General Articles

Cashflow Notes

Cashflow notes investing is one of the best ways to make money if you are willing to work hard and put forth the effort that is required. The cashflow notes industry has been around as long as people have been buying and selling property or anything for that matter. It is not a new fad and it is not a trend that is going away. It has a long history and it has a huge future. You can be a part of that future only if you have some good business sense are the tenacity to learn it along the way.

It is important to recognize that brokering seller carry back notes is not an “Easy” business necessarily. It is one that will require a lot of time and effort and possibly a good investment in cash to get you on your feet. You may have heard from a television commercial or similar ad that it is easy but don’t be fooled. If you want to make money in the cashflow business or any business you best start by accepting that nothing easy is ever worth it.

Running your own business will require quite a bit of time before you will start seeing a return. If you truly want to learn what it takes and you are seriously interested in not only running your own business but willing to do what it takes to run that business then you have a good chance of making money with it. Attitude is 90%. If you have the right attitude then you can make the cashflow business work. If you have only a strong desire to make money but don’t want to accept that it will not happen right away or you want to believe in the idea that the cashlow notes business is easy then you are already wasting your time. It is vital that you decide to commit to it as you would with any other business and give it what it takes.…

CNA Training: Tips and Advice

CNA training courses involve classroom time and hands on practical training. Successful training leads to CNA certification and therefore you become a licensed nursing assistant. The training helps you to be well equipped so as to handle many crucial roles in health care industry and routine patient care in medical facilities. Graduates of this field in health industry are in high demand, since every day the number of patients in the hospital increase significantly.

The entire CNA training course can be completed within 6 to 12 weeks, or about 120 to 140 hours of theoretical studies and practical training. During practical lessons, the trainees take care of actual patients as part of the course. After passing the training course, the CNA students are required to pass the state licensing test in the state they wish to work in. Once the training is over, you can start working immediately after acquiring your license. However, some people start working when the course is almost over, but under strict supervision.

There are several training options that you can opt for, to become a Certified Nursing Assistant. You can go for on-site, campus training or online courses. On-site training helps the students to get practical education and work closely in laboratories with other students and instructors. Online training on the other hand, has an advantage of that, it is flexible and has a wide variety of training opportunities. Campus training involves classroom training in a reputable school, whereby, the trainers and the trainees have a face to face classroom relationship. Whichever training option you choose, you should be prepared for the course that you have laid out.

When researching on CNA training program, you should know that the programs differ from one state to the other. Among the skills that you are supposed to be trained on include: operating different medical equipments, feeding patients and checking vital signs and symptoms. Furthermore the training should give you skills on how to physically lift patients, help them walk, turn them in their beds, and even help them use the bathroom. First aid training is also very important in becoming a successful CNA.

There are many reasons why many people are opting to do CNA training. First, the growing demand all over the world whereby, as population increases every day, CNA job opportunities are increasing as well to offer balanced services to all. The demand also comes with improved income, with average CNAs earning between $20,000 to $30,000 per annually. The training also provides a preview of nursing career experience and therefore students who are interested in this career can decide if they really want to follow their career path before investing several years in a college or university.…

Positive Reasons For Studying Engineering at University

Engineering is one of those subjects that at first appears to be very practical and hands on. And indeed it is! But it also requires an awful lot of academic skill and technical knowledge too, which makes the engineering industry very lucrative indeed. Engineering should thus be regarded as a highly important and challenging subject to study, and one that if studied well, can lead to a good job with great remuneration potential.

Within the realms of the engineering industry, there are lots of different activities and skill areas that you can pursue, and not all of them actually require you to have solely studied Engineering at University. Jobs in fields such as research, development, design, manufacturing and operation of products and services are all available within the world of engineering. Having a solid academic background in these areas, or having undertaken study that allows you to demonstrate how you have these skills is the perfect way to get into the engineering industry. You’ll find that the jobs available within this field are intellectually stimulating, pressurised and challenging, delivery-focused and thus ultimately provide a real sense of satisfaction.

Another solid reason for studying Engineering is that the chances of you securing a job after University are high, as demand for good engineers is high in practically every country in the world. Indeed, unemployment amongst professional engineers, even during this time of recession, is lower than almost any other profession.

Furthermore, you don’t have to go on and pursue a role that is specifically in Engineering after the completion of your Engineering degree. Studying Engineering at University can lead to a vast number of career opportunities in other sectors and industries including; electrical, civil, marine, chemical, software design and implementation, systems, information, communication and manufacturing. Again, within each of these sectors, there are job opportunities in research, design, development and tests, as well as management, production, marketing and sales. And research shows that individuals with an academic background in Engineering seem to go on to be hugely successful. Indeed, professional engineers stand a better chance of becoming a chief executive than any other profession; they outnumber accountants by three to one!

