Making Money Online Without Selling
With research now showing that over 98% of people who try to make money online will eventually fail it looks that something is wrong. There are now over 3 billion websites online and if they all have anything in common is must be that they are all trying to sell something.But it is certainly no wonder that most people fail to make any good money online simply because the competition is so great and the process is so complicated in getting traffic to a website. With over 75% of people who go to a website all starting off using a search phrase or word it seems obvious that this traffic is the most sort after.The confusing part is that this traffic/visitors that come to your website or blog is called free traffic. The reason why it is free is that they get sent directly to your website/blog by a search engine without charging you. But the problem is that getting your website seen when someone punches in a few keywords is not that easy.It all has to do with what the IM (Internet Marketing) industry calls page-rank or PR. If you are listed at the bottom of the list of websites for a keyword like Golf or Money, your website will not come up even if the person who is searching punches in the exact keywords that you are trying to rank for.It all has to do with backlinks and high quality verified backlinks along with SEO (search engine optimization). This means the way that the specific keywords are placed in your text on your homepage along with videos and capture pages that will get results are all very important.But this article is not about how to make money online by selling something and how to get a decent page-rank so that you can be seen. It is about making money online without having to sell anything. It might sound too good to be true but there are ways that tens of thousands of people have been quietly making very good money online without selling anything at all to anyone.If we think of the low interest rate that the bank offers you on a loan or even a deposit one thinks that this is quite normal and the only way to make a guaranteed return on your money. But getting 180% return on an investment every 60 days is a lot better than you will get from any bank or even the best prime property in the country.If that sounds like it is completely far-fetched and impossible to sustain then you should know that there are a few online companies that have been going for over ten years and paying their members every day. The point is that you can invest as little as $10 to see if it works, you don’t have to invest hundreds or even thousands of dollars.But that is only one example of the different types of making money online without selling anything to anyone and without needing a website or blog. From the title of this article you probably were thinking it was all about stock broking or binary trading. Making money online without selling using binary trading will cost money.If you start binary trading you will have to deposit at least $100 and the chances of you picking the correct way that a stock will go is a bit like putting your money on red or black in the casino. There are countless formulas that you can use to insure success with binary trading but nothing is guaranteed.Getting 180% guaranteed return on an investment of only $10 certainly does sound completely impossible. But instead of risking the $10 on a binary trade that can go either way you are now “risking”: $10 on something that is guaranteed to give you the promised return because it has been doing so every day for over ten years.
Crate and Barrel Outlet – Contemporary Home Furniture and Accessories for Modern Living
Crate and Barrel is a home furniture and accessories shop that offers good quality at a reasonable price. You will always find something perfect and useful for your home. You may not easily chance upon an actual Crate and Barrel store but you can always check their website for your online shopping convenience.Gordon and Carole Segal started crate and Barrel during the ’60s. Its concept was inspired by their European honeymoon. They noticed that majority of the home improvement stores in Europe has functional and durable products. Furniture and accessories are also contemporary and very appealing. Since then, they decided to start their own shop that will offer functional and aesthetically appealing products to young couples.The first Crate and Barrel outlet was opened in Wells Street, Chicago. They leased an abandoned factory and started their own business. Their products are imported directly from Europe. Its first product line includes French copper pots, bistro dinnerware, and ceramic accessories that they have bought throughout their travel.One interesting idea of their first outlet is that merchandise is displayed on top of crates and barrels that were used during its shipping. This emphasized one of their strongest points against competitors – their products are direct imports.Crate and Barrel products are now available in over 170 stores across the US. They also ventured in the international market and had their stores in Toronto and Calgary, Canada. There are also plans of setting up a store in Dubai.Though they started originally in European house ware, you can also find other styles in their items. You can have Mexican, Thai, and Indian-inspired designs among their broad product line. Their products are often contemporary and have exciting colors. You will find that their furniture and accessories will fit in your house because of its physical appeal and functional use.Crate and Barrel outlet offers everything that you will need in transforming your house into a home. They offer both indoor and outdoor furniture. You can choose from different styles of living room, dining room, and bedroom sets. You also have different options for your porch and garden. There are umbrellas, bistro sets, and other outdoor furniture to suit your preferences.Majority of their small appliances are related to food and drinks. There are mixers, waffle makers, and food processors. They also offer oil and drink mixes.For decorative items, you can find numerous candles, holders, frames, and mirrors. Kitchen goods and bath accessories are also aplenty. There are pots, pans, bake ware, and bowls. Bath accessories like shower curtains, linens, and mats may change its colors and patterns seasonally. You may want to watch out for mark down sales whenever they clear out for the next season.Online shopping is also one of the strong points of Crate and Barrel. It will offer you with promos and convenient shopping experience. You can create a registry when you purchase online to avail discounts. Shipping and packaging normally takes one week so you need to order ahead of time if you are planning for a big event or a major redecoration in your house.
