Our society often makes the mistake of equating success with wealth. It’s not a surprise that we do this. After all, wealth has the advantage of being measurable. When we can measure something, we can rate how we’re doing versus everyone else. We love to compete with each other.
But aside from providing us with a handy way to “keep up with the Jones’,” what does the equation of success with wealth really do? It’s commonly accepted that money doesn’t buy happiness. If someone is wealthy and unhappy, is he or she successful? Of course not!
Success is less about money than it is about worth. A successful person is one who looks at what he or she contributes and is satisfied with what he or she sees. Success is recognition, even if only internal (because in the end, you’re the only one who’s completely a part of your life). If you’re happy, then you’ve succeeded.
Unfortunately, while American traditions hold that the pursuit of happiness is an inalienable right, happiness itself is far from guaranteed. Indeed, the pursuit of happiness can be a frustrating battle of competing priorities, high prices, and lost time. These very real costs give us the illusion that our unhappiness is caused by what we have spent along the way, to which we readily conclude that if we had fewer responsibilities, lower expenses, and more time, we would be happy. We devote much of our lives to attaining a level of financial independence at which we can at last retire and enjoy our hard-earned free time.
Yet, do you know that the average life expectancy of a retiree who doesn’t take up a new challenge to occupy his or her time is about five years? Humans thrive on stimulation. We can’t go from overwork to perpetual vacation. We get bored, and we die.
The secret to real happiness, therefore, is neither to have money nor to accumulate money for the future. Both of these may be useful (and up to a point, they’re perfectly sensible), but it’s much more important that you identify what it is that you like to do with your time than to find ways to free it up sooner.
If you don’t know what you want to do – and especially if you’re sure that whatever it is, it’s not what you’re doing now – you probably can’t just quit, but you can start to make changes that will make you happier. Start looking for other options. Sign up for some adult education classes at a community college, the kind that have a flat fee and meet once a week for a few weeks. Study languages, maybe. Or art. Or cooking. Try everything you can. You’ll know what you like when you find it.
And once you do find it, see how you can incorporate it into your life. We spend most of our lives sleeping or at work, and odds are that you need your sleep. You probably need to work to live, but you might as well be working at a job that you enjoy. Then you’ll be on the road to happiness. That’s success.
Studies have shown that successful entrepreneurs and home business owners possess the following characteristics. Do you?
1. Do you have Self-confidence?
This is the magical power of having confidence in yourself and in your strengths and abilities. This isn't bravado or braggadocio but an unshakable belief in yourself.
2. Are you Achievement Oriented?
Results are gained by focused and sustained effort. You concentrate on achieving a specific goal, not just accomplishing a string of unrelated tasks.
3. Are you a Risk Taker?
There is a chance of loss inherent in reaching for any goal, yet you have the confidence necessary to take calculated risks to achieve your goals.
So which of these three main characteristics is the most important? Believe it or not, it is self-confidence.
Without self-confidence, nothing else is possible. If you don't believe in your abilities, then the first challenge that arises may knock you off the path to achieving your goals. Here are a few things to keep in mind for maintaining a higher level of self-confidence.
* Positive Thinking
It all starts with a positive attitude! Believing that something good will happen is the first step.
Negative thinking is just not allowed (so stop it right now). You must truly believe that there are no circumstances hard enough to deter you from reaching your goals.
Try the exercise created by French psychotherapist Emile Coue - every morning repeat "Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better." You might be surprised that this simple exercise has been getting results since the early 1900s!
Remember too, that positive thinking can be contagious. When positive thinking spreads, it can open doors to new ideas, customers, friends, etc.
* Persistent Action
All the positive thinking and believing in the world is useless if it is not applied towards a goal. You have to take action, no excuses allowed. This action must also be persistent. Trying once and then giving up is not going to be enough. Keep at it one step at a time. If you can't get by a certain step, then find a creative way to try again or go around it.
Entrepreneurs are people who make decisions, they take action and control their own destinies. They are often motivated by a spirit of independence which leads them to believe that their success depends on raw effort and hard work, not luck.
As Ronald Regan pointed out: Entrepreneurs and their small enterprises are responsible for almost all the economic growth in the United States.
Look ahead and see yourself where you want to be, maintain a strong belief in yourself and your skills, stick with it, and never give up. If you can do that, you're already half way there!
We'll leave you with a couple of quotes from Sir Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965):
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
"For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else."
Onwards!
1. Do you have Self-confidence?
This is the magical power of having confidence in yourself and in your strengths and abilities. This isn't bravado or braggadocio but an unshakable belief in yourself.
2. Are you Achievement Oriented?
Results are gained by focused and sustained effort. You concentrate on achieving a specific goal, not just accomplishing a string of unrelated tasks.
3. Are you a Risk Taker?
There is a chance of loss inherent in reaching for any goal, yet you have the confidence necessary to take calculated risks to achieve your goals.
So which of these three main characteristics is the most important? Believe it or not, it is self-confidence.
Without self-confidence, nothing else is possible. If you don't believe in your abilities, then the first challenge that arises may knock you off the path to achieving your goals. Here are a few things to keep in mind for maintaining a higher level of self-confidence.
* Positive Thinking
It all starts with a positive attitude! Believing that something good will happen is the first step.
Negative thinking is just not allowed (so stop it right now). You must truly believe that there are no circumstances hard enough to deter you from reaching your goals.
Try the exercise created by French psychotherapist Emile Coue - every morning repeat "Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better." You might be surprised that this simple exercise has been getting results since the early 1900s!
Remember too, that positive thinking can be contagious. When positive thinking spreads, it can open doors to new ideas, customers, friends, etc.
* Persistent Action
All the positive thinking and believing in the world is useless if it is not applied towards a goal. You have to take action, no excuses allowed. This action must also be persistent. Trying once and then giving up is not going to be enough. Keep at it one step at a time. If you can't get by a certain step, then find a creative way to try again or go around it.
