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EXPERTS SAY OSCOMMERCE HOSTING IS THE BEST

Monday, March 30, 2009 11:20 AM, Jen

There are many different ways to launch a website, and if you are looking to do this, then you may find many different service out there that can help you. If you are a novice, then you may be drawn to these all inclusive sites that offer to help you with everything and that is okay, however if you know a little bit more about the web and want to create the best website then you should consider oscommerce hosting. This is by far, in my opinion the best hosting that is available. The thing is that it is better to know a little bit more about what you are doing when using oscommerce templates and so forth, so I recommend if you are truly a novice, but want the best possible site for your money, then you should consider hiring someone who knows about oscommerce and how to use it.

Many times the general public is misled to believe that setting up a website is simple, and to some degree this is true. You must, however, have a full understanding of the web if you really wish to make the most out of your internet experience. Some people just put up a site, many times a very unprofessional looking site, that doesn't get any traffic and they don't know why, they believe that they have done everything right, however putting up a site and directing traffic to your site are two completely different things. When compared to traditional businesses, putting up your website is the equivalent of opening a business, and driving traffic to your site, is the equivalent of a good marketing/advertising package. These are just the facts.

Having a good knowledgeable person to guide your course, and help you create the best website possible, is always going to be the best choice when starting your own e-business. It is important to remember that even though you can save some money if you do it yourself, you could sacrifice a lot of business in the beginning, due to your lack of knowledge, and in the long run, this could cost you more than it saves you.

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INSURANCE AGENT MARKETING IS ABOUT SELLING A RELATIONSHIP

Tuesday, March 24, 2009 2:59 PM, Jen

If you are a good insurance agent than you know that one of the best health plans that you can sell is family health insurance. Getting a family health insurance plan, is a good investment and most insurance agent marketing sources will tell you that this is a good target insurance to sell. Now, you may be wondering why. Well, it is simple, if you can sell a family health insurance plan, then you are serving the needs of a family and usually a young one. This not only means that they must have other insurance needs like auto insurance, life insurance, and homeowners insurance, but if they are a young family and you can affectively meet their needs now, then chances are they will look to you as their needs and assets grow. This is one of the key things to know when selling insurance. It is not just about looking at the current needs of the family, but also about anticipating the needs that they will have in the future. If they feel that they can trust you, that you are selling good solid insurance policies, and that you are not trying to up sell them now, as their needs grow so will their relationship with you.

Building a good solid insurance practice is the equivalent of building a family. It is a relationship that you are selling with your insurance policies. If you can successfully do this, then you will have a very successful business for yourself. And in some cases, this may mean also meeting a families need of reducing their insurance coverage during the lean times, but in the long run you will definitely have the better business for it.

Up selling insurance is one of the biggest mistakes that insurance agents make. When people figure out that they are buying more insurance than they need or that they are paying too much, this is when they look to another insurance company for their needs. Smart customers will spend a lifetime with an insurance agent and company that works hard to meet their needs and honor their claims and this is truly what the insurance relationship is all about.

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English Class and education

Friday, March 20, 2009 9:27 AM, Jen

For my English class freshman year a partner and I had to do a report on the U.S. Dept. of Education. We talked about what it was and did and also a lot of the topics that are hot right now.

Elearning came up a lot when we were researching. The growth of elearning is tremendous. People are finding out now more than ever that they can continue their education online and also stay committed to the activities and responsibilities that they already have. Parents can get their degree and further their education while still working and taking care of their children. Even the more elderly people are looking into it so they don't have to be on a campus with younger kids. Also I heard of a family friend who is my age (21 and in college for the first time) and his dad is sick but still wants to be in school. Through online courses he is able to spend time with his dad at home while he is sick and help out with his family and also work towards a degree so he is set for his future. This is an extremely meaningful opportunity to some people, especially them when it is a family situation.

Another thing that was big on the website that we saw was online computer training. There are a lot of programs where online training can help employees who already have a job, take classes and move up to the next level and get promoted. Or people who need to renew certifications can do so online while still working their current job.

Overall I learned a lot about the U.S. Dept. of Education and what they do. I really do think that we should learn more about it in high school because these things affect us directly. We are the future of America (as corny and cliché as that sounds) and we need to know all of the opportunities that are available to us so we can succeed using whatever tools possible. I am sure there are so many people who would like to go back to school and further their education and get a degree but they don't know what there is out there. We need to make sure people know what they can do and the options that they have to help them.

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Long Distance Relationships

Wednesday, March 18, 2009 9:28 AM, Jen

I went to high school with my now boyfriend. Back then we were just friends and definitely nothing more. Bu the summer going into college we started to like each other. We were leaving in a few months though to different schools (about 3 hours apart) and it didn't seem like we should be starting anything then so we kind of just said that we would stay in touch and went our separate ways.

