Monday, September 17, 2012

More ‘Countries’ at Twitter Porno


      Come, join and share everything you get on porn in http://twitter.com/porn. This has been the greatest place for every porn lover all over the world. Here, you could just share and get everything about porn and more porn. If you are trying to look for some old or vintage Pornomovies you had watched few years back, this is the place where you could find all the information you need to know what those movies are, where to get them, and most importantly, how you could get them so that you could watch them back.

      Or, you may want to know about some particular porn stars, females and or males alike. Thus, what you need to do is to join the site, search around and the next second you know you will be reading, watching, or probably even already downloading not just some information, but might also be some latest or best collections of movies castby your most favorite porn stars ever. And yes, by such method and definition, you could then ask around about even the former porn actors and or actresses who are still able to give you that ‘stance’ whenever you watch their old collections of movies.

     Of course, the best part of all this is that you are going to join with all porn lovers from all over the world! And imagine what kinds of porn collections you are about to share and or get! Some hottest Japanese chicks, hot blooded redhead sexy Russian girls, big tits American gals, prettiest UK women, petite yet sex-hungry Chinese ladies; you just name the ‘countries’ (you get the pun, do you?) and you get all of these sweetest pussies as your porn greatest collections! So, what are you truly really actually waiting for? Just come (there your pun again) and enjoy the site now!

Saturday, August 25, 2012

The Best Way to Learn About Indian Employment News

Employment News is a famous Indian Weekly giving A to Z news about the employment opportunities in India. The weekly is released in English, Hindi and Urdu by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. This journal carries ample information about the various job openings all over India. It also gives useful tips to students who are preparing for various government examinations.
This journal's fame remains unshaken even in this web dominated era. A copy of this weekly can be found in all the major public libraries. Several rural students who do not have access to internet or any other modern means of communication, consider Employment News weekly as their best guide to land lucrative government jobs.
This weekly is the largest distributed career guidance journal in India. The weekly had helped aspirant Indian youth, interested in Government jobs find a bright future since 1976. Though there were some other journals similar to it like Competition Success Review, Employment News is a unique and one of its kind journals by all means. Here is a slight introduction on what you can find in this knowledge source.
1. Employment News weekly gives details about all the state and central government jobs.
2. The weekly gives news about all the public sector openings, banking jobs and the jobs in educational sector.
3. The weekly gives details about the various examinations necessary to get these jobs and the applications for them.
4. Notifications regarding all the major examinations like Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and the State Services Commission (SSC) are published in this weekly. The results of these exams are also published in the Employment News weekly.
5. Rojgar Samachar is the Hindi version of the weekly. Both versions are available online too.
6. This journal contains applications for all the professional courses in government colleges, details about the fee structure and the examination details.
7. Vacancies in all the autonomous colleges and Universities in India are advertised in this weekly.
8. The editorial section of Employment News weekly features useful articles which help people choose the career best suitable for them. The articles in this section give ample information about the new fields, upcoming opportunities in the less known areas and many more.
9. All the details necessary to write railway, bank and Civil Service exams are provided in this weekly, including the exam dates and application forms.
The target audiences of the weekly are poor rural youngsters. Most of them are first generation school goers in their families. They need a vivid description and guidance of what to do and what not to do when it comes to applying for government jobs. The Employment News weekly journal provides exactly the same.
Government jobs are still a dream for many rural students hailing from backward communities. These students have the brain and academic record to land the same. All they lack is guidance. The Employment News weekly serve as their silent companion that helps them make their dream come true.

Friday, August 17, 2012

Falling Standard Of Education In Nigeria: Who Is To Be Blame?

