It makes me really happy to see Africans especially women, breaking stereotypes and succeeding in business. This is one of the reasons I decided to start a blog. But I was so busy last week with a translation project that I didn't get a chance to think what to write about next. I like doing the interviews like the one I did on Hidden Voices and I do have another one lined with a Ugandan lady who's doing some extraordinary work in East Africa. But for today I'm kinda happy because Handbag Designer101 said they'd like to feature me and sent me some questions to answer in preparation. Going through the questions really took me down memory lane. I laughed a little (actually a lot), as I reminisced the days when I was still flapping around in "idea land" trying to think what on earth I could do apart from work. I remembered how one time after I had decided to try bag-making, I was so frustrated that I couldn't find any sewing contractors willing to work with someone just starting out. Everyone I contacted said they weren't interested in producing small quantities. At the height of frustration that day, I hopped on the internet and ended up in Europe!
<br>
<br>I couldn't afford to make large quantities and didn't want to either. I think I more or less expected the bags to NOT be exactly what I wanted and was prepared to live with that. Actually, what I was really worried about was the quality. I'm almost fanatical about finishing. In the end I decided not to use one of my better designs and instead sent a sample bag that I had used to have my first bag pattern made – which had proved to be a disaster.
<br>
<br>Wasn't I scared about them not making the bags right or even worse, being cheated? Of course I was but I had done everything I knew to do (which at the time was almost zero) to find someone, anyone, to produce them. I didn't even know I had to provide technical sketches of the bags. I could barely draw a circle. You see, all this happened just after I had taken the radical decision that rather than just SELL bags, I would start to DESIGN bags. (Read the full story here). Well, I later learned that designing the bags was just the beginning of the process. I still had to select the fabrics and leathers, lining, zippers, handles and other bag components AND send these to the sewing contractors – and all this to Bulgaria. Yes, you heard me, BULGARIA! . I had to plead for mercy to get them to agree to make the bags since initially they too told me that their minimum order was 1,000 pieces. I wanted only about 30!
<br>
<br>Eventually they said yes, but by that time I had developed cold feet and all the concerns I mentioned earlier came flooding back. I found myself rehearsing all the what ifs and this, to the point that I decided maybe I should just forget the whole thing. I mean after all, I had absolutely no contacts in Bulgaria and knew nothing about the country and to be very honest with myself (and you), I had absolutely no idea what I was doing going all the way to Eastern Europe to make bags! But I did have ONE thing that stood in my favor. You see, I had a dream that wouldn't die. And when you have a dream…
<br>
<br>I was still teeter-tottering over what to do as common sense and conventional wisdom were both hinting me very strongly I might add, to drop the whole idea. I don't remember what the trigger was, but out of nowhere, I suddenly remembered a book I had read many years ago. It was the autobiography of Dr An Wang, co-founder of Wang Laboratories and titled ''Lessons''. There were two quotes in particular that really left a footprint in my mind. The first one said: "You have to risk failure to succeed. The important thing is not to make one single mistake that will jeopardize the future.'' Well, I'm not actually going to Bulgaria; just my fabrics and the bag components so I couldn't be jeopardizing that much, could I? I mean it's not like my life is at stake or anything like that, was how I reasoned. Nonetheless, I had to admit that it sounded pretty crazy to go all the way to Bulgaria just to get a few bags made when I had the whole of the U.S. (where I lived at the time) to choose from. I was still struggling with yes, do it and no, don't do it, when I remembered that there was another one of Dr Wang's quotes that I had stored somewhere in my emails. I searched for it and found it. It says: "Progress is not a straight line; the future is not a mere projection of trends in the present. Rather, it is revolutionary. It overturns the conventional wisdom of the present, which often conceals or ignores the clues to the future.''
<br>
<br>Well, I figured I had wrestled with conventional wisdom enough and that if it worked for Dr Wang maybe it could work for me. So I followed his advice and tried to steer away from anything I felt would jeopardize the success of the project. I followed up with the company with tons of questions, emails, phone conversations and did as much research as I could on the company via the internet. Many weeks later, I decided to go ahead.
<br>
<br>Did everything work out perfectly? Of course not. Was I cheated? Nope. Were the bags well-made in terms of quality and finishing? Very. Did they keep to the agreed deadline? Yes. Did I get what I expected though I didn't provide any technical sketches? They exceeded my expectations: the sample bag I sent was awful. What was the retail price of the bag? $80. Was it worth all the effort? Absolutely! Did I make any mistakes? Of course. I learned how important it is to provide good technical sketches if you want your designs to be captured properly. I was just lucky to have had some sort of sample to show to give an idea of what I wanted. I also knew nothing about US customs at the time and subsequently took a course on it to escape the bondage of my ignorance. Would you do it again? If necessary. Why? "Because sometimes you have to step out on what you see 'cause if you see the invisible, then bless God you can do the impossible."
<br>-TD Jakes.
<br>
<br>Having by-passed straight lines to walk in crooked lines and step in puddles, I have learned from Dr Wang never to underestimate the power of a quote. Besides, you know what they say: if the quote fits, run with it.
<br>
<br>About the Author: Edith Nkwocha is a hand bag/jewelry designer and fashion writer committed to promoting African Couture and African Haute Couture. Visit her website at <a href="http://sites.google.com/site/bilotecouture" title="http://sites.google.com/site/bilotecouture" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://sites.google.com/site/bilotecouture</a> for more info.
<br>
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Avoid Cons and Frauds When Advertising Online
Although there are many different internet scams (fraud), there are a relatively small number of scams associated with advertising or selling online. The following is a guide to avoiding problems when advertising online, written with the advertiser or seller in mind (scams which target buyers is a separate topic).
