Stock splits are one of the most powerful stock-moving mechanisms. They became rather sparse when the market bubble burst, but when the DOW and NASDAQ moves much higher, more splits are announced.

Many analysts say that stock splits don’t mean anything. BALONEY! What they mean is that the “values stay the same.” That is true. For instance, if you own 100 shares of XYZ at 100 dollars per share and the company does a 2-for-1 split, the next day you will have 200 shares at 50 dollars per share. The “value” is the same because you had 100 X100 which equals 10,000 and now you have 200 X 50 which equals 10,000.

But the analysts don’t take into account the profound psychological element of a stock split. That is the part that analysts cannot measure and therefore rarely mention. At InvestYourself, however, we understand the power of the stock split and bring winning split plays to you every week.

When a split is announced, you often see that stock rocket up on the news. More times than not it falls back after a few days and wanders around fairly aimlessly for a while. Many people call this the “flat’ period or “dormant” phase.

Then something interesting takes place. A good company’s stock will begin a rally about 10 days to two weeks before the date of the actual split execution. Why is that? Remember when the split was announced the stock popped and then fell back, often to BELOW where it was when they announced the split? On that first run-up, VOLUME came into the stock. The news was exciting, and tons of shares were purchased in a short period of time.

As the split execution nears, buying volume starts picking up and the share price rises. We call this the beginning of the “split run.” Why does volume increase? For number of reasons, but the main one is the excitement returns to the stock. Some people want to own that stock before the “date of record” and buy into it for any dividends that might be disbursed. Others want it because they know they will have twice as much stock after the split.

We buy it because history shows that more times than not a great company will indeed run into its split! If you look at hundreds of charts from hundreds of companies you will see the pattern over and over. Unless the market is very weak, the stock chart will show a definite move to the upside right before the split execution.

Sometimes a split runner will run right up to the execution day and other times it sells off ahead of the execution. With this in mind, you should consider taking out your profits the day before the execution day. What do you do with a runner with huge momentum that looks like it could get more the next day? Use your stop loss to lock in profits without too much worry of it reversing and falling

Naturally there is never a rule that works every time, but for the most part getting in about three weeks (15 trading days) before a split executes and selling out the day before or the morning of the split still has a winning rate of about 80%. Those are good odds in any venture.

For a FREE report on How To Trade Fast:

http://lb.bcentral.com/ex/manage/subscriberprefs?customerid=12826

Long term care insurance can be a complex and sensitive subject – one that
most people hope they will never have to take out. As the name suggests, it is the name given to the insurance that provides coverage for the care given to a person when they need permanent and continuous care.

Long term care has been described as the biggest challenge that an elderly
person could have - and an estimated 70% of people aged 65 or over will need
long term home care at some point in their lives.

This care is usually provided by a family member or close relative – often a
spouse, a daughter or daughter in law. Around 70% of long term care is provided
in the home and can include medical care and help with everyday activities. Long
term care insurance offers coverage and benefits for services not covered by
regular insurance or by Medicare.

Not surprisingly, long term care doesn’t come cheap and paying for it can be a
challenge – studies show that the average cost for the insurance increases by
around 12% every year – the average cost of a year spent in a nursing home is
around $41,000.

Long term care insurance makes sense if you are young and have the necessary
time to prepay for adequate coverage – although most of us don’t think about it
when we are young. There are several different methods of paying for the
insurance, or for older people who don’t have the funds; there may be other
options, such as using money from assets. Medicare may help cover the costs for
those who have no other options.

Apart from being an unavoidable fact of life for most older people, long term
care should not necessarily be seen as something negative. For many people, it
offers a way to maintain some of their independence as well as peace of mind,
and ensures their later years won’t put a strain on family relationships.

We hope that you enjoy the treasures of the Sierra Madre as much
as we do. We operate the Mission Del Rey among the Tarahumara
Indians. The Tarahumara are a proud people that have endured
many hardships. They lead very rough and often difficult lives.
They are teetering between their traditional lifestyle and
assimilation into the Mexican culture. Unfortunately, they are
somewhat stuck between the two and often live hand to mouth.
Hunger and exposure are too well known among the people. By
being able to continue their traditional crafts, they preserve
their cultural roots and their dignity as they work to provide
for their families.

