Nov 29

How to Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking

Public speaking is stressful for the majority of people. However, the fear of public speaking, or glossophobia as it is called, is more serious in some than others. Many of us would love to dodge the problem entirely, but in some cases it’s absolutely unavoidable. For instance,
 giving a toast as the best man at a wedding or a college presentation leaves you no choice but to just go through it. The good news is that there are effective methods to help improve and correct your fears, allowing you to give great speeches. Here are just a few things to help you do this:Relax.Start off the process by relaxing yourself. Most people believe that certain things in life are stressful, and public speaking is no exception. The truth is, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to give nice, polished public presentations. The people you see giving speeches in front of large groups of people seem to have it down, but keep in mind that they too once started being terrified to speak. Their hands were trembling, voice felt as if it would give out, and there thoughts were cluttered in their mind. Does that sound familiar? If so, just know that they were able to eliminate their fears and so can you. Everyone is human, and if they are capable of doing something then you are too. Be confident with yourself. Change Your Perception of Public SpeakingA public speaker is an idea, almost like a job, and many people strive too hard to bring forth certain qualities that are necessary with being a public speaker. However, that’s not the way to proceed. You’re not trying to be a public speaker; you’re trying to be yourself. The majority of public speeches have gone wrong because the speaker tried to be something or someone that they’re not. Speaking in public is one of the few times that you can fully be yourself in the presence of others. Otherwise, your audience will see right through your false personality. Make your speech feel natural.

Nov 3

Broadband Basics for the Home and Road

Broadband Overview and Security TipsFirst off, let me begin by saying just how far this area of technology has come in the last few years. There are four main types for home, mobile or small business.1. DSL (digital subscriber line) is run thru your existing phone line. Connection speeds from 268 kbs (kilobytes/second) to 8 mbs (megabites/second, 1 megabytes=1000 kilobytes) for normal use. Speeds are “caped” at different price points for the plan you choose. Speed and
 availability are also determined by the distance you are from a phone company switching station. You can go to your phone company’s web site to see if it’s available to you. You can also see if any independent offer it in your area. There are several sites that check this and show you offers that might be in your area. You can find them by searching “DSL isp” (internet service provider) at your favorite search site.This technology as we know it today started in the mid to late 80’s, with the base technology in the 50’s. There are new versions and speeds becoming available as ongoing improvements. There are also systems that have dedicated lines. T1 lines are more expensive and not practical for most home users, so I won’t cover them.2. Cable runs in with your cable TV. hookup .The first cable modems came on the market around 1999. Speeds are capable of up to 20 mbs but are usually “caped” lower. Cable speeds are affected by the number of other people that share your line.ie; your apartment or condo building, the neighborhood you live. Usually you’ll get about 7, 8 mbs.You can get cable internet without the TV part, but they price packages. You see them on TV all the time. Cable is the most wide spread type service providers.

Sep 26

Public Speaking Tips that Actually Work

Overcoming Fears and Winning Your Audience EffectivelyPublic speaking isn’t for everyone. Those who haven’t overcome their high school stage fright probably don’t have plans to do so at the next company orientation meeting where they’ve been selected to talk about the
 recent company merger! Public speaking is that fun class that you hated to take, but needed to finish in order to get your English credits in college. After that, well, the rest was up to you to get the skills and experience you might need.Even though you may avoid it, gaining strength in public speaking is an asset that can help in both a career and social setting. Your self-confidence is immediately boosted when you are able to connect with your audience, no matter how large or small. If you’re having trouble with an upcoming speech, don’t know where to start, or just need to fine-tune your skills, try out some of these public speaking tips that actually work!

Aug 30

Broadband Phone Comparison: Comcast Digital Voice Vs. Vonage

A Look at Two Competitors in the Next Generation of ServiceNot so long ago, I was having some issues with my telephone company. Odd charges and inconsistent billing combined below-average service made me miserable. I decided to see if there might be a better choice out there.Right around that time, Comcast began offering Digital Voice, which was Comcast’s version of broadband phone service. Since I already had both Comcast Digital Cable and Comcast High-speed Internet, they offered a very nice introductory discount with price breaks on my other Comcast services. All told, my total bill for all three would be between $110-$120 for the next 3 months while allowing me to keep everything on “one bill.” I was so frustrated with my previous telephone company that I jumped at the offer. Unfortunately, sometimes the grass is not always greener on the other side.Two phone companies later, I am now with Vonage, another broadband phone company. Thus far, I am very happy with their service. Although both Comcast Digital Voice and Vonage are both broadband phone services that each uses a high-speed Internet connection to transmit phone calls across the country and the world, any similarity between the two ends there. There are substantial differences between Comcast Digital Voice and Vonage’s service. In practically every way, Vonage is the superior offering. In terms of price, value, service, you name it, my Vonage experience has far surpassed what I endured while using Comcast Digital Voice.