Entrepreneurs are people who make decisions, they take action and control their own destinies. They are often motivated by a spirit of independence which leads them to believe that their success depends on raw effort and hard work, not luck.
As Ronald Regan pointed out: Entrepreneurs and their small enterprises are responsible for almost all the economic growth in the United States.
Look ahead and see yourself where you want to be, maintain a strong belief in yourself and your skills, stick with it, and never give up. If you can do that, you're already half way there!
We'll leave you with a couple of quotes from Sir Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965):
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
"For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else."
Onwards!
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Wouldn't It Be Nice If You Could Custom Tailor Your MLM Leads Any Way You Want?
2:27 PM
| Author:
Tony P
In order to succeed in MLM, you are going to need a steady supply of fresh-targeted MLM leads that are anxious to get started in this business opportunity. MLM lead vendors know this little fact too and they can see you coming a mile away.
This can pose a problem for all but the super savvy network marketers and people with extra-ordinary telephone skills.
Here are 5 of the most popular reasons you may want to consider generating your own MLM marketing leads.
1. Quality. When you purchase MLM leads from a leads vendor, you are buying a list of names and contact details that have been generated in a very generic way to maximize the response rate of the lead generators advertising campaign. These MLM leads are not necessarily generated from the most targeted means of advertising.
These leads are not selling them on any specific type of business. When you are using this type of lead you really don't know what type of business they may be interested in. In the end, you are left to sorting and this can be a time consuming procedure. Generating your own MLM leads with a website you have control over changes all this.
2. Responsive. MLM leads that you have generated on your own are usually much more responsive than leads that you would have purchased from a leads vendor.
Most probably they have not been contacted by several different network marketers and their name has not been sold over and over again by some of the leads vendors out there.
Leads that you generate are as fresh as you can get and they are exclusive to you only
3. Real-Time Leads. One of the most popular reasons for a network marketer to generate their own MLM leads is that you can receive them in real-time.
This is especially powerful for people who are in the higher ticket business opportunities and they need the highest quality lead they can get. Nothing beats having company specific real-time leads in your inbox waiting to be contacted about your product or opportunity.
4. Custom Surveys. When you are the lead generator you have full control over the questions you want to ask your prospects. You can simply qualify or disqualify leads based on the questions they have answered on your lead capture page.
It is a wise idea to always run a "Comments or Questions" or "Tell Me about You" space on your lead capture page.
Not every single prospect will fill these fields out but when they do it will be the most valuable piece of information you receive next to their name and number. Anything a prospect is willing to share with you before the initial contact is like an icebreaker.
5. Cost. Generating your own MLM leads can actually save you a lot of money if you spend the time to setup some solid advertising campaigns.
Like many leads companies on the web you would not have the high cost of employees either. Your cost to generate your own leads will be your advertising costs and any other tools you may be using such as lead capture pages and auto responders.
These are just a few reasons you may want to consider generating your own MLM leads for your specific product or opportunity. It could make a difference in how effectively you market your program.
This can pose a problem for all but the super savvy network marketers and people with extra-ordinary telephone skills.
Here are 5 of the most popular reasons you may want to consider generating your own MLM marketing leads.
1. Quality. When you purchase MLM leads from a leads vendor, you are buying a list of names and contact details that have been generated in a very generic way to maximize the response rate of the lead generators advertising campaign. These MLM leads are not necessarily generated from the most targeted means of advertising.
These leads are not selling them on any specific type of business. When you are using this type of lead you really don't know what type of business they may be interested in. In the end, you are left to sorting and this can be a time consuming procedure. Generating your own MLM leads with a website you have control over changes all this.
2. Responsive. MLM leads that you have generated on your own are usually much more responsive than leads that you would have purchased from a leads vendor.
Most probably they have not been contacted by several different network marketers and their name has not been sold over and over again by some of the leads vendors out there.
Leads that you generate are as fresh as you can get and they are exclusive to you only
3. Real-Time Leads. One of the most popular reasons for a network marketer to generate their own MLM leads is that you can receive them in real-time.
This is especially powerful for people who are in the higher ticket business opportunities and they need the highest quality lead they can get. Nothing beats having company specific real-time leads in your inbox waiting to be contacted about your product or opportunity.
4. Custom Surveys. When you are the lead generator you have full control over the questions you want to ask your prospects. You can simply qualify or disqualify leads based on the questions they have answered on your lead capture page.
It is a wise idea to always run a "Comments or Questions" or "Tell Me about You" space on your lead capture page.
Not every single prospect will fill these fields out but when they do it will be the most valuable piece of information you receive next to their name and number. Anything a prospect is willing to share with you before the initial contact is like an icebreaker.
5. Cost. Generating your own MLM leads can actually save you a lot of money if you spend the time to setup some solid advertising campaigns.
Like many leads companies on the web you would not have the high cost of employees either. Your cost to generate your own leads will be your advertising costs and any other tools you may be using such as lead capture pages and auto responders.
These are just a few reasons you may want to consider generating your own MLM leads for your specific product or opportunity. It could make a difference in how effectively you market your program.
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business marketing,
business opportunity,
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|
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The number one thing you need to do when looking into the myriad of affiliate programs available is to ask questions first before you join any program. You have to do the research about the choices of each program that you are thinking about joining. Get the answers before joining because they will be the deciding factors of what you will be achieving later on.
I have listed here some of the main questions that you need to ask any retailer offering an affiliate program.
"Will it cost me anything to join?" The majority of affiliate programs offered today are free of charge, so why pay for those that charge you something before joining? Unless there is only a very small fee and a very large ROI (Return On Investment), paying to be an affiliate just doesn’t make sense.
