Against Closed Eyes In Marketing

Evaluating thousands of scholarship applications has
definitely left an impression on me. I still remember
some of them, because the students,who submitted them,
managed to get into my head in a personal way.
Many books and articles will tell you that
“personalization” is good, but they don’t tell you how
to accomplish that. I saw a photo attached to an app
showing the senior student shaking hands with the
President of the United States. Another enclosed an
audio tape that revealed his talent to play the fiddle
in a country band. A girl had her photograph taken with
a well-known professional golfer after she had won a
state tournament. A boy included a picture of his
debating trophies. Another had won a two day fishing
tournament and held the trophy in a picture to prove
it. Another had built his own computer. Still,another
had patented her own invention, a device for counting
inventory units. In each case the items were part of
the requirements of the scholarship award,not just
thrown in for effect. These are super examples of
“personalizing” a scholarship application,but it
doesn’t have to be that noticeable.

There were also attempts at personalization not well
received,a picture of a girl in a very tiny bikini.
The word thong comes to mind. Another included prize
ribbons with a request to return them when the judging
was over.We had to send them back at our own
expense! Another application had an algebra homework
assignment inside, oops! We sent that back, too. Her
siblings were probably blamed for its disappearance.
One application had a Santa Claus hat inside. It came
from Alaska. I’m still trying to figure that one out.

Why is personalization so important? Imagine that you
are on the committee, sitting around a table with 247
scholarship forms. It is the committee’s job to pick a
winner. All of the apps appear to look alike. All
things being equal, which one is going to be chosen?
It’s impossible to say. But,let’s suppose that one
personalized his/her request and made it stand out
positively from the rest. Now,someone has taken the
time to be bold, inventive and creative. They have made
it possible for the scholarship committee to know more
about who they are. They are more than a just a piece
of paper with a name on it. They have revealed intimate
sides to their personalities. Who will win now? The
choice is obvious.

Personalize don’t dramatize. Use good judgment and
common sense when personalizing. Try to imagine who
the people are making up the committee. Then, send in
your request knowing that,out of all who sent their
forms, you are the one who will win. You are the person
who deserves the money.

Planning produces positive outcomes when the
scholarship effort is truly a family affair.

©2006 The Scholarship Doctor, Dale Clifton - All
Rights Reserved

Dale is an educational consultant
and expert at helping families win college
scholarships.

To learn more about planning to win
scholarships visit ==>http://ScholarshipDoctor.com
My newsletter is full of tips and ideas.

MailTo:signup@ScholarshipDoctor.com

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Use Accelerated Language Learning Strategies

While language is one of the most important products of human
evolution, it uses only a few of the many skills and senses
available to our minds.

Our brains evolved to interpret, code and store very complex
stimuli such as smells, images, colors, sounds, tastes, touch,
situations and emotions. The “Theory of Multiple Intelligences”
asserts that there are 8 types of intelligence: interpersonal,
intrapersonal, logical-mathematical, verbal-linguistic, spatial,
bodily-kinesthetic, musical-rhythmic and naturalist. In the
traditional classroom environment most first and second language
lessons always present in only one format - as words printed on
a page with traditional instruction by grammar translation and
rote memorization.

Accelerated Learning” language lessons attempts to correct this
imbalance by including activities which allow for the activation
of the other intelligences such as: sports which involve
movement, use of colour on worksheets, creating songs and music,
manipulation of objects with arts and crafts.

“Accelerated Learning” is a very broad term in language
education and encompasses many different strategies, procedures,
techniques, methodologies and approaches. Some “Accelerated
Learning” methods include: mind maps, reading to music, multiple
intelligences theory, various memory techniques, mood music to
influence the emotional and mental state of learners, learning
environment setting, rhymes to aid learning, pattern spotting,
chunking, suggestopedia, neuro-linguistic programming and the
use of activities, arts, crafts, sports and dramatic
presentations.

