Five Warning Signs Your Business Needs A Tune-Up

No business owner intends to fail. But after the initial glow of self-employment fades away, many owners unknowingly limit their future opportunities and burden their own credit by doing business and thinking small. Incredibly, many business owners overlook the opportunity to build financial credibility and open doors for expansion by failing to look at specific signs that their business needs a tune-up.

#1: BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS WITH PERSONAL DOLLARS

Starting a new business often means putting in your own money to Jump Start the business. Initial out-of-pocket capital expenses might include a business license, signs and advertising, business cards, initial inventory, and business equipment. While this might be the quickest way to get underway in the 'Start-Up' phase of your enterprise, it quickly becomes a financial burden when your business needs to expand beyond being just a 'Mom & Pop' operation.

#2: PERSONALLY GUARANTEES FOR BUSINESS EXPENSES

It's often the case that when you need to lease a copy machine, storage facility, automotive vehicle, office or business equipment, the source looks to you to personally 'guarantee' the transaction. That means you personally must sign and stand behind the cost. If the business cannot meet the obligation, you're expected by the source to carry the burden yourself. That means the full extent of your savings, home equity, investments and everything else you have an ownership interest in is at risk.

When a personal guaranty is involved, lenders or business vendors normally collect personal financial information before making a decision about the transaction. They want information such as your personal balance sheet, personal income statement and a personal credit profile in order to make a decision about the loan. The higher your debt to personal income ratio, the more of a strain is being put on your personal credit. Many investors step up and sign personal guarantees because they feel they have no other choice. Yet if you use personal credit too often, it can actually hurt your personal credit score.

#3: DOING BUSINESS IN YOUR OWN NAME

If you are doing business in your own name as an unincorporated Sole Proprietor with no corporation or limited liability company, then you are at very high risk of personal liability. That is because legally, you and the business are one-and-the-same.

Establishing your 'business entity' is the first step to reducing your risk. Today, the national trend in company formation is that more LLCs are being formed throughout the USA each year than corporations. That wasn't always the case, but today with IRS adoption of its check-the-box regulations, as well as with the asset protection and privacy now available in states like Nevada, limited liability companies have become very popular for their flexibility, privacy, protection and simplicity of operation.

Operating your business through a Company gives you better credibility in the marketplace and it's much easier to obtain business credit. Additionally, by operating as a Company, you'll have more business deductions available to you than if you're operating as a Sole Proprietor.

#4: HALF-FINISHED BUSINESS PLAN

One of the reasons so many business enterprises fail is that they don't have a realistic and specifically written Business Plan with sufficient detail in each category. While a business plan is no guarantee of success, it certainly helps you to move what's 'possible' in your business future to the 'probable' category. I won't say that business owners are lazy when it comes to drafting a business plan - just intimidated by the effort it takes to 'do it right.' It means defining your business, laying out the market for your service or product as it exists today, understanding the competitive environment, assessing your strengths and areas needing improvements, and developing a marketing plan and loan proposal that you can take to the bank or other lender with confidence.

Most business owners sum up their unwritten business plan this way: work hard, make as much money as you can, then do it again next year and hope for the best. By contrast, the businesses enterprises that enjoy long-term financial success see a business plan as a dynamic inter-active living document that gets reviewed and updated on a regular basis.

#5: FAILING TO BUILD A BUSINESS CREDIT PROFILE

When a business is started, regardless of what your personal credit score is today, it's entirely possible to build an entirely business credit. With a systematic approach, you can work to build a positive business credit score that is not tied to your personal credit and spending habits. That way, as your business needs cashflow to expand, pursue a major marketing initiative or respond to any other business need, the money is available.

The line of credit your business can have is enhanced by certain factors that help to build business financial credibility in the marketplace. For example, operating your business through a company helps to separate the individual 'you' from the business enterprises as a separate 'person' in the eyes of both the law and the financial world. Also by developing trade references and opening business lines of credit with vendors such as office depot, etc. you can begin the process.

Your personal credit profile is tied to your personal social security number. The consumer credit reporting agencies keep files that are separate from those kept by a business credit reporting agency. A business can and should develop its own credit profile, but remember that to be successful it must be done differently than the way you developed a personal or 'consumer' credit profile.

First of all, you have to be organized. Second, you must be persistent and patient. Third, you must monitor progress by staying in touch with your credit-granting vendors. For example, if you buy office equipment and supplies at Office Depot for your business, rather than use your personal credit card, open an account in the name of your business and ask for a line of credit. Even if you can afford to pay the full amount when it becomes due, make your payments on time and over a 90 to 120 day period. Then be sure to ask the vendor (in this example, Office Depot) to report not under your personal name but under the name of the business. Explain you are trying to build company credit for your business.

It's important to understand the business credit bureaus. First of all, Dun and Bradstreet is by far the biggest player with the most experience and influence. Today it has registered wtih it about 70 million businesses enterprises. Its closest competitor is Experian Business, which has about 14 million businesses registered. Business Credit USA, Client Checker, Equifax Business, and FD Insight round out the field and these should be considered as well.

Each of these agencies has employees who stay on the phone and internet all day long to 'verify' your submitted business information whether submitted by you or by a third party. If questionable entries arise in the course of their verification process, this will 'red flag' your business and result in a less-favorable business credit rating.

You should also know that personal consume credit scores and your business or company credit scores are based on two separate and distinct scales. On the one hand, your personal score (which is rated from a low of 300 to a high of 850) is linked to your own individual social security number as a filing and designation identifier. On the other hand, corporate or company business credit is identified with your company's IRS-issued taxpayer identification number (also called an EIN or 'employer identification number). This type of score runs from a lower corporate credit score of zero to a high of 100. For financial credibility, a business credit score of 75 or higher is considered to be an excellent score.

It's often the case that business owners will put the 'cart before the horse' and will unwittingly register with the business credit bureaus in advance of really being ready. Doing so before you have all your 'ducks lined up' is a sure fire way to be 'red-flagged' and denied a strong credit rating.

You might be frustrated in the beginning at pace of obtaining business credit. However it's usually the case that you might begin the wrong way and mistakes in the beginning result in 'red flags' being raised in the verification process of the credit reporting agency.

In preparing for a registration with the major business credit reporting agencies, you'll want to first be able to prove up a history of on-time payment with vendors (i.e. office depot, equipment suppliers, commercial landlords, etc.) that will report your business credit history not in your personal name but rather in the name of your business. My longstanding advice to new and experienced business owners alike is that it would be wise to wait on registering with any of the business credit bureaus until you first seriously consider the use of a professional business credit coach.

Some coaching in advance with third-party pre-registration verification may just be the ticket to achieving a higher business credit score. Plus you can learn from the mistakes made by others ahead of you. This can save you time and money.

As I speak at workshops and business conferences around the county, I often get stopped in the hallway afterward and asked for information and referrals to quality business credit coaches. I'm happy to oblige even though I don't personally practice in that particular area. It's related to the business enterprises and investment holdings of my business, tax and asset protection clients and I have done my own due diligence on quality providers.

South Carolina State University Information

South Carolina State University is the black university located at Orangeburg, South Carolina. It was originally founded in 1896, as a land grant college to provide education to the citizens of the state. The university provides a platform for the African-American students to complete their bachelor or master or doctoral degrees. Different branches or colleges of the university work to promote graduate and undergraduate courses. The university is situated in 160 acres of land with additional 286 acres at Camp Harry Daniels, SC.

