Mortgage Information

Here’s some more wisdom from my friend Tony Rush of Liberty league …..*********One of the most common phrases you hear in MLM is “this is an opportunity where the average person can create success”.Not true.The truth is that “average” people never create great success. There’s no such thing as a business where the “average person” can become wealthy. Or where the “average” person can become a massive achiever. It’s never happened. Why? Because “average” people never do anything unusually good. That’s why they’re called “average”. I think it’s more accurate to say “We can show you how to become a very UN-average person.” Because, only when someone becomes ABOVE-average….they’re never going to have anything but average results.So, now the more empowering question becomes: What does an ABOVE-average person look like? How do they think? What do they do? How do they behave? What are they engaged in?Here’s a list that I saw on another forum that I’ve paraphrased. I thought it was thought provoking. I’m sure that the professional victims and the politically correct will disagree and that’s ok. They’re usually the hardest people to please anyway. ===========It’s been said that your income will grow in the proportion to the degree that you grow as a person. MLM is a personal development program with a pay plan attached to produce leaders, and the harder you work on yourself the bigger your pay check will become. Are you the charasmatic leader yet who will in turn attract other leaders to you? Are you average or above average? Average people stand in front of cash registers. Above average people own the cash registers and collect the money. Average people have to “see it to believe it” and thus, seldom move ahead on faith. Above average people understand that you “have to believe it to see it” and makedecisions based on their confidence and faith in their abilities.Average people complain about the weather. Above average people carry their weather with them where ever they go. It’s always “sunny”! Average people work for a wage of $20,000 to $50,000 per year. Above average people leverage other people, people’s money and people’s energy. And get rich. Average people play “not to lose”Above average people play to win. Average people are pooped by five or six o’clock and hit the couch with a TV dinner. Above average people get their second wind by three p.m. and go until they can’t go any further. Average people always ask, “how much will that cost me”? Above average people always think, “what’s the value to me?” Average people say, “It costs HOW much to get started?”Above average people say “How much money can I make in the first month?”Average people avoid counseling with their sponsor. Above average people have business intuition and savvy and leverage the leaders above them. Average people will take anybody into their downlines and fight over people. Above average people sometimes deny people access to their cause. They are selective. Average people sleep 6-8 hours a night and wake up ornery. Above average sleep just enough to get by. Maybe 4-6 hours per night. Too busy to sleep*************If you have anything to add ….. feel free to leave a comment.

[#2: Edit Options>MightyAdsense>Adsense Code]

These numbers may be a bit dated …. so I hope some Send Out Cards (SOC) rep will graciously reply with comments adding more information. Anyway ….. from my buddy George Marsh:———————-This information was actually told to us at the Convention/Launch last August but have been since updated. None the less truly an amazing story!Snapshot of growth:Canada4300 cards mailed in February 20066100 cards mailed in June 12,782 cards mailed in OctoberUnited States2004 - 150,000 pieces of mail sent 2005 - 750,0002006 - Predict 2.5 Million Cards (as of today Nov. 6, 1,600,000 sent. Nov. anticipation 300,000 and Dec. anticipate 700,000+)Australia is catching on Canada111 cards sent in Sept to Australia. The Greeting Card Industry#1 American Greetings, #2 Hallmark #3 Paramount Cards with 400 employees and $24,000,000. Million in Sales.#4 Send Out Cards with 25 employees and projecting $10,000,000 in sales for 2006 SOC $2.8 million in sales 2005$10,000,000 in sales 2006Predicting $90,000,000.00 in sales for 2007Greeting Cards are an 8 Billion dollars a year industry. Studies were done to show that the average person in the US mails 7 Greeting Cards a year, and when asked how many they should have sent, they believed that they should have sent 70. The reasons given for not sending cards are; cost, inconvenience, and they have to go and buy stamps. Basically too much trouble. SOC offers solutions. We haven’t had a price increase in two years, and don’t expect one for two years, said Erik.In fact our price has been decreased with enhancements. Goal is to hold that .31 cent point.Company is looking at another building for Spring 2007 New phone system, being added this week for better service. Company is close to the card volume needed to make shipments to Eastern and western Canada, cutting the mailing days by one or two days.Here is a comparison that we feel will be Send Out Cards in the next year or two.Story…AL Williams - when Art Williams started this company and promoted Term Insurance over Life Insurance, he was laughed at. What happened as it turned out, Al Williams turned out to be the # 1 Insurance company in the world in two years.In October there were 1100 new Distributors enrolled, at the time of this call Nov 6, 06 there were 16,000 Distributors enrolled to date. Eric predicts by Spring we will be up to 20,000 - 25,000 distributors.Capacity for SOC cards sending currently with no machines down is 180,000 cards a day, if one machine goes down they can put out 120,000 cards a day, and of course, it’s just add on more machines to keep up.The company is debt free.Largest day has been 20,000 cards sent.Currently people can be distributors in US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Singapore, Australia, but cards can be sent to and from anywhere in the world, with cost of stamp for that country. Example .72 cents U.S. stamp to UK, .42 US stamp to Canada.Vision of Send Out Cards is to have cards sent around the world translated in a few years.Growth for the company over 300% over last year, and we haven’t hit critical mass yet.

