Cool Beans SF

Management or Leadership?

Simply stated, management ensures that things get done, in accordance with accepted policies, based on the reality of a situation. It involves deciding the how, and the when and often the who. The who can be a cross-over factor in the initial stages. It is doing it right, creating process and systems and insuring efficiency. A manager manages both the process and records the efficiency of the individual’s performance within the process.

Leadership revolves around concepts, ideas and effectiveness, enunciating what is the right avenue, establishing direction, insuring individual and team success, and necessarily implies a following. It is discerning and articulating the what, the determination of what is the right thing and often who is the right person or team. Teaching, an integral part of the process, enables a targeted team to do the right things and do them right.

For an administrative plan to be effective, we must first determine what is the right thing to do. Next we approach the who, how, and when to do it; and finally we must make certain each individual and team is enabled to do, to accomplish it. In other words, we manage the process and we lead the people, educating them as necessary.

Management functions have been classically stated as Planning, Organizing, Leading and Controlling (POLC). Much controversy has arisen surrounding these principles and they have been revised largely depending on the focus of the organization. I would like to offer a perspective based on 6 elements, making room for management and leadership coexistence, each undeniably valuable in the success of any administrative plan. They are establishing objectives, organizing & planning (combined as one element of the process), motivation, communication, employee development, and finally, measurement and analysis.

Each must be addressed in any administrative venture, whether building or rebuilding, or merely tweaking your administration, from the smallest detail to the most comprehensive reorganization. And since there is nothing new on the planet, merely a reshaping of what already exists, each will be familiar to you. Management issues and direction can be effectively delineated based on these six basic functions inherent in the management/leadership process. Each is pertinent to guiding the design, or redesign and implementation of administrative proce-dures.

Establishing Objectives

The process of establishing objectives involves determining a statement of vision, and then setting the goals necessary to achieve that vision. Goals must apply to the team (the organization), the individuals within the team, as well as to those in lead-ership positions. These objectives must be a direct result of the team’s determined purpose, which should ultimately be service, either to an internal or an external client. Each objective must have as its established goal the smoother, more efficient operation of the team (department and/or organization). Each objective must also be in accordance with the acknowledged purpose(s) of the department and the larger organization. This requires interaction not only with the team members, to determine that the they are on track, but with the internal clients, to insure that the goals and objectives are pertinent to their needs, as well as to the organization’s greater purposes. Translating objectives into action requires utilizing all available resources, as well as networking and interfacing with others on the management team organization wide, who have displayed effectiveness in their positions.

Organizing/Planning

Efficiency in this area is critical, in order to implement, clearly and realistically, the goals and objectives enunciated by upper level leadership. This involves the ability and resources to develop well-detailed plans and realistic schedules, while maintaining a critical balance between the vision (broad view) and operation (day-to-day activities).
All the while there must be continuing communication with all levels involved, at all stages of the process. The existing
structure of a department in the case of a redesign is all-important, along with an ability to delegate responsibility, while continuing to monitor and control the outcome.
Structure, though it may be transitional, must be moved to the forefront of the plan, often a challenge in an atmosphere in which performance is occurring hand in hand with design and implementation. It must, however, assume a position of precedence.

Motivation

Motivating is a critical function of any process, one that addresses the issue of control. Motivation provides a purpose, the impetus, for an action, or for changing it. It is complex at best and takes more than one form, depending on the level of the individual or team, the level of the manager, and the product or service provided by the department or organization. It is acknowledged by experts, that the feelings of the individual or team toward the motivator are key to the degree of motivation achieved. It becomes ideal then to have the full cooperation of those directly affected by the process or process change.

There are those who maintain that humans cannot be motivated but are solely self-motivated. Adoption of this viewpoint presents somewhat greater challenges, and it becomes highly beneficial for the leader to have a good understanding of the individuals he is working with. He must know what makes each tick.

The use of unilateral power is an effective form of motivation in situations in which individuals need to be overtly stimulated or influenced to comply with direction, rules, and policies. This is most effective with entry level employees, or those whose responsibilities are basic, repetitive, and easily measurable. It is not an effective long-term motivator for those whose role is largely self-directed. These individuals require a motivation that stimulates their ability to perform independently, fostering a higher performance level, and building a spirit of collaboration within the team.

It is often effective and highly productive to involve key staff members in the design and implementation of administrative procedures, particularly those involving drastic change to the existing structure. It is of utmost importance to keep in mind that humans do not react well to change, regardless of proven benefit to their condition. Change implies upheaval, disturbance of the status quo, and humans will resist it. Involving them in the process, on whatever level seems reasonable, is definitely wise to con-sider.

