"Speaking Books" Promote Health in South Africa

Long a favorite of children learning how to read, "talking books" are being used to help disseminate important health information to populations of varying reading skills.In South Africa, the South African Depression and Anxiety Group has developed a series of such books through Books of Hope. These short books are produced in multiple languages and address such topics as HIV, malaria, diabetes and suicide prevention, and are being distributed to that country's rural and disadvantaged communities. By pushing buttons, the reader can listen to the content as well as read it.Source: Springw...

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[TIPS] - Exploring language and Google Reader

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5541690   This is an excellent series about language. Sometimes it's what is NOT said that says the most. Very interesting.   - - - Bonus - - - http://www.google.com/reader   This is Google's version of an RSS aggregator - like bloglines.com. I don't know, I tried it, but I still prefer bloglines. See what you think.   - - mailinglist in testing - - - My mailing list IS ready but we're testing it now to make sure that it works correctly. Next week, for sure! &nb...

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IT Consulting and Finding Your Way to the Sweet Spot from Micro Businesses

If you are starting out in the IT consulting industry, you will start to wonder how to move your focus from micros small businesses to the sweet spot. The following questions and tips will help you determine what your prospects will be looking for as IT consulting sweet spot clients and how you can improve your skills:1. How much time should I spend improving my skills? Your time should be balanced. If you have the skills to work with micro, you might not have those required to work with sweet spot clients. Spend approximately 75% of your time over a couple months on IT consulting business development and about 25% of the time on improving technical skills.2. Which skills should be your focus? Get a not-for-resale copy of Microsoft Small Business Server 2003 and learn about it by installing...

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[TIPS] - StainedGlass Collage and a correction

Do you have digital pictures? Do you have a Flickr account, maybe? Either way you'll love this fun and easy to use mashup that lets you make collages out of your pictures. Here's the website:  http://www.stainedglasscollage.com/ Want to see a sample? Well, as luck would have it, I've got one. Can you guess what the images are? :-)  http://www.stainedglasscollage.com/ext-view.jspx?id=ub7w40tf   - - - Correction - - - A correction to yesterday's late tip about the K12 Online Conference. Once again Groupwise messed up the URL for some reason.  Some of you were able to see the mistake and correct it. The correct URL for that online conference is: http://k12onlineconference.org/ The conference is free, it's online, and it's purpose is ... well, here:  ...

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Mimio Interactive

Mimio Interactive is truly a revolutionary piece of hardware that can really transform the the way teachers instruct in the classroom. The mimio Xi, is a small bar that is affixed to a standard whiteboard. In conjunction with a computer, projector and the mimioStudio software that comes with the mimio Interactive you can turn any standard whiteboard into an interactive whiteboard with all of the functionality that one would expect from a dedicated interactive whiteboard. Using state of the art technology you are able to bring in digital pictures, control your PowerPoint presentation, and design activites in front of the class using the very...

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Posted in: caine,friedlander,interactive,mimio,mimioStudio,Xi

[TIPS] - Bonus - K12Online Conference

You can use the following as an annoucement! www.k12onlineconference.org Announcing the first annual "K12 Online 2006? convention for teachers, administrators and educators around the world interested in the use of Web 2.0 tools in classrooms and professional practice. This year's conference is scheduled to be held over two weeks, Oct. 23-27 and Oct. 30- Nov. 3 with the theme "Unleashing the Potential." The K12 Online 2006 blog has just gone live. On the conference blog you will also find the web form we will be using for the submission of proposals. Everyone is encouraged to submit a proposal. More details are on the conference blog: www.k12onlineconference.org....

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[TIPS] - techLEARNING.com article on keeping kids safe online (and a bonus)

http://www.techlearning.com/content/epubs/8e6 You'll have to create an account here to read the entire article, but once you do you can download the pdf file of this article and many more. Very nice, I think. No spam, either.   - - BONUS - - Still using IE for your web browsing? Here's another article about yet another flaw in IE that could compromise your computer: http://snipurl.com/xe4y   Or, get Firefox here: http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/  - - - Almost ready to put these tips on a mailing list of their own. Watch for the notice so...