Interestingly, securing a degree in Engineering seems to lead individuals towards higher and further education. There is a real trend in further education statistics that demonstrates that students with an undergraduate degree in Engineering appear to be successful in pursuing further education opportunities. So your student days don’t have to end at the completion of your degree. If you think that you fancy continuing with your educational study by pursuing a Masters Qualification or even a PhD, having an undergraduate degree in Engineering will set you up perfectly.

The world of engineering is exciting, fast-paced, moving and dynamic. New materials, technologies and processes are being developed all the time. Couple this with the increasing globalisation of engineering and the fact that there are always new markets on the horizon, and you’ll find that …

What Is the Next Big Change in Store for the Music Industry?

The future of the music industry is becoming more and more blurred with each passing year making it difficult to foresee the future. Technology has changed the industry by allowing what was once a digital hoax to be a virtual reality. In the late 90s we were still saying how horrible the digital recordings were in comparison to analog. Now we cannot tell the difference between waves digital plug-in of the Neve console and the real deal. Amazing!

This has allowed someone who has knowledge of engineering and mixing to compete with the best studios in the world in their own living room or now on the road with their laptop. Many artist are recording their albums on the road while they are on tour. A track in a new city and motel. This has given the indie artist the stones to put in his sling shot to slay the big giant industry.

With that being said this does not even begin to tell the future or describe how the need for big studios have come to an end and many of the most legendary rooms are no longer in use. We have a whole generation of kids who have no need for vinyl or Cd’s. They download free from torrent sites. This has made it more difficult for both major and indie labels as CD sales are becoming less and less.

Musicians are now having a more difficult time making a living because of this. Many artist that I have been working with have been discussing the change of media. Will there be a need for CDs at all? Will we just put it on a thumb drive? The White Stripes did a cool marketing deal with a thumb drive that looked like Jack’s girl but it did not seem to sell as well as they had hoped.

So as we look in the rear view mirror to see our past and how CD burners and digital recording workstations changed the music industry what is the next big change for the future? I believe it is the cell phone. The iPhone has revolutionized the way we look at things now. With 4G technology just around the corner we will be able to download anything right to our phones without needing WiFi. Can you imagine? This will change the music industry forevermore and probable television too. Multi media is so easily available to us now. People are not satisfied with just a song now. They want a video or live interaction with the artist. This will force everything to move in a whole new direction and the creative artist will thrive with all the tools in his hands.…

Oil and Gas Industry of India – Opportunity for Investors

The oil and gas industry is amongst the six core industries in India. This industry is a major factor for the growth being witnessed in the Indian economy today. The natural gas and petroleum sector, which is inclusive of refining, transportation, and marketing of these products, contributes about 15% to India’s GDP.

Exports from petroleum are the highest in terms of the foreign currency amassed and accounts for 17% of the total exports. The Economic Affairs Committee gave 44 oil and gas blocks for exploration under the New Licensing Policy. These allocations will bring investments worth US$ 1.5 billion in this sector.

As this is an ever growing sector, investment in oil and gas industry promises a great deal.

Investment Opportunities

• Refining: India is rising as a potential refining hub because the capital costs are lowered by 25-50% here in comparison to other Asian countries. India ranks fifth in the category of refining. Its share is 3% of the capacity worldwide and is going to improve further by 45% over the next 5 years. This is in accordance with a report compiled by Deutsche Bank.

• Retail: A surge in the automobile market has led to investments for extending the petroleum sector. According to Keystone, a US consultancy, the automobile industry is poised to grow to 20 million by 2030. This makes India the 3rd-largest market for automobiles worldwide. Thus, the need for more petroleum and petroleum-based products is going to rise further.

• Gas: The power and fertilizer sectors in India drive the demand for gas in the country. They use 66% of the total gas produced. The demand for gas is set to grow; thus, the natural gas share in the overall mix is projected to rise from 8% to 20% by 2025.

The investments by public sector oil companies is going to be US$ 11.33 billion to expand supplies and build new networks for transportation of oil and gas.

The policies of the government are a further boost to foreign investment in this industry.

These are government initiatives

1. 100% FDI is allowed in private refineries via the automatic route and up to 26% in government-owned ones.