Communication

Nothing short of great communication is essential. This cannot be over sated. Communication is the dissemination or exchange of information on the true state of the situation, all information being as accurate and understandable as possible. Great communication is timely, pertinent, and requires confirmation that the message has been understood; it is unilateral. The more ways in which information is given, the more believable it is, the more likely it is to initiate action. By means of clear communication from the organization environment, a course of action is determined, and information is provided concerning its relationship to those involved. A manager/leader must be a great communicator, or very simply, goals will not be met. This may not be obvious at once, but will manifest in future, multi-level failures for the organization. It is by this rela-tively simple stumbling block that many truly great plans are crushed.

Employee Development

Developing people is crucial to any organization, and developing existing staff members during a period of growth or alteration of the administrative process is not only practical, but often profitable. Leadership cannot develop people, but can attempt to provide an environment rich in opportunity and resource, in which individuals are encouraged to develop themselves. It is critical to realize when mistakes are a natural part of the learning process, and when they are a valid reason for strong recommendations regarding continuation or termination of an assignment. In the former instance, mistakes viewed positively will generally be enthusiastically corrected.

A critical element in the area of development is appropriate placement. This is an area in which you must simply bite the bullet and assume placement responsibility. You must gain a sound appreciation for the trust placed in you by the successful candidate. This is not the place for a cavalier attitude. If you are experienced at hiring, you also understand that finding a fit for your company and its culture is not the same as fitting the individual to the position. This can be one of the costliest flaws in company procedure, affecting cost and performance on every level. Hiring the right people is only the beginning of the process, and simply assures that your new hire will probably acculturate successfully, submitting readily to the vision and mission of the organization. Place them properly within the organization, and you will have a long-term contributor, one whom can count on during transition and periods of growth.

Another important element of management’s role in employee development is to clarify that the goal is excellence in all pursuits, and to further define excellence as it applies to a specific endeavor. In the majority of instances, employees in such an atmosphere will strive to attain excellence, with little or no external prompting. The assumption is that everyone enjoys success, and most people welcome an achievable challenge. It is necessary to have a clear vision of the point at which development issues end, and poor performance begins, and to clearly communicate this. It is important to note, that growing and improving is a process best achieved under relatively stable circumstances, though not impossible during the challenging period of organizational growth and transition. This is oftentimes an excellent proving ground, a period during which the stars will begin to shine.

Measurement & Analysis

Finally, management needs to measure and analyze output, both of processes and of individuals, and a function of doing it right. Employees must be made aware of their progress, either in a new setting, or a changing setting, and in the familiar one as well, in order to effectively set and adjust personal goals and improve performance.

Great leaders take pleasure in improvement, as it is a true confirmation of the validity of the vision. Such measurement and evaluation should be designed to motivate and initiate self-governing on the part of the individual. Measurement and analysis, when employed to motivate, can be extremely effective.

When used to control or dominate, however, it can backfire. In considering the evaluation process, be certain to clearly determine in the initial stages, exactly what is being measured, a very simple step too often overlooked.

IN SUMMARY, each of these functions must be approached with sound judgment, either resulting from experience with poor judgment, or better still from solid wisdom, which circumvents the negative aspects. Each of these functions must also be approached proactively using every tool and all the available resources.

Finally, the above challenges must be met with maturity in two key areas, interpersonal skills and leadership skills. This implies sophistication, a ripeness of attitude, in relating to any given situation, that each member of the leadership team has gained as a result of experience and a willingness to continue their own personal growth process.

Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills are of paramount importance. Leadership must treat individuals fairly, developing solid working relationships with them across all levels. This may appear to be blatantly obvious, but sadly is all too often overlooked in the name of accelerated organizational progress. Managers and supervisors must be willing to facilitate conflict resolution, as well as to confront issues surrounding relations between teams or departments, particularly during the period of growth or change in the administrative process.

Leadership Skills

A great leader has a sincere concern for the success of people he leads, treating staff members as individuals, giving credit, taking pleasure in making people look good. A great leader keeps the objective as simple as possible, in order to promote understanding, always acts as a role model, and stands out of the way, letting others get on with their jobs, not interfacing unnecessarily.

A true leader will make the difference between an effective administrative transition and the failure of an otherwise brilliant plan. Do not overlook the advantage of adjusting the needs of the plan to allow for the needs of the people. It is not necessary to prioritize purpose over people, or vice versa. If leadership has done its homework, everyone in the organization will arrive at the vision simultaneously.

