High Street Headache

March 10, 2010

8 Great Jobs For Those With An Online Information Technology Degree

Filed under: Education — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , — Mary Jackson @ 8:07 am

Why not have an awesome career doing something you already love? For example, do you enjoy testing the newest software products on the market? Do you like to work with computers and learn new programs? Then, you need an online IT degree. After graduation, here are some of the fantastic jobs needing talented people like you: Interface designer, Systems analyst, Database administrator, Software Support Software engineer, Computer engineer, Computer programmer,Network Administrator.

Many companies today depend on people who have technological expertise. Thus, a degree in information technology not only leads to a rewarding job, businesses will come looking for you. Each of these careers is rewarding and necessary, as more and more companies are in need of those who can use this technology to further their businesses. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, the majority of programmers have a degree in Computer Science or related area of expertise. So, it stands to reason that a technological degree will greatly improve your chances of finding an enjoyable and enviable career.

How can an online IT degree help you reach an occupational goal?

A computer science online degree will prepare you for a career in IT, Computer Security or any of the above positions in the same way as a traditional classroom degree. But instead of having to go to class, rearrange your work schedule, or disturb other areas of your life, you can take classes online, study at your convenience and not have to worry about the added costs of parking or leaving work early to attend classes. When you take online courses, you can expect to learn any of the following and more: Hardware and software design, Software development, Troubleshooting, Networking Data Security, Database management, Web design, Develop security plans.

Because most companies use technology systems to carry out business processes and communicate with employees, customers, vendors and others, more and more companies are creating IT departments that employ those who understand how networks function and how to keep them secure. Computer systems and manufacturing companies are also looking for talented individuals to create new software and hardware for consumers. While you earn your degree, you will be able to explore different fields to find one that suits your personality and interests.

Choosing the right online IT degree

When looking for an online degree program, it’s important to determine which direction you want to move toward in terms of your career. While some areas of computer science, such as computer programming, have seen a slow decline in the number of open positions since 2006, other areas such as computer support and information security have seen an increase.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, over the next few years, computer support positions are expected to increase by 13%. This means that you should choose a program that allows you to easily find employment immediately upon graduation. A computer degree online that focuses on a certain area within computer science is best if you have a particular talent in that area. You can also choose to become a generalist that specializes in a number of areas. Another pointer is to ensure you choose a computer science or IT program from an online college that is accredited.

An online IT degree can help establish a career in one of the most vital areas in the job market today. Generally, good students will have many employment options and offers following graduation. Even if you choose an occupation less popular than some, the chances o landing that dream job will increase greatly, if you have a degree in Computer Science.

Mary J. writes about online bachelor degrees including other degree courses online and accredited distance learning colleges available in the United States.

March 9, 2010

Do Mormons Rely On The Holy Bible For The Book Of Mormon?

Filed under: News — Tags: , , , , , , , — Alfred Ras @ 8:03 am

So really what is the biggest contention between the Christians as the world knows them and the doctrine of the Mormons? Basically what it comes down to is that Mormons do not consider themselves as Christians as this world knows them. Mormons do believe that Christ is the son of God whereas Christians will relate that he is not only the son of God but God himself where as the Mormons break the two into two separate being

According to the Mormons even though Christ is called the Father it does not make him God. They do not deny that he is the author of our salvation as many quotations will be taken from the King James version by the Mormons in respect to Jesus making reference to his Father on a continuous basis.

Why do Mormons believe they are Christians when you don’t accept the Bible as the final authority and rely on writings besides the Bible?

It must be pointed out that it is important for people to realize that the Mormons do not refer to being Christians as the Orthodox Christians of todays world. One may refer to Christians as they were in the New Testament days.

One of the arguments put forth by a Christian is that the Mormons do not rely just on the Holy Bible but on writings aside from this book like that of the Book of Mormon for example. What they will refer is that they believe that part of the Scripture is correct but that some of it has been misconstrued and not translated properly and is also missing some of the teachings. They will ask who knows which Bible is correct or what translation and who makes the interpretation. They will point out that there have been many versions of the Bible written over the years.

So the Mormons argument is that there has been no complete Bible since the end of the apostles and the fact that early Christians did not even have the Bible to rely on at that time as the final word of God. They say that the Bible itself will tell you that it does not lie that it is incomplete and they will also point out that the apostle John was of the same mind according to their interpretation regarding this matter.

Get your hands on 50 rare out-of-print mormon manuscripts that reveal censored mormon church secrets. This the most shocking collection ever discovered about mormonism in the last decade.

March 8, 2010

Distance Learning Degrees – What Do Employers Think Of Them?