<br>
<br><B>Non-Payment</B>
<br>
<br>One of the biggest problems is non-payment. One should ensure not only that payment has been received, but also that it has cleared (whether it be a cheque, credit card payment, or other).
<br>
<br>In the case of items which are sent by post, a related issue is buyers claiming that they have not received the item (or received it in a damaged condition) and consequently either refusing to pay or demanding a refund. Although items can be damaged or lost in the post, this is relatively rare and much less frequent than the number of buyer claims. Consequently, one should consider in advance how one will handle such claims. In addition, although it is an additional expense, the use of registered mail can largely avoid this issue. If you post items on a regular basis, one needs to determine if the additional cost of registered mail is more or less than the cost of 'lost' items, in order to determine from a business perspective if this is the best solution.
<br>
<br><B>EMAIL Theft</B>
<br>
<br>When selling online you will usually be required to provide a contact EMAIL address. Although the website where you are advertising may be perfectly honest, such websites are often scanned by fraudulent software programs which try to obtain such EMAIL addresses by any of the following 3 methods:
<br>
<br>- Going through the advertisements to find any EMAIL addresses which are within the advertisements themselves.
<br>- Automatically completing the contact form and sending it with a general question (e.g. 'Please provide more information about your item for sale'). When you reply, they collect your EMAIL address from the reply.
<br>- Getting through the website's security to access the database when the contact EMAILs are stored.
<br>
<br>Once they have your EMAIL, they may either then use it for SPAM or fraud themselves, or they may sell on the list of EMAILs they've obtained to other people who use it for SPAM or fraud.
<br>
<br>Since even the largest and most honest websites may be the target of such fraudulent software, one should always protect your EMAIL address. Never use a business or personal EMAIL for selling online. Obtain a free temporary password (e.g. from Google GMAIL or Yahoo) which you can use for the advertisement. That way, if it becomes the subject of SPAM, you can simply throw it away and get another (which may not be easy if you used a business or personal EMAIL address).
<br>
<br>As an additional step, you may wish to advertise only with websites which provide a contact form, so that you do not have to place your EMAIL address within the advertisement. Note that EMAIL addresses which are published within advertisements are more likely to attract SPAM.
<br>
<br><B>Over-Payment</B>
<br>
<br>In this scam, the buyer pays more than the price of the item and asks you to refund the difference. For example, if an item cost $100, he pays you $150 and asks you to send back $50. He may say that he overpaid by mistake, or he may give some other excuse.
<br>
<br>The basis of the scam is that the payment to you is fraudulent. For example, it may be a counterfeit cheque (even a counterfeit cashier cheque), or it may be using a credit card which has been stolen or a PayPal account whose login details have been stolen. Consequently, if you send back the overpaid amount, the buyer will simply take the money and you will find out later that the cheque or other payment is not valid and you are out of pocket this amount.
<br>
<br>To avoid this:
<br>
<br>- Never pay money to a buyer. Cancel the original payment (e.g. return the cheque or cancel the credit card payment) and ask them to make a new payment in the correct amount.
<br>- Always wait until payments have cleared and are deposited in your bank account before providing goods or refunds.
<br>
<br><B>Advance Payment</B>
<br>
<br>This scam is similar to the above scam in that the other person tries to get you to send money to him. The difference is that rather than pretending to have over-paid you, the scam is based on promising to pay you but giving some excuse for needing money from you to complete the transaction. For example, they may claim to be a foreign buyer and request money for legal fees or to open a local bank account. This fraud is normally used on expensive items, where the seller may be willing to pay a substantial amount in order to help complete the sale. However, after you have 'advanced' the money, the other party will simply take it and disappear.
<br>
<br>The way to avoid this scam is exactly the same as for the previous scam: never pay money to a buyer, even if it is just an advance.
<br>
<br><B>Private Meeting</B>
<br>
<br>People advertising high value items (e.g. a house) have been contacted by people saying that they want to buy the house but need to meet with you at another location (e.g. a hotel in a foreign city or country) to make the arrangements. There are a number of different scams which can then occur, from your house been robbed (as they know when you will be away) or a straight-forward scam (e.g. they try to purchase the item in cash, using counterfeit money) or an attempt to get you alone and force you to give them money.
<br>
<br>To avoid this scam:
<br>
<br>- Even if you are desperate to sell the item in question, ask yourself if the offer is reasonable. Someone who offers to buy your house simply from an online advertisement, without ever seeing it or even trying to negotiate the price, is unrealistic. Further requests, such as meeting in a far away city rather than locally, just add to the unreality of the entire situation.
<br>- When meeting strangers, always do so in a public place (e.g. a restaurant) and never in an isolated area (e.g. a hotel room). If possible, have a friend with you rather than going alone.
<br>- Find out who you are dealing with. Ask them their names, where they live and so on. If they are genuine people, they shouldn't mind telling you about themselves.
<br>
<br><B>Identity Theft</B>
<br>
<br>There are a number of scams in which the other person tries to get financial information about you (e.g. your bank account or credit card number), along with personal information so that they can use your identity to access your money or purchase items.
<br>
<br>Many financial institutions have a small number of personal questions which they use to identify people. Typical questions include your date of birth, your full name (including middle names), your mother's maiden name and so on. Consequently, if someone obtains this type of information from you, along with a bank account number or credit card number, they may be able to contact your bank or credit card company (by phone or through an online account) and pose as yourself.
<br>
<br>They are a number of reasons which they may give for asking for this information. For example, they may ask your bank details so that they can transfer money to your account and then say they need the personal information for administrative or security reasons.
