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The rules have changed. Shopping for employment is a hybrid of automated filter applications, on-line search engines and good old fashioned human interpretation. To be effective you need to make sure that your resume is designed to perform in all of these areas. In the hunt for a new job, a better job, or just keeping your Resume current, use these ten simple steps to draft a stellar resume.

1. Create a Personal Portfolio

This is the easy part. Begin by making a list of accomplishments, education and previous positions. This is your own private list. Do not be concerned with the order or the appearance. You can use scratch paper, word processor or collection of documents. Gather, create, collect and document your history with important facts, figures and milestones. Collect the relevant highlights from your life, education and career.

2. Choose a Standard Outline

Select a standard Template to use as your outline. Resist the urge to be creative or unique in the format of your resume. Do not waste time with colorful bullets, images or watermarks. Why? Web sites like Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com provide the option to upload a resume in standard format and can automatically identify job titles with associated accomplishments. Your resume gets cut and spliced into pure text data and loaded into a “Monster” database that can be accessed by recruiters, human resource departments and agencies. Many companies and organizations either use the on-line database application or have similar software for managing the pure text from resumes. These filters do not support colorful bullets, images, icons or watermarks. If you do not want to spend your time copying and pasting pure text for every on-line opportunity, then make your life easy and use a standard template.

Organize the documents and thoughts from your personal portfolio into a chronological timeline and type them into a standard resume outline. Be sure to keep track of the accomplishments that best define your ability.

Sample Professional and Standard Outlines can be found at

http://www.executiveblueprints.com/executive_jobs.htm

3. Work Backwards

The typical resume starts with a short paragraph about you, followed bullet by points of your highlights, and then lists your career starting with your current or latest job. While that is meaningful to a potential employer to see the most current and relevant information first, it is opposite of the order of events. Most people tend to reflect on their life with greater precision in chronological order, like a story unfolding and progressing through the eyes of your memory.

Start at the end of your resume and work toward the beginning. This will enable you to follow your own career path and build up to the current status. It will make more sense to you as you put it together. Like building blocks of personal development, it will make more sense to someone reading the final product and understanding how you got to where you are today.

Start with your education. Then update the bullet points for the first job or oldest career position that you are going to include. Keep working forward in time, from the end of your resume to the beginning. Pay attention to how the responsibility and experience of each position contributed to the success of the subsequent one.

4. Concise, Precise and Measured

Bullet points with short sentences and specific measurements are excellent. For each job, use a series of bullet points to make your statement. Punctuate the highlights with measurements. “Good sales skills” should be “Increased sales 45% in first Quarter”, “Increased sales 15% year-over-year” or “Directed Regional Sales Growth of 7% in Sixteen Months”. Service related measurements may be related to “Improved Customer Satisfaction from 87% to 95%”, or “Managed a Call Center with less than 2% Abandon Rate”. Accounting and Finance may include estimated average size of portfolio managed, outstanding receivables in days, or similar measurements. Dates, Completion and Milestones are also a method of measurement. The bottom line is that every position can be measured. Identify measurements and provide quantitative details.

Do not make up measurements. Include the data if you have it or you are confident in the accuracy. Do not make up numbers if you do not know them. Use bullet points to be concise, do not use paragraphs. Avoid using “I” or “We”. Use personal accomplishments with supporting data.

5. Select Your Highlights

Select highlight from your personal portfolio. These may or may not be included in your career bullet points. You can emphasize specific accomplishments from your career, or you can use this opportunity to highlight outside achievements. For example, this might be your opportunity to mention volunteer work for charitable contributions. Use highlights to draw attention to specific individual talents, skills and experience. Highlights should also be listed in bullet form, above the individual career descriptions.

6. Keywords and Buzzwords

Above the bulleted Highlights, create a section of bulleted Keywords and Buzzwords. What are keywords and buzzwords? These are common words associated with your desired profession. For example, a programmer might include reference to “UNIX”, “LINUX” or “ORACLE”. An administrative assistant might include expertise in “WORD, POWERPOINT, EXCEL”, or the number of “WPM”. If you know which skills, tools, degrees or experience are relative and important for your profession, then be sure to list your capabilities. Do not take this for granted or assume that this is common. The recruiter and employer can not assume that all applicants have the necessary skills, so make sure that you include as many as possible.