Aug 30

The Wave of Gossip Blogs

Why the Attraction is More Powerful OnlineThe rise in social networking sites has opened up doors to a variety of possibilities and avenues of interaction; millions of web users log into their favorite portals each day to exchange news, events, and show various sides of their personality. An online presence in your network comes
 close to paralleling a full-fledged social life in the ‘real world’ for many; the gossip fest surrounding a particular news piece in the media, a current event, or a personal story can elicit thousands of page views within a few hours. Who needs a soapbox to cry out today’s affairs when your idea can be carried across the world in less than an hour?  Writing up a blog full of links to support your viewpoint is a rising trend for thousands of subjects.Sites such as Digg.com, Furl, Technorati, and other Web 2.0-driven sites are creating large-scale opportunities for this immediate exchange. This ‘invisible grapevine’ serves as a fantastic web of informational energy, bursting with the latest and greatest. If you’ve got the scoop on your favorite star, have a juicy story-byte on the happenings in the community, or are just getting back from a crazy encounter with the media, there are many avenues to disperse and declare your views. Gossip blogs are quickly becoming a top search item on many news, entertainment, and current event networks for low-key, high-drama content. People are now thinking beyond a phone call, an e-mail, or even a face-to-face conversation. If you can generate an article on the next nearest keyboard, chances are your opinion and comments will get heard and even sputtered around a network within a few hours. Thanks to large-scale social networks that highlight hot topics instantly, gossip and chatter are taking on new forms for hundreds of users and viewers.

Aug 15

Actor Debate – Steve McQueen Vs. Paul Newman – Part One

Big Screen Giants, but There Can Be Only OneAs two of the finest American actors of all-time, Steve McQueen and Paul Newman dominated the often underrated classic films of the 1960’s and eventually starred together in the 1974 disaster picture The Tower Inferno. After the Inferno, McQueen who battled cancer, only made a few
 more films, with Tom Horn his final role before his 1980 death. Although Newman is still alive and kicking, his glory days seemed to end when the 1980’s hit and although he has starred in many films none of them have come close to his performances in the prime of his career.So this brings us to our first in a series debates pitting actors versus actors, McQueen versus Newman, with a focus on what we consider the prime of their careers, 1958 (the year Newman broke out in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof) to 1974 (when the two shared the screen in The Towering Inferno). Co-writer Pat Harrington will be taking the side of Newman, while I (Guy Stuller) will be defending McQueen on the matter. In the timeframe we are debating, who made the better films and how much influence did each actor have in making those films great? PH – I would argue that Newman made better films in the aforementioned timeframe based on the titles that still stand head and shoulders above most films made in the era. Cat On a Hot Tin Roof was only the beginning of a brilliant 16-year span that included such classic films as “The Long, Hot Summer,” “The Hustler,” “Hud,” “Hombre,” “Cool Hand Luke,” “The Sting” and “The Towering Inferno.” 

May 24

Do You like to Gossip?

The Psychology of Gossip, and Why it is a Crucial Part of Social InteractionSocializing is a natural human activity and may even be considered a need for survival. It is necessary for social norms and culture to be understood in order to learn and grow within a group or setting; climbing the social ladder isn’t just for housewives and women’s groups!
 Men take part in this form of interaction but perhaps in a different context; business networks, closed social circles, and even groups of friends can take part in similar interaction patterns. And it’s in these close circles and networks that the need to gossip is commonplace.Gossip isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it is a way for people to connect, to gain insight about one another, and learn through the grapevine. Positive gossip creates unique, interesting, and evolving relationships. Who doesn’t want to know a friend’s decision to propose one week before their potential mate? Who wouldn’t want to know that their neighbor friends are planning a surprise party for their new son-in-law? However, gossip in the negative contexts can cause harm and emotional upset between friends, groups, and networks. But can it be overcome, or is it a natural human trait? Workplace gossip is likely the most popular; most people spend almost half of their waking life at work, and can form tight bonds with peers and coworkers. Gossiping around the water cooler isn’t just for office types; it is a widespread trend, and can often be the way to learn a company’s culture from the inside out. If and when you koow what happens in the rumor mill, it’s likely that you will be able to identify safe, and unsafe, territory! Just remember that being known as a gossip monger is probably not your best career option; it’s best to stay aware, but choose not to participate. If you take your job and career seriously enough, you wouldn’t want to be associated with this always-present vein in any company!  As tempting as it may be, set your boundaries and stick with them. 

Apr 6

What is Broadband Satellite Internet Access?

What is Broadband Satellite Internet Access?Satellite internet access allows you to get online from your home computer using not your phone line or a cable connection but through satellite signals. Broadband satellite internet access gives access to the World Wide Web at speeds up to ten times faster than normal dial-up access
 using broadband channels. Some providers boast speeds of up to 20 times faster than dial-up on their more expensive packages. Do I Want Broadband Satellite Internet Access? While when we hear of something like broadband satellite internet access we automatically assume that it must be the most cutting edge technology offering up the best and fastest of internet access, such is not exactly the case with satellite internet. The technology is currently in a growing stage, and is very expensive (the equipment alone can cost up to $600 or more, with monthly fees of $50 and up). For all of this price the speed of access is quite a bit slower than cable or dsl internet access. Most likely you aren’t gong to want broadband satellite internet access. Who Would Want Broadband Satellite Internet Access? Satellite internet has one advantage over traditional forms of internet: availability. Because the signal is coming from a satellite up in space, no on the ground equipment is required save your own personal dish. This means that coverage area is great, and allows for internet access in areas traditionally far removed from traditional internet access coverage.  For example Starband boasts coverage throughout the United States and Canada, as well as much of the Caribbean and Central America.If you live in a rural area where there is no availability of dial-up or cable internet access, satellite internet will most likely be the only option open to you. With broadband satellite internet you can log on even faster now. If you are someone who travels often and require constant internet access you will also want to look into broadband satellite internet.