<br>
<br>To avoid such problems, be careful what information you provide. Try to agree a payment method which involves providing the minimum of information. If you suspect that your details have been compromised, contact your bank or credit card company to discuss the situation and make the appropriate changes to number or security questions.
<br>
<br><B>Premium Rate Telephone Numbers</B>
<br>
<br>A premium rate number is charged at a higher rate than normal, with some of the money being paid to the person owning the phone number. A common example of this is sex-chat lines, where one can be charged several dollars per minute, with the fee being split between the telephone company and the company which has that phone number. In theory, it is a way for a company providing a service via telephone to receive revenue for that service. It is often used by technical support services.
<br>
<br>It is possible for someone to obtain one of these premium rate phone numbers (either in the same country as you, or in another country) and then reply to your advertisement with a request that you phone them. They may say outright that they intend to buy something from you, or merely that they have questions. Once you phone them, they will try to keep you on the line as long as possible or arrange for further phone calls. You may be unaware until you receive your phone bill how expensive these calls are, but by the time you find out and complain, the person at the other end has taken their share and run.
<br>
<br>In recent years the telephone companies have put in additional checks to prevent this type of fraud. Consequently, it is now relatively uncommon. However, you may still wish to confirm that a number is not a premium rate number before engaging in long conversations. If you dial directory assistance, they can likely check this for you. Alternatively, you could check that the number is listed as a normal residential number by checking the white pages or the online version thereof. The simplest solution is simply to conduct the sale conversation by EMAIL.
<br>
<br><B>General</B>
<br>
<br>Remember that any potential buyer is a stranger. You should never give them money, no matter how reasonable and convincing their story is (remember that practiced con men or women can be very good at this) or personal details except those which are relevant to the item being sold. For your personal safety, do not meet strangers alone or outside of public areas.
<br>
<br>If potential buyers make strange or suspicious requests, or behave in an odd fashion, be careful. If they don't seem like genuine buyers, they probably are not.
<br>
<br>About the Author: Doug Stewart is the owner of online advertising websites such as <a href="http://www.wowhorses.com" rel="nofollow">Horses for Sale</a> and <a href="http://www.france-property-and-information.com" rel="nofollow">French Property</a>.
<br>
<br>
<br><B>Non-Payment</B>
<br>
<br>One of the biggest problems is non-payment. One should ensure not only that payment has been received, but also that it has cleared (whether it be a cheque, credit card payment, or other).
<br>
<br>In the case of items which are sent by post, a related issue is buyers claiming that they have not received the item (or received it in a damaged condition) and consequently either refusing to pay or demanding a refund. Although items can be damaged or lost in the post, this is relatively rare and much less frequent than the number of buyer claims. Consequently, one should consider in advance how one will handle such claims. In addition, although it is an additional expense, the use of registered mail can largely avoid this issue. If you post items on a regular basis, one needs to determine if the additional cost of registered mail is more or less than the cost of 'lost' items, in order to determine from a business perspective if this is the best solution.
<br>
<br><B>EMAIL Theft</B>
<br>
<br>When selling online you will usually be required to provide a contact EMAIL address. Although the website where you are advertising may be perfectly honest, such websites are often scanned by fraudulent software programs which try to obtain such EMAIL addresses by any of the following 3 methods:
<br>
<br>- Going through the advertisements to find any EMAIL addresses which are within the advertisements themselves.
<br>- Automatically completing the contact form and sending it with a general question (e.g. 'Please provide more information about your item for sale'). When you reply, they collect your EMAIL address from the reply.
<br>- Getting through the website's security to access the database when the contact EMAILs are stored.
<br>
<br>Once they have your EMAIL, they may either then use it for SPAM or fraud themselves, or they may sell on the list of EMAILs they've obtained to other people who use it for SPAM or fraud.
<br>
<br>Since even the largest and most honest websites may be the target of such fraudulent software, one should always protect your EMAIL address. Never use a business or personal EMAIL for selling online. Obtain a free temporary password (e.g. from Google GMAIL or Yahoo) which you can use for the advertisement. That way, if it becomes the subject of SPAM, you can simply throw it away and get another (which may not be easy if you used a business or personal EMAIL address).
<br>
<br>As an additional step, you may wish to advertise only with websites which provide a contact form, so that you do not have to place your EMAIL address within the advertisement. Note that EMAIL addresses which are published within advertisements are more likely to attract SPAM.
<br>
<br><B>Over-Payment</B>
<br>
<br>In this scam, the buyer pays more than the price of the item and asks you to refund the difference. For example, if an item cost $100, he pays you $150 and asks you to send back $50. He may say that he overpaid by mistake, or he may give some other excuse.
<br>
<br>The basis of the scam is that the payment to you is fraudulent. For example, it may be a counterfeit cheque (even a counterfeit cashier cheque), or it may be using a credit card which has been stolen or a PayPal account whose login details have been stolen. Consequently, if you send back the overpaid amount, the buyer will simply take the money and you will find out later that the cheque or other payment is not valid and you are out of pocket this amount.
<br>
<br>To avoid this:
<br>
<br>- Never pay money to a buyer. Cancel the original payment (e.g. return the cheque or cancel the credit card payment) and ask them to make a new payment in the correct amount.
<br>- Always wait until payments have cleared and are deposited in your bank account before providing goods or refunds.
<br>
<br><B>Advance Payment</B>
<br>
<br>This scam is similar to the above scam in that the other person tries to get you to send money to him. The difference is that rather than pretending to have over-paid you, the scam is based on promising to pay you but giving some excuse for needing money from you to complete the transaction. For example, they may claim to be a foreign buyer and request money for legal fees or to open a local bank account. This fraud is normally used on expensive items, where the seller may be willing to pay a substantial amount in order to help complete the sale. However, after you have 'advanced' the money, the other party will simply take it and disappear.