Among varied colleges of the university, College of Business and Applied professional Sciences offers courses like accounting, Agribusiness and economics, business administration, health sciences, military science etc. College of Education, Humanities and Social sciences has departments like education, English and modern languages, human services, social sciences, visual and performing arts, etc. in the university there is also college of science, mathematics and engineering technology. It includes department of biological and physical sciences, department of nuclear engineering, industrial and electrical engineering, and mathematics and computer science. For e-learning facilities, Educational Technology Services (ETS) is available.

Depending upon excellence in high school and college academics, students are enrolled in honors programs of the university. Some special classes and lectures are held for these students. Activities like Freshmen Honors Colloquium, Honors seminar, conferences, cultural enrichment and leadership development activities etc are held for these students. International programs are also conducted by the university for the students, being a member of National Student Exchange programs (NSE).

Graduate study courses have started the in the university in 1946. The school of graduate studies offers 19 different programs. Also graduate certification programs like Environmental monitoring and restoration, human development consultant, orientation and mobility etc are available. Agribusiness, counselor education, Master of Arts in teaching, master of business administration, nutritional sciences, speech pathology and audiology are among some of the graduate degree programs available in the university.

For students opting for early graduation, summer study courses are also designed at the university. Some of these courses are also offered with the most modern technologies like interactive and satellite television, internet and videotape. For research oriented faculty, various research programs are run by the university. For implementing NASA programs in education, Center for NASA research and technology is founded in the university. Also a transportation education and research program is launched through National Summer Transportation Institute. For small owners and entrepreneurs, Small Business Development center of the SC University provides different avenues.

Documentation Provides Clarification, Fortification and Corroboration

Once you obtain business, do you give much thought to protecting yourself (and your income)? Often, we're so exhausted by our business-building efforts, and so exhilarated when we get it, that we simply shift to concentrating on closing the deal - and ignore potential adverse situations.

The following scenario recently happened with one of my real estate coaching clients. While this exact situation may not happen if you're not a real estate professional (or other professional for which proving you're the "procuring cause" of a sale is crucial in determining whether or not you get paid), the concepts are valuable for life and business in general:

Shortly after she and I began working together, my client began working with a couple who wanted to buy a home. She showed them several properties, one of which they were interested in buying. They made arrangements to meet her at the home the next day so they could look at it one more time and sign an offer to purchase it. They never showed up. She called and called, leaving several messages on cell phones and home phones, worried that something had happened to them. She even e-mailed them, worried that maybe their cell phones weren't working, or they weren't able to pick up their phone messages.

A few days later, the home went under contract and she learned through the grapevine (remember, no matter how big your area is, it really IS a small world!) that her buyers were the ones who were under contract to buy that property; the offer had been submitted by a different real estate agent. She also learned that this agent was selling their home in another area and when he discovered that they had already found another home to purchase, promised to "kick back" a substantial sum of money to them if they'd put the offer in through him vs. the agent who had shown them the home. (For those of you wondering, no - she had not asked them to sign an exclusive buyer agency contract, which may have prevented this problem from happening.)

The upshot of the situation is this: The case ended up going to arbitration so each side could present their arguments as to why they deserved the selling side of the commission. My client had brought the home to their attention, brought them there (and to other properties), done research for them and made plans with them to submit an offer. The other agent had never seen the home, didn't know it existed until his sellers told him they'd found it, and then simply convinced them to disrespect their own agent (out of greed - shame on them) and put the offer in through him (out of greed - shame on him).

As I mentioned, my client had just started working with me and had just begun using several checklists I gave her for documenting her efforts. She also made copies of EVERYTHING she did: letters sent or faxed, e-mails, even writing down dates, times and brief details of phone conversations. Due to these efforts, she had all the proof the arbitration committee needed to convince them that she actually had been the procuring cause of the sale and she won the case! Oh, and did I mention that this home sold for nearly $900,000? This was a substantial commission at risk.

What convinced the arbitration committee to rule in her favor? The fact that she had everything documented and organized, with copies for everyone on the arbitration committee, and presented her arguments in a logical fashion (which her documentation helped her do). The other agent had no documentation (no surprise, since he hadn't done anything with regard to the home prior to submitting the offer) and had no organized or logical arguments to help the committee rule in his favor.

I have been told by several attorneys that documentation is KEY whenever presenting an argument in a legal or quasi-legal proceeding.

Documentation is proof of the facts. Without proof, there is no argument. (If you don't believe it, just watch Judge Judy or The People's Court sometime and watch those people try to "dance" without proof!)

Also, by documenting everything, you serve your customers better by:

1. helping refresh your memory on what you've already done for them, eliminating redundancy and confusion

2. documenting and reminding you (and them) of what was said, so you can determine their needs

3. helping them prioritize by providing lists of factors they must use as criteria to enable a sale

4. acting as a checklist to prevent forgetting a crucial item that must be accomplished

This is a good strategy for business and for life: be thorough, be organized, be documented - and proceed with confidence!

Raser Technologies Inc (NYSE RZ) - On the Cutting Edge of Energy

In today's edition we'll bring you up to speed on why geothermal is the way of the future and Raser is at the forefront of an energy industry revolution. Let's start by taking a look at geothermal power and what gives it the edge over fossil fuel and other competing renewable energy sources:

What is Geothermal Energy?

Geo (earth) thermal (heat)

Simply put, geothermal energy is heat from within the earth that can be harnessed through modern technology to generate electricity. This is typically achieved by drilling wells into underground reservoirs of hot water, which in turn produces hot steam that can be used to fuel electricity producing turbines.

Benefits of geothermal energy:

1. Unlimited source of base load power: Forget waiting for the sun to shine or the wind to blow, geothermal plants produce energy 24/7 and run regardless of weather conditions or political issues which can often interrupt production at fuel-dependent facilities.

2. Clean, emission-free energy: carbon dioxide: (CO2) emissions by U.S. power plants registered their biggest one-year jump in nearly a decade from 2006 to 2007 (EIP). While fossil fuel burning plants emit toxic gasses, geothermal power plants have a relatively tiny environmental footprint and produce an end product of water vapor. Moreover, by using electricity from current geothermal plants, 22 million tons of CO2 and 110,000 tons of particulate do not enter the atmosphere each year.

3. Geothermal requires minimal resources: Solar and wind farms require a significant amount of land to generate enough energy to fuel a city. Conversely, geothermal plants take up a fraction of the space and currently operate in such fragile environments as crop fields and tropical rain forests. Geothermal plants also have capacity factors of 85%-95%, better than a typical coal plant and far exceeding the output of typical solar or wind energy operations.

4. Decreased reliance on foreign oil: The U.S. consumed nearly 21 million barrels of oil per day in 2007 and the average American now uses roughly 15X more energy per person than the average developing nation. Our appetite for oil has grown so robust that the U.S. is forecast to spend $440B on foreign oil in 2008.

As tensions in the Middle East and Central America escalate president elect Obama is expected to soon mandate that U.S. utilities derive 10% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2012. Luckily, geothermal energy can help get us out of this debacle. Recent studies by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and MIT suggest that geothermal energy harnessed from currently identified reserves can eventually account for as much as 10% of the United States' overall energy production.

5. Substantial governmental renewable energy mandates/tax incentives: These regulatory trends are making the production of renewable energy more economical and driving increased demand for geothermal, solar, and wind power. Currently, nearly 30 states have either established some form of renewable power standard or set forth plans to do so in the near future.