Streamlining the Financial and Management Reporting Systems for Higher Education Institutions
Often times, one of the duties of the Vice President of Finance for a higher education institution is to lead in its efforts in the streamlining of its financial and related management reporting systems, as well as assist in the evaluation of academic and administrative technology planning. This duty and the encompassing project related thereto will be a major undertaking. It will most likely require the formation of a special project team consisting of various departmental leaders at the institution who will provide much input before a final recommendation is made to implement a change to the financial and related management reporting systems.A project report containing a timetable for implementation with due dates of completion for each phase of the project undertaking should be formally developed and approved, most likely by the President and Board of Trustees of the college or university. Because of the time and effort required for this undertaking, including a concerted effort and embracement by the Team Members required for a successful implementation, this project will most likely be completed over a number of months.The following information will assist you in your endeavor to streamline the financial and related management reporting systems at your college or university. This information covers the various capabilities of software/IT solution based systems and products that have been developed and available through solution providers. Much of this information and the items noted should be considered in identifying appropriate software/IT solution providers who will assist you in meeting and serving the needs of the academic and administrative offices of the college or university.In presenting this information, I am not advocating any specific software/IT solution provider or what route for a revitalized financial and management reporting system for a college or university for their specific undertaking. But, as more research and investigation is performed as a Team effort, I am sure you will be able to identify a very good provider, with a great history, with great platforms of products and resources, and someone who is very much up-to-date on meeting the needs and demands for your institution; not only today, but for years to come in assisting you in your desire to continue to grow and prosper.The key steps and processes noted in this article will provide you with information for identifying the “types of features, resources and capabilities” you will want to consider in deciding what types of changes may be needed in order for you to streamline the financial and related management reporting systems at your institution. The following is the information for your consideration.Identify Leading Software/IT Solution ProvidersA potential list of candidates of leading providers of software, strategies, and services for higher education institutions will need to be compiled. You should identify providers that have been providing these services over an extended time period, with a proven record of providing solutions that have given colleges and universities the power to meet all of their academic and administrative needs.You will identify software/IT solution providers that have developed and continue to improve and enhance their software, and combined with their experienced professionals, have a successful record of implementation, cost-effective operation, with a record of setting a clear path to future growth for colleges and universities across the nation.Ideally, identifying providers who maintain a singular focus on higher education may give them a unique perspective on the industry, allowing them to plan for changes and ensuring their clients have the technology, knowledge, and strategies to be leaders.The Software/IT Solution Providers Must Have Exceptional PeopleAt every level of the company and across each department – from product development, to support, to consulting, to services, to their leadership team – the software/IT solution provider you choose to work with must have people in their organization who are truly committed to partnering with their clients to maximize their success.Vibrant Client CommunityYou should identify software/IT solution providers who have a strong active client list. Their client list should represent a community that is one of the most active and engaged in the industry, demonstrating consistently high levels of customer involvement and satisfaction year after year. You will want to make sure they utilize customer advisory boards to help shape the future of their products and services.Broad and Deep Product PortfolioThe software/IT solution providers you identify should have a family of integrated, proven, and innovative products that caters to the needs of academic and administrative offices across the entire campus and throughout the student lifecycle.Strong Financial PositionThe software/IT solution providers you identify should be on solid financial footing and have a strong balance sheet. They must take a long-term perspective, valuing customer satisfaction and enduring client relationships. You should make a determination, if it makes any difference to you, if the software/IT solution provider you select is a strong privately held company or a publicly held company. Something you will want to consider is that many publicly held companies chase quarterly earnings targets and change ownership frequently, and when this occurs there can be problems with continuity of services; whereas a long-term strong privately held company will most often continue to remain a stable partner with their clients and they can be relied upon to remain committed to their client’s best interests.Cost of OwnershipIn your search for the ideal software/IT solution provider, you should identify organizations that provide the most advanced, innovative, award-winning solutions for higher education, delivering exceptional value with the best total cost to benefit of ownership to the college or university.Solution SuitesYou should research, review and consider the following types of solution suites to have in place at your institution in your pursuit to streamline the financial and management reporting systems of the college or university.
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems: You will want to have in place robust ERP systems that are built to meet the unique needs of your institution.
Continuing Education (CE) and Workforce Development (WD): You will want to consider having in place CE and WD systems to enhance business process efficiencies and institutional growth.
Recruitment: You will want to have in place a fully operational Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform designed to effectively manage recruitment.
Retention: Ideally, having a comprehensive retention solution with predictive modeling and a comprehensive alert system to maximize retention rates and facilitate intervention would be a useful tool and feature to have in use in the management reporting system at the college or university.
Advancement: You will want a solution to foster a vibrant community of supporters and champions for both major gifts and annual donations that the college or university depends on.
Learning Management System (LMS): You will want an integrated LMS to facilitate a collaborative learning environment.
Analytics: You will desire to have institutional intelligence solutions to help the institution measure, track, and report on key performance indicators to optimize performance.
User Experience: You will need powerful communication platforms and technologies including a Portal, Mobile, and Social offerings for the college or university.
Managed Services: You will want to consider the use of managed services to help the institution when you would need it the most – both on and off campus.
Software, Strategies & Services for Higher EducationThe software/IT solution providers you identify in your search must offer technology solutions empowering colleges and universities of all shapes and sizes to meet the needs of their students, academic, and administrative departments – serving the entire constituent community.The enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems must be flexible, customizable, fully-integrated, and designed to help drive higher performance across the campus and beyond. The ERPs must leverage robust functionality and simple controls so that the school operations can be streamlined and optimized from the back-end to the front-end of its operations. The ERPs you employ must give the performance insight you need to nurture critical relationships with constituents. Ideally, data access should be available anytime and anywhere for any authorized users. Integrated data will promote collaboration, user satisfaction, and efficiencies through-out the college or university. Most likely you will be focused on the following areas in streamlining the financial and related management reporting systems:
Admissions. Streamlining, simplifying, and automating the admissions processes, so that the institution can keep their focus on identifying and recruiting the best candidates for the institution.