Filed under: News — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , — Mary Jack @ 8:06 am

Distance learning degrees and online degree programs have become popular since the internet became a household name. This has opened doors to a great opportunity for those wishing to pursue further education. But just as it is with everything new, the internet has also presented challenges and created room for sale of unscrupulous degrees and diplomas. The figures released by USA Today indicate that in 2003, over 400 diploma mills were in operation and the number was on the increase. Surprisingly, this dubious operation of degree mills seems to be thriving in an industry currently estimated at $500 million per year.

However, despite all the unpleasant information going around about distance learning degrees, the fact is there are plenty of legitimate universities and colleges offering online degree programs. These colleges are legitimate and not involved in any way in offering dubious and fake diplomas. Instead, these colleges are going the extra mile to provide quality education online by taking advantage of all available instructional resources such as quality instructional design coupled with video lectures, online digital libraries and proctored exams to ensure their students get quality education and a valid, qualified diploma. Unfortunately, numerous employers have not yet been sold into this alternative way of acquiring education, thus they still regard such degrees as invalid or dubious.

To address the misinformation, 6 accreditation agencies have been authorized by the U.S. National Education Board to weed out the unscrupulous bogus programs. Then, the agencies give accreditation to the colleges and universities that meet the minimum standards for legitimate learning institutions. In addition, the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) also provide accreditation specifically to distance learning schools. The DETC has the backing of both the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and the Department of Education. Therefore the students can rest assured their education has matched, and often exceeded that of their traditional peers.

Other distinguished specialized accreditation agencies exists that are designed to accredit specific course programs. Programs that meet the set standards of excellence are given accreditation by these specialized accredit ting agencies based on area of specialization. A good example of such an accrediting agency is International Association for Management Education (AACSB) which accredits accounting related programs. Also American Health Information Management Association is tasked with accrediting health programs in different colleges. It is worthy to note that all these accreditation agencies have to be recognized by CHEA for them to be considered as legit agencies.

So, to verify the educational quality of any institution, students, parents, and potential employers should be concerned about accreditation status. If any college or university has that coveted seal of approval, it means distance learning degrees have met the same basic standards of excellence with the support and facilities necessary to adequately offer online degree programs. Conversely, specialized accreditation concentrates on evaluating the course curriculum based upon the established standards of the university or college.

Accreditation ensures students have received quality and adequate training in their perspective areas of study and definitely earned their distance learning degrees. Parents and potential employers can believe these students are prepared to become a productive member of society. By the same token, employees who have taken accredited courses have met the requirements of their specialize area of study. Alternatively, it also mean that institutions denied accreditation have not met the minimum standards of excellence.

The onus is on the employers to evaluate the credibility and validity of a campus offering distance learning degrees. Due to the rise in fake diplomas, it has only made employers become stricter in checking every applicant’s diploma to ensure it is a valid one from an accredited institution. And since this can sometimes be complex and cumbersome for the employer, as a job applicant, you can make this process easier by providing any vital accrediting information to your prospective employer as you make your job application. This will ensure your application is not over-looked and will elevate your chance of landing a job interview.

Get help, find tips and resources on accredited distance learning degrees and programs and campus-based colleges and universities for your educational and college purposes.

March 7, 2010

Take Your Company Public Via OTCBB: Use Your Stock Like A Bank

Filed under: News — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — James Scott @ 8:08 am

Many entrepreneurs and executives want to move forward with the process of going public merely for the ability to raise capital through the sale of stock. They usually don’t think of the strategies necessary to keep the momentum going such as how much equity to give up initially, how much equity to sell ongoing, how to capitalize off of the use of the securities as collateral for loans and lines of credit and so on.

One of the most profound strategies companies can use to retain company equity while capitalizing off of their public entity is to put up portions of their securities as temporary collateral for loans and to use securities to grow through acquisition of strategic alliances.

Stock should be looked at as cash and designated for appropriate purchasing strategies. Stock monetized through collateralized lending can work wonders as long as the exit strategy is in place and secure. Your attorney should be well versed in this activity and audit the contract for convertible aspects which could strip the transaction of its advantageous nature.

Debt that converts to equity means giving up a huge bartering chip for future transactions. Don’t give up equity unless you have to. There are scores of companies that will lend against your securities without having to give up long term equity. Use this strategy wisely and you’ll never have a problem getting capital.

Also, using stock to purchase strategic partners is more relevant now than ever. Purchasing a company with stock that can be monetized over time is an incredible way to grow through acquisition. Going public on the OTCBB is a quick and easy way to start using the countless capabilities for capitalization with a public entity. Going public simply to raise capital with your market maker or broker dealer would be selling yourself short. Take advantage of the countless ways your securities can work for you.

Want To Go Public With Your Company, call Princeton Corporate Solutions at 267-233-0183Take Your Company Public the easy way!