Karin Syren is a certified coach specializing in executive mastermind coaching, who has over 25 years of business experience and has played key roles in all areas of business administration. She has managed several small businesses, setting up processes and supervising all areas of their administration. She has created procedures in diverse departmental areas, often as a result of technological innovation, creating positions and new departments as the needs arose, in industries from independent creative enterprises to the Fortune 500 elite.

Ms. Syren believes strongly that responsibility proceeds from knowledge. The benefits of what we learn cannot be solitary; they must be shared. We ought to assume that if we have learned from our experiences, others will learn from them as well. Knowledge moves in concentric ripples and when shared will continue to benefit exponentially far beyond anything we can conceive.

Copyright 2002 Karin S. Syren & So-lu’shunz Management Services

All Rights Reserved

http://solushunz.com/

Incline treadmill is suitable for wide range of therapies and workouts. Incline treadmill provides a more challenging way to increase the workload in terms of distance without going faster. Incline treadmill simulates an uphill climb, while the electronics can be programmed to create running or walking. Incline treadmill strengthens muscles and burns calories allowing the user to lose more weight.

The greater the incline angle on the treadmill the more muscle activity, greater body motion and more exertion. This is the principle of the incline treadmill which brings in fat loss, good body sculpting results and loss of calories results. People desire to achieve these as to maintain healthy bodies that look great.

The more the incline on the treadmill, the greater the calories will be burned on the treadmill simply because walking at an incline on the treadmill causes more muscle activity and greater range of motion. Incline treadmill engages the lower body muscle group, forces people to incline at each step, exert themselves and significantly burn more calories than walking on a flat surface of the treadmill. With the incline treadmill people can enhance their total body sculpting as never before.

Objectives of fat loss, burn calories and better heart health can be achieved using the incline angle of the treadmill. Incline treadmill workouts can be done while watching TV and there is no need to go outdoors for walking. People can get a healthy cardio workout with walking at a brisk pace on a treadmill and then increase the incline with no side effects. This will reduce lower back injury problems and knee problems incurred while running or walking on outdoor concrete.

Adjustable resistance cardio cables during exercise increases the calorie burning potential by providing total upper-body resistance workout as people walk or run on the incline treadmill. Treadmill at an inclined angle operates smoothly with no effects or problems and enables individual to walk or run on it and achieve workout results.

Treadmill stress starts with individuals walking on a treadmill at an easy walking pace and then increasing the incline angle after every few minutes. This makes the individual do more work and is similar to walking up a gradual inclined hill.

With increase in the treadmill incline, larger steps are compensated by leaning forward from the waist which puts the center of gravity forward more and increases the use of muscles to maintain the forward lean of the upper torso. This burns more calories and provides a good workout. Beginners on a treadmill are advised to initially walk on the flat surface of the treadmill and over time they can increase the speed and incline several times higher than what they began with on the treadmill.

Workouts over the incline treadmill all the time can generate negative effects on ankles and tendons. People should avoid and restrict themselves to 10% inclination on the treadmill. People should take care that they don’t overdo themselves while using the treadmill at incline angle and stress themselves. People should stop the workout on the incline treadmill if the speed and the incline start causing problems to shins, calves or even heart.

Incline treadmill is an effective and ideal solution to lose fat, burn calories and achieve body sculpting results. However, individuals should take care so as to avoid over stressing or over working on the inclined treadmill which may create problems for them.

Saurya Ghosal for http://www.treadmill-walking.com.
Read more about Treadmills http://www.treadmill-walking.com/smooth-treadmill.html
Copyright 2005 http://www.treadmill-walking.com

A Guide to the Chinatown Bus

The word is outthe cheapest way to get from one major U.S. city to another is on the “Chinatown bus”. In recent years this has become transportation option of choice for budget travelers in New York, Washington DC, and Boston, and more recently on the West Coast. Students, backpackers, and an array of other savvy travelers have long loved the rock bottom prices that these bus companies offer. Despite the popularity of these bus lines it can still be difficult to find information on Chinatown bus service.
What exactly is a “Chinatown Bus”? Read on and you will have the inside track on this great budget travel option.

Chinatown Bus history

The Chinatown bus phenomenon began in the late 1990s when an entrepreneur in New York’s Chinatown started running daily bus service from Chinatown in New York to Chinatown in Boston. The service was aimed at Asian immigrants who wanted to shop or visit relatives in either city and needed cheap and convenient transportation. The service was bare bonesno advertising, customer service, or bus stations. Customers simply went to the bus stop, waited for the bus (or van), and paid the driver upon boarding. For those willing to do without frills, they offered virtually the same service as traditional bus companies at a substantially lower price. Before long, the word spread and all kinds of people started using the service. It became especially popular with students, budget travelers, or people for whom the service was simply more convenient.