Enrollment. Being able to organize workflow and communication with the right candidates at the right time and to get them ready for a successful educational experience.
Financial Aid. Providing prospects and students with comprehensive financial aid information, giving each the broadest consideration that is possible.
Academic. Being able to budget, project, and plan programs and resources saving the institution time and money, while driving a higher probability that each student will be able to complete his/her area of study on time.
Student Services. Having the ability to manage a broad range of student records, student activity, student profiles, and student health information; providing the highest quality of student life.
Finance. Controlling all aspects of the institution’s financial operations, including student billing, with accurate timely data – so the right business decisions can be made.
Human Resources. Being able to manage all components, including employee compensation, and having the ability to share data with departments across the campus.
Advancement. Streamlining and simplifying management of campaign and donor activity for both major gifts and annual donations that the college or university depends on.
Continuing Education & Workforce DevelopmentYou will need to have a software/IT platform for continuing education that is designed to help the institution streamline, simplify, and optimize the everyday tasks of operating a profitable continuing education and workforce development program, including:
Online registration
Course management
Student billing
Business management
You will want a platform that is easily deployed that can be integrated with any ERP system or can be used as a stand-alone solution.AnalyticsYou will want to ensure you are always able to have readily available reliable data so you can make better decisions. The software solution should provide a full range of options that can revolutionize the way you manage your operations and develop strategy.You will want the availability of analytics that will provide configurable dashboards, alerts, reports, and analytics, so the college or university can gain the insights needed to succeed across all aspects of their operations.A Need for Information That Covers the Complete Student’s Life CycleRecruitmentYou will want a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform that will allow the college or university to spend less time on administrative tasks and more time engaging with their prospective students and their families. It must be a recruitment tool that keeps the institution focused on students – and on track with enrollment goals. The platform should contain features such as:
Manage lists.
Produce and send personal communications.
Monitor progress.
Capture and update information.
Create and manage events.
Have the ability to manage recruitment efforts from either at your desk or on the road.
RetentionHaving the ability to utilize predictive modeling techniques to assist the college or university in identifying students who need intervention, while there’s still time to turn them around would be a tool to have in streamlining the management system. Having a system in place that will automatically issue an alert through the workflow process when an attrition risk factor appears on a student’s profile, thereby alerting the relevant administrators that intervention is required, would no doubt be an excellent retention tool to assist the college or university’s students in succeeding. Some of the benefits of having this capability would be:
Improve student retention rates.
Spend less time identifying at-risk students.
Intervene earlier to improve student success.
Implement the right intervention strategies at the right time.
Satisfy parent and student expectations for educational support.
AdvancementHaving a web-based fundraising solution that’s flexible, easy, and designed to help the institution meet their campaign goals can streamline and simplify management of campaign and donor activity for both major gifts and the annual donations that the college or university depends on. It should be able to assist everyone in the fundraising team – from administrators to managers and solicitors; so everyone can work smarter and more efficiently. It should be able to be used as a stand-alone solution or as part of an ERP solution to:
Improve engagement by reaching constituents in ways that are convenient for and familiar to them.
Strengthen constituent affinity with online communities and events.
Develop and leverage key relationships with complete constituent profiles.
Increase giving with segmented, targeted campaigns and personalized communications.
Manage the advancement team and fundraising efforts with individual and overall progress indicators.
Analyze results and plan for the future with intuitive business intelligence tools and comprehensive data.
eLearning ToolsWith the deployment of eLearning tools, the instructors at the college or university will have the ability to offer more dynamic, engaging learning environments and develop creative learning spaces that engross the students. Having a Learning Management System (LMS) that integrates completely with the administrative system will provide the institution a seamless data exchange and up-to-the-minute information. Some of the benefits of having this type of Learning Management System in place will be:
Provide students the power to access their courses through any mobile device.
Satisfy the teaching and learning demands of the faculty and students with robust functionality.
Incorporate digital learning objects from a variety of sources into the course materials.
Integrate all of the learning systems.
Obtain a low total cost of ownership by the university combined with simple eployment.
Online ConnectivityBecause students today are on the move – and having a desire to attend a school that provides them the convenience of online and mobile applications that will keep up, you will want to work with a software/IT solution provider that can deliver portal, mobile, and social media solutions that will keep users engaged with the institution throughout the entire student life cycle. Some of the benefits of portal, mobile, and social media solutions would be:
Portal. Providing the school community the information they need when they need it, from any location, while safeguarding confidential information.
Mobile. Offering secure, reliable mobile access to the college or university data and systems in the sophisticated the environment today’s students prefer, i.e., smart phones and other mobile devices.
Social. Being able to connect with the student communities where they live: on Facebook. Partnering with a software/IT solutions provider that has this feature developed and in place for use with the availability of its platform of products will simplify the process of building an online campus community via Facebook.
Also, having Customer Relationship Management (CRM) components available for use in a portal solution should allow you the opportunity to tailor user access to key information based on different user roles, such as:
Admissions Officer
Advancement Officer
Candidate
Student
Parent
Faculty
Staff
Constituent
Using a Single Vendor as the Software/IT Solutions ProviderAs part of your desire to streamline your financial and related management reporting systems you will want to work with a technology partner providing the most innovative and comprehensive software suite available. This would probably be best if the services are provided from a single vendor who will also provide strategic and operational services to maximize the return on this technology investment by the college or university.A Team of Experts to Assist the Institution in this EndeavorYou will want to make sure the software/IT solutions provider has the capability at every level of their company and across each of their departments – from product development, to support, to consulting, to services, to their leadership team that are a Team of Experts whose individuals are committed to working with the college or university to maximize their success. This would cover all areas of the project, such as:
Implementation. Their services should be designed to meet the unique needs of the institution and the people who use the college or university’s technology. They should have a proven track record of having on time and on budget implementations.
