T-Shirt Island

In past columns, I’ve explained the fundamentals of creating and executing surveys. We’ve explored how to construct questions so they yield accurate, useful data. We’ve discussed how to boost your response rate, thereby squeezing more value from your efforts. And we’ve talked briefly about the various strategies you can employ to solicit participation from your respondents. But, everything begins with the initial plan; you shouldn’t approach it haphazardly. In this article, I’ll describe the 5 steps that you and your design team should follow to plan a successful survey execution.

Step #1: Identify Your Objective

This first step is more involved than you might think and is the foundation upon which the other steps depend. It’s not enough to say, “I need to know if customers are satisfied” or “I want to measure employee morale.” You should know in advance the precise reasons you want to collect data, what you hope to learn from the information, and the actions you intend to take once you and your team have reviewed the responses. Unless you have already identified a specific reason for conducting your survey, including how it will add value to your business or organization, you shouldn’t move forward.

Step #2: Determine How Much It Will Cost

Design and deployment can be expensive depending upon its scope, the information you hope to collect, and your population size. Some of the costs aren’t immediately obvious. For example, if you’re using employees to approach participants, you’ll need to pay for their time. If you’re conducting a survey by mail, you’ll have to pay postage. Analyzing the data also carries a cost. Plan conservatively to ensure you have the budget to see the project through its completion.

Step #3: Plan The Logistics

You’ll need to choose your participant pool, figure out how to approach them, and determine how much time your project will require. Don’t take any of these items lightly. Your selection of the people you choose to approach will depend upon the type of information you hope to collect. For example, surveying single men between ages 30 and 39 will yield different data than married couples over 60. Your strategy for approaching them can vary between phone, email, in person interviews, postal mail, etc. The time you’ll need to complete your survey will be based largely upon these factors.

Step #4: Define Your Resources

Beyond your budget, time constraints, and other limitations, you’ll need to identify resources (both internal and external) upon which you’ll rely for expertise and assistance. For example, if you’re measuring employee satisfaction, you’ll want to enlist the help of your organization’s human resources department. If you’re outsourcing the design of your survey, you’ll need to identify and interview a number of experienced agencies. During this step, you should also determine the internal personnel who will need to see your team’s analysis of the data (i.e. president, CFO, accounting department, etc.).

Step #5: Map The Steps To Completion

Before you execute your survey, take the time to create a chronological timetable of the project. It should detail each step in the process, including who is responsible for collecting the information needed to complete each step and the specific tasks that are involved along the way. Without creating this plan ahead of time, you risk wasting finite resources as a result of confusion and lack of accountability.

Successful Deployment

Creating and executing effective surveys that yield useful data require a lot of time and upfront planning. If you approach the task methodically and follow the 5 steps we’ve covered above, you’ll dramatically improve the likelihood of success. Remember your objective: to collect accurate information that you can take action upon for a predefined benefit to your organization. In an upcoming article, we’ll explore the deployment in more detail.

Anger is a normal, human emotion, a certain amount of which is considered healthy. Unfortunately, anger can get out of control and like other emotional conditions can quickly escalate to a condition that bears physical and psychological side effects. Anger can contribute to irrational and unpredictable behavior that can take a toll on relationships, job performance and decision-making abilities.

Anger can be caused by either external or internal events and often is the result of stress, traumatic memories or aggravating circumstances. The physical effects of uncontrolled anger can be increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure and increased adrenaline or noradrenaline levels. Anger is known to cause severe and long-lasting emotional damage.

Typically, anger is expressed by aggressive behavior. In some situations, a certain amount of anger may enable our survival. This occasional need for anger makes striking a balance between healthy anger and unhealthy anger even more important in our everyday social and business activities.

Psychologists respect anger and to help us learn to manage our anger, anger management courses have been developed. The objective of anger management courses is to help clients learn to express anger in positive ways that allow for constructive release of the emotion. Anger management courses teach clients to reduce the emotional response and the physiological elements that cause anger.