February 28, 2010

Appreciating The Powers Of The Psychic Clairvoyant

Filed under: Education — Tags: , , , , , — Richard David @ 8:01 am

It is true that there are really some factors about life which can never be explained scientifically. Although it is possible for science to talk about the law of gravity wherein everything that goes up are bound to go down but science can never clarify why there are people who has the extraordinary powers of determining the future, of talking to ghosts, of reading minds, and those other skills that can be very confusing for ordinary fellows. Science for sure can’t tackle about the subject of psychic clairvoyant.

Extra sensory perception, tagged as ESP is the ability of a person to gather information outside the normal sensory channels of the body which includes the sense of sight, taste, sound, smell, and touch. Because this is fairly a confusing topic for people who are not gifted with this skill, studies of these phenomena are inadequate.

The capability to acquire information in terms of certain location, event, or item without the need to employ the five senses is termed as clairvoyance. In the history, many psychic clairvoyants existed. Among the most famous is Emmanuel Swedenborg during the 18th century. The person is humble Swedish scientist who had visions about a fire burning located three hundred miles from Stockholm. After two hours, talked to public about his visions then the governor was notified. After a few hours, a courier arrived at their place to concur with Swedenborg’s visions. The fire did truly exist.

Bizarre as this event may seem, psychic clairvoyant are bona fide, they are people who can truthfully forecast events.

Even though it is erroneous to suggest that they are perfect in giving their forecast, it is incorrect though to presume that they are fakes. Because they know that there is always a room for mistakes, they would usually warn people that what they proclaim are things likely to occur; hence they are not a hundred percent sure about their forecasts.

It is common for normal people to have the misconception of believing that psychics provide extremely clear picture about the things that the future holds. The power of psychics is merely limited on giving a clear picture about the various things which can take place in life once a particular decision is made.

In the end, the person himself has to make the decisions on how he will pursue with his life. No matter what the psychic clairvoyant says, it is still up to him to discover what the future may bring.

If ever you see that the predictions given by psychic clairvoyant appears to be erroneous, do not blame his readings. After all, it is still our very own decisions that take us to our destiny hence it is us who should be blamed more than anyone or anything else. What a psychic clairvoyant can do is to just open our eyes to the possibilities of your decisions.

So next time you visit a psychic, do not frown if he is unable to tell you about your destiny in specific detail; the name of the person who you are you going to marry, what job will you have, and other definite answers you want to hear . After all, you shouldn’t play guessing games with him in the first place. Learn to recognize his limitations and appreciate his gift.

The author Richard David is a writer for the popular http://www.develop-clairvoyance.com site. Discover for yourself how easy it is to become clairvoyant. Find out never before revealed secrets. Anyone really can learn how to become a psychic clairvoyant when you visit here to receive twenty nine free develop clairvoyance audios, ebooks and videos!

January 27, 2010

How To Become A Clairvoyant

Filed under: Education — Tags: , , , , , — Simon Pegg @ 9:00 am

Clairvoyance is considered to be a paranormal term that originated in the French language. In the French language the word ‘clair’ means ‘clear’ and ‘voyance’ translates to ‘vision’, so a ‘voyant’ would be known as a visionary. Therefore, ‘clairvoyance’ translates to ‘clear vision’ and a ‘clairvoyant’ would be known as an individual that is a ‘clear visionary.’ However, the literal translations are neither very helpful nor accurate.

Further complicating the definition is that the term ‘clairvoyant’ has been used to refer to different things over the years. ‘Clairvoyant’ gradually emerged as a term applying to someone who displayed a range of paranormal, or psychic, abilities. The only all-encompassing definition that really fits is that a clairvoyant is someone with the ability to know things about a location, object, person, or event by means others than the five physical senses. In other words, clairvoyance refers to a form of extra-sensory perception (ESP).

Clairvoyance normally involves a clairvoyant individual knowing about something that is taking place at that time or in a far away location out of the range of any physical sense. There have been plenty of cases documented about a clairvoyant having knowledge of something that occurred in the future or in the past. Many people consider clairvoyance to be a form of precognition or prophecy.

The means that a clairvoyant uses to discover the mysterious information can vary, but it generally breaks down into 1 of 6 different categories. Clairvoyance is likely associated with the first form, the phenomenon of remote viewing. While engaging in remote viewing, a clairvoyant is able to see a location, person, event, or object that is not in their view. This can take the form of some sort of visual hallucination or may be seen in their mind’s eye.

The next form of clairvoyance is called clairaudience. With clairaudience, the clairvoyant is able to gain the information about a remote event through sound. They are able to hear noises and voices that others and recording equipment are unable to. In cases where a clairvoyant hears the voices of the dead, this phenomenon crosses the line and enters into the mediumship.