INTRODUCTION
The concept " falling standard of Education" is a relative term because there is no well defined instruments to measure it with utmost reliability and validity. That is why scholars' views on the concept varies. These scholars view it at different perspectives, depending on the angle each of them is looking at it.
Babalola, A (2006) sees the concept from admission of Nigerian University products in developed countries universities. That the first six Nigerian Universities (University of Ibadan, Ile Ife, Lagos, Benin, Nsukka and Zaria) had their products competing favourably with any other University in the world as their products were sought for by University of Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford and London for admission into their post-graduate courses. That these students record breaking performances and when they graduate are employed by the best multi-national companies and corporate bodies globally unlike today where no Nigerian University is among the top 6,000 Universities of the world (Adeniyi, Bello (2008) in Why no worry about rankings). He sees standard from how universities contribute to knowledge and solving problems besetting mankind.
According to Gateway to the Nation (2010), University of Ibadan is ranked 6,340th University in the world. In Africa, University of Ibadan is ranked 57th, OAU 69th and South African Universities are leading the way in Africa.
He also use written and spoken English as a yardstick for measuring standard of education which University of London conducted a research in West Africa and the result showed that teachers trained by colonial masters were better of than those trained by indigenous teachers.
He also used staffing, funding, foundation, origin and students as standard of education.
Standard of education to Dike, V. (2003) is how education contribute to the public health (or sociopolitical and economic development of a Nation).
Standard of education to either passing or failing of external examinations like WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, JAMB,(NOW UTME) among others.
Teachers without Boarders (2006) looks at educational standard from how the products of schools can be measured in terms of outcome. That is how school leavers contribute to the society in terms of cognitive affective and psychomotor. I will be using students to refer to both students and pupils, I will use head teacher to refer to both principal and headmaster.
Which ever way you may view standard of education, for you to conclude whether the standard is falling or not, you must take into consideration all the aforementioned variables including achieving educational goals.
Equally, for justice to be done while measuring these standards one has to look at reliability where all the schools to be measured must have the same infrastructure, teaching materials, quality of teachers, level and degree of learners, condition within which learning takes place, some methods of assessment and some types of contribution to the society among others.
CAUSES OF FALLING STANDARDS
Haven discussed what makes up standard in education, may I crave your indulgence to some of the established facts that constitute falling standard of education in Nigeria.
(1) Discipline: This is one of the outstanding attributes of education when it is rightly observed.
a. Repeating: school no longer observe repeating as every student is promoted to the next class whether they understand or not gives room for falling standard.
b. Attendance: The 75% of attendance universally accepted as the bases for someone to sit for examination is no longer observed.
c. Late coming: Student that come late are no longer punished, which leads to their losing morning classes.
d. Misbehaviour: Students are no longer punished for misbehavior because of their parental influences (lost of jobs or unnecessary transfer).
e. Cultism: This could refer to rituals, usually under oath binding the members to a common course. They operate covertly in fulfillment of their objectives to the detriment of other people. Thus, planning secondary needs above primary needs.
These cults exist because of over population of students in schools, wrong admissions not based on merits, hence fear of examination failures and selfish worldly gains.
(2) Quest for paper qualification: Nigerians respect paper qualification above performance in the fields. Hence, cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains are supposed to be measured on the field.
(3) Politicizing education: Merit is no longer regarded as it is now " who you know" and not "what you can deliver" Technocrats (educationists are not appointed Commissioner of education and education board).
(4) Policy problem: Sometimes the type of policies government make on education adversely affects output. For instance, in College of Education, we have National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), competing with JAMB for admission as the two guidelines vary.
Equally, WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, JAMB ( now UTME) compete with qualifying pre-requisites and regulation of entries into tertiary institutions.
(5) Teachers not being part of the examination bodies. One wonders whether the continuous Assessment submitted by these teachers are used or not.
(6) Accessibility of Schools: The Nigerian population boom has outnumbered the existing schools as the existing schools have to over admit.
This point can be practically seen in the following areas:
(i) Teacher / Student ratio of 1:25 is no longer there as in my class, it is 1:3900.
(ii) Students / books / Journals ratio of 1:10 is no longer feasible.
(iii) Politics of admission: Schools can no longer set targets for admission to conform with their facilities as powerful notes from above will force the school authorities to either over admit or find themselves in the labour market again. Yet it is those that are giving these notes are suppose to build more schools or provide needed infrastructure etc. to accommodate those collecting these notes.
(7) Over-dependent on cognitive domain: Schools do not give regards to affective domain that will mould characters of our young ones. Little attention is given to psychomotor while no attention is given to affective domain.
(8) Shortage of qualified teachers: Some schools in the rural areas only have the headmaster as government employee while the rest that may be secondary school drop outs are PTA staff. What miracle can these staff perform? Dike, V. (2006) observed that only 23% out of the then 400,000 primary schools in Nigeria have grade II even when NCE is now the minimum qualification for teachers at primary and Junior Secondary schools.
(9) Teachers welfare: It is no longer news that
(a) Politicians do not have negotiation council to negotiate their salary increase.
(b) There is no disparity among political office holders from the federal, state and local governments.
(c) Their salaries are increased at astronomical manner.
(d) Their salaries are increased any time without recourse to whether the nation's economy can bear it or not.
(e) But for teachers, they must negotiate the 10 to 20% of an attempt to increase their salary with consideration of the economy of the nation. How can these teachers contribute and perform miracle when their family members are in the hospitals and the O.S. syndrome is written on their cards by pharmacists while they do not have money to treat.
(10) Constant Strikes: This is an impediment to smooth covering of syllabus. Oefule (2009) explained that one Nigerian guest asked a question on strike at Oxford University community but the vice chancellor could not even remember about strike, only the registrar remembered it for 17 years back. This is what governance means to the people.
(11) Long rule of the military; Education was not properly funded by the military regimes as according to Babalola, A(2006) Obasanjos administration inherited many left over problems of the military such as non- payment of pensions and gratuities of retired University staff, poor remuneration of university staff, dilapidating buildings of schools, libraries with outdated books, obsolete laboratory equipments, bad campus roads, inadequate water and power supply among others.
(12) In the secondary and primary schools levels, schools do not even have buildings talk less` of furniture's, equipments and reading materials. This is the level where the foundation of education should be laid. Any faulty foundation will lead to faulty structures. What do you expect from the tertiary level?
(13) Lack of training of teachers: Teachers are not trained to update their knowledge with latest discoveries based on research, then how can they give what they don't have?
(14) Poor state of Educational teaching facilities: Dike V. (2006) reported that research result shows that over 2015 primary schools in Nigeria do not have building but study under trees, talk less of teaching materials.
(15) Corruption: leaders of the schools and some Government officials either connive to buy equipments with loan money that cannot be of any use to the school or take such loans and do not even do anything with it.
(16) Poor budgetary allocation to education: A research work of 2001 shows that Nigeria only, allocate less than 20% to education it further reveals that Nigeria spends 0.76% to education as against Uganda 2.6%, Tanzania3.4%, Mozambique 4.1%, Angola 4.9%, Coted Ivore 5% Kenya 6.5% and South Africa 7.9% among others.
WHO IS TO BE BLAMED?
We have seen the causes of falling standards and from these causes we can deduce that the following are to be blamed:
1. Government suppose to carry the lion share of the blame because all the other variables are dependent variables to it.
2. Teachers also have their shares of the blame with regards to their diligent duties.
3. Parents: feeding has to be provided by parents. This is because parents do not leave schools to operate without interference.
4. Students: students who do not abide by school rules and regulations nor pay attention to their studies also contribute to falling standards. Students also seek for paper qualification and disregards to performance they also participate in cult activities that derail the progress of the academy.
5. The society is not left out as it is the way it sees and respects the products of these schools that recycles back again.
SOLUTION
Based on the problems or causes identified above, the following solutions are proffered: Schools should respect and restore back discipline to bring back the lost glory of our educational standards.
Performance should be regarded and respected more than just paper qualification. Equally, education should not be politicized for whatever reason.
Policy makers should be mindful of policies that affect education .eg JAMB(UTME) regulation in admissions.
Teachers should be involved in examination activities and examination bodies should always publish examination reports and distribute it to various schools for them to hold school workshop for training of subject teachers on their areas of weaknesses observed in the students' scripts with regards to following the marking scheme.
More schools should be built to increase accessibility by all. Cognitive, affective and psychomotor domain should be used for assessment of students.
Teachers' welfare should be given priority by government to avoid unnecessary strikes in our educational sector while more qualified teachers should be employed to curb the present shortage of teachers in our schools.
Our civilian government should prove to the people that they are better than military government.
Teachers should be trained so that they can meet up with any new challenges Educational facilities should be upgraded to modern standards while teaching facilities should be adequately provided.
Corruption should be eliminated to the barest minimum by all stakeholders while government should increase its budgetary allocations to education to improve the standard of education in Nigeria.

Friday, August 10, 2012

Education Law - 10 Things You Didn't Know

Just like in the commercial world, the education sector is bound by laws and regulations. Schools, Colleges, University and other educational establishments are increasing having to rely on legal assistance in order to ensure that the law is adhered to, and to settle disputes.
Education Law solicitors can advise on all legal issues that affect the education sector. Here are 10 of the common issues that Education Law covers.
1. Generating Income
Schools and other educational establishments are looking at different ways to create more income. By complying with education laws, income, and return on investment can be maximised.
2. Compliance
Educational establishments need to comply with discrimination laws and other workers' and pupils' rights. Staff and pupils shouldn't be discriminated against because of their gender, age, skin colour, race, religious beliefs, and sexuality, or for any other reason.
3. Special Eduational Needs
Schools that teach pupils with Special Educational Needs need to ensure that they are fully compliant with the relevant laws. Sometimes there are appeals and tribunals.  And experienced Education Law professional can help either side to ensure that their voice is heard.
4. Grants and Loans
Some schools are fee paying schools, and so contracts will need to created and amended as necessary. In addition, grants and scholarships will need to be distributed evenly, and fairly. If there are any complaints or discrepancies, and Education Law solicitor will be able to help.
5. Interaction with the Private Sector
The education sector is looking at more ways of working with businesses, so that students and graduates have the relevant skills that businesses need. Education Laws ensure that the pupils are not exploited or undervalued.
6. Pupil Behaviour
Pupil behaviour has been increasingly in the news recently, and not always for the right reasons. From truancy to violence in the classroom, Education Law solicitors can advise either party to help achieve a suitable outcome.
7. Intellectual Property Rights
Computer and other technical work is more prevalent in schools and colleges nowadays, and the issue of Intellectual Property is increasingly important. Education Law can help advise on the legalities of work produced at school.
8. Students and Admissions
Popular schools, colleges and universities are often oversubscribed. This often leads to unhappy parents and pupils. Education Law can help ensure that all policies and procedures are followed properly, and that those who have not been admitted haven't been discriminated against.
9. Land and Property
School, Colleges and Universities are increasingly either in need of more land and property, or trying to sell off unused land or property. Education Law makes sure that the acquisition or disposal of land and property is done properly.
10. Accidents at School
Unfortunately accidents at school do happen, and these can sometimes be serious. Pupils and staff have a right to expect that the school buildings and equipment is safe, and there could be grounds for compensation. Accidents whilst at school could include any slips or trips in the playground, or on the sports pitch, as well as incidents in the chemistry laboratory or on a geography field trip. Education Law solicitors help to ensure that cases are dealt with properly.