The Tarahumara or Rarámuri, as they call themselves, inhabit the
Copper Canyon, as it is known in the U.S., or the Sierra
Tarahumara in northwest Mexico. The actual name Tarahumara was
what the first Spanish called these Native American people. The
Spanish originally encountered the Tarahumara throughout
Chihuahua upon arrival in the 1500’s, but as the Spanish
encroached on their civilization the shy and private Tarahumara
retreated for the nearly inaccessible canyons of the Sierra
Tarahumara. Only the Jesuit missionaries followed at first and
with only scattered success.

After mineral wealth was discovered in the mountains, many areas
where Tarahumara Indians lived became desirable lands to the
miners & mining companies forced the Tarahumara once again to
head farther into the remote canyons. Today, the Tarahumara are
Mexico’s second largest native Indian group with between 50,000
& 70,000 people. Today the Tarahumara live in caves, under
cliffs and in small wood and stone cabins in remote areas. They
live a simple life undisturbed by modern technologies. They are
known as a quiet and considerate people who are expert farmers
and runners. Rarámuri has been translated to mean “runners” in
their native language. Due to severe drought in northern Mexico,
the Tarahumara have suffered famine in the past few years.

Corn is the main staple along with beans. Potatoes, and apples
can also be found. Some Tarahumara raise domesticated animals
such as goats and cattle. Fish, small game & herbs (a Tarahumara
specialty) round out their diet. Traditional clothing for the
Tarahumara consists of a white cloth shirt, sometimes with
colorful prints, white cloth pants or wraparounds with colorful
belts or accessories. Headbands of cloth usually red are worn
upon the head. Sandals or huaraches are the footwear of choice.

Running is what the Tarahumara may be most legendary for in the
world. Various organizations have entered Tarahumara runners
into events such as the “Leadville 100-Mile” in Colorado. The
runners have surprised many by running in their tire-soled
sandals and winning some of these long distance races. Running
or “foot throwing” has always been a tradition and necessity of
the Tarahumara. It is their only mode of transportation and many
of the small communities are far apart. They also have their own
events, and this is were “foot throwing” comes into effect. It
is a competition known as Rarjíparo and consists of a small
wooden ball which is “thrown by the foot” by teams in a race to
finish before the other teams. The races can last days. The
Tarahumara are very religious. Two larger events are Semana
Santa (Easter Week) and the Fiesta Guadalupana in December.
These religious rites are a mixture of Christian and Tarahumara
beliefs.

Tarahumara Drums and Violins Musical instruments such as
drums and violins are made frequently for use in ceremonies.
Drums are made from pieces of goatskin stretched over a wooden
frame. They are used extensively during the Holy Week or Semana
Santa festivities before Easter. As drums are considered
ceremonial items, they can be difficult to find during much of
the year. The drums are brightly decorated by hand using crushed
iron oxide. Then, as the ceremonies are beginning, they beat the
drums as a call to gather the people. During the festivals the
sound of the drums can be heard drifting throught the mountain
villages for miles.

Violins were first introduced to the Tarahumara Indians by the
Spanish and have come to play an important role in Tarahumara
music and celebrations. The violins are all carved by hand, a
painstaking process. Recently, these precious works of art have
been produced with an intricately carved animal figure on the
scroll of the instrument. The primitive violins are played as
the dancers, men (Matachines) dressed in brightly colored
costumes do the traditional dance day and night for several
days.

Wood Dough Bowls & Carving Tarahumara men love to work
with wood and have learned to fashion amazingly detailed items
with what might seem to be very crude working tools. Wooden
spoons, bowls, and figurines are all items which are commonly
carved. Their well known dough bowls, carved by hand from native
yellow pine begin as a piece of a downed tree trunk. The trunk
is split in half lengthwise then carved with an axe to form the
shape of the bowl, and further worked with a machete or large
knife. This traditional style dough bowl has been used
throughout the Sierra Madre for generations. Corn and wheat are
ground by hand by crushing the kernels between a smooth stone
and a tapered stone trough called a metate. The dough bowl is
places at the lower end of the trough to catch the corn or wheat
flour as it is ground. Water is then added to the flour in the
bowl and hand-made tortillas are not far behind. The beauty of
these rustic dough bowls is enhanced by the natural
irregularities of the wood. Their character is as rich as their
heritage.