[#3: Edit Options>MightyAdsense>Adsense Code]

My friend Tony Rush just has a knack for sharing lightening bolt wisdom in the most practical way. I really enjoy and always learn from his “story telling” approach. Read on folks …. here’s another tidbit from Tony.Hey Joe! Please Don’t Answer My Ad!The other day I saw someone selling a product called “The 10% Conversion Rate”. It wasn’t a network marketing product…it was a copywriting product on how you can get 10% of your web visitors to opt in.Sounds good. If you’re a salesperson. On the other hand, if you’re a network marketer who’s selective about who he/she wants to work with….if you like to sort your “suspects” before you speak to the “prospects”….then this might not be for you.I want my response rate to be…..whatever it’s supposed to be. I don’t care. Obviously if my website didn’t produce any leads, I’d have to make changes. That’s not my point. My point is that — whether my website converts at 1% or 5% or 10% is irrelevant to me.I’m interested in the PERSON, not their number.Because if that PERSON isn’t a match for who I’m looking for….then I’ll have wasted my time by calling them up.Does this make sense to you? If 20 people go to my website and I only have 2 or 3 people who request information…..that’s GREAT! I love that! Because that means my site is doing what I need it to do! It’s pre-sorting people and disqualifying some people!Here’s another example. The voicemail on my toll-free number is recorded in a way that I make it clear I’m only looking for a certain kind of person. No job-hunters.No people who are looking for “something for nothing”.No people who would be satisfied with $2,000 a month.I’m fairly clear about who I’m looking to work with.And I teach my team to do the same thing. So, when Thomas called me up last week and said, “Tony, I’m concerned. I had 14 people call my toll-free number but only 5 of them left messages”……..I said “GREAT! That’s perfect! That’s 9 people who have disqualified themselves and now you don’t have to waste your time talking to someone who already knows that this isn’t for them!”To me, this is the best use of technology: letting it “sort” people so you don’t have to do it yourself.So, if I were selling widgets online….or selling ebooks….or whatever…then, yes, I might want the biggest “conversion” rate I can get.But I’m not in traditional “sales”. I’m in network marketing/direct sales. I only want to spend my time with a certain person. And having a higher conversion rate doesn’t necessarily help me reach that objective.Make sense?

