Ahok: Kita Lihat Siapa yang Kariernya Akan Binasa

Ahok: Kita Lihat Siapa yang Kariernya Akan Binasa...

Kamis, 11 September 2014 | 23:00 WIB

Wakil Gubernur DKI Jakarta Basuki Tjahaja Purnama tak terpancing pernyataan anggota DPRD DKI Abraham Lunggana alias Lulung, yang menyebut karier Basuki harus dihabisi.

"Membinasakan karier? Kita lihat saja siapa yang kariernya binasa," kata Basuki, di Hotel Four Season, Kamis (11/9/2014) malam.

Sebelumnya, Lulung menyatakan bahwa pernyataan Basuki tentang revisi Undang-Undang Pemilu Kepala Daerah telah melebar hingga merendahkan lembaga legislatif.

Menurut Lulung, Basuki telah memperlihatkan sikap tak beretika sebagai seorang wakil gubernur.

"Ya sudahlah, dia kan memang sudah bilang kalau aku gila. Kalau memang gila, ya sudah," imbuh Basuki soal pernyataan Lulung.

Sebelumnya diberitakan, Lulung mengancam akan mengerahkan kekuatan di lembaga legislatif untuk tak menggelar sidang paripurna pelantikan Basuki menjadi gubernur DKI Jakarta, menggantikan Jokowi yang terpilih menjadi presiden.

Lulung yang juga Ketua Dewan Pimpinan Wilayah (DPW) PPP DKI Jakarta ini mengatakan, DPRD akan menggunakan hak interpelasi, alias meminta keterangan dari pemerintah, untuk memanggil Basuki.

Lewat interpelasi itu, kata Lulung, DPRD DKI akan meminta pertanggungjawaban Basuki terkait beragam pernyataan yang menyinggung DPRD. Meskipun pernyataan Basuki berlaku umum untuk semua DPRD di Indonesia, Lulung berkeyakinan bahwa yang dimaksud Basuki adalah DPRD DKI.

"Makanya kami minta Pak Ahok bertanggung jawab dengan hak interpelasi. Kami itu belum bekerja, kok Pak Ahok sudah menghina DPRD," kata pria yang sempat membuat kehebohan dengan mobil Lamborghini itu

Miskin tapi Beli Pesawat Senilai 40 Juta Dollar AS

Pemerintah Niger, salah satu negara paling miskin di dunia, telah mengundang kemarahan publik dengan pembelian pesawat kepresidenan senilai 40 juta dollar AS atau setara Rp 460 miliar. Niger adalah negara di Afrika yang berbatasan dengan Nigeria dan Benin.

Menteri Pertahanan Niger, Karidjo Mahamadou mengonfirmasi soal pembelian pesawat itu, Senin (1/9/2014). Menurut dia, pembelian tersebut akan membantu negaranya meningkatkan pengaruh dari negaranya.

Karidjo dalam wawancara dengan televisi pemerintah menyatakan pesawat Boeing 737700 tersebut tiba pada Minggu (31/8/2014) petang. Pembayaran pesawat, kata dia, menggunakan sekitar 20 miliar CFA franc, mata uang yang dipakai negara itu, dari kas negara.

Pesawat baru ini menggantikan pesawat kepresidenan sebelumnya, juga sebuah Boeing 737, yang dibeli pada 1970-an oleh presiden sebelumnya, Seyni Kountche. Selama pesawat dalam perbaikan, salah satu pakar penerbangan menyebutnya serasa menerbangkan peti mati.

Pakar yang sama menyebut pesawat kepresidenan yang lama sudah tak lagi memenuhi standar internasional. Namun, pembelian pesawat baru ini menuai kritik keras.

"Dalam kondisi negara kami berhadapan dengan kelaparan baru dengan ancaman banjir yang lebih serius pada tahun ini, pemerintah malah memutuskan membelanjakan miliaran (CFA franc) untuk belanja prestise," kecam Ousseni Salatou, juru bicara kubu koalisi oposisi Niger.

Anggota parlemen dari kubu oposisi, Amadou Ali, menuding pemerintah telah mencurangi publik dengan menyembunyikan penggunaan uang untuk membeli pesawat itu, dengan memasukkannya ke anggaran belanja peralatan militer.

Meskipun ada temuan baru cadangan uranium dan minyak bumi, Niger berada di deretan bawah Indeks Pembangunan Manusia (HDI) PBB. Sebanyak 60 persen penduduk Niger berada di bawah garis kemiskinan.

Pemerintah Niger berkilah buruknya ranking HDI tersebut karena angka kelahiran di negara tersebut, angka kelahiran tertinggi di dunia. Namun, indikator penyusun indeks tersebut tidak tunggal dan Niger mencatatkan angka buruk dalam beragam indikator.

Pada Juni 2014, Dana Moneter Internasional (IMF) membekukan sementara bantuan keuangan untuk negara ini, menyusul terkuaknya pembelian pesawat kepresidenan senilai 40 juta dollar AS tersebut. Pembekuan berlaku setidaknya sampai 2014, seiring penyelidikan soal pembelian itu

Beyond Angkor: How lasers revealed a lost city

Deep in the Cambodian jungle lie the remains of a vast medieval city, which was hidden for centuries. New archaeological techniques are now revealing its secrets - including an elaborate network of temples and boulevards, and sophisticated engineering.

In April 1858 a young French explorer, Henri Mouhot, sailed from London to south-east Asia. For the next three years he travelled widely, discovering exotic jungle insects that still bear his name.
Today he would be all but forgotten were it not for his journal, published in 1863, two years after he died of fever in Laos, aged just 35.
Mouhot's account captured the public imagination, but not because of the beetles and spiders he found.
Readers were gripped by his vivid descriptions of vast temples consumed by the jungle: Mouhot introduced the world to the lost medieval city of Angkor in Cambodia and its romantic, awe-inspiring splendour.
"One of these temples, a rival to that of Solomon, and erected by some ancient Michelangelo, might take an honourable place beside our most beautiful buildings. It is grander than anything left to us by Greece or Rome," he wrote.

Begini Cara Gunakan Mesin Meter Parkir di Jalan Sabang

 Warga masih beradaptasi dengan sistem parkir menggunakan mesin meter parkir yang baru diterapkan di Jalan Sabang, Jakarta Pusat.

"Saya sendiri terus terang baru tahu. Parkirnya kan biasa aja. Kemudian diarahkan untuk membayar ke alat parkir meter. Persoalannya kan tidak semua orang bawa koin. Tapi untungnya di tukang parkirnya tersedia," kata Seyba, yang memarkir sepeda motornya di Jalan Sabang, Minggu (29/9/2014).

Warga Palmerah itu belum bisa menggunakan mesin meter parkir sendiri. Seorang petugas membantu dia menggunakannya.

Pengawas meteran parkir Sabang, Syafrudin Zen, menjelaskan cara menggunakan mesin meter parkir itu. Pertama, pengguna harus memencet tombol jenis kendaraan pada mesin, lalu mengisi nomor polisi kendaraan.

Setelah itu pengguna harus memasukkan uang koin untuk ongkos parkir ke mesin. Biaya parkir sepeda motor setiap jam Rp 2.000 dan mobil setiap jam Rp 5.000.

"Masukkan koin Rp 500 berwarna kuning dan putih, atau koin Rp 1.000  yang tipis. Jadi misalkan motor, pengguna memasukkan empat koin Rp 500, kemudian menekan tombol oke," katanya menjelaskan.

Bila uang yang dibayarkan pengguna pada awal parkir lebih sedikit dibandingkan dengan ongkos yang harus dibayar sesuai lama parkir maka pengguna harus membayar kelebihan jam tersebut.

"Kontrolnya ada pada struk. Pada saat pemilik kendaraan keluar dari ruang parkir dia harus menunjukkan struk kepada petugas parkir. Jadi akan ketahuan lama parkirnya kemudian dikonversi ke tarif berdasarkan jenis kendaraannya," kata dia.

Syafrudin, yang mendapat gaji Rp 2,4 juta per bulan dari Pemerintah Provinsi DKI Jakarta dan selanjutnya akan diangkat jadi pegawai negeri, mengatakan sistem parkir yang baru lebih baik dibandingkan sistem parkir manual yang diterapkan sebelumnya.

"Mau berapa jam parkir, sudah ada tarifnya. Misalkan untuk motor, kalau satu jam Rp 2.000, mobil Rp 5.000, sementara truk atau bus sebesar Rp 8.000," kata Syafrudin.

Seyba juga menganggapnya demikian. Pria berkacamata itu mengusulkan pemerintah selanjutnya mempekerjakan petugas untuk menjaga mesin meter parkir itu dijaga petugas atau bila perlu memasangi kamera pengawas pada mesin tersebut.

Dia khawatir 11 mesin meter parkir yang dipasang di kanan-kiri Jalan Sabang akan rusak bila tidak dijaga oleh petugas.

"Kalau ada orang yang usil misalnya mengisi puntung rokok, bukannya alat ini bisa rusak. Kami harap alat ini terpelihara. Dan jangan lupa terus lakukan sosialisasi karena sistem ini baik," katanya.

Namun penerapan sistem parkir yang baru itu memunculkan kekhawatiran pada orang-orang yang bekerja di kawasan tersebut.

Nurul dan Nia, yang bekerja di kawasan itu, mengatakan penerapan sistem parkir meter akan memberatkan mereka karena jika tidak ada kebijakan khusus, dengan tarif parkir yang sekarang mereka harus mengeluarkan uang sampai sekitar Rp500.000 untuk parkir sepeda motor dalam sebulan.

"Sebulan biasanya hanya membayar Rp 50.000. Kalau menggunakan parkir meter bisa membengkak menjadi Rp 500.000 bila dalam sehari kami memarkir motor sampai sembilan jam karena bekerja. Mudah-mudahan dapat keringananlah," kata Nurul, yang bekerja di restoran Kopi Oey.