One “Accelerated Learning” strategy is the use of mnemonics as a
memory tool. These tools help students improve their memory.
They help language students remember facts, order or the
structure of information. The three fundamental building blocks
of mnemonics are imagination, association and location.

Imagination is used to create and strengthen “word-image
associations”. The more vividly you imagine and visualize a
situation, the more effectively the memory is stored for later
access and use.

Association is the method by which you link items to be
remembered to a way of remembering it. You can create
associations by linking them using the same color, smell, shape,
or feeling. You can create associations by placing them
together, on top, merged, wrapped or interacting in a humourous
fashion.

Location provides a context into which you can place information
as a unit and a way of separating one mnemonic from another. For
example, by setting one mnemonic in Toronto and another similar
mnemonic with images of Vancouver, we can separate them with no
danger of confusion. You can build the images and atmosphere of
these cities into your mnemonics to strengthen the feeling of
location.

Second language learning takes a lot of time and effort and
motivation. Students who use the “Accelerated Learning”
strategies and methods with the assistance of a professional
tutor will learn more, save time, save money and enjoy learning.

To contact a professional tutor several websites list the
qualifications, experience and teaching metholologies used by
the tutor to instruct students.

For additional information go to:
http://www.eslincanada.com/learnenglish.html

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Generic medications are as effective as their brand-name counterparts and offer significant savings. According to the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS), generic dispensing has increased among private third-party payers growing by 9 percent over the past year, from 48.4 percent in 2005 to 52.6 percent in 2006. Generic medications are much less expensive than brand name medications. A generic medication is equivalent to the corresponding brand name medication. Generic medications are usually less expensive than their brand-name counterparts. Your pharmacist can answer any questions concerning your use of these medications.

Brand name and generic medications are required to deliver the same exact amount of active ingredients in the same amount of time as one another. Just because a medication is “brand name” does not mean that it will work any faster. Brand name drugs and their generics are identical in terms of active ingredients. The generic pills may look different because a different company makes them.

Differences range from the time it takes the drug to react to the effectiveness of the drug. Generally, I’m willing to cope with these differences and can usually work through them — considering the cost of the brand name drug. Differences between the two may occur in the shape, color, flavor and imprints. By law, no two medications can look alike; in order to abide by the legal standards, generic medications must look different than their brand name equivalents. Different pharmacies charge different prices for the same medications. Sometimes the difference in price is fairly significant.

Click here for more information on discount generic medications and pharmacies.

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I started on my bachelor’s degree in health care administration
over two years ago. I was attending a state university full time
and working part time. My wife had recently passed the CPA exam
and was looking for an accounting position. We both expected her
job search to take some time, so we were pleasantly surprised
when we found that she had a job offer within a few weeks. She
had only applied for positions in our area, but the job offer
she received was from out of town…way out of town.

We lived in Indiana but the offer came from an accounting firm
in Seattle. Apparently, one of the human resources people from a
company she applied with had passed her application on to this
company. We still don’t know where the connection was, but
nevertheless, we were now considering a big move. The salary
offered was well beyond her expectations and neither of us had
an aversion to the Pacific northwest, so we decided to go for
it.

My plan was to find employment and then wait one year until I
established residency and finish my education. After we moved, I
started to feel like waiting a year wasn’t such a good idea. I
was able to find a job, but I really wanted to work in the
health care field and get started on my career. I was talking to
a friend of mine from back hone on the phone, when he suggested
that I finish my degree online. I had never really though of
that as an option, but decided it might be worth looking into. I
was able to find an accredited program that would allow me to
start right away. Not only that, all my previously earned
credits were accepted and I was able to work on my degree at an
accelerated pace.

I am now six months from graduation and well ahead of schedule.
I enjoy the comfort and convenience of online learning and my
tuition is less than I was paying at home. Considering the fact
that I would still be waiting to start had I chose to establish
residency and attend college locally, I’m really glad I decided
to finish my degree online.

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Who was born on January 15, 1929? A man who believed in equality and peace…Martin Luther King, Jr. Here are some ways to honor this man. NOTE: If you live in a country other than America, adapt these activities for a significant person in your country’s history.