I received this in my email this week from a friend …. don’t know who the original author is. But they’ve hit the nail on the head. A web presence is defintely a must …. and these tips are right on target. Follow These Fundamentals to Create or Improve Your Online Web PresenceEveryone accepts that having a good web site is the “pay-to-play” of today’s businesses — no matter how small the business. But if you’re home-based and on your own, how do you create an effective web site without paying an expensive web designer? Here are the ten fundamental steps to web site success that won’t strain the technical expertise or budget of the home-based business owner.1. Feature SelectionStart by creating a list of features for your web site. List the things you know you want. Search Google for companies like yours. Visit their sites and add features you like to your list. Deciding on web design software is an important step towards getting online. You’ll spend most of your time in this software during your web project. Spend quality time intelligently choosing software that meets your site’s needs and match your abilities. 2. Web Design SoftwareDeciding on web design software is an important step towards getting online. You’ll spend most of your time using this software during your web project. Spend quality time choosing software that meets your site’s needs and matches your abilities.There are many software packages that build web sites, from simple browser-based wizards to Adobe’s DreamWeaver. They range in capabilities, flexibility, price, ease of use and the technical expertise required to use them. Many people believe they need a professional product. These can do anything, but come at a steep price. Professional software is very complex to learn, understand and use. Unless you’re technically astute and willing to put a great deal of time into learning the technology, you likely don’t want this option.Basic products are the wizard-based web builders that hosting companies offer. These can work for one- or two-page sites, but they quickly reach their limits and are not appropriate for a business site. Do not use an online web site builder. Business software features “what you see is what you get” (WYSIWYG) editors that will typically hide the underlying technologies from you. This enables you to concentrate on creating your site instead of on how to force the software to perform. The better ones will accept third-party features; will integrate the components necessary to create and upload the site to the Web; and will automatically manage the hundreds of files involved. Some include hosting, some offer optional hosting, and some even offer domain name registration.Most web design software is sold on the Web. Read their sites, watch their videos, read customer testimonials, and view sites built with the software. Most importantly, try the software. The better vendors offer a free 30-day trial period. However, some disable their trials. Don’t try disabled software; you need to know how well everything performs. If you find a glitch, call their technical support. You’d be surprised how often a misunderstanding is solved with a quick phone call. If you can’t get help or don’t like the software, stop and try another. 3. Technical SupportHere’s the most important factor in your decision — buying the software and other products and services you’ll need from companies that offer telephone support. You’ll need this not because building a web site is difficult, but because it’s new and different. Most vendors offer free telephone support, some charge, some offer no phone support, and some have no support at all. Your web site will become a large part of your business. Various aspects of your web site will be subcontracted to vendors you’ve never worked with, and you need to be able to talk directly to them as you do your current vendors.The host is where your web site resides. You upload it from your software to the host, where it becomes available on the Internet. Hosting is critical to your business — if your host is down, your site isn’t on the Web. Look for reliability, stability and longevity in a host. Forget price. Hosting prices have fallen dramatically. You can get hosting for a few dollars a month. Don’t look for the cheapest. 4. HostingToday, hosts all offer pretty much the same features. If you’re going to have lots of videos or sound, you should consult with the host to see what size hosting plan they recommend. For everyone else, 1Gb is plenty.You also need 24/7/365 telephone support. If your site goes down, you need someone to call immediately. Remember your online store is open 24 hours a day, everyday, worldwide. Look for a month-to-month hosting agreement; not a multi-year plan. If you have a problematic host, you may be reluctant to change because you’ve already paid. At $3.00 per month for two years, switching isn’t a huge loss, it is $72. An unreliable host could cost thousands! You want a host that’s existed for at least five years and owns its equipment. You do not want a host that’s an affiliate of a larger host. These smaller companies resell the host’s services under their own names, and they may not be able to provide the support you need. Your host will give you information about how to upload your web site. You’ll get an FTP address, a user ID, and a password. Keep this information in a safe place.5. Picking a Domain NameA domain name is the address of your web site on the Internet. If your web address were http://www.mysite.com, mysite.com would be your site’s domain name. Get a name that matches or closely matches your business name or service type. There are millions of domain names in use. That means many are taken and unfortunately no two names can be the same. Your host probably provides domain names. Some types of web software offer hosting and domain names from within the software itself. This simplifies things and adds a level of compatibility between components. Domain names are registered for a period of time. Don’t let your domain name expire, or you could lose it and your online store. Once expired, others can get your name. Only register a domain name with a registrar who has, you guessed it, telephone support. If you forget to re-register and you can’t contact your registrar, you could be in big trouble. Regardless of where you get the name, you’ll enter the name you want with a .com at the end. You’ll get a list of names that match or are similar to your request. Choose the best or continue your search by entering another name. Keep the contact information about your domain name registrar in a safe place along with its expiration date. It could be a year before you need it next, so make it an obvious, safe place.6. Selecting an E-Commerce PackageE-Commerce, or shopping cart, enables you to sell products and services online. There’s a spectrum of carts each with different features and levels of difficulty. Carts are usually easy to set up and use, and the drag and drop variety are the easiest. You’ll want an easy-to-use cart to start with, but that doesn’t mean feature-less. Many carts with sophisticated features are very easy to use. A cart has many components, and the cart vendor will provide some or all. There’s a product catalog; a cart page that summarizes the products they’ve chosen; registration pages for contact and shipping information; and a page to enter payment information. Carts depend on a credit card gateway service. You never see it, but it sends the order information to the credit card’s bank. The bank approves or declines the purchase. Upon approval, a confirmation page is displayed on the site, and the funds are deposited in your bank. The cart vendor provides the gateway service.With some easy carts you’ll create the product catalog by adding photos, text and an Add-to-Cart button for each product. The easiest will enable you to drag and drop the Add-to-Cart button. This eliminates the need to deal with any programming.As your product catalog grows in size, you’ll find that keeping it up to date is a chore. This is where a database-driven carts come in. These enable you to enter the product information into the database instead of on your pages. To edit a product, log onto the cart’s control panel. The cart creates the web pages automatically. Database-driven carts can do shipping and tax calculations automatically. You can also sell subscriptions and gift certificates, take donations, and sell downloadable products like software, PDF files, photos, music, videos, and so on. They include extensive reporting, send confirming e-mails and receipts, accept major credit cards, e-checks, PayPal, and other forms of payment, and enable international sales. The drawback with a database cart is your pages may not look the same as your site. For some with many products, that trade-off may be fine. The 24/7/365 telephone rule applies to the cart as well. This is the pipeline through which your cash will flow.7. Site Content You already have most of the content for your site: logo; corporate ID; photos; marketing copy; testimonials; and policies and procedures. Gather these together and their digital files. Get the jpeg files, Word files, photo files and the source files from the programs that created them so you can modify them. Organize the content by page: Home page; Product Catalog; About Us; Contact; Policies; and so on. Put all of the files on your hard drive in appropriately named folders.8. Page DesignA template is a head start in creating your site. Your web software may have templates. There are lots available on the Web. Get the HTML version of the template, not Flash or Photoshop versions. HTML templates are “sliced and diced” for you. The others require a lot preparation to get web-ready. Don’t look for a template for your industry, but one that’s visually appealing. The template will be customized with your content. Of course, you can design your own page without a template, which is what most people do.9. Creating PagesThe Home page is where visitors come first. Put everything on it that you want: graphics; buttons; and text. If using a template, replace everything that needs replacing with your content. Duplicate that page, and then delete the things that are specific to the Home page. You’ll then have a template with the design elements that are common to all pages. For each page, duplicate your new template and add the page-specific content.10. Search Engine Optimization A search engine’s goal is to provide highly relevant pages to visitors. They have determined that the text on the page is one of the best indicators of relevance. Search engines read the text on your page. For each word, the engine analyzes font size, heading style, text style, vertical position on the page, and frequency of occurrence.Make a list of keywords that describe your business and products. Use these keywords as much as you can since frequency counts. Optimize pages that make sense like product pages and the Home page, but not a contact information page.People believe “meta tags” are required for high rankings. This was true in the past, and adding them won’t hurt. But what’s most important is the text of your page. There are various techniques devised to “trick” search engines. If you know of any tricks, don’t use them. The search engines ban sites that attempt to trick them — for life. Off and RunningFollow these ten fundamental steps, and you’ll be off to a great start with your online business. Heed the warnings, and you’ll avoid the trouble many get into. Now, stop reading this and start planning your web site!