The next kind of clairvoyance is known as clairsentience. With clairsentience the individual is able to gain knowledge of remote events through touch and feeling. There are cases that have taken the form of feeling and actual object that is not really there. In other instances it is more of a feeling or a vibe that is felt from locations, events, and people that are remote.

The fourth one is clairalience. This happens when a person is able to gain knowledge of remote events and locations with their sense of smell. It is possible for them to smell wildflowers or grass of a beautiful spring meadow that is followed by the smell of gunpowder that is followed with the scent of blood. No one else is able to smell these things and there is never an apparent source for the smells.

The next and fifth type of clairvoyance is known as clairgustance. In clairgustance a clairvoyant with an empty mouth is able to taste different flavors even though there is no obvious source. These clairvoyants are able to precisely describe the different taste of things from a distance.

The sixth and final form of clairvoyance is claircognizance. This is perhaps the most hard to define or explain. In claircognizance, a person knows something about a remote person, object, location, or event, but can’t explain how they gained that knowledge; they just know it. To some extent, claircognizance is a catch-all category of clairvoyance.

There have been many documented occurrences of people who are clairvoyant throughout history from different cultures around the globe. Instances of clairvoyance have also been incorporated into some of the world’s most widespread religions.

In Buddhism for example, clairvoyance is considered of the six special senses humans are capable of at advanced levels of meditation. In this case, it refers to being able to feel vibrations put out by other people.

In the Catholic religion, clairvoyance often been considered to be miraculous. Saint Francis had a disciple, Saint Claire that had a vision of his death even though she was miles away. This case took place over 500 hundred years ago. As a result, the Catholic Church made her the patron saint of ‘television’ which means ’seeing over a distance.’

There are plenty of people that are skeptical of clairvoyance. It is human nature for people to deny that something exists just because they don’t understand it. Take for example the scientists that not so long ago denied the existence of electricity or magnetism.

Yet whatever sceptics may say, no one has been able to disprove clairvoyance, and there is increasing evidence to show that there are many genuine clairvoyants around. In general, scientists, parapsychologists, and the general public are becoming more open-minded and more ready to accept that clairvoyance is real.

Just because we don’t understand how it works, there is no reason to deny its existence. It has been suggested that in the distant past, all humans used to be clairvoyant but for some reason lost their powers. It is thought that everybody could again become clairvoyant if they make the effort and choose to develop these powers.

The author Simon Pegg writes for the popular http://www.develop-clairvoyance.com site. Discover for yourself how easy it is to develop clairvoyance. Find out never before revealed secrets. Anyone really can learn everything you need to be a clairvoyant when you visit here to get 29 free clairvoyant audios and videos!

The Top Secrets About Giving

Filed under: Education — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Masami Sato @ 8:49 am

Here is the secret to get what one wants. It is just giving. The reasons for it are based on the well-known philosophical dictum “Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?” The egg, and the chicken that is born out of it, create the circle of life, and form the basis for a profound comparison for attaining and giving what one wants: the circle of joy. This brilliant concept is analyzed in the clear voice and lucid prose of Masami Sato, the author of the book named ONE.

As human beings, most of us have yearnings for different kinds of things. And of course, the fundamental principles of economics tell us that while needs are unlimited, resources are not. This makes us think that the more resources we have, the more yearnings we would be able to satisfy. As such we tend to safeguard our resources. We would then feel that giving away these resources or splitting it between many would lessen the portion that can be used to get what we desire. This is the conventional win-lose strategy that is being played out.

Could it be true, then?

What if the answer was “no”? What if it actually contradicts the secret of getting more? What if the secret to get more is simple – by giving more?

You can get something simply by giving. Just like you can have eggs by breeding chickens. Just like that. Natural. Automatic. And it’s an absolutely joyful experience.

First, let us start with a small comparison to explain things.

Chicken and Egg – The Cycle of Life

Philosophers have made this query ever since time dawned, “Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?”

The answer to this endless discussion is simple: It actually doesn’t matter because both chickens and eggs are here now. But if we want to have more great outcomes, we can choose to start somewhere.

Giving and Receiving: the Cycle of Joy

What happens, if we pose a different question? “Which comes first, giving or receiving?”

Again, if we want to have greater results, we can choose to start somewhere. Giving something to others is surely so much easier than trying to get it first!

What happens if we are trying to get it first?

If we hope to have something, surely we would try to acquire it. And once we get it, we would cling on to it. This is surely natural – it makes sense rationally.

But the actual upshot of ’striving to get’ is often not profusion and actual long-term recompense.

For example, hoping to see others happy is not at all about deriving joy from them, or manipulating them to become happy. It is about how much happiness we can give them and thereby share with them. Full stop.

So where do we start to get what we want?

By starting from the reverse end – by giving generously!