Basketry Baskets serve many functions in a traditional
Tarahumara household. A basket may be used to store corn, beans
or a number of other things. As the floors of most Tarahumara
homes are dirt, baskets help keep personal items organized and
clean. There are generally two types of baskets; The first and
most common being of yucca or sotol. These are used constantly
in everyday life. The second type of basket is fashioned from
pine needles and is most common in the higher elevations where
pine trees are prevalent. These baskets are quite small and
delicate. The yucca baskets are made in a variety of sizes and
shapes. In the mountain country, the guari type is most commonly
found. These baskets are usually a singl weave and are round at
the top and somewhat square, with four distinct corners, at the
bottom. The petaca is traditional to the canyon regions. It is
round with a lid and frequently double woven. As the baskets can
be quite bulky, the guari in particular, are often made in
graduating sizes so they may be nested. The baskets are all made
by twill plaiting, which results in a diagonal design. The
basketmaker uses only her hands and teeth to fashion the basket,
although the leaves are sometimes run across a stone to dull
their sharp edges before they are worked.

Pottery Tarahumara pots or ollas are used for a variety
of cooking purposes. An olla may be used to cook beans, boil
corn with lime for making tortillas, roasting corn for pinole,
and in the larger pots, for making the Tarahumara traditional
corn beer, tesguino. Slightly different sizes and shapes define
the use of a particular pot. Tarahumara pottery, as with
virtually everything they make, is simple and functional. The
first step in pottery making is to gather the clay. This may
require a trip of several miles. Once the clay has been
obtained, it is ground on a stone metate and mixed with pottery
shards that have also been ground on the metate. Water is then
added to this mixture and it is kneaded until the right
consistency is achieved. Then it is time to begin forming the
piece. The base is formed first and the sides are built up using
coils of clay. The olla is always shaped by hand, although a
piece of gourd may be used to smooth and scrape away roughness.
After drying in the sun, a hot fire is made in a shallow pit and
the pot is fired. When a pot is decorated, the paint is obtained
from red ochre, iron oxide or hematite and applied with the
fingers or by means of a feather or cloth-wrapped stick.

Weaving When the Spanish arrived in the Sierra
Tarahumara in the early 1600’s, with the introduction of sheep,
the Tarahumara begun weaving clothing and blankets of wool by
1625. Blankets are made from homespun yarn, usually in the
natural colors of dark brown and white. These blankets serve the
very useful purpose of keeping people warm during the frigid
winter months. They are woven in a most ingenious open weave so
that the air spaces provide additional insulation. A broad
horizontal loom is used for weaving. It is usually set low to
the ground in the shade if possible. The weaver sits at the end
to work. The finished product may take months to complete.

I was given a list of Do’s and Don’ts of interacting with people who have dementia. I’ve modified this list only slightly to guide you in safely interacting with corporate executives.

Do–Hold their hand. [Most executives want to shake your hand when you enter their office. I have found that it is best to allow them to hold your hand as long as they see fit. Extended handholding is non-verbal communication of endearment.]

Do–Keep your sense of humor. [Humor is critical with high-level corporate executives. Laugh at their cue, even if you aren’t quite sure what you are laughing at. Otherwise, they have a tendency of feeling alienated and can turn hostile. Likewise, if you find yourself laughing and they are not, curtail laughing or like the contrary, they have a tendency of feeling alienated and can turn hostile.]

Do–Keep things simple. [High-level executives are easily overwhelmed, which can generate a feeling of alienation, which can facilitate them turning hostile.]

Do–Give them simple easy tasks or have them focus on entertainment such as television. [It is best to keep high-level executives busy with unimportant activities. Lack of activities has a tendency to make them feel “out-of-the-loop.” This is dangerous. They will insert themselves into processes that were working fine without them. If possible, have a TV installed in their office and show them financial programs. They are easily distracted by dollar signs. Warning: dollar signs in red have been proven to generate hostility among high-level corporate executives.]

Do–Remain calm. [These executives have an uncanny ability to sense nervousness, which puts them ill-at-ease, which can facilitate them turning hostile.]