At Beyond The Stuff we’ve all made a commitment to take certain days to blog. Yesterday was my day. (www.beyondthestuff.com)I missed it.I did try. I sat down and started to write. But all I could come up with was this:“God help me. God help me. God help me”.Why? Well, because I live with a son who has been diagnosed on the Autism spectrum. And when we are feeding him 100% organic, no preservatives, limited dairy, glutten, wheat, and he takes all of his 12 vitamins a day and is on NO sugar, and exercises every day, we live a relatively normal life.When we have Halloween and I cave to his thousands of requests for pop tarts and other sugar infested crap, our life takes a nose dive…. like it did recently.The stress can get so bad because my son can’t sit for more than a minute at a time. I can’t get him to eat, I can’t get him to get dressed and my beautiful, funny and charming son has his own agenda, and mommy and dad often lose their cool.Luckily, we understand that ALL parents need breaks, but especially those with challenging situations… and I had off last week, so I gave my husband a few days “off” where he got to stay with my parents to just relax and focus on whatever he wanted to.Today is a different story. Things have gotten better. The sugar is coming out of his system and the exercise and the low stress/stimulation in our home is working. And most importantly, God did help me. And how did He help me? By sending amazing people my way to support me.. in so many ways. But here is an example of complete amazing support…“I’ve been on set the past couple of days but just wanted to send you some strength and positive energy. I can’t relate to what you’re going through, but I do sense in you a unique resolve to handle even the most challenging circumstances. Sending you my best. Peace”,“Hi Mary; Sorry you’re having a rough time. . I can imagine that it must be very hard for you. (It makes raising my 3 teenage boys seem e-z.) If you want to talk on the phone, please let me know. Hang in there.” “I’m right there with you, Mary.Here’s praying the help continues to come showering down upon you!!!” “I am sorry that you are having such struggles in your life right now — butI know that if God is with you, you will overcome whatever life throws at you. “With God nothing is impossible.” You and I both know that, but sometimes it takes a lot to really know and trust it. The hard part is applying it to our lives, to put it into action. May I offer one thought? You are not failing at life right now…you are succeeding at standing while the tempest of life swirls around you. Having the ability just to stand, in the midst of the storm, is a very courageous thing to do. And, even more courageous because your child depends on you to do so. Actually, I am moved and impressed at the way you are standing. So,not a failure at all. “Be still and know that I am God,” is the requirement of the day. “Mare, hang in there, you’re doing great things and you’re helping so many of us parents know that there are others out there who understand so thank you”. “Mary, please feel free to use our mountain house anytime you guys want to get away”So you can imagine how great I feel today. In addition, my son’s teachers have been extra helpful and understanding with us being late, and with me bringing shoes and socks because he couldn’t put them on without freaking out this morning, and to top it all off, my darling, sweet mom came and cleaned my house yesterday.These are the things that are important to a person who are dealing with a chronic disability or going through a tough time.Here are the things that have helped me:1. Just a kind word that I’m doing the right thing2. Extra prayer support – and they really do it.. don’t just say it!3. Words of wisdom and understanding… or just told me to SHARE and VENT.4. Help with my HOUSE5. Help with my child- mom did homework with him… WHAT a relief! (And another family offered to take our son for a weekend… which was so generous… and VERY tempting! )6. Gave my husband and I an opportunity to get away.. as a family or as a couple7. Bought me lunch – and gave me an opportunity to just get OUT and feel NORMAL.Were any of these expensive? Nope! They took time, and effort but not a lot of money.. the most was lunch….. and that was about $10 and can I tell you how grateful I was!? Immensely!So today I sit here thankful, that I have friends and associates who are really, really good human beings. They took a minute out of their day to share their warmth with me and support.. and it has been amazing.So now, because I’m so grateful, I have ½ hour and I’m going to send notes to people who I know that I can support.. and tell them that I am praying for them.. and that I care for them.I saw this poem lately that also gave me strength:Happiness keeps you sweet.Trials keep you strong.Sorrows keep you human.Failures keep you humble.Success keeps you glowing.But only God keeps you going!And God provides us friends! Thank you everyone! You got me through.

Have you ever taken a look around your company and wondered what in the heck the other people were doing to bring in so much business to the company? You may feel that you’re on equal ground with the other sales person or people, but for some reason they are way ahead of you in the numbers in sales. What is it? Do they drink a magic potion every morning? Do they have a better territory or do they just have better customers?Here are some questions to ask yourself to see where the gap is:Are you a master at your craft? Consider the length of time that you’ve been with the company. Do you know everything that you can about your product and your service? How are your relationships with those within the company? Are there people who can do you favors, even for your clients, that you should get to know better? What about your competition? Do you know them inside and out? Do you know their weaknesses and their strengths? Do you know how to get a sell away from them in a tactful manner by emphasizing your strengths where they are weak?What time of day do you get in the office versus your co-workers? Are you wondering in the office at 8:30 or 9am and settling in to have your coffee? Are they at the office at 7:30 and getting coffee and catching up on the news an hour before you even get into the office? Are they on the phones already when you’re just getting ready to look at the paper? Consider getting in earlier or planning your day the night before so you can get into the office and start communicating with your clients the second you get to the office. How much is email taking you away from your work? Are you spending part of your day reading jokes, and watching YOU TUBE videos that are entertaining, but are keeping you away from your work? Did you know that even if you DON”T read your emails, just having to delete them is taking valuable time away from your work and making a profit for your company? Consider putting everything in the JUNK file that doesn’t pertain to business and put a sign on your desk that you’ll only check email 1x an hour or late in the day. See if this addiction that has hit most people in America can free up some of your time.Have you had instability in your life this past year? Have you had major stress or changes in your life? Has anyone closed to you died? Have you changed jobs? Have you moved? Have you gone through a major life transition like a divorce or become and empty nester? Has anyone close to you been relying on you emotionally and you feel drained? Sometimes, our emotions can be dragging us down and we don’t even know it. If this happens to be you, consider getting in a therapy group or counseling, or finding a support group to help you process these changes and the emotions that follow. You can be doing everything you’re supposed to be doing in business, but the sadness you feel might be leaking through your attitude. Get support where you need it. None of us is an island and no one expects anyone to go through tramatic times completely alone.How is your attitude? Are you depressed that your sales are sagging and you get down about that? Are you angry about something at work or do you have problem clients that you’re trying to avoid? How is your relationship with your boss and those in the office? Your attitude may be negative if you’re going through a slump and it’s going to take dramatic measures to get your attitude back in a place that is positive and care free. Consider listening to motivational tapes every morning on the way to work , in your car or when you get up in the morning. If you’ve got the news on, you’re probably getting more negative messages than you are getting positive messages, so you need to take control. This tiny step can change your sales figures literally overnight. For a great resource go to: www.nightengaleconnent.comAre you a gabber or a closer? How much time are you spending socializing and reading or doing busy work versus spending time with your top customers or reading about sales or learning about your product? Start putting a clock by your desk to monitor your phone conversations and evaluate where your spending your time throughout the day. If you’re socializing more than your making calls to customers or working, then it’s time to alter some of your habits. If you need to connect with others emotionally, schedule 15 minutes a day to make your personal calls and keep them short and sweet. Time management is one huge area to be constantly on top of for long term success.What are you listening to? What are you reading? If you spent 1 hour a day listening to a motivational tape or reading a book to enhance your learning, in one year, you’d probably triple your income by learning success secrets of the superstars. Go to the library and check out books and tapes. Turn off the radio and TV and start educating yourself every day. Trade great books with others, and keep a book with you at all times so when you find yourself standing in line or waiting for someone, then you can use the time wisely. You can become an expert in your field and 5 others in one years time!Are you getting enough sleep? Often times we might get into bed in plenty of time to get a good nights sleep, but spending time with Jay Leno is often more enticing than turning off the lights. Eating well, exercising and sleeping enough are basic self care items but if one of these is unbalanced, then your body isn’t going to have the energy to keep it going when things get slow. The body will slow down and stop and then it takes 2x as much effort to get it going. Make sure you get at least 7-9 hours of sleep, drink plenty of water, take your vitamins and exercise at least 3 days a week.I’m Unorganized but I know where everything is. Organized Chaos? That’s just an excuse for those of us who don’t have great organizational skills. And when you’re not organized, you spend precious time looking for things and trying to GET organized. What you need is a good system. So sit down with someone who can help you get a system in place, and then do your best to implement it and use it every week. Some sales people have an administrative person come in weekly to file, or to throw away things that aren’t useful any more. But they keep on top of things and it helps them throughout the week. This precious time saver can not only save time, but loads of frustration.Are you in the wrong field? . Is there a chance that you stand on the sidelines longing to do something different and feeling jealous that you’re in the wrong field? If this is you, no matter how organized you get, you might never have the heart, soul and passion for your job. This might take some time for you to discover your true passion, but it can be done in mini steps by talking with others in other professions or at other companies, going to the bookstore to see what subjects intrigue you, and by searching the internet for other careers and jobs that might suit your personality better. Try things out first.. read about them, and study about them and then talk to people who are doing them. Perhaps you might have to take a salary cut to start a new career, but in the long run, you’ll be happier with doing what you truly WANT to do, rather than just working to bring home a pay check.

