The Info Examiner

Virtual Real Estate–just what am I talking about here? If I
look up “virtual” in the dictionary, it gives me words like
near, practical, fundamental, or essential. It also lists actual
as an antonym. Remember in school how we were required to use
the new word in a sentence to show that we understood the
meaning? So many times we have heard sayings like, “Oh, that’s a
virtual impossibility”, “Virtual Reality”, or “She is virtually
unstoppable.” As you can see in these phases, virtual is being
used as an adjective or an adverb. Here we are using it as a
descriptive meaning practically, fundamentally, or essentially.
The word virtual can also be used as a noun as in this example:
virtual focus. Here, the meaning of virtual focus is a “point”
from which rays of light seem to emanate but do not actually do
so (such as in the image in a plane mirror.) Now we are going
back to another word we learned in grade school, antonym.
Antonym mean opposite. The thesaurus tells us that “actual” is
the antonym of virtual. To look at this closer, consider “actual
real estate” compared to “virtual real estate.” You can go out
and see, touch, and feel actual real estate. Virtual real estate
requires that you use a computer to “see” it. Virtual real
estate has no physical borders. Anyone (with a computer) from
anywhere can visit the virtual real estate site anytime. When
you create a web site, you are creating virtual real estate. It
can be just as valuable as actual real estate. In fact, a
profitable web site can be more valuable than you ever imagined.
Another advantage of virtual real estate is that almost anyone
can afford it. In fact it is so inexpensive to create a virtual
real estate site that many entrepreneurs have several of them.
Each site can promote a different product, value, or information
because what appeals to one person may not appeal to another.
When you want to purchase actual real estate, a real estate
agent helps locate the type of property desired. However, with
virtual real estate, you only need to find the training on how
to develop a web site (lots of courses out there) and then the
product you will promote. Can’t you see it now, new classes
creeping up: Virtual Real Estate Agents or Virtual Real Estate
Development?

Good luck in this new virtual reality,

Karen Kelley

This and many more topics on the creation of profitable web site
techniques are taught at: http://www.InternetProfitMentor.com.
Also included is a FREE 12 hour video course.

It isn’t just the US Government waiting out there to grab a chunk of your hard earned estate when you become incapacitated or die. Strangely enough, state coffers are frequently enlarged through the mechanism of Medicaid. When someone requires long-term care in a nursing home, unless he or she has a private long-term care insurance policy, their whole estate may belong to the state when they pass on.

Nursing home care is not free, even in county or state operated facilities. Someone, somewhere, has to foot the bill. If you, or your family, does not have resources to pay for the care, Medicaid steps in. While Medicaid is a federal program, funds are allocated to the states for administrative purposes and are subject to state rules and regulations.

People who apply for Medicare aren’t always aware of exactly how the program works, but even more sadly, most people who are forced to apply for Medicare really have no other choice, so it doesn’t matter how it works. By the same token, Medicaid rules have been revised so that if one half of a married couple requires nursing home care, the other spouse doesn’t have to sell the house and live on the street.

Under the most recent Medicaid rulings, when one spouse has to be in a nursing home for 30 days or more, the couple’s assets are assessed and some assets are excluded by virtue of “spousal impoverishment” rules. The couple’s residence is excluded from the asset evaluation, along with household furnishings and personal effects. In some states, the remaining spouse’s IRAs are exempted, as well. The non-ailing spouse is then entitled to half of any remaining assets, subject to minimum and maximum limits, while the other half must be spent on the nursing home care.

In addition, income like Social Security, some pensions, and some interest dividends are subject to “maintenance allowance,” rules designed to allow the healthy spouse enough money to live on. If, for example, the Social Security Income or other pension income is in the remaining spouse’s name, he or she is entitled to keep it for living expenses. In some cases, the spouse at home can receive more than half of the marital assets, particularly if his/her income falls below minimum levels.

If there is no spouse, in many states the individual requiring nursing home care is required to sign over his or her home to the state to reimburse Medicare. When the nursing home stay is not permanent, the Medicaid recipient is allowed to live in the house until death, but cannot pass it on to children or other heirs, because it actually belongs to the state, not to the individual.

Estate planning, particularly if it involves some sort of long-term care insurance, can alleviate or eliminate some of the worries associated with the potential for requiring nursing home care. Talk to your attorney or other estate planner about what can be done to protect your remaining assets if you have to go to a nursing home.

Second marriages can be a tricky situation for a variety of reasons. There may be problems with step kids, ex spouses or even some religious stumbling blocks for the marriage taking place. However, when we talk about the etiquette for buying gifts for those going through a second marriage, it is a fairly straightforward process.