When we give first before we actually fully have what we really want – what we dream of – we send a very powerful message to ourselves that says, “there is enough, and more will come”. It allows us to experience the joy today – the joy of giving.

All we need to do is give out the love in ample measures to others. It just returns to us. Giving love is the only way to be fully loved. When we acknowledge the greatness of others’ achievements, and their great qualities, again, that recognition comes back to us. They recognize us, because we are ready to recognize them.

In the same manner, if we want to have plenty in our life materially, financially, and mentally, we have to share in full measure with others, what we want.

Some are ready to give more physical things like time. Others opt to give what they can spare financially, like money. Those who give more (time, money, compassion, love, thoughts) have these things in abundance because it is the surplus. And surplus is the natural law of life.

Just keep in mind the rule of the game

Important rule: never give anything expecting a return.

When we have the expectation that giving should create ‘getting’ something back, we get upset when we don’t see the result coming back immediately to us. We may even hold unpleasant feelings towards the recipient of our gift. And clearly, holding a negative feeling for someone is not a pleasant or kind thing to do! So we can feel the real joy of giving when we’re doing something for others knowing that we’re simply doing it for ourselves-we’re doing it for our own joy!

Losing to win, giving to receive

It may initially feel like we are losing out. Yet at some level we know that getting without giving is not a sustainable life model. And we’ve known that from the very beginning. That’s why tithing has been such a natural part of the lives of many successful people. And they didn’t always do it publicly so it wasn’t done to gain a better reputation. It was just because that was the way it was.

Take a look around. ‘Simpler’ living things do it naturally. The bumblebees pollinate the flowers as they receive the honey so more flowers bloom in abundance. Naturally. That’s the game. They do not do it for conscience or justice. That is why they create such sustainability without even trying.

Giving is just a part of who we are, the same as having; nothing more or less. No complications, no strings attached; just letting go.

The real secret of getting more can be summarised in two steps: Give first, and do not expect anything in return.

When we let go and give wholeheartedly, what we need will be given to us. Automatically.

Discover more about how Buy1GIVE1 (BOGO) can transform your business using Cause Marketing.

Step aside old BOGO and meet the new BOGO

Filed under: Education — Tags: , , , , , , — David Anttony @ 8:49 am

Definitions of some English words can change quite rapidly these days. In the recent past the meaning of words was often very fixed. Today the meaning can change in the blink of an eye. With faster and newer ways to exchange ideas such as Twitter and with wider and more culturally, socially and educationally dissimilar groups connecting together – words are put back on the anvil of evolution and changed into something new and more reflective of current life.

There is a growing global movement where consumers are asking businesses to take care of the things that they care about. The request is mainly tacit and despite it being an ironic request it non-the-less signals that we are in a time of change. Consumers these days want their ‘goodies’ but they don’t want the environment to be destroyed in the creation of their ‘goodies’. They want cheap products but they do not want workers to suffer to create those cheap products.

There does not seem to be an answer to this conundrum and yet one does exist. It exists in the recoining or reforging of a single word. This word is a simple one – GET. Today, new movements of people who want to get but give at the same time are reforging it. It is being transformed into the word GIVE.

Every day automated email notices arrive in my inbox from Google Alerts for two keywords – BOGO and B1G1. I see all the new places these words are turning up on the Internet. Little by little these two words are gaining a their new meaning as more and more people take up the Buy One Give One cause.

The B1G1 and BOGO acronyms both stand for Buy One GET One free. You buy one and you get given an extra one for free.

Look up BOGO on Wikipedia.com (there isn’t a definition yet for B1G1) and you will discover these definitions for BOGO:

* An acronym in the retail industry that stands for Buy One Get One. For example, you could say “Buy 1 DVD, Get 1 FREE!

* An acronym in slang British that stands for Britons Of Greek Origin or Greek Britons.

* Bogo, Cebu, a city in central Philippines.

* An alternate name for the Bilen ethnic group of Ethiopia or their language, Blin.

* Norway, a village in Norway.

* The mascot of the ITESM CEM.

* BogoMips, an unscientific measurement of CPU speed

* Bogosort, an ineffective sorting algorithm

BOGO lights

There is an organisation in the USA called SunLight Solar founded by a gentleman called Mark Bent. He has created a special torch that not only is an amazing and robust solar-powered light; his company also gives a free torch to a family in need in developing nations for each one purchased. If you look on their website you will learn about their “BOGOlight”.

“The BoGo – our Buy one/Give one – program has successfully provided lights to many, many thousands of people in the developing world, changing lives because of your purchase and participation.” – BOGOlight.com

Mark Bent turned the acronym upside down when he started to use the word as part of his product name. For him now and the thousands who buy his lights, BOGO now means Buy One GIVE One. Each person gets to give a light every time they buy one for themselves. So now with each sale, people who do not have the luxury of electricity can harness the power of the sun to support their lives.