Okay.. how do I say this lightly? Ummm OUR YOUNG BOYS ARE GROWING BOOBS!!!I know.. it’s disgusting! But it’s true! A few weeks ago in Orlando Florida I went to a YMCA swim meet. I’d say now about 1 out of every 5 boys over the age of 10 is now growing tiny buds that are like a little girls. Then, when they get to be about 15, they’ve got breasts.. they’re small but they are definitely breasts!Even the boys who are in good shape and muscular all everywhere else, have swollen nipples or tiny breasts that just look strange. Many of these kids are overweight and so the over all look is more chubby and looks better.. but MAKE NO MISTAKE..WE HAVE A PROBLEM!!!PARENTS… especially of kids who are under 16 – you have to feed your kids organic food as much as possible. I checked in with a few parents and grandparents of these kids and told them point blank what I was noticing. They noticed it too but just weren’t really sure. I said to each, “oh, yes.. be sure.. your son has grown breasts! Many of the boys are… and you have GOT to get him off of whole and regular milk”. Most of these parents told me that their boys guzzle milk like it’s going out of style. No, it’s not organic.Is it just the milk? Is it the hormones in all of the other food like the meat and cheese? Perhaps it’s a combination, but after seeing all of these sweet and innocent darling boys with BREASTS, you can better believe that my son is going to be eating and drinking organic whenever possible!!!PLEASE send this letter on to EVERYONE you know who is raising a SON! SAVE your children from this humiliation and embarrassment. However, I’m guessing if we don’t stop this epidemic, that someone will be designing a male bra that will end up being cool.Hey.. I should call the BIG IDEA and pitch it to Donnie!!!Seriously, it’s an epidemic, and I haven’t heard anyone talk about it. Send this letter to your news outlets and lets let people know what a national crisis we’re facing. Or we’ll be growing SHE MEN in the US, while the other countries laugh at us.Here are a few things we can do:TELL EVERYONE TO SAVE OUR KIDS!!! PASS THIS LETTER ON!!!BUY ORGANIC for them.. and ask the schools to buy it too!!!!Bring your kids to a local swim meet where you have hundreds of kids in their bathing suits.. and see for yourself and let your kids see what will happen to them if they don’t go organic!Make your kids take VITAMINS –Omega 3, 6,9, B6, B 12, Magnesium, and a multivitamin. Having the good stuff in the system can off set a bit of the crap we’re feeding them.GET EDUCATED! READ LABLES. When you put preservatives in, you’re hurting their brains, and their bodies.Please feel free to send me your stories of any boys who are suffering with this embarrassing situation. It only takes one person to scream loud enough to wake others up!!! I’ve got my hands full.. but can you be that person?Send stories to Mary Gardner at marymarco1@aol.com and put in the title- MALE BREASTSComments:”Boys go through hormonal changes that cause this. Have you spoken with a pediatrician?” dgMary’s comment- “My pediatrician is the one who told me that food has nothing to do with ADHD… after trying everything else with my son, and then finally changing his diet to organic and little white bread and added about 10 supplements every day.. I have a totally new son! No one can ever tell me that lie again! Food and vitamins have EVERYTHING to do with the symptoms he had. And I never saw male breasts on kids when we were growing up. And I have always been a swimmer… so I would have noticed!”Comment from LYNN:Hello Mary Gardner!Are you up for a friendly rebuttal?! I read your article and could not helpbut share a few thoughts with you…Thrilled to hear Jeremy’s great progress with KK — hope to see you soon.And “hi” to Sway.Best regards,LynnP.S. Email me the info about your party — love to come.*******************As I was reading your article I wondered whether my shoulders would be broadenough to take on yet another burden of responsibility for one of mychildren having a condition (a “disgusting” one at that!) that I could haveprevented simply by making better food choices for them.I am a proponent of natural medicine, organic foods, and healthy lifestyle,especially for our children. In recent years, I have applauded my friendsas they question the traditional medical community, not only about theover-use of antibiotics, but about diagnoses of varying proportions,cheering and encouraging them to take control of their own and theirfamily’s health and medical treatment. It is exciting to see a new kind ofmedical practice taking shape in our country; one where many patients areaccepting the responsibilities of maintaining a healthy body, mind, andspirit. Quitting smoking, eating better and smaller portions of food,taking yoga, getting that annual PSA or GYN checkup are all examples oftaking this responsibility seriously. Can we agree that pesticides are bad?Absolutely. Can eating organic foods, thus reducing our exposure to toxicelements, make a difference in our overall health? Yes. Is there a newphenomenon of adolescent boys growing breasts because of exposure tohormones and pesticides in the foods they eat? No. Relax your shoulders,moms and dads.The truth is, development of breast tissue in adolescent boys is calledpre-pubescent gynecomastia, and affects up to 70% of boys. Due to theincrease of all types of hormone levels caused by the onset of puberty, theliver is taxed to process all of the hormones. What the liver can’t processturns into estrogen; thus, boys may temporarily develop breast tenderness,and/or small buds. It is not uncommon for one breast to be larger than theother. It is not abnormal for the breast tissue to feel like a small lump,and very rarely is it anything bad, like cancer. In most cases thesesymptoms will resolve in one to two years. Children should be reassuredthat this is a normal and common, though not well-known, part of puberty,and can be encouraged to wear a swim-shirt or T-shirt if they areself-conscious. A confirmed diagnosis of gynecomastia can be made by adoctor if the child or parents are concerned. Obesity can contribute to anincrease in the size of the breast tissue. With the epidemic increase ofobesity in our country, it is likely that what you are noticing amongadolescent boys at the YMCA is more evident than in years past, butgynecomastia is nothing new, and our sons are not “growing boobies.”Limiting their exposure to growth hormones and pesticides can help reduceadded strain to the liver that is already being overworked by processing theraging hormones in their bodies brought on by puberty.In addition to pre-pubescent gynecomastia, there is a condition calledadult-onset gynecomastia. One article I read stated, “Recent increases inthe use of steroids, certain anti-depressants, acid reflux, blood pressureand prostate drugs are causing a wave of adult-onset gynecomastia.” Othersources also cited various illegal drugs as causes, including marijuana,heroin, and cocaine, as well as alcohol consumption. Also, excessiveamounts of soy in the diet could be a culprit (soy is full of the femalehormone, estrogen). For the inquiring mind, there is a great deal of bothmedical and support information available for this disorder. I am attachinglinks to several websites for more information on gynecomastia.As parents, we have plenty of things to worry about concerning our children.Thankfully, many of us are well-educated on the benefits of limitingexposure to pesticides by eating organic foods. We are also fortunate tohave access to a wealth of vital information at our fingertips via the web.Along with that, however, comes the added responsibility of discerning validdata from that which is not, and determining whether and how we communicatethat to others.For more information on gynecomastia:http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA365092http://www.drpaul.com/adolescent/breastenlarge.htmlhttp://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/47127.phpor search “boys growing breasts” in your browserLynn GreenCOMMENT- “Love the comment.. and I’m wondering who did the research, and who supported these doctors to give all of these stats? I”m sorry.. but this is just NOT normal. Well, maybe it’s normal for today’s standards.. but when “we” were growing up… there weren’t any boys having hormonal changes like what you’re telling me is normal today. Doubtful these kids parents are using drugs as one article suggests… and I’m noticing male breasts on kids who are skinny and in shape!! So it’s not just the fat or overweight part.I’m guessing that we’re becoming used to seeing it.. and that it isn’t as alarming to the teens of today b/c they’re used to seeing it.. but for a mom of an 8 year old.. who is just now seeing boys without shirts for the first time.. I’m completely SHOCKED that other people aren’t freaking out like I am. I don’t want to make the kids feel badly.. it’s not their fault and I”m not blaming the parents.. but I am trying to wake people up to say.. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.. stop feeding our kids HORMONES in the meat and the milk!!! “FURTHER COMMENT AFTER TALKING WITH Dr. Kirti Kalitis of Center for Integrative Health and Medicine of Orlando (medical + homeopathic physician)I spoke with Dr. Kalitis and shared with him my observations about the boys.. and he said things I wasn’t surprised about. 1. It’s controversial within the medical profession and “this subject” is pretty much off limits in public!2. They’ve changed what is “normal” versus what is “not normal” to keep up with the changes in the kids bodies. But.. he said that there are way more children with symptoms than what the medical profession is stating. He asks.. what is really normal and what is abnormal? This is the debate now… homeopathic versus medical profession. 3. The homeopathic profession is all over it.. … and attribute it to the bovine hormones in the milk and meat, and the PLASTICS believe it or not. Also, the amount of SOY in the food products is creating extra estrogen in the systems. This is found in many soups and canned foods. The latest issue of Natural Awakeings.. the local alternative magazine has a big article on the changes of kids and the foods to avoid. 4. He’s glad people are talking about it.. its the only way people are going to create changes!

