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By Judith Stolpner Today, IT solutions are aiding small and mid-sized companies alike, as they compete with Fortune 500 companies for a piece of the pie. We live in an age of fierce competitiveness, fiscal concern, and global turmoil and uncertainty. Companies are working hard to continually improve operational efficiency. Many are looking to IT (information technology) to reduce operating costs and increase efficiency by automating and streamlining existing business processes. Smart companies are achieving their business and financial goals by embracing and making technology work for them. Porcelain Patch is one such small company that has embraced Internet Technology to help improve the bottom line while enhancing customer service. Since 1938, Porcelain Patch and Glaze has prided itself on offering the finest electrostatic painting and porcelain reglazing services to homeowners, office managers and building managers all over New England. Porcelain Patch can point to over a half-century of experience and a long list of satisfied customers. At this time, the company employs 12 field technicians, 2 full time sales people and 2 customer service/marketing representatives. They have been in Watertown, MA since the mid 1960s. As the president and owner of Porcelain Patch, Jonathan Gleason is always looking for ways to further gain efficiency and maintain customer loyalty, while keeping operating costs down. He is a technology buff and a true believer in utilizing IT to gain a competitive edge. As a starting point, Jonathan recognized long ago that in todays Internet-driven business environment, a strong web presence is not only mandatory, but also it is the most valuable marketing tool that can set him apart from his competitors. He also understood that a web site can ONLY be effective if it is keeps up with the dynamic nature of the Internet and provides up-to-date information to its visitors. This, he realized, was the major challenge one that required a lot of resources. To make the web site an effective marketing tool, Jonathan commissioned Blue Robin Inc., to build a new web infrastructure for Porcelain Patch one that can be organic. The new platform was built with a powerful Content Management System (CMS) through which authorized personnel can update the content of the site on-the-fly. With its EZedit, Blue Robin focused to deliver a robust, full-featured Content Management System to Porcelain Patch with a user-friendly environment that can accommodate multiple users at the company, with varying skill levels. The CMS provides Porcelain Patch with an easy-to-use, multi-level authenticated text and HTML editor with similar features and functionalities of popular word processing applications, which their employees were already familiar with using. The company took to the implementation of the new web site with its CMS, like a duck takes to water. As a result, in 2007, the companys website has turned into one of the most cost effective and important lead generators and image builder. In such a short time frame, Porcelain Patch has transformed its marketing from using a full page in their local Yellow Pages book to a cyber-based strategy to increase revenue by generating more traffic to its web site. Another item that Jonathan had identified as a cost area was his companys traditional phone system. Beyond the cost, the phone system was posing all kinds of problems that impacted customer service and created a bottle neck. Jonathan wanted a sophisticated phone system similar to the one used by the fortune 500 companies, without the high price tag. Jonathan began looking into Voice Over IP technology (VoIP) and did a significant amount of research into what companies could provide the most useful and cost effective solutions, before committing again to Blue Robin, Inc.s Enterprise Voip phone system. The most important benefit of VoIP is its cost savings for Porcelain patch. Blue Robins Enterprise VoIP has offered significant cost savings while providing numerous new features. Jonathan had long ago understood that to compete effectively in the eWorld, his business infrastructure must have two essential components: A High-speed Internet connection and a sophisticated phone system. The arrival of VoIP technology makes it possible to say goodbye to traditional phone and PBX phone systems as well as the high cost associated with multiple phone lines. As a matter of record, the #1 reason Porcelain Patch adopted a VoIP phone system was cost, cost and cost. The Enterprise Voip system from Blue Robin is much less expensive to deploy than a traditional PBX and it has been far cheaper month-to-month than paying the large phone bills Porcelain Patch used to have. In addition to the reduced monthly cost of the Enterprise Voip phone system, the company also looked to keep the initial and any recurring charges down, as well as ensuring ease of implementation and use. Blue Robin was able to successfully meet and exceed all of Porcelain Patchs requirements. Like many corporations today, Porcelain Patch is experiencing the advantages of IT first hand as a key component of its business strategies. Jonathan will continue to use new technology to drastically change their business functions and to shift cost structures resulting in what some call the, information based organization. Implementing todays new technologies shows how a business can successfully grow from within, creating a cycle of cost control, leading to better products and services, leading to more growth. About Ms. Judith Stolpner: Judith Stolpner is the Director of Marketing for Blue Robin. Prior to joining Blue Robin Judith spent 15 years working exclusively with technology companies, providing them with a wide range of public relations and marketing services. Judith graduated from Fisher College Boston, MA. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Judith_Stolpner http://EzineArticles.com/?Technology-Help-Small-to-Mid-Size-Companies-Achieve-Their-Financial-Goals&id=487212 how to calculate a paycheck online bank loan rate comparison plastic surgeon paycheck lottery pay day