Don’t–Give them choices. [High-level executives are easily overwhelmed, which can generate a feeling of alienation, which can facilitate them turning hostile. Instead, present evidence of a “great opportunity” and allow them come up with a grand idea for you to facilitate. Warning: this is inviting prolonged conversations with them about their grand idea.]

Don’–Get irritated by them asking a question repeatedly. [Refer to keep your sense of humor above.]

Don’t–Tell them what they “should” do. [High-level executives are extremely sensitive to their autonomy and often automatically resist an underling or lesser “instructing” them, which can generate a feeling of alienation, which can facilitate them turning hostile to reinforce their sense of power.]

Don’t–Expect them to do what they say they are going to do. [Expectations are the root of disappointment. If you can curb your expectations, your frequency of disappointment will diminish.]

Don’t–Expect what they tell you to be accurate. [Treating what they say as accurate can only lead to actions based on fallacy and at the end of the day you will look foolish because they will “not recall” telling that “fact” to you.]

Don’t–Expect them to do what they say they will do. [See above. If this isn’t self-apparent by now, stop reading this email and get back to work.]

There were more on the list, which were equally appropriate. The only one that didn’t seem to fit was: Do–Hug them. My experience is that hugs can make them feel ill-at-ease.

By Howard Campbell
http://www.intellishit.com

The Cash to Cash Cycle
Part Three of Series

We’re sprinting toward that million dollar mark…and we’re only a couple strides away…

Decreasing inventory carried us over the first hurdle, and last week reducing Accounts Receivable sped us through the half-way mark. We’re making great time, so let’s bring on the next mile marker – marketing and sales.

Increasing Overall Sales and Marketing Effectiveness

If you are an organization spending $500,000 or more on marketing expenses (e.g. advertising, trade shows, print materials, direct mail, etc.) then STOP! We found it again. Why you ask…? Because marketing has the greatest potential of being very unproductive. In fact, many marketing programs struggle to break even, and actually frequently lose money. So if we increase the overall effectiveness, then we can eliminate 50% or more of your wasted marketing efforts, which translates into $250,000 in cash.

So now, let’s see how this actually works in a real-life scenario.

Sales and Marketing Company Policy Case Study

An organization with $500,000 in marketing expenses needed assistance. We examined their sales and marketing process to understand and quantify the lead flow, follow-up, and demand forecasting issues. Then we designed and implemented a process to improve their sales cycle efficiency and tie it closer to their customer’s buying cycles. After the marketing reductions, we then reinvested $100,000 back into new processes for public relations and Customer Relationship Management (CRM), both of which were suffering badly.

The metrics we developed reduced their marketing expenses by 60% overall and increased their sales cycle efficiency from 40% to 60% within 6 months of implementing the new procedures. With these new processes and reports, the company now tracks sales cycle efficiency and life-time value rather than just sales quota achievement, as the measure of their sales & marketing effectiveness. The result: an extra $300,000 in cash plus a 50% increase in process capability (capacity).

As we have seen time and time again, time can be our best friend, if only we let it.

Methods to Design the New Sales & Marketing Process

• Improve Follow-up. Only about two percent (2%) of sales occur on the first contact. Eighty percent (80%) of sales will require five to eight contacts before the sale closes. This means that if you are contacting the prospect less than five times or more than eight times, then you could have a problem with follow-up.

• Sales Cycle Efficiency. Time kills deals. The speed at which a prospect is converted into a customer and the number of prospects required to make that conversion determines your sales cycle efficiency. So ask yourself, are you taking the right steps to measure and reduce lost sales?

• Life-Time Value. How profitable a given customer is over time defines your LTV or Life-Time Value. Companies spend ten times more to acquire a customer than to keep a customer. However, existing customers are more likely to purchase again, spend more money, and therefore become more profitable. If you don’t know your LTV, then how do you know how much money to spend and on which customer segment?

• Demand Forecasting. Every customer buys on a cycle. So this means that you should track cycle times and variance to increase the accuracy of your forecasting and the loyalty of the customer. Do you know when your customers need to reorder?

• Improve Lead Quality. Do you have methods in place to measure the conversion potential of each lead? Lead generation activities (i.e. forms) should pre-qualify every new lead so that you can take the right follow-up actions for the marketing offer. Strong leads produce strong sales.