Soon more bus companies duplicated this model and started offering service in other cities. Now you can find this type of bus service in Philadelphia, Virginia, Baltimore Washington DC, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco. At this point the term “Chinatown bus” is used more loosely to describe this sort of low-cost/low-frills service. Many, if not most, of the companies do not have Chinatown as their main location and may not cater to the immigrant population at all. These operators are also sometimes referred to as “curbside” operators.

How can tickets be so cheap?

$15 between New York to Boston? $25 from Las Vegas to Los Angeles? It seems hard to fathom. Chinatown bus companies are able to keep prices low because they operate in a fundamentally different way from traditional carriers. Foremost, the service is very basic. There is little in the way of customer service or amenities. Most of these operators do not have formal stations, picking up passengers at bus stops instead. They eschew traditional advertising in favor of word of mouth. Further, many of the operators play a very hands-on role in the operationyou will not see idle executives at a small independent bus company. Finally, these operators make sure they fill their buses. That is why Chinatown bus operators usually only operate on heavily trafficked routes. Indeed some companies only run buses at peak times.

Are they safe?

When these companies first started operating, concerns were raised about safety standards. There is still controversy within the bus industry about whether these newcomers are complying with the same regulations as the traditional companies. However, a task force set up by the Federal government to look at safety issues found that Chinatown bus companies did not perform better or worse than other types of bus companies (ie. charter, tour buses). All bus companies operating in the U.S. must undergo the same inspection standards and must comply with the same rules. Realistically there is probably a range of quality among Chinatown bus carriers. Some are fly-by-night operators trying to make a fast buck, while others are legitimate entrepreneurs who plan to grow and operate a long term business.

What you should expect

• No frills servicethe driver may be the ticket collector; there will not be a lot of customer service.
• Comfortable buses. Despite the low fares buses are usually quite nice. Most buses are comparable to Greyhound and many are actually more deluxe.
• Communication challenges. Drivers are legally required to speak enough English to help passengers in the case of emergency. In reality this is often adhered to rather loosely. At the very least, expect your driver to have an accent.
• Possible delays. Many of these bus routes are on highly congested roads. When the roads are busy, expect delays.
• Rest stops. Buses will have a lavatory on board but there is usually a 10 or 15 minute bathroom break on trips over 4 hours. Don’t be late returning to the bus, the driver will not count heads before leaving at the appointed time.
• Full buses. Buses definitely sell out at peak times (weekends and evenings). Book ahead or get there early if you want secure a seat.
• Plastic Bags. An odd little quirk on Chinatown buses is that every aisle seat usually has a plastic grocery bag tied to the arm. I guess they find this is the best way to keep the buses clean.

How do I find the Chinatown Bus?

Again, “Chinatown bus” is a term used to describe a type of operator and not an individual bus company. Many unrelated bus companies fall into this category. Since most Chinatown buses do not spend money on advertising it can be difficult to find out details about schedules and bus stop locations. Many of the carriers are becoming savvier about the Internet and quite a few have websites with information. Usually an Internet search will yield links to bus service to your destination. There are also several directories, such as chinatown-bus.org that include links for most Chinatown bus companies and the author’s employer, GotoBus.com, is a centralized booking site that has schedules and sells tickets online for most Chinatown bus companies.

The Chinatown bus is not for everyone. If you want an orderly system with American style customer service, you should probably stick to traditional carriers. However, if you know what to expect and come prepared with a sense of adventure and humor, you should enjoy the trip just fine. You will also enjoy the money you save!

Violet Sorenson works for GotoBus.com, the leading online marketplace for bus tickets and tours in the USA. You can find out more information about the company at: http://www.gotobus.com/ The author can be reached at marketing at gotobus.com.

Fad diets come and go. Sometimes they come back again. People like to follow fad diets because they promise quick weight loss, the plan is easy, and you just have to do it for a short period of time. Plus, it’s fun to jump on the bandwagon along with friends who might be following the program, too.

Common characteristics of fad diets include nutritional deficiency, frequently relying on just one food or food group, recommended short-term use, and lack of long-term benefits.

Medical authorities debunk fad diets because of their dubious nutritional value, low daily calories, and bland tastes. The diets can also lead to weight-cycling or yo-yo dieting.

Some of the more well-known fad diets include:

• cabbage soup diet


• grapefruit diet


• chicken soup diet


• even the chocolate diet!
  

With a little creativity, these diets could contribute to a healthy diet as well as weight loss.

How can you make a fad diet into a healthy one?