Training. They should offer hundreds of learning opportunities each year in a variety of formats, from on-site training classes to self-paced courses the college or university can take anytime and anywhere to help them use their products efficiently and effectively.
Support. They should have expert customer support personnel who are dedicated to finding answers and solving problems. They should have a record of resolving almost all inquiries within 24 hours.
Managed Services. They should be able to deliver the IT expertise the institution needs and comprehensive services they can shape to meet the college or university’s goals – whether you would need day-to-day support, project management, total network management, or managing your technology for future growth.
Executive Services. They should have experienced consultants who will work with you to create a technology roadmap to align resources with your priorities and meet your mission and critical goals.
An Actively Engaged Client CommunityThe software/IT solutions provider should have a client community that is one of the most actively engaged in the industry, demonstrating consistently high levels of customer involvement and satisfaction year after year. Ideally, they should utilize Customer Advisory Boards that help shape the future of their products and services, and encourage and support a host of opportunities for interaction and collaboration, such as Regional User Groups, Annual Meetings, Advisory Groups, etc.Cloud/SaaSCloud computing is a way to increase capacity or add capabilities without investing in a new infrastructure, training new personnel, or licensing new software.Software as a service (SaaS), sometimes referred to as “on-demand software” is a software delivery model in which software and associated data are centrally hosted on the cloud. SaaS is typically accessed by users using a web browser. SaaS has become a common delivery model for many business applications, including Office & Messaging software, Management software, CAD software, Development software, Virtualization, accounting, collaboration, customer relationship management (CRM), management information systems (MIS), enterprise resource planning (ERP), invoicing, human resource management (HRM), content management (CM) and service desk management. SaaS has been incorporated into the strategy of all leading enterprise software companies. One of the biggest selling points for these companies is the potential to reduce IT support costs by outsourcing hardware and software maintenance and support to the SaaS provider.According to Thomas McHall of the Gartner Group, it was estimated SaaS sales in 2010 reached $10 billion, and were projected to increase to $12.1 billion in 2011, up 20.7% from 2010. The Gartner Group estimates that SaaS revenue will be more than double its 2010 numbers by 2015 and reach a projected $21.3 billion.Whether you are looking to leverage the cloud for operational efficiency, cost savings, or business continuity, you should to look to a software/IT provider that has a solution to ensure your success. Ultimately, you should choose a hosted application that fits your needs best in one of the following:
Cloud Hosted Applications. For scalable and flexible application access.
Fully Managed Infrastructure and Applications. For cloud-based hosting of the institution’s applications with or without the expertise of the software/IT solutions provider’s team of managed-infrastructure specialists.
Virtual Infrastructure Hosting. For scalable, reliable, and secure disaster recovery and business continuity.
ConclusionOn the ideal digital campus, every administrative and academic office matches the technological sophistication of its socially-networked students. The digital campus leverages innovative technology to operate at optimal efficiency and the lowest possible cost, resulting in the highest possible return on investment. The digital campus leverages the most effective tools available, including software and services, to achieve its critical goals for enrollment, retention, and advancement. And, at every initiative, the digital campus ensures that its technology investment is aligned with its institutional mission and goals. For colleges and universities today, the digital campus is a superb model for achieving institutional success in our new century.
Uniform Education an Education Revolution in Tamil Nadu
Introduction:
Education can act as a powerful tool for reducing poverty and unemployment and achieving a sustained human development. When we compared our country education with other developed/developing country, the education in our country is not suitable to the current situation/practical life. All over the world governments are strictly follow the procedure of generating libraries along with schools, colleges etc. because the emperor Napoleon said the “Build up libraries otherwise we would build up prisons”.Generally in all the countries are understand the importance of higher education. In 1980s American president Ronald Regan take several steps to improve the higher educations. In a survey, among the 10 world’s best universities, 9 universities are situated in America. Most of the countries are including the basic education as a human right. In our India itself the education quality in corporation schools and private institutions are having huge differences. For instance the education system in institutions like IIM, IIT is differing from other institution. IIM an IIT institutes students are having more future benefits like employment, salary etc. rather than the other institutes. The syllabus difference between Tamilnadu and Kerala. We can give much more examples to prove in equality in our education system.According to human resource development department report in our India only 77% of the students pursuing their higher secondary studies. In which 61.6% of the students stop their studies in between of higher secondary. The total no. of schools, colleges is increased slightly when compared to previous years but the education quality is down fall. Even though the students well educated they can’t able to get a job because of non practical syllabus in many education institutions. It is the right time to introduce the “education revolution” through uniform education.Uniform education:In current situation only the richest students are able to get quality education in metric and private schools. The government of Tamil Nadu going to introduce uniform education system in eliminates the in equality in education. In 1960′s Gothari commission insist government of India to introduce uniform education in every states and also the committee stressed to increased the allocation of finance to the education with that committee’s recommendations the government of India introduced “Sharva Shiksha Abiyan”. But the result is not up to the level. The Government of Tamilnadu comes forward to introduce the uniform education with the recommendation of Muthu kumaran committee. Uniform education will reduce the burden of the school children through reducing the no. of books and notes and also. It will make pull stop to the indirect collection of amount from the children by way of using text books. It is the good thing in one side but in other side the quality of government school not up to the mark of private schools.Uniform education’s other important content is crating or building near by schools to children’s. But the government of Tamil Nadu doesn’t give any matters regarding the nearest school systems. The Government of Tamil Nadu also failed to include the medium of instructions as Tamil. Because Mr.Muthukumaran committee strongly stressed about providing of education in the mother tongue. The education minister also failed to include the very important content of uniform education is appointing sufficient no. of teachers to each children in the Government Schools.Recommendation:From the point of view of us and also from the point of view of