

Author: Raymond Fosterbr
Source: ezinearticles.combr
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The job search process can be a struggle for many people. They send out resumes to every employer they can think of, talk to friends, sift through the classified ads, visit employment counselors, scan the job boards at employment centers, and network with people who might provide a lead to an opening they are interested in. And finally they get that all important phone call inviting them to an interview. Now you research the company, do a thorough self-analysis of your past experiences and training, make a list for your best qualities card, and personally prepare yourself to make a positive first impression. You have prepared yourself as well as you can. Once you walk into that interview room you will encounter one or more interview approaches that might (but should not) catch you off guard. There are four general categories of interview types used these days and depending on the job opening, you may experience more than one type as the interview progresses.

The most common type of interview is the single, one-on-one type where you sit down with your potential future supervisor and more or less have a probative conversation, he or she asking clarifying questions and you in turn inquiring about what it would be like to work for the organization. This type often occurs in an office setting or could be in a board room, but usually is a smaller location and more intimate. It can be a relaxing encounter depending on the personalities involved as the supervisor gathers information from you and you learn certain details about the job position and what to expect during a typical day on the job.

The second type is the team approach where two or more people from the company interview each candidate. Again this can be in an office setting but is more likely to occur in a slightly larger space, like a meeting room. Aside from the immediate supervisor for the position, a representative from the Human Resources Department could be present, a possible co-worker could be another, and there are cases where a higher level individual such as a director or vice-president could be part of the team. Many people find this type of interview very intimidating since they have so many strangers to face for the first time. It is important to remember that you must focus on each question posed to you and formulate your answers like the one asking is the only one present. Some of the other team members may be busy writing down your responses so focus on the one who asked the question and maintain good eye contact.

It is often quite common for either of these first two types of interviews to move from direct informational questions such as Tell us a little about yourself or What is your greatest strength or conversely What would you consider your greatest weakness to questions that are described as behavioral. The interviewer will pose a scenario to you. From your past experience, you are asked how you would respond in such a situation. They are looking for your reaction. The situations are drawn from real work examples and they are trying to determine how well you think quickly, and how well you can relate your own experience to the situation and solve a problem. It will help them determine the depth of your experience as well, and indirectly will tell them how well you have prepared for the interview as these types of questions are quite common these days and should be expected. Along with this type of question, an identification question can be included. From photos you may be asked to identify certain pieces of equipment that might be necessary to carry out the duties of the job, or find a location on a map.

The final type of interview is the telephone interview. These are becoming more and more popular as good candidates apply from greater distances and it is impractical for the interviewer to travel or the candidates location or vice versa. In such a case, it is important that you practice good telephone skills. Do not allow yourself to become complacent because the interviewers are not in the same room as you. Keep you edge sharp and prepare like you are seeing them in person. Do not practice common habits like smoking or drinking coffee while interviewing on the phone. And still dress properly. Too casual of attire will translate into an equally casual approach to the questions. The one real advantage for you in this type of interview is the fact that you can have some support materials in front of you while you talk. You can use your notes, resume, project work or other material to assist you. Organize your materials in advance so you can find them quickly and so you are not shuffling papers while the interviewers wait for an answer.