Warga masih beradaptasi dengan sistem parkir menggunakan mesin meter parkir yang baru diterapkan di Jalan Sabang, Jakarta Pusat.

"Saya sendiri terus terang baru tahu. Parkirnya kan biasa aja. Kemudian diarahkan untuk membayar ke alat parkir meter. Persoalannya kan tidak semua orang bawa koin. Tapi untungnya di tukang parkirnya tersedia," kata Seyba, yang memarkir sepeda motornya di Jalan Sabang, Minggu (29/9/2014).

Warga Palmerah itu belum bisa menggunakan mesin meter parkir sendiri. Seorang petugas membantu dia menggunakannya.

Pengawas meteran parkir Sabang, Syafrudin Zen, menjelaskan cara menggunakan mesin meter parkir itu. Pertama, pengguna harus memencet tombol jenis kendaraan pada mesin, lalu mengisi nomor polisi kendaraan.

Setelah itu pengguna harus memasukkan uang koin untuk ongkos parkir ke mesin. Biaya parkir sepeda motor setiap jam Rp 2.000 dan mobil setiap jam Rp 5.000.

"Masukkan koin Rp 500 berwarna kuning dan putih, atau koin Rp 1.000  yang tipis. Jadi misalkan motor, pengguna memasukkan empat koin Rp 500, kemudian menekan tombol oke," katanya menjelaskan.

Bila uang yang dibayarkan pengguna pada awal parkir lebih sedikit dibandingkan dengan ongkos yang harus dibayar sesuai lama parkir maka pengguna harus membayar kelebihan jam tersebut.

"Kontrolnya ada pada struk. Pada saat pemilik kendaraan keluar dari ruang parkir dia harus menunjukkan struk kepada petugas parkir. Jadi akan ketahuan lama parkirnya kemudian dikonversi ke tarif berdasarkan jenis kendaraannya," kata dia.

Syafrudin, yang mendapat gaji Rp 2,4 juta per bulan dari Pemerintah Provinsi DKI Jakarta dan selanjutnya akan diangkat jadi pegawai negeri, mengatakan sistem parkir yang baru lebih baik dibandingkan sistem parkir manual yang diterapkan sebelumnya.

"Mau berapa jam parkir, sudah ada tarifnya. Misalkan untuk motor, kalau satu jam Rp 2.000, mobil Rp 5.000, sementara truk atau bus sebesar Rp 8.000," kata Syafrudin.

Seyba juga menganggapnya demikian. Pria berkacamata itu mengusulkan pemerintah selanjutnya mempekerjakan petugas untuk menjaga mesin meter parkir itu dijaga petugas atau bila perlu memasangi kamera pengawas pada mesin tersebut.

Dia khawatir 11 mesin meter parkir yang dipasang di kanan-kiri Jalan Sabang akan rusak bila tidak dijaga oleh petugas.

"Kalau ada orang yang usil misalnya mengisi puntung rokok, bukannya alat ini bisa rusak. Kami harap alat ini terpelihara. Dan jangan lupa terus lakukan sosialisasi karena sistem ini baik," katanya.

Namun penerapan sistem parkir yang baru itu memunculkan kekhawatiran pada orang-orang yang bekerja di kawasan tersebut.

Nurul dan Nia, yang bekerja di kawasan itu, mengatakan penerapan sistem parkir meter akan memberatkan mereka karena jika tidak ada kebijakan khusus, dengan tarif parkir yang sekarang mereka harus mengeluarkan uang sampai sekitar Rp500.000 untuk parkir sepeda motor dalam sebulan.

"Sebulan biasanya hanya membayar Rp 50.000. Kalau menggunakan parkir meter bisa membengkak menjadi Rp 500.000 bila dalam sehari kami memarkir motor sampai sembilan jam karena bekerja. Mudah-mudahan dapat keringananlah," kata Nurul, yang bekerja di restoran Kopi Oey.

George Clooney dan Amal Alamuddin menikah di Venice

Aktor AS George Clooney (REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi)

Venice (ANTARA News) - Bujangan paling terkenal di dunia, George Clooney, mengingkari janji untuk tetap hidup lajang pada Sabtu dan menikah dengan pengacara hak asasi manusia Amal Alamuddin dalam upacara akhir pekan di Venice.

Kota di Italia itu seperti Hollywood di Adriatik karena daftar tamu tersohor menjelajah antara hotel-hotel mewah dari pertunjukan kelas mewah, yang disebut-sebut sebagai pesta termewah tahun ini sementara rincian-rincian acara masih dirahasiakan.

Wakil Clooney, Stan Rosenfield, akhirnya buka suara mengenai kehidupan pribadi aktor itu pada Sabtu, dengan mengeluarkan satu pernyataan yang membenarkan perkawinan tersebut.

"George Clooney dan Amal Alamuddin melangsungkan pernikahan hari ini dalam upacara pribadi di Venice, Italia," kata Rosenfield yang dikutip oleh majalah People.

Pasangan itu telah dijadwalkan menikah secara resmi Senin dalam upacara balai kota abad ke-14 di Venice. Belum jelas apakah upacara itu akan dilangsungkan pada hari dan tempat itu.

Grand Canal kota itu berubah menjadi karpet merah aquatik karena aktor yang mengenakan busana tuxedo dan para tamunya melintasi laguna dari hotel Cipriani untuk jamuan makan malam di Aman Canal Grande Venice, yang berbintang tujuh. Palazzo Papadopoli berada di dalam kompleks hotel itu.

Aktor-aktor seperti Matt Damon dan Bill Murray terlihat bersama dengan model Cindy Crawford, editor majalah Vogue Anna Wintour dan penyanyi Bono di acara resepsi yang dilangsungkan di teras hotel tersebut.

How To Make Money Online Using Banner Ad Networks

Banner ad networks have remained a preferred way to monetize websites and blogs. Research has shown that marketers around the world engage with banner ads on the internet more than any other media. This has made many companies to continue relying on this strategy in their marketing campaigns. The following are guidelines on how you can make the most out of this business opportunity.
Create quality content in your site
Making money online using banner ad networks will depend on the trust that visitors place on your site. If your site provides useful and unbiased information, visitors are likely to spend more time on your site, providing you more views. This means the more time for visitors to interact with any of the banner ads that are placed on your site.
This is an important metric if you're trying to get high click through rates. When visitors encounter low quality content, they quickly leave your site and you lose the opportunity for banner clicks.
Create search engine friendly content
Apart from the amount of time visitors spend on your site, the number of visitors is equally important. Some banner ad networks will give you a pay per impression rate. Therefore, you should aim work to increase the number of new visitors on your website.
You can increase the amount of traffic to your site by ensuring you rank high on search engines. This makes it possible for more people to see your website or blog when they search for certain keywords.
Provide advertising spaces on your site
Once you have enough traffic, create appropriate spaces where banner ads can be placed. You could also share information on the number of visitors and page views that you receive to generate interest in potential advertisers.
Join the appropriate ad networks
Decide the kind of arrangement that will work best for you. You can choose banner ad networks that give click through rates or pay per impression rates. Ads related to your site content usually receive higher click through rates.
When choosing the banner ad networks you wish to join, do some research to avoid fraud. You can search for reviews that have been done before to hear what other people have to say about them. Get to know the advantages and disadvantages of using the various networks.
Choose how you want ads to appear on your site
Place the ads in such a way that they cause minimal interference with your site. This ensures your advertisements do not annoy viewers. You could place them at the right side, bottom or top of each page. You could also choose pop-up ads to allow you more space for your content.
With the right banner ad networks and a good traffic flow to your site, you can make a decent passive income on your site. Remember that you can also use these networks to advertise your website or blog on other sites as a strategy to get more traffic coming to your site.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8702073

Do You Give 110% To Reach Your Goals?

Ashen faced and exhausted she sank into her chair. The taxi driver had just brought her home. Her shoes pinched her tired feet, her legs trembled with fatigue. She was cold and tired but she did it, she had achieved the trip she planned.
Now in her 90s life had become mundane at a daily level, and everything was an effort but she had planned a trip into town. She was now unsteady on her feet and walked with a stick but today was the day she was going into town. The taxi driver dropped her in town, near the bank together with her bag and stick. She was a little apprehensive but excited about her trip, it was a long time since she had done this.
Having arrived at the bank, she saw it hadn't yet opened, so she set off to take a look at a store down the road. When you are a bit unsteady on your feet, this isn't to be taken lightly! Having wandered around the shop and found nothing suitable she headed back to the bank, weaving in and out among the market day shoppers, hurrying on their way.
Money withdrawn she sat down to tidy it away in her purse. Oh dear! She had forgotten to ask the cashier to call a taxi for her, (they knew her well in the bank and were always helpful). There was nothing for it but to walk down the road to the taxi rank. Her feet were sore and she was now exhausted by this unaccustomed walking. Click, click on the pavement went her stick as she inched her way along the path. Each step becoming a greater ordeal than the last, her legs were shaking now and her feet felt on fire. Finally she made it to the taxi the driver helped her in and took her home.
Exhausted but elated that she had managed her trip out, she had achieved what she set out to do. She hadn't bought anything, but would do it again soon. Maybe to us this was nothing eventful, but the effort spent and the determination to achieve her goal was immense.
Do we put in as much effort into achieving our goal? We all have different goals at different times in our lives, but do we always give it our all to achieve them? Sometimes we give up on a project when with a little more effort we would have reached our goal. How often have you given up just too soon?

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8709003

How Efficient Are You?