Furthermore, in accordance with the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, companies such as Raser engaged in the generation of geothermal energy are eligible for a 1.9-cent per kilowatt-hour (KWh) tax credit for the first ten years of a renewable energy facilities operation. Prior to generating energy at its plants, Raser is eligible to receive tax incentives on the percentage of what it costs to construct facilities and distribute them to financing partners in a strategy that helps offset construction loans and attract capital investment.

The Epitome of Innovation

In the geothermal sector, Raser has marked edge over competition due to their innovation and perseverance.

One of the biggest barriers to geothermal production is the length of time and capital required to bring plants to production and here is where RZ stands out. Raser recently built its Thermo 1 geothermal plant in just 12 months, representing the fastest development and construction of a commercial-grade power plant to date. The utilization of modular technology licensed through its partnership with UTC Power, a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company allowed RZ to obliterate the industry average of 3 to 5 years. The modular approach eliminates the need for custom engineering, which significantly prolongs the construction of competing geothermal plants, and in turn the capital needed to create plants.

Alignment with Global Leaders Ensures Quality

The company has established relationships with world-class partners in effort to optimize each key facet of its business. Merrill Lynch($600M in committed capital) has agreed to finance Raser's first 155MW of geothermal energy production, technology is made available by United Technologies, Cummins & Barnard, Inc. is responsible for plant engineering, and Layne Christensen Company handles the drilling.

With 8 geothermal projects currently under development representing at least 80- 85 megawatts (MW) of geothermal power and a "heat farm" portfolio that currently spans five states and more than 250,000 acres, Raser is set to deliver its first dose of geothermal energy to the City of Anaheim, CA on 12/15.

By doing so, the company will make the leap from development to commercial stage and begin leveraging its recoverable resources which management has stated are sufficient to facilitate development plans for the next decade. In addition, the power necessary to fulfill the Anaheim contract will come from the company's Thermo 1 power plant in Utah.

Digging Smarter Not Deeper

In addition to helping Raser construct commercial plants at a record pace, collaboration with UTC provides the company with another massive competitive edge. UTC's proprietary PureCycle binary geothermal systems generate electrical power from low temperature (as low as 165f) water while competitors are forced to expend significant capital on identifying hot water (212f or higher) resources and then digging deep into the ground to exploit them.

This also uniquely positions Raser to target the estimated 120,000 megawatts of untapped, low-temp geothermal opportunities in the U.S. (USGS survey) while competitors have a far smaller pool to prospect.

Raser's not swinging for the Fences like Competitors

UTC's technology represents a revolutionary innovation in the geothermal space and essentially allows Raser to prospect a virtually endless number of resources while competitors are forced to search for high temperature geothermal reserves present in a very limited number of geographic regions.

Raser's CEO Brent Cook equates the strategy afforded by UTC'sPureCycle technology to America's greatest past time, baseball. He was recently quoted as saying "You can win far more games by consistently hitting a lot of singles and doubles rather than trying to hit a home run every time. Our primary focus is on a game winning strategy of consistently and reliably hitting singles and doubles with the abundant lower temperature sites".

Net Net

Raser Technologies is making all the right moves to establish itself as a leader in the geothermal space.

With its first geothermal power plant scheduled to be fully operational in the very near future and three power purchasing agreements in hand for an estimated 32MW of electric power, the next few weeks could be very eventful for RZ.

Who Ensures That Ladders Are Sturdy And Dependable?

If you are planning to work on some improvements in your home, one of the things that you will need is a good ladder. But did you know that ladders come in all shapes and sizes? Among these include the industrial ladder and the aluminum ladder. Despite the many differences among these ladders though, there are some requirements that each one must adhere to. This alone is a big contradiction to many people's idea of a ladder. To help you with your tasks at home, you will need to know what type of ladder you will need.

On a daily basis, it is common for people to need the help of a ladder so that they can finish their tasks. Not only are these ladders a big help to household chores, some people also use them as part of their job. While they really can be a big help, they can also be very dangerous once they are not used properly. For this reason, the companies who manufacture these ladders need to pass some specific regulations before they are permitted to sell them to the public.

As mentioned, ladders are available in different shapes and sizes. Apart from this, ladders are also being manufactured in different types of materials. This is so they can accommodate the needs of people in just about any industry. They are being used at home, work, and even in fire trucks. Since ladders are able to extend to incredible heights, it is necessary that they pass the standards that have been set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA).

Without the standards provided by these two organizations, the safe usage of these ladders cannot be depended on. As a matter of fact, the National Safety Council has been able to pinpoint that unstable ladders are part of the leading causes of fall related deaths and also how people use the ladders. For example, both feet should be on the rung and never stand on top. Most of these accidents are also due to the improper use of portable ladders. This is why the OSHA has been able to set some specific regulations for the production of portable ladders.

There are two main types of portable ladders. The ones that are made from wood and those made from metal. Although these two are portable ladders, the OSHA has set specific guidelines for each of these ladders. Independently, the production of these ladders must adhere to the standards set according to the OSHA's 29 CFR 1910.25 and 29 CFR 1910.26. The first one is addresses the production of wood ladders with regards to the material, application, construction requirements, ladder usage and care. On the other hand, the 29 CFR 1910.26 regulations are for the production of metal ladders.

So the next time you buy a ladder, make sure that it passes the standards set by these organizations. By making sure you buy a ladder with these regulations, you are allowing yourself to be taken care of by the company who manufactured the ladder and for your own protection. This also means you value your safety.

Osmania University

Osmania University is one of the eminent Indian universities located at Hyderabad in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The university aims to disseminate knowledge through an all round development of students. Moreover, the vision of the university is underlined in its tireless efforts in blending traditional and modern wisdom in promoting technological and professional expertise.

Colleges

Following is a list of colleges affiliated to Osmania University which are located on the university campus:

o College of Arts and Social Sciences:

o College of Science

o College of Engineering

o College of Physical Education

o College of Law

o College of Commerce and Business Management

o College of Technology

o Institute of Advanced Study in Education

In addition to the above, there are a number of colleges that are known as "constituent colleges" of Osmania University. These are:

o University College for Women

o PG College of Law

o PG College of Science

o PG College

o Nizam College

There are district PG colleges under the university located at Biknoor, Gadwal, Mahabubnagar, Medak, Mirzapur, Nalgonda, Siddipet and Vikarabad.

The university also has a distance education institute - Prof. G. Ram Reddy Centre for Distance Education - that in turn offers a number of educational programmes.

Employment Guidance

In the 1960s, the Planning Commission of the Indian government and the UGC came up with the idea of establishing employment information and guidance bureaus in universities. Consequently, Osmania University set up Osmania University Employment Bureau in 1962 with an active support from the Andhra Pradesh government. The bureau is located in a separate building on the campus of the university.

Some of the services provided by the Osmania University Employment Bureau are:

o Providing employment related guidance to present students and alumni of the university

o Providing psychological support, career talks and group discussions regarding career planning as per the students' academic qualifications, aptitude and interests

o Providing access to a well-stocked library with updated books on employment opportunities, fellowships, scholarships, admissions etc.

o Conducting industry visits and on-campus lectures of eminent industry specialists

o Conducting career conferences and seminars on job orientation

o Providing updated information on vacancies in the job market

Facilities for International Students

Osmania University has its doors open for foreign students who come over for higher education and research. At any given time, there are over 650 students hailing from more than 46 countries enrolled in the university colleges. The Foreign Relations Office of the university provides necessary support and guidance to international students.

Due to its unending efforts for and services to the education sector of India, the Osmania University has been awarded five stars by UGC's National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).