Why is this so important? The on-line tools and application filters will search your resume for keywords related to specific jobs, just like search engines search for keywords to identify relevance in a web page or web site. The more matches to keywords, the higher your score. Typically the highest scores are used to select individuals for personal interviews, and the lowest scores are discarded before a human ever reads the resume. To avoid being discarded by an automated attendant, improve your score with relevant keywords.

7. Make Your Own Headlines

Create a short paragraph to define yourself and use this as the opening of your resume. It should only be four or five sentences long, chock full of keywords and buzzwords. Use action verbs like “Managed”, “Directed”, “Accomplished”, or “Achieved”. These are sentences, not bullet points. If you get beyond the automated applications and filters, this will be the first thing that a person reads. You never get a second chance to make a first impression, so summarize yourself in the opening paragraph in such a way that the reader would be compelled to scan the rest of your work history in you resume.

8. Add Spice

Review the entire document from start to finish. Modify your bullet points with action adverbs and exciting adjectives where appropriate. For example, “In charge of four employees, reduced expenses 12%” can be more effective and exciting worded as “Managed a dynamic department that dramatically reduced overall expenses by 12%”. Which description sounds more appealing and energetic to you?

Read each sentence as if you were the big voice of a radio announcer. If the bullet points sound exciting, then you have written them well. If the description sounds ridiculous in your big announcer voice, then you might need to write the bullets again. Just in case, don’t use that big announcer voice in public until you are really confident about your resume.

9. Check Your Name and Contact Information

Make sure that it is easy to find your name, email address and phone number. It would be a shame to have a stellar resume that is a perfect match for the job of your dreams, and the employer can not get in touch with you. Don’t laugh, it happens. Make sure that your name, email and phone number are prominently visible on both pages of your resume.

Do not include personal or private information like a social security number. Do not use more than two pages for your resume, no matter how many jobs you have worked. If you are using a professional resume format, you will be prompted for placement of your contact information. Make sure that it is your contact information on every page.

10. Review and Repeat

Review your resume for correct spelling, grammar and punctuation. Nothing says careless better than a resume that is full of errors. I have seen managers promptly discard resumes due to spelling or grammar. The resume is a reflection of you, and the employer assumes that you took time to craft this document with great care. Your future opportunities may be based on your resume, so it should be treated that way. If you do not have confidence, then it may be well worth the investment to hire a professional to correct these errors and spice up the document for you. Consider it a one time investment that will bring you continual rewards by earning a better job and better pay.

Once you have a resume that gives you satisfaction and confidence, then it is time to change it. Save that version of your resume, and make another copy that you can modify with a different theme. Use the copy of your resume to change keywords, buzzwords and highlights from a different perspective. In many cases there are aspects of your experience that may be more closely associated with different job markets or industries. Adjust the language of your resume according to different job markets so you can submit a fitting resume to a target position. Do not try to make your resume “one size fits all”, but rather make several variations of your resume with different themes.

For examples of how to use different themes, compare the following on-line versions of these actual resumes:

Sales and Marketing Theme

http://www.executiveblueprints.com/resumes/johnmkt.htm

Service and Operations Theme

http://www.executiveblueprints.com/resumes/johnsvc.htm

References

Do not distribute a list of references unless asked. References should only be presented during an interview, not distributed in advance.

Ask permission from each person to be a reference for you. Do not ever list someone without prior consent. Employers are obligated to call and verify references, and you do not want it to be a surprise.

Be courteous to the people who are generous enough to be a reference, ask them for a written endorsement or letter of recommendation. This enables the reference to endorse your capability or experience without the interruption of a phone call until it is time for an employer to check and verify references. This is a courtesy to your references as it will minimize the potential number of people who may call. It also gets your endorsement in the hands of the potential employer that much faster. It is a great way to be courteous and build credibility at the same time.

Submit Your Resume

Don’t be shy. Upload your resume to the on-line web tools and be prepared for quick response. Check your email every day and respond quickly to opportunity. Do not think of it as being over-eager, it is being enthusiastic and responsive. Recruiters and employers have a need and incentive to fill positions with qualified individuals in a prompt and efficient manner. They do not have time to wait if you take your time, so be at the front of the line and demonstrate your aggressive and enthusiastic desire.

Prepare for Your Interview

If you took this much time and care to prepare a stellar resume, then do the same preparation for your interview. A professional resume will get you past the on-line filters, the company internal applications and the front-line reviews. If you get to the personal interview, make sure that you are adequately prepared.