<br>
<br>The way to avoid this scam is exactly the same as for the previous scam: never pay money to a buyer, even if it is just an advance.
<br>
<br><B>Private Meeting</B>
<br>
<br>People advertising high value items (e.g. a house) have been contacted by people saying that they want to buy the house but need to meet with you at another location (e.g. a hotel in a foreign city or country) to make the arrangements. There are a number of different scams which can then occur, from your house been robbed (as they know when you will be away) or a straight-forward scam (e.g. they try to purchase the item in cash, using counterfeit money) or an attempt to get you alone and force you to give them money.
<br>
<br>To avoid this scam:
<br>
<br>- Even if you are desperate to sell the item in question, ask yourself if the offer is reasonable. Someone who offers to buy your house simply from an online advertisement, without ever seeing it or even trying to negotiate the price, is unrealistic. Further requests, such as meeting in a far away city rather than locally, just add to the unreality of the entire situation.
<br>- When meeting strangers, always do so in a public place (e.g. a restaurant) and never in an isolated area (e.g. a hotel room). If possible, have a friend with you rather than going alone.
<br>- Find out who you are dealing with. Ask them their names, where they live and so on. If they are genuine people, they shouldn't mind telling you about themselves.
<br>
<br><B>Identity Theft</B>
<br>
<br>There are a number of scams in which the other person tries to get financial information about you (e.g. your bank account or credit card number), along with personal information so that they can use your identity to access your money or purchase items.
<br>
<br>Many financial institutions have a small number of personal questions which they use to identify people. Typical questions include your date of birth, your full name (including middle names), your mother's maiden name and so on. Consequently, if someone obtains this type of information from you, along with a bank account number or credit card number, they may be able to contact your bank or credit card company (by phone or through an online account) and pose as yourself.
<br>
<br>They are a number of reasons which they may give for asking for this information. For example, they may ask your bank details so that they can transfer money to your account and then say they need the personal information for administrative or security reasons.
<br>
<br>To avoid such problems, be careful what information you provide. Try to agree a payment method which involves providing the minimum of information. If you suspect that your details have been compromised, contact your bank or credit card company to discuss the situation and make the appropriate changes to number or security questions.
<br>
<br><B>Premium Rate Telephone Numbers</B>
<br>
<br>A premium rate number is charged at a higher rate than normal, with some of the money being paid to the person owning the phone number. A common example of this is sex-chat lines, where one can be charged several dollars per minute, with the fee being split between the telephone company and the company which has that phone number. In theory, it is a way for a company providing a service via telephone to receive revenue for that service. It is often used by technical support services.
<br>
<br>It is possible for someone to obtain one of these premium rate phone numbers (either in the same country as you, or in another country) and then reply to your advertisement with a request that you phone them. They may say outright that they intend to buy something from you, or merely that they have questions. Once you phone them, they will try to keep you on the line as long as possible or arrange for further phone calls. You may be unaware until you receive your phone bill how expensive these calls are, but by the time you find out and complain, the person at the other end has taken their share and run.
<br>
<br>In recent years the telephone companies have put in additional checks to prevent this type of fraud. Consequently, it is now relatively uncommon. However, you may still wish to confirm that a number is not a premium rate number before engaging in long conversations. If you dial directory assistance, they can likely check this for you. Alternatively, you could check that the number is listed as a normal residential number by checking the white pages or the online version thereof. The simplest solution is simply to conduct the sale conversation by EMAIL.
<br>
<br><B>General</B>
<br>
<br>Remember that any potential buyer is a stranger. You should never give them money, no matter how reasonable and convincing their story is (remember that practiced con men or women can be very good at this) or personal details except those which are relevant to the item being sold. For your personal safety, do not meet strangers alone or outside of public areas.
<br>
<br>If potential buyers make strange or suspicious requests, or behave in an odd fashion, be careful. If they don't seem like genuine buyers, they probably are not.
<br>
<br>About the Author: Doug Stewart is the owner of online advertising websites such as <a href="http://www.wowhorses.com" rel="nofollow">Horses for Sale</a> and <a href="http://www.france-property-and-information.com" rel="nofollow">French Property</a>.
<br>
Discount Coupons For a Full-time Mother
It's tough to raise babies and children. Really. Having given birth to three beautiful kids in the course of the past five years, I have come to realize that parenting is no joke, that it's effectively a full-time job. It feels like so, although of course I am not getting paid any salary for doing it. On the contrary, my personal and household expenses have skyrocketed. Without discount coupons, I wouldn't know how I'd be able to survive – financially, that is – as a mother.
<br>
<br>If I am not breastfeeding, I am looking up the deals being offered at the Baby Center Store, an online destination and resource for parents of children ages two to eight. That is actually where I had bought strollers for when my babies turned to toddlers. That is also where I shopped for clothes, toys, nurseries, and other essentials. I remember being surprised at how many brands for babies and children they carried: Britax, Carter's, Da Vinci by Million Dollar Baby, Fisher-Price, and Medela, among others. Of course, before I ever made a purchase of anything, I joined the website's parent community, where I found mothers who used to be in the same situation as I am, and who then offered a kind of web-based support system. On chat rooms and forums, I have asked them questions such as: what do I do when they refuse to drink my milk? How can I convince my husband that it's necessary for him to learn how to change a diaper? It's fantastic, really; now we young parents all share tips, advice, and discount coupons.