Meredith Gardner - 07-07-09 Air date

Meredith Gardner - 07-07-09 Dr. Meredith Gardner, President of Blazing Leadership, formerly The Strategic Edge, specializes in inspiring individuals and organizations to lead better through improved communication and innovation. Her gift and specialty is in delivering strategies for success using personality style as a foundation. As a leadership and communication expert, Meredith is an international speaker, coach and trainer. Her clients include colleges and universities such as West Point, large and small corporations such as Fortune 500 companies: American Express Bank, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, CBS, Dun & Bradstreet; management conferences/retreats, and trade associations. Non profit organizations include The American Lung Association, The Miss America Organization and international firms such as the Nigerian Intercontinental Merchant Bank. Meredith is a host and guest on radio programs including Bloomberg News, Wall Street Journal Radio Network, Voice of America and CNN radio. She has hosted her own radio program on WGBB 1240 AM in Long Island, NY As a leadership and communication specialist, she authored a unique book entitled: Think Better Lead Better Chinese Characters Reveal Strategies for Success (www.thinkbetterleadbetter.com) This book asks provocative questions probing you for the answers, challenges you to blaze new territory by leaving a legacy with your imprint, streamlines your thinking capacity leading you towards more profitability, and churns ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGTmwmLR-po&hl=en

What is the Gene Center?

The Center for Study of Gene Structure and Function (Gene Center) is a consortium of researchers within Hunter College of The City University of New York — one of the largest public universities in the nation. It boasts unparalleled quality and diversity in its researchers on both the faculty and graduate student levels. At the heart of the Gene Centers mission is an imperative to build unique collaborations among biologists, chemists, biopsychologists, biophysicists, and bioanthropologists; to recruit and equip outstanding faculty; to develop and share core research facilities; and to implement strategies for scientific networking. The Gene Center anticipates a future of increasingly cross-disciplinary research and stays on the cusp of that trend by fostering dialogue and cooperation among diverse avenues of research, by supporting graduate students, and by sponsoring conferences. Research at the Center covers a wide variety of disciplines and topics, including structural determination of proteins and nucleic acids by X-ray diffraction and molecular modeling; characterization of protein-protein interactions involved in signal transduction; investigation of regulatory mechanisms underlying neuron functioning and regeneration; nanotechnology; bioinformatics; AIDS; human behavior; and the implementation of discovery to treatment of disease. The Gene Center provides a vibrant research environment marked by workshops on cutting-edge research techniques; frequent research ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZxEg4qffBY&hl=en

Joint Venture Principles And Practices

In contrast, they may need to combine their abilities for only a limited period, or only for carrying out a specific project. Because of the relatively short duration of such an association, a permanent arrangement such as a partnership would be unsuitable and unnecessary. In such cases, parties often enter into a more informal type of association known as a joint venture. A joint venture is an association similar to a partnership, but which is entered into for a limited and specific object. These days they are frequently used in large construction projects.

As a result of this latter development, large companies have become involved in 'long-term' joint ventures and suitable accounting accountability of their interests in such ventures has become essential.

There are two possible methods of accounting that can be used for such joint ventures: (1) a separate set of accounting books is provided, in the same way as a partnership. In this case no particular accounting problem exists. All transactions are recorded according to the double entry system and an income statement and balance sheet are prepared in the usual manner, (2) a separate set of accounting books is not provided. Because of the relatively short duration of many types of joint venture, separate accounting books are often not provided.

In a joint venture each party, by mutual agreement, assumes responsibility for certain specific tasks in order that the objectives of the joint venture may be achieved. For example, one party may purchase certain goods on behalf of the joint venture and send them to another party who is responsible for sales. At specific times (e.g. when the venture has been concluded or at other specific times) each entrepreneur must provide the other parties with a complete financial accounting report of all his transactions on behalf of the joint venture.

In order to do this, each entrepreneur records the transactions that he concludes on behalf of the joint venture in his own accounting books, in a special account in the ledger, 'Joint venture with X'. The accounting report that a joint venturer provides the other joint venturer will be a summary of the transactions recorded in this account. When all parties have submitted their accounting reports to each other, a joint accounting statement is prepared from this information to determine the result of the venture. This joint statement is also known as a memorandum statement and is prepared separately from the relevant accounting reports. It does not form part of the double entry accounting system in any particular set of accounting books.

The profit and loss of the venture as determined from the memorandum statement will be divided in the statement between the entrepreneurs, according to the mutual agreement.

Each entrepreneur will record his portion of the profit and loss from the venture, as determined in the memorandum statement, in the joint venture account in his own accounting books. The debit or credit balance on the account at this stage will represent the amount due by (if a debit balance) or due to (if a credit balance) the other parties in the venture.

Since each entrepreneur records only those transactions that he concluded on behalf of the joint venture and his portion of the profit (loss) in the joint venture account in his accounting books, these accounts in the separate sets of books will have the same balance but on opposite sides. This indicates that the entrepreneur owes the other that amount.

Job Seekers Should Relocate

People looking for new media jobs may improve their chances of finding employment by relocating to a different region.

Work Secretary Iain Duncan Smith commented in the Sunday Telegraph that government ministers are drawing up plans to encourage job seekers to move to areas where there is greater employment opportunity.

Phil Flaxton, chief executive officer of Work Wise UK, said that he thought the proposals would benefit job seekers, their families and the British economy as a whole.

He said: "I think the overall sentiment is very good and should be welcomed because anything which helps the unemployed is potentially good for them, for their self esteem and they can earn a wage to support themselves and their family."

People on the search for new media jobs, who live outside the capital, may want to relocate to London as the majority of employment opportunities in the media industry are based in the city.

Job candidates have been advised not to embellish their achievements on their CV as this could ultimately result in being sacked or even prosecuted.

Victoria Band, from The One Group, said that employers are more aware to the whole question of exaggerated CVs these days and are more likely to check the facts than ever before.

She said: "Whilst a CV is meant to sell you to an employer, it is also a reflection of you. A CV that is less than honest indicates a candidate who is less than truthful and there are very few employers who will tolerate that.

"Quite apart from the stain on your reputation, it's technically a criminal offence to lie on a CV. At the very least, if you are found out it is grounds for dismissal."

Once job seekers have had their CV approved and they reach the crucial interview stage it is important to present a professional image to potential employers.

Nigel Lynn's Rhonda Lusty told job applicants that they should avoid talking too much and ensure that they answer the questions asked as well as remembering to smile and be enthusiastic.

She said: "The golden rule is to remain professional but be yourself and let your talent shine through!"

A couple of high profile jobs in the media have become available after two top publications announced employee departures.

BBC Worldwide's Top Gear magazine is set to lose Conor McNicholas as editor and Susannah Herbert, the editor of the Sunday Times News Review, is expected to leave her position next week.

Second JD Hayworth Infomercial Unearthed!