If it already feels like your online business is lagging in last year’s dust, keep in mind that it’s normal to fall behind in the race. However, it’s absolutely possible and critical to pick up the pace of your marketing strategies and increase your chances of taking the lead.
But where do you begin and how will you know what to do? The key to Internet marketing and the path to web success in 2009 is anticipating customer needs and making every second count for your business on a daily basis.
Here are some other suggestions of what companies, large and small, should look out for in 2009:
Blogs Will Expand in Importance and DistributionThis year will be all about how a company fights its way through a bad economy. What better way to reach your target audience than provide quality content that is easily accessible and leaves a reader wanting more. Blogs create a community within your field of interest and work to spread your brand. Don’t blog to advertise, blog to help customers by providing informative material.
Don’t Underestimate the Power of Social MediaMore than ever, Internet-users find it convenient and amusing to maintain social networks and professional relationships through sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and FriendFeed. If your online business does not have an account with all, if not one, of these sites, then now is the time to make one. It’s a great way to establish new connections and provide links to your site to help reach your target audience and increase sales.
Does Mobile Marketing Have Potential?Whether consumers will respond and communicate to businesses via cell phone is worth experimenting with since a large percentage of companies used text and multimedia messaging last year. It’s an effort towards new ways of reaching loyal consumers and potential customers. Text SMS Marketing is one of many options that could be right for your business or at least a beneficial look at what your competitors may be using.
Be Open to ModificationThe spirit of New Years is all about second chances, predictions and making resolutions to improve current conditions. This kind of growth requires change. The cyber industry is evolving at an increasingly rapid pace, so your marketing strategies and web tools should evolve too.
TeamWork Builds Web SuccessThe Web Success Team specializes in building and marketing direct response websites that take full advantage of the latest developments on the Internet. The Team has an arsenal of effective web strategies, online tools and proven techniques to promote your products and services. And we’ll show you ways to increase the amount of qualified traffic to your site through the expanding “social web” and how to convert visitors into buyers at a high rate of return.