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Here comes the Cheetah!

There has been a lot of controversy in the newsgroup comp.databases.informix about some press release/interview from IBM, talking about the next release of IBM Informix Dynamic Server.The news popped up at CRN, and the discussion talked about a mysterious new feature called "record level locking". No one could understand what this is... It seems to be row level locking, but we all know IDS has this since its beginning. Some insiders, like Madison Pruet and Christine Normille said that this could be one of several features:Last commited concurrencyLabel based access control (LBAC)Optimistic concurrencyAnd what are these anyway, we may wonder...? Well, apparently all these are new features of the upcoming version or versions. As we all understand, even if some features are planned for a specific...

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[TIPS] - everystockphoto.com - and eternal sunsets

http://www.everystockphoto.com/ - - - snip - - - everystockphoto.com is a search engine for creative commons photos, located in Vancouver, BC. We aim to be a community for designers, developers, photographers and other media publishers who want better, easier access to license-specific media on the web. - - - - And here's a bonus for every one of you who enjoys a sunset. This page: http://www.eternalsunset.net/more.php has links to cameras around the world that will show you sunset, almost at any time during the day. Not quite, but close. There's also a map at the bottom of the page that shows the areas of the earth in daylight and in darkness. Notice the shape of the two areas? What's coming up soon?   Does that remind you of the clock at nist (http://nist.time.gov/timezone.cgi?UTC/s/2/java)...

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Why did I create this?

Why did I create this? Well, there are several reasons... None of them is good enough alone, but here they are: The only blog I've found about Informix seems empty I've been involved with Informix technology for several years and I think the Informix community although enthusiastic is a bit invisibleI have some subjects about which I'd like to write a bit......So, I hope to be able to create some interesting content here. I will obviously avoid repeating content that you can find in several resources like tech articles, DeveloperWorks e...

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Marketing Tests: Don't Make a Commitment Without an Initial Sample

Marketing tests are crucial to your marketing strategy. At the beginning phase of your business, your budget will be incredibly tight, and saving money will become important. Marketing tests can tell you whether you should pursue a specific sales avenue or explore other options. No matter how great a specific marketing strategy seems on the surface, it isn’t always the best for you. Marketing tests performed on small samples of prospects can help you avoid over-spending and bring you closer to discovering the most effective marketing campaigns.The following ideas will help you with marketing tests:1. When you are thinking of using direct mail, rent a marketing list in small installments. One of the biggest mistakes new business owners make when not using marketing tests is renting thousands...

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[TIPS] - Colleges warning about social networking sites

I'm a big advocate of the use of blogs in education, if you haven't guessed. I think the blog tool can be used for GREAT things in the classrooms. Sadly, however, sites like My Space and Xanga, and Live Journal have given blogs a major black eye. But that's like saying that car accidents are giving automobiles a black eye. The tool is still a good one, but people use it poorly.   Take this article, for example: http://snipurl.com/x3xy . Colleges are warning their incoming freshmen about the public nature of blogs. People have been fired for what they say in their blogs. Others have been denied jobs, or, as you'll read, entire sports programs have been suspended due to blog postings.   Let's EDUCATE the kids about blogs. How many of your students do you think would cringe if...

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IT Consulting Business Start-Up: The Strength of Client Relationships

At the beginning of the life of your IT consulting business, you may miss some details and make some of the common mistakes others have made before you. If you start out moonlighting, having your own IT consulting business can sound so appealing that you may not plan appropriately as you transition into full-time IT consulting.ARE YOUR CLIENTS STEADY?Not everyone is capable of running a full-time IT consulting business. There are two common mistakes professionals make with new IT consulting businesses: taking on clients that can never become steady; bothering to continue relationships with non-steady clients.You should only be seeking steady clients when starting your IT consulting business, and finding these individuals is actually not as difficult as you might expect.STEADINESS IS KEYSteady...