Apr 3

The CBS Evening News with Bob Schieffer

Veteran Newsman Celebrates 1-year Anniversary as “Temporary” AnchorWe met back in 1988.  I was a young, idealistic, local television news producer inPortland, Oregon
.  He was 22 years my senior…a dashing national affairs correspondent, covering President Reagan’s re-election campaign.  Somebody told him that I had a crush on him, making our brief encounter all the more memorable for me.  He was kind, warm, witty, smart, self-effacing and gentlemanly.  Everything he seems to be when you see him on TV.  And I loved him for it.Eighteen years later, I’m no longer a TV news producer; having dropped out of the rat race, exhausted from fighting with my bosses over the direction TV news was taking.  And my crush?  He stuck it out, and is now sitting in a network anchor chair, charming viewers while saving “the house that Murrow built.”  This is my open love letter to Bob Schieffer, who has been the “temporary” anchor of the CBS Evening News for a year now.  My relationship with Bob goes way back.  I grew up a Cronkite viewer and a believer in the journalistic ethical standards set by Edward R. Murrow.  Although Dan Rather was put in the anchor chair following Cronkite, I could count on seeing Bob every Sunday night (since 1973) when he anchored the CBS Sunday Night News.  During the week, I put up with Rather, in order to see the solid reporting of Schieffer, who is one of only a few journalists to have covered all four major beats in the nation’s capital – the White House, the Pentagon, the State Department and Capitol Hill. In the 80’s and 90’s, CBS News fell on hard times.  Its decline was well documented in the media, assisted by the bizarre behavior of its chief anchor.  Its ratings dropped into a distant third place.  I abandoned CBS News too, venturing off to work for other network affiliates, and getting my nightly news fix from Jennings or Brokaw.  But on Sundays, I always came back to Bob. 

Mar 18

Developing Business Relationships with Corporate America to Win Contracts

Doing Business with CorporationsRelationships, relationships, relationships. Just as location is important in real estate, building relationships is essential in doing business with corporate America. It is, in fact the key dynamic in creating a successful
 business enterprise. Building relationships affords you an opportunity to plant the seeds of growth in order for your business to survive and thrive in an increasingly competitive environment. Taking the time to build relationships is only one aspect of growing your business. There are several to consider when approaching corporate clients. The critical ingredients needed in winning corporate clients are; relationships, research, preparedness, patience, and delivery. It takes a mix of these five ingredients to create a successful recipe for your growing business. Relationships “People buy from people they like – who they feel comfortable with,” said Clifton Carroll, Chief Executive Officer of Logical Integrations. Incorporated in 2000, Logical Integrations is a minority-owned services firm that has successfully worked with several corporate clients over the years. Carroll understands that developing relationships is critical to the growth and success of his company. “Relationships are key – it takes a long time,” said Carroll. His first major client, AT&T was won through relationships he developed while doing training at Georgia Tech’s Incubator. Another corporate client he wanted to do business with was Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc. (CCE). It took over two years of communication with them before he secured a contract. Logical Integrations was able to secure the CCE contract because of it’s “competitive pricing, exceptional service, quality products, and by providing CCE with innovation.”

Mar 12

Seven Steps to Starting Your Consulting Business

Use Your Resources to Build a Business Based on Knowledge You Already HaveThese days of downsizing and temporary staffing can work to your advantage and you can stay as busy as you would like if you treat your consulting business like the company you are building.Step One: Know Your Field.
If you have extended knowledge in any subject you are already on your way to consulting. Read new literature and research your subject. As a beginning consultant you will need to be better prepared. Step Two: Gather Essentials.There are a few things that no business can be without: A Phone: a cell phone or line that you alone answer is a must. Business Cards: include your name, your cell number, and a specialty statement. A Press Kit: As a consultant, you are a product. Advertise yourself! Quiet Work Area: This is not a “lifestyle”, it’s a career and should be treated as one. Transportation: A car or access to one is important if you don’t live in a city. Client Management Software: Track and bill clients quickly to save your time for projects. Step Three: Join Trade Organizations and Community Clubs This is not a luxury. Many proposals are made and accepted at mixers and tournaments sponsored by these organizations alone. To compete with those already in the business you must be where the jobs are being discussed. Step Four: Build a referral list.No one wants to hire a consultant who has never consulted. Use past experience to prove your worth. If you were an employee you can use your years with a corporation or even a temporary agency as long as you have a voice on the phone to back you up. Explain to potential references that you are now consulting and that when they refer to you they might remember that fact. Step Five: Ask for Advertising. When you finish a project to your client’s satisfaction ask them if they know of others that could use your expertise. Ask them to introduce you with a letter or phone call. More often than not they will oblige.