Saturday, August 4, 2012

The Best Educational Experiences in Washington, DC

Educational travel can give teachers and administrators a boost in exciting many students about their academic lessons. Travel brings curriculum to life while teaching lessons that students will need throughout their lives. As a former middle school principal I found that educational travel goes hand-in-hand with offering a total educational program to young adolescents. This is even more important today as teachers and principals are facing increased pressure to prepare students to pass mandated academic tests.
During my years teaching in middle school, I learned that young adolescents can gain a multitude of invaluable experiences from travel, learning both the information they will be able to apply in the classroom and skills that will help them develop personally. Unfortunately, some young people will never be able to take educational tours without involvement with their school. So, middle school educators can contribute to a young adolescent's complete education when they include education travel in their program.
Once you've decided to include travel in your student's education, there are important plans and decisions that will affect the overall success of their travel experience. This article focuses on selecting the best educational venues in Washington, DC for a class or grade level trip.
The best time to consider such a trip is during seventh or eighth grade when the middle school social studies curriculum focuses on U.S. history. An educational trip to Washington, DC coinciding with this year can provide substantial benefits to both the individual and the school as a whole.
All student groups that visit Washington, DC should tour the White House and the US Capitol. Their educational links to the classroom are countless. It's important to note that the popularity of these two sites coupled with the recent increase in national security now require that an appointment must be prescheduled by a Senator or State Representative.
Next, I recommend visiting as many of the following as possible:
 Ford's Theater and the Peterson House
 Arlington National Cemetery
 Smithsonian Museums
 Washington Monument
 Lincoln Monument
 Jefferson Memorial
 Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial
 Iwo Jima Memorial
 Korean War Memorial
 Vietnam Veterans Memorial
 World War II Memorial
All of these sites have strong ties to the social studies curriculum and, best of all do not charge an admissions fee. Once you have decided to include them in a travel itinerary, the key is to make sure the students receive the strongest possible educational connections during the actual visit.
You can easily increase the educational value of the visit by using a reputable student tour provider like Travel Adventures that specializes in educational travel to plan your trip. To begin with, their experience will help prepare an itinerary that sequences the stops so that the students are not overwhelmed with information. Their experience will also present you with strategies for planning effective group visits. I strongly recommend you ask the travel provider about adding Washington, DC guides when visiting the monuments and memorials. Their historical knowledge base will only enhance the educational experience.
Another outstanding educational venue is Arlington National Cemetery. In addition to visiting the John Fitzgerald Kennedy and Challenger Astronaut Memorials, your student tour provider can schedule a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns. This ceremony adds depth to the educational value of the visit and allows those students selected for the ceremony the rare opportunity of interacting with an Army Honor Guard member.
A visit to the U.S. Holocaust Museum can be extremely educational especially if the students have studied this era in American history and/or read The Diary of Anne Frank in English class. The museum is self-guided. The emotional impact of the tour, coupled with their collection of newsprint, historical video and news reporting provides an outstanding educational experience for all visitors.
A student trip to Washington, DC should also include a visit to Mount Vernon - the estate of George Washington. The new Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center, and a tour of the beautifully restored estate, outer buildings and the grounds have strong educational value.
Finally, I recommend that student groups traveling to Washington, D.C. schedule a cultural activity. Exposing young people to the arts and culture is invaluable to the overall development of the individual. One of the most popular activities is attending a theatrical performance at one of the area dinner theaters or a performance at the Kennedy Center. The theaters schedule age appropriate productions like "Beauty and the Beast or Fiddler on the Roof" to help make this opportunity both educational and entertaining.
In summary, educational travel to Washington, DC can add an important dimension to the total learning program at your school. I strongly recommend that you consider adding travel to the curriculum and visiting as many of the aforementioned venues as possible for the best educational value.

Monday, July 30, 2012

A Closer Look At Online Education Teaching Courses

The prospect for a career in online education teaching grows consistently each year. The idea of acquiring a Masters or BA in education without actually leaving the home. The other attracting measure of internet education courses is the common vision of those hiring the graduate for an online teaching job and be able to work from home or anywhere in the world. There are some issues that should be addressed before committing to the financial investment required to undertake this type of education.
The first step to securing an online education teaching course it to do homework! There are many programs that are not accredited institutions. What could be worse than investing years of time in a course that ultimately puts the educated person back in the same place before taking the course? The real question that needs to be sorted out when seeking an internet education course is if it is really worth it. In order to gear any prospective online teacher with the right information, here are some issues that need to be tackled.
The potential good news is that online education teaching has grown enormously in recent years. That not only allows for newer forms of opportunity but also ensures that accredited courses are offered. Correspondence has been super personified with the dawning of online teachers and students that simulate classroom settings. internet education teaching could very well be the career of the future. That could explain why more and more people are turning to online education to meet their education requirements.
Enrolling in internet education classes offer a feasible solution due to the convenience of delivery. Students are able to have a flexible schedule while maintaining other commitments such as full time day jobs. However, it should be mentioned that online education teaching courses also require the online presence of the student at certain times. They offer many forms of online discussions amongst peers and instructors as well as homework help. Occasionally, an internet education course will even demand that the student attend offline classes periodically. This type of education is not without some drawbacks. In the big picture though, online education teaching courses offer a solution that is much more desirable than spending four or more full time years at a post secondary institution.
There is no substitute for experience that takes place in a real school setting. Most internet education programs recognize this and incorporate an allotted amount of time towards this. After all, it isn't only the degree that is imperative to becoming successful in internet education teaching, it is also the real life experience. Choosing an accredited course with real life options will definitely set anyone on the right path to having a career in online education teaching.

Monday, July 23, 2012

The Need for Effective Leadership in Education Has Never Been Greater

Pick up the newspaper, listen to the news, visit a school, think of your own children and those in your community - has there ever been a time when our country needed greater leadership in education? Anyone in the education field is keenly aware of this need.
If you're currently in the field of education and aspire to become involved in a leadership position, you can pursue your goals while maintaining your current responsibilities with online education.
Effective Leadership Requires Effective Training
The importance of effective leadership in any educational setting cannot be overstated. Education administrators take on a position of leadership with tremendous influence on every aspect of the organization. They provide instructional leadership as well as manage the day-to-day activities in schools, preschools, daycare centers, colleges and universities. They also direct educational programs of businesses, correctional institutions, museums, and job training and community service organizations. Regardless of the setting, effective, innovative leaders are needed.
The Responsibility of Education Administration
Today's Education Administrator has a position of great responsibility, thus, proper education and credentials are imperative for effective leadership as well as professional advancement in this vital field. These responsibilities can include setting educational standards, goals, policies, developing academic programs, and staff supervision. The ability to lead and inspire can be capitalized upon by exposing oneself to the best practices and current trends in education through online study.
Advance Your Degree
Earning an educational leadership degree from an accredited online college or university can help you advance your career in the education field or take on the exciting job of education administrator.
Increase Your Salary Options
Education leadership degrees, such as master's or Ph.D., may increase your salary and open up new advancement opportunities.
Courses in Educational Leadership cover topics such as:
  • School leadership

  • School law

  • Finance and budgeting

  • Curriculum development and evaluation

  • Research design and data analysis

  • Community relations

  • Politics in education

  • Counseling
  • Job Opportunities Remain High in the Field
    Education leadership can be complex and challenging, yet very rewarding, and the need for well-qualified leaders never diminishes. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for new entrants should remain high over the next decade.
    Advance Your Credentials in Educational Leadership Online
    Find out how you can gain the knowledge and skill to become a more successful, innovative leader in today's education environment. Many accredited online colleges and universities offer degrees to help you reach your professional goals. Why not start today and discover the possibilities?