1. Draw a silhouette of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s face against a plain background; then add lines to create a puzzle. Add words that rhyme with ‘king’ in the spaces of the face and words that rhyme with ‘men’ in the background. Color the first set of words brown and the second set of words red. NOTE: Vary the activity by adding equal math problems in the face and unequal math problems in the background (ie: 4+6=2+7+1 versus 5+3=2+3+4).

2. Make a Criss-Cross puzzle with these words: Atlanta, dream, equal, laws, leader, minister, peaceful, and prize.

3. Use the same words in Tip 2 to fill in these blanks:

Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in _____, Georgia. Dr. King received the Nobel Peace _____. MLK worked to change unfair _____. Dr. King gave a famous speech called “I Have a _____.” MLK was a great _____. When he grew up, Martin Luther King, Jr. became a _____. Dr. King believed that all people should be _____. Dr. King believed in _____ protests.

4. Have older children look up the following words in a dictionary, encyclopedia, or the internet: segregation, prejudice, equality, civil rights, nonviolent resistance, protest, demonstrations, equal opportunity, Nobel Peace Prize, assassinated, tribute. What does each word or phrase mean? How can you apply it to Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life?

5. As a culminating activity to your unit, have a panel of ‘interviewers’ ask ‘Dr. King’ questions.

6. As an alternate activity, have children write a play. Different groups of students can focus on various aspects of Dr. King’s life.

I hope these ideas are useful and have inspired your own creative thinking.

And remember…Reading is FUNdamental!

(Answers to Tip 3: Atlanta, prize, laws, dream, leader, minister, equal, peaceful)

Freda J. Glatt, MS, retired from teaching after a 34-year career in Early-Childhood and Elementary Education. Her focus, now, is to reach out and help others reinforce reading comprehension and develop a love for reading. Visit her site at www.sandralreading.com. Reading is FUNdamental!

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What is an MBA? MBA stands for Masters of Business
Administration, and is a degree you get to take the next step in
business administration. Getting an online MBA degree can reap
many benefits, and may possibly be the tool you need in
furthering your business career. Doing a little research will
help you decide if participating in an MBA online course is the
best course of action for you to take.

Getting your MBA online is a great way to get you ahead in your
career path. By taking online MBA courses, you can get your
degree at home, on your own time. Imagine the convenience!
Getting your MBA online is also great if you are a working
parent, yet wish to further your business education. By
participating in an online MBA course, you do not have to attend
classes at an actual university. You can take all courses
online, in the privacy of your own home. Online classroom
procedures vary from class to class.

Another way getting your MBA online gets you ahead fast is you
can usually complete the online MBA program in about two years.
By taking your MBA courses online, you can get your MBA degree
quickly, and enable yourself to do what is necessary in order to
reach the next step in your business career goals.

MBA online courses come with may benefits that will help you in
your business career. As long as the university is accredited,
you may be eligible to get grants, loans, and/or scholarships to
help you financially with payment of your MBA course studies
program. You can get applications for these loans, grants and
scholarships directly from the learning institution’s online web
page, if you are unable to get to the learning institutions
financial aid office in person.

The value of an MBA degree is surely to help you when trying to
advance in the right business career. The MBA is taken very
seriously in careers including: accounting economics
marketing

Many businesses will look very highly upon a potential employee
with an MBA degree.

The MBA can also help you make more money. It is estimated that
the MBA is alone worth $10-30,000 a year, depending on factors
such as your employer and the location of your jobs. Investing
in a MBA degree online can ensure you larger earnings for your
future.

Getting your MBA degree online can be very beneficial to your
business future. Getting your MBA degree online can be less time
consuming, and much more convenient than the traditional
classroom. Not only can you be eligible for grants,
scholarships, and/or student loans, but getting your MBA degree
can ensure you more money added to your annual salary. But do
not jump headfirst into the first online MBA program you find.
It is always best to do some research, as questions, and
evaluate different schools to ensure you are enrolling in the
online MBA program that is best suited for you.