"When do they send out the commission checks?" Each program is different, so this is an important question. Some issue their checks once every month, every quarter, etc. Find the one that is best suited to your payment schedule choice. There are many affiliate programs that are setting a minimum earned commission amount that you must meet or exceed in order for them to issue you a check, so be sure to ask if they have a minimum.
"What is their hit per sale ratio?" This very important question tells you what the average number of banner or text link "hits" it takes to generate a sale. A "hit" occurs when someone clicks on the banner or text links. This is based on all affiliate statistics. This ratio is extremely important, as it will tell you approximately how much traffic you need to generate before you can start earning commissions from the sale.
"How will the referrals from my affiliate’s site be tracked and also how long do they stay in the system?" You need to have the confidence that the program will track the people you refer from your site. This is the only way that you will get credit for the sale. The period of time that your referrals stay in the system is also extremely important. The reason is because some visitors do not initially buy the product, but may want to return at a later time to make the purchase. You need to know if you are still going to get credit for the sale, even if it is done a few days or months from a certain day. Most programs track between 45 and 60 days, though some programs track referrals for as long as a year or more.
"What are the kinds of affiliate stats available?" The affiliate program you choose should be offering detailed statistics for your review. These should be available at anytime online. By constantly checking your individual stats, you know how many impressions, hits and sales are already generated from your site. "Impressions" are the number of times your banner or text links are viewed by the visitors of your site.
"Besides the commissions on sales, does the affiliate program also pay for hits and impressions?" It’s best if you can find a program where impressions and hits are also paid, as this will add to your earnings along with the sales commission. This is especially important if the program you are in offers a low sales point to be able to hit any ratio requirement they may have.
"Who is the online retailer you’ll be dealing with?" You need to find out whom you will be doing business with to know if they are a really solid company. Check out the products they are selling and the average sales amounts they are achieving. The more you know about the retailer offering the affiliate program, the easier it is for you to decide if that program is really the right one for you and your site.
"Is the program a one tier or two tier affiliate program?" A single tier affiliate program pays you only for the business you yourself generate. A two-tier program pays you for the business/sales you bring in, plus it also pays you a commission on the sales generated by any sub-affiliate you sponsor under you in the program. Some two-tier programs even pay a small fee for each new affiliate you sponsor. This is a recruitment fee, which usually only goes down one level.
Lastly, "what is the amount of commission paid?" Depending on which market you get into, you’ll find that 5% - 20% is fairly standard commission that most programs pay out. .01% - .05% is a typical amount paid for each hit. If you find a program that also pays you for banner/text-ad impressions, the amount paid is usually not much at all. As you can see from the figures above, you now understand why the average sales amount and hit to sale ratio is a very important fact to know about before getting into any affiliate program.
These are just some of the questions that need to be answered first before you join an affiliate program. You should also become familiar with the many important aspects that your chosen program has before incorporating them into your marketing campaign and website. Ask your affiliate program choices these questions. They can help you select the right program for you and your site from among the many available.
To your continued success!
I have listed here some of the main questions that you need to ask any retailer offering an affiliate program.
"Will it cost me anything to join?" The majority of affiliate programs offered today are free of charge, so why pay for those that charge you something before joining? Unless there is only a very small fee and a very large ROI (Return On Investment), paying to be an affiliate just doesn’t make sense.
"When do they send out the commission checks?" Each program is different, so this is an important question. Some issue their checks once every month, every quarter, etc. Find the one that is best suited to your payment schedule choice. There are many affiliate programs that are setting a minimum earned commission amount that you must meet or exceed in order for them to issue you a check, so be sure to ask if they have a minimum.
"What is their hit per sale ratio?" This very important question tells you what the average number of banner or text link "hits" it takes to generate a sale. A "hit" occurs when someone clicks on the banner or text links. This is based on all affiliate statistics. This ratio is extremely important, as it will tell you approximately how much traffic you need to generate before you can start earning commissions from the sale.
"How will the referrals from my affiliate’s site be tracked and also how long do they stay in the system?" You need to have the confidence that the program will track the people you refer from your site. This is the only way that you will get credit for the sale. The period of time that your referrals stay in the system is also extremely important. The reason is because some visitors do not initially buy the product, but may want to return at a later time to make the purchase. You need to know if you are still going to get credit for the sale, even if it is done a few days or months from a certain day. Most programs track between 45 and 60 days, though some programs track referrals for as long as a year or more.
"What are the kinds of affiliate stats available?" The affiliate program you choose should be offering detailed statistics for your review. These should be available at anytime online. By constantly checking your individual stats, you know how many impressions, hits and sales are already generated from your site. "Impressions" are the number of times your banner or text links are viewed by the visitors of your site.
"Besides the commissions on sales, does the affiliate program also pay for hits and impressions?" It’s best if you can find a program where impressions and hits are also paid, as this will add to your earnings along with the sales commission. This is especially important if the program you are in offers a low sales point to be able to hit any ratio requirement they may have.
"Who is the online retailer you’ll be dealing with?" You need to find out whom you will be doing business with to know if they are a really solid company. Check out the products they are selling and the average sales amounts they are achieving. The more you know about the retailer offering the affiliate program, the easier it is for you to decide if that program is really the right one for you and your site.
"Is the program a one tier or two tier affiliate program?" A single tier affiliate program pays you only for the business you yourself generate. A two-tier program pays you for the business/sales you bring in, plus it also pays you a commission on the sales generated by any sub-affiliate you sponsor under you in the program. Some two-tier programs even pay a small fee for each new affiliate you sponsor. This is a recruitment fee, which usually only goes down one level.
Lastly, "what is the amount of commission paid?" Depending on which market you get into, you’ll find that 5% - 20% is fairly standard commission that most programs pay out. .01% - .05% is a typical amount paid for each hit. If you find a program that also pays you for banner/text-ad impressions, the amount paid is usually not much at all. As you can see from the figures above, you now understand why the average sales amount and hit to sale ratio is a very important fact to know about before getting into any affiliate program.