    Tuesday, July 17, 2012

    Distance Education

    From very early childhood of mine I have known that knowledge is power. I have read about many scholars' life where their knowledge acquiring process was quite different, in fact knowledge was the priority and nothing else. Today there is a trend of gaining knowledge by not attending school physically. In simple thinking this is good when attending school is difficult due to some reason. But the situation we face in countries like Bangladesh indicates the opposite. The following story will clarify all, I believe, -
    It is a story of a boy living in Bangladesh. He was a good student from a middle class family. He studied till the completion of his graduate degree with the support from his family. In Bangladesh there is not much scope to work parallel to the studies. Still he worked hard to earn some money for his family during his education. In fact he was very caring for his family, especially the parents. He sacrificed many of the opportunities for education and earning because they would compel him to go away from home that would leave his parents alone and helpless.
    He had a very keen interest for earning good quality knowledge through education. But in Bangladesh education is rather certificate oriented. Plus if one wants to study in some professional trend after the graduate level, he must engage himself fully with education leaving any earning scope behind. Though there are some students here who work parallel to postgraduate education, they leave their family behind and still do not earn knowledge adequately; even the examinations for certificate gaining, the main motto for many here, are also postponed day after day.
    So my hero (?!) could not proceed for post graduate education in his country. He did not even have the money to travel up to the university, let alone paying the admission fees and expenses for standard books. Instead he searched for a job for the maintenance of his family and also important treatments of his parents like eye surgery. But he never quit his struggle for knowledge. As Bangladeshi institution had very little scope for scholarship, he started to search for scholarship, that is, full free studentship. He did not want to leave his country because that would cost him the amount of money that is too much beyond his capacity and also he would have to leave his helpless parents alone. With his strong desire he managed so many distance education opportunity fully free of cost that he reached the highest level of education. Parallel to this he could earn and maintain his family, though that was very tough for him to maintain the standard of knowledge.
    But when he began to study by distance learning mode, his friends, and related people disbelieved him. They took him as a very immature person and advised him not to waste time after worthless things. As he did not leave the education, they started making fun of him, and finally they took him as a cheater who is lying in the name of new things. He got severe disappointment from them for his success in acquiring knowledge in place of any congratulation or applauds. But he never stopped. He knew that he must be a wise man and also maintain his family properly.
    But the biggest blow came from his professional brethren. The institute, where he did his job, had some employee with higher education by on-campus education. First they were expressionless about him, but when they saw his name and photo on the national news papers for his successes and contribution, they became very annoyed, and they warned him against cheating and reminded him of the consequences of cheating, though my hero was never lying or cheating. Finally when he started to avoid any publicity and concentrated in personal education and development, willingly many of his co-workers insulted him mentioning that he has no qualification to maintain such activity for himself. They advised him how to learn and who can learn.
    Parallel to all these, his country's authorities never recognized his degrees and education and he stopped letting others know about what he did by distance education. He erased his distance education degrees from his visiting card and when someone asks about his educational qualification he only mentions up to his bachelor degree education. But he never stopped his work for education and learning. May be .01% of his surrounding people encouraged him for his effort, but that was invisible in the crowd to insults, though he always remembers and admits the benefits of those scanty supports.
    That was the entire example. The person I talked about needed to conceal his name and introduction to avoid further harassment, though he may be facing the same for infinite period of time. But what is your opinion? Is distance education a sin? I believe it is at least a sin, practically, in Bangladesh.
    A joke: Did you know Bangladeshi's are very much fond of British ordinary and advanced level certification? Also did you know that Bangladesh has an Open University? How funny, isn't it!

    Wednesday, July 11, 2012

    Make an Educated Choice With Automotive Reviews

    What are the benefits of automotive reviews and who benefits from them? The answer appears to be simple. The consumer is given all the details he/she might be interested in, as well as a rating of the automobile, so he/she appears to be the sole beneficiary of automotive reviews, since they are useful instruments in making the right choice when purchasing a car. But automotive reviews can work for the benefit of car dealers just as well, as their websites will be considerably trafficked, and initiation of leads from the part of the informed consumers - potential consumers - is more likely to take place.
    When car dealers are interested in attracting visitors to their websites, they have a great variety of means at their disposal. A good ranking made by a search engine will definitely come with an increased number of visitors, but another problem still remains. How do you retain those visitors and turn them into potential customers? Automotive reviews are the answer. Good automotive reviews offer the right information that the visitors require. A first step, which is very important, is that the potential customers will spend quite some time reading the automotive review posted on the website. The purchase of a car is an important step and deciding upon a certain car model may prove to be a complex and painstaking process. Regardless of their financial possibilities, all the potential buyers feel the need to be well informed before they move on to the next step, that of actually paying for the car and driving it home. When researching, customers will find it useful to have access to independent automotive reviews, which will guarantee that their best interest as consumers comes first. The right information offered by independent automotive reviews can turn a visitor into a customer very quickly, and this is what car dealers have to take advantage of.
    Automotive news is another means of keeping the potential customers informed. The latest news make the object of interest for all those passionate about cars, or those researching for a car purchase. However, many people consider that the automotive reviews found on automotive blogs are to be trusted more than any other means of information. Consumers trust automotive blogs because they know that most of the information there comes from people just like them who have something to share. Providing the consumer with the possibility of writing his/her own review of a car is important. People wish to make educated choices when it comes to purchasing a car, and automotive blogs offer them the information they need.
    An automotive blog is not just a reliable source of information, but is also available at any hour, since the internet has no limitations whatsoever. An automotive blog will provide visitors with all sorts of information, such as tips for buying cars, maintenance, car repair and safety, environmental issues, and so forth. Some other car-related aspects may constitute the reason why people affiliate to an automotive blog. These aspects may refer to esthetics, utility or power.
    An automotive blog is all the more reliable when it contains photographs or videos, or gives reference to other car blogs or similar websites, showing that the consumer's best interest comes first.

    Thursday, July 5, 2012

    Article Writing Can Be Effective In News Format

    An experienced journalist is adamant that informational article writing can be an effective marketing tool if written in news style.
    William Wordsmith, a journalist and writer for more than 20 years, believes adapting the journalism news writing style to traditional methods can provide as much benefit to article marketers as tips and "how to" formats.
    "Journalism writing has a structure just like any other style of article writing," said Wordsmith. "Journalists are experts at article writing and can produce five, 10, 20 articles a day. That's just what you need for effective article writing and marketing."
    Wordsmith added that he has successfully employed news writing methods for his article marketing campaigns in order to boost traffic to his website.
    The above is a classic example of a four-paragraph news story lead. The reason I started this article like that was to show you how news writing techniques can used for article writing.
    You don't even have to make up a name as I've done for Mr Wordsworth. You can use your own expertise, or even quote yourself, and turn it into news.
    There are several benefits of using news-writing techniques.
    1. Grab your readers - the very nature of a news intro is that it is hard hitting and aimed at grabbing your reader's attention.
    2. Details - you can expand on your intro with relevant details that continues to inform, entertain and educate your readers.
    3. Authority - a news story demands an authority to back up what you are saying, so that your readers know that what you are writing is true and not merely hype. This can be done through quotes or reported speech.
    In addition, the news story format does not preclude you from providing bullet points - as this article does - and other helpful pieces of information.
    The best thing about the news writing structure is that it is easy to learn. Thousands of journalists around the world use this structure - and I am not talking about the inverted pyramid - allowing them to write freely and fast, without worrying about writer's block.
    The truth is that anyone can learn this writing style, made up of four structural components, plus requiring the ability to spot powerful angles that draw in your readers.
    The beauty of this format is that it is conducive to all kinds of topics and writing abilities. Whether you have just a single piece of information or a list of points to make, you can use this style to structure a value-added article.
    Most important of all, it can turn you into a prolific writer. As a journalist, I regularly write at least two stories, or articles, a day. However, if required, I can easily up the tempo and churn out 10-20 a day because of the writing style I've been trained to use.