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[TIPS] - a wiki example

Want to see an example of a wiki used with a class? This one is for a class that's studying the Scopes Monkey Trial. It appears that the teacher set up the front page and the students are filling in the other pages. What do you think?   http://smithitw.pbwiki.com/   - - - CONGRATULATIONS! - - - Congratulations goes out to the districts in our IU who received the Classrooms For the Future grants. Big Springs, Camp Hill, Shippensburg, Lower Dauphin, and West Shore. The laptops are coming. Will YOU be ready for them?&nb...

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Videoconferencing with Skype

Skype has become an indispensable tool for me in the work that I do. Skype is available for just about every platform and allows members to speak to one another using voice over internet protocol from your computer with a standard microphone. Membership is free and between now and the end of the year you can call landlines and cell phones in the US for free from Skype. Setting things up is fast just download the software from Skype. Once downloaded register your name and you should be off and running. This past summer Skype added the ability to make video phone calls from your computer using inexpensive webcams and this week they released a new...

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Writely

If you are looking for a creative way to write using the Internet take a look at Writely.com. Within your browser you will have access to a word processor and a collaborative tool that will allow you to share your documents with others that you designate. Take a look at Writely and let me know what you thi...

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[TIPS] - Net Family News - kid-tech news for parents

http://www.netfamilynews.org/nl060915.html This links to where you can choose to subscribe to a newsletter chuck full of articles dealing with Internet safety. Parents, get this one so you know where the dangers are. It's nothing to be cavalier about, for sure.   Teachers with Moodle classes - you can subscribe to the RSS feed for this newsletter using this link: http://netfamilynews.org/newsletter.xml Just paste it into the Manage My Feeds section in your Moodle class to have those news items brought right into your class.   Oh, teachers... ever heard of http://stu.dicio.us/ ? Can you get to it at school? Check it out. Maybe you'll want to get this one blocked. Here's what the site says about itself:   - - - snip - -  Studicious is a service created for students,...

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[TIPS] - Video Mash-Up

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2006/08/01/VI2006080100794.html Mashups are when two sites combine their resources to produce a third product. This isn't really a mashup. but it IS clever. The Washington Post has produced a short video of a reporter asking certain questions. The goal of the viewer is to find other clips and edit them into this video to produce a (hopefully) funny result. While they may want you to use real footage, this might be a good project for your class.   (This was the tip I didn't get to send yesterd...

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The E.G.O. Project (Electronic Graphic Organizers): Active vs. Passive Graphic Organizers

The E.G.O. Project (Electronic Graphic Organizers): Active vs. Passive Graphic Organiz...

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Audioblogging

...

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Assistive Technology Video

Some educators are rather surprised when viewing my video: Assistive Technology: A Way to Differentiate Instruction for Students with Disabilities that assistive technology needs to be considered for students with high incidence disabilities. In the video I had the opportunity to capture teachers, administrators and students as they are using assistive technology and its importance in their school day. You will find the testimonials to be very moving and learn why these technologies are so importa...

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"Talking" Surveillance Cameras Scold Bad Behavior

Big Brother is not only watching you... he's publicly reprimanding you, too.Residents of cities in the US and Europe have gotten used to surveillance videocameras that allow law enforcement to watch the streets. But in Middlesbrough in the UK, cameras are now fitted with loudspeakers through which control room operators can scold people for anything from littering to fighting.Says camera manager Jack Bonner, "It is one hell of a deterrent. It's one thing to know that there are CCTV cameras about, but it's quite another when they loudly point out what you have just done wrong. Most people are so ashamed and embarrassed at being caught they quickly slink off without further trouble." Bonner notes that operators are instructed to address people politely.Naturally, the cameras are controversial,...