• Increase Awareness. To keep the sales pipeline full of good quality leads you must continuously increase the awareness of your company and the solutions that it provides. Public relations is more efficient at building awareness than advertising, yet many companies spend wildly on advertising and trade shows while neglecting to fund public relations efforts much at all. Increase your name recognition, not your budget.

• Reduce Discounting. Discounts represent deficiencies in the sales & marketing processes, which means that you should use them sparingly. Instead, determine the root cause and then fix the process that’s causing the need to discount. Show customers the added value, and they won’t focus on price.

• Train Personnel. Provide your sales & marketing personnel with regular formal training. This will arm them with better product knowledge, as well as presentation, negotiating and selling skills that will improve effectiveness. This will boost both employee morale and the bottom line – a win-win.

Control of Sales and Marketing Policy and Procedures

Improve your sales cycle efficiency. Reduce your marketing expenses. Tie it closer to your customer’s buying cycles. And take control of your sales and marketing program to let it work for you.

Improvement with Well-defined Policies and Procedures

With well-defined processes and procedures in place, you will increase efficiency by reducing ineffective sales and marketing programs. And, again, we make such improvements to create more cash on hand – all toward that million dollar goal and to cross the finish line.

Next week, we will hurdle the final $250,000 mark with the Accounting Payables function – so close you can see it.

Chris Anderson is currently the managing director of Bizmanualz, Inc. and co-author of policies and procedures manuals, producing the layout, process design and implementation to increase performance.
To learn how to increase your business performance, visit: Bizmanualz, Inc.

I’ll cut to the chase. To make your video look right, you have to wear makeup. Sorry guys, be macho if you want, but when you have a five o’clock shadow after you just shaved, don’t say I didn’t warn you. The harsh lights used in studios penetrate several layers of skin that would appear a lot healthier if you had just put on some powder. It gets worse… baldness seems to be highlighted by cameras for some reason, get over it and put on some makeup. Don’t forget your nose and forehead, and always reapply during a break; you’ll thank me later.

While we’re on the vanity of things; clothes. Don’t wear gaudy prints, black, red or white. When you review your video, you want to see yourself rather than your outfit.

OK, now that that is out of the way, onto cameras. You’ll want preferably three cameras to ensure you have captured your speech and your audience from all angles. In order for your video to be of the best possible quality you’ll want to use Beta Cam, mini DV, or at the absolute worst, SVHS or HI8. Also, to have your video look great you should use professional operators and a director if they are using multi-cameras and a control room.

Lighting is the most important element when planning a video production. I have videos that were shot on poor quality cameras, but look great thanks to the right lighting.

If the organization is doing the editing, be right there in the suite as they do it. Ultimately, no matter what you have bartered, this is your finished copy and you should have a say in what is cut and what is not.

Lastly, scatter microphones throughout the audience. This will allow you to hear real reactions without the filters of lapel microphones.

Tom Antion provides entertaining speeches and educational seminars. He is the ultimate entrepreneur, having owned many businesses BEFORE graduating college. Tom is the author of the best selling presentation skills book “Wake ‘Em Up Business Presentations” and “Click: The Ultimate Guide to Electronic Marketing.” It is important to Tom that his knowledge be not only absorbed, but enjoyed. This is why he delivers his speeches laced with great humor and hysterical jokes. Tom has addressed more than 87 different industries and is thoroughly committed to his client’s needs.

www.antion.com

There are many ways you can become successful with your own
info-products. So, I’ve included some ideas and tips to help you.

1. Create e-books for other web sites or businesses. You could
create them for no charge in exchange for an ad or a mention of
your web site inside. You could also create them in exchange for
getting the reprint rights to them.

2. Purchase reprint rights to other people’s e-books and combine
them in a large package deal with your own product. You should
check with the reprint rights owners to see if they will allow
it first. If you can’t afford to buy reprint rights, you could
always trade for them.

3. Allow people to use any of your freebies as free bonuses for
products or services they sell. Include your ad on all your
freebies. Some people only give away freebies in order to allow
other people the right to give them away. You could also give
them the right to include a freebie with their own product as a
bonus. For example, “Feel free to use this free e-book as a
bonus product!”