Angry persons express their anger in conscious and unconscious manners. There are three basic manners in which people express their anger:

-Aggressively
-Passive Aggressively
-Assertively

Psychologists agree that the healthiest way to express anger is through an assertive, non-aggressive, manner. Expressing anger in an assertive fashion is a valuable technique that can be learned, ideally through an anger management course that takes a comprehensive approach covering a) managing ones physiological responses (i.e. calming exercise); b) understanding one’s triggers and different ways to respond to them; c) thinking about situations in a different light and; d) using specialized communication techniques to make one’s point in a powerful, yet respectful manner.

Passive Aggressive Behavior is the exact opposite of expressing anger in an overt, aggressive manner. There is no doubt when someone is being aggressive. People who express anger passive aggressively are masters at expressing their anger or need for control in ways that, while infuriating, make it impossible for you to confront them in a healthy or direct fashion. They always have a seemingly innocent alibi which allows them to protest their innocence.

Passive Aggression is a defense mechanism used to protect a very fragile sense of self. They often times grew up in a very rigid and controlling household in which expressing their true selves was discouraged and they learned the only way to express their feelings was through indirect means.

Aggression is the third way to express anger and usually involves a deliberate intent to harm, attack, injure, hurt or control the other. Aggressive ways to express anger include:

a) Actions that harm or hurt others (e.g. hitting, shoving, punching, using words to belittle) or oneself (e.g. punching the wall, destroying something important to you)
b) Starting fights or arguments
c) Being pushy
d) Bullying
e) Dangerous driving (aka road rage)
f) Making threats
g) Making insults

Psychologists agree that people have different levels of tolerance for anger. Some people boil over and behave angrily outwardly while others do not show their anger but go through deep emotional valleys before becoming extremely irritable.

When we become angry, we can say and do things we regret. Too often anger is counterproductive. Psychologists have developed several techniques that can help manage anger. Anger management strategies include utilization of several strategies and skills.

-Relaxation therapies
-Cognitive restructuring
-Problem solving
-Improved communication skills
-Implementing humor
-Changing environment
-Assertive training

Persons who feel their anger gets out of control or whose response to anger impacts important parts of their lives would benefit from anger management courses. When a candidate meets the prospective therapist, they should try to define the characteristics of anger that seem repetitive and troublesome.

Anger management course are taught by psychologists or other licensed mental health professionals. These professionals can teach persons to become assertive rather than aggressive. Events that cause anger will continue. However, the response will now be dealt with in a positive way. The individual’s ability to successfully manage anger affects everyone around them.Visit AngerManagement.net for anger management classes designed to make the most of your valuable time and money. What separates this course from others you may have taken is that we are going to cover anger from all angles - what I call “The Four Horsemen of Anger.” Visit online today.

Many parents ponder the idea of using a hidden spy camera and other devices to make sure their caregiver is not in anyway abusing or hurting their child or children. Industry surveys report a 25 percent increase in sales of hidden spy cameras often referred to as “nanny cams” and other surveillance devices over the past five years. Before you decide to buy one, we give you 6 points to review in order to decide if one is right for you and your family.

1) Advantages of Using a Hidden Camera
There are a variety of cameras available on the market today. Most are wireless and can be hidden in almost any type of household item from a plant to a stuffed animal. And the prices vary too from about $100 for a basic camera offering remote computer access to more than $500 for digital systems, which can send video images live via computer or cell phone. These hidden spy cameras give you the peace of mind and confidence in child care are reasons why some families opt to “spy” on their child’s provider through watching a video of what has gone when they are gone or at work.

2) Disadvantages of Using a Hidden Spy Camera
Studies and polls indicate that many care providers are not necessarily against video taping of child-provider interaction, it’s just that they want to know about it before hand. Care givers are increasingly sensing lack of trust and feeling of deception towards the service they provide and get anger when they are wrongfully accused of something.