These are just some of the questions that need to be answered first before you join an affiliate program. You should also become familiar with the many important aspects that your chosen program has before incorporating them into your marketing campaign and website. Ask your affiliate program choices these questions. They can help you select the right program for you and your site from among the many available.
To your continued success!
Scientific experts from around the world are genuinely predicting that five years from now, all life on Earth could well finish. Some are saying it'll be humans that set it off. Others believe that a natural phenomenon will be the cause. And the religious folks are saying it'll be God himself who presses the stop button...
1. Mayan Calendar
The first mob to predict 2012 as the end of the world were the Mayans, a bloodthirsty race that were good at two things:
Building highly accurate astrological equipment out of stone and
Sacrificing Virgins.
Thousands of years ago they managed to calculate the length of the lunar moon as 329.53020 days, only 34 seconds out. The Mayan calendar predicts that the Earth will end on December 21, 2012. Given that they were pretty close to the mark with the lunar cycle, it's likely they've got the end of the world right as well.
2. Sun Storms
Solar experts from around the world monitoring the sun have made a startling discovery: our sun is in a bit of strife. The energy output of the sun is, like most things in nature, cyclic, and it's supposed to be in the middle of a period of relative stability. However, recent solar storms have been bombarding the Earth with so much radiation energy, it's been knocking out power grids and destroying satellites. This activity is predicted to get worse, and calculations suggest it'll reach its deadly peak sometime in 2012
3. The Atom Smasher
Scientists in Europe have been building the world's largest particle accelerator. Basically its a 27km tunnel designed to smash atoms together to find out what makes the Universe tick. However, the mega-gadget has caused serious concern, with some scientists suggesting that it's properly even a bad idea to turn it on in the first place. They're predicting all manner of deadly results, including mini black holes. So when this machine is fired up for its first serious experiment in 2012, the world could be crushed into a super-dense blob the size of a basketball.
4. The Bible says...
If having scientists warning us about the end of the world isn't bad enough,religious folks are getting in on the act as well. Interpretations of the Christian Bible reveal that the date for Armageddon, the final battle between Good an Evil, has been set down for 2012. The I Ching, also known as the Chinese book of Changes, says the same thing, as do various sections of the Hindu teachings.
5. Super Volcano
Yellowstone National Park in the United States is famous for its thermal springs and Old Faithful geyser. The reason for this is simple - it's sitting on top of the world's biggest volcano, and geological experts are beginning to get nervous sweats. The Yellowstone volcano has a pattern of erupting every 650,000 years or so, and we're many years overdue for an explosion that will fill the atmosphere with ash, blocking the sun and plunging the Earth into a frozen winter that could last up to 15,000 years. The pressure under the Yellowstone is building steadily, and geologists have set 2012 as a likely date for the big bang.
6. The Physicists
This one's case of bog-simple maths mathematics. Physicists at Berkeley Uni have been crunching the numbers. and they've determined that the Earth is well overdue for a major catastrophic event. Even worse, they're claiming their calculations prove, that we're all going to die, very soon - while also saying their prediction comes with a certainty of 99 percent- and 2012 just happens to be the best guess as to when it occurs.
7. Slip-Slop-Slap-BANG!
We all know the Earth is surrounded by a magnetic field that shields us from most of the sun's radiation. What you might not know is that the magnetic poles we call north and south have a nasty habit of swapping places every 750,000 years or so - and right now we're about 30,000 years overdue. Scientists have noted that the poles are drifting apart roughly 20-30kms each year, much faster than ever before, which points to a pole-shift being right around the corner. While the pole shift is underway, the magnetic field is disrupted and will eventually disappear, sometimes for up to 100 years. The result is enough UV outdoors to crisp your skin in seconds, killing everything it touches.
Do you believe it?
No way,
Y2k was also predicted as the end of the world and just turned out to be a fluke to get you to spend a lot of money to upgrade your computer. I proved it a fluke by leaving my 1993 old computer one and the internal clock changed over to 2000 no issues at all.
This is from a forum in 2004.
no one can ever know when or what time the world should come to an end. Evey 10 billion years? Who knows. i believe in God and Jesus very strongly but truthfully i don't think they even have all these kinds of answers. and supposedly when the dinosaurs died they died from a meteoroid that hit earth! every 10 billion years its supposed to hit and on Sept.27.04 is our 10 billionth year, i guess.and right now at this very second our astronauts are trying to find a way to destroy it! but if u think it takes 6 months to get to mars, if the meteoroid is on the way it should be near mars and we cant see it and its supposed to be hotter than the sun i'm sure our world would be a lot brighter. so in my opinion if your really obsessed with this whole end of the world thing i suggest you prove your point and show the rest of us the facts of our death date.
Another the same year.
Aright, the world is ending in about 8 months, around December of 2004. There are about 5 comets headed straight for Earth coming toward the south pole. No one ever knew about this event until they built an observatory in Antarctica and saw that they were coming. They kept this event on the low and they killed the scientists that studied there so the world wouldn't freak out and so the economy would drop drastically. If the whole world knew, people would be running around all over and stealing things and breaking out of jails etc. I heard this on AM Coast To Coast radio program. Its nation wide show on the radio every night so you should listen to it and discover interesting things for yourself.
Nostradamus
Actually, the Bible shows that not even the Son knows the date or hour, but that 'only the Father' knows. (See Matthew 24:36) Since Nostradamus is not the Father, it becomes obvious that he could not know of any timing secrets, if you believe the Bible. Notice that in verse 13, we are told clearly what we must do to become saved: endure with faithfulness until the end actually occurs. One can not simply say "I believe upon the name of the Lord Jesus!" Words alone mean nothing. Also, John 11:25 shows that we need not be overly anxious or fearful of this coming hour, because the faithful ones will be taken care of.