Include the “fad food” as part of a nutritious meal. Have a grapefruit for breakfast along with oatmeal, a glass of milk, and a slice of toast, for example.

Soups are very nutritious, so why not bave a pot simmering on the stove? Enjoy it for a snack–it sure beats high-fat chips or sugar-laden cookies!

Chicken or cabbage soup is a great part of a meal. Include a green salad with low-calorie dressing and a piece of fruit for dessert.

Have soup or grapefruit on hand when the “munchies” strike. You’ll get filled up fast.

You could even have a piece of chocolate (make it small!) when you’re eating an overall healthy diet.

Be sure to incorporate exercise into your daily activities. That’s another problem with fad diets–most of the time physical activity is completely ignored. Increasing your exercise will help you lose more weight than any single diet plan on its own.

Want to follow a fad? Make it a healthy one!

========================================
Looking for diet and weight loss tips? Kathy Ferneau has created an excellent
resource for information on diets, healthy eating, and exercise.

Click here: http://www.lose-weight-diets.com

Get a free smoothie recipe e-book just for visiting!
http://www.lose-weight-diets.com/smoothierecipe.html

The term sounds easy enough to comprehend, but there is a much deeper meaning. Terms like mindfulness and loving-kindness seem obvious, but you have to understand them before you can implement them, into your daily life.

This reminds me of a conversation I, recently, had with a friend. He was reading the personal ads, in the singles section, and came across another term: “consciously aware.” He was grasping to understand why so many women had listed this as a prerequisite to any kind of relationship, with a male companion.

When he mentioned this to me, and I could see the puzzlement all over his face, I couldn’t suppress a smile. I asked him, “Are you a good listener?” Now, he was completely “thrown off the track.”

So, I explained that women, who had been exposed to men, who didn’t listen, had written these advertisements. Living in the moment, and being consciously aware, are components of mindfulness.

Therefore, let’s take an in-depth look at the meaning of mindfulness. Staying in the present moment is, probably, the hardest part, for most of us. We spend so much time thinking about the past and future, that there is little time to see life, as it is.

Imagine, what would happen, if you drove a car like that. Looking over your shoulder, and blocks ahead, most of the time, would get you into an accident. Due to the fact, you were not aware of what is right in front of you. So what do you do?

Let’s take the first step together today. Firstly, make a commitment to create the daily habit of mindfulness. After that, start to listen to the world around you and the world within you. The universe is outside, and within, at the same time. This is proven by the fact that the universe is infinitely vast and infinitely small.

Now, back to listening to yourself. Make it a point to notice how often you are nervous, tense, or distracted, and learn to focus on your breath. Breath awareness will calm your inner being, and you can do it anytime. If you want to learn more about breathing for your overall health, you should attend a workshop or a Yoga class.

Learn to be silent and learn to speak up at the “right time.” When is there a right time to speak? Learn to relax before talking. Never speak to inflame a conflict, but do not become silent when you can resolve a conflict. Never be afraid to compromise, and find common ground, with a perceived opponent.

Always remember: The solutions to your problems are all within your own mind.

Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Some husbands have a difficult time keeping a hard pecker and some females have exceedingly long sex drives, meaning it takes the lady a really long time to come. Because of this contrast in sex drives, sexual intercourse may turn into an annoying and undesirable love making session. That’s why thick dildos might often be helpful. If the male shoots early in the game, or even if the girl just takes longer than her bloke, he can continue to penetrate the gal with the huge dildo. That way all sexual fun doesn’t end. It gives him plenty of time to charge his batteries and keeps the girl horny. Hence when he is prepared to come back into the game, she’ll still be aroused enough to accept the bloke.

Your very most stimulation soft spot is your mind. And as significantly as many females won’t admit this, the penis is a symbol of power, no matter how large or tiny, it is still associated with fertility. Penetrating your wife with a huge dildo might well make a fantasy of power mischief reality.

Some women love the sensation of feeling full in their vagina or anus. Whenever a marital toy such as a massive dildo, penetrates the vagina or bottom, the muscles contract around it. Legions of women note the tightening of these muscles to be extremely enjoyable. Perfect for the quiet night in - Sex Toys.

Here’s a question for you:

What would you like to have accomplished 100 days from now?

Why 100 days from now?

Well, why not? Besides, 100 is a nice round number.

You might think, “That’s not enough time. What can I possibly accomplish in only 100 days?”

Very much if you put your mind to it and use the right tools.

So what would you like to accomplish in the next 100 days?

Would it be:

Begin to save money. If you simply gave up that soda and/or candy bar each day, that $1-plus would be more than $100 by the end of the year.