By Lawrence Taylor In the course of a drunk driving investigation, police officers will usually administer a series of so-called “field sobriety tests” (FSTs). This may consist of a battery of three to five tests, usually selected by the officer; these may include walk-and-turn, one-leg-stand, horizontal gaze nystagmus, fingers-to-thumb, finger-to-nose, Rhomberg (modified position of attention), alphabet recitation, or hand-pat. In an increasing number of law enforcement agencies in Orange County, California and across the nation, a “standardized” battery of three tests will be given - walk-and-turn, one-leg-stand and nystagmus - and they must be scored objectively rather than using an officer’s subjective opinion. How valid are these FSTs? Not very, according to Orange County DUI attorney Lawrence Taylor, a former prosecutor and the author of the leading legal textbook “Drunk Driving Defense, 6th edition”. The tests are basically “designed for failure”. In 1991, Taylor reports, Dr. Spurgeon Cole of Clemson University conducted a study on the accuracy of field sobriety tests. His staff videotaped 21 individuals performing 6 common field sobriety tests, then showed the tapes to 14 police officers and asked them to decide whether the suspects had “had too much to drink to drive.” Unknown to the officers, the blood-alcohol concentration of each of the 21 subjects was .00%. The results: 46% of the time the officers gave their opinion that the subject was too inebriated to drive. In other words, the FSTs were hardly more accurate at predicting intoxication than flipping a coin. Cole and Nowaczyk, “Field Sobriety Tests: Are They Designed for Failure?”, 79 Perceptual and Motor Skills 99 (1994). What about the new, improved “standardized” DUI tests? Research funded by the National Highway Traffic Administration determined that the three most effective field sobriety tests were walk-and-turn, one-leg stand, and horizontal gaze nystagmus. Yet, even using these supposedly more accurate — and objectively scored — tests, the researchers found that 47% of the subjects who would have been arrested based upon test performance actually had blood-alcohol concentrations of less than the legal limit. In other words, almost half of all persons “failing” the tests were not legally under the influence of alcohol! According to the Orange County DUI lawyers in Mr. Taylor’s Southern California law firm, the fact that these tests are largely unfamiliar to most people, and that they are given under extremely adverse conditions, make them more difficult for people to perform. As few as two miscues in performance can result in an individual being classified as “impaired” because of alcohol consumption when the problem may actually be the result of unfamiliarity with the test. In short, field sobriety tests are unreliable and can be effectively handled in trial by an experienced DUI lawyer. Lawrence Taylor is the senior member of an AV-rated law firm of Orange County DUI attorneys practicing drunk driving defense exclusively. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lawrence_Taylor http://EzineArticles.com/?Orange-County-DUI-Lawyers-Report-Field-Sobriety-Tests-Designed-For-Failure&id=91433 secured personal loan collateral san antonio online car loan desperate for personal loan loanshop payday loan

By Ian Henman There’s something to be said about today’s job market more or less using college degrees as filters for job applications. It’s almost as if employers are profiling what type of resumes they’ll receive just because they require you to have a college degree. Is this true? Not likely, I know a lot of people whom I started college with and went on to finish but in my opinion won’t make fantastic employees. What ever happened to good old fashioned experience? I guess at some point we just need to realize the old saying of if you can’t beat em join em. So if we want to join them where the heck do we start? Well that’s easy a college degree, ok maybe not so easy. If you’re like me you likely started to attend college after high school, but got lured into the job world before you could finish. I had the best intentions of completing my bachelor of commerce before I started making more money, and seeing what it would be like to not live the poor student life. There is light at the end of our tunnel how ever. Distance education used to be something that we’d hear about on infomercials that came on at two in the morning when we couldn’t sleep. You can call the number on the screen and soon enough we’d have all the materials we needed to study to become what ever it was we desired to become. Well guess what today it’s even easier then that. Thanks to the Internet Colleges have become smart enough to realize that they can offer courses and complete online degrees totally over the Internet. So what does this do for the average Joe such as you or myself? First off it makes it easier to not disrupt our regular day-to-day lives, but allow us to earn a degree working around our schedule. Something you cannot do at a brick and mortar school. Try convincing the registrars office to change the time slot of accounting 101 for you, doesn’t work so well. Secondly, you don’t always have to wait until the next semester starts to enroll for courses at an online college offering distance education. That’s right, Often