A never-before-seen SECOND infomercial by JD Hayworth has been discovered -- now with some help from his friends Matthew Lesko, Ron Popeil, and Miss Cleo!!! Check out the last one: bit.ly AP: bit.ly AZ Republic: bit.ly



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8pEaKniq6w&hl=en

Homeowners Must Realistically Price Their Homes To Sell

People come up to me all the time and ask, "How's the real estate market doing?" Although I would really enjoy giving a simple answer to this question, the real answer is far more complex. In certain parts of the country, the housing market has been stronger than in many other areas, although, prices are lower than they were at the peak of the market. However, many homeowners who list their homes have listed them at unrealistically high prices, and then been inflexible in terms of reducing their price. I have observed homeowners list their houses at prices higher than homes sold for at the peak of the market, and then becoming disappointed when their homes don't sell. Some homeowners explain their asking price by explaining how much money they have put into their homes, or how beautiful and exceptional their house is. Often, these same homeowners have owned their houses for many years, and they seem to conveniently forget how little they originally paid for their houses. Yet, the reality is that the price one receives for one's house is not related directly to how much one may have paid, or how much one may have put into the property. In the end, houses generally sell based on what buyers are willing to spend for the house, and that is generally related to the real estate market at that time.

These homeowners are generally hurting their own chances of selling their homes by listing their homes at unrealistically high prices. Houses that are "priced right to sell" from the start have a far better chance of selling than those priced too high. Today's buyers study the internet, and many realize what comparable houses are realistically selling for. A basic reality of real estate is that in most cases, the best offer a homeowner will receive for his house is received in the first few weeks after it goes on the market. New listings are "hot" to potential buyers, while houses that remain unsold often elicit questions from buyers as to what was wrong with the property - why it hasn't sold?

Many owners interested in selling their homes interview several real estate agents and brokers, and ask for recommendations as to pricing, as well as many other questions. Many owners want to believe the agent that tells them their house is worth the highest amount, as if saying it will automatically bring forth a higher price. Instead, owners should demand a professionally prepared Comparative Market Analysis, including pricing and a marketing plan from their realtor. In most cases, a homeowner will do best going with an agent that acts professionally, markets professionally, and justifies both the pricing, and how the marketing plan will work.

In addition, even if a "stranger from another planet" decided to pay an unrealistically high price for a house, most buyers need to get a mortgage to finalize the funding for the purchase. Lending institutions, for a number of reasons including some unwise lending decisions during the height of the real estate "bubble," are doing far more complete and conservative comparative market analysis of their own, and if this comparison (known as "Comps") do not justify the price being offered, the lending institution will deny that amount of funding because it does not "comp out."

Since for most individuals, their home is their most valuable asset, doesn't it make sense to objectively ask the same questions as an owner that potential buyers will ask? The main question should be, "How does this house compare with comparable homes in comparable areas in comparable condition? Owners should also ask, "If I were buying a home, would I pay that much for this house?"

Chemistry on the Web: How Can we Crowdsource Chemistry to Solve Important Problems?

Google Tech Talk April 6, 2010 ABSTRACT Presented by Dr Matthew Todd, School of Chemistry, University of Sydney. Open Science: how can we crowdsource chemistry to solve important problems? Science shaped itself in the founding days of learned societies: individuals or teams competed, in secret, with paper-based communication in subscription journals. Why are we all still doing science like this? The internet has had a major impact in our sharing of data by traditional means, but it has not yet radically changed the way we actually perform science. My lab is involved in a new project a government/WHO-funded research project that is completely open, where we are trying to solve a serious problem in public health through basic research in organic chemistry. The project involves a wonder drug used to treat a tropical disease but we need to improve it, and fast: www.nature.com With an eye on the bigger issue, we propose open methods can allow science to happen faster than traditional means, but we do not yet have the tools to make this happen. This talk is about hard science and soft human nature. It is also an appeal for decent tools scientists need to collaborate properly. The over-riding requirement: low barrier to entry.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWnTJw042OM&hl=en

Mentoring In the Academy

Harvard's Office of Faculty Development and Diversity (FD&D) sponsors several faculty development programs. These sessions are designed to provide a forum for interactive discussions of relevant concerns to all Harvard faculty. The title of the development program documented in this video is: Mentoring in the Academy: Establishing and Sustaining Developmental Networks.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WpevffBhR0&hl=en

Learn How to Make Your Investment Club a Successful Investment Club

Investment clubs are composed of people who pool their funds to make joint investments. These groups' members are usually friends, family members, or co-workers whose goal is to create an investment portfolio.

The National Association of Investors Corporation (NAIC) says that a number of successful investment clubs today are earning big profits. This should give potential investors the go signal to take advantage of the opportunity. Thus, if you and your prospective partners want to form an investment club, it would be best if you study how such an organization works and the essential aspects thereof as these are the keys that should help you succeed in the field of investment.

Education is also a key to a club's success. Joining the NAIC is a good option if you want to be educated about investing. They has been helping investment clubs to progress in their field or create their goals. As a matter of fact, for about 50 years now, the NAIC has been providing important investment information to clubs who are just starting up. This the Association accomplishes by offering educational materials, like brochures and manuals, to newbies in the investment industry.

Having the same objectives also aids the groups' stability and growth. Members should work together to achieve their common missions such as earning more profit and developing their organization. They must unite to learn together the important aspects and details of investing. If club members know how to efficiently work together, then that's the only time when they can succeed.

Communication is also an important factor in making your club successful. Regular meetings must be held because they are needed in assuring that the operations of the club are smooth. During meetings, the members can make decisions about investing on or purchasing stocks. At the same time, a successful investment group will have the opportunity to discuss the firm's gains, losses, as well as other important financial issues and decide on how much they will reinvest. Moreover, the future of investment clubs is tackled as well during meetings because these are the ideal opportunities for creating plans and new goals.

Successful investment clubs also take advantage of the Internet in making investments and keeping records. The Web has become a useful tool in tracking the performance of the market. The said medium also makes communication much easier as these days, club members can literally hold meetings even if they are stationed in various parts of the world, basically through e-mails, instant messaging, or video conferences. Furthermore, investing has also been made more convenient using various software packages. For instance, the NAIC offers a special accounting software that is useful in keeping records and processing accounting transactions.

Financial Credibility for Real Estate Investors

Real estate investors often don't think of themselves this way, but in reality every real estate investor is a 'business owner'. That's because each parcel of real estate you own has its own unique location, tenants, cash flow, maintenance costs, financing and property taxes. And yet, many investors continue to do business in their own names and use their own personal credit to acquire properties. The good news is there's a better way.

PERSONAL CREDIT v. BUSINESS CREDIT.

Real estate investors make 'the deal' with the seller, but they actually buy their properties with either institutional lender financing or seller financing, or some combination of both. When an investor makes a decision, it's the property that has to qualify, not the buyer. But when it comes to financing the deal, it's usually not that way.

In most cases, a personal guaranty is involved. Lenders collect personal financial information before making a decision about your loan. They want information such as your personal balance sheet, income statement and a personal credit profile in order to make a decision about the loan. The higher your debt to personal income ratio, the more of a strain is being put on your personal credit. Many investors step up and sign personal guarantees because they feel they have no other choice. Yet if you use personal credit too often, it can actually hurt your personal credit score.

Your personal credit profile - like it or not - is tied to your social security number and the way in which you have managed your personal finances. The files kept by the consumer credit reporting agencies are separate and distinct from those kept by a business credit reporting agency but most people don't know the difference and don't understand what a powerful impact developing a business credit profile can be - if it's done right.

THE KEY IS BUILDING A SEPARATE CREDIT PROFILE.

No matter what your personal credit score is today, it is possible to build a business credit score that is entirely separate and distinct from your own personal credit. It takes planning and focus, but it can be done. With a disciplined and systematic approach, you can work build a positive business credit score that is not tied to your personal credit and spending habits, and you can do so in a timely manner if you follow a specific approach.

STEP ONE: CREATE A BUSINESS.