Get rid of that excess weight you have been carrying around? Sure, it would be nice if you could get rid of a pound a day, just like saving a dollar a day. Though it doesn’t work that way, you could be well on your way to getting rid of that extra weight.

Start the business of which you have always dreamed.

Get your priorities in order.

Change a destructive pattern in an important relationship.

Break a bad habit and replace it with a positive one.

Whatever it may be for you, there are certain key rules that should be followed to achieve your goals. Here are just a few to get you started:

The Rule of Ink - The dullest ink is stronger than the sharpest memory. In other words, write down your goals. Commit them to paper. Just this simple action greatly increases the likelihood of meeting your goals.

The Rule of Work - Richard Bach said “There is no such thing as a wish without the power to make it come true. You may have to work for it, however.” Goals require work, as do many things worth doing.

The Rule of Dreams - It has been said that “a goal is a dream with a deadline.” One of the keys to successfully achieving goals is to have a deadline that other people know about. This will help hold you accountable. And then if you really want to change your life, achieve the goal before the deadline.

The Rule of Persistence - In the battle between the rock and the river, the river always wins. Not because the river is stronger, but because the river has the power of persistence. Stick with it! Don’t die of thirst a few feet from the water fountain.

The Rule of Action - Never leave the place where you set a goal without taking some action toward it. This prevents the No. 1 goal stealer _ procrastination _ from setting in, and it creates momentum toward your goal. Then, keep taking action and taking action and taking action and taking some more action.

Visit SecretsofGreatRelationships.com for tips and tools for creating and growing a great relationship. You can also subscribe to our f*r*e*e 10 day e-program on how to enrich your relationship today, from relationship coach and expert Jeff Herring.

If you are considering a home business to supplement or replace your existing income, you might want to consider going to work for an established internet business as an affiliate. Many of us start out that way because it is the cheapest, quickest, and most economical way to start.

However, choosing a company to accept an affiliation with is not at all an easy task, as you will soon see. In fact, it can quickly become a very frustrating experience unless you know beforehand what to expect and what factors you should consider in making your selection.

Take a moment now or later, and type into your browser the word “affiliate,” or a similar variation of the word, such as associate, for example. You will see that there are between 469,000,000 to 482,000,000 different web sites offering affiliate related positions. With so many, which ones should you choose? That is a most difficult question that does not have an easy answer. However, ideally, you should chose a company offering a product or service that you feel good about, and a product or service that you yourself would use and want to recommend.

This makes perfect sense when you consider that statistics show that affiliates do better with products and services that they feel good about. Briefly consider some of the products and/or services that induce good feelings in you, then go ahead, and start your search. Do not be too serious or dogmatic about what products or services you will and will not choose to promote at first because as you surf you will expose yourself to new products and services that may induce good feelings and make you think “wow, “I could make some money with that. And who knows, perhaps you are right.

Whatever product or service you ultimately decide to promote as an affiliate, is your decision; however, to increase your chances of making an income, you should be selective and not jump into rashly accepting the very first thing you see that looks good. Instead, you need to make sure that the company and its products and/or services meets with your approval and satisfaction based on favorable answers to the following questions. If it does and you are comfortable with the company and its products and/or services, then and only then, should you consider accepting an affiliation with that particular company.

The questions below have evolved over the past several years in direct response to numerous request from aspiring affiliates and have helped to guide many of them, despite very humble beginnings, to attain the status of “super affiliate.” I hope that they will equally serve and prove of benefit to you.

1. Does the company provide an actual, tangible product or service? If there is no product or service, this is called a pyramid scheme and is illegal. You should avoid this type of association.

2. Do you feel good about the products and/or services being offered? This is most important because statistics reveal that you will do best with the products and services that you yourself are excited about. Note: You should never sign up with a company just because others seem to be doing well with it.

3. Is the company legitimate? While the answer to this may prove difficult to ascertain with any degree of certainty, you can, nevertheless, consider the following: How long has the company been in business? Is it a member of any organization, such as the Better Business Bureau, for example? Although being a member of an organization does not necessarily guarantee that the company is “legitimate”, it is, however, a good starting place to help guide you into making the best choice.

3a. also type the word “scam” into your favorite browser and see if any complaints come up against the company you are considering. While some companies may have a few, for various reasons, such as from rival competitors, for example, these are rare and should not necessitate a need for alarm; however, many complaints would strongly suggest that you might do better with another company.

3b. although this consideration would not necessarily apply to free affiliation programs dealing with digital downloads of low cost software and ebooks, it most certainly would be a strong consideration in choosing companies that require you to invest a huge amount of dollars and those that deliver expensive goods via of shipping.