2. 100% FDI is also granted in cases of petroleum products, gas pipelines, exploration, and marketing or retail via the automatic route.

3. It has also abolished the administrated pricing policy.

4. With NELP (New Exploration Licensing Policy) it has helped encourage further explorations for oil and gas reserves in India.

Growth Prospects

India’s energy sector will be instrumental in providing avenues worth US$ 120 billion to 150 billion over the coming 5 years. As per the Investment Commission, the opportunities in the oil and gas sector are projected to reach US$ 35-40 billion by 2012.

Another reason that investments in this sector can be useful is that crude oil coming from the Middle East region can easily be transported to India. Also, India offers cost-effective refining technologies.

As …

How the Indian Fashion Wear Industry is Emulating the West

Indian fashion wear has been constantly evolving, thanks to foreign traders, western colonialism, and Greek and Islamic invasion. However, Indian fashion industry’s forte lies in its free-wheeling nature that aids absorb and transform anything foreign into truly Indian so much so that it becomes very difficult to identify its true origin. Today, the India fashion industry is driven by customer choices as well as globalization of Indian economy.

Various reasons for western influence on the Indian apparel and costume industry:

Open-minded culture coupled with cultural diversities:

India is a multilingual country inhabited by multi ethnic groups. The best part being each group has its own unique style and type of dresses and costumes. Indian Fashion designers are known to interweave these diverse fashions and lend an amazing Indian touch to them.

Winning of beauty pageants on international platforms:

In recent years, Indian women have been doing the nation proud by winning many international beauty pageants and naturally their style of dressing has highly influenced the ladies fashion /ladies apparel industry in India. The dresses donned by these participants are a blend of Indian and western wear. Commoners openly ape their role models and this eventually becomes the latest fad in the general fashion wear industry in India.

Indian Movies – a big influencing factor

Indian movies are known to leave a lasting impression the minds on Indians. In fact it affects everyday lives. People blindly emulate what their role models are wearing. And with movies following the western patterns of dressing it is natural for the ordinary folks to imitate them lock, barrel and stock.

Wide scale impact of Globalization and Liberalization:

Indian imports from the west have also made it easier for Indians to keep a track on the latest fashion clothes and accessories ruling the Western men and women’s wear market. Incidentally, Indian fashion industry has been drawing even western buyers. Needless to say, the fashion fraternity in India have willingly adopted western designs keeping in mind both the Indian and western sensibilities. Furthermore, liberalization has led to the beaming of western soaps that hinge around western style of living. The Indian denizens have taken a liking for such soaps to such a great extent that they don’t mind adapting the social and cultural changes and western lifestyles as well.

Overseas Education and employment opportunities:

The craze of going abroad and pursuing higher degrees has also brought about a perceived change in the fashion and lifestyle of young Indians. Indians consciously imitate the western style of living so as to make themselves attune to the lifestyles of the foreigners, so in case if they need to travel abroad they find it easier to adjust and move on with their lives. Moreover, employment opportunities have also attracted many young men and women to leave Indian shores and make a living for themselves in foreign lands. This naturally calls for a change in fashion style to suit the foreign sensibilities.…

Fraternization As a Challenge for Security Companies

Fraternization is a huge challenge and coaching opportunity for security companies. As security guards are assigned to different posts, they are often dealing directly with the client’s employees and customers. Security guards like all human beings are social animals and will build relationships with the client’s employees and customers. That can lead to many different problems. Although post orders will specifically require random searches or checking the employee ID of each employee, security guards will treat employees they have a relationship with differently. That will often result in other employees complaining about being searched or asked for IDs while others are just allowed to walk through the checkpoint. In worse cases the non-adherence to post orders can result in serious security breaches.

Building relationships with people where security officers are assigned definitely has its benefits as well. Communication in cases of emergency or when a problem has to be addressed is much easier. In case the security officer makes a mistake the client is more likely to be understanding. Security guards will provide better service, because they feel more comfortable in their environment and clients will appreciate the better more personalized service.

Security guards have to be coached well by field supervisors and security consultants regarding fraternization. If the security officer is assigned to randomly search employees as they leave a factory, the field supervisor should stress the importance of the randomness of the searches. For example if every third employee is supposed to get searched it should be done without exception. If the security guard decides to make changes to the procedure just because he has a good relationship with one of the employees it will not only upset other employees, but it will compromise the security of the facility. We were providing security services at a manufacturing facility recently. One day one of the designers got laid off and on their way out they decided to take some designs with them. The security officer stopped him, because his post orders asked to stop anybody from leaving with documents. The designer insisted on leaving and tried to convince the security guard by stressing their long-term relationship. Nevertheless, the security guard did the right thing and insisted on calling his supervisor. If the security guard did not stop the designer it would have resulted in a huge loss for the client and most likely he would have lost his job.