    Friday, June 29, 2012

    News or Propaganda - Seeing the Pattern

    In the last article we discussed the tools for advertising and how they help create the thoughts, feelings, or needs that help the target audience accept an idea. The best advertising, even though it may seem useless, is the commercial where one doesn't understand what was being marketed, because the person actually believes that she came up with the idea herself. This is done by distracting the person and bypassing the part of the brain that monitors and examines the messages through distraction, intensity and repetition. We also briefly discussed Narrative criticism and how we can examine the news more closely if we look at is as literature, with each segment arranged in the order to place us in the right mindset to receive the information that follows.
    In this article will show you how to explore this order and its effects. We can start on the micro level by just observing one show. This can be done by watching any news program, but it is even better to do this with a channel like CNN or Fox, because they have news going twenty four hours a day. If we can start with one of the news programs on these channels, we can see how it works, and then branch out farther to the rest of the news. All that we need to do is either to really pay attention, or write down what we hear.
    Here are some suggestions for doing this. Look at the first segment. Try to summarize what the story was about, and write down your conclusion in one sentence or less. Also, write down your thoughts and feelings. There are often so many commercials that you can do this. Do the same thing for each segment. If you watch the same program for a week and keep notes on thoughts, conclusions and so on, you will notice a pattern. It is similar to the concept of foreshadowing in biblical study.
    This concept basically says that all of the Hebrew Scripture, or Old Testament to some, was a preview of the Greek Scripture, or New Testament. The theory is that you find spiritual truths in the New Testament that was already well known and pre-shadowed the actual events that were supposed to happen in actuality in the New Testament. In many of these segments, overtime, you will find thoughts, ideas and conclusions presented as facts, that will serve to prepare you to receive other similar conclusions as a great awakening of your own idea. You may actually hear so many conclusions and see so many of these foreshadows, that you will think that you have made the decisions about the later situations by yourself, just like the way commercials work. Next try this watching several programs on the same channel. Below is an example of deeply exploring a news broadcast.
    I saw an interview on the Fox channel last week about the Homeland Security Chief that was leaving his post after several years. It ended up being an interview about terrorists in Iraq and the success of the U.S. military. It sounded like two different conversations. His questions were very surface and leading, but the interviewee was very good at spinning and providing the answers for the questions that put forth his agenda. The interviewee ended up saying that terrorists come from people who are poor and dissempowered, with very little opportunity. With the help of the interviewer and cues from him, he said that they are looking for self esteem and greatness, so they are blowing themselves up to be someone big in their communities.
    When asked how the U.S. would help deal with terrorism later, he said that the U.S. would provide economic and educational opportunities for these poor people, so they would have hope. In the first part of the interview we see a group of people just seeking self glory, with no real reason to be suicide bombers. This is the idea that we are supposed to hold onto. But the answer to how to help them goes much deeper. Had the interviewer been a real one, and not so eager to lead him to the first conclusion, he would have asked, "Well, is it not possible that these people are doing terrorist acts because they are in a situation where there isn't any hope?" or saying, "Maybe they are doing this because they don't have any hope anyway, so they are trying to at least give their lives to relieve everyone else from oppression." He could have asked anything that would go deeper, instead, he went along with the first assessment and even repeated it back to make sure we all heard it. This is bad news, but good propaganda. It stops us from identifying with the terrorists and makes them look like bad people, pathetic people who would kill others just for their own glory, or losers.
    If we write down conclusions like these and look at them, we can see what types of stereotypes we are being fed. As we recognize them we can understand how they influence us, and permit the media and others to lead us to believe negative, or positive beliefs about certain people. This in turn, in a democratic society, shapes our thoughts, opinions, and who and what we support when we go to the polls. It is important, therefor, to know what is being presented on the news daily. After really observing for several years and writing down our conclusions and observations, or just remembering them, we will begin to see a bigger pattern that can span months, or even years. When we can see this, we can see clearly how the news is really shaping us. One way of freeing ourselves from this process is by destroying the stereotypes. How? By identifying with the target group instead of separating from it. We can know more about terrorism by asking, "What would have to happen to me to make me be willing to do terrorist acts? What is happening to them? Who is doing it?" Those three simple questions can bring home much truth, understanding, and break the conditioning. And they can be applied to any of the many offenses committed by humanity that we see on news programs everyday.
    In our next article we will discuss comparing the reports that we see on different news channels, in newsprint, and on radio. We will look for the big story, and see how familiar the wording and conclusions are. We will then look at the agenda of the newsgroup to see if we can predict what will happen on the next broadcast. This is a lot of fun. Through this process we will discover how we can find the main narrative: the covert narrative underneath everything that we read, see and hear in the news. This is not about conspiracy, it is about the systemic effect that makes the media, like many other institution, behave a certain way and think that they are doing something good by doing so

    Friday, June 22, 2012

    Obama's Map For Education is Critical

    President-elect Obama has a background in community service that frequently put him in touch with individuals whose K12 education was lacking. His compassion to implement strategies that bring about access to the best education for all students is critical to our nation's future. With all of the talk about the financial crisis the president-elect needs to make education a major priority. We are fast approaching a significant period where large numbers of professionals will retire. There is potential for a largely underutilized workforce that needs more education to help the country will remain unemployable in corporate level jobs. As the states continue to struggle due to a loss of tax revenue more must be done to keep education funding afloat. Losses in financial resources to educate the youth who are the rising workforce will put many companies in jeopardy.
    More needs to be done to highlight the education issues that students and parents face today. Education is not affordable at all levels. There needs to be a road map that leads to creative solutions. Many of the larger cities and rural school districts are underfunding the education investment that should be received for each student. One idea is to have corporations to receive some type of tax credit for investing their finances in local schools. This type of innovative idea would provide two benefits. First it could raise corporate involvement in making school better. Secondly it would help more students to prepare for the world of work. More mentors are also needed in all of the schools because students are unaware of how companies work.
    President-elect Obama must not back away from the education crisis. If the country backs down from addressing the education crisis we will suffer severely. Students already come to school unprepared to learn. Their parents are unaware of the role that they play in their child's future. Obama and his wife Michelle have an opportunity to participate as supporters of parents who need guidance to effectively educate their children. There needs to be encouragement so that parents talk to their children about where they will go to college rather than if they will go to college. Their must be a definite response that reaffirms that college is possible. This tone should be set at the beginning of Obama's presidency.
    It would be great to say that after the presidents first 100 days in office education gained ground in the war against economic instability. There should be a plan in place that outlines how education in this country must change. Just like we have witnessed what a weak infrastructure can do to a country we are witnessing a national school system that needs repair. The president must diligently hear messages that demonstrate that the education of every citizen is important. The country needs more adult learners to pursue additional education. Obama must emphasize that it is never too late to renew your desire for education.
    President-elect Obama has an opportunity to create a lot of good will within the education community. There are K12 schools and colleges that need to know that there contributions to society are valued. Obama could work with the congress to require banks who are receiving money to invest 5 percent of their stimulus dollars to improve resources for local schools. Our country needs an education revolution that raises the inspiration of students, parents and teachers to expect the best from the American education system.
    For twenty-six years, Dr. Jones has delivered presentations on numerous topics including how to study, leadership, effective communication, and innovative management practices. He is the author of three books one is titled "Seven Secrets of How to Study" the second is the "Parent's Ultimate Education Guide" and the third is the "Ultimate Scholarship Guide." The book provides an easy understanding of the seven pillars that are essential to learning success in K12 schools and college.