Establishing your 'business entity' is the first step. For most real estate investors, the entity of choice is a Limited Liability Company ('LLC'). Today, the national trend in company formation is that more LLCs are being formed throughout the USA each year than corporations. That wasn't always the case, but today with IRS adoption of its check-the-box regulations, as well as with the asset protection and privacy now available in states like Nevada, limited liability companies have become very popular for their flexibility, privacy, protection and simplicity of operation. (See our Special Report on LLCs versus 'S' corporations).

On top of that, in the last 10 years the 'Series LLC' has emerged as the leading edge in the evolution of the LLC in America. It saves you repeated costs (upfront) in legal formation and (at the back-end) tax accounting. The Series LLC essentially acts as a 'mother ship' allowing 'cells' or 'series' to distinguish each of the business enterprises (or properties) from the others, giving each one the ability to have separate business activities, cash flow statements and accounting but still having the ability to consolidate at the end of the year. That can save you thousands by not having to do separate business tax returns. The bottom line is that the more you don't have to spend on lawsuits, taxes and financing costs, the more you have to reinvest in acquiring more real estate.

STEP TWO: HOW TO USE 'BUILDING BLOCKS' FOR SUCCESS.

The next step is to build credibility so that credit grantors as well as business credit reporting agencies will understand why your business should enjoy a favorable business credit score. Many people 'assume' that business and consumer credit bureaus are one and the same, but that is not so. Let's take a look at the major business credit bureaus before moving on into how exactly business credit should be established.

Dun & Bradstreet, Experian Business, Business Credit USA, Equifax Business,Client Checker, FD Insight together make up the vast majority of the business credit reporting transactions in America today. The 'big boy on the block' of course is Dun and Bradstreet, with approximately 70 million businesses registered. The closest competitor is Experian Business, which has about 14 million businesses registered. Each of the agencies has an army of employees that do nothing but 'verify' certain elements of the business information - and if there are any inconsistencies or questionable entries, these raise 'red flags' as to that business, which immediately result in a less favorable credit rating.

There are some ground rules to understand. First, personal credit scores and business credit scores have two distinct scales on which they are measured. Personal credit scores (which run from 300 to 850) are tied to your social security number as a personal identifier. Business credit is tied to the taxpayer identification number (EIN) of the business entity and runs from 0 to 100. On the business side, a score of 75 or better is considered excellent.

The most frequent mistake of all made by business owners seeking business credit is to register with the business credit bureaus 'too soon'. That is, they sometimes do so before they have all their 'ducks lined up' and verified by an independent third-party. They believe that by simply registering with the major business-related credit bureaus, they can start applying without being red-flagged. That is why taking specific action steps before registering with the business credit bureaus is so important. So the key of course is to have your ducks all in a row before submitting a registration to Dun & Bradstreet. The sequence must be followed meticulously so that every step expected and verified by the business credit bureaus has been pre-coached and pre-verified beforehand. Where personal credit might be 'repaired' if there have been problems in the past, there is no such equivalent in the world of business credit. So it's important to 'do it right the first time'. After all, the goal is acquire a strong business credit score in as short a time as possible, right? Looking at the big picture, the proper steps in the proper order are as follows:

o Formation of a Corporation or better yet, a Limited Liability Company

o Obtain a Employer Identification Number 'EIN'. This is obtained through the Internal Revenue Service ('IRS") and can be done online.

o File a DBA ('doing business as') form if the business is going to do business under a name that is different than the legal or company name. Normally the DBA is publicly filed in the County where the business is going to operate, and in some localities publication in a 'newspaper of general circulation' is required.

o Business License. A business license is require to operate a business in nearly all cities and most counties. A new business may also be required to obtain certain permits depending on the type of business.

o Business Registration with the Department of Taxation. Normally this is a step in order to comply with local requirements for business taxation or sales tax permits.

o Assessor's Office. Depending on your locality, the County Assessor's office may need to issue a clearance so that you are in compliance with any local assessments due to the property use.

o Zoning Ordnances. These may be applicable depending on the type of business. It's best to check with the City and not overlook this so that it doesn't pop up later and create a compliance red flag.

o Address and Phone Number. Make sure that the business address on all paperwork is the same between the state, the county, the city, and the telephone company for your directory assistance listing. The credit bureau will check to see what your directory assistance address is, and whether it is the same as the address shown on your licenses, permits, and mailing address. If it is not, that creates a 'red flag'.

o Prepare a business financial statement and include it with a properly prepared business plan that would make sense if you were loaning money to a third party.

STEP THREE: BUILDING CREDIBILITY.

The final step in building business 'trade credit' is to establish a basis for a favorable rating right up front. Instead of using your individual personal name and social security number, once your business is registered, any credit reporting should be done using the business entity name and its employer identification number ('EIN'), which is the business equivalent to the personal social security number. 'Trade credit' is often underestimated. It is actually the largest source of financial lending in the world today because of the sheer numbers used in real estate development, shipping, freight, construction, etc. Many business owners get frustrated at the seemingly slow pace at which they might garner business credit. Often the reason for the pace they are frustrated by is actually caused by them. That is, they 'start off' the wrong way - and these early mistakes in the basic set-up often cause 'red flags' to be raised by the business credit reporting agency.

After these preliminary steps are complete, your business will be ready to start working on business credit development --- but not until then. In preparing for lines of credit, you want to start proving up a payment history with companies that will report business credit in the name of your business. My advice is that it would be prudent to not register your company with any of the business credit bureaus without first considering the use of a professional coach familiar with this area.

To be honest, a certain amount of 'hand-holding' may be the fastest way to learn from the mistakes that others (ahead of you) have already made. That way, you won't repeat them and you won't waste time brushing off your scraped business knee to start over again. This is where there is no substitute for experience and expertise. That's why working with an experienced business credit coach might be the smartest way to go if you want to do this quickly and efficiently and to achieve the kind of high business credit score you're going to want if you are serious about building wealth through your real estate business enterprise.

I often get requests at workshops and conferences where I speak around the country for more information and referrals to quality providers. If you'd like to get started, send me an e-mail and I will show how to start down that path with reputable and ethical coaching to 'do it right the first time.'

Community Partnering For Greater Retail Success

Walking to my car, I heard loud music. This was not exactly what I expected in Grants Pass, Oregon on a warm Saturday July evening. I had just returned from an exhilarating jet boat excursion to Hellgate Canyon and enjoyed a ranch style dinner on the Rogue River.

It's Getting Louder
The music was getting louder and louder as I approached the parking lot. It was coming from across the street. It was an automobile dealership, Mock's Ford, and it was alive with action. There was a band playing, with folks of all ages dancing to the music, a barbecue filling the area with its popular aroma, and yes, people were buying cars. The excitement and activity drew me like a magnet to metal.

In front of the sales office, a local radio station, Cruisin'-FM, was conducting a live-remote broadcast allowing all in attendance to be involved. I located the dealership president, Don Carr, and during our chat he told me that they had sold almost as many cars so far that weekend as they usually sell in a month. To top it off he said, "We're not giving these cars away." Carr created a weekend partnering alliance with his community and won big.

And Still Making a Profit
How would you like to sell your products at that rate and still make a profit? You might be saying, "That's great for selling cars, but what about me?" The answer is to get involved with your community in a way that serves people and created high-level exposure for your business. You'll need to be creative and develop some fun, helpful, exciting community activities. Remember, being unique is not an absolute necessity, but it's very helpful.