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Restaurant Touchscreen Ordering a Hit With Patrons

Bytes, a new cafe in the UK town of Canterbury (of Chaucer fame), is making a name for itself with its high-tech ordering system. Each table is equipped with a 15-inch touchscreen, from which patrons can place their orders.Aside from helping Bytes save money on wait staff and menu printing, the touchscreens allow the restaurant to build a database of customer preferences, and to change items and prices on the fly. The touchscreens also double as game consoles, keeping the kids occupied.So far, patron response to the touchscreens is overwhelmingly positive, and the owner is already considering opening a second location. As long as customers respond just as enthusiastically to the food, Bytes appears to have a bright future.Source: SelfServiceWo...

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[TIPS] - Net Family News and Moodle story

http://www.netfamilynews.org/nl060915.html This may be a newsletter that you'll want to subscribe to. What is Net Family News? "A nonprofit public service providing a forum and "kid-tech news" for parents and educators in more than 50 countries. The forum is 24/7; news is weekly via email and podcast and daily via blog and RSS feed. " Check it out. If you've got kids at home then this is something you're going to WANT to have.   Here is the RSS feed: http://netfamilynews.org/newsletter.xml I've added it to the front page of Moodle, too.   Oh, and speaking of Moodle, check out this story that was posted in the Moodle forums: - - - This is our first year of committed Moodle usage at a high school in Texas. With over 100 faculty and staff and about 1000 students we are averaging over...

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Review of InspireData

Take a look at a new and very interesting application called InspireData from the Inpsiration Company that was released this summer. For the full review go to LD ResourcesEnjoyBr...

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Posted in: inspiration. math,inspiredata,science

Contingency Plans Can Help You Plan for the Unexpected

You need contingency plans to succeed in your first year of business. A contingency plan will help you calmly handle any unexpected surprises that come your way. Even if you do excellent research and plan diligently, you will always find good and bad surprises when starting a business.Your contingency plan should include a list of anything, good or bad, that would affect your business if it happened. Think about the following items when creating a thorough contingency plan:1. Consider your chosen niche. If your niche dries out, you will need a contingency plan to support your business.2. If you have problems finding people to work for you within the labor market, you will need to have a contingency plan to help you get work done.3. What is your comfort level with ASP software? If clients...

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A Virtual Big-Screen Theatre for Video iPods

If the idea of watching movies and videos on the (very) small screen of the video iPod doesn't appeal to you, consider iWear from Icuity. The 4-oz. "videoshades" produce a high-resolution virtual 44-inch screen... all without undue wear on the iPod battery life. The iWear currently retails for about $300.Source: LiveScie...

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[TIPS] - Wanna work a wiki ?

:-)   I've set up a wiki page at the wikispaces site that I mentioned last time. I know that many of you just aren't brave enough yet to create one of your own, so here's a chance to work with one. http://jgates513.wikispaces.com/   So far this is open to the public, but if the spammers find it I will have to force users to enroll and then log in to edit.   This will be easy and (hopefully) fun. It'll be basic - unless one of you brave souls wants to try to add an image somewhere, that is. Here's how it works. This is a place to go to share links to your favorite sites. On the front page and in the side navigation area I've got links for Math, Science, etc, etc. Click on the one for your subject area. When you get to your page, click the Edit This Page button just above the...

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Kissinger Warns of a "War of Civilizations"

Instead of being at odds over Middle East policy, the US and Europe must unite to prevent a possible "war of civilizations" between the Western and Muslim worlds, according to former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.In an op-ed piece in the Washington Post, Kissinger wrote: "A common Atlantic policy backed by moderate Arab states must become a top priority, no matter how pessimistic previous experience with such projects leaves one," referring to disagreements over the war in Iraq."The debate sparked by the Iraq war over American rashness vs. European escapism is dwarfed by what the world now faces," he continued. "Both sides of the Atlantic should put their best minds together on how to deal with the common danger of a wider war merging into a war of civilizations against the background...