Using your time effectively is always important in business. Work in a relaxed way and tap into your natural flow and you will get more done in less time and enjoy what you are doing.
When I was working in a small office, we sometimes had youngsters with us on work experience. On one occasion we were finding a new recruit suitable jobs. As I am very slow typing on a computer and do not touch type, I suggested passing over a list of many pages I was imputing for a new project.
Now the Boss seemed to think this was a good idea, however every time I passed over the list, to our recruit, when she was looking for something to do, the Boss found her something else to do instead!
Eventually the list was completed, but how efficient are you with your time? Now my ability was in sales, not imputing a list of 12 pages of future clients and their details into a computer system.
Who might help you?
It's great to learn new skills for your business like understanding and operating word press to build a website, or learning to write effective copy for your sales pages. However sometimes your time is better spent doing the things you are good at and finding someone to do other jobs. For example Fiverr.com has people waiting to offer various services, for a fiver. Or Elance.com is another good source of willing helpers who will quote for various jobs and free your time.
Maybe you have a relative who is expert in a particular field, who would be willing to help. Now youngsters are very computer literate and happy to earn a few pounds.
Of course the question is are you cash rich or time rich, this will have to be taken into account.
Why regular time slots make a difference.
It is important when building a business, or learning any skill, to achieve something every day towards your goal, however small. This keeps it in the forefront of your mind. It keeps the momentum going for fast progress and is better than occasional long sessions. This way you are likely to remember your newly learned skills better, or you may forget what you have learned, become frustrated, lose confidence and interest in your new project.
It is very rewarding to see regular progress and feel excited by your achievements, even if they are small to begin with. I would like to wish you success and steady progress in your new venture. Do congratulate yourself, many people don't even start, it always remains a dream!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8709060

How Do I Start Home Based Business in My Free Time?

Many people have had success running a business from home. You may hear about other people working from home as their own boss and wonder, "How do I start a home based business on my own?" You may have an idea for a new product or service that isn't currently available to the public. It is smart to come up with a business based on observing what people need or want. Keep in mind that it is easier to improve on something that already exists than to create something new. You may wish to gain experience in your chosen field or take classes in business or accounting before you begin. Specializing in one thing is more important than being average at many things. Often, creative home based business ideas are specialized and are well-regarded because they are experienced and knowledgeable about their products. There is a lot of competition in the marketplace, so it is important to set yourself apart from others.
Before you officially begin your legitimate work at home based business, there is a lot of work that must go into setting it up. Don't rush this process! Anything that is forgotten or overlooked may cause problems or expenses later on. Find out what licensing and permits are required to start your business at home. If necessary, get insurance for your business to protect you from any issues. Have a written business plan so that you what direct you want your company to take. Make sure everything is set up and ready before you start trying to attract customers to your business. A poor first impression can make your company seem disorganized or untrustworthy, which can cause you to lose money as well as your reputation.
A good way to start a free home based business is by starting it during your free time while you still work a regular job. This way, you have a chance to see if your business will work and be successful enough to be your sole income. Start your business out small to gain experience and positive references. This will give you experience in what your business will be like and help you decide if it is the right choice for you. Reach out to family and friends to give you an advantage with positive reviews and word-of-mouth.
Once you have a large portfolio of past work, you are ready to start attracting clients. Be unique and market yourself as a trustworthy and friendly company. If you have set up a web page, make this previous work available online to prove your past success and expertise to potential customers. Ask past clients who were happy with your work if they will provide a written review for your page. Work on building a strong social media presence to reach a large network of potential customers and increase awareness of your company. Remember, the better you promote your company, the more successful your best digital home based business will be!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8735849

I'm A Single Mom, and I'm Making Extra Money

When looking to make extra money, one has plenty of choices, especially with the advent of technology and the Internet. While true, a single mom must think a little harder about the situation. With this in mind, here are a few tips to succeed when working from home.
Set up an office: Without a doubt, a single mother will want to work from a comfortable office with plenty of room. Think about it, single moms working from home will need to relax and have enough room to come up with ideas, talk on the phone and work on the computer. This is especially true during times when children are around. If it's not possible to set up a separate office, one should, at minimum, try to put their desk in an area that is hard to reach for children. Then, one can work without fear. Otherwise, if a mom works in the middle of the living room, kids will crawl all over her to ask questions and get help.
Look around for work: Sadly, when looking for stay at home mom jobs, plenty of people take the first opportunity. This is unwise for a few reasons. For starters, one will want to research the company and position. Not only that, ideally, a mother should work in her career field. Think about it, when looking to make money, one should utilize their skills and take advantage of opportunities. Then, when doing so, a mom can make more money and improve her resume. In the future, this will lead to more job opportunities when going back to the corporate arena. On the other hand, single moms working from home that take low paying gigs are going to hurt their bank accounts. At the same time, when doing this, one will not help their career prospects.
Don't take on too much: It's easy to grow with excitement when finding stay at home mom jobs. However, one must curb their enthusiasm and avoid this. Think about it, when taking on too many jobs, a mom will end up overworking. Instead, single moms working from home need to look at the long-term. Then, one will take on jobs they can qualify for and finish on time. Simply put, with a long-term approach, a mother can avoid burnout.
Learn marketing: Finally, when looking for stay at home mom jobs, one needs to learn marketing. With Facebook, Google+ and Twitter, a working parent can easily show off his or her talents to people from around the world. When doing so, one also should build a simple WordPress website. With an online presence, a contractor or business owner will go a long way in finding excited and willing clients. Luckily, one can do all this without spending much money as most online marketing tools are free or don't cost much. For this reason, a working parent must, from day one, start to market his or her product or services. With this long-term approach, a single parent can make more money with less effort.
A working mom should consider work from home opportunities. Luckily, when doing so, one can make a decent living and take care of their children. While true, it's still wise for a mother to think more deeply about the situation and consider her lifestyle.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8738513

How To Make 3D Printer Profits

The printer is not just a device for 2D printing of pictures or static content. Thanks to advancement in science and technology, printers are now capable of printing 3D items like a prototype for a prosthetic leg, a component for airplanes, a replacement for human bones or a simple household item! 3D or three dimensional printing may be new in the market but this technology has gained a lot of momentum in a short period of time. Industry experts have predicted that with time, the technology of 3D printing is going to get even bigger and take the world by storm!
Due to the fact that 3D printing is so popular, it is possible to make tremendous 3D printer profits by engaging in this business. In order to start up a 3D printing business you will need capital. The amount of capital required depends upon the type of business you're going for. If you desire to have a 3D printer that is capable of making prosthetics and aerospace parts or other complicated components then you are going to need anything from $30,000-$6,00,000! In case you want to start small and print hobby items, jewelry or toys ten you will only need about $5000 - $10,000.
In order to make impressive profits from 3D printing business you will not just require a sufficient amount of start-up capital but also some basic technical knowledge. It also helps if you have some industry contacts to rely on and to guide you during the initial stage of your 3D printing business. If you do not have the finances for opening up a brick and mortar shop then you can create an online 3D printing website. You can post your 3D designs on the website, advertise it on your social media page and encourage friends and supporters to spread the word about the same.
If you have stunning and intriguing 3D printing models then you will notice that clients would pour in automatically as there are a lot of people who do not mind paying good money for good 3D printed objects. While there are plenty of 3D enthusiasts out there, not all of them have the time and skill to create their own designs, which is why having a 3D printing business works because you can fulfil the needs of these 3D enthusiasts. You can start out small and take baby steps by printing simple objects and as you gain experience in this field you can print complex 3D fabricated objects to earn even more profits!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8736332

Important Tips On How To Make Money Selling On Amazon

Since its inception Amazon has provided a platform for people, small companies and retailers to sell their products and make decent income. However some individuals do not know how to make money selling on Amazon. Some of the steps you can follow to become a top rated seller in Amazon are listed below.
Follow Amazon selling rules and guidelines
After signing up for a seller account. It is important to follow all Amazon rules and product guidelines to avoid getting banned. All this rules can be found in the help section of the Amazon website.
Strive to be an Amazon featured merchant
Getting to be an Amazon feature merchant is one way of solving question of how to make money selling in Amazon. Though Amazon does not say the exact formula on how one becomes a featured merchant, one can easily join this prestigious group after a few months by having good sales and excellent customer feedback.
Be flexible on your pricing
Though everyone's main aim is to make maximum profits, it is important to have an effective pricing strategy. Check the prices of your competitors and ensure the price difference margin is understandable. In the event your product get more orders, you can slightly increase the price to maximize profits.
Understand Amazon costs and fees
The most efficient way on how to make money selling on Amazon is understanding the fees and costs involved. When you buy a product to sell on Amazon, you have to price it in a way that you will cover your cost and still make a decent profit.
You can eliminate shipping fees by using Fulfillment by Amazon, FBA which entails sending your products to Amazon who will then handle the packaging and shipping to customers.
Amazon also charges a variety of fees including selling and referral fees.
Take advantage of Amazon marketing tools
Amazon has several marketing tools that can help your products get noticed. Some of this tools includes Listmania, Likes and Tags.
Ensure you have enough products to meet market demand
Though most sellers start small, it is advisable to have enough product supply in the event you start receiving more orders. This ensures your clients do not look for alternatives and you increase your income.
Utilize Amazon seller central
The best way on how to make money selling on Amazon is to constantly utilize the seller central reports. These reports helps one analyze sells, potential customers and the effectiveness of promotion and marketing.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8740523