3) Other Uses For Hidden Spy Camera Video

A mini spy cams or wireless spy camera can be used for many other reasons than just child care. A hidden camera device can be used while your home is being cleaned, for occasional in-home animal sitter services, and for other home surveillance security reasons. However, spy camera shops still indicate that the leading reason why people by these devices are to strictly monitor their care providers.

4) What Do Providers Think About Wireless Spy Cameras?

Do care providers support the use of spy cameras? Media stories abound on focusing on potential abuse and inattention. These are the major reasons parents should consider using a hidden camera and some sitters even report a camera can provide a positive connection with the families while the parents are at work. The problem seems to be when care providers are secretly taped and not told about it before hand.

5) Is It Legal To Use A Hidden Camera?

It is absolutely legal in all 50 states to use a hidden, wireless and mini spy cameras. It is however not legal to record speech without a person’s prior consent in the following 15 states: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington.

6) Are More Daycares Starting To Use Hidden Spy Cameras?

Reportedly, more and more public daycare centers are installing wireless spy cameras which provide nervous parents with the ability to periodically check and watch their child while at work which provides the added assurance that their child is safe.

Internet dating has become a great way for people to meet people. Many singles are finding that internet dating is the golden ticket for discovering new love and true love! Is your schedule crazy busy? Want to experience a different way to find a date? Like getting to know people? Want to turn strangers into friends? Internet dating may just be the golden ticket for you!

Look, in this day and age Internet dating is life – and it is here to stay. Yet, many singles are unsure of this 21st century dating technique. Many fear the outcome. They fall prey to the stereotypes associated with the notion of cyber dating: What will other people think of me? Will I end up going out with a cyber geek? Is this kind of dating safe?

No one will think less of you for trying out online dating – so what if you end up dating a cyber geek? First dates can be last dates. If you are worried about being safe, online dating can be safe - if you exercise a few precautions.

While many singles fear meeting married liars or stalkers-in-the-making, the biggest challenge typically ends up being the magnitude of it all. Potential online daters quickly find there are a boat load (think cruise line sized ship) of people seeking dates and mates. Check this out: During December 2003, 14 percent of the active American online population, or 21 million unique users, visited a personals/dating destination, according to Nielsen/NetRatings. Eureka! Match seekers nirvana!

Tens of thousands of people have met, dated, and eventually married as a result of their online dating experience. However, it is still vitally important when using online dating services, to exercise caution. Do some homework and you will likely avoid the pitfalls of cyber dating. And it is work. Filtering through the responses and “getting to know” the people who really pique your interest could take days! But there is an element of control with online dating - you have plenty of time to check, double-check and triple check things out. Pay attention to online inconsistencies – a red flag to help you avoid disappointment down the road. Keep your antenna up and be deliberate. Then, have some fun!

DO’s and DONT’s FOR ONLINE DATING

Do make calls with a cell phone that won’t be identified on caller ID.

Do meet in a public place for at least the first few meetings.

Do let someone know whom you’re meeting and where.

Do take a cell phone with you and have someone call to check that you’re OK.

Do ask lots of questions. Look for consistency in responses.

Don’t reveal too much personal information too quickly. Make sure e-mails can’t be traced and don’t reveal a signature line.

Don’t invest too much in one person; correspond with several people to save time.

The Medical & Surgical Hospitals Industry report, published annually by Barnes Reports, contains timely and accurate industry statistics, forecasts and demographics. The report features 2010 current and 2011 forecast estimates on the size of the industry (sales, establishments, employment) nationally and for all 50 U.S. States and over 900 metro areas. New to the report this year are: financial ratios, number of firms and payroll estimates. The report also includes industry definition, 5-year historical trends on industry sales, establishments and employment, a breakdown of establishments, sales and employment by employee size of establishment (9 categories), and estimates on up to 10 sub-industries, including hospitals affiliated with professional nursing schools, medical schools and hospitals with residencies approved by the AMA.