experts, we wished to suggest. Some recommendation and we expect something from the Tamil Nadu education minister to develop the rural children education rate.1. The Government must develop the infrastructure facilities. The Government schools are not having enough infrastructure facilities like in private schools.2. It most of the rural schools the teacher student ration in too low (5 classes: 2 teachers). Merely introducing common syllabus we can’t expect uniform education development in all schools. The state Government should came forward to allocate more finance to the education development.3. Most of the politicians like PMK leader Ramadoss expect the State Government should come forward to provide LKG & UKG education to all the rural students. Because, all the urban area students are going in the Ist standard after completing these courses. But most of the rural students are joined with out these courses. So far four committee are arranged to analyze Indians education position. All these committees are recommends one thing severally that is “nearby schools with mother tongue common schools”.4.A childe should get its education with out going long distance. For that Government should construct more no. of schools in rural areas. So for the Government didn’t explained about the nearby schools construction.5. Government school teachers are getting more salary than the private school teachers. But the pass percentage is too lower than the private schools. Government didn’t give more attention to praise the teachers and also punishing then when they are mislead.6. Every year Chennai Municipality receives Rs. 70 crores as education tax. As per I April 2009 situation the idle amount is Rs. 120 crores with his amount the Chennai municipality can improve the 250 corporate schools to star category. Government should concentrate on spending collected amount towards school education development.7. Even though the Government schools are giving free lunch, no fees, free uniforms and free text books, still most of middle a low class peoples are interested to get the appoint form the private schools. The Government should give been attention towards this actions it should find the reason.8. Most of the rural students are stopped their education in between (nearly 70% of the students stop their education with in 10th STD) classes. The reason is poverty and also the schools infrastructure education plan, test formation and also job opportunity from the education. The Government should try to change the education system of our state. The every student should be assured with job opportunity.9. According to latest report from 1000 students only 50-60 students are having the capability of getting jobs. It arises due to non job relevance syllabus and also lack of library facilities in our schools. So the Government should increase the library facilities in each & every schools.Conclusion:Uniform education system may create an education revolution in Tamil Nadu and it will scatter over all the states. The Government also will make keen attention towards the education system in our country. We hope the uniform education syllabus will reduce the imbalance between the rural student’s knowledge and urban student’s knowledge. It is the time to create education revolution in our country. We believe our state forward its first foot step to wards education revolution. In uniform education, common syllabus is one of the foot step, still there are many foot steps are inform of us we have to cross them in order to get a quality education and also to provide quality education to our state students. Government may do and God will help them.
County Health Department – A Great Resource for Physician Groups and Hospitals
As clinical providers seek ways to improve the health of their patients at the population level, one great resource that they should tap is their county health department. There are many resources and skills that health departments will share with physicians and other providers that will improve their ability to improve the health of their patients.In my work I have had numerous occasions to collaborate with the chief epidemiologist of the Kent County Health Department of Michigan-Mr. Brian Hartl. Through these contacts and through an introductory epidemiology course I have found that health departments are experts at providing population level health services. This is in contrast to most clinical providers who excel at working with their patients on a face-to-face level. Both staff of physician offices and staff of health departments are concerned with the health of individuals and groups of people.Clinicians most often work with individuals during face-to-face encounters. They treat the disease or injury of an individual one at a time. For instance, if a physician is treating a patient with hypertension, she will plan a course of treatment with the individual in mind. If the physician considers the population level in her work, then she is looking at how the treatments and instructions that she provides affect a group of her patients. For instance, she may consider how effective she is in treating her patients with hypertension collectively.The patients of a county health department are the population of the county. Only in a few instances do health departments treat individuals one at a time. Much of their work would not be considered clinical interventions. However, their work does affect the population as a whole. For instance, health departments are responsible for seeing that food at restaurants is handled and cooked correctly. Health departments track reports of communicable disease to identify potential clusters or outbreaks, such as measles, in order to mobilize the community and physician groups to respond and prevent further transmission.Can these two health groups benefit each other in improving the health of their patients and, if so, how? I recently interviewed Brian Hartl about this and he shared some thoughts that I believe can help clinical providers do a better job. As an expert in population level health, Mr. Hartl sees much of his work as preventive in nature. In the emerging world of population level medicine it is important for physicians and other clinical staff to focus on prevention too-prevention of chronic diseases worsening for patients, such as prevention of patients diagnosed with prediabetes advancing to diabetes, and prevention of teen patients from misusing alcohol and other drugs, including tobacco. The Kent County Health Department has many resources that can help physicians achieve their goal and would be very willing to collaborate with clinical groups. In fact, KCHD currently has a grant whose funds can be used to improve patient opportunities for chronic disease prevention, risk reduction or management through clinical and community linkages.Mr. Hartl believes there is potential to work together with physicians to establish a system for prescribing healthy living activities and lifestyles as non-clinical interventions for the prevention/management of chronic disease. For instance, the Kent County Health Department is actively engaged in helping communities develop walking paths in underserved areas in the City of Grand Rapids. He thinks that patients with chronic diseases can greatly benefit if they became more active by walking. He is willing to share maps and information about the location of such paths so that a physician can prescribe a walking agenda for a patient and then point them to nearby paths that they can easily access.The Kent County Health Department is also engaged in working with community partners to bring fresh foods to locations in the county where access to fresh fruits and vegetables is difficult. These are known as ‘food deserts’ and often only have retail food stores that are ‘quick markets’ that have only boxed food, such as those found in many gasoline stations. His group is working with such retailers in the community to overcome the