5 Tips for Starting a Home Daycare

A client contacted me for help starting her own business. She wanted to stay home with her toddler but she couldn't afford to give up the income from her job. Since she loves children, she wanted to open a home daycare business.
In working with childcare providers, I meet many who initially started a home daycare to be home with their own children. Far too many of them fail, usually for lack of basic business planning.
Let me share with you a few tips from the most successful providers.
Never forget this is a business - Great daycare providers fall in love with the children in their care. When a parent doesn't pay their bill, providers have to make the tough decision to dismiss that child from care. Clear, written payment policies and the ability to process credit card payments - look into Square or PayPal - will help you continue to care for children without putting your business in the red.
Make sure you follow the law - Home daycare providers must be licensed by the state if they care for more than a threshold number of unrelated children. The threshold varies by state so be sure you find out what your state requires. There will be health and fire regulations to follow and cities or homeowner's associations may have regulations governing home daycare so investigate these before you open your business.
Decide whether to accept government assistance - The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) offers reimbursement for meals and snacks served by daycare providers. There are also federal daycare subsidies for low-income parents. These programs can help your bottom line but investigate what is involved before you decide to participate.
Interview parents face to face - When a parent contacts you, meet them in person. Discuss your policies about payment, drop-off and pick-up times, sick child care and discipline and have them sign a copy of these policies for your files. Meet the child before you agree to enroll him or her in your program. It's important that you, the parents and the child are a good fit.
Network with other providers - Home daycare can be a lonely business and if you don't have a vehicle adequate to transport all of the children safely, you can be homebound. Getting to know other providers gives you someone you can talk to when you need advice - or just adult conversation!
Home daycare is hard work and many who try it end up giving it up and going back to work as soon as their own children are able to go to school. If you really love children though, and are willing to work hard and keep your eye on the bottom line, it can offer you a comfortable home based income.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8727305

The Art of Auto-Body Repair

Auto body repair is an art form. Restoring a vehicle to perfect working order after it has been in a collision, requires an expert mechanic with years of experience, as well as a slew of specialized tools.
Even minor exterior repairs, such as dent removal and paint refinishing, requires expert craftsmanship in order to color-match the vehicle's paint and perfectly smooth out all exterior damage.
With that being said, there are a number of extensive restoration skills that set a professional auto-body garage apart from an inept repair shop.
Damage Appraisal
Collision repair specialists have extensive experience in appraising the damage that occurs from an automobile accident. This is especially important when it comes to severe accidents, as much of the damage incurred can be hidden beneath the vehicle's exterior.
Simply restoring the vehicle's exterior is only half the battle: damage to the chassis, suspension, and other mechanical components must also be properly diagnosed in order to ensure that the vehicle is safe and reliable once it is back on the road.
Trained mechanics at an expert auto-body repair shop have the skills and experience to extensively diagnose any underlying damage caused by an accident.
By reviewing the circumstances of an accident and utilizing advanced diagnostic tools, collision repair specialists are able to diagnose and repair all of the damage incurred from the accident.
Seemingly minor undiagnosed problems, such as small stress fractures and bends in the chassis, can cause unsafe vehicle handling characteristics which can lead to expensive future repairs and/or additional accidents when the vehicle is in operation.
It is therefore imperative that all damage is properly diagnosed and repaired before the vehicle is released from the shop in order to ensure the safety of the driver and passengers.
Frame and Chassis Realignment
A vehicle's chassis is essentially its skeleton, on which the engine, suspension, and all other mechanical components are mounted. A perfectly aligned chassis is therefore necessary to ensure that the vehicle is safe and reliable, especially when driving at high speeds.
Even a slight misalignment can cause jerky steering behavior or unpredictable handling characteristics which can result in a future accident.
When performing collision repair services, an auto-body repair shop will strip all components from the vehicle chassis in order to check for damage.
By using advanced tools such as laser alignment systems, mechanics can determine if any portions of the frame were bent during the accident. Bent portions of the chassis are then straightened out and realigned to ensure the vehicle handles safely when it is reassembled.
If sections of the chassis are damaged beyond repair, mechanics can cut out the damaged portions and weld in new frame sections to maintain the structural integrity of the vehicle.
Exterior Panel Alignment
A vehicle's exterior consists of numerous separate panels. For example, the front build of a vehicle generally includes a polycarbonate bumper, a metal hood, and metal fenders over each wheel.
When one or more sections are damaged and require replacement, the panels must be carefully aligned to maintain the smooth, uniform appearance of the vehicle's exterior. A misaligned hood, bumper, or fender, creates unsightly gaps that ruin the aesthetic appearance of the vehicle.
Collision repair specialists have extensive expertise when it comes to refitting and properly aligning exterior panels. Through the use of specialized tools such as tram gauges, slip jacks, and precision gap wedges, new exterior panels can be properly installed onto the vehicle while maintaining a flush, symmetrical appearance.
Dent Removal and Paint Color-Matching
Minor accidents don't always necessitate the replacement of exterior panels. Cosmetic mechanics will sometimes use specialized tools such as dent pullers and slide hammers to restore a flush surface on exterior panels.
However, more severe dents and scrapes may require that the panel be repaired and repainted. Generally the area is sanded down as smoothly as possible, and a type of body-filler such as Bondo is applied to the affected area. The area is then sanded down once again in order to achieve a perfectly smooth surface which can then be painted.
One of the most difficult aspects of restoring a damaged vehicle's exterior is color-matching the paint on new components. If the paint on new exterior components, is even slightly off-color, the overall aesthetic of the vehicle is thrown off.
Paint specialists can't rely entirely on the original manufacturer's color code, as body panels are likely to fade slightly in color over time.
Instead, specialists will slightly alter the paint color so that it matches the entire vehicle. Applying the paint while maintaining a like-new smooth surface is also an extremely difficult task: even a slight misapplication can lead to bubbles or an orange-peel consistency that makes the replaced components appear cheap and nonuniform.

Helping the Environment, Whilst Driving Your Car

There are quite a few ways we can help the environment even by owning a car. These few tips have been given to us by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) experts. The two most common things we can do, says the ASE, are to improve the way we drive and to make sure we get our cars serviced and maintained regularly. If our car is emitting too much carbon dioxide (CO2) into the environment these checks can pick it up, and correct it as soon as possible. Looking after your car in this way will help it last longer, and if you decided to sell it, it will go for a better price.
The above two tips are the most common ones, but here is a list from ASE with more things you can do to help the environment:
• If your car engine is not running and performing correctly, it could cause a spark plug to misfire. This alone can reduce the efficiency of its fuel by about 30%. You are advised to replace the fluids and filters in the engine regularly, according to the owner's car manual.
• If you see the Service Engine light up on your dashboard, you must act immediately. The newer cars of today are built to be much cleaner than previous years, but if left untreated it can still pollute our air. If your car engine is not running properly it could cause the exhaust system to not function properly emit harmful gases into the Earth's atmosphere.
• Always make sure that your car's tyres are aligned and inflated properly. If these are at the correct pressure they will reduce the effort of the engine, as well as fuel consumption. At the same time your tyres will last longer, which in turn saves you money.
• Speeding is not advised under any circumstances, as every country has their speed limits in place. Driving at the right speed limit will reduce your car's acceleration, as well as save your fuel. The faster you go, the more petrol it will take. Try to reduce the amount of fuel you use, by making the one trip to the shops or any other errands you have to do.
• If your car is fitted with air conditioning, only have it maintained with a qualified technician, as they will understand how to recycle and handle refrigerants. Those of us that have an older car, and older air conditioning system will have ozone-depleting chemicals that will seep into the atmosphere.
• Try not to clutter your car with too many items. This will add to the weight in the car, and that will consume more fuel per mile. If your car is fitted with a roof rack, try to remember to remove it after your holiday, as this can reduce the drag through the air.
• When carrying out your own repairs on your car make sure you dispose of batteries and engine fluids safely. Contact the right organisations and recycling centres to check where you can leave them. Not only is disposing of certain chemicals in the wrong place harmful to the environment, it can also bring harm to wildlife and pets.

Gearbox Reconditioning: Everything You Need To Know

Ask anyone, whether they're a newbie driver or someone who has been behind the wheel for years; there is nothing more stressful and quite annoying then having to unexpectedly visit the garage. Whether it is because we feel at a loss without our vehicles or we fear the unexpected bill; a visit to a mechanic is unsurprisingly a driver's worst nightmare.
Knowing your vehicle is scheduled in for a regular service or having to be towed in as the result of a breakdown, either way we all get that dreaded feeling. However if your car is suffering, it really will only be a specialist mechanic who will be able to bring it back to life.
One of the main reasons why vehicles require the care and attention of a qualified mechanic is as a result of engine trouble. Whether the vehicle is automatic or manual, engine issues are often unavoidable but must be dealt with immediately in order to ensure that you aren't faced with an even larger bill then you may have expected.
Some of the prime mechanical issues to arise with engines include...

• Clutch and gear stick issues
• Overheating transmission
• Unexplained noises
• Gear slips
• Dragging clutch (often accompanied by a grinding noise)
• Leaking transmission fluid
• Check engine light

Many engine issues are immediately noticeable however other's aren't, particularly within an automatic vehicle however this is where the check engine light comes in. Unfortunately many drivers dismiss the check engine light however, in newer models it is often only prompted to come on when an abnormality is spotted by the cars sensors. Responding to the check engine light immediately can save an unexpected breakdown.

Not sure what a gearbox repair and reconditioning service can do? Here's the need to know basics...

• Reconditioning and repairs are considered to be the best way to bring the quality of your machine back to its best following a breakdown or any issues.
• Qualified mechanics will only ever use original parts and include the right warranties.
• Whatever the issue, successful reconditioning can bring process back to 100% operational availability.
• Gearbox reconditioning is far more cost-effective than the alternative of an entire replacement.

We know that a visit to the garage can always be a little worrying but as long as you're in the hands of a dedicated and qualified professional, your car will be taken care of in a realistic timeframe and at a realistic cost.
The engine is the heart of your vehicle which will occasionally face trouble but the moment you spot anything unusual, act quickly and head straight to your mechanic for a gearbox reconditioning to get everything ticking again, without any unneeded hassle.