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A Penn State online degree is a college degree from Penn State University that is offered through the Internet. This is equivalent to a degree received from the traditional on-site Penn State University, and is advantageous because Penn State has a highly esteemed reputation in the academic world.

By getting a Penn State online degree, individuals receive a degree from a highly recognized university. Being able to add the words “Penn State” to your resume can give it the credibility it deserves.

Penn State was the first college to offer a correspondence studies program. They started this program in 1892. Because of this, individuals also get a very experienced college curriculum when they get a Penn State degree.
The Penn State online degree program has over thirty different degrees and certificates to choose from including general business, retail management, nursing and business administration. The wide selection of fields makes it a perfect choice for individuals no matter what their current career field is or what field they are hoping to enter.

The Penn State online degree program is perfect for individuals that are employed full time but still wish to further their careers. It is also a great choice for those who wish to go to college but need to work a full time job in order to pay the expenses of a college education.

Online degree program offers flexible scheduling, downloadable course work, one on one communication with instructors and virtual “real-time” classroom setting. This type of program allows the student to complete course work when it is convenient for them, whether it be days, nights or weekends, and also allows for personal tutoring or extra help when needed.

By choosing to obtain a Penn State online degree, you will be choosing a degree that is backed by a longstanding, reputable college and a degree that will offer real world knowledge that you can apply directly to your work environment.

Amba is the owner of http://www.on-line–education.com a website that contains all the latest resources and information relating to on-line degrees. Visit http://www.on-line–education.com

Sign up to our free Newsletter to receive additional articles on a regular basis.

email@on-line–education.com

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Whatever you want to label “learning at home” and however you want to define the latest buzz words for non-traditional education, you can find a program and method that suits your needs. Right now over 1.2 million people in the U.S. participate in some form of distance learning, with a projected expansion to 2.3 million in just a few years.

In looking at this rapidly expanding and viable form of education and training, there are a few basic things you need to consider and some decisions you need to make in order to create the environment that will best suit your needs. You need to know the what, the why, the benefits and the how of the various forms of distance learning.

Distance learning (correspondence courses) started in Europe in the 1800’s and has evolved into a multifaceted term that serves many purposes. Some of the forms of distance learning are: correspondence courses, online education, internet based education, electronic education, e-education, electronic learning, and e-learning. How these terms differ will depend upon how the institution defines and labels the programs which they offer. To simplify the whole concept, let’s say that these terms represent ways of learning away from a “brick and mortar” facility. Some distance learning and/or online programs may or may not be connected to a university or college. There are many programs that are independent and are not affiliated with any institution.

Distance learning offers a variety of paths to personal goals which include: GED, associate degrees, bachelor degrees, graduate certificates, master degrees, doctoral degrees, non-credit training courses, and others. Whether a person is seeking a degree, keeping professional skills updated, or pursuing skills for an interest area or hobby, there is a program or offering that should work.

Why are so many people turning to distance learning? What are its advantages? On a personal level look at such pros as: maintaining privacy; provides convenience; enables a flexible schedule; allows for balancing job and family obligations; working at own pace, going slowly or accelerating learning; can be less expensive; great for homebound individuals; no unnecessary travel; no formal class attendance; and can “learn while you earn.” These are a few of the many things that are causing quite a number of people to take an entirely different approach to attaining knowledge/skills and/or earning a degree.

Those who advocate against an alternative of distance learning, often site the lack of socialization which is a part of a traditional type of education. However, not everyone is looking for the classroom activities, college events/parties, and the interactions that are a part of a school campus. Many of the classroom activities such as discussion and support can be achieved online. The other things that an online education will reinforce are: reading - ebooks, up to date
references, current research; listening - through audio lectures or clips; seeing- through graphic illustrations and demonstrations; doing - assignments, quizzes, exams, research papers; and speaking/communication - through email, chats, and electronic discussions. A distance learning program can be far more than just reading and writing.