You need to be confident in the final versions of your resume. If you are not sure, ask for review from trusted and respected colleagues. If you do not want to do that, you might want to consider using a professional service to assist you. Remember, the time that you spend on your resume is an investment to open new doors to career opportunities that could dramatically change your life. Invest a little extra time for long lasting rewards.

Still looking for a little motivation, inspiration or guidance?

Look for “Executive Jobs, A Guide to Managing Your Career”, a free eBook from http://www.ExecutiveBlueprints.com

John Mehrmann is President of Executive Blueprints Inc., an organization devoted to improving business practices and developing human capital.

http://www.ExecutiveBlueprints.com provides resource materials for trainers, sample Case Studies, educational articles and references to local affiliates for consulting and executive coaching.

Why do so many people spend so much of their time and money buying old sports cars, and restoring and taking care of them? Because a classic sports car is like an old tune, a vintage wine or a black-and-white photograph–timeless, priceless and nostalgic. A classic sports car is a ‘classic’ because it traces its lineage to the first or second generation of sports cars and is at least 30 years old. Cars from the 60s are especially popular due to their flamboyant design and trademark engine roars that call attention to their power.

The Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Corvette, Pontiac GTO, Porsche 911 Carrera, Mercedes-Benz 300SL and Alfa Romeo Monza Spider are a few famous classic sports cars that wowed generations of auto enthusiasts with their sleek tailfins, chrome plating and grilles, bright, happy two-tone colors, jet tube taillights, wraparound windshields and plush upholstery.

Classic sports car collectors either lovingly restore and drive their cars or simply keep them in prime condition in their garages. Many love to show off their cars in shows and win trophies. And why not? These handsome cars are the epitome of style.

If you plan on buying a classic sports car, it is advisable to go for a car that’s reasonably priced and is simple but nevertheless interesting. American cars offer great value for the money when compared to cars from Europe, in terms of availability of spare parts for restoration. Most American classics come equipped with power windows, air-conditioning and power steering. On reliability, too, American cars tend to score better, as they require lesser maintenance and do not need frequent servicing.

Yes, it’s possible to get yourself a piece of history and some of that romance, without having to rob a bank, win a lottery or inherit a fortune.

Sports Cars provides detailed information on Sports Cars, Exotic Sports Cars, Classic Sports Cars, Sports Cars for Sale and more. Sports Cars is affiliated with SUV Vans.

One way to let children know that they are special is to give them unique children’s furniture for their room, play area or outside. Children love to have something that is different and something that is important to them. The internet is a great place to find unique kids’ furniture. Often this will give you ideas for what you might like to find for your child’s room, or your child may even see something they really like. Regardless of where you look, there are always possibilities if you just keep your eyes open for creativity.

Traditional

While this may seem a bit contradictory, traditional styles can be very unique. Often antique or antique replicas use patterns, styles and colors that are not commonly seen anymore. Girls often admire Victorian style furniture, and boys are frequently drawn to the western or rustic style of furniture. Try taking your child to a furniture store and asking their opinion on the various styles to get a feel for what they find pleasing. There is also the possibility of having furniture custom made to include the child’s name or interests into the design of the piece.

It is also possible to take a piece of furniture that is not intended to be children’s’ furniture and convert it to just that. For instance, a traditional bookcase could be easily converted into a display case for models, or perhaps an open cupboard for displaying dolls or other prized possessions.

Shape

Children delight in shapes that are different from what they normally see, or what they expect. Things like round bookcases are often a favorite unique kids furniture item in any room. There are also art deco type pieces that really catch the eye and spark the imagination. Some companies manufacture furniture with themes, and this works well if you can find a piece that matches your child’s existing room, or perhaps consider redoing the room around the unique piece.

Color

Children all enjoy color, and they love to mix and match color. Try covering a piece of your child’s favorite furniture in a color they love to make it unique. It is also possible to find furniture that is already painted in patterns and motifs that children love, or, if you are artistic, you can do this yourself. For example, an ottoman that is painted like a frog would be a great addition to a garden theme bedroom. Perhaps a canopy over the bed draped with pink mesh could complete the princess and castle them in a young girls room. Boys that love a particular sports team could have furniture in the room with that teams logo or colors.

Unique children’s furniture doesn’t have to be expensive, it has to be different than what they see everywhere else. Try shopping online to get some really interesting, creative and unique children’s furniture at within budget prices. If you are creative or artistic yourself, personalize the items by painting, adding motifs or stencils to the furniture to match your child’s interests and taste. Don’t forget to encourage your child to help out, as they can really help you make the item one of a kind.