A Guide to Financing and Acquiring Distressed Property

Distressed property has garnered national attention in the real estate industry, as so many lenders have wound up with foreclosures that they must move quickly to limit losses. However, because of the sticky situation that many lenders are currently in, finding financing to acquire such properties seems nearly impossible for most buyers. Not only have we seen the banking industry take a tumble, but most lenders are now doubly cautious about lending money to purchase these properties again. So, what is one to do?
There are some investors out there that have enough liquid capital to simply snatch up these properties, restore them, and sell them for a substantial profit. But, for most of us, the necessary capital simply isn't there; and, for those of us fortunate enough to have deep pockets, the risk doesn't match the reward. Further, if you DO purchase the property outright, what does that do to your overall portfolio, much less the smart leverage that you currently have?
Fortunately, there are several avenues that an investor can take when pursuing a distressed investment property. But, before we dive into the ways in which you can finance distressed properties, let's first address what you should do before to work on the acquisition!
What To Do Before You Finance?
Distressed properties are usually in disrepair, as many owners of the now foreclosed properties didn't care too much about the state of the property while vacating. While this may seem like a significant issue, it can also help to lower the overall asking price by the mortgagee, which can help to add a level of "built-in profit" for those interested in restoring and flipping the location.
So, before you get your heart set on a particular location, get various appraisals of the necessary repairs. This will give you a better idea of how much capital you'll have to invest, in addition to the asking price, before turning the property and enjoying your profit!
Finding Financing Amidst a Recession
Publications will continue to remind us that the recession is "over". If that's the case, then why aren't lenders ponying up the money we need to acquire property? Exactly. So, with that in mind, remember that banks do not want to hang onto these properties, so most of them are priced to move. Conversely, and ultimately adding to the recession, these banks are also hesitant to put any money back into the locations. In other words, those that can find financing have the real estate industry at their fingertips!
The Original Lender
Though it may seem strange, some banks are willing to offer up some financing on a property that they already own, provided that the new buyer can actually make the payments. This can be a great way to go, provided that you have ALL of the necessary documentation (and be ready, it's a lot) and are willing to endure the incredibly strict evaluation process. If you do, and are up to the challenge, this is one of the better ways to go!
Transactional Funding Option
Transactional funding has seen a nice boom in recent years, given the large number of foreclosed properties currently sitting on the market. Investment firms provide capital for a property's purchase, with a pre-contracted profit margin/sale date already in place at the time of issuance. This lending option is great for properties that will be purchased and sold within a short period of time.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8525480

Improve Your Health Through Positive Thinking

Your mother probably repeatedly told you to "think good thoughts," especially if something was troubling you or if you had a bad day. The power of positive thinking does not make problems magically go away, but it can help you reduce stress and maintain a positive outlook on life, which is a good stress management tool. By helping to manage stress, positive thinking has many health benefits.
The Benefits of Positive Thinking
Although scientists keep exploring how the power of positive thinking produces health benefits, it is unclear exactly why it does. Some of the benefits gained from positivity include both medical and mental health benefits. People who maintain a positive outlook have lower rates of depression and they experience fewer instances of distressful thinking. People who practice positive thinking are psychologically healthier than people who do not have a happy outlook on life.
Medically, positivity can help to reduce the effects of stress on the body and improve the immune system, helping people to be more resistant to viruses. Less stress also helps to put less strain on the cardiovascular system by keeping blood pressure levels lower and reduces the risk of death from heart disease or strokes. Reducing stress can also help to increase a person's life span.
How to Practice Positive Thinking
While it may seem that some people are naturally more positive than others are, it takes a conscious effort to practice positive thinking. All too often, people are stuck in a pattern of negative thought and self-talk, which will continue if not consciously stopped. Be more aware of your thoughts so you can catch the negative ones as they begin to form. As they do begin to form, you can make an effort turn them around to be more positive.
When you catch yourself starting to have negative thoughts, you can reframe those thoughts so they become positive. Work to get rid of absolutes when you think negatively. Using "I never" or "I always" often has negative implications, which you need to change in order to produce more positive thoughts.
It takes courage to recognize when you need to change something about yourself, even if it is something internally like your thoughts. When you take steps to stop negative thoughts and start thinking more positively, you will find it easier to face your problems and resolve them. Making a conscious effort to change negative thoughts will help you live happier.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8525540

Understanding Securitization: Hard Money Lending and the Weak Secondary Loan Marketplace

A loan's terms are directly related to the security that the lender has that they will have their investment returned. As it pertains to real estate investing, things have dried up considerably in the last decade due to the mortgage crisis and the financial sector's reluctance to lend money. This puts those interested in "flipping" commercial properties in a tough position, as the loan market isn't what it used to be.
This dynamic is causing many investors to turn to hard money lending firms as a means of generating the necessary capital to pounce on investment opportunities. While the interest rates are often higher, the process is streamlined, giving borrowers an incredible advantage.
But, in order to fully understand the climate in real estate lending, we must first analyze the nature of lending and how the mortgage crisis may have changed the lending landscape permanently.
The Secondary Loan Marketplace
When a lender issues a real estate loan to a borrower, the intention is not to hold the loan for its entirety, as many would believe. Instead, the loan is often initiated, held for a short period of time, and then sold to another lender. Organizations such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are perfect examples of secondary lenders. Though they did not initiate the loan, they have purchased it from its original lender.
Why does this matter?
When secondary lenders stopped purchasing mortgages due to their suddenly high risk, first-tier lenders stopped issuing loans. After all, they don't want to keep the loans for the duration of their terms, so if the secondary market isn't buying, they certainly aren't going to issue new loans.
And, while some lenders DO still have an interest in lending, they certainly aren't interested in offering capital to ANYTHING that carries even a remote amount of risk. The securitization of the loans simply isn't enough to sway their decision, leaving many real estate investors waiting for weeks for a decision, before eventually learning that they have been declined.
In other words, the secondary lending market has EVERYTHING to do with the current climate in real estate finance, and those without access to capital simply cannot makes moves within the industry.
The Emergence of Lending Alternatives
With the previous information in mind, it isn't difficult to see why hard money lenders have enjoyed a rapid ascent within the real estate industry. By eliminating much of the red tape that traditional lenders endure, these agencies can help investors access capital quickly. Anyone who has "flipped" a property can attest to the importance of timing when it comes to borrowing.
Hard money lenders, or "private lenders" as they are often called, have helped bridge the gap between investors and the newly created "stingy" policies found in the finance sector. These loans often carry higher interest rates, but because the capital shouldn't be tied up for long (the goal is to "flip", remember?), the prospect of a higher interest rate isn't alarming.
We always have to remember that RISK is the single, largest factor when a lender considers your request for capital. Will the investment pay off? What if you default? Will the money get recouped? These questions will determine the outcome of your loan submission, which brings us to our last topic...

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8525474

Mean Girls in the Office

I've been listening to a lot of professional women tell me how they see themselves and other women in their workplaces. While they often appreciate each other and get and offer support from their work friends and colleagues, their interactions with a few Mean Girls in the office can make for a long day.
And it's not just the typical office environment where women find conflict with each other. Stories from the world of women's professional tennis suggest not all of the ladies get along together. "What can I say," admits Russian player Nadia Petrova, "Girls are girls. We always find something to fuss about." (1) Reasons for this animosity, say Tour followers, stem from the constant media attention, the player's frequent use of social media to criticize each other, and the younger ages of female tennis stars, as opposed to their older male counterparts.
Whatever the reasons, what happens in professional tennis locker rooms is not uncommon in the office environment either. One of my female clients, who works in a government office, tells me, "We get along with the men in the offices. With a few exceptions with some idiot guys, it's mostly about business and getting the work done. We don't always get along so well with the women in our offices, because for a lot of them, it's more about catty stuff, hurt feelings, hidden agendas, and long memories and grudges over small, stupid things that happened."
To be sure, men and women working together still have a lot of significant obstacles to surmount, including pay disparities, promotional barriers, and overt or covert sexual harassment. To say that women have it harder than men when it comes to making it to the C-level in our organizations understates it. According to Catalyst.org, women hold 4.6 percent of CEO positions in both the Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 lists. (Academics and others who study this sad lack of female involvement at the highest levels in an organization point to a critical fact: Most CEOs come from backgrounds in finance or technology, two areas where women are not as prevalent.)
Many women I've asked tell me males are often less emotional about workplace decisions than females. "Men get over it," says one woman who has worked for the same organization for 26 years. "You can disagree with one of your male colleagues about something important and they move on. They let it go. A lot of women file it away for later." She says given her choice, she would usually rather work for a male boss than a female one. "There are some exceptions, of course. I've had some lousy bosses who were men too. But a lot of the female supervisors I've worked for over the years seemed to be trying too hard. What they think is 'being hands-on,' everyone else sees as micro-managing. They are often too emotional about their decisions and think that when people have other views they are challenging their authority."
Female leaders at every level in an organization find themselves walking a behavioral tight rope not required of their male counterparts. "If you're a male manager," says one of my female friends, who is a boss, "and you're assertive and demand high-performance from your team, then you're called a good leader and you're rewarded. If you do the exact same as a female manager, they give you the Bitch Label." So how can women succeed as managers of both male and female employees? Turn into a robot? Be passive and unassuming? Wear the "Bitch Label" with pride? Tough it out until the organizational climate changes? Not necessarily. Successful female executives, managers, and supervisors know how to manage their emotions, balance being assertive with being empathic, and change their communication approach by focusing on the words they choose.
Consider the use of language to illustrate gender differences at work. A male manager will say to one of his employees, "Please get this done and get it back to me by 10 tomorrow." A female manager might say to one of her employees, "Could you please get this done and get it back to me by 10 tomorrow?" Note the use of "qualifying language" in her request. For the male manager, it's more of an order, a command; for the female manager, it seems like more of a request. Eliminating these qualifiers may help change the perception of her male and female employees about her leadership style.
Think about how appearance plays such a part in assumptions, acceptance, and the re-creation of the usual stereotypes at work. If a woman takes a position as an administrative assistant, clerical employee, secretary, or receptionist, and she dresses provocatively (low-cut tops, short skirts, Saturday-night-at-the-club shoes, etc.) on a daily basis, in defiance of the office dress code or culture, what is the reaction from her co-workers? Some men may hang around to try and flirt, some men may roll their eyes and keep moving, and most men will ignore it and keep their focus on business. "But for some of the women in the office," says one of my female friends who works in healthcare, "out come the claws. We start calling her 'hoochie mama' or 'that bitch' behind her back, or make assumptions that she's trying to sleep her way to a promotion."
Angie Dickinson is best known for her blonde bombshell persona and being the star of the 1970s TV drama, "Police Woman." The show was one of the first featuring a female lead in a primetime drama. She once said, "I dress for women. I undress for men." Women who dress outside the formal or informal dress codes can find themselves ostracized by their female counterparts, and not know why. Perhaps their choice of clothing is intentional or unintentional; the results can be the same. They are labeled, shunned, and dismissed by their female colleagues. If this is true, and many women tell me it is, shouldn't a forward-thinking female supervisor, female HR employee, or more experienced female co-worker take this woman aside and explain the benefits of dressing more appropriately? A female colleague who works in marketing asks me, "Why don't women do this for each other?" already knowing the answer is complex.
Appearance plays a big part in female office politics, another female friend tells me. "I worked in an office where the really cute, skinny young girls called us older, heavier women, 'Shreks,' like from the movie. They had numbers for us, like, 'I'm going to a meeting with Shrek 2' or 'Give this to Shrek 5.' It was all very funny to them until we found out about it. Then the silent treatment began."
Can we agree that both genders in the workplace could benefit from more outcome-based communications (what's right versus who's right), less scorekeeping, and not holding grudges? Can female co-workers agree that being judgmental, using passive-aggressive behaviors, or gossiping about other women is counter-productive to their success? And can we agree that males and females at work would all benefit from more support, more patience with each other, and more social intelligence? The battle for civil treatment at work, between the genders and with them, continues.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8525534