4. Learn sales ideas from reading and studying other businesses’
advertising and marketing material. It could be ads, brochures,
TV ads, sales letters, etc. For example, if you see an
attention-getting headline, rewrite it but don’t copy it for
your own product. Another example, if you seen an ad with a
persuasive ‘before’ and ‘after’ picture, maybe you could do that
for your own product.

5. Allow other people to give away your free e-book. This will
increase the number of people who will see your ad in the
e-book. You could also include a mini catalog of all your
products or services that you offer in the e-book. You could
include your own products or associate program’s products in the
e-book.

6. Sell your own products or services. They should be related to
your target audience. You want to be able to take credit cards
on your site and deliver your product to them as fast as
possible.

Use these tips well and you can become successful with your own
info-product.

Definition Of A Survivable Computer System
—————————-
A computer system, which may be made up of multiple individual systems and components, designed to provide mission critical services must be able to perform in a consistent and timely manner under various operating conditions. It must be able to meet its goals and objectives whether it is in a state of normal operation or under some sort of stress or in a hostile environment. A discussion on survivable computer systems can be a very complex and far reaching one. However, in this article we will touch on just a few of the basics.

Computer Security And Survivable Computer Systems
————————————————–
Survivable computer systems and computer security are in many ways related but at a low-level very much different. For instance, the hardening of a particular system to be resistant against intelligent attacks may be a component of a survivable computer system. It does not address the ability of a computer system to fulfill its purpose when it is impacted by an event such as a deliberate attack, natural disaster or accident, or general failure. A survivable computer system must be able to adapt, perform its primary critical functions even if in a hostile environment, even if various components of the computer system are incapacitated. In some cases, even if the entire “primary” system has been destroyed.

As an example; a system designed to provide real-time critical information regarding analysis of specialized medications ceases to function for a few hours because of wide spread loss of communication. However, it maintains the validity of the data when communication is restored and systems come back online. This computer system could be considered to have survived under conditions outside of its control.

On the other hand, the same system fails to provide continuous access to information under normal circumstances or operating environment, because of a localized failure, may not be judged to have fulfilled its purpose or met its objective.

Fault Tolerant And Highly Availability Computer Systems
—————————-
Many computer systems are designed with fault tolerant components so they continue to operate when key portions of the system fail. For instance; multiple power supplies, redundant disk drives or arrays, even multiple processors and system boards that can continue to function even if its peer component is destroyed or fails. The probability of all components designed to be redundant failing at one time may be quite low. However, a malicious entity that knows how the redundant components are configured may be able to engineer critical failures across the board rendering the fault tolerant components ineffective.

High availability also plays a role in a survivable computer system. However this design component may not maintain computer system survivability during certain events such as various forms of malicious attack . An example of this might be a critical web service that has been duplicated, say across multiple machines, to allow continuous functionality if one or more the individual web servers was to fail. The problem is that many implementations of high availability use the same components and methodology on all of the individual systems. If an intelligent attack or malicious event takes place and is directed at a specific set of vulnerabilities on one of the individual systems, it is reasonable to assume the remaining computer systems that participate in the highly available implementation are also susceptible to the same or similar vulnerabilities. A certain degree of variance must be achieved in how all systems participate in the highly available implementation.

What’s The Difference Between An Attack, Failure, And Accident?
How Do These Differences Impact A Survivable Computer System
———————————————————-
In many cases when I am discussing the security of systems with customers, the question of business continuity and disaster recovery come up. Most companies that provide a service that they deem critical just know the system needs to be operational in a consistent manner. However, there is typically little discussion about the various events or scenarios surrounding this and that can lead to great disappointment in the future when what the customer thought was a “survivable computer system” does not meet their expectations. Some of the items I like to bring up during these conversations is what their computer systems goal and objective is, what specifically does continuous operation mean to them, and specifically what constitutes an attack, failure, or accident that can cause loss of operation or failure to meet objectives.

A failure may be defined as a localized event that impacts the operation of a system and its ability to deliver services or meet its objectives. An example might be the failure of one or more critical or non-critical functions that effect the performance or overall operation of the system. Say, the failure of a module of code that causes a cascading event that prevents redundant modules from performing properly. Or, a localize hardware failure that incapacitates the computer system.