schools start new classes at the beginning of each month. This means, you can start faster and finish faster. Since you’re not in a classroom environment often you can complete a course in only a couple of months and then move onto the next one. Are online degrees as prestigious as one you’d earn offline? Well I’ll leave that up to you to decide? Are you going back to school to earn a degree you can brag about to your friends or are you doing it to advance your career? If you enroll in an online degree program that is accredited by the local agency in your state then the paper you get when you graduate is every bit as good as one you’d receive from a brick and mortar school. Most employers just want to know you have it, their going to train you to do things the way they want them done anyways. If you take anything away from this, let it be that if you’re wishing you had finished your education, you still can. Don’t sit around thinking about it take action, most schools allow you to request free information about their programs and courses. Take some time to browse the different programs available in your area of interest, and then make and educated decision on whether distance learning online is a viable solution for you. If you’re ready to take the next step and request free information about distance learning online now then take the time to visit our website at Distance Learning . Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ian_Henman http://EzineArticles.com/?Dont-Let-Your-Unfinished-Degree-Haunt-your-Career-Forever&id=316418 el paso car loan bad credit history what is a sba 7a loan program pre qualify home loan online florida car loan for people with bad credit

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Frank_Buonanotte] Frank Buonanotte Ancient Egyptians treated injuries with honey, and World War II doctors dressed wounds with it. Now honey is back on the medical scene, thanks to a company called Honeymark International. Honeymark makes creams, solutions, lotions and other products that treat conditions such as Eczema, Arthritis, wounds, nail fungus, etc. “The view about honey is changing dramatically,” says Frank Buonanotte, CEO of Honeymark International. “At one point in the near future, people will be viewing honey as being more than just something we put in our tea. What most people don’t know is that honey can be extremely effective in dressing wounds and relieving certain skin conditions.” Honeymark uses a particular type of honey known as “Manuka Honey” that is found primarily in the New Zealand region. This type of honey is used because it seems to possess more healing properties than other types of honey. Extensive research on the healing power of Manuka Honey has been done by the University of Waikato in New Zealand. Their findings can be found at http://bio.waikato.ac.nz/honey/contents.shtml. Honeymark’s Wound Relief Lotion is an extremely effective dressing for many different types of wounds. Business Communications estimates that the advanced wound-care market will hit $2.8 billion in 2008. It will be up to Honeymark to make sure the idea sticks. About Honeymark: Honeymark is dedicated to improving the lives of its customers by producing the most innovative, highest quality of honey-based skin care products. Through the effective marketing of their website ( [http://www.honeymarkproducts.com] www.HoneymarkProducts.com) and the development of business relationships with distributors, Honeymark’s goal is to become an industry leader of honey-based skin care products. Honeymark will be introducing an expanded product line in 2007. For more information or to purchase their products, go to [http://www.honeymarkproducts.com] www.HoneymarkProducts.com [http://www.HoneymarkProducts.com] http://www.HoneymarkProducts.com Article Source: [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Frank_Buonanotte ] http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Frank_Buonanotte [http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Buzz-About-Medical-Honey&id=435980 ] http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Buzz-About-Medical-Honey&id=435980 unsecured business loan no hassle payday loans car dealrship in atlanta georgia with no credit check cash advance redding ca

By Lance Winslow Are you in need of a sexual relationship with another? Are you driven by your sexual desires and physiological needs in this way? Well apparently you are not alone as Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Pyramid Theory shows. Indeed even in the modern era and the present period dating surveys show that most of those who use dating services consider sleeping with their chosen compatible dates on one of the first three dates if things work out. That tends to be a universal US statistic in surveys across the country. So if you want a sexual relationship then you are certainly not alone. Not only are you not alone, but this is typical of the needs of all human beings. And one could surmise in observation of the some 6.8 Billion people in the World today that there are a lot of sexual relationships going on around the globe. There are new ones starting and old ones ending each and everyday across the surface of the planet. There are reasons why humans enjoy sexual and loving relationships as it sets off chemicals in the body, which help the body run more efficiently and boost the immune system. In fact there is a reason why humans have so many nerve endings on their private parts, because if making love was not so pleasurable then the human race may never have had enough population to beat the attrition rates of deaths in leaner and more hostile past periods. Think on this. “Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance in the Online Think Tank and solve the problems of the World; www.WorldThinkTank.net/ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Winslow http://EzineArticles.com/?Read-This-Article-If-You-Really-Want-A-Sexual-Relationship&id=117017 advance america cash advance jasper texas instant decision loan online cash advance on credit card payday loans maryland