<br>
<br>I have also found another useful parenting resource in Leaps and Bounds. This is a company that encourages a child's development and offers plenty of affordable toys, educational tools, and activities. Of course, while I want my kids to have fun, I also want them to think, create, learn, and grow at a proper pace; products such as the Gardena Gardening Trolley, the Personalized Art Smock, Giant Building Blocks, and Gears Building Set – all of which I bought at the aforementioned website at a great price – enable my kids to learn many skills even while at play. (The only problem is that these toys can make a big mess of our living room. Maybe I ought to hire a new housekeeper!)
<br>
<br>Anyway, as the years go by, I know that my children will grow bigger, have evolving needs, become more complex. This is something for which I am trying to prepare. How, you ask. Well, thanks to the Internet, I have been able to surf for terrific magazine titles that offer specialized content for parents. Without having to leave my computer desk, I have purchased year-long subscriptions to parenting and family magazines such as Family Fun, Parent and Child, Good Housekeeping, Mother Verse, and American Baby. This didn't necessarily cost me much, since I used – you guessed it – discount coupons searched on the Internet. It's a thrill to realize that I can save big even as my children's needs sometimes become overwhelming. Well, not as big a thrill as my full-time motherhood job.
<br>
<br>About the Author: For more information, visit the Coupon Codes Blog. And get more babies and children discount coupons, free shipping and promos by visiting <a href="http://www.couponsaver.org" title="http://www.couponsaver.org" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.couponsaver.org</a>.
<br>
<br>
<br>If I am not breastfeeding, I am looking up the deals being offered at the Baby Center Store, an online destination and resource for parents of children ages two to eight. That is actually where I had bought strollers for when my babies turned to toddlers. That is also where I shopped for clothes, toys, nurseries, and other essentials. I remember being surprised at how many brands for babies and children they carried: Britax, Carter's, Da Vinci by Million Dollar Baby, Fisher-Price, and Medela, among others. Of course, before I ever made a purchase of anything, I joined the website's parent community, where I found mothers who used to be in the same situation as I am, and who then offered a kind of web-based support system. On chat rooms and forums, I have asked them questions such as: what do I do when they refuse to drink my milk? How can I convince my husband that it's necessary for him to learn how to change a diaper? It's fantastic, really; now we young parents all share tips, advice, and discount coupons.
<br>
<br>I have also found another useful parenting resource in Leaps and Bounds. This is a company that encourages a child's development and offers plenty of affordable toys, educational tools, and activities. Of course, while I want my kids to have fun, I also want them to think, create, learn, and grow at a proper pace; products such as the Gardena Gardening Trolley, the Personalized Art Smock, Giant Building Blocks, and Gears Building Set – all of which I bought at the aforementioned website at a great price – enable my kids to learn many skills even while at play. (The only problem is that these toys can make a big mess of our living room. Maybe I ought to hire a new housekeeper!)
<br>
<br>Anyway, as the years go by, I know that my children will grow bigger, have evolving needs, become more complex. This is something for which I am trying to prepare. How, you ask. Well, thanks to the Internet, I have been able to surf for terrific magazine titles that offer specialized content for parents. Without having to leave my computer desk, I have purchased year-long subscriptions to parenting and family magazines such as Family Fun, Parent and Child, Good Housekeeping, Mother Verse, and American Baby. This didn't necessarily cost me much, since I used – you guessed it – discount coupons searched on the Internet. It's a thrill to realize that I can save big even as my children's needs sometimes become overwhelming. Well, not as big a thrill as my full-time motherhood job.
<br>
<br>About the Author: For more information, visit the Coupon Codes Blog. And get more babies and children discount coupons, free shipping and promos by visiting <a href="http://www.couponsaver.org" title="http://www.couponsaver.org" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.couponsaver.org</a>.
<br>
Pupil Knowledge And Experience At School - Colegio Luso Internacional Do Porto - A Study By Artur Victoria
The central position given to communicative skills does not in any way imply that they are to be practiced in isolation and apart from motivating contacts during lessons. Needless to say, writing practice should not deal with things in which the pupils are not interested.
<br>
<br>Expressive capacity is dependent on knowledge. The pupils learn to use words at the same time as they learn concepts and ask questions. Language develops in a process of interaction with other people. The linguistic development of children is furthered by pictorial work, by work with literature and drama and by work with artistic means of expression generally. Thus emphasis on skills must not lead to a one-sided methodology of isolated, formal exercises.
<br>
<br>Every knowledge and experience must play an important part in school. This category includes knowledge to do with the home, family life, interpersonal relations and technology and also, for example, typing proficiency. As consumers the pupils must be able to appraise critically the commodities and messages with which they are confronted. Subject matter of a more traditional nature may have to be sacrificed in order for schools to relate sufficiently to the reality surrounding the pupils in their everyday lives.
<br>
<br>Within the framework of their various subjects, the pupils should be given abundant opportunities of considering ethical issues and conflicts. Examples of positive action and opportunities should be given in this connection.
<br>
<br>International relations are becoming more and more important Subject matter needs to be selected in school which will enable pupils to realize the international dependence of our society and, accordingly, the importance of international contacts and co-operation. Social subjects, pictorial studies and music have an important part to play, as does the reading of literature. Immigrant pupils and their parents can be a great asset in the transmission of knowledge concerning the cultures of other countries. It is the task of schools to inculcate in their pupils a sense of solidarity with other countries, peoples and civilizations. It is also the task of schools to teach their pupils to understand and feel at one with minority groups in our own country. Schools must make active efforts to enable pupils to understand the problems of the developing countries and our dependence on those countries.
<br>
<br>Neutrality and the selection and treatment of subject matter in all subjects must be characterized by empiricism and neutrality.