To know more and to buy a copy of your report feel free to visit  

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Like all cars Mercedes Benz need to be cared for properly for lasting performance and life. There are many fictional statements that people believe when it comes to caring for your car. In this article you will read about a few things that are proven to be fictional and how to do it the right way.

Some people might think that if their car is shiny they do not need to clean it. Say what?! All cars need to be cleaned no matter how shiny or clean they might seem. The best way to know if you need to clean your car is using your hand. You can run your hand over the paint after you have washed and dried it. If the surface isn’t smooth you will need to consider a polish or wax.

It has been said that waxing will remove swirl marks but this is actually false. The best way to remove a scratch is by reducing the paint thickness. You can use a non-abrasive cleaner to remove the swirl marks. There are specific car care products made just for this.

Are polishing and waxing the same thing? Surprisingly, they are not. Would you wax a diamond the way you polish one? Of course not! What is the reason for polishing silver and jewelry? To make it pretty and shiny, giving it that glossy finish. Waxing on the other hand, is more like a protectant. Putting a barrier between your car and the dirt and debris it might accumulate.

Is it okay to use anything cloth wise to dry your car? It may sound reasonable, but unfortunately, that is not the case. It is not okay to dry your car with a t shirt or anything you can find cloth wise. Using anything like a t shirt can cause dirt to be trapped between. This will cause the dirt to scratch the surface. Use a pure cotton towel instead.

Can you use any type of cleaner to wash your car? Some people believe they can even use dishwashing detergent to wash their car. What?! I’m sure you have seen a detergent commercial and they make it clear that it will make your dishes squeaky clean. If that is the case, why in the world would you use it on your car? Find a car wash solution that is specifically made to enhance and protect your car’s appearance.

Can anyone use clay bars? Yes, they are not only for professionals but for non-professional use as well. You can purchase non-abrasive clay that is used to remove contaminants. Once you have used the clay bar your Mercedes will have a smooth clean finish.

Do polishers hurt the paint finish of your car? They absolutely do not. You can easily learn how to use a polisher for your car with the ease of knowing you will not hurt the car’s paint. Orbital buffers will also provide a more even application of any cleaning product such as waxes or polishes.

If you are not comfortable cleaning your own Mercedes for the first time or even have some questions, contact either your local Mercedes dealer or a detail store. They will have someone that can answer any questions you may have and give you some insight to whatever you may be confused about. Taking the time to learn everything you can about caring for your Mercedes Benz will pay off highly in the end.

No one can argue the fact that any kind of rose is beautiful, any color, any shape. You can get them in red, pink, cream and yellow. But when it comes to silk roses, you may get them in just about any color you like. They can be used for anything from weddings to gifts.

If you have decided to use silk roses for your special wedding day, it would have been a good choice as they will not die and fall apart before the ceremony ?they will still look beautiful years later! The nice thing about using silk flowers for a wedding is that you can also use them to celebrate your first anniversary. It will make the day even more unique if you used the same flowers as you did on your wedding day for your anniversary. If you bought a lot of silk roses for the wedding you could also hand some out to the guests, they would appreciate that. What will also be nice for the wedding is having the flower girl throw silk petals or just drop them as she walks

Silk roses are available in many different styles too. You can get them in a bouquet or just a single rose. You may also choose the color and if you ask nicely I am sure you could get a bouquet of silk roses mixing all your favorite colors! For weddings and occasions like that you could have your silk flowers in pretty little baskets.

Women will also appreciate a bunch of these, there doesn抰 have to be an occasion for a man to buy his girlfriend or his wife a bunch of silk roses. He could just do it every now and then to remind her how much he loves her.

Overall, silk roses make the perfect compliment to many different occasions. The timelessness of silk roses give it a unique edge in the world of flowers.

Australia’s new national security adviser has warned terrorism remains a threat to the nation, likening one terror group to a snake with a severed head - still dangerous.