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pFor more information on preparing for your interview, visit a target=_new href=http://www.fosterwisebuys.com/career-jobops/ rel=nofollowhttp://www.fosterwisebuys.com/career-jobops//a/ppRaymond Foster is a college professor that specializes in career advancement techniques./pbr
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Author: Barbara Nellbr
Source: articleage.combr
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First, a disclaimer:
This article requires information about John the Baptist, whose life and works and words are holy, divinely inspired, to Christians. The sources Ive accessed are religious, historical, literary, exegetic, and anecdotal. In order to avoid disrespect for the sacredness of the words and concepts with which Christians hold The Gospels and with which Jews hold The Torah, Ive renamed both translated redactions. I also use the euphemism, monotheistic god, to avoid any disrespect to any deity and religion. This is an essay designed to entertain and inform you, Dear Reader, not to cause any religious discussion or foment.
Second, a thank you:
To friend Pam and friend Vanessa, both of whom got my research juices going on Salome, whom, I believed, was trivial, too trivial even for our newsletter. It boiled down to Who did she do the belly dance for? I hadnt a clue, because I didnt think she was real. They both assured me she was a real person. I checked it out. Yup, she was real and…
?she may have danced or may not have danced. But, if she did dance, it wasnt a belly dance that she did, nor was it a tap, the tango, or the quick step. The belly dance aspect was imagined in the late 19th century by some artistic guy, and well get there, later, when its timely. She did perform, that much is true, and she performed for the host, her stepfather, at the instigation of the hostess, her mother, and their banquet guests.
It was an entertainment interlude, and it occurred about the 1st century AD in a castle located in area called The Galilee. She may have performed in a play about some Greek mythological character or she may have been the one non-Bedouin ( a guest) in a troop of Bedouin entertainers who did folk dances that non-Bedouins enjoyed seeing. If it was the former, the structure of the play was rigid: it was a pantomime, with stringed instrumentals to keep the story line going, mime actors of both genders, all adults, and young children acrobatics of both genders. Everyone was masked. This was a troop of professional entertainers on the payroll of biggies, not a traveling group (a type not yet invented). They were probably on the payroll of her stepfather and she had time to practice with them before the banquet.
If it was the latter, it was a dance, one with a lot of whirling and head tossing, by females in heavy blue robes with cowls, and there was a flute accompaniment. The company did not live in The Galilee, but were nomads from the desert between The Galilee and Arabia, who had come by request of the biggie. It is unlikely that Bedouin dancers were involved in this banquet, for they had to walk a fine line in their desert migrations, land that abutted both The Galilee and Arabia. at that time There was bad blood between Aretas IV King of Arabia and Antipas, stepfather of Salome, Tetrarch of The Galilee, the place where the banquet and the entertainment took place and the place where Salome lived. And, Salome would not have had time to practice the whirling and head tossing before the banquet.
So, it was a Roman style play about Greek mythology that was probably performed as the intermediate event between courses or the closing event of a posh banquet. The host, her stepfather, was a Herod well call Antipas, (not as high as a King) and the hostess, her mother, was named Herodias (a former Queen, divorced from her 1st husband, Phillip, a King, and now married to a mere Tetrarch, making her a Tetrarchess, I guess). The guest list contained: nobles visiting from Rome, Roman nobles stationed in The Galilee by Rome, aristocrats from The Galilee and maybe Judea, and Antipas Steward, Chuza. Some sources say the banquet was thrown by Herodias because it was Antipas birthday, an unnecessary embellishment, to my way of thinking. Most sources are silent about the reason for the banquet, so I tend to go with most when its a fact such as this kind. Any banquet takes preparation, whether youre a Queen, a Tetrarchess, or merely the wife of a mope. So, along with the food and seating plan, Herodias prepared for the entertainment and decided that Salomes participation in the entertainment would be the thing to do before the banquet took place. Herodias is described as a savvy kind of gal by the benign tellers of the tale (shes vilified by most) and Salome was her only child (by Phillip), so she probably made time to watch Salome rehearse. A lot was riding on Salome being real real good. Nothing anywhere says whether Salome wanted to be a part of the entertainment or was unwilling to be a part of the entertainment.
Herodias planned a staid, Roman affair. It could not have been a bacchanal type banquet (similar to the present Wild Ons on E!), as some sources suggest. There were stringent Roman rules about highborn women and what they can attend and do in while in attendance. Herodias was high born and from Judea. (Antipas, her second husband, was not as high born, coming from an Idumean father and possibly a Samarian mother.)
Salome was just a kid at the time of the banquet. Some sources say she was a teenager, but they have to in order for other parts of the legend to fit. (Well get to the other parts later.) I doubt if she was a nubile teenager. She was royalty, a Princess, in fact, with very good blood on her mothers side, Maccabean blood, which was respected even by Rome, who, by the way, had conquered Judea (and The Galilee) long before this time and made this area a part of their Empire. Modesty and chastity were required for this type female from a Roman standpoint and a Maccabean standpoint (her bloodline was matriarchal). She had to be dutiful, respectful, and learn at her mothers knee, an important custom amongst the Maccabean women. She was a good kid. So, she couldnt have been a teenager and allowed to perform. It would diminish her future value in the marriage market, Roman or otherwise, and it would have been a sin. I would opine she had to be less than Nadia Comanecis age when she blew away the Olympic judges in 1976, but she was probably just as agile.
Its probable that Herodias recognized her daughters agility long before the banquet, for kids have a tendency to display what theyre good at long before theres a use for the tendency. It could have been a genetic throwback to the time before the Maccabees were promoted to highborn, the time when the men were just about the best guerilla fighters in Judea and found the mountainous regions around Judea excellent terrain to entice their foes into combat. She was probably proud of this tendency and savvy enough to see a utilization for her own good. This also pre-supposes that Herodias might have had more contact in Salomes upbringing than Roman highborn mothers or that there was a lot of contact between highborn mothers and their daughters at that time. In either case, Herodias planned the banquet and the entertainment and included her agile daughter in the entertainment, making sure Salome rehearsed and would do a good job in the acrobatic kid part of the troop?a multi-tasking woman for sure.
Protocol at posh and formal banquets where Roman mucky mucks were invited was stringent. This would have been very important to Antipas, also. He had been raised in Rome (maybe even a hostage child) and the land he administered at the time of the banquet had been bequeathed to him by Rome. Augustus (of the Cleopatra story) had handled the apportioning of Antipas fathers enormous estate when he, known as Herod The Great, died. Antipas was not happy with the way Poppas estate was apportioned, felt he had gotten the short stick amongst his four brothers. (He had.) He would have been very, very Roman at this Roman banquet in order to make nice and have this get back to Rome.
The men would have reclined on the equivalent of 1st century Barco-Loungers and ate lovely things and drank lovely wine moderately, while trading amusing stories and quips and bantering amongst each other. Im not sure just what bantering is, but I am sure they bantered. They would have been arranged in a horseshoe pattern. The women guests and their hostess would have sat on chairs and I couldnt figure out where the chairs were placed, within the horseshoe in a line or outside the horseshoe in a line. But in any case, they would have sat on fancy, but hard backed, chairs in a line and would not have eaten, drunk wine, but I suggest they may have bantered. Their job was to just sit, all gussied up and smellin good. (They would eat and drink, later, when they got home or when the guests left, depending on your perspective.)
Salome could not have been invited. If she had been invited, she would have left her fancy, hard-backed chair vacant in order to get into costume and perform. Antipas would have noticed the empty chair and have asked someone, Where did the kid go? And, someone would have said, Shes going to perform. That would have taken the drama out of this next part of the story. Lets agree; she was not invited to the banquet.
At the proper time, the play was performed, and the audience clapped after it was over. Antipas complimented the performers, then singled one out. Because it was Salome that was singled out, I believe she was one of the masked acrobats. It only makes sense. Antipas apparently didnt recognize the stepdaughter he had raised since infancy as the excellent acrobat in the play. Rather, he thought her one of the professionals, for if he had recognized her, he wouldnt have offered the giftreward. He just would have said, Good job, sweetie. Go get washed. Youll catch cold. Therefore, because he didnt recognize her, he made a magnanimous gesture (Its not unlikely that he was showing off for the guests, for Antipas was a doodle-head, didnt think things through. Well get to that, later.), and he offered the acrobat-Salome anything she desired as a gift from him for her fine performance. This is exactly what Herodias had planned to happen. She knew her guy pretty well and she knew her little girl real well. The benign tellers were right: she was a savvy gal.