How to Make a Natural Body Lotion

If you haven't tried doing one yet, I can tell you that it's really easy and fun to do. Plus, one great perk is if you get to make an extra amount, you can put them in cute little containers and give them as gifts to your family and friends. They'd love your creation and appreciate the fact that it's a healthy product as well.
So here are the things that you'll need:

• Three fourths cup of pure oil. Almond oil is what most people recommend because it's good in absorbing and doesn't leave a greasy feel. You can easily buy it in food stores as well.


• One cup of water or if available, rose water.


• Two tablespoons of shaved beeswax. Make sure what you buy is labeled shaved as most food stores have the plain beeswax. Moreover, other kinds of wax are petroleum byproducts.


• Thirty drops of essential oils. Do refrain from buying fragrance as it's synthetic. Lavender is especially good because not only is it aromatic, it also comes with healing properties for any skin type and can soothe sunburns as well.


• A covered glass jar for storage.

The things you'll need are just your blender, a glass bowl that's small or medium in size, a spatula and a little jar to store the lotion. Note though that the beeswax can leave some residues on both the blender and spatula so it would be better if you'll use them only for making aromatherapy products.
Procedure:
Part 1

• Pour the pure oil into a measuring cup. Preferably a Pyrex one. Add in the shaved beeswax.
• Set this up in a saucepan containing water that comes halfway up the side of the Pyrex cup.
• Heat until the beeswax dissolves then immediately remove from the stove.
• Let it cool for one to two minutes but not a minute longer as the beeswax would harden.

Part 2

• Pour the water or rose water into the blender and blend at high speed with the lid on. Make sure there's a hole on the lid's left side where you'll add in the oil and beeswax mixture so that it's combined with the water or rose water.
• As you pour the oil, the mixture will emulsify.
• You will see it start to thicken when three quarters of the oil has already been poured.
• Continue pouring the oil until it's completely incorporated into the water or rose water.

Part 3

• Add in the 30 drops of your preferred essential oil.
• Blend them to complete your lotion.
• Pour the lotion into the glass jar for storage.
• Wipe off any remaining lotion residue from the blender using a spatula.

This DIY lotion has a 6-month shelf life. Store it in a room with cool temperature or in your refrigerator so that it stays fresh all the time.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8524229

The Ideal Professional Network

We've all encountered people whose primary goal is to create a vast network of "contacts". They have an enormous collection of Facebook friends and they exchange business cards with everyone they meet, inviting one and all into their LinkedIn network. These folks super-size.
But what do their "contacts" actually mean to them? Do such collectors of contacts follow networking best practices and act as a resource? Would they even recognize many of their "contacts" if they ran into them at the grocery store? Too often, the answer is no.
I've had the experience of being sucked into the clutches of a super-networker or two and found that when I emailed an easy and uncomplicated question, my inquiry went unanswered. I eventually severed the associations, but I'm sure my absence is neither missed nor even noticed. Who can keep track of or maintain contact with 500 connections?
So I'm happy to report that there is data that supports my long-held gut feeling about networking. Apparently, when it comes to our network of relationships, size matters and smaller is better.
Robert Cross, Associate Professor at the University of Virginia's McIntire School of Commerce and Robert Thomas, Executive Director of the global consulting firm Accenture's Institute for High Performance, contend that the most effective networks focus on high-quality relationships, ideally with people who come from diverse levels of the corporate and/or socioeconomic hierarchy.
Cross and Thomas found that a properly functioning network consists of about 12-18 people. The ideal network provides guidance, exposes us to fresh approaches to decision-making and problem-solving, challenges us to achieve new goals and also gives us validation and encouragement.
A diversity of professional and personal interactions pays numerous dividends, socially and professionally. We get to meet and rub shoulders with those who've lived different lives and therefore have different values, perspectives and experiences. We learn how to become more flexible and resilient. Our decision-making capabilities improve because we incorporate additional information and we become better leaders and better business people.
Take a look at who you know and who you consider to be a member of your network. Who looks out for you and who do you look out for? Cross and Thomas recommend that we cultivate relationships in these categories:

• People who share or expose you to new information or expertise, e.g., giving the heads-up on happenings in your business environment. This person could be a client, or someone from the chamber of commerce or other business group.


• Peers in other industries, who can open your eyes to what other organizations consider to be best practices or smart business strategies.


• Powerful people, who can open doors, make introductions, cut through red tape, provide useful inside information and sponsoring.


• Those who know and validate your work and can provide feedback and challenge you to get better (client, peer or boss).


• Peers in a business similar to your own, but who are based in another geography, allowing you to discuss business strategy and not worry about competition.


• People who provide personal support, good friends and family you can call on when things go wrong and you need to talk.


• Outlets for spiritual and physical well-being: fitness, meditation, religion, volunteering, sports and hobbies.

As you review and perhaps revamp your network, look to include people who bring good energy, people who bring out the best in you. Build relationships with people who see opportunities and know how to reach for them. If you've been gestating an important goal you'd like to achieve, think about who in your network can help you get there? Is there someone you should reconnect with?
Most of all, remember that networking is about building and maintaining relationships, whether or not there is an immediate need to call in a favor. Reciprocity rules, so maintain contacts, reach out and reconnect to good friends and colleagues and be generous when they are in need.
Thanks for reading

3 Quick Tips for Networking and Building Relationships

In the midst of doing some business planning and strategizing, I came up with 3 Quick Tips to help you along your path to becoming successful in whatever business you are in. If you own a business and want to increase your contacts and grow your customer base, then these 3 tips should be able to help you in some way. Here we go...
Tip #1 ~ Know Who You Want To Connect With
There are many people who consider themselves to be entrepreneurs and small business owners, which means, there should be no shortage of people who you can connect with that has a business which provides some sort of service or product. However, you must consider and give much thought to what connections you want to make with each specific business owner. If you have a universal product that people from all walks of life can utilize or enjoy, then your networking opportunities are open to a very broad spectrum and you are able to connect with people from various business areas.
Example, I sell coffee and we all know that A WHOLE LOT of people drink coffee, no matter what business they are in. I also sell juniors and misses clothing, everybody wears clothes, but everyone doesn't wear juniors and misses clothes. With the coffee, I have a much wider networking base, than I would for selling clothing and here is why... A 50 year old man may buy my coffee, but he may not have any interest in buying a maxi dress in a size small. A 23 year old woman my come to me and buy clothes, and then she may see that I sell coffee too and buy both. Coffee: 2, Clothing: 1.
Tip #2 ~ Have a thorough understanding of the services you can provide
When you meet people and start networking, they will ask you what you do and some may even be as bold to ask, what can you do for me? Know what your answer will be and be willing and able to provide the answers they need. If there is something they ask that you do not know, DO NOT LIE!!! You may want to develop a relationship with this person for future business opportunities that may come your way, and if you start out your relationship with a lie, then you are setting that relationship up for failure in the long run. Take time to be knowledgeable about your area, audience or customers, terms and lingo, and your specific and unique contributions to that particular field or area. You want to appear at least somewhat knowledgable about your business. Don't wait until you meet a potential customer or future business associate to start thinking about what you do.
Tip #3 ~ Is your business life personal or have you made your personal life your business?
Social media has made almost everyone famous (who wants to be) and there is an abundance of people capitalizing off of this trend. YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter makes it easy for people you may never meet to know a great deal about you, what you do, what you like, what kind of clothes you wear, what kind of hair products you use, what sports team you cheer for and even your kids names and their life. With social media, there seems to be no clear line as to where the social ends and the business begins!
If your business venture (income generating business strategy) relies on the general public knowing so much about you, then go full steam ahead, but be cautious! There are still many people with cruel intentions and your willingness to reveal 95% (or more!) of your life, and who you are, makes you a much easier target. If you want to keep your personal life and social life somewhat separate, then keep it that way. You and your business can be as separate as you want and you can still be successful. You decide what, how and when you want to share with your customers about any facet of your personal life. But remember to keep the focus of your business in mind. Intense Social Media Sharing may not work for every business, but for some it is a must!

What Does it Take to Create a Profitable Email Marketing Strategy?