But then a month or so later (after several calls, text messages and online chats) I went to visit him on my birthday because one of my best friends also goes to school with him and I wanted to spend it with the people I was close to and then a few months after that he surprised me with a visit to my school and it was so great because I was sick and he just showed up with a smile on his face and I definitely couldn't have asked for more. When we were home for Christmas break that year we decided that we may as well give our relationship a shot. Now, as juniors we are still together and while the distance sucks, there is no one I would rather be with, so we make it work.

As a surprise I got him this video conferencing equipment to hook up to his computer so that we could be video conferencing while we weren't together. It was so great because while it was only 3 hours away, we both have lives at school and didn't want to miss out on a lot of time with our friends and events. So when we couldn't visit and see each other in person, we did the next best thing and saw each other on the computer. It really is a cool thing and although we aren't actually together it allows us to be in each other's lives in a way that we couldn't before.

I don't know if I would suggest a long distance relationship to anyone, because it is really hard to do. But I also don't think I would discourage it. I thin that if you care about someone so much that you want to make it work over a long distance, then it is definitely worth trying and there are so many ways that we have now that can help to make it happen.

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How does reverse mortgage work?

Tuesday, March 17, 2009 10:27 AM, Jen

What are reverse mortgage loans?

The term reverse mortgage has been used to define a unique loan program where the mortgage loan has been made available to seniors over 62 years of age. But there are various factors here, which are different from the regular mortgage loans. Basically in this process the lenders lend you the equity in your home. But this is not like the procedures for the regular home equity loan or line of credit the borrowers because here there is no need for the home owner to make loan payments or pay back the loan. This is done only if they have moved out from the home or sells it outright, or passes away. Also unlike the regular mortgages, the reverse mortgage loan is never a burden for the senior citizens since the loan burden is not passed onto heirs and the loan would be automatically paid off from the sale of your home.

Advantages of reverse mortgage

There are various kinds of advantages that you can get from the reverse mortgage loans. This includes benefits like the amount of money available for the mortgage is based upon the amount of equity in the home. With the easy benefits of getting these reverse mortgage loans, you could avail a reverse mortgage for up to $200,000 if you are up to the required specifications. Also a reverse mortgage will not affect your Social Security payments and other additional options like the pension benefit or Medicare. However in this reference Medicaid or SSDI may get affected due to these loans.

What you should consider while getting reverse mortgage

Getting a reverse mortgage loan may seem comparatively easy but it is also suggested that you get legal advice in this matter and also implement various steps like getting research and information about the same, so that you can get a reverse mortgage loan that would be lucrative for you. It should be remembered that doing thorough research about the different kinds of loans available today is vital so that you can compare the loan rates, terms and duration for the same and also facts like supplementing your retirement income through these reverse mortgage loans and also reading of the contract thoroughly as these details or facts may be incorrect in some reverse mortgage deals. Keep in mind that some useful tips in this reference would add to your current home value.

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Working in the Computer Labs

Tuesday, March 17, 2009 8:32 AM, Jen

I work in the computer labs during the school year at my university. I work about an hour or two a day and it is probably the easiest and best job a student can have. You can do your homework and talk to people and go online. You rarely ever need to do anything and when you do it is more like refilling paper in the printer or answering questions about where a classroom is in the building or something similar to those things.

One day though I was working in a different lab subbing for someone and normally I work with all PC's but this was a Mac lab and people kept asking for help. I am great with PC's and printers now but I am not the person to come to for Macintosh support definitely. I felt terrible telling people I had no idea what to do and they probably all thought that I was dumb. So the next day I signed up for a learn about Mac's class. We all had our own Mac and we went over basics and even though I will probably never work in that lab again, I feel better knowing that I can help someone if I needed to.

A few weeks later I got an email from my boss asking if I could come in. I was kind of nervous, but I hadn't done anything wrong so it was more curiosity that was making me feel that way. I got to her office and she told me I was getting a raise! I was shocked. She said she was so happy that I took the initiative to go above and beyond to find a way to help people while I was at work and that she rarely sees people doing that anymore. I was so excited about the raise, but more than that I was pound of myself!

So now I go to work excited, I know that's weird, seeing that I rarely get the chance to help anyone out anyways and basically just sit there and fill the printer paper, but it really does make you feel better when you know you are qualified and excited to help other people out. It always pays to go above and beyond the call of duty, whether or not you get recognized for it.