Since all sources attribute what comes next as engendered by Herodias, the acrobat-Salome had to have asked him to wait a minute and had to have gone to the chair line, where her mother and the other women were sitting, otherwise Herodias would not have been associated with what comes next. (It would have been only Salome who would have been associated with what comes next.). So, the mother and daughter had to have conferred quietly, while Antipas (and the guests) watched. Perhaps, Salome said, Euwww, as kids do when they hear something revolting; or perhaps, not. She was a 1st century kid and they may have been different from 21st century kids. I think not. Kids are kids. She said Euwww. Dutifully, she listened closely to what her mother told her and she probably repeated it back to Herodias, so that she got it right and straight. Then, she, the acrobat-Salome, came back to Antipas with the gift idea: the head of the long time prisoner John (who later became John the Baptist, but who was merely the prisoner John at this time) on a platter (which was probably not a platter, but a charger).
Its possible that he recognized Salome at this point. It doesnt really matter. I do know he knew he had been set up by his wife, Herodias, via this acrobat-Salome, when he heard the performance reward. And he was startled and embarrassed and in a public quandary. Its possible he questioned the acrobat-Salome with an are you kidding? kind of question, while looking in Herodias direction, who either shrugged her shoulders or nodded yes. From a legal standpoint, he did not have to honor this acrobat-Salomes request, for it wasnt hers. It was Herodias. But thats not how it went down.
Everyone at the banquet knew there had been a big mad between Herodias and Antipas regarding John for a long, long time. She had wanted him killed outright for talking often and badly about her and her marriage to Antipas to everyone and anyone who would listen to him. John had labeled it incestuous and it was, kind of, but by only a technicality, like the small print in a big long contract. Herodias first husband, the Herod were calling Phillip, was Antipas half brother. They shared the same father, Herod The Great, but had different mothers. Phillip was still living in Judea where he was King (Rome gave him a large portion of his fathers estate, larger than Antipas..) and as long as Phillip lived, Herodias and Antipas had an incestuous marriage. As soon as he died, it would be an okay marriage. But, he hadnt died, yet.
Although it was the gossip that bothered Herodias (A good spin doctor would have helped, but they were 2000 years down the road in development.), it was the religious twist John put on the technical incest that bothered Antipas. John attributed all the stuff that had gone wrong in The Galilee since they married (and stuff had gone wrong, for Antipas was a doodle-head) to the marriage. And, John said that the monotheistic god was angry with her, more than Antipas, because of her good Maccabean blood (a mix of Idumean and Samarian blood results in a person that the monotheistic god doesnt expect much from), and would stay angry with her and get more so, so the anger would spill over to the whole of The Galilee, until she and Antipas split (or, I guess, until Phillip died, a factor that was out of her hands).
People listened to that kind of stuff at that time and in that place and they got real scared. A monotheistic gods anger was a terrible thing. Famine, drought, disease, pestilence, flood, invasion, even eclipse – anything could happen when a monotheistic god was angry. While there hadnt been famine, drought, disease, pestilence, flood, invasion, or even an eclipse in The Galilee, Antipas had lost a war, his first, with Nabatea, their neighbor in Arabia.
Herodias could have been a vulnerable position should important people have listened to Johns predictions. Luckily for her, the important people had other things on their mind. Antipas said no to killing John and yes to imprisoning him, believing that would shut John up. Some sources said Antipas had a feeling that Johns predictions were true; others said he had a feel for the monotheistic deity. Still others say he was merely acting like a political animal, notably, a fox. At any rate, John was not killed, but imprisoned, and he had been languishing in the prison for many years at the time of the banquet.
Now, killing a local prisoner was no big deal anywhere in the 1st century world of the Roman Empire and having a prisoner killed to reward an agile acrobat was stretching the reward idea, but… it could work. The thing is that the head on a plattercharger was the note that made it a bigger deal. This touch was a gruesome, certainly barbaric, dramatic thing and would cause a scandal and gossip all over Judea and in Rome, what Antipas did not need if he were to ever get any more land from his dead fathers estate from Rome. (And it did, for Flavius Josephus in his book, Antiquities, writing to and for Rome about 100 years after the event ,included the event for it was still so juicy. This, by the way, is how we know about some parts of it.) (An important question occurs to me and that is this: How and where did Herodias get this notion? The very best I can come up with is the Greek myth of Perseus and Medusa and their fight to death. Perseus won. He decapitated Medusa and waved her head around and took it a bunch of places as a talisman. It must have been awful after a time. Maybe thats where she got it, for she was well educated. Perhaps, she then pragmatically adapted it to the opportune situation at hand. Beheading was a popular type of death and an honorable type of execution for criminals and warriors amongst the Romans and the Maccabees and the Arabians. This, I discovered, from plunking around on the Internet to some very weird websites. I dont recommend you check this out for yourself. Truthfully, I cannot imagine where she got this embellishment. One of these weird websites calls her talented.)
The doodle-head complied.
A messenger was sent to the fortress named Macharerus (now called Mukawir) in an area called The Perea (now part of Amman, Jordan) where John was imprisoned. A nameless guard cut off his head, and got a messenger to convey it to the castle somewhere in The Galilee, where the banquet guests were waiting, the males still bantering with one another, I guess, to pass the time; the females still sitting quietly on their hard chairs, smellin good. The acrobat-Salome probably went off somewhere to bathe and change clothes, then returned to the banquet room to stand next to her (talented) Momma or stand with the performers. The guards put the headless body somewhere, waited for further orders.
I couldnt find out how far away the area The Parea was from The Galilee, for I couldnt pin down exactly what city the castle was located in the area known as The Galilee, then, the area where the banquet occurred. Lets believe it wasnt terribly far, so the messenger conveying the head could get from there to there quick. He arrived and a kitchen servant brought a plattercharger (No one knows if it was a platter made out of silver, gold, porcelain, or stoneware. In fact, no one cared. Furthermore, it may not have been a platter, but a charger, which is larger than a plate and smaller than a platter and rested under a plate at a table service and was often of precious metal. Since its a Roman banquet, people took morsels of this and that from servant-held chargers, didnt have a table service at all. They were reclining.) where the head was placed. Another servant, a serving type, brought the head to the banquet hall and stood in front of Antipas. Its possible he directed the servant to acrobat-Salome, who took the plattercharger and gave it to her Mother. One redactor source makes Herodias even more gruesome stating: she got a sword and stabbed the tongue. This is an embellishment that even Flavius Josephus didnt believe, so he doesnt mention it. What she really did with it, I dont know. (People who thought John had a direct line to the monotheistic god requested his body and his head from Antipas, who released both parts to them. They took it to an area called Samaria, which was close to The Perea, and buried it.)
What happened after this part of the banquet took place, I dont know. I imagine some guy yawned and said, Its been quite an evening. I think its time to get going. And the guests all went to their lodgings. Its probable that Antipas and Herodias had a long conversation, after the guests left. When they were alone in their private rooms, he probably opened the conversation with: We never talk anymore, Herodias. Tell me whats going on with you. Salome, who had been up long past her normal bedtime, was probably overtired and went to sleep or was put to sleep immediately.
And there you have it. Salome didnt dance, didnt wear veils, and had a strong bond with her Mother.
End of Part 1
Barbara Nell, publisher of The Perspicacious Woman OnLine (C), a bi-monthly fashion magazine now in its 10th year of publication, has been a closet bug on history all her life.br
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Author: Tayo Solagbadebr
Source: articleage.combr
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Not many people have the ability to competently carry out multiple tasks simultaneously, and deliver satisfactory results on each task – consistently. Fewer still are comfortable with continually learning to do many things at the same time. Yet, in every society we find there are always a select few who seem to thrive doing just that.
Expressions in daily conversation coined to describe such persons include man-of-many-parts, one-who-wears-many-hats, multi-talented, multi-skilled, versatile etc. This article describes an unusual – but well established – practice in which certain individuals intelligently combine their(sometimes self-taught) skills in a variety of related fields to successfully – and repeatedly – deliver desired results( to employers), or products and services(to clients/ customers).
Below, I describe my personal experiences as a Multipreneurial Employee in Guinness between 1995 and 2001.
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I recall vividly that as a fresh Graduate Management Trainee in the large corporate multinational(Guinness Nigeria Plc) where I worked, my keen interest in computers initially attracted plenty of criticism from some of my peers and senior colleagues.