Creativity has always been, and will always be, the retailer's call to battle. Creativity is also one of the key ingredients necessary to create value in the eyes of your customers. The way the national big box category busters (i.e., Wal-Mart, Circuit City, and Office Depot) develop perceived value is through selection and low price, not necessarily service. If you are an independent retailer and you're trying to do battle in their arena, they will clean your clock. But, creativity is not necessarily a word that big boxes, at the local level, understand.

Generations
For years, Baby boomers have been the pig in the python in our economy. They were heavy-duty consumers in the 1980s, buying their first houses and filling them up, buying luxury cars and all the outward trappings of success. In the 1990s they traveled and purchased RVs. Now, with most of the Boomers having grandchildren, they will buy almost anything if they perceive it's a good value. Also, determine what they perceive as value-added in how you run your business and give it to them--they'll reward you with profits through their loyalty. Don't forget about the X and Y Generations. While many were part of the dot com bust, they still seem to spend freely.

Create a unique position for your business in the minds of your customers and your competition in the marketplace is greatly diminished. Remember though, unique means one of a kind, (not just a bit different) and that's what you must be if you plan to survive and prosper throughout this decade and beyond.

Creativity
Earl Nightingale, co-founder of Nightingale-Conant Corp., the worlds largest producer and distributor of audio and video learning systems continually offered this suggestion for creativity: take a yellow pad each morning and spend a quiet hour thinking about the major challenges for the day. He would go to work listing all ideas he could think of--no matter how crazy, impossible, wacky or boring the idea might appear. "Some ideas you'll use and many you'll toss out," he would say. The important thing is to capture the ideas and take action on the ones you believe will assist you in achieving your goals.

So, how does all this creativity and uniqueness talk help you to partner with your community? You can't just copy what others have done and make it work for you. You can, copy the process used but not the results. Your community is uniquely different, your neighbors have special needs, and you must use your creativity to find a winning combination.

Here's how to get started. Head for your chamber of commerce, if you're not a member yet, and join! Ask for their list of clubs and organizations. Do any interest you? I know you don't have time for that kind of stuff. Trust me, you do! It's all in how you choose to participate. There are more ways to participate than just showing-up to their meetings and events, be creative.

[] Volunteer to chair a fundraiser, one that you can have at your location--yearly! The event can be in your store, in your mall or center, on the sidewalk in front of your store or in your parking lot.

[] Flea market or rummage sales are about the easiest to put on and quite profitable, find an interesting twist though. You can arrange to have leftovers picked up by a local charity.

[] Community holiday theme party such as a Halloween costume party. Do this after hours, charge for attendance and give the profit to your organization. During the day offer a discount for those who shop in a costume.

[] If you are on a busy street try a Saturday barbecue; the possibilities are endless.

You might be wondering why you need to have these activities in conjunction with a community organization--for PUBLICITY! In the example I mentioned at the beginning of this article, Carr paid for all the advertising. When you work in conjunction with a local group you get public service announcements (PSA) free of charge and you ALWAYS mention the location (yours) in the news releases.

If you want more help in doing news releases or publicity, head for the public library and go to the non-fiction # 659 section, or just search Google. While you are at the library, stop by the reference desk and ask to look at the Gale Directory of Print & Broadcast Media, you'll find the address and phone number of all the media in your area. They are whom you notify for your up-coming event.

Another idea might be to head a local organization that you care about from your place of business. Be sure it's a high profile organization; this can bring you closer to your community. It will give many potential customers another reason to visit you.

Ultimately, if you find new and creative ways to partner and cross-promote in your community, your community members will reward you with their business.

Higher Education as Service Trade Exporter In South Africa

Introduction

Whilst it is recognized that South Africa is still in a process of transition regarding higher education to address the imbalances of the past, it should also be emphasized that Institutions of Higher Education in large are still underplaying the importance of higher education as commercialized commodity in the global world. This resulted in a low commercial higher education presence in the global world, a limited capability to attract quality students from foreign countries and a national oriented education approach. Even the school law that will soon be introduced in South Africa to address the imbalances of the past may have a negative effect of institutions of higher education to play a significant role in the commercialized educational world. The proposed new law emphasized adherence to the principles of equitability, rectification and representativeness above competence in the appointment of teachers. This may undermine the quality of education firstly, in schools and later in institutions of higher education in South Africa.

This is in sharp contrast with international trends signaling that the international higher education market is becoming more competitive as education competes as export and import commodity. Figures available indicate that higher education export represents on average around 6.6% of total student enrollments in 2000. This figure can still not be matched b South African Institutions 5 years later. In countries like Switzerland, Australia and Austria these figures were above 11% in 2000 making these countries the highest internationalized higher education countries in the world. Similarly, educational services in Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America respectively represent the third, fourth and fifth largest service export sectors. This clearly provides evidence that these countries realize the significance of higher education to transfer intellectual capital and enhance the economic competitiveness of nations.

Interventions required

It is important that Institutions of Higher Education in South Africa position themselves as nodes in an increasingly seamless knowledge base in the global world, which could have a greater interface with the knowledge-driven global economy. Therefore, Institutions of higher education in South Africa should given even more attention to integrate with influential international institutions that will enable them to internationalize higher education.

Currently, internationalization of higher education in South Africa happens more by incident rather than through thoroughly planned and organized approaches. If institutions of higher education in South Africa intend to consider higher education as a commercial trade commodity, serious emphasis should be place upon:

· Introducing purposeful policies and strategies that clearly indicate the road forward with regard to internationalization intentions and the specific areas that would need priority attention. However, this should not be developed as separate internationalization strategies, but should e seen as a natural element of the overall strategy of the institute.

· Implementing induction and course programmes that will attract quality foreign students to the institutions.

· Supporting academics to participate in conferences as well as in reputable academic journals to publish research results.

· Ensuring that all course offerings meet international accepted criteria as defined by the leading institutions of higher education in the developed world.

· Creating conducive learning environments equipped with the latest learning technologies.

Internationalization requires that institutions of higher education in South Africa should emphasize a somewhat loosening of the relationship with Government to create new transformational bodies to address the imbalances of the past, but also to broaden this mission to play a more active role in regional economic development. This can be achieved by establishing strong horizontal links with other universities research institutions and industry in the Southern African Development Community. If this can be achieved, the activities of institutions of higher education will no longer be isolated from the marketplace and its outputs could become merchandise products as well. Loosening the relationship with government will not only provide for more freedom to autonomously decide what educational and research outputs to create, but will also increase the pressure on institutions of higher education to perform better as they take up the responsibility to raise funds for projects and salaries.

It is imperative that higher education in South Africa can no longer take the disposition that placed research and development in contrast to one another. Rather, it should take the stand that the outputs of institutions should have a strong:

· Social development and application in which the simultaneous promotion and integration of education, scientific research and production occurs;

· Science and Technology Financial Management Support System in place in order to create a safe and secure research environment for academics; and

· Set of " Key State Laboratories" where research and education of strategic importance to the development and well-being of the country can be carried out.

Conclusion

South Africa institutions of higher education currently rated only among the top 40 of the world's host countries. An urgent need exist to rethink and reformulate the educational thinking models of institutions of higher education in South Africa. Because of the changing political situation accompanied by a changing global economy, many traditional ways in which institutions of higher education were previously governed will change. Unless institutions of higher education in South Africa succeed to internationalize successfully, huge opportunities to earn foreign currencies using higher education as a trade commodity will be lost.