Visit TheMagicalRockingHorse.com today for a great selection of stylish, affordable childrens furniture and coordinating kids room decor [http://www.themagicalrockinghorse.com/kids-room-decor.html].

In spite of the world wide recession the retail sector of automotive is thriving day by day. One can make a lucrative business in this sector, provided he needs to have the technical knowledge, the know how of what to do and hands on practical experience of working with vehicles. There are many schools all around the world which offers different automotive courses readily. The available colleges and schools offer all the courses that one needs to learn in order to handle the various demands of the retail market. Now, many courses that are not available on campus are available online and through this one can get knowledge without going to school or college. These automotive courses become a part of the distance study programs offered by the universities.

Automotive courses offered by many schools are designed to match different segment of people. Some schools offer courses which are as short as one week. These short courses are mainly structured for people who are already in automotive business and they feel that it is necessary to enhance their existing skills and knowledge by learning about the new technology and practices. Short automotive courses are perfect for people who are hard pressed for time and can only spend few hours in a day at school to learn new innovative methods. These courses are created for convenience to suit each individual’s requirement.

Most courses are full time, which include class room study, hands on experience in work shops and practical experience in managing and operating an automotive facility. The course aims in equipping their students with technical knowledge, practical skill and managerial quality to help them to start their own automotive unit or get an employment in top auto firm in the country. When the students graduate they would have had hands on experience of working on different parts of the vehicles.

Several colleges around the world offer automotive courses like automotive technology, automotive service technicians, automotive management, automotive mechanical technology, automotive vehicle body and many more.

A course based on car maintenance will educate the students to learn the basic working of a car and what is required to maintain the car in good condition. One is educated about the various parts of the car, their functioning and what to look for when there is a trouble.

Another popular automotive course which has become rapidly popular with car fanatics is the “collision refinishing” which educates on restoring a car. It guides on the metal working, painting and detailing. This course is usually divided into two segments which involve repairing and refinishing. This guides on the finer aspects of finishing the car to look cool. Other related automotive courses are trim and upholstery, applied service management, motor sports chassis fabrication, street rod and custom fabrication.

Automotive study is versatile segment where there is no end to ones learning. With each year there is an improvement in technology and man pushes the machines to a higher level. Hence these automotive courses are ever evolving with new addition to the curriculum. Automotive course are beneficial and can set the path to a lucrative career where one can take technology to new levels.

IQMS – Founded in 1990, we offer professional consultancy services, management systems training and auditor training courses throughout the UK. Visit http://www.IQMS.co.uk/ now!

Florida Health Insurance Rate Hike

Florida Health insurance premiums have touched new heights! Every Floridian has the common knowledge that most annual health insurance contracts will endure a rate increase at the end of the year. This trend is not new and should be expected. Every time this issue pops up it seems as though the blame game starts. Floridians blame Health insurance companies; Health insurance companies blame Hospitals, Doctors and other medical care providers, Medical care providers blame inflation and politicians, well, we really don’t know what they do to help the issue… No one seems to be interested in finding the real cause of the health insurance premium rate increase. Most individuals, self employed, and small business owners have taken Florida Health Insurance Rate Hikes as the inevitable evil.

Hard Facts

What are various reports telling us? Why do Health insurance premium have annual rate increases?

Rate of inflation and heath insurance premium rate increase.

America’s health expenditure in the year 2004 has increased dramatically, it has increased more than three time the inflation rate. In this year the inflation rate was around 2.5% while the national health expenses were around 7.9%. The employer health insurance or group health insurance premium had increased approximately 7.8% in the year 2006, which is almost double the rate of inflation. In short, last year in 2006, the annual premiums of group health plan sponsored by an employer was around $4,250 for a single premium plan, while the average family premium was around $ 11,250 per year. This indicates that in the year 2006 the employer sponsored health insurance premium increased 7.7 percent. Taking the biggest hit were small businesses that had 0-24 employees. There health insurance premiums increased by nearly 10.4%

Employees are also not spared, in the year 2006 the employee also had to pay around $ 3,000 more in their contribution to employer’s sponsored health insurance plan in comparison to the previous year, 2005. Rate hikes have been in existence since the “Florida Health Insurance” plan started. In covering an entire family of four, a person will experience an increase in premium rate at every annual renewal. If they would have kept the record of their health insurance premium payments they will find that they are now paying around $ 1,100 more than they paid in the year 2000 for the same coverage and with the same company. The same item was found by the Health Research Educational Trust and the Kaiser Family Foundation in their survey report of the year 2000. They found out that the premiums of health insurance that is sponsored by the employer increases by around 4 times than the employee’s salary. This report also stated that since 2000 the contribution of employees in group health insurance sponsored by employer was increased by more than 143 percent.