barriers to providing fresh foods. Mr. Hartl is willing to share with physician groups the locations of fresh food sources in the community so that clinicians can inform their patients of the locations and improve their food lifestyles.These are just two examples of information that the health department is willing to share with clinical groups so that their patients can achieve healthy, active lifestyles. Besides information, health departments also have community contacts that could be useful. For instance, the Kent County Health Department works with the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids, which has a nationally recognized program (the Diabetes Prevention Program) that helps prevent individuals diagnosed with prediabetes from becoming diabetic. The health department also has links with community educators, the Grand Rapids Urban League and prevention groups that focus on the prevention of the misuse of alcohol and other drugs.As you can see there are many resources that are available from health departments. Will it be beneficial to clinical providers to access these resources? I believe that accessing these resources will help physicians and other clinical providers greatly improve the quality of life of their patients. Also, it will help in improving the outcomes of patients at the population level. This is very important for groups that have risk-based contracts with private payers and for those who serve patients who are covered by Medicare. According to an article in Modern Healthcare dated January 16, 2015, about 40% of all private payer contracts are incentive based now; those with such contracts need to focus on population level health.There is a treasure of information at the health department for patient-centered medical homes that have patient care coordinators. One of the responsibilities of these coordinators is inform their patients of community resources that would be useful to them. The health department is an excellent source of such information.The goals of healthcare providers remains to provide safe and high quality care to their patients while their management staff work to improve the bottom line. With the rise of risk based contracts that dictate managing care at the population level, I believe that county health departments can do a great deal to help providers meet their goals.
Small Business Financing Options – Despite the Credit Crunch
There’s no question that the financial crisis and ensuing credit crunch have made it more difficult than ever to secure small business financing and raise capital. This is especially true for fast-growth companies, which tend to consume more resources in order to feed their growth. If they aren’t careful, they can literally grow themselves right out of business.Amidst all the gloom and doom, however, it’s important to keep one thing in mind: There are still options available for small business financing. It’s simply a matter of knowing where to look and how to prepare.Where to LookThere are three main sources you can turn to for small business financing:Commercial Banks – These are the first source most owners think of when they think about small business financing. Banks loan money that must be repaid with interest and usually secured by collateral pledged by the business in case it can’t repay the loan.On the positive side, debt is relatively inexpensive, especially in today’s low-interest-rate environment. Community banks are often a good place to start your search for small business financing today, since they are generally in better financial condition than big banks. If you do visit a big bank, be sure to talk to someone in the area of the bank that focuses on small business financing and lending.Keep in mind that it takes more diligence and transparency on the part of small businesses in order to maintain a lending relationship in today’s credit environment. Most banks have expanded their reporting and recordkeeping requirements considerably and are looking more closely at collateral to make sure businesses are capable of repaying the amount of money requested.Venture Capital Companies – Unlike banks, which loan money and are paid interest, venture capital companies are investors who receive shares of ownership in the companies they invest in. This type of small business financing is known as equity financing. Private equity firms and angel investors are specialized types of venture capital companies.While equity financing does not have to be repaid like a bank loan, it can end up costing much more in the long run. Why? Because each share of ownership you give to a venture capital company in exchange for small business financing is an ownership share with an unknown future value that’s no longer yours. Also, venture capital companies sometimes place restrictive terms and conditions on financing, and they expect a very high rate of return on their investments.Commercial Finance Companies – These non-traditional money lenders provide a specialized type of small business financing known as asset-based lending (or ABL). There are two primary types of ABL: factoring and accounts receivable (A/R) financing.With factoring, companies sell their outstanding receivables to the finance company at a discount of usually between 2-5%. So if you sold a $10,000 receivable to a factor, for example, you might receive between $9,500-$9,800. The benefit is that you would receive this cash right away, instead of waiting 30, 60 or 90 days (or longer). Factoring companies also perform credit checks on customers and analyze credit reports to uncover bad risks and set appropriate credit limits.With A/R financing, you would borrow money from the finance company and use your accounts receivable as collateral. Companies that want to borrow in this way should be able to demonstrate strong financial reporting capabilities and a diverse customer base without a high concentration of sales to any one customer.How to PrepareRegardless of which type of small business financing you decide to pursue, your preparation before you approach a potential lender or investor will be critical to your success. Banks, in particular, are taking a much more critical look at small business loan applications than many did in the past. They are requesting more background from potential borrowers in the way of tax returns (both business and personal), financial statements and business plans.Lenders are focusing on what are sometimes referred to as the five Cs of credit:o Character: Does the company have a strong reputation in its community and industry?o Capital: Lenders usually like to see that owners have invested some of their personal money in the business, or that they have some of their own “skin in the game.”o Capacity: Financial ratios help lenders determine how much debt a company should be able to take on without stressing the finances.o Collateral: This is a secondary source of repayment in case a borrower defaults on the loan. Most lenders prefer collateral that is relatively easy to convert to cash, especially equipment and real estate.o Conditions: Conditions in the borrower’s industry and the overall economy in general will play a big factor in a lender’s decisions.Before you meet with any type of lender or investor, be prepared to explain to them specifically why you believe you need financing or capital, as well as how much capital you need and when and how you will pay it back (if a loan) or what kind of return on investment a venture capital company can expect. Also be prepared to discuss specifically what the money will be used for and what kind of collateral you are prepared to pledge to support the loan, as well as your sources of repayment and what measures you will take to ensure repayment if your finances get tight.You should also ensure that your financial statements and records are current and that your internal control systems are adequate for handling the level of accounting and bookkeeping lenders and investors expect.