An email marketing strategy is like a long-distance marathon where-in, you will need to keep sending emails for several reasons including promotion of business, to create brand value, building customer relationship, and much more. The question is how to determine what an effective email marketing strategy should comprise of? There are several elements that control the effectiveness of any email marketing strategy and depending on the customer segment you are targeting and what your expectations are, you can tweak your strategy accordingly.
One of the best places to start is by formulating and identifying your customer segment. Identifying the customer will shape the content of the emails to be sent out. If you are targeting the youth then the emails should be informal in nature, peppy, talk about the future, and basically try and catch their pulse. If the target audience is between the age of 40 and 60 years then your email strategy should stress on the emotional quotient. Work towards building long and meaningful relationships, be sensitive and caring for their need, and send them regular discount coupons or discounts.
How your project your business and the company will depend a lot on how intelligent, informative, and innovative your emails are. This is also one of the important aspects to be considered while formulating an email marketing strategy. One of the other aspects that require attention is attracting the customer. What will attract the customer? Discounts, free products or items, festive discounts, bonus products etc are some of the elements that will attract your customer. Above all, check with your competitor to get an idea of what they are offering their customers. All this will help you create a strong email marketing strategy.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3048595

Making Emotional Connections With Your Brand

It is common knowledge that, as a professional and as a business owner, if you don't make an emotional connection with the other person, they will not buy anything from you. The same goes for your ability to form relationships with other people. If you can't touch them emotionally, they won't be interested in what you have to say.
The emotions make or break your success
When it comes to selling your offerings, without the element of emotion, you won't make any headway whatsoever. It is essential that you touch the person in some human way. As you are interacting with your potential client, their emotions (and yours) will be a significant factor in what they feel and in how they react to you. One hundred percent of the time, emotions are the drivers for decisions that everyone makes. It is those same emotions that will also cause the person to act on something, dictate his or her thinking, and take one person's side or another. In short, the person who is going to be doing the buying has to have some connection with you, your business, and your offerings.
The emotional reactions (and connections) themselves basically have nothing to do with logic. In fact, they are the opposite of logical. They come from the person's subconscious, not his or her conscious self. If you have developed and presented your brand properly, your target audience will want to buy what you are selling even if they don't know why. People always buy based on a feeling. If a person sees or hears about a product and it invokes a particular positive emotion, he or she will probably buy it. If a business can make a person feel something, that business can sell anything. The sky is the limit.
The essential brand
The world is full of products that someone feels he or she can't live without. That concept is exactly why businesses are successful. The reasons that brands (any brands) sell is because they make people feel a certain way. The particular brand may bring the person back to an earlier time, a time when the person was really happy for one reason or another. Those feelings leave the person wanting more of those feelings. If you can invoke that, you will be very successful.
If you can make your concepts surrounding your business resonate with your target audience, they will respond favorably to you and you have a good chance of their buying what you are selling. You need to appeal to the person on a very deep yet very basic level. There are many different ways that you can make emotional connections with your target audience.

• Your choice of words need to touch other people in a deeper way than merely showing them what your offerings can do from a functionality, benefits, and features perspective. You need to offer them your story and you need to make it clear where your passions lie and what you represent.


• Include others in what you are doing and in what you believe in. It is critical that your content is compelling, exciting, and valuable. You should make sure that your content is genuine and informative. Also, it should give the reader a clear message that you have the ability to solve his or her problems.


• Remain dedicated to your philosophy no matter what happens. It is critical to your success to do so. If you believe in what you are doing, other people will too.

Conclusion
With the amount of stiff competition that you have in your niche or industry, integrity is more important than ever. Make sure to always be genuine and helpful. If you are clear about being driven by the desire to help the other person before you even consider doing something for yourself or your business, it will come through and it will work to your advantage. Remember to always tell your story. People will relate to it and respect you for it. There are many different ways that you can connect emotionally with your professional connections. Each one is unique but each one links you to the other person on a deep level.

Michael Cohn is the founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of CompuKol Communications. He has over 25 years of experience in IT and web technologies. Mr. Cohn spent a significant amount of time at a major telecommunications company, where his main focus was on initiating and leading synergy efforts across all business units by dramatically improving efficiency, online collaboration, and the company's Intranet capabilities, which accelerated gains in business productivity. He also reduced company travel and travel costs by introducing and implementing various collaboration technologies.
His expertise includes business analysis; project management; management of global cross-matrix teams; systems engineering and analysis, architecture, prototyping and integration; technology evaluation and assessment; systems development; performance evaluation; and management of off-shore development.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8413917

How to Make Sales From Your Product Pages

One of the things all business owners and entrepreneurs want to know is how can you make more money with the things you're already doing, with things you have already developed and used.
One easy way to do that is to reuse and repurpose what you're already doing.
Well, there are some amazingly easy things you can do to add income almost automatically and instantly that you may have never thought of before.
If you have products, if you're an information marketer, and you sell products online, that people can then go download, from a webpage where they can watch or download your product, you should be asking them, on those pages, to invest in the next logical thing in your funnel.
It can be simple and pretty low-key. You just say something like hey, people who bought this product, the product you're downloading, or watching or listening to - the you're consuming right now, also invested in "the next thing you recommend" and have a link there for them to now go to the next place.
What's the next logical step after they've invested in whatever it is that they're consuming right now? It's logical, right? It makes sense.
If you aren't putting links there now you're leaving easy money on the table.
You use email sequences, you try to sell people via email and other ways, so are you also doing that in the more obvious places? - like the download page.
If you're not, it's pretty easy to go add that to the page somewhere.
You're simply suggesting the next logical thing for them. The next thing they need to succeed.
Amazon does it, right?
It's similar to the one-time only up sell, only it's there and you have multiple chances for them to buy, without you being pushy or really trying very hard to sell them. Think about this... if your client goes back to your website two or three times to consume your product, or to download the product, which most people are going to do because it will take more than one time to download or consume the course, you get multiple chances for them to say yes.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8419916

Gunung Merapi Bergemuruh, Slamet Meletus

Gunung Merapi yang berada di wilayah Jateng-DIY, siang ini (27/3) ini membikin masyarakat sekitar terhenyak.

Gunung api yang sangat aktif itu pada pukul 13.03-13.27 wib tadi mengalami peningkatan aktivitas seismisitas.

"Pada pukul 13.14 wib terjadi hembusan mengeluarkan abu. Hembusan karena adanya pelepasan gas. Saat terjadi hembusan kondisi  Punca tertutup awan. Sebelumnya terjadi suara gemuruh. Masyarakat merasakan guncangan," ujar Kepala Pusat Data Informasi dan Humas BNPB, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, Kamis (27/3).

Namn, lanjutnya, pada pukul 13.30 wib kondisi sudah normal kembali. Hujan abu terjadi di beberapa tempat seperti di Manisrenggo, Karangnongko (Klaten), Deles, Tegalmulyo dan Tlogowatu.  

"Status gunung Merapi tetap Normal Aktif (level I). Saat ini kondisi masyarakat normal. Masyarakat diimbau tetap tenang," ujarnya.

Sementara itu Gunung Slamet, kata Sutopo, masih terjadi gempa-gempa hembusan dan letusan. Namun tidak menunjukkan adanya peningkatan yang signifikan. Teramati 10 kali letusan dengan asap berwarna kelabu tebal. Tinggi sekitar 300-800 meter ke arah timur. Gempa hembusan asap sebanyak 75 kali. Status Waspada (level II).

Missing Malaysia Airline jet: still no wreckage found

Kuala Lumpur: Seventeen year-old Maria Nari is hurting and confused. “I don’t know what to say, what to think. I feel so lost, so blank,” she tweeted to her father Andrew Nari, the chief steward on MH370. “I’m just so tired. Goodnight, daddy. Sigh. Hugs.” Advertisement No debris has been found of the Boeing 777 in the icy waters of the southern Indian Ocean, prolonging a cruel wait for relatives and friends of the 239 people who were on board. Sensitive to the grief of family members, Malaysia’s prime minister Najib Razak has avoided declaring that everyone on board is dead. But when on Monday night he released calculations from the British company Inmarsat that the plane’s last confirmed position was over the southern Indian Ocean thousands of kilometres from land and running out of fuel, there was only one conclusion. “Although the news was most distressing and I was aware of the implications, I had to discharge my duty to the people and nation with full responsibility,” Mr Najib said on Tuesday. As angry relatives in Beijing vented anger towards Malaysia Airlines, the company’s chairman Mohamed Nor Yusof appeared at a press briefing in Kuala Lumpur to urge them to accept their loves one had perished. “We must accept the painful reality that the aircraft is now lost and that none of the passengers or crew on board have survived,” he said. Authorities in Kuala Lumpur have released a long technical explanation of the electronic “handshake” between the plane and an Inmarsat satellite that led to the conclusion by experts that the plane’s last known position was over the Indian Ocean west of Perth at 8.19am on March 8. Earlier a Chinese government spokesman had demanded full information on the evidence, appearing to question the conclusion. And Chinese journalists in Kuala Lumpur have been hammering Malaysian officials about delays in finding the plane, prompting an undiplomatic response from the country's acting transport minister Hishammuddin Hussein. “Can I also remind you that we received satellite data from China, regarding sightings in the South China Sea, which made us distract ourselves from the search and rescue to search areas that had already been searched,” he said. Without wreckage from the Boeing 777 family members will not have closure and many will cling to hopes of a miracle. Chan Fui Lee, 76, whose 46 year-old son Chan Huan Peen was on board, said he is ready to accept “God’s decision” but not until there is what he called conclusive proof. “As long as there is no photographic evidence I will continue believing in miracles, despite it being difficult to do so at this time,” Mr Fui Lee said. “It’s tough. But if it’s meant to end this way I accept God’s decision,” he said. Daniel Anding, 46, a cousin of the chief steward Andrew Nari, said the news of the satellite assessments “is something that we cannot accept because there is no evidence.” “Even a small piece of the aircraft would mean a lot to us,” he said. Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/missing-malaysia-airline-jet-still-no-wreckage-found-20140326-zqn5d.html#ixzz2x46sYB6i