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[TIPS] - wikispaces and Day 5 - the final installment

I've mentioned this before, but it's worth mentioning again, I think. http://www.wikispaces.com is a place to go to get your own wiki at no cost. Go ahead, give it a try. Foreign language teachers, start a wiki for your students where they may only speak/write that language. English Literature teachers, start one about the books you're reading. Social studies teachers, start one about the Revolutionary War or the Lewis and Clark expedition, etc. Let the kids add links and descriptions and images. I KNOW you'll be pleased with the results. Audio files of this series are available here: http://odeo.com/channel/57888/view (They're not in top-down order, so play according to Day titles) - - - Day 5 - The Final Installment of Nothing Important Happened Today - - - I’ve re-read the postings...

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Thought-Controlled "Bionic Arms"

Researchers at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) have developed prosthetic arms that are controlled by electrical signals from the brain. The artificial limbs recreate the subtle motions of actual arms, and allows for a greater level of control than traditional prostheses. Whereas a human arm is capable of 22 discrete movements, this new generation of artificial arms is capable of four -- rotating the upper arm, bending the elbow, rotate the wrist and closing of the hand. Jesse Sullivan, who lost both arms in an electrical utility accident, and Claudia Mitchell, who lost her left arm in a motorcycle crash, are using these artificial arms to perform everyday tasks. DARPA expects to be able to offer these arms to wounded veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.Source:...

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Convenience Stores Without Employees

It might be the ultimate in outsourcing -- convenience stores that employ no human workers at all. Get & Go Express stores dispense food, beverages, basic health items such as aspirin, and DVDs. Between their lack of employees and small size (minimizing real estate requirements), Get & Go stores' profit margins are nearly double those of typical convenience stores.Customers appear to be embracing the stores, which are essentially clusters of vending machines, for their convenience and reasonable prices. One category of items that Get & Go stores doesn't sell, however, are products that can only be sold to adults, such as tobacco...

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Are You a Generalist or Are You in a Niche Market?

Niche markets are a good way for you to build a marketing strategy through targeted groups of clients. However, often consultants think about specializing in a specific product or service when imagining niche markets. Niche markets don’t only mean one-product or one-service specialties, but also targeting a specific industry of client type. GENERALIST WITHIN A NICHE MARKETNiche market and generalist, while seemingly opposite entities can actually work together. You should not attempt to please everyone, but you can focus on providing generalized services to a certain type of client. Being part of a niche market and being a generalist are two complimentary strategies when you market yourself as the main contact for a very targeted client group.Don’t invest a lot of money at the beginning...

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[TIPS] - Drawspace and Day 4

http://www.drawspace.com/ Did you ever want to be able to draw better than you do? This site is for you - and for your favorite art teacher. You must register, but it's free. If you've got a "throw-away" email address use it to register. I haven't been registered long enough to know if I get spam from it. I don't think so, though. Choose from Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced lessons. Very nice. - - - Nothing Important Happened Today - Day 4 of 5- - - So far we've got... well, I don't want to think about what we've got so far. Do you? Let's just say that we're not quite as happy as we were three days ago. Let's talk about some cool stuff that's going on. Sorta take our minds off of this race. Google processes about 7.5 Billion queries per month according to this article: http://battellemedia.com/archives/002093.php...

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Ideas for Direct Mail and IT Marketing

Whether your IT marketing plan is to do a letter, a flyer mailer, a large postcard or a simple standard postcard, you need your headline to be eye-catching. The message of your direct mailing also needs to be stunning and communicate your purpose and address the needs of the targets of your mailing. IT MARKETING IS ABOUT BENEFITSYou need to speak to the niche of your target audience and emphasize the benefits to members. You need to communicate how your computer consulting company can provide real benefits for clients, such as value and return on investments. If you can communicate this idea from the very beginning, you will captivate their attention and get them interested in hearing the rest of what you have to offer in your direct mailing item. You may get target clients to request...