    Friday, June 15, 2012

    Online Christian Education

    Online Christian education is tailor made for individuals who are interested in Christian education but have put a stop to their education due to financial issues or time constraints. Good news for such people is that a vast number of online colleges and universities now offer online Christian education programs completely over the internet. With online Christian education programs, you can attend classes anytime you want and from wherever you are most comfortable. What's more, the tuition fee of online Christian education programs is significantly less as compared to the traditional Christian education programs.
    Online Christian education programs consist of non-degree courses, bachelor degrees, master degrees and PhD degrees. Certificate programs in Christian education are also available. Some free non-degree courses in Christian education are:
    o Christian Personality Development
    o Bible Study
    o Postgraduate Diploma in Christian Apologetics
    o Master of Bible Subjects
    o Master of Divinity
    o Master of Theology
    o Master of Religious Education
    o Doctor of Ministry
    o Doctor of Philosophy
    o Doctor of Systematic Theology
    o Doctor of Letters
    Is Online Christian Education Easy?
    Some people think that the acquisition of an online degree in the field of Christian education is quite easy and they can earn the degree very easily. But in reality, it is not that easy. As a matter of fact, earning an online Christian education degree is way tougher than earning a degree through traditional classroom setup.
    This is because of the simple reason that most of the individuals are accustomed with the traditional classroom set up where faculty members regularly update you regarding projects and studies. You will not get all these things in online education. If you are not self-disciplined, there is a good chance that you will not be able to earn your online degree.
    Interaction with Faculty Members
    Interaction with faculty members is quite minimal in online Christian education programs. Therefore, you need to understand all the concepts on your own. In order to understand concepts, you are going to rely quite heavily on the study material that is being offered by your online university. If the study material is not good in terms of quality, you are going to face plenty of problems in understanding concepts. Teacher to student ratio is normally quite high in an online environment, so understanding complicated concepts of Christian education is not that easy.
    Accreditation
    Before enrolling in any Christian education program, make sure that you check the accreditation of the online college first. If the online institution you have opted for is not accredited, not only are you going to face issues in earning your degree, but more importantly employers are not going to hire you as they normally prefer students that have earned a degree from an accredited university.

    Friday, June 8, 2012

    Be Aware of the Negative Influence of Newspaper and Media News

    Newspapers are in business to sell news and media news is driven by ratings. Bad news sells five times faster better than good news which is why they don't publish "good news" newspapers.
    My first sales job was with a newspaper advertising department and it was while I was there that I learned the only kind of news that sells is bad news. If a newspaper was set-up to publish only good news, it would rapidly go broke. It seems the public at large, has a morbid fascination with other people's problems and tragedies. I was 30 years of age when I learned this and since then over the past 50 years I have never bought a newspaper for that very reason. Similarly if you stop to analyze the content of the incessant stream of news that is bombarding your mind all day and every day from the television newscasts, you will find at least 90% of it is bad news. Imagine the impact of all this bad news on the public psyche over time. Is it any wonder that there is a worldwide increase in depression, anxiety and stress. The reality is you can get through life successfully without subscribing to the practice of avidly following local and world events just to stay up-to-date.
    If there is something of importance that will affect your life, it will be "in the air" and someone in your environment will be only too glad to tell you about it, without you having to go looking it.
    This approach has two benefits,
    1) It frees up the time for you to pursue more positive actions in your life.
    2) It makes other people feel rewarded when they are able to tell you the bad news.
    Let me remind you of just some of the things you could be doing instead of spending more time than necessary watching and reading the news.
    You could read a good book.
    You could do some exercise.
    You could go help a needy friend or some other community activity.
    You could enrich your mind with further education.
    Any of these alternative activities will keep your body and mind in better condition than if you simply spend the time watching the news more than you need.
    Don has over 35 years experience in sales and sales-management in the advertising and insurance industries. He is a highly successful and motivated entrepreneur involved in coaching salespeople through articles, talks and sales training seminars. His new book "The Master Skills in Selling" has just been published on Amazon for $47.95 but if you are really interested in how to make Bigger Sales More Frequently and with Far Less Effort, you can get a Free Download of the whole book and the other 5 books I have published by going to the link below.
    Let me know if you find it helps you make more money.

    Friday, June 1, 2012

    Understanding and Unleashing the Transformative Powers of Education

    As a child, my parents always impressed upon me the importance of getting a good education. My father in particular, always told my siblings and I that we should strive to be number one in our studies. Because of the strict nature of my father, getting good grades was the rule, while getting low grades resulted in punishment. Needless to say, my siblings and I achieved honor role status throughout our K through middle school years. However, as I hit high school things began to change for me. I was no longer that little boy that followed my father's every wish out of fear. By now, I had been hardened by the tough streets of Brooklyn and questioned whether getting a good (formal) education could take me out of this environment.
    You see, in my community, I knew of few high school graduates, much less college graduates. My parents had limited education and struggled to provide for my siblings and I. Like many that grew up in poor communities, I experienced my fair share of pain and struggles. Like many of today's youth that are dropping out of high school in record numbers, I too doubted the transformative powers of formal education touted by my parents and teachers. I did not believe that formal education alone could transform my socio-economic situation. As a result, I began to devalue formal education and withdrew (cutting classes regularly). Luckily, I began to realize the error in my thinking brought about by the intervention of a high school guidance counselor. I struggled to graduate high school, needing to attend summer school two years in a row in addition to night school. Nevertheless, I did graduate-But what next!?
    Today, we hear news reports about the high dropout rates for inner city high school kids across America. I believe that this high dropout rate stems from the inability of the youth to understand and witness the transformative power of education within their communities. As a 34 year old man with a PhD, I can now attest to the transformative powers of getting a good education, but not just one that is formal. I have seen examples of education's transformative powers in the lives of my colleagues, as well as in my own life. However, most people wont get a PhD, or even a college degree. Does this mean that they are doomed to a life of suffering and pain because of their socio-economic situation? Well not necessarily, as a significant percentage of millionaires in America did not graduate from college.
    Still, statistics do show that one's level of formal education directly correlates to one's income (the higher the degree, the higher the income) and employability (the higher the degree, the higher the level of employability). So, it is safe to say that formal education does have transformative power in regards to one's socio-economic situation. But, is simply graduating from high school and getting a college degree the answer to unlocking education's transformative powers?
    Let us take a look at the essence of education. Education is all about learning basic skills such as reading, writing, and mathematics, and then building on these skills with more complex fields of study such as science, history, and economics. What you are doing as you master and broaden your intellectual skills is teaching your brain how to learn.
    What ways do I learn best?
    What topics interest me most?
    What topics do I find easiest to learn?
    What topics will help me transform my life?
    What topics will help me realize my life's vision?
    These are questions that you should be asking yourself as you learn how to learn (education). The truth is that formal education is beneficial to a point, but after that point it is not necessary for everyone. The reason for this is that once you learn the basics as previously described, you can take the initiative to go to libraries, museums, art galleries, plays, as well as surf the Internet to learn about anything you deem useful. Many successful people such as former President Abraham Lincoln were self-taught. But do keep in mind that because many of us do not have the discipline or desire to learn just for the sake of learning, K-12, trade schools, colleges, and universities put together formal curriculums designed to legitimize our educational experiences with a diploma, certificate of completion, or degree. The degree in particular, became popular with American employers in the 1960s, as America moved out of the Industrial Age to the Information Age. Prior to this shift, one could graduate high school and get a good middle class job at the same factory your father worked in. However, as industrial jobs disappear by the thousands because of outsourcing and globalization, a college degree has become essential for anyone looking to ascend in today's new work world (the corporate world).
    But, is the opportunity to transform one's socio-economic situation utilizing formal education truly available to all? While formal education (K-12) is now available to all in America, getting a good formal education still comes at a premium. For example, inner city (K-12) public schools have historically underperformed when compared to their suburban public or private school counterparts. Therefore, socio-economics seems to be a factor in who has access to quality formal education. Another example of this is in the higher education arena, where the cost of attending a four-year institution is outpacing inflation, making attending college a dream for some and a burden for others finding it difficult to repay huge student loans after they graduate. What is someone who wants to transform his/her life utilizing formal education to do?
    Well first, one has to assess his/her future goals.
    What are you interested in doing with your life?
    Reach out to guidance counselors, teachers/faculty in your schools. Maybe they can find outside educational programs that you can participate in that will increase your learning if your school is not providing you with enough rigor.
    Seek out educational programs within as well as outside of your community.
    Ask yourself questions such as-Do I need to go to an expensive college and be burdened with huge student loans when I graduate in order to achieve my goals?
    Or could I attend a less expensive school and learn how to learn what I need to know to get where I want to go?
    Parents, participate in your child's education. Get involved with the faculty and other parents.
    Keep abreast of political matters and then vote in the best interest of your child. And of greatest importance, seek out and provide examples of the transformative powers of education for your child. Be sure that they understand that the essence of education is not about getting a prestigious diploma or degree and saying "now pay me" to some employer.
    The essence of education is about learning how to learn so that you can learn what you deem necessary for transforming your life.
    Dropping out of high school does not help your cause.
    Going to a prestigious school just to be burdened with huge student loan debt that you will have difficulty repaying does not help your cause.
    Obtaining a particular degree that is not in alignment with your life's vision, simply because it is easier to acquire then the degree you really need does not help your cause.
    There is no doubt that education (learning how to learn) has transformative power, but in order to unleash that transformative power one has to understand the essence of education and then use it strategically.
    Dr. Barrett has an earned PhD in applied management and decision sciences, with a specialization in leadership and organizational change. He also holds a MS in organizational leadership and a BS in organizational management. In addition to these degrees, Dr. Barrett has completed several executive certificates focusing on various areas of management and leadership development.