The National Gardening Association

The National Gardening Association was founded in 1973 as a non-profit organization with the goal of educating people about different types of plants and shrubbery. The National Gardening Association is headquartered in South Burlington, Vermont. The National Gardening Association provides the majority of plant-based educational to most schools with grade levels ranging from K-12. The National Gardening Association teaches health and well being, helps develop communities, home gardening and offers various programs and activities.

The programs and activities run by the National Gardening Association are the Adopt a School Garden, the GROW Program, Vermont Garden Park, Teacher Professional Development, National Youth Garden Grants and many, many more. Aside from the programs listed here, the National Gardening Association also offers a variety of other grants and awards.

The National Gardening Association feels that children should be taught on a daily basis about plant life and how to run a garden properly. The NGA believes that gardening can strengthen a child emotionally, mentally and even physically. Teaching gardening helps students understand the natural way of life for plants and better understand where their food comes from. Not only do students learn where their food comes from but it also provides a look into healthy living; such as how to eat a proper meal to live a healthy life.

The National Gardening Association began their Adopt a School Garden program to aid in the instruction of students across the country when it comes to a healthy life and learning about the natural plant like around the world today. When someone adopts a garden for a school a representative from the NGA will complete a list of items for the adoption to get off the ground running. The list includes finding some to become the garden team leader, what area of plant education the school will focus on, send the school educational materials and literature for the teachers, finding a way to get the surrounding community involved and ways to encourage long term sustainability of the garden.

For the awards and grants that the National Gardening Association gives out, there are requirements that need to be met. They are pretty simple too. The requirements are that the school interested in receiving a grant must be teaching and gardening with students between the ages of 3 to 18 and the group can consist of no less than 15 students at anytime. Any school that wins a grant or scholarship from the National Gardening Association must fill out a survey at the end of every year that explains the impact of the program on the students. Each individual grant has a different type of impact report to file with the association at the end of each year.

Finally, the GROW Program is an ongoing project run by the National Gardening Association advocating the importance of gardening at schools, home and in communities. The GROW Program also provides year round gardening tips to beginners and experts as well as national gardening events and conferences. The National Gardening Association: "When you garden, you grow."

McCain TV Ad: "JD Huckster"

So-called conservative JD Hayworth filmed bogus "free government money" TV infomercial in November 2007. Get full story here: bit.ly Watch highlights from full infomercial here: bit.ly WSJ John Fund column, "JD Huckster" here: bit.ly



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jF6KU_PWlU&hl=en

Midweek Politics with David Pakman - JD Hayworth in Infomercial Scam, Gretchen Carlson on Her Job

--Former Arizona Congressman JD Hayworth participates in an infomercial for National Grants Conferences, one of the free government money types, and even the most cursory internet research quickly turns up that it is a scam. --Gretchen Carlson on the Fox News Channel morning show hilariously suggests that her job as a new anchor is the same as President Obama's. Broadcast on June 30, 2010 Midweek Politics with David Pakman is a nationally syndicated talk radio and program. 24/7 Voicemail Line: (219)-2DAVIDP www.midweekpolitics.com http www.facebook.com www.twitter.com



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vDJ9dOwueY&hl=en

OFA - 2009 OFA Annual Meeting - Day Three - Closing Plenary

More info at (www.acf.hhs.gov) We allow comments according to our comment policy newmedia.hhs.gov



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqfXCn1zVPE&hl=en

Bessy Reyna, Award-Winning Poet

Bessy Reyna is an award-winning Latina poet. Her latest book, The Battlefield of Your Body, a bilingual poetry collection, was released in June, 2005 by the Hill-Stead Museum. Her first poetry collection in English is She Remembers, published in 1997 by Andrew Mountain Press. Ms. Reynas Spanish language writing, published in Latin America, includes a poetry chapbook, Terrarium, and a collection of short stories, Ab Ovo. Reyna's poems and stories are found in US and Latin American literary magazines including the award-winning "Connecticut Review" and online in the Global Media Journal.She has also been published in numerous anthologies including El Coro: A Chorus of Latino and Latina Poetry, In Other Words: Literature by Latinas of the United States, The Arc of Love: Lesbian Poems, and The Wild Good. Ms. Reyna's awards include First Prize in the Joseph E. Brodine Poetry Competition and artist award grants from the Connecticut Commission on the Arts and the Greater Hartford Arts Council. In 2001 she was named Latina Citizen of the Year by the State of Connecticut Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission. In 2006 she received the Pioneer Award at the Inaugural Diversity Awards presented by the Vice Provost for Multicultural and International Affairs at the University of Connecticut and a Living Legend Award from Saint Joseph College Department of Social Work. In 2007 she received the One Woman Makes A Difference Award from the Connecticut Women's Education and Legal Fund ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5KyP9c5tC4&hl=en

Advancing Scholars

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eV1pw8MQyQ&hl=en

Caring For an Elderly Parent? Watch For These Early Warning Signs of Alzheimer's

Stroke cause my mother's dementia. She did not have Alzheimer's, but her doctor said the diagnosis did not matter; the results were the same. I moved my mother to Minnesota and was her family caregiver for nine years. Though she had an apartment in an assisted living high rise, I had daily contact with her.

I also had regular conferences with the staff. My mother's increasing memory problems worried me. At each conference I asked, "Is it time to transfer my mother to nursing care?"

"Not yet," was the answer. "We will tell you when."

Caring for my mother became increasingly difficult. She was angry all the time, kept getting lost, threw out two sets of hearing aids, stole from other residents, hoarded food on the window sill, and became an addictive spender. All this while I was trying to make her meager funds last. Sometimes I thought I would die before my mother.

One winter evening, when the wind chill was 70 degrees below zero, my mother decided to leave. Mom called to tell me the news. "You don't want me any more," she shouted, "so I'm going to visit friends on Long Island." But the friends she mentioned had all died. I called her physician and he wrote orders transferring her to nursing care.

Observing my mother's steady decline taught me about Alzheimer's and other memory diseases. What are the early warning signs? The Alzheimer's Association has 10 warnings on its Website. They include problems with short-term memory, difficulty with problem-solving, losing the ability to do familiar tasks, time and space problems, inability to read, speech problems, losing things, poor judgment, social withdrawl, and personality changes.

Mom had all of these symptoms, but changes in her personality were hardest for me. During my childhood years we were more like sisters than mother and daughter. Dementia made us adversaries and it broke my heart. Your heart may be breaking now if your loved one's personality is changing.

The National Institute on Aging lists other symptoms of memory disease. One, asking the same question over and over again, made me think of my mother. Her recurring question: "Will you take me shopping?" Every time I heard the question I winced. Telling Mom she she was out of money had no effect at all. She kept opening charge accounts and I kept closing them.

The problem with early warning signs of Alzheimer's is that many of them are characteristic of normal aging, according to a World Science Website article, "Alzheimer's Warning Signs Show Up Years Before Diagnosis." The article notes that Alzheimer's "causes general deterioration and tends to follow a stable preclinical stage with a sharp drop in function."

You may already know this. One thing you may not know -- people with Alzheimer's often plateau for a while, and then cognition drops again. This may cause you to question your observations, and indeed, your sanity. So when you see an early warning sign of Alzheimer's write it down and date it.

Knowing the early warning signs of Alzheimer's helps you, the caregiver, and other family members prepare for what is ahead. You may have to sort household goods, arrange for smaller living space, update a will, track investments, change banks, get Power of Attorney, and take other steps to protect your loved one. These are hard times, but they are loving times. You are returning the love you were given so long ago.

Copyright 2009 by Harriet Hodgson