Australia faced ongoing security challenges from a rapidly-changing region, fragile states and border security.

Duncan Lewis, a former special forces soldier appointed this week as the government’s national security adviser, said he would not describe Australia as being any less secure than it was before.

“But we need to be absolutely clear-eyed about what the future holds and the fact that we are in a region of rapid development,” he told AAP.

There was going to be some significant developmental change in the region and Australia stood well-positioned to benefit.

“But at the same time, you would obviously want to make sure there is no downside for us.”

He specifically referred to terror group Jemaah Islamiah (JI), blamed for the 2002 Bali bombing which killed 202 people, including 88 Australians, and for subsequent attacks directed against Australian and western interests.

A crackdown by Indonesian security forces has curtailed JI attacks since late 2005 but Mr Lewis hasn’t written off the group.

“It’s a bit like having a snake with a severed head. It can still be dangerous,” he said.

“While they have been significantly affected by security force activity through the region and they are … to some extent on the backfoot, they are not dead.”

“We would be ill-advised not to take our eye off the problem.”

Terrorism was like the disease malaria, which changed through time, Mr Lewis said, adding it was not restricted to the international stage.

“It needs to be followed very closely if you are going to stay ahead of the game,” he said.

“I think our security forces, particularly our intelligence service, are well positioned to following any terrorist activity that might occur in this country.”

One issue, dormant until recently, is unauthorised boat arrivals.

A number of asylum seeker vessels has been intercepted recently in northern waters.

Mr Lewis sees people-smuggling as a criminal problem.

“These people are putting other human beings in serious harm’s way and making money out of their misfortune,” he said.

A range of measures was being taken including tackling the practice at the source.

If you have always thought about writing for a living or have written things that you think people would like, why wait for publishers to notice your queries and your submissions? You can make money by turning to self publishing as a business and reap the rewards of your work being sold to and read by your customers.

You can simply set up a web site that advertises all of the books and publications that you are selling. It doesn’t have to be overly complicated, but it should present your publications in a clear and enticing manner. You want to grab your potential reader’s attention with snippets of the books so that they want to buy them. And by buying them, you can make money without any work.

What you need

To begin a self publishing business to make money, you need to have title to sell. And there are two ways to go about creating your stock of books. You can either write the books yourself, researching popular titles and themes to write about, or you can have a freelance writer do this for you.

You can go to several different writing sites to search for a freelance writer that will write a book that will make money for your business. And true, you will have to pay the writer for their efforts; it can save you time down the road because you aren’t spending your days writing. Leave the work to someone else. Or ask for submission for your site, giving a small profit to the original author, but keeping a percentage for your self.

Next, you will need to set up a web site that is crafted to make money for your books. This will include the titles as well as summaries of the books that you are offering. You will also want to include ways for customers to purchase your books from this web site. You may want to hire a web page designer at this stage in order to be sure that your customers will enjoy the presentation as well as be able to make purchases safely. Again, this step too may cost money, but in the end, a well-designed web site pays for itself.

Because your web site will be able to take orders without your input, you can make money while you’re sleeping or when you’re away. Some business owners also like to create fax machine orders for customers that aren’t comfortable with Internet ordering.

Growing over time

The best way to continue to make money with a self publishing business is to continuously add titles to your web site. This means that as you learn what your customers are buying, you want to put more of the same kinds of books on your site. You may even want to create a suggestion feature so that you can learn what kinds of books people are shopping for so that you can meet that demand.

Another way to increase profits and make money is to offer a downloadable version of each of the books that are for sale. This allows your customers to print out or save the books if they choose, rather than having the need to print and ship them to the customers. And it’s faster for the customer as well because they can get their book as soon as their payment clears.

With self publishing, you can see your words in print and make money for your hard work. And with the low start up cost and wide market, self publishing is becoming one of the most popular ways to make money with your computer.