It is the norm for a couple going through a second marriage not to ask for, nor to expect, wedding attendees to bring gifts. Traditionally people received gifts at their first wedding to help them set up a home for their new life together. It is considered that couples going through second marriages already have all the trappings of modern life and do not require the gifts usually received at a first wedding.

If you have been invited to a second wedding and have received an invite that makes no mention of gifts, then that is good. It shows that the bride and groom have taken note of etiquette and have not requested gifts on their invitation. However, it is permissible and not uncommon to give gifts at a second wedding. If you are related to the future couple you may wish to give a gift anyway, if you are not married then you may politely enquire if the bride and groom have a gift registry, so as to make sure if you do by a gift for a second marriage, you get them a gift that they want.

Wedding Party Gift information and resources at http://www.1weddinggifts.co.uk.

Televised sporting events have been common place for sports such as baseball, basketball, and football. However, other lesser known competitive sports are making their mark on cable television. Cable television networks such as the OLN are a welcome sight for passionate kayakers. OLN was proud to broadcast the “Teva Mountain Games” this past June. Kayakers, bikers, and rafters were among many adventure athletes that were showcased.

What are the Teva Mountain Games? The Teva Mountain Games is the premier outdoor adventure sports festival. Events include: kayaking, rafting, biking, climbing, trail running, adventure race, fishing, and even a dog challenge. The Teva Mountain Games were first held in 2003. This year’s competition took place in Vail, Colorado. The games consist of amateur and professional athletes. Arts and music are an important aspect of the festival.

The kayaking event has a number of different races that test novice and advanced kayakers. There is the Kayak PaddleCross race where kayakers try to beat the clock and have the fastest time. Another race pits kayakers against each other as they battle it out over 200 meters of river. Kayaking fans will assuredly have plenty of kayaking events to experience. Attending the Teva Mountain Games can boost your enthusiasm for the sport as you admire the skills of professional kayakers. If you are unable to attend the games, then don’t worry because OLN cable network has you covered.

Fans at the Teva Mountain Games can choose from seven other outdoor adventure sports to satisfy their sports craving. Whether you are an aficionado of rafting or trail running, the games have spectacular events for you to enjoy. The outdoor sporting events are the mainstay of the festival, but art and music events are also offered. There are concerts and nightlife parties that will entertain you until the wee hours of the morning.

The Teva Mountain Games is also geared towards families. There is an event guide that will be of interest to families. For example, there is a list of events for each day. Families can figure out which events to attend by reading the tips and insights offered by festival officials. If your family has trouble deciding which events to take in, then the family information available will be a welcome guide. Plus, you’ll know where to take the kids for dinner. Finding a family-friendly restaurant is a major plus.

An outdoor sports festival wouldn’t be complete without offering clinics to the eager spectators. The games offer clinics in climbing, kayaking, adventure racing, fly fishing, trail running, and mountain biking. The clinics are geared for participants of all ages and skill levels. The clinics are free, so take advantage of them.

Set your sites on attending the next Teva Mountain Games or watching it on the OLN cable network from the comfort of your own home. It is thrilling to watch professional athletes in action. You might learn a thing or two about your favorite sport and have fun in the process.

Monica Marty is a kayaking fan and the webmaster of http://kayakingisfun.com/

Common Name: ‘Sky Pencil’ Japanese Holly Zone: 6 to 9 Height: 6
to 8 Feet Spread: 1 to 2 Feet Habit: Dense, upright columnar
shrub. Slow growth rate. Culture: Full sun to part shade.
Foliage: Small, 1/2-1″ long, lustrous dark green. Evergreen.
Flower: Small, greenish white, inconspicuous. Fruit: Black
drupe, persistent. This holly is easy to raise. It has a tight
form and is used in many applications where a narrow tight dark
green evergreen is needed especially around walkways and in
tight spots next to buildings. This plant does very well in
Pennsylvania and we have sold many to residents of Easton Pa.
You can see more information about plants at
http://www.seedlingsrus.com http://www.zone5trees.com and
http://www.highlandhillfarm.com

I’ve recently launched my own ebook site
back in April and have been brainstorming
ways in which to promote my own ebooks, have
thought about e-bay but just not sure about.
Also, one research strategy I’ve used when
it comes to researching on what people want
on the internet is the usual of going to
forums and seeing the questions that people ask.
This seems to work fine but than I thought
about another away, like offering a free ebook
on a particular niche market, just make it a short
3 or 4 page report, than I develop a webpage
outlining the benefits as to why my visitor
should download it besides it being free. If
they decide to download it, they click on a link
taking them to a visitor feedback page where
I ask them to answer 2 short questions.
1. What other forms of information would they be
interested in receiving on that particular niche
market. ie. Dog Grooming.
2. What kind of software if any would they like
to see developed and would use in relation to their
particular interest.