One business man predicts that if nothing is done and the Health insurance premiums keep increasing that in the year 2008, the amount of health premium contribution to employer will surpass their profit. Professionals within and outside the field of Florida health insurance, think that the reason for increase in Florida health insurance premium rates are due to many factors, such as high administration expenditure, inflation, poor or bad management, increase in the cost of medical care, waste etc.

Florida health insurance rate hikes affect whom?

Rising rates of Florida health insurance generally affects most of the Floridians who live in our beautiful state. The highest affected individudals are the minimum wage and low wage workers. Recent drops in the renewal of health insurance are mostly from this low income group. They just can’t afford the high premiums of Florida health insurance. They are in the situation where they can not afford the medical care and they can not afford the medical insurance premiums that are assosiated with adequate coverage. Almost half of all Americans are of the opinion that they are more worried about the high health insurance rate and high cost of health care, over any other bill they have on a monthly basis. A survey also finds that around 42% of Americans can not afford the high cost of health care services. There is one very interesting study conducted by Harvard University researchers. They found out that 68% of people who filed bankruptcy covered themselves and their family by health insurance. Average out-of-pocket deductibles for people filed bankruptcy were around $ 12,000 per year. They also found some co-relation between medical expenditure and bankruptcy. A national survey also reports that main reason for people not to take health insurance is the high premium rate of health insurance.

How to reduce Florida’s high health insurance cost? Nobody knows for sure. There are different opinions and experts are not agreeing with each other. Health professionals believe that if we can raise the number of healthy people by improving the lifestyle and regular exercise, good diets etc. than naturally they will need less medical care services which decreases the demands of health care and hence the cost.( This year in Florida the smoking rate has increased by 21.7 percent) One Floridian sarcastically suggested that there are ‘highs’ and ‘lows’ in health care that are needed to reversed. That the state of Florida is to ‘high’ in cost of medical care compare to other States and ‘low’ in the quality of health care.

Florida Health insurance rate hike has attracted many frauds. These frauds float many bogus insurance companies and offer cheap health insurance rate which attract many people to them. These companies usually through assosiations that are based in other states.

Meanwhile reputable Florida health insurance companies provide different types of health insurance like employer sponsored group health insurance, small business health insurance, individual health insurance etc. to vast number of employees and their families. Still there are many people in Florida that lack any health coverage. Today the employer also has found it challenging to decide how to offer employer sponsored group health insurance to their employees, so that both of them arrive at some point of agreement.

For Floridians it is very important to shop around for a quality health insurance program that doesn’t break the bank.

You need to find an agent or web portal like Florida Health Insurance Web, http://www.FloridaHealthInsuranceWeb.com that offers a variety of products. There you will most likely be able to get quotes, compare plans, and apply online.

Florida Health Insurance Consultants can help you!

Morgan Moran

In order to make an informed choice between ethical and fair trade clothing, you must have a clear understanding of what the difference is between the two. The clothing industry is one that can be very volatile when it comes to fads, trends and clothing styles that can come and go with the blink of an eye. There are many extremes that come into the clothing industry and nearly just as quickly, their appeal is gone.

Some clothing styles go on to become legendary or what are known as classics that never lose their appeal even as the generations come and go. Over recent years, there has been a change in the clothing industry. So what exactly is ethical clothing and how does it differ from fair clothing? Let’s examine both types.

Ethical clothing addresses a broad range of concerns that have been around about as long as the clothing industry itself. Some of the major concerns with clothing that is not ethical is that the clothing is produced by workers in factories or sweat shops where wages are an amount so low that workers cannot make a reasonable living to support themselves. The unfortunate reality is that there are many designs on the racks in your local stores that have been made by these workers. Ethical clothing demands that workers be paid what their labor is worth. Ethical clothing also mandates that the workers be give benefits such as maternity leave and insurance options.