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Sales Cycles: What is the Appropriate Length for You?

Sales cycles can be different for different small businesses, but as a small business owner, you need to know the revenue of your clients during a 12-month period. You also will need to know how long it takes you to earn revenue from the beginning of the sales cycle. Your sales cycle begins as soon as you get a lead and is not over until the person gives you the first amount of money for the deposit. The sales cycle is the culmination of the hard work you invest when you change a relationship into a paying customer from a mere lead. You should estimate your complete sales cycle as soon as you start your consulting business. You need to determine how long each average lead will take to travel through the sales cycle. Consider the following elements:1. How long does a qualification stage...

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[TIPS] - Top 50 Coolest sties and Day 3

Time's 50 coolest websites: http://www.time.com/time/2006/50coolest/index.html How many do YOU use?   - - - -  Nothing Important Happened Today - Day 3 - - - Let's see, so far. they've got more (hungry) honor students than we've got (fat and happy) students. The number of new computers each year world wide will triple - and will be going to the (hungry) children in underdeveloped countries. http://snipurl.com/wcim (And, the top 10 in-demand jobs in 2010 didn't exist in 2004. Fine.   Here's a sobering quiz question that I saw presented by the former Gov of Maine (originator of their one-to-one laptop program) and also in Karl's presentation. If you didn't download and watch his powerpoint yet, this will be fun. Ready?   Name this country:It's the richest in the world.It's...

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Cisco Encourages Solution Providers to Specialize in Security

Executives from Cisco state that they’d like to see solution providers start to move into new, more daring areas. Cisco announced it would be encouraging a group of partners and solution providers to change their business to specialize in security in order to address the need for new and sophisticated security solutions. Cisco and Microsoft are also both trying to get security partners to start using network access control solutions run by their technologies. The new solution providers security program, “Master Security” specialization will be the first in a line of new high level badges for partners and solution providers that want to root themselves in very specialized technology. This new announcement comes on the heels of last week’s announcement of plans to ensure that network access...

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Computer Consultants Track Security Breaches as Business Technology Grows

As technology expands at a fast pace, many business owners, security managers and computer consultants for companies are noticing major issues with computer system security. Dishonest employees find it easier to break into sensitive information leaking through cell phones, wireless laptops and networked printers along with person-to-person meetings. As information and communication shift over to digital, security leaks are becoming harder to prevent but much easier for security experts and computer consultants to track. In June of this year, 50 executives at major firm Merrill Lynch were surveyed to determine major security concerns. Of those surveyed, 52 percent stated that leaks of confidential information was the number one concern followed by viruses and hackers. Because these concerns...

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[TIPS] - Goodsearch and Part 2

This article: http://snipurl.com/l602 explains why this website: http://www.goodsearch.com/ may be just what your school needs - an EASY way to make money. Every time you search from this site (search powered by Yahoo!) revenue is generated for the school that you have specified. Thanks to Deb E. for sharing that one. :-) Oh, and thank you to those who have used the for:jgates513 tag in del.icio.us to share some websites with me. They'll become tips soon, too. - - - - And Now, Part 2 of "Nothing Important Happened Today" - - - Yesterday we learned that we're outnumbered by the people in China and India, and we didn't even factor in the rest of the world. Remember , "They've got more (hungry) honor students than we've got (fat and happy) students?" And did I mention that China will be the...

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Using Testimonials as Part of IT Marketing

Testimonials can really help sell your services in IT marketing. This article explores how you can use testimonials to enhance and grow your business.CREDIBILITY AND TESTIMONIALSIn order for testimonials to appear credible and believable, they have to be real and have a real first name, last name, job title company name and city and state attached to them at a bare minimum. Your prospective client will know when seeing this information available that you are serious about your consulting business. Prospective customers will believe other clients more than your own claims. Good words from third parties without a direct interest in your business will be more trustworthy than your own IT marketing and sales items. TESTIMONIALS: BASIC STRUCTURE AND CONTENTYour testimonials should zone in...