An accident is typically an event that is outside the control of the system and administrators of a local / private system. An example of this would be natural disasters such as hurricanes, if you live in south Florida like I do, or floods, or wide spread loss of power because the utility provider cut the wrong power lines during an upgrade to the grid. About two years ago, a client of mine who provides web based document management services could not deliver revenue generating services to their customers because a telecommunications engineer cut through a major phone trunk six blocks away from their office. They lost phone and data services for nearly a week.

An now we come to “attack”. We all know accidents will happen, we know that everything fails at one time or another, and typically we can speculate on how these things will happen. An attack, executed by an intelligent, experienced individual or group can be very hard to predict. There are many well known and documented forms of attacks. The problem is intelligence and human imagination continuously advance the form of malicious attacks and can seriously threaten even the most advanced designed survivable computer systems. An accident or failure does not have the ability to think out of the box or realize that a highly available design is flawed because all participants use the same design. The probability that an attack might occur, and succeed may be quite low, but the impact may be devastating.

Conclusion
———————————————–
One of the reasons I wrote this article was to illustrate that it’s not all about prevention. Although prevention is a big part of survivable computer system design, a critical computer system must be able to meet its objectives even when operating under hostile or stressful circumstances. Or if the steps taking for prevention ultimately prove inadequate. It may be impossible to think of all the various events that can impact a critical computer system but it is possible to reasonably define the possibilities.

The subject of survivable computer systems is actually one of complexity and ever evolving technology. This article has only touched on a few of the basic aspects of computer system survivability. I intend on continuing this article to delve deeper into the subject of survivable computer systems.

You may reprint or publish this article free of charge as long as the bylines are included.

Original URL (The Web version of the article)
————
http://www.defendingthenet.com/NewsLetters/WhatAreSurvivableComputerSystems.htm

Darren Miller is an Information Security Consultant with over seventeen years experience. He has written many technology & security articles, some of which have been published in nationally circulated magazines & periodicals. If you would like to contact Darren you can e-mail him at Darren.Miller@defendingthenet.com. If you would like to know more about computer security please visit us at www.defendingthenet.com.

Business – the state of being busy resulting into something productive or profit in business terms. Finance is an important term in business and can be a matter of concern when it comes to running business smoothly. You can go for unsecured business loans if you need finance but don’t want to risk your property as collateral.

Unsecured business loans provide you the financial assistance you are looking for the smooth functioning of your business. These loans carry a higher risk of default for the lender. Now you may think why is lender ready to take such risk and offer you his money as a loan. Yes, there is something which attracts lender also. These loans carry a slightly higher rate of interest. Still they are considered to be a good sourse for funding your business.

Credit score holds a great importance in case of unsecured business loans. Credit score is a three digit figure calculated by credit rating agencies like Equifax, Experian, and Transunion. Any score below 500 can create trouble for you in getting the loan. A bad credit score occurs due to various reasons like non-payment or late payment of debts, your unpaid credit card bills, bankruptcy, arrears everything adds to your bad credit score.

A bad credit unsecured business loan helps you recover from your bad credit. When you make proper payments for the loan amount it affects your credit score in a positive manner. So there is an advantage of recovering from bad credit history.

These loans can be taken either for
• Starting a new business or
• For the expansion of the existing one.
• Purchase Real Estate
• Refinance Business Debt
• Purchase a Business
• Working Capital

The loan amount which you can apply for under secured business loans ranges from ₤15000 to ₤250000. The repayment term can vary from one year to ten years depending on the loan amount, credit rating and the lender you have chosen.
Documentation related to following things is necessary to carry with you while approaching a lender.
• Business profile
• Name and length of business ownership
• Incase of new business you need to discuss your business venture
• You have also to mention how your business is successful enough to repay the loan amount.
You have to consider some important things before you apply for an unsecured business loan. Calculate the funds you have with you to invest and how much amount you want to take as an unsecured business loan. Your ability to repay the loan amount should also be taken in mind.

Applying for these loans through online option gives you an edge over the financial institutions and banks. It is also easy to get free quotes from the websites. Yes, it is always recommended to make a phone call to the lender in case you are facing any difficulty in understanding terms and conditions regarding the loan package.

Unsecured Business loans are becoming popular because of the reason that they get approved fast as the hassle of transfer of title of collateral in not there as in secured loans. There instant availability could be proved as a gift for you when you need fast money. So you should go for these loans to cater to your finance related problems.