By Kim Jamieson Are you searching for answers to help you with weight loss? I want to share a few tips that will help you achieve weight loss. Try a tip each week, and watch the weight drop as you work towards great health and avoid many womens health issues. -Put your food on a small plate and sit down for your meals. It will make the portions seem bigger. And as you adjust to your new portions, it will feel more like a meal. -Drink plenty of water. It is a good rule to reach for water whenever you are thirsty. It may help you feel fuller. -Limit the amount of caffeine that you intake. No more than two cups of coffee or soda each day. Also be sure to use low fat milk and artificial sweetener. -No alcohol for the first two weeks of your weight loss eating plan. -Stick to vegetable juices (no carrot or beet). Fruit juices have too much sugar in them, however if you cannot live without them, use sparingly to spruce up a bottle of water, or sparkling water. -Exercise regularly. Take a twenty minute minimum, brisk walk daily. This will help you to achieve the desired effect as efficiently as possible. I wish you great success. Just work hard to get through each day, you will be even closer to your weight loss goal, and better health. Kimberly Jamieson www.healthypainfreeliving.com has achieved success in living and maintaining a healthy fit lifestyle and has helped thousands achieve this success by using her fitness, diet, lifestyle and motivation tips. She is committed to helping womens fitness, and womens health and wellness and helping others achieve ultimate health and wellness. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kim_Jamieson http://EzineArticles.com/?Dieting-Tips&id=397154 fast payday loans e-z payday loans in tucson bad credit car loan delaware no credit check apartment nh

By Chadder McD. Today, life is very busy and competitive. If you are working and have no time to attend university or college to get an additional degree but are yearning for it then this article might be of some help to you. This article will outline the basics of online diplomas and online degrees; we’ll use the two interchangeably if you don’t mind. Than we’ll share the one big advantage and disadvantage to watch out for. Exactly what are online university degree programs? Well, basically some colleges and universities have created a new era of online education for today’s busy people and for people residing in small towns and locations too far away from the campus. It’s called distance education and allows a person to receive their high school diploma at home or get a college diploma online from world-class colleges or universities without sitting in a classroom for eight long hours a day. With an online university degree you can enroll for a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, diploma or doctoral degrees. Online degrees and diplomas are great for furthering your current career or launching into a new one. Did you drop out of high school? No problem as you can even get an online high school diploma. There are many universities and colleges in the US and all around the world, which are now offering their diploma and degree programs online. If you are interested in a distance education diploma or degree course, you can find many prestigious and well-established colleges and universities with needed information online. Available courses will permit you to obtain your degree in your own specified time and at your own pace. Your degree or diploma is just a click away. To get success in any profession, you’ll need the right qualifications and with a diploma or a degree you’ll be two steps ahead to fetching a good salary from your professional life. Report and studies have shown that studying at home and in your own time is more productive for many people. This leads us into the big advantage and disadvantage. What is the big advantage to online university degree programs? With most online colleges and universities you can enroll at any time of the year, this is the biggest advantage to joining any online degree or diploma course. All courses are structured in manageable, small units so that you can find studying enjoyable and easy to work into your current lifestyle. This of course leads us also into the major pitfall and some things you’ll need to consider before dedicating your valuable time for however long your course will be. The major pitfall with online university degree programs. Too many people the idea of studying in your spare time and holding that piece of paper in your hand after a certain amount studying from home or online somewhere makes for a great fantasy. The reality however may not be so dreamy. There are some major reality points to consider here. How much alone time will you have each day? Studying takes time and if youre a single mom or a person with commitments to allot of other things already let’s just begin to be honest here, finding the time may be difficult. It can be done of course and if youre determined you will do it for sure but just know that you’ll have to sacrifice many things in life that you might currently be enjoying. The list of sacrifices is too long to list but you’ll know what I mean. So the major pitfall of studying at home is finding the time out of your current busy life (if it is busy) and finding a way to not be distracted by all the little things that can crop up from being