I then ask for their name and email address and permission to send them information by autoresponder.

I was quite surprised how many people actually
took the time to answer these questions and give
me their permission. Of course, if they didn’t want
to offer any input all they had to do was submit the feedback form without any information and they would still get the free ebook.
Try implementing this on your site.

About the Author

Owner of www.theebookking.com

Copyright 2004 Willie Crawford

Let me ask you a somewhat personal question today. The answer to that question determines how you treat your on-line business, and dramatically impacts your chances of on-line success. That question is, “Are you really an Internet Marketing Professional?”

Being a professional means that you view what you do as much more than just another job or a business. It’s something you do because it’s your “calling.” It’s something you do because you believe that it’s what you were meant to do and because you believe that it helps to make the world a better place.

You don’t have to view it as a permanent calling, but you do need to believe in the importance of what you do. If you don’t see what you’re doing as significant, then you should seek a different calling.

I borrowed that definition of a profession… of a calling, from how I felt about my job when I was in the military. That was one of those jobs that you did because you felt that it was something that needed to be done. The pay generally wasn’t that attractive, so you had to look for a higher purpose in sticking with such an often-thankless, always-demanding job where you were expect to be prepared to sacrifice your VERY life if needed.

Running an on-line business should be much more financially rewarding and certainly demand less personal sacrifice, but it should still be viewed as a profession that you can throw yourself completely into.

Like many professions, your on-line job involves offering solutions to peoples’ problems. Doctors, pharmacists, lawyers, mechanics, and schoolteachers, all provide solutions to problems. They all fill needs. I submit to you, that if you are an Internet Marketing Professional, your job is no less important, and that it comes with no less obligation than any of the jobs mentioned above.

It may seem like a “stretch” to envision your job of marketing products and services on-line the same as diagnosing and prescribing medications for an illness. Yet, that is exactly what you should be doing. You should be analyzing your customers’ and clients’ problems. You should understand what is causing the problems. You should be familiar with possible solutions, and you should prescribe the best suitable solution that you are aware of.

Adapting that view of your on-line business is one of the big keys to your success. That’s because if you do view helping your clients as a sacred trust, you WILL really strive not to violate that trust. There’s that word again…. “trust.” Lack of trust is what keeps potential customers who want and need what you offer from buying from you. Trust is earned, and people intuitively know whom they can trust.

Jay Abraham was the first person that I personally heard clearly explain the sacred trust and obligation that a marketer has to his clients. That obligation is to only offer products and services that really make their lives better. It’s to treat a client the same as you would a close friend or a family member… always deeply wanting only the best for them. It’s also selling them products and services that you know they need but may not yet realize that they need.

If you conduct your on-line business with that degree of professionalism and commitment to your clients, you do a number of things:

- Regardless of the product line or service that you are providing, you make sure that the one you offer is the best available for what your client can afford. In the real world, not everyone can afford the best doctor or lawyer. However, the lawyer or doctor that they can afford is obligated to provide the best service that they are capable of rendering to their clients.

- You take yourself seriously. That generally means that you come across to your prospect as being the expert on your topic. That sometimes means you may need more training if you’re not the expert on a topic. Taking yourself seriously also means that you charge what your time and expertise are worth. You don’t fall into the trap of competing on the basis of price.

- You promote something that you believe in. Some on-line marketers promote get-rich-quick schemes that they KNOW really don’t offer their prospects any real earning potential. These people soon burn out - or the universe simply gives them what they deserve. When you really believe in your product, that is sensed by your prospects. These prospects are therefore more open to examining the products and services that you recommend as solutions to their problems.

You don’t necessarily need to market important sounding products on-line to be a professional. People need ordinary good and services everyday, and they turn to the Internet to find them. A good mechanic, sometimes covered from head-to-toe with oil, knows the value of what he is doing. He knows that if he doesn’t service your brakes properly, it could kill you. He takes pride in a job well done. He sees himself as a professional.

That mechanic also views himself as a professional because he can do something that not everyone can do. I submit to you, that when you craft webpages, write ad-copy, create a computer program, or promote a product through the search engines, that you also do something that not everyone can do. So I ask you again, “Are you really an Internet Marketing Professional?”