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Computer Consulting and Information Overload

One of the biggest issues in computer consulting is information overload, because you will probably have technological information flying at you constantly from many different places. With overwhelming amounts of new technology, you may find it difficult to weed out the important facts and figures. Because many of your clients are small businesses, they will be lagging behind on the latest technology, and much of your information overload will not concern them. You can focus on business development needs rather than keeping up with a majority of your clients. GUILTY PARTIES WITH INFORMATION OVERLOADMost of the excessive information you will get from print magazines. You shouldn’t pay attention to about 90 percent of your print magazine subscriptions for three to six months at a time,...

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[TIPS] - Solar system model, and Part 1 of 5

We've all either made or have seen one of those Styrofoam ball solar system models of the planets (we had NINE - what were we thinking?) but those models really do justice to the vastness of the solar system, right? Well, how about a true-to-scale model? The scale is 1:93,000,000 and it's the project of Aroostook County in Maine. Check it out: http://www.umpi.maine.edu/info/nmms/solar/index.htm ----- Today is perhaps an unfortunate day to begin ANYTHING with the title "Nothing Important Happened Today", but do understand that there is no connection between this and 9-11-01. This is part 1 of 5. For the next few days, if you aren't interested reading it, you can of course stop with the tip at the top. - - - Nothing Important Happened Today One of my favorite stories from History class (and...

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Posted in: nothing_important

Virtual IT: ITera, Inc. Presents Comprehensive Managed Services

On Wednesday, virtual IT company iTera, Inc., of Salt Lake City, specializing in disaster recovery solutions announced it will join forces with SafeData, LLC in order to compliment its already full array of managed-service solutions. Currently the virtual IT company offers the award winning product Echo(2) High Availability software for the IBM i5.President and CEO of the company Dan NeVille stated that with the addition of SafeData, iTera will now be able to present a subscription-based service that can maintain each part of the i5 platform. The new offer will feature a combination of iTera’s Echo(2) software, IBM i5 server technology and a $30 million data center. Also included are monitoring services, monthly management, reports and other elements. The following benefits will be available...

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Systems Integrators Note September 11th Effect on Security Market

Ever since the catastrophic event of 9/11, systems integrators and other technology specialists have been reexamining IT security. During the Cold War, Canada’s National Optics Institute was responsible for developing a system that could detect approaching enemy tanks or fighter jets. However, after the fall of the Soviet Union, these types of threats were less imminent and the technology was put away for future use.In 2003, an entrepreneur named Eric Bergeron toured the Institute, inspired by the events of 9/11 and the security threats they raised for systems integrators and others in the IT field. His thought was based on the idea that now security has extended beyond just looking for planes in the sky and now is focused on luggage and other issues that require technology, such as X-rays...

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Computer Business Intel Announces Job Cuts

Computer business Intel, the largest global maker of microchips announced on Thursday a large number of job cuts according to the Financial Times. The reason for the major job cuts among its 100,000 employees is due to a fall of 56 percent in the second quarter of net profit. This loss can be directly attributed to the fact that the company cut prices in order to compete with fellow computer business AMD.Around employees of computer business Intel lost jobs under a new global layoff plan. In just Malaysia, a newspaper noted that up to 2,000 workers at Intel would be offered the opportunity for voluntary layoffs. While some of these employees had already received offers, the official announcement came Tuesday. When the entire worldwide layoff plan has been executed fully, the cuts could...

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In the Computer Consulting Industry, Homework is Essential

In the computer consulting industry, you have to be very careful with vendors that ask them to tell you what exactly your company does. You should provide these vendors with a brief explanation of the methodology and mission of your computer consulting business so he/she can figure out if you will fit in with a specific business plan. Focus on proactivity by knowing what the company you might be working with is doing so you can best tell them how you can help them fulfill their needs. RESEARCH IS ESSENTIAL TO COMPUTER CONSULTINGBe prepared to spend about 30 to 40 minutes on homework to find out about a prospect before the meeting. Researching a potential client increases the likelihood you will complete a sale quickly, either in the first meeting or just a week or so afterwards. A prospect...