at home. Many people know this is not possible for them and this is one reason you’ll often find a mature crowd going through nearly every course imaginable at your local college or university. Well anyway, no matter what you decide to do the most import aspect to think about for distance education is whether the university selected by you is accredited by other institutions or not. First of all collect all information about the courses and the universities youre interested in. If it’s not a state university or college you will want to ensure you phone the place, request a package in the mail even but do make sure it’s accredited. With such a large population looking for online education these days you can know for sure that there’s also allot of scams willing to take your hard earned money and run with it. Hence, we hope this article has helped you in more ways than one and be cautious while choosing your online college or university of choice, it will pay off big-time. Written by Chad McDonald for people wanting a free high school diploma online and looking all over for “high school diplomas” information. 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By Ruby Aragon Child identity theft is when someone steals or uses a minors identifying information as their own. They might use it for financial gain, in which case theyve obtained a minors social security number and use it to get credit. They might also use it to help them get a drivers license. There have also been instances when people have obtained a minors identity and sold it to illegal immigrants or people who want to change their identity to avoid arrest or some other negative consequence. In more than half of the cases, a relative or close family friend is the identity thief in child identity theft cases, but its not always someone who knows the child. As a parent you must be diligent in protecting your childs information. Never put your childs social security number on non-essential forms such as sports registrations and always shred any documents that have account numbers and social security numbers. Another thing you can do is check your childs credit report once a year to make sure there is no strange activity taking place. People who want to begin using someone elses identity turn to children as prime targets of identity theft for two main reasons: One, they often have spotless records so people are able to use the information to gain credit. Two, identity thieves are often not detected for years because most children dont have any reason to check their credit reports. The Identity Theft Resource Center reports that only 4% of reported identity theft cases are for people under the age of 18, but they also explain the number is probably much higher because many cases have yet to be detected. Your teenagers might be sorely disappointed when they head into the DMV to get their drivers license or learners permit and are told that they cannot get one because there is already a drivers license issued to their social security number. Even worse, your child might not find out about a theft of his or her identity until he or she is a young adult and trying to apply for a loan. Probably the worst case scenario would be when the police show up at your door with an arrest warrant in your childs name because someone committed a crime using your childs name. While this is a very extreme case, if someone uses your childs identity for financial gain, at the very minimum, be prepared to spend years working to clear his or her record of the stains left by the thief. There are some signs that might tip you off that your child may be the victim of identity theft before it comes to that, however. (If you experience any of these signs, its very important to have your childs credit checked to see if there is any unlawful activity and to report any known incidences to the police.) - Your child begins receiving pre-approved credit card offers or bank statements in the mail. - Your child begins getting calls from telemarketers that directly ask for them. - Your child is denied the right to a drivers license because someone already has one under his or her social security number. Five Tips to Help You Prevent Identity Theft (for you and your family) 1. Limit access to your familys social security numbers by never providing it on non-essential forms and by finding out why people are asking for it. If they want it for identifying purposes, simply request that they assign your or your family member a different identifying number. 2. Always shred any papers that have social security and account numbers. 3. Never give out your personal information over the phone or internet. 4. Protect your credit card numbers and checks when shopping so that people are not able to see them and memorize the information while waiting in line behind you. 5. Teach your children to not give out personal identifying information to anyone, especially over the internet. Weve got the solutions to help you cope with all of these situations. Your life becomes easier and safer when you have unique safety and protection products from RubyStone. Please visit the Identity Theft section at http://www.rubystone.com Ruby started RubyStone Enterprises to help keep your precious loved ones safe and secure. At http://www.RubyStone.com we offer a wide range of Free safety advice, Newsletters, guides and tips as well as the very latest in unique safety products to help you protect yourself and loved ones. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ruby_Aragon http://EzineArticles.com/?Child-Identity-Theft:-Young-People-Are-Becoming-Prime-Targets&id=237158 24 hour no fax cash advance fast cash pole dance cash secured commercial loan personal loan for business purchase