About the author:

Willie Crawford is a corporate president, published author, seminar speaker and host, tele-seminar speaker and host, retired military officer, karate black belt, master network marketing trainer, and lifetime student of marketing. He shows people how to actually generate substantial income on-line using very simple, easily modeled systems. An example of such a system that you can study and duplicate is at:
http://ProfitMagician.com

“Marketing as a spiritual practice.” It sounds contradictory - how can sales and promotion possibly be considered spiritual? But the secret is, once you truly understand that marketing isn’t all about struggle, jargon, tricks or gimmicks, spiritual practice is the very root of success.

Sound completely airy-fairy? We understand the response. But in reality, marketing consists of a set of specific actions or practices. And only you can decide whether you wish to tackle them in angst, or with value and truth (i.e., as a “spiritual practice”). Once you learn how to apply this practice to your marketing, you’ll make more money, attract clients truly right for you, and feel exponentially more satisfied.

HOW IT WORKS

We know that it is unlikely in the first 20 years of a business to have the experience to know which strategies will work and that it’s virtually impossible to have the objectivity needed to create a clear, concise marketing message for oneself.

1. Define your marketing messages. This is precisely one of the steps in the “spiritual practice”: if you struggle with marketing you can quicken the process and stay on course by defining your messages and getting professional help to learn which strategies will work for your business now, and over time.

Remember when Coca Cola actually used to sell the taste of its product, rather than the image of the drink as a hip, cultural accoutrement? A dozen years ago, I helped Honda build an image that appealed to the “laid back California” market. How times have changed: now the company’s messages promote safety and reliability to attract “serious” buyers across the nation.

Let a marketing professional help you define your key marketing messages or write your promotional materials: they are trained to clarify your offer to attract those who need what you sell. Your ideas will be defined and refined into clear, convincing, compelling information that will get your audience to react. And when you use “Marketing as a Spiritual Practice” to guide you, your writing will delve into your deeper wisdom, product offerings, how you can help clients solve their problems: No jargon, no gimmicks, no trickery. Just a deeper “wisdom” in your marketing.

2. Attract clients who are right for you. Once you are on purpose (or “in spirit”) with connecting your valuable products or services with those who value them, you will attract the clients or customers who are truly right for your business. You won’t need to “trick” them with clever marketing gimmicks or spam (which we’re all completely fed up with, anyway). Instead, your judgment and wisdom will guide you to follow the practice outlined below. Of course, if you’re one epiphany short of a great concept, give us a call!

CLARITY

3. The root of spiritual marketing is clarity. If you are clear about what you want and what you offer, you will make it easier for people to do business with you: Your prospective customers will instantly know whether you offer what they need.

It doesn’t matter if you sell computer software, handbags, or coaching services. The fact is, companies often describe what they offer with far too much complexity. Thus, it becomes that much harder for people to make a decision to purchase what they sell. Achieving this clarity - this unwavering perception of how to do self-promotion - is typically the biggest challenge for companies of all sizes.

Another related business challenge: offering complex products at varying price points, through multiple distribution channels. This scatter-shot approach confuses people. As a result, they must work even harder to un-clutter or ‘clarify’ what your company is selling in order to buy.

4. Make it easy for people to find your prices. Consider this: if you don’t put prices on your services, and people have to ask what they cost, you will probably lose sales. Far too many of us instantly recall the axiom that states, “if you have to ask how much, you probably can’t afford it.”

FAITH

5. If you don’t have the faith in what you are doing, or confidence in your abilities, you’ll have a harder time selling your product or service. You won’t be able to stick with a plan or follow through on a marketing campaign long enough to generate worthy results. I see this failure most often in businesses in their first 10 years. They jump from gimmick to campaign, and don’t do the all-important follow-up (which is where most sales are generated).

More importantly, it’s simply not a “spiritual practice” to put stuff out there without making personal connections. That is the true reward. Deep joy is only achieved through honest, real connections; not with marketing hype that preempts the development of true, lasting relationships. (See more on this concept below)

WISDOM

6. All world, business, and spiritual leaders seek wisdom. We are only human; obviously, we cannot have all the answers. It is imperative to our business and to our personal growth that we seek the knowledge needed to continually improve our business (and in turn, our lives). We must never be too proud (or too foolish) to request help from experts when needed.

By sharing the wisdom of successful business owners and marketers, you will find inspiration and enlightenment. You can choose from a full breadth of writings, classes, and consultations (or even meditation, if you’re so inclined). In addition, you can learn from the mistakes of others, and share in their lessons learned. Hey, it worked for Buddha … why not us business owners? After all, Knowledge is Bliss.