On numerous occasions, they seized the opportunity of little shortcomings I displayed in doing my job as a Shift Brewer, to insinuate that the time I spent working on the computer (something not at that time in widespread use) prevented me from mastering the essential practical requirements to successfully function as a brewer.
In time, I was of course able to demonstrate beyond any shred of doubt that their assumptions were wrong. Not only did I mature into a competent brewer/Packaging shift manager (one who got repeated secondments to other departments to fill sudden vacancies while replacements were sought), I also went on to use my spreadsheet programming skills to develop over five customised spreadsheet applications – which were formally adopted for use.
My abilities got me noticed early by senior management, so that within two years of joining the company, I was already actively involved, and even responsible for collation/preparation of brewery-level reports. These were activities which required a good understanding of key manufacturing performance parameters, as well as sound knowledge of various calculations used to estimate monetary gains/losses in brewing, for decision-making. In the process, I got to know/work closely with senior managers in my function, well ahead of my peers.
All of that would go a long way to prepare me for later achievements like challenging existing brewing performance parameters calculations; proposing modifications to some, and even developing my own formula for – what I considered – better estimation of brewing performances, which I called % Brewhouse Efficiency formula. This formula was given consideration by the companys senior management for 6 months, with brewery tests being done using it. (You can learn more about how I was able to record these achievements in my article titled Achieve Recognition and Attract Career Advancement Opportunities By Being A Change Agent).
Yet I did all this while still doing my regular job as a brewer. I was so proficient in doing them, that I felt no strain combining them with my normal job. Looking back, and even considering the sources from which criticism for my multidisciplinary approach came, I have come to the conclusion that many times people assess the workability of what another person is trying to achieve from their own mind frame.
If they think it be difficult for them to do, then they believe it would be so for the other person. What they forget is that we are not all alike. In fact there are certain people who cannot stay doing just one single thing for long. They would actually become demotivated, inefficient, and even bored. As one Multipreneur – Gary Havener – put it, I guess I just have a short attention span.
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Multipreneurs Are Everywhere – Even YOU Could Be One( Not Know It)!
1. Multipreneurs In Sports: We cannot all be the same. It is true that when you chase two rats at the same time, you could end up losing both. But in life, the fact is that there will be some people who can learn how to chase and catch both rats .
An event like the Decathlon(and the Heptathlon!) gives the few amongst us who fail to fit into the normal profile expected, a place to belong. As I said previously, not everyone will like to stick with just one sport. Some people get their greatest satisfaction – and are even at their productive best – when they are able to switch from one activity to another, uninhibited.
Daley Thompson was Decathlon champion for more than a decade, but he was not a Jack of all trades. He was instead what I call a Jack of Many Trades? or an Intelligent Multipreneur. Young Daley had an aptitude for combining many activities – and tended not to really be fully engaged if he had to focus on just one. His teachers in school thought this meant he had ADD(Attention Deficit Disorder), but the parents(thankfully) refused to accept that and challenged the school to engage the young childs energies appropriately. The rest is history.
2. YOU as an Involuntary Multipreneur: Now, what about you? Did you not have to study up to ten or twelve different subjects in school before you could finish and move to University? Subjects you did not like, and knew you would not continue after school! Why doesnt someone ask what the point of having children study subjects they are not likely to use after they leave school is about? If it had been a pleasant one, that experience in school could probably have caused you to develop an interest in multipreneuring.
3. How much should YOUR President know?: Would you vote for a Presidential aspirant who demonstrates knowledge of only one or two areas of the economy/government claiming he cannot afford to take active interest in learning about the others because he is a specialist? I doubt it. Citizens of a country rightly expect that their president will be able to answer questions on ANY issue concerning the government or economy of the country. Thats why Presidential debates between aspirants are such a crucial part of the elections process in many societies.
Presidents of countries, by the nature of their jobs, need to be multipreneurial in their mental dispositions. This is because they are answerable to an entire nation comprising widely differing groups of people with varying – and constantly changing – levels of unique interests and needs.
4. Multipreneurs in Entertainment: John Travolta (as I learnt from watching an episode of Oprah Winfreys show) is a licensed airline pilot. But apart from that, he is proficient at a wide variety of other things. His job as an actor frequently requires him to acquire new knowledge/skills in order to successfully portray a character. Away from acting, those he meets in life will find him adept at doing many things – and consider him quite cool, and potentially useful to have/be around!
A quick example. Imagine John is on a plane whose pilot suddenly has a coronary, and the co-pilots nerves fail him. With John around, there would still be hope for everyone on board! I know actors sometimes have stunt doubles who cover for them, but many times, they have to do it themselves.
Steps To Becoming An Intelligent Jack Of Many Trades?(or Multipreneur)
But how does one draw the line here. At what point does doing something like this become a case of Jack of all trades, master of none?
My answer is in two folds i.e. it depends. Firstly, if your objective is not to be a master, and only that you wish to achieve reasonably good proficiency in the disciplines you venture into, then the adage just mentioned should not bother you.
For instance, when you decide to learn how to type your own letters/use the PC better, it does not mean that you will decide to become better than your secretary. What it could mean is that in the event that your secretary is unexpectedly absent from work, you will not be at a loss as to how to locate (for instance) the important memo she was typing yesterday on her PC, so as to finish it off, and send it out to those concerned on time.
Secondly, you should not aim to become a Jack of all trades. That would be unwise, as it is not humanly possible to do so, and maintain efficiency in all at the same time. But, you can successfully become a Jack Of Many Trades?, and be better of for it.
To do the latter(i.e. become a Jack Of Many Trades?), the simple steps below can be followed:
1. Do some deep thinking/soul-searching about what exactly your personal goal(s) is(are) regarding your job or business interest(s).
2. Decide what competencies (knowledge, attitudes and skills) you need to develop to achieve your chosen goal(s).
3. Once youve done that, you then need to write out (and I do mean write!!) your PLAN to acquire, and productively use, the various competencies that youve identified.
4. Next, you put the plan to work. Do whatever it is you have decided you need to do, in order to achieve the goal(s) you have chosen to pursue.
Note: Since becoming a multipreneur will require you to progressively acquire new knowledge and skills about different activities, you can expect to routinely run through steps 1 to 4 every now and then.
How Multipreneuring Can Make You Succeed More Often
The following are some specific ways that Multipreneuring can help you.
1. You fit more easily into different groups: Think back to many of the social events you have attended. How easily did you fit into a group of people who were as excited as you were about football or politics for instance? Very easily, Im sure youll agree. A sound knowledge of key aspects of a specific area of interest can help you get the respect, admiration, and friendship/cooperation of others. You get instant empathy. People feel they know you.
Now, imagine you were able to learn relevant things or acquire skills important to varied groups of people. Once you find yourself among each group, you can put your knowledge/skill to use. Very often, the effect would be instant. People would be drawn to you! How excited would you be if you were in Bulgaria to attend a conference, and met a delegate from France who spoke your language, having spent ten years in your country?
Now think about it the other way round. What if YOU could learn to speak, read and write fluent French? What do you think would happen if you ran into an expatriate French couple just arrived in your country having difficulty communicating their intended destination to an Airport taxi driver? Chances are high that they would instantly engage you to help them out, and it is likely to be the beginning of a lasting friendship!
I speak, read and write French having learnt it the hard way some years back(read my story in the article titled Achieving YOUR Goals IN SPITE OF Adversity – Two Short But True Stories That Tell HOW to learn how I did it). The benefits accruing to me from acquiring this skill since then convince me that what I have said here is correct.
Also, my proficiency in developing automated spreadsheet solutions for use in the various departments I worked as a manager in Guinness, over time made me become close to key members of the brewerys Information Technology team. This friendship got so good to the point that I often spent my free time in their offices, and at a point, some newcomers to the brewery even assumed I was an IT personnel.
To top it, I often successfully secured the cooperation of the IT team to implement many of the spreadsheet solutions I developed. The automated spreadsheet-based Brewery training records database that I developed towards the ISO 9001 certification audits conducted by Standards Organisation of Nigeria – SON (in my capacity as Technical Training and Development Manager) was made accessible across the brewery intranet with the cooperation of my IT department friends.