The current recession and the ensuing loss of jobs and financial insecurity can be very scary, if not devastating, especially given the size and scope of this economic downturn. As a business owner and a consultant who coaches companies on organizational effectiveness and improving efficiencies, the recession has affected me on a number of levels.  I recognize that the best practices I normally recommend to clients are just as relevant for my own firm, and even for our family facing the worst economic crisis in memory.
Like any traumatic or life changing event, dealing with the recession has many stages that one goes through:
1.   When the shock hits remember there is always Hope
When the bad news hits, whether it about job loss, potential bankruptcy or just tough economic belt tightening, we all begin to function in a state of shock. The first reactions are, “How do I process this…How should I react…What do I say to people?” Then, as the news starts to settle in, the next questions become, “Can we get through this and what should we do next?” It seems like most of the people, governments and organizations around the world have been functioning at this level through the last quarter of 2008…in a state of shock.

Hope can be like a ray of light that can guide you out of shock and help focus on decisions and positive actions that are required. Hanging on to hope can be difficult with the media blasting the latest doom and gloom statistics each day. But, being realistic is key. Don’t bury your head in the sand, hoping that the economy won’t affect you. Instead, a positive sense of realistic hope can help propel you to proactively seek out opportunities to survive and potentially prosper in this difficult time.

2.   Take a critical and realistic assessment of the situation
Too often, companies just react, cutting a percentage of their workforce or expenses. In the case of governments, they throw a ton of money at the problem, without really doing a proper assessment of the situation and the impact their reactions will have on the future health of the company or country. It is critical that you better understand how to address the challenges you face by going through your own Discovery Process. As in a traditional SWOT analysis, review your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Assess what has been successful or not in the past. Explore and look externally for ideas and potential solutions that might work for you. Seek out information by talking to experts that can help you deal with your specific challenges.
3.     Develop your Roadmap
Develop a vision of where you want to be and compare this to where you are today. This will help you identify the gaps that will provide the foundation of your roadmap. A roadmap helps determine your “best fit” course of action, based on your circumstances and vision. It outlines the strategies that you should use to help you get a new job or help your company through the economic slow down.
Planning your course of action in detail with milestones and contingency plans to help you keep the course, especially if things get more difficult. Part of your plan may include major cuts in expenses to deal with the short term situation, but this may put your business at risk, have serious side effects or make recover that much more difficult. Other solutions should be considered, including moving to more cost effective methods. For example, moving some of your marketing budget from traditional media to modern social and digital media can help save significantly on overall costs. Another strategy is to review your current processes and structures to look for opportunities to improve effectiveness. Technology can also play an important role in helping to make your firm more efficient. Today, using supportive technology doesn’t have to cost a lot. There are many online Web applications that help companies improve their operations without having to invest significant dollars in technology.
4.    Tap into Support Networks
A wealth of knowledge, expertise and support exist outside your doorstep. Professional experts both free and paid for can provide valuable resources in helping guide you through the difficult times. Today there are so many ways to access free information and support. The Internet provides an endless array of Web sites, blogs and podcasts dedicated to providing helpful information on every topic imaginable. Outsource expertise to fill internal business gaps without investing in additional headcount. Tap into social media and join associations or groups to share information and ideas for solutions. Or create a group yourself. Use mentors who you admire and trust. This could be a career counselor, successful entrepreneur or inspiring business leader. Listen to advise from caring and supportive people – surround yourself with positive energy that helps support a proactive approach to dealing with your situation.

5.    Take Time to Recover and Rebuild
Recognize that the journey you are on can be educational and result in real positive change for you and / or your business. Take stock in these changes so you don’t lose perspective when things get back to normal. Celebrate the small victories as you go along. This will help you maintain the momentum needed to get through the difficult times. Take time out to rejuvenate. Too often we are so focused on the end goal of getting ourselves out of the situation that we put ourselves and our organizations under incredible stress which can be very harmful in the long term. Once the economy begins to turn around, reassess the situation and begin to plan for your recovery.