By the way, when the Bible speaks of the "world" passing away, it is not talking about the Earth. Rather, it is talking about the wicked people of the Earth. If you speak of the world's moral state, you do not speak of the ground and trees, but of the people. Isaiah 45:18 tells us that God did not make the Earth simply to destroy it, but to have it inhabited (by righteous people). Again, a close look at the Bible can bring comfort. :)
The Bible says no one will know.
The Bible describes believers as living in a state of expectancy, in a state of tension, between two worlds. We live in the present world, which we know will end, while we look for the world to come with the return of Christ. "So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him" (Matthew 24:44, NIV).
Me? Since it really cannot be predicted I do not believe we will ever know in advance.
What do you Believe?
1. Mayan Calendar
The first mob to predict 2012 as the end of the world were the Mayans, a bloodthirsty race that were good at two things:
Building highly accurate astrological equipment out of stone and
Sacrificing Virgins.
Thousands of years ago they managed to calculate the length of the lunar moon as 329.53020 days, only 34 seconds out. The Mayan calendar predicts that the Earth will end on December 21, 2012. Given that they were pretty close to the mark with the lunar cycle, it's likely they've got the end of the world right as well.
2. Sun Storms
Solar experts from around the world monitoring the sun have made a startling discovery: our sun is in a bit of strife. The energy output of the sun is, like most things in nature, cyclic, and it's supposed to be in the middle of a period of relative stability. However, recent solar storms have been bombarding the Earth with so much radiation energy, it's been knocking out power grids and destroying satellites. This activity is predicted to get worse, and calculations suggest it'll reach its deadly peak sometime in 2012
3. The Atom Smasher
Scientists in Europe have been building the world's largest particle accelerator. Basically its a 27km tunnel designed to smash atoms together to find out what makes the Universe tick. However, the mega-gadget has caused serious concern, with some scientists suggesting that it's properly even a bad idea to turn it on in the first place. They're predicting all manner of deadly results, including mini black holes. So when this machine is fired up for its first serious experiment in 2012, the world could be crushed into a super-dense blob the size of a basketball.
4. The Bible says...
If having scientists warning us about the end of the world isn't bad enough,religious folks are getting in on the act as well. Interpretations of the Christian Bible reveal that the date for Armageddon, the final battle between Good an Evil, has been set down for 2012. The I Ching, also known as the Chinese book of Changes, says the same thing, as do various sections of the Hindu teachings.
5. Super Volcano
Yellowstone National Park in the United States is famous for its thermal springs and Old Faithful geyser. The reason for this is simple - it's sitting on top of the world's biggest volcano, and geological experts are beginning to get nervous sweats. The Yellowstone volcano has a pattern of erupting every 650,000 years or so, and we're many years overdue for an explosion that will fill the atmosphere with ash, blocking the sun and plunging the Earth into a frozen winter that could last up to 15,000 years. The pressure under the Yellowstone is building steadily, and geologists have set 2012 as a likely date for the big bang.
6. The Physicists
This one's case of bog-simple maths mathematics. Physicists at Berkeley Uni have been crunching the numbers. and they've determined that the Earth is well overdue for a major catastrophic event. Even worse, they're claiming their calculations prove, that we're all going to die, very soon - while also saying their prediction comes with a certainty of 99 percent- and 2012 just happens to be the best guess as to when it occurs.
7. Slip-Slop-Slap-BANG!
We all know the Earth is surrounded by a magnetic field that shields us from most of the sun's radiation. What you might not know is that the magnetic poles we call north and south have a nasty habit of swapping places every 750,000 years or so - and right now we're about 30,000 years overdue. Scientists have noted that the poles are drifting apart roughly 20-30kms each year, much faster than ever before, which points to a pole-shift being right around the corner. While the pole shift is underway, the magnetic field is disrupted and will eventually disappear, sometimes for up to 100 years. The result is enough UV outdoors to crisp your skin in seconds, killing everything it touches.
Do you believe it?
No way,
Y2k was also predicted as the end of the world and just turned out to be a fluke to get you to spend a lot of money to upgrade your computer. I proved it a fluke by leaving my 1993 old computer one and the internal clock changed over to 2000 no issues at all.
This is from a forum in 2004.
no one can ever know when or what time the world should come to an end. Evey 10 billion years? Who knows. i believe in God and Jesus very strongly but truthfully i don't think they even have all these kinds of answers. and supposedly when the dinosaurs died they died from a meteoroid that hit earth! every 10 billion years its supposed to hit and on Sept.27.04 is our 10 billionth year, i guess.and right now at this very second our astronauts are trying to find a way to destroy it! but if u think it takes 6 months to get to mars, if the meteoroid is on the way it should be near mars and we cant see it and its supposed to be hotter than the sun i'm sure our world would be a lot brighter. so in my opinion if your really obsessed with this whole end of the world thing i suggest you prove your point and show the rest of us the facts of our death date.
Another the same year.
Aright, the world is ending in about 8 months, around December of 2004. There are about 5 comets headed straight for Earth coming toward the south pole. No one ever knew about this event until they built an observatory in Antarctica and saw that they were coming. They kept this event on the low and they killed the scientists that studied there so the world wouldn't freak out and so the economy would drop drastically. If the whole world knew, people would be running around all over and stealing things and breaking out of jails etc. I heard this on AM Coast To Coast radio program. Its nation wide show on the radio every night so you should listen to it and discover interesting things for yourself.