2. You are able to understand others in or outside the workplace: Too many instances have occurred in society, where people engaged in conflict simply because they did not understand each others points of view. One of the best ways to guard against this problem is by going out of your way to learn about the unique circumstances and challenges surrounding the next person.
For instance back in Guinness, because I had a very strong background in Packaging and Brewing operations, having worked many times in both departments, I was frequently able to avert potential confrontations. For one thing, I knew many of the shift managers, shop floor operators and operations fairly well. So, when for instance, beer supply from my end (brewing) was short, I was often able to persuade the packaging operator/manager to send beer from the only remaining bottling tank to both bottling lines, till I and my men were able to solve the supply problem at our end. This helped us avert lost production hours, which often occurred when parties concerned remained intransigent.
Incidentally, my understanding of the packaging operations enabled me diplomatically punch holes in initial objections to the workability of my proposal. We would all then laughingly agree to implement it, or a modified version. The book How to win friends and influence people by Dale Carnegie provides excellent advice on how to successfully get people to do what you want, and have them feeling good about it in the end. Buy and read it.
3. Your perspective and horizon broadens : Your mind opens up. By the time you have successfully become a Multipreneur, your personal beliefs about what is impossible will have changed. As I like to joke in my talks, some people at this stage will be like the young boy who had always thought his fathers farm was the biggest there was – until he travelled to other places and discovered otherwise. You will be less willing to discourage others from challenging existing ways of doing things, and more disposed to exploring new possibilities.
4. Your usefulness to your organisation(or clients) increases : So long as you have invested your time and energy in acquiring the right mix of knowledge and skills, its only a matter of time before your companys decision makers(or current/prospective clients) begin to notice you. I say this however in the expectation that you will now not go and hide your lamp under a bushel.
For instance, as a young brewer I (really) hated the various manual calculations (e.g. weighted averages to determine beer blending ratios for sometimes up to four bottling tanks!) so badly, that I developed an automated spreadsheet application to do the same thing. Not only did this solution lead to quicker estimation of needed beer blending volumes by the brewer, but the computer-generated beer parameters also showed significant positive correlation with the laboratory results obtained!
As soon as my boss found out about the existence of that application, he promptly announced at a departmental meeting that it was to be formally adopted for use, and instructed that I train others to use it. (Read my article titled How To Turn A Major Blunder At Work Into A Career Advancement Opportunity to learn about the bad first night shift duty experience I had, which forced me to develop that spreadsheet solution).
This happened for other solutions I developed for use in the brewery. Many times I actually started out to solve a personal problem I disliked about my job, but in the process, those doing that same job with me, (who had also been struggling with the problem) naturally found the solution I developed useful to themselves too – hence they adopted it readily. And I got acknowledged for it – via good appraisals, and many career advancement opportunities that subsequently followed.
How Long Will Success Achievement Take?
Now, this brings us to a reality that some people never want to accept. To achieve success, one must be ready to do what is required. In practicing multipreneuring, whether in business or paid employment, the person concerned must decide up front, that s/he will apply the principle of persistence.
It would be naive for anyone to expect that as soon as s/he commences learning or doing something, success will immediately follow. If the world worked that way, then EVERY ONE of us would be a millionaire today!
So, lets be honest with ourselves here – it wont be easy!!
The fact is that you must follow the earlier enumerated steps to becoming a successful Jack Of Many Trades?. Select the vocations you wish to become proficient in. Study them. Practice what you learn. THEN apply them persistently (constantly reviewing/making needed adjustments), till you get the result(s) you desire.
I spent many night shifts as a brewer combining supervision of the brewing plant operations with improving my typing speed using a Typing Tutor, and also working on different spreadsheet solutions on the office computer. One afternoon, the Brewery Mangers secretary saw me typing and exclaimed: Solagbade, you type so fast! What is your speed? Neither she, nor a senior manager who made a habit of calling me TK Computer really knew how many hours of hard work I had put in, in my personal time, to become that good at those things.
And if you recall, from my story, I made many blunders at work initially that caused others to criticise me for lacking mastery of my primary job because I spent(they felt) too much time on the computer.
What they did not know was that even after they had gone home, I would often stay back in the brewery to learn directly from the process operators on duty, the rudiments of successfully managing the brewing process. Many times I would leave the brewery for my house as late as 1.00am in the morning, even though I had actually worked on morning shift, and closed at 2.00pm the previous day. You may not have to do what I did. But, you MUST pay your dues. If you do, you will get to a level of mastery that will make others marvel.
Is It Not Better To Be Known For One Particular Thing?
Someone once asked me if it would not be better to be known for one particular thing. My answer was that I do actually intend to be known for ONE thing which is my ability to engage in multiple, complementary vocations simultaneously and successfully, so long as I remain effective and efficient in doing them.
I was able to do my job as brewer, and later Training and Technical Development Manager, then acting Production Manager, while continuing to utilise my proficiency in spreadsheets solutions development, to develop lasting solutions for data management and reporting problems everywhere I worked.
I was so good at it, that I effortlessly implemented solutions to major problems in a way that surprised many others. For me, because I had spent so much of my free time(unknown to many) doing it, it was easy. For others, it looked like a lot of work. So, they were thinking about it from their perspective as people who were not as adept as I was. Of course, it felt like it would be difficult to combine such with a regular job – especially when one did not get to take time off to do it.
I once watched an edition of Oprah Winfreys show in which Venus Williams was interviewed along with her sister, Serena. Both ladies were questioned about criticisms levelled against them by other Tennis stars for engaging in other vocations while still active in top-flight tennis. Venus owns her own fashion design company, and actually designs her own clothes. Serena had been appearing in some new films/movies playing leading roles.
According to Oprah, Martina Navratilova had stated that the sisters were being arrogant by doing that, since it was expected that they, as professional tennis players, would concentrate on playing tennis – like all others. In response, Venus said (quite sensibly), that they believed it would be unwise to assume they would continue to do well in tennis indefinitely, and following their parents advice, decided to explore other vocations early on.
Summary
So long as you are not getting inefficient from doing multiple tasks or acquiring multiple competencies, dont let people tell you youre a Jack-of-all-trades.
I once read an article on career development, which advised people in paid employment to Know A Little About Everything, if they wish to get ahead on their jobs. In fact, most start-up entrepreneurs HAVE TO be that way for a major part of their start-up life, because they cannot afford(due to limited capital) to do otherwise! Companies – and even individuals – will in the future be looking for a one-stop solution to their needs, and will tend to settle for entrepreneurs(or employees) with proven multiple competencies.
You can be a successful Jack Of Many Trades?, so long as you avoid crossing the not-so-thin line that leads to becoming a Jack of all trades. All you need do is intelligently decide on relevant competencies that will help you attain your personal/career advancement goals. Then acquire and put them to use in ways that benefit you, people around you, or the client/organisation you work for. The results you get will excite you perpetually!
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This article is one of twenty-five(25) contained in Tayo Solagbades Ebook titled 25 Articles/True Stories On Self-Development, Entrepeneuring Web Marketing To Help You Succeed More Often.
Self-Development/Performance Enhancement Specialist – Tayo Solagbade – works as a Multipreneur, helping individuals/businesses develop and implement strategies to achieve their goals, faster and more profitably. Download your copy of his 25 Articles Ebook from http://www.lulu.com/content/268555. You get full reprint rights for each article.
Visit Tayos Creative Business Solutions(CB Solutions) mini-site – http://www.cbsolutions.v27.net – to learn how you can get affordable Freelance Writing, Rapid Website Design/CGI Automation, Website Marketing Strategy Development and Custom MS Excel VB Spreadsheet Automation Services.br
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Author: Charlotte Blackwellbr
Source: ezinearticles.combr
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Many have such an opportunity to never have to work again after their playing career if they invest their money correctly. Sadly, the case of Antoine Walker is one that is all too common. Many athletes take care of extended family and friends in an unlimited fashion. Some have a wife who hasnt learned to deal with the finances.