What are the requirements for becoming a part of a distance learning program? Many programs require a minimum of a GED or taking an admissions test. Usually, the process for applying will include: an application; transcripts; test scores; an essay; and letters of recommendation. The less formal the program, the less formal the requirements. There is a wide range in answering this questions. However, what is necessary for an online program is the right computer equipment with the internet connection (high speed), word processing capability; email; and multimedia player. The program you choose will provide more specific details for recommendation about equipment and software.

In choosing a program there some questions to ask as you do your research and make your selection. Ask about the following: help/support is offered; qualifications of the instructors; number of years the institution has provided services; is it an accredited program; details about the curriculum; and multimedia elements of the program. By the way, accreditation is voluntary since there is no officially sanctioned entity in existence. However, most schools considered the six regional accrediting agencies listings to be legitimate agencies. Ask if it is regionally accredited.

The last thing you need to think about is your motivation and work ethic. If you are a good reader (good reading comprehension skills) who doesn’t procrastinate and can avoid distractions, you will be a good candidate for an alternative approach to education. In this age of global education and the need for current knowledge and skills, this is a fast delivery system that will bring all the technological advancement right into your living room instantaneously. It works for more than a million people, and it can work for you.

Visit our Resource Center on Distance Learning at: http://sbmag.org/distancelearning.html

Copyright usage: No permission is needed to reproduce this story. The About the Author statement must remain in tact. We also request notification of where the article is being used so reciprocal links can be considered. mailto:barb@sbmag.org

About the Author
Barbara Snyder is a retired California Distinguished School Principal and Coordinator For Human Resources. She has a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. She holds elementary education, secondary, community college, and administrative credentials. She is currently the publisher of http://EducationResourcesNetwork.com, co-publisher of Strictly Business Magazine, http://www.sbmag.org.

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It was at approximately this moment that Jack Durack conceived his intention to shoot his visitor dead. He had long been a firm believer in a man’s right to defend himself with deadly force in his own home, or if necessary on his own front doorstep. And if this individual did not deserve to have deadly force applied to him, Jack Durack did not know what individual did. For starters, he had knocked on Durack’s door in the dead of night while wearing a balaclava. Then he had identified himself — falsely, in Durack’s view — as an escaped psychopath. Then he had asked for a cigarette when he was already smoking one. Out in his back shed, Jack Durack kept a number of fully loaded and carefully maintained firearms with which to shoot dead individuals of precisely this kind. The only trick was getting the individual to stay put on the doorstep somehow while he went back and got one, and returned to the front door with it, and shot the individual dead in the chest with it at point-blank range.


Withdrawing his unshaken hand, the individual tried a new approach. He asked Jack Durack if he had the time. Jack Durack declined to furnish an answer. He had already observed that the individual was wearing, was in fact looking at even now, an apparently functioning wrist-watch. Durack’s intention to shoot him dead at point-blank range firmed. The only trick was getting him to stay put somehow while he adjourned to the back shed.


The individual now proceeded to offer a third story. He stated that his vehicle had run out of petrol just down the road, and asked if he might telephone for help from the interior of Durack’s house. Durack replied that this would not be necessary, as he happened to have some petrol and a siphon out in his back shed. The individual replied that his vehicle required premium petrol and therefore he had better come in and make the phone call anyway. Durack retorted that the petrol out in his back shed was premium. The individual shifted from foot to foot and said he would just as soon come in and use the phone anyway, if that was okay with the old man.


But Jack Durack, sixty-seven, adamantly stood his ground. By now he had become aware of suspicious occurrences out on his nature strip. A fiery red dot kept glowing intermittently through his hedge, suggesting that a cigarette was being smoked by someone crouching on the other side of it. Furthermore, a strange grunting noise could be heard emanating from the same area, akin to the sound of an inebriated young male choking on withheld laughter.