We Offer Free Oxygen! And Other Reasons Why A 3D Model Of Your Business Premises Is So Important
“My building is already in Google”:
It’s a reply we often get when talking to people about the 3D buildings we offer, they are usually referring to one of two facts;*they can zoom in, using Google Earth, and see the roof of their building as seen by the satellite that took the Google Earth ground imagery.* or they can go to Street View, through one of the various avenues, and navigate to their building’s address to see the front of their business premises.I want those people to do something, something that will always be good for your business; put yourself in the shoes of your potential customers.Now, imagine (as your own potential customer) that you are looking around Google Earth in one of its guises (Google Earth, Google Maps, Google Earth API in a web page etc)……..did you say to yourself:”that flat roof over there, yes that gray oblong, they look like they sell the exact product I’m looking for”?No you didn’t, because every building on the planet has had its roof photographed by a satellite for Google Earth and now appears as a flat polygon on the ground. Nor, when you were looking for a particular business did you say;”I’ll just shimmy along the road in street view for a few miles until I find a business who looks like they provide the product I want”.So, Does Your Business Offer Free Oxygen?
Every business – at least every business with a physical address – has these things, they aren’t a point of difference and they don’t add value to your marketing efforts. Firstly because everyone else has them and secondly because they don’t provide any useful information on your business. Imagine a business who promoted themselves by saying “We Offer Free oxygen” its not a point of difference, and its not of value to their potential customers.What is needed is a way to communicate as much as possible about your business in the clearest way possible. This is what 3D buildings achieve.Here are the three main reasons 3D models are so important to marketing your business:1.They are a container for information; A 3D model isn’t a static item, once clicked it provides all kinds of info about your business and links to your website.2.That container looks cool; 3D buildings look good, and they stand out. They project your business to potential customers in a positive way, reflecting how you project yourself to customers in the ‘real world’.3. That container appears without people looking for you and tempts them to ‘click it’; You don’t need to dive into Street View to see a 3D building, its simply ‘there’ even when you switch to ‘Earth’ view in Google Maps, if your business has a 3D model, it will be shown. People love 3D, the world we live in is 3D, so when people see it on their computer, they are tempted to ‘check it out’. Our 3D buildings go in Google’s 3D Warehouse so we can provide you with statistics on how many people ‘click’ your building.Additionally, it is important to promote your business in it’s local area so when people are actively searching for your type of business, yours is easy to find. The tools for doing this (like our 3D building service) are either free or cheap, so you’d be crazy not to take advantage of them. See my other articles on Location Based Web Marketing and others.I Want To Offer More Than Oxygen:
If you want to offer more to your potential customers than what they are already getting, and you want to make your business information as relevant and usable as possible, hit ‘Get Started’ – for $99 we will have your building, and your business, standing out for the whole world to see in no time.
Saving Money on Travel and Vacations
Everyone needs a vacation every now and then but most people are concerned about cost. Regardless of the duration of your travels it can become quite expensive. Both expected and unexpected costs tend to accumulate quickly. Plan ahead, create a budget and consider the following tips to help save you money every time you travel.Book aheadBooking ahead can end up saving you quite a bit of cash. Browse ahead of time online to find the best deal and book before prices start to go up. Compare costs online to get the best deal. You may be able to receive a discount by booking early and won’t have to worry about losing out on the flight. Also check if there is another airport within a reasonable distance and compare costs. Often flying out of a less convenient location can end up saving you big.Be flexibleTry booking last minute. As long as you don’t mind where and when you go, booking last minute can save you a tonne of money. If you’ve already booked your flight, be willing to give up your seat. Sometimes a flight gets overbooked and giving up your seat usually qualifies you for some sort of discount, perks, or even a free flight.Plan aheadPlan and book all accommodations and activities ahead of time to ensure staying within your budget. By finding hotels last minute and doing everything on a whim you will end up blowing your budget and paying more than necessary. Knowing what you are paying for and what to expect ahead of time is key to staying on budget.Pack LessMost airlines charge a fee for checked baggage. Check ahead with airlines to find what their baggage allowance is and don’t exceed the limit. Be realistic and pack only the essentials to save money on your trip. No one wants to lug around a tonne of luggage on their vacation anyway.Browse flightsOvernight and early morning flights are often cheaper. If you don’t mind adding a few hours to your travels and would like to save then compare the costs of direct and non-direct flights. Non-direct are often quite a bit cheaper than direct flights.Bring everything you need with you rather than purchasing items at the airport or on the plane. Standard items for sale in an airport are going to cost you a lot more than they would at home. Bringing your own reading material and snacks will save you money.Compare the costs of car rentals – renting a car right from the airport is convenient but that convenience is going to cost you. Compare airport car rental costs to that of a car rental not on location. You can save a tonne of money just by picking it up a bit further away.Staying in hostels is also a great way to save money while travelling. If you’ve never stayed in a hostel you may be hesitant, but hostels have everything you need for a comfortable nights stay and are a lot cheaper than hotels. Stay in a hostel rather than a hotel and you will save huge.Stick to your budget and follow these tips to save on your future travels.