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Odd Jobs

Tuesday, March 17, 2009 8:23 AM, Jen

I remember when I was in high school we had a lecture that we all had to attend about summer jobs or odd jobs that people have or available ones in the area. Most of us didn't work in high school, but the lecture was actually pretty interesting.

There were so many different jobs. Some people mowed lawns or worked for their neighbors doing random services like going grocery shopping for elderly neighbors and doing chores for them around the house. They were jobs that you really wouldn't think about like one girl sold Ka-Bar knives or another went door to door to sell sunglasses.

The man running the lecture had us all fill out a form about our interests and likes and dislikes. Then from there he could tell us the jobs available for over the summer that we would find interesting in our area. A week later we got our results back and most people were offered babysitting jobs or dog walkers and what not but I had an interesting one. I had written on the survey that I had done gymnastics for several years and was very good at it. I had no idea and never thought about it but there was a local gym near me that had an opening for a tots coach. Even though I wasn't looking for a job I decided to go ahead and check it out. The second I walked into the gym I was so happy. I remembered all of the great (and not so great, but rewarding) times I had in the gym). I decided on a whim to apply for the job and a few days later I had an interview.

I worked over the summer as the tot's coach where I got to do something I loved three days a week and got paid for it. I think that this opportunity and lecture didn't just impact my summer job; it also helped me to know what I wanted to do in the future. When I was picking colleges I went to the guy that had the lecture and asked him to help me. I told him I wanted to help people and had wanted to be a doctor but wasn't comfortable with touching people constantly and he suggested pharmacy. I am now happier than ever with that decision and although it is tough now, I know that when I am older I will be doing something that I love everyday and getting paid for it!

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CELL PHONES AND MOBILE ADVERTISING...THE WAVE OF THE FUTURE

Wednesday, March 04, 2009 12:44 PM, Jen

For years, people have done bulk mail advertising and cold calling, and the problem with these methods of advertising, is that you don't know who you are soliciting. Now with the addition of the web and cell phones, there are many new and innovative ways to build a customer base, much more quickly and effectively than in the past. Mobile advertising is one such marketing strategy that works very effectively to contact those people who are interested in what you have to offer. Mobile marketing sends text messages in bulk to many people, asking if they are interested to type in a certain code and this is how they opt in. Then in the future, every advertisement that this company runs will be sent directly to the customers that opted in. This helps avoid getting huge amounts of SPAM and the mobile marketing association works very hard to regulate this industry so that it doesn't go overboard. You can get just the information you want, and none of the information you don't with the option to opt in or out of a particular group at any time.

If you are interested in learning more about this growing field of advertising, or if you are interested in learning more about all the great new ways that you can use your mobile phone to receive coupons, advertisements, personal ads, and so much more then you should check out www.advancedtele.com. This company has been in existence since 1989 and offers a wide variety of information, as well as branches of services around the globe.

The cell phone and text message system is actually growing faster than even computer technology and the internet. This is most likely due to the fact that many people today are leading very active lifestyles, which have them on the go a lot and having a hand held device that you can slip in your pocket and take with you seems to serve a greater purpose in this growing technological age.

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Media Class

Monday, March 02, 2009 1:47 PM, Jen

When I was in high school I had to take this media class and I was so terrible at it and I dreaded going to it because I was really shy and I have absolutely no imagination (thankfully I am a science major). But the class was required (for God knows what reason) and so we all had to take it freshman or sophomore year (they put more emphasis on this then computer class, which as an elective for some crazy reason).

Our teacher was really bubbly and took himself seriously even though we all laughed and made fun of him like crazy. For one of our assignments we had to make a commercial. There was a hat with folded up pieces of paper and we got into groups and we had to pick one of the pieces. Ours said cheap web car insurance. So we had to take the phrase or company or whatever it is we had pulled out of the hat and we had to make it into a commercial and tape it for next week's class.

So my group got together after class to start an outline and we decided that we were going to be a California car insurance company and we would make our commercial trying to sell instant web auto insurance to viewers. We taped it in my basement and we colored a background with a desk (like the Geraci commercials).

Our commercial was so corny. We tried to make it a cross between those random Peter Francis Geraci commercials where he just stands there in a corny background and talks and his name pops up all over the screen and the eagle man commercials where the bird random comes out of nowhere and an egg of insurance is hatched. We had the best time making it (even though the assignment was so lame) and everyone in our class was cracking up when they saw it because we had this giant bird sitting on a desk with a corny background selling insurance.

Our teacher (even though we were making a joke out of the assignment) thought we were geniuses and loved the fact that we took ‘past works' whatever that even means and brought them into our own assignment. We ended up getting an A and having a great time doing it, so I guess it wasn't THAT bad.

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