Jokowi Belum Tentu Capres PDIP

Ketua Fraksi PDIP DPR Puan Maharani mengatakan, rapat kerja nasional (Rakernas) PDI-P awal September 2013, akan membahas sejumlah hal penting terkait Pemilu Legislatif dan Pemilu Presiden 2014. Namun, Puan tidak tahu apakah Rakernas akan membahas soal penetapan capres atau cawapres dari PDIP, termasuk menetapkan Jokowi sebagai capres atau cawapres PDIP. "Belum tahu apakah salah satu agenda Rakernas akan menyebut capres dan cawapres. Namun, tentu saja akan ada agenda menarik dalam rakernas nanti," kata Puan di Gedung DPR, Jakarta, Selasa (27/8/2013). Mengenai tingkat elektabilitas (keterpilihan) Jokowi yang terus menanjak naik, Puan mengaku sangat bersyukur. Menurut Puan, sebagai kader partai, Jokowi tentu harus melalui mekanisme PDIP, termasuk jika ingin jadi capres atau cawapres. "Sebagai kader, Pak Jokowi harus ikut mekanisme partai lewat PDI-P," tegas Puan. Lalu, apakah PDIP akan menunjuk Jokowi sebagai capres? "Belum tahu, dan belum tanya, karena itu keputusan Ibu (Ketua Umum PDIP Megawati Sokarnoputri)," tutur Puan. Karena itu, menurut Puan, belum diputuskan siapa capres dari PDIP. Sebab, harus menunggu Pemilu Legislatif dulu, baru kemudian memutuskan capres. "Bagaimana mau majukan capres kalau misalnya perolehan pemilu legislatif tidak cukup syarat," jelas Puan. Diberitakan sebelumnya, elektabilitas Jokowi terus naik dalam beberapa bulan terakhir. Hasil survei Litbang Kompas terhadap capres) yang dilansir Senin (26/8/2013) kemarin, masih menempatkan Jokowi di urutan teratas, dengan tingkat keterpilihan (elektabilitas) mencapai 32,5 persen.

Kasus Ade Sara, Potret Kegagalan Orang Tua, Sekolah, dan Masyarakat

Pembunuhan terhadap Ade Sara yang dilakukan oleh Ahmad Imam Al Hafitd dan Assifa menyentak nurani bangsa. Dua remaja tersebut melakukan perbuatan keji pembunuhan terhadap Ade Sara yang tak berdaya. Pembunuhan berencana tersebut dilakukan - secara amatir dan tak canggih sama sekali. Hafitd dan Assifa melakukan pembunuhan karena cemburu dan sakit hati - suatu alasan yang sangat bisa dipahami. Motif pembunuhan seperti ini sangat manusiawi dan dapat dimengerti secara psikologi. Lalu apa latar belakang psikologi yang mendorong mereka dengan gaya mereka mampu membunuh dengan darah dingin? Potret kita adalah potret orang tua kita. Anak-anak kita adalah potret kita. Perbuatan dan sikap anak-anak dipengaruhi oleh orang tua, keluarga, lingkungan. Orang tua menurunkan gen dan sikap serta karakter yang mirip dengan keturunannya dalam hal kecerdasan, kesabaran, sifat dan sikap. Keluarga sebagai lingkungan paling kecil memengaruhi kehidupan baik secara psikologi maupun fisik serta sosial. Kemampuan mengendalikan diri dan kebiasaan berpikir dan bersikap di lingkungan terkecil yakni keluarga akan memengaruhi kehidupan sosial di luar: sekolah, pekerjaan dan kehidupan bermasyarakat. Orang tua yang salah mendidik anak - bisa karena tidak tahu atau tak mau tahu - akan menyebabkan keluarga dan kehidupan keluarga hanyalah sekumpulan manusia yang kebetulan hidup dalam satu rumah. Kehidupan di kota - dan juga desa - yang cenderung orang tua sibuk mencari kehidupan dan tak memerhatikan kebutuhan akan kasih sayang, cinta, kasih, komunikasi, dan perhatian. Akibatnya, anak-anak menjadi kurang perhatian dari orang tua. Orang tua pun - yang kebanyakan menekankan pada kebutuhan fisik, makan, uang, gadget, pakain, mobil bagi anak mereka - melupakan fungsinya mendidik anak-anak mereka. Kebiasaan bagus makan malam di rumah bersama seluruh anggota keluarga pun hilang karena kesibukan - yang diganti dengan menanyakan makan di mana dan dengan siapa yang penting telepon atau kirim sms atau bbm. Mereka berpikir sekolah adalah tempat pendidikan dan pembentukan karakter. Padahal di sekolah yang terjadi adalah sekumpulan anak-anak muda galau yang sama-sama kehilangan cinta kasih dan perhatian orang tua. Di sekolah anak-anak itu mencari kelompok yang identik dengan mereka. Maka terbentuklah geng dan kelompok berdasarkan keinginan dan karakter yang mirip. Kasus kisah cinta Hafitd - Ade Sara pun tak akan terjadi jika didikan orang tua Hafidt benar; mereka berbeda keyakinan. Beda keyakinan yang samar diyakini antara melanjutkan hubungan atau mengakhiri sungguh sulit dihadapi oleh anak-anak remaja yang belum matang - yang sudah matang saja juga bisa melakukan pembunuhan atas nama cinta. Ade Sara sadar akan hal tersebut, namun Ade juga lupa - karena masih remaja dan labil - menjalin hubungan cinta dengan cowok yang berbeda keyakinan lagi. Nah, rupanya terjadi jurang menganga terkait keyakinan yang tak dianggap penting lagi dalam hubungan cinta: zaman dahulu agama dan keyakinan penting bagi anak-anak muda seperti kisah novel percintaan beda keyakinan dan bangsa atau suku. Kini, agama hanyalah hiasan - maka terjadilah kasus Asmirandah - Jonas yang sempat heboh - bagi KTP. Anak-anak muda kita sudah maju dan berkembang dalam toleransi beragama - atau potret kegagalan pendidikan agama yang tak teguh. Kegagalan pendidikan di rumah dan sekolah yang tak mendidik karakter anak didik; kurikulum pendidikan yang hanya mengarahkan anak-anak menjadi cerdas intelektual namun gagal menanamkan budi pekerti dan kecerdasan sosial - sebagaia akibat didikan di rumah dan sekolah yang salah - menyebabkan anak-anak muda menjadi asosial. Tampak di mana-mana anak-anak muda kelihatan gagah, cantik, cerdas, namun ketika diamati lebih jauh anak-anak kita ternyata tak lebih dari anak-anak muda yang asocial. Anak-anak muda itu tak memiliki kepedulian sosial sama sekali - akibat kehidupan di rumah, sekolah, dan masyarakat yang tak mendidik. Lingkungan masyarakat yang juga buruk - dengan pemenuhan kebutuhan fisik dan sikap hidup hedonis - membentuk anak-anak muda menjadi tak peka dengan lingkungan. Anak-anak muda memanjakan hidup mereka pun secara hedonis. Sekolah favorit dan mahal menjadi lambang kekayaan diri dan orang tua. Perlengkapan diri seperti telepon pintar, gadget terbaru dan mahal, laptop, computer, bahkan mobil menjadi lambang pergaulan - yang anehnya didukung sepenuhnya oleh banyak orang tua. Bagi orang tua yang keblinger, maka dengan cara korupsi kebutuhan anak-anak dipenuhi. Hasilnya, karena harta dan makanan yang diberikan kepada anak-anak kita, maka darah mereka mengandung darah neraka - yang secara psikologi akan memengaruhi sikap dan perbuatan anak-anak kita. Anak-anak para korupor 99% akan menjadi koruptor pula karena darah mereka dialiri oleh uang haram. Keadaan ini lebih parah lagi dengan adanya media - yang ada di genggaman mereka - yang tak terbatas dan tak bisa dibatasi lagi. Informasi apapun baik yang baik dan yang buruk dapat diakses deng dan batas jari saja; dengan jari-jari saja. Media baik film, televisi, media sosial, koran, memaparkan kemunafikan dan kehidupan orang tua yang buruk. Kasus-kasus pembunuhan, korupsi seperti yang dilakukan oleh Akil Mochtar, Tulek Wawan adik Ratu Atut, mantan Presiden PKS ustadz Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq, ustadz Ahmad Fathanah, yang dibumbui oleh aliran dana untuk para perempuan, poligami, perselingkuhan menjadi santapan setiap hari. Akibatnya, anak-anak muda kehilangan panutan dan arahan baik di rumah, di sekolah dan di masyarakat. Jadi, pembunuhan yang dilakukan Hafitd dan Assifa terhadap Ade Sara merupakan kesalahan orang tua, sekolah yang tak mengajarkan budi pekerti dan sopan-santun, masyarakat yang munafik dan korup, media yang bebas dan pendidikan yang gagal di keluarga, sekolah dan masyarakat yang korup.

Missing Malaysia Airlines plane: What happened to MH370?

Two passengers on the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 were travelling on stolen passports and bought one-way tickets, it has been confirmed, as authorities, including the FBI, investigate whether the disaster was the result of a terrorist act.
The aircraft, travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing and carrying 239 people, went missing well into its flight Saturday morning. Nearly 48 hours after the last contact with Flight MH370, mystery still surrounds its fate.

Italian Luigi Maraldi, whose stolen passport was used by a passenger boarding a missing Malaysian airliner. Photo: AP

Whatever happened to the Boeing 777 high above the South China Sea, it was quick and gave the pilots no time to issue a mayday, although there were reports that another Malaysia Airlines pilot flying ahead of the missing flight had managed to contact the plane at the request of air traffic control authorities.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/missing-malaysia-airlines-plane-what-happened-to-mh370-20140309-34fqa.html#ixzz2vY8Qi4LU