4. Does it cost you anything to become a representative or affiliate of the company? If so, how much? What do you get for your money? Moreover, when do you get it! While most business opportunities may have a start-up cost ranging from a few to several hundreds of dollars, this is not necessarily the case with affiliation programs. Most affiliation programs are free to join and that is why I recommend choosing this type of association, especially when starting out. However, if you should happen to choose one that requires an investment, just make sure that you actually receive something for your money.

5. Does the company provide product support and training? If so, how is it presented? Is it online training? Telephone conference calls? Audio files? One on one mentoring? Printed booklets, etc.? Is the support and training free or does the company require that you to pay for it. Make sure you clearly understand what support and training materials the company will provide and if they are free.

6. Is it going to cost you a monthly or yearly fee to maintain your business association with this company? If so, how much? Some companies may require that you purchase a certain amount of products each month, or in the alternative, they may charge you a monthly web hosting or administrative fee that can offset any potential earnings.

7. Will you need marketing materials? If so, who will pay for them? Will you have to pay for them or will the company provide them free or at a reduced rate. Some companies may require that you purchase business cards, brochures, catalogs, order forms, prospecting leads, etc. Since these added expenses would subtract considerably from potential earnings, you need to know this.

8. Does the company require that you meet and/or maintain a certain amount of sales quotas each month or year? If so, what amount? Additionally, are there any other requirements you must meet to keep your business active? If so, what are the requirements?

9. Is the company mainly an online or offline business, or both? Many companies have a web site but require that you do work online as well as offline. Some companies may require that you have home parties to advertise the product or service being promoted, or to run advertisements in local classified ads, etc., at your own expense If the company under consideration requires offline work, make sure it is something you will not mind doing and/or paying for.

10. Does the company provide a free website, or one that you have to pay for? Can you sign up perspective customers and representatives at the website, or do you have to go to the extra-added expense of doing it manually by phone or fax? While some websites may appear to have automated sign up systems, this is not always the case; so check it out, and read their TOS (terms of service).

11. Who will actually deliver the products to your customers when a purchase is made? Will the company ship it for you from their supply source, or will you have to stock and ship it out yourself? If the product is digital, will the company provide a download link for your customers, or will the company require you have to upload the product to your own web site, so that your customers can download it.

12. What income can you realistically expect to make? In your search, you will come across many hyped-up ads that claim you can earn $10,000 and upwards in a single month. While it may be possible to do this, it is not the norm, so avoid these; or in the alternative, be prepared to settle for making a lot less than what is claimed.

13. What exactly will be required of you before you can regularly earn monies from the company? Will you have to recruit a certain number of representatives or sell a certain amount of products each month? If so, are you willing to do that, and if so, what will be your expenses?

When you finally choose a particular company based on your answers to the above, be prepared to work hard and stay committed. While many advertisements make it sound ridiculously easy to make heaps of money with little or no actual work, just the opposite is oftentimes the truth. If you expect to make any money, you have to work. It is that simple. You will need to treat your business exactly as you would any other job where you are paid to perform a task. For example, if you work at McDonalds, and you fail to show up each day and do your assigned job, you will not make any money. The same is true of your internet business. If you do not work, you will not make any money.

Since YOU yourself are responsible for your own level of success, it behooves you to find and represent only those companies and products that you truly feel good about. Remember, you are more likely to achieve success when you promote products and services that you feel good about. Use the above questions to help yourself achieve this.

About The Author: Richard Driver is a freelance writer, and co-owner of SoftwarePak.Biz, http://www.softwarepak.biz, a resource center for home business owners, and affiliates. Visit today for information and opportunities on how to make your work at home experience successful.

Italy has set its mark in the world history for being one of the most beautiful and romantic city. The tower of Pisa known to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World is situated in this roman country and is identified as Italy’s one of the world’s tourist attraction. Apart from boasting different tourist destinations, Italy is also recognized for having casinos and gambling establishments that entice tourists and even citizens of the land. The Venice’s Casino is one of the most renowned and highest earner casinos situated in Italy, according to online gambling experts at playsportal.net. The success and triumph of this casino has set another venture in the place of Malta. Italian casinos are diverse specifically the ‘The Campione d’Italia Casino’. This casino is located in Campione at the Italian Swiss border and in order to experience the excitement of this casino, a gamer should first cross the state line of the Milan-Como. Upon reaching this point, you will be welcomed with their own set of house rules and a lady luck which they consider as the best part catered by this casino house. Gaming hours of most Italian casinos operate from 2 in the afternoon until 6 in the morning. Italian casinos are mostly fluent in speaking in English due primarily of the numerous tourists visiting this social establishment. These international Italian casinos are regulated by international rules. So, the next time you prefer Italy as your destination, Italian casinos can be one of the best places to experience the thrill, adventure and fun in any gaming establishment.