<br>
<br>Empirical and neutral instruction is the best means by which schools can meet the requirement of objectivity. In this way pupils will be taught to develop an independent and critical approach and a disposition to empirical assessment. They will be encouraged to become personally involved and to take a deeper interest in things.
<br>
<br>The demand for empiricism and neutrality must be considered together with other demands which can and should be made of teachers, teaching and teaching materials. One educational demand, for example, is that printed teaching materials must be engagingly and vividly written and must invite a critical debate. Another demand always applying to research, teaching and news reporting is that the subject matter must be important and relevant.
<br>
<br>It is important for schools to distinguish between the concepts of neutrality and empiricism and between the fields to which, they are applicable.
<br>
<br>Neutrality implies the following, among other things.
<br>
<br>The teacher must avoid tendentious presentations. The meanings of ambiguous and vague concepts must be made clear. The teacher must abstain from tendentious descriptions and must refrain from jumping to conclusions. A description contravenes this norm if certain things are omitted and others highlighted and if the resultant account gives the pupils a biased or quite inaccurate picture of the matter under consideration. A biased description serves the interests of the 'transmitter' (as, for example, in the case of propaganda, indoctrination or a certain type of advertising).
<br>
<br>Empiricism implies the following, among other things.
<br>
<br>The subject matter selected must be of such a kind as to focus on central problems connected with the subject, the sphere of interest or the project Teaching must reflect the dynamism of different processes. It is not sufficient, on other words, for teaching to deal with outward conditions and with formal things and techniques.
<br>
<br>It must also aim at reaching the 'inside' of every process One means to this end is for schools to allow representatives of religious denominations, political parties and organizations, writers and artists etc. to present their opinions and beliefs personally.
<br>
<br>Differing opinions must be openly presented and studied, as must problems and difficulties. Value judgments must be allowed. Social issues, for example, can never be divorced from values. But it must always be made clear who advocates the values concerned. Thus a teacher, for example, is entitled to declare his own value judgments if it is made quite clear that they are his personal opinion. The pupils must not be misled by such expressions as 'one', 'is probably', 'is often thought to be' and so on.
<br>
<br>Our common fundamental values must also be discussed. Conflicts between goals and reality must be elucidated by means of material of different kinds, and questions in this connection must be dealt with.
<br>
<br>One of the teacher's important tasks is to make it clear to the pupils what is controversial and what is uncontroversial concerning questions of fact and also concerning values and norms, and to present the possible arguments in favor of a particular standpoint.
<br>
<br>About the Author: <a href="http://sites.google.com/site/arturvictoria/" title="http://sites.google.com/site/arturvictoria/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://sites.google.com/site/arturvictoria/</a> <a href="http://sites.google.com/site/cliparturvictoria/" title="http://sites.google.com/site/cliparturvictoria/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://sites.google.com/site/cliparturvictoria/</a>
<br>
<br>
<br>Expressive capacity is dependent on knowledge. The pupils learn to use words at the same time as they learn concepts and ask questions. Language develops in a process of interaction with other people. The linguistic development of children is furthered by pictorial work, by work with literature and drama and by work with artistic means of expression generally. Thus emphasis on skills must not lead to a one-sided methodology of isolated, formal exercises.
<br>
<br>Every knowledge and experience must play an important part in school. This category includes knowledge to do with the home, family life, interpersonal relations and technology and also, for example, typing proficiency. As consumers the pupils must be able to appraise critically the commodities and messages with which they are confronted. Subject matter of a more traditional nature may have to be sacrificed in order for schools to relate sufficiently to the reality surrounding the pupils in their everyday lives.
<br>
<br>Within the framework of their various subjects, the pupils should be given abundant opportunities of considering ethical issues and conflicts. Examples of positive action and opportunities should be given in this connection.
<br>
<br>International relations are becoming more and more important Subject matter needs to be selected in school which will enable pupils to realize the international dependence of our society and, accordingly, the importance of international contacts and co-operation. Social subjects, pictorial studies and music have an important part to play, as does the reading of literature. Immigrant pupils and their parents can be a great asset in the transmission of knowledge concerning the cultures of other countries. It is the task of schools to inculcate in their pupils a sense of solidarity with other countries, peoples and civilizations. It is also the task of schools to teach their pupils to understand and feel at one with minority groups in our own country. Schools must make active efforts to enable pupils to understand the problems of the developing countries and our dependence on those countries.
<br>
<br>Neutrality and the selection and treatment of subject matter in all subjects must be characterized by empiricism and neutrality.
<br>
<br>Empirical and neutral instruction is the best means by which schools can meet the requirement of objectivity. In this way pupils will be taught to develop an independent and critical approach and a disposition to empirical assessment. They will be encouraged to become personally involved and to take a deeper interest in things.
<br>
<br>The demand for empiricism and neutrality must be considered together with other demands which can and should be made of teachers, teaching and teaching materials. One educational demand, for example, is that printed teaching materials must be engagingly and vividly written and must invite a critical debate. Another demand always applying to research, teaching and news reporting is that the subject matter must be important and relevant.
<br>
<br>It is important for schools to distinguish between the concepts of neutrality and empiricism and between the fields to which, they are applicable.
<br>
<br>Neutrality implies the following, among other things.
<br>
<br>The teacher must avoid tendentious presentations. The meanings of ambiguous and vague concepts must be made clear. The teacher must abstain from tendentious descriptions and must refrain from jumping to conclusions. A description contravenes this norm if certain things are omitted and others highlighted and if the resultant account gives the pupils a biased or quite inaccurate picture of the matter under consideration. A biased description serves the interests of the 'transmitter' (as, for example, in the case of propaganda, indoctrination or a certain type of advertising).