The momentum for ethical clothing has not picked up because many clothing manufacturers experience significant cost savings by outsourcing work to these countries where the condition of life is so poor that people are willing to work for minimum amounts of money in substandard work conditions to survive. Clothing in the United States aimed at creating a better environment and better working conditions for people. The Fair Trade Federation provides a means for clothing lines to join but the membership criteria is strict. Fortunately, fair trade is also branching out into jewelry, personal care, candles, bedding, toys, games and paper goods. The difference between ethical and fair trade clothing is that clothing made by the latter takes the earth into consideration and provides clothing that is made from natural products.

When it comes to fair trade clothing, however, none of the major retailer chains carry fair trade clothing. This should not be a deterrent if you wish to purchase it, just look online and you will find many sources from which you can order such clothing.

Choosing between ethical clothing and fair trade clothing does not have to be a real dilemma. Ethical clothing is manufactured with respect to ensuring that laborers are not overworked and underpaid. Fair trade clothing uses organic materials that are green friendly and don’t harm the earth’s ozone when discarded or made from recycled materials.

Although the types are similar, there are some differences described here that should help you make a choice about whether you want to wear ethical clothing or fair trade clothing.

This article was written by Lee Lazarus. He writes on behalf of Wombat Clothing, an organic clothing [http://www.wombatclothing.com] company. Wombat Clothing are a leading adventure clothing designer.

The Invention of Cable Television & Alternatives to Cable TV

There are many claims to the first CATV system, but only one thing is for certain; it originated in the United States and, according to one famous recollection, cable television had its beginning in 1948 in Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania. Community antenna television, as it was then called, was invented by John and Margaret Walson out of a necessity to bring television to their customers. They owned The Service Electric Company, a company designed to sell, install, and repair appliances. When they started selling television sets in 1947 their Mahanoy City customers were reluctant to buy because of reception issues. This particular region of Pennsylvania had difficulties picking up the stations in nearby Philadelphia due to the mountains that surrounded them.

To solve this problem, Walson installed an antenna on a utility pole that he placed on a local mountain top. It allowed him to demonstrate that the televisions could pick up good broadcasts coming from some of the Philadelphia stations using modified signal boosters and cable to connect the antenna to his store. So, in 1948, he charged a small fee and connected the antenna to several of his customers’ homes as well, marking the beginning of the cable television business.

The early 1950s saw further development of the cable system. By then, the FCC had released its hold on a three year long freezing of new television station construction and had “assigned a nationwide television broadcasting plan”, leading to the fairly rapid development of new television stations. Department stores began to encourage television viewing by displaying several different models for sale. Of course, this meant that television antennas had to also be sold. At the time, each home or apartment required its own antenna, creating a somewhat unsightly “forest of antennas” on the roofs of some apartment buildings.

This prompted Milton Jerrold Shapp to create a system that used only one master antenna for an entire building. He did so using coaxial cable and signal boosters, enabling the cable to carry several signals at once. Not too long after that, another appliance store owner experiencing the same problem as that of the Walsons read about Mr Shapp’s system. Figuring that, if it could work for apartments and department stores, it could work for an entire town as well and he set up the first cable television system similar to how we know it today.

Because of Mr Shapp’s innovative new system, television spread like wild fire throughout the country, enabling remote and rural areas to receive a signal and “by 1952, 70 ‘cable’ systems served 14,000 subscribers nationwide”. But, of course, people would not remain content with allowing the cable system simply to be used as a means of providing better signal strength to rural areas.

Toward the end of the decade, cable operators began using technologies to pick up signals from stations hundreds of miles away, irreversibly changing the way the cable and television industry operated. This new found ability to import more signals from distant stations also allowed for more programming choices. Now, the cable systems that only allowed for three channels (one for each network) soon changed, allowing room for seven or more channels due to the fact that they could pick up programs from distant independent stations (2). This created more interest in cable as a provider for city television as well because of the variety in choices it allowed.

By the early 1960s there were nearly 800 cable network systems in business. Many of these cable network companies started expanding into multiple cities, causing the beginning of the multiple system operator (MSO). Yet, the local broadcasters were afraid of the competition that cable companies were creating so they asked the government to stop the importation of signals by cable companies. The freeze that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) placed on the importation of cable signals lasted until 1972.

In 1972 the service channels that people pay an extra premium for were started when Service Electric began to bill for Home Box Office (HBO). It had a minimal beginning with about a few hundred viewers the first night. However, it has become one of the largest pay cable services around. It is because of its success that so many others have followed.

In addition, the craving for more channels led the FCC to issue a rule in 1969 that required “all CATV systems with over 3500 subscribers to have facilities for local origination of programming by April 1, 1971″. Furthermore, in 1976, the FCC decided to require that new systems must have more than 20 channels to choose from and that cable providers that had more than 3500 must provide public channels for education as well as government access.