Nostradamus
Actually, the Bible shows that not even the Son knows the date or hour, but that 'only the Father' knows. (See Matthew 24:36) Since Nostradamus is not the Father, it becomes obvious that he could not know of any timing secrets, if you believe the Bible. Notice that in verse 13, we are told clearly what we must do to become saved: endure with faithfulness until the end actually occurs. One can not simply say "I believe upon the name of the Lord Jesus!" Words alone mean nothing. Also, John 11:25 shows that we need not be overly anxious or fearful of this coming hour, because the faithful ones will be taken care of.
By the way, when the Bible speaks of the "world" passing away, it is not talking about the Earth. Rather, it is talking about the wicked people of the Earth. If you speak of the world's moral state, you do not speak of the ground and trees, but of the people. Isaiah 45:18 tells us that God did not make the Earth simply to destroy it, but to have it inhabited (by righteous people). Again, a close look at the Bible can bring comfort. :)
The Bible says no one will know.
The Bible describes believers as living in a state of expectancy, in a state of tension, between two worlds. We live in the present world, which we know will end, while we look for the world to come with the return of Christ. "So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him" (Matthew 24:44, NIV).
Me? Since it really cannot be predicted I do not believe we will ever know in advance.
What do you Believe?
Armageddon,
End of Mankind,
end of the world,
End of Time,
God,
Jesus Christ,
when will the world end,
when will the world end?,
Will the world end soon?
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Rapid advances in technology have changed everything from health care to communication. Now, as the latest technology becomes more accessible to a broader market, the advertising field is changing, too. Years ago, you could plan your advertising campaign around a few television commercials and print advertisements. And most companies would never have considered spending a sizeable portion of their advertising budget on the Internet. But in 2006, online ad expenditures are expected to reach over $16 billion.
Advertisers who want to reach their target audience and remain competitive in this high-tech world have to change with the times. You need to keep up with emerging technologies, what media types are most popular, and how consumers use what's available to them.
If you want to stay current and advertise your products and services in ways that reach your target audience on their turf, consider the following forms of emerging media.
1. Blogs
Blog is short for "web log," online journals that people without any HTML knowledge can create easily from any computer. They are frequently updated and usually include the owner's thoughts or musings on topics ranging from what's happening in the news to what they wear to work.
Companies or individuals can keep blogs. Company blogs usually promote products in what is known as an "adverblog." However, those blogs started by individuals without a commercial affiliation usually have more credibility.
About fifty million people keep blogs. And many different categories exist, including travel, health, and business. Blogs are popular because they provide a concise summary of news and information and give users power by providing information all in one place and on a timely basis. A blog dedicated to heart health, for example, will likely pull information from sources all over the Internet, so someone surfing for heart health information doesn't have to search several sites for the most up-to-date research about the topic; they can find everything they need on a heart health blog.
As far as advertising on blogs, ads are generally related to the blog topic. That heart health blog could be an excellent place to advertise a health food or exercise product. If you're interested in advertising on blogs, first look for help from marketing companies that measure hot blog topics and provide market research based on blog content.
2. Podcasts
Podcasts deliver digital audio and video files to a user via the Internet. The name comes from the iPod, but they aren't just for iPod users. A pod cast is an audio file in MP3 format that a consumer can download to their iPod, MP3 player, or computer. Then the person can listen to it over and over again, share it with friends, and save it on a computer's hard drive.
Six million people have downloaded podcasts, according to the Pew Internet and American Life Project. And of the twenty-two-million iPod owners, twenty-nine percent have downloaded podcasts.
Podcasts are an emerging media form that will continue to grow, and as this media outlet increases in popularity, the advertising possibilities will grow as well. Viacom, Disney, and Clear Channel all have radio-type podcasts, and even print media outlets use podcasts to broadcast interviews and other audio supplements to their print stories. For example, you can read an issue of a magazine and listen to an interview in its entirety on the magazine's website.
3. Gaming
Sixty-eight out of 108 million households currently play video and computer games, according to the "Digital Gaming in America" Ziff Davis report of August 2005. Advertisers can reach this market, which is mostly comprised of young males, in two ways.
First, advertisers can use gaming technology to insert their ads in popular games. For example, say you are playing a football video game on your XBOX 360. You'll see ads placed on the sidelines and on the scoreboard just like you would if you were in a real football stadium or watching a real game on television. Video games are also played online, allowing gamers to compete with opponents in other parts of the world. These games offer many opportunities to place logos and products that a huge audience will see.
Another way to advertise using games is literally to create your own game that the consumer can play online. This is commonly referred to as Advergaming. Many companies, such as Lipton and Mountain Dew, have used this advertising technique. The greatest benefit of these games is that they get people involved in the brand. Game designers create these games to interest a particular target audience, such as young children. Be aware, though, if you're marketing to kids, to closely monitor the game's content.
4. Mobile Advertising
Nearly 199 million people in the United States subscribe to mobile phone services. And every phone produced in the last year is capable of accessing the Internet. What does this mean for advertisers? It's another method for reaching the target audience. People now use mobile phones to search the Internet, play games, and instant message as well as to access sports scores, learn breaking news, and even check out horoscopes.
Mobile advertising presents a great means to reach the high school and college student markets with banner and video ads. Currently, mobile ads are simple and usually text banners. But down the road, as this technology continues to advance, cell phones may be capable of displaying television ads. However, this media outlet is not without limitations. Everything in your ad has to be cleared by the phone company, so you must consider the logistical aspects of placing mobile ads.
The High-Tech Future of Advertising
If you want to remain competitive in the future, technology will be key to your success. You should consider these four, and other new types, of digital media when putting together any advertising strategy, because traditional media outlets just aren't as effective as they once were. While it's difficult to predict exactly where the trends are headed, when you keep an eye on new technology, you and your service won't be left behind.
Advertisers who want to reach their target audience and remain competitive in this high-tech world have to change with the times. You need to keep up with emerging technologies, what media types are most popular, and how consumers use what's available to them.