There are times that the wifes family becomes a financial burden as well. They dont know how to say no or they are guilted into financially supporting people. It is disappointing to hear that someone who earned over $100 million dollars in their career must file bankruptcy. Where were the financial advisers? Where was a wife or family member who just put their foot down and said No more!?

Many athletes enter into the arena of professional sports with no solid financial background. What is the NBA, NFL,MLB, and NHL doing to prepare them? Yes, they have rookie symposium and brief seminars to remind them of the dangers of picking the wrong financial advisor or agent. But it was one of the league approved financial advisors who stole tens of millions of dollars from several NFL athletes. What else can they do to prevent more than 60% of retired NBA players of being broke five years after they retire and over 70% of retired NFL players after two years.

How about teaching financial skills in the off season or requiring a return to school to graduate, if they have not already? What about putting a certain amount of their salaries in trusts that are available in increments over a period of time? Something has to be done. Athletes bodies take a lot of wear and tear over their careers. Not just from their game play, but from the endless practices, and prescription drugs they take to disguise the ailments they face daily. There are those whose bodies cant take the grind of a regular 9 to 5 job. Many have not developed other skills or knowledge required to go into other fields.

There are a plethora of athletes who view their athletic careers as a lifestyle versus a job. They feel they must own at least 4 cars, have a huge mansion (or two), travel first class only, wear the latest and greatest fashions, own hundreds of shoes, and buy jewelry like groceries. They carry wads of cash and feel insecure if they dont have at least a grand on them. Electronics are bought like candy. Who, in their circle, is courageous enough to tell them not to make these purchases without risking being cutoff. The spending goes on and on. Its a continuous downward spiral.

Dont get me wrong, there are those that realize they are earning a large sum of money for a short period of time. They are methodical about where their money is disbursed. They surround themselves with a small circle of people who prove trustworthiness. They keep a guard as to who they let in their world. I wish there were more financial success stories.

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pThank you for reading this article./ppa target=_new href=http://www.theprowife.com rel=nofollowThe ProWife/a is an elite and exclusive website created to assist in the daily life of a pro athletes family. for our preferred vendors directory. We are working on over 40 different cities. There are many services to fit your needs, Architects, Veterinarians, Painters, Salons… We have it all!/ppPlease visit a target=_new href=http://www.theprowife.com/blog rel=nofollowThe ProWife Blog/a for the latest entertainment buzz in the professional athletes world./pbr
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Author: Tayo Solagbadebr
Source: downloadbr
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Lesson On The Use Of Deception In Business Strategy(From A Movie – And An Ancient Book)
If you dont mind Id like to start this piece with a narrative of the closing stages of an interesting movie I once watched titled TROY. If you do mind, then skip to the next section, as I believe Ive put in enough from there to still convey most of my intended message .
It was intriguing to watch a scene in the movie, where the Greek warriors, led by their famous fighting machine character Achilles, exploited the somewhat fatalistic and excessively religious mentality of the Trojans. They did this by placing a gigantic wooden gift horse surrounded by corpses of Greek soldiers who looked like they had been afflicted by a strange illness on an open field where it would be easily found by the Trojans. When the Trojan King and his priests saw it, they readily interpreted it(as the Greeks had hoped they would) to mean their gods were at last fighting for them by visiting the strange illness on the Greeks. They believed that was why the Greeks had sent in the gift horse as an offering to appease the gods of the Trojans.
Ignoring the protests of a few – including their kings son, who proposed that the gift be burned(Achilles and his guys who were hiding inside the giant horse-gift must have been terrified to hear that!) – the Trojans had the gift horse dragged through their hitherto impregnable city gates(which had kept attackers like the Greeks out for years), right into the city center. The people then danced late into the night celebrating the apparent surrender of the Trojans.
Hmm, how ironic. What they did not know was that the Trojans knew them so well, that they had expected this kind of reaction, and had played on it deliberately, to get behind the famed walls. Late in the night, long after the celebrations had ended and all the people had gone back to their homes to sleep, the Greek soldiers hidden in the giant wooden horse gift began to emerge. Within minutes, they began taking out the guards, and killing any other Trojans they met along the way. In no time, they had opened the city gates, and let their waiting compatriots in. The great city of Troy fell – VERY badly.
So, what really happened to cause this tragedy? The Trojans acted naively. They too readily assumed that their pagan enemies who had traveled a great distance to fight them had succumbed to the power of the gods of Troy. They let what they felt – and wanted badly to see/hear – cloud their judgment of what was BEFORE them. At the point when they contemplated what to do with the gift horse, even the most competent among them lost hold of his critical thinking skills, and succumbed instead to wishful thinking encouraged by overzealous priests.
The Greeks had done the opposite. They had studied their enemies well. They knew their strengths(from many unsuccessful attempts at trying to force their way into the city), and took pains to discover their weaknesses. They then put together a plan to exploit the latter, in order to achieve their aims. In my opinion, the foregoing is an excellent example of the application, by the Greeks, of the principles described in a book titled The Art of War (regarded as a classic work on strategy in warfare) written by Sun Tzu, an ancient Chinese General reputed to have been extremely successful in war.
Consider the quote below, from that book:
Therefore, when capable, feign incapacity: when active, inactivity. When near, make it appear you are far away when far away, that you are near?.I make my enemy see my strengths as weaknesses and my weaknesses as strengths while I cause his strengths to become weaknesses and discover where he is not strong?I conceal my tracks so that none can discern them; I keep silence so that none can hear me
– Sun Tzu, in The Art Of War
Incidentally Mark R. McNeilly in his book Sun Tzu and the Art Of Business – Six strategic principles for managers translated the strategic concepts from the original book by Sun Tzu – into successful business strategies. In his book, McNeilly describes the principle of Deception and Foreknowledge (along with five others) as crucially important for achieving success in business.
Among other things, he explained that if you wish to get ahead of your business competition, you must do a very deep level of research and analysis. Something like that done by the Greeks in the movie I just described. I would add that this means you have to study them well enough to understand HOW THEY THINK, and WHAT makes them do the things they do, the way they do them. By so doing, you will not only be equipped to anticipate their next moves, BUT you will also know what moves YOU can make that they will be UN-prepared for, and will therefore be unable to respond to.
In effect you would know how to get – and stay – ahead of them.
Sometimes A Good Thing(E.g A FREE Gift) May Not Be Good For You
If you are in the habit of accepting unsolicited offers of help or support from just about anyone who makes them, you can set yourself up to be ripped-off or exploited causing needless suffering/setbacks. When you first begin your business, you will likely be often short on cash. Those periods might force you to have to depend on others.
Sometimes, people will offer to help by giving you money, but James Cook and others advice that to succeed, you will eventually have to turn your back on handouts and offers of charity from those who try to feel sorry for you. Dont let them – you dont need that. Instead borrow money/accept help, in exchange for a part of something you own e.g a stake in your business etc. If you took the right decision about starting your business in the first place, you are not likely to regret it subsequently. If you wont regret it, why should you let someone feel bad on your behalf?
It can get quite difficult to keep this up however, especially with the lack of money biting away at your subconscious. But, if you are a student of success, you should by now know that it is challenges of this nature that WILL make you strong.
Adversity Can Help You Discover Who Your REAL Friends Are(NOT)!
Let me tell you one good reason why you should be grateful for adversity of this kind e.g. lack of money. It helps you find out who your real friends are(and/or ARE NOT). Adversity for a business startup/owner can often come in the form of LACK – be it of money or access to other need resources. Money issues in particular have always caused problems between people who had otherwise excellent relationships.
Thats why I always say this: For any two people(including husband and wife) to really prove they understand themselves thoroughly, let them demonstrate THAT understanding repeatedly and consistently in relation to money issues.
When your friend suddenly sees that you no longer seem to (note that I said seem to) have that spark in your eyes, that confidence with which you spoke six months earlier about your business, how does s/he behave? Does s/he still keep extending support to you – financially or otherwise? Or does s/he suddenly start telling you s/he is busy; hardly returns your phone calls, talks down to you before others etc?
What Do You Do With The REAL Friend(s) That You Discover?
But what if the person DOES keep on giving you the support or assistance as and when the need arises? Do you just keep accepting it as it comes? My experiences have taught me the answer to that question is a VERY BIG NO! You cannot afford to simply assume that anyone would do that much for nothing. It would be unwise to even accept such. The truth is that not everyone can be that selfless! There is VERY likely to be something that person is looking to get, for helping out so much – and it may not necessarily be money. So youd better find out quickly, and ensure youre willing to give whatever it turns out to be. If you find you cannot give it, then you can quickly stop him/her before letting things go too far.
Let me repeat myself. It is in your best interest to quickly ascertain a persons motives for helping you if they ever come your way – else you might regret not doing so, much later. No matter how well you think you know people, you can never know them well enough. I have found that human beings are always able to surprise themselves again and again. This can be especially true where money issues are concerned!
There was a Power Point slide show presentation circulated on the Internet some years ago that found its way into my outlook e-mail box in my last workplace. It was a kind of parable about life. There is one particular phrase I took away from it which goes something like this: Not everyone that puts dirt on your head is your enemy, and not everyone that takes the dirt off your head, is your friend.
With reference to that parable, I will say that you may want to always watch out for the tell tale signs of people who try to use you. Some come close to you, if they think you look like you might soon get a breakthrough – they want to be around at that time, so they can claim to have been there for you(and therefore share the spotlight/moment of glory). Others are hoping that by helping you, you will remember them when you get to the top, and open doors for them in return. Again, that is if they feel you could do very well. In such instances, they stick around. But soon as they get what they consider strong signals that things might not turn out the way they expected, for you, their dispositions change. Always be ready for such, and take it in your stride.
Summary
The foregoing points should be in your mind when you want to take that decision to accept the offer your friend or relative has made that you save your money by moving into his/her house for instance. At the initial stages, it might seem like a good idea, and could even be fun. But, you cannot often be sure of what an individuals temperament will be when faced with the reality of the fact that you have at a point become something of a liability(I refer here to the possibility of tough times in your business startup lasting longer that you anticipated).
Things can get a bit nasty when the rough patches come. If the person you accepted to stay with, is not one who really believed in what you were doing from the beginning, then you will notice a change from his/her body language. If unfortunately you are not in a position to – for instance – move elsewhere, you will then have to accept some not-too-friendly treatment from your friend till you can! Thats not likely to help you maintain the preferred positive mental attitude needed to get you through the difficult periods. So, be careful how you accept seemingly harmless offers of assistance, or you might end up getting into BIGGER trouble, than the one you needed help to GET OUT OF in the first place!
Self-Development/Performance Enhancement Specialist – Tayo Solagbade – devotes his time to exploring new frontiers of Self-Development Education, especially as it relates to showing people what they can do by themselves, for themselves to achieve their set goals – DESPITE the limitations of their circumstances or environment.
To get more FREE Performance Enhancement Articles/Ebooks, visit his website at http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com.br
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Author: Anonymousbr
Source: free-articlesbr
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March 30, 2004–In a small room, in a modern neighborhood not far from the historic center of St. Augustine, Florida an Industrial Engineer sits at his computer, diligently working on his latest project. It is not a factory layout or a product flow that captivates Joseph OSteens focused attention. For he has escaped not only his daily vocation but also this century, traveling into the past, to a time when men were made of iron and ships were made of wood.