James Taylor holds a Master’s degree in Commerce from JNU. He is working as financial consultant. To find Personal loans, Bad credit loans, debt Consolidation, Unsecured business loans that best suits your needs visit www.chanceforloans.co.uk

Living with debt is not something someone hopes for, but it happens and it usually becomes far more severe than it should before something is done to eliminate it. Once many individuals realize they have a problem with debt, they are too embarrassed to ask for help so they let themselves dive further into debt. Being embarrassment and ashamed are regular emotions many encounter when they realize they are in debt however you are not alone so you shouldn’t feel embarrassed.

Everyday people get into debt, but everyday people are looking for ways to debt
relief, whether it is through self-help, credit counseling, dept management
programs, or other resources. If you are struggling with debt you no longer have to
feel ashamed or embarrassed because there are resources that will steer you in the
right direction towards eliminating your debt. There are a variety of options one
can choose from so you have the option of choosing what debt relief option is right
for you.

First you have to consider how serious your debt is. Remember having debt isn’t
good period, but you have the possibility of different solutions depending on the
type of debt you are in. You have to decide what you think the best solution is for
you and stick with it, to make sure you eliminate your debt, and stay out of debt for
good.

Debt Relief Options

If you feel you have little debt but are starting to get concerned about being able to
pay it off, consider setting up on a budget if you don’t have one already or
reevaluate your current one. A budget is a way to view your personal cash flow,
which is your money coming in, and your money that goes out each month. You’ll
need to keep track of all your spending for one month to establish an accurate
household budget. Keep a record of your monthly income and all your monthly bills
and other receipts even with cash.

Once you see what you are spending and how much, you should be able to cut back
on certain items especially on impulse buys like candy bars or everyday items you
don’t think add up to a lot but do in the long run, like morning coffee at your
favorite coffee shop. Make goals for your self to set aside a certain amount of
money each month to put in savings or to put towards paying off other debt.

After you create a budget you can choose to eliminate your debt on your own by
ripping up your credit cards, dealing with your creditors, and still making all your
payments on time. However if you tend to be late on monthly payments it’s
recommend you consider the next option for debt relief.

If your debt is severe it’s recommended that you get help and fast. This is where
most people’s embarrassment sets in and they are afraid to get help. However
credit counseling is a great option to help you eliminate your debt. You can find
companies that do it for free, and all your information is kept confidential. A
credit counselor will evaluate your current situation and then recommend the best
solution for you.

A credit counselor may suggest a debt management program in which the counselor
would work directly with your creditors as well as provide you with additional
education, guidance, and motivation to make sure you get through the plan and pay
off your debt. This simply includes sending a single payment each month to the
agency, which is then dispersed to the creditors that you owe money to.

Another debt relief solution is by debt consolidation, where existing debts and
mortgage payment are compiled into one. You would take out a loan, often times
using your home as collateral and the lender sends you a check and you pay off
your creditors. However if you fall behind you put losing your house at a serious
risk.

An absolute last resort and not recommended is filing for bankruptcy. Bankruptcy is
a court action that stops lawsuits and any other attempts by creditors or collection
agencies to collect from you. However, it comes with a high price. It usually stays
on your credit report for a full 10 years, causing great difficulty in using credit to
purchase a car, home or other loans. It can even restrict you from certain types of
employment. Bankruptcy shouldn’t be thought of as a “get out of debt free card”
because it can still completely destroy your credit worthiness for a long period of
time.

The Road to Recovery

Now that you have all the options, it’s up to you to decide what you need to do.
Getting out of debt is in your hands, you should never feel alone or embarrassed
because there are others in your same situation and they are successfully getting
out of debt with the use of each of these debt relief options. For more information
on credit and debt management go to http://www.inchargeorg.org where you will
find professional budget counseling, debt management, and financial education
programs at your fingertips.

Katie Spencer is a contributing writer for a number of international financial journals
both online and in print. Katie has been delivering financial education to the public
in a variety of areas to include college budgeting, credit and debt management, and
money saving tips. Recently, Katie has been in partnership with a national
educational foundation to deliver financial advice to American consumers via the
web. For more information and to read the latest articles published by Katie, please
visit http://www.inchargeorg.org