     Facebook.  I first joined Facebook about 6 months ago to see if my son’s friends were “on” and if they were ”networking” with each other.  I wanted to be the mom who knew the scoop, who understood the online scene.  I created a very bland profile, which basically meant I signed up with my name and my email.  There was no photo of me, no additional contact information, no personal data.  I just wanted to see if this was the new hot spot for the eighth grade set.  I wanted to know what the cool kids were doing, what was “in” and what was “out.”  So once I was officially logged in, I hit the ”search” button  and typed in my son’s name.  Nothing.  I typed in some of his friend’s names.  Nothing.  I tried a few days later.  Nothing.   Eventually, I forgot about it completely.    Until Thanksgiving, when a friend of mine asked if I had a Facebook account.    ”I think I might,” I said, “but I don’t use it.  I opened it to see if Jono’s friends were using Facebook.”    ”Jono’s friends aren’t using it,” she said, “but all of our friends are.  Go on tonight and see.”    ”Huh,” I said, noncommittally.  I remained uninterested.  I had been bored with the concept when I had first perused the website.  I might take a look, I thought.  I might not.    That night, I was up late.  I pulled out my laptop and searched “Facebook.”  I logged in, guessing at my password.  I was right.  There I was.  .  . A blue portrait head representing me on my profile.  Christy Chafe.  Nothing special about her.  But. .  . what was this?    ”You have nine friend requests.”    Now, that’s kind of fun. . .  I clicked on the requests. . .  Diana from Book Club, Anna-Liisa, who had mentioned Facebook just this afternoon, a couple of my brother’s friends, some high school friends.  I clicked to accept the requests.  Confirm, confirm, confirm, confirm.   Suddenly,  I could access my new (old!) friends’ profile pages on Facebook, and I was stunned at what I found.  There were photos and conversations and quizzes and lists of favorite things.  Hey. . . I have favorite things, too.  I started to panic.  My profile was so blank, and it had been for six months.  And these friend requests had been ignored, just sitting there, ignored.  Quickly, I downloaded a picture to replace the blue Facebook head on my page.  I updated my interests, my education background, my favorite quotes, books, movies, music, and activities.  I breathed a giant social-networking-sigh of relief.  I was not a blank profile.  I was a Facebook Someone.    I searched friends and invited them to be my Facebook Friends.  I took some Facebook quizzes.  I emailed people and added “Music I Like” to my profile.  What if someone searched my page and wanted to know my favorite song?  I certainly didn’t want to disappoint them.  By 3:00 A.M. I was Facebook Fluent, and I had an up-and-running profile.  I was as addicted as I could possibly be.      There are those that are less than enamored.   Those that would consider Facebook a time-waster.  I’m sure, to some degree, that this could be true.  However, after my major overdose on that first night, I now enjoy checking my profile in the late evenings.  I am still completely amazed when someone from grade school or high school finds me and we re-connect.  I get a kick when I read that “Rayo is a fan of Skyline Chili, ” or “Jimmy and his baby are watching the Bengals and both are crying.”  On Facebook, it is totally fine for you to join a fan club of a food, a movie, a person, a cartoon, a piece of furniture, a cloud formation, or a bad smell.  Where else can you send virtual gifts, virtual snowballs, virtual elves, gnomes, buttons, bumper stickers, fish, plants, hugs, kisses or drinks to your friends?  Some of these virtual operations exist to save the planet, fund a charity, raise awareness, or just promote feel-goodness, and truly, I think it all works.  I love opening my account and seeing my “notifications” blinking:  two friend requests, one snowball request, two Christmas gifts.  That doesn’t happen in real life.  And it might not happen on Facebook in the junior high set.  It happens on Facebook over 40.      ”Who do you talk to on Facebook,” asked my son.      ”Mrs. Edwards,” I said.    ”You talk to her everyday anyway.”    True enough.    During the election, Facebook offered political outlets.  I could decorate my profile with “yard signs” for my choice of candidates.  Facebook members could join groups in support  of (or against) candidates and issues.  I could attend ”Facebook Election Day” and if I wanted to announce for whom I had voted, and when I had voted, I could.  Election day was tracked on Facebook all day.     My parents are now on Facebook.  (As my brother questioned, “Is that even allowed?!)  Lisa is Facebook friends with my parents.  My brothers are both friends with Lisa.  Lisa, Cindy, and I are all friends.  We are all also friends with Dee and Eve.  Cindy just “friended” my parents.  Lynn, my best friend from second grade just joined Facebook and all of our high school friends are on and chatting again, together.  Madeira High School, Class of 1986–fan of Friendly’s Restaurant?  I think so.   Is Facebook a bit of an escape?  Yes.  But also, I believe it is a real vehicle for reconnecting with my past.  Friends are providing me with memories and stories and laughs that bring me moments of great joy, that remind me of bits of myself that I might of forgotten, or bits of themselves that I once really enjoyed and am so glad to remember.  I have found (or been found by) theater friends, college friends, old neighbors.  One of the most lovely connections have been some family members that live so far away that I used to only see them every few years.  Now we chat every few days.    On Facebook, my favorite feature is the “update your status.”  It might say, “Christy is writing a blog,” or “Lisa is contemplating going to the gym.”  It gives me a little snippet into the lives of my friends and family.  I have heard of people who update far too often. . . like, “So-and-so is wondering how that lady got her parking space,” and then, “So-and-so is not really happy with her parking space.”  I don’t think status updates are meant to be updated every 6 seconds, but on Facebook, to each her own.   If I had to create a status update right now, it would read like this:  “Christy really enjoys Facebook.   If Jono and his friends are on Facebook she would never know.  She is too busy playing with her friends.”