A Complete Overview of Payday Loans
Surveys have proven that the number of applicants for payday loans is growing by the day. It is important to understand how the whole concept of short term credits works before making an application. Short term credits are issued on a short term basis usually between 14 – 30 days. Other names that are used to refer to payday loans include check loans, cash advance and salary advance loans.It’s understandable that once in a while everyone is going to run into financial obstacles that might necessitate temporary funding assistance in the form of short term credits. There’s nothing wrong with needing such a loan a few times in your life. The problems with this form of financing arise only when people become reliant on it and constantly are taking out loans that include hefty interest payments in relation to the time period and amount of the loan. Think over all of these factors before taking the next step and actually applying for a loan.You’ve Applied; What Next?Once you successfully apply for a short term credit, the amount plus interest is deducted on your next pay check. In situations where you fail to repay the amount as required, you can roll the loan over by paying additional fees to the lender along with the interest accrued over the roll over duration. Loan sharking is yet another terminology used to refer to the payday loans.In most cases, people opt for payday loans because of necessity. There are certain situations when emergencies arise, which require urgent financial solutions. It may not be easy to ask for money from friends and family hence short term credits become a perfect substitute for this.
Venues to Pursue a Payday LoanThere are a myriad of payday companies that offer payday loans to their clients. Other than banks and financial institutions, one can make an online application for a short term credit or visit the institution physically. It is possible to make an online application for a payday loan online or visiting the lender physically. The advantage of using the internet is that you can make comparisons of the different offers that the lenders have.There are certain conditions that must be met before a payday loan can be approved:One must be employed with a consistent income.
The applicant must have a checking account.
Applicant must be eighteen years and over.
Applicant should be a resident of the country.
The applicant should earn $ 1,000 every monthThe best time to apply for a loan is Monday to Thursday since you will get the loan the following day. Usually, the loans are approved and credited on business days. If you make an application during the weekend, you should expect the approval and payment to be complete by the coming Tuesday. Therefore, the best time to make a payday loan application is between Monday and Thursday.Approval Loan ProcessIt is important to acknowledge that the approval process for the loan application is extremely fast. It is possible to get the loan within twenty four hours of the application. This is why many people take out short term credits. The company will check out the documents and confirm these figures within a twenty four period. Usually, the data verification system is automated and is named VPN according to the software program. The entire procedure of identity verification and depositing of the funds should take less than24 hours. Some companies deposit the money in less than a day.Average Costs of Payday LoansThe costs of the payday loans vary from one lender to another. Usually, $ 15 to $ 30 can be charged for each $ 100. Therefore, if an applicant borrows $ 100, he or she would have to pay $ 115 to $ 130. Keep in mind that the APR for the payday loan interest can go up to 391%. This should be considered before taking the payday loan.
Garden Decor — It Is More Than Just Decorations
Garden décor… when post people think of décor, they probably think of the decorations in their living room, or elsewhere in the house. Only a minority of people connect “décor” with gardens and yards.Some people may say that the best way to decorate your garden is with flowers and beautiful plants. And yes, this may be true, but there is so much more that you can do! With the proper garden décor, you can turn your garden into your own personal oasis.Great types of garden décor:· Garden Benches. What is the point of having a beautiful garden if you do not have a good vantage point to see it from? Setting a garden bench in the midst of your garden gives you the perfect place to sit, relax, and watch your garden grow. A garden bench is not only an inviting place to sit, it is also a beautiful visual addition to almost any garden.· Bird Bath. There are many styles of birdbaths available these days. There are birdbaths that suit contemporary styles as well as birdbath that suit more traditional styles, and there are ones to suit any taste and style that falls in between. Not only do birdbaths themselves add beauty to your garden, but the birds that they attract add beauty, as well.· Water Fountain or Pond. Water has many soothing qualities — even the look and sound of water can be soothing. Placing a fountain or a pond in your garden will transform your garden into a mini oasis. You will love coming home from a hard and stressful day of work and sitting near the peaceful sounds and sights of your garden water feature.· Garden Statues. Garden statues come in many different varieties. You can find garden statues that add humor, elegance, sophistication, or whimsy to your garden. Indeed, you can find a garden statue to suit any gardener’s taste, whether you want to place and hide bunny sculptures throughout your garden, or whether you want a funny garden gnome.· Lights. There are many different ways to light up your garden at night. And why shouldn’t your garden be lit up at night? There is no reason that you should not be able to enjoy the beauty of your garden at any time of day or night.These are just a few types of garden décor that you should consider adding to your garden. Adding garden décor to your garden is like adding a beautiful frame to a painting – it enhances it. Sure, your flowers and other plants are still the main event, but the right garden décor can really make your garden unique and beautiful.