<br>
<br>Empiricism implies the following, among other things.
<br>
<br>The subject matter selected must be of such a kind as to focus on central problems connected with the subject, the sphere of interest or the project Teaching must reflect the dynamism of different processes. It is not sufficient, on other words, for teaching to deal with outward conditions and with formal things and techniques.
<br>
<br>It must also aim at reaching the 'inside' of every process One means to this end is for schools to allow representatives of religious denominations, political parties and organizations, writers and artists etc. to present their opinions and beliefs personally.
<br>
<br>Differing opinions must be openly presented and studied, as must problems and difficulties. Value judgments must be allowed. Social issues, for example, can never be divorced from values. But it must always be made clear who advocates the values concerned. Thus a teacher, for example, is entitled to declare his own value judgments if it is made quite clear that they are his personal opinion. The pupils must not be misled by such expressions as 'one', 'is probably', 'is often thought to be' and so on.
<br>
<br>Our common fundamental values must also be discussed. Conflicts between goals and reality must be elucidated by means of material of different kinds, and questions in this connection must be dealt with.
<br>
<br>One of the teacher's important tasks is to make it clear to the pupils what is controversial and what is uncontroversial concerning questions of fact and also concerning values and norms, and to present the possible arguments in favor of a particular standpoint.
<br>
<br>About the Author: <a href="http://sites.google.com/site/arturvictoria/" title="http://sites.google.com/site/arturvictoria/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://sites.google.com/site/arturvictoria/</a> <a href="http://sites.google.com/site/cliparturvictoria/" title="http://sites.google.com/site/cliparturvictoria/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://sites.google.com/site/cliparturvictoria/</a>
<br>
Thinking About Advertising in a New Or Different Media?
<p>A business owner has a ton of choices when it comes to which media to run their next ad in. Often, simply because of the number of choices available, they think about going into a new media. For example, they may try coupon advertising, Google AdWords, a billboard or a local specialty magazine.</p><p>They all want to know: "will this media work for my business?"</p><p>Here's my answer: there is no good or bad media. Most all media can be made to work. The real question should be: "where do I invest my next dollar/hour when thinking about going into new or different media?</p><p>Here are some tips on choosing media:</p><p>First, do some research to see what your competitors who are using that media are saying to the marketplace. The last thing you want to do is to try to simply shout louder or try to "outmuscle" them in that media. Think very carefully of how your message could stand out. I recommend "ghost shopping" with your competitor. What happens when you fill out that web form at their site? Where do you land? What's the compelling message. How can you be different?</p><p>One obvious strategy that I teach over and over is to go with an ad about an information product, not (directly) your business's services. Despite what some of my members think ("hey Ben everyone is already doing what you are telling us to do and ripping me off,") those who are actually implementing a comprehensive marketing campaign are few and far between. Yes, you will probably get ripped off is all you did was copy what I or someone else has done (after which, by what right do you even claim to being ripped off?) but you are mistaken if you think that going with "ego centric-here's all of my great credentials" type marketing over marketing your information package is a good strategy.</p><p>A second step with new media is to actually study the THE MEDIA before diving in. I'm still surprised by the number of business owners who buy Google Adwords without having every picked up a book on Adwords or called in an expert to explain things to them. Writing a book? Have you looked around at how "real" book authors promote their books? Have you read anything at all about public relations, self promotion, social media etc. besides what you read in these pages?</p><p>The third thing to think about with new media is: what, exactly is your plan? What do you want the consumer to do when your superbly designed ad/website actually attracts their attention? Most businesses have a four word answer to this question: "make the phone ring." OK. I get that. But what happens if they aren't ready to make a hiring decision now? (For almost all professional service businesses, for example, clients actually hire the business months after entering the marketing funnel. Do you even know what this statistic is for your business or firm?)</p><p>Most businesses have no plan. Marketing is a one-step knee jerk reaction to either (1) a marketing vulture deadline or (2) a sudden realization that "hey, we don't have enough new clients or customers in the office."</p><p>Taking the time to really think about the three steps above BEFORE you implement will yield a much higher ROI on your efforts.</p><p>Copyright (c) 2009 Benjamin Glass</p><p>BEN GLASS is a Fairfax small business owner and marketing and small business consultant. He runs monthly marketing meetings for Northern Virginia business owners and entrepreneurs. To come to our next meeting for free, and get one of Ben's books, for free, visit <a target="_new" href="http://www.Glazer-Kennedy-Virginia.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.Glazer-Kennedy-Virginia.com</a> or call 877-IBA-GKIC (877-422-4542)</p>
How to Get Started on Selling Cheap Photo Mugs
Are you thinking of putting up a new business or just some products that you might be able to add to the existing list of items in your store? Well why not try designing and selling cheap photo mugs? This type of mug actually makes for very popular gifts, souvenirs as well as corporate giveaways so you can just imagine how easy it will be to sell these.
<br>
<br>Even if you don't have your own store yet, you can easily set up an online store where you will be able to start selling your stuff. What's more important right now is that you are able to source out good materials that you will be able to use for your mugs while still being able to gain a good profit from it.
<br>
<br>When searching for possible suppliers, you can try checking out the internet as there are loads of big suppliers who already have their own websites available online. This makes searching for the right suppliers a whole lot easier for you. If you are going to place bulk orders, do not forget to ask for possible discounts and always ask a quotation first before ordering so that you will still be able to compare prices with other online stores that you might be interested in transacting with.