There are many other well known and many less well know businesses doing Buy One Give One giving, or transaction-based giving as its becoming known. Some of the famous companies are OLPC – One-Laptop-Per-Child and TOM’S Shoes. Some of the less well-known ones (in the US at least) are based in Oceania and the UK – Earthstar Publishing, Maple Muesli, Blinds Couture, Figure 8 Body Chains, Sunsplash Homes, Honestly Women magazine and Thavibu Gallery based in Thailand are just a small handful of these special businesses that are leading the Buy One Give One movement.

Many Buy One Give One businesses are uniting under the common banner of Buy1GIVE1 run by a social enterprise based in Singapore. Buy1GIVE1 is the home of transaction-based giving. Any business based anywhere in the world can now start doing Buy One Give One giving with ease. It is becoming like a ‘CSR plug-in’ allowing a business to instantly start giving from each and every product or service sale, starting from just one cent. And it is no longer about giving an equivalent product to someone else; instead it is about contributing to a project that resonates with a company’s activities. So for example a restaurant can feed a child, a TV manufacturer can give a cataract blind person the gift of sight (Get Vision-Give Vision), a magazine publisher can plant a tree for every subscription and a builder can build a low-cost family home for those in need (Buy1BUILD1) – the list is endless.

Something special is happening these days as more and more people are switching onto giving and ‘citizen brands’ as a part of their everyday experience. The 2008 Edelman Goodpurpose global study of consumer attitudes reveal that almost seven in 10 (68%) consumers would choose to remain loyal to a brand during a recession if it supports a good cause, and 71% say that when they think about the economic downturn, they have either given the same or more time and money to good causes. This very same study highlighted some other major things as well like:

* 54% would promote a brand and its products if there was a good cause behind it.

* 52% of consumers globally are more likely to tell others of a brand when it supports a good charity cause over one that doesn’t.

* And going even further globally, consumers are voicing a strong desire for marketers to connect their brands to social causes or action. Forty-two percent say that if two products or services are of the same quality and price, commitment to a social purpose trumps factors like design, innovation and brand loyalty when choosing one product brand over another.

Turning Getting into Giving

In the minds of consumers, Buy One GIVE One is sure to replace Buy One GET One as the global giving movement led by Buy1GIVE1 ripples out. Certainly with the large consumer demand shown for products from companies like BOGOlights, TOMS Shoes and One Laptop Per Child (OLPC), this tide will continue to spread.

I did a Google search on the 25 topmost key words connected with the keyword BOGO as an experiment to see what would show up. The results were interesting so I have displayed them below. You may notice that right now the word Give doesn’t show up. It will be interested to do this test again in twelve months time to see what changes. Consumers are now driving change and yes they want to receive free gifts (traditional B1G1/BOGO) but equally they also want to give to others or see others being given to.

Here are the search results:

Free, photography, blogging, discount, networking, African, boots, groups, music, dallas, togo themes, wallpapers, buy, applications, skins, values, coupon, gift, sharing, shopping, pics, join, prose

Transactional or transaction based giving

Unlike traditional charity giving, Buy One Give One giving is transactional in that every time you buy something, you give something. In the case of SunNight Solar they happen to give a physical light for every light sold. However, in most cases, Buy1GIVE1 associated businesses give in a different way. At Buy1GIVE1, giving can start from just USD 1c contribution per sale and go up to thousands of dollars in the case of Buy1BUILD1. At 1cent almost every business in the world can afford to give from each sale especially when they know 100% contributed goes to the cause.

The amount of money that is contributed isn’t the focus with Buy1GIVE1 transaction based giving. The focus instead is on the story and sharing the simple joy of giving. After all, if you think that 1c isn’t a lot to give and would not make much of a difference think again.

From its origins in Ethiopia, where the main coffee production is still from wild coffee tree forests, coffee consumption has spread throughout the world. Today Brazil is still by far the largest producer producing an average output of 28% of the world’s total coffee. Brazil produced enough coffee in 2006 to make 216 billion four hundred million – 216 400 000 000 – espresso coffees. If we calculate that across global production then we get a daily global consumption of around 2,117,416,830 cups of coffee. The figures are hard to find but let’s guess that 40% of the world’s coffee is sold in coffee shops then we would get that 846,966,732 cups are sold commercially each day globally. This would equate to about’5,485,714 cups in the USA alone seeing they purchase around 21.9% of the world’s coffee beans.

If we considered the impact of the coffee industry alone taking up Buy1-Give1, imagine now that for every cup of coffee sold a child in a developing region like Sub-Sahara Africa received clean drinking water from a well and it only costing 1cent to do this. Surely any coffee shop could afford to contribute this amount from the sale of a single cup of coffee. Imagine the different that this one action alone would make in the world.