    Tuesday, May 29, 2012

    The Mortgage News Network

    How much of the devastation caused by the "Housing Bubble and Unethical Lending" practices would have never reached these levels if there were open discussions and proactive education aimed at consumers and professionals for the sole purpose of their protection their well being?
    One such proactive forum has began and is developing into the center for both consumer and professional discussions. Founded by industry expert Joe Littell; The Mortgage News Network was founded upon the fundamental principal that, "All Real Estate Financing Information Concerning the American Public, Must be Made Available to the Public".
    Mortgage News Network is an accurate source of information whose purpose is to inform and educate for the betterment of everyone. We are committed to providing resources, assistance and expert data to Consumers and Real Estate Professionals who wish to become increasingly prolific in the Art of Real Estate.
    We discuss topics like the one mentioned by renowned money manager Peter Lynch, who explains in the "Ignore the Headlines" article in the February 25th issue of Time Magazine that that the inevitable rise in interest rates may extinguish a borrower's advantage to get into more house, for a lower rate. A half point worsening to rate on a $220k home could mean $20k+ less that one would qualify for with the same payment. It's a little more complicated if one is selling their home but if you are buying or refinancing there may be no better time.
    Many people will wait to see how others react before they choose to refinance or purchase a home. This is called paralysis by analysis and is detrimental to the individual and the economy. Reason being is that there are thousands of opportunities out there and once the fear of the recession loosens its grip, there will be a stampede to make a move. Hopefully, by then it won't be too late. Rates may decrease a fraction as may home values but then again, so will the inventory and the quality of the properties as well as the money lost due to renting and lack of tax benefits one gets from being a home owner....
    Weigh the pro's and the con's and make sure that you talk with an expert who cares about your outcome and will council you with no obligation. The right expert will keep you from losing thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of wasted time.

    Tuesday, May 22, 2012

    A Great Online Education is at Your Finger tips

    Have you ever thought about enhancing your education by going back to school? If so, you probably have wondered whether you should go your local college or university. If you haven't been to one recently, let me paint you a picture.
    There are usually acres of buildings, jammed parking lots, and lots of other students. You might have to commute for miles in terrible traffic, and then find it impossible to park near your classes. You may spend hours traipsing back and forth across campus, lugging 30 pounds of books on your back. You stand in line to register your classes, only to find that they are all full. Or if your class is available, it's at 7:00 a.m. or 9 p.m. If you have a family to juggle, it gets worse -- the kids get sick you get to miss classes. And most of the students closely resemble your youngest child, making you feel like a dinosaur.
    Does the above scenario fill you with dread? Could it be the reason you haven't pursued higher education before now? What if you could achieve your educational goals without leaving the comfort of your own home, and maybe even do it cheaper?
    If this is music to your ears, you should consider getting an online education. All you really need is a computer, an internet connection, and the desire to learn. No traffic nightmares, no weather worries. No scheduling conflicts or babysitter problems, and you can even go to school in your pajamas. Wow! That's my idea of school. You take the classes you need at the times you want, at your own speed, and still achieve your chosen goals.
    Online education does not mean that the classes are easier, it just means that they are easier to take. You will still have to study, do homework, write papers, take midterms and final exams. Yes, you do have to work! But the good news is, you can do it in the comfort and convenience of your own home.
    The advantages of getting an online education are virtually endless. If you have ever considered getting more education to improve your chances of landing a job, or making more money, or maybe even changing careers completely, now is the time to do it. There really is no excuse for not pursuing the wonderful opportunities available through distance education.
    For many people this is all the motivation they need to get going. However, it is important that you know your limitations. If it's impossible for you to have quiet time on a regular basis, if you find it difficult to focus with all the insanity going on around you, or if you just can't discipline yourself to do the job, then distance education might not be for you.
    However, if you are adept at managing the ins and outs of your personal life while dealing with the demands of going to school, you should be able to juggle the extra balls that an online degree program might toss at you.
    During the past 10 years, distance education has finally come into its own, and now many programs are even eligible for federal financial aid such as grants and loans. So it's entirely possible for you to attend school without breaking the bank. You can find classes and online education programs in a large variety of topics, starting with getting your GED and going all the way up to masters degrees and Doctoral programs.
    Some online schools have brick and mortar campuses and some don't. Some require occasional meetings with students and teachers, also called limited residence requirements. Many have no such requirements, and your education is simply based upon the classes you complete successfully. Some schools require you to attend online live or prerecorded lectures or interactive classes, while others just give you the class materials online and let you take exams when you are ready.
    It is important that you research the options thoroughly and carefully. Whether you're planning to take trade courses, business classes or any type of higher education, make sure the distance learning program is accredited by the appropriate agency in your state. There's nothing worse than wasting your time, money and energy to get an education that you won't get credit for, unless of course you are doing it just for fun.
    What you need to do first is decide what career you want to pursue or what subject you want to study or, then look for the online education learning program that's best suited to meet your needs. Whether you want to learn web design, culinary arts, business management or something else, you'll be able to find a distance learning program that will give you what you need.

    Tuesday, May 15, 2012

    Education: Remember The Days Of The Old Schoolyard?