<br>
<br>Now moving on to choosing the actual designs for the cheap photo mugs that you are planning to sell then you can start looking for inspiration through magazines, books or if you are good with drawing, you can already start doodling for possible designs that you can use. These will put a special touch to your mugs and make them standout more.
<br>
<br>Of course you also need to look for a good quality printer and camera that you can use for your mugs. The pictures need to be really clear or else your clients will not be satisfied with your service and won't buy from your again nor refer you to other people. For individual clients, you must make it a point to ask your clients to provide you with a clear copy of their favorite photo or else they'd have to expect their photo mug to not come out as good.
<br>
<br>For corporate clients or if you have been hired to provide for your cheap photo mugs for a big event, you would definitely need a good camera so that you will be able get good pictures of the guests so that they would have nice souvenirs from the event. If you are not good with such technicalities, then make sure that you hire someone who is actually good at taking pictures.
<br>
<br>Selling photo mugs for cheap can actually be very profitable as long as you make the right choices when it comes to sourcing out the materials and running the business. Don't put a ridiculously high mark up on your items just so you'd earn a good profit faster. The way to being able to do well in this kind of business is by actually gaining a good reputation through the service that you provide to your clients and that would eventually transpire to your sales.
<br>
<br>About the Author: Are you looking for the best <a href="http://www.tshirts-gifts.com/" rel="nofollow">cheap photo mugs</a> at a very low price? Visit <a href="http://www.tshirts-gifts.com/" rel="nofollow"> http://www.tshirts-gifts.com</a> today and find anything and everything you are looking for!
<br>
<br>
<br>Even if you don't have your own store yet, you can easily set up an online store where you will be able to start selling your stuff. What's more important right now is that you are able to source out good materials that you will be able to use for your mugs while still being able to gain a good profit from it.
<br>
<br>When searching for possible suppliers, you can try checking out the internet as there are loads of big suppliers who already have their own websites available online. This makes searching for the right suppliers a whole lot easier for you. If you are going to place bulk orders, do not forget to ask for possible discounts and always ask a quotation first before ordering so that you will still be able to compare prices with other online stores that you might be interested in transacting with.
<br>
<br>Now moving on to choosing the actual designs for the cheap photo mugs that you are planning to sell then you can start looking for inspiration through magazines, books or if you are good with drawing, you can already start doodling for possible designs that you can use. These will put a special touch to your mugs and make them standout more.
<br>
<br>Of course you also need to look for a good quality printer and camera that you can use for your mugs. The pictures need to be really clear or else your clients will not be satisfied with your service and won't buy from your again nor refer you to other people. For individual clients, you must make it a point to ask your clients to provide you with a clear copy of their favorite photo or else they'd have to expect their photo mug to not come out as good.
<br>
<br>For corporate clients or if you have been hired to provide for your cheap photo mugs for a big event, you would definitely need a good camera so that you will be able get good pictures of the guests so that they would have nice souvenirs from the event. If you are not good with such technicalities, then make sure that you hire someone who is actually good at taking pictures.
<br>
<br>Selling photo mugs for cheap can actually be very profitable as long as you make the right choices when it comes to sourcing out the materials and running the business. Don't put a ridiculously high mark up on your items just so you'd earn a good profit faster. The way to being able to do well in this kind of business is by actually gaining a good reputation through the service that you provide to your clients and that would eventually transpire to your sales.
<br>
<br>About the Author: Are you looking for the best <a href="http://www.tshirts-gifts.com/" rel="nofollow">cheap photo mugs</a> at a very low price? Visit <a href="http://www.tshirts-gifts.com/" rel="nofollow"> http://www.tshirts-gifts.com</a> today and find anything and everything you are looking for!
<br>
5 Obvious Signs That He Likes You
<p>Having the hots for a guy gives you mixed emotions of excitement and fear. You want to get to know him but does he reciprocate the same feeling back? You ask questions like, is he available, what's going on in his head, does he think you're interesting, will both of you click if you were a couple?</p><p>You can't read minds unless you're the gifted kind, but knowing to look for the right signals, practicing the power of observation, and using you heart as well, can point you the right direction.</p><p>Here are 5 hints that a guy completely likes you.</p><p>1. He smiles with a sparkle in his eyes.</p><p>He sees you and gives you a big affectionate smile with an extra glint in his eyes says a lot that he likes you. His eye says it all and it says that he is so happy to see you.</p><p>2. He tries to impress you happy by making you laugh.</p><p>Playing the fool from time to time just to impress you is a sure sign that he likes you. Men always like to play it cool all the time so if he changes his mood from serious to comical just so you'd notice him, it's a strong sign that he likes you.</p><p>3. You catch him staring at you.</p><p>And this has happened several times but when you do catch him he looks the other way or makes comical jokes to make light of the embarrassment.</p><p>4. He wants to get close by talking to your family and friends.</p><p>You and he are friends but he tries to make an effort to know you by talking to your family and your circle of friends. He wants to know you for who you really are and he wants first hand knowledge of the facts.</p><p>5. He always wants to be near you.</p><p>This might seem mushy, but he wants to know your smell and he wants to feel the warmth of your body so he thinks of ways on how to be near you all the time. This is just so romantic and you will be flattered that this nice guy wants to get close.</p><p>One thing is for certain though, if you think he likes you, please do give him subtle signs that you like him back, just enough keep the ball rolling.</p><p>Nina also writes about beauty topics. Nina is currently working on a <a target="_new" href="http://www.skinwrinkle.net/" rel="nofollow">skin wrinkle</a> where she also talks about <a target="_new" href="http://www.skinwrinkle.net/anti-wrinkle-treatments.html" rel="nofollow">anti wrinkle treatments</a>.</p>
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)