As anyone who follows the world of bankruptcy knows, as of October 17, 2005, substantial and, from the point of view of consumers, painful changes were made to the Federal Bankruptcy Laws. At the behest, primarily, of the credit card providers and banks, who had been lobbying for years, new legislation was drafted and approved setting the stage for stricter requirements governing (primarily, though not exclusively) personal bankruptcy. This legislation came at great cost to its proponents, and it was expected that it would lead to fewer defaults and more repayment plans, all of which would redound to the benefit of the banks and credit card issuers.

While it is still too early to say, with any certainty, what the overall effect on defaults will be, it seems that, statistically, Chapter 7 filings are rising again, and the expected relative increase of Chapter 13 repayment plans may not, in fact, be materializing. Fewer debtors than one might expect have been disqualified from Chapter 7 relief by “means testing.”

In addition, at the same time that the new bankruptcy laws were taking effect, credit card issuers and banks were finding creative ways to avoid usury problems by domiciling themselves in creditor-friendly states, such as South Dakota, and default rates for consumers now exceed 30% in some cases. Defaults, for those consumers (virtually all of them, I daresay) who have not read the fine print in their credit card disclosures, may be caused not only by late payments, but by high debt to income ratios observed in periodic reviews by card issuers, and defaults under other credit card agreements. The consolidation of issuers, of course, means that there are only a few issuers out there now. Coupled with this have been changes to “minimum payment” rules, so that where a credit card holder carrying a balance might have been able to carry a $250 per month minimum payment, the combination of 30+% APR’s and higher minimum payment rules may have increased that to $600, or more.

Multiply that by the 5 or 6 cards that a consumer might be holding, and, well, one can easily see where this is going. But that same cardholder is now facing higher obstacles to Chapter 7 filings, simply by being, statistically, in the “middle class” and exceeding his or her state’s median income.

What will the result of this be? It’s hard to tell, but one likely scenario is higher defaults with no bankruptcy option. For those cardholders who own a home, with equity, Chapter 13 may not be a viable option because of the sheer amount of debt they are now carrying, relative to their incomes, so the risk of losing their homes may be substantially enhanced. If this happens on a large-scale basis, there will surely be an outcry to “reform” the “reform.” The credit card issuers and banks, having paid dearly for this legislation, may well have overplayed their hand.

Furthermore, those cardholder who can, have, in large numbers, been paying off their balances, outraged as they are by being socked with APR’s exceeding 30%. This has already hurt the bottom line of credit card issuers and their bank affiliates, who make nothing on cardholders who don’t carry a balance. The pot of gold for them is in cardholders carrying balances and paying high rates, and even better, those consumers paying late fees when they get in over their heads, or overlimit fees when, as in many cases, the suddenly increased interest rates take them unexpectedly over their limits. Late fees and overlimit fees are often now in the $40-$50 range.

The result? Less income for the creditors as consumers have wised up. MBNA and Capital One, two huge credit card providers, are seeing their profits sink. Other credit card providers are reporting similar results. Highly dependent on the consumer’s desire to run up debt, these companies are now seeing their profit margins drop sharply. In a nutshell: high consumer debt equals big profits; low consumer debt levels equals low profits.

During the last five to ten years, beginning in the halcyon days of the late 1990’s when, it seems, everyone was an internet or high tech millionaire on paper, Congress was amenable to bankruptcy reform to address real or perceived abuses. The banks had the will and the cash to finance legislation and, after years of almost getting there, finally crossed over into the “Promised Land” in 2005. By contrast, consumers, many of them unsophisticated, who had been given credit cards, with low “teaser” rates, just couldn’t resist the lure of easy credit, big screen TV’s.

Predictably, they acted irresponsibly. But while the lobbyists worked their magic for MBNA and Chase, the consumer had no lobby with which to oppose bankruptcy reform. I’m sure that for the most part, they had no clue as to what was in store for them. Those consumers in the lower economic strata still have no lobby, but they will still be eligible for Chapter 7 relief. The challenge for the banks is that the pain is moving up the ladder to the middle class homeowner. The howling is bound to be heard, and soon.

Copyright 2006 Warren R. Graham

Warren R. Graham is a New York attorney with the Firm of Cohen Tauber Spievack & Wagner LLP. He is a frequent writer on a variety of topics, including legal matters, political and religious affairs. His opinions are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of his firm or its members. Additional information on him may be found at http://warrenrgraham.blogspot.com