    A recent news story that gripped the nation was about a high school girl who was killed while meeting somebody at her school. Her body was found dumped in a city miles away. You hear these stories all the time. We have become numb to them. But how did it ever get this way? When did we start living in a world where our kids couldn't walk home from school and be safe? When did we have to prevent kids from going out to the schoolyards during lunch and keep them locked up in the building? When did we have to start bringing metal detectors into schools to make sure that kids didn't bring in concealed weapons? If you're wondering where this article is going, based on the title, an old Cat Stevens song, it's about school safety, or the lack of it.
    The truth is, schools are no longer safe. That probably is no surprise to anyone since our world has become a mass of murder and mayhem. The days when a child who even looked at a teacher wrong and was sent home for a week are over. Now, students have more rights to behave like animals than ever before. The end result is that the school your child is attending is not as safe as the school you attended.
    So what can be done about it? What IS being done about it? The schools themselves say everything that can be done is being done. The parents say not enough. The truth is, they're probably both right.
    Part of, if not all of the problem with school safety are the students themselves. Because of new laws like No Child Left Behind and all the existing local laws about how kids have to be in school, even though there are a number of children who clearly don't belong in a public school with other children, they have to be there. For one thing, the local police don't want these kids roaming the streets terrorizing store owners, which they commonly do. So these sometimes violent children are mixed into a social class containing kids who are in no way equipped to deal with these thugs. The end result is these kids get hurt, sometimes seriously. Preventing them from going to the playgrounds during lunch only delays the inevitable. And in some cases, these kids are beaten up and assaulted right in the schools themselves.
    But the problem gets worse. How many times do we hear on the news about a kid or a group of kids bringing guns into schools and shooting up their classmates and even a few teachers along the way? And this isn't just limited to schools in urban areas. Many times we hear of shootings in very high class neighborhoods. These are always the ones that shock us the most.
    But they shouldn't.
    Kids are kids, no matter where they live. They are all subjected to the same violence on TV. They all read the same things in the paper and they all have the same basic problems that kids have, fitting in with others. When a kid can't fit in, many times the abuse he takes brings him to the point of doing things that he wouldn't normally do.
    If there was an answer to this problem, it would have been found already. The parents say the schools should have tougher safeguards. The schools say the parents should spend more time raising their kids and less time doing whatever it is they're doing.
    They're probably both right.

    Tuesday, May 8, 2012

    Public Relations - Understanding Educated Gambling

    As an entry level position to PR, I found myself typing up a forecast by a major Public Relation's firm for a major pharmaceutical company of what life would be like in the year 2000. Market research predictions included telephones with monitors that could help you see people while you talked, fax machines that could transmit information over telephone wires, microwave ovens for reducing food defrosting time from hours to minutes and other devices that have certainly come to pass. In the lifestyle area, predictions proved less valid. Not only would Americans be enjoying longer lives, it foretold, but they would have shorter work weeks, more vacations and overall, a more leisurely lifestyle. An iota of truth, but mostly wishful thinking when we read 2005 front pages.
    I will always remember being called to account because the final document the Client saw had several typos. Presentation counts in this field.
    PR firms attempt to influence the major media who in turn help persuade viewers, listeners and readers to think or act in a particular way. The people who enter the profession and those in the media usually have a gift of gab, a facility with the written word, a decent IQ and a certain love affair with risk.
    Fortune tellers don't make much money. But most PR firms charge a substantial amount of money to present their client, product or service in a positive light to the media. People are continuously reporting polls or surveys as if they are fact, when, in truth, often the questions asked are the reason for the results tendered. Trends are so swift these days, just when buzz begins, another bee is buzzing a different tune.
    Here is the PR agency drill. A brainstorming session consists of several persons who try and identify a project, tag line or campaign hook that will capture the right response from the media while delivering the Client message. Then a qualified person writes the plan, another person interfaces with the Client and still other people "pitch" the media. Often times in large firms, a separate TV department usually has close ties with the producers of various programming. You can pitch the same story to ten different venues, and come up with ten different responses. It is an expensive process.
    Since everyone is trying for the biggest hits first, and the spots are truly limited, the pitchers have to be focused and persistent. Then it becomes a numbers game. The more balls you throw, the more likely you are to get a strike. The more strikes you pitch, the more likely your team will win, and the competition will be beaten. The more consistent your story, the more believed you will be. The more you can afford to spend, the more you get to use credible spokespeople to help tell your story. It is a numbers game.
    So by all means pitch "Oprah" first if you have a story that will hug her heart. Next work the syndicated morning shows. Then try the syndicated writers at the major news services when your news is hard and important. Talk to AOL when you have the money, or put it in the movie theatre, the newest venue for enlightening if not annoying a captive audience.
    But you can also tell your story with incredible reach and exciting response if you
    use syndicated articles publicity via a service which currently targets the Internet with your original article. Your message usually gets printed exactly as you tell it, or your captioned color illustration tells the story just the way you approved it. You've increased your chances of the public reading a product or service mention by making it more informational than promotional, and you've had the help of expert PR people with years of presentation skills behind them. Your story will stay on their editorial website for six months to a year, and you get quarterly usage reports to help impress you if you are the business owner or your Clients if you are an agency.
    Best of all, the educated consumer gets to find you online and to learn something informational that can help them and their family live a better life. It seems likely that any marketer would find this a low-budget risk worth taking.

    Tuesday, May 1, 2012

    Parent Coaches and Educators Generating Publicity

    Any new parenting coach or educator needs a solid publicity plan when starting a coaching practice. Publicity generating activities get the word out about you, what you do, and how you assist others. Yet, new small business owners have enough to organize and can easily push the overwhelm button. Organization is the key to quell overwhelm. The Publicity for Parenting Coaching Series will organize and help you plan your publicity campaign.
    Step 1: Understand what publicity is and how it works
    Publicity means generating any activity that gets the public's attention or stimulates their interest. So what stimulates interest? When I was raising children and read the printed Sunday newspapers, I read Community News, Comics, Dear Abby or Ann Landers columns. Growing up, my father read business news. My mother read lifestyle sections. The point is that publicity stories are human-interest stories, which are oriented by the usual demographics of gender, age, and community. You will design your public relations campaign according to the following factors, each of which will be discussed in this series:
    • Your audience
    • Your functional goal such as education, sales, information, inspiration, interaction
    • Your image and values
    Publicity is communication designed to reach your audience. The specific function is to acquaint and adapt your audience to you. While publicity can bring sales, customers, or clients, the function of publicity is reaching the public with a message. Sometimes, small business owners confuse spreading the good word about business as being the same as marketing, which is campaign designed to solicit customers. Publicity and marketing are different means to different ends.
    Publicity = spreading the good will and good word about business services or products
    Marketing = spreading the benefits, function and product for sales or paying customers.
    Publicity can result in sales, but has a different function and activity. You cannot control publicity and you don't always know the result of publicity, but one fact remains true: If you have a publicity plan and execute those steps with focus and consistent timing, you absolutely will get results. Publicity is powerful in its influence because you are sharing inspiration, newsworthy stories, or information that your audience will read because publicity has multiple functions:
    • Publicity can establish as an expert if you frame the story around the success of your results.
    • Publicity can educate your public about the importance of a process or product by explaining, offering benefits and results, or offering quotes, statistics or testimonials with the story lines.
    • Publicity shape opinion, sometimes through fact and sometimes through the emotional impact of the words, pictures or stories you share.
    • Publicity builds your credibility which can lead to further invitations and exposure.
    In short, publicity creates your credibility, your reputation, within your community and with your audience. Poorly done public relations can discredit the value of your service or business. You don't have to appear as the expert because well-done publicity makes you appear like a knowledgeable person whom people would want to contact.