Transaction based giving is the story of a thousand mile journey starting with the first step. To dig a well costs a few thousand dollars hence many communities in developing nations cannot afford to dig wells. But when you see that it only takes the sale of a single cup of coffee to give clean well water to a single person for a day1, then you can see the magic of transactional based giving. Buy1GIVE1 giving is like the compound interest of giving – a little turns into a lot very quickly.

So many companies are used to doing things on their own. Doing transactional giving is no different. A company can go out find a cause and start doing Buy One Give One giving. And yet they are missing the point when they do this. Buy1GIVE1 giving is about sharing the joy of giving and not trying to change the world. As soon as you step up and say you are going to change the world then the world will step up and challenge you. Within a heartbeat a company would experience the sharp scrutiny of the media inspecting their every move. And yet when a company steps up and says it is supporting what its customer want and joins with others in its industry to do that in a win-win way, the story is different. When companies choose to join together under a commonly recognised banner/brand they can have a powerful joint effect. The ripple that a single company creates is added to that of another and the ripple grows into a tidal wave that benefits so many. This is the power of giving and doing things together.

Everyone wins with Buy-One-Give-One transaction-based giving. The consumer wins – at no extra cost to themselves they’ve made a difference to the lives of others through their purchasing choices. The business also wins in so many tangible and intangible ways. And of course the charity partner wins because they are now able to receive small amounts from numerous sources aggregated and paid in a lump sum on a regular basis allowing them to focus on what they do rather than raising funds.

A new start – a new world – new thinking

If you go right now and check Wikipedia.com for the word BOGO you should find that a new definition has been added. And soon B1G1 will be added. It is time for a sea-change – a change from the focus on GETTING to focusing on GIVING. I personally added a small addition to Wikipedia’s BOGO definition that says this: “… an acronym in the marketing industry that stands for Buy One GIVE One.”

Simply imagine our world where every time you go and buy something you give something automatically and seamlessly – giving a gift forward to someone in greater need than you. This is the simple joyful magic of transactional giving.

This is the world I want to be part of.

Just remember – you don’t ‘get’ giving till you get giving.

References:

http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee

http://www.dep.org.uk/globalexpress/13/page1.htm

http://www.scfnw.org.uk/site/article183.html

http://www.tesco.com/greenerliving/what_we_are_doing/ethical_clothing.page

http://www.scfnw.org.uk/site/article183.html

http://www.goodpurposecommunity.com/

http://www.dep.org.uk/globalexpress/13/page1.htm

Footnotes: 1 The daily cost for clean well water per person is calculated by taking the average cost to dig a well then dividing that amount by its average expected life without major maintenance then divided it by the number of people in the community benefiting from the well on a daily basis.

Find out more about how Buy1GIVE1 (BOGO) can transform your business using Cause Marketing.

Masami Sato’s Quotes From Her Bestselling Book : ONE

Filed under: Education — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Masami Sato @ 8:31 am

Part One of Three

This collection of beautiful quotes that will inspire you to awaken your curiosity about the mystery of life is excerpted from “ONE”, a book by Masami Sato, the founder of Buy1GIVE which is a global giving organisation sharing the joy of giving. The quotes in this first edition include topics that are profoundly related to our everyday lives, such as mystery, judgment and connection. This article is the first part of the 3 “ONE Book Life-Changing Quotes Series”.

On transforming judgment

“Judgment often has very little relation to reality.”

“Actions and words don’t always accurately reflect who we are. Every single one of us has had the experience of wanting to undo what we did or said.”

On the mystery of life

“It’s very, very clear that we don’t need to know all of the ‘hows’ and ‘whys’ of life to keep living on this planet.”

“There are so many things we don’t understand in life. In spite of that lack of understanding though, we often enjoy experiencing those things.”

“Seeing is important but trying to figure out everything isn’t necessary.”

“The scientists are not here to reveal the ‘truth’ because we are here to seek it forever. They are actually here to complicate the game (of life) so that we can have more questions and enjoy the game longer.”

Connection

“Connection is the core of everything. That’s what life is. Connection.”

“Every single thing we do is to satisfy the need for connection.”

“We cannot feel unhappy when we are feeling totally connected. It’s impossible!”

“We are designed to constantly seek ways to connect to each other and to a greater purpose.”

“’solutions’ coming from fear and doubt may not be the most effective ways. We end up feeling more and more disconnected from each other.”

“We can only truly celebrate the victory with others when we win together. Then we feel connected.”

“This is the game called ONE. The aim of the game is to ‘connect’! We keep connecting until we all become ONE.

Find out more about how Buy1GIVE1 (BOGO) can transform your business using Cause Marketing.