The St. Augustine native is an Industrial Engineer for Northrop Grumman Corporation by day and a writer of Napoleonic War at Sea novels at night. Last year the little room in his home was transformed into his sea cabin to help inspire his writing. Sailing ships sit atop shelves surrounded by pirate figurines guarding a treasure chest full of booty. Flintlock pistols and various types of swords stand ready to repel borders or serve as a quick reference for some passage OSteen is writing. Charts, maps and nautical instruments adorn the walls to aide him in his navigation through his story line.

He calls working in his cabin, ???getting into the mood,??� and it seems to be working just fine. In 2003 OSteen published ???Falcons Revenge??�, the first novel in his six book Nathan Beauchamp of the Royal Navy series. His cabin now has a space with book reviews and newspaper articles about his first book and his writing style. Thanks to Tallshipsbooks.com, Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble, his novels are read here and in six foreign countries. Joe believes you have to live your story to make it believable. The cabin provides him a stirring inspiration for British naval warfare that he wishes to share. He expresses his love of the genre by having a full British Naval Captains 1803 uniform made for him to wear at book signings and speaking engagements at local historic and civic events.

Joseph L OSteens appearances in March and April include Jacksonville Floridas TV 4 Sunday Morning Show and an April book signing at the St. Augustine Barnes and Noble book store. A portion of each sale of his book, Falcons Revenge, goes to support the St. Johns County Learn to Read Program.

Joes future sea adventures will continue to be inspired by his little cabin and starting with his next novel, Pursuit of Honor, the series will be published close to home by Jada Press of Jacksonville, Florida.br
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Author: Cathy Goodwinbr
Source: articleage.combr
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Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, just the Mac and the mouse,

When all of a sudden a wail filled the air

As the burglar alarm detected a hair.
I ran to the keypad, pushed down on the code

Hoping neighborly tempers would not explode.

The phone rang and I told the guard I was fine

When over the rooftop came a great whine,
Then four beeps, a grunt, a groan and a sigh

And a deep voice bellowing down from on high:

Things have come to a pretty pass, I have to say,

When the elves install car alarms right on my sleigh!
He was dressed for South Florida, wearing shorts and a tee,

With the logo of Lauderdale-down-by-the-sea.
Brakes squealed as a sleigh wheel got caught in the gutter

And Rudolphs hoof smashed up a hurricane shutter.
Im glad you dropped in, I wanted to say,

But thoughts of a homeowners policy got in the way.
They dont cover sleigh wheels, or santas, or deer,

So Id soon be in debt for for this holiday cheer.
Have a soft drink? I offered, to get him out faster,

But at moochng this guy was clearly the master.

Soda? For children! Just give me a brew.

Molsons preferred, but Corona will do.
Gee, Santa, I said, as I eyed his big sack,

I still have twelve boxes left to unpack.

Instead of a gift this year, maybe your elves

Could help me assemble my lamps and my shelves?

And move this big table and hang all those prints –
But all of a sudden I saw Santa wince.

I have a long drive, he said with a frown,

And the elves union says they have to put down

Their tools after midnight, or I travel alone

And call for repairs on my cellular phone.

A mechanic on holidays? I dont do magic

And delaying these gifts to good kids would be tragic.
A last sip of beer, a quick wave of the hand

And Santa was headed away from my land.
The sleigh was still on the roof, so I cried,

Take special care as you climb up the side!

Those screens are secure, and they have little wires

To sound an alarm against burglars and fires –
Too late! A boot crashed and the sirens began

And twas back to the keypad before they could scan

My sensors again, for twice in one night

Would give any alarm system cause for a fright.
Ill be spared Santas gifts when I wake Christmas morning

So Ill just take some time to post a new warning:

No trespassing: Elves and santas beware!