On this basis Jack Durack formed the view that a second individual was present out on his nature strip, hiding behind his hedge. He resolved to gun down this individual too. He resolved to shoot him dead through the hedge as soon as he’d finished shooting the first individual dead at point-blank range in the chest on the doorstep. He planned to excuse himself from the front door very soon and hasten back to his cache of fully loaded firearms. He would return not only with a loaded double-barrelled shotgun but also with a substantial number of additional shells, in case one or both individuals failed to die instantly as a result of taking one barrel each to the chest area.


Now the individual on the doorstep made a series of crude attempts to lure Jack Durack out onto the nature strip. He asked if Durack would prefer to continue the conversation out under a streetlight. Durack cannily declined. Then the individual offered to show Durack where his broken-down automobile was. Durack provisionally agreed to accompany him to it, stipulating that he would first need to obtain his reading glasses from his back shed. The individual replied to the effect that he happened to have a spare pair out in his car. Durack said okay, but in order to get all the way out there he would need to go and fetch his walking stick. The individual offered to carry him out there. As this exchange proceeded, further bursts of stifled male laughter could distinctly be heard issuing from the hedge area.


By now the individual on the doorstep had started to behave in a decidedly erratic fashion. He was repeatedly seen to be looking at his wristwatch, making a further mockery of his earlier claim not to have the time. He appeared increasingly agitated. Jack Durack decided that the application of deadly force to the individual’s chest area could be put off no longer.

Kirk Kinbote, operating from behind at least a brace of pseudonyms, was the key creative and design force behind http://www.adancingbear.com, home of the novel “A Dancing Bear.”

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Is massage therapy school training for you? Well, there are many
career paths in holistic health and alternative medicine. Which
one you choose depends largely on your own interests. I’m not a
massage therapist, but I’d guess that to be one, you’d have to
be comfortable working very closely ON people. You’d probably
also have to be in relatively good physical condition with
strong hands and a good endurance level. If you’ve ever had a
professional massage, you’ve seen that there’s a lot of standing
involved and hand manipulation that must surely require a high
degree of strength and stamina. Have you ever tried to massage
someone for 60 minutes straight? It’s certainly not that easy!

With that said, however, massage school training could very well
be perfect for you. Especially if you love working with people
and find fulfillment in having a very positive effect on their
overall well-being. There are few other professions that people
look toward with such good feelings! After all, who doesn’t love
a good massage?

What to look for in a massage school

As with any career path, it is important to do your research
before hand. Talk to local massage professionals and ask how
they got into the field. What type of massage training did they
receive? Did they find that their training had prepared them
thoroughly for their job? Or did they wish that other components
would have been added to their course to make their training
more effective, better preparing them for the reality of their
first job in the massage indusry?

Ask about professional massage therapist organizations that you
should be aware of, accreditations in the massage field, etc.
Visit websites of massage school listings and review many sites
before making a decision of which school to attend. Don’t forget
to check with the Better Business Bureau too to make sure that
there have been no problems with your massage school of choice.
Single complaints are not much to be concerned with in most
cases. Even the best of schools can have one now and then -
that’s just the nature of providing a service - some people are
never satisfied and love to complain about every little thing.
What you should be concerned with is if there are several marks
over a short period of time. That would indicate a trend and you
should investigate the massage school in more detail (talk to
past graduates, employers who hire graduates, etc.), or choose
another massage school with a better record.

Like every other important life goal. It’s important that once
you’ve made the decision to begin a career as a massage
professional, that you get started right away and work toward
your goal. It’s too easy to procrastinate, so don’t put it off
if it’s really something you want to do!.

About the author: Stephen Rinaldi is Education and Marketing
Director of Karma-Net and the BBI Network. For more details on
online education or massage school listings, visit
http://www.Karma-Net.com, the massage school listings page,
http://www.karma-net.com/listings/massage-schools.htm - or our
new Massage Therapy School Info site,
http://www.massage-therapy-school-info.com

This article may be freely reprinted online, provided that the
article is reprinted in its entirety without alteration and
includes this entire message intact. © 2005 Stephen Rinaldi -
BBI / Karma-Net. All International Rights Reserved.

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