Thus, cable television has been divided into two different services: basic service and premium services. Basic cable generally includes the local television networks and a few other common channels that are not transmitted with any type of encryption method while premium channels scramble their signals. They include channels such as HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, and Starz and are generally paid for in various extra packages in addition to the basic service.

The fees for service, whether basic or premium, did not defer customers and by the 1980s the major three television networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) had all but lost their monopoly on viewers. “The era of network television” was coming to an end. Even other news networks began to emerge. “By 1985, 68% of all American households (60 million) had cable television service” . Cable News Network (CNN) first appeared on the scene in 1980.

With the emergence of all the new cable networks, cable television revolutionized the way Americans viewed television, and inspired many more changes yet to come. The invention of the VCR and, still later, the DVR would follow suit, yet again changing how American’s use their televisions.

In recent years technology has begun to produce alternatives to cable television. As internet content grows to out weigh what cable TV services can offer. Many people have begun to migrate from cable television to Internet television. (24% in the US, 40% either use Internet TV alone, or a combination of Cable and Internet TV together) Internet TV provides the user with an opportunity to view all their favorite programming, most commercial free, in High Definition and directly to the users television. Internet TV. Internet TV has the potential to replace cable television as the preferred method of home entertainment delivery.

Savings and selection are mentioned as the primary reasons to switch to a Cable TV alternative. The average monthly cable bill in the US is between one-hundred fifty and two-hundred dollars per month. Internet TV in comparison has a one time fee for the home component and no additional monthly viewing fees. Users who wish to use services like Netflix and Blockbuster online may now watch movies directly on their HD television. Internet TV does not bypass legal means of content delivery, you must still pay the fees associated licensing fee for movie rental sites like Netflix and Blockbuster.

Free Internet TV content currently licensed for viewing online in high definition. (Short list) All programming from the major television networks; ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, most cable networks (CNN, E!, etc) also broadcast their programming online for free. Some advance the broadcasts online before airing on their cable networks. Hulu, Fancast and Spreety are among a few providers available who collect all the legal content in one place for easy viewing by the user.

Join the Internet TV Revolution.
What is WhiteHatt?

Distance learning opportunities used to exist through what was called correspondence courses, which were conducted over the mail, on the radio or on television. Today, the internet is the primary method of presenting educational materials. Online education affords students who little time or money, or who live in remote areas, to attend classes.

Classes Offered Through Distance Learning Online Education

Almost any curriculum can be pursued online. Students can seek programs that result in certification, advanced technical skills, associates degrees, bachelors degrees, graduate degrees and even doctorates. Even continuing education classes for licensed professionals and high school equivalence courses can be completed through virtual classrooms.

Methods for Distance Learning Online Education

Online education is usually web-based with a specific web site designated for the course. Supplemental materials, such as software, may also be part of certain online courses. Students visit the course web site to complete the posted assignments and take tests. Instructors and students communicate through email and chat rooms. Sometimes virtual lectures and discussions are part of online coursework. Students can attend virtual classrooms to complete their education and some colleges even have virtual graduation ceremonies.

Types of Students Who Pursue Distance Learning Online Education

Many different students from all over the world participate in distance learning online education opportunities. Some students work and attend classes online during their free time. Other students live in remote areas where local colleges do not exist. Still other students choose to combine online courses with traditional classes for what is known as a blended learning experience. Student who pursue distance education do not fit a particular mold, but should possess the following qualities:

self-motivation;

well-organized;

independent learner;

computer literate;

good time management skills; and

excellent communication skills.

Validity of Distance Learning Online Education: Research from the Sloan Consortium states that online learning is comparable to education obtained in a traditional setting, based upon a poll of academic leaders. Academic leader James Sherwood, Ph.D. and dean of University Extension, the continuing education branch of The University of California at Berkley states that, “Coming out of World War II and getting into the 60′s and 70′s there was a kind of stigma associated with distance education. That has certainly changed.” Because of technological advances and online resources, distance education has improved and offers an equivalent opportunity to traditional education.

Faculty Perspective of Distance Learning Online Education. Dr. Michael Otaigbe of Strayer University in Virginia has taught courses both in person and online at the same college. His opinion is that online classes generate an unexpected level of motivation, saying, “Online, I have the freedom to require contributions. Every week, my students have to submit essays and participate in group discussions. I get a better sense of the learning process.” He also finds that online students come from all over the world and have unique contributions that benefit the other students.