All visitors must offer to do home repair!
For serious advice about moving, download Making the Big Move.br
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Author: Dee Scripbr
Source: articleage.combr
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The Facts
? Computer phones (VoIP) offer the most optimal means of communicating when considering quality and cost, and can save businesses up to 80% on their phone bills when calling from PC to PC, to landlines, or to mobile phones, regardless of company size.
? Over 90% of all VoIP solutions providers operate on unsecure lines or platforms, whether free or charging for services.
? Greater than 95% of all VoIP solutions providers do not have their own patented technology
General Information
? Calls placed on unsecure lines travel from one computer (IP address) over the internet to another computer (IP address) have little or no protection in between calls to guard against terminal viruses, Trojan horses, unscrupulous hackers, or uninvited guests listening in on private conversations.
These unsecure lines leave users dangerously vulnerable to the inevitable and expensive computer crash that forebodingly looms over the horizon.
? Calls placed on secure lines go through a VoIP platform (server) that incorporates its own security (including patented technology) against the ills of unsecure lines, thereby offering maximum security, privacy, and peace of mind for its users.
? Note: higher enrollment and monthly fees, or well known phone companies now offering VoIP services do not necessarily automatically guarantee security.
Recommendations
? Contact your VoIP solutions provider (if applicable) and request written information regarding security of their service, along with patented technology they own. Ask if their service hosts embedded spyware on lines and/or allows public access to names and numbers of subscribers.
If the requested assurances cannot be produced, take immediate action to avoid playing Russian Roulette with your business.
? Protect the security of your companys communications and privacy, while simultaneously experiencing exponential savings on phone bills, by locating and subscribing to a VoIP solutions provider who offers a secure platform that incorporates its own patented technology.
? Analyze your computers security for free by going to http://www.Symantec.com/SecurityCheck/
Dee Scrip and her close friend Andy Murray operate the website http://www.whypay4calls.com. Where you can experience a 7 day free trial with a secure line on patented technology. NO contracts, obligations, or hassles!br
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Author: Lance Winslowbr
Source: articleage.combr
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The US Homeland Security is worried about Hydrofoil or Skimmer Craft used as fast moving bombs on water entering one of our ports or Naval shipyards. If you will remember the XXX Movie with the Hydrofoil Craft with a Biological Weapon which would kill millions of people if it released its gaseous cargo.

http://www.hollywoodjesus.com/movie/xxx/27.jpeg

http://www.hollywoodjesus.com/xxx_photo.htm

Although this is hypothetical it is also very possible. One study described our many inlets and rivers such as he Chesapeake, Potomac, San Francisco Bay, Columbia River, Puget Sound, Hudson, Port Houston Ship Lane, Boston Harbor or Tampa Bay.
Luckily for us we have great tracking, radar and competent US Navy and US Coast Guard. However what if one was launched from a Cargo Ship outside of US Territory in international waters? Then what, how do you stop something moving that fast or respond to the threat? Some of these high tech versions travel at nearly 100 knots. A ten thousand pound payload, which is what the nuclear bombs weighed that were dropped on Japan in WWII, could easily be carried by a hydrofoil that was 30 feet long.
The hypothetical of the XXX movie is questionable because the biological gas would be quickly diluted with the relative wind in such coastal areas from off shore or onshore breeze. But a hydrofoil Unmanned Autonomous Device would render very serious consequences. Obviously a good point for trying to prevent rogue nations from developing Nuclear Weapons, which could end up in the hands of International Terrorists piloting hydrofoils, who do not care if they blow up with the Weapon of Mass Destruction.
Once the bomb gets within 1 mile of the shore or enters a harbor there are no longer any possible good outcomes, once it touches land there are only disastrous scenarios. When people run the scenarios and animation programs and study these things, the findings are extremely alarming.

http://www.tybeetyme.com/tb/images/bomb_blast_map.gif

http://www.parowanprophet.com/maps/mohawk_350_KT_nuke.jpg

We should not assume that simply because we board every cargo ship from certain countries that we are safe, these things could come on any type of ship or ultra large yacht. And the technology is well known, used in sport marine, luxury marine, military worldwide. How can you stop a hydrofoil traveling at 100 knots from entering a harbor?
One way is to have large high-pressure tanks under water at the mouth of the river or harbor. Similar to giant cylinder propane tanks only the width of the mouth of the inlet, if you fail to hit the hydrofoil with conventional defense weapons, you release all the gas as the hydrofoil enters the harbor. The tanks can be pipelines which are in use, with quick release valves opening upward, the can be closed off tanks with CO2, Oxygen, Hydrogen, methane or other such gas. The gas as it escapes creates a cavity and the hydrofoil or skimmer craft falls as it would over a waterfall tumbling downward. Then the water fills in over it and even if the weapon of mass destruction goes off, it does so underwater which provides one more layer of protection. This is a last resort defense mechanism able to high-speed boats, skimmer craft, hydrofoils and medium sized fast moving ships. Of course this is only one possible way to stop such attacks as we also have missiles, guns, cannons, etc. at the military shipyards, harbors and inlets.
Lance Winslow – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/br
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Author: br
Source: articledashboard.combr
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Being in an automobile accident in Mexico is a far more serious situation than having an accident at home-especially for a visiting American, as Mr. Bill Kitto readily tells us, Bill Kitto published his first-hand account of his accident and his subsequent week in the hands of the Mexican authorities in an effort to ensure all Americans driving in Mexico go prepared with all the essentials, Mexican car insurance tops his list, for reasons that will become obvious as you read his story.

Bill Kitto was not traveling for his first time in Mexico when he got into an accident near San Vincente, Mexico while driving his friends truck. An exceedingly cautious driver, Bill was at the wheel because road conditions were deteriorating due to an incoming rain storm, which left him at the mercy of his friends Mexican insurance holder. Bill and his friend were traveling at a cautious 30 MPH hour when they rounded a corner to find a Mexican military hurtling towards them partly on their side of the road. Unable to avoid the crash, the two vehicles impacted head-on left, sending the personnel scattered down an embankment and Bill and his friend into the cliff wall on the opposite side. Within minutes, the Mexican police arrive and one speeds an injured Bill away to a location unknown to him or his companion who is left standing roadside. In Mexico, there is no innocent until proven guilty-exactly the opposite.

Bill finds himself in a Mexican detention cell without any contact and without any knowledge of his fate, in part because at this point he has no way of knowing whether his friend even carried Mexican auto insurance. Hours later, guards return to take him back to the accident scene where he is at least able to reunite with his friend and his friends Mexican car insurance policy. In the U.S., this might mean problem solved, but in Mexico, there is much more to go through.

Bills complete story is long and involved-and not a little discomforting. Bill spends a week alone in a Mexican hospital trying his hardest to stay injured enough to avoid the inside of a Mexican jail; hes at the mercy of the local government, questionable legal representatives, and muddled technology that makes what amounts to paying his way out an act in futility. There were many times when Bill was unsure if he would ever get out of the mess-if he could afford to get out of the mess.

In the end, Bill does gain his tenuous freedom, only after spending more than $28,000 US. Luckily for Bill, he was able to secure the money to secure his freedom, but many other Americans would have fallen far short. Because of the bureaucracy and dishonesty encountered in Mexico, Bill is unsure if he will ever see a return on his lifes investment.

Bill took away a few things from his experience that he strives to pass on to all Americans traveling in Mexico.

* Carry a cell or satellite phone-and learn how to dial in Mexico
* Remain in contact with family in the states that can help you

secure funds if needed and contact Mexican insurance companies as needed (because your ability will be limited)

And above all else-

* MAKE SURE YOU HAVE MEXICAN AUTO INSURANCE-with very good coverage

to cover personal injury and property damage

* Make sure the Mexican car insurance is from a reputable company
* Make sure you carry proof of Mexican Insurance in the vehicle, accessible at all times! (And if you are separated from the vehicle, take the Mexican car insurance ID cards with you!)

Bill Kittos long and trying ordeal proved one thing to him-money makes the Mexican world go round. Down there, they care little about where that money comes from, but whether you can pay the tab or not is what determines your innocence and ultimate freedom. Since fast access to $30,000 or better is a pipe-dream for most of us, the best way to protect yourself when driving in Mexico is to have an excellent Mexican automobile insurance policy to back you./pbr
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