Supervisors and security consultants must be familiar with the post orders and responsibilities of the guards working for them. They must be able to foresee possible conflicts of interests that may arise from security officers building relationships that may affect their judgment. Security consultants and field supervisors should encourage positive working relationships, but should also stress that post orders should be adhered to at all times despite of relationships. They should constantly monitor their guards and replace guards if they feel that their judgment has been compromised. Awareness of the problem of fraternization …

Tax Subsidies For Housing: An Ongoing Debate

Subsidies are provided by government as a form of assistance to a certain industry. This means that tax subsidies for housing are a form of assistance to the real estate industry in order for it to thrive. The industry badly needs it today. This is due to the continued fall of property values. The number of foreclosed homes is still on the rise and more and more homeowners are becoming upside down with their mortgage.

Tax subsidies for housing have been a friend to many homeowners. However, many also find this unfair, as a great percentage of taxpayers’ money goes to the housing industry when the money can go to other forms of investments. With the economy shaking, many feel that the tax subsidy on housing should be put on hold. The argument for this is never ending because many homeowners will be affected once it stops.

How tax subsidies help?

Many dream of owning a home but not everyone can afford it. Those who belong in low-income level will not be able to qualify for mortgage loan on their own. This is where the government comes in. The government backs the mortgage loan application of the said individuals through subsidies. There are several programs by different government housing agencies that provide aid to various groups of homebuyers to make properties more affordable.

Tax provisions favoring housing:

When you check the tax provisions, you will find a multitude of accounts supporting this. You find several deductibles in favor of the housing industry. The mortgage interest is deductible. There are also set of deductible items for local real estate taxes. Another is the exclusion of the capital gains. These tax benefits are all part of the scheme to encourage homeownership.

With such provisions, the government is losing a lot of money. Collectively, the deductibles could sum up to a great amount, which the government can use in other forms of investment or projects.

What many argue is that other forms of investment are not getting the same aid from tax subsidies. There are no similar provisions for investing in stocks and bonds. These forms of investments are just as promising. Many experts theorize that such extensive subsidy for the housing investment is among the reasons why the real estate industry is in its current shape. Almost everyone is given to the chance to purchase a house, even though the property may not be affordable base on the income these individuals earn.

Should tax subsidies for housing stop?

Again, many will be affected when this is removed, especially in times like this. It benefits a lot of homeowners as well as individuals who want to own a home through the different government programs. The best thing to do is to study the tax provisions carefully and recommend better provisions that will also favor other forms of investments.

Tax subsidy for housing has definitely helped many homeowners. Thanks to the many government backed programs and tax …

How the Recession Affected the Hotel Industry

What is a recession? A recession is when the economic activity falls and the gross domestic product decreases for two consecutive quarters. Who was affected by a recession? The recession has affected most business from all over the world including the hotel industry. The less affected hotels were those in global markets and those that give out their services to leisure travelers. Leisure travelers continued traveling every year even during the recession.

As we mentioned above, the least affected hotels were those that cater to leisure travelers. On the other hand, business travelers changed their perspective on the amount of money to spend and the amount of trips to make. Some businesses are canceling meetings which are usually held in another country and are instead made using technology, like video conferencing. Video conferencing is quite cheap considering the expenses usually incurred when traveling which include flight, accommodation, food etc.

The most hotel businesses that had to change their traveling plans were those from the United States and from United Kingdom. Europe seems to have been less affected by a recession. Travelers continued traveling normally during this period and only saw a slightly less amount of traveling bookings made

How to survive a recession?

– Write a business plan and project how you are going to market and plan business expenditure correctly during the recession.

– Implement aggressive marketing. Make travelers think that they need to travel. Do your market strategy correctly and you will see good results.

– Cut out any unnecessary costs and invest in good expenditure.

– You may opt to rent equipment if you need to purchase new ones, it will be cheaper.

– Make on-line research, and surveys to check out and consider your competition. What do you need to do to win over them and keep clientele happy and maybe generate new businesses?

– Keep your current customers happy. Customer retention is very important since it will generate new business in the future. Previous customers will return back and will also spread the word about your hotel.

– Know your strengths and build on them.

Be smart in your business, carefully inspect every aspect of the running of the hotel and you will survive a recession.…