TAKE ACTION

7. Once the vision of your business has been defined, and you have the wisdom, clarity, and faith in your ability to deliver, you must be a devout marketer. You must take action to gain the clientele you have prepared to service, and which you deserve. Without the action, there will be no results. Using this method for marketing will allow you to pursue your action with integrity, confidence, and even joy.

WHERE CAN YOU FIND HELP?

8. Inspiration comes from many sources: classes, reading, or working with insightful and intuitive professionals who can offer guidance and take action with you. A great marketing pro should have teams of writers, designers, publicists, researchers, and website experts use specific guidance processes to help get companies on target, plan their marketing using proven methods and inspired techniques that work, and develop creative, thoughtful promotional materials and/or publicity campaigns. That’s what we do.

CONNECT TO REAP REWARDS

9. We believe that deep connections with our clients and our community are what make a business really work. It’s a mystery to us … but we find that if you invest in the spiritual aspect of your business, you will reap many unanticipated rewards, both financially and by gaining joy and bliss in your company.

Allison Bliss Consulting, the creator of “Marketing as a Spiritual Practice” method, rebels against misleading, pushy, spam-filled marketing offering Fortune 500 companies and entrepreneurs an integrated range of do-it-yourself marketing products & customized marketing strategy, plans, promotional materials, websites, and hands-on services. Clients include United Airlines, Honda, ABC-TV, Hewlett Packard and hundreds of smaller or entrepreneurial companies.

In public speaking, fear maybe viewed as negative leading to
ineffective communication. This is the tendency if you predict
bad situations. Fear can be easily seen through physical
manifestations: hands cold and clammy, rumbling speech,
slouching and unwanted movements.

In public speaking, fear comes from the “fear of the unknown.”
Most people are afraid of not being liked, offending someone,
forgetting everything, of stumbling and falling or ruining the
effort.

But fear can be seen in a positive aspect as well. According to
Kenneth McFarland, “it is not necessary to banish fear in order
to gain confidence. A wholesome fear of failure is one of the
best guarantees of success.”

Fear can be a motivating force for the public speaker that adds
strength, energy and conviction to otherwise lifeless ideas.
Your courage is the ability to see fear in a realistic
perspective. The way to curb your fear is to prepare thoroughly.
But fear cannot be eliminated fully. It is meant to be
conquered.

In any public speaking experience, stage fright and anxiety are
hindrances to building your self-confidence. Stage fright is an
emotional state that affects people the minute they stand before
an audience. Having positive thoughts greatly help in managing
stage fright. Believing that you are going to succeed, that you
are effective as a speaker and that your audience will trust you
and gain respect for you are sure winners to combat fear.
Furthermore, being aware that nobody is perfect and everybody is
prone to mistakes are effective thoughts to calm you down. Best
of all, think that the audience is your friend.

If you need to know more on how to build your self-confidence,
here are some practical tips:

1. Share your personal experience to begin your talk. Why?
Because no one knows better than you do.

2. The most effective way out, if fear attacks you, is to do it.
Conquer your fear. Do not hesitate just because you think that
someone can do better that you do.

3. Accept that you know. Be confident to share about it.

4. As a public speaker, you ought to assume the delivery man
role and that you carry an important message that you need to
get across.

5. Apologizing in public speaking is a sin. Do not apologize for
your material or even your lack of experience.

6. Be yourself and be confident. Do not imitate government
officials in the way they speak. Speak in your own “official
capacity”.

7. Prepare for the occasion by dressing appropriately and then
forget how you look.

Confidence is a key element in achieving success. But remember,
be on guard against overconfidence.

Licensing Requirement in California to become a paralegal:
Currently, California does not have licensing or certification requirements to be a legal assistant.

For this very reason you should get one of the two certifications, although not required so that you have a better chance of an employer preferring to hire you verses the other job applicants:
• Certified Legal Assistant (CLA)
• Registered Paralegal (RP)

How to Become a Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) in California: This is the most preferable among most people in CA. It is noted that you must take and pass a two-day exam given by the Certifying Board of Legal Assistance, and meet the established standards of the National Association of Legal Assistants. You need to satisfactorily finish 50 hours of approved continuing legal education credits in order to renew your certification within a five-year period.

Become a Registered Paralegal in California by successfully passing a test developed by the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA), also termed as the Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE). To renew the certification (every 2 years) you need to show proof of completing 12 hours of approved continuing legal education credits. Do so every two years or your certification will not be renewed.