If you want to stay current and advertise your products and services in ways that reach your target audience on their turf, consider the following forms of emerging media.
1. Blogs
Blog is short for "web log," online journals that people without any HTML knowledge can create easily from any computer. They are frequently updated and usually include the owner's thoughts or musings on topics ranging from what's happening in the news to what they wear to work.
Companies or individuals can keep blogs. Company blogs usually promote products in what is known as an "adverblog." However, those blogs started by individuals without a commercial affiliation usually have more credibility.
About fifty million people keep blogs. And many different categories exist, including travel, health, and business. Blogs are popular because they provide a concise summary of news and information and give users power by providing information all in one place and on a timely basis. A blog dedicated to heart health, for example, will likely pull information from sources all over the Internet, so someone surfing for heart health information doesn't have to search several sites for the most up-to-date research about the topic; they can find everything they need on a heart health blog.
As far as advertising on blogs, ads are generally related to the blog topic. That heart health blog could be an excellent place to advertise a health food or exercise product. If you're interested in advertising on blogs, first look for help from marketing companies that measure hot blog topics and provide market research based on blog content.
2. Podcasts
Podcasts deliver digital audio and video files to a user via the Internet. The name comes from the iPod, but they aren't just for iPod users. A pod cast is an audio file in MP3 format that a consumer can download to their iPod, MP3 player, or computer. Then the person can listen to it over and over again, share it with friends, and save it on a computer's hard drive.
Six million people have downloaded podcasts, according to the Pew Internet and American Life Project. And of the twenty-two-million iPod owners, twenty-nine percent have downloaded podcasts.
Podcasts are an emerging media form that will continue to grow, and as this media outlet increases in popularity, the advertising possibilities will grow as well. Viacom, Disney, and Clear Channel all have radio-type podcasts, and even print media outlets use podcasts to broadcast interviews and other audio supplements to their print stories. For example, you can read an issue of a magazine and listen to an interview in its entirety on the magazine's website.
3. Gaming
Sixty-eight out of 108 million households currently play video and computer games, according to the "Digital Gaming in America" Ziff Davis report of August 2005. Advertisers can reach this market, which is mostly comprised of young males, in two ways.
First, advertisers can use gaming technology to insert their ads in popular games. For example, say you are playing a football video game on your XBOX 360. You'll see ads placed on the sidelines and on the scoreboard just like you would if you were in a real football stadium or watching a real game on television. Video games are also played online, allowing gamers to compete with opponents in other parts of the world. These games offer many opportunities to place logos and products that a huge audience will see.
Another way to advertise using games is literally to create your own game that the consumer can play online. This is commonly referred to as Advergaming. Many companies, such as Lipton and Mountain Dew, have used this advertising technique. The greatest benefit of these games is that they get people involved in the brand. Game designers create these games to interest a particular target audience, such as young children. Be aware, though, if you're marketing to kids, to closely monitor the game's content.
4. Mobile Advertising
Nearly 199 million people in the United States subscribe to mobile phone services. And every phone produced in the last year is capable of accessing the Internet. What does this mean for advertisers? It's another method for reaching the target audience. People now use mobile phones to search the Internet, play games, and instant message as well as to access sports scores, learn breaking news, and even check out horoscopes.
Mobile advertising presents a great means to reach the high school and college student markets with banner and video ads. Currently, mobile ads are simple and usually text banners. But down the road, as this technology continues to advance, cell phones may be capable of displaying television ads. However, this media outlet is not without limitations. Everything in your ad has to be cleared by the phone company, so you must consider the logistical aspects of placing mobile ads.
The High-Tech Future of Advertising
If you want to remain competitive in the future, technology will be key to your success. You should consider these four, and other new types, of digital media when putting together any advertising strategy, because traditional media outlets just aren't as effective as they once were. While it's difficult to predict exactly where the trends are headed, when you keep an eye on new technology, you and your service won't be left behind.
If you’re networking with strangers, you’re wasting your time. A consultant friend of mine recently complained, “I’m doing 2-3 networking events a week – and I’m worn out.” When I asked why she felt networking was important, she replied, “One of my marketing goals is to do at least 1 networking event a week.” (I pointed out that she just admitted to doing 2-3 a week – and perhaps doing 1 a week is smart and doing triple that goal is causing some of the fatigue.) But there’s much more to the great American business myth of networking.
Myth 1: The more you network, the more effective your networking activities become.
Truth 1: It’s much more important to become well-known in 1-2 circles than to spread your networking activities over many different groups. Depth beats breadth every time.
I then asked her how networking was working for her. She said, “I don’t think I have gotten a shred of business out of it in the last six months.” Her rationale for doing networking: “Everybody knows that you build a business by networking!” Does this make any sense? Or worse, does it sound familiar?
See if this networking scenario has happened to you:
You meet someone for 30 seconds. They mumble something about real estate as you are tuning them out. They ask you what you do, and you say you are in insurance. After 10 seconds of staring blankly at each other, you both head to the celery sticks for lack of anything better to do.
Myth 2: The cocktails and miniature wiener circuit is the way to network to success
Truth 2: Networking with strangers to build business is about as effective as going to a bar to get married. In the words of Dr. Phil, “It simply ain’t gonna happen that way.”
Here’s why you’re not going to meet your business soul mate at a networking event:
1) You aren’t going to do business with someone after meeting them for a few minutes and getting handed a poorly printed card.
2) Businesses are built on relationships and not “30-second commercials,” no matter how effective and intriguing.
3) Most of us have major trouble in explaining what we do, much less getting past that explanation and listening for what prospects need.
4) Networking with strangers is not targeted or specific and in fact is completely random. For some people, networking is exactly as effective as cold calling, which is the least effective marketing tool there is.
So am I saying that networking is a waste of time? Absolutely not. What I’m saying is you need to start networking smarter.