Online Education Distance Learning Association in the US. Several distance learning associations exist within the United States that offer additional information about taking classes online for prospective students.

The United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA). The USDLA is a non-profit association that promotes the development and application of online distance learning for education and training purposes. The USDLA encourages distance learning for grades K-12, college and higher education, corporate training, continuing education, government training and military training. Further, the USDLA supported the implementation of the Snowe-Rockefeller Amendment to the 1996 Telecommunications Act, as well as other legislation in 1997 that was introduced by Kennedy and Snowe.

The Distance and Education Training Council (DETC). The DETC is a non-profit educational association that is a central hub of information about distance study and the correspondence learning field.

Federal Government Distance Learning Association (FGDLA). The FGDLA is also a non-profit association. The FGDLA was formed to promote development and application of distance learning programs. The Association also acts to foster understanding and collaboration among the people involved in education and training within the federal government.

Covering Costs for Distance Learning Online Education Programs

Financial aid is available to online students, just as it is for traditional students. Online students can apply for applicable state and government financial aid, Stafford loans, student loans, tuition reimbursement and scholarships to cover costs for cyber classes. Also, virtual students save money on transportation and housing. Gaston Caperton, president of the College Board, said, “The College Board continues to advocate for need-based aid, so that students can have the opportunity to benefit from college education.”

National and international strides are being made everyday in distance learning online education. Rep. Vernon J. Ehlers, R-Mich., introduced legislation to scientifically scrutinize online learning. The Independent Study of Distance Education Act of 2007 directs the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study that would compare classroom instruction with distance learning programs. Colleges such as the University of Wyoming are experimenting with gaming as a form of teaching online education. Consider that the dynamic nature and convenience of online education has attracted about 3.2 million people to take a distance learning course in the past year. Distance learning online education programs are an effective way to achieve higher education.

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Most die hard avid fans of celebrities no doubt collect memorabilia from the various works that the celebrity has taken part in. This is very true when it comes to celebrity’s who are involved in film or the music industry. Most avid collectors will generally focus their celebrity based collection on one or a handful of celebrities. They will then work their hardest to collect as much memorabilia on this specific celebrity or group.

For most collectors, they will no doubt want to purchase and or obtain autographed celebrity photos for their collection. Obtaining an autographed photo of your favorite celebrity is no doubt the crowning achievement to any collectors collection. Finding an actual photo with a legitimate and actual autograph of the celebrity in question brings more life to the collection. This is due to the fact that now you own an item that has actually been touched and looked upon by the celebrity you own a collection of.

There are many methods and routes that a collector can take in order to purchase a autographed celebrity photo. To begin with, a collector can visit the website of the celebrity they are hoping to obtain a autographed photo of. They can generally find when and where memorabilia auctions pertaining to their specific celebrity will be held, just by visiting their website.

In fact, many celebrity based websites actually conduct auctions on a monthly basis wherein they will auction off a specific number of autographed celebrity photos of the individual the website is promoting. These autographed photos are usually endorsed by the celebrity and are proven to be authentic. Each photo will be accompanied with a certificate of authentication along with a guarantee that the actual celebrity in question signed the autograph themselves.

Another method that many collectors use to obtain autographed celebrity photos, is to visit local or out of state celebrity memorabilia stores. These stores specialize in celebrity memorabilia and generally carry autographed celebrity photos. They also take the time to make sure that all the photos they sell are one hundred percent legitimate and test them for authentication.

However, at times you will run into crooked owners who state that an autographed celebrity photo in their store is authentic when in fact it isn’t. Make sure to do your homework and investigate any location you are considering buying an autographed celebrity photograph from. You will want to contact the Better Business Bureau and make sure that they have a good reputation. Also, ask them questions to see what process they took to make sure that the item in question is authentic. If they used a authentication service, be sure to investigate and check them out as well, to make sure that you are getting what you are looking for.

A final method in purchasing autographed celebrity photos is to look into private sellers who are parting ways with pieces in their own collections. These sellers can generally be found on the Internet and can generally be found on celebrity websites. However, as with every method that you can use to purchase autographed celebrity photos, be sure to check the product for authenticity before committing to a purchase.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for autographed celebrity photos, celebrity collectibles, and autographed art. You will find it all at these sites for purchasing autographed celebrity photos, celebrity collectibles.