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[TIPS] - Water on the Web and a Nettrekker tip

http://waterontheweb.org/- - snip - - Water on the Web (WOW) helps college and high school students understand and solve real-world environmental problems using advanced technology.WOW is a complete package containing two sets of curricula, data from many lakes and rivers nationwide, extensive online primers, data interpretation and Geographic Information System Tools, and additional supporting materials.- - - snip - -   Bonus: When you log into your Nettrekker account you'll find a button called "Open Read Aloud" above and to the right of where you enter your keywords for searching. Click it to Open that feature. Then, just highlight a paragraph or sentence or even a word and wait a few seconds while it loads. Wow!- it reads that text to you!   Know any students who could use...

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[TIPS] - 3-d software available, plus fun veggies

http://www.contentparadise.com/us/user/home.php Tomorrow is the last day to download - at NO cost - Poser 5. It's a 3d graphics program that, admittedly isn't for everyone, but is very cool for those who do that sort of thing. But don't delay - get it today! :-) Now, for fun, how would you like to grow novelty vegetables? - - snip - - For growing novelty vegetables, these 1/8" thick, clear plastic forms are very effective. Just fix a mold over a growing vegetable, and the vegetable will conform to the shape of the mold. Available in the form of an elf for shaping eggplant, melon, pumpkin, and squash, or the "pickle pair", corncob or heart (makes heart-shaped cross sections when sliced) for use with cucumber, zucchini and summer squash. http://snipurl.com/w25w P.S. For some reason,...

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Computer Consulting: The Importance of Proving Ground Projects -- Test the Waters

Proving ground projects can be a great way to test a potential computer consulting client relationship, and are in fact absolutely critical before you sign any long-term contracts. WHAT ARE PROVING GROUND PROJECTS?The definition of proving ground projects is the initial projects completed by computer consulting firms with customers that are not yet clients or steady clients. During proving ground projects, consultants are working to show the customer that they are knowledgeable, dependable and easy-to-work with and can provide valuable services. On the flip side, proving ground projects help customers prove to consultants that they have the right attitude and expectations, a compatible personality and are willing to pay for services at the going rate. BE MINDFUL DURING PROVING GROUND...

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Which Computer Skills are Competitors Sporting?

Computer skills are a critical part of any virtual IT business, but determining which ones you’ll need can be challenging. NETWORKING PLATFORMSMost successful competitors of yours with good sweet spot clients know these networking platforms; Microsoft Small Business Server (SBS); Novell Small Business Suite or Novell NetWare Linux; Mac OS.Some larger companies with more than a few employees will steer towards the higher market end, starting at 25 to 50 PCs and then taking on larger small businesses with 50 to 100 systems or small mid-sized companies with 100 to 500 systems. However, those involved with these larger companies will need more sophisticated skills than you will.OTHER COMPUTER SKILLS OF LARGER COMPETITORSLarger competitors typically will have deeper computer skills in the following...

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[TIPS] - Gore's Ted speech, and a fun mashup

No matter WHAT you think of the man as a polititian, Al Gore's speech is funny and it's thought provoking. Science teachers especially will appreciate this speech given at the TED conference (I've GOTTA get there someday!) about his "An Inconvenient Truth" research. This is the link to stream it: http://www.ted.com/tedtalks/tedtalksplayer.cfm?key=al_gore and this is the link to download it: http://ted.streamguys.net/ted_gore_al_2006.zip This would be an excellent video to watch and then ask your students to write a blog or journal entry about it. They should also try to verify the facts as presented to see what they come up with, etc. Here's the accompanying website: http://www.climatecrisis.net/ Science teachers - this one's for you.   Now for the fun mashup. A mashup...

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