January 25, 2010

Belief

Filed under: Education — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , — Dr. Jay Polmar @ 8:04 am

Beliefs determine how we see, interact and experience the world around us. Beliefs are ideas that are made after repetition and contemplation, that are accepted as truth and reality and therefore impact how we see life.

Belief and knowledge are often in conflict. The difference might be subtle, but substantial. Knowledge is something that you and others, who might be considered experts in that field, consider to be true and there is reasonable, plausible, and provable scientific explanation for that knowledge.

A belief on the other hand is founded on personal experience or only on faith.

Too many people require you to accept their belief based on blind faith. Belief is not knowledge and therefore usually not provable beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Remember, its wasn’t long ago that people believed the world is flat, and that we thought women were witches, hunted them down, and then burned them.

Welcome to belief, which is based on superstitions, or ignorance.

Ignorant humans who once believed that the Earth was the center of the universe, and that it was flat. Really demonstrated that what really was FLAT was the human ability to think outside the box and perceive something that others could not observe.

When scientists discovered great things, hundreds of years ago, they were imprisoned, tortured and murdered. The Catholic Church did not want people to see clearly, and therefore stopped the voices of these researchers.

Actually, during that time in history it was thought to be common knowledge that these ancient flat world beliefs were true. Even though humankind was sincere in its primitive beliefs, those beliefs were not true and by not believing as the others told you to, you were subject to arrest, imprisonment, and torture which often lead to death.

Times have changed. Today, things that you believe have changed, and you may believe in something so firmly that you count it as knowledge. When, in fact, there may be considerable evidence from the past experience that a particular belief is a truth,” its only truth for you from your personal experience. Just because you believe it is true, does not make it true. Although it might become a truth for you personally, by believing it you are limiting yourself by holding on to self-limiting beliefs.

The trick is to pull back the veil and see the real truth. That is one that is universal and does not need to be believed, it just is. These are referred to as universal truths. They exist and work beyond our own self-limiting beliefs. They forge and work through the universe and in our lives.

Gravity is a truth. Believe in it or not. Its still a real truth. If you drop something it will fall to the ground. If you trip, and fall, you could hurt your butt. You can only fall DOWN, you don’t fall up.

Now this is only a truth that exists here on Earth under normal circumstances. There are other forces that can resist this law such as a strong wind. You may have been programmed since childhood to conceive things that you thought to be true – but, once you realized that they were not true, you may have wondered why you wasted time and energy believing in them at all.

Take the case of Santa Claus. You thought that he was real. You believed that by some mystical miracle he went around the world in one night and brought presents to every well-behaved child. You may have further believed that he ate the burnt cookies you left for him, and he drank that horrible lactose free milk. You believe that it was all related to your doing good things and not bad things, and that Santa was well, almost like God!

There was strong evidence to your belief:

Your parents told you he was real. (You trusted your parents unquestionably)

The cookies were eaten and the milk glass was empty. Even the crumbs disappeared.

There were presents under the Christmas tree in the morning.

You saw Santa at the supermarket, and you had a picture of Santa to prove it.

Your cousins believed in him too.

All of this evidence pointed toward knowledge, you just knew he existed. It pointed to a truth in that not only did you know he existed, everyone around you knew also. This belief as you found out was not true. It had shaped your view of the world as a child and still may have a lingering impact on your current belief system.

The point is that there are other things that you may believe are true, but are not. You have been told things all your life for a variety of reasons: to make you feel better, to be funny, to hurt you, because other people believed it was true, and for other noble and not so noble reasons. You made the choice whether to believe what was being told you. You weighed this information and decided whether it fit or not into your already existing belief system. You either rejected the idea straight out, accepted it as part of what you already believed, or it changed your belief system.

Beliefs are very powerful, and they do shape our reality. If you believe in something strong enough, it becomes real in your life. There is a universal law that states that likes attract like. If you believe in something strong enough it not only becomes your reality, it attracts similar things in your life.

Suppose you believe you are clumsy. Your parents said you were clumsy, your coach as school did and so did your friends. They told you that you were an accident waiting to happen. You thought this to be true. Your whole life you tripped over your shadow. Not only did you believe this, but you also created the reality and circumstances of being like that.

Examine your beliefs and draw back the veil. “Well, I’ll be. They seem to have repeatedly hypnotized me to trip myself up — all my life” well, I’ll be! And, then you don’t have to be! It’s all your belief.

Dr. Jay Polmar, author of Thinkright, was a teacher and instructor at colleges and universities in the Southwest and Hawaii about the quality and power of Thought being an active force in creating the alignment of your life. Learn more in Thinkright.

Strengthen your own belief with ThinkRight ThinkRight and have a great life!, and ThinkRight and have a great life!

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