Here are a few thoughts to jog your noggin:
* Network by having coffee or lunch with people one on one. Get to know them and their business. They may become a prospect, alliance partner, or referral source. But aim first and foremost to make them a friend. The rest will follow naturally.
* If you’re going to network with strangers, go with the goal of making 2-3 lunch or coffee dates with people you find interesting.
* Ask every happy customer you have (they’re all happy, right?) for just one referral of someone who would be interested in your type of goods or services, then call and use their name. (“Hi I’m Fred and Ginger said I should call you. Isn’t Ginger great?”) You already have one thing in common – Ginger!
* Create a network “hit list” of the exact kind of businesses you want to network with – maybe you sell software and you want to meet IT managers at medium-size companies. Make the list and put it in your little black book or PDA. Focus your networking and outreach activities on only those people – or others who can refer you to those people.
* Join non-business groups and spend time doing non-business activities: Civic, social, religious, recreational, musical, athletic... the list is endless. Establish relationships with people in your group. Perhaps you’re a Moose and a realtor. A Moose, as it turns out, wants to by a house from another Moose. If so, you have the Moose Market cornered! Are you into hand-drumming. Guess what? A hand-drummer will want to do business with another hand-drummer. Get it?
* If you do go to a “mixer” go with a targeted goal in mind. For example, your goal might be “to meet three people on my target list and get their card so I can follow up for breakfast, lunch, coffee or badminton.” A traditional “networking event” now becomes simply the first phase of your targeted plan for global domination, and not an end in itself.
Here’s a final thought to shake up your networking mindset: Network with people who already know you, like you, or have done business with you.
Myth 3: Networking is all about getting more people to know what you do.
Truth 3: Networking is all about getting people that already know you to share opportunities where you can be helpful to each other.
Make 2-3 phone calls a day to connect with people from past jobs, former clients, or influential people who have expressed interest in you in the past.
We all have a “fan base” that we grossly underutilize.
Think about tapping into friends, colleagues, mentors, and family to mine the connections you already have at your fingertips.
So get out there and network – but make it worth your investment of time and energy by networking smart. As your mother always said, “Don’t network with strangers.”
Myth 1: The more you network, the more effective your networking activities become.
Truth 1: It’s much more important to become well-known in 1-2 circles than to spread your networking activities over many different groups. Depth beats breadth every time.
I then asked her how networking was working for her. She said, “I don’t think I have gotten a shred of business out of it in the last six months.” Her rationale for doing networking: “Everybody knows that you build a business by networking!” Does this make any sense? Or worse, does it sound familiar?
See if this networking scenario has happened to you:
You meet someone for 30 seconds. They mumble something about real estate as you are tuning them out. They ask you what you do, and you say you are in insurance. After 10 seconds of staring blankly at each other, you both head to the celery sticks for lack of anything better to do.
Myth 2: The cocktails and miniature wiener circuit is the way to network to success
Truth 2: Networking with strangers to build business is about as effective as going to a bar to get married. In the words of Dr. Phil, “It simply ain’t gonna happen that way.”
Here’s why you’re not going to meet your business soul mate at a networking event:
1) You aren’t going to do business with someone after meeting them for a few minutes and getting handed a poorly printed card.
2) Businesses are built on relationships and not “30-second commercials,” no matter how effective and intriguing.
3) Most of us have major trouble in explaining what we do, much less getting past that explanation and listening for what prospects need.
4) Networking with strangers is not targeted or specific and in fact is completely random. For some people, networking is exactly as effective as cold calling, which is the least effective marketing tool there is.
So am I saying that networking is a waste of time? Absolutely not. What I’m saying is you need to start networking smarter.
Here are a few thoughts to jog your noggin:
* Network by having coffee or lunch with people one on one. Get to know them and their business. They may become a prospect, alliance partner, or referral source. But aim first and foremost to make them a friend. The rest will follow naturally.
* If you’re going to network with strangers, go with the goal of making 2-3 lunch or coffee dates with people you find interesting.
* Ask every happy customer you have (they’re all happy, right?) for just one referral of someone who would be interested in your type of goods or services, then call and use their name. (“Hi I’m Fred and Ginger said I should call you. Isn’t Ginger great?”) You already have one thing in common – Ginger!
* Create a network “hit list” of the exact kind of businesses you want to network with – maybe you sell software and you want to meet IT managers at medium-size companies. Make the list and put it in your little black book or PDA. Focus your networking and outreach activities on only those people – or others who can refer you to those people.
* Join non-business groups and spend time doing non-business activities: Civic, social, religious, recreational, musical, athletic... the list is endless. Establish relationships with people in your group. Perhaps you’re a Moose and a realtor. A Moose, as it turns out, wants to by a house from another Moose. If so, you have the Moose Market cornered! Are you into hand-drumming. Guess what? A hand-drummer will want to do business with another hand-drummer. Get it?
* If you do go to a “mixer” go with a targeted goal in mind. For example, your goal might be “to meet three people on my target list and get their card so I can follow up for breakfast, lunch, coffee or badminton.” A traditional “networking event” now becomes simply the first phase of your targeted plan for global domination, and not an end in itself.
Here’s a final thought to shake up your networking mindset: Network with people who already know you, like you, or have done business with you.
Myth 3: Networking is all about getting more people to know what you do.
Truth 3: Networking is all about getting people that already know you to share opportunities where you can be helpful to each other.
Make 2-3 phone calls a day to connect with people from past jobs, former clients, or influential people who have expressed interest in you in the past.
We all have a “fan base” that we grossly underutilize.
Think about tapping into friends, colleagues, mentors, and family to mine the connections you already have at your fingertips.
So get out there and network – but make it worth your investment of time and energy by networking smart. As your mother always said, “Don’t network with strangers.”
business